Effect of Aging on the Electrochemical Performance of LSM-YSZ Cathodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baqué, L. C.; Jørgensen, Peter Stanley; Zhang, Wei

2015-01-01

resistance shows no clear tendency with aging time, while the ionic conductivity decreases up to ∼79%. Accordingly, the electrochemically active thickness contracts from 60–135 μm to 45–60 μm. The changes observed in the cathode transport and electrochemical properties are mostly explained by the evolution......Investigations of degradation mechanisms of solid oxide fuel cells are crucial for achieving a widespread commercialization of the technology. In this work, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was applied for studying the aging effect on LSM-YSZ cathodes exposed to humidified air at 900°C...... for up to 3000 h. EIS spectra were fitted by a transmission line model for estimating relevant parameters associated with the LSM/YSZ charge transfer reaction and the oxide ion conduction through the YSZ network. For the reference non-aged sample, the ionic conductivity values are the expected ones...

Use of a scenario-neutral approach to identify the key hydro-meteorological attributes that impact runoff from a natural catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Danlu; Westra, Seth; Maier, Holger R.

2017-11-01

Scenario-neutral approaches are being used increasingly for assessing the potential impact of climate change on water resource systems, as these approaches allow the performance of these systems to be evaluated independently of climate change projections. However, practical implementations of these approaches are still scarce, with a key limitation being the difficulty of generating a range of plausible future time series of hydro-meteorological data. In this study we apply a recently developed inverse stochastic generation approach to support the scenario-neutral analysis, and thus identify the key hydro-meteorological variables to which the system is most sensitive. The stochastic generator simulates synthetic hydro-meteorological time series that represent plausible future changes in (1) the average, extremes and seasonal patterns of rainfall; and (2) the average values of temperature (Ta), relative humidity (RH) and wind speed (uz) as variables that drive PET. These hydro-meteorological time series are then fed through a conceptual rainfall-runoff model to simulate the potential changes in runoff as a function of changes in the hydro-meteorological variables, and runoff sensitivity is assessed with both correlation and Sobol' sensitivity analyses. The method was applied to a case study catchment in South Australia, and the results showed that the most important hydro-meteorological attributes for runoff were winter rainfall followed by the annual average rainfall, while the PET-related meteorological variables had comparatively little impact. The high importance of winter rainfall can be related to the winter-dominated nature of both the rainfall and runoff regimes in this catchment. The approach illustrated in this study can greatly enhance our understanding of the key hydro-meteorological attributes and processes that are likely to drive catchment runoff under a changing climate, thus enabling the design of tailored climate impact assessments to specific

Collaborative development of land use change scenarios for analysing hydro-meteorological risk

Science.gov (United States)

Malek, Žiga; Glade, Thomas

2015-04-01

Simulating future land use changes remains a difficult task, due to uncontrollable and uncertain driving forces of change. Scenario development emerged as a tool to address these limitations. Scenarios offer the exploration of possible futures and environmental consequences, and enable the analysis of possible decisions. Therefore, there is increasing interest of both decision makers and researchers to apply scenarios when studying future land use changes and their consequences. The uncertainties related to generating land use change scenarios are among others defined by the accuracy of data, identification and quantification of driving forces, and the relation between expected future changes and the corresponding spatial pattern. To address the issue of data and intangible driving forces, several studies have applied collaborative, participatory techniques when developing future scenarios. The involvement of stakeholders can lead to incorporating a broader spectrum of professional values and experience. Moreover, stakeholders can help to provide missing data, improve detail, uncover mistakes, and offer alternatives. Thus, collaborative scenarios can be considered as more reliable and relevant. Collaborative scenario development has been applied to study a variety of issues in environmental sciences on different spatial and temporal scales. Still, these participatory approaches are rarely spatially explicit, making them difficult to apply when analysing changes to hydro-meteorological risk on a local scale. Spatial explicitness is needed to identify potentially critical areas of land use change, leading to locations where the risk might increase. In order to allocate collaboratively developed scenarios of land change, we combined participatory modeling with geosimulation in a multi-step scenario generation framework. We propose a framework able to develop scenarios that are plausible, can overcome data inaccessibility, address intangible and external driving forces

Formation and confinement of FRCs in FRX-C/LSM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chrien, R.E.; Crawford, E.A.; Hugrass, W.N.

1988-01-01

The Large Source Modification of FRX-C (FRX-C/LSM) consists of a 50% increase in radius without a commensurate increase in either the coil length or capacitor bank energy. Previous studies in FRX-C/LSM compared tearing and nontearing formation in a coil arrangement which included passive mirrors and auxiliary cusp coils. The present studies use a straight coil (0.35 m radius, 2.0 m length) without passive mirrors; in this case, the cusp coils promote nontearing formation and provide mirror fields to inhibit axial drifting. This arrangement increases the length (from 1.3--2.0 m) and the length-to-diameter ratio (from 1.7--2.9) of the uniform field region. It also increases the implosion electric field from 28 to 32 kV/m. These changes tend to produce more elongated FRCs, but in all cases the axial equilibrium appears not to be influenced by the mirror fields. The FRCs are formed using a deuterium static fill varying from 2--10 mtorr, a bias field varying from 0.05--0.10 T, and preionization consisting of a zero-crossing ringing θ-pinch discharge aided by a 10 MHz RF generator. 10 refs., 2 figs

Ecosystem functioning is enveloped by hydrometeorological variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Pappas, Christoforos; Mahecha, Miguel D; Frank, David C; Babst, Flurin; Koutsoyiannis, Demetris

2017-09-01

Terrestrial ecosystem processes, and the associated vegetation carbon dynamics, respond differently to hydrometeorological variability across timescales, and so does our scientific understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Long-term variability of the terrestrial carbon cycle is not yet well constrained and the resulting climate-biosphere feedbacks are highly uncertain. Here we present a comprehensive overview of hydrometeorological and ecosystem variability from hourly to decadal timescales integrating multiple in situ and remote-sensing datasets characterizing extra-tropical forest sites. We find that ecosystem variability at all sites is confined within a hydrometeorological envelope across sites and timescales. Furthermore, ecosystem variability demonstrates long-term persistence, highlighting ecological memory and slow ecosystem recovery rates after disturbances. However, simulation results with state-of-the-art process-based models do not reflect this long-term persistent behaviour in ecosystem functioning. Accordingly, we develop a cross-time-scale stochastic framework that captures hydrometeorological and ecosystem variability. Our analysis offers a perspective for terrestrial ecosystem modelling and paves the way for new model-data integration opportunities in Earth system sciences.

Hydrometeorological Automated Data System

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Office of Hydrologic Development of the National Weather Service operates HADS, the Hydrometeorological Automated Data System. This data set contains the last 48...

Characterization of impregnated GDC nano structures and their functionality in LSM based cathodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klemensø, Trine; Chatzichristodoulou, Christodoulos; Nielsen, Jimmi

2012-01-01

Porous composite cathodes of LSM–YSZ (lanthanum strontium manganite and yttria stabilized zirconia) were impregnated with GDC (gadolinia doped ceria) nano particles. The impregnation process was varied using none or different surfactants (Triton X-45, Triton X-100, P123), and the quantity...... on the LSM phase and the LSM grain boundaries. The observations suggest that the improved performance associated with GDC nano particles is related to the particles placed near the TPB (triple phase boundary) zone. The GDC extends the TPB by creating an ionic conducting network on top of the LSM particles...

LSM-YSZ Cathodes with Reaction-Infiltrated Nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Chun; Sholklapper, Tal Z.; Jacobson, Craig P.; Visco, StevenJ.; De Jonghe, Lutgard C.

2006-01-01

To improve the LSM-YSZ cathode performance of intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), Sm0.6Sr0.4CoO3-sigma (SSC) perovskite nanoparticles are incorporated into the cathodes by a reaction-infiltration process. The SSC particles are ∼20 to 80nm in diameter, and intimately adhere to the pore walls of the preformed LSM-YSZ cathodes. The SSC particles dramatically enhance single-cell performance with a 97 percent H2+3 percent H2O fuel, between 600 C and 800 C. Consideration of a simplified TPB (triple phase boundary) reaction geometry indicates that the enhancement may be attributed to the high electrocatalytic activity of SSC for electrochemical reduction of oxygen in a region that can be located a small distance away from the strict triple phase boundaries. The implication of this work for developing high-performance electrodes is also discussed

What do you do when the binomial cannot value real options? The LSM model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Alonso

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The Least-Squares Monte Carlo model (LSM model has emerged as the derivative valuation technique with the greatest impact in current practice. As with other options valuation models, the LSM algorithm was initially posited in the field of financial derivatives and its extension to the realm of real options requires considering certain questions which might hinder understanding of the algorithm and which the present paper seeks to address. The implementation of the LSM model combines Monte Carlo simulation, dynamic programming and statistical regression in a flexible procedure suitable for application to valuing nearly all types of corporate investments. The goal of this paper is to show how the LSM algorithm is applied in the context of a corporate investment, thus contributing to the understanding of the principles of its operation.

Impedance of SOFC electrodes: A review and a comprehensive case study on the impedance of LSM:YSZ cathodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jimmi; Hjelm, Johan

2014-01-01

It was shown through a comprehensive impedance spectroscopy study that the impedance of the classic composite LSM:YSZ (lanthanum strontium manganite and yttria stabilized zirconia) solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathode can be described well with porous electrode theory. Furthermore, it was illustr......It was shown through a comprehensive impedance spectroscopy study that the impedance of the classic composite LSM:YSZ (lanthanum strontium manganite and yttria stabilized zirconia) solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathode can be described well with porous electrode theory. Furthermore......, it was illustrated through a literature review on SOFC electrodes that porous electrode theory not only describes the classic LSM:YSZ SOFC cathode well, but SOFC electrodes in general. The extensive impedance spectroscopy study of LSM:YSZ cathodes consisted of measurements on cathodes with three different sintering...... temperatures and hence different microstructures and varying degrees of LSM/YSZ solid state interactions. LSM based composite cathodes, where YSZ was replaced with CGO was also studied in order to acquire further knowledge on the chemical compatibility between LSM and YSZ. All impedance measurements were...

A hydro-meteorological model chain to assess the influence of natural variability and impacts of climate change on extreme events and propose optimal water management

Science.gov (United States)

von Trentini, F.; Willkofer, F.; Wood, R. R.; Schmid, F. J.; Ludwig, R.

2017-12-01

The ClimEx project (Climate change and hydrological extreme events - risks and perspectives for water management in Bavaria and Québec) focuses on the effects of climate change on hydro-meteorological extreme events and their implications for water management in Bavaria and Québec. Therefore, a hydro-meteorological model chain is applied. It employs high performance computing capacity of the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre facility SuperMUC to dynamically downscale 50 members of the Global Circulation Model CanESM2 over European and Eastern North American domains using the Canadian Regional Climate Model (RCM) CRCM5. Over Europe, the unique single model ensemble is conjointly analyzed with the latest information provided through the CORDEX-initiative, to better assess the influence of natural climate variability and climatic change in the dynamics of extreme events. Furthermore, these 50 members of a single RCM will enhance extreme value statistics (extreme return periods) by exploiting the available 1500 model years for the reference period from 1981 to 2010. Hence, the RCM output is applied to drive the process based, fully distributed, and deterministic hydrological model WaSiM in high temporal (3h) and spatial (500m) resolution. WaSiM and the large ensemble are further used to derive a variety of hydro-meteorological patterns leading to severe flood events. A tool for virtual perfect prediction shall provide a combination of optimal lead time and management strategy to mitigate certain flood events following these patterns.

ICT-infrastructures for hydrometeorology science and natural disaster societal impact assessment: the DRIHMS project

Science.gov (United States)

Parodi, A.; Craig, G. C.; Clematis, A.; Kranzlmueller, D.; Schiffers, M.; Morando, M.; Rebora, N.; Trasforini, E.; D'Agostino, D.; Keil, K.

2010-09-01

hydrometeorological events on society and for the development of the tools improving the adaptation and resilience of society to the challenges of climate change. This paper will be devoted to provide an overview of DRIHMS ideas and to present the results of the DRIHMS HMR and ICT surveys.

Peran LSM Dalam Resolusi Konflik Tapal Batas Antara Nagari Sumpur Dengan Nagari Bungo Tanjuang, Kabupaten Tanah Datar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sri Rahmadani

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The Third parties in the resolution of conflictwas expected to change the behavior of the parties in conflict, even pushed the parties toward an agreement to end the conflict. NGO as the third party is seen independent and can be fair in the resolution of conflict, can do some attempts to encourage the parties in conflict toward an agreement.One example of conflict involving NGO in an effort to resolve the boundary conflicts between Nagari Sumpur and Nagari Bungo Tanjuang, regency of Tanah Datar. Assignment NGO as mediator in resolution of conflict after several attempts taken by the government. This article explained the various efforts and achievement has done by NGO as mediator resolution of conflict both nagari until the formation of representative group become key success in mediation. In addition in this article is also explained the reason NGO that has not been able to achieve an aggrement in resolution of conflict both nagari. Pihak ketiga dalam resolusi konflik diharapkan dapat merubah perilaku para pihak yang berkonflik, bahkan mendorong para pihak menuju kesepakatan untuk mengakhiri konflik. LSM sebagai pihak ketiga dipandang independen dan dapat bersikap adil dalam resolusi konflik, dapat melakukan beberapa upaya untuk mendorong pihak yang berkonflik menuju kesepakatan. Salah satu contoh konflik yang melibatkan LSM dalam penyelesaiannya adalah konflik tapal batas antara Nagari Sumpur dengan Nagari Bungo Tanjuang, Kabupaten Tanah Datar. Penunjukan LSM sebagai mediator dalam penyelesaian konflik setelah beberapa upaya yang ditempuh oleh beberapa pihak dari pemerintahan. Tulisan ini memaparkan berbagai upaya dan pencapaian yang telah dilakukan LSM sebagai mediator penyelesaian konflik kedua nagari hingga terbentuknya perwakilan kelompok yang menjadi kunci keberhasilan dalam mediasi. Selain itu dalam tulisan ini juga memaparkan alasan LSM yang belum mampu mencapai kesepakatan dalam penyelesaian konflik kedua nagari.

Development of a Spatial Decision Support System for Analyzing Changes in Hydro-meteorological Risk

Science.gov (United States)

van Westen, Cees

2013-04-01

In the framework of the EU FP7 Marie Curie ITN Network "CHANGES: Changing Hydro-meteorological Risks, as Analyzed by a New Generation of European Scientists (http://www.changes-itn.eu)", a spatial decision support system is under development with the aim to analyze the effect of risk reduction planning alternatives on reducing the risk now and in the future, and support decision makers in selecting the best alternatives. The SDSS is one of the main outputs of the CHANGES network, which will develop an advanced understanding of how global changes, related to environmental and climate change as well as socio-economical change, may affect the temporal and spatial patterns of hydro-meteorological hazards and associated risks in Europe; how these changes can be assessed, modeled, and incorporated in sustainable risk management strategies, focusing on spatial planning, emergency preparedness and risk communication. The CHANGES network consists of 11 full partners and 6 associate partners of which 5 private companies, representing 10 European countries. The CHANGES network has hired 12 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) and is currently hiring 3-6 researchers more for the implementation of the SDSS. The Spatial Decision Support System will be composed of a number of integrated components. The Risk Assessment component allows to carry out spatial risk analysis, with different degrees of complexity, ranging from simple exposure (overlay of hazard and assets maps) to quantitative analysis (using different hazard types, temporal scenarios and vulnerability curves) resulting into risk curves. The platform does not include a component to calculate hazard maps, and existing hazard maps are used as input data for the risk component. The second component of the SDSS is a risk reduction planning component, which forms the core of the platform. This component includes the definition of risk reduction alternatives (related to disaster response planning, risk reduction measures and

Synthesis of LSM films deposited by dip-coating on YSZ substrate; Sintese de filmes de LSM depositados por dip-coating em substratos de YSZ

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conceicao, Leandro da; Souza, Mariana M.V.M., E-mail: mmattos@eq.ufrj.b [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (EQ/UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Escola de Quimica; Ribeiro, Nielson F.P. [Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-graduacao de Engenharia (PEQ/COPPE/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Programa de Engenharia Quimica. Nucleo de Catalise

2010-07-01

The dip-coating process was used to deposit films of La{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.}3MnO{sub 3} (LSM) used as cathode in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). In this study we evaluated the relationship between the deposition parameters such as speed of withdrawal and number of deposited layers of LSM film on a substrate of 8% YSZ commercial, and structural properties, such as thickness and formation of cracks. The structure and morphology of the films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). With parameters set the film had good adhesion to the substrate with a thickness around 10 {mu}m, showing possible adherence problems when more than one layer is deposited on the substrate. (author)

Electromechanical Dynamics Simulations of Superconducting LSM Rocket Launcher System in Attractive-Mode

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Kinjiro; Hayashi, Kengo; Takami, Hiroshi

1996-01-01

Further feasibility study on a superconducting linear synchronous motor (LSM) rocket launcher system is presented on the basis of dynamic simulations of electric power, efficiency and power factor as well as the ascending motions of the launcher and rocket. The advantages of attractive-mode operation are found from comparison with repulsive-mode operation. It is made clear that the LSM rocket launcher system, of which the long-stator is divided optimally into 60 sections according to launcher speeds, can obtain high efficiency and power factor.

Development of Self-made LSM Software using in Neuroscience

Science.gov (United States)

Doronin, Maxim; Makovkin, Sergey; Popov, Alexander

2017-07-01

One of the main and modern visualization method in neuroscience is two-photon microscopy. However, scientists need to upgrade their microscopy system so regular because they are interested to get more specific data. Self-developed microscopy system allows to modify the construction of microscope in not-complicated manner depending on specialized experimental models and scientific tasks. Earlier we reported about building of self-made laser scanning microscope (LSM) using in neuroscience both for in vivo and in vitro experiments. Here we will report how to create software AMAScan for LSM controlling in MATLAB. The work was performed with financial support of the government represented by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the unique identifier of the project is RFMEFI58115X0016, the agreement on granting a subsidy №14.581.21.0016 dated 14.10.2015.

A two-phase copula entropy-based multiobjective optimization approach to hydrometeorological gauge network design

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Pengcheng; Wang, Dong; Singh, Vijay P.; Wang, Yuankun; Wu, Jichun; Wang, Lachun; Zou, Xinqing; Chen, Yuanfang; Chen, Xi; Liu, Jiufu; Zou, Ying; He, Ruimin

2017-12-01

Hydrometeorological data are needed for obtaining point and areal mean, quantifying the spatial variability of hydrometeorological variables, and calibration and verification of hydrometeorological models. Hydrometeorological networks are utilized to collect such data. Since data collection is expensive, it is essential to design an optimal network based on the minimal number of hydrometeorological stations in order to reduce costs. This study proposes a two-phase copula entropy- based multiobjective optimization approach that includes: (1) copula entropy-based directional information transfer (CDIT) for clustering the potential hydrometeorological gauges into several groups, and (2) multiobjective method for selecting the optimal combination of gauges for regionalized groups. Although entropy theory has been employed for network design before, the joint histogram method used for mutual information estimation has several limitations. The copula entropy-based mutual information (MI) estimation method is shown to be more effective for quantifying the uncertainty of redundant information than the joint histogram (JH) method. The effectiveness of this approach is verified by applying to one type of hydrometeorological gauge network, with the use of three model evaluation measures, including Nash-Sutcliffe Coefficient (NSC), arithmetic mean of the negative copula entropy (MNCE), and MNCE/NSC. Results indicate that the two-phase copula entropy-based multiobjective technique is capable of evaluating the performance of regional hydrometeorological networks and can enable decision makers to develop strategies for water resources management.

Performance of a solid oxide fuel cell with cathode containing a functional layer of LSM/YSZ film; Desempenho de uma celula a combustivel de oxido solido com catodo contendo uma camada funcional de filme LSM/YSZ

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pires, Filipe Oliveira; Domingues, Rosana Z.; Brant, Marcia C.; Silva, Charles L.; Matencio, Tulio [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Dept. de Quimica]. E-mail: filipequiufmg@ufmg.br

2008-07-01

Performance of a SOFC may be evaluated by using the AC-Impedance and measuring power (P V x I). The objective of this study was to compare the performance of a fuel cell with LSM as a cathode and another one containing an additional functional composite film LSM/YSZ between the LSM and YSZ. Also it was studied variation in second cell resistance and power according to the temperature, hydrogen flux and operation time. For both cells platinum was used as anode. At 800 deg C was observed, in open current circuit, when the composite layer was introduced a decrease in resistance and high power. These results show an improvement of SOFC cathode performance with the introduction of composite LSM/YSZ layer. The maximum performance of the cell was achieved with 100 mL/min hydrogen flow at 800 deg C. The experiments also showed a performance improvement at 850 deg C. The cell behavior was stable during 318 hours of test. (author)

Synthesis of LSM films deposited by dip-coating on YSZ substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conceicao, Leandro da; Souza, Mariana M.V.M.; Ribeiro, Nielson F.P.

2010-01-01

The dip-coating process was used to deposit films of La 0.7 Sr 0. 3MnO 3 (LSM) used as cathode in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). In this study we evaluated the relationship between the deposition parameters such as speed of withdrawal and number of deposited layers of LSM film on a substrate of 8% YSZ commercial, and structural properties, such as thickness and formation of cracks. The structure and morphology of the films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). With parameters set the film had good adhesion to the substrate with a thickness around 10 μm, showing possible adherence problems when more than one layer is deposited on the substrate. (author)

Land Surface Model (LSM 1.0) for Ecological, Hydrological, Atmospheric Studies

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The NCAR LSM 1.0 is a land surface model developed to examine biogeophysical and biogeochemical land-atmosphere interactions, especially the effects of land surfaces...

Central Asian Snow Cover from Hydrometeorological Surveys

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Central Asian Snow Cover from Hydrometeorological Surveys data are based on observations made by personnel for three river basins: Amu Darya, Sir Darya, and...

Regardless-of-Speed Superconducting LSM Controlled-Repulsive MAGLEV Vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Kinjiro; Egashira, Tatsuya; Hirai, Ryuichi

1996-01-01

This paper proposes a new repulsive Maglev vehicle which a superconducting linear synchronous motor (LSM) can levitate and propel simultaneously, independently of the vehicle speeds. The combined levitation and propulsion control is carried out by controlling mechanical-load angle and armature-current. Dynamic simulations show successful operations with good ride-quality by using a compact control method proposed here.

Optimal moment determination in POME-copula based hydrometeorological dependence modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dengfeng; Wang, Dong; Singh, Vijay P.; Wang, Yuankun; Wu, Jichun; Wang, Lachun; Zou, Xinqing; Chen, Yuanfang; Chen, Xi

2017-07-01

Copula has been commonly applied in multivariate modelling in various fields where marginal distribution inference is a key element. To develop a flexible, unbiased mathematical inference framework in hydrometeorological multivariate applications, the principle of maximum entropy (POME) is being increasingly coupled with copula. However, in previous POME-based studies, determination of optimal moment constraints has generally not been considered. The main contribution of this study is the determination of optimal moments for POME for developing a coupled optimal moment-POME-copula framework to model hydrometeorological multivariate events. In this framework, margins (marginals, or marginal distributions) are derived with the use of POME, subject to optimal moment constraints. Then, various candidate copulas are constructed according to the derived margins, and finally the most probable one is determined, based on goodness-of-fit statistics. This optimal moment-POME-copula framework is applied to model the dependence patterns of three types of hydrometeorological events: (i) single-site streamflow-water level; (ii) multi-site streamflow; and (iii) multi-site precipitation, with data collected from Yichang and Hankou in the Yangtze River basin, China. Results indicate that the optimal-moment POME is more accurate in margin fitting and the corresponding copulas reflect a good statistical performance in correlation simulation. Also, the derived copulas, capturing more patterns which traditional correlation coefficients cannot reflect, provide an efficient way in other applied scenarios concerning hydrometeorological multivariate modelling.

Incorporating Sentinel-2-like remote sensing products in the hydrometeorological modelling over an agricultural area in south west France

Science.gov (United States)

Rivalland, Vincent; Gascoin, Simon; Etchanchu, Jordi; Coustau, Mathieu; Cros, Jérôme; Tallec, Tiphaine

2016-04-01

The Sentinel-2 mission will enable to monitor the land cover and the vegetation phenology at high-resolution (HR) every 5 days. However, current Land Surface Models (LSM) typically use land cover and vegetation parameters derived from previous low to mid resolution satellite missions. Here we studied the effect of introducing Sentinel-2-like data in the simulation of the land surface energy and water fluxes in a region dominated by cropland. Simulations were performed with the ISBA-SURFEX LSM, which is used in the operational hydrometeorological chain of Meteo-France for hydrological forecasts and drought monitoring. By default, SURFEX vegetation land surface parameters and temporal evolution are from the ECOCLIMAP II European database mostly derived from MODIS products at 1 km resolution. The model was applied to an experimental area of 30 km by 30 km in south west France. In this area the resolution of ECOCLIMAP is coarser than the typical size of a crop field. This means that several crop types can be mixed in a pixel. In addition ECOCLIMAP provides a climatology of the vegetation phenology and thus does not account for the interannual effects of the climate and land management on the crop growth. In this work, we used a series of 26 Formosat-2 images at 8-m resolution acquired in 2006. From this dataset, we derived a land cover map and a leaf area index map (LAI) at each date, which were substituted to the ECOCLIMAP land cover map and the LAI maps. The model output water and energy fluxes were compared to a standard simulation using ECOCLIMAP only and to in situ measurements of soil moisture, latent and sensible heat fluxes. The results show that the introduction of the HR products improved the timing of the evapotranspiration. The impact was the most visible on the crops having a growing season in summer (maize, sunflower), because the growth period is more sensitive to the climate.

Electrochemical performances of LSM/YSZ composite electrode for high temperature steam electrolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kyu-Sung Sim; Ki-Kwang Bae; Chang-Hee Kim; Ki-Bae Park

2006-01-01

The (La 0.8 Sr 0.2 ) 0.95 MnO 3 /Yttria-stabilized Zirconia composite electrodes were investigated as anode materials for high temperature steam electrolysis using X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, galvano-dynamic and galvano-static polarization method. For this study, the LSM perovskites were fabricated in powders by the co-precipitation method and then were mixed with 8 mol% YSZ powders in different molar ratios. The LSM/YSZ composite electrodes were deposited on 8 mol% YSZ electrolyte disks by screen printing method, followed by sintering at temperature above 1100 C. From the experimental results, it is concluded that the electrochemical properties of pure and composite electrodes are closely related to their micro-structure and operating temperature. (authors)

The decapping activator Edc3 and the Q/N-rich domain of Lsm4 function together to enhance mRNA stability and alter mRNA decay pathway dependence in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susanne Huch

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The rate and regulation of mRNA decay are major elements in the proper control of gene expression. Edc3 and Lsm4 are two decapping activator proteins that have previously been shown to function in the assembly of RNA granules termed P bodies. Here, we show that deletion of edc3, when combined with a removal of the glutamine/asparagine rich region of Lsm4 (edc3Δ lsm4ΔC reduces mRNA stability and alters pathways of mRNA degradation. Multiple tested mRNAs exhibited reduced stability in the edc3Δ lsm4ΔC mutant. The destabilization was linked to an increased dependence on Ccr4-mediated deadenylation and mRNA decapping. Unlike characterized mutations in decapping factors that either are neutral or are able to stabilize mRNA, the combined edc3Δ lsm4ΔC mutant reduced mRNA stability. We characterized the growth and activity of the major mRNA decay systems and translation in double mutant and wild-type yeast. In the edc3Δ lsm4ΔC mutant, we observed alterations in the levels of specific mRNA decay factors as well as nuclear accumulation of the catalytic subunit of the decapping enzyme Dcp2. Hence, we suggest that the effects on mRNA stability in the edc3Δ lsm4ΔC mutant may originate from mRNA decay protein abundance or changes in mRNPs, or alternatively may imply a role for P bodies in mRNA stabilization.

Validation of limited sampling models (LSM) for estimating AUC in therapeutic drug monitoring - is a separate validation group required?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Proost, J. H.

Objective: Limited sampling models (LSM) for estimating AUC in therapeutic drug monitoring are usually validated in a separate group of patients, according to published guidelines. The aim of this study is to evaluate the validation of LSM by comparing independent validation with cross-validation

The FRX-C/LSM compression experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rej, D.J.; Siemon, R.E.; Taggart, D.P.

1989-01-01

After two years of preparation, hardware for high-power FRC compression heating studies is now being installed onto FRX-C/LSM. FRCs will be formed and translated out of the θ-pinch source, and into a compressor where the external B-field will be increased from 0.4 to 2 T in 55 μs. The compressed FRC can then be translated into a third stage for further study. A principal experimental goal is to study FRC confinement at the high energy density, n(T/sub e/ + T/sub i/) ≤ 1.0 /times/ 10 22 keV/m 3 , associated with the large external field. Experiments are scheduled to begin in April. 11 refs., 5 figs

Increased cathode performance using a thin film LSM layer on a structured 8YSZ electrolyte surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herbstritt, D.; Weber, A.; Ivers-Tiffee, E. [Karlsruhe Univ. (T.H.) (DE). Inst. fuer Werkstoffkunde der Elektrotechnik (IWE); Guntow, U.; Mueller, G. [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Silicatforschung (ISC), Wuerzburg (Germany)

2000-07-01

A considerable part of the power losses in a SOFC single cell occurs due to the polarization resistance of the cathode/electrolyte interface. The resulting high cathodic overvoltage corresponds to an enhanced degradation of the cell. In case of a screen printed LSM cathode layer (LSM: La{sub 1-x}Sr{sub x}MnO{sub 3}) on a YSZ electrolyte substrate (YSZ: Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} stabilised ZrO{sub 2}) the cathodic reaction is generally assumed to be restricted to the three phase boundary (tpb) between cathode, oxidant and the electrolyte surface. The electrochemical active area was increased by a modification of the cathode/electrolyte interface. Single cells with a thin film LSM layer on a structured 8YSZ electrolyte showed a power output of about 0.95 W/cm{sup 2} at 0.7 V cell voltage (950 C; oxidant: air, 0.7 1/min; fuel: hydrogen, 0.5 1/min, 15% fuel utilization). (orig.)

Soil Water Balance and Vegetation Dynamics in two Water-limited Mediterranean Ecosystem on Sardinia under past and future climate change

Science.gov (United States)

Corona, R.; Montaldo, N.; Albertson, J. D.

2016-12-01

Water limited conditions strongly impacts soil and vegetation dynamics in Mediterranean regions, which are commonly heterogeneous ecosystems, characterized by inter-annual rainfall variability, topography variability and contrasting plant functional types (PFTs) competing for water use. Historical human influences (e.g., deforestation, urbanization) further altered these ecosystems. Sardinia island is a representative region of Mediterranean ecosystems. It is low urbanized except some plan areas close to the main cities where main agricultural activities are concentrated. Two contrasting case study sites are within the Flumendosa river basin (1700 km2). The first site is a typical grassland on an alluvial plan valley (soil depth > 2m) while the second is a patchy mixture of Mediterranean vegetation species (mainly wild olive trees and C3 herbaceous) that grow in a soil bounded from below by a rocky layer of basalt, partially fractured (soil depth 15 - 40 cm). In both sites land-surface fluxes and CO2 fluxes are estimated by the eddy correlation technique while soil moisture was continuously estimated with water content reflectometers, and periodically leaf area index (LAI) was estimated. The following objectives are addressed:1) pointing out the dynamics of land surface fluxes, soil moisture, CO2 and vegetation cover for two contrasting water-limited ecosystems; 2) assess the impact of the soil depth and type on the CO2 and water balance dynamics; 3) evaluate the impact of past and future climate change scenarios on the two contrasting ecosystems. For reaching the objectives an ecohydrologic model that couples a vegetation dynamic model (VDM), and a 3-component (bare soil, grass and woody vegetation) land surface model (LSM) has been used. Historical meteorological data are available from 1922 and hydro-meteorological scenarios are then generated using a weather generator. The VDM-LSM model predict soil water balance and vegetation dynamics for the generated

Benchmarking LSM root-zone soil mositure predictions using satellite-based vegetation indices

Science.gov (United States)

The application of modern land surface models (LSMs) to agricultural drought monitoring is based on the premise that anomalies in LSM root-zone soil moisture estimates can accurately anticipate the subsequent impact of drought on vegetation productivity and health. In addition, the water and energy ...

Improved oxidation resistance of ferritic steels with LSM coating for high temperature electrochemical applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Palcut, Marián; Mikkelsen, Lars; Neufeld, Kai

2012-01-01

The effect of single layer La0.85Sr0.15MnO3−δ (LSM) coatings on high temperature oxidation behaviour of four commercial chromia-forming steels, Crofer 22 APU, Crofer 22 H, E-Brite and AL 29-4C, is studied. The samples were oxidized for 140–1000 h at 1123 K in flowing simulated ambient air (air + 1......% H2O) and oxygen and corrosion kinetics monitored by mass increase of the materials over time. The oxide scale microstructure and chemical composition are investigated by scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The kinetic data obey a parabolic rate law. The results show...... that the LSM coating acts as an oxygen transport barrier that can significantly reduce the corrosion rate....

Vodacom and MTN’s brand positioning based on the perceptions of a group of LSM seven to ten respondents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hennie Mentz

2013-02-01

Full Text Available This article investigates Vodacom and MTN’s brand positioning based on the perceptions of a group of LSM seven to ten respondents who are principal estate agents in Gauteng. An empirical study was conducted. The profile of the sample in terms of access to telecommunication-related services confirmed that of individuals in the LSM seven to ten groups with a skew towards LSM ten. As a minimum requirement for the target market brands in the category should be strongly associated with the statements market leader, local brand, technologically sophisticated brand, trusted brand, South African brand and prestigious/upmarket brand. At an overall level, Vodacom has established a more favourable brand positioning compared to MTN. However, both Vodacom and MTN have failed to establish a personal brand relationship with the target market.

Environment-dependent regulation of spliceosome activity by the LSM2-8 complex in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrasco-López, Cristian; Hernández-Verdeja, Tamara; Perea-Resa, Carlos; Abia, David; Catalá, Rafael; Salinas, Julio

2017-07-07

Spliceosome activity is tightly regulated to ensure adequate splicing in response to internal and external cues. It has been suggested that core components of the spliceosome, such as the snRNPs, would participate in the control of its activity. The experimental indications supporting this proposition, however, remain scarce, and the operating mechanisms poorly understood. Here, we present genetic and molecular evidence demonstrating that the LSM2-8 complex, the protein moiety of the U6 snRNP, regulates the spliceosome activity in Arabidopsis, and that this regulation is controlled by the environmental conditions. Our results show that the complex ensures the efficiency and accuracy of constitutive and alternative splicing of selected pre-mRNAs, depending on the conditions. Moreover, miss-splicing of most targeted pre-mRNAs leads to the generation of nonsense mediated decay signatures, indicating that the LSM2-8 complex also guarantees adequate levels of the corresponding functional transcripts. Interestingly, the selective role of the complex has relevant physiological implications since it is required for adequate plant adaptation to abiotic stresses. These findings unveil an unanticipated function for the LSM2-8 complex that represents a new layer of posttranscriptional regulation in response to external stimuli in eukaryotes. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Contribution of cation-π interactions to the stability of Sm/LSm oligomeric assemblies.

Science.gov (United States)

Mucić, Ivana D; Nikolić, Milan R; Stojanović, Srđan Đ

2015-07-01

In this work, we have analyzed the influence of cation-π interactions to the stability of Sm/LSm assemblies and their environmental preferences. The number of interactions formed by arginine is higher than lysine in the cationic group, while histidine is comparatively higher than phenylalanine and tyrosine in the π group. Arg-Tyr interactions are predominant among the various pairs analyzed. The furcation level of multiple cation-π interactions is much higher than that of single cation-π interactions in Sm/LSm interfaces. We have found hot spot residues forming cation-π interactions, and hot spot composition is similar for all aromatic residues. The Arg-Phe pair has the strongest interaction energy of -8.81 kcal mol(-1) among all the possible pairs of amino acids. The extent of burial of the residue side-chain correlates with the ΔΔG of binding for residues in the core and also for hot spot residues cation-π bonded across the interface. Secondary structure of the cation-π residues shows that Arg and Lys preferred to be in strand. Among the π residues, His prefers to be in helix, Phe prefers to be in turn, and Tyr prefers to be in strand. Stabilization centers for these proteins showed that all the five residues found in cation-π interactions are important in locating one or more of such centers. More than 50 % of the cation-π interacting residues are highly conserved. It is likely that the cation-π interactions contribute significantly to the overall stability of Sm/LSm proteins.

Hydrometeorological conditions preceding wildfire, and the subsequent burning of a fen watershed in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Elmes, Matthew C.; Thompson, Dan K.; Sherwood, James H.; Price, Jonathan S.

2018-01-01

The destructive nature of the ˜ 590 000 ha Horse river wildfire in the Western Boreal Plain (WBP), northern Alberta, in May of 2016 motivated the investigation of the hydrometeorological conditions that preceded the fire. Historical climate and field hydrometeorological data from a moderate-rich fen watershed were used to (a) identify whether the spring 2016 conditions were outside the range of natural variability for WBP climate cycles, (b) explain the observed patterns in burn severity across the watershed, and (c) identify whether fall and winter moisture signals observed in peatlands and lowland forests in the region are indicative of wildfire. Field hydrometeorological data from the fen watershed confirmed the presence of cumulative moisture deficits prior to the fire. Hydrogeological investigations highlighted the susceptibility of fen and upland areas to water table and soil moisture decline over rain-free periods (including winter), due to the watershed's reliance on supply from localized flow systems originating in topographic highs. Subtle changes in topographic position led to large changes in groundwater connectivity, leading to greater organic soil consumption by fire in wetland margins and at high elevations. The 2016 spring moisture conditions measured prior to the ignition of the fen watershed were not illustrated well by the Drought Code (DC) when standard overwintering procedures were applied. However, close agreement was found when default assumptions were replaced with measured duff soil moisture recharge and incorporated into the overwintering DC procedure. We conclude that accumulated moisture deficits dating back to the summer of 2015 led to the dry conditions that preceded the fire. The infrequent coinciding of several hydrometeorological conditions, including low autumn soil moisture, a modest snowpack, lack of spring precipitation, and high spring air temperatures and winds, ultimately led to the Horse river wildfire spreading widely and

Hydrometeorological network for flood monitoring and modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Efstratiadis, Andreas; Koussis, Antonis D.; Lykoudis, Spyros; Koukouvinos, Antonis; Christofides, Antonis; Karavokiros, George; Kappos, Nikos; Mamassis, Nikos; Koutsoyiannis, Demetris

2013-08-01

Due to its highly fragmented geomorphology, Greece comprises hundreds of small- to medium-size hydrological basins, in which often the terrain is fairly steep and the streamflow regime ephemeral. These are typically affected by flash floods, occasionally causing severe damages. Yet, the vast majority of them lack flow-gauging infrastructure providing systematic hydrometric data at fine time scales. This has obvious impacts on the quality and reliability of flood studies, which typically use simplistic approaches for ungauged basins that do not consider local peculiarities in sufficient detail. In order to provide a consistent framework for flood design and to ensure realistic predictions of the flood risk -a key issue of the 2007/60/EC Directive- it is essential to improve the monitoring infrastructures by taking advantage of modern technologies for remote control and data management. In this context and in the research project DEUCALION, we have recently installed and are operating, in four pilot river basins, a telemetry-based hydro-meteorological network that comprises automatic stations and is linked to and supported by relevant software. The hydrometric stations measure stage, using 50-kHz ultrasonic pulses or piezometric sensors, or both stage (piezometric) and velocity via acoustic Doppler radar; all measurements are being temperature-corrected. The meteorological stations record air temperature, pressure, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and precipitation. Data transfer is made via GPRS or mobile telephony modems. The monitoring network is supported by a web-based application for storage, visualization and management of geographical and hydro-meteorological data (ENHYDRIS), a software tool for data analysis and processing (HYDROGNOMON), as well as an advanced model for flood simulation (HYDROGEIOS). The recorded hydro-meteorological observations are accessible over the Internet through the www-application. The system is operational and its

Quantifying Parameter Sensitivity, Interaction and Transferability in Hydrologically Enhanced Versions of Noah-LSM over Transition Zones

Science.gov (United States)

Rosero, Enrique; Yang, Zong-Liang; Wagener, Thorsten; Gulden, Lindsey E.; Yatheendradas, Soni; Niu, Guo-Yue

2009-01-01

We use sensitivity analysis to identify the parameters that are most responsible for shaping land surface model (LSM) simulations and to understand the complex interactions in three versions of the Noah LSM: the standard version (STD), a version enhanced with a simple groundwater module (GW), and version augmented by a dynamic phenology module (DV). We use warm season, high-frequency, near-surface states and turbulent fluxes collected over nine sites in the US Southern Great Plains. We quantify changes in the pattern of sensitive parameters, the amount and nature of the interaction between parameters, and the covariance structure of the distribution of behavioral parameter sets. Using Sobol s total and first-order sensitivity indexes, we show that very few parameters directly control the variance of the model output. Significant parameter interaction occurs so that not only the optimal parameter values differ between models, but the relationships between parameters change. GW decreases parameter interaction and appears to improve model realism, especially at wetter sites. DV increases parameter interaction and decreases identifiability, implying it is overparameterized and/or underconstrained. A case study at a wet site shows GW has two functional modes: one that mimics STD and a second in which GW improves model function by decoupling direct evaporation and baseflow. Unsupervised classification of the posterior distributions of behavioral parameter sets cannot group similar sites based solely on soil or vegetation type, helping to explain why transferability between sites and models is not straightforward. This evidence suggests a priori assignment of parameters should also consider climatic differences.

Impacts of land-use change on the water cycle of urban areas within the Upper Great Lakes drainage basin

Science.gov (United States)

Bowling, L. C.; Cherkauer, K. A.; Pijanowski, B. C.; Niyogi, D.

2006-12-01

Urbanization is altering the global landscape at an unprecedented rate. This form of land cover/land-use change (LCLUC) can significantly reduce infiltration and runoff response times, and alter heat and water vapor fluxes, which can further alter surface-forced regional circulation patterns and modulate precipitation volume and intensity. Spatial patterns of future LCLUC are projected using the Land Transformation Model (LTM), enhanced to incorporate dynamic landcover, economics and policy using Bayesian Belief Networks (LTM- BBN). Different land use scenarios predicted by the LTM-BBN as well as a pre-development scenario are represented through the Unified Noah Land Surface Model (LSM) with an enhanced urban canopy model, embedded in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The coupled WRF-Noah LSM model will be used to investigate the connections between land-use, hydrometeorology and the atmosphere, through analysis of water and energy balances over several urbanized watersheds within the Upper Great Lakes region. Preliminary results focus on a single watershed, the White River in Indiana, which includes the city of Indianapolis. Coupled WRF-Noah simulations made using pre and post-development land use maps provide a 7 year climatology of convective storm morphology around the urban center. Precipitation and other meteorological variables from the WRF-Noah simulations are used to drive simulations of the White River watershed using the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) macroscale hydrologic model. The VIC model has been modified to represent urban areas and has been calibrated for modern flow regimes in the White River watershed. Pre- and post-development VIC simulations are used to assess the impact of Indianapolis area infiltration changes. Finally, VIC model simulations utilizing projected land use change from 2005 through 2040 for the Indianapolis metropolitan area explore the magnitude of future hydrologic change, especially peak flow response

Effect of sintering temperature on microstructure and performance of LSM-YSZ composite cathodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juhl Jørgensen, M.; Primdahl, S.; Bagger, C.

2001-01-01

the sintering temperature to 1050 degreesC the increase in the polarisation resistance was counterbalanced by a decrease in the series resistance, The optimum sintering temperature with respect to the initial performance is assumed to be where good physical and electrical contact between LSM and YSZ is obtained...

Enhanced Soil Moisture Initialization Using Blended Soil Moisture Product and Regional Optimization of LSM-RTM Coupled Land Data Assimilation System.

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, A. S.; Indu, J.

2017-12-01

Prediction of soil moisture dynamics is high priority research challenge because of the complex land-atmosphere interaction processes. Soil moisture (SM) plays a decisive role in governing water and energy balance of the terrestrial system. An accurate SM estimate is imperative for hydrological and weather prediction models. Though SM estimates are available from microwave remote sensing and land surface model (LSM) simulations, it is affected by uncertainties from several sources during estimation. Past studies have generally focused on land data assimilation (DA) for improving LSM predictions by assimilating soil moisture from single satellite sensor. This approach is limited by the large time gap between two consequent soil moisture observations due to satellite repeat cycle of more than three days at the equator. To overcome this, in the present study, we have performed DA using ensemble products from the soil moisture operational product system (SMOPS) blended soil moisture retrievals from different satellite sensors into Noah LSM. Before the assimilation period, the Noah LSM is initialized by cycling through seven multiple loops from 2008 to 2010 forcing with Global data assimilation system (GDAS) data over the Indian subcontinent. We assimilated SMOPS into Noah LSM for a period of two years from 2010 to 2011 using Ensemble Kalman Filter within NASA's land information system (LIS) framework. Results show that DA has improved Noah LSM prediction with a high correlation of 0.96 and low root mean square difference of 0.0303 m3/m3 (figure 1a). Further, this study has also investigated the notion of assimilating microwave brightness temperature (Tb) as a proxy for SM estimates owing to the close proximity of Tb and SM. Preliminary sensitivity analysis show a strong need for regional parameterization of radiative transfer models (RTMs) to improve Tb simulation. Towards this goal, we have optimized the forward RTM using swarm optimization technique for direct Tb

Mapping microscopic order in plant and mammalian cells and tissues: novel differential polarization attachment for new generation confocal microscopes (DP-LSM)

Science.gov (United States)

Steinbach, G.; Pawlak, K.; Pomozi, I.; Tóth, E. A.; Molnár, A.; Matkó, J.; Garab, G.

2014-03-01

Elucidation of the molecular architecture of complex, highly organized molecular macro-assemblies is an important, basic task for biology. Differential polarization (DP) measurements, such as linear (LD) and circular dichroism (CD) or the anisotropy of the fluorescence emission (r), which can be carried out in a dichrograph or spectrofluorimeter, respectively, carry unique, spatially averaged information about the molecular organization of the sample. For inhomogeneous samples—e.g. cells and tissues—measurements on macroscopic scale are not satisfactory, and in some cases not feasible, thus microscopic techniques must be applied. The microscopic DP-imaging technique, when based on confocal laser scanning microscope (LSM), allows the pixel by pixel mapping of anisotropy of a sample in 2D and 3D. The first DP-LSM configuration, which, in fluorescence mode, allowed confocal imaging of different DP quantities in real-time, without interfering with the ‘conventional’ imaging, was built on a Zeiss LSM410. It was demonstrated to be capable of determining non-confocally the linear birefringence (LB) or LD of a sample and, confocally, its FDLD (fluorescence detected LD), the degree of polarization (P) and the anisotropy of the fluorescence emission (r), following polarized and non-polarized excitation, respectively (Steinbach et al 2009 Acta Histochem.111 316-25). This DP-LSM configuration, however, cannot simply be adopted to new generation microscopes with considerably more compact structures. As shown here, for an Olympus FV500, we designed an easy-to-install DP attachment to determine LB, LD, FDLD and r, in new-generation confocal microscopes, which, in principle, can be complemented with a P-imaging unit, but specifically to the brand and type of LSM.

Mapping microscopic order in plant and mammalian cells and tissues: novel differential polarization attachment for new generation confocal microscopes (DP-LSM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steinbach, G; Pawlak, K; Garab, G; Pomozi, I; Tóth, E A; Molnár, A; Matkó, J

2014-01-01

Elucidation of the molecular architecture of complex, highly organized molecular macro-assemblies is an important, basic task for biology. Differential polarization (DP) measurements, such as linear (LD) and circular dichroism (CD) or the anisotropy of the fluorescence emission (r), which can be carried out in a dichrograph or spectrofluorimeter, respectively, carry unique, spatially averaged information about the molecular organization of the sample. For inhomogeneous samples—e.g. cells and tissues—measurements on macroscopic scale are not satisfactory, and in some cases not feasible, thus microscopic techniques must be applied. The microscopic DP-imaging technique, when based on confocal laser scanning microscope (LSM), allows the pixel by pixel mapping of anisotropy of a sample in 2D and 3D. The first DP-LSM configuration, which, in fluorescence mode, allowed confocal imaging of different DP quantities in real-time, without interfering with the ‘conventional’ imaging, was built on a Zeiss LSM410. It was demonstrated to be capable of determining non-confocally the linear birefringence (LB) or LD of a sample and, confocally, its FDLD (fluorescence detected LD), the degree of polarization (P) and the anisotropy of the fluorescence emission (r), following polarized and non-polarized excitation, respectively (Steinbach et al 2009 Acta Histochem.111 316–25). This DP-LSM configuration, however, cannot simply be adopted to new generation microscopes with considerably more compact structures. As shown here, for an Olympus FV500, we designed an easy-to-install DP attachment to determine LB, LD, FDLD and r, in new-generation confocal microscopes, which, in principle, can be complemented with a P-imaging unit, but specifically to the brand and type of LSM. (paper)

FRC [field-reversed configuration] translation studies on FRX-C/LSM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rej, D.; Barnes, G.; Baron, M.

1989-01-01

In preparation for upcoming compression-heating experiments, field-reversed configurations (FRCs) have been translated out of the FRX-C/LSM θ-pinch source, and into the 0.4-m-id, 6.7-m-long translation region formerly used on FRX-C/T. Unlike earlier experiments FRCs are generated without magnetic tearing in the larger FRX-C/LSM source (nominal coil id = 0.70 m, length = 2 m); larger, lower-energy-density FRCs are formed: r/sub s/ ≅ 0.17 m, B/sub ext/ ≅ 0.35 T, ≅ 7 /times/ 10 20 m/sup /minus/3/ and T/sub e/ + T/sub i/ ≅ 400 eV. An initial 3-mtorr D 2 pressure is introduced by either static or puff fill. Asymmetric fields from auxiliary end coils (used for non-tearing formation) provide the accelerating force on the FRC, thereby eliminating the need for a conical θ-pinch coil. An important feature is the abrupt 44% decrease in the flux-conserving wall radius at the transition between the θ-pinch and translation region, similar to that in the compressor. In this paper we review a variety of issues addressed by the recent translation experiments: translation dynamics; translation through a modulated magnetic field; stabilization of the n = 2 rotational instability by weak helical quadrupole fields; and confinement properties. Results from internal magnetic field measurements in translating FRCs may be found in a companion paper. 10 refs., 5 figs

Coupling X-band dual-polarized mini-radars and hydro-meteorological forecast models: the HYDRORAD project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Picciotti

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Hydro-meteorological hazards like convective outbreaks leading to torrential rain and floods are among the most critical environmental issues world-wide. In that context weather radar observations have proven to be very useful in providing information on the spatial distribution of rainfall that can support early warning of floods. However, quantitative precipitation estimation by radar is subjected to many limitations and uncertainties. The use of dual-polarization at high frequency (i.e. X-band has proven particularly useful for mitigating some of the limitation of operational systems, by exploiting the benefit of easiness to transport and deploy and the high spatial and temporal resolution achievable at small antenna sizes. New developments on X-band dual-polarization technology in recent years have received the interest of scientific and operational communities in these systems. New enterprises are focusing on the advancement of cost-efficient mini-radar network technology, based on high-frequency (mainly X-band and low-power weather radar systems for weather monitoring and hydro-meteorological forecasting. Within the above context, the main objective of the HYDRORAD project was the development of an innovative mbox{integrated} decision support tool for weather monitoring and hydro-meteorological applications. The integrated system tool is based on a polarimetric X-band mini-radar network which is the core of the decision support tool, a novel radar products generator and a hydro-meteorological forecast modelling system that ingests mini-radar rainfall products to forecast precipitation and floods. The radar products generator includes algorithms for attenuation correction, hydrometeor classification, a vertical profile reflectivity correction, a new polarimetric rainfall estimators developed for mini-radar observations, and short-term nowcasting of convective cells. The hydro-meteorological modelling system includes the Mesoscale Model 5

Hydro-meteorological extreme events in the 18th century in Portugal

Science.gov (United States)

Fragoso, Marcelo; João Alcoforado, Maria; Taborda, João Paulo

2013-04-01

The present work is carried out in the frame of the KLIMHIST PROJECT ("Reconstruction and model simulations of past climate in Portugal using documentary and early instrumental sources, 17th-19th century)", and is devoted to the study of hydro-meteorological extreme events during the last 350 years, in order to understand how they have changed in time and compare them with current analogues. More specifically, the results selected to this presentation will focus on some hydro-meteorological extreme events of the 18th century, like severe droughts, heavy precipitation episodes and windstorms. One of the most noteworthy events was the winterstorm Bárbara (3rd to 6th December 1739), already studied in prior investigations (Taborda et al, 2004; Pfister et al, 2010), a devastating storm with strong impacts in Portugal caused by violent winds and heavy rainfall. Several other extreme events were detected by searching different documentary archives, including individual, administrative and ecclesiastic sources. Moreover, a more detailed insight to the 1783-1787 period will be made with regard the Lisbon region, taking into consideration the availability of information for daily meteorological observations as well as documentary evidences, like descriptions from Gazeta de Lisboa, the periodic with more continuous publication in the 18thcentury. Key-words: Instrumental data, Documentary data, Extreme events, Klimhist Project, Portugal References Pfister, C., Garnier, E., Alcoforado, M.J., Wheeler, D. Luterbacher, J. Nunes, M.F., Taborda, J.P. (2010) The meteorological framework and the cultural memory of three severe winter-storms in early eighteenth-century Europe, Climatic Change, 101, 1-2, 281-310 Taborda, JP; Alcoforado, MJ and Garcia, JC (2004) O Clima do Sul de Portugal no Séc.XVIII, Centro de Estudos Geográficos, Área de de Investigação de Geo-Ecologia, relatório no 2

Diagnosis of GLDAS LSM based aridity index and dryland identification for socioeconomic aspect of water resources management

Science.gov (United States)

Ghazanfari, S.; Pande, S.; Hashemy, M.; Naseri M., M.

2012-04-01

Water resources scarcity plays an important role in socioeconomic aspect of livelihood pattern in dryland areas. Hydrological perspective of aridity is required for social and economic coping Strategies. Identification of dryland areas is crucial to guide policy aimed at intervening in water stressed areas and addressing its perennial livelihood or food insecurity. Yet, prevailing aridity indices are beset with methodological limitations that restrict their use in delineating drylands and, might be insuffient for decision making frameworks. Palmer's Drought Severity index (PDSI) reports relative soil moisture deviations from long term means, which does not allow cross comparisons, while UNEP's aridity index, the ratio of annual evaporative demand to rainfall supply, ignores site specific soil and vegetation characteristics that are needed for appropriate water balance assessment. We propose to refine UNEP's aridity index by accounting for site specific soil and vegetation to partition precipitation into competing demands of evaporation and runoff. We create three aridity indices at a 1 x 1 degree spatial resolution based on 3 decades of soil moisture time series from three GLDAS Land Surface Models (LSM's): VIC, MOSAIC and NOAH. We compare each LSM model aridity map with the UNEP aridity map which was created based on LSM data forcing. Our approach is to extract the first Eigen function from Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis that represents the dominant spatial template of soil moisture conditions of the three LSM's. Frequency of non-exceedence of this dominant soil moisture mode for a location by all other locations is used as our proposed aridity index. The EOF analysis reveals that the first Eigen function explains, respectively, 33%, 43% and 47% of the VIC, NOAH and MOSAIC models. The temporal coefficients associated with the first OF (Orthogonal Function) for all three LSMS clearly show seasonality with a discrete jump in trend around the year 1999

Documentary evidence of economic character as a source for the study of hydrometeorological extremes

Science.gov (United States)

Chromá, K.; Brázdil, R.; Valášek, H.

2009-04-01

Various human activities, such as agriculture, forestry and water management, have always been influenced by climate variability and hydrometeorological extremes. From this reason historical economic records often include information about contemporaneous weather as well as descriptions of its impacts. This study deals with the interpretation of hydrometeorological extremes for the territory of Moravia (eastern part of the Czech Republic) derived from taxation records and reports of domain and estate administrators. Information obtained reflects the occurrence of floods, convective storms (including hailstorms), windstorms, late spring and early autumn frosts. Based on data from eight domains or estates, frequency series of floods and convective storms (including hailstorms) were compiled for the period 1650-1849. Detail analysis of disastrous weather event from 10 August 1694 in the Pernštejn domain is used to demonstrate the potential of such data for the study of hydrometeorological extremes and their impacts on human activity. Another example is analysis of data about tax reduction due to hailstorm damage on agriculture crops in Moravia in the period 1896-1906.

A large set of potential past, present and future hydro-meteorological time series for the UK

Science.gov (United States)

Guillod, Benoit P.; Jones, Richard G.; Dadson, Simon J.; Coxon, Gemma; Bussi, Gianbattista; Freer, James; Kay, Alison L.; Massey, Neil R.; Sparrow, Sarah N.; Wallom, David C. H.; Allen, Myles R.; Hall, Jim W.

2018-01-01

Hydro-meteorological extremes such as drought and heavy precipitation can have large impacts on society and the economy. With potentially increasing risks associated with such events due to climate change, properly assessing the associated impacts and uncertainties is critical for adequate adaptation. However, the application of risk-based approaches often requires large sets of extreme events, which are not commonly available. Here, we present such a large set of hydro-meteorological time series for recent past and future conditions for the United Kingdom based on weather@home 2, a modelling framework consisting of a global climate model (GCM) driven by observed or projected sea surface temperature (SST) and sea ice which is downscaled to 25 km over the European domain by a regional climate model (RCM). Sets of 100 time series are generated for each of (i) a historical baseline (1900-2006), (ii) five near-future scenarios (2020-2049) and (iii) five far-future scenarios (2070-2099). The five scenarios in each future time slice all follow the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5) and sample the range of sea surface temperature and sea ice changes from CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5) models. Validation of the historical baseline highlights good performance for temperature and potential evaporation, but substantial seasonal biases in mean precipitation, which are corrected using a linear approach. For extremes in low precipitation over a long accumulation period ( > 3 months) and shorter-duration high precipitation (1-30 days), the time series generally represents past statistics well. Future projections show small precipitation increases in winter but large decreases in summer on average, leading to an overall drying, consistently with the most recent UK Climate Projections (UKCP09) but larger in magnitude than the latter. Both drought and high-precipitation events are projected to increase in frequency and intensity in most regions

Hydrometeorological Database (HMDB) for Practical Research in Ecology

OpenAIRE

Novakovskiy, A; Elsakov, V

2014-01-01

The regional HydroMeteorological DataBase (HMDB) was designed for easy access to climate data via the Internet. It contains data on various climatic parameters (temperature, precipitation, pressure, humidity, and wind strength and direction) from 190 meteorological stations in Russia and bordering countries for a period of instrumental observations of over 100 years. Open sources were used to ingest data into HMDB. An analytical block was also developed to perform the most common statistical ...

Dealing with uncertainties in impact studies of climate change on hydrometeorological series over Segura River Basin (Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia Galiano, S. G.; Garcia Cardenas, R.; Tetay Botia, C.; Giraldo Osorio, J.; Erena Arrabal, M.; Baille, A.

2011-12-01

The Segura River Basin (SRB) located in the South East of Spain, is affected by recurrent drought and water scarcity episodes. This basin presents the lowest percentage of renewable water resources of all the Spanish basins. Intensive reforestation has been carried out in the region, to halt desertification and erosion, which added to climate change and variability, do not allow the default assumption of stationarity in the water resources systems. Therefore, the study of effects in hydrometeorological series should be addressed by nonstationary probabilistic models that allow describing the time evolution of their probability distribution functions (PDFs). In the present work, the GAMLSS (Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale and Shaper) approach is applied to identify of spatio-temporal trends in observed precipitation (P) and potential evapotranspiration (PET), at basin scale. Several previous studies have addressed the potential impacts of climate change in water supply systems, focusing on the sensitivity analysis of runoff to climate. Considering the use of a conceptual hydrological model with few parameters, the impacts on runoff and its trend from historical data, are assessed. The conclusions of this study represent a breakthrough in the development of methodologies to understand and anticipate the impacts on water resources systems, in the light of current and future climate conditions, considering hydroclimatic non-stationarity. These findings are expected to contribute to the management of conditions of water resources scarcity and droughts, such as the observed in the SRB, as support to decision-making process by stakeholders.

Identifying and Evaluating Chaotic Behavior in Hydro-Meteorological Processes

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Soojun Kim

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to identify and evaluate chaotic behavior in hydro-meteorological processes. This study poses the two hypotheses to identify chaotic behavior of the processes. First, assume that the input data is the significant factor to provide chaotic characteristics to output data. Second, assume that the system itself is the significant factor to provide chaotic characteristics to output data. For solving this issue, hydro-meteorological time series such as precipitation, air temperature, discharge, and storage volume were collected in the Great Salt Lake and Bear River Basin, USA. The time series in the period of approximately one year were extracted from the original series using the wavelet transform. The generated time series from summation of sine functions were fitted to each series and used for investigating the hypotheses. Then artificial neural networks had been built for modeling the reservoir system and the correlation dimension was analyzed for the evaluation of chaotic behavior between inputs and outputs. From the results, we found that the chaotic characteristic of the storage volume which is output is likely a byproduct of the chaotic behavior of the reservoir system itself rather than that of the input data.

Structural and electrical characterization of spray deposited La0.9Sr0.1MnO3 (LSM) thin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukadam, A.M.; Nimat, R.K.; Kamble, B.S.; Fulari, V.J.

2014-01-01

The perovskite with general formula ABO 3 where, A = La, Sr and B = Co, Fe, Mn, have many applications such as gas separation membranes, catalysts, gas sensors and have been shown the best mixed electronic and ionic conductivity (MIEC), stability and compatibility as cathode materials for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). The Strontium doped lanthanum manganite (La 1-x Sr x MnO 3 , LSM) have been utilized as a cathode for SOFC because of its high electrochemical activity for oxygen reduction and good stability and compatibility with YSZ electrolyte. The use of LSM is not applicable for a low-temperature SOFC due to its low oxygen ion conductivity and high activation energy

Joint System of the National Hydrometeorology for disaster prevention

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, J.; Cho, K.; Lee, Y. S.; Jung, H. S.; Yoo, H. D.; Ryu, D.; Kwon, J.

2014-12-01

Hydrological disaster relief expenditure accounts for as much as 70 percent of total expenditure of disasters occurring in Korea. Since the response to and recovery of disasters are normally based on previous experiences, there have been limitations when dealing with ever-increasing localized heavy rainfall with short range in the era of climate change. Therefore, it became necessary to establish a system that can respond to a disaster in advance through the analysis and prediction of hydrometeorological information. Because a wide range of big data is essential, it cannot be done by a single agency only. That is why the three hydrometeorology-related agencies cooperated to establish a pilot (trial) system at Soemjingang basin in 2013. The three governmental agencies include the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in charge of disaster prevention and public safety, the National Geographic Information Institute (NGII under Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport) in charge of geographical data, and the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) in charge of weather information. This pilot system was designed to be able to respond to disasters in advance through providing a damage prediction information for flash flood to public officers for safety part using high resolution precipitation prediction data provided by the KMA and high precision geographic data by NGII. To produce precipitation prediction data with high resolution, the KMA conducted downscaling from 25km×25km global model to 3km×3km local model and is running the local model twice a day. To maximize the utility of weather prediction information, the KMA is providing the prediction information for 7 days with 1 hour interval at Soemjingang basin to monitor and predict not only flood but also drought. As no prediction is complete without a description of its uncertainty, it is planned to continuously develop the skills to improve the uncertainty of the prediction on weather and its impact

Towards A Grid Infrastructure For Hydro-Meteorological Research

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Michael Schiffers

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The Distributed Research Infrastructure for Hydro-Meteorological Study (DRIHMS is a coordinatedaction co-funded by the European Commission. DRIHMS analyzes the main issuesthat arise when designing and setting up a pan-European Grid-based e-Infrastructure for researchactivities in the hydrologic and meteorological fields. The main outcome of the projectis represented first by a set of Grid usage patterns to support innovative hydro-meteorologicalresearch activities, and second by the implications that such patterns define for a dedicatedGrid infrastructure and the respective Grid architecture.

Assessing Nature-Based Coastal Protection against Disasters Derived from Extreme Hydrometeorological Events in Mexico

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Octavio Pérez-Maqueo

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Natural ecosystems are expected to reduce the damaging effects of extreme hydrometeorological effects. We tested this prediction for Mexico by performing regression models, with two dependent variables: the occurrence of deaths and economic damages, at a state and municipality levels. For each location, the explanatory variables were the Mexican social vulnerability index (which includes socioeconomic aspects, local capacity to prevent and respond to an emergency, and the perception of risk and land use cover considering different vegetation types. We used the hydrometeorological events that have affected Mexico from 1970 to 2011. Our findings reveal that: (a hydrometeorological events affect both coastal and inland states, although damages are greater on the coast; (b the protective role of natural ecosystems only was clear at a municipality level: the presence of mangroves, tropical dry forest and tropical rainforest was related to a significant reduction in the occurrence of casualties. Social vulnerability was positively correlated with the occurrence of deaths. Natural ecosystems, both typically coastal (mangroves and terrestrial (tropical forests, which are located on the mountain ranges close to the coast function for storm protection. Thus, their conservation and restoration are effective and sustainable strategies that will help protect and develop the increasingly urbanized coasts.

Investigating Snow Cover and Hydrometeorological Trends in Contrasting Hydrological Regimes of the Upper Indus Basin

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Iqra Atif

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The Upper Indus basin (UIB is characterized by contrasting hydrometeorological behaviors; therefore, it has become pertinent to understand hydrometeorological trends at the sub-watershed level. Many studies have investigated the snow cover and hydrometeorological modeling at basin level but none have reported the spatial variability of trends and their magnitude at a sub-basin level. This study was conducted to analyze the trends in the contrasting hydrological regimes of the snow and glacier-fed river catchments of the Hunza and Astore sub-basins of the UIB. Mann-Kendall and Sen’s slope methods were used to study the main trends and their magnitude using MODIS snow cover information (2001–2015 and hydrometeorological data. The results showed that in the Hunza basin, the river discharge and temperature were significantly (p ≤ 0.05 decreased with a Sen’s slope value of −2.541 m3·s−1·year−1 and −0.034 °C·year−1, respectively, while precipitation data showed a non-significant (p ≥ 0.05 increasing trend with a Sen’s slope value of 0.023 mm·year−1. In the Astore basin, the river discharge and precipitation are increasing significantly (p ≤ 0.05 with a Sen’s slope value of 1.039 m3·s−1·year−1 and 0.192 mm·year−1, respectively. The snow cover analysis results suggest that the Western Himalayas (the Astore basin had a stable trend with a Sen’s slope of 0.07% year−1 and the Central Karakoram region (the Hunza River basin shows a slightly increasing trend with a Sen’s slope of 0.394% year−1. Based on the results of this study it can be concluded that since both sub-basins are influenced by different climatological systems (monsoon and westerly, the results of those studies that treat the Upper Indus basin as one unit in hydrometeorological modeling should be used with caution. Furthermore, it is suggested that similar studies at the sub-basin level of the UIB will help in a better understanding of the

A large set of potential past, present and future hydro-meteorological time series for the UK

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B. P. Guillod

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Hydro-meteorological extremes such as drought and heavy precipitation can have large impacts on society and the economy. With potentially increasing risks associated with such events due to climate change, properly assessing the associated impacts and uncertainties is critical for adequate adaptation. However, the application of risk-based approaches often requires large sets of extreme events, which are not commonly available. Here, we present such a large set of hydro-meteorological time series for recent past and future conditions for the United Kingdom based on weather@home 2, a modelling framework consisting of a global climate model (GCM driven by observed or projected sea surface temperature (SST and sea ice which is downscaled to 25 km over the European domain by a regional climate model (RCM. Sets of 100 time series are generated for each of (i a historical baseline (1900–2006, (ii five near-future scenarios (2020–2049 and (iii five far-future scenarios (2070–2099. The five scenarios in each future time slice all follow the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5 and sample the range of sea surface temperature and sea ice changes from CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 models. Validation of the historical baseline highlights good performance for temperature and potential evaporation, but substantial seasonal biases in mean precipitation, which are corrected using a linear approach. For extremes in low precipitation over a long accumulation period ( > 3 months and shorter-duration high precipitation (1–30 days, the time series generally represents past statistics well. Future projections show small precipitation increases in winter but large decreases in summer on average, leading to an overall drying, consistently with the most recent UK Climate Projections (UKCP09 but larger in magnitude than the latter. Both drought and high-precipitation events are projected to increase in frequency and

Central Asia Water (CAWa) - A visualization platform for hydro-meteorological sensor data

Science.gov (United States)

Stender, Vivien; Schroeder, Matthias; Wächter, Joachim

2014-05-01

Water is an indispensable necessity of life for people in the whole world. In central Asia, water is the key factor for economic development, but is already a narrow resource in this region. In fact of climate change, the water problem handling will be a big challenge for the future. The regional research Network "Central Asia Water" (CAWa) aims at providing a scientific basis for transnational water resources management for the five Central Asia States Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. CAWa is part of the Central Asia Water Initiative (also known as the Berlin Process) which was launched by the Federal Foreign Office on 1 April 2008 at the "Water Unites" conference in Berlin. To produce future scenarios and strategies for sustainable water management, data on water reserves and the use of water in Central Asia must therefore be collected consistently across the region. Hydro-meteorological stations equipped with sophisticated sensors are installed in Central Asia and send their data via real-time satellite communication to the operation centre of the monitoring network and to the participating National Hydro-meteorological Services.[1] The challenge for CAWa is to integrate the whole aspects of data management, data workflows, data modeling and visualizations in a proper design of a monitoring infrastructure. The use of standardized interfaces to support data transfer and interoperability is essential in CAWa. An uniform treatment of sensor data can be realized by the OGC Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) , which makes a number of standards and interface definitions available: Observation & Measurement (O&M) model for the description of observations and measurements, Sensor Model Language (SensorML) for the description of sensor systems, Sensor Observation Service (SOS) for obtaining sensor observations, Sensor Planning Service (SPS) for tasking sensors, Web Notification Service (WNS) for asynchronous dialogues and Sensor Alert Service

Development of Hydrometeorological Monitoring and Forecasting as AN Essential Component of the Early Flood Warning System:

Science.gov (United States)

Manukalo, V.

2012-12-01

Defining issue The river inundations are the most common and destructive natural hazards in Ukraine. Among non-structural flood management and protection measures a creation of the Early Flood Warning System is extremely important to be able to timely recognize dangerous situations in the flood-prone areas. Hydrometeorological information and forecasts are a core importance in this system. The primary factors affecting reliability and a lead - time of forecasts include: accuracy, speed and reliability with which real - time data are collected. The existing individual conception of monitoring and forecasting resulted in a need in reconsideration of the concept of integrated monitoring and forecasting approach - from "sensors to database and forecasters". Result presentation The Project: "Development of Flood Monitoring and Forecasting in the Ukrainian part of the Dniester River Basin" is presented. The project is developed by the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Service in a conjunction with the Water Management Agency and the Energy Company "Ukrhydroenergo". The implementation of the Project is funded by the Ukrainian Government and the World Bank. The author is nominated as the responsible person for coordination of activity of organizations involved in the Project. The term of the Project implementation: 2012 - 2014. The principal objectives of the Project are: a) designing integrated automatic hydrometeorological measurement network (including using remote sensing technologies); b) hydrometeorological GIS database construction and coupling with electronic maps for flood risk assessment; c) interface-construction classic numerical database -GIS and with satellite images, and radar data collection; d) providing the real-time data dissemination from observation points to forecasting centers; e) developing hydrometeoroogical forecasting methods; f) providing a flood hazards risk assessment for different temporal and spatial scales; g) providing a dissemination of

Multifractal Conceptualisation of Hydro-Meteorological Extremes

Science.gov (United States)

Tchiguirinskaia, I.; Schertzer, D.; Lovejoy, S.

2009-04-01

Hydrology and more generally sciences involved in water resources management, technological or operational developments face a fundamental difficulty: the extreme variability of hydro-meteorological fields. It clearly appears today that this variability is a function of the observation scale and yield hydro-meteorological hazards. Throughout the world, the development of multifractal theory offers new techniques for handling such non-classical variability over wide ranges of time and space scales. The resulting stochastic simulations with a very limited number of parameters well reproduce the long range dependencies and the clustering of rainfall extremes often yielding fat tailed (i.e., an algebraic type) probability distributions. The goal of this work was to investigate the ability of using very short or incomplete data records for reliable statistical predictions of the extremes. In particular we discuss how to evaluate the uncertainty in the empirical or semi-analytical multifractal outcomes. We consider three main aspects of the evaluation, such as the scaling adequacy, the multifractal parameter estimation error and the quantile estimation error. We first use the multiplicative cascade model to generate long series of multifractal data. The simulated samples had to cover the range of the universal multifractal parameters widely available in the scientific literature for the rainfall and river discharges. Using these long multifractal series and their sub-samples, we defined a metric for parameter estimation error. Then using the sets of estimated parameters, we obtained the quantile values for a range of excedance probabilities from 5% to 0.01%. Plotting the error bars on a quantile plot enable an approximation of confidence intervals that would be particularly important for the predictions of multifractal extremes. We finally illustrate the efficiency of such concept on its application to a large database (more than 16000 selected stations over USA and

Application of hydrometeorological coupled European flood forecasting operational real time system in Yellow River Basin

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Yi-qi Yan

2009-12-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated the application of the European flood forecasting operational real time system (EFFORTS to the Yellow River. An automatic data pre-processing program was developed to provide real-time hydrometeorological data. Various GIS layers were collected and developed to meet the demands of the distributed hydrological model in the EFFORTS. The model parameters were calibrated and validated based on more than ten years of historical hydrometeorological data from the study area. The San-Hua Basin (from the Sanmenxia Reservoir to the Huayuankou Hydrological Station, the most geographically important area of the Yellow River, was chosen as the study area. The analysis indicates that the EFFORTS enhances the work efficiency, extends the flood forecasting lead time, and attains an acceptable level of forecasting accuracy in the San-Hua Basin, with a mean deterministic coefficient at Huayuankou Station, the basin outlet, of 0.90 in calibration and 0.96 in validation. The analysis also shows that the simulation accuracy is better for the southern part than for the northern part of the San-Hua Basin. This implies that, along with the characteristics of the basin and the mechanisms of runoff generation of the hydrological model, the hydrometeorological data play an important role in simulation of hydrological behavior.

Mathematical Modelling of Thermal Process to Aquatic Environment with Different Hydrometeorological Conditions

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Alibek Issakhov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the mathematical model of the thermal process from thermal power plant to aquatic environment of the reservoir-cooler, which is located in the Pavlodar region, 17 Km to the north-east of Ekibastuz town. The thermal process in reservoir-cooler with different hydrometeorological conditions is considered, which is solved by three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations and temperature equation for an incompressible flow in a stratified medium. A numerical method based on the projection method, divides the problem into three stages. At the first stage, it is assumed that the transfer of momentum occurs only by convection and diffusion. Intermediate velocity field is solved by fractional steps method. At the second stage, three-dimensional Poisson equation is solved by the Fourier method in combination with tridiagonal matrix method (Thomas algorithm. Finally, at the third stage, it is expected that the transfer is only due to the pressure gradient. Numerical method determines the basic laws of the hydrothermal processes that qualitatively and quantitatively are approximated depending on different hydrometeorological conditions.

Hydrometeorological and statistical analyses of heavy rainfall in Midwestern USA

Science.gov (United States)

Thorndahl, S.; Smith, J. A.; Krajewski, W. F.

2012-04-01

During the last two decades the mid-western states of the United States of America has been largely afflicted by heavy flood producing rainfall. Several of these storms seem to have similar hydrometeorological properties in terms of pattern, track, evolution, life cycle, clustering, etc. which raise the question if it is possible to derive general characteristics of the space-time structures of these heavy storms. This is important in order to understand hydrometeorological features, e.g. how storms evolve and with what frequency we can expect extreme storms to occur. In the literature, most studies of extreme rainfall are based on point measurements (rain gauges). However, with high resolution and quality radar observation periods exceeding more than two decades, it is possible to do long-term spatio-temporal statistical analyses of extremes. This makes it possible to link return periods to distributed rainfall estimates and to study precipitation structures which cause floods. However, doing these statistical frequency analyses of rainfall based on radar observations introduces some different challenges, converting radar reflectivity observations to "true" rainfall, which are not problematic doing traditional analyses on rain gauge data. It is for example difficult to distinguish reflectivity from high intensity rain from reflectivity from other hydrometeors such as hail, especially using single polarization radars which are used in this study. Furthermore, reflectivity from bright band (melting layer) should be discarded and anomalous propagation should be corrected in order to produce valid statistics of extreme radar rainfall. Other challenges include combining observations from several radars to one mosaic, bias correction against rain gauges, range correction, ZR-relationships, etc. The present study analyzes radar rainfall observations from 1996 to 2011 based the American NEXRAD network of radars over an area covering parts of Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and

Hybrid Wavelet De-noising and Rank-Set Pair Analysis approach for forecasting hydro-meteorological time series

Science.gov (United States)

WANG, D.; Wang, Y.; Zeng, X.

