Modern algebra essentials

CERN Document Server

Lutfiyya, Lutfi A

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Modern Algebra includes set theory, operations, relations, basic properties of the integers, group theory, and ring theory.

Calculus III essentials

CERN Document Server

REA, Editors of

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Calculus III includes vector analysis, real valued functions, partial differentiation, multiple integrations, vector fields, and infinite series.

Electric circuits essentials

CERN Document Server

REA, Editors of

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Electric Circuits I includes units, notation, resistive circuits, experimental laws, transient circuits, network theorems, techniques of circuit analysis, sinusoidal analysis, polyph

Pre-calculus essentials

CERN Document Server

Woodward, Ernest

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Pre-Calculus reviews sets, numbers, operations and properties, coordinate geometry, fundamental algebraic topics, solving equations and inequalities, functions, trigonometry, exponents

Benthic Cover

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Benthic cover (habitat) maps are derived from aerial imagery, underwater photos, acoustic surveys, and data gathered from sediment samples. Shallow to moderate-depth...

Thermodynamics II essentials

CERN Document Server

REA, The Editors of

2013-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Thermodynamics II includes review of thermodynamic relations, power and refrigeration cycles, mixtures and solutions, chemical reactions, chemical equilibrium, and flow through nozzl

Laplace transforms essentials

CERN Document Server

Shafii-Mousavi, Morteza

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Laplace Transforms includes the Laplace transform, the inverse Laplace transform, special functions and properties, applications to ordinary linear differential equations, Fourier tr

Statistics II essentials

CERN Document Server

Milewski, Emil G

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Statistics II discusses sampling theory, statistical inference, independent and dependent variables, correlation theory, experimental design, count data, chi-square test, and time se

Boolean algebra essentials

CERN Document Server

Solomon, Alan D

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Boolean Algebra includes set theory, sentential calculus, fundamental ideas of Boolean algebras, lattices, rings and Boolean algebras, the structure of a Boolean algebra, and Boolean

Set theory essentials

CERN Document Server

Milewski, Emil G

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Set Theory includes elementary logic, sets, relations, functions, denumerable and non-denumerable sets, cardinal numbers, Cantor's theorem, axiom of choice, and order relations.

Geometry I essentials

CERN Document Server

REA, The Editors of

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Geometry I includes methods of proof, points, lines, planes, angles, congruent angles and line segments, triangles, parallelism, quadrilaterals, geometric inequalities, and geometric

Thermodynamics I essentials

CERN Document Server

REA, The Editors of

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Thermodynamics I includes review of properties and states of a pure substance, work and heat, energy and the first law of thermodynamics, entropy and the second law of thermodynamics

Physics I essentials

CERN Document Server

REA, The Editors of

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Physics I includes vectors and scalars, one-dimensional motion, plane motion, dynamics of a particle, work and energy, conservation of energy, dynamics of systems of particles, rotation

[Essential procedure and key methods for survey of traditional knowledge related to Chinese materia medica resources].

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Gong; Huang, Lu-qi; Xue, Da-yuan; Zhang, Xiao-bo

2014-12-01

The survey of traditional knowledge related to Chinese materia medica resources is the important component and one of the innovative aspects of the fourth national survey of the Chinese materia medica resources. China has rich traditional knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the comprehensive investigation of TCM traditional knowledge aims to promote conservation and sustainable use of Chinese materia medica resources. Building upon the field work of pilot investigations, this paper introduces the essential procedures and key methods for conducting the survey of traditional knowledge related to Chinese materia medica resources. The essential procedures are as follows. First is the preparation phrase. It is important to review all relevant literature and provide training to the survey teams so that they have clear understanding of the concept of traditional knowledge and master key survey methods. Second is the field investigation phrase. When conducting field investigations, survey teams should identify the traditional knowledge holders by using the 'snowball method', record the traditional knowledge after obtaining prior informed concerned from the traditional knowledge holders. Researchers should fill out the survey forms provided by the Technical Specification of the Fourth National Survey of Chinese Materia Medica Resources. Researchers should pay particular attention to the scope of traditional knowledge and the method of inheriting the knowledge, which are the key information for traditional knowledge holders and potential users to reach mutual agreed terms to achieve benefit sharing. Third is the data compilation and analysis phrase. Researchers should try to compile and edit the TCM traditional knowledge in accordance with intellectual property rights requirements so that the information collected through the national survey can serve as the basic data for the TCM traditional knowledge database. The key methods of the survey include regional

A national survey on availability, price and affordability of selected essential medicines for non communicable diseases in Sri Lanka.

Science.gov (United States)

Dabare, Panthihage Ruvini L; Wanigatunge, Chandanie A; Beneragama, Bvs Hemantha

2014-08-08

Access to medicines is a universal right. Low availability and low affordability of medicines are issues that deny this right to a significant proportion of the world population. The objective of this study was to determine the availability, price and affordability of essential medicines prescribed to treat non communicable diseases in Sri Lanka. Methodology was based on the 2nd edition of the World Health Organization Health Action International Manual. A country survey was conducted and facilities representing both public and private pharmacies were selected. A total of 109 facilities was surveyed. At each facility data on the availability and prices of 50 essential medicines for non communicable diseases were collected. Percentage availability, median price of originator brand and lowest priced generic, median price ratio to the International Reference Price were calculated for surveyed medicines. Affordability was determined using the daily incomes of the lowest--paid unskilled government worker. Semi government community pharmacies had the highest (>80%) availability while outdoor pharmacies of public health care facilities, private pharmacies and outdoor pharmacies of private hospital showed a fairly high availability (50 - 80%) of surveyed medicines.Unit price of 76% of selected individual medicines was less than ten Sri Lankan rupees. Out of these 28% of medicines cost less than one Sri Lanka rupee. For 21 of the surveyed medicines the median price ratio to the international reference price was less than one. The prices of originator brands for 14 surveyed medicines were more than five times that of the lowest price generics.Less than a single day's wages was adequate to purchase a month's supply of the lowest priced generic of more than 67% of surveyed medicines. The availability of selected essential medicines was fairly high in both public and private sectors in Sri Lanka. Most medicines are affordable to the lowest income earners in the community. There

Computer science I essentials

CERN Document Server

Raus, Randall

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Computer Science I includes fundamental computer concepts, number representations, Boolean algebra, switching circuits, and computer architecture.

The Effect of Biofertilizers and Winter Cover Crops on Essential Oil Production and Some Agroecological Characteristics of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Jahan

2013-04-01

Full Text Available In searching for new strategies of medicinal plant production with high yield but without undesirable compounds or effects, it is important to investigate unconventional alternatives such as application of PGPR and cover crops cultivation. This experiment was conducted in a split plots arrangement with two factors based on randomized complete block design with three replications during years 2009-10, at Research Farm of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Cultivation and no cultivation of cover crops in autumn assigned to the main plots. The sub factor was biofertilizer application with four levels, included 1-Nitroxin (containing Azotobacter spp. and Azospirillum spp., 2-Biophosphorous (Bacillus sp. and Pseudomonas sp., 3-Nitroxin + Biophosphorous and 4-Control. During growing season plants were harvested by three cuts. Results showed that total shoots dry weight, leaves yield and LAI in plants under no cover crop cultivation had a significant advantage. Biofertilizers increased most characteristics e.g. fresh and dry total shoot yield, dry leaves and LAI. The interaction between fertilizer and cover crop was significant, as the highest yield of fresh shoots was observed in mix of nitroxin and biophosphorous with no cover crop, the highest and the lowest of leaf and green area index were obtained in plants treated by nitroxin without cover crop and biophosphorous with cover crop, respectively. Plants harvested in cut 3 had the lowest LAI and other two cuts had no significant difference concerning this trait. The highest and the lowest fresh and dry shoot yield were observed in cut 2 and 1, respectively. The most essential oil yield was in cut 2 and 3 (without significant difference and cut 1 was the lowest. The results showed that the interaction between biofertilizers and no cover crop cultivation was significant, as use of the biofertilizers especially nitroxin and biophosphorous in no cover crop condition enhanced the most characteristics of

Essential hand surgery procedures for mastery by graduating plastic surgery residents: a survey of program directors.

Science.gov (United States)

Noland, Shelley S; Fischer, Lauren H; Lee, Gordon K; Friedrich, Jeffrey B; Hentz, Vincent R

2013-12-01

This study was designed to establish the essential hand surgery procedures that should be mastered by graduating plastic surgery residents. This framework can then be used as a guideline for developing Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill to teach technical skills in hand surgery. Ten expert hand surgeons were surveyed regarding the essential hand surgery procedures that should be mastered by graduating plastic surgery residents. The top 10 procedures from this survey were then used to survey all 89 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved plastic surgery program directors. There was a 69 percent response rate to the program director survey (n = 61). The top nine hand surgery procedures included open carpal tunnel release, open A1 pulley release, digital nerve repair with microscope, closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of metacarpal fracture, excision of dorsal or volar ganglion, zone II flexor tendon repair with multistrand technique, incision and drainage of the flexor tendon sheath for flexor tenosynovitis, flexor tendon sheath steroid injection, and open cubital tunnel release. Surgical educators need to develop objective methods to teach and document technical skill. The Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill is a valid method for accomplishing this task. There has been no consensus regarding which hand surgery procedures should be mastered by graduating plastic surgery residents. The authors have identified nine procedures that are overwhelmingly supported by plastic surgery program directors. These nine procedures can be used as a guideline for developing Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill to teach and document technical skills in hand surgery.

