bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Erfahrungen beim Gasoxinitrieren von Werkzeugen für die Warmumformung*
Authors: Spies H.-J. , Zimdars H. , Müller C.
Published: December 2013

Kurzfassung

Charakteristisch für Warmarbeitswerkzeuge ist eine individuelle werkzeugspezifische Beanspruchung und ein daraus resultierendes breites Spektrum an spezifischen lebensdauerbegrenzenden Schädigungen. Da die Schädigung vor allem auf die oberflächennahen Randbereiche beschränkt ist, eröffnet eine Randschichtbehandlung zahlreiche Möglichkeiten der Verbesserung ihres Gebrauchsverhaltens. Besonders bewährt hat sich eine Nitrierung der Werkzeuge. Für einen Einsatz auf Warmarbeitswerkzeugen sind Nitrierschichten durch ihre hohe Anlassbeständigkeit und Warmfestigkeit hervorragend geeignet. Beispiele veranschaulichen das hohe Potenzial der Nitrierung für die Erhöhung der Standmenge von Werkzeugen für die Warmumformung. Sie dienen der Erläuterung wesentlicher Zusammenhänge zwischen dem Aufbau von Nitrierschichten und dem Gebrauchsverhalten der Werkzeuge.
Gas Quench Rate after Low Pressure Carburizing and its Influence on Fatigue Properties of Gears
Authors: Fahlkrans J. , Melander A. , Haglund S.
Published: December 2013

Process modifications of the gas quench sequence for low pressure carburized gears can increase the performance of up to 22 %, compared to direct gas quenching. Several test series were made with different interruptions of the gas quenching sequence, near the martensite start temperature Ms. The quench interruption resulted in an increase in magnitude of compressive residual stress which was attributed to temperature homogenization and rearrangement of local stresses. The increased fatigue strength was a result of the combination of enhancement of the compressive residual stress state, and of mechanical stabilization of austenite.
’We Have Become Niggers!’: Josephine Baker as a Threat to Viennese Culture
Authors: Horak Roman
Published: December 2013

Early 1928 Josephine Baker, by that time a famous dancer and singer, came to Vienna to be part of a vaudeville show. Even before her arrival the waves went high – her possible presence in Vienna caused a major uproar there. Various commentators constructed an image of Baker that was based on the assumption that she was seriously attacked on the values of traditional European culture and, furthermore, true Viennese culture.

In my essay, where I address the Viennese Negerskandal more directly, I explore the various discourses that produced this ‘event’ along the interface of mass culture/avant-garde and high/low culture. It is evident that these events centre on a construction of ‘blackness’ and of ‘black cultural expression’; it goes without saying that racism and sexism play a central role.

I will, however, try to contextualize the ‘nigger scandal’ in a broader setting: against the background of Vienna in the late 1920s the perceived threat of ‘Americanisation’ will be discussed.
A Review of National-Level Adaptation Planning with Regards to the Risks Posed by Climate Change on Infectious Diseases in 14 OECD Nations
Authors: Panic Mirna , Ford James
Published: December 2013

Climate change is likely to have significant implications for human health, particularly through alterations of the incidence, prevalence, and distribution of infectious diseases. In the context of these risks, governments in high income nations have begun developing strategies to reduce potential climate change impacts and increase health system resilience (i.e., adaptation). In this paper, we review and evaluate national-level adaptation planning in relation to infectious disease risks in 14 OECD countries with respect to “best practices” for adaptation identified in peer-reviewed literature. We find a number of limitations to current planning, including negligible consideration of the needs of vulnerable population groups, limited emphasis on local risks, and inadequate attention to implementation logistics, such as available funding and timelines for evaluation. The nature of planning documents varies widely between nations, four of which currently lack adaptation plans. In those countries where planning documents were available, adaptations were mainstreamed into existing public health programs, and prioritized a sectoral, rather than multidisciplinary, approach. The findings are consistent with other scholarship examining adaptation planning indicating an ad hoc and fragmented process, and support the need for enhanced attention to adaptation to infectious disease risks in public health policy at a national level.
MMP-7 and fcDNA Serum Levels in Early NSCLC and Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonia: Preliminary Study
Authors: Ulivi Paola , Casoni Gian , Foschi Giovanni , Scarpi Emanuela , Tomassetti Sara , Romagnoli Micaela , Ravaglia Claudia , Mengozzi Marta , Zoli Wainer , Poletti Venerino
Published: December 2013