2017-12-01

Accurate, fast forecasting of hydro-meteorological time series is presently a major challenge in drought and flood mitigation. This paper proposes a hybrid approach, Wavelet De-noising (WD) and Rank-Set Pair Analysis (RSPA), that takes full advantage of a combination of the two approaches to improve forecasts of hydro-meteorological time series. WD allows decomposition and reconstruction of a time series by the wavelet transform, and hence separation of the noise from the original series. RSPA, a more reliable and efficient version of Set Pair Analysis, is integrated with WD to form the hybrid WD-RSPA approach. Two types of hydro-meteorological data sets with different characteristics and different levels of human influences at some representative stations are used to illustrate the WD-RSPA approach. The approach is also compared to three other generic methods: the conventional Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) method, Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) (BP-error Back Propagation, MLP-Multilayer Perceptron and RBF-Radial Basis Function), and RSPA alone. Nine error metrics are used to evaluate the model performance. The results show that WD-RSPA is accurate, feasible, and effective. In particular, WD-RSPA is found to be the best among the various generic methods compared in this paper, even when the extreme events are included within a time series.

The Effect of Electrical Polarization on Electronic Structure in LSM Electrodes: An Operando XAS, RIXS and XES Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Traulsen, Marie Lund; Carvalho, H.W.P.; Zielke, Philipp

2017-01-01

in the Mn K edge energy towards lower energies. The shift is assigned to a decrease in the average Mn oxidation state, which based on Kβ XES changes from 3.4 at open circuit voltage to 3.2 at −800 mV applied potential. Furthermore, RIXS rendered pronounced changes in the population of the Mn 3d orbitals...... (RIXS) at the Mn K-edge. The study of polarization induced changes in the electronic properties and structure has been carried out at 500°C in 10–20% O2 with electrical polarization applied in the range from −850 mV to 800 mV. Cathodic polarizations in the range −600 mV to −850 mV induced a shift......, due to filling of the Mn d-orbitals during the cathodic polarization. Overall, the study experimentally links the electrical polarization of LSM electrodes to the structural and electronic properties of Mn - these properties are expected to be of major importance for the electrocatalytic performance...

Life prediction for white OLED based on LSM under lognormal distribution

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jianping; Liu, Fang; Liu, Yu; Wu, Helen; Zhu, Wenqing; Wu, Wenli; Wu, Liang

2012-09-01

In order to acquire the reliability information of White Organic Light Emitting Display (OLED), three groups of OLED constant stress accelerated life tests (CSALTs) were carried out to obtain failure data of samples. Lognormal distribution function was applied to describe OLED life distribution, and the accelerated life equation was determined by Least square method (LSM). The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was performed to verify whether the white OLED life meets lognormal distribution or not. Author-developed software was employed to predict the average life and the median life. The numerical results indicate that the white OLED life submits to lognormal distribution, and that the accelerated life equation meets inverse power law completely. The estimated life information of the white OLED provides manufacturers and customers with important guidelines.

Neutron measurements in the FRX-C/LSM magnetic compression experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chrien, R.E.; Baron, M.H.

1989-01-01

Neutron measurements are being pursued as an ion temperature diagnostic in the FRX-C/LSM Magnetic Compression Experiment. One can easily see that the d-d neutron emission is a sensitive measure of ion heating during adiabatic magnetic compression of FRCs. The reaction rate may be written as R = (1/2) n N left-angle σv right-angle, where n and N are the deuterium density and inventory. The fusion reactivity varies as left-angle σv right-angle ∝ T 5.6 for T ≅ 1 keV. For adiabatic compression, n ∝ B 1.2 and T ∝ B 0.8 so R ∝ B 5.7 in the absence of losses. The neutron yield is also sensitive to the time duration that the plasma remains near its peak temperature. 4 refs., 4 figs

Assessment extreme hydrometeorological conditions in the Gulf of Bothnia, the Baltic Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Dvornikov, Anton; Martyanov, Stanislav; Ryabchenko, Vladimir; Eremina, Tatjana; Isaev, Alexey; Sein, Dmitry

2017-04-01

Extreme hydrometeorological conditions in the Gulf of Bothnia, the Baltic Sea, are estimated paying a special attention to the area of the future construction of nuclear power plant (NPP) "Hanhikivi-1" (24° 16' E, 64° 32' N). To produce these estimates, long-term observations and results from numerical models of water and ice circulation and wind waves are used. It is estimated that the average annual air temperature in the vicinity of the station is +3° C, summer and winter extreme temperature is equal to 33.3° C and -41.5° C, respectively. Model calculations of wind waves have shown that the most dangerous (in terms of the generation of wind waves in the NPP area) is a north-west wind with the direction of 310°. The maximum height of the waves in the Gulf of Bothnia near the NPP for this wind direction with wind velocity of 10 m/s is 1.2-1.4 m. According to the model estimates, the highest possible level of the sea near the NPP is 248 cm, the minimum level, -151 cm, respectively for the western and eastern winds. These estimates are in good agreement with observations on the sea level for the period 1922-2015 at the nearest hydrometeorological station Raahe (Finland). In order to assess the likely impact of the NPP on the marine environment numerical experiments for the cold (2010) and warm year (2014) have been carried out. These calculations have shown that permanent release of heat into the marine environment from the operating NPP for the cold year (2010) will increase the temperature in the upper layer of 0-250m zone by 10°C in winter - spring and by 8°C in summer - early autumn, and in the bottom layer of 0-250m zone by 5°C in winter - spring and 3°C in summer - early autumn. For the warm year (2014), these temperature changes are smaller. Ice cover in both cases will disappear in two - kilometer vicinity of the NPP. These effects should be taken into account when assessing local climate changes in the future

A photosynthesis-based two-leaf canopy stomatal conductance model for meteorology and air quality modeling with WRF/CMAQ PX LSM

Science.gov (United States)

A coupled photosynthesis-stomatal conductance model with single-layer sunlit and shaded leaf canopy scaling is implemented and evaluated in a diagnostic box model with the Pleim-Xiu land surface model (PX LSM) and ozone deposition model components taken directly from the meteorol...

Entropy-based derivation of generalized distributions for hydrometeorological frequency analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lu; Singh, Vijay P.

2018-02-01

Frequency analysis of hydrometeorological and hydrological extremes is needed for the design of hydraulic and civil infrastructure facilities as well as water resources management. A multitude of distributions have been employed for frequency analysis of these extremes. However, no single distribution has been accepted as a global standard. Employing the entropy theory, this study derived five generalized distributions for frequency analysis that used different kinds of information encoded as constraints. These distributions were the generalized gamma (GG), the generalized beta distribution of the second kind (GB2), and the Halphen type A distribution (Hal-A), Halphen type B distribution (Hal-B) and Halphen type inverse B distribution (Hal-IB), among which the GG and GB2 distribution were previously derived by Papalexiou and Koutsoyiannis (2012) and the Halphen family was first derived using entropy theory in this paper. The entropy theory allowed to estimate parameters of the distributions in terms of the constraints used for their derivation. The distributions were tested using extreme daily and hourly rainfall data. Results show that the root mean square error (RMSE) values were very small, which indicated that the five generalized distributions fitted the extreme rainfall data well. Among them, according to the Akaike information criterion (AIC) values, generally the GB2 and Halphen family gave a better fit. Therefore, those general distributions are one of the best choices for frequency analysis. The entropy-based derivation led to a new way for frequency analysis of hydrometeorological extremes.

The training on propagation of guided electromagnetic waves from the point of view of LSM LSE modes; La ensenanza de las ondas electromagneticas guiadas desde el punto de vista de los modos LSM y LSE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodriguez, J.

1997-09-01

In this work, LSM and LSE modes are proposed as a didactic alternative for modeling the propagation of guided electromagnetic waves. Our considerations can be applied to the most common electromagnetic waves guiding systems: empty metallic waveguides, metallic waveguides partially filled with dielectrics, dielectric sheet waveguides and 3-D dielectric waveguides. In all cases, our interest is focussed on modes with a defined polarization; therefore the teaching activity can be treated from the scalar wave approximation point of view. (Author)

Hydrometeorological extremes and their impacts derived from taxation records for south-eastern Moravia (Czech Republic) in the period 1751-1900

Science.gov (United States)

Chromá, K.; Brázdil, R.; Valášek, H.; Dolák, L.

2012-04-01

Hydrometeorological extremes always influenced human activities and caused great material damage or even loss of human lives. In the Czech Lands (recently the Czech Republic), systematic meteorological and hydrological observations started generally in the latter half of the 19th century. In order to create long-term series of hydrometeorological extremes, it is necessary to search for other sources of information for their study before 1850. In this study, written records associated with tax relief at ten estates located in south-eastern Moravia are used for the study of hydrometeorological extremes and their impacts during the period 1751-1900. The taxation system in Moravia allowed farmers to request tax relief if their crop yields had been negatively affected by hydrological and meteorological extremes. The documentation involved contains information about the type of extreme event and the date of its occurrence, and the impacts on crops may often be derived. A total of 175 extreme events resulting in some kind of damage is documented for 1751-1900, with the highest concentration between 1811 and 1860. The nature of events leading to damage (of a possible 272 types) include hailstorm (25.7%), torrential rain (21.7%), and flood (21.0%), followed by thunderstorm, flash flood, late frost and windstorm. The four most outstanding events, affecting the highest number of settlements, were thunderstorms with hailstorms (25 June 1825, 20 May 1847 and 29 June 1890) and flooding of the River Morava (mid-June 1847). Hydrometeorological extremes in the 1816-1855 period are compared with those occurring during the recent 1961-2000 period. The results obtained are inevitably influenced by uncertainties related to taxation records, such as their temporal and spatial incompleteness, the limits of the period of outside agricultural work (i.e. mainly May-August) and the purpose for which they were originally collected (primarily tax alleviation, i.e. information about

Spatiotemporal analysis of hydro-meteorological drought in the Johor River Basin, Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Mou Leong; Chua, Vivien P.; Li, Cheng; Brindha, K.

2018-02-01

Assessment of historical hydro-meteorological drought is important to develop a robust drought monitoring and prediction system. This study aims to assess the historical hydro-meteorological drought of the Johor River Basin (JRB) from 1975 to 2010, an important basin for the population of southern Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Streamflow Index (SSI) were selected to represent the meteorological and hydrological droughts, respectively. Four absolute homogeneity tests were used to assess the rainfall data from 20 stations, and two stations were flagged by these tests. Results indicate the SPI duration to be comparatively low (3 months), and drier conditions occur over the upper JRB. The annual SSI had a strong decreasing trend at 95% significance level, showing that human activities such as reservoir construction and agriculture (oil palm) have a major influence on streamflow in the middle and lower basin. In addition, moderate response rate of SSI to SPI was found, indicating that hydrological drought could also have occurred in normal climate condition. Generally, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Madden Julian Oscillation have greater impacts on drought events in the basin. Findings of this study could be beneficial for future drought projection and water resources management.

Hydrometeorological extremes derived from taxation records for south-eastern Moravia, Czech Republic, 1751–1900 AD

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Brázdil, Rudolf; Chromá, Kateřina; Valášek, H.; Dolák, L.

2012-01-01

Roč. 8, č. 2 (2012), s. 467-481 ISSN 1814-9324 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : documentary evidence * hydrometeorological extremes * tax alleviation * flood * hailstorm * torrential rain Subject RIV: DG - Athmosphere Sciences, Meteorology Impact factor: 3.556, year: 2012

Linking Hydro-Meteorological Hazards, Climate and Food Security: an Initiative of International Scientific Community

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail-Zadeh, A.; Beer, T.

2013-05-01

Humans face climatic and hydro-meteorological hazards on different scales in time and space. In particular natural hazards can have disastrous impact in the short term (flood) and in the long term (drought) as they affect human life and health as well as impacting dramatically on the sustainable development of society. They represent a pending danger for vulnerable lifelines, infrastructure and the agricultural systems that depend on the water supply, reservoirs, pipelines, and power plants. Developed countries are affected, but the impact is disproportionate within the developing world. Extreme natural events such as extreme floods or prolonged drought can change the life and economic development of developing nations and stifle their development for decades. The beginning of the XX1st century has been marked by a significant number of natural disasters, such as floods, severe storms, wildfires, hurricanes, and tsunamis. Extreme natural events cause devastation resulting in loss of human life, large environmental damage, and partial or total loss of infrastructure that, in the longer time, will affect the potential for agricultural recovery. Recent catastrophic events of the early 21st century (e.g. floods in Pakistan and Thailand, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami) remind us once again that there is a strong coupling between complex solid Earth, oceanic, and atmospheric processes and that even developed countries such as Japan are subject to agricultural declines as a result of disastrous hydro-meteorological events. Scientific community recognizes that communication between the groups of experts of various international organizations dealing with natural hazards and their activity in disaster risk reduction and food security needs to be strengthened. Several international scientific unions and intergovernmental institutions set up a consortium of experts to promote studies of weather, climate and their interaction with agriculture, food and their socio

SET UP OF THE NEW AUTOMATIC HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL NETWORK IN HUNGARY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. NAGy

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The Hungarian Meteorological Service (OMSZ and General Directorate of Water Management (OVF in Hungary run conventional precipitation measurement networks consisting of at least 1000 stations. OMSZ automated its synoptic and climatological network in 90’s and now more than 100 automatic stations give data every 1-10 minutes via GPRS channel. In 2007 the experts from both institutions determined the requirements of a common network. The predecessor in title of OVF is general Directorate for Water and Environment gave a project proposal in 2008 for establishment of a new hydrometeorological network based on common aims for meteorology and hydrology. The new hydrometeorological network was set up in 2012 financed by KEOP project. This network has got 141 weighing precipitation gauges, 118 temperature - humidity sensors and 25 soil moisture and soil temperature instruments. Near by Tisza-Lake two wind sensors have been installed. The network is operated by OMSZ and OVF together. OVF and its institutions maintain the stations itself and support the electricity. OMSZ operates data collection and transmission, maintaines and calibrates the sensors. Using precipitation data of enhanced network the radar precipitation field quality may be more precise, which are input of run-off model. Thereby the time allowance may be increased in flood-control events. Based on soil moisture and temperature water balance in soil may be modelled and forecast can be produced in different conditions. It is very important task in drought and inland water conditions. Considering OMSZ investment project in which new Doppler dual polarisation radar and 14 disdrometers will be installed, the precipitation estimation may be improved since 2015.

Hydrometeorological extremes derived from taxation records for south-eastern Moravia, Czech Republic, 1751-1900 AD

Science.gov (United States)

Brázdil, R.; Chromá, K.; Valášek, H.; Dolák, L.

2012-03-01

Historical written records associated with tax relief at ten estates located in south-eastern Moravia (Czech Republic) are used for the study of hydrometeorological extremes and their impacts during the period 1751-1900 AD. At the time, the taxation system in Moravia allowed farmers to request tax relief if their crop yields had been negatively affected by hydrological and meteorological extremes. The documentation involved contains information about the type of extreme event and the date of its occurrence, while the impact on crops may often be derived. A total of 175 extreme events resulting in some kind of damage are documented for 1751-1900, with the highest concentration between 1811 and 1860 (74.9% of all events analysed). The nature of events leading to damage (of a possible 272 types) include hailstorm (25.7%), torrential rain (21.7%), flood (21.0%), followed by thunderstorm, flash flood, late frost and windstorm. The four most outstanding events, affecting the highest number of settlements, were thunderstorms with hailstorms (25 June 1825, 20 May 1847 and 29 June 1890) and flooding of the River Morava (mid-June 1847). Hydrometeorological extremes in the 1816-1855 period are compared with those occurring during the recent 1961-2000 period. The results obtained are inevitably influenced by uncertainties related to taxation records, such as their temporal and spatial incompleteness, the limits of the period of outside agricultural work (i.e. mainly May-August) and the purpose for which they were originally collected (primarily tax alleviation, i.e. information about hydrometeorological extremes was of secondary importance). Taxation records constitute an important source of data for historical climatology and historical hydrology and have a great potential for use in many European countries.

Hydrometeorological extremes at the Veselí nad Moravou estate (Czech Republic) in the period 1794-1850 derived from documentary evidence of the economic character

Science.gov (United States)

Chromá, Kateřina

2010-05-01

Hydrometeorological extremes influenced always human activities (agriculture, forestry, water management) and caused losses of human lives and great material damage. Systematic meteorological and hydrological observations in the Czech Lands (recent Czech Republic) started generally in the latter half of the 19th century. In order to create long-term series of hydrometeorological extremes, it is necessary to search for other sources of information for their study before 1850. Such direct and indirect information about hydrometeorological extremes is included in documentary evidence (e.g. chronicles, memoirs, diaries, early visual weather observations, newspapers, economic sources etc.). Documentary evidence of economic character belongs to the most important sources, especially documents related to taxation records. Damage to agricultural crops on the fields or damage to hay on meadows due to the hydrological and meteorological phenomena has been a good reason for the abatement of tax duty. Based on the official correspondence of the estate of Veselí nad Moravou (southern Moravia), archival information about taxation from the Moravian Land Archives in Brno was excerpted. Based on it, 46 hydrometeorological extremes which occurred between the years 1794 and 1850 were selected and further analysed. Because of fields and meadows of the above estate were located along the Morava River, reports of damage due to floods were the most frequent, followed by damage due to torrential rains and hailstorms.

A hybrid wavelet de-noising and Rank-Set Pair Analysis approach for forecasting hydro-meteorological time series.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dong; Borthwick, Alistair G; He, Handan; Wang, Yuankun; Zhu, Jieyu; Lu, Yuan; Xu, Pengcheng; Zeng, Xiankui; Wu, Jichun; Wang, Lachun; Zou, Xinqing; Liu, Jiufu; Zou, Ying; He, Ruimin

2018-01-01

Accurate, fast forecasting of hydro-meteorological time series is presently a major challenge in drought and flood mitigation. This paper proposes a hybrid approach, wavelet de-noising (WD) and Rank-Set Pair Analysis (RSPA), that takes full advantage of a combination of the two approaches to improve forecasts of hydro-meteorological time series. WD allows decomposition and reconstruction of a time series by the wavelet transform, and hence separation of the noise from the original series. RSPA, a more reliable and efficient version of Set Pair Analysis, is integrated with WD to form the hybrid WD-RSPA approach. Two types of hydro-meteorological data sets with different characteristics and different levels of human influences at some representative stations are used to illustrate the WD-RSPA approach. The approach is also compared to three other generic methods: the conventional Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) method, Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) (BP-error Back Propagation, MLP-Multilayer Perceptron and RBF-Radial Basis Function), and RSPA alone. Nine error metrics are used to evaluate the model performance. Compared to three other generic methods, the results generated by WD-REPA model presented invariably smaller error measures which means the forecasting capability of the WD-REPA model is better than other models. The results show that WD-RSPA is accurate, feasible, and effective. In particular, WD-RSPA is found to be the best among the various generic methods compared in this paper, even when the extreme events are included within a time series. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the sintering stresses and shape distortion produced in co-firing of CGO-LSM/CGO bi-layer porous structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ni, De Wei; Esposito, Vincenzo; Schmidt, Cristine Grings

such as cracks, de-lamination and shape distortion can result as a consequence of sintering mismatch stresses caused by the strain rate difference between layers. This work seeks to understand the underlying mechanisms that occur during the co-firing of porous CGO-LSM/CGO bi-layer laminates, by evaluating...... the sintering mismatch stress and distortion development through modeling and experiments....

Are extreme hydro-meteorological events a prerequisite for extreme water quality impacts? Exploring climate impacts on inland and coastal waters

Science.gov (United States)

Michalak, A. M.; Balaji, V.; Del Giudice, D.; Sinha, E.; Zhou, Y.; Ho, J. C.

2017-12-01

Questions surrounding water sustainability, climate change, and extreme events are often framed around water quantity - whether too much or too little. The massive impacts of extreme water quality impairments are equally compelling, however. Recent years have provided a host of compelling examples, with unprecedented harmful algal blooms developing along the West coast, in Utah Lake, in Lake Erie, and off the Florida coast, and huge hypoxic dead zones continuing to form in regions such as Lake Erie, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico. Linkages between climate change, extreme events, and water quality impacts are not well understood, however. Several factors explain this lack of understanding, including the relative complexity of underlying processes, the spatial and temporal scale mismatch between hydrologists and climatologists, and observational uncertainty leading to ambiguities in the historical record. Here, we draw on a number of recent studies that aim to quantitatively link meteorological variability and water quality impacts to test the hypothesis that extreme water quality impairments are the result of extreme hydro-meteorological events. We find that extreme hydro-meteorological events are neither always a necessary nor a sufficient condition for the occurrence of extreme water quality impacts. Rather, extreme water quality impairments often occur in situations where multiple contributing factors compound, which complicates both attribution of historical events and the ability to predict the future incidence of such events. Given the critical societal importance of water quality projections, a concerted program of uncertainty reduction encompassing observational and modeling components will be needed to examine situations where extreme weather plays an important, but not solitary, role in the chain of cause and effect.

Pore former induced porosity in LSM/CGO cathodes for electrochemical cells for flue gas purification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovgaard, M.; Andersen, Kjeld Bøhm; Kammer Hansen, Kent

2012-01-01

In this study the effect of the characteristics of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) pore formers on the porosity, pore size distribution and the air flow through the prepared lanthanum strontium manganate/gadolinium-doped cerium oxide (LSM/CGO) cathodes was investigated. Porous cathodes were obtained...... and the highest porosity measured was 46.4% with an average pore diameter of 0.98 μm. The air flow through this cathode was measured to 5.8 ml/(min mm2). Also the effect of exposure time to the solvent was tested for the most promising PMMA pore former and it was found that the average pore diameter decreases...

Hydrometeorological extremes derived from taxation records for south-eastern Moravia, Czech Republic, 1751–1900 AD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Valášek

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Historical written records associated with tax relief at ten estates located in south-eastern Moravia (Czech Republic are used for the study of hydrometeorological extremes and their impacts during the period 1751–1900 AD. At the time, the taxation system in Moravia allowed farmers to request tax relief if their crop yields had been negatively affected by hydrological and meteorological extremes. The documentation involved contains information about the type of extreme event and the date of its occurrence, while the impact on crops may often be derived. A total of 175 extreme events resulting in some kind of damage are documented for 1751–1900, with the highest concentration between 1811 and 1860 (74.9% of all events analysed. The nature of events leading to damage (of a possible 272 types include hailstorm (25.7%, torrential rain (21.7%, flood (21.0%, followed by thunderstorm, flash flood, late frost and windstorm. The four most outstanding events, affecting the highest number of settlements, were thunderstorms with hailstorms (25 June 1825, 20 May 1847 and 29 June 1890 and flooding of the River Morava (mid-June 1847. Hydrometeorological extremes in the 1816–1855 period are compared with those occurring during the recent 1961–2000 period. The results obtained are inevitably influenced by uncertainties related to taxation records, such as their temporal and spatial incompleteness, the limits of the period of outside agricultural work (i.e. mainly May–August and the purpose for which they were originally collected (primarily tax alleviation, i.e. information about hydrometeorological extremes was of secondary importance. Taxation records constitute an important source of data for historical climatology and historical hydrology and have a great potential for use in many European countries.

Microstructure degradation of LSM-YSZ cathode in SOFCs operated at various conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Yi-Lin; Thydén, Karl Tor Sune; Chen, Ming

2012-01-01

Systematic microstructural analyses have been carried out on a series of technological SOFCs that went through long-term cell tests with various operating parameters including temperature, current load and time length under current. For the LSM-YSZ cathode, a number of microstructure degradation...... mechanisms have been identified. And it has been observed that different mechanisms dominate the degradation process under different test conditions. The severe cathode degradation at 750 °C operation with high current density is attributed to a loss of the cathode/electrolyte interface stability....... For the cells tested at 850 °C, the interface stability is maintained due to further sintering during cell operation. A cell test lasting for 2 years (17500 h) at 850 °C with a moderate current density (not greater than 1 A/cm2) has shown that the cathode microstructure is fairly robust to the degradation...

Hydrometeorological Hazards: Monitoring, Forecasting, Risk Assessment, and Socioeconomic Responses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Huan [University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA; Huang, Maoyi [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA; Tang, Qiuhong [Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Kirschbaum, Dalia B. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA; Ward, Philip [Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands

2016-01-01

Hydrometeorological hazards are caused by extreme meteorological and climate events, such as floods, droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, or landslides. They account for a dominant fraction of natural hazards and occur in all regions of the world, although the frequency and intensity of certain hazards, and society’s vulnerability to them, differs between regions. Severe storms, strong winds, floods and droughts develop at different spatial and temporal scales, but all can become disasters that cause significant infrastructure damage and claim hundreds of thousands of lives annually worldwide. Oftentimes, multiple hazards can occur simultaneously or trigger cascading impacts from one extreme weather event. For example, in addition to causing injuries, deaths and material damage, a tropical storm can also result in flooding and mudslides, which can disrupt water purification and sewage disposal systems, cause overflow of toxic wastes, and increase propagation of mosquito-borne diseases.

Electron temperature measurements of FRX-C/LSM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rej, D.J.

1989-01-01

The electron temperature T/sub e/ has been measured with Thomson scattering field-reversed configurations (FRCs) on the Los Alamos FRX-C/LSM experiment. FRCs formed and trapped in-situ in the θ-pinch source are studied. These experiments mark the first comprehensive FRC T/sub e/ measurements in over five years with data gathered on over 400 discharges. Measurements are performed at a single point in space and time on each discharge. The Thomson scattering diagnostic consist of a Q-switched ruby laser focused from one end to a point 0.2 m from the axial midplane of the θ-pinch coil and at radius of either 0.00 or 0.10 m. Scattered light is collected, dispersed and detected with a 7-channel, triple-grating polychromator configured to detect light wavelengths between 658 and 692 nm. Photomultiplier currents are measured with gated A/D converters, with plasma background signals recorded 100-ns before and 100-ns after the laser pulse. Electron temperatures are measured at either radial position during the time interval, 10 ≤ t ≤ 70 μs, between FRC formation and the onset of the n = 2 instability which usually terminates the discharge. A variety of plasma conditions have been produced by adjusting three external parameters: the initial deuterium fill pressure p/sub O/; the reversed bias magnetic field B/sub b/; and the external magnetic field B/sub w/. The fill-pressure scan has been performed at B/sub b/ ≅ 60 mT and B/sub w/ ≅ 0.4 T with p/sub o/ set at either 2, 3, 4 or 5 mtorr. The bias-field scan, 37 ≤ B/sub b/ ≤ 95 mT, has been performed at p/sub o/ = 3 mtorr and B/sub w/ ≅ 0.4 T. 7 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

Nuclear LSm8 affects number of cytoplasmic processing bodies via controlling cellular distribution of Like-Sm proteins

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Novotný, Ivan; Podolská, Kateřina; Blažíková, Michaela; Valášek, Leoš Shivaya; Svoboda, Petr; Staněk, David

2012-01-01

Roč. 23, č. 19 (2012), s. 3776-3785 ISSN 1059-1524 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KAN200520801; GA ČR GA204/07/0133; GA ČR GAP305/10/2215; GA ČR GAP302/11/1910; GA ČR(CZ) GBP305/12/G034 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50390703; CEZ:AV0Z50520514; CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Institutional support: RVO:68378050 ; RVO:68378041 ; RVO:61388971 Keywords : P-bodies * LSm proteins * mRNA degradation Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 4.604, year: 2012

Radiation monitoring of the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute - Present and future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melicherova, T.

2008-01-01

Network for air radioactivity monitoring was developed in the frame Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMI) since 1963. There are data available for many years for beta radioactivity of the air particulate and deposition. At present network consist from 26 monitoring points for measurement of dose rate and 3 monitoring points for aerosol monitors. Measuring instrument are placed in the professional stations of the selected parts of Slovakia. They are regularly verified and calibrated in the Slovak Institute for Metrology. Radiation monitoring in the SHMI is one part of the Environmental monitoring of Slovakia. All activities and operation of this system are financed from governmental budget of the Environmental monitoring. All information about this system are available on the web page http://enviroportal.sk/ in the part 'Informacny system monitoringu'. (authors)

Radiation monitoring of the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute - Present and future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melicherova, T.

2009-01-01

Network for air radioactivity monitoring was developed in the frame Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMI) since 1963. There are data available for many years for beta radioactivity of the air particulate and deposition. At present network consist from 26 monitoring points for measurement of dose rate and 3 monitoring points for aerosol monitors. Measuring instrument are placed in the professional stations of the selected parts of Slovakia. They are regularly verified and calibrated in the Slovak Institute for Metrology. Radiation monitoring in the SHMI is one part of the Environmental monitoring of Slovakia. All activities and operation of this system are financed from governmental budget of the Environmental monitoring. All information about this system are available on the web page http://enviroportal.sk/ in the part 'Informacny system monitoringu'. (authors)

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute's severe storm nowcasting system

Science.gov (United States)

Novak, Petr

2007-02-01

To satisfy requirements for operational severe weather monitoring and prediction, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI) has developed a severe storm nowcasting system which uses weather radar data as its primary data source. Previous CHMI studies identified two methods of radar echo prediction, which were then implemented during 2003 into the Czech weather radar network operational weather processor. The applications put into operations were the Continuity Tracking Radar Echoes by Correlation (COTREC) algorithm, and an application that predicts future radar fields using the wind field derived from the geopotential at 700 hPa calculated from a local numerical weather prediction model (ALADIN). To ensure timely delivery of the prediction products to the users, the forecasts are implemented into a web-based viewer (JSMeteoView) that has been developed by the CHMI Radar Department. At present, this viewer is used by all CHMI forecast offices for versatile visualization of radar and other meteorological data (Meteosat, lightning detection, NWP LAM output, SYNOP data) in the Internet/Intranet environment, and the viewer has detailed geographical navigation capabilities.

Recent floods in the Middle Ebro River, Spain: hydrometeorological aspects and floodplain management

Science.gov (United States)

Domenech, S.; Espejo, F.; Ollero, A.; Sánchez-Fabre, M.

2009-09-01

The Ebro River has the largest Mediterranean basin in the Iberian Peninsula and the third one by surface among those of the Mediterranean Sea. The middle stretch of this river is especially interesting because it constitutes a very economically important axis of population in a semi-arid environment context. Flooding processes are common in the Middle Ebro River, but the combination among decrease of discharges, dam construction and expansion and reinforcement of defences created an unusually quiet period as regards flooding events during the last quarter of the previous century. Nevertheless, with the turn of the century it seems that the Middle Ebro River has entered into new dynamics, with bigger and more frequent floods, the appearance of which has changed its seasonal nature. The most relevant examples are those of February 2003 and March-April 2007. The present paper examines these recent trends and discusses their possible causes from the points of view of hydro-meteorology, flood management through the use of reservoirs, and floodplain management. The consequences of recent floods in the Middle Ebro River have reopened the debate about possible risk management measures.

Highlights of advances in the field of hydrometeorological research brought about by the DRIHM project

Science.gov (United States)

Caumont, Olivier; Hally, Alan; Garrote, Luis; Richard, Évelyne; Weerts, Albrecht; Delogu, Fabio; Fiori, Elisabetta; Rebora, Nicola; Parodi, Antonio; Mihalović, Ana; Ivković, Marija; Dekić, Ljiljana; van Verseveld, Willem; Nuissier, Olivier; Ducrocq, Véronique; D'Agostino, Daniele; Galizia, Antonella; Danovaro, Emanuele; Clematis, Andrea

2015-04-01

The FP7 DRIHM (Distributed Research Infrastructure for Hydro-Meteorology, http://www.drihm.eu, 2011-2015) project intends to develop a prototype e-Science environment to facilitate the collaboration between meteorologists, hydrologists, and Earth science experts for accelerated scientific advances in Hydro-Meteorology Research (HMR). As the project comes to its end, this presentation will summarize the HMR results that have been obtained in the framework of DRIHM. The vision shaped and implemented in the framework of the DRIHM project enables the production and interpretation of numerous, complex compositions of hydrometeorological simulations of flood events from rainfall, either simulated or modelled, down to discharge. Each element of a composition is drawn from a set of various state-of-the-art models. Atmospheric simulations providing high-resolution rainfall forecasts involve different global and limited-area convection-resolving models, the former being used as boundary conditions for the latter. Some of these models can be run as ensembles, i.e. with perturbed boundary conditions, initial conditions and/or physics, thus sampling the probability density function of rainfall forecasts. In addition, a stochastic downscaling algorithm can be used to create high-resolution rainfall ensemble forecasts from deterministic lower-resolution forecasts. All these rainfall forecasts may be used as input to various rainfall-discharge hydrological models that compute the resulting stream flows for catchments of interest. In some hydrological simulations, physical parameters are perturbed to take into account model errors. As a result, six different kinds of rainfall data (either deterministic or probabilistic) can currently be compared with each other and combined with three different hydrological model engines running either in deterministic or probabilistic mode. HMR topics which are allowed or facilitated by such unprecedented sets of hydrometerological forecasts

Developing the Model for the GIS Applications in National Hydro-Meteorological Service in Poland

Science.gov (United States)

Kubacka, D.; Barszczynska, M.; Madej, P.

2003-04-01

historic data access. These layers are also sufficient for a hydro-meteorological situation visualisations suitable for the country and division maps. The existing data and thematic layers were used to develop an Internet service providing the information concerning the hydro-meteorological posts. It also allowed presenting the results of the numerical weather forecast model in the Internet. It is planned to perform the visualisation of the hydro-meteorological phenomena in the monthly IMWM bulletin.

Impacts of hydrometeorological extremes in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands in 1706–1889 as derived from taxation records

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dolák, Lukáš; Brázdil, Rudolf; Valášek, H.

2015-01-01

Roč. 120, č. 4 (2015), s. 465-488 ISSN 1212-0014 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA13-19831S Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : historical climatology * ice-age * documentary * vulnerability * temperatures * europe * winter * hydrometeorological extremes * taxation records * damage * impacts * Bohemian-Moravian Highlands Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 0.415, year: 2015

Exploring probabilistic tools for the development of a platform for Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) of hydro-meteorological hazards in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Zumpano, V.; Hussin, H. Y.; Breinl, K.

2012-04-01

Mass-movements and floods are hydro-meteorological hazards that can have catastrophic effects on communities living in mountainous areas prone to these disastrous events. Environmental, climate and socio-economic changes are expected to affect the tempo-spatial patterns of hydro-meteorological hazards and associated risks in Europe. These changes and their effects on the occurrence of future hazards need to be analyzed and modeled using probabilistic hazard and risk assessment methods in order to assist stakeholders in disaster management strategies and policy making. Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) using probabilistic methods can further calculate damage and losses to multi-hazards and determine the uncertainties related to all the probabilistic components of the hazard and the vulnerability of the elements at risk. Therefore, in order to develop an effective platform that can quantitatively calculate the risk of mass-movements and floods in several European test sites, an extensive inventory and analysis has been carried out of the available tools and software related to the probabilistic risk assessment of single and multi-hazards. The tools have been reviewed based on whether they are open source and freely available, their required input data, the availability and type of hazard and vulnerability modules, transparency of methods used, their validation and calibration techniques, the inclusion of uncertainties and their state of the art. The analysis also specially focused on the applicability of the tools to European study areas. The findings showed that assumptions and simplifications are made when assessing and quantifying the hazards. The interaction between multiple hazards, like cascading effects are not assessed in most tools and some consider the hazard and vulnerability as qualitative components, rather than quantitative ones. This analysis of hazard and risk assessment tools and software will give future developers and experts a better overview of

Hydrometeorological extremes and their impacts, as derived from taxation records for south-eastern Moravia, Czech Republic, AD 1751-1900

Science.gov (United States)

Brázdil, R.; Chromá, K.; Valášek, H.; Dolák, L.

2011-12-01

Historical written records associated with tax relief at ten estates located in south-eastern Moravia (Czech Republic) are used for the study of hydrometeorological extremes and their impacts during the period AD 1751-1900. At the time, the taxation system in Moravia allowed farmers to request tax relief if their crop yields had been negatively affected by hydrological and meteorological extremes. The documentation involved contains information about the type of extreme event and the date of its occurrence, while the impact on crops may often be derived. A total of 175 extreme events resulting in some kind of damage is documented for 1751-1900, with the highest concentration between 1811 and 1860 (74.9% of all events analysed). The nature of events leading to damage (of a possible 272 types) include hailstorm (25.7%), torrential rain (21.7%), and flood (21.0%), followed by thunderstorm, flash flood, late frost and windstorm. The four most outstanding events, affecting the highest number of settlements, were thunderstorms with hailstorms (25 June 1825, 20 May 1847 and 29 June 1890) and flooding of the River Morava (mid-June 1847). Hydrometeorological extremes in the 1816-1855 period are compared with those occurring during the recent 1961-2000 period. The results obtained are inevitably influenced by uncertainties related to taxation records, such as their temporal and spatial incompleteness, the limits of the period of outside agricultural work (i.e. mainly May-August) and the purpose for which they were originally collected (primarily tax alleviation, i.e. information about hydrometeorological extremes was of secondary importance). Taxation records constitute an important source of data for historical climatology and historical hydrology and have a great potential for use in many European countries.

First results from the NEWS-G direct dark matter search experiment at the LSM

Science.gov (United States)

Arnaud, Q.; Asner, D.; Bard, J.-P.; Brossard, A.; Cai, B.; Chapellier, M.; Clark, M.; Corcoran, E. C.; Dandl, T.; Dastgheibi-Fard, A.; Dering, K.; Di Stefano, P.; Durnford, D.; Gerbier, G.; Giomataris, I.; Gorel, P.; Gros, M.; Guillaudin, O.; Hoppe, E. W.; Kamaha, A.; Katsioulas, I.; Kelly, D. G.; Martin, R. D.; McDonald, J.; Muraz, J.-F.; Mols, J.-P.; Navick, X.-F.; Papaevangelou, T.; Piquemal, F.; Roth, S.; Santos, D.; Savvidis, I.; Ulrich, A.; Vazquez de Sola Fernandez, F.; Zampaolo, M.

2018-01-01

New Experiments With Spheres-Gas (NEWS-G) is a direct dark matter detection experiment using Spherical Proportional Counters (SPCs) with light noble gases to search for low-mass Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). We report the results from the first physics run taken at the Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane (LSM) with SEDINE, a 60 cm diameter prototype SPC operated with a mixture of Ne + CH4 (0.7%) at 3.1 bars for a total exposure of 9.6 kg · days. New constraints are set on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon scattering cross-section in the sub-GeV/c2 mass region. We exclude cross-sections above 4.4 ×10-37cm2 at 90% confidence level (C.L.) for a 0.5 GeV/c2 WIMP. The competitive results obtained with SEDINE are promising for the next phase of the NEWS-G experiment: a 140 cm diameter SPC to be installed at SNOLAB by summer 2018.

Hydrometeorological threshold conditions for debris flow initiation in Norway

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. K. Meyer

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Debris flows, triggered by extreme precipitation events and rapid snow melt, cause considerable damage to the Norwegian infrastructure every year. To define intensity-duration (ID thresholds for debris flow initiation critical water supply conditions arising from intensive rainfall or snow melt were assessed on the basis of daily hydro-meteorological information for 502 documented debris flow events. Two threshold types were computed: one based on absolute ID relationships and one using ID relationships normalized by the local precipitation day normal (PDN. For each threshold type, minimum, medium and maximum threshold values were defined by fitting power law curves along the 10th, 50th and 90th percentiles of the data population. Depending on the duration of the event, the absolute threshold intensities needed for debris flow initiation vary between 15 and 107 mm day⁻¹. Since the PDN changes locally, the normalized thresholds show spatial variations. Depending on location, duration and threshold level, the normalized threshold intensities vary between 6 and 250 mm day⁻¹. The thresholds obtained were used for a frequency analysis of over-threshold events giving an estimation of the exceedance probability and thus potential for debris flow events in different parts of Norway. The absolute thresholds are most often exceeded along the west coast, while the normalized thresholds are most frequently exceeded on the west-facing slopes of the Norwegian mountain ranges. The minimum thresholds derived in this study are in the range of other thresholds obtained for regions with a climate comparable to Norway. Statistics reveal that the normalized threshold is more reliable than the absolute threshold as the former shows no spatial clustering of debris flows related to water supply events captured by the threshold.

Water cycle research associated with the CaPE hydrometeorology project (CHymP

Science.gov (United States)

Duchon, Claude E.

1993-01-01

One outgrowth of the Convection and Precipitation/Electrification (CaPE) experiment that took place in central Florida during July and August 1991 was the creation of the CaPE Hydrometeorology Project (CHymP). The principal goal of this project is to investigate the daily water cycle of the CaPE experimental area by analyzing the numerous land and atmosphere in situ and remotely sensed data sets that were generated during the 40-days of observations. The water cycle comprises the atmospheric branch. In turn, the atmospheric branch comprises precipitation leaving the base of the atmospheric volume under study, evaporation and transpiration entering the base, the net horizontal fluxes of water vapor and cloud water through the volume and the conversion of water vapor to cloud water and vice-versa. The sum of these components results in a time rate of change in the water and liquid water (or ice) content of the atmospheric volume. The components of the land branch are precipitation input to and evaporation and transpiration output from the surface, net horizontal fluxes of surface and subsurface water, the sum of which results in a time rate of change in surface and subsurface water mass. The objective of CHymP is to estimate these components in order to determine the daily water budget for a selected area within the CaPE domain. This work began in earnest in the summer of 1992 and continues. Even estimating all the budget components for one day is a complex and time consuming task. The discussions below provides a short summary of the rainfall quality assessment procedures followed by a plan for estimating the horizontal moisture flux.

Characterization of LSM/CGO Symmetric Cells Modified by NOx Adsorbents for Electrochemical NOx Removal with Impedance Spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shao, Jing; Kammer Hansen, Kent

2013-01-01

in the resistance of the low-frequency processes, which were ascribed to adsorption, diffusion, and transfer of O2 species and NOx species at or near the triple phase boundary (TPB) region and the formation of the reaction intermediate NO2. The BaO impregnation improved the adsorption of NOx on the LSM....../CGO electrode by selectively trapping NO2 in the form of nitrate over the BaO sites and provided availability for a direct reduction of the stored nitrate. The BaO-Pt-Al2O3 layer enhanced the NOx adsorption and promoted the formation of NO2 due to the NO oxidation ability of the Pt catalyst, but hindered...... the gas diffusion to the reaction sites....

Invited perspectives: Hydrological perspectives on precipitation intensity-duration thresholds for landslide initiation: proposing hydro-meteorological thresholds

Science.gov (United States)

Bogaard, Thom; Greco, Roberto

2018-01-01

Many shallow landslides and debris flows are precipitation initiated. Therefore, regional landslide hazard assessment is often based on empirically derived precipitation intensity-duration (ID) thresholds and landslide inventories. Generally, two features of precipitation events are plotted and labeled with (shallow) landslide occurrence or non-occurrence. Hereafter, a separation line or zone is drawn, mostly in logarithmic space. The practical background of ID is that often only meteorological information is available when analyzing (non-)occurrence of shallow landslides and, at the same time, it could be that precipitation information is a good proxy for both meteorological trigger and hydrological cause. Although applied in many case studies, this approach suffers from many false positives as well as limited physical process understanding. Some first steps towards a more hydrologically based approach have been proposed in the past, but these efforts received limited follow-up.Therefore, the objective of our paper is to (a) critically analyze the concept of precipitation ID thresholds for shallow landslides and debris flows from a hydro-meteorological point of view and (b) propose a trigger-cause conceptual framework for lumped regional hydro-meteorological hazard assessment based on published examples and associated discussion. We discuss the ID thresholds in relation to return periods of precipitation, soil physics, and slope and catchment water balance. With this paper, we aim to contribute to the development of a stronger conceptual model for regional landslide hazard assessment based on physical process understanding and empirical data.

Toward Improving Predictability of Extreme Hydrometeorological Events: the Use of Multi-scale Climate Modeling in the Northern High Plains

Science.gov (United States)

Munoz-Arriola, F.; Torres-Alavez, J.; Mohamad Abadi, A.; Walko, R. L.

2014-12-01

Our goal is to investigate possible sources of predictability of hydrometeorological extreme events in the Northern High Plains. Hydrometeorological extreme events are considered the most costly natural phenomena. Water deficits and surpluses highlight how the water-climate interdependence becomes crucial in areas where single activities drive economies such as Agriculture in the NHP. Nonetheless we recognize the Water-Climate interdependence and the regulatory role that human activities play, we still grapple to identify what sources of predictability could be added to flood and drought forecasts. To identify the benefit of multi-scale climate modeling and the role of initial conditions on flood and drought predictability on the NHP, we use the Ocean Land Atmospheric Model (OLAM). OLAM is characterized by a dynamic core with a global geodesic grid with hexagonal (and variably refined) mesh cells and a finite volume discretization of the full compressible Navier Stokes equations, a cut-grid cell method for topography (that reduces error in computational gradient computation and anomalous vertical dispersion). Our hypothesis is that wet conditions will drive OLAM's simulations of precipitation to wetter conditions affecting both flood forecast and drought forecast. To test this hypothesis we simulate precipitation during identified historical flood events followed by drought events in the NHP (i.e. 2011-2012 years). We initialized OLAM with CFS-data 1-10 days previous to a flooding event (as initial conditions) to explore (1) short-term and high-resolution and (2) long-term and coarse-resolution simulations of flood and drought events, respectively. While floods are assessed during a maximum of 15-days refined-mesh simulations, drought is evaluated during the following 15 months. Simulated precipitation will be compared with the Sub-continental Observation Dataset, a gridded 1/16th degree resolution data obtained from climatological stations in Canada, US, and

Local adaptive capacity as an alternative approach in dealing with hydrometeorological risk at Depok Peri-Urban City

Science.gov (United States)

Fitrinitia, I. S.; Junadi, P.; Sutanto, E.; Nugroho, D. A.; Zubair, A.; Suyanti, E.

2018-03-01

Located in a tropical area, cities in Indonesia are vulnerable to hydrometeorological risks such as flood and landslide and thus become prone to the climate change effects. Moreover, peri-urban cities had double burden as the consequences of main city spill over and also lack of urban facilities in overcoming the disaster. In another perspective, the city has many alternative resources to recover, so its create urban resiliency. Depok city becomes a case study of this research regarding with its development following the impact of Jakarta growth. This research purposes to capture how the local city dwellers could anticipate and adaptive with flood and landslide with their own mitigation version. Through mix method and spatial analysis using GIS techniques, it derives the two comparison approach, the normative and alternative that had been done by the city dwellers. It uses a spatial analysis to have a big picture of Depok and its environmental changing. It also divided into 4 local group of communities as a representative of city dwellers regarding the characteristic of a settlement with their level of risk. The result found type or characteristic of settlement which influenced the local adaptive capacity, from the establishment of infrastructure, health fulfillment and social livelihood with different kind of methods.

Radioactivity monitoring network of slovak hydrometeorological institute and its activity within the framework of nuclear emergency information system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prochazkova, A; Trcka, T [Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, Bratsislava (Slovakia)

1996-12-31

Slovak hydrometeorological institute (SHMI) radioactivity monitoring network is a part of nuclear radiation early warning system. This paper describes the aim and the structure of the monitoring system. Paper presents a short description of radioactivity monitoring network of SHMI and its connection with Austrian and German systems. It provides national means for the monitoring of the radiological effects of nuclear accident and for informing government departments and the public.(J.K.) 2 figs.

Radioactivity monitoring network of slovak hydrometeorological institute and its activity within the framework of nuclear emergency information system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prochazkova, A.; Trcka, T.

1995-01-01

Slovak hydrometeorological institute (SHMI) radioactivity monitoring network is a part of nuclear radiation early warning system. This paper describes the aim and the structure of the monitoring system. Paper presents a short description of radioactivity monitoring network of SHMI and its connection with Austrian and German systems. It provides national means for the monitoring of the radiological effects of nuclear accident and for informing government departments and the public.(J.K.) 2 figs

Hydrometeorological multi-model ensemble simulations of the 4 November 2011 flash flood event in Genoa, Italy, in the framework of the DRIHM project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Hally

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The e-Science environment developed in the framework of the EU-funded DRIHM project was used to demonstrate its ability to provide relevant, meaningful hydrometeorological forecasts. This was illustrated for the tragic case of 4 November 2011, when Genoa, Italy, was flooded as the result of heavy, convective precipitation that inundated the Bisagno catchment. The Meteorological Model Bridge (MMB, an innovative software component developed within the DRIHM project for the interoperability of meteorological and hydrological models, is a key component of the DRIHM e-Science environment. The MMB allowed three different rainfall-discharge models (DRiFt, RIBS and HBV to be driven by four mesoscale limited-area atmospheric models (WRF-NMM, WRF-ARW, Meso-NH and AROME and a downscaling algorithm (RainFARM in a seamless fashion. In addition to this multi-model configuration, some of the models were run in probabilistic mode, thus giving a comprehensive account of modelling errors and a very large amount of likely hydrometeorological scenarios (> 1500. The multi-model approach proved to be necessary because, whilst various aspects of the event were successfully simulated by different models, none of the models reproduced all of these aspects correctly. It was shown that the resulting set of simulations helped identify key atmospheric processes responsible for the large rainfall accumulations over the Bisagno basin. The DRIHM e-Science environment facilitated an evaluation of the sensitivity to atmospheric and hydrological modelling errors. This showed that both had a significant impact on predicted discharges, the former being larger than the latter. Finally, the usefulness of the set of hydrometeorological simulations was assessed from a flash flood early-warning perspective.

In situ characterization of delamination and crack growth of a CGO–LSM multi-layer ceramic sample investigated by X-ray tomographic microscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjørk, Rasmus; Esposito, Vincenzo; Lauridsen, Erik Mejdal

2014-01-01

The densification, delamination and crack growth behavior in a Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 (CGO) and (La0.85Sr0.15)0.9MnO3 (LSM) multi-layer ceramic sample was studied using in situ X-ray tomographic microscopy (microtomography) to investigate the critical dynamics of crack propagation and delamination...... in a multilayered sample. Naturally occurring defects, caused by the sample preparation process, are shown not to be critical in sample degradation. Instead defects are nucleated during the debinding step. Crack growth is significantly faster along the material layers than perpendicular to them, and crack growth...

Radar-driven high-resolution hydro-meteorological forecasts of the 26 September 2007 Venice flash flood

Science.gov (United States)

Rossa, Andrea M.; Laudanna Del Guerra, Franco; Borga, Marco; Zanon, Francesco; Settin, Tommaso; Leuenberger, Daniel

2010-11-01

SummaryThis study aims to assess the feasibility of assimilating carefully checked radar rainfall estimates into a numerical weather prediction (NWP) to extend the forecasting lead time for an extreme flash flood. The hydro-meteorological modeling chain includes the convection-permitting NWP model COSMO-2 and a coupled hydrological-hydraulic model. Radar rainfall estimates are assimilated into the NWP model via the latent heat nudging method. The study is focused on 26 September 2007 extreme flash flood which impacted the coastal area of North-eastern Italy around Venice. The hydro-meteorological modeling system is implemented over the 90 km2 Dese river basin draining to the Venice Lagoon. The radar rainfall observations are carefully checked for artifacts, including rain-induced signal attenuation, by means of physics-based correction procedures and comparison with a dense network of raingauges. The impact of the radar rainfall estimates in the assimilation cycle of the NWP model is very significant. The main individual organized convective systems are successfully introduced into the model state, both in terms of timing and localization. Also, high-intensity incorrectly localized precipitation is correctly reduced to about the observed levels. On the other hand, the highest rainfall intensities computed after assimilation underestimate the observed values by 20% and 50% at a scale of 20 km and 5 km, respectively. The positive impact of assimilating radar rainfall estimates is carried over into the free forecast for about 2-5 h, depending on when the forecast was started. The positive impact is larger when the main mesoscale convective system is present in the initial conditions. The improvements in the precipitation forecasts are propagated to the river flow simulations, with an extension of the forecasting lead time up to 3 h.

Towards a Stochastic Predictive Understanding of Ecosystem Functioning and Resilience to Environmental Changes

Science.gov (United States)

Pappas, C.

2017-12-01

Terrestrial ecosystem processes respond differently to hydrometeorological variability across timescales, and so does our scientific understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Process-based modeling of ecosystem functioning is therefore challenging, especially when long-term predictions are envisioned. Here we analyze the statistical properties of hydrometeorological and ecosystem variability, i.e., the variability of ecosystem process related to vegetation carbon dynamics, from hourly to decadal timescales. 23 extra-tropical forest sites, covering different climatic zones and vegetation characteristics, are examined. Micrometeorological and reanalysis data of precipitation, air temperature, shortwave radiation and vapor pressure deficit are used to describe hydrometeorological variability. Ecosystem variability is quantified using long-term eddy covariance flux data of hourly net ecosystem exchange of CO2 between land surface and atmosphere, monthly remote sensing vegetation indices, annual tree-ring widths and above-ground biomass increment estimates. We find that across sites and timescales ecosystem variability is confined within a hydrometeorological envelope that describes the range of variability of the available resources, i.e., water and energy. Furthermore, ecosystem variability demonstrates long-term persistence, highlighting ecological memory and slow ecosystem recovery rates after disturbances. We derive an analytical model, combining deterministic harmonics and stochastic processes, that represents major mechanisms and uncertainties and mimics the observed pattern of hydrometeorological and ecosystem variability. This stochastic framework offers a parsimonious and mathematically tractable approach for modelling ecosystem functioning and for understanding its response and resilience to environmental changes. Furthermore, this framework reflects well the observed ecological memory, an inherent property of ecosystem functioning that is currently not

The Mexican hydro-meteorological disasters and climate network (redesclim) as model on outreach decision makers on disaster public policy in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Welsh-Rodriguez, C. M.; Rodriguez-Estevez, J. M., Sr.; Romo-Aguilar, M. D. L.; Brito-Castillo, L.; Salinas-Prieto, A.; Gonzalez-Sosa, E.; Pérez-Campuzano, E.

2017-12-01

REDESCLIM was designed and develop in 2011 due to a public call from The Science and Technology Mexican Council (CONACYT); CONACYT lead the activities for its organization and development among the academic community. REDESCLIM was created to enhance the capacity of response to hydro-meteorological disasters and climate events through an integrative effort of researchers, technologists, entrepreneurs, politicians and society. Brief summary of our objectives: 1) Understand the causes of disasters, to reduce risks to society and ecosystems 2) Support research and interdisciplinary assessment of the physical processes in natural and social phenomena to improve understanding of causes and impacts 3) Strengths collaboration with academic, government, private and other interdisciplinary networks from Mexico and other countries 4) Build human capacity and promote the development of skills 5) Recommend strategies for climate hazard prevention, mitigation and response, especially for hazard with the greatest impacts in Mexico, such as hurricanes, floods, drought, wild fires and other extremes events. We provide a continues communication channel on members research results to provide scientific information that could be used for different proposes, specificaly for decision makers who are dealing with ecological and hydro meteorological problems that can result in disasters, and provide a services menu based on the members scientific projects, publications, teaching courses, in order to impact public policy as final result. http://www.redesclim.org.mx. So far we have some basic results: Fiver national meetings (participants from 35 countries around the world), 7 Workshops and seminars (virtual and in-person), Climatic data platforms ( http://clicom.mex.cicese.mx, http://clicom-mex.cicese.mx/malla, http://atlasclimatico.unam.mx/REDESCLIM2/ ), climate change scenarios for the general public at http://escenarios.inecc.gob.mx, 14 seed projects, one model to hurricane simulation

Synthesis of modified calcium aluminate with lanthanum manganite (LSM) for possible use in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC); Sintese de aluminato de calcio modificado com manganita de lantanio (LSM) para possivel utilizacao em celula combustivel de oxido solido (SOFC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veiga, F.C.T.; Jurado, J.; Sousa, V.C. de, E-mail: faili.cintia@gmail.com [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil). Escola de Engenharia. Departamento de Materiais; Cava, S.S. [Universidade Federal de Pelotas, RS (Brazil)

2016-07-01

The fuel cells solid oxide (SOFC) is made up of three basic elements: two electrodes, the anode and cathode and a conductive electrolyte ions. The objective of this work consists of calcium aluminate synthesis modified LSM in a 1: 1 by combustion synthesis method with a view to its use as a cathode in SOFC. The characterization of the post was carried out by the methods of XRD, TEM and EIS. After heat treatment at 1200°C/4 hours it was possible to obtain Ca0.5Sr1.5MnO4 and CaMnO2.56 phases. The material showed a semiconductor characteristics because with increasing temperature the electrical resistance value tends to decrease obtaining electrical conductivity greater than 10-6S / cm featuring an extrinsic semiconductor with an activation energy of 0.12. Therefore, with an activation energy value within the range of materials used for a SOFC cathodes. (author)

An End-to-End System to Enable Quick, Easy and Inexpensive Deployment of Hydrometeorological Stations

Science.gov (United States)

Celicourt, P.; Piasecki, M.

2014-12-01

The high cost of hydro-meteorological data acquisition, communication and publication systems along with limited qualified human resources is considered as the main reason why hydro-meteorological data collection remains a challenge especially in developing countries. Despite significant advances in sensor network technologies which gave birth to open hardware and software, low-cost (less than $50) and low-power (in the order of a few miliWatts) sensor platforms in the last two decades, sensors and sensor network deployment remains a labor-intensive, time consuming, cumbersome, and thus expensive task. These factors give rise for the need to develop a affordable, simple to deploy, scalable and self-organizing end-to-end (from sensor to publication) system suitable for deployment in such countries. The design of the envisioned system will consist of a few Sensed-And-Programmed Arduino-based sensor nodes with low-cost sensors measuring parameters relevant to hydrological processes and a Raspberry Pi micro-computer hosting the in-the-field back-end data management. This latter comprises the Python/Django model of the CUAHSI Observations Data Model (ODM) namely DjangODM backed by a PostgreSQL Database Server. We are also developing a Python-based data processing script which will be paired with the data autoloading capability of Django to populate the DjangODM database with the incoming data. To publish the data, the WOFpy (WaterOneFlow Web Services in Python) developed by the Texas Water Development Board for 'Water Data for Texas' which can produce WaterML web services from a variety of back-end database installations such as SQLite, MySQL, and PostgreSQL will be used. A step further would be the development of an appealing online visualization tool using Python statistics and analytics tools (Scipy, Numpy, Pandas) showing the spatial distribution of variables across an entire watershed as a time variant layer on top of a basemap.

Synthesis of modified calcium aluminate with lanthanum manganite (LSM) for possible use in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veiga, F.C.T.; Jurado, J.; Sousa, V.C. de

2016-01-01

The fuel cells solid oxide (SOFC) is made up of three basic elements: two electrodes, the anode and cathode and a conductive electrolyte ions. The objective of this work consists of calcium aluminate synthesis modified LSM in a 1: 1 by combustion synthesis method with a view to its use as a cathode in SOFC. The characterization of the post was carried out by the methods of XRD, TEM and EIS. After heat treatment at 1200°C/4 hours it was possible to obtain Ca0.5Sr1.5MnO4 and CaMnO2.56 phases. The material showed a semiconductor characteristics because with increasing temperature the electrical resistance value tends to decrease obtaining electrical conductivity greater than 10-6S / cm featuring an extrinsic semiconductor with an activation energy of 0.12. Therefore, with an activation energy value within the range of materials used for a SOFC cathodes. (author)

HYDRO-METEOROLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE SINGKARAK BASIN, WEST SUMATRA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kasdi Subagyono

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Studi tentang karakteristik hidro-meteorologi telah dilakukan di wilayah danau Singkarak pada 2006-2007 dengan melibatkan partisipasi masyarakat. Stasiun iklim otomatis dan pengukur tinggi muka air otomatis dipasang untuk memonitor data hidrologi dan meteorologi di wilayah cekungan Singkarak. Data meteorologi dianalisa untuk mengetahui karakteristik iklim di wilayah sekitar danau. Model hidrologi GR4J dan H2U diaplikasikan untuk simulasi discharge dan untuk mengkarakterisasi proses hidrologi di wilayah danau. Simulasi model aliran divalidasi pada musim hujan. Alternatif pengelolaan lahan diformulasikan berdasarkan karakteristik hidrologi daerah aliran sungai di sekitar cekungan Singkarak. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa daerah tangkapan di sekitar danau Singkarak memiliki respon yang tinggi terhadap jumlah dan intensitas hujan. Hidrograp menunjukkan peningkatan yang tajam dari discharge segera setelah curah hujan mulai dan menurun relative lamban ketika curah hujan berhenti. Untuk pengelolaan lahan secara berkelanjutan di wilayah danau Singkarak, konservasi lahan dan air harus menjadi prioritas utama. Wanatani dapat diimplementasikan sebagai alternatif sistem pertanaman oleh penduduk lokal. Karena potensi kelangkaan air bisa terjadi pada periode kering, panen air dan konservasi air dapat diterapkan sebagai opsi yang dapat dikombinasikan dalam sistem pengelolaan lahan.   Hydro-meteorological processes of the Singkarak basin has been studied involving participatory of local community in 2006-2007. Automatic weather station (AWS and automatic water level recorder (AWLR were installed to record meteorological and hydrological data within the Singkarak Basin. Meteorological data was analyzed to understand the meteorological characteristic surrounding the Basin area. Model of GR4J and H2U were used to simulated discharge and to understand the hydrological processes within the basin. The validation of simulated discharge was done in the wet season

Family archives as a source of information about past hydrometeorological extremes in Southern Moravia (Czech Republic)

Science.gov (United States)

Chromá, Kateřina

2014-05-01

Meteorological and hydrological extremes (hydrometeorological extremes - HMEs) cause great material damage or even loss of human lives in the present time, as well as it was in the past. For the study of their temporal and spatial variability in periods with only natural forcing factors in comparison with those combining also anthropogenic effects it is essential to have the longest possible series of HMEs. In the Czech Lands (recently the Czech Republic), systematic meteorological and hydrological observations started generally in the latter half of the 19th century. Therefore, in order to create long-term series of such extremes, it is necessary to search for other sources of information. There exist different types of documentary evidence used in historical climatology and hydrology, represented by various sources such as annals, chronicles, diaries, private letters, newspapers etc. Besides them, institutional documentary evidence (of economic and administrative character) has particular importance (e.g. taxation records). Documents in family archives represent further promising source of data related to HMEs. The documents kept by the most important lord families in Moravia (e.g. Liechtensteins, Dietrichsteins) are located in Moravian Land Archives in Brno. Besides data about family members, industrial and agricultural business, military questions, travelling and social events, they contain direct or indirect information about HMEs. It concerns descriptions of catastrophic phenomena on the particular demesne (mainly with respect to damage) as well as correspondence related to tax reductions (i.e. they can overlap with taxation records of particular estates). This contribution shows the potential of family archives as a source of information about HMEs, up to now only rarely used, which may extend our knowledge about them. Several examples of such documents are presented. The study is a part of the research project "Hydrometeorological extremes in Southern

An in situ diffraction study of a solid oxide fuel cell system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sörby, L.; Poulsen, F.W.; Poulsen, H.F.

1998-01-01

The design of a synchrotron diffraction experiment on a working SOFC air-electrode is outlined. A large number of diffraction data sets were collected successfully from LSM/YSZ/Ag cells under different polarization states at 850 degrees C. Systematic changes are observed in lattice parameters...... and FWHM's for the LSM phase when the cell is polarized. The peak positions for the YSZ electrode are unchanged throughout the entire experiment. This is the first experimental evidence that oxygen stoichiometry in LSM is strongly influenced by the electrochemical reactions which take place. The cell...... parameters increase under reducing conditions, due to a decrease in the oxygen content of the LSM. All observed changes seem to be reversible....

Radar-driven High-resolution Hydrometeorological Forecasts of the 26 September 2007 Venice flash flood

Science.gov (United States)

Massimo Rossa, Andrea; Laudanna Del Guerra, Franco; Borga, Marco; Zanon, Francesco; Settin, Tommaso; Leuenberger, Daniel

2010-05-01

Space and time scales of flash floods are such that flash flood forecasting and warning systems depend upon the accurate real-time provision of rainfall information, high-resolution numerical weather prediction (NWP) forecasts and the use of hydrological models. Currently available high-resolution NWP model models can potentially provide warning forecasters information on the future evolution of storms and their internal structure, thereby increasing convective-scale warning lead times. However, it is essential that the model be started with a very accurate representation of on-going convection, which calls for assimilation of high-resolution rainfall data. This study aims to assess the feasibility of using carefully checked radar-derived quantitative precipitation estimates (QPE) for assimilation into NWP and hydrological models. The hydrometeorological modeling chain includes the convection-permitting NWP model COSMO-2 and a hydrologic-hydraulic models built upon the concept of geomorphological transport. Radar rainfall observations are assimilated into the NWP model via the latent heat nudging method. The study is focused on 26 September 2007 extreme flash flood event which impacted the coastal area of north-eastern Italy around Venice. The hydro-meteorological modeling system is implemented over the Dese river, a 90 km2 catchment flowing to the Venice lagoon. The radar rainfall observations are carefully checked for artifacts, including beam attenuation, by means of physics-based correction procedures and comparison with a dense network of raingauges. The impact of the radar QPE in the assimilation cycle of the NWP model is very significant, in that the main individual organized convective systems were successfully introduced into the model state, both in terms of timing and localization. Also, incorrectly localized precipitation in the model reference run without rainfall assimilation was correctly reduced to about the observed levels. On the other hand, the

Participatory scenario development to address potential impacts of land use change : An example from the Italian alps

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Malek, Žiga; Boerboom, Luc

2015-01-01

Changes to land use such as the removal of natural vegetation and expansion of urban areas can result in degradation of the landscape and an increase in hydro-meteorological risk. This has led to higher interest by decision-makers and scientists in the future consequences of these drivers. Scenario

Identification and diagnosis of spatiotemporal hydrometeorological structure of heavy precipitation induced floods in Southeast Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, M.; Hao, X.; Devineni, N.

2017-12-01

Extreme floods have a long history of being an important cause of death and destruction worldwide. It is estimated by Munich RE and Swiss RE that floods and severe storms dominate all other natural hazards globally in terms of average annual property loss and human fatalities. The top 5 most disastrous floods in the period from 1900 to 2015, ranked by economic damage, are all in the Asian monsoon region. This study presents an interdisciplinary approach integrating hydrometeorology, atmospheric science and state-of-the-art space-time statistics and modeling to investigate the association between the space-time characteristics of floods, precipitation and atmospheric moisture transport in a statistical and physical framework, using tropical moisture export dataset and curve clustering algorithm to study the source-to-destination features; explore the teleconnected climate regulations on the moisture formation process at different timescales (PDO, ENSO and MJO), and study the role of the synoptic-to-large atmospheric steering on the moisture transport and convergence.

Effect of Pitavastatin Treatment on ApoB-48 and Lp-PLA₂ in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome: Substudy of PROspective Comparative Clinical Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of PITavastatin in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyo Sun; Jung, Chang Hee; Kim, Sung Rae; Jang, Hak Chul; Park, Cheol Young

2016-03-01

Apolipoprotein (Apo) B-48 is an intestinally derived lipoprotein that is expected to be a marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A₂ (Lp-PLA₂) is a vascular-specific inflammatory marker and important risk predictor of CVD. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of pitavastatin treatment and life style modification (LSM) on ApoB-48 and Lp-PLA₂ levels in metabolic syndrome (MS) patients at relatively low risk for CVD, as a sub-analysis of a previous multi-center prospective study. We enrolled 75 patients with MS from the PROPIT study and randomized them into two treatment groups: 2 mg pitavastatin daily+intensive LSM or intensive LSM only. We measured the change of lipid profiles, ApoB-48 and Lp-PLA₂ for 48 weeks. Total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and ApoB-100/A1 ratio were significantly improved in the pitavastatin+LSM group compared to the LSM only group (P≤0.001). Pitavastatin+LSM did not change the level of ApoB-48 in subjects overall, but the level of ApoB-48 was significantly lower in the higher mean baseline value group of ApoB-48. The change in Lp-PLA₂ was not significant after intervention in either group after treatment with pitavastatin for 1 year. Pitavastatin treatment and LSM significantly improved lipid profiles, ApoB-100/A1 ratio, and reduced ApoB-48 levels in the higher mean baseline value group of ApoB-48, but did not significantly alter the Lp-PLA₂ levels.

Analysis of impacts on hydrometeorological extremes in the Senegal River Basin from REMO RCM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galiano, Sandra Garcia; Osorio, Juan Diego Giraldo [Technical Univ. of Cartagena, Dept. of Thermal Engineering and Fluids, Cartagena (Spain)

2010-06-15

West Africa is highly vulnerable to climate variability. The precipitation latitudinal gradient determines agricultural activities. The cultivated area of the Sahel is a densely populated region, whereas flood recession agriculture is practiced in the Senegal River Valley. The present study analyses both spatial-temporal rainfall patterns of the REMO Regional Climate Model (RCM) and observed rainfall data, focusing in particular on extreme hydro-meteorological phenomena. An analysis of simulated daily rainfall data was performed to determine the frequency and magnitude of length of dry spells, as well as the extreme rainfall events. A projected annual decrease in rainfall on horizon 2050 could be explained by two factors: the decrease in the percentage of rainy days on both west and north sides of the basin, and the decrease of precipitation amount for rainy days in the southern basin. Finally, an increase in the frequency of dry spell in the monsoon season by 2050 is projected. Such findings are significant in a framework of strategies for water resources management and planning at basin scale, in order to build adaptive capacity. (orig.)

Seasonality Effects on Nonlinear Properties of Hydrometeorological Records: A New Method of Data Analysis

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Livina, V. N.; Ashkenazy, Y.; Bunde, A.; Havlin, S.

2007-12-01

Climatic time series in general, and hydrological time series in particular, exhibit pronounced annual periodicity. This periodicity and its corresponding harmonics affect the nonlinear properties of the relevant time series (i.e., the long-range volatility correlations and width of multifractal spectrum) and thus have to be filtered out before studying fractal and volatility properties. We compare several filtering techniques (one of them proposed here) and find that in order to eliminate the periodicity effect on the nonlinear properties of the time series (i.e., the volatility and multifractal properties) it is necessary to filter out the seasonal standard deviation in addition to the filtering of the seasonal mean. The obtained results indicate weak volatility correlations (weak nonlinearity) in the river data, and this can be seen using different filterings approaches. [1] Livina~V.~N., Y.~Ashkenazy, A.~Bunde, and S.~Havlin, Seasonality effects on nonlinear properties of hydrometeorological records, in Extremes, Trends, and Correlations in Hydrology and Climate (ed. by J.P.Kropp & H.-J.Schellnhuber), Springer, Berlin, submitted.

Maximizing Statistical Power When Verifying Probabilistic Forecasts of Hydrometeorological Events

Science.gov (United States)

DeChant, C. M.; Moradkhani, H.

2014-12-01

Hydrometeorological events (i.e. floods, droughts, precipitation) are increasingly being forecasted probabilistically, owing to the uncertainties in the underlying causes of the phenomenon. In these forecasts, the probability of the event, over some lead time, is estimated based on some model simulations or predictive indicators. By issuing probabilistic forecasts, agencies may communicate the uncertainty in the event occurring. Assuming that the assigned probability of the event is correct, which is referred to as a reliable forecast, the end user may perform some risk management based on the potential damages resulting from the event. Alternatively, an unreliable forecast may give false impressions of the actual risk, leading to improper decision making when protecting resources from extreme events. Due to this requisite for reliable forecasts to perform effective risk management, this study takes a renewed look at reliability assessment in event forecasts. Illustrative experiments will be presented, showing deficiencies in the commonly available approaches (Brier Score, Reliability Diagram). Overall, it is shown that the conventional reliability assessment techniques do not maximize the ability to distinguish between a reliable and unreliable forecast. In this regard, a theoretical formulation of the probabilistic event forecast verification framework will be presented. From this analysis, hypothesis testing with the Poisson-Binomial distribution is the most exact model available for the verification framework, and therefore maximizes one's ability to distinguish between a reliable and unreliable forecast. Application of this verification system was also examined within a real forecasting case study, highlighting the additional statistical power provided with the use of the Poisson-Binomial distribution.

Impacts of climate change on European hydrology at 1.5, 2 and 3 degrees mean global warming above preindustrial level

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Donnelly, Chantal; Greuell, Wouter; Andersson, Jafet; Gerten, Dieter; Pisacane, Giovanna; Roudier, Philippe; Ludwig, Fulco

2017-01-01

Impacts of climate change at 1.5, 2 and 3 °C mean global warming above preindustrial level are investigated and compared for runoff, discharge and snowpack in Europe. Ensembles of climate projections representing each of the warming levels were assembled to describe the hydro-meteorological climate

An Integrated High Resolution Hydrometeorological Modeling Testbed using LIS and WRF

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Kumar, Sujay V.; Peters-Lidard, Christa D.; Eastman, Joseph L.; Tao, Wei-Kuo

2007-01-01

Scientists have made great strides in modeling physical processes that represent various weather and climate phenomena. Many modeling systems that represent the major earth system components (the atmosphere, land surface, and ocean) have been developed over the years. However, developing advanced Earth system applications that integrates these independently developed modeling systems have remained a daunting task due to limitations in computer hardware and software. Recently, efforts such as the Earth System Modeling Ramework (ESMF) and Assistance for Land Modeling Activities (ALMA) have focused on developing standards, guidelines, and computational support for coupling earth system model components. In this article, the development of a coupled land-atmosphere hydrometeorological modeling system that adopts these community interoperability standards, is described. The land component is represented by the Land Information System (LIS), developed by scientists at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, a mesoscale numerical weather prediction system, is used as the atmospheric component. LIS includes several community land surface models that can be executed at spatial scales as fine as 1km. The data management capabilities in LIS enable the direct use of high resolution satellite and observation data for modeling. Similarly, WRF includes several parameterizations and schemes for modeling radiation, microphysics, PBL and other processes. Thus the integrated LIS-WRF system facilitates several multi-model studies of land-atmosphere coupling that can be used to advance earth system studies.

Forecasting skills of the ensemble hydro-meteorological system for the Po river floods

Science.gov (United States)

Ricciardi, Giuseppe; Montani, Andrea; Paccagnella, Tiziana; Pecora, Silvano; Tonelli, Fabrizio

2013-04-01

The Po basin is the largest and most economically important river-basin in Italy. Extreme hydrological events, including floods, flash floods and droughts, are expected to become more severe in the next future due to climate change, and related ground effects are linked both with environmental and social resilience. A Warning Operational Center (WOC) for hydrological event management was created in Emilia Romagna region. In the last years, the WOC faced challenges in legislation, organization, technology and economics, achieving improvements in forecasting skill and information dissemination. Since 2005, an operational forecasting and modelling system for flood modelling and forecasting has been implemented, aimed at supporting and coordinating flood control and emergency management on the whole Po basin. This system, referred to as FEWSPo, has also taken care of environmental aspects of flood forecast. The FEWSPo system has reached a very high level of complexity, due to the combination of three different hydrological-hydraulic chains (HEC-HMS/RAS - MIKE11 NAM/HD, Topkapi/Sobek), with several meteorological inputs (forecasted - COSMOI2, COSMOI7, COSMO-LEPS among others - and observed). In this hydrological and meteorological ensemble the management of the relative predictive uncertainties, which have to be established and communicated to decision makers, is a debated scientific and social challenge. Real time activities face professional, modelling and technological aspects but are also strongly interrelated with organization and human aspects. The authors will report a case study using the operational flood forecast hydro-meteorological ensemble, provided by the MIKE11 chain fed by COSMO_LEPS EQPF. The basic aim of the proposed approach is to analyse limits and opportunities of the long term forecast (with a lead time ranging from 3 to 5 days), for the implementation of low cost actions, also looking for a well informed decision making and the improvement of

CHANGES SDSS: the development of a Spatial Decision Support System for analysing changing hydro-meteorological risk

Science.gov (United States)

van Westen, Cees; Bakker, Wim; Zhang, Kaixi; Jäger, Stefan; Assmann, Andre; Kass, Steve; Andrejchenko, Vera; Olyazadeh, Roya; Berlin, Julian; Cristal, Irina

2014-05-01

Within the framework of the EU FP7 Marie Curie Project CHANGES (www.changes-itn.eu) and the EU FP7 Copernicus project INCREO (http://www.increo-fp7.eu) a spatial decision support system is under development with the aim to analyse the effect of risk reduction planning alternatives on reducing the risk now and in the future, and support decision makers in selecting the best alternatives. The Spatial Decision Support System will be composed of a number of integrated components. The Risk Assessment component allows to carry out spatial risk analysis, with different degrees of complexity, ranging from simple exposure (overlay of hazard and assets maps) to quantitative analysis (using different hazard types, temporal scenarios and vulnerability curves) resulting into risk curves. The platform does not include a component to calculate hazard maps, and existing hazard maps are used as input data for the risk component. The second component of the SDSS is a risk reduction planning component, which forms the core of the platform. This component includes the definition of risk reduction alternatives (related to disaster response planning, risk reduction measures and spatial planning) and links back to the risk assessment module to calculate the new level of risk if the measure is implemented, and a cost-benefit (or cost-effectiveness/ Spatial Multi Criteria Evaluation) component to compare the alternatives and make decision on the optimal one. The third component of the SDSS is a temporal scenario component, which allows to define future scenarios in terms of climate change, land use change and population change, and the time periods for which these scenarios will be made. The component doesn't generate these scenarios but uses input maps for the effect of the scenarios on the hazard and assets maps. The last component is a communication and visualization component, which can compare scenarios and alternatives, not only in the form of maps, but also in other forms (risk

ICT approaches to integrating institutional and non-institutional data services for better understanding of hydro-meteorological phenomena

Science.gov (United States)

Bedrina, T.; Parodi, A.; Quarati, A.; Clematis, A.