Heat transfer II essentials

CERN Document Server

REA, The Editors of

1988-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Heat Transfer II reviews correlations for forced convection, free convection, heat exchangers, radiation heat transfer, and boiling and condensation.

Algebra & trigonometry II essentials

CERN Document Server

REA, Editors of

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Algebra & Trigonometry II includes logarithms, sequences and series, permutations, combinations and probability, vectors, matrices, determinants and systems of equations, mathematica

Business statistics I essentials

CERN Document Server

Clark, Louise

2014-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Business Statistics I includes descriptive statistics, introduction to probability, probability distributions, sampling and sampling distributions, interval estimation, and hypothesis t

Group theory I essentials

CERN Document Server

Milewski, Emil G

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Group Theory I includes sets and mapping, groupoids and semi-groups, groups, isomorphisms and homomorphisms, cyclic groups, the Sylow theorems, and finite p-groups.

C programming language essentials

CERN Document Server

Ackermann, Ernest C

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. C Programming Language discusses fundamental notions, data types and objects, expressions, statements, declarations, function and program structure, the preprocessor, and the standar

Algebra & trigonometry I essentials

CERN Document Server

REA, Editors of

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Algebra & Trigonometry I includes sets and set operations, number systems and fundamental algebraic laws and operations, exponents and radicals, polynomials and rational expressions, eq

Transport phenomena I essentials

CERN Document Server

REA, The Editors of

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Transport Phenomena I includes viscosity, flow of Newtonian fluids, velocity distribution in laminar flow, velocity distributions with more than one independent variable, thermal con

Data structures II essentials

CERN Document Server

Smolarski, Dennis C

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Data Structures II includes sets, trees, advanced sorting, elementary graph theory, hashing, memory management and garbage collection, and appendices on recursion vs. iteration, alge

Data structures I essentials

CERN Document Server

Smolarski, Dennis C

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Data Structures I includes scalar variables, arrays and records, elementary sorting, searching, linked lists, queues, and appendices of binary notation and subprogram parameter passi

Computer science II essentials

CERN Document Server

Raus, Randall

2012-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Computer Science II includes organization of a computer, memory and input/output, coding, data structures, and program development. Also included is an overview of the most commonly

Autodesk Inventor 2012 and Inventor LT 2012 Essentials

CERN Document Server

Tremblay, Thom

2011-01-01

Essential guide to learning Autodesk Inventor and Inventor LT The new Essentials books from Sybex are beautiful, task-based, full-color Autodesk Official Training Guides that help you get up to speed on Autodesk topics quickly and easily. Inventor Essentials thoroughly covers core features and functions of Autodesk's industry-leading 3D mechanical design software, teaching you what you need to become quickly productive with the software. By following the book's clear explanations, practical tutorials, and step-by-step exercises, you'll cover all the bases. Topics include drawing, modeling part

Survey of the capacity for essential surgery and anaesthesia services in Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Janet; Tau, Goa; Cherian, Meena Nathan; Vergel de Dios, Jennifer; Mills, David; Fitzpatrick, Jane; Adu-Krow, William; Cheng, Davy

2015-01-01

Objective To assess capacity to provide essential surgical services including emergency, obstetric and anaesthesia care in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in order to support planning for relevant post-2015 sustainable development goals for PNG. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Hospitals and health facilities in PNG. Participants 21 facilities including 3 national/provincial hospitals, 11 district/rural hospitals, and 7 health centres. Outcome measures The WHO Situational Analysis Tool to Assess Emergency and Essential Surgical Care (WHO-SAT) was used to measure each participating facility's capacity to deliver essential surgery and anaesthesia services, including 108 items related to relevant infrastructure, human resources, interventions and equipment. Results While major surgical procedures were provided at each hospital, fewer than 30% had uninterrupted access to oxygen, and 57% had uninterrupted access to resuscitation bag and mask. Most hospitals reported capacity to provide general anaesthesia, though few hospitals reported having at least one certified surgeon, obstetrician and anaesthesiologist. Access to anaesthetic machines, pulse oximetry and blood bank was severely limited. Many non-hospital health centres providing basic surgical procedures, but almost none had uninterrupted access to electricity, running water, oxygen and basic supplies for resuscitation, airway management and obstetric services. Conclusions Capacity for essential surgery and anaesthesia services is severely limited in PNG due to shortfalls in physical infrastructure, human resources, and basic equipment and supplies. Achieving post-2015 sustainable development goals, including universal healthcare, will require significant investment in surgery and anaesthesia capacity in PNG. PMID:26674504

Physical working conditions as covered in European monitoring questionnaires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tore Tynes

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The prevalence of workers with demanding physical working conditions in the European work force remains high, and occupational physical exposures are considered important risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD, a major burden for both workers and society. Exposures to physical workloads are therefore part of the European nationwide surveys to monitor working conditions and health. An interesting question is to what extent the same domains, dimensions and items referring to the physical workloads are covered in the surveys. The purpose of this paper is to determine 1 which domains and dimensions of the physical workloads are monitored in surveys at the national level and the EU level and 2 the degree of European consensus among these surveys regarding coverage of individual domains and dimensions. Method Items on physical workloads used in one European wide/Spanish and five other European nationwide work environment surveys were classified into the domains and dimensions they cover, using a taxonomy agreed upon among all participating partners. Results The taxonomy reveals that there is a modest overlap between the domains covered in the surveys, but when considering dimensions, the results indicate a lower agreement. The phrasing of items and answering categories differs between the surveys. Among the domains, the three domains covered by all surveys are “lifting, holding & carrying of loads/pushing & pulling of loads”, “awkward body postures” and “vibrations”. The three domains covered less well, that is only by three surveys or less, are “physical work effort”, “working sitting”, and “mixed exposure”. Conclusions This is the fırst thorough overview to evaluate the coverage of domains and dimensions of self-reported physical workloads in a selection of European nationwide surveys. We hope the overview will provide input to the revisions and updates of the individual countries’ surveys in

Cloud essentials CompTIA authorized courseware for exam CLO-001

CERN Document Server

Hausman, Kirk; Sampaio, Telmo

2013-01-01

CompTIA-Authorized courseware for the Cloud Essentials Exam (CLO-001) What better way to get up to speed on cloud computing than with this new book in the popular Sybex Essentials series? Cloud Essentials covers the basics of cloud computing and its place in the modern enterprise. Explore public and private clouds; contrast the ""as a service"" models for PaaS, SaaS, IaaS, or XaaS platforms; plan security; and more. In addition, the book covers the exam objectives for the both the CompTIA Cloud Essentials (Exam CLO-001) exam and the EXIN Cloud Computing Foundation (EX0-1

Land cover and vegetation data from an ecological survey of "key habitat" landscapes in England, 1992-1993

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Claire M.; Bunce, Robert G. H.; Norton, Lisa R.; Smart, Simon M.; Barr, Colin J.

2018-05-01

Since 1978, a series of national surveys (Countryside Survey, CS) have been carried out by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) (formerly the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, ITE) to gather data on the natural environment in Great Britain (GB). As the sampling framework for these surveys is not optimised to yield data on rarer or more localised habitats, a survey was commissioned by the then Department of the Environment (DOE, now the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, DEFRA) in the 1990s to carry out additional survey work in English landscapes which contained semi-natural habitats that were perceived to be under threat, or which represented areas of concern to the ministry. The landscapes were lowland heath, chalk and limestone (calcareous) grasslands, coasts and uplands. The information recorded allowed an assessment of the extent and quality of a range of habitats defined during the project, which can now be translated into standard UK broad and priority habitat classes. The survey, known as the "Key Habitat Survey", followed a design which was a series of gridded, stratified, randomly selected 1 km squares taken as representative of each of the four landscape types in England, determined from statistical land classification and geological data ("spatial masks"). The definitions of the landscapes are given in the descriptions of the spatial masks, along with definitions of the surveyed habitats. A total of 213 of the 1 km2 square sample sites were surveyed in the summers of 1992 and 1993, with information being collected on vegetation species, land cover, landscape features and land use, applying standardised repeatable methods. The database contributes additional information and value to the long-term monitoring data gathered by the Countryside Survey and provides a valuable baseline against which future ecological changes may be compared, offering the potential for a repeat survey. The data were analysed and described in a series of

Physical chemistry II essentials

CERN Document Server

REA, The Editors of

1992-01-01

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Physical Chemistry II includes reaction mechanisms, theoretical approaches to chemical kinetics, gravitational work, electrical and magnetic work, surface work, kinetic theory, collisional and transport properties of gases, statistical mechanics, matter and waves, quantum mechanics, and rotations and vibrations of atoms and molecules.

Patient Handoffs: Is Cross Cover or Night Shift Better?