A non-invasive test to facilitate the diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is still not available and represents an important goal. Forty-eight patients with stage I NSCLC, 45 with IPF, 30 with other idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs) including idiopathic non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) and chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), 35 with diffuse non-malignant disease and 30 healthy donors were enrolled onto the study. Free circulating (fc)DNA and MMP-7 levels were evaluated by Real Time PCR and ELISA, respectively. Median fcDNA levels were similar in NSCLC (127 ng/mL, range 23.6–345 ng/mL) and IPF (106 ng/mL, range 22–224 ng/mL) patients, and significantly lower in IIPs patients, in individuals with other diseases and in healthy donors (p < 0.05). Conversely, median MMP-7 values were significantly higher in IPF patients (9.10 ng/mL, range 3.88–19.72 ng/mL) than in those with NSCLC (6.31 ng/mL, range 3.38–16.36 ng/mL; p < 0.0001), NSIP (6.50 ng/mL, range 1.50–22.47 ng/mL; p = 0.007), other diseases (5.41 ng/mL, range 1.78–15.91, p < 0.0001) or healthy donors (4.35 ng/mL, range 2.45–7.23; p < 0.0001). Serum MMP-7 levels seem to be capable of distinguishing IPF patients from those with any other lung disease. fcDNA levels were similar in NSCLC and IPF patients, confirming its potential role as a biomarker, albeit non-specific, for the differential diagnosis of NSCLC.
The Involvement of RhoA and Wnt-5a in the Tumorigenesis and Progression of Ovarian Epithelial Carcinoma
Authors: Chen Shuo , Wang Jun , Gou Wen-Feng , Xiu Ying-Ling , Zheng Hua-Chuan , Zong Zhi-Hong , Takano Yasuo , Zhao Yang
Published: December 2013

Background: Ras homolog gene family member A (RhoA) is involved in Wnt-5a–induced migration of gastric and breast cancer cells. We investigated the roles of RhoA and Wnt-5a in ovarian carcinoma. Methods: RhoA and Wnt-5a mRNA and protein expression in normal fallopian tube epithelium, benign tumors, primary ovarian carcinomas, and metastatic omentum were quantified. RhoA or Wnt-5a was knocked down in OVCAR3 ovarian carcinoma cells using siRNAs and cell phenotype and expression of relevant molecules were assayed. Results: RhoA and Wnt-5a mRNA and protein expression were found to be significantly higher in metastatic omentum than in ovarian carcinomas, benign tumors, and normal fallopian tube epithelium (p < 0.05), and positively associated with differentiation and FIGO staging (stage I/II vs. stage III/IV) in ovarian carcinoma (p < 0.05). RhoA and Wnt-5a expression were positively correlated in ovarian carcinoma (p = 0.001, R2 = 0.1669). RhoA or Wnt-5a knockdown downregulated RhoA and Wnt-5a expression; reduced cell proliferation; promoted G1 arrest and apoptosis; suppressed lamellipodia formation, cell migration, and invasion; and reduced PI3K, Akt, p70S6k, Bcl-xL, survivin, and VEGF mRNA or protein expression. Conclusions: This is the first demonstration that RhoA and Wnt-5a are associated with ovarian carcinogenesis and apoptosis inhibition; there might be positive correlation between RhoA and Wnt-5a expression. RhoA is a potential tumorigenesis, differentiation, and progression biomarker in ovarian carcinoma.
Recent Progress in Advanced Nanobiological Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications
Authors: Choi Hyo-Jick , Montemagno Carlo
Published: December 2013

In this review, we briefly introduce our efforts to reconstruct cellular life processes by mimicking natural systems and the applications of these systems to energy and environmental problems. Functional units of in vitro cellular life processes are based on the fabrication of artificial organelles using protein-incorporated polymersomes and the creation of bioreactors. This concept of an artificial organelle originates from the first synthesis of poly(siloxane)-poly(alkyloxazoline) block copolymers three decades ago and the first demonstration of protein activity in the polymer membrane a decade ago. The increased value of biomimetic polymers results from many research efforts to find new applications such as functionally active membranes and a biochemical-producing polymersome. At the same time, foam research has advanced to the point that biomolecules can be efficiently produced in the aqueous channels of foam. Ongoing research includes replication of complex biological processes, such as an artificial Calvin cycle for application in biofuel and specialty chemical production, and carbon dioxide sequestration. We believe that the development of optimally designed biomimetic polymers and stable/biocompatible bioreactors would contribute to the realization of the benefits of biomimetic systems. Thus, this paper seeks to review previous research efforts, examine current knowledge/key technical parameters, and identify technical challenges ahead.
Self-Assembly and Nanostructures in Organogels Based on a Bolaform Cholesteryl Imide Compound with Conjugated Aromatic Spacer
Authors: Jiao Ti-Feng , Gao Feng-Qing , Shen Xi-Hai , Zhang Qing-Rui , Zhang Xian-Fu , Zhou Jing-Xin , Gao Fa-Ming
Published: December 2013

The self-assembly of small functional molecules into supramolecular structures is a powerful approach toward the development of new nanoscale materials and devices. As a class of self-assembled materials, low weight molecular organic gelators, organized in special nanoarchitectures through specific non-covalent interactions, has become one of the hot topics in soft matter research due to their scientific values and many potential applications. Here, a bolaform cholesteryl imide compound with conjugated aromatic spacer was designed and synthesized. The gelation behaviors in 23 solvents were investigated as efficient low-molecular-mass organic gelator. The experimental results indicated that the morphologies and assembly modes of as-formed organogels can be regulated by changing the kinds of organic solvents. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy observations revealed that the gelator molecule self-assemble into different aggregates, from wrinkle and belt to fiber with the change of solvents. Spectral studies indicated that there existed different H-bond formations between imide groups and assembly modes. Finally, some rational assembly modes in organogels were proposed and discussed. The present work may give some insight to the design and character of new organogelators and soft materials with special structures.
The Effect of Eating Sea Cucumber Jelly on Candida Load in the Oral Cavity of Elderly Individuals in a Nursing Home
Authors: Yano Akira , Abe Akiko , Aizawa Fumie , Yamada Hidetoshi , Minami Kentaro , Matsui Miki , Kishi Mitsuo
Published: December 2013

