3T MRI evaluation of large nerve perineural spread of head and neck cancers.

PubMed

Baulch, Justin; Gandhi, Mitesh; Sommerville, Jennifer; Panizza, Ben

2015-10-01

Accurate definition of the presence and extent of large nerve perineural spread (PNS) is a vital component in planning appropriate surgery and radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. Our research aimed to define the sensitivity and specificity of 3T MRI in detecting the presence and extent of large nerve PNS, compared with histologic evaluation. Retrospective review of surgically proven cases of large nerve PNS in patients with preoperative 3T MRI performed as high resolution neurogram. 3T MRI had a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 84%, detecting PNS in 36 of 38 nerves and correctly identifying uninvolved nerves in 16 of 19 cases. It correctly identified the zonal extent of spread in 32 of 36 cases (89%), underestimating the extent in three cases and overestimating the extent in one case. Targeted 3T MRI is highly accurate in defining the presence and extent of large nerve PNS in head and neck cancers. However, there is still a tendency to undercall the zonal extent due to microscopic, radiologically occult involvement. Superficial large nerve involvement also remains a difficult area of detection for radiologists and should be included as a 'check area' for review. Further research is required to define the role radiation-induced neuritis plays in the presence of false-positive PNS on MRI. © 2015 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

Estimating floodwater depths from flood inundation maps and topography

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cohen, Sagy; Brakenridge, G. Robert; Kettner, Albert; Bates, Bradford; Nelson, Jonathan M.; McDonald, Richard R.; Huang, Yu-Fen; Munasinghe, Dinuke; Zhang, Jiaqi

2018-01-01

Information on flood inundation extent is important for understanding societal exposure, water storage volumes, flood wave attenuation, future flood hazard, and other variables. A number of organizations now provide flood inundation maps based on satellite remote sensing. These data products can efficiently and accurately provide the areal extent of a flood event, but do not provide floodwater depth, an important attribute for first responders and damage assessment. Here we present a new methodology and a GIS-based tool, the Floodwater Depth Estimation Tool (FwDET), for estimating floodwater depth based solely on an inundation map and a digital elevation model (DEM). We compare the FwDET results against water depth maps derived from hydraulic simulation of two flood events, a large-scale event for which we use medium resolution input layer (10 m) and a small-scale event for which we use a high-resolution (LiDAR; 1 m) input. Further testing is performed for two inundation maps with a number of challenging features that include a narrow valley, a large reservoir, and an urban setting. The results show FwDET can accurately calculate floodwater depth for diverse flooding scenarios but also leads to considerable bias in locations where the inundation extent does not align well with the DEM. In these locations, manual adjustment or higher spatial resolution input is required.

Long Live Traditional Textbook Problems!?--Constraints on Faculty Use of Research-Based Problems in Introductory Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ding, Lin

2014-01-01

Though many research-based problem types have been shown effective in promoting students' conceptual understanding and scientific abilities, the extent of their use in actual classrooms remains unclear. We interviewed and surveyed 16 physics and engineering faculty members at a large US Midwest research university to investigate how university…

Integration of PBL Methodologies into Online Learning Courses and Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Oostveen, Roland; Childs, Elizabeth; Flynn, Kathleen; Clarkson, Jessica

2014-01-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) challenges traditional views of teaching and learning as the learner determines, to a large extent with support from a skilled facilitator, what topics will be explored, to what depth and which processes will be used. This paper presents the implementation of problem-based learning methodologies in an online Bachelor's…

PESTICIDE LEACHING ANALYTICAL MODEL AND GIS-BASED APPLICATION IN AGRICULTURAL WATERSHEDS

EPA Science Inventory

Groundwater contamination by pesticides and other organic pollutants has been detected across agricultural areas and is on the increase. Because groundwater monitoring is too costly to define the geographic extent of contamination at such large scales, indirect methods are needed...

Computer tomographic assessment of postoperative peripancreatic collections after distal pancreatectomy.

PubMed

Uchida, Yuichiro; Masui, Toshihiko; Sato, Asahi; Nagai, Kazuyuki; Anazawa, Takayuki; Takaori, Kyoichi; Uemoto, Shinji

2018-03-27

Peripancreatic collections occur frequently after distal pancreatectomy. However, the sequelae of peripancreatic collections vary from case to case, and their clinical impact is uncertain. In this study, the correlations between CT findings of peripancreatic collections and complications after distal pancreatectomy were investigated. Ninety-six consecutive patients who had undergone distal pancreatectomy between 2010 and 2015 were retrospectively investigated. The extent and heterogeneity of peripancreatic collections and background clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. The extent of peripancreatic collections was calculated based on three-dimensional computed tomography images, and the degree of heterogeneity of peripancreatic collections was assessed based on the standard deviation of their density on computed tomography. Of 85 patients who underwent postoperative computed tomography imaging, a peripancreatic collection was detected in 77 (91%). Patients with either a large extent or a high degree of heterogeneity of peripancreatic collection had a significantly higher rate of clinically relevant pancreatic fistula than those without (odds ratio 5.95, 95% confidence interval 2.12-19.72, p = 0.001; odds ratio 8.0, 95% confidence interval 2.87-24.19, p = 0.0001, respectively). A large and heterogeneous peripancreatic collection was significantly associated with postoperative complications, especially clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula. A small and homogenous peripancreatic collection could be safely observed.

Combining ground-based measurements and MODIS-based spectral vegetation indices to track biomass accumulation in post-fire chaparral

Treesearch

Kellie A. Uyeda; Douglas A. Stow; Dar A. Roberts; Philip J. Riggan

2017-01-01

Multi-temporal satellite imagery can provide valuable information on the patterns of vegetation growth over large spatial extents and long time periods, but corresponding ground-referenced biomass information is often difficult to acquire, especially at an annual scale. In this study, we test the relationship between annual biomass estimated using shrub growth rings...

Development of global sea ice 6.0 CICE configuration for the Met Office global coupled model

DOE PAGES

Rae, J. . G. L; Hewitt, H. T.; Keen, A. B.; ...

2015-03-05

The new sea ice configuration GSI6.0, used in the Met Office global coupled configuration GC2.0, is described and the sea ice extent, thickness and volume are compared with the previous configuration and with observationally-based datasets. In the Arctic, the sea ice is thicker in all seasons than in the previous configuration, and there is now better agreement of the modelled concentration and extent with the HadISST dataset. In the Antarctic, a warm bias in the ocean model has been exacerbated at the higher resolution of GC2.0, leading to a large reduction in ice extent and volume; further work is requiredmore » to rectify this in future configurations.« less

Reflections on the EPSRC Principles of Robotics from the new far-side of the law

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voiculescu, Aurora

2017-04-01

The thought-provoking EPSRC Principles of Robotics stem largely from the reflection on the extent to which robots can affect our lives. These comments highlight the fact that, while the principles may address to a good extent the present technological challenges, they appear to be less immediately suited for future technological and conceptual dares. The first part of the paper is dedicated to the search of the definition of what a robot is. Such a definition should offer the basic conceptual platform on which a normative endeavour, aiming to regulate robots in society, should be based. Concluding that the Principles offer no clear yet flexible insight into such a (meta-) definition, which would allow one to take into account the parameters of informed technological imagination and of envisaged social transformation, the second half of the paper highlights a number of regulatory points of tension. Such tensions, it is argued, stem largely from the absence of an appropriate conceptual platform, influencing negatively the extent to which the principles can be effective in guiding social, ethical, legal and scientific conduct.

Teacher Reactions to the Performance-Based Bonus Program: How the Expectancy Theory Works in the South Korean School Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ha, Bong-Woon; Sung, Youl-Kwan

2011-01-01

This study was conducted in order to examine how and to what extent the implementation of the performance-based bonus program in South Korean schools has motivated teachers to improve their behavior, as well as to identify any other positive or negative effects of the program. Interviews with teachers indicated that a large percentage of teachers…

How spatial variation in areal extent and configuration of labile vegetation states affect the riparian bird community in Arctic tundra.

PubMed

Henden, John-André; Yoccoz, Nigel G; Ims, Rolf A; Langeland, Knut

2013-01-01

The Arctic tundra is currently experiencing an unprecedented combination of climate change, change in grazing pressure by large herbivores and growing human activity. Thickets of tall shrubs represent a conspicuous vegetation state in northern and temperate ecosystems, where it serves important ecological functions, including habitat for wildlife. Thickets are however labile, as tall shrubs respond rapidly to both abiotic and biotic environmental drivers. Our aim was to assess how large-scale spatial variation in willow thicket areal extent, configuration and habitat structure affected bird abundance, occupancy rates and species richness so as to provide an empirical basis for predicting the outcome of environmental change for riparian tundra bird communities. Based on a 4-year count data series, obtained through a large-scale study design in low arctic tundra in northern Norway, statistical hierarchical community models were deployed to assess relations between habitat configuration and bird species occupancy and community richness. We found that species abundance, occupancy and richness were greatly affected by willow areal extent and configuration, habitat features likely to be affected by intense ungulate browsing as well as climate warming. In sum, total species richness was maximized in large and tall willow patches of small to intermediate degree of fragmentation. These community effects were mainly driven by responses in the occupancy rates of species depending on tall willows for foraging and breeding, while species favouring other vegetation states were not affected. In light of the predicted climate driven willow shrub encroachment in riparian tundra habitats, our study predicts that many bird species would increase in abundance, and that the bird community as a whole could become enriched. Conversely, in tundra regions where overabundance of large herbivores leads to decreased areal extent, reduced height and increased fragmentation of willow thickets, bird community richness and species-specific abundance are likely to be significantly reduced.

How Spatial Variation in Areal Extent and Configuration of Labile Vegetation States Affect the Riparian Bird Community in Arctic Tundra

PubMed Central

Henden, John-André; Yoccoz, Nigel G.; Ims, Rolf A.; Langeland, Knut

2013-01-01

The Arctic tundra is currently experiencing an unprecedented combination of climate change, change in grazing pressure by large herbivores and growing human activity. Thickets of tall shrubs represent a conspicuous vegetation state in northern and temperate ecosystems, where it serves important ecological functions, including habitat for wildlife. Thickets are however labile, as tall shrubs respond rapidly to both abiotic and biotic environmental drivers. Our aim was to assess how large-scale spatial variation in willow thicket areal extent, configuration and habitat structure affected bird abundance, occupancy rates and species richness so as to provide an empirical basis for predicting the outcome of environmental change for riparian tundra bird communities. Based on a 4-year count data series, obtained through a large-scale study design in low arctic tundra in northern Norway, statistical hierarchical community models were deployed to assess relations between habitat configuration and bird species occupancy and community richness. We found that species abundance, occupancy and richness were greatly affected by willow areal extent and configuration, habitat features likely to be affected by intense ungulate browsing as well as climate warming. In sum, total species richness was maximized in large and tall willow patches of small to intermediate degree of fragmentation. These community effects were mainly driven by responses in the occupancy rates of species depending on tall willows for foraging and breeding, while species favouring other vegetation states were not affected. In light of the predicted climate driven willow shrub encroachment in riparian tundra habitats, our study predicts that many bird species would increase in abundance, and that the bird community as a whole could become enriched. Conversely, in tundra regions where overabundance of large herbivores leads to decreased areal extent, reduced height and increased fragmentation of willow thickets, bird community richness and species-specific abundance are likely to be significantly reduced. PMID:23691020

Why Is the Midpoint an Average?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bu, Lingguo

2013-01-01

Many preservice teachers come into teacher education programs with a rule-based view of mathematics, a view that is to a large extent indicative of their previous school experiences. In teaching preservice elementary school teachers, this author has used his instrumental understanding as the starting point for rich discussions about the…

Teacher Burnout and Perceived Job Security (Dynamics and Implications).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Roy L.; McCarthy, Marilyn Bartlett

Research has shown that: (1) Physiological and psychological aspects of stress and burnout are equated with emotional exhaustion and (2) Individual responses to relationships and the working environment are based, to a large extent, upon the individual's expectations. A model was developed that accounts for individual perceptions of reasonable…

Racial Bias in the Juvenile Justice System in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pratt, Menah A. E.

1993-01-01

Examines research on racial bias, focusing on the discretionary decision-making junctures of the juvenile court system. Research and statistics continue to suggest that the public, the police, the prosecution, and the jury all treat blacks more unfairly based to a large extent on race. (SLD)

The island rule in large mammals: paleontology meets ecology.

PubMed

Raia, Pasquale; Meiri, Shai

2006-08-01

The island rule is the phenomenon of the miniaturization of large animals and the gigantism of small animals on islands, with mammals providing the classic case studies. Several explanations for this pattern have been suggested, and departures from the predictions of this rule are common among mammals of differing body size, trophic habits, and phylogenetic affinities. Here we offer a new explanation for the evolution of body size of large insular mammals, using evidence from both living and fossil island faunal assemblages. We demonstrate that the extent of dwarfism in ungulates depends on the existence of competitors and, to a lesser extent, on the presence of predators. In contrast, competition and predation have little or no effect on insular carnivore body size, which is influenced by the nature of the resource base. We suggest dwarfism in large herbivores is an outcome of the fitness increase resulting from the acceleration of reproduction in low-mortality environments. Carnivore size is dependent on the abundance and size of their prey. Size evolution of large mammals in different trophic levels has different underlying mechanisms, resulting in different patterns. Absolute body size may be only an indirect predictor of size evolution, with ecological interactions playing a major role.

Northward extent of East Asian monsoon covaries with intensity on orbital and millennial timescales.

PubMed

Goldsmith, Yonaton; Broecker, Wallace S; Xu, Hai; Polissar, Pratigya J; deMenocal, Peter B; Porat, Naomi; Lan, Jianghu; Cheng, Peng; Zhou, Weijian; An, Zhisheng

2017-02-21

The magnitude, rate, and extent of past and future East Asian monsoon (EAM) rainfall fluctuations remain unresolved. Here, late Pleistocene-Holocene EAM rainfall intensity is reconstructed using a well-dated northeastern China closed-basin lake area record located at the modern northwestern fringe of the EAM. The EAM intensity and northern extent alternated rapidly between wet and dry periods on time scales of centuries. Lake levels were 60 m higher than present during the early and middle Holocene, requiring a twofold increase in annual rainfall, which, based on modern rainfall distribution, requires a ∼400 km northward expansion/migration of the EAM. The lake record is highly correlated with both northern and southern Chinese cave deposit isotope records, supporting rainfall "intensity based" interpretations of these deposits as opposed to an alternative "water vapor sourcing" interpretation. These results indicate that EAM intensity and the northward extent covary on orbital and millennial timescales. The termination of wet conditions at 5.5 ka BP (∼35 m lake drop) triggered a large cultural collapse of Early Neolithic cultures in north China, and possibly promoted the emergence of complex societies of the Late Neolithic.

Task Dependence, Tissue Specificity, and Spatial Distribution of Widespread Activations in Large Single-Subject Functional MRI Datasets at 7T

PubMed Central

Gonzalez-Castillo, Javier; Hoy, Colin W.; Handwerker, Daniel A.; Roopchansingh, Vinai; Inati, Souheil J.; Saad, Ziad S.; Cox, Robert W.; Bandettini, Peter A.

2015-01-01

It was recently shown that when large amounts of task-based blood oxygen level–dependent (BOLD) data are combined to increase contrast- and temporal signal-to-noise ratios, the majority of the brain shows significant hemodynamic responses time-locked with the experimental paradigm. Here, we investigate the biological significance of such widespread activations. First, the relationship between activation extent and task demands was investigated by varying cognitive load across participants. Second, the tissue specificity of responses was probed using the better BOLD signal localization capabilities of a 7T scanner. Finally, the spatial distribution of 3 primary response types—namely positively sustained (pSUS), negatively sustained (nSUS), and transient—was evaluated using a newly defined voxel-wise waveshape index that permits separation of responses based on their temporal signature. About 86% of gray matter (GM) became significantly active when all data entered the analysis for the most complex task. Activation extent scaled with task load and largely followed the GM contour. The most common response type was nSUS BOLD, irrespective of the task. Our results suggest that widespread activations associated with extremely large single-subject functional magnetic resonance imaging datasets can provide valuable information about the functional organization of the brain that goes undetected in smaller sample sizes. PMID:25405938

Domain-Adapted Convolutional Networks for Satellite Image Classification: A Large-Scale Interactive Learning Workflow

DOE PAGES

Lunga, Dalton D.; Yang, Hsiuhan Lexie; Reith, Andrew E.; ...

2018-02-06

Satellite imagery often exhibits large spatial extent areas that encompass object classes with considerable variability. This often limits large-scale model generalization with machine learning algorithms. Notably, acquisition conditions, including dates, sensor position, lighting condition, and sensor types, often translate into class distribution shifts introducing complex nonlinear factors and hamper the potential impact of machine learning classifiers. Here, this article investigates the challenge of exploiting satellite images using convolutional neural networks (CNN) for settlement classification where the class distribution shifts are significant. We present a large-scale human settlement mapping workflow based-off multiple modules to adapt a pretrained CNN to address themore » negative impact of distribution shift on classification performance. To extend a locally trained classifier onto large spatial extents areas we introduce several submodules: First, a human-in-the-loop element for relabeling of misclassified target domain samples to generate representative examples for model adaptation; second, an efficient hashing module to minimize redundancy and noisy samples from the mass-selected examples; and third, a novel relevance ranking module to minimize the dominance of source example on the target domain. The workflow presents a novel and practical approach to achieve large-scale domain adaptation with binary classifiers that are based-off CNN features. Experimental evaluations are conducted on areas of interest that encompass various image characteristics, including multisensors, multitemporal, and multiangular conditions. Domain adaptation is assessed on source–target pairs through the transfer loss and transfer ratio metrics to illustrate the utility of the workflow.« less

Domain-Adapted Convolutional Networks for Satellite Image Classification: A Large-Scale Interactive Learning Workflow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lunga, Dalton D.; Yang, Hsiuhan Lexie; Reith, Andrew E.

Satellite imagery often exhibits large spatial extent areas that encompass object classes with considerable variability. This often limits large-scale model generalization with machine learning algorithms. Notably, acquisition conditions, including dates, sensor position, lighting condition, and sensor types, often translate into class distribution shifts introducing complex nonlinear factors and hamper the potential impact of machine learning classifiers. Here, this article investigates the challenge of exploiting satellite images using convolutional neural networks (CNN) for settlement classification where the class distribution shifts are significant. We present a large-scale human settlement mapping workflow based-off multiple modules to adapt a pretrained CNN to address themore » negative impact of distribution shift on classification performance. To extend a locally trained classifier onto large spatial extents areas we introduce several submodules: First, a human-in-the-loop element for relabeling of misclassified target domain samples to generate representative examples for model adaptation; second, an efficient hashing module to minimize redundancy and noisy samples from the mass-selected examples; and third, a novel relevance ranking module to minimize the dominance of source example on the target domain. The workflow presents a novel and practical approach to achieve large-scale domain adaptation with binary classifiers that are based-off CNN features. Experimental evaluations are conducted on areas of interest that encompass various image characteristics, including multisensors, multitemporal, and multiangular conditions. Domain adaptation is assessed on source–target pairs through the transfer loss and transfer ratio metrics to illustrate the utility of the workflow.« less

Web-based education in anesthesiology: a critical overview.

PubMed

Doyle, D John

2008-12-01

The purpose of this review is to discuss the rise of web-based educational resources available to the anesthesiology community. Recent developments of particular importance include the growth of 'Web 2.0' resources, the development of the concepts of 'open access' and 'information philanthropy', and the expansion of web-based medical simulation software products.In addition, peer review of online educational resources has now come of age. The worldwide web has made available a large variety of valuable medical information and education resources only dreamed of two decades ago. To a large extent,these developments represent a shift in the focus of medical education resources to emphasize free access to materials and to encourage collaborative development efforts.

Exploring the Relationships between Students' Ability of Computer-Based Chinese Input and Other Variables Associated to Their Performances in Composition Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chai, Ching Sing; Wong, Lung-Hsiang; Sim, Seok Hwa; Deng, Feng

2012-01-01

Computer-based writing is already a norm to a large extent in social communication for any major language around the world. From this perspective, it would be pedagogically sound for students to master the Chinese input system as early as possible. This poses some challenges to students in Singapore, most of which are learning Chinese as a second…

Positive Behavior Support for a Child with Inattentive Behavior in a Japanese Regular Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baba, Chiharu; Tanaka-Matsumi, Junko

2011-01-01

Nondisruptive problem behaviors exist to a large extent in group-oriented Japanese regular classrooms. However, many children remain untreated. We implemented an antecedent-based functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and developed a behavioral support program for a first-grade boy who exhibited inattentive behavior in a Japanese regular…

Taking the pulse of a continent: Expanding site-based research infrastructure for regional- to continental-scale ecology

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Many of the most dramatic and surprising effects of global change on ecological systems will occur across large spatial extents, from regions to continents. Multiple ecosystem types will be impacted across a range of interacting spatial and temporal scales. The ability of ecologists to understand an...

The Connection between Teaching Methods and Attribution Errors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wieman, Carl; Welsh, Ashley

2016-01-01

We collected data at a large, very selective public university on what math and science instructors felt was the biggest barrier to their students' learning. We also determined the extent of each instructor's use of research-based effective teaching methods. Instructors using fewer effective methods were more likely to say the greatest barrier to…

Child Characteristics Associated with Outcome for Children with Autism in a School-Based Behavioral Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellecchia, Melanie; Connell, James E.; Kerns, Connor M.; Xie, Ming; Marcus, Steven C.; Mandell, David S.

2016-01-01

This study examined the extent to which clinical and demographic characteristics predicted outcome for children with autism spectrum disorder. Participants included 152 students with autism spectrum disorder in 53 kindergarten-through-second-grade autism support classrooms in a large urban public school district. Associations between child…

The nature and extent of college student hazing.

PubMed

Allan, Elizabeth J; Madden, Mary

2012-01-01

This study explored the nature and extent of college student hazing in the USA. Hazing, a form of interpersonal violence, can jeopardize the health and safety of students. Using a web-based survey, data were collected from 11,482 undergraduate students, aged 18-25 years, who attended one of 53 colleges and universities. Additionally, researchers interviewed 300 students and staff at 18 of the campuses. Results reveal hazing among USA college students is widespread and involves a range of student organizations and athletic teams. Alcohol consumption, humiliation, isolation, sleep-deprivation and sex acts are hazing practices common across student groups. Furthermore, there is a large gap between the number of students who report experience with hazing behaviors and those that label their experience as hazing. To date, hazing prevention efforts in post-secondary education have focused largely on students in fraternities/sororities and intercollegiate athletes. Findings from this study can inform development of more comprehensive and research-based hazing prevention efforts that target a wider range of student groups. Further, data can serve as a baseline from which to measure changes in college student hazing over time.

An exploratory study of healthcare strategic planning in two metropolitan areas.

PubMed

Begun, James W; Kaissi, Amer A

2005-01-01

Little is known about empirical variation in the extent to which healthcare organizations conduct formal strategic planning or the extent to which strategic planning affects performance. Structural contingency and complexity science theory offer differing interpretations of the value of strategic planning. Structural contingency theory emphasizes adaptation to achieve organizational fit with a changing environment and views strategic planning as a way to chart the organization's path. Complexity science argues that planning is largely futile in changing environments. Interviews of leaders in 20 healthcare organizations in the metropolitan areas of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and San Antonio, Texas, reveal that strategic planning is a common and valued function in healthcare organizations. Respondents emphasized the need to continuously update strategic plans, involve physicians and the governing board, and integrate strategic plans with other organizational plans. Most leaders expressed that strategic planning contributes to organizational focus, fosters stakeholder participation and commitment, and leads to achievement of strategic goals. Because the widespread belief in strategic planning is based largely on experience, intuition, and faith, we present recommendations for developing an evidence base for healthcare strategic planning.

Optical coherence tomography to evaluate variance in the extent of carious lesions in depth.

PubMed

Park, Kyung-Jin; Schneider, Hartmut; Ziebolz, Dirk; Krause, Felix; Haak, Rainer

2018-05-03

Evaluation of variance in the extent of carious lesions in depth at smooth surfaces within the same ICDAS code group using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in vitro and in vivo. (1) Verification/validation of OCT to assess non-cavitated caries: 13 human molars with ICDAS code 2 at smooth surfaces were imaged using OCT and light microscopy. Regions of interest (ROI) were categorized according to the depth of carious lesions. Agreement between histology and OCT was determined by unweighted Cohen's Kappa and Wilcoxon test. (2) Assessment of 133 smooth surfaces using ICDAS and OCT in vitro, 49 surfaces in vivo. ROI were categorized according to the caries extent (ICDAS: codes 0-4, OCT: scoring based on lesion depth). A frequency distribution of the OCT scores for each ICDAS code was determined. (1) Histology and OCT agreed moderately (κ = 0.54, p ≤ 0.001) with no significant difference between both methods (p = 0.25). The lesions (76.9% (10 of 13)) _were equally scored. (2) In vitro, OCT revealed caries in 42% of ROI clinically assessed as sound. OCT detected dentin-caries in 40% of ROIs visually assessed as enamel-caries. In vivo, large differences between ICDAS and OCT were observed. Carious lesions of ICDAS codes 1 and 2 vary largely in their extent in depth.

[Advances in the research of application of artificial intelligence in burn field].

PubMed

Li, H H; Bao, Z X; Liu, X B; Zhu, S H

2018-04-20

Artificial intelligence has been able to automatically learn and judge large-scale data to some extent. Based on database of a large amount of burn data and in-depth learning, artificial intelligence can assist burn surgeons to evaluate burn surface, diagnose burn depth, guide fluid supply during shock stage, and predict prognosis, with high accuracy. With the development of technology, artificial intelligence can provide more accurate information for burn surgeons to make clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Estimating the extent of impervious surfaces and turf grass across large regions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Claggett, Peter; Irani, Frederick M.; Thompson, Renee L.

2013-01-01

The ability of researchers to accurately assess the extent of impervious and pervious developed surfaces, e.g., turf grass, using land-cover data derived from Landsat satellite imagery in the Chesapeake Bay watershed is limited due to the resolution of the data and systematic discrepancies between developed land-cover classes, surface mines, forests, and farmlands. Estimates of impervious surface and turf grass area in the Mid-Atlantic, United States that were based on 2006 Landsat-derived land-cover data were substantially lower than estimates based on more authoritative and independent sources. New estimates of impervious surfaces and turf grass area derived using land-cover data combined with ancillary information on roads, housing units, surface mines, and sampled estimates of road width and residential impervious area were up to 57 and 45% higher than estimates based strictly on land-cover data. These new estimates closely approximate estimates derived from authoritative and independent sources in developed counties.

Two Topics in Seasonal Streamflow Forecasting: Soil Moisture Initialization Error and Precipitation Downscaling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koster, Randal; Walker, Greg; Mahanama, Sarith; Reichle, Rolf

2012-01-01

Continental-scale offline simulations with a land surface model are used to address two important issues in the forecasting of large-scale seasonal streamflow: (i) the extent to which errors in soil moisture initialization degrade streamflow forecasts, and (ii) the extent to which the downscaling of seasonal precipitation forecasts, if it could be done accurately, would improve streamflow forecasts. The reduction in streamflow forecast skill (with forecasted streamflow measured against observations) associated with adding noise to a soil moisture field is found to be, to first order, proportional to the average reduction in the accuracy of the soil moisture field itself. This result has implications for streamflow forecast improvement under satellite-based soil moisture measurement programs. In the second and more idealized ("perfect model") analysis, precipitation downscaling is found to have an impact on large-scale streamflow forecasts only if two conditions are met: (i) evaporation variance is significant relative to the precipitation variance, and (ii) the subgrid spatial variance of precipitation is adequately large. In the large-scale continental region studied (the conterminous United States), these two conditions are met in only a somewhat limited area.

A Study Regarding the Spontaneous Use of Geometric Shapes in Young Children's Drawings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villarroel, José Domingo; Sanz Ortega, Olga

2017-01-01

The studies regarding how the comprehension of geometric shapes evolves in childhood are largely based on the assessment of children's responses during the course of tasks linked to the recognition, classification or explanation of prototypes and models. Little attention has been granted to the issue as to what extent the geometric shape turns out…

The Importance and Meaning of Learning at School in Students' Consciousness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuurme, Tiiu; Carlsson, Anu

2012-01-01

One of the most important functions of learning is the formation of identity. From a hermeneutical viewpoint the formation of ipse-identity is, to a large extent, based on the meaning of the learning experiences. The following questions guide our research: first, what meanings do Estonian and Finnish students gain from curricular facts? And…

For Whom Does Language Death Toll? Cautionary Notes from the Basque Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Echeverria, Begona

2010-01-01

In this article, I show that despite a seemingly inclusive, language-based identity promoted in schools and pedagogical materials, Basque identity and language are embedded with social histories that exclude large swaths of the would-be Basque nation: women and second language learners of Basque. To the extent that these processes continue to…

Distribution of Disease-Associated Copy Number Variants across Distinct Disorders of Cognitive Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pescosolido, Matthew F.; Gamsiz, Ece D.; Nagpal, Shailender; Morrow, Eric M.

2013-01-01

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to discover the extent to which distinct "DSM" disorders share large, highly recurrent copy number variants (CNVs) as susceptibility factors. We also sought to identify gene mechanisms common to groups of diagnoses and/or specific to a given diagnosis based on associations with CNVs. Method:…

Changing Patterns in Internal Communication in Large Academic Libraries. Occasional Paper Number 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Euster, Joanne R.

Based on data from a 1979 survey of ARL member libraries, this study by the Office of Management Studies analyzes the responses of selected libraries which had provided internal studies or planning documents on the subject of internal communication and notes the extent of resulting changes in procedures. The studies yielded information on staff…

Leadership Identity Construction Practices: The Case of Successful Israeli School Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tubin, Dorit

2017-01-01

Principals' ability to lead their school towards its goals depends to a large extent on their leadership identity that influences the clarity of their mission, the way they see themselves as educational leaders and acceptance of their authority by their followers. Based on the concepts of leadership identity and role embeddedness, the present…

Design and Implementation Issues in Surveying the Views of Young Children in Ethnolinguistically Diverse Developing Country Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Hilary A.; Haslett, Stephen J.

2016-01-01

This paper discusses issues in the development of a methodology appropriate for eliciting sound quantitative data from primary school children in the complex contexts of ethnolinguistically diverse developing countries. Although these issues often occur in field-based surveys, the large extent and compound effects of their occurrence in…

The Contact Principle and Utilitarian Moral Judgments in Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellizzoni, Sandra; Siegal, Michael; Surian, Luca

2010-01-01

In three experiments involving 207 preschoolers and 28 adults, we investigated the extent to which young children base moral judgments of actions aimed to protect others on utilitarian principles. When asked to judge the rightness of intervening to hurt one person in order to save five others, the large majority of children aged 3 to 5 years…

A Descriptive Study of Teachers' Instructional Use of Student Assessment Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoover, Nancy R.

2009-01-01

The overarching question for this study is: to what extent are teachers using summative assessment data in a formative way? A survey research design study was implemented to address this question. A web-based survey was administered to elementary, middle, and high school teachers in a large, suburban school division in central Virginia. The survey…

Risk Factors for Learning-Related Behavior Problems at 24 Months of Age: Population-Based Estimates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Paul L.; Farkas, George; Hillemeier, Marianne M.; Maczuga, Steven

2009-01-01

We used a large sample of singleton children to estimate the effects of socioeconomic status (SES), race/ethnicity, gender, additional socio-demographics, gestational and birth factors, and parenting on children's risk for learning-related behavior problems at 24 months of age. We investigated to what extent these factors increased a child's risk…

Flood extent and water level estimation from SAR using data-model integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajadi, O. A.; Meyer, F. J.

2017-12-01

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images have long been recognized as a valuable data source for flood mapping. Compared to other sources, SAR's weather and illumination independence and large area coverage at high spatial resolution supports reliable, frequent, and detailed observations of developing flood events. Accordingly, SAR has the potential to greatly aid in the near real-time monitoring of natural hazards, such as flood detection, if combined with automated image processing. This research works towards increasing the reliability and temporal sampling of SAR-derived flood hazard information by integrating information from multiple SAR sensors and SAR modalities (images and Interferometric SAR (InSAR) coherence) and by combining SAR-derived change detection information with hydrologic and hydraulic flood forecast models. First, the combination of multi-temporal SAR intensity images and coherence information for generating flood extent maps is introduced. The application of least-squares estimation integrates flood information from multiple SAR sensors, thus increasing the temporal sampling. SAR-based flood extent information will be combined with a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) to reduce false alarms and to estimate water depth and flood volume. The SAR-based flood extent map is assimilated into the Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System (Hec-RAS) model to aid in hydraulic model calibration. The developed technology is improving the accuracy of flood information by exploiting information from data and models. It also provides enhanced flood information to decision-makers supporting the response to flood extent and improving emergency relief efforts.

A Spatial Method to Calculate Small-Scale Fisheries Extent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, A. F.; Moreno-Báez, M.; Giron-Nava, A.; Corominas, J.; Erisman, B.; Ezcurra, E.; Aburto-Oropeza, O.

2016-02-01

Despite global catch per unit effort having redoubled since the 1950's, the global fishing fleet is estimated to be twice the size that the oceans can sustainably support. In order to gauge the collateral impacts of fishing intensity, we must be able to estimate the spatial extent and amount of fishing vessels in the oceans. Methods that do currently exist are built around electronic tracking and log book systems and generally focus on industrial fisheries. Spatial extent for small-scale fisheries therefore remains elusive for many small-scale fishing fleets; even though these fisheries land the same biomass for human consumption as industrial fisheries. Current methods are data-intensive and require extensive extrapolation when estimated across large spatial scales. We present an accessible, spatial method of calculating the extent of small-scale fisheries based on two simple measures that are available, or at least easily estimable, in even the most data poor fisheries: the number of boats and the local coastal human population. We demonstrate this method is fishery-type independent and can be used to quantitatively evaluate the efficacy of growth in small-scale fisheries. This method provides an important first step towards estimating the fishing extent of the small-scale fleet, globally.

Oral Microbiota of Children in a School-based Dental Clinic

PubMed Central

Soncini, Jennifer A; Kanasi, Eleni; Lu, Shulin C.; Nunn, Martha E.; Henshaw, Michelle M; Tanner, Anne CR

2010-01-01

Objectives Dental caries disproportionately affects disadvantaged subjects. This study hypothesized that there were greater caries extent and higher levels of caries-associated and anaerobic subgingival bacterial species in oral samples of Hispanic and immigrant children compared with non-Hispanic and US born children. Methods Children from a school-based dental clinic serving a community with a large Hispanic component were examined, and the extent of caries was recorded. Microbial samples were taken from teeth and the tongues of children. Samples were analyzed using DNA probes to 18 oral bacterial species. Results Seventy five children were examined. Extent of caries increased with child age in immigrant, but not in US born or Hispanic children. There were no differences in the microbiota based on ethnicity or whether the child was born in US or not. There was a higher species detection frequency from teeth than tongue samples. Levels of Streptococcus mutans and other Streptococcus species increased with caries extent. Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythia and Selenomonas species were detected at low levels in these children. Conclusions We conclude that, while there was a high rate of dental caries in disadvantaged school children, there were no differences in the caries-associated microbiota, including S. mutans, based on ethnicity or immigration status. Furthermore, while anaerobic subgingival, periodontal pathogens were also detected in children, there was no difference in species detection based on ethnicity or immigration status. Increased levels of streptococci, including S. mutans, however, were detected with high caries levels. This suggested that while it is beneficial to target preventive and treatment programs to disadvantaged populations, there is likely no additional benefit to focus on subgroups within a population already at high risk for dental disease. PMID:19879369

Oral microbiota of children in a school-based dental clinic.

PubMed

Soncini, Jennifer A; Kanasi, Eleni; Lu, Shulin C; Nunn, Martha E; Henshaw, Michelle M; Tanner, Anne C R

2010-06-01

Dental caries disproportionately affects disadvantaged subjects. This study hypothesized that there were greater caries extent and higher levels of caries-associated and anaerobic subgingival bacterial species in oral samples of Hispanic and immigrant children compared with non-Hispanic and US born children. Children from a school-based dental clinic serving a community with a large Hispanic component were examined, and the extent of caries was recorded. Microbial samples were taken from teeth and the tongues of children. Samples were analyzed using DNA probes to 18 oral bacterial species. Seventy five children were examined. Extent of caries increased with child age in immigrant, but not in US born or Hispanic children. There were no differences in the microbiota based on ethnicity or whether the child was born in US or not. There was a higher species detection frequency from teeth than tongue samples. Levels of Streptococcus mutans and other Streptococcus spp increased with caries extent. Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythia and Selenomonas spp were detected at low levels in these children. We conclude that, while there was a high rate of dental caries in disadvantaged school children, there were no differences in the caries-associated microbiota, including S. mutans, based on ethnicity or immigration status. Furthermore, while anaerobic subgingival, periodontal pathogens were also detected in children, there was no difference in species detection based on ethnicity or immigration status. Increased levels of streptococci, including S. mutans, however, were detected with high caries levels. This suggested that while it is beneficial to target preventive and treatment programs to disadvantaged populations, there is likely no additional benefit to focus on subgroups within a population already at high risk for dental disease. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of physical and semi-empirical hydraulic models for flood inundation mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavakoly, A. A.; Afshari, S.; Omranian, E.; Feng, D.; Rajib, A.; Snow, A.; Cohen, S.; Merwade, V.; Fekete, B. M.; Sharif, H. O.; Beighley, E.

2016-12-01

Various hydraulic/GIS-based tools can be used for illustrating spatial extent of flooding for first-responders, policy makers and the general public. The objective of this study is to compare four flood inundation modeling tools: HEC-RAS-2D, Gridded Surface Subsurface Hydrologic Analysis (GSSHA), AutoRoute and Height Above the Nearest Drainage (HAND). There is a trade-off among accuracy, workability and computational demand in detailed, physics-based flood inundation models (e.g. HEC-RAS-2D and GSSHA) in contrast with semi-empirical, topography-based, computationally less expensive approaches (e.g. AutoRoute and HAND). The motivation for this study is to evaluate this trade-off and offer guidance to potential large-scale application in an operational prediction system. The models were assessed and contrasted via comparability analysis (e.g. overlapping statistics) by using three case studies in the states of Alabama, Texas, and West Virginia. The sensitivity and accuracy of physical and semi-eimpirical models in producing inundation extent were evaluated for the following attributes: geophysical characteristics (e.g. high topographic variability vs. flat natural terrain, urbanized vs. rural zones, effect of surface roughness paratermer value), influence of hydraulic structures such as dams and levees compared to unobstructed flow condition, accuracy in large vs. small study domain, effect of spatial resolution in topographic data (e.g. 10m National Elevation Dataset vs. 0.3m LiDAR). Preliminary results suggest that semi-empericial models tend to underestimate in a flat, urbanized area with controlled/managed river channel around 40% of the inundation extent compared to the physical models, regardless of topographic resolution. However, in places where there are topographic undulations, semi-empericial models attain relatively higher level of accuracy than they do in flat non-urbanized terrain.

US National Large-scale City Orthoimage Standard Initiative

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhou, G.; Song, C.; Benjamin, S.; Schickler, W.

2003-01-01

The early procedures and algorithms for National digital orthophoto generation in National Digital Orthophoto Program (NDOP) were based on earlier USGS mapping operations, such as field control, aerotriangulation (derived in the early 1920's), the quarter-quadrangle-centered (3.75 minutes of longitude and latitude in geographic extent), 1:40,000 aerial photographs, and 2.5 D digital elevation models. However, large-scale city orthophotos using early procedures have disclosed many shortcomings, e.g., ghost image, occlusion, shadow. Thus, to provide the technical base (algorithms, procedure) and experience needed for city large-scale digital orthophoto creation is essential for the near future national large-scale digital orthophoto deployment and the revision of the Standards for National Large-scale City Digital Orthophoto in National Digital Orthophoto Program (NDOP). This paper will report our initial research results as follows: (1) High-precision 3D city DSM generation through LIDAR data processing, (2) Spatial objects/features extraction through surface material information and high-accuracy 3D DSM data, (3) 3D city model development, (4) Algorithm development for generation of DTM-based orthophoto, and DBM-based orthophoto, (5) True orthophoto generation by merging DBM-based orthophoto and DTM-based orthophoto, and (6) Automatic mosaic by optimizing and combining imagery from many perspectives.

Monitoring Urbanization Processes from Space: Using Landsat Imagery to Detect Built-Up Areas at Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldblatt, R.; You, W.; Hanson, G.; Khandelwal, A. K.

2016-12-01

Urbanization is one of the most fundamental trends of the past two centuries and a key force shaping almost all dimensions of modern society. Monitoring the spatial extent of cities and their dynamics be means of remote sensing methods is crucial for many research domains, as well as to city and regional planning and to policy making. Yet the majority of urban research is being done in small scales, due, in part, to computational limitation. With the increasing availability of parallel computing platforms with large storage capacities, such as Google Earth Engine (GEE), researchers can scale up the spatial and the temporal units of analysis and investigate urbanization processes over larger areas and over longer periods of time. In this study we present a methodology that is designed to capture temporal changes in the spatial extent of urban areas at the national level. We utilize a large scale ground-truth dataset containing examples of "built-up" and "not built-up" areas from across India. This dataset, which was collected based on 2016 high-resolution imagery, is used for supervised pixel-based image classification in GEE. We assess different types of classifiers and inputs and demonstrate that with Landsat 8 as the classifier`s input, Random Forest achieves a high accuracy rate of around 87%. Although performance with Landsat 8 as the input exceeds that of Landsat 7, with the addition of several per-pixel computed indices to Landsat 7 - NDVI, NDBI, MNDWI and SAVI - the classifier`s sensitivity improves by around 10%. We use Landsat 7 to detect temporal changes in the extent of urban areas. The classifier is trained with 2016 imagery as the input - for which ground truth data is available - and is used the to detect urban areas over the historical imagery. We demonstrate that this classification produces high quality maps of urban extent over time. We compare the classification result with numerous datasets of urban areas (e.g. MODIS, DMSP-OLS and WorldPop) and show that our classification captures the fine boundaries between built-up areas and various types of land cover thus providing an accurate estimation of the extent of urban areas. The study demonstrates the potential of cloud-based platforms, such as GEE, for monitoring long-term and continuous urbanization processes at scale.

A synoptic survey of select wastewater-tracer compounds and the pesticide imidacloprid in Florida's ambient freshwaters.

PubMed

Silvanima, James; Woeber, Andy; Sunderman-Barnes, Stephanie; Copeland, Rick; Sedlacek, Christopher; Seal, Thomas

2018-06-27

Current wastewater treatment technologies do not remove many unregulated hydrophilic compounds, and there is growing interest that low levels of these compounds, referred to as emerging contaminants, may impact human health and the environment. A probabilistic-designed monitoring network was employed to infer the extent of Florida's ambient freshwaters containing the wastewater (Includes reuse water, septic systems leachate, and wastewater treatment effluent.) indicators sucralose, acetaminophen, carbamazepine, and primidone and those containing the widely used pesticide imidacloprid. Extent estimates with 95% confidence bounds are provided for canals, rivers, streams, small and large lakes, and unconfined aquifers containing ultra-trace concentrations of these compounds as based on analyses of 2015 sample surveys utilizing 528 sites. Sucralose is estimated to occur in greater than 50% of the canal, river, stream, and large lake resource extents. The pharmaceuticals acetaminophen, carbamazepine, and primidone are most prevalent in rivers, with approximately 30% of river kilometers estimated to contain at least one of these compounds. Imidacloprid is estimated to occur in 50% or greater of the canal and river resource extents, and it is the only compound found to exceed published toxicity or environmental effects standards. Geospatial analyses show sucralose detection frequencies within Florida's drainage basins to be significantly related to the percentage of urban land use (R 2  = 0.36, p < 0.001), and imidacloprid detection frequencies to be significantly related to the percentage of urban and agricultural land use (R 2  = 0.47, p < 0.001). The extent of the presence of these compounds highlights the need for additional emerging contaminant studies especially those examining effects on aquatic biota.

The Effects of Stroke Type, Locus, and Extent on Long-Term Outcome of Gait Rehabilitation: The LEAPS Experience.

PubMed

Nadeau, Stephen E; Dobkin, Bruce; Wu, Samuel S; Pei, Qinglin; Duncan, Pamela W

2016-08-01

Background Paresis in stroke is largely a result of damage to descending corticospinal and corticobulbar pathways. Recovery of paresis predominantly reflects the impact on the neural consequences of this white matter lesion by reactive neuroplasticity (mechanisms involved in spontaneous recovery) and experience-dependent neuroplasticity, driven by therapy and daily experience. However, both theoretical considerations and empirical data suggest that type of stroke (large vessel distribution/lacunar infarction, hemorrhage), locus and extent of infarction (basal ganglia, right-hemisphere cerebral cortex), and the presence of leukoaraiosis or prior stroke might influence long-term recovery of walking ability. In this secondary analysis based on the 408 participants in the Locomotor Experience Applied Post-Stroke (LEAPS) study database, we seek to address these possibilities. Methods Lesion type, locus, and extent were characterized by the 2 neurologists in the LEAPS trial on the basis of clinical computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans. A series of regression models was used to test our hypotheses regarding the effects of lesion type, locus, extent, and laterality on 2- to 12-month change in gait speed, controlling for baseline gait speed, age, and Berg Balance Scale score. Results Gait speed change at 1 year was significantly reduced in participants with basal ganglia involvement and prior stroke. There was a trend toward reduction of gait speed change in participants with lacunar infarctions. The presence of right-hemisphere cortical involvement had no significant impact on outcome. Conclusions Type, locus, and extent of lesion, and the loss of substrate for neuroplastic effect as a result of prior stroke may affect long-term outcome of rehabilitation of hemiparetic gait. © The Author(s) 2015.

Large-area full field x-ray differential phase-contrast imaging using 2D tiled gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schröter, Tobias J.; Koch, Frieder J.; Kunka, Danays; Meyer, Pascal; Tietze, Sabrina; Engelhardt, Sabine; Zuber, Marcus; Baumbach, Tilo; Willer, Konstantin; Birnbacher, Lorenz; Prade, Friedrich; Pfeiffer, Franz; Reichert, Klaus-Martin; Hofmann, Andreas; Mohr, Jürgen

2017-06-01

Grating-based x-ray differential phase-contrast imaging (DPCI) is capable of acquiring information based on phase-shift and dark-field signal, in addition to conventional x-ray absorption-contrast. Thus DPCI gives an advantage to investigate composite materials with component wise similar absorption properties like soft tissues. Due to technological challenges in fabricating high quality gratings over a large extent, the field of view (FoV) of the imaging systems is limited to a grating area of a couple of square centimeters. For many imaging applications (e.g. in medicine), however, a FoV that ranges over several ten centimeters is needed. In this manuscript we propose to create large area gratings of theoretically any extent by assembling a number of individual grating tiles. We discuss the precision needed for alignment of each microstructure tile in order to reduce image artifacts and to preserve minimum 90% of the sensitivity obtainable with a monolithic grating. To achieve a reliable high precision alignment a semiautomatic assembly system consisting of a laser autocollimator, a digital microscope and a force sensor together with positioning devices was built. The setup was used to tile a first four times four analyzer grating with a size of 200 mm  ×  200 mm together with a two times two phase grating. First imaging results prove the applicability and quality of the tiling concept.

Downscaling soil moisture over regions that include multiple coarse-resolution grid cells

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Many applications require soil moisture estimates over large spatial extents (30-300 km) and at fine-resolutions (10-30 m). Remote-sensing methods can provide soil moisture estimates over very large spatial extents (continental to global) at coarse resolutions (10-40 km), but their output must be d...

Measuring Family Outcomes Early Intervention: Findings from a Large-Scale Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raspa, Melissa; Bailey, Donald B., Jr.; Olmsted, Murrey G.; Nelson, Robin; Robinson, Nyle; Simpson, Mary Ellen; Guillen, Chelsea; Houts, Renate

2010-01-01

This article reports data from a large-scale assessment using the Family Outcomes Survey with families participating in early intervention. The study was designed to determine how families describe themselves with regard to outcomes achieved, the extent to which outcomes are interrelated, and the extent to which child, family, and program factors…

Using Raters from India to Score a Large-Scale Speaking Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xi, Xiaoming; Mollaun, Pam

2011-01-01

We investigated the scoring of the Speaking section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language[TM] Internet-based (TOEFL iBT[R]) test by speakers of English and one or more Indian languages. We explored the extent to which raters from India, after being trained and certified, were able to score the TOEFL examinees with mixed first languages…

Are more complex physiological models of forest ecosystems better choices for plot and regional predictions?

Treesearch

Wenchi Jin; Hong S. He; Frank R. Thompson

2016-01-01

Process-based forest ecosystem models vary from simple physiological, complex physiological, to hybrid empirical-physiological models. Previous studies indicate that complex models provide the best prediction at plot scale with a temporal extent of less than 10 years, however, it is largely untested as to whether complex models outperform the other two types of models...

Toward improving our application and understanding of crown fire behavior

Treesearch

Martin E. Alexander; Miguel G. Cruz; Nicole M. Vaillant

2014-01-01

The suggestion has been made that most wildland fire operations personnel base their expectations of how a fire will behave largely on experience and, to a lesser extent, on guides to predicting fire behavior (Burrows 1984). Experienced judgment is certainly needed in any assessment of wildland fire potential but it does have its limitations. The same can be said for...

Obeying the Rules or Gaming the System? Delegating Random Selection for Examinations to Head Teachers within an Accountability System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elstad, Eyvind; Turmo, Are

2011-01-01

As education systems around the world move towards increased accountability based on performance measures, it is important to investigate the unintended effects of accountability systems. This article seeks to explore the extent to which head teachers in a large Norwegian municipality may resort to gaming the incentive system to boost their…

Career Decision-Making Difficulties among High School Students: From the Perception of Career Counselors and High School Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Kellie

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this comparative research study was to determine the perceptions of career counselors and principals on the types of career decision-making difficulties experienced by high school students and the extent to which a large-scale high school technology-based career development program addresses these difficulties, using the…

Large underground, liquid based detectors for astro-particle physics in Europe: scientific case and prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Autiero, D.; Äystö, J.; Badertscher, A.; Bezrukov, L.; Bouchez, J.; Bueno, A.; Busto, J.; Campagne, J.-E.; Cavata, Ch; Chaussard, L.; de Bellefon, A.; Déclais, Y.; Dumarchez, J.; Ebert, J.; Enqvist, T.; Ereditato, A.; von Feilitzsch, F.; Fileviez Perez, P.; Göger-Neff, M.; Gninenko, S.; Gruber, W.; Hagner, C.; Hess, M.; Hochmuth, K. A.; Kisiel, J.; Knecht, L.; Kreslo, I.; Kudryavtsev, V. A.; Kuusiniemi, P.; Lachenmaier, T.; Laffranchi, M.; Lefievre, B.; Lightfoot, P. K.; Lindner, M.; Maalampi, J.; Maltoni, M.; Marchionni, A.; Marrodán Undagoitia, T.; Marteau, J.; Meregaglia, A.; Messina, M.; Mezzetto, M.; Mirizzi, A.; Mosca, L.; Moser, U.; Müller, A.; Natterer, G.; Oberauer, L.; Otiougova, P.; Patzak, T.; Peltoniemi, J.; Potzel, W.; Pistillo, C.; Raffelt, G. G.; Rondio, E.; Roos, M.; Rossi, B.; Rubbia, A.; Savvinov, N.; Schwetz, T.; Sobczyk, J.; Spooner, N. J. C.; Stefan, D.; Tonazzo, A.; Trzaska, W.; Ulbricht, J.; Volpe, C.; Winter, J.; Wurm, M.; Zalewska, A.; Zimmermann, R.

2007-11-01

This document reports on a series of experimental and theoretical studies conducted to assess the astro-particle physics potential of three future large scale particle detectors proposed in Europe as next generation underground observatories. The proposed apparatuses employ three different and, to some extent, complementary detection techniques: GLACIER (liquid argon TPC), LENA (liquid scintillator) and MEMPHYS (water Cherenkov), based on the use of large mass of liquids as active detection media. The results of these studies are presented along with a critical discussion of the performance attainable by the three proposed approaches coupled to existing or planned underground laboratories, in relation to open and outstanding physics issues such as the search for matter instability, the detection of astrophysical neutrinos and geo-neutrinos and to the possible use of these detectors in future high intensity neutrino beams.

Predicting Patterns of Grammatical Complexity across Language Exam Task Types and Proficiency Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biber, Douglas; Gray, Bethany; Staples, Shelley

2016-01-01

In the present article, we explore the extent to which previous research on register variation can be used to predict spoken/written task-type variation as well as differences across score levels in the context of a major standardized language exam (TOEFL iBT). Specifically, we carry out two sets of linguistic analyses based on a large corpus of…

The Fit between School Board Control and Behaviour of Middle Managers, Team Leaders and Teachers in Dutch Colleges for Vocational Education and Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honingh, Marlies; van Genugten, Marieke

2017-01-01

The inspectorate's judgements about a school's educational quality in the Netherlands are to a large extent based on sophisticated desk research, risk analyses and analyses of the school's self-evaluation reports. This relatively distant mode of inspecting schools relies on rational ideas about organizational management and control while aspects…

A simple algorithm for large-scale mapping of evergreen forests in tropical America, Africa and Asia

Treesearch

Xiangming Xiao; Chandrashekhar M. Biradar; Christina Czarnecki; Tunrayo Alabi; Michael Keller

2009-01-01

The areal extent and spatial distribution of evergreen forests in the tropical zones are important for the study of climate, carbon cycle and biodiversity. However, frequent cloud cover in the tropical regions makes mapping evergreen forests a challenging task. In this study we developed a simple and novel mapping algorithm that is based on the temporal profile...

Is Education the Pathway to Success? A Comparison of Second Generation Turkish Professionals in Sweden, France, Germany and the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crul, Maurice

2015-01-01

Education is often seen as the most important mobility channel for children of immigrants. To what extent is this true? In this article, we look at successful second generation Turkish professionals in Sweden, France, Germany and The Netherlands. What kind of pathways did they take to become a professional? Based on the large quantitative…

The Contribution of East Asian Countries to Internationally Published Asian Higher Education Research: The Role of System Development and Internationalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Jisun; Horta, Hugo

2015-01-01

Studies of higher education by scholars based in Asia have been growing in volume, following worldwide trends. To a large extent, this growth has been driven by East Asian countries, but little is known about the characteristics of the contribution of these countries. This study analyses their overall and specific contribution. The paper concludes…

Tree mortality based fire severity classification for forest inventories: A Pacific Northwest national forests example

Treesearch

Thomas R. Whittier; Andrew N. Gray

2016-01-01

Determining how the frequency, severity, and extent of forest fires are changing in response to changes in management and climate is a key concern in many regions where fire is an important natural disturbance. In the USA the only national-scale fire severity classification uses satellite image changedetection to produce maps for large (>400 ha) fires, and is...

The challenge of forecasting impacts of flash floods: test of a simplified hydraulic approach and validation based on insurance claim data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Bihan, Guillaume; Payrastre, Olivier; Gaume, Eric; Moncoulon, David; Pons, Frédéric

2017-11-01

Up to now, flash flood monitoring and forecasting systems, based on rainfall radar measurements and distributed rainfall-runoff models, generally aimed at estimating flood magnitudes - typically discharges or return periods - at selected river cross sections. The approach presented here goes one step further by proposing an integrated forecasting chain for the direct assessment of flash flood possible impacts on inhabited areas (number of buildings at risk in the presented case studies). The proposed approach includes, in addition to a distributed rainfall-runoff model, an automatic hydraulic method suited for the computation of flood extent maps on a dense river network and over large territories. The resulting catalogue of flood extent maps is then combined with land use data to build a flood impact curve for each considered river reach, i.e. the number of inundated buildings versus discharge. These curves are finally used to compute estimated impacts based on forecasted discharges. The approach has been extensively tested in the regions of Alès and Draguignan, located in the south of France, where well-documented major flash floods recently occurred. The article presents two types of validation results. First, the automatically computed flood extent maps and corresponding water levels are tested against rating curves at available river gauging stations as well as against local reference or observed flood extent maps. Second, a rich and comprehensive insurance claim database is used to evaluate the relevance of the estimated impacts for some recent major floods.

Dehalococcoides abundance and alternate electron acceptor effects on large, flow-through trichloroethene dechlorinating columns.

PubMed

Mirza, Babur S; Sorensen, Darwin L; Dupont, R Ryan; McLean, Joan E

2016-03-01

Trichloroethene (TCE) in groundwater is a major health concern and biostimulation/bioaugmentation-based strategies have been evaluated to achieve complete reductive dechlorination with varying success. Different carbon sources were hypothesized to stimulate different extents of TCE reductive dechlorination. Ecological conditions that developed different dechlorination stages were investigated by quantitating Dehalococcoides 16S rRNA (Dhc) and reductive dehalogenase gene abundance, and by describing biogeochemical properties of laboratory columns in response to this biostimulation. Eight large columns (183 cm × 15.2 cm), packed with aquifer material from Hill AFB, Utah, that were continuously fed TCE for 7.5 years. Duplicate columns were biostimulated with whey or one of two different Newman Zone® emulsified oil formulations containing either nonionic surfactant (EOLN) or standard surfactant (EOL). Two columns were non-stimulated controls. Complete (whey amended), partial (EOLN amended), limited (EOL), and non-TCE dehalogenating systems (controls) developed over the course of the study. Bioaugmentation of half of the columns with Bachman Road culture 3 years prior to dismantling did not influence the extent of TCE dehalogenation. Multivariate analysis clustered samples by biostimulation treatments and extent of TCE dehalogenation. Dhc, tceA, and bvcA gene concentrations did not show a consistent relationship with TCE dehalogenation but the vcrA gene was more abundant in completely dehalogenating, whey-treated columns. The whey columns developed strongly reducing conditions producing Fe(II), sulfide, and methane. Biostimulation with different carbon and energy sources can support high concentrations of diverse Dhc, but carbon addition has a major influence on biogeochemical processes effecting the extent of TCE dehalogenation.

Exploration for fossil and nuclear fuels from orbital altitudes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Short, N. M.

1975-01-01

A review of satellite-based photographic (optical and infrared) and microwave exploration and large-area mapping of the earth's surface in the ERTS program. Synoptic cloud-free coverage of large areas has been achieved with planimetric vertical views of the earth's surface useful in compiling close-to-orthographic mosaics. Radar penetration of cloud cover and infrared penetration of forest cover have been successful to some extent. Geological applications include map editing (with corrections in scale and computer processing of images), landforms analysis, structural geology studies, lithological identification, and exploration for minerals and fuels. Limitations of the method are noted.

Antibacterial modification of an injectable, biodegradable, non-cytotoxic block copolymer-based physical gel with body temperature-stimulated sol-gel transition and controlled drug release.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaowen; Hu, Huawen; Wang, Wenyi; Lee, Ka I; Gao, Chang; He, Liang; Wang, Yuanfeng; Lai, Chuilin; Fei, Bin; Xin, John H

2016-07-01

Biomaterials are being extensively used in various biomedical fields; however, they are readily infected with microorganisms, thus posing a serious threat to the public health care. We herein presented a facile route to the antibacterial modification of an important A-B-A type biomaterial using poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether (mPEG)- poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-mPEG as a typical model. Inexpensive, commercial bis(2-hydroxyethyl) methylammonium chloride (DMA) was adopted as an antibacterial unit. The effective synthesis of the antibacterial copolymer mPEG-PCL-∼∼∼-PCL-mPEG (where ∼∼∼ denotes the segment with DMA units) was well confirmed by FTIR and (1)H NMR spectra. At an appropriate modification extent, the DMA unit could render the copolymer mPEG-PCL-∼∼∼-PCL-mPEG highly antibacterial, but did not largely alter its fascinating intrinsic properties including the thermosensitivity (e.g., the body temperature-induced sol-gel transition), non-cytotoxicity, and controlled drug release. A detailed study on the sol-gel-sol transition behavior of different copolymers showed that an appropriate extent of modification with DMA retained a sol-gel-sol transition, despite the fact that a too high extent caused a loss of sol-gel-sol transition. The hydrophilic and hydrophobic balance between mPEG and PCL was most likely broken upon a high extent of quaternization due to a large disturbance effect of DMA units at a large quantity (as evidenced by the heavily depressed PCL segment crystallinity), and thus the micelle aggregation mechanism for the gel formation could not work anymore, along with the loss of the thermosensitivity. The work presented here is highly expected to be generalized for synthesis of various block copolymers with immunity to microorganisms. Light may also be shed on understanding the phase transition behavior of various multiblock copolymers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Methane emissions from global wetlands: An assessment of the uncertainty associated with various wetland extent data sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Bowen; Tian, Hanqin; Lu, Chaoqun; Chen, Guangsheng; Pan, Shufen; Anderson, Christopher; Poulter, Benjamin

2017-09-01

A wide range of estimates on global wetland methane (CH4) fluxes has been reported during the recent two decades. This gives rise to urgent needs to clarify and identify the uncertainty sources, and conclude a reconciled estimate for global CH4 fluxes from wetlands. Most estimates by using bottom-up approach rely on wetland data sets, but these data sets show largely inconsistent in terms of both wetland extent and spatiotemporal distribution. A quantitative assessment of uncertainties associated with these discrepancies among wetland data sets has not been well investigated yet. By comparing the five widely used global wetland data sets (GISS, GLWD, Kaplan, GIEMS and SWAMPS-GLWD), it this study, we found large differences in the wetland extent, ranging from 5.3 to 10.2 million km2, as well as their spatial and temporal distributions among the five data sets. These discrepancies in wetland data sets resulted in large bias in model-estimated global wetland CH4 emissions as simulated by using the Dynamic Land Ecosystem Model (DLEM). The model simulations indicated that the mean global wetland CH4 emissions during 2000-2007 were 177.2 ± 49.7 Tg CH4 yr-1, based on the five different data sets. The tropical regions contributed the largest portion of estimated CH4 emissions from global wetlands, but also had the largest discrepancy. Among six continents, the largest uncertainty was found in South America. Thus, the improved estimates of wetland extent and CH4 emissions in the tropical regions and South America would be a critical step toward an accurate estimate of global CH4 emissions. This uncertainty analysis also reveals an important need for our scientific community to generate a global scale wetland data set with higher spatial resolution and shorter time interval, by integrating multiple sources of field and satellite data with modeling approaches, for cross-scale extrapolation.

A review of surface energy balance models for estimating actual evapotranspiration with remote sensing at high spatiotemporal resolution over large extents

USGS Publications Warehouse

McShane, Ryan R.; Driscoll, Katelyn P.; Sando, Roy

2017-09-27

Many approaches have been developed for measuring or estimating actual evapotranspiration (ETa), and research over many years has led to the development of remote sensing methods that are reliably reproducible and effective in estimating ETa. Several remote sensing methods can be used to estimate ETa at the high spatial resolution of agricultural fields and the large extent of river basins. More complex remote sensing methods apply an analytical approach to ETa estimation using physically based models of varied complexity that require a combination of ground-based and remote sensing data, and are grounded in the theory behind the surface energy balance model. This report, funded through cooperation with the International Joint Commission, provides an overview of selected remote sensing methods used for estimating water consumed through ETa and focuses on Mapping Evapotranspiration at High Resolution with Internalized Calibration (METRIC) and Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop), two energy balance models for estimating ETa that are currently applied successfully in the United States. The METRIC model can produce maps of ETa at high spatial resolution (30 meters using Landsat data) for specific areas smaller than several hundred square kilometers in extent, an improvement in practice over methods used more generally at larger scales. Many studies validating METRIC estimates of ETa against measurements from lysimeters have shown model accuracies on daily to seasonal time scales ranging from 85 to 95 percent. The METRIC model is accurate, but the greater complexity of METRIC results in greater data requirements, and the internalized calibration of METRIC leads to greater skill required for implementation. In contrast, SSEBop is a simpler model, having reduced data requirements and greater ease of implementation without a substantial loss of accuracy in estimating ETa. The SSEBop model has been used to produce maps of ETa over very large extents (the conterminous United States) using lower spatial resolution (1 kilometer) Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. Model accuracies ranging from 80 to 95 percent on daily to annual time scales have been shown in numerous studies that validated ETa estimates from SSEBop against eddy covariance measurements. The METRIC and SSEBop models can incorporate low and high spatial resolution data from MODIS and Landsat, but the high spatiotemporal resolution of ETa estimates using Landsat data over large extents takes immense computing power. Cloud computing is providing an opportunity for processing an increasing amount of geospatial “big data” in a decreasing period of time. For example, Google Earth EngineTM has been used to implement METRIC with automated calibration for regional-scale estimates of ETa using Landsat data. The U.S. Geological Survey also is using Google Earth EngineTM to implement SSEBop for estimating ETa in the United States at a continental scale using Landsat data.

Designing Adult Education Activities: A Case of Civic Education Programmes by National Commission for Civic Education in the Ashaiman Municipality in Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afriyie, Sally Adwoa

2015-01-01

This article discusses the efficiency of the design of educational activities of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in Ashaiman municipality in Ghana. Using a descriptive case study design, data was collected from seven (7) Community Based Groups in Ashaiman. The results of the study indicated that to a large extent, there was…

The global abundance and size distribution of lakes, ponds, and impoundments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Downing, J.A.; Prairie, Y.T.; Cole, J.J.; Duarte, C.M.; Tranvik, L.J.; Striegl, Robert G.; McDowell, W.H.; Kortelainen, Pirkko; Caraco, N.F.; Melack, J.M.; Middelburg, J.J.

2006-01-01

One of the major impediments to the integration of lentic ecosystems into global environmental analyses has been fragmentary data on the extent and size distribution of lakes, ponds, and impoundments. We use new data sources, enhanced spatial resolution, and new analytical approaches to provide new estimates of the global abundance of surface-water bodies. A global model based on the Pareto distribution shows that the global extent of natural lakes is twice as large as previously known (304 million lakes; 4.2 million km 2 in area) and is dominated in area by millions of water bodies smaller than 1 km2. Similar analyses of impoundments based on inventories of large, engineered dams show that impounded waters cover approximately 0.26 million km2. However, construction of low-tech farm impoundments is estimated to be between 0.1 % and 6% of farm area worldwide, dependent upon precipitation, and represents >77,000 km 2 globally, at present. Overall, about 4.6 million km2 of the earth's continental "land" surface (>3%) is covered by water. These analyses underscore the importance of explicitly considering lakes, ponds, and impoundments, especially small ones, in global analyses of rates and processes. ?? 2006, by the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, Inc.