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, Alanna; Brannen, Melissa L; Heiman, Heather L; Adler, Mark D

2017-06-01

Studies show singular handoffs between health care providers to be risky. Few describe sequential handoffs or compare handoffs from different provider types. We investigated the transfer of information across 2 handoffs using a piloted survey instrument. We compared cross-cover (every fourth night call) with dedicated night-shift residents. Surveys assessing provider knowledge of hospitalized patients were administered to pediatric residents. Primary teams were surveyed about their handoff upon completion of daytime coverage of a patient. Night-shift or cross-covering residents were surveyed about their handoff of the same patient upon completion of overnight coverage. Pediatric hospitalists rated the consistency of information between the surveys. Absolute difference was calculated between the 2 providers' rating of a patient's (a) complexity and (b) illness severity. Scores were compared across provider type. Fifty-nine complete handoff pairs were obtained. Fourteen and 45 handoff surveys were completed by a cross-covering and a night-shift provider, respectively. There was no significant difference in information consistency between primary and night-shift (median, 4.0; interquartile range [IQR], 3-4) versus primary and cross-covering providers (median, 4.0; IQR, 3-4). There was no significant difference in median patient complexity ratings (night shift, 3.0; IQR, 1-5, versus cross cover, 3.5; IQR, 1-5) or illness severity ratings (night shift, 2.0; IQR, 1-4, versus cross-cover, 3.0; IQR, 1-6) when comparing provider types giving a handoff. We did not find a difference in physicians' transfer of information during 2 handoffs among providers taking traditional call or on night shift. Development of tools to measure handoff consistency is needed.

On the Ground or in the Air? A Methodological Experiment on Crop Residue Cover Measurement in Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosmowski, Frédéric; Stevenson, James; Campbell, Jeff; Ambel, Alemayehu; Haile Tsegay, Asmelash

2017-10-01

Maintaining permanent coverage of the soil using crop residues is an important and commonly recommended practice in conservation agriculture. Measuring this practice is an essential step in improving knowledge about the adoption and impact of conservation agriculture. Different data collection methods can be implemented to capture the field level crop residue coverage for a given plot, each with its own implication on survey budget, implementation speed and respondent and interviewer burden. In this paper, six alternative methods of crop residue coverage measurement are tested among the same sample of rural households in Ethiopia. The relative accuracy of these methods are compared against a benchmark, the line-transect method. The alternative methods compared against the benchmark include: (i) interviewee (respondent) estimation; (ii) enumerator estimation visiting the field; (iii) interviewee with visual-aid without visiting the field; (iv) enumerator with visual-aid visiting the field; (v) field picture collected with a drone and analyzed with image-processing methods and (vi) satellite picture of the field analyzed with remote sensing methods. Results of the methodological experiment show that survey-based methods tend to underestimate field residue cover. When quantitative data on cover are needed, the best estimates are provided by visual-aid protocols. For categorical analysis (i.e., >30% cover or not), visual-aid protocols and remote sensing methods perform equally well. Among survey-based methods, the strongest correlates of measurement errors are total farm size, field size, distance, and slope. Results deliver a ranking of measurement options that can inform survey practitioners and researchers.

On the Ground or in the Air? A Methodological Experiment on Crop Residue Cover Measurement in Ethiopia

Science.gov (United States)

Kosmowski, Frédéric; Stevenson, James; Campbell, Jeff; Ambel, Alemayehu; Haile Tsegay, Asmelash

2017-10-01

Maintaining permanent coverage of the soil using crop residues is an important and commonly recommended practice in conservation agriculture. Measuring this practice is an essential step in improving knowledge about the adoption and impact of conservation agriculture. Different data collection methods can be implemented to capture the field level crop residue coverage for a given plot, each with its own implication on survey budget, implementation speed and respondent and interviewer burden. In this paper, six alternative methods of crop residue coverage measurement are tested among the same sample of rural households in Ethiopia. The relative accuracy of these methods are compared against a benchmark, the line-transect method. The alternative methods compared against the benchmark include: (i) interviewee (respondent) estimation; (ii) enumerator estimation visiting the field; (iii) interviewee with visual-aid without visiting the field; (iv) enumerator with visual-aid visiting the field; (v) field picture collected with a drone and analyzed with image-processing methods and (vi) satellite picture of the field analyzed with remote sensing methods. Results of the methodological experiment show that survey-based methods tend to underestimate field residue cover. When quantitative data on cover are needed, the best estimates are provided by visual-aid protocols. For categorical analysis (i.e., >30% cover or not), visual-aid protocols and remote sensing methods perform equally well. Among survey-based methods, the strongest correlates of measurement errors are total farm size, field size, distance, and slope. Results deliver a ranking of measurement options that can inform survey practitioners and researchers.

Land cover and vegetation data from an ecological survey of "key habitat" landscapes in England, 1992–1993

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. M. Wood

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Since 1978, a series of national surveys (Countryside Survey, CS have been carried out by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH (formerly the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, ITE to gather data on the natural environment in Great Britain (GB. As the sampling framework for these surveys is not optimised to yield data on rarer or more localised habitats, a survey was commissioned by the then Department of the Environment (DOE, now the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, DEFRA in the 1990s to carry out additional survey work in English landscapes which contained semi-natural habitats that were perceived to be under threat, or which represented areas of concern to the ministry. The landscapes were lowland heath, chalk and limestone (calcareous grasslands, coasts and uplands. The information recorded allowed an assessment of the extent and quality of a range of habitats defined during the project, which can now be translated into standard UK broad and priority habitat classes. The survey, known as the "Key Habitat Survey", followed a design which was a series of gridded, stratified, randomly selected 1 km squares taken as representative of each of the four landscape types in England, determined from statistical land classification and geological data ("spatial masks". The definitions of the landscapes are given in the descriptions of the spatial masks, along with definitions of the surveyed habitats. A total of 213 of the 1 km2 square sample sites were surveyed in the summers of 1992 and 1993, with information being collected on vegetation species, land cover, landscape features and land use, applying standardised repeatable methods. The database contributes additional information and value to the long-term monitoring data gathered by the Countryside Survey and provides a valuable baseline against which future ecological changes may be compared, offering the potential for a repeat survey. The data were analysed and described

2010 survey of energy resources. 22nd edition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-11-15

This, the 22nd edition of the World Energy Council's Survey of Energy Resources (SER), is the latest in a long series of reviews of the status of the world's major energy resources. It covers not only the fossil fuels but also the major types of traditional and novel sources of energy. The Survey is a flagship publication of the World Energy Council (WEC), prepared triennially and timed for release at each World Energy Congress. It is a unique document in that no entity other than the WEC compiles such wideranging information on a regular and consistent basis. This highly regarded publication is an essential tool for governments, industry, investors, NGOs and academia.

2010 survey of energy resources. 22nd edition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-11-15

This, the 22nd edition of the World Energy Council's Survey of Energy Resources (SER), is the latest in a long series of reviews of the status of the world's major energy resources. It covers not only the fossil fuels but also the major types of traditional and novel sources of energy. The Survey is a flagship publication of the World Energy Council (WEC), prepared triennially and timed for release at each World Energy Congress. It is a unique document in that no entity other than the WEC compiles such wideranging information on a regular and consistent basis. This highly regarded publication is an essential tool for governments, industry, investors, NGOs and academia.

IEA Energy Technology Essentials: Biofuel Production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-01-15

The IEA Energy Technology Essentials series offers concise four-page updates on the different technologies for producing, transporting and using energy. Biofuel Production is the topic covered in this edition.

IEA Energy Technology Essentials: Nuclear Power

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-03-15

The IEA Energy Technology Essentials series offers concise four-page updates on the different technologies for producing, transporting and using energy. Nuclear power is the topic covered in this edition.

IEA Energy Technology Essentials: Fuel Cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-04-15

The IEA Energy Technology Essentials series offers concise four-page updates on the different technologies for producing, transporting and using energy. Fuel cells is the topic covered in this edition.

Radiological survey of the covered and uncovered drilling mud depository.

Science.gov (United States)

Jónás, Jácint; Somlai, János; Csordás, Anita; Tóth-Bodrogi, Edit; Kovács, Tibor

2018-08-01

In petroleum engineering, the produced drilling mud sometimes contains elevated amounts of natural radioactivity. In this study, a remediated Hungarian drilling mud depository was investigated from a radiological perspective. The depository was monitored before and after a clay layer was applied as covering. In this study, the ambient dose equivalent rate H*(10) of the depository has been measured by a Scintillator Probe (6150AD-b Dose Rate Meter). Outdoor radon concentration, radon concentration in soil gas, and in situ field radon exhalation measurements were carried out using a pulse-type ionization chamber (AlphaGUARD radon monitor). Soil gas permeability (k) measurements were carried out using the permeameter (RADON-JOK) in situ device. Geogenic radon potentials were calculated. The radionuclide content of the drilling mud and cover layer sample has been determined with an HPGe gamma-spectrometer. The gamma dose rate was estimated from the measured radionuclide concentrations and the results were compared with the measured ambient dose equivalent rate. Based on the measured results before and after covering, the ambient dose equivalent rates were 76 (67-85) nSv/h before and 86 (83-89) nSv/h after covering, radon exhalation was 9 (6-12) mBq/m 2 s before and 14 (5-28) mBq/m 2 s after covering, the outdoor radon concentrations were 11 (9-16) before and 13 (10-22) Bq/m 3 after covering and the soil gas radon concentrations were 6 (3-8) before and 24 (14-40) kBq/m 3 after covering. Soil gas permeability measurements were 1E-11 (7E-12-1E-11) and 1E-12 (5E-13-1E-12) m 2 and the calculated geogenic radon potential values were 6 (3-8) and 12 (6-21) before and after the covering. The main radionuclide concentrations of the drilling mud were C U-238 12 (10-15) Bq/kg, C Ra-226 31 (18-40) Bq/kg, C Th-232 35 (33-39) Bq/kg and C K-40 502 (356-673) Bq/kg. The same radionuclide concentrations in the clay were C U-238 31 (29-34) Bq/kg, C Ra-226 45 (40-51) Bq/kg, C Th-232 58 (55

