Trend analysis of GIMMS and MODIS NDVI time series for establishing a land degradation neutrality national baseline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gichenje, Helene; Godinho, Sergio

2017-04-01

Land degradation is a key global environment and development problem that is recognized as a priority by the international development community. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the global community in 2015, and include a goal related to land degradation and the accompanying target to achieve a land degradation-neutral (LDN) world by 2030. The LDN concept encompasses two joint actions of reducing the rate of degradation and increasing the rate of restoration. Using Kenya as the study area, this study aims to develop and test a spatially explicit methodology for assessing and monitoring the operationalization of a land degradation neutrality scheme at the national level. Time series analysis is applied to Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) satellite data records, based on the hypothesis that the resulting NDVI residual trend would enable successful detection of changes in vegetation photosynthetic capacity and thus serve as a proxy for land degradation and regeneration processes. Two NDVI data sets are used to identify the spatial and temporal distribution of degraded and regenerated areas: the long term coarse resolution (8km, 1982-2015) third generation Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) NDVI3g data record; and the shorter-term finer resolution (250m, 2001-2015) Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) derived NDVI data record. Climate data (rainfall, temperature and soil moisture) are used to separate areas of human-induced vegetation productivity decline from those driven by climate dynamics. Further, weekly vegetation health (VH) indexes (4km, 1982-2015) developed by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), are assessed as indicators for early detection and monitoring of land degradation by estimating vegetation stress (moisture, thermal and combined conditions).

Analysis of smoke and cloud impact on seasonal and interannual variations in normalized difference vegetation index in Amazon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, H.; Dye, D. G.

2004-12-01

Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) derived from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) is a unique measurement of long-term variations in global vegetation dynamics. The NDVI data have been used for the detection of the seasonal and interannual variations in vegetation. However, as reported in several studies, NDVI decreases with the increase in clouds and/or smoke aerosol contaminated in the pixels. This study assesses the smoke and clouds effect on long-term Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) and Pathfinder AVHRR Land (PAL) NDVI data in Amazon. This knowledge will help developing the correction method in the tropics in the future. To assess the smoke and cloud effects on GIMMS and PAL, we used another satellite-derived data sets; NDVI derived from SPOT/VEGETATION (VGT) data and Aerosol Index (AI) derived from Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS). Since April 1998, VGT has measured the earth surface globally including in Amazon. The advantage of the VGT is that it has blue channel where the smoke and cloud can be easily detected. By analyzing the VGT NDVI and comparing with the AVHRR-based NDVI, we inferred smoke and cloud effect on the AVHRR-based NDVI. From the results of the VGT analysis, we found the large NDVI seasonality in South and Southeastern Amazon. In these areas, the NDVI gradually increased from April to July and decreased from August to October. However the sufficient NDVI data were not existed from August to November when the smoke and cloud pixels were masked using blue reflectance. Thus it is said that the smoke and clouds mainly cause the large decreases in NDVI between August and November and NDVI has little vegetation signature in these months. Also we examined the interannual variations in NDVI and smoke aerosol. Then the decrease in NDVI is well consistent with the increase in the increase in AI. Our results suggest that the months between April and July are the most reliable season to monitor the vegetation.

Characteristics of vegetation activity and its responses to climate change in desert/grassland biome transition zones in the last 30 years based on GIMMS3g

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Jing; Du, Lingtong; Liu, Ke; Hu, Yue; Zhu, Yuguo

2018-06-01

The vegetation in desert/grassland biome transition zones is part of a fragile ecosystem that is sensitive to climate change. Thus, in recent decades, studying vegetation activity in desert/grassland biome transition zones has become important. Here, vegetation activity and the evolutionary tendencies of the temporal and spatial differentiation of the phenology of the desert/grassland biome transition zones were analyzed based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) of the third-generation Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS3g) dataset. Additionally, the relationship between vegetation activity and climatic factors was analyzed based on NDVI and global meteorological reanalysis data. The results showed that the vegetation phenology of desert/grassland biome transition zones exhibits sharply contrasting characteristics between the Northern and Southern hemispheres, particularly when comparing differences before and after the breakpoint in global climate change (1998). The length of the growing season (LOS) of the Northern Hemisphere was shorter after 1998 than before it, and the integral of the growing season (IOS) of the NDVI decreased correspondingly. By contrast, the LOS in the Southern Hemisphere was longer, and after 1998, the IOS of the NDVI increased compared to its previous value. The vegetation activity trend and the fluctuation of the desert/grassland biome transition zones in the last 30 years can be divided into nine combined modes. However, these features also have an obvious turning point in 1998. The effects of evapotranspiration and precipitation on vegetation activity were most obvious, and these climatic factors drove the phenology changes in the different regions. Global warming limited the vegetation activity in low-latitude areas, but promoted it in middle-latitude areas.

Evaluating the Consistency of the 1982–1999 NDVI Trends in the Iberian Peninsula across Four Time-series Derived from the AVHRR Sensor: LTDR, GIMMS, FASIR, and PAL-II

PubMed Central

Alcaraz-Segura, Domingo; Liras, Elisa; Tabik, Siham; Paruelo, José; Cabello, Javier

2010-01-01

Successive efforts have processed the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensor archive to produce Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) datasets (i.e., PAL, FASIR, GIMMS, and LTDR) under different corrections and processing schemes. Since NDVI datasets are used to evaluate carbon gains, differences among them may affect nations’ carbon budgets in meeting international targets (such as the Kyoto Protocol). This study addresses the consistency across AVHRR NDVI datasets in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) by evaluating whether their 1982–1999 NDVI trends show similar spatial patterns. Significant trends were calculated with the seasonal Mann-Kendall trend test and their spatial consistency with partial Mantel tests. Over 23% of the Peninsula (N, E, and central mountain ranges) showed positive and significant NDVI trends across the four datasets and an additional 18% across three datasets. In 20% of Iberia (SW quadrant), the four datasets exhibited an absence of significant trends and an additional 22% across three datasets. Significant NDVI decreases were scarce (croplands in the Guadalquivir and Segura basins, La Mancha plains, and Valencia). Spatial consistency of significant trends across at least three datasets was observed in 83% of the Peninsula, but it decreased to 47% when comparing across the four datasets. FASIR, PAL, and LTDR were the most spatially similar datasets, while GIMMS was the most different. The different performance of each AVHRR dataset to detect significant NDVI trends (e.g., LTDR detected greater significant trends (both positive and negative) and in 32% more pixels than GIMMS) has great implications to evaluate carbon budgets. The lack of spatial consistency across NDVI datasets derived from the same AVHRR sensor archive, makes it advisable to evaluate carbon gains trends using several satellite datasets and, whether possible, independent/additional data sources to contrast. PMID:22205868

Evaluating the consistency of the 1982-1999 NDVI trends in the Iberian Peninsula across four time-series derived from the AVHRR sensor: LTDR, GIMMS, FASIR, and PAL-II.

PubMed

Alcaraz-Segura, Domingo; Liras, Elisa; Tabik, Siham; Paruelo, José; Cabello, Javier

2010-01-01

Successive efforts have processed the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensor archive to produce Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) datasets (i.e., PAL, FASIR, GIMMS, and LTDR) under different corrections and processing schemes. Since NDVI datasets are used to evaluate carbon gains, differences among them may affect nations' carbon budgets in meeting international targets (such as the Kyoto Protocol). This study addresses the consistency across AVHRR NDVI datasets in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) by evaluating whether their 1982-1999 NDVI trends show similar spatial patterns. Significant trends were calculated with the seasonal Mann-Kendall trend test and their spatial consistency with partial Mantel tests. Over 23% of the Peninsula (N, E, and central mountain ranges) showed positive and significant NDVI trends across the four datasets and an additional 18% across three datasets. In 20% of Iberia (SW quadrant), the four datasets exhibited an absence of significant trends and an additional 22% across three datasets. Significant NDVI decreases were scarce (croplands in the Guadalquivir and Segura basins, La Mancha plains, and Valencia). Spatial consistency of significant trends across at least three datasets was observed in 83% of the Peninsula, but it decreased to 47% when comparing across the four datasets. FASIR, PAL, and LTDR were the most spatially similar datasets, while GIMMS was the most different. The different performance of each AVHRR dataset to detect significant NDVI trends (e.g., LTDR detected greater significant trends (both positive and negative) and in 32% more pixels than GIMMS) has great implications to evaluate carbon budgets. The lack of spatial consistency across NDVI datasets derived from the same AVHRR sensor archive, makes it advisable to evaluate carbon gains trends using several satellite datasets and, whether possible, independent/additional data sources to contrast.

Changes in the NDVI of Boreal Forests over the period 1984 to 2003 measured using time series of Landsat TM/ETM+ surface reflectance and the GIMMS AVHRR NDVI record.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMillan, A. M.; Rocha, A. V.; Goulden, M. L.

2006-12-01

There is a prevailing opinion that the boreal landscape is undergoing change as a result of warming temperatures leading to earlier springs, greater forest fire frequency and possibly CO2 fertilization. One widely- used line of evidence is the GIMMS AVHRR NDVI record. Several studies suggest increasing rates of photosynthesis in boreal forests from 1982 to 1991 (based on NDVI increases) while others suggest declining photosynthesis from 1996 to 2003. We suspect that a portion of these changes are due to the successional stage of the forests. We compiled a time-series of atmospherically-corrected Landsat TM/ETM+ images spanning the period 1984 to 2003 over the BOREAS Northern Study Area and compared spatial and temporal patterns of NDVI between the two records. The Landsat time series is higher resolution and, together with the Canadian Fire Service Large Fire Database, provides stand-age information. We then (1) analyzed the agreement between the Landsat and GIMMS AVHRR time series; (2) determined how the stage of forest succession affected NDVI; (3) assessed how the calculation method of annual averages of NDVI affects decadal-scale trends. The agreement between the Landsat and the AVHRR was reasonable although the depression of NDVI associated with the aerosols from the Pinatubo volcano was greater in the GIMMS time series. Pixels containing high proportions of stands burned within a decade of the observation period showed very high gains in NDVI while the more mature stands were constant. While NDVI appears to exhibit a large sensitivity to the presence of snow, the choice of a May to September averaging period for NDVI over a June to August averaging period did not affect the interannual patterns in NDVI at this location because the snow pack was seldom present in either of these periods. Knowledge of the spatial and temporal patterns of wild fire will prove useful in interpreting trends of remotely-sensed proxies of photosynthesis.

Long-term Satellite NDVI Data Sets: Evaluating Their Ability to Detect Ecosystem Functional Changes in South America.

PubMed

Baldi, Germán; Nosetto, Marcelo D; Aragón, Roxana; Aversa, Fernando; Paruelo, José M; Jobbágy, Esteban G

2008-09-03

In the last decades, South American ecosystems underwent important functional modifications due to climate alterations and direct human intervention on land use and land cover. Among remotely sensed data sets, NOAA-AVHRR "Normalized Difference Vegetation Index" (NDVI) represents one of the most powerful tools to evaluate these changes thanks to their extended temporal coverage. In this paper we explored the possibilities and limitations of three commonly used NOAA-AVHRR NDVI series (PAL, GIMMS and FASIR) to detect ecosystem functional changes in the South American continent. We performed pixel-based linear regressions for four NDVI variables (average annual, maximum annual, minimum annual and intra-annual coefficient of variation) for the 1982-1999 period and (1) analyzed the convergences and divergences of significant multi-annual trends identified across all series, (2) explored the degree of aggregation of the trends using the O-ring statistic, and (3) evaluated observed trends using independent information on ecosystem functional changes in five focal regions. Several differences arose in terms of the patterns of change (the sign, localization and total number of pixels with changes). FASIR presented the highest proportion of changing pixels (32.7%) and GIMMS the lowest (16.2%). PAL and FASIR data sets showed the highest agreement, with a convergence of detected trends on 71.2% of the pixels. Even though positive and negative changes showed substantial spatial aggregation, important differences in the scale of aggregation emerged among the series, with GIMMS showing the smaller scale (≤11 pixels). The independent evaluations suggest higher accuracy in the detection of ecosystem changes among PAL and FASIR series than with GIMMS, as they detected trends that match expected shifts. In fact, this last series eliminated most of the long term patterns over the continent. For example, in the "Eastern Paraguay" and "Uruguay River margins" focal regions, the extensive changes due to land use and land cover change expansion were detected by PAL and FASIR, but completely ignored by GIMMS. Although the technical explanation of the differences remains unclear and needs further exploration, we found that the evaluation of this type of remote sensing tools should not only be focused at the level of assumptions (i.e. physical or mathematical aspects of image processing), but also at the level of results (i.e. contrasting observed patterns with independent proofs of change). We finally present the online collaborative initiative "Land ecosystem change utility for South America", which facilitates this type of evaluations and helps to identify the most important functional changes of the continent.

Long-term Satellite NDVI Data Sets: Evaluating Their Ability to Detect Ecosystem Functional Changes in South America

PubMed Central

Baldi, Germán; Nosetto, Marcelo D.; Aragón, Roxana; Aversa, Fernando; Paruelo, José M.; Jobbágy, Esteban G.

2008-01-01

In the last decades, South American ecosystems underwent important functional modifications due to climate alterations and direct human intervention on land use and land cover. Among remotely sensed data sets, NOAA-AVHRR “Normalized Difference Vegetation Index” (NDVI) represents one of the most powerful tools to evaluate these changes thanks to their extended temporal coverage. In this paper we explored the possibilities and limitations of three commonly used NOAA-AVHRR NDVI series (PAL, GIMMS and FASIR) to detect ecosystem functional changes in the South American continent. We performed pixel-based linear regressions for four NDVI variables (average annual, maximum annual, minimum annual and intra-annual coefficient of variation) for the 1982-1999 period and (1) analyzed the convergences and divergences of significant multi-annual trends identified across all series, (2) explored the degree of aggregation of the trends using the O-ring statistic, and (3) evaluated observed trends using independent information on ecosystem functional changes in five focal regions. Several differences arose in terms of the patterns of change (the sign, localization and total number of pixels with changes). FASIR presented the highest proportion of changing pixels (32.7%) and GIMMS the lowest (16.2%). PAL and FASIR data sets showed the highest agreement, with a convergence of detected trends on 71.2% of the pixels. Even though positive and negative changes showed substantial spatial aggregation, important differences in the scale of aggregation emerged among the series, with GIMMS showing the smaller scale (≤11 pixels). The independent evaluations suggest higher accuracy in the detection of ecosystem changes among PAL and FASIR series than with GIMMS, as they detected trends that match expected shifts. In fact, this last series eliminated most of the long term patterns over the continent. For example, in the “Eastern Paraguay” and “Uruguay River margins” focal regions, the extensive changes due to land use and land cover change expansion were detected by PAL and FASIR, but completely ignored by GIMMS. Although the technical explanation of the differences remains unclear and needs further exploration, we found that the evaluation of this type of remote sensing tools should not only be focused at the level of assumptions (i.e. physical or mathematical aspects of image processing), but also at the level of results (i.e. contrasting observed patterns with independent proofs of change). We finally present the online collaborative initiative “Land ecosystem change utility for South America”, which facilitates this type of evaluations and helps to identify the most important functional changes of the continent. PMID:27873821

No Consistent Evidence for Advancing or Delaying Trends in Spring Phenology on the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xufeng; Xiao, Jingfeng; Li, Xin; Cheng, Guodong; Ma, Mingguo; Che, Tao; Dai, Liyun; Wang, Shaoying; Wu, Jinkui

2017-12-01

Vegetation phenology is a sensitive indicator of climate change and has significant effects on the exchange of carbon, water, and energy between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere. The Tibetan Plateau, the Earth's "third pole," is a unique region for studying the long-term trends in vegetation phenology in response to climate change because of the sensitivity of its alpine ecosystems to climate and its low-level human disturbance. There has been a debate whether the trends in spring phenology over the Tibetan Plateau have been continuously advancing over the last two to three decades. In this study, we examine the trends in the start of growing season (SOS) for alpine meadow and steppe using the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS)3g normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data set (1982-2014), the GIMMS NDVI data set (1982-2006), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) NDVI data set (2001-2014), the Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre Vegetation (SPOT-VEG) NDVI data set (1999-2013), and the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS) NDVI data set (1998-2007). Both logistic and polynomial fitting methods are used to retrieve the SOS dates from the NDVI data sets. Our results show that the trends in spring phenology over the Tibetan Plateau depend on both the NDVI data set used and the method for retrieving the SOS date. There are large discrepancies in the SOS trends among the different NDVI data sets and between the two different retrieval methods. There is no consistent evidence that spring phenology ("green-up" dates) has been advancing or delaying over the Tibetan Plateau during the last two to three decades. Ground-based budburst data also indicate no consistent trends in spring phenology. The responses of SOS to environmental factors (air temperature, precipitation, soil temperature, and snow depth) also vary among NDVI data sets and phenology retrieval methods. The increases in winter and spring temperature had offsetting effects on spring phenology.

Analyzing the Velocity of Vegetation Phenology Over the Tibetan Plateau Using Gimms NDVI3g Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Y. K.

2018-05-01

Global environmental change is rapidly altering the dynamics of terrestrial vegetation, and phenology is a classic proxy to detect the response of vegetation to the changes. On the Tibetan Plateau, the earlier spring and delayed autumn vegetation phenology is widely reported. Remotely sensed NDVI can serve as a good data source for vegetation phenology study. Here GIMMS NDVI3g data was used to detect vegetation phenology status on the Tibetan Plateau. The spatial and temporal gradients are combined to depict the velocity of vegetation expanding process. This velocity index represents the instantaneous local velocity along the Earth's surface needed to maintain constant vegetation condition. This study found that NDVI velocity show a complex spatial pattern. A considerable number of regions display a later starting of growing season (SOS) and earlier end of growing season (EOS) reflected by the velocity change, particularly in the central part of the plateau. Nearly 74 % vegetation experienced a shortened growing season length. Totally, the magnitude of the phenology velocity is at a small level that reveals there is not a significant variation of vegetation phenology under the climate change context.

Can Dynamic Global Vegetation Models Reproduce Satellite Observed Extreme Browning and Greening Events in Vegetation Productivity?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Eck, C. M.; Morfopoulos, C.; Betts, R. A.; Chang, J.; Ciais, P.; Friedlingstein, P.; Regnier, P. A. G.

2016-12-01

The frequency and severity of extreme climate events such as droughts, extreme precipitation and heatwaves are expected to increase in our changing climate. These extreme climate events will have an effect on vegetation either by enhanced or reduced productivity. Subsequently, this can have a substantial impact on the terrestrial carbon sink and thus the global carbon cycle, especially as extreme climate events are expected to increase in frequency and severity. Connecting observational datasets with modelling studies provides new insights into these climate-vegetation interactions. This study aims to compare extremes in vegetation productivity as derived from observations with that of Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs). In this case GIMMS-NDVI 3g is selected as the observational dataset and both JULES (Joint UK Land Environment Simulator) and ORCHIDEE (Organising Carbon and Hydrology In Dynamic Ecosystems) as the DGVMs. Both models are forced with PGFv2 Global Meteorological Forcing Dataset according to the ISI-MIP2 protocol for historical runs. Extremes in vegetation productivity are the focal point, which are identified as NDVI anomalies below the 10th percentile or above the 90th percentile during the growing season, referred to as browning or greening events respectively. The monthly NDVI dataset GIMMS-NDVI 3g is used to obtain the location in time and space of the vegetation extremes. The global GIMMS-NDVI 3g dataset has been subdivided into IPCC's SREX-regions for which the NDVI anomalies are calculated and the extreme thresholds are determined. With this information we can identify the location in time and space of the browning and greening events in remotely-sensed vegetation productivity. The same procedure is applied to the modelled Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) allowing a comparison between the spatial and temporal occurrence of the browning and greening events in the observational dataset and the models' output. The capacity of the models to catch observed extremes in vegetation productivity is assessed and compared. Factors contributing to observed and modelled vegetation browning/greening extremes are analysed. The results of this study provide a stepping stone to modelling future extremes in vegetation productivity.

Shifting Environmental Ranges and Biome Potential According to the Whittaker Relationship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Jong, R.; Garonna, I.; Schaepman, M. E.

2015-12-01

Robert H. Whittaker classified biome types mainly as a function of Mean Annual Temperature (MAT) and Mean Annual Precipitation (MAP), resulting in the well-known Whittaker plot1. This relationship is still being used to map biomes globally2. The same inputs (MAT and MAP), augmented with a radiation proxy, are used in the resource-balance perspective for modeling large-scale vegetation productivity as a function of abiotic factors3. These two approaches, used in a temporally dynamic manner, provided us indicators of shifts in growth-limiting factors4 and associated environmental ranges of vegetation, which, in turn, are key indicators for the study of global change and biodiversity5. We present a study in which we used the Whittaker relationship and CRU TS 3.22 climatic data to map regions that showed variable biome potential. These regions are likely to indicate ecotones - i.e. interactions zones between biomes - that have been subject to abiotic change and where a change in the vegetation system can be anticipated. At the same time, we used remotely sensed data (GIMMS v3g 1982-2012) to study gradients in vegetation dynamics in these zones. Preliminary results show strongest environmental shifts in northern ecotones, e.g. on the tundra - boreal boundary, and associated changes in climatic growth-limiting factors4. [1] Whittaker RH (1975) Communities and Ecosystems, Macmillan, 385p.[2] Ricklefs RE (2008) The Economy of Nature, W. H. Freeman, 620p.[3] Field CB, Randerson JT, Malmström CM (1995) Global net primary production: Combining ecology and remote sensing. Remote Sensing of Environment, 51, 74-88.[4] Schenkel D, Garonna I, De Jong R, Schaepman ME (this conference) Linking Land Surface Phenology and Growth Limiting Factor Shifts over the Past 30 Years.[5] University of Zurich Research Priority Program on Global Change and Biodiversity, http://www.gcb.uzh.ch

Radiation damage and waste management options for the SOMBRERO final focus system and neutron dumps

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

Latkowski, J F; Meier, W R; Reyes, S

1999-08-09

Previous studies of the safety and environmental aspects of the SOMBRERO inertial fusion energy (IFE) power plant design did not completely address the issues associated with the final focus system. While past work calculated neutron fluences for a grazing incidence metal mirror (GIMM) and a final focus mirror, scattering off of the final optical component was not included, and thus, fluences in the final focus mirror were significantly underestimated. In addition, past work did not consider neutron-induced gamma-rays. Finally, power plant lifetime waste volumes may have been underestimated as neutron activation of the neutron dumps and building structure were notmore » addressed. In the present work, a modified version of the SOMBRERO target building is presented where a significantly larger open solid-angle fraction (5%) is used to enhance beam smoothing of a diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL). The GIMMs are replaced with transmissive fused silica wedges and have been included in three -dimensional neutron and photon transport calculations. This work shows that a power plant with a large open solid-angle fraction, needed for beam smoothing with a DPSSL, is acceptable from tritium breeding, and neutron activation points-of-view.« less

Gimme an "E"!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoisington, Cynthia; Winokur, Jeff

2015-01-01

Early childhood educators have long debated how science should be introduced and taught to preschoolers. In the current Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education climate, this conversation has expanded to include the role of engineering in the preschool curriculum. Instructors and coaches in the professional development…

Highlights lecture EANM 2014: "Gimme gimme gimme those nuclear Super Troupers".

PubMed

de Jong, Marion; Van Laere, Koen

2015-04-01

The EANM Congress 2014 took place in Gothenburg, Sweden, from 18 to 22 October under the presidency of Prof. Wim Oyen, chair of the EANM Scientific Committee. Prof. Peter Gjertsson chaired the Local Organizing Committee, according to the standardized EANM congress structure. The meeting was a highlight for the multidisciplinary community that forms the heart and soul of nuclear medicine; attendance was exceptionally high. In total almost 5,300 participants came to Gothenburg, and 1,397 colleagues participated via the EANM LIVE sessions ( http://eanmlive.eanm.org/index.php ). Participants from all continents were presented with an excellent programme consisting of symposia, scientific and featured sessions, CME sessions, and plenary lectures. These lectures were devoted to nuclear medicine therapy, hybrid imaging and molecular life sciences. Two tracks were included in the main programme, clustering multi-committee involvement: the 5th International Symposium on Targeted Radionuclide-therapy and Dosimetry (ISTARD) and the first Molecules to Man (M2M) track, an initiative of the EANM Committees for Translational Molecular Imaging, Radiopharmacy and Drug Development. The industry made a substantial contribution to the success of the congress demonstrating the latest technology and innovations in the field. During the closing Highlights Lecture, a selection of the best-rated abstracts was presented including diverse areas of nuclear medicine: physics and instrumentation, radiopharmacy, preclinical imaging, oncology (with a focus on the clinical application of newly developed tracers) and radionuclide therapy, cardiology and neurosciences. This Highlights Lecture could only be a brief summary of the large amount of data presented and discussed during the meeting, which can be found in much greater detail in the congress proceedings book, published as Volume 41, Supplement 2 of the European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging in October 2014.

Response of vegetation NDVI to climatic extremes in the arid region of Central Asia: a case study in Xinjiang, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Junqiang; Chen, Yaning; Zhao, Yong; Mao, Weiyi; Xu, Xinbing; Liu, Yang; Yang, Qing

2018-02-01

Observed data showed the climatic transition from warm-dry to warm-wet in Xinjiang during the past 30 years and will probably affect vegetation dynamics. Here, we analyze the interannual change of vegetation index based on the satellite-derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) with temperature and precipitation extreme over the Xinjiang, using the 8-km NDVI third-generation (NDVI3g) from the Global Inventory Modelling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) from 1982 to 2010. Few previous studies analyzed the link between climate extremes and vegetation response. From the satellite-based results, annual NDVI significantly increased in the first two decades (1981-1998) and then decreased after 1998. We show that the NDVI decrease over the past decade may conjointly be triggered by the increases of temperature and precipitation extremes. The correlation analyses demonstrated that the trends of NDVI was close to the trend of extreme precipitation; that is, consecutive dry days (CDD) and torrential rainfall days (R24) positively correlated with NDVI during 1998-2010. For the temperature extreme, while the decreases of NDVI correlate positively with warmer mean minimum temperature ( Tnav), it correlates negatively with the number of warmest night days ( Rwn). The results suggest that the climatic extremes have possible negative effects on the ecosystem.

Gimme an A

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blake, Patty

2011-01-01

Accountability demands place tremendous pressures on high schools to meet specific standards. To satisfy demands, grading policies are becoming more liberal. Grade inflation is the result and a growing concern. This controversial subject contains a number of dangers. To combat the trend, teachers must realize the impact of grade inflation and take…

The Vegetation Trends and Drivers in Beijing-Tianjing Region from 1982 TO 2013 Based on Time Series Gimms NDVI3g

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, S.; Tian, H.; Wang, X.; Li, H.; He, Y.

2018-04-01

Vegetation plays a leading role in ecosystems. Plant communities are the main components of ecosystems. Green plants in ecosystems are the primary producers, and they provide the living organic matter for the survival of other organisms. The dynamics of most landscapes are driven by both natural processes and human activities. In this study, the growing season GIMMS NDVI3g and climatic data were used to analyse the vegetation trends and drivers in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from 1982 to 2013. Result shows that, the vegetation in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region shows overall restoration and partial degradation trend. The significant restoration region accounts for 61.5 % of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, while the significant degradation region accounts for 2.1 %. The dominant climatic factor for time series NDVI were analyzed using the multi-linear regression model. Vegetation growth in 17.9 % of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is dominated by temperature, 35.5 % is dominated by precipitation, and 11.68 % is dominated by solar radiance. Human activities play important role for vegetation restoration in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, where the large scale forest restoration programs are the main human activities, such as the three-north shelterbelt construction project, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei sandstorm source control project and grain for green projects.

Gimme That E-Book Religion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pace, Andrew

2005-01-01

The debate on the efficacy of electronic books involves issues of fair use, digital rights management, preservation, and perpetual ownership. Nevertheless, our intense focus on these areas has distracted us from one of the most important aspects of content pluralism? namely, e-book relationships to book distributors. This article discusses E-books…

Gimme Shelter!: Doghouse Project Hones Construction Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shackelford, Ray; Griffis, Kurt

2007-01-01

In Rover's House project, students practice planning, measurement, layout, and processing skills in building a doghouse. The project is more than a doghouse--it is a learning activity that helps students develop and enhance their ability to work with reinforced concrete, steel and wood studs, trusses, roofing materials and a variety of…

Gimme, It's Mine!: Children's Concepts of Ownership as Revealed in Interaction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bluebond-Langner, Myra

This investigation probes nursery school activities and children's interactions in relation to private and communal property. Analysis of 27 hours of taped interaction spread over 4 months of participant observation reveals that children attempt to gain access to private property in a different way than they try to obtain access to communal…

2010-2011 Inventors Competition--Winners of the "Gimme Shelter" Competition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tech Directions, 2011

2011-01-01

The number of entries to this year's "Tech Directions" Inventors Competition exceeded even the record set by the 2009-2010 contest--and gave engineer/inventor Harry T. Roman quite a judging challenge. This year's challenge called on students to propose designs for inexpensive, portable shelters that could be used by people made homeless by natural…

When Access for the "Gimme" World Proves Dismissive of Finesse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verdesca, Anthony F., Jr.

2011-01-01

A recent "New York Times" article heralded a film documentary whose subject was a competition in which the entrants vied for the title of "one of the best craftsmen of France." The film spotlights the competition between pastry chefs--French pastry chefs--who come from all over France to compete. It's a microcosm of larger…

Long-term vegetation activity trends in the Iberian Peninsula and The Balearic Islands using high spatial resolution NOAA-AVHRR data (1981 - 2015).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin-Hernandez, Natalia; Vicente-Serrano, Sergio; Azorin-Molina, Cesar; Begueria-Portugues, Santiago; Reig-Gracia, Fergus; Zabalza-Martínez, Javier

2017-04-01

We have analysed trends in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in the Iberian Peninsula and The Balearic Islands over the period 1981 - 2015 using a new high resolution data set from the entire available NOAA - AVHRR images (IBERIAN NDVI dataset). After a complete processing including geocoding, calibration, cloud removal, topographic correction and temporal filtering, we obtained bi-weekly time series. To assess the accuracy of the new IBERIAN NDVI time-series, we have compared temporal variability and trends of NDVI series with those results reported by GIMMS 3g and MODIS (MOD13A3) NDVI datasets. In general, the IBERIAN NDVI showed high reliability with these two products but showing higher spatial resolution than the GIMMS dataset and covering two more decades than the MODIS dataset. Using the IBERIAN NDVI dataset, we analysed NDVI trends by means of the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and Theil-Sen slope estimator. In average, vegetation trends in the study area show an increase over the last decades. However, there are local spatial differences: the main increase has been recorded in humid regions of the north of the Iberian Peninsula. The statistical techniques allow finding abrupt and gradual changes in different land cover types during the analysed period. These changes are related with human activity due to land transformations (from dry to irrigated land), land abandonment and forest recovery.

Browning boreal forests of western North America

Treesearch

David Verbyla

2011-01-01

The GIMMS NDVI dataset has been widely used to document a “browning trend” in North American boreal forests (Goetz et al. 2005, Bunn et al. 2007, Beck and Goetz 2011). However, there has been speculation (Alcaraz-Segura et al. 2010) that this trend may be an artifact due to processing algorithms rather than an actual decline in vegetation activity. This conclusion was...

Radio Observations of the Ionosphere From an Imaging Array and a CubeSat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isham, B.; Gustavsson, B.; Bullett, T. W.; Bergman, J. E. S.; Rincón-Charris, A.; Bruhn, F.; Funk, P.

2017-12-01

The ionosphere is a source of many radio emissions in the various low-frequency, medium-frequency, and high-frequency bands (0 to 30 MHz). In addition to natural radio emissions, artificial emissions can be stimulated using high-power radiowave ionospheric modification facilities. Two complementary projects are underway for the purpose of improving our knowledge of the processes of radio emissions from the ionosphere. One project is the Aguadilla radio array, located in northwestern Puerto Rico. The Aguadilla array is intended to produce 2 to 25 MHz radio images of the ionosphere, as well as to perform bistatic radar imaging of the ionosphere over Puerto Rico. The array will consist of multiple antenna elements, each of which is a single active (electromagnetically short) crossed electric dipole. The elements are arranged within a roughly 200 by 300-meter core array, in a semi-random pattern providing an optimal distribution of baseline vectors, with 6-meter minimum spacing to eliminate spacial aliasing. In addition, several elements are arranged in a partial ring around the central core, providing a roughly four times expanded region in u-v space for improved image resolution and quality. Phase is maintained via cabled connections to a central location. A remote array is also being developed, in which phase is maintained between elements by through the use of GPS-disciplined rubidium clocks. The other project involves the GimmeRF radio instrument, designed for 0.3 to 30 MHz vector observation of the radio electric field, and planned for launch in 2020 on a CubeSat. The data rate that can be sustained by GimmeRF far exceeds any available communication strategy. By exploiting fast on-board computing and efficient artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for analysis and data selection, the usage of the telemetry link can be optimized and value added to the mission. Radio images recorded by the radio array from below the ionosphere can be directly compared with the radio data received by GimmeRF in the topside ionosphere, with the goal of better understanding the geometry and therefore the mechanisms of the radio emission processes.

Trends in spring and autumn phenology over the Tibetan Plateau based on four NDVI datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X.; Xiao, J.; Li, X.; Cheng, G.; Ma, M.

2016-12-01

Vegetation phenology is a sensitive indicator of climate change, and has significant effects on ecosystem carbon uptake. As the Earth's "third pole", the Tibetan Plateau has witnessed rapid warming during the last several decades. The Tibetan Plateau is a unique region to study the trends in vegetation phenology in response to climate change because of the sensitivity of its ecosystems to climate and its low-level human disturbance. The trends in spring and autumn phenology over the plateau are highly controversial. In this study, we examine the trends in the start of growing season (SOS) and end of growing season (EOS) for alpine meadow and steppe using the GIMMS NDVI3g dataset (1982-2013), the GIMMS NDVI dataset (1982-2006), the MODIS NDVI dataset (2001-2013) and the SPOT Vegetation NDVI dataset (1999-2013). Both logistic and polynomial fitting models are used to estimate the SOS and EOS dates. The results are evaluated at four meadow/steppe phenology observation stations. The NDVI-derived SOS and EOS dates are systematically greater than the field-based SOS (emergence seedling date) and EOS (wilting date). There are large discrepancies in both spring and autumn phenology among the different NDVI datasets. For a given NDVI dataset, both SOS and EOS also exhibit significant differences between the two different approaches. Our results show that the trends in spring and autumn phenology over the Tibetan Plateau depend on both the NDVI dataset used and the method for retrieving the SOS and EOS dates. There is no consistent evidence that the "green-up" dates (SOS) has been advancing over the Tibetan Plateau during the last two decades.

Evaluation of CLM4 Solar Radiation Partitioning Scheme Using Remote Sensing and Site Level FPAR Datasets

DOE PAGES

Wang, Kai; Mao, Jiafu; Dickinson, Robert; ...

2013-06-05

This paper examines a land surface solar radiation partitioning scheme, i.e., that of the Community Land Model version 4 (CLM4) with coupled carbon and nitrogen cycles. Taking advantage of a unique 30-year fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) dataset derived from the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data set, multiple other remote sensing datasets, and site level observations, we evaluated the CLM4 FPAR ’s seasonal cycle, diurnal cycle, long-term trends and spatial patterns. These findings show that the model generally agrees with observations in the seasonal cycle, long-term trends, and spatial patterns,more » but does not reproduce the diurnal cycle. Discrepancies also exist in seasonality magnitudes, peak value months, and spatial heterogeneity. Here, we identify the discrepancy in the diurnal cycle as, due to, the absence of dependence on sun angle in the model. Implementation of sun angle dependence in a one-dimensional (1-D) model is proposed. The need for better relating of vegetation to climate in the model, indicated by long-term trends, is also noted. Evaluation of the CLM4 land surface solar radiation partitioning scheme using remote sensing and site level FPAR datasets provides targets for future development in its representation of this naturally complicated process.« less

Association analysis between spatiotemporal variation of vegetation greenness and precipitation/temperature in the Yangtze River Basin (China).

PubMed

Cui, Lifang; Wang, Lunche; Singh, Ramesh P; Lai, Zhongping; Jiang, Liangliang; Yao, Rui

2018-05-23

The variation in vegetation greenness provides good understanding of the sustainable management and monitoring of land surface ecosystems. The present paper discusses the spatial-temporal changes in vegetation and controlling factors in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) using Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for the period 2001-2013. Theil-Sen Median trend analysis, Pearson correlation coefficients, and residual analysis have been used, which shows decreasing trend of the annual mean NDVI over the whole YRB. Spatially, the regions with significant decreasing trends were mainly located in parts of central YRB, and pronounced increasing trends were observed in parts of the eastern and western YRB. The mean NDVI during spring and summer seasons increased, while it decreased during autumn and winter seasons. The seasonal mean NDVI shows spatial heterogeneity due to the vegetation types. The correlation analysis shows a positive relation between NDVI and temperature over most of the YRB, whereas NDVI and precipitation show a negative correlation. The residual analysis shows an increase in NDVI in parts of eastern and western YRB and the decrease in NDVI in the small part of Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and the mid-western YRB due to human activities. In general, climate factors were the principal drivers of NDVI variation in YRB in recent years.

Context-specific metabolic networks are consistent with experiments.

PubMed

Becker, Scott A; Palsson, Bernhard O

2008-05-16

Reconstructions of cellular metabolism are publicly available for a variety of different microorganisms and some mammalian genomes. To date, these reconstructions are "genome-scale" and strive to include all reactions implied by the genome annotation, as well as those with direct experimental evidence. Clearly, many of the reactions in a genome-scale reconstruction will not be active under particular conditions or in a particular cell type. Methods to tailor these comprehensive genome-scale reconstructions into context-specific networks will aid predictive in silico modeling for a particular situation. We present a method called Gene Inactivity Moderated by Metabolism and Expression (GIMME) to achieve this goal. The GIMME algorithm uses quantitative gene expression data and one or more presupposed metabolic objectives to produce the context-specific reconstruction that is most consistent with the available data. Furthermore, the algorithm provides a quantitative inconsistency score indicating how consistent a set of gene expression data is with a particular metabolic objective. We show that this algorithm produces results consistent with biological experiments and intuition for adaptive evolution of bacteria, rational design of metabolic engineering strains, and human skeletal muscle cells. This work represents progress towards producing constraint-based models of metabolism that are specific to the conditions where the expression profiling data is available.

A review of the Cercyon Leach (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Sphaeridiinae) of the Greater Antilles

PubMed Central

Arriaga-Varela, Emmanuel; Seidel, Matthias; Deler-Hernández, Albert; Viktor Senderov; Fikáček, Martin

2017-01-01

Abstract The representatives of the genus Cercyon Leach occurring in the Greater Antilles are reviewed. Ten species are recorded, of which five are described here as new: C. gimmeli sp. n. (Dominican Republic), C. armatipenis sp. n. (Dominican Republic), C. taino sp. n. (Dominican Republic), C. sklodowskae sp. n. (Jamaica) and C. spiniventris sp. n. (Dominican Republic). Diagnoses and detailed distributional data are also provided for C. floridanus Horn, 1890 (distributed in southeastern United States of America and Cayman Islands), C. insularis Chevrolat, 1863 (endemic to the Antilles) C. praetextatus (Say, 1825) (widely distributed in the New World incl. Greater Antilles), C. quisquilius (Linnaeus, 1761) (an adventive species of Paleartic origin) and C. nigriceps (Marshall, 1802) (an adventive species probably of Oriental origin). Cercyon armatipenis, C. gimmeli, C. taino form a group of closely related species only distinguishable by male genitalia and DNA sequences. A key to the Great Antillean Cercyon is provided and important diagnostic characters are illustrated. The larvae of C. insularis and C. taino were associated with adults using COI barcode sequences, illustrated and diagnosed. Full occurrence data, additional images and COI barcode sequences were submitted to open access on-line depositories in an effort to provide access to complete data. PMID:28769720

Arctic tundra greening and browning (2007-2013) based on satellite-observed solar-induced fluorescence data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, D.; Su, F.; Wang, J.

2017-12-01

More accurate evaluation of the state of Arctic tundra vegetation is important for our understanding of Arctic and global systems. Arctic tundra greening has been reported, increasing vegetation cover and productivity in many regions, but browning has been also reported, based on satellite-observed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from 2011 until recently. Here we demonstrate a satellite-based method of estimating tundra greenness trend. A more direct indicator of greenness (spatially downscaling solar-induced fluorescence, SIF) was used to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of Arctic tundra greenness trends based on ordinary least square regression (2007-2013). Meanwhile, two other greenness indices were used for the comparison, which were two NDVI products: GIMMS NDVI3g, and MOD13Q1 Collection 6. Generally, the Arctic tundra was not consistently greening, browning also existed. For the spatial trends, the results showed that most parts of the Arctic tundra below 75ºN was browning (-0.0098 mW/m2/sr/nm/year) using SIF, whereas spatially heterogeneous trends (greening or browning) were obtained based on the two NDVI products. For the temporal trends, the greenness value of Eurasia Arctic tundra is higher than Northern America and the whole Arctic tundra for the three greenness indices. From 2010, the Arctic tundra was greening based on MOD13Q1, whereas is browning using GIMMS NDVI3g. However, the Arctic tundra was obviously browning using SIF data. This study demonstrates a way of investigating the variation of Arctic tundra vegetation via new satellite-observed data.

Grassland Npp Monitoring Based on Multi-Source Remote Sensing Data Fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Y. R.; Zheng, J. H.; Du, M. J.; Mu, C.; Peng, J.

2018-04-01

Vegetation is an important part of the terrestrial ecosystem. It plays an important role in the energy and material exchange of the ground-atmosphere system and is a key part of the global carbon cycle process.Climate change has an important influence on the carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems. Net Primary Productivity (Net Primary Productivity)is an important parameter for evaluating global terrestrial ecosystems. For the Xinjiang region, the study of grassland NPP has gradually become a hot issue in the ecological environment.Increasing the estimation accuracy of NPP is of great significance to the development of the ecosystem in Xinjiang. Based on the third-generation GIMMS AVHRR NDVI global vegetation dataset and the MODIS NDVI (MOD13A3) collected each month by the United States Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA),combining the advantages of different remotely sensed datasets, this paper obtained the maximum synthesis fusion for New normalized vegetation index (NDVI) time series in 2006-2015.Analysis of Net Primary Productivity of Grassland Vegetation in Xinjiang Using Improved CASA Model The method described in this article proves the feasibility of applying data processing, and the accuracy of the NPP calculation using the fusion processed NDVI has been greatly improved. The results show that: (1) The NPP calculated from the new normalized vegetation index (NDVI) obtained from the fusion of GIMMS AVHRR NDVI and MODIS NDVI is significantly higher than the NPP calculated from these two raw data; (2) The grassland NPP in Xinjiang Interannual changes show an overall increase trend; interannual changes in NPP have a certain relationship with precipitation.

Inferring biome-scale net primary productivity from tree-ring isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pederson, N.; Levesque, M.; Williams, A. P.; Hobi, M. L.; Smith, W. K.; Andreu-Hayles, L.

2017-12-01

Satellite estimates of vegetation growth (net primary productivity; NPP), tree-ring records, and forest inventories indicate that ongoing climate change and rising atmospheric CO2 concentration are altering productivity and carbon storage of forests worldwide. The impact of global change on the trends of NPP, however, remain unknown because of the lack of long-term high-resolution NPP data. For the first time, we tested if annually resolved carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) stable isotopes from the cellulose of tree rings from trees in temperate regions could be used as a tool for inferring NPP across spatiotemporal scales. We compared satellite NPP estimates from the moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer sensor (MODIS, product MOD17A) and a newly developed global NPP dataset derived from the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) dataset to annually resolved tree-ring width and δ13C and δ18O records from four sites along a hydroclimatic gradient in Eastern and Central United States. We found strong correlations across large geographical regions between satellite-derived NPP and tree-ring isotopes that ranged from -0.40 to -0.91. Notably, tree-ring derived δ18O had the strongest relation to climate. The results were consistent among the studied tree species (Quercus rubra and Liriodendron tulipifera) and along the hydroclimatic conditions of our network. Our study indicates that tree-ring isotopes can potentially be used to reconstruct NPP in time and space. As such, our findings represent an important breakthrough for estimating long-term changes in vegetation productivity at the biome scale.

Extending R packages to support 64-bit compiled code: An illustration with spam64 and GIMMS NDVI3g data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerber, Florian; Mösinger, Kaspar; Furrer, Reinhard

2017-07-01

Software packages for spatial data often implement a hybrid approach of interpreted and compiled programming languages. The compiled parts are usually written in C, C++, or Fortran, and are efficient in terms of computational speed and memory usage. Conversely, the interpreted part serves as a convenient user-interface and calls the compiled code for computationally demanding operations. The price paid for the user friendliness of the interpreted component is-besides performance-the limited access to low level and optimized code. An example of such a restriction is the 64-bit vector support of the widely used statistical language R. On the R side, users do not need to change existing code and may not even notice the extension. On the other hand, interfacing 64-bit compiled code efficiently is challenging. Since many R packages for spatial data could benefit from 64-bit vectors, we investigate strategies to efficiently pass 64-bit vectors to compiled languages. More precisely, we show how to simply extend existing R packages using the foreign function interface to seamlessly support 64-bit vectors. This extension is shown with the sparse matrix algebra R package spam. The new capabilities are illustrated with an example of GIMMS NDVI3g data featuring a parametric modeling approach for a non-stationary covariance matrix.

Time-lag effects of global vegetation responses to climate change.

PubMed

Wu, Donghai; Zhao, Xiang; Liang, Shunlin; Zhou, Tao; Huang, Kaicheng; Tang, Bijian; Zhao, Wenqian

2015-09-01

Climate conditions significantly affect vegetation growth in terrestrial ecosystems. Due to the spatial heterogeneity of ecosystems, the vegetation responses to climate vary considerably with the diverse spatial patterns and the time-lag effects, which are the most important mechanism of climate-vegetation interactive effects. Extensive studies focused on large-scale vegetation-climate interactions use the simultaneous meteorological and vegetation indicators to develop models; however, the time-lag effects are less considered, which tends to increase uncertainty. In this study, we aim to quantitatively determine the time-lag effects of global vegetation responses to different climatic factors using the GIMMS3g NDVI time series and the CRU temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation datasets. First, this study analyzed the time-lag effects of global vegetation responses to different climatic factors. Then, a multiple linear regression model and partial correlation model were established to statistically analyze the roles of different climatic factors on vegetation responses, from which the primary climate-driving factors for different vegetation types were determined. The results showed that (i) both the time-lag effects of the vegetation responses and the major climate-driving factors that significantly affect vegetation growth varied significantly at the global scale, which was related to the diverse vegetation and climate characteristics; (ii) regarding the time-lag effects, the climatic factors explained 64% variation of the global vegetation growth, which was 11% relatively higher than the model ignoring the time-lag effects; (iii) for the area with a significant change trend (for the period 1982-2008) in the global GIMMS3g NDVI (P < 0.05), the primary driving factor was temperature; and (iv) at the regional scale, the variation in vegetation growth was also related to human activities and natural disturbances. Considering the time-lag effects is quite important for better predicting and evaluating the vegetation dynamics under the background of global climate change. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Impact of Livestock Grazing on US Rangeland Productive Capacity from 1981 to 2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Washington-Allen, R. A.; Kulawardhana, R. W.; Reeves, M. C.; Mitchell, J. E.

2010-12-01

Humans have appropriated an estimated 20% of global net primary productivity (NPP) and 38% of this population is dependant on the $900 billion yr-1 in ecosystem services from drylands that cover 41% of the terrestrial surface. Commercial and subsistence livestock (cattle, sheep, and goats) grazing is embedded in this appropriation and has been implicated in dryland degradation. However, the extent of dryland degradation is unknown with estimates ranging from 10 - 80%. As a solution to this problem, we derived rangeland above-ground biomass or the forage available for grazing from a 1981 - 2009 time-series of 1-km Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) NPP and 8-km Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (AVHRR-GIMMS) annual summed normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data. We derived the forage required by livestock (cattle, sheep, and goats) at the county and state spatial scales from annual agricultural census records that were collected by the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS) from 1981 - 2009. We found that in 2002 US rangelands covered some 257 million ha and that grazing livestock reached 216 million tons of biomass appropriated though only an estimated 149 million tons were available in the US. Consequently, the percentage US rangeland impacted by livestock appropriation of NPP (distributed at the state spatial scale) was 19%. This hotspot was primarily located in southwestern Arizona.

Analyses of GIMMS NDVI Time Series in Kogi State, Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palka, Jessica; Wessollek, Christine; Karrasch, Pierre

2017-10-01

The value of remote sensing data is particularly evident where an areal monitoring is needed to provide information on the earth's surface development. The use of temporal high resolution time series data allows for detecting short-term changes. In Kogi State in Nigeria different vegetation types can be found. As the major population in this region is living in rural communities with crop farming the existing vegetation is slowly being altered. The expansion of agricultural land causes loss of natural vegetation, especially in the regions close to the rivers which are suitable for crop production. With regard to these facts, two questions can be dealt with covering different aspects of the development of vegetation in the Kogi state, the determination and evaluation of the general development of the vegetation in the study area (trend estimation) and analyses on a short-term behavior of vegetation conditions, which can provide information about seasonal effects in vegetation development. For this purpose, the GIMMS-NDVI data set, provided by the NOAA, provides information on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in a geometric resolution of approx. 8 km. The temporal resolution of 15 days allows the already described analyses. For the presented analysis data for the period 1981-2012 (31 years) were used. The implemented workflow mainly applies methods of time series analysis. The results show that in addition to the classical seasonal development, artefacts of different vegetation periods (several NDVI maxima) can be found in the data. The trend component of the time series shows a consistently positive development in the entire study area considering the full investigation period of 31 years. However, the results also show that this development has not been continuous and a simple linear modeling of the NDVI increase is only possible to a limited extent. For this reason, the trend modeling was extended by procedures for detecting structural breaks in the time series.

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

Jiang, Nan; Zhu, Wenquan; Zheng, Zhoutao

The long-term Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time-series data set generated from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometers (AVHRR) has been widely used to monitor vegetation activity change. The third version of NDVI (NDVI3g) produced by the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) group was released recently. The comparisons between the new and old versions should be conducted for linking existing studies with future applications of NDVI3g in monitoring vegetation activity change. Based on simple and piecewise linear regression methods, this research made a comparative analysis between NDVIg and NDVI3g for monitoring vegetation activity change and its responses tomore » climate change in the middle and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere during 1982–2008. Our results indicated that there were large differences between NDVIg and NDVI3g in the spatial patterns for both the overall changing trends and the timing of Turning Points (TP) in NDVI time series, which spread over almost the entire study region. The average NDVI trend from NDVI3g was almost twice as great as that from NDVIg and the detected average timing of TP from NDVI3g was about one year later. Although the general spatial patterns were consistent between two data sets for detecting the responses of growing-season NDVI to temperature and precipitation changes, there were large differences in the response magnitude, with a higher response magnitude to temperature in NDVI3g and an opposite response to precipitation change for the two data sets. Finally, these results demonstrated that the NDVIg data set may underestimate the vegetation activity change trend and its response to climate change in the middle and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere during the past three decades.« less

Gimme shelter: The importance of crevices to some fish species inhabiting a deeper-water rocky outcrop in Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, M.S.; Schroeder, D.M.; Lenarz, B.; Cochrane, G.R.

2006-01-01

Federal law governing fisheries management recognizes the role habitat plays in structuring fish assemblages and achieving sustainable fisheries. However, in most instances it is not known which aspects of habitat are important to the lives of fish species. In 2004, we examined the importance of sheltering sites (crevices) to fishes living along low ledges in deeper waters off Anacapa Island, southern California. We found that patterns of fish-habitat relationships varied among the eight most abundant species. Three species, bocaccio (Sebastes paucispinis), vermilion (S. miniatus), and flag (S. rubrivinctus) rockfishes, had densities one to three orders of magnitude greater in the deep crevice habitat compared to low relief rock or shallow crevice habitats. Density and mean size of the two most abundant fishes, halfbanded (S. semicinctus) and squarespot (S. hopkinsi) rockfishes, generally increased as complexity of rock habitat increased. Not all species had the highest densities in deep crevice habitat. Greenspotted rockfish (S. chlorostictus) and blackeye goby (Rhinogobiops nicholsii) showed no significant difference in density among rock habitats. Pink seaperch (Zalembius rosaceus) were absent in the deep crevice habitat and abundant only in low relief rock habitats. Our study implies that it is not sufficient to distinguish only between soft and hard bottom types when using habitat to guide fisheries management strategies. Finer-scale investigations of fish-habitat relationships, paired with habitat mapping and groundtruthing, aid in the design and positioning of Marine Park Areas (MPAs) and are necessary to facilitate understanding of how a particular MPA may contribute to fisheries management.

Climatic driving forces in inter-annual variation of global FPAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Dailiang; Liu, Liangyun; Yang, Xiaohua; Zhou, Bin

2012-09-01

Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR) characterizes vegetation canopy functioning and its energy absorption capacity. In this paper, we focus on climatic driving forces in inter-annual variation of global FPAR from 1982 to 2006 by Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN-Monthly) data. Using FPAR-Simple Ratio Vegetation Index (SR) relationship, Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to estimate FPAR at the global scale. The correlation between inter-annual variation of FPAR and temperature, precipitation derived from GHCN-Monthly was examined, during the periods of March-May (MAM), June-August (JJA), September-November (SON), and December-February (DJF) over from 1982 to 2006. The analysis of climatic influence on global FPAR revealed the significant correlation with temperature and precipitation in some meteorological stations area, and a more significant correlation with precipitation was found than which with temperature. Some stations in the regions between 30° N and 60° N and around 30° S in South America, where the annual FPAR variation showed a significant positive correlation with temperature (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) during MAM, SON, and DJF, as well as in Europe during MAM and SON period. A negative correlation for more stations was observed during JJA. For precipitation, there were many stations showed a significant positive correlation with inter-annual variation of global FPAR (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), especially for the tropical rainfall forest of Africa and Amazon during the dry season of JJA and SON.

Variation and Trends of Landscape Dynamics, Land Surface Phenology and Net Primary Production of the Appalachian Mountains

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

Wang, Yeqiao; Zhao, Jianjun; Zhou, Yuyu

2012-12-15

The gradients of the Appalachian Mountains in elevations and latitudes provide a unique regional perspective of landscape variations in the eastern United States and a section of the southeastern Canada. This study reveals patterns and trends of landscape dynamics, land surface phenology and ecosystem production along the Appalachian Mountains using time series data from Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) and AVHRR Global Production Efficiency Model (GloPEM) datasets. We analyzed the spatial and temporal patterns of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), length of growing season (LOS) and net primary production (NPP) of selected ecoregions along the Appalachian Mountains regions.more » We compared the results out of the Appalachian Mountains regions in different spatial contexts including the North America and the Appalachian Trail corridor area. To reveal latitudinal variations we analyzed data and compared the results between 30°N-40°N and 40°N-50°N latitudes. The result revealed significant decreases in annual peak NDVI in the Appalachian Mountains regions. The trend for the Appalachian Mountains regions was -0.0018 (R2=0.55, P<0.0001) NDVI unit decrease per year during 25 years between 1982 and 2006. The LOS had prolonged 0.3 day yr-1 during 25 years over the Appalachian Mountains regions. The NPP increased by 2.68 gC m-2yr-2 in Appalachian Mountains regions from 1981 to 2000. The comparison with the North America reveals the effects of topography and ecosystem compositions of the Appalachian Mountains. The comparison with the Appalachian Trail corridor area provides a regional mega-transect view of the measured variables.« less

Vegetation Changes in the Permafrost Regions of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau from 1982-2012: Different Responses Related to Geographical Locations and Vegetation Types in High-Altitude Areas.

PubMed

Wang, Zhiwei; Wang, Qian; Wu, Xiaodong; Zhao, Lin; Yue, Guangyang; Nan, Zhuotong; Wang, Puchang; Yi, Shuhua; Zou, Defu; Qin, Yu; Wu, Tonghua; Shi, Jianzong

2017-01-01

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) contains the largest permafrost area in a high-altitude region in the world, and the unique hydrothermal environments of the active layers in this region have an important impact on vegetation growth. Geographical locations present different climatic conditions, and in combination with the permafrost environments, these conditions comprehensively affect the local vegetation activity. Therefore, the responses of vegetation to climate change in the permafrost region of the QTP may be varied differently by geographical location and vegetation condition. In this study, using the latest Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) product based on turning points (TPs), which were calculated using a piecewise linear model, 9 areas within the permafrost region of the QTP were selected to investigate the effect of geographical location and vegetation type on vegetation growth from 1982 to 2012. The following 4 vegetation types were observed in the 9 selected study areas: alpine swamp meadow, alpine meadow, alpine steppe and alpine desert. The research results show that, in these study areas, TPs mainly appeared in 2000 and 2001, and almost 55.1% and 35.0% of the TPs were located in 2000 and 2001. The global standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and 7 meteorological variables were selected to analyze their correlations with NDVI. We found that the main correlative variables to vegetation productivity in study areas from 1982 to 2012 were precipitation, surface downward long-wave radiation and temperature. Furthermore, NDVI changes exhibited by different vegetation types within the same study area followed similar trends. The results show that regional effects rather than vegetation type had a larger impact on changes in vegetation growth in the permafrost regions of the QTP, indicating that climatic factors had a larger impact in the permafrost regions than the environmental factors (including permafrost) related to the underlying surface conditions.

Vegetation Changes in the Permafrost Regions of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau from 1982-2012: Different Responses Related to Geographical Locations and Vegetation Types in High-Altitude Areas

PubMed Central

Wu, Xiaodong; Zhao, Lin; Yue, Guangyang; Nan, Zhuotong; Wang, Puchang; Yi, Shuhua; Zou, Defu; Qin, Yu; Wu, Tonghua; Shi, Jianzong

2017-01-01

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) contains the largest permafrost area in a high-altitude region in the world, and the unique hydrothermal environments of the active layers in this region have an important impact on vegetation growth. Geographical locations present different climatic conditions, and in combination with the permafrost environments, these conditions comprehensively affect the local vegetation activity. Therefore, the responses of vegetation to climate change in the permafrost region of the QTP may be varied differently by geographical location and vegetation condition. In this study, using the latest Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) product based on turning points (TPs), which were calculated using a piecewise linear model, 9 areas within the permafrost region of the QTP were selected to investigate the effect of geographical location and vegetation type on vegetation growth from 1982 to 2012. The following 4 vegetation types were observed in the 9 selected study areas: alpine swamp meadow, alpine meadow, alpine steppe and alpine desert. The research results show that, in these study areas, TPs mainly appeared in 2000 and 2001, and almost 55.1% and 35.0% of the TPs were located in 2000 and 2001. The global standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and 7 meteorological variables were selected to analyze their correlations with NDVI. We found that the main correlative variables to vegetation productivity in study areas from 1982 to 2012 were precipitation, surface downward long-wave radiation and temperature. Furthermore, NDVI changes exhibited by different vegetation types within the same study area followed similar trends. The results show that regional effects rather than vegetation type had a larger impact on changes in vegetation growth in the permafrost regions of the QTP, indicating that climatic factors had a larger impact in the permafrost regions than the environmental factors (including permafrost) related to the underlying surface conditions. PMID:28068392

Radio diagnostics and analysis on the Puerto Rico CubeSat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergman, J. E. S.; Bruhn, F.; Isham, B.; Rincon-Charris, A.

2014-04-01

The Puerto Rico CubeSat is a collaboration between Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, the University of Puerto Rico, the Ana G. Ḿendez University System, NASA Marshal Space Flight Center, the University of Alabama at Huntsville, the Swedish Institute of Space Physics, and M¨alardalens University. Principle goals include providing aerospace and systems engineering experiences to students at the participating institutions. Mission objectives include the acquisition of space weather data to aid in better understanding the Sun to Earth connection. The Puerto Rico Cube- Sat is a 3U configuration, 10 × 10 × 30 cm. Active attitude control will be used to align the long (3U) axis along the orbital path, and the satellite will rotate along the 3U axis to assist in thermal management. The Puerto Rico CubeSat will carry two scientific payloads. One is CARLO (Charge Analyzer Responsive to Local Oscillation), which is designed to measure ion turbulence from 0 to 10 kHz. CARLO will operate in a ram configuration, thus giving it the ability to distinguish between ambient and spacecraftinduced irregularities in plasma density. The second payload is GIMMERF, a 0 to 30 MHz radio instrument, consisting of a digital 4-channel direct sampling receiver board, atmospheric-noise-limited preamplifiers, and four electrically short monopole antennas. The antennas are connected electronically, as dipoles, to enable measurements of the full 3-dimensional electric field vector signal, which, in turn makes it possible to characterize the radio emissions in terms of Stokes parameters and to perform direction finding. GIMME-RF will use artificial neural network technology to automatically identify radio data of interest. All radio data will be downloaded at 1% time resolution, and radio data of special interest (automatically identified or human selected) will be downloaded at full time and frequency resolution. CARLO and GIMME-RF are complementary instruments, as CARLO will measure low-frequency plasma turbulence, which affects radio propagation in the high-frequency radio band. The satellite communications system 1 EPSC Abstracts Vol. 9, EPSC2014-799, 2014 European Planetary Science Congress 2014 c Author(s) 2014 EPSC European Planetary Science Congress will operate at frequencies between 902 and 928 MHz and will share the same antenna used by GIMME-RF. The Puerto Rico CubeSat is expected to be ready for launch in 2016; a launch vehicle has not yet been identified. Support for the Puerto Rico Cubesat comes from the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO), the Puerto Rico NASA Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), and the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico Bayaḿon Campus. The GIMMERF payload is supported by the Swedish National Space Board (SNSB), with in-kind contributions from Ḿalardalen's University and the Swedish Institute of Space Physics.

Monitoring Tropical Cyclone Impacts on the Coastal Vegetation of the Southeastern USA in the First Decade of the 21st Century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brun, J.; Barros, A. P.

2010-12-01

Hurricanes and tropical storms are powerful and hazardous meteorological phenomena causing damages to natural and built areas all around the world. However, on the flip side, Tropical cyclones provide a significant influx of freshwater resources to surface and subsurface reservoirs during the warm season. Therefore it is important to understand ecosystem response to such extreme climatic events, especially in a context of potential changes in the track, frequency or strength of these phenomena that could be induced by climatic change. Here we present a method to measure vegetation disturbance persistence in the aftermath of tropical cyclones based on MODIS North American Carbon Program (NACP) vegetation indices (8-day composite at 500m spatial resolution) was developed with the objective of assessing the eco-hydrological impact of hurricanes in the South-East United States. This technique is based on the relationship between vegetation stress and the persistence of standardized Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) anomalies along the terrestrial path of hurricanes. An independent evaluation was conducted against 25 years (1982-2006) of AVHRR data from the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) database. The data show that in the aftermath of hurricane landfall, there is a significant decrease in chlorophyll activity at very low elevations, including coastal marshes, wetlands, and the drainage networks of major river systems aligned with the terrestrial path of the storm. This vegetation activity disturbance persists longer (up two 2 years) in coastal areas than in inland forests and could be consistent with impact of salt intrusion in shallow coastal aquifers. In alluvial plains, the spatial pattern of the vegetation anomalies persistence seems to be mostly associated with flooding.

A Comparative Analysis between GIMSS NDVIg and NDVI3g for Monitoring Vegetation Activity Change in the Northern Hemisphere during 1982-2008

DOE PAGES

Jiang, Nan; Zhu, Wenquan; Zheng, Zhoutao; ...

2013-08-12

The long-term Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time-series data set generated from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometers (AVHRR) has been widely used to monitor vegetation activity change. The third version of NDVI (NDVI3g) produced by the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) group was released recently. The comparisons between the new and old versions should be conducted for linking existing studies with future applications of NDVI3g in monitoring vegetation activity change. Based on simple and piecewise linear regression methods, this research made a comparative analysis between NDVIg and NDVI3g for monitoring vegetation activity change and its responses tomore » climate change in the middle and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere during 1982–2008. Our results indicated that there were large differences between NDVIg and NDVI3g in the spatial patterns for both the overall changing trends and the timing of Turning Points (TP) in NDVI time series, which spread over almost the entire study region. The average NDVI trend from NDVI3g was almost twice as great as that from NDVIg and the detected average timing of TP from NDVI3g was about one year later. Although the general spatial patterns were consistent between two data sets for detecting the responses of growing-season NDVI to temperature and precipitation changes, there were large differences in the response magnitude, with a higher response magnitude to temperature in NDVI3g and an opposite response to precipitation change for the two data sets. Finally, these results demonstrated that the NDVIg data set may underestimate the vegetation activity change trend and its response to climate change in the middle and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere during the past three decades.« less

Generating a Long-Term Land Data Record from the AVHRR and MODIS Instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pedelty, Jeffrey; Devadiga, Sadashiva; Masuoka, Edward; Brown, Molly; Pinzon, Jorge; Tucker, Compton; Vermote, Eric; Prince, Stephen; Nagol, Jyotheshwar; Justice, Christopher;

Vegetation Response to Climate Change in the Southern Part of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau at Basinal Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, X.; Liu, C.; Kang, Q.; Yin, B.

2018-04-01

Global climate change has significantly affected vegetation variation in the third-polar region of the world - the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. As one of the most important indicators of vegetation variation (growth, coverage and tempo-spatial change), the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is widely employed to study the response of vegetation to climate change. However, a long-term series analysis cannot be achieved because a single data source is constrained by time sequence. Therefore, a new framework was presented in this paper to extend the product series of monthly NDVI, taking as an example the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin, one of the most important river basins in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. NDVI products were acquired from two public sources: Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and Moderate-Resolution Imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS). After having been extended using the new framework, the new time series of NDVI covers a 384 months period (1982-2013), 84 months longer than previous time series of NDVI product, greatly facilitating NDVI related scientific research. In the new framework, the Gauss Filtering Method was employed to filter out noise in the NDVI product. Next, the standard method was introduced to enhance the comparability of the two data sources, and a pixel-based regression method was used to construct NDVI-extending models with one pixel after another. The extended series of NDVI fit well with original AVHRR-NDVI. With the extended time-series, temporal trends and spatial heterogeneity of NDVI in the study area were studied. Principal influencing factors on NDVI were further determined. The monthly NDVI is highly correlated with air temperature and precipitation in terms of climatic change wherein the spatially averaged NDVI slightly increases in the summer and has increased in temperature and decreased in precipitation in the 32 years period. The spatial heterogeneity of NDVI is in accordance with the seasonal variation of the two climate-change factors. All of these findings can provide valuable scientific support for water-land resources exploration in the third-polar region of the world.

The spatial extent of change in tropical forest ecosystem services in the Amazon delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Araujo Barbosa, C. C.; Atkinson, P.; Dearing, J.

2014-12-01

Deltas hold major economic potential due their strategic location, close to seas and inland waterways, thereby supporting intense economic activity. The increasing pace of human development activities in coastal deltas over the past five decades has also strained environmental resources and produced extensive economic and sociocultural impacts. The Amazon delta is located in the Amazon Basin, North Brazil, the largest river basin on Earth and also one of the least understood. A considerable segment of the population living in the Amazon delta is directly dependent on the local extraction of natural resources for their livelihood. Areas sparsely inhabited may be exploited with few negative consequences for the environment. However, increasing pressure on ecosystem services is amplified by large fluxes of immigrants from other parts of the country, especially from the semi-arid zone in Northeast Brazil to the lowland forests of the Amazon delta. Here we present partial results from a bigger research project. Therefore, the focus will be on presenting an overview of the current state, and the extent of changes on forest related ecosystem services in the Amazon delta over the last three decades. We aggregated a multitude of datasets, from a variety of sources, for example, from satellite imagery such as the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), the Global Inventory Modelling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and climate datasets at meteorological station level from the Brazilian National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) and social and economic statistics data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and from the Brazilian Institute of Applied Economic Research (IPEA). Through analysis of socioeconomic and satellite earth observation data we were able to produce and present spatially-explicit information with the current state and transition in forest cover and its impacts to forest ecosystem services providing units in the Amazon delta.

Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Aboveground Net Primary Productivity in the Eurasian Steppe from 1982 to 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiao, C.; Yu, G.; He, N.; Chen, X.; Zhang, C.; Hu, Z.; Ge, J.

