A finite volume–finite difference method with a stiff ordinary differential equation solver for advection–diffusion–reaction equation

A model for atmospheric pollutant transport is proposed considering an advection–diffusion–reaction equation. A splitting method is used to decouple the advection, diffusion and reaction parts. A scheme based on finite volume, finite difference and backward differentiation formula is used for solving an atmospheric transport-chemistry problem.     

Global Atmospheric Profiles from Reanalysis Information (GAPRI): a new database for earth surface temperature retrieval

This paper presents the Global Atmospheric Profiles derived from Reanalysis Information (GAPRI) database, which was designed for earth surface temperature retrieval. GAPRI is a comprehensive compilation of selected atmospheric vertical profiles at global scale which can be used for radiative transfer simulation in order to obtain generalized algorithms to estimate land surface temperature (LST). GAPRI includes information on geopotential height, atmospheric pressure, air temperature, and relative humidity derived from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Re-Analysis data from year 2011. The atmospheric profiles are structured for 29 vertical levels and extracted from a global spatial grid of about 0.75° × 0.75° latitude–longitude with a temporal resolution of 6 hours. The selection method is based in the extraction of clear sky profiles over different atmospheric weather conditions such as tropical, mid-latitude summer, subarctic, and arctic, while also considering sea and land areas and day- and night-time conditions. The GAPRI database was validated by comparing land and sea surface temperature values derived from it to those obtained using other existing atmospheric profile databases and in situ measurements. Moreover, GAPRI was also compared to previous radiosonde atmospheric profiles using simulated split-window algorithms. Results show good agreement between GAPRI and previous atmospheric databases, thus demonstrating the potential of GAPRI for studies related to forward simulations in the thermal infrared range. GAPRI is a freely available database that can be modified according to the user’s needs and local atmospheric conditions.     

Extended Reflexive Ontologies for the Generation of Clinical Recommendations

Decision recommendations are a set of alternative options for clinical decisions (e.g., diagnosis, prognosis, treatment selection, follow-up, and prevention) that are provided to decision makers by knowledge-based Clinical Decision Support Systems (k-CDSS) as aids. We propose to follow a “reasoning over domain” approach for the generation of decision recommendations by gathering and inferring conclusions from production rules. In order to rationalize our approach, we present a specification that will sustain the logic models supported in the knowledge bases we use for persistence. We introduce first the underlying knowledge model and then the necessary extensions that will convey toward the solution of the reported needs. The starting point of our approach is the proposition of Reflexive Ontologies (RO). Here, we go a step further, proposing an extension of RO that includes the handling and reasoning that production rules provide. Our approach speeds up the recommendation generation process.     

Pose consensus in networks of heterogeneous robots with variable time delays

This paper proposes a novel pose (position and orientation) consensus controller for networks of heterogeneous robots modeled in the operational space. The proposed controller is a distributed proportional plus damping scheme that, with a slight modification, solves both the leader–follower and leaderless consensus problems. A singularity‐free representation, unit quaternion, is used to describe the robots orientation, and the network is represented by an undirected and connected interconnection graph. Furthermore, it is shown that the controller is robust to interconnection variable time delays. Experiments with a network of two 6‐degrees‐of‐freedom robots are presented to illustrate the performance of the proposed scheme. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gaming Social Capital: Exploring Civic Value in Multiplayer Video Games

Recent research suggests that social interactions in video games may lead to the development of community bonding and prosocial attitudes. Building on this line of research, a national survey of U.S. adults finds that gamers who develop ties with a community of fellow gamers possess gaming social capital, a new gaming‐related community construct that is shown to be a positive antecedent in predicting both face‐to‐face social capital and civic participation.     

Socio-Cultural Connections and Ruptures: Social Roles of Older Adults in Chile

This research focused on determining the sociocultural factors that build the social perception of the social roles of senior citizens in Chile in the 2002–2012 period. For this purpose, public opinion was studied in newspapers El Mercurio and La Cuarta. Specialized opinion included the Senior Citizen Program of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, the National Service for Senior Citizens, the Social Observatory for Aging and Old Age of Universidad de Chile, and the Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology of Chile. A comprehensive methodology was used, along with a bibliographical four-stage design. The following ten sociocultural factors were identified: Health and Quality of Life, Studies and Data, Social Images of Aging, Gerontological Concepts and Sociopolitical Participation, Gerontological Policies, Plans and Principles, Aging, Production and Gender, Institutionalization, Demographic Growth, Gerontological Training, and Exclusion and Old Age. This work suggests modifying the conceptual premise that emphasizes the inexistence of a social role for elderly people with a vision centered on the heterogeneity of social roles under permanent sociocultural construction.