The impact of periglacial cover beds on runoff generation in a small spring catchment, Ore Mountains

Science.gov (United States)

Heller, Katja; Hübner, Rico; Kleber, Arno

2010-05-01

The knowledge of hillslope processes is essential to improve pollutant research and flood prediction. Relic periglacial covers are widespread on slopes of the central European low mountain ranges. Cover beds are assumed to be an important control factor for subcutaneous water flow paths. Periglacial cover beds originated by solifluction, kryoturbation and accumulation of loess during Pleistocene times. Differences in bulk density, sediment type, as well as structure and rate of coarse clasts in the layers result in vertical disparity in hydraulic conductivity (anisotropy), leading to interflow. This hypothesis has been testing in an ongoing study in a small spring catchment (6 ha) in the eastern Ore Mountains, south-eastern Germany, since November 2007. The study area is underlain by gneiss and is formed as a slope hollow. The cover beds consist of a 3-layer complex with upper layer, intermediate layer and basal layer. Soil water tension within the layers is measured with 76 recording tensiometers. Electrical resistivity tomography was used to monitor the spatial dispersal of soil moisture. Results of hydrometrical measurements and of electrical resistivity surveys will be described and new findings on slope water dynamics will be presented.

Dimensional comparability of psychosocial working conditions as covered in European monitoring questionnaires.

Science.gov (United States)

Formazin, Maren; Burr, Hermann; Aagestad, Cecilie; Tynes, Tore; Thorsen, Sannie Vester; Perkio-Makela, Merja; Díaz Aramburu, Clara Isabel; Pinilla García, Francisco Javier; Galiana Blanco, Luz; Vermeylen, Greet; Parent-Thirion, Agnes; Hooftman, Wendela; Houtman, Irene

2014-12-09

In most countries in the EU, national surveys are used to monitor working conditions and health. Since the development processes behind the various surveys are not necessarily theoretical, but certainly practical and political, the extent of similarity among the dimensions covered in these surveys has been unclear. Another interesting question is whether prominent models from scientific research on work and health are present in the surveys--bearing in mind that the primary focus of these surveys is on monitoring status and trends, not on mapping scientific models. Moreover, it is relevant to know which other scales and concepts not stemming from these models have been included in the surveys. The purpose of this paper is to determine (1) the similarity of dimensions covered in the surveys included and (2) the congruence of dimensions of scientific research and of dimensions present in the monitoring systems. Items from surveys representing six European countries and one European wide survey were classified into the dimensions they cover, using a taxonomy agreed upon among all involved partners from the six countries. The classification reveals that there is a large overlap of dimensions, albeit not in the formulation of items, covered in the seven surveys. Among the available items, the two prominent work-stress-models--job-demand-control-support-model (DCS) and effort-reward-imbalance-model (ERI)--are covered in most surveys even though this has not been the primary aim in the compilation of these surveys. In addition, a large variety of items included in the surveillance systems are not part of these models and are--at least partly--used in nearly all surveys. These additional items reflect concepts such as "restructuring", "meaning of work", "emotional demands" and "offensive behaviour/violence & harassment". The overlap of the dimensions being covered in the various questionnaires indicates that the interests of the parties deciding on the questionnaires in

Development of computerized stocktaking system in mine surveying for ore mineral volume calculation in covered storehouses

Science.gov (United States)

Valdman, V. V.; Gridnev, S. O.

2017-10-01

The article examines into the vital issues of measuring and calculating the raw stock volumes in covered storehouses at mining and processing plants. The authors bring out two state-of-the-art high-technology solutions: 1 - to use the ground-based laser scanning system (the method is reasonably accurate and dependable, but costly and time consuming; it also requires the stoppage of works in the storehouse); 2 - to use the fundamentally new computerized stocktaking system in mine surveying for the ore mineral volume calculation, based on the profile digital images. These images are obtained via vertical projection of the laser plane onto the surface of the stored raw materials.

Linear feedback controls the essentials

CERN Document Server

Haidekker, Mark A

2013-01-01

The design of control systems is at the very core of engineering. Feedback controls are ubiquitous, ranging from simple room thermostats to airplane engine control. Helping to make sense of this wide-ranging field, this book provides a new approach by keeping a tight focus on the essentials with a limited, yet consistent set of examples. Analysis and design methods are explained in terms of theory and practice. The book covers classical, linear feedback controls, and linear approximations are used when needed. In parallel, the book covers time-discrete (digital) control systems and juxtapos

General Practitioners' Attitudes towards Essential Competencies in End-of-Life Care: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Giezendanner, Stéphanie; Jung, Corinna; Banderet, Hans-Ruedi; Otte, Ina Carola; Gudat, Heike; Haller, Dagmar M; Elger, Bernice S; Zemp, Elisabeth; Bally, Klaus

2017-01-01

Identifying essential competencies in end-of-life care, as well as general practitioners' (GPs) confidence in these competencies, is essential to guide training and quality improvement efforts in this domain. To determine which competencies in end-of-life care are considered important by GPs, to assess GPs' confidence in these competencies in a European context and their reasons to refer terminally ill patients to a specialist. Cross-sectional postal survey involving a stratified random sample of 2000 GPs in Switzerland in 2014. Survey development was informed by a previous qualitative exploration of relevant end-of-life GP competencies. Main outcome measures were GPs' assessment of the importance of and confidence in 18 attributes of end-of-life care competencies, and reasons for transferring care of terminally-ill patients to a specialist. GP characteristics associated with main outcome measures were tested using multivariate regression models. The response rate was 31%. Ninety-nine percent of GPs considered the recognition and treatment of pain as important, 86% felt confident about it. Few GPs felt confident in cultural (16%), spiritual (38%) and legal end-of-life competencies such as responding to patients seeking assisted suicide (35%) although more than half of the respondents regarded these competencies as important. Most frequent reasons to refer terminally ill patients to a specialist were lack of time (30%), better training of specialists (23%) and end-of-life care being incompatible with other duties (19%). In multiple regression analyses, confidence in end-of-life care was positively associated with GPs' age, practice size, home visits and palliative training. GPs considered non-somatic competencies (such as spiritual, cultural, ethical and legal aspects) nearly as important as pain and symptom control. Yet, few GPs felt confident in these non-somatic competencies. These findings should inform training and quality improvement efforts in this domain, in

Raising the Bar for the Care of Seriously Ill Patients: Results of a National Survey to Define Essential Palliative Care Competencies for Medical Students and Residents

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, Kristen G.; Chittenden, Eva H.; Sullivan, Amy M.; Periyakoil, Vyjeyanth S.; Morrison, Laura J.; Carey, Elise C.; Sanchez-Reilly, Sandra; Block, Susan D.

2014-01-01

Purpose Given the shortage of palliative care specialists in the U.S., to ensure quality of care for patients with serious, life-threatening illness, generalist-level palliative care competencies need to be defined and taught. The purpose of this study was to define essential competencies for medical students and internal medicine and family medicine (IM/FM) residents through a national survey of palliative care experts. Method Proposed competencies were derived from existing Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship competencies, and revised to be developmentally appropriate for students and residents. In spring 2012, the authors administered a web-based, national cross-sectional survey of palliative care educational experts to assess ratings and rankings of proposed competencies and competency domains. Results The authors identified 18 comprehensive palliative care competencies for medical students and IM/FM residents, respectively. Over 95% of survey respondents judged the competencies as comprehensive and developmentally appropriate (survey response rate=72%, 71/98). Using predefined cut-off criteria, experts identified 7 medical student and 13 IM/FM resident competencies as essential. Communication and pain/symptom management were rated as the most critical domains. Conclusions This national survey of palliative care experts defines comprehensive and essential palliative care competencies for medical students and IM/FM residents that are specific, measurable, and can be used to report educational outcomes; provide a sequence for palliative care curricula in undergraduate and graduate medical education; and highlight the importance of educating medical trainees in communication and pain management. Next steps include seeking input and endorsement from stakeholders in the broader medical education community. PMID:24979171

Raising the bar for the care of seriously ill patients: results of a national survey to define essential palliative care competencies for medical students and residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, Kristen G; Chittenden, Eva H; Sullivan, Amy M; Periyakoil, Vyjeyanth S; Morrison, Laura J; Carey, Elise C; Sanchez-Reilly, Sandra; Block, Susan D

2014-07-01

Given the shortage of palliative care specialists in the United States, to ensure quality of care for patients with serious, life-threatening illness, generalist-level palliative care competencies need to be defined and taught. The purpose of this study was to define essential competencies for medical students and internal medicine and family medicine (IM/FM) residents through a national survey of palliative care experts. Proposed competencies were derived from existing hospice and palliative medicine fellowship competencies and revised to be developmentally appropriate for students and residents. In spring 2012, the authors administered a Web-based, national cross-sectional survey of palliative care educational experts to assess ratings and rankings of proposed competencies and competency domains. The authors identified 18 comprehensive palliative care competencies for medical students and IM/FM residents, respectively. Over 95% of survey respondents judged the competencies as comprehensive and developmentally appropriate (survey response rate = 72%, 71/98). Using predefined cutoff criteria, experts identified 7 medical student and 13 IM/FM resident competencies as essential. Communication and pain/symptom management were rated as the most critical domains. This national survey of palliative care experts defines comprehensive and essential palliative care competencies for medical students and IM/FM residents that are specific, measurable, and can be used to report educational outcomes; provide a sequence for palliative care curricula in undergraduate and graduate medical education; and highlight the importance of educating medical trainees in communication and pain management. Next steps include seeking input and endorsement from stakeholders in the broader medical education community.