2016-12-01

Aboveground net primary productivity (NPPA) is a key integrator for characterizing vegetation activity and assessing the carbon balance of ecosystem. In this study, we combined datasets of Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and NPPA field observations to propose a remote sensing-based model for NPPA (ENPPAModel) estimation in the Eurasian steppe Region (EASR). About 25% of NPPA field observations were extracted randomly to validate ENPPAModel. ENPPAModel was then used to discuss spatiotemporal dynamics of NPPA in EASR from 1982 to 2013. Validation against field observations showed good performance of ENPPAModel over the study region, with an overall coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.66 and root mean square error (RMSE) of 19.33 g C m-2 yr-1. The annual total aboveground net primary productivity (TNPPA) of EASR was 378.97 Tg C yr-1, accounting for 26.46% of the global grasslands. For 3 subregions in EASR, the Black Sea-Kazakhstan steppe subregion had highest TNPPA, amounting to 45.67% of the EASR. The annual average aboveground net primary productivity (NPPA) was 43.78 g C m-2 yr-1 in EASR, lower than that of global grasslands and higher than that of global temperate grasslands (excluding savannas).NPPA showed apparent spatial variations, which was consistent with geographical patterns of vegetation types, reflecting hydrothermal conditions in EASR. TNPPA displayed an overall increasing trend by 0.49% per year in EASR from 1982 to 2013. TNPPA increasing trend was much greater than that of global average and North America. Temporal trends of TNPPA of EASR were significantly various during three different periods. During 1982-1995, TNPPA of EASR increased obviously due to lengthened growing season associated with warming. In the period of 1996 - 2007, TNPPA of EASR decreased significantly attributed to decreasing spring temperature in the Tibetan Plateau alpine steppe subregion and decreasing summer precipitation in the Mongolian Plateau steppe subregion. During 2008 -2013, TNPPA of EASR increased weakly resulted from increasing summer precipitation in the Mongolian Plateau steppe subregion.

Spatiotemporal changes of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and response to climate extremes and ecological restoration in the Loess Plateau, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Anzhou; Zhang, Anbing; Liu, Xianfeng; Cao, Sen

2018-04-01

Extreme drought, precipitation, and other extreme climatic events often have impacts on vegetation. Based on meteorological data from 52 stations in the Loess Plateau (LP) and a satellite-derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from the third-generation Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS3g) dataset, this study investigated the relationship between vegetation change and climatic extremes from 1982 to 2013. Our results showed that the vegetation coverage increased significantly, with a linear rate of 0.025/10a ( P < 0.001) from 1982 to 2013. As for the spatial distribution, NDVI revealed an increasing trend from the northwest to the southeast, with about 61.79% of the LP exhibiting a significant increasing trend ( P < 0.05). Some temperature extreme indices, including TMAXmean, TMINmean, TN90p, TNx, TX90p, and TXx, increased significantly at rates of 0.77 mm/10a, 0.52 °C/10a, 0.62 °C/10a, 0.80 °C/10a, 5.16 days/10a, and 0.65 °C/10a, respectively. On the other hand, other extreme temperature indices including TX10p and TN10p decreased significantly at rates of -2.77 days/10a and 4.57 days/10a ( P < 0.01), respectively. Correlation analysis showed that only TMINmean had a significant relationship with NDVI at the yearly time scale ( P < 0.05). At the monthly time scale, vegetation coverage and different vegetation types responded significantly positively to precipitation and temperature extremes (TMAXmean, TMINmean, TNx, TNn, TXn, and TXx) ( P < 0.01). All of the precipitation extremes and temperature extremes exhibited significant positive relationships with NDVI during the spring and autumn ( P < 0.01). However, the relationship between NDVI and RX1day, TMAXmean, TXn, and TXx was insignificant in summer. Vegetation exhibited a significant negative relationship with precipitation extremes in winter ( P < 0.05). In terms of human activity, our results indicate a strong correlation between the cumulative afforestation area and NDVI in Yan'an and Yulin during 1998-2013, r = 0.859 and 0.85, n = 16, P < 0.001.

Contribution of Phenological and Physiological Variations on Northern Vegetation Productivity Changes over Last Three Decades

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ganguly, Sangram

2015-01-01

Plant phenology and maximum photosynthetic state determine spatiotemporal variability of gross primary productivity (GPP) of vegetation. Recent warming induced impacts accelerate shifts of phenology and physiological status over Northern vegetated land. Thus, understanding and quantifying these changes are very important. Here, we investigate 1) how vegetation phenology and physiological status (maximum photosynthesis) are evolved over last three decades and 2) how such components (phenology and physiological status) contribute on inter-annual variation of the GPP during the last three decades. We utilized both long-term remotely sensed (GIMMS (Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies), NDVI3g (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index 3rd generation) and MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)) to extract larger scale phenology metrics (growing season start, end and duration); and productivity (i.e., growing season integrated vegetation index, GSIVI) to answer these questions. For evaluation purpose, we also introduced field-measured phenology and productivity datasets (e.g., FLUXNET) and possible remotely-sensed and modeled metrics at continental and regional scales. From this investigation, we found that onset of the growing season has advanced by 1.61 days per decade and the growing season end has delayed by 0.67 days per decade over the circumpolar region. This asymmetric extension of growing season results in a longer growing-season trend (2.96 days per decade) and widespread increasing vegetation-productivity trend (2.96 GSIVI per decade) over Northern land. However, the regionally-diverged phenology shift and maximum photosynthetic state contribute differently characterized productivity, inter-annual variability and trend. We quantified that about 50 percent, 13 percent and 6.5 percent of Northern land's inter-annual variability are dominantly controlled by the onset of the growing season, the end of the growing season and the maximum photosynthetic state, respectively. Productivity characterization over the other approximately 30 percent region has been driven by these co-dominant drivers. Our study clearly shows that regionally different contribution of phenological and physiological components on characterizing vegetation production over the last three decades.

Understanding long-term (1982-2013) patterns and trends in winter wheat spring green-up date over the North China Plain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Sisi; Mo, Xingguo; Liu, Zhengjia; Baig, Muhammad Hasan Ali; Chi, Wenfeng

2017-05-01

Monitoring the spring green-up date (GUD) has grown in importance for crop management and food security. However, most satellite-based GUD models are associated with a high degree of uncertainty when applied to croplands. In this study, we introduced an improved GUD algorithm to extract GUD data for 32 years (1982-2013) for the winter wheat croplands on the North China Plain (NCP), using the third-generation normalized difference vegetation index form Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS3g NDVI). The spatial and temporal variations in GUD with the effects of the pre-season climate and soil moisture conditions on GUD were comprehensively investigated. Our results showed that a higher correlation coefficient (r = 0.44, p < 0.01) and lower root mean square error (22 days) and bias (16 days) were observed in GUD from the improved algorithm relative to GUD from the MCD12Q2 phenology product. In spatial terms, GUD increased from the southwest (less than day of year (DOY) 60) to the northeast (more than DOY 90) of the NCP, which corresponded to spatial reductions in temperature and precipitation. GUD advanced in most (78%) of the winter wheat area on the NCP, with significant advances in 37.8% of the area (p < 0.05). GUD occurred later at high altitudes and in coastal areas than in inland areas. At the interannual scale, the average GUD advanced from DOY 76.9 in the 1980s (average 1982-1989) to DOY 73.2 in the 1990s (average 1991-1999), and to DOY 70.3 after 2000 (average 2000-2013), indicating an average advance of 1.8 days/decade (r = 0.35, p < 0.05). Although GUD is mainly controlled by the pre-season temperature, our findings underline that the effect of the pre-season soil moisture on GUD should also be considered. The improved GUD algorithm and satellite-based long-term GUD data are helpful for improving the representation of GUD in terrestrial ecosystem models and enhancing crop management efficiency.

Spatiotemporal extremes of temperature and precipitation during 1960-2015 in the Yangtze River Basin (China) and impacts on vegetation dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Lifang; Wang, Lunche; Qu, Sai; Singh, Ramesh P.; Lai, Zhongping; Yao, Rui

2018-05-01

Recently, extreme climate variation has been studied in different parts of the world, and the present study aims to study the impacts of climate extremes on vegetation. In this study, we analyzed the spatiotemporal variations of temperature and precipitation extremes during 1960-2015 in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) using the Mann-Kendall (MK) test with Sen's slope estimator and kriging interpolation method based on daily precipitation (P), maximum temperature (T max), and minimum temperature (T min). We also analyzed the vegetation dynamics in the YRB during 1982-2015 using Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) datasets and investigated the relationship between temperature and precipitation extremes and NDVI using Pearson correlation coefficients. The results showed a pronounced increase in the annual mean maximum temperature (T nav) and mean minimum temperature (T xav) at the rate of 0.23 °C/10 years and 0.15 °C/10 years, respectively, during 1960-2015. In addition, the occurrence of warm days and warm nights shows increasing trends at the rate of 1.36 days/10 years and 1.70 days/10 years, respectively, while cold days and cold nights decreased at the rate of 1.09 days/10 years and 2.69 days/10 years, respectively, during 1960-2015. The precipitation extremes, such as very wet days (R95, the 95th percentile of daily precipitation events), very wet day precipitation (R95p, the number of days with rainfall above R95), rainstorm (R50, the number of days with rainfall above 50 mm), and maximum 1-day precipitation (RX1day), all show pronounced increasing trends during 1960-2015. In general, annual mean NDVI over the whole YRB increased at the rate of 0.01/10 years during 1982-2015, with an increasing transition around 1994. Spatially, annual mean NDVI increased in the northern, eastern, and parts of southwestern YRB, while it decreased in the YRD and parts of southern YRB during 1982-2015. The correlation coefficients showed that annual mean NDVI was closely correlated with temperature extremes during 1982-2015 and 1995-2015, but no significant correlation with precipitation extremes was observed. However, the decrease in NDVI was correlated with increasing R95p and R95 during 1982-1994.

Microcomputer pollution model for civilian airports and Air Force bases. Model description

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

Segal, H.M.; Hamilton, P.L.

1988-08-01

This is one of three reports describing the Emissions and Dispersion Modeling System (EDMS). EDMS is a complex source emissions/dispersion model for use at civilian airports and Air Force bases. It operates in both a refined and a screening mode and is programmed for an IBM-XT (or compatible) computer. This report--MODEL DESCRIPTION--provides the technical description of the model. It first identifies the key design features of both the emissions (EMISSMOD) and dispersion (GIMM) portions of EDMS. It then describes the type of meteorological information the dispersion model can accept and identifies the manner in which it preprocesses National Climatic Centermore » (NCC) data prior to a refined-model run. The report presents the results of running EDMS on a number of different microcomputers and compares EDMS results with those of comparable models. The appendices elaborate on the information noted above and list the source code.« less

A global satellite environmental data record derived from AMSR-E and AMSR2 microwave Earth observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Jinyang; Kimball, John S.; Jones, Lucas A.; Kim, Youngwook; Glassy, Joseph; Watts, Jennifer D.

2017-11-01

Spaceborne microwave remote sensing is widely used to monitor global environmental changes for understanding hydrological, ecological, and climate processes. A new global land parameter data record (LPDR) was generated using similar calibrated, multifrequency brightness temperature (Tb) retrievals from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2). The resulting LPDR provides a long-term (June 2002-December 2015) global record of key environmental observations at a 25 km grid cell resolution, including surface fractional open water (FW) cover, atmosphere precipitable water vapor (PWV), daily maximum and minimum surface air temperatures (Tmx and Tmn), vegetation optical depth (VOD), and surface volumetric soil moisture (VSM). Global mapping of the land parameter climatology means and seasonal variability over the full-year records from AMSR-E (2003-2010) and AMSR2 (2013-2015) observation periods is consistent with characteristic global climate and vegetation patterns. Quantitative comparisons with independent observations indicated favorable LPDR performance for FW (R ≥ 0.75; RMSE ≤ 0.06), PWV (R ≥ 0.91; RMSE ≤ 4.94 mm), Tmx and Tmn (R ≥ 0.90; RMSE ≤ 3.48 °C), and VSM (0.63 ≤ R ≤ 0.84; bias-corrected RMSE ≤ 0.06 cm3 cm-3). The LPDR-derived global VOD record is also proportional to satellite-observed NDVI (GIMMS3g) seasonality (R ≥ 0.88) due to the synergy between canopy biomass structure and photosynthetic greenness. Statistical analysis shows overall LPDR consistency but with small biases between AMSR-E and AMSR2 retrievals that should be considered when evaluating long-term environmental trends. The resulting LPDR and potential updates from continuing AMSR2 operations provide for effective global monitoring of environmental parameters related to vegetation activity, terrestrial water storage, and mobility and are suitable for climate and ecosystem studies. The LPDR dataset is publicly available at http://files.ntsg.umt.edu/data/LPDR_v2/.<

Dealing with Multiple Solutions in Structural Vector Autoregressive Models.

PubMed

Beltz, Adriene M; Molenaar, Peter C M

2016-01-01

Structural vector autoregressive models (VARs) hold great potential for psychological science, particularly for time series data analysis. They capture the magnitude, direction of influence, and temporal (lagged and contemporaneous) nature of relations among variables. Unified structural equation modeling (uSEM) is an optimal structural VAR instantiation, according to large-scale simulation studies, and it is implemented within an SEM framework. However, little is known about the uniqueness of uSEM results. Thus, the goal of this study was to investigate whether multiple solutions result from uSEM analysis and, if so, to demonstrate ways to select an optimal solution. This was accomplished with two simulated data sets, an empirical data set concerning children's dyadic play, and modifications to the group iterative multiple model estimation (GIMME) program, which implements uSEMs with group- and individual-level relations in a data-driven manner. Results revealed multiple solutions when there were large contemporaneous relations among variables. Results also verified several ways to select the correct solution when the complete solution set was generated, such as the use of cross-validation, maximum standardized residuals, and information criteria. This work has immediate and direct implications for the analysis of time series data and for the inferences drawn from those data concerning human behavior.

Integrating observation and statistical forecasts over sub-Saharan Africa to support Famine Early Warning

USGS Publications Warehouse

Funk, Chris; Verdin, James P.; Husak, Gregory

2007-01-01

Famine early warning in Africa presents unique challenges and rewards. Hydrologic extremes must be tracked and anticipated over complex and changing climate regimes. The successful anticipation and interpretation of hydrologic shocks can initiate effective government response, saving lives and softening the impacts of droughts and floods. While both monitoring and forecast technologies continue to advance, discontinuities between monitoring and forecast systems inhibit effective decision making. Monitoring systems typically rely on high resolution satellite remote-sensed normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and rainfall imagery. Forecast systems provide information on a variety of scales and formats. Non-meteorologists are often unable or unwilling to connect the dots between these disparate sources of information. To mitigate these problem researchers at UCSB's Climate Hazard Group, NASA GIMMS and USGS/EROS are implementing a NASA-funded integrated decision support system that combines the monitoring of precipitation and NDVI with statistical one-to-three month forecasts. We present the monitoring/forecast system, assess its accuracy, and demonstrate its application in food insecure sub-Saharan Africa.

Spatio-temporal variation of vegetation coverage and its response to climate change in North China plain in the last 33 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A, Duo; Zhao, Wenji; Qu, Xinyuan; Jing, Ran; Xiong, Kai

2016-12-01

Global climate change has led to significant vegetation changes in the past half century. North China Plain, the most important grain production base of china, is undergoing a process of prominent warming and drying. The vegetation coverage, which is used to monitor vegetation change, can respond to climate change (temperature and precipitation). In this study, GIMMS (Global Inventory Modelling and Mapping Studies)-NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) data, MODIS (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) - NDVI data and climate data, during 1981-2013, were used to investigate the spatial distribution and changes of vegetation. The relationship between climate and vegetation on different spatial (agriculture, forest and grassland) and temporal (yearly, decadal and monthly) scales were also analyzed in North China Plain. (1) It was found that temperature exhibiting a slight increase trend (0.20 °C/10a, P < 0.01). This may be due to the disappearance of 0 °C isotherm, the rise of spring temperature. At the same time, precipitation showed a significant reduction trend (-1.75 mm/10a, P > 0.05). The climate mutation period was during 1991-1994. (2) Vegetation coverage slight increase was observed in the 55% of total study area, with a change rate of 0.00039/10a. Human activities may not only accelerate the changes of the vegetation coverage, but also c effect to the rate of these changes. (3) Overall, the correlation between the vegetation coverage and climatic factor is higher in monthly scale than yearly scale. The correlation analysis between vegetation coverage and climate changes showed that annual vegetation coverage was better correlatend with precipitation in grassland biome; but it showed a better correlated with temperature i the agriculture biome and forest biome. In addition, the vegetation coverage had sensitive time-effect respond to precipitation. (4) The vegetation coverage showed the same increasing trend before and after the climatic variations, but the rate of increase slowed down. From the vegetation coverage point of view, the grassland ecological zone had an obvious response to the climatic variations, but the agricultural ecological zones showed a significant response from the vegetation coverage change rate point of view. The effect of human activity in degradation region was higher than that in improvement area. But after the climate abruptly changing, the effect of human activity in improvement area was higher than that in degradation region, and the influence of human activity will continue in the future.

Notable shifting in the responses of vegetation activity to climate change in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Aifang; He, Bin; Wang, Honglin; Huang, Ling; Zhu, Yunhua; Lv, Aifeng

The weakening relationship between inter-annual temperature variability and vegetation activity in the Northern Hemisphere over the last three decades has been reported by a recent study. However, how and to what extent vegetation activity responds to climate change in China is still unclear. We applied the Pearson correlation and partial correlation methods with a moving 15-y window to the GIMMS NDVI dataset from NOAA/AVHRR and observed climate data to examine the variation in the relationships between vegetation activity and climate variables. Results showed that there was an expanding negative response of vegetation growth to climate warming and a positive role of precipitation. The change patterns between NDVI and climate variables over vegetation types during the past three decades pointed an expending negative correlation between NDVI and temperature and a positive role of precipitation over most of the vegetation types (meadow, grassland, shrub, desert, cropland, and forest). Specifically, correlation between NDVI and temperature (PNDVI-T) have shifted from positive to negative in most of the station of temperature-limited areas with evergreen broadleaf forests, whereas precipitation-limited temperate grassland and desert were characterized by a positive PNDVI-P. This study contributes to ongoing investigations of the effects of climate change on vegetation activity. It is also of great importance for designing forest management strategies to cope with climate change.

Determining the relative importance of climatic drivers on spring phenology in grassland ecosystems of semi-arid areas.

PubMed

Zhu, Likai; Meng, Jijun

2015-02-01

Understanding climate controls on spring phenology in grassland ecosystems is critically important in predicting the impacts of future climate change on grassland productivity and carbon storage. The third-generation Global Inventory Monitoring and Modeling System (GIMMS3g) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data were applied to derive the start of the growing season (SOS) from 1982-2010 in grassland ecosystems of Ordos, a typical semi-arid area in China. Then, the conditional Granger causality method was utilized to quantify the directed functional connectivity between key climatic drivers and the SOS. The results show that the asymmetric Gaussian (AG) function is better in reducing noise of NDVI time series than the double logistic (DL) function within our study area. The southeastern Ordos has earlier occurrence and lower variability of the SOS, whereas the northwestern Ordos has later occurrence and higher variability of the SOS. The research also reveals that spring precipitation has stronger causal connectivity with the SOS than other climatic factors over different grassland ecosystem types. There is no statistically significant trend across the study area, while the similar pattern is observed for spring precipitation. Our study highlights the link of spring phenology with different grassland types, and the use of coupling remote sensing and econometric tools. With the dramatic increase in global change research, Granger causality method augurs well for further development and application of time-series modeling of complex social-ecological systems at the intersection of remote sensing and landscape changes.

Characterizing Climate Controls on Vegetation Seasonality in the North American Southwest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fish, M. A.; Cook, B.; Smerdon, J. E.; Seager, R.; Williams, P.

2014-12-01

The North American Southwest, which extends from Colorado to southern Mexico and California to eastern Texas, encompasses a diversity of climates, elevations, and ecosystems. This region is expected to experience significant climatic change, and associated impacts, in the coming decades. To better understand the spatiotemporal variability of vegetation in the Southwest and the expected climatic controls on timing and spatial extend of vegetation growth, we compared GIMMS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI, 1981-2011) against temperature and precipitation data. Spatial variations in vegetation seasonality and the timing of peak NDVI are linked to spatial variability in the precipitation regimes across the Southwest. Regions with spring NDVI peaks are dominated by winter precipitation, while late summer and fall peaks are in regions with significant summer precipitation driven by the North American Monsoon. Inter-annual variability in peak NDVI is positively correlated with precipitation and negatively correlated with temperature, with the largest correlation coefficients at one-month lags. The only significant long-term trends in NDVI are for northern Mexico, where agricultural productivity has been increasing over the last 30 years.

Use of descriptors of ecosystem functioning for monitoring a national park network: a remote sensing approach.

PubMed

Alcaraz-Segura, Domingo; Cabello, Javier; Paruelo, José M; Delibes, Miguel

2009-01-01

Baseline assessments and monitoring of protected areas are essential for making management decisions, evaluating the effectiveness of management practices, and tracking the effects of global changes. For these purposes, the analysis of functional attributes of ecosystems (i.e., different aspects of the exchange of matter and energy) has advantages over the traditional use of structural attributes, like a quicker response to disturbances and the fact that they are easily monitored through remote sensing. In this study, we described the spatiotemporal patterns of different aspects of the ecosystem functioning of the Spanish national parks and their response to environmental changes between 1982 and 2006. To do so, we used the NOAA/AVHRR-GIMMS dataset of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), a linear estimator of the fraction of photosynthetic active radiation intercepted by vegetation, which is the main control of carbon gains. Nearly all parks have significantly changed during the last 25 years: The radiation interception has increased, the contrast between the growing and nongrowing seasons has diminished, and the dates of maximum and minimum interception have advanced. Some parks concentrated more changes than others and the degree of change varied depending on their different environmental conditions, management, and conservation histories. Our approach identified reference conditions and temporal changes for different aspects of ecosystem functioning, which can be used for management purposes of protected areas in response to global changes.

Dynamics of vegetation autumn phenology and its response to multiple environmental factors from 1982 to 2012 on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in China.

PubMed

Li, Peng; Peng, Changhui; Wang, Meng; Luo, Yunpeng; Li, Mingxu; Zhang, Kerou; Zhang, Dingling; Zhu, Qiuan

2018-05-11

Autumn phenological shifts induced by environmental change have resulted in substantial impacts on ecosystem processes. However, autumn phenology and its multiple related controlling factors have not been well studied. In this study, the spatiotemporal patterns of the end date of the vegetation growing season (EGS) and their multiple controls (climate change, summer vegetation growth and human activities) over the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) were investigated using the satellite-derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) based on GIMMS3g datasets during 1982-2012. The results showed that there was no significant temporal trend in the EGS during the period of 1982-2012. Spatially, there was a notable advancing trend in the southwest region and a delayed trend in the other regions of the QTP during 1982-2000, and this spatial trend was reversed during 2001-2012. We found average temperature, precipitation and sunshine duration of autumn exerted positive effects on EGS on the QTP, while average temperature and sunshine duration of summer exerted negative effects. Our results indicated that vegetation growth in summer tends to induce an earlier EGS in alpine vegetation, whereas summer vegetation degradation could delay the EGS on the QTP. In contrast, moderate grazing delays vegetation browning in autumn, while overgrazing leads to advancement of grass senescence. This study improves our understanding of how multiple environmental variables jointly affect autumn phenology and highlights the importance of biotic controls for autumn phenology on the QTP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrological assessment of atmospheric forcing uncertainty in the Euro-Mediterranean area using a land surface model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelati, Emiliano; Decharme, Bertrand; Calvet, Jean-Christophe; Minvielle, Marie; Polcher, Jan; Fairbairn, David; Weedon, Graham P.

2018-04-01

Physically consistent descriptions of land surface hydrology are crucial for planning human activities that involve freshwater resources, especially in light of the expected climate change scenarios. We assess how atmospheric forcing data uncertainties affect land surface model (LSM) simulations by means of an extensive evaluation exercise using a number of state-of-the-art remote sensing and station-based datasets. For this purpose, we use the CO2-responsive ISBA-A-gs LSM coupled with the CNRM version of the Total Runoff Integrated Pathways (CTRIP) river routing model. We perform multi-forcing simulations over the Euro-Mediterranean area (25-75.5° N, 11.5° W-62.5° E, at 0.5° resolution) from 1979 to 2012. The model is forced using four atmospheric datasets. Three of them are based on the ERA-Interim reanalysis (ERA-I). The fourth dataset is independent from ERA-Interim: PGF, developed at Princeton University. The hydrological impacts of atmospheric forcing uncertainties are assessed by comparing simulated surface soil moisture (SSM), leaf area index (LAI) and river discharge against observation-based datasets: SSM from the European Space Agency's Water Cycle Multi-mission Observation Strategy and Climate Change Initiative projects (ESA-CCI), LAI of the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS), and Global Runoff Data Centre (GRDC) river discharge. The atmospheric forcing data are also compared to reference datasets. Precipitation is the most uncertain forcing variable across datasets, while the most consistent are air temperature and SW and LW radiation. At the monthly timescale, SSM and LAI simulations are relatively insensitive to forcing uncertainties. Some discrepancies with ESA-CCI appear to be forcing-independent and may be due to different assumptions underlying the LSM and the remote sensing retrieval algorithm. All simulations overestimate average summer and early-autumn LAI. Forcing uncertainty impacts on simulated river discharge are larger on mean values and standard deviations than on correlations with GRDC data. Anomaly correlation coefficients are not inferior to those computed from raw monthly discharge time series, indicating that the model reproduces inter-annual variability fairly well. However, simulated river discharge time series generally feature larger variability compared to measurements. They also tend to overestimate winter-spring high flows and underestimate summer-autumn low flows. Considering that several differences emerge between simulations and reference data, which may not be completely explained by forcing uncertainty, we suggest several research directions. These range from further investigating the discrepancies between LSMs and remote sensing retrievals to developing new model components to represent physical and anthropogenic processes.

Impacts of climate change on forest phenology and implications for streamflow in the central Appalachian Mountains region, United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zegre, N.; Gaertner, B. A.; Fernandez, R.

2016-12-01

The timing of phenological parameters such as spring onset and autumn senescence are important controls on the partitioning of water into evaporation and streamflow. Climate largely drives seasonal characteristics of plants and changes in phenological timing can be used to detect the impacts of climate change on water balance controls. However, limited phenological research is available for regions dominated by forest cover such as the central Appalachian Mountains region of the United States. To quantify the impacts of climate change on phenological timing and streamflow in this region, we used GIMMS AVHRR NDVI 13g data from 1982-2012 and the TIMESAT program to extract seasonality parameters. Results show that spring onset has advanced by 9 days, autumn senescence has been delayed by 11 days, and growing season has lengthened by 20 days. Above 500 m elevation, spring onset occurs 2-3 days later; fall senescence arrives 1-2 days earlier, and growing season shortens by 3-5 days. Streamflow has decreased during the growing season over the 31-year study period throughout the region, with the most pronounced effects for the Tennessee River watershed, the southernmost reach of the study area. The elevation patterns are in general agreement with Hopkins law, which states a one-day delay in spring onset for every 30-meter increase in elevation. Streamflow patterns suggest that the southern central Appalachian region is sensitive to changes in climate and are becoming drier, having important implications for drinking water supply, forest ecosystem management, ecosystem services including drinking water supply, and overall forest health.

The Vegetation Greenness Trend in Canada and US Alaska from 1984-2012 Landsat Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ju, Junchang; Masek, Jeffrey G.

2016-01-01

To assess the North American high-latitude vegetation response to the rising temperature, we derived NDVI end for 91.2% of the non-water, non-snow land area of Canada and Alaska using the peak-summer Landsat surface reflectance data of 19842012. Our analysis indicated that 29.4% and 2.9 of the land area of Canada and Alaska showed statistically significant positive (greening) and negative (browning) trends respectively, at significance level p b 0.01, after burned forest areas were masked out. The area with greening trend dominated over that with browning trend for all land cover types. The greening occurred primarily in the tundra of western Alaska, along the north coast of Canada and in northeastern Canada; the most intensive and extensive greening occurred in Quebec and Labrador. The browning occurred mostly in the boreal forests of eastern Alaska. The Landsat-based greenness trend is broadly similar to the 8-km GIMMS AVHRR-based trend for all vegetation zones. However, for tundra, the Landsat data indicated much less extensive greening in Alaska North Slope and much more extensive greening in Quebec and Labrador, and substantially less extensive browning trend in the boreal forests that were free of fire disturbances. These differences call for further validation of the Landsat reflectance and the AVHRR NDVI datasets. Correlation study with local environmental factors, such as topography, glacial history and soil condition, will be needed to understand the heterogeneous greenness change at the Landsat scale.

Temporal Variation of NDVI and the Drivers of Climate Variables in the Arctic Tundra Transition Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J.; Ryu, Y.; Lee, Y. K.

2016-12-01

The Arctic is a sensitive region to temperature, which is drastically increasing with climate change. Vegetation in transition zones of the sub-arctic tundra biome are most sensitive to the warming climate, as temperature in the Arctic ecosystem is one of important limiting factors of vegetation growth and decomposition. Previous research in the transition zone show that there is a difference of sensible heat flux (21 Wm-2), Leaf Area Index increase from 0.58 - 2.76 and canopy height from 0.1 - 6.1m across dwarf and tall shrubs to forest, however, we lack understanding of NDVI trend of this zone. To better understand the vegetation in transition zones of the arctic ecosystem, we analyze the long-term trend of NDVI (AVHRR 3g GIMMs data), temperature and precipitation (Climate Research Unit data) trend from 1982 - 2010 in Council, Alaska that is a region where arctic tundra is transitioning to boreal forest. We also analyze how the climatic factors, temperature or precipitation, affect NDVI. Annual precipitation had the highest interannual variability compared to temperature and NDVI. There was an overall decreasing trend of annual maximum NDVI (y = -0.0019x+4.7). During 1982 to 2003, NDVI and temperature had a similar pattern, but when temperature suddenly jumped to 13.2°C in 2004, NDVI and precipitation declined. This study highlights that temperature increase does not always lead to greening, but after a certain threshold they may cause damage to sub-arctic tundra vegetation.

Shifts in vegetation growth in response to multiple factors on the Mongolian Plateau from 1982 to 2011

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miao, Lijuan; Liu, Qiang; Fraser, Richard; He, Bin; Cui, Xuefeng

The Mongolian Plateau (MP) steppe is one of the largest steppe environments in the world. To monitor the terrestrial vegetation dynamics on the MP and to ascertain what the driving forces, this study examined the vegetation dynamics in Republic of Mongolia (M) and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IM) of China from the period 1982 to 2011, based on the satellite-derived GIMMS NDVI3g (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) data across three biomes (desert, grassland and forest). The results are as followed: (1) Vegetation coverage in IM was generally greater than that in M. Before 2002, time series of NDVI over the MP increased at an average rate of 0.05% yr-1. Additionally, after 2002, the NDVI increased at a rate of 0.21% yr-1. From 1982 to 2011, the area of IM and M with positive anomalies in the NDVI increased at a separate rate of 1.82% yr-1 and 1.76% yr-1, respectively. (2) At the biome scale, the inter-annual forest NDVI variation in IM and desert NDVI for the entire MP had a significant increasing trend (0.06% yr-1 and 0.04% yr-1, respectively). (3) Climate forcing was a dominant controlling factor affecting the vegetation, and the anthropogenic behavior exhibited no significant value in the whole region. However, overgrazing was the most important reason for the regional degradation, particularly in IM. (4) In the future, the forest biome will go to recovery, whereas both the grassland and desert biomes are predicted to degrade continuously.

Attribution of trends in global vegetation greenness from 1982 to 2011

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Z.; Xu, L.; Bi, J.; Myneni, R.; Knyazikhin, Y.

2012-12-01

Time series of remotely sensed vegetation indices data provide evidence of changes in terrestrial vegetation activity over the past decades in the world. However, it is difficult to attribute cause-and-effect to vegetation trends because variations in vegetation productivity are driven by various factors. This study investigated changes in global vegetation productivity first, and then attributed the global natural vegetation with greening trend. Growing season integrated normalized difference vegetation index (GSI NDVI) derived from the new GIMMS NDVI3g dataset (1982-2011was analyzed. A combined time series analysis model, which was developed from simper linear trend model (SLT), autoregressive integrated moving average model (ARIMA) and Vogelsang's t-PST model shows that productivity of all vegetation types except deciduous broadleaf forest predominantly showed increasing trends through the 30-year period. The evolution of changes in productivity in the last decade was also investigated. Area of greening vegetation monotonically increased through the last decade, and both the browning and no change area monotonically decreased. To attribute the predominant increase trend of productivity of global natural vegetation, trends of eight climate time series datasets (three temperature, three precipitation and two radiation datasets) were analyzed. The attribution of trends in global vegetation greenness was summarized as relaxation of climatic constraints, fertilization and other unknown reasons. Result shows that nearly all the productivity increase of global natural vegetation was driven by relaxation of climatic constraints and fertilization, which play equally important role in driving global vegetation greenness.; Area fraction and productivity change fraction of IGBP vegetation land cover classes showing statistically significant (10% level) trend in GSI NDVIt;

Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Vegetation and Their Relationships with Climate in Southeast Asia Based on Three Satellite NDVI Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.; Zeng, Z.; Piao, S.

2014-12-01

Tropical vegetation plays an essential role for global biogeochemical cycles. An abundant literature focused on the vegetation dynamics in Amazon. It is shown that the Amazonian rainforest is strongly controlled by radiation, even during dry season. However, only few researches deal with tropical rainforest in Southeast Asia; the vegetation dynamics in Southeast Asia remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the spatio-temporal dynamics of vegetation in Southeast Asia with three independent satellite derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) products (GIMMS AVHRR NDVI3g, SPOT, and MODIS) as well as the recently developed Sun Induced chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF). We furthermore examined how climate drivers (precipitation, temperature and radiation) exert influences on the vegetation dynamics. We find that the three NDVI datasets are generally consistent with each other. At seasonal scale, NDVI decreases from the beginning to the end of the dry season; at interannual scale, dry season NDVI is positively correlated to precipitation but negatively correlated to radiation, while wet season NDVI is positively correlated to radiation. Compared to evergreen forests, deciduous forests have a larger NDVI decrease rate and more extended area with positive relationships between NDVI and precipitation during the dry season. SIF is lower during dry season than during wet season. Our results indicate that most forests in Southeast Asia, unlike in the Amazonian basin, are water-limited in the dry season but radiation-limited in the wet season. These results imply that droughts may have a stronger impact on forests in Southeast Asia than in Amazon.

On the relationship between boreal forest browning and tree mortality: insights from Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, B. M.; Goetz, S. J.

2015-12-01

Long-term satellite measurements of vegetation productivity in high-latitude environments have revealed profound and widespread responses to climate warming. Although warmer and longer summers are causing the Arctic to "green", many regions of boreal forest are showing the opposite response, particularly since the mid 1990s. This "browning" phenomenon was generally unexpected at the time of discovery, is not captured by global models, and may have profound consequences for the boreal biome. A number of studies have linked satellite-based browning trends to tree productivity through tree rings. However, our understanding of the environmental controls and ecosystem consequences of browning remains remarkably limited. Here we examine to what extent browning patterns are related to a fundamental demographic process: tree mortality. We focus on a long-term inventory database in Alaska to characterize mortality events and trends from 1994 to 2014. These patterns were related to vegetation productivity indices from MODIS and the AVHRR-based GIMMS3g data set. We explore three central hypotheses: (1) mortality events are likely to be preceded by 5-10 year browning trends ("press stress"), (2) mortality events are likely to be preceded by distinct pulses of low productivity ("pulse stress"), and (3) long-term trends in mortality are related to long-term browning. Within our study region, which encompasses eastern Alaskan from the Pacific coastal mountains up through the interior, we find strong evidence for the first two hypotheses. The third is weakly supported, which may be a consequence of the episodic nature of mortality in the region. However, preliminary analyses in the southern Canadian boreal reveal a markedly stronger relationship between long-term mortality and browning. Taken together, our study suggests a robust correlation between satellite-based metrics of productivity and forest demography; one that has consequences for forest composition, carbon stocks, and early signs of a biome shift in boreal forests.

Evaluation and attribution of vegetation contribution to seasonal climate predictability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catalano, Franco; Alessandri, Andrea; De Felice, Matteo

2015-04-01

The land surface model of EC-Earth has been modified to include dependence of vegetation densities on the Leaf Area Index (LAI), based on the Lambert-Beer formulation. Effective vegetation fractional coverage can now vary at seasonal and interannual time-scales and therefore affect biophysical parameters such as the surface roughness, albedo and soil field capacity. The modified model is used to perform a real predictability seasonal hindcast experiment. LAI is prescribed using a recent observational dataset based on the third generation GIMMS and MODIS satellite data. Hindcast setup is: 7 months forecast length, 2 start dates (1st May and 1st November), 10 members, 28 years (1982-2009). The effect of the realistic LAI prescribed from observation is evaluated with respect to a control experiment where LAI does not vary. Hindcast results demonstrate that a realistic representation of vegetation significantly improves the forecasts of temperature and precipitation. The sensitivity is particularly large for temperature during boreal winter over central North America and Central Asia. This may be attributed in particular to the effect of the high vegetation component on the snow cover. Summer forecasts are improved in particular for precipitation over Europe, Sahel, North America, West Russia and Nordeste. Correlation improvements depends on the links between targets (temperature and precipitation) and drivers (surface heat fluxes, albedo, soil moisture, evapotranspiration, moisture divergence) which varies from region to region.

Canopy reflectance modeling in a tropical wooded grassland

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simonett, D.; Franklin, J.

1986-01-01

Geometric/optical canopy reflectance modeling and spatial/spectral pattern recognition are used to study the form and structure of savanna in West Africa. An invertible plant canopy reflectance model is tested for its ability to estimate the amount of woody vegetation cover in areas of sparsely wooded grassland from remotely sensed data. Dry woodlands and wooded grasslands, commonly referred to as savannas, are important ecologically and economically in Africa, and cover approximately forty percent of the continent by some estimates. The Sahelian and Sudanian savanna make up the important and sensitive transition zone between the tropical forests and the arid Saharan region. The depletion of woody cover, used for fodder and fuel in these regions, has become a very severe problem for the people living there. LANDSAT Thematic Mapper (TM) data is used to stratify woodland and wooded grassland into areas of relatively homogeneous canopy cover, and then by applying an invertible forest canopy reflectance model to estimate directly the height and spacing of the trees in the stands. Since height and spacing are proportional to biomass in some cases, a successful application of the segmentation/modeling techniques will allow direct estimation of woody biomass, as well as cover density, over significant areas of these valuable and sensitive ecosystems. Sahelian savanna sites in the Gourma area of Mali being used by the NASA/GIMMS project (Global Inventory Modeling and Monitoring System, at Goddard Space Flight Center), in conjunction with CIPEA/Mali (Centre International pour l'Elevage en Afrique) will be used for testing the canopy model. The model will also be tested in a Sudanian zone crop/woodland area in the Region of Segou, Mali.

Trends in Global Vegetation Activity and Climatic Drivers Indicate a Decoupled Response to Climate Change.

PubMed

Schut, Antonius G T; Ivits, Eva; Conijn, Jacob G; Ten Brink, Ben; Fensholt, Rasmus

2015-01-01

Detailed understanding of a possible decoupling between climatic drivers of plant productivity and the response of ecosystems vegetation is required. We compared trends in six NDVI metrics (1982-2010) derived from the GIMMS3g dataset with modelled biomass productivity and assessed uncertainty in trend estimates. Annual total biomass weight (TBW) was calculated with the LINPAC model. Trends were determined using a simple linear regression, a Thiel-Sen medium slope and a piecewise regression (PWR) with two segments. Values of NDVI metrics were related to Net Primary Production (MODIS-NPP) and TBW per biome and land-use type. The simple linear and Thiel-Sen trends did not differ much whereas PWR increased the fraction of explained variation, depending on the NDVI metric considered. A positive trend in TBW indicating more favorable climatic conditions was found for 24% of pixels on land, and for 5% a negative trend. A decoupled trend, indicating positive TBW trends and monotonic negative or segmented and negative NDVI trends, was observed for 17-36% of all productive areas depending on the NDVI metric used. For only 1-2% of all pixels in productive areas, a diverging and greening trend was found despite a strong negative trend in TBW. The choice of NDVI metric used strongly affected outcomes on regional scales and differences in the fraction of explained variation in MODIS-NPP between biomes were large, and a combination of NDVI metrics is recommended for global studies. We have found an increasing difference between trends in climatic drivers and observed NDVI for large parts of the globe. Our findings suggest that future scenarios must consider impacts of constraints on plant growth such as extremes in weather and nutrient availability to predict changes in NPP and CO2 sequestration capacity.

Drought impacts on vegetation dynamics in the Mediterranean based on remote sensing and multi-scale drought indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trigo, Ricardo; Gouveia, Celia M.; Beguería, Santiago; Vicente-Serrano, Sergio

2015-04-01

A number of recent studies have identified a significant increase in the frequency of drought events in the Mediterranean basin (e.g. Trigo et al., 2013, Vicente-Serrano et al., 2014). In the Mediterranean region, large drought episodes are responsible for the most negative impacts on the vegetation including significant losses of crop yield, increasing risk of forest fires (e.g. Gouveia et al., 2012) and even forest decline. The aim of the present work is to analyze in detail the impacts of drought episodes on vegetation in the Mediterranean basin behavior using NDVI data from (from GIMMS) for entire Mediterranean basin (1982-2006) and the multi-scale drought index (the Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). Correlation maps between fields of monthly NDVI and SPEI for at different time scales (1-24 months) were computed in order to identify the regions and seasons most affected by droughts. Affected vegetation presents high spatial and seasonal variability, with a maximum in summer and a minimum in winter. During February 50% of the affected pixels corresponded to a time scale of 6 months, while in November the most frequent time scale corresponded to 3 months, representing more than 40% of the affected region. Around 20% of grid points corresponded to the longer time scales (18 and 24 months), persisting fairly constant along the year. In all seasons the wetter clusters present higher NDVI values which indicates that aridity holds a key role to explain the spatial differences in the NDVI values along the year. Despite the localization of these clusters in areas with higher values of monthly water balance, the strongest control of drought on vegetation activity are observed for the drier classes located over regions with smaller absolute values of water balance. Gouveia C.M., Bastos A., Trigo R.M., DaCamara C.C. (2012) "Drought impacts on vegetation in the pre and post-fire events over Iberian Peninsula". Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 12, 3123-3137, 2012. Trigo R.M., Añel J., Barriopedro D., García-Herrera R., Gimeno L., Nieto R., Castillo R., Allen M.R., Massey N. (2013), The record Winter drought of 2011-12 in the Iberian Peninsula [in "Explaining Extreme Events of 2012 from a Climate Perspective". [Peterson, T. C., M. P. Hoerling, P.A. Stott and S. Herring, Eds.] Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 94 (9), S41-S45. Vicente-Serrano S.M., López-Moreno J.I., Beguería S., Lorenzo-Lacruz J., Sanchez-Lorenzo A., García-Ruiz J.M., Azorin-Molina C., Móran-Tejeda E., Revuelto J., Trigo R., Coelho F., Espejo F.: Evidence of increasing drought severity caused by temperature rise in southern Europe. Environmental Research Letters, 9, 044001, 2014. Acknowledgements: This work was partially supported by national funds through FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal) under project QSECA (PTDC/AAGGLO/4155/2012).

Review and critical appraisal of studies mapping from quality of life or clinical measures to EQ-5D: an online database and application of the MAPS statement.

PubMed

Dakin, Helen; Abel, Lucy; Burns, Richéal; Yang, Yaling

2018-02-12

The Health Economics Research Centre (HERC) Database of Mapping Studies was established in 2013, based on a systematic review of studies developing mapping algorithms predicting EQ-5D. The Mapping onto Preference-based measures reporting Standards (MAPS) statement was published in 2015 to improve reporting of mapping studies. We aimed to update the systematic review and assess the extent to which recently-published studies mapping condition-specific quality of life or clinical measures to the EQ-5D follow the guidelines published in the MAPS Reporting Statement. A published systematic review was updated using the original inclusion criteria to include studies published by December 2016. We included studies reporting novel algorithms mapping from any clinical measure or patient-reported quality of life measure to either the EQ-5D-3L or EQ-5D-5L. Titles and abstracts of all identified studies and the full text of papers published in 2016 were assessed against the MAPS checklist. The systematic review identified 144 mapping studies reporting 190 algorithms mapping from 110 different source instruments to EQ-5D. Of the 17 studies published in 2016, nine (53%) had titles that followed the MAPS statement guidance, although only two (12%) had abstracts that fully addressed all MAPS items. When the full text of these papers was assessed against the complete MAPS checklist, only two studies (12%) were found to fulfil or partly fulfil all criteria. Of the 141 papers (across all years) that included abstracts, the items on the MAPS statement checklist that were fulfilled by the largest number of studies comprised having a structured abstract (95%) and describing target instruments (91%) and source instruments (88%). The number of published mapping studies continues to increase. Our updated database provides a convenient way to identify mapping studies for use in cost-utility analysis. Most recent studies do not fully address all items on the MAPS checklist.

Combining satellite derived phenology with climate data for climate change impact assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivits, E.; Cherlet, M.; Tóth, G.; Sommer, S.; Mehl, W.; Vogt, J.; Micale, F.

2012-05-01

The projected influence of climate change on the timing and volume of phytomass production is expected to affect a number of ecosystem services. In order to develop coherent and locally effective adaptation and mitigation strategies, spatially explicit information on the observed changes is needed. Long-term variations of the vegetative growing season in different environmental zones of Europe for 1982-2006 have been derived by analysing time series of GIMMS NDVI data. The associations of phenologically homogenous spatial clusters to time series of temperature and precipitation data were evaluated. North-east Europe showed a trend to an earlier and longer growing season, particularly in the northern Baltic areas. Despite the earlier greening up large areas of Europe exhibited rather stable season length indicating the shift of the entire growing season to an earlier period. The northern Mediterranean displayed a growing season shift towards later dates while some agglomerations of earlier and shorter growing season were also seen. The correlation of phenological time series with climate data shows a cause-and-effect relationship over the semi natural areas consistent with results in literature. Managed ecosystems however appear to have heterogeneous change pattern with less or no correlation to climatic trends. Over these areas climatic trends seemed to overlap in a complex manner with more pronounced effects of local biophysical conditions and/or land management practices. Our results underline the importance of satellite derived phenological observations to explain local nonconformities to climatic trends for climate change impact assessment.

Assessing the Influence of Precipitation Variability on the Vegetation Dynamics of the Mediterranean Rangelands using NDVI and Machine Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daliakopoulos, Ioannis; Tsanis, Ioannis

2017-04-01

Mitigating the vulnerability of Mediterranean rangelands against degradation is limited by our ability to understand and accurately characterize those impacts in space and time. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is a radiometric measure of the photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by green vegetation canopy chlorophyll and is therefore a good surrogate measure of vegetation dynamics. On the other hand, meteorological indices such as the drought assessing Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI) are can be easily estimated from historical and projected datasets at the global scale. This work investigates the potential of driving Random Forest (RF) models with meteorological indices to approximate NDVI-based vegetation dynamics. A sufficiently large number of RF models are trained using random subsets of the dataset as predictors, in a bootstrapping approach to account for the uncertainty introduced by the subset selection. The updated E-OBS-v13.1 dataset of the ENSEMBLES EU FP6 program provides observed monthly meteorological input to estimate SPI over the Mediterranean rangelands. RF models are trained to depict vegetation dynamics using the latest version (3g.v1) of the third generation GIMMS NDVI generated from NOAA's Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensors. Analysis is conducted for the period 1981-2015 at a gridded spatial resolution of 25 km. Preliminary results demonstrate the potential of machine learning algorithms to effectively mimic the underlying physical relationship of drought and Earth Observation vegetation indices to provide estimates based on precipitation variability.

Spatiotemporal distribution and variation of GPP in the Greater Khingan Mountains from 1982 to 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, L.; Fan, W.; Liu, S.; Ren, H.; Xu, X.

2017-12-01

GPP (Gross Primary Productivity) is an important index to reflect the productivity of plants because it refers to the organic accumulated by green plants on land through assimilating the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by photosynthesis and a serial of physiological processes in plants. Therefore, GPP plays a significant role in studying the carbon sink of terrestrial ecosystem and plants' reaction to global climate change. Remote sensing provides an efficient way to estimate GPP at regional and global scales and its products can be used to monitor the spatiotemporal variation of terrestrial ecosystem.As the Greater Khingan Mountains is the only bright coniferous forest of cool temperate zone in China and accounts for about 30% of the forest in China. This region is sensitive to climate change, but its forest coverage presented a significant variation due to fire disasters, excessive deforestation and so on. Here, we aimed at studying the variation pattern of GPP in the Greater Khingan Mountains and further found impact factors for the change in order to improve the understanding of what have and will happen on plants and carbon cycle under climate change.Based on GPP product from the GLASS program, we first studied spatial distribution of plants in the Greater Khingan Mountains from 1982 to 2015. With a linear regression model, seasonal and inter-annual GPP variability were explored on pixel and regional scale. We analyzed some climatic factors (e.g. temperature and precipitation) and terrain in order to find the driven factors for the GPP variations. The Growing Season Length (GSL) was also regarded as a factor and was retrieved from GIMMS 3g NDVI datasets using dynamic threshold method. We found that GPP in study area linearly decreased with the increasing elevation. Both annual accumulated GPP (AAG) and maximum daily GPP (during mid-June to mid-July) gained obvious improvement over the past 34 years under climate warming and drying (Fig.1 and Fig.2). Further studies showed temperature had positive correlation with GPP while precipitation had negative effect; Moreover, multi-regression results reflected that temperature rather than precipitation was the dominant climatic factor for plants in study area. The extension of GSL also increased the AAG.

Historical extension of operational NDVI products for livestock insurance in Kenya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vrieling, Anton; Meroni, Michele; Shee, Apurba; Mude, Andrew G.; Woodard, Joshua; de Bie, C. A. J. M. (Kees); Rembold, Felix

2014-05-01

Droughts induce livestock losses that severely affect Kenyan pastoralists. Recent index insurance schemes have the potential of being a viable tool for insuring pastoralists against drought-related risk. Such schemes require as input a forage scarcity (or drought) index that can be reliably updated in near real-time, and that strongly relates to livestock mortality. Generally, a long record (>25 years) of the index is needed to correctly estimate mortality risk and calculate the related insurance premium. Data from current operational satellites used for large-scale vegetation monitoring span over a maximum of 15 years, a time period that is considered insufficient for accurate premium computation. This study examines how operational NDVI datasets compare to, and could be combined with the non-operational recently constructed 30-year GIMMS AVHRR record (1981-2011) to provide a near-real time drought index with a long term archive for the arid lands of Kenya. We compared six freely available, near-real time NDVI products: five from MODIS and one from SPOT-VEGETATION. Prior to comparison, all datasets were averaged in time for the two vegetative seasons in Kenya, and aggregated spatially at the administrative division level at which the insurance is offered. The feasibility of extending the resulting aggregated drought indices back in time was assessed using jackknifed R2 statistics (leave-one-year-out) for the overlapping period 2002-2011. We found that division-specific models were more effective than a global model for linking the division-level temporal variability of the index between NDVI products. Based on our results, good scope exists for historically extending the aggregated drought index, thus providing a longer operational record for insurance purposes. We showed that this extension may have large effects on the calculated insurance premium. Finally, we discuss several possible improvements to the drought index.

Herbivore Impact on Tundra Plant Community Dynamics Using Long-term Remote Sensing Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Q.; Engstrom, R.; Shiklomanov, N. I.

2014-12-01

Arctic tundra biome is now experiencing dramatic environmental changes accentuated by summer sea-ice decline, permafrost thaw, and shrub expansion. Multi-decadal time-series of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI, a spectral metric of vegetation productivity) shows an overall "greening" trend across the Arctic tundra biome. Regional trends in climate plausibly explain large-scale patterns of increasing plant productivity, as diminished summer sea-ice extent warms the adjacent land causing tundra vegetation to respond positively (increased photosynthetic aboveground biomass). However, at more local scales, there is a great deal of spatial variability in NDVI trends that likely reflects differences in hydrology and soil conditions, disturbance history, and use by wildlife and humans. Particularly, habitat use by large herbivores, such as reindeer and caribou, has large impacts on vegetation dynamics at local and regional scales, but the role of herbivores in modulating the response of vegetation to warming climate has received little attention. This study investigates regional tundra plant community dynamics within inhabits of different sizes of wild caribou/reindeer herds across the Arctic using GIMMS NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) 3g data product. The Taimyr herd in Russia is one of the largest herds in the world with a population increase from 450,000 in 1975 to about 1 million animals in 2000. The population of the porcupine caribou herd has fluctuated in the past three decades between 100,000 and 180,000. Time-series of the maximum NDVI within the inhabit area of the Taimyr herd has increased about 2% per decade over the past three decades, while within the inhabit area of the Porcupine herd the maximum NDVI has increased about 5% per decade. Our results indicate that the impact of large herbivores can be detected from space and further analyses on seasonal dynamics of vegetation indices and herbivore behavior may provide more understanding of the plant-herbivore interactions within the context of a 'greening' Arctic.

Trends in Global Vegetation Activity and Climatic Drivers Indicate a Decoupled Response to Climate Change

PubMed Central

Schut, Antonius G. T.; Ivits, Eva; Conijn, Jacob G.; ten Brink, Ben; Fensholt, Rasmus

2015-01-01

Detailed understanding of a possible decoupling between climatic drivers of plant productivity and the response of ecosystems vegetation is required. We compared trends in six NDVI metrics (1982–2010) derived from the GIMMS3g dataset with modelled biomass productivity and assessed uncertainty in trend estimates. Annual total biomass weight (TBW) was calculated with the LINPAC model. Trends were determined using a simple linear regression, a Thiel-Sen medium slope and a piecewise regression (PWR) with two segments. Values of NDVI metrics were related to Net Primary Production (MODIS-NPP) and TBW per biome and land-use type. The simple linear and Thiel-Sen trends did not differ much whereas PWR increased the fraction of explained variation, depending on the NDVI metric considered. A positive trend in TBW indicating more favorable climatic conditions was found for 24% of pixels on land, and for 5% a negative trend. A decoupled trend, indicating positive TBW trends and monotonic negative or segmented and negative NDVI trends, was observed for 17–36% of all productive areas depending on the NDVI metric used. For only 1–2% of all pixels in productive areas, a diverging and greening trend was found despite a strong negative trend in TBW. The choice of NDVI metric used strongly affected outcomes on regional scales and differences in the fraction of explained variation in MODIS-NPP between biomes were large, and a combination of NDVI metrics is recommended for global studies. We have found an increasing difference between trends in climatic drivers and observed NDVI for large parts of the globe. Our findings suggest that future scenarios must consider impacts of constraints on plant growth such as extremes in weather and nutrient availability to predict changes in NPP and CO2 sequestration capacity. PMID:26466347

Preferred reporting items for studies mapping onto preference-based outcome measures: The MAPS statement.

PubMed

Petrou, Stavros; Rivero-Arias, Oliver; Dakin, Helen; Longworth, Louise; Oppe, Mark; Froud, Robert; Gray, Alastair

2015-01-01

'Mapping' onto generic preference-based outcome measures is increasingly being used as a means of generating health utilities for use within health economic evaluations. Despite publication of technical guides for the conduct of mapping research, guidance for the reporting of mapping studies is currently lacking. The MAPS (MApping onto Preference-based measures reporting Standards) statement is a new checklist, which aims to promote complete and transparent reporting of mapping studies. The primary audiences for the MAPS statement are researchers reporting mapping studies, the funders of the research, and peer reviewers and editors involved in assessing mapping studies for publication. A de novo list of 29 candidate reporting items and accompanying explanations was created by a working group comprised of six health economists and one Delphi methodologist. Following a two-round, modified Delphi survey with representatives from academia, consultancy, health technology assessment agencies and the biomedical journal editorial community, a final set of 23 items deemed essential for transparent reporting, and accompanying explanations, was developed. The items are contained in a user friendly 23 item checklist. They are presented numerically and categorised within six sections, namely: (i) title and abstract; (ii) introduction; (iii) methods; (iv) results; (v) discussion; and (vi) other. The MAPS statement is best applied in conjunction with the accompanying MAPS explanation and elaboration document. It is anticipated that the MAPS statement will improve the clarity, transparency and completeness of reporting of mapping studies. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the MAPS statement is being co-published by seven health economics and quality of life journals, and broader endorsement is encouraged. The MAPS working group plans to assess the need for an update of the reporting checklist in five years' time.

Preferred Reporting Items for Studies Mapping onto Preference-Based Outcome Measures: The MAPS Statement.

PubMed

Petrou, Stavros; Rivero-Arias, Oliver; Dakin, Helen; Longworth, Louise; Oppe, Mark; Froud, Robert; Gray, Alastair

2015-10-01

'Mapping' onto generic preference-based outcome measures is increasingly being used as a means of generating health utilities for use within health economic evaluations. Despite the publication of technical guides for the conduct of mapping research, guidance for the reporting of mapping studies is currently lacking. The MAPS (MApping onto Preference-based measures reporting Standards) statement is a new checklist, which aims to promote complete and transparent reporting of mapping studies. The primary audiences for the MAPS statement are researchers reporting mapping studies, the funders of the research, and peer reviewers and editors involved in assessing mapping studies for publication. A de novo list of 29 candidate reporting items and accompanying explanations was created by a working group comprising six health economists and one Delphi methodologist. Following a two-round modified Delphi survey with representatives from academia, consultancy, health technology assessment agencies and the biomedical journal editorial community, a final set of 23 items deemed essential for transparent reporting, and accompanying explanations, was developed. The items are contained in a user-friendly 23-item checklist. They are presented numerically and categorised within six sections, namely: (1) title and abstract; (2) introduction; (3) methods; (4) results; (5) discussion; and (6) other. The MAPS statement is best applied in conjunction with the accompanying MAPS explanation and elaboration document. It is anticipated that the MAPS statement will improve the clarity, transparency and completeness of reporting of mapping studies. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the MAPS statement is being co-published by seven health economics and quality-of-life journals, and broader endorsement is encouraged. The MAPS working group plans to assess the need for an update of the reporting checklist in 5 years' time.

Islands of biogeodiversity in arid lands on a polygons map study: Detecting scale invariance patterns from natural resources maps.

PubMed

Ibáñez, J J; Pérez-Gómez, R; Brevik, Eric C; Cerdà, A

2016-12-15

Many maps (geology, hydrology, soil, vegetation, etc.) are created to inventory natural resources. Each of these resources is mapped using a unique set of criteria, including scales and taxonomies. Past research indicates that comparing results of related maps (e.g., soil and geology maps) may aid in identifying mapping deficiencies. Therefore, this study was undertaken in Almeria Province, Spain to (i) compare the underlying map structures of soil and vegetation maps and (ii) investigate if a vegetation map can provide useful soil information that was not shown on a soil map. Soil and vegetation maps were imported into ArcGIS 10.1 for spatial analysis, and results then exported to Microsoft Excel worksheets for statistical analyses to evaluate fits to linear and power law regression models. Vegetative units were grouped according to the driving forces that determined their presence or absence: (i) climatophilous (ii) lithologic-climate; and (iii) edaphophylous. The rank abundance plots for both the soil and vegetation maps conformed to Willis or Hollow Curves, meaning the underlying structures of both maps were the same. Edaphophylous map units, which represent 58.5% of the vegetation units in the study area, did not show a good correlation with the soil map. Further investigation revealed that 87% of the edaphohygrophilous units were found in ramblas, ephemeral riverbeds that are not typically classified and mapped as soils in modern systems, even though they meet the definition of soil given by the most commonly used and most modern soil taxonomic systems. Furthermore, these edaphophylous map units tend to be islands of biodiversity that are threatened by anthropogenic activity in the region. Therefore, this study revealed areas that need to be revisited and studied pedologically. The vegetation mapped in these areas and the soils that support it are key components of the earth's critical zone that must be studied, understood, and preserved. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Earth Resources Technology Satellite data collection project, ERTS - Bolivia. [thematic mapping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brockmann, C. E.

1974-01-01

The Earth Resources Technology Satellite program of Bolivia has developed a multidisciplinary project to carry out investigations in cartography and to prepare various thematic maps. In cartography, investigations are being carried out with the ERTS-1 images and with existing maps, to determine their application to the preparation of new cartographic products on one hand and on the other to map those regions where the cartography is still deficient. The application of the MSS images to the geological mapping has given more than satisfactory results. Working with conventional photointerpretation, it has been possible to prepare regional geological maps, tectonic maps, studies relative to mining, geomorphological maps, studies relative to petroleum exploration, volcanological maps and maps of hydrologic basins. In agriculture, the ERTS images are used to study land classification and forest and soils mapping.

Mapping Resource Selection Functions in Wildlife Studies: Concerns and Recommendations

PubMed Central

Morris, Lillian R.; Proffitt, Kelly M.; Blackburn, Jason K.

2018-01-01

Predicting the spatial distribution of animals is an important and widely used tool with applications in wildlife management, conservation, and population health. Wildlife telemetry technology coupled with the availability of spatial data and GIS software have facilitated advancements in species distribution modeling. There are also challenges related to these advancements including the accurate and appropriate implementation of species distribution modeling methodology. Resource Selection Function (RSF) modeling is a commonly used approach for understanding species distributions and habitat usage, and mapping the RSF results can enhance study findings and make them more accessible to researchers and wildlife managers. Currently, there is no consensus in the literature on the most appropriate method for mapping RSF results, methods are frequently not described, and mapping approaches are not always related to accuracy metrics. We conducted a systematic review of the RSF literature to summarize the methods used to map RSF outputs, discuss the relationship between mapping approaches and accuracy metrics, performed a case study on the implications of employing different mapping methods, and provide recommendations as to appropriate mapping techniques for RSF studies. We found extensive variability in methodology for mapping RSF results. Our case study revealed that the most commonly used approaches for mapping RSF results led to notable differences in the visual interpretation of RSF results, and there is a concerning disconnect between accuracy metrics and mapping methods. We make 5 recommendations for researchers mapping the results of RSF studies, which are focused on carefully selecting and describing the method used to map RSF studies, and relating mapping approaches to accuracy metrics. PMID:29887652

Geologic Map of the Eaton Reservoir Quadrangle, Larimer County, Colorado and Albany County, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Workman, Jeremiah B.

2008-01-01

New geologic mapping of the Eaton Reservoir 7.5' quadrangle defines geologic relationships in the northern Front Range along the Colorado/Wyoming border approximately 35 km south of Laramie, Wyo. Previous mapping within the quadrangle was limited to regional reconnaissance mapping (Tweto, 1979; Camp, 1979; Burch, 1983) and some minor site-specific studies (Carlson and Marsh, 1986; W. Braddock, unpub. mapping, 1982). Braddock and others (1989) mapped the Diamond Peak 7.5' quadrangle to the east, Burch (1983) mapped rocks of the Rawah batholith to the south, W. Braddock (unpub. mapping, 1981) mapped the Sand Creek Pass 7.5' quadrangle to the west, and Ver Ploeg and Boyd (2000) mapped the Laramie 30' x 60' quadrangle to the north. Field work was completed during 2005 and 2006 and the mapping was compiled at a scale of 1:24,000. Minimal petrographic work and isotope dating was done in connection with the present mapping, but detailed petrographic and isotope studies were carried out on correlative map units in surrounding areas as part of a related regional study of the northern Front Range. Classification of Proterozoic rocks is primarily based upon field observation of bulk mineral composition, macroscopic textural features, and field relationships that allow for correlation with rocks studied in greater detail outside of the map area.

Preferred reporting items for studies mapping onto preference-based outcome measures: The MAPS statement.

PubMed

Petrou, Stavros; Rivero-Arias, Oliver; Dakin, Helen; Longworth, Louise; Oppe, Mark; Froud, Robert; Gray, Alastair

2015-08-01

'Mapping' onto generic preference-based outcome measures is increasingly being used as a means of generating health utilities for use within health economic evaluations. Despite publication of technical guides for the conduct of mapping research, guidance for the reporting of mapping studies is currently lacking. The MAPS (MApping onto Preference-based measures reporting Standards) statement is a new checklist, which aims to promote complete and transparent reporting of mapping studies. The primary audiences for the MAPS statement are researchers reporting mapping studies, the funders of the research, and peer reviewers and editors involved in assessing mapping studies for publication.A de novo list of 29 candidate reporting items and accompanying explanations was created by a working group comprised of six health economists and one Delphi methodologist. Following a two-round, modified Delphi survey with representatives from academia, consultancy, health technology assessment agencies and the biomedical journal editorial community, a final set of 23 items deemed essential for transparent reporting, and accompanying explanations, was developed. The items are contained in a user friendly 23 item checklist. They are presented numerically and categorised within six sections, namely: (i) title and abstract; (ii) introduction; (iii) methods; (iv) results; (v) discussion; and (vi) other. The MAPS statement is best applied in conjunction with the accompanying MAPS explanation and elaboration document.It is anticipated that the MAPS statement will improve the clarity, transparency and completeness of reporting of mapping studies. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the MAPS statement is being co-published by eight health economics and quality of life journals, and broader endorsement is encouraged. The MAPS working group plans to assess the need for an update of the reporting checklist in five years' time.This statement was published jointly in Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, Journal of Medical Economics, Medical Decision Making, PharmacoEconomics, and Quality of Life Research.

44 CFR 72.5 - Exemptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) Requests for map changes based on mapping or study analysis errors; (b) Requests for map changes based on... and hydraulic studies conducted by Federal, State, or local agencies to replace approximate studies... information meant to improve upon that shown on the flood map or within the flood study will be exempt from...

44 CFR 72.5 - Exemptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...) Requests for map changes based on mapping or study analysis errors; (b) Requests for map changes based on... and hydraulic studies conducted by Federal, State, or local agencies to replace approximate studies... information meant to improve upon that shown on the flood map or within the flood study will be exempt from...

The efficacy of the 'mind map' study technique.

PubMed

Farrand, Paul; Hussain, Fearzana; Hennessy, Enid

2002-05-01

To examine the effectiveness of using the 'mind map' study technique to improve factual recall from written information. To obtain baseline data, subjects completed a short test based on a 600-word passage of text prior to being randomly allocated to form two groups: 'self-selected study technique' and 'mind map'. After a 30-minute interval the self-selected study technique group were exposed to the same passage of text previously seen and told to apply existing study techniques. Subjects in the mind map group were trained in the mind map technique and told to apply it to the passage of text. Recall was measured after an interfering task and a week later. Measures of motivation were taken. Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London. 50 second- and third-year medical students. Recall of factual material improved for both the mind map and self-selected study technique groups at immediate test compared with baseline. However this improvement was only robust after a week for those in the mind map group. At 1 week, the factual knowledge in the mind map group was greater by 10% (adjusting for baseline) (95% CI -1% to 22%). However motivation for the technique used was lower in the mind map group; if motivation could have been made equal in the groups, the improvement with mind mapping would have been 15% (95% CI 3% to 27%). Mind maps provide an effective study technique when applied to written material. However before mind maps are generally adopted as a study technique, consideration has to be given towards ways of improving motivation amongst users.

Functional-to-form mapping for assembly design automation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Z. G.; Liu, W. M.; Shen, W. D.; Yang, D. Y.; Liu, T. T.

2017-11-01

Assembly-level function-to-form mapping is the most effective procedure towards design automation. The research work mainly includes: the assembly-level function definitions, product network model and the two-step mapping mechanisms. The function-to-form mapping is divided into two steps, i.e. mapping of function-to-behavior, called the first-step mapping, and the second-step mapping, i.e. mapping of behavior-to-structure. After the first step mapping, the three dimensional transmission chain (or 3D sketch) is studied, and the feasible design computing tools are developed. The mapping procedure is relatively easy to be implemented interactively, but, it is quite difficult to finish it automatically. So manual, semi-automatic, automatic and interactive modification of the mapping model are studied. A mechanical hand F-F mapping process is illustrated to verify the design methodologies.

Teaching and Learning with Online Historical Maps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolick, Cheryl Mason

2006-01-01

Teaching social studies with historical maps allows teachers and students not only to examine a historical event or place, but to analyze the story behind the map. Historical maps can provide insight into the people and cultures of earlier times. Studying these historic maps may help students challenge the notion that people of earlier time…

Using global positioning system technology for watershed mapping in Caspar Creek

Treesearch

Norm Henry

1991-01-01

Surveying and mapping work has been an essential and time consuming part of the Caspar Watershed study during the North Fork phase. The cumulative effects study and several other studies being done in this phase require accurate mapping and periodic map updating of watershed features and disturbances.