2012-06-01

It is widely recognised that an effective exploitation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is an enabling factor to achieve major advancements in Hydro-Meteorological Research (HMR). Recently, a lot of attention has been devoted to the use of ICT in HMR activities, e.g. in order to facilitate data exchange and integration, to improve computational capabilities and consequently model resolution and quality. Nowadays, ICT technologies have demonstrated that it is possible to extend monitoring networks by integrating sensors and other sources of data managed by volunteer's communities. These networks are constituted by peers that span a wide portion of the territory in many countries. The peers are "location aware" in the sense that they provide information strictly related with their geospatial location. The coverage of these networks, in general, is not uniform and the location of peers may follow random distribution. The ICT features used to set up the network are lightweight and user friendly, thus, permitting the peers to join the network without the necessity of specialised ICT knowledge. In this perspective it is of increasing interest for HMR activities to elaborate of Personal Weather Station (PWS) networks, capable to provide almost real-time, location aware, weather data. Moreover, different big players of the web arena are now providing world-wide backbones, suitable to present on detailed map location aware information, obtained by mashing up data from different sources. This is the case, for example, with Google Earth and Google Maps. This paper presents the design of a mashup application aimed at aggregating, refining and visualizing near real-time hydro-meteorological datasets. In particular, we focused on the integration of instant precipitation depths, registered either by widespread semi-professional weather stations and official ones. This sort of information has high importance and usefulness in decision support systems and Civil

ICT approaches to integrating institutional and non-institutional data services for better understanding of hydro-meteorological phenomena

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Bedrina

2012-06-01

Full Text Available It is widely recognised that an effective exploitation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT is an enabling factor to achieve major advancements in Hydro-Meteorological Research (HMR. Recently, a lot of attention has been devoted to the use of ICT in HMR activities, e.g. in order to facilitate data exchange and integration, to improve computational capabilities and consequently model resolution and quality. Nowadays, ICT technologies have demonstrated that it is possible to extend monitoring networks by integrating sensors and other sources of data managed by volunteer's communities. These networks are constituted by peers that span a wide portion of the territory in many countries. The peers are "location aware" in the sense that they provide information strictly related with their geospatial location. The coverage of these networks, in general, is not uniform and the location of peers may follow random distribution. The ICT features used to set up the network are lightweight and user friendly, thus, permitting the peers to join the network without the necessity of specialised ICT knowledge. In this perspective it is of increasing interest for HMR activities to elaborate of Personal Weather Station (PWS networks, capable to provide almost real-time, location aware, weather data.

Moreover, different big players of the web arena are now providing world-wide backbones, suitable to present on detailed map location aware information, obtained by mashing up data from different sources. This is the case, for example, with Google Earth and Google Maps.

This paper presents the design of a mashup application aimed at aggregating, refining and visualizing near real-time hydro-meteorological datasets. In particular, we focused on the integration of instant precipitation depths, registered either by widespread semi-professional weather stations and official ones. This sort of information has high importance and usefulness in

Climate change and natural disasters – integrating science and practice to protect health

Science.gov (United States)

Sauerborn, Rainer; Ebi, Kristie

2012-01-01

Background Hydro-meteorological disasters are the focus of this paper. The authors examine, to which extent climate change increases their frequency and intensity. Methods Review of IPCC-projections of climate-change related extreme weather events and related literature on health effects. Results Projections show that climate change is likely to increase the frequency, intensity, duration, and spatial distribution of a range of extreme weather events over coming decades. Conclusions There is a need for strengthened collaboration between climate scientists, the health researchers and policy-makers as well as the disaster community to jointly develop adaptation strategies to protect human. PMID:23273248

Combined use of local and global hydrometeorological data with regional and global hydrological models in the Magdalena - Cauca river basin, Colombia

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, Erasmo; Sanchez, Ines; Duque, Nicolas; Lopez, Patricia; Kaune, Alexander; Werner, Micha; Arboleda, Pedro

2017-04-01

The Magdalena Cauca Macrobasin (MCMB) in Colombia, with an area of about 257,000 km2, is the largest and most important water resources system in the country. With almost 80% of the Colombian population (46 million people) settled in the basin, it is the main source of water for demands including human consumption, agriculture, hydropower generation, industrial activities and ecosystems. Despite its importance, the basin has witnessed enormous changes in land-cover and extensive deforestation during the last three decades. To make things more complicated, the MCMB currently lacks a set of tools to support planning and decision making processes at scale of the whole watershed. Considering this, the MCMB has been selected as one of the six different regional case studies in the eartH2Observe research project, in which hydrological and meteorological reanalysis products are being validated for the period 1980-2012. The combined use of the hydrological and meteorological reanalysis data, with local hydrometeorological data (precipitation, temperature and streamflow) provided by the National Hydrometeorological Agency (IDEAM), has given us the opportunity to implement and test three hydrological models (VIC, WFLOW and a Water Balance Model based on the Budyko framework) at the basin scale. Additionally, results from the global models in the eartH2Observe hydrological reanalysis have been used to evaluate their performance against the observed streamflow data. This paper discusses the comparison between streamflow observations and simulations from the global hydrological models forced with the WFDEI data, and regional models forced with a combination of observed and meteorological reanalysis data, in the whole domain of the MCMB. For the three regional models analysed results show good performances for some sub-basins and poor performances for others. This can be due to the smoothing of the precipitation fields, interpolated from point daily rainfall data, the effect of

Multilevel and multiscale drought reanalysis over France with the Safran-Isba-Modcou hydrometeorological suite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.-P. Vidal

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Physically-based droughts can be defined as a water deficit in at least one component of the land surface hydrological cycle. The reliance of different activity domains (water supply, irrigation, hydropower, etc. on specific components of this cycle requires drought monitoring to be based on indices related to meteorological, agricultural, and hydrological droughts. This paper describes a high-resolution retrospective analysis of such droughts in France over the last fifty years, based on the Safran-Isba-Modcou (SIM hydrometeorological suite. The high-resolution 1958–2008 Safran atmospheric reanalysis was used to force the Isba land surface scheme and the hydrogeological model Modcou. Meteorological droughts are characterized with the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI at time scales varying from 1 to 24 months. Similar standardizing methods were applied to soil moisture and streamflow for identifying multiscale agricultural droughts – through the Standardized Soil Wetness Index (SSWI – and multiscale hydrological droughts, through the Standardized Flow Index (SFI. Based on a common threshold level for all indices, drought event statistics over the 50-yr period – number of events, duration, severity and magnitude – have been derived locally in order to highlight regional differences at multiple time scales and at multiple levels of the hydrological cycle (precipitation, soil moisture, streamflow. Results show a substantial variety of temporal drought patterns over the country that are highly dependent on both the variable and time scale considered. Independent spatio-temporal drought events have then been identified and described by combining local characteristics with the evolution of area under drought. Summary statistics have finally been used to compare past severe drought events, from multi-year precipitation deficits (1989–1990 to short hot and dry periods (2003. Results show that the ranking of drought events depends highly

An analysis of the evolution of hydrometeorological extremes in newspapers: the case of Catalonia, 1982-2006

Science.gov (United States)

Llasat, M. C.; Llasat-Botija, M.; Barnolas, M.; López, L.; Altava-Ortiz, V.

2009-07-01

This contribution analyzes the evolution of perception of certain natural hazards over the past 25 years in a Mediterranean region. Articles from newspapers have been used as indicator. To this end a specific Spanish journal has been considered and an ACCESS database has been created with the summarized information from each news item. The database includes data such as the location of each specific article in the newspaper, its length, the number of pictures and figures, the headlines and a summary of the published information, including all the instrumental data. The study focused on hydrometeorological extremes, mainly floods and droughts, in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. The number of headlines per event, trends and other data have been analyzed and compared with "measured" information, in order to identify any bias that could lead to an erroneous perception of the phenomenon. The SPI index (a drought index based on standardized accumulated precipitation) has been calculated for the entire region, and has been used for the drought analysis, while a geodatabase implemented on a GIS built for all the floods recorded in Catalonia since 1900 (INUNGAMA) has been used to analyze flood evolution. Results from a questionnaire about the impact of natural hazards in two specific places have been also used to discuss the various perceptions between rural and urban settings. Results show a better correlation between the news about drought or water scarcity and SPI than between news on floods in Catalonia and the INUNGAMA database. A positive trend has been found for non-catastrophic floods, which is explained by decrease of the perception thresholds, the increase of population density in the most flood-prone areas and changes in land use.

Molten salt synthesis of La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 powders for SOFC cathode electrode

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Sin-il; Shin, Hyo-soon; Hong, Youn-woo; Yeo, Dong-hun; Kim, Jong-hee; Nahm, Sahn; Yoon, Sang-ok

2012-08-01

For La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 (LSM) perovskite, used as the cathode material for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), it is known that the formation of a triple-phase-boundary is restrained due to the formation of a second phase at the YSZ/electrode interface at high temperature. To decrease the 2nd phase, lowering the sintering temperature has been used. LSM powder was synthesized by molten salt synthesis method to control its particle size, shape, and agglomeration. We have characterized the phase formation, particle size, shape, and sintering behavior of LSM in the synthesis using the variation of KCl, LiCl, KF and its mixed salts as raw materials. In the case of KCl and KCl-KF salts, the particle size and shape of the LSM was well controlled and synthesized. However, in the case of LiCl and KCl-LiCl salts, LiMnOx as 2nd phase and LSM were synthesized simultaneously. In the case of the mixed salt of KCl-KF, the growth mechanism of the LSM particle was changed from `diffusion-controlled' to `reaction-controlled' according to the amount of mixed salt. The sintering temperature can be decreased below 1000 °C by using the synthesized LSM powder.

Evaluating short-term hydro-meteorological fluxes using GRACE-derived water storage changes

Science.gov (United States)

Eicker, A.; Jensen, L.; Springer, A.; Kusche, J.

2017-12-01

Atmospheric and terrestrial water budgets, which represent important boundary conditions for both climate modeling and hydrological studies, are linked by evapotranspiration (E) and precipitation (P). These fields are provided by numerical weather prediction models and atmospheric reanalyses such as ERA-Interim and MERRA-Land; yet, in particular the quality of E is still not well evaluated. Via the terrestrial water budget equation, water storage changes derived from products of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, combined with runoff (R) data can be used to assess the realism of atmospheric models. In this contribution we will investigate the closure of the water balance for short-term fluxes, i.e. the agreement of GRACE water storage changes with P-E-R flux time series from different (global and regional) atmospheric reanalyses, land surface models, as well as observation-based data sets. Missing river runoff observations will be extrapolated using the calibrated rainfall-runoff model GR2M. We will perform a global analysis and will additionally focus on selected river basins in West Africa. The investigations will be carried out for various temporal scales, focusing on short-term fluxes down to daily variations to be detected in daily GRACE time series.

Participatory Scenario Development to Address Potential Impacts of Land Use Change: An Example from the Italian Alps

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Žiga Malek

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Changes to land use such as the removal of natural vegetation and expansion of urban areas can result in degradation of the landscape and an increase in hydro-meteorological risk. This has led to higher interest by decision-makers and scientists in the future consequences of these drivers. Scenario development can be a useful tool for addressing the high uncertainty regarding modeling future land use changes. Scenarios are not exact forecasts, but images of plausible futures. When studying future land dynamics, emphasis should be given to areas experiencing high rates of socioeconomic change. We have focused on the eastern Italian Alps, which face increasing pressure from tourism development. Identified drivers of local land use change are mostly external and difficult to quantify. This area, characterized by a traditional Alpine landscape, is subject to high levels of hydro-meteorological risk, another reason to study potential future land use changes. We tested a scenario generation method based on existing decisions and assumptions about future tourism development. We aimed to develop a framework leading to plausible scenarios that can overcome data inaccessibility and address external drivers. We combined qualitative methods, such as stakeholder interviews and cognitive mapping, with geospatial methods, such as geographic information systems, geostatistics, and environmental modeling. We involved stakeholders from the beginning to support the steps of generating data, understanding the system of land use change, and developing a land use change model for scenario development. In this way, we generated spatio-temporal scenarios that can assist future spatial planning and improve preparedness for possible undesirable development.

Radiation monitoring network of the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melicherova, T.

2005-01-01

In 2000 Centre of Partial monitoring system 'Radioactivity of environment' was established on Slovak Hydrometeorology Institute (SHMI). Radiation monitoring network is one part of Radiation monitoring network of the Slovak Republic. At present SHMI operates in its monitoring network 23 detectors GammaTracer fy Genitron, one mobile detector and one stan by detector. All active detectors are placed in the professional meteorological stations in the selected parts of Slovakia. First one of these detectors was installed in 1999 and they replaced former type of detector (FAG). Last two detectors were installed in 2002. Detector GammaTracer has range of measurement from 20 nSv/h to 10 Sv/h. The detectors are calibrated every 2 years in the Slovak Institute of Metrology in compliance with the calibration plan. SHMI operates 4 aerosol monitors in Hurbanovo, Lucenec, Stropkov and Liesek. Filter 8 from these monitors are analysed in the Institute of Public Health (Cs-137, Be-7). On the base of bilateral agreement between the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water-Management and the Slovak Ministry of Environment Austrian side gave into the ownership of the Slovak side an automatic aerosol monitor AMS-02 including container and weather station. This monitor was installed in meteorological station Jaslovske Bohunice on 4-th October 2001. The Slovak Ministry of Environment provides the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water-Management with the readings of this monitor, free of charge, for at least 3 years and vice versa, the Austrian side gives the readings of the Austrian aerosol monitors to the Slovak Ministry of Environment free of charge. At present national monitoring center in Bratislava-Koliba is connected via ISDN line with Jaslovske Bohunice and Austrian center providing the data exchange. Radiation data (dose rate in the unit nSv/h) are collected via the Institute network to the MSS (message switch system) in the

In situ ToF-SIMS monitoring of SOFC cathodes - A case study of La0.74Sr0.17Mn1.01O2.9 model electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Rohnke, M.; Schaepe, K.; Bachmann, A.-K.; Laenger, M.; Janek, J.

2017-11-01

The modelling of electrode kinetics of solid oxide fuel cells is challenging, as the electrodes can change their composition and microstructure during operation at high temperature. Here we present results from in situ studies, applying time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) to investigate compositional surface changes of lanthanum strontium manganate (LSM) model electrodes. Geometrically well-defined LSM electrodes with the composition La0.74Sr0.17Mn1.01O2.9 were deposited as thin films on yttria stabilised zirconia (YSZ) single crystals by pulsed laser deposition. As counter electrode, a porous platinum electrode was applied on the backside of the solid electrolyte. The electrochemical polarisation experiments were carried out inside the ToF-SIMS analysis chamber at 430 °C, and the ToF-SIMS measurements were performed - in contrast to former work - for the first time during electrical polarisation at elevated temperatures. By applying either a cathodic or anodic potential to the LSM cathode, enrichment or depletion of the different metallic constituents on both, the LSM and free YSZ surface, and within the LSM near surface region, were observed. After polarisation, the system relaxes towards the thermodynamic equilibrium state. Already after the first heat treatment, diffusion of manganese and strontium from the LSM electrode onto the free YSZ surface is observed. The concomitant spreading of the three-phase boundary seems to be one reason for electrode activation after polarisation.

The frequency and determinants of liver stiffness measurement failure: a retrospective study of "real-life" 38,464 examinations.

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Dong Ji

Full Text Available To investigate the frequency and determinants of liver stiffness measurement (LSM failure by means of FibroScan in "real-life" Chinese patients.A total of 38,464 "real-life" Chinese patients in 302 military hospital of China through the whole year of 2013, including asymptomatic carrier, chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis (LC, alcoholic liver disease, autoimmune liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC and other, were enrolled, their clinical and biological parameters were retrospectively investigated. Liver fibrosis was evaluated by FibroScan detection. S probe (for children with height less than 1.20 m and M probe (for adults were used. LSM failure defined as zero valid shots (unsuccessful LSM, or the ratio of the interquartile range to the median of 10 measurements (IQR/M greater than 0.30 plus median LSM greater or equal to 7.1 kPa (unreliable LSM.LSM failure occurred in 3.34% of all examinations (1286 patients out of 38,464, among them, there were 958 cases (2.49% with unsuccessful LSM, and 328 patients (0.85% with unreliable LSM. Statistical analyses showed that LSM failure was independently associated with body mass index (BMI greater than 30 kg/m(2, female sex, age greater than 50 years, intercostal spaces (IS less than 9 mm, decompensated liver cirrhosis and HCC patients. There were no significant differences among other diseases. By changing another skilled operator, success was achieved on 301 cases out of 1286, which reduced the failure rate to 2.56%, the decrease was significant (P<0.0001.The principal reasons of LSM failure are ascites, obesity and narrow of IS. The failure rates of HCC, decompensated LC, elder or female patients are higher. These results emphasize the need for adequate operator training, technological improvements and optimal criteria for specific patient subpopulations.

The Amazon hydrometeorology: Climatology, variability and links to changes in weather patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Katia De Avila

My thesis focuses on improving the quantification of the hydrological cycle and understanding the atmospheric processes that link weather to climate in the Amazon River basin. By using ERA40 and independent observations, I assess how well we can estimate the surface water budget in the Amazon River basin. I find that ERA40 basin wide annual precipitation (P) overall agrees with observations showing a slight underestimation of 10% in average, whereas runoff (R) is underestimated by a larger margin (˜25%). Observed residual of precipitation and runoff (denoted as P-R) is better estimated by ERA40 P-R than actual ET which includes soil moisture nudging. The causes for said discrepancies were found to partly relate to soil moisture nudging that needs to be applied during the dry season to produce realistic ET and compensate for the low soil moisture recharge during the previous wet season. Insufficient recharge may in part be caused by underestimation of rainfall amount and intensity; moreover the shallow root layer in the model does not represent the deep soil water reservoir characteristic of the Amazonian forest. Whether the hydrological cycle and weather patterns in the Amazon have changed during the past few decades is a highly debatable but central question for detecting climate change in the region. The second part of my thesis focus on the physical links between rainfall changes detected in observations, and changes of synoptic scale systems as represented by ERA40. My results suggest that an observed delayed wet season onset is consistent with a decreasing number of cold air incursion (CAI) days in southern Amazon for the period 1979--2001. The variability of CAI into southern Amazon is related to the variability of SST upstream of South America in the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans. A Singular Value Decomposition Analysis (SVD) between CAI days and global SST reveal three main modes of co-variability. The first mode describes the effect of the El Nino

Uncertainty in solid precipitation and snow depth prediction for Siberia using the Noah and Noah-MP land surface models

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Kazuyoshi; Zupanski, Milija

2018-01-01

In this study, we investigate the uncertainties associated with land surface processes in an ensemble predication context. Specifically, we compare the uncertainties produced by a coupled atmosphere-land modeling system with two different land surface models, the Noah- MP land surface model (LSM) and the Noah LSM, by using the Maximum Likelihood Ensemble Filter (MLEF) data assimilation system as a platform for ensemble prediction. We carried out 24-hour prediction simulations in Siberia with 32 ensemble members beginning at 00:00 UTC on 5 March 2013. We then compared the model prediction uncertainty of snow depth and solid precipitation with observation-based research products and evaluated the standard deviation of the ensemble spread. The prediction skill and ensemble spread exhibited high positive correlation for both LSMs, indicating a realistic uncertainty estimation. The inclusion of a multiple snowlayer model in the Noah-MP LSM was beneficial for reducing the uncertainties of snow depth and snow depth change compared to the Noah LSM, but the uncertainty in daily solid precipitation showed minimal difference between the two LSMs. The impact of LSM choice in reducing temperature uncertainty was limited to surface layers of the atmosphere. In summary, we found that the more sophisticated Noah-MP LSM reduces uncertainties associated with land surface processes compared to the Noah LSM. Thus, using prediction models with improved skill implies improved predictability and greater certainty of prediction.

An analysis of the evolution of hydrometeorological extremes in newspapers: the case of Catalonia, 1982–2006

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Altava-Ortiz

2009-07-01

Full Text Available This contribution analyzes the evolution of perception of certain natural hazards over the past 25 years in a Mediterranean region. Articles from newspapers have been used as indicator. To this end a specific Spanish journal has been considered and an ACCESS database has been created with the summarized information from each news item. The database includes data such as the location of each specific article in the newspaper, its length, the number of pictures and figures, the headlines and a summary of the published information, including all the instrumental data. The study focused on hydrometeorological extremes, mainly floods and droughts, in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. The number of headlines per event, trends and other data have been analyzed and compared with "measured" information, in order to identify any bias that could lead to an erroneous perception of the phenomenon. The SPI index (a drought index based on standardized accumulated precipitation has been calculated for the entire region, and has been used for the drought analysis, while a geodatabase implemented on a GIS built for all the floods recorded in Catalonia since 1900 (INUNGAMA has been used to analyze flood evolution. Results from a questionnaire about the impact of natural hazards in two specific places have been also used to discuss the various perceptions between rural and urban settings. Results show a better correlation between the news about drought or water scarcity and SPI than between news on floods in Catalonia and the INUNGAMA database. A positive trend has been found for non-catastrophic floods, which is explained by decrease of the perception thresholds, the increase of population density in the most flood-prone areas and changes in land use.

Mn valence state and electrode performance of perovskite-type ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

increase in the oxidation state of Mn ions was due to the formation of Mn4+ ions and oxygen vacancies. The addition of Cu ions to LSM systems could lead to enhanced electrode performance for oxygen reduction reactions originating from the change in valence of Mn ions. Keywords. Cu-doped LSM; electrical conductivity; ...

Zirconia stabilized by Y and Mn: A microstructural characterization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Appel, Charlotte Clausen

1995-01-01

Cubic stabilized ZrO(2) with 8 mol% Y(2)O(3) (YSZ) is commonly used as an electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). One of the most promising cathode materials is La, Sr-manganite (LSM). During manufacture and operation of the SOFC, Mn diffuses from the LSM into YSZ. The structural changes ca...

Probabilistic Water Availability Prediction in the Rio Grande Basin using Large-scale Circulation Indices as Precursor

Science.gov (United States)

Khedun, C. P.; Mishra, A. K.; Giardino, J. R.; Singh, V. P.

2011-12-01

Hydrometeorological conditions, and therefore water availability, is affected by large-scale circulation indices. In the Rio Grande, which is a transboundary basin shared between the United States and Mexico, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) influence local hydrological conditions. Different sub-regions of the basin exhibit varying degrees of correlation, but in general, an increase (decrease) in runoff during El Niños (La Niñas) is noted. Positive PDO enhances the effect of El Niño and dampens the negative effect of La Niña, and when it is in its neutral/transition phase, La Niña dominates climatic conditions and reduces water availability. Further, lags of up to 3 months have been found between ENSO and precipitation in the basin. We hypothesize that (1) a trivariate statistical relationship can be established between the two climate indices and water availability, and (2) the relationship can be used to predict water availability based on projected PDO and ENSO conditions. We use copula to establish the dependence between climate indices and water availability. Water availability is generated from Noah land surface model (LSM), forced with the North American Land Data Assimilation System Phase 2 (NLDAS-2). The model is run within NASA GSFC's Land Information System. LSM generated runoff gives a more realistic picture of available surface water as it is not affected by anthropogenic changes, such as the construction of dams, diversions, and other land use land cover changes, which may obscure climatic influences. Marginals from climate indices and runoff are from different distribution families, thus conventional functional forms of multivariate frequency distributions cannot be employed. Copulas offer a viable alternative as marginals from different families can be combined into a joint distribution. Uncertainties in the statistical relationship can be determined and the statistical model can be used for

Evaluation of regional-scale water level simulations using various river routing schemes within a hydrometeorological modelling framework for the preparation of the SWOT mission

Science.gov (United States)

Häfliger, V.; Martin, E.; Boone, A. A.; Habets, F.; David, C. H.; Garambois, P. A.; Roux, H.; Ricci, S. M.; Thévenin, A.; Berthon, L.; Biancamaria, S.

2014-12-01

The ability of a regional hydrometeorological model to simulate water depth is assessed in order to prepare for the SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) mission that will observe free surface water elevations for rivers having a width larger than 50/100 m. The Garonne river (56 000 km2, in south-western France) has been selected owing to the availability of operational gauges, and the fact that different modeling platforms, the hydrometeorological model SAFRAN-ISBA-MODCOU and several fine scale hydraulic models, have been extensively evaluated over two reaches of the river. Several routing schemes, ranging from the simple Muskingum method to time-variable parameter kinematic and diffusive waves schemes with time varying parameters, are tested using predetermined hydraulic parameters. The results show that the variable flow velocity scheme is advantageous for discharge computations when compared to the original Muskingum routing method. Additionally, comparisons between water level computations and in situ observations led to root mean square errors of 50-60 cm for the improved Muskingum method and 40-50 cm for the kinematic-diffusive wave method, in the downstream Garonne river. The error is larger than the anticipated SWOT resolution, showing the potential of the mission to improve knowledge of the continental water cycle. Discharge computations are also shown to be comparable to those obtained with high-resolution hydraulic models over two reaches. However, due to the high variability of river parameters (e.g. slope and river width), a robust averaging method is needed to compare the hydraulic model outputs and the regional model. Sensitivity tests are finally performed in order to have a better understanding of the mechanisms which control the key hydrological processes. The results give valuable information about the linearity, Gaussianity and symetry of the model, in order to prepare the assimilation of river heights in the model.

Influence of the management strategy model on estimating water system performance under climate change

Science.gov (United States)

Francois, Baptiste; Hingray, Benoit; Creutin, Jean-Dominique; Hendrickx, Frederic

2015-04-01

The performance of water systems used worldwide for the management of water resources is expected to be influenced by future changes in regional climates and water uses. Anticipating possible performance changes of a given system requires a modeling chain simulating its management. Operational management is usually not trivial especially when several conflicting objectives have to be accounted for. Management models are therefore often a crude representation of the real system and they only approximate its performance. Estimated performance changes are expected to depend on the management model used, but this is often not assessed. This communication analyzes the influence of the management strategy representation on the performance of an Alpine reservoir (Serre-Ponçon, South-East of France) for which irrigation supply, hydropower generation and recreational activities are the main objectives. We consider three ways to construct the strategy named as clear-, short- and far-sighted management. They are based on different forecastability degrees of seasonal inflows into the reservoir. The strategies are optimized using a Dynamic Programming algorithm (deterministic for clear-sighted and implicit stochastic for short- and far-sighted). System performance is estimated for an ensemble of future hydro-meteorological projections obtained in the RIWER2030 research project (http://www.lthe.fr/RIWER2030/) from a suite of climate experiments from the EU - ENSEMBLES research project. Our results show that changes in system performance is much more influenced by changes in hydro-meteorological variables than by the choice of strategy modeling. They also show that a simple strategy representation (i.e. clear-sighted management) leads to similar estimates of performance modifications than those obtained with a representation supposedly closer to real world (i.e. the far-sighted management). The Short-Sighted management approach lead to significantly different results, especially

Multi-Scale Hydrometeorological Modeling, Land Data Assimilation and Parameter Estimation with the Land Information System

Science.gov (United States)

Peters-Lidard, Christa D.

2011-01-01

The Land Information System (LIS; http://lis.gsfc.nasa.gov) is a flexible land surface modeling framework that has been developed with the goal of integrating satellite-and ground-based observational data products and advanced land surface modeling techniques to produce optimal fields of land surface states and fluxes. As such, LIS represents a step towards the next generation land component of an integrated Earth system model. In recognition of LIS object-oriented software design, use and impact in the land surface and hydrometeorological modeling community, the LIS software was selected as a co-winner of NASA?s 2005 Software of the Year award.LIS facilitates the integration of observations from Earth-observing systems and predictions and forecasts from Earth System and Earth science models into the decision-making processes of partnering agency and national organizations. Due to its flexible software design, LIS can serve both as a Problem Solving Environment (PSE) for hydrologic research to enable accurate global water and energy cycle predictions, and as a Decision Support System (DSS) to generate useful information for application areas including disaster management, water resources management, agricultural management, numerical weather prediction, air quality and military mobility assessment. LIS has e volved from two earlier efforts -- North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) that focused primarily on improving numerical weather prediction skills by improving the characterization of the land surface conditions. Both of GLDAS and NLDAS now use specific configurations of the LIS software in their current implementations.In addition, LIS was recently transitioned into operations at the US Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) to ultimately replace their Agricultural Meteorology (AGRMET) system, and is also used routinely by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)/Environmental Modeling

Liver stiffness measurement in cirrhotic patient — Implications of disease activity and treatment efficacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huang-Wei Xu

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Liver stiffness measurement (LSM is a noninvasive method for the diagnosis of hepatic fibrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of hepatitis activity and antiviral therapy on LSM in cirrhotic patients. Consecutive patients with compensated hepatic cirrhosis were enrolled for LSM. The medical records of hepatitis activity and antiviral therapy before enrollment were reviewed. Patients were stratified into inactive, fluctuating, and active groups by serial change of alanine transaminase level. For chronic hepatitis C, patients were stratified into sustained virological response (SVR and non-SVR (NSVR by effect of antiviral treatment. LSM results were compared among different groups. A total of 163 patients (mean age = 57.2 ± 11.0 years were enrolled. The median (range LSM values were 9.6 (4.2–20.6, 10.25 (3.9–49.6, and 15.75 (4.8–61.5 kPa in the inactive, fluctuating, and active groups, respectively. Patients in the active group had significantly higher LSM values. For chronic hepatitis C, median (range LSM values were 16.6 (8.1–61.5, 22.9 (11.1–37.4, and 11.2 (3.9–27.0 kPa in patients without antiviral therapy, in NSVR, and in SVR groups, respectively. Patients with SVR had significantly lower LSM values. For chronic hepatitis B, median (range LSM values were 11.8 (5.1–46.6, 16.85 (4.2–48, and 10.6 (4.3–46.4 kPa kPa in patients without oral nucleos(tide analogue (NA therapy, with NA < 12, and ≧12 months, respectively. There was a significantly lower LSM value in patients with NA therapy≧12 months. There were low LSM values in cirrhotic patients without hepatitis activity, as well as with SVR in chronic hepatitis C and long-term NA therapy in chronic hepatitis B.

How will climate change affect the vegetation cycle over France? A generic modeling approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nabil Laanaia

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The implementation of adaptation strategies of agriculture and forestry to climate change is conditioned by the knowledge of the impacts of climate change on the vegetation cycle and of the associated uncertainties. Using the same generic Land Surface Model (LSM to simulate the response of various vegetation types is more straightforward than using several specialized crop and forestry models, as model implementation differences are difficult to assess. The objective of this study is to investigate the potential of a LSM to address this issue. Using the SURFEX (“Surface Externalisée” modeling platform, we produced and analyzed 150-yr (1950–2100 simulations of the biomass of four vegetation types (rainfed straw cereals, rainfed grasslands, broadleaf and needleleaf forests and of the soil water content associated to each of these vegetation types over France. Statistical methods were used to quantify the impact of climate change on simulated phenological dates. The duration of soil moisture stress periods increases everywhere in France, especially for grasslands with, on average, an increase of 9 days per year in near-future (NF conditions and 36 days per year in distant-future (DF conditions. For all the vegetation types, leaf onset and the annual maximum LAI occur earlier. For straw cereals in the Languedoc-Provence-Corsica area, NF leaf onset occurs 18 days earlier and 37 days earlier in DF conditions, on average. On the other hand, local discrepancies are simulated for the senescence period (e.g. earlier in western and southern France for broadleaf forests, slightly later in mountainous areas of eastern France for both NF and DF. Changes in phenological dates are more uncertain in DF than in NF conditions in relation to differences in climate models, especially for forests. Finally, it is shown that while changes in leaf onset are mainly driven by air temperature, longer soil moisture stress periods trigger earlier leaf senescence

Effects of glaciological and hydro-meteorological conditions on the glacial danger in Zailiyskiy Alatau

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. R. Medeu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A need to estimate a hazard of a mudflow stream appearance in the glacial-nival zone of the Northern slope of Zailiyskiy Alatau (Kasakhstan is now one of the really urgent problems. The objective of this study was to inves‑ tigate influence of glacial and hydrometeorological factors on the condition of snow-glacial zone of Zailiyskiy Alatau and find out a mudflow-forming role of the mudflow centers arising due to climate warming and degra‑ dation of glaciation: periglacial lakes, intramoraine channels and reservoirs, and also talik massifs of morainic deposits. We analyzed glacial processes in the Zailiysky Alatau over a long period using meteorological data of the Almaty weather station and its close correlations with data from weather stations in the mountains. The area of glaciations was found out to be reduced after the maximum of the Little Ice Age. A combined diagram of occurrence of the mudflow manifestations and factors causing them had been constructed on the basis of sta‑ tistical data on the landslide phenomena. Glacial mudflows were the most frequent in 1960–1990, and later on activity of them became weaker. We believe, that in the next 10–20 years, the glacial mudflow hazard in Zailiys‑ kiy Alatau can sharply decrease, but at the same time, a probability of occurrence of the rainfall mudflows can increase in the mountainous zone of the ridge due the increase of areas with melted moraine and slope deposits.

Monthly hydrometeorological ensemble prediction of streamflow droughts and corresponding drought indices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Fundel

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Streamflow droughts, characterized by low runoff as consequence of a drought event, affect numerous aspects of life. Economic sectors that are impacted by low streamflow are, e.g., power production, agriculture, tourism, water quality management and shipping. Those sectors could potentially benefit from forecasts of streamflow drought events, even of short events on the monthly time scales or below. Numerical hydrometeorological models have increasingly been used to forecast low streamflow and have become the focus of recent research. Here, we consider daily ensemble runoff forecasts for the river Thur, which has its source in the Swiss Alps. We focus on the evaluation of low streamflow and of the derived indices as duration, severity and magnitude, characterizing streamflow droughts up to a lead time of one month.

The ECMWF VarEPS 5-member ensemble reforecast, which covers 18 yr, is used as forcing for the hydrological model PREVAH. A thorough verification reveals that, compared to probabilistic peak-flow forecasts, which show skill up to a lead time of two weeks, forecasts of streamflow droughts are skilful over the entire forecast range of one month. For forecasts at the lower end of the runoff regime, the quality of the initial state seems to be crucial to achieve a good forecast quality in the longer range. It is shown that the states used in this study to initialize forecasts satisfy this requirement. The produced forecasts of streamflow drought indices, derived from the ensemble forecasts, could be beneficially included in a decision-making process. This is valid for probabilistic forecasts of streamflow drought events falling below a daily varying threshold, based on a quantile derived from a runoff climatology. Although the forecasts have a tendency to overpredict streamflow droughts, it is shown that the relative economic value of the ensemble forecasts reaches up to 60%, in case a forecast user is able to take preventive

Monthly hydrometeorological ensemble prediction of streamflow droughts and corresponding drought indices

Science.gov (United States)

Fundel, F.; Jörg-Hess, S.; Zappa, M.

2013-01-01

Streamflow droughts, characterized by low runoff as consequence of a drought event, affect numerous aspects of life. Economic sectors that are impacted by low streamflow are, e.g., power production, agriculture, tourism, water quality management and shipping. Those sectors could potentially benefit from forecasts of streamflow drought events, even of short events on the monthly time scales or below. Numerical hydrometeorological models have increasingly been used to forecast low streamflow and have become the focus of recent research. Here, we consider daily ensemble runoff forecasts for the river Thur, which has its source in the Swiss Alps. We focus on the evaluation of low streamflow and of the derived indices as duration, severity and magnitude, characterizing streamflow droughts up to a lead time of one month. The ECMWF VarEPS 5-member ensemble reforecast, which covers 18 yr, is used as forcing for the hydrological model PREVAH. A thorough verification reveals that, compared to probabilistic peak-flow forecasts, which show skill up to a lead time of two weeks, forecasts of streamflow droughts are skilful over the entire forecast range of one month. For forecasts at the lower end of the runoff regime, the quality of the initial state seems to be crucial to achieve a good forecast quality in the longer range. It is shown that the states used in this study to initialize forecasts satisfy this requirement. The produced forecasts of streamflow drought indices, derived from the ensemble forecasts, could be beneficially included in a decision-making process. This is valid for probabilistic forecasts of streamflow drought events falling below a daily varying threshold, based on a quantile derived from a runoff climatology. Although the forecasts have a tendency to overpredict streamflow droughts, it is shown that the relative economic value of the ensemble forecasts reaches up to 60%, in case a forecast user is able to take preventive action based on the forecast.

Assessing changes in failure probability of dams in a changing climate

Science.gov (United States)

Mallakpour, I.; AghaKouchak, A.; Moftakhari, H.; Ragno, E.

2017-12-01

Dams are crucial infrastructures and provide resilience against hydrometeorological extremes (e.g., droughts and floods). In 2017, California experienced series of flooding events terminating a 5-year drought, and leading to incidents such as structural failure of Oroville Dam's spillway. Because of large socioeconomic repercussions of such incidents, it is of paramount importance to evaluate dam failure risks associated with projected shifts in the streamflow regime. This becomes even more important as the current procedures for design of hydraulic structures (e.g., dams, bridges, spillways) are based on the so-called stationary assumption. Yet, changes in climate are anticipated to result in changes in statistics of river flow (e.g., more extreme floods) and possibly increasing the failure probability of already aging dams. Here, we examine changes in discharge under two representative concentration pathways (RCPs): RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. In this study, we used routed daily streamflow data from ten global climate models (GCMs) in order to investigate possible climate-induced changes in streamflow in northern California. Our results show that while the average flow does not show a significant change, extreme floods are projected to increase in the future. Using the extreme value theory, we estimate changes in the return periods of 50-year and 100-year floods in the current and future climates. Finally, we use the historical and future return periods to quantify changes in failure probability of dams in a warming climate.

PMP Estimations at Sparsely Controlled Andinian Basins and Climate Change Projections

Science.gov (United States)

Lagos Zúñiga, M. A.; Vargas, X.

2012-12-01

Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) estimation implies an extensive review of hydrometeorological data and understandig of precipitation formation processes. There exists different methodology processes that apply for their estimations and all of them require a good spatial and temporal representation of storms. The estimation of hydrometeorological PMP on sparsely controlled basins is a difficult task, specially if the studied area has an important orographic effect due to mountains and the mixed precipitation occurrence in the most several storms time period, the main task of this study is to propose and estimate PMP in a sparsely controlled basin, affected by abrupt topography and mixed hidrology basin; also analyzing statystic uncertainties estimations and possible climate changes effects in its estimation. In this study the PMP estimation under statistical and hydrometeorological aproaches (watershed-based and traditional depth area duration analysis) was done in a semi arid zone at Puclaro dam in north Chile. Due to the lack of good spatial meteorological representation at the study zone, we propose a methodology to consider the orographic effects of Los Andes due to orographic effects patterns based in a RCM PRECIS-DGF and annual isoyetal maps. Estimations were validated with precipitation patterns for given winters, considering snow route and rainfall gauges at the preferencial wind direction, finding good results. The estimations are also compared with the highest areal storms in USA, Australia, India and China and with frequency analysis in local rain gauge stations in order to decide about the most adequate approach for the study zone. Climate change projections were evaluated with ECHAM5 GCM model, due to its good quality representation in the seasonality and the magnitude of meteorological variables. Temperature projections, for 2040-2065 period, show that there would be a rise in the catchment contributing area that would lead to an increase of the

Extreme hydrometeorological events in the Peruvian Central Andes during austral summer and their relationship with the large-scale circulation

Science.gov (United States)

Sulca, Juan C.

In this Master's dissertation, atmospheric circulation patterns associated with extreme hydrometeorological events in the Mantaro Basin, Peruvian Central Andes, and their teleconnections during the austral summer (December-January-February-March) are addressed. Extreme rainfall events in the Mantaro basin are related to variations of the large-scale circulation as indicated by the changing strength of the Bolivian High-Nordeste Low (BH-NL) system. Dry (wet) spells are associated with a weakening (strengthening) of the BH-NL system and reduced (enhanced) influx of moist air from the lowlands to the east due to strengthened westerly (easterly) wind anomalies at mid- and upper-tropospheric levels. At the same time extreme rainfall events of the opposite sign occur over northeastern Brazil (NEB) due to enhanced (inhibited) convective activity in conjunction with a strengthened (weakened) Nordeste Low. Cold episodes in the Mantaro Basin are grouped in three types: weak, strong and extraordinary cold episodes. Weak and strong cold episodes in the MB are mainly associated with a weakening of the BH-NL system due to tropical-extratropical interactions. Both types of cold episodes are associated with westerly wind anomalies at mid- and upper-tropospheric levels aloft the Peruvian Central Andes, which inhibit the influx of humid air masses from the lowlands to the east and hence limit the potential for development of convective cloud cover. The resulting clear sky conditions cause nighttime temperatures to drop, leading to cold extremes below the 10-percentile. Extraordinary cold episodes in the MB are associated with cold and dry polar air advection at all tropospheric levels toward the central Peruvian Andes. Therefore, weak and strong cold episodes in the MB appear to be caused by radiative cooling associated with reduced cloudiness, rather than cold air advection, while the latter plays an important role for extraordinary cold episodes only.

Tropical Montane Cloud Forests: Hydrometeorological variability in three neighbouring catchments with different forest cover

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez, Beatriz H.; Teuling, Adriaan J.; Ganzeveld, Laurens; Hegger, Zita; Leemans, Rik

2017-09-01

Mountain areas are characterized by a large heterogeneity in hydrological and meteorological conditions. This heterogeneity is currently poorly represented by gauging networks and by the coarse scale of global and regional climate and hydrological models. Tropical Montane Cloud Forests (TMCFs) are found in a narrow elevation range and are characterized by persistent fog. Their water balance depends on local and upwind temperatures and moisture, therefore, changes in these parameters will alter TMCF hydrology. Until recently the hydrological functioning of TMCFs was mainly studied in coastal regions, while continental TMCFs were largely ignored. This study contributes to fill this gap by focusing on a TMCF which is located on the northern eastern Andes at an elevation of 1550-2300 m asl, in the Orinoco river basin highlands. In this study, we describe the spatial and seasonal meteorological variability, analyse the corresponding catchment hydrological response to different land cover, and perform a sensitivity analysis on uncertainties related to rainfall interpolation, catchment area estimation and streamflow measurements. Hydro-meteorological measurements, including hourly solar radiation, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, precipitation, soil moisture and streamflow, were collected from June 2013 to May 2014 at three gauged neighbouring catchments with contrasting TMCF/grassland cover and less than 250 m elevation difference. We found wetter and less seasonally contrasting conditions at higher elevations, indicating a positive relation between elevation and fog or rainfall persistence. This pattern is similar to that of other eastern Andean TMCFs, however, the study site had higher wet season rainfall and lower dry season rainfall suggesting that upwind contrasts in land cover and moisture can influence the meteorological conditions at eastern Andean TMCFs. Contrasting streamflow dynamics between the studied catchments reflect the overall system response

Hydrometeorological variability on a large french catchment and its relation to large-scale circulation across temporal scales

Science.gov (United States)

Massei, Nicolas; Dieppois, Bastien; Fritier, Nicolas; Laignel, Benoit; Debret, Maxime; Lavers, David; Hannah, David

2015-04-01

In the present context of global changes, considerable efforts have been deployed by the hydrological scientific community to improve our understanding of the impacts of climate fluctuations on water resources. Both observational and modeling studies have been extensively employed to characterize hydrological changes and trends, assess the impact of climate variability or provide future scenarios of water resources. In the aim of a better understanding of hydrological changes, it is of crucial importance to determine how and to what extent trends and long-term oscillations detectable in hydrological variables are linked to global climate oscillations. In this work, we develop an approach associating large-scale/local-scale correlation, enmpirical statistical downscaling and wavelet multiresolution decomposition of monthly precipitation and streamflow over the Seine river watershed, and the North Atlantic sea level pressure (SLP) in order to gain additional insights on the atmospheric patterns associated with the regional hydrology. We hypothesized that: i) atmospheric patterns may change according to the different temporal wavelengths defining the variability of the signals; and ii) definition of those hydrological/circulation relationships for each temporal wavelength may improve the determination of large-scale predictors of local variations. The results showed that the large-scale/local-scale links were not necessarily constant according to time-scale (i.e. for the different frequencies characterizing the signals), resulting in changing spatial patterns across scales. This was then taken into account by developing an empirical statistical downscaling (ESD) modeling approach which integrated discrete wavelet multiresolution analysis for reconstructing local hydrometeorological processes (predictand : precipitation and streamflow on the Seine river catchment) based on a large-scale predictor (SLP over the Euro-Atlantic sector) on a monthly time-step. This approach

Nanostructuring the electronic conducting La0.8Sr0.2MnO3-δ cathode for high-performance in proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells below 600°C

KAUST Repository

Da’ as, Eman Husni; Bi, Lei; Boulfrad, Samir; Traversa, Enrico

2017-01-01

Proton-conducting oxides offer a promising electrolyte solution for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) due to their high conductivity and low activation energy. However, the lower operation temperature leads to a reduced cathode activity and thus a poorer fuel cell performance. La0.8Sr0.2MnO3-δ (LSM) is the classical cathode material for high-temperature SOFCs, which lack features as a proper SOFC cathode material at intermediate temperatures. Despite this, we here successfully couple nanostructured LSM cathode with proton-conducting electrolytes to operate below 600°C with desirable SOFC performance. Inkjet printing allows depositing nanostructured particles of LSM on Y-doped BaZrO3(BZY) backbones as cathodes for proton-conducting SOFCs, which provides one of the highest power output for the BZY-based fuel cells below 600°C. This somehow changes the common knowledge that LSM can be applied as a SOFC cathode materials only at high temperatures (above 700°C).

Nanostructuring the electronic conducting La0.8Sr0.2MnO3-δ cathode for high-performance in proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells below 600°C

KAUST Repository

Da’as, Eman Husni

2017-10-28

Proton-conducting oxides offer a promising electrolyte solution for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) due to their high conductivity and low activation energy. However, the lower operation temperature leads to a reduced cathode activity and thus a poorer fuel cell performance. La0.8Sr0.2MnO3-δ (LSM) is the classical cathode material for high-temperature SOFCs, which lack features as a proper SOFC cathode material at intermediate temperatures. Despite this, we here successfully couple nanostructured LSM cathode with proton-conducting electrolytes to operate below 600°C with desirable SOFC performance. Inkjet printing allows depositing nanostructured particles of LSM on Y-doped BaZrO3(BZY) backbones as cathodes for proton-conducting SOFCs, which provides one of the highest power output for the BZY-based fuel cells below 600°C. This somehow changes the common knowledge that LSM can be applied as a SOFC cathode materials only at high temperatures (above 700°C).

Propagation of hydro-meteorological uncertainty in a model cascade framework to inundation prediction

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Rincón, J. P.; Pedrozo-Acuña, A.; Breña-Naranjo, J. A.

2015-07-01

This investigation aims to study the propagation of meteorological uncertainty within a cascade modelling approach to flood prediction. The methodology was comprised of a numerical weather prediction (NWP) model, a distributed rainfall-runoff model and a 2-D hydrodynamic model. The uncertainty evaluation was carried out at the meteorological and hydrological levels of the model chain, which enabled the investigation of how errors that originated in the rainfall prediction interact at a catchment level and propagate to an estimated inundation area and depth. For this, a hindcast scenario is utilised removing non-behavioural ensemble members at each stage, based on the fit with observed data. At the hydrodynamic level, an uncertainty assessment was not incorporated; instead, the model was setup following guidelines for the best possible representation of the case study. The selected extreme event corresponds to a flood that took place in the southeast of Mexico during November 2009, for which field data (e.g. rain gauges; discharge) and satellite imagery were available. Uncertainty in the meteorological model was estimated by means of a multi-physics ensemble technique, which is designed to represent errors from our limited knowledge of the processes generating precipitation. In the hydrological model, a multi-response validation was implemented through the definition of six sets of plausible parameters from past flood events. Precipitation fields from the meteorological model were employed as input in a distributed hydrological model, and resulting flood hydrographs were used as forcing conditions in the 2-D hydrodynamic model. The evolution of skill within the model cascade shows a complex aggregation of errors between models, suggesting that in valley-filling events hydro-meteorological uncertainty has a larger effect on inundation depths than that observed in estimated flood inundation extents.

Future PMPs Estimation in Korea under AR5 RCP 8.5 Climate Change Scenario: Focus on Dew Point Temperature Change

Science.gov (United States)

Okjeong, Lee; Sangdan, Kim

2016-04-01

According to future climate change scenarios, future temperature is expected to increase gradually. Therefore, it is necessary to reflect the effects of these climate changes to predict Probable Maximum Precipitations (PMPs). In this presentation, PMPs will be estimated with future dew point temperature change. After selecting 174 major storm events from 1981 to 2005, new PMPs will be proposed with respect to storm areas (25, 100, 225, 400, 900, 2,025, 4,900, 10,000 and 19,600 km2) and storm durations (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, 48 and 72 hours) using the Korea hydro-meteorological method. Also, orographic transposition factor will be applied in place of the conventional terrain impact factor which has been used in previous Korean PMPs estimation reports. After estimating dew point temperature using future temperature and representative humidity information under the Korea Meteorological Administration AR5 RCP 8.5, changes in the PMPs under dew point temperature change will be investigated by comparison with present and future PMPs. This research was supported by a grant(14AWMP-B082564-01) from Advanced Water Management Research Program funded by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korean government.

Application of a plasma-jet for skin antisepsis: analysis of the thermal action of the plasma by laser scanning microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lademann, O; Kramer, A; Richter, H; Patzelt, A; Alborova, A; Humme, D; Weltmann, K-D; Hartmann, B; Hinz, P; Koch, S

2010-01-01

Recently, it was reported that a plasma-jet could be efficiently applied for the antisepsis of wounds. In this case, the discharge in an argon gas stream was used to produce a so-called ''cold plasma'' on the skin surface. The thermal action of the plasma on the skin was investigated in the present study by means of laser scanning microscopy (LSM) and by histological analysis. Consequently, the plasma beam was moved with a definite velocity at an optimal distance over the skin surface. The structural changes of the tissue were analyzed. It was found by LSM that a thermal damage could be detected only in the upper cell layers of the stratum corneum (SC) at moving velocities of the plasma beam, usually applied in clinical practice. Deeper parts of the SC were not damaged. The structural changes were so superficial that they could be detected only by LSM but not by analysis of the histological sections

Impacts of climate change on hydro-meteorological drought over the Volta Basin, West Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Oguntunde, Philip G.; Abiodun, Babatunde J.; Lischeid, Gunnar

2017-08-01

This study examines the characteristics of drought in the Volta River Basin (VRB), investigates the influence of drought on the streamflow, and projects the impacts of future climate change on the drought. A combination of observation data and regional climate simulations of past and future climates (1970-2013, 2046-2065, and 2081-2100) were analyzed for the study. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation and Evapotranspiration (SPEI) were used to characterize drought while the Standardized Runoff Index (SRI) were used to quantify runoff. Results of the study show that the historical pattern of drought is generally consistent with previous studies over the Basin and most part of West Africa. RCA ensemble medians (RMED) give realistic simulations of drought characteristics and area extent over the Basin and the sub-catchments in the past climate. Generally, an increase in drought intensity and spatial extent are projected over VRB for SPEI and SPI, but the magnitude of increase is higher with SPEI than with SPI. Drought frequency (events per decade) may be magnified by a factor of 1.2 (2046-2065) to 1.6 (2081-2100) compared to the present day episodes in the basin. The coupling between streamflow and drought episodes was very strong (P planning how to minimize the negative impacts of future climate change that could have consequences on agriculture, water resources and energy supply.

The North American Monsoon GPS Hydrometeorological Network 2017: A New Look at an Old Problem

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, D. K.

2017-12-01

Quantifying moisture recycling and determining water vapor source regions for deep convective precipitation have been problematic, particular in tropical continental regions. More than an academic concern, modeling convective precipitation, from cloud-resolving to global climate models, depends critically on properly representing atmospheric water vapor transport, its vertical distribution, as well as surface latent heat flux contributions. The North American Monsoon region, given its complex topography, proximity to warm oceans, striking vegetation "green up" and oftentimes subtle dynamical forcing is particular challenging in this regard. Recent studies, employing modeling and observational approaches, give a prominent role for moisture recycling in fomenting deep convective precipitation. Likewise, these studies argue for the increased importance of transport from the Gulf of Mexico/Central America and the Atlantic Ocean, relative to the Pacific Ocean/Gulf of California. In this presentation, we critically review these studies which served to motivate the NAM GPS Hydrometeorological Network 2017, detailed here. This bi-national (Mexico-US) 3-month campaign to examine water vapor source regions, and specifically, land-surface water vapor fluxes consists of 10 experimental GPS meteorological sites as well as TLALOCNet and Suominet GPS sites in the Mexican states of Sonora, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Baja California and in Arizona and New Mexico. Near Rayón Sonora, inside the larger regional GPSmet array, a 30km eddy covariance flux tower triangular array, with collocated GPSmet, measures continuous energy fluxes and precipitable water vapor. Preliminary results examining the local flux contribution in the triangular array to total precipitable water vapor measured are presented. Further research is then outlined.

A Single Test Combining Blood Markers and Elastography is More Accurate Than Other Fibrosis Tests in the Main Causes of Chronic Liver Diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Ducancelle, Alexandra; Leroy, Vincent; Vergniol, Julien; Sturm, Nathalie; Le Bail, Brigitte; Zarski, Jean Pierre; Nguyen Khac, Eric; Salmon, Dominique; de Ledinghen, Victor; Calès, Paul

2017-08-01

International guidelines suggest combining a blood test and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) to stage liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Therefore, we compared the accuracies of these tests between the main etiologies of chronic liver diseases. Overall, 1968 patients were included in 5 etiologies: CHC: 698, chronic hepatitis B: 152, human immunodeficiency virus/CHC: 628, NAFLD: 225, and alcoholic liver disease (ALD): 265. Sixteen tests [13 blood tests, LSM (Fibroscan), 2 combined: FibroMeters] were evaluated. References were Metavir staging and CHC etiology. Accuracy was evaluated mainly with the Obuchowski index (OI) and accessorily with area under the receiver operating characteristics (F≥2, F≥3, cirrhosis). OIs in CHC were: FibroMeters: 0.812, FibroMeters: 0.785 to 0.797, Fibrotest: 0.762, CirrhoMeters: 0.756 to 0.771, LSM: 0.754, Hepascore: 0.752, FibroMeter: 0.750, aspartate aminotransferase platelet ratio index: 0.742, Fib-4: 0.741. In other etiologies, most tests had nonsignificant changes in OIs. In NAFLD, CHC-specific tests were more accurate than NAFLD-specific tests. The combined FibroMeters had significantly higher accuracy than their 2 constitutive tests (FibroMeters and LSM) in at least 1 diagnostic target in all etiologies, except in ALD where LSM had the highest OI, and in 3 diagnostic targets (OIs and 2 area under the receiver operating characteristics) in CHC and NAFLD. Some tests developed in CHC outperformed other tests in their specific etiologies. Tests combining blood markers and LSM outperformed single tests, validating recent guidelines and extending them to main etiologies. Noninvasive fibrosis evaluation can thus be simplified in the main etiologies by using a unique test: either LSM alone, especially in ALD, or preferably combined to blood markers.

Dynamic regulation of genome-wide pre-mRNA splicing and stress tolerance by the Sm-like protein LSm5 in Arabidopsis

KAUST Repository

Cui, Peng

2014-01-07

Background: Sm-like proteins are highly conserved proteins that form the core of the U6 ribonucleoprotein and function in several mRNA metabolism processes, including pre-mRNA splicing. Despite their wide occurrence in all eukaryotes, little is known about the roles of Sm-like proteins in the regulation of splicing.Results: Here, through comprehensive transcriptome analyses, we demonstrate that depletion of the Arabidopsis supersensitive to abscisic acid and drought 1 gene (SAD1), which encodes Sm-like protein 5 (LSm5), promotes an inaccurate selection of splice sites that leads to a genome-wide increase in alternative splicing. In contrast, overexpression of SAD1 strengthens the precision of splice-site recognition and globally inhibits alternative splicing. Further, SAD1 modulates the splicing of stress-responsive genes, particularly under salt-stress conditions. Finally, we find that overexpression of SAD1 in Arabidopsis improves salt tolerance in transgenic plants, which correlates with an increase in splicing accuracy and efficiency for stress-responsive genes.Conclusions: We conclude that SAD1 dynamically controls splicing efficiency and splice-site recognition in Arabidopsis, and propose that this may contribute to SAD1-mediated stress tolerance through the metabolism of transcripts expressed from stress-responsive genes. Our study not only provides novel insights into the function of Sm-like proteins in splicing, but also uncovers new means to improve splicing efficiency and to enhance stress tolerance in a higher eukaryote. 2014 Cui et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathodes. Unraveling the Relationship Between Structure, Surface Chemistry and Oxygen Reduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gopalan, Srikanth [Boston Univ., MA (United States)

2013-03-31

In this work we have considered oxygen reduction reaction on LSM and LSCF cathode materials. In particular we have used various spectroscopic techniques to explore the surface composition, transition metal oxidation state, and the bonding environment of oxygen to understand the changes that occur to the surface during the oxygen reduction process. In a parallel study we have employed patterned cathodes of both LSM and LSCF cathodes to extract transport and kinetic parameters associated with the oxygen reduction process.

Studying the Aspects of Knowledge Creation in the LAB Studio Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kari-Pekka Heikkinen

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The organisations of higher education are constantly changing. Universities, colleges, private schools and online universities refine their pedagogical methods and learning models in a competitive market. This article is a study on whether one such model helps students to gain new knowledge. A study of the LAB studio model (LSM, which is a pedagogical model developing connections between working-life based problems and the recognition and development of business-related prototypes and start-up companies, is presented. The LSM, theoretically grounded in a constructivist view of learning with a project-based education at its core, has the key goal of educating entrepreneurial competences in higher education. Based on the case study, comprisinga literature review of knowledge creation and a survey, the qualitative results analysis suggests that LSM offers a promising support for knowledge creation. The results lead to the conclusion that LSM provides support especially for the various modes of the SECI model, such as socialisation and internalisation, and seems to support organisational knowledge creation aspects as well.

Integrating Local Experiential and Hydrometeorological Data to Understand Knowledge Uncertainties and to Build Resilience to Flooding in Two Puerto Rican Communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramsey, M.; Nytch, C. J.; Branoff, B.

2016-12-01

Socio-hydrological studies that explore feedbacks between social and biophysical processes related to flood risk can help managers identify strategies that increase a community's freshwater security. However, knowledge uncertainty due to coarse spatio-temporal coverage of hydrological monitoring data, missing riverine discharge and precipitation records, assumptions of flood risk models, and effects of urbanization, can limit the ability of these studies to isolate hydrological responses to social drivers of flooding and a changing climate. Local experiential knowledge can provide much needed information about 1) actual flood spatio-temporal patterns, 2) human impacts and perceptions of flood events, and 3) mechanisms to validate flood risk studies and understand key social elements of the system. We addressed these knowledge gaps by comparing the location and timing of flood events described in resident interviews and resident drawn maps (total = 97) from two San Juan communities with NOAA and USGS precipitation and riverine discharge data archives, and FEMA flood maps. Analyses of five focal flood events revealed 1) riverine monitoring data failed to record a major flood event caused by localized blockage of the river, 2) residents did not mention multiple extreme riverine discharge events, 3) resident and FEMA flood maps matched closely but resident maps provided finer spatial information about frequency of flooding, and 4) only a small percentage of residents remembered the dates of flood events. Local knowledge provided valuable social data about flood impacts on human economic and physical/psychological wellbeing, perceptions about factors causing flooding, and what residents use as sources of flood information. A simple mechanism or tool for residents to record their flood experiences in real-time will address the uncertainties in local knowledge and improve social memory. The integration of local experiential knowledge with simulated and empirical hydro-meteorological

Effects of Pretreatment Methods on Electrodes and SOFC Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guo-Bin Jung

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Commercially available tapes (anode, electrolyte and paste (cathode were choosen to prepare anode-supported cells for solid oxide fuel cell applications. For both anode-supported cells or electrolyte-supported cells, the anode needs pretreatment to reduce NiO/YSZ to Ni/YSZ to increase its conductivity as well as its catalytic characteristics. In this study, the effects of different pretreatments (open-circuit, closed-circuit on cathode and anodes as well as SOFC performance are investigated. To investigate the influence of closed-circuit pretreatment on the NiO/YSZ anode alone, a Pt cathode is utilized as reference for comparison with the LSM cathode. The characterization of the electrical resistance, AC impedance, and SOFC performance of the resulting electrodes and/or anode-supported cell were carried out. It’s found that the influence of open-circuit pretreatment on the LSM cathode is limited. However, the influence of closed-circuit pretreatment on both the LSM cathode and NiO/YSZ anode and the resulting SOFC performance is profound. The effect of closed-circuit pretreatment on the NiO/YSZ anode is attributed to its change of electronic/pore structure as well as catalytic characteristics. With closed-circuit pretreatment, the SOFC performance improved greatly from the change of LSM cathode (and Pt reference compared to the Ni/YSZ anode.

Spatiotemporal variability of water and energy fluxes: TERENO- prealpine hydrometeorological data analysis and inverse modeling with GEOtop and PEST

Science.gov (United States)

Soltani, M.; Kunstmann, H.; Laux, P.; Mauder, M.

2016-12-01

In mountainous and prealpine regions echohydrological processes exhibit rapid changes within short distances due to the complex orography and strong elevation gradients. Water- and energy fluxes between the land surface and the atmosphere are crucial drivers for nearly all ecosystem processes. The aim of this research is to analyze the variability of surface water- and energy fluxes by both comprehensive observational hydrometeorological data analysis and process-based high resolution hydrological modeling for a mountainous and prealpine region in Germany. We particularly focus on the closure of the observed energy balance and on the added value of energy flux observations for parameter estimation in our hydrological model (GEOtop) by inverse modeling using PEST. Our study area is the catchment of the river Rott (55 km2), being part of the TERENO prealpine observatory in Southern Germany, and we focus particularly on the observations during the summer episode May to July 2013. We present the coupling of GEOtop and the parameter estimation tool PEST, which is based on the Gauss-Marquardt-Levenberg method, a gradient-based nonlinear parameter estimation algorithm. Estimation of the surface energy partitioning during the data analysis process revealed that the latent heat flux was considered as the main consumer of available energy. The relative imbalance was largest during nocturnal periods. An energy imbalance was observed at the eddy-covariance site Fendt due to either underestimated turbulent fluxes or overestimated available energy. The calculation of the simulated energy and water balances for the entire catchment indicated that 78% of net radiation leaves the catchment as latent heat flux, 17% as sensible heat, and 5% enters the soil in the form of soil heat flux. 45% of the catchment aggregated precipitation leaves the catchment as discharge and 55% as evaporation. Using the developed GEOtop-PEST interface, the hydrological model is calibrated by comparing

Polarization characteristics of composite electrodes in electrochemical cells with solid electrolytes based on CeO2 and LaGaO3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaroslavtsev, I. Yu.; Kuzin, B. L.; Bronin, D. I.; Bogdanovich, N. M.

2005-01-01

For two types of electrochemical cells with oxygen-conducting solid electrolytes based on lanthanum gallate (LSGM) and cerium oxide (SDC) studied are the temperature dependences of the polarization conductivity of air electrodes prepared from lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM) and composites LSM-LSGM, LSM-SDC, and LSM-SSZ (SSZ is zirconium dioxide-based electrolyte). Effect of praseodymium oxide, added into these electrodes as a modifier, on their electrochemical properties is examined. Electrochemical systems with an LSM/LSGM interface exhibit low electrochemical activity toward the oxygen reaction, because during the formation of electrodes, LSM interacts with LSGM to form a poorly conducting product [ru

Evolution of noninvasive tests of liver fibrosis is associated with prognosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Science.gov (United States)

Vergniol, Julien; Boursier, Jérôme; Coutzac, Clélia; Bertrais, Sandrine; Foucher, Juliette; Angel, Camille; Chermak, Faiza; Hubert, Isabelle Fouchard; Merrouche, Wassil; Oberti, Frédéric; de Lédinghen, Victor; Calès, Paul

2014-07-01

No data are available about the prediction of long-term survival using repeated noninvasive tests of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). We aimed to assess the prognostic value of 3-year liver stiffness measurement (LSM), aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), and fibrosis 4 (FIB-4) evolution in CHC. CHC patients with two LSM (1,000-1,500 days interval) were prospectively included. Blood fibrosis tests APRI and FIB-4 were calculated the day of baseline (bLSM) and follow-up (fLSM) LSM. Evolution of fibrosis tests was expressed as delta: (follow-up-baseline results)/duration. Date and cause of death were recorded during follow-up that started the day of fLSM. In all, 1,025 patients were included. Median follow-up after fLSM was 38.0 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 27.7-46.1) during which 35 patients died (14 liver-related death) and seven had liver transplantation. Prognostic accuracy (Harrell C-index) of multivariate models including baseline and delta results was not significantly different between LSM and FIB-4 (P ≥ 0.24), whereas FIB-4 provided more accurate prognostic models than APRI (P = 0.03). By multivariate analysis including LSM variables, overall survival was independently predicted by bLSM, delta (dLSM), and sustained virological response (SVR). Prognosis was excellent in patients having bLSM 0 kPa/year) in ≥ 14 kPa bLSM had the worst prognosis. Baseline and delta FIB-4 also identified patient subgroups with significantly different prognosis. Three-year evolution of noninvasive tests of liver fibrosis has a strong prognostic value in CHC patients. These tests should be repeated to monitor patients and predict their outcome. © 2014 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Utility of transient elastography in the non-invasive evaluation of cystic fibrosis liver disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitson, Matthew T; Kemp, William W; Iser, David M; Paul, Eldho; Wilson, John W; Roberts, Stuart K

2013-05-01

Liver disease frequently complicates cystic fibrosis (CF), with CF liver disease (CFLD) a leading cause of death. Liver biopsy is rarely performed because of the patchy nature of the disease. Transient elastography can reliably stage liver fibrosis via liver stiffness measurement (LSM). To evaluate LSM as a diagnostic tool in adults with CFLD. Fifty adult patients with CF were prospectively studied: 25 with CFLD and 25 without CFLD. The presence of CFLD and portal hypertension (PHT) was assessed according to strict established criteria based on serial biochemistry and imaging. All patients underwent LSM; APRI, Hepascore(®) and Forns score were calculated. Median LSM was higher in those with CFLD [8.1 kPa (IQR 6.8-9.5) vs. 5.0 kPa (IQR 4.1-5.6); P < 0.001]. On multivariate analysis, LSM was the only variable associated with CFLD (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.53-4.89; P = 0.001). AUROC for LSM predicting CFLD was 0.87 (95% CI 0.77-0.98) and an LSM ≥ 6.8 kPa predicted CFLD with 76.0% sensitivity and 92.0% specificity. Median LSM was higher in those with PHT [15.7 kPa (IQR 9.2-17.2) vs. 5.4 kPa (IQR 4.3-6.8); P < 0.001]. The AUROC for LSM predicting the presence of PHT was 0.96 (95% CI 0.92-1.00). An LSM cut-off of ≥ 8.9 kPa predicted the presence of PHT with 87.5% sensitivity, 90.5% specificity, 63.6% positive predictive value and 92.9% negative predictive value. LSM is an accurate and reliable non-invasive tool in assessing CFLD and PHT. An LSM ≥ 6.8 kPa is highly suggestive of CFLD and an LSM <8.9 kPa reliably excludes PHT. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Liver Stiffness Measurement among Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B and C

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Karen M; Mössner, Belinda K; Hansen, Janne F

2014-01-01

viral hepatitis and valid LSM using Fibroscan. Information about liver biopsy, antiviral treatment, and clinical outcome was obtained from medical records and national registers. The study included 845 patients: 597 (71%) with hepatitis C virus (HCV), 235 (28%) with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and 13 (2......Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) is widely used to evaluate liver fibrosis, but longitudinal studies are rare. The current study was aimed to monitor LSM during follow-up, and to evaluate the association of LSM data with mortality and liver-related outcomes. We included all patients with chronic......%) with dual infection. The initial LSM distribution (patients with initial LSM values of 7-9.9 kPa, 60% of HCV patients and 83% of HBV patients showed LSM values of 20% and >2 kPa increase...

Modelling the Impacts of Changing Land Cover/Land Use and Climate on Flooding in the Elk River Watershed, British Columbia

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, C. C.; Byrne, J. M.; Hopkinson, C.; MacDonald, R. J.; Johnson, D. L.

2015-12-01

The Elk River is a mountain watershed located along the eastern border of British Columbia, Canada. The Elk River is confined by railway bridges, roads, and urban areas. Flooding has been a concern in the valley for more than a century. The most recent major flood event occurred in 2013 affecting several communities. River modifications such as riprapped dykes, channelization, and dredging have occurred in an attempt to reduce inundation, with limited success. Significant changes in land cover/land use (LCLU) such as natural state to urban, forestry practices, and mining from underground to mountaintop/valley fill have changed terrain and ground surfaces thereby altering water infiltration and runoff processes in the watershed. Future climate change in this region is expected to alter air temperature and precipitation as well as produce an earlier seasonal spring freshet potentially impacting future flood events. The objective of this research is to model historical and future hydrological conditions to identify flood frequency and risk under a range of climate and LCLU change scenarios in the Elk River watershed. Historic remote sensing data, forest management plans, and mining industry production/post-mining reclamation plans will be used to create a predictive past and future LCLU time series. A range of future air temperature and precipitation scenarios will be developed based on accepted Global Climate Modelling (GCM) research to examine how the hydrometeorological conditions may be altered under a range of future climate scenarios. The GENESYS (GENerate Earth SYstems Science input) hydrometeorological model will be used to simulate climate and LCLU to assess historic and potential future flood frequency and magnitude. Results will be used to create innovative flood mitigation, adaptation, and management strategies for the Elk River with the intent of being wildlife friendly and non-destructive to ecosystems and habitats for native species.

Water Discharge and Sediment Load Changes in China: Change Patterns, Causes, and Implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chong Jiang

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In this research, monthly hydrological and daily meteorological data were collected across China for the period 1956–2012. Modified Mann–Kendall tests, double mass curve analysis, and correlation statistics were performed to identify the long-term trends and interrelation of the hydrometeorological variables and to examine the influencing factors of streamflow and sediment. The results are as follows: (1 In the last 60 years, the streamflow in northern China has shown different decreasing trends. For the southern rivers, the streamflow presented severe fluctuations, but the declining trend was insignificant. For the streamflow in western China, an increasing trend was shown. (2 In the northern rivers, the streamflow was jointly controlled by the East Asian monsoon and westerlies. In the southern rivers, the runoff was mainly influenced by the Tibet–Qinghai monsoon, the South Asian monsoon, and westerlies. (3 Sediment loads in the LCRB (Lancang River Basin and YZRB (Yarlung Zangbo River Basin did not present significant change trends, although other rivers showed different degrees of gradual reduction, particularly in the 2000s. (4 Underlying surface and precipitation changes jointly influenced the streamflow in eastern rivers. The water consumption for industrial and residential purposes, soil and water conservation engineering, hydraulic engineering, and underlying surface changes induced by other factors were the main causes of streamflow and sediment reduction.

Microscopic study of rock for estimating long-term behavior. Research document

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ichikawa, Yasuaki

2003-02-01

Micro-structure of rock plays an essential role for their long-term behavior. For elucidating long-term characteristics of granite we here present the followings: 1) Conformal Lase Scanning Microscope (LSM) observation of configuration of a joint in granite, its Fourier analysis and the change under uniaxial stress condition, 2) characterization of the mechanism of microcrack initiation and propagation observed by stereoscopic microscope under uniaxial/triaxial compression and relaxation tests, 3) observation of microcrack initiation and propagation by LSM under uniaxial compression, and 4) a study of strong discontinuity analysis included in the homogenization theory to predict the long-term behavior of micro/macro-level stress for granite. Rock image processing and analysis become a fundamental procedure to determine rock surface discontinuities. In Chapter 2 LSM that can acquire three-dimensional images is introduced to observe the roughness of discontinuity in a rock specimen. Then, discontinuities appeared on circular sections are identified by LSM and characterized by a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) analysis. The change of discontinuities is observed under applying stress. Microcrack generation and propagation play an essential role to predict the long-term behavior of rock. In Chapter 3 a progressive development of cracking in granite is revealed by using stereoscopic microscope under water-saturated triaxial compression condition. Next by using LSM observe the procedure of micro-cracking under uniaxial compression condition. Obviously the micro-crack initiation and propagation controls the time-dependent behavior of granite. We have analysed the behavior by a viscoelastic theory applied in homogenization method. However since it is difficult to determine the inter-granular properties of constituent crystals and to represent the stress-dependent nonlinear characteristics by this method, we study a strong discontinuity analysis included in the

Crystalline structure and microstructural characteristics of the cathode/electrolyte solid oxide half-cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiba, Rubens; Vargas, Reinaldo Azevedo; Andreoli, Marco; Santoro, Thais Aranha de Barros; Seo, Emilia Satoshi Miyamaru

2009-01-01

The solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is an electrochemical device generating of electric energy, constituted of cathode, electrolyte and anode; that together they form a unity cell. The study of the solid oxide half-cells consisting of cathode and electrolyte it is very important, in way that is the responsible interface for the reduction reaction of the oxygen. These half-cells are ceramic materials constituted of strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (LSM) for the cathode and yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) for the electrolyte. In this work, two solid oxide half-cells have been manufactured, one constituted of LSM cathode thin film on YSZ electrolyte substrate (LSM - YSZ half-cell), and another constituted of LSM cathode and LSM/YSZ composite cathode thin films on YSZ electrolyte substrate (LSM - LSM/YSZ - YSZ half cell). The cathode/electrolyte solid oxide half-cells were characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results have been presented with good adherence between cathode and electrolyte and, LSM and YSZ phases were identified. (author)

One-pot synthesis of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 supported on flower-like CeO2 as electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in aluminum-air batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Yejian; Huang, Heran; Miao, He; Sun, Shanshan; Wang, Qin; Li, Shihua; Liu, Zhaoping

2017-08-01

A novel La0.7Sr0.3MnO3-CeO2 (LSM-CeO2) hybrid catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has been synthesized by a facile one-pot method. The flower-like CeO2 with the diameter of about 3 μm is formed by the agglomeration of nanosheets with the thickness of about 40 nm. The LSM particles with the diameter of about 150 nm are well distributed on the flower-like CeO2, thus the interaction between LSM and CeO2 is built. Therefore, the LSM-CeO2 composite catalyst exhibits the much higher catalytic activity toward ORR with the direct four-electron transfer mechanism in alkaline solution than LSM or CeO2. Furthermore, the stability of LSM-CeO2 is superior to that of Pt/C, and the current retention is 93% after 100000 s. The maximum power density of the aluminum-air battery using LSM-CeO2 as the ORRC can reach 238 mW cm-2, which is about 29% higher than that with LSM (184 mW cm-2). It indicates that LSM-CeO2 composite material is a promising cathodic electrocatalyst for metal-air batteries.