Northward extent of East Asian monsoon covaries with intensity on orbital and millennial timescales

PubMed Central

Goldsmith, Yonaton; Broecker, Wallace S.; Xu, Hai; Polissar, Pratigya J.; deMenocal, Peter B.; Porat, Naomi; Lan, Jianghu; Cheng, Peng; Zhou, Weijian; An, Zhisheng

2017-01-01

The magnitude, rate, and extent of past and future East Asian monsoon (EAM) rainfall fluctuations remain unresolved. Here, late Pleistocene–Holocene EAM rainfall intensity is reconstructed using a well-dated northeastern China closed-basin lake area record located at the modern northwestern fringe of the EAM. The EAM intensity and northern extent alternated rapidly between wet and dry periods on time scales of centuries. Lake levels were 60 m higher than present during the early and middle Holocene, requiring a twofold increase in annual rainfall, which, based on modern rainfall distribution, requires a ∼400 km northward expansion/migration of the EAM. The lake record is highly correlated with both northern and southern Chinese cave deposit isotope records, supporting rainfall “intensity based” interpretations of these deposits as opposed to an alternative “water vapor sourcing” interpretation. These results indicate that EAM intensity and the northward extent covary on orbital and millennial timescales. The termination of wet conditions at 5.5 ka BP (∼35 m lake drop) triggered a large cultural collapse of Early Neolithic cultures in north China, and possibly promoted the emergence of complex societies of the Late Neolithic. PMID:28167754

Northward extent of East Asian monsoon covaries with intensity on orbital and millennial timescales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldsmith, Yonaton; Broecker, Wallace S.; Xu, Hai; Polissar, Pratigya J.; deMenocal, Peter B.; Porat, Naomi; Lan, Jianghu; Cheng, Peng; Zhou, Weijian; An, Zhisheng

2017-02-01

The magnitude, rate, and extent of past and future East Asian monsoon (EAM) rainfall fluctuations remain unresolved. Here, late Pleistocene-Holocene EAM rainfall intensity is reconstructed using a well-dated northeastern China closed-basin lake area record located at the modern northwestern fringe of the EAM. The EAM intensity and northern extent alternated rapidly between wet and dry periods on time scales of centuries. Lake levels were 60 m higher than present during the early and middle Holocene, requiring a twofold increase in annual rainfall, which, based on modern rainfall distribution, requires a ˜400 km northward expansion/migration of the EAM. The lake record is highly correlated with both northern and southern Chinese cave deposit isotope records, supporting rainfall “intensity based” interpretations of these deposits as opposed to an alternative “water vapor sourcing” interpretation. These results indicate that EAM intensity and the northward extent covary on orbital and millennial timescales. The termination of wet conditions at 5.5 ka BP (˜35 m lake drop) triggered a large cultural collapse of Early Neolithic cultures in north China, and possibly promoted the emergence of complex societies of the Late Neolithic.

Community-based water-quality monitoring in the Yukon River Basin and the Kuskokwim Watershed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Herman-Mercer, Nicole M.

2013-01-01

The unique partnership between the USGS and the YRITWC provides mutual benefits by fostering outreach efforts that have been essential for community empowerment and by generating scientific data for prohibitively large and remote regions that would be challenging for USGS scientists to sample as robustly alone. The addition of a new partnership with the KRWC to create a community-based monitoring program will only increase these benefits by growing the spatial extent of data collection and empowering more people to take charge of important science in their own backyard.

Detecting spatial structures in throughfall data: the effect of extent, sample size, sampling design, and variogram estimation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voss, Sebastian; Zimmermann, Beate; Zimmermann, Alexander

2016-04-01

In the last three decades, an increasing number of studies analyzed spatial patterns in throughfall to investigate the consequences of rainfall redistribution for biogeochemical and hydrological processes in forests. In the majority of cases, variograms were used to characterize the spatial properties of the throughfall data. The estimation of the variogram from sample data requires an appropriate sampling scheme: most importantly, a large sample and an appropriate layout of sampling locations that often has to serve both variogram estimation and geostatistical prediction. While some recommendations on these aspects exist, they focus on Gaussian data and high ratios of the variogram range to the extent of the study area. However, many hydrological data, and throughfall data in particular, do not follow a Gaussian distribution. In this study, we examined the effect of extent, sample size, sampling design, and calculation methods on variogram estimation of throughfall data. For our investigation, we first generated non-Gaussian random fields based on throughfall data with heavy outliers. Subsequently, we sampled the fields with three extents (plots with edge lengths of 25 m, 50 m, and 100 m), four common sampling designs (two grid-based layouts, transect and random sampling), and five sample sizes (50, 100, 150, 200, 400). We then estimated the variogram parameters by method-of-moments and residual maximum likelihood. Our key findings are threefold. First, the choice of the extent has a substantial influence on the estimation of the variogram. A comparatively small ratio of the extent to the correlation length is beneficial for variogram estimation. Second, a combination of a minimum sample size of 150, a design that ensures the sampling of small distances and variogram estimation by residual maximum likelihood offers a good compromise between accuracy and efficiency. Third, studies relying on method-of-moments based variogram estimation may have to employ at least 200 sampling points for reliable variogram estimates. These suggested sample sizes exceed the numbers recommended by studies dealing with Gaussian data by up to 100 %. Given that most previous throughfall studies relied on method-of-moments variogram estimation and sample sizes << 200, our current knowledge about throughfall spatial variability stands on shaky ground.

Not-so-simple stellar populations in the intermediate-age Large Magellanic Cloud star clusters NGC 1831 and NGC 1868

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Chengyuan; De Grijs, Richard; Deng, Licai, E-mail: joshuali@pku.edu.cn, E-mail: grijs@pku.edu.cn

2014-04-01

Using a combination of high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope/Wide-Field and Planetary Camera-2 observations, we explore the physical properties of the stellar populations in two intermediate-age star clusters, NGC 1831 and NGC 1868, in the Large Magellanic Cloud based on their color-magnitude diagrams. We show that both clusters exhibit extended main-sequence turn offs. To explain the observations, we consider variations in helium abundance, binarity, age dispersions, and the fast rotation of the clusters' member stars. The observed narrow main sequence excludes significant variations in helium abundance in both clusters. We first establish the clusters' main-sequence binary fractions using the bulk of themore » clusters' main-sequence stellar populations ≳ 1 mag below their turn-offs. The extent of the turn-off regions in color-magnitude space, corrected for the effects of binarity, implies that age spreads of order 300 Myr may be inferred for both clusters if the stellar distributions in color-magnitude space were entirely due to the presence of multiple populations characterized by an age range. Invoking rapid rotation of the population of cluster members characterized by a single age also allows us to match the observed data in detail. However, when taking into account the extent of the red clump in color-magnitude space, we encounter an apparent conflict for NGC 1831 between the age dispersion derived from that based on the extent of the main-sequence turn off and that implied by the compact red clump. We therefore conclude that, for this cluster, variations in stellar rotation rate are preferred over an age dispersion. For NGC 1868, both models perform equally well.« less

Biological considerations in the delineation of critical habitat

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knight, Richard R.

1980-01-01

Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) require large areas to satisfy their needs for food, cover, and space. They thrive best where disturbance by man is minimal. It is not a coincidence that the two major grizzly bear populations in the lower 48 states exist in large wilderness systems closely associated with two large national parks and a relatively large game preserve. If management objectives for these areas do not change, and man-bear interactions can be kept low, viable grizzly bear populations can be maintained. Outside of parks and wilderness areas, the picture is less clear. Grizzly bears adapt to some habitat modifications. the extent of their adaptability to habitat modification or human interaction is largely unknown. Answers to many pertinent questions will be slow in coming. In the meantime, management policies based on common sense rather than on adversary reactions among agencies are the best insurance of the grizzlies' survival.

A novel community-based model to enhance health promotion, risk factor management and chronic disease prevention.

PubMed

Carson, Shannon Ryan; Carr, Caroline; Kohler, Graeme; Edwards, Lynn; Gibson, Rick; Sampalli, Tara

2014-01-01

Chronic disease is a highly expensive but preventable problem to the healthcare system. Evidence suggests that impacting modifiable behaviours and risk management factors in the areas of physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, stress and obesity can alleviate the burden of chronic disease problem to a large extent. Despite this recognition, the challenge is embedding these recognized priorities into the community and in primary care in a sustainable and meaningful manner. Primary Health Care in Capital Health responded to this challenge by developing and implementing a free, interprofessional and community-based service, namely, the Community Health Teams (CHTs), that offers health and wellness, risk factor management, wellness navigation and behaviour-based programming. In this paper, the development and implementation of the CHTs are discussed. Preliminary outcomes for the model are significant and promising. Formal and large-scale studies are planned to validate these outcomes with additional research rigour. Copyright © 2014 Longwoods Publishing.

Soil Moisture Initialization Error and Subgrid Variability of Precipitation in Seasonal Streamflow Forecasting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koster, Randal D.; Walker, Gregory K.; Mahanama, Sarith P.; Reichle, Rolf H.

2013-01-01

Offline simulations over the conterminous United States (CONUS) with a land surface model are used to address two issues relevant to the forecasting of large-scale seasonal streamflow: (i) the extent to which errors in soil moisture initialization degrade streamflow forecasts, and (ii) the extent to which a realistic increase in the spatial resolution of forecasted precipitation would improve streamflow forecasts. The addition of error to a soil moisture initialization field is found to lead to a nearly proportional reduction in streamflow forecast skill. The linearity of the response allows the determination of a lower bound for the increase in streamflow forecast skill achievable through improved soil moisture estimation, e.g., through satellite-based soil moisture measurements. An increase in the resolution of precipitation is found to have an impact on large-scale streamflow forecasts only when evaporation variance is significant relative to the precipitation variance. This condition is met only in the western half of the CONUS domain. Taken together, the two studies demonstrate the utility of a continental-scale land surface modeling system as a tool for addressing the science of hydrological prediction.

The Munson-Nygren slide: A major lower-slope slide off Georges Bank

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Leary, Dennis W.

1986-01-01

The Munson-Nygren slide is a large compound slide located between Munson and Nygren Canyons below 1900 m depth on the Continental Slope off Georges Bank. Its structural and morphological features are recognized in high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles. The slide comprises an axial trough which has a relief as great as 325 m and a width of 6-10 km. The trough is flanked by displaced and disrupted strata for a total lateral extent of approximately 20 km and a downslope extent of at least 35 km. The slide is unrelated genetically to the adjacent canyons and may postdate Munson Canyon. There is evidence of plastic deformation at the base of the section subjected to sliding. Certain features of the slide complex resemble those seen in landforms on the Laurentian Rise and attributed by Emery et al.* * Emery et al. (1970). to the 1929 Grand Banks earthquake. The Munson-Nygren slide may have been triggered by a large earthquake in late Pleistocene time or later. Destructional landforms associated with the slide are similar to those widely present along the lower slope off Georges Bank. ?? 1986.

Changes in Land Surface Water Dynamics since the 1990s and Relation to Population Pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prigent, C.; Papa, F.; Aires, F.; Jimenez, C.; Rossow, W. B.; Matthews, E.

2012-01-01

We developed a remote sensing approach based on multi-satellite observations, which provides an unprecedented estimate of monthly distribution and area of land-surface open water over the whole globe. Results for 1993 to 2007 exhibit a large seasonal and inter-annual variability of the inundation extent with an overall decline in global average maximum inundated area of 6% during the fifteen-year period, primarily in tropical and subtropical South America and South Asia. The largest declines of open water are found where large increases in population have occurred over the last two decades, suggesting a global scale effect of human activities on continental surface freshwater: denser population can impact local hydrology by reducing freshwater extent, by draining marshes and wetlands, and by increasing water withdrawals. Citation: Prigent, C., F. Papa, F. Aires, C. Jimenez, W. B. Rossow, and E. Matthews (2012), Changes in land surface water dynamics since the 1990s and relation to population pressure, in section 4, insisting on the potential applications of the wetland dataset.

Assessing the impact of stocking northern-origin hatchery brook trout on the genetics of wild populations in North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kazyak, David C.; Rash, Jacob; Lubinski, Barbara A.; King, Tim L.

2018-01-01

The release of hatchery-origin fish into streams with endemics can degrade the genetics of wild populations if interbreeding occurs. Starting in the 1800s, brook trout descendent from wild populations in the northeastern United States were stocked from hatcheries into streams across broad areas of North America to create and enhance fishery resources. Across the southeastern United States, many millions of hatchery-origin brook trout have been released into hundreds of streams, but the extent of introgression with native populations is not well resolved despite large phylogeographic distances between these groups. We used three assessment approaches based on 12 microsatellite loci to examine the extent of hatchery introgression in 406 wild brook trout populations in North Carolina. We found high levels of differentiation among most collections (mean F′ST = 0.718), and among most wild collections and hatchery strains (mean F′ST = 0.732). Our assessment of hatchery introgression was consistent across the three metrics, and indicated that most wild populations have not been strongly influenced by supplemental stocking. However, a small proportion of wild populations in North Carolina appear to have been strongly influenced by stocked conspecifics, or in some cases, may have been founded entirely by hatchery lineages. In addition, we found significant differences in the apparent extent of hatchery introgression among major watersheds, with the Savannah River being the most strongly impacted. Conversely, populations in the Pee Dee River watershed showed little to no evidence of hatchery introgression. Our study represents the first large-scale effort to quantify the extent of hatchery introgression across brook trout populations in the southern Appalachians using highly polymorphic microsatellite markers.

Development of the global sea ice 6.0 CICE configuration for the Met Office global coupled model

DOE PAGES

Rae, J. G. L.; Hewitt, H. T.; Keen, A. B.; ...

2015-07-24

The new sea ice configuration GSI6.0, used in the Met Office global coupled configuration GC2.0, is described and the sea ice extent, thickness and volume are compared with the previous configuration and with observationally based data sets. In the Arctic, the sea ice is thicker in all seasons than in the previous configuration, and there is now better agreement of the modelled concentration and extent with the HadISST data set. As a result, in the Antarctic, a warm bias in the ocean model has been exacerbated at the higher resolution of GC2.0, leading to a large reduction in ice extentmore » and volume; further work is required to rectify this in future configurations.« less

Development of the global sea ice 6.0 CICE configuration for the Met Office global coupled model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rae, J. G. L.; Hewitt, H. T.; Keen, A. B.

The new sea ice configuration GSI6.0, used in the Met Office global coupled configuration GC2.0, is described and the sea ice extent, thickness and volume are compared with the previous configuration and with observationally based data sets. In the Arctic, the sea ice is thicker in all seasons than in the previous configuration, and there is now better agreement of the modelled concentration and extent with the HadISST data set. As a result, in the Antarctic, a warm bias in the ocean model has been exacerbated at the higher resolution of GC2.0, leading to a large reduction in ice extentmore » and volume; further work is required to rectify this in future configurations.« less

The effects of prescribed burning on fire hazard in the chaparral: toward a new conceptual synthesis

Treesearch

Anthony T. Dunn

1989-01-01

Prescribed burning for fire hazard reduction in the chaparral is predicated on the belief that young fuels (20 years old and less) are highly resistant to burning. To test this belief, a data base search of large fires in San Diego County between 1940 and 1985 was conducted to locate reburns of young chaparral fuels greater than 1000 acres (400 ha) in extent. Of the...

Imaging-Assisted Large-Format Breast Pathology: Program Rationale and Development in a Nonprofit Health System in the United States

PubMed Central

Tucker, F. Lee

2012-01-01

Modern breast imaging, including magnetic resonance imaging, provides an increasingly clear depiction of breast cancer extent, often with suboptimal pathologic confirmation. Pathologic findings guide management decisions, and small increments in reported tumor characteristics may rationalize significant changes in therapy and staging. Pathologic techniques to grossly examine resected breast tissue have changed little during this era of improved breast imaging and still rely primarily on the techniques of gross inspection and specimen palpation. Only limited imaging information is typically conveyed to pathologists, typically in the form of wire-localization images from breast-conserving procedures. Conventional techniques of specimen dissection and section submission destroy the three-dimensional integrity of the breast anatomy and tumor distribution. These traditional methods of breast specimen examination impose unnecessary limitations on correlation with imaging studies, measurement of cancer extent, multifocality, and margin distance. Improvements in pathologic diagnosis, reporting, and correlation of breast cancer characteristics can be achieved by integrating breast imagers into the specimen examination process and the use of large-format sections which preserve local anatomy. This paper describes the successful creation of a large-format pathology program to routinely serve all patients in a busy interdisciplinary breast center associated with a community-based nonprofit health system in the United States. PMID:23316372

Combining ground-based measurements and satellite-based spectral vegetation indices to track biomass accumulation in post-fire chaparral

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uyeda, K. A.; Stow, D. A.; Roberts, D. A.; Riggan, P. J.

2015-12-01

Multi-temporal satellite imagery can provide valuable information on patterns of vegetation growth over large spatial extents and long time periods, but corresponding ground-referenced biomass information is often difficult to acquire, especially at an annual scale. In this study, I test the relationship between annual biomass estimated using shrub growth rings and metrics of seasonal growth derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) spectral vegetation indices (SVIs) for a small area of southern California chaparral to evaluate the potential for mapping biomass at larger spatial extents. The site had most recently burned in 2002, and annual biomass accumulation measurements were available from years 5 - 11 post-fire. I tested metrics of seasonal growth using six SVIs (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Enhanced Vegetation Index, Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Water Index, Normalized Difference Infrared Index 6, and Vegetation Atmospherically Resistant Index). While additional research would be required to determine which of these metrics and SVIs are most promising over larger spatial extents, several of the seasonal growth metrics/ SVI combinations have a very strong relationship with annual biomass, and all SVIs have a strong relationship with annual biomass for at least one of the seasonal growth metrics.

Selecting the optimum plot size for a California design-based stream and wetland mapping program.

PubMed

Lackey, Leila G; Stein, Eric D

2014-04-01

Accurate estimates of the extent and distribution of wetlands and streams are the foundation of wetland monitoring, management, restoration, and regulatory programs. Traditionally, these estimates have relied on comprehensive mapping. However, this approach is prohibitively resource-intensive over large areas, making it both impractical and statistically unreliable. Probabilistic (design-based) approaches to evaluating status and trends provide a more cost-effective alternative because, compared with comprehensive mapping, overall extent is inferred from mapping a statistically representative, randomly selected subset of the target area. In this type of design, the size of sample plots has a significant impact on program costs and on statistical precision and accuracy; however, no consensus exists on the appropriate plot size for remote monitoring of stream and wetland extent. This study utilized simulated sampling to assess the performance of four plot sizes (1, 4, 9, and 16 km(2)) for three geographic regions of California. Simulation results showed smaller plot sizes (1 and 4 km(2)) were most efficient for achieving desired levels of statistical accuracy and precision. However, larger plot sizes were more likely to contain rare and spatially limited wetland subtypes. Balancing these considerations led to selection of 4 km(2) for the California status and trends program.

Prevalence and Correlates of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Alaskan Eskimos

PubMed Central

Cutchins, Alexis; Roman, Mary J.; Devereux, Richard B.; Ebbesson, Sven O.E.; Umans, Jason G.; Zhu, Jianhui; Weissman, Neil J.; Howard, Barbara V.

2009-01-01

Background and Purpose The recent increase in clinical cardiovascular disease in Alaska Eskimos suggests that changes in traditional lifestyle may have adverse public health consequences. This study examines the prevalence of subclinical vascular disease and its relation to risk factors in Alaska Eskimos. Methods Participants in the population-based Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives (GOCADAN) Study underwent evaluation of cardiovascular disease risk factors and carotid ultrasound. Outcome variables were carotid intimal-medial thickness and presence and extent of atherosclerosis. Results In multivariate analyses, intimal-medial thickness and presence and extent of atherosclerosis were all associated with traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors but not dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Rates of carotid atherosclerosis were higher than those reported in 2 large population-based US studies. Conclusions Alaska Eskimos have similar traditional risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis as other ethnic and racial populations but have higher prevalences of atherosclerosis, possibly attributable to higher rates of smoking. PMID:18617652

Pixel-based flood mapping from SAR imagery: a comparison of approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landuyt, Lisa; Van Wesemael, Alexandra; Van Coillie, Frieke M. B.; Verhoest, Niko E. C.

2017-04-01

Due to their all-weather, day and night capabilities, SAR sensors have been shown to be particularly suitable for flood mapping applications. Thus, they can provide spatially-distributed flood extent data which are valuable for calibrating, validating and updating flood inundation models. These models are an invaluable tool for water managers, to take appropriate measures in times of high water levels. Image analysis approaches to delineate flood extent on SAR imagery are numerous. They can be classified into two categories, i.e. pixel-based and object-based approaches. Pixel-based approaches, e.g. thresholding, are abundant and in general computationally inexpensive. However, large discrepancies between these techniques exist and often subjective user intervention is needed. Object-based approaches require more processing but allow for the integration of additional object characteristics, like contextual information and object geometry, and thus have significant potential to provide an improved classification result. As means of benchmark, a selection of pixel-based techniques is applied on a ERS-2 SAR image of the 2006 flood event of River Dee, United Kingdom. This selection comprises Otsu thresholding, Kittler & Illingworth thresholding, the Fine To Coarse segmentation algorithm and active contour modelling. The different classification results are evaluated and compared by means of several accuracy measures, including binary performance measures.

Impacts of the spatial extent of pollen-climate calibration-set on the absolute values, range and trends of reconstructed Holocene precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, X.; Tian, F.; Telford, R.; Ni, J.; Xu, Q.; Chen, F.; Liu, X.; Stebich, M.; Zhao, Y.; Herzschuh, U.

2017-12-01

Pollen-based quantitative reconstructions of past climate variables is a standard palaeoclimatic approach. Despite knowing that the spatial extent of the calibration-set affects the reconstruction result, guidance is lacking as to how to determine a suitable spatial extent of the pollen-climate calibration-set. In this study, past mean annual precipitation (Pann) during the Holocene (since 11.5 cal ka BP) is reconstructed repeatedly for pollen records from Qinghai Lake (36.7°N, 100.5°E; north-east Tibetan Plateau), Gonghai Lake (38.9°N, 112.2°E; north China) and Sihailongwan Lake (42.3°N, 126.6°E; north-east China) using calibration-sets of varying spatial extents extracted from the modern pollen dataset of China and Mongolia (2559 sampling sites and 168 pollen taxa in total). Results indicate that the spatial extent of the calibration-set has a strong impact on model performance, analogue quality and reconstruction diagnostics (absolute value, range, trend, optimum). Generally, these effects are stronger with the modern analogue technique (MAT) than with weighted averaging partial least squares (WA-PLS). With respect to fossil spectra from northern China, the spatial extent of calibration-sets should be restricted to ca. 1000 km in radius because small-scale calibration-sets (<800 km radius) will likely fail to include enough spatial variation in the modern pollen assemblages to reflect the temporal range shifts during the Holocene, while too broad a scale calibration-set (>1500 km radius) will include taxa with very different pollen-climate relationships. Based on our results we conclude that the optimal calibration-set should 1) cover a reasonably large spatial extent with an even distribution of modern pollen samples; 2) possess good model performance as indicated by cross-validation, high analogue quality, and excellent fit with the target fossil pollen spectra; 3) possess high taxonomic resolution, and 4) obey the modern and past distribution ranges of taxa inferred from palaeo-genetic and macrofossil studies.

Estimating the extent of reporting to FDA: a case study of statin-associated rhabdomyolysis.

PubMed

McAdams, Mara; Staffa, Judy; Dal Pan, Gerald

2008-03-01

To estimate the extent of reporting to FDA through statin-associated rhabdomyolysis data. Data included incidence rates (IRs) of hospitalized rhabdomyolysis among statin users from a population-based study, and comparable reported AERS cases and national estimates of statin use from an AERS analysis. Using IRs, national estimates of statin use and average days supply per prescription, we estimated the number of US statin-associated cases of hospitalized rhabdomyolysis. We compared this estimate to the observed number of cases reported to FDA to evaluate the extent of reporting. We repeated this method for atorvastatin, cerivastatin, pravastatin, and simvastatin and statin combinations. We performed sensitivity analyses to check for biases such as misclassification of statin use and cohort selection bias. We evaluated potential time-dependent cerivastatin reporting by a "Dear Health Care Provider (DHCP)" letter. The estimated extent of reporting to FDA varied by statin (atorvastatin, 5.0%; cerivastatin, 31.2%; simvastatin, 14.2%; all four combined, 17.7%; and non-cerivastatin statins combined, 9.9%). No pravastatin-associated cohort cases occurred. Across a reasonable value range, sensitivity analyses did not significantly alter the results; overall the cohort was similar to national statin-users. There was a large increase in AERS reports after the cerivastatin DHCP letter and the estimated extent of reporting increased from 14.8 to 35.0%. The extent of reporting of adverse events to FDA varied by statin and may be influenced by publicity. For statins-associated rhabdomyolysis, the estimated extent of reporting appears to range from 5 to 30% but in the absence of stimulated reporting appears to be 5-15%. Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nominal 30-M Cropland Extent Map of Continental Africa by Integrating Pixel-Based and Object-Based Algorithms Using Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 Data on Google Earth Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xiong, Jun; Thenkabail, Prasad S.; Tilton, James C.; Gumma, Murali K.; Teluguntla, Pardhasaradhi; Oliphant, Adam; Congalton, Russell G.; Yadav, Kamini; Gorelick, Noel

2017-01-01

A satellite-derived cropland extent map at high spatial resolution (30-m or better) is a must for food and water security analysis. Precise and accurate global cropland extent maps, indicating cropland and non-cropland areas, is a starting point to develop high-level products such as crop watering methods (irrigated or rainfed), cropping intensities (e.g., single, double, or continuous cropping), crop types, cropland fallows, as well as assessment of cropland productivity (productivity per unit of land), and crop water productivity (productivity per unit of water). Uncertainties associated with the cropland extent map have cascading effects on all higher-level cropland products. However, precise and accurate cropland extent maps at high spatial resolution over large areas (e.g., continents or the globe) are challenging to produce due to the small-holder dominant agricultural systems like those found in most of Africa and Asia. Cloud-based Geospatial computing platforms and multi-date, multi-sensor satellite image inventories on Google Earth Engine offer opportunities for mapping croplands with precision and accuracy over large areas that satisfy the requirements of broad range of applications. Such maps are expected to provide highly significant improvements compared to existing products, which tend to be coarser in resolution, and often fail to capture fragmented small-holder farms especially in regions with high dynamic change within and across years. To overcome these limitations, in this research we present an approach for cropland extent mapping at high spatial resolution (30-m or better) using the 10-day, 10 to 20-m, Sentinel-2 data in combination with 16-day, 30-m, Landsat-8 data on Google Earth Engine (GEE). First, nominal 30-m resolution satellite imagery composites were created from 36,924 scenes of Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 images for the entire African continent in 2015-2016. These composites were generated using a median-mosaic of five bands (blue, green, red, near-infrared, NDVI) during each of the two periods (period 1: January-June 2016 and period 2: July-December 2015) plus a 30-m slope layer derived from the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) elevation dataset. Second, we selected Cropland/Non-cropland training samples (sample size 9791) from various sources in GEE to create pixel-based classifications. As supervised classification algorithm, Random Forest (RF) was used as the primary classifier because of its efficiency, and when over-fitting issues of RF happened due to the noise of input training data, Support Vector Machine (SVM) was applied to compensate for such defects in specific areas. Third, the Recursive Hierarchical Segmentation (RHSeg) algorithm was employed to generate an object-oriented segmentation layer based on spectral and spatial properties from the same input data. This layer was merged with the pixel-based classification to improve segmentation accuracy. Accuracies of the merged 30-m crop extent product were computed using an error matrix approach in which 1754 independent validation samples were used. In addition, a comparison was performed with other available cropland maps as well as with LULC maps to show spatial similarity. Finally, the cropland area results derived from the map were compared with UN FAO statistics. The independent accuracy assessment showed a weighted overall accuracy of 94, with a producers accuracy of 85.9 (or omission error of 14.1), and users accuracy of 68.5 (commission error of 31.5) for the cropland class. The total net cropland area (TNCA) of Africa was estimated as 313 Mha for the nominal year 2015.

Observed Differences between North American Snow Extent and Snow Depth Variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Y.; Gong, G.

2006-12-01

Snow extent and snow depth are two related characteristics of a snowpack, but they need not be mutually consistent. Differences between these two variables at local scales are readily apparent. However at larger scales which interact with atmospheric circulation and climate, snow extent is typically the variable used, while snow depth is often assumed to be minor and/or mutually consistent compared to snow extent, though this is rarely verified. In this study, a new regional/continental-scale gridded dataset derived from field observations is utilized to quantitatively evaluate the relationship between snow extent and snow depth over North America. Various statistical methods are applied to assess the mutual consistency of monthly snow depth vs. snow extent, including correlations, composites and principal components. Results indicate that snow depth variations are significant in their own rights, and that depth and extent anomalies are largely unrelated, especially over broad high latitude regions north of the snowline. In the vicinity of the snowline, where precipitation and ablation can affect both snow extent and snow depth, the two variables vary concurrently, especially in autumn and spring. It is also found that deeper winter snow translates into larger snow-covered area in the subsequent spring/summer season, which suggests a possible influence of winter snow depth on summer climate. The observed lack of mutual consistency at continental/regional scales suggests that snowpack depth variations may be of sufficiently large magnitude, spatial scope and temporal duration to influence regional-hemispheric climate, in a manner unrelated to the more extensively studied snow extent variations.

Extended maxillotomy for skull base access in contemporary management of chordomas: Rationale and technical aspect.

PubMed

Abdul Jalil, Muhammad Fahmi; Story, Rowan D; Rogers, Myron

2017-05-01

Minimally invasive approaches to the central skull base have been popularized over the last decade and have to a large extent displaced 'open' procedures. However, traditional skull base surgery still has its role especially when dealing with a large clival chordoma where maximal surgical resection is the principal goal to maximize patient survival. In this paper, we present a case of a 25year-old male patient with chordoma in the inferior clivus which was initially debulked via a transnasal endoscopic approach. He unfortunately had a large recurrence of tumor requiring re-do resection. With the aim to achieve maximal surgical resection, we then chose the technique of a transoral approach with Le Fort 1 maxillotomy and midline palatal split. Post-operative course for the patient was uneventful and post-operative MRI confirmed significant debulking of the clival lesion. The technique employed for the surgical procedure is presented here in detail as is our experience over two decades using this technique for tumors, inflammatory lesions and congenital abnormalities at the cranio-cervical junction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical Investigation of the Hydrogen Jet Flammable Envelope Extent with Account for Unsteady Phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chernyavsky, Boris; Benard, Pierre

2010-11-01

An important aspect of safety analysis in hydrogen applications is determination of the extent of flammable gas envelope in case of hydrogen jet release. Experimental investigations had shown significant disagreements between the extent of average flammable envelope predicted by steady-state numerical methods, and the region observed to support ignition, with proposed cause being non-steady jet phenomena resulting in significant variations of instantaneous gas concentration and velocity fields in the jet. In order to investigate the influence of these transient phenomena, a numerical investigation of hydrogen jet at low Mach number had been performed using unsteady Large Eddy Simulation. Instantaneous hydrogen concentration and velocity fields were monitored to determine instantaneous flammable envelope. The evolution of the instantaneous fields, including the development of the turbulence structures carrying hydrogen, their extent and frequency, and their relation with averaged fields had been characterized. Simulation had shown significant variability of the flammable envelope, with jet flapping causing shedding of large scale rich and lean gas pockets from the main jet core, which persist for significant times and substantially alter the extent of flammability envelope.

Building a multi-scaled geospatial temporal ecology database from disparate data sources: fostering open science and data reuse.

PubMed

Soranno, Patricia A; Bissell, Edward G; Cheruvelil, Kendra S; Christel, Samuel T; Collins, Sarah M; Fergus, C Emi; Filstrup, Christopher T; Lapierre, Jean-Francois; Lottig, Noah R; Oliver, Samantha K; Scott, Caren E; Smith, Nicole J; Stopyak, Scott; Yuan, Shuai; Bremigan, Mary Tate; Downing, John A; Gries, Corinna; Henry, Emily N; Skaff, Nick K; Stanley, Emily H; Stow, Craig A; Tan, Pang-Ning; Wagner, Tyler; Webster, Katherine E

2015-01-01

Although there are considerable site-based data for individual or groups of ecosystems, these datasets are widely scattered, have different data formats and conventions, and often have limited accessibility. At the broader scale, national datasets exist for a large number of geospatial features of land, water, and air that are needed to fully understand variation among these ecosystems. However, such datasets originate from different sources and have different spatial and temporal resolutions. By taking an open-science perspective and by combining site-based ecosystem datasets and national geospatial datasets, science gains the ability to ask important research questions related to grand environmental challenges that operate at broad scales. Documentation of such complicated database integration efforts, through peer-reviewed papers, is recommended to foster reproducibility and future use of the integrated database. Here, we describe the major steps, challenges, and considerations in building an integrated database of lake ecosystems, called LAGOS (LAke multi-scaled GeOSpatial and temporal database), that was developed at the sub-continental study extent of 17 US states (1,800,000 km(2)). LAGOS includes two modules: LAGOSGEO, with geospatial data on every lake with surface area larger than 4 ha in the study extent (~50,000 lakes), including climate, atmospheric deposition, land use/cover, hydrology, geology, and topography measured across a range of spatial and temporal extents; and LAGOSLIMNO, with lake water quality data compiled from ~100 individual datasets for a subset of lakes in the study extent (~10,000 lakes). Procedures for the integration of datasets included: creating a flexible database design; authoring and integrating metadata; documenting data provenance; quantifying spatial measures of geographic data; quality-controlling integrated and derived data; and extensively documenting the database. Our procedures make a large, complex, and integrated database reproducible and extensible, allowing users to ask new research questions with the existing database or through the addition of new data. The largest challenge of this task was the heterogeneity of the data, formats, and metadata. Many steps of data integration need manual input from experts in diverse fields, requiring close collaboration.

Building a multi-scaled geospatial temporal ecology database from disparate data sources: Fostering open science through data reuse

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soranno, Patricia A.; Bissell, E.G.; Cheruvelil, Kendra S.; Christel, Samuel T.; Collins, Sarah M.; Fergus, C. Emi; Filstrup, Christopher T.; Lapierre, Jean-Francois; Lotting, Noah R.; Oliver, Samantha K.; Scott, Caren E.; Smith, Nicole J.; Stopyak, Scott; Yuan, Shuai; Bremigan, Mary Tate; Downing, John A.; Gries, Corinna; Henry, Emily N.; Skaff, Nick K.; Stanley, Emily H.; Stow, Craig A.; Tan, Pang-Ning; Wagner, Tyler; Webster, Katherine E.

2015-01-01

Although there are considerable site-based data for individual or groups of ecosystems, these datasets are widely scattered, have different data formats and conventions, and often have limited accessibility. At the broader scale, national datasets exist for a large number of geospatial features of land, water, and air that are needed to fully understand variation among these ecosystems. However, such datasets originate from different sources and have different spatial and temporal resolutions. By taking an open-science perspective and by combining site-based ecosystem datasets and national geospatial datasets, science gains the ability to ask important research questions related to grand environmental challenges that operate at broad scales. Documentation of such complicated database integration efforts, through peer-reviewed papers, is recommended to foster reproducibility and future use of the integrated database. Here, we describe the major steps, challenges, and considerations in building an integrated database of lake ecosystems, called LAGOS (LAke multi-scaled GeOSpatial and temporal database), that was developed at the sub-continental study extent of 17 US states (1,800,000 km2). LAGOS includes two modules: LAGOSGEO, with geospatial data on every lake with surface area larger than 4 ha in the study extent (~50,000 lakes), including climate, atmospheric deposition, land use/cover, hydrology, geology, and topography measured across a range of spatial and temporal extents; and LAGOSLIMNO, with lake water quality data compiled from ~100 individual datasets for a subset of lakes in the study extent (~10,000 lakes). Procedures for the integration of datasets included: creating a flexible database design; authoring and integrating metadata; documenting data provenance; quantifying spatial measures of geographic data; quality-controlling integrated and derived data; and extensively documenting the database. Our procedures make a large, complex, and integrated database reproducible and extensible, allowing users to ask new research questions with the existing database or through the addition of new data. The largest challenge of this task was the heterogeneity of the data, formats, and metadata. Many steps of data integration need manual input from experts in diverse fields, requiring close collaboration.

Structural Damage Detection Using Changes in Natural Frequencies: Theory and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, K.; Zhu, W. D.

2011-07-01

A vibration-based method that uses changes in natural frequencies of a structure to detect damage has advantages over conventional nondestructive tests in detecting various types of damage, including loosening of bolted joints, using minimum measurement data. Two major challenges associated with applications of the vibration-based damage detection method to engineering structures are addressed: accurate modeling of structures and the development of a robust inverse algorithm to detect damage, which are defined as the forward and inverse problems, respectively. To resolve the forward problem, new physics-based finite element modeling techniques are developed for fillets in thin-walled beams and for bolted joints, so that complex structures can be accurately modeled with a reasonable model size. To resolve the inverse problem, a logistical function transformation is introduced to convert the constrained optimization problem to an unconstrained one, and a robust iterative algorithm using a trust-region method, called the Levenberg-Marquardt method, is developed to accurately detect the locations and extent of damage. The new methodology can ensure global convergence of the iterative algorithm in solving under-determined system equations and deal with damage detection problems with relatively large modeling error and measurement noise. The vibration-based damage detection method is applied to various structures including lightning masts, a space frame structure and one of its components, and a pipeline. The exact locations and extent of damage can be detected in the numerical simulation where there is no modeling error and measurement noise. The locations and extent of damage can be successfully detected in experimental damage detection.

Emperor penguins and climate change.

PubMed

Barbraud, C; Weimerskirch, H

2001-05-10

Variations in ocean-atmosphere coupling over time in the Southern Ocean have dominant effects on sea-ice extent and ecosystem structure, but the ultimate consequences of such environmental changes for large marine predators cannot be accurately predicted because of the absence of long-term data series on key demographic parameters. Here, we use the longest time series available on demographic parameters of an Antarctic large predator breeding on fast ice and relying on food resources from the Southern Ocean. We show that over the past 50 years, the population of emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) in Terre Adélie has declined by 50% because of a decrease in adult survival during the late 1970s. At this time there was a prolonged abnormally warm period with reduced sea-ice extent. Mortality rates increased when warm sea-surface temperatures occurred in the foraging area and when annual sea-ice extent was reduced, and were higher for males than for females. In contrast with survival, emperor penguins hatched fewer eggs when winter sea-ice was extended. These results indicate strong and contrasting effects of large-scale oceanographic processes and sea-ice extent on the demography of emperor penguins, and their potential high susceptibility to climate change.

Is the S-Web the Secret to Observed Heliospheric Particle Distributions?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higginson, A. K.; Antiochos, S. K.; DeVore, C. R.; Daldorff, L. K. S.; Wyper, P. F.; Ukhorskiy, A. Y.; Sorathia, K.

2017-12-01

Particle transport in the heliosphere remains an unsolved problem across energy regimes. Observations of slow solar wind show that plasma escapes from the closed-field corona, but ends up far away from the heliospheric current sheet, even though the release mechanisms are expected to occur at the HCS. Similarly, some impulsive SEP events have extreme longitudinal extents of 100 degrees or more. Recent theoretical and numerical work has shown that interchange reconnection near a coronal-hole corridor can release plasma from originally closed magnetic field lines into a large swath spread across the heliosphere, forming what is known as an S-Web arc. This is a promising mechanism for explaining both the slow solar wind, with its large latitudinal extent, and impulsive SEP particles, with their large longitudinal extent. Here we compute, for the first time, the dynamics of the S-Web when the photospheric driver is applied over a large portion of the solar surface compared to the scale of the driving. We examine the time scales for the interchange reconnection and compute the angular extent of the plasma released, in the context of understanding both the slow solar wind and flare-accelerated SEPs. We will make predictions for Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe and discuss how these new measurements will help to both pinpoint the source of the slow solar wind and illuminate the transport mechanisms of wide-spread impulsive SEP events.

The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature

PubMed Central

Nobel, Jeremy

2010-01-01

This review explores the relationship between engagement with the creative arts and health outcomes, specifically the health effects of music engagement, visual arts therapy, movement-based creative expression, and expressive writing. Although there is evidence that art-based interventions are effective in reducing adverse physiological and psychological outcomes, the extent to which these interventions enhance health status is largely unknown. Our hope is to establish a foundation for continued investigation into this subject and to generate further interest in researching the complexities of engagement with the arts and health. PMID:20019311

Large historical growth in global terrestrial gross primary production

DOE PAGES

Campbell, J. E.; Berry, J. A.; Seibt, U.; ...

2017-04-05

Growth in terrestrial gross primary production (GPP) may provide a negative feedback for climate change. It remains uncertain, however, to what extent biogeochemical processes can suppress global GPP growth. In consequence, model estimates of terrestrial carbon storage and carbon cycle –climate feedbacks remain poorly constrained. Here we present a global, measurement-based estimate of GPP growth during the twentieth century based on long-term atmospheric carbonyl sulphide (COS) records derived from ice core, firn, and ambient air samples. Here, we interpret these records using a model that simulates changes in COS concentration due to changes in its sources and sinks, including amore » large sink that is related to GPP. We find that the COS record is most consistent with climate-carbon cycle model simulations that assume large GPP growth during the twentieth century (31% ± 5%; mean ± 95% confidence interval). Finally, while this COS analysis does not directly constrain estimates of future GPP growth it provides a global-scale benchmark for historical carbon cycle simulations.« less

Large historical growth in global terrestrial gross primary production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campbell, J. E.; Berry, J. A.; Seibt, U.

Growth in terrestrial gross primary production (GPP) may provide a negative feedback for climate change. It remains uncertain, however, to what extent biogeochemical processes can suppress global GPP growth. In consequence, model estimates of terrestrial carbon storage and carbon cycle –climate feedbacks remain poorly constrained. Here we present a global, measurement-based estimate of GPP growth during the twentieth century based on long-term atmospheric carbonyl sulphide (COS) records derived from ice core, firn, and ambient air samples. Here, we interpret these records using a model that simulates changes in COS concentration due to changes in its sources and sinks, including amore » large sink that is related to GPP. We find that the COS record is most consistent with climate-carbon cycle model simulations that assume large GPP growth during the twentieth century (31% ± 5%; mean ± 95% confidence interval). Finally, while this COS analysis does not directly constrain estimates of future GPP growth it provides a global-scale benchmark for historical carbon cycle simulations.« less

Approaches to simulating the “March of Bricks and Mortar”

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goldstein, Noah Charles; Candau, J.T.; Clarke, K.C.

2004-01-01

Re-creation of the extent of urban land use at different periods in time is valuable for examining how cities grow and how policy changes influence urban dynamics. To date, there has been little focus on the modeling of historical urban extent (other than for ancient cities). Instead, current modeling research has emphasized simulating the cities of the future. Predictive models can provide insights into urban growth processes and are valuable for land-use and urban planners, yet historical trends are largely ignored. This is unfortunate since historical data exist for urban areas and can be used to quantitatively test dynamic models and theory. We maintain that understanding the growth dynamics of a region's past allows more intelligent forecasts of its future. We compare using a spatio-temporal interpolation method with an agent-based simulation approach to recreate the urban extent of Santa Barbara, California, annually from 1929 to 2001. The first method uses current yet incomplete data on the construction of homes in the region. The latter uses a Cellular Automata based model, SLEUTH, to back- or hind-cast the urban extent. The success at historical urban growth reproduction of the two approaches used in this work was quantified for comparison. The performance of each method is described, as well as the utility of each model in re-creating the history of Santa Barbara. Additionally, the models’ assumptions about space are contrasted. As a consequence, we propose that both approaches are useful in historical urban simulations, yet the cellular approach is more flexible as it can be extended for spatio-temporal extrapolation.

Evaluation of Expert Systems in Decisionmaking Organizations

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-07-01

Abacus Press, Tunbridge Wells. Levis, A. H., 1984. "Information Processing and Decisionmaking Organizations: A Mathematical Description." I Large Scale Systems , Vol. 7, pp. 151-163. hI2 II I, Ie ... intelligence and especially expert systems. This paper presents a procedure for assessing to what extent the measures of performance of an organization are...aids that is receiving attention in the development community is based on artificial intelligence and especially expert systems. This paper presents a

Wetlands as large-scale nature-based solutions: status and future challenges for research and management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorslund, Josefin; Jarsjö, Jerker; Destouni, Georgia

2017-04-01

Wetlands are often considered as nature-based solutions that can provide a multitude of services of great social, economic and environmental value to humankind. The services may include recreation, greenhouse gas sequestration, contaminant retention, coastal protection, groundwater level and soil moisture regulation, flood regulation and biodiversity support. Changes in land-use, water use and climate can all impact wetland functions and occur at scales extending well beyond the local scale of an individual wetland. However, in practical applications, management decisions usually regard and focus on individual wetland sites and local conditions. To understand the potential usefulness and services of wetlands as larger-scale nature-based solutions, e.g. for mitigating negative impacts from large-scale change pressures, one needs to understand the combined function multiple wetlands at the relevant large scales. We here systematically investigate if and to what extent research so far has addressed the large-scale dynamics of landscape systems with multiple wetlands, which are likely to be relevant for understanding impacts of regional to global change. Our investigation regards key changes and impacts of relevance for nature-based solutions, such as large-scale nutrient and pollution retention, flow regulation and coastal protection. Although such large-scale knowledge is still limited, evidence suggests that the aggregated functions and effects of multiple wetlands in the landscape can differ considerably from those observed at individual wetlands. Such scale differences may have important implications for wetland function-effect predictability and management under large-scale change pressures and impacts, such as those of climate change.

Range contractions of the world's large carnivores

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The majority of the world's terrestrial large carnivores have undergone substantial range contractions and many of these species are currently threatened with extinction. However, there has been little effort to fully quantify the extent of large carnivore range contractions, which hinders our ability to understand the roles and relative drivers of such trends. Here we present and analyse a newly constructed and comprehensive set of large carnivore range contraction maps. We reveal the extent to which ranges have contracted since historical times and identify regions and biomes where range contractions have been particularly large. In summary, large carnivores that have experienced the greatest range contractions include the red wolf (Canis rufus) (greater than 99%), Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) (99%), tiger (Panthera tigris) (95%) and lion (Panthera leo) (94%). In general, the greatest range contractions occurred in Southeastern Asia and Africa. Motivated by the ecological importance of intact large carnivore guilds, we also examined the spatial extent of intact large carnivore guilds both for the entire world and regionally. We found that intact carnivore guilds occupy just 34% of the world's land area. This compares to 96% in historic times. Spatial modelling of range contractions showed that contractions were significantly more likely in regions with high rural human population density, cattle density or cropland. Our results offer new insights into how best to prevent further range contractions for the world's largest carnivores, which will assist efforts to conserve these species and their important ecological effects. PMID:28791136

Range contractions of the world's large carnivores.

PubMed

Wolf, Christopher; Ripple, William J

2017-07-01

The majority of the world's terrestrial large carnivores have undergone substantial range contractions and many of these species are currently threatened with extinction. However, there has been little effort to fully quantify the extent of large carnivore range contractions, which hinders our ability to understand the roles and relative drivers of such trends. Here we present and analyse a newly constructed and comprehensive set of large carnivore range contraction maps. We reveal the extent to which ranges have contracted since historical times and identify regions and biomes where range contractions have been particularly large. In summary, large carnivores that have experienced the greatest range contractions include the red wolf ( Canis rufus ) (greater than 99%), Ethiopian wolf ( Canis simensis ) (99%), tiger ( Panthera tigris ) (95%) and lion ( Panthera leo ) (94%). In general, the greatest range contractions occurred in Southeastern Asia and Africa. Motivated by the ecological importance of intact large carnivore guilds, we also examined the spatial extent of intact large carnivore guilds both for the entire world and regionally. We found that intact carnivore guilds occupy just 34% of the world's land area. This compares to 96% in historic times. Spatial modelling of range contractions showed that contractions were significantly more likely in regions with high rural human population density, cattle density or cropland. Our results offer new insights into how best to prevent further range contractions for the world's largest carnivores, which will assist efforts to conserve these species and their important ecological effects.

The extent of forest in dryland biomes.

PubMed

Bastin, Jean-François; Berrahmouni, Nora; Grainger, Alan; Maniatis, Danae; Mollicone, Danilo; Moore, Rebecca; Patriarca, Chiara; Picard, Nicolas; Sparrow, Ben; Abraham, Elena Maria; Aloui, Kamel; Atesoglu, Ayhan; Attore, Fabio; Bassüllü, Çağlar; Bey, Adia; Garzuglia, Monica; García-Montero, Luis G; Groot, Nikée; Guerin, Greg; Laestadius, Lars; Lowe, Andrew J; Mamane, Bako; Marchi, Giulio; Patterson, Paul; Rezende, Marcelo; Ricci, Stefano; Salcedo, Ignacio; Diaz, Alfonso Sanchez-Paus; Stolle, Fred; Surappaeva, Venera; Castro, Rene

2017-05-12

Dryland biomes cover two-fifths of Earth's land surface, but their forest area is poorly known. Here, we report an estimate of global forest extent in dryland biomes, based on analyzing more than 210,000 0.5-hectare sample plots through a photo-interpretation approach using large databases of satellite imagery at (i) very high spatial resolution and (ii) very high temporal resolution, which are available through the Google Earth platform. We show that in 2015, 1327 million hectares of drylands had more than 10% tree-cover, and 1079 million hectares comprised forest. Our estimate is 40 to 47% higher than previous estimates, corresponding to 467 million hectares of forest that have never been reported before. This increases current estimates of global forest cover by at least 9%. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Speech recognition: Acoustic phonetic and lexical knowledge representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zue, V. W.

1983-02-01

The purpose of this program is to develop a speech data base facility under which the acoustic characteristics of speech sounds in various contexts can be studied conveniently; investigate the phonological properties of a large lexicon of, say 10,000 words, and determine to what extent the phontactic constraints can be utilized in speech recognition; study the acoustic cues that are used to mark work boundaries; develop a test bed in the form of a large-vocabulary, IWR system to study the interactions of acoustic, phonetic and lexical knowledge; and develop a limited continuous speech recognition system with the goal of recognizing any English word from its spelling in order to assess the interactions of higher-level knowledge sources.

A Neurophysiological examination of quality of learning in a feedback-based learning task.

PubMed

Arbel, Yael; Wu, Hao

2016-12-01

The efficiency with which one processes external feedback contributes to the speed and quality of one's learning. Previous findings that the feedback related negativity (FRN) event related potential (ERP) is modulated by learning outcomes suggested that this ERP reflects the extent to which feedback is used by the learner to improve performance. To further test this suggestion, we measured whether the FRN and the fronto-central positivity (FCP) that follows it are modulated by learning slopes, and as a function of individual differences in learning outcomes. Participants were tasked with learning names (non-words) of 42 novel objects in a two-choice feedback-based visual learning task. The items were divided into three sets of 14 items, each presented in five learning blocks and a sixth test block. Individual learning slopes based on performance on the task, as well as FRN and FCP slopes based on positive and negative feedback related activation in each block were created for 53 participants. Our data pointed to an interaction between slopes of the FRN elicited by negative feedback and learning slopes, such that a sharper decrease in the amplitude of the FRN to negative feedback was associated with sharper learning slopes. We further examined the predictive power of the FRN and FCP elicited in the training blocks on the learning outcomes as measured by performance on the test blocks. We found that small FRN to negative feedback, large FRN to positive feedback, and large FCP to negative feedback in the first training block predicted better learning outcomes. These results add to the growing evidence that the processes giving rise to the FRN and FCP are sensitive to individual differences in the extent to which feedback is used for learning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficiency in pathology laboratories: a survey of operations management in NHS bacteriology.

PubMed

Szczepura, A K

1991-01-01

In recent years pathology laboratory services in the U.K. have experienced large increases in demand. But the extent to which U.K. laboratories have introduced controls to limit unnecessary procedures within the laboratory was previously unclear. This paper presents the results of a survey of all 343 NHS bacteriology laboratories which records the extent to which such operations management controls are now in place. The survey shows large differences between laboratories. Quality controls over inputs, the use of screening tests as a culture substitute, the use of direct susceptibility testing, controls over routine antibiotic susceptibility testing, and controls over reporting of results all vary widely. The survey also records the prevalence of hospital antibiotic policies, the extent to which laboratories produce antibiograms for user clinicians, the degree of computerisation in data handling, and the degree of automation in processing specimens. Finally, the survey uncovers a large variation between NHS labs in the percentage of bacteriology samples which prove positive and lead to antibiotic susceptibility tests being carried out.

Quantal Response: Estimation and Inference

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

considered. The CI-based test is just another way of looking at the Wald test. A small-sample simulation illustrates aberrant behavior of the Wald/CI...asymptotic power computation (Eq. 36) exhibits this behavior but not to such an extent as the simulated small-sample power. Sample size is n = 11 and...as |m1−m0| increases, but the power of the Wald test actually decreases for large |m1−m0| and eventually π → α . This type of behavior was reported as

Untangling the relationships among regional occupancy, species traits, and niche characteristics in stream invertebrates

PubMed Central

Heino, Jani; Grönroos, Mira

2014-01-01

The regional occupancy and local abundance of species are affected by various species traits, but their relative effects are poorly understood. We studied the relationships between species traits and occupancy (i.e., proportion of sites occupied) or abundance (i.e., mean local abundance at occupied sites) of stream invertebrates using small-grained data (i.e., local stream sites) across a large spatial extent (i.e., three drainage basins). We found a significant, yet rather weak, linear relationship between occupancy and abundance. However, occupancy was strongly related to niche position (NP), but it showed a weaker relationship with niche breadth (NB). Abundance was at best weakly related to these explanatory niche-based variables. Biological traits, including feeding modes, habit traits, dispersal modes and body size classes, were generally less important in accounting for variation in occupancy and abundance. Our findings showed that the regional occupancy of stream invertebrate species is mostly related to niche characteristics, in particular, NP. However, the effects of NB on occupancy were affected by the measure itself. We conclude that niche characteristics determine the regional occupancy of species at relatively large spatial extents, suggesting that species distributions are determined by environmental variation among sites. PMID:24963387

Extent of hippocampal atrophy predicts degree of deficit in recall

PubMed Central

Patai, Eva Zita; Gadian, David G.; Cooper, Janine M.; Dzieciol, Anna M.; Mishkin, Mortimer; Vargha-Khadem, Faraneh

2015-01-01

Which specific memory functions are dependent on the hippocampus is still debated. The availability of a large cohort of patients who had sustained relatively selective hippocampal damage early in life enabled us to determine which type of mnemonic deficit showed a correlation with extent of hippocampal injury. We assessed our patient cohort on a test that provides measures of recognition and recall that are equated for difficulty and found that the patients' performance on the recall tests correlated significantly with their hippocampal volumes, whereas their performance on the equally difficult recognition tests did not and, indeed, was largely unaffected regardless of extent of hippocampal atrophy. The results provide new evidence in favor of the view that the hippocampus is essential for recall but not for recognition. PMID:26417089

Extent of hippocampal atrophy predicts degree of deficit in recall.

PubMed

Patai, Eva Zita; Gadian, David G; Cooper, Janine M; Dzieciol, Anna M; Mishkin, Mortimer; Vargha-Khadem, Faraneh

2015-10-13

Which specific memory functions are dependent on the hippocampus is still debated. The availability of a large cohort of patients who had sustained relatively selective hippocampal damage early in life enabled us to determine which type of mnemonic deficit showed a correlation with extent of hippocampal injury. We assessed our patient cohort on a test that provides measures of recognition and recall that are equated for difficulty and found that the patients' performance on the recall tests correlated significantly with their hippocampal volumes, whereas their performance on the equally difficult recognition tests did not and, indeed, was largely unaffected regardless of extent of hippocampal atrophy. The results provide new evidence in favor of the view that the hippocampus is essential for recall but not for recognition.

Large-scale variations in observed Antarctic Sea ice extent and associated atmospheric circulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cavalieri, D. J.; Parkinson, C. L.

1981-01-01

The 1974 Antarctic large scale sea ice extent is studied from data from Nimbus 2 and 5 and temperature and sea level pressure fields from the Australian Meteorological Data Set. Electrically Scanning Microwave Radiometer data were three-day averaged and compared with 1000 mbar atmospheric pressure and sea level pressure data, also in three-day averages. Each three-day period was subjected to a Fourier analysis and included the mean latitude of the ice extent and the phases and percent variances in terms of the first six Fourier harmonics. Centers of low pressure were found to be generally east of regions which displayed rapid ice growth, and winds acted to extend the ice equatorward. An atmospheric response was also noted as caused by the changing ice cover.

Common genetic architecture underlying young children's food fussiness and liking for vegetables and fruit.

PubMed

Fildes, Alison; van Jaarsveld, Cornelia H M; Cooke, Lucy; Wardle, Jane; Llewellyn, Clare H

2016-04-01

Food fussiness (FF) is common in early childhood and is often associated with the rejection of nutrient-dense foods such as vegetables and fruit. FF and liking for vegetables and fruit are likely all heritable phenotypes; the genetic influence underlying FF may explain the observed genetic influence on liking for vegetables and fruit. Twin analyses make it possible to get a broad-based estimate of the extent of the shared genetic influence that underlies these traits. We quantified the extent of the shared genetic influence that underlies FF and liking for vegetables and fruit in early childhood with the use of a twin design. Data were from the Gemini cohort, which is a population-based sample of twins born in England and Wales in 2007. Parents of 3-y-old twins (n= 1330 pairs) completed questionnaire measures of their children's food preferences (liking for vegetables and fruit) and the FF scale from the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Multivariate quantitative genetic modeling was used to estimate common genetic influences that underlie FF and liking for vegetables and fruit. Genetic correlations were significant and moderate to large in size between FF and liking for both vegetables (-0.65) and fruit (-0.43), which indicated that a substantial proportion of the genes that influence FF also influence liking. Common genes that underlie FF and liking for vegetables and fruit largely explained the observed phenotypic correlations between them (68-70%). FF and liking for fruit and vegetables in young children share a large proportion of common genetic factors. The genetic influence on FF may determine why fussy children typically reject fruit and vegetables.

Assimilation of flood extent data with 2D flood inundation models for localised intense rainfall events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neal, J. C.; Wood, M.; Bermúdez, M.; Hostache, R.; Freer, J. E.; Bates, P. D.; Coxon, G.

2017-12-01

Remote sensing of flood inundation extent has long been a potential source of data for constraining and correcting simulations of floodplain inundation. Hydrodynamic models and the computing resources to run them have developed to the extent that simulation of flood inundation in two-dimensional space is now feasible over large river basins in near real-time. However, despite substantial evidence that there is useful information content within inundation extent data, even from low resolution SAR such as that gathered by Envisat ASAR in wide swath mode, making use of the information in a data assimilation system has proved difficult. He we review recent applications of the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) and Particle Filter for assimilating SAR data, with a focus on the River Severn UK and compare these with complementary research that has looked at the internal error sources and boundary condition errors using detailed terrestrial data that is not available in most locations. Previous applications of the EnKF to this reach have focused on upstream boundary conditions as the source of flow error, however this description of errors was too simplistic for the simulation of summer flood events where localised intense rainfall can be substantial. Therefore, we evaluate the introduction of uncertain lateral inflows to the ensemble. A further limitation of the existing EnKF based methods is the need to convert flood extent to water surface elevations by intersecting the shoreline location with a high quality digital elevation model (e.g. LiDAR). To simplify this data processing step, we evaluate a method to directly assimilate inundation extent as a EnKF model state rather than assimilating water heights, potentially allowing the scheme to be used where high-quality terrain data are sparse.

Classroom implementation of the practices learned in the Master of Chemistry Education program by the School District of Philadelphia's high school chemistry teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayaraman, Uma Devi

This dissertation reports the results of an exploratory case study utilizing quantitative and qualitative methodologies intended to ascertain the extent and differences of implementation of research-based instructional practices, learned in an intensive 26-month professional development, in their urban classrooms. Both the extent and differences in the implementation of practices were investigated in relation to the lesson design and implementation, content, and classroom culture aspects of research-based practices. Additionally, this research includes the concerns of the teachers regarding the factors that helped or hindered the implementation of research-based practices in their classrooms. Six graduates of the Master of Chemistry Education Program who were teaching a chemistry course in a high school in the School District of Philadelphia at the time of the study (2006-8), were the case. The teachers completed a concerns questionnaire with closed and open-ended items, and rated their perceptions of the extent of implementation of the practices in their urban classrooms. Additionally, the teachers were observed and rated by the researcher using a reform-teaching observation protocol and were interviewed individually. Also, the teachers submitted their lesson plans for the days they were observed. Data from these sources were analyzed to arrive at the findings for this study. The research findings suggest that the group of teachers in the study implemented the research-based practices in their classrooms to a low extent when compared to the recommended practices inherent to the MCE Program. The extents of implementation of the practices differed widely among the teachers, from being absent to being implemented at a high level, with inconsistent levels of implementation from various data sources. Further, the teachers expressed the depth of knowledge (gained in the MCE Program), formal laboratory exercises and reports, administrative support, self-motivated students, and group/collaborative work as several factors that enabled or would have enabled the implementation of practices. Among the many factors that hindered the implementation of the practices in their urban classrooms were, the core curriculum and pacing schedule, followed by test preparation, administrative paper-work, large class-size, students not prepared for student-centered work, poor math and reading skills of students, students' lack of motivation, unsupportive department head, unresponsive administration, and lack of resources.

Particle Filter-Based Recursive Data Fusion With Sensor Indexing for Large Core Neutron Flux Estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamboli, Prakash Kumar; Duttagupta, Siddhartha P.; Roy, Kallol

2017-06-01

We introduce a sequential importance sampling particle filter (PF)-based multisensor multivariate nonlinear estimator for estimating the in-core neutron flux distribution for pressurized heavy water reactor core. Many critical applications such as reactor protection and control rely upon neutron flux information, and thus their reliability is of utmost importance. The point kinetic model based on neutron transport conveniently explains the dynamics of nuclear reactor. The neutron flux in the large core loosely coupled reactor is sensed by multiple sensors measuring point fluxes located at various locations inside the reactor core. The flux values are coupled to each other through diffusion equation. The coupling facilitates redundancy in the information. It is shown that multiple independent data about the localized flux can be fused together to enhance the estimation accuracy to a great extent. We also propose the sensor anomaly handling feature in multisensor PF to maintain the estimation process even when the sensor is faulty or generates data anomaly.

Proximate and Ultimate Limiting Nutrients in the Mississippi River Plume: Implications for Hypoxia Reduction Through Nutrient Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fennel, K.; Laurent, A.

2016-02-01

A large hypoxic area (15,000 km2 on average) forms every summer over the Texas-Louisiana shelf in the northern Gulf of Mexico due to decay of organic matter that is primarily derived from nutrient inputs from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River System. Efforts are underway to reduce the extent of hypoxic conditions through nutrient management in the watershed; for example, an interagency Hypoxia Task Force is developing Action Plans with input from various stakeholders that set out targets for hypoxia reduction. An open question is by how much nutrient loads would have to be decreased in order to produce the desired reductions in hypoxia and when these would be measurable over natural variability. We have performed a large number of multi-year nutrient load reduction scenarios with a regional biogeochemical model for the region. The model is based on the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), explicitly includes nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) species as inorganic nutrients, and has been shown to realistically reproduce the key processes responsible for hypoxia generation. We have quantified the effects of differential reductions in river N and P loads on hypoxic extent. An assessment of the effects of N versus P reductions is important because, thus far, nutrient management efforts have focused on N, yet P is known to limit primary production in spring and early summer. A debate is ongoing as to whether targets for P reductions should be set and whether nutrient reduction efforts should focus solely on P, which results primarily from urban and industrial point sources and is uncoupled from agricultural fertilizer application. Our results strongly indicate that N is the `ultimate' limiting nutrient to primary production determining the areal extent and duration of hypoxic conditions in a cumulative sense, while P is temporarily limiting in spring. Although reductions in river P load would decrease hypoxic extent in early summer, they would have a much smaller effect than N reductions on the cumulative extent and duration of hypoxic conditions. Combined reductions of N and P have the greatest effect.

Proximate versus ultimate limiting nutrients in the Mississippi River Plume and Implications for Hypoxia Reductions through Nutrient Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fennel, Katja; Laurent, Arnaud

2016-04-01

A large hypoxic area (15,000 km2 on average) forms every summer over the Texas-Louisiana shelf in the northern Gulf of Mexico due to decay of organic matter that is primarily derived from nutrient inputs from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River System. Efforts are underway to reduce the extent of hypoxic conditions through nutrient management in the watershed; for example, an interagency Hypoxia Task Force is developing Action Plans with input from various stakeholders that set out targets for hypoxia reduction. An open question is how far nutrient loads would have to be decreased in order to produce the desired reductions in hypoxia and when these would be measurable given significant natural variability. We have simulated a large number of multi-year nutrient load reduction scenarios with a regional biogeochemical model for the region. The model is based on the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), explicitly includes nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) species as inorganic nutrients, and has been shown to realistically reproduce the key processes responsible for hypoxia generation. We have quantified the effects of differential reductions in river N and P loads on hypoxic extent. An assessment of the effects of N versus P reductions is important because, thus far, nutrient management efforts have focused on N, yet P is known to limit primary production in spring and early summer. A debate is ongoing as to whether targets for P reductions should be set and whether nutrient reduction efforts should focus solely on P, which results primarily from urban and industrial point sources and is uncoupled from agricultural fertilizer application. Our results strongly indicate that N is the 'ultimate' limiting nutrient to primary production determining the areal extent and duration of hypoxic conditions in a cumulative sense, while P is temporarily limiting in spring. Although reductions in river P load would decrease hypoxic extent in early summer, they would have a much smaller effect than N reductions on the cumulative extent and duration of hypoxic conditions. Combined reductions of N and P have the greatest effect.

Overestimation of heights in virtual reality is influenced more by perceived distal size than by the 2-D versus 3-D dimensionality of the display.

PubMed

Dixon, Melissa W; Proffitt, Dennis R

2002-01-01

One important aspect of the pictorial representation of a scene is the depiction of object proportions. Yang, Dixon, and Proffitt (1999 Perception 28 445-467) recently reported that the magnitude of the vertical-horizontal illusion was greater for vertical extents presented in three-dimensional (3-D) environments compared to two-dimensional (2-D) displays. However, because all of the 3-D environments were large and all of the 2-D displays were small, the question remains whether the observed magnitude differences were due solely to the dimensionality of the displays (2-D versus 3-D) or to the perceived distal size of the extents (small versus large). We investigated this question by comparing observers' judgments of vertical relative to horizontal extents on a large but 2-D display compared to the large 3-D and the small 2-D displays used by Yang et al (1999). The results confirmed that the magnitude differences for vertical overestimation between display media are influenced more by the perceived distal object size rather than by the dimensionality of the display.