Development and evaluation of a specialized task taxonomy for spatial planning - A map literacy experiment with topographic maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rautenbach, Victoria; Coetzee, Serena; Çöltekin, Arzu

2017-05-01

Topographic maps are among the most commonly used map types, however, their complex and information-rich designs depicting natural, human-made and cultural features make them difficult to read. Regardless of their complexity, spatial planners make extensive use of topographic maps in their work. On the other hand, various studies suggest that map literacy among the development planning professionals in South Africa is not very high. The widespread use of topographic maps combined with the low levels of map literacy presents challenges for effective development planning. In this paper we address some of these challenges by developing a specialized task taxonomy based on systematically assessed map literacy levels; and conducting an empirical experiment with topographic maps to evaluate our task taxonomy. In such empirical studies if non-realistic tasks are used, the results of map literacy tests may be skewed. Furthermore, experience and familiarity with the studied map type play a role in map literacy. There is thus a need to develop map literacy tests aimed at planners specifically. We developed a taxonomy of realistic map reading tasks typically executed during the planning process. The taxonomy defines six levels tasks of increasing difficulty and complexity, ranging from recognising symbols to extracting knowledge. We hypothesized that competence in the first four levels indicates functional map literacy. In this paper, we present results from an empirical experiment with 49 map literate participants solving a subset of tasks from the first four levels of the taxonomy with a topographic map. Our findings suggest that the proposed taxonomy is a good reference for evaluating topographic map literacy. Participants solved the tasks on all four levels as expected and we therefore conclude that the experiment based on the first four levels of the taxonomy successfully determined the functional map literacy of the participants. We plan to continue the study for the remaining levels, repeat the experiments with a group of map illiterate participants to confirm that the taxonomy can also be used to determine map illiteracy.

Middle Atmosphere Program. Handbook for MAP, volume 6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sechrist, C. F., Jr. (Editor)

1982-01-01

A directory of scientists associated with the Middle Atmosphere Program (MAP) is presented. The MAP steering committee, the standing committees, MAP study groups, and MAP projects are mentioned along with the MAP secretariat and regional consultative group.

Bedrock and structural geologic maps of eastern Candor Sulci, western Ceti Mensa, and southeastern Ceti Mensa, Candor Chasma, Valles Marineris region of Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Okubo, Chris H.; Gaither, Tenielle A.

2017-05-12

This map product contains a set of three 1:18,000-scale maps showing the geology and structure of study areas in the western Candor Chasma region of Valles Marineris, Mars. These maps are part of an informal series of large-scale maps and map-based topical studies aimed at refining current understanding of the geologic history of western Candor Chasma. The map bases consist of digital elevation models and orthorectified images derived from High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) data. These maps are accompanied by geologic cross sections, colorized elevation maps, and cutouts of HiRISE images showing key superposition relations. Also included in this product is a Correlation of Map Units that integrates units across all three map areas, as well as an integrated Description of Map Units and an integrated Explanation of Map Symbols. The maps were assembled using ArcGIS software produced by Environmental Systems Research Institute (http://www.esri.com). The ArcGIS projects and databases associated with each map are included online as supplemental data.

Strategy Maps in University Management: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Shuangmiao; Zhong, Zhou

2015-01-01

In this study, the conceptual use of the strategy map approach and the strategy map which it produces have been adapted from the business sector and introduced as tools for achieving more effective strategic planning and management in higher education institutions (HEIs). This study discusses the development of strategy maps as transformational…

Research on the Application of Rapid Surveying and Mapping for Large Scare Topographic Map by Uav Aerial Photography System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Z.; Song, Y.; Li, C.; Zeng, F.; Wang, F.

2017-08-01

Rapid acquisition and processing method of large scale topographic map data, which relies on the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) low-altitude aerial photogrammetry system, is studied in this paper, elaborating the main work flow. Key technologies of UAV photograph mapping is also studied, developing a rapid mapping system based on electronic plate mapping system, thus changing the traditional mapping mode and greatly improving the efficiency of the mapping. Production test and achievement precision evaluation of Digital Orth photo Map (DOM), Digital Line Graphic (DLG) and other digital production were carried out combined with the city basic topographic map update project, which provides a new techniques for large scale rapid surveying and has obvious technical advantage and good application prospect.

High-resolution geological mapping at 3D Environments: A case study from the fold-and-thrust belt in northern Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Y. C.; Shih, N. C.; Hsieh, Y. C.

2016-12-01

Geologic maps have provided fundamental information for many scientific and engineering applications in human societies. Geologic maps directly influence the reliability of research results or the robustness of engineering projects. In the past, geologic maps were mainly produced by field geologists through direct field investigations and 2D topographic maps. However, the quality of traditional geologic maps was significantly compromised by field conditions, particularly, when the map area is covered by heavy forest canopies. Recent developments in airborne LiDAR technology may virtually remove trees or buildings, thus, providing a useful data set for improving geological mapping. Because high-quality topographic information still needs to be interpreted in terms of geology, there are many fundamental questions regarding how to best apply the data set for high-resolution geological mapping. In this study, we aim to test the quality and reliability of high-resolution geologic maps produced by recent technological methods through an example from the fold-and-thrust belt in northern Taiwan. We performed the geological mapping by applying the LiDAR-derived DEM, self-developed program tools and many layers of relevant information at interactive 3D environments. Our mapping results indicate that the proposed methods will considerably improve the quality and consistency of the geologic maps. The study also shows that in order to gain consistent mapping results, future high-resolution geologic maps should be produced at interactive 3D environments on the basis of existing geologic maps.

Fine-Scale Map of Encyclopedia of DNA Elements Regions in the Korean Population

PubMed Central

Yoo, Yeon-Kyeong; Ke, Xiayi; Hong, Sungwoo; Jang, Hye-Yoon; Park, Kyunghee; Kim, Sook; Ahn, TaeJin; Lee, Yeun-Du; Song, Okryeol; Rho, Na-Young; Lee, Moon Sue; Lee, Yeon-Su; Kim, Jaeheup; Kim, Young J.; Yang, Jun-Mo; Song, Kyuyoung; Kimm, Kyuchan; Weir, Bruce; Cardon, Lon R.; Lee, Jong-Eun; Hwang, Jung-Joo

2006-01-01

The International HapMap Project aims to generate detailed human genome variation maps by densely genotyping single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CEPH, Chinese, Japanese, and Yoruba samples. This will undoubtedly become an important facility for genetic studies of diseases and complex traits in the four populations. To address how the genetic information contained in such variation maps is transferable to other populations, the Korean government, industries, and academics have launched the Korean HapMap project to genotype high-density Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) regions in 90 Korean individuals. Here we show that the LD pattern, block structure, haplotype diversity, and recombination rate are highly concordant between Korean and the two HapMap Asian samples, particularly Japanese. The availability of information from both Chinese and Japanese samples helps to predict more accurately the possible performance of HapMap markers in Korean disease-gene studies. Tagging SNPs selected from the two HapMap Asian maps, especially the Japanese map, were shown to be very effective for Korean samples. These results demonstrate that the HapMap variation maps are robust in related populations and will serve as an important resource for the studies of the Korean population in particular. PMID:16702437

Fostering clinical reasoning in physiotherapy: comparing the effects of concept map study and concept map completion after example study in novice and advanced learners.

PubMed

Montpetit-Tourangeau, Katherine; Dyer, Joseph-Omer; Hudon, Anne; Windsor, Monica; Charlin, Bernard; Mamede, Sílvia; van Gog, Tamara

2017-12-01

Health profession learners can foster clinical reasoning by studying worked examples presenting fully worked out solutions to a clinical problem. It is possible to improve the learning effect of these worked examples by combining them with other learning activities based on concept maps. This study investigated which combinaison of activities, worked examples study with concept map completion or worked examples study with concept map study, fosters more meaningful learning of intervention knowledge in physiotherapy students. Moreover, this study compared the learning effects of these learning activity combinations between novice and advanced learners. Sixty-one second-year physiotherapy students participated in the study which included a pre-test phase, a 130-min guided-learning phase and a four-week self-study phase. During the guided and self-study learning sessions, participants had to study three written worked examples presenting the clinical reasoning for selecting electrotherapeutic currents to treat patients with motor deficits. After each example, participants engaged in either concept map completion or concept map study depending on which learning condition they were randomly allocated to. Students participated in an immediate post-test at the end of the guided-learning phase and a delayed post-test at the end of the self-study phase. Post-tests assessed the understanding of principles governing the domain of knowledge to be learned (conceptual knowledge) and the ability to solve new problems that have similar (i.e., near transfer) or different (i.e., far transfer) solution rationales as problems previously studied in the examples. Learners engaged in concept map completion outperformed those engaged in concept map study on near transfer (p = .010) and far transfer (p < .001) performance. There was a significant interaction effect of learners' prior ability and learning condition on conceptual knowledge but not on near and far transfer performance. Worked examples study combined with concept map completion led to greater transfer performance than worked examples study combined with concept map study for both novice and advanced learners. Concept map completion might give learners better insight into what they have and have not yet learned, allowing them to focus on those aspects during subsequent example study.

Preferred Reporting Items for Studies Mapping onto Preference-Based Outcome Measures: The MAPS Statement.

PubMed

Petrou, Stavros; Rivero-Arias, Oliver; Dakin, Helen; Longworth, Louise; Oppe, Mark; Froud, Robert; Gray, Alastair

2015-10-01

'Mapping' onto generic preference-based outcome measures is increasingly being used as a means of generating health utilities for use within health economic evaluations. Despite publication of technical guides for the conduct of mapping research, guidance for the reporting of mapping studies is currently lacking. The MAPS (MApping onto Preference-based measures reporting Standards) statement is a new checklist, which aims to promote complete and transparent reporting of mapping studies. In the absence of previously published reporting checklists or reporting guidance documents, a de novo list of reporting items was created by a working group comprising six health economists and one Delphi methodologist. A two-round, modified Delphi survey, with representatives from academia, consultancy, health technology assessment agencies and the biomedical journal editorial community, was used to identify a list of essential reporting items from this larger list. From the initial de novo list of 29 candidate items, a set of 23 essential reporting items was developed. The items are presented numerically and categorized within six sections: (1) title and abstract; (2) introduction; (3) methods; (4) results; (5) discussion; and (6) other. The MAPS statement is best applied in conjunction with the accompanying MAPS Explanation and Elaboration paper. It is anticipated that the MAPS statement will improve the clarity, transparency and completeness of the reporting of mapping studies. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the MAPS statement is being co-published by seven health economics and quality-of-life journals, and broader endorsement is encouraged. The MAPS working group plans to assess the need for an update of the reporting checklist in 5 years' time.

Preferred Reporting Items for Studies Mapping onto Preference-Based Outcome Measures: The MAPS Statement.

PubMed

Petrou, Stavros; Rivero-Arias, Oliver; Dakin, Helen; Longworth, Louise; Oppe, Mark; Froud, Robert; Gray, Alastair

2015-08-01

"Mapping" onto generic preference-based outcome measures is increasingly being used as a means of generating health utilities for use within health economic evaluations. Despite the publication of technical guides for the conduct of mapping research, guidance for the reporting of mapping studies is currently lacking. The MAPS (MApping onto Preference-based measures reporting Standards) statement is a new checklist that aims to promote complete and transparent reporting of mapping studies. In the absence of previously published reporting checklists or reporting guidance documents, a de novo list of reporting items was created by a working group comprised of 6 health economists and 1 Delphi methodologist. A 2-round, modified Delphi survey with representatives from academia, consultancy, health technology assessment agencies, and the biomedical journal editorial community was used to identify a list of essential reporting items from this larger list. From the initial de novo list of 29 candidate items, a set of 23 essential reporting items was developed. The items are presented numerically and categorized within 6 sections, namely: (i) title and abstract; (ii) introduction; (iii) methods; (iv) results; (v) discussion; and (vi) other. The MAPS statement is best applied in conjunction with the accompanying MAPS explanation and elaboration document. It is anticipated that the MAPS statement will improve the clarity, transparency, and completeness of reporting of mapping studies. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the MAPS statement is being co-published by 7 health economics and quality-of-life journals, and broader endorsement is encouraged. The MAPS working group plans to assess the need for an update of the reporting checklist in 5 years.

Intercomparison of Satellite-Derived Snow-Cover Maps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Dorothy K.; Tait, Andrew B.; Foster, James L.; Chang, Alfred T. C.; Allen, Milan

1999-01-01

In anticipation of the launch of the Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra, and the PM-1 spacecraft in 1999 and 2000, respectively, efforts are ongoing to determine errors of satellite-derived snow-cover maps. EOS Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-E (AMSR-E) snow-cover products will be produced. For this study we compare snow maps covering the same study area acquired from different sensors using different snow- mapping algorithms. Four locations are studied: 1) southern Saskatchewan; 2) a part of New England (New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts) and eastern New York; 3) central Idaho and western Montana; and 4) parts of North and South Dakota. Snow maps were produced using a prototype MODIS snow-mapping algorithm used on Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) scenes of each study area at 30-m and when the TM data were degraded to 1 -km resolution. National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC) 1 -km resolution snow maps were also used, as were snow maps derived from 1/2 deg. x 1/2 deg. resolution Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/1) data. A land-cover map derived from the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP) land-cover map of North America was also registered to the scenes. The TM, NOHRSC and SSM/I snow maps, and land-cover maps were compared digitally. In most cases, TM-derived maps show less snow cover than the NOHRSC and SSM/I maps because areas of incomplete snow cover in forests (e.g., tree canopies, branches and trunks) are seen in the TM data, but not in the coarser-resolution maps. The snow maps generally agree with respect to the spatial variability of the snow cover. The 30-m resolution TM data provide the most accurate snow maps, and are thus used as the baseline for comparison with the other maps. Comparisons show that the percent change in amount of snow cover relative to the 3 0-m resolution TM maps is lowest using the TM I -km resolution maps, ranging from 0 to 40%. The highest percent change (less than 100%) is found in the New England study area, probably due to the presence of patchy snow cover. A scene with patchy snow cover is more difficult to map accurately than is a scene with a well-defined snowline such as is found on the North and South Dakota scene where the percent change ranged from 0 to 40%. There are also some important differences in the amount of snow mapped using the two different SSM/I algorithms because they utilize different channels.

Scoping of Flood Hazard Mapping Needs for Androscoggin County, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schalk, Charles W.; Dudley, Robert W.

2007-01-01

Background The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed a plan in 1997 to modernize the FEMA flood mapping program. FEMA flood maps delineate flood hazard areas in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA's plan outlined the steps necessary to update FEMA's flood maps for the nation to a seamless digital format and streamline FEMA's operations in raising public awareness of the importance of the maps and responding to requests to revise them. The modernization of flood maps involves conversion of existing information to digital format and integration of improved flood hazard data as needed and as funds allow. To determine flood mapping modernization needs, FEMA has established specific scoping activities to be done on a county-by-county basis for identifying and prioritizing requisite flood-mapping activities for map modernization. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with FEMA and the Maine Floodplain Management Program (MFMP) State Planning Office, began scoping work in 2006 for Androscoggin County. Scoping activities included assembling existing data and map needs information for communities in Androscoggin County, documentation of data, contacts, community meetings, and prioritized mapping needs in a final scoping report (this document), and updating the Mapping Needs Update Support System (MNUSS) Database with information gathered during the scoping process. The average age of the FEMA floodplain maps in Androscoggin County, Maine, is at least 17 years. Most studies were published in the early 1990s, and some towns have partial maps that are more recent than their study date. Since the studies were done, development has occurred in many of the watersheds and the characteristics of the watersheds have changed with time. Therefore, many of the older studies may not depict current conditions nor accurately estimate risk in terms of flood heights or flood mapping.

Use of Technology-Assisted Techniques of Mind Mapping and Concept Mapping in Science Education: A Constructivist Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balim, Ali Günay

2013-01-01

The study aims to investigate the effects of using mind maps and concept maps on students' learning of concepts in science courses. A total of 51 students participated in this study which used a quasi-experimental research design with pre-test/post-test control groups. The constructivist-inspired study was carried out in the sixth-grade science…

Scoping of Flood Hazard Mapping Needs for Hancock County, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schalk, Charles W.; Dudley, Robert W.

2007-01-01

Background The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed a plan in 1997 to modernize the FEMA flood mapping program. FEMA flood maps delineate flood hazard areas in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA's plan outlined the steps necessary to update FEMA's flood maps for the nation to a seamless digital format and streamline FEMA's operations in raising public awareness of the importance of the maps and responding to requests to revise them. The modernization of flood maps involves conversion of existing information to digital format and integration of improved flood hazard data as needed. To determine flood mapping modernization needs, FEMA has established specific scoping activities to be done on a county-by-county basis for identifying and prioritizing requisite flood-mapping activities for map modernization. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with FEMA and the Maine Floodplain Management Program (MFMP) State Planning Office, began scoping work in 2006 for Hancock County. Scoping activities included assembling existing data and map needs information for communities in Hancock County, documentation of data, contacts, community meetings, and prioritized mapping needs in a final scoping report (this document), and updating the Mapping Needs Update Support System (MNUSS) database with information gathered during the scoping process. The average age of the FEMA floodplain maps (all types) in Hancock County, Maine, is at least 19 years. Most of these studies were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and no study is more recent than 1992. Some towns have partial maps that are more recent than their study, indicating that the true average age of the data is probably more than 19 years. Since the studies were done, development has occurred in some of the watersheds and the characteristics of the watersheds have changed. Therefore, many of the older studies may not depict current conditions or accurately estimate risk in terms of flood heights or flood mapping.

Parsing Heterogeneity in the Brain Connectivity of Depressed and Healthy Adults During Positive Mood.

PubMed

Price, Rebecca B; Lane, Stephanie; Gates, Kathleen; Kraynak, Thomas E; Horner, Michelle S; Thase, Michael E; Siegle, Greg J

2017-02-15

There is well-known heterogeneity in affective mechanisms in depression that may extend to positive affect. We used data-driven parsing of neural connectivity to reveal subgroups present across depressed and healthy individuals during positive processing, informing targets for mechanistic intervention. Ninety-two individuals (68 depressed patients, 24 never-depressed control subjects) completed a sustained positive mood induction during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Directed functional connectivity paths within a depression-relevant network were characterized using Group Iterative Multiple Model Estimation (GIMME), a method shown to accurately recover the direction and presence of connectivity paths in individual participants. During model selection, individuals were clustered using community detection on neural connectivity estimates. Subgroups were externally tested across multiple levels of analysis. Two connectivity-based subgroups emerged: subgroup A, characterized by weaker connectivity overall, and subgroup B, exhibiting hyperconnectivity (relative to subgroup A), particularly among ventral affective regions. Subgroup predicted diagnostic status (subgroup B contained 81% of patients; 50% of control subjects; χ 2 = 8.6, p = .003) and default mode network connectivity during a separate resting-state task. Among patients, subgroup B members had higher self-reported symptoms, lower sustained positive mood during the induction, and higher negative bias on a reaction-time task. Symptom-based depression subgroups did not predict these external variables. Neural connectivity-based categorization travels with diagnostic category and is clinically predictive, but not clinically deterministic. Both patients and control subjects showed heterogeneous, and overlapping, profiles. The larger and more severely affected patient subgroup was characterized by ventrally driven hyperconnectivity during positive processing. Data-driven parsing suggests heterogeneous substrates of depression and possible resilience in control subjects in spite of biological overlap. Copyright © 2016 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Variations in global land surface phenology: a comparison of satellite optical and passive microwave data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, X.; Tian, F.; Brandt, M.; Zhang, W.; Liu, Y.; Fensholt, R.

2017-12-01

Changes in vegetation phenological events are among the most sensitive biological responses to climate change. In last decades, facilitating by satellite remote sensing techniques, land surface phenology (LSP) have been monitored at global scale using proxy approaches as tracking the temporal change of a satellite-derived vegetation index. However, the existing global assessments of changes in LSP are all established on the basis of leaf phenology using NDVI derived from optical sensors, being responsive to vegetation canopy cover and greenness. Instead, the vegetation optical depth (VOD) parameter from passive microwave sensors, which is sensitive to the aboveground vegetation water content by including as well the woody components in the observations, provides an alternative, independent and comprehensive means for global vegetation phenology monitoring. We used the unique long-term global VOD record available for the period 1992-2012 to monitoring the dynamics of LSP metrics (length of season, start of season and end of season) in comparison with the dynamics of LSP metrics derived from the latest GIMMS NDVI3G V1. We evaluated the differences in the linear trends of LSP metrics between two datasets. Currently, our results suggest that the level of seasonality variation of vegetation water content is less than the vegetation greenness. We found significant phenological changes in vegetation water content in African woodlands, where has been reported with little leaf phenological change regardless of the delays in rainfall onset. Therefore, VOD might allow us to detect temporal shifts in the timing difference of vegetation water storage vs. leaf emergence and to see if some ecophysiological thresholds seem to be reached, that could cause species turnover as climate change-driven alterations to the African monsoon proceed.

Validation of Satellite Snow Cover Maps in North America and Norway

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Dorothy K.; Solberg, Rune; Riggs, George A.

2002-01-01

Satellite-derived snow maps from NASA's Earth Observing System Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) have been produced since February of 2000. The global maps are available daily at 500-m resolution, and at a climate-modeling grid (CMG) resolution of 1/20 deg (approximately 5.6 km). We compared the 8-day composite CMG MODIS-derived global maps from November 1,2001, through March 21,2002, and daily CMG maps from February 26 - March 5,2002, with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Interactive Multisensor Snow and Ice Mapping System (IMS) 25-km resolution maps for North America. For the Norwegian study area, national snow maps, based on synoptic measurements as well as visual interpretation of AVHRR images, published by the Det Norske Meteorologiske Institutt (Norwegian Meteorological Institute) (MI) maps, as well as Landsat ETM+ images were compared with the MODIS maps. The MODIS-derived maps agreed over most areas with the IMS or MI maps, however, there are important areas of disagreement between the maps, especially when the 8-day composite maps were used. It is concluded that MODIS daily CMG maps should be studied for validation purposes rather than the 8-day composite maps, despite the limitations imposed by cloud obscuration when using the daily maps.

Using Web Maps to Analyze the Construction of Global Scale Cognitive Maps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pingel, Thomas J.

2018-01-01

Game-based Web sites and applications are changing the ways in which students learn the world map. In this study, a Web map-based digital learning tool was used as a study aid for a university-level geography course in order to examine the way in which global scale cognitive maps are constructed. A network analysis revealed that clicks were…

A qualitative study on using concept maps in problem-based learning.

PubMed

Chan, Zenobia C Y

2017-05-01

The visual arts, including concept maps, have been shown to be effective tools for facilitating student learning. However, the use of concept maps in nursing education has been under-explored. The aim of this study was to explore how students develop concept maps and what these concept maps consist of, and their views on the use of concept maps as a learning activity in a PBL class. A qualitative approach consisting of an analysis of the contents of the concept maps and interviews with students. The study was conducted in a school of nursing in a university in Hong Kong. A total of 38 students who attended the morning session (20 students) and afternoon session (18 students) respectively of a nursing problem-based learning class. The students in both the morning and afternoon classes were allocated into four groups (4-5 students per group). Each group was asked to draw two concept maps based on a given scenario, and then to participate in a follow-up interview. Two raters individually assessed the concept maps, and then discussed their views with each other. Among the concept maps that were drawn, four were selected. Their four core features of those maps were: a) the integration of informative and artistic elements; b) the delivery of sensational messages; c) the use of images rather than words; and d) three-dimensional and movable. Both raters were concerned about how informative the presentation was, the composition of the elements, and the ease of comprehension, and appreciated the three-dimensional presentation and effective use of images. From the results of the interview, the pros and cons of using concept maps were discerned. This study demonstrated how concept maps could be implemented in a PBL class to boost the students' creativity and to motivate them to learn. This study suggests the use of concept maps as an initiative to motivate student to learn, participate actively, and nurture their creativity. To conclude, this study explored an alternative way for students to make presentations and pioneered the use of art-based concept maps to facilitate student learning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of three concept mapping strategies on seventh-grade students' science achievement at an urban middle school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dosanjh, Navdeep Kaur

2011-12-01

There is great concern over students' poor science achievement in the United States. Due to the lack of science achievement, students are not pursing science related careers resulting in an increase in outsourcing to other countries. Learning strategies such as concept mapping may ameliorate this situation by providing students with tools that encourage meaningful learning. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to measure the effects of three concept mapping learning strategies (concept identifying, proposition identifying, student generated) on urban middle school students' understanding of the circulatory system. Three intact classes of seventh-grade students were assigned to one of the three concept mapping strategies. The students were given a pretest on the circulatory system then learned and used their respective concept mapping strategies while learning about the circulatory system. At the conclusion of the study, students' science achievement was measured by performance on an achievement test and rubric scores of their respective concept identifying, proposition identifying, and student generated concept maps. The results of the study suggest that all three of the concept mapping strategies are effective in increasing students' science achievement. Additionally, the moderate significant correlations between the posttest and concept map scores of the current study established that concept maps are a useful measure of student knowledge. Lastly, the results of the current study also suggest that the concept identifying mapping strategy may be a useful scaffold in instructing students how to develop student generated concept maps.

Application of the ERTS system to the study of Wyoming resources with emphasis on the use of basic data products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houston, R. S.; Marrs, R. W.; Breckenridge, R. M.; Blackstone, D. L., Jr.

1974-01-01

Many potential users of ERTS data products and other aircraft and satellite imagery are limited to visual methods of analyses of these products. Illustrations are presented from Wyoming studies that have employed these standard data products for a variety of geologic and related studies. Possible economic applications of these studies are summarized. Studies include regional geologic mapping for updating and correcting existing maps and to supplement incomplete regional mapping; illustrations of the value of seasonal images in geologic mapping; specialized mapping of such features as sand dunes, playa lakes, lineaments, glacial features, regional facies changes, and their possible economic value; and multilevel sensing as an aid in mineral exploration. Examples of cooperative studies involving botanists, plant scientists, and geologists for the preparation of maps of surface resources that can be used by planners and for environmental impact studies are given.

Processing and analysis of cardiac optical mapping data obtained with potentiometric dyes

PubMed Central

Laughner, Jacob I.; Ng, Fu Siong; Sulkin, Matthew S.; Arthur, R. Martin

2012-01-01

Optical mapping has become an increasingly important tool to study cardiac electrophysiology in the past 20 years. Multiple methods are used to process and analyze cardiac optical mapping data, and no consensus currently exists regarding the optimum methods. The specific methods chosen to process optical mapping data are important because inappropriate data processing can affect the content of the data and thus alter the conclusions of the studies. Details of the different steps in processing optical imaging data, including image segmentation, spatial filtering, temporal filtering, and baseline drift removal, are provided in this review. We also provide descriptions of the common analyses performed on data obtained from cardiac optical imaging, including activation mapping, action potential duration mapping, repolarization mapping, conduction velocity measurements, and optical action potential upstroke analysis. Optical mapping is often used to study complex arrhythmias, and we also discuss dominant frequency analysis and phase mapping techniques used for the analysis of cardiac fibrillation. PMID:22821993

Patterns of tooth wear associated with methamphetamine use.

PubMed

Richards, J R; Brofeldt, B T

2000-08-01

Methamphetamine (MAP) abuse is a significant worldwide problem. This prospective study was conducted to determine if MAP users had distinct patterns of tooth wear. Methamphetamine users were identified and interviewed about their duration and preferred route of MAP use. Study participants were interviewed in the emergency department of a large urban university hospital serving a geographic area with a high rate of illicit MAP production and consumption. Tooth wear was documented for each study participant and scored using a previously validated index and demographic information was obtained using a questionnaire. Forty-three MAP patients were interviewed. Preferred route of administration was injection (37%) followed by snorting (33%). Patients who preferentially snorted MAP had significantly higher tooth wear in the anterior maxillary teeth than patients who injected, smoked, or ingested MAP (P = 0.005). Patients who use MAP have distinct patterns of wear based on route of administration. This difference may be explained anatomically.

Preferred reporting items for studies mapping onto preference-based outcome measures: the MAPS statement.

PubMed

Petrou, Stavros; Rivero-Arias, Oliver; Dakin, Helen; Longworth, Louise; Oppe, Mark; Froud, Robert; Gray, Alastair

2016-02-01

'Mapping' onto generic preference-based outcome measures is increasingly being used as a means of generating health utilities for use within health economic evaluations. Despite publication of technical guides for the conduct of mapping research, guidance for the reporting of mapping studies is currently lacking. The MApping onto Preference-based measures reporting Standards (MAPS) statement is a new checklist, which aims to promote complete and transparent reporting of mapping studies. In the absence of previously published reporting checklists or reporting guidance documents, a de novo list of reporting items was created by a working group comprised of six health economists and one Delphi methodologist. A two-round, modified Delphi survey with representatives from academia, consultancy, health technology assessment agencies and the biomedical journal editorial community was used to identify a list of essential reporting items from this larger list. From the initial de novo list of 29 candidate items, a set of 23 essential reporting items was developed. The items are presented numerically and categorised within six sections, namely (1) title and abstract; (2) introduction; (3) methods; (4) results; (5) discussion; and (6) other. The MAPS statement is best applied in conjunction with the accompanying MAPS explanation and elaboration document. It is anticipated that the MAPS statement will improve the clarity, transparency and completeness of reporting of mapping studies. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the MAPS statement is being co-published by seven health economics and quality of life journals, and broader endorsement is encouraged. The MAPS working group plans to assess the need for an update of the reporting checklist in 5 years' time.

PREFERRED REPORTING ITEMS FOR STUDIES MAPPING ONTO PREFERENCE-BASED OUTCOME MEASURES: THE MAPS STATEMENT.

PubMed

Petrou, Stavros; Rivero-Arias, Oliver; Dakin, Helen; Longworth, Louise; Oppe, Mark; Froud, Robert; Gray, Alastair

2015-01-01

"Mapping" onto generic preference-based outcome measures is increasingly being used as a means of generating health utilities for use within health economic evaluations. Despite publication of technical guides for the conduct of mapping research, guidance for the reporting of mapping studies is currently lacking. The MAPS (MApping onto Preference-based measures reporting Standards) statement is a new checklist, which aims to promote complete and transparent reporting of mapping studies. In the absence of previously published reporting checklists or reporting guidance documents, a de novo list of reporting items was created by a working group comprised of six health economists and one Delphi methodologist. A two-round, modified Delphi survey with representatives from academia, consultancy, health technology assessment agencies, and the biomedical journal editorial community was used to identify a list of essential reporting items from this larger list. From the initial de novo list of twenty-nine candidate items, a set of twenty-three essential reporting items was developed. The items are presented numerically and categorized within six sections, namely: (i) title and abstract, (ii) introduction, (iii) methods, (iv) results, (v) discussion, and (vi) other. The MAPS statement is best applied in conjunction with the accompanying MAPS explanation and elaboration document. It is anticipated that the MAPS statement will improve the clarity, transparency. and completeness of reporting of mapping studies. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the MAPS statement is being co-published by seven health economics and quality of life journals, and broader endorsement is encouraged. The MAPS working group plans to assess the need for an update of the reporting checklist in five years' time.

Using Vegetation Maps to Provide Information on Soil Distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

José Ibáñez, Juan; Pérez-Gómez, Rufino; Brevik, Eric C.; Cerdà, Artemi

2016-04-01

Many different types of maps (geology, hydrology, soil, vegetation, etc.) are created to inventory natural resources. Each of these resources is mapped using a unique set of criteria, including scales and taxonomies. Past research has indicated that comparing the results of different but related maps (e.g., soil and geology maps) may aid in identifying deficiencies in those maps. Therefore, this study was undertaken in the Almería Province (Andalusia, Spain) to (i) compare the underlying map structures of soil and vegetation maps and (ii) to investigate if a vegetation map can provide useful soil information that was not shown on a soil map. To accomplish this soil and vegetation maps were imported into ArcGIS 10.1 for spatial analysis. Results of the spatial analysis were exported to Microsoft Excel worksheets for statistical analyses to evaluate fits to linear and power law regression models. Vegetative units were grouped according to the driving forces that determined their presence or absence (P/A): (i) climatophilous (climate is the only determinant of P/A) (ii); lithologic-climate (climate and parent material determine PNV P/A); and (iii) edaphophylous (soil features determine PNV P/A). The rank abundance plots for both the soil and vegetation maps conformed to Willis or Hollow Curves, meaning the underlying structures of both maps were the same. Edaphophylous map units, which represent 58.5% of the vegetation units in the study area, did not show a good correlation with the soil map. Further investigation revealed that 87% of the edaphohygrophylous units (which demand more soil water than is supplied by other soil types in the surrounding landscape) were found in ramblas, ephemeral riverbeds that are not typically classified and mapped as soils in modern systems, even though they meet the definition of soil given by the most commonly used and most modern soil taxonomic systems. Furthermore, these edaphophylous map units tend to be islands of biodiversity that are threatened by anthropogenic activity in the region. Therefore, this study revealed areas in Almería Province that need to be revisited and studied pedologically. The vegetation mapped in these areas and the soils that support it are key components of the earth's critical zone that must be studied, understood, and preserved.

Hydrogen Maps | Geospatial Data Science | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Hydrogen Maps Hydrogen Maps This collection of U.S. hydrogen maps provides examples of how : Milestone Report, NREL Technical Report (2006) Hydrogen Potential from Renewable Energy Resources This study Technical Report (2007) Hydrogen Potential from Coal, Natural Gas, Nuclear, and Hydro Resources This study

Concept Mapping: An "Instagram" of Students' Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Laurie O.

2016-01-01

Minimal research has been accumulated in the field of social studies education for Novakian concept mapping, yet there are many benefits from adding this learning tool to a teacher's instructional toolbox. The article defines Novakian concept mapping and invites readers to adopt digital Novakian concept mapping into the social studies classroom as…

Construction of an ultra-high density consensus genetic map, and enhancement of the physical map from genome sequencing in Lupinus angustifolius.

PubMed

Zhou, Gaofeng; Jian, Jianbo; Wang, Penghao; Li, Chengdao; Tao, Ye; Li, Xuan; Renshaw, Daniel; Clements, Jonathan; Sweetingham, Mark; Yang, Huaan

2018-01-01

An ultra-high density genetic map containing 34,574 sequence-defined markers was developed in Lupinus angustifolius. Markers closely linked to nine genes of agronomic traits were identified. A physical map was improved to cover 560.5 Mb genome sequence. Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) is a recently domesticated legume grain crop. In this study, we applied the restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) method to genotype an F 9 recombinant inbred line population derived from a wild type × domesticated cultivar (W × D) cross. A high density linkage map was developed based on the W × D population. By integrating sequence-defined DNA markers reported in previous mapping studies, we established an ultra-high density consensus genetic map, which contains 34,574 markers consisting of 3508 loci covering 2399 cM on 20 linkage groups. The largest gap in the entire consensus map was 4.73 cM. The high density W × D map and the consensus map were used to develop an improved physical map, which covered 560.5 Mb of genome sequence data. The ultra-high density consensus linkage map, the improved physical map and the markers linked to genes of breeding interest reported in this study provide a common tool for genome sequence assembly, structural genomics, comparative genomics, functional genomics, QTL mapping, and molecular plant breeding in lupin.

Exploring Students' Mapping Behaviors and Interactive Discourses in a Case Diagnosis Problem: Sequential Analysis of Collaborative Causal Map Drawing Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Woon Jee

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of students' mapping and discourse behaviors while constructing causal maps to articulate their understanding of a complex, ill-structured problem. In this study, six graduate-level students were assigned to one of three pair groups, and each pair used the causal mapping software program,…

Engineering With Nature Geographic Project Mapping Tool (EWN ProMap)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

EWN ProMap database provides numerous case studies for infrastructure projects such as breakwaters, river engineering dikes, and seawalls that have...the EWN Project Mapping Tool (EWN ProMap) is to assist users in their search for case study information that can be valuable for developing EWN ideas...Essential elements of EWN include: (1) using science and engineering to produce operational efficiencies supporting sustainable delivery of

Contamination of food products with Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis: a systematic review.

PubMed

Eltholth, M M; Marsh, V R; Van Winden, S; Guitian, F J

2009-10-01

Although a causal link between Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) and Crohn's disease has not been proved, previous studies suggest that the potential routes of human exposure to MAP should be investigated. We conducted a systematic review of literature concerning the likelihood of contamination of food products with MAP and the likely changes in the quantity of MAP in dairy and meat products along their respective production chains. Relevant data were extracted from 65 research papers and synthesized qualitatively. Although estimates of the prevalence of Johne's disease are scarce, particularly for non-dairy herds, the available data suggest that the likelihood of contamination of raw milk with MAP in most studied regions is substantial. The presence of MAP in raw and pasteurized milk has been the subject of several studies which show that pasteurized milk is not always MAP-free and that the effectiveness of pasteurization in inactivating MAP depends on the initial concentration of the agent in raw milk. The most recent studies indicated that beef can be contaminated with MAP via dissemination of the pathogen in the tissues of infected animals. Currently available data suggests that the likelihood of dairy and meat products being contaminated with MAP on retail sale should not be ignored.

Quality and rigor of the concept mapping methodology: a pooled study analysis.

PubMed

Rosas, Scott R; Kane, Mary

2012-05-01

The use of concept mapping in research and evaluation has expanded dramatically over the past 20 years. Researchers in academic, organizational, and community-based settings have applied concept mapping successfully without the benefit of systematic analyses across studies to identify the features of a methodologically sound study. Quantitative characteristics and estimates of quality and rigor that may guide for future studies are lacking. To address this gap, we conducted a pooled analysis of 69 concept mapping studies to describe characteristics across study phases, generate specific indicators of validity and reliability, and examine the relationship between select study characteristics and quality indicators. Individual study characteristics and estimates were pooled and quantitatively summarized, describing the distribution, variation and parameters for each. In addition, variation in the concept mapping data collection in relation to characteristics and estimates was examined. Overall, results suggest concept mapping yields strong internal representational validity and very strong sorting and rating reliability estimates. Validity and reliability were consistently high despite variation in participation and task completion percentages across data collection modes. The implications of these findings as a practical reference to assess the quality and rigor for future concept mapping studies are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alteration, slope-classified alteration, and potential lahar inundation maps of volcanoes for the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Volcano Archive

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mars, John C.; Hubbard, Bernard E.; Pieri, David; Linick, Justin

2015-01-01

This study was undertaken during 2012–2013 in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Since completion of this study, a new lahar modeling program (LAHAR_pz) has been released, which may produce slightly different modeling results from the LAHARZ model used in this study. The maps and data from this study should not be used in place of existing volcano hazard maps published by local authorities. For volcanoes without hazard maps and (or) published lahar-related hazard studies, this work will provide a starting point from which more accurate hazard maps can be produced. This is the first dataset to provide digital maps of altered volcanoes and adjacent watersheds that can be used for assessing volcanic hazards, hydrothermal alteration, and other volcanic processes in future studies.

Clinical Impact and Implication of Real-Time Oscillation Analysis for Language Mapping.

PubMed

Ogawa, Hiroshi; Kamada, Kyousuke; Kapeller, Christoph; Prueckl, Robert; Takeuchi, Fumiya; Hiroshima, Satoru; Anei, Ryogo; Guger, Christoph

2017-01-01

We developed a functional brain analysis system that enabled us to perform real-time task-related electrocorticography (ECoG) and evaluated its potential in clinical practice. We hypothesized that high gamma activity (HGA) mapping would provide better spatial and temporal resolution with high signal-to-noise ratios. Seven awake craniotomy patients were evaluated. ECoG was recorded during language tasks using subdural grids, and HGA (60-170 Hz) maps were obtained in real time. The patients also underwent electrocortical stimulation (ECS) mapping to validate the suspected functional locations on HGA mapping. The results were compared and calculated to assess the sensitivity and specificity of HGA mapping. For reference, bedside HGA-ECS mapping was performed in 5 epilepsy patients. HGA mapping demonstrated functional brain areas in real time and was comparable with ECS mapping. Sensitivity and specificity for the language area were 90.1% ± 11.2% and 90.0% ± 4.2%, respectively. Most HGA-positive areas were consistent with ECS-positive regions in both groups, and there were no statistical between-group differences. Although this study included a small number of subjects, it showed real-time HGA mapping with the same setting and tasks under different conditions. This study demonstrates the clinical feasibility of real-time HGA mapping. Real-time HGA mapping enabled simple and rapid detection of language functional areas in awake craniotomy. The mapping results were highly accurate, although the mapping environment was noisy. Further studies of HGA mapping may provide the potential to elaborate complex brain functions and networks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automatic metro map layout using multicriteria optimization.

PubMed

Stott, Jonathan; Rodgers, Peter; Martínez-Ovando, Juan Carlos; Walker, Stephen G

2011-01-01

This paper describes an automatic mechanism for drawing metro maps. We apply multicriteria optimization to find effective placement of stations with a good line layout and to label the map unambiguously. A number of metrics are defined, which are used in a weighted sum to find a fitness value for a layout of the map. A hill climbing optimizer is used to reduce the fitness value, and find improved map layouts. To avoid local minima, we apply clustering techniques to the map-the hill climber moves both stations and clusters when finding improved layouts. We show the method applied to a number of metro maps, and describe an empirical study that provides some quantitative evidence that automatically-drawn metro maps can help users to find routes more efficiently than either published maps or undistorted maps. Moreover, we have found that, in these cases, study subjects indicate a preference for automatically-drawn maps over the alternatives. © 2011 IEEE Published by the IEEE Computer Society

A study on aircraft map display location and orientation. [effects of map display location on manual piloting performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baty, D. L.; Wempe, T. E.; Huff, E. M.

1973-01-01

Six airline pilots participated in a fixed-base simulator study to determine the effects of two Horizontal Situation Display (HSD/map) panel locations relative to the Vertical Situation Display (VSD), and of three map orientations on manual piloting performance. Pilot comments and opinions were formally obtained. Significant performance differences were found between wind conditions, and among pilots, but not between map locations and orientations. The results also illustrate the potential tracking accuracy of such a display. Recommendations concerning display location and map orientation are made.

A comparative study evaluating the efficacy of IS_MAP04 with IS900 and IS_MAP02 as a new diagnostic target for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis from bovine faeces.

PubMed

de Kruijf, Marcel; Govender, Rodney; Yearsley, Dermot; Coffey, Aidan; O'Mahony, Jim

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of IS_MAP04 as a potential new diagnostic quantitative PCR (qPCR) target for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis from bovine faeces. IS_MAP04 primers were designed and tested negative against non-MAP strains. The detection limit of IS_MAP04 qPCR was evaluated on different MAP K-10 DNA concentrations and on faecal samples spiked with different MAP K-10 cell dilutions. A collection of 106 faecal samples was analysed and the efficacy of IS_MAP04 was statistically compared with IS900 and IS_MAP02. The detection limits observed for IS_MAP04 and IS900 on MAP DNA was 34 fg and 3.4 fg respectively. The detection limit of MAP from inoculated faecal samples was 10 2 CFU/g for both IS_MAP04 and IS900 targets and a detection limit of 10 2 CFU/g was also achieved with a TaqMan qPCR targeting IS_MAP04. The efficacy of IS_MAP04 to detect positive MAP faecal samples was 83.0% compared to 85.8% and 83.9% for IS900 and IS_MAP02 respectively. Strong kappa agreements were observed between IS_MAP04 and IS900 (κ=0.892) and between IS_MAP04 and IS_MAP02 (κ=0.897). As a new molecular target, IS_MAP04 showed that the detection limit was comparable to IS900 to detect MAP from inoculated faecal material. The MAP detection efficacy of IS_MAP04 from naturally infected faecal samples proved to be relatively comparable to IS_MAP02, but yielded efficacy results slightly less than IS900. Moreover, IS_MAP04 could be of significant value when used in duplex or multiplex qPCR assays. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Digital floodplain mapping and an analysis of errors involved

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hamblen, C.S.; Soong, D.T.; Cai, X.

2007-01-01

Mapping floodplain boundaries using geographical information system (GIS) and digital elevation models (DEMs) was completed in a recent study. However convenient this method may appear at first, the resulting maps potentially can have unaccounted errors. Mapping the floodplain using GIS is faster than mapping manually, and digital mapping is expected to be more common in the future. When mapping is done manually, the experience and judgment of the engineer or geographer completing the mapping and the contour resolution of the surface topography are critical in determining the flood-plain and floodway boundaries between cross sections. When mapping is done digitally, discrepancies can result from the use of the computing algorithm and digital topographic datasets. Understanding the possible sources of error and how the error accumulates through these processes is necessary for the validation of automated digital mapping. This study will evaluate the procedure of floodplain mapping using GIS and a 3 m by 3 m resolution DEM with a focus on the accumulated errors involved in the process. Within the GIS environment of this mapping method, the procedural steps of most interest, initially, include: (1) the accurate spatial representation of the stream centerline and cross sections, (2) properly using a triangulated irregular network (TIN) model for the flood elevations of the studied cross sections, the interpolated elevations between them and the extrapolated flood elevations beyond the cross sections, and (3) the comparison of the flood elevation TIN with the ground elevation DEM, from which the appropriate inundation boundaries are delineated. The study area involved is of relatively low topographic relief; thereby, making it representative of common suburban development and a prime setting for the need of accurately mapped floodplains. This paper emphasizes the impacts of integrating supplemental digital terrain data between cross sections on floodplain delineation. ?? 2007 ASCE.

Validation of a novel mapping system and utility for mapping complex atrial tachycardias.

PubMed

Honarbakhsh, S; Hunter, R J; Dhillon, G; Ullah, W; Keating, E; Providencia, R; Chow, A; Earley, M J; Schilling, R J

2018-03-01

This study sought to validate a novel wavefront mapping system utilizing whole-chamber basket catheters (CARTOFINDER, Biosense Webster). The system was validated in terms of (1) mapping atrial-paced beats and (2) mapping complex wavefront patterns in atrial tachycardia (AT). Patients undergoing catheter ablation for AT and persistent AF were included. A 64-pole-basket catheter was used to acquire unipolar signals that were processed by CARTOFINDER mapping system to generate dynamic wavefront propagation maps. The left atrium was paced from four sites to demonstrate focal activation. ATs were mapped with the mechanism confirmed by conventional mapping, entrainment, and response to ablation. Twenty-two patients were included in the study (16 with AT and 6 with AF initially who terminated to AT during ablation). In total, 172 maps were created with the mapping system. It correctly identified atrial-pacing sites in all paced maps. It accurately mapped 9 focal/microreentrant and 18 macroreentrant ATs both in the left and right atrium. A third and fourth observer independently identified the sites of atrial pacing and the AT mechanism from the CARTOFINDER maps, while being blinded to the conventional activation maps. This novel mapping system was effectively validated by mapping focal activation patterns from atrial-paced beats. The system was also effective in mapping complex wavefront patterns in a range of ATs in patients with scarred atria. The system may therefore be of practical use in the mapping and ablation of AT and could have potential for mapping wavefront activations in AF. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The comparative effect of individually-generated vs. collaboratively-generated computer-based concept mapping on science concept learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, So Young

Using a quasi-experimental design, the researcher investigated the comparative effects of individually-generated and collaboratively-generated computer-based concept mapping on middle school science concept learning. Qualitative data were analyzed to explain quantitative findings. One hundred sixty-one students (74 boys and 87 girls) in eight, seventh grade science classes at a middle school in Southeast Texas completed the entire study. Using prior science performance scores to assure equivalence of student achievement across groups, the researcher assigned the teacher's classes to one of the three experimental groups. The independent variable, group, consisted of three levels: 40 students in a control group, 59 students trained to individually generate concept maps on computers, and 62 students trained to collaboratively generate concept maps on computers. The dependent variables were science concept learning as demonstrated by comprehension test scores, and quality of concept maps created by students in experimental groups as demonstrated by rubric scores. Students in the experimental groups received concept mapping training and used their newly acquired concept mapping skills to individually or collaboratively construct computer-based concept maps during study time. The control group, the individually-generated concept mapping group, and the collaboratively-generated concept mapping group had equivalent learning experiences for 50 minutes during five days, excepting that students in a control group worked independently without concept mapping activities, students in the individual group worked individually to construct concept maps, and students in the collaborative group worked collaboratively to construct concept maps during their study time. Both collaboratively and individually generated computer-based concept mapping had a positive effect on seventh grade middle school science concept learning but neither strategy was more effective than the other. However, the students who collaboratively generated concept maps created significantly higher quality concept maps than those who individually generated concept maps. The researcher concluded that the concept mapping software, Inspiration(TM), fostered construction of students' concept maps individually or collaboratively for science learning and helped students capture their evolving creative ideas and organize them for meaningful learning. Students in both the individual and the collaborative concept mapping groups had positive attitudes toward concept mapping using Inspiration(TM) software.

Hippocampal participation in navigational map learning in young homing pigeons is dependent on training experience.

PubMed

Ioalè, P; Gagliardo, A; Bingman, V P

2000-02-01

The homing pigeon navigational map is perhaps one of the most striking examples of a naturally occurring spatial representation of the environment used to guide navigation. In a previous study, it was found that hippocampal lesions thoroughly disrupt the ability of young homing pigeons held in an outdoor aviary to learn a navigational map. However, since that study an accumulation of anecdotal data has hinted that hippocampal-lesioned young pigeons allowed to fly during their first summer could learn a navigational map. In the present study, young control and hippocampal-lesioned homing pigeons were either held in an outdoor aviary or allowed to fly during the time of navigational map learning. At the end of their first summer, the birds were experimentally released to test for navigational map learning. Independent of training experience, control pigeons oriented homeward during the experimental releases demonstrating that they learned a navigational map. Surprisingly, while the aviary-held hippocampal-lesioned pigeons failed to learn a navigational map as reported previously, hippocampal-lesioned birds allowed flight experience learned a navigational map indistinguishable from the two control groups. A subsequent experiment revealed that the navigational map learned by the three groups was based on atmospheric odours. The results demonstrate that hippocampal participation in navigational map learning depends on the type of experience a young bird pigeon has, and presumably, the type of navigational map learned.

Canopy Density Mapping on Ultracam-D Aerial Imagery in Zagros Woodlands, Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erfanifard, Y.; Khodaee, Z.

2013-09-01

Canopy density maps express different characteristics of forest stands, especially in woodlands. Obtaining such maps by field measurements is so expensive and time-consuming. It seems necessary to find suitable techniques to produce these maps to be used in sustainable management of woodland ecosystems. In this research, a robust procedure was suggested to obtain these maps by very high spatial resolution aerial imagery. It was aimed to produce canopy density maps by UltraCam-D aerial imagery, newly taken in Zagros woodlands by Iran National Geographic Organization (NGO), in this study. A 30 ha plot of Persian oak (Quercus persica) coppice trees was selected in Zagros woodlands, Iran. The very high spatial resolution aerial imagery of the plot purchased from NGO, was classified by kNN technique and the tree crowns were extracted precisely. The canopy density was determined in each cell of different meshes with different sizes overlaid on the study area map. The accuracy of the final maps was investigated by the ground truth obtained by complete field measurements. The results showed that the proposed method of obtaining canopy density maps was efficient enough in the study area. The final canopy density map obtained by a mesh with 30 Ar (3000 m2) cell size had 80% overall accuracy and 0.61 KHAT coefficient of agreement which shows a great agreement with the observed samples. This method can also be tested in other case studies to reveal its capability in canopy density map production in woodlands.

The MAPS Reporting Statement for Studies Mapping onto Generic Preference-Based Outcome Measures: Explanation and Elaboration.

PubMed

Petrou, Stavros; Rivero-Arias, Oliver; Dakin, Helen; Longworth, Louise; Oppe, Mark; Froud, Robert; Gray, Alastair

2015-10-01

The process of "mapping" is increasingly being used to predict health utilities, for application within health economic evaluations, using data on other indicators or measures of health. Guidance for the reporting of mapping studies is currently lacking. The overall objective of this research was to develop a checklist of essential items, which authors should consider when reporting mapping studies. The MAPS (MApping onto Preference-based measures reporting Standards) statement is a checklist, which aims to promote complete and transparent reporting by researchers. This paper provides a detailed explanation and elaboration of the items contained within the MAPS statement. In the absence of previously published reporting checklists or reporting guidance documents, a de novo list of reporting items and accompanying explanations was created. A two-round, modified Delphi survey, with representatives from academia, consultancy, health technology assessment agencies and the biomedical journal editorial community, was used to identify a list of essential reporting items from this larger list. From the initial de novo list of 29 candidate items, a set of 23 essential reporting items was developed. The items are presented numerically and categorised within six sections, namely, (i) title and abstract, (ii) introduction, (iii) methods, (iv) results, (v) discussion and (vi) other. For each item, we summarise the recommendation, illustrate it using an exemplar of good reporting practice identified from the published literature, and provide a detailed explanation to accompany the recommendation. It is anticipated that the MAPS statement will promote clarity, transparency and completeness of reporting of mapping studies. It is targeted at researchers developing mapping algorithms, peer reviewers and editors involved in the manuscript review process for mapping studies, and the funders of the research. The MAPS working group plans to assess the need for an update of the reporting checklist in 5 years' time.

The zoonotic potential of Mycobacterium avium spp. paratuberculosis: a systematic review.

PubMed

Waddell, Lisa A; Rajić, Andrijana; Sargeant, Jan; Harris, Janet; Amezcua, Rocio; Downey, Lindsay; Read, Susan; McEwen, Scott A

2008-01-01

The zoonotic potential of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) has been debated for almost a century because of similarities between Johne's Disease (JD) in cattle and Crohn's disease (CD) in humans. Our objective was to evaluate scientific literature investigating the potential association between these two diseases (MAP and CD) and the presence of MAP in retail milk or dairy products using a qualitative systematic review. The search strategy included 19 bibliographic databases, 8 conference proceedings, reference lists of 15 articles and contacting 28 topic-related scientists. Two independent reviewers performed relevance screening, quality assessment and data extraction stages of the review. Seventy-five articles were included. Among 60 case-control studies that investigated the association between MAP and CD, 37 were of acceptable quality. Twenty-three studies reported significant positive associations, 23 reported non-significant associations, and 14 did not detect MAP in any sample. Different laboratory tests, test protocols, types of samples and source populations were used in these studies resulting in large variability among studies. Seven studies investigated the association between CD and JD, two challenge trials reported contradictory results, one cross-sectional study did not support the association, and four descriptive studies suggested that isolated MAP is often closely related to cattle isolates. MAP detection in raw and pasteurized milk was reported in several studies. Evidence for the zoonotic potential of MAP is not strong, but should not be ignored. Interdisciplinary collaboration among medical, veterinary and other public health officials may contribute to a better understanding of the potential routes of human exposure to MAP.

OdorMapComparer: an application for quantitative analyses and comparisons of fMRI brain odor maps.

PubMed

Liu, Nian; Xu, Fuqiang; Miller, Perry L; Shepherd, Gordon M

2007-01-01

Brain odor maps are reconstructed flat images that describe the spatial activity patterns in the glomerular layer of the olfactory bulbs in animals exposed to different odor stimuli. We have developed a software application, OdorMapComparer, to carry out quantitative analyses and comparisons of the fMRI odor maps. This application is an open-source window program that first loads two odor map images being compared. It allows image transformations including scaling, flipping, rotating, and warping so that the two images can be appropriately aligned to each other. It performs simple subtraction, addition, and average of signals in the two images. It also provides comparative statistics including the normalized correlation (NC) and spatial correlation coefficient. Experimental studies showed that the rodent fMRI odor maps for aliphatic aldehydes displayed spatial activity patterns that are similar in gross outlines but somewhat different in specific subregions. Analyses with OdorMapComparer indicate that the similarity between odor maps decreases with increasing difference in the length of carbon chains. For example, the map of butanal is more closely related to that of pentanal (with a NC = 0.617) than to that of octanal (NC = 0.082), which is consistent with animal behavioral studies. The study also indicates that fMRI odor maps are statistically odor-specific and repeatable across both the intra- and intersubject trials. OdorMapComparer thus provides a tool for quantitative, statistical analyses and comparisons of fMRI odor maps in a fashion that is integrated with the overall odor mapping techniques.

Comparing Geologic Data Sets Collected by Planetary Analog Traverses and by Standard Geologic Field Mapping: Desert Rats Data Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feng, Wanda; Evans, Cynthia; Gruener, John; Eppler, Dean

2014-01-01

Geologic mapping involves interpreting relationships between identifiable units and landforms to understand the formative history of a region. Traditional field techniques are used to accomplish this on Earth. Mapping proves more challenging for other planets, which are studied primarily by orbital remote sensing and, less frequently, by robotic and human surface exploration. Systematic comparative assessments of geologic maps created by traditional mapping versus photogeology together with data from planned traverses are limited. The objective of this project is to produce a geologic map from data collected on the Desert Research and Technology Studies (RATS) 2010 analog mission using Apollo-style traverses in conjunction with remote sensing data. This map is compared with a geologic map produced using standard field techniques.

Scoping of Flood Hazard Mapping Needs for Lincoln County, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schalk, Charles W.; Dudley, Robert W.

2007-01-01

Background The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed a plan in 1997 to modernize the FEMA flood mapping program. FEMA flood maps delineate flood hazard areas in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA's plan outlined the steps necessary to update FEMA's flood maps for the nation to a seamless digital format and streamline FEMA's operations in raising public awareness of the importance of the maps and responding to requests to revise them. The modernization of flood maps involves conversion of existing information to digital format and integration of improved flood hazard data as needed. To determine flood mapping modernization needs, FEMA has established specific scoping activities to be done on a county-by-county basis for identifying and prioritizing requisite flood-mapping activities for map modernization. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with FEMA and the Maine Floodplain Management Program (MFMP) State Planning Office, began scoping work in 2006 for Lincoln County. Scoping activities included assembling existing data and map needs information for communities in Lincoln County, documentation of data, contacts, community meetings, and prioritized mapping needs in a final scoping report (this document), and updating the Mapping Needs Update Support System (MNUSS) database with information gathered during the scoping process. The average age of the FEMA floodplain maps in Lincoln County, Maine is at least 17 years. Many of these studies were published in the mid- to late-1980s, and some towns have partial maps that are more recent than their study. However, in the ensuing 15-20 years, development has occurred in many of the watersheds, and the characteristics of the watersheds have changed with time. Therefore, many of the older studies may not depict current conditions nor accurately estimate risk in terms of flood heights or flood mapping.

Regional Geological Mapping in the Graham Land of Antarctic Peninsula Using LANDSAT-8 Remote Sensing Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pour, A. B.; Hashim, M.; Park, Y.

2017-10-01

Geological investigations in Antarctica confront many difficulties due to its remoteness and extreme environmental conditions. In this study, the applications of Landsat-8 data were investigated to extract geological information for lithological and alteration mineral mapping in poorly exposed lithologies in inaccessible domains such in Antarctica. The north-eastern Graham Land, Antarctic Peninsula (AP) was selected in this study to conduct a satellite-based remote sensing mapping technique. Continuum Removal (CR) spectral mapping tool and Independent Components Analysis (ICA) were applied to Landsat-8 spectral bands to map poorly exposed lithologies at regional scale. Pixels composed of distinctive absorption features of alteration mineral assemblages associated with poorly exposed lithological units were detected by applying CR mapping tool to VNIR and SWIR bands of Landsat-8.Pixels related to Si-O bond emission minima features were identified using CR mapping tool to TIR bands in poorly mapped andunmapped zones in north-eastern Graham Land at regional scale. Anomaly pixels in the ICA image maps related to spectral featuresof Al-O-H, Fe, Mg-O-H and CO3 groups and well-constrained lithological attributions from felsic to mafic rocks were detectedusing VNIR, SWIR and TIR datasets of Landsat-8. The approach used in this study performed very well for lithological andalteration mineral mapping with little available geological data or without prior information of the study region.

Accessible maps for the color vision deficient observers: past and present knowledge and future possibilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kvitle, Anne Kristin

2018-05-01

Color is part of the visual variables in map, serving an aesthetic part and as a guide of attention. Impaired color vision affects the ability to distinguish colors, which makes the task of decoding the map colors difficult. Map reading is reported as a challenging task for these observers, especially when the size of stimuli is small. The aim of this study is to review existing methods for map design for color vision deficient users. A systematic review of research literature and case studies of map design for CVD observers has been conducted in order to give an overview of current knowledge and future research challenges. In addition, relevant research on simulations of CVD and color image enhancement for these observers from other fields of industry is included. The study identified two main approaches: pre-processing by using accessible colors and post-processing by using enhancement methods. Some of the methods may be applied for maps, but requires tailoring of test images according to map types.

Arizona land use experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winikka, C. C.; Schumann, H. H.

1975-01-01

Utilization of new sources of statewide remote sensing data, taken from high-altitude aircraft and from spacecraft is discussed along with incorporation of information extracted from these sources into on-going land and resources management programs in Arizona. Statewide cartographic applications of remote sensor data taken by NASA high-altitude aircraft include the development of a statewide semi-analytic control network, the production of nearly 1900 orthophotoquads (image maps) that are coincident in scale and area with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 7. 5 minute topographic quadrangle map series, and satellite image maps of Arizona produced from LANDSAt multispectral scanner imagery. These cartographic products are utilized for a wide variety of experimental and operational earth resources applications. Applications of the imagery, image maps, and derived information discussed include: soils and geologic mapping projects, water resources investigations, land use inventories, environmental impact studies, highway route locations and mapping, vegetation cover mapping, wildlife habitat studies, power plant siting studies, statewide delineation of irrigation cropland, position determination of drilling sites, pictorial geographic bases for thematic mapping, and court exhibits.

a Model Study of Small-Scale World Map Generalization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Y.; Yin, Y.; Li, C. M.; Wu, W.; Guo, P. P.; Ma, X. L.; Hu, F. M.

2018-04-01

With the globalization and rapid development every filed is taking an increasing interest in physical geography and human economics. There is a surging demand for small scale world map in large formats all over the world. Further study of automated mapping technology, especially the realization of small scale production on a large scale global map, is the key of the cartographic field need to solve. In light of this, this paper adopts the improved model (with the map and data separated) in the field of the mapmaking generalization, which can separate geographic data from mapping data from maps, mainly including cross-platform symbols and automatic map-making knowledge engine. With respect to the cross-platform symbol library, the symbol and the physical symbol in the geographic information are configured at all scale levels. With respect to automatic map-making knowledge engine consists 97 types, 1086 subtypes, 21845 basic algorithm and over 2500 relevant functional modules.In order to evaluate the accuracy and visual effect of our model towards topographic maps and thematic maps, we take the world map generalization in small scale as an example. After mapping generalization process, combining and simplifying the scattered islands make the map more explicit at 1 : 2.1 billion scale, and the map features more complete and accurate. Not only it enhance the map generalization of various scales significantly, but achieve the integration among map-makings of various scales, suggesting that this model provide a reference in cartographic generalization for various scales.

Is the recall of verbal-spatial information from working memory affected by symptoms of ADHD?

PubMed

Caterino, Linda C; Verdi, Michael P

2012-10-01

OJECTIVE: The Kulhavy model for text learning using organized spatial displays proposes that learning will be increased when participants view visual images prior to related text. In contrast to previous studies, this study also included students who exhibited symptoms of ADHD. Participants were presented with either a map-text or text-map condition. The map-text condition led to a significantly higher performance than the text-map condition, overall. However, students who endorsed more symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity scored more poorly when asked to recall text facts, text features, and map features and were less able to correctly place map features on a reconstructed map than were students who endorsed fewer symptoms. The results of the study support the Kulhavy model for typical students; however, the benefit of viewing a display prior to text was not seen for students with ADHD symptoms, thus supporting previous studies that have demonstrated that ADHD appears to negatively affect operations that occur in working memory.

Canonical Representations of the Simple Map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerwin, Olivia; Punjabi, Alkesh; Ali, Halima; Boozer, Allen

2007-11-01

The simple map is the simplest map that has the topology of a divertor tokamak. The simple map has three canonical representations: (i) toroidal flux and poloidal angle (ψ,θ) as canonical coordinates, (ii) the physical variables (R,Z) or (X,Y) as canonical coordinates, and (iii) the action-angle (J,ζ) or magnetic variables (ψ,θ) as canonical coordinates. We give the derivation of the simple map in the (X,Y) representation. The simple map in this representation has been studied extensively (Ref. 1 and references therein). We calculate the magnetic coordinates for the simple map, construct the simple map in magnetic coordinates, and calculate generic topological effects of magnetic perturbations in divertor tokamaks using the map. We also construct the simple map in (ψ,θ) representation. Preliminary results of these studies will be presented. This work is supported by US DOE OFES DE-FG02-01ER54624 and DE-FG02-04ER54793. [1] A. Punjabi, H. Ali, T. Evans, and A. Boozer, Phys Lett A 364 140--145 (2007).

Analyzing the Use of Concept Maps in Computer Science: A Systematic Mapping Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

dos Santos, Vinicius; de Souza, Érica F.; Felizardo, Katia R; Vijaykumar, Nandamudi L.

2017-01-01

Context: concept Maps (CMs) enable the creation of a schematic representation of a domain knowledge. For this reason, CMs have been applied in different research areas, including Computer Science. Objective: the objective of this paper is to present the results of a systematic mapping study conducted to collect and evaluate existing research on…

Symbolic, Nonsymbolic and Conceptual: An Across-Notation Study on the Space Mapping of Numerals.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu; You, Xuqun; Zhu, Rongjuan

2016-07-01

Previous studies suggested that there are interconnections between two numeral modalities of symbolic notation and nonsymbolic notation (array of dots), differences and similarities of the processing, and representation of the two modalities have both been found in previous research. However, whether there are differences between the spatial representation and numeral-space mapping of the two numeral modalities of symbolic notation and nonsymbolic notation is still uninvestigated. The present study aims to examine whether there are differences between the spatial representation and numeral-space mapping of the two numeral modalities of symbolic notation and nonsymbolic notation; especially how zero, as both a symbolic magnitude numeral and a nonsymbolic conceptual numeral, mapping onto space; and if the mapping happens automatically at an early stage of the numeral information processing. Results of the two experiments demonstrate that the low-level processing of symbolic numerals including zero and nonsymbolic numerals except zero can mapping onto space, whereas the low-level processing of nonsymbolic zero as a semantic conceptual numeral cannot mapping onto space, which indicating the specialty of zero in the numeral domain. The present study indicates that the processing of non-semantic numerals can mapping onto space, whereas semantic conceptual numerals cannot mapping onto space. © The Author(s) 2016.

Landslide susceptibility mapping for a landslide-prone area (Findikli, NE of Turkey) by likelihood-frequency ratio and weighted linear combination models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akgun, Aykut; Dag, Serhat; Bulut, Fikri

2008-05-01

Landslides are very common natural problems in the Black Sea Region of Turkey due to the steep topography, improper use of land cover and adverse climatic conditions for landslides. In the western part of region, many studies have been carried out especially in the last decade for landslide susceptibility mapping using different evaluation methods such as deterministic approach, landslide distribution, qualitative, statistical and distribution-free analyses. The purpose of this study is to produce landslide susceptibility maps of a landslide-prone area (Findikli district, Rize) located at the eastern part of the Black Sea Region of Turkey by likelihood frequency ratio (LRM) model and weighted linear combination (WLC) model and to compare the results obtained. For this purpose, landslide inventory map of the area were prepared for the years of 1983 and 1995 by detailed field surveys and aerial-photography studies. Slope angle, slope aspect, lithology, distance from drainage lines, distance from roads and the land-cover of the study area are considered as the landslide-conditioning parameters. The differences between the susceptibility maps derived by the LRM and the WLC models are relatively minor when broad-based classifications are taken into account. However, the WLC map showed more details but the other map produced by LRM model produced weak results. The reason for this result is considered to be the fact that the majority of pixels in the LRM map have high values than the WLC-derived susceptibility map. In order to validate the two susceptibility maps, both of them were compared with the landslide inventory map. Although the landslides do not exist in the very high susceptibility class of the both maps, 79% of the landslides fall into the high and very high susceptibility zones of the WLC map while this is 49% for the LRM map. This shows that the WLC model exhibited higher performance than the LRM model.

Comparison of three orientation and mobility aids for individuals with blindness: Verbal description, audio-tactile map and audio-haptic map.

PubMed

Papadopoulos, Konstantinos; Koustriava, Eleni; Koukourikos, Panagiotis; Kartasidou, Lefkothea; Barouti, Marialena; Varveris, Asimis; Misiou, Marina; Zacharogeorga, Timoclia; Anastasiadis, Theocharis

2017-01-01

Disorientation and inability of wayfinding are phenomena with a great frequency for individuals with visual impairments during the process of travelling novel environments. Orientation and mobility aids could suggest important tools for the preparation of a more secure and cognitively mapped travelling. The aim of the present study was to examine if spatial knowledge structured after an individual with blindness had studied the map of an urban area that was delivered through a verbal description, an audio-tactile map or an audio-haptic map, could be used for detecting in the area specific points of interest. The effectiveness of the three aids with reference to each other was also examined. The results of the present study highlight the effectiveness of the audio-tactile and the audio-haptic maps as orientation and mobility aids, especially when these are compared to verbal descriptions.

Synthesis maps: visual knowledge translation for the CanIMPACT clinical system and patient cancer journeys.