International Conference on Climate Change Adaptation Assessments: Conference summary and statement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-08-01

The International Conference on Climate Change Adaptation Assessments was held in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, from May 22--25, 1995. Sponsored by the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, the US Country Studies Program, and the directorate General for International Cooperation of the Netherlands Government, it was the first international conference focusing exclusively on adaptation to climate change. More than 100 people from 29 countries on five continents participated. The conference primarily addressed measures to anticipate the potential effects of climate change to minimize negative effects and take advantage of any positive effects. The focus was on what governments, institutions, and individuals can do to prepare for climate change. The conference dealt with two major topics: What adaptation options are most effective and efficient in anticipating climate change and what methods should be used to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of adaptation options. Brief summaries are given from the following sessions on agriculture; Water resources; coastal resources; ecosystems and forests; fisheries; human settlements; water and agriculture; and the panel session on international adaptation in national communications and other development plans and needs for technical assistance.

ISTSOS, SENSOR OBSERVATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: A REAL CASE APPLICATION OF HYDRO-METEOROLOGICAL DATA FOR FLOOD PROTECTION

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M. Cannata

2014-01-01

Full Text Available istSOS (Istituto scienze della Terra Sensor Observation Service is an implementation of the Sensor Observation Service standard from Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC. The development of istSOS started in 2009 in order to provide a simple implementation of the Sensor Observation Service (SOS standard for the management, provision and integration of hydro-meteorological data collected in Canton Ticino (Southern Switzerland. istSOS is entirely written in Python and is based on reliable open source software like PostgreSQL/PostGIS and Apache/mod_wsgi. The authors during this presentation want to illustrate the latest software enhancements together with a real case in a production environment. Latest software enhancement includes the development of a RESTful service and of a Web-based graphical user interface that allows hydrologists a better interaction with measurements. This includes the ability of new services creation, addition of new sensors and relative metadata, visualization and manipulation of stored observations, registration of new measures and setting of system properties like observable properties and data quality codes. The study will show a real case application of the system for the provision of data to interregional partners and to a hydrological model for lake level forecasting and flooding hazard assessment. The hydrological model uses a combination of WPS (Web Processing Service and SOS for the generation of model input data. This system is linked with a dedicated geo-portal used by the civil protection for the management, alert and protection of population and assets of the Locarno area (Verbano Lake flooding. Practical considerations and technical issues will be presented and discussed.

Probing neural tissue with airy light-sheet microscopy: investigation of imaging performance at depth within turbid media

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Nylk, Jonathan; McCluskey, Kaley; Aggarwal, Sanya; Tello, Javier A.; Dholakia, Kishan

2017-02-01

Light-sheet microscopy (LSM) has received great interest for fluorescent imaging applications in biomedicine as it facilitates three-dimensional visualisation of large sample volumes with high spatiotemporal resolution whilst minimising irradiation of, and photo-damage to the specimen. Despite these advantages, LSM can only visualize superficial layers of turbid tissues, such as mammalian neural tissue. Propagation-invariant light modes have played a key role in the development of high-resolution LSM techniques as they overcome the natural divergence of a Gaussian beam, enabling uniform and thin light-sheets over large distances. Most notably, Bessel and Airy beam-based light-sheet imaging modalities have been demonstrated. In the single-photon excitation regime and in lightly scattering specimens, Airy-LSM has given competitive performance with advanced Bessel-LSM techniques. Airy and Bessel beams share the property of self-healing, the ability of the beam to regenerate its transverse beam profile after propagation around an obstacle. Bessel-LSM techniques have been shown to increase the penetration-depth of the illumination into turbid specimens but this effect has been understudied in biologically relevant tissues, particularly for Airy beams. It is expected that Airy-LSM will give a similar enhancement over Gaussian-LSM. In this paper, we report on the comparison of Airy-LSM and Gaussian-LSM imaging modalities within cleared and non-cleared mouse brain tissue. In particular, we examine image quality versus tissue depth by quantitative spatial Fourier analysis of neural structures in virally transduced fluorescent tissue sections, showing a three-fold enhancement at 50 μm depth into non-cleared tissue with Airy-LSM. Complimentary analysis is performed by resolution measurements in bead-injected tissue sections.

Liver stiffness becomes stable in patients with chronic hepatitis C three months after ALT normalization due to antiviral therapy

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CHEN Feikai

2013-10-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveTo investigate the time for liver stiffness measurement (LSM to become stable in chronic hepatitis C (CHC patients with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT levels after ALT normalization due to antiviral therapy. MethodsCHC patients who sought initial treatment at Peking University People′s Hospital were screened for elevated ALT levels from May 2011. Liver stiffness was determined by FibroScan. A total of 29 patients had been included in the study by September 2012, who were followed up regularly after antiviral treatment. ALT tests were repeated every four weeks and LSM every eight weeks until their medians did not change significantly. Comparisons of matched data at two adjacent time points were made with the non-parametric Wilcoxon test, while multiple comparisons of repeated measurements were performed using Bonferroni correction. Correlation between two variables was analyzed with the Spearman rank test. ResultsPatients were followed up until 24 weeks after antiviral treatment, and 24 patients were included in analysis. The median ALT levels were 64, 26, 21, 20, and 22 U/L at baseline and 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks, respectively (P= 0.000, 0.006, 0.337, and 0.109 for comparisons between two adjacent values. ALT decreased significantly below 1 ULN at 4 weeks after antiviral therapy and stabilized at 8 weeks. The median LSM values were 8.7, 7.8, 6.8, and 6.7 kPa at baseline and 8, 16, and 24 weeks, respectively (P= 0.009, 0.001, and 0188 for comparisons between two adjacent values. LSM decreased significantly within 16 weeks after antiviral therapy and stabilized afterwards. LSM stabilized 12 weeks after ALT normalization. ConclusionLSM becomes stable in CHC patients with elevated ALT levels three months after ALT normalization due to antiviral therapy.

Assessment of Liver Fibrosis by Transient Elastography Should Be Done After Hemodialysis in End Stage Renal Disease Patients with Liver Disease.

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Taneja, Sunil; Borkakoty, Amritangsu; Rathi, Sahaj; Kumar, Vivek; Duseja, Ajay; Dhiman, Radha K; Gupta, Krishan L; Chawla, Yogesh

2017-11-01

The patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) are at greater risk of acquiring chronic hepatitis B or C and subsequently development of liver disease. The aim of the study was to assess liver fibrosis by transient elastography (TE) and look for factors associated with change in liver stiffness measurement (LSM) with one session of hemodialysis (HD). Consecutive ESRD patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) with suspected liver disease were enrolled. They underwent LSM by TE before and after one session of HD. Bioelectric impedance analysis was done to evaluate the volume status at the time of TE. Sixty-eight patients with mean age of 40 ± 14 years were included. There was a significant reduction in LSM after HD (18.5 [95% CI 14.8-23.1] vs. 11.2 [95% CI 8.8-13.7] kPa, p  or  2.5 L (8.6 [95% CI 5.7-11.5] vs. 5.1 [95% CI 2.9-7.5], p = 0.05). In 18 patients who underwent liver biopsy, LSM after HD performed better at detecting significant fibrosis, with area under receiver operating characteristics curve 0.71 [95% CI 0.46-0.97], versus 0.64 [95% CI 0.38-0.90], respectively. An LSM value of 12.2 kPa after HD was 71% sensitive and 74% specific for detection of significant fibrosis (≥ F2), while values less than 9 kPa ruled out significant fibrosis with a sensitivity and specificity of 37 and 100%, respectively. LSM by TE decreases significantly after HD in patients with ESRD on long-term MHD. Hence, TE should be done after HD for accurate assessment of liver fibrosis.

TLALOCNet continuous GPS-Met Array in Mexico supporting the 2017 NAM GPS Hydrometeorological Network.

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Cabral-Cano, E.; Salazar-Tlaczani, L.; Adams, D. K.; Vivoni, E. R.; Grutter, M.; Serra, Y. L.; DeMets, C.; Galetzka, J.; Feaux, K.; Mattioli, G. S.; Miller, M. M.

2017-12-01

TLALOCNet is a network of continuous GPS and meteorology stations in Mexico to study atmospheric and solid earth processes. This recently completed network spans most of Mexico with a strong coverage emphasis on southern and western Mexico. This network, funded by NSF, CONACyT and UNAM, recently built 40 cGPS-Met sites to EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory standards and upgraded 25 additional GPS stations. TLALOCNet provides open and freely available raw GPS data, and high frequency surface meteorology measurements, and time series of daily positions. This is accomplished through the development of the TLALOCNet data center (http://tlalocnet.udg.mx) that serves as a collection and distribution point. This data center is based on UNAVCO's Dataworks-GSAC software and also works as part of UNAVCO's seamless archive for discovery, sharing, and access to GPS data. The TLALOCNet data center also contains contributed data from several regional GPS networks in Mexico for a total of 100+ stations. By using the same protocols and structure as the UNAVCO and other COCONet regional data centers, the scientific community has the capability of accessing data from the largest Mexican GPS network. This archive provides a fully queryable and scriptable GPS and Meteorological data retrieval point. In addition, real-time 1Hz streams from selected TLALOCNet stations are available in BINEX, RTCM 2.3 and RTCM 3.1 formats via the Networked Transport of RTCM via Internet Protocol (NTRIP) for real-time seismic and weather forecasting applications. TLALOCNet served as a GPS-Met backbone for the binational Mexico-US North American Monsoon GPS Hydrometeorological Network 2017 campaign experiment. This innovative experiment attempts to address water vapor source regions and land-surface water vapor flux contributions to precipitation (i.e., moisture recycling) during the 2017 North American Monsoon in Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, and Arizona. Models suggest that moisture recycling is

Small farm dams: impact on river flows and sustainability in a context of climate change

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Habets, F.; Philippe, E.; Martin, E.; David, C. H.; Leseur, F.

2014-10-01

The repetition of droughts in France has led to a growing demand for irrigation water and consequently to an increase in requests for the construction of small farm dams. Although such dams are small, their accumulation in a basin affects river flows, because the water collected in these small farm dams is used for irrigation and thus does not contribute to river flow. In order to gain more insight into their impact on the annual and monthly discharges, especially during dry years, a small farm dam model was built and connected to a hydrometeorological model. Several scenarios with different volume capacities, filling catchment sizes and filling periods were tested for such dams. The results were analysed in a small basin in western France, where the pressure for building such dams is high, and then extended to the entire country. It was found that, due to the hydrometeorological conditions (mainly low precipitation compared to other regions in France), the development of small farm dams in north-western France would result in greater decreases in river flows and less efficient filling of small farm dams than in other regions. Therefore, such dams might not be as efficient as expected in supplying water to farmers when needed. Moreover, the ability to fill small farm dams is projected to decrease in a context of climate change, despite the uncertainty on the evolution of precipitation, thus worsening the situation.

Relevance of 3D Cholangiography and Transient Elastography to Assess Cystic Fibrosis-Associated Liver Disease?

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C. Lemaitre

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Cystic fibrosis-associated liver disease (CFLD is a major cause of death. The objective of our retrospective study was to describe the relevance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI and liver stiffness measurement (LSM for CFLD evaluation. Methods. All cystic fibrosis adult patients evaluated by MRI and LSM were included. MR signs of portal hypertension (PHT, dysmorphia, or cholangitis were collected and LSM expressed in kPa and Metavir. Results. Of 25 patients, 52% had abnormal MRI. Median LSM was 5.7 kPa (3.4–9.9. Three patients had F2 score and one had F3 score. In patients with PHT, LSM was 7.85 kPa (3.7–9.9 compared to 5 (3.4–7.5 in others, p=0.02. In patients with abnormal liver function tests, 50% had increased LSM (≥F2, whereas 94% with normal tests had normal LSM (p=0.04. Seven patients had abnormal MRI despite normal ultrasonography. Conclusions. MRI and LSM provide useful information on CFLD and may help to screen patients with PHT.

La{sub 0.84}Sr{sub 0.16}MnO{sub 3-{delta}} cathodes impregnated with Bi{sub 1.4}Er{sub 0.6}O{sub 3} for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Junliang; Wang, Shaorong; Wang, Zhenrong; Liu, Renzhu; Wen, Tinglian; Wen, Zhaoyin [The Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion Materials, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1295 Dingxi Road, Shanghai 200050 (China)

2009-12-01

La{sub 0.84}Sr{sub 0.16}MnO{sub 3-{delta}}-Bi{sub 1.4}Er{sub 0.6}O{sub 3} (LSM-ESB) composite cathodes are fabricated by impregnating LSM electronic conducting matrix with the ion-conducting ESB for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). The performance of LSM-ESB cathodes is investigated at temperatures below 750 C by AC impedance spectroscopy. The ion-impregnation of ESB significantly enhances the electrocatalytic activity of the LSM electrodes for the oxygen reduction reactions, and the ion-impregnated LSM-ESB composite cathodes show excellent performance. At 750 C, the value of the cathode polarization resistance (R{sub p}) is only 0.11 {omega} cm{sup 2} for an ion-impregnated LSM-ESB cathode, which also shows high stability during a period of 200 h. For the performance testing of single cells, the maximum power density is 0.74 W cm{sup -2} at 700 C for a cell with the LSM-ESB cathode. The results demonstrate the ion-impregnated LSM-ESB is one of the promising cathode materials for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells. (author)

Theory, Investigation and Stability of Cathode Electrocatalytic Activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, Dong; Liu, Mingfei; Lai, Samson; Blinn, Kevin; Liu, Meilin

2012-09-30

conditions. This was also confirmed by x-ray analyses. For example, soft x-ray XANES data reveal that Co cations displace the Mn cations as being more favored to be reduced. Variations in the Sr-O in the annealed LSCF Fourier-transformed (FT) EXAFS suggest that some Sr segregation is occurring, but is not present in the annealed LSM-infiltrated LSCF cathode materials. Further, a surface enhanced Raman technique was also developed into to probe and map LSM and LSCF phase on underlying YSZ substrate, enabling us to capture important chemical information of cathode surfaces under practical operating conditions. Electrochemical models for the design of test cells and understanding of mechanism have been developed for the exploration of fundamental properties of electrode materials. Novel catalyst coatings through particle depositions (SDC, SSC, and LCC) or continuous thin films (PSM and PSCM) were successfully developed to improve the activity and stability of LSCF cathodes. Finally, we have demonstrated enhanced activity and stability of LSCF cathodes over longer periods of time in homemade and commercially available cells by an optimized LSM infiltration process. Microstructure examination of the tested cells did not show obvious differences between blank and infiltrated cells, suggesting that the infiltrated LSM may form a coherent film on the LSCF cathodes. There was no significant change in the morphology or microstructure of the LSCF cathode due to the structural similarity of LSCF and LSM. Raman analysis of the tested cells indicated small peaks emerging on the blank cells that correspond to trace amounts of secondary phase formation during operation (e.g., CoO{sub x}). The formation of this secondary phase might be attributed to performance degradation. In contrast, there was no such secondary phase observed in the LSM infiltrated cells, indicating that the LSM modification staved off secondary phase formation and thus improved the stability.

Multi Criteria Evaluation Module for RiskChanges Spatial Decision Support System

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Olyazadeh, Roya; Jaboyedoff, Michel; van Westen, Cees; Bakker, Wim

2015-04-01

Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) module is one of the five modules of RiskChanges spatial decision support system. RiskChanges web-based platform aims to analyze changes in hydro-meteorological risk and provides tools for selecting the best risk reduction alternative. It is developed under CHANGES framework (changes-itn.eu) and INCREO project (increo-fp7.eu). MCE tool helps decision makers and spatial planners to evaluate, sort and rank the decision alternatives. The users can choose among different indicators that are defined within the system using Risk and Cost Benefit analysis results besides they can add their own indicators. Subsequently the system standardizes and prioritizes them. Finally, the best decision alternative is selected by using the weighted sum model (WSM). The Application of this work is to facilitate the effect of MCE for analyzing changing risk over the time under different scenarios and future years by adopting a group decision making into practice and comparing the results by numeric and graphical view within the system. We believe that this study helps decision-makers to achieve the best solution by expressing their preferences for strategies under future scenarios. Keywords: Multi-Criteria Evaluation, Spatial Decision Support System, Weighted Sum Model, Natural Hazard Risk Management

GPU accelerated edge-region based level set evolution constrained by 2D gray-scale histogram.

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Balla-Arabé, Souleymane; Gao, Xinbo; Wang, Bin

2013-07-01

Due to its intrinsic nature which allows to easily handle complex shapes and topological changes, the level set method (LSM) has been widely used in image segmentation. Nevertheless, LSM is computationally expensive, which limits its applications in real-time systems. For this purpose, we propose a new level set algorithm, which uses simultaneously edge, region, and 2D histogram information in order to efficiently segment objects of interest in a given scene. The computational complexity of the proposed LSM is greatly reduced by using the highly parallelizable lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) with a body force to solve the level set equation (LSE). The body force is the link with image data and is defined from the proposed LSE. The proposed LSM is then implemented using an NVIDIA graphics processing units to fully take advantage of the LBM local nature. The new algorithm is effective, robust against noise, independent to the initial contour, fast, and highly parallelizable. The edge and region information enable to detect objects with and without edges, and the 2D histogram information enable the effectiveness of the method in a noisy environment. Experimental results on synthetic and real images demonstrate subjectively and objectively the performance of the proposed method.

Evaluation of homoeopathic treatment in polycystic ovary syndrome: A single-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled pilot study

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Chetna Deep Lamba

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: This study was conducted with the primary objective of evaluating efficacy of Homoeopathy in establishing the menstrual regularity with improvement in either ultrasonological findings or hirsutism/acne. The quality of life was also assessed using polycystic ovary syndrome questionnaire (PCOSQ. Materials and Methods: A single-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled pilot study was conducted from February 2014 to May 2015 at two research centres. The cases fulfilling the eligibility criteria were enrolled (n = 60 and randomised to either the homoeopathic intervention (HI (n = 30 or identical placebo (P (n = 30 with uniform lifestyle modification (LSM for 6 months. Results: The menstrual regularity with improvement in other signs/symptoms was observed in 60% of the cases (n = 18 in HI + LSM group and none (n = 0 in control group (P = 0.001. Statistically significant difference (P = 0.016 was observed in reduction of intermenstrual duration (from 76.1 ± 37.7 to 46.6 ± 38.7 days in HI + LSM in comparison to placebo + LSM group (from 93.0 ± 65.2 to 93.9 ± 96.2 days. In PCOSQ, also, significant improvement was observed in HI group in domains of weight, fertility, emotions and menstrual problems (P < 0.05 with no difference in body hair (P = 0.708. No change was observed in respect of improvement in the ultrasound findings. Pulsatilla was the most frequently indicated medicine (n = 12, 40%. Conclusion: HI along with LSM has shown promising outcome; further comparative study with standard conventional treatment on adequate sample size is desirable.

Synthesis, processing and characterization of the solid oxide half-cells cathode/electrolyte of strontium-doped lanthanum manganite/Yttria-stabilized zirconia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiba, Rubens

2010-01-01

The ceramic films of strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (LSM) and strontium doped lanthanum manganite/Yttria-stabilized zirconia (LSM/YSZ) are used as cathodes of the high temperature solid oxide fuel cells (HTSOFC). These porous ceramic films had been deposited on the YSZ dense ceramic substrate, used as electrolyte, structural component of the module, thus conferring a configuration of half-cell called auto-support. The study of the half-cell it is basic, therefore in the interface cathode/electrolyte occurs the oxygen reduction reaction, consequently influencing in the performance of the HTSOFC. In this direction, the present work contributes for the processing of thin films, using the wet powder spraying technique, adopted for the conformation of the ceramic films for allowing the attainment of porous layers with thicknesses varied in the order of micrometers. The LSM powders were synthesized by the citrate technique and the LSM/YSZ powders synthesized by the solid mixture technique. In the stage of formation were prepared organic suspensions of LSM and LSM/YSZ fed by gravity in a manual aerograph. For the formation of the YSZ substrate was used a hydraulic uniaxial press. The attainment of solid oxide half-cells cathode/electrolyte was possible of crystalline structures hexagonal for phase LSM and cubic for phase YSZ. The half-cells micrographs show that the YSZ substrate is dense, enough to be used as solid electrolyte, and the LSM and LSM/YSZ films are presented porous with approximately 30 μm of thickness and good adherence between the cathodes and the electrolyte. The presence of composite cathode between the LSM cathode and YSZ substrate, presented an increase in the electrochemical performance in the oxygen reduction reaction. (author)

Effects of dehulling, steam-cooking and microwave-irradiation on digestive value of white lupin (Lupinus albus) seed meal for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

Science.gov (United States)

Saez, Patricio; Borquez, Aliro; Dantagnan, Patricio; Hernández, Adrián

2015-01-01

A digestibility trial was conducted to assess the effect of dehulling, steam-cooking and microwave-irradiation on the apparent digestibility of nutrients in white lupin (Lupinus albus) seed meal when fed to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Six ingredients, whole lupin seed meal (LSM), dehulled LSM, dehulled LSM steam-cooked for 15 or 45 min (SC15 and SC45, respectively) and LSM microwave-irradiated at 375 or 750 W (MW375 and MW750, respectively), were evaluated for digestibility of dry matter, crude protein (CP), lipids, nitrogen-free extractives (NFE) and gross energy (GE). The diet-substitution approach was used (70% reference diet + 30% test ingredient). Faeces from each tank were collected using a settlement column. Dehulled LSM showed higher levels of proximate components (except for NFE and crude fibre), GE and phosphorus in comparison to whole LSM. Furthermore, SC15, SC45, MW375 and MW750 showed slight variations of chemical composition in comparison to dehulled LSM. Results from the digestibility trial indicated that dehulled LSM, SC15, SC45 and MW375 are suitable processing methods for the improvement of nutrients' apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) in whole LSM. MW750 showed a lower ADC of nutrients (except for CP and lipids for rainbow trout) in comparison with MW350 for rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon, suggesting a heat damage of the ingredient when microwave-irradiation exceeded 350 W.

3D plane-wave least-squares Kirchhoff migration

KAUST Repository

Wang, Xin

2014-08-05

A three dimensional least-squares Kirchhoff migration (LSM) is developed in the prestack plane-wave domain to increase the quality of migration images and the computational efficiency. Due to the limitation of current 3D marine acquisition geometries, a cylindrical-wave encoding is adopted for the narrow azimuth streamer data. To account for the mispositioning of reflectors due to errors in the velocity model, a regularized LSM is devised so that each plane-wave or cylindrical-wave gather gives rise to an individual migration image, and a regularization term is included to encourage the similarities between the migration images of similar encoding schemes. Both synthetic and field results show that: 1) plane-wave or cylindrical-wave encoding LSM can achieve both computational and IO saving, compared to shot-domain LSM, however, plane-wave LSM is still about 5 times more expensive than plane-wave migration; 2) the regularized LSM is more robust compared to LSM with one reflectivity model common for all the plane-wave or cylindrical-wave gathers.

Impact of hepatitis C virus genotype-4 eradication following direct acting antivirals on liver stiffness measurement

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Tag-Adeen M

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Mohammed Tag-Adeen,1,2 Ahlam Mohamed Sabra,1 Yuko Akazawa,2 Ken Ohnita,2 Kazuhiko Nakao2 1Department of Internal Medicine, Qena School of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 2Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagasaki School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan Background: Liver fibrosis is the most important prognostic factor in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV patients, and Egypt shows the highest worldwide HCV prevalence with genotype-4 predominance. The aim of this study was to investigate the degree of liver stiffness measurement (LSM improvement after successful HCV eradication.Patients and methods: The study included 84 chronic HCV Egyptian patients, and was conducted at Qena University Hospital from November 1, 2015 till October 31, 2016. LSM was obtained by FibroScan® before starting direct acting antiviral (DAA treatment and after achieving sustained virologic response-24 (SVR-24. Based on baseline LSM, patients were stratified into F0–F1, F2, F3 and F4 groups (METAVIR. LSM and laboratory data after achieving SVR-24 was compared with that before starting therapy in each fibrosis group (F0-F4, p-value <0.05 was statistically significant.Results: Following DAA treatment, 80 patients achieved SVR-24; of these, 50 were males (62.5%, mean age: 54.2±7.6 years, and mean body mass index: 28.6±2.2 kg/m2. Mean baseline LSM dropped from 15.6±10.8 to 12.1±8.7 kPa post-SVR; the maximum change of −5.8 occurred in F4 versus −2.79, −1.28 and +0.08 in F3, F2 and F0–F1 respectively (p<0.0001. At baseline, 41 patients were in the F4 group; only 16 (39% regressed to non-cirrhotic range (<12.5 kPa, while 25 (61% were still cirrhotic despite achieving SVR-24 (p<0.0001. Patients who achieved LSM improvement (n=64 have had significantly higher baseline aspartate transferase (AST and alanine transaminase (ALT. Also, those patients showed significant improvement in AST, AST/platelets ratio index

Forecasting summertime surface temperature and precipitation in the Mexico City metropolitan area: sensitivity of the WRF model to land cover changes

Science.gov (United States)

López-Bravo, Clemente; Caetano, Ernesto; Magaña, Víctor

2018-02-01

Changes in the frequency and intensity of severe hydrometeorological events in recent decades in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area have motivated the development of weather warning systems. The weather forecasting system for this region was evaluated in sensitivity studies using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) for July 2014, a summer time month. It was found that changes in the extent of the urban area and associated changes in thermodynamic and dynamic variables have induced local circulations that affect the diurnal cycles of temperature, precipitation, and wind fields. A newly implemented configuration (land cover update and Four-Dimensional Data Assimilation (FDDA)) of the WRF model has improved the adjustment of the precipitation field to the orography. However, errors related to the depiction of convection due to parameterizations and microphysics remains a source of uncertainty in weather forecasting in this region.

Influence of high-latitude warming and land-use changes in the early 20th century northern Eurasian CO2 sink

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Bastos, Ana; Peregon, Anna; Gani, Érico A.; Khudyaev, Sergey; Yue, Chao; Li, Wei; Gouveia, Célia M.; Ciais, Philippe

2018-06-01

While the global carbon budget (GCB) is relatively well constrained over the last decades of the 20th century [1], observations and reconstructions of atmospheric CO2 growth rate present large discrepancies during the earlier periods [2]. The large uncertainty in GCB has been attributed to the land biosphere, although it is not clear whether the gaps between observations and reconstructions are mainly because land-surface models (LSMs) underestimate inter-annual to decadal variability in natural ecosystems, or due to inaccuracies in land-use change reconstructions. As Eurasia encompasses about 15% of the terrestrial surface, 20% of the global soil organic carbon pool and constitutes a large CO2 sink, we evaluate the potential contribution of natural and human-driven processes to induce large anomalies in the biospheric CO2 fluxes in the early 20th century. We use an LSM specifically developed for high-latitudes, that correctly simulates Eurasian C-stocks and fluxes from observational records [3], in order to evaluate the sensitivity of the Eurasian sink to the strong high-latitude warming occurring between 1930 and 1950. We show that the LSM with improved high-latitude phenology, hydrology and soil processes, contrary to the group of LSMs in [2], is able to represent enhanced vegetation growth linked to boreal spring warming, consistent with tree-ring time-series [4]. By compiling a dataset of annual agricultural area in the Former Soviet Union that better reflects changes in cropland area linked with socio-economic fluctuations during the early 20th century, we show that land-abadonment during periods of crisis and war may result in reduced CO2 emissions from land-use change (44%–78% lower) detectable at decadal time-scales. Our study points to key processes that may need to be improved in LSMs and LUC datasets in order to better represent decadal variability in the land CO2 sink, and to better constrain the GCB during the pre-observational record.

Future PMP Estimation in Korea under AR5 RCP 8.5 climate change scenarios and its Changes Cause Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, S.; Lee, J.; Okjeong, L.; Bogyeong, C.; Park, M. W.

2015-12-01

In this presentation, Korea's probable maximum precipitations (PMPs) which reflects all of the storm data until recently are calculated, and are compared to the existing PMPs which were calculated at 2000. In Korea, abnormal weather phenomena such as typhoon Rusa and Maemi, and the extreme rainfall event occurred on the east coast of the northern region, that can have a significant impact on the PMP estimation, have frequently happened since 2000. After selecting 240 major storm events from 1973 to 2012, new PMPs are proposed with respect to storm areas (25, 100, 225, 400, 900, 2025, 4900, 10000 and 19600 km2) and storm durations (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, 48 and 72 hours) using the Korea hydro-meteorological method. After estimating future PMPs using future rainfall and dew point temperature information under the Korea Meteorological Administration AR5 RCP 8.5, changes in the PMPs under climate change will be investigated by comparison with present and future PMPs. By separating the changes in PMPs under climate change into the changes caused by rainfall and dew point temperature, the relative impact of future rainfall and dew point temperature information under climate change on future PMPs is quantified. This research was supported by a grant 'Development of the Evaluation Technology for Complex Causes of Inundation Vulnerability and the Response Plans in Coastal Urban Areas for Adaptation to Climate Change' [MPSS-NH-2015-77] from the Natural Hazard Mitigation Research Group, Ministry of Public Safety and Security of Korea.

Abnormal liver stiffness assessed using transient elastography (Fibroscan® in HIV-infected patients without HBV/HCV coinfection receiving combined antiretroviral treatment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sang Hoon Han

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Liver stiffness measurement (LSM using transient elastography (Fibroscan® can identify individuals with potential underlying liver disease. We evaluated the prevalence of abnormal LSM values as assessed using LSM and its predictors in HIV-infected asymptomatic patients receiving combined antiretroviral treatment (cART without HBV/HCV coinfection. METHODS: We prospectively recruited 93 patients who had consistently been undergoing cART for more than 12 months at Severance Hospital in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from June to December 2010. LSM values >5.3 kPa were defined as abnormal. RESULTS: Thirty-nine (41.9% had abnormal LSM values. On multivariate correlation analysis, the cumulative duration of boosted and unboosted protease inhibitors (PIs were the independent factors which showed a negative and positive correlation to LSM values, respectively (β = -0.234, P = 0.023 and β = 0.430, P<0.001. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the cumulative exposure duration of boosted-PIs and γ-glutamyltranspeptidase levels were selected as the independent predictors which showed a negative and positive correlation with abnormal LSM values, respectively (odds ratio [OR], 0.941; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.889-0.997; P = 0.039 and OR, 1.032; 95% CI, 1.004-1.060; P = 0.023. CONCLUSION: The high percentage of HIV-infected asymptomatic patients receiving cART without HBV/HCV coinfection had abnormal LSM values. The cumulative exposure duration of boosted-PIs and γ-GT level were independent predictors which showed a negative and positive correlation with abnormal LSM values, respectively.

Regularized plane-wave least-squares Kirchhoff migration

KAUST Repository

Wang, Xin

2013-09-22

A Kirchhoff least-squares migration (LSM) is developed in the prestack plane-wave domain to increase the quality of migration images. A regularization term is included that accounts for mispositioning of reflectors due to errors in the velocity model. Both synthetic and field results show that: 1) LSM with a reflectivity model common for all the plane-wave gathers provides the best image when the migration velocity model is accurate, but it is more sensitive to the velocity errors, 2) the regularized plane-wave LSM is more robust in the presence of velocity errors, and 3) LSM achieves both computational and IO saving by plane-wave encoding compared to shot-domain LSM for the models tested.

Supporting Hydrometeorological Research and Applications with Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Products and Services

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhong; Ostrenga, D.; Vollmer, B.; Deshong, B.; MacRitchie, K.; Greene, M.; Kempler, S.

2016-01-01

Precipitation is an important dataset in hydrometeorological research and applications such as flood modeling, drought monitoring, etc. On February 27, 2014, the NASA Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission was launched to provide the next-generation global observations of rain and snow (http:pmm.nasa.govGPM). The GPM mission consists of an international network of satellites in which a GPM Core Observatory satellite carries both active and passive microwave instruments to measure precipitation and serve as a reference standard, to unify precipitation measurements from a constellation of other research and operational satellites. The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences (GES) Data and Information Services Center (DISC) hosts and distributes GPM data. The GES DISC is home to the data archive for the GPM predecessor, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). GPM products currently available include the following:1. Level-1 GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) and partner radiometer products2. Goddard Profiling Algorithm (GPROF) GMI and partner products (Level-2 and Level-3)3. GPM dual-frequency precipitation radar and their combined products (Level-2 and Level-3)4. Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) products (early, late, and final run)GPM data can be accessed through a number of data services (e.g., Simple Subset Wizard, OPeNDAP, WMS, WCS, ftp, etc.). A newly released Unified User Interface or UUI is a single interface to provide users seamless access to data, information and services. For example, a search for precipitation products will not only return TRMM and GPM products, but also other global precipitation products such as MERRA (Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications), GLDAS (Global Land Data Assimilation Systems), etc.New features and capabilities have been recently added in GIOVANNI to allow exploring and inter-comparing GPM IMERG (Integrated Multi-satelliE Retrievals for GPM) half-hourly and monthly precipitation

Understanding Mesoscale Land-Atmosphere Interactions in Arctic Region

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, X.; Wang, S.; Nachamkin, J. E.

2017-12-01

Land-atmosphere interactions in Arctic region are examined using the U.S. Navy Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS©*) with the Noah Land Surface Model (LSM). Initial land surface variables in COAMPS are interpolated from the real-time NASA Land Information System (LIS). The model simulations are configured for three nest grids with 27-9-3 km horizontal resolutions. The simulation period is set for October 2015 with 12-h data assimilation update cycle and 24-h integration length. The results are compared with those simulated without using LSM and evaluated with observations from ONR Sea State R/V Sikuliaq cruise and the North Slope of Alaska (NSA). There are complex soil and vegetation types over the surface for simulation with LSM, compared to without LSM simulation. The results show substantial differences in surface heat fluxes between bulk surface scheme and LSM, which may have an important impact on the sea ice evolution over the Arctic region. Evaluations from station data show surface air temperature and relative humidity have smaller biases for simulation using LSM. Diurnal variation of land surface temperature, which is necessary for physical processes of land-atmosphere, is also better captured than without LSM.

Infiltration of SOFC Stacks: Evaluation of the Electrochemical Performance Enhancement and the Underlying Changes in the Microstructure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiebach, Wolff-Ragnar; Zielke, Philipp; Høgh, Jens Valdemar Thorvald

2016-01-01

Experimental SOFC stacks with 10 SOFCs (LSM-YSZ/YSZ/Ni-YSZ) were infiltrated with CGO and Ni-CGO on the air and fuel side, respectively in an attempt to counter degradation and improve the output. The electrochemical performance of each cell was characterized (i) before infiltration, (ii) after i...

Laser surface melting of 10 wt% Mo alloyed hardfacing Stellite 12 plasma transferred arc deposits: Structural evolution and high temperature wear performance

Science.gov (United States)

Dilawary, Shaikh Asad Ali; Motallebzadeh, Amir; Afzal, Muhammad; Atar, Erdem; Cimenoglu, Huseyin

2018-05-01

Laser surface melting (LSM) process has been applied on the plasma transferred arc (PTA) deposited Stellite 12 and 10 wt% Mo alloyed Stellite 12 in this study. Following the LSM process, structural and mechanical property comparison of the LSM'ed surfaces has been made. Hardness of the LSM'ed surfaces was measured as 549 HV and 623 HV for the Stellite 12 and Stellite 12 + 10 wt% Mo deposits, respectively. Despite their different hardness and structural features, the LSM'ed surfaces exhibited similar tribological performance at room temperature (RT), where fatigue wear mechanism operates. However, the wear at 500 °C promotes tribo-oxide layer formation whose composition depended on the alloying with Mo. Thus, addition of 10 wt% Mo into Stellite 12 PTA deposit has remarkably enhanced the high temperature wear performance of the LSM'ed surface as a result of participation of complex oxide (CoMoO4) in tribo-oxide layer.

Performance Tests of Snow-Related Variables Over the Tibetan Plateau and Himalayas Using a New Version of NASA GEOS-5 Land Surface Model that Includes the Snow Darkening Effect

Science.gov (United States)

Yasunari, Tppei J.; Lau, K.-U.; Koster, Randal D.; Suarez, Max; Mahanama, Sarith; Dasilva, Arlindo M.; Colarco, Peter R.

2011-01-01

The snow darkening effect, i.e. the reduction of snow albedo, is caused by absorption of solar radiation by absorbing aerosols (dust, black carbon, and organic carbon) deposited on the snow surface. This process is probably important over Himalayan and Tibetan glaciers due to the transport of highly polluted Atmospheric Brown Cloud (ABC) from the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). This effect has been incorporated into the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System model, version 5 (GEOS-5) atmospheric transport model. The Catchment land surface model (LSM) used in GEOS-5 considers 3 snow layers. Code was developed to track the mass concentration of aerosols in the three layers, taking into account such processes as the flushing of the compounds as liquid water percolates through the snowpack. In GEOS-5, aerosol emissions, transports, and depositions are well simulated in the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GO CART) module; we recently made the connection between GOCART and the GEOS-5 system fitted with the revised LSM. Preliminary simulations were performed with this new system in "replay" mode (i.e., with atmospheric dynamics guided by reanalysis) at 2x2.5 degree horizontal resolution, covering the period 1 November 2005 - 31 December 2009; we consider the final three years of simulation here. The three simulations used the following variants of the LSM: (1) the original Catchment LSM with a fixed fresh snowfall density of 150 kg m-3 ; (2) the LSM fitted with the new snow albedo code, used here without aerosol deposition but with changes in density formulation and melting water effect on snow specific surface area, (3) the LSM fitted with the new snow albedo code as same as (2) but with fixed aerosol deposition rates (computed from GOCART values averaged over the Tibetan Plateau domain [Ion.: 60-120E; lat.: 20-50N] during March-May 2008) applied to all grid points at every time step. For (2) and (3), the same setting on the fresh snowfall density as in (1

Application of 1 D Finite Element Method in Combination with Laminar Solution Method for Pipe Network Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Dudar, O. I.; Dudar, E. S.

2017-11-01

The features of application of the 1D dimensional finite element method (FEM) in combination with the laminar solutions method (LSM) for the calculation of underground ventilating networks are considered. In this case the processes of heat and mass transfer change the properties of a fluid (binary vapour-air mix). Under the action of gravitational forces it leads to such phenomena as natural draft, local circulation, etc. The FEM relations considering the action of gravity, the mass conservation law, the dependence of vapour-air mix properties on the thermodynamic parameters are derived so that it allows one to model the mentioned phenomena. The analogy of the elastic and plastic rod deformation processes to the processes of laminar and turbulent flow in a pipe is described. Owing to this analogy, the guaranteed convergence of the elastic solutions method for the materials of plastic type means the guaranteed convergence of the LSM for any regime of a turbulent flow in a rough pipe. By means of numerical experiments the convergence rate of the FEM - LSM is investigated. This convergence rate appeared much higher than the convergence rate of the Cross - Andriyashev method. Data of other authors on the convergence rate comparison for the finite element method, the Newton method and the method of gradient are provided. These data allow one to conclude that the FEM in combination with the LSM is one of the most effective methods of calculation of hydraulic and ventilating networks. The FEM - LSM has been used for creation of the research application programme package “MineClimate” allowing to calculate the microclimate parameters in the underground ventilating networks.

Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events, and Human Health Implications in the Asia Pacific Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Hashim, Jamal Hisham; Hashim, Zailina

2016-03-01

The Asia Pacific region is regarded as the most disaster-prone area of the world. Since 2000, 1.2 billion people have been exposed to hydrometeorological hazards alone through 1215 disaster events. The impacts of climate change on meteorological phenomena and environmental consequences are well documented. However, the impacts on health are more elusive. Nevertheless, climate change is believed to alter weather patterns on the regional scale, giving rise to extreme weather events. The impacts from extreme weather events are definitely more acute and traumatic in nature, leading to deaths and injuries, as well as debilitating and fatal communicable diseases. Extreme weather events include heat waves, cold waves, floods, droughts, hurricanes, tropical cyclones, heavy rain, and snowfalls. Globally, within the 20-year period from 1993 to 2012, more than 530 000 people died as a direct result of almost 15 000 extreme weather events, with losses of more than US$2.5 trillion in purchasing power parity. © 2015 APJPH.

(La1-xSrx)0.98MnO3 perovskite with A-site deficiencies toward oxygen reduction reaction in aluminum-air batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Yejian; Miao, He; Sun, Shanshan; Wang, Qin; Li, Shihua; Liu, Zhaoping

2017-02-01

The strontium doped Mn-based perovskites have been proposed as one of the best oxygen reduction reaction catalysts (ORRCs) to substitute the noble metal. However, few studies have investigated the catalytic activities of LSM with the A-site deficiencies. Here, the (La1-xSrx)0.98MnO3 (LSM) perovskites with A-site deficiencies are prepared by a modified solid-liquid method. The structure, morphology, valence state and oxygen adsorption behaviors of these LSM samples are characterized, and their catalytic activities toward ORR are studied by the rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) and aluminum-air battery technologies. The results show that the appropriate doping with Sr and introducing A-site stoichiometry can effectively tailor the Mn valence and increase the oxygen adsorption capacity of LSM. Among all the LSM samples in this work, the (La0.7Sr0.3)0.98MnO3 perovskite composited with 50% carbon (50%LSM30) exhibits the best ORR catalytic activity due to the excellent oxygen adsorption capacity. Also, this catalyst has much higher durability than that of commercial 20%Pt/C. Moreover, the maximum power density of the aluminum-air battery using 50%LSM30 as the ORRC can reach 191.3 mW cm-2. Our work indicates that the LSM/C composite catalysts with A-site deficiencies can be used as a promising ORRC in the metal-air batteries.

UC Irvine CHRS Real-time Global Satellite Precipitation Monitoring System (G-WADI PERSIANN-CCS GeoServer) for Hydrometeorological Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Sorooshian, S.; Hsu, K. L.; Gao, X.; Imam, B.; Nguyen, P.; Braithwaite, D.; Logan, W. S.; Mishra, A.

2015-12-01

The G-WADI Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks-Cloud Classification System (PERSIANN-CCS) GeoServer has been successfully developed by the Center for Hydrometeorology and Remote Sensing (CHRS) at the University of California Irvine in collaboration with the UNESCO's International Hydrological Programme (IHP) and a number of its international centers. The system employs state-of-the-art technologies in remote sensing and artificial intelligence to estimate precipitation globally from satellite imagery in real-time and high spatiotemporal resolution (4km, hourly). It offers graphical tools and data service to help the user in emergency planning and management for natural disasters related to hydrological processes. The G-WADI PERSIANN-CCS GeoServer has been upgraded with new user-friendly functionalities. The precipitation data generated by the GeoServer is disseminated to the user community through support provided by ICIWaRM (The International Center for Integrated Water Resources Management), UNESCO and UC Irvine. Recently a number of new applications for mobile devices have been developed by our students. The RainMapper has been available on App Store and Google Play for the real-time PERSIANN-CCS observations. A global crowd sourced rainfall reporting system named iRain has also been developed to engage the public globally to provide qualitative information about real-time precipitation in their location which will be useful in improving the quality of the PERSIANN-CCS data. A number of recent examples of the application and use of the G-WADI PERSIANN-CCS GeoServer information will also be presented.

Land-use change may exacerbate climate change impacts on water resources in the Ganges basin

Science.gov (United States)

Tsarouchi, Gina; Buytaert, Wouter

2018-02-01

Quantifying how land-use change and climate change affect water resources is a challenge in hydrological science. This work aims to quantify how future projections of land-use and climate change might affect the hydrological response of the Upper Ganges river basin in northern India, which experiences monsoon flooding almost every year. Three different sets of modelling experiments were run using the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES) land surface model (LSM) and covering the period 2000-2035: in the first set, only climate change is taken into account, and JULES was driven by the CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5) outputs of 21 models, under two representative concentration pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5), whilst land use was held fixed at the year 2010. In the second set, only land-use change is taken into account, and JULES was driven by a time series of 15 future land-use pathways, based on Landsat satellite imagery and the Markov chain simulation, whilst the meteorological boundary conditions were held fixed at years 2000-2005. In the third set, both climate change and land-use change were taken into consideration, as the CMIP5 model outputs were used in conjunction with the 15 future land-use pathways to force JULES. Variations in hydrological variables (stream flow, evapotranspiration and soil moisture) are calculated during the simulation period. Significant changes in the near-future (years 2030-2035) hydrologic fluxes arise under future land-cover and climate change scenarios pointing towards a severe increase in high extremes of flow: the multi-model mean of the 95th percentile of streamflow (Q5) is projected to increase by 63 % under the combined land-use and climate change high emissions scenario (RCP8.5). The changes in all examined hydrological components are greater in the combined land-use and climate change experiment. Results are further presented in a water resources context, aiming to address potential implications of

A multi-objective framework to predict flows of ungauged rivers within regions of sparse hydrometeorologic observation

Science.gov (United States)

Alipour, M.; Kibler, K. M.

2017-12-01

Despite advances in flow prediction, managers of ungauged rivers located within broad regions of sparse hydrometeorologic observation still lack prescriptive methods robust to the data challenges of such regions. We propose a multi-objective streamflow prediction framework for regions of minimum observation to select models that balance runoff efficiency with choice of accurate parameter values. We supplement sparse observed data with uncertain or low-resolution information incorporated as `soft' a priori parameter estimates. The performance of the proposed framework is tested against traditional single-objective and constrained single-objective calibrations in two catchments in a remote area of southwestern China. We find that the multi-objective approach performs well with respect to runoff efficiency in both catchments (NSE = 0.74 and 0.72), within the range of efficiencies returned by other models (NSE = 0.67 - 0.78). However, soil moisture capacity estimated by the multi-objective model resonates with a priori estimates (parameter residuals of 61 cm versus 289 and 518 cm for maximum soil moisture capacity in one catchment, and 20 cm versus 246 and 475 cm in the other; parameter residuals of 0.48 versus 0.65 and 0.7 for soil moisture distribution shape factor in one catchment, and 0.91 versus 0.79 and 1.24 in the other). Thus, optimization to a multi-criteria objective function led to very different representations of soil moisture capacity as compared to models selected by single-objective calibration, without compromising runoff efficiency. These different soil moisture representations may translate into considerably different hydrological behaviors. The proposed approach thus offers a preliminary step towards greater process understanding in regions of severe data limitations. For instance, the multi-objective framework may be an adept tool to discern between models of similar efficiency to select models that provide the "right answers for the right reasons

A hydro-meteorological ensemble prediction system for real-time flood forecasting purposes in the Milano area

Science.gov (United States)

Ravazzani, Giovanni; Amengual, Arnau; Ceppi, Alessandro; Romero, Romualdo; Homar, Victor; Mancini, Marco

2015-04-01

Analysis of forecasting strategies that can provide a tangible basis for flood early warning procedures and mitigation measures over the Western Mediterranean region is one of the fundamental motivations of the European HyMeX programme. Here, we examine a set of hydro-meteorological episodes that affected the Milano urban area for which the complex flood protection system of the city did not completely succeed before the occurred flash-floods. Indeed, flood damages have exponentially increased in the area during the last 60 years, due to industrial and urban developments. Thus, the improvement of the Milano flood control system needs a synergism between structural and non-structural approaches. The flood forecasting system tested in this work comprises the Flash-flood Event-based Spatially distributed rainfall-runoff Transformation, including Water Balance (FEST-WB) and the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) models, in order to provide a hydrological ensemble prediction system (HEPS). Deterministic and probabilistic quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPFs) have been provided by WRF model in a set of 48-hours experiments. HEPS has been generated by combining different physical parameterizations (i.e. cloud microphysics, moist convection and boundary-layer schemes) of the WRF model in order to better encompass the atmospheric processes leading to high precipitation amounts. We have been able to test the value of a probabilistic versus a deterministic framework when driving Quantitative Discharge Forecasts (QDFs). Results highlight (i) the benefits of using a high-resolution HEPS in conveying uncertainties for this complex orographic area and (ii) a better simulation of the most of extreme precipitation events, potentially enabling valuable probabilistic QDFs. Hence, the HEPS copes with the significant deficiencies found in the deterministic QPFs. These shortcomings would prevent to correctly forecast the location and timing of high precipitation rates and

Improved noninvasive prediction of liver fibrosis by liver stiffness measurement in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease accounting for controlled attenuation parameter values.

Science.gov (United States)

Petta, Salvatore; Wong, Vincent Wai-Sun; Cammà, Calogero; Hiriart, Jean-Baptiste; Wong, Grace Lai-Hung; Marra, Fabio; Vergniol, Julien; Chan, Anthony Wing-Hung; Di Marco, Vito; Merrouche, Wassil; Chan, Henry Lik-Yuen; Barbara, Marco; Le-Bail, Brigitte; Arena, Umberto; Craxì, Antonio; de Ledinghen, Victor

2017-04-01

Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) frequently overestimates the severity of liver fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) is a new parameter provided by the same machine used for LSM and associated with both steatosis and body mass index, the two factors mostly affecting LSM performance in NAFLD. We aimed to determine whether prediction of liver fibrosis by LSM in NAFLD patients is affected by CAP values. Patients (n = 324) were assessed by clinical and histological (Kleiner score) features. LSM and CAP were performed using the M probe. CAP values were grouped by tertiles (lower 132-298, middle 299-338, higher 339-400 dB/m). Among patients with F0-F2 fibrosis, mean LSM values, expressed in kilopascals, increased according to CAP tertiles (6.8 versus 8.6 versus 9.4, P = 0.001), and along this line the area under the curve of LSM for the diagnosis of F3-F4 fibrosis was progressively reduced from lower to middle and further to higher CAP tertiles (0.915, 0.848-0.982; 0.830, 0.753-0.908; 0.806, 0.723-0.890). As a consequence, in subjects with F0-F2 fibrosis, the rates of false-positive LSM results for F3-F4 fibrosis increased according to CAP tertiles (7.2% in lower versus 16.6% in middle versus 18.1% in higher). Consistent with this, a decisional flowchart for predicting fibrosis was suggested by combining both LSM and CAP values. In patients with NAFLD, CAP values should always be taken into account in order to avoid overestimations of liver fibrosis assessed by transient elastography. (Hepatology 2017;65:1145-1155). © 2016 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Discordance between liver biopsy and Fibroscan® in assessing liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis b: risk factors and influence of necroinflammation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seung Up Kim

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated predictors of discordance between liver biopsy (LB and liver stiffness measurement (LSM using FibroScan®. We assessed predictors of discordance between LB and LSM in chronic hepatitis B (CHB and investigated the effects of necroinflammatory activity. METHODS: In total, 150 patients (107 men, 43 women were prospectively enrolled. Only LSM with ≥ 10 valid measurements was considered reliable. Liver fibrosis was evaluated using the Laennec system. LB specimens <15 mm in length were considered ineligible. Reference cutoff LSM values to determine discordance were calculated from our cohort (6.0 kPa for ≥ F2, 7.5 kPa for ≥ F3, and 9.4 kPa for F4. RESULTS: A discordance, defined as a discordance of at least two stages between LB and LSM, was identified in 21 (14.0% patients. In multivariate analyses, fibrosis stages F3-4 and F4 showed independent negative associations with discordance (P = 0.002; hazard ratio [HR], 0.073; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.014-0.390 for F3-4 and P = 0.014; HR, 0.067; 95% CI, 0.008-0.574 for F4. LSM values were not significantly different between maximal activity grades 1-2 and 3-4 in F1 and F2 fibrosis stages, whereas LSM values were significantly higher in maximal activity grade 3-4 than 1-2 in F3 and F4 fibrosis stage (median 8.6 vs. 11.3 kPa in F3, P = 0.049; median 11.9 vs. 19.2 kPa in F4, P = 0.009. CONCLUSION: Advanced fibrosis stage (F3-4 or cirrhosis (F4 showed a negative correlation with discordance between LB and LSM in patients with CHB, and maximal activity grade 3-4 significantly influenced LSM values in F3 and F4.

Changes in hydro-meteorological conditions over tropical West Africa (1980-2015) and links to global climate

Science.gov (United States)

Ndehedehe, Christopher E.; Awange, Joseph L.; Agutu, Nathan O.; Okwuashi, Onuwa

2018-03-01

The role of global sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in modulating rainfall in the African region has been widely studied and is now less debated. However, their impacts and links to terrestrial water storage (TWS) in general, have not been studied. This study presents the pioneer results of canonical correlation analysis (CCA) of TWS derived from both global reanalysis data (1980-2015) and GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) (2002-2014) with SST fields. The main issues discussed include, (i) oceanic hot spots that impact on TWS over tropical West Africa (TWA) based on CCA, (ii) long term changes in model and global reanalysis data (soil moisture, TWS, and groundwater) and the influence of climate variability on these hydrological indicators, and (iii) the hydrological characteristics of the Equatorial region of Africa (i.e., the Congo basin) based on GRACE-derived TWS, river discharge, and precipitation. Results of the CCA diagnostics show that El-Niño Southern Oscillation related equatorial Pacific SST fluctuations is a major index of climate variability identified in the main portion of the CCA procedure that indicates a significant association with long term TWS reanalysis data over TWA (r = 0.50, ρ < 0.05). Based on Mann-Kendall's statistics, the study found fairly large long term declines (ρ < 0.05) in TWS and soil moisture (1982 - 2015), mostly over the Congo basin, which coincided with warming of the land surface and the surrounding oceans. Meanwhile, some parts of the Sahel show significant wetting (rainfall, soil moisture, groundwater, and TWS) trends during the same period (1982-2015) and aligns with the ongoing narratives of rainfall recovery in the region. Results of singular spectral analysis and regression confirm that multi-annual changes in the Congo River discharge explained a considerable proportion of variability in GRACE-hydrological signal over the Congo basin (r = 0.86 and R2 = 0.70, ρ < 0.05). Finally, leading

Nanostructured lanthanum manganate composite cathode

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Wei Guo; Liu, Yi-Lin; Barfod, Rasmus

2005-01-01

that the (La1-xSrx)(y)MnO3 +/-delta (LSM) composite cathodes consist of a network of homogenously distributed LSM, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), and pores. The individual grain size of LSM or YSZ is approximately 100 nm. The degree of contact between cathode and electrolyte is 39% on average. (c) 2005...

Triggered seismicity and deformation between the Landers, California, and Little Skull Mountain, Nevada, earthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Bodin, Paul; Gomberg, Joan

1994-01-01

This article presents evidence for the channeling of strain energy released by the Ms = 7.4 Landers, California, earthquake within the eastern California shear zone (ECSZ). We document an increase in seismicity levels during the 22-hr period starting with the Landers earthquake and culminating 22 hr later with the Ms = 5.4 Little Skull Mountain (LSM), Nevada, earthquake. We evaluate the completeness of regional seismicity catalogs during this period and find that the continuity of post-Landers strain release within the ECSZ is even more pronounced than is evident from the catalog data. We hypothesize that regional-scale connectivity of faults within the ECSZ and LSM region is a critical ingredient in the unprecedented scale and distribution of remotely triggered earthquakes and geodetically manifest strain changes that followed the Landers earthquake. The viability of static strain changes as triggering agents is tested using numerical models. Modeling results illustrate that regional-scale fault connectivity can increase the static strain changes by approximately an order of magnitude at distances of at least 280 km, the distance between the Landers and LSM epicenters. This is possible for models that include both a network of connected faults that slip “sympathetically” and realistic levels of tectonic prestrain. Alternatively, if dynamic strains are a more significant triggering agent than static strains, ECSZ structure may still be important in determining the distribution of triggered seismic and aseismic deformation.

Improvement in Quality of Life Questionnaire Measures (PCOSQ) in Obese Adolescent Females with PCOS treated with Lifestyle Changes and Oral Contraceptives, with or without Metformin

OpenAIRE

Harris-Glocker, Miranda; Davidson, Kristin; Kochman, Lynda; Guzick, David; Hoeger, Kathleen

2009-01-01

We studied the effect of metformin or placebo in a lifestyle modification program (LSM) combined with oral contraceptives (OC) on quality of life parameters measured by the PCOS questionnaire (PCOSQ) in obese adolescent women with validated PCOS.

Water Security in Periurban South Asia : Adapting to Climate ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Articles de revue. Hydro-meteorological trends in Southwest Coastal Bangladesh : perspectives of climate change and human interventions. Rapports. Improving flood management planning in Thailand : a case of Chao Phraya river basin. Rapports. Communicating climate change risks for adaptation in coastal and delta ...

Integrating data and mashup concepts in Hydro-Meteorological Research: the torrential rainfall event in Genoa (4th November 2011) case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bedrina, T.; Parodi, A.; Quarati, A.; Clematis, A.; Rebora, N.; Laiosa, D.

2012-04-01

One of the critical issues in Hydro-Meteorological Research (HMR) is a better exploitation of data archives according to a multidisciplinary perspective. Different Earth science databases offer a huge amount of observational data, which often need to be assembled, processed, combined accordingly HM scientists needs. The cooperation between scientists active in HMR and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is essential in the development of innovative tools and applications for manipulating, aggregating and re-arranging heterogeneous information in flexible way. In this paper it is described an application devoted to the collection and integration of HM datasets, originated by public or private sources, freely exposed via Web services API. This application uses the mashup, recently become very popular in many fields, (Chow S.-W., 2007) technology concepts. Such methodology means combination of data and/or programs published by external online sources into an integrated experience. Mashup seems to be a promising methodology to respond to the multiple data-related activities into which HM researchers are daily involved (e.g. finding and retrieving high volume data; learning formats and developing readers; extracting parameters; performing filtering and mask; developing analysis and visualization tools). The specific case study of the recent extreme rainfall event, occurred over Genoa in Italy on the 4th November 2011 is shown through the integration of semi-professional weather observational networks as free available data source in addition to official weather networks.

Overview of Hydrometeorologic Forecasting Procedures at BC Hydro

Science.gov (United States)

McCollor, D.

2004-12-01

Energy utility companies must balance production from limited sources with increasing demand from industrial, business, and residential consumers. The utility planning process requires a balanced, efficient, and effective distribution of energy from source to consumer. Therefore utility planners must consider the impact of weather on energy production and consumption. Hydro-electric companies should be particularly tuned to weather because their source of energy is water, and water supply depends on precipitation. BC Hydro operates as the largest hydro-electric company in western Canada, managing over 30 reservoirs within the province of British Columbia, and generating electricity for 1.6 million people. BC Hydro relies on weather forecasts of watershed precipitation and temperature to drive hydrologic reservoir inflow models and of urban temperatures to meet energy demand requirements. Operations and planning specialists in the company rely on current, value-added weather forecasts for extreme high-inflow events, daily reservoir operations planning, and long-term water resource management. Weather plays a dominant role for BC Hydro financial planners in terms of sensitive economic responses. For example, a two percent change in hydropower generation, due in large part to annual precipitation patterns, results in an annual net change of \\50 million in earnings. A five percent change in temperature produces a \\5 million change in yearly earnings. On a daily basis, significant precipitation events or temperature extremes involve potential profit/loss decisions in the tens of thousands of dollars worth of power generation. These factors are in addition to environmental and societal costs that must be considered equally as part of a triple bottom line reporting structure. BC Hydro water resource managers require improved meteorological information from recent advancements in numerical weather prediction. At BC Hydro, methods of providing meteorological forecast data

Mosquito population regulation and larval source management in heterogeneous environments.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David L Smith

Full Text Available An important question for mosquito population dynamics, mosquito-borne pathogen transmission and vector control is how mosquito populations are regulated. Here we develop simple models with heterogeneity in egg laying patterns and in the responses of larval populations to crowding in aquatic habitats. We use the models to evaluate how such heterogeneity affects mosquito population regulation and the effects of larval source management (LSM. We revisit the notion of a carrying capacity and show how heterogeneity changes our understanding of density dependence and the outcome of LSM. Crowding in and productivity of aquatic habitats is highly uneven unless egg-laying distributions are fine-tuned to match the distribution of habitats' carrying capacities. LSM reduces mosquito population density linearly with coverage if adult mosquitoes avoid laying eggs in treated habitats, but quadratically if eggs are laid in treated habitats and the effort is therefore wasted (i.e., treating 50% of habitat reduces mosquito density by approximately 75%. Unsurprisingly, targeting (i.e. treating a subset of the most productive pools gives much larger reductions for similar coverage, but with poor targeting, increasing coverage could increase adult mosquito population densities if eggs are laid in higher capacity habitats. Our analysis suggests that, in some contexts, LSM models that accounts for heterogeneity in production of adult mosquitoes provide theoretical support for pursuing mosquito-borne disease prevention through strategic and repeated application of modern larvicides.

Strengthening Environmental Economics Capacity in Research on ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

... change are likely to have a negative impact on water availability and quality. ... on water provision services in Latin America using environmental economics methods. ... Effect of hydro-meteorological emergencies on internal migration.

Interaction between the Opioid Receptor OPRM1 Gene and Mother-Child Language Style Matching Prospectively Predicts Children's Separation Anxiety Disorder Symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Boparai, Sameen; Borelli, Jessica L; Partington, Lindsey; Smiley, Patricia; Jarvik, Ella; Rasmussen, Hannah F; Seaman, Lauren C; Nurmi, Erika L

2018-03-22

Recent research suggests that lower mother-child language style matching (LSM) is associated with greater physiological reactivity and insecure attachment in school-aged children, but to date no studies have explored this measure of parent-child behavioral matching for its association with children's anxiety symptoms, a well-known correlate of attachment insecurity and heightened physiological reactivity. There is also considerable evidence of genetic risk for anxiety, including possession of the OPRM1 minor allele, 118G. In the current study (N = 44), we expand upon what is known about children's genetic and environmental risk for anxiety by examining the unique and interactive effects of mother-child LSM and the OPRM1 polymorphism A118G on school-aged children's separation anxiety disorder (SAD) symptoms. SAD symptoms were measured both concurrently with LSM and OPRM1 genotype and two years later through self-report. No significant associations emerged between LSM or OPRM1 and concurrent Time 1 SAD symptoms. However, lower LSM and 118G minor allele possession were both associated with greater SAD symptoms at Time 2; further, the interaction between LSM and OPRM1 genotype significantly predicted SAD symptoms beyond the main effects of the two variables. Possession of the minor allele was only associated with greater SAD symptoms among children in low LSM dyads, whereas children with the minor allele in high LSM dyads showed non-significantly lower SAD symptoms. These findings and a proportion affected analysis provide support for a differential susceptibility model of gene by environment interactions for the OPRM1 gene. We discuss the implications for predicting children's separation anxiety across development. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A study on stable levitation of permanent magnet transportation system with coreless linear synchronous motor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hiwaki, H [Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Musashi Inst. of Technology, Tokyo (Japan); Watada, M [Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Musashi Inst. of Technology, Tokyo (Japan); Torii, S [Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Musashi Inst. of Technology, Tokyo (Japan); Ebihara, D [Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Musashi Inst. of Technology, Tokyo (Japan)

1996-12-31

In the permanent magnet levitation system, it is impossible to stabilize the motion of the vehicle in both levitation and guidance directions only by permanent magnet. Therefore, the authors proposed the combined system of permanent magnet for levitation and coreless linear synchronous motor (coreless LSM). To design the coreless coils for LSM, the method to calculate the spring coefficient between coreless coil and permanent magnet for LSM is shown. By using this method, the spring coefficients of the three coil arrangements are compared and coreless coil is designed. Furthermore, the authors showed the possibility of stabilizing the motion of the levitation system with coreless LSM. (orig.)

Multidecadal change in streamflow associated with anthropogenic disturbances in the tropical Andes

Science.gov (United States)

Molina, A.; Vanacker, V.; Brisson, E.; Mora, D.; Balthazar, V.

2015-10-01

Andean headwater catchments are an important source of freshwater for downstream water users. However, few long-term studies exist on the relative importance of climate change and direct anthropogenic perturbations on flow regimes in these catchments. In this paper, we assess change in streamflow based on long time series of hydrometeorological data (1974-2008) and land cover reconstructions (1963-2009) in the Pangor catchment (282 km2) located in the tropical Andes. Three main land cover change trajectories can be distinguished during the period 1963-2009: (1) expansion of agricultural land by an area equal to 14 % of the catchment area (or 39 km2) in 46 years' time, (2) deforestation of native forests by 11 % (or -31 km2) corresponding to a mean rate of 67 ha yr-1, and (3) afforestation with exotic species in recent years by about 5 % (or 15 km2). Over the time period 1963-2009, about 50 % of the 64 km2 of native forests was cleared and converted to agricultural land. Given the strong temporal variability of precipitation and streamflow data related to El Niño-Southern Oscillation, we use empirical mode decomposition techniques to detrend the time series. The long-term increasing trend in rainfall is remarkably different from the observed changes in streamflow, which exhibit a decreasing trend. Hence, observed changes in streamflow are not the result of long-term change in precipitation but very likely result from anthropogenic disturbances associated with land cover change.

Pre- and post-processing of hydro-meteorological ensembles for the Norwegian flood forecasting system in 145 basins.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahr Hegdahl, Trine; Steinsland, Ingelin; Merete Tallaksen, Lena; Engeland, Kolbjørn

2016-04-01

(-0.6°C/100m). The streamflow ensembles are post-processed to improve sharpness and generate calibrated forecasts. The skill of combinations of pre- and post-processed hydro-meteorological ensembles are further analyzed focusing on high streamflow and floods.

Hydrometeorological aspects of the Real-Time Ultrafinescale Forecast Support during the Special Observing Period of the MAP*

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Benoit

2003-01-01

Full Text Available During the Special Observation Period (SOP, 7 September–15 November, 1999 of the Mesoscale Alpine Programme (MAP, the Canadian Mesoscale Compressible Community Model (MC2 was run in real time at a horizontal resolution of 3 km on a computational domain of 350☓300☓50 grid points, covering the whole of the Alpine region. The WATFLOOD model was passively coupled to the MC2; the former is an integrated set of computer programs to forecast flood flows, using all available data, for catchments with response times ranging from one hour to several weeks. The unique aspect of this contribution is the operational application of numerical weather prediction data to forecast flows over a very large, multinational domain. An overview of the system performance from the hydrometeorological aspect is presented, mostly for the real-time results, but also from subsequent analyses. A streamflow validation of the precipitation is included for large basins covering upper parts of the Rhine and the Rhone, and parts of the Po and of the Danube. In general, the MC2/WATFLOOD model underestimated the total runoff because of the under-prediction of precipitation by MC2 during the MAP SOP. After the field experiment, a coding error in the cloud microphysics scheme of MC2 explains this underestimation to a large extent. A sensitivity study revealed that the simulated flows reproduce the major features of the observed flow record for most of the flow stations. The experiment was considered successful because two out of three possible flood events in the Swiss-Italian border region were predicted correctly by data from the numerical weather models linked to the hydrological model and no flow events were missed. This study has demonstrated that a flow forecast from a coupled atmospheric-hydrological model can serve as a useful first alert and quantitative forecast. Keywords: mesoscale atmospheric model, hydrological model, flood forecasting, Alps

Making the most out of the least (squares migration)

KAUST Repository

Dutta, Gaurav

2014-08-05

Standard migration images can suffer from migration artifacts due to 1) poor source-receiver sampling, 2) weak amplitudes caused by geometric spreading, 3) attenuation, 4) defocusing, 5) poor resolution due to limited source-receiver aperture, and 6) ringiness caused by a ringy source wavelet. To partly remedy these problems, least-squares migration (LSM), also known as linearized seismic inversion or migration deconvolution (MD), proposes to linearly invert seismic data for the reflectivity distribution. If the migration velocity model is sufficiently accurate, then LSM can mitigate many of the above problems and lead to a more resolved migration image, sometimes with twice the spatial resolution. However, there are two problems with LSM: the cost can be an order of magnitude more than standard migration and the quality of the LSM image is no better than the standard image for velocity errors of 5% or more. We now show how to get the most from least-squares migration by reducing the cost and velocity sensitivity of LSM.

DEM GENERATION FROM HIGH RESOLUTION SATELLITE IMAGES THROUGH A NEW 3D LEAST SQUARES MATCHING ALGORITHM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Kim

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Automated generation of digital elevation models (DEMs from high resolution satellite images (HRSIs has been an active research topic for many years. However, stereo matching of HRSIs, in particular based on image-space search, is still difficult due to occlusions and building facades within them. Object-space matching schemes, proposed to overcome these problem, often are very time consuming and critical to the dimensions of voxels. In this paper, we tried a new least square matching (LSM algorithm that works in a 3D object space. The algorithm starts with an initial height value on one location of the object space. From this 3D point, the left and right image points are projected. The true height is calculated by iterative least squares estimation based on the grey level differences between the left and right patches centred on the projected left and right points. We tested the 3D LSM to the Worldview images over 'Terrassa Sud' provided by the ISPRS WG I/4. We also compared the performance of the 3D LSM with the correlation matching based on 2D image space and the correlation matching based on 3D object space. The accuracy of the DEM from each method was analysed against the ground truth. Test results showed that 3D LSM offers more accurate DEMs over the conventional matching algorithms. Results also showed that 3D LSM is sensitive to the accuracy of initial height value to start the estimation. We combined the 3D COM and 3D LSM for accurate and robust DEM generation from HRSIs. The major contribution of this paper is that we proposed and validated that LSM can be applied to object space and that the combination of 3D correlation and 3D LSM can be a good solution for automated DEM generation from HRSIs.

Liver stiffness plus platelet count can be used to exclude high-risk oesophageal varices.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Nik S; Nguyen, Tin; Iser, David M; Hong, Thai; Flanagan, Emma; Wong, Avelyn; Luiz, Lauren; Tan, Jonathan Y C; Fulforth, James; Holmes, Jacinta; Ryan, Marno; Bell, Sally J; Desmond, Paul V; Roberts, Stuart K; Lubel, John; Kemp, William; Thompson, Alexander J

2016-02-01

Endoscopic screening for high-risk gastro-oesophageal varices (GOV) is recommended for compensated cirrhotic patients with transient elastography identifying increasing numbers of patients with cirrhosis without portal hypertension. Using liver stiffness measurement (LSM) ± platelet count, the aim was to develop a simple clinical rule to exclude the presence of high-risk GOV in patients with Child-Pugh A cirrhosis. A retrospective analysis of 71 patients with Child-Pugh A cirrhosis diagnosed by transient elastography (LSM >13.6 kPa) who underwent screening gastroscopy was conducted. A predictive model using LSM ± platelet count was assessed to exclude the presence of high-risk GOV (diameter >5 mm and/or the presence of high-risk stigmata) and validated using a second cohort of 200 patients from two independent centres. High-risk GOV were present in 10 (15%) and 16 (8%) of the training and validation cohorts, respectively, which was associated with LSM and Pl count (P < 0.05). A combined model based on LSM and Pl count was more accurate for excluding the presence of high-risk GOV than either alone (training cohort AUROC: 0.87 [0.77-0.96] vs. 0.78 [0.65-0.92] for LSM and 0.71 [0.52-0.90] for platelets) with the combination of LSM ≤25 kPa and Pl ≥100 having a NPV of 100% in both the training and validation cohorts. A total of 107 (39%) patients meet this criterion. The combination of LSM ≤25 kPa and Pl ≥100 can be used in clinical practice to exclude the presence of high-risk GOV in patients with Child-Pugh A cirrhosis. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

WASCAL - West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use Regional Climate Simulations and Land-Atmosphere Simulations for West Africa at DKRZ and elsewhere

Science.gov (United States)

Hamann, Ilse; Arnault, Joel; Bliefernicht, Jan; Klein, Cornelia; Heinzeller, Dominikus; Kunstmann, Harald

2014-05-01

Changing climate and hydro-meteorological boundary conditions are among the most severe challenges to Africa in the 21st century. In particular West Africa faces an urgent need to develop effective adaptation and mitigation strategies to cope with negative impacts on humans and environment due to climate change, increased hydro-meteorological variability and land use changes. To help meet these challenges, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) started an initiative with institutions in Germany and West African countries to establish together a West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL). This activity is accompanied by an establishment of trans-boundary observation networks, an interdisciplinary core research program and graduate research programs on climate change and related issues for strengthening the analytical capabilities of the Science Service Center. A key research activity of the WASCAL Competence Center is the provision of regional climate simulations in a fine spatio-temporal resolution for the core research sites of WASCAL for the present and the near future. The climate information is needed for subsequent local climate impact studies in agriculture, water resources and further socio-economic sectors. The simulation experiments are performed using regional climate models such as COSMO-CLM, RegCM and WRF and statistical techniques for a further refinement of the projections. The core research sites of WASCAL are located in the Sudanian Savannah belt in Northern Ghana, Southern Burkina Faso and Northern Benin. The climate in this region is semi-arid with six rainy months. Due to the strong population growth in West Africa, many areas of the Sudanian Savannah have been already converted to farmland since the majority of the people are living directly or indirectly from the income produced in agriculture. The simulation experiments of the Competence Center and the Core Research Program are

Assessing the response of runoff to climate change and human activities for a typical basin in the Northern Taihang Mountain, China

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jinfeng; Gao, Yanchuan; Wang, Sheng

2018-04-01

Climate change and human activities are the two main factors on runoff change. Quantifying the contribution of climate change and human activities on runoff change is important for water resources planning and management. In this study, the variation trend and abrupt change point of hydro-meteorological factors during 1960-2012 were detected by using the Mann-Kendall test and Pettitt change-point statistics. Then the runoff was simulated by SWAT model. The contribution of climate change and human activities on runoff change was calculated based on the SWAT model and the elasticity coefficient method. The results showed that in contrast to the increasing trend for annual temperature, the significant decreasing trends were detected for annual runoff and precipitation, with an abrupt change point in 1982. The simulated results of SWAT had good consistency with observed ones, and the values of R2 and E_{NS} all exceeded 0.75. The two methods used for assessing the contribution of climate change and human activities on runoff reduction yielded consistent results. The contribution of climate change (precipitation reduction and temperature rise) was {˜ }37.5%, while the contribution of human activities (the increase of economic forest and built-up land, hydrologic projects) was {˜ }62.5%.

Pushing Boreal Headwaters: Responses of Dissolved Organic Carbon to Increased Hydro-Meteorological Forcing by Forest Harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Schelker, J.; Grabs, T. J.; Bishop, K. H.; Laudon, H.

2012-12-01

Concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in stream water show large variations as a response to disturbances such as forestry operations. We used a paired catchment experiment in northern Sweden which shows well quantified increases of DOC concentrations and C-exports as a result of forest harvesting. To identify the drivers of these increases, a physically-based process model (Riparian Flow Integration Model, RIM) was used to inversely simulate the DOC availability in the peat-rich riparian soils of the catchments. DOC availability in soils followed a seasonal signal paralleling the seasonality of soil-temperatures (min: February; max: August) during 2005-2011. Further, high-frequency event sampling of DOC during spring and summer seasons of 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively, revealed that event size acted as a secondary control of DOC in streams: Spring snowmelt events (as well as one major event in 2009) showed clockwise hysteresis, whereas minor runoff episodes during summer (when DOC availability in soils was highest) were characterized by a counterclockwise behavior. The higher hydro-meteorological forcing consisting of increases of soil temperature and soil moisture after the forest removal governed additional increases in DOC availability in soils. The higher DOC concentrations observed in streams after forest harvesting can therefore be ascribed to i) the increased climatic forcing comprising higher water flows through riparian soils, ii) increased soil temperatures and soil moisture, respectively, favoring an increased production of DOC, and iii) additional variation by event size. Overall these results underline the large impact of forestry operations on stream water quality as well as DOC exports leaving managed boreal forests. Simulated and measured soil water TOC concentration profiles within the three Balsjö catchments (CC-4 = clear-cut with 67% harvest; NO-5 = 35% harvest; NR-7 = northern reference). The simulated curves represent the

Inkjet Impregnation for Tailoring Air Electrode Microstructure to Improve Solid Oxide Cells Performance

KAUST Repository

Da’as, Eman H.

2015-09-30

The urge to lower the operating temperature of solid oxide cells (SOCs) to the intermediate ranges between 500-700°C motivated the research into impregnation processes, which offer highly efficient SOC air electrodes at low operating temperatures. Lack of controllability and reproducibility of this technique in the conventional way is still considered as an inadequacy for industrialization since it is performed manually. Therefore, inkjet-printing technology was proposed as an adequate approach to perform scalable and controllable impregnation for SOC air electrodes, which in turn leads to low operating temperatures. Composite LSM-ionic conductive air electrodes of weight ratio 1:2 were fabricated by inkjet impregnation of lanthanum strontium manganite (La0.8Sr0.2MnO3) precursor nitrates onto a porous ionic conductive backbone structure. First, porous yttria stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) substrates prepared by tape casting were used to study the influence of the printing parameters on the lateral dispersion and penetration of LSM ink inside the pores. XRD analysis confirmed the formation of LSM phase after calcination at 800°C for 2 h, while SEM revealed the formation of LSM nanostructures. It has been found by optical microscope observations that the spacing between the drops and the substrate temperature have a significant role in controlling the printing process. Next, the optimized printing parameters were applied in the inkjet impregnation of the LSM ink into porous YSZ electrodes that were spin coated on both sides of dense YSZ layers. LSM-YSZ composite air electrodes achieved an area specific resistance (ASR) of around 0.29 Ω.cm2 at 700°C. The performance of LSM-YSZ composite electrodes was influenced by the microstructure and the thickness, and by the electrode/electrolyte interface characteristics. As a result, the enhancement in LSM-YSZ composite electrode performance was observed due to the better percolation in LSM, YSZ and oxygen diffusion. Finally

Potential bioactivity and association of 17β-estradiol with the dissolved and colloidal fractions of manure and soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chambers, Katrin B.; Casey, Francis X.M.; Hakk, Heldur; DeSutter, Thomas M.; Shappell, Nancy W.