We conducted a double-blind randomized controlled study of elderly individuals in a nursing home to investigate the effect of the consumption of jelly containing sea cucumber on their oral Candida load. The jelly contained a hydrolysate of the sea cucumber Stichopus japonicus, which contained triterpene glycosides called holotoxins. The holotoxins worked as a fungicide, and their minimum inhibitory concentrations for Candida albicans were 7 µg/mL. Eight individuals in the nursing home took the sea cucumber jelly for a week and their oral Candida were counted before and after the intervention. Nine individuals took a control jelly without S. japonicus. The sea cucumber jelly showed inhibitory effects on the oral Candida. Thus, daily consumption of the S. japonicus jelly has the potential to reduce the oral Candida load in the elderly in nursing homes.
Discrimination of Multi-Origin Chinese Herbal Medicines Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry-Based Fatty Acid Profiling
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Jing , Qiu Jian-Feng , Guo Lan-Ping , Wang Ying , Li Peng , Yang Feng-Qing , Su Huanxing , Wan Jian-Bo
Published: December 2013

Multi-origin Chinese herbal medicines, with herbs originating from more than one species of plants, is a common phenomenon but an important issue in Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs). In the present study, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)—based fatty acid profiling approach to rapidly discriminate multi-origin Chinese medicines in terms of species and medicinal parts was proposed and validated using tuberous roots (Curcumae Radix) and rhizomes (Curcumae Rhizoma and Curcumae Longae Rhizoma) derived from four Curcuma species (e.g., C. wenyujin, C. kwangsiensis, C. phaeocaulis and C. longa) as models. Both type and content of fatty acids varied among different species of either tuberous roots or rhizomes, indicating each species has its own fatty acid pattern. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) based on dataset of global fatty acid profiling showed that either tuberous roots or rhizomes samples could be clearly classified into four clusters according to their species. Furthermore, those tested samples could also be discriminated in terms of their medicinal parts (e.g., tuberous root and rhizome). Our findings suggest that the proposed GC-MS-based fatty acid profiling followed by multivariate statistical analysis provides a reliable platform to discriminate multi-origin Chinese herbal medicines according to species and medicinal parts, which will be helpful for ensuring their quality, safety and efficacy.
Fluorescent Probes for Nucleic Acid Visualization in Fixed and Live Cells
Authors: Boutorine Alexandre , Novopashina Darya , Krasheninina Olga , Nozeret Karine , Venyaminova Alya
Published: December 2013

This review analyses the literature concerning non-fluorescent and fluorescent probes for nucleic acid imaging in fixed and living cells from the point of view of their suitability for imaging intracellular native RNA and DNA. Attention is mainly paid to fluorescent probes for fluorescence microscopy imaging. Requirements for the target-binding part and the fluorophore making up the probe are formulated. In the case of native double-stranded DNA, structure-specific and sequence-specific probes are discussed. Among the latest, three classes of dsDNA-targeting molecules are described: (i) sequence-specific peptides and proteins; (ii) triplex-forming oligonucleotides and (iii) polyamide oligo(N-methylpyrrole/N-methylimidazole) minor groove binders. Polyamides seem to be the most promising targeting agents for fluorescent probe design, however, some technical problems remain to be solved, such as the relatively low sequence specificity and the high background fluorescence inside the cells. Several examples of fluorescent probe applications for DNA imaging in fixed and living cells are cited. In the case of intracellular RNA, only modified oligonucleotides can provide such sequence-specific imaging. Several approaches for designing fluorescent probes are considered: linear fluorescent probes based on modified oligonucleotide analogs, molecular beacons, binary fluorescent probes and template-directed reactions with fluorescence probe formation, FRET donor-acceptor pairs, pyrene excimers, aptamers and others. The suitability of all these methods for living cell applications is discussed.
G-Quadruplex Guanosine Gels and Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Yu Yuehua , Pushparaj Victor , Nalamasu Omkaram , McGown Linda
Published: December 2013

Solubilization of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in aqueous gel phases formed by reversible, G-quadruplex self-assembly of guanosine monophosphate (GMP) alone or with guanosine (Guo) is described. Unlike other media and methods for aqueous solubilization of SWNTs, the guanosine gels (“G-gels”) are found to readily disperse high (>mg/mL) concentrations of individual rather than bundled SWNTs. SWNT dispersions in GMP alone precipitate in several hours and re-form upon shaking; however, dispersions in the binary GMP/Guo gels are indefinitely stable. Increasing GMP or KCl concentration in the binary gels increased the relative abundance of large diameter and semi-conducting SWNTs. Different gel compositions also displayed different selectivities toward SWNTs of different chiralities. These results indicate a strong connection between the self-assembled G-gels and the dimensions and structures of the SWNTs that they solubilize.
Triphenylene discotic liquid crystal trimers synthesized by Co2(CO)8-catalyzed terminal alkyne [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition
Authors: Han Bin , Hu Ping , Wang Bi-Qin , Redshaw Carl , Zhao Ke-Qing
Published: December 2013