PubMed

Jones, P H; Shakdher, S; Singh, P

2017-04-01

Salient findings and interpretations from the canimpact clinical cancer research study are visually represented in two synthesis maps for the purpose of communicating an integrated presentation of the study to clinical cancer researchers and policymakers. Synthesis maps integrate evidence and expertise into a visual narrative for knowledge translation and communication. A clinical system synthesis map represents the current Canadian primary care and cancer practice systems, proposed as a visual knowledge translation from the mixed-methods canimpact study to inform Canadian clinical research, policy, and practice discourses. Two synthesis maps, drawn together from multiple canimpact investigations and sources, were required to articulate critical differences between the clinical system and patient perspectives. The synthesis map of Canada-wide clinical cancer systems illustrates the relationships between primary care and the full cancer continuum. A patient-centred map was developed to represent the cancer (and primary care) journeys as experienced by breast and colorectal cancer patients.

A study on aircraft map display location and orientation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baty, D. L.; Wempe, T.; Huff, E.

1973-01-01

Six airline pilots participated in a fixed-based simulator study to determine the effects of two horizontal situation display (HSD/map) panel locations relative to the vertical situation display (VSD), and of three map orientations on manual piloting performance. Pilot comments and opinions were formally obtained. Significant performance differences were found between wind conditions and among pilots but not between map locations and orientations. The results also illustrate the potential tracking accuracy of such a display. Recommendations concerning display location and map orientation are made.

Building Interoperable FHIR-Based Vocabulary Mapping Services: A Case Study of OHDSI Vocabularies and Mappings.

PubMed

Jiang, Guoqian; Kiefer, Richard; Prud'hommeaux, Eric; Solbrig, Harold R

2017-01-01

The OHDSI Common Data Model (CDM) is a deep information model, in which its vocabulary component plays a critical role in enabling consistent coding and query of clinical data. The objective of the study is to create methods and tools to expose the OHDSI vocabularies and mappings as the vocabulary mapping services using two HL7 FHIR core terminology resources ConceptMap and ValueSet. We discuss the benefits and challenges in building the FHIR-based terminology services.

A study on aircraft map display location and orientation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baty, D. L.; Wempe, T. E.; Huff, E. M.

1974-01-01

Six airline pilots participated in a fixed-base simulator study to determine the effects of two horizontal situation display (HSD/map) panel locations relative to the vertical situation display (VSD), and of three map orientations on manual piloting performance. Pilot comments and opinions were formally obtained. Significant performance differences were found between wind conditions and among pilots, but not between map locations and orientations. The results also illustrate the potential tracking accuracy of such a display. Recommendations concerning display location and map orientation are made.

Rapid construction of genome map for large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) by the whole-genome mapping in BioNano Genomics Irys system.

PubMed

Xiao, Shijun; Li, Jiongtang; Ma, Fengshou; Fang, Lujing; Xu, Shuangbin; Chen, Wei; Wang, Zhi Yong

2015-09-03

Large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) is an important commercial fish in China and East-Asia. The annual product of the species from the aqua-farming industry is about 90 thousand tons. In spite of its economic importance, genetic studies of economic traits and genomic selections of the species are hindered by the lack of genomic resources. Specifically, a whole-genome physical map of large yellow croaker is still missing. The traditional BAC-based fingerprint method is extremely time- and labour-consuming. Here we report the first genome map construction using the high-throughput whole-genome mapping technique by nanochannel arrays in BioNano Genomics Irys system. For an optimal marker density of ~10 per 100 kb, the nicking endonuclease Nt.BspQ1 was chosen for the genome map generation. 645,305 DNA molecules with a total length of ~112 Gb were labelled and detected, covering more than 160X of the large yellow croaker genome. Employing IrysView package and signature patterns in raw DNA molecules, a whole-genome map of large yellow croaker was assembled into 686 maps with a total length of 727 Mb, which was consistent with the estimated genome size. The N50 length of the whole-genome map, including 126 maps, was up to 1.7 Mb. The excellent hybrid alignment with large yellow croaker draft genome validated the consensus genome map assembly and highlighted a promising application of whole-genome mapping on draft genome sequence super-scaffolding. The genome map data of large yellow croaker are accessible on lycgenomics.jmu.edu.cn/pm. Using the state-of-the-art whole-genome mapping technique in Irys system, the first whole-genome map for large yellow croaker has been constructed and thus highly facilitates the ongoing genomic and evolutionary studies for the species. To our knowledge, this is the first public report on genome map construction by the whole-genome mapping for aquatic-organisms. Our study demonstrates a promising application of the whole-genome mapping on genome maps construction for other non-model organisms in a fast and reliable manner.

Quantitative susceptibility mapping of human brain at 3T: a multisite reproducibility study.

PubMed

Lin, P-Y; Chao, T-C; Wu, M-L

2015-03-01

Quantitative susceptibility mapping of the human brain has demonstrated strong potential in examining iron deposition, which may help in investigating possible brain pathology. This study assesses the reproducibility of quantitative susceptibility mapping across different imaging sites. In this study, the susceptibility values of 5 regions of interest in the human brain were measured on 9 healthy subjects following calibration by using phantom experiments. Each of the subjects was imaged 5 times on 1 scanner with the same procedure repeated on 3 different 3T systems so that both within-site and cross-site quantitative susceptibility mapping precision levels could be assessed. Two quantitative susceptibility mapping algorithms, similar in principle, one by using iterative regularization (iterative quantitative susceptibility mapping) and the other with analytic optimal solutions (deterministic quantitative susceptibility mapping), were implemented, and their performances were compared. Results show that while deterministic quantitative susceptibility mapping had nearly 700 times faster computation speed, residual streaking artifacts seem to be more prominent compared with iterative quantitative susceptibility mapping. With quantitative susceptibility mapping, the putamen, globus pallidus, and caudate nucleus showed smaller imprecision on the order of 0.005 ppm, whereas the red nucleus and substantia nigra, closer to the skull base, had a somewhat larger imprecision of approximately 0.01 ppm. Cross-site errors were not significantly larger than within-site errors. Possible sources of estimation errors are discussed. The reproducibility of quantitative susceptibility mapping in the human brain in vivo is regionally dependent, and the precision levels achieved with quantitative susceptibility mapping should allow longitudinal and multisite studies such as aging-related changes in brain tissue magnetic susceptibility. © 2015 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Comparing and Reconciling Traditional Field and Photogeologic Mapping Techniques: Lessons from the San Francisco Volcanic Field, Arizona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skinner, J. A., Jr.; Eppler, D. B.; Bleacher, J. E.; Evans, C. A.; Feng, W.; Gruener, J.; Hurwitz, D. M.; Janoiko, B.; Whitson, P.

2014-01-01

Cartographic products and - specifically - geologic maps provide critical assistance for establishing physical and temporal frameworks of planetary surfaces. The technical methods that result in the creation of geologic maps vary depending on how observations are made as well as the overall intent of the final products [1-3]. These methods tend to follow a common linear work flow, including the identification and delineation of spatially and temporally discrete materials (units), the documentation of their primary (emplacement) and secondary (erosional) characteristics, analysis of the relative and absolute age relationships between these materials, and the collation of observations and interpretations into an objective map product. The "objectivity" of a map is critical cross comparison with overlapping maps and topical studies as well as its relevance to scientific posterity. However, the "accuracy" and "correctness" of a geologic map is very subject to debate. This can be evidenced by comparison of existing geologic maps at various scales, particularly those compiled through field- and remote-based mapped efforts. Our study focuses on comparing the fidelity of (1) "Apollo-style" geologic investigations, where typically non-geologist crew members follow static traverse routes established through pre-mission planning, and (2) "traditional" field-based investigations, where geologists are given free rein to observe without preplanned routes. This abstract summarizes the regional geology wherein our study was conducted, presents the geologic map created from traditional field mapping techniques, and offers basic insights into how geologic maps created from different tactics can be reconciled in support of exploratory missions. Additional abstracts [4-6] from this study discuss various exploration and science results of these efforts.

Large-Scale SNP Discovery and Genotyping for Constructing a High-Density Genetic Map of Tea Plant Using Specific-Locus Amplified Fragment Sequencing (SLAF-seq)

PubMed Central

Ma, Chun-Lei; Jin, Ji-Qiang; Li, Chun-Fang; Wang, Rong-Kai; Zheng, Hong-Kun; Yao, Ming-Zhe; Chen, Liang

2015-01-01

Genetic maps are important tools in plant genomics and breeding. The present study reports the large-scale discovery of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for genetic map construction in tea plant. We developed a total of 6,042 valid SNP markers using specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq), and subsequently mapped them into the previous framework map. The final map contained 6,448 molecular markers, distributing on fifteen linkage groups corresponding to the number of tea plant chromosomes. The total map length was 3,965 cM, with an average inter-locus distance of 1.0 cM. This map is the first SNP-based reference map of tea plant, as well as the most saturated one developed to date. The SNP markers and map resources generated in this study provide a wealth of genetic information that can serve as a foundation for downstream genetic analyses, such as the fine mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL), map-based cloning, marker-assisted selection, and anchoring of scaffolds to facilitate the process of whole genome sequencing projects for tea plant. PMID:26035838

A phenomenographic case study: Concept maps from the perspectives of middle school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saglam, Yilmaz

The objective of this study was to investigate the experiences of middle school students when concept maps were used as a learning tool. Twenty-nine students' written responses, concept maps and videotapes were analyzed. Out of 29 students, thirteen students were interviewed using a semi-structured and open-ended interview protocol. The students' initial written responses provided us with the students' initial reactions to concept maps. The videotapes captured the students' behavior, and interpersonal interactions. The interviews probed students': (1) knowledge about drawing concept maps, (2) perception of the meaning and usefulness of concept maps, and (3) attitudes towards concept maps. The results indicated that the students viewed concept maps as useful tools in learning science. They believed that concept maps organized and summarized the information, which thereby helped them understand the topic easily. They also believed that concept maps had some cognitive benefits. However, the students viewed concept maps as hard to construct because it was difficult for the students to think of related concepts. The students' initial written responses, interviews and videotapes indicated that the students seemed to see both positive and negative aspects of concept maps. Some students' had more positive and some had more negative attitudes.

A new world natural vegetation map for global change studies.

PubMed

Lapola, David M; Oyama, Marcos D; Nobre, Carlos A; Sampaio, Gilvan

2008-06-01

We developed a new world natural vegetation map at 1 degree horizontal resolution for use in global climate models. We used the Dorman and Sellers vegetation classification with inclusion of a new biome: tropical seasonal forest, which refers to both deciduous and semi-deciduous tropical forests. SSiB biogeophysical parameters values for this new biome type are presented. Under this new vegetation classification we obtained a consensus map between two global natural vegetation maps widely used in climate studies. We found that these two maps assign different biomes in ca. 1/3 of the continental grid points. To obtain a new global natural vegetation map, non-consensus areas were filled according to regional consensus based on more than 100 regional maps available on the internet. To minimize the risk of using poor quality information, the regional maps were obtained from reliable internet sources, and the filling procedure was based on the consensus among several regional maps obtained from independent sources. The new map was designed to reproduce accurately both the large-scale distribution of the main vegetation types (as it builds on two reliable global natural vegetation maps) and the regional details (as it is based on the consensus of regional maps).

Database for the geologic map of Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Abendini, Atosa A.; Robinson, Joel E.; Muffler, L. J. Patrick; White, D. E.; Beeson, Melvin H.; Truesdell, A. H.

2015-01-01

This dataset contains contacts, geologic units, and map boundaries from Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-1371, "The Geologic map of upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone, National Park, Wyoming". This dataset was constructed to produce a digital geologic map as a basis for ongoing studies of hydrothermal processes.

Geologic Map and Map Database of Eastern Sonoma and Western Napa Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graymer, R.W.; Brabb, E.E.; Jones, D.L.; Barnes, J.; Nicholson, R.S.; Stamski, R.E.

2007-01-01

Introduction This report contains a new 1:100,000-scale geologic map, derived from a set of geologic map databases (Arc-Info coverages) containing information at 1:62,500-scale resolution, and a new description of the geologic map units and structural relations in the map area. Prepared as part of the San Francisco Bay Region Mapping Project, the study area includes the north-central part of the San Francisco Bay region, and forms the final piece of the effort to generate new, digital geologic maps and map databases for an area which includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma Counties. Geologic mapping in Lake County in the north-central part of the map extent was not within the scope of the Project. The map and map database integrates both previously published reports and new geologic mapping and field checking by the authors (see Sources of Data index map on the map sheet or the Arc-Info coverage eswn-so and the textfile eswn-so.txt). This report contains new ideas about the geologic structures in the map area, including the active San Andreas Fault system, as well as the geologic units and their relations. Together, the map (or map database) and the unit descriptions in this report describe the composition, distribution, and orientation of geologic materials and structures within the study area at regional scale. Regional geologic information is important for analysis of earthquake shaking, liquifaction susceptibility, landslide susceptibility, engineering materials properties, mineral resources and hazards, as well as groundwater resources and hazards. These data also assist in answering questions about the geologic history and development of the California Coast Ranges.

Comprehensive Insights in the Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Genome Using New WGS Data of Sheep Strain JIII-386 from Germany

PubMed Central

Möbius, Petra; Hölzer, Martin; Felder, Marius; Nordsiek, Gabriele; Groth, Marco; Köhler, Heike; Reichwald, Kathrin; Platzer, Matthias; Marz, Manja

2015-01-01

Mycobacterium avium (M. a.) subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP)—the etiologic agent of Johne’s disease—affects cattle, sheep, and other ruminants worldwide. To decipher phenotypic differences among sheep and cattle strains (belonging to MAP-S [Type-I/III], respectively, MAP-C [Type-II]), comparative genome analysis needs data from diverse isolates originating from different geographic regions of the world. This study presents the so far best assembled genome of a MAP-S-strain: Sheep isolate JIII-386 from Germany. One newly sequenced cattle isolate (JII-1961, Germany), four published MAP strains of MAP-C and MAP-S from the United States and Australia, and M. a. subsp. hominissuis (MAH) strain 104 were used for assembly improvement and comparisons. All genomes were annotated by BacProt and results compared with NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) annotation. Corresponding protein-coding sequences (CDSs) were detected, but also CDSs that were exclusively determined by either NCBI or BacProt. A new Shine–Dalgarno sequence motif (5′-AGCTGG-3′) was extracted. Novel CDSs including PE-PGRS family protein genes and about 80 noncoding RNAs exhibiting high sequence conservation are presented. Previously found genetic differences between MAP-types are partially revised. Four of ten assumed MAP-S-specific large sequence polymorphism regions (LSPSs) are still present in MAP-C strains; new LSPSs were identified. Independently of the regional origin of the strains, the number of individual CDSs and single nucleotide variants confirms the strong similarity of MAP-C strains and shows higher diversity among MAP-S strains. This study gives ambiguous results regarding the hypothesis that MAP-S is the evolutionary intermediate between MAH and MAP-C, but it clearly shows a higher similarity of MAP to MAH than to Mycobacterium intracellulare. PMID:26384038

The Effects of Integrating Computer-Based Concept Mapping for Physics Learning in Junior High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Cheng-Chieh; Yeh, Ting-Kuang; Shih, Chang-Ming

2016-01-01

It generally is accepted that concept mapping has a noticeable impact on learning. But literatures show the use of concept mapping is not benefit all learners. The present study explored the effects of incorporating computer-based concept mapping in physics instruction. A total of 61 9th-grade students participated in this study. By using a…

Self-Mapping in Treating Suicide Ideation: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Lloyd Hawkeye

2011-01-01

This case study traces the development and use of a self-mapping exercise in the treatment of a youth who had been at risk for re-attempting suicide. A life skills exercise was modified to identify units of culture called "memes" from which a map of the youth's self was prepared. A successful treatment plan followed the mapping exercise. The…

Thinking Maps: Research-Based Instructional Strategy in a PDS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kessler, Cristy; Zuercher, Deborah K.; Wong, Caroline S.

2013-01-01

An exploratory action research case study was conducted at Moanalua Middle School from 2006-2009 to examine the impact of Thinking Maps on student achievement. Thinking Maps are not just another set of graphic organizers but a set of eight of unique visual mind maps with each linked to a specific higher-order thinking pattern. This study tells the…

[Spatial and Temporal Variations in Spectrum-Derived Vegetation Growth Trend in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau from 1982 to 2014].

PubMed

Wang, Zhi-wei; Wu, Xiao-dong; Yue, Guang-yang; Zhao, Lin; Wang, Qian; Nan, Zhuo-tong; Qin, Yu; Wu, Tong-hua; Shi, Jian-zong; Zou, De-fu

2016-02-01

Recently considerable researches have focused on monitoring vegetation changes because of its important role in regula- ting the terrestrial carbon cycle and the climate system. There were the largest areas with high-altitudes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), which is often referred to as the third pole of the world. And vegetation in this region is significantly sensitive to the global warming. Meanwhile NDVI dataset was one of the most useful tools to monitor the vegetation activity with high spatial and temporal resolution, which is a normalized transform of the near-infrared radiation (NIR) to red reflectance ratio. Therefore, an extended GIMMS NDVI dataset from 1982-2006 to 1982-2014 was presented using a unary linear regression by MODIS dataset from 2000 to 2014 in QTP. Compared with previous researches, the accuracy of the extended NDVI dataset was improved again with consideration the residuals derived from scale transformation. So the model of extend NDVI dataset could be a new method to integrate different NDVI products. With the extended NDVI dataset, we found that in growing season there was a statistically significant increase (0.000 4 yr⁻¹, r² = 0.585 9, p < 0.001) in QTP from 1982 to 2014. During the study pe- riod, the trends of NDVI were significantly increased in spring (0.000 5 yr⁻¹, r² = 0.295 4, p = 0.001), summer (0.000 3 yr⁻¹, r² = 0.105 3, p = 0.065) and autumn respectively (0.000 6 yr⁻¹, r² = 0.436 7, p < 0.001). Due to the increased vegeta- tion activity in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from 1982 to 2014, the magnitude of carbon sink was accumulated in this region also at this same period. Then the data of temperature and precipitation was used to explore the reason of vegetation changed. Although the trends of them are both increased, the correlation between NDVI and temperature is higher than precipitation in vegetation grow- ing season, spring, summer and autumn. Furthermore, there is significant spatial heterogeneity of the changing trends for ND- VI, temperature and precipitation at Qinghai-Tibet Plateau scale.

[Dynamic changes in vegetation NDVI from 1982 to 2012 and its responses to climate change and human activities in Xinjiang, China].

PubMed

Du, Jia-qiang; Jiaerheng, Ahati; Zhao, Chenxi; Fang, Guang-ling; Yin, Jun-qi; Xiang, Bao; Yuan, Xin-jie; Fang, Shi-feng

2015-12-01

Vegetation plays an important role in regulating the terrestrial carbon balance and the climate system, and also overwhelmingly dominates the provisioning of ecosystem services. Therefore, it has significance to monitor the growth of vegetation. Based on AVHRR GIMMS NDVI and MODIS NDVI datasets, we analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of change in NDVI and their linkage with climate change and human activity from 1982 to 2012 in the typical arid region, Xinjiang of northwestern China, at pixel and regional scales. At regional scale, although a statistically significant positive trend of growing season NDVI with a rate of 4.09 x 10⁻⁴· a⁻¹ was found during 1982-2012, there were two distinct periods with opposite trends in growing season NDVI before and after 1998, respectively. NDVI in growing season first significantly increased with a rate of 10 x 10⁻⁴· a⁻¹ from 1982 to 1998, and then decreased with a rate of -3 x 10⁻⁴· a⁻¹ from 1998 to 2012. The change in trend of NDVI from increase to decrease mainly occurred in summer, followed by autumn, and the reversal wasn't observed in spring. At pixel scale, the NDVI in farmland significantly increased; the NDVI changes in the growing season and all seasons showed polarization: Areas with significant change mostly increased in size as the NDVI record grown in length. The rate of increase in size of areas with significantly decreasing NDVI was larger than that with significantly increasing NDVI, which led to the NDVI increase obviously slowing down or stopping at regional scale. The vegetation growth in the study area was regulated by both climate change and human activity. Temperature was the most important driving factor in spring and autumn, whereas precipitation in summer. Extensive use of fertilizers and increased farmland irrigated area promoted the vegetation growth. However, the rapid increase in the proportion of cotton cultivation and use of drip irrigation might reduce spring NDVI in the part of farmlands, and the increase in stocking levels of livestock might lead to a decrease in NDVI in some grasslands.

Example-based learning: comparing the effects of additionally providing three different integrative learning activities on physiotherapy intervention knowledge.

PubMed

Dyer, Joseph-Omer; Hudon, Anne; Montpetit-Tourangeau, Katherine; Charlin, Bernard; Mamede, Sílvia; van Gog, Tamara

2015-03-07

Example-based learning using worked examples can foster clinical reasoning. Worked examples are instructional tools that learners can use to study the steps needed to solve a problem. Studying worked examples paired with completion examples promotes acquisition of problem-solving skills more than studying worked examples alone. Completion examples are worked examples in which some of the solution steps remain unsolved for learners to complete. Providing learners engaged in example-based learning with self-explanation prompts has been shown to foster increased meaningful learning compared to providing no self-explanation prompts. Concept mapping and concept map study are other instructional activities known to promote meaningful learning. This study compares the effects of self-explaining, completing a concept map and studying a concept map on conceptual knowledge and problem-solving skills among novice learners engaged in example-based learning. Ninety-one physiotherapy students were randomized into three conditions. They performed a pre-test and a post-test to evaluate their gains in conceptual knowledge and problem-solving skills (transfer performance) in intervention selection. They studied three pairs of worked/completion examples in a digital learning environment. Worked examples consisted of a written reasoning process for selecting an optimal physiotherapy intervention for a patient. The completion examples were partially worked out, with the last few problem-solving steps left blank for students to complete. The students then had to engage in additional self-explanation, concept map completion or model concept map study in order to synthesize and deepen their knowledge of the key concepts and problem-solving steps. Pre-test performance did not differ among conditions. Post-test conceptual knowledge was higher (P < .001) in the concept map study condition (68.8 ± 21.8%) compared to the concept map completion (52.8 ± 17.0%) and self-explanation (52.2 ± 21.7%) conditions. Post-test problem-solving performance was higher (P < .05) in the self-explanation (63.2 ± 16.0%) condition compared to the concept map study (53.3 ± 16.4%) and concept map completion (51.0 ± 13.6%) conditions. Students in the self-explanation condition also invested less mental effort in the post-test. Studying model concept maps led to greater conceptual knowledge, whereas self-explanation led to higher transfer performance. Self-explanation and concept map study can be combined with worked example and completion example strategies to foster intervention selection.

Scoping of Flood Hazard Mapping Needs for Penobscot County, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schalk, Charles W.; Dudley, Robert W.

2007-01-01

Background The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed a plan in 1997 to modernize the FEMA flood mapping program. FEMA flood maps delineate flood hazard areas in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA's plan outlined the steps necessary to update FEMA's flood maps for the nation to a seamless digital format and streamline FEMA's operations in raising public awareness of the importance of the maps and responding to requests to revise them. The modernization of flood maps involves conversion of existing information to digital format and integration of improved flood hazard data as needed. To determine flood mapping modernization needs, FEMA has established specific scoping activities to be done on a county-by-county basis for identifying and prioritizing requisite flood-mapping activities for map modernization. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with FEMA and the Maine State Planning Office Floodplain Management Program (MFMP), began scoping work in 2006 for Penobscot County. Scoping activities included assembling existing data and map needs information for communities in Penobscot County, documentation of data, contacts, community meetings, and prioritized mapping needs in a final scoping report (this document), and updating the Mapping Needs Update Support System (MNUSS) Database with information gathered during the scoping process. As of 2007, the average age of the FEMA floodplain maps in Penobscot County, Maine, is 22 years, based on the most recent revisions to the maps. Because the revisions did not affect all the map panels in each town, however, the true average date probably is more than 22 years. Many of the studies were published in the mid-1980s. Since the studies were completed, development has occurred in many of the watersheds, and the characteristics of the watersheds have changed with time. Therefore, many of the older studies may not depict current conditions nor accurately estimate risk in terms of flood heights or flood mapping.

The Effectiveness of Concept Maps in Teaching Physics Concepts Applied to Engineering Education: Experimental Comparison of the Amount of Learning Achieved with and without Concept Maps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Guadalupe; Perez, Angel Luis; Suero, Maria Isabel; Pardo, Pedro J.

2013-01-01

A study was conducted to quantify the effectiveness of concept maps in learning physics in engineering degrees. The following research question was posed: What was the difference in learning results from the use of concept maps to study a particular topic in an engineering course? The study design was quasi-experimental and used a post-test as a…

Sub-pixel flood inundation mapping from multispectral remotely sensed images based on discrete particle swarm optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Linyi; Chen, Yun; Yu, Xin; Liu, Rui; Huang, Chang

2015-03-01

The study of flood inundation is significant to human life and social economy. Remote sensing technology has provided an effective way to study the spatial and temporal characteristics of inundation. Remotely sensed images with high temporal resolutions are widely used in mapping inundation. However, mixed pixels do exist due to their relatively low spatial resolutions. One of the most popular approaches to resolve this issue is sub-pixel mapping. In this paper, a novel discrete particle swarm optimization (DPSO) based sub-pixel flood inundation mapping (DPSO-SFIM) method is proposed to achieve an improved accuracy in mapping inundation at a sub-pixel scale. The evaluation criterion for sub-pixel inundation mapping is formulated. The DPSO-SFIM algorithm is developed, including particle discrete encoding, fitness function designing and swarm search strategy. The accuracy of DPSO-SFIM in mapping inundation at a sub-pixel scale was evaluated using Landsat ETM + images from study areas in Australia and China. The results show that DPSO-SFIM consistently outperformed the four traditional SFIM methods in these study areas. A sensitivity analysis of DPSO-SFIM was also carried out to evaluate its performances. It is hoped that the results of this study will enhance the application of medium-low spatial resolution images in inundation detection and mapping, and thereby support the ecological and environmental studies of river basins.

Reaction-Map of Organic Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murov, Steven

2007-01-01

The Reaction-Map of Organic Chemistry lists all the most commonly studied reactions in organic chemistry on one page. The discussed Reaction-Map will act as another learning aide for the students, making the study of organic chemistry much easier.

Measuring supermassive black holes via reverberation mapping in the UV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaspi, Shai

2018-04-01

Over the past three decades the reverberation mapping technique was used to measure the central regions of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), their size, velocity field, and the mass of the black hole in the center. This technique was used mainly in the optical with several studies in the UV. Reverberation mapping in the UV adds essential information to the AGN studies. This paper reviews these recent studies done in the UV, presents results from the recent HST campaign toward NGC 5548, and discuss two projects of reverberation mapping of UV emission lines in high-luminosity quasars. The advantages of reverberation mapping in the UV will be discussed as well as the needs from new UV missions in order to be able to advance UV reverberation mapping campaigns.

Application of cattle slurry containing Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) to grassland soil and its effect on the relationship between MAP and free-living amoeba.

PubMed

Salgado, M; Alfaro, M; Salazar, F; Badilla, X; Troncoso, E; Zambrano, A; González, M; Mitchell, R M; Collins, M T

2015-01-30

Slurry from dairy farms is commonly used to fertilize crops and pastures. This mixture of manure, urine and water can harbor multiple microbial pathogens among which Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is a major concern. Persistence of MAP in soil and infection of soil Acanthamoeba was evaluated by culture, real-time IS900 PCR, and by staining of amoeba with acid-fast and vital stains comparing soils irrigated with MAP-spiked or control dairy farm slurry. MAP DNA was detected in soil for the 8 month study duration. MAP was detected by PCR from more soil samples for plots receiving MAP-spiked slurry (n=61/66) than from soils receiving control slurry (n=10/66 samples). Vital stains verified that intracellular MAP in amoeba was viable. More MAP was found in amoeba at the end of the study than immediately after slurry application. There was no relationship between MAP presence in soil and in amoeba over time. Infection of amoeba by MAP provides a protected niche for the persistence and even possibly the replication of MAP in soils. As others have suggested, MAP-infected amoeba may act like a "Trojan horse" providing a means for persistence in soils and potentially a source of infection for grazing animals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

75 FR 48235 - Rural Health Care Universal Service Support Mechanism

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-09

... references to recognized broadband mapping studies, such as NTIA's national broadband map, State or local... network area. In addition to referencing such NTIA or State broadband mapping studies, the applicant would... network design studies (but not in excess of the cap identified below); (2) engineering, materials and...

A study of the usefulness of Skylab EREP data for earth resources studies in Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lambert, B. P.; Benson, M. L.; Borough, C. J.; Myers, B. J.; Maffi, C. E.; Simpson, C. J.; Perry, W. J.; Burns, K. L.; Shepherd, J.; Beattie, R. (Principal Investigator)

1975-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. In subhumid, vegetated areas, S190B photography: (1) has a potentially operational role in detecting lineaments in 1:100,000 scale geological mapping and in major civil engineering surveys; (2) is of limited value for regional lithological mapping at 1:500,000 scale; and (3) provided much useful synoptic information and some detailed information of direct value to the mapping of nonmineral natural resources such as vegetation, land soil, and water. In arid, well exposed areas, S190B photography could be used: (1) with a limited amount of field traverses, to produce reliable 1:500,000 scale geological maps of sedimentary sequences; (2) to update superficial geology on 1:250,000 scale maps; and (3) together with the necessary field studies, to prepare landform, soil, and vegetation maps at 1:1,000,000 scale. Skylab photography was found to be more useful than LANDSAT images for small scale mapping of geology and land types, and for the revision of topographic maps at 1:100,000 scale, because of superior spatial resolution and stereoscopic coverage.

Assessing Volunteered Geographic Information (vgi) Quality Based on CONTRIBUTORS' Mapping Behaviours

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bégin, D.; Devillers, R.; Roche, S.

2013-05-01

VGI changed the mapping landscape by allowing people that are not professional cartographers to contribute to large mapping projects, resulting at the same time in concerns about the quality of the data produced. While a number of early VGI studies used conventional methods to assess data quality, such approaches are not always well adapted to VGI. Since VGI is a user-generated content, we posit that features and places mapped by contributors largely reflect contributors' personal interests. This paper proposes studying contributors' mapping processes to understand the characteristics and quality of the data produced. We argue that contributors' behaviour when mapping reflects contributors' motivation and individual preferences in selecting mapped features and delineating mapped areas. Such knowledge of contributors' behaviour could allow for the derivation of information about the quality of VGI datasets. This approach was tested using a sample area from OpenStreetMap, leading to a better understanding of data completeness for contributor's preferred features.

Development of a competency mapping tool for undergraduate professional degree programmes, using mechanical engineering as a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmes, David W.; Sheehan, Madoc; Birks, Melanie; Smithson, John

2018-01-01

Mapping the curriculum of a professional degree to the associated competency standard ensures graduates have the competence to perform as professionals. Existing approaches to competence mapping vary greatly in depth, complexity, and effectiveness, and a standardised approach remains elusive. This paper describes a new mapping software tool that streamlines and standardises the competency mapping process. The available analytics facilitate ongoing programme review, management, and accreditation. The complete mapping and analysis of an Australian mechanical engineering degree programme is described as a case study. Each subject is mapped by evaluating the amount and depth of competence development present. Combining subject results then enables highly detailed programme level analysis. The mapping process is designed to be administratively light, with aspects of professional development embedded in the software. The effective competence mapping described in this paper enables quantification of learning within a professional degree programme, and provides a mechanism for holistic programme improvement.

Understanding semantic mapping evolution by observing changes in biomedical ontologies.

PubMed

dos Reis, Julio Cesar; Pruski, Cédric; Da Silveira, Marcos; Reynaud-Delaître, Chantal

2014-02-01

Knowledge Organization Systems (KOSs) are extensively used in the biomedical domain to support information sharing between software applications. KOSs are proposed covering different, but overlapping subjects, and mappings indicate the semantic relation between concepts from two KOSs. Over time, KOSs change as do the mappings between them. This can result from a new discovery or a revision of existing knowledge which includes corrections of concepts or mappings. Indeed, changes affecting KOS entities may force the underline mappings to be updated in order to ensure their reliability over time. To tackle this open research problem, we study how mappings are affected by KOS evolution. This article presents a detailed descriptive analysis of the impact that changes in KOS have on mappings. As a case study, we use the official mappings established between SNOMED CT and ICD-9-CM from 2009 to 2011. Results highlight factors according to which KOS changes in varying degrees influence the evolution of mappings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Determining the Exchangeability of Concept Map and Problem-Solving Essay Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollenbeck, Keith; Twyman, Todd; Tindal, Gerald

2006-01-01

This study investigated the score exchangeability of concept maps with problem-solving essays. Of interest was whether sixth-grade students' concept maps predicted their scores on essay responses that used concept map content. Concept maps were hypothesized to be alternatives to performance assessments for content-area domain knowledge in science.…

Concept Mapping: A Unique Means for Negotiating Meaning in Professional Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackinnon, Gregory R.; Keppell, Mike

2005-01-01

Concept mapping (Novak & Gowin, 1984) has been used extensively as a graphic organiser in classroom teaching. This article addresses two particular approaches to using concept mapping that go beyond classroom planning into the realm of "idea-exchange" with concept mapping as mediator. The notion of "negotiative concept mapping" is examined in two…

The Effects of Reciprocal Teaching and Direct Instruction Approaches on Knowledge Map (K-Map) Generation Skill

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Görgen, Izzet

2014-01-01

The primary purpose of the present study is to investigate whether reciprocal teaching approach or direct instruction approach is more effective in the teaching of k-map generation skill. Secondary purpose of the study is to determine which of the k-map generation principles are more challenging for students to apply. The results of the study…

The Effects of Reciprocal Teaching and Direct Instruction Approaches on Knowledge Map (k-map) Generation Skill

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorgen, Izzet

2014-01-01

The primary purpose of the present study is to investigate whether reciprocal teaching approach or direct instruction approach is more effective in the teaching of k-map generation skill. Secondary purpose of the study is to determine which of the k-map generation principles are more challenging for students to apply. The results of the study…

BOREAS Hardcopy Maps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Nelson, Elizabeth; Newcomer, Jeffrey A.

2000-01-01

Boreal Ecosystem-Atmospheric Study (BOREAS) hardcopy maps are a collection of approximately 1,000 hardcopy maps representing the physical, climatological, and historical attributes of areas covering primarily the Manitoba and Saskatchewan provinces of Canada. These maps were collected by BOREAS Information System (BORIS) and Canada for Remote Sensing (CCRS) staff to provide basic information about site positions, manmade features, topography, geology, hydrology, land cover types, fire history, climate, and soils of the BOREAS study region. These maps are not available for distribution through the BOREAS project but may be used as an on-site resource. Information is provided within this document for individuals who want to order copies of these maps from the original map source. Note that the maps are not contained on the BOREAS CD-ROM set. An inventory listing file is supplied on the CD-ROM to inform users of the maps that are available. This inventory listing is available from the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC). For hardcopies of the individual maps, contact the sources provided.

Mapping the Diagnosis Axis of an Interface Terminology to the NANDA International Taxonomy

PubMed Central

Juvé Udina, Maria-Eulàlia; Gonzalez Samartino, Maribel; Matud Calvo, Cristina

2012-01-01

Background. Nursing terminologies are designed to support nursing practice but, as with any other clinical tool, they should be evaluated. Cross-mapping is a formal method for examining the validity of the existing controlled vocabularies. Objectives. The study aims to assess the inclusiveness and expressiveness of the nursing diagnosis axis of a newly implemented interface terminology by cross-mapping with the NANDA-I taxonomy. Design/Methods. The study applied a descriptive design, using a cross-sectional, bidirectional mapping strategy. The sample included 728 concepts from both vocabularies. Concept cross-mapping was carried out to identify one-to-one, negative, and hierarchical connections. The analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics. Results. Agreement of the raters' mapping achieved 97%. More than 60% of the nursing diagnosis concepts in the NANDA-I taxonomy were mapped to concepts in the diagnosis axis of the new interface terminology; 71.1% were reversely mapped. Conclusions. Main results for outcome measures suggest that the diagnosis axis of this interface terminology meets the validity criterion of cross-mapping when mapped from and to the NANDA-I taxonomy. PMID:22830046

Mapping the Diagnosis Axis of an Interface Terminology to the NANDA International Taxonomy.

PubMed

Juvé Udina, Maria-Eulàlia; Gonzalez Samartino, Maribel; Matud Calvo, Cristina

2012-01-01

Background. Nursing terminologies are designed to support nursing practice but, as with any other clinical tool, they should be evaluated. Cross-mapping is a formal method for examining the validity of the existing controlled vocabularies. Objectives. The study aims to assess the inclusiveness and expressiveness of the nursing diagnosis axis of a newly implemented interface terminology by cross-mapping with the NANDA-I taxonomy. Design/Methods. The study applied a descriptive design, using a cross-sectional, bidirectional mapping strategy. The sample included 728 concepts from both vocabularies. Concept cross-mapping was carried out to identify one-to-one, negative, and hierarchical connections. The analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics. Results. Agreement of the raters' mapping achieved 97%. More than 60% of the nursing diagnosis concepts in the NANDA-I taxonomy were mapped to concepts in the diagnosis axis of the new interface terminology; 71.1% were reversely mapped. Conclusions. Main results for outcome measures suggest that the diagnosis axis of this interface terminology meets the validity criterion of cross-mapping when mapped from and to the NANDA-I taxonomy.

The Salient Map Analysis for Research and Teaching (SMART) method: Powerful potential as a formative assessment in the biomedical sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cathcart, Laura Anne

This dissertation consists of two studies: 1) development and characterization of the Salient Map Analysis for Research and Teaching (SMART) method as a formative assessment tool and 2) a case study exploring how a paramedic instructor's beliefs about learners affect her utilization of the SMART method and vice versa. The first study explored: How can a novel concept map analysis method be designed as an effective formative assessment tool? The SMART method improves upon existing concept map analysis methods because it does not require hierarchically structured concept maps and it preserves the rich content of the maps instead of reducing each map down to a numerical score. The SMART method is performed by comparing a set of students' maps to each other and to an instructor's map. The resulting composite map depicts, in percentages and highlighted colors, the similarities and differences between all of the maps. Some advantages of the SMART method as a formative assessment tool include its ability to highlight changes across time, problematic or alternative conceptions, and patterns of student responses at a glance. Study two explored: How do a paramedic instructor's beliefs about students and learning affect---and become affected by---her use of the SMART method as a formative assessment tool? This case study of Angel, an expert paramedic instructor, begins to address a gap in the emergency medical services (EMS) education literature, which contains almost no research on teachers or pedagogy. Angel and I worked together as participant co-researchers (Heron & Reason, 1997) exploring the affordances of the SMART method. This study, based on those interactions with Angel, involved using open coding to identify themes (Strauss & Corbin, 1998) from Angel's views of students and use of the SMART method. Angel views learning as a sense-making process. She has a multi-faceted view of her students as novices and invests substantial time trying to understand their concept maps. Not only do these beliefs affect her use of the SMART method; in addition, her beliefs are refined through the use of the SMART method.

Exploiting the extraordinary genetic polymorphism of ciona for developmental genetics with whole genome sequencing.

PubMed

Abdul-Wajid, Sarah; Veeman, Michael T; Chiba, Shota; Turner, Thomas L; Smith, William C

2014-05-01

Studies in tunicates such as Ciona have revealed new insights into the evolutionary origins of chordate development. Ciona populations are characterized by high levels of natural genetic variation, between 1 and 5%. This variation has provided abundant material for forward genetic studies. In the current study, we make use of deep sequencing and homozygosity mapping to map spontaneous mutations in outbred populations. With this method we have mapped two spontaneous developmental mutants. In Ciona intestinalis we mapped a short-tail mutation with strong phenotypic similarity to a previously identified mutant in the related species Ciona savignyi. Our bioinformatic approach mapped the mutation to a narrow interval containing a single mutated gene, α-laminin3,4,5, which is the gene previously implicated in C. savignyi. In addition, we mapped a novel genetic mutation disrupting neural tube closure in C. savignyi to a T-type Ca(2+) channel gene. The high efficiency and unprecedented mapping resolution of our study is a powerful advantage for developmental genetics in Ciona, and may find application in other outbred species.

Comparing the Effect of Thinking Maps Training Package Developed by the Thinking Maps Method on the Reading Performance of Dyslexic Students.

PubMed

Faramarzi, Salar; Moradi, Mohammadreza; Abedi, Ahmad

2018-06-01

The present study aimed to develop the thinking maps training package and compare its training effect with the thinking maps method on the reading performance of second and fifth grade of elementary school male dyslexic students. For this mixed method exploratory study, from among the above mentioned grades' students in Isfahan, 90 students who met the inclusion criteria were selected by multistage sampling and randomly assigned into six experimental and control groups. The data were collected by reading and dyslexia test and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-fourth edition. The results of covariance analysis indicated a significant difference between the reading performance of the experimental (thinking maps training package and thinking maps method groups) and control groups ([Formula: see text]). Moreover, there were significant differences between the thinking maps training package group and thinking maps method group in some of the subtests ([Formula: see text]). It can be concluded that thinking maps training package and the thinking maps method exert a positive influence on the reading performance of dyslexic students; therefore, thinking maps can be used as an effective training and treatment method.

Fast Mapping Across Time: Memory Processes Support Children's Retention of Learned Words.

PubMed

Vlach, Haley A; Sandhofer, Catherine M

2012-01-01

Children's remarkable ability to map linguistic labels to referents in the world is commonly called fast mapping. The current study examined children's (N = 216) and adults' (N = 54) retention of fast-mapped words over time (immediately, after a 1-week delay, and after a 1-month delay). The fast mapping literature often characterizes children's retention of words as consistently high across timescales. However, the current study demonstrates that learners forget word mappings at a rapid rate. Moreover, these patterns of forgetting parallel forgetting functions of domain-general memory processes. Memory processes are critical to children's word learning and the role of one such process, forgetting, is discussed in detail - forgetting supports extended mapping by promoting the memory and generalization of words and categories.

Self-mapping in treating suicide ideation: a case study.

PubMed

Robertson, Lloyd Hawkeye

2011-03-01

This case study traces the development and use of a self-mapping exercise in the treatment of a youth who had been at risk for re-attempting suicide. A life skills exercise was modified to identify units of culture called memes from which a map of the youth's self was prepared. A successful treatment plan followed the mapping exercise. The process of self-map construction is presented along with an interpretive analysis. It is suggested that therapists from a range of perspectives could use this technique in assessment and treatment.

Geological Mapping Uses Landsat 4-5TM Satellite Data in Manlai Soum of Omnogovi Aimag

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norovsuren, B.

2014-12-01

Author: Bayanmonkh N1, Undram.G1, Tsolmon.R2, Ariunzul.Ya1, Bayartungalag B31 Environmental Research Information and Study Center 2NUM-ITC-UNESCO Space Science and Remote Sensing International Laboratory, National University of Mongolia 3Geology and Hydrology School, Korea University KEY WORDS: geology, mineral resources, fracture, structure, lithologyABSTRACTGeologic map is the most important map for mining when it does exploration job. In Mongolia geological map completed by Russian geologists which is done by earlier technology. Those maps doesn't satisfy for present requirements. Thus we want to study improve geological map which includes fracture, structural map and lithology use Landsat TM4-5 satellite data. If we can produce a geological map from satellite data with more specification then geologist can explain or read mineralogy very easily. We searched all methodology and researches of every single element of geological mapping. Then we used 3 different remote sensing methodologies to produce structural and lithology and fracture map based on geographic information system's softwares. There can be found a visible lithology border improvement and understandable structural map and we found fracture of the Russian geological map has a lot of distortion. The result of research geologist can read mineralogy elements very easy and discovered 3 unfound important elements from satellite image.

Creating a literature database of low-calorie sweeteners and health studies: evidence mapping.

PubMed

Wang, Ding Ding; Shams-White, Marissa; Bright, Oliver John M; Parrott, J Scott; Chung, Mei

2016-01-05

Evidence mapping is an emerging tool used to systematically identify, organize and summarize the quantity and focus of scientific evidence on a broad topic, but there are currently no methodological standards. Using the topic of low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) and selected health outcomes, we describe the process of creating an evidence-map database and demonstrate several example descriptive analyses using this database. The process of creating an evidence-map database is described in detail. The steps include: developing a comprehensive literature search strategy, establishing study eligibility criteria and a systematic study selection process, extracting data, developing outcome groups with input from expert stakeholders and tabulating data using descriptive analyses. The database was uploaded onto SRDR™ (Systematic Review Data Repository), an open public data repository. Our final LCS evidence-map database included 225 studies, of which 208 were interventional studies and 17 were cohort studies. An example bubble plot was produced to display the evidence-map data and visualize research gaps according to four parameters: comparison types, population baseline health status, outcome groups, and study sample size. This plot indicated a lack of studies assessing appetite and dietary intake related outcomes using LCS with a sugar intake comparison in people with diabetes. Evidence mapping is an important tool for the contextualization of in-depth systematic reviews within broader literature and identifies gaps in the evidence base, which can be used to inform future research. An open evidence-map database has the potential to promote knowledge translation from nutrition science to policy.

Effects of Butyltins (BTs) on Mitogen-Activated-Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase (MAP3K) and Ras Activity in Human Natural Killer Cells

PubMed Central

Celada, Lindsay J.; Whalen, Margaret M.

2013-01-01

Butyltins (BTs) contaminate the environment and are found in human blood. BTs, tributyltin (TBT) and dibutyltin (DBT), diminish the cytotoxic function and levels of key proteins of human natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells are an initial immune defense against tumors, virally-infected cells and antibody-coated cells and thus critical to human health. The signaling pathways that regulate NK cell functions include mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Studies have shown that exposure to BTs leads to the activation of specific MAPKs and MAPK kinases (MAP2Ks) in human NK cells. MAP2K kinases (MAP3Ks) are upstream activators of MAP2Ks, which then activate MAPKs. The current study examined if BT-induced activation of MAP3Ks was responsible for MAP2K and thus, MAPK activation. This study examines the effects of TBT and DBT on the total levels of two MAP3Ks, c-Raf and ASK1, as well as activating and inhibitory phosphorylation sites on these MAP3Ks. In addition, the immediate upstream activator of c-Raf, Ras, was examined for BT-induced alterations. Our results show significant activation of the MAP3K, c-Raf, in human NK cells within 10 minutes of TBT exposure and the MAP3K, ASK1, after one hour exposures to TBT. In addition, our results suggest that both TBT and DBT are impacting the regulation of c-Raf. PMID:24038145

Thinking Maps: An innovative way to increase sixth-grade student achievement in social studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reed, Tamita

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the effect of Thinking Maps on the achievement of 6th-grade social studies students in order to determine its effectiveness. The population of this study came from a suburban middle school in the state of Georgia. The quantitative data included a pretest and posttest. The study was designed to find (a) whether there is a significant difference between the mean posttest scores on the benchmark test of 6th-grade students who are taught with either Thinking Maps or traditional social studies methods, (b) whether there is a significant difference between the mean posttest scores on the benchmark test of 6th-grade male versus female social studies students, and (c) whether there is a significant interaction between 6th-grade students' type of social studies class and gender as to differentially affect their mean posttest scores on the benchmark test. To answer these questions, students' pretest and posttest were compared to determine if there was a statistically significant difference after Thinking Maps were implemented with the treatment group for 9 weeks. The results indicate that there was no significant difference in the test scores between the students who were taught with Thinking Maps and the students who were taught without Thinking Maps. However, the students taught with Thinking Maps had the higher adjusted posttest scores.

An ultra-high-density bin map facilitates high-throughput QTL mapping of horticultural traits in pepper (Capsicum annuum).

PubMed

Han, Koeun; Jeong, Hee-Jin; Yang, Hee-Bum; Kang, Sung-Min; Kwon, Jin-Kyung; Kim, Seungill; Choi, Doil; Kang, Byoung-Cheorl

2016-04-01

Most agricultural traits are controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTLs); however, there are few studies on QTL mapping of horticultural traits in pepper (Capsicum spp.) due to the lack of high-density molecular maps and the sequence information. In this study, an ultra-high-density map and 120 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between C. annuum'Perennial' and C. annuum'Dempsey' were used for QTL mapping of horticultural traits. Parental lines and RILs were resequenced at 18× and 1× coverage, respectively. Using a sliding window approach, an ultra-high-density bin map containing 2,578 bins was constructed. The total map length of the map was 1,372 cM, and the average interval between bins was 0.53 cM. A total of 86 significant QTLs controlling 17 horticultural traits were detected. Among these, 32 QTLs controlling 13 traits were major QTLs. Our research shows that the construction of bin maps using low-coverage sequence is a powerful method for QTL mapping, and that the short intervals between bins are helpful for fine-mapping of QTLs. Furthermore, bin maps can be used to improve the quality of reference genomes by elucidating the genetic order of unordered regions and anchoring unassigned scaffolds to linkage groups. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Kazusa DNA Research Institute.

Mycobacterium avium Subspecies paratuberculosis: Human Exposure through Environmental and Domestic Aerosols

PubMed Central

Rhodes, Glenn; Richardson, Hollian; Hermon-Taylor, John; Weightman, Andrew; Higham, Andrew; Pickup, Roger

2014-01-01

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map) causes Johne’s disease in animals and is significantly associated with Crohn’s disease (CD) in humans. Our previous studies have shown Map to be present in U.K. rivers due to land deposition from chronic livestock infection and runoff driven by rainfall. The epidemiology of CD in Cardiff showed a significant association with the River Taff, in which Map can be detected on a regular basis. We have previously hypothesized that aerosols from the river might influence the epidemiology of CD. In this preliminary study, we detected Map by quantitative PCR in one of five aerosol samples collected above the River Taff. In addition, we examined domestic showers from different regions in the U.K. and detected Map in three out of 30 independent samples. In detecting Map in river aerosols and those from domestic showers, this is the first study to provide evidence that aerosols are an exposure route for Map to humans and may play a role in the epidemiology of CD. PMID:25438013

Complex mapping of aerofoils - a different perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Miccal T.

2012-01-01

In this article an application of conformal mapping to aerofoil theory is studied from a geometric and calculus point of view. The problem is suitable for undergraduate teaching in terms of a project or extended piece of work, and brings together the concepts of geometric mapping, parametric equations, complex numbers and calculus. The Joukowski and Karman-Trefftz aerofoils are studied, and it is shown that the Karman-Trefftz aerofoil is an improvement over the Joukowski aerofoil from a practical point of view. For the most part only a spreadsheet program and pen and paper is required, only for the last portion of the study of the Karman-Trefftz aerofoils a symbolic computer package is employed. Ignoring the concept of a conformal mapping and instead viewing the problem from a parametric point of view, some interesting mappings are obtained. By considering the derivative of the mapped mapping via the chain rule, some new and interesting analytical results are obtained for the Joukowski aerofoil, and numerical results for the Karman-Trefftz aerofoil.

Preliminary integrated geologic map databases for the United States: Digital data for the geology of southeast Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gehrels, George E.; Berg, Henry C.

2006-01-01

The growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for digital geologic maps that have been attributed with information about age and lithology. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for manifold special purposes such as mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. This report is part of a series of integrated geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. Three national-scale geologic maps that portray most or all of the United States already exist; for the conterminous U.S., King and Beikman (1974a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:2,500,000, Beikman (1980) compiled a map for Alaska at 1:2,500,000 scale, and for the entire U.S., Reed and others (2005a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:5,000,000. A digital version of the King and Beikman map was published by Schruben and others (1994). Reed and Bush (2004) produced a digital version of the Reed and others (2005a) map for the conterminous U.S. The present series of maps is intended to provide the next step in increased detail. State geologic maps that range in scale from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 are available for most of the country, and digital versions of these state maps are the basis of this product. The digital geologic maps presented here are in a standardized format as ARC/INFO export files and as ArcView shape files. Data tables that relate the map units to detailed lithologic and age information accompany these GIS files. The map is delivered as a set of 1:250,000-scale quadrangle files. To the best of our ability, these quadrangle files are edge-matched with respect to geology. When the maps are merged, the combined attribute tables can be used directly with the merged maps to make derivative maps.

Digital Data for the reconnaissance geologic map for the Kuskokwim Bay Region of Southwest Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Frederic H.; Hults, Chad P.; Mohadjer, Solmaz; Coonrad, Warren L.; Shew, Nora B.; Labay, Keith A.

2008-01-01

INTRODUCTION The growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for digital geologic maps that have been attributed with information about age and lithology. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for manifold special purposes such as mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. This report is part of a series of integrated geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. Three national-scale geologic maps that portray most or all of the United States already exist; for the conterminous U.S., King and Beikman (1974a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:2,500,000, Beikman (1980) compiled a map for Alaska at 1:2,500,000 scale, and for the entire U.S., Reed and others (2005a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:5,000,000. A digital version of the King and Beikman map was published by Schruben and others (1994). Reed and Bush (2004) produced a digital version of the Reed and others (2005a) map for the conterminous U.S. The present series of maps is intended to provide the next step in increased detail. State geologic maps that range in scale from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 are available for most of the country, and digital versions of these state maps are the basis of this product. The digital geologic maps presented here are in a standardized format as ARC/INFO export files and as ArcView shape files. Data tables that relate the map units to detailed lithologic and age information accompany these GIS files. The map is delivered as a set 1:250,000-scale quadrangle files. To the best of our ability, these quadrangle files are edge-matched with respect to geology. When the maps are merged, the combined attribute tables can be used directly with the merged maps to make derivative maps.

Using Concept Maps to Monitor Knowledge Structure Changes in a Science Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, Leah J.

The aim of this research is to determine what differences may exist in students' structural knowledge while using a variety of concept mapping assessments. A concept map can be used as an assessment which connects concepts in a knowledge domain. A single assessment may not be powerful enough to establish how students' new knowledge relates to prior knowledge. More research is needed to establish how various aspects of the concept mapping task influence the output of map creation by students. Using multiple concept maps and pre-instruction and post-instruction VNOS instruments during a 16-week semester, this study was designed to investigate the impact of concept map training and the impact of assessment design on the created maps. Also, this study was designed to determine what differences can be observed between expert and novice maps and if similarities and differences exist between concept maps and an open-ended assessment. Participants created individual maps and the maps were analyzed for structural complexity, overall structure, and content. The concept maps were then compared by their timing, design, and scores. The results indicate that concept mapping training does significantly impact the shape and structure complexity of the map created by students. Additionally, these data support that students should be frequently reminded of appropriate concept mapping skills and opportunities so that good mapping skills will be utilized. Changing the assessment design does appear to be able to impact the overall structure and complexity of created maps, while narrowing the content focus of the map does not necessarily restrict the overall structure or the complexity. Furthermore, significant differences in structural complexity were observed between novice and expert mappers. The fluctuations of NOS concepts identified in student created maps may suggest why some students were still confused or had incorrect conceptions of NOS, despite explicit and reflective instruction throughout the semester.

Quality and Rigor of the Concept Mapping Methodology: A Pooled Study Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosas, Scott R.; Kane, Mary

2012-01-01

The use of concept mapping in research and evaluation has expanded dramatically over the past 20 years. Researchers in academic, organizational, and community-based settings have applied concept mapping successfully without the benefit of systematic analyses across studies to identify the features of a methodologically sound study. Quantitative…

The Use of Maps in Turkish Newspapers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demirci, Ali; Suslu, Zeliha

2016-01-01

This study analyzes the use of maps in Turkish newspapers in order to evaluate their potential to contribute to the enhancement of geographic knowledge in society. This study reviewed the content of three Turkish newspapers published between January 2008 and August 2012. Only 835 maps were used in the newspapers during the study period, or an…

Using Digital Mapping Programs to Augment Student Learning in Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chandler, Thomas; An, Heejung

2007-01-01

Thomas Chandler and Heejung An describe how digital mapping technology can be incorporated into community-based K-12 social studies projects. According to Chandler and An, digital mapping can add value to the social studies curriculum by enabling students to better understand the interdependence between the lives of individuals and their…

Taxonomic classification of soils using digital information from LANDSAT data. Huayllamarca and eucaliptus areas. M.S. Thesis - Bolivia Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quiroga, S. Q.

1977-01-01

The applicability of LANDSAT digital information to soil mapping is described. A compilation of all cartographic information and bibliography of the study area is made. LANDSAT MSS images on a scale of 1:250,000 are interpreted and a physiographic map with legend is prepared. The study area is inspected and a selection of the sample areas is made. A digital map of the different soil units is produced and the computer mapping units are checked against the soil units encountered in the field. The soil boundaries obtained by automatic mapping were not substantially changed by field work. The accuracy of the automatic mapping is rather high.

Effect of Co-segregating Markers on High-Density Genetic Maps and Prediction of Map Expansion Using Machine Learning Algorithms.

PubMed

N'Diaye, Amidou; Haile, Jemanesh K; Fowler, D Brian; Ammar, Karim; Pozniak, Curtis J

2017-01-01

Advances in sequencing and genotyping methods have enable cost-effective production of high throughput single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, making them the choice for linkage mapping. As a result, many laboratories have developed high-throughput SNP assays and built high-density genetic maps. However, the number of markers may, by orders of magnitude, exceed the resolution of recombination for a given population size so that only a minority of markers can accurately be ordered. Another issue attached to the so-called 'large p, small n' problem is that high-density genetic maps inevitably result in many markers clustering at the same position (co-segregating markers). While there are a number of related papers, none have addressed the impact of co-segregating markers on genetic maps. In the present study, we investigated the effects of co-segregating markers on high-density genetic map length and marker order using empirical data from two populations of wheat, Mohawk × Cocorit (durum wheat) and Norstar × Cappelle Desprez (bread wheat). The maps of both populations consisted of 85% co-segregating markers. Our study clearly showed that excess of co-segregating markers can lead to map expansion, but has little effect on markers order. To estimate the inflation factor (IF), we generated a total of 24,473 linkage maps (8,203 maps for Mohawk × Cocorit and 16,270 maps for Norstar × Cappelle Desprez). Using seven machine learning algorithms, we were able to predict with an accuracy of 0.7 the map expansion due to the proportion of co-segregating markers. For example in Mohawk × Cocorit, with 10 and 80% co-segregating markers the length of the map inflated by 4.5 and 16.6%, respectively. Similarly, the map of Norstar × Cappelle Desprez expanded by 3.8 and 11.7% with 10 and 80% co-segregating markers. With the increasing number of markers on SNP-chips, the proportion of co-segregating markers in high-density maps will continue to increase making map expansion unavoidable. Therefore, we suggest developers improve linkage mapping algorithms for efficient analysis of high-throughput data. This study outlines a practical strategy to estimate the IF due to the proportion of co-segregating markers and outlines a method to scale the length of the map accordingly.

Effect of Co-segregating Markers on High-Density Genetic Maps and Prediction of Map Expansion Using Machine Learning Algorithms

PubMed Central

N’Diaye, Amidou; Haile, Jemanesh K.; Fowler, D. Brian; Ammar, Karim; Pozniak, Curtis J.

2017-01-01

Advances in sequencing and genotyping methods have enable cost-effective production of high throughput single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, making them the choice for linkage mapping. As a result, many laboratories have developed high-throughput SNP assays and built high-density genetic maps. However, the number of markers may, by orders of magnitude, exceed the resolution of recombination for a given population size so that only a minority of markers can accurately be ordered. Another issue attached to the so-called ‘large p, small n’ problem is that high-density genetic maps inevitably result in many markers clustering at the same position (co-segregating markers). While there are a number of related papers, none have addressed the impact of co-segregating markers on genetic maps. In the present study, we investigated the effects of co-segregating markers on high-density genetic map length and marker order using empirical data from two populations of wheat, Mohawk × Cocorit (durum wheat) and Norstar × Cappelle Desprez (bread wheat). The maps of both populations consisted of 85% co-segregating markers. Our study clearly showed that excess of co-segregating markers can lead to map expansion, but has little effect on markers order. To estimate the inflation factor (IF), we generated a total of 24,473 linkage maps (8,203 maps for Mohawk × Cocorit and 16,270 maps for Norstar × Cappelle Desprez). Using seven machine learning algorithms, we were able to predict with an accuracy of 0.7 the map expansion due to the proportion of co-segregating markers. For example in Mohawk × Cocorit, with 10 and 80% co-segregating markers the length of the map inflated by 4.5 and 16.6%, respectively. Similarly, the map of Norstar × Cappelle Desprez expanded by 3.8 and 11.7% with 10 and 80% co-segregating markers. With the increasing number of markers on SNP-chips, the proportion of co-segregating markers in high-density maps will continue to increase making map expansion unavoidable. Therefore, we suggest developers improve linkage mapping algorithms for efficient analysis of high-throughput data. This study outlines a practical strategy to estimate the IF due to the proportion of co-segregating markers and outlines a method to scale the length of the map accordingly. PMID:28878789

Working towards a clearer and more helpful hazard map: investigating the influence of hazard map design on hazard communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, M. A.; Lindsay, J. M.; Gaillard, J.

2015-12-01

Globally, geological hazards are communicated using maps. In traditional hazard mapping practice, scientists analyse data about a hazard, and then display the results on a map for stakeholder and public use. However, this one-way, top-down approach to hazard communication is not necessarily effective or reliable. The messages which people take away will be dependent on the way in which they read, interpret, and understand the map, a facet of hazard communication which has been relatively unexplored. Decades of cartographic studies suggest that variables in the visual representation of data on maps, such as colour and symbology, can have a powerful effect on how people understand map content. In practice, however, there is little guidance or consistency in how hazard information is expressed and represented on maps. Accordingly, decisions are often made based on subjective preference, rather than research-backed principles. Here we present the results of a study in which we explore how hazard map design features can influence hazard map interpretation, and we propose a number of considerations for hazard map design. A series of hazard maps were generated, with each one showing the same probabilistic volcanic ashfall dataset, but using different verbal and visual variables (e.g., different colour schemes, data classifications, probabilistic formats). Following a short pilot study, these maps were used in an online survey of 110 stakeholders and scientists in New Zealand. Participants answered 30 open-ended and multiple choice questions about ashfall hazard based on the different maps. Results suggest that hazard map design can have a significant influence on the messages readers take away. For example, diverging colour schemes were associated with concepts of "risk" and decision-making more than sequential schemes, and participants made more precise estimates of hazard with isarithmic data classifications compared to binned or gradational shading. Based on such findings, we make a number of suggestions for communicating hazard using maps. Most importantly, we emphasise that multiple meanings may be taken away from a map, and this may have important implications in a crisis. We propose that engaging with map audiences in a two-way dialogue in times of peace may help prevent miscommunications in the event of a crisis.

Forgotten forests--issues and prospects in biome mapping using Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests as a case study.

PubMed

Särkinen, Tiina; Iganci, João R V; Linares-Palomino, Reynaldo; Simon, Marcelo F; Prado, Darién E

2011-11-24

South America is one of the most species diverse continents in the world. Within South America diversity is not distributed evenly at both local and continental scales and this has led to the recognition of various areas with unique species assemblages. Several schemes currently exist which divide the continental-level diversity into large species assemblages referred to as biomes. Here we review five currently available biome maps for South America, including the WWF Ecoregions, the Americas basemap, the Land Cover Map of South America, Morrone's Biogeographic regions of Latin America, and the Ecological Systems Map. The comparison is performed through a case study on the Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest (SDTF) biome using herbarium data of habitat specialist species. Current biome maps of South America perform poorly in depicting SDTF distribution. The poor performance of the maps can be attributed to two main factors: (1) poor spatial resolution, and (2) poor biome delimitation. Poor spatial resolution strongly limits the use of some of the maps in GIS applications, especially for areas with heterogeneous landscape such as the Andes. Whilst the Land Cover Map did not suffer from poor spatial resolution, it showed poor delimitation of biomes. The results highlight that delimiting structurally heterogeneous vegetation is difficult based on remote sensed data alone. A new refined working map of South American SDTF biome is proposed, derived using the Biome Distribution Modelling (BDM) approach where georeferenced herbarium data is used in conjunction with bioclimatic data. Georeferenced specimen data play potentially an important role in biome mapping. Our study shows that herbarium data could be used as a way of ground-truthing biome maps in silico. The results also illustrate that herbarium data can be used to model vegetation maps through predictive modelling. The BDM approach is a promising new method in biome mapping, and could be particularly useful for mapping poorly known, fragmented, or degraded vegetation. We wish to highlight that biome delimitation is not an exact science, and that transparency is needed on how biomes are used as study units in macroevolutionary and ecological research.

The Global Evidence Mapping Initiative: scoping research in broad topic areas.

PubMed

Bragge, Peter; Clavisi, Ornella; Turner, Tari; Tavender, Emma; Collie, Alex; Gruen, Russell L

2011-06-17

Evidence mapping describes the quantity, design and characteristics of research in broad topic areas, in contrast to systematic reviews, which usually address narrowly-focused research questions. The breadth of evidence mapping helps to identify evidence gaps, and may guide future research efforts. The Global Evidence Mapping (GEM) Initiative was established in 2007 to create evidence maps providing an overview of existing research in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). The GEM evidence mapping method involved three core tasks:1. Setting the boundaries and context of the map: Definitions for the fields of TBI and SCI were clarified, the prehospital, acute inhospital and rehabilitation phases of care were delineated and relevant stakeholders (patients, carers, clinicians, researchers and policymakers) who could contribute to the mapping were identified. Researchable clinical questions were developed through consultation with key stakeholders and a broad literature search. 2. Searching for and selection of relevant studies: Evidence search and selection involved development of specific search strategies, development of inclusion and exclusion criteria, searching of relevant databases and independent screening and selection by two researchers. 3. Reporting on yield and study characteristics: Data extraction was performed at two levels - 'interventions and study design' and 'detailed study characteristics'. The evidence map and commentary reflected the depth of data extraction. One hundred and twenty-nine researchable clinical questions in TBI and SCI were identified. These questions were then prioritised into high (n = 60) and low (n = 69) importance by the stakeholders involved in question development. Since 2007, 58 263 abstracts have been screened, 3 731 full text articles have been reviewed and 1 644 relevant neurotrauma publications have been mapped, covering fifty-three high priority questions. GEM Initiative evidence maps have a broad range of potential end-users including funding agencies, researchers and clinicians. Evidence mapping is at least as resource-intensive as systematic reviewing. The GEM Initiative has made advancements in evidence mapping, most notably in the area of question development and prioritisation. Evidence mapping complements other review methods for describing existing research, informing future research efforts, and addressing evidence gaps.

The Global Evidence Mapping Initiative: Scoping research in broad topic areas

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Evidence mapping describes the quantity, design and characteristics of research in broad topic areas, in contrast to systematic reviews, which usually address narrowly-focused research questions. The breadth of evidence mapping helps to identify evidence gaps, and may guide future research efforts. The Global Evidence Mapping (GEM) Initiative was established in 2007 to create evidence maps providing an overview of existing research in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Methods The GEM evidence mapping method involved three core tasks: 1. Setting the boundaries and context of the map: Definitions for the fields of TBI and SCI were clarified, the prehospital, acute inhospital and rehabilitation phases of care were delineated and relevant stakeholders (patients, carers, clinicians, researchers and policymakers) who could contribute to the mapping were identified. Researchable clinical questions were developed through consultation with key stakeholders and a broad literature search. 2. Searching for and selection of relevant studies: Evidence search and selection involved development of specific search strategies, development of inclusion and exclusion criteria, searching of relevant databases and independent screening and selection by two researchers. 3. Reporting on yield and study characteristics: Data extraction was performed at two levels - 'interventions and study design' and 'detailed study characteristics'. The evidence map and commentary reflected the depth of data extraction. Results One hundred and twenty-nine researchable clinical questions in TBI and SCI were identified. These questions were then prioritised into high (n = 60) and low (n = 69) importance by the stakeholders involved in question development. Since 2007, 58 263 abstracts have been screened, 3 731 full text articles have been reviewed and 1 644 relevant neurotrauma publications have been mapped, covering fifty-three high priority questions. Conclusions GEM Initiative evidence maps have a broad range of potential end-users including funding agencies, researchers and clinicians. Evidence mapping is at least as resource-intensive as systematic reviewing. The GEM Initiative has made advancements in evidence mapping, most notably in the area of question development and prioritisation. Evidence mapping complements other review methods for describing existing research, informing future research efforts, and addressing evidence gaps. PMID:21682870

Forgotten forests - issues and prospects in biome mapping using Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests as a case study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background South America is one of the most species diverse continents in the world. Within South America diversity is not distributed evenly at both local and continental scales and this has led to the recognition of various areas with unique species assemblages. Several schemes currently exist which divide the continental-level diversity into large species assemblages referred to as biomes. Here we review five currently available biome maps for South America, including the WWF Ecoregions, the Americas basemap, the Land Cover Map of South America, Morrone's Biogeographic regions of Latin America, and the Ecological Systems Map. The comparison is performed through a case study on the Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest (SDTF) biome using herbarium data of habitat specialist species. Results Current biome maps of South America perform poorly in depicting SDTF distribution. The poor performance of the maps can be attributed to two main factors: (1) poor spatial resolution, and (2) poor biome delimitation. Poor spatial resolution strongly limits the use of some of the maps in GIS applications, especially for areas with heterogeneous landscape such as the Andes. Whilst the Land Cover Map did not suffer from poor spatial resolution, it showed poor delimitation of biomes. The results highlight that delimiting structurally heterogeneous vegetation is difficult based on remote sensed data alone. A new refined working map of South American SDTF biome is proposed, derived using the Biome Distribution Modelling (BDM) approach where georeferenced herbarium data is used in conjunction with bioclimatic data. Conclusions Georeferenced specimen data play potentially an important role in biome mapping. Our study shows that herbarium data could be used as a way of ground-truthing biome maps in silico. The results also illustrate that herbarium data can be used to model vegetation maps through predictive modelling. The BDM approach is a promising new method in biome mapping, and could be particularly useful for mapping poorly known, fragmented, or degraded vegetation. We wish to highlight that biome delimitation is not an exact science, and that transparency is needed on how biomes are used as study units in macroevolutionary and ecological research. PMID:22115315

The Evaluation of Argument Mapping as a Learning Tool: Comparing the Effects of Map Reading versus Text Reading on Comprehension and Recall of Arguments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dwyer, Christopher P.; Hogan, Michael J.; Stewart, Ian

2010-01-01

The current study compared the effects on comprehension and memory of learning via text versus learning via argument map. Argument mapping is a method of diagrammatic representation of arguments designed to simplify the reading of an argument structure and allow for easy assimilation of core propositions and relations. In the current study, 400…

Meeting the Demands of Professional Education: A Study of Mind Mapping in a Professional Doctoral Physical Therapy Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollard, Elicia L.