Influence of coral cover and structural complexity on the accuracy of visual surveys of coral-reef fish communities

KAUST Repository

Coker, Darren James

2017-04-20

Using manipulated patch reefs with combinations of varying live-coral cover (low, medium and high) and structural complexity (low and high), common community metrics (abundance, diversity, richness and community composition) collected through standard underwater visual census techniques were compared with exhaustive collections using a fish anaesthetic (clove oil). This study showed that reef condition did not influence underwater visual census estimates at a community level, but reef condition can influence the detectability of some small and cryptic species and this may be exacerbated if surveys are conducted on a larger scale.

Influence of coral cover and structural complexity on the accuracy of visual surveys of coral-reef fish communities

KAUST Repository

Coker, Darren James; Nowicki, J. P.; Graham, N. A. J.

2017-01-01

Using manipulated patch reefs with combinations of varying live-coral cover (low, medium and high) and structural complexity (low and high), common community metrics (abundance, diversity, richness and community composition) collected through standard underwater visual census techniques were compared with exhaustive collections using a fish anaesthetic (clove oil). This study showed that reef condition did not influence underwater visual census estimates at a community level, but reef condition can influence the detectability of some small and cryptic species and this may be exacerbated if surveys are conducted on a larger scale.

76 FR 58420 - Direct Investment Surveys: BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-21

...] RIN 0691-AA80 Direct Investment Surveys: BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the... of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States. Benchmark surveys are conducted every five years; the prior survey covered 2007. The benchmark survey covers the universe of foreign direct investment...

Trustee Essentials: A Handbook for Wisconsin Public Library Trustees.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction, Madison.

This handbook for Trustees of the Wisconsin Public Library describes in detail the tasks involved in being a library trustee. The handbook comprises a number of "Trustee Essentials" that cover the basic essential information needed by Trustees, as well as sources of additional information. Contents include: The Trustee Job Description;…

Screening for Inhibitors of Essential Leishmania Glucose Transporters

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-01

Leishmania Glucose Transporters PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Scott M. Landfear, Ph.D. CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: Oregon Health & Science...COVERED 1 July 2009- 30 June 2013 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Screening for Inhibitors of Essential Leishmania Glucose Transporters 5b...The objective of this project was to identify compounds that selectively inhibit the essential Leishmania glucose transporters and could hence serve

Forest Cover Associated with Improved Child Health and Nutrition: Evidence from the Malawi Demographic and Health Survey and Satellite Data

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Kiersten B.; Jacob, Anila; Brown, Molly Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Healthy forests provide human communities with a host of important ecosystem services, including the provision of food, clean water, fuel, and natural medicines. Yet globally, about 13 million hectares of forests are lost every year, with the biggest losses in Africa and South America. As biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation due to deforestation continue at unprecedented rates, with concomitant loss of ecosystem services, impacts on human health remain poorly understood. Here, we use data from the 2010 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey, linked with satellite remote sensing data on forest cover, to explore and better understand this relationship. Our analysis finds that forest cover is associated with improved health and nutrition outcomes among children in Malawi. Children living in areas with net forest cover loss between 2000 and 2010 were 19% less likely to have a diverse diet and 29% less likely to consume vitamin A-rich foods than children living in areas with no net change in forest cover. Conversely, children living in communities with higher percentages of forest cover were more likely to consume vitamin A-rich foods and less likely to experience diarrhea. Net gain in forest cover over the 10-year period was associated with a 34% decrease in the odds of children experiencing diarrhea (P5.002). Given that our analysis relied on observational data and that there were potential unknown factors for which we could not account, these preliminary findings demonstrate only associations, not causal relationships, between forest cover and child health and nutrition outcomes. However, the findings raise concerns about the potential short- and long-term impacts of ongoing deforestation and ecosystem degradation on community health in Malawi, and they suggest that preventing forest loss and maintaining the ecosystems services of forests are important factors in improving human health and nutrition outcomes.

Essential oil from Artemisia herba-alba Asso grown wild in Algeria: Variability assessment and comparison with an updated literature survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachid Belhattab

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The chemical variability of the essential oils of Artemisia herba-alba Asso aerial parts, collected at Algeria was evaluated. A. herba-alba populations were collected in four regions, Benifouda; Bougaa; Boussaada and Boutaleb, at two different periods, July (flowering phase, and October and November (vegetative phase. The essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by Gas Chromatography (GC and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS. The essential oils yield ranged between 0.2% and 0.9% (v/d.w.. Fifty components were identified in A. herba-alba oils, oxygen-containing monoterpenes being dominant in all cases (72–80%. Camphor (17–33%, α-thujone (7–28% and chrysanthenone (4–19% were the major oil components. Despite the similarity in main components, three types of oils could be defined, (a α-thujone : camphor (23–28:17–28%, (b camphor : chrysanthenone (33:12% and (c α-thujone : camphor : chrysanthenone (24:19:19%. The comparison between the present data and an updated survey of the existing literature reinforces the major variability of A. herba-alba essential oils and stresses the importance of obtaining a defined chemical type crop production avoiding the wild harvest.

Influence of cover defects on the attenuation of radon with earthen covers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalkwarf, D.R.; Mayer, D.W.

1983-11-01

Experimental and theoretical evaluations of radon flux through laboratory-scale defective soil columns are presented together with a survey of literature on the formation and prevention of defects in soil covers. This report focuses on air-filled, centimeter-scale defects that are most probable in earthen covers for attenuating radon emission from uranium-mill tailings. Examples include shirnkage and erosion cracks, erosion piping, animal burrows and air channels formed by the biodegradation of vegetation roots. Calculations based on mathematical models indicate that collections of defects which could increase the radon flux from an earthen cover by a factor of two would be easily detected by visual inspection. However, these models ignore air-turbulence in the defect and drying of the soil around the defect. Laboratory measurements showed that turbulent diffusion of radon occurred through defects as narrow as 0.3 cm when subjected to a transverse air velocity of 1 to 6 miles per hour at the surface. Both turbulence and more-rapid drying of soil can accelerate radon flux to the cover surface. Consequently, recommended methods to inhibit defect formation should be applied. 29 references, 3 figures, 5 tables

Precision surveying the principles and geomatics practice

CERN Document Server

Ogundare, John Olusegun

2016-01-01

A comprehensive overview of high precision surveying, including recent developments in geomatics and their applications This book covers advanced precision surveying techniques, their proper use in engineering and geoscience projects, and their importance in the detailed analysis and evaluation of surveying projects. The early chapters review the fundamentals of precision surveying: the types of surveys; survey observations; standards and specifications; and accuracy assessments for angle, distance and position difference measurement systems. The book also covers network design and 3-D coordinating systems before discussing specialized topics such as structural and ground deformation monitoring techniques and analysis, mining surveys, tunneling surveys, and alignment surveys. Precision Surveying: The Principles and Geomatics Practice: * Covers structural and ground deformation monitoring analysis, advanced techniques in mining and tunneling surveys, and high precision alignment of engineering structures *...

A national survey on availability, price and affordability of selected essential medicines for non communicable diseases in Sri Lanka

OpenAIRE

Dabare, Panthihage Ruvini L; Wanigatunge, Chandanie A; Beneragama, BVS Hemantha

2014-01-01

Background Access to medicines is a universal right. Low availability and low affordability of medicines are issues that deny this right to a significant proportion of the world population. The objective of this study was to determine the availability, price and affordability of essential medicines prescribed to treat non communicable diseases in Sri Lanka. Methods Methodology was based on the 2nd edition of the World Health Organization Health Action International Manual. A country survey wa...

The National Land Cover Database

Science.gov (United States)

Homer, Collin G.; Fry, Joyce A.; Barnes, Christopher A.

2012-01-01

The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) serves as the definitive Landsat-based, 30-meter resolution, land cover database for the Nation. NLCD provides spatial reference and descriptive data for characteristics of the land surface such as thematic class (for example, urban, agriculture, and forest), percent impervious surface, and percent tree canopy cover. NLCD supports a wide variety of Federal, State, local, and nongovernmental applications that seek to assess ecosystem status and health, understand the spatial patterns of biodiversity, predict effects of climate change, and develop land management policy. NLCD products are created by the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium, a partnership of Federal agencies led by the U.S. Geological Survey. All NLCD data products are available for download at no charge to the public from the MRLC Web site: http://www.mrlc.gov.

Land cover change in coastal watersheds 1996 to 2010

Science.gov (United States)

Nate Herold

2016-01-01

Land use and land cover play a significant role as drivers of environmental change. Information on what is changing and where those changes are occurring is essential if we are to improve our understanding of...