The synthesis of star-shaped discotic liquid crystal trimers using Co2(CO)8-catalyzed terminal alkyne [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction is reported. The trimers consist of three triphenylene discotic units linked to a central 1,2,4-trisubstituted benzene ring via flexible spacers. The trimers were synthesized in the yields up to 70% by mixing the monomers with 10 mol % of Co2(CO)8 as the catalyst in refluxing 1,4-dioxane. The liquid crystalline properties were investigated by using polarizing optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Trimer 4 with an ester connecting group and a longer spacer exhibited a rectangular columnar mesophase, while 5b and 5c possessing an ether linkage and a shorter spacer display a hexagonal columnar mesophase. The connecting functional group and the length of the flexible spacer between the central benzene ring and the triphenylene units have pivotal influence on the mesomorphism.
El método de Newton para la optimización de una nueva ecuación constitutiva para la fluencia plástica dependiente de la deformación. Aplicación a las aleaciones de magnesio AZ80 y AZ61
Authors: Gutiérrez V. , Rieiro I. , Carsí M. , Ruano O. A.
Published: December 2013

Se ha desarrollado un nuevo algoritmo numérico, basado en el método de Newton, para la optimización de los parámetros de una nueva ecuación constitutiva, dependiente de la deformación, derivada de la ecuación de Garofalo. El ajuste es directo, con algoritmos de segundo orden, de una ecuación derivada de la de Garofalo con una función objetivo no lineal. Este nuevo algoritmo de optimización ha sido aplicado a los datos de fluencia de dos aleaciones de magnesio, AZ80 y AZ61, con un comportamiento plástico inusual, existiendo una pseudo-estacionariedad en algunas de las curvas estudiadas, en el sentido de que no se manifiestan de forma evidente los estados usuales de deformación. Se han obtenido los parámetros de la nueva ecuación constitutiva, dependiente de la deformación, para estas aleaciones. Para el análisis de la precisión de los parámetros y de la exactitud de la modelización de las curvas tensión-deformación, se ha aplicado un tratamiento estadístico que permite valorar la calidad de la ecuación constitutiva propuesta y la consistencia de estos parámetros. Se han comparado curvas tensión-deformación con los resultados de la modelización, alcanzando un buen acuerdo entre los datos experimentales y los resultantes de la modelización.
Fire Effects on Basal Area, Tiller Production, and Mortality of the C4 Bunchgrass, Purple Threeawn
Authors: Strong Dustin J. , Ganguli Amy C. , Vermeire Lance T.
Published: December 2013