2010-01-01

The purposes of this study are to investigate whether the quiz scores of physical therapy students who integrated mind mapping in their learning strategies are significantly different than the quiz scores of students who did not use mind mapping to learn in a lecture-based research course and examine the students' perceptions of mind mapping as a…

Comparing the Effect of Thinking Maps Training Package Developed by the Thinking Maps Method on the Reading Performance of Dyslexic Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faramarzi, Salar; Moradi, Mohammadreza; Abedi, Ahmad

2018-01-01

The present study aimed to develop the thinking maps training package and compare its training effect with the thinking maps method on the reading performance of second and fifth grade of elementary school male dyslexic students. For this mixed method exploratory study, from among the above mentioned grades' students in Isfahan, 90 students who…

Discovering a "True" Map of the World--Learning Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hantula, James

"True" maps of the world, as seen from the perspective of the time in which they were produced, remain an ethnocentric visual language in modern times. Students can gain insight into such "true" maps by studying maps produced in the great traditions of the West and East. Teachers can determine a map's appropriateness by identifying its title,…

The Effectiveness of an Online Knowledge Map Instructional Presentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foor, Jamie L.

2011-01-01

In this study, I investigated the effectiveness of the knowledge map (k-map) instructional strategy compared to a text-based presentation in an online environment. K-maps consist of node-link representations of concepts that together form the content of a topic or domain. The benefits of using k-maps are that concepts and ideas are represented as…

Cognitive Mapping Techniques: Implications for Research in Engineering and Technology Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, Raymond A.; Lammi, Matthew

2014-01-01

The primary goal of this paper is to present the theoretical basis and application of two types of cognitive maps, concept map and mind map, and explain how they can be used by educational researchers in engineering design research. Cognitive mapping techniques can be useful to researchers as they study students' problem solving strategies…

L-Mapping Solar Energetic Particles from LEO to High Altitudes at High Latitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, S. L.; Wilson, G.

2017-12-01

The current solar energetic particle (SEP) hazard specification is focused on geosynchronous orbit with some capability at LEO, but there is no specification for the large region between these orbital regimes. The L-mapping technique, which attempts to fill this capability gap, assumes that there is a simple relationship between magnetic L-shells and SEP penetration boundaries that can be exploited. A previous study compared POES observations that had been mapped to the Van Allen Probes with local observations. It found that more than 90% of the mapped and local fluxes were within a factor of four of each other; this is thought to be sucient for operational purposes. One concern with the previous study was the limited number of SEP events that have occurred during the Van Allen Probes mission. The current study examines the L-mapping method's accuracy at higher latitudes. Observations from a satellite that was launched into a HEO orbit with a 63° inclination before the peak of solar cycle 24 are compared to L-mapped POES observations. The larger number of events provides better statistics and the 63° orbit inclination allows us to examine the difference between mapping from POES to the magnetic equator, as in the previous study, and mapping from POES to higher latitudes.

Research Map of Research Priorities in HE Studies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AlSumih, A. M.

2016-01-01

This study presents a research map for the key research priorities of higher education (HE) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study diagnoses and analyzes the research reality in HE studies in KSA in terms of strength points and improvement opportunities. It also explores the research map fields of current and prospective research priorities in…

Stream-sediment and panned-concentrate geochemical maps of the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness Study Area, Lake, Park, and Chaffee counties, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nowlan, G.A.; Gerstel, W.J.

1985-01-01

The study area is bounded by several areas of known mineralization (Hedl und and others, 1983). Vein and bedding replacement deposits of silver, zinc, and lead were mined from 1890 until about 1918 in the vicinity of Weston Pass (map A), on the northeastern border of the study area. Gold and silver were mined from about 1860 until about 1880 from veins in the Granite area (map A), on the northwestern border of the study area; minor prospecting activity continues today. From 1935 to 1937, veins of gold, silver, and base metals were mined in the vicinity of Fourmile Creek, on the southwestern border of the study area (map A). Recently, active uranium prospecting has been taking place in the vicinity of the Middle Fork of Salt Creek, on the southeastern border of the study area (map A).

A sequencing-based linkage map of cucumber

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Genetic maps are important tools for molecular breeding, gene cloning, and study of meiotic recombination. In cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), the marker density, resolution and genome coverage of previously developed genetic maps using PCR-based molecular markers are relatively low. In this study we ...

21st Century Skills Map: Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2007

2007-01-01

This 21st Century Skills Map is the result of hundreds of hours of research, development and feedback from educators and business leaders across the nation. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has issued this map for the core subject of Social Studies.

Use of the concept mapping in teaching during a medical rotation of interns: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Kwas, Hamida; Ghédira, Habib

2017-12-01

Concept mapping is an excellent learning toolallowing to stimulate active learning.For this reason, the concept mapping is currently used increasingly in the medical and paramedical field. The aim of our study is to determine the contribution of teaching of medical interns by the concept mapping. Fourteen students enrolled at the same time in a medical rotation in Pulmonology were recruited for this exploratory study. Interns are divided into two groups (A and B).Both groups are taught by the clinical case method, illustrated by a concept mapping for group A interns. The evolution of the knowledge accuracy at post-testing has been greater in the group taught by the method of concept mapping: the number of correct responses increased in all participants of group A versus only 4 of group B. All students taught by concept mapping had at the post-test a note higher than or equal to 10/20 versus only three of the group taught by the method without concept map. The average score was 13 (11-15) in group A versus 10.28 (6-14) in group B. We emphasize the use of concept mapping in teaching especially in the faculty of medicine and we encourage clinicians to use this method in teaching interns in the hospital.

Annotated genetic linkage maps of Pinus pinaster Ait. from a Central Spain population using microsatellite and gene based markers.

PubMed

de Miguel, Marina; de Maria, Nuria; Guevara, M Angeles; Diaz, Luis; Sáez-Laguna, Enrique; Sánchez-Gómez, David; Chancerel, Emilie; Aranda, Ismael; Collada, Carmen; Plomion, Christophe; Cabezas, José-Antonio; Cervera, María-Teresa

2012-10-04

Pinus pinaster Ait. is a major resin producing species in Spain. Genetic linkage mapping can facilitate marker-assisted selection (MAS) through the identification of Quantitative Trait Loci and selection of allelic variants of interest in breeding populations. In this study, we report annotated genetic linkage maps for two individuals (C14 and C15) belonging to a breeding program aiming to increase resin production. We use different types of DNA markers, including last-generation molecular markers. We obtained 13 and 14 linkage groups for C14 and C15 maps, respectively. A total of 211 and 215 markers were positioned on each map and estimated genome length was between 1,870 and 2,166 cM respectively, which represents near 65% of genome coverage. Comparative mapping with previously developed genetic linkage maps for P. pinaster based on about 60 common markers enabled aligning linkage groups to this reference map. The comparison of our annotated linkage maps and linkage maps reporting QTL information revealed 11 annotated SNPs in candidate genes that co-localized with previously reported QTLs for wood properties and water use efficiency. This study provides genetic linkage maps from a Spanish population that shows high levels of genetic divergence with French populations from which segregating progenies have been previously mapped. These genetic maps will be of interest to construct a reliable consensus linkage map for the species. The importance of developing functional genetic linkage maps is highlighted, especially when working with breeding populations for its future application in MAS for traits of interest.

Annotated genetic linkage maps of Pinus pinaster Ait. from a Central Spain population using microsatellite and gene based markers

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Pinus pinaster Ait. is a major resin producing species in Spain. Genetic linkage mapping can facilitate marker-assisted selection (MAS) through the identification of Quantitative Trait Loci and selection of allelic variants of interest in breeding populations. In this study, we report annotated genetic linkage maps for two individuals (C14 and C15) belonging to a breeding program aiming to increase resin production. We use different types of DNA markers, including last-generation molecular markers. Results We obtained 13 and 14 linkage groups for C14 and C15 maps, respectively. A total of 211 and 215 markers were positioned on each map and estimated genome length was between 1,870 and 2,166 cM respectively, which represents near 65% of genome coverage. Comparative mapping with previously developed genetic linkage maps for P. pinaster based on about 60 common markers enabled aligning linkage groups to this reference map. The comparison of our annotated linkage maps and linkage maps reporting QTL information revealed 11 annotated SNPs in candidate genes that co-localized with previously reported QTLs for wood properties and water use efficiency. Conclusions This study provides genetic linkage maps from a Spanish population that shows high levels of genetic divergence with French populations from which segregating progenies have been previously mapped. These genetic maps will be of interest to construct a reliable consensus linkage map for the species. The importance of developing functional genetic linkage maps is highlighted, especially when working with breeding populations for its future application in MAS for traits of interest. PMID:23036012

The 20th-Century Topographic Survey as Source Data for Long-Term Landscape Studies at Local and Regional Scales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Varanka, Dalia

2006-01-01

Historical topographic maps are the only systematically collected data resource covering the entire nation for long-term landscape change studies over the 20th century for geographical and environmental research. The paper discusses aspects of the historical U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps that present constraints on the design of a database for such studies. Problems involved in this approach include locating the required maps, understanding land feature classification differences between topographic vs. land use/land cover maps, the approximation of error between different map editions of the same area, and the identification of true changes on the landscape between time periods. Suggested approaches to these issues are illustrated using an example of such a study by the author.

Construction of a high-density genetic map and the X/Y sex-determining gene mapping in spinach based on large-scale markers developed by specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq).

PubMed

Qian, Wei; Fan, Guiyan; Liu, Dandan; Zhang, Helong; Wang, Xiaowu; Wu, Jian; Xu, Zhaosheng

2017-04-04

Cultivated spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is one of the most widely cultivated types of leafy vegetable in the world, and it has a high nutritional value. Spinach is also an ideal plant for investigating the mechanism of sex determination because it is a dioecious species with separate male and female plants. Some reports on the sex labeling and localization of spinach in the study of molecular markers have surfaced. However, there have only been two reports completed on the genetic map of spinach. The lack of rich and reliable molecular markers and the shortage of high-density linkage maps are important constraints in spinach research work. In this study, a high-density genetic map of spinach based on the Specific-locus Amplified Fragment Sequencing (SLAF-seq) technique was constructed; the sex-determining gene was also finely mapped. Through bio-information analysis, 50.75 Gb of data in total was obtained, including 207.58 million paired-end reads. Finally, 145,456 high-quality SLAF markers were obtained, with 27,800 polymorphic markers and 4080 SLAF markers were finally mapped onto the genetic map after linkage analysis. The map spanned 1,125.97 cM with an average distance of 0.31 cM between the adjacent marker loci. It was divided into 6 linkage groups corresponding to the number of spinach chromosomes. Besides, the combination of Bulked Segregation Analysis (BSA) with SLAF-seq technology(super-BSA) was employed to generate the linkage markers with the sex-determining gene. Combined with the high-density genetic map of spinach, the sex-determining gene X/Y was located at the position of the linkage group (LG) 4 (66.98 cM-69.72 cM and 75.48 cM-92.96 cM), which may be the ideal region for the sex-determining gene. A high-density genetic map of spinach based on the SLAF-seq technique was constructed with a backcross (BC 1 ) population (which is the highest density genetic map of spinach reported at present). At the same time, the sex-determining gene X/Y was mapped to LG4 with super-BSA. This map will offer a suitable basis for further study of spinach, such as gene mapping, map-based cloning of Specific genes, quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and marker-assisted selection (MAS). It will also provide an efficient reference for studies on the mechanism of sex determination in other dioecious plants.

Browning boreal forests of western North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verbyla, David

2011-12-01

The GIMMS NDVI dataset has been widely used to document a 'browning trend' in North American boreal forests (Goetz et al 2005, Bunn et al 2007, Beck and Goetz 2011). However, there has been speculation (Alcaraz-Segura et al 2010) that this trend may be an artifact due to processing algorithms rather than an actual decline in vegetation activity. This conclusion was based primarily on the fact that GIMMS NDVI did not capture NDVI recovery within most burned areas in boreal Canada, while another dataset consistently showed post-fire increasing NDVI. I believe that the results of Alcaraz-Segura et al (2010) were due simply to different pixel sizes of the two datasets (64 km2 versus 1 km2 pixels). Similar results have been obtained from tundra areas greening in Alaska, with the results simply due to these pixel size differences (Stow et al 2007). Furthermore, recent studies have documented boreal browning trends based on NDVI from other sensors. Beck and Goetz (2011) have shown the boreal browning trend derived from a different sensor (MODIS) to be very similar to the boreal browning trend derived from the GIMMS NDVI dataset for the circumpolar boreal region. Parent and Verbyla (2010) found similar declining NDVI patterns based on NDVI from Landsat sensors and GIMMS NDVI in boreal Alaska. Zhang et al (2008) found a similar 'browning trend' in boreal North America based on a production efficiency model using an integrated AVHRR and MODIS dataset. The declining NDVI trend in areas of boreal North America is consistent with tree-ring studies (D'Arrigo et al 2004, McGuire et al 2010, Beck et al 2011). The decline in tree growth may be due to temperature-induced drought stress (Barber et al 2000) caused by higher evaporative demands in a warming climate (Lloyd and Fastie 2002). In a circumpolar boreal study, Lloyd and Bunn (2007) found that a negative relationship between temperature and tree-ring growth occurred more frequently in warmer parts of species' ranges, suggesting that direct temperature stress might be a factor in some species. Since warm growing seasons are also typically dry growing seasons, direct temperature stress and moisture stress could occur simultaneously. For example, 2004 was the warmest summer in over 200 years in boreal Alaska (Barber et al 2004) but it was also during a drought with less than 50 mm of summer precipitation recorded in Fairbanks. In Fairbanks, the length of the growing season, as defined as the period above freezing, has increased by 45 per cent over the past 100 years, with no significant increase in precipitation (Wendler and Shulski 2009). Regional winter runoff has increased, likely associated with permafrost thawing (Brabets and Walvoord 2009), while surface water has decreased, likely associated with increased evapotranspiration (Riordan et al 2006, Anderson et al 2007, Berg et al 2009). The mean annual air temperature in boreal Alaska has increased by over 1.5 °C during the past 50 years (Stafford et al 2000), and is projected to increase by 3-7 °C by end of this century (Walsh et al 2008). Thus, it would be surprising if a declining NDVI trend was not occurring in the western boreal region of North America as the climate continues to warm. Insects and disease in the North American boreal forest may also affect the NDVI browning trends (Malmström and Raffa 2000), as the life histories of damaging insects may be linked to a warming boreal climate. For example, warmer temperatures contributed to the spruce beetle outbreaks in Alaska with a reduction in the beetle life cycle from two years to one year (Berg et al 2006). Thus, as the boreal climate continues to warm, tree growth reduction and mortality from insects and diseases may become more substantial. In boreal Alaska, recent alder dieback and mortality is likely to be related to alder's susceptibility to a canker-causing fungus in drought years (Ruess et al 2009). Recent widespread and prolonged outbreaks of aspen leaf miner and a willow leaf blotch miner in boreal Alaska are likely to have resulted in decreased NDVI (Parent and Verbyla 2010). The NDVI browning trend has expanded in area in boreal North America (Beck and Goetz 2011). If the trend towards a warmer and drier climate continues, these areas may represent a future tipping point where drought-induced mortality across a boreal region may occur. Such events have already occurred in the western United States (van Mantgem et al 2009) and the aspen parklands of the southern Canadian boreal forest (Michaelian et al 2010). References Alcaraz-Segura D, Chuvieco E, Epstein H E, Kasischke E S and Trishchenko A 2010 Debating the greening vs. browning of the North American boreal forest: differences between satellite datasets Glob. Change Biol. 16 760-70 Anderson L, Abbott M B, Finney B P and Burns S J 2007 Late Holocene moisture balance variability in the southwest Yukon Territory, Canada Quatern. Sci. Rev. 26 130-41 Barber V A, Juday G P and Finney B P 2000 Reduced growth of Alaskan white spruce in the twentieth century from temperature-induced drought stress Nature 405 668-73 Barber V A, Juday G P, Finney B P and Wilmking M 2004 Reconstruction of summer temperatures in interior Alaska from tree-ring proxies: evidence for changing synoptic climate regimes Clim. Change 63 91-120 Beck P S A and Goetz S J 2011 Satellite observations of high northern latitude vegetation productivity changes between 1982 and 2008: ecological variability and regional differences Environ. Res. Lett. 6 045501 Beck P S A, Juday G P, Alix C, Barber V A, Winslow S E, Sousa E E, Heiser P, Herriges J D and Goetz S J 2011 Changes in forest productivity across Alaska consistent with biome shift Ecol. Lett. 14 373-9 Berg E E, Henry J D, Fastie C L, De Volder A D and Matsuoka S M 2006 Spruce beetle outbreaks on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon Territory: relationship to summer temperatures and regional differences in disturbance regimes Forest Ecol. Manag. 227 219-32 Berg E E, Hillman K M, Dial R and DeRuwe A 2009 Recent woody invasion of wetlands on the Kenai Peninsula Lowlands, south-central Alaska: a major regime shift after 18 000 years of wet Sphagnum-sedge peat recruitment Canadian J. Forest Res. 39 2033-46 Brabets T P and Walvoord M A 2009 Trends in streamflow in the Yukon River Basin from 1944 to 2004 and the influence of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation J. Hydrol. 371 108-19 Bunn A G, Goetz S J, Kimball J S and Zhang K 2007 Northern high-latitude ecosystems respond to climate change EOS Trans. Am. Geophys. Union 88 333-40 D'Arrigo R, Kaufmann R K, Davi N, Jacoby G C, Laskowski C, Myneni R B and Cherubini P 2004 Thresholds for warming-induced growth decline at elevational tree line in the Yukon Territory, Canada Glob. Biogeochem. Cycles 18 GB3021 Goetz S J, Bunn A G, Fiske G J and Houghton R A 2005 Satellite-observed photosynthetic trends across boreal North America associated with climate and fire disturbance Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 102 13521-5 Lloyd A H and Bunn A G 2007 Responses of the circumpolar boreal forest to the 20th century climate variability Environ. Res. Lett. 2 045013 Lloyd A H and Fastie C L 2002 Spatial and temporal variability in the growth and climate response of treeline trees in Alaska Clim. Change 52 481-509 Malmström C and Raffa K R 2000 Biotic disturbance agents in the boreal forest: considerations for vegetation change models Glob. Change Biol. 6 (Suppl. 1) 35-48 McGuire A D, Ruess R W, Lloyd A, Yarie J, Clein J S and Juday G P 2010 Vulnerability of white spruce tree growth in interior Alaska in response to climate variability: dendrochronological, demographic, and experimental perspectives Canadian J. Forest Res. 40 1197-209 Michealian M, Hogg E H, Hall R J and Arsenault E 2011 Massive mortality of aspen following severe drought along the southern edge of the Canadian boreal forest Glob. Change Biol. 17 2084-94 Parent M B and Verbyla D 2010 The browning of Alaska's boreal forest Remote Sens. 2 2729-47 Riordan B, Verbyla D and McGuire A D 2006 Shrinking ponds in subarctic Alaska based on 1950-2002 remotely sensed images J. Geophys. Res. 111 G04002 Ruess R W, McFarland J M, Trummer L M and Rohrs-Richey J K 2009 Disease-mediated declines in N-fixation inputs by Alnus tenuifolia to early-successional floodplains in interior and south-central Alaska Ecosystems 12 489-502 Stafford J M, Wendler G and Curtis J 2000 Temperature and precipitation of Alaska: 50 year trend analysis Theor. Appl. Climatology 67 33-44 Stow D, Peterson A, Hope A, Engstrom R and Coulter L 2007 Greenness trends of Arctic tundra vegetation in the 1990s: comparison of two NDVI data sets from NOAA AVHRR systems Int. J. Remote Sens. 28 4807-22 van Mantgem P J et al 2009 Widespread increase of tree mortality rates in the western United States Science 323 521-4 Walsh, J E, Chapman W L, Romanovsky V, Christensen J H and Stendel M 2008 Global climate model performance over Alaska and Greenland J. Clim. 21 6156-74 Wendler G and Shulski M 2009 A century of climate change for Fairbanks, Alaska Arctic 62 295-300 Zhang K, Kimball J S, Hogg E H, Zhao M, Oechel W C, Cassano J J and Running S W 2008 Satellite-based model detection of recent climate-driven changes in northern high-latitude vegetation productivity J. Geophys. Res. 113 G03033

Research and Practice of the News Map Compilation Service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, T.; Liu, W.; Ma, W.

2018-04-01

Based on the needs of the news media on the map, this paper researches on the news map compilation service, conducts demand research on the service of compiling news maps, designs and compiles the public authority base map suitable for media publication, and constructs the news base map material library. It studies the compilation of domestic and international news maps with timeliness and strong pertinence and cross-regional characteristics, constructs the hot news thematic gallery and news map customization services, conducts research on types of news maps, establish closer liaison and cooperation methods with news media, and guides news media to use correct maps. Through the practice of the news map compilation service, this paper lists two cases of news map preparation services used by different media, compares and analyses cases, summarizes the research situation of news map compilation service, and at the same time puts forward outstanding problems and development suggestions in the service of news map compilation service.

USGS maps

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2005-01-01

Discover a small sample of the millions of maps produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in its mission to map the Nation and survey its resources. This booklet gives a brief overview of the types of maps sold and distributed by the USGS through its Earth Science Information Centers (ESIC) and also available from business partners located in most States. The USGS provides a wide variety of maps, from topographic maps showing the geographic relief and thematic maps displaying the geology and water resources of the United States, to special studies of the moon and planets.

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] consensus linkage map constructed using four RIL mapping populations and newly developed EST-SSRs.

PubMed

Rajaram, Vengaldas; Nepolean, Thirunavukkarasu; Senthilvel, Senapathy; Varshney, Rajeev K; Vadez, Vincent; Srivastava, Rakesh K; Shah, Trushar M; Supriya, Ambawat; Kumar, Sushil; Ramana Kumari, Basava; Bhanuprakash, Amindala; Narasu, Mangamoori Lakshmi; Riera-Lizarazu, Oscar; Hash, Charles Thomas

2013-03-09

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] is a widely cultivated drought- and high-temperature tolerant C4 cereal grown under dryland, rainfed and irrigated conditions in drought-prone regions of the tropics and sub-tropics of Africa, South Asia and the Americas. It is considered an orphan crop with relatively few genomic and genetic resources. This study was undertaken to increase the EST-based microsatellite marker and genetic resources for this crop to facilitate marker-assisted breeding. Newly developed EST-SSR markers (99), along with previously mapped EST-SSR (17), genomic SSR (53) and STS (2) markers, were used to construct linkage maps of four F7 recombinant inbred populations (RIP) based on crosses ICMB 841-P3 × 863B-P2 (RIP A), H 77/833-2 × PRLT 2/89-33 (RIP B), 81B-P6 × ICMP 451-P8 (RIP C) and PT 732B-P2 × P1449-2-P1 (RIP D). Mapped loci numbers were greatest for RIP A (104), followed by RIP B (78), RIP C (64) and RIP D (59). Total map lengths (Haldane) were 615 cM, 690 cM, 428 cM and 276 cM, respectively. A total of 176 loci detected by 171 primer pairs were mapped among the four crosses. A consensus map of 174 loci (899 cM) detected by 169 primer pairs was constructed using MergeMap to integrate the individual linkage maps. Locus order in the consensus map was well conserved for nearly all linkage groups. Eighty-nine EST-SSR marker loci from this consensus map had significant BLAST hits (top hits with e-value ≤ 1E-10) on the genome sequences of rice, foxtail millet, sorghum, maize and Brachypodium with 35, 88, 58, 48 and 38 loci, respectively. The consensus map developed in the present study contains the largest set of mapped SSRs reported to date for pearl millet, and represents a major consolidation of existing pearl millet genetic mapping information. This study increased numbers of mapped pearl millet SSR markers by >50%, filling important gaps in previously published SSR-based linkage maps for this species and will greatly facilitate SSR-based QTL mapping and applied marker-assisted selection programs.

Landslide Inventory Mapping from Bitemporal 10 m SENTINEL-2 Images Using Change Detection Based Markov Random Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Y.; Lu, P.; Li, Z.

2018-04-01

Landslide inventory mapping is essential for hazard assessment and mitigation. In most previous studies, landslide mapping was achieved by visual interpretation of aerial photos and remote sensing images. However, such method is labor-intensive and time-consuming, especially over large areas. Although a number of semi-automatic landslide mapping methods have been proposed over the past few years, limitations remain in terms of their applicability over different study areas and data, and there is large room for improvement in terms of the accuracy and automation degree. For these reasons, we developed a change detection-based Markov Random Field (CDMRF) method for landslide inventory mapping. The proposed method mainly includes two steps: 1) change detection-based multi-threshold for training samples generation and 2) MRF for landslide inventory mapping. Compared with the previous methods, the proposed method in this study has three advantages: 1) it combines multiple image difference techniques with multi-threshold method to generate reliable training samples; 2) it takes the spectral characteristics of landslides into account; and 3) it is highly automatic with little parameter tuning. The proposed method was applied for regional landslides mapping from 10 m Sentinel-2 images in Western China. Results corroborated the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed method especially the capability of rapid landslide mapping. Some directions for future research are offered. This study to our knowledge is the first attempt to map landslides from free and medium resolution satellite (i.e., Sentinel-2) images in China.

Simulation of seagrass bed mapping by satellite images based on the radiative transfer model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sagawa, Tatsuyuki; Komatsu, Teruhisa

2015-06-01

Seagrass and seaweed beds play important roles in coastal marine ecosystems. They are food sources and habitats for many marine organisms, and influence the physical, chemical, and biological environment. They are sensitive to human impacts such as reclamation and pollution. Therefore, their management and preservation are necessary for a healthy coastal environment. Satellite remote sensing is a useful tool for mapping and monitoring seagrass beds. The efficiency of seagrass mapping, seagrass bed classification in particular, has been evaluated by mapping accuracy using an error matrix. However, mapping accuracies are influenced by coastal environments such as seawater transparency, bathymetry, and substrate type. Coastal management requires sufficient accuracy and an understanding of mapping limitations for monitoring coastal habitats including seagrass beds. Previous studies are mainly based on case studies in specific regions and seasons. Extensive data are required to generalise assessments of classification accuracy from case studies, which has proven difficult. This study aims to build a simulator based on a radiative transfer model to produce modelled satellite images and assess the visual detectability of seagrass beds under different transparencies and seagrass coverages, as well as to examine mapping limitations and classification accuracy. Our simulations led to the development of a model of water transparency and the mapping of depth limits and indicated the possibility for seagrass density mapping under certain ideal conditions. The results show that modelling satellite images is useful in evaluating the accuracy of classification and that establishing seagrass bed monitoring by remote sensing is a reliable tool.

The mapping of eccentricity and meridional angle onto orthogonal axes in the primary visual cortex: an activity-dependent developmental model.

PubMed

Philips, Ryan T; Chakravarthy, V Srinivasa

2015-01-01

Primate vision research has shown that in the retinotopic map of the primary visual cortex, eccentricity and meridional angle are mapped onto two orthogonal axes: whereas the eccentricity is mapped onto the nasotemporal axis, the meridional angle is mapped onto the dorsoventral axis. Theoretically such a map has been approximated by a complex log map. Neural models with correlational learning have explained the development of other visual maps like orientation maps and ocular-dominance maps. In this paper it is demonstrated that activity based mechanisms can drive a self-organizing map (SOM) into such a configuration that dilations and rotations of a particular image (in this case a rectangular bar) are mapped onto orthogonal axes. We further demonstrate using the Laterally Interconnected Synergetically Self Organizing Map (LISSOM) model, with an appropriate boundary and realistic initial conditions, that a retinotopic map which maps eccentricity and meridional angle to the horizontal and vertical axes respectively can be developed. This developed map bears a strong resemblance to the complex log map. We also simulated lesion studies which indicate that the lateral excitatory connections play a crucial role in development of the retinotopic map.

Concept Mapping and Misconceptions: A Study of High-School Students' Understandings of Acids and Bases.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Bertram; And Others

1991-01-01

An investigation of students understandings of acids and bases using concept maps, multiple-choice tests, and clinical interviews is described. The methodology and resulting analysis are illustrated with two abbreviated case studies selected from the study. Discussion of concept mapping points to how it starkly represents gaps in the understanding…

Use of Concept Maps as an Assessment Tool in Mechanical Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tembe, B. L.; Kamble, S. K.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study to investigate, how third year mechanical engineering students are able to use their knowledge of concept maps in their study of the topic of "Introduction to the Internal Combustion Engines (IICE)". 41 students participated in this study. Firstly, the students were taught about concept maps and then asked to…

Developing Valid and Reliable Map Literacy Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koç, Hakan; Demir, Selçuk Besir

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to develop a valid and reliable map literacy scale that is able to determine map literacy of individuals, especially that of high school and university students. The study sample was composed of 518 students studying at various faculties at Cumhuriyet University and high schools in Sivas and its counties. With…

The utilization of mind map painting on 3D shapes with curved faces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nur Sholikhah, Ayuk; Usodo, Budi; Pramudya, Ikrar

2017-12-01

This paper aims to study on the use of mind map painting media on material with 3D shapes with curved faces and its effect on student’s interest. Observation and literature studies were applied as the research method with the sake design of utilization of mind map painting. The result of this research is the design of mind map painting media can improve students' ability to solve problems, improve the ability to think, and maximize brain power. In relation, mind map painting in learning activities is considered to improve student interest.

A High Density Consensus Map of Rye (Secale cereale L.) Based on DArT Markers

PubMed Central

Myśków, Beata; Stojałowski, Stefan; Heller-Uszyńska, Katarzyna; Góralska, Magdalena; Brągoszewski, Piotr; Uszyński, Grzegorz; Kilian, Andrzej; Rakoczy-Trojanowska, Monika

2011-01-01

Background Rye (Secale cereale L.) is an economically important crop, exhibiting unique features such as outstanding resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and high nutrient use efficiency. This species presents a challenge to geneticists and breeders due to its large genome containing a high proportion of repetitive sequences, self incompatibility, severe inbreeding depression and tissue culture recalcitrance. The genomic resources currently available for rye are underdeveloped in comparison with other crops of similar economic importance. The aim of this study was to create a highly saturated, multilocus linkage map of rye via consensus mapping, based on Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) markers. Methodology/Principal Findings Recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from 5 populations (564 in total) were genotyped using DArT markers and subjected to linkage analysis using Join Map 4.0 and Multipoint Consensus 2.2 software. A consensus map was constructed using a total of 9703 segregating markers. The average chromosome map length ranged from 199.9 cM (2R) to 251.4 cM (4R) and the average map density was 1.1 cM. The integrated map comprised 4048 loci with the number of markers per chromosome ranging from 454 for 7R to 805 for 4R. In comparison with previously published studies on rye, this represents an eight-fold increase in the number of loci placed on a consensus map and a more than two-fold increase in the number of genetically mapped DArT markers. Conclusions/Significance Through the careful choice of marker type, mapping populations and the use of software packages implementing powerful algorithms for map order optimization, we produced a valuable resource for rye and triticale genomics and breeding, which provides an excellent starting point for more in-depth studies on rye genome organization. PMID:22163026

Analysis of improved government geological map information for mineral exploration: Incorporating efficiency, productivity, effectiveness, and risk considerations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bernknopf, R.L.; Wein, A.M.; St-Onge, M. R.; Lucas, S.B.

2007-01-01

This bulletin/professional paper focuses on the value of geoscientific information and knowledge, as provided in published government bedrock geological maps, to the mineral exploration sector. An economic model is developed that uses an attribute- ranking approach to convert geological maps into domains of mineral favourability. Information about known deposits in these (or analogous) favourability domains allow the calculation of exploration search statistics that provide input into measures of exploration efficiency, productivity, effectiveness, risk, and cost stemming from the use of the published geological maps. Two case studies, the Flin Flon Belt (Manitoba and Saskatchewan) and the south Baffin Island area (Nunavut), demonstrate that updated, finer resolution maps can be used to identify more exploration campaign options, and campaigns thats are more efficient, more effective, and less risky than old, coarser resolution maps when used as a guide for mineral exploration. The Flin Flon Belt study illustrates that an updated, coarser resolution bedrock map enables improved mineral exploration efficiency, productivity, and effectiveness by locating 60% more targets and supporting an exploration campaign that is 44% more efficient. Refining the map resolution provides an additional 17% reduction in search effort across all favourable domains and a 55% reduction in search effort in the most favourable domain. The south Baffin Island case study projects a 40% increase in expected targets and a 27% reduction in search effort when the updated, finer resolution map is used in lieu of the old, coarser resolution map. On southern Baffin Island, the economic value of the up dated map ranges from CAN$2.28 million to CAN$15.21 million, which can be compared to the CAN$1.86 million that it cost to produce the map (a multiplier effect of up to eight).

High resolution physical mapping of single gene fragments on pachytene chromosome 4 and 7 of Rosa.

PubMed

Kirov, Ilya V; Van Laere, Katrijn; Khrustaleva, Ludmila I

2015-07-02

Rosaceae is a family containing many economically important fruit and ornamental species. Although fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)-based physical mapping of plant genomes is a valuable tool for map-based cloning, comparative genomics and evolutionary studies, no studies using high resolution physical mapping have been performed in this family. Previously we proved that physical mapping of single-copy genes as small as 1.1 kb is possible on mitotic metaphase chromosomes of Rosa wichurana using Tyramide-FISH. In this study we aimed to further improve the physical map of Rosa wichurana by applying high resolution FISH to pachytene chromosomes. Using high resolution Tyramide-FISH and multicolor Tyramide-FISH, 7 genes (1.7-3 kb) were successfully mapped on pachytene chromosomes 4 and 7 of Rosa wichurana. Additionally, by using multicolor Tyramide-FISH three closely located genes were simultaneously visualized on chromosome 7. A detailed map of heterochromatine/euchromatine patterns of chromosome 4 and 7 was developed with indication of the physical position of these 7 genes. Comparison of the gene order between Rosa wichurana and Fragaria vesca revealed a poor collinearity for chromosome 7, but a perfect collinearity for chromosome 4. High resolution physical mapping of short probes on pachytene chromosomes of Rosa wichurana was successfully performed for the first time. Application of Tyramide-FISH on pachytene chromosomes allowed the mapping resolution to be increased up to 20 times compared to mitotic metaphase chromosomes. High resolution Tyramide-FISH and multicolor Tyramide-FISH might become useful tools for further physical mapping of single-copy genes and for the integration of physical and genetic maps of Rosa wichurana and other members of the Rosaceae.

Mapping for Depth and Variety: Using a "Six W's" Scaffold to Facilitate Concept Mapping for Different History Concepts with Different Degrees of Freedom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tzeng, Jeng-Yi

2014-01-01

This study examines how 98 students in Taiwan taking a typical high-school history class composed concept maps related to both an everyday concept and an academic-oriented unique concept with various degrees of freedom in concept mapping. In order to reveal the multidimensionality of history concepts, this study provided participants a 6W scaffold…

MAP Estimators for Piecewise Continuous Inversion

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-08

MAP estimators for piecewise continuous inversion M M Dunlop1 and A M Stuart Mathematics Institute, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK E...Published 8 August 2016 Abstract We study the inverse problem of estimating a field ua from data comprising a finite set of nonlinear functionals of ua...then natural to study maximum a posterior (MAP) estimators. Recently (Dashti et al 2013 Inverse Problems 29 095017) it has been shown that MAP

Variation in recombination rate may bias human genetic disease mapping studies.

PubMed

Boyle, A Susannah; Noor, Mohamed A F

2004-11-01

The availability of the human genome sequence and variability information (as from the International HapMap project) will enhance our ability to map genetic disorders and choose targets for therapeutic intervention. However, several factors, such as regional variation in recombination rate, can bias conclusions from genetic mapping studies. Here, we examine the impact of regional variation in recombination rate across the human genome. Through computer simulations and literature surveys, we conclude that genetic disorders have been mapped to regions of low recombination more often than expected if such diseases were randomly distributed across the genome. This concentration in low recombination regions may be an artifact, and disorders appearing to be caused by a few genes of large effect may be polygenic. Future genetic mapping studies should be conscious of this potential complication by noting the regional recombination rate of regions implicated in diseases.

Saturation of an intra-gene pool linkage map: toward unified consensus linkage map in common bean

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Map-based cloning to find genes of interest and marker assisted selection (MAS) requires good genetic maps with high reproducible markers. In this study, we saturated the linkage map of the intra-gene pool population of common bean DOR364×BAT477 (DB) by evaluating 2,706 molecular markers in includin...

Differences in Spatial Knowledge of Individuals with Blindness When Using Audiotactile Maps, Using Tactile Maps, and Walking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papadopoulos, Konstantinos; Barouti, Marialena; Koustriava, Eleni

2018-01-01

To examine how individuals with visual impairments understand space and the way they develop cognitive maps, we studied the differences in cognitive maps resulting from different methods and tools for spatial coding in large geographical spaces. We examined the ability of 21 blind individuals to create cognitive maps of routes in unfamiliar areas…

Antioxidant and immunoregulatory activity of alkali-extractable polysaccharides from mung bean.

PubMed

Yao, Yang; Zhu, Yingying; Ren, Guixing

2016-03-01

Alkali-extractable polysaccharides from the seeds of mung beans and two polysaccharide sub-fractions (MAP-1 and MAP-2) were isolated and purified by anion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. The average molecular weights (Mws) of MAP-1 and MAP-2 were 94.2 kDa and 60.4 kDa, respectively. Monosaccharide component analysis indicated that MAP-1 was composed of Rha, Ara, Glu, Gal, and GalA in a molar ratio of 1.1:0.4:0.7:0.5:0.3. MAP-2 consisted of Xyl, Rha, Gal, Glu and GalA with a relative molar ratio of 0.4:1.4:1.6:0.5:0.2. Antioxidant assays indicated that both MAP-1 and MAP-2 exhibit significant antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. An in vitro study further showed that MAP-1 and MAP-2 were both able to stimulate the production of secretory molecules (NO, TNF-α and IL-6) by RAW 264.7 murine macrophages in a concentration-dependent manner. These findings suggest that the polysaccharides isolated in our study have immunoregulatory effects on macrophages and can be used as a beneficial health food. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Methamphetamine-associated psychosis: a new health challenge in Iran

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The rapidly growing popularity of methamphetamine use in Iran has posed a new health challenge to the Iranian health sector. Methamphetamine-associated psychosis (MAP) has been frequently reported in Iran in recent years. Although methamphetamine use and MAP are considerable health problems in Iran but there is still a need to conduct epidemiological studies on the prevalence of MAP and its health-related problems. The present paper emphasizes that health policy makers should consider the immediate needs of drug users, their families and the community to be informed about the detrimental health effects associated with MAP. Although MAP could be managed by prescribing benzodiazepines and psychiatric medications but the most effective regime for stabilizing patients with MAP still needs to be studied in Iran. Constant collaborations among psychiatric services and outpatient psychotherapeutic services should be established to successfully manage MAP in Iran. Iranian clinicians especially emergency medicine specialists should be informed about the differences between the two forms of transient and recurrent MAP in order to implement appropriate pharmacological therapies to manage MAP. It is hoped that special training courses are designed and implemented by health policy makers to inform clinicians, health providers and especially emergency medicine specialists to effectively deal with MAP. PMID:23577655

Manifestation of a neuro-fuzzy model to produce landslide susceptibility map using remote sensing data derived parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, Biswajeet; Lee, Saro; Buchroithner, Manfred

Landslides are the most common natural hazards in Malaysia. Preparation of landslide suscep-tibility maps is important for engineering geologists and geomorphologists. However, due to complex nature of landslides, producing a reliable susceptibility map is not easy. In this study, a new attempt is tried to produce landslide susceptibility map of a part of Cameron Valley of Malaysia. This paper develops an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) based on a geographic information system (GIS) environment for landslide susceptibility mapping. To ob-tain the neuro-fuzzy relations for producing the landslide susceptibility map, landslide locations were identified from interpretation of aerial photographs and high resolution satellite images, field surveys and historical inventory reports. Landslide conditioning factors such as slope, plan curvature, distance to drainage lines, soil texture, lithology, and distance to lineament were extracted from topographic, soil, and lineament maps. Landslide susceptible areas were analyzed by the ANFIS model and mapped using the conditioning factors. Furthermore, we applied various membership functions (MFs) and fuzzy relations to produce landslide suscep-tibility maps. The prediction performance of the susceptibility map is checked by considering actual landslides in the study area. Results show that, triangular, trapezoidal, and polynomial MFs were the best individual MFs for modelling landslide susceptibility maps (86

DyKOSMap: A framework for mapping adaptation between biomedical knowledge organization systems.

PubMed

Dos Reis, Julio Cesar; Pruski, Cédric; Da Silveira, Marcos; Reynaud-Delaître, Chantal

2015-06-01

Knowledge Organization Systems (KOS) and their associated mappings play a central role in several decision support systems. However, by virtue of knowledge evolution, KOS entities are modified over time, impacting mappings and potentially turning them invalid. This requires semi-automatic methods to maintain such semantic correspondences up-to-date at KOS evolution time. We define a complete and original framework based on formal heuristics that drives the adaptation of KOS mappings. Our approach takes into account the definition of established mappings, the evolution of KOS and the possible changes that can be applied to mappings. This study experimentally evaluates the proposed heuristics and the entire framework on realistic case studies borrowed from the biomedical domain, using official mappings between several biomedical KOSs. We demonstrate the overall performance of the approach over biomedical datasets of different characteristics and sizes. Our findings reveal the effectiveness in terms of precision, recall and F-measure of the suggested heuristics and methods defining the framework to adapt mappings affected by KOS evolution. The obtained results contribute and improve the quality of mappings over time. The proposed framework can adapt mappings largely automatically, facilitating thus the maintenance task. The implemented algorithms and tools support and minimize the work of users in charge of KOS mapping maintenance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

StructMap: Elastic Distance Analysis of Electron Microscopy Maps for Studying Conformational Changes.

PubMed

Sanchez Sorzano, Carlos Oscar; Alvarez-Cabrera, Ana Lucia; Kazemi, Mohsen; Carazo, Jose María; Jonić, Slavica

2016-04-26

Single-particle electron microscopy (EM) has been shown to be very powerful for studying structures and associated conformational changes of macromolecular complexes. In the context of analyzing conformational changes of complexes, distinct EM density maps obtained by image analysis and three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction are usually analyzed in 3D for interpretation of structural differences. However, graphic visualization of these differences based on a quantitative analysis of elastic transformations (deformations) among density maps has not been done yet due to a lack of appropriate methods. Here, we present an approach that allows such visualization. This approach is based on statistical analysis of distances among elastically aligned pairs of EM maps (one map is deformed to fit the other map), and results in visualizing EM maps as points in a lower-dimensional distance space. The distances among points in the new space can be analyzed in terms of clusters or trajectories of points related to potential conformational changes. The results of the method are shown with synthetic and experimental EM maps at different resolutions. Copyright © 2016 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shelf-Life Extension of Chill-Stored Beef Longissimus Steaks Packaged under Modified Atmospheres with 50% O2 and 40% CO2.

PubMed

Yang, Xiaoyin; Niu, Lebao; Zhu, Lixian; Liang, Rongrong; Zhang, Yimin; Luo, Xin

2016-07-01

This study was conducted to compare the shelf-life of beef steaks stored in different packaging conditions: overwrapped (OW) packaging and 2 modified atmosphere packaging systems (MAP): 80% O2 MAP (80% O2 /20% CO2 ) and 50% O2 MAP (50% O2 /40% CO2 /10% N2 ). Steaks were stored at 2 °C for 20 d. Headspace gas composition, microbial counts, color stability, pH, purge loss, and lipid oxidation were monitored. Among the packaging types, 50% O2 MAP was superior to OW packaging and 80% O2 MAP in delaying bacterial growth and extending shelf-life to 20 d. 50% O2 MAP also gave steaks an acceptable color during storage. No significant differences were observed in color stability of steaks packaged in both 50% O2 MAP and 80% O2 MAP. This study reveals 50% O2 MAP is a realistic alternative to preserve beef steaks efficiently. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Medicines access programs to cancer medicines in Australia and New Zealand: An exploratory study.

PubMed

Grover, Piyush; Babar, Zaheer-Ud-Din; Oehmen, Raoul; Vitry, Agnes

2018-03-01

Medicines Access Programs (MAP) offer access to publicly unfunded medicines at the discretion of pharmaceutical companies. Limited literature is available on their extent and scope in Australia and New Zealand. This study aims to identify MAPs for cancer medicines that were operational in 2014-15 in Australia and New Zealand and describe their characteristics. A preliminary list of MAPs was sent to hospital pharmacists in Australia and New Zealand to validate and collect further information. Pharmaceutical companies were contacted directly to provide information regarding MAPs offered. Key stakeholders were interviewed to identify issues with MAPs. Fifty-one MAPs were identified covering a range of indications. The majority of MAPs were provided free of charge to the patient for medicines that were registered or in the process of being registered but were not funded. Variability in the number of MAPs across institutions and characteristics was observed. Australia offered more MAPs than New Zealand. Only two of 17 pharmaceutical companies contacted agreed to provide information on their MAPs. Eight stakeholder interviews were conducted. This identified that while MAPs are widely operational there is lack of clinical monitoring, inequity to access, operational issues and lack of transparency. Our results suggest a need for a standardised and mandated policy to mitigate issues with MAPs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

MAP18 regulates the direction of pollen tube growth in Arabidopsis by modulating F-actin organization.

PubMed

Zhu, Lei; Zhang, Yan; Kang, Erfang; Xu, Qiangyi; Wang, Miaoying; Rui, Yue; Liu, Baoquan; Yuan, Ming; Fu, Ying

2013-03-01

For fertilization to occur in plants, the pollen tube must be guided to enter the ovule via the micropyle. Previous reports have implicated actin filaments, actin binding proteins, and the tip-focused calcium gradient as key contributors to polar growth of pollen tubes; however, the regulation of directional pollen tube growth is largely unknown. We reported previously that Arabidopsis thaliana MICROTUBULE-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN18 (MAP18) contributes to directional cell growth and cortical microtubule organization. The preferential expression of MAP18 in pollen and in pollen tubes suggests that MAP18 also may function in pollen tube growth. In this study, we demonstrate that MAP18 functions in pollen tubes by influencing actin organization, rather than microtubule assembly. In vitro biochemical results indicate that MAP18 exhibits Ca(2+)-dependent filamentous (F)-actin-severing activity. Abnormal expression of MAP18 in map18 and MAP18 OX plants was associated with disorganization of the actin cytoskeleton in the tube apex, resulting in aberrant pollen tube growth patterns and morphologies, inaccurate micropyle targeting, and fewer fertilization events. Experiments with MAP18 mutants created by site-directed mutagenesis suggest that F-actin-severing activity is essential to the effects of MAP18 on pollen tube growth direction. Our study demonstrates that in Arabidopsis, MAP18 guides the direction of pollen tube growth by modulating actin filaments.

Observed and forecast flood-inundation mapping application-A pilot study of an eleven-mile reach of the White River, Indianapolis, Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kim, Moon H.; Morlock, Scott E.; Arihood, Leslie D.; Kiesler, James L.

2011-01-01

Near-real-time and forecast flood-inundation mapping products resulted from a pilot study for an 11-mile reach of the White River in Indianapolis. The study was done by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Indiana Silver Jackets hazard mitigation taskforce members, the National Weather Service (NWS), the Polis Center, and Indiana University, in cooperation with the City of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water. The pilot project showed that it is technically feasible to create a flood-inundation map library by means of a two-dimensional hydraulic model, use a map from the library to quickly complete a moderately detailed local flood-loss estimate, and automatically run the hydraulic model during a flood event to provide the maps and flood-damage information through a Web graphical user interface. A library of static digital flood-inundation maps was created by means of a calibrated two-dimensional hydraulic model. Estimated water-surface elevations were developed for a range of river stages referenced to a USGS streamgage and NWS flood forecast point colocated within the study reach. These maps were made available through the Internet in several formats, including geographic information system, Keyhole Markup Language, and Portable Document Format. A flood-loss estimate was completed for part of the study reach by using one of the flood-inundation maps from the static library. The Federal Emergency Management Agency natural disaster-loss estimation program HAZUS-MH, in conjunction with local building information, was used to complete a level 2 analysis of flood-loss estimation. A Service-Oriented Architecture-based dynamic flood-inundation application was developed and was designed to start automatically during a flood, obtain near real-time and forecast data (from the colocated USGS streamgage and NWS flood forecast point within the study reach), run the two-dimensional hydraulic model, and produce flood-inundation maps. The application used local building data and depth-damage curves to estimate flood losses based on the maps, and it served inundation maps and flood-loss estimates through a Web-based graphical user interface.

Differences in Clinical Features of Methamphetamine Users with Persistent Psychosis and Patients with Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Wang, Liang-Jen; Lin, Shih-Ku; Chen, Yi-Chih; Huang, Ming-Chyi; Chen, Tzu-Ting; Ree, Shao-Chun; Chen, Chih-Ken

Methamphetamine exerts neurotoxic effects and elicits psychotic symptoms. This study attempted to compare clinical differences between methamphetamine users with persistent psychosis (MAP) and patients with schizophrenia. In addition, we examined the discrimination validity by using symptom clusters to differentiate between MAP and schizophrenia. We enrolled 53 MAP patients and 53 patients with schizophrenia. The psychopathology of participants was assessed using the Chinese version of the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies and the 18-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Logistic regression was used to examine the predicted probability scores of different symptom combinations on discriminating between MAP and schizophrenia. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses and area under the curve (AUC) were further applied to examine the discrimination validity of the predicted probability scores on differentiating between MAP and schizophrenia. We found that MAP and schizophrenia demonstrated similar patterns of delusions. Compared to patients with schizophrenia, MAP experienced significantly higher proportions of visual hallucinations and of somatic or tactile hallucinations. However, MAP exhibited significantly lower severity in conceptual disorganization, mannerism/posturing, blunted affect, emotional withdrawal, and motor retardation compared to patients with schizophrenia. The ROC analysis showed that a predicted probability score combining the aforementioned 7 items of symptoms could significantly differentiate between MAP and schizophrenia (AUC = 0.77). Findings in the current study suggest that nuanced differences might exist in the clinical presentation of secondary psychosis (MAP) and primary psychosis (schizophrenia). Combining the symptoms as a whole may help with differential diagnosis for MAP and schizophrenia. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Mapping Planetary Volcanic Deposits: Identifying Vents and Distinguishing between Effects of Eruption Conditions and Local Storage and Release on Flow Field Morphology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bleacher, J. E.; Eppler, D. B.; Skinner, J. A.; Evans, C. A.; Feng, W.; Gruener, J. E.; Hurwitz, D. M.; Whitson, P.; Janoiko, B.

2014-01-01

Terrestrial geologic mapping techniques are regularly used for "photogeologic" mapping of other planets, but these approaches are complicated by the diverse type, areal coverage, and spatial resolution of available data sets. When available, spatially-limited in-situ human and/or robotic surface observations can sometimes introduce a level of detail that is difficult to integrate with regional or global interpretations. To assess best practices for utilizing observations acquired from orbit and on the surface, our team conducted a comparative study of geologic mapping and interpretation techniques. We compared maps generated for the same area in the San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF) in northern Arizona using 1) data collected for reconnaissance before and during the 2010 Desert Research And Technology Studies campaign, and 2) during a traditional, terrestrial field geology study. The operations, related results, and direct mapping comparisons are discussed in companion LPSC abstracts. Here we present new geologic interpretations for a volcanic cone and related lava flows as derived from all approaches involved in this study. Mapping results indicate a need for caution when interpreting past eruption conditions on other planetary surfaces from orbital data alone.

Mapping Planetary Volcanic Deposits: Identifying Vents and Distingushing between Effects of Eruption Conditions and Local Lava Storage and Release on Flow Field Morphology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bleacher, J. E.; Eppler, D. B.; Skinner, J. A.; Evans, C. A.; Feng, W.; Gruener, J. E.; Hurwitz, D. M.; Whitson, P.; Janoiko, B.

2014-01-01

Terrestrial geologic mapping techniques are regularly used for "photogeologic" mapping of other planets, but these approaches are complicated by the diverse type, areal coverage, and spatial resolution of available data sets. When available, spatially-limited in-situ human and/or robotic surface observations can sometimes introduce a level of detail that is difficult to integrate with regional or global interpretations. To assess best practices for utilizing observations acquired from orbit and on the surface, our team conducted a comparative study of geologic mapping and interpretation techniques. We compared maps generated for the same area in the San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF) in northern Arizona using 1) data collected for reconnaissance before and during the 2010 Desert Research And Technology Studies campaign, and 2) during a traditional, terrestrial field geology study. The operations, related results, and direct mapping comparisons are discussed in companion LPSC abstracts [1-3]. Here we present new geologic interpretations for a volcanic cone and related lava flows as derived from all approaches involved in this study. Mapping results indicate a need for caution when interpreting past eruption conditions on other planetary surfaces from orbital data alone.

Preliminary integrated geologic map databases for the United States: Digital data for the reconnaissance bedrock geologic map for the northern Alaska peninsula area, southwest Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2006-01-01

he growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for digital geologic maps that have been attributed with information about age and lithology. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for manifold special purposes such as mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. This report is part of a series of integrated geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. Three national-scale geologic maps that portray most or all of the United States already exist; for the conterminous U.S., King and Beikman (1974a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:2,500,000, Beikman (1980) compiled a map for Alaska at 1:2,500,000 scale, and for the entire U.S., Reed and others (2005a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:5,000,000. A digital version of the King and Beikman map was published by Schruben and others (1994). Reed and Bush (2004) produced a digital version of the Reed and others (2005a) map for the conterminous U.S. The present series of maps is intended to provide the next step in increased detail. State geologic maps that range in scale from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 are available for most of the country, and digital versions of these state maps are the basis of this product. The digital geologic maps presented here are in a standardized format as ARC/INFO export files and as ArcView shape files. Data tables that relate the map units to detailed lithologic and age information accompany these GIS files. The map is delivered as a set 1:250,000-scale quadrangle files. To the best of our ability, these quadrangle files are edge-matched with respect to geology. When the maps are merged, the combined attribute tables can be used directly with the merged maps to make derivative maps.

Preliminary integrated geologic map databases for the United States: Digital data for the reconnaissance geologic map of the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2006-01-01

The growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for digital geologic maps that have been attributed with information about age and lithology. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for manifold special purposes such as mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. This report is part of a series of integrated geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. Three national-scale geologic maps that portray most or all of the United States already exist; for the conterminous U.S., King and Beikman (1974a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:2,500,000, Beikman (1980) compiled a map for Alaska at 1:2,500,000 scale, and for the entire U.S., Reed and others (2005a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:5,000,000. A digital version of the King and Beikman map was published by Schruben and others (1994). Reed and Bush (2004) produced a digital version of the Reed and others (2005a) map for the conterminous U.S. The present series of maps is intended to provide the next step in increased detail. State geologic maps that range in scale from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 are available for most of the country, and digital versions of these state maps are the basis of this product. The digital geologic maps presented here are in a standardized format as ARC/INFO Exportfiles/ and as ArcView shape files. Data tables that relate the map units to detailed lithologic and age information accompany these GIS files. The map is delivered as a set 1:250,000-scale quadrangle files. To the best of our ability, these quadrangle files are edge-matched with respect to geology. When the maps are merged, the combined attribute tables can be used directly with the merged maps to make derivative maps.

Preliminary integrated geologic map databases for the United States: Digital data for the generalized bedrock geologic map, Yukon Flats region, east-central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Till, Alison B.; Dumoulin, Julie A.; Phillips, Jeffrey D.; Stanley, Richard G.; Crews, Jessie

2006-01-01

The growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for digital geologic maps that have been attributed with information about age and lithology. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for manifold special purposes such as mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. This report is part of a series of integrated geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. Three national-scale geologic maps that portray most or all of the United States already exist; for the conterminous U.S., King and Beikman (1974a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:2,500,000, Beikman (1980) compiled a map for Alaska at 1:2,500,000 scale, and for the entire U.S., Reed and others (2005a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:5,000,000. A digital version of the King and Beikman map was published by Schruben and others (1994). Reed and Bush (2004) produced a digital version of the Reed and others (2005a) map for the conterminous U.S. The present series of maps is intended to provide the next step in increased detail. State geologic maps that range in scale from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 are available for most of the country, and digital versions of these state maps are the basis of this product. The digital geologic maps presented here are in a standardized format as ARC/INFO export files and as ArcView shape files. Data tables that relate the map units to detailed lithologic and age information accompany these GIS files. The map is delivered as a set 1:250,000-scale quadrangle files. To the best of our ability, these quadrangle files are edge-matched with respect to geology. When the maps are merged, the combined attribute tables can be used directly with the merged maps to make derivative maps.

Preliminary integrated geologic map databases for the United States: Digital data for the reconnaissance geologic map of the lower Yukon River region, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2006-01-01

The growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for digital geologic maps that have been attributed with information about age and lithology. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for manifold special purposes such as mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. This report is part of a series of integrated geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. Three national-scale geologic maps that portray most or all of the United States already exist; for the conterminous U.S., King and Beikman (1974a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:2,500,000, Beikman (1980) compiled a map for Alaska at 1:2,500,000 scale, and for the entire U.S., Reed and others (2005a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:5,000,000. A digital version of the King and Beikman map was published by Schruben and others (1994). Reed and Bush (2004) produced a digital version of the Reed and others (2005a) map for the conterminous U.S. The present series of maps is intended to provide the next step in increased detail. State geologic maps that range in scale from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 are available for most of the country, and digital versions of these state maps are the basis of this product. The digital geologic maps presented here are in a standardized format as ARC/INFO export files and as ArcView shape files. Data tables that relate the map units to detailed lithologic and age information accompany these GIS files. The map is delivered as a set 1:250,000-scale quadrangle files. To the best of our ability, these quadrangle files are edge-matched with respect to geology. When the maps are merged, the combined attribute tables can be used directly with the merged maps to make derivative maps.

Reconnaissance geologic map of part of the San Isidro Quadrangle, Baja California Sur, Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

McLean, Hugh; Hausback, B.P.; Knapp, J.H.

1985-01-01

Mapping was done on aerial photographs and transferred, where possible, to 1:50,000-scale topographic base maps. Areas with roads were field checked; however, in the northeast part of the map area, lack of roads prevented field checks. Previous geologic surveys of parts of the map area were made by horseback in the early 1920's; reports were published by Darton (1921), Heim (1922), and Beal (1948). Subsurface data from petroleum exploration and a geologic map were incorporated in a regional study by Mina (1957). The first radiometric ages of rocks from the map area were published by Gastil and others (1979). Recently determined radiometric ages and chemical analysis of volcanic rocks were reported by Hausback (1984) and by Sawlan and Smith (1984). Our study incorporates geologic mapping with age control based on new radiometric ages as well as paleontology, Flows and tuffs were dated by the K-Ar method. Fossil ages are based on diatom and mollusk assemblages.

Characterizing semantic mappings adaptation via biomedical KOS evolution: a case study investigating SNOMED CT and ICD.

PubMed

Dos Reis, Julio Cesar; Pruski, Cédric; Da Silveira, Marcos; Reynaud-Delaître, Chantal

2013-01-01

Mappings established between Knowledge Organization Systems (KOS) increase semantic interoperability between biomedical information systems. However, biomedical knowledge is highly dynamic and changes affecting KOS entities can potentially invalidate part or the totality of existing mappings. Understanding how mappings evolve and what the impacts of KOS evolution on mappings are is therefore crucial for the definition of an automatic approach to maintain mappings valid and up-to-date over time. In this article, we study variations of a specific KOS complex change (split) for two biomedical KOS (SNOMED CT and ICD-9-CM) through a rigorous method of investigation for identifying and refining complex changes, and for selecting representative cases. We empirically analyze and explain their influence on the evolution of associated mappings. Results point out the importance of considering various dimensions of the information described in KOS, like the semantic structure of concepts, the set of relevant information used to define the mappings and the change operations interfering with this set of information.

Characterizing Semantic Mappings Adaptation via Biomedical KOS Evolution: A Case Study Investigating SNOMED CT and ICD

PubMed Central

Reis, Julio Cesar Dos; Pruski, Cédric; Da Silveira, Marcos; Reynaud-Delaître, Chantal

2013-01-01

Mappings established between Knowledge Organization Systems (KOS) increase semantic interoperability between biomedical information systems. However, biomedical knowledge is highly dynamic and changes affecting KOS entities can potentially invalidate part or the totality of existing mappings. Understanding how mappings evolve and what the impacts of KOS evolution on mappings are is therefore crucial for the definition of an automatic approach to maintain mappings valid and up-to-date over time. In this article, we study variations of a specific KOS complex change (split) for two biomedical KOS (SNOMED CT and ICD-9-CM) through a rigorous method of investigation for identifying and refining complex changes, and for selecting representative cases. We empirically analyze and explain their influence on the evolution of associated mappings. Results point out the importance of considering various dimensions of the information described in KOS, like the semantic structure of concepts, the set of relevant information used to define the mappings and the change operations interfering with this set of information. PMID:24551341

Map Study Committee. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heidlage, Bob; And Others

A study undertaken to evaluate the status of the University of Missouri-Columbia's map collections is described in this report, and forecasts are made for necessary facilities, equipment, and personnel to accomplish a proposed reorganization and online cataloging of the university's geology and geography map collections. Included in plans for…

Reading Social wMaps.w

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, Millard

1982-01-01

What should social studies teachers be trying to teach students how to do? Every culture provides its members with social "maps" that explain how things are--e.g., school materials, advertisements. Teaching students how to read these social "maps" should be the central task for social studies education. (RM)

Mind the gap! Automated concept map feedback supports students in writing cohesive explanations.

PubMed

Lachner, Andreas; Burkhart, Christian; Nückles, Matthias

2017-03-01

Many students are challenged with the demand of writing cohesive explanations. To support students in writing cohesive explanations, we developed a computer-based feedback tool that visualizes cohesion deficits of students' explanations in a concept map. We conducted three studies to investigate the effectiveness of such feedback as well as the underlying cognitive processes. In Study 1, we found that the concept map helped students identify potential cohesion gaps in their drafts and plan remedial revisions. In Study 2, students with concept map feedback conducted revisions that resulted in more locally and globally cohesive, and also more comprehensible, explanations than the explanations of students who revised without concept map feedback. In Study 3, we replicated the findings of Study 2 by and large. More importantly, students who had received concept map feedback on a training explanation 1 week later wrote a transfer explanation without feedback that was more cohesive than the explanation of students who had received no feedback on their training explanation. The automated concept map feedback appears to particularly support the evaluation phase of the revision process. Furthermore, the feedback enabled novice writers to acquire sustainable skills in writing cohesive explanations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Precambrian Field Camp at the University of Minnesota Duluth - Teaching Skills Applicable to Mapping Glaciated Terranes of the Canadian Shield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, J. D.; Hudak, G. J.; Peterson, D.

2011-12-01

Since 2007, the central program of the Precambrian Research Center (PRC) at the University of Minnesota Duluth has been a six-week geology field camp focused on the Precambrian geology of the Canadian Shield. This field camp has two main purposes. First and foremost is to teach students specialized field skills and field mapping techniques that can be utilized to map and interpret Precambrian shield terranes characterized by sparse outcrop and abundant glacial cover. In addition to teaching basic outcrop mapping technique , students are introduced to geophysical surveying (gravity, magnetics), glacial drift prospecting, and drill core logging techniques in several of our geological mapping exercises. These mapping methodologies are particularly applicable to minerals exploration in shield terranes. The second and equally important goal of the PRC field camp is to teach students modern map-making and map production skills. During the fifth and sixth weeks of field camp, students conduct "capstone" mapping projects. These projects encompass one week of detailed bedrock mapping in remote regions of northern Minnesota that have not been mapped in detail (e.g. scales greater than 1:24,000) and a second week of map-making and map generation utilizing geographic information systems (currently ArcGIS10), graphics software packages (Adobe Illustrator CS4), and various imaging software for geophysical and topographic data. Over the past five years, PRC students and faculty have collaboratively published 21 geologic maps through the Precambrian Research Center Map Series. These maps are currently being utilized in a variety of ways by industry, academia, and government for mineral exploration programs, development of undergraduate, graduate, and faculty research projects, and for planning, archeological studies, and public education programs in Minnesota's state parks. Acquisition of specialized Precambrian geological mapping skills and geologic map-making proficiencies has enabled our students to be highly sought after for employment and/or subsequent graduate studies.

Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived enjoyment as drivers for the user acceptance of interactive mobile maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Azham; Mkpojiogu, Emmanuel O. C.; Yusof, Muhammad Mat

2016-08-01

This study examines the user perception of usefulness, ease of use and enjoyment as drivers for the users' complex interaction with map on mobile devices. TAM model was used to evaluate users' intention to use and their acceptance of interactive mobile map using the above three beliefs as antecedents. Quantitative research (survey) methodology was employed and the analysis and findings showed that all the three explanatory variables used in this study, explain the variability in the user acceptance of interactive mobile map technology. Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived enjoyment each have significant positive influence on user acceptance of interactive mobile maps. This study further validates the TAM model.

Anatomy assisted PET image reconstruction incorporating multi-resolution joint entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Jing; Rahmim, Arman

2015-01-01

A promising approach in PET image reconstruction is to incorporate high resolution anatomical information (measured from MR or CT) taking the anato-functional similarity measures such as mutual information or joint entropy (JE) as the prior. These similarity measures only classify voxels based on intensity values, while neglecting structural spatial information. In this work, we developed an anatomy-assisted maximum a posteriori (MAP) reconstruction algorithm wherein the JE measure is supplied by spatial information generated using wavelet multi-resolution analysis. The proposed wavelet-based JE (WJE) MAP algorithm involves calculation of derivatives of the subband JE measures with respect to individual PET image voxel intensities, which we have shown can be computed very similarly to how the inverse wavelet transform is implemented. We performed a simulation study with the BrainWeb phantom creating PET data corresponding to different noise levels. Realistically simulated T1-weighted MR images provided by BrainWeb modeling were applied in the anatomy-assisted reconstruction with the WJE-MAP algorithm and the intensity-only JE-MAP algorithm. Quantitative analysis showed that the WJE-MAP algorithm performed similarly to the JE-MAP algorithm at low noise level in the gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) regions in terms of noise versus bias tradeoff. When noise increased to medium level in the simulated data, the WJE-MAP algorithm started to surpass the JE-MAP algorithm in the GM region, which is less uniform with smaller isolated structures compared to the WM region. In the high noise level simulation, the WJE-MAP algorithm presented clear improvement over the JE-MAP algorithm in both the GM and WM regions. In addition to the simulation study, we applied the reconstruction algorithms to real patient studies involving DPA-173 PET data and Florbetapir PET data with corresponding T1-MPRAGE MRI images. Compared to the intensity-only JE-MAP algorithm, the WJE-MAP algorithm resulted in comparable regional mean values to those from the maximum likelihood algorithm while reducing noise. Achieving robust performance in various noise-level simulation and patient studies, the WJE-MAP algorithm demonstrates its potential in clinical quantitative PET imaging.