Cisco networking essentials

CERN Document Server

McMillan, Troy

2015-01-01

Start a career in networking Cisco Networking Essentials, 2nd Edition provides the latest for those beginning a career in networking. This book provides the fundamentals of networking and leads you through the concepts, processes, and skills you need to master fundamental networking concepts. Thinking of taking the CCENT Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician ICND1 Exam 100-101? This book has you covered! With coverage of important topics and objectives, each chapter outlines main points and provides clear, engaging discussion that will give you a sound understanding of core topics and c

Essentials of nuclear medicine imaging

CERN Document Server

Mettler, Fred A. Jr

2012-01-01

Essentials of Nuclear Medicine Imaging, by Drs. Fred A Mettler and Milton J Guiberteau, provides the practical and comprehensive guidance you need to master key nuclear imaging techniques. From physics, instrumentation, quality control, and legal requirements to hot topics such as sodium fluoride, radiopharmaceuticals, and recommended pediatric administered doses and guidelines, this sixth edition covers the fundamentals and recent developments in the practice of nuclear medicine.

Web survey methodology

CERN Document Server

Callegaro, Mario; Vehovar, Asja

2015-01-01

Web Survey Methodology guides the reader through the past fifteen years of research in web survey methodology. It both provides practical guidance on the latest techniques for collecting valid and reliable data and offers a comprehensive overview of research issues. Core topics from preparation to questionnaire design, recruitment testing to analysis and survey software are all covered in a systematic and insightful way. The reader will be exposed to key concepts and key findings in the literature, covering measurement, non-response, adjustments, paradata, and cost issues. The book also discusses the hottest research topics in survey research today, such as internet panels, virtual interviewing, mobile surveys and the integration with passive measurements, e-social sciences, mixed modes and business intelligence. The book is intended for students, practitioners, and researchers in fields such as survey and market research, psychological research, official statistics and customer satisfaction research.

Forest Cover Estimation in Ireland Using Radar Remote Sensing: A Comparative Analysis of Forest Cover Assessment Methodologies

Science.gov (United States)

Devaney, John; Barrett, Brian; Barrett, Frank; Redmond, John; O`Halloran, John

2015-01-01

Quantification of spatial and temporal changes in forest cover is an essential component of forest monitoring programs. Due to its cloud free capability, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is an ideal source of information on forest dynamics in countries with near-constant cloud-cover. However, few studies have investigated the use of SAR for forest cover estimation in landscapes with highly sparse and fragmented forest cover. In this study, the potential use of L-band SAR for forest cover estimation in two regions (Longford and Sligo) in Ireland is investigated and compared to forest cover estimates derived from three national (Forestry2010, Prime2, National Forest Inventory), one pan-European (Forest Map 2006) and one global forest cover (Global Forest Change) product. Two machine-learning approaches (Random Forests and Extremely Randomised Trees) are evaluated. Both Random Forests and Extremely Randomised Trees classification accuracies were high (98.1–98.5%), with differences between the two classifiers being minimal (forest area and an increase in overall accuracy of SAR-derived forest cover maps. All forest cover products were evaluated using an independent validation dataset. For the Longford region, the highest overall accuracy was recorded with the Forestry2010 dataset (97.42%) whereas in Sligo, highest overall accuracy was obtained for the Prime2 dataset (97.43%), although accuracies of SAR-derived forest maps were comparable. Our findings indicate that spaceborne radar could aid inventories in regions with low levels of forest cover in fragmented landscapes. The reduced accuracies observed for the global and pan-continental forest cover maps in comparison to national and SAR-derived forest maps indicate that caution should be exercised when applying these datasets for national reporting. PMID:26262681

Annual Omnibus Survey: A survey of life in Qatar 2014

OpenAIRE

Diop, Abdoulaye; Gengler, Justin John; Khan, Mohammad N.; Traugott, Michael; Elawad, Elmogiera Fadlallh; Al Ansari, Majed; Le, Kien T.; El-Maghraby, Engi; Elkassem, Rima Charbaji; Qutteina, Yara; Al Khulaifi, Buthaina; Nasrallah, Catherine; Al Subaey, Mohammed; Mustafa, Semsia Al-Ali; Alqassass, Haneen

2015-01-01

This Executive Summary presents the highlights of the 2014 Omnibus survey, the fourth in a series of Omnibus surveys since 2010. The surveys were carried out by the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI) of Qatar University. Each Omnibus survey interviews a large and representative sample of Qatari citizens, resident expatriates and laborers. In these surveys, we asked a number of questions covering several topics of importance to Qatari society, including their ...

Essentials of modern optical fiber communication

CERN Document Server

Noé, Reinhold

2016-01-01

This is a concise introduction into optical fiber communication. It covers important aspects from the physics of optical wave propagation and amplification to the essentials of modulation formats and receivers. The combination of a solid coverage of necessary fundamental theory with an in-depth discussion of recent relevant research results enables the reader to design modern optical fiber communication systems. The book serves both graduate students and professionals. It includes many worked examples with solutions for lecturers. For the second edition, Reinhold Noé made many changes and additions throughout the text so that this concise book presents the essentials of optical fiber communication in an easy readable and understandable way.

Land Cover as a Framework For Assessing the Risk of Water Pollution

Science.gov (United States)

James D. Wickham; Kurt H. Riitters; Robert V. O' Neill; Kenneth H. Reckhow; Timothy G. Wade; K. Bruce Jones

2000-01-01

A survey of numerous field studies shows that nitrogen and phosphorous export coefficients are significantly different across forest, agriculture, and urban land-cover types. We used simulations to estimate the land-cover composition at which there was a significant risk of nutrient loads representative of watersheds without forest cover. The results suggest that at...

Developing web applications with Oracle ADF essentials

CERN Document Server

Vesterli, Sten E

2013-01-01

Developing Web Applications with Oracle ADF Essentials covers the basics of Oracle ADF and then works through more complex topics such as debugging and logging features and JAAS Security in JDeveloper as the reader gains more skills. This book will follow a tutorial approach, using a practical example, with the content and tasks getting harder throughout.""Developing Web Applications with Oracle ADF Essentials"" is for you if you want to build modern, user-friendly web applications for all kinds of data gathering, analysis, and presentations. You do not need to know any advanced HTML or JavaSc

USGS Land Cover (NLCD) Overlay Map Service from The National Map - National Geospatial Data Asset (NGDA) National Land Cover Database (NLCD)

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior — NLCD 1992, NLCD 2001, NLCD 2006, and NLCD 2011 are National Land Cover Database classification schemes based primarily on Landsat data along with ancillary data...

Sea Scallop Survey

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The standardized NEFSC Sea Scallop Survey began in 1980 and has covered an area from Cape Hatteras to Georges Bank. The survey aims to determine the distribution and...

Essential dynamics and relativity

CERN Document Server

O'Donnell, Peter J

2014-01-01

Essential Dynamics & Relativity provides students with an introduction to the core aspects of dynamics and special relativity. The author reiterates important ideas and terms throughout and covers concepts that are often missing from other textbooks at this level. He also places each topic within the wider constructs of the theory, without jumping from topic to topic to illustrate a point.The first section of the book focuses on dynamics, discussing the basic aspects of single particle motion and analyzing the motion of multi-particle systems. The book also explains the dynamical behavior of b

76 FR 13981 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2012 Economic Census Covering the Construction...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-15

... essential information for government, business and the general public. The 2012 Economic Census covering the... Economic Census Covering the Construction Sector AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The... provider of timely, relevant and quality data about the people and economy of the United States. Economic...

76 FR 13978 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2012 Economic Census Covering the Manufacturing...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-15

... essential information for government, business and the general public. The 2012 Economic Census covering the... Economic Census Covering the Manufacturing Sector AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The... provider of timely, relevant and quality data about the people and economy of the United States. Economic...

Winter Bottom Trawl Survey

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The standardized NEFSC Winter Bottom Trawl Survey was initiated in 1992 and covered offshore areas from the Mid-Atlantic to Georges Bank. Inshore strata were covered...

Essential oils: extraction, bioactivities, and their uses for food preservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tongnuanchan, Phakawat; Benjakul, Soottawat

2014-07-01

Essential oils are concentrated liquids of complex mixtures of volatile compounds and can be extracted from several plant organs. Essential oils are a good source of several bioactive compounds, which possess antioxidative and antimicrobial properties. In addition, some essential oils have been used as medicine. Furthermore, the uses of essential oils have received increasing attention as the natural additives for the shelf-life extension of food products, due to the risk in using synthetic preservatives. Essential oils can be incorporated into packaging, in which they can provide multifunctions termed "active or smart packaging." Those essential oils are able to modify the matrix of packaging materials, thereby rendering the improved properties. This review covers up-to-date literatures on essential oils including sources, chemical composition, extraction methods, bioactivities, and their applications, particularly with the emphasis on preservation and the shelf-life extension of food products. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

IEA Energy Technology Essentials: Biomass for Power Generation and CHP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-01-15

The IEA Energy Technology Essentials series offers concise four-page updates on the different technologies for producing, transporting and using energy. Biomass for Power Generation and CHP is the topic covered in this edition.