Overestimation of heights in virtual reality is influenced more by perceived distal size than by the 2-D versus 3-D dimensionality of the display

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dixon, Melissa W.; Proffitt, Dennis R.; Kaiser, M. K. (Principal Investigator)

2002-01-01

One important aspect of the pictorial representation of a scene is the depiction of object proportions. Yang, Dixon, and Proffitt (1999 Perception 28 445-467) recently reported that the magnitude of the vertical-horizontal illusion was greater for vertical extents presented in three-dimensional (3-D) environments compared to two-dimensional (2-D) displays. However, because all of the 3-D environments were large and all of the 2-D displays were small, the question remains whether the observed magnitude differences were due solely to the dimensionality of the displays (2-D versus 3-D) or to the perceived distal size of the extents (small versus large). We investigated this question by comparing observers' judgments of vertical relative to horizontal extents on a large but 2-D display compared to the large 3-D and the small 2-D displays used by Yang et al (1999). The results confirmed that the magnitude differences for vertical overestimation between display media are influenced more by the perceived distal object size rather than by the dimensionality of the display.

Treatment-resistant Schizophrenia: Evidence-based Strategies

PubMed Central

Englisch, Susanne; Zink, Mathias

2012-01-01

Treatment-resistant symptoms complicate the clinical course of schizophrenia, and a large proportion of patients do not reach functional recovery. In consequence, polypharmacy is frequently used in treatment-refractory cases, addressing psychotic positive, negative and cognitive symptoms, treatment-emergent side effects caused by antipsychotics and comorbid depressive or obsessive-compulsive symptoms. To a large extent, such strategies are not covered by pharmacological guidelines which strongly suggest antipsychotic monotherapy. Add-on strategies comprise combinations of several antipsychotic agents and augmentations with mood stabilizers; moreover, antidepressants and experimental substances are applied. Based on the accumulated evidence of clinical trials and meta-analyses, combinations of clozapine with certain second-generation antipsychotic agents and the augmentation of antipsychotics with antidepressants seem recommendable, while the augmentation with mood stabilizers cannot be considered superior to placebo. Forthcoming investigations will have to focus on innovative pharmacological agents, the clinical spectrum of cognitive deficits and the implementation of cognitive behavioral therapy. PMID:22654380

Detecting a Weak Association by Testing its Multiple Perturbations: a Data Mining Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lo, Min-Tzu; Lee, Wen-Chung

2014-05-01

Many risk factors/interventions in epidemiologic/biomedical studies are of minuscule effects. To detect such weak associations, one needs a study with a very large sample size (the number of subjects, n). The n of a study can be increased but unfortunately only to an extent. Here, we propose a novel method which hinges on increasing sample size in a different direction-the total number of variables (p). We construct a p-based `multiple perturbation test', and conduct power calculations and computer simulations to show that it can achieve a very high power to detect weak associations when p can be made very large. As a demonstration, we apply the method to analyze a genome-wide association study on age-related macular degeneration and identify two novel genetic variants that are significantly associated with the disease. The p-based method may set a stage for a new paradigm of statistical tests.

Dynamics of bacterial communities during the ripening process of different Croatian cheese types derived from raw ewe's milk cheeses.

PubMed

Fuka, Mirna Mrkonjić; Wallisch, Stefanie; Engel, Marion; Welzl, Gerhard; Havranek, Jasmina; Schloter, Michael

2013-01-01

Microbial communities play an important role in cheese ripening and determine the flavor and taste of different cheese types to a large extent. However, under adverse conditions human pathogens may colonize cheese samples during ripening and may thus cause severe outbreaks of diarrhoea and other diseases. Therefore in the present study we investigated the bacterial community structure of three raw ewe's milk cheese types, which are produced without the application of starter cultures during ripening from two production sites based on fingerprinting in combination with next generation sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. Overall a surprisingly high diversity was found in the analyzed samples and overall up to 213 OTU97 could be assigned. 20 of the major OTUs were present in all samples and include mostly lactic acid bacteria (LAB), mainly Lactococcus, and Enterococcus species. Abundance and diversity of these genera differed to a large extent between the 3 investigated cheese types and in response to the ripening process. Also a large number of non LAB genera could be identified based on phylogenetic alignments including mainly Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcacae. Some species belonging to these two families could be clearly assigned to species which are known as potential human pathogens like Staphylococcus saprophyticus or Salmonella spp. However, during cheese ripening their abundance was reduced. The bacterial genera, namely Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc, Bifidobacterium, Brevibacterium, Corynebacterium, Clostridium, Staphylococcus, Thermoanerobacterium, E. coli, Hafnia, Pseudomonas, Janthinobacterium, Petrotoga, Kosmotoga, Megasphaera, Macrococcus, Mannheimia, Aerococcus, Vagococcus, Weissella and Pediococcus were identified at a relative low level and only in selected samples. Overall the microbial composition of the used milk and the management of the production units determined the bacterial community composition for all cheese types to a large extend, also at the late time points of cheese ripening.

Dynamics of Bacterial Communities during the Ripening Process of Different Croatian Cheese Types Derived from Raw Ewe's Milk Cheeses

PubMed Central

Fuka, Mirna Mrkonjić; Wallisch, Stefanie; Engel, Marion; Welzl, Gerhard; Havranek, Jasmina; Schloter, Michael

2013-01-01

Microbial communities play an important role in cheese ripening and determine the flavor and taste of different cheese types to a large extent. However, under adverse conditions human pathogens may colonize cheese samples during ripening and may thus cause severe outbreaks of diarrhoea and other diseases. Therefore in the present study we investigated the bacterial community structure of three raw ewe's milk cheese types, which are produced without the application of starter cultures during ripening from two production sites based on fingerprinting in combination with next generation sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. Overall a surprisingly high diversity was found in the analyzed samples and overall up to 213 OTU97 could be assigned. 20 of the major OTUs were present in all samples and include mostly lactic acid bacteria (LAB), mainly Lactococcus, and Enterococcus species. Abundance and diversity of these genera differed to a large extent between the 3 investigated cheese types and in response to the ripening process. Also a large number of non LAB genera could be identified based on phylogenetic alignments including mainly Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcacae. Some species belonging to these two families could be clearly assigned to species which are known as potential human pathogens like Staphylococcus saprophyticus or Salmonella spp. However, during cheese ripening their abundance was reduced. The bacterial genera, namely Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc, Bifidobacterium, Brevibacterium, Corynebacterium, Clostridium, Staphylococcus, Thermoanerobacterium, E. coli, Hafnia, Pseudomonas, Janthinobacterium, Petrotoga, Kosmotoga, Megasphaera, Macrococcus, Mannheimia, Aerococcus, Vagococcus, Weissella and Pediococcus were identified at a relative low level and only in selected samples. Overall the microbial composition of the used milk and the management of the production units determined the bacterial community composition for all cheese types to a large extend, also at the late time points of cheese ripening. PMID:24278315

Planned NLM/AHCPR large-scale vocabulary test: using UMLS technology to determine the extent to which controlled vocabularies cover terminology needed for health care and public health.

PubMed Central

Humphreys, B L; Hole, W T; McCray, A T; Fitzmaurice, J M

1996-01-01

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) are sponsoring a test to determine the extent to which a combination of existing health-related terminologies covers vocabulary needed in health information systems. The test vocabularies are the 30 that are fully or partially represented in the 1996 edition of the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) Metathesaurus, plus three planned additions: the portions of SNOMED International not in the 1996 Metathesaurus Read Clinical Classification, and the Logical Observations Identifiers, Names, and Codes (LOINC) system. These vocabularies are available to testers through a special interface to the Internet-based UMLS Knowledge Source Server. The test will determine the ability of the test vocabularies to serve as a source of controlled vocabulary for health data systems and applications. It should provide the basis for realistic resource estimates for developing and maintaining a comprehensive "standard" health vocabulary that is based on existing terminologies. PMID:8816351

The Extent and Nature of Fluidity in Typologies of Female Sex Work in Southern India: Implications for HIV Prevention Programs

PubMed Central

Saggurti, Niranjan

2012-01-01

These authors examine the nature and extent of fluidity in defining the typology of female sex work based on the place of solicitation or place of sex or both places together, and whether sex workers belonging to a particular typology are at increased risk of HIV in southern India. Data are drawn from a cross-sectional survey conducted during 2007–2008 among mobile female sex workers (N = 5301) in four Indian states. Findings from this study address an important policy issue: Should programmatic prevention interventions be spread to cover all places of sex work or be focused on a few places that cover a large majority of sex workers? Results indicate that most female sex workers, including those who are usually hard to reach such as those who are mobile or who use homes for soliciting clients or sex, can be reached programmatically multiple times by concentrating on a smaller number of categories, such as street-, lodge-, and brothel-based sex workers. PMID:22745597

Quantitative Examination of Corrosion Damage by Means of Thermal Response Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rajic, Nik

1998-01-01

Two computational methods are presented that enable a characterization of corrosion damage to be performed from thermal response measurements derived from a standard flash thermographic inspection. The first is based upon a one dimensional analytical solution to the heat diffusion equation and presumes the lateral extent of damage is large compared to the residual structural thickness, such that lateral heat diffusion effects can be considered insignificant. The second proposed method, based on a finite element optimization scheme, addresses the more general case where these conditions are not met. Results from an experimental application are given to illustrate the precision, robustness and practical efficacy of both methods.

Automating the selection of standard parallels for conic map projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šavriǒ, Bojan; Jenny, Bernhard

2016-05-01

Conic map projections are appropriate for mapping regions at medium and large scales with east-west extents at intermediate latitudes. Conic projections are appropriate for these cases because they show the mapped area with less distortion than other projections. In order to minimize the distortion of the mapped area, the two standard parallels of conic projections need to be selected carefully. Rules of thumb exist for placing the standard parallels based on the width-to-height ratio of the map. These rules of thumb are simple to apply, but do not result in maps with minimum distortion. There also exist more sophisticated methods that determine standard parallels such that distortion in the mapped area is minimized. These methods are computationally expensive and cannot be used for real-time web mapping and GIS applications where the projection is adjusted automatically to the displayed area. This article presents a polynomial model that quickly provides the standard parallels for the three most common conic map projections: the Albers equal-area, the Lambert conformal, and the equidistant conic projection. The model defines the standard parallels with polynomial expressions based on the spatial extent of the mapped area. The spatial extent is defined by the length of the mapped central meridian segment, the central latitude of the displayed area, and the width-to-height ratio of the map. The polynomial model was derived from 3825 maps-each with a different spatial extent and computationally determined standard parallels that minimize the mean scale distortion index. The resulting model is computationally simple and can be used for the automatic selection of the standard parallels of conic map projections in GIS software and web mapping applications.

The Effect of Mitigation Policy on Regional Climate Impacts on the U.S. Electric Sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, S. M.; Sun, Y.; Strzepek, K.; McFarland, J.; Boehlert, B.; Fant, C.

2017-12-01

Climate change can influence the U.S. electricity sector in many ways, the nature of which can be shaped by energy and environmental policy choices. Changing temperatures affect electricity demand largely through heating and cooling needs, and temperatures also affect generation and transmission system performance. Altered precipitation patterns affect the regional and seasonal distribution of surface water runoff, which changes hydropower operation and thermal cooling water availability. The extent to which these stimuli influence U.S. power sector operation and planning will depend to some extent on whether or not proactive policies are enacted to mitigate these impacts. Mitigation policies such as CO2 emissions limits or technology restrictions can change the makeup of the electricity system while reducing the extent of climate change itself. We use the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS), a U.S. electric sector capacity expansion model, to explore electric sector evolution through 2050 under alternative climate and policy assumptions. The model endogenously represents climate impacts on load, power system performance, cooling water availability, and hydropower, allowing internally consistent system responses to climate change along with projected technology, market, and policy conditions. We compare climate impacts across 5 global circulation models for a 8.5 W/m2 representative concentration pathway (RCP) without a climate mitigation policy and a 4.5 W/m2 RCP with climate mitigation. Climate drivers affect the capacity and generation mix at the national and regional levels, with relative growth of wind, solar, and natural gas-based technologies depending on local electricity system characteristics. These differences affect regional economic impacts, measured here as changes to electricity price and system costs. Mitigation policy reduces the economic and system impacts of climate change largely by moderating temperature-induced load but also by lessening water- and temperature-based performance constraints. Policy impacts are nuanced and region-specific, and this analysis underscores the importance of climate mitigation policy to regional electricity system planning decisions.

Rabbit biocontrol and landscape-scale recovery of threatened desert mammals.

PubMed

Pedler, Reece D; Brandle, Robert; Read, John L; Southgate, Richard; Bird, Peter; Moseby, Katherine E

2016-08-01

Funding for species conservation is insufficient to meet the current challenges facing global biodiversity, yet many programs use expensive single-species recovery actions and neglect broader management that addresses threatening processes. Arid Australia has the world's worst modern mammalian extinction record, largely attributable to competition from introduced herbivores, particularly European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and predation by feral cats (Felis catus) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes). The biological control agent rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) was introduced to Australia in 1995 and resulted in dramatic, widespread rabbit suppression. We compared the area of occupancy and extent of occurrence of 4 extant species of small mammals before and after RHDV outbreak, relative to rainfall, sampling effort, and rabbit and predator populations. Despite low rainfall during the first 14 years after RHDV, 2 native rodents listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the dusky hopping-mouse (Notomys fuscus) and plains mouse (Pseudomys australis), increased their extent of occurrence by 241-365%. A threatened marsupial micropredator, the crest-tailed mulgara (Dasycercus cristicauda), underwent a 70-fold increase in extent of occurrence and a 20-fold increase in area of occupancy. Both bottom-up and top-down trophic effects were attributed to RHDV, namely decreased competition for food resources and declines in rabbit-dependent predators. Based on these sustained increases, these 3 previously threatened species now qualify for threat-category downgrading on the IUCN Red List. These recoveries are on a scale rarely documented in mammals and give impetus to programs aimed at targeted use of RHDV in Australia, rather than simply employing top-down threat-based management of arid ecosystems. Conservation programs that take big-picture approaches to addressing threatening processes over large spatial scales should be prioritized to maximize return from scarce conservation funding. Further, these should be coupled with long-term ecological monitoring, a critical tool in detecting and understanding complex ecosystem change. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

Does Family Background Matter for Learning in East Africa?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Sam; Schipper, Youdi

2015-01-01

The extent to which differences in family background characteristics explain differences in learning outcomes between children captures the extent of equality in educational opportunities. This study uses large-scale data on literacy and numeracy outcomes for children of school age across East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) to investigate the…

Integrated approach using multi-platform sensors for enhanced high-resolution daily ice cover product

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonev, George; Gladkova, Irina; Grossberg, Michael; Romanov, Peter; Helfrich, Sean

2016-09-01

The ultimate objective of this work is to improve characterization of the ice cover distribution in the polar areas, to improve sea ice mapping and to develop a new automated real-time high spatial resolution multi-sensor ice extent and ice edge product for use in operational applications. Despite a large number of currently available automated satellite-based sea ice extent datasets, analysts at the National Ice Center tend to rely on original satellite imagery (provided by satellite optical, passive microwave and active microwave sensors) mainly because the automated products derived from satellite optical data have gaps in the area coverage due to clouds and darkness, passive microwave products have poor spatial resolution, automated ice identifications based on radar data are not quite reliable due to a considerable difficulty in discriminating between the ice cover and rough ice-free ocean surface due to winds. We have developed a multisensor algorithm that first extracts maximum information on the sea ice cover from imaging instruments VIIRS and MODIS, including regions covered by thin, semitransparent clouds, then supplements the output by the microwave measurements and finally aggregates the results into a cloud gap free daily product. This ability to identify ice cover underneath thin clouds, which is usually masked out by traditional cloud detection algorithms, allows for expansion of the effective coverage of the sea ice maps and thus more accurate and detailed delineation of the ice edge. We have also developed a web-based monitoring system that allows comparison of our daily ice extent product with the several other independent operational daily products.

Neural substrates of similarity and rule-based strategies in judgment

PubMed Central

von Helversen, Bettina; Karlsson, Linnea; Rasch, Björn; Rieskamp, Jörg

2014-01-01

Making accurate judgments is a core human competence and a prerequisite for success in many areas of life. Plenty of evidence exists that people can employ different judgment strategies to solve identical judgment problems. In categorization, it has been demonstrated that similarity-based and rule-based strategies are associated with activity in different brain regions. Building on this research, the present work tests whether solving two identical judgment problems recruits different neural substrates depending on people's judgment strategies. Combining cognitive modeling of judgment strategies at the behavioral level with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we compare brain activity when using two archetypal judgment strategies: a similarity-based exemplar strategy and a rule-based heuristic strategy. Using an exemplar-based strategy should recruit areas involved in long-term memory processes to a larger extent than a heuristic strategy. In contrast, using a heuristic strategy should recruit areas involved in the application of rules to a larger extent than an exemplar-based strategy. Largely consistent with our hypotheses, we found that using an exemplar-based strategy led to relatively higher BOLD activity in the anterior prefrontal and inferior parietal cortex, presumably related to retrieval and selective attention processes. In contrast, using a heuristic strategy led to relatively higher activity in areas in the dorsolateral prefrontal and the temporal-parietal cortex associated with cognitive control and information integration. Thus, even when people solve identical judgment problems, different neural substrates can be recruited depending on the judgment strategy involved. PMID:25360099

Satellite-based remote sensing of running water habitats at large riverscape scales: Tools to analyze habitat heterogeneity for river ecosystem management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hugue, F.; Lapointe, M.; Eaton, B. C.; Lepoutre, A.

2016-01-01

We illustrate an approach to quantify patterns in hydraulic habitat composition and local heterogeneity applicable at low cost over very large river extents, with selectable reach window scales. Ongoing developments in remote sensing and geographical information science massively improve efficiencies in analyzing earth surface features. With the development of new satellite sensors and drone platforms and with the lowered cost of high resolution multispectral imagery, fluvial geomorphology is experiencing a revolution in mapping streams at high resolution. Exploiting the power of aerial or satellite imagery is particularly useful in a riverscape research framework (Fausch et al., 2002), where high resolution sampling of fluvial features and very large coverage extents are needed. This study presents a satellite remote sensing method that requires very limited field calibration data to estimate over various scales ranging from 1 m to many tens or river kilometers (i) spatial composition metrics for key hydraulic mesohabitat types and (ii) reach-scale wetted habitat heterogeneity indices such as the hydromorphological index of diversity (HMID). When the purpose is hydraulic habitat characterization applied over long river networks, the proposed method (although less accurate) is much less computationally expensive and less data demanding than two dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Here, we illustrate the tools based on a Worldview 2 satellite image of the Kiamika River, near Mont Laurier, Quebec, Canada, specifically over a 17-km river reach below the Kiamika dam. In the first step, a high resolution water depth (D) map is produced from a spectral band ratio (calculated from the multispectral image), calibrated with limited field measurements. Next, based only on known river discharge and estimated cross section depths at time of image capture, empirical-based pseudo-2D hydraulic rules are used to rapidly generate a two-dimensional map of flow velocity (V) over the 17-km Kiamika reach. The joint distribution of D and V variables over wetted zones then is used to reveal structural patterns in hydraulic habitat availability at patch, reach, and segment scales. Here we analyze 156 bivariate (D, V) density function plots estimated over moving reach windows along the satellite scene extent to extract 14 physical habitat metrics (such as river width, mean and modal depths and velocity, variances and covariance in D and V over 1-m pixels, HMID, entropy). A principal component analysis on the set of metrics is then used to cluster river reaches in regard to similarity in their hydraulic habitat composition and heterogeneity. Applications of this approach can include (i) specific fish habitat detection at riverscape scales (e.g., large areas of riffle spawning beds, deeper pools) for regional management, (ii) studying how river habitat heterogeneity is correlated to fish distribution and (iii) guidance for site location for restoration of key habitats or for post regulation monitoring of representative reaches of various types.

Vegetation, substrate and hydrology in floating marshes in the Mississippi river delta plain wetlands, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sasser, C.E.; Gosselink, J.G.; Swenson, E.M.; Swarzenski, C.M.; Leibowitz, N.C.

1996-01-01

In the 1940s extensive floating marshes (locally called 'flotant') were reported and mapped in coastal wetlands of the Mississippi River Delta Plain. These floating marshes included large areas of Panicum hemitomon-dominated freshwater marshes, and Spartina patens/Scirpus olneyi brackish marshes. Today these marshes appear to be quite different in extent and type. We describe five floating habitats and one non-floating, quaking habitat based on differences in buoyancy dynamics (timing and degree of floating), substrate characteristics, and dominant vegetation. All floating marshes have low bulk density, organic substrates. Nearly all are fresh marshes. Panicum hemitomon floating marshes presently occur within the general regions that were reported in the 1940's by O'Neil, but are reduced in extent. Some of the former Panicum hemitomon marshes have been replaced by seasonally or variably floating marshes dominated, or co-dominated by Sagittaria lancifolia or Eleocharis baldwinii. ?? 1996 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Race differences in the relationship between role experiences and well-being.

PubMed

Marcussen, Kristen; Piatt, Liz

2005-07-01

Theory and research generally support the notion that social roles benefit subjective well-being. These conclusions, however, are largely based on studies examining Whites. Studies that have included Blacks have found race differences in the influence of social roles on well-being, yet most of these studies focus on role occupancy. With few exceptions, little attention has been paid to whether there are race differences in how individuals experience their roles, and the extent to which race differences in role experiences relate to differences in well-being. In this article we examine racial variation in the experience of work and family roles. We find that Blacks and Whites are similar in their experiences of role conflict and perceptions of role success and balance, but the association between these experiences and well-being varies, to some extent, by race and gender. The implications of these findings as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.

Spectral reflectance characteristics of soils in northeastern Brazil as influenced by salinity levels.

PubMed

Pessoa, Luiz Guilherme Medeiros; Freire, Maria Betânia Galvão Dos Santos; Wilcox, Bradford Paul; Green, Colleen Heather Machado; De Araújo, Rômulo José Tolêdo; De Araújo Filho, José Coelho

2016-11-01

In northeastern Brazil, large swaths of once-productive soils have been severely degraded by soil salinization, but the true extent of the damage has not been assessed. Emerging remote sensing technology based on hyperspectral analysis offers one possibility for large-scale assessment, but it has been unclear to what extent the spectral properties of soils are related to salinity characteristics. The purpose of this study was to characterize the spectral properties of degraded (saline) and non-degraded agricultural soils in northeastern Brazil and determine the extent to which these properties correspond to soil salinity. We took soil samples from 78 locations within a 45,000-km 2 site in Pernambuco State. We used cluster analysis to group the soil samples on the basis of similarities in salinity and sodicity levels, and then obtained spectral data for each group. The physical properties analysis indicated a predominance of the coarse sand fraction in almost all the soil groups, and total porosity was similar for all the groups. The chemical analysis revealed different levels of degradation among the groups, ranging from non-degraded to strongly degraded conditions, as defined by the degree of salinity and sodicity. The soil properties showing the highest correlation with spectral reflectance were the exchangeable sodium percentage followed by fine sand. Differences in the reflectance curves for the various soil groups were relatively small and were not significant. These results suggest that, where soil crusts are not present, significant challenges remain for using hyperspectral remote sensing to assess soil salinity in northeastern Brazil.

Smoking overrules many other risk factors for small for gestational age birth in less educated mothers.

PubMed

van den Berg, Gerrit; van Eijsden, Manon; Galindo-Garre, Francisca; Vrijkotte, Tanja G M; Gemke, Reinoud J B J

2013-07-01

Although there is convincing evidence for the association between small for gestational age (SGA) and socioeconomic status (SES), it is not known to what extent explanatory factors contribute to this association. To examine to what extent risk factors could explain educational inequalities in SGA. In this study fully completed data were available for 3793 pregnant women of Dutch origin from a population-based cohort (ABCD study). Path-analysis was conducted to examine the role of explanatory factors in the relation of maternal education to SGA. Low-educated pregnant women had a higher risk of SGA offspring compared to the high-educated women (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.35-2.89). In path-analysis, maternal cigarette smoking and maternal height explained this association. Maternal age, hypertension, chronic disease, late entry into antenatal care, neighborhood income, underweight, environmental cigarette smoking, drug abuse, alcohol use, caffeine intake, fish intake, folic acid intake, anxiety, and depressive symptoms did not play a role in the association between maternal education and SGA birth. Among a large array of potential factors, the elevated risk of SGA birth among low-educated women appeared largely attributable to maternal smoking and to a lesser extent to maternal height. To reduce educational inequalities more effort is required to include low-educated women especially in prenatal intervention programs such as smoking cessation programs instead of effort into reducing other SGA-risk factors, though these factors might still be relevant at the individual level. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analyzing the uncertainty of ensemble-based gridded observations in land surface simulations and drought assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadalipour, Ali; Moradkhani, Hamid

2017-12-01

Hydrologic modeling is one of the primary tools utilized for drought monitoring and drought early warning systems. Several sources of uncertainty in hydrologic modeling have been addressed in the literature. However, few studies have assessed the uncertainty of gridded observation datasets from a drought monitoring perspective. This study provides a hydrologic modeling oriented analysis of the gridded observation data uncertainties over the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and its implications on drought assessment. We utilized a recently developed 100-member ensemble-based observed forcing data to simulate hydrologic fluxes at 1/8° spatial resolution using Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model, and compared the results with a deterministic observation. Meteorological and hydrological droughts are studied at multiple timescales over the basin, and seasonal long-term trends and variations of drought extent is investigated for each case. Results reveal large uncertainty of observed datasets at monthly timescale, with systematic differences for temperature records, mainly due to different lapse rates. The uncertainty eventuates in large disparities of drought characteristics. In general, an increasing trend is found for winter drought extent across the PNW. Furthermore, a ∼3% decrease per decade is detected for snow water equivalent (SWE) over the PNW, with the region being more susceptible to SWE variations of the northern Rockies than the western Cascades. The agricultural areas of southern Idaho demonstrate decreasing trend of natural soil moisture as a result of precipitation decline, which implies higher appeal for anthropogenic water storage and irrigation systems.

Nuclear medicine techniques in the assessment of alkaptonuria.

PubMed

Vinjamuri, Sobhan; Ramesh, Chandakacharla N; Jarvis, Jonathan; Gallagher, Jim A; Ranganath, Lakshminarayana L

2011-10-01

Alkaptonuria is a rare autosomal recessive disorder due to a lack of the enzyme homogentisate dioxygenase, leading to ochronosis, a process of accumulation of a melanin-like polymer of homogentisic acid in cartilage and other collagenous structures. Patients develop severe osteoarthropathy that resembles osteoarthritis. Although the diagnosis of alkaptonuria is not particularly challenging in view of the blue-black discolouration of visible connective tissue and the presence of homogentisic acid in urine, the natural history of alkaptonuria remains poorly understood. Patients would benefit immensely from an objective assessment of their disease status and from a clearer understanding of the pathophysiology and associated physical changes. Isotope bone scans, which are commonly used to identify the extent of involvement of bones in cancerous processes, have also been increasingly used for characterizing the extent of arthropathy in conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Semiquantitative scores based on the extent of involvement of joints have been used to describe the involvement of large joints in the context of symptomatic treatment for osteoarthritis. A similar semiquantitative isotope bone scan score depending on the involvement of the number of large joints in patients with alkaptonuria can be formulated and validated in a suitable cohort of patients. Bone densitometry measurement using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning is an internationally accepted tool to assess the risk and extent of osteoporosis, and is increasingly used to assess the additional fracture risk in patients with arthropathy. We believe that, currently, nuclear medicine techniques can provide useful information, which can be incorporated into disease severity scores for alkaptonuria. Once the biological basis for alkaptonuria is better understood, it is feasible that nuclear medicine techniques of even greater sensitivity and specificity can be developed, thereby taking advantage of the vast advances in the fields of radiochemistry, radiopharmacy, positron emission tomography-computed tomography and positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance imaging scanning.

Plant trait-based models identify direct and indirect effects of climate change on bundles of grassland ecosystem services

PubMed Central

Lamarque, Pénélope; Lavorel, Sandra; Mouchet, Maud; Quétier, Fabien

2014-01-01

Land use and climate change are primary causes of changes in the supply of ecosystem services (ESs). Although the consequences of climate change on ecosystem properties and associated services are well documented, the cascading impacts of climate change on ESs through changes in land use are largely overlooked. We present a trait-based framework based on an empirical model to elucidate how climate change affects tradeoffs among ESs. Using alternative scenarios for mountain grasslands, we predicted how direct effects of climate change on ecosystems and indirect effects through farmers’ adaptations are likely to affect ES bundles through changes in plant functional properties. ES supply was overall more sensitive to climate than to induced management change, and ES bundles remained stable across scenarios. These responses largely reflected the restricted extent of management change in this constrained system, which was incorporated when scaling up plot level climate and management effects on ecosystem properties to the entire landscape. The trait-based approach revealed how the combination of common driving traits and common responses to changed fertility determined interactions and tradeoffs among ESs. PMID:25225382

Hydraulic head estimation at unobserved locations: Approximating the distribution of the absolute error based on geologic interpretations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langousis, Andreas; Kaleris, Vassilios; Xeygeni, Vagia; Magkou, Foteini

2017-04-01

Assessing the availability of groundwater reserves at a regional level, requires accurate and robust hydraulic head estimation at multiple locations of an aquifer. To that extent, one needs groundwater observation networks that can provide sufficient information to estimate the hydraulic head at unobserved locations. The density of such networks is largely influenced by the spatial distribution of the hydraulic conductivity in the aquifer, and it is usually determined through trial-and-error, by solving the groundwater flow based on a properly selected set of alternative but physically plausible geologic structures. In this work, we use: 1) dimensional analysis, and b) a pulse-based stochastic model for simulation of synthetic aquifer structures, to calculate the distribution of the absolute error in hydraulic head estimation as a function of the standardized distance from the nearest measuring locations. The resulting distributions are proved to encompass all possible small-scale structural dependencies, exhibiting characteristics (bounds, multi-modal features etc.) that can be explained using simple geometric arguments. The obtained results are promising, pointing towards the direction of establishing design criteria based on large-scale geologic maps.

Plant trait-based models identify direct and indirect effects of climate change on bundles of grassland ecosystem services.

PubMed

Lamarque, Pénélope; Lavorel, Sandra; Mouchet, Maud; Quétier, Fabien

2014-09-23

Land use and climate change are primary causes of changes in the supply of ecosystem services (ESs). Although the consequences of climate change on ecosystem properties and associated services are well documented, the cascading impacts of climate change on ESs through changes in land use are largely overlooked. We present a trait-based framework based on an empirical model to elucidate how climate change affects tradeoffs among ESs. Using alternative scenarios for mountain grasslands, we predicted how direct effects of climate change on ecosystems and indirect effects through farmers' adaptations are likely to affect ES bundles through changes in plant functional properties. ES supply was overall more sensitive to climate than to induced management change, and ES bundles remained stable across scenarios. These responses largely reflected the restricted extent of management change in this constrained system, which was incorporated when scaling up plot level climate and management effects on ecosystem properties to the entire landscape. The trait-based approach revealed how the combination of common driving traits and common responses to changed fertility determined interactions and tradeoffs among ESs.

ERTS-1 data user investigation of wetlands ecology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, R. R. (Principal Investigator)

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS-1 imagery (enlarged to 1:250,000) is an excellent tool by which large area coastal marshland mapping may be undertaken. If states can sacrifice some accuracy (amount unknown at this time) in placing of boundary lines, the technique may be used to do the following: (1) estimate extent of man's impact on marshes by ditching and lagooning and accelerated successional trends; (2) place boundaries between wetland and upland and hence estimate amount of coastal marshland remaining in the state; (3) distinguish among relatively large zones of various plant species including high and low growth S. alterniflora, J. roemerianus, and S. cynosuroides; and (4) estimate marsh plant species productivity when ground based information is available.

Coming down from the trees: Is terrestrial activity in Bornean orangutans natural or disturbance driven?

PubMed Central

Ancrenaz, Marc; Sollmann, Rahel; Meijaard, Erik; Hearn, Andrew J.; Ross, Joanna; Samejima, Hiromitsu; Loken, Brent; Cheyne, Susan M.; Stark, Danica J.; Gardner, Penny C.; Goossens, Benoit; Mohamed, Azlan; Bohm, Torsten; Matsuda, Ikki; Nakabayasi, Miyabi; Lee, Shan Khee; Bernard, Henry; Brodie, Jedediah; Wich, Serge; Fredriksson, Gabriella; Hanya, Goro; Harrison, Mark E.; Kanamori, Tomoko; Kretzschmar, Petra; Macdonald, David W.; Riger, Peter; Spehar, Stephanie; Ambu, Laurentius N.; Wilting, Andreas

2014-01-01

The orangutan is the world's largest arboreal mammal, and images of the red ape moving through the tropical forest canopy symbolise its typical arboreal behaviour. Records of terrestrial behaviour are scarce and often associated with habitat disturbance. We conducted a large-scale species-level analysis of ground-based camera-trapping data to evaluate the extent to which Bornean orangutans Pongo pygmaeus come down from the trees to travel terrestrially, and whether they are indeed forced to the ground primarily by anthropogenic forest disturbances. Although the degree of forest disturbance and canopy gap size influenced terrestriality, orangutans were recorded on the ground as frequently in heavily degraded habitats as in primary forests. Furthermore, all age-sex classes were recorded on the ground (flanged males more often). This suggests that terrestrial locomotion is part of the Bornean orangutan's natural behavioural repertoire to a much greater extent than previously thought, and is only modified by habitat disturbance. The capacity of orangutans to come down from the trees may increase their ability to cope with at least smaller-scale forest fragmentation, and to cross moderately open spaces in mosaic landscapes, although the extent of this versatility remains to be investigated. PMID:24526001

The regional structure of the Red Sea Rift revised

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Augustin, Nico; van der Zwan, Froukje M.; Devey, Colin W.; Brandsdóttir, Bryndís

2017-04-01

The Red Sea Rift has, for decades, been considered a text book example of how young ocean basins form and mature. Nevertheless, most studies of submarine processes in the Red Sea were previously based on sparse data (mostly obtained between the late 1960's and 1980's) collected at very low resolution. This low resolution, combined with large gaps between individual datasets, required large interpolations when developing geological models. Thus, these models generally considered the Red Sea Rift a special case of young ocean basement formation, dividing it from North to South into three zones: a continental thinning zone, a "transition zone" and a fully developed spreading zone. All these zones are imagined, in most of the models, to be separated by large transform faults, potentially starting and ending on the African and Arabian continental shields. However, no consensus between models e.g. about the locations (or even the existence) of major faults, the nature of the transition zone or the extent of oceanic crust in the Red Sea Rift has been reached. Recently, high resolution bathymetry revealed detailed seafloor morphology as never seen before from the Red Sea, very comparable to other (ultra)slow spreading mid-ocean ridges such as the Gakkel Ridge, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and SW-Indian Ridge, changing the overall picture of the Red Sea significantly. New discoveries about the extent, movement and physical properties of submarine salt deposits led to the Red Sea Rift being linked to the young Aptian-age South Atlantic. Extensive crosscutting transform faults are not evident in the modern bathymetry data, neither in teleseismic nor vertical gravity gradient data and comparisons to Gakkel Ridge and the SW-Indian Ridge suggest that the Red Sea is much simpler in terms of structural geology than was previously thought. Complicated tectonic models do not appear necessary and there appears to be large areas of oceanic crust under the Red Sea salt blankets. Based on this new information, we present a new and straightforward model of the large scale geological and tectonic situation in the Red Sea Rift.

Analysis of the origin of Aufeis feed-water on the arctic slope of Alaska

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, D. K.; Roswell, C. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

The origin of water feeding large aufeis fields (overflow river ice) on the Arctic Slope of Alaska is analyzed. Field measurements of two large aufeis fields on the eastern Arctic Slope were taken during July of 1978 and 1979. Measurements of aufeis extent and distribution were made using LANDSAT Multispectral Scanner Subsystem (MSS) satellite data from 1973 through 1979. In addition, ice cores were analyzed in the laboratory. Results of the field and laboratory studies indicate that the water derived from aufeis melt water has a chemical composition different from the adjacent upstream river water. Large aufeis fields are found in association with springs and faults thus indicating a subterranean origin of the feed water. In addition, the maximum extent of large aufeis fields was not found to follow meteorological patterns which would only be expected if the origin of the feed water were local. It is concluded that extent of large aufeis in a given river channel on the Arctic Slope is controlled by discharge from reservoirs of groundwater. It seems probable that precipitation passes into limestone aquifers in the Brooks Range, through an interconnecting system of subterranean fractures in calcareous rocks and ultimately discharges into alluvial sediments on the coastal plain to form aufeis. It is speculated that only small aufeis patches are affected by local meteorological parameters in the months just prior to aufeis formation.

Comparison of alternative relative weights for diagnosis-related groups

PubMed Central

Cotterill, Philip; Bobula, Joel; Connerton, Rose

1986-01-01

During this study, we investigated the extent to which diagnosis-related group (DRG) relative weights based exclusively on charge data differ from DRG weights constructed according to the methodology used in deriving the original relative weights for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS). The PPS operating cost weights were based on a combination of cost and adjusted charge information (Pettengill and Vertrees, 1982). The results of this study reveal only minor differences between the two sets of weights. Interhospital differences in cost-to-charge ratios do not produce large, arbitrary differences between charge-based and operating cost weights. Whether the data are standardized for differences in capital and medical education costs also appears to make little difference. PMID:10311495

The large-scale ionospheric transient current system response to upstream solar wind IMF Bz north-south and south-north turnings as seen by the WIND satellite and the full SuperMAG network of ground based magnetometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dods, Joe; Chapman, Sandra; Gjerloev, Jesper

2017-04-01

We characterise the response of the quiet-time (no substorms or storms) large scale ionospheric convection system to north-south and south-north IMF turnings by using a dynamical network of ground-based magnetometers. Canonical correlation between all pairs of SuperMAG magnetometer stations in the northern hemisphere (MLat 50-82°) is used to establish the extent of near-simultaneous magnetic response between regions of MLT-MLat. Parameters and maps that describe spatial-temporal correlation are used to characterise the system and its response to the turnings aggregated over several hundred events. We find that regions that experience large increases in correlation post-turning coincide with typical locations of a two cell convection system and are influenced by the IMF By. The time between the turnings reaching the magnetopause and a network response is found to be ˜8-10 minutes and correlation in the dayside occurs 2-8 mins before that in the nightside.

Use of C-band Sentinel-1 and L-band UAVSAR data for flood extent mapping during Hurricane Harvey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakshmi, V.; Kundu, S.; Torres, R.

2017-12-01

Hurricane Harvey was one of the most destructive storms that struck the Houston area in August 2017 causing loss of life and property. In this study, an estimation of flooding extent is done using two sets of microwave remote sensing data, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) and Sentinel-1. UAVSAR is an L-band SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) data which is an airborne repeat-pass interferometric observation system and has 16 km swath. Sentinel-1 is the C band microwave data developed by European Space Agency covering a large area (250 km). Data are analyzed to examine the flood extent over Houston during Harvey. Flood extent mapping is carried out using the Sentinel-1 data and UAVSAR using backscatter signatures which displays the extent of changes and destruction during the flood. Keywords: Harvey, UAVSAR, Sentinel-1, flood extent

Rapid Estimates of Rupture Extent for Large Earthquakes Using Aftershocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polet, J.; Thio, H. K.; Kremer, M.

2009-12-01

The spatial distribution of aftershocks is closely linked to the rupture extent of the mainshock that preceded them and a rapid analysis of aftershock patterns therefore has potential for use in near real-time estimates of earthquake impact. The correlation between aftershocks and slip distribution has frequently been used to estimate the fault dimensions of large historic earthquakes for which no, or insufficient, waveform data is available. With the advent of earthquake inversions that use seismic waveforms and geodetic data to constrain the slip distribution, the study of aftershocks has recently been largely focused on enhancing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms in a broader earthquake mechanics/dynamics framework. However, in a near real-time earthquake monitoring environment, in which aftershocks of large earthquakes are routinely detected and located, these data may also be effective in determining a fast estimate of the mainshock rupture area, which would aid in the rapid assessment of the impact of the earthquake. We have analyzed a considerable number of large recent earthquakes and their aftershock sequences and have developed an effective algorithm that determines the rupture extent of a mainshock from its aftershock distribution, in a fully automatic manner. The algorithm automatically removes outliers by spatial binning, and subsequently determines the best fitting “strike” of the rupture and its length by projecting the aftershock epicenters onto a set of lines that cross the mainshock epicenter with incremental azimuths. For strike-slip or large dip-slip events, for which the surface projection of the rupture is recti-linear, the calculated strike correlates well with the strike of the fault and the corresponding length, determined from the distribution of aftershocks projected onto the line, agrees well with the rupture length. In the case of a smaller dip-slip rupture with an aspect ratio closer to 1, the procedure gives a measure of the rupture extent and dimensions, but not necessarily the strike. We found that using standard earthquake catalogs, such as the National Earthquake Information Center catalog, we can constrain the rupture extent, rupture direction, and in many cases the type of faulting, of the mainshock with the aftershocks that occur within the first hour after the mainshock. However, this data may not be currently available in near real-time. Since our results show that these early aftershock locations may be used to estimate first order rupture parameters for large global earthquakes, the near real-time availability of these data would be useful for fast earthquake damage assessment.

Scenarios of large mammal loss in Europe for the 21st century.

PubMed

Rondinini, Carlo; Visconti, Piero

2015-08-01

Distributions and populations of large mammals are declining globally, leading to an increase in their extinction risk. We forecasted the distribution of extant European large mammals (17 carnivores and 10 ungulates) based on 2 Rio+20 scenarios of socioeconomic development: business as usual and reduced impact through changes in human consumption of natural resources. These scenarios are linked to scenarios of land-use change and climate change through the spatial allocation of land conversion up to 2050. We used a hierarchical framework to forecast the extent and distribution of mammal habitat based on species' habitat preferences (as described in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List database) within a suitable climatic space fitted to the species' current geographic range. We analyzed the geographic and taxonomic variation of habitat loss for large mammals and the potential effect of the reduced impact policy on loss mitigation. Averaging across scenarios, European large mammals were predicted to lose 10% of their habitat by 2050 (25% in the worst-case scenario). Predicted loss was much higher for species in northwestern Europe, where habitat is expected to be lost due to climate and land-use change. Change in human consumption patterns was predicted to substantially improve the conservation of habitat for European large mammals, but not enough to reduce extinction risk if species cannot adapt locally to climate change or disperse. © 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

Production of Low Cost Carbon-Fiber through Energy Optimization of Stabilization Process.

PubMed

Golkarnarenji, Gelayol; Naebe, Minoo; Badii, Khashayar; Milani, Abbas S; Jazar, Reza N; Khayyam, Hamid

2018-03-05

To produce high quality and low cost carbon fiber-based composites, the optimization of the production process of carbon fiber and its properties is one of the main keys. The stabilization process is the most important step in carbon fiber production that consumes a large amount of energy and its optimization can reduce the cost to a large extent. In this study, two intelligent optimization techniques, namely Support Vector Regression (SVR) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), were studied and compared, with a limited dataset obtained to predict physical property (density) of oxidative stabilized PAN fiber (OPF) in the second zone of a stabilization oven within a carbon fiber production line. The results were then used to optimize the energy consumption in the process. The case study can be beneficial to chemical industries involving carbon fiber manufacturing, for assessing and optimizing different stabilization process conditions at large.

Production of Low Cost Carbon-Fiber through Energy Optimization of Stabilization Process

PubMed Central

Golkarnarenji, Gelayol; Naebe, Minoo; Badii, Khashayar; Milani, Abbas S.; Jazar, Reza N.; Khayyam, Hamid

2018-01-01

To produce high quality and low cost carbon fiber-based composites, the optimization of the production process of carbon fiber and its properties is one of the main keys. The stabilization process is the most important step in carbon fiber production that consumes a large amount of energy and its optimization can reduce the cost to a large extent. In this study, two intelligent optimization techniques, namely Support Vector Regression (SVR) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), were studied and compared, with a limited dataset obtained to predict physical property (density) of oxidative stabilized PAN fiber (OPF) in the second zone of a stabilization oven within a carbon fiber production line. The results were then used to optimize the energy consumption in the process. The case study can be beneficial to chemical industries involving carbon fiber manufacturing, for assessing and optimizing different stabilization process conditions at large. PMID:29510592

Spines vs. microspines: an overview of the sculpture exine in selected basal and derived Asteraceae with focus on Asteroideae.

PubMed

Tellería, María C

2017-11-01

This study presents a detailed examination of the echinate and microechinate sculpturing in relation to the size of pollen grains in 31 selected species of Asteraceae belonging to the subfamilies Barnadesioideae, Mutisioideae, Carduoideae and Asteroideae. The aims were to recognize sculpturing patterns, under LM and SEM, within large and small pollen of both basal and derived species and to explore the features that could have taxonomic value to apply in palynological disciplines. The detailed examination of the exine surface showed both the relevance and limits of sculptural patterns for taxonomy. Under LM, the microechinate sculpture gave little taxonomic information, whereas in the echinate sculpture, three exine types and two subtypes were recognized. Type I included microechinate exine, which is commonly present in large pollen grains of the basal lineages. Types II (subtypes IIa and IIb) and III included echinate and smaller pollen grains. In these types, spines were always regularly arranged and, were characterized by the length, shape, tip, perforations and distribution. Type IIa included more or less conical spines usually with a distended base, less than 4 µm in length, present in species of different tribes like Astereae, Eupatorieae, Helenieae, Gnaphalieae, Senecioideae and Heliantheae to a lesser extent. Type IIb includes slender spines with narrower bases, longer than 4 µm, present in species of Coreopsideae, Heliantheae, Tageteae and Eupatorieae to a lesser extent. Type III included spines with swollen base, blunt tip and perforations over their entire surface. This type was present in only one of the basal species-Carduus thoermeri-and in one species of the derived tribe Helenieae, Gaillardia megapotamica. Probably, this is due to evolutionary convergence.

Public insurance expansions and crowd out of private coverage.

PubMed

Marquis, M Susan; Long, Stephen H

2003-03-01

The extent to which persons enrolling in new public insurance programs substitute the public coverage for private insurance is of concern to policy makers. To look at the extent of the substitution resulting from new state programs that cover a broad base of the low-income population and to look at the responses of both families and employers. The March CPS for 1991-1993 and 1997-1998 were used to study the responses of families. Two large national surveys of employers with information about the employment-based system in 1993 and 1997 were used to study employer responses. The analysis looks at changes in coverage and employer offer rates before and after the public insurance expansions in selected states and compares these changes to those in a control group in states without expansions. Coverage by private insurance for low-income persons in states with expansions fell by more than expected based on the control states, indicating some substitution of public coverage for private insurance. Changes in employee coverage in own-employer sponsored insurance accord with this result. The expansion of public insurance has a bigger effect on employer offer decisions when a large share of its workers is eligible for public programs. The results show a significant substitution of public insurance for private coverage in the expansions studied. However, endogeneity of state expansion policies and possible confounding with other policy changes temper the conclusions. More recent public insurance expansions as part of the State Childrens' Health Insurance Program have adopted a range of methods to limit crowd out. Future research is needed to evaluate whether these procedures and rules have succeeded.

Assessing the sustainable construction of large construction companies in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adewale, Bamgbade Jibril; Mohammed, Kamaruddeen Ahmed; Nasrun, Mohd Nawi Mohd

2016-08-01

Considering the increasing concerns for the consideration of sustainability issues in construction project delivery within the construction industry, this paper assesses the extent of sustainable construction among Malaysian large contractors, in order to ascertain the level of the industry's impacts on both the environment and the society. Sustainable construction explains the construction industry's responsibility to efficiently utilise the finite resources while also reducing construction impacts on both humans and the environment throughout the phases of construction. This study used proportionate stratified random sampling to conduct a field study with a sample of 172 contractors out of the 708 administered questionnaires. Data were collected from large contractors in the eleven states of peninsular Malaysia. Using the five-level rating scale (which include: 1= Very Low; 2= Low; 3= Moderate; 4= High; 5= Very High) to describe the level of sustainable construction of Malaysian contractors based on previous studies, statistical analysis reveals that environmental, social and economic sustainability of Malaysian large contractors are high.

NOAA/West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center Pacific Ocean response criteria

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitmore, P.; Benz, H.; Bolton, M.; Crawford, G.; Dengler, L.; Fryer, G.; Goltz, J.; Hansen, R.; Kryzanowski, K.; Malone, S.; Oppenheimer, D.; Petty, E.; Rogers, G.; Wilson, Jim

2008-01-01

New West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (WCATWC) response criteria for earthquakes occurring in the Pacific basin are presented. Initial warning decisions are based on earthquake location, magnitude, depth, and - dependent on magnitude - either distance from source or precomputed threat estimates generated from tsunami models. The new criteria will help limit the geographical extent of warnings and advisories to threatened regions, and complement the new operational tsunami product suite. Changes to the previous criteria include: adding hypocentral depth dependence, reducing geographical warning extent for the lower magnitude ranges, setting special criteria for areas not well-connected to the open ocean, basing warning extent on pre-computed threat levels versus tsunami travel time for very large events, including the new advisory product, using the advisory product for far-offshore events in the lower magnitude ranges, and specifying distances from the coast for on-shore events which may be tsunamigenic. This report sets a baseline for response criteria used by the WCATWC considering its processing and observational data capabilities as well as its organizational requirements. Criteria are set for tsunamis generated by earthquakes, which are by far the main cause of tsunami generation (either directly through sea floor displacement or indirectly by triggering of slumps). As further research and development provides better tsunami source definition, observational data streams, and improved analysis tools, the criteria will continue to adjust. Future lines of research and development capable of providing operational tsunami warning centers with better tools are discussed.

Enhancement of a parsimonious water balance model to simulate surface hydrology in a glacierized watershed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Valentin, Melissa M.; Viger, Roland J.; Van Beusekom, Ashley E.; Hay, Lauren E.; Hogue, Terri S.; Foks, Nathan Leon

2018-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey monthly water balance model (MWBM) was enhanced with the capability to simulate glaciers in order to make it more suitable for simulating cold region hydrology. The new model, MWBMglacier, is demonstrated in the heavily glacierized and ecologically important Copper River watershed in Southcentral Alaska. Simulated water budget components compared well to satellite‐based observations and ground measurements of streamflow, evapotranspiration, snow extent, and total water storage, with differences ranging from 0.2% to 7% of the precipitation flux. Nash Sutcliffe efficiency for simulated and observed streamflow was greater than 0.8 for six of eight stream gages. Snow extent matched satellite‐based observations with Nash Sutcliffe efficiency values of greater than 0.89 in the four Copper River ecoregions represented. During the simulation period 1949 to 2009, glacier ice melt contributed 25% of total runoff, ranging from 12% to 45% in different tributaries, and glacierized area was reduced by 6%. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) decreasing and increasing trends in annual glacier mass balance occurred during the multidecade cool and warm phases of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, respectively, reinforcing the link between climate perturbations and glacier mass balance change. The simulations of glaciers and total runoff for a large, remote region of Alaska provide useful data to evaluate hydrologic, cryospheric, ecologic, and climatic trends. MWBM glacier is a valuable tool to understand when, and to what extent, streamflow may increase or decrease as glaciers respond to a changing climate.

Using Citizen Science Reports to Define the Equatorial Extent of Auroral Visibility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Case, N. A.; MacDonald, E. A.; Viereck, R.

2016-01-01

An aurora may often be viewed hundreds of kilometers equatorward of the auroral oval owing to its altitude. As such, the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) Aurora Forecast product provides a "view line" to demonstrate the equatorial extent of auroral visibility, assuming that it is sufficiently bright and high in altitude. The view line in the SWPC product is based upon the latitude of the brightest aurora, for each hemisphere, as specified by the real-time oval variation, assessment, tracking, intensity, and online nowcasting (OVATION) Prime (2010) aurora precipitation model. In this study, we utilize nearly 500 citizen science auroral reports to compare with the view line provided by an updated SWPC aurora forecast product using auroral precipitation data from OVATION Prime (2013). The citizen science observations were recorded during March and April 2015 using the Aurorasaurus platform and cover one large geomagnetic storm and several smaller events. We find that this updated SWPC view line is conservative in its estimate and that the aurora is often viewable further equatorward than Is indicated by the forecast. By using the citizen reports to modify the scaling parameters used to link the OVATION Prime (2013) model to the view line, we produce a new view line estimate that more accurately represents the equatorial extent of visible aurora. An OVATION Prime (2013) energy flux-based equatorial boundary view line is also developed and is found to provide the best overall agreement with the citizen science reports, with an accuracy of 91 percent.

Instructional Leadership Responsibilities of Assistant Principals in Large Texas High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard-Schwind, Michelle

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent secondary assistant principals in large Texas high schools demonstrate behaviors consistent with what the literature describes as instructional leadership. Three hundred seventy principals and assistant principals of large Texas high schools participated in this study. The Principal…

The merger remnant NGC 3610 and its globular cluster system: a large-scale study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassino, Lilia P.; Caso, Juan P.

2017-04-01

We present a photometric study of the prototype merger remnant NGC 3610 and its globular cluster (GC) system, based on new Gemini/GMOS and Advanced Camera for Surveys/Hubble Space Telescope archival images. Thanks to the large field of view of our GMOS data, larger than previous studies, we are able to detect a 'classical' bimodal GC colour distribution, corresponding to metal-poor and metal-rich GCs, at intermediate radii and a small subsample of likely young clusters of intermediate colours, mainly located in the outskirts. The extent of the whole GC system is settled as about 40 kpc. The GC population is quite poor, about 500 ± 110 members that corresponds to a low total specific frequency SN ˜ 0.8. The effective radii of a cluster sample are determined, including those of two spectroscopically confirmed young and metal-rich clusters, that are in the limit between GC and UCD sizes and brightness. The large-scale galaxy surface-brightness profile can be decomposed as an inner embedded disc and an outer spheroid, determining for both larger extents than earlier research (10 and 30 kpc, respectively). We detect boxy isophotes, expected in merger remnants, and show a wealth of fine-structure in the surface-brightness distribution with unprecedented detail, coincident with the outer spheroid. The lack of symmetry in the galaxy colour map adds a new piece of evidence to the recent merger scenario of NGC 3610.

Out-migration and depopulation of the Russian North during the 1990s.

PubMed

Heleniak, T

1999-01-01

The large-scale out-migration from Russia's northern regions that has taken place over the course of the 1990s is analyzed. "The study is based on unpublished oblast-level migration data compiled by the Russian Government, field work by the author, as well as two extensive 1998 surveys of recent and potential migrants, respectively. Age, gender, and educational level of migrants are analyzed to determine the extent of change in Northern population structure attributable to migration. A concluding section presents Russian Government projections of the North's population to 2010." excerpt

Structural basis of substrate specificity in the serine proteases.

PubMed Central

Perona, J. J.; Craik, C. S.

1995-01-01

Structure-based mutational analysis of serine protease specificity has produced a large database of information useful in addressing biological function and in establishing a basis for targeted design efforts. Critical issues examined include the function of water molecules in providing strength and specificity of binding, the extent to which binding subsites are interdependent, and the roles of polypeptide chain flexibility and distal structural elements in contributing to specificity profiles. The studies also provide a foundation for exploring why specificity modification can be either straightforward or complex, depending on the particular system. PMID:7795518

The sense and non-sense of plot-scale, catchment-scale, continental-scale and global-scale hydrological modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bronstert, Axel; Heistermann, Maik; Francke, Till

2017-04-01

Hydrological models aim at quantifying the hydrological cycle and its constituent processes for particular conditions, sites or periods in time. Such models have been developed for a large range of spatial and temporal scales. One must be aware that the question which is the appropriate scale to be applied depends on the overall question under study. Therefore, it is not advisable to give a general applicable guideline on what is "the best" scale for a model. This statement is even more relevant for coupled hydrological, ecological and atmospheric models. Although a general statement about the most appropriate modelling scale is not recommendable, it is worth to have a look on what are the advantages and the shortcomings of micro-, meso- and macro-scale approaches. Such an appraisal is of increasing importance, since increasingly (very) large / global scale approaches and models are under operation and therefore the question arises how far and for what purposes such methods may yield scientifically sound results. It is important to understand that in most hydrological (and ecological, atmospheric and other) studies process scale, measurement scale, and modelling scale differ from each other. In some cases, the differences between theses scales can be of different orders of magnitude (example: runoff formation, measurement and modelling). These differences are a major source of uncertainty in description and modelling of hydrological, ecological and atmospheric processes. Let us now summarize our viewpoint of the strengths (+) and weaknesses (-) of hydrological models of different scales: Micro scale (e.g. extent of a plot, field or hillslope): (+) enables process research, based on controlled experiments (e.g. infiltration; root water uptake; chemical matter transport); (+) data of state conditions (e.g. soil parameter, vegetation properties) and boundary fluxes (e.g. rainfall or evapotranspiration) are directly measurable and reproducible; (+) equations based on first principals, partly pde-type, are available for several processes (but not for all), because measurement and modelling scale are compatible (-) the spatial model domain are hardly representative for larger spatial entities, including regions for which water resources management decisions are to be taken; straightforward upsizing is also limited by data availability and computational requirements. Meso scale (e.g. extent of a small to large catchment or region): (+) the spatial extent of the model domain has approximately the same extent as the regions for which water resources management decisions are to be taken. I.e., such models enable water resources quantification at the scale of most water management decisions; (+) data of some state conditions (e.g. vegetation cover, topography, river network and cross sections) are available; (+) data of some boundary fluxes (in particular surface runoff / channel flow) are directly measurable with mostly sufficient certainty; (+) equations, partly based on simple water budgeting, partly variants of pde-type equations, are available for most hydrological processes. This enables the construction of meso-scale distributed models reflecting the spatial heterogeneity of regions/landscapes; (-) process scale, measurement scale, and modelling scale differ from each other for a number of processes, e.g., such as runoff generation; (-) the process formulation (usually derived from micro-scale studies) cannot directly be transferred to the modelling domain. Upscaling procedures for this purpose are not readily and generally available. Macro scale (e.g. extent of a continent up to global): (+) the spatial extent of the model may cover the whole Earth. This enables an attractive global display of model results; (+) model results might be technically interchangeable or at least comparable with results from other global models, such as global climate models; (-) process scale, measurement scale, and modelling scale differ heavily from each other for all hydrological and associated processes; (-) the model domain and its results are not representative regions for which water resources management decisions are to be taken. (-) both state condition and boundary flux data are hardly available for the whole model domain. Water management data and discharge data from remote regions are particular incomplete / unavailable for this scale. This undermines the model's verifiability; (-) since process formulation and resulting modelling reliability at this scale is very limited, such models can hardly show any explanatory skills or prognostic power; (-) since both the entire model domain and the spatial sub-units cover large areas, model results represent values averaged over at least the spatial sub-unit's extent. In many cases, the applied time scale implies a long-term averaging in time, too. We emphasize the importance to be aware of the above mentioned strengths and weaknesses of those scale-specific models. (Many of the) results of the current global model studies do not reflect such limitations. In particular, we consider the averaging over large model entities in space and/or time inadequate. Many hydrological processes are of a non-linear nature, including threshold-type behaviour. Such features cannot be reflected by such large scale entities. The model results therefore can be of little or no use for water resources decisions and/or even misleading for public debates or decision making. Some rather newly developed sustainability concepts, e.g. "Planetary Boundaries" in which humanity may "continue to develop and thrive for generations to come" are based on such global-scale approaches and models. However, many of the major problems regarding sustainability on Earth, e.g. water scarcity, do not exhibit on a global but on a regional scale. While on a global scale water might look like being available in sufficient quantity and quality, there are many regions where water problems already have very harmful or even devastating effects. Therefore, it is the challenge to derive models and observation programmes for regional scales. In case a global display is desired future efforts should be directed towards the development of a global picture based on a mosaic of regional sound assessments, rather than "zooming into" the results of large-scale simulations. Still, a key question remains to be discussed, i.e. for which purpose models at this (global) scale can be used.

An assessment of stressor extent and biological condition in the North American mid-continent great rivers (USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Angradi, Ted R.; Bolgriend, David W.; Jicha, Terri M.; Pearson, Mark S.; Taylor, Debra L.; Moffett, Mary F.; Blocksom, Karen A.; Walters, David M.; Elonen, Colleen M.; Anderson, Leroy E.; Lazorchak, James M.; Reavie, Euan D.; Kireta, Amy R.; Hill, Brian H.

2011-01-01

We assessed the North American mid-continent great rivers (Upper Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio). We estimated the extent of each river in most- (MDC) or least-disturbed condition (LDC) based on multiple biological response indicators: fish and macroinvertebrate, trophic state based on chlorophyll a, macrophyte cover, and exposure of fish-eating wildlife to toxic contaminants in fish tissue (Hg, total chlordane, total DDT, PCBs). We estimated the extent of stressors on each river including nutrients, suspended solids, sediment toxicity, invasive species, and land use (agriculture and impervious surface). All three rivers had a greater percent of their river length in MDC than in LDC based on fish assemblages. The Upper Mississippi River had the greatest percent of river length with eutrophic status. The Ohio River had the greatest percent of river length with fish with tissue contaminant levels toxic to wildlife. Overall, condition indices based on fish assemblages were more sensitive to stress than macroinvertebrate indices. Compared to the streams in its basin, more of the Upper Mississippi and Missouri Rivers were in MDC for nutrients than the Ohio River. Invasive species (Asian carp and Dreissenid mussels) were less widespread and less abundant on the Missouri River than on the other great rivers. The Ohio River had the most urbanized floodplains (greatest percent impervious surface). The Missouri River had the most floodplain agriculture. The effect of large urban areas on river condition was apparent for several indicators. Ecosystem condition based in fish assemblages, trophic state, and fish tissue contamination was related to land use on the floodplain and at the subcatchment scale. This is the first unbiased bioassessment of the mid-continent great rivers in the United States. The indicators, condition thresholds, results, and recommendations from this program are a starting point for improved future great river assessments.

48 CFR 1552.219-74 - Small disadvantaged business participation evaluation factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... based on the demonstrated extent of participation of small disadvantaged business (SDB) concerns in the... evaluation, offerors will be evaluated based on: (1) The extent to which SDB concerns are specifically identified to participate in the performance of the contract; (2) The extent of the commitment to use SDB...

48 CFR 1552.219-74 - Small disadvantaged business participation evaluation factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... based on the demonstrated extent of participation of small disadvantaged business (SDB) concerns in the... evaluation, offerors will be evaluated based on: (1) The extent to which SDB concerns are specifically identified to participate in the performance of the contract; (2) The extent of the commitment to use SDB...

48 CFR 1552.219-74 - Small disadvantaged business participation evaluation factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... based on the demonstrated extent of participation of small disadvantaged business (SDB) concerns in the... evaluation, offerors will be evaluated based on: (1) The extent to which SDB concerns are specifically identified to participate in the performance of the contract; (2) The extent of the commitment to use SDB...

48 CFR 1552.219-74 - Small disadvantaged business participation evaluation factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... based on the demonstrated extent of participation of small disadvantaged business (SDB) concerns in the... evaluation, offerors will be evaluated based on: (1) The extent to which SDB concerns are specifically identified to participate in the performance of the contract; (2) The extent of the commitment to use SDB...

48 CFR 1552.219-74 - Small disadvantaged business participation evaluation factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... based on the demonstrated extent of participation of small disadvantaged business (SDB) concerns in the... evaluation, offerors will be evaluated based on: (1) The extent to which SDB concerns are specifically identified to participate in the performance of the contract; (2) The extent of the commitment to use SDB...

Change, Technology and Higher Education: Are Universities Capable of Organisational Change?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Stephen

2010-01-01

Technology and change are so closely related that the use of the word innovation seems synonymous with technology in many contexts, including that of higher education. This paper contends that university culture and existing capability constrain such innovation and to a large extent determine the nature and extent of organisational change. In the…

Change, Technology and Higher Education: Are Universities Capable of Organisational Change?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Stephen

2011-01-01

Technology and change are so closely related that the use of the word innovation seems synonymous with technology in many contexts, including that of higher education. This paper contends that university culture and existing capability constrain such innovation and to a large extent determine the nature and extent of organisational change. In the…

Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities Test Scores: A UK National Picture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strand, Steve; Deary, Ian J.; Smith, Pauline

2006-01-01

Background and aims: There is uncertainty about the extent or even existence of sex differences in the mean and variability of reasoning test scores ( Jensen, 1998; Lynn, 1994, ; Mackintosh, 1996). This paper analyses the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) scores of a large and representative sample of UK pupils to determine the extent of any sex…

Machine characterization based on an abstract high-level language machine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saavedra-Barrera, Rafael H.; Smith, Alan Jay; Miya, Eugene

1989-01-01

Measurements are presented for a large number of machines ranging from small workstations to supercomputers. The authors combine these measurements into groups of parameters which relate to specific aspects of the machine implementation, and use these groups to provide overall machine characterizations. The authors also define the concept of pershapes, which represent the level of performance of a machine for different types of computation. A metric based on pershapes is introduced that provides a quantitative way of measuring how similar two machines are in terms of their performance distributions. The metric is related to the extent to which pairs of machines have varying relative performance levels depending on which benchmark is used.

Electrically Conductive Plumes Rising From the Mantle Transition Zone in the Andean Back-Arc of Argentina from 30 to 40° South

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booker, J. R.; Burd, A. I.; Mackie, R.

2011-12-01

Three-dimensional interpretation of a large number of magnetotelluric sites in the Andean back arc of Argentina reveals at least two near-vertical conductive structures that extend from near the top of the mantle transition zone to the base of the lithosphere. Both are of limited horizontal extent. One is near the eastern-most extent of the Nazca flat-slab. It penetrates the most reasonable down-dip extension of the seismogenic subducted slab and suggests that the slab may not extend much deeper than about 200 km. The other is south of the flat-slab region and just east of the large Payun-Matru basaltic volcanic province. It arises roughly where the subducted slab would meet the transition zone if the slab extends linearly down from where it is seismogenic. It is tempting to conclude that both structures are partially molten plumes arising from the transition zone or deeper. The flat-slab plume has not penetrated the compressive lithosphere of the Sierras Pampeanas. The Payunia plume would logically seem connected to the geologically recent OIB-like volcanism near Payun Matru, but the shallow mantle structure beneath the area of most recent activity seems better explained by a connection to the Andean volcanism to the west.