Time-series studies of drainage pattern and morphological features along the Leitha river (Eastern Austria)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zámolyi, A.; Draganits, E.; Doneus, M.; Fera, M.; Griebl, M.

2009-04-01

Geomorphologic mapping and drainage network analysis was conducted in the Southern Vienna Basin on the Leitha and Fischa rivers. The study area belongs to an active pull-apart basin between the Eastern Alps and the Carpathians that started to subside in Karpatian times (~ 17 Ma), but with still active faults, proven by fault scarps and earth quakes. The investigated rivers are important tributaries to the Danube river and run through a region that has been subject to settlement since Neoltihic times. Thus, interaction between land use, settlement pattern and river dynamics can be studied. Several datasets are integrated to perform a comprehensive overview of geomorphological, as well as river dynamic changes in the landscape. During an earlier stage of this investigation a map of paleochannel distribution including the location and shape of the paleochannels was extracted from color-infrared and RGB digital orthophotos. Based on this map the location, character and shape of palaeomeanders is studied on different georeferenced historic maps (Timár et al., 2006; Biszak et al., 2007) in order to derive a time-series study. The paleochannels extracted from the digital orthophotos show a good coincidence with the depicted rivers on the historic maps. This partly allows quite well constrained age estimates of the paleochannel sections. The investigated maps are the Walter maps, the First, Second and Third Military Survey of the Habsburg/Austro-Hungarian Empire. Mapping of the Walter maps was conducted 1754-56 (Ulbrich, 1952), the First, Second and Third Military Surveys were mapped in this area in the time-span of 1782-1785, 1819-1869, and 1872-1873, respectively (Kretschmer et al., 2004). This sequence of georeferenced historical maps allows to study only a very short time-span (1755 - 1873) compared to the geological time scale. However, the characteristics of river dynamics special for the study area can be derived and, considering certain assumptions, extrapolated to a wider time range. Within the observable time period the Leitha river preserved its meandering characteristics. Small shifts of the mean channel towards E or W can be detected. A disadvantage of the maps previous to the Third Military Survey is the lack of contour lines. On these maps, variation in terrain elevation was mapped „a la vue" and rather depicted as changes in slope of the terrain by applying hatchures showing a density increase with higher slope. This method provided a very plastic overview of changes in the terrain, but the reading of absolute or relative elevations is not possible. According to this, geomorphologic observations from these maps are constricted to the comparison of the horizontal position of elevated areas and the change of their outline. This study shows that historical maps provide an essential tool to investigate younger river dynamics and sensitively show the impact of anthropological modifications as well as active tectonics. Biszak, S., Timár, G., Molnár, G., Jankó, A. (2007): Digitized maps of the Habsburg Empire - The third military survey, Österreichisch-Ungarische Monarchie, 1869-1887, 1:75000. DVD-issue, Arcanum, Budapest. ISBN 978-963-73-7451-7 Kretschmer, I., Dörflinger, J., Wawrick, F. (2004): Österreichische Kartographie. Wiener Schiften zur Geographie und Kartographie - Band 15. Institut für Geographie und Regionalforschung der Universität Wien, Wien. Timár, G., Molnár, G., Székely, B., Biszak, S., Varga, J., Jankó, A. (2006): Digitized maps of the Habsburg Empire - The map sheets of the second military survey and their georeferenced version. Arcanum, Budapest, 59 p. ISBN 963-7374-33-7 Ulbrich K. (1952): Die Grenzkarte Ungarn-Niederösterreich von C. J. Walter (1754 - 56). Burgenländische Heimatblätter, 14, 108-121

Application of Remote Sensing in Geological Mapping, Case Study al Maghrabah Area - Hajjah Region, Yemen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Nahmi, F.; Saddiqi, O.; Hilali, A.; Rhinane, H.; Baidder, L.; El arabi, H.; Khanbari, K.

2017-11-01

Remote sensing technology plays an important role today in the geological survey, mapping, analysis and interpretation, which provides a unique opportunity to investigate the geological characteristics of the remote areas of the earth's surface without the need to gain access to an area on the ground. The aim of this study is achievement a geological map of the study area. The data utilizes is Sentinel-2 imagery, the processes used in this study, the OIF Optimum Index Factor is a statistic value that can be used to select the optimum combination of three bands in a satellite image. It's based on the total variance within bands and correlation coefficient between bands, ICA Independent component analysis (3, 4, 6) is a statistical and computational technique for revealing hidden factors that underlie sets of random variables, measurements, or signals, MNF Minimum Noise Fraction (1, 2, 3) is used to determine the inherent dimensionality of image data to segregate noise in the data and to reduce the computational requirements for subsequent processing, Optimum Index Factor is a good method for choosing the best band for lithological mapping. ICA, MNF, also a practical way to extract the structural geology maps. The results in this paper indicate that, the studied area can be divided into four main geological units: Basement rocks (Meta volcanic, Meta sediments), Sedimentary rocks, Intrusive rocks, volcanic rocks. The method used in this study offers great potential for lithological mapping, by using Sentinel-2 imagery, the results were compared with existing geologic maps and were superior and could be used to update the existing maps.

Bovine IgG1 antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis protein p34-cx improve association of bacteria and macrophages.

PubMed

Mundo, Silvia L; Fontanals, Adriana M; García, Mariana; Durrieu, María; Alvarez, Elida; Gentilini, Elida R; Hajos, Silvia E

2008-01-01

Paratuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map), is a chronic granulomatous enteric disease in cattle. Among molecular components of Map, protein p34 was identified as specific and immunodominant for bovine B cells. In order to determine if specific antibodies could influence the course of Map pathogenesis, the interaction between bacteria and bovine macrophages was studied. Bovine polyclonal antibodies from 3 calves vaccinated with protein p34-cx, 6 calves vaccinated with heat-killed Map, 8 naturally infected, and 3 healthy calves -as negative controls- were used. Specific anti-Map, -p34-cx and -PPA-3 antibodies were evaluated and isotype characterized. Infected and Map vaccinated animals showed similar IgG1 and IgG2 response against Map whole bacteria. When p34-cx was used as the antigen, mainly IgG1 and IgG3 were detected in infected and only IgG1 in p34-cx vaccinated animals. Bovine polyclonal antibodies from three animals of each category were isolated and affinity purified through Map and p34-cx columns. The effect of these antibodies in association with Map and a transformed bovine peritoneal macrophage's cell line (Bov-Mac) as well as activation of NF-kappaB transcription factor was studied. Our results show that association of Map significantly increased in vitro after pretreatment with bovine anti-Map or anti-p34-cx antibodies obtained from vaccinated or infected cattle when compared with those of controls. Improved activation of NF-kappaB was detected in macrophages that ingested Map opsonized with either anti-Map or anti-p34-cx specific antibodies of infected or vaccinated calves, suggesting that both anti-Map and IgG1 anti-p34-cx antibodies support Map-macrophage interactions.

Fixed-Wing Micro Aerial Vehicle for Accurate Corridor Mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehak, M.; Skaloud, J.

2015-08-01

In this study we present a Micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV) equipped with precise position and attitude sensors that together with a pre-calibrated camera enables accurate corridor mapping. The design of the platform is based on widely available model components to which we integrate an open-source autopilot, customized mass-market camera and navigation sensors. We adapt the concepts of system calibration from larger mapping platforms to MAV and evaluate them practically for their achievable accuracy. We present case studies for accurate mapping without ground control points: first for a block configuration, later for a narrow corridor. We evaluate the mapping accuracy with respect to checkpoints and digital terrain model. We show that while it is possible to achieve pixel (3-5 cm) mapping accuracy in both cases, precise aerial position control is sufficient for block configuration, the precise position and attitude control is required for corridor mapping.

Frameshift Suppression in SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE VI. Complete Genetic Map of Twenty-Five Suppressor Genes

PubMed Central

Gaber, Richard F.; Mathison, Lorilee; Edelman, Irv; Culbertson, Michael R.

1983-01-01

Five previously unmapped frameshift suppressor genes have been located on the yeast genetic map. In addition, we have further characterized the map positions of two suppressors whose approximate locations were determined in an earlier study. These results represent the completion of genetic mapping studies on all 25 of the known frameshift suppressor genes in yeast.—The approximate location of each suppressor gene was initially determined through the use of a set of mapping strains containing 61 signal markers distributed throughout the yeast genome. Standard meiotic linkage was assayed in crosses between strains carrying the suppressors and the mapping strains. Subsequent to these approximate linkage determinations, each suppressor gene was more precisely located in multi-point crosses. The implications of these mapping results for the genomic distribution of frameshift suppressor genes, which include both glycine and proline tRNA genes, are discussed. PMID:17246112

Mapping with Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sunal, Cynthia Szymanski; Warash, Bobbi Gibson

Techniques for encouraging young children to discover the purpose and use of maps are discussed. Motor activity and topological studies form a base from which the teacher and children can build a mapping program of progressive sophistication. Concepts important to mapping include boundaries, regions, exteriors, interiors, holes, order, point of…

Mapping Climate Change: Six U.S. Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmberg, Marjorie O.

2010-01-01

This research focuses on the current role of mapping practices in communicating climate change in the United States. This includes maps used in monitoring climate change, projecting its potential impacts, and identifying potential adaptation strategies at particular scales. Since few, if any, studies have been done specifically on mapping…

Musical Maps as Narrative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blair, Deborah V.

2007-01-01

This study explores the metaphorical relationship between the process of narrative inquiry and the process of "musical mapping." The creation of musical maps was used as a classroom tool for enabling students' musical understanding while listening to music. As teacher-researcher, I studied my fifth-grade music students as they interacted with…

Autism and Equine-Assisted Interventions: A Systematic Mapping Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDaniel Peters, B. Caitlin; Wood, Wendy

2017-01-01

This systematic mapping review mapped current knowledge of equine-assisted interventions for people with autism to help guide future practice and research. Thirty-three studies including children and adolescents with autism, 3 of which confirmed diagnoses, were reviewed. Five types of equine-assisted activities were identified across 25 studies,…

Variability in Cortical Representations of Speech Sound Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boatman, Dana F.

2007-01-01

Recent brain mapping studies have provided new insights into the cortical systems that mediate human speech perception. Electrocortical stimulation mapping (ESM) is a brain mapping method that is used clinically to localize cortical functions in neurosurgical patients. Recent ESM studies have yielded new insights into the cortical systems that…

Assessing Geographic Knowledge with Sketch Maps.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wise, Naomi; Kon, Jane Heckley

1990-01-01

Maintains that comparison of students' sketch maps at the beginning and end of the year can provide information on how student's representations of the world changes. Describes a study from the California International Studies Project (CISP) that provides an easy method for sorting and summarizing sketch map data. Illustrates the method with…

Partnership in Teacher Education--A Research Mapping

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lillejord, Sølvi; Børte, Kristin

2016-01-01

This mapping of research on partnership in teacher education provides an overview of themes and analyses problems identified in the studies that were included. The mapping gives a status of research in the field; identifies knowledge gaps and suggests improvements in partnership models. Studies included describe partnerships as complex and…

Beethoven's Last Piano Sonata and Those Who Follow Crocodiles: Cross-Domain Mappings of Auditory Pitch in a Musical Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eitan, Zohar; Timmers, Renee

2010-01-01

Though auditory pitch is customarily mapped in Western cultures onto spatial verticality (high-low), both anthropological reports and cognitive studies suggest that pitch may be mapped onto a wide variety of other domains. We collected a total number of 35 pitch mappings and investigated in four experiments how these mappings are used and…

Preliminary northeast Asia geodynamics map

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parfenov, Leonid M.; Khanchuk, Alexander I.; Badarch, Gombosuren; Miller, Robert J.; Naumova, Vera V.; Nokleberg, Warren J.; Ogasawara, Masatsugu; Prokopiev, Andrei V.; Yan, Hongquan

2003-01-01

This map portrays the geodynamics of Northeast Asia at a scale of 1:5,000,000 using the concepts of plate tectonics and analysis of terranes and overlap assemblages. The map is the result of a detailed compilation and synthesis at 5 million scale and is part of a major international collaborative study of the Mineral Resources, Metallogenesis, and Tectonics of Northeast Asia conducted from 1997 through 2002 by geologists from earth science agencies and universities in Russia, Mongolia, Northeastern China, South Korea, Japan, and the USA. This map is the result of extensive geologic mapping and associated tectonic studies in Northeast Asia in the last few decades and is the first collaborative compilation of the geology of the region at a scale of 1:5,000,000 by geologists from Russia, Mongolia, Northeastern China, South Korea, Japan, and the USA. The map was compiled by a large group of international geologists using the below concepts and definitions during collaborative workshops over a six-year period. The map is a major new compilation and re-interpretation of pre-existing geologic maps of the region. The map is designed to be used for several purposes, including regional tectonic analyses, mineral resource and metallogenic analysis, petroleum resource analysis, neotectonic analysis, and analysis of seismic hazards and volcanic hazards. The map consists of two sheets. Sheet 1 displays the map at a scale of 1:5,000,000, explanation. Sheet 2 displays the introduction, list of map units, and source references. Detailed descriptions of map units and stratigraphic columns are being published separately. This map is one of a series of publications on the mineral resources, metallogenesis, and geodynamics,of Northeast Asia. Companion studies and other articles and maps , and various detailed reports are: (1) a compilation of major mineral deposit models (Rodionov and Nokleberg, 2000; Rodionov and others, 2000; Obolenskiy and others, in press a); (2) a series of metallogenic belt maps (Obolenskiy and others, 2001; in press b); (3) a lode mineral deposits and placer districts location map for Northeast Asia (Ariunbileg and others, in press b); (4) descriptions of metallogenic belts (Rodionov and others, in press); and (5) a database on significant metalliferous and selected nonmetalliferous lode deposits, and selected placer districts (Ariunbileg and others, in press a).

An Overview and Parametric Evaluation of the CGS ShakeMap Automated System in CISN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagos, L. Z.; Haddadi, H. R.; Shakal, A. F.

2014-12-01

In the recent years, ShakeMap has been extensively used in California for earthquake rapid response. Serving as a backup to the Northern and Southern seismic regions of the California Integrated Seismic Network (CISN), the California Geological Survey (CGS) is running a ShakeMap system configured such that it effectively produces ShakeMaps for earthquakes occurring in both regions. In achieving this goal, CGS has worked to improve the robustness of its ShakeMap system and the quality of its products. Peak ground motion amplitude data are exchanged between the CISN data centers to provide robust generation of ShakeMap. Most exchanged ground motion packets come associated with an earthquake by the authoritative network. However, for ground motion packets that come unassociated, CGS employs an event association scheme to associate them with the corresponding earthquake. The generated ShakeMap products are published to the CGS server which can also be accessed through the CISN website. The backup function is designed to publish ShakeMap products to the USGS NEIC server without collision with the regional networks, only acting in cases where the authoritative region encounters a system failure. Depending on the size, location and significance of the earthquake, review of ShakeMap products by a seismologist may involve changes to ShakeMap parameters from the default. We present an overview of the CGS ShakeMap system and highlight some of the parameters a seismologist may adjust including parameters related to basin effects, directivity effects when finite fault models are available, site corrections, etc. We also analyze the sensitivity and dependence of the ShakeMap intensity and ground motion maps on the number of observed data included in the computation. In light of the available strong motion amplitude data, we attempt to address the question of what constitutes an adequate quality ShakeMap in the tradeoff between rapidity and completeness. We also present a brief comparative study of the available Ground Motion to Intensity Conversion Equations (GMICE) by studying selected earthquakes in California region. Results of these studies can be used as a tool in ShakeMap generation for California earthquakes when the use of non-default parameters is required.

Geodiversity and biodiversity assessment of the Słupsk Bank, Baltic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najwer, Alicja; Zelewska, Izabela; Zwoliński, Zbigniew

2017-04-01

Recognizing the most diversified parts of the territory turns out to be very crucial for management and planning of natural protected areas. There is an increasing number of studies concerning assessing geodiversity and biodiversity of the land areas. However, there is noticeable lack of such publications for submerged zones. The study area consists of 100km2 Słupsk sandy shoal sporadically covered with boulder layers, located in the southern part of the Baltic Sea. It is characterised by landscapes of a significant nature value protected by Natura 2000 and is as well designated as an open sea by Helsinki Commission Baltic Sea Protected Area (HELCOM BSPA). The main aim of the presentation is an attempt to integrate geodiversity and biodiversity assessments of the submerged area using GIS platform. The basis for the diversity assessment is the proper selection of features of the marine environment, its reclassification and integration by the map algebra analysis. The map of geodiversity is based on three factor maps: a relief energy map (classification based on bathymetric model, a landform fragmentation/geomorphological map (expert classification using BPI - Bathymetric Position Index), and a lithological map (classification of the average size of grain fraction). The map of biodiversity is based on the following factor maps: a map of biomass distribution of Ceraminum Diaphanum, a map of biomass distribution of Coccotylus Truncatus, a map of biomass distribution of Polysiphonia Fucoides, a map of biomass distribution of Mytilus Edulis Trossulus, a map of distribution of macroalgae, and finally a map of distribution of macrozoobenthos. It was decided to use four classes of diversity (from low through medium and high, up to very high). The designation of the lowest class was abandoned because it characterizes areas with high anthropopressure. Maps of geodiversity and biodiversity may prove to be helpful in determining the directions for management of the most valuable parts of the areas from the nature point of view, as well as delimitation of the geodiveristy/biodiversity hotspots for purpose of the strict nature protection. This study is the first attempt to use methods of diversity assessment for marine environment.

A second-generation anchored genetic linkage map of the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii)

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii, a small kangaroo used for decades for studies of reproduction and metabolism, is the model Australian marsupial for genome sequencing and genetic investigations. The production of a more comprehensive cytogenetically-anchored genetic linkage map will significantly contribute to the deciphering of the tammar wallaby genome. It has great value as a resource to identify novel genes and for comparative studies, and is vital for the ongoing genome sequence assembly and gene ordering in this species. Results A second-generation anchored tammar wallaby genetic linkage map has been constructed based on a total of 148 loci. The linkage map contains the original 64 loci included in the first-generation map, plus an additional 84 microsatellite loci that were chosen specifically to increase coverage and assist with the anchoring and orientation of linkage groups to chromosomes. These additional loci were derived from (a) sequenced BAC clones that had been previously mapped to tammar wallaby chromosomes by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), (b) End sequence from BACs subsequently FISH-mapped to tammar wallaby chromosomes, and (c) tammar wallaby genes orthologous to opossum genes predicted to fill gaps in the tammar wallaby linkage map as well as three X-linked markers from a published study. Based on these 148 loci, eight linkage groups were formed. These linkage groups were assigned (via FISH-mapped markers) to all seven autosomes and the X chromosome. The sex-pooled map size is 1402.4 cM, which is estimated to provide 82.6% total coverage of the genome, with an average interval distance of 10.9 cM between adjacent markers. The overall ratio of female/male map length is 0.84, which is comparable to the ratio of 0.78 obtained for the first-generation map. Conclusions Construction of this second-generation genetic linkage map is a significant step towards complete coverage of the tammar wallaby genome and considerably extends that of the first-generation map. It will be a valuable resource for ongoing tammar wallaby genetic research and assembling the genome sequence. The sex-pooled map is available online at http://compldb.angis.org.au/. PMID:21854616

A second-generation anchored genetic linkage map of the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii).

PubMed

Wang, Chenwei; Webley, Lee; Wei, Ke-jun; Wakefield, Matthew J; Patel, Hardip R; Deakin, Janine E; Alsop, Amber; Marshall Graves, Jennifer A; Cooper, Desmond W; Nicholas, Frank W; Zenger, Kyall R

2011-08-19

The tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii, a small kangaroo used for decades for studies of reproduction and metabolism, is the model Australian marsupial for genome sequencing and genetic investigations. The production of a more comprehensive cytogenetically-anchored genetic linkage map will significantly contribute to the deciphering of the tammar wallaby genome. It has great value as a resource to identify novel genes and for comparative studies, and is vital for the ongoing genome sequence assembly and gene ordering in this species. A second-generation anchored tammar wallaby genetic linkage map has been constructed based on a total of 148 loci. The linkage map contains the original 64 loci included in the first-generation map, plus an additional 84 microsatellite loci that were chosen specifically to increase coverage and assist with the anchoring and orientation of linkage groups to chromosomes. These additional loci were derived from (a) sequenced BAC clones that had been previously mapped to tammar wallaby chromosomes by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), (b) End sequence from BACs subsequently FISH-mapped to tammar wallaby chromosomes, and (c) tammar wallaby genes orthologous to opossum genes predicted to fill gaps in the tammar wallaby linkage map as well as three X-linked markers from a published study. Based on these 148 loci, eight linkage groups were formed. These linkage groups were assigned (via FISH-mapped markers) to all seven autosomes and the X chromosome. The sex-pooled map size is 1402.4 cM, which is estimated to provide 82.6% total coverage of the genome, with an average interval distance of 10.9 cM between adjacent markers. The overall ratio of female/male map length is 0.84, which is comparable to the ratio of 0.78 obtained for the first-generation map. Construction of this second-generation genetic linkage map is a significant step towards complete coverage of the tammar wallaby genome and considerably extends that of the first-generation map. It will be a valuable resource for ongoing tammar wallaby genetic research and assembling the genome sequence. The sex-pooled map is available online at http://compldb.angis.org.au/.

The Contribution of Latino Studies to Social Science Research on Immigration. JSRI Occasional Paper No. 36. Latino Studies Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pedraza, Silvia

This paper offers a conceptual "map" of issues and approaches in immigration research and illustrates features of the map with the significant contributions of Latino Studies to immigration research. One axis of the map concerns the time line of various waves of immigration. Although research on immigrants and immigration processes was a…

Middle Atmosphere Program. Handbook for MAP, Volume 17

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sechrist, C. F., Jr. (Editor)

1985-01-01

The Middle Atmosphere Program (MAP) handbook is divided into three parts. Part 1 consists of minutes of MAP steering committee meeting and MAP assembly. Part 2 consists of project and study group reports, such as: (1) Atmospheric Tides Middle Atmosphere Program (ATMAP), report of the Nov./Dec. 1981, and May 1982 observational campaigns; MAP/WINE experimenters meeting at Berlin, 1985; (3) MAP/WINE experimenters meeting at Loen, Norway, 1985; and (4) the penetration of ultraviolet solar radiation into the middle atmosphere. Part 3 consists of national reports.

Mapping of wildlife habitat in Farmington Bay, Utah

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaynes, R. A.; Willie, R. D. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

Mapping was accomplished through the interpretation of high-altitude color infrared photography. The feasibility of utilizing LANDSAT digital data to augment the analysis was explored; complex patterns of wildlife habitat and confusion of spectral classes resulted in the decision to make limited use of LANDSAT data in the analysis. The final product is a map which delineates wildlife habitat at a scale of 1:24,000. The map is registered to and printed on a screened U.S.G.S. quadrangle base map. Screened delineations of shoreline contours, mapped from a previous study, are also shown on the map. Intensive field checking of the map was accomplished for the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area in August 1981; other areas on the map received only spot field checking.

Recapitulation of genome-wide association studies on pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure in the Korean population.

PubMed

Hong, Kyung-Won; Min, Haesook; Heo, Byeong-Mun; Joo, Seong Eun; Kim, Sung Soo; Kim, Yeonjung

2012-06-01

Increased pulse pressure (PP) and decreased mean arterial pressure (MAP) are strong prognostic predictors of adverse cardiovascular events. Recently, the International Consortium for Blood Pressure Genome-Wide Association Studies (ICBP-GWAS) reported eight loci that influenced PP and MAP. The ICBP-GWAS examined 51 cohorts--comprising 122 671 individuals of European ancestry--and identified eight SNPs: five that governed PP and three that controlled MAP. Six of these loci were novel. To replicate these newly identified loci and examine genetic architecture of PP and MAP between European and Asian populations, we conducted a meta-analysis of the eight SNPs combining data from ICBP and general population-based Korean cohorts. Two SNPs (rs13002573 (FIGN) and rs871606 (CHIC2)) for PP and two SNPs (rs1446468 (FIGN) and rs319690 (MAP4)) for MAP were replicated in Koreans. Although our GWAS only found moderate association, we believe that the findings promote us to propose that a similar genetic architecture governs PP and MAP in Asians and Europeans. However, further studies will be needed to confirm the possibility using other Asian population.

Comparison of HapMap and 1000 Genomes Reference Panels in a Large-Scale Genome-Wide Association Study.

PubMed

de Vries, Paul S; Sabater-Lleal, Maria; Chasman, Daniel I; Trompet, Stella; Ahluwalia, Tarunveer S; Teumer, Alexander; Kleber, Marcus E; Chen, Ming-Huei; Wang, Jie Jin; Attia, John R; Marioni, Riccardo E; Steri, Maristella; Weng, Lu-Chen; Pool, Rene; Grossmann, Vera; Brody, Jennifer A; Venturini, Cristina; Tanaka, Toshiko; Rose, Lynda M; Oldmeadow, Christopher; Mazur, Johanna; Basu, Saonli; Frånberg, Mattias; Yang, Qiong; Ligthart, Symen; Hottenga, Jouke J; Rumley, Ann; Mulas, Antonella; de Craen, Anton J M; Grotevendt, Anne; Taylor, Kent D; Delgado, Graciela E; Kifley, Annette; Lopez, Lorna M; Berentzen, Tina L; Mangino, Massimo; Bandinelli, Stefania; Morrison, Alanna C; Hamsten, Anders; Tofler, Geoffrey; de Maat, Moniek P M; Draisma, Harmen H M; Lowe, Gordon D; Zoledziewska, Magdalena; Sattar, Naveed; Lackner, Karl J; Völker, Uwe; McKnight, Barbara; Huang, Jie; Holliday, Elizabeth G; McEvoy, Mark A; Starr, John M; Hysi, Pirro G; Hernandez, Dena G; Guan, Weihua; Rivadeneira, Fernando; McArdle, Wendy L; Slagboom, P Eline; Zeller, Tanja; Psaty, Bruce M; Uitterlinden, André G; de Geus, Eco J C; Stott, David J; Binder, Harald; Hofman, Albert; Franco, Oscar H; Rotter, Jerome I; Ferrucci, Luigi; Spector, Tim D; Deary, Ian J; März, Winfried; Greinacher, Andreas; Wild, Philipp S; Cucca, Francesco; Boomsma, Dorret I; Watkins, Hugh; Tang, Weihong; Ridker, Paul M; Jukema, Jan W; Scott, Rodney J; Mitchell, Paul; Hansen, Torben; O'Donnell, Christopher J; Smith, Nicholas L; Strachan, David P; Dehghan, Abbas

2017-01-01

An increasing number of genome-wide association (GWA) studies are now using the higher resolution 1000 Genomes Project reference panel (1000G) for imputation, with the expectation that 1000G imputation will lead to the discovery of additional associated loci when compared to HapMap imputation. In order to assess the improvement of 1000G over HapMap imputation in identifying associated loci, we compared the results of GWA studies of circulating fibrinogen based on the two reference panels. Using both HapMap and 1000G imputation we performed a meta-analysis of 22 studies comprising the same 91,953 individuals. We identified six additional signals using 1000G imputation, while 29 loci were associated using both HapMap and 1000G imputation. One locus identified using HapMap imputation was not significant using 1000G imputation. The genome-wide significance threshold of 5×10-8 is based on the number of independent statistical tests using HapMap imputation, and 1000G imputation may lead to further independent tests that should be corrected for. When using a stricter Bonferroni correction for the 1000G GWA study (P-value < 2.5×10-8), the number of loci significant only using HapMap imputation increased to 4 while the number of loci significant only using 1000G decreased to 5. In conclusion, 1000G imputation enabled the identification of 20% more loci than HapMap imputation, although the advantage of 1000G imputation became less clear when a stricter Bonferroni correction was used. More generally, our results provide insights that are applicable to the implementation of other dense reference panels that are under development.

Comparison of HapMap and 1000 Genomes Reference Panels in a Large-Scale Genome-Wide Association Study

PubMed Central

de Vries, Paul S.; Sabater-Lleal, Maria; Chasman, Daniel I.; Trompet, Stella; Kleber, Marcus E.; Chen, Ming-Huei; Wang, Jie Jin; Attia, John R.; Marioni, Riccardo E.; Weng, Lu-Chen; Grossmann, Vera; Brody, Jennifer A.; Venturini, Cristina; Tanaka, Toshiko; Rose, Lynda M.; Oldmeadow, Christopher; Mazur, Johanna; Basu, Saonli; Yang, Qiong; Ligthart, Symen; Hottenga, Jouke J.; Rumley, Ann; Mulas, Antonella; de Craen, Anton J. M.; Grotevendt, Anne; Taylor, Kent D.; Delgado, Graciela E.; Kifley, Annette; Lopez, Lorna M.; Berentzen, Tina L.; Mangino, Massimo; Bandinelli, Stefania; Morrison, Alanna C.; Hamsten, Anders; Tofler, Geoffrey; de Maat, Moniek P. M.; Draisma, Harmen H. M.; Lowe, Gordon D.; Zoledziewska, Magdalena; Sattar, Naveed; Lackner, Karl J.; Völker, Uwe; McKnight, Barbara; Huang, Jie; Holliday, Elizabeth G.; McEvoy, Mark A.; Starr, John M.; Hysi, Pirro G.; Hernandez, Dena G.; Guan, Weihua; Rivadeneira, Fernando; McArdle, Wendy L.; Slagboom, P. Eline; Zeller, Tanja; Psaty, Bruce M.; Uitterlinden, André G.; de Geus, Eco J. C.; Stott, David J.; Binder, Harald; Hofman, Albert; Franco, Oscar H.; Rotter, Jerome I.; Ferrucci, Luigi; Spector, Tim D.; Deary, Ian J.; März, Winfried; Greinacher, Andreas; Wild, Philipp S.; Cucca, Francesco; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Watkins, Hugh; Tang, Weihong; Ridker, Paul M.; Jukema, Jan W.; Scott, Rodney J.; Mitchell, Paul; Hansen, Torben; O'Donnell, Christopher J.; Smith, Nicholas L.; Strachan, David P.

2017-01-01

An increasing number of genome-wide association (GWA) studies are now using the higher resolution 1000 Genomes Project reference panel (1000G) for imputation, with the expectation that 1000G imputation will lead to the discovery of additional associated loci when compared to HapMap imputation. In order to assess the improvement of 1000G over HapMap imputation in identifying associated loci, we compared the results of GWA studies of circulating fibrinogen based on the two reference panels. Using both HapMap and 1000G imputation we performed a meta-analysis of 22 studies comprising the same 91,953 individuals. We identified six additional signals using 1000G imputation, while 29 loci were associated using both HapMap and 1000G imputation. One locus identified using HapMap imputation was not significant using 1000G imputation. The genome-wide significance threshold of 5×10−8 is based on the number of independent statistical tests using HapMap imputation, and 1000G imputation may lead to further independent tests that should be corrected for. When using a stricter Bonferroni correction for the 1000G GWA study (P-value < 2.5×10−8), the number of loci significant only using HapMap imputation increased to 4 while the number of loci significant only using 1000G decreased to 5. In conclusion, 1000G imputation enabled the identification of 20% more loci than HapMap imputation, although the advantage of 1000G imputation became less clear when a stricter Bonferroni correction was used. More generally, our results provide insights that are applicable to the implementation of other dense reference panels that are under development. PMID:28107422

Digital Data for the reconnaissance geologic map for Prince William Sound and the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Frederic H.; Hults, Chad P.; Labay, Keith A.; Shew, Nora B.

2007-01-01

The growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for digital geologic maps that have been attributed with information about age and lithology. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for manifold special purposes such as mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. This report is part of a series of integrated geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. Three national-scale geologic maps that portray most or all of the United States already exist; for the conterminous U.S., King and Beikman (1974a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:2,500,000, Beikman (1980) compiled a map for Alaska at 1:2,500,000 scale, and for the entire U.S., Reed and others (2005a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:5,000,000. A digital version of the King and Beikman map was published by Schruben and others (1994). Reed and Bush (2004) produced a digital version of the Reed and others (2005a) map for the conterminous U.S. The present series of maps is intended to provide the next step in increased detail. State geologic maps that range in scale from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 are available for most of the country, and digital versions of these state maps are the basis of this product. The digital geologic maps presented here are in a standardized format as ARC/INFO export files and as ArcView shape files. The files named __geol contain geologic polygons and line (contact) attributes; files named __fold contain fold axes; files named __lin contain lineaments; and files named __dike contain dikes as lines. Data tables that relate the map units to detailed lithologic and age information accompany these GIS files. The map is delivered as a set 1:250,000-scale quadrangle files. To the best of our ability, these quadrangle files are edge-matched with respect to geology. When the maps are merged, the combined attribute tables can be used directly with the merged maps to make derivative maps.

Land subsidence susceptibility and hazard mapping: the case of Amyntaio Basin, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzampoglou, P.; Loupasakis, C.

2017-09-01

Landslide susceptibility and hazard mapping has been applying for more than 20 years succeeding the assessment of the landslide risk and the mitigation the phenomena. On the contrary, equivalent maps aiming to study and mitigate land subsidence phenomena caused by the overexploitation of the aquifers are absent from the international literature. The current study focuses at the Amyntaio basin, located in West Macedonia at Florina prefecture. As proved by numerous studies the wider area has been severely affected by the overexploitation of the aquifers, caused by the mining and the agricultural activities. The intensive ground water level drop has triggered extensive land subsidence phenomena, especially at the perimeter of the open pit coal mine operating at the site, causing damages to settlements and infrastructure. The land subsidence susceptibility and risk maps were produced by applying the semi-quantitative WLC (Weighted Linear Combination) method, especially calibrated for this particular catastrophic event. The results were evaluated by using detailed field mapping data referring to the spatial distribution of the surface ruptures caused by the subsidence. The high correlation between the produced maps and the field mapping data, have proved the great value of the maps and of the applied technique on the management and the mitigation of the phenomena. Obviously, these maps can be safely used by decision-making authorities for the future urban safety development.

Topography- and nightlight-based national flood risk assessment in Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elshorbagy, Amin; Bharath, Raja; Lakhanpal, Anchit; Ceola, Serena; Montanari, Alberto; Lindenschmidt, Karl-Erich

2017-04-01

In Canada, flood analysis and water resource management, in general, are tasks conducted at the provincial level; therefore, unified national-scale approaches to water-related problems are uncommon. In this study, a national-scale flood risk assessment approach is proposed and developed. The study focuses on using global and national datasets available with various resolutions to create flood risk maps. First, a flood hazard map of Canada is developed using topography-based parameters derived from digital elevation models, namely, elevation above nearest drainage (EAND) and distance from nearest drainage (DFND). This flood hazard mapping method is tested on a smaller area around the city of Calgary, Alberta, against a flood inundation map produced by the city using hydraulic modelling. Second, a flood exposure map of Canada is developed using a land-use map and the satellite-based nightlight luminosity data as two exposure parameters. Third, an economic flood risk map is produced, and subsequently overlaid with population density information to produce a socioeconomic flood risk map for Canada. All three maps of hazard, exposure, and risk are classified into five classes, ranging from very low to severe. A simple way to include flood protection measures in hazard estimation is also demonstrated using the example of the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. This could be done for the entire country if information on flood protection across Canada were available. The evaluation of the flood hazard map shows that the topography-based method adopted in this study is both practical and reliable for large-scale analysis. Sensitivity analysis regarding the resolution of the digital elevation model is needed to identify the resolution that is fine enough for reliable hazard mapping, but coarse enough for computational tractability. The nightlight data are found to be useful for exposure and risk mapping in Canada; however, uncertainty analysis should be conducted to investigate the effect of the overglow phenomenon on flood risk mapping.

78 FR 45941 - Changes in Flood Hazard Determinations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-30

... (hereinafter referred to as flood hazard determinations) as shown on the indicated Letter of Map Revision (LOMR... Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and in some cases the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports, currently in effect... respective Community Map Repository address listed in the table below and online through the FEMA Map Service...

A Comprehensive Three-Dimensional Cortical Map of Vowel Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scharinger, Mathias; Idsardi, William J.; Poe, Samantha

2011-01-01

Mammalian cortex is known to contain various kinds of spatial encoding schemes for sensory information including retinotopic, somatosensory, and tonotopic maps. Tonotopic maps are especially interesting for human speech sound processing because they encode linguistically salient acoustic properties. In this study, we mapped the entire vowel space…

44 CFR 9.7 - Determination of proposed action's location.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Regional Administrator shall consult the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) the Flood Boundary Floodway Map (FBFM) and the Flood Insurance Study (FIS). (ii) If a detailed map (FIRM or FBFM) is not available, the Regional Administrator shall consult an FEMA Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) . If data on flood...

High School Biology: A Group Approach to Concept Mapping.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, David S.

2003-01-01

Explains concept mapping as an instructional method in cooperative learning environments, and describes a study investigating the effectiveness of concept mapping on student learning during a photosynthesis and cellular respiration unit. Reports on the positive effects of concept mapping in the experimental group. (Contains 16 references.) (YDS)

Radiation hybrid maps of the D-genome of Aegilops tauschii and their application in sequence assembly of large and complex plant genomes.

PubMed

Kumar, Ajay; Seetan, Raed; Mergoum, Mohamed; Tiwari, Vijay K; Iqbal, Muhammad J; Wang, Yi; Al-Azzam, Omar; Šimková, Hana; Luo, Ming-Cheng; Dvorak, Jan; Gu, Yong Q; Denton, Anne; Kilian, Andrzej; Lazo, Gerard R; Kianian, Shahryar F

2015-10-16

The large and complex genome of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L., ~17 Gb) requires high resolution genome maps with saturated marker scaffolds to anchor and orient BAC contigs/ sequence scaffolds for whole genome assembly. Radiation hybrid (RH) mapping has proven to be an excellent tool for the development of such maps for it offers much higher and more uniform marker resolution across the length of the chromosome compared to genetic mapping and does not require marker polymorphism per se, as it is based on presence (retention) vs. absence (deletion) marker assay. In this study, a 178 line RH panel was genotyped with SSRs and DArT markers to develop the first high resolution RH maps of the entire D-genome of Ae. tauschii accession AL8/78. To confirm map order accuracy, the AL8/78-RH maps were compared with:1) a DArT consensus genetic map constructed using more than 100 bi-parental populations, 2) a RH map of the D-genome of reference hexaploid wheat 'Chinese Spring', and 3) two SNP-based genetic maps, one with anchored D-genome BAC contigs and another with anchored D-genome sequence scaffolds. Using marker sequences, the RH maps were also anchored with a BAC contig based physical map and draft sequence of the D-genome of Ae. tauschii. A total of 609 markers were mapped to 503 unique positions on the seven D-genome chromosomes, with a total map length of 14,706.7 cR. The average distance between any two marker loci was 29.2 cR which corresponds to 2.1 cM or 9.8 Mb. The average mapping resolution across the D-genome was estimated to be 0.34 Mb (Mb/cR) or 0.07 cM (cM/cR). The RH maps showed almost perfect agreement with several published maps with regard to chromosome assignments of markers. The mean rank correlations between the position of markers on AL8/78 maps and the four published maps, ranged from 0.75 to 0.92, suggesting a good agreement in marker order. With 609 mapped markers, a total of 2481 deletions for the whole D-genome were detected with an average deletion size of 42.0 Mb. A total of 520 markers were anchored to 216 Ae. tauschii sequence scaffolds, 116 of which were not anchored earlier to the D-genome. This study reports the development of first high resolution RH maps for the D-genome of Ae. tauschii accession AL8/78, which were then used for the anchoring of unassigned sequence scaffolds. This study demonstrates how RH mapping, which offered high and uniform resolution across the length of the chromosome, can facilitate the complete sequence assembly of the large and complex plant genomes.

A SSR-based composite genetic linkage map for the cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) genome

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The construction of genetic linkage maps for cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) has and continues to be an important research goal to facilitate quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis and gene tagging for use in a marker-assisted selection in breeding. Even though a few maps have been developed, they were constructed using diploid or interspecific tetraploid populations. The most recently published intra-specific map was constructed from the cross of cultivated peanuts, in which only 135 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were sparsely populated in 22 linkage groups. The more detailed linkage map with sufficient markers is necessary to be feasible for QTL identification and marker-assisted selection. The objective of this study was to construct a genetic linkage map of cultivated peanut using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers derived primarily from peanut genomic sequences, expressed sequence tags (ESTs), and by "data mining" sequences released in GenBank. Results Three recombinant inbred lines (RILs) populations were constructed from three crosses with one common female parental line Yueyou 13, a high yielding Spanish market type. The four parents were screened with 1044 primer pairs designed to amplify SSRs and 901 primer pairs produced clear PCR products. Of the 901 primer pairs, 146, 124 and 64 primer pairs (markers) were polymorphic in these populations, respectively, and used in genotyping these RIL populations. Individual linkage maps were constructed from each of the three populations and a composite map based on 93 common loci were created using JoinMap. The composite linkage maps consist of 22 composite linkage groups (LG) with 175 SSR markers (including 47 SSRs on the published AA genome maps), representing the 20 chromosomes of A. hypogaea. The total composite map length is 885.4 cM, with an average marker density of 5.8 cM. Segregation distortion in the 3 populations was 23.0%, 13.5% and 7.8% of the markers, respectively. These distorted loci tended to cluster on LG1, LG3, LG4 and LG5. There were only 15 EST-SSR markers mapped due to low polymorphism. By comparison, there were potential synteny, collinear order of some markers and conservation of collinear linkage groups among the maps and with the AA genome but not fully conservative. Conclusion A composite linkage map was constructed from three individual mapping populations with 175 SSR markers in 22 composite linkage groups. This composite genetic linkage map is among the first "true" tetraploid peanut maps produced. This map also consists of 47 SSRs that have been used in the published AA genome maps, and could be used in comparative mapping studies. The primers described in this study are PCR-based markers, which are easy to share for genetic mapping in peanuts. All 1044 primer pairs are provided as additional files and the three RIL populations will be made available to public upon request for quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis and linkage map improvement. PMID:20105299

Noise pollution mapping approach and accuracy on landscape scales.

PubMed

Iglesias Merchan, Carlos; Diaz-Balteiro, Luis

2013-04-01

Noise mapping allows the characterization of environmental variables, such as noise pollution or soundscape, depending on the task. Strategic noise mapping (as per Directive 2002/49/EC, 2002) is a tool intended for the assessment of noise pollution at the European level every five years. These maps are based on common methods and procedures intended for human exposure assessment in the European Union that could be also be adapted for assessing environmental noise pollution in natural parks. However, given the size of such areas, there could be an alternative approach to soundscape characterization rather than using human noise exposure procedures. It is possible to optimize the size of the mapping grid used for such work by taking into account the attributes of the area to be studied and the desired outcome. This would then optimize the mapping time and the cost. This type of optimization is important in noise assessment as well as in the study of other environmental variables. This study compares 15 models, using different grid sizes, to assess the accuracy of the noise mapping of the road traffic noise at a landscape scale, with respect to noise and landscape indicators. In a study area located in the Manzanares High River Basin Regional Park in Spain, different accuracy levels (Kappa index values from 0.725 to 0.987) were obtained depending on the terrain and noise source properties. The time taken for the calculations and the noise mapping accuracy results reveal the potential for setting the map resolution in line with decision-makers' criteria and budget considerations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Qualitative analysis and conceptual mapping of patient experiences in home health care.

PubMed

Lines, Lisa M; Anderson, Wayne L; Blackmon, Brian D; Pronier, Cristalle R; Allen, Rachael W; Kenyon, Anne E

2018-01-01

This study explored patient experiences in home health care through a literature review, focus groups, and interviews. Our goal was to develop a conceptual map of home health care patient experience domains. The conceptual map identifies technical and personal spheres of care, relating prior studies to new focus group and interview findings and identifying the most important domains of care. Study participants (n = 35) most frequently reported the most important domain as staff who are caring, supportive, patient, empathetic, respectful, and considerate (endorsed by 29% of participants). The conceptual map includes 114 discrete domains.

Cartographic mapping study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, C.; Dye, R.; Reed, L.

1982-01-01

The errors associated with planimetric mapping of the United States using satellite remote sensing techniques are analyzed. Assumptions concerning the state of the art achievable for satellite mapping systems and platforms in the 1995 time frame are made. An analysis of these performance parameters is made using an interactive cartographic satellite computer model, after first validating the model using LANDSAT 1 through 3 performance parameters. An investigation of current large scale (1:24,000) US National mapping techniques is made. Using the results of this investigation, and current national mapping accuracy standards, the 1995 satellite mapping system is evaluated for its ability to meet US mapping standards for planimetric and topographic mapping at scales of 1:24,000 and smaller.

Perspectives on the methods of a large systematic mapping of maternal health interventions.

PubMed

Chersich, Matthew; Becerril-Montekio, Victor; Becerra-Posada, Francisco; Dumbaugh, Mari; Kavanagh, Josephine; Blaauw, Duane; Thwala, Siphiwe; Kern, Elinor; Penn-Kekana, Loveday; Vargas, Emily; Mlotshwa, Langelihle; Dhana, Ashar; Mannava, Priya; Portela, Anayda; Tristan, Mario; Rees, Helen; Bijlmakers, Leon

2016-08-25

Mapping studies describe a broad body of literature, and differ from classical systematic reviews, which assess more narrowly-defined questions and evaluate the quality of the studies included in the review. While the steps involved in mapping studies have been described previously, a detailed qualitative account of the methodology could inform the design of future mapping studies. Describe the perspectives of a large research team on the methods used and collaborative experiences in a study that mapped the literature published on maternal health interventions in low- and middle-income countries (2292 full text articles included, after screening 35,048 titles and abstracts in duplicate). Fifteen members of the mapping team, drawn from eight countries, provided their experiences and perspectives of the study in response to a list of questions and probes. The responses were collated and analysed thematically following a grounded theory approach. The objectives of the mapping evolved over time, posing difficulties in ensuring a uniform understanding of the purpose of the mapping among the team members. Ambiguity of some study variables and modifications in data extraction codes were the main threats to the quality of data extraction. The desire for obtaining detailed information on a few topics needed to be weighed against the benefits of collecting more superficial data on a wider range of topics. Team members acquired skills in systematic review methodology and software, and a broad knowledge of maternal health literature. Participation in analysis and dissemination was lower than during the screening of articles for eligibility and data coding. Though all respondents believed the workload involved was high, study outputs were viewed as novel and important contributions to evidence. Overall, most believed there was a favourable balance between the amount of work done and the project's outputs. A large mapping of literature is feasible with a committed team aiming to build their research capacity, and with a limited, simplified set of data extraction codes. In the team's view, the balance between the time spent on the review, and the outputs and skills acquired was favourable. Assessments of the value of a mapping need, however, to take into account the limitations inherent in such exercises, especially the exclusion of grey literature and of assessments of the quality of the studies identified.

Testing random forest classification for identifying lava flows and mapping age groups on a single Landsat 8 image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Long; Solana, Carmen; Canters, Frank; Kervyn, Matthieu

2017-10-01

Mapping lava flows using satellite images is an important application of remote sensing in volcanology. Several volcanoes have been mapped through remote sensing using a wide range of data, from optical to thermal infrared and radar images, using techniques such as manual mapping, supervised/unsupervised classification, and elevation subtraction. So far, spectral-based mapping applications mainly focus on the use of traditional pixel-based classifiers, without much investigation into the added value of object-based approaches and into advantages of using machine learning algorithms. In this study, Nyamuragira, characterized by a series of > 20 overlapping lava flows erupted over the last century, was used as a case study. The random forest classifier was tested to map lava flows based on pixels and objects. Image classification was conducted for the 20 individual flows and for 8 groups of flows of similar age using a Landsat 8 image and a DEM of the volcano, both at 30-meter spatial resolution. Results show that object-based classification produces maps with continuous and homogeneous lava surfaces, in agreement with the physical characteristics of lava flows, while lava flows mapped through the pixel-based classification are heterogeneous and fragmented including much "salt and pepper noise". In terms of accuracy, both pixel-based and object-based classification performs well but the former results in higher accuracies than the latter except for mapping lava flow age groups without using topographic features. It is concluded that despite spectral similarity, lava flows of contrasting age can be well discriminated and mapped by means of image classification. The classification approach demonstrated in this study only requires easily accessible image data and can be applied to other volcanoes as well if there is sufficient information to calibrate the mapping.

Regulatory T cells in cattle and their potential role in bovine paratuberculosis.

PubMed

Coussens, Paul M; Sipkovsky, Sue; Murphy, Brooke; Roussey, Jon; Colvin, Christopher J

2012-05-01

The intracellular bacterium Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) causes Johne's disease in wild and domestic ruminants. Johne's disease presents as a chronic enteritis with severe inflammation of intestinal tissues, characterized by widespread infiltration of macrophages, the target cell of MAP. Clinical signs of Johne's disease are typically accompanied by a loss of peripheral CD4+ T cell responses to MAP antigens and an increase in anti-MAP serum IgG levels. Recently, it was proposed that regulatory T cells might develop over the lengthy course of subclinical MAP infection. In the past five years, significant progress in defining bovine regulatory T cells has been made. These studies grew out of observations that IL-10 is produced by PBMCs in response to MAP antigen stimulation and that neutralization of this IL-10 could enhance IFN-γ production from MAP-antigen reactive effector T cells. Depletion studies revealed that MAP responsive cell populations producing IL-10 were largely CD4+ and CD25+, although monocytes have also been shown to produce IL-10 in response to MAP. In addition, evidence for a regulatory population of γδ T cells has also begun to accumulate. We summarize current thinking regarding regulatory T cells in MAP infection and provide data suggesting a potential link between regulatory T cells, bovine leukemia virus, and MAP. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cellular and humoral immune responses in sheep vaccinated with candidate antigens MAP2698c and MAP3567 from Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis

PubMed Central

Gurung, Ratna B.; Purdie, Auriol C.; Whittington, Richard J.; Begg, Douglas J.

2014-01-01

Control of Johne's disease, caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) in ruminants using commercially available vaccine reduces production losses, mortality, fecal shedding and histopathological lesions but does not provide complete protection from infection and interferes with serological diagnosis of Johne's disease and bovine tuberculosis. At this time no recombinant antigens have been found to provide superior protection compared to whole killed or live-attenuated MAP vaccines. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate more candidate MAP antigens. In this study recombinant MAP antigens MAP2698c and MAP3567 were formulated with four different MONTANIDE™ (ISA 50V2, 61VG, 71VG, and 201VG) adjuvants and evaluated for their ability to produce specific immune responses in vaccinated sheep. The cellular immune response was measured with an interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release assay and the humoral immune response was measured by antibody detection enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Recombinant vaccine formulation with the antigen MAP2698c and MONTANIDE™ ISA 201VG adjuvant produced strong whole-MAP as well as MAP2698c-specific IFN-γ responses in a high proportion of the vaccinated sheep. The formulation caused less severe injection site lesions in comparison to other formulations. The findings from this study suggest that the MAP2698c + 201VG should be evaluated in a challenge trial to determine the efficacy of this vaccine candidate. PMID:25077074

Digital data for the geology of the Southern Brooks Range, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Till, Alison B.; Dumoulin, Julie A.; Harris, Anita G.; Moore, Thomas E.; Bleick, Heather A.; Siwiec, Benjamin; Labay, Keith A.; Wilson, Frederic H.; Shew, Nora B.

2008-01-01

The growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for digital geologic maps that have been attributed with information about age and lithology. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for manifold special purposes such as mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. This report is part of a series of integrated geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. Three national-scale geologic maps that portray most or all of the United States already exist; for the conterminous U.S., King and Beikman (1974a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:2,500,000, Beikman (1980) compiled a map for Alaska at 1:2,500,000 scale, and for the entire U.S., Reed and others (2005a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:5,000,000. A digital version of the King and Beikman map was published by Schruben and others (1994). Reed and Bush (2004) produced a digital version of the Reed and others (2005a) map for the conterminous U.S. The present series of maps is intended to provide the next step in increased detail. State geologic maps that range in scale from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 are available for most of the country, and digital versions of these state maps are the basis of this product. The digital geologic maps presented here are in a standardized format as ARC/INFO export files and as ArcView shape files. The files named __geol contain geologic polygons and line (contact) attributes; files named __fold contain fold axes; files named __lin contain lineaments; and files named __dike contain dikes as lines. Data tables that relate the map units to detailed lithologic and age information accompany these GIS files. The map is delivered as a set 1:250,000-scale quadrangle files. To the best of our ability, these quadrangle files are edge-matched with respect to geology. When the maps are merged, the combined attribute tables can be used directly with the merged maps to make derivative maps.

Global transport in a nonautonomous periodic standard map

DOE PAGES

Calleja, Renato C.; del-Castillo-Negrete, D.; Martinez-del-Rio, D.; ...

2017-04-14

A non-autonomous version of the standard map with a periodic variation of the perturbation parameter is introduced and studied via an autonomous map obtained from the iteration of the nonautonomous map over a period. Symmetry properties in the variables and parameters of the map are found and used to find relations between rotation numbers of invariant sets. The role of the nonautonomous dynamics on period-one orbits, stability and bifurcation is studied. The critical boundaries for the global transport and for the destruction of invariant circles with fixed rotation number are studied in detail using direct computation and a continuation method.more » In the case of global transport, the critical boundary has a particular symmetrical horn shape. Here, the results are contrasted with similar calculations found in the literature.« less

Global transport in a nonautonomous periodic standard map

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

Calleja, Renato C.; del-Castillo-Negrete, D.; Martinez-del-Rio, D.

A non-autonomous version of the standard map with a periodic variation of the perturbation parameter is introduced and studied via an autonomous map obtained from the iteration of the nonautonomous map over a period. Symmetry properties in the variables and parameters of the map are found and used to find relations between rotation numbers of invariant sets. The role of the nonautonomous dynamics on period-one orbits, stability and bifurcation is studied. The critical boundaries for the global transport and for the destruction of invariant circles with fixed rotation number are studied in detail using direct computation and a continuation method.more » In the case of global transport, the critical boundary has a particular symmetrical horn shape. Here, the results are contrasted with similar calculations found in the literature.« less

Receptor-like Molecules on Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells Interact with an Adhesion Factor from Lactobacillus reuteri.

PubMed

Matsuo, Yosuke; Miyoshi, Yukihiro; Okada, Sanae; Satoh, Eiichi

2012-01-01

A surface protein of Lactobacillus reuteri, mucus adhesion-promoting protein (MapA), is considered to be an adhesion factor. MapA is expressed in L. reuteri strains and adheres to piglet gastric mucus, collagen type I, and human intestinal epithelial cells such as Caco-2. The aim of this study was to identify molecules that mediate the attachment of MapA from L. reuteri to the intestinal epithelial cell surface by investigating the adhesion of MapA to receptor-like molecules on Caco-2 cells. MapA-binding receptor-like molecules were detected in Caco-2 cell lysates by 2D-PAGE. Two proteins, annexin A13 (ANXA13) and paralemmin (PALM), were identified by MALDI TOF-MS. The results of a pull-down assay showed that MapA bound directly to ANXA13 and PALM. Fluorescence microscopy studies confirmed that MapA binding to ANXA13 and PALM was colocalized on the Caco-2 cell membrane. To evaluate whether ANXA13 and PALM are important for MapA adhesion, ANXA13 and PALM knockdown cell lines were established. The adhesion of MapA to the abovementioned cell lines was reduced compared with that to wild-type Caco-2 cells. These knockdown experiments established the importance of these receptor-like molecules in MapA adhesion.

Evaluation of ERTS-1 imagery for mapping Quaternary deposits and landforms in the Great Plains and Midwest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, R. B. (Principal Investigator); Hallberg, G. R.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The main landform associations and larger landforms are readily identifiable on the better images and commonly the gross associations of surficial Quaternary deposits also can be differentiated, primarily by information on landforms and soils. Maps showing the Quaternary geologic-terrain units that can be differentiated from the ERTS-1 images are being prepared for study areas in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Preliminary maps at 1:1 million scale are given of two of the study areas, the Peoria and Decatur, Illinois, 1 deg x 2 quadrangles. These maps exemplify the first phase of investigations, which consists of identifying and mapping landform and land use characteristics and geologic-surficial materials directly from ERTS-1 images alone, without input of additional data. These maps shown that commonly the boundaries of geologic-terrain units can be identified more accurately on ERTS-1 images than on topographic maps of 1:250,000 scale. From analysis of drainage patterns, stream-divide relations, and tone and textural variations on the ERTS-1 images, the trends of numerous moraines of Wisconsinan and possibly some of Illinoian age were mapped. In the Peoria study area the trend of a buried valley of the Mississippi River is revealed.

Quantifying Emotional Intelligence in Relationships: The Validation of the Relationship Skills Map

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Judith Ellen

2010-01-01

Emotional intelligence in relationships can be developed and enhanced through the use of an assessment instrument within a mentoring or counseling relationship. The Relationship Skills Map (RSM) has been created for this purpose. This study concerns the validation of the Relationship Skills Map. Participants in this study included members of a…

An Investigation of the Effectiveness of Concept Mapping on Turkish Students' Academic Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdogan, Yavuz

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the experimental studies which test the effectiveness of the concept mapping instructional strategy compared to the traditional teaching method. Meta-analysis was used to calculate the effect size of the concept mapping strategy on academic success. Therefore, the analysis includes experimental studies conducted in Turkey…

Testing Beyond Words: Using Tests to Enhance Visuospatial Map Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, Shana K.; Pashler, Harold

2007-01-01

Psychological research shows that learning can be powerfully enhanced through testing, but this finding has so far been confined to memory tasks requiring verbal responses. We explored whether testing can enhance learning of visuospatial information in maps. Fifty subjects each studied 2 maps, one through conventional study, and the other through…

Competency Mapping of Teachers in Tertiary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sugumar, V. Raji

2009-01-01

Competency of teachers assumes a lot of importance in the era of knowledge society who are expected to produce students of high calibre. In India however competency development and mapping still remains an unexplored process. Not much study has been done on competency mapping in higher education sector, thus the present study is ventured upon. The…

Using Digital Mapping Tool in Ill-Structured Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bai, Hua

2013-01-01

Scaffolding students' problem solving and helping them to improve problem solving skills are critical in instructional design courses. This study investigated the effects of students' uses of a digital mapping tool on their problem solving performance in a design case study. It was found that the students who used the digital mapping tool…

Gavagai Is as Gavagai Does: Learning Nouns and Verbs from Cross-Situational Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monaghan, Padraic; Mattock, Karen; Davies, Robert A. I.; Smith, Alastair C.

2015-01-01

Learning to map words onto their referents is difficult, because there are multiple possibilities for forming these mappings. Cross-situational learning studies have shown that word-object mappings can be learned across multiple situations, as can verbs when presented in a syntactic context. However, these previous studies have presented either…

Strategy and Quality Maps in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kettunen, Juha

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the integration of strategic management and quality assurance in higher education. The study presents how the value chain can be described in the strategy and quality maps, which are, respectively graphical representations of the strategic plan and the quality assurance system. The quality map is a new…

The Effect of College Students' Self-Generated Computerized Mind Mapping on Their Reading Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabbah, Sabah Salman

2015-01-01

This study explored the potential effect of college students' self-generated computerized mind maps on their reading comprehension. It also investigated the subjects' attitudes toward generating computerized mind maps for reading comprehension. The study was conducted in response to the inability of the foundation-level students, who were learning…

Development of a seroprevalence map for avian influenza in broiler chickens from Comunidad Valenciana, Spain.

PubMed

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to design and implement a seroprevalence map based on business intelligence for low pathogenicity notifiable avian influenza (LPNAI) in broilerchickens in Comunidad Valenciana (Spain). The software mapping tool developed for this study consisted of three main phases: data collection, data analysis and data representation. To obtain the serological data, the authors analysed 8,520 serum samples from broiler farms over three years. The data were represented on a map of Comunidad Valenciana, including geographical information of flock locations to facilitate disease monitoring. No clinical signs of LPNAI were reported in the studied flocks. The data from this study showed no evidence of contact with LPNAI in broiler flocks and the novel software mapping tool proved a valuable method for easily monitoring on the serological response to avian influenza information, including geographical information.

Cloud GIS Based Watershed Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bediroğlu, G.; Colak, H. E.

2017-11-01

In this study, we generated a Cloud GIS based watershed management system with using Cloud Computing architecture. Cloud GIS is used as SAAS (Software as a Service) and DAAS (Data as a Service). We applied GIS analysis on cloud in terms of testing SAAS and deployed GIS datasets on cloud in terms of DAAS. We used Hybrid cloud computing model in manner of using ready web based mapping services hosted on cloud (World Topology, Satellite Imageries). We uploaded to system after creating geodatabases including Hydrology (Rivers, Lakes), Soil Maps, Climate Maps, Rain Maps, Geology and Land Use. Watershed of study area has been determined on cloud using ready-hosted topology maps. After uploading all the datasets to systems, we have applied various GIS analysis and queries. Results shown that Cloud GIS technology brings velocity and efficiency for watershed management studies. Besides this, system can be easily implemented for similar land analysis and management studies.

Parietal and superior frontal visuospatial maps activated by pointing and saccades

PubMed Central

Hagler, D.J.; Riecke, L.; Sereno, M.I.

2009-01-01

A recent study from our laboratory demonstrated that parietal cortex contains a map of visual space related to saccades and spatial attention and identified this area as the likely human homologue of the lateral intraparietal (LIP). A human homologue for the parietal reach region (PRR), thought to preferentially encode planned hand movements, has also been recently proposed. Both of these areas, originally identified in the macaque monkey, have been shown to encode space with eye-centered coordinates. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of humans was used to test the hypothesis that the putative human PRR contains a retinotopic map recruited by finger pointing but not saccades and to test more generally for differences in the visuospatial maps recruited by pointing and saccades. We identified multiple maps in both posterior parietal cortex and superior frontal cortex recruited for eye and hand movements, including maps not observed in previous mapping studies. Pointing and saccade maps were generally consistent within single subjects. We have developed new group analysis methods for phase-encoded data, which revealed subtle differences between pointing and saccades, including hemispheric asymmetries, but we did not find evidence of pointing-specific maps of visual space. PMID:17376706

An integrated molecular cytogenetic map of Cucumis sativus L. chromosome 2.

PubMed

Han, Yonghua; Zhang, Zhonghua; Huang, Sanwen; Jin, Weiwei

2011-01-27

Integration of molecular, genetic and cytological maps is still a challenge for most plant species. Recent progress in molecular and cytogenetic studies created a basis for developing integrated maps in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). In this study, eleven fosmid clones and three plasmids containing 45S rDNA, the centromeric satellite repeat Type III and the pericentriomeric repeat CsRP1 sequences respectively were hybridized to cucumber metaphase chromosomes to assign their cytological location on chromosome 2. Moreover, an integrated molecular cytogenetic map of cucumber chromosomes 2 was constructed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping of 11 fosmid clones together with the cucumber centromere-specific Type III sequence on meiotic pachytene chromosomes. The cytogenetic map was fully integrated with genetic linkage map since each fosmid clone was anchored by a genetically mapped simple sequence repeat marker (SSR). The relationship between the genetic and physical distances along chromosome was analyzed. Recombination was not evenly distributed along the physical length of chromosome 2. Suppression of recombination was found in centromeric and pericentromeric regions. Our results also indicated that the molecular markers composing the linkage map for chromosome 2 provided excellent coverage of the chromosome.

HapMap filter 1.0: a tool to preprocess the HapMap genotypic data for association studies.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Duan, Shiwei; Dolan, M Eileen

2008-05-13

The International HapMap Project provides a resource of genotypic data on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which can be used in various association studies to identify the genetic determinants for phenotypic variations. Prior to the association studies, the HapMap dataset should be preprocessed in order to reduce the computation time and control the multiple testing problem. The less informative SNPs including those with very low genotyping rate and SNPs with rare minor allele frequencies to some extent in one or more population are removed. Some research designs only use SNPs in a subset of HapMap cell lines. Although the HapMap website and other association software packages have provided some basic tools for optimizing these datasets, a fast and user-friendly program to generate the output for filtered genotypic data would be beneficial for association studies. Here, we present a flexible, straight-forward bioinformatics program that can be useful in preparing the HapMap genotypic data for association studies by specifying cell lines and two common filtering criteria: minor allele frequencies and genotyping rate. The software was developed for Microsoft Windows and written in C++. The Windows executable and source code in Microsoft Visual C++ are available at Google Code (http://hapmap-filter-v1.googlecode.com/) or upon request. Their distribution is subject to GNU General Public License v3.

Does the mind map learning strategy facilitate information retrieval and critical thinking in medical students?

PubMed

D'Antoni, Anthony V; Zipp, Genevieve Pinto; Olson, Valerie G; Cahill, Terrence F

2010-09-16

A learning strategy underutilized in medical education is mind mapping. Mind maps are multi-sensory tools that may help medical students organize, integrate, and retain information. Recent work suggests that using mind mapping as a note-taking strategy facilitates critical thinking. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a relationship existed between mind mapping and critical thinking, as measured by the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT), and whether a relationship existed between mind mapping and recall of domain-based information. In this quasi-experimental study, 131 first-year medical students were randomly assigned to a standard note-taking (SNT) group or mind map (MM) group during orientation. Subjects were given a demographic survey and pre-HSRT. They were then given an unfamiliar text passage, a pre-quiz based upon the passage, and a 30-minute break, during which time subjects in the MM group were given a presentation on mind mapping. After the break, subjects were given the same passage and wrote notes based on their group (SNT or MM) assignment. A post-quiz based upon the passage was administered, followed by a post-HSRT. Differences in mean pre- and post-quiz scores between groups were analyzed using independent samples t-tests, whereas differences in mean pre- and post-HSRT total scores and subscores between groups were analyzed using ANOVA. Mind map depth was assessed using the Mind Map Assessment Rubric (MMAR). There were no significant differences in mean scores on both the pre- and post-quizzes between note-taking groups. And, no significant differences were found between pre- and post-HSRT mean total scores and subscores. Although mind mapping was not found to increase short-term recall of domain-based information or critical thinking compared to SNT, a brief introduction to mind mapping allowed novice MM subjects to perform similarly to SNT subjects. This demonstrates that medical students using mind maps can successfully retrieve information in the short term, and does not put them at a disadvantage compared to SNT students. Future studies should explore longitudinal effects of mind-map proficiency training on both short- and long-term information retrieval and critical thinking.

Engineering Feasibility and Trade Studies for the NASA/VSGC MicroMaps Space Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abdelkhalik, Ossama O.; Nairouz, Bassem; Weaver, Timothy; Newman, Brett

2003-01-01

Knowledge of airborne CO concentrations is critical for accurate scientific prediction of global scale atmospheric behavior. MicroMaps is an existing NASA owned gas filter radiometer instrument designed for space-based measurement of atmospheric CO vertical profiles. Due to programmatic changes, the instrument does not have access to the space environment and is in storage. MicroMaps hardware has significant potential for filling a critical scientific need, thus motivating concept studies for new and innovative scientific spaceflight missions that would leverage the MicroMaps heritage and investment, and contribute to new CO distribution data. This report describes engineering feasibility and trade studies for the NASA/VSGC MicroMaps Space Mission. Conceptual studies encompass: 1) overall mission analysis and synthesis methodology, 2) major subsystem studies and detailed requirements development for an orbital platform option consisting of a small, single purpose spacecraft, 3) assessment of orbital platform option consisting of the International Space Station, and 4) survey of potential launch opportunities for gaining assess to orbit. Investigations are of a preliminary first-order nature. Results and recommendations from these activities are envisioned to support future MicroMaps Mission design decisions regarding program down select options leading to more advanced and mature phases.

Construction of a Transcription Map for Papillomaviruses using RACE, RNAse Protection and Primer Extension Assays

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaohong; Zheng, Zhi-Ming

2016-01-01

Papillomaviruses are a family of small, non-enveloped DNA tumor viruses. Knowing a complete transcription map from each papillomavirus genome can provide guidance for various papillomavirus studies. This unit provides detailed protocols to construct a transcription map of human papillomavirus type 18. The same approach can be easily adapted to other transcription map studies of any other papillomavirus genotype due to the high degree of conservation in the genome structure, organization and gene expression among papillomaviruses. The focused methods are 5’- and 3’- rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), which are the techniques commonly used in molecular biology to obtain the full length RNA transcript or to map a transcription start site (TSS) or an RNA polyadenylation (pA) cleavage site. Primer walking RT-PCR is a method for studying splicing junction of RACE products. In addition, RNase protection assay and primer extension are also introduced as alternative methods in the mapping analysis. PMID:26855281

Does Value Stream Mapping affect the structure, process, and outcome quality in care facilities? A systematic review.