Fire behavior associated with wild and prescribed fires is variable, but plays a vital role in how a plant responds to fire. Understanding the relationship between fire behavior and rangeland plant community response will help to improve the use of prescribed fire to achieve management objectives. Fire is an important ecological process in many rangeland ecosystems and can be used as a tool to maintain grassland plant communities and shift community composition. Purple threeawn (Aristida purpurea Nutt.) is a grass native to North America that has poor forage quality and the ability to form near monocultures. Therefore, the identification of tools to reduce purple threeawn abundance is desirable. We assessed the effects of summer and fall prescribed fire on purple threeawn plant basal area, tiller production, and plant mortality one growing season post fire in the northern Great Plains. Thermocouples and portable data loggers were used to measure the maximum temperature, heat duration, and heat dosage that individual purple threeawn plants experienced. Fire reduced basal area and tiller production 59 % and 57 %, respectively. Heat dosage (C-statistic = 0.69) and heat duration (C-statistic = 0.65) were good predictors of purple threeawn mortality. A restrospective analysis showed maximum temperatures were similar for fall and summer fires but heat duration and dosage were 44 % and 21 % greater for summer fires, respectively. Our results indicate that purple threeawn is a fire sensitive species. The ability to predict purple threeawn mortality could enhance the efficacy of prescribed fire as tool to restore purple threeawn and other Aristida-dominated plant communities.
Mapping Asian anthropogenic emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds to multiple chemical mechanisms
Authors: Li M. , Zhang Q. , Streets D. G. , He K. B. , Cheng Y. F. , Emmons L. K. , Huo H. , Kang S. C. , Lu Z. , Shao M. , Su H. , Yu X. , Zhang Y.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. An accurate speciation mapping of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) emissions has an important impact on the performance of chemical transport models (CTMs) in simulating ozone mixing ratios and secondary organic aerosols. In this work, we developed an improved speciation framework to generate model-ready anthropogenic Asian NMVOC emissions for various gas-phase chemical mechanisms commonly used in CTMs by using an explicit assignment approach and updated NMVOC profiles, based on the total NMVOC emissions in the INTEX-B Asian inventory for the year 2006. NMVOC profiles were selected and aggregated from a wide range of new measurements and the SPECIATE database. To reduce potential uncertainty from individual measurements, composite profiles were developed by grouping and averaging source profiles from the same category. The fractions of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOC) were corrected during the compositing process for those profiles which used improper sampling and analyzing methods. Emissions of individual species were then lumped into species in different chemical mechanisms used in CTMs by applying mechanism-dependent species mapping tables, which overcomes the weakness of inaccurate mapping in previous studies. Gridded emissions for eight chemical mechanisms are developed at 30 min × 30 min resolution using various spatial proxies and are provided through the website: http://mic.greenresource.cn/intex-b2006. Emission estimates for individual NMVOC species differ between one and three orders of magnitude for some species when different sets of profiles are used, indicating that source profile is the most important source of uncertainties of individual species emissions. However, those differences are diminished in lumped species as a result of the lumping in the chemical mechanisms.
The large-scale spatio-temporal variability of precipitation over Sweden observed from the weather radar network
Authors: Devasthale A. , Norin L.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. Using measurements from the national network of 12 weather radar stations for the last decade (2000–2010), we investigate the large-scale spatio-temporal variability of precipitation over Sweden. These statistics provide useful information to evaluate regional climate models as well as for hydrology and energy applications. A strict quality control is applied to filter out noise and artifacts from the radar data. We focus on investigating four distinct aspects namely, the diurnal cycle of precipitation and its seasonality, the dominant time scale (diurnal vs. seasonal) of variability, precipitation response to different wind directions, and the correlation of precipitation events with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the Arctic Oscillation (AO). When classified based on their intensity, moderate to high intensity events (precipitation > 0.34 mm (3 h)−1) peak distinctly during late afternoon over the majority of radar stations in summer and during late night or early morning in winter. Precipitation variability is highest over the southwestern parts of Sweden. It is shown that the high intensity events (precipitation > 1.7mm (3 h)−1) are positively correlated with NAO and AO (esp. over northern Sweden), while the low intensity events are negatively correlated (esp. over southeastern parts). It is further observed that southeasterly winds often lead to intense precipitation events over central and northern Sweden, while southwesterly winds contribute most to the total accumulated precipitation for all radar stations. Apart from its operational applications, the present study demonstrates the potential of the weather radar data set for studying climatic features of precipitation over Sweden.
Organic biomarkers in deep-sea regions affected by bottom trawling: pigments, fatty acids, amino acids and carbohydrates in surface sediments from the La Fonera (Palamós) Canyon, NW Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Sañé E. , Martín J. , Puig P. , Palanques A.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. Deep-sea ecosystems are in general adapted to a limited variability of physical conditions, resulting in high vulnerability and slow recovery rates from anthropogenic perturbations such as bottom trawling. Commercial trawling is the most recurrent and pervasive of human impacts on the deep-sea floor, but studies on its consequences on the biogeochemistry of deep-sea sediments are still scarce. Pigments, fatty acids, amino acids and carbohydrates were analysed in sediments from the flanks of the La Fonera (Palamós) submarine canyon (NW Mediterranean Sea), where a commercial bottom trawling fishery has been active for more than 70 yr. More specifically, we investigated how trawling-induced sediment reworking affects the quality of sedimentary organic matter which reaches the seafloor and accumulates in the sediment column, which is fundamental for the development of benthic communities. Sediment samples were collected during two oceanographic cruises in spring and autumn 2011. The sampled sites included trawl fishing grounds as well as pristine (control) areas. We report that bottom trawling in the flanks of the La Fonera Canyon has caused an alteration of the quality of the organic matter accumulated in the upper 5 cm of the seafloor. The use of a wide pool of biochemical tracers characterized by different reactivity to degradation allowed for us to discriminate the long-term effects of trawl-induced sediment reworking from the natural variability caused by the seasonal cycle of production and sinking of biogenic particles. Differences between untrawled and trawled areas were evidenced by labile amino acids, while differences between spring and autumn samples were detected only by the more labile indicators chlorophyll a and monounsaturated fatty acids. These results suggest that changes in the biochemical composition of the sedimentary organic matter caused by bottom trawling can be more relevant than those associated with natural seasonality and pose serious concerns about the ecological sustainability of deep-sea trawling activities.