Feature-based and statistical methods for analyzing the Deepwater Horizon oil spill with AVIRIS imagery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rand, R.S.; Clark, R.N.; Livo, K.E.

2011-01-01

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill covered a very large geographical area in the Gulf of Mexico creating potentially serious environmental impacts on both marine life and the coastal shorelines. Knowing the oil's areal extent and thickness as well as denoting different categories of the oil's physical state is important for assessing these impacts. High spectral resolution data in hyperspectral imagery (HSI) sensors such as Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) provide a valuable source of information that can be used for analysis by semi-automatic methods for tracking an oil spill's areal extent, oil thickness, and oil categories. However, the spectral behavior of oil in water is inherently a highly non-linear and variable phenomenon that changes depending on oil thickness and oil/water ratios. For certain oil thicknesses there are well-defined absorption features, whereas for very thin films sometimes there are almost no observable features. Feature-based imaging spectroscopy methods are particularly effective at classifying materials that exhibit specific well-defined spectral absorption features. Statistical methods are effective at classifying materials with spectra that exhibit a considerable amount of variability and that do not necessarily exhibit well-defined spectral absorption features. This study investigates feature-based and statistical methods for analyzing oil spills using hyperspectral imagery. The appropriate use of each approach is investigated and a combined feature-based and statistical method is proposed.

A Lymph Node Staging System for Gastric Cancer: A Hybrid Type Based on Topographic and Numeric Systems.

PubMed

Choi, Yoon Young; An, Ji Yeong; Katai, Hitoshi; Seto, Yasuyuki; Fukagawa, Takeo; Okumura, Yasuhiro; Kim, Dong Wook; Kim, Hyoung-Il; Cheong, Jae-Ho; Hyung, Woo Jin; Noh, Sung Hoon

2016-01-01

Although changing a lymph node staging system from an anatomically based system to a numerically based system in gastric cancer offers better prognostic performance, several problems can arise: it does not offer information on the anatomical extent of disease and cannot represent the extent of lymph node dissection. The purpose of this study was to discover an alternative lymph node staging system for gastric cancer. Data from 6025 patients who underwent gastrectomy for primary gastric cancer between January 2000 and December 2010 were reviewed. The lymph node groups were reclassified into lesser-curvature, greater-curvature, and extra-perigastric groups. Presence of any metastatic lymph node in one group was considered positive. Lymph node groups were further stratified into four (new N0-new N3) according to the number of positive lymph node groups. Survival outcomes with this new N staging were compared with those of the current TNM system. For validation, two centers in Japan (large center, n = 3443; medium center, n = 560) were invited. Even among the same pN stages, the more advanced new N stage showed worse prognosis, indicating that the anatomical extent of metastatic lymph nodes is important. The prognostic performance of the new staging system was as good as that of the current TNM system for overall advanced gastric cancer as well as lymph node-positive gastric cancer (Harrell C-index was 0.799, 0.726, and 0.703 in current TNM and 0.799, 0.727, and 0.703 in new TNM stage). Validation sets supported these outcomes. The new N staging system demonstrated prognostic performance equal to that of the current TNM system and could thus be used as an alternative.

Are They Using My Feedback? The Extent of Students' Feedback Use Has a Large Impact on Subsequent Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimbardi, Kirsten; Colthorpe, Kay; Dekker, Andrew; Engstrom, Craig; Bugarcic, Andrea; Worthy, Peter; Victor, Ruban; Chunduri, Prasad; Lluka, Lesley; Long, Phil

2017-01-01

Feedback is known to have a large influence on student learning gains, and the emergence of online tools has greatly enhanced the opportunity for delivering timely, expressive, digital feedback and for investigating its learning impacts. However, to date there have been no large quantitative investigations of the feedback provided by large teams…

Tipping elements in the Arctic marine ecosystem.

PubMed

Duarte, Carlos M; Agustí, Susana; Wassmann, Paul; Arrieta, Jesús M; Alcaraz, Miquel; Coello, Alexandra; Marbà, Núria; Hendriks, Iris E; Holding, Johnna; García-Zarandona, Iñigo; Kritzberg, Emma; Vaqué, Dolors

2012-02-01

The Arctic marine ecosystem contains multiple elements that present alternative states. The most obvious of which is an Arctic Ocean largely covered by an ice sheet in summer versus one largely devoid of such cover. Ecosystems under pressure typically shift between such alternative states in an abrupt, rather than smooth manner, with the level of forcing required for shifting this status termed threshold or tipping point. Loss of Arctic ice due to anthropogenic climate change is accelerating, with the extent of Arctic sea ice displaying increased variance at present, a leading indicator of the proximity of a possible tipping point. Reduced ice extent is expected, in turn, to trigger a number of additional tipping elements, physical, chemical, and biological, in motion, with potentially large impacts on the Arctic marine ecosystem.

Mapping the universe.

PubMed

Geller, M J; Huchra, J P

1989-11-17

Maps of the galaxy distribution in the nearby universe reveal large coherent structures. The extent of the largest features is limited only by the size of the survey. Voids with a density typically 20 percent of the mean and with diameters of 5000 km s(-1) are present in every survey large enough to contain them. Many galaxies lie in thin sheet-like structures. The largest sheet detected so far is the "Great Wall" with a minimum extent of 60 h(-1) Mpc x 170 h(-1) Mpc, where h is the Hubble constant in units of 100 km s(-1) Mpc(-1). The frequent occurrence of these structures is one of several serious challenges to our current understanding of the origin and evolution of the large-scale distribution of matter in the universe.

Acute hamstring injury in football players: Association between anatomical location and extent of injury-A large single-center MRI report.

PubMed

Crema, Michel D; Guermazi, Ali; Tol, Johannes L; Niu, Jingbo; Hamilton, Bruce; Roemer, Frank W

2016-04-01

To describe in detail the anatomic distribution of acute hamstring injuries in football players, and to assess the relationship between location and extent of edema and tears, all based on findings from MRI. Retrospective observational study. We included 275 consecutive male football players who had sustained acute hamstring injuries and had positive findings on MRI. For each subject, lesions were recorded at specific locations of the hamstring muscles, which were divided into proximal or distal: free tendon, myotendinous junction, muscle belly, and myofascial junction locations. For each lesion, we assessed the largest cross-sectional area of edema and/or tears. We calculated the prevalence of injuries by location. The relationships between locations and extent of edema and tears were assessed using a one-sample t-test, with significance set at p<0.05. The long head of biceps femoris (LHBF) was most commonly affected (56.5%). Overall, injuries were most common in the myotendinous junction and in proximal locations. The proximal myotendinous junction was associated with a greater extent of edema in the LHBF and semitendinosus (ST) muscles (p<0.05). Proximal locations in the LHBF had larger edema than distal locations (p<0.05). Distal locations in the ST muscle had larger tears than proximal locations (p<0.05). The proximal myotendinous junction (LHBF and ST muscles) and proximal locations (LHBF muscle) are more commonly affected and are associated with a greater extent of edema in acute hamstring muscle injury. Distal locations (ST muscle), however, seem to be more commonly associated with larger tears. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulating the Permafrost Distribution on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Busey, R.; Hinzman, L. D.; Yoshikawa, K.; Liston, G. E.

2005-12-01

Permafrost extent has been estimated using an equivalent latitude / elevation model based upon good climate, terrain and soil property data. This research extends a previously developed model to a relatively data sparse region. We are applying the general equivalent attitude model developed for Caribou-Poker Creeks Research Watershed over the much larger area of the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. This region of sub-Arctic Alaska is a proxy for a warmer Arctic due to the broad expanses of tussock tundra, invading shrubs and fragile permafrost with average temperatures just below freezing. The equivalent latitude model combines elevation, slope, and aspect with snow cover, where the snow cover distribution was defined using MicroMet and SnowModel. Source data for the distributed snow model came from meteorological stations across the Seward Peninsula from the National Weather Service, SNOTEL, RAWS, and our own stations. Simulations of permafrost extent will enable us to compare the current distribution to that existing during past climates and estimate the future state of permafrost on the Seward Peninsula. The broadest impacts to the terrestrial arctic regions will result through consequent effects of changing permafrost structure and extent. As the climate differentially warms in summer and winter, the permafrost will become warmer, the active layer (the layer of soil above the permafrost that annually experiences freeze and thaw) will become thicker, the lower boundary of permafrost will become shallower and permafrost extent will decrease in area. These simple structural changes will affect every aspect of the surface water and energy balances. As permafrost extent decreases, there is more infiltration to groundwater. This has significant impacts on large and small scales.

The importance of benchmarking habitat structure and composition for understanding the extent of fishing impacts in soft sediment ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handley, Sean J.; Willis, Trevor J.; Cole, Russell G.; Bradley, Anna; Cairney, Daniel J.; Brown, Stephen N.; Carter, Megan E.

2014-02-01

Trawling and dredge fisheries remove vulnerable fauna, homogenise sediments and assemblages, and break down biogenic habitats, but the full extent of these effects can be difficult to quantify in the absence of adequate control sites. Our study utilised rare control sites containing biogenic habitat, the Separation Point exclusion zone, formally protected for 28 years, as the basis for assessing the degree of change experienced by adjacent areas subject to benthic fishing. Sidescan sonar surveys verified that intensive trawling and dredging occurred in areas adjacent to, but not inside, the exclusion area. We compared sediment composition, biogenic cover, macrofaunal assemblages, biomass, and productivity of the benthos, inside and outside the exclusion zone. Disturbed sites were dominated by fine mud, with little or no shell-gravel, reduced number of species, and loss of large bodied animals, with concomitant reductions in biomass and productivity. At protected sites, large, rarer molluscs were more abundant and contributed the most to size-based estimates of productivity and biomass. Functional changes in fished assemblages were consistent with previously reported relative increases in scavengers, predators and deposit feeders at the expense of filter feeders and a grazer. We propose that the colonisation of biogenic species in protected sites was contingent on the presence of shell-gravel atop these soft sediments. The process of sediment homogenisation by bottom fishing and elimination of shell-gravels from surficial sediments appeared to have occurred over decades - a ‘shifting baseline’. Therefore, benchmarking historical sediment structure at control site like the Separation Point exclusion zone is necessary to determine the full extent of physical habitat change wrought by contact gears on sheltered soft sediment habitats to better underpin appropriate conservation, restoration or fisheries management goals.

Claims-based studies of oral glucose-lowering medications can achieve balance in critical clinical variables only observed in electronic health records.

PubMed

Patorno, Elisabetta; Gopalakrishnan, Chandrasekar; Franklin, Jessica M; Brodovicz, Kimberly G; Masso-Gonzalez, Elvira; Bartels, Dorothee B; Liu, Jun; Schneeweiss, Sebastian

2018-04-01

To evaluate the extent to which balance in unmeasured characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) was achieved in claims data, by comparing against more detailed information from linked electronic health records (EHR) data. Within a large US commercial insurance database and using a cohort design, we identified patients with T2DM initiating linagliptin or a comparator agent within class (ie, another dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor) or outside class (ie, pioglitazone or a sulphonylurea) between May 2011 and December 2012. We focused on comparators used at a similar stage of diabetes to linagliptin. For each comparison, 1:1 propensity score (PS) matching was used to balance >100 baseline claims-based characteristics, including proxies of diabetes severity and duration. Additional clinical data from EHR were available for a subset of patients. We assessed representativeness of the claims-EHR-linked subset, evaluated the balance of claims- and EHR-based covariates before and after PS-matching via standardized differences (SDs), and quantified the potential bias associated with observed imbalances. From a claims-based study population of 166 613 patients with T2DM, 7219 (4.3%) patients were linked to their EHR data. Claims-based characteristics in the EHR-linked and EHR-unlinked patients were similar (SD < 0.1), confirming the representativeness of the EHR-linked subset. The balance of claims-based and EHR-based patient characteristics appeared to be reasonable before PS-matching and generally improved in the PS-matched population, to be SD < 0.1 for most patient characteristics and SD < 0.2 for select laboratory results and body mass index categories, which was not large enough to cause meaningful confounding. In the context of pharmacoepidemiological research on diabetes therapy, choosing appropriate comparison groups paired with a new-user design and 1:1 PS matching on many proxies of diabetes severity and duration improves balance in covariates typically unmeasured in administrative claims datasets, to the extent that residual confounding is unlikely. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Discrimination of trait-based characteristics by trace element bioaccumulation in riverine fishes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Short, T.M.; DeWeese, L.R.; Dubrovsky, N.M.

2008-01-01

Relations between tissue trace element concentrations and species traits were examined for 45 fish species to determine the extent to which trait-based characteristics accounted for relative differences among species in trace element bioaccumulation. Percentages of fish species correctly classified by discriminant analysis according to traits predicted by tissue trace element concentrations ranged from 72% to 87%. Tissue concentrations of copper, mercury, selenium, and zinc appeared to have the greatest overall influence on differentiating species according to trait characteristics. Discrimination of trait characteristics did not appear to be strongly influenced by local sources of trace elements in the streambed sediment. Bioaccumulation was greatest for those species classified as primarily detritivores, having relatively large adult body size, considered nonmigratory with respect to reproductive strategy, occurring mostly in large or variable size streams and rivers, preferring depositional areas within the stream channel, and preferring benthic rather than open-water habitats. Our findings provide evidence of the strong relationship between bioaccumulation of environmental trace elements and trait-based factors that influence contaminant exposure. ?? 2008 NRC.

Template-grown NiFe/Cu/NiFe nanowires for spin transfer devices.

PubMed

Piraux, Luc; Renard, Krystel; Guillemet, Raphael; Matéfi-Tempfli, Stefan; Matéfi-Tempfli, Maria; Antohe, Vlad Andrei; Fusil, Stéphane; Bouzehouane, Karim; Cros, Vincent

2007-09-01

We have developed a new reliable method combining template synthesis and nanolithography-based contacting technique to elaborate current perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance spin valve nanowires, which are very promising for the exploration of electrical spin transfer phenomena. The method allows the electrical connection of one single nanowire in a large assembly of wires embedded in anodic porous alumina supported on Si substrate with diameters and periodicities to be controllable to a large extent. Both magnetic excitations and switching phenomena driven by a spin-polarized current were clearly demonstrated in our electrodeposited NiFe/Cu/ NiFe trilayer nanowires. This novel approach promises to be of strong interest for subsequent fabrication of phase-locked arrays of spin transfer nano-oscillators with increased output power for microwave applications.

Emerging migration flows in a changing climate in dryland Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kniveton, Dominic R.; Smith, Christopher D.; Black, Richard

2012-06-01

Fears of the movement of large numbers of people as a result of changes in the environment were first voiced in the 1980s (ref. ). Nearly thirty years later the numbers likely to migrate as a result of the impacts of climate change are still, at best, guesswork. Owing to the high prevalence of rainfed agriculture, many livelihoods in sub-Saharan African drylands are particularly vulnerable to changes in climate. One commonly adopted response strategy used by populations to deal with the resulting livelihood stress is migration. Here, we use an agent-based model developed around the theory of planned behaviour to explore how climate and demographic change, defined by the ENSEMBLES project and the United Nations Statistics Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, combine to influence migration within and from Burkina Faso. The emergent migration patterns modelled support framing the nexus of climate change and migration as a complex adaptive system. Using this conceptual framework, we show that the extent of climate-change-related migration is likely to be highly nonlinear and the extent of this nonlinearity is dependent on population growth; therefore supporting migration policy interventions based on both demographic and climate change adaptation.

Capturing heterogeneity: The role of a study area's extent for estimating mean throughfall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmermann, Alexander; Voss, Sebastian; Metzger, Johanna Clara; Hildebrandt, Anke; Zimmermann, Beate

2016-11-01

The selection of an appropriate spatial extent of a sampling plot is one among several important decisions involved in planning a throughfall sampling scheme. In fact, the choice of the extent may determine whether or not a study can adequately characterize the hydrological fluxes of the studied ecosystem. Previous attempts to optimize throughfall sampling schemes focused on the selection of an appropriate sample size, support, and sampling design, while comparatively little attention has been given to the role of the extent. In this contribution, we investigated the influence of the extent on the representativeness of mean throughfall estimates for three forest ecosystems of varying stand structure. Our study is based on virtual sampling of simulated throughfall fields. We derived these fields from throughfall data sampled in a simply structured forest (young tropical forest) and two heterogeneous forests (old tropical forest, unmanaged mixed European beech forest). We then sampled the simulated throughfall fields with three common extents and various sample sizes for a range of events and for accumulated data. Our findings suggest that the size of the study area should be carefully adapted to the complexity of the system under study and to the required temporal resolution of the throughfall data (i.e. event-based versus accumulated). Generally, event-based sampling in complex structured forests (conditions that favor comparatively long autocorrelations in throughfall) requires the largest extents. For event-based sampling, the choice of an appropriate extent can be as important as using an adequate sample size.

The Integration of Quality Management Functions within a University: A Systems Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brits, H. J.

2011-01-01

According to a recent study, institutions of higher learning in South Africa fail to a great extent to integrate the key management functions that are fundamental to effective quality management. This article argues that the effective promotion of quality of a university's core business depends to a large extent on the ability of an institution's…

Learning-Style Preferences of a Diverse Freshmen Population in a Large, Private, Metropolitan University by Gender and GPA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reese, Valerie L.; Dunn, Rita

2008-01-01

This research examined: a) the extent of diversity that exists among entering college freshmen's learning styles; b) whether, and the extent to which, learning style is influenced by gender; and c) whether high school grade point average (HS/GPA) is a determining factor in academic success. The "Productivity Environmental Preference…

School Happiness and School Success: An Investigation across Multiple Grade Levels.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parish, Joycelyn Gay; Parish, Thomas S.; Batt, Steve

A total of 572 randomly selected sixth-grade students and 908 randomly selected ninth-grade students from a large metropolitan school district in the Midwest were asked to complete a series of survey questions designed to measure the extent to which they were happy while at school, as well as questions concerning the extent to which they treated…

The hydrogen embrittlement of titanium-based alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tal-Gutelmacher, Ervin; Eliezer, Dan

2005-09-01

Titanium-based alloys provide an excellent combination of a high strength/weight ratio and good corrosion behavior, which makes these alloys among the most important advanced materials for a variety of aerospace, marine, industrial, and commercial applications. Although titanium is considered to be reasonably resistant to chemical attack, severe problems can arise when titanium-based alloys come in contact with hydrogen-containing environments, where they can pick up large amounts of hydrogen, especially at elevated temperatures. The severity and the extent of the hydrogen interaction with titanium-based alloys are directly related to the microstructure and composition of the titanium alloys. This paper addresses the hydrogen embrittlement of titanium-based alloys. The hydrogen-titanium interaction is reviewed, including the solubility of hydrogen in α and β phases of titanium and hydride formation. Also, the paper summarizes the detrimental effects of hydrogen in different titanium alloys.

Why, which, how, who, when? A personal view of smallpox vaccination for the 2000s.

PubMed

Mortimer, P P

2004-06-01

The uncertainty about the extent of proliferation of smallpox virus holdings since the early 1990s, and particularly whether terrorist groups or so-called rogue states might now hold the virus, confronts potential target countries with a continuing dilemma. An increasingly large majority of their populations have never been vaccinated, and those who have been vaccinated may have become susceptible to smallpox again. Yet recent attempts by the United States and other governments to persuade large numbers of key personnel and others to accept vaccination have at least partially failed and a different long-term strategy is needed. This strategy should be based on surveillance of rash illnesses, improved public education, more refined contingency planning and a new approach to smallpox vaccination. The last should if possible be based on cell-grown, less reactogenic vaccines, even though it may be some years before these can become available. Meanwhile this article examines other expedients including the use of existing lymph vaccines.

A linked spatial and temporal model of the chemical and biological status of a large, acid-sensitive river network.

PubMed

Evans, Chris D; Cooper, David M; Juggins, Steve; Jenkins, Alan; Norris, Dave

2006-07-15

Freshwater sensitivity to acidification varies according to geology, soils and land-use, and consequently it remains difficult to quantify the current extent of acidification, or its biological impacts, based on limited spot samples. The problem is particularly acute for river systems, where the transition from acid to circum-neutral conditions can occur within short distances. This paper links an established point-based long-term acidification model (MAGIC) with a landscape-based mixing model (PEARLS) to simulate spatial and temporal variations in acidification for a 256 km(2) catchment in North Wales. Empirical relationships are used to predict changes in the probability of occurrence of an indicator invertebrate species, Baetis rhodani, across the catchment as a function of changing chemical status. Results suggest that, at present, 27% of the river network has a mean acid neutralising capacity (ANC) below a biologically-relevant threshold of 20 microeq l(-1). At high flows, this proportion increases to 45%. The model suggests that only around 16% of the stream network had a mean ANC < 20 microeq l(-1) in 1850, but that this increased to 42% at the sulphur deposition peak around 1970. By 2050 recovery is predicted, but with some persistence of acid conditions in the most sensitive, peaty headwaters. Stream chemical suitability for Baetis rhodani is also expected to increase in formerly acidified areas, but for overall abundance to remain below that simulated in 1850. The approach of linking plot-scale process-based models to catchment mixing models provides a potential means of predicting the past and future spatial extent of acidification within large, heterogeneous river networks and regions. Further development of ecological response models to include other chemical predictor variables and the effects of acid episodes would allow more realistic simulation of the temporal and spatial dynamics of ecosystem recovery from acidification.

Segmentation of the Calaveras-Hayward Fault System Based on 3-D Geometry and Geology at Large-Earthquake Depth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graymer, R. W.; Simpson, R. W.; Jachens, R. C.; Ponce, D. A.; Phelps, G. A.; Watt, J. T.; Wentworth, C. M.

2007-12-01

For the purpose of estimating seismic hazard, the Calaveras and Hayward Faults have been considered as separate structures and analyzed and segmented based largely on their surface-trace geometry and the extent of the 1868 Hayward Fault earthquake. Recent relocations of earthquakes and 3-D geologic mapping have shown, however, that at depths associated with large earthquakes (>5 km) the fault geology and geometry is quite different than that at the surface. Using deep fault geometry inferred from these studies we treat the Hayward and Calaveras Faults as a single system and divide the system into segments that differ from the previously accepted segments as follows: 1. The Hayward Fault connects directly to the central Calaveras Fault at depth, as opposed to the 5 km wide restraining stepover zone of multiple imbricate oblique right-lateral reverse faults at the surface east of Fremont and San Jose (between about 37.25°-37.6°N). 2. The segment boundary between the Hayward, central Calaveras, and northern Calaveras is based on their Y- shaped intersection at depth near 37.40°N, 121.76°W (Cherry Flat Reservoir), about 8 km south of the previously accepted central-northern Calaveras Fault segment boundary. 3. The central Calaveras Fault is divided near 37.14°N, 121.56°W (southern end of Anderson Lake) into two subsegments based on a large discontinuity at depth seen in relocated seismicity. 4. The Hayward Fault is divided near 37.85°N, 122.23°W (Lake Temescal) into two segments based on a large contrast in fault face geology. This segmentation is similar to that based on the extent of 1868 fault rupture, but is now related to an underlying geologic cause. The direct connection of the Hayward and central Calaveras Faults at depth suggests that earthquakes larger than those previously modeled should be considered (~M6.9 for the southern Hayward, ~M7.2 for the southern Hayward plus northern central Calaveras). A NEHRP study by Witter and others (2003; NEHRP 03HQGR0098) suggested evidence for large surface ruptures on the northern central Calaveras, but that work is not peer-reviewed and there is little or no other paleoseismic or geodetic data from the stepover zone or northern central Calaveras Fault (all commonly cited data are from the southern central Calaveras Fault), so the sparse surface data neither demands nor precludes our interpretation. The additional segmentation of the central Calaveras Fault proposed here may explain the observation that this segment seems to generate characteristic moderate (~M6.0-6.5) earthquakes rather than the larger ~M6.9 earthquakes that could be generated by rupture of the previously defined longer central Calaveras segment. Better information regarding fault plane geometry and 3-D distribution of rock properties adjacent to the faults at seismogenic depths should help us revise proposed segmentation models of other faults for seismic hazard analyses.

Quantification of small GTPase glucosylation by clostridial glucosylating toxins using multiplexed MRM analysis.

PubMed

Junemann, Johannes; Lämmerhirt, Chantal M; Polten, Felix; Just, Ingo; Gerhard, Ralf; Genth, Harald; Pich, Andreas

2017-05-01

Large clostridial toxins mono-O-glucosylate small GTPases of the Rho and Ras subfamily. As a result of glucosylation, the GTPases are inhibited and thereby corresponding downstream signaling pathways are disturbed. Current methods for quantifying the extent of glucosylation include sequential [ 14 C]glucosylation, sequential [ 32 P]ADP-ribosylation, and Western Blot detection of nonglucosylated GTPases, with neither method allowing the quantification of the extent of glucosylation of an individual GTPase. Here, we describe a novel MS-based multiplexed MRM assay to specifically quantify the glucosylation degree of small GTPases. This targeted proteomics approach achieves a high selectivity and reproducibility, which allows determination of the in vivo substrate pattern of glucosylating toxins. As proof of principle, GTPase glucosylation was analyzed in CaCo-2 cells treated with TcdA, and glucosylation kinetics were determined for RhoA/B, RhoC, RhoG, Ral, Rap1, Rap2, (H/K/N)Ras, and R-Ras2. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A junction-level optoelectronic characterization of etching-induced damage for third-generation HgCdTe infrared focal-plane array photodetectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Peng; Wang, Yueming; Wu, Mingzai; Ye, Zhenhua

2018-06-01

Third-generation HgCdTe-based infrared focal plane arrays require high aspect ratio trenches with admissible etch induced damage at the surface and sidewalls for effectively isolating the pixels. In this paper, the high-density inductively coupled plasma enhanced reaction ion etching technique has been used for micro-mesa delineation of HgCdTe for third-generation infrared focal-plane array detectors. A nondestructive junction-level optoelectronic characterization method called laser beam induced current (LBIC) is used to evaluate the lateral junction extent of HgCdTe etch-induced damage scanning electron microscopy. It is found that the LBIC profiles exhibit evident double peaks and valleys phenomena. The lateral extent of etch induced mesa damage of ∼2.4 μm is obtained by comparing the LBIC profile and the scanning electron microscopy image of etched sample. This finding will guide us to nondestructively identify the distributions of the etching damages in large scale HgCdTe micro-mesa.

Current Strategies in Reconstruction of Maxillectomy Defects

PubMed Central

Andrades, Patricio; Militsakh, Oleg; Hanasono, Matthew M.; Rieger, Jana; Rosenthal, Eben L.

2014-01-01

Objective To outline a contemporary review of defect classification and reconstructive options. Design Review article. Setting Tertiary care referral centers. Results Although prosthetic rehabilitation remains the standard of care in many institutions, the discomfort of wearing, removing, and cleaning a prosthesis; the inability to retain a prosthesis in large defects; and the frequent need for readjustments often limit the value of this cost-effective and successful method of restoring speech and mastication. However, flap reconstruction offers an option for many, although there is no agreement as to which techniques should be used for optimal reconstruction. Flap reconstruction also involves a longer recovery time with increased risk of surgical complications, has higher costs associated with the procedure, and requires access to a highly experienced surgeon. Conclusion The surgeon and reconstructive team must make individualized decisions based on the extent of the maxillectomy defect (eg, the resection of the infraorbital rim, the extent of palate excision, skin compromise) and the need for radiation therapy. PMID:21844415

Influence of large woody debris on stream insect communities and benthic detritus

Treesearch

A. Dennis Lemly; Robert H. Hilderbrand

2000-01-01

We examined the extent to which benthic detritus loadings and the functional feeding group structure of stream insect communities respond to channel modifications produced by experimental addition of large woody debris (LWD, entire logs) to Stony Creek, VA. Benthic detritus loadings per sample did not change after LWD additions, but large increases in pool habitats...

Computational Ecology and Open Science: Tools to Help Manage Lakes for Cyanobacteria in Lakes

EPA Science Inventory

Computational ecology is an interdisciplinary field that takes advantage of modern computation abilities to expand our ecological understanding. As computational ecologists, we use large data sets, which often cover large spatial extents, and advanced statistical/mathematical co...

Effect of prior disturbances on the extent and severity of wildfire in Colorado subalpine forests.

PubMed

Kulakowski, Dominik; Veblen, Thomas T

2007-03-01

Disturbances are important in creating spatial heterogeneity of vegetation patterns that in turn may affect the spread and severity of subsequent disturbances. Between 1997 and 2002 extensive areas of subalpine forests in northwestern Colorado were affected by a blowdown of trees, bark beetle outbreaks, and salvage logging. Some of these stands were also affected by severe fires in the late 19th century. During a severe drought in 2002, fires affected extensive areas of these subalpine forests. We evaluated and modeled the extent and severity of the 2002 fires in relation to these disturbances that occurred over the five years prior to the fires and in relation to late 19th century stand-replacing fires. Occurrence of disturbances prior to 2002 was reconstructed using a combination of tree-ring methods, aerial photograph interpretation, field surveys, and geographic information systems (GIS). The extent and severity of the 2002 fires were based on the normalized difference burn ratio (NDBR) derived from satellite imagery. GIS and classification trees were used to analyze the effects of prefire conditions on the 2002 fires. Previous disturbance history had a significant influence on the severity of the 2002 fires. Stands that were severely blown down (> 66% trees down) in 1997 burned more severely than other stands, and young (approximately 120 year old) postfire stands burned less severely than older stands. In contrast, prefire disturbances were poor predictors of fire extent, except that young (approximately 120 years old) postfire stands were less extensively burned than older stands. Salvage logging and bark beetle outbreaks that followed the 1997 blowdown (within the blowdown as well as in adjacent forest that was not blown down) did not appear to affect fire extent or severity. Conclusions regarding the influence of the beetle outbreaks on fire extent and severity are limited, however, by spatial and temporal limitations associated with aerial detection surveys of beetle activity. Thus, fire extent in these forests is largely independent of prefire disturbance history and vegetation conditions. In contrast, fire severity, even during extreme fire weather and in conjunction with a multiyear drought, is influenced by prefire stand conditions, including the history of previous disturbances.

Global patterns and predictors of fish species richness in estuaries.

PubMed

Vasconcelos, Rita P; Henriques, Sofia; França, Susana; Pasquaud, Stéphanie; Cardoso, Inês; Laborde, Marina; Cabral, Henrique N

2015-09-01

1. Knowledge of global patterns of biodiversity and regulating variables is indispensable to develop predictive models. 2. The present study used predictive modelling approaches to investigate hypotheses that explain the variation in fish species richness between estuaries over a worldwide spatial extent. Ultimately, such models will allow assessment of future changes in ecosystem structure and function as a result of environmental changes. 3. A comprehensive worldwide data base was compiled of the fish assemblage composition and environmental characteristics of estuaries. Generalized Linear Models were used to quantify how variation in species richness among estuaries is related to historical events, energy dynamics and ecosystem characteristics, while controlling for sampling effects. 4. At the global extent, species richness differed among marine biogeographic realms and continents and increased with mean sea surface temperature, terrestrial net primary productivity and the stability of connectivity with a marine ecosystem (open vs. temporarily open estuaries). At a smaller extent (within a marine biogeographic realm or continent), other characteristics were also important in predicting variation in species richness, with species richness increasing with estuary area and continental shelf width. 5. The results suggest that species richness in an estuary is defined by predictors that are spatially hierarchical. Over the largest spatial extents, species richness is influenced by the broader distributions and habitat use patterns of marine and freshwater species that can colonize estuaries, which are in turn governed by history contingency, energy dynamics and productivity variables. Species richness is also influenced by more regional and local parameters that can further affect the process of community colonization in an estuary including the connectivity of the estuary with the adjacent marine habitat, and, over smaller spatial extents, the size of these habitats. In summary, patterns of species richness in estuaries across large spatial extents seem to reflect from global to local processes acting on community colonization. The importance of considering spatial extent, sampling effects and of combining history and contemporary environmental characteristics when exploring biodiversity is highlighted. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons on behalf of the British Ecological Society.

Simulation of dynamic expansion, contraction, and connectivity in a mountain stream network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Adam S.; Schmadel, Noah M.; Wondzell, Steven M.

2018-04-01

Headwater stream networks expand and contract in response to changes in stream discharge. The changes in the extent of the stream network are also controlled by geologic or geomorphic setting - some reaches go dry even under relatively wet conditions, other reaches remain flowing under relatively dry conditions. While such patterns are well recognized, we currently lack tools to predict the extent of the stream network and the times and locations where the network is dry within large river networks. Here, we develop a perceptual model of the river corridor in a headwater mountainous catchment, translate this into a reduced-complexity mechanistic model, and implement the model to examine connectivity and network extent over an entire water year. Our model agreed reasonably well with our observations, showing that the extent and connectivity of the river network was most sensitive to hydrologic forcing under the lowest discharges (Qgauge < 1 L s-1), that at intermediate discharges (1 L s-1 < Qgauge < 10 L s-1) the extent of the network changed dramatically with changes in discharge, and that under wet conditions (Qgauge > 10 L s-1) the extent of the network was relatively insensitive to hydrologic forcing and was instead determined by the network topology. We do not expect that the specific thresholds observed in this study would be transferable to other catchments with different geology, topology, or hydrologic forcing. However, we expect that the general pattern should be robust: the dominant controls will shift from hydrologic forcing to geologic setting as discharge increases. Furthermore, our method is readily transferable as the model can be applied with minimal data requirements (a single stream gauge, a digital terrain model, and estimates of hydrogeologic properties) to estimate flow duration or connectivity along the river corridor in unstudied catchments. As the available information increases, the model could be better calibrated to match site-specific observations of network extent, locations of dry reaches, or solute break through curves as demonstrated in this study. Based on the low initial data requirements and ability to later tune the model to a specific site, we suggest example applications of this parsimonious model that may prove useful to both researchers and managers.

Cost-effectiveness of bazedoxifene incorporating the FRAX® algorithm in a European perspective.

PubMed

Borgström, F; Ström, O; Kleman, M; McCloskey, E; Johansson, H; Odén, A; Kanis, J A

2011-03-01

The cost-effectiveness of bazedoxifene was compared to placebo in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK from a healthcare perspective using FRAX® for both fracture risks and for treatment efficacy. Cost/QALY differences were explained to a large extent by differences in fracture risk. In cost-effectiveness modelling of osteoporosis treatments, the fracture risk has traditionally been calculated with risk adjustments based on age, bone mineral density and prior fracture. However, knowledge of additional clinical risk factors contributes to fracture risk assessment as demonstrated by the FRAX® tool. Bazedoxifene, a new selective estrogen receptor modulator for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis, has been shown in a phase III clinical trial to reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures in women. In an analysis using FRAX®, the efficacy of bazedoxifene was greater in patients with higher fracture risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of bazedoxifene compared to placebo in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK from a healthcare perspective using FRAX®. A Markov cohort model was adapted to incorporate the FRAX® risk factors. FRAX® produces relative risks for hip fractures and major osteoporotic fractures. Patients were given a 5-year intervention, reducing the risk of fractures in a risk-dependent manner. The effect of treatment on fractures was assumed to decline linearly over 5 years after the intervention. There are large cost/quality-adjusted life year variations between countries in the European setting studied. The base case values ranged from cost saving (Sweden) to EUR 105,450 (Spain) in 70-year-old women with a T-score of -2.5 SD and a prior fracture. Bazedoxifene can be a cost-effective treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis. The variability between countries was explained to a large extent by differences in fracture risk, and the estimated cost-effectiveness was highly dependent on the population's FRAX®-estimated probability of major osteoporotic fracture.

A Mixed-dimensional Model for Determining the Impact of Permafrost Polygonal Ground Degradation on Arctic Hydrology.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coon, E.; Jan, A.; Painter, S. L.; Moulton, J. D.; Wilson, C. J.

2017-12-01

Many permafrost-affected regions in the Arctic manifest a polygonal patterned ground, which contains large carbon stores and is vulnerability to climate change as warming temperatures drive melting ice wedges, polygon degradation, and thawing of the underlying carbon-rich soils. Understanding the fate of this carbon is difficult. The system is controlled by complex, nonlinear physics coupling biogeochemistry, thermal-hydrology, and geomorphology, and there is a strong spatial scale separation between microtopograpy (at the scale of an individual polygon) and the scale of landscape change (at the scale of many thousands of polygons). Physics-based models have come a long way, and are now capable of representing the diverse set of processes, but only on individual polygons or a few polygons. Empirical models have been used to upscale across land types, including ecotypes evolving from low-centered (pristine) polygons to high-centered (degraded) polygon, and do so over large spatial extent, but are limited in their ability to discern causal process mechanisms. Here we present a novel strategy that looks to use physics-based models across scales, bringing together multiple capabilities to capture polygon degradation under a warming climate and its impacts on thermal-hydrology. We use fine-scale simulations on individual polygons to motivate a mixed-dimensional strategy that couples one-dimensional columns representing each individual polygon through two-dimensional surface flow. A subgrid model is used to incorporate the effects of surface microtopography on surface flow; this model is described and calibrated to fine-scale simulations. And critically, a subsidence model that tracks volume loss in bulk ice wedges is used to alter the subsurface structure and subgrid parameters, enabling the inclusion of the feedbacks associated with polygon degradation. This combined strategy results in a model that is able to capture the key features of polygon permafrost degradation, but in a simulation across a large spatial extent of polygonal tundra.

Investigation of GICs Associated with Large dB/dt Variations in Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimitrakoudis, S.; Mann, I. R.; Murphy, K. R.; Rae, J.; Denton, M.; Milling, D. K.

2016-12-01

Geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) can be driven in terrestrial electrical power grids as a result of the induced electric fields arising from magnetic field changes driven in the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere-ground system. Substorms are often hypothesised to be associated with the largest GIC effects on the ground, especially at higher latitudes. However, recent studies have suggested that other dayside phenomena such as sudden impulses and even ULF wave trains might also drive significant GICs. Using data from the CARISMA ground-based magnetometer network we examine the GIC response driven from a variety of magnetospheric processes. In particular we focus on events where large dB/dt is observed in-situ on GOES East and West satellites. Auroras, resulting from magnetospheric substorms, give us a dynamical view of sudden destabilizations in the nightside magnetosphere, of large spatial and temporal extent, that can drive large and potentially damaging geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) in terrestrial power grids. Since ground dB/dt can be used as a GIC proxy, we have surveyed GOES data since 2011 for the largest dB/dT events, and found some to be of the order of hundreds of nT in the span of a few seconds. These are observed in both the nightside and dayside, and, as such, we seek to establish connections to drivers affecting both sides of the terminator; tail activations and substorms on the nightside, large amplitude ULF waves, solar wind sudden impulses, and rapid changes in MIC current systems on the dayside. The short duration of these events, coupled with the use of conjugate satellite measurements and ground magnetometer arrays when possible, allows us to investigate their localization and the latitudinal extent of their effects and to further examine the potential role of non-substorm phenomena in generating GICs which may have adverse impacts in electrical power grids.

Fire weather and likelihood: characterizing climate space for fire occurrence and extent in Puerto Rico

Treesearch

Ashley E. Van Beusekom; William A. Gould; A. Carolina Monmany; Azad Henareh Khalyani; Maya Quiñones; Stephen J. Fain; Maria José Andrade-Núñez; Grizelle González

2018-01-01

Abstract Assessing the relationships between weather patterns and the likelihood of fire occurrence in the Caribbean has not been as central to climate change research as in temperate regions, due in part to the smaller extent of individual fires. However, the cumulative effect of small frequent fires can shape large landscapes, and fire-prone ecosystems are abundant...

They Do Not Buy It: Exploring the Extent to Which Entering First-Year Students View Themselves as Customers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Daniel B.

2015-01-01

While a number of scholars have discussed the pervasiveness of the conceptualization of students as customers, to date there has been limited reliable research examining the extent to which students actually view themselves as customers. Using a survey that was administered to a census of entering first-year students at a large public research…

The Professional Development Needs of Early Career Teachers, and the Extent to Which They Are Met: A Survey of Teachers in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Paul; Harrop, Susan; Thomas, Judith; Cain, Tim

2018-01-01

In a context in which local authority support has been largely removed from schools in England, this article examines the needs of early career teachers (ECTs) in English schools and colleges, the extent to which these needs are met through professional development activities and the nature of that professional development. Quantitative and…

Pattern-based, multi-scale segmentation and regionalization of EOSD land cover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niesterowicz, Jacek; Stepinski, Tomasz F.

2017-10-01

The Earth Observation for Sustainable Development of Forests (EOSD) map is a 25 m resolution thematic map of Canadian forests. Because of its large spatial extent and relatively high resolution the EOSD is difficult to analyze using standard GIS methods. In this paper we propose multi-scale segmentation and regionalization of EOSD as new methods for analyzing EOSD on large spatial scales. Segments, which we refer to as forest land units (FLUs), are delineated as tracts of forest characterized by cohesive patterns of EOSD categories; we delineated from 727 to 91,885 FLUs within the spatial extent of EOSD depending on the selected scale of a pattern. Pattern of EOSD's categories within each FLU is described by 1037 landscape metrics. A shapefile containing boundaries of all FLUs together with an attribute table listing landscape metrics make up an SQL-searchable spatial database providing detailed information on composition and pattern of land cover types in Canadian forest. Shapefile format and extensive attribute table pertaining to the entire legend of EOSD are designed to facilitate broad range of investigations in which assessment of composition and pattern of forest over large areas is needed. We calculated four such databases using different spatial scales of pattern. We illustrate the use of FLU database for producing forest regionalization maps of two Canadian provinces, Quebec and Ontario. Such maps capture the broad scale variability of forest at the spatial scale of the entire province. We also demonstrate how FLU database can be used to map variability of landscape metrics, and thus the character of landscape, over the entire Canada.

Marketing veterinary services.

PubMed

Lee, David E

2006-03-01

Marketing is a holistic process that goes far beyond a Yellow Page advertisement or a glossy brochure. A thorough evaluation of a market before entry, including best and worst case scenarios, is critical to mak-ing good investments. Veterinarians are fortunate to have a market that is largely protected by barriers to entry and characterized by reasonably high rates of return given minimal risk. Our market base continues to expand and, overall, remains fairly price insensitive. The extent to which a practice can align its capabilities with a product mix that ideally meets its clients' needs will ultimately determine its success.

Dynamic Strain Measured by Mach-Zehnder Interferometric Optical Fiber Sensors

PubMed Central

Her, Shiuh-Chuan; Yang, Chih-Min

2012-01-01

Optical fibers possess many advantages such as small size, light weight and immunity to electro-magnetic interference that meet the sensing requirements to a large extent. In this investigation, a Mach-Zehnder interferometric optical fiber sensor is used to measure the dynamic strain of a vibrating cantilever beam. A 3 × 3 coupler is employed to demodulate the phase shift of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The dynamic strain of a cantilever beam subjected to base excitation is determined by the optical fiber sensor. The experimental results are validated with the strain gauge. PMID:22737010

The Oxygen Isotopic Composition of MIL 090001: A CR2 Chondrite with Abundant Refractory Inclusions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, Lindsay P.; McKeegan, K. D.; Sharp, Z. D.

2012-01-01

MIL 090001 is a large (>6 kg) carbonaceous chondrite that was classified as a member of the CV reduced subgroup (CVred) that was recovered during the 2009-2010 ANSMET field season [1]. Based on the abundance of refractory inclusions and the extent of aqueous alteration, Keller [2] suggested a CV2 classification. Here we report additional mineralogical and petrographic data for MIL 090001, its whole-rock oxygen isotopic composition and ion microprobe analyses of individual phases. The whole rock oxygen isotopic analyses show that MIL 090001 should be classified as a CR chondrite.

State of mental healthcare systems in Eastern Europe: do we really understand what is going on?

PubMed Central

Winkler, Petr

2016-01-01

The article examines the current state of mental healthcare systems in countries of Eastern Europe and derives implications for future research and service development. Analysis of available statistics from the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Atlas suggests the need for better-quality data collection. Nonetheless, there appear to be insufficient resources allocated to mental health, lack of involvement of service users in policy-making and, to a large extent, systems continue to rely on mental hospitals. Based on the data presented, a set of directions for future reforms was drafted. PMID:29093919

A microprocessor-based automation test system for the experiment of the multi-stage compressor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Huisheng; Lin, Chongping

1991-08-01

An automation test system that is controlled by the microprocessor and used in the multistage compressor experiment is described. Based on the analysis of the compressor experiment performances, a complete hardware system structure is set up. It is composed of a IBM PC/XT computer, a large scale sampled data system, the moving machine with three directions, the scanners, the digital instrumentation and some output devices. A program structure of real-time software system is described. The testing results show that this test system can take the measure of many parameter magnitudes in the blade row places and on a boundary layer in different states. The automatic extent and the accuracy of experiment is increased and the experimental cost is reduced.

Cooling Along Hyporheic Pathlines in a Large River Riparian Zone

EPA Science Inventory

Floodplains can contribute to hyporheic cooling and moderation of temperature for rivers, but extent and magnitude are dependent on ground water hydrology. Here we illustrate the controls and dynamics of hyporheic cooling in the ground water of a large river floodplain with field...

Surgical repair of large cyclodialysis clefts.

PubMed

Gross, Jacob B; Davis, Garvin H; Bell, Nicholas P; Feldman, Robert M; Blieden, Lauren S

2017-05-11

To describe a new surgical technique to effectively close large (>180 degrees) cyclodialysis clefts. Our method involves the use of procedures commonly associated with repair of retinal detachment and complex cataract extraction: phacoemulsification with placement of a capsular tension ring followed by pars plana vitrectomy and gas tamponade with light cryotherapy. We also used anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a noninvasive mechanism to determine the extent of the clefts and compared those results with ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and gonioscopy. This technique was used to repair large cyclodialysis clefts in 4 eyes. All 4 eyes had resolution of hypotony and improvement of visual acuity. One patient had an intraocular pressure spike requiring further surgical intervention. Anterior segment OCT imaging in all 4 patients showed a more extensive cleft than UBM or gonioscopy. This technique is effective in repairing large cyclodialysis clefts. Anterior segment OCT more accurately predicted the extent of each cleft, while UBM and gonioscopy both underestimated the size of the cleft.

Urban stormwater inundation simulation based on SWMM and diffusive overland-flow model.

PubMed

Chen, Wenjie; Huang, Guoru; Zhang, Han

2017-12-01

With rapid urbanization, inundation-induced property losses have become more and more severe. Urban inundation modeling is an effective way to reduce these losses. This paper introduces a simplified urban stormwater inundation simulation model based on the United States Environmental Protection Agency Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) and a geographic information system (GIS)-based diffusive overland-flow model. SWMM is applied for computation of flows in storm sewer systems and flooding flows at junctions, while the GIS-based diffusive overland-flow model simulates surface runoff and inundation. One observed rainfall scenario on Haidian Island, Hainan Province, China was chosen to calibrate the model and the other two were used for validation. Comparisons of the model results with field-surveyed data and InfoWorks ICM (Integrated Catchment Modeling) modeled results indicated the inundation model in this paper can provide inundation extents and reasonable inundation depths even in a large study area.

High resolution modeling of reservoir storage and extent dynamics at the continental scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, S.; Pokhrel, Y. N.

2017-12-01

Over the past decade, significant progress has been made in developing reservoir schemes in large scale hydrological models to better simulate hydrological fluxes and storages in highly managed river basins. These schemes have been successfully used to study the impact of reservoir operation on global river basins. However, improvements in the existing schemes are needed for hydrological fluxes and storages, especially at the spatial resolution to be used in hyper-resolution hydrological modeling. In this study, we developed a reservoir routing scheme with explicit representation of reservoir storage and extent at the grid scale of 5km or less. Instead of setting reservoir area to a fixed value or diagnosing it using the area-storage equation, which is a commonly used approach in the existing reservoir schemes, we explicitly simulate the inundated storage and area for all grid cells that are within the reservoir extent. This approach enables a better simulation of river-floodplain-reservoir storage by considering both the natural flood and man-made reservoir storage. Results of the seasonal dynamics of reservoir storage, river discharge at the downstream of dams, and the reservoir inundation extent are evaluated with various datasets from ground-observations and satellite measurements. The new model captures the dynamics of these variables with a good accuracy for most of the large reservoirs in the western United States. It is expected that the incorporation of the newly developed reservoir scheme in large-scale land surface models (LSMs) will lead to improved simulation of river flow and terrestrial water storage in highly managed river basins.

The rate and extent of deforestation in watersheds of the southwestern Amazon basin.

PubMed

Biggs, Trent W; Dunne, Thomas; Roberts, Dar A; Matricardi, E

2008-01-01

The rate and extent of deforestation determine the timing and magnitude of disturbance to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Rapid change can lead to transient impacts to hydrology and biogeochemistry, while complete and permanent conversion to other land uses can lead to chronic changes. A large population of watershed boundaries (N=4788) and a time series of Landsat TM imagery (1975-1999) in the southwestern Amazon Basin showed that even small watersheds (2.5-15 km2) were deforested relatively slowly over 7-21 years. Less than 1% of all small watersheds were more than 50% cleared in a single year, and clearing rates averaged 5.6%/yr during active clearing. A large proportion (26%) of the small watersheds had a cumulative deforestation extent of more than 75%. The cumulative deforestation extent was highly spatially autocorrelated up to a 100-150 km lag due to the geometry of the agricultural zone and road network, so watersheds as large as approximately 40000 km2 were more than 50% deforested by 1999. The rate of deforestation had minimal spatial autocorrelation beyond a lag of approximately 30 km, and the mean rate decreased rapidly with increasing area. Approximately 85% of the cleared area remained in pasture, so deforestation in watersheds of Rondônia was a relatively slow, permanent, and complete transition to pasture, rather than a rapid, transient, and partial cutting with regrowth. Given the observed landcover transitions, the regional stream biogeochemical response is likely to resemble the chronic changes observed in streams draining established pastures, rather than a temporary pulse from slash-and-burn.

Gas storage carbon with enhanced thermal conductivity

DOEpatents

Burchell, Timothy D.; Rogers, Michael Ray; Judkins, Roddie R.

2000-01-01

A carbon fiber carbon matrix hybrid adsorbent monolith with enhanced thermal conductivity for storing and releasing gas through adsorption and desorption is disclosed. The heat of adsorption of the gas species being adsorbed is sufficiently large to cause hybrid monolith heating during adsorption and hybrid monolith cooling during desorption which significantly reduces the storage capacity of the hybrid monolith, or efficiency and economics of a gas separation process. The extent of this phenomenon depends, to a large extent, on the thermal conductivity of the adsorbent hybrid monolith. This invention is a hybrid version of a carbon fiber monolith, which offers significant enhancements to thermal conductivity and potential for improved gas separation and storage systems.

Oxygen depletion in coastal seas and the effective spawning stock biomass of an exploited fish species

PubMed Central

Hinrichsen, H.-H.; von Dewitz, B.; Dierking, J.; Haslob, H.; Makarchouk, A.; Petereit, C.; Voss, R.

2016-01-01

Environmental conditions may have previously underappreciated effects on the reproductive processes of commercially exploited fish populations, for example eastern Baltic cod, that are living at the physiological limits of their distribution. In the Baltic Sea, salinity affects neutral egg buoyancy, which is positively correlated with egg survival, as only water layers away from the oxygen consumption-dominated sea bottom contain sufficient oxygen. Egg buoyancy is positively correlated to female spawner age/size. From observations in the Baltic Sea, a field-based relationship between egg diameter and buoyancy (floating depth) could be established. Hence, based on the age structure of the spawning stock, we quantify the number of effective spawners, which are able to reproduce under ambient hydrographic conditions. For the time period 1993–2010, our results revealed large variations in the horizontal extent of spawning habitat (1000–20 000 km2) and oxygen-dependent egg survival (10–80%). The novel concept of an effective spawning stock biomass takes into account offspring that survive depending on the spawning stock age/size structure, if reproductive success is related to egg buoyancy and the extent of hypoxic areas. Effective spawning stock biomass reflected the role of environmental conditions for Baltic cod recruitment better than the spawning stock biomass alone, highlighting the importance of including environmental information in ecosystem-based management approaches. PMID:26909164

Satellite-based characterization of climatic conditions before large-scale general flowering events in Peninsular Malaysia

PubMed Central

Azmy, Muna Maryam; Hashim, Mazlan; Numata, Shinya; Hosaka, Tetsuro; Noor, Nur Supardi Md.; Fletcher, Christine

2016-01-01

General flowering (GF) is a unique phenomenon wherein, at irregular intervals, taxonomically diverse trees in Southeast Asian dipterocarp forests synchronize their reproduction at the community level. Triggers of GF, including drought and low minimum temperatures a few months previously has been limitedly observed across large regional scales due to lack of meteorological stations. Here, we aim to identify the climatic conditions that trigger large-scale GF in Peninsular Malaysia using satellite sensors, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), to evaluate the climatic conditions of focal forests. We observed antecedent drought, low temperature and high photosynthetic radiation conditions before large-scale GF events, suggesting that large-scale GF events could be triggered by these factors. In contrast, we found higher-magnitude GF in forests where lower precipitation preceded large-scale GF events. GF magnitude was also negatively influenced by land surface temperature (LST) for a large-scale GF event. Therefore, we suggest that spatial extent of drought may be related to that of GF forests, and that the spatial pattern of LST may be related to that of GF occurrence. With significant new findings and other results that were consistent with previous research we clarified complicated environmental correlates with the GF phenomenon. PMID:27561887

Satellite-based characterization of climatic conditions before large-scale general flowering events in Peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Azmy, Muna Maryam; Hashim, Mazlan; Numata, Shinya; Hosaka, Tetsuro; Noor, Nur Supardi Md; Fletcher, Christine

2016-08-26

General flowering (GF) is a unique phenomenon wherein, at irregular intervals, taxonomically diverse trees in Southeast Asian dipterocarp forests synchronize their reproduction at the community level. Triggers of GF, including drought and low minimum temperatures a few months previously has been limitedly observed across large regional scales due to lack of meteorological stations. Here, we aim to identify the climatic conditions that trigger large-scale GF in Peninsular Malaysia using satellite sensors, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), to evaluate the climatic conditions of focal forests. We observed antecedent drought, low temperature and high photosynthetic radiation conditions before large-scale GF events, suggesting that large-scale GF events could be triggered by these factors. In contrast, we found higher-magnitude GF in forests where lower precipitation preceded large-scale GF events. GF magnitude was also negatively influenced by land surface temperature (LST) for a large-scale GF event. Therefore, we suggest that spatial extent of drought may be related to that of GF forests, and that the spatial pattern of LST may be related to that of GF occurrence. With significant new findings and other results that were consistent with previous research we clarified complicated environmental correlates with the GF phenomenon.

Genomic DNA methylation-demethylation during aging and reinvigoration of Pinus radiata.

PubMed

Fraga, Mario F; Rodríguez, Roberto; Cañal, Maria Jesús

2002-08-01

In animals, DNA methylation is related to gene silencing during ontogenic development. Little is known about DNA methylation in plants, although occasional changes in the DNA methylation state of specific gene promoters have been reported in angiosperms during some developmental processes. We found large differences in the extent of DNA methylation between meristematic areas of juvenile and mature Pinus radiata D. Don. trees, whereas differences in the extent of DNA methylation between differentiated tissues of juvenile and mature trees were small. In meristematic areas, there was a gradual decrease in extent of DNA methylation as the degree of reinvigoration increased. The observed changes in extent of DNA methylation during aging and reinvigoration indicate that reinvigoration could be a consequence of epigenetic modifications opposite in direction to those that occur during aging.

Estimation of Curve Tracing Time in Supercapacitor based PV Characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basu Pal, Sudipta; Das Bhattacharya, Konika; Mukherjee, Dipankar; Paul, Debkalyan

2017-08-01

Smooth and noise-free characterisation of photovoltaic (PV) generators have been revisited with renewed interest in view of large size PV arrays making inroads into the urban sector of major developing countries. Such practice has recently been observed to be confronted by the use of a suitable data acquisition system and also the lack of a supporting theoretical analysis to justify the accuracy of curve tracing. However, the use of a selected bank of supercapacitors can mitigate the said problems to a large extent. Assuming a piecewise linear analysis of the V-I characteristics of a PV generator, an accurate analysis of curve plotting time has been possible. The analysis has been extended to consider the effect of equivalent series resistance of the supercapacitor leading to increased accuracy (90-95%) of curve plotting times.

Atlantic Ocean circulation changes preceded millennial tropical South America rainfall events during the last glacial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burckel, Pierre; Waelbroeck, Claire; Gherardi, Jeanne Marie; Pichat, Sylvain; Arz, Helge; Lippold, Joerg; Dokken, Trond; Thil, François

2015-01-01

the last glacial period, Greenland's climate shifted between cold (stadial) and warm (interstadial) phases that were accompanied by ocean circulation changes characterized by reduced Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) during stadials. Here we present new data from the western tropical Atlantic demonstrating that AMOC slowdowns preceded some of the large South American rainfall events that took place during stadials. Based on 231Pa/230Th and Ti/Ca measurements in the same sediment core, we determine that the AMOC started to slowdown 1420 ± 250 and 690 ± 180 (1σ) years before the onset of two large precipitation events associated with Heinrich stadials. Our results bring unprecedented evidence that AMOC changes could be at the origin of the large precipitation events observed in tropical South America during Heinrich stadials. In addition, we propose a mechanism explaining the differences in the extent and timing of AMOC slowdowns associated with shorter and longer stadials.

Hadley circulation extent and strength in a wide range of simulated climates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Agostino, Roberta; Adam, Ori; Lionello, Piero; Schneider, Tapio

2017-04-01

Understanding the Hadley circulation (HC) dynamics is crucial because its changes affect the seasonal migration of the ITCZ, the extent of subtropical arid regions and the strength of the monsoons. Despite decades of study, the factors controlling its strength and extent have remained unclear. Here we analyse how HC strength and extent change over a wide range of climate conditions from the Last Glacial Maximum to future projections. The large climate change between paleoclimate simulations and future scenarios offers the chance to analyse robust HC changes and their link to large-scale factors. The HC shrinks and strengthens in the coldest simulation relative to the warmest. A progressive poleward shift of its edges is evident as the climate warms (at a rate of 0.35°lat./K in each hemisphere). The HC extent and strength both depend on the isentropic slope, which in turn is related to the meridional temperature gradient, subtropical static stability and tropopause height. In multiple robust regression analysis using these as predictors, we find that the tropical tropopause height does not add relevant information to the model beyond surface temperature. Therefore, primarily the static stability and secondarily the meridional temperature contrast together account for the bulk of the almost the total HC variance. However, the regressions leave some of the northern HC edge and southern HC strength variance unexplained. The effectiveness of this analysis is limited by the correlation among the predictors and their relationship with mean temperature. In fact, for all simulations, the tropical temperature explains well the variations of HC except its southern hemisphere intensity. Hence, it can be used as the sole predictor to diagnose the HC response to greenhouse-induced global warming. How to account for the evolution of the southern HC strength remains unclear, because of the large inter-model spread in this quantity.

17 CFR 240.14a-5 - Presentation of information in proxy statement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... roman type at least as large and as legible as 10-point modern type, except that to the extent necessary..., may be in roman type at least as large and as legible as 8-point modern type. All such type shall be...

GIEMS-D3: A new long-term, dynamical, high-spatial resolution inundation extent dataset at global scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aires, Filipe; Miolane, Léo; Prigent, Catherine; Pham Duc, Binh; Papa, Fabrice; Fluet-Chouinard, Etienne; Lehner, Bernhard

2017-04-01

The Global Inundation Extent from Multi-Satellites (GIEMS) provides multi-year monthly variations of the global surface water extent at 25kmx25km resolution. It is derived from multiple satellite observations. Its spatial resolution is usually compatible with climate model outputs and with global land surface model grids but is clearly not adequate for local applications that require the characterization of small individual water bodies. There is today a strong demand for high-resolution inundation extent datasets, for a large variety of applications such as water management, regional hydrological modeling, or for the analysis of mosquitos-related diseases. A new procedure is introduced to downscale the GIEMS low spatial resolution inundations to a 3 arc second (90 m) dataset. The methodology is based on topography and hydrography information from the HydroSHEDS database. A new floodability index is adopted and an innovative smoothing procedure is developed to ensure the smooth transition, in the high-resolution maps, between the low-resolution boxes from GIEMS. Topography information is relevant for natural hydrology environments controlled by elevation, but is more limited in human-modified basins. However, the proposed downscaling approach is compatible with forthcoming fusion with other more pertinent satellite information in these difficult regions. The resulting GIEMS-D3 database is the only high spatial resolution inundation database available globally at the monthly time scale over the 1993-2007 period. GIEMS-D3 is assessed by analyzing its spatial and temporal variability, and evaluated by comparisons to other independent satellite observations from visible (Google Earth and Landsat), infrared (MODIS) and active microwave (SAR).

Deformation, warming and softening of Greenland’s ice by refreezing meltwater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, Robin E.; Tinto, Kirsteen; Das, Indrani; Wolovick, Michael; Chu, Winnie; Creyts, Timothy T.; Frearson, Nicholas; Abdi, Abdulhakim; Paden, John D.

2014-07-01

Meltwater beneath the large ice sheets can influence ice flow by lubrication at the base or by softening when meltwater refreezes to form relatively warm ice. Refreezing has produced large basal ice units in East Antarctica. Bubble-free basal ice units also outcrop at the edge of the Greenland ice sheet, but the extent of refreezing and its influence on Greenland’s ice flow dynamics are unknown. Here we demonstrate that refreezing of meltwater produces distinct basal ice units throughout northern Greenland with thicknesses of up to 1,100 m. We compare airborne gravity data with modelled gravity anomalies to show that these basal units are ice. Using radar data we determine the extent of the units, which significantly disrupt the overlying ice sheet stratigraphy. The units consist of refrozen basal water commonly surrounded by heavily deformed meteoric ice derived from snowfall. We map these units along the ice sheet margins where surface melt is the largest source of water, as well as in the interior where basal melting is the only source of water. Beneath Petermann Glacier, basal units coincide with the onset of fast flow and channels in the floating ice tongue. We suggest that refreezing of meltwater and the resulting deformation of the surrounding basal ice warms the Greenland ice sheet, modifying the temperature structure of the ice column and influencing ice flow and grounding line melting.

Near roadway air pollution across a spatially extensive road and cycling network.

PubMed

Farrell, William; Weichenthal, Scott; Goldberg, Mark; Valois, Marie-France; Shekarrizfard, Maryam; Hatzopoulou, Marianne

2016-05-01

This study investigates the variability in near-road concentrations of ultra-fine particles (UFP). Our results are based on a mobile data collection campaign conducted in 2012 in Montreal, Canada using instrumented bicycles and covering approximately 475 km of unique roadways. The spatial extent of the data collected included a diverse array of roads and land use patterns. Average concentrations of UFP per roadway segment varied greatly across the study area (1411-192,340 particles/cm(3)) as well as across the different visits to the same segment. Mixed effects linear regression models were estimated for UFP (R(2) = 43.80%), incorporating a wide range of predictors including land-use, built environment, road characteristics, and meteorology. Temperature and wind speed had a large negative effect on near-road concentrations of UFP. Both the day of the week and time of day had a significant effect with Tuesdays and afternoon periods positively associated with UFP. Since UFP are largely associated with traffic emissions and considering the wide spatial extent of our data collection campaign, it was impossible to collect traffic volume data. For this purpose, we used simulated data for traffic volumes and speeds across the region and observed a positive effect for volumes and negative effect for speed. Finally, proximity to truck routes was also associated with higher UFP concentrations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The incidence of high medical expenses by health status in seven developed countries.

PubMed

Baird, Katherine Elizabeth

2016-01-01

Health care policy seeks to ensure that citizens are protected from the financial risk associated with needing health care. Yet rising health care costs in many countries are leading to a greater reliance on out-of-pocket (OOP) measures. This paper uses 2010 household survey data from seven countries to measure and compare the burden OOP expenses place on individuals. It compares countries based on the extent to which citizens with health problems devote a large share of their income to OOP expenses. The paper finds that in all countries but France, and to a lesser extent Slovenia, citizens with health problems face considerably higher medical costs than do those without. As many as one-quarter of less healthy citizens in the US, Poland, Russia and Israel devote a large share of their income to OOP expenses. The paper also finds a strong cross-national correlation between the degree to which citizens face high OOP expenses, and the disparities in OOP expenses between those with and without health problems. The levels of high OOP spending uncovered, and their inequitable impact on those with health problems in the seven countries, underscore the potential for OOP measures to undermine core objectives of health care systems, including those of equitable financing, equal access, and improved health among the population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Historical ecology with real numbers: past and present extent and biomass of an imperilled estuarine habitat

PubMed Central

Zu Ermgassen, Philine S. E.; Spalding, Mark D.; Blake, Brady; Coen, Loren D.; Dumbauld, Brett; Geiger, Steve; Grabowski, Jonathan H.; Grizzle, Raymond; Luckenbach, Mark; McGraw, Kay; Rodney, William; Ruesink, Jennifer L.; Powers, Sean P.; Brumbaugh, Robert

2012-01-01

Historic baselines are important in developing our understanding of ecosystems in the face of rapid global change. While a number of studies have sought to determine changes in extent of exploited habitats over historic timescales, few have quantified such changes prior to late twentieth century baselines. Here, we present, to our knowledge, the first ever large-scale quantitative assessment of the extent and biomass of marine habitat-forming species over a 100-year time frame. We examined records of wild native oyster abundance in the United States from a historic, yet already exploited, baseline between 1878 and 1935 (predominantly 1885–1915), and a current baseline between 1968 and 2010 (predominantly 2000–2010). We quantified the extent of oyster grounds in 39 estuaries historically and 51 estuaries from recent times. Data from 24 estuaries allowed comparison of historic to present extent and biomass. We found evidence for a 64 per cent decline in the spatial extent of oyster habitat and an 88 per cent decline in oyster biomass over time. The difference between these two numbers illustrates that current areal extent measures may be masking significant loss of habitat through degradation. PMID:22696522

The Use of Large-Scale Assessment (PISA): Insights for Policy and Practice in the Case of Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sui Chu Ho, Esther

2016-01-01

This paper examines to what extent and how the data and results of PISA have been used for various education stakeholders and to what extent PISA affect educational policy and practices in Hong Kong. From the point of view of the government, PISA has played an important role in supporting and legitimising government educational reform since 2000.…

Live performance, carcass characteristic and blood metabolite responses of broilers to two distinct corn types with different extent of grinding.