2014-01-01

The dissolved (DF) and colloidal fractions (CF) of soil and manure play an important role in the environmental fate and transport of steroidal estrogens. The first objective of this study was to quantify the association of 17β-estradiol (E2) with the DF and CF isolated from (i) liquid swine manure (LSM), (ii) a soil:water mixture (soil), and (iii) a LSM:soil:water mixture (Soil + LSM). The appropriate CF and DF size fractions of the Soil, Soil + LSM, and LSM media were obtained by first filtering through a 0.45 μm filter, which provided the combined DF and CF (DF/CF). The DF/CF from the three media was spiked with carbon-14 ([ 14 C]) radiolabeled E2 ([ 14 C]-E2), and then ultrafiltered to isolate the CF (< 0.45 μm and > 1 kDa) from the DF (< 1 kDa). The average recoveries of the [ 14 C] associated with the DF were 67%–72%, 67%–79%, and 76%–78% for the Soil, Soil + LSM and LSM, respectively. For the CF that was retained on the 1 kDa filter, organic carbon and [ 14 C]-E2 were dislodged with subsequent water rinses the Soil + LSM and LSM, but not the Soil. The second objective was to evaluate whether the E2 associated with the various fractions of the different media could still bind the estrogen receptor using an E2 receptor (17β-ER) competitor assay, which allowed E2 equivalent concentrations to be determined. The estrogen receptor assay results indicated that E2 present in the DF of the Soil and Soil + LSM solutions could still bind the estrogen receptor. Results from this study indicated that E2 preferentially associated with the DF of soil and manure, which may enhance its dissolved advective transport in surface and subsurface water. Furthermore, this study indicated that E2 associated with DF solutions in the environment could potentially induce endocrine responses through its interactions with estrogen receptor. - Highlights: • Dissolved and colloidal sized fractions were filtered from swine manure and soil. • Estrogen preferred the dissolved

Assessment of impact factors on shear wave based liver stiffness measurement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ling, Wenwu, E-mail: lingwenwubing@163.com [Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041 (China); Lu, Qiang, E-mail: wsluqiang@126.com [Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041 (China); Quan, Jierong, E-mail: quanjierong@163.com [Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041 (China); Ma, Lin, E-mail: malin2010US@163.com [Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041 (China); Luo, Yan, E-mail: huaxiluoyan@gmail.com [Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041 (China)

2013-02-15

Shear wave based ultrasound elastographies have been implemented as non-invasive methods for quantitative assessment of liver stiffness. Nonetheless, there are only a few studies that have investigated impact factors on liver stiffness measurement (LSM). Moreover, standard examination protocols for LSM are still lacking in clinical practice. Our study aimed to assess the impact factors on LSM to establish its standard examination protocols in clinical practice. We applied shear wave based elastography point quantification (ElastPQ) in 21 healthy individuals to determine the impact of liver location (segments I–VIII), breathing phase (end-inspiration and end-expiration), probe position (sub-costal and inter-costal position) and examiner on LSM. Additional studies in 175 healthy individuals were also performed to determine the influence of gender and age on liver stiffness. We found significant impact of liver location on LSM, while the liver segment V displayed the lowest coefficient of variation (CV 21%). The liver stiffness at the end-expiration was significantly higher than that at the end-inspiration (P = 2.1E−05). The liver stiffness was 8% higher in men than in women (3.8 ± 0.7 kPa vs. 3.5 ± 0.4 kPa, P = 0.0168). In contrast, the liver stiffness was comparable in the different probe positions, examiners and age groups (P > 0.05). In conclusion, this study reveals significant impact from liver location, breathing phase and gender on LSM, while furthermore strengthening the necessity for the development of standard examination protocols on LSM.

Food shopping transition: socio-economic characteristics and motivations associated with use of supermarkets in a North African urban environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Tessier, Sophie; Traissac, Pierre; Bricas, Nicolas; Maire, Bernard; Eymard-Duvernay, Sabrina; El Ati, Jalila; Delpeuch, Francis

2010-09-01

In the context of the nutrition transition and associated changes in the food retail sector, to examine the socio-economic characteristics and motivations of shoppers using different retail formats (large supermarkets (LSM), medium-sized supermarkets (MSM) or traditional outlets) in Tunisia. Cross-sectional survey (2006). Socio-economic status, type of food retailer and motivations data were collected during house visits. Associations between socio-economic factors and type of retailer were assessed by multinomial regression; correspondence analysis was used to analyse declared motivations. Peri-urban area around Tunis, Tunisia, North Africa. Clustered random sample of 724 households. One-third of the households used LSM, two-thirds used either type of supermarket, but less than 5 % used supermarkets only. Those who shopped for food at supermarkets were of higher socio-economic status; those who used LSM were much wealthier, more often had a steady income or owned a credit card, while MSM users were more urban and had a higher level of education. Most households still frequently used traditional outlets, mostly their neighbourhood grocer. Reasons given for shopping at the different retailers were most markedly leisure for LSM, while for the neighbourhood grocer the reasons were fidelity, proximity and availability of credit (the latter even more for lower-income customers). The results pertain to the transition in food shopping practices in a south Mediterranean country; they should be considered in the context of growing inequalities in health linked to the nutritional transition, as they differentiate use and motivations for the choice of supermarkets v. traditional food retailers according to socio-economic status.

Using the adaptive cycle in climate-risk insurance to design resilient futures

Science.gov (United States)

Cremades, R.; Surminski, S.; Máñez Costa, M.; Hudson, P.; Shrivastava, P.; Gascoigne, J.

2018-01-01

Assessing the dynamics of resilience could help insurers and governments reduce the costs of climate-risk insurance schemes and secure future insurability in the face of an increase in extreme hydro-meteorological events related to climate change.

Understanding Land Cover Changes in the Italian Alps and Romanian Carpathians Combining Remote Sensing and Stakeholder Interviews

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Žiga Malek

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In the last two decades, socio-economic changes in Europe have had a significant effect on land cover changes, but it is unclear how this has affected mountain areas. We focus on two mountain areas: the eastern Italian Alps and the Romanian Curvature Carpathians. We classified land cover from Earth observation data after 1989 by using applied remote sensing techniques. We also analyzed socio-economic data and conducted semi-structured interviews with local stakeholders. In Italy, most of the land conversion processes followed long-term trends. In Romania, they took off with the sudden political changes after 1989. In both areas, forest expansion was the biggest, but potentially not the most consequential change. More consequential changes were urbanization in Italy and small-scale deforestation in Romania, since both increased the risk of hydro-meteorological hazards. Stakeholders’ views were an added value to the spatial analysis and vice versa. For example, stakeholders’ explanations resolved the seeming contradiction of decreased economic activity and increased urbanization (Italian site, as a consequence of secondary home building. Furthermore, spatial analysis revealed that urbanization in Romania was less significant with regard to consequences for the wider human-environment system than many stakeholders thought.

Calculation of static characteristics of linear step motors for control rod drives of nuclear reactors - an approximate approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, S.H.; Ivanov, A.A.

1993-01-01

This paper describes an approximate method for calculating the static characteristics of linear step motors (LSM), being developed for control rod drives (CRD) in large nuclear reactors. The static characteristic of such an LSM which is given by the variation of electromagnetic force with armature displacement determines the motor performance in its standing and dynamic modes. The approximate method of calculation of these characteristics is based on the permeance analysis method applied to the phase magnetic circuit of LSM. This is a simple, fast and efficient analytical approach which gives satisfactory results for small stator currents and weak iron saturation, typical to the standing mode of operation of LSM. The method is validated by comparing theoretical results with experimental ones. (Author)

Hybrid Metal/Electrolyte Monolithic Low Temperature SOFCs

Science.gov (United States)

2004-10-15

ScSz system. • Modeling and simulation of steady state heat transfer and temperature distribution in externally insulated hybrid LCA fuel cell stack...amorphous LSM powder derived from the GNP was then annealed at 800oC for 4 hours to form the perovskite structure, as determined by X-ray diffraction...analysis. The perovskite LSM powder was then ball milled with YSZ in weight ratio of LSM:YSZ= 60:40, together with proper amount of an organic

Elaboration, characterisation and modelling of screen-printed La0.8Sr0.2MnO{sub 3} cathodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell; Elaboration, caracterisation et modelisation de cathode serigraphiee, La0.8Sr0.2MnO3, pour pile a combustible SOFC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caillol, N.

2006-03-15

The properties of LSM screen-printed cathodes on YSZ electrolytes and the modelling of oxygen reduction have been studied. A bibliographic review of published works on LSM and LSM/YSZ interface reveals the lack of consensus over the mechanism proposed between oxygen and LSM. The different theoretic models possible and their associated kinetic laws are presented to serve as the basis for the kinetic modelling. Microstructural characterizations proved the adaptability of the screen-printing technique for making electrodes. The layers are stable in time and well reproducible. Their microstructure is homogenous and regular with a porosity of 0.6. Physico-chemical characterizations were carried out. Infra-red spectrometry analysis and thermo-programmed desorption have shown the existence of different kinds of oxygen-adsorbed species on LSM powder. A calorimetric study has revealed a change in the quantity of heat released during oxygen adsorption as a function of temperature. By XPS analysis on screen-printed layers, important strontium segregation was observed depending on pressure, temperature and polarisation conditions. From electrochemical characterizations made by impedance spectroscopy, three resistive contributions have been identified. Only the low frequency contribution, which is the only pressure sensitive contribution, was considered to correspond to an electrode phenomenon. Following a methodical study of the different modelling hypothesis, a mechanism for the cathodic reaction was obtained. The proposed model is complex. It is composed of three conductivity paths running in parallel (two surface paths and one bulk path). These paths involve two different oxygen species and their preponderance depends on pressure, temperature and polarisation conditions. A study of water vapour influence completes this work, to understand its impact on the cathode electrical performance. The benefits brought by water vapour are not linked to a direct catalytic effect, as it

Application of Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) accelerators to the Pleim-Xiu land surface scheme

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Melin; Huang, Bormin; Huang, Allen H.

2015-10-01

The land-surface model (LSM) is one physics process in the weather research and forecast (WRF) model. The LSM includes atmospheric information from the surface layer scheme, radiative forcing from the radiation scheme, and precipitation forcing from the microphysics and convective schemes, together with internal information on the land's state variables and land-surface properties. The LSM is to provide heat and moisture fluxes over land points and sea-ice points. The Pleim-Xiu (PX) scheme is one LSM. The PX LSM features three pathways for moisture fluxes: evapotranspiration, soil evaporation, and evaporation from wet canopies. To accelerate the computation process of this scheme, we employ Intel Xeon Phi Many Integrated Core (MIC) Architecture as it is a multiprocessor computer structure with merits of efficient parallelization and vectorization essentials. Our results show that the MIC-based optimization of this scheme running on Xeon Phi coprocessor 7120P improves the performance by 2.3x and 11.7x as compared to the original code respectively running on one CPU socket (eight cores) and on one CPU core with Intel Xeon E5-2670.

Memory effect of calcined layered samarium hydroxy chlorides in aqueous solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Byung Il; Byeon, Song Ho

2015-01-01

The decomposition and recovery behavior of layered samarium hydroxychloride (Sm 2 (OH) 5 Cl·nH 2 O, LSmH) has been closely studied in various conditions. Although the heat treatment of LSmH at 700 °C completely collapsed typical layered structure, the calcined LSmH (c-LSmH) recovered its layered characteristics and consequently its ability to intercalate anions into the interlayer space when it was rehydroxylated and rehydrated in aqueous solutions containing organic and inorganic anions. This phenomenon is similar to the memory effect observed in classical layered double hydroxides (LDHs), where LDHs calcined to a mixture of metal oxides can recover their layered structures in aqueous solutions. In contrast, the recovery reaction of c-LSmH in water without any counter anions was unsuccessful and instead resulted in the formation of Sm(OH) 3 . Such a difference was interpreted on the basis of the salt effect on Sm 2 (OH) 5 Cl·nH 2 O–Sm(OH) 3 phase equilibria in water

Structural, morphological and thermal properties of La1-xSrxMnO3 (x = 0.15 and 0.22) prepared by the polymeric precursor method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macedo, D.A; Cela, B.; Carvalho, W.M.; Martinelli, A.E.; Nascimento, R.M.; Paskocimas, C.A.

2009-01-01

Strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (La1 -x Sr x MnO 3 or LSM) is traditionally the most used material for cathodes in high temperature solid oxide fuel cell (800 deg C). This material shows excellent electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction and is chemical and thermal stable with the yttria-stabilized zirconia electrolyte (YSZ). In this work La 0.85 Sr 0.15 MnO 3 (LSM 15) and La 0.78 Sr 0.22 MnO 3 (LSM 22) were prepared by the polymeric precursor method, calcinated at 700 deg C for 2 h and characterized by X-ray diffraction, particle size analysis, scanning electronic microscopy and compacts' dilatometry. The synthesis method used provided the attainment of nanopowders with perovskite structure and particles sizes below 100 nm. The thermal expansion coefficients of LSM 15 and LSM 22 were found to be 12.2 x 10 -6 deg C -1 and 11.7 x 10 -6 deg C -1 respectively, which are very close to that of the YSZ. (author)

Effects of Groundwater Dynamics on Hydrometeorological Conditions over South America: Analysis of Offline NoahMP and Fully-coupled WRF-NoahMP Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Agudelo, J. A.; Dominguez, F.; Miguez-Macho, G.

2014-12-01

Renalysis data suggests that nearly 20% of the atmospheric moisture over the La Plata basin comes from Amazonian Evapotranspiration (ET). However, these estimates of ET are model dependent. Simulations using land-surface models (LSMs) in off-line mode (i.e. with prescribed atmospheric forcing) have shown that Amazonian ET depends on the groundwater dynamics. In this study we use the NoahMP LSM in off-line mode and the coupled system WRF-NoahMP to assess the role of groundwater on South American ET. In particular, we study the role of the groundwater in sustaining ET during the dry season in the southern Amazon and the La Plata basin. We compare simulations that do not account for the groundwater reservoir (free drainage approach) with simulations that include the Miguez-Macho and Fan parameterization to represent the groundwater storage, its lateral flow, and its interaction with the unsaturated zone. The off-line simulations show the effects associated solely with groundwater dynamics (as opposed to coupled land-atmosphere processes), while the coupled simulations provide information about the regulation and/or response from the atmosphere. Preliminary results from the coupled system suggest that the largest effects of the groundwater on ET are observed during the austral dry season. ET is larger over regions of Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina when groundwater is included, due to the existence of a relatively shallow water table over these regions, which via upward capillary fluxes reduces drainage during the rainy season and increases soil moisture availability in the dry season. These differences in the simulated ET could have an impact on the estimates of the transport of atmospheric moisture to La Plata basin.

A prediction model for the grade of liver fibrosis using magnetic resonance elastography.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitsuka, Yusuke; Midorikawa, Yutaka; Abe, Hayato; Matsumoto, Naoki; Moriyama, Mitsuhiko; Haradome, Hiroki; Sugitani, Masahiko; Tsuji, Shingo; Takayama, Tadatoshi

2017-11-28

Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) has recently become available for assessment of liver fibrosis. We aimed to develop a prediction model for liver fibrosis using clinical variables, including LSM. We performed a prospective study to compare liver fibrosis grade with fibrosis score. LSM was measured using magnetic resonance elastography in 184 patients that underwent liver resection, and liver fibrosis grade was diagnosed histologically after surgery. Using the prediction model established in the training group, we validated the classification accuracy in the independent test group. First, we determined a cut-off value for stratifying fibrosis grade using LSM in 122 patients in the training group, and correctly diagnosed fibrosis grades of 62 patients in the test group with a total accuracy of 69.3%. Next, on least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis in the training group, LSM (r = 0.687, P prediction model. This prediction model applied to the test group correctly diagnosed 32 of 36 (88.8%) Grade I (F0 and F1) patients, 13 of 18 (72.2%) Grade II (F2 and F3) patients, and 7 of 8 (87.5%) Grade III (F4) patients in the test group, with a total accuracy of 83.8%. The prediction model based on LSM, ICGR15, and platelet count can accurately and reproducibly predict liver fibrosis grade.

Correlation of liver stiffness measured by FibroScan with sex and age in healthy adults undergoing physical examination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ZHAO Chongshan

2016-04-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveTo determine the reference range of liver stiffness in healthy population, and to investigate the influence of age and sex on liver stiffness. MethodsA total of 1794 healthy subjects who underwent physical examination in China National Petroleum Corporation Central Hospital from October 1, 2012 to October 31, 2014 were enrolled, and FibroScan was used to perform liver stiffness measurement (LSM. Since LSM value was not normally distributed, the Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare LSM value between male and female patients, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare LSM value between different age groups, and the Spearman's rank correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between LSM value and age. The one-sided percentile method was used to determine the range of normal reference values in male and female subjects or in different age groups. ResultsLSM was successfully performed in 1590 patients, and the rate of successful measurement was 88.63%. A total of 107 patients were excluded due to abnormal liver enzymes. The analysis showed that LSM value showed a significant difference between male and female subjects (Z=-4.980, P＜0.001, as well as between different age groups (χ2=16.983, P=0.001. Age was positively correlated with LSM value (r=0.087, P=0.001. The reference range was estimated to be ≤7.1 kPa in adults, ≤7.0 kPa in females, and ≤7.2 kPa in males. From the perspective of age, the reference range was estimated to be ≤6.8 kPa in persons aged 20-29 years, ≤6.7 kPa in persons aged 30-44 years, ≤7.8 kPa in persons aged 45-59 years, and ≤8.8 kPa in persons aged 60-74 years. ConclusionLiver stiffness value is influenced by sex and age. Sex and age should be taken into account while performing liver stiffness measurement in healthy subjects.

Functionally Graded Cathodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lei Yang; Ze Liu; Shizhone Wang; Jaewung Lee; Meilin Liu

2008-01-01

The main objective of this DOE project is to demonstrate that the performance and long-term stability of the state-of-the-art LSCF cathode can be enhanced by a catalytically active coating (e.g., LSM or SSC). We have successfully developed a methodology for reliably evaluating the intrinsic surface catalytic properties of cathode materials. One of the key components of the test cell is a dense LSCF film, which will function as the current collector for the electrode material under evaluation to eliminate the effect of ionic and electronic transport. Since it is dense, the effect of geometry would be eliminated as well. From the dependence of the electrode polarization resistance on the thickness of a dense LSCF electrode and on partial pressure of oxygen, we have confirmed that the surface catalytic activity of LSCF limits the performances of LSCF-based cathodes. Further, we have demonstrated, using test cells of different configurations, that the performance of LSCF-based electrodes can be significantly enhanced by infiltration of a thin film of LSM or SSC. In addition, the stability of LSCF-based cathodes was also improved by infiltration of LSM or SSC. While the concept feasibility of the electrode architecture is demonstrated, many details are yet to be determined. For example, it is not clear how the surface morphology, composition, and thickness of the coatings change under operating conditions over time, how these changes influence the electrochemical behavior of the cathodes, and how to control the microscopic details of the coatings in order to optimize the performance. The selection of the catalytic materials as well as the detailed microstructures of the porous LSCF and the catalyst layer may critically impact the performance of the proposed cathodes. Further, other fundamental questions still remain; it is not clear why the degradation rates of LSCF cathodes are relatively high, why a LSM coating improves the stability of LSCF cathodes, which catalysts

Health-related quality of life and disease symptoms in postmenopausal women with HR(+), HER2(-) advanced breast cancer treated with everolimus plus exemestane versus exemestane monotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Campone, Mario; Beck, J Thaddeus; Gnant, Michael; Neven, Patrick; Pritchard, Kathleen I; Bachelot, Thomas; Provencher, Louise; Rugo, Hope S; Piccart, Martine; Hortobagyi, Gabriel N; Nunzi, Martina; Heng, Daniel Y C; Baselga, José; Komorowski, Anna; Noguchi, Shinzaburo; Horiguchi, Jun; Bennett, Lee; Ziemiecki, Ryan; Zhang, Jie; Cahana, Ayelet; Taran, Tetiana; Sahmoud, Tarek; Burris, Howard A

2013-11-01

Everolimus (EVE)+exemestane (EXE; n = 485) more than doubled median progression-free survival versus placebo (PBO) + EXE (n = 239), with a manageable safety profile and no deterioration in health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) in patients with hormone-receptor-positive (HR(+)) advanced breast cancer (ABC) who recurred or progressed on/after nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor (NSAI) therapy. To further evaluate EVE + EXE impact on disease burden, we conducted additional post-hoc analyses of patient-reported HRQOL. HRQOL was assessed using EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires at baseline and every 6 weeks thereafter until treatment discontinuation because of disease progression, toxicity, or consent withdrawal. Endpoints included the QLQ-C30 Global Health Status (QL2) scale, the QLQ-BR23 breast symptom (BRBS), and arm symptom (BRAS) scales. Between-group differences in change from baseline were assessed using linear mixed models with selected covariates. Sensitivity analysis using pattern-mixture models determined the effect of study discontinuation on/before week 24. Treatment arms were compared using differences of least squares mean (LSM) changes from baseline and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) at each timepoint and overall. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00863655. Progression-free survival, survival, response rate, safety, and HRQOL. Linear mixed models (primary model) demonstrated no statistically significant overall difference between EVE + EXE and PBO + EXE for QL2 (LSM difference = -1.91; 95% CI = -4.61, 0.78), BRBS (LSM difference = -0.18; 95% CI = -1.98, 1.62), or BRAS (LSM difference = -0.42; 95% CI = -2.94, 2.10). Based on pattern-mixture models, patients who dropped out early had worse QL2 decline on both treatments. In the expanded pattern-mixture model, EVE + EXE-treated patients who did not drop out early had stable BRBS and BRAS relative to PBO + EXE. HRQOL data were not collected after disease progression. These analyses confirm

Statistical analysis and ANN modeling for predicting hydrological extremes under climate change scenarios: the example of a small Mediterranean agro-watershed.

Science.gov (United States)

Kourgialas, Nektarios N; Dokou, Zoi; Karatzas, George P

2015-05-01

The purpose of this study was to create a modeling management tool for the simulation of extreme flow events under current and future climatic conditions. This tool is a combination of different components and can be applied in complex hydrogeological river basins, where frequent flood and drought phenomena occur. The first component is the statistical analysis of the available hydro-meteorological data. Specifically, principal components analysis was performed in order to quantify the importance of the hydro-meteorological parameters that affect the generation of extreme events. The second component is a prediction-forecasting artificial neural network (ANN) model that simulates, accurately and efficiently, river flow on an hourly basis. This model is based on a methodology that attempts to resolve a very difficult problem related to the accurate estimation of extreme flows. For this purpose, the available measurements (5 years of hourly data) were divided in two subsets: one for the dry and one for the wet periods of the hydrological year. This way, two ANNs were created, trained, tested and validated for a complex Mediterranean river basin in Crete, Greece. As part of the second management component a statistical downscaling tool was used for the creation of meteorological data according to the higher and lower emission climate change scenarios A2 and B1. These data are used as input in the ANN for the forecasting of river flow for the next two decades. The final component is the application of a meteorological index on the measured and forecasted precipitation and flow data, in order to assess the severity and duration of extreme events. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in Average Annual Precipitation in Argentina’s Pampa Region and Their Possible Causes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Pérez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Changes in annual rainfall in five sub-regions of the Argentine Pampa Region (Rolling, Central, Mesopotamian, Flooding and Southern were examined for the period 1941 to 2010 using data from representative locations in each sub-region. Dubious series were adjusted by means of a homogeneity test and changes in mean value were evaluated using a hydrometeorological time series segmentation method. In addition, an association was sought between shifts in mean annual rainfall and changes in large-scale atmospheric pressure systems, as measured by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO and the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI. The results indicate that the Western Pampas (Central and Southern are more vulnerable to abrupt changes in average annual rainfall than the Eastern Pampas (Mesopotamian, Rolling and Flooding. Their vulnerability is further increased by their having the lowest average rainfall. The AMO showed significant negative correlations with all sub-regions, while the PDO and SOI showed significant positive and negative correlations respectively with the Central, Flooding and Southern Pampa. The fact that the PDO and AMO are going through the phases of their cycles that tend to reduce rainfall in much of the Pampas helps explain the lower rainfall recorded in the Western Pampas sub-regions in recent years. This has had a significant impact on agriculture and the environment.

Performance tests of snow-related variables over the Tibetan Plateau and Himalayas using a new version of NASA GEOS-5 land surface model that includes the snow darkening effect

Science.gov (United States)

Yasunari, T. J.; Lau, W. K.; Koster, R. D.; Suarez, M.; Mahanama, S. P.; da Silva, A.; Colarco, P. R.

2011-12-01

The snow darkening effect, i.e. the reduction of snow albedo, is caused by absorption of solar radiation by absorbing aerosols (dust, black carbon, and organic carbon) deposited on the snow surface. This process is probably important over Himalayan and Tibetan glaciers due to the transport of highly polluted Atmospheric Brown Cloud (ABC) from the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). This effect has been incorporated into the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System model, version 5 (GEOS-5) atmospheric transport model. The Catchment land surface model (LSM) used in GEOS-5 considers 3 snow layers. Code was developed to track the mass concentration of aerosols in the three layers, taking into account such processes as the flushing of the compounds as liquid water percolates through the snowpack. In GEOS-5, aerosol emissions, transports, and depositions are well simulated in the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) module; we recently made the connection between GOCART and the GEOS-5 system fitted with the revised LSM. Preliminary simulations were performed with this new system in "replay" mode (i.e., with atmospheric dynamics guided by reanalysis) at 2x2.5 degree horizontal resolution, covering the period 1 November 2005 - 31 December 2009; we consider the final three years of simulation here. The three simulations used the following variants of the LSM: (1) the original Catchment LSM with a fixed fresh snowfall density of 150 kg m-3; (2) the LSM fitted with the new snow albedo code, used here without aerosol deposition but with changes in density formulation and melting water effect on snow specific surface area, (3) the LSM fitted with the new snow albedo code as same as (2) but with fixed aerosol deposition rates (computed from GOCART values averaged over the Tibetan Plateau domain [lon.: 60-120E; lat.: 20-50N] during March-May 2008) applied to all grid points at every time step. For (2) and (3), the same setting on the fresh snowfall density as in (1) was

High Performance Infiltrated Backbones for Cathode-Supported SOFC's

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gil, Vanesa; Kammer Hansen, Kent

2014-01-01

The concept of using highly ionic conducting backbones with subsequent infiltration of electronically conducting particles has widely been used to develop alternative anode-supported SOFC's. In this work, the idea was to develop infiltrated backbones as an alternative design based on cathode......, microstructural characterization and electrochemical testing are discussed. Data on polarization resistance, Rp, are obtained from impedance spectra recorded on quasi-symmetrical cells (YSZ backbones/YSZ/LSM-YSZ (screen printed)). The backbones are infiltrated with LSM and compared to a standard LSM-YSZ screen...

Lanthanum manganate based cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Juhl Joergensen, M.

2001-07-01

Composite cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells were investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The aim was to study the oxygen reduction process in the electrode in order to minimise the voltage drop in the cathode. The electrodes contained a composite layer made from lanthanum strontium manganate (LSM) and yttria stabilised zirconia (YSZ) and a layer of pure LSM aimed for current collection. The performance of the composite electrodes was sensitive to microstructure and thickness. Further, the interface between the composite and the current collecting layer proved to affect the performance. In a durability study severe deg-radation of the composite electrodes was found when passing current through the electrode for 2000 hours at 1000 deg. C. This was ascribed to pore formation along the composite interfaces and densification of the composite and current collector microstructure. An evaluation of the measurement approach indicated that impedance spectroscopy is a very sensitive method. This affects the reproducibility, as small undesirable variations in for instance the microstructure from electrode to electrode may change the impedance. At least five processes were found to affect the impedance of LSM/YSZ composite electrodes. Two high frequency processes were ascribed to transport of oxide ions/oxygen intermediates across LSM/YSZ interfaces and through YSZ in the composite. Several competitive elementary reaction steps, which appear as one medium frequency process in the impedance spectra, were observed. A low frequency arc related to gas diffusion limitation in a stagnant gas layer above the composite structure was detected. Finally, an inductive process, assumed to be connected to an activation process involving segregates at the triple phase boundary between electrode, electrolyte and gas phase, was found. (au)

Uncertainties in assessing climate change impacts on the hydrology of Mediterranean basins

Science.gov (United States)

Ludwig, Ralf

2013-04-01

subsequent variety of management options and adaptation strategies. Therefore, the 4-year FP7-project CLIMB (Climate induced changes on the hydrology of Mediterranean basins, GA: 244151) includes a major focus on the assessment and quantification of uncertainties. First, CLIMB employs a rigorous climate change model analysis, auditing the Global and Regional Climate Model data available through the ENSEMBLES and PRUDENCE initiatives. The audits lead to select the best regional performers as compared to observed values during the climatic reference period (1971- 2000). Specific bias correction and downscaling procedures are applied to provide the driving inputs and meet the demands of the subsequent impact models, transferring a future climate signal (2041-2070) into hydrological quantities at the catchment or landscape scale. However, very limited quantitative knowledge is as yet available about the role of hydrological model complexity for climate change impact assessment, where predictive power becomes more and more important and raises the demand for process-based and spatially explicit model types. Thus, CLIMB uses hydrological model ensembles to analyze the performance of existing models and works to identify the appropriate level of model complexity, and thus to determine the data specifications required to provide robust results in a climate change context. The presentation focuses on the CLIMB multi-level strategy to uncertainty assessment and highlights latest findings in some of the seven CLIMB case studies. In particular, the presentation will demonstrate the current constraints of hydro-meteorological data availability and processing and searches for solutions that can eventually be provided by integrating hydro-meteorology and ICT research communities.

Uncertainty in projected point precipitation extremes for hydrological impact analysis of climate change

Science.gov (United States)

Van Uytven, Els; Willems, Patrick

2017-04-01

Current trends in the hydro-meteorological variables indicate the potential impact of climate change on hydrological extremes. Therefore, they trigger an increased importance climate adaptation strategies in water management. The impact of climate change on hydro-meteorological and hydrological extremes is, however, highly uncertain. This is due to uncertainties introduced by the climate models, the internal variability inherent to the climate system, the greenhouse gas scenarios and the statistical downscaling methods. In view of the need to define sustainable climate adaptation strategies, there is a need to assess these uncertainties. This is commonly done by means of ensemble approaches. Because more and more climate models and statistical downscaling methods become available, there is a need to facilitate the climate impact and uncertainty analysis. A Climate Perturbation Tool has been developed for that purpose, which combines a set of statistical downscaling methods including weather typing, weather generator, transfer function and advanced perturbation based approaches. By use of an interactive interface, climate impact modelers can apply these statistical downscaling methods in a semi-automatic way to an ensemble of climate model runs. The tool is applicable to any region, but has been demonstrated so far to cases in Belgium, Suriname, Vietnam and Bangladesh. Time series representing future local-scale precipitation, temperature and potential evapotranspiration (PET) conditions were obtained, starting from time series of historical observations. Uncertainties on the future meteorological conditions are represented in two different ways: through an ensemble of time series, and a reduced set of synthetic scenarios. The both aim to span the full uncertainty range as assessed from the ensemble of climate model runs and downscaling methods. For Belgium, for instance, use was made of 100-year time series of 10-minutes precipitation observations and daily

Assessment of the sealing system of an ilw transport container in a 9m regulatory impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sievwright, R.W.T.; Gray, I.L.S.; Bernasconi, D.J.; McGuinn, P.; Tso, C.F.

1998-01-01

UK Nirex Ltd is developing a range of reusable shielded transport containers (RSTCs) to ensure the safe transport of immobilised intermediate level waste to a future UK deep repository for disposal. The RSTCs use an inset lid for mechanical strength and radiation shielding, but the containment boundary is provided by a separate lid seal member (LSM). The LSM is a semi-flexible steel diaphragm surrounded by a rim which carries a double O-ring seal. The LSM rim is clamped to a flat mating surface on the container body. A finite element model has been developed for an RSTC with a wall thickness of 285 mm, in order to assess its containment performance in 9m regulatory drop tests (IAEA 1996). The challenge was to predict the size of small gaps that might appear between the LSM rim and the RSTC body seal face ; this level of detail would be 1-2 orders of magnitude smaller than the displacements experienced in the impact zone. The model was first validated against a series of one-third scale model drop tests of the RSTC. The validated model was then analysed for 9m regulatory impacts in the six worst impact attitudes. The behavior of the LSM was assessed for each attitude and the seal face (gaps) between the LSM and the body were determined. Although small gaps of about 0.5 mm are predicted, it is likely that containment would be preserved. (authors)

Mathematical modeling of current density distribution in composite cathode of solid oxide fuel cells. Paper no. IGEC-1-099

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenney, B.; Karan, K.

2005-01-01

Cathodes processes in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) are thought to dominate the overall electrochemical losses. One strategy for minimizing the cathode electrochemical losses in a state-of-the-art SOFC that utilize lanthanum-strontium-manganate (LSM) electrocatalyst and yttria-stabilized-zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte is to utilize composite cathodes comprising a mixture of LSM and YSZ. Composite cathodes improve performance by extending the active reaction zone from electrolyte-electrode interface to throughout the electrode. In this study, a two-dimensional composite cathode model was developed to assess cathode performance in terms of current density distributions. The model results indicate that geometric and microstructural parameters strongly influence current density distribution. In addition electrode composition affects magnitude and distribution of current. An optimum composition for equal-sized LSM/YSZ is 40 vol% LSM and 60 vol% YSZ at 900 o C. (author)

Inclusion of potential vorticity uncertainties into a hydrometeorological forecasting chain: application to a medium size basin of Mediterranean Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Amengual, A.; Romero, R.; Vich, M.; Alonso, S.

2009-06-01

The improvement of the short- and mid-range numerical runoff forecasts over the flood-prone Spanish Mediterranean area is a challenging issue. This work analyses four intense precipitation events which produced floods of different magnitude over the Llobregat river basin, a medium size catchment located in Catalonia, north-eastern Spain. One of them was a devasting flash flood - known as the "Montserrat" event - which produced 5 fatalities and material losses estimated at about 65 million euros. The characterization of the Llobregat basin's hydrological response to these floods is first assessed by using rain-gauge data and the Hydrologic Engineering Center's Hydrological Modeling System (HEC-HMS) runoff model. In second place, the non-hydrostatic fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University/NCAR mesoscale model (MM5) is nested within the ECMWF large-scale forecast fields in a set of 54 h period simulations to provide quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPFs) for each hydrometeorological episode. The hydrological model is forced with these QPFs to evaluate the reliability of the resulting discharge forecasts, while an ensemble prediction system (EPS) based on perturbed atmospheric initial and boundary conditions has been designed to test the value of a probabilistic strategy versus the previous deterministic approach. Specifically, a Potential Vorticity (PV) Inversion technique has been used to perturb the MM5 model initial and boundary states (i.e. ECMWF forecast fields). For that purpose, a PV error climatology has been previously derived in order to introduce realistic PV perturbations in the EPS. Results show the benefits of using a probabilistic approach in those cases where the deterministic QPF presents significant deficiencies over the Llobregat river basin in terms of the rainfall amounts, timing and localization. These deficiences in precipitation fields have a major impact on flood forecasts. Our ensemble strategy has been found useful to reduce the

High Performance Infiltrated Backbones for Cathode-Supported SOFC's

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gil, Vanesa; Kammer Hansen, Kent

2014-01-01

A four-step infiltration method has been developed to infiltrate La0.75Sr0.25MnO3+δ (LSM25) nanoparticles into porous structures (YSZ or LSM-YSZ backbones). The pore size distribution in the backbones is obtained either by using PMMA and/or graphites as pore formers or by leaching treatment of sa...... of samples with Ni remained in the YSZ structure at high temperatures. All impregnated backbones, presented Rs comparable to a standard screen printed cathode, which proves that LSM nanoparticles forms a pathway for electron conduction....

Morphology Control of the Electrode for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells by Using Nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukui, Takehisa; Ohara, Satoshi; Naito, Makio; Nogi, Kiyoshi

2001-01-01

LSM(La(Sr)MnO 3 )/YSZ(Y 2 O 3 stabilized ZrO 2 ) composite cathode for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) was fabricated by using the composite particle consisting of well-dispersed nano-size grains of LSM and YSZ. The composite cathode had a porous structure as well as uniformly dispersed fine LSM and YSZ grains. Such unique morphology of the composite cathode led high electrochemical activity at 800 deg. C. It suggests that the intermediate temperature (less than 800 o C) operation of SOFCs will be achieved by using composite particles

Comparison of Liver Biopsy and Transient Elastography based on Clinical Relevance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryota Masuzaki

2008-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Liver stiffness measurement (LSM by transient elastography has recently been validated for the evaluation of liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases. The present study focused on cases in which liver biopsy and LSM were discordant.

Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations: Bringing Science and Decision-Makers Together to Explore Use of Hydrometeorological Forecasts to Support Future Reservoir Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Ralph, F. M.; Jasperse, J.

2017-12-01

Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) is a proposed strategy that is exploring inorporation of improved hydrometeorological forecasts of land-falling atmospheric rivers on the U.S. West Coast into reservoir operations. The first testbed for this strategy is Lake Mendocino, which is located in the East Fork of the 1485 mi2 Russian River Watershed in northern California. This project is guided by the Lake Mendocino FIRO Steering Committee (SC). The SC is an ad hoc committee that consists of water managers and scientists from several federal, state, and local agencies, and universities who have teamed to evaluate whether current or improved technology and scientific understanding can be utilized to improve water supply reliability, enhance flood mitigation and support recovery of listed salmon for the Russian River of northern California. In 2015, the SC created a detailed work plan, which included a Preliminary Viability Assessment, which has now been completed. The SC developed a vision that operational efficiency would be improved by using forecasts to inform decisions about releasing or storing water. FIRO would use available reservoir storage in an efficient manner by (1) better forecasting inflow (or lack of inflow) with enhanced technology, and (2) adapting operation in real time to meet the need for storage, rather than making storage available just in case it is needed. The envisioned FIRO strategy has the potential to simultaneously improve water supply reliability, flood protection, and ecosystem outcomes through a more efficient use of existing infrastructure while requiring minimal capital improvements in the physical structure of the dam. This presentation will provide an overview of the creation of the FIRO SC and how it operates, and describes the lessons learned through this partnership. Results in the FIRO Preliminary Viability Assessment will be summarized and next steps described.

Routine implementation costs of larviciding with Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis against malaria vectors in a district in rural Burkina Faso.

Science.gov (United States)

Dambach, Peter; Schleicher, Michael; Stahl, Hans-Christian; Traoré, Issouf; Becker, Norbert; Kaiser, Achim; Sié, Ali; Sauerborn, Rainer

2016-07-22

The key tools in malaria control are early diagnosis and treatment of cases as well as vector control. Current strategies for malaria vector control in sub-Saharan Africa are largely based on long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) and to a much smaller extent on indoor residual spraying (IRS). An additional tool in the fight against malaria vectors, larval source management (LSM), has not been used in sub-Saharan Africa on a wider scale since the abandonment of environmental spraying of DDT. Increasing concerns about limitations of LLINs and IRS and encouraging results from large larvicide-based LSM trials make a strong case for using biological larviciding as a complementary tool to existing control measures. Arguments that are often quoted against such a combined approach are the alleged high implementation costs of LSM. This study makes the first step to test this argument. The implementation costs of larval source management based on Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) (strain AM65-52) spraying under different implementation scenarios were analysed in a rural health district in Burkina Faso. The analysis draws on detailed cost data gathered during a large-scale LSM intervention between 2013 and 2015. All 127 villages in the study setup were assigned to two treatment arms and one control group. Treatment either implied exhaustive spraying of all available water collections or targeted spraying of the 50 % most productive larval sources via remote-sensing derived and entomologically validated risk maps. Based on the cost reports from both intervention arms, the per capita programme costs were calculated under the assumption of covering the whole district with either intervention scenario. Cost calculations have been generalized by providing an adaptable cost formula. In addition, this study assesses the sensitivity of per capita programme costs with respect to changes in the underlying cost components. The average annual per capita costs of

Vildagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitor, improves model-assessed beta-cell function in patients with type 2 diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mari, A; Sallas, W M; He, Y L

2005-01-01

in diabetic patients, suggesting that more sophisticated measures are necessary to ascertain the influence of vildagliptin on beta-cell function. METHODS: This study examined the effects of 28-d treatment with vildagliptin (100 mg, twice daily; n = 9) vs. placebo (n = 11) on beta-cell function in diabetic...... and other factors. RESULTS: Vildagliptin significantly increased the insulin secretory rate at 7 mmol/liter glucose (secretory tone), calculated from the dose response; the difference in least squares mean (deltaLSM) was 101 +/- 51 pmol.min(-1).m(-2) (P = 0.002). The slope of the beta-cell dose response......, the derivative component, and the potentiation factor were not affected. Vildagliptin also significantly decreased mean prandial glucose (deltaLSM, -1.2 +/- 0.4 mmol/liter; P = 0.01) and glucagon (deltaLSM, -10.7 +/- 4.8 ng/liter; P = 0.03) levels and increased plasma levels of intact GLP-1 (deltaLSM, +10...

Assessment of the cathode contribution to the degradation of anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hagen, Anke; Liu, Yi-Lin; Barfod, Rasmus

2008-01-01

The degradation of anode-supported cells was studied over 1500 h as a function of cell polarization either in air or oxygen on the cathode side. Based on impedance analysis, contributions of the anode and cathode to the increase of total resistance were assigned. Accordingly, the degradation rates...... of the cathode were strongly dependent on the pO(2). Microstructural analysis of the cathode/electrolyte interface carried out after removal of the cathode showed craters on the electrolyte surface where the lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM) particles had been located. The changes of shape and size...... of these craters observed after testing correlated with the cell voltage degradation rates. The results can be interpreted in terms of element redistribution at the cathode/electrolyte interface and formation of foreign phases giving rise to a weakening of local contact points of the LSM cathode and yttria...

A Digital Liquid State Machine With Biologically Inspired Learning and Its Application to Speech Recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yong; Li, Peng; Jin, Yingyezhe; Choe, Yoonsuck

2015-11-01

This paper presents a bioinspired digital liquid-state machine (LSM) for low-power very-large-scale-integration (VLSI)-based machine learning applications. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first work that employs a bioinspired spike-based learning algorithm for the LSM. With the proposed online learning, the LSM extracts information from input patterns on the fly without needing intermediate data storage as required in offline learning methods such as ridge regression. The proposed learning rule is local such that each synaptic weight update is based only upon the firing activities of the corresponding presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons without incurring global communications across the neural network. Compared with the backpropagation-based learning, the locality of computation in the proposed approach lends itself to efficient parallel VLSI implementation. We use subsets of the TI46 speech corpus to benchmark the bioinspired digital LSM. To reduce the complexity of the spiking neural network model without performance degradation for speech recognition, we study the impacts of synaptic models on the fading memory of the reservoir and hence the network performance. Moreover, we examine the tradeoffs between synaptic weight resolution, reservoir size, and recognition performance and present techniques to further reduce the overhead of hardware implementation. Our simulation results show that in terms of isolated word recognition evaluated using the TI46 speech corpus, the proposed digital LSM rivals the state-of-the-art hidden Markov-model-based recognizer Sphinx-4 and outperforms all other reported recognizers including the ones that are based upon the LSM or neural networks.

Health-Related Quality of Life among Chronic Opioid Users, Nonchronic Opioid Users, and Nonopioid Users with Chronic Noncancer Pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, Corey J; Li, Xiaocong; Li, Chenghui; Shah, Anuj; Kathe, Niranjan; Bhandari, Naleen Raj; Payakachat, Nalin

2018-02-25

Evaluate the association between opioid therapy and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in participants with chronic, noncancer pain (CNCP). Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Longitudinal, Medical Conditions, and Prescription Files. Using a retrospective cohort study design, the Mental Health Component (MCS12) and Physical Health Component (PCS12) scores of the Short Form-12 Version 2 were assessed to measure mental and physical HRQoL. Chronic, noncancer pain participants were classified as chronic, nonchronic, and nonopioid users. One-to-one propensity score matching was employed to match chronic opioid users to nonchronic opioid users plus nonchronic opioid users and chronic opioid users to nonopioid users. A total of 5,876 participants were identified. After matching, PCS12 was not significantly different between nonchronic versus nonopioid users (LSM Diff = -0.98, 95% CI: -2.07, 0.10), chronic versus nonopioid users (LSM Diff = -2.24, 95% CI: -4.58, 0.10), or chronic versus nonchronic opioid users (LSM Diff = -2.23, 95% CI: -4.53, 0.05). Similarly, MCS12 was not significantly different between nonchronic versus nonopioid users (LSM Diff = 0.76, 95% CI: -0.46, 1.98), chronic versus nonopioid users (LSM Diff = 1.08, 95% CI: -1.26, 3.42), or chronic versus nonchronic opioid users (LSM Diff = -0.57, 95% CI: -2.90, 1.77). Clinicians should evaluate opioid use in participants with CNCP as opioid use is not correlated with better HRQoL. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

The role of land surface fluxes in Saudi-KAU AGCM: Temperature climatology over the Arabian Peninsula for the period 1981-2010

Science.gov (United States)

Ashfaqur Rahman, M.; Almazroui, Mansour; Nazrul Islam, M.; O'Brien, Enda; Yousef, Ahmed Elsayed

2018-02-01

A new version of the Community Land Model (CLM) was introduced to the Saudi King Abdulaziz University Atmospheric Global Climate Model (Saudi-KAU AGCM) for better land surface component representation, and so to enhance climate simulation. CLM replaced the original land surface model (LSM) in Saudi-KAU AGCM, with the aim of simulating more accurate land surface fluxes globally, but especially over the Arabian Peninsula. To evaluate the performance of Saudi-KAU AGCM, simulations were completed with CLM and LSM for the period 1981-2010. In comparison with LSM, CLM generates surface air temperature values that are closer to National Centre for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) observations. The global annual averages of land surface air temperature are 9.51, 9.52, and 9.57 °C for NCEP, CLM, and LSM respectively, although the same atmospheric radiative and surface forcing from Saudi-KAU AGCM are provided to both LSM and CLM at every time step. The better temperature simulations when using CLM can be attributed to the more comprehensive plant functional type and hierarchical tile approach to the land cover type in CLM, along with better parameterization of upward land surface fluxes compared to LSM. At global scale, CLM exhibits smaller annual and seasonal mean biases of temperature with respect to NCEP data. Moreover, at regional scale, CLM demonstrates reasonable seasonal and annual mean temperature over the Arabian Peninsula as compared to the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) data. Finally, CLM generated better matches to single point-wise observations of surface air temperature and surface fluxes for some case studies.

Correlation between atmospheric pressure changes and abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture: results of a single-center study.

Science.gov (United States)

Molacek, Jiri; Treska, Vladislav; Kasik, Miroslav; Houdek, Karel; Baxa, Jan

2013-09-01

There is much interest in all factors that influence the etiopathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture. Apart from the well-established factors such as arterial hypertension, smoking, age, and genetic predisposition, less common factors that may play a role in the mechanism of the rupture are the subject of much discussion. These include atmospheric conditions, temperature, and atmospheric pressure. We conducted this study to investigate the effects of the absolute value of atmospheric pressure and its changes on the frequency of AAA rupture. We retrospectively examined 54 patients who underwent treatment for a ruptured AAA at the Clinic of Surgery in the University Hospital in Pilsen between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2009. We collected data on the atmospheric pressure in this period from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute in Pilsen. We did not find a significant difference in atmospheric pressure values between the days when the rupture occurred versus the other days (p atmospheric pressure during the 48 h preceding the rupture (Student's test p atmospheric pressure in that month. These findings suggest that atmospheric pressure and its changes do not affect the pathogenesis of AAA rupture.

Long-term effects of climate and land cover change on freshwater provision in the tropical Andes

Science.gov (United States)

Molina, A.; Vanacker, V.; Brisson, E.; Mora, D.; Balthazar, V.

2015-06-01

Andean headwater catchments play a pivotal role to supply fresh water for downstream water users. However, few long-term studies exist on the relative importance of climate change and direct anthropogenic perturbations on flow regimes. In this paper, we assess multi-decadal change in freshwater provision based on long time series (1974-2008) of hydrometeorological data and land cover reconstructions for a 282 km2 catchment located in the tropical Andes. Three main land cover change trajectories can be distinguished: (1) rapid decline of native vegetation in montane forest and páramo ecosystems in ~1/5 or 20% of the catchment area, (2) expansion of agricultural land by 14% of the catchment area, (3) afforestation of 12% of native páramo grasslands with exotic tree species in recent years. Given the strong temporal variability of precipitation and streamflow data related to El Niño-Southern Oscillation, we use empirical mode decomposition techniques to detrend the time series. The long-term increasing trend in rainfall is remarkably different from the observed changes in streamflow that exhibit a decreasing trend. Hence, observed changes in streamflow are not the result of long-term climate change but very likely result from direct anthropogenic disturbances after land cover change. Partial water budgets for montane cloud forest and páramo ecosystems suggest that the strongest changes in evaporative water losses are observed in páramo ecosystems, where progressive colonization and afforestation of high alpine grasslands leads to a strong increase in transpiration losses.

Elements at risk

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kingma, Nanette; McCall, M.K.; Montoya, L.; van Westen, C.J.; Alkema, D.; Damen, M.C.J.; Kerle, N.; Kingma, N.C.

2011-01-01

The world is confronted with a rapidly growing impact of disasters, due to many factors that cause an increase in the vulnerability of society combined with an increase in hydrometeorological) hazard events related to climatic change. The possible impacts of hazardous events are large, especially in

Sustainability of integrated land and water resources management in the face of climate and land use changes

Science.gov (United States)

Setegn, Shimelis

2017-04-01

Sustainable development integrates economic development, social development, and environmental protection. Land and Water resources are under severe pressure from increasing populations, fast development, deforestation, intensification of agriculture and the degrading environment in many part of the world. The demand for adequate and safe supplies of water is becoming crucial especially in the overpopulated urban centers of the Caribbean islands. Moreover, population growth coupled with environmental degradation and possible adverse impacts of land use and climate change are major factors limiting freshwater resource availability. The main objective of this study is to develop a hydrological model and analyze the spatiotemporal variability of hydrological processes in the Caribbean islands of Puerto Rico and Jamaica. Physically based eco-hydrological model was developed and calibrated in the Rio Grande Manati and Wag water watershed. Spatial distribution of annual hydrological processes, water balance components for wet and dry years, and annual hydrological water balance of the watershed are discussed. The impact of land use and climate change are addressed in the watersheds. Appropriate nature based adaptation strategies were evaluated. The study will present a good understanding of advantages and disadvantages of nature-based solutions for adapting climate change, hydro-meteorological risks and other extreme hydrological events.

Hamiltonian approach to the lattice massive Schwinger model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sidorov, A.V.; Zastavenko, L.G.

1996-01-01

The authors consider the limit e 2 /m 2 much-lt 1 of the lattice massive Schwinger model, i.e., the lattice massive QED in two space-time dimensions, up to lowest order in the effective coupling constant e 2 /m 2 . Here, m is the fermion mass parameter and e is the electron charge. They compare their lattice QED model with the analogous continuous space and lattice space models, (CSM and LSM), which do not take account of the zero momentum mode, z.m.m., of the vector potential. The difference is that (due to extra z.m.m. degree of freedom) to every eigenstate of the CSM and LSM there corresponds a family of eigenstates of the authors lattice QED with the parameter λ. They restrict their consideration to small values of the parameter λ. Then, the energies of the particle states of their lattice QED and LSM do coincide (in their approximation). In the infinite periodicity length limit the Hamiltonian of the authors lattice QED (as well as the Hamiltonian of the LSM) possesses two different Hilbert spaces of eigenfunctions. Thus, in this limit the authors lattice QED model (as well as LSM) describes something like two connected, but different, worlds

Staging of Hepatic Fibrosis: Comparison of Magnetic Resonance Elastography and Shear Wave Elastography in the Same Individuals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Jeong Hee [Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jeong Min [Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Woo, Hyun Sik; Yu, Mi Hye; Joo, Ijin; Lee, Eun Sun; Sohn, Ji Young [Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Kyung Boon [Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Han, Joon Koo; Choi, Byung Ihn [Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-07-01

To cross-validate liver stiffness (LS) measured on shear wave elastography (SWE) and on magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) in the same individuals. We included 94 liver transplantation (LT) recipients and 114 liver donors who underwent either MRE or SWE before surgery or biopsy. We determined the technical success rates and the incidence of unreliable LS measurements (LSM) of SWE and MRE. Among the 69 patients who underwent both MRE and SWE, the median and coefficient of variation (CV) of the LSM from each examination were compared and correlated. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve in both examinations were calculated in order to exclude the presence of hepatic fibrosis (HF). The technical success rates of MRE and SWE were 96.4% and 92.2%, respectively (p = 0.17), and all of the technical failures occurred in LT recipients. SWE showed 13.1% unreliable LSM, whereas MRE showed no such case (p < 0.05). There was moderate correlation in the LSM in both examinations (r = 0.67). SWE showed a significantly larger median LSM and CV than MRE. Both examinations showed similar diagnostic performance for excluding HF (Az; 0.989, 1.000, respectively). MRE and SWE show moderate correlation in their LSMs, although SWE shows higher incidence of unreliable LSMs in cirrhotic liver.

Effect of Intervention in Subjects with High Risk of Diabetes Mellitus in Pakistan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Zafar Iqbal Hydrie

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Aims. To observe the rate of conversion from impaired glucose tolerance (IGT to diabetes following lifestyle modification (LSM or a combination of lifestyle and metformin compared to a control population with 18-month followup. Methods. Forty screening camps were organized, which 5000 people attended. Around 2300 persons filled the questionnaire and 1825 subjects were identified as high risk. Of 1739 subjects who took the oral glucose tolerance test, 317 subjects were identified as IGT. The 317 IGT subjects were randomized into three groups: control group was given standard medical advice, LSM group was given intensive lifestyle modification advice, while LSM + drug group was given intensive lifestyle advice and metformin 500 mg twice daily. Results. At the end, 273 subjects completed the study, giving a compliance rate of 86%. Total of 47 incident cases of diabetes were diagnosed (overall incidence was 4 cases per 1000 person-months with the incidence of 8.6 cases in control group, 2.5 cases in the LSM, and 2.3 cases in the LSM + drug groups. Conclusions. Study showed that lifestyle intervention had a major impact in preventing diabetes among IGT subjects in this region. Adding drug did not show any improved results. We recommend lifestyle advice and followup should be incorporated in primary health care.

Extremely fine structured cathode for solid oxide fuel cells using Sr-doped LaMnO3 and Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 nano-composite powder synthesized by spray pyrolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Shimada, Hiroyuki; Yamaguchi, Toshiaki; Sumi, Hirofumi; Nomura, Katsuhiro; Yamaguchi, Yuki; Fujishiro, Yoshinobu

2017-02-01

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) for high power density operation was developed with a microstructure-controlled cathode using a nano-composite powder of Sr-doped LaMnO3 (LSM) and Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) synthesized by spray pyrolysis. The individual LSM-YSZ nano-composite particles, formed by crystalline and amorphous nano-size LSM and YSZ particles, showed spherical morphology with uniform particle size. The use of this powder for cathode material led to an extremely fine microstructure, in which all the LSM and YSZ grains (approximately 100-200 nm) were highly dispersed and formed their own network structures. This microstructure was due to the two phase electrode structure control using the powder, namely, nano-order level in each particle and micro-order level between particles. An anode-supported SOFC with the LSM-YSZ cathode using humidified H2 as fuel and ambient air as oxidant exhibited high power densities, such as 1.29 W cm-2 under a voltage of 0.75 V and a maximum power density of 2.65 W cm-2 at 800 °C. Also, the SOFC could be stably operated for 250 h with no degradation, even at a high temperature of 800 °C.

Non-invasive evaluation of liver stiffness after splenectomy in rabbits with CCl4-induced liver fibrosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ming-Jun; Ling, Wen-Wu; Wang, Hong; Meng, Ling-Wei; Cai, He; Peng, Bing

2016-12-14

To investigate the diagnostic performance of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by elastography point quantification (ElastPQ) in animal models and determine the longitudinal changes in liver stiffness by ElastPQ after splenectomy at different stages of fibrosis. Liver stiffness was measured in sixty-eight rabbits with CCl 4 -induced liver fibrosis at different stages and eight healthy control rabbits by ElastPQ. Liver biopsies and blood samples were obtained at scheduled time points to assess liver function and degree of fibrosis. Thirty-one rabbits with complete data that underwent splenectomy at different stages of liver fibrosis were then included for dynamic monitoring of changes in liver stiffness by ElastPQ and liver function according to blood tests. LSM by ElastPQ was significantly correlated with histologic fibrosis stage ( r = 0.85, P fibrosis, moderate fibrosis, and cirrhosis, respectively. Longitudinal monitoring of the changes in liver stiffness by ElastPQ showed that early splenectomy (especially F1) may delay liver fibrosis progression. ElastPQ is an available, convenient, objective and non-invasive technique for assessing liver stiffness in rabbits with CCl 4 -induced liver fibrosis. In addition, liver stiffness measurements using ElastPQ can dynamically monitor the changes in liver stiffness in rabbit models, and in patients, after splenectomy.

The impact of changing climate conditions on the hydrological behavior of several Mediterranean sub-catchments in Crete

Science.gov (United States)

Eirini Vozinaki, Anthi; Tapoglou, Evdokia; Tsanis, Ioannis

2017-04-01

Climate change, although is already happening, consists of a big threat capable of causing lots of inconveniences in future societies and their economies. In this work, the climate change impact on the hydrological behavior of several Mediterranean sub-catchments, in Crete, is presented. The sensitivity of these hydrological systems to several climate change scenarios is also provided. The HBV hydrological model has been used, calibrated and validated for the study sub-catchments against measured weather and streamflow data and inputs. The impact of climate change on several hydro-meteorological parameters (i.e. precipitation, streamflow etc.) and hydrological signatures (i.e. spring flood peak, length and volume, base flow, flow duration curves, seasonality etc.) have been statistically elaborated and analyzed, defining areas of increased probability risk associated additionally to flooding or drought. The potential impacts of climate change on current and future water resources have been quantified by driving HBV model with current and future scenarios, respectively, for specific climate periods. This work aims to present an integrated methodology for the definition of future climate and hydrological risks and the prediction of future water resources behavior. Future water resources management could be rationally effectuated, in Mediterranean sub-catchments prone to drought or flooding, using the proposed methodology. The research reported in this paper was fully supported by the Project "Innovative solutions to climate change adaptation and governance in the water management of the Region of Crete - AQUAMAN" funded within the framework of the EEA Financial Mechanism 2009-2014.

Errors and uncertainties introduced by a regional climate model in climate impact assessments: example of crop yield simulations in West Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramarohetra, Johanna; Pohl, Benjamin; Sultan, Benjamin

2015-01-01

The challenge of estimating the potential impacts of climate change has led to an increasing use of dynamical downscaling to produce fine spatial-scale climate projections for impact assessments. In this work, we analyze if and to what extent the bias in the simulated crop yield can be reduced by using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) regional climate model to downscale ERA-Interim (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis) rainfall and radiation data. Then, we evaluate the uncertainties resulting from both the choice of the physical parameterizations of the WRF model and its internal variability. Impact assessments were performed at two sites in Sub-Saharan Africa and by using two crop models to simulate Niger pearl millet and Benin maize yields. We find that the use of the WRF model to downscale ERA-Interim climate data generally reduces the bias in the simulated crop yield, yet this reduction in bias strongly depends on the choices in the model setup. Among the physical parameterizations considered, we show that the choice of the land surface model (LSM) is of primary importance. When there is no coupling with a LSM, or when the LSM is too simplistic, the simulated precipitation and then the simulated yield are null, or respectively very low; therefore, coupling with a LSM is necessary. The convective scheme is the second most influential scheme for yield simulation, followed by the shortwave radiation scheme. The uncertainties related to the internal variability of the WRF model are also significant and reach up to 30% of the simulated yields. These results suggest that regional models need to be used more carefully in order to improve the reliability of impact assessments. (letter)

Estimation of water storage changes in small endorheic lakes in Burabay National Nature Park (Northern Kazakhstan, Central Asia); the effect of climate change and anthropogenic influences

Science.gov (United States)

Yapiyev, Vadim; Sagintayev, Zhanay; Verhoef, Anne; Samarkhanov, Kanat; Jumassultanova, Saltanat

2017-04-01

Both climate change and anthropogenic activities contribute to deterioration of terrestrial water resources and ecosystems worldwide. It has been observed in recent decades that water-limited steppe regions of Central Asia are among ecosystems found to exhibit enhanced responses to climate variability. In fact, the largest share of worldwide net loss of permanent water extent is geographically concentrated in the Central Asia and Middle East regions attributed to both climate variability/change and human activities impacts. We used a digital elevation model, digitized bathymetry maps and high resolution Landsat images to estimate the areal water cover extent and volumetric storage changes in small terminal lakes in Burabay National Nature Park (BNNP), located in Northern Central Asia, for the period 2000-2016. Based on the analysis of long-term climatic data from meteorological stations, hydrometeorological network observations as well as regional climate model projections we evaluate the impacts of past thirty years and future climatic conditions on the water balance of BNNP lake catchments. The anthropogenic water consumption was estimated based on data collected at a local water supply company and regulation authorities. One the one hand historical in-situ observations and future climate projections do not show a significant change in precipitation in BNNP. On the other hand both observations and the model demonstrate steadily rising air temperatures in the area. It is concluded that the long-term decline in water levels for most of these lakes can be largely attributed to climate change (but only via changes in air temperature, causing evaporation to exceed precipitation) and not to direct anthropogenic influences such as increased water withdrawals. In addition, the two largest lakes, showing the highest historical water level decline, do not have sufficient water drainage basin area to sustain water levels under increased evaporation rates.

Break down of losses in thin electrolyte SOFCs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barfod, Rasmus; Hagen, Anke; Ramousse, S.

2006-01-01

/YSZ cermet anode, and a LSM composite cathode. Additional, qualitative information was obtained using symmetric cells with LSM composite electrodes. The investigations were carried out in the temperature interval from 700 to 850 degrees C. The electrolyte and anode activation energies obtained were 0.9 and 1...

Techniques for Improved Retrospective Fine-scale Meteorology

Science.gov (United States)

Pleim-Xiu Land-Surface model (PX LSM) was developed for retrospective meteorological simulations to drive chemical transport models. One of the key features of the PX LSM is the indirect soil moisture and temperature nudging. The idea is to provide a three hourly 2-m temperature ...

A bottom-up approach to identifying the maximum operational adaptive capacity of water resource systems to a changing climate

Science.gov (United States)

Culley, S.; Noble, S.; Yates, A.; Timbs, M.; Westra, S.; Maier, H. R.; Giuliani, M.; Castelletti, A.

2016-09-01

Many water resource systems have been designed assuming that the statistical characteristics of future inflows are similar to those of the historical record. This assumption is no longer valid due to large-scale changes in the global climate, potentially causing declines in water resource system performance, or even complete system failure. Upgrading system infrastructure to cope with climate change can require substantial financial outlay, so it might be preferable to optimize existing system performance when possible. This paper builds on decision scaling theory by proposing a bottom-up approach to designing optimal feedback control policies for a water system exposed to a changing climate. This approach not only describes optimal operational policies for a range of potential climatic changes but also enables an assessment of a system's upper limit of its operational adaptive capacity, beyond which upgrades to infrastructure become unavoidable. The approach is illustrated using the Lake Como system in Northern Italy—a regulated system with a complex relationship between climate and system performance. By optimizing system operation under different hydrometeorological states, it is shown that the system can continue to meet its minimum performance requirements for more than three times as many states as it can under current operations. Importantly, a single management policy, no matter how robust, cannot fully utilize existing infrastructure as effectively as an ensemble of flexible management policies that are updated as the climate changes.

Mimicry Is Presidential: Linguistic Style Matching in Presidential Debates and Improved Polling Numbers.

Science.gov (United States)

Romero, Daniel M; Swaab, Roderick I; Uzzi, Brian; Galinsky, Adam D

2015-10-01

The current research used the contexts of U.S. presidential debates and negotiations to examine whether matching the linguistic style of an opponent in a two-party exchange affects the reactions of third-party observers. Building off communication accommodation theory (CAT), interaction alignment theory (IAT), and processing fluency, we propose that language style matching (LSM) will improve subsequent third-party evaluations because matching an opponent's linguistic style reflects greater perspective taking and will make one's arguments easier to process. In contrast, research on status inferences predicts that LSM will negatively impact third-party evaluations because LSM implies followership. We conduct two studies to test these competing hypotheses. Study 1 analyzed transcripts of U.S. presidential debates between 1976 and 2012 and found that candidates who matched their opponent's linguistic style increased their standing in the polls. Study 2 demonstrated a causal relationship between LSM and third-party observer evaluations using negotiation transcripts. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Potentiometric NO2 Sensors Based on Thin Stabilized Zirconia Electrolytes and Asymmetric (La0.8Sr0.20.95MnO3 Electrodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jie Zou

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Here we report on a new architecture for potentiometric NO2 sensors that features thin 8YSZ electrolytes sandwiched between two porous (La0.8Sr0.20.95MnO3 (LSM95 layers—one thick and the other thin—fabricated by the tape casting and co-firing techniques. Measurements of their sensing characteristics show that reducing the porosity of the supporting LSM95 reference electrodes can increase the response voltages. In the meanwhile, thin LSM95 layers perform better than Pt as the sensing electrode since the former can provide higher response voltages and better linear relationship between the sensitivities and the NO2 concentrations over 40–1000 ppm. The best linear coefficient can be as high as 0.99 with a sensitivity value of 52 mV/decade as obtained at 500 °C. Analysis of the sensing mechanism suggests that the gas phase reactions within the porous LSM95 layers are critically important in determining the response voltages.

Prediction of posthepatectomy liver failure using transient elastography in patients with hepatitis B related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Jie-Wen; Ji, Xiao-Yu; Hong, Jun-Feng; Li, Wan-Bin; Chen, Yan; Pan, Yan; Guo, Jia

2017-12-29

It is essential to accurately predict Postoperative liver failure (PHLF) which is a life-threatening complication. Liver hardness measurement (LSM) is widely used in non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis. The aims of this study were to explore the application of preoperative liver stiffness measurements (LSM) by transient elastography in predicting postoperative liver failure (PHLF) in patients with hepatitis B related hepatocellular carcinoma. The study included 247 consecutive patients with hepatitis B related hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent hepatectomy between May 2015 and September 2015. Detailed preoperative examinations including LSM were performed before hepatectomy. The endpoint was the development of PHLF. All of the patients had chronic hepatitis B defined as the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) for more than 6 months and 76 (30.8%) had cirrhosis. PHLF occurred in 37 (14.98%) patients. Preoperative LSM (odds ratio, OR, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI: 1.13-1.29; P hepatocellular carcinoma.

Potentiometric NO2 Sensors Based on Thin Stabilized Zirconia Electrolytes and Asymmetric (La0.8Sr0.2)0.95MnO3 Electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Jie; Zheng, Yangong; Li, Junliang; Zhan, Zhongliang; Jian, Jiawen

2015-01-01

Here we report on a new architecture for potentiometric NO2 sensors that features thin 8YSZ electrolytes sandwiched between two porous (La0.8Sr0.2)0.95MnO3 (LSM95) layers—one thick and the other thin—fabricated by the tape casting and co-firing techniques. Measurements of their sensing characteristics show that reducing the porosity of the supporting LSM95 reference electrodes can increase the response voltages. In the meanwhile, thin LSM95 layers perform better than Pt as the sensing electrode since the former can provide higher response voltages and better linear relationship between the sensitivities and the NO2 concentrations over 40–1000 ppm. The best linear coefficient can be as high as 0.99 with a sensitivity value of 52 mV/decade as obtained at 500 °C. Analysis of the sensing mechanism suggests that the gas phase reactions within the porous LSM95 layers are critically important in determining the response voltages. PMID:26205270

Analysis of the melanin distribution in different ethnic groups by in vivo laser scanning microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antoniou, C; Lademann, J; Richter, H; Patzelt, A; Sterry, W; Astner, S; Zastrow, L; Koch, S

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSM) is able to visualize differences in melanin content and distribution in different Skin Phototypes. The investigations were carried out on six healthy volunteers with Skin Phototypes II, IV, and VI. Representative skin samples of Skin Phototypes II, V, and VI were obtained for histological analysis from remaining tissue of skin grafts and were used for LSM-pathologic correlation. LSM evaluation showed significant differences in melanin distribution in Skin Phototypes II, IV, and VI, respectively. Based on the differences in overall reflectivity and image brightness, a visual evaluation scheme showed increasing brightness of the basal and suprabasal layers with increasing Skin Phototypes. The findings correlated well with histological analysis. The results demonstrate that LSM may serve as a promising adjunctive tool for real time assessment of melanin content and distribution in human skin, with numerous clinical applications and therapeutic and preventive implications

Processing of strontium-doped lanthanum manganite suspensions for cathode production of the solid oxide fuel cell; Processamento das suspensoes de manganito de lantanio dopado com estroncio para fabricacao do catodo da celula a combustivel de oxido solido

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiba, R.; Vargas, R.A.; Andreoli, M.; Seo, E.S.M. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Centro de Ciencia e Tecnologia de Materiais. Lab. de SOFC - Insumos e Componentes

2008-07-01

The ceramic material, strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (La{sub 0,85}Sr{sub 0,15}MnO{sub 3} - LSM), has been used as cathode in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs). The cathode attainment as component of the SOFCs has been studied for diverse routes of synthesis and thin films forming in Yttria-stabilized zirconia (ZrO{sub 2}/Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} - YSZ) electrolyte. In this work, the LSM was synthesized by the citrate technique and deposited in YSZ substrate using the forming technique wet powder spraying. Rheological studies of suspensions and chemical, physical and microstructural characterizations of LSM powders were made, aiming at the deposition for thin films formation until 50 mum. The half unit cells LSM/YSZ sintered were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, for verification of porosity and adherence. In this sense, this work is a contribution for production of porous cathode using the forming technique wet powder spraying in the SOFCs. (author)

Biochemical markers of bone metabolism in draught and warmblood horses.

Science.gov (United States)

Lepage, O M; Hartmann, D J; Eicher, R; Uebelhart, B; Tschudi, P; Uebelhart, D

1998-11-01

Concentrations of the cross-linked carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) and osteocalcin (OC) have been determined in the serum of one hundred clinically healthy adult Draught or Warmblood horses. The correlation between these two markers has been evaluated and the influence of gender, age and type of horse described. No significant variations were observed between animals of different sex, but a significant inverse correlation (P Draught [adjusted least square mean (LSM) = 6.612 micrograms.L-1] than in Warmblood horses (adjusted LSM = 8.596 micrograms.L-1), whereas levels of ICTP were higher in Draughts (adjusted LSM = 8.035 micrograms.L-1) than in Warmbloods (adjusted LSM = 6.643 micrograms.L-1). A significant correlation (P Draught horses might reflect a higher bone remodelling level of horses submitted to regular daily work. It was concluded that ICTP and OC are influenced by the type of horse, and probably reflect a physiological difference in bone remodelling between these animals.

Assessment of Land Surface Models in a High-Resolution Atmospheric Model during Indian Summer Monsoon

Science.gov (United States)

Attada, Raju; Kumar, Prashant; Dasari, Hari Prasad

2018-04-01

Assessment of the land surface models (LSMs) on monsoon studies over the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) region is essential. In this study, we evaluate the skill of LSMs at 10 km spatial resolution in simulating the 2010 monsoon season. The thermal diffusion scheme (TDS), rapid update cycle (RUC), and Noah and Noah with multi-parameterization (Noah-MP) LSMs are chosen based on nature of complexity, that is, from simple slab model to multi-parameterization options coupled with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Model results are compared with the available in situ observations and reanalysis fields. The sensitivity of monsoon elements, surface characteristics, and vertical structures to different LSMs is discussed. Our results reveal that the monsoon features are reproduced by WRF model with all LSMs, but with some regional discrepancies. The model simulations with selected LSMs are able to reproduce the broad rainfall patterns, orography-induced rainfall over the Himalayan region, and dry zone over the southern tip of India. The unrealistic precipitation pattern over the equatorial western Indian Ocean is simulated by WRF-LSM-based experiments. The spatial and temporal distributions of top 2-m soil characteristics (soil temperature and soil moisture) are well represented in RUC and Noah-MP LSM-based experiments during the ISM. Results show that the WRF simulations with RUC, Noah, and Noah-MP LSM-based experiments significantly improved the skill of 2-m temperature and moisture compared to TDS (chosen as a base) LSM-based experiments. Furthermore, the simulations with Noah, RUC, and Noah-MP LSMs exhibit minimum error in thermodynamics fields. In case of surface wind speed, TDS LSM performed better compared to other LSM experiments. A significant improvement is noticeable in simulating rainfall by WRF model with Noah, RUC, and Noah-MP LSMs over TDS LSM. Thus, this study emphasis the importance of choosing/improving LSMs for simulating the ISM phenomena in

Assessment of Land Surface Models in a High-Resolution Atmospheric Model during Indian Summer Monsoon

KAUST Repository

Attada, Raju

2018-04-17

Assessment of the land surface models (LSMs) on monsoon studies over the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) region is essential. In this study, we evaluate the skill of LSMs at 10 km spatial resolution in simulating the 2010 monsoon season. The thermal diffusion scheme (TDS), rapid update cycle (RUC), and Noah and Noah with multi-parameterization (Noah-MP) LSMs are chosen based on nature of complexity, that is, from simple slab model to multi-parameterization options coupled with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Model results are compared with the available in situ observations and reanalysis fields. The sensitivity of monsoon elements, surface characteristics, and vertical structures to different LSMs is discussed. Our results reveal that the monsoon features are reproduced by WRF model with all LSMs, but with some regional discrepancies. The model simulations with selected LSMs are able to reproduce the broad rainfall patterns, orography-induced rainfall over the Himalayan region, and dry zone over the southern tip of India. The unrealistic precipitation pattern over the equatorial western Indian Ocean is simulated by WRF–LSM-based experiments. The spatial and temporal distributions of top 2-m soil characteristics (soil temperature and soil moisture) are well represented in RUC and Noah-MP LSM-based experiments during the ISM. Results show that the WRF simulations with RUC, Noah, and Noah-MP LSM-based experiments significantly improved the skill of 2-m temperature and moisture compared to TDS (chosen as a base) LSM-based experiments. Furthermore, the simulations with Noah, RUC, and Noah-MP LSMs exhibit minimum error in thermodynamics fields. In case of surface wind speed, TDS LSM performed better compared to other LSM experiments. A significant improvement is noticeable in simulating rainfall by WRF model with Noah, RUC, and Noah-MP LSMs over TDS LSM. Thus, this study emphasis the importance of choosing/improving LSMs for simulating the ISM phenomena

Assessment of Land Surface Models in a High-Resolution Atmospheric Model during Indian Summer Monsoon

KAUST Repository

Attada, Raju; Kumar, Prashant; Dasari, Hari Prasad

2018-01-01

Assessment of the land surface models (LSMs) on monsoon studies over the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) region is essential. In this study, we evaluate the skill of LSMs at 10 km spatial resolution in simulating the 2010 monsoon season. The thermal diffusion scheme (TDS), rapid update cycle (RUC), and Noah and Noah with multi-parameterization (Noah-MP) LSMs are chosen based on nature of complexity, that is, from simple slab model to multi-parameterization options coupled with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Model results are compared with the available in situ observations and reanalysis fields. The sensitivity of monsoon elements, surface characteristics, and vertical structures to different LSMs is discussed. Our results reveal that the monsoon features are reproduced by WRF model with all LSMs, but with some regional discrepancies. The model simulations with selected LSMs are able to reproduce the broad rainfall patterns, orography-induced rainfall over the Himalayan region, and dry zone over the southern tip of India. The unrealistic precipitation pattern over the equatorial western Indian Ocean is simulated by WRF–LSM-based experiments. The spatial and temporal distributions of top 2-m soil characteristics (soil temperature and soil moisture) are well represented in RUC and Noah-MP LSM-based experiments during the ISM. Results show that the WRF simulations with RUC, Noah, and Noah-MP LSM-based experiments significantly improved the skill of 2-m temperature and moisture compared to TDS (chosen as a base) LSM-based experiments. Furthermore, the simulations with Noah, RUC, and Noah-MP LSMs exhibit minimum error in thermodynamics fields. In case of surface wind speed, TDS LSM performed better compared to other LSM experiments. A significant improvement is noticeable in simulating rainfall by WRF model with Noah, RUC, and Noah-MP LSMs over TDS LSM. Thus, this study emphasis the importance of choosing/improving LSMs for simulating the ISM phenomena

Data set: A modeling dataset that spans the rain - snow transition zone: Johnston Draw catchment, Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed, Idaho, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Hydrometeorological data from the rain-to-snow transition zone in mountain basins are limited. As the climate warms, the transition from rain to snow in mountain regions is moving to higher elevations, and these changes are altering the timing of water delivery to the downstream streams, lakes and w...