A decadal analysis of bioeroding sponge cover on the inshore Great Barrier Reef.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramsby, Blake D; Hoogenboom, Mia O; Whalan, Steve; Webster, Nicole S; Thompson, Angus

2017-06-02

Decreasing coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) may provide opportunities for rapid growth and expansion of other taxa. The bioeroding sponges Cliona spp. are strong competitors for space and may take advantage of coral bleaching, damage, and mortality. Benthic surveys of the inshore GBR (2005-2014) revealed that the percent cover of the most abundant bioeroding sponge species, Cliona orientalis, has not increased. However, considerable variation in C. orientalis cover, and change in cover over time, was evident between survey locations. We assessed whether biotic or environmental characteristics were associated with variation in C. orientalis distribution and abundance. The proportion of fine particles in the sediments was negatively associated with the presence-absence and the percent cover of C. orientalis, indicating that the sponge requires exposed habitat. The cover of corals and other sponges explained little variation in C. orientalis cover or distribution. The fastest increases in C. orientalis cover coincided with the lowest macroalgal cover and chlorophyll a concentration, highlighting the importance of macroalgal competition and local environmental conditions for this bioeroding sponge. Given the observed distribution and habitat preferences of C. orientalis, bioeroding sponges likely represent site-specific - rather than regional - threats to corals and reef accretion.

GASS: THE PARKES GALACTIC ALL-SKY SURVEY. I. SURVEY DESCRIPTION, GOALS, AND INITIAL DATA RELEASE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClure-Griffiths, N. M.; Calabretta, M. R.; Ford, H. Alyson; Newton-McGee, K.

2009-01-01

The Parkes Galactic All-Sky Survey (GASS) is a survey of Galactic atomic hydrogen (H I) emission in the Southern sky covering declinations δ ≤ 1 0 using the Parkes Radio Telescope. The survey covers 2π steradians with an effective angular resolution of ∼16', at a velocity resolution of 1.0 km s -1 , and with an rms brightness temperature noise of 57 mK. GASS is the most sensitive, highest angular resolution survey of Galactic H I emission ever made in the Southern sky. In this paper, we outline the survey goals, describe the observations and data analysis, and present the first-stage data release. The data product is a single cube at full resolution, not corrected for stray radiation. Spectra from the survey and other data products are publicly available online.

National Land Cover Database (NLCD) Percent Developed Imperviousness Collection

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior — The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) Percent Developed Imperviousness Collection is produced through a cooperative project conducted by the Multi-Resolution Land...

The Hyper Suprime-Cam SSP Survey: Overview and survey design

Science.gov (United States)

Aihara, Hiroaki; Arimoto, Nobuo; Armstrong, Robert; Arnouts, Stéphane; Bahcall, Neta A.; Bickerton, Steven; Bosch, James; Bundy, Kevin; Capak, Peter L.; Chan, James H. H.; Chiba, Masashi; Coupon, Jean; Egami, Eiichi; Enoki, Motohiro; Finet, Francois; Fujimori, Hiroki; Fujimoto, Seiji; Furusawa, Hisanori; Furusawa, Junko; Goto, Tomotsugu; Goulding, Andy; Greco, Johnny P.; Greene, Jenny E.; Gunn, James E.; Hamana, Takashi; Harikane, Yuichi; Hashimoto, Yasuhiro; Hattori, Takashi; Hayashi, Masao; Hayashi, Yusuke; Hełminiak, Krzysztof G.; Higuchi, Ryo; Hikage, Chiaki; Ho, Paul T. P.; Hsieh, Bau-Ching; Huang, Kuiyun; Huang, Song; Ikeda, Hiroyuki; Imanishi, Masatoshi; Inoue, Akio K.; Iwasawa, Kazushi; Iwata, Ikuru; Jaelani, Anton T.; Jian, Hung-Yu; Kamata, Yukiko; Karoji, Hiroshi; Kashikawa, Nobunari; Katayama, Nobuhiko; Kawanomoto, Satoshi; Kayo, Issha; Koda, Jin; Koike, Michitaro; Kojima, Takashi; Komiyama, Yutaka; Konno, Akira; Koshida, Shintaro; Koyama, Yusei; Kusakabe, Haruka; Leauthaud, Alexie; Lee, Chien-Hsiu; Lin, Lihwai; Lin, Yen-Ting; Lupton, Robert H.; Mandelbaum, Rachel; Matsuoka, Yoshiki; Medezinski, Elinor; Mineo, Sogo; Miyama, Shoken; Miyatake, Hironao; Miyazaki, Satoshi; Momose, Rieko; More, Anupreeta; More, Surhud; Moritani, Yuki; Moriya, Takashi J.; Morokuma, Tomoki; Mukae, Shiro; Murata, Ryoma; Murayama, Hitoshi; Nagao, Tohru; Nakata, Fumiaki; Niida, Mana; Niikura, Hiroko; Nishizawa, Atsushi J.; Obuchi, Yoshiyuki; Oguri, Masamune; Oishi, Yukie; Okabe, Nobuhiro; Okamoto, Sakurako; Okura, Yuki; Ono, Yoshiaki; Onodera, Masato; Onoue, Masafusa; Osato, Ken; Ouchi, Masami; Price, Paul A.; Pyo, Tae-Soo; Sako, Masao; Sawicki, Marcin; Shibuya, Takatoshi; Shimasaku, Kazuhiro; Shimono, Atsushi; Shirasaki, Masato; Silverman, John D.; Simet, Melanie; Speagle, Joshua; Spergel, David N.; Strauss, Michael A.; Sugahara, Yuma; Sugiyama, Naoshi; Suto, Yasushi; Suyu, Sherry H.; Suzuki, Nao; Tait, Philip J.; Takada, Masahiro; Takata, Tadafumi; Tamura, Naoyuki; Tanaka, Manobu M.; Tanaka, Masaomi; Tanaka, Masayuki; Tanaka, Yoko; Terai, Tsuyoshi; Terashima, Yuichi; Toba, Yoshiki; Tominaga, Nozomu; Toshikawa, Jun; Turner, Edwin L.; Uchida, Tomohisa; Uchiyama, Hisakazu; Umetsu, Keiichi; Uraguchi, Fumihiro; Urata, Yuji; Usuda, Tomonori; Utsumi, Yousuke; Wang, Shiang-Yu; Wang, Wei-Hao; Wong, Kenneth C.; Yabe, Kiyoto; Yamada, Yoshihiko; Yamanoi, Hitomi; Yasuda, Naoki; Yeh, Sherry; Yonehara, Atsunori; Yuma, Suraphong

2018-01-01

Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) is a wide-field imaging camera on the prime focus of the 8.2-m Subaru telescope on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii. A team of scientists from Japan, Taiwan, and Princeton University is using HSC to carry out a 300-night multi-band imaging survey of the high-latitude sky. The survey includes three layers: the Wide layer will cover 1400 deg2 in five broad bands (grizy), with a 5 σ point-source depth of r ≈ 26. The Deep layer covers a total of 26 deg2 in four fields, going roughly a magnitude fainter, while the UltraDeep layer goes almost a magnitude fainter still in two pointings of HSC (a total of 3.5 deg2). Here we describe the instrument, the science goals of the survey, and the survey strategy and data processing. This paper serves as an introduction to a special issue of the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, which includes a large number of technical and scientific papers describing results from the early phases of this survey.

Live Coral Cover Index Testing and Application with Hyperspectral Airborne Image Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen E. Joyce

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Coral reefs are complex, heterogeneous environments where it is common for the features of interest to be smaller than the spatial dimensions of imaging sensors. While the coverage of live coral at any point in time is a critical environmental management issue, image pixels may represent mixed proportions of coverage. In order to address this, we describe the development, application, and testing of a spectral index for mapping live coral cover using CASI-2 airborne hyperspectral high spatial resolution imagery of Heron Reef, Australia. Field surveys were conducted in areas of varying depth to quantify live coral cover. Image statistics were extracted from co-registered imagery in the form of reflectance, derivatives, and band ratios. Each of the spectral transforms was assessed for their correlation with live coral cover, determining that the second derivative around 564 nm was the most sensitive to live coral cover variations(r2 = 0.63. Extensive field survey was used to transform relative to absolute coral cover, which was then applied to produce a live coral cover map of Heron Reef. We present the live coral cover index as a simple and viable means to estimate the amount of live coral over potentially thousands of km2 and in clear-water reefs.

Tree Cover Mapping Tool—Documentation and user manual

Science.gov (United States)

Cotillon, Suzanne E.; Mathis, Melissa L.

2016-06-02

The Tree Cover Mapping (TCM) tool was developed by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science Center to allow a user to quickly map tree cover density over large areas using visual interpretation of high resolution imagery within a geographic information system interface. The TCM tool uses a systematic sample grid to produce maps of tree cover. The TCM tool allows the user to define sampling parameters to estimate tree cover within each sample unit. This mapping method generated the first on-farm tree cover maps of vast regions of Niger and Burkina Faso. The approach contributes to implementing integrated landscape management to scale up re-greening and restore degraded land in the drylands of Africa. The TCM tool is easy to operate, practical, and can be adapted to many other applications such as crop mapping, settlements mapping, or other features. This user manual provides step-by-step instructions for installing and using the tool, and creating tree cover maps. Familiarity with ArcMap tools and concepts is helpful for using the tool.

Land-cover change in the Ozark Highlands, 1973-2000

Science.gov (United States)

Karstensen, Krista A.