PubMed

Zhao, J P; Cui, D P; Zhang, Z Y; Jiao, H C; Song, Z G; Lin, H

2017-04-01

The major objective of this research was to establish the main and interactive effects of corn type and extent of grinding on broiler performance including carcass characteristics. A completely randomized experimental design with a 2 (corn type) × 2 (fine and coarse) factorial arrangement, each with six replicates of 45 male Ross chicks, was applied. Experimental diets, containing dent or hard corn, were formulated with two extents of grinding (3.00 or 6.00 mm screens) for three growing phases. In comparison with dent corn, the hard corn increased body weight (BW) gain and thigh muscle yield (p < 0.05), while decreasing feed conversion ratio (p < 0.01) and abdominal fat deposition (p < 0.05), some aspects of which were age-dependent and appeared to vary with extent of grinding. Coarser grinding increased the weight of proventriculus (p < 0.01), gizzard (p < 0.05) and small + large intestine (p < 0.10) relative to BW, particularly towards market size. These results suggest that feeding hard corn or large-particle-size corn have some favourable effects on growth performance or gastrointestinal development for finishing broilers. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Using a filtering task to measure the spatial extent of selective attention

PubMed Central

Palmer, John; Moore, Cathleen M.

2009-01-01

The spatial extent of attention was investigated by measuring sensitivity to stimuli at to-be-ignored locations. Observers detected a stimulus at a cued location (target), while ignoring otherwise identical stimuli at nearby locations (foils). Only an attentional cue distinguished target from foil. Several experiments varied the contrast and separation of targets and foils. Two theories of selection were compared: contrast gain and a version of attention switching called an all-or-none mixture model. Results included large effects of separation, rejection of the contrast gain model, and the measurement of the size and profile of the spatial extent of attention. PMID:18405935

Inability to determine tissue health is main indication of allograft use in intermediate extent burns.

PubMed

Fletcher, John L; Cancio, Leopoldo C; Sinha, Indranil; Leung, Kai P; Renz, Evan M; Chan, Rodney K

2015-12-01

Cutaneous allograft is commonly used in the early coverage of excised burns when autograft is unavailable. However, allograft is also applied in intermediate-extent burns (25-50%), during cases in which it is possible to autograft. In this population, there is a paucity of data on the indications for allograft use. This study explores the indications for allograft usage in moderate size burns. Under an IRB-approved protocol, patients admitted to our burn unit between March 2003 and December 2010 were identified through a review of the burn registry. Data on allograft use, total burn surface area, operation performed, operative intent, number of operations, intensive care unit length of stay, and overall length of stay were collected and analyzed. Data are presented as means±standard deviations, except where noted. In the study period, 146 patients received allograft during their acute hospitalization. Twenty-five percent of allograft recipients sustained intermediate-extent burns. Patients with intermediate-extent burns received allograft later in their hospitalization than those with large-extent (50-75% TBSA) burns (6.8 days vs. 3.4 days, p=0.01). Allografted patients with intermediate-extent burns underwent more operations (10.8 vs. 6.1, p=0.002) and had longer hospitalizations (78.3 days vs. 40.9 days, p<0.001) than non-allografted patients, when controlled for TBSA. Clinical rationale for placement of allograft in this population included autograft failure, uncertain depth of excision, lack of autograft donor site, and wound complexity. When uncertain depth of excision was the indication, allograft was universally applied onto the face. In half of allografted intermediate-extent burn patients the inability to identify a viable recipient bed was the ultimate reason for allograft use. Unlike large body surface area burns, allograft skin use in intermediate-extent injury occurs later in the hospitalization and is driven by the inability to determine wound bed suitability for autograft application. Allograft application can be utilized to test recipient site viability in cases of autograft failure or uncertain depth of excision. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Scale-dependent coupling of hysteretic capillary pressure, trapping, and fluid mobilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doster, F.; Celia, M. A.; Nordbotten, J. M.

2012-12-01

Many applications of multiphase flow in porous media, including CO2-storage and enhanced oil recovery, require mathematical models that span a large range of length scales. In the context of numerical simulations, practical grid sizes are often on the order of tens of meters, thereby de facto defining a coarse model scale. Under particular conditions, it is possible to approximate the sub-grid-scale distribution of the fluid saturation within a grid cell; that reconstructed saturation can then be used to compute effective properties at the coarse scale. If both the density difference between the fluids and the vertical extend of the grid cell are large, and buoyant segregation within the cell on a sufficiently shorte time scale, then the phase pressure distributions are essentially hydrostatic and the saturation profile can be reconstructed from the inferred capillary pressures. However, the saturation reconstruction may not be unique because the parameters and parameter functions of classical formulations of two-phase flow in porous media - the relative permeability functions, the capillary pressure -saturation relationship, and the residual saturations - show path dependence, i.e. their values depend not only on the state variables but also on their drainage and imbibition histories. In this study we focus on capillary pressure hysteresis and trapping and show that the contribution of hysteresis to effective quantities is dependent on the vertical length scale. By studying the transition from the two extreme cases - the homogeneous saturation distribution for small vertical extents and the completely segregated distribution for large extents - we identify how hysteretic capillary pressure at the local scale induces hysteresis in all coarse-scale quantities for medium vertical extents and finally vanishes for large vertical extents. Our results allow for more accurate vertically integrated modeling while improving our understanding of the coupling of capillary pressure and relative permeabilities over larger length scales.

Effects of fire suppression under a changing climate in Pacific Northwest mixed-pine forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanan, E. J.; Tague, C.; Bart, R. R.; Kennedy, M. C.; Abatzoglou, J. T.; Kolden, C.; Adam, J. C.

2017-12-01

The frequency of large and severe wildfires has increased over recent decades in many regions across the Western U.S., including the Pacific and Inland Northwest. This increase is likely driven in large part by wildfire suppression, which has promoted fuel accumulation in western landscapes. Recent studies also suggest that anthropogenic climate change intensifies wildfire activity by increasing fuel aridity. However, the contribution of these drivers to observed changes in fire regime is not well quantified at regional scales. Understanding the relative influence of climate and fire suppression is crucial for both projecting the effects of climate change on future fire spread, and for developing site-specific fuel management strategies under a new climate paradigm. To quantify the extent to which fire suppression and climate change have contributed to increases in wildfire activity in the Pacific Northwest, we conduct a modeling experiment using the ecohydrologic model RHESSys and the coupled stochastic fire spread model WMFire. Specifically, we use historical climate inputs from GCMs, combined with fire suppression scenarios to gauge the extent to which these drivers promote the spread of severe wildfires in Johnson Creek, a large (565-km2) mixed-pine dominated subcatchment of the Southfork Salmon River; part of the larger Columbia River Basin. We run 500 model iterations for suppressed, intermediate, and unsuppressed fire management scenarios, both with and without climate change in a factorial design, focusing on fire spread surrounding two extreme fire years in Johnson Creek (1998 and 2007). After deriving fire spread "fingerprints" for each combination of possible drivers, we evaluate the extent to which these fingerprints match observations in the fire record. We expect that climate change plays a role in the spread of large and severe wildfires in Johnson Creek, but the magnitude of this effect is mediated by prior suppression. Preliminary results suggest that management strategies aimed at reducing the extent of contiguous even-aged fuels may help curtail climate-driven increases in wildfire severity in Pacific Northwest watersheds.

Inundation downscaling for the development of a long-term and global inundation database compatible to SWOT mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aires, Filipe; Prigent, Catherine; Papa, Fabrice

2014-05-01

The Global Inundation Extent from Multi-Satellite (GIEMS) provides multi-year monthly variations of the global surface water extent at about 25 kmx25 km resolution, from 1993 to 2007. It is derived from multiple satellite observations. Its spatial resolution is usually compatible with climate model outputs and with global land surface model grids but is clearly not adequate for local applications that require the characterization of small individual water bodies. There is today a strong demand for high-resolution inundation extent datasets, for a large variety of applications such as water management, regional hydrological modeling, or for the analysis of mosquitos-related diseases. Even for climate applications, the GIEMS resolution might be limited given recent results on the key importance of the smallest ponds in the emission of CH4, as compared to the largest ones. If the inundation extent is combined to altimetry measurements to obtain water volume changes, and finally river discharge to the ocean (Frappart et al. 2011), then a better resolved inundation extent will also improve the accuracy of these estimates. In the context of the SWOT mission, the downscaling of GIEMS has multiple applications uses but a major one will be to use the SWOT retrievals to develop a downscaling of GIEMS. This SWOT-compatible downscaling could then be used to built a SWOT-compatible high-resolution database back in time from 1993 to the SWOT launch date. This extension of SWOT record is necessary to perform climate studies related to climate change. This paper present three approaches to do downscale GIEMS. Two basins will be considered for illustrative purpose, Amazon, Niger and Mekhong. - Aires, F., F. Papa, C. Prigent, J.-F. Cretaux and M. Berge-Nguyen, Characterization and downscaling of the inundation extent over the Inner Niger delta using a multi-wavelength retrievals and Modis data, J. of Hydrometeorology, in press, 2014. - Aires, F., F. Papa and C. Prigent, A long-term, high-resolution wetland dataset over the Amazon basin, downscaled from a multi-wavelength retrieval using SAR, J. of Hydrometeorology, 14, 594-6007, 2013. - Prigent, C., F. Papa, F. Aires, C. Jimenez, W.B. Rossow, and E. Matthews. Changes in land surface water dynamics since the 1990s and relation to population pressure. Geophys. Res. Lett., 39(L08403), 2012. - Frappart, F.; F. Papa, A. Guntner, S. Werth, J. Santos da Silva, J. Tomasella, F. Seyler, C. Prigent, W.B. Rossow, S. Calmant, and M.-P. Bonnet. Satellite-based estimates of groundwater storage variations in large drainage basins with extensive floodplains. Remote Sens. Environ., 115 :1588-1594, 2011.

Salivary Cortisol Protocol Adherence and Reliability by Sociodemographic Features: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

PubMed Central

Golden, Sherita Hill; Sánchez, Brisa N.; DeSantis, Amy S.; Wu, Meihua; Castro, Cecilia; Seeman, Teresa E.; Tadros, Sameh; Shrager, Sandi; Diez Roux, Ana V.

2014-01-01

Collection of salivary cortisol has become increasingly popular in large population-based studies. However, the impact of protocol compliance on day-to-day reliabilities of measures, and the extent to which reliabilities differ systematically according to socio-demographic characteristics, has not been well characterized in large-scale population-based studies to date. Using data on 935 men and women from the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, we investigated whether sampling protocol compliance differs systematically according to socio-demographic factors and whether compliance was associated with cortisol estimates, as well as whether associations of cortisol with both compliance and socio-demographic characteristics were robust to adjustments for one another. We further assessed the day-to-day reliability for cortisol features and the extent to which reliabilities vary according to socio-demographic factors and sampling protocol compliance. Overall, we found higher compliance among persons with higher levels of income and education. Lower compliance was significantly associated with a less pronounced cortisol awakening response (CAR) but was not associated with any other cortisol features, and adjustment for compliance did not affect associations of socio-demographic characteristics with cortisol. Reliability was higher for area under the curve (AUC) and wake up values than for other features, but generally did not vary according to socio-demographic characteristics, with few exceptions. Our findings regarding intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) support prior research indicating that multiple day collection is preferable to single day collection, particularly for CAR and slopes, more so than wakeup and AUC. There were few differences in reliability by socio-demographic characteristics. Thus, it is unlikely that group-specific sampling protocols are warranted. PMID:24703168

Parcels versus pixels: modeling agricultural land use across broad geographic regions using parcel-based field boundaries

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sohl, Terry L.; Dornbierer, Jordan; Wika, Steve; Sayler, Kristi L.; Quenzer, Robert

2017-01-01

Land use and land cover (LULC) change occurs at a local level within contiguous ownership and management units (parcels), yet LULC models primarily use pixel-based spatial frameworks. The few parcel-based models being used overwhelmingly focus on small geographic areas, limiting the ability to assess LULC change impacts at regional to national scales. We developed a modified version of the Forecasting Scenarios of land use change model to project parcel-based agricultural change across a large region in the United States Great Plains. A scenario representing an agricultural biofuel scenario was modeled from 2012 to 2030, using real parcel boundaries based on contiguous ownership and land management units. The resulting LULC projection provides a vastly improved representation of landscape pattern over existing pixel-based models, while simultaneously providing an unprecedented combination of thematic detail and broad geographic extent. The conceptual approach is practical and scalable, with potential use for national-scale projections.

Development of Mobile Tracer Correlation Strategies for Quantification of Emissions from Landfills and Other Large Area Sources

EPA Science Inventory

Emission measurements from large area sources such as landfills are complicated by their spatial extent and heterogeneous nature. In recent years, an on-site optical remote sensing (ORS) technique for characterizing emissions from area sources was described in an EPA-published p...

Impact of acid precipitation on freshwater ecosystems on Norway

Treesearch

Richard F. Wright; Torstein Dale; Egil T. Gjessing; George R. Hendrey; Arne Henriksen; Merete Johannessen; Ivar P. Muniz

1976-01-01

Extensive studies of precipitation chemistry during the last 20 years have clearly shown that highly polluted precipitation falls over large areas of Scandinavia, and that this pollution is increasing in severity and geographical extent. Precipitation in southern Norway, Sweden, and Finland contains large amounts of H+, SO4...

Crash test and evaluation of temporary wood sign support system for large guide signs.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-07-01

The objective of this research task was to evaluate the impact performance of a temporary wood sign support : system for large guide signs. It was desired to use existing TxDOT sign hardware in the design to the extent possible. : The full-scale cras...

Aluminum tolerance is associated with higher MATE1 gene copy-number in maize

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Genome structure variation, including copy-number (CNV) and presence/absence variation (PAV), comprise a large extent of maize genetic diversity but their effect on phenotypes remains largely unexplored. Here we describe how copy-number variation in a major aluminum (Al) tolerance locus contributes ...

Clickers Promote Learning in All Kinds of Classes--Small and Large, Graduate and Undergraduate, Lecture and Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sevian, Hannah; Robinson, William E.

2011-01-01

Clickers are a popular tool in large science classes. The authors find that clickers can also be used in small undergraduate- and graduate-level science classes, and to some extent also in laboratory classes, to achieve the same purposes as in large classes. Issues that can be addressed using clickers include fully engaging all students,…

Unmanned Aerial Remote Sensing Facility of Wageningen UR: Overview of Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masselink, Rens; Keesstra, Saskia; Baartman, Jantiene; Bartholomeus, Harm; Kooistra, Lammert

2017-04-01

The term nature-based solutions (NBS) refers to the sustainable management and use of nature for tackling societal challenges. The objectives of implementation of NBS are to provide a solution for environmental issues that affect the human economy and welfare, and simultaneously increase sustainability and biodiversity. Some primary goals for the implantation of NBS include flood protection by river restoration, erosion control and limiting nutrient transport from agricultural fields into surface waters. For the NBS to have a real effect for these issues, they need to be integrated over relatively large areas. Unmanned aerial systems (UASs) provide a platform to view and assess relatively large areas in a short amount of time at short time intervals. This allows for UAS data to be employed for the assessment of the functioning of certain NBS. Examples where UAS can be used are to look at the extent of inundated area during flooding or the migration of river meanders after (several) large events. Repeat surveys shed light on the evolution of the NBS, both at small and large scales. In this project, we are looking for effective ways to integrate UAS data and field-based measurements to obtain knowledge on the functioning of NBS. Several methods for using UAS to assess NBS implementation, measure NBS effectiveness and study the impact of NBS will be presented.

Referral bias in ALS epidemiological studies.

PubMed

Logroscino, Giancarlo; Marin, Benoit; Piccininni, Marco; Arcuti, Simona; Chiò, Adriano; Hardiman, Orla; Rooney, James; Zoccolella, Stefano; Couratier, Philippe; Preux, Pierre-Marie; Beghi, Ettore

2018-01-01

Despite concerns about the representativeness of patients from ALS tertiary centers as compared to the ALS general population, the extent of referral bias in clinical studies remains largely unknown. Using data from EURALS consortium we aimed to assess nature, extent and impact of referral bias. Four European ALS population-based registries located in Ireland, Piedmont, Puglia, Italy, and Limousin, France, covering 50 million person-years, participated. Demographic and clinic characteristics of ALS patients diagnosed in tertiary referral centers were contrasted with the whole ALS populations enrolled in registries in the same geographical areas. Patients referred to ALS centers were younger (with difference ranging from 1.1 years to 2.4 years), less likely to present a bulbar onset, with a higher proportion of familial antecedents and a longer survival (ranging from 11% to 15%) when compared to the entire ALS population in the same geographic area. A trend for referral bias is present in cohorts drawn from ALS referral centers. The magnitude of the possible referral bias in a particular tertiary center can be estimated through a comparison with ALS patients drawn from registry in the same geographic area. Studies based on clinical cohorts should be cautiously interpreted. The presence of a registry in the same area may improve the complete ascertainment in the referral center.

Referral bias in ALS epidemiological studies

PubMed Central

Marin, Benoit; Piccininni, Marco; Arcuti, Simona; Chiò, Adriano; Hardiman, Orla; Rooney, James; Zoccolella, Stefano; Couratier, Philippe; Preux, Pierre-Marie; Beghi, Ettore

2018-01-01

Background Despite concerns about the representativeness of patients from ALS tertiary centers as compared to the ALS general population, the extent of referral bias in clinical studies remains largely unknown. Using data from EURALS consortium we aimed to assess nature, extent and impact of referral bias. Methods Four European ALS population-based registries located in Ireland, Piedmont, Puglia, Italy, and Limousin, France, covering 50 million person-years, participated. Demographic and clinic characteristics of ALS patients diagnosed in tertiary referral centers were contrasted with the whole ALS populations enrolled in registries in the same geographical areas. Results Patients referred to ALS centers were younger (with difference ranging from 1.1 years to 2.4 years), less likely to present a bulbar onset, with a higher proportion of familial antecedents and a longer survival (ranging from 11% to 15%) when compared to the entire ALS population in the same geographic area. Conclusions A trend for referral bias is present in cohorts drawn from ALS referral centers. The magnitude of the possible referral bias in a particular tertiary center can be estimated through a comparison with ALS patients drawn from registry in the same geographic area. Studies based on clinical cohorts should be cautiously interpreted. The presence of a registry in the same area may improve the complete ascertainment in the referral center. PMID:29659621

Reducing Spread in Climate Model Projections of a September Ice-Free Arctic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Jiping; Song, Mirong; Horton, Radley M.; Hu, Yongyun

2013-01-01

This paper addresses the specter of a September ice-free Arctic in the 21st century using newly available simulations from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5). We find that large spread in the projected timing of the September ice-free Arctic in 30 CMIP5 models is associated at least as much with different atmospheric model components as with initial conditions. Here we reduce the spread in the timing of an ice-free state using two different approaches for the 30 CMIP5 models: (i) model selection based on the ability to reproduce the observed sea ice climatology and variability since 1979 and (ii) constrained estimation based on the strong and persistent relationship between present and future sea ice conditions. Results from the two approaches show good agreement. Under a high-emission scenario both approaches project that September ice extent will drop to approx. 1.7 million sq km in the mid 2040s and reach the ice-free state (defined as 1 million sq km) in 2054-2058. Under a medium-mitigation scenario, both approaches project a decrease to approx.1.7 million sq km in the early 2060s, followed by a leveling off in the ice extent.

Extent of reaction in open systems with multiple heterogeneous reactions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friedly, John C.

1991-01-01

The familiar batch concept of extent of reaction is reexamined for systems of reactions occurring in open systems. Because species concentrations change as a result of transport processes as well as reactions in open systems, the extent of reaction has been less useful in practice in these applications. It is shown that by defining the extent of the equivalent batch reaction and a second contribution to the extent of reaction due to the transport processes, it is possible to treat the description of the dynamics of flow through porous media accompanied by many chemical reactions in a uniform, concise manner. This approach tends to isolate the reaction terms among themselves and away from the model partial differential equations, thereby enabling treatment of large problems involving both equilibrium and kinetically controlled reactions. Implications on the number of coupled partial differential equations necessary to be solved and on numerical algorithms for solving such problems are discussed. Examples provided illustrate the theory applied to solute transport in groundwater flow.

30-Year Satellite Record Reveals Contrasting Arctic and Antarctic Decadal Sea Ice Variability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cavalieri, D. J.; Parkinson, C. L.; Vinnikov, K. Y.

2003-01-01

A 30-year satellite record of sea ice extents derived mostly from satellite microwave radiometer observations reveals that the Arctic sea ice extent decreased by 0.30+0.03 x 10(exp 6) square kilometers per 10 yr from 1972 through 2002, but by 0.36 plus or minus 0.05 x 10(exp 6) square kilometers per 10yr from 1979 through 2002, indicating an acceleration of 20% in the rate of decrease. In contrast, the Antarctic sea ice extent decreased dramatically over the period 1973-1977, then gradually increased. Over the full 30-year period, the Antarctic ice extent decreased by 0.15 plus or minus 0.08 x 10(exp 6) square kilometers per 10 yr. The trend reversal is attributed to a large positive anomaly in Antarctic sea ice extent in the early 1970's, an anomaly that apparently began in the late 1960's, as observed in early visible and infrared satellite images.

GeoPAT: A toolbox for pattern-based information retrieval from large geospatial databases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jasiewicz, Jarosław; Netzel, Paweł; Stepinski, Tomasz

2015-07-01

Geospatial Pattern Analysis Toolbox (GeoPAT) is a collection of GRASS GIS modules for carrying out pattern-based geospatial analysis of images and other spatial datasets. The need for pattern-based analysis arises when images/rasters contain rich spatial information either because of their very high resolution or their very large spatial extent. Elementary units of pattern-based analysis are scenes - patches of surface consisting of a complex arrangement of individual pixels (patterns). GeoPAT modules implement popular GIS algorithms, such as query, overlay, and segmentation, to operate on the grid of scenes. To achieve these capabilities GeoPAT includes a library of scene signatures - compact numerical descriptors of patterns, and a library of distance functions - providing numerical means of assessing dissimilarity between scenes. Ancillary GeoPAT modules use these functions to construct a grid of scenes or to assign signatures to individual scenes having regular or irregular geometries. Thus GeoPAT combines knowledge retrieval from patterns with mapping tasks within a single integrated GIS environment. GeoPAT is designed to identify and analyze complex, highly generalized classes in spatial datasets. Examples include distinguishing between different styles of urban settlements using VHR images, delineating different landscape types in land cover maps, and mapping physiographic units from DEM. The concept of pattern-based spatial analysis is explained and the roles of all modules and functions are described. A case study example pertaining to delineation of landscape types in a subregion of NLCD is given. Performance evaluation is included to highlight GeoPAT's applicability to very large datasets. The GeoPAT toolbox is available for download from

Accuracy of planar reaching movements. I. Independence of direction and extent variability.

PubMed

Gordon, J; Ghilardi, M F; Ghez, C

1994-01-01

This study examined the variability in movement end points in a task in which human subjects reached to targets in different locations on a horizontal surface. The primary purpose was to determine whether patterns in the variable errors would reveal the nature and origin of the coordinate system in which the movements were planned. Six subjects moved a hand-held cursor on a digitizing tablet. Target and cursor positions were displayed on a computer screen, and vision of the hand and arm was blocked. The screen cursor was blanked during movement to prevent visual corrections. The paths of the movements were straight and thus directions were largely specified at the onset of movement. The velocity profiles were bell-shaped, and peak velocities and accelerations were scaled to target distance, implying that movement extent was also programmed in advance of the movement. The spatial distributions of movement end points were elliptical in shape. The major axes of these ellipses were systematically oriented in the direction of hand movement with respect to its initial position. This was true for both fast and slow movements, as well as for pointing movements involving rotations of the wrist joint. Using principal components analysis to compute the axes of these ellipses, we found that the eccentricity of the elliptical dispersions was uniformly greater for small than for large movements: variability along the axis of movement, representing extent variability, increased markedly but nonlinearly with distance. Variability perpendicular to the direction of movement, which results from directional errors, was generally smaller than extent variability, but it increased in proportion to the extent of the movement. Therefore, directional variability, in angular terms, was constant and independent of distance. Because the patterns of variability were similar for both slow and fast movements, as well as for movements involving different joints, we conclude that they result largely from errors in the planning process. We also argue that they cannot be simply explained as consequences of the inertial properties of the limb. Rather they provide evidence for an organizing mechanism that moves the limb along a straight path. We further conclude that reaching movements are planned in a hand-centered coordinate system, with direction and extent of hand movement as the planned parameters. Since the factors which influence directional variability are independent of those that influence extent errors, we propose that these two variables can be separately specified by the brain.

Hurricane Mitch: Landscape Analysis of Damaged Forest Resources of the Bay Islands and Caribbean Coast of Honduras

USGS Publications Warehouse

Doyle, Thomas W.; Michot, Thomas C.; Roetker, Fred; Sullivan, Jason; Melder, Marcus; Handley, Benjamin; Balmat, Jeff

2002-01-01

The advent of analog and digital video has provided amateur photographers with professional-like technology to capture dynamic images with ease and clarity. Videography is also rapidly changing traditional business and scientific applications. In the natural sciences, camcorders are being used largely to record timely observations of plant and animal behavior or consequence of some catastrophic event. Spectacular video of dynamic events such as hurricanes, volcanic eruptions and wildfire document the active process and aftermath. Scientists can analyze video images to quantify aspects of a given event, behavior, or response, temporally and spatially. In this study we demonstrate the simple use of an aerial application of videography to record the spatial extent and damage expression of mangrove forest in the Bay Islands and mainland coast of northern Honduras from wind damage following Hurricane Mitch (1998). In this study, we conducted a video overflight of coastal forests of the Bay Islands and mainland coast of northern Honduras 14 months after impact by Hurricane Mitch (1998). Coastal areas were identified where damage was evident and described relative to damage extent to forest cover, windfall orientation, and height of downed trees. The variability and spatial extent of impact on coastal forest resources is related to reconstructed wind profiles based on model simulations of Mitch's path, strength, and circulation during landfall.

Twenty Years of Active Bacterial Core Surveillance

PubMed Central

Schaffner, William; Farley, Monica M.; Lynfield, Ruth; Bennett, Nancy M.; Reingold, Arthur; Thomas, Ann; Harrison, Lee H.; Nichols, Megin; Petit, Susan; Miller, Lisa; Moore, Matthew R.; Schrag, Stephanie J.; Lessa, Fernanda C.; Skoff, Tami H.; MacNeil, Jessica R.; Briere, Elizabeth C.; Weston, Emily J.; Van Beneden, Chris

2015-01-01

Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs) was established in 1995 as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Emerging Infections Program (EIP) network to assess the extent of invasive bacterial infections of public health importance. ABCs is distinctive among surveillance systems because of its large, population-based, geographically diverse catchment area; active laboratory-based identification of cases to ensure complete case capture; detailed collection of epidemiologic information paired with laboratory isolates; infrastructure that allows for more in-depth investigations; and sustained commitment of public health, academic, and clinical partners to maintain the system. ABCs has directly affected public health policies and practices through the development and evaluation of vaccines and other prevention strategies, the monitoring of antimicrobial drug resistance, and the response to public health emergencies and other emerging infections. PMID:26292067

Multilocus Association Mapping Using Variable-Length Markov Chains

PubMed Central

Browning, Sharon R.

2006-01-01

I propose a new method for association-based gene mapping that makes powerful use of multilocus data, is computationally efficient, and is straightforward to apply over large genomic regions. The approach is based on the fitting of variable-length Markov chain models, which automatically adapt to the degree of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between markers to create a parsimonious model for the LD structure. Edges of the fitted graph are tested for association with trait status. This approach can be thought of as haplotype testing with sophisticated windowing that accounts for extent of LD to reduce degrees of freedom and number of tests while maximizing information. I present analyses of two published data sets that show that this approach can have better power than single-marker tests or sliding-window haplotypic tests. PMID:16685642

Multilocus association mapping using variable-length Markov chains.

PubMed

Browning, Sharon R

2006-06-01

I propose a new method for association-based gene mapping that makes powerful use of multilocus data, is computationally efficient, and is straightforward to apply over large genomic regions. The approach is based on the fitting of variable-length Markov chain models, which automatically adapt to the degree of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between markers to create a parsimonious model for the LD structure. Edges of the fitted graph are tested for association with trait status. This approach can be thought of as haplotype testing with sophisticated windowing that accounts for extent of LD to reduce degrees of freedom and number of tests while maximizing information. I present analyses of two published data sets that show that this approach can have better power than single-marker tests or sliding-window haplotypic tests.

Spatially extended polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in circumstellar disks around T Tauri and Herbig Ae stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geers, V. C.; van Dishoeck, E. F.; Visser, R.; Pontoppidan, K. M.; Augereau, J.-C.; Habart, E.; Lagrange, A. M.

2007-12-01

Aims:Our aim is to determine the presence and location of the emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) towards low and intermediate mass young stars with disks using large aperture telescopes. Methods: VLT-VISIR N-band spectra and VLT-ISAAC and VLT-NACO L-band spectra of 29 sources are presented, spectrally resolving the 3.3, 8.6, 11.2, and 12.6 μm PAH features. Spatial-extent profiles of the features and the continuum emission have been derived and used to associate the PAH emission with the disks. The results are discussed in the context of recent PAH-emission disk models. Results: The 3.3, 8.6, and 11.2 μm PAH features are detected toward a small fraction of the T Tauri stars, with typical upper limits between 1 × 10-15 and 5 × 10-17 W m-2. All 11.2 μm detections from a previous Spitzer survey are confirmed with (tentative) 3.3 μm detections, and both the 8.6 and the 11.2 μm features are detected in all PAH sources. For 6 detections, the spatial extent of the PAH features is confined to scales typically smaller than 0.12-0.34'', consistent with the radii of 12-60 AU disks at their distances (typically 150 pc). For 3 additional sources, WL 16, HD 100546, and TY CrA, one or more of the PAH features are more extended than the hot dust continuum of the disk, whereas for Oph IRS 48, the size of the resolved PAH emission is confirmed as smaller than for the large grains. For HD 100546, the 3.3 μm emission is confined to a small radial extent of 12±3 AU, most likely associated with the outer rim of the gap in this disk. Gaps with radii out to 10-30 AU may also affect the observed PAH extent for other sources. For both Herbig Ae and T Tauri stars, the small measured extents of the 8.6 and 11.2 μm features are consistent with larger (≥100 carbon atoms) PAHs. Based on observations obtained at the European Southern Observatory, Paranal, Chile, within the observing programs 164.I-0605 (ISAAC May 2002), 074.C-0413 (NACO, March/April 2005), 075.C-0420 (ISAAC August 2005), 077.C-0668 (VISIR/ISAAC April/May 2006). Appendix A is only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Implementing embedded artificial intelligence rules within algorithmic programming languages

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feyock, Stefan

1988-01-01

Most integrations of artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities with non-AI (usually FORTRAN-based) application programs require the latter to execute separately to run as a subprogram or, at best, as a coroutine, of the AI system. In many cases, this organization is unacceptable; instead, the requirement is for an AI facility that runs in embedded mode; i.e., is called as subprogram by the application program. The design and implementation of a Prolog-based AI capability that can be invoked in embedded mode are described. The significance of this system is twofold: Provision of Prolog-based symbol-manipulation and deduction facilities makes a powerful symbolic reasoning mechanism available to applications programs written in non-AI languages. The power of the deductive and non-procedural descriptive capabilities of Prolog, which allow the user to describe the problem to be solved, rather than the solution, is to a large extent vitiated by the absence of the standard control structures provided by other languages. Embedding invocations of Prolog rule bases in programs written in non-AI languages makes it possible to put Prolog calls inside DO loops and similar control constructs. The resulting merger of non-AI and AI languages thus results in a symbiotic system in which the advantages of both programming systems are retained, and their deficiencies largely remedied.

Identification of a Kinase in Wheat Germ that Phosphorylates the Large Subunit of Initiation Factor 4F 1

PubMed Central

Humphreys, Jean; Browning, Karen S.; Ravel, Joanne M.

1988-01-01

A kinase has been isolated from wheat (Triticum aestivum) germ that phosphorylates the 220 kilodaltons (kD) subunit of wheat germ initiation factor (eIF) 4F, the 80 kD subunit of eIF-4B (an isozyme form of eIF-4F) and eIF-4G (the functional equivalent to mammalian eIF-4B). The kinase elutes from Sephacryl S-200 slightly in front of ovalbumin. The kinase phosphorylates casein and histone IIA to a small extent, but does not phosphorylate phosvitin. Of the wheat germ initiation factors, elongation factors, and small and large ribosomal subunits, only eIF-4F, eIF-4B, and eIF-4G are phosphorylated to a significant extent. The kinase phosphorylates eIF-4F to the extent of two phosphates per mole of the 220 kD subunit and phosphorylates eIF-4B to the extent of one phosphate per mole of the 80 kD subunit. The 26 kD subunit of eIF-4F and the 28 kD subunit of eIF-4B are not phosphorylated by the kinase. The kinase phosphorylates the 59 kD component of eIF-4G to the extent of 0.25 phosphate per mole of eIF-4G. Phosphorylation of eIF-4F and eIF-4B does not affect their ability to support the binding of mRNA to small ribosomal subunits in vitro. Images Fig. 2 Fig. 3 PMID:16666331

Change in the Extent of Baffin Island's Penny Ice Cap in Response to Regional Warming, 1969 - 2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cox, M. C.; Cormier, H. M.; Gardner, A. S.

2014-12-01

Glaciers are retreating globally in response to warmer atmospheric temperatures, adding large volumes of melt water to the world's oceans. The largest glacierized region and present-day contributor to sea level rise outside of the massive ice sheets is the Canadian Arctic. Recent work has shown that the glaciers of the southern Canadian Arctic (Baffin and Bylot Island) have experienced accelerated rates of ice loss in recent decades, but little is known regarding the spatial and temporal variations in rates of loss. For this study we examine in detail changes in the extent of the Penny Ice Cap (a proxy for ice loss) between 1969 and 2014 to better understand the climatic drivers of the recently observed accelerated rates of ice loss on Baffin Island. To do this, we reconstruct the extent of the ice cap for the year 1969 from historical maps and for the years 1985, 1995, 2010, and 2014 from Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI imagery. We use 2009 SPOT HRS imagery and a novel extent comparison algorithm to assess the accuracy of glacier extents derived from Landsat imagery. Regional temperature and precipitation records were used to explain the spatial pattern of change. Due to large variation in elevations, hypsometry was also investigated as a contributor to differences in rates of change across the ice cap. Preliminary results show overall retreat throughout the ice cap but with regional differences in area and length change on either side of the Ice Cap divide.

Investigating the Extent Realistic Moulage Impacts on Immersion and Performance Among Undergraduate Paramedicine Students in a Simulation-based Trauma Scenario: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Mills, Brennen W; Miles, Alecka K; Phan, Tina; Dykstra, Peggy M C; Hansen, Sara S; Walsh, Andrew S; Reid, David N; Langdon, Claire

2018-04-18

Many healthcare education commentators suggest that moulage can be used in simulation to enhance scenario realism. However, few studies investigate to what extent using moulage in simulation impacts learners. We undertook a mixed-methods pilot study investigating how moulage influences student immersion and performance in simulation. Fifty undergraduate paramedicine students were randomized into two groups completing a trauma-based scenario with or without patient moulage. Task immersion was determined via a self-report questionnaire (National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index), eye-tracking, and postsimulation interviews. Performance was measured via independent observation of video by two paramedic clinical educators and time-to-action-when students first applied pressure to the primary wound. Eye-tracking suggested that students attended to the thigh wound more often with the inclusion of moulage than without. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index data suggested that the inclusion of moulage heightened students' feeling of being rushed throughout the scenario. This elicited an expedited performance of tasks with moulage present compared with not. Students experienced greater immersion with the inclusion of moulage. However, including moulage enhanced scenario difficulty to the extent that overall clinical performance was negatively affected. However, no differences were found when more heavily weighting items felt to contribute most to the survivability of the patient. Including moulage engendered immersion and a greater sense of urgency and did not sacrifice performance of key life-saving interventions. As a result of undertaking this pilot project, we suggest that a large-scale randomized controlled trial is feasible and should be undertaken before implementing change to curricula.

Electron transport in extended carbon-nanotube/metal contacts: Ab initio based Green function method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fediai, Artem; Ryndyk, Dmitry A.; Cuniberti, Gianaurelio

2015-04-01

We have developed a new method that is able to predict the electrical properties of the source and drain contacts in realistic carbon nanotube field effect transistors (CNTFETs). It is based on large-scale ab initio calculations combined with a Green function approach. For the first time, both internal and external parts of a realistic CNT-metal contact are taken into account at the ab initio level. We have developed the procedure allowing direct calculation of the self-energy for an extended contact. Within the method, it is possible to calculate the transmission coefficient through a contact of both finite and infinite length; the local density of states can be determined in both free and embedded CNT segments. We found perfect agreement with the experimental data for Pd and Al contacts. We have explained why CNTFETs with Pd electrodes are p -type FETs with ohmic contacts, which can carry current close to the ballistic limit (provided contact length is large enough), whereas in CNT-Al contacts transmission is suppressed to a significant extent, especially for holes.

Hi-Plex for Simple, Accurate, and Cost-Effective Amplicon-based Targeted DNA Sequencing.

PubMed

Pope, Bernard J; Hammet, Fleur; Nguyen-Dumont, Tu; Park, Daniel J

2018-01-01

Hi-Plex is a suite of methods to enable simple, accurate, and cost-effective highly multiplex PCR-based targeted sequencing (Nguyen-Dumont et al., Biotechniques 58:33-36, 2015). At its core is the principle of using gene-specific primers (GSPs) to "seed" (or target) the reaction and universal primers to "drive" the majority of the reaction. In this manner, effects on amplification efficiencies across the target amplicons can, to a large extent, be restricted to early seeding cycles. Product sizes are defined within a relatively narrow range to enable high-specificity size selection, replication uniformity across target sites (including in the context of fragmented input DNA such as that derived from fixed tumor specimens (Nguyen-Dumont et al., Biotechniques 55:69-74, 2013; Nguyen-Dumont et al., Anal Biochem 470:48-51, 2015), and application of high-specificity genetic variant calling algorithms (Pope et al., Source Code Biol Med 9:3, 2014; Park et al., BMC Bioinformatics 17:165, 2016). Hi-Plex offers a streamlined workflow that is suitable for testing large numbers of specimens without the need for automation.

Graphene/graphene oxide and their derivatives in the separation/isolation and preconcentration of protein species: A review.

PubMed

Chen, Xuwei; Hai, Xin; Wang, Jianhua

2016-05-30

The distinctive/unique electrical, chemical and optical properties make graphene/graphene oxide-based materials popular in the field of analytical chemistry. Its large surface offers excellent capacity to anchor target analyte, making it an powerful sorbent in the adsorption and preconcentration of trace level analyte of interest in the field of sample preparation. The large delocalized π-electron system of graphene framework provides strong affinity to species containing aromatic rings, such as proteins, and the abundant active sites on its surface offers the chance to modulate adsorption tendency towards specific protein via functional modification/decoration. This review provides an overview of the current research on graphene/graphene oxide-based materials as attractive and powerful adsorption media in the separation/isolation and preconcentration of protein species from biological sample matrixes. These practices are aiming at providing protein sample of high purity for further investigations and applications, or to achieve certain extent of enrichment prior to quantitative assay. In addition, the challenges and future perspectives in the related research fields have been discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimum element density studies for finite-element thermal analysis of hypersonic aircraft structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, William L.; Olona, Timothy; Muramoto, Kyle M.

1990-01-01

Different finite element models previously set up for thermal analysis of the space shuttle orbiter structure are discussed and their shortcomings identified. Element density criteria are established for the finite element thermal modelings of space shuttle orbiter-type large, hypersonic aircraft structures. These criteria are based on rigorous studies on solution accuracies using different finite element models having different element densities set up for one cell of the orbiter wing. Also, a method for optimization of the transient thermal analysis computer central processing unit (CPU) time is discussed. Based on the newly established element density criteria, the orbiter wing midspan segment was modeled for the examination of thermal analysis solution accuracies and the extent of computation CPU time requirements. The results showed that the distributions of the structural temperatures and the thermal stresses obtained from this wing segment model were satisfactory and the computation CPU time was at the acceptable level. The studies offered the hope that modeling the large, hypersonic aircraft structures using high-density elements for transient thermal analysis is possible if a CPU optimization technique was used.

A Reverse Taxonomic Approach to Assess Macrofaunal Distribution Patterns in Abyssal Pacific Polymetallic Nodule Fields

PubMed Central

Janssen, Annika; Kaiser, Stefanie; Meißner, Karin; Brenke, Nils; Menot, Lenaick; Martínez Arbizu, Pedro

2015-01-01

Heightened interest in the exploitation of deep seafloor minerals is raising questions on the consequences for the resident fauna. Assessing species ranges and determination of processes underlying current species distributions are prerequisites to conservation planning and predicting faunal responses to changing environmental conditions. The abyssal central Pacific nodule belt, located between the Clarion and Clipperton Fracture Zones (CCZ), is an area prospected for mining of polymetallic nodules. We examined variations in genetic diversity and broad-scale connectivity of isopods and polychaetes across the CCZ. Faunal assemblages were studied from two mining claims (the eastern German and French license areas) located 1300 km apart and influenced by different productivity regimes. Using a reverse taxonomy approach based on DNA barcoding, we tested to what extent distance and large-scale changes in environmental parameters lead to differentiation in two macrofaunal taxa exhibiting different functions and life-history patterns. A fragment of the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 1 (COI) was analyzed. At a 97% threshold the molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) corresponded well to morphological species. Molecular analyses indicated high local and regional diversity mostly because of large numbers of singletons in the samples. Consequently, variation in composition of genotypic clusters between sites was exceedingly large partly due to paucity of deep-sea sampling and faunal patchiness. A higher proportion of wide-ranging species in polychaetes was contrasted with mostly restricted distributions in isopods. Remarkably, several cryptic lineages appeared to be sympatric and occurred in taxa with putatively good dispersal abilities, whereas some brooding lineages revealed broad distributions across the CCZ. Geographic distance could explain variation in faunal connectivity between regions and sites to some extent, while assumed dispersal capabilities were not as important. PMID:25671322

Paleo-tsunami history along the northern Japan Trench: evidence from Noda Village, northern Sanriku coast, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inoue, Taiga; Goto, Kazuhisa; Nishimura, Yuichi; Watanabe, Masashi; Iijima, Yasutaka; Sugawara, Daisuke

2017-12-01

Throughout history, large tsunamis have frequently affected the Sanriku area of the Pacific coast of the Tohoku region, Japan, which faces the Japan Trench. Although a few studies have examined paleo-tsunami deposits along the Sanriku coast, additional studies of paleo-earthquakes and tsunamis are needed to improve our knowledge of the timing, recurrence interval, and size of historical and pre-historic tsunamis. At Noda Village, in Iwate Prefecture on the northern Sanriku coast, we found at least four distinct gravelly sand layers based on correlation and chronological data. Sedimentary features such as grain size and thickness suggest that extreme waves from the sea formed these layers. Numerical modeling of storm waves further confirmed that even extremely large storm waves cannot account for the distribution of the gravelly sand layers, suggesting that these deposits are highly likely to have formed by tsunami waves. The numerical method of storm waves can be useful to identify sand layers as tsunami deposits if the deposits are observed far inland or at high elevations. The depositional age of the youngest tsunami deposit is consistent with the AD 869 Jogan earthquake tsunami, a possible predecessor of the AD 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami. If this is the case, then the study site currently defines the possible northern extent of the AD 869 Jogan tsunami deposit, which is an important step in improving the tsunami source model of the AD 869 Jogan tsunami. Our results suggest that four large tsunamis struck the Noda site between 1100 and 2700 cal BP. The local tsunami sizes are comparable to the AD 2011 and AD 1896 Meiji Sanriku tsunamis, considering the landward extent of each tsunami deposit.

Distribution and biokinetic analysis of 210Pb and 210Po in poultry due to ingestion of dicalcium phosphate.

PubMed

Casacuberta, N; Traversa, F L; Masqué, P; Garcia-Orellana, J; Anguita, M; Gasa, J; Garcia-Tenorio, R

2010-09-15

Dicalcium phosphate (DCP) is used as a calcium supplement for food producing animals (i.e., cattle, poultry and pig). When DCP is produced via wet acid digestion of the phosphate rock and depending on the acid used in the industrial process, the final product can result in enhanced (210)Pb and (210)Po specific activities (approximately 2000 Bq.kg(-1)). Both (210)Pb and (210)Po are of great interest because their contribution to the dose received by ingestion is potentially large. The aims of this work are to examine the accumulation of (210)Pb and (210)Po in chicken tissues during the first 42 days of life and to build a suitable single-compartment biokinetic model to understand the behavior of both radionuclides within the entire animal using the experimental results. Three commercial corn-soybean-based diets containing different amounts and sources of DCP were fed to broilers during a period of 42 days. The results show that diets containing enhanced concentrations of (210)Pb and (210)Po lead to larger specific accumulation in broiler tissues compared to the blank diet. Radionuclides do not accumulate homogeneously within the animal body: (210)Pb follows the calcium pathways to some extent and accumulates largely in bones, while (210)Po accumulates to a large extent in liver and kidneys. However, the total amount of radionuclide accumulation in tissues is small compared to the amounts excreted in feces. The single-compartment non-linear biokinetic model proposed here for (210)Pb and (210)Po in the whole animal takes into account the size evolution and is self-consistent in that no fitting parameterization of intake and excretions rates is required. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extent and timing of paleoglaciation in the Kanas Valley, Altai Mountains, China, based on remote sensing, field investigations and multiple dating methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wei; Harbor, Jon; Cui, Zhijiu; Liu, Liang; Liu, Beibei; Fu, Yanjing; Shi, Yuanhuang; Gribenski, Natacha; Blomdin, Robin; Stroeven, Arjen; Caffee, Marc; Jansson, Krister

2014-05-01

Reconstructions of the timing and extent of past glaciation provide key constraints for paleoclimate and numerical modeling of past glacier behavior. As part of the multinational Central Asian Paleoglaciology Project we are reconstructing the timing and extent of past glaciation along and across a series of mountain ranges in central Asia using consistent methods for mapping, field investigations and numerical dating. Here we report on new findings for the Kanas Valley in northwest China, a large glaciated valley system on the south side of the Altai Mountains. Previous studies have concluded that the Kanas Valley has been shaped by a series of major glacial advances that produced overdeepened basins, a U-shaped valley cross profile, and extensive glacial and glaciofluvial deposits. Existing Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) and Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) dating results suggest major glaciation in the Kanas Valley during Marine Oxygen Isotope Stages (MIS) 3, 5, and 6, but very limited MIS 2 glaciation. Limited MIS 2 glaciation has also been suggested for other parts of central Asia, and this contrasts with extensive MIS 2 glaciation in Europe and North America. Field studies in 2013 provided new evidence for the highest elevation extent of glaciation in the Kanas Valley in the vicinity of the 20-km long Lake Kanas, with the upper limit of distinct erratics on the valley sidewalls indicating past ice thicknesses here up to 1000 m. Upper limits of erratics extending from Lake Kanas to the mapped maximum down-valley extent of glaciation suggest an ice surface slope of 1.8 degrees for the lower half of the paleoglacier in the Kanas Valley, assuming that all the erratics were deposited at the same time. Systematic sampling of glacial erratics, basal till, terminal moraines, glacially eroded bedrock, and glaciofluvial deposits provided material that is being used for cosmogenic radionuclide, OSL and ESR dating of the glacial chronology, and for dating intercomparisons.

Downscaling of inundation extents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aires, Filipe; Prigent, Catherine; Papa, Fabrice

2014-05-01

The Global Inundation Extent from Multi-Satellite (GIEMS) provides multi-year monthly variations of the global surface water extent at about 25 kmx25 km resolution, from 1993 to 2007. It is derived from multiple satellite observations. Its spatial resolution is usually compatible with climate model outputs and with global land surface model grids but is clearly not adequate for local applications that require the characterization of small individual water bodies. There is today a strong demand for high-resolution inundation extent datasets, for a large variety of applications such as water management, regional hydrological modeling, or for the analysis of mosquitos-related diseases. This paper present three approaches to do downscale GIEMS: The first one is based on a image-processing technique using neighborhood constraints. The third approach uses a PCA representation to perform an algebraic inversion. The PCA-representation is also very convenient to perform temporal and spatial interpolation of complexe inundation fields. The third downscaling method uses topography information from Hydroshed Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Information such as the elevation, distance to river and flow accumulation are used to define a ``flood ability index'' that is used by the downscaling. Three basins will be considered for illustrative purposes: Amazon, Niger and Mekong. Aires, F., F. Papa, C. Prigent, J.-F. Cretaux and M. Berge-Nguyen, Characterization and downscaling of the inundation extent over the Inner Niger delta using a multi-wavelength retrievals and Modis data, J. of Hydrometeorology, in press, 2014. Aires, F., F. Papa and C. Prigent, A long-term, high-resolution wetland dataset over the Amazon basin, downscaled from a multi-wavelength retrieval using SAR, J. of Hydrometeorology, 14, 594-6007, 2013. Prigent, C., F. Papa, F. Aires, C. Jimenez, W.B. Rossow, and E. Matthews. Changes in land surface water dynamics since the 1990s and relation to population pressure. Geophys. Res. Lett., 39(L08403), 2012.

Sea Ice Outlook for September 2015 June Report - NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cullather, Richard I.; Keppenne, Christian L.; Marshak, Jelena; Pawson, Steven; Schubert, Siegfried D.; Suarez, Max J.; Vernieres, Guillaume; Zhao, Bin

2015-01-01

The recent decline in perennial sea ice cover in Arctic Ocean is a topic of enormous scientific interest and has relevance to a broad variety of scientific disciplines and human endeavors including biological and physical oceanography, atmospheric circulation, high latitude ecology, the sustainability of indigenous communities, commerce, and resource exploration. A credible seasonal prediction of sea ice extent would be of substantial use to many of the stakeholders in these fields and may also reveal details on the physical processes that result in the current trends in the ice cover. Forecasts are challenging due in part to limitations in the polar observing network, the large variability in the climate system, and an incomplete knowledge of the significant processes. Nevertheless it is a useful to understand the current capabilities of high latitude seasonal forecasting and identify areas where such forecasts may be improved. Since 2008 the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) has conducted a seasonal forecasting contest in which the average Arctic sea ice extent for the month of September (the month of the annual extent minimum) is predicted from available forecasts in early June, July, and August. The competition is known as the Sea Ice Outlook (SIO) but recently came under the auspices of the Sea Ice Prediction Network (SIPN), and multi-agency funded project to evaluate the SIO. The forecasts are submitted based on modeling, statistical, and heuristic methods. Forecasts of Arctic sea ice extent from the GMAO are derived from seasonal prediction system of the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System model, version 5 (GEOS 5) coupled atmosphere and ocean general circulation model (AOGCM). The projections are made in order to understand the relative skill of the forecasting system and to determine the effects of future improvements to the system. This years prediction is for a September average Arctic ice extent of 5.030.41 million km2.

The extent of ocean acidification on aragonite saturation state along the Washington-Oregon continental shelf margin in late summer 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feely, R. A.; Alin, S. R.; Hales, B. R.; Juranek, L.; Greeley, D.

2012-12-01

The Washington-Oregon continental shelf region is exposed to conditions of low aragonite saturation state during the late spring/early summer upwelling season. However, the extent of its evolution in late summer/early fall has been largely unknown. Along this continental margin, ocean acidification, upwelling, biological productivity, and respiration processes in subsurface waters are major contributors to the variability in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), pH and aragonite saturation state. The persistence of water with aragonite saturation state <1 on the continental shelf off Washington and Oregon has been previously identified and could have profound ecological consequences for benthic and pelagic calcifying organisms such as mussels, oysters, abalone, echinoderms, and pteropods. In the late summer of 2012 we studied the extent of acidification conditions employing shipboard cruises and profiling gliders. We conducted several large-scale chemical and hydrographic surveys of the region in order to better understand the interrelationships between these natural and human-induced processes and their effects on aragonite saturation. We will compare the results of these new surveys with our previous work in 2011 and 2007.

The steady-state mosaic of disturbance and succession across an old-growth Central Amazon forest landscape.

PubMed

Chambers, Jeffrey Q; Negron-Juarez, Robinson I; Marra, Daniel Magnabosco; Di Vittorio, Alan; Tews, Joerg; Roberts, Dar; Ribeiro, Gabriel H P M; Trumbore, Susan E; Higuchi, Niro

2013-03-05

Old-growth forest ecosystems comprise a mosaic of patches in different successional stages, with the fraction of the landscape in any particular state relatively constant over large temporal and spatial scales. The size distribution and return frequency of disturbance events, and subsequent recovery processes, determine to a large extent the spatial scale over which this old-growth steady state develops. Here, we characterize this mosaic for a Central Amazon forest by integrating field plot data, remote sensing disturbance probability distribution functions, and individual-based simulation modeling. Results demonstrate that a steady state of patches of varying successional age occurs over a relatively large spatial scale, with important implications for detecting temporal trends on plots that sample a small fraction of the landscape. Long highly significant stochastic runs averaging 1.0 Mg biomass⋅ha(-1)⋅y(-1) were often punctuated by episodic disturbance events, resulting in a sawtooth time series of hectare-scale tree biomass. To maximize the detection of temporal trends for this Central Amazon site (e.g., driven by CO2 fertilization), plots larger than 10 ha would provide the greatest sensitivity. A model-based analysis of fractional mortality across all gap sizes demonstrated that 9.1-16.9% of tree mortality was missing from plot-based approaches, underscoring the need to combine plot and remote-sensing methods for estimating net landscape carbon balance. Old-growth tropical forests can exhibit complex large-scale structure driven by disturbance and recovery cycles, with ecosystem and community attributes of hectare-scale plots exhibiting continuous dynamic departures from a steady-state condition.

A decision support system for map projections of small scale data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finn, Michael P.; Usery, E. Lynn; Posch, Stephan T.; Seong, Jeong Chang

2004-01-01

The use of commercial geographic information system software to process large raster datasets of terrain elevation, population, land cover, vegetation, soils, temperature, and rainfall requires both projection from spherical coordinates to plane coordinate systems and transformation from one plane system to another. Decision support systems deliver information resulting in knowledge that assists in policies, priorities, or processes. This paper presents an approach to handling the problems of raster dataset projection and transformation through the development of a Web-enabled decision support system to aid users of transformation processes with the selection of appropriate map projections based on data type, areal extent, location, and preservation properties.

Contemporary management of ductal carcinoma in situ and lobular carcinoma in situ.

PubMed

Obeng-Gyasi, Samilia; Ong, Cecilia; Hwang, E Shelley

2016-06-01

The management of in situ lesions ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) continues to evolve. These diagnoses now comprise a large burden of mammographically diagnosed cancers, and with a global trend towards more population-based screening, the incidence of these lesions will continue to rise. Because outcomes following treatment for DCIS and LCIS are excellent, there is emerging controversy about what extent of treatment is optimal for both diseases. Here we review the current approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of both DCIS and LCIS. In addition, we will consider potential directions for future management of these lesions.

Characterizing Instructional Practices in the Laboratory: The Laboratory Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velasco, Jonathan B.; Knedeisen, Adam; Xue, Dihua; Vickrey, Trisha L.; Abebe, Marytza; Stains, Marilyne

2016-01-01

Chemistry laboratories play an essential role in the education of undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM students. The extent of student learning in any educational environment depends largely on the effectiveness of the instructors. In chemistry laboratories at large universities, the instructors of…

Validating the BERMS in situ soil moisture network with a large scale temporary network

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Calibration and validation of soil moisture satellite products requires data records of large spatial and temporal extent, but obtaining this data can be challenging. These challenges can include remote locations, and expense of equipment. One location with a long record of soil moisture data is th...

Modeling streams and hydrogeomorphic attributes in Oregon from digital and field data

Treesearch

Sharon E. Clarke; Kelly M. Burnett; Daniel J. Miller

2008-01-01

Managers, regulators, and researchers of aquatic ecosystems are increasingly pressed to consider large areas. However, accurate stream maps with geo-referenced attributes are uncommon over relevant spatial extents. Field inventories provide high-quality data, particularly for habitat characteristics at fine spatial resolutions (e.g., large wood), but are costly and so...

Multiple Codes, Multiple Impressions: An Analysis of Doctor-Client Encounters in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odebunmi, Akin

2013-01-01

Existing studies on doctor-client interactions have largely focused on monolingual encounters and the interactional effects and functions of the languages used in the communication between doctors and their clients. They have neither, to a large extent, examined the several codes employed in single encounters and their pragmatic roles nor given…

Large-area forest inventory regression modeling: spatial scale considerations

Treesearch

James A. Westfall

2015-01-01

In many forest inventories, statistical models are employed to predict values for attributes that are difficult and/or time-consuming to measure. In some applications, models are applied across a large geographic area, which assumes the relationship between the response variable and predictors is ubiquitously invariable within the area. The extent to which this...

Revisiting Ontario Teachers' and Students' Perceptions of Large-Scale Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Thomas G.; Joong, Yee Han Peter

2013-01-01

Within the following text, educational reform is examined to reveal how and to what extent Ontario secondary teachers (n = 87) have implemented educational changes that had a direct impact on students (n = 396), themselves, and curriculum. Our mixed methods data, while limited in scope, indicated that secondary school teachers were largely content…

How predictable is the timing of a summer ice-free Arctic?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jahn, Alexandra; Kay, Jennifer E.; Holland, Marika M.; Hall, David M.

2016-09-01

Climate model simulations give a large range of over 100 years for predictions of when the Arctic could first become ice free in the summer, and many studies have attempted to narrow this uncertainty range. However, given the chaotic nature of the climate system, what amount of spread in the prediction of an ice-free summer Arctic is inevitable? Based on results from large ensemble simulations with the Community Earth System Model, we show that internal variability alone leads to a prediction uncertainty of about two decades, while scenario uncertainty between the strong (Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5) and medium (RCP4.5) forcing scenarios adds at least another 5 years. Common metrics of the past and present mean sea ice state (such as ice extent, volume, and thickness) as well as global mean temperatures do not allow a reduction of the prediction uncertainty from internal variability.

Correlative microscopy of detergent granules.

PubMed

van Dalen, G; Nootenboom, P; Heussen, P C M

2011-03-01

The microstructure of detergent products for textile cleaning determines to a large extent the physical properties of these products. Correlative microscopy was used to reveal the microstructure by reconciling images obtained by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray microtomography and Fourier transform infrared microscopy. These techniques were applied on the same location of a subsample of a spray-dried detergent base powder embedded in polyacrylate. In this way, the three-dimensional internal and external structure of detergent granules could be investigated from milli to nano scale with detailed spatial information about the components present. This will generate knowledge how to design optimal microstructures for laundry products to obtain product properties demanded by the market. This method is also very useful for other powder systems used in a large variety of industries (e.g. for pharmaceutical, food, ceramic and metal industries). © 2010 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2010 The Royal Microscopical Society.

Rare earth doped M-type hexaferrites; ferromagnetic resonance and magnetization dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Vipul; Kumari, Shweta; Kuanr, Bijoy K.

2018-05-01

M-type hexagonal barium ferrites come in the category of magnetic material that plays a key role in electromagnetic wave propagation in various microwave devices. Due to their large magnetic anisotropy and large magnetization, their operating frequency exceeds above 50 GHz. Doping is a way to vary its magnetic properties to such an extent that its ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) response can be tuned over a broad frequency band. We have done a complete FMR study of rare earth elements neodymium (Nd) and samarium (Sm), with cobalt (Co) as base, doped hexaferrite nanoparticles (NPs). X-ray diffractometry, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) techniques were used to characterize the microstructure and magnetic properties of doped hexaferrite nanoparticles. Using proper theoretical electromagnetic models, various parameters are extracted from FMR data which play important role in designing and fabricating high-frequency microwave devices.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wagner, Maggie R.; Lundberg, Derek S.; del Rio, Tijana G.

Bacteria living on and in leaves and roots influence many aspects of plant health, so the extent of a plant's genetic control over its microbiota is of great interest to crop breeders and evolutionary biologists. Laboratory-based studies, because they poorly simulate true environmental heterogeneity, may misestimate or totally miss the influence of certain host genes on the microbiome. Here we report a large-scale field experiment to disentangle the effects of genotype, environment, age and year of harvest on bacterial communities associated with leaves and roots of Boechera stricta (Brassicaceae), a perennial wild mustard. Host genetic control of the microbiome ismore » evident in leaves but not roots, and varies substantially among sites. Microbiome composition also shifts as plants age. Furthermore, a large proportion of leaf bacterial groups are shared with roots, suggesting inoculation from soil. Our results demonstrate how genotype-by-environment interactions contribute to the complexity of microbiome assembly in natural environments.« less

Gestures in an Intelligent User Interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fikkert, Wim; van der Vet, Paul; Nijholt, Anton

In this chapter we investigated which hand gestures are intuitive to control a large display multimedia interface from a user's perspective. Over the course of two sequential user evaluations, we defined a simple gesture set that allows users to fully control a large display multimedia interface, intuitively. First, we evaluated numerous gesture possibilities for a set of commands that can be issued to the interface. These gestures were selected from literature, science fiction movies, and a previous exploratory study. Second, we implemented a working prototype with which the users could interact with both hands and the preferred hand gestures with 2D and 3D visualizations of biochemical structures. We found that the gestures are influenced to significant extent by the fast paced developments in multimedia interfaces such as the Apple iPhone and the Nintendo Wii and to no lesser degree by decades of experience with the more traditional WIMP-based interfaces.

Search For Dark Matter Satellites Using Fermi-Lat

DOE PAGES

Ackermann, M.

2012-02-23

Numerical simulations based on the ΛCDM model of cosmology predict a large number of as yet unobserved Galactic dark matter satellites. We report the results of a Large Area Telescope (LAT) search for these satellites via the γ-ray emission expected from the annihilation of weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter. Some dark matter satellites are expected to have hard γ-ray spectra, finite angular extents, and a lack of counterparts at other wavelengths. We sought to identify LAT sources with these characteristics, focusing on γ-ray spectra consistent with WIMP annihilation through themore » $$b \\bar{b}$$ channel. We found no viable dark matter satellite candidates using one year of data, and we present a framework for interpreting this result in the context of numerical simulations to constrain the velocity-averaged annihilation cross section for a conventional 100 GeV WIMP annihilating through the $$b \\bar{b}$$ channel.« less

Search for Dark Matter Satellites Using the Fermi-Lat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ackermann, M.; Albert, A.; Baldini, L.; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G.; Bastieri, D.; Bechtol, K.; Bellazzini, R.; Blandford, R. D.; Bloom, E. D.;

Retrieval Failure Contributes to Gist-Based False Recognition

PubMed Central

Guerin, Scott A.; Robbins, Clifford A.; Gilmore, Adrian W.; Schacter, Daniel L.

2011-01-01

People often falsely recognize items that are similar to previously encountered items. This robust memory error is referred to as gist-based false recognition. A widely held view is that this error occurs because the details fade rapidly from our memory. Contrary to this view, an initial experiment revealed that, following the same encoding conditions that produce high rates of gist-based false recognition, participants overwhelmingly chose the correct target rather than its related foil when given the option to do so. A second experiment showed that this result is due to increased access to stored details provided by reinstatement of the originally encoded photograph, rather than to increased attention to the details. Collectively, these results suggest that details needed for accurate recognition are, to a large extent, still stored in memory and that a critical factor determining whether false recognition will occur is whether these details can be accessed during retrieval. PMID:22125357

Powerful workhorses for antimicrobial peptide expression and characterization.

PubMed

Li, Chun; Blencke, Hans-Matti; Paulsen, Victoria; Haug, Tor; Stensvåg, Klara

2010-01-01

Discovery of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) is to a large extent based on screening of fractions of natural samples in bacterial growth inhibition assays. However, the use of bacteria is not limited to screening for antimicrobial substances. In later steps, bioengineered "bugs" can be applied to both production and characterization of AMPs. Here we describe the idea to use genetically modified Escherichia coli strains for both these purposes. This approach allowed us to investigate SpStrongylocins 1 and 2 from the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus only based on sequence information from a cDNA library and without previous direct isolation or chemical synthesis of these peptides. The recombinant peptides are proved active against all bacterial strains tested. An assay based on a recombinant E. coli sensor strain expressing insect luciferase, revealed that SpStrongylocins are not interfering with membrane integrity and are therefore likely to have intracellular targets. © 2010 Landes Bioscience

Operation's Concept for Array-Based Deep Space Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bagri, Durgadas S.; Statman, Joseph I.; Gatti, Mark S.

2005-01-01

The Array-based Deep Space Network (DSNArray) will be a part of more than 10(exp 3) times increase in the downlink/telemetry capability of the Deep space Network (DSN). The key function of the DSN-Array is to provide cost-effective, robust Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TT&C) services to the space missions of NASA and its international partners. It provides an expanded approach to the use of an array-based system. Instead of using the array as an element in the existing DSN, relying to a large extent on the DSN infrastructure, we explore a broader departure from the current DSN, using fewer elements of the existing DSN, and establishing a more modern Concept of Operations. This paper gives architecture of DSN-Array and its operation's philosophy. It also describes customer's view of operations, operations management and logistics - including maintenance philosophy, anomaly analysis and reporting.

Large scale pre-rain vegetation green up across Africa.

PubMed

Adole, Tracy; Dash, Jadunandan; Atkinson, Peter M

2018-05-16

Information on the response of vegetation to different environmental drivers, including rainfall, forms a critical input to ecosystem models. Currently, such models are run based on parameters that, in some cases, are either assumed or lack supporting evidence (e.g., that vegetation growth across Africa is rainfall-driven). A limited number of studies have reported that the onset of rain across Africa does not fully explain the onset of vegetation growth, for example, drawing on the observation of pre-rain flush effects in some parts of Africa. The spatial extent of this pre-rain green-up effect, however, remains unknown, leaving a large gap in our understanding that may bias ecosystem modelling. This paper provides the most comprehensive spatial assessment to-date of the magnitude and frequency of the different patterns of phenology response to rainfall across Africa, and for different vegetation types. To define the relations between phenology and rainfall, we investigated the spatial variation in the difference, in number of days, between the start of rainy season (SRS) and start of vegetation growing season (SOS); and between the end of rainy season (ERS) and end of vegetation growing season (EOS). We reveal a much more extensive spread of pre-rain green-up over Africa than previously reported, with pre-rain green-up being the norm rather than the exception. We also show the relative sparsity of post-rain green-up, confined largely to the Sudano-Sahel region. While the pre-rain green-up phenomenon is well documented, its large spatial extent was not anticipated. Our results, thus, contrast with the widely held view that rainfall drives the onset and end of the vegetation growing season across Africa. Our findings point to a much more nuanced role of rainfall in Africa's vegetation growth cycle than previously thought, specifically as one of a set of several drivers, with important implications for ecosystem modelling. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Influence of changes in wetland inundation extent on net fluxes of carbon dioxide and methane in northern high latitudes from 1993 to 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhuang, Qianlai; Zhu, Xudong; He, Yujie; Prigent, Catherine; Melillo, Jerry M.; McGuire, A. David; Prinn, Ronald G.; Kicklighter, David W.