Mother-child language style matching predicts children's and mothers' emotion reactivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Rasmussen, Hannah F; Borelli, Jessica L; Smiley, Patricia A; Cohen, Chloe; Cheung, Ryan Cheuk Ming; Fox, Schuyler; Marvin, Matthew; Blackard, Betsy

2017-05-15

Co-regulation of behavior occurring within parent-child attachment relationships is thought to be the primary means through which children develop the capacity to regulate emotion, an ability that is protective across development. Existing research on parent-child co-regulation focuses predominantly on parent-infant dyads, and operationalizes co-regulation as the matching of facial expressions; however, matching can occur on other behaviors, including vocal tone, body movement, and language. Studies with young children find that greater matching is associated with children's lower emotion reactivity, but with unknown impacts on parents. In this study we examine a recently-developed metric of behavioral matching, language style matching (LSM), a composite measure of the similarity of function word use in spoken or written language between two or more people. We test whether LSM between mothers and their school-aged children is associated with children's and mothers' physiological and subjective emotion reactivity. Children completed a standardized stressor task while their mothers observed; children's and mother's cortisol and cardiovascular reactivity were assessed, as were their subjective reports of emotion reactivity. Following the stressor, children and mothers completed independent interviews about the experience, later assessed for LSM. Higher mother-child LSM was associated with lower emotion reactivity (lower cortisol reactivity, lower reports of negative emotion) for children, and with higher maternal cardiovascular but not cortisol or subjective reactivity. Further, higher LSM was more strongly associated with lower child cortisol reactivity when mothers were more reactive themselves. We conclude that mother-child LSM, thought to reflect a history of co-regulated interaction, confers protective benefits for children, but heightened reactivity for mothers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In situ X-ray studies of film cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuoss, Paul; Chang, Kee-Chul; You, Hoydoo

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Synchrotron X-rays are used to study in operando the structural and chemical changes of LSM and LSCF film cathodes during half-cell operations. •A-site and B-site cations actively segregate or desegregate on the changes of temperature, pO 2 , and electrochemical potential. •Chemical lattice expansions show that oxygen-cathode interface is the primary source of rate-limiting processes. •The surface and subsurface of the LSM and LSCF films have different oxidation-states due to vacancy concentration changes. •Liquid-phase infiltration and coarsening processes of cathode materials into porous YSZ electrolyte backbone were monitored by USAXS. -- Abstract: Synchrotron-based X-ray techniques have been used to study in situ the structural and chemical changes of film cathodes during half-cell operations. The X-ray techniques used include X-ray reflectivity (XR), total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF), high-resolution diffraction (HRD), ultra-small angle X-ray scattering (USAXS). The epitaxial thin film model cathodes for XR, TXRF, and HRD measurements are made by pulse laser deposition and porous film cathodes for USAX measurements are made by screen printing technique. The experimental results reviewed here include A-site and B-site segregations, lattice expansion, oxidation-state changes during cell operations and liquid-phase infiltration and coarsening of cathode to electrolyte backbone

Additive derivations on algebras of measurable operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayupov, Sh.A.; Kudaybergenov, K.K.

2009-08-01

Given a von Neumann algebra M we introduce the so-called central extension mix(M) of M. We show that mix(M) is a *-subalgebra in the algebra LS(M) of all locally measurable operators with respect to M, and this algebra coincides with LS(M) if and only if M does not admit type II direct summands. We prove that if M is a properly infinite von Neumann algebra then every additive derivation on the algebra mix(M) is inner. This implies that on the algebra LS(M), where M is a type I ∞ or a type III von Neumann algebra, all additive derivations are inner derivations. (author)

Performance of the WRF model to simulate the seasonal and interannual variability of hydrometeorological variables in East Africa: a case study for the Tana River basin in Kenya

Science.gov (United States)

Kerandi, Noah Misati; Laux, Patrick; Arnault, Joel; Kunstmann, Harald

2017-10-01

This study investigates the ability of the regional climate model Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) in simulating the seasonal and interannual variability of hydrometeorological variables in the Tana River basin (TRB) in Kenya, East Africa. The impact of two different land use classifications, i.e., the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the US Geological Survey (USGS) at two horizontal resolutions (50 and 25 km) is investigated. Simulated precipitation and temperature for the period 2011-2014 are compared with Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Climate Research Unit (CRU), and station data. The ability of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Climate Research Unit (CRU) data in reproducing in situ observation in the TRB is analyzed. All considered WRF simulations capture well the annual as well as the interannual and spatial distribution of precipitation in the TRB according to station data and the TRMM estimates. Our results demonstrate that the increase of horizontal resolution from 50 to 25 km, together with the use of the MODIS land use classification, significantly improves the precipitation results. In the case of temperature, spatial patterns and seasonal cycle are well reproduced, although there is a systematic cold bias with respect to both station and CRU data. Our results contribute to the identification of suitable and regionally adapted regional climate models (RCMs) for East Africa.

Chromium related degradation of solid oxide fuel cells; Chrom-bezogene Degradation von Festoxid-Brennstoffzellen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neumann, Anita

2011-05-04

operating point but no significant degradation in ASR. Operation interruption produced a regeneration of the ASR. This regeneration only occurred when the cell had already reached the phase of strong degradation and consisted mostly of a change in the limiting current density. Continuation of operation canceled the regeneration within a brief period ot time. Interaction of chromium species with LSM cathodes led to chromium deposition within the current collector as well as in the cathode layer in the form of chromium manganese spinels. Without a chromium source the current collector contained pure manganese oxide phases. Was a chromium source present during operation, these phases reacted with gaseous chromium species to form chromium manganese spinels. Chromium deposition in the cathode layer was only observed when a chromium source was combined with a non-zero current load during operation. Chromium deposits in the cathode layer were limited to an area close to the electrolyte, whereas the density of deposits decreased with the distance to the electrolyte. Chromium deposits in the cathode layer were always accompanied by microstructural coarsening of the LSM matrix. But cathode coarsening could only be clearly observed when the cell head already reached the phase of strong degradation. The overall chromium content increased with operation time for all chromium sources. But the coating combination of Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} and LCC10 diminished the overall chromium content by about an order of magnitude in comparison to the uncoated chromium source. Only minor dependency of the current density on the overall chromium content was observed. However, chromium residue that can be decidedly assigned to the cathode layer showed a stronger dependence on the current density. Based on these results three interaction mechanisms of chromium species with LSM were identified: - Gaseous chromium species react with manganese oxide phases in the current collector to form chromium manganese

Prediction of liver-related events using fibroscan in chronic hepatitis B patients showing advanced liver fibrosis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seung Up Kim

Full Text Available Liver stiffness measurement (LSM using transient elastography (FibroScan® can assess liver fibrosis noninvasively. This study investigated whether LSM can predict the development of liver-related events (LREs in chronic hepatitis B (CHB patients showing histologically advanced liver fibrosis.Between March 2006 and April 2010, 128 CHB patients with who underwent LSM and liver biopsy (LB before starting nucleot(side analogues and showed histologically advanced fibrosis (≥F3 with a high viral loads [HBV DNA ≥2,000 IU/mL] were enrolled. All patients were followed regularly to detect LRE development, including hepatic decompensation (variceal bleeding, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatorenal syndrome and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC.The mean age of the patient (72 men, 56 women was 52.2 years. During the median follow-up period [median 27.8 (12.6-61.6 months], LREs developed in 19 (14.8% patients (five with hepatic decompensation, 13 with HCC, one with both. Together with age, multivariate analysis identified LSM as an independent predictor of LRE development [P19 kPa were at significantly greater risk than those with LSM≤19 kPa for LRE development (HR, 7.176; 95% CI, 2.257-22.812; P = 0.001.LSM can be a useful predictor of LRE development in CHB patients showing histologically advanced liver fibrosis.

Anomaly manifestation of Lieb-Schultz-Mattis theorem and topological phases

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Gil Young; Hsieh, Chang-Tse; Ryu, Shinsei

2017-11-01

The Lieb-Schultz-Mattis (LSM) theorem dictates that emergent low-energy states from a lattice model cannot be a trivial symmetric insulator if the filling per unit cell is not integral and if the lattice translation symmetry and particle number conservation are strictly imposed. In this paper, we compare the one-dimensional gapless states enforced by the LSM theorem and the boundaries of one-higher dimensional strong symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases from the perspective of quantum anomalies. We first note that they can both be described by the same low-energy effective field theory with the same effective symmetry realizations on low-energy modes, wherein non-on-site lattice translation symmetry is encoded as if it were an internal symmetry. In spite of the identical form of the low-energy effective field theories, we show that the quantum anomalies of the theories play different roles in the two systems. In particular, we find that the chiral anomaly is equivalent to the LSM theorem, whereas there is another anomaly that is not related to the LSM theorem but is intrinsic to the SPT states. As an application, we extend the conventional LSM theorem to multiple-charge multiple-species problems and construct several exotic symmetric insulators. We also find that the (3+1)d chiral anomaly provides only the perturbative stability of the gaplessness local in the parameter space.

Effect of La{sub 0.8}Sr{sub 0.2}MnO{sub 3} powder addition in the precursor solution on the properties of cathode films deposited by spray pyrolysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Caio Luis Santos; Rangel, Maria do Carmo, E-mail: clssilva@ufba.br, E-mail: mcarmov@ufba.br [Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA (Brazil). Grupo de Estudo em Cinetica e Catalise; Gama, Leonardo Marques; Paes Junior, Herval Ramos, E-mail: leonardo.m.gama@gmail.com, E-mail: herval@uenf.br [Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ (Brazil). Laboratorio de Materiais Avancados; Santos, Jacqueline Amanda Figueiredo dos; Domingues, Rosana Zacarias, E-mail: jac.amanda28@gmail.com, E-mail: rosanazd@ufmg.br [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Laboratorio de Materiais e Pilhas a Combustivel

2017-01-15

Films of lanthanum strontium manganite, LSM (La{sub 0.8}Sr{sub 0.2}MnO{sub 3}) were deposited on yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates by different methods aiming to establish the most suitable route to prepare cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). Samples were obtained by using a solution of lanthanum, strontium and manganese nitrates or a dispersion of the LSM powder in this solution. Both commercial and synthesized LSM powders were used, the last one obtained by amorphous citrate method. The films were deposited by spray pyrolysis on YSZ substrates prepared by uniaxial and isostatic pressing. Samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, X-ray diffraction and two-probe conductivity measurements. The area specific resistance and relaxation to cathodic activation were measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The substrate obtained by uniaxial pressing and the commercial LSM produced films with the highest amount of surface cracks. The film obtained from the suspension showed area specific resistance and activation energy lower than the other produced from the solution. For both samples, the cathodic activation process resulted in an initial reduction of the total resistance of around 20%, the sample produced from the suspension being more resistant to relaxation. Therefore, the LSM suspension is more suitable than the salts solution for preparing films by spray pyrolysis on YSZ substrates to obtain efficient cathodes for SOFC. (author)

Assessing changes in drought characteristics with standardized indices

Science.gov (United States)

Vidal, Jean-Philippe; Najac, Julien; Martin, Eric; Franchistéguy, Laurent; Soubeyroux, Jean-Michel

2010-05-01

Standardized drought indices like the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) are more and more frequently adopted for drought reconstruction, monitoring and forecasting, and the SPI has been recently recommended by the World Meteorological Organization to characterize meteorological droughts. Such indices are based on the statistical distribution of a hydrometeorological variable (e.g., precipitation) in a given reference climate, and a drought event is defined as a period with continuously negative index values. Because of the way these indices are constructed, some issues may arise when using them in a non-stationnary climate. This work thus aims at highlighting such issues and demonstrating the different ways these indices may - or may not - be applied and interpreted in the context of an anthropogenic climate change. Three major points are detailed through examples taken from both a high-resolution gridded reanalysis dataset over France and transient projections from the ARPEGE general circulation model downscaled over France. The first point deals with the choice of the reference climate, and more specifically its type (from observations/reanalysis or from present-day modelled climate) and its record period. Second, the interpretation of actual changes are closely linked with the type of the selected drought feature over a future period: mean index value, under-threshold frequency, or drought event characteristics (number, mean duration and magnitude, seasonality, etc.). Finally, applicable approaches as well as related uncertainties depend on the availability of data from a future climate, whether in the form of a fully transient time series from present-day or only a future time slice. The projected evolution of drought characteristics under climate change must inform present decisions on long-term water resources planning. An assessment of changes in drought characteristics should therefore provide water managers with appropriate information that can help

Effects of climate change on streamflow extremes and implications for reservoir inflow in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naz, Bibi S.; Kao, Shih-Chieh; Ashfaq, Moetasim; Gao, Huilin

2017-01-01

The magnitude and frequency of hydrometeorological extremes are expected to increase in the conterminous United States (CONUS) over the rest of this century, and their increase will significantly impact water resource management. While previous efforts focused on the effects of reservoirs on downstream discharge, the effects of climate change on reservoir inflows in upstream areas are not well understood. We evaluated the large-scale climate change effects on extreme hydrological events and their implications for reservoir inflows in 178 headwater basins across CONUS using the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrologic model. The VIC model was forced with a 10-member ensemble of global circulation models under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 that were dynamically downscaled using a regional climate model (RegCM4) and bias-corrected to 1/24° grid cell resolution. The results projected an increase in the likelihood of flood risk by 44% for a majority of subbasins upstream of flood control reservoirs in the central United States and increased drought risk by 11% for subbasins upstream of hydropower reservoirs across the western United States. Increased risk of both floods and droughts can potentially make reservoirs across CONUS more vulnerable to future climate conditions. In conclusion, this study estimates reservoir inflow changes over the next several decades, which can be used to optimize water supply management downstream.

Effects of high spatial and temporal resolution Earth observations on simulated hydrometeorological variables in a cropland (southwestern France

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Etchanchu

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Agricultural landscapes are often constituted by a patchwork of crop fields whose seasonal evolution is dependent on specific crop rotation patterns and phenologies. This temporal and spatial heterogeneity affects surface hydrometeorological processes and must be taken into account in simulations of land surface and distributed hydrological models. The Sentinel-2 mission allows for the monitoring of land cover and vegetation dynamics at unprecedented spatial resolutions and revisit frequencies (20 m and 5 days, respectively that are fully compatible with such heterogeneous agricultural landscapes. Here, we evaluate the impact of Sentinel-2-like remote sensing data on the simulation of surface water and energy fluxes via the Interactions between the Surface Biosphere Atmosphere (ISBA land surface model included in the EXternalized SURface (SURFEX modeling platform. The study focuses on the effect of the leaf area index (LAI spatial and temporal variability on these fluxes. We compare the use of the LAI climatology from ECOCLIMAP-II, used by default in SURFEX-ISBA, and time series of LAI derived from the high-resolution Formosat-2 satellite data (8 m. The study area is an agricultural zone in southwestern France covering 576 km2 (24 km  ×  24 km. An innovative plot-scale approach is used, in which each computational unit has a homogeneous vegetation type. Evaluation of the simulations quality is done by comparing model outputs with in situ eddy covariance measurements of latent heat flux (LE. Our results show that the use of LAI derived from high-resolution remote sensing significantly improves simulated evapotranspiration with respect to ECOCLIMAP-II, especially when the surface is covered with summer crops. The comparison with in situ measurements shows an improvement of roughly 0.3 in the correlation coefficient and a decrease of around 30 % of the root mean square error (RMSE in the simulated evapotranspiration. This

Human impacts of hydrometeorological extremes in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands derived from documentary sources in the 18th-19th centuries

Science.gov (United States)

Dolák, Lukáš; Brázdil, Rudolf; Valášek, Hubert

2014-05-01

The extent of damage caused by hydrometeorological events or extremes (HME) has risen up in the entire world in the last few years. Especially the floods, flash floods, torrential rains and hailstorms are the most typical and one of the most frequent kind of natural disasters in the central Europe. Catastrophes are a part of human history and people were forced to cope with their consequences (e. g. material damage, economical losses, impacts on agriculture and society or losses of human lives). This paper analyses the human impacts of HME in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands (central part of the Czech Republic) on the basis of documentary sources from the 18th-19th centuries. The paper presents various negative impacts of natural disasters on lives and property and subsequent inconveniences of Czech peasants. The preserved archival documents of estates or domains became the primary sources of data (e. g. taxation reliefs, damaged records, reports of afflicted farmers, administrative correspondence etc.). Particularly taxation reliefs relate to taxation system in the Czech lands during the 17th-19th centuries allowing to farmers to ask for tax alleviation when their crops were significantly damaged by any HME. These archival documents are a highly valuable source for the study of human impacts of natural disasters. Devastating consequences of these extremes affected individual farmers much more than the aristocracy. Floods caused inundations of farmer's fields, meadows, houses and farm buildings, washed away the arable land with crops, caused losses of cattle, clogged the land with gravel and mud and destroyed roads, bridges or agricultural equipment. Afflicted fields became worthless and it took them many years to become became fertile again. Crop was also damaged by hailstorms, droughts or late/early frosts. All these events led to lack of food and seeds in the following year and it meant the decrease of living standard, misery and poverty of farmers. Acquired

Thermal Regime of A Deep Temperate Lake and Its Response to Climate Change: Lake Kuttara, Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuhisa A. Chikita

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A deep temperate lake, Lake Kuttara, Hokkaido, Japan (148 m deep at maximum was completely ice-covered every winter in the 20th century. However, ice-free conditions of the lake over winter occurred three times in the 21st century, which is probably due to global warming. In order to understand how thermal regime of the lake responds to climate change, a change in lake mean water temperature from the heat storage change was calculated by integrating observed water temperature over water depths and by numerical calculation of heat budget components based on hydrometeorological data. As a result, a temporal variation of lake mean water temperature from the heat budget calculation was very reasonable to that from the observed water temperature (determination coefficient R2 = 0.969. The lowest lake mean temperature for non-freeze was then evaluated at −1.87 °C, referring to the zero level at 6.80 °C. The 1978–2017 data at a meteorological station near Kuttara indicated that there are significant (less than 5% level long-term trends for air temperature (+0.024 °C/year and wind speed (−0.010 m/s/year. In order to evaluate the effects of climate change on freeze-up patterns, a sensitivity analysis was carried out for the calculated lake mean water temperature. It is noted that, after two decades, the lake could be ice-free once per every two years.

Real time shear wave elastography in chronic liver diseases: Accuracy for predicting liver fibrosis, in comparison with serum markers

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Jae Yoon; Kim, Tae Yeob; Sohn, Joo Hyun; Kim, Yongsoo; Jeong, Woo Kyoung; Oh, Young-Ha; Yoo, Kyo-Sang

2014-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the correlation between liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by real-time shear wave elastography (SWE) and liver fibrosis stage and the accuracy of LSM for predicting significant and advanced fibrosis, in comparison with serum markers. METHODS: We consecutively analyzed 70 patients with various chronic liver diseases. Liver fibrosis was staged from F0 to F4 according to the Batts and Ludwig scoring system. Significant and advanced fibrosis was defined as stage F ≥ 2 and F ≥ 3, respectively. The accuracy of prediction for fibrosis was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: Seventy patients, 15 were belonged to F0-F1 stage, 20 F2, 13 F3 and 22 F4. LSM was increased with progression of fibrosis stage (F0-F1: 6.77 ± 1.72, F2: 9.98 ± 3.99, F3: 15.80 ± 7.73, and F4: 22.09 ± 10.09, P < 0.001). Diagnostic accuracies of LSM for prediction of F ≥ 2 and F ≥ 3 were 0.915 (95%CI: 0.824-0.968, P < 0.001) and 0.913 (95%CI: 0.821-0.967, P < 0.001), respectively. The cut-off values of LSM for prediction of F ≥ 2 and F ≥ 3 were 8.6 kPa with 78.2% sensitivity and 93.3% specificity and 10.46 kPa with 88.6% sensitivity and 80.0% specificity, respectively. However, there were no significant differences between LSM and serum hyaluronic acid and type IV collagen in diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSION: SWE showed a significant correlation with the severity of liver fibrosis and was useful and accurate to predict significant and advanced fibrosis, comparable with serum markers. PMID:25320528

Position sensor for linear synchronous motors employing halbach arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Post, Richard Freeman

2014-12-23

A position sensor suitable for use in linear synchronous motor (LSM) drive systems employing Halbach arrays to create their magnetic fields is described. The system has several advantages over previously employed ones, especially in its simplicity and its freedom from being affected by weather conditions, accumulated dirt, or electrical interference from the LSM system itself.

Characterization of the yttria-stabilized zirconia thin film electrophoretic deposited on La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Koho; Shen, Jung-Hsiung; Yang, Kai-Yun; Hung, I-Ming; Fung, Kuan-Zong; Wang, Moo-Chin

2007-01-01

The yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin films electrophoretic deposited on the La 0.8 Sr 0.2 MnO 3 (LSM) substrate have been characterized by using zeta potential analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The La 2 Zr 2 O 7 (LZ) formed at the interface between the YSZ thin film and LSM substrate, after sintered at 1400 o C for 52 h, are identified by XRD. The zeta potential of the YSZ particles in pure ethanol-acetone is about 7.8 mV, but when the I 2 concentration is greater than 0.6 g/1, the zeta potential attains a constant value, 46 mV. The relation between deposit weight of the YSZ films and the applied voltage shows a non-linear behavior. Thickness of the YSZ thin film deposited on the LSM substrate by electrophoretic deposition is controlled by a diffusion process. A larger LZ with the thickness of 200 nm is formed at the interface between the YSZ film and the LSM substrate

Making the most out of least-squares migration

KAUST Repository

Huang, Yunsong

2014-09-01

Standard migration images can suffer from (1) migration artifacts caused by an undersampled acquisition geometry, (2) poor resolution resulting from a limited recording aperture, (3) ringing artifacts caused by ripples in the source wavelet, and (4) weak amplitudes resulting from geometric spreading, attenuation, and defocusing. These problems can be remedied in part by least-squares migration (LSM), also known as linearized seismic inversion or migration deconvolution (MD), which aims to linearly invert seismic data for the reflectivity distribution. Given a sufficiently accurate migration velocity model, LSM can mitigate many of the above problems and can produce more resolved migration images, sometimes with more than twice the spatial resolution of standard migration. However, LSM faces two challenges: The computational cost can be an order of magnitude higher than that of standard migration, and the resulting image quality can fail to improve for migration velocity errors of about 5% or more. It is possible to obtain the most from least-squares migration by reducing the cost and velocity sensitivity of LSM.

Potential and Challenges of Low-Cost and High-Tech Crowd-sensing Approaches in Hydrometeorology for Better Water Resources Management - Insights and Learnings from the Global iMoMo Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

Siegfried, Tobias

2016-04-01

In developing and transition countries and despite significant global investments in hydrometeorology, data on water remain scarce/fragmented. One key reason is that traditional sensing in hydrology, hydro- and agro-meteorology does not scale because of high investment costs and difficult maintenance of traditional technology, esp. in remote and/or poor regions. Even where there are data, these are often difficult to access and interpret for local stakeholders due outdated data transmission and the lack of access to modern tools for data management/analysis/synthesis and exchange. In recent years, there have been substantial technology developments in environmental sensing and mobile communication technology that enable the application and deployment of affordable and scalable high-tech solutions for better water monitoring at different scales (local to transboundary levels). The WMO is acknowledging and promoting the potential for application of these technologies. One key aspect is to anchor these technologies in local communities that perform crowd-sensing tasks on a regular basis. The merits as well as challenges (including introduction of human factor, less accuracy as compared to traditional sensing, intermittency of data, …) of such approaches will be discussed in the context of the WMO-led Global iMoMo Initiative and its numerous activities on the ground in Eastern and Southern Africa as well as in Central Asia.

Impacts of climate variability on the runoff in the South Eastern part of Bulgaria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lizama Rivas, Bernardo; Koleva-Lizama, Ivanka

2004-01-01

The basic climatic factors, which affect the river runoff, are atmospheric precipitation and temperature. On the basis of the set of data from some hydro-meteorological gauging stations with more than 45 years observations have been studied the effect of meteorological conditions on runoff in the southeastern region of Bulgaria. The change of the temperature, precipitation and runoff over the southeastern Bulgarian catchments are investigated and analyzed. During the application of several statistical tests was found that there are changes in the runoff, which are not caused by the man's activity. The features in the variations of above mentioned hydro-meteorological elements and their inherent trends are determined. The results of this study show that the runoff decreases considerably all over the studied region in the last years. An attempt to find a cause of the changes was done. The significant tendency to gradual reduction of runoff in the region is due to considerably decrease of the precipitation all over the Balkans. The study shows that high temperatures and low precipitation conduct to drought in the region and appears unsuitable conditions for the river runoff feeding and development of plants. (Author)

Trend Analysis of Hydro-meteorological variables in the coastal area ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

1Department of Water Resources & Environmental Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin ... global climate change should be regarded as one of ... attributed to rural-urban migration which accounts ..... Modeling Global Warming Impact on.

Changes in the flood frequency in the Mahanadi basin under observed and projected future climate

Science.gov (United States)

Modi, P. A.; Lakshmi, V.; Mishra, V.

2017-12-01

The Mahanadi river basin is vulnerable to multiple types of extreme events due to its topography and river networks. These extreme events are not efficiently captured by the current LSMs partly due to lack of spatial hydrological data and uncertainty in the models. This study compares and evaluates the hydrologic simulations of the recently developed community Noah model with multi-parameterization options which is an upgradation of baseline Noah LSM. The model is calibrated and validated for the Mahanadi river basin and is driven by major atmospheric forcing from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM), Tropical rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) and Multi-Source Weighted-Ensemble Precipitation (MSWEP designed for hydrological modeling) precipitation datasets along with some additional forcing derived from the VIC model at 0.25-degree spatial resolution. The Noah-MP LSM is calibrated using observed daily streamflow data from 1978-1989 (India-WRIS) at the gauge stations with least human interventions with a Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency higher than 0.60. Noah MP was calibrated using different schemes for runoff with variation in all parameters sensitive to surface and sub-surface runoff. Streamflow routing was performed using a stand-alone model (VIC model) to route daily model runoff at required gauge station. Surface runoff is mainly affected by the uncertainties in major atmospheric forcing and highly sensitive parameters pertaining to soil properties. Noah MP is validated using observed streamflow from 1975-2010 which indicates the consistency of streamflow with the historical observations (NSE>0.65) thus indicating an increase in probability of future flood events.

Effect of Perovskite coating on oxide scale growth on Fe-22Cr

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Persson, Åsa; Mikkelsen, Lars; Hendriksen, Peter Vang

2006-01-01

A coating consisting of La0.85Sr0.15MnO3 (LSM) was deposited onto two Fe 22 wt % Cr alloys Crofer 22APU and Sandvik lC44Mo20. The evolution of the oxide layers developing underneath the coatings during oxidation was investigated. The effect of the LSM coating on oxidation rate and microstructure ...

Direct Simulation of Transport Properties from Three-Dimensional (3D) Reconstructed Solid-Oxide Fuel-Cell (SOFC) Electrode Microstructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunda, Naga Siva Kumar; Mitra, Sushanta K

2012-01-01

A well-known approach to develop a high efficiency solid-oxide fuel-cell (SOFC) consists of extracting the microstructure and transport properties such as volume fractions, internal surface area, geometric connectivity, effective gas diffusivity, effective electronic conductivity and geometric tortuosities from three-dimensional (3D) microstructure of the SOFC electrodes; thereafter, performing the SOFC efficiency calculations using previously mentioned quantities. In the present work, dual-beam focused ion beam - scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) is applied on one of the SOFC cathodes, a lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM) electrode, to estimate the aforementioned properties. A framework for calculating transport properties is presented in this work. 3D microstructures of LSM electrode are reconstructed from a series of two-dimensional (2D) cross-sectional FIB-SEM images. Volume percentages of connected, isolated and dead-ends networks of pore and LSM phases are estimated. Different networks of pore and LSM phases are discretized with tetrahedral elements. Finally, the finite element method (FEM) is applied to calculate effective gas diffusivity and electronic conductivity of pore and LSM phases, respectively. Geometric tortuosities are estimated from the porosity and effective transport properties. The results obtained using FEM are compared with the finite volume method (FVM) results obtained by Gunda et al. [J. Power Sources, 196(7), 35929(2011)] and other numerical results obtained on randomly generated porous medium. Effect of consideration of dead-ends and isolated-ends networks on calculation of effective transport properties is studied.

Clinical benefit of liver stiffness measurement at 3 months after Kasai hepatoportoenterostomy to predict the liver related events in biliary atresia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seung Min Hahn

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The progression of hepatic fibrosis may result in decompensated hepatic failure with cirrhosis, liver related events (LRE such as ascites, variceal bleeding, and death after successful and timely Kasai hepatoportoenterostomy (HPE in biliary atresia. The aim of this study is to suggest clinical benefit of the liver stiffness measurement (LSM using transient elastography at 3 months after the Kasai operation to predict LRE. METHODS: Between January 2007 and December 2011, 69 eligible biliary atresia patients who underwent Kasai HPE and performed transient elastography before and 3 months after HPE were included. The occurrences of LRE were analyzed for all patients. All patients were divided into 2 groups (with and without LRE for comparison. Multivariate analysis was used to detect the independent risk factors of LRE. The area under the receiver operation characteristics curve (AUROC was used to establish the LSM optimal cutoff value of 3 months after Kasai operation in predicting LRE. RESULTS: LSM value, aminotransferase, albumin, bilirubin, and PT-INR significantly differed among the two groups. Multivariate analysis demonstrated LSM value as the most powerful independent factor of the development of LRE. The cut-off value of 19.9 kPa was calculated to be optimal for predicting LRE development with total sensitivity and specificity of 1.804. AUROC resulted in 0.943, with sensitivity of 85.3% and specificity of 95.2%. CONCLUSIONS: The LSM value of 3 months after Kasai HPE can be a useful predictor of LRE development.

The Use of Intravital Two-Photon and Thick Section Confocal Imaging to Analyze B Lymphocyte Trafficking in Lymph Nodes and Spleen.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Chung; Hwang, Il-Young; Kehrl, John H

2018-01-01

Intravital two-photon laser scanning microscopy (TP-LSM) has allowed the direct observation of immune cells in intact organs of living animals. In the B cell biology field TP-LSM has detailed the movement of B cells in high endothelial venules and during their transmigration into lymph organs; described the movement and positioning of B cells within lymphoid organs; outlined the mechanisms by which antigen is delivered to B cells; observed B cell interacting with T cells, other cell types, and even with pathogens; and delineated the egress of B cells from the lymph node (LN) parenchyma into the efferent lymphatics. As the quality of TP-LSM improves and as new fluorescent probes become available additional insights into B cell behavior and function await new investigations. Yet intravital TP-LSM has some disadvantages including a lower resolution than standard confocal microscopy, a narrow imaging window, and a shallow depth of imaging. We have found that supplementing intravital TP-LSM with conventional confocal microscopy using thick LN sections helps to overcome some of these shortcomings. Here, we describe procedures for visualizing the behavior and trafficking of fluorescently labeled, adoptively transferred antigen-activated B cells within the inguinal LN of live mice using two-photon microscopy. Also, we introduce procedures for fixed thick section imaging using standard confocal microscopy, which allows imaging of fluorescently labeled cells deep in the LN cortex and in the spleen with high resolution.

Sustained virological response halts fibrosis progression: A long-term follow-up study of people with chronic hepatitis C infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen Yi Mei, Swee Lin G; Thompson, Alexander J; Christensen, Britt; Cunningham, Georgina; McDonald, Lucy; Bell, Sally; Iser, David; Nguyen, Tin; Desmond, Paul V

2017-01-01

Long-term follow-up studies validating the clinical benefit of sustained virological response (SVR) in people with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection are lacking. Our aim was to identify rates and predictors of liver fibrosis progression in a large, well characterized cohort of CHC patients in whom paired liver fibrosis assessments were performed more than 10 years apart. CHC patients who had undergone a baseline liver biopsy pre-2004 and a follow up liver fibrosis assessment more than 10 years later (biopsy or liver stiffness measurement (LSM) using transient elastography [FibroScan]) were identified. Subjects who had undergone a baseline liver biopsy but had no follow up fibrosis assessment were recalled for LSM. Fibrosis was categorised as mild-moderate (METAVIR F0-2 / LSM result of ≤ 9.5 kPa) or advanced (METAVIR F3-4/ LSM >9.5 kPa). The primary objective was to assess the association between SVR and the rate of liver fibrosis progression over at least 10 years, defined as an increase from mild-moderate fibrosis at baseline liver biopsy (METAVIR F0-2) to advanced fibrosis at follow-up liver fibrosis assessment. 131 subjects were included in this analysis: 69% male, 82% Caucasian, 60% G1 HCV, 25% G3 HCV. The median age at F/U fibrosis staging was 57 (IQR 54-62) years with median estimated duration of infection 33-years (IQR 29-38). At F/U, liver fibrosis assessment was performed by LSM in 86% and liver biopsy in 14%. The median period between fibrosis assessments was 14-years (IQR 12-17). 109 (83%) participants had received interferon-based antiviral therapy. 40% attained SVR. At F/U, there was a significant increase in the proportion of subjects with advanced liver fibrosis: 27% at baseline vs. 46% at F/U (p = 0.002). The prevalence of advanced fibrosis did not change among subjects who attained SVR, 30% at B/L vs 25% at F/U (p = 0.343). However, advanced fibrosis became more common at F/U among subjects with persistent viremia: 10% at B/L vs 31% at F/U (p

Use of MLCM3 Software for Flash Flood Modeling and Forecasting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inna Pivovarova

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Accurate and timely flash floods forecasting, especially, in ungauged and poorly gauged basins, is one of the most important and challenging problems to be solved by the international hydrological community. In changing climate and variable anthropogenic impact on river basins, as well as due to low density of surface hydrometeorological network, flash flood forecasting based on “traditional” physically based, or conceptual, or statistical hydrological models often becomes inefficient. Unfortunately, most of river basins in Russia are poorly gauged or ungauged; besides, lack of hydrogeological data is quite typical. However, the developing economy and population safety necessitate issuing warnings based on reliable forecasts. For this purpose, a new hydrological model, MLCM3 (Multi-Layer Conceptual Model, 3 rd generation has been developed in the Russian State Hydrometeorological University. The model showed good results in more than 50 tested basins.

Real-time remote sensing driven river basin modeling using radar altimetry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pereira Cardenal, Silvio Javier; Riegels, Niels; Bauer-Gottwein, Peter

2011-01-01

Many river basins have a weak in-situ hydrometeorological monitoring infrastructure. However, water resources practitioners depend on reliable hydrological models for management purposes. Remote sensing (RS) data have been recognized as an alternative to in-situ hydrometeorological data in remote...

Segmenting corpora of texts Segmentação de corpora de textos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tony Berber Sardinha

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research presented here is to report on a corpus-based method for discourse analysis that is based on the notion of segmentation, or the division of texts into cohesive portions. For the purposes of this investigation, a segment is defined as a contiguous portion of written text consisting of at least two sentences. The segmentation procedure developed for the study is called LSM (link set median, which is based on the identification of lexical repetition in text. The data analysed in this investigation were three corpora of 100 texts each. Each corpus was composed of texts of one particular genre: research articles, annual business reports, and encyclopaedia entries. The total number of words in the three corpora was 1,262,710 words. The segments inserted in the texts by the LSM procedure were compared to the internal section divisions in the texts. Afterwards, the results obtained through the LSM procedure were then compared to segmentation carried out at random. The results indicated that the LSM procedure worked better than random, suggesting that lexical repetition accounts in part for the way texts are segmented into sections.O objetivo da pesquisa apresentada é relatar um método baseado em corpus para análise de discurso que se baseia na noção de segmentação, isto é, a divisão de textos em porções coesas. Para os propósitos desse estudo, um segmento é definido como uma porção contígua de texto que consiste em pelo menos sentenças. O procedimento de segmentação desenvolvido para a pesquisa chama-se LSM ('link set median' e se baseia na identificação da repetição lexical nos textos. Os dados analisados foram três corpora de 100 textos cada. Cada corpus representava um gênero específico: artigos de pesquisa, relatórios anuais de negócio e artigos de enciclopédia. O tamanho total do corpus é 1.262.710 palavras. A segmentação por LSM foi comparada à divisão interna em seções de cada texto. A

Modelling spatial and temporal variability of hydrologic impacts under climate changes over the Nenjiang River Basin, China

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hao; Zhang, Wanchang

2017-10-01

The Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrologic model was adopted for investigating spatial and temporal variability of hydrologic impacts of climate change over the Nenjiang River Basin (NRB) based on a set of gridded forcing dataset at 1/12th degree resolution from 1970 to 2013. Basin-scale changes in the input forcing data and the simulated hydrological variables of the NRB, as well as station-scale changes in discharges for three major hydrometric stations were examined, which suggested that the model was performed fairly satisfactory in reproducing the observed discharges, meanwhile, the snow cover and evapotranspiration in temporal and spatial patterns were simulated reasonably corresponded to the remotely sensed ones. Wetland maps produced by multi-sources satellite images covering the entire basin between 1978 and 2008 were also utilized for investigating the responses and feedbacks of hydrological regimes on wetland dynamics. Results revealed that significant decreasing trends appeared in annual, spring and autumn streamflow demonstrated strong affection of precipitation and temperature changes over the study watershed, and the effects of climate change on the runoff reduction varied in the sub-basin area over different time scales. The proportion of evapotranspiration to precipitation characterized several severe fluctuations in droughts and floods took place in the region, which implied the enhanced sensitiveness and vulnerability of hydrologic regimes to changing environment of the region. Furthermore, it was found that the different types of wetlands undergone quite unique variation features with the varied hydro-meteorological conditions over the region, such as precipitation, evapotranspiration and soil moisture. This study provided effective scientific basis for water resource managers to develop effective eco-environment management plans and strategies that address the consequences of climate changes.

International Severe Weather and Flash Flood Hazard Early Warning Systems—Leveraging Coordination, Cooperation, and Partnerships through a Hydrometeorological Project in Southern Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Jubach

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Climate, weather and water hazards do not recognize national boundaries. Transboundary/regional programs and cooperation are essential to reduce the loss of lives and damage to livelihoods when facing these hazards. The development and implementation of systems to provide early warnings for severe weather events such as cyclones and flash floods requires data and information sharing in real time, and coordination among the government agencies at all levels. Within a country, this includes local, municipal, provincial-to-national levels as well as regional and international entities involved in hydrometeorological services and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR. Of key importance are the National Meteorological and Hydrologic Services (NMHSs. The NMHS is generally the authority solely responsible for issuing warnings for these hazards. However, in many regions of the world, the linkages and interfaces between the NMHS and other agencies are weak or non-existent. Therefore, there is a critical need to assess, strengthen, and formalize collaborations when addressing the concept of reducing risk and impacts from severe weather and floods. The U.S. Agency for International Development/Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance; the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO; the WMO Southern Africa Regional Specialized Meteorological Center, hosted by the South African Weather Service; the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Weather Service and the Hydrologic Research Center (a non-profit corporation are currently implementing a project working with Southern Africa NMHSs on addressing this gap. The project aims to strengthen coordination and collaboration mechanisms from national to local levels. The project partners are working with the NMHSs to apply and implement appropriate tools and infrastructure to enhance currently operational severe weather and flash flood early warning systems in each country in support of

Circulation pattern-based assessment of projected climate change for a catchment in Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Hoshin V.; Sapriza-Azuri, Gonzalo; Jódar, Jorge; Carrera, Jesús

2018-01-01

We present an approach for evaluating catchment-scale hydro-meteorological impacts of projected climate change based on the atmospheric circulation patterns (ACPs) of a region. Our approach is motivated by the conjecture that GCMs are especially good at simulating the atmospheric circulation patterns that control moisture transport, and which can be expected to change in response to global warming. In support of this, we show (for the late 20th century) that GCMs provide much better simulations of ACPs than those of precipitation amount for the Upper Guadiana Basin in central Spain. For the same period, four of the twenty GCMs participating in the most recent (5th) IPCC Assessment provide quite accurate representations of the spatial patterns of mean sea level pressure, the frequency distribution of ACP type, the 'number of rainy days per month', and the daily 'probability of rain' (they also reproduce the trend of 'wet day amount', though not the actual magnitudes). A consequent analysis of projected trends and changes in hydro-climatic ACPology between the late 20th and 21st Centuries indicates that (1) actual changes appear to be occurring faster than predicted by the models, and (2) for two greenhouse gas emission scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) the expected decline in precipitation volume is associated mainly with a few specific ACPs (primarily directional flows from the Atlantic Ocean and Cantabric Sea), and with decreasing probability of rain (linked to increasing temperatures) rather than wet day amount. Our approach is a potentially more insightful alternative for catchment-scale climate impacts assessments than the common approach of statistical downscaling and bias correction.

Strontium doped lanthanum manganite/manganese dioxide composite electrode for supercapacitor with enhanced rate capability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lv, Jingbo; Zhang, Yaohui; Lv, Zhe; Huang, Xiqiang; Wang, Zhihong; Zhu, Xingbao; Wei, Bo

2016-01-01

(La 0.75 Sr 0.25 ) 0.95 MnO 3-δ (LSM)/MnO 2 composite for supercapacitor (SC) electrode is successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method. The LSM/MnO 2 composite shows a flower-like structure and possesses numerous active sites and better conductivity. The as-prepared LSM/MnO 2 electrode exhibits a larger specific capacitance of 437.2 F g −1 , much better than that of pure MnO 2 . Furthermore, the composite electrode also has a higher rate capability (capacitance improvement can reach to 70%) and better cycling stability. It is believed that the present results provide an efficient electrode materials design and a novel composite for the future practical application of high-performance supercapacitor.

Clearing up the kinetics in high temperature fuel cells SOFC. Final report; Aufklaerung der Kinetik in Hochtemperatur-Brennstoffzellen SOFC. Abschlussbericht

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stimming, U

1997-05-12

In this work, the kinetics of the oxygen reduction of the SOFC cathode are to be detailed, i.e., depending on the parameters of electrode potential, temperature and oxygen partial pressure, they are to be examined with impedance spectroscopy and quasi-stationary current/voltage measurements. From the dependence of the impedances and the current density on the temperature and the oxygen partial pressure, apparent activation energies and pre-exponential factors as well as apparent reaction orders are to be determined, in order to obtain information on possible reaction mechanisms. These investigations should be carried out not only on standard cathode material (La{sub 1-x}Sr{sub x}MnO{sub 3}, LSM) but also on modified LSM cathodes. This modification should consist either of the addition of noble metal catalysts or in a change of the composition of the cathode material, and should lead to increased catalytic activity of the cathode. In addition, using the example of the standard cathode, different possible reaction mechanisms should be compared by a computer simulation of the current/voltage measurements and impedance spectra. (orig.) [Deutsch] In dieser Arbeit soll die Kinetik der Sauerstoffreduktion an der SOFC Kathode detailliert, d.h. in Abhaengigkeit der Parameter Elektrodenpotential, Temperatur und Sauerstoffpartialdruck mit Impedanzspektroskopie und quasi-stationaeren Strom/Spannungsmessungen untersucht werden. Aus den Abhaengigkeiten der Impedanzen und der Stromdichte von der Temperatur und vom Sauerstoffpartialdruck sollen scheinbare Aktivierungsenergien und prae-exponentielle Faktoren sowie scheinbare Reaktionsordnungen bestimmt werden, um Hinweise auf moegliche Reaktionsmechanismen zu erhalten. Diese Untersuchungen sollen nicht nur am Standardkathodenmaterial (La{sub 1-x}Sr{sub x}MnO{sub 3}, LSM), sondern auch an modifizierten LSM-Kathoden durchgefuehrt werden. Diese Modifizierung soll entweder im Zusatz von Edelmetallkatalysatoren oder in einer Aenderung

LSM Microelectrodes: Kinetics and Surface Composition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Karin Vels; Norrman, Kion; Jacobsen, Torben

2015-01-01

spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry were performed on electrodes with diameters of 20–100 μm in oxygen, air and nitrogen both at open circuit voltage and at anodic and cathodic polarization. In situ conductance mapping, ex situ surface analysis by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, and scanning...

A GIS-based extended fuzzy multi-criteria evaluation for landslide susceptibility mapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Feizizadeh, Bakhtiar; Shadman Roodposhti, Majid; Jankowski, Piotr; Blaschke, Thomas

2014-12-01

Landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM) is making increasing use of GIS-based spatial analysis in combination with multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) methods. We have developed a new multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method for LSM and applied it to the Izeh River basin in south-western Iran. Our method is based on fuzzy membership functions (FMFs) derived from GIS analysis. It makes use of nine causal landslide factors identified by local landslide experts. Fuzzy set theory was first integrated with an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) in order to use pairwise comparisons to compare LSM criteria for ranking purposes. FMFs were then applied in order to determine the criteria weights to be used in the development of a landslide susceptibility map. Finally, a landslide inventory database was used to validate the LSM map by comparing it with known landslides within the study area. Results indicated that the integration of fuzzy set theory with AHP produced significantly improved accuracies and a high level of reliability in the resulting landslide susceptibility map. Approximately 53% of known landslides within our study area fell within zones classified as having "very high susceptibility", with the further 31% falling into zones classified as having "high susceptibility".

APPLYING 3D AFFINE TRANSFORMATION AND LEAST SQUARES MATCHING FOR AIRBORNE LASER SCANNING STRIPS ADJUSTMENT WITHOUT GNSS/IMU TRAJECTORY DATA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Ressl

2012-09-01

Full Text Available In this article we extend our previous work on the topic of ALS strip adjustment without GNSS/IMU trajectory data. Between overlap- ping strip pairs the relative orientation as a 3D affine transformation is estimated by a 3D LSM approach, which uses interpolated 2.5D grid surface models of the strips and the entire strip overlap as one big LSM window. The LSM derived relative orientations of all strip pairs in the block together with their covariance matrices are then used simultaneously as observations in an adjustment following the Gauss-Helmert model. This way the exterior orientation of each strip is computed, which refers to a relative block system. If proper ground control data is given, then an absolute orientation of the block of strips can be computed by a final LSM run. In a small example consisting of 4 strips with ca. 70% overlap the improvement in the relative geometric accuracy is demonstrated by the decreasing óMAD of the height differences from 8.4cm (before to 1.6cm (after the strip adjustment.

Characterization of the yttria-stabilized zirconia thin film electrophoretic deposited on La{sub 0.8}Sr{sub 0.2}MnO{sub 3} substrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Koho [Department of Mold and Die Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, 415 Chien-Kung Rode, Kaohsiung 80782, Taiwan (China); Shen, Jung-Hsiung [Department of Mold and Die Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, 415 Chien-Kung Rode, Kaohsiung 80782, Taiwan (China); Yang, Kai-Yun [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chen Kung University, 1 Ta-Hsueh Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Hung, I-Ming [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chen Kung University, 1 Ta-Hsueh Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Yuan Ze University, 135 Yuan-Tung Road, Chungli, Taoyunn 320, Taiwan (China); Fung, Kuan-Zong [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chen Kung University, 1 Ta-Hsueh Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Wang, Moo-Chin [Faculty of Fragrance and Cosmetics, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100 Shi-Chuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan (China)]. E-mail: mcwang@kmu.edu.tw

2007-06-14

The yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin films electrophoretic deposited on the La{sub 0.8}Sr{sub 0.2}MnO{sub 3} (LSM) substrate have been characterized by using zeta potential analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The La{sub 2}Zr{sub 2}O{sub 7} (LZ) formed at the interface between the YSZ thin film and LSM substrate, after sintered at 1400 {sup o}C for 52 h, are identified by XRD. The zeta potential of the YSZ particles in pure ethanol-acetone is about 7.8 mV, but when the I{sub 2} concentration is greater than 0.6 g/1, the zeta potential attains a constant value, 46 mV. The relation between deposit weight of the YSZ films and the applied voltage shows a non-linear behavior. Thickness of the YSZ thin film deposited on the LSM substrate by electrophoretic deposition is controlled by a diffusion process. A larger LZ with the thickness of 200 nm is formed at the interface between the YSZ film and the LSM substrate.

(La{sub 0.74}Bi{sub 0.10}Sr{sub 0.16})MnO{sub 3-{delta}}-(Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub 0.7}(Er{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub 0.} {sub 3} composite cathodes for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Junliang; Wang, Shaorong; Wang, Zhengrong; Liu, Renzhu; Wen, Tinglian; Wen, Zhaoyin [Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1295 Dingxi Road, Shanghai 200050 (China)

2008-05-01

(La{sub 0.74}Bi{sub 0.10}Sr{sub 0.16})MnO{sub 3-{delta}} (LBSM)-(Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub 0.7}(Er{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub 0.3}(ESB) composite cathodes were fabricated for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells with Sc-stabilized zirconia as the electrolyte. The performance of these cathodes was investigated at temperatures below 750 C by AC impedance spectroscopy and the results indicated that LBSM-ESB had a better performance than traditional composite electrodes such as LSM-GDC and LSM-YSZ. At 750 C, the lowest interfacial polarization resistance was only 0.11 {omega} cm{sup 2} for the LBSM-ESB cathode, 0.49 {omega} cm{sup 2} for the LSM-GDC cathode, and 1.31 {omega} cm{sup 2} for the LSM-YSZ cathode. The performance of the cathode was improved gradually by increasing the ESB content, and the performance was optimal when the amounts of LBSM and ESB were equal in composite cathodes. This study shows that the sintering temperature of the cathode affected performance, and the optimum sintering temperature for LBSM-ESB was 900 C. (author)

Nanoparticle dispersion effect of laser-surface melting in ZrB{sub 2p}/6061Al composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeng, Yida; Chao, Yuhjin; Luo, Zhen, E-mail: lz-tju@163.com [Tianjin University, School of Material Science and Engineering (China); Huang, Yongxian [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining, Harbin Institute of Technology (China)

2017-04-15

Zirconium diboride (ZrB{sub 2p}, 15 vol%)/6061 aluminum (Al) composites were fabricated via in situ reaction. The existence, morphologies, and dispersion degree of the in situ ZrB{sub 2} particles with size from tens to hundreds of nanometers were studied by X-ray diffractometry, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. As the particle-settlement effect becomes dominant during the composite fabrication process, ZrB{sub 2} nanoparticles agglomerate to a certain extent in some areas of the as-cast composites. A laser-surface melting (LSM) strategy was applied to disperse agglomerated ZrB{sub 2} nanoparticles in as-cast composites, and the ZrB{sub 2} nanoparticle dispersion is affected visibly by LSM. After LSM, nanoparticles tend to distribute along the grain boundary. Particle clusters were dispersed in an explosive orientation and the particle diffusion distance varied in terms of its radius and melt-viscosity vicinity. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed the existence of a subgrain structure near the ZrB{sub 2}–Al interface after LSM. This may increase the yield strength when a dislocation tangle forms.

Projected changes to rain-on-snow events over North America

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Dae Il; Sushama, Laxmi

2016-04-01

Rain-on-snow (ROS) events have significant impacts on cold region ecosystems and water-related natural hazards, and therefore it is very important to assess how this hydro-meteorological phenomenon will evolve in a changing climate. This study evaluates the changes in ROS characteristics (i.e., frequency, amounts, and runoff) for the future 2041-2070 period with respect to the current 1976-2005 period over North America using six simulations, based on two Canadian RCMs, driven by two driving GCMs for RCP4.5 and 8.5 emission pathways. Projected changes to extreme runoff caused by the changes of the ROS characteristics are also evaluated. All simulations suggest general increases in ROS days in late autumn, winter, and early spring periods for most Canadian regions and northwestern USA for the future period, due to an increase in rain days in a warmer climate. Increases in the future ROS amounts are projected mainly due to an increase in ROS days, although increases in precipitation intensity also contributes to the future increases. Future ROS runoff is expected to increase more than future ROS amounts during snowmelt months as ROS events usually enhance runoff, given the land state and asociated reduced soil infiltration rate and also due to the faster snowmelt rate occuring during these events. The simulations also show that ROS events usually lead to extreme runoff over most of Canada and north-western and -central USA in the January-May snowmelt months for the current period and these show no significant changes in the future climate. However, the future ROS to total runoff ratio will significantly decrease for western and eastern Canada as well as north-western USA for these months, due to an overall increase of the fraction of direct snowmelt and rainfall generated runoff in a warmer climate. These results indicate the difficulties of flood risk and water resource managements in the future, particularly in Canada and north-western and -central USA, requiring

Assessing Changes in Precipitation and Impacts on Groundwater in Southeastern Brazil using Regional Hydroclimate Reconstruction

Science.gov (United States)

Nunes, A.; Fernandes, M.; Silva, G. C., Jr.

2017-12-01

Aquifers can be key players in regional water resources. Precipitation infiltration is the most relevant process in recharging the aquifers. In that regard, understanding precipitation changes and impacts on the hydrological cycle helps in the assessment of groundwater availability from the aquifers. Regional modeling systems can provide precipitation, near-surface air temperature, together with soil moisture at different ground levels from coupled land-surface schemes. More accurate those variables are better the evaluation of the precipitation impact on the groundwater. Downscaling of global reanalysis very often employs regional modeling systems, in order to give more detailed information for impact assessment studies at regional scales. In particular, the regional modeling system, Satellite-enhanced Regional Downscaling for Applied Studies (SRDAS), might improve the accuracy of hydrometeorological variables in regions with spatial and temporal scarcity of in-situ observations. SRDAS combines assimilation of precipitation estimates from gauge-corrected satellite-based products with spectral nudging technique. The SRDAS hourly outputs provide monthly means of atmospheric and land-surface variables, including precipitation, used in the calculations of the hydrological budget terms. Results show the impact of changes in precipitation on groundwater in the aquifer located near the southeastern coastline of Brazil, through the assessment of the water-cycle terms, using a hydrological model during dry and rainy periods found in the 15-year numerical integration of SRDAS.

Language style matching in writing: synchrony in essays, correspondence, and poetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ireland, Molly E; Pennebaker, James W

2010-09-01

Each relationship has its own personality. Almost immediately after a social interaction begins, verbal and nonverbal behaviors become synchronized. Even in asocial contexts, individuals tend to produce utterances that match the grammatical structure of sentences they have recently heard or read. Three projects explore language style matching (LSM) in everyday writing tasks and professional writing. LSM is the relative use of 9 function word categories (e.g., articles, personal pronouns) between any 2 texts. In the first project, 2 samples totaling 1,744 college students answered 4 essay questions written in very different styles. Students automatically matched the language style of the target questions. Overall, the LSM metric was internally consistent and reliable across writing tasks. Women, participants of higher socioeconomic status, and students who earned higher test grades matched with targets more than others did. In the second project, 74 participants completed cliffhanger excerpts from popular fiction. Judges' ratings of excerpt-response similarity were related to content matching but not function word matching, as indexed by LSM. Further, participants were not able to intentionally increase style or content matching. In the final project, an archival study tracked the professional writing and personal correspondence of 3 pairs of famous writers across their relationships. Language matching in poetry and letters reflected fluctuations in the relationships of 3 couples: Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, and Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. Implications for using LSM as an implicit marker of social engagement and influence are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

The Operational Hydro-meteorological Ensemble Prediction System at Meteo-France and its representation interface for the French Service for Flood Prediction (SCHAPI) : description and undergoing developments.

Science.gov (United States)

Rousset-Regimbeau, F.; Martin, E.; Thirel, G.; Habets, F.; Coustau, M.; Roquelaure, S.; De Saint Aubin, C.; Ardilouze, C.

2012-04-01

The coupled physically-based hydro-meteorological model SAFRAN-ISBA-MODCOU (SIM) is developed at Meteo-France for many years. This fully distributed catchment model is used in a pre-operational mode since 2005 for producing mid-range ensemble streamflow forecasts based on the 51-member 10-day ECMWF EPS. Improvements have been made during the past few years.. First, a statistical adaptation has been performed to improve the meteorological ensemble predictions from the ECMWF. It has been developped over a 3-year archive, and assessed over a 1-year period. Its impact on the performance of the streamflow forecasts has been calculated over 8 months of predictions. Then, a past discharges assimilation system has been implemented in order to improve the initial states of these ensemble streamflow forecasts. It has been developped in the framework of a Phd thesis, and it is now evaluated in real-time conditions. Moreover, an improvement of the physics of the ISBA model (the exponential profile of the hydraulic conductivity in the soil) was implemented. Finally, this system provides ensemble 10-day streamflow prediction to the French National Service for Flood Prediction (SCHAPI). A collaboration between Meteo-France and SCHAPI led to the development of a new website. This website shows the streamflow predictions for about 200 selected river stations over France (selected regarding their interest for flood warning) , as well as alerts for high flows (two levels of high flows corresponding to the levels of risk of the French flood warning system). It aims at providing to the French hydrological forecaters a real-time tool for mid-range flood awareness.

Sensitivity of the weather research and forecasting model to parameterization schemes for regional climate of Nile River Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Tariku, Tebikachew Betru; Gan, Thian Yew

2018-06-01

Regional climate models (RCMs) have been used to simulate rainfall at relatively high spatial and temporal resolutions useful for sustainable water resources planning, design and management. In this study, the sensitivity of the RCM, weather research and forecasting (WRF), in modeling the regional climate of the Nile River Basin (NRB) was investigated using 31 combinations of different physical parameterization schemes which include cumulus (Cu), microphysics (MP), planetary boundary layer (PBL), land-surface model (LSM) and radiation (Ra) schemes. Using the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) ERA-Interim reanalysis data as initial and lateral boundary conditions, WRF was configured to model the climate of NRB at a resolution of 36 km with 30 vertical levels. The 1999-2001 simulations using WRF were compared with satellite data combined with ground observation and the NCEP reanalysis data for 2 m surface air temperature (T2), rainfall, short- and longwave downward radiation at the surface (SWRAD, LWRAD). Overall, WRF simulated more accurate T2 and LWRAD (with correlation coefficients >0.8 and low root-mean-square error) than SWRAD and rainfall for the NRB. Further, the simulation of rainfall is more sensitive to PBL, Cu and MP schemes than other schemes of WRF. For example, WRF simulated less biased rainfall with Kain-Fritsch combined with MYJ than with YSU as the PBL scheme. The simulation of T2 is more sensitive to LSM and Ra than to Cu, PBL and MP schemes selected, SWRAD is more sensitive to MP and Ra than to Cu, LSM and PBL schemes, and LWRAD is more sensitive to LSM, Ra and PBL than Cu, and MP schemes. In summary, the following combination of schemes simulated the most representative regional climate of NRB: WSM3 microphysics, KF cumulus, MYJ PBL, RRTM longwave radiation and Dudhia shortwave radiation schemes, and Noah LSM. The above configuration of WRF coupled to the Noah LSM has also been shown to simulate representative regional

Sensitivity of the weather research and forecasting model to parameterization schemes for regional climate of Nile River Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Tariku, Tebikachew Betru; Gan, Thian Yew

2017-08-01

Regional climate models (RCMs) have been used to simulate rainfall at relatively high spatial and temporal resolutions useful for sustainable water resources planning, design and management. In this study, the sensitivity of the RCM, weather research and forecasting (WRF), in modeling the regional climate of the Nile River Basin (NRB) was investigated using 31 combinations of different physical parameterization schemes which include cumulus (Cu), microphysics (MP), planetary boundary layer (PBL), land-surface model (LSM) and radiation (Ra) schemes. Using the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) ERA-Interim reanalysis data as initial and lateral boundary conditions, WRF was configured to model the climate of NRB at a resolution of 36 km with 30 vertical levels. The 1999-2001 simulations using WRF were compared with satellite data combined with ground observation and the NCEP reanalysis data for 2 m surface air temperature (T2), rainfall, short- and longwave downward radiation at the surface (SWRAD, LWRAD). Overall, WRF simulated more accurate T2 and LWRAD (with correlation coefficients >0.8 and low root-mean-square error) than SWRAD and rainfall for the NRB. Further, the simulation of rainfall is more sensitive to PBL, Cu and MP schemes than other schemes of WRF. For example, WRF simulated less biased rainfall with Kain-Fritsch combined with MYJ than with YSU as the PBL scheme. The simulation of T2 is more sensitive to LSM and Ra than to Cu, PBL and MP schemes selected, SWRAD is more sensitive to MP and Ra than to Cu, LSM and PBL schemes, and LWRAD is more sensitive to LSM, Ra and PBL than Cu, and MP schemes. In summary, the following combination of schemes simulated the most representative regional climate of NRB: WSM3 microphysics, KF cumulus, MYJ PBL, RRTM longwave radiation and Dudhia shortwave radiation schemes, and Noah LSM. The above configuration of WRF coupled to the Noah LSM has also been shown to simulate representative regional

Surface-bound phosphatase activity in living hyphae of ectomycorrhizal fungi of Nothofagus obliqua.

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez, Maricel; Godoy, Roberto; Heyser, Wolfgang; Härtel, Steffen

2004-01-01

We determined the location and the activity of surface-bound phosphomonoesterase (SBP) of five ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi of Nothofagus oblique. EM fungal mycelium of Paxillus involutus, Austropaxillus boletinoides, Descolea antartica, Cenococcum geophilum and Pisolithus tinctorius was grown in media with varying concentrations of dissolved phosphorus. SBP activity was detected at different pH values (3-7) under each growth regimen. SBP activity was assessed using a colorimetric method based on the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP) to p-nitrophenol phosphate (pNP) + P. A new technique involving confocal laser-scanning microscopy (LSM) was used to locate and quantify SBP activity on the hyphal surface. EM fungi showed two fundamentally different patterns of SBP activity in relation to varying environmental conditions (P-concentrations and pH). In the cases of D. antartica, A. boletinoides and C. geophilum, changes in SBP activity were induced primarily by changes in the number of SBP-active centers on the hyphae. In the cases of P. tinctorius and P. involutus, the number of SBP-active centers per μm hyphal length changed much less than the intensity of the SBP-active centers on the hyphae. Our findings not only contribute to the discussion about the role of SBP-active centers in EM fungi but also introduce LSM as a valuable method for studying EM fungi.

Reducible gauge theories in local superfield Lagrangian BRST quantization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gitman, D. M. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica; Moshin, P.Yu. [Tomsk State Pedagogical University (Russian Federation); Reshetnyak, A.A. [Inst. of Strength Physics and Materials Science, Tomsk (Russian Federation). Lab. of Non-equilibrium State Theory

2007-12-15

The construction of {theta}-local superfield Lagrangian BRST quantization in non-Abelian hyper gauges for generic gauge theories based on the action principle is examined in the case of reducible local superfield models (LSM) on the basis of embedding a gauge theory into a special {theta}-local superfield model with anti symplectic constraints and a Grassmann-odd time parameter {theta}. We examine the problem of establishing a new correspondence between the odd-Lagrangian and odd-Hamiltonian formulations of a local LSM in the case of degeneracy of the Lagrangian description with respect to derivatives over {theta} of generalized classical superfields A{sup I}({theta}). We also reveal the role of the nilpotent BRST-BFV charge for a formal dynamical system corresponding to the BV-BFV dual description of an LSM. (author)

Multi-Scale Hydrometeorological Modeling, Land Data Assimilation and Parameter Estimation with the Land Information System

Science.gov (United States)

Peters-Lidard, Christa D.; Kumar, Sujay V.; Santanello, Joseph A., Jr.; Reichle, Rolf H.

2009-01-01

The Land Information System (LIS; http://lis.gsfc.nasa.gov; Kumar et al., 2006; Peters- Lidard et al.,2007) is a flexible land surface modeling framework that has been developed with the goal of integrating satellite- and ground-based observational data products and advanced land surface modeling techniques to produce optimal fields of land surface states and fluxes. As such, LIS represents a step towards the next generation land component of an integrated Earth system model. In recognition of LIS object-oriented software design, use and impact in the land surface and hydrometeorological modeling community, the LIS software was selected ase co-winner of NASA's 2005 Software of the Year award. LIS facilitates the integration of observations from Earth-observing systems and predictions and forecasts from Earth System and Earth science models into the decision-making processes of partnering agency and national organizations. Due to its flexible software design, LIS can serve both as a Problem Solving Environment (PSE) for hydrologic research to enable accurate global water and energy cycle predictions, and as a Decision Support System (DSS) to generate useful information for application areas including disaster management, water resources management, agricultural management, numerical weather prediction, air quality and military mobility assessment. LIS has evolved from two earlier efforts North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS; Mitchell et al. 2004) and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS; Rodell al. 2004) that focused primarily on improving numerical weather prediction skills by improving the characterization of the land surface conditions. Both of GLDAS and NLDAS now use specific configurations of the LIS software in their current implementations. In addition, LIS was recently transitioned into operations at the US Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) to ultimately replace their Agricultural Meteorology (AGRMET) system, and is also used routinely by

"Near-term" Natural Catastrophe Risk Management and Risk Hedging in a Changing Climate

Science.gov (United States)

Michel, Gero; Tiampo, Kristy

2014-05-01

Competing with analytics - Can the insurance market take advantage of seasonal or "near-term" forecasting and temporal changes in risk? Natural perils (re)insurance has been based on models following climatology i.e. the long-term "historical" average. This is opposed to considering the "near-term" and forecasting hazard and risk for the seasons or years to come. Variability and short-term changes in risk are deemed abundant for almost all perils. In addition to hydrometeorological perils whose changes are vastly discussed, earthquake activity might also change over various time-scales affected by earlier local (or even global) events, regional changes in the distribution of stresses and strains and more. Only recently has insurance risk modeling of (stochastic) hurricane-years or extratropical-storm-years started considering our ability to forecast climate variability herewith taking advantage of apparent correlations between climate indicators and the activity of storm events. Once some of these "near-term measures" were in the market, rating agencies and regulators swiftly adopted these concepts demanding companies to deploy a selection of more conservative "time-dependent" models. This was despite the fact that the ultimate effect of some of these measures on insurance risk was not well understood. Apparent short-term success over the last years in near-term seasonal hurricane forecasting was brought to a halt in 2013 when these models failed to forecast the exceptional shortage of hurricanes herewith contradicting an active-year forecast. The focus of earthquake forecasting has in addition been mostly on high rather than low temporal and regional activity despite the fact that avoiding losses does not by itself create a product. This presentation sheds light on new risk management concepts for over-regional and global (re)insurance portfolios that take advantage of forecasting changes in risk. The presentation focuses on the "upside" and on new opportunities

Adapting regional watershed management to climate change in Bavaria and Québec

Science.gov (United States)

Ludwig, Ralf; Muerth, Markus; Schmid, Josef; Jobst, Andreas; Caya, Daniel; Gauvin St-Denis, Blaise; Chaumont, Diane; Velazquez, Juan-Alberto; Turcotte, Richard; Ricard, Simon

2013-04-01

The international research project QBic3 (Quebec-Bavarian Collaboration on Climate Change) aims at investigating the potential impacts of climate change on the hydrology of regional scale catchments in Southern Quebec (Canada) and Bavaria (Germany). For this purpose, a hydro-meteorological modeling chain has been established, applying climatic forcing from both dynamical and statistical climate model data to an ensemble of hydrological models of varying complexity. The selection of input data, process descriptions and scenarios allows for the inter-comparison of the uncertainty ranges on selected runoff indicators; a methodology to display the relative importance of each source of uncertainty is developed and results for past runoff (1971-2000) and potential future changes (2041-2070) are obtained. Finally, the impact of hydrological changes on the operational management of dams, reservoirs and transfer systems is investigated and shown for the Bavarian case studies, namely the potential change in i) hydro-power production for the Upper Isar watershed and ii) low flow augmentation and water transfer rates at the Donau-Main transfer system in Central Franconia. Two overall findings will be presented and discussed in detail: a) the climate change response of selected hydrological indicators, especially those related to low flows, is strongly affected by the choice of the hydrological model. It can be shown that an assessment of the changes in the hydrological cycle is best represented by a complex physically based hydrological model, computationally less demanding models (usually simple, lumped and conceptual) can give a significant level of trust for selected indicators. b) the major differences in the projected climate forcing stemming from the ensemble of dynamic climate models (GCM/RCM) versus the statistical-stochastical WETTREG2010 approach. While the dynamic ensemble reveals a moderate modification of the hydrological processes in the investigated catchments

Transient elastography for predicting liver-related events in cirrhotic HIV-infected patients

OpenAIRE

Montes-Ramírez, M. L.; Berenguer, Juan; Miró, J. M.; Quereda, Carmen; Hernando Jeréz, María Asunción; Sanz, J.; Ortega, E.; Tural, Cristina; Wichmann, M. A.; Zamora, F. X.; González García, J. J.

2017-01-01

We assessed liver stiffness measurement (LSM) for the prediction of mortality and decompensation in HIVinfected patients with compensated liver cirrhosis. A prospective cohort study of HIV-infected patients with confirmed liver cirrhosis from 9 hospitals in Spain. LSM was undertaken for each patient; clinical events were collected prospectively after the baseline visit, and patients were followed until death or the censoring date. We used univariate/multivariate Cox proportional haz...

Analysis of carotid artery plaque and wall boundaries on CT images by using a semi-automatic method based on level set model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saba, Luca; Sannia, Stefano; Ledda, Giuseppe; Gao, Hao; Acharya, U.R.; Suri, Jasjit S.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potentialities of a semi-automated technique in the detection and measurement of the carotid artery plaque. Twenty-two consecutive patients (18 males, 4 females; mean age 62 years) examined with MDCTA from January 2011 to March 2011 were included in this retrospective study. Carotid arteries are examined with a 16-multi-detector-row CT system, and for each patient, the most diseased carotid was selected. In the first phase, the carotid plaque was identified and one experienced radiologist manually traced the inner and outer boundaries by using polyline and radial distance method (PDM and RDM, respectively). In the second phase, the carotid inner and outer boundaries were traced with an automated algorithm: level-set-method (LSM). Data were compared by using Pearson rho correlation, Bland-Altman, and regression. A total of 715 slices were analyzed. The mean thickness of the plaque using the reference PDM was 1.86 mm whereas using the LSM-PDM was 1.96 mm; using the reference RDM was 2.06 mm whereas using the LSM-RDM was 2.03 mm. The correlation values between the references, the LSM, the PDM and the RDM were 0.8428, 0.9921, 0.745 and 0.6425. Bland-Altman demonstrated a very good agreement in particular with the RDM method. Results of our study indicate that LSM method can automatically measure the thickness of the plaque and that the best results are obtained with the RDM. Our results suggest that advanced computer-based algorithms can identify and trace the plaque boundaries like an experienced human reader. (orig.)

Analysis of carotid artery plaque and wall boundaries on CT images by using a semi-automatic method based on level set model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saba, Luca; Sannia, Stefano; Ledda, Giuseppe [University of Cagliari - Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Cagliari, Department of Radiology, Monserrato, Cagliari (Italy); Gao, Hao [University of Strathclyde, Signal Processing Centre for Excellence in Signal and Image Processing, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Glasgow (United Kingdom); Acharya, U.R. [Ngee Ann Polytechnic University, Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering, Clementi (Singapore); Suri, Jasjit S. [Biomedical Technologies Inc., Denver, CO (United States); Idaho State University (Aff.), Pocatello, ID (United States)

2012-11-15

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potentialities of a semi-automated technique in the detection and measurement of the carotid artery plaque. Twenty-two consecutive patients (18 males, 4 females; mean age 62 years) examined with MDCTA from January 2011 to March 2011 were included in this retrospective study. Carotid arteries are examined with a 16-multi-detector-row CT system, and for each patient, the most diseased carotid was selected. In the first phase, the carotid plaque was identified and one experienced radiologist manually traced the inner and outer boundaries by using polyline and radial distance method (PDM and RDM, respectively). In the second phase, the carotid inner and outer boundaries were traced with an automated algorithm: level-set-method (LSM). Data were compared by using Pearson rho correlation, Bland-Altman, and regression. A total of 715 slices were analyzed. The mean thickness of the plaque using the reference PDM was 1.86 mm whereas using the LSM-PDM was 1.96 mm; using the reference RDM was 2.06 mm whereas using the LSM-RDM was 2.03 mm. The correlation values between the references, the LSM, the PDM and the RDM were 0.8428, 0.9921, 0.745 and 0.6425. Bland-Altman demonstrated a very good agreement in particular with the RDM method. Results of our study indicate that LSM method can automatically measure the thickness of the plaque and that the best results are obtained with the RDM. Our results suggest that advanced computer-based algorithms can identify and trace the plaque boundaries like an experienced human reader. (orig.)

Prognostic durability of liver fibrosis tests and improvement in predictive performance for mortality by combining tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertrais, Sandrine; Boursier, Jérôme; Ducancelle, Alexandra; Oberti, Frédéric; Fouchard-Hubert, Isabelle; Moal, Valérie; Calès, Paul

2017-06-01

There is currently no recommended time interval between noninvasive fibrosis measurements for monitoring chronic liver diseases. We determined how long a single liver fibrosis evaluation may accurately predict mortality, and assessed whether combining tests improves prognostic performance. We included 1559 patients with chronic liver disease and available baseline liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by Fibroscan, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), FIB-4, Hepascore, and FibroMeter V2G . Median follow-up was 2.8 years during which 262 (16.8%) patients died, with 115 liver-related deaths. All fibrosis tests were able to predict mortality, although APRI (and FIB-4 for liver-related mortality) showed lower overall discriminative ability than the other tests (differences in Harrell's C-index: P fibrosis, 1 year in patients with significant fibrosis, and liver disease (MELD) score testing sets. In the training set, blood tests and LSM were independent predictors of all-cause mortality. The best-fit multivariate model included age, sex, LSM, and FibroMeter V2G with C-index = 0.834 (95% confidence interval, 0.803-0.862). The prognostic model for liver-related mortality included the same covariates with C-index = 0.868 (0.831-0.902). In the testing set, the multivariate models had higher prognostic accuracy than FibroMeter V2G or LSM alone for all-cause mortality and FibroMeter V2G alone for liver-related mortality. The prognostic durability of a single baseline fibrosis evaluation depends on the liver fibrosis level. Combining LSM with a blood fibrosis test improves mortality risk assessment. © 2016 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Supersonic shear imaging for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis and portal hypertension in liver diseases: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Han; Qi, Xingshun; Zhang, Tiansong; Qi, Xiaolong; Yoshida, Eric M; Guo, Xiaozhong

2018-01-01

The meta-analysis aimed to summarize the technical success rate of supersonic shear imaging (SSI) and to evaluate the diagnostic performance of liver and spleen stiffness measurement (LSM and SSM) with SSI for the detection of liver fibrosis, portal hypertension, and gastroesophageal varices in liver diseases. PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched. Technical success rate of SSI was pooled. Area under curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Included studies regarding the diagnostic performance of SSI for liver fibrosis, portal hypertension, and esophageal varices numbered 28, 4, and 4 respectively. The pooled technical success rates of LSM and SSM were 95.3% and 75.5%, respectively. The AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of LSM/SSM for different stages of liver fibrosis were 0.85-0.94, 0.7-0.89, and 0.82-0.92, respectively. The AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of LSM were 0.84 (95%CI = 0.8-0.86), 0.79 (95%CI = 0.7-0.85), and 0.82 (95%CI = 0.72-0.88) for clinically significant portal hypertension, 0.85 (95%CI = 0.82-0.88), 0.8 (95%CI = 0.68-0.88), and 0.8 (95%CI = 0.6-0.92) for any varices, and 0.86 (95%CI = 0.83-0.89), 0.86 (95%CI = 0.76-0.92), and 0.61 (95%CI = 0.35-0.83) for high-risk varices, respectively. LSM with SSI had a high diagnostic accuracy for liver fibrosis, but a moderate diagnostic accuracy for portal hypertension and esophageal varices.