Using a two-layered sphere model to investigate the impact of gas vacuoles on the inherent optical properties of Microcystis aeruginosa
Authors: Matthews M. W. , Bernard S.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. A two-layered sphere model is used to investigate the impact of gas vacuoles on the inherent optical properties (IOPs) of the cyanophyte Microcystis aeruginosa. Enclosing a vacuole-like particle within a chromatoplasm shell layer significantly altered spectral scattering and increased backscattering. The two-layered sphere model reproduced features in the spectral attenuation and volume scattering function (VSF) that have previously been attributed to gas vacuoles. This suggests the model is good at least as a first approximation for investigating how gas vacuoles alter the IOPs. Measured Rrs was used to provide a range of values for the central value of the real refractive index, 1 + ε, for the shell layer using measured IOPs and a radiative transfer model. Sufficient optical closure was obtained for 1 + ε between 1.1 and 1.14, which had corresponding Chl a-specific phytoplankton backscattering, bbφ*, between 3.9 and 7.2 × 10−3 m2 mg−1 at 510 nm. The bbφ* values are in close agreement with the literature and in situ particulate backscattering measurements. Rrs simulated for a population of vacuolate cells was greatly enlarged relative to a homogeneous population. A sensitivity analysis of empirical algorithms for estimating Chl a in eutrophic/hypertrophic waters suggests these are robust under variable constituent concentrations and likely to be species-sensitive. The study confirms that gas vacuoles cause significant increase in backscattering and are responsible for the high Rrs values observed in buoyant cyanobacterial blooms. Gas vacuoles are therefore one of the most important bio-optical substructures influencing the IOPs in phytoplankton.
Monte Carlo based calibration and uncertainty analysis of a coupled plant growth and hydrological model
Authors: Houska T. , Multsch S. , Kraft P. , Frede H.-G. , Breuer L.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. Computer simulations are widely used to support decision making and planning in the agriculture sector. On the one hand, many plant growth models use simplified hydrological processes and structures, e.g. by the use of a small number of soil layers or by the application of simple water flow approaches. On the other hand, in many hydrological models plant growth processes are poorly represented. Hence, fully coupled models with a high degree of process representation would allow a more detailed analysis of the dynamic behaviour of the soil–plant interface. We used the Python programming language to couple two of such high process oriented independent models and to calibrate both models simultaneously. The Catchment Modelling Framework (CMF) simulated soil hydrology based on the Richards equation and the van-Genuchten–Mualem retention curve. CMF was coupled with the Plant growth Modelling Framework (PMF), which predicts plant growth on the basis of radiation use efficiency, degree days, water shortage and dynamic root biomass allocation. The Monte Carlo based Generalised Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) method was applied to parameterize the coupled model and to investigate the related uncertainty of model predictions to it. Overall, 19 model parameters (4 for CMF and 15 for PMF) were analysed through 2 × 106 model runs randomly drawn from an equally distributed parameter space. Three objective functions were used to evaluate the model performance, i.e. coefficient of determination (R2), bias and model efficiency according to Nash Sutcliffe (NSE). The model was applied to three sites with different management in Muencheberg (Germany) for the simulation of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in a cross-validation experiment. Field observations for model evaluation included soil water content and the dry matters of roots, storages, stems and leaves. Best parameter sets resulted in NSE of 0.57 for the simulation of soil moisture across all three sites. The shape parameter of the retention curve n was highly constrained whilst other parameters of the retention curve showed a large equifinality. The root and storage dry matter observations were predicted with a NSE of 0.94, a low bias of −58.2 kg ha−1 and a high R2 of 0.98. Dry matters of stem and leaves were predicted with less, but still high accuracy (NSE = 0.79, bias = 221.7 kg ha−1, R2 = 0.87). We attribute this slightly poorer model performance to missing leaf senescence which is currently not implemented in PMF. The most constrained parameters for the plant growth model were the radiation-use-efficiency and the base temperature. Cross validation helped to identify deficits in the model structure, pointing out the need of including agricultural management options in the coupled model.
Large area land surface simulations in heterogeneous terrain driven by global datasets: application to mountain permafrost
Authors: Fiddes J. , Endrizzi S. , Gruber S.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. Numerical simulations of land-surface processes are important in order to perform landscape-scale assessments of earth-systems. This task is problematic in complex terrain due to: (i) high resolution grids required to capture strong lateral variability, (ii) lack of meteorological forcing data where it is required. In this study we test a topography and climate processor, which is designed for use with large area land surface simulation, in complex and remote terrain. The scheme is driven entirely by globally available datasets. We simulate air temperature, ground surface temperature, snow depth and test the model with a large network of measurements in the Swiss Alps. We obtain RMSE values of 0.64 °C for air temperature, 0.67–1.34 °C for non-bedrock ground surface temperature, and 44.5 mm for snow depth, which is likely affected by poor input precipitation field. Due to this we trial a simple winter precipitation correction method based on melt-dates of the snow-pack. We present a test application of the scheme in the context of simulating mountain permafrost. The scheme produces a permafrost estimate of 2000 km2 which compares well to published estimates. We suggest that this scheme represents a good first effort in application of numerical models over large areas in heterogeneous terrain.
The Call and the Phenomenon
Authors: Laruelle François
Published: December 2013