PubMed

Nowak, Marina; Pfaff, Holger; Karbach, Ute

2017-08-24

Quality improvement within health and social care facilities is needed and has to be evidence-based and patient-centered. Value Stream Mapping, a method of Lean management, aims to increase the patients' value and quality of care by a visualization and quantification of the care process. The aim of this research is to examine the effectiveness of Value Stream Mapping on structure, process, and outcome quality in care facilities. A systematic review is conducted. PubMed, EBSCOhost, including Business Source Complete, Academic Search Complete, PSYCInfo, PSYNDX, SocINDEX with Full Text, Web of Knowledge, and EMBASE ScienceDirect are searched in February 2016. All peer-reviewed papers evaluating Value Stream Mapping and published in English or German from January 2000 are included. For data synthesis, all study results are categorized into Donabedian's model of structure, process, and outcome quality. To assess and interpret the effectiveness of Value Stream Mapping, the frequencies of the results statistically examined are considered. Of the 903 articles retrieved, 22 studies fulfill the inclusion criteria. Of these, 11 studies are used to answer the research question. Value Stream Mapping has positive effects on the time dimension of process and outcome quality. It seems to reduce non-value-added time (e.g., waiting time) and length of stay. All study designs are before and after studies without control, and methodologically sophisticated studies are missing. For a final conclusion about Value Stream Mapping's effectiveness, more research with improved methodology is needed. Despite this lack of evidence, Value Stream Mapping has the potential to improve quality of care on the time dimension. The contextual influence has to be investigated to make conclusions about the relationship between different quality domains when applying Value Stream Mapping. However, for using this review's conclusion, the limitation of including heterogeneous and potentially biased results has to be considered.

Inference and Association in Children's Early Numerical Estimation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Jessica; Barner, David

2014-01-01

How do children map number words to the numerical magnitudes they represent? Recent work in adults has shown that two distinct mechanisms--structure mapping and associative mapping--connect number words to nonlinguistic numerical representations (Sullivan, J., 2012). This study investigated the development of number word mappings, and the roles of…

Using Concept Mapping to Improve Poor Readers' Understanding of Expository Text

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morfidi, Eleni; Mikropoulos, Anastasios; Rogdaki, Aspasia

2018-01-01

The present study examined whether the use of concept mapping is more effective in teaching expository material in comparison to a traditional, lecture only, approach. Its objective was threefold. First, to determine if multimedia concept mapping produces differential learning outcomes compared to digital text-based concept mapping. Secondly, to…

Construction of a high-density high-resolution genetic map and its integration with BAC-based physical map in channel catfish

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Construction of genetic linkage map is essential for genetic and genomic studies. Recent advances in sequencing and genotyping technologies made it possible to generate high-density and high-resolution genetic linkage maps, especially for the organisms lacking extensive genomic resources. In the pre...

Journey Mapping the User Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samson, Sue; Granath, Kim; Alger, Adrienne

2017-01-01

This journey-mapping pilot study was designed to determine whether journey mapping is an effective method to enhance the student experience of using the library by assessing our services from their point of view. Journey mapping plots a process or service to produce a visual representation of a library transaction--from the point at which the…

Concept Maps and Language: A Turkish Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilic, Gulsen Bagci

2003-01-01

Concept maps are being used by an increasing number of educators in Europe and the US. This paper has four goals. First, it discusses problems in developing Novak's style concept maps in Turkish caused by linguistic differences between Turkish and English. Second, it reports the findings of a research study conducted to adapt concept maps to…

Prevention of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) Infection in BALB/c Mice by Feeding Probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus NP-51

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to examine effects of feeding Lactobacillus acidophilus strain NP51 to mice challenged with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Mice were randomized to ten treatment groups; sentinels, control, heat-killed MAP, viable MAP, heat-killed NP51, viable ...

Prevention of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection in BALB/c mice by feeding probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus NP-51

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to examine effects of feeding Lactobacillus acidophilus strain NP51 to mice challenged with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Mice were randomized to ten treatment groups; sentinels, control, heat-killed MAP, viable MAP, heat-killed NP51, viable ...

Strong Convergence of Iteration Processes for Infinite Family of General Extended Mappings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussein Maibed, Zena

2018-05-01

The aim of this paper, we introduce a concept of general extended mapping which is independent of nonexpansive mapping and give an iteration process of families of quasi nonexpansive and of general extended mappings. Also, the existence of common fixed point are studied for these process in the Hilbert spaces.

Exploring the Middle Ages with the Medieval Map.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parry, Joseph D.

1998-01-01

Illustrates how medieval maps provide a means for studying the Middle Ages by allowing students to explore the ideology and representations of the medieval world conveyed by the maps. Explains that students also can compare the maps with literature from the same time period to further analyze the representations of the culture. (CMK)

Advantage of spatial map ion imaging in the study of large molecule photodissociation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chin; Lin, Yen-Cheng; Lee, Shih-Huang; Lee, Yin-Yu; Tseng, Chien-Ming; Lee, Yuan-Tseh; Ni, Chi-Kung

2017-07-01

The original ion imaging technique has low velocity resolution, and currently, photodissociation is mostly investigated using velocity map ion imaging. However, separating signals from the background (resulting from undissociated excited parent molecules) is difficult when velocity map ion imaging is used for the photodissociation of large molecules (number of atoms ≥ 10). In this study, we used the photodissociation of phenol at the S1 band origin as an example to demonstrate how our multimass ion imaging technique, based on modified spatial map ion imaging, can overcome this difficulty. The photofragment translational energy distribution obtained when multimass ion imaging was used differed considerably from that obtained when velocity map ion imaging and Rydberg atom tagging were used. We used conventional translational spectroscopy as a second method to further confirm the experimental results, and we conclude that data should be interpreted carefully when velocity map ion imaging or Rydberg atom tagging is used in the photodissociation of large molecules. Finally, we propose a modified velocity map ion imaging technique without the disadvantages of the current velocity map ion imaging technique.

Preliminary atlas of active shallow tectonic deformation in the Puget Lowland, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnett, Elizabeth A.; Haugerud, Ralph A.; Sherrod, Brian L.; Weaver, Craig S.; Pratt, Thomas L.; Blakely, Richard J.

2010-01-01

This atlas presents an up-to-date map compilation of the geological and geophysical observations that underpin interpretations of active, surface-deforming faults in the Puget Lowland, Washington. Shallow lowland faults are mapped where observations of deformation from paleoseismic, seismic-reflection, and potential-field investigations converge. Together, results from these studies strengthen the identification and characterization of regional faults and show that as many as a dozen shallow faults have been active during the Holocene. The suite of maps presented in our atlas identifies sites that have evidence of deformation attributed to these shallow faults. For example, the paleoseismic-investigations map shows where coseismic surface rupture and deformation produced geomorphic scarps and deformed shorelines. Other maps compile results of seismic-reflection and potential-field studies that demonstrate evidence of deformation along suspected fault structures in the subsurface. Summary maps show the fault traces derived from, and draped over, the datasets presented in the preceding maps. Overall, the atlas provides map users with a visual overview of the observations and interpretations that support the existence of active, shallow faults beneath the densely populated Puget Lowland.

A study of the utilization of ERTS-1 data from the Wabash River Basin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landgrebe, D. A. (Principal Investigator)

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The identification and area estimation of crops experiment tested the usefulness of ERTS data for crop survey and produced results indicating that crop statistics could be obtained from ERTS imagery. Soil association mapping results showed that strong relationships exist between ERTS data derived maps and conventional soil maps. Urban land use analysis experiment results indicate potential for accurate gross land use mapping. Water resources mapping demonstrated the feasibility of mapping water bodies using ERTS imagery.

Concept mapping to promote meaningful learning, help relate theory to practice and improve learning self-efficacy in Asian mental health nursing students: A mixed-methods pilot study.

PubMed

Bressington, Daniel T; Wong, Wai-Kit; Lam, Kar Kei Claire; Chien, Wai Tong

2018-01-01

Student nurses are provided with a great deal of knowledge within university, but they can find it difficult to relate theory to nursing practice. This study aimed to test the appropriateness and feasibility of assessing Novak's concept mapping as an educational strategy to strengthen the theory-practice link, encourage meaningful learning and enhance learning self-efficacy in nursing students. This pilot study utilised a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design. The study was conducted in a University school of Nursing in Hong Kong. A total of 40 third-year pre-registration Asian mental health nursing students completed the study; 12 in the concept mapping (CM) group and 28 in the usual teaching methods (UTM) group. The impact of concept mapping was evaluated thorough analysis of quantitative changes in students' learning self-efficacy, analysis of the structure and contents of the concept maps (CM group), a quantitative measure of students' opinions about their reflective learning activities and content analysis of qualitative data from reflective written accounts (CM group). There were no significant differences in self-reported learning self-efficacy between the two groups (p=0.38). The concept mapping helped students identify their current level of understanding, but the increased awareness may cause an initial drop in learning self-efficacy. The results highlight that most CM students were able to demonstrate meaningful learning and perceived that concept mapping was a useful reflective learning strategy to help them to link theory and practice. The results provide preliminary evidence that the concept mapping approach can be useful to help mental health nursing students visualise their learning progress and encourage the integration of theoretical knowledge with clinical knowledge. Combining concept mapping data with quantitative measures and qualitative reflective journal data appears to be a useful way of assessing and understanding the effectiveness of concept mapping. Future studies should utilise a larger sample size and consider using the approach as a targeted intervention immediately before and during clinical learning placements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new planetary mapping for future space missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karachevtseva, Irina; Kokhanov, Alexander; Rodionova, Janna; Zubarev, Anatoliy; Nadezhdina, Irina; Kreslavsky, Mikhail; Oberst, Jürgen

2015-04-01

The wide studies of Solar system, including different planetary bodies, were announced by new Russian space program. Their geodesy and cartography support provides by MIIGAiK Extraterrestrial Laboratory (http://mexlab.miigaik.ru/eng) in frames of the new project "Studies of Fundamental Geodetic Parameters and Topography of Planets and Satellites". The objects of study are satellites of the outer planets (satellites of Jupiter - Europa, Calisto and Ganymede; Saturnine satellite Enceladus), some planets (Mercury and Mars) and the satellites of the terrestrial planets - Phobos (Mars) and the Moon (Earth). The new research project, which started in 2014, will address the following important scientific and practical tasks: - Creating new three-dimensional geodetic control point networks of satellites of the outer planets using innovative photogrammetry techniques; - Determination of fundamental geodetic parameters and study size, shape, and spin parameters and to create the basic framework for research of their surfaces; - Studies of relief of planetary bodies and comparative analysis of general surface characteristics of the Moon, Mars, and Mercury, as well as studies of morphometric parameters of volcanic formations on the Moon and Mars; - Modeling of meteoritic bombardment of celestial bodies and the study of the dynamics of particle emissions caused by a meteorite impacts; - Development of geodatabase for studies of planetary bodies, including creation of object catalogues, (craters and volcanic forms, etc.), and thematic mapping using GIS technology. The significance of the project is defined both by necessity of obtaining fundamental characteristics of the Solar System bodies, and practical tasks in preparation for future Russian and international space missions to the Jupiter system (Laplace-P and JUICE), the Moon (Luna-Glob and Luna-Resource), Mars (Exo-Mars), Mercury (Bepi-Colombo), and possible mission to Phobos (project Boomerang). For cartographic support of future missions, we have created various maps as results of first year research: new base maps of Ganymede, including a hypsometric map and a global surface map; the base and thematic maps of Phobos which were updated using new image data sets from Mars Express; a newest map of topographic roughness of Mercury (for north polar area) [2] and a map of topographic roughness of the Moon using laser altimeter data processing obtained by MESSENGER (MLA) and LRO (LOLA) for their comparative analyses; a new global hypsometric map of the Moon. Published version of the maps will be presented at the conference, and all data products using for mapping will be available via MExLab Geoportal (http://cartsrv.mexlab.ru/geoportal/#body/). Acknowledgments. This work was carried out in MIIGAiK and supported by Russian Science Foundation, project #14-22-00197. References: [1] http://mexlab.miigaik.ru/eng/ [2] Kreslavsky et al., Geophys. Res.Lett., 41, doi:10.1002/2014GL062162 [3] http://cartsrv.mexlab.ru/geoportal/#body/

Accuracy, resolution, and cost comparisons between small format and mapping cameras for environmental mapping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clegg, R. H.; Scherz, J. P.

1975-01-01

Successful aerial photography depends on aerial cameras providing acceptable photographs within cost restrictions of the job. For topographic mapping where ultimate accuracy is required only large format mapping cameras will suffice. For mapping environmental patterns of vegetation, soils, or water pollution, 9-inch cameras often exceed accuracy and cost requirements, and small formats may be better. In choosing the best camera for environmental mapping, relative capabilities and costs must be understood. This study compares resolution, photo interpretation potential, metric accuracy, and cost of 9-inch, 70mm, and 35mm cameras for obtaining simultaneous color and color infrared photography for environmental mapping purposes.

Effect of Map-vaccination in ewes on body condition score, weight and Map-shedding.

PubMed

Hüttner, Klim; Krämer, Ulla; Kleist, Petra

2012-01-01

Vaccination against Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map) in sheep receives growing attention worldwide, particularly in countries with national Map control strategies. A field study was conducted, investigating the effect of GUDAIR on body condition, weight and Map-shedding in a professionally managed but largely Map-affected suffolk flock prior and after vaccination. For this, 80 ewes out of 1000 animals were randomly sampled. In the univariate analysis body condition scores of ewes twelve months after vaccination improved significantly compared to those sampled prior to vaccination. At the same time the rate of ewes shedding Map was reduced by 37%.

Detailed maps of tropical forest types are within reach: forest tree communities for Trinidad and Tobago mapped with multiseason Landsat and multiseason fine-resolution imagery

Treesearch

Eileen H. Helmer; Thomas S. Ruzycki; Jay Benner; Shannon M. Voggesser; Barbara P. Scobie; Courtenay Park; David W. Fanning; Seepersad Ramnarine

2012-01-01

Tropical forest managers need detailed maps of forest types for REDD+, but spectral similarity among forest types; cloud and scan-line gaps; and scarce vegetation ground plots make producing such maps with satellite imagery difficult. How can managers map tropical forest tree communities with satellite imagery given these challenges? Here we describe a case study of...

Geologic Interpretation of Data Sets Collected by Planetary Analog Geology Traverses and by Standard Geologic Field Mapping. Part 1; A Comparison Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eppler, Dean B.; Bleacher, Jacob F.; Evans, Cynthia A.; Feng, Wanda; Gruener, John; Hurwitz, Debra M.; Skinner, J. A., Jr.; Whitson, Peggy; Janoiko, Barbara

2013-01-01

Geologic maps integrate the distributions, contacts, and compositions of rock and sediment bodies as a means to interpret local to regional formative histories. Applying terrestrial mapping techniques to other planets is challenging because data is collected primarily by orbiting instruments, with infrequent, spatiallylimited in situ human and robotic exploration. Although geologic maps developed using remote data sets and limited "Apollo-style" field access likely contain inaccuracies, the magnitude, type, and occurrence of these are only marginally understood. This project evaluates the interpretative and cartographic accuracy of both field- and remote-based mapping approaches by comparing two 1:24,000 scale geologic maps of the San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF), north-central Arizona. The first map is based on traditional field mapping techniques, while the second is based on remote data sets, augmented with limited field observations collected during NASA Desert Research & Technology Studies (RATS) 2010 exercises. The RATS mission used Apollo-style methods not only for pre-mission traverse planning but also to conduct geologic sampling as part of science operation tests. Cross-comparison demonstrates that the Apollo-style map identifies many of the same rock units and determines a similar broad history as the field-based map. However, field mapping techniques allow markedly improved discrimination of map units, particularly unconsolidated surficial deposits, and recognize a more complex eruptive history than was possible using Apollo-style data. Further, the distribution of unconsolidated surface units was more obvious in the remote sensing data to the field team after conducting the fieldwork. The study raises questions about the most effective approach to balancing mission costs with the rate of knowledge capture, suggesting that there is an inflection point in the "knowledge capture curve" beyond which additional resource investment yields progressively smaller gains in geologic knowledge.

Comparison of validity of mapping between drug indications and ICD-10. Direct and indirect terminology based approaches.

PubMed

Choi, Y; Jung, C; Chae, Y; Kang, M; Kim, J; Joung, K; Lim, J; Cho, S; Sung, S; Lee, E; Kim, S

2014-01-01

Mapping of drug indications to ICD-10 was undertaken in Korea by a public and a private institution for their own purposes. A different mapping approach was used by each institution, which presented a good opportunity to compare the validity of the two approaches. This study was undertaken to compare the validity of a direct mapping approach and an indirect terminology based mapping approach of drug indications against the gold standard drawn from the results of the two mapping processes. Three hundred and seventy-five cardiovascular reference drugs were selected from all listed cardiovascular drugs for the study. In the direct approach, two experienced nurse coders mapped the free text indications directly to ICD-10. In the indirect terminology based approach, the indications were extracted and coded in the Korean Standard Terminology of Medicine. These terminology coded indications were then manually mapped to ICD-10. The results of the two approaches were compared to the gold standard. A kappa statistic was calculated to see the compatibility of both mapping approaches. Recall, precision and F1 score of each mapping approach were calculated and analyzed using a paired t-test. The mean number of indications for the study drugs was 5.42. The mean number of ICD-10 codes that matched in direct approach was 46.32 and that of indirect terminology based approach was 56.94. The agreement of the mapping results between the two approaches were poor (kappa = 0.19). The indirect terminology based approach showed higher recall (86.78%) than direct approach (p < 0.001). However, there was no difference in precision and F1 score between the two approaches. Considering no differences in the F1 scores, both approaches may be used in practice for mapping drug indications to ICD-10. However, in terms of consistency, time and manpower, better results are expected from the indirect terminology based approach.

The Effects of Concept Maps on the Academic Success and Attitudes of 11th Graders while Teaching Urinary System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akay, Sumeyye Ozbey; Kaya, Basturk; Kilic, Selda

2012-01-01

The aim of the present study is to support, enrich, and broaden the process of education using concept maps and to determine the effects of concept maps in biology classes on school success, attitude and retention of the knowledge taught. The present study was conducted as an experimental study with pre-test and post-test control groups. The…

Relationship of students' conceptual representations and problem-solving abilities in acid-base chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powers, Angela R.

2000-10-01

This study explored the relationship between secondary chemistry students' conceptual representations of acid-base chemistry, as shown in student-constructed concept maps, and their ability to solve acid-base problems, represented by their score on an 18-item paper and pencil test, the Acid-Base Concept Assessment (ABCA). The ABCA, consisting of both multiple-choice and short-answer items, was originally designed using a question-type by subtopic matrix, validated by a panel of experts, and refined through pilot studies and factor analysis to create the final instrument. The concept map task included a short introduction to concept mapping, a prototype concept map, a practice concept-mapping activity, and the instructions for the acid-base concept map task. The instruments were administered to chemistry students at two high schools; 108 subjects completed both instruments for this study. Factor analysis of ABCA results indicated that the test was unifactorial for these students, despite the intention to create an instrument with multiple "question-type" scales. Concept maps were scored both holistically and by counting valid concepts. The two approaches were highly correlated (r = 0.75). The correlation between ABCA score and concept-map score was 0.29 for holistically-scored concept maps and 0.33 for counted-concept maps. Although both correlations were significant, they accounted for only 8.8 and 10.2% of variance in ABCA scores, respectively. However, when the reliability of the instruments used is considered, more than 20% of the variance in ABCA scores may be explained by concept map scores. MANOVAs for ABCA and concept map scores by instructor, student gender, and year in school showed significant differences for both holistic and counted concept-map scores. Discriminant analysis revealed that the source of these differences was the instruction variable. Significant differences between classes receiving different instruction were found in the frequency of concepts listed by students for 9 of 10 concepts evaluated. Mean ABCA scores did not differ significantly between the two instruction groups. The results of this study failed to provide evidence of conceptual distinctions among different "types" of problem-solving items. The results suggested that several factors influence success in chemistry problem solving, including concept knowledge and organization. Further research into the nature of chemistry problems and problem solving is recommended.

High-Throughput Sequencing and Linkage Mapping of a Clownfish Genome Provide Insights on the Distribution of Molecular Players Involved in Sex Change.

PubMed

Casas, Laura; Saenz-Agudelo, Pablo; Irigoien, Xabier

2018-03-06

Clownfishes are an excellent model system for investigating the genetic mechanism governing hermaphroditism and socially-controlled sex change in their natural environment because they are broadly distributed and strongly site-attached. Genomic tools, such as genetic linkage maps, allow fine-mapping of loci involved in molecular pathways underlying these reproductive processes. In this study, a high-density genetic map of Amphiprion bicinctus was constructed with 3146 RAD markers in a full-sib family organized in 24 robust linkage groups which correspond to the haploid chromosome number of the species. The length of the map was 4294.71 cM, with an average marker interval of 1.38 cM. The clownfish linkage map showed various levels of conserved synteny and collinearity with the genomes of Asian and European seabass, Nile tilapia and stickleback. The map provided a platform to investigate the genomic position of genes with differential expression during sex change in A. bicinctus. This study aims to bridge the gap of genome-scale information for this iconic group of species to facilitate the study of the main gene regulatory networks governing social sex change and gonadal restructuring in protandrous hermaphrodites.

Intrinsic optical signal imaging of the blood volume changes is sufficient for mapping the resting state functional connectivity in the rodent cortex.

PubMed

Kura, Sreekanth; Xie, Hongyu; Fu, Buyin; Ayata, Cenk; Boas, David A; Sakadžić, Sava

2018-06-01

Resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) allows the study of functional organization in normal and diseased brain by measuring the spontaneous brain activity generated under resting conditions. Intrinsic optical signal imaging (IOSI) based on multiple illumination wavelengths has been used successfully to compute RSFC maps in animal studies. The IOSI setup complexity would be greatly reduced if only a single wavelength can be used to obtain comparable RSFC maps. We used anesthetized mice and performed various comparisons between the RSFC maps based on single wavelength as well as oxy-, deoxy- and total hemoglobin concentration changes. The RSFC maps based on IOSI at a single wavelength selected for sensitivity to the blood volume changes are quantitatively comparable to the RSFC maps based on oxy- and total hemoglobin concentration changes obtained by the more complex IOSI setups. Moreover, RSFC maps do not require CCD cameras with very high frame acquisition rates, since our results demonstrate that they can be computed from the data obtained at frame rates as low as 5 Hz. Our results will have general utility for guiding future RSFC studies based on IOSI and making decisions about the IOSI system designs.

Digital data sets for map products produced as part of the Black Hills Hydrology Study, western South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williamson, Joyce E.; Jarrell, Gregory J.; Clawges, Rick M.; Galloway, Joel M.; Carter, Janet M.

2000-01-01

This compact disk contains digital data produced as part of the 1:100,000-scale map products for the Black Hills Hydrology Study conducted in western South Dakota. The digital data include 28 individual Geographic Information System (GIS) data sets: data sets for the hydrogeologic unit map including all mapped hydrogeologic units within the study area (1 data set) and major geologic structure including anticlines and synclines (1 data set); data sets for potentiometric maps including the potentiometric contours for the Inyan Kara, Minnekahta, Minnelusa, Madison, and Deadwood aquifers (5 data sets), wells used as control points for each aquifer (5 data sets), and springs used as control points for the potentiometric contours (1 data set); and data sets for the structure-contour maps including the structure contours for the top of each formation that contains major aquifers (5 data sets), wells and tests holes used as control points for each formation (5 data sets), and surficial deposits (alluvium and terrace deposits) that directly overlie each of the major aquifer outcrops (5 data sets). These data sets were used to produce the maps published by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Effectiveness of Mind Mapping in English Teaching among VIII Standard Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallen, D.; Sangeetha, N.

2015-01-01

The aim of the study is to find out the effectiveness of mind mapping technique over conventional method in teaching English at high school level (VIII), in terms of Control and Experimental group. The sample of the study comprised, 60 VIII Standard students in Tiruchendur Taluk. Mind Maps and Achievement Test (Pretest & Posttest) were…

Mapping Civic Engagement: A Case Study of Service-Learning in Appalachia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Jessica; Casebeer, Daniel

2016-01-01

This study uses social cartography to map student perceptions of a co-curricular service-learning project in an impoverished rural community. As a complement to narrative discourse, mapping provides an opportunity to visualize not only the spatial nature of the educational experience but also, in this case, the benefits of civic engagement. The…

An Adult Education Study of Participatory Community Mapping for Indigenous Knowledge Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Craig A., Jr.

2010-01-01

This dissertation explores the notion of participatory community mapping (PCM) for Indigenous knowledge production. Three major questions were posed in the study. First, how can PCM foster Indigenous knowledge production and documentation? Second, how can PCM be used to include local voice and input in mapping projects, and third, how can adult…

Using Concept Mapping as as Tool for Program Theory Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orsi, Rebecca

2011-01-01

The purpose of this methodological study is to explore how well a process called "concept mapping" (Trochim, 1989) can articulate the theory which underlies a social program. Articulation of a program's theory is a key step in completing a sound theory based evaluation (Weiss, 1997a). In this study, concept mapping is used to…

New GIS approaches to wild land mapping in Europe

Treesearch

Steffen Fritz; Steve Carver; Linda See

2000-01-01

This paper outlines modifications and new approaches to wild land mapping developed specifically for the United Kingdom and European areas. In particular, national level reconnaissance and local level mapping of wild land in the UK and Scotland are presented. A national level study for the UK is undertaken, and a local study focuses on the Cairngorm Mountains in...

Beyond Event Segmentation: Spatial- and Social-Cognitive Processes in Verb-to-Action Mapping

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friend, Margaret; Pace, Amy

2011-01-01

The present article investigates spatial- and social-cognitive processes in toddlers' mapping of concepts to real-world events. In 2 studies we explore how event segmentation might lay the groundwork for extracting actions from the event stream and conceptually mapping novel verbs to these actions. In Study 1, toddlers demonstrated the ability to…

Seventh Graders' Academic Achievement, Creativity, and Ability to Construct a Cross-Domain Concept Map--A Brain Function Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeh, Yu-Chu

2004-01-01

This study proposes an interactive model of "cross-domain" concept mapping with an emphasis on brain functions, and it further investigates the relationships between academic achievement, creative thinking, and cross-domain concept mapping. Sixty-nine seventh graders participated in this study which employed two 50-minute instructional…

Concept Map Engineering: Methods and Tools Based on the Semantic Relation Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Minkyu

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of technologies that use natural language as the basis for concept map construction. In particular, this study focuses on the semantic relation (SR) approach to drawing rich and authentic concept maps that reflect students' internal representations of a problem situation. The…

Using Concept Maps to Elicit and Study Student Teachers' Perceptions about Inclusive Education: A Tanzanian Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wormnaes, Siri; Mkumbo, Kitila; Skaar, Bjørn; Refseth, Yngve

2015-01-01

In this study, concept map activities were used to trigger group discussions about inclusive education, with a focus on learners with disabilities. The participants were 226 Tanzanian student teachers. This article reports and discusses how the maps were analysed and what they indicate about the students' thinking about certain aspects of…

Preservice Teachers Map Compassion: Connecting Social Studies and Literacy through Nonfictional Animal Stories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rule, Audrey C.; Montgomery, Sarah E.; Vander Zanden, Sarah M.

2014-01-01

Nonfiction stories of animal compassion were used in this literacy-social studies integrated lesson to address both efferent and aesthetic stances in transmediation of text from picture books to maps. Preservice early childhood and elementary teachers chose places from the nine recent children's stories, symbolizing them on a map while…

Concept Maps as Instructional Tools for Improving Learning of Phase Transitions in Object-Oriented Analysis and Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shin, Shin-Shing

2016-01-01

Students attending object-oriented analysis and design (OOAD) courses typically encounter difficulties transitioning from requirements analysis to logical design and then to physical design. Concept maps have been widely used in studies of user learning. The study reported here, based on the relationship of concept maps to learning theory and…

Chaotic attractors of relaxation oscillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guckenheimer, John; Wechselberger, Martin; Young, Lai-Sang

2006-03-01

We develop a general technique for proving the existence of chaotic attractors for three-dimensional vector fields with two time scales. Our results connect two important areas of dynamical systems: the theory of chaotic attractors for discrete two-dimensional Henon-like maps and geometric singular perturbation theory. Two-dimensional Henon-like maps are diffeomorphisms that limit on non-invertible one-dimensional maps. Wang and Young formulated hypotheses that suffice to prove the existence of chaotic attractors in these families. Three-dimensional singularly perturbed vector fields have return maps that are also two-dimensional diffeomorphisms limiting on one-dimensional maps. We describe a generic mechanism that produces folds in these return maps and demonstrate that the Wang-Young hypotheses are satisfied. Our analysis requires a careful study of the convergence of the return maps to their singular limits in the Ck topology for k >= 3. The theoretical results are illustrated with a numerical study of a variant of the forced van der Pol oscillator.

Computerized mappings of the cerebral cortex: a multiresolution flattening method and a surface-based coordinate system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drury, H. A.; Van Essen, D. C.; Anderson, C. H.; Lee, C. W.; Coogan, T. A.; Lewis, J. W.

1996-01-01

We present a new method for generating two-dimensional maps of the cerebral cortex. Our computerized, two-stage flattening method takes as its input any well-defined representation of a surface within the three-dimensional cortex. The first stage rapidly converts this surface to a topologically correct two-dimensional map, without regard for the amount of distortion introduced. The second stage reduces distortions using a multiresolution strategy that makes gross shape changes on a coarsely sampled map and further shape refinements on progressively finer resolution maps. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by creating flat maps of the entire cerebral cortex in the macaque monkey and by displaying various types of experimental data on such maps. We also introduce a surface-based coordinate system that has advantages over conventional stereotaxic coordinates and is relevant to studies of cortical organization in humans as well as non-human primates. Together, these methods provide an improved basis for quantitative studies of individual variability in cortical organization.

Applicability of ERTS-1 to lineament and photogeologic mapping in Montana: Preliminary report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weidman, R. M.; Alt, D. D.; Flood, R. E.; Hawley, K. T.; Wackwitz, L. K.; Berg, R. B.; Johns, W. M.

1973-01-01

A lineament map prepared from a mosaic of western Montana shows about 85 lines not represented on the state geologic map, including elements of a northeast-trending set through central western Montana which merit ground truth checking and consideration in regional structural analysis. Experimental fold annotation resulted in a significant local correction to the state geologic map. Photogeologic mapping studies produced only limited success in identification of rock types, but they did result in the precise delineation of a late Cretaceous or early Tertiary volcanic field (Adel Mountain field) and the mapping of a connection between two granitic bodies shown on the state map. Imagery was used successfully to map clay pans associated with bentonite beds in gently dipping Bearpaw Shale. It is already apparent that ERTS imagery should be used to facilitate preparation of a much needed statewide tectonic map and that satellite imagery mapping, aided by ground calibration, provides and economical means to discover and correct errors in the state geologic map.

Preliminary Geologic Map of the Cook Inlet Region, Alaska-Including Parts of the Talkeetna, Talkeetna Mountains, Tyonek, Anchorage, Lake Clark, Kenai, Seward, Iliamna, Seldovia, Mount Katmai, and Afognak 1:250,000-scale Quadrangles

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Frederic H.; Hults, Chad P.; Schmoll, Henry R.; Haeussler, Peter J.; Schmidt, Jeanine M.; Yehle, Lynn A.; Labay, Keith A.; Shew, Nora B.

2009-01-01

The growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for digital geologic maps that have been attributed with information about age and lithology. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for manifold special purposes such as mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. This report is part of a series of integrated geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. Three national-scale geologic maps that portray most or all of the United States already exist; for the conterminous U.S., King and Beikman (1974a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:2,500,000, Beikman (1980) compiled a map for Alaska at 1:2,500,000 scale, and for the entire U.S., Reed and others (2005a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:5,000,000. A digital version of the King and Beikman map was published by Schruben and others (1994). Reed and Bush (2004) produced a digital version of the Reed and others (2005a) map for the conterminous U.S. The present series of maps is intended to provide the next step in increased detail. State geologic maps that range in scale from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 are available for most of the country, and digital versions of these state maps are the basis of this product. The digital geologic maps presented here are in a standardized format as ARC/INFO export files and as ArcView shape files. The files named __geol contain geologic polygons and line (contact) attributes; files named __fold contain fold axes; files named __lin contain lineaments; and files named __dike contain dikes as lines. Data tables that relate the map units to detailed lithologic and age information accompany these GIS files. The map is delivered as a set 1:250,000-scale quadrangle files. To the best of our ability, these quadrangle files are edge-matched with respect to geology. When the maps are merged, the combined attribute tables can be used directly with the merged maps to make derivative maps.

The discriminatory cost of ICD-10-CM transition between clinical specialties: metrics, case study, and mitigating tools

PubMed Central

Boyd, Andrew D; Li, Jianrong ‘John’; Burton, Mike D; Jonen, Michael; Gardeux, Vincent; Achour, Ikbel; Luo, Roger Q; Zenku, Ilir; Bahroos, Neil; Brown, Stephen B; Vanden Hoek, Terry; Lussier, Yves A

2013-01-01

Objective Applying the science of networks to quantify the discriminatory impact of the ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM transition between clinical specialties. Materials and Methods Datasets were the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM mapping files, general equivalence mappings, and statewide Medicaid emergency department billing. Diagnoses were represented as nodes and their mappings as directional relationships. The complex network was synthesized as an aggregate of simpler motifs and tabulation per clinical specialty. Results We identified five mapping motif categories: identity, class-to-subclass, subclass-to-class, convoluted, and no mapping. Convoluted mappings indicate that multiple ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes share complex, entangled, and non-reciprocal mappings. The proportions of convoluted diagnoses mappings (36% overall) range from 5% (hematology) to 60% (obstetrics and injuries). In a case study of 24 008 patient visits in 217 emergency departments, 27% of the costs are associated with convoluted diagnoses, with ‘abdominal pain’ and ‘gastroenteritis’ accounting for approximately 3.5%. Discussion Previous qualitative studies report that administrators and clinicians are likely to be challenged in understanding and managing their practice because of the ICD-10-CM transition. We substantiate the complexity of this transition with a thorough quantitative summary per clinical specialty, a case study, and the tools to apply this methodology easily to any clinical practice in the form of a web portal and analytic tables. Conclusions Post-transition, successful management of frequent diseases with convoluted mapping network patterns is critical. The http://lussierlab.org/transition-to-ICD10CM web portal provides insight in linking onerous diseases to the ICD-10 transition. PMID:23645552

Remote sensing sensors and applications in environmental resources mapping and modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Melesse, Assefa M.; Weng, Qihao; Thenkabail, Prasad S.; Senay, Gabriel B.

2007-01-01

The history of remote sensing and development of different sensors for environmental and natural resources mapping and data acquisition is reviewed and reported. Application examples in urban studies, hydrological modeling such as land-cover and floodplain mapping, fractional vegetation cover and impervious surface area mapping, surface energy flux and micro-topography correlation studies is discussed. The review also discusses the use of remotely sensed-based rainfall and potential evapotranspiration for estimating crop water requirement satisfaction index and hence provides early warning information for growers. The review is not an exhaustive application of the remote sensing techniques rather a summary of some important applications in environmental studies and modeling.

Collaborative and Multilingual Approach to Learn Database Topics Using Concept Maps

PubMed Central

Calvo, Iñaki

2014-01-01

Authors report on a study using the concept mapping technique in computer engineering education for learning theoretical introductory database topics. In addition, the learning of multilingual technical terminology by means of the collaborative drawing of a concept map is also pursued in this experiment. The main characteristics of a study carried out in the database subject at the University of the Basque Country during the 2011/2012 course are described. This study contributes to the field of concept mapping as these kinds of cognitive tools have proved to be valid to support learning in computer engineering education. It contributes to the field of computer engineering education, providing a technique that can be incorporated with several educational purposes within the discipline. Results reveal the potential that a collaborative concept map editor offers to fulfil the above mentioned objectives. PMID:25538957

Global Forest Canopy Height Maps Validation and Calibration for The Potential of Forest Biomass Estimation in The Southern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ku, N. W.; Popescu, S. C.

2015-12-01

In the past few years, three global forest canopy height maps have been released. Lefsky (2010) first utilized the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) on the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data to generate a global forest canopy height map in 2010. Simard et al. (2011) integrated GLAS data and other ancillary variables, such as MODIS, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (STRM), and climatic data, to generate another global forest canopy height map in 2011. Los et al. (2012) also used GLAS data to create a vegetation height map in 2012.Several studies attempted to compare these global height maps to other sources of data., Bolton et al. (2013) concluded that Simard's forest canopy height map has strong agreement with airborne lidar derived heights. Los map is a coarse spatial resolution vegetation height map with a 0.5 decimal degrees horizontal resolution, around 50 km in the US, which is not feasible for the purpose of our research. Thus, Simard's global forest canopy height map is the primary map for this research study. The main objectives of this research were to validate and calibrate Simard's map with airborne lidar data and other ancillary variables in the southern United States. The airborne lidar data was collected between 2010 and 2012 from: (1) NASA LiDAR, Hyperspectral & Thermal Image (G-LiHT) program; (2) National Ecological Observatory Network's (NEON) prototype data sharing program; (3) NSF Open Topography Facility; and (4) the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Texas A&M University. The airborne lidar study areas also cover a wide variety of vegetation types across the southern US. The airborne lidar data is post-processed to generate lidar-derived metrics and assigned to four different classes of point cloud data. The four classes of point cloud data are the data with ground points, above 1 m, above 3 m, and above 5 m. The root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R2) are used for examining the discrepancies of the canopy heights between the airborne lidar-derived metrics and global forest canopy height map, and the regression and random forest approaches are used to calibrate the global forest canopy height map. In summary, the research shows a calibrated forest canopy height map of the southern US.

Going beyond the flood insurance rate map: insights from flood hazard map co-production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luke, Adam; Sanders, Brett F.; Goodrich, Kristen A.; Feldman, David L.; Boudreau, Danielle; Eguiarte, Ana; Serrano, Kimberly; Reyes, Abigail; Schubert, Jochen E.; AghaKouchak, Amir; Basolo, Victoria; Matthew, Richard A.

2018-04-01

Flood hazard mapping in the United States (US) is deeply tied to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Consequently, publicly available flood maps provide essential information for insurance purposes, but they do not necessarily provide relevant information for non-insurance aspects of flood risk management (FRM) such as public education and emergency planning. Recent calls for flood hazard maps that support a wider variety of FRM tasks highlight the need to deepen our understanding about the factors that make flood maps useful and understandable for local end users. In this study, social scientists and engineers explore opportunities for improving the utility and relevance of flood hazard maps through the co-production of maps responsive to end users' FRM needs. Specifically, two-dimensional flood modeling produced a set of baseline hazard maps for stakeholders of the Tijuana River valley, US, and Los Laureles Canyon in Tijuana, Mexico. Focus groups with natural resource managers, city planners, emergency managers, academia, non-profit, and community leaders refined the baseline hazard maps by triggering additional modeling scenarios and map revisions. Several important end user preferences emerged, such as (1) legends that frame flood intensity both qualitatively and quantitatively, and (2) flood scenario descriptions that report flood magnitude in terms of rainfall, streamflow, and its relation to an historic event. Regarding desired hazard map content, end users' requests revealed general consistency with mapping needs reported in European studies and guidelines published in Australia. However, requested map content that is not commonly produced included (1) standing water depths following the flood, (2) the erosive potential of flowing water, and (3) pluvial flood hazards, or flooding caused directly by rainfall. We conclude that the relevance and utility of commonly produced flood hazard maps can be most improved by illustrating pluvial flood hazards and by using concrete reference points to describe flooding scenarios rather than exceedance probabilities or frequencies.

Isthmus sites identified by Ripple Mapping are usually anatomically stable: A novel method to guide atrial substrate ablation?

PubMed

Luther, Vishal; Qureshi, Norman; Lim, Phang Boon; Koa-Wing, Michael; Jamil-Copley, Shahnaz; Ng, Fu Siong; Whinnett, Zachary; Davies, D Wyn; Peters, Nicholas S; Kanagaratnam, Prapa; Linton, Nick

2018-03-01

Postablation reentrant ATs depend upon conducting isthmuses bordered by scar. Bipolar voltage maps highlight scar as sites of low voltage, but the voltage amplitude of an electrogram depends upon the myocardial activation sequence. Furthermore, a voltage threshold that defines atrial scar is unknown. We used Ripple Mapping (RM) to test whether these isthmuses were anatomically fixed between different activation vectors and atrial rates. We studied post-AF ablation ATs where >1 rhythm was mapped. Multipolar catheters were used with CARTO Confidense for high-density mapping. RM visualized the pattern of activation, and the voltage threshold below which no activation was seen. Isthmuses were characterized at this threshold between maps for each patient. Ten patients were studied (Map 1 was AT1; Map 2: sinus 1/10, LA paced 2/10, AT2 with reverse CS activation 3/10; AT2 CL difference 50 ± 30 ms). Point density was similar between maps (Map 1: 2,589 ± 1,330; Map 2: 2,214 ± 1,384; P  =  0.31). RM activation threshold was 0.16 ± 0.08 mV. Thirty-one isthmuses were identified in Map 1 (median 3 per map; width 27 ± 15 mm; 7 anterior; 6 roof; 8 mitral; 9 septal; 1 posterior). Importantly, 7 of 31 (23%) isthmuses were unexpectedly identified within regions without prior ablation. AT1 was treated following ablation of 11/31 (35%) isthmuses. Of the remaining 20 isthmuses, 14 of 16 isthmuses (88%) were consistent between the two maps (four were inadequately mapped). Wavefront collision caused variation in low voltage distribution in 2 of 16 (12%). The distribution of isthmuses and nonconducting tissue within the ablated left atrium, as defined by RM, appear concordant between rhythms. This could guide a substrate ablative approach. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prototype of Partial Cutting Tool of Geological Map Images Distributed by Geological Web Map Service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nonogaki, S.; Nemoto, T.

2014-12-01

Geological maps and topographical maps play an important role in disaster assessment, resource management, and environmental preservation. These map information have been distributed in accordance with Web services standards such as Web Map Service (WMS) and Web Map Tile Service (WMTS) recently. In this study, a partial cutting tool of geological map images distributed by geological WMTS was implemented with Free and Open Source Software. The tool mainly consists of two functions: display function and cutting function. The former function was implemented using OpenLayers. The latter function was implemented using Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL). All other small functions were implemented by PHP and Python. As a result, this tool allows not only displaying WMTS layer on web browser but also generating a geological map image of intended area and zoom level. At this moment, available WTMS layers are limited to the ones distributed by WMTS for the Seamless Digital Geological Map of Japan. The geological map image can be saved as GeoTIFF format and WebGL format. GeoTIFF is one of the georeferenced raster formats that is available in many kinds of Geographical Information System. WebGL is useful for confirming a relationship between geology and geography in 3D. In conclusion, the partial cutting tool developed in this study would contribute to create better conditions for promoting utilization of geological information. Future work is to increase the number of available WMTS layers and the types of output file format.

Tsunami vulnerability assessment mapping for the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia using a geographical information system (GIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najihah, R.; Effendi, D. M.; Hairunnisa, M. A.; Masiri, K.

2014-02-01

The catastrophic Indian Ocean tsunami of 26 December 2004 raised a number of questions for scientist and politicians on how to deal with the tsunami risk and assessment in coastal regions. This paper discusses the challenges in tsunami vulnerability assessment and presents the result of tsunami disaster mapping and vulnerability assessment study for West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The spatial analysis was carried out using Geographical Information System (GIS) technology to demarcate spatially the tsunami affected village's boundary and suitable disaster management program can be quickly and easily developed. In combination with other thematic maps such as road maps, rail maps, school maps, and topographic map sheets it was possible to plan the accessibility and shelter to the affected people. The tsunami vulnerability map was used to identify the vulnerability of villages/village population to tsunami. In the tsunami vulnerability map, the intensity of the tsunami was classified as hazard zones based on the inundation level in meter (contour). The approach produced a tsunami vulnerability assessment map consists of considering scenarios of plausible extreme, tsunami-generating events, computing the tsunami inundation levels caused by different events and scenarios and estimating the possible range of casualties for computing inundation levels. The study provides an interactive means to identify the tsunami affected areas after the disaster and mapping the tsunami vulnerable village before for planning purpose were the essential exercises for managing future disasters.

Map Sensitivity vs. Map Dependency: A Case Study of Subway Maps’ Impact on Passenger Route Choices in Washington DC

PubMed Central

Xu, John

2017-01-01

This paper addresses the key assumption in behavioral and transportation planning literature that, when people use a transit system more frequently, they become less dependent on and less sensitive to transit maps in their decision-making. Therefore, according to this assumption, map changes are much less impactful to travel decisions of frequent riders than to that of first-time or new passengers. This assumption—though never empirically validated—has been the major hurdle for transit maps to becoming a planning tool to change passengers’ behavior. This paper examines this assumption using the Washington DC metro map as a case study by conducting a route choice experiment between 30 Origin-Destination (O-D) pairs on seven metro map designs. The experiment targets two types of passengers: frequent metro riders through advertisements on a free daily newspaper available at DC metro stations, and general residents in the Washington metropolitan area through Amazon Mechanical Turk, an online crowdsourcing platform. A total of 255 and 371 participants made 2024 and 2960 route choices in the respective experiments. The results show that frequent passengers are in fact more sensitive to subtle changes in map design than general residents who are less likely to be familiar with the metro map and therefore unaffected by map changes presented in the alternative designs. The work disproves the aforementioned assumption and further validates metro maps as an effective planning tool in transit systems. PMID:29068371

Self-Portrait with Mortar Board: A Study of Academic Identity Using the Map, the Novel and the Grid

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Virginia

2013-01-01

This paper introduces the "map", the "novel" and the "grid", three strategies inspired by the creative arts that potentially enrich higher education research by revealing layers of truth otherwise difficult to discern. The "map" was inspired by the "Map of an Englishman," an etching by Grayson…

Comparing Two Forms of Concept Map Critique Activities to Facilitate Knowledge Integration Processes in Evolution Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwendimann, Beat A.; Linn, Marcia C.

2016-01-01

Concept map activities often lack a subsequent revision step that facilitates knowledge integration. This study compares two collaborative critique activities using a Knowledge Integration Map (KIM), a form of concept map. Four classes of high school biology students (n?=?81) using an online inquiry-based learning unit on evolution were assigned…

Landscape patterns from mathematical morphology on maps with contagion

Treesearch

Kurt Riitters; Peter Vogt; Pierre Soille; Christine Estreguil

2009-01-01

The perceived realism of simulated maps with contagion (spatial autocorrelation) has led to their use for comparing landscape pattern metrics and as habitat maps for modeling organism movement across landscapes. The objective of this study was to conduct a neutral model analysis of pattern metrics defined by morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) on maps with...

Development of a Competency Mapping Tool for Undergraduate Professional Degree Programmes, Using Mechanical Engineering as a Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, David W.; Sheehan, Madoc; Birks, Melanie; Smithson, John

2018-01-01

Mapping the curriculum of a professional degree to the associated competency standard ensures graduates have the competence to perform as professionals. Existing approaches to competence mapping vary greatly in depth, complexity, and effectiveness, and a standardised approach remains elusive. This paper describes a new mapping software tool that…

Concept Maps: A Tool to Prepare for High Fidelity Simulation in Nursing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daley, Barbara J.; Beman, Sarah Black; Morgan, Sarah; Kennedy, Linda; Sheriff, Mandy

2017-01-01

In this study, the use of concept mapping as a method to prepare for high fidelity simulated learning experiences was investigated. Fourth year baccalaureate nursing students were taught how to use concept maps as a way to prepare for high fidelity simulated nursing experiences. Students prepared concept maps for two simulated experiences…

Concept Maps: Practice Applications in Adult Education and Human Resource Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daley, Barbara J.

2010-01-01

Concept maps can be used as both a cognitive and constructivist learning strategy in teaching and learning in adult education and human resource development. The maps can be used to understand course readings, analyze case studies, develop reflective thinking and enhance research skills. The creation of concept maps can also be supported by the…

Image Maps in the World-Wide Web: The Uses and Limitations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cochenour, John J.; And Others

A study of nine different image maps from World Wide Web home pages was conducted to evaluate their effectiveness in information display and access, relative to visual, navigational, and practical characteristics. Nine independent viewers completed 20-question surveys on the image maps, in which they evaluated the characteristics of the maps on a…

Preliminary Bedrock Geologic Map of the Old Lyme Quadrangle, New London and Middlesex Counties, Connecticut

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walsh, Gregory J.; Scott, Robert B.; Aleinikoff, John N.; Armstrong, Thomas R.

2006-01-01

This report presents a preliminary map of the bedrock geology of the Old Lyme quadrangle, New London and Middlesex Counties, Connecticut. The map depicts contacts of bedrock geologic units, faults, outcrops, and structural geologic information. The map was published as part of a study of fractured bedrock aquifers and regional tectonics.

Development of Public Immortal Mapping Populations, Molecular Markers and Linkage Maps for Rapid Cycling Brassica rapa and B. oleracea

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this study we describe public immortal mapping populations of self-compatible lines, molecular markers, and linkage maps for Brassica rapa and B. oleracea. We propose that these resources are valuable reference tools for the Brassica community. The B. rapa population consists of 150 recombinant...

Effects of Multidimensional Concept Maps on Fourth Graders' Learning in Web-Based Computer Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Hwa-Shan; Chiou, Chei-Chang; Chiang, Heien-Kun; Lai, Sung-Hsi; Huang, Chiun-Yen; Chou, Yin-Yu

2012-01-01

This study explores the effect of multidimensional concept mapping instruction on students' learning performance in a web-based computer course. The subjects consisted of 103 fourth graders from an elementary school in central Taiwan. They were divided into three groups: multidimensional concept map (MCM) instruction group, Novak concept map (NCM)…

Concept Map Structure, Gender and Teaching Methods: An Investigation of Students' Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerstner, Sabine; Bogner, Franz X.

2009-01-01

Background: This study deals with the application of concept mapping to the teaching and learning of a science topic with secondary school students in Germany. Purpose: The main research questions were: (1) Do different teaching approaches affect concept map structure or students' learning success? (2) Is the structure of concept maps influenced…

Teachers' Perceptions of Esri Story Maps as Effective Teaching Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strachan, Caitlin; Mitchell, Jerry

2014-01-01

The current study explores teachers' perceptions of Esri Story Maps as effective teaching tools. Story Maps are a relatively new web application created using Esri's cloud-based GIS platform, ArcGIS Online. They combine digitized, dynamic web maps with other story elements to help the creator effectively convey a message. The relative ease…

The Effect of Using Concept Maps in Elementary Linear Algebra Course on Students’ Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syarifuddin, H.

2018-04-01

This paper presents the results of a classroom action research that was done in Elementary Linear Algebra course at Universitas Negeri Padang. The focus of the research want to see the effect of using concept maps in the course on students’ learning. Data in this study were collected through classroom observation, students’ reflective journal and concept maps that were created by students. The result of the study was the using of concept maps in Elementary Linera Algebra course gave positive effect on students’ learning.

[Genetic study of bacteriophage phi81. I. Isolation, study of complementation and preliminary mapping of amber-mutants of bacteriophage phi81].

PubMed

Sineokiĭ, S P; Pogosov, V Z; Iankovskiĭ, N K; Krylov, V N

1976-01-01

123 Amber mutants of lambdoid bacteriophage phi81 are isolated and distributed into 19 complementation groups. Deletion mapping made possible to locate 5 gene groups on the genetic map of bacteriophage phi81 and to determine a region of possible location of mm' sticky ends on the prophage genetic map. A gene of phage phi81 is localized, which controls the adsorption specificity, and which functional similarity to a respective gene of phage phi80 is demonstrated.

Receptor-like Molecules on Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells Interact with an Adhesion Factor from Lactobacillus reuteri

PubMed Central

MATSUO, Yosuke; MIYOSHI, Yukihiro; OKADA, Sanae; SATOH, Eiichi

2012-01-01

A surface protein of Lactobacillus reuteri, mucus adhesion-promoting protein (MapA), is considered to be an adhesion factor. MapA is expressed in L. reuteri strains and adheres to piglet gastric mucus, collagen type I, and human intestinal epithelial cells such as Caco-2. The aim of this study was to identify molecules that mediate the attachment of MapA from L. reuteri to the intestinal epithelial cell surface by investigating the adhesion of MapA to receptor-like molecules on Caco-2 cells. MapA-binding receptor-like molecules were detected in Caco-2 cell lysates by 2D-PAGE. Two proteins, annexin A13 (ANXA13) and paralemmin (PALM), were identified by MALDI TOF-MS. The results of a pull-down assay showed that MapA bound directly to ANXA13 and PALM. Fluorescence microscopy studies confirmed that MapA binding to ANXA13 and PALM was colocalized on the Caco-2 cell membrane. To evaluate whether ANXA13 and PALM are important for MapA adhesion, ANXA13 and PALM knockdown cell lines were established. The adhesion of MapA to the abovementioned cell lines was reduced compared with that to wild-type Caco-2 cells. These knockdown experiments established the importance of these receptor-like molecules in MapA adhesion. PMID:24936355

Grids in topographic maps reduce distortions in the recall of learned object locations.

PubMed

Edler, Dennis; Bestgen, Anne-Kathrin; Kuchinke, Lars; Dickmann, Frank

2014-01-01

To date, it has been shown that cognitive map representations based on cartographic visualisations are systematically distorted. The grid is a traditional element of map graphics that has rarely been considered in research on perception-based spatial distortions. Grids do not only support the map reader in finding coordinates or locations of objects, they also provide a systematic structure for clustering visual map information ("spatial chunks"). The aim of this study was to examine whether different cartographic kinds of grids reduce spatial distortions and improve recall memory for object locations. Recall performance was measured as both the percentage of correctly recalled objects (hit rate) and the mean distance errors of correctly recalled objects (spatial accuracy). Different kinds of grids (continuous lines, dashed lines, crosses) were applied to topographic maps. These maps were also varied in their type of characteristic areas (LANDSCAPE) and different information layer compositions (DENSITY) to examine the effects of map complexity. The study involving 144 participants shows that all experimental cartographic factors (GRID, LANDSCAPE, DENSITY) improve recall performance and spatial accuracy of learned object locations. Overlaying a topographic map with a grid significantly reduces the mean distance errors of correctly recalled map objects. The paper includes a discussion of a square grid's usefulness concerning object location memory, independent of whether the grid is clearly visible (continuous or dashed lines) or only indicated by crosses.

Preliminary integrated geologic map databases for the United States : Central states : Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stoeser, Douglas B.; Green, Gregory N.; Morath, Laurie C.; Heran, William D.; Wilson, Anna B.; Moore, David W.; Van Gosen, Bradley S.

2005-01-01

The growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for regional and national digital geologic maps attributed with age and lithology information. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for purposes including mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. This Open-File Report is a preliminary version of part of a series of integrated state geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. The only national-scale digital geologic maps that portray most or all of the United States for the conterminous U.S. are the digital version of the King and Beikman (1974a, b) map at a scale of 1:2,500,000, as digitized by Schruben and others (1994) and the digital version of the Geologic Map of North America (Reed and others, 2005a, b) compiled at a scale of 1:5,000,000 which is currently being prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey. The present series of maps is intended to provide the next step in increased detail. State geologic maps that range in scale from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 are available for most of the country, and digital versions of these state maps are the basis of this product. In a few cases, new digital compilations were prepared (e.g. OH, SC, SD) or existing paper maps were digitized (e.g. KY, TX). For Alaska and Hawaii, new regional maps are being compiled and ultimately new state maps will be produced. The digital geologic maps are presented in standardized formats as ARC/INFO (.e00) export files and as ArcView shape (.shp) files. Accompanying these spatial databases are a set of five supplemental data tables that relate the map units to detailed lithologic and age information. The maps for the CONUS have been fitted to a common set of state boundaries based on the 1:100,000 topographic map series of the United States Geological Survey (USGS). When the individual state maps are merged, the combined attribute tables can be used directly with the merged maps to make derivative maps. No attempt has been made to reconcile differences in mapped geology across state lines. This is the first version of this product and it will be subsequently updated to include four additional states (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa)

Comparing physiographic maps with different categorisations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zawadzka, J.; Mayr, T.; Bellamy, P.; Corstanje, R.

2015-02-01

This paper addresses the need for a robust map comparison method suitable for finding similarities between thematic maps with different forms of categorisations. In our case, the requirement was to establish the information content of newly derived physiographic maps with regards to set of reference maps for a study area in England and Wales. Physiographic maps were derived from the 90 m resolution SRTM DEM, using a suite of existing and new digital landform mapping methods with the overarching purpose of enhancing the physiographic unit component of the Soil and Terrain database (SOTER). Reference maps were seven soil and landscape datasets mapped at scales ranging from 1:200,000 to 1:5,000,000. A review of commonly used statistical methods for categorical comparisons was performed and of these, the Cramer's V statistic was identified as the most appropriate for comparison of maps with different legends. Interpretation of multiple Cramer's V values resulting from one-by-one comparisons of the physiographic and baseline maps was facilitated by multi-dimensional scaling and calculation of average distances between the maps. The method allowed for finding similarities and dissimilarities amongst physiographic maps and baseline maps and informed the recommendation of the most suitable methodology for terrain analysis in the context of soil mapping.

Testing mapping algorithms of the cancer-specific EORTC QLQ-C30 onto EQ-5D in malignant mesothelioma.

PubMed

Arnold, David T; Rowen, Donna; Versteegh, Matthijs M; Morley, Anna; Hooper, Clare E; Maskell, Nicholas A

2015-01-23

In order to estimate utilities for cancer studies where the EQ-5D was not used, the EORTC QLQ-C30 can be used to estimate EQ-5D using existing mapping algorithms. Several mapping algorithms exist for this transformation, however, algorithms tend to lose accuracy in patients in poor health states. The aim of this study was to test all existing mapping algorithms of QLQ-C30 onto EQ-5D, in a dataset of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, an invariably fatal malignancy where no previous mapping estimation has been published. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) data where both the EQ-5D and QLQ-C30 were used simultaneously was obtained from the UK-based prospective observational SWAMP (South West Area Mesothelioma and Pemetrexed) trial. In the original trial 73 patients with pleural mesothelioma were offered palliative chemotherapy and their HRQoL was assessed across five time points. This data was used to test the nine available mapping algorithms found in the literature, comparing predicted against observed EQ-5D values. The ability of algorithms to predict the mean, minimise error and detect clinically significant differences was assessed. The dataset had a total of 250 observations across 5 timepoints. The linear regression mapping algorithms tested generally performed poorly, over-estimating the predicted compared to observed EQ-5D values, especially when observed EQ-5D was below 0.5. The best performing algorithm used a response mapping method and predicted the mean EQ-5D with accuracy with an average root mean squared error of 0.17 (Standard Deviation; 0.22). This algorithm reliably discriminated between clinically distinct subgroups seen in the primary dataset. This study tested mapping algorithms in a population with poor health states, where they have been previously shown to perform poorly. Further research into EQ-5D estimation should be directed at response mapping methods given its superior performance in this study.

Next Generation Mapping of Enological Traits in an F2 Interspecific Grapevine Hybrid Family

PubMed Central

Sun, Qi; Manns, David C.; Sacks, Gavin L.; Mansfield, Anna Katharine; Luby, James J.; Londo, Jason P.; Reisch, Bruce I.; Cadle-Davidson, Lance E.; Fennell, Anne Y.

2016-01-01

In winegrapes (Vitis spp.), fruit quality traits such as berry color, total soluble solids content (SS), malic acid content (MA), and yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) affect fermentation or wine quality, and are important traits in selecting new hybrid winegrape cultivars. Given the high genetic diversity and heterozygosity of Vitis species and their tendency to exhibit inbreeding depression, linkage map construction and quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping has relied on F1 families with the use of simple sequence repeat (SSR) and other markers. This study presents the construction of a genetic map by single nucleotide polymorphisms identified through genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) technology in an F2 mapping family of 424 progeny derived from a cross between the wild species V. riparia Michx. and the interspecific hybrid winegrape cultivar, ‘Seyval’. The resulting map has 1449 markers spanning 2424 cM in genetic length across 19 linkage groups, covering 95% of the genome with an average distance between markers of 1.67 cM. Compared to an SSR map previously developed for this F2 family, these results represent an improved map covering a greater portion of the genome with higher marker density. The accuracy of the map was validated using the well-studied trait berry color. QTL affecting YAN, MA and SS related traits were detected. A joint MA and SS QTL spans a region with candidate genes involved in the malate metabolism pathway. We present an analytical pipeline for calling intercross GBS markers and a high-density linkage map for a large F2 family of the highly heterozygous Vitis genus. This study serves as a model for further genetic investigations of the molecular basis of additional unique characters of North American hybrid wine cultivars and to enhance the breeding process by marker-assisted selection. The GBS protocols for identifying intercross markers developed in this study can be adapted for other heterozygous species. PMID:26974672

Soil maps as data input for soil erosion models: errors related to map scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dijk, Paul; Sauter, Joëlle; Hofstetter, Elodie

2010-05-01

Soil erosion rates depend in many ways on soil and soil surface characteristics which vary in space and in time. To account for spatial variations of soil features, most distributed soil erosion models require data input derived from soil maps. Ideally, the level of spatial detail contained in the applied soil map should correspond to the objective of the modelling study. However, often the model user has only one soil map available which is then applied without questioning its suitability. The present study seeks to determine in how far soil map scale can be a source of error in erosion model output. The study was conducted on two different spatial scales, with for each of them a convenient soil erosion model: a) the catchment scale using the physically-based Limbourg Soil Erosion Model (LISEM), and b) the regional scale using the decision-tree expert model MESALES. The suitability of the applied soil map was evaluated with respect to an imaginary though realistic study objective for both models: the definition of erosion control measures at strategic locations at the catchment scale; the identification of target areas for the definition of control measures strategies at the regional scale. Two catchments were selected to test the sensitivity of LISEM to the spatial detail contained in soil maps: one catchment with relatively little contrast in soil texture, dominated by loess-derived soil (south of the Alsace), and one catchment with strongly contrasted soils at the limit between the Alsatian piedmont and the loess-covered hills of the Kochersberg. LISEM was run for both catchments using different soil maps ranging in scale from 1/25 000 to 1/100 000 to derive soil related input parameters. The comparison of the output differences was used to quantify the map scale impact on the quality of the model output. The sensitivity of MESALES was tested on the Haut-Rhin county for which two soil maps are available for comparison: 1/50 000 and 1/100 000. The order of resulting target areas (communes) was compared to evaluate the error induced by using the coarser soil data at 1/100 000. Results shows that both models are sensitive to the soil map scale used for model data input. A low sensitivity was found for the catchment with relatively homogeneous soil textures and the use of 1/100 000 soil maps seems allowed. The results for the catchment with strong soil texture variations showed significant differences depending on soil map scale on 75% of the catchment area. Here, the use of 1/100 000 soil map will indeed lead to wrong erosion diagnostics and will hamper the definition of a sound erosion control strategy. The regional scale model MESALES proved to be very sensitive to soil information. The two soil related model parameters (crusting sensitivity, and soil erodibility) reacted very often in the same direction therewith amplifying the change in the final erosion hazard class. The 1/100 000 soil map yielded different results on 40% of the sloping area compared to the 1/50 000 map. Significant differences in the order of target areas were found as well. The present study shows that the degree of sensitivity of the model output to soil map scale is rather variable and depends partly on the spatial variability of soil texture within the study area. Soil (textural) diversity needs to be accounted for to assure a fruitful use of soil erosion models. In some situations this might imply that additional soil data need to be collected in the field to refine the available soil map.

An Expressed Sequence Tag (EST)-enriched genetic map of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus): a useful framework for comparative genomics across model and farmed teleosts

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) is a relevant species in European aquaculture. The small turbot genome provides a source for genomics strategies to use in order to understand the genetic basis of productive traits, particularly those related to sex, growth and pathogen resistance. Genetic maps represent essential genomic screening tools allowing to localize quantitative trait loci (QTL) and to identify candidate genes through comparative mapping. This information is the backbone to develop marker-assisted selection (MAS) programs in aquaculture. Expressed sequenced tag (EST) resources have largely increased in turbot, thus supplying numerous type I markers suitable for extending the previous linkage map, which was mostly based on anonymous loci. The aim of this study was to construct a higher-resolution turbot genetic map using EST-linked markers, which will turn out to be useful for comparative mapping studies. Results A consensus gene-enriched genetic map of the turbot was constructed using 463 SNP and microsatellite markers in nine reference families. This map contains 438 markers, 180 EST-linked, clustered at 24 linkage groups. Linkage and comparative genomics evidences suggested additional linkage group fusions toward the consolidation of turbot map according to karyotype information. The linkage map showed a total length of 1402.7 cM with low average intermarker distance (3.7 cM; ~2 Mb). A global 1.6:1 female-to-male recombination frequency (RF) ratio was observed, although largely variable among linkage groups and chromosome regions. Comparative sequence analysis revealed large macrosyntenic patterns against model teleost genomes, significant hits decreasing from stickleback (54%) to zebrafish (20%). Comparative mapping supported particular chromosome rearrangements within Acanthopterygii and aided to assign unallocated markers to specific turbot linkage groups. Conclusions The new gene-enriched high-resolution turbot map represents a useful genomic tool for QTL identification, positional cloning strategies, and future genome assembling. This map showed large synteny conservation against model teleost genomes. Comparative genomics and data mining from landmarks will provide straightforward access to candidate genes, which will be the basis for genetic breeding programs and evolutionary studies in this species. PMID:22747677

Using concept mapping to evaluate knowledge structure in problem-based learning.

PubMed

Hung, Chia-Hui; Lin, Chen-Yung

2015-11-27

Many educational programs incorporate problem-based learning (PBL) to promote students' learning; however, the knowledge structure developed in PBL remains unclear. The aim of this study was to use concept mapping to generate an understanding of the use of PBL in the development of knowledge structures. Using a quasi-experimental study design, we employed concept mapping to illustrate the effects of PBL by examining the patterns of concepts and differences in the knowledge structures of students taught with and without a PBL approach. Fifty-two occupational therapy undergraduates were involved in the study and were randomly divided into PBL and control groups. The PBL group was given two case scenarios for small group discussion, while the control group continued with ordinary teaching and learning. Students were asked to make concept maps after being taught about knowledge structure. A descriptive analysis of the morphology of concept maps was conducted in order to compare the integration of the students' knowledge structures, and statistical analyses were done to understand the differences between groups. Three categories of concept maps were identified as follows: isolated, departmental, and integrated. The students in the control group constructed more isolated maps, while the students in the PBL group tended toward integrated mapping. Concept Relationships, Hierarchy Levels, and Cross Linkages in the concept maps were significantly greater in the PBL group; however, examples of concept maps did not differ significantly between the two groups. The data indicated that PBL had a strong effect on the acquisition and integration of knowledge. The important properties of PBL, including situational learning, problem spaces, and small group interactions, can help students to acquire more concepts, achieve an integrated knowledge structure, and enhance clinical reasoning.

BrainMap VBM: An environment for structural meta-analysis.

PubMed

Vanasse, Thomas J; Fox, P Mickle; Barron, Daniel S; Robertson, Michaela; Eickhoff, Simon B; Lancaster, Jack L; Fox, Peter T

2018-05-02

The BrainMap database is a community resource that curates peer-reviewed, coordinate-based human neuroimaging literature. By pairing the results of neuroimaging studies with their relevant meta-data, BrainMap facilitates coordinate-based meta-analysis (CBMA) of the neuroimaging literature en masse or at the level of experimental paradigm, clinical disease, or anatomic location. Initially dedicated to the functional, task-activation literature, BrainMap is now expanding to include voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies in a separate sector, titled: BrainMap VBM. VBM is a whole-brain, voxel-wise method that measures significant structural differences between or within groups which are reported as standardized, peak x-y-z coordinates. Here we describe BrainMap VBM, including the meta-data structure, current data volume, and automated reverse inference functions (region-to-disease profile) of this new community resource. CBMA offers a robust methodology for retaining true-positive and excluding false-positive findings across studies in the VBM literature. As with BrainMap's functional database, BrainMap VBM may be synthesized en masse or at the level of clinical disease or anatomic location. As a use-case scenario for BrainMap VBM, we illustrate a trans-diagnostic data-mining procedure wherein we explore the underlying network structure of 2,002 experiments representing over 53,000 subjects through independent components analysis (ICA). To reduce data-redundancy effects inherent to any database, we demonstrate two data-filtering approaches that proved helpful to ICA. Finally, we apply hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) to measure network- and disease-specificity. This procedure distinguished psychiatric from neurological diseases. We invite the neuroscientific community to further exploit BrainMap VBM with other modeling approaches. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Spatio Temporal Detection and Virtual Mapping of Landslide Using High-Resolution Airborne Laser Altimetry (lidar) in Densely Vegetated Areas of Tropics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bibi, T.; Azahari Razak, K.; Rahman, A. Abdul; Latif, A.