Optimization of a Radiative Transfer Forward Operator for Simulating SMOS Brightness Temperatures over the Upper Mississippi Basin, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Lievens, H.; Verhoest, N. E. C.; Martens, B.; VanDenBerg, M. J.; Bitar, A. Al; Tomer, S. Kumar; Merlin, O.; Cabot, F.; Kerr, Y.; DeLannoy, G. J. M.;

Sustained virological response halts fibrosis progression: A long-term follow-up study of people with chronic hepatitis C infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Swee Lin G Chen Yi Mei

Full Text Available Long-term follow-up studies validating the clinical benefit of sustained virological response (SVR in people with chronic hepatitis C (CHC infection are lacking. Our aim was to identify rates and predictors of liver fibrosis progression in a large, well characterized cohort of CHC patients in whom paired liver fibrosis assessments were performed more than 10 years apart.CHC patients who had undergone a baseline liver biopsy pre-2004 and a follow up liver fibrosis assessment more than 10 years later (biopsy or liver stiffness measurement (LSM using transient elastography [FibroScan] were identified. Subjects who had undergone a baseline liver biopsy but had no follow up fibrosis assessment were recalled for LSM. Fibrosis was categorised as mild-moderate (METAVIR F0-2 / LSM result of ≤ 9.5 kPa or advanced (METAVIR F3-4/ LSM >9.5 kPa. The primary objective was to assess the association between SVR and the rate of liver fibrosis progression over at least 10 years, defined as an increase from mild-moderate fibrosis at baseline liver biopsy (METAVIR F0-2 to advanced fibrosis at follow-up liver fibrosis assessment.131 subjects were included in this analysis: 69% male, 82% Caucasian, 60% G1 HCV, 25% G3 HCV. The median age at F/U fibrosis staging was 57 (IQR 54-62 years with median estimated duration of infection 33-years (IQR 29-38. At F/U, liver fibrosis assessment was performed by LSM in 86% and liver biopsy in 14%. The median period between fibrosis assessments was 14-years (IQR 12-17. 109 (83% participants had received interferon-based antiviral therapy. 40% attained SVR. At F/U, there was a significant increase in the proportion of subjects with advanced liver fibrosis: 27% at baseline vs. 46% at F/U (p = 0.002. The prevalence of advanced fibrosis did not change among subjects who attained SVR, 30% at B/L vs 25% at F/U (p = 0.343. However, advanced fibrosis became more common at F/U among subjects with persistent viremia: 10% at B/L vs 31% at F

A Meta-analysis for the Diagnostic Performance of Transient Elastography for Clinically Significant Portal Hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

You, Myung-Won; Kim, Kyung Won; Pyo, Junhee; Huh, Jimi; Kim, Hyoung Jung; Lee, So Jung; Park, Seong Ho

2017-01-01

We aimed to evaluate the correlation between liver stiffness measurement using transient elastography (TE-LSM) and hepatic venous pressure gradient and the diagnostic performance of TE-LSM in assessing clinically significant portal hypertension through meta-analysis. Eleven studies were included from thorough literature research and selection processes. The summary correlation coefficient was 0.783 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.737-0.823). Summary sensitivity, specificity and area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were 87.5% (95% CI, 75.8-93.9%), 85.3 % (95% CI, 76.9-90.9%) and 0.9, respectively. The subgroup with low cut-off values of 13.6-18 kPa had better summary estimates (sensitivity 91.2%, specificity 81.3% and partial AUC 0.921) than the subgroup with high cut-off values of 21-25 kPa (sensitivity 71.2%, specificity 90.9% and partial AUC 0.769). In summary, TE-LSM correlated well with hepatic venous pressure gradient and represented good diagnostic performance in diagnosing clinically significant portal hypertension. For use as a sensitive screening tool, we propose using low cut-off values of 13.6-18 kPa in TE-LSM. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fuzzy Shannon Entropy: A Hybrid GIS-Based Landslide Susceptibility Mapping Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Majid Shadman Roodposhti

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Assessing Landslide Susceptibility Mapping (LSM contributes to reducing the risk of living with landslides. Handling the vagueness associated with LSM is a challenging task. Here we show the application of hybrid GIS-based LSM. The hybrid approach embraces fuzzy membership functions (FMFs in combination with Shannon entropy, a well-known information theory-based method. Nine landslide-related criteria, along with an inventory of landslides containing 108 recent and historic landslide points, are used to prepare a susceptibility map. A random split into training (≈70% and testing (≈30% samples are used for training and validation of the LSM model. The study area—Izeh—is located in the Khuzestan province of Iran, a highly susceptible landslide zone. The performance of the hybrid method is evaluated using receiver operating characteristics (ROC curves in combination with area under the curve (AUC. The performance of the proposed hybrid method with AUC of 0.934 is superior to multi-criteria evaluation approaches using a subjective scheme in this research in comparison with a previous study using the same dataset through extended fuzzy multi-criteria evaluation with AUC value of 0.894, and was built on the basis of decision makers’ evaluation in the same study area.

A GIS-based extended fuzzy multi-criteria evaluation for landslide susceptibility mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Feizizadeh, Bakhtiar; Shadman Roodposhti, Majid; Jankowski, Piotr; Blaschke, Thomas

2014-01-01

Landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM) is making increasing use of GIS-based spatial analysis in combination with multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) methods. We have developed a new multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method for LSM and applied it to the Izeh River basin in south-western Iran. Our method is based on fuzzy membership functions (FMFs) derived from GIS analysis. It makes use of nine causal landslide factors identified by local landslide experts. Fuzzy set theory was first integrated with an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) in order to use pairwise comparisons to compare LSM criteria for ranking purposes. FMFs were then applied in order to determine the criteria weights to be used in the development of a landslide susceptibility map. Finally, a landslide inventory database was used to validate the LSM map by comparing it with known landslides within the study area. Results indicated that the integration of fuzzy set theory with AHP produced significantly improved accuracies and a high level of reliability in the resulting landslide susceptibility map. Approximately 53% of known landslides within our study area fell within zones classified as having “very high susceptibility”, with the further 31% falling into zones classified as having “high susceptibility”. PMID:26089577

Role of Surface Energy Exchange for Simulating Wind Turbine Inflow: A Case Study in the Southern Great Plains, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia Wharton

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF model is used to investigate choice of land surface model (LSM on the near surface wind profile, including heights reached by multi-megawatt (MW wind turbines. Simulations of wind profiles and surface energy fluxes were made using five LSMs of varying degrees of sophistication in dealing with soil–plant–atmosphere feedbacks for the Department of Energy (DOE Southern Great Plains (SGP Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM Central Facility in Oklahoma, USA. Surface flux and wind profile measurements were available for validation. WRF was run for three, two-week periods covering varying canopy and meteorological conditions. The LSMs predicted a wide range of energy flux and wind shear magnitudes even during the cool autumn period when we expected less variability. Simulations of energy fluxes varied in accuracy by model sophistication, whereby LSMs with very simple or no soil–plant–atmosphere feedbacks were the least accurate; however, the most complex models did not consistently produce more accurate results. Errors in wind shear were also sensitive to LSM choice and were partially related to energy flux accuracy. The variability of LSM performance was relatively high suggesting that LSM representation of energy fluxes in WRF remains a large source of model uncertainty for simulating wind turbine inflow conditions.

Role of process conditions on the microstructure, stoichiometry and functional performance of atmospheric plasma sprayed La(Sr)MnO3 coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Su Jung; Chen, Yikai; Sampath, Sanjay

2014-08-01

Strontium doped lanthanum manganite (LSM) perovskite coatings were produced via atmospheric plasma spray technique to examine their applicability as electrically conductive coatings to protect chromium-poisoning of cathode side metallic interconnects in solid oxide fuel cells. Various plasma spray process conditions were manipulated including plasma power, total gas flow and content of H2 in the plasma gas in order to understand their effects on coating properties as well as efficacy as a protectant against Cr-poisoning. In-flight temperatures and velocities of spray particles were monitored for the various plasma spray conditions enabling assessment of thermal and kinetic energies of LSM particles. As anticipated, coating density improves with increasing thermal and/or kinetic energies of the LSM particles. However, the LSM particles also experienced significant phase decomposition at higher thermal exposure and longer residence time conditions. Due to preferential loss of oxygen and manganese, La2O3 phase is also formed under certain processing regimes. The resultant mixed-phase coating is ineffective both from electrical transport and as a protective coating for the metallic interconnect. Concomitantly, coatings with limited decomposition show excellent conductivity and protection characteristics demonstrating the need for mechanism driven process optimization for these functional oxide coatings.

FRX-C Large Source Modification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chrien, R.E.; Tuszewski, M.; Yavornik, E.J.

1985-01-01

The FRX-C Large Source Modification (LSM) consists of a larger discharge tube and a larger radius coil connected to the existing FRX-C collector plates and capacitor banks. The objectives of LSM are to (1) study the size dependences of processes governing FRC formation and poloidal flux trapping in order to improve the design of larger field-reversed theta pinch devices, (2) increase the parameter s (number of local ion gyroradii between the field null and separatrix) to seek access to predicted new regimes of improved confinement and possible instability, (3) search for evidence of internal tilt instability at higher values of s where the mode is predicted to grow more rapidly, and (4) observe the effect of s and larger size on FRC confinement. In this paper we will discuss the construction of LSM, the experimental plan, and preliminary experimental results

Fabrication of a large area cathode-supported thin electrolyte film for solid oxide fuel cells via tape casting and co-sintering techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Chunhua; Liu, Renzhu; Wang, Shaorong; Wen, Tinglian [Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SICCAS), 1295 Dingxi Road, Shanghai 200050 (China)

2009-04-15

A large area cathode-supported electrolyte film, comprising porous (La{sub 0.8}Sr{sub 0.2}){sub 0.95}MnO{sub 3} (LSM95) cathode substrate, LSM95/Zr{sub 0.89}Sc{sub 0.1}Ce{sub 0.01}O{sub 2-x} (SSZ) cathode active layer, and SSZ electrolyte, has been successfully fabricated by tape casting and co-sintering techniques. The interface reaction between cathode and electrolyte was inhibited by using A-site deficient LSM. A dense enough SSZ thin film with a thickness of {proportional_to}26 {mu}m was obtained at 1250 C. By using Pt as anode, the obtained single cell reached the maximum power density of 0.54 W cm{sup -2} at 800 C in O{sub 2}/humidified H{sub 2}, with open circuit voltage (OCV) value of 1.08 V. (author)

Activities of Hydrometeorologic Institute of Serbia - Belgrade, during the case of radioactive pollution of environment caused by the accident of nuclear power plant 'Chernobyl' in 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jovanovic, Dj.

2002-01-01

The programme of 'Systematic testing of water quality' performed by Hydrometeorologic Institute of Serbia - Belgrade includes the measurement of total beta radioactivity on 33 sampling points. The measurement of total beta radioactivity is performed with instrument 'Lola - 4' produced by 'Institute for Nuclear Science - Vinca'. During the accident of Nuclear Power Plant 'Chernobyl' in 1986 arose the need to investigate the influence of this case on the environment of Belgrade and Serbia. In that respect a series of measurement of total beta radioactivity of rain water, surface waters, tap water and air were performed. Those measurements showed an increase of radioactivity of river waters. River Sava had radioactivity of 3,4 Bq/l (0,08 Bq/l in 1 9850 and river Danube 3-5 Bq/l (0,09 Bq/l in 1 985). High values of radioactivity were measured in the waters of highland accumulation lakes over 30 Bq/l. Rain water showed it's maximum of 52 Bq/l on 1 st and 2nd May l986 and it drooped to 0,3 Bq/l until 5th of June. Tap water showed it's maximum of 35,2 Bq/l on 12th May and it was reduced to 1 ,0 Bq/l on 2nd of June. Radioactivity of air showed it's maximum of 2,64 Bq/m 3 in the period 1 -3 May and in the period 5-8 May, 1 . - 1 ,57 Bq/m 3 . Measurement of river water radioactivity on 33 regular sampling points at the end of the year 1 986 showed that was no increase in comparison with the same measurements in 1 985. All mentioned results of the radioactivity of river waters and the waters of highland accumulations used to fall into ranges predicted by the model of the radioactive pollution distribution developed on the Imperial College -London. (author)

Non-invasive evaluation of liver stiffness after splenectomy in rabbits with CCl4-induced liver fibrosis

OpenAIRE

Wang, Ming-Jun; Ling, Wen-Wu; Wang, Hong; Meng, Ling-Wei; Cai, He; Peng, Bing

2016-01-01

AIM To investigate the diagnostic performance of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by elastography point quantification (ElastPQ) in animal models and determine the longitudinal changes in liver stiffness by ElastPQ after splenectomy at different stages of fibrosis. METHODS Liver stiffness was measured in sixty-eight rabbits with CCl4-induced liver fibrosis at different stages and eight healthy control rabbits by ElastPQ. Liver biopsies and blood samples were obtained at scheduled time points...

Improving operational land surface model canopy evapotranspiration in Africa using a direct remote sensing approach

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Marshall, M

2013-03-01

Full Text Available , latent energy (LE: ET energy equivalent) during the rainy season is the primary regulator after solar forcing of energy balance seasonal variability, the strength of which changes signifi- cantly across land cover types (Ramier et al., 2009). At inter... Table 1. Acronyms and their definitions in order of appearance. Acronym Definition ET Evapotranspiration LE Latent Heat LSM Land Surface Model NDVI Normalized Difference Vegetation Index PET Potential Evapotranspiration AMMA African Monsoon...

The Oviduct and Serous Cancer Risk Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

2016-10-01

genes deregulated in putative stem cells (Yamamoto et al) has been made public. Page 4 What was the impact on society beyond science and...Interline CCD camera and NIS-Elements Advanced Research v.4.13 software (Nikon, Japan) or an LSM 780 confocal microscope (Carl Zeiss, Germany ) with LSM...Carl Zeiss, Germany ) and each selected cell population from different slides of the same patient was pooled. Total RNAs were extracted using the Pico

Regional Climate Modeling and Remote Sensing to Characterize Impacts of Civil War Driven Land Use Change on Regional Hydrology and Climate

Science.gov (United States)

Maksimowicz, M.; Masarik, M. T.; Brandt, J.; Flores, A. N.

2016-12-01

Land use/land cover (LULC) change directly impacts the partitioning of surface mass and energy fluxes. Regional-scale weather and climate are potentially altered by LULC if the resultant changes in partitioning of surface energy fluxes are extensive enough. Dynamics of land use, particularly those related to the social dimensions of the Earth System, are often simplified or not represented in regional land-atmosphere models. This study explores the role of LULC change on a regional hydroclimate system, focusing on potential hydroclimate changes arising from an extended civil conflict in Mozambique. Civil war from 1977-1992 in Mozambique led to land use change at a regional scale as a result of the collapse of large herbivore populations due to poaching. Since the war ended, farming has increased, poaching was curtailed, and animal populations were reintroduced. In this study LULC in a region encompassing Gorongosa is classified at three instances between 1977 to 2015 using Landsat imagery. We use these derived LULC datasets to inform lower boundary conditions in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. To quantify potential hydrometeorological changes arising from conflict-driven land use change, we performed a factorial-like experiment by mixing input LULC maps and atmospheric forcing data from before, during, and after the civil war. Analysis of the Landsat data shows measurable land cover change from 1977-present as tree cover encroached into grasslands. Initial tests show corresponding sensitivities to different LULC schemes within the WRF model. Preliminary results suggest that the war did indeed impact regional hydroclimate in a significant way via its direct and indirect impacts on land-atmosphere interactions. Results of this study suggest that LULC change arising from regional conflicts are a potentially understudied, yet important human process to capture in both regional reanalyses and climate change projections.

Learning from today's extreme weather events to increase our resilience to climate change

Science.gov (United States)

Ruin, I.; Lutoff, C.; Borga, M.; Creutin, J.-D.; Anquetin, S.; Gruntfest, E.; Scolobig, A.

2009-04-01

. Part of our research on behavioral response to flash flood was conducted in the Gard area in France as well as in the Friuli region in Italy. It was a first intent to associate social science research to hydro-meteorological observation. This interdisciplinary collaboration has been a real success and it needs now to be extended to operational services involved in crisis management and response. Based on examples of what have been done with behavioral and physical data collected in the context of interdisciplinary post-event investigations, the presentation will focus on the scientific needs in terms of methods, data collection and archive and make a proposal of integrating this dynamic in the framework of an emerging project called DELUGE (Disasters Evolving Lessons Using Global Experience). This trans-disciplinary initiative aims at developing capacity building related to post-disaster field techniques to change the post-event field experience enterprise and assure that practitioners, forecasters, researchers, students, and others learn from experience to reduce losses.

The Zymomonas mobilis regulator hfq contributes to tolerance against multiple lignocellulosic pretreatment inhibitors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lu Tse-Yuan S

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Zymomonas mobilis produces near theoretical yields of ethanol and recombinant strains are candidate industrial microorganisms. To date, few studies have examined its responses to various stresses at the gene level. Hfq is a conserved bacterial member of the Sm-like family of RNA-binding proteins, coordinating a broad array of responses including multiple stress responses. In a previous study, we observed Z. mobilis ZM4 gene ZMO0347 showed higher expression under anaerobic, stationary phase compared to that of aerobic, stationary conditions. Results We generated a Z. mobilis hfq insertion mutant AcRIM0347 in an acetate tolerant strain (AcR background and investigated its role in model lignocellulosic pretreatment inhibitors including acetate, vanillin, furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF. Saccharomyces cerevisiae Lsm protein (Hfq homologue mutants and Lsm protein overexpression strains were also assayed for their inhibitor phenotypes. Our results indicated that all the pretreatment inhibitors tested in this study had a detrimental effect on both Z. mobilis and S. cerevisiae, and vanillin had the most inhibitory effect followed by furfural and then HMF for both Z. mobilis and S. cerevisiae. AcRIM0347 was more sensitive than the parental strain to the inhibitors and had an increased lag phase duration and/or slower growth depending upon the conditions. The hfq mutation in AcRIM0347 was complemented partially by trans-acting hfq gene expression. We also assayed growth phenotypes for S. cerevisiae Lsm protein mutant and overexpression phenotypes. Lsm1, 6, and 7 mutants showed reduced tolerance to acetate and other pretreatment inhibitors. S. cerevisiae Lsm protein overexpression strains showed increased acetate and HMF resistance as compared to the wild-type, while the overexpression strains showed greater inhibition under vanillin stress conditions. Conclusions We have shown the utility of the pKNOCK suicide plasmid for

Community-based biological control of malaria mosquitoes using Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) in Rwanda: community awareness, acceptance and participation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingabire, Chantal Marie; Hakizimana, Emmanuel; Rulisa, Alexis; Kateera, Fredrick; Van Den Borne, Bart; Muvunyi, Claude Mambo; Mutesa, Leon; Van Vugt, Michelle; Koenraadt, Constantianus J M; Takken, Willem; Alaii, Jane

2017-10-03

Targeting the aquatic stages of malaria vectors via larval source management (LSM) in collaboration with local communities could accelerate progress towards malaria elimination when deployed in addition to existing vector control strategies. However, the precise role that communities can assume in implementing such an intervention has not been fully investigated. This study investigated community awareness, acceptance and participation in a study that incorporated the socio-economic and entomological impact of LSM using Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) in eastern Rwanda, and identified challenges and recommendations for future scale-up. The implementation of the community-based LSM intervention took place in Ruhuha, Rwanda, from February to July 2015. The intervention included three arms: control, community-based (CB) and project-supervised (PS). Mixed methods were used to collect baseline and endline socio-economic data in January and October 2015. A high perceived safety and effectiveness of Bti was reported at the start of the intervention. Being aware of malaria symptoms and perceiving Bti as safe on other living organisms increased the likelihood of community participation through investment of labour time for Bti application. On the other hand, the likelihood for community participation was lower if respondents: (1) perceived rice farming as very profitable; (2) provided more money to the cooperative as a capital; and, (3) were already involved in rice farming for more than 6 years. After 6 months of implementation, an increase in knowledge and skills regarding Bti application was reported. The community perceived a reduction in mosquito density and nuisance biting on treated arms. Main operational, seasonal and geographical challenges included manual application of Bti, long working hours, and need for transportation for reaching the fields. Recommendations were made for future scale-up, including addressing above-mentioned concerns and

The circular form of the linear superconducting machine for marine propulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Rakels, J. H.; Mahtani, J. L.; Rhodes, R. G.

1981-01-01

The superconducting linear synchronous machine (LSM) is an efficient method of propulsion of advanced ground transport systems and can also be used in marine engineering for the propulsion of large commercial vessels, tankers, and military ships. It provides high torque at low shaft speeds and ease of reversibility; a circular LSM design is proposed as a drive motor. The equipment is compared with the superconducting homopolar motors, showing flexibility in design, built in redundancy features, and reliability.

Climatological Downscaling and Evaluation of AGRMET Precipitation Analyses Over the Continental U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, M.; Peters-Lidard, C. D.; Eylander, J. B.; Daly, C.; Tian, Y.; Zeng, J.

2007-05-01

The spatially distributed application of a land surface model (LSM) over a region of interest requires the application of similarly distributed precipitation fields that can be derived from various sources, including surface gauge networks, surface-based radar, and orbital platforms. The spatial variability of precipitation influences the spatial organization of soil temperature and moisture states and, consequently, the spatial variability of land- atmosphere fluxes. The accuracy of spatially-distributed precipitation fields can contribute significantly to the uncertainty of model-based hydrological states and fluxes at the land surface. Collaborations between the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA), NASA, and Oregon State University have led to improvements in the processing of meteorological forcing inputs for the NASA-GSFC Land Information System (LIS; Kumar et al. 2006), a sophisticated framework for LSM operation and model coupling experiments. Efforts at AFWA toward the production of surface hydrometeorological products are currently in transition from the legacy Agricultural Meteorology modeling system (AGRMET) to use of the LIS framework and procedures. Recent enhancements to meteorological input processing for application to land surface models in LIS include the assimilation of climate-based information for the spatial interpolation and downscaling of precipitation fields. Climatological information included in the LIS-based downscaling procedure for North America is provided by a monthly high-resolution PRISM (Daly et al. 1994, 2002; Daly 2006) dataset based on a 30-year analysis period. The combination of these sources and methods attempts to address the strengths and weaknesses of available legacy products, objective interpolation methods, and the PRISM knowledge-based methodology. All of these efforts are oriented on an operational need for timely estimation of spatial precipitation fields at adequate spatial resolution for customer dissemination and

Mechanism of chromium poisoning the conventional cathode material for solid oxide fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaoqiang; Yu, Guangsen; Zeng, Shumao; Parbey, Joseph; Xiao, Shuhao; Li, Baihai; Li, Tingshuai; Andersson, Martin

2018-03-01

Chromium poisoning the La0.875Sr0.125MnO3 (LSM) cathode for solid oxide fuel cells is a critical issue that can strongly affect the stability. In this study, we evaluate the temperature distribution in a SOFC based on a 3D model and then combine conductivity test and material computation to reveal the effects of chromium in SUS430 stainless steels on LSM conductivities. The starch concentration in LSM pellets and the applied pressure on the contact with interconnect materials show close relationships with the chromium poisoning behavior. The density functional theory (DFT) computing results indicate that chromium atoms preferably adsorb on the MnO2-terminated and La (Sr)-O-terminated (001) surfaces. The resulting conclusions are expected to deeply understand mechanism of chromium deactivating conventional cathodes at some typical operational conditions, and offer crucial information to optimize the structure to avoid the poisoning effect.

Controllable Impregnation Via Inkjet Printing for the Fabrication of Solid Oxide Cell Air Electrodes

KAUST Repository

Da'as, E. H.

2013-10-07

The impregnation method has been considered as one of the most successful techniques for the fabrication of highly efficient electrodes for solid oxide fuel and electrolysis cells (SOCs) at the lab scale. However, because the impregnation is usually performed manually, its irreproducibility remains a major problem that can be solved by using controllable techniques, such as inkjet printing. In this paper, lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM)/yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) air electrodes were prepared by infiltrating YSZ porous bodies with LSM precursor solution using inkjet printing, followed by annealing at 800°C for 2 hours. XRD analysis confirmed the formation of the LSM phase, which was in the form of nanoparticles with size in the 50-70 nm range on the YSZ walls, as revealed by FEG-SEM observations. The effect of printing parameters on the distribution of the impregnated phase was investigated and discussed.

Use of the parameterised finite element method to robustly and efficiently evolve the edge of a moving cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Neilson, Matthew P; Mackenzie, John A; Webb, Steven D; Insall, Robert H

2010-11-01

In this paper we present a computational tool that enables the simulation of mathematical models of cell migration and chemotaxis on an evolving cell membrane. Recent models require the numerical solution of systems of reaction-diffusion equations on the evolving cell membrane and then the solution state is used to drive the evolution of the cell edge. Previous work involved moving the cell edge using a level set method (LSM). However, the LSM is computationally very expensive, which severely limits the practical usefulness of the algorithm. To address this issue, we have employed the parameterised finite element method (PFEM) as an alternative method for evolving a cell boundary. We show that the PFEM is far more efficient and robust than the LSM. We therefore suggest that the PFEM potentially has an essential role to play in computational modelling efforts towards the understanding of many of the complex issues related to chemotaxis.

Controllable Impregnation Via Inkjet Printing for the Fabrication of Solid Oxide Cell Air Electrodes

KAUST Repository

Da'as, E. H.; Irvine, J. T. S.; Traversa, Enrico; Boulfrad, S.

2013-01-01

The impregnation method has been considered as one of the most successful techniques for the fabrication of highly efficient electrodes for solid oxide fuel and electrolysis cells (SOCs) at the lab scale. However, because the impregnation is usually performed manually, its irreproducibility remains a major problem that can be solved by using controllable techniques, such as inkjet printing. In this paper, lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM)/yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) air electrodes were prepared by infiltrating YSZ porous bodies with LSM precursor solution using inkjet printing, followed by annealing at 800°C for 2 hours. XRD analysis confirmed the formation of the LSM phase, which was in the form of nanoparticles with size in the 50-70 nm range on the YSZ walls, as revealed by FEG-SEM observations. The effect of printing parameters on the distribution of the impregnated phase was investigated and discussed.

Comparative analysis of synthesis and characterization of La_0_,_9Sr_0_,_1O_3 via sol-gel and combustion reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarrago, D.P.; Haeser, G.S.; Malfatti, C.F.; Sousa, V.C.

2011-01-01

Strontium doped lanthanum manganites (LSM) are potential materials for cathode application in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) due to their properties and compatibility with yttria stabilized zirconia. In this work a LSM powder obtained by the sol-gel process is compared others previously obtained combustion synthesis using urea or sucrose as fuel. For the synthesis of LSM the nitrates of lanthanum, strontium and manganese were dissolved in citric acid and ethylene glycol forming a gel that was calcinated at 800 deg C. Both methods allowed the synthesis of a single phase powder, according to the X-ray diffraction patterns. Through gas adsorption it was found a specific surface area of 17m²/g, an intermediary value among the combustion synthesized powders. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed more compact agglomerates in the sol-gel powder, however, the transmission electron microscope (TEM) showed smaller and more uniform particles in this powder. (author)

Application of the Rietveld method in powders of strontium-doped lanthanum manganite calcined in different temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiba, R.; Vargas, R.A.; Martinez, L.G.; Andreoli, M.; Seo, E.S.M.

2010-01-01

The strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (LSM) is a ceramic material used as cathode in device called High Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell. In this work, the LSM was synthesized by the citrate technique with the objective to get powders without the formation of secondary phases, such as lanthanum oxide and the lanthanum hydroxide, harmful for the functional performance of the device. The definitive calcination temperatures had been 700, 900 and 1100 deg C, due the decomposition of the polymeric precursors to present stabilization from 480 deg C. The analysis by X-ray diffraction of the calcined powders in different temperatures shows the formation only of phase LSM of hexagonal crystalline structure, type pseudo-perovskite. Using the refinement of Rietveld was determined the parameters and volumes of unity cells, atomic positions and occupations. These results confirm that the chemical compositions obtained are similar to the nominal. (author)

[Combination of NAFLD Fibrosis Score and liver stiffness measurement for identification of moderate fibrosis stages (II & III) in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Drolz, Andreas; Wehmeyer, Malte; Diedrich, Tom; Piecha, Felix; Schulze Zur Wiesch, Julian; Kluwe, Johannes

2018-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become one of the most frequent causes of chronic liver disease. Currently, therapeutic options for NAFLD patients are limited, but new pharmacologic agents are being investigated in the course of clinical trials. Because most of these studies are focusing on patients with fibrosis stages II and III (according to Kleiner), non-invasive identification of patients with intermediate fibrosis stages (II and III) is of increasing interest. Evaluation of NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) for prediction of fibrosis stages II/III. Patients with histologically confirmed NAFLD diagnosis were included in the study. All patients underwent a clinical and laboratory examination as well as a LSM prior to liver biopsy. Predictive value of NFS and LSM with respect to identification of fibrosis stages II/III was assessed. 134 NAFLD patients were included and analyzed. Median age was 53 (IQR 36 - 60) years, 55 patients (41 %) were female. 82 % of our patients were overweight/obese with typical aspects of metabolic syndrome. 84 patients (66 %) had liver fibrosis, 42 (50 %) advanced fibrosis. LSM and NFS correlated with fibrosis stage (r = 0.696 and r = 0.685, respectively; p stages II/III. If both criteria were met, probability of fibrosis stage II/III was 61 %. If none of the two criteria was met, chance for fibrosis stage II/III was only 6 % (negative predictive value 94 %). Combination of LSM and NFS enables identification of patients with significant probability of fibrosis stage II/III. Accordingly, these tests, especially in combination, may be a suitable screening tool for fibrosis stages II/III in NAFLD. The use of these non-invasive methods might also help to avoid unnecessary biopsies. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Attempt of correlative observation of morphological synaptic connectivity by combining confocal laser-scanning microscope and FIB-SEM for immunohistochemical staining technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Sonomura, Takahiro; Furuta, Takahiro; Nakatani, Ikuko; Yamamoto, Yo; Honma, Satoru; Kaneko, Takeshi

2014-11-01

Ten years have passed since a serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) method was developed [1]. In this innovative method, samples were automatically sectioned with an ultramicrotome placed inside a scanning electron microscope column, and the block surfaces were imaged one after another by SEM to capture back-scattered electrons. The contrast-inverted images obtained by the SBF-SEM were very similar to those acquired using conventional TEM. SFB-SEM has made easy to acquire image stacks of the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in the mesoscale, which is taken with the confocal laser-scanning microcopy(CF-LSM).Furthermore, serial-section SEM has been combined with the focused ion beam (FIB) milling method [2]. FIB-incorporated SEM (FIB-SEM) has enabled the acquisition of three-dimensional images with a higher z-axis resolution com- pared to ultramicrotome-equipped SEM.We tried immunocytochemistry for FIB-SEM and correlated this immunoreactivity with that in CF-LSM. Dendrites of neurons in the rat neostriatum were visualized using a recombinant viral vector. Moreover, the thalamostriatal afferent terminals were immunolabeled with Cy5 fluorescence for vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGluT2). After detection of the sites of terminals apposed to the dendrites by using CF-LSM, GFP and VGluT2 immunoreactivities were further developed for EM by using immunogold/silver enhancement and immunoperoxidase/diaminobenzidine (DAB) methods, respectively.We showed that conventional immuno-cytochemical staining for TEM was applicable to FIB-SEM. Furthermore, several synaptic contacts, which were thought to exist on the basis of CF-LSM findings, were confirmed with FIB-SEM, revealing the usefulness of the combined method of CF-LSM and FIB-SEM. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A novel link between Sus1 and the cytoplasmic mRNA decay machinery suggests a broad role in mRNA metabolism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Llopis Ana

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gene expression is achieved by the coordinated action of multiple factors to ensure a perfect synchrony from chromatin epigenetic regulation through to mRNA export. Sus1 is a conserved mRNA export/transcription factor and is a key player in coupling transcription initiation, elongation and mRNA export. In the nucleus, Sus1 is associated to the transcriptional co-activator SAGA and to the NPC associated complex termed TREX2/THSC. Through these associations, Sus1 mediates the nuclear dynamics of different gene loci and facilitate the export of the new transcripts. Results In this study, we have investigated whether the yeast Sus1 protein is linked to factors involved in mRNA degradation pathways. We provide evidence for genetic interactions between SUS1 and genes coding for components of P-bodies such as PAT1, LSM1, LSM6 and DHH1. We demonstrate that SUS1 deletion is synthetic lethal with 5'→3' decay machinery components LSM1 and PAT1 and has a strong genetic interaction with LSM6 and DHH1. Interestingly, Sus1 overexpression led to an accumulation of Sus1 in cytoplasmic granules, which can co-localise with components of P-bodies and stress granules. In addition, we have identified novel physical interactions between Sus1 and factors associated to P-bodies/stress granules. Finally, absence of LSM1 and PAT1 slightly promotes the Sus1-TREX2 association. Conclusions In this study, we found genetic and biochemical association between Sus1 and components responsible for cytoplasmic mRNA metabolism. Moreover, Sus1 accumulates in discrete cytoplasmic granules, which partially co-localise with P-bodies and stress granules under specific conditions. These interactions suggest a role for Sus1 in gene expression during cytoplasmic mRNA metabolism in addition to its nuclear function.

Characterization of a High-Level Waste Cold Cap in a Laboratory-Scale Melter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dixona, Derek R; Schweiger, Michael J; Hrma, Pavel [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland (United States)

2013-05-15

The feed, slurry or calcine, is charged to the melter from above. The conversion of the melter feed to molten glass occurs within the cold cap, a several centimeters thin layer of the reacting material blanketing the surface of the melt. Between the cold-cap top, which is covered by boiling slurry, and its bottom, where bubbles separate it from molten glass, the temperature changes by ∼900 .deg. C. The heat is delivered to the cold cap from the melt that is stirred mainly by bubbling. The feed contains oxides, hydroxides, acids, inorganic salts and organic materials. On heating, these components react, releasing copious amounts of gases, while molten salts decompose, glass-forming melt is generated, and crystalline phases precipitate and dissolve in the melt. Most of these processes have been studied in detail and became sufficiently understood for a mathematical model to represent the heat and mass transfer within the cold cap. This allows US to relate the rate of melting to the feed properties. While the melting reactions can be studied, and feed properties, such as heat conductivity and density, measured in the laboratory, the actual cold-cap dynamics, as it evolves in the waste glass melter, is not accessible to direct investigation. Therefore, to bridge the gap between the laboratory crucible and the waste glass melter, we explored the cold cap formation in a laboratory-scale melter (LSM) and studied the structure of quenched cold caps. The LSM is a suitable tool for investigating the cold cap. The cold cap that formed in the LSM experiments exhibited macroscopic features observed in scaled melters, as well as microscopic features accessible through laboratory studies and mathematical modeling. The cold cap consists of two main layers. The top layer contains solid particles dissolving in the glass-forming melt and open shafts through which gases are escaping. The bottom layer contains bubbly melt or foam where bubbles coalesce into larger cavities that move

The Joint Front Range Climate Change Vulnerability Study: Closing the Gap between Science and Water Management Decisions

Science.gov (United States)

Kaatz, L.; Yates, D.; Woodbury, M.

2008-12-01

There is increasing concern among metropolitan water providers in Colorado's Front Range about the possible impacts of global and regional climate changes on their future water supply. This is of particular worry given that recent studies indicate global warming may lead to unprecedented drought conditions in the Southwest U.S. (IPCC 2007). The City of Aurora, City of Boulder, Colorado Springs Utilities, Denver Water, City of Ft. Collins, and Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, along with additional water agencies including the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Water Research Foundation (formerly AwwaRF), and the NOAA-CIRES Western Water Assessment, have come together to participate in a study intended to provide the education, tools, and methodology necessary to examine possible effects of climate change on several common watersheds. The central objective of this project is to assess possible changes in the timing and volume of hydrologic runoff from selected climate change scenarios centered about the years 2040 and 2070. Two hydrologic models will be calibrated and implemented in the study for this purpose. The future temperature and precipitation scenarios used to generate corresponding future streamflow are based on regionally downscaled temperature and precipitation projections. The projected streamflow obtained by running varied sequences of temperature and precipitation through the hydrologic models, will be compared to historic streamflow to estimate the sensitivity of water supplies to climate change. This regional unified approach is intended to help Colorado water providers communicate with their customers and the media cohesively, by working with the same historic and projected hydrometeorological data, historic natural streamflow, and methodology. Lessons learned from this collaborative approach can be used to encourage and establish other regional efforts throughout the country. Furthermore, this study will set the stage for future

Microscopic study of rock for estimating long-term behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ichikawa, Yasuaki

2002-03-01

Micro-structure of rock plays a essential role for their long-term behavior. For elucidating long-term characteristics of granite we here present the followings: 1) Conforcal Laser Scanning Microscope (LSM) observation of joint surfaces of granite and Fourier analysis, 2) characterization of the mechanism of microcrack initiation and propagation observed by stereoscopic microscope under uniaxial/triaxial compression and relaxation tests, 3) observation of microcrack initiation and propagation by LSM under uniaxial compression, and 4) a viscoelastic homogenization theory to predict the long-term behavior of micro/macro-level stress for granite. Rock image processing and analysis become a fundamental procedure to determine rock surface discontinuities. But the complexity of rock surface discontinuities seems beyond the manual image processing method. In Chapter 2 a Conforcal Laser Scanning Microscope that can acquire three-dimensional images is introduced to observe the rock roughness of a discontinuity. Then, scanning three-dimensional images are changed its data form in order to adapt various image analysis programs, and granitic rock roughness of discontinuities are displayed by graphic images. For example, these datas are analyzed by Discrete Fourier Transformation (DFT) program and Inverse Discrete Fourier Transformation (IDFT) program. Microcrack generation and propagation play an essential role to predict the long-term behavior of rock. In Chapter 3 a progressive development of cracking in granite is revealed by using stereoscopic microscope under triaxial compression condition and by using LSM under uniaxial compression condition. With a viscoelastic theory applied in homogenization method, we can calculate macro behavior of medium influenced by its micro structure by analyse the long-term time-dependent behavior of granite under the same condition to the relaxation experiment. (author)

Using low-cost drones to map malaria vector habitats.

Science.gov (United States)

Hardy, Andy; Makame, Makame; Cross, Dónall; Majambere, Silas; Msellem, Mwinyi

2017-01-14

There is a growing awareness that if we are to achieve the ambitious goal of malaria elimination, we must compliment indoor-based vector control interventions (such as bednets and indoor spraying) with outdoor-based interventions such as larval source management (LSM). The effectiveness of LSM is limited by our capacity to identify and map mosquito aquatic habitats. This study provides a proof of concept for the use of a low-cost (drone (DJI Phantom) for mapping water bodies in seven sites across Zanzibar including natural water bodies, irrigated and non-irrigated rice paddies, peri-urban and urban locations. With flying times of less than 30 min for each site, high-resolution (7 cm) georeferenced images were successfully generated for each of the seven sites, covering areas up to 30 ha. Water bodies were readily identifiable in the imagery, as well as ancillary information for planning LSM activities (access routes to water bodies by road and foot) and public health management (e.g. identification of drinking water sources, mapping individual households and the nature of their construction). The drone-based surveys carried out in this study provide a low-cost and flexible solution to mapping water bodies for operational dissemination of LSM initiatives in mosquito vector-borne disease elimination campaigns. Generated orthomosaics can also be used to provide vital information for other public health planning activities.

The Role of Surface Energy Exchange for Simulating Wind Inflow: An Evaluation of Multiple Land Surface Models in WRF for the Southern Great Plains Site Field Campaign Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wharton, Sonia [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Simpson, Matthew [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Osuna, Jessica [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Newman, Jennifer [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Biraud, Sebastien [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2016-05-01

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to investigate choice of land surface model (LSM) on the near-surface wind profile, including heights reached by multi-megawatt wind turbines. Simulations of wind profiles and surface energy fluxes were made using five LSMs of varying degrees of sophistication in dealing with soil-plant-atmosphere feedbacks for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s Southern Great Plains (SGP) Central Facility in Oklahoma. Surface-flux and wind-profile measurements were available for validation. The WRF model was run for three two-week periods during which varying canopy and meteorological conditions existed. The LSMs predicted a wide range of energy-flux and wind-shear magnitudes even during the cool autumn period when we expected less variability. Simulations of energy fluxes varied in accuracy by model sophistication, whereby LSMs with very simple or no soil-plant-atmosphere feedbacks were the least accurate; however, the most complex models did not consistently produce more accurate results. Errors in wind shear also were sensitive to LSM choice and were partially related to the accuracy of energy flux data. The variability of LSM performance was relatively high, suggesting that LSM representation of energy fluxes in the WRF model remains a significant source of uncertainty for simulating wind turbine inflow conditions.

Electrode activation and passivation of solid oxide fuel cell electrodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koch, Søren; Mogensen, Mogens Bjerg; Hendriksen, P.V.

2006-01-01

The performance of anode-supported cells with a composite LSM-YSZ cathode and an LSM current collector was investigated. Over the first 48 hours, after the application of a constant current, the cell voltage was observed to increase by up to 20%. When the current was switched off, the cell...... than at open circuit conditions. This frequency range of the spectrum was also sensitive to the oxygen partial pressure at the cathode side, indicating that it is the cathode that activates and passivates....

Use of MLCM3 Software for Flash Flood Modeling and Forecasting

OpenAIRE

Inna Pivovarova; Daria Sokolova; Artur Batyrov; Vadim Kuzmin; Ngoc Anh Tran; DinhKha Dang; Kirill V. Shemanaev

2018-01-01

Accurate and timely flash floods forecasting, especially, in ungauged and poorly gauged basins, is one of the most important and challenging problems to be solved by the international hydrological community. In changing climate and variable anthropogenic impact on river basins, as well as due to low density of surface hydrometeorological network, flash flood forecasting based on “traditional” physically based, or conceptual, or statistical hydrological models often becomes inefficient. Unfort...

Doppler broadening measurements in FRX-C/LSM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baron, M.H.; Chrien, R.E.

1989-01-01

Measurements obtained in situ during field reversed configuration (FRC) formation show that the Doppler broadening ion temperature T CV is larger by a factor of two or more than the ion temperature T i derived from pressure balance and Thomson scattering. After a time comparable to an ion-ion equilibrium time, T CV and T i come into agreement with each other. An exception to this picture occurs in the lowest fill pressure condition (2 mtorr), for which T CV > T i is maintained throughout the FRC lifetime. Earlier Doppler broadening measurements in FRX-B and FRX-C also showed persistent, anomalously high T CV at low fill pressure. The initially high values of T CV are probably caused by convective motion generated by the radial implosion. The low fill pressure results suggest an enhanced ohmic power input to the carbon ions. 7 refs., 3 figs

Improvement in Quality of Life Questionnaire Measures (PCOSQ) in Obese Adolescent Females with PCOS treated with Lifestyle Changes and Oral Contraceptives, with or without Metformin

Science.gov (United States)

Harris-Glocker, Miranda; Davidson, Kristin; Kochman, Lynda; Guzick, David; Hoeger, Kathleen

2013-01-01

We studied the effect of metformin or placebo in a lifestyle modification program (LSM) combined with oral contraceptives (OC) on quality of life parameters measured by the PCOS questionnaire (PCOSQ) in obese adolescent women with validated PCOS. The quality of life indicators were measured at baseline and conclusion for 5 domains on the PCOSQ, with equal improvement in scores in both placebo and Metformin groups, suggesting metformin addition does not add improvement to quality of life measures above those observed with lifestyle modification and oral contraceptive treatment. PMID:19781696

COASTAL DYNAMICS OF THE PECHORA AND KARA SEAS UNDER CHANGING CLIMATIC CONDITIONS AND HUMAN DISTURBANCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanislav A. Ogorodov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Coastal dynamics monitoring on the key areas of oil and gas development at the Barents and Kara Seas has been carried out by Laboratory of Geoecology of the North at the Faculty of Geography (Lomonosov Moscow State University together with Zubov State Oceanographic Institute (Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring for more than 30 years. During this period, an up-to-date monitoring technology, which includes direct field observations, remote sensing and numerical methods, has been developed. The results of such investigations are analyzed on the example of the Ural coast of Baydaratskaya Bay, Kara Sea. The dynamics of thermal-abrasion coasts are directly linked with climate and sea ice extent change. A description of how the wind-wave energy flux and the duration of the ice-free period affect the coastal line retreat is provided, along with a method of the wind-wave energy assessment and its results for the Kara Sea region. We have also evaluated the influence of local anthropogenic impacts on the dynamics of the Arctic coasts. As a result, methods of investigations necessary for obtaining the parameters required for the forecast of the retreat of thermoabrasional coasts have been developed.

Comparisons between designs for single-sided linear electric motors: Homopolar synchronous and induction

Science.gov (United States)

Nondahl, T. A.; Richter, E.

1980-09-01

A design study of two types of single sided (with a passive rail) linear electric machine designs, namely homopolar linear synchronous machines (LSM's) and linear induction machines (LIM's), is described. It is assumed the machines provide tractive effort for several types of light rail vehicles and locomotives. These vehicles are wheel supported and require tractive powers ranging from 200 kW to 3735 kW and top speeds ranging from 112 km/hr to 400 km/hr. All designs are made according to specified magnetic and thermal criteria. The LSM advantages are a higher power factor, much greater restoring forces for track misalignments, and less track heating. The LIM advantages are no need to synchronize the excitation frequency precisely to vehicle speed, simpler machine construction, and a more easily anchored track structure. The relative weights of the two machine types vary with excitation frequency and speed; low frequencies and low speeds favor the LSM.

Patterning of high mobility electron gases at complex oxide interfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trier, Felix; Prawiroatmodjo, G. E. D. K.; von Soosten, Merlin

2015-01-01

Oxide interfaces provide an opportunity for electronics. However, patterning of electron gases at complex oxide interfaces is challenging. In particular, patterning of complex oxides while preserving a high electron mobility remains underexplored and inhibits the study of quantum mechanical effects...... of amorphous-LSM (a-LSM) thin films, which acts as a hard mask during subsequent depositions. Strikingly, the patterned modulation-doped interface shows electron mobilities up to ∼8 700 cm2/V s at 2 K, which is among the highest reported values for patterned conducting complex oxide interfaces that usually...... where extended electron mean free paths are paramount. This letter presents an effective patterning strategy of both the amorphous-LaAlO3/SrTiO3 (a-LAO/STO) and modulation-doped amorphous-LaAlO3/La7/8Sr1/8MnO3/SrTiO3 (a-LAO/LSM/STO) oxide interfaces. Our patterning is based on selective wet etching...

Effect of microstructure and strain on the degradation behavior of novel bioresorbable iron-manganese alloy implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Heiden, Michael; Kustas, Andrew; Chaput, Kevin; Nauman, Eric; Johnson, David; Stanciu, Lia

2015-02-01

Advancing the understanding of microstructural effects and deformation on the degradability of Fe-Mn bioresorbable alloys (specifically, Fe-33%Mn) will help address the current problems associated with designing degradable fracture fixation implants for hard tissues. Potentiostatic polarization tests were conducted on a wide variety of metal samples to examine how different deformation processes affect the instantaneous rate of degradation of Fe-Mn alloys. Large-strain machining (LSM), a novel severe plastic deformation (SPD) technique was utilized during these experiments to modify the degradation properties of the proposed Fe-Mn alloy. It was discovered that Fe-33%Mn after LSM with a rake angle of 0° (effective strain = 2.85) showed the most promising increase in degradation rate compared to as-cast, annealed, and additional deformation conditions (rolled and other LSM parameters) for the same alloy. The mechanisms for enhancement of the corrosion rate are discussed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Gelcasting of strontium doped lanthanum manganite for solid oxide fuel cell applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdul Haleem, B.; Bhuvana, R.; Udayakumar, A.

2009-01-01

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are devices that offer high efficiency power output with negligible emissions. Cathode supported tubular SOFCs consist of porous cathode tubes made up of strontium doped lanthanum manganite, La 1-x Sr x MnO 3 (LSM) that work as functional component as well as structural support for the rest of the cell components. Gelcasting is one of the most suitable methods for the fabrication of porous ceramics. This paper describes the fabrication of porous LSM cathode by gelcasting process. Gelcasting parameters such as monomer concentration, powder volume fraction, pH of the slurry, etc were optimized. Slow drying of green specimens minimized warpage and cracking. Sintered specimens with controlled porosity were obtained by the use of suitable pore-forming agents. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of sintered specimens was measured, which was found matching with the CTE values of cell components reported in the literature. These results have shown the suitability of the gelcast generated LSM cathodes for SOFC applications. (author)

Skeletonized Least Squares Wave Equation Migration

KAUST Repository

Zhan, Ge

2010-10-17

The theory for skeletonized least squares wave equation migration (LSM) is presented. The key idea is, for an assumed velocity model, the source‐side Green\\'s function and the geophone‐side Green\\'s function are computed by a numerical solution of the wave equation. Only the early‐arrivals of these Green\\'s functions are saved and skeletonized to form the migration Green\\'s function (MGF) by convolution. Then the migration image is obtained by a dot product between the recorded shot gathers and the MGF for every trial image point. The key to an efficient implementation of iterative LSM is that at each conjugate gradient iteration, the MGF is reused and no new finitedifference (FD) simulations are needed to get the updated migration image. It is believed that this procedure combined with phase‐encoded multi‐source technology will allow for the efficient computation of wave equation LSM images in less time than that of conventional reverse time migration (RTM).

An analytical method for the calculation of static characteristics of linear step motors for control rod drives in nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, S.H.; Ivanov, A.A.

1995-01-01

An analytical method for calculating static characteristics of linear dc step motors (LSM) is described. These multiphase passive-armature motors are now being developed for control rod drives (CRD) in large nuclear reactors. The static characteristics of such LSM is defined by the variation of electromagnetic force with armature displacement and it determines motor performance in its standing and dynamic modes of operation. The proposed analytical technique for calculating this characteristic is based on the permeance analysis method applied to phase magnetic circuits of LSM. Reluctances of various parts of phase magnetic circuit is calculated analytically by assuming probable flux paths and by taking into account complex nature of magnetic field distribution in it. For given armature positions stator and armature iron saturations are taken into account by an efficient iterative algorithm which gives fast convergence. The method is validated by comparing theoretical results with experimental ones which shows satisfactory agreement for small stator currents and weak iron saturation

Randomised clinical trial: the clinical efficacy and safety of an alginate-antacid (Gaviscon Double Action) versus placebo, for decreasing upper gastrointestinal symptoms in symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, J; Yang, C; Zhao, H; Zheng, P; Wilkinson, J; Ng, B; Yuan, Y

2015-10-01

There is a paucity of large-scale studies evaluating the clinical benefit of the Gaviscon Double Action (DA) alginate-antacid formulation for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms. Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled parallel-group study to evaluate efficacy and safety of Gaviscon DA in reducing heartburn, regurgitation and dyspepsia symptoms in individuals with mild-to-moderate GERD in China. Participants with symptomatic GERD (n = 1107) were randomised to receive Gaviscon DA or placebo (two tablets four times daily) for seven consecutive days. The primary endpoint compared the change in Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ) score for the GERD (heartburn + regurgitation) dimension between Gaviscon DA and placebo. Secondary endpoints compared the change in RDQ scores for individual heartburn, regurgitation and dyspepsia dimensions, overall treatment evaluation (OTE) scores and incidence of adverse events (AEs). Mean RDQ GERD scores: 2.51 for Gaviscon DA and 2.50 for placebo at baseline; 1.25 for Gaviscon DA and 1.46 for placebo post treatment. Gaviscon DA was statistically superior to placebo in reducing GERD and dyspepsia RDQ scores [least-squares mean (LSM) difference: GERD -0.21, P GERD symptoms was observed both in those with non-erosive and those with erosive reflux disease (LSM difference -0.14 [P = 0.038] and -0.29 [P GERD. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01869491. © 2015 The Authors. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Recent Upgrades to NASA SPoRT Initialization Datasets for the Environmental Modeling System

Science.gov (United States)

Case, Jonathan L.; LaFontaine, Frank J.; Molthan, Andrew L.; Zavodsky, Bradley T.; Rozumalski, Robert A.

2012-01-01

past year. The domain was expanded slightly to extend further west, north, and east to improve coverage over parts of southern Canada. Minor adjustments were also made to the manner in which GVF is calculated from the distribution of maximum Normalized Difference Vegetation Index from MODIS. The presentation will highlight some examples of the substantial inter-annual change in GVF that occurred from 2010 to 2011 in the U.S. Southern Plains as a result of the summer 2011 drought, and the early vegetation green up across the eastern U.S. due to the very warm conditions in March 2012. Finally, the SPoRT LIS runs the operational Noah land surface model (LSM) in real time over much of the eastern half of the CONUS. The Noah LSM is continually cycled in real time, uncoupled to any model, and driven by operational atmospheric analyses over a long-term, multi-year integration. The LIS-Noah provides the STRC EMS with high-resolution (3 km) LSM initialization data that are in equilibrium with the operational analysis forcing. The Noah LSM within the SPoRT LIS has been upgraded from version 2.7.1 to version 3.2, which has improved look-up table attributes for several land surface quantities. The surface albedo field is now being adjusted based on the input real-time MODIS GVF, thereby improving the net radiation. Also, the LIS-Noah now uses the newer MODIS-based land use classification scheme (i.e. the International Biosphere-Geosphere Programme [IGBP]) that has a better depiction of urban corridors in areas where urban sprawl has occurred. STRC EMS users interested in initializing their LSM fields with high-resolution SPoRT LIS data should set up their model domain with the MODIS-IGBP 20-class land use database and select Noah as the LSM.

The Rofental: a high Alpine research basin (1890-3770 m a.s.l.) in the Ötztal Alps (Austria) with over 150 years of hydrometeorological and glaciological observations

Science.gov (United States)

Strasser, Ulrich; Marke, Thomas; Braun, Ludwig; Escher-Vetter, Heidi; Juen, Irmgard; Kuhn, Michael; Maussion, Fabien; Mayer, Christoph; Nicholson, Lindsey; Niedertscheider, Klaus; Sailer, Rudolf; Stötter, Johann; Weber, Markus; Kaser, Georg

2018-01-01

A comprehensive hydrometeorological and glaciological data set is presented, originating from a multitude of glaciological, meteorological, hydrological and laser scanning recordings at research sites in the Rofental (1891-3772 m a.s.l., Ötztal Alps, Austria). The data sets span a period of 150 years and hence represent a unique time series of rich high-altitude mountain observations. Their collection was originally initiated to support scientific investigation of the glaciers Hintereisferner, Kesselwandferner and Vernagtferner. Annual mass balance, glacier front variation, flow velocities and photographic records of the status of these glaciers were recorded. Later, additional measurements of meteorological and hydrological variables were undertaken, and over time a number of autonomous weather stations and runoff gauges were brought into operation; the available data now comprise records of temperature, relative humidity, short- and longwave radiation, wind speed and direction, air pressure, precipitation, and river water levels. Since 2001, a series of distributed (airborne and terrestrial) laser scans is available, along with associated digital surface models. In 2016 a permanent terrestrial laser scanner was installed on Im hintern Eis (3244 m a.s.l.) to continuously observe almost the entire area of Hintereisferner. The data and research undertaken at the sites of investigation in the Rofental area enable combined research of cryospheric, atmospheric and hydrological processes in complex terrain, and support the development of several state-of-the-art glacier mass balance and hydroclimatological models. The institutions taking part in the Rofental research framework promote their site in several international research initiatives. In INARCH (International Network for Alpine Research Catchment Hydrology, http://words.usask.ca/inarch), all original research data sets are now provided to the scientific community according to the Creative Commons Attribution

Chemistry of SOFC Cathode Surfaces: Fundamental Investigation and Tailoring of Electronic Behavior

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yildiz, Bilge; Heski, Clemens

2013-08-31

1) Electron tunneling characteristics on La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSM) thin-film surfaces were studied up to 580oC in 10-3mbar oxygen pressure, using scanning tunneling microscopy/ spectroscopy (STM/STS). A threshold-like drop in the tunneling current was observed at positive bias in STS, which is interpreted as a unique indicator for the activation polarization in cation oxygen bonding on LSM cathodes. Sr-enrichment was found on the surface at high temperature using Auger electron spectroscopy, and was accompanied by a decrease in tunneling conductance in STS. This suggests that Sr-terminated surfaces are less active for electron transfer in oxygen reduction compared to Mn-terminated surfaces on LSM. 2) Effects of strain on the surface cation chemistry and the electronic structure are important to understand and control for attaining fast oxygen reduction kinetics on transition metal oxides. Here, we demonstrate and mechanistically interpret the strain coupling to Sr segregation, oxygen vacancy formation, and electronic structure on the surface of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSM) thin films as a model system. Our experimental results from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling spectroscopy are discussed in light of our first principles-based calculations. A stronger Sr enrichment tendency and a more facile oxygen vacancy formation prevail for the tensile strained LSM surface. The electronic structure of the tensile strained LSM surface exhibits a larger band gap at room temperature, however, a higher tunneling conductance near the Fermi level than the compressively strained LSM at elevated temperatures in oxygen. Our findings suggest lattice strain as a key parameter to tune the reactivity of perovskite transition metal oxides with oxygen in solid oxide fuel cell cathodes. 3) Cation segregation on perovskite oxide surfaces affects vastly the oxygen reduction activity and stability of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathodes. A unified theory that explains the physical

The Modernization and Associated Restructuring of the National Weather Service: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Friday, Elbert W., Jr.

1994-01-01

The scientific understanding of the atmosphere and the ability to forecast large-and small-scale hydrometeorological phenomena have increased dramatically over the last two decades. As a result, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has set an ambitious goal: to modernize the National Weather Service (NWS)through the deployment of proven observational, information processing, and communications technologies, and to establish an associated cost-effective operational structure. The modernization and associated restructuring of the NWS will assure that the major advances that have been made in our ability to observe and understand the atmosphere are applied to the practical problems of providing atmospheric and hydrologic services to the nation. Implementation and practice of the new science will improve forecasts, provide more reliable detection of and warnings for severe weather and flooding, achieve more uniform hydrometeorological services across the nation, permit a more cost-effective NWS, and increase productivity among NWS employees. The changes proposed by the NWS will allow increased productivity and efficiency for any entity dependent on weather information, including local, state, and federal government agencies; researchers; private-sector meteorologists; private industry; and resource management organizations. This is the first in a series of articles intended to highlight these changes.

Lanthanum Manganate Based Cathodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Mette Juhl

Composite cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells were investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The aim was to study the oxygen reduction process in the electrode in order to minimise the voltage drop in the cathode. The electrodes contained...... five processes were found to affect the impedance of LSM/YSZ composite electrodes. Two high frequency processes were ascribed to transport of oxide ions/oxygen intermediates across LSM/YSZ interfaces and through YSZ in the composite. Several competitive elementary reaction steps, which appear as one...

Modeling detailed hydro-meteorological surfaces and runoff response in large diverse watersheds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byrne, J.; Kienzle, S.W.; MacDonald, R.J.

2008-01-01

An understanding of local variability in climatic conditions over complex terrain is imperative to making accurate assessments of impacts from climate change on fresh water ecosystems (Daly, 2006). The derivation of representative spatial data in diverse environments poses a significant challenge to the modelling community. This presentation describes the current status of a long term ongoing hydro-climate model development program. We are developing a gridded hydroclimate dataset for diverse watersheds using SimGrid (Larson, 2008; Lapp et al., 2005; Sheppard, 1996), a model that applies the Mountain Climate Model (MTCLIM; Hungerford et al., 1989) to simulate hydro-climatic conditions over diverse terrain. The model uses GIS based terrain categories (TC) classified by slope, aspect, elevation, and soil water storage. SimGrid provides daily estimates of solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, snowpack and soil water storage over space. Earlier versions of the model have been applied in the St. Mary (Larson, 2008) and upper Oldman basins (Lapp et al., 2005), giving realistic estimates of hydro-climatic variables. The current study demonstrates improvements to the estimation of temperature, precipitation, snowpack, soil water storage and runoff from the basin. Soil water storage data for the upper drainage were derived with GIS and included in SimGrid to estimate soil water flux over the time period. These changes help improve the estimation of spatial climatic variability over the basin while accounting for topographical influence. In further work we will apply spatial hydro-climatic surfaces from the SimGrid model to assess the hydrologic response to environmental change for watersheds in Canada and beyond. (author)

Impact of skin capsular distance on the performance of controlled attenuation parameter in patients with chronic liver disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Feng; Zheng, Rui-Dan; Shi, Jun-Ping; Mi, Yu-Qiang; Chen, Guo-Feng; Hu, Xiqi; Liu, Yong-Gang; Wang, Xiao-Ying; Pan, Qin; Chen, Guang-Yu; Chen, Jian-Neng; Xu, Liang; Zhang, Rui-Nan; Xu, Lei-Ming; Fan, Jian-Gao

2015-11-01

Controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) is a non-invasive method for evaluating hepatic steatosis. However, larger skin capsular distance (SCD) can affect the accuracy. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of SCD on the diagnostic performance of CAP and liver stiffness measurement (LSM). Of 101 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and 280 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who underwent liver biopsy were prospectively recruited. CAP, LSM and SCD were performed using FibroScan with M probe. The areas under receiver operating characteristics curves (AUROCs) were calculated to determine the diagnostic efficacy. The optimal thresholds were defined by the maximum Youden index. SCD (B 30.34, P 33% (0.90 vs. 0.85) and >66% (0.84 vs. 0.72). For SCD 33% and >66% were 255.0 dB/m, 283.5 dB/m and 293.5 dB/m. However, cut-offs were elevated by approximately 60-70 dB/m for SCD ≥25 mm. When stratified by fibrosis grade, LSM was significantly affected by SCD ≥25 mm for advanced fibrosis (≥F3) in NAFLD, but not in CHB. CAP is a promising tool for detecting and quantifying hepatic steatosis. SCD ≥25 mm may cause overestimation of steatosis. Similarly, SCD ≥25 mm affects the detection of advanced fibrosis by LSM in NAFLD patients. © 2015 The Authors. Liver International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Omalizumab Improves Quality of Life and Asthma Control in Chinese Patients With Moderate to Severe Asthma: A Randomized Phase III Study

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jing; Kang, Jian; Wang, Changzheng; Yang, Jing; Wang, Linda; Kottakis, Ioannis; Humphries, Michael

2016-01-01

Purpose Omalizumab is the preferred add-on therapy for patients with moderate-to-severe persistent allergic asthma and has demonstrated efficacy and safety in various ethnicities. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of omalizumab in Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe allergic asthma. Methods This randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, phase III study assessed lung function, quality of life, asthma control, and safety of omalizumab after 24-week therapy in Chinese patients (18-75 years of age). Results A total of 616 patients were randomized (1:1) to omalizumab or placebo. The primary endpoint, least squares mean treatment difference (LSM-TD) in morning peak expiratory flow (PEF) (omalizumab vs placebo), at Weeks >20-24 was 8.85 L/min (Full analysis set; P=0.062). Per-protocol analysis set showed significant improvements with LSM-TD of 11.53 L/min in mean mPEF at Weeks >20-24 (P=0.022). The FEV1 % predicted was significantly improved with omalizumab vs placebo from 8 to 24 weeks (after 24-week treatment: LSM-TD=4.12%; P=0.001). At Week 24, a higher proportion of omalizumab-treated patients achieved clinically relevant improvements in standardized AQLQ (58.2% vs 39.3%; LSM=0.51 vs 0.10; Pquality of life, and asthma control in Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe persistent allergic asthma and has a good safety profile. PMID:27126725

Prospective comparison among transient elastography, supersonic shear imaging, and ARFI imaging for predicting fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myoung Seok Lee

Full Text Available The diagnostic performance of supersonic shear imaging (SSI in comparison with those of transient elastography (TE and acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (ARFI for staging fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD patients has not been fully assessed, especially in Asian populations with relatively lean NAFLD compared to white populations. Thus, we focused on comparing the diagnostic performances of TE, ARFI, and SSI for staging fibrosis in a head-to-head manner, and identifying the clinical, anthropometric, biochemical, and histological features which might affect liver stiffness measurement (LSM in our prospective biopsy-proven NAFLD cohort. In this study, ninety-four patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD were included prospectively. Liver stiffness was measured using TE, SSI, and ARFI within 1 month of liver biopsy. The diagnostic performance for staging fibrosis was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC analysis. Anthropometric data were evaluated as covariates influencing LSM by regression analyses. Liver stiffness correlated with fibrosis stage (p < 0.05; the area under the ROC curve of TE (kPa, SSI (kPa, and ARFI (m/s were as follows: 0.757, 0.759, and 0.657 for significant fibrosis and 0.870, 0.809, and 0.873 for advanced fibrosis. Anthropometric traits were significant confounders affecting SSI, while serum liver injury markers significantly confounded TE and ARFI. In conclusion, the LSM methods had similar diagnostic performance for staging fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. Pre-LSM anthropometric evaluation may help predict the reliability of SSI.

Atomistic Modeling of Cation Diffusion in Transition Metal Perovskites La1-xSrxMnO3+/-δfor Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathodes Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yueh-Lin; Duan, Yuhua; Morgan, Dane; Sorescu, Dan; Abernathy, Harry

Cation diffusion in La1-xSrxMnO3+/-δ (LSM) and in related perovskite materials play an important role in controlling long term performance and stability of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFCs) cathodes. Due to sluggish rates of cation diffusion and complex coupling between defect chemistry and cation diffusion pathways, currently there is still lack of quantitative theoretical model predictions on cation diffusivity vs. T and P(O2) to describe experimental cation tracer diffusivities. In this work, based on ab initio modeling of LSM defect chemistry and migration barriers of the possible cation diffusion pathways, we assess the rates of A-site and B-site cation diffusion in a wide range of T and P(O2) at x =0.0 and 0.2 for SOFC applications. We demonstrate the active cation diffusion pathways in LSM involve cation defect clusters as cation transport carriers, where reduction in the cation migration barriers, which are governed by the steric effect associated with the metal-oxygen cage in the perovskite lattice, is much greater than the penalty of repulsive interaction in the A-site and B-site cation vacancy clusters, leading to higher cation diffusion rates as compared to those of single cation vacancy hopping mechanisms. The predicted Mn and La/Sr cation self-diffusion coefficients of LSM at at x =0.0 and 0.2 along with their 1/T and P(O2) dependences, are in good agreement with the experimental tracer diffusion coefficients.

Evaluation of growth performance of broiler chicks fed with raw and processed leucaena eucociphala seed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minari, J.B.; Odutuga, A.A.

2014-01-01

Fourty-eight broiler chicks (day-old) were used in a 4 weeks feeding experiment to assess the growth response and the performance of broiler chicks fed raw Leucaena leucociphala seed meal (RLSM), roasted L. leucociphala seed meal (RoLSM) and steamed L. leucociphala seed meal (SLSM). The L. leucociphala seed, which serve as a source of protein were subjected to two treatments (roasting and steaming). Soybean based diet served as the control. There were four (4) experimental groups, each made up of four birds in three replicates allocated to the experimental diets. The results showed that the average final live weight, average weekly weight gain and average feed intake of birds fed with RoLSM performed better than birds fed with RLSM and SLSM. It was observed that the percentage organ to body weight of birds fed with the processed LSM were significantly (P < 0.05), higher as compared to the RLSM. A significant (P < 0.05) increase in the activity of aspartate transferase in the organs (heart, kidney and liver) of broilers fed with RoLSM was observed as compared to those fed with RLSM. The results showed a significant (P < 0.05), reduction in the activity of alanine transferase of organs of broilers chicks fed with processed L. leucociphala compared to the control. It is therefore, concluded that the processing techniques applied were able to improve the nutritional quality of L. leucociphala seed meal but relatively lower to the soybean based meal. (author)

On the monitoring and prediction of flash floods in small and medium-sized catchments - the EXTRUSO project

Science.gov (United States)

Wiemann, Stefan; Eltner, Anette; Sardemann, Hannes; Spieler, Diana; Singer, Thomas; Thanh Luong, Thi; Janabi, Firas Al; Schütze, Niels; Bernard, Lars; Bernhofer, Christian; Maas, Hans-Gerd

2017-04-01

Flash floods regularly cause severe socio-economic damage worldwide. In parallel, climate change is very likely to increase the number of such events, due to an increasing frequency of extreme precipitation events (EASAC 2013). Whereas recent work primarily addresses the resilience of large catchment areas, the major impact of hydro-meteorological extremes caused by heavy precipitation is on small areas. Those are very difficult to observe and predict, due to sparse monitoring networks and only few means for hydro-meteorological modelling, especially in small catchment areas. The objective of the EXTRUSO project is to identify and implement appropriate means to close this gap by an interdisciplinary approach, combining comprehensive research expertise from meteorology, hydrology, photogrammetry and geoinformatics. The project targets innovative techniques for achieving spatio-temporal densified monitoring and simulations for the analysis, prediction and warning of local hydro-meteorological extreme events. The following four aspects are of particular interest: 1. The monitoring, analysis and combination of relevant hydro-meteorological parameters from various sources, including existing monitoring networks, ground radar, specific low-cost sensors and crowdsourcing. 2. The determination of relevant hydro-morphological parameters from different photogrammetric sensors (e.g. camera, laser scanner) and sensor platforms (e.g. UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) and UWV (unmanned water vehicle)). 3. The continuous hydro-meteorological modelling of precipitation, soil moisture and water flows by means of conceptual and data-driven modelling. 4. The development of a collaborative, web-based service infrastructure as an information and communication point, especially in the case of an extreme event. There are three major applications for the planned information system: First, the warning of local extreme events for the population in potentially affected areas, second, the support

Open access to Water Indicators for Climate Change Adaptation: proof-of-concept for the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S)

Science.gov (United States)

Lottle, Lorna; Arheimer, Berit; Gyllensvärd, Frida; Dejong, Fokke; Ludwig, Fulco; Hutjes, Ronald; Martinez, Bernat

2017-04-01

Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) is still in the development phase and will combine observations of the climate system with the latest science to develop authoritative, quality-assured information about the past, current and future states of the climate and climate dependent sectors in Europe and worldwide. C3S will provide key indicators on climate change drivers and selected sectorial impacts. The aim of these indicators will be to support adaptation and mitigation. This presentation will show one service already operational as a proof-of-concept of this future climate service. The project "Service for Water Indicators in Climate Change Adaptation" (SWICCA) has developed a sectorial information service for water management. It offers readily available climate-impact data, for open access from the web-site http://swicca.climate.copernicus.eu/. The development is user-driven with the overall goal to speed up the workflow in climate-change adaptation of water management across Europe. The service is co-designed by consultant engineers and agencies in 15 case-studies spread out over the continent. SWICCA has an interactive user-interface, which shows maps and graphs, and facilitates data download in user-friendly formats. In total, more than 900 open dataset are given for various hydrometeorological (and a few socioeconomical) variables, model ensembles, resolutions, time-periods and RCPs. The service offers more than 40 precomputed climate impact indicators (CIIs) and transient time-series of 4 essential climate variables ECVs) with high spatial and temporal resolution. To facilitate both near future and far future assessments, SWICCA provides the indicators for different time ranges; normally, absolute values are given for a reference period (e.g. 1971-2000) and the expected future changes for different 30-year periods, such as early century (2011-2040), mid-century (2041-2070) and end-century (2071-2100). An ensemble of model results is always given to

Restoration of uneven illumination in light sheet microscopy images.

Science.gov (United States)

Uddin, Mohammad Shorif; Lee, Hwee Kuan; Preibisch, Stephan; Tomancak, Pavel

2011-08-01

Light microscopy images suffer from poor contrast due to light absorption and scattering by the media. The resulting decay in contrast varies exponentially across the image along the incident light path. Classical space invariant deconvolution approaches, while very effective in deblurring, are not designed for the restoration of uneven illumination in microscopy images. In this article, we present a modified radiative transfer theory approach to solve the contrast degradation problem of light sheet microscopy (LSM) images. We confirmed the effectiveness of our approach through simulation as well as real LSM images.

Oxygen Electrode Kinetics and Surface Composition of Dense (La0.75Sr0.25)0.95MnO3 on YSZ

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Yuehua; Hansen, Karin Vels; Norrman, Kion

2013-01-01

in situ at temperatures from 660 to 860 C using a controlled atmosphere high temperature scanning probe microscope (CAHT-SPM) setup for measurements of impedance spectroscopy and potential sweep. The oxygen partial pressure, pO2, was varied. Further, ex situ surface analysis by time of flight secondary...... ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) and structure examination by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed. Segregation of Sr and La oxides to LSM surfaces and Mn rich oxide to the three phase boundary (TPB) was observed. YSZ and LSM attract different oxides/impurities. The oxygen electrode...

The Effect of Humidity and Oxygen Partial Pressure on LSM–YSZ Cathode

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knöfel, Christina; Chen, Ming; Mogensen, Mogens Bjerg

2011-01-01

Two series of anode supported solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) were prepared, one with a composite cathode layer of lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM) and yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) on top and the other further has a LSM current collector layer on top. The fuel cells were heat treated at 1...... of manganese concentration and strontium enrichment on the surface of the materials. Formation of monoclinic zirconia and zirconate phases was also observed. These results give a closer insight into possible degradation mechanisms of SOFC composite cathode materials in dependence of humidity and oxygen partial...

Program scheme using common source lines in channel stacked NAND flash memory with layer selection by multilevel operation

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Do-Bin; Kwon, Dae Woong; Kim, Seunghyun; Lee, Sang-Ho; Park, Byung-Gook

2018-02-01

To obtain high channel boosting potential and reduce a program disturbance in channel stacked NAND flash memory with layer selection by multilevel (LSM) operation, a new program scheme using boosted common source line (CSL) is proposed. The proposed scheme can be achieved by applying proper bias to each layer through its own CSL. Technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations are performed to verify the validity of the new method in LSM. Through TCAD simulation, it is revealed that the program disturbance characteristics is effectively improved by the proposed scheme.

WRF model for precipitation simulation and its application in real-time flood forecasting in the Jinshajiang River Basin, China

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Jianzhong; Zhang, Hairong; Zhang, Jianyun; Zeng, Xiaofan; Ye, Lei; Liu, Yi; Tayyab, Muhammad; Chen, Yufan

2017-07-01

An accurate flood forecasting with long lead time can be of great value for flood prevention and utilization. This paper develops a one-way coupled hydro-meteorological modeling system consisting of the mesoscale numerical weather model Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and the Chinese Xinanjiang hydrological model to extend flood forecasting lead time in the Jinshajiang River Basin, which is the largest hydropower base in China. Focusing on four typical precipitation events includes: first, the combinations and mode structures of parameterization schemes of WRF suitable for simulating precipitation in the Jinshajiang River Basin were investigated. Then, the Xinanjiang model was established after calibration and validation to make up the hydro-meteorological system. It was found that the selection of the cloud microphysics scheme and boundary layer scheme has a great impact on precipitation simulation, and only a proper combination of the two schemes could yield accurate simulation effects in the Jinshajiang River Basin and the hydro-meteorological system can provide instructive flood forecasts with long lead time. On the whole, the one-way coupled hydro-meteorological model could be used for precipitation simulation and flood prediction in the Jinshajiang River Basin because of its relatively high precision and long lead time.

Precipitation in a warming world: Assessing projected hydro-climate changes in California and other Mediterranean climate regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Polade, Suraj D; Gershunov, Alexander; Cayan, Daniel R; Dettinger, Michael D; Pierce, David W

2017-09-07

In most Mediterranean climate (MedClim) regions around the world, global climate models (GCMs) consistently project drier futures. In California, however, projections of changes in annual precipitation are inconsistent. Analysis of daily precipitation in 30 GCMs reveals patterns in projected hydrometeorology over each of the five MedClm regions globally and helps disentangle their causes. MedClim regions, except California, are expected to dry via decreased frequency of winter precipitation. Frequencies of extreme precipitation, however, are projected to increase over the two MedClim regions of the Northern Hemisphere where projected warming is strongest. The increase in heavy and extreme precipitation is particularly robust over California, where it is only partially offset by projected decreases in low-medium intensity precipitation. Over the Mediterranean Basin, however, losses from decreasing frequency of low-medium-intensity precipitation are projected to dominate gains from intensifying projected extreme precipitation. MedClim regions are projected to become more sub-tropical, i.e. made dryer via pole-ward expanding subtropical subsidence. California's more nuanced hydrological future reflects a precarious balance between the expanding subtropical high from the south and the south-eastward extending Aleutian low from the north-west. These dynamical mechanisms and thermodynamic moistening of the warming atmosphere result in increased horizontal water vapor transport, bolstering extreme precipitation events.