Originally published in French as François Laruelle, "L’Appel et le Phénomène," Revue de Métaphysique et de Morale 1996 (1): 27–41. English translation by Kris Pender.
Heidegger without Man?: The Ontological Basis of Lyotard’s Later Antihumanism
Authors: McLennan Matthew R.
Published: December 2013

The author argues thatJean-François Lyotard’s later antihumanism may be plausibly read as aradicalization of Heidegger’s, on the grounds that a) the philosophy of Beingas Event or Ereignis forms theontological basis of Lyotard’s antihumanism, and b) Lyotard reconfigures theplace of the human being vis-à-vis the revelation of Being – specifically,denying that humankind is the clearing in which Being reveals itself, andtherefore a privileged zone of dispensation. Rather, Being as Ereignis – linguistically cashed out forLyotard, as phrases – structures the human being completely, denying humanmastery of language and thereby decentring human beings as subjects of ethics.
Après la chair
Authors: Romano Claude
Published: December 2013

Il n’y a pas de question plus urgente, pour la phénoménologie, que la question du « corps propre », comme il est convenu de l’appeler depuis Husserl. Mais il n’y a pas non plus de question qui ait été davantage négligée par les phénoménologues contemporains. À première vue, cette affirmation se heurte à l’évidence d’une production littéraire quasi exponentielle autour de cette notion depuis plus d’une trentaine d’années, aussi bien en histoire de la philosophie que dans des travaux qui se sont efforcés de croiser la perspective phénoménologique avec les apports des sciences du cerveau et de la cognition. L’ennui est que cette ample littérature ne pose aucune des questions préjudicielles à l’adoption du concept de corps propre ou de chair (Leib) en phénoménologie ; pour l’essentiel, elle fait comme si ce concept allait de soi et se borne à se demander de quelle manière il pourrait « féconder » des approches scientifiques plus positives. La légitimité du concept même de Leib et de ses prolongements à l’intérieur du courant phénoménologique n’y est jamais questionnée en tant que telle. Non seulement on ne se demande pas si les descriptions de cette « chair » au fil conducteur de l’expérience du toucher redoublé est tenable, mais on ne soulève même pas la question de savoir si l’adoption de ce concept chez Husserl et ses successeurs n’est pas conditionnée par des présupposés discutables et, en vérité, par tout un cadre théorique, de sorte que la mise en question de certains aspects centraux de ce cadre devrait conduire inévitablement à une révision en profondeur de ce concept. C’est cette question que nous voudrions aborder dans ces pages. Compte-tenu de l’ampleur du sujet, notre but sera uniquement d’indiquer un certain nombre de directions que pourrait – ou devrait – emprunter la réflexion.
Collected abstracts from the GIC2013 conference
Authors: Symes Skipp
Published: December 2013

Collected abstracts from the GIC2013 conference
The State of the Journal
Authors: Langrall Cynthia W.
Published: December 2013

As we begin a new calendar year and launch a new volume of JRME, it seems an appropriate time to reflect on the status of the journal and the changes that have been recently instituted in the submission and review process.
Views of Struggling Students on Instruction Incorporating Multiple Strategies in Algebra I: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Lynch Kathleen , Star Jon R.
Published: December 2013

Although policy documents promote teaching students multiple strategies for solving mathematics problems, some practitioners and researchers argue that struggling learners will be confused and overwhelmed by this instructional practice. In the current exploratory study, we explore how 6 struggling students viewed the practice of learning multiple strategies at the end of a yearlong algebra course that emphasized this practice. Interviews with these students indicated that they preferred instruction with multiple strategies to their regular instruction, often noting that it reduced their confusion. We discuss directions for future research that emerged from this work.
Using Vapor Generation Equipment to Create Artificial Rain: The Design and Function of a New System
Authors: Hideyo Murakami
Published: December 2013

The incidence of water shortage events – including drought, forest fire, and desertification – is rapidly increasing due to global warming. This paper shows the principles and the practical application of a new artificial rain system that would help prevent these types of harmful water shortage events. The proposed artificial rain system is composed of solar-powered vapor generation equipment that floats on a large body of water. From this water, vapor is generated by means of solar energy. This vapor is transformed into clouds. These clouds are transported to an area experiencing water shortage, and these clouds provide rain to the target area. The proposed artificial rain system can be designed to provide a specific amount of rain, to be applied at a pre-determined time, to a specified area. This equipment is operated by solar power, so does not produce any CO2emissions. The detailed design example shown in this paper demonstrates that a vapor generation equipment group 1,080km square in area can make 1,200 kg of vapor per square meter per one year, and provide precipitation for an agricultural area 9,720 km square. The advantages and disadvantages of this system are considered. The estimated cost to produce one kilogramme of precipitation water by the proposed artificial rain system is about 0.002USD.
Public Perceptions of the Value of Urban Trees in the River Rouge Watershed
Authors: OLIVE ANDREA , RUSCH LARA , AYERS ANGELA
Published: December 2013

This study examines attitudes toward urban green space among homeowners in the River Rouge Watershed of southeast Michigan. Trees play a significant role in urban areas by providing numerous environmental, economic and social benefits to community residents. But public attitudes toward trees are not well understood. Through survey research we found that residents are most likely to value trees for personal benefit (like shade) but that social reasons are also valuable (improving the neighborhood). We also illustrate that cost is not an impeding factor in willingness to plant trees. Finally, our study reveals that homeowners felt tree planting is both an individual responsibility as well as a government responsibility. On the basis of these findings, we recommend that urban forestry policy should focus on education and outreach in an attempt to marry tree-planting initiatives to the individual benefits of trees as well as the community benefits of urban green space.
Indigenous Professional Development Workers in Haiti
Authors: VANNIER CHRISTIAN NEIL
Published: December 2013