2015-01-01

Estimates of the seasonal and interannual exchanges of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) between land ecosystems north of 45°N and the atmosphere are poorly constrained, in part, because of uncertainty in the temporal variability of water-inundated land area. Here we apply a process-based biogeochemistry model to evaluate how interannual changes in wetland inundation extent might have influenced the overall carbon dynamics of the region during the time period 1993–2004. We find that consideration by our model of these interannual variations between 1993 and 2004, on average, results in regional estimates of net methane sources of 67.8 ± 6.2 Tg CH4 yr−1, which is intermediate to model estimates that use two static inundation extent datasets (51.3 ± 2.6 and 73.0 ± 3.6 Tg CH4 yr−1). In contrast, consideration of interannual changes of wetland inundation extent result in regional estimates of the net CO2 sink of −1.28 ± 0.03 Pg C yr−1 with a persistent wetland carbon sink from −0.38 to −0.41 Pg C yr−1 and a upland sink from −0.82 to −0.98 Pg C yr−1. Taken together, despite the large methane emissions from wetlands, the region is a consistent greenhouse gas sink per global warming potential (GWP) calculations irrespective of the type of wetland datasets being used. However, the use of satellite-detected wetland inundation extent estimates a smaller regional GWP sink than that estimated using static wetland datasets. Our sensitivity analysis indicates that if wetland inundation extent increases or decreases by 10% in each wetland grid cell, the regional source of methane increases 13% or decreases 12%, respectively. In contrast, the regional CO2 sink responds with only 7–9% changes to the changes in wetland inundation extent. Seasonally, the inundated area changes result in higher summer CH4 emissions, but lower summer CO2 sinks, leading to lower summer negative greenhouse gas forcing. Our analysis further indicates that wetlands play a disproportionally important role in affecting regional greenhouse gas budgets given that they only occupy approximately 10% of the total land area in the region.

Relationships Between Career Indecision, Search for Work Self-Efficacy, and Psychological Well-Being in Italian Never-Employed Young Adults

PubMed Central

Viola, Maria Maddalena; Musso, Pasquale; Ingoglia, Sonia; Lo Coco, Alida; Inguglia, Cristiano

2017-01-01

Although different studies have investigated career choices as cognitive acts of decision-making, non-cognitive components also play an important role. The study tries to develop an empirically based model of career decision-making process linking cognitive (search for work self-efficacy - SWSE) and non-cognitive (psychological well-being - PWB) components. In particular, the study investigates, among 148 never-employed Italian young adults, to what extent the relationship between SWSE and career indecision in terms of lack of readiness (LoR) can be explained by their common relationship with PWB. Results highlighted that SWSE is negatively associated with LoR when considered in absence of PWB. However, when PWB was included in one comprehensive model, it was positively associated with SWSE and negatively related to LoR. Moreover, the presence of PWB nullified the negative association between SWSE and LoR, meaning that PWB shares a large extent of variance with these variables. Implications are discussed in the light of theoretical expectations and limitations. PMID:28580024

Constitutive modelling of composite biopolymer networks.

PubMed

Fallqvist, B; Kroon, M

2016-04-21

The mechanical behaviour of biopolymer networks is to a large extent determined at a microstructural level where the characteristics of individual filaments and the interactions between them determine the response at a macroscopic level. Phenomena such as viscoelasticity and strain-hardening followed by strain-softening are observed experimentally in these networks, often due to microstructural changes (such as filament sliding, rupture and cross-link debonding). Further, composite structures can also be formed with vastly different mechanical properties as compared to the individual networks. In this present paper, we present a constitutive model presented in a continuum framework aimed at capturing these effects. Special care is taken to formulate thermodynamically consistent evolution laws for dissipative effects. This model, incorporating possible anisotropic network properties, is based on a strain energy function, split into an isochoric and a volumetric part. Generalisation to three dimensions is performed by numerical integration over the unit sphere. Model predictions indicate that the constitutive model is well able to predict the elastic and viscoelastic response of biological networks, and to an extent also composite structures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Process evaluation results from the HEALTHY nutrition intervention to modify the total school food environment

PubMed Central

Volpe, S. L.; Hall, W. J.; Steckler, A.; Schneider, M.; Thompson, D.; Mobley, C.; Pham, T.; El ghormli, L.

2013-01-01

The process evaluation of HEALTHY, a large multi-center trial to decrease type 2 diabetes mellitus in middle school children, monitored the implementation of the intervention to ascertain the extent that components were delivered and received as intended. The purpose of this article is to report the process evaluation findings concerning the extent to which the HEALTHY nutrition intervention was implemented during the HEALTHY trial. Overall, the observed fidelity of implementing nutrition strategies improved from baseline to the end of the study. By the last semester, all but two nutrition process evaluation goals were met. The most challenging goal to implement was serving high fiber foods, including grain-based foods and legumes. The easiest goals to implement were lowering the fat content of foods offered and offering healthier beverages. The most challenging barriers experienced by research dietitians and food service staff were costs, availability of foods and student acceptance. Forming strong relationships between the research dietitians and food service staff was identified as a key strategy to meet HEALTHY nutrition goals. PMID:24107856

Do the health claims made for Morinda citrifolia (Noni) harmonize with current scientific knowledge and evaluation of its biological effects.

PubMed

Gupta, Rakesh Kumar; Patel, Amit Kumar

2013-01-01

Morinda citrifolia, also known as Great Morinda, Indian Mulberry, or Noni, is a plant belonging to the family Rubiaceae. A number of major chemical compounds have been identified in the leaves, roots, and fruits of Noni plant. The fruit juice is in high demand in alternative medicine for different kinds for illnesses such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, muscle ached and pains, menstrual difficulties, headache, heart diseases, AIDS, gastric ulcer, sprains, mental depression, senility, poor digestion, arteriosclerosis, blood vessel problems, and drug addiction. Several studies have also demonstrated the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and apoptosis-inducing effect of Noni in various cancers. Based on a toxicological assessment, Noni juice was considered as safe. Though a large number of in vitro, and, to a certain extent, in vivo studies demonstrated a range of potentially beneficial effects, clinical data are essentially lacking. To what extent the findings from experimental pharmacological studies are of potential clinical relevance is not clear at present and this question needs to be explored in detail before an recommendations can be made.

Associations Among Depressive Symptoms, Wellness, Patient Involvement, Provider Cultural Competency, and Treatment Nonadherence: A Pilot Study Among Community Patients Seen at a University Medical Center.

PubMed

Hooper, Lisa M; Huffman, Lauren E; Higginbotham, John C; Mugoya, George C T; Smith, Annie K; Dumas, Tia N

2018-02-01

Treatment nonadherence is a pernicious problem associated with increasing rates of chronic diseases, escalating healthcare costs, and rising mortality in some patients. Although researchers have suggested numerous factors related to treatment nonadherence, several understudied aspects warrant attention, such as primary-care settings, provider cultural competence, and patient involvement. Adding to the research base, the present pilot study examined 88 primarily Black American and White American community patients from a large university medical center in the southern part of the United States. The study explored two research questions: (a) To what extent are there associations among depressive symptoms, wellness, patient involvement, cultural competency, and treatment nonadherence in a racially diverse community patient population? And (b) to what extent do the study exploratory variables and background characteristics predict treatment nonadherence, both separately and jointly? Depressive symptoms, the patient's perception of a provider's cultural competence, and marital/partnered status were found to be statistically significantly associated with treatment nonadherence, but not entirely in the directions expected.

Disaster Impact Across Cultural Groups: Comparison of Whites, African Americans, and Latinos

PubMed Central

Price, Matthew; McCauley, Jenna L.; Ruggiero, Kenneth J.

2015-01-01

The current study extends knowledge regarding the differential impact of natural disasters among White, African American, and Latino survivors of Hurricane Ike through its use of a large, regional sample recruited via representative sampling procedures to examine the associations between cultural identification and disaster impact, including loss, damage, and negative mental health outcomes. Consistent with previous research, results indicated disparities between cultural groups with regard to disaster exposure. Additionally, type of disaster impact was differentially associated with PTSD and depression status dependent on cultural group. Specifically, the extent of personal disaster exposure, property damage, and loss of services made significant contributions to PTSD status among White survivors. African-Americans were more likely than White and Latino Ike survivors to endorse post-disaster PTSD and depression and endorsement of depression was predicted by severity of property damage. With respect to Latino respondents, only the extent of personal disaster exposure significantly contributed to both PTSD and depression status. Implications of the current findings are discussed with regard to future disaster preparedness and response efforts and the implementation and evaluation of community-based disaster resources. PMID:23709270

Social networks to biological networks: systems biology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

PubMed

Vashisht, Rohit; Bhardwaj, Anshu; Osdd Consortium; Brahmachari, Samir K

2013-07-01

Contextualizing relevant information to construct a network that represents a given biological process presents a fundamental challenge in the network science of biology. The quality of network for the organism of interest is critically dependent on the extent of functional annotation of its genome. Mostly the automated annotation pipelines do not account for unstructured information present in volumes of literature and hence large fraction of genome remains poorly annotated. However, if used, this information could substantially enhance the functional annotation of a genome, aiding the development of a more comprehensive network. Mining unstructured information buried in volumes of literature often requires manual intervention to a great extent and thus becomes a bottleneck for most of the automated pipelines. In this review, we discuss the potential of scientific social networking as a solution for systematic manual mining of data. Focusing on Mycobacterium tuberculosis, as a case study, we discuss our open innovative approach for the functional annotation of its genome. Furthermore, we highlight the strength of such collated structured data in the context of drug target prediction based on systems level analysis of pathogen.

Operational water management applications of snowcovered area observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rango, A.; Salomonson, V. V.; Foster, J. L.

1975-01-01

An effort was made to evaluate the utility of satellite snowcover observations for seasonal streamflow prediction. On a representative, large watershed(10 to the 5th power to 10 to the sixth power sq km) it was found, based on six years of data, that meteorological satellite observations of snow cover early in the snowmelt season exhibit a relationship to seasonal runoff having a statistically significant coefficient of determination of 0.92. Analyses of LANDSAT-1 snow-cover observations over the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming reveals that for areas with infrequent cloud cover the extent of snowcover and its change with time can be monitored on watersheds as small as 10 sq km in areal extent. The change in the snow cover with time as observed from LANDSAT-1 is found to reflect major differences in seasonal runoff from high altitude (mean altitude 3 km) and low altitude ( 3 km) watersheds. There are quantitative indications that LANDSAT observations over small watersheds could be used in a manner similar to that employed for meteorological satellite observations to relate the percent of a basin snowcovered on a given data to seasonal runoff.

Peatlands through the Last Glacial Cycle: Evidence and Model Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleinen, T.; Treat, C. C.; Brovkin, V.

2017-12-01

The spatiotemporal distribution of peatlands prior to the last glacial maxium (LGM) is largely unknown. However, some evidence of non-extant peatlands is available in the form of buried organic-rich sediments. We have undertaken a synthesis of these "buried" peatlands from > 1000 detailed stratigraphic descriptions and combined it with data on extant peatlands to derive a first global synthesis of global peatland extent through the last glacial cycle. We present results of this synthesis in combination with modeling results where we determined peatland extents and carbon stocks from a transient simulation of the last glacial cycle with the CLIMBER2-LPJ model. We show that peat has existed in boreal latitudes at all times since the last interglacial, that evidence for tropical peatlands exists for the last 50,000 yrs, and that the model results in general agree well with the collected evidence of past peatlands, allowing a first estimate of peat carbon stock changes through the last glacial cycle. We discuss data and model limitations, with a focus on requirements for improving model-based peatland estimates.

Fuels and Combustion Technologies for Aerospace Propulsion

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

20 °C) has a large effect on the extent of oxygen consumption . Increasing the JFTOT set point temperature normally results in increases in deposition...kinetics. Thus, the effect of the extent of oxygen consumption and temperature on deposition rates needs further study under JFTOT conditions to better...by 60 to 85 °C. Several fuels were tested at varying set point temperatures with complete oxygen consumption observed for all fuels by 320 °C; a wide

Monitoring of Vegetation Impact Due to Trampling on Cadillac Mountain Summit Using High Spatial Resolution Remote Sensing Data Sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Min-Kook; Daigle, John J.

2012-11-01

Cadillac Mountain—the highest peak along the eastern seaboard of the United States—is a major tourist destination in Acadia National Park, Maine. Managing vegetation impact due to trampling on the Cadillac Mountain summit is extremely challenging because of the large number of visitors and the general open nature of landscape in this fragile subalpine environmental setting. Since 2000, more intensive management strategies—based on placing physical barriers and educational messages for visitors—have been employed to protect threatened vegetation, decrease vegetation impact, and enhance vegetation recovery in the vicinity of the summit loop trail. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the management strategies employed. For this purpose, vegetation cover changes between 2001 and 2007 were detected using multispectral high spatial resolution remote sensing data sets. A normalized difference vegetation index was employed to identify the rates of increase and decrease in the vegetation areas. Three buffering distances (30, 60, and 90 m) from the edges of the trail were used to define multiple spatial extents of the site, and the same spatial extents were employed at a nearby control site that had no visitors. No significant differences were detected between the mean rates of vegetation increase and decrease at the experimental site compared with a nearby control site in the case of a small spatial scale (≤30 m) comparison (in all cases P > 0.05). However, in the medium (≤60 m) and large (≤90 m) spatial scales, the rates of increased vegetation were significantly greater and rates of decreased vegetation significantly lower at the experimental site compared with the control site (in all cases P < 0.001). Research implications are explored that relate to the spatial extent of the radial patterns of impact of trampling on vegetation at the site level. Management implications are explored in terms of the spatial strategies used to decrease the impact of trampling on vegetation.

Multiparametric monitoring of microbial faecal pollution reveals the dominance of human contamination along the whole Danube River

PubMed Central

Kirschner, A.K.T.; Reischer, G.H.; Jakwerth, S.; Savio, D.; Ixenmaier, S.; Toth, E.; Sommer, R.; Mach, R.L.; Linke, R.; Eiler, A.; Kolarevic, S.; Farnleitner, A.H.

2017-01-01

The microbial faecal pollution of rivers has wide-ranging impacts on a variety of human activities that rely on appropriate river water quality. Thus, detailed knowledge of the extent and origin of microbial faecal pollution is crucial for watershed management activities to maintain safe water use. In this study, the microbial faecal pollution levels were monitored by standard faecal indicator bacteria (SFIB) along a 2580 km stretch of the Danube, the world's most international river, as well as the Danube's most important tributaries. To track the origin of faecal pollution, host-associated Bacteroidetes genetic faecal marker qPCR assays for different host groups were applied in concert with SFIB. The spatial resolution analysis was followed by a time resolution analysis of faecal pollution patterns over 1 year at three selected sites. In this way, a comprehensive faecal pollution map of the total length of the Danube was created, combining substantiated information on both the extent and origin of microbial faecal pollution. Within the environmental data matrix for the river, microbial faecal pollution constituted an independent component and did not cluster with any other measured environmental parameters. Generally, midstream samples representatively depicted the microbial pollution levels at the respective river sites. However, at a few, somewhat unexpected sites, high pollution levels occurred in the lateral zones of the river while the midstream zone had good water quality. Human faecal pollution was demonstrated as the primary pollution source along the whole river, while animal faecal pollution was of minor importance. This study demonstrates that the application of host-associated genetic microbial source tracking markers in concert with the traditional concept of microbial faecal pollution monitoring based on SFIB significantly enhances the knowledge of the extent and origin of microbial faecal pollution patterns in large rivers. It constitutes a powerful tool to guide target-oriented water quality management in large river basins. PMID:28806705

Monitoring of vegetation impact due to trampling on Cadillac Mountain summit using high spatial resolution remote sensing data sets.

PubMed

Kim, Min-Kook; Daigle, John J

2012-11-01

Cadillac Mountain--the highest peak along the eastern seaboard of the United States--is a major tourist destination in Acadia National Park, Maine. Managing vegetation impact due to trampling on the Cadillac Mountain summit is extremely challenging because of the large number of visitors and the general open nature of landscape in this fragile subalpine environmental setting. Since 2000, more intensive management strategies--based on placing physical barriers and educational messages for visitors--have been employed to protect threatened vegetation, decrease vegetation impact, and enhance vegetation recovery in the vicinity of the summit loop trail. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the management strategies employed. For this purpose, vegetation cover changes between 2001 and 2007 were detected using multispectral high spatial resolution remote sensing data sets. A normalized difference vegetation index was employed to identify the rates of increase and decrease in the vegetation areas. Three buffering distances (30, 60, and 90 m) from the edges of the trail were used to define multiple spatial extents of the site, and the same spatial extents were employed at a nearby control site that had no visitors. No significant differences were detected between the mean rates of vegetation increase and decrease at the experimental site compared with a nearby control site in the case of a small spatial scale (≤30 m) comparison (in all cases P > 0.05). However, in the medium (≤60 m) and large (≤90 m) spatial scales, the rates of increased vegetation were significantly greater and rates of decreased vegetation significantly lower at the experimental site compared with the control site (in all cases P < 0.001). Research implications are explored that relate to the spatial extent of the radial patterns of impact of trampling on vegetation at the site level. Management implications are explored in terms of the spatial strategies used to decrease the impact of trampling on vegetation.

Multiparametric monitoring of microbial faecal pollution reveals the dominance of human contamination along the whole Danube River.

PubMed

Kirschner, A K T; Reischer, G H; Jakwerth, S; Savio, D; Ixenmaier, S; Toth, E; Sommer, R; Mach, R L; Linke, R; Eiler, A; Kolarevic, S; Farnleitner, A H

2017-11-01

The microbial faecal pollution of rivers has wide-ranging impacts on a variety of human activities that rely on appropriate river water quality. Thus, detailed knowledge of the extent and origin of microbial faecal pollution is crucial for watershed management activities to maintain safe water use. In this study, the microbial faecal pollution levels were monitored by standard faecal indicator bacteria (SFIB) along a 2580 km stretch of the Danube, the world's most international river, as well as the Danube's most important tributaries. To track the origin of faecal pollution, host-associated Bacteroidetes genetic faecal marker qPCR assays for different host groups were applied in concert with SFIB. The spatial resolution analysis was followed by a time resolution analysis of faecal pollution patterns over 1 year at three selected sites. In this way, a comprehensive faecal pollution map of the total length of the Danube was created, combining substantiated information on both the extent and origin of microbial faecal pollution. Within the environmental data matrix for the river, microbial faecal pollution constituted an independent component and did not cluster with any other measured environmental parameters. Generally, midstream samples representatively depicted the microbial pollution levels at the respective river sites. However, at a few, somewhat unexpected sites, high pollution levels occurred in the lateral zones of the river while the midstream zone had good water quality. Human faecal pollution was demonstrated as the primary pollution source along the whole river, while animal faecal pollution was of minor importance. This study demonstrates that the application of host-associated genetic microbial source tracking markers in concert with the traditional concept of microbial faecal pollution monitoring based on SFIB significantly enhances the knowledge of the extent and origin of microbial faecal pollution patterns in large rivers. It constitutes a powerful tool to guide target-oriented water quality management in large river basins. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

HOTEX: An Approach for Global Mapping of Human Built-Up and Settlement Extent

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Panshi; Huang, Chengquan; Tilton, James C.; Tan, Bin; Brown De Colstoun, Eric C.

2017-01-01

Understanding the impacts of urbanization requires accurate and updatable urban extent maps. Here we present an algorithm for mapping urban extent at global scale using Landsat data. An innovative hierarchical object-based texture (HOTex) classification approach was designed to overcome spectral confusion between urban and nonurban land cover types. VIIRS nightlights data and MODIS vegetation index datasets are integrated as high-level features under an object-based framework. We applied the HOTex method to the GLS-2010 Landsat images to produce a global map of human built-up and settlement extent. As shown by visual assessments, our method could effectively map urban extent and generate consistent results using images with inconsistent acquisition time and vegetation phenology. Using scene-level cross validation for results in Europe, we assessed the performance of HOTex and achieved a kappa coefficient of 0.91, compared to 0.74 from a baseline method using per-pixel classification using spectral information.

Automated, on-board terrain analysis for precision landings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rahman, Zia-ur; Jobson, Daniel J.; Woodell, Glenn A.; Hines, Glenn D.

2006-01-01

Advances in space robotics technology hinge to a large extent upon the development and deployment of sophisticated new vision-based methods for automated in-space mission operations and scientific survey. To this end, we have developed a new concept for automated terrain analysis that is based upon a generic image enhancement platform|multi-scale retinex (MSR) and visual servo (VS) processing. This pre-conditioning with the MSR and the vs produces a "canonical" visual representation that is largely independent of lighting variations, and exposure errors. Enhanced imagery is then processed with a biologically inspired two-channel edge detection process, followed by a smoothness based criteria for image segmentation. Landing sites can be automatically determined by examining the results of the smoothness-based segmentation which shows those areas in the image that surpass a minimum degree of smoothness. Though the msr has proven to be a very strong enhancement engine, the other elements of the approach|the vs, terrain map generation, and smoothness-based segmentation|are in early stages of development. Experimental results on data from the Mars Global Surveyor show that the imagery can be processed to automatically obtain smooth landing sites. In this paper, we describe the method used to obtain these landing sites, and also examine the smoothness criteria in terms of the imager and scene characteristics. Several examples of applying this method to simulated and real imagery are shown.

Provisional maps of thermal areas in Yellowstone National Park, based on satellite thermal infrared imaging and field observations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vaughan, R. Greg; Heasler, Henry; Jaworowski, Cheryl; Lowenstern, Jacob B.; Keszthelyi, Laszlo P.

2014-01-01

Maps that define the current distribution of geothermally heated ground are useful toward setting a baseline for thermal activity to better detect and understand future anomalous hydrothermal and (or) volcanic activity. Monitoring changes in the dynamic thermal areas also supports decisions regarding the development of Yellowstone National Park infrastructure, preservation and protection of park resources, and ensuring visitor safety. Because of the challenges associated with field-based monitoring of a large, complex geothermal system that is spread out over a large and remote area, satellite-based thermal infrared images from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) were used to map the location and spatial extent of active thermal areas, to generate thermal anomaly maps, and to quantify the radiative component of the total geothermal heat flux. ASTER thermal infrared data acquired during winter nights were used to minimize the contribution of solar heating of the surface. The ASTER thermal infrared mapping results were compared to maps of thermal areas based on field investigations and high-resolution aerial photos. Field validation of the ASTER thermal mapping is an ongoing task. The purpose of this report is to make available ASTER-based maps of Yellowstone’s thermal areas. We include an appendix containing the names and characteristics of Yellowstone’s thermal areas, georeferenced TIFF files containing ASTER thermal imagery, and several spatial data sets in Esri shapefile format.

Evidence for Coseismic Rupture Beyond the Base of the Seismogenic Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zielke, O.; Wesnousky, S.

2010-12-01

For scientific reasons and hazard assessment it is important to better understand the physics and rupture characteristics of large, destructive earthquakes. However, those events occur infrequently, severely obstructing their analysis. Smaller but more frequent earthquakes are usually studied and their characteristics are extrapolated to assess large earthquake behavior, assuming that small and large events are associated with the same physical processes and parameters. For small and moderate size earthquakes it was observed and independently derived from elastic models that coseismic stress drop is independent of earthquake size and that slip is proportional to the smallest rupture dimension. It is therefore assumed that large earthquake stress drops are essentially equal to the stress drop of their smaller size siblings. It is further assumed that the slip amount of large events does not further increase once it ruptures the full seismogenic layer--the base of the seismogenic layer is commonly thought to limit the earthquake down-dip rupture extend and thus defines the smallest rupture dimension. However, slip observations for many large strike-slip events show how offset gradually increases with rupture length. Two explanations have been formulated: If the rupture width of those events were indeed limited by the base of the seismogenic layer, the observations would imply larger stress drops and possibly other processes involved in large earthquake rupture, questioning the validity of the aforementioned extrapolation from small to large earthquakes. On the other hand, if rupture width of large earthquakes were not limited by the base of the seismogenic layer but were allowed to extend further down (as suggested by recent studies), the increased slip amount may be explained without an increase in stress drop or additional rupture mechanisms for large earthquakes. For the study we present here, we analyzed seismic data constraining the depth extent of large earthquakes relative to the depth of the seismogenic base. We utilized time series data of aftershock depths for a number of large strike-slip earthquakes, generating aftershock time vs. depth histograms to investigate the temporal variation in depth distribution. Based on hypocenter depth of small earthquakes along the Landers fault (causing the 1992 M7.3 Landers earthquake), we identified the base of the seismogenic layer at ~10km. Aftershocks that occurred only days after the Landers earthquake had maximum depths of ~18km, suggesting that rupture of the main shock extended this far down and therefore went well below the base of the seismogenic layer. Maximum aftershock depth then decayed roughly logarithmically, reaching the previous value of ~10km after about 5.5years. We argue that these observations are a logical consequence of the visco-elastic rheology of crustal rocks: Coseismically highly increased strains elevate the crustal stiffness, temporarily lowering the base of the seismogenic layer and permitting initiation of slip instabilities at depths that are otherwise characterized by viscous behavior. Extrapolation from small to large earthquakes is therefore permitted. No additional stress drop or rupture mechanism is required to explain the data.

Dolphin social intelligence: complex alliance relationships in bottlenose dolphins and a consideration of selective environments for extreme brain size evolution in mammals.

PubMed

Connor, Richard C

2007-04-29

Bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia, live in a large, unbounded society with a fission-fusion grouping pattern. Potential cognitive demands include the need to develop social strategies involving the recognition of a large number of individuals and their relationships with others. Patterns of alliance affiliation among males may be more complex than are currently known for any non-human, with individuals participating in 2-3 levels of shifting alliances. Males mediate alliance relationships with gentle contact behaviours such as petting, but synchrony also plays an important role in affiliative interactions. In general, selection for social intelligence in the context of shifting alliances will depend on the extent to which there are strategic options and risk. Extreme brain size evolution may have occurred more than once in the toothed whales, reaching peaks in the dolphin family and the sperm whale. All three 'peaks' of large brain size evolution in mammals (odontocetes, humans and elephants) shared a common selective environment: extreme mutual dependence based on external threats from predators or conspecific groups. In this context, social competition, and consequently selection for greater cognitive abilities and large brain size, was intense.

Simulating stand-level harvest prescriptions across landscapes: LANDIS PRO harvest module design

Treesearch

Jacob S. Fraser; Hong S. He; Stephen R. Shifley; Wen J. Wang; Frank R. Thompson

2013-01-01

Forest landscape models (FLMs) are an important tool for assessing the long-term cumulative effects of harvest over large spatial extents. However, they have not been commonly used to guide forest management planning and on-the-ground operations. This is largely because FLMs track relatively simplistic vegetation information such as age cohort presence/absence, forest...

'Whose atlas I use, his song I sing?' - The impact of anatomical atlases on fiber tract contributions to cognitive deficits after stroke.

PubMed

de Haan, Bianca; Karnath, Hans-Otto

2017-12-01

Nowadays, different anatomical atlases exist for the anatomical interpretation of the results from neuroimaging and lesion analysis studies that investigate the contribution of white matter fiber tract integrity to cognitive (dys)function. A major problem with the use of different atlases in different studies, however, is that the anatomical interpretation of neuroimaging and lesion analysis results might vary as a function of the atlas used. This issue might be particularly prominent in studies that investigate the contribution of white matter fiber tract integrity to cognitive (dys)function. We used a single large-sample dataset of right brain damaged stroke patients with and without cognitive deficit (here: spatial neglect) to systematically compare the influence of three different, widely-used white matter fiber tract atlases (1 histology-based atlas and 2 DTI tractography-based atlases) on conclusions concerning the involvement of white matter fiber tracts in the pathogenesis of cognitive dysfunction. We both calculated the overlap between the statistical lesion analysis results and each long association fiber tract (topological analyses) and performed logistic regressions on the extent of fiber tract damage in each individual for each long association white matter fiber tract (hodological analyses). For the topological analyses, our results suggest that studies that use tractography-based atlases are more likely to conclude that white matter integrity is critical for a cognitive (dys)function than studies that use a histology-based atlas. The DTI tractography-based atlases classified approximately 10 times as many voxels of the statistical map as being located in a long association white matter fiber tract than the histology-based atlas. For hodological analyses on the other hand, we observed that the conclusions concerning the overall importance of long association fiber tract integrity to cognitive function do not necessarily depend on the white matter atlas used, but conclusions may vary as a function of atlas used at the level of individual fiber tracts. Moreover, these analyses revealed that hodological studies that express the individual extent of injury to each fiber tract as a binomial variable are more likely to conclude that white matter integrity is critical for a cognitive function than studies that express the individual extent of injury to each fiber tract as a continuous variable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Remote sensing for studying atmospheric aerosols in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanniah, Kasturi D.; Kamarul Zaman, Nurul A. F.

2015-10-01

The aerosol system is Southeast Asia is complex and the high concentrations are due to population growth, rapid urbanization and development of SEA countries. Nevertheless, only a few studies have been carried out especially at large spatial extent and on a continuous basis to study atmospheric aerosols in Malaysia. In this review paper we report the use of remote sensing data to study atmospheric aerosols in Malaysia and document gaps and recommend further studies to bridge the gaps. Satellite data have been used to study the spatial and seasonal patterns of aerosol optical depth (AOD) in Malaysia. Satellite data combined with AERONET data were used to delineate different types and sizes of aerosols and to identify the sources of aerosols in Malaysia. Most of the aerosol studies performed in Malaysia was based on station-based PM10 data that have limited spatial coverage. Thus, satellite data have been used to extrapolate and retrieve PM10 data over large areas by correlating remotely sensed AOD with ground-based PM10. Realising the critical role of aerosols on radiative forcing numerous studies have been conducted worldwide to assess the aerosol radiative forcing (ARF). Such studies are yet to be conducted in Malaysia. Although the only source of aerosol data covering large region in Malaysia is remote sensing, satellite observations are limited by cloud cover, orbital gaps of satellite track, etc. In addition, relatively less understanding is achieved on how the atmospheric aerosol interacts with the regional climate system. These gaps can be bridged by conducting more studies using integrated approach of remote sensing, AERONET and ground based measurements.

Life-stage-specific physiology defines invasion extent of a riverine fish

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawrence, David J.; Beauchamp, David A.; Olden, Julian D.

2015-01-01

Many ecologists have called for mechanism-based investigations to identify the underlying controls on species distributions. Understanding these controls can be especially useful to construct robust predictions of how a species range may change in response to climate change or the extent to which a non-native species may spread in novel environments.Here, we link spatially intensive observations with mechanistic models to illustrate how physiology determines the upstream extent of the aquatic ectotherm smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in two headwater rivers.Our results demonstrate that as temperatures become increasingly cold across a downstream to upstream gradient, food consumption in age 0 bass becomes increasingly constrained, and as a result, these fish become growth limited. Sufficient first summer growth of age 0 bass is essential for overwinter survival because young bass must persist from energy reserves accumulated during the summer, and those reserves are determined by body size.Our field data reveal the upstream extent of adult bass reproduction corresponds to a point in the downstream/upstream gradient where cold temperatures impair growth opportunities in young bass. This pattern was repeated in both study streams and explained why bass positioned nests twice as far upstream in the warm compared to the cold stream in the same basin. Placement of spawning nests by adult bass is likely subject to strong evolutionary selection in temperate systems: if bass spawn too far upstream, their young are unlikely to grow large enough to survive the winter. Consumption and growth in older bass (age 3–4) was far less sensitive to temperature. Based on these data, we suggest that temperature-sensitive age 0 bass constrain the upstream distribution limits of bass within temperate streams.In this study, we investigated how temperature-dependent physiology changed through the life history of a species and, in doing so, identified a climate-sensitive life-history stage that likely sets the distributional limits of all other life-history stages. We anticipate the framework developed here could be employed to identify how similar stage-specific environmental sensitivity determines distribution in many other ectothermic species.

Lithosphere-asthenosphere interaction beneath the western United States from the joint inversion of body-wave traveltimes and surface-wave phase velocities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Obrebski, M.; Allen, R.M.; Pollitz, F.; Hung, S.-H.

2011-01-01

The relation between the complex geological history of the western margin of the North American plate and the processes in the mantle is still not fully documented and understood. Several pre-USArray local seismic studies showed how the characteristics of key geological features such as the Colorado Plateau and the Yellowstone Snake River Plains are linked to their deep mantle structure. Recent body-wave models based on the deployment of the high density, large aperture USArray have provided far more details on the mantle structure while surface-wave tomography (ballistic waves and noise correlations) informs us on the shallow structure. Here we combine constraints from these two data sets to image and study the link between the geology of the western United States, the shallow structure of the Earth and the convective processes in mantle. Our multiphase DNA10-S model provides new constraints on the extent of the Archean lithosphere imaged as a large, deeply rooted fast body that encompasses the stable Great Plains and a large portion of the Northern and Central Rocky Mountains. Widespread slow anomalies are found in the lower crust and upper mantle, suggesting that low-density rocks isostatically sustain part of the high topography of the western United States. The Yellowstone anomaly is imaged as a large slow body rising from the lower mantle, intruding the overlying lithosphere and controlling locally the seismicity and the topography. The large E-W extent of the USArray used in this study allows imaging the 'slab graveyard', a sequence of Farallon fragments aligned with the currently subducting Juan de Fuca Slab, north of the Mendocino Triple Junction. The lithospheric root of the Colorado Plateau has apparently been weakened and partly removed through dripping. The distribution of the slower regions around the Colorado Plateau and other rigid blocks follows closely the trend of Cenozoic volcanic fields and ancient lithospheric sutures, suggesting that the later exert a control on the locus of magmato-tectonic activity today. The DNA velocity models are available for download and slicing at http://dna.berkeley.edu. ?? 2011 The Authors Geophysical Journal International ?? 2011 RAS.

Landsat and GRACE observations of arid wetland dynamics in a dryland river system under multi-decadal hydroclimatic extremes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Zunyi; Huete, Alfredo; Ma, Xuanlong; Restrepo-Coupe, Natalia; Devadas, Rakhesh; Clarke, Kenneth; Lewis, Megan

2016-12-01

Arid wetlands are important for biodiversity conservation, but sensitive and vulnerable to climate variability and hydroclimatic events. Amplification of the water cycle, including the increasing frequency and severity of droughts and wet extremes, is expected to alter spatial and temporal hydrological patterns in arid wetlands globally, with potential threats to ecosystem services and their functioning. Despite these pressing challenges, the ecohydrological interactions and resilience of arid wetlands to highly variable water regimes over long time periods remain largely unknown. Recent broad-scale drought and floods over Australia provide unique opportunities to improve our understanding of arid wetland ecosystem responses to hydroclimatic extremes. Here we analysed the ecohydrological dynamics of the Coongie Lakes arid wetland in central Australia, one of the world's largest Ramsar-designated wetlands, using more than two decades (1988-2011) of vegetation and floodwater extent retrievals derived from Landsat satellite observations. To explore the impacts of large-scale hydrological fluctuations on the arid wetland, we further coupled Landsat measurements with Total Water Storage Anomaly (TWSA) data obtained from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites. Pronounced seasonal and inter-annual variabilities of flood and vegetation activities were observed over the wetland, with variations in vegetation growth extent highly correlated with flood extent (r = 0.64, p < 0.05) that ranged from nearly zero to 3456 km2. We reported the hydrological dynamics and associated ecosystem responses to be largely driven by the two phases (El Niño and La Niña) of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) ocean-atmosphere system. Changes in flood and vegetation extent were better explained by GRACE-TWSA (r = 0.8, lag = 0 month) than rainfall (r = 0.34, lag = 3 months) over the water source area, demonstrating that TWS is a valuable hydrological indicator for complex dryland river systems. The protracted Millennium Drought from 2001 to 2009 resulted in long-term absence of major flood events, which substantially suppressed wetland vegetation growth. However, the 2010-11 La Niña induced flooding events led to an exceptionally large resurgence of vegetation, with a mean vegetation growth extent anomaly exceeding the historical average (1988-2011) by more than 1.5 standard deviations, suggesting a significant resilience of arid wetland ecosystems to climate variability. This study showed the ecological functioning of arid wetlands is particularly sensitive to large-scale hydrological fluctuations and extreme drought conditions, and vulnerable to future altered water regimes due to climate change. The methods developed herein can be applied to arid wetlands located in other dryland river systems across the globe.

Contractile effect of the aqueous extract of Psidium guajava leaves on aortic rings in rat.

PubMed

Olatunji-Bello, I I; Odusanya, A J; Raji, I; Ladipo, C O

2007-04-01

Aqueous leaves extract of Psidium guajava significantly and dose-dependently (0.25-2 mg/ml) contracted aorta rings. The effect was evaluated also in presence of nifedipine and phentolamine. The sensitivity of the aortic rings to cumulative doses of P. guajava was significantly enhanced in the presence of phentolamine suggesting that the effect of P. guajava was to a large extent mediated by activation of alpha-adrenoceptor and to a lesser extent by acting via calcium ion channel.

Self-Guided Web-Based Interventions: Scoping Review on User Needs and the Potential of Embodied Conversational Agents to Address Them

PubMed Central

Kelders, Saskia M; Van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia EWC

2017-01-01

Background Web-based mental health interventions have evolved from innovative prototypes to evidence-based and clinically applied solutions for mental diseases such as depression and anxiety. Open-access, self-guided types of these solutions hold the promise of reaching and treating a large population at a reasonable cost. However, a considerable factor that currently hinders the effectiveness of these self-guided Web-based interventions is the high level of nonadherence. The absence of a human caregiver apparently has a negative effect on user adherence. It is unknown to what extent this human support can be handed over to the technology of the intervention to mitigate this negative effect. Objective The first objective of this paper was to explore what is known in literature about what support a user needs to stay motivated and engaged in an electronic health (eHealth) intervention that requires repeated use. The second objective was to explore the current potential of embodied conversational agents (ECAs) to provide this support. Methods This study reviews and interprets the available literature on (1) support within eHealth interventions that require repeated use and (2) the potential of ECAs by means of a scoping review. The rationale for choosing a scoping review is that the subject is broad, diverse, and largely unexplored. Themes for (1) and (2) were proposed based on grounded theory and mapped on each other to find relationships. Results The results of the first part of this study suggest the presence of user needs that largely remain implicit and unaddressed. These support needs can be categorized as task-related support and emotion-related support. The results of the second part of this study suggest that ECAs are capable of engaging and motivating users of information technology applications in the domains of learning and behavioral change. Longitudinal studies must be conducted to determine under what circumstances ECAs can create and maintain a productive user relationship. Mapping the user needs on the ECAs’ capabilities suggests that different kinds of ECAs may provide different solutions for improving the adherence levels. Conclusions Autonomous ECAs that do not respond to a user’s expressed emotion in real time but take on empathic roles may be sufficient to motivate users to some extent. It is unclear whether those types of ECAs are competent enough and create sufficient believability among users to address the user’s deeper needs for support and empathy. Responsive ECAs may offer a better solution. However, at present, most of these ECAs have difficulties to assess a user’s emotional state in real time during an open dialogue. By conducting future research with relationship theory–based ECAs, the added value of ECAs toward user needs can be better understood. PMID:29146567

28 CFR 701.18 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... FOIA-disclosed information plays with respect to those commercial interests, as well as to the extent.... Examples of news media entities include television or radio stations broadcasting to the public at large...

Community and school mental health professionals' knowledge and use of evidence based substance use prevention programs.

PubMed

Evans, Steven W; Randy Koch, J; Brady, Christine; Meszaros, Peggy; Sadler, Joanna

2013-07-01

Youth with learning and behavioral problems are at elevated risk for substance use during adolescence. Although evidence-based substance use prevention and screening practices are described in the literature, the extent with which these are provided to these youth is unclear. Mental health professionals in schools and community mental health centers are in an ideal position to conduct substance use screening and prevention practices since they have frequent contact with this high risk group. In order to determine whether these mental health professionals were using evidence based substance use screening and prevention programs with these youth, we analyzed 345 completed surveys from mental health professionals in schools and community clinics throughout a mid-Atlantic state. Results indicated that a large portion of the respondents were unfamiliar with evidence based practices and they were infrequently used. Implications for the division of labor at schools and community mental health centers are discussed in relation to time allotment and priority for these procedures.

Fracture Behavior of Zr-BASED Bulk Metallic Glass Under Impact Loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Hyung-Seop; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Oh, Sang-Yeob

The fracture behavior of a Zr-based bulk amorphous metal under impact loading using subsize V-shaped Charpy specimens was investigated. Influences of loading rate on the fracture behavior of amorphous Zr-Al-Ni-Cu alloy were examined. As a result, the maximum load and absorbed fracture energy under impact loading were lower than those under quasi-static loading. A large part of the absorbed fracture energy in the Zr-based BMG was consumed in the process for crack initiation and not for crack propagation. In addition, fractographic characteristics of BMGs, especially the initiation and development of shear bands at the notch tip were investigated. Fractured surfaces under impact loading are smoother than those under quasi-static loading. The absorbed fracture energy appeared differently depending on the appearance of the shear bands developed. It can be found that the fracture energy and fracture toughness of Zr-based BMG are closely related with the extent of shear bands developed during fracture.

Fabrication and characterization of THUNDER actuators—pre-stress-induced nonlinearity in the actuation response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Younghoon; Cai, Ling; Usher, Timothy; Jiang, Qing

2009-09-01

This paper documents an experimental and theoretical investigation into characterizing the mechanical configurations and performances of THUNDER actuators, a type of piezoelectric actuator known for their large actuation displacements, through fabrication, measurements and finite element analysis. Five groups of such actuators with different dimensions were fabricated using identical fabrication parameters. The as-fabricated arched configurations, resulting from the thermo-mechanical mismatch among the constituent layers, and their actuation performances were characterized using an experimental set-up based on a laser displacement sensor and through numerical simulations with ANSYS, a widely used commercial software program for finite element analysis. This investigation shows that the presence of large residual stresses within the piezoelectric ceramic layer, built up during the fabrication process, leads to significant nonlinear electromechanical coupling in the actuator response to the driving electric voltage, and it is this nonlinear coupling that is responsible for the large actuation displacements. Furthermore, the severity of the residual stresses, and thus the nonlinearity, increases with increasing substrate/piezoelectric thickness ratio and, to a lesser extent, with decreasing in-plane dimensions of the piezoelectric layer.

Managing chronic illness: physician practices increased the use of care management and medical home processes.

PubMed

Wiley, James A; Rittenhouse, Diane R; Shortell, Stephen M; Casalino, Lawrence P; Ramsay, Patricia P; Bibi, Salma; Ryan, Andrew M; Copeland, Kennon R; Alexander, Jeffrey A

2015-01-01

The effective management of patients with chronic illnesses is critical to bending the curve of health care spending in the United States and is a crucial test for health care reform. In this article we used data from three national surveys of physician practices between 2006 and 2013 to determine the extent to which practices of all sizes have increased their use of evidence-based care management processes associated with patient-centered medical homes for patients with asthma, congestive heart failure, depression, and diabetes. We found relatively large increases over time in the overall use of these processes for small and medium-size practices as well as for large practices. However, the large practices used fewer than half of the recommended processes, on average. We also identified the individual processes whose use increased the most and show that greater use of care management processes is positively associated with public reporting of patient experience and clinical quality and with pay-for-performance. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Propellant combustion product analyses on an M16 rifle and a 105 mm caliber gun

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ase, P.; Eisenberg, W.; Gordon, S.

1985-01-01

Some of the propellant combustion products (particulates and gases) that are formed on firing an M16 rifle and 105 mm caliber gun have been subjected to qualitative, and to a more limited extent, quantitative chemical analyses. For both weapons, large numbers of trace gas species, 90 to 70 respectively, were identified in the combustion effluents from the small large bore weapons. Quantifiable data were obtained for 15 of these species in terms of mass of compound formed per unit mass of propellant burned. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, 11 and 4 respectively, were identified and quantified in the combustion products from themore » small and large bore weapons. Metal particulates in the respirable range in the combustion products from the M16 rifle were analyzed and quantified. Many of the chemical species identified in the study have known toxicological properties. Although the data base is limited, it appears that within the confines of the different propellants' stoichiometries, the amounts of combustion products formed are approximately directly proportional to the masses of propellant burned.« less

Analysis of P and Pdiff Coda Arrivals for Water Reverberations to Evaluate Shallow Slip Extent in Large Megathrust Earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhode, A.; Lay, T.

2017-12-01

Determining the up-dip rupture extent of large megathrust ruptures is important for understanding their tsunami excitation, frictional properties of the shallow megathrust, and potential for separate tsunami earthquake occurrence. On land geodetic data have almost no resolution of the up-dip extent of faulting and teleseismic observations have limited resolution that is strongly influenced by typically poorly known shallow seismic velocity structure near the toe of the accretionary prism. The increase in ocean depth as slip on the megathrust approaches the trench has significant influence on the strength and azimuthal distribution of water reverberations in the far-field P wave coda. For broadband P waves from large earthquakes with dominant signal periods of about 10 s, water reverberations generated by shallow fault slip under deep water may persist for over a minute after the direct P phases have passed, giving a clear signal of slip near the trench. As the coda waves can be quickly evaluated following the P signal, recognition of slip extending to the trench and associated enhanced tsunamigenic potential could be achieved within a few minutes after the P arrival, potentially contributing to rapid tsunami hazard assessment. We examine the broadband P wave coda at distances from 80 to 120° for a large number of recent major and great earthquakes with independently determined slip distributions and known tsunami excitation to evaluate the prospect for rapidly constraining up-dip rupture extent of large megathrust earthquakes. Events known to have significant shallow slip, at least locally extending to the trench (e.g., 2016 Illapel, Chile; 2010 Maule, 2010 Mentawai) do have relatively enhanced coda levels at all azimuths, whereas events that do not rupture the shallow megathrust (e.g., 2007 Sumatra, 2014 Iquique, 2003 Hokkaido) do not. Some events with slip models lacking shallow slip show strong coda generation, raising questions about the up-dip resolution of slip of their finite-fault models, and others show strong azimuthal patterns in coda strength that suggest propagation from the slip zone to the deep near-trench environments is involved rather than slip near the trench. The various behaviors will be integrated into an assessment of this approach.

Continuous data assimilation for downscaling large-footprint soil moisture retrievals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altaf, Muhammad U.; Jana, Raghavendra B.; Hoteit, Ibrahim; McCabe, Matthew F.

2016-10-01

Soil moisture is a key component of the hydrologic cycle, influencing processes leading to runoff generation, infiltration and groundwater recharge, evaporation and transpiration. Generally, the measurement scale for soil moisture is found to be different from the modeling scales for these processes. Reducing this mismatch between observation and model scales in necessary for improved hydrological modeling. An innovative approach to downscaling coarse resolution soil moisture data by combining continuous data assimilation and physically based modeling is presented. In this approach, we exploit the features of Continuous Data Assimilation (CDA) which was initially designed for general dissipative dynamical systems and later tested numerically on the incompressible Navier-Stokes equation, and the Benard equation. A nudging term, estimated as the misfit between interpolants of the assimilated coarse grid measurements and the fine grid model solution, is added to the model equations to constrain the model's large scale variability by available measurements. Soil moisture fields generated at a fine resolution by a physically-based vadose zone model (HYDRUS) are subjected to data assimilation conditioned upon coarse resolution observations. This enables nudging of the model outputs towards values that honor the coarse resolution dynamics while still being generated at the fine scale. Results show that the approach is feasible to generate fine scale soil moisture fields across large extents, based on coarse scale observations. Application of this approach is likely in generating fine and intermediate resolution soil moisture fields conditioned on the radiometerbased, coarse resolution products from remote sensing satellites.

Mapping regional patterns of large forest fires in Wildland-Urban Interface areas in Europe.

PubMed

Modugno, Sirio; Balzter, Heiko; Cole, Beth; Borrelli, Pasquale

2016-05-01

Over recent decades, Land Use and Cover Change (LUCC) trends in many regions of Europe have reconfigured the landscape structures around many urban areas. In these areas, the proximity to landscape elements with high forest fuels has increased the fire risk to people and property. These Wildland-Urban Interface areas (WUI) can be defined as landscapes where anthropogenic urban land use and forest fuel mass come into contact. Mapping their extent is needed to prioritize fire risk control and inform local forest fire risk management strategies. This study proposes a method to map the extent and spatial patterns of the European WUI areas at continental scale. Using the European map of WUI areas, the hypothesis is tested that the distance from the nearest WUI area is related to the forest fire probability. Statistical relationships between the distance from the nearest WUI area, and large forest fire incidents from satellite remote sensing were subsequently modelled by logistic regression analysis. The first European scale map of the WUI extent and locations is presented. Country-specific positive and negative relationships of large fires and the proximity to the nearest WUI area are found. A regional-scale analysis shows a strong influence of the WUI zones on large fires in parts of the Mediterranean regions. Results indicate that the probability of large burned surfaces increases with diminishing WUI distance in touristic regions like Sardinia, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, or in regions with a strong peri-urban component as Catalunya, Comunidad de Madrid, Comunidad Valenciana. For the above regions, probability curves of large burned surfaces show statistical relationships (ROC value > 0.5) inside a 5000 m buffer of the nearest WUI. Wise land management can provide a valuable ecosystem service of fire risk reduction that is currently not explicitly included in ecosystem service valuations. The results re-emphasise the importance of including this ecosystem service in landscape valuations to account for the significant landscape function of reducing the risk of catastrophic large fires. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Antarctic Sea Ice-Atmosphere Interactions: A Self-organizing Map-based Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reusch, D. B.

2005-12-01

Interactions between the ocean, sea ice and the atmosphere are a significant component of the dynamic nature of the Earth's climate system. Self-organizing maps (SOMs), an analysis tool from the field of artificial neural networks, have been used to study variability in Antarctic sea ice extent and the West Antarctic atmospheric circulation, plus the relationship and interactions between these two systems. Self-organizing maps enable unsupervised classification of large, multivariate/multidimensional data sets, e.g., time series of the atmospheric circulation or sea-ice extent, into a fixed number of distinct generalized states or modes, organized spatially as a two-dimensional grid, that are representative of the input data. When applied to atmospheric data, the analysis yields a nonlinear classification of the continuum of atmospheric conditions. In contrast to principal component analysis, SOMs do not force orthogonality or require subjective rotations to produce interpretable patterns. Twenty four years (1973-96) of monthly sea ice extent data (10 deg longitude bands; Simmonds and Jacka, 1995) were analyzed with a 30-node SOM. The resulting set of generalized patterns concisely captures the spatial and temporal variability in this data. An example of the former is variability in the longitudinal region of greatest extent. The SOM patterns readily show that there are multiple spatial patterns corresponding to "greatest extent conditions". Temporal variability is examined by creating frequency maps (i.e., which patterns occur most often) by month. With the annual cycle still in the data, the monthly frequency maps show a cycle moving from least extent, through expansion to greatest extent and back through retreat. When plotted in "SOM space", month-to-month transitions occur at different rates of change, suggesting that there is variability in the rate of change in extent at different times of the year, e.g., retreat in January is faster than November. Twenty five years (1977-2001) of monthly 500 mb temperature and pressure data (from the ECMWF 40-year reanalysis, ERA-40) from a region centered on the Antarctic Peninsula were analyzed independently for a separate SOMs-based study. Dominant SOM temperature patterns include the expected summer warmth and winter cold, plus "dipoles" of warm Atlantic (Pacific) and cold Pacific (Atlantic) sectors (with corresponding pressure patterns). Temporally, there is the expected annual progression from warmth, through cooling and back to warmth, with no particularly predominant patterns in many of the monthly frequency maps when the full record is used. Stratifying by high/low values of the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) suggests that the spatial patterns of cooling and warming may be related to conditions in the tropical Pacific: in a low SOI year (1987), cooling and warming both begin in the Atlantic sector, with the opposite true in a high SOI year (1989). Further study of this aspect is planned. In addition to direct comparisons of the SOM analysis results from each study, a joint SOM analysis will be done on the combined data sets, exploiting the flexibility and power of this technique. We anticipate additional useful insights into the joint variability and relationships between Antarctic sea ice and the overlying atmosphere through this expanded analysis.

Defining biotypes for depression and anxiety based on large-scale circuit dysfunction: A theoretical review of the evidence and future directions for clinical translation

PubMed Central

Williams, Leanne M

2016-01-01

Complex emotional, cognitive and self-reflective functions rely on the activation and connectivity of large-scale neural circuits. These circuits offer a relevant scale of focus for conceptualizing a taxonomy for depression and anxiety based on specific profiles (or biotypes) of neural circuit dysfunction. Here, the theoretical review first outlined the current consensus as to what constitutes the organization of large-scale circuits in the human brain identified using parcellation and meta-analysis. The focus is on neural circuits implicated in resting reflection (“default mode”), detection of “salience”, affective processing (“threat” and “reward”), “attention” and “cognitive control”. Next, the current evidence regarding which type of dysfunctions in these circuits characterize depression and anxiety disorders was reviewed, with an emphasis on published meta-analyses and reviews of circuit dysfunctions that have been identified in at least two well-powered case:control studies. Grounded in the review of these topics, a conceptual framework is proposed for considering neural circuit-defined “biotypes”. In this framework, biotypes are defined by profiles of extent of dysfunction on each large-scale circuit. The clinical implications of a biotype approach for guiding classification and treatment of depression and anxiety is considered. Future research directions will develop the validity and clinical utility of a neural circuit biotype model that spans diagnostic categories and helps to translate neuroscience into clinical practice in the real world. PMID:27653321

Mirror neurons and motor intentionality.

PubMed

Rizzolatti, Giacomo; Sinigaglia, Corrado

2007-01-01

Our social life rests to a large extent on our ability to understand the intentions of others. What are the bases of this ability? A very influential view is that we understand the intentions of others because we are able to represent them as having mental states. Without this meta-representational (mind-reading) ability their behavior would be meaningless to us. Over the past few years this view has been challenged by neurophysiological findings and, in particular, by the discovery of mirror neurons. The functional properties of these neurons indicate that intentional understanding is based primarily on a mechanism that directly matches the sensory representation of the observed actions with one's own motor representation of those same actions. These findings reveal how deeply motor and intentional components of action are intertwined, suggesting that both can be fully comprehended only starting from a motor approach to intentionality.

Application of optimization technique for flood damage modeling in river system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barman, Sangita Deb; Choudhury, Parthasarathi

2018-04-01

A river system is defined as a network of channels that drains different parts of a basin uniting downstream to form a common outflow. An application of various models found in literatures, to a river system having multiple upstream flows is not always straight forward, involves a lengthy procedure; and with non-availability of data sets model calibration and applications may become difficult. In the case of a river system the flow modeling can be simplified to a large extent if the channel network is replaced by an equivalent single channel. In the present work optimization model formulations based on equivalent flow and applications of the mixed integer programming based pre-emptive goal programming model in evaluating flood control alternatives for a real life river system in India are proposed to be covered in the study.

[What is the Optimal Nutrition for Humans?].

PubMed

Böni, Roland

2016-04-27

As practitioners, we are faced in practice daily with the question about the optimal diet. Nevertheless, nutrition covers only a very small part of our medical training. A look back in the history of man shows that the human body was set to a predominantly plant-based diet for millions of years. With the introduction of factory farming and industrial food processing several hundred years ago, the current Western diet has been consisting to a large extent of animal products, leading to a number of chronic diseases such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, coronary heart disease, vascular dementia, diabetes, and to an increase of cancer. Many of these diseases are preventable, some even reversible when resorting to a whole-foods plant-based diet. This review work is intended to provide the practitioner with the necessary knowledge and the scientific facts.

Nuclear instrumentation and measurement: a review based on the ANIMMA conferences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giot, Michel; Vermeeren, Ludo; Lyoussi, Abdallah; Reynard-Carette, Christelle; Lhuillier, Christian; Mégret, Patrice; Deconinck, Frank; Gonçalves, Bruno Soares

2017-12-01

The ANIMMA conferences offer a unique opportunity to discover research carried out in all fields of nuclear measurements and instrumentation with applications extending from fundamental physics to fission and fusion reactors, medical imaging, environmental protection and homeland security. After four successful editions of the Conference, it was decided to prepare a review based to a large extent but not exclusively on the papers presented during the first four editions of the conference. This review is organized according to the measurement methodologies: neutronic, photonic, thermal, acoustic and optical measurements, as well as medical imaging and specific challenges linked to data acquisition and electronic hardening. The paper describes the main challenges justifying research in these different areas, and summarizes the recent progress reported. It offers researchers and engineers a way to quickly and efficiently access knowledge in highly specialized areas.

Keeping it simple: Monitoring flood extent in large data-poor wetlands using MODIS SWIR data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolski, Piotr; Murray-Hudson, Mike; Thito, Kgalalelo; Cassidy, Lin

2017-05-01

Characterising inundation conditions for flood-pulsed wetlands is a critical first step towards assessment of flood risk as well as towards understanding hydrological dynamics that underlay their ecology and functioning. In this paper, we develop a series of inundation maps for the Okavango Delta, Botswana, based on the thresholding of the SWIR band (b7) MODIS MCD43A4 product. We show that in the Okavango Delta, SWIR is superior to other spectral bands or derived indices, and illustrate an innovative way of defining the spectral threshold used to separate inundated from dry land. The threshold is determined dynamically for each scene based on reflectances of training areas capturing end-members of the inundation spectrum. The method provides a very good accuracy and is suitable for automated processing.

The Influence of Teacher Motivation in the Context of Performance-Based Compensation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glass, Jason E.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine teacher motivation in the context of performance-based compensation systems. The researcher specifically sought to address four research questions: 1. To what extent are teachers motivated for behavioristic/economic reasons and extrinsic rewards? 2. To what extent are teachers motivated for altruistic/PSM…

Detecting peatland drains with Object Based Image Analysis and Geoeye-1 imagery.

PubMed

Connolly, J; Holden, N M

2017-12-01

Peatlands play an important role in the global carbon cycle. They provide important ecosystem services including carbon sequestration and storage. Drainage disturbs peatland ecosystem services. Mapping drains is difficult and expensive and their spatial extent is, in many cases, unknown. An object based image analysis (OBIA) was performed on a very high resolution satellite image (Geoeye-1) to extract information about drain location and extent on a blanket peatland in Ireland. Two accuracy assessment methods: Error matrix and the completeness, correctness and quality (CCQ) were used to assess the extracted data across the peatland and at several sub sites. The cost of the OBIA method was compared with manual digitisation and field survey. The drain maps were also used to assess the costs relating to blocking drains vs. a business-as-usual scenario and estimating the impact of each on carbon fluxes at the study site. The OBIA method performed well at almost all sites. Almost 500 km of drains were detected within the peatland. In the error matrix method, overall accuracy (OA) of detecting the drains was 94% and the kappa statistic was 0.66. The OA for all sub-areas, except one, was 95-97%. The CCQ was 85%, 85% and 71% respectively. The OBIA method was the most cost effective way to map peatland drains and was at least 55% cheaper than either field survey or manual digitisation, respectively. The extracted drain maps were used constrain the study area CO 2 flux which was 19% smaller than the prescribed Peatland Code value for drained peatlands. The OBIA method used in this study showed that it is possible to accurately extract maps of fine scale peatland drains over large areas in a cost effective manner. The development of methods to map the spatial extent of drains is important as they play a critical role in peatland carbon dynamics. The objective of this study was to extract data on the spatial extent of drains on a blanket bog in the west of Ireland. The results show that information on drain extent and location can be extracted from high resolution imagery and mapped with a high degree of accuracy. Under Article 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol Annex 1 parties can account for greenhouse gas emission by sources and removals by sinks resulting from "wetlands drainage and rewetting". The ability to map the spatial extent, density and location of peatlands drains means that Annex 1 parties can develop strategies for drain blocking to aid reduction of CO 2 emissions, DOC runoff and water discoloration. This paper highlights some uncertainty around using one-size-fits-all emission factors for GHG in drained peatlands and re-wetting scenarios. However, the OBIA method is robust and accurate and could be used to assess the extent of drains in peatlands across the globe aiding the refinement of peatland carbon dynamics .

Detecting peatland drains with Object Based Image Analysis and Geoeye-1 imagery.

PubMed

Connolly, J; Holden, N M

2017-12-01

Peatlands play an important role in the global carbon cycle. They provide important ecosystem services including carbon sequestration and storage. Drainage disturbs peatland ecosystem services. Mapping drains is difficult and expensive and their spatial extent is, in many cases, unknown. An object based image analysis (OBIA) was performed on a very high resolution satellite image (Geoeye-1) to extract information about drain location and extent on a blanket peatland in Ireland. Two accuracy assessment methods: Error matrix and the completeness, correctness and quality ( CCQ ) were used to assess the extracted data across the peatland and at several sub sites. The cost of the OBIA method was compared with manual digitisation and field survey. The drain maps were also used to assess the costs relating to blocking drains vs. a business-as-usual scenario and estimating the impact of each on carbon fluxes at the study site. The OBIA method performed well at almost all sites. Almost 500 km of drains were detected within the peatland. In the error matrix method, overall accuracy (OA) of detecting the drains was 94% and the kappa statistic was 0.66. The OA for all sub-areas, except one, was 95-97%. The CCQ was 85%, 85% and 71% respectively. The OBIA method was the most cost effective way to map peatland drains and was at least 55% cheaper than either field survey or manual digitisation, respectively. The extracted drain maps were used constrain the study area CO 2 flux which was 19% smaller than the prescribed Peatland Code value for drained peatlands. The OBIA method used in this study showed that it is possible to accurately extract maps of fine scale peatland drains over large areas in a cost effective manner. The development of methods to map the spatial extent of drains is important as they play a critical role in peatland carbon dynamics. The objective of this study was to extract data on the spatial extent of drains on a blanket bog in the west of Ireland. The results show that information on drain extent and location can be extracted from high resolution imagery and mapped with a high degree of accuracy. Under Article 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol Annex 1 parties can account for greenhouse gas emission by sources and removals by sinks resulting from "wetlands drainage and rewetting". The ability to map the spatial extent, density and location of peatlands drains means that Annex 1 parties can develop strategies for drain blocking to aid reduction of CO 2 emissions, DOC runoff and water discoloration. This paper highlights some uncertainty around using one-size-fits-all emission factors for GHG in drained peatlands and re-wetting scenarios. However, the OBIA method is robust and accurate and could be used to assess the extent of drains in peatlands across the globe aiding the refinement of peatland carbon dynamics .

Use of cryopumps on large space simulation systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccrary, L. E.

1980-01-01

The need for clean, oil free space simulation systems has demanded the development of large, clean pumping systems. The assurance of optically dense liquid nitrogen baffles over diffusion pumps prevents backstreaming to a large extent, but does not preclude contamination from accidents or a control failure. Turbomolecular pumps or ion pumps achieve oil free systems but are only practical for relatively small chambers. Large cryopumps were developed and checked out which do achieve clean pumping of very large chambers. These pumps can be used as the original pumping system or can be retrofitted as a replacement for existing diffusion pumps.

Mach Number effects on turbulent superstructures in wall bounded flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaehler, Christian J.; Bross, Matthew; Scharnowski, Sven

2017-11-01

Planer and three-dimensional flow field measurements along a flat plat boundary layer in the Trisonic Wind Tunnel Munich (TWM) are examined with the aim to characterize the scaling, spatial organization, and topology of large scale turbulent superstructures in compressible flow. This facility is ideal for this investigation as the ratio of boundary layer thickness to test section spanwise extent ratio is around 1/25, ensuring minimal sidewall and corner effects on turbulent structures in the center of the test section. A major difficulty in the experimental investigation of large scale features is the mutual size of the superstructures which can extend over many boundary layer thicknesses. Using multiple PIV systems, it was possible to capture the full spatial extent of large-scale structures over a range of Mach numbers from Ma = 0.3 - 3. To calculate the average large-scale structure length and spacing, the acquired vector fields were analyzed by statistical multi-point methods that show large scale structures with a correlation length of around 10 boundary layer thicknesses over the range of Mach numbers investigated. Furthermore, the average spacing between high and low momentum structures is on the order of a boundary layer thicknesses. This work is supported by the Priority Programme SPP 1881 Turbulent Superstructures of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

Implications of prognostic factors and risk groups in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer.

PubMed

Shaha, Ashok R

2004-03-01

The outcome in differentiated thyroid cancer generally depends on the stage of the disease at the time of presentation; prognostic factors such as age, grade, size, extension, or distant metastasis; and risk groups (eg, low or high risk). The author has reviewed a large number of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer to analyze their hypothesis and to confirm that various risk groups have a major implication in relation to extent of the treatment and outcome. Differentiated thyroid cancers make up 90% of all thyroid tumors. The prognostic factors are well defined, such as age, size of the tumor, extrathyroidal extension, presence of distant metastasis, histological appearance, and grade of the tumor. The author has previously divided the risk groups into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk categories based on prognostic factors. The study describes the author's treatment approach related to the extent of thyroidectomy and adjuvant therapy based on various risk groups and the long-term survival. Retrospective. In a retrospective review of 1038 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma, various prognostic factors were studied by univariate and multivariate analysis. The significant prognostic factors were studied in detail and, based on these prognostic factors, the patients were divided into low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups. The survival curves were plotted by Kaplan-Meier method. The long-term survivals in low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups were 99%, 87%, and 57% respectively. Based on these risk groups, a decision tree was made regarding extent of thyroidectomy and adjuvant treatment. In the high-risk group and selected patients in the intermediate-risk group, aggressive surgery including removal of all gross disease and extrathyroidal extension with postoperative radioactive iodine ablation is recommended. In the low-risk group and selected patients in the intermediate-risk group, lobectomy appears to be satisfactory with excellent long-term outcome. The surgical treatment offers the best long-term results in low-risk patients, and the role of adjuvant treatment in this group is questionable. The decisions in the management of well-differentiated thyroid cancer should be based on various prognostic factors and risk groups. The long-term survival in the low-risk group is excellent, and consideration should be given to conservative surgical resection depending on the extent of the disease. In the high-risk group and selected patients in the intermediate-risk group, total thyroidectomy with radioactive ablation is warranted. A consideration may be given to external-beam radiation therapy in selected high-risk patients. It is apparent, based on the author's clinical experience and critical retrospective analysis, that the author's hypothesis that risk groups are extremely important in the long-term outcome of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer is correct. Based on various risk groups, the author currently is able to guide the treatment policies for thyroid cancer.