Effects of Seasonal Land Surface Conditions on Hydrometeorological Dynamics in South-western North America

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-21

rain gauges to measure precipitation , and 1 internal mini-flume to measure runoff . 9 Fig. 8. Processed fluxes measured at the two eddy...SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: Arid and semiarid landscapes in regions with seasonal precipitation experience dramatic changes that alter land surface...semiarid landscapes in regions with seasonal precipitation experience dramatic changes that alter land surface conditions, including soil moisture

Integrated Flood Forecast and Virtual Dam Operation System for Water Resources and Flood Risk Management

Science.gov (United States)

Shibuo, Yoshihiro; Ikoma, Eiji; Lawford, Peter; Oyanagi, Misa; Kanauchi, Shizu; Koudelova, Petra; Kitsuregawa, Masaru; Koike, Toshio

2014-05-01

While availability of hydrological- and hydrometeorological data shows growing tendency and advanced modeling techniques are emerging, such newly available data and advanced models may not always be applied in the field of decision-making. In this study we present an integrated system of ensemble streamflow forecast (ESP) and virtual dam simulator, which is designed to support river and dam manager's decision making. The system consists of three main functions: real time hydrological model, ESP model, and dam simulator model. In the real time model, the system simulates current condition of river basins, such as soil moisture and river discharges, using LSM coupled distributed hydrological model. The ESP model takes initial condition from the real time model's output and generates ESP, based on numerical weather prediction. The dam simulator model provides virtual dam operation and users can experience impact of dam control on remaining reservoir volume and downstream flood under the anticipated flood forecast. Thus the river and dam managers shall be able to evaluate benefit of priori dam release and flood risk reduction at the same time, on real time basis. Furthermore the system has been developed under the concept of data and models integration, and it is coupled with Data Integration and Analysis System (DIAS) - a Japanese national project for integrating and analyzing massive amount of observational and model data. Therefore it has advantage in direct use of miscellaneous data from point/radar-derived observation, numerical weather prediction output, to satellite imagery stored in data archive. Output of the system is accessible over the web interface, making information available with relative ease, e.g. from ordinary PC to mobile devices. We have been applying the system to the Upper Tone region, located northwest from Tokyo metropolitan area, and we show application example of the system in recent flood events caused by typhoons.

ANALYSIS OF NIGERIAN HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL DATA

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr Obe

Tests on time homogeneity, showed that the annual rainfall ... lognormal distribution should be adopted for predictions of annual rainfall at Port Harcourt and .... factors for normal probability distribution, ... functions of adjusted skewness.

Rainfall and snow-melt triggered glacial lake outbursts: a systematic analysis of the Kedarnath (Uttarakhand, India), June 2013 disaster

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Simon; Rastner, Philipp; Arora, Manohar; Huggel, Christian; Stoffel, Markus

2015-04-01

Heavy rainfall in early June 2013 triggered flash flooding and landslides throughout the Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, killing more than 6000 people. The destruction of roads and trekking routes left around 100,000 pilgrims and tourists stranded. Most fatalities and damages resulted directly from a lake outburst and debris flow disaster originating from above the village of Kedarnath on June 16 and 17. Here we provide a first systematic analysis of the contributing factors leading to the Kedarnath disaster, both in terms of hydro-meteorological triggering (rainfall, snowmelt, and temperature) and topographic predisposition. Specifically, the topographic characteristics of the Charobari lake watershed above Kedarnath are compared with other glacial lakes across the northwestern Indian Himalayan states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, and implications for glacier lake outburst hazard assessment in a changing climate are discussed. Our analysis suggests that the early onset of heavy monsoon rainfall (390 mm, June 10 - 17) immediately following a prolonged four week period of unusually rapid snow cover depletion and elevated streamflow is the crucial hydro-meteorological factor, resulting in slope saturation and significant runoff into the small seasonal glacial lake. Over a four week period the MODIS-derived snow covered area above Kedarnath decreased nearly 50%, from above average coverage in mid-May to well below average coverage by the second week of June. Such a rapid decrease has not been observed in the previous 13-year record, where the average decrease in snow covered area over the same four week window is only 15%. The unusual situation of the lake being dammed in a steep, unstable paraglacial environment, but fed entirely from snow-melt and rainfall within a fluvial dominated watershed is important in the context of this disaster. A simple scheme enabling large-scale recognition of such an unfavorable topographic setting is presented, and on the

Changes in Reference Evapotranspiration and Its Contributing Factors in Jiangsu, a Major Economic and Agricultural Province of Eastern China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronghao Chu

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Reference evapotranspiration (ETref is a key parameter of hydro-meteorological studies as well as water resource planning. In this study, we adopted the Penman–Monteith FAO 56 model to estimate ETref and through the differential equation and detrending method to determine sensitivities and the contributions of four meteorological parameters to ETref based on daily weather data from 60 stations of Jiangsu province during 1961–2015. Results reveal that ETref and its trends in the three sub-regions of the Jiangsu province had a significant spatial heterogeneity. A significant decreasing tendency of ETref (p < 0.001 was observed in the Huaibei region, while a slightly increasing tendency was identified in the Jianghuai and Sunan regions. These changes of ETref were caused by a significant increasing trend in air temperature (TA and significant decreasing trends in wind speed (WS, sunshine duration (SD as well as a non-significant change trend in actual vapor pressure (VP. However, the VP was the meteorological parameter to which ETref was most sensitive, whereas ETref was more sensitive to TA and SD in the summer but less so in the winter; the least sensitive factor, WS, had the opposite trend. Across the whole region, WS contributed most to ETref, followed by SD, while the positive contribution of TA to ETref could not offset the negative contributions of WS and SD. Although the effect of VP on changes in ETref is small, it could not be ignored, especially in the winter. The reverse relationship between increasing TA and decreasing ETref, namely the “evaporation paradox,” occurred in Jiangsu province. Thus, the outcomes of this study will contribute to thorough insight into the response to changes in ETref to the provincial water planning and management in eastern China.

The Rofental: a high Alpine research basin (1890–3770 m a.s.l. in the Ötztal Alps (Austria with over 150 years of hydrometeorological and glaciological observations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U. Strasser

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A comprehensive hydrometeorological and glaciological data set is presented, originating from a multitude of glaciological, meteorological, hydrological and laser scanning recordings at research sites in the Rofental (1891–3772 m a.s.l., Ötztal Alps, Austria. The data sets span a period of 150 years and hence represent a unique time series of rich high-altitude mountain observations. Their collection was originally initiated to support scientific investigation of the glaciers Hintereisferner, Kesselwandferner and Vernagtferner. Annual mass balance, glacier front variation, flow velocities and photographic records of the status of these glaciers were recorded. Later, additional measurements of meteorological and hydrological variables were undertaken, and over time a number of autonomous weather stations and runoff gauges were brought into operation; the available data now comprise records of temperature, relative humidity, short- and longwave radiation, wind speed and direction, air pressure, precipitation, and river water levels. Since 2001, a series of distributed (airborne and terrestrial laser scans is available, along with associated digital surface models. In 2016 a permanent terrestrial laser scanner was installed on Im hintern Eis (3244 m a.s.l. to continuously observe almost the entire area of Hintereisferner. The data and research undertaken at the sites of investigation in the Rofental area enable combined research of cryospheric, atmospheric and hydrological processes in complex terrain, and support the development of several state-of-the-art glacier mass balance and hydroclimatological models. The institutions taking part in the Rofental research framework promote their site in several international research initiatives. In INARCH (International Network for Alpine Research Catchment Hydrology, http://words.usask.ca/inarch, all original research data sets are now provided to the scientific community according to the

Evaluating the Significance of Viscoelasticity in Diagnosing Early-Stage Liver Fibrosis with Transient Elastography.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jingxin; Zhai, Fei; Cheng, Jun; He, Qiong; Luo, Jianwen; Yang, Xueping; Shao, Jinhua; Xing, Huichun

2017-01-01

Transient elastography quantifies the propagation of a mechanically generated shear wave within a soft tissue, which can be used to characterize the elasticity and viscosity parameters of the tissue. The aim of our study was to combine numerical simulation and clinical assessment to define a viscoelastic index of liver tissue to improve the quality of early diagnosis of liver fibrosis. This is clinically relevant, as early fibrosis is reversible. We developed an idealized two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element model of the liver to evaluate the effects of different viscoelastic values on the propagation characteristics of the shear wave. The diagnostic value of the identified viscoelastic index was verified against the clinical data of 99 patients who had undergone biopsy and routine blood tests for staging of liver disease resulting from chronic hepatitis B infection. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and the shear wave attenuation fitting coefficient (AFC) were calculated from the ultrasound data obtained by performing transient elastography. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to evaluate the reliability and diagnostic accuracy of LSM and AFC. Compared to LSM, the AFC provided a higher diagnostic accuracy to differentiate early stages of liver fibrosis, namely F1 and F2 stages, with an overall specificity of 81.48%, sensitivity of 83.33% and diagnostic accuracy of 81.82%. AFC was influenced by the level of LSM, ALT. However, there are no correlation between AFC and Age, BMI, TBIL or DBIL. Quantification of the viscoelasticity of liver tissue provides reliable measurement to identify and differentiate early stages of liver fibrosis.

Multimodal backside imaging of a microcontroller using confocal laser scanning and optical-beam-induced current imaging

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Finkeldey, Markus; Göring, Lena; Schellenberg, Falk; Brenner, Carsten; Gerhardt, Nils C.; Hofmann, Martin

2017-02-01

Microscopy imaging with a single technology is usually restricted to a single contrast mechanism. Multimodal imaging is a promising technique to improve the structural information that could be obtained about a device under test (DUT). Due to the different contrast mechanisms of laser scanning microscopy (LSM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and optical beam induced current microscopy (OBICM), a combination could improve the detection of structures in integrated circuits (ICs) and helps to reveal their layout. While OBIC imaging is sensitive to the changes between differently doped areas and to semiconductor-metal transitions, CLSM imaging is mostly sensitive to changes in absorption and reflection. In this work we present the implementation of OBIC imaging into a CLSM. We show first results using industry standard Atmel microcontrollers (MCUs) with a feature size of about 250nm as DUTs. Analyzing these types of microcontrollers helps to improve in the field of side-channel attacks to find hardware Trojans, possible spots for laser fault attacks and for reverse engineering. For the experimental results the DUT is placed on a custom circuit board that allows us to measure the current while imaging it in our in-house built stage scanning microscope using a near infrared (NIR) laser diode as light source. The DUT is thinned and polished, allowing backside imaging through the Si-substrate. We demonstrate the possibilities using this optical setup by evaluating OBIC, LSM and CLSM images above and below the threshold of the laser source.

Analysis of reference evapotranspiration (ET0) trends under climate change in Bangladesh using observed and CMIP5 data sets

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Rahman, Mohammad Atiqur; Yunsheng, Lou; Sultana, Nahid; Ongoma, Victor

2018-03-01

ET0 is an important hydro-meteorological phenomenon, which is influenced by changing climate like other climatic parameters. This study investigates the present and future trends of ET0 in Bangladesh using 39 years' historical and downscaled CMIP5 daily climatic data for the twenty-first century. Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM) was used to downscale the climate data required to calculate ET0. Penman-Monteith formula was applied in ET0 calculation for both the historical and modelled data. To analyse ET0 trends and trend changing patterns, modified Mann-Kendall and Sequential Mann-Kendall tests were, respectively, done. Spatial variations of ET0 trends are presented by inverse distance weighting interpolation using ArcGIS 10.2.2. Results show that RCP8.5 (2061-2099) will experience the highest amount of ET0 totals in comparison to the historical and all other scenarios in the same time span of 39 years. Though significant positive trends were observed in the mid and last months of year from month-wise trend analysis of representative concentration pathways, significant negative trends were also found for some months using historical data in similar analysis. From long-term annual trend analysis, it was found that major part of the country represents decreasing trends using historical data, but increasing trends were observed for modelled data. Theil-Sen estimations of ET0 trends in the study depict a good consistency with the Mann-Kendall test results. The findings of the study would contribute in irrigation water management and planning of the country and also in furthering the climate change study using modelled data in the context of Bangladesh.

Oxidation Behavior of Some Cr Ferritic Steels for High Temperature Fuel Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed, H.E.

2012-01-01

interface. This zone contains networks of Al 2 O 3 and SiO 2 particles which decrease the outward diffusion of Cr and Mn leading to reduced oxide growth kinetics of this alloy compared to alloy RA. The presence of 0.05 wt% Hf in alloy 5Al assists in improving scale adhesion, plastic relaxation of the oxide growth stresses and enhancing the oxidation resistance of this alloy at 1000 degree C. The electrical properties of the oxide scales formed on these alloys when they are in contact with the SOFC cathode material, LaSrMnO 3 (LSM) have been studied in this work. LSM - coated specimens of the investigated alloys were given isothermal oxidation treatment in air at 800 and 1000 degree C for time periods of 150, 400 and 700 h at each temperature. The area - specific resistance, ASR, of the oxide scales increased with increasing oxidation time and temperature. This was ascribed to increased oxide thickness and development of interdiffusion zone at the LSM / oxide interface. The activation energy, E a , for the conduction process increased with oxidation time for alloy 1Al oxidized at 800 degree C and alloy 5Al oxidized at 800 or 1000 degree C while it remained almost unchanged for alloy 1Al oxidized at 1000 degree C and alloy RA oxidized at 800 degree C. These changes in E a were attributed to time - dependent changes in the composition of the oxide in contact with the LSM at the oxide / LSM interface for each alloy.

Method of spectra parametrization of (n, x) and (n, nx) reactions induced by DT-neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleksandrov, D.V.; Kovrigin, B.S.

1980-01-01

A method for parmetrization of experimental spectra has been developed for more convenient carrying out a process of separating competing mechanisms contributions in spectra of the (n, x) and (n, nx) reactions induced with DT neutrons. Differential cross sections of competing partial processes are used. as expanding coefficients. Model spectra may be represented in the form of tabulated-given functions calculated separately from formulae of any complexity degree. Fit of model expressions is performed by the least square method (lsm). Step-by-step algorithm of nonlinear optimization is used for search for lsm- evaluations of theoretical models parameters [ru

Development of Joint Climate and Discharge Projections for the International Rhine River Basin - the CHR RheinBlick2050 Project

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Görgen, K.; Pfister, L.

2008-12-01

The anticipated climate change will lead to modified hydro-meteorological regimes that influence discharge behaviour and hydraulics of rivers. This has variable impacts on managed (anthropogenic) and unmanaged (natural) systems, depending on their sensitivity and vulnerability (ecology, economy, infrastructure, transport, energy production, water management, etc.). Decision makers in these contexts need adequate adaptation strategies to minimize adverse effects of climate change, i.e. an improved knowledge on the potential impacts including uncertainties means an extension of the informed options open to users. The goal of the highly applied study presented here is the development of joint, consistent climate and discharge projections for the international Rhine River catchments (Switzerland, France, Germany, Netherlands) in order to assess future changes of hydro-meteorological regimes in the meso- and macroscale Rhine River catchments and to derive and improve the understanding of such impacts on hydrologic and hydraulic processes. The RheinBlick2050 project is an international effort initiated by the International Commission for the Hydrology of the Rhine Basin (CHR) in close cooperation with the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine. The core experiment design foresees a data-synthesis, multi-model approach where (transient) (bias- corrected) regional climate change projections are used as forcing data for existing calibrated hydrological (and hydraulic) models at a daily temporal resolution over mesoscale catchments of the Rhine River. Mainly for validation purposes, hydro-meteorological observations from national weather services are compiled into a new consistent 5 km x 5 km reference dataset from 1961 to 2005. RCM data are mainly used from the ENSEMBLES project and other existing dynamical downscaling model runs to derive probabilistic ensembles and thereby also access uncertainties on a regional scale. A benchmarking is helping to

Land Surface Phenologies of the Northern Great Plains: Possible Futures Arising From Land and Climate Change

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Henebry, G. M.; Wimberly, M. C.; Senay, G.; Wang, A.; Chang, J.; Wright, C. R.; Hansen, M. C.

2008-12-01

Land cover change across the Northern Great Plains of North America over the past three decades has been driven by changes in agricultural management (conservation tillage; irrigation), government incentives (Conservation Reserve Program; subsidies to grain-based ethanol), crop varieties (cold-hardy soybean), and market dynamics (increasing world demand). Climate change across the Northern Great Plains over the past three decades has been evident in trends toward earlier warmth in the spring and a longer frost-free season. Together these land and climate changes induce shifts in local and regional land surface phenologies (LSPs). Any significant shift in LSP may correspond to a significant shift in evapotranspiration, with consequences for regional hydrometeorology. We explored possible future scenarios involving land use and climate change in six steps. First, we defined the nominal draw areas of current and future biorefineries in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa and masked those land cover types within the draw areas that were unlikely to change to agricultural use (open water, settlements, forests, etc.). Second, we estimated the proportion of corn and soybean remaining within the masked draw areas using MODIS-derived crop maps. Third, in each draw area, we modified LSPs to simulate crop changes for a control and two treatment scenarios. In the control, we used LSP profiles identified from MODIS Collection 5 NBAR data. In one treatment, we increased the proportion of tallgrass LSPs in the draw areas to represent widespread cultivation of a perennial cellulosic crop, like switchgrass. In a second treatment, we increased the proportion of corn LSPs in the draw areas to represent increased corn cultivation. Fourth, we characterized the seasonal progression of the thermal regime associated with the LSP profiles using MODIS Land Surface Temperature (LST) products. Fifth, we modeled the LSP profile as a quadratic function of accumulated

Diagnostic accuracy and prognostic significance of blood fibrosis tests and liver stiffness measurement by FibroScan in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

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Boursier, Jérôme; Vergniol, Julien; Guillet, Anne; Hiriart, Jean-Baptiste; Lannes, Adrien; Le Bail, Brigitte; Michalak, Sophie; Chermak, Faiza; Bertrais, Sandrine; Foucher, Juliette; Oberti, Frédéric; Charbonnier, Maude; Fouchard-Hubert, Isabelle; Rousselet, Marie-Christine; Calès, Paul; de Lédinghen, Victor

2016-09-01

NAFLD is highly prevalent but only a small subset of patients develop advanced liver fibrosis with impaired liver-related prognosis. We aimed to compare blood fibrosis tests and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by FibroScan for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis and the evaluation of prognosis in NAFLD. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated in a cross-sectional study including 452 NAFLD patients with liver biopsy (NASH-CRN fibrosis stage), LSM, and eight blood fibrosis tests (BARD, NAFLD fibrosis score, FibroMeter(NAFLD), aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), FIB4, FibroTest, Hepascore, FibroMeter(V2G)). Prognostic accuracy was evaluated in a longitudinal study including 360 NAFLD patients. LSM and FibroMeter(V2G) were the two best-performing tests in the cross-sectional study: AUROCs for advanced fibrosis (F3/4) were, respectively, 0.831±0.019 and 0.817±0.020 (p⩽0.041 vs. other tests); rates of patients with ⩾90% negative/positive predictive values for F3/4 were 56.4% and 46.7% (ptests); Obuchowski indexes were 0.834±0.014 and 0.798±0.016 (p⩽0.036 vs. other tests). Two fibrosis classifications were developed to precisely estimate the histological fibrosis stage from LSM or FibroMeter(V2G) results without liver biopsy (diagnostic accuracy, respectively: 80.8% vs. 77.4%, p=0.190). Kaplan-Meier curves in the longitudinal study showed that both classifications categorised NAFLD patients into subgroups with significantly different prognoses (pfibrosis classification, the worse was the prognosis. LSM and FibroMeter(V2G) were the most accurate of nine evaluated tests for the non-invasive diagnosis of liver fibrosis in NAFLD. LSM and FibroMeter(V2G) fibrosis classifications help physicians estimate both fibrosis stage and patient prognosis in clinical practice. The amount of liver fibrosis is the main determinant of the liver-related prognosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We evaluated eight blood tests and Fibro

Assessment of Tangible Direct Flood Damage Using a Spatial Analysis Approach under the Effects of Climate Change: Case Study in an Urban Watershed in Hanoi, Vietnam

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Mohamed Kefi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Due to climate change, the frequency and intensity of Hydro-Meteorological disasters, such as floods, are increasing. Therefore, the main purpose of this work is to assess tangible future flood damage in the urban watershed of the To Lich River in Hanoi, Vietnam. An approach based on spatial analysis, which requires the integration of several types of data related to flood characteristics that include depth, in particular, land-use classes, property values, and damage rates, is applied for the analysis. To simulate the future scenarios of flooding, the effects of climate change and land-use changes are estimated for 2030. Additionally, two scenarios based on the implementation of flood control measures are analyzed to demonstrate the effect of adaptation strategies. The findings show that climate change combined with the expansion of built-up areas increases the vulnerability of urban areas to flooding and economic damage. The results also reveal that the impacts of climate change will increase the total damage from floods by 26%. However, appropriate flood mitigation will be helpful in reducing the impacts of losses from floods by approximately 8% with the restoration of lakes and by approximately 29% with the implementation of water-sensitive urban design (WSUD. This study will be useful in helping to identify and map flood-prone areas at local and regional scales, which can lead to the detection and prioritization of exposed areas for appropriate countermeasures in a timely manner. In addition, the quantification of flood damage can be an important indicator to enhance the awareness of local decision-makers on improving the efficiency of regional flood risk reduction strategies.

Dynamic Mesoscale Land-Atmosphere Feedbacks in Fragmented Forests in Amazonia

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Rastogi, D.; Baidya Roy, S.

2011-12-01

This paper investigates land-atmosphere feedbacks in disturbed rainforests of Amazonia. Deforestation along the rapidly expanding highways and road network has created the unique fishbone land cover pattern in Rondonia, a state in southwestern Amazonia. Numerical experiments and observations show that sharp gradients in land cover due to the fishbone heterogeneity triggers mesoscale circulations. These circulations significantly change the spatial pattern of local hydrometeorology, especially convection, clouds and precipitation. The primary research question now is can these changes in local hydrometeorology affect vegetation growth in the clearings. If so, that would be a clear indication that land-atmosphere feedbacks can affect vegetation recovery in fragmented forests. A computationally-efficient modeling tool consisting of a mesoscale atmospheric model dynamically coupled with a plant growth model has been specifically developed to identify the atmospheric feedback pathways. Preliminary experiments focus on the seasonal-scale feedbacks during the dry season. Results show that temperature, incoming shortwave and precipitation are the three primary drivers through which the feedbacks operate. Increasing temperature increases respiratory losses generating a positive feedback. Increased cloud cover reduces incoming PAR and photosynthesis, resulting in a positive feedback. Increased precipitation reduces water stress and promotes growth resulting in a negative feedback. The net effect is a combination of these 3 feedback loops. These findings can significantly improve our understanding of ecosystem resiliency in disturbed tropical forests.

Climate Change And Mitigation Measures For The Hydrometerological Disaster In Himachal Pradesh India- In Light Of Dams.

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Vinay K. Pandey

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Continuing climate change is predicted to lead to major changes in the climate of the Himalayan region. Casualties and damage due to hazards in mountain regions will increase irrespective of global warming especially where populations are growing and infrastructure is developed at exposed locations. But climate change will definitely increase risk due to the fact that expected increases of heavy rainfall heat waves and glacier melt will amplify hazards in Himalayan region. The rapid release of melt water and rainfall may combine to trigger debris flows and flash flood in higher ranges including the formation of potentially dangerous lakes. These lakes may breach suddenly resulting in discharge of huge volume of water and debris. Himachal Pradesh had experienced a large number of incidences of Hydro-meteorological disaster HMD since its inception in 1971. Flash flood of March 1975 Dec 1988 Satluj flash flood of August 2000 July 2001 June 2005 Flash flood of July 2005 and Cloud burst in June 2013 are the major natural calamities in Himachal Pradesh. Due to continuous HMD brought heavy toll to the state as the loss was estimated in several thousand millions of rupees and also killed several hundreds of people besides large number of cattle heads. Through this paper we carried out a comprehensive study of past HMD and mitigation measures solution and concluded that these disaster are by their nature difficult to predict and control but it is possible to reduce the risk to lives and property through develop mitigation strategy and plan to construct damsbarrages with awareness and knowledge among local communities about the impacts of global warming natural disaster and the threat to the ecosystem communities and infrastructure are generally inadequate.

Estimation of the climate change impact on a catchment water balance using an ensemble of GCMs

Science.gov (United States)

Reshmidevi, T. V.; Nagesh Kumar, D.; Mehrotra, R.; Sharma, A.

2018-01-01

This work evaluates the impact of climate change on the water balance of a catchment in India. Rainfall and hydro-meteorological variables for current (20C3M scenario, 1981-2000) and two future time periods: mid of the 21st century (2046-2065) and end of the century (2081-2100) are simulated using Modified Markov Model-Kernel Density Estimation (MMM-KDE) and k-nearest neighbor downscaling models. Climate projections from an ensemble of 5 GCMs (MPI-ECHAM5, BCCR-BCM2.0, CSIRO-mk3.5, IPSL-CM4, and MRI-CGCM2) are used in this study. Hydrologic simulations for the current as well as future climate scenarios are carried out using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) integrated with ArcGIS (ArcSWAT v.2009). The results show marginal reduction in runoff ratio, annual streamflow and groundwater recharge towards the end of the century. Increased temperature and evapotranspiration project an increase in the irrigation demand towards the end of the century. Rainfall projections for the future shows marginal increase in the annual average rainfall. Short and moderate wet spells are projected to decrease, whereas short and moderate dry spells are projected to increase in the future. Projected reduction in streamflow and groundwater recharge along with the increase in irrigation demand is likely to aggravate the water stress in the region under the future scenario.

Box photosynthesis modeling results for WRF/CMAQ LSM

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Box Photosynthesis model simulations for latent heat and ozone at 6 different FLUXNET sites. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Ran, L., J....

Does Evapotranspiration Increase When Forests are converted to Grasslands?

Science.gov (United States)

Varcoe, Robert; Sterling, Shannon

2017-04-01

The conversion of forests to grasslands (FGC) is a widespread land cover change (LCC) and is also among the most commonly studied changes with respect to its impact on ET; such research employs a variety of experimental approaches, including, paired catchment (PC), Budyko and land surface models (LSM), and measurement methods, including the catchment water balance (CWB), eddy covariance (EC) and remote sensing (RS). Until recently, there has been consensus in the scientific literature that rates of ET decrease when a forest is converted to grassland; however, this consensus has recently come into question. Williams (2012) applied the Budyko framework to a global network of eddy covariance measurements with the results that grasslands have a 9% greater evaporative index than forests. In addition, HadGEM2, a recent Hadley Centre LSM, produced increased ET in the northern Amazon Basin after simulating global scale tropical deforestation (Brovkin et al., 2015). Here we present an analysis of available estimates of how ET rates change with FGC to increase our understanding of the forest - grassland-ET paradigm. We used two datasets to investigate the impacts land cover change on ET. I compiled a dataset of change in ET with land cover change (ΔETLCC) using published experiments that compare forest and grassland ET under conditions controlled for meteorological and landscape influences. Using the ΔETLCC dataset, we show that, in all cases, forest ET is higher than grassland under controlled conditions. Results suggest that the eddy covariance method measures smaller changes in ET when forests are converted to grasslands, though more data are needed for this result to be statistically significant. Finally, GETA2.0, a new global dataset of annual ET, projects that forest ET is greater than grassland, except at high latitudes and areas where orography influences precipitation (P). The data included in this study represent the data available on forest and grassland ET

A warm-season comparison of WRF coupled to the CLM4.0, Noah-MP, and Bucket hydrology land surface schemes over the central USA

Science.gov (United States)

Van Den Broeke, Matthew S.; Kalin, Andrew; Alavez, Jose Abraham Torres; Oglesby, Robert; Hu, Qi

2017-11-01

In climate modeling studies, there is a need to choose a suitable land surface model (LSM) while adhering to available resources. In this study, the viability of three LSM options (Community Land Model version 4.0 [CLM4.0], Noah-MP, and the five-layer thermal diffusion [Bucket] scheme) in the Weather Research and Forecasting model version 3.6 (WRF3.6) was examined for the warm season in a domain centered on the central USA. Model output was compared to Parameter-elevation Relationships on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) data, a gridded observational dataset including mean monthly temperature and total monthly precipitation. Model output temperature, precipitation, latent heat (LH) flux, sensible heat (SH) flux, and soil water content (SWC) were compared to observations from sites in the Central and Southern Great Plains region. An overall warm bias was found in CLM4.0 and Noah-MP, with a cool bias of larger magnitude in the Bucket model. These three LSMs produced similar patterns of wet and dry biases. Model output of SWC and LH/SH fluxes were compared to observations, and did not show a consistent bias. Both sophisticated LSMs appear to be viable options for simulating the effects of land use change in the central USA.

Using a Dynamic Global Vegetation Model to Simulate the Response of Vegetation to Warming at the Paleocene-Eocene Boundary

Science.gov (United States)

Shellito, C. J.; Sloan, L. C.

2004-12-01

A major turnover in benthic marine and terrestrial fauna marks the Initial Eocene Thermal Maximum (IETM) (~55Ma), a period of ~150 ky in which there was a rapid rise in deep sea and high latitude sea surface temperatures by 5-8C. Curiously, no major responses to this warming in the terrestrial floral record have been detected to date. Here, we present results from experiments examining the response of the global distribution of vegetation to changes in climate at the IETM using the NCAR Land Surface Model (LSM1.2) integrated with a dynamic global vegetation model (DGVM). DGVMs allow vegetation to respond to and interact with climate, and thus, provide a unique new method for addressing questions regarding feedbacks between the ecosystem and climate in Earth's past. However, there are a number of drawbacks to using these models that can affect interpretation of results. More specifically, these drawbacks involve uncertainties in the application of modern plant functional types to paleo-flora simulations, inaccuracies in the model climatology used to drive the DGVM, and lack of available detail regarding paleo-geography and paleo-soil type for use in model boundary conditions. For a better understanding of these drawbacks, we present results from a series of tests in the NCAR LSM-DGVM which examine (1) the effect of removing C4 grasses from the available plant functional types in the model; (2) model sensitivity to a change in soil texture; and (3), model sensitivity to a change in the value of pCO2 used in the photosynthetic rate equations. We consider our DGVM results for the IETM in light of output from these sensitivity experiments.

Primary prevention of diabetes mellitus: current strategies and future trends

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Prasanta K. Bhattacharya

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Aim of this paper is to find evidence for primary prevention of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM from epidemiological studies and clinical trials, and the feasibility of applying these interventions in resource limited countries. T2DM, which accounts for more than nine-tenths of all diabetics, results from inadequate insulin secretion or underlying insulin resistance. The prevalence of diabetes, mainly T2DM, has increased rapidly during the last few decades worldwide. Since the genetic background is unlikely to change during this short time period, the growing epidemic of T2DM is more likely due to changes in environmental or lifestyle risk factors including obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and stress. The scope and feasibility for primary prevention of T2DM is based on elimination of these risk factors. This evidence that T2DM is preventable comes from epidemiologic studies and clinical trials of effect of lifestyle changes and drugs in development of T2DM. The positive effects are more profound and safer with lifestyle modifications (LSM compared to medications. This is shown to be effective globally, across various ethnicities and races and sustainable on long-term follow-up. However, there is a major challenge in translating this evidence into economically viable and sustained community programs, as these LSM interventions are expensive, even from western standards point of view. Future plan should focus on health education of the public, improving the national capacity to detect and manage the environmental risks including strategies to reduce stress, and development of innovative, cost effective, and scalable methodologies.

Large-scale use of mosquito larval source management for malaria control in Africa: a cost analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Worrall, Eve; Fillinger, Ulrike

2011-11-08

At present, large-scale use of two malaria vector control methods, long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) is being scaled up in Africa with substantial funding from donors. A third vector control method, larval source management (LSM), has been historically very successful and is today widely used for mosquito control globally, except in Africa. With increasing risk of insecticide resistance and a shift to more exophilic vectors, LSM is now under re-evaluation for use against afro-tropical vector species. Here the costs of this intervention were evaluated. The 'ingredients approach' was used to estimate the economic and financial costs per person protected per year (pppy) for large-scale LSM using microbial larvicides in three ecologically diverse settings: (1) the coastal metropolitan area of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, (2) a highly populated Kenyan highland area (Vihiga District), and (3) a lakeside setting in rural western Kenya (Mbita Division). Two scenarios were examined to investigate the cost implications of using alternative product formulations. Sensitivity analyses on product prices were carried out. The results show that for programmes using the same granular formulation larviciding costs the least pppy in Dar es Salaam (US$0.94), approximately 60% more in Vihiga District (US$1.50) and the most in Mbita Division (US$2.50). However, these costs are reduced substantially if an alternative water-dispensable formulation is used; in Vihiga, this would reduce costs to US$0.79 and, in Mbita Division, to US$1.94. Larvicide and staff salary costs each accounted for approximately a third of the total economic costs per year. The cost pppy depends mainly on: (1) the type of formulation required for treating different aquatic habitats, (2) the human population density relative to the density of aquatic habitats and (3) the potential to target the intervention in space and/or time. Costs for LSM compare favourably with costs for IRS

Large-scale use of mosquito larval source management for malaria control in Africa: a cost analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background At present, large-scale use of two malaria vector control methods, long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) is being scaled up in Africa with substantial funding from donors. A third vector control method, larval source management (LSM), has been historically very successful and is today widely used for mosquito control globally, except in Africa. With increasing risk of insecticide resistance and a shift to more exophilic vectors, LSM is now under re-evaluation for use against afro-tropical vector species. Here the costs of this intervention were evaluated. Methods The 'ingredients approach' was used to estimate the economic and financial costs per person protected per year (pppy) for large-scale LSM using microbial larvicides in three ecologically diverse settings: (1) the coastal metropolitan area of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, (2) a highly populated Kenyan highland area (Vihiga District), and (3) a lakeside setting in rural western Kenya (Mbita Division). Two scenarios were examined to investigate the cost implications of using alternative product formulations. Sensitivity analyses on product prices were carried out. Results The results show that for programmes using the same granular formulation larviciding costs the least pppy in Dar es Salaam (US$0.94), approximately 60% more in Vihiga District (US$1.50) and the most in Mbita Division (US$2.50). However, these costs are reduced substantially if an alternative water-dispensable formulation is used; in Vihiga, this would reduce costs to US$0.79 and, in Mbita Division, to US$1.94. Larvicide and staff salary costs each accounted for approximately a third of the total economic costs per year. The cost pppy depends mainly on: (1) the type of formulation required for treating different aquatic habitats, (2) the human population density relative to the density of aquatic habitats and (3) the potential to target the intervention in space and/or time. Conclusion Costs for LSM

Computational modeling of spiking neural network with learning rules from STDP and intrinsic plasticity

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiumin; Wang, Wei; Xue, Fangzheng; Song, Yongduan

2018-02-01

Recently there has been continuously increasing interest in building up computational models of spiking neural networks (SNN), such as the Liquid State Machine (LSM). The biologically inspired self-organized neural networks with neural plasticity can enhance the capability of computational performance, with the characteristic features of dynamical memory and recurrent connection cycles which distinguish them from the more widely used feedforward neural networks. Despite a variety of computational models for brain-like learning and information processing have been proposed, the modeling of self-organized neural networks with multi-neural plasticity is still an important open challenge. The main difficulties lie in the interplay among different forms of neural plasticity rules and understanding how structures and dynamics of neural networks shape the computational performance. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to develop the models of LSM with a biologically inspired self-organizing network based on two neural plasticity learning rules. The connectivity among excitatory neurons is adapted by spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) learning; meanwhile, the degrees of neuronal excitability are regulated to maintain a moderate average activity level by another learning rule: intrinsic plasticity (IP). Our study shows that LSM with STDP+IP performs better than LSM with a random SNN or SNN obtained by STDP alone. The noticeable improvement with the proposed method is due to the better reflected competition among different neurons in the developed SNN model, as well as the more effectively encoded and processed relevant dynamic information with its learning and self-organizing mechanism. This result gives insights to the optimization of computational models of spiking neural networks with neural plasticity.

Analyses of Observed and Anticipated Changes in Extreme Climate Events in the Northwest Himalaya

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Dharmaveer Singh

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, past (1970-2005 as well as future long term (2011-2099 trends in various extreme events of temperature and precipitation have been investigated over selected hydro-meteorological stations in the Sutlej river basin. The ensembles of two Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3 models: third generation Canadian Coupled Global Climate Model and Hadley Centre Coupled Model have been used for simulation of future daily time series of temperature (maximum and minimum and precipitation under A2 emission scenario. Large scale atmospheric variables of both models and National Centre for Environmental Prediction/National Centre for Atmospheric Research reanalysis data sets have been downscaled using statistical downscaling technique at individual stations. A total number of 25 extreme indices of temperature (14 and precipitation (11 as specified by the Expert Team of the World Meteorological Organization and Climate Variability and Predictability are derived for the past and future periods. Trends in extreme indices are detected over time using the modified Mann-Kendall test method. The stations which have shown either decrease or no change in hot extreme events (i.e., maximum TMax, warm days, warm nights, maximum TMin, tropical nights, summer days and warm spell duration indicators for 1970–2005 and increase in cold extreme events (cool days, cool nights, frost days and cold spell duration indicators are predicted to increase and decrease respectively in the future. In addition, an increase in frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events is also predicted.

Application of optical non-invasive methods in skin physiology

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Lademann, J.; Patzelt, A.; Darvin, M.; Richter, H.; Antoniou, C.; Sterry, W.; Koch, S.

2008-05-01

In the present paper the application of optical non-invasive methods in dermatology and cosmetology is discussed. Laser scanning microscopy (LSM) and optical coherent tomography (OCT) are the most promising methods for this application. Using these methods, the analysis of different skin parameters like dryness and oiliness of the skin, the barrier function and the structure of furrows and wrinkles are discussed. Additionally the homogeneity of distribution of topically applied creams, as well as their penetration into the skin were investigated. It is shown that these methods are highly valuable in dermatology for diagnostic and therapy control and for basic research, for instance in the field of structure analysis of hair follicles and sweat glands. The vertical images of the tissue produced by OCT can be easily compared with histological sections. Unfortunately, the resolution of the OCT technique is not high enough to carry out measurements on a cellular level, as is possible by LSM. LSM has the advantage that it can be used for the investigation of penetration and storage processes of topically applied substances, if these substances have fluorescent properties or if they are fluorescent-labelled.

Relationship of liver stiffness and controlled attenuation parameter measured by transient elastography with diabetes mellitus in patients with chronic liver disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, Jem Ma; Paik, Yong-Han; Kim, So Hyun; Lee, Jun Hee; Cho, Ju Yeon; Sohn, Won; Gwak, Geum-Youn; Choi, Moon Seok; Lee, Joon Hyeok; Koh, Kwang Cheol; Paik, Seung Woon; Yoo, Byung Chul

2014-08-01

High prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients with liver cirrhosis has been reported in many studies. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship of hepatic fibrosis and steatosis assessed by transient elastography with diabetes in patients with chronic liver disease. The study population consisted of 979 chronic liver disease patients. Liver fibrosis and steatosis were assessed by liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) on transient elastography. Diabetes was diagnosed in 165 (16.9%) of 979 patients. The prevalence of diabetes had significant difference among the etiologies of chronic liver disease. Higher degrees of liver fibrosis and steatosis, assessed by LSM and CAP score, showed higher prevalence of diabetes (F0/1 [14%], F2/3 [18%], F4 [31%], Pdiabetes were hypertension (OR, 1.98; P=0.001), LSM F4 (OR, 1.86; P=0.010), male gender (OR, 1.60; P=0.027), and age>50 yr (OR, 1.52; P=0.046). The degree of hepatic fibrosis but not steatosis assessed by transient elastography has significant relationship with the prevalence of diabetes in patients with chronic liver disease.

The low-energy constants of the extended linear sigma model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Divotgey, Florian; Giacosa, Francesco; Kovacs, Peter; Rischke, Dirk H. [Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

2016-07-01

The low-energy dynamics of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) is fully determined by the interactions of the (pseudo-) Nambu-Goldstone bosons of spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking, i.e., for two quark flavors, the pions. Pion dynamics is described by the low-energy effective theory of QCD, chiral perturbation theory (ChPT), which is based on the nonlinear realization of chiral symmetry. An alternative description is provided by the Linear Sigma Model, where chiral symmetry is linearly realized. An extended version of this model, the so-called extended Linear Sigma Model (eLSM) was recently developed which incorporates all J{sup P}=0{sup ±}, 1{sup ±} anti qq mesons up to 2 GeV in mass. A fit of the coupling constants of this model to experimentally measured masses and decay widths has a surprisingly good quality. In this talk, it is demonstrated that the low-energy limit of the eLSM, obtained by integrating out all fields which are heavier than the pions, assumes the same form as ChPT. Moreover, the low-energy constants (LECs) of the eLSM agree with those of ChPT.

Thermal performance of circular convective–radiative porous fins with different section shapes and materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatami, M.; Ganji, D.D.

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • LSM is an accurate technique for simulating heat transfer in circular porous fins. • Rectangular, convex, triangular and exponential variable sections are considered. • Radiation and convection from porous fin are considered. • Effects of material and geometry on heat transfer from fins are studied. - Abstract: In this study, heat transfer and temperature distribution equations for circular convective–radiative porous fins are presented. It’s assumed that the thickness of circular fins varies with radius so four different shapes, rectangular, convex, triangular and exponential, are considered. The heat transfer through porous media is simulated using passage velocity from the Darcy’s model. After deriving equation for each geometry, Least Square Method (LSM) and fourth order Runge–Kutta method (NUM) are applied for predicting the temperature distribution in the porous fins. The selected porous fin’s materials are Al, SiC, Cu and Si 3 N 4 . Results reveal that LSM has very effective and accurate in comparison with the numerical results. As a main outcome, Si 3 N 4 -exponential section fin has the maximum amount of transferred heat among other fins

a{sub 0}(980) as a dynamically generated resonance in the extended Linear Sigma Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wolkanowski-Gans, Thomas; Giacosa, Francesco [Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

2014-07-01

We study basic properties of scalar hadronic resonances within the so-called extended linear sigma model (eLSM), which is an effective model of QCD based on chiral symmetry and dilatation invariance. In particular, we focus on the mass and decay width of the isovector state a{sub 0}(1450) and perform a numerical study of the propagator pole(s) on the unphysical Riemann sheets. Here, the a{sub 0}(1450) is understood as a seed state explicitly included in the eLSM - this is in fact not true for the corresponding resonance below 1 GeV, the a{sub 0}(980), which is sometimes interpreted as a kaonic (i.e., dynamically generated) bound state. In our work we want to clarify if the yet not included a{sub 0}(980) can be found as a propagator pole generated by hadronic loop contributions. From such an investigation one could learn more about the general dependence of the eLSM - and effective field models in general - on strongly coupled hadronic intermediate states, possibly giving new insight into the low-energy regime, scalar resonances and both its theoretical description and physical interpretation.

Design of doubly focusing, tunable (5 to 30 keV), wide-bandpass optics made from layered synthetic microstructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bilderback, D.H.; Lairson, B.M.; Barbee, T.W. Jr.; Ice, G.E.; Sparks, C.J. Jr.

1982-01-01

Layered Synthetic Microstructures (LSMs) show great promise as focusing, high-throughput, hard x-ray monochromators. Experimental reflectivity vs. energy curves have been obtained on carbon-tungsten and carbon-molybdenum LSMs of up to 260 layers in thickness. Reflectivities for three flat LSMs with different bandpasses were 70% with δE/E = 5.4%, 66% with δE/E = 1.4%, and 19% with δE/E = 0.6%. A new generation of variable bandwidth optics using two successive LSMs is proposed. The first element will be an LSM deposited on a substrate that can be water cooled as it intercepts direct radiation from a storage ring. It can be bent for vertical focusing. The bandpass can be adjusted by choosing interchangeable first elements from an assortment of LSM's with different bandpasses (for example, δE/E = 0.005, 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.1). The second LSM will consist of a multilayered structure with a 10% bandpass built onto a flexible substrate that can be bent for sagittal focusing. The result will be double focusing optics with an adjustable energy bandpass that are tunable from 5 to 30 keV

Application of optical non-invasive methods in skin physiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lademann, J; Patzelt, A; Darvin, M; Richter, H; Sterry, W; Antoniou, C; Koch, S

2008-01-01

In the present paper the application of optical non-invasive methods in dermatology and cosmetology is discussed. Laser scanning microscopy (LSM) and optical coherent tomography (OCT) are the most promising methods for this application. Using these methods, the analysis of different skin parameters like dryness and oiliness of the skin, the barrier function and the structure of furrows and wrinkles are discussed. Additionally the homogeneity of distribution of topically applied creams, as well as their penetration into the skin were investigated. It is shown that these methods are highly valuable in dermatology for diagnostic and therapy control and for basic research, for instance in the field of structure analysis of hair follicles and sweat glands. The vertical images of the tissue produced by OCT can be easily compared with histological sections. Unfortunately, the resolution of the OCT technique is not high enough to carry out measurements on a cellular level, as is possible by LSM. LSM has the advantage that it can be used for the investigation of penetration and storage processes of topically applied substances, if these substances have fluorescent properties or if they are fluorescent-labelled

EPS composition and calcification potential of tufa-dominating cyanobacteria investigated by Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy (STXM) and Laser Scanning Microscopy (LSM)

Science.gov (United States)

Zippel, Barbara; Dynes, James J.; Obst, Martin; Lawrence, John R.; Neu, Thomas R.

2010-05-01

Tufa deposits in freshwater habitats are the result of calcium carbonate precipitation within interfacial microbial ecosystems. Calcite precipitation is influenced by the saturation index and the occurrence of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) which are produced by a variety of microorganisms. In theory, the first important step of biologically induced calcification processes is the adsorption of calcium ions by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by cyanobacteria. In the present study we take advantage of Laser Scanning Microscopy (LSM) and combine it with Synchrotron imaging using Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy (STXM). STXM represents a technique that allows simultaneous analysis of inorganic and organic constituents as a scale of 50 nm. By means of STXM it is possible to differentiate between calcium carbonate phases at the Ca L-edge. Furthermore, STXM has also been used at the C K-edge to map the major biomolecules (proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides). The purpose of this study is to find out if there are differences in calcium adsorption depending on specific composition of the EPS produced by filamentous cyanobacteria isolated from a German hard water creek (Westerhöfer Bach, Harz Mountains). The goal was to elucidate the potential of biofilms constituents, including microbial cell surfaces as well as extracellular polymeric substances, in triggering the formation of calcium carbonate in tufa systems. For this purpose three filamentous cyanobacteria (Pseudanabaena sp., Leptolyngbya sp. and Nostoc sp.) were cultivated in creek-adapted as well as standard media (BG11) on polycarbonate slides. In situ EPS composition was detected by means of fluorescence lectin-binding approach (FLBA) using 23 commercially available lectins with different specificities for mono- and disaccharides and amino sugars. For CaCO3 nucleation experiments cyanobacterial biofilms grown on polycarbonate slides were deposited in NaHCO3/CaCl2 solutions

Taxation records as a source of information for the study of historical floods in Southern Moravia, Czech Republic

Science.gov (United States)

Brázdil, Rudolf; Valášek, Hubert; Chromá, Kateřina; Dolák, Lukáš; Řezníčková, Ladislava; Dobrovolný, Petr

2014-05-01

The taxation system in Moravia allowed farmers to request tax relief if their crop yields had been negatively affected by hydrometeorological extremes. Firstly, the owners of land or individual farmers sent basic information about what had taken place, together with a detailed description of the damage, to the state executive (regional offices). After this, commissioners appointed by the regional administrator were obliged to inspect the places affected personally (in situ) and make records. Finally, the state executive made its decision as to whether to allow or reject the tax relief requested. The whole process was reflected in various surviving archival documents which contain information about the type of extreme event and the date of its occurrence, while the impact on crops may often be derived. Taxation documents of 201 estates in Southern Moravia, Czech Republic, prevailingly located in Moravian Land Archives in Brno, were studied to find information about hydrometeorological extremes. Such information is included for 84 of them. These data covering mainly the 18th-19th centuries were used for the study of historical floods (flash floods) complemented by other documentary sources and systematic hydrological observations (water stages, discharges) in the instrumental period (from the 1880s). Obtained flood data are analysed with respect to their temporal (frequency, seasonality) and spatial changes. Finally, uncertainties related to taxation records, such as their temporal and spatial incompleteness, the limits of the period of outside agricultural work (i.e. mainly May-August) and the purpose for which they were originally collected (primarily tax alleviation, i.e. information about hydrometeorological extremes was of secondary importance) are discussed with respect to results obtained. Taxation records constitute an important source of data for the study of historical floods with a great potential to be used in many European countries.

Coffee and herbal tea consumption is associated with lower liver stiffness in the general population: The Rotterdam study.

Science.gov (United States)

Alferink, Louise J M; Fittipaldi, Juliana; Kiefte-de Jong, Jessica C; Taimr, Pavel; Hansen, Bettina E; Metselaar, Herold J; Schoufour, Josje D; Ikram, M Arfan; Janssen, Harry L A; Franco, Oscar H; Darwish Murad, Sarwa

2017-08-01

Coffee and tea have been proposed to limit the progression of liver fibrosis in established liver disease, but it is unknown if this is also true for subclinical fibrosis. We therefore aimed to evaluate whether coffee and tea consumption are associated with liver stiffness in the general population. The Rotterdam Study is an ongoing prospective population-based cohort. We included participants who underwent transient elastography, ultrasound and completed a food frequency questionnaire. Coffee and tea consumption were categorized into no, moderate (>0-3), or frequent (⩾3) intake (cups/day), and tea further into green, black and herbal tea (no/any). Significant fibrosis was defined as liver stiffness measurements (LSM) ⩾8.0kPa. We performed regression analyses relating coffee and tea intake with fibrosis, steatosis and log-transformed LSM and adjusted for energy, sugar and creamer intake, age, gender, BMI, steatosis/LSM, HOMA-IR, ALT, alcohol, smoking, soda, healthy diet index and physical activity. We included 2,424 participants (age 66.5±7.4; 43% male) of whom 5.2% had LSM ⩾8.0kPa and 34.6% steatosis. Proportion of LSM ⩾8.0kPa decreased with higher coffee consumption (7.8%, 6.9% and 4.1% for no, moderate and frequent respectively; P trend =0.006). This inverse association was confirmed in multivariable regression (OR mod 0.75, 95% CI 0.33-1.67; OR freq 0.39, 95% CI 0.18-0.86; p=0.005). Amongst tea consumers, only herbal tea consumers (36.3%) had lower log-transformed LSM after adjustment (Beta-0.05, 95% CI-0.08;-0.02, p=0.001). Subtypes of tea were associated with steatosis in univariate but not multivariable analysis. In the general population, frequent coffee and herbal tea consumption were inversely related with liver stiffness but not steatosis. Longitudinal analyses, as well as studies validating and unravelling underlying mechanisms are needed. The Rotterdam Study is a large ongoing population study of suburban inhabitants of Rotterdam in whom data

LOW TEMPERATURE CATHODE SUPPORTED ELECTROLYTES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harlan U. Anderson

2000-03-31

This project has three main goals: Thin Films Studies, Preparation of Graded Porous Substrates and Basic Electrical Characterization and Testing of Planar Single Cells. During this time period substantial progress has been made in developing low temperature deposition techniques to produce dense, nanocrystalline yttrium-stabilized zirconia films on both dense oxide and polymer substrates. Progress has been made in the preparation and characterization of thin electrolytes and porous LSM substrates. Both of these tasks are essentially on or ahead of schedule. In our proposal, we suggested that the ZrO{sub 2}/Sc system needed to be considered as a candidate as a thin electrolyte. This was because microcrystalline ZrO{sub 2}/Sc has a significantly higher ionic conductivity than YSZ, particularly at the lower temperatures. As a result, some 0.5 micron thick film of ZrO{sub 2}/16% Sc on an alumina substrate (grain size 20nm) was prepared and the electrical conductivity measured as a function of temperature and oxygen activity. The Sc doped ZrO{sub 2} certainly has a higher conductivity that either 20nm or 2400nm YSZ, however, electronic conductivity dominates the conductivity for oxygen activities below 10{sup -15}. Whereas for YSZ, electronic conductivity is not a problem until the oxygen activity decreases below 10{sup -25}. These initial results show that the ionic conductivity of 20nm YSZ and 20nm ZrO{sub 2}/16% Sc are essentially the same and the enhanced conductivity which is observed for Sc doping in microcrystalline specimens is not observed for the same composition when it is nanocrystalline. In addition they show that the electronic conductivity of Sc doped ZrO{sub 2} is at least two orders of magnitude higher than that observed for YSZ. The conclusion one reaches is that for 0.5 to 1 micron thick nanocrystalline films, Sc doping of ZrO{sub 2} has no benefits compared to YSZ. As a result, electrolyte films of ZrO{sub 2}/Sc should not be considered as candidates

Enhancing the lifetime of SOFC stacks for combined heat and power applications. SOF-CH. WP 2 Cathode - Annual report 2007

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herle, J. Van; Tanasini, P.; Prosperi, G.; Saez Jimenez, C. [Ecole Polytechnqiue Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratoire d' Energetique Industrielle (LENI), Lausanne (Switzerland); Sfeir, J. [Hexis AG, Wintherthur (Switzerland)

2007-07-01

In this first year of thesis work, literature has been reviewed and the usual experimental techniques introduced (cathode paste preparation, screen printing, sintering, single cell assembly, impedance spectroscopy, electron microscopy). A number of different cathode mixtures (usually 50-50 vol. of LSM and 8YSZ) has been tested in small sized single cells (1 cm{sup 2} active area, metal mesh current collection), generally giving adequate performance (>0.8 V at 0.5 A/cm{sup 2}, and ca. 1 A/cm{sup 2} at 0.7 V, 800 {sup o}C). These tests allowed the following observations: the nature of current collection is important (LSC instead of LSM, 0.7 V vs. 0.6 V for 1 A/cm{sup 2}), the zirconia origin and proportion is important (8YSZ from MEL (UK) giving better output than 8YSZ from Tosoh, 1.2 A/cm{sup 2} vs. 1 A/cm{sup 2} at 0.7 V), replacing 8YSZ by 10ScSZ, however, brought only a small improvement, where it is to be questioned whether this justifies the use of more expensive ScSZ, even when used in small quantities. The regular cathode to date showed -28 {mu}V/h decay (ca. 4%) over 1000 h (800 {sup o}C) at 1 A/cm{sup 2} in one longer termed test (1400 h). Best performance to date was obtained by using powders of high surface area (both for LSM in the composite cathode and for LSC as current collector), reflected in low ohmic drop (0.07 {Omega}cm{sup 2} vs. typically >0.1 {Omega}cm{sup 2}), voltage loss attaining -9 {mu}V/h at 0.5 A/cm{sup 2} (800 {sup o}C) for the last 2000 h of a 4000 h run (ca. -0.9%/1000 h). Post mortem analysis of most tests is still required. A systematic test series has been carried out for fixed durations, of 5 identical cells (0, 24, 72, 200 and 1000 h) polarised under identical conditions (850 {sup o}C, 0.6 A/cm{sup 2}). Their microstructures will be determined quantitatively using scanning electron microscopy and an imaging technique. It will be attempted to link these results to electrochemical modelling efforts, that have been started with the

ORF Alignment: EHA1 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available protein LSm2, putative [Entamoeba ... histolytica HM-1:IMSS] ... Length = 69 ... Query: 5 ... SFFKTLIGKEVVVELKNDVI...ITGTLIAVDQMLNIKLNNLKCDATLFPQIQTMTDCFIRGN 64 ... SFFKTLIGKEVVVELKNDVIITGTLIAVDQMLNIKLNNLKC...DATLFPQIQTMTDCFIRGN Sbjct: 1 ... SFFKTLIGKEVVVELKNDVIITGTLIAVDQMLNIKLNNLKCDATLFPQIQTMTDCFIRGN 60 ...

Hydro-meteorological trends in the Gidabo catchment of the Rift Valley Lakes Basin of Ethiopia

Science.gov (United States)

Belihu, Mamuye; Abate, Brook; Tekleab, Sirak; Bewket, Woldeamlak

2018-04-01

The global and regional variability and changes of climate and stream flows are likely to have significant influence on water resource availability. The magnitude and impacts of climate variability and change differs spatially and temporally. This study examines the long term hydroclimatic changes, analyses of the hydro-climate variability and detect whether there exist significant trend or not in the Gidabo catchment, rift valley lakes basin of Ethiopia. Precipitation, temperature and stream flow time series data were used in monthly, seasonal and annual time scales. The precipitation and temperature data span is between 1982 and 2014 and that of stream flow is between 1976 and 2006. To detect trends the analysis were done by using Mann Kendal (MK), Sen's graphical method and to detect change point using the Pettit test. The comparison of trend analysis between MK trend test and Sen graphical method results depict mostly similar pattern. The annual rainfall trends exhibited a significant decrease by about 12 mm per year in the upstream, which is largely driven by the significant decrease in the peak season rainfall. The Pettit test revealed that the years 1997 and 2007 were the change points. It is noted that the rise of temperature over a catchment might have decreased the availability of soil moisture which resulted in less runoff. The temperature analyses also revealed that the catchment was getting warmer; particularly in the upstream. The minimum temperature trend showed a significant increase about 0.08°c per annum. There is generally a decreasing trend in stream flow. The monthly stream flow also exhibited a decreasing trend in February, March and September. The decline in annual and seasonal rainfall and the increase in temperature lead to more evaporation and directly affecting the stream flow negatively. This trend compounded with the growth of population and increasing demand for irrigation water exacerbates the competing demand for water resources. It

Associated Factors for Metabolic Syndrome in the Older Adults with Chronic Virus Hepatitis in the Community.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan-Hung Kuo

Full Text Available This study was to evaluate the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS and chronic virus hepatitis elders in the community. Those subjects with positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg and/or anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV screened in the community before were invited to this study and 451 responded. All participants underwent anthropometric measurements, blood tests, ultrasound and fibroscan examinations. The cut-off of liver stiffness measurement-liver cirrhosis (LSM-LC was 10 kPa for chronic hepatitis B (CHB patients and 12 kPa for chronic hepatitis C (CHC patients, respectively. Among 451 responders, 56 were excluded due to negative HBsAg or anti-HCV. Three hundreds and ninety-five subjects included 228 CHB patients, 156 CHC patients and 11 dual hepatitis patients, had a mean age of 62±12.6 years. Fifty-four (23.7% CHB patients coexisted with MetS whereas 40 (25.6% CHC patients also had MetS. Those patients with MetS had more LSM-LC cases than those without (20.4% vs 9.8%, p = 0.04 in CHB patients; 28.2% vs 13.5%, p = 0.037 in CHC patients, respectively. In multivariate logistic analysis, detectable viremia was reversely associated with MetS in CHB patients after adjustment for age, gender and body mass index (odds ratio (OR: 0.42; 95% confidence interval (CI: 0.18-0.99; p = 0.047. Regarding CHC patients, higher LSM level was the only factor contributed to MetS (OR: 1.1; 95% CI: 1.02-1.19; p = 0.012. In conclusion, elder CHB patients coexisted with MetS might experience an inactive virus replication but have an advanced liver fibrosis. In elder CHC patients, only higher LSM level was associated with MetS.

Community-based randomized controlled trial of diabetes prevention study for high-risk individuals of type 2 diabetes: lifestyle intervention using web-based system.

Science.gov (United States)

Cha, Seon-Ah; Lim, Sun-Young; Kim, Kook-Rye; Lee, Eun-Young; Kang, Borami; Choi, Yoon-Hee; Yoon, Kun-Ho; Ahn, Yu-Bae; Lee, Jin-Hee; Ko, Seung-Hyun

2017-05-05

The trend of increasing numbers of patients with type 2 diabetes emphasizes the need for active screening of high-risk individuals and intensive lifestyle modification (LSM). The community-based Korean Diabetes Prevention Study (C-KDPS) is a randomized controlled clinical trial to prevent type 2 diabetes by intensive LSM using a web-based program. The two public healthcare centers in Korea are involved, and 420 subjects are being recruited for 6 months and will be followed up for 22 months. The participants are allocated randomly to intensive LSM (18 individual sessions for 24 weeks) and usual care (control group). The major goals of the C-KDPS lifestyle intervention program are: 1) a minimum of 5-7% loss of initial body weight in 6 months and maintenance of this weight loss, 2) increased physical activity (≥ 150 min/week of moderate intensity activity), 3) balanced healthy eating, and 4) quitting smoking and alcohol with stress management. The web-based program includes education contents, video files, visit schedules, and inter-communicable keeping track sites. Primary outcomes are the diagnoses of newly developed diabetes. A 75-g oral glucose tolerance test with hemoglobin A1c level determination and cardiovascular risk factor assessment is scheduled at 6, 12, 18, and 22 months. Active screening of high-risk individuals and an effective LSM program are an essential prerequisite for successful diabetes prevention. We hope that our C-KDPS program can reduce the incidence of newly developed type 2 diabetes and be implemented throughout the country, merging community-based public healthcare resources and a web-based system. Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS), Republic of Korea (No. KCT0001981 ). Date of registration; July 28, 2016.

An uncertainty and sensitivity analysis approach for GIS-based multicriteria landslide susceptibility mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Feizizadeh, Bakhtiar; Blaschke, Thomas

2014-01-01

GIS-based multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods are increasingly being used in landslide susceptibility mapping. However, the uncertainties that are associated with MCDA techniques may significantly impact the results. This may sometimes lead to inaccurate outcomes and undesirable consequences. This article introduces a new GIS-based MCDA approach. We illustrate the consequences of applying different MCDA methods within a decision-making process through uncertainty analysis. Three GIS-MCDA methods in conjunction with Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) and Dempster–Shafer theory are analyzed for landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM) in the Urmia lake basin in Iran, which is highly susceptible to landslide hazards. The methodology comprises three stages. First, the LSM criteria are ranked and a sensitivity analysis is implemented to simulate error propagation based on the MCS. The resulting weights are expressed through probability density functions. Accordingly, within the second stage, three MCDA methods, namely analytical hierarchy process (AHP), weighted linear combination (WLC) and ordered weighted average (OWA), are used to produce the landslide susceptibility maps. In the third stage, accuracy assessments are carried out and the uncertainties of the different results are measured. We compare the accuracies of the three MCDA methods based on (1) the Dempster–Shafer theory and (2) a validation of the results using an inventory of known landslides and their respective coverage based on object-based image analysis of IRS-ID satellite images. The results of this study reveal that through the integration of GIS and MCDA models, it is possible to identify strategies for choosing an appropriate method for LSM. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the integration of MCDA and MCS can significantly improve the accuracy of the results. In LSM, the AHP method performed best, while the OWA reveals better performance in the reliability assessment. The WLC

Community-based randomized controlled trial of diabetes prevention study for high-risk individuals of type 2 diabetes: lifestyle intervention using web-based system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seon-Ah Cha

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The trend of increasing numbers of patients with type 2 diabetes emphasizes the need for active screening of high-risk individuals and intensive lifestyle modification (LSM. Methods/design The community-based Korean Diabetes Prevention Study (C-KDPS is a randomized controlled clinical trial to prevent type 2 diabetes by intensive LSM using a web-based program. The two public healthcare centers in Korea are involved, and 420 subjects are being recruited for 6 months and will be followed up for 22 months. The participants are allocated randomly to intensive LSM (18 individual sessions for 24 weeks and usual care (control group. The major goals of the C-KDPS lifestyle intervention program are: 1 a minimum of 5–7% loss of initial body weight in 6 months and maintenance of this weight loss, 2 increased physical activity (≥ 150 min/week of moderate intensity activity, 3 balanced healthy eating, and 4 quitting smoking and alcohol with stress management. The web-based program includes education contents, video files, visit schedules, and inter-communicable keeping track sites. Primary outcomes are the diagnoses of newly developed diabetes. A 75-g oral glucose tolerance test with hemoglobin A1c level determination and cardiovascular risk factor assessment is scheduled at 6, 12, 18, and 22 months. Discussion Active screening of high-risk individuals and an effective LSM program are an essential prerequisite for successful diabetes prevention. We hope that our C-KDPS program can reduce the incidence of newly developed type 2 diabetes and be implemented throughout the country, merging community-based public healthcare resources and a web-based system. Trial registration Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS, Republic of Korea (No. KCT0001981 . Date of registration; July 28, 2016.

Enhanced oxygen reduction activity and solid oxide fuel cell performance with a nanoparticles-loaded cathode.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaomin; Liu, Li; Zhao, Zhe; Tu, Baofeng; Ou, Dingrong; Cui, Daan; Wei, Xuming; Chen, Xiaobo; Cheng, Mojie

2015-03-11

Reluctant oxygen-reduction-reaction (ORR) activity has been a long-standing challenge limiting cell performance for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) in both centralized and distributed power applications. We report here that this challenge has been tackled with coloading of (La,Sr)MnO3 (LSM) and Y2O3 stabilized zirconia (YSZ) nanoparticles within a porous YSZ framework. This design dramatically improves ORR activity, enhances fuel cell output (200-300% power improvement), and enables superior stability (no observed degradation within 500 h of operation) from 600 to 800 °C. The improved performance is attributed to the intimate contacts between nanoparticulate YSZ and LSM particles in the three-phase boundaries in the cathode.

Thin films of La{sub 0,78}Sr{sub 0,22}MnO{sub 3} by the spin coating method; Filmes finos de La{sub 0,78}Sr{sub 0,22}MnO{sub 3} pelo metodo spin coating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Macedo, Daniel Araujo de; Cela, Beatriz; Silva, Brena Kelly Oliveira da; Souza, Graziele Lopes de; Paskocimas, Carlos Alberto; Nascimento, Rubens Maribondo do [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN (Brazil). Nucleo de Tecnologia. Lab. de Ceramica]. E-mail: damaced@gmail.com

2008-07-01

22% Strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (La{sub 0,78}Sr{sub 0,22}MnO{sub 3} - LSM 22) thin films were prepared using microscope slide cover glass as a substrate. The polymeric resin was obtained by Pechini method and deposited by spin coating technical. The films were made using 1500, 2000 and 2500 rpm speeds and sintered at 500 deg C for 2 hours. X-ray diffraction measures confirmed the presence of LSM 22 at the substrates surface. The morphologic characterization was performed by scanning electronic microscopy in Philips/XL-30 equipment. The deposition method made possible the obtaining of films with good adherence and thickness varying between 322 and 900 nanometers. (author)

Baryon and meson phenomenology in the extended Linear Sigma Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giacosa, Francesco; Habersetzer, Anja; Teilab, Khaled; Eshraim, Walaa; Divotgey, Florian; Olbrich, Lisa; Gallas, Susanna; Wolkanowski, Thomas; Janowski, Stanislaus; Heinz, Achim; Deinet, Werner; Rischke, Dirk H. [Institute for Theoretical Physics, J. W. Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 1, 60438 Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Kovacs, Peter; Wolf, Gyuri [Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, Wigner Research Center for Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Parganlija, Denis [Institute for Theoretical Physics, Vienna University of Technology, Wiedner Hauptstr. 8-10, A-1040 Vienna (Austria)

2014-07-01

The vacuum phenomenology obtained within the so-called extended Linear Sigma Model (eLSM) is presented. The eLSM Lagrangian is constructed by including from the very beginning vector and axial-vector d.o.f., and by requiring dilatation invariance and chiral symmetry. After a general introduction of the approach, particular attention is devoted to the latest results. In the mesonic sector the strong decays of the scalar and the pseudoscalar glueballs, the weak decays of the tau lepton into vector and axial-vector mesons, and the description of masses and decays of charmed mesons are shown. In the baryonic sector the omega production in proton-proton scattering and the inclusion of baryons with strangeness are described.

Decays of open charmed mesons in the extended Linear Sigma Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eshraim Walaa I.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We enlarge the so-called extended linear Sigma model (eLSM by including the charm quark according to the global U(4r × U(4l chiral symmetry. In the eLSM, besides scalar and pseudoscalar mesons, also vector and axial-vector mesons are present. Almost all the parameters of the model were fixed in a previous study of mesons below 2 GeV. In the extension to the four-flavor case, only three additional parameters (all of them related to the bare mass of the charm quark appear.We compute the (OZI dominant strong decays of open charmed mesons. The results are compatible with the experimental data, although the theoretical uncertainties are still large.

LSM DAN GERAKAN ANTI KORUPSI : ANALISIS PERAN LSM DALAM MEMBANGUN KESADARAN ANTI KORUPSI DAN DALAM MEMERANGI TINDAK PIDANA KORUPSI DI KOTA SEMARANG

OpenAIRE

Puji Astuti

2016-01-01

Corruption in Indonesia still be a great challenges,  because  corruption  more extend, not only in national government, but also expand  in local government, mainly after  local election choose by people.  Almost local government should facing corruption that involved almost all institution, not only in legislative, excecutive, and judicative, but also private corporation. Thus research would describe corruption in Semarang City, and how the role of NGO,  mainly Pattiro and KP2KKN in combati...

LSM DAN GERAKAN ANTI KORUPSI : ANALISIS PERAN LSM DALAM MEMBANGUN KESADARAN ANTI KORUPSI DAN DALAM MEMERANGI TINDAK PIDANA KORUPSI DI KOTA SEMARANG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Puji Astuti

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Corruption in Indonesia still be a great challenges,  because  corruption  more extend, not only in national government, but also expand  in local government, mainly after  local election choose by people.  Almost local government should facing corruption that involved almost all institution, not only in legislative, excecutive, and judicative, but also private corporation. Thus research would describe corruption in Semarang City, and how the role of NGO,  mainly Pattiro and KP2KKN in combating corruption.  NGO have an important role both in educating of Anti-Corruption  and controlling the handle of corruption. The most goals of Education to the people  mainly how people being intolerance to corruption. Education program involving  other institution like KPK, ICW and other NGO with the same of vision in combating corruption. In other side, the role of NGO was cotrolling judicature process with Mass Media as a partner. Without Mass Media, NGO won’t be an effectiveness in combating corruption. Because  NGO still facing lack of resources in Human and financial as a force in combating corruption, so  making  a coorporation with University would be the best choices in the future, mainly in anti-corruption education.

Lsm Dan Gerakan Anti Korupsi : Analisis Peran Lsm Dalam Membangun Kesadaran Anti Korupsi Dan Dalam Memerangi Tindak Pidana Korupsi Di Kota Semarang

OpenAIRE

Astuti, Puji

2014-01-01

Corruption in Indonesia still be a great challenges, because corruption more extend, not only in national government, but also expand in local government, mainly after local election choose by people. Almost local government should facing corruption that involved almost all institution, not only in legislative, excecutive, and judicative, but also private corporation. Thus research would describe corruption in Semarang City, and how the role of NGO, mainly Pattiro and KP2KKN in combati...

Groundwater Withdrawals under Drought: Reconciling GRACE and Models in the United States High Plains Aquifer

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, W.; Zaitchik, B. F.; Kumar, S.; Rodell, M.

2017-12-01

Advanced Land Surface Models (LSM) offer a powerful tool for studying and monitoring hydrological variability. Highly managed systems, however, present a challenge for these models, which typically have simplified or incomplete representations of human water use, if the process is represented at all. GRACE, meanwhile, detects the total change in water storage, including change due to human activities, but does not resolve the source of these changes. Here we examine recent groundwater declines in the US High Plains Aquifer (HPA), a region that is heavily utilized for irrigation and that is also affected by episodic drought. To understand observed decline in groundwater (well observation) and terrestrial water storage (GRACE) during a recent multi-year drought, we modify the Noah-MP LSM to include a groundwater pumping irrigation scheme. To account for seasonal and interannual variability in active irrigated area we apply a monthly time-varying greenness vegetation fraction (GVF) dataset to the model. A set of five experiments were performed to study the impact of irrigation with groundwater withdrawal on the simulated hydrological cycle of the HPA and to assess the importance of time-varying GVF when simulating drought conditions. The results show that including the groundwater pumping irrigation scheme in Noah-MP improves model agreement with GRACE mascon solutions for TWS and well observations of groundwater anomaly in the southern HPA, including Texas and Kansas, and that accounting for time-varying GVF is important for model realism under drought. Results for the HPA in Nebraska are mixed, likely due to misrepresentation of the recharge process. This presentation will highlight the value of the GRACE constraint for model development, present estimates of the relative contribution of climate variability and irrigation to declining TWS in the HPA under drought, and identify opportunities to integrate GRACE-FO with models for water resource monitoring in heavily

Open Day at SHMI.

Science.gov (United States)

Jarosova, M.

2010-09-01

During the World Meteorological Day there has been preparing "Open Day" at Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute. This event has more than 10 years traditions. "Open Day" is one of a lot of possibilities to give more information about meteorology, climatology, hydrology too to public. This "Day" is executed in whole Slovakia. People can visit the laboratories, the forecasting room....and meteo and clima measuring points. The most popular is visiting forecasting room. Visitors are interested in e.g. climatologic change in Slovakia territory, preparing weather forecasting, dangerous phenomena.... Every year we have more than 500 visitors.

Serious-game for water resources management adaptation training to climatic changes

Science.gov (United States)

Leroy, Eve; Saulnier, Georges-Marie

2013-04-01

Water resources access is a main issue for territorial development to ensure environmental and human well-being. Indeed, sustainable development is vulnerable to water availability and climate change may affect the quantity and temporality of available water resources for anthropogenic water uses. How then to adapt, how to change water management rules and practices and how to involve stakeholders is such process? To prevent water scarcity situations, which may generate conflicts and impacts on ecosystems, it is important to think about a sustainable development where anthropogenic water uses are in good balance with forecasted water resources availability. This implies to raise awareness and involve stakeholders for a sustainable water management. Stakeholders have to think about future territorial development taking into account climate change impacts on water resources. Collaboration between scientists and stakeholders is essential to insure consistent climate change knowledge, well identification of anthropogenic uses, tensions and stakes of the territory. However sharing information on complex questions such as climate change, hydro-meteorological modeling and practical constraints may be a difficult task. Therefore to contribute to an easier debate and to the global training of all the interested actors, a serious game about water management was built. The serious game uses scientist complex models with real data but via a simple and playful web-game interface. The advantage of this interface is that it may help stakeholders, citizen or the target group to raise their understandings of impacts of climate change on water resources and to raise their awareness to the need for a sustainable water management while using state-of-the-art knowledge. The principle of the game is simple. The gamer is a mayor of a city and has to manage the water withdrawals from hydro systems, water distribution and consumption, water retreatment etc. In the same time, a clock is

Permafrost sub-grid heterogeneity of soil properties key for 3-D soil processes and future climate projections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Beer

2016-08-01

Full Text Available There are massive carbon stocks stored in permafrost-affected soils due to the 3-D soil movement process called cryoturbation. For a reliable projection of the past, recent and future Arctic carbon balance, and hence climate, a reliable concept for representing cryoturbation in a land surface model (LSM is required. The basis of the underlying transport processes is pedon-scale heterogeneity of soil hydrological and thermal properties as well as insulating layers, such as snow and vegetation. Today we still lack a concept of how to reliably represent pedon-scale properties and processes in a LSM. One possibility could be a statistical approach. This perspective paper demonstrates the importance of sub-grid heterogeneity in permafrost soils as a pre-requisite to implement any lateral transport parametrization. Representing such heterogeneity at the sub-pixel size of a LSM is the next logical step of model advancements. As a result of a theoretical experiment, heterogeneity of thermal and hydrological soil properties alone lead to a remarkable initial sub-grid range of subsoil temperature of 2 deg C, and active-layer thickness of 150 cm in East Siberia. These results show the way forward in representing combined lateral and vertical transport of water and soil in LSMs.

Tailoring the electrode-electrolyte interface of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) by laser micro-patterning to improve their electrochemical performance

Science.gov (United States)

Cebollero, J. A.; Lahoz, R.; Laguna-Bercero, M. A.; Larrea, A.

2017-08-01

Cathode activation polarisation is one of the main contributions to the losses of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell. To reduce this loss we use a pulsed laser to modify the surface of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolytes to make a corrugated micro-patterning in the mesoscale. The beam of the laser source, 5 ns pulse width and emitting at λ = 532 nm (green region), is computer-controlled to engrave the selected micro-pattern on the electrolyte surface. Several laser scanning procedures and geometries have been tested. Finally, we engrave a square array with 28 μm of lattice parameter and 7 μm in depth on YSZ plates. With these plates we prepare LSM-YSZ/YSZ/LSM-YSZ symmetrical cells (LSM: La1-xSrxMnO3) and determine their activation polarisation by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). To get good electrode-electrolyte contact after sintering it is necessary to use pressure-assisted sintering with low loads (about 5 kPa), which do not modify the electrode microstructure. The decrease in polarisation with respect to an unprocessed cell is about 30%. EIS analysis confirms that the reason for this decrease is an improvement in the activation processes at the electrode-electrolyte interface.

Uncertainty analysis of hydro-meteorological forecasts

OpenAIRE

Grythe, Karl Kristian; Gao, Yukun

2010-01-01

Masteroppgave i informasjons- og kommunikasjonsteknologi 2010 – Universitetet i Agder, Grimstad Meteorological and hydrological forecasts are very important to human’s life which concerns agriculture, industry, transport, etc. The Nordic hydropower industry use and develop hydrological forecasting models to make predictions of rivers steam flow. The quantity of incoming stream flow is important to the electricity production because excessive water in reservoir will cause flood ...