Indigenous development professionals in southern Haiti occupy an intermediary position between actors and institutions of the international development industry and the rural peasant beneficiaries of development projects and programs. Educated and trained as agronomists or development technicians, these professionals facilitate the transmission of northern development standards and ideologies to southern subjectivities. By first situating Haitian development into greater post-structural understandings of how the global south is produced, these agents of globalization will be oriented as rural intellectuals in the Gramscian sense. In the rural communes surrounding the city of Les Cayes in southern rural Haiti, indigenous professionals have a place in the social field that characterizes localized development practice, which itself is located in larger regimes of power and representation that typify development processes around the world. These frequently urban-based professional agents carry western-based discourses surrounding modernity, secularism, and scientific capitalism to local peasant communities that are ideologically constructed as antitheses to these discourses. However, a case study of these processes demonstrates that the produced “truths” regarding aid and development are mediated and negotiated through social encounters between development intermediaries and aid recipients. This article concludes that localized development intermediaries represent new and important intellectual strata through which the peasantry engages global governance institutions.
International Religious Radio Broadcasting: The Reactions of Local Listeners to a Global Message
Authors: VERNON DESRENE L.
Published: December 2013

This paper examines the dialogue of Tanzanian radio listeners in correspondence with Adventist Word Radio (AWR). The study sought to identify the reasons expressed by listeners for corresponding with an international radio network. The study also sought to determine whether listeners expressed preferences for specific radio programs. A historical systematic methodology was used to analyze a variety of sources available from the AWR headquarters, and the Seventh-day Adventist Office of Archives and Statistics located in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. The study utilized the Diffusion of Innovations theory (Rogers 2003) to examine how receptive the social system of Tanzania was to the religious messages presented by AWR via the medium of radio, over a 25-year period from the inception of AWR-Africa in 1983 to 2008.

The findings reveal the regions from which listener correspondences originated, the radio programs popular among AWR listeners, and the reasons given for corresponding with the network. This qualitative study offers insight in the area of media effects research, and can serve as a guide for other assessments of international religious broadcasters and their impact on local listeners.
International Cooperation: The Study Abroad Experience
Authors: TYNER NICOLE
Published: December 2013

In this paper I will explore the Case Studies of three American students who spent time studying abroad during their undergraduate education. Through personal, one-on-one, interviews, I explore each individual's specific program, educational experience, and lasting personal impressions. I have compiled these findings and presented them in conjunction with pertinent information on Study Abroad in the United States today. This review includes present day models used in the Study Abroad industry, barriers to entry facing students, as well as the benefits and concerns related to foreign study. By placing these experiences in the context and perspective of domestic curriculums, I will emphasize the need to integrate globally- focused education further into undergraduate learning. In conclusion, I touch on possible solutions to obstacles preventing students from spending time studying internationally.
A geodynamical view on the steadiness of geodetically derived rigid plate motions over geological time
Authors: Iaffaldano G.
Published: December 2013

The ability to map ocean‐floor magnetization is key to infer past plate motions. The advent of geodesy in the Earth Sciences offered an independent snapshot of contemporary plate kinematics, averaged over decades. Early studies suggested plate‐motions steadiness through geological time, because contemporary rates were similar to past 3‐Myr averages. Recent data, however, show that geodetic and paleo‐magnetic motions exhibit differences beyond confidence ranges, which might suggest geodesy samples time scales shorter than a few centuries. These differences pose important questions on the character of plate kinematic variability through time. Here I derive inferences on the steadiness of geodetically derived plate motions by combining geodynamical arguments with kinematic data sets. I exploit data sets to build scenarios for the recent evolution of most of the major plates. I compare the minimum rate at which torque needs to vary to generate these scenarios, with the maximum rate at which geological processes can contribute torque. This allows assessing the geodynamical plausibility of each scenario. Results indicate that plate‐motion changes recorded since ∼3 Ma must have taken at least 1 Myr to occur. Two exceptions are the Pacific and Australian plates, whose motions changed by less than 5%, and therefore, required torque variations that might be built over periods as short as 0.1 Myr. It remains unresolved for how long geodetically derived plate motions kept steady in the geological past. However, results indicate it is indeed plausible that they did over the past 1–2 Myr. These inferences call for a shift in the way we regard the figure of geodetic plate motions.
Numerical simulation of microstructural damage and tensile strength of snow
Authors: Hagenmuller Pascal , Theile Thiemo C. , Schneebeli Martin
Published: December 2013

This contribution uses finite‐element analysis to simulate microstructural failure processes and the tensile strength of snow. The 3‐D structure of snow was imaged by microtomography. Modeling procedures used the elastic properties of ice with bond fracture assumptions as inputs. The microstructure experiences combined tensile and compressive stresses in response to macroscopic tensile stress. The simulated nonlocalized failure of ice lattice bonds before or after reaching peak stress creates a pseudo‐plastic yield curve. This explains the occurrence of acoustic events observed in advance of global failure. The measured and simulated average tensile strengths differed by 35%, a typical range for strength measurements in snow given its low Weibull modulus. The simulation successfully explains damage, fracture nucleation, and strength according to the geometry of the microstructure of snow and the mechanical properties of ice. This novel method can be applied to more complex snow structures including the weak layers that cause avalanches.