Mouse Vk gene classification by nucleic acid sequence similarity.

PubMed

Strohal, R; Helmberg, A; Kroemer, G; Kofler, R

1989-01-01

Analyses of immunoglobulin (Ig) variable (V) region gene usage in the immune response, estimates of V gene germline complexity, and other nucleic acid hybridization-based studies depend on the extent to which such genes are related (i.e., sequence similarity) and their organization in gene families. While mouse Igh heavy chain V region (VH) gene families are relatively well-established, a corresponding systematic classification of Igk light chain V region (Vk) genes has not been reported. The present analysis, in the course of which we reviewed the known extent of the Vk germline gene repertoire and Vk gene usage in a variety of responses to foreign and self antigens, provides a classification of mouse Vk genes in gene families composed of members with greater than 80% overall nucleic acid sequence similarity. This classification differed in several aspects from that of VH genes: only some Vk gene families were as clearly separated (by greater than 25% sequence dissimilarity) as typical VH gene families; most Vk gene families were closely related and, in several instances, members from different families were very similar (greater than 80%) over large sequence portions; frequently, classification by nucleic acid sequence similarity diverged from existing classifications based on amino-terminal protein sequence similarity. Our data have implications for Vk gene analyses by nucleic acid hybridization and describe potentially important differences in sequence organization between VH and Vk genes.

Comparing Visual and Statistical Analysis in Single-Case Studies Using Published Studies

PubMed Central

Harrington, Magadalena; Velicer, Wayne F.

2015-01-01

Little is known about the extent to which interrupted time-series analysis (ITSA) can be applied to short, single-case study designs and whether those applications produce results consistent with visual analysis (VA). This paper examines the extent to which ITSA can be applied to single-case study designs and compares the results based on two methods: ITSA and VA, using papers published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis in 2010. The study was made possible by the development of software called UnGraph® which facilitates the recovery of raw data from the graphs. ITSA was successfully applied to 94% of the examined graphs with the number of observations ranging from 8 to 136. Moderate to high lag 1 autocorrelations (> .50) were found for 46% of the data series. Effect sizes similar to group-level Cohen’s d were identified based on the tertile distribution. Effects ranging from 0.00 to 0.99 were classified as small, those ranging from 1.00 to 2.49 as medium, and large effect sizes were defined as 2.50 or greater. Comparison of the conclusions from VA and ITSA had a low level of agreement (Kappa = .14, accounting for the agreement expected by chance). The results demonstrate that ITSA can be broadly implemented in applied behavior analysis research. These two methods should be viewed as complimentary and used concurrently. PMID:26609876

To what extent does variability of historical rainfall series influence extreme event statistics of sewer system surcharge and overflows?

PubMed

Schaarup-Jensen, K; Rasmussen, M R; Thorndahl, S

2009-01-01

In urban drainage modelling long-term extreme statistics has become an important basis for decision-making e.g. in connection with renovation projects. Therefore it is of great importance to minimize the uncertainties with regards to long-term prediction of maximum water levels and combined sewer overflow (CSO) in drainage systems. These uncertainties originate from large uncertainties regarding rainfall inputs, parameters, and assessment of return periods. This paper investigates how the choice of rainfall time series influences the extreme events statistics of max water levels in manholes and CSO volumes. Traditionally, long-term rainfall series, from a local rain gauge, are unavailable. In the present case study, however, long and local rain series are available. 2 rainfall gauges have recorded events for approximately 9 years at 2 locations within the catchment. Beside these 2 gauges another 7 gauges are located at a distance of max 20 kilometers from the catchment. All gauges are included in the Danish national rain gauge system which was launched in 1976. The paper describes to what extent the extreme events statistics based on these 9 series diverge from each other and how this diversity can be handled, e.g. by introducing an "averaging procedure" based on the variability within the set of statistics. All simulations are performed by means of the MOUSE LTS model.

Compensatory Water Effects Link Yearly Global Land CO2 Sink Changes to Temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jung, Martin; Reichstein, Markus; Tramontana, Gianluca; Viovy, Nicolas; Schwalm, Christopher R.; Wang, Ying-Ping; Weber, Ulrich; Weber, Ulrich; Zaehle, Soenke; Zeng, Ning;

The temporal stability and predictive validity of affect-based and cognition-based intentions.

PubMed

Keer, Mario; Conner, Mark; Van den Putte, Bas; Neijens, Peter

2014-06-01

Recent research has revealed individual differences in the extent to which people base their intentions on affect and cognition. Two studies are presented that assess whether such differences predict the strength of individuals' intention-behaviour relationships. Participants completed measures of affect, cognition, intention, and behaviour regarding a range of health behaviours. Study 1 (N = 300) found that the strength of the intention-behaviour relationship was significantly related to the extent to which individuals based their intentions on affect, but not to the extent they based them on cognition. Study 2 (N = 387) replicated the findings of the first study. In addition, Study 2 revealed that intention stability mediated the relationship between the degree people based their intentions on affect and the strength of the intention-behaviour relationship. Thus, individuals who base their intentions strongly on affect have more stable intentions, and are therefore more likely to enact them. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Predicting ground-water movement in large mine spoil areas in the Appalachian Plateau

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wunsch, D.R.; Dinger, J.S.; Graham, C.D.R.

1999-01-01

Spoil created by surface mining can accumulate large quantities of ground-water, which can create geotechnical or regulatory problems, as well as flood active mine pits. A current study at a large (4.1 km2), thick, (up to 90 m) spoil body in eastern Kentucky reveals important factors that control the storage and movement of water. Ground-water recharge occurs along the periphery of the spoil body where surface-water drainage is blocked, as well as from infiltration along the spoil-bedrock contact, recharge from adjacent bedrock, and to a minor extent, through macropores at the spoil's surface. Based on an average saturated thickness of 6.4 m for all spoil wells, and assuming an estimated porosity of 20%, approximately 5.2 x 106 m3 of water is stored within the existing 4.1 km2 of reclaimed spoil. A conceptual model of ground-water flow, based on data from monitoring wells, dye-tracing data, discharge from springs and ponds, hydraulic gradients, chemical data, field reconnaissance, and aerial photographs indicate that three distinct but interconnected saturated zones have been established: one in the spoil's interior, and others in the valley fills that surround the main spoil body at lower elevations. Ground-water movement is sluggish in the spoil's interior, but moves quickly through the valley fills. The conceptual model shows that a prediction of ground-water occurrence, movement, and quality can be made for active or abandoned spoil areas if all or some of the following data are available: structural contour of the base of the lowest coal seam being mined, pre-mining topography, documentation of mining methods employed throughout the mine, overburden characteristics, and aerial photographs of mine progression.Spoil created by surface mining can accumulate large quantities of ground-water, which can create geotechnical or regulatory problems, as well as flood active mine pits. A current study at a large (4.1 km2), thick, (up to 90 m) spoil body in eastern Kentucky reveals important factors that control the storage and movement of water. Ground-water recharge occurs along the periphery of the spoil body where surface-water drainage is blocked, as well as from infiltration along the spoil-bedrock contact, recharge from adjacent bedrock, and to a minor extent, through macropores at the spoil's surface. Based on an average saturated thickness of 6.4 m for all spoil wells, and assuming an estimated porosity of 20%, approximately 5.2 ?? 106 m3 of water is stored within the existing 4.1 km2 of reclaimed spoil. A conceptual model of ground-water flow, based on data from monitoring wells, dye-tracing data, discharge from springs and ponds, hydraulic gradients, chemical data, field reconnaissance, and aerial photographs indicate that three distinct but interconnected saturated zones have been established: one in the spoil's interior, and others in the valley fills that surround the main spoil body at lower elevations. Ground-water movement is sluggish in the spoil's interior, but moves quickly through the valley fills. The conceptual model shows that a prediction of ground-water occurrence, movement, and quality can be made for active or abandoned spoil areas if all or some of the following data are available: structural contour of the base of the lowest coal seam being mined, pre-mining topography, documentation of mining methods employed throughout the mine, overburden characteristics, and aerial photographs of mine progression.

Extent of Resection in Glioma-A Review of the Cutting Edge.

PubMed

D'Amico, Randy S; Englander, Zachary K; Canoll, Peter; Bruce, Jeffrey N

2017-07-01

Modern glioma surgery has evolved from the principal belief that safe, maximal tumor resection improves symptom management, quality of life, progression-free survival, and overall survival in both low-grade and high-grade glioma. However, in the absence of level I data, the overwhelming support for this idea is derived largely from retrospective series. As a result, the influence of increasing extent of resection and reducing tumor burden on the efficacy of postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and survival, remains inadequately defined. This situation is particularly true because gliomas represent a widely heterogeneous group of tumors with varying behaviors and prognoses rooted in their complex molecular profile. The neurosurgical community has made a large effort to define the clinical benefits of maximizing tumor resection, with particular attention paid to the ever-evolving understanding of glioma molecular heterogeneity. Important new technologies have been developed concurrently to mitigate neurologic risks related to the pursuit of maximizing extent of resection. These advances reflect the modern goal of glioma surgery to find the optimal balance between tumor removal and neurologic compromise. We review the current literature supporting safe, maximal resection for gliomas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of Academic Social Research by Public Officials: Exploring Preferences and Constraints That Impact on Research Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherney, Adrian; Head, Brian; Povey, Jenny; Ferguson, Michele; Boreham, Paul

2015-01-01

While academics can do more to communicate the key messages of their research, the organisational cultures and information infrastructure of policy-related work units also play a large part in influencing the extent of research uptake in government agencies. Data from a large Australian survey (N = 2,084) of policy-related officials in government…

An innovative computer design for modeling forest landscape change in very large spatial extents with fine resolutions

Treesearch

Jian Yang; Hong S. He; Stephen R. Shifley; Frank R. Thompson; Yangjian Zhang

2011-01-01

Although forest landscape models (FLMs) have benefited greatly from ongoing advances of computer technology and software engineering, computing capacity remains a bottleneck in the design and development of FLMs. Computer memory overhead and run time efficiency are primary limiting factors when applying forest landscape models to simulate large landscapes with fine...

Transition into and out of Special Education Services by Young Australian School Children between 2006 and 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dempsey, Ian

2014-01-01

The extent to which school students continue to receive special education services over time is largely unknown because longitudinal studies are rare in this area. The present study examined a large Australian longitudinal database to track the status of children who received special education support in 2006 and whether they continued to access…

Carbon loss from an unprecedented Arctic tundra wildfire

Treesearch

Michelle C. Mack; M. Syndonia Bret-Harte; Teresa N. Hollingsworth; Randi R. Jandt; Edward A.G. Schuur; Gaius R. Shaver; David L. Verbyla

2011-01-01

Arctic tundra soils store large amounts of carbon (C) in organic soil layers hundreds to thousands of years old that insulate, and in some cases maintain, permafrost soils. Fire has been largely absent from most of this biome since the early Holocene epoch, but its frequency and extent are increasing, probably in response to climate warming. The effect of fires on the...

The evolving role of science in wilderness to our understanding of ecosystems and landscapes

Treesearch

Norman L. Christensen

2000-01-01

Research in wilderness areas (areas with minimal human activity and of large spatial extent) formed the foundation for ecological models and theories that continue to shape our understanding how ecosystems change through time, how ecological communities are structured and how ecosystems function. By the middle of this century, large expanses of wilderness had become...

Implementing 15 Essential Elements for High Quality: A State and Local Policy Scan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, W. Steven; Weisenfeld, G. G.; Brown, Kirsty; Squires, Jim; Horowitz, Michelle

2016-01-01

This report explores the extent to which states (and several large cities) are positioned to provide high quality preschool education on a large scale. States and cities that are already doing so or that could do so with modest improvements offer opportunities for advocacy to advance access to high quality early education as well as for rigorous…

An Evaluation of a 4-8 Mathematics Teacher Preparation Program at a Large State Institution in Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Woong

2011-01-01

This study provided a springboard for future teacher preparation evaluation studies by examining the 4-8 mathematics teacher preparation component of the teacher preparation program at a large state institution in Texas. The research questions for this study were: (1) To what extent is the 4-8 mathematics teacher preparation program consistent…

Truancy and Well-Being among Secondary School Pupils in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Attwood, Gaynor; Croll, Paul

2015-01-01

The paper considers two problematic aspects of the lives of young people: the long-standing issues of truancy from school and more recent concerns about the extent of mental well-being. It uses data from a large-scale survey, the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE). LSYPE provides a very large sample which allows for robust…

School Improvement Networks as a Strategy for Large-Scale Education Reform: The Role of Educational Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glazer, Joshua L.; Peurach, Donald J.

2013-01-01

The development and scale-up of school improvement networks is among the most important educational innovations of the last decade, and current federal, state, and district efforts attempt to use school improvement networks as a mechanism for supporting large-scale change. The potential of improvement networks, however, rests on the extent to…

The Role of Deposition in Limiting the Hazard Extent of Dense-Gas Plumes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dillon, M B

2008-05-11

Accidents that involve large (multi-ton) releases of toxic industrial chemicals and form dense-gas clouds often yield far fewer fatalities, casualties and environmental effects than standard assessment and emergency response models predict. This modeling study, which considers both dense-gas turbulence suppression and deposition to environmental objects (e.g. buildings), demonstrates that dry deposition to environmental objects may play a significant role in reducing the distance at which adverse impacts occur - particularly under low-wind, stable atmospheric conditions which are often considered to be the worst-case scenario for these types of releases. The degree to which the released chemical sticks to (or reactsmore » with) environmental surfaces is likely a key parameter controlling hazard extents. In all modeled cases, the deposition to vertical surfaces of environmental objects (e.g. building walls) was more efficient in reducing atmospheric chemical concentrations than deposition to the earth's surface. This study suggests that (1) hazard extents may vary widely by release environment (e.g. grasslands vs. suburbia) and release conditions (e.g. sunlight or humidity may change the rate at which chemicals react with a surface) and (2) greenbelts (or similar structures) may dramatically reduce the impacts of large-scale releases. While these results are demonstrated to be qualitatively consistent with the downwind extent of vegetation damage in two chlorine releases, critical knowledge gaps exist and this study provides recommendations for additional experimental studies.« less

Piezoelectric Actuator/Sensor Technology at Rockwell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neurgaonkar, Ratnakar R.

1996-01-01

We describe the state-of-the art of piezoelectric materials based on perovskite and tungsten bronze families for sensor, actuator and smart structure applications. The microstructural defects in these materials have been eliminated to a large extent and the resulting materials exhibit exceedingly high performance for various applications. The performance of Rockwell actuators/sensors is at least 3 times better than commercially available products. These high performance actuators are being incorporated into various applications including, DOD, NASA and commercial. The multilayer actuator stacks fabricated from our piezoceramics are advantageous for sensing and high capacitance applications. In this presentation, we will describe the use of our high performance piezo-ceramics for actuators and sensors, including multilayer stacks and composite structures.

High resolution imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goody, R.; Papaliolios, C.; Beletic, J.

1986-09-01

Diffraction-limited telescopic observations were obtained of solar system objects and a program of research into Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and the asteroids based upon the data obtained was persued. Two camera systems appropriate for this work were developed. Most importantly, the PAPA photon address camera was developed and proven. Algorithms were developed for both phase and amplitude recovery and were validated on theoretical and laboratory data and to a limited extent on telescopic data. A laboratory simulator was constructed that was used for development but is also available for controlled investigation of image reconstruction. During 1985 two successful expeditions were made to Hawaii and Cerro Tololo and a large body of data on Pluto, Uranus, Neptune and two asteroids are on tape.

High resolution imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goody, R.; Papaliolios, C.; Beletic, J.

1986-01-01

Diffraction-limited telescopic observations were obtained of solar system objects and a program of research into Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and the asteroids based upon the data obtained was persued. Two camera systems appropriate for this work were developed. Most importantly, the PAPA photon address camera was developed and proven. Algorithms were developed for both phase and amplitude recovery and were validated on theoretical and laboratory data and to a limited extent on telescopic data. A laboratory simulator was constructed that was used for development but is also available for controlled investigation of image reconstruction. During 1985 two successful expeditions were made to Hawaii and Cerro Tololo and a large body of data on Pluto, Uranus, Neptune and two asteroids are on tape.

Genetic mouse models relevant to schizophrenia: taking stock and looking forward.

PubMed

Harrison, Paul J; Pritchett, David; Stumpenhorst, Katharina; Betts, Jill F; Nissen, Wiebke; Schweimer, Judith; Lane, Tracy; Burnet, Philip W J; Lamsa, Karri P; Sharp, Trevor; Bannerman, David M; Tunbridge, Elizabeth M

2012-03-01

Genetic mouse models relevant to schizophrenia complement, and have to a large extent supplanted, pharmacological and lesion-based rat models. The main attraction is that they potentially have greater construct validity; however, they share the fundamental limitations of all animal models of psychiatric disorder, and must also be viewed in the context of the uncertain and complex genetic architecture of psychosis. Some of the key issues, including the choice of gene to target, the manner of its manipulation, gene-gene and gene-environment interactions, and phenotypic characterization, are briefly considered in this commentary, illustrated by the relevant papers reported in this special issue. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of NOAA-N satellites for land/water discrimination and flood monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tappan, G.; Horvath, N. C.; Doraiswamy, P. C.; Engman, T.; Goss, D. W. (Principal Investigator)

1983-01-01

A tool for monitoring the extent of major floods was developed using data collected by the NOAA-6 advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR). A basic understanding of the spectral returns in AVHRR channels 1 and 2 for water, soil, and vegetation was reached using a large number of NOAA-6 scenes from different seasons and geographic locations. A look-up table classifier was developed based on analysis of the reflective channel relationships for each surface feature. The classifier automatically separated land from water and produced classification maps which were registered for a number of acquisitions, including coverage of a major flood on the Parana River of Argentina.

Geophysics and nutritional science: toward a novel, unified paradigm.

PubMed

Eshel, Gidon; Martin, Pamela A

2009-05-01

This article discusses a few basic geophysical processes, which collectively indicate that several nutritionally adverse elements of current Western diets also yield environmentally harmful food consumption patterns. We address oceanic dead zones, which are at the confluence of oceanography, aquatic chemistry, and agronomy and which are a clear environmental problem, and agriculture's effects on the surface heat budget. These exemplify the unknown, complex, and sometimes unexpected large-scale environmental effects of agriculture. We delineate the significant alignment in purpose between nutritional and environmental sciences. We identify red meat, and to a lesser extent the broader animal-based portion of the diet, as having the greatest environmental effect, with clear nutritional parallels.

Flood inundation extent mapping based on block compressed tracing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Dingtao; Rui, Yikang; Wang, Jiechen; Zhang, Yu; Cheng, Liang

2015-07-01

Flood inundation extent, depth, and duration are important factors affecting flood hazard evaluation. At present, flood inundation analysis is based mainly on a seeded region-growing algorithm, which is an inefficient process because it requires excessive recursive computations and it is incapable of processing massive datasets. To address this problem, we propose a block compressed tracing algorithm for mapping the flood inundation extent, which reads the DEM data in blocks before transferring them to raster compression storage. This allows a smaller computer memory to process a larger amount of data, which solves the problem of the regular seeded region-growing algorithm. In addition, the use of a raster boundary tracing technique allows the algorithm to avoid the time-consuming computations required by the seeded region-growing. Finally, we conduct a comparative evaluation in the Chin-sha River basin, results show that the proposed method solves the problem of flood inundation extent mapping based on massive DEM datasets with higher computational efficiency than the original method, which makes it suitable for practical applications.

Scale criticality in estimating ecosystem carbon dynamics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhao, Shuqing; Liu, Shuguang

2014-01-01

Scaling is central to ecology and Earth system sciences. However, the importance of scale (i.e. resolution and extent) for understanding carbon dynamics across scales is poorly understood and quantified. We simulated carbon dynamics under a wide range of combinations of resolution (nine spatial resolutions of 250 m, 500 m, 1 km, 2 km, 5 km, 10 km, 20 km, 50 km, and 100 km) and extent (57 geospatial extents ranging from 108 to 1 247 034 km2) in the southeastern United States to explore the existence of scale dependence of the simulated regional carbon balance. Results clearly show the existence of a critical threshold resolution for estimating carbon sequestration within a given extent and an error limit. Furthermore, an invariant power law scaling relationship was found between the critical resolution and the spatial extent as the critical resolution is proportional to An (n is a constant, and A is the extent). Scale criticality and the power law relationship might be driven by the power law probability distributions of land surface and ecological quantities including disturbances at landscape to regional scales. The current overwhelming practices without considering scale criticality might have largely contributed to difficulties in balancing carbon budgets at regional and global scales.

Wetland extent and plant community composition vulnerability to climate change

Treesearch

Michael Nassry; Denice H. Wardrop; Anna T. Hamilton; Christopher J. Duffy; Jordan M. West

2016-01-01

The potential impact of climate change on wetland-provided ecosystem services has been largely unspecified because of the difficulty in predicting changing hydrologic conditions, which are a major driver of...

Spatio-Temporal Variability of Groundwater Storage in India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhanja, Soumendra; Rodell, Matthew; Li, Bailing; Mukherjee, Abhijit

2016-01-01

Groundwater level measurements from 3907 monitoring wells, distributed within 22 major river basins of India, are assessed to characterize their spatial and temporal variability. Ground water storage (GWS) anomalies (relative to the long-term mean) exhibit strong seasonality, with annual maxima observed during the monsoon season and minima during pre-monsoon season. Spatial variability of GWS anomalies increases with the extent of measurements, following the power law relationship, i.e., log-(spatial variability) is linearly dependent on log-(spatial extent).In addition, the impact of well spacing on spatial variability and the power law relationship is investigated. We found that the mean GWS anomaly sampled at a 0.25 degree grid scale closes to unweighted average over all wells. The absolute error corresponding to each basin grows with increasing scale, i.e., from 0.25 degree to 1 degree. It was observed that small changes in extent could create very large changes in spatial variability at large grid scales. Spatial variability of GWS anomaly has been found to vary with climatic conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first study of the effects of well spacing on groundwater spatial variability. The results may be useful for interpreting large scale groundwater variations from unevenly spaced or sparse groundwater well observations or for siting and prioritizing wells in a network for groundwater management. The output of this study could be used to maintain a cost effective groundwater monitoring network in the study region and the approach can also be used in other parts of the globe.

Comparing automated classification and digitization approaches to detect change in eelgrass bed extent during restoration of a large river delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davenport, Anna Elizabeth; Davis, Jerry D.; Woo, Isa; Grossman, Eric; Barham, Jesse B.; Ellings, Christopher S.; Takekawa, John Y.

2017-01-01

Native eelgrass (Zostera marina) is an important contributor to ecosystem services that supplies cover for juvenile fish, supports a variety of invertebrate prey resources for fish and waterbirds, provides substrate for herring roe consumed by numerous fish and birds, helps stabilize sediment, and sequesters organic carbon. Seagrasses are in decline globally, and monitoring changes in their growth and extent is increasingly valuable to determine impacts from large-scale estuarine restoration and inform blue carbon mapping initiatives. Thus, we examined the efficacy of two remote sensing mapping methods with high-resolution (0.5 m pixel size) color near infrared imagery with ground validation to assess change following major tidal marsh restoration. Automated classification of false color aerial imagery and digitized polygons documented a slight decline in eelgrass area directly after restoration followed by an increase two years later. Classification of sparse and low to medium density eelgrass was confounded in areas with algal cover, however large dense patches of eelgrass were well delineated. Automated classification of aerial imagery from unsupervised and supervised methods provided reasonable accuracies of 73% and hand-digitizing polygons from the same imagery yielded similar results. Visual clues for hand digitizing from the high-resolution imagery provided as reliable a map of dense eelgrass extent as automated image classification. We found that automated classification had no advantages over manual digitization particularly because of the limitations of detecting eelgrass with only three bands of imagery and near infrared.

Spatio-temporal variability of groundwater storage in India.

PubMed

Bhanja, Soumendra N; Rodell, Matthew; Li, Bailing; Mukherjee, Abhijit

2017-01-01

Groundwater level measurements from 3907 monitoring wells, distributed within 22 major river basins of India, are assessed to characterize their spatial and temporal variability. Groundwater storage (GWS) anomalies (relative to the long-term mean) exhibit strong seasonality, with annual maxima observed during the monsoon season and minima during pre-monsoon season. Spatial variability of GWS anomalies increases with the extent of measurements, following the power law relationship, i.e., log-(spatial variability) is linearly dependent on log-(spatial extent). In addition, the impact of well spacing on spatial variability and the power law relationship is investigated. We found that the mean GWS anomaly sampled at a 0.25 degree grid scale closes to unweighted average over all wells. The absolute error corresponding to each basin grows with increasing scale, i.e., from 0.25 degree to 1 degree. It was observed that small changes in extent could create very large changes in spatial variability at large grid scales. Spatial variability of GWS anomaly has been found to vary with climatic conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first study of the effects of well spacing on groundwater spatial variability. The results may be useful for interpreting large scale groundwater variations from unevenly spaced or sparse groundwater well observations or for siting and prioritizing wells in a network for groundwater management. The output of this study could be used to maintain a cost effective groundwater monitoring network in the study region and the approach can also be used in other parts of the globe.

17 CFR 229.910 - (Item 910) Fairness of the transaction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... reasonable detail the material factors upon which the belief stated in paragraph (a) of this Item (§ 229.910) is based and, to the extent practicable, the weight assigned to each such factor. Such discussion should include an analysis of the extent, if any, to which such belief is based on the factors set forth...

Aversive properties of negative incentive shifts in Fischer 344 and Lewis rats

PubMed Central

Brewer, Adam; Johnson, Patrick; Stein, Jeff; Schlund, Michael; Williams, Dean C.

2018-01-01

Research on incentive contrast highlights that reward value is not absolute but rather is based upon comparisons we make to rewards we have received and expect to receive. Both human and nonhuman studies on incentive contrast show that shifting from a larger more-valued reward to a smaller less-valued reward is associated with long periods of nonresponding—a negative contrast effect. In this investigation, we used two different genetic rat strains, Fischer 344 and Lewis rats that putatively differ in their sensitivity to aversive stimulation, to assess the aversive properties of large-to-small reward shifts (negative incentive shifts). Additionally, we examined the extent to which increasing cost (fixed-ratio requirements) modulates negative contrast effects. In the presence of a cue that signaled the upcoming reward magnitude, lever pressing was reinforced with one of two different magnitudes of food (large or small). This design created two contrast shifts (small-to-large, large-to-small) and two shifts used as control conditions (small-to-small, large-to-large). Results showed a significant interaction between rat strain and cost requirements only during the negative incentive shift with the emotionally reactive Fischer 344 rats exhibiting significantly longer response latencies with increasing cost, highlighting greater negative contrast. These findings are more consistent with emotionality accounts of negative contrast and results of neurophysiological research that suggests shifting from a large to a small reward is aversive. Findings also highlight how subjective reward value and motivation is a product of gene-environment interactions. PMID:27864048

Hybrid modeling of nitrate fate in large catchments using fuzzy-rules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Heijden, Sven; Haberlandt, Uwe

2010-05-01

Especially for nutrient balance simulations, physically based ecohydrological modeling needs an abundance of measured data and model parameters, which for large catchments all too often are not available in sufficient spatial or temporal resolution or are simply unknown. For efficient large-scale studies it is thus beneficial to have methods at one's disposal which are parsimonious concerning the number of model parameters and the necessary input data. One such method is fuzzy-rule based modeling, which compared to other machine-learning techniques has the advantages to produce models (the fuzzy-rules) which are physically interpretable to a certain extent, and to allow the explicit introduction of expert knowledge through pre-defined rules. The study focuses on the application of fuzzy-rule based modeling for nitrate simulation in large catchments, in particular concerning decision support. Fuzzy-rule based modeling enables the generation of simple, efficient, easily understandable models with nevertheless satisfactory accuracy for problems of decision support. The chosen approach encompasses a hybrid metamodeling, which includes the generation of fuzzy-rules with data originating from physically based models as well as a coupling with a physically based water balance model. For the generation of the needed training data and also as coupled water balance model the ecohydrological model SWAT is employed. The conceptual model divides the nitrate pathway into three parts. The first fuzzy-module calculates nitrate leaching with the percolating water from soil surface to groundwater, the second module simulates groundwater passage, and the final module replaces the in-stream processes. The aim of this modularization is to create flexibility for using each of the modules on its own, for changing or completely replacing it. For fuzzy-rule based modeling this can explicitly mean that the re-training of one of the modules with newly available data will be possible without problem, while the module assembly does not have to be modified. Apart from the concept of hybrid metamodeling first results are presented for the fuzzy-module for nitrate passage through the unsaturated zone.

Sensitivity of Historical Simulation of the Permafrost to Different Atmospheric Forcing Data Sets from 1979 to 2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Donglin; Wang, Huijun; Wang, Aihui

2017-11-01

Numerical simulation is of great importance to the investigation of changes in frozen ground on large spatial and long temporal scales. Previous studies have focused on the impacts of improvements in the model for the simulation of frozen ground. Here the sensitivities of permafrost simulation to different atmospheric forcing data sets are examined using the Community Land Model, version 4.5 (CLM4.5), in combination with three sets of newly developed and reanalysis-based atmospheric forcing data sets (NOAA Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Re-Analysis Interim (ERA-I), and NASA Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA)). All three simulations were run from 1979 to 2009 at a resolution of 0.5° × 0.5° and validated with what is considered to be the best available permafrost observations (soil temperature, active layer thickness, and permafrost extent). Results show that the use of reanalysis-based atmospheric forcing data set reproduces the variations in soil temperature and active layer thickness but produces evident biases in their climatologies. Overall, the simulations based on the CFSR and ERA-I data sets give more reasonable results than the simulation based on the MERRA data set, particularly for the present-day permafrost extent and the change in active layer thickness. The three simulations produce ranges for the present-day climatology (permafrost area: 11.31-13.57 × 106 km2; active layer thickness: 1.10-1.26 m) and for recent changes (permafrost area: -5.8% to -9.0%; active layer thickness: 9.9%-20.2%). The differences in air temperature increase, snow depth, and permafrost thermal conditions in these simulations contribute to the differences in simulated results.

Decoupling a hole spin qubit from the nuclear spins.

PubMed

Prechtel, Jonathan H; Kuhlmann, Andreas V; Houel, Julien; Ludwig, Arne; Valentin, Sascha R; Wieck, Andreas D; Warburton, Richard J

2016-09-01

A huge effort is underway to develop semiconductor nanostructures as low-noise hosts for qubits. The main source of dephasing of an electron spin qubit in a GaAs-based system is the nuclear spin bath. A hole spin may circumvent the nuclear spin noise. In principle, the nuclear spins can be switched off for a pure heavy-hole spin. In practice, it is unknown to what extent this ideal limit can be achieved. A major hindrance is that p-type devices are often far too noisy. We investigate here a single hole spin in an InGaAs quantum dot embedded in a new generation of low-noise p-type device. We measure the hole Zeeman energy in a transverse magnetic field with 10 neV resolution by dark-state spectroscopy as we create a large transverse nuclear spin polarization. The hole hyperfine interaction is highly anisotropic: the transverse coupling is <1% of the longitudinal coupling. For unpolarized, randomly fluctuating nuclei, the ideal heavy-hole limit is achieved down to nanoelectronvolt energies; equivalently dephasing times up to a microsecond. The combination of large and strong optical dipole makes the single hole spin in a GaAs-based device an attractive quantum platform.

Enhancement of Tropical Land Cover Mapping with Wavelet-Based Fusion and Unsupervised Clustering of SAR and Landsat Image Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LeMoigne, Jacqueline; Laporte, Nadine; Netanyahuy, Nathan S.; Zukor, Dorothy (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The characterization and the mapping of land cover/land use of forest areas, such as the Central African rainforest, is a very complex task. This complexity is mainly due to the extent of such areas and, as a consequence, to the lack of full and continuous cloud-free coverage of those large regions by one single remote sensing instrument, In order to provide improved vegetation maps of Central Africa and to develop forest monitoring techniques for applications at the local and regional scales, we propose to utilize multi-sensor remote sensing observations coupled with in-situ data. Fusion and clustering of multi-sensor data are the first steps towards the development of such a forest monitoring system. In this paper, we will describe some preliminary experiments involving the fusion of SAR and Landsat image data of the Lope Reserve in Gabon. Similarly to previous fusion studies, our fusion method is wavelet-based. The fusion provides a new image data set which contains more detailed texture features and preserves the large homogeneous regions that are observed by the Thematic Mapper sensor. The fusion step is followed by unsupervised clustering and provides a vegetation map of the area.

GIS-based niche modeling for mapping species' habitats

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rotenberry, J.T.; Preston, K.L.; Knick, S.

2006-01-01

Ecological a??niche modelinga?? using presence-only locality data and large-scale environmental variables provides a powerful tool for identifying and mapping suitable habitat for species over large spatial extents. We describe a niche modeling approach that identifies a minimum (rather than an optimum) set of basic habitat requirements for a species, based on the assumption that constant environmental relationships in a species' distribution (i.e., variables that maintain a consistent value where the species occurs) are most likely to be associated with limiting factors. Environmental variables that take on a wide range of values where a species occurs are less informative because they do not limit a species' distribution, at least over the range of variation sampled. This approach is operationalized by partitioning Mahalanobis D2 (standardized difference between values of a set of environmental variables for any point and mean values for those same variables calculated from all points at which a species was detected) into independent components. The smallest of these components represents the linear combination of variables with minimum variance; increasingly larger components represent larger variances and are increasingly less limiting. We illustrate this approach using the California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica Brewster) and provide SAS code to implement it.

Fiber-optic epoxy composite cure sensor. I. Dependence of refractive index of an autocatalytic reaction epoxy system at 850 nm on temperature and extent of cure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lam, Kai-Yuen; Afromowitz, Martin A.

1995-09-01

We discuss the behavior of the refractive index of a typical epoxy-aromatic diamine system. Near 850 nm the index of refraction is found to be largely controlled by the density of the epoxy. Models are derived to describe its dependence on temperature and extent of cure. Within the range of temperatures studied, the refractive index decreases linearly with increasing temperature. In addition, as the epoxy is cured, the refractive index increases linearly with conversion to the gel point. >From then on, shrinkage in the volume of the epoxy is restricted by local viscosity. Therefore the linear relationship between the refractive index and the extent of cure does not hold beyond the gel point.

30-Year Satellite Record Reveals Accelerated Arctic Sea Ice Loss, Antarctic Sea Ice Trend Reversal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cavalieri, Donald J.; Parkinson, C. L.; Vinnikov, K. Y.

2003-01-01

Arctic sea ice extent decreased by 0.30 plus or minus 0.03 x 10(exp 6) square kilometers per decade from 1972 through 2002, but decreased by 0.36 plus or minus 0.05 x 10(exp 6) square kilometers per decade from 1979 through 2002, indicating an acceleration of 20% in the rate of decrease. In contrast to the Arctic, the Antarctic sea ice extent decreased dramatically over the period 1973-1977, then gradually increased, with an overall 30-year trend of -0.15 plus or minus 0.08 x 10(exp 6) square kilometers per 10yr. The trend reversal is attributed to a large positive anomaly in Antarctic sea ice extent observed in the early 1970's.

Record low lake ice thickness and bedfast ice extent on Alaska's Arctic Coastal Plain in 2017 exemplify the value of monitoring freshwater ice to understand sea-ice forcing and predict permafrost dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arp, C. D.; Alexeev, V. A.; Bondurant, A. C.; Creighton, A.; Engram, M. J.; Jones, B. M.; Parsekian, A.

2017-12-01

The winter of 2016/2017 was exceptionally warm and snowy along the coast of Arctic Alaska partly due to low fall sea ice extent. Based on several decades of field measurements, we documented a new record low maximum ice thickness (MIT) for lakes on the Barrow Peninsula, averaging 1.2 m. This is in comparison to a long-term average MIT of 1.7 m stretching back to 1962 with a maximum of 2.1 m in 1970 and previous minimum of 1.3 m in 2014. The relevance of thinner lake ice in arctic coastal lowlands, where thermokarst lakes cover greater than 20% of the land area, is that permafrost below lakes with bedfast ice is typically preserved. Lakes deeper than the MIT warm and thaw sub-lake permafrost forming taliks. Remote sensing analysis using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is a valuable tool for scaling the field observations of MIT to the entire freshwater landscape to map bedfast ice. A new, long-term time-series of late winter multi-platform SAR from 1992 to 2016 shows a large dynamic range of bedfast ice extent, 29% of lake area or 6% of the total land area over this period, and adding 2017 to this record is expected to extend this range further. Empirical models of lake mean annual bed temperature suggest that permafrost begins to thaw at depths less than 60% of MIT. Based on this information and knowledge of average lake ice growth trajectories, we suggest that future SAR analysis of lake ice should focus on mid-winter (January) to evaluate the extent of bedfast ice and corresponding zones of sub-lake permafrost thaw. Tracking changes in these areas from year to year in mid-winter may provide the best landscape-scale evaluation of changing permafrost conditions in lake-rich arctic lowlands. Because observed changes in MIT coupled with mid-winter bedfast ice extent provide much information on permafrost stability, we suggest that these measurements can serve as Essential Climate Variables (EVCs) to indicate past and future changes in lake-rich arctic regions. The strong linkage between declining sea ice and terrestrial freshwater ice thickness, lake ice regimes, and sub-lake permafrost stability suggest more rapid degradation of landscape-wide permafrost than some observations and models might suggest, warranting a targeted program to indicate such arctic land-sea linkages.

Methods and spatial extent of geophysical Investigations, Mono Lake, California, 2009 to 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jayko, A.S.; Hart, P.E.; Childs, J. R.; Cormier, M.-H.; Ponce, D.A.; Athens, N.D.; McClain, J.S.

2013-01-01

This report summarizes the methods and spatial extent of geophysical surveys conducted on Mono Lake and Paoha Island by U.S. Geological Survey during 2009 and 2011. The surveys include acquisition of new high resolution seismic reflection data, shipborne high resolution magnetic data, and ground magnetic and gravity data on Paoha Island. Several trials to acquire swath bathymetry and side scan sonar were conducted, but were largely unsuccessful likely due to physical properties of the water column and (or) physical properites of the highly organic bottom sediment.

Spatial characterization of long-term hydrological change in the Arkavathy watershed adjacent to Bangalore, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penny, Gopal; Srinivasan, Veena; Dronova, Iryna; Lele, Sharachchandra; Thompson, Sally

2018-01-01

The complexity and heterogeneity of human water use over large spatial areas and decadal timescales can impede the understanding of hydrological change, particularly in regions with sparse monitoring of the water cycle. In the Arkavathy watershed in southern India, surface water inflows to major reservoirs decreased over a 40-year period during which urbanization, groundwater depletion, modification of the river network, and changes in agricultural practices also occurred. These multiple, interacting drivers combined with limited hydrological monitoring make attribution of the causes of diminishing water resources in the watershed challenging and impede effective policy responses. To mitigate these challenges, we developed a novel, spatially distributed dataset to understand hydrological change by characterizing the residual trends in surface water extent that remain after controlling for precipitation variations and comparing the trends with historical land use maps to assess human drivers of change. Using an automated classification approach with subpixel unmixing, we classified water extent in nearly 1700 man-made lakes, or tanks, in Landsat images from 1973 to 2010. The classification results compared well with a reference dataset of water extent of tanks (R2 = 0.95). We modeled the water extent of 42 clusters of tanks in a multiple regression on simple hydrological covariates (including precipitation) and time. Inter-annual variability in precipitation accounted for 63 % of the predicted variability in water extent. However, precipitation did not exhibit statistically significant trends in any part of the watershed. After controlling for precipitation variability, we found statistically significant temporal trends in water extent, both positive and negative, in 13 of the clusters. Based on a water balance argument, we inferred that these trends likely reflect a non-stationary relationship between precipitation and watershed runoff. Independently of precipitation, water extent increased in a region downstream of Bangalore, likely due to increased urban effluents, and declined in the northern portion of the Arkavathy. Comparison of the drying trends with land use indicated that they were most strongly associated with irrigated agriculture, sourced almost exclusively by groundwater. This suggests that groundwater abstraction was a major driver of hydrological change in this watershed. Disaggregating the watershed-scale hydrological response via remote sensing of surface water bodies over multiple decades yielded a spatially resolved characterization of hydrological change in an otherwise poorly monitored watershed. This approach presents an opportunity to understand hydrological change in heavily managed watersheds where surface water bodies integrate upstream runoff and can be delineated using satellite imagery.

Estimation of source processes of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes from strong motion waveforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubo, H.; Suzuki, W.; Aoi, S.; Sekiguchi, H.

2016-12-01

In this study, we estimated the source processes for two large events of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes (the M7.3 event at 1:25 JST on April 16, 2016 and the M6.5 event at 21:26 JST on April 14, 2016) from strong motion waveforms using multiple-time-window linear waveform inversion (Hartzell and Heaton 1983; Sekiguchi et al. 2000). Based on the observations of surface ruptures, the spatial distribution of aftershocks, and the geodetic data, a realistic curved fault model was developed for the source-process analysis of the M7.3 event. The source model obtained for the M7.3 event with a seismic moment of 5.5 × 1019 Nm (Mw 7.1) had two significant ruptures. One rupture propagated toward the northeastern shallow region at 4 s after rupture initiation, and continued with large slips to approximately 16 s. This rupture caused a large slip region with a peak slip of 3.8 m that was located 10-30 km northeast of the hypocenter and reached the caldera of Mt. Aso. The contribution of the large slip region to the seismic waveforms was large at many stations. Another rupture propagated toward the surface from the hypocenter at 2-6 s, and then propagated toward the northeast along the near surface at 6-10 s. This rupture largely contributed to the seismic waveforms at the stations south of the fault and close to the hypocenter. A comparison with the results obtained using a single fault plane model demonstrate that the use of the curved fault model led to improved waveform fit at the stations south of the fault. The extent of the large near-surface slips in this source model for the M7.3 event is roughly consistent with the extent of the observed large surface ruptures. The source model obtained for the M6.5 event with a seismic moment of 1.7 × 1018 Nm (Mw 6.1) had large slips in the region around the hypocenter and in the shallow region north-northeast of the hypocenter, both of which had a maximum slip of 0.7 m. The rupture of the M6.5 event propagated from the former region to the latter region at 1-6 s after rupture initiation, which is expected to have caused the strong ground motions due to the forward directivity effect at KMMH16 and surroundings. The occurrence of the near-surface large slips in this source model for the M6.5 event is consistent with the appearance of small surface cracks, which were observed by some residents.

A review of precipitation and temperature control on seedling emergence and establishment for ponderosa and lodgepole pine forest regeneration

Treesearch

M. D. Petrie; A. M. Wildeman; J. B. Bradford; Robert Hubbard; W. K. Lauenroth

2016-01-01

The persistence of ponderosa pine and lodgepole pine forests in the 21st century depends to a large extent on how seedling emergence and establishment are influenced by driving climate and environmental variables, which largely govern forest regeneration. We surveyed the literature, and identified 96 publications that reported data on dependent variables of seedling...

Historical and current landscape-scale ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forest structure in the Southern Sierra Nevada

Treesearch

Scott L. Stephens; Jamie M. Lydersen; Brandon M. Collins; Danny L. Fry; Marc D. Meyer

2015-01-01

Many managers today are tasked with restoring forests to mitigate the potential for uncharacteristically severe fire. One challenge to this mandate is the lack of large-scale reference information on forest structure prior to impacts from Euro-American settlement. We used a robust 1911 historical dataset that covers a large geographic extent (>10,000 ha) and has...

Design of an intelligent instrument for large direct-current measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Rong; Zhang, Gang; Zhang, Zhipeng

2000-05-01

The principle and structure of an intelligent large direct current measurement is presented in this paper. It is of reflective type and detects signal by employing the high direct current sensor. The single-chip microcomputer of this system provides a powerful function of control and processing and greatly improves the extent of intelligence. The value can be displayed and printed automatically or manually.

The Relationship of Child Neglect and Physical Maltreatment to Placement Outcomes and Behavioral Adjustment in Children in Foster Care: A Canadian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marquis, Robyn A.; Leschied, Alan W.; Chiodo, Debbie; O'Neill, Arlene

2008-01-01

Dramatic increases in child welfare rates in Canada over recent years have been largely driven by an increased reporting of neglect cases (Trocme, Fallon, MacLaurin, & Neves, 2005). To a large extent, exploring the importance of neglect separate from physical maltreatment has been ignored in the child maltreatment literature. This study…

Modeling Retention at a Large Public University: Can At-Risk Students Be Identified Early Enough to Treat?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singell, Larry D.; Waddell, Glen R.

2010-01-01

We examine the extent to which readily available data at a large public university can be used to a priori identify at-risk students who may benefit from targeted retention efforts. Although it is possible to identify such students, there remains an inevitable tradeoff in any resource allocation between not treating the students who are likely to…

Optimal Super Dielectric Material

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK i REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704–0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated...containing liquid with dissolved ionic species will form large dipoles, polarized opposite the applied field. Large dipole SDM placed between the...electrodes of a parallel plate capacitor will reduce the net field to an unprecedented extent. This family of materials can form materials with

Automation of Survey Data Processing, Documentation and Dissemination: An Application to Large-Scale Self-Reported Educational Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shim, Eunjae; Shim, Minsuk K.; Felner, Robert D.

Automation of the survey process has proved successful in many industries, yet it is still underused in educational research. This is largely due to the facts (1) that number crunching is usually carried out using software that was developed before information technology existed, and (2) that the educational research is to a great extent trapped…

Nature and extent of macropores in forest soils and their influence on subsurface water movement

Treesearch

Gerald M. Aubertin; Gerald M. Aubertin

1971-01-01

Rain, falling on a sloping forested soil, may enter the soil quickly and move considerable distances through the soil by way of macropores. A macropore is a large pore, cavity, passageway, channel, tunnel, or void in the soil, through which water usually drains by gravity. Large quantities of water can move through the soil by way of these macropores-without...

A growing importance of large fires in conterminous United States during 1984-2012

Treesearch

Jia Yang; Hanqin Tian; Bo Tao; Wei Ren; Shufen Pan; Yongqiang Liu; Yuhang Wang

2015-01-01

Fire frequency, extent, and size exhibit a strong linkage with climate conditions and play a vital role in the climate system. Previous studies have shown that the frequency of large fires in the western United States increased significantly since the mid-1980s due to climate warming and frequent droughts. However, less work has been conducted to examine burned area...

Neck keloids: evaluation of risk factors and recommendation for keloid staging system.

PubMed

Tirgan, Michael H

2016-01-01

Importance : Health care providers have long struggled with recurrent and hard to treat keloids. Advancing our understanding of natural history and risk factors for development of large, very large and massive neck keloids can lead to improved treatment outcomes. Clinical staging system for the categorization of keloid lesions, as well as grouping of keloid patients according to the extent of skin involvement is both fundamental for design and delivery of proper plan of care and an absolute necessity for methodical trial design and interpretation of the results thereof. Objective : To review clinical presentation and natural history of neck keloids; to explore risk factors for development of large, very large and massive neck keloids; and to propose a clinical staging system that allows for categorization of keloid lesions by their size and grouping of keloid patients by the extent of their skin involvement.  Setting:  This is a retrospective analysis of 82 consecutive patients with neck keloids who were seen by the author in his keloid specialty medical practice.    Intervention : Non-surgical treatment was offered to all patients.  Results : Neck-area keloids were found to have several unique characteristics. All 65 African Americans in this study had keloidal lesions elsewhere on their skin. Very large and massive neck keloids appear to be race-specific and almost exclusively seen among African Americans. Submandibular and submental skin was the most commonly involved area of the neck. Keloid removal surgery was found to be the main risk factor for development of very large and massive neck keloids.  Conclusions and relevance : Surgical removal of neck keloids results in wounding of the skin and triggering a pathological wound-healing response that often leads to formation of a much larger keloid.  Given the potential for greater harm from surgery, the author proposes non-surgical approach for treatment of all primary neck keloids. Author's attempts to properly categorize keloid lesions and to group the study subjects was hampered by the lack of a previously defined methodology. A clinical staging system is proposed to address the deficiency in grouping of keloid patients according to the size and extent of skin involvement with keloid lesions.

Stable and accurate methods for identification of water bodies from Landsat series imagery using meta-heuristic algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamshadzaei, Mohammad Hossein; Rahimzadegan, Majid

2017-10-01

Identification of water extents in Landsat images is challenging due to surfaces with similar reflectance to water extents. The objective of this study is to provide stable and accurate methods for identifying water extents in Landsat images based on meta-heuristic algorithms. Then, seven Landsat images were selected from various environmental regions in Iran. Training of the algorithms was performed using 40 water pixels and 40 nonwater pixels in operational land imager images of Chitgar Lake (one of the study regions). Moreover, high-resolution images from Google Earth were digitized to evaluate the results. Two approaches were considered: index-based and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. In the first approach, nine common water spectral indices were investigated. AI algorithms were utilized to acquire coefficients of optimal band combinations to extract water extents. Among the AI algorithms, the artificial neural network algorithm and also the ant colony optimization, genetic algorithm, and particle swarm optimization (PSO) meta-heuristic algorithms were implemented. Index-based methods represented different performances in various regions. Among AI methods, PSO had the best performance with average overall accuracy and kappa coefficient of 93% and 98%, respectively. The results indicated the applicability of acquired band combinations to extract accurately and stably water extents in Landsat imagery.

Employment and Achievement in a Problem-Based Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Hurk, Marianne M. M.; van Berkel, Henk J. M.

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to examine to what extent the time students work on paid jobs is related to study-time (class attendance and time devoted to self-study) and second, to what extent the time students work on paid jobs is related to achievement. A number of 120 students from the problem-based Faculty of Health Sciences in…

Building Daily 30-meter Spatial Resolution Maps of Surface Water Bodies from MODIS Data Using a Novel Technique for Transferring Information Across Space and Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khandelwal, A.; Karpatne, A.; Kumar, V.

2017-12-01

In this paper, we present novel methods for producing surface water maps at 30 meter spatial resolution at a daily temporal resolution. These new methods will make use of the MODIS spectral data from Terra (available daily since 2000) to produce daily maps at 250 meter and 500 meter resolution, and then refine them using the relative elevation ordering of pixels at 30 meter resolution. The key component of these methods is the use of elevation structure (relative elevation ordering) of a water body. Elevation structure is not explicitly available at desired resolution for most water bodies in the world and hence it will be estimated using our previous work that uses the history of imperfect labels. In this paper, we will present a new technique that uses elevation structure (unlike existing pixel based methods) to enforce temporal consistency in surface water extents (lake area on nearby dates is likely to be very similar). This will greatly improve the quality of the MODIS scale land/water labels since daily MODIS data can have a large amount of missing (or poor quality) data due to clouds and other factors. The quality of these maps will be further improved using elevation based resolution refinement approach that will make use of elevation structure estimated at Landsat scale. With the assumption that elevation structure does not change over time, it provides a very effective way to transfer information between datasets even when they are not observed concurrently. In this work, we will derive elevation structure at Landsat scale from monthly water extent maps spanning 1984-2015, publicly available through a joint effort of Google Earth Engine and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC). This elevation structure will then be used to refine spatial resolution of Modis scale maps from 2000 onwards. We will present the analysis of these methods on a large and diverse set of water bodies across the world.

Predicting watershed sediment yields after wildland fire with the InVEST sediment retention model at large geographic extent in the western USA: accuracy and uncertainties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sankey, J. B.; Kreitler, J.; McVay, J.; Hawbaker, T. J.; Vaillant, N.; Lowe, S. E.

2014-12-01

Wildland fire is a primary threat to watersheds that can impact water supply through increased sedimentation, water quality decline, and change the timing and amount of runoff leading to increased risk from flood and sediment natural hazards. It is of great societal importance in the western USA and throughout the world to improve understanding of how changing fire frequency, extent, and location, in conjunction with fuel treatments will affect watersheds and the ecosystem services they supply to communities. In this work we assess the utility of the InVEST Sediment Retention Model to accurately characterize vulnerability of burned watersheds to erosion and sedimentation. The InVEST tools are GIS-based implementations of common process models, engineered for high-end computing to allow the faster simulation of larger landscapes and incorporation into decision-making. The InVEST Sediment Retention Model is based on common soil erosion models (e.g., RUSLE -Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) and determines which areas of the landscape contribute the greatest sediment loads to a hydrological network and conversely evaluate the ecosystem service of sediment retention on a watershed basis. We evaluate the accuracy and uncertainties for InVEST predictions of increased sedimentation after fire, using measured post-fire sedimentation rates available for many watersheds in different rainfall regimes throughout the western USA from an existing, large USGS database of post-fire sediment yield [synthesized in Moody J, Martin D (2009) Synthesis of sediment yields after wildland fire in different rainfall regimes in the western United States. International Journal of Wildland Fire 18: 96-115]. The ultimate goal of this work is to calibrate and implement the model to accurately predict variability in post-fire sediment yield as a function of future landscape heterogeneity predicted by wildfire simulations, and future landscape fuel treatment scenarios, within watersheds.

Expanded spatial extent of the Medieval Climate Anomaly revealed in lake-sediment records across the boreal region in northwest Ontario.

PubMed

Laird, Kathleen R; Haig, Heather A; Ma, Susan; Kingsbury, Melanie V; Brown, Thomas A; Lewis, C F Michael; Oglesby, Robert J; Cumming, Brian F

2012-09-01

Multi-decadal to centennial-scale shifts in effective moisture over the past two millennia are inferred from sedimentary records from six lakes spanning a ~250 km region in northwest Ontario. This is the first regional application of a technique developed to reconstruct drought from drainage lakes (open lakes with surface outlets). This regional network of proxy drought records is based on individual within-lake calibration models developed using diatom assemblages collected from surface sediments across a water-depth gradient. Analysis of diatom assemblages from sediment cores collected close to the near-shore ecological boundary between benthic and planktonic diatom taxa indicated this boundary shifted over time in all lakes. These shifts are largely dependent on climate-driven influences, and can provide a sensitive record of past drought. Our lake-sediment records indicate two periods of synchronous signals, suggesting a common large-scale climate forcing. The first is a period of prolonged aridity during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA, c. 900-1400 CE). Documentation of aridity across this region expands the known spatial extent of the MCA megadrought into a region that historically has not experienced extreme droughts such as those in central and western north America. The second synchronous period is the recent signal of the past ~100 years, which indicates a change to higher effective moisture that may be related to anthropogenic forcing on climate. This approach has the potential to fill regional gaps, where many previous paleo-lake depth methods (based on deeper centrally located cores) were relatively insensitive. By filling regional gaps, a better understanding of past spatial patterns in drought can be used to assess the sensitivity and realism of climate model projections of future climate change. This type of data is especially important for validating high spatial resolution, regional climate models. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Large allele frequency differences between human continental groups are more likely to have occurred by drift during range expansions than by selection.

PubMed

Hofer, T; Ray, N; Wegmann, D; Excoffier, L

2009-01-01

Several studies have found strikingly different allele frequencies between continents. This has been mainly interpreted as being due to local adaptation. However, demographic factors can generate similar patterns. Namely, allelic surfing during a population range expansion may increase the frequency of alleles in newly colonised areas. In this study, we examined 772 STRs, 210 diallelic indels, and 2834 SNPs typed in 53 human populations worldwide under the HGDP-CEPH Diversity Panel to determine to which extent allele frequency differs among four regions (Africa, Eurasia, East Asia, and America). We find that large allele frequency differences between continents are surprisingly common, and that Africa and America show the largest number of loci with extreme frequency differences. Moreover, more STR alleles have increased rather than decreased in frequency outside Africa, as expected under allelic surfing. Finally, there is no relationship between the extent of allele frequency differences and proximity to genes, as would be expected under selection. We therefore conclude that most of the observed large allele frequency differences between continents result from demography rather than from positive selection.

Simulation of space-based (GRACE) gravity variations caused by storage changes in large confined and unconfined aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pool, D. R.; Scanlon, B. R.

2017-12-01

There is uncertainty of how storage change in confined and unconfined aquifers would register from space-based platforms, such as the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellites. To address this concern, superposition groundwater models (MODFLOW) of equivalent storage change in simplified confined and unconfined aquifers of extent, 500 km2 or approximately 5X5 degrees at mid-latitudes, and uniform transmissivity were constructed. Gravity change resulting from the spatial distribution of aquifer storage change for each aquifer type was calculated at the initial GRACE satellite altitude ( 500 km). To approximate real-world conditions, the confined aquifer includes a small region of unconfined conditions at one margin. A uniform storage coefficient (specific yield) was distributed across the unconfined aquifer. For both cases, storage change was produced by 1 year of groundwater withdrawal from identical aquifer-centered well distributions followed by decades of no withdrawal and redistribution of the initial storage loss toward a new steady-state condition. The transient simulated storage loss includes equivalent volumes for both conceptualizations, but spatial distributions differ because of the contrasting aquifer diffusivity (Transmissivity/Storativity). Much higher diffusivity in the confined aquifer results in more rapid storage redistribution across a much larger area than for the unconfined aquifer. After the 1 year of withdrawals, the two simulated storage loss distributions are primarily limited to small regions within the model extent. Gravity change after 1 year observed at the satellite altitude is similar for both aquifers including maximum gravity reductions that are coincident with the aquifer center. With time, the maximum gravity reduction for the confined aquifer case shifts toward the aquifer margin as much as 200 km because of increased storage loss in the unconfined region. Results of the exercise indicate that GRACE observations are largely insensitive to confined or unconfined conditions for most aquifers. Lateral shifts in storage change with time in confined aquifers could be resolved by space-based gravity missions with durations of decades and improved spatial resolution, 1 degree or less ( 100 km), over the GRACE resolution of 3 degrees ( 300 km).

Relations between nature-based solutions of green-blue area accessibility and socio-economic-ethnic patterns in the urban Stockholm region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldenberg, Romain; Kalantari, Zahra; Destouni, Georgia

2017-04-01

More than half of the world's population lives in cities, a proportion expected to increase to two thirds by 2050 (United Nations (UN), 2015). In this study, we investigate the spatial relationships that may exist between income and/or nationality homogeneity/heterogeneity levels of urban populations and their accessibility to local green-blue areas as possible nature-based solutions for sustainable urban design. For this investigation, we consider as a concrete case study the urban region of Stockholm, Sweden, for which we compile and use available land-cover and vegetation density data (the latter in terms of Normalised Difference Vegetation Index, NDVI) in order to identify and assess the spatial distributions of various green-blue area types and aspects. We further combine this data with spatial distribution data for population density, income and nationality, as well as with road-network data for assessing population travel times to nearby green-blue areas within the region. The present study results converge with those of other recent studies in showing large socio-economic-ethnic segregation in the Stockholm region. Moreover, the present data combination and analysis also show large spatial differences in and important socio-economic-ethnic correlations with accessibility to local green areas and nearby water bodies. Specifically, population income and share of Swedish nationals are well correlated in this region, with increases in both of these variables implying greater possibility to choose where to live within the region. The living choices of richer and more homogeneous (primarily Swedish) population parts are then found to be areas with greater local vegetation density (local green areas as identified by high-resolution NDVI data) and greater area extent of nearby water bodies (blue areas). For comparison, no such correlation is found between increased income or Swedish nationality homogeneity and accessibility to nearby forest areas (overall green area extent) or built facilities for recreation and sports. The found living choice correlations point at the importance of green-blue area parts as possible nature-based solutions in urban design and planning, with potential to improve wellbeing and social sustainability for the whole urban population and not just its rich component.

Morinda citrifolia (Noni) fruit--phytochemistry, pharmacology, safety.

PubMed

Potterat, Olivier; Hamburger, Matthias

2007-03-01

Products derived from Noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia) have been commercialised in the USA since the 1990s and are increasingly distributed all over the world. A large number of beneficial effects have been claimed for Noni. Fruit juice of Noni has been approved as a Novel Food by the European Commission in 2003. This article reviews current knowledge on the phytochemistry, pharmacology, safety aspects of Noni fruit and Noni-derived products, and health-related claims and benefits. The knowledge on the chemical composition of Noni fruit has considerably increased over recent years. A number of in vitro and, to a certain extent, in vivo studies demonstrate a range of potentially beneficial effects. However, clinical data are essentially lacking. To what extent the findings from experimental pharmacological studies are of potential clinical relevance is not clear at present. Based on a toxicological assessment, Noni juice was considered as safe. Due to recent reports of cases of hepatotoxicity, the safety issue has been re-examined in Europe. While the European Food Safety Authority sees no link between adverse effects on liver and consumption of Noni juice, a continuing monitoring of the situation is desirable and some vigilance advised.

Ion-induced nuclear radiotherapy

DOEpatents

Horn, K.M.; Doyle, B.L.

1996-08-20

Ion-induced Nuclear Radiotherapy (INRT) is a technique for conducting radiosurgery and radiotherapy with a very high degree of control over the spatial extent of the irradiated volume and the delivered dose. Based upon the concept that low energy, ion induced atomic and nuclear reactions can be used to produce highly energetic reaction products at the site of a tumor, the INRT technique is implemented through the use of a conduit-needle or tube which conducts a low energy ion beam to a position above or within the intended treatment area. At the end of the conduit-needle or tube is a specially fabricated target which, only when struck by the ion beam, acts as a source of energetic radiation products. The inherent limitations in the energy, and therefore range, of the resulting reaction products limits the spatial extent of irradiation to a pre-defined volume about the point of reaction. Furthermore, since no damage is done to tissue outside this irradiated volume, the delivered dose may be made arbitrarily large. INRT may be used both as a point-source of radiation at the site of a small tumor, or as a topical bath of radiation to broad areas of diseased tissue. 25 figs.

Ion-induced nuclear radiotherapy

DOEpatents

Horn, Kevin M.; Doyle, Barney L.

1996-01-01

Ion-induced Nuclear Radiotherapy (INRT) is a technique for conducting radiosurgery and radiotherapy with a very high degree of control over the spatial extent of the irradiated volume and the delivered dose. Based upon the concept that low energy, ion induced atomic and nuclear reactions can be used to produce highly energetic reaction products at the site of a tumor, the INRT technique is implemented through the use of a conduit-needle or tube which conducts a low energy ion beam to a position above or within the intended treatment area. At the end of the conduit-needle or tube is a specially fabricated target which, only when struck by the ion beam, acts as a source of energetic radiation products. The inherent limitations in the energy, and therefore range, of the resulting reaction products limits the spatial extent of irradiation to a pre-defined volume about the point of reaction. Furthermore, since no damage is done to tissue outside this irradiated volume, the delivered dose may be made arbitrarily large. INRT may be used both as a point-source of radiation at the site of a small tumor, or as a topical bath of radiation to broad areas of diseased tissue.

Monitoring of ground movement in open pit iron mines of Carajás Province (Amazon region) based on A-DInSAR techniques using TerraSAR-X data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Guilherme Gregório; Mura, José Claudio; Paradella, Waldir Renato; Gama, Fabio Furlan; Temporim, Filipe Altoé

2017-04-01

Persistent scatterer interferometry (PSI) analysis of a large area is always a challenging task regarding the removal of the atmospheric phase component. This work presents an investigation of ground movement measurements based on a combination of differential SAR interferometry time-series (DTS) and PSI techniques, applied on a large area of extent with open pit iron mines located in Carajás (Brazilian Amazon Region), aiming at detecting linear and nonlinear ground movement. These mines have presented a history of instability, and surface monitoring measurements over sectors of the mines (pit walls) have been carried out based on ground-based radar and total station (prisms). Using a priori information regarding the topographic phase error and a phase displacement model derived from DTS, temporal phase unwrapping in the PSI processing and the removal of the atmospheric phases can be performed more efficiently. A set of 33 TerraSAR-X (TSX-1) images, acquired during the period from March 2012 to April 2013, was used to perform this investigation. The DTS analysis was carried out on a stack of multilook unwrapped interferograms using an extension of SVD to obtain the least-square solution. The height errors and deformation rates provided by the DTS approach were subtracted from the stack of interferograms to perform the PSI analysis. This procedure improved the capability of the PSI analysis for detecting high rates of deformation, as well as increased the numbers of point density of the final results. The proposed methodology showed good results for monitoring surface displacement in a large mining area, which is located in a rain forest environment, providing very useful information about the ground movement for planning and risk control.

Change in extent of meadows and shrub fields in the central western cascade Range, Oregon

Treesearch

Sadao Takaoka; Frederick J. Swanson

2008-01-01

We examined change in areal extent of mountain meadows and fields of deciduous shrubs and conifer saplings in the central western Cascade Range of Oregon, based on analysis of aerial photographs taken in 1946 and 2000. These nonforest vegetation patches are distinctive habitats in dominantly forested landscapes, such as the Cascades, and change in extent of these...

A Nonparametric, Multiple Imputation-Based Method for the Retrospective Integration of Data Sets.

PubMed

Carrig, Madeline M; Manrique-Vallier, Daniel; Ranby, Krista W; Reiter, Jerome P; Hoyle, Rick H

2015-01-01

Complex research questions often cannot be addressed adequately with a single data set. One sensible alternative to the high cost and effort associated with the creation of large new data sets is to combine existing data sets containing variables related to the constructs of interest. The goal of the present research was to develop a flexible, broadly applicable approach to the integration of disparate data sets that is based on nonparametric multiple imputation and the collection of data from a convenient, de novo calibration sample. We demonstrate proof of concept for the approach by integrating three existing data sets containing items related to the extent of problematic alcohol use and associations with deviant peers. We discuss both necessary conditions for the approach to work well and potential strengths and weaknesses of the method compared to other data set integration approaches.

Medical equipment classification: method and decision-making support based on paraconsistent annotated logic.

PubMed

Oshiyama, Natália F; Bassani, Rosana A; D'Ottaviano, Itala M L; Bassani, José W M

2012-04-01

As technology evolves, the role of medical equipment in the healthcare system, as well as technology management, becomes more important. Although the existence of large databases containing management information is currently common, extracting useful information from them is still difficult. A useful tool for identification of frequently failing equipment, which increases maintenance cost and downtime, would be the classification according to the corrective maintenance data. Nevertheless, establishment of classes may create inconsistencies, since an item may be close to two classes by the same extent. Paraconsistent logic might help solve this problem, as it allows the existence of inconsistent (contradictory) information without trivialization. In this paper, a methodology for medical equipment classification based on the ABC analysis of corrective maintenance data is presented, and complemented with a paraconsistent annotated logic analysis, which may enable the decision maker to take into consideration alerts created by the identification of inconsistencies and indeterminacies in the classification.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ehlen, Mark A.; Sun, Amy C.; Pepple, Mark A.