2017-10-01

Landslides are an inescapable natural disaster, resulting in massive social, environmental and economic impacts all over the world. The tropical, mountainous landscape in generally all over Malaysia especially in eastern peninsula (Borneo) is highly susceptible to landslides because of heavy rainfall and tectonic disturbances. The purpose of the Landslide hazard mapping is to identify the hazardous regions for the execution of mitigation plans which can reduce the loss of life and property from future landslide incidences. Currently, the Malaysian research bodies e.g. academic institutions and government agencies are trying to develop a landslide hazard and risk database for susceptible areas to backing the prevention, mitigation, and evacuation plan. However, there is a lack of devotion towards landslide inventory mapping as an elementary input of landslide susceptibility, hazard and risk mapping. The developing techniques based on remote sensing technologies (satellite, terrestrial and airborne) are promising techniques to accelerate the production of landslide maps, shrinking the time and resources essential for their compilation and orderly updates. The aim of the study is to provide a better perception regarding the use of virtual mapping of landslides with the help of LiDAR technology. The focus of the study is spatio temporal detection and virtual mapping of landslide inventory via visualization and interpretation of very high-resolution data (VHR) in forested terrain of Mesilau river, Kundasang. However, to cope with the challenges of virtual inventory mapping on in forested terrain high resolution LiDAR derivatives are used. This study specifies that the airborne LiDAR technology can be an effective tool for mapping landslide inventories in a complex climatic and geological conditions, and a quick way of mapping regional hazards in the tropics.

Sea-Floor Images and Data from Multibeam Surveys in San Francisco Bay, Southern California, Hawaii, the Gulf of Mexico, and Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dartnell, Peter; Gardiner, James V.

1999-01-01

Accurate base maps are a prerequisite for any geologic study, regardless of the objectives. Land-based studies commonly utilize aerial photographs, USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle maps, and satellite images as base maps. Until now, studies that involve the ocean floor have been at a disadvantage due to an almost complete lack of accurate marine base maps. Many base maps of the sea floor have been constructed over the past century but with a wide range in navigational and depth accuracies. Only in the past few years has marine surveying technology advanced far enough to produce navigational accuracy of 1 meter and depth resolutions of 50 centimeters. The Pacific Seafloor Mapping Project of the U.S. Geological Survey's, Western Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Menlo Park, California, U.S.A., in cooperation with the Ocean Mapping Group, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada, is using this new technology to systematically map the ocean floor and lakes. This type of marine surveying, called multibeam surveying, collects high-resolution bathymetric and backscatter data that can be used for various base maps, GIS coverages, and scientific visualization methods. This is an interactive CD-ROM that contains images, movies, and data of all the surveys the Pacific Seafloor Mapping Project has completed up to January 1999. The images and movies on this CD-ROM, such as shaded relief of the bathymetry, backscatter, oblique views, 3-D views, and QuickTime movies help the viewer to visualize the multibeam data. This CD-ROM also contains ARC/INFO export (.e00) files and full-resolution TIFF images of all the survey sites that can be downloaded and used in many GIS packages.

Evaluation of ERTS-1 imagery for mapping Quaternary deposits and landforms in the Great Plains and Midwest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, R. B. (Principal Investigator); Hallberg, G. R.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Maps of 1:1 million scale exemplifying the first phase of investigation were prepared for ten study areas (mostly 1 deg x 2 deg in area): 2 in Kansas, 1 in Missouri-Kansas, 2 in Nebraska, 1 in South Dakota, 3 in Illinois, and 1 in Iowa-Illinois (a total of 13 such maps, covering about 97,000 sq. mi., since the start of the project). Collection of all pertinent published geologic-terrain data also has been completed for all the study areas for which these first-phase maps have been made. The ground truth data are being used in combination with additional interpretation of the repetitive ERTS-1 images of most of these study areas to prepare enhanced information maps at 1:500,000. For areas that have not been mapped at 1:500,000 or larger scales, the maps will provide the first moderately detailed information on landform features and surficial materials. Much of the information mapped is significant for exploration and development of ground water (and locally petroleum) and for applications in engineering and environmental geology, and land use patterns as indicated by tone and texture on the images. Numerous moraines have been identified; also, the trends of parts of ancient filled valleys have been identified. Valley alinement appears controlled by faults or other structural lineaments.

Using Temporal Modulation Sensitivity to Select Stimulation Sites for Processor MAPs in Cochlear Implant Listeners

PubMed Central

Garadat, Soha N.; Zwolan, Teresa A.; Pfingst, Bryan E.

2013-01-01

Previous studies in our laboratory showed that temporal acuity as assessed by modulation detection thresholds (MDTs) varied across activation sites and that this site-to-site variability was subject specific. Using two 10-channel MAPs, the previous experiments showed that processor MAPs that had better across-site mean (ASM) MDTs yielded better speech recognition than MAPs with poorer ASM MDTs tested in the same subject. The current study extends our earlier work on developing more optimal fitting strategies to test the feasibility of using a site-selection approach in the clinical domain. This study examined the hypothesis that revising the clinical speech processor MAP for cochlear implant (CI) recipients by turning off selected sites that have poorer temporal acuity and reallocating frequencies to the remaining electrodes would lead to improved speech recognition. Twelve CI recipients participated in the experiments. We found that site selection procedure based on MDTs in the presence of a masker resulted in improved performance on consonant recognition and recognition of sentences in noise. In contrast, vowel recognition was poorer with the experimental MAP than with the clinical MAP, possibly due to reduced spectral resolution when sites were removed from the experimental MAP. Overall, these results suggest a promising path for improving recipient outcomes using personalized processor-fitting strategies based on a psychophysical measure of temporal acuity. PMID:23881208

Accurate and reproducible functional maps in 127 human cell types via 2D genome segmentation

PubMed Central

Hardison, Ross C.

2017-01-01

Abstract The Roadmap Epigenomics Consortium has published whole-genome functional annotation maps in 127 human cell types by integrating data from studies of multiple epigenetic marks. These maps have been widely used for studying gene regulation in cell type-specific contexts and predicting the functional impact of DNA mutations on disease. Here, we present a new map of functional elements produced by applying a method called IDEAS on the same data. The method has several unique advantages and outperforms existing methods, including that used by the Roadmap Epigenomics Consortium. Using five categories of independent experimental datasets, we compared the IDEAS and Roadmap Epigenomics maps. While the overall concordance between the two maps is high, the maps differ substantially in the prediction details and in their consistency of annotation of a given genomic position across cell types. The annotation from IDEAS is uniformly more accurate than the Roadmap Epigenomics annotation and the improvement is substantial based on several criteria. We further introduce a pipeline that improves the reproducibility of functional annotation maps. Thus, we provide a high-quality map of candidate functional regions across 127 human cell types and compare the quality of different annotation methods in order to facilitate biomedical research in epigenomics. PMID:28973456

Comparing orbiter and rover image-based mapping of an ancient sedimentary environment, Aeolis Palus, Gale crater, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stack, K. M.; Edwards, C. S.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Gupta, S.; Sumner, D. Y.; Calef, F. J.; Edgar, L. A.; Edgett, K. S.; Fraeman, A. A.; Jacob, S. R.; Le Deit, L.; Lewis, K. W.; Rice, M. S.; Rubin, D.; Williams, R. M. E.; Williford, K. H.

2016-12-01

This study provides the first systematic comparison of orbital facies maps with detailed ground-based geology observations from the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover to examine the validity of geologic interpretations derived from orbital image data. Orbital facies maps were constructed for the Darwin, Cooperstown, and Kimberley waypoints visited by the Curiosity rover using High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images. These maps, which represent the most detailed orbital analysis of these areas to date, were compared with rover image-based geologic maps and stratigraphic columns derived from Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam) and Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI). Results show that bedrock outcrops can generally be distinguished from unconsolidated surficial deposits in high-resolution orbital images and that orbital facies mapping can be used to recognize geologic contacts between well-exposed bedrock units. However, process-based interpretations derived from orbital image mapping are difficult to infer without known regional context or observable paleogeomorphic indicators, and layer-cake models of stratigraphy derived from orbital maps oversimplify depositional relationships as revealed from a rover perspective. This study also shows that fine-scale orbital image-based mapping of current and future Mars landing sites is essential for optimizing the efficiency and science return of rover surface operations.

Updating categorical soil maps using limited survey data by Bayesian Markov chain cosimulation.

PubMed

Li, Weidong; Zhang, Chuanrong; Dey, Dipak K; Willig, Michael R

2013-01-01

Updating categorical soil maps is necessary for providing current, higher-quality soil data to agricultural and environmental management but may not require a costly thorough field survey because latest legacy maps may only need limited corrections. This study suggests a Markov chain random field (MCRF) sequential cosimulation (Co-MCSS) method for updating categorical soil maps using limited survey data provided that qualified legacy maps are available. A case study using synthetic data demonstrates that Co-MCSS can appreciably improve simulation accuracy of soil types with both contributions from a legacy map and limited sample data. The method indicates the following characteristics: (1) if a soil type indicates no change in an update survey or it has been reclassified into another type that similarly evinces no change, it will be simply reproduced in the updated map; (2) if a soil type has changes in some places, it will be simulated with uncertainty quantified by occurrence probability maps; (3) if a soil type has no change in an area but evinces changes in other distant areas, it still can be captured in the area with unobvious uncertainty. We concluded that Co-MCSS might be a practical method for updating categorical soil maps with limited survey data.

Updating Categorical Soil Maps Using Limited Survey Data by Bayesian Markov Chain Cosimulation

PubMed Central

Dey, Dipak K.; Willig, Michael R.

2013-01-01

Updating categorical soil maps is necessary for providing current, higher-quality soil data to agricultural and environmental management but may not require a costly thorough field survey because latest legacy maps may only need limited corrections. This study suggests a Markov chain random field (MCRF) sequential cosimulation (Co-MCSS) method for updating categorical soil maps using limited survey data provided that qualified legacy maps are available. A case study using synthetic data demonstrates that Co-MCSS can appreciably improve simulation accuracy of soil types with both contributions from a legacy map and limited sample data. The method indicates the following characteristics: (1) if a soil type indicates no change in an update survey or it has been reclassified into another type that similarly evinces no change, it will be simply reproduced in the updated map; (2) if a soil type has changes in some places, it will be simulated with uncertainty quantified by occurrence probability maps; (3) if a soil type has no change in an area but evinces changes in other distant areas, it still can be captured in the area with unobvious uncertainty. We concluded that Co-MCSS might be a practical method for updating categorical soil maps with limited survey data. PMID:24027447

Comparing orbiter and rover image-based mapping of an ancient sedimentary environment, Aeolis Palus, Gale crater, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stack, Kathryn M.; Edwards, Christopher; Grotzinger, J. P.; Gupta, S.; Sumner, D.; Edgar, Lauren; Fraeman, A.; Jacob, S.; LeDeit, L.; Lewis, K.W.; Rice, M.S.; Rubin, D.; Calef, F.; Edgett, K.; Williams, R.M.E.; Williford, K.H.

2016-01-01

This study provides the first systematic comparison of orbital facies maps with detailed ground-based geology observations from the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover to examine the validity of geologic interpretations derived from orbital image data. Orbital facies maps were constructed for the Darwin, Cooperstown, and Kimberley waypoints visited by the Curiosity rover using High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images. These maps, which represent the most detailed orbital analysis of these areas to date, were compared with rover image-based geologic maps and stratigraphic columns derived from Curiosity’s Mast Camera (Mastcam) and Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI). Results show that bedrock outcrops can generally be distinguished from unconsolidated surficial deposits in high-resolution orbital images and that orbital facies mapping can be used to recognize geologic contacts between well-exposed bedrock units. However, process-based interpretations derived from orbital image mapping are difficult to infer without known regional context or observable paleogeomorphic indicators, and layer-cake models of stratigraphy derived from orbital maps oversimplify depositional relationships as revealed from a rover perspective. This study also shows that fine-scale orbital image-based mapping of current and future Mars landing sites is essential for optimizing the efficiency and science return of rover surface operations.

A study of an orbital radar mapping mission to Venus. Volume 3: Parametric studies and subsystem comparisons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Parametric studies and subsystem comparisons for the orbital radar mapping mission to planet Venus are presented. Launch vehicle requirements and primary orbiter propulsion system requirements are evaluated. The systems parametric analysis indicated that orbit size and orientation interrelated with almost all of the principal spacecraft systems and influenced significantly the definition of orbit insertion propulsion requirements, weight in orbit capability, radar system design, and mapping strategy.

Vector Topographic Map Data over the BOREAS NSA and SSA in SIF Format

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knapp, David; Nickeson, Jaime; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor)

2000-01-01

This data set contains vector contours and other features of individual topographic map sheets from the National Topographic Series (NTS). The map sheet files were received in Standard Interchange Format (SIF) and cover the BOReal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Northern Study Area (NSA) and Southern Study Area (SSA) at scales of 1:50,000 and 1:250,000. The individual files are stored in compressed Unix tar archives.

Higher risk of orofacial clefts in children born to mothers with angina pectoris: a population-based case-control study.

PubMed

Czeizel, Andrew E; Vereczkey, Attila; Bánhidy, Ferenc

2015-02-01

Previously an unexpected association of maternal angina pectoris (MAP) during pregnancy with a higher risk of orofacial clefts in their children was found. There were three objectives of this study: (i) to evaluate the validity of MAP-diagnoses in the previous study and the recent history of mothers with MAP in a follow-up study; (ii) to estimate the prevalence of other congenital abnormalities in the offspring of mothers with MAP; and (iii) to analyze the possible effect of confounders for the risk of orofacial clefts. The large dataset of population-based Hungarian Case-Control Surveillance System of Congenital Abnormalities, 1980-1996 was evaluated including 22 843 cases with congenital abnormalities and 38 151 controls without any defect. Twenty-two cases (0.10%) and 12 controls (0.03%) were born to mothers with medically recorded MAP (odds ratio [OR] with 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.7, 1.8-7.3). Of 22 cases, six had isolated cleft lip ± palate (OR with 95% CI: 13.3, 4.9-35.9) and two were affected with isolated cleft palate (OR with 95% CI: 10.5, 2.3-47.6). The diagnosis of MAP was confirmed in seven women visited at home in 2009-2010, two had recent myocardial infarction and five were smokers. There was no higher risk for other congenital abnormalities. In conclusion the higher risk of orofacial clefts was confirmed in the children of mothers with MAP and smoking may trigger the genetic predisposition of both MAP and orofacial clefts. However, the number of cases was limited and therefore further studies are needed to confirm or reject this theoretically and practically important observation. © 2014 Japanese Teratology Society.

Image processing for optical mapping.

PubMed

Ravindran, Prabu; Gupta, Aditya

2015-01-01

Optical Mapping is an established single-molecule, whole-genome analysis system, which has been used to gain a comprehensive understanding of genomic structure and to study structural variation of complex genomes. A critical component of Optical Mapping system is the image processing module, which extracts single molecule restriction maps from image datasets of immobilized, restriction digested and fluorescently stained large DNA molecules. In this review, we describe robust and efficient image processing techniques to process these massive datasets and extract accurate restriction maps in the presence of noise, ambiguity and confounding artifacts. We also highlight a few applications of the Optical Mapping system.

Physical map of the Brucella melitensis 16 M chromosome.

PubMed Central

Allardet-Servent, A; Carles-Nurit, M J; Bourg, G; Michaux, S; Ramuz, M

1991-01-01

We present the first restriction map of the Brucella melitensis 16 M chromosome obtained by Southern blot hybridization of SpeI, XhoI, and XbaI fragments separated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. All restriction fragments (a total of 113) were mapped into an open circle. The main difficulty in mapping involved the exceedingly high number of restriction fragments, as was expected considering the 59% G + C content of the Brucella genome. Several cloned genes were placed on this map, especially rRNA operons which are repeated three times. The size of the B. melitensis chromosome, estimated as 2,600 kb long in a previous study, appeared longer (3,130 kb) by restriction mapping. This restriction map is an initial approach to achieve a genetic map of the Brucella chromosome. Images PMID:2007548

Geologic maps of the eastern Alaska Range, Alaska (1:63,360 scale)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nokleberg, Warren J.; Aleinikoff, John N.; Bond, Gerard C.; Ferrians, Oscar J.; Herzon, Paige L.; Lange, Ian M.; Miyaoka, Ronny T.; Richter, Donald H.; Schwab, Carl E.; Silva, Steven R.; Smith, Thomas E.; Zehner, Richard E.

2015-01-01

This report provides a description of map units for a suite of 44 inch-to-mile (1:63,360-scale) geologic quadrangle maps of the eastern Alaska Range. This report also contains a geologic and tectonic summary and a comprehensive list of references pertaining to geologic mapping and specialized studies of the region. In addition to the geologic maps of the eastern Alaska Range, this package includes a list of map units and an explanation of map symbols and abbreviations. The geologic maps display detailed surficial and bedrock geology, structural and stratigraphic data, portrayal of the active Denali fault that bisects the core of the east–west-trending range, and portrayal of other young faults along the north and south flanks of the range.

Lithology and aggregate quality attributes for the digital geologic map of Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knepper, Daniel H.; Green, Gregory N.; Langer, William H.

1999-01-01

This geologic map was prepared as a part of a study of digital methods and techniques as applied to complex geologic maps. The geologic map was digitized from the original scribe sheets used to prepare the published Geologic Map of Colorado (Tweto 1979). Consequently the digital version is at 1:500,000 scale using the Lambert Conformal Conic map projection parameters of the state base map. Stable base contact prints of the scribe sheets were scanned on a Tektronix 4991 digital scanner. The scanner automatically converts the scanned image to an ASCII vector format. These vectors were transferred to a VAX minicomputer, where they were then loaded into ARC/INFO. Each vector and polygon was given attributes derived from the original 1979 geologic map.

A qualitative enquiry into OpenStreetMap making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yu-Wei

2011-04-01

Based on a case study on the OpenStreetMap community, this paper provides a contextual and embodied understanding of the user-led, user-participatory and user-generated produsage phenomenon. It employs Grounded Theory, Social Worlds Theory, and qualitative methods to illuminate and explores the produsage processes of OpenStreetMap making, and how knowledge artefacts such as maps can be collectively and collaboratively produced by a community of people, who are situated in different places around the world but engaged with the same repertoire of mapping practices. The empirical data illustrate that OpenStreetMap itself acts as a boundary object that enables actors from different social worlds to co-produce the Map through interacting with each other and negotiating the meanings of mapping, the mapping data and the Map itself. The discourses also show that unlike traditional maps that black-box cartographic knowledge and offer a single dominant perspective of cities or places, OpenStreetMap is an embodied epistemic object that embraces different world views. The paper also explores how contributors build their identities as an OpenStreetMaper alongside some other identities they have. Understanding the identity-building process helps to understand mapping as an embodied activity with emotional, cognitive and social repertoires.

The Effect of Concept Maps on Undergraduate Nursing Students' Critical Thinking.

PubMed

Garwood, Janet K; Ahmed, Azza H; McComb, Sara A

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of using concept maps as a teaching and learning strategy on students' critical thinking abilities and examine students' perceptions toward concept maps utilizing the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Researchers have found that almost two thirds of nurse graduates do not have adequate critical thinking skills for a beginner nurse. Critical thinking skills are required for safe practice and mandated by accrediting organizations. Nursing educators should consider teaching and learning strategies that promote the development of critical thinking skills. A literature review was conducted using "concept maps, nursing education, and critical thinking" as the combined search terms. Inclusion criteria were studies that measured the effects of concept mapping on critical thinking in nursing students. Seventeen articles were identified. Concept maps may be useful tools to promote critical thinking in nursing education and for applying theory to practice.

A STUDY ON REASONS OF ERRORS OF OLD SURVEY MAPS IN CADASTRAL SYSTEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanase, Norihiko

This paper explicates sources on survey map errors which were made in 19th century. The present cadastral system stands on registers and survey maps which were compiled to change the land taxation system in the Meiji era. Many Japanese may recognize the reasons why poor survey technique by farmers, too long measure to avoid heavy tax, careless official check and other deception made such errors of acreage from several to more than ten percent of area in survey maps. The author would like to maintain that such errors, called nawa-nobi, were lawful in accordance with the then survey regulation because of results to analyze old survey regulations, history of making maps and studies of cadastral system. In addition to, a kind of survey maps' errors should be pointed out a reason why the easy subdivision system which could approve without real survey and disposal of state property with inadequate survey.

Does Spatial or Visual Information in Maps Facilitate Text Recall?: Reconsidering the Conjoint Retention Hypothesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffin, Marlynn M.; Robinson, Daniel H.; Sarama, Julie

2005-01-01

The conjoint retention hypothesis (CRH) claims that students recall more text information when they study geographic maps in addition to text than when they study text alone, because the maps are encoded spatially (Kulhavy, Lee, & Caterino, 1985). This claim was recently challenged by Griffin and Robinson (2000), who found no advantage for maps…

Investigating Word Learning in Fragile X Syndrome: A Fast-Mapping Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDuffie, Andrea; Kover, Sara T.; Hagerman, Randi; Abbeduto, Leonard

2013-01-01

Fast-mapping paradigms have not been used previously to examine the process of word learning in boys with fragile X syndrome (FXS), who are likely to have intellectual impairment, language delays, and symptoms of autism. In this study, a fast-mapping task was used to investigate associative word learning in 4- to 10-year-old boys with FXS relative…

The Effectiveness of Using Group Story-Mapping Strategy to Improve Reading Comprehension of Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alturki, Nada

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of using group story-mapping of English as a second language (ESL) on students with learning disability while reading comprehension. The researcher focused on a specific graphic organizer in this study, called group story-mapping. This strategy required students with learning disabilities…

A Study to Determine the Contribution Made by Concept Maps to a Computer Architecture and Organization Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydogan, Tuncay; Ergun, Serap

2016-01-01

Concept mapping is a method of graphical learning that can be beneficial as a study method for concept linking and organization. Concept maps, which provide an elegant, easily understood representation of an expert's domain knowledge, are tools for organizing and representing knowledge. These tools have been used in educational environments to…

Exploring the Effects of Employing Google Docs in Collaborative Concept Mapping on Achievement, Concept Representation, and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Yu-Tzu; Chang, Chia-Hu; Hou, Huei-Tse; Wu, Ke-Chou

2016-01-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of using Google Docs in collaborative concept mapping (CCM) by comparing it with a paper-and-pencil approach. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in a physics course. The control group drew concept maps using the paper-and-pencil method and face-to-face discussion, whereas the experimental group…

The Impact of Electronic Mind Maps on Students' Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohaidat, Mohammad Mahmoud Talal

2018-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the impact of the electronic mind map (IMindMap) on the development of reading comprehension among the ninth grade students in Jordan. The sample of the study consisted of two ninth grade sections from two public schools in Irbid First Directorate during the academic 2016-2017. Each section consisted of (30)…

The Effectiveness of Using Group Story-Mapping Strategy to Improve Reading Comprehension of Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alturki, Nada

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of using group story-mapping on ESL students with a learning disability in reading comprehension. The researcher focused on a specific graphic organizer in this study, called Group Story-Mapping. This strategy required students with learning disabilities involving reading comprehension to…

Pedagogical Knowledge Representation through Concept Mapping as a Study and Collaboration Tool in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koc, Mustafa

2012-01-01

This study explored (a) pre-service teachers' perceptions of using concept mapping (CM) in one of their pedagogical courses, (b) the predictive power of such implementation in course achievement, and (c) the role of prior experience with CM, type of mapping, and gender on their perceptions and performances in CM and achievement. The subjects were…

The Effects of Concept Mapping and Academic Self-Efficacy on Mastery Goals and Reading Comprehension Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Andrew; Kim, Wonsun

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of concept mapping on mastery goal orientation and academic self-efficacy in a collaborative learning environment. The current study employed a randomized controlled pretest-posttest group design to examine if learning strategies such as concept mapping can help students with both reading…

Creating Visual Aids with Graphic Organisers on an Infinite Canvas--The Impact on the Presenter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casteleyn, Jordi; Mottart, Andre; Valcke, Martin

2015-01-01

Instead of the traditional set of slides, the visual aids of a presentation can now be graphic organisers (concept maps, knowledge maps, mind maps) on an infinite canvas. Constructing graphic organisers has a beneficial impact on learning, but this topic has not been studied in the context of giving a presentation. The present study examined this…

Analyzing Interactions by an IIS-Map-Based Method in Face-to-Face Collaborative Learning: An Empirical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Lanqin; Yang, Kaicheng; Huang, Ronghuai

2012-01-01

This study proposes a new method named the IIS-map-based method for analyzing interactions in face-to-face collaborative learning settings. This analysis method is conducted in three steps: firstly, drawing an initial IIS-map according to collaborative tasks; secondly, coding and segmenting information flows into information items of IIS; thirdly,…

A GIS/Remote Sensing-based methodology for groundwater potentiality assessment in Tirnavos area, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oikonomidis, D.; Dimogianni, S.; Kazakis, N.; Voudouris, K.

2015-06-01

The aim of this paper is to assess the groundwater potentiality combining Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing with data obtained from the field, as an additional tool to the hydrogeological research. The present study was elaborated in the broader area of Tirnavos, covering 419.4 km2. The study area is located in Thessaly (central Greece) and is crossed by two rivers, Pinios and Titarisios. Agriculture is one of the main elements of Thessaly's economy resulting in intense agricultural activity and consequently increased exploitation of groundwater resources. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) were used in order to create a map that depicts the likelihood of existence of groundwater, consisting of five classes, showing the groundwater potentiality and ranging from very high to very low. The extraction of this map is based on the study of input data such as: rainfall, potential recharge, lithology, lineament density, slope, drainage density and depth to groundwater. Weights were assigned to all these factors according to their relevance to groundwater potential and eventually a map based on weighted spatial modeling system was created. Furthermore, a groundwater quality suitability map was illustrated by overlaying the groundwater potentiality map with the map showing the potential zones for drinking groundwater in the study area. The results provide significant information and the maps could be used from local authorities for groundwater exploitation and management.

Vegetation mapping of the Mond Protected Area of Bushehr Province (south-west Iran).

PubMed

Mehrabian, Ahmadreza; Naqinezhad, Alireza; Mahiny, Abdolrassoul Salman; Mostafavi, Hossein; Liaghati, Homan; Kouchekzadeh, Mohsen

2009-03-01

Arid regions of the world occupy up to 35% of the earth's surface, the basis of various definitions of climatic conditions, vegetation types or potential for food production. Due to their high ecological value, monitoring of arid regions is necessary and modern vegetation studies can help in the conservation and management of these areas. The use of remote sensing for mapping of desert vegetation is difficult due to mixing of the spectral reflectance of bright desert soils with the weak spectral response of sparse vegetation. We studied the vegetation types in the semiarid to arid region of Mond Protected Area, south-west Iran, based on unsupervised classification of the Spot XS bands and then produced updated maps. Sixteen map units covering 12 vegetation types were recognized in the area based on both field works and satellite mapping. Halocnemum strobilaceum and Suaeda fruticosa vegetation types were the dominant types and Ephedra foliata, Salicornia europaea-Suaeda heterophylla vegetation types were the smallest. Vegetation coverage decreased sharply with the increase in salinity towards the coastal areas of the Persian Gulf. The highest vegetation coverage belonged to the riparian vegetation along the Mond River, which represents the northern boundary of the protected area. The location of vegetation types was studied on the separate soil and habitat diversity maps of the study area, which helped in final refinements of the vegetation map produced.

Development of Ground Reference GIS for Assessing Land Cover Maps of Northeast Yellowstone National Park

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spruce, Joe; Warner, Amanda; Terrie, Greg; Davis, Bruce

2001-01-01

GIS technology and ground reference data often play vital roles in assessing land cover maps derived from remotely sensed data. This poster illustrates these roles, using results from a study done in Northeast Yellowstone National Park. This area holds many forest, range, and wetland cover types of interest to park managers. Several recent studies have focused on this locale, including the NASA Earth Observations Commercial Applications Program (EOCAP) hyperspectral project performed by Yellowstone Ecosystems Studies (YES) on riparian and in-stream habitat mapping. This poster regards a spin-off to the EOCAP project in which YES and NASA's Earth Science Applications Directorate explored the potential for synergistic use of hyperspecral, synthetic aperture radar, and multiband thermal imagery in mapping land cover types. The project included development of a ground reference GIS for site-specific data needed to evaluate maps from remotely sensed imagery. Field survey data included reflectance of plant communities, native and exotic plant species, and forest health conditions. Researchers also collected GPS points, annotated aerial photographs, and took hand held photographs of reference sites. The use of ESRI, ERDAS, and ENVI software enabled reference data entry into a GIS for comparision to georeferenced imagery and thematic maps. The GIS-based ground reference data layers supported development and assessment of multiple maps from remotely sensed data sets acquired over the study area.

Concept mapping as a promising method to bring practice into science.

PubMed

van Bon-Martens, M J H; van de Goor, L A M; Holsappel, J C; Kuunders, T J M; Jacobs-van der Bruggen, M A M; te Brake, J H M; van Oers, J A M

2014-06-01

Concept mapping is a method for developing a conceptual framework of a complex topic for use as a guide to evaluation or planning. In concept mapping, thoughts and ideas are represented in the form of a picture or map, the content of which is determined by a group of stakeholders. This study aimed to explore the suitability of this method as a tool to integrate practical knowledge with scientific knowledge in order to improve theory development as a sound basis for practical decision-making. Following a short introduction to the method of concept mapping, five Dutch studies, serving different purposes and fields in public health, will be described. The aim of these studies was: to construct a theoretical framework for good regional public health reporting; to design an implementation strategy for a guideline for integral local health policy; to guide the evaluation of a local integral approach of overweight and obesity in youth; to guide the construction of a questionnaire to measure the quality of postdisaster psychosocial care; and to conceptualize an integral base for formulation of ambitions and targets for the new youth healthcare programme of a regional health service. The studies showed that concept mapping is a way to integrate practical and scientific knowledge with careful selection of participants that represent the different perspectives. Theory development can be improved through concept mapping; not by formulating new theories, but by highlighting the key issues and defining perceived relationships between topics. In four of the five studies, the resulting concept map was received as a sound basis for practical decision-making. Concept mapping is a valuable method for evidence-based public health policy, and a powerful instrument for facilitating dialogue, coherence and collaboration between researchers, practitioners, policy makers and the public. Development of public health theory was realized by a step-by-step approach, considering both scientific and practical knowledge. However, the external validity of the concept maps in place and time is of importance. Copyright © 2014 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A high-resolution map of the Nile tilapia genome: a resource for studying cichlids and other percomorphs

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is the second most farmed fish species worldwide. It is also an important model for studies of fish physiology, particularly because of its broad tolerance to an array of environments. It is a good model to study evolutionary mechanisms in vertebrates, because of its close relationship to haplochromine cichlids, which have undergone rapid speciation in East Africa. The existing genomic resources for Nile tilapia include a genetic map, BAC end sequences and ESTs, but comparative genome analysis and maps of quantitative trait loci (QTL) are still limited. Results We have constructed a high-resolution radiation hybrid (RH) panel for the Nile tilapia and genotyped 1358 markers consisting of 850 genes, 82 markers corresponding to BAC end sequences, 154 microsatellites and 272 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). From these, 1296 markers could be associated in 81 RH groups, while 62 were not linked. The total size of the RH map is 34,084 cR3500 and 937,310 kb. It covers 88% of the entire genome with an estimated inter-marker distance of 742 Kb. Mapping of microsatellites enabled integration to the genetic map. We have merged LG8 and LG24 into a single linkage group, and confirmed that LG16-LG21 are also merged. The orientation and association of RH groups to each chromosome and LG was confirmed by chromosomal in situ hybridizations (FISH) of 55 BACs. Fifty RH groups were localized on the 22 chromosomes while 31 remained small orphan groups. Synteny relationships were determined between Nile tilapia, stickleback, medaka and pufferfish. Conclusion The RH map and associated FISH map provide a valuable gene-ordered resource for gene mapping and QTL studies. All genetic linkage groups with their corresponding RH groups now have a corresponding chromosome which can be identified in the karyotype. Placement of conserved segments indicated that multiple inter-chromosomal rearrangements have occurred between Nile tilapia and the other model fishes. These maps represent a valuable resource for organizing the forthcoming genome sequence of Nile tilapia, and provide a foundation for evolutionary studies of East African cichlid fishes. PMID:22672252

Do managed alcohol programs change patterns of alcohol consumption and reduce related harm? A pilot study.

PubMed

Vallance, Kate; Stockwell, Tim; Pauly, Bernie; Chow, Clifton; Gray, Erin; Krysowaty, Bonnie; Perkin, Kathleen; Zhao, Jinhui

2016-05-09

Managed alcohol programs (MAPs) are a harm reduction strategy for people with severe alcohol dependence and unstable housing. MAPs provide controlled access to alcohol usually alongside accommodation, meals, and other supports. Patterns of alcohol consumption and related harms among MAP participants and controls from a homeless shelter in Thunder Bay, Ontario, were investigated in 2013. Structured interviews were conducted with 18 MAP and 20 control participants assessed as alcohol dependent with most using non-beverage alcohol (NBA). Qualitative interviews were conducted with seven participants and four MAP staff concerning perceptions and experiences of the program. Program alcohol consumption records were obtained for MAP participants, and records of police contacts and use of health services were obtained for participants and controls. Some participants' liver function test (LFT) results were available for before and after MAP entry. Compared with periods off the MAP, MAP participants had 41 % fewer police contacts, 33 % fewer police contacts leading to custody time (x (2) = 43.84, P < 0.001), 87 % fewer detox admissions (t = -1.68, P = 0.06), and 32 % fewer hospital admissions (t = -2.08, P = 0.03). MAP and control participants shared similar characteristics, indicating the groups were broadly comparable. There were reductions in nearly all available LFT scores after MAP entry. Compared with controls, MAP participants had 43 % fewer police contacts, significantly fewer police contacts (-38 %) that resulted in custody time (x (2) = 66.10, P < 0.001), 70 % fewer detox admissions (t = -2.19, P = 0.02), and 47 % fewer emergency room presentations. NBA use was significantly less frequent for MAP participants versus controls (t = -2.34, P < 0.05). Marked but non-significant reductions were observed in the number of participants self-reporting alcohol-related harms in the domains of home life, legal issues, and withdrawal seizures. Qualitative interviews with staff and MAP participants provided additional insight into reductions of non-beverage alcohol use and reductions of police and health-care contacts. It was unclear if overall volume of alcohol consumption was reduced as a result of MAP participation. The quantitative and qualitative findings of this pilot study suggest that MAP participation was associated with a number of positive outcomes including fewer hospital admissions, detox episodes, and police contacts leading to custody, reduced NBA consumption, and decreases in some alcohol-related harms. These encouraging trends are being investigated in a larger national study.

Mapping to Estimate Health-State Utility from Non-Preference-Based Outcome Measures: An ISPOR Good Practices for Outcomes Research Task Force Report.

PubMed

Wailoo, Allan J; Hernandez-Alava, Monica; Manca, Andrea; Mejia, Aurelio; Ray, Joshua; Crawford, Bruce; Botteman, Marc; Busschbach, Jan

2017-01-01

Economic evaluation conducted in terms of cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) provides information that decision makers find useful in many parts of the world. Ideally, clinical studies designed to assess the effectiveness of health technologies would include outcome measures that are directly linked to health utility to calculate QALYs. Often this does not happen, and even when it does, clinical studies may be insufficient for a cost-utility assessment. Mapping can solve this problem. It uses an additional data set to estimate the relationship between outcomes measured in clinical studies and health utility. This bridges the evidence gap between available evidence on the effect of a health technology in one metric and the requirement for decision makers to express it in a different one (QALYs). In 2014, ISPOR established a Good Practices for Outcome Research Task Force for mapping studies. This task force report provides recommendations to analysts undertaking mapping studies, those that use the results in cost-utility analysis, and those that need to critically review such studies. The recommendations cover all areas of mapping practice: the selection of data sets for the mapping estimation, model selection and performance assessment, reporting standards, and the use of results including the appropriate reflection of variability and uncertainty. This report is unique because it takes an international perspective, is comprehensive in its coverage of the aspects of mapping practice, and reflects the current state of the art. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review and history of photon cross section calculations.

PubMed

Hubbell, J H

2006-07-07

Photon (x-ray, gamma-ray, bremsstrahlung) mass attenuation coefficients, mu/rho, are among the most widely used physical parameters employed in medical diagnostic and therapy computations, as well as in diverse applications in other fields such as nuclear power plant shielding, health physics and industrial irradiation and monitoring, and in x-ray crystallography. This review traces the evolution of this data base from its empirical beginnings totally derived from measurements beginning in 1907 by Barkla and Sadler and continuing up through the 1935 Allen compilation (published virtually unchanged in all editions up through 1971-1972 of the Chemical Rubber Handbook), to the 1949 semi-empirical compilation of Victoreen, as our theoretical understanding of the constituent Compton scattering, photoabsorption and pair production interactions of photons with atoms became more quantitative. The 1950s saw the advent of completely theoretical (guided by available measured data) systematic compilations such as in the works of Davisson and Evans, and by White-Grodstein under the direction of Fano, using mostly theory developed in the 1930s (pre-World War II) by Sauter, Bethe, Heitler and others. Post-World War II new theoretical activity, and the introduction of the electronic automatic computer, led to the more extensive and more accurate compilations in the 1960s and 1970s by Storm and Israel, and by Berger and Hubbell. Today's mu/rho compilations by Cullen et al, by Seltzer, Berger and Hubbell, and by others, collectively spanning the ten decades of photon energy from 10 eV to 100 GeV, for all elements Z= 1 to 100, draw heavily on the 1970s shell-by-shell photoabsorption computations of Scofield, the 1960s coherent and incoherent scattering computations of Cromer et al, and the 1980 computations of electron-positron pair and triplet computations of Hubbell, Gimm and Øverbø, these names being representative of the vast legions of other researchers whose work fed into these computations.

REVIEW: Review and history of photon cross section calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubbell, J. H.

2006-07-01

Photon (x-ray, gamma-ray, bremsstrahlung) mass attenuation coefficients, μ/ρ, are among the most widely used physical parameters employed in medical diagnostic and therapy computations, as well as in diverse applications in other fields such as nuclear power plant shielding, health physics and industrial irradiation and monitoring, and in x-ray crystallography. This review traces the evolution of this data base from its empirical beginnings totally derived from measurements beginning in 1907 by Barkla and Sadler and continuing up through the 1935 Allen compilation (published virtually unchanged in all editions up through 1971-1972 of the Chemical Rubber Handbook), to the 1949 semi-empirical compilation of Victoreen, as our theoretical understanding of the constituent Compton scattering, photoabsorption and pair production interactions of photons with atoms became more quantitative. The 1950s saw the advent of completely theoretical (guided by available measured data) systematic compilations such as in the works of Davisson and Evans, and by White-Grodstein under the direction of Fano, using mostly theory developed in the 1930s (pre-World War II) by Sauter, Bethe, Heitler and others. Post-World War II new theoretical activity, and the introduction of the electronic automatic computer, led to the more extensive and more accurate compilations in the 1960s and 1970s by Storm and Israel, and by Berger and Hubbell. Today's μ/ρ compilations by Cullen et al, by Seltzer, Berger and Hubbell, and by others, collectively spanning the ten decades of photon energy from 10 eV to 100 GeV, for all elements Z= 1 to 100, draw heavily on the 1970s shell-by-shell photoabsorption computations of Scofield, the 1960s coherent and incoherent scattering computations of Cromer et al, and the 1980 computations of electron-positron pair and triplet computations of Hubbell, Gimm and Øverbø, these names being representative of the vast legions of other researchers whose work fed into these computations. Work supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

A Global Assessment of Long-Term Greening and Browning Trends in Pasture Lands Using the GIMMS LAI3g Dataset

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, Benjamin I.; Pau, Stephanie

2013-01-01

Pasture ecosystems may be particularly vulnerable to land degradation due to the high risk of human disturbance (e.g., overgrazing, burning, etc.), especially when compared with natural ecosystems (non-pasture, non-cultivated) where direct human impacts are minimal. Using maximum annual leaf area index (LAImax) as a proxy for standing biomass and peak annual aboveground productivity, we analyze greening and browning trends in pasture areas from 1982-2008. Inter-annual variability in pasture productivity is strongly controlled by precipitation (positive correlation) and, to a lesser extent, temperature (negative correlation). Linear temporal trends are significant in 23% of pasture cells, with the vast majority of these areas showing positive LAImax trends. Spatially extensive productivity declines are only found in a few regions, most notably central Asia, southwest North America, and southeast Australia. Statistically removing the influence of precipitation reduces LAImax trends by only 13%, suggesting that precipitation trends are only a minor contributor to long-term greening and browning of pasture lands. No significant global relationship was found between LAImax and pasture intensity, although the magnitude of trends did vary between cells classified as natural versus pasture. In the tropics and Southern Hemisphere, the median rate of greening in pasture cells is significantly higher than for cells dominated by natural vegetation. In the Northern Hemisphere extra-tropics, conversely, greening of natural areas is 2-4 times the magnitude of greening in pasture areas. This analysis presents one of the first global assessments of greening and browning trends in global pasture lands, including a comparison with vegetation trends in regions dominated by natural ecosystems. Our results suggest that degradation of pasture lands is not a globally widespread phenomenon and, consistent with much of the terrestrial biosphere, there have been widespread increases in pasture productivity over the last 30 years.

Comparison of the driving forces of spring phenology among savanna landscapes by including combined spatial and temporal heterogeneity.

PubMed

Zhu, Likai; Southworth, Jane; Meng, Jijun

2015-10-01

Understanding spatial and temporal dynamics of land surface phenology (LSP) and its driving forces are critical for providing information relevant to short- and long-term decision making, particularly as it relates to climate response planning. With the third generation Global Inventory Monitoring and Modeling System (GIMMS3g) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data and environmental data from multiple sources, we investigated the spatio-temporal changes in the start of the growing season (SOS) in southern African savannas from 1982 through 2010 and determined its linkage to environmental factors using spatial panel data models. Overall, the SOS occurs earlier in the north compared to the south. This relates in part to the differences in ecosystems, with northern areas representing high rainfall and dense tree cover (mainly tree savannas), whereas the south has lower rainfall and sparse tree cover (mainly bush and grass savannas). From 1982 to 2010, an advanced trend was observed predominantly in the tree savanna areas of the north, whereas a delayed trend was chiefly found in the floodplain of the north and bush/grass savannas of the south. Different environmental drivers were detected within tree- and grass-dominated savannas, with a critical division being represented by the 800 mm isohyet. Our results supported the importance of water as a driver in this water-limited system, specifically preseason soil moisture, in determining the SOS in these water-limited, grass-dominated savannas. In addition, the research pointed to other, often overlooked, effects of preseason maximum and minimum temperatures on the SOS across the entire region. Higher preseason maximum temperatures led to an advance of the SOS, whereas the opposite effects of preseason minimum temperature were observed. With the rapid increase in global change research, this work will prove helpful for managing savanna landscapes and key to predicting how projected climate changes will affect regional vegetation phenology and productivity.

Temporal and spatial analysis of vegetation coverage changes in Ordos area based on time series GIMMS-NDVI data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Ruimei; Zou, Youfeng; Ma, Chao; Liu, Pei

2014-11-01

Ordos area is the desert-wind erosion desertification steppe transition zone and the complex ecological zone. As the research area, Ordos City has the similar natural geographic environment to ShenDong coalfield. To research its ecological patterns and natural evolution law, it has instructive to reveal temporal and spatial changes of ecological environment with artificial disturbance in western mining. In this paper, a time series of AVHRR-NDVI(Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) data was used to monitor the change of vegetation temporal and spatial dynamics from 1981 to 2006 in Ordos City and ShenDong coalfield, where were as the research area. The MVC (Maximum Value Composites) method, average operation, linear regression, and gradation for NDVI change trend were used to obtained some results, as follows: ¬vegetation coverage had obvious characteristics with periodic change in research area for 26 years, and vegetation growth peak appeared on August, while the lowest appeared on January. The extreme values in Ordos City were 0.2351 and 0.1176, while they were 0.2657 and 0.1272 in ShenDong coalfield. The NDVI value fluctuation was a modest rise trend overall in research area. The extreme values were 0.3071 and 0.1861 in Ordos City, while they were 0.3454 and 0.1904 in ShenDong coalfield. In spatial distribution, slight improvement area and slight degradation area were accounting for 42.49% and 8.37% in Ordos City, while slight improvement area moderate improvement area were accounting for 70.59% and 29.41% in ShenDong coalfield. Above of results indicated there was less vegetation coverage in research area, which reflected the characteristics of fragile natural geographical environment. In addition, vegetation coverage was with a modest rise on the whole, which reflected the natural environment change.

Texas Greenup

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

June 2007 was one of the wettest Junes on record for the state of Texas. Starting in late May, a string of low-pressure systems settled in over the U.S. Southern Plains and unleashed weeks of heavy to torrential rain. During the final week of June, much of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas received more than 330 percent of their average rainfall, said the National Climatic Data Center. The widespread heavy rain brought deadly floods to the entire region. On July 6, the Associated Press reported that every major river basin in Texas was at flood stage, an event that had not occurred since 1957. In addition to causing floods, the rains stimulated plant growth. The grassy, often arid, plains and plateaus of northern Mexico (bottom left), Texas (center), and New Mexico (top, left of center) burst to life with dense vegetation as this vegetation anomaly image shows. Regions where plants were growing more quickly or fuller than average are green, while areas where growth is below average are brown. Most of Texas is green, with a concentrated deep green, almost black, spot where vegetation growth was greatest. This area of western Texas is where the Pecos River flows out of New Mexico and heads southeast to the Rio Grande. In the darkest areas, vegetation was more than 100 percent above average. The brown spots in northeastern Texas and Oklahoma (top, right of center) may be areas where persistent clouds or water on the ground are hiding the plants from the satellite's view. Plants may also be growing less than average if swamped by too much rain. The image was made with data collected by the SPOT satellite between June 11 and June 20, 2007. NASA imagery created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using SPOT data provided courtesy of the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service and processed by Jennifer Small and Assaf Anyamba of the GIMMS Group at NASA GSFC.

Gimme shelter--the relative sensitivity of parasitic nematodes with direct and indirect life cycles to climate change.

PubMed

Molnár, Péter K; Dobson, Andrew P; Kutz, Susan J

2013-11-01

Climate change is expected to alter the dynamics of host-parasite systems globally. One key element in developing predictive models for these impacts is the life cycle of the parasite. It is, for example, commonly assumed that parasites with an indirect life cycle would be more sensitive to changing environmental conditions than parasites with a direct life cycle due to the greater chance that at least one of their obligate host species will go extinct. Here, we challenge this notion by contrasting parasitic nematodes with a direct life cycle against those with an indirect life cycle. Specifically, we suggest that behavioral thermoregulation by the intermediate host may buffer the larvae of indirectly transmitted parasites against temperature extremes, and hence climate warming. We term this the 'shelter effect'. Formalizing each life cycle in a comprehensive model reveals a fitness advantage for the direct life cycle over the indirect life cycle at low temperatures, but the shelter effect reverses this advantage at high temperatures. When examined for seasonal environments, the models suggest that climate warming may in some regions create a temporal niche in mid-summer that excludes parasites with a direct life cycle, but allows parasites with an indirect life cycle to persist. These patterns are amplified if parasite larvae are able to manipulate their intermediate host to increase ingestion probability by definite hosts. Furthermore, our results suggest that exploiting the benefits of host sheltering may have aided the evolution of indirect life cycles. Our modeling framework utilizes the Metabolic Theory of Ecology to synthesize the complexities of host behavioral thermoregulation and its impacts on various temperature-dependent parasite life history components in a single measure of fitness, R0 . It allows quantitative predictions of climate change impacts, and is easily generalized to many host-parasite systems. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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

Wang, Guiling; Yu, Miao; Pal, Jeremy

This paper presents a regional climate system model RCM-CLM-CN-DV and its validation over Tropical Africa. The model development involves the initial coupling between the ICTP regional climate model RegCM4.3.4 (RCM) and the Community Land Model version 4 (CLM4) including models of carbon-nitrogen dynamics (CN) and vegetation dynamics (DV), and further improvements of the models. Model improvements derive from the new parameterization from CLM4.5 that addresses the well documented overestimation of gross primary production (GPP), a refinement of stress deciduous phenology scheme in CN that addresses a spurious LAI fluctuation for drought-deciduous plants, and the incorporation of a survival rule intomore » the DV model to prevent tropical broadleaf evergreens trees from growing in areas with a prolonged drought season. The impact of the modifications on model results is documented based on numerical experiments using various subcomponents of the model. The performance of the coupled model is then validated against observational data based on three configurations with increasing capacity: RCM-CLM with prescribed leaf area index and fractional coverage of different plant functional types (PFTs); RCM-CLM-CN with prescribed PFTs coverage but prognostic plant phenology; RCM-CLM-CN-DV in which both the plant phenology and PFTs coverage are simulated by the model. Results from these three models are compared against the FLUXNET up-scaled GPP and ET data, LAI and PFT coverages from remote sensing data including MODIS and GIMMS, University of Delaware precipitation and temperature data, and surface radiation data from MVIRI and SRB. Our results indicate that the models perform well in reproducing the physical climate and surface radiative budgets in the domain of interest. However, PFTs coverage is significantly underestimated by the model over arid and semi-arid regions of Tropical Africa, caused by an underestimation of LAI in these regions by the CN model that gets exacerbated through vegetation dynamics in RCM-CLM-CN-DV.« less

Landmarks selection in street map design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kao, C. J.

2014-02-01

In Taiwan many electrical maps present their landmarks according to the category of the feature, a designer short of knowledge about mental representation of space, can cause the map to lose its communication effects. To resolve this map design problem, in this research through long-term memory recall, navigation and observation, and short-term memory processing 111 participants were asked to select the proper landmark from study area. The results reveal that in Taiwan convenience stores are the most popular local landmark in rural and urban areas. Their commercial signs have a unique design and bright color. Contrasted to their background, this makes the convenience store a salient feature. This study also developed a rule to assess the priority of the landmarks to design them in different scale maps.

Testing of milk replacers for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis by PCR and bacterial culture as a possible source for Johne's disease (paratuberculosis) in calves.

PubMed

Khol, Johannes Lorenz; Braun, Anna Lena; Slana, Iva; Kralik, Petr; Wittek, Thomas

2017-09-01

Johne's disease (paratuberculosis) is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) and can lead to severe economic losses in the affected cattle herds. The transmission of the disease occurs mainly orally, by the ingestion of MAP, which is shed in the feces and milk of infected animals. Calves show a high susceptibility for the infection compared to adult animals. The use of milk replacers can, therefore, contribute to the prevention of the transmission of the disease to calves in MAP-positive herds by preventing the ingestion of the bacterium with milk from infected animals. The objective of this study was to test milk replacers for calves for the presence of MAP by bacteriological culture and PCR. Therefore, commercially available milk replacers for calves were purchased from 15 different companies. All of the products were tested for MAP by solid culture and real time quantitative PCR (qPCR) targeting IS900 and F57. During the present study, MAP could not be detected by qPCR or solid culture in commercially available milk replacers for calf rearing. The results of the present study underpins that the use of milk replacers for calf rearing might contribute to the reduction of MAP intake by calves in JD positive herds. Additional studies, including more products with a higher diversity, are needed to further elucidate the presence or absence of MAP in milk replacers for calves. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contactless magnetocardiographic mapping in anesthetized Wistar rats: evidence of age-related changes of cardiac electrical activity.

PubMed

Brisinda, Donatella; Caristo, Maria Emiliana; Fenici, Riccardo

2006-07-01

Magnetocardiography (MCG) is the recording of the magnetic field (MF) generated by cardiac electrophysiological activity. Because it is a contactless method, MCG is ideal for noninvasive cardiac mapping of small experimental animals. The aim of this study was to assess age-related changes of cardiac intervals and ventricular repolarization (VR) maps in intact rats by means of MCG mapping. Twenty-four adult Wistar rats (12 male and 12 female) were studied, under anesthesia, with the same unshielded 36-channel MCG instrumentation used for clinical recordings. Two sets of measurements were obtained from each animal: 1) at 5 mo of age (297.5 +/- 21 g body wt) and 2) at 14 mo of age (516.8 +/- 180 g body wt). RR and PR intervals, QRS segment, and QTpeak, QTend, JTpeak, JTend, and Tpeak-end were measured from MCG waveforms. MCG imaging was automatically obtained as MF maps and as inverse localization of cardiac sources with equivalent current dipole and effective magnetic dipole models. After 300 s of continuous recording were averaged, the signal-to-noise ratio was adequate for study of atrial and ventricular MF maps and for three-dimensional localization of the underlying cardiac sources. Clear-cut age-related differences in VR duration were demonstrated by significantly longer QTend, JTend, and Tpeak-end in older Wistar rats. Reproducible multisite noninvasive cardiac mapping of anesthetized rats is simpler with MCG methodology than with ECG recording. In addition, MCG mapping provides new information based on quantitative analysis of MF and equivalent sources. In this study, statistically significant age-dependent variations in VR intervals were found.

Exploring the Interactive Patterns of Concept Map-Based Online Discussion: A Sequential Analysis of Users' Operations, Cognitive Processing, and Knowledge Construction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Sheng-Yi; Chen, Sherry Y.; Hou, Huei-Tse

2016-01-01

Concept maps can be used as a cognitive tool to assist learners' knowledge construction. However, in a concept map-based online discussion environment, studies that take into consideration learners' manipulative actions of composing concept maps, cognitive process among learners' discussion, and social knowledge construction at the same time are…

Relativistic collisions as Yang-Baxter maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kouloukas, Theodoros E.

2017-10-01

We prove that one-dimensional elastic relativistic collisions satisfy the set-theoretical Yang-Baxter equation. The corresponding collision maps are symplectic and admit a Lax representation. Furthermore, they can be considered as reductions of a higher dimensional integrable Yang-Baxter map on an invariant manifold. In this framework, we study the integrability of transfer maps that represent particular periodic sequences of collisions.

Re-Dimensional Thinking in Earth Science: From 3-D Virtual Reality Panoramas to 2-D Contour Maps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, John; Carter, Glenda; Butler, Susan; Slykhuis, David; Reid-Griffin, Angelia

2008-01-01

This study examines the relationship of gender and spatial perception on student interactivity with contour maps and non-immersive virtual reality. Eighteen eighth-grade students elected to participate in a six-week activity-based course called "3-D GeoMapping." The course included nine days of activities related to topographic mapping.…

Bilingual Knowledge Maps (BiK Maps) as a Presentation Format: Delayed Recall and Training Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahr, G. Sussane; Dansereau, Donald F.

2005-01-01

The use of bilingual graphic organizers (bilingual knowledge maps [BiK maps]) as a presentation format was investigated for the acquisition of foreign language vocabulary. Participants were assigned to 1 of 4 conditions for the task of studying 32 German-English word pairs. Participants in each condition were trained on either lists or BiK maps…

Comparison of the Effects of Episodic Mapping and Traditional Notetaking on the Recall of Historical Text.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denner, Peter R.

This study examined the effects of episodic-mapping, traditional notetaking, and rereading on eighth-grade students' recall of historical text. Episodic-maps are a kind of notetaking procedure that requires students to represent ideas from a text in the form of a graphic diagram. As predicted, both episodic-mapping and traditional notetaking…

Places, Spaces and Memory Traces: Showing Students with Learning Disabilities Ways to Remember Locations and Events on Maps.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brigham, Frederick J.

This study examined the memory-enhancing effects of elaborative and mnemonic encoding of information presented with maps, compared to more traditional, non-mnemonic maps, on recall of locations of events and information associated with those events by 72 middle school students with learning disabilities. Subjects were presented with map-like…

Augmented Affordances Support Learning: Comparing the Instructional Effects of the Augmented Reality Sandbox and Conventional Maps to Teach Topographic Map Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, R. Thomas; Sammons, Dotty; Del-Parte, Donna

2018-01-01

This study compared learning performance during and following AR and non-AR topographic map instruction and practice Two-way ANOVA testing indicated no significant differences on a posttest assessment between map type and spatial ability. Prior learning activity results revealed a significant performance difference between AR and non-AR treatment…

Immunogenicity and reactivity of novel Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis PPE MAP1152 and conserved MAP1156 proteins with sera from experimentally and naturally infected animals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) causes Johne’s Disease (JD) in ruminants. Development of genetic tools and completion of the MAP genome sequencing project expanded opportunities for antigen discovery. In this study, we determined the seroreactivity of two proteins encoded for at th...

Integrating satellite imagery with simulation modeling to improve burn severity mapping

Treesearch

Eva C. Karau; Pamela G. Sikkink; Robert E. Keane; Gregory K. Dillon

2014-01-01

Both satellite imagery and spatial fire effects models are valuable tools for generating burn severity maps that are useful to fire scientists and resource managers. The purpose of this study was to test a new mapping approach that integrates imagery and modeling to create more accurate burn severity maps. We developed and assessed a statistical model that combines the...

Concept Mapping in the Humanities to Facilitate Reflection: Externalizing the Relationship between Public and Personal Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kandiko, Camille; Hay, David; Weller, Saranne

2013-01-01

This article discusses how mapping techniques were used in university teaching in a humanities subject. The use of concept mapping was expanded as a pedagogical tool, with a focus on reflective learning processes. Data were collected through a longitudinal study of concept mapping in a university-level Classics course. This was used to explore how…

Local discrepancies in continental scale biomass maps: a case study over forested and non-forested landscapes in Maryland, USA

Treesearch

Wenli Huang; Anu Swatantran; Kristofer Johnson; Laura Duncanson; Hao Tang; Jarlath O' Neil Dunne; George Hurtt; Ralph Dubayah

2015-01-01

Continental-scale aboveground biomass maps are increasingly available, but their estimates vary widely, particularly at high resolution. A comprehensive understanding of map discrepancies is required to improve their effectiveness in carbon accounting and local decision-making. To this end, we compare four continental-scale maps with a recent high-resolution lidar-...

Implementation of Open-Source Web Mapping Technologies to Support Monitoring of Governmental Schemes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pulsani, B. R.

2015-10-01

Several schemes are undertaken by the government to uplift social and economic condition of people. The monitoring of these schemes is done through information technology where involvement of Geographic Information System (GIS) is lacking. To demonstrate the benefits of thematic mapping as a tool for assisting the officials in making decisions, a web mapping application for three government programs such as Mother and Child Tracking system (MCTS), Telangana State Housing Corporation Limited (TSHCL) and Ground Water Quality Mapping (GWQM) has been built. Indeed the three applications depicted the distribution of various parameters thematically and helped in identifying the areas with higher and weaker distributions. Based on the three applications, the study tends to find similarities of many government schemes reflecting the nature of thematic mapping and hence deduces to implement this kind of approach for other schemes as well. These applications have been developed using SharpMap Csharp library which is a free and open source mapping library for developing geospatial applications. The study highlights upon the cost benefits of SharpMap and brings out the advantage of this library over proprietary vendors and further discusses its advantages over other open source libraries as well.

The effects of AVIRIS atmospheric calibration methodology on identification and quantitative mapping of surface mineralogy, Drum Mountains, Utah

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kruse, Fred A.; Dwyer, John L.

1993-01-01

The Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) measures reflected light in 224 contiguous spectra bands in the 0.4 to 2.45 micron region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Numerous studies have used these data for mineralogic identification and mapping based on the presence of diagnostic spectral features. Quantitative mapping requires conversion of the AVIRIS data to physical units (usually reflectance) so that analysis results can be compared and validated with field and laboratory measurements. This study evaluated two different AVIRIS calibration techniques to ground reflectance: an empirically-based method and an atmospheric model based method to determine their effects on quantitative scientific analyses. Expert system analysis and linear spectral unmixing were applied to both calibrated data sets to determine the effect of the calibration on the mineral identification and quantitative mapping results. Comparison of the image-map results and image reflectance spectra indicate that the model-based calibrated data can be used with automated mapping techniques to produce accurate maps showing the spatial distribution and abundance of surface mineralogy. This has positive implications for future operational mapping using AVIRIS or similar imaging spectrometer data sets without requiring a priori knowledge.

A proto-architecture for innate directionally selective visual maps.

PubMed

Adams, Samantha V; Harris, Chris M

2014-01-01

Self-organizing artificial neural networks are a popular tool for studying visual system development, in particular the cortical feature maps present in real systems that represent properties such as ocular dominance (OD), orientation-selectivity (OR) and direction selectivity (DS). They are also potentially useful in artificial systems, for example robotics, where the ability to extract and learn features from the environment in an unsupervised way is important. In this computational study we explore a DS map that is already latent in a simple artificial network. This latent selectivity arises purely from the cortical architecture without any explicit coding for DS and prior to any self-organising process facilitated by spontaneous activity or training. We find DS maps with local patchy regions that exhibit features similar to maps derived experimentally and from previous modeling studies. We explore the consequences of changes to the afferent and lateral connectivity to establish the key features of this proto-architecture that support DS.

A scheme of pedagogical problems solving in kinematic to observe toulmin argumentation feasibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manurung, Sondang R.; Rustaman, Nuryani Y.; Siregar, Nelson

2013-09-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the students' ability to map out the problem solving. This paper would show a schematic template map used to analyze the students' tasks in performing problem solving pedagogically. Scheme of problem solving map of student was undertaken based on Toulmin Argumentation Pattern (TAP) argumentative discourse. The samples of this study were three work-sheets of physics education students who represented the upper, middle and lower levels of class in one LPTK in Medan. The instrument of this study was an essay test in kinematics topic. The data analyses were performed with schematic template map in order to know the students' ability in mapping the problem solving. The results showed that the student in the Upper level of class followed the appropriate direction pattern, while two others students could not followed the pattern exactly.

Radar studies of the planets. [radar measurements of lunar surface, Mars, Mercury, and Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ingalls, R. P.; Pettengill, G. H.; Rogers, A. E. E.; Sebring, P. B. (Editor); Shapiro, I. I.

1974-01-01

The radar measurements phase of the lunar studies involving reflectivity and topographic mapping of the visible lunar surface was ended in December 1972, but studies of the data and production of maps have continued. This work was supported by Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston. Topographic mapping of the equatorial regions of Mars has been carried out during the period of each opposition since that of 1967. The method comprised extended precise traveling time measurements to a small area centered on the subradar point. As measurements continued, planetary motions caused this point to sweep out extensive areas in both latitude and longitude permitting the development of a fairly extensive topographical map in the equatorial region. Radar observations of Mercury and Venus have also been made over the past few years. Refinements of planetary motions, reflectivity maps and determinations of rotation rates have resulted.

Construction of a genetic map using EST-SSR markers and QTL analysis of major agronomic characters in hexaploid sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam).

PubMed

Kim, Jin-Hee; Chung, Il Kyung; Kim, Kyung-Min

2017-01-01

The Sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam, is difficult to study in genetics and genomics because it is a hexaploid. The sweet potato study not have been performed domestically or internationally. In this study was performed to construct genetic map and quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis. A total of 245 EST-SSR markers were developed, and the map was constructed by using 210 of those markers. The total map length was 1508.1 cM, and the mean distance between markers was 7.2 cM. Fifteen characteristics were investigated for QTLs analysis. According to those, the Four QTLs were identified, and The LOD score was 3.0. Further studies need to develop molecular markers in terms of EST-SSR markers for doing to be capable of efficient breeding. The genetic map created here using EST-SSR markers will facilitate planned breeding of sweet potato cultivars with various desirable traits.

Forest Biomass Mapping From Lidar and Radar Synergies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sun, Guoqing; Ranson, K. Jon; Guo, Z.; Zhang, Z.; Montesano, P.; Kimes, D.

2011-01-01

The use of lidar and radar instruments to measure forest structure attributes such as height and biomass at global scales is being considered for a future Earth Observation satellite mission, DESDynI (Deformation, Ecosystem Structure, and Dynamics of Ice). Large footprint lidar makes a direct measurement of the heights of scatterers in the illuminated footprint and can yield accurate information about the vertical profile of the canopy within lidar footprint samples. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is known to sense the canopy volume, especially at longer wavelengths and provides image data. Methods for biomass mapping by a combination of lidar sampling and radar mapping need to be developed. In this study, several issues in this respect were investigated using aircraft borne lidar and SAR data in Howland, Maine, USA. The stepwise regression selected the height indices rh50 and rh75 of the Laser Vegetation Imaging Sensor (LVIS) data for predicting field measured biomass with a R(exp 2) of 0.71 and RMSE of 31.33 Mg/ha. The above-ground biomass map generated from this regression model was considered to represent the true biomass of the area and used as a reference map since no better biomass map exists for the area. Random samples were taken from the biomass map and the correlation between the sampled biomass and co-located SAR signature was studied. The best models were used to extend the biomass from lidar samples into all forested areas in the study area, which mimics a procedure that could be used for the future DESDYnI Mission. It was found that depending on the data types used (quad-pol or dual-pol) the SAR data can predict the lidar biomass samples with R2 of 0.63-0.71, RMSE of 32.0-28.2 Mg/ha up to biomass levels of 200-250 Mg/ha. The mean biomass of the study area calculated from the biomass maps generated by lidar- SAR synergy 63 was within 10% of the reference biomass map derived from LVIS data. The results from this study are preliminary, but do show the potential of the combined use of lidar samples and radar imagery for forest biomass mapping. Various issues regarding lidar/radar data synergies for biomass mapping are discussed in the paper.

Regulation of choroidal blood flow during combined changes in intraocular pressure and arterial blood pressure.

PubMed

Polska, Elzbieta; Simader, Christian; Weigert, Günter; Doelemeyer, Arno; Kolodjaschna, Julia; Scharmann, Ole; Schmetterer, Leopold

2007-08-01

To test the hypothesis that human choroidal blood flow (ChBF) may depend, not only on ocular perfusion pressure (OPP), but also on absolute mean arterial pressure (MAP) and intraocular pressure (IOP). There were two study days in an open design. On the first day, OPP was varied by elevating IOP during a squatting-induced increase in MAP (28 subjects). On the second day, only the IOP was increased (17 subjects). IOP was raised in stepwise increments by using the suction cup Subfoveal ChBF (laser Doppler flowmetry), MAP, and IOP were assessed, and OPP was calculated as (2/3)(MAP - IOP). For correlation analysis, data from all subjects were pooled according to IOP and MAP, and correlation analyses were performed. When data from study day 1 were grouped according to IOP, no correlation was observed between ChBF and MAP; but ChBFs were lower, the higher the IOP (P < 0.001). When data were grouped according to MAP, a significant correlation was found between ChBF and IOP (P < 0.001), but correlations were independent of MAP. When data of study day 2 were pooled according to IOP, a correlation between ChBF and OPP was seen only at IOP > 40 mm Hg (P < 0.05). The data confirm previously published observations that the choroid shows some autoregulatory capacity during changes in OPP. In addition, the data indicate that the choroid regulates its blood flow better during exercise-induced changes in MAP than during an experimental increase in IOP.

Presence of intestinal Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) DNA is not associated with altered MMP expression in ulcerative colitis

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is suspected to be a causative agent in human Crohn's disease (CD). Recent evidence suggests that pathogenic mycobacteria and MAP can induce the expression of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP), which are the main proteases in the pathogenesis of mucosal ulcerations in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Within this study we assessed the prevalence of intestinal MAP specific DNA in patients with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis (UC), and healthy controls. We further analysed regulation patterns of MMPs in mucosal tissues of UC patients with and without intestinal MAP DNA detection. Methods Colonic biopsy samples were obtained from 63 Norwegian and German IBD patients and 21 healthy controls. RNA was quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to study MMP gene expression in both pathological and healthy mucosal specimens. The presence of MAP DNA in colonic mucosa was examined using MAP specific PCR. Results MAP DNA was detected in 20% of UC patients and 33% of healthy controls but only in 7% of patients with CD. UC patients treated with corticosteroids exhibited a significantly increased frequency of intestinal MAP DNA compared to those not receiving corticosteroids. Expression of MMP-1, -2, -7, -9, -13, -19, -28 and TNF-α did not differ between UC patients with presence of intestinal MAP DNA compared to those without. MMP-2, MMP-9 and MMP-13 were significantly decreased in UC patients receiving corticosteroids. Conclusions The presence of intestinal MAP specific DNA is not associated with altered MMP expression in UC in vivo. Corticosteroids are associated with increased detection of intestinal MAP DNA and decreased expression of certain MMPs. Frequent detection of MAP DNA in healthy controls might be attributable to the wide environmental distribution of MAP and its presence in the food-chain. PMID:21477272