The potential impacts of man-made and natural disasters on chemical plants, complexes, and supply chains are of great importance to homeland security. To be able to estimate these impacts, we developed an agent-based chemical supply chain model that includes: chemical plants with enterprise operations such as purchasing, production scheduling, and inventories; merchant chemical markets, and multi-modal chemical shipments. Large-scale simulations of chemical-plant activities and supply chain interactions, running on desktop computers, are used to estimate the scope and duration of disruptive-event impacts, and overall system resilience, based on the extent to which individual chemical plants can adjust their internal operationsmore » (e.g., production mixes and levels) versus their external interactions (market sales and purchases, and transportation routes and modes). As a result, to illustrate how the model estimates the impacts of a hurricane disruption, a simple example model centered on 1,4-butanediol is presented.« less

Evaluative judgments are based on evaluative information: Evidence against meaning change in evaluative context effects.

PubMed

Kaplan, M F

1975-07-01

Trait adjectives commonly employed in person perception studies have both evaluative and denotative meanings. Evaluative ratings of single traits shift with variations in the context of other traits ascribed to the stimulus person; the extent to which denotative changes underlie these evaluative context effects has been a theoretical controversy. In the first experiment, it was shown that context effects on quantitative ratings of denotation can be largely accounted for by evaluative halo effects. In the second experiment, increasing the denotative relatedness of context traits to the test trait didnot increase the effect of the context. Only the evaluative meaning of the context affected evaluation of the rated test trait. These studies suggest that the denotative relationship between a test adjective and its context has little influence on context effects in person perception, and that denotative meaning changes do not mediate context effects. Instead, evaluative judgments appear to be based on evaluative meaning.

Why are men more likely to support group-based dominance than women? The mediating role of gender identification.

PubMed

Dambrun, Michaël; Duarte, Sandra; Guimond, Serge

2004-06-01

Arguing from a sociobiological perspective, Sidanius and Pratto (1999) have shown that the male/female difference in social dominance orientation (SDO) is largely invariant across cultural, situational and contextual boundaries. The main objective of this study was to test the validity of Social Dominance Theory (SDT) by contrasting it with a model derived from Social Identity Theory (SIT). More specifically, while SIT predicts that gender identification mediates the effect of gender on SDO, SDT predicts the reverse. According to SDT, the degree to which men and women endorse status legitimizing ideology should determine to what extent they identify with their gender group. Using structural equation modelling, the results provide strong support for the SIT model and no support for SDT predictions. Implications of these results for social dominance theory and its sociobiologically based invariance hypothesis are discussed.

[ESC and AHA guidelines 2015 on endocarditis : In competition or synchrony?

PubMed

Maisch, Bernhard

2016-12-01

In the 2015 guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) on infective endocarditis, the diagnostics are based on the modified Duke criteria. The diagnosis can be confirmed by a combination of micro-organisms demonstrated in culture or in situ, with the detection of valvular lesions or abscess formation by an imaging modality using echocardiography, positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET/CT), cardio-CT or nuclear medical methods. The management should be further improved by an interdisciplinary endocarditis team in a specifically designated reference center. Pharmaceutical treatment is largely unchanged and based on classical antibiotics in monotherapy or as combination therapy but for staphylococcal endocarditis, gentamycin is no longer required. As cardiac surgery is needed in 50 % of the cases during the course of the disease, the urgency for surgery depends on the extent of cardiac insufficiency, the persistence of the pathogen despite antibiotic treatment and on neurological complications.

Chemical supply chain modeling for analysis of homeland security events

DOE PAGES

Ehlen, Mark A.; Sun, Amy C.; Pepple, Mark A.; ...

2013-09-06

The potential impacts of man-made and natural disasters on chemical plants, complexes, and supply chains are of great importance to homeland security. To be able to estimate these impacts, we developed an agent-based chemical supply chain model that includes: chemical plants with enterprise operations such as purchasing, production scheduling, and inventories; merchant chemical markets, and multi-modal chemical shipments. Large-scale simulations of chemical-plant activities and supply chain interactions, running on desktop computers, are used to estimate the scope and duration of disruptive-event impacts, and overall system resilience, based on the extent to which individual chemical plants can adjust their internal operationsmore » (e.g., production mixes and levels) versus their external interactions (market sales and purchases, and transportation routes and modes). As a result, to illustrate how the model estimates the impacts of a hurricane disruption, a simple example model centered on 1,4-butanediol is presented.« less

A Nonparametric, Multiple Imputation-Based Method for the Retrospective Integration of Data Sets

PubMed Central

Carrig, Madeline M.; Manrique-Vallier, Daniel; Ranby, Krista W.; Reiter, Jerome P.; Hoyle, Rick H.

2015-01-01

Complex research questions often cannot be addressed adequately with a single data set. One sensible alternative to the high cost and effort associated with the creation of large new data sets is to combine existing data sets containing variables related to the constructs of interest. The goal of the present research was to develop a flexible, broadly applicable approach to the integration of disparate data sets that is based on nonparametric multiple imputation and the collection of data from a convenient, de novo calibration sample. We demonstrate proof of concept for the approach by integrating three existing data sets containing items related to the extent of problematic alcohol use and associations with deviant peers. We discuss both necessary conditions for the approach to work well and potential strengths and weaknesses of the method compared to other data set integration approaches. PMID:26257437

Predilection for frailty remedial strategies among black and white seniors.

PubMed

Miller, D K; Morrison, M J; Blair, S D; Miller, J P; Morley, J E

1998-04-01

Frailty prevention and remedial programs based on exercise, hormone replacement, and vitamin supplementation are becoming available for use with older patients, but success of these programs depends largely on seniors' willingness to participate. We evaluated preferences for specific aspects of these programs using a sample of 359 older persons recruited from potential delivery sites. Main effects and subgroup analyses were done. Subjects preferred stretching, chair-based, walking, and dynamic balance exercises over lifting weights, dancing, hormone and vitamin therapy; exercising alone in their own homes over exercising in groups; and vitamins over hormones. Preferences were affected to some extent by sex, race, recruitment site, and functional status. However, subjects' willingness even to consider exercise was rarely as high as the desired levels of participation set forth in Healthy People 2000. Physicians and public health authorities need to educate older persons about effective methods to prevent or treat frailty.

Knowledge acquisition is governed by striatal prediction errors.

PubMed

Pine, Alex; Sadeh, Noa; Ben-Yakov, Aya; Dudai, Yadin; Mendelsohn, Avi

2018-04-26

Discrepancies between expectations and outcomes, or prediction errors, are central to trial-and-error learning based on reward and punishment, and their neurobiological basis is well characterized. It is not known, however, whether the same principles apply to declarative memory systems, such as those supporting semantic learning. Here, we demonstrate with fMRI that the brain parametrically encodes the degree to which new factual information violates expectations based on prior knowledge and beliefs-most prominently in the ventral striatum, and cortical regions supporting declarative memory encoding. These semantic prediction errors determine the extent to which information is incorporated into long-term memory, such that learning is superior when incoming information counters strong incorrect recollections, thereby eliciting large prediction errors. Paradoxically, by the same account, strong accurate recollections are more amenable to being supplanted by misinformation, engendering false memories. These findings highlight a commonality in brain mechanisms and computational rules that govern declarative and nondeclarative learning, traditionally deemed dissociable.

FBRDLR: Fast blind reconstruction approach with dictionary learning regularization for infrared microscopy spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Tingting; Liu, Hai; Chen, Zengzhao; Chen, Yingying; Wang, Shengming; Liu, Zhi; Zhang, Hao

2018-05-01

Infrared (IR) spectra are the fingerprints of the molecules, and the spectral band location closely relates to the structure of a molecule. Thus, specimen identification can be performed based on IR spectroscopy. However, spectrally overlapping components prevent the specific identification of hyperfine molecular information of different substances. In this paper, we propose a fast blind reconstruction approach for IR spectra, which is based on sparse and redundant representations over a dictionary. The proposed method recovers the spectrum with the discrete wavelet transform dictionary on its content. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is superior because of the better performance when compared with other state-of-the-art methods. The method the authors used remove the instrument aging issue to a large extent, thus leading the reconstruction IR spectra a more convenient tool for extracting features of an unknown material and interpreting it.

Effects of structural and dynamic family characteristics on the development of depressive and aggressive problems during adolescence. The TRAILS study.

PubMed

Sijtsema, J J; Oldehinkel, A J; Veenstra, R; Verhulst, F C; Ormel, J

2014-06-01

Both structural (i.e., SES, familial psychopathology, family composition) and dynamic (i.e., parental warmth and rejection) family characteristics have been associated with aggressive and depressive problem development. However, it is unclear to what extent (changes in) dynamic family characteristics have an independent effect on problem development while accounting for stable family characteristics and comorbid problem development. This issue was addressed by studying problem development in a large community sample (N = 2,230; age 10-20) of adolescents using Linear Mixed models. Paternal and maternal warmth and rejection were assessed via the Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran for Children (EMBU-C). Aggressive and depressive problems were assessed via subscales of the Youth/Adult Self-Report. Results showed that dynamic family characteristics independently affected the development of aggressive problems. Moreover, maternal rejection in preadolescence and increases in paternal rejection were associated with aggressive problems, whereas decreases in maternal rejection were associated with decreases in depressive problems over time. Paternal and maternal warmth in preadolescence was associated with fewer depressive problems during adolescence. Moreover, increases in paternal warmth were associated with fewer depressive problems over time. Aggressive problems were a stable predictor of depressive problems over time. Finally, those who increased in depressive problems became more aggressive during adolescence, whereas those who decreased in depressive problems became also less aggressive. Besides the effect of comorbid problems, problem development is to a large extent due to dynamic family characteristics, and in particular to changes in parental rejection, which leaves much room for parenting-based interventions.

A comparison of large-scale climate signals and the North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) for drought prediction in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Lei; Chen, Nengcheng; Zhang, Xiang

2018-02-01

Drought is an extreme natural disaster that can lead to huge socioeconomic losses. Drought prediction ahead of months is helpful for early drought warning and preparations. In this study, we developed a statistical model, two weighted dynamic models and a statistical-dynamic (hybrid) model for 1-6 month lead drought prediction in China. Specifically, statistical component refers to climate signals weighting by support vector regression (SVR), dynamic components consist of the ensemble mean (EM) and Bayesian model averaging (BMA) of the North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) climatic models, and the hybrid part denotes a combination of statistical and dynamic components by assigning weights based on their historical performances. The results indicate that the statistical and hybrid models show better rainfall predictions than NMME-EM and NMME-BMA models, which have good predictability only in southern China. In the 2011 China winter-spring drought event, the statistical model well predicted the spatial extent and severity of drought nationwide, although the severity was underestimated in the mid-lower reaches of Yangtze River (MLRYR) region. The NMME-EM and NMME-BMA models largely overestimated rainfall in northern and western China in 2011 drought. In the 2013 China summer drought, the NMME-EM model forecasted the drought extent and severity in eastern China well, while the statistical and hybrid models falsely detected negative precipitation anomaly (NPA) in some areas. Model ensembles such as multiple statistical approaches, multiple dynamic models or multiple hybrid models for drought predictions were highlighted. These conclusions may be helpful for drought prediction and early drought warnings in China.

Increased sediment loads cause non-linear decreases in seagrass suitable habitat extent

PubMed Central

Atkinson, Scott; Klein, Carissa Joy; Weber, Tony; Possingham, Hugh P.

2017-01-01

Land-based activities, including deforestation, agriculture, and urbanisation, cause increased erosion, reduced inland and coastal water quality, and subsequent loss or degradation of downstream coastal marine ecosystems. Quantitative approaches to link sediment loads from catchments to metrics of downstream marine ecosystem state are required to calculate the cost effectiveness of taking conservation actions on land to benefits accrued in the ocean. Here we quantify the relationship between sediment loads derived from landscapes to habitat suitability of seagrass meadows in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. We use the following approach: (1) a catchment hydrological model generates sediment loads; (2) a statistical model links sediment loads to water clarity at monthly time-steps; (3) a species distribution model (SDM) factors in water clarity, bathymetry, wave height, and substrate suitability to predict seagrass habitat suitability at monthly time-steps; and (4) a statistical model quantifies the effect of sediment loads on area of seagrass suitable habitat in a given year. The relationship between sediment loads and seagrass suitable habitat is non-linear: large increases in sediment have a disproportionately large negative impact on availability of seagrass suitable habitat. Varying the temporal scale of analysis (monthly vs. yearly), or varying the threshold value used to delineate predicted seagrass presence vs. absence, both affect the magnitude, but not the overall shape, of the relationship between sediment loads and seagrass suitable habitat area. Quantifying the link between sediment produced from catchments and extent of downstream marine ecosystems allows assessment of the relative costs and benefits of taking conservation actions on land or in the ocean, respectively, to marine ecosystems. PMID:29125843

Local multiplicity adjustment for the spatial scan statistic using the Gumbel distribution.

PubMed

Gangnon, Ronald E

2012-03-01

The spatial scan statistic is an important and widely used tool for cluster detection. It is based on the simultaneous evaluation of the statistical significance of the maximum likelihood ratio test statistic over a large collection of potential clusters. In most cluster detection problems, there is variation in the extent of local multiplicity across the study region. For example, using a fixed maximum geographic radius for clusters, urban areas typically have many overlapping potential clusters, whereas rural areas have relatively few. The spatial scan statistic does not account for local multiplicity variation. We describe a previously proposed local multiplicity adjustment based on a nested Bonferroni correction and propose a novel adjustment based on a Gumbel distribution approximation to the distribution of a local scan statistic. We compare the performance of all three statistics in terms of power and a novel unbiased cluster detection criterion. These methods are then applied to the well-known New York leukemia dataset and a Wisconsin breast cancer incidence dataset. © 2011, The International Biometric Society.

Local multiplicity adjustment for the spatial scan statistic using the Gumbel distribution

PubMed Central

Gangnon, Ronald E.

2011-01-01

Summary The spatial scan statistic is an important and widely used tool for cluster detection. It is based on the simultaneous evaluation of the statistical significance of the maximum likelihood ratio test statistic over a large collection of potential clusters. In most cluster detection problems, there is variation in the extent of local multiplicity across the study region. For example, using a fixed maximum geographic radius for clusters, urban areas typically have many overlapping potential clusters, while rural areas have relatively few. The spatial scan statistic does not account for local multiplicity variation. We describe a previously proposed local multiplicity adjustment based on a nested Bonferroni correction and propose a novel adjustment based on a Gumbel distribution approximation to the distribution of a local scan statistic. We compare the performance of all three statistics in terms of power and a novel unbiased cluster detection criterion. These methods are then applied to the well-known New York leukemia dataset and a Wisconsin breast cancer incidence dataset. PMID:21762118

Utilization of Non-Dentist Providers and Attitudes Toward New Provider Models: Findings from The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network

PubMed Central

Blue, Christine M.; Funkhouser, D. Ellen; Riggs, Sheila; Rindal, D. Brad; Worley, Donald; Pihlstrom, Daniel J.; Benjamin, Paul; Gilbert, Gregg H.

2014-01-01

Objectives The purpose of this study was to quantify within The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network current utilization of dental hygienists and assistants with expanded functions and quantify network dentists’ attitudes toward a new non-dentist provider model - the dental therapist. Methods Dental practice-based research network practitioner-investigators participated in a single, cross-sectional administration of a questionnaire. Results Current non-dentist providers are not being utilized by network practitioner-investigators to the fullest extent allowed by law. Minnesota practitioners, practitioners in large group practices, and those with prior experience with expanded function non-dentist providers delegate at a higher rate and had more-positive perceptions of the new dental therapist model. Conclusions Expanding scopes of practice for dental hygienists and assistants has not translated to the maximal delegation allowed by law among network practices. This finding may provide insight into dentists’ acceptance of newer non-dentist provider models. PMID:23668892

Host genotype and age shape the leaf and root microbiomes of a wild perennial plant

DOE PAGES

Wagner, Maggie R.; Lundberg, Derek S.; del Rio, Tijana G.; ...

2016-07-12

Bacteria living on and in leaves and roots influence many aspects of plant health, so the extent of a plant's genetic control over its microbiota is of great interest to crop breeders and evolutionary biologists. Laboratory-based studies, because they poorly simulate true environmental heterogeneity, may misestimate or totally miss the influence of certain host genes on the microbiome. Here we report a large-scale field experiment to disentangle the effects of genotype, environment, age and year of harvest on bacterial communities associated with leaves and roots of Boechera stricta (Brassicaceae), a perennial wild mustard. Host genetic control of the microbiome ismore » evident in leaves but not roots, and varies substantially among sites. Microbiome composition also shifts as plants age. Furthermore, a large proportion of leaf bacterial groups are shared with roots, suggesting inoculation from soil. Our results demonstrate how genotype-by-environment interactions contribute to the complexity of microbiome assembly in natural environments.« less

Current medico-legal death investigation system in China.

PubMed

Chang, Lin; Zhang, Baosheng; Yan, Ping; Fowler, David; Li, Ling

2011-07-01

Medico-legal death investigation in China has a long history that can be traced back to the Chhin era in the third century BC. We conducted a national study on the current medico-legal death investigation system in China. Our study showed that, at present, medico-legal death investigations in China are conducted by c. 12,000 forensic medical experts mainly within five relatively independent agencies: the police organizations, the prosecutors' offices, the departments/divisions of forensic medicine/science in medical colleges and universities, the Institute of Forensic Science in the Ministry of Justice, and the government or private forensic societies. Owing to China's large population and area, the medico-legal death investigation is largely based on the administrative divisions. There is a wide variation in the scope, extent, and quality of investigations among the agencies and at the different levels of county/district, municipal, and provincial governments. This article gives a general overview of medicolegal death investigation in modern China. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Monte Carlo modelling of large scale NORM sources using MCNP.

PubMed

Wallace, J D

2013-12-01

The representative Monte Carlo modelling of large scale planar sources (for comparison to external environmental radiation fields) is undertaken using substantial diameter and thin profile planar cylindrical sources. The relative impact of source extent, soil thickness and sky-shine are investigated to guide decisions relating to representative geometries. In addition, the impact of source to detector distance on the nature of the detector response, for a range of source sizes, has been investigated. These investigations, using an MCNP based model, indicate a soil cylinder of greater than 20 m diameter and of no less than 50 cm depth/height, combined with a 20 m deep sky section above the soil cylinder, are needed to representatively model the semi-infinite plane of uniformly distributed NORM sources. Initial investigation of the effect of detector placement indicate that smaller source sizes may be used to achieve a representative response at shorter source to detector distances. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Handling Missing Data With Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling and Full Information Maximum Likelihood Techniques.

PubMed

Schminkey, Donna L; von Oertzen, Timo; Bullock, Linda

2016-08-01

With increasing access to population-based data and electronic health records for secondary analysis, missing data are common. In the social and behavioral sciences, missing data frequently are handled with multiple imputation methods or full information maximum likelihood (FIML) techniques, but healthcare researchers have not embraced these methodologies to the same extent and more often use either traditional imputation techniques or complete case analysis, which can compromise power and introduce unintended bias. This article is a review of options for handling missing data, concluding with a case study demonstrating the utility of multilevel structural equation modeling using full information maximum likelihood (MSEM with FIML) to handle large amounts of missing data. MSEM with FIML is a parsimonious and hypothesis-driven strategy to cope with large amounts of missing data without compromising power or introducing bias. This technique is relevant for nurse researchers faced with ever-increasing amounts of electronic data and decreasing research budgets. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Screening and characterization of plant cell walls using carbohydrate microarrays.

PubMed

Sørensen, Iben; Willats, William G T

2011-01-01

Plant cells are surrounded by cell walls built largely from complex carbohydrates. The primary walls of growing plant cells consist of interdependent networks of three polysaccharide classes: cellulose, cross-linking glycans (also known as hemicelluloses), and pectins. Cellulose microfibrils are tethered together by cross-linking glycans, and this assembly forms the major load-bearing component of primary walls, which is infiltrated with pectic polymers. In the secondary walls of woody tissues, pectins are much reduced and walls are reinforced with the phenolic polymer lignin. Plant cell walls are essential for plant life and also have numerous industrial applications, ranging from wood to nutraceuticals. Enhancing our knowledge of cell wall biology and the effective use of cell wall materials is dependent to a large extent on being able to analyse their fine structures. We have developed a suite of techniques based on microarrays probed with monoclonal antibodies with specificity for cell wall components, and here we present practical protocols for this type of analysis.

Comparing and validating models of driver steering behaviour in collision avoidance and vehicle stabilisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markkula, G.; Benderius, O.; Wahde, M.

2014-12-01

A number of driver models were fitted to a large data set of human truck driving, from a simulated near-crash, low-friction scenario, yielding two main insights: steering to avoid a collision was best described as an open-loop manoeuvre of predetermined duration, but with situation-adapted amplitude, and subsequent vehicle stabilisation could to a large extent be accounted for by a simple yaw rate nulling control law. These two phenomena, which could be hypothesised to generalise to passenger car driving, were found to determine the ability of four driver models adopted from the literature to fit the human data. Based on the obtained results, it is argued that the concept of internal vehicle models may be less valuable when modelling driver behaviour in non-routine situations such as near-crashes, where behaviour may be better described as direct responses to salient perceptual cues. Some methodological issues in comparing and validating driver models are also discussed.

Continuous Flow Polymer Synthesis toward Reproducible Large-Scale Production for Efficient Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells.

PubMed

Pirotte, Geert; Kesters, Jurgen; Verstappen, Pieter; Govaerts, Sanne; Manca, Jean; Lutsen, Laurence; Vanderzande, Dirk; Maes, Wouter

2015-10-12

Organic photovoltaics (OPV) have attracted great interest as a solar cell technology with appealing mechanical, aesthetical, and economies-of-scale features. To drive OPV toward economic viability, low-cost, large-scale module production has to be realized in combination with increased top-quality material availability and minimal batch-to-batch variation. To this extent, continuous flow chemistry can serve as a powerful tool. In this contribution, a flow protocol is optimized for the high performance benzodithiophene-thienopyrroledione copolymer PBDTTPD and the material quality is probed through systematic solar-cell evaluation. A stepwise approach is adopted to turn the batch process into a reproducible and scalable continuous flow procedure. Solar cell devices fabricated using the obtained polymer batches deliver an average power conversion efficiency of 7.2 %. Upon incorporation of an ionic polythiophene-based cathodic interlayer, the photovoltaic performance could be enhanced to a maximum efficiency of 9.1 %. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Georges Bank: a leaky incubator of Alexandrium fundyense blooms

PubMed Central

McGillicuddy, D.J.; Townsend, D.W.; Keafer, B.A.; Thomas, M.A.; Anderson, D.M.

2012-01-01

A series of oceanographic surveys on Georges Bank document variability of populations of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense on time scales ranging from synoptic to seasonal to interannual. Blooms of A. fundyense on Georges Bank can reach concentrations on the order of 104 cells l−1, and are generally bank-wide in extent. Georges Bank populations of A. fundyense appear to be quasi-independent of those in the adjacent coastal Gulf of Maine, insofar as they occupy a hydrographic niche that is colder and saltier than their coastal counterparts. In contrast to coastal populations that rely on abundant resting cysts for bloom initiation, very few cysts are present in the sediments on Georges Bank. Bloom dynamics must therefore be largely controlled by the balance between growth and mortality processes, which are at present largely unknown for this population. Based on correlations between cell abundance and nutrient distributions, ammonium appears to be an important source of nitrogen for A. fundyense blooms on Georges Bank. PMID:24976691

Georges Bank: a leaky incubator of Alexandrium fundyense blooms.

PubMed

McGillicuddy, D J; Townsend, D W; Keafer, B A; Thomas, M A; Anderson, D M

2014-05-01

A series of oceanographic surveys on Georges Bank document variability of populations of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense on time scales ranging from synoptic to seasonal to interannual. Blooms of A. fundyense on Georges Bank can reach concentrations on the order of 10 4 cells l -1 , and are generally bank-wide in extent. Georges Bank populations of A. fundyense appear to be quasi-independent of those in the adjacent coastal Gulf of Maine, insofar as they occupy a hydrographic niche that is colder and saltier than their coastal counterparts. In contrast to coastal populations that rely on abundant resting cysts for bloom initiation, very few cysts are present in the sediments on Georges Bank. Bloom dynamics must therefore be largely controlled by the balance between growth and mortality processes, which are at present largely unknown for this population. Based on correlations between cell abundance and nutrient distributions, ammonium appears to be an important source of nitrogen for A. fundyense blooms on Georges Bank.

Voting contagion: Modeling and analysis of a century of U.S. presidential elections

PubMed Central

de Aguiar, Marcus A. M.

2017-01-01

Social influence plays an important role in human behavior and decisions. Sources of influence can be divided as external, which are independent of social context, or as originating from peers, such as family and friends. An important question is how to disentangle the social contagion by peers from external influences. While a variety of experimental and observational studies provided insight into this problem, identifying the extent of contagion based on large-scale observational data with an unknown network structure remains largely unexplored. By bridging the gap between the large-scale complex systems perspective of collective human dynamics and the detailed approach of social sciences, we present a parsimonious model of social influence, and apply it to a central topic in political science—elections and voting behavior. We provide an analytical expression of the county vote-share distribution, which is in excellent agreement with almost a century of observed U.S. presidential election data. Analyzing the social influence topography over this period reveals an abrupt phase transition from low to high levels of social contagion, and robust differences among regions. These results suggest that social contagion effects are becoming more instrumental in shaping large-scale collective political behavior, with implications on democratic electoral processes and policies. PMID:28542409

Constraining Large-Scale Solar Magnetic Field Models with Optical Coronal Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uritsky, V. M.; Davila, J. M.; Jones, S. I.

2015-12-01

Scientific success of the Solar Probe Plus (SPP) and Solar Orbiter (SO) missions will depend to a large extent on the accuracy of the available coronal magnetic field models describing the connectivity of plasma disturbances in the inner heliosphere with their source regions. We argue that ground based and satellite coronagraph images can provide robust geometric constraints for the next generation of improved coronal magnetic field extrapolation models. In contrast to the previously proposed loop segmentation codes designed for detecting compact closed-field structures above solar active regions, we focus on the large-scale geometry of the open-field coronal regions located at significant radial distances from the solar surface. Details on the new feature detection algorithms will be presented. By applying the developed image processing methodology to high-resolution Mauna Loa Solar Observatory images, we perform an optimized 3D B-line tracing for a full Carrington rotation using the magnetic field extrapolation code presented in a companion talk by S.Jones at al. Tracing results are shown to be in a good qualitative agreement with the large-scalie configuration of the optical corona. Subsequent phases of the project and the related data products for SSP and SO missions as wwll as the supporting global heliospheric simulations will be discussed.

Studies in the extensively automatic construction of large odds-based inference networks from structured data. Examples from medical, bioinformatics, and health insurance claims data.

PubMed

Robson, B; Boray, S

2018-04-01

Theoretical and methodological principles are presented for the construction of very large inference nets for odds calculations, composed of hundreds or many thousands or more of elements, in this paper generated by structured data mining. It is argued that the usual small inference nets can sometimes represent rather simple, arbitrary estimates. Examples of applications in clinical and public health data analysis, medical claims data and detection of irregular entries, and bioinformatics data, are presented. Construction of large nets benefits from application of a theory of expected information for sparse data and the Dirac notation and algebra. The extent to which these are important here is briefly discussed. Purposes of the study include (a) exploration of the properties of large inference nets and a perturbation and tacit conditionality models, (b) using these to propose simpler models including one that a physician could use routinely, analogous to a "risk score", (c) examination of the merit of describing optimal performance in a single measure that combines accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity in place of a ROC curve, and (d) relationship to methods for detecting anomalous and potentially fraudulent data. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Meeting Regulatory Requirements

EPA Science Inventory

Domestic wastewater is made up of sanitary wastes from homes, commercial businesses and industry, and includes beneficial, commensal and pathogenic microorganisms. The extent to which a given strain of pathogen may be found within a waste treatment system is largely dependant up...

How to Apply for Grants

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A large part of EPA's mission to protect the environment and public health is accomplished by awarding grants and cooperative agreements. It is EPA's policy to promote competition in the award of assistance agreements to the maximum extent practicable.

Tohoku Tsunami Debris, Japan

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-14

The Mar. 11, 2011, Tohoku, Japan earthquake and tsunami devastated a large extent of the northeastern Japan coast, and virtually erased many villages and cities from the map. NASA Terra spacecraft acquired this image of Sendai on Mar. 14, 2011.

Pre-hospital care in burn injury

PubMed Central

Shrivastava, Prabhat; Goel, Arun

2010-01-01

The care provided to the victims of burn injury immediately after sustaining burns can largely affect the extent and depth of the wound. Although standard guidelines have been formulated by various burn associations, they are still not well known to public at large in our country. In burn injuries, most often, the bystanders are the first care providers. The swift implementation of the measures described in this article for first aid in thermal, chemical, electrical and inhalational injuries in the practical setting, within minutes of sustaining the burn, plays a vital role and can effectively reduce the morbidity and mortality to a great extent. In case of burn disasters, triage needs to be carried out promptly as per the defined protocols. Proper communication and transport from the scene of the accident to the primary care centre and onto the burn care facility greatly influences the execution of the management plans PMID:21321651

A Hybrid Neuro-Fuzzy Model For Integrating Large Earth-Science Datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porwal, A.; Carranza, J.; Hale, M.

2004-12-01

A GIS-based hybrid neuro-fuzzy approach to integration of large earth-science datasets for mineral prospectivity mapping is described. It implements a Takagi-Sugeno type fuzzy inference system in the framework of a four-layered feed-forward adaptive neural network. Each unique combination of the datasets is considered a feature vector whose components are derived by knowledge-based ordinal encoding of the constituent datasets. A subset of feature vectors with a known output target vector (i.e., unique conditions known to be associated with either a mineralized or a barren location) is used for the training of an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system. Training involves iterative adjustment of parameters of the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system using a hybrid learning procedure for mapping each training vector to its output target vector with minimum sum of squared error. The trained adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system is used to process all feature vectors. The output for each feature vector is a value that indicates the extent to which a feature vector belongs to the mineralized class or the barren class. These values are used to generate a prospectivity map. The procedure is demonstrated by an application to regional-scale base metal prospectivity mapping in a study area located in the Aravalli metallogenic province (western India). A comparison of the hybrid neuro-fuzzy approach with pure knowledge-driven fuzzy and pure data-driven neural network approaches indicates that the former offers a superior method for integrating large earth-science datasets for predictive spatial mathematical modelling.

An exploration of the roles of nurse managers in evidence-based practice implementation.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Joyce E; Nutley, Sandra M; Davies, Huw T O

2011-12-01

Internationally, nurses face ongoing difficulties in making a reality of evidence-based practice. Existing studies suggest that nurse managers (NMs) should play a key role in leading and facilitating evidence-based practice, but the nature of this role has not yet been fully explored or articulated. This is one of the first studies to investigate the roles of NMs in evidence-based practice implementation. METHODOLOGY AND METHODS: Using a case study approach the study explores five propositions in relation to the NMs' potential evidence-based practice role and the extent to which their attitudes, knowledge, and skills support such a role. In doing so, it draws on interviews (n= 51), documentary analysis and observational data. Data analysis reveals that the role of NMs in facilitating evidence-based practice is under-articulated, largely passive and currently limited by competing demands. Progress in implementing evidence-based practice in the case study sites is largely explained by factors other than the role played by NMs. As such, the findings expose significant discrepancies between NMs' actual roles and those espoused in the literature as being necessary. Contextual factors are important and it is clear that the role of the contemporary NM places considerable emphasis on management and administration to the detriment of clinical practice concerns. The study reveals that NMs are only involved in evidence-based practice implementation in a passive role, not the full engagement described in the literature as being necessary. This study adds previously lacking detail of the roles of NMs. It elucidates why exhortations to NMs to become more involved in evidence-based practice implementation are ineffective without action to address the problems identified. Copyright ©2011 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Meta-control of combustion performance with a data mining approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Zhe

Large scale combustion process is complex and proposes challenges of optimizing its performance. Traditional approaches based on thermal dynamics have limitations on finding optimal operational regions due to time-shift nature of the process. Recent advances in information technology enable people collect large volumes of process data easily and continuously. The collected process data contains rich information about the process and, to some extent, represents a digital copy of the process over time. Although large volumes of data exist in industrial combustion processes, they are not fully utilized to the level where the process can be optimized. Data mining is an emerging science which finds patterns or models from large data sets. It has found many successful applications in business marketing, medical and manufacturing domains The focus of this dissertation is on applying data mining to industrial combustion processes, and ultimately optimizing the combustion performance. However the philosophy, methods and frameworks discussed in this research can also be applied to other industrial processes. Optimizing an industrial combustion process has two major challenges. One is the underlying process model changes over time and obtaining an accurate process model is nontrivial. The other is that a process model with high fidelity is usually highly nonlinear, solving the optimization problem needs efficient heuristics. This dissertation is set to solve these two major challenges. The major contribution of this 4-year research is the data-driven solution to optimize the combustion process, where process model or knowledge is identified based on the process data, then optimization is executed by evolutionary algorithms to search for optimal operating regions.

Comparative use of side and main channels by small-bodied fish in a large, unimpounded river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reinhold, Ann Marie; Bramblett, Robert G.; Zale, Alexander V.; Roberts, David W.; Poole, Geoffrey C.

2016-01-01

Ecological theory and field studies suggest that lateral floodplain connectivity and habitat heterogeneity provided by side channels impart favourable habitat conditions for lotic fishes, especially fluvial fishes dependent on large patches of shallow, slow velocity habitats for some portion of their life cycle. However, anthropogenic modification of large, temperate floodplain rivers has led to extensive channel simplification and side-channel loss. Highly modified rivers consist of simplified channels in contracted, less dynamic floodplains.Most research examining the seasonal importance of side channels for fish assemblages in large rivers has been carried out in heavily modified rivers, where side-channel extents are substantially reduced from pre-settlement times, and has often overlooked small-bodied fishes. Inferences about the ecological importance of side channels for small-bodied fishes in large rivers can be ascertained only from investigations of large rivers with largely intact floodplains. The Yellowstone River, our study area, is a rare example of one such river.We targeted small-bodied fishes and compared their habitat use in side and main channels in two geomorphically distinct types of river bends during early and late snowmelt runoff, and autumn base flow. Species compositions of side and main channels differed throughout hydroperiods concurrent with the seasonal redistribution of the availability of shallow, slow current-velocity habitats. More species of fish used side channels than main channels during runoff. Additionally, catch rates of small fishes were generally greater in side channels than in main channels and quantitative assemblage compositions differed between channel types during runoff, but not during base flow. Presence of and access to diverse habitats facilitated the development and persistence of diverse fish assemblages in our study area.Physical dissimilarities between side and main channels may have differentially structured the side- and main-channel fish assemblages during runoff. Patches of shallow, slow current-velocity (SSCV) habitats in side channels were larger and had slightly slower water velocities than SSCV habitat patches in main channels during runoff, but not during base flow.Our findings establish a baseline importance of side channels to riverine fishes in a large, temperate river without heavy anthropogenic modification. Establishing this baseline contributes to basic fluvial ecology and provides empirical justification for restoration efforts that reconnect large rivers with their floodplains.

The role of declining summer sea ice extent in increasing Arctic winter precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamman, J.; Roberts, A.; Cassano, J. J.; Nijssen, B.

2016-12-01

In the past three decades, the Arctic has experienced large declines in summer sea ice cover, permafrost extent, and spring snow cover, and increases in winter precipitation. This study explores the relationship between declining Arctic sea ice extent (IE) and winter precipitation (WP) across the Arctic land masses. The first part of this presentation presents the observed relationship between IE and WP. Using satellite estimates of IE and WP data based on a combination of in-situ observations and global reanalyses, we show that WP is negatively correlated with summer IE and that this relationship is strongest before the year 2000. After 2000, around the time IE minima began to decline most rapidly, the relationship between IE and WP degenerates. This indicates that other processes are driving changes in IE and WP. We hypothesize that positive anomalies in poleward moisture transport have historically driven anomalously low IE and high WP, and that since the significant decline in IE, moisture divergence from the central Arctic has been a larger contributor to WP over land. To better understand the physical mechanisms driving the observed changes in the Arctic climate system and the sensitivity of the Arctic climate system to declining sea ice, we have used the fully-coupled Regional Arctic System Model (RASM) to simulate two distinct sea ice climates. The first climate represents normal IE, while the second includes reduced summer IE. The second portion of this presentation analyzes these two RASM simulations, in conjunction with our observation-based analysis, to understand the coupled relationship between poleward moisture transport, IE, evaporation from the Arctic Ocean, and precipitation. We will present the RASM-simulated Arctic water budget and demonstrate the role of IE in driving WP anomalies. Finally, a spatial correlation analysis identifies characteristic patterns in IE, ocean evaporation, and polar cap convergence that contribute to anomalies in WP.

Key landscape and biotic indicators of watersheds sensitivity to forest disturbance identified using remote sensing and historical hydrography data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buma, Brian; Livneh, Ben

2017-07-01

Water is one of the most critical resources derived from natural systems. While it has long been recognized that forest disturbances like fire influence watershed streamflow characteristics, individual studies have reported conflicting results with some showing streamflow increases post-disturbance and others decreases, while other watersheds are insensitive to even large disturbance events. Characterizing the differences between sensitive (e.g. where streamflow does change post-disturbance) and insensitive watersheds is crucial to anticipating response to future disturbance events. Here, we report on an analysis of a national-scale, gaged watershed database together with high-resolution forest mortality imagery. A simple watershed response model was developed based on the runoff ratio for watersheds (n = 73) prior to a major disturbance, detrended for variation in precipitation inputs. Post-disturbance deviations from the expected water yield and streamflow timing from expected (based on observed precipitation) were then analyzed relative to the abiotic and biotic characteristics of the individual watershed and observed extent of forest mortality. The extent of the disturbance was significantly related to change in post-disturbance water yield (p < 0.05), and there were several distinctive differences between watersheds exhibiting post-disturbance increases, decreases, and those showing no change in water yield. Highly disturbed, arid watersheds with low soil: water contact time are the most likely to see increases, with the magnitude positively correlated with the extent of disturbance. Watersheds dominated by deciduous forest with low bulk density soils typically show reduced yield post-disturbance. Post-disturbance streamflow timing change was associated with climate, forest type, and soil. Snowy coniferous watersheds were generally insensitive to disturbance, whereas finely textured soils with rapid runoff were sensitive. This is the first national scale investigation of streamflow post-disturbance using fused gage and remotely sensed data at high resolution, and gives important insights that can be used to anticipate changes in streamflow resulting from future disturbances.

The role of one large greenspace in mitigating London's nocturnal urban heat island.

PubMed

Doick, Kieron J; Peace, Andrew; Hutchings, Tony R

2014-09-15

The term urban heat island (UHI) describes a phenomenon where cities are on average warmer than the surrounding rural area. Trees and greenspaces are recognised for their strong potential to regulate urban air temperatures and combat the UHI. Empirical data is required in the UK to inform predictions on cooling by urban greenspaces and guide planning to maximise cooling of urban populations. We describe a 5-month study to measure the temperature profile of one of central London's large greenspaces and also in an adjacent street to determine the extent to which the greenspace reduced night-time UHI intensity. Statistical modelling displayed an exponential decay in the extent of cooling with increased distance from the greenspace. The extent of cooling ranged from an estimated 20 m on some nights to 440 m on other nights. The mean temperature reduction over these distances was 1.1 °C in the summer months, with a maximum of 4 °C cooling observed on some nights. Results suggest that calculation of London's UHI using Met Stations close to urban greenspace can underestimate 'urban' heat island intensity due to the cooling effect of the greenspace and values could be in the region of 45% higher. Our results lend support to claims that urban greenspace is an important component of UHI mitigation strategies. Lack of certainty over the variables that govern the extent of the greenspace cooling influence indicates that the multifaceted roles of trees and greenspaces in the UK's urban environment merit further consideration. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Double-dictionary matching pursuit for fault extent evaluation of rolling bearing based on the Lempel-Ziv complexity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Lingli; Gong, Xiangyang; Zhang, Jianyu; Wang, Huaqing

2016-12-01

The quantitative diagnosis of rolling bearing fault severity is particularly crucial to realize a proper maintenance decision. Aiming at the fault feature of rolling bearing, a novel double-dictionary matching pursuit (DDMP) for fault extent evaluation of rolling bearing based on the Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC) index is proposed in this paper. In order to match the features of rolling bearing fault, the impulse time-frequency dictionary and modulation dictionary are constructed to form the double-dictionary by using the method of parameterized function model. Then a novel matching pursuit method is proposed based on the new double-dictionary. For rolling bearing vibration signals with different fault sizes, the signals are decomposed and reconstructed by the DDMP. After the noise reduced and signals reconstructed, the LZC index is introduced to realize the fault extent evaluation. The applications of this method to the fault experimental signals of bearing outer race and inner race with different degree of injury have shown that the proposed method can effectively realize the fault extent evaluation.

Identification of Biokinetic Models Using the Concept of Extents.

PubMed

Mašić, Alma; Srinivasan, Sriniketh; Billeter, Julien; Bonvin, Dominique; Villez, Kris

2017-07-05

The development of a wide array of process technologies to enable the shift from conventional biological wastewater treatment processes to resource recovery systems is matched by an increasing demand for predictive capabilities. Mathematical models are excellent tools to meet this demand. However, obtaining reliable and fit-for-purpose models remains a cumbersome task due to the inherent complexity of biological wastewater treatment processes. In this work, we present a first study in the context of environmental biotechnology that adopts and explores the use of extents as a way to simplify and streamline the dynamic process modeling task. In addition, the extent-based modeling strategy is enhanced by optimal accounting for nonlinear algebraic equilibria and nonlinear measurement equations. Finally, a thorough discussion of our results explains the benefits of extent-based modeling and its potential to turn environmental process modeling into a highly automated task.

Methane emissions from floodplains in the Amazon Basin: towards a process-based model for global applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ringeval, B.; Houweling, S.; van Bodegom, P. M.; Spahni, R.; van Beek, R.; Joos, F.; Röckmann, T.

2013-10-01

Tropical wetlands are estimated to represent about 50% of the natural wetland emissions and explain a large fraction of the observed CH4 variability on time scales ranging from glacial-interglacial cycles to the currently observed year-to-year variability. Despite their importance, however, tropical wetlands are poorly represented in global models aiming to predict global CH4 emissions. This study documents the first regional-scale, process-based model of CH4 emissions from tropical floodplains. The LPX-Bern Dynamic Global Vegetation Model (LPX hereafter) was modified to represent floodplain hydrology, vegetation and associated CH4 emissions. The extent of tropical floodplains was prescribed using output from the spatially-explicit hydrology model PCR-GLOBWB. We introduced new Plant Functional Types (PFTs) that explicitly represent floodplain vegetation. The PFT parameterizations were evaluated against available remote sensing datasets (GLC2000 land cover and MODIS Net Primary Productivity). Simulated CH4 flux densities were evaluated against field observations and regional flux inventories. Simulated CH4 emissions at Amazon Basin scale were compared to model simulations performed in the WETCHIMP intercomparison project. We found that LPX simulated CH4 flux densities are in reasonable agreement with observations at the field scale but with a~tendency to overestimate the flux observed at specific sites. In addition, the model did not reproduce between-site variations or between-year variations within a site. Unfortunately, site informations are too limited to attest or disprove some model features. At the Amazon Basin scale, our results underline the large uncertainty in the magnitude of wetland CH4 emissions. In particular, uncertainties in floodplain extent (i.e., difference between GLC2000 and PCR-GLOBWB output) modulate the simulated emissions by a factor of about 2. Our best estimates, using PCR-GLOBWB in combination with GLC2000, lead to simulated Amazon-integrated emissions of 44.4 ± 4.8 Tg yr-1. Additionally, the LPX emissions are highly sensitive to vegetation distribution. Two simulations with the same mean PFT cover, but different spatial distributions of grasslands within the basin modulated emissions by about 20%. Correcting the LPX simulated NPP using MODIS reduces the Amazon emissions by 11.3%. Finally, due to an intrinsic limitation of LPX to account for seasonality in floodplain extent, the model failed to reproduce the seasonality in CH4 emissions. The Inter Annual Variability (IAV) of the emissions increases by 90% if the IAV in floodplain extent is account for, but still remains lower than in most of WETCHIMP models. While our model includes more mechanisms specific to tropical floodplains, we were unable to reduce the uncertainty in the magnitude of wetland CH4 emissions of the Amazon Basin. Our results stress the need for more research to constrain floodplain CH4 emissions and their temporal variability.

Water Storage: Quo Vadis?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smakhtin, V.

2017-12-01

Humans stored water - in various forms - for ages, coping with water resources variability, and its extremes - floods and droughts. Storage per capita, and other storage-related indicators, have essentially become one way of reflecting the progress of economic development. Massive investments went into large surface water reservoirs that have become the characteristic feature of the earth's landscapes, bringing both benefits and controversy. As water variability progressively increases with changing climate, globally, on one hand, and the idea of sustainable development receives strong traction, on another - it may be worth the while to comprehensively examine current trends and future prospects for water storage development. The task is surely big, to say the least. The presentation will aim to initiate a structured discussion on this multi-facet issue and identify which aspects and trends of water storage development may be most important in the context of Sustainable Development Goals, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and examine how, where and to what extent water storage planning can be improved. It will cover questions like i) aging of large water storage infrastructure, the current extent of this trend in various geographical regions, and possible impacts on water security and security of nations; ii) improved water storage development planning overall in the context of various water development alternatives and storage options themselves and well as their combinations iii) prospects for another "storage revolution" - speed increase in dam numbers, and where, if at all this is most likely iv) recent events in storage development, e.g. is dam decommissioning a trend that picks pace, or whether some developing economies in Asia can do without going through the period of water storage construction, with alternatives, or suggestions for alleviation of negative impacts v) the role of subsurface storage as an alternative to large surface dams, and vi) the role of nature based solutions in large storage development and overall storage functioning and management - to mention some. The presentation will call for coordinated effort that will help with environmentally and economically sound strategies of future storage development in national water planning.

Extreme value statistics for two-dimensional convective penetration in a pre-main sequence star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratt, J.; Baraffe, I.; Goffrey, T.; Constantino, T.; Viallet, M.; Popov, M. V.; Walder, R.; Folini, D.

2017-08-01

Context. In the interior of stars, a convectively unstable zone typically borders a zone that is stable to convection. Convective motions can penetrate the boundary between these zones, creating a layer characterized by intermittent convective mixing, and gradual erosion of the density and temperature stratification. Aims: We examine a penetration layer formed between a central radiative zone and a large convection zone in the deep interior of a young low-mass star. Using the Multidimensional Stellar Implicit Code (MUSIC) to simulate two-dimensional compressible stellar convection in a spherical geometry over long times, we produce statistics that characterize the extent and impact of convective penetration in this layer. Methods: We apply extreme value theory to the maximal extent of convective penetration at any time. We compare statistical results from simulations which treat non-local convection, throughout a large portion of the stellar radius, with simulations designed to treat local convection in a small region surrounding the penetration layer. For each of these situations, we compare simulations of different resolution, which have different velocity magnitudes. We also compare statistical results between simulations that radiate energy at a constant rate to those that allow energy to radiate from the stellar surface according to the local surface temperature. Results: Based on the frequency and depth of penetrating convective structures, we observe two distinct layers that form between the convection zone and the stable radiative zone. We show that the probability density function of the maximal depth of convective penetration at any time corresponds closely in space with the radial position where internal waves are excited. We find that the maximal penetration depth can be modeled by a Weibull distribution with a small shape parameter. Using these results, and building on established scalings for diffusion enhanced by large-scale convective motions, we propose a new form for the diffusion coefficient that may be used for one-dimensional stellar evolution calculations in the large Péclet number regime. These results should contribute to the 321D link.

Atmospheric mechanisms governing the spatial and temporal variability of phenological phases in central Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheifinger, Helfried; Menzel, Annette; Koch, Elisabeth; Peter, Christian; Ahas, Rein

2002-11-01

A data set of 17 phenological phases from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia spanning the time period from 1951 to 1998 has been made available for analysis together with a gridded temperature data set (1° × 1° grid) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index time series. The disturbances of the westerlies constitute the main atmospheric source for the temporal variability of phenological events in Europe. The trend, the standard deviation and the discontinuity of the phenological time series at the end of the 1980s can, to a great extent, be explained by the NAO. A number of factors modulate the influence of the NAO in time and space. The seasonal northward shift of the westerlies overlaps with the sequence of phenological spring phases, thereby gradually reducing its influence on the temporal variability of phenological events with progression of spring (temporal loss of influence). This temporal process is reflected by a pronounced decrease in trend and standard deviation values and common variability with the NAO with increasing year-day. The reduced influence of the NAO with increasing distance from the Atlantic coast is not only apparent in studies based on the data set of the International Phenological Gardens, but also in the data set of this study with a smaller spatial extent (large-scale loss of influence). The common variance between phenological and NAO time series displays a discontinuous drop from the European Atlantic coast towards the Alps. On a local and regional scale, mountainous terrain reduces the influence of the large-scale atmospheric flow from the Atlantic via a proposed decoupling mechanism. Valleys in mountainous terrain have the inclination to harbour temperature inversions over extended periods of time during the cold season, which isolate the valley climate from the large-scale atmospheric flow at higher altitudes. Most phenological stations reside at valley bottoms and are thus largely decoupled in their temporal variability from the influence of the westerly flow regime (local-scale loss of influence). This study corroborates an increasing number of similar investigations that find that vegetation does react in a sensitive way to variations of its atmospheric environment across various temporal and spatial scales.

Always the bridesmaid and never the bride! Arts, Archaeology and the e-Science agenda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaffney, V.; Fletcher, R. P.

There is, without doubt, a strong tradition amongst the Arts and Humanities community of the gifted individuals: academics who can, and do, labour long and hard alone in libraries or museums, to provide significant scholarly works. The creation and organisation of large data sets, the desire for enhanced accessibility to data held in disparate locations and the increasing complexity of our theoretical and methodological aspirations inevitably push us towards greater use of technology and a reliance on interdisciplinary teams to facilitate their use. How far such a process has become established, however, is a moot point. As the director of one Arts-based Visualisation laboratory[1] that possesses an UKlight connection, I would probably observe that the Arts and Humanity community has, largely, remained aloof from many of the recent developments of large-scale, ubiquitous technologies, with the notable exception of those that permit resource discovery. It remains a fact that the emergence, for instance, of GRID technologies in other disciplines has not yet had the impact one might have expected on Arts and Humanities. It seems certain that reticence has not been the consequence of a lack of data within the Arts. Others, including archaeology, sit at the edge of the natural sciences and are prodigious generators of data in their own right, or consumers of digital data generated by other disciplines. Another assertion that may be considered is that Arts research is not amenable to large-scale distributed computing. To a certain extent, successful Grid applications are linked to the ability of researchers to agree methodologies that, to some extent, permit a "mechanistic" world view that is amenable to such analysis. However, in contrast it is not true that Arts research is either so individual, so chaotic or anarchic that it is impossible to demonstrate the value, at least, of e-science applications to our disciplines. Lighting the Blue Touchpaper for UK e-Science - Closing Conference of ESLEA Project The George Hotel, Edinburgh, UK 26-28 March, 200

Overcoming complexities for consistent, continental-scale flood mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Helen; Zaidman, Maxine; Davison, Charlotte

2013-04-01

The EU Floods Directive requires all member states to produce flood hazard maps by 2013. Although flood mapping practices are well developed in Europe, there are huge variations in the scale and resolution of the maps between individual countries. Since extreme flood events are rarely confined to a single country, this is problematic, particularly for the re/insurance industry whose exposures often extend beyond country boundaries. Here, we discuss the challenges of large-scale hydrological and hydraulic modelling, using our experience of developing a 12-country model and set of maps, to illustrate how consistent, high-resolution river flood maps across Europe can be produced. The main challenges addressed include: data acquisition; manipulating the vast quantities of high-resolution data; and computational resources. Our starting point was to develop robust flood-frequency models that are suitable for estimating peak flows for a range of design flood return periods. We used the index flood approach, based on a statistical analysis of historic river flow data pooled on the basis of catchment characteristics. Historical flow data were therefore sourced for each country and collated into a large pan-European database. After a lengthy validation these data were collated into 21 separate analysis zones or regions, grouping smaller river basins according to their physical and climatic characteristics. The very large continental scale basins were each modelled separately on account of their size (e.g. Danube, Elbe, Drava and Rhine). Our methodology allows the design flood hydrograph to be predicted at any point on the river network for a range of return periods. Using JFlow+, JBA's proprietary 2D hydraulic hydrodynamic model, the calculated out-of-bank flows for all watercourses with an upstream drainage area exceeding 50km2 were routed across two different Digital Terrain Models in order to map the extent and depth of floodplain inundation. This generated modelling for a total river length of approximately 250,000km. Such a large-scale, high-resolution modelling exercise is extremely demanding on computational resources and would have been unfeasible without the use of Graphics Processing Units on a network of standard specification gaming computers. Our GPU grid is the world's largest flood-dedicated computer grid. The European river basins were split out into approximately 100 separate hydraulic models and managed individually, although care was taken to ensure flow continuity was maintained between models. The flood hazard maps from the modelling were pieced together using GIS techniques, to provide flood depth and extent information across Europe to a consistent scale and standard. After discussing the methodological challenges, we shall present our flood hazard maps and, from extensive validation work, compare these against historical flow records and observed flood extents.

Overestimation of the earthquake hazard along the Himalaya: constraints in bracketing of medieval earthquakes from paleoseismic studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arora, Shreya; Malik, Javed N.

2017-12-01

The Himalaya is one of the most seismically active regions of the world. The occurrence of several large magnitude earthquakes viz. 1905 Kangra earthquake (Mw 7.8), 1934 Bihar-Nepal earthquake (Mw 8.2), 1950 Assam earthquake (Mw 8.4), 2005 Kashmir (Mw 7.6), and 2015 Gorkha (Mw 7.8) are the testimony to ongoing tectonic activity. In the last few decades, tremendous efforts have been made along the Himalayan arc to understand the patterns of earthquake occurrences, size, extent, and return periods. Some of the large magnitude earthquakes produced surface rupture, while some remained blind. Furthermore, due to the incompleteness of the earthquake catalogue, a very few events can be correlated with medieval earthquakes. Based on the existing paleoseismic data certainly, there exists a complexity to precisely determine the extent of surface rupture of these earthquakes and also for those events, which occurred during historic times. In this paper, we have compiled the paleo-seismological data and recalibrated the radiocarbon ages from the trenches excavated by previous workers along the entire Himalaya and compared earthquake scenario with the past. Our studies suggest that there were multiple earthquake events with overlapping surface ruptures in small patches with an average rupture length of 300 km limiting Mw 7.8-8.0 for the Himalayan arc, rather than two or three giant earthquakes rupturing the whole front. It has been identified that the large magnitude Himalayan earthquakes, such as 1905 Kangra, 1934 Bihar-Nepal, and 1950 Assam, that have occurred within a time frame of 45 years. Now, if these events are dated, there is a high possibility that within the range of ±50 years, they may be considered as the remnant of one giant earthquake rupturing the entire Himalayan arc. Therefore, leading to an overestimation of seismic hazard scenario in Himalaya.

PNAC: a protein nucleolar association classifier

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Although primarily known as the site of ribosome subunit production, the nucleolus is involved in numerous and diverse cellular processes. Recent large-scale proteomics projects have identified thousands of human proteins that associate with the nucleolus. However, in most cases, we know neither the fraction of each protein pool that is nucleolus-associated nor whether their association is permanent or conditional. Results To describe the dynamic localisation of proteins in the nucleolus, we investigated the extent of nucleolar association of proteins by first collating an extensively curated literature-derived dataset. This dataset then served to train a probabilistic predictor which integrates gene and protein characteristics. Unlike most previous experimental and computational studies of the nucleolar proteome that produce large static lists of nucleolar proteins regardless of their extent of nucleolar association, our predictor models the fluidity of the nucleolus by considering different classes of nucleolar-associated proteins. The new method predicts all human proteins as either nucleolar-enriched, nucleolar-nucleoplasmic, nucleolar-cytoplasmic or non-nucleolar. Leave-one-out cross validation tests reveal sensitivity values for these four classes ranging from 0.72 to 0.90 and positive predictive values ranging from 0.63 to 0.94. The overall accuracy of the classifier was measured to be 0.85 on an independent literature-based test set and 0.74 using a large independent quantitative proteomics dataset. While the three nucleolar-association groups display vastly different Gene Ontology biological process signatures and evolutionary characteristics, they collectively represent the most well characterised nucleolar functions. Conclusions Our proteome-wide classification of nucleolar association provides a novel representation of the dynamic content of the nucleolus. This model of nucleolar localisation thus increases the coverage while providing accurate and specific annotations of the nucleolar proteome. It will be instrumental in better understanding the central role of the nucleolus in the cell and its interaction with other subcellular compartments. PMID:21272300

Idaho National Laboratory Test Area North: Application of Endpoints to Guide Adaptive Remediation at a Complex Site: INL Test Area North: Application of Endpoints

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, M. Hope; Truex, Mike; Freshley, Mark

Complex sites are defined as those with difficult subsurface access, deep and/or thick zones of contamination, large areal extent, subsurface heterogeneities that limit the effectiveness of remediation, or where long-term remedies are needed to address contamination (e.g., because of long-term sources or large extent). The Test Area North at the Idaho National Laboratory, developed for nuclear fuel operations and heavy metal manufacturing, is used as a case study. Liquid wastes and sludge from experimental facilities were disposed in an injection well, which contaminated the subsurface aquifer located deep within fractured basalt. The wastes included organic, inorganic, and low-level radioactive constituents,more » with the focus of this case study on trichloroethylene. The site is used as an example of a systems-based framework that provides a structured approach to regulatory processes established for remediation under existing regulations. The framework is intended to facilitate remedy decisions and implementation at complex sites where restoration may be uncertain, require long timeframes, or involve use of adaptive management approaches. The framework facilitates site, regulator, and stakeholder interactions during the remedial planning and implementation process by using a conceptual model description as a technical foundation for decisions, identifying endpoints, which are interim remediation targets or intermediate decision points on the path to an ultimate end, and maintaining protectiveness during the remediation process. At the Test Area North, using a structured approach to implementing concepts in the endpoint framework, a three-component remedy is largely functioning as intended and is projected to meet remedial action objectives by 2095 as required. The remedy approach is being adjusted as new data become available. The framework provides a structured process for evaluating and adjusting the remediation approach, allowing site owners, regulators, and stakeholders to manage contamination at complex sites where adaptive remedies are needed.« less

A review of surface energy balance models for estimating actual evapotranspiration with remote sensing at high spatiotemporal resolution over large extents

Treesearch

Ryan R. McShane; Katelyn P. Driscoll; Roy Sando

2017-01-01

Many approaches have been developed for measuring or estimating actual evapotranspiration (ETa), and research over many years has led to the development of remote sensing methods that are reliably reproducible and effective in estimating ETa. Several remote sensing methods can be used to estimate ETa at the high spatial resolution of agricultural fields and the large...

Population-wide mortality in multiple forest types in western North America: onset, extent, and severity of impacts as indicators of climatic influence

Treesearch

J. D. Shaw; J. N. Long; M. T. Thompson; R. J. DeRose

2010-01-01

A complex of drought, insects, and disease is causing widespread mortality in multiple forest types across western North America. These forest types range from dry Pinus-Juniperus woodlands to moist, montane Picea-Abies forests. Although large-scale mortality events are known from the past and considered part of natural cycles, recent events have largely been...

The spatial and temporal domains of modern ecology.

PubMed

Estes, Lyndon; Elsen, Paul R; Treuer, Timothy; Ahmed, Labeeb; Caylor, Kelly; Chang, Jason; Choi, Jonathan J; Ellis, Erle C

2018-05-01

To understand ecological phenomena, it is necessary to observe their behaviour across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Since this need was first highlighted in the 1980s, technology has opened previously inaccessible scales to observation. To help to determine whether there have been corresponding changes in the scales observed by modern ecologists, we analysed the resolution, extent, interval and duration of observations (excluding experiments) in 348 studies that have been published between 2004 and 2014. We found that observational scales were generally narrow, because ecologists still primarily use conventional field techniques. In the spatial domain, most observations had resolutions ≤1 m 2 and extents ≤10,000 ha. In the temporal domain, most observations were either unreplicated or infrequently repeated (>1 month interval) and ≤1 year in duration. Compared with studies conducted before 2004, observational durations and resolutions appear largely unchanged, but intervals have become finer and extents larger. We also found a large gulf between the scales at which phenomena are actually observed and the scales those observations ostensibly represent, raising concerns about observational comprehensiveness. Furthermore, most studies did not clearly report scale, suggesting that it remains a minor concern. Ecologists can better understand the scales represented by observations by incorporating autocorrelation measures, while journals can promote attentiveness to scale by implementing scale-reporting standards.

Community-based efforts to prevent obesity: Australia-wide survey of projects.

PubMed

Nichols, Melanie S; Reynolds, Rebecca C; Waters, Elizabeth; Gill, Timothy; King, Lesley; Swinburn, Boyd A; Allender, Steven

2013-08-01

Community-based programs that affect healthy environments and policies have emerged as an effective response to high obesity levels in populations. Apart from limited individual reports, little is currently known about these programs, limiting the potential to provide effective support, to promote effective practice, prevent adverse outcomes and disseminate intervention results and experience. The aim of the present study was to identify the size and reach of current community-based obesity prevention projects in Australia and to examine their characteristics, program features (e.g. intervention setting), capacity and approach to obesity prevention. Detailed survey completed by representatives from community-based obesity prevention initiatives in Australia. There was wide variation in funding, capacity and approach to obesity prevention among the 78 participating projects. Median annual funding was Au$94900 (range Au$2500-$4.46 million). The most common intervention settings were schools (39%). Forty per cent of programs focused on a population group of ≥50000 people. A large proportion of respondents felt that they did not have sufficient resources or staff training to achieve project objectives. Community-based projects currently represent a very large investment by both government and non-government sectors for the prevention of obesity. Existing projects are diverse in size and scope, and reach large segments of the population. Further work is needed to identify the full extent of existing community actions and to monitor their reach and future 'scale up' to ensure that future activities aim for effective integration into systems, policies and environments. SO WHAT? Community-based programs make a substantial contribution to the prevention of obesity and promotion of healthy lifestyles in Australia. A risk of the current intervention landscape is that effective approaches may go unrecognised due to lack of effective evaluations or limitations in program design, duration or size. Policy makers and researchers must recognise the potential contribution of these initiatives, to both public health and knowledge generation, and provide support for strong evaluation and sustainable intervention designs.

Ziwundaschg - 10Be dating an Older Dryas cirque glacier moraine in the middle of the Eastern Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moran, Andrew; Ivy-Ochs, Susan; Kerschner, Hanns

2017-04-01

Alpine glacier extents during the Oldest Dryas period (>14.7 ka) are still largely unknown. Moraines from that period are comparatively rare and usually attributed to the "Gschnitz Stadial", which marks the alpine glacier reaction to the first part of Heinrich event 1. In many valleys, in the absence of clear geomorphological evidence, estimates for the glacier extent during that period range between large dendritic valley glacier systems with a well defined, albeit unknown glacier end on the one hand and numerous local valley and cirque glaciers on the other hand. In this context well dated local glacier extents may play an important role, as they provide boundary conditions for the altitude of the equilibrium line (an important palaeoclimatic parameter) and thus limit possible speculations about glacier extents in their vicinity. "Ziwundaschg" is the place name for a cirque in the western Ötztal Mountains near the upper Inn valley and Reschenpass. It is situated more or less in the centre of the Eastern Alps. The cirque floor is at an altitude of about 2000 m and the highest mountains in the back of the cirque are around 2750 m. They were not glacierized during the Little Ice Age, and even a glacierization during the Younger Dryas cold phase was likely limited to a few small ice patches. Further down at the cirque floor, a beautifully developed end moraine with lateral moraines is preserved. 10Be ages from boulders on the moraine cluster around the transition from the Oldest Dryas to the Bølling Interstadial, suggesting moraine stabilization due to the rapid warming at that time. The ELA of the glacier was at about 2200 m a.s.l., roughly 600 - 650 m lower than during the LIA. This value can be taken as representative for the mountain ranges in its vicinity and can form the basis for estimates of glacier extent during the early Lateglacial period in the central Eastern Alps.

Integrating remotely sensed surface water extent into continental scale hydrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Revilla-Romero, Beatriz; Wanders, Niko; Burek, Peter; Salamon, Peter; de Roo, Ad

2016-12-01

In hydrological forecasting, data assimilation techniques are employed to improve estimates of initial conditions to update incorrect model states with observational data. However, the limited availability of continuous and up-to-date ground streamflow data is one of the main constraints for large-scale flood forecasting models. This is the first study that assess the impact of assimilating daily remotely sensed surface water extent at a 0.1° × 0.1° spatial resolution derived from the Global Flood Detection System (GFDS) into a global rainfall-runoff including large ungauged areas at the continental spatial scale in Africa and South America. Surface water extent is observed using a range of passive microwave remote sensors. The methodology uses the brightness temperature as water bodies have a lower emissivity. In a time series, the satellite signal is expected to vary with changes in water surface, and anomalies can be correlated with flood events. The Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) is a Monte-Carlo implementation of data assimilation and used here by applying random sampling perturbations to the precipitation inputs to account for uncertainty obtaining ensemble streamflow simulations from the LISFLOOD model. Results of the updated streamflow simulation are compared to baseline simulations, without assimilation of the satellite-derived surface water extent. Validation is done in over 100 in situ river gauges using daily streamflow observations in the African and South American continent over a one year period. Some of the more commonly used metrics in hydrology were calculated: KGE', NSE, PBIAS%, R2, RMSE, and VE. Results show that, for example, NSE score improved on 61 out of 101 stations obtaining significant improvements in both the timing and volume of the flow peaks. Whereas the validation at gauges located in lowland jungle obtained poorest performance mainly due to the closed forest influence on the satellite signal retrieval. The conclusion is that remotely sensed surface water extent holds potential for improving rainfall-runoff streamflow simulations, potentially leading to a better forecast of the peak flow.

Asthma and Respiratory Allergic Disease

EPA Science Inventory

The pathogenesis of non-communicable diseases such as allergy is complex and poorly understood. The causes of chronic allergic diseases including asthma involve to a large extent, immunomodulation of the adaptive and particularly the innate immune systems and are markedly influen...

Earthshots: Satellite images of environmental change – Bahrain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adamson, Thomas

2016-01-01

Besides the large land additions, an obvious increase in urban areas dominates the images. Bahrain’s 1970 population was 213,000; in 2010 it was 1,252,000. The country’s urban extent doubled between 1987 and 2013.