2010-01-01

Led by the Geographic Analysis and Monitoring Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Land-Cover Trends Project was initiated in 1999 and aims to document the types, geographic distributions, and rates of land-cover change on a region by region basis for the conterminous United States, and to determine some of the key drivers and consequences of the change (Loveland and others, 2002). For 1973, 1980, 1986, 1992, and 2000 land-cover maps derived from the Landsat series are classified by visual interpretation, inspection of historical aerial photography and ground survey, into 11 land-cover classes. The classes are defined to capture land cover that is discernable in Landsat data. A stratified probability-based sampling methodology undertaken within the 84 Omernik Level III Ecoregions (Omernik, 1987) was used to locate the blocks, with 9 to 48 blocks per ecoregion. The sampling was designed to enable a statistically robust 'scaling up' of the sample-classification data to estimate areal land-cover change within each ecoregion (Loveland and others, 2002; Stehman and others, 2005). At the time of writing, approximately 90 percent of the 84 conterminous United States ecoregions have been processed by the Land-Cover Trends Project. Results from these completed ecoregions illustrate that across the conterminous United States there is no single profile of land-cover/land-use change, rather, there are varying pulses affected by clusters of change agents (Loveland and others, 2002). Land-Cover Trends Project results for the conterminous United States to-date are being used for collaborative environmental change research with partners such as; the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The strategy has also been adapted for use in a NASA global

Engineering surveying theory and examination problems for students

CERN Document Server

Schofield, W

2013-01-01

Engineering Surveying: Theory and Examination Problems for Students, Volume 1, Third Edition discusses topics concerning engineering surveying techniques and instrumentations. The book is comprised of eight chapters that cover several concerns in engineering survey. Chapter 1 discusses the basic concepts of surveying. Chapter 2 deals with simple and precise leveling, while Chapter 3 covers earthworks. The book also talks about the theodolite and its applications, and then discusses optical distance measurement. Curves, underground and hydrographic surveying, and aspects of dimensional control

USGS National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) Downloadable Data Collection

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior — NLCD 1992, NLCD 2001, NLCD 2006, and NLCD 2011 are National Land Cover Database classification schemes based primarily on Landsat data along with ancillary data...

Regional decline of coral cover in the Indo-Pacific: timing, extent, and subregional comparisons.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John F Bruno

2007-08-01

Full Text Available A number of factors have recently caused mass coral mortality events in all of the world's tropical oceans. However, little is known about the timing, rate or spatial variability of the loss of reef-building corals, especially in the Indo-Pacific, which contains 75% of the world's coral reefs.We compiled and analyzed a coral cover database of 6001 quantitative surveys of 2667 Indo-Pacific coral reefs performed between 1968 and 2004. Surveys conducted during 2003 indicated that coral cover averaged only 22.1% (95% CI: 20.7, 23.4 and just 7 of 390 reefs surveyed that year had coral cover >60%. Estimated yearly coral cover loss based on annually pooled survey data was approximately 1% over the last twenty years and 2% between 1997 and 2003 (or 3,168 km(2 per year. The annual loss based on repeated measures regression analysis of a subset of reefs that were monitored for multiple years from 1997 to 2004 was 0.72 % (n = 476 reefs, 95% CI: 0.36, 1.08.The rate and extent of coral loss in the Indo-Pacific are greater than expected. Coral cover was also surprisingly uniform among subregions and declined decades earlier than previously assumed, even on some of the Pacific's most intensely managed reefs. These results have significant implications for policy makers and resource managers as they search for successful models to reverse coral loss.

76 FR 14647 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2012 Economic Census Covering the Mining Sector

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-17

... essential information for government, business and the general public. The 2012 Economic Census covering the... Economic Census Covering the Mining Sector AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The... provider of timely, relevant and quality data about the people and economy of the United States. Economic...

Cover crops support ecological intensification of arable cropping systems

Science.gov (United States)

Wittwer, Raphaël A.; Dorn, Brigitte; Jossi, Werner; van der Heijden, Marcel G. A.

2017-02-01

A major challenge for agriculture is to enhance productivity with minimum impact on the environment. Several studies indicate that cover crops could replace anthropogenic inputs and enhance crop productivity. However, so far, it is unclear if cover crop effects vary between different cropping systems, and direct comparisons among major arable production systems are rare. Here we compared the short-term effects of various cover crops on crop yield, nitrogen uptake, and weed infestation in four arable production systems (conventional cropping with intensive tillage and no-tillage; organic cropping with intensive tillage and reduced tillage). We hypothesized that cover cropping effects increase with decreasing management intensity. Our study demonstrated that cover crop effects on crop yield were highest in the organic system with reduced tillage (+24%), intermediate in the organic system with tillage (+13%) and in the conventional system with no tillage (+8%) and lowest in the conventional system with tillage (+2%). Our results indicate that cover crops are essential to maintaining a certain yield level when soil tillage intensity is reduced (e.g. under conservation agriculture), or when production is converted to organic agriculture. Thus, the inclusion of cover crops provides additional opportunities to increase the yield of lower intensity production systems and contribute to ecological intensification.

Dimensional comparability of psychosocial working conditions as covered in European monitoring questionnaires

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Formazin, M.; Burr, H.; Aagestad, C.; Tynes, T.; Thorsen, S.V.; Perkio-Makela, M.; Díaz Aramburu, C.I.; Pinilla García, F.J.; Galiana Blanco, L.; Vermeylen, G.; Parent-Thirion, A.; Hooftman, W.; Houtman, I.L.D.

2014-01-01

Background.In most countries in the EU, national surveys are used to monitor working conditions and health. Since the development processes behind the various surveys are not necessarily theoretical, but certainly practical and political, the extent of similarity among the dimensions covered in

Development of a 30 m Spatial Resolution Land Cover of Canada: Contribution to the Harmonized North America Land Cover Dataset

Science.gov (United States)

Pouliot, D.; Latifovic, R.; Olthof, I.

2017-12-01

Land cover is needed for a large range of environmental applications regarding climate impacts and adaption, emergency response, wildlife habitat, air quality, water yield, etc. In Canada a 2008 user survey revealed that the most practical scale for provision of land cover data is 30 m, nationwide, with an update frequency of five years (Ball, 2008). In response to this need the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing has generated a 30 m land cover of Canada for the base year 2010 as part of a planned series of maps at the recommended five year update frequency. This land cover is the Canadian contribution to the North American Land Change Monitoring System initiative, which seeks to provide harmonized land cover across Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The methodology developed in this research utilized a combination of unsupervised and machine learning techniques to map land cover, blend results between mapping units, locally optimize results, and process some thematic attributes with specific features sets. Accuracy assessment with available field data shows it was on average 75% for the five study areas assessed. In this presentation an overview of the unique processing aspects, example results, and initial accuracy assessment will be discussed.

National Land Cover Database (NLCD) Percent Tree Canopy Collection

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior — The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) Percent Tree Canopy Collection is a product of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and is produced through a cooperative project...

A method for mapping corn using the US Geological Survey 1992 National Land Cover Dataset

Science.gov (United States)

Maxwell, S.K.; Nuckols, J.R.; Ward, M.H.

2006-01-01

Long-term exposure to elevated nitrate levels in community drinking water supplies has been associated with an elevated risk of several cancers including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, colon cancer, and bladder cancer. To estimate human exposure to nitrate, specific crop type information is needed as fertilizer application rates vary widely by crop type. Corn requires the highest application of nitrogen fertilizer of crops grown in the Midwest US. We developed a method to refine the US Geological Survey National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) (including map and original Landsat images) to distinguish corn from other crops. Overall average agreement between the resulting corn and other row crops class and ground reference data was 0.79 kappa coefficient with individual Landsat images ranging from 0.46 to 0.93 kappa. The highest accuracies occurred in Regions where corn was the single dominant crop (greater than 80.0%) and the crop vegetation conditions at the time of image acquisition were optimum for separation of corn from all other crops. Factors that resulted in lower accuracies included the accuracy of the NLCD map, accuracy of corn areal estimates, crop mixture, crop condition at the time of Landsat overpass, and Landsat scene anomalies.

Two-dimensional Topology of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Hoyle, Fiona; Vogeley, Michael S.; Gott, J. Richard, III; Blanton, Michael; Tegmark, Max; Weinberg, David H.; Bahcall, N.; Brinkmann, J.; York, D.

2002-12-01

We present the topology of a volume-limited sample of 11,884 galaxies, selected from an apparent magnitude limited sample of over 100,000 galaxies observed as part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The data currently cover three main regions on the sky: one in the Galactic north and one in the south, both at zero degrees declination, and one area in the north at higher declination. Each of these areas covers a wide range of survey longitude but a narrow range of survey latitude, allowing the two-dimensional genus to be measured. The genus curves of the SDSS subsamples are similar, after appropriately normalizing these measurements for the different areas. We sum the genus curves from the three areas to obtain the total genus curve of the SDSS. The total curve has a shape similar to the genus curve derived from mock catalogs drawn from the Hubble volume ΛCDM simulation and is similar to that of a Gaussian random field. Likewise, comparison with the genus of the Two-Degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey, after normalization for the difference in area, reveals remarkable similarity in the topology of these samples. We test for the effects of galaxy-type segregation by splitting the SDSS data into thirds, based on the u*-r* colors of the galaxies, and measure the genus of the reddest and bluest subsamples. This red/blue split in u*-r* is essentially a split by morphology, as explained by Strateva and coworkers. We find that the genus curve for the reddest galaxies exhibits a ``meatball'' shift of the topology-reflecting the concentration of red galaxies in high-density regions-compared to the bluest galaxies and the full sample, in agreement with predictions from simulations.

Land-cover mapping using multitemporal, dual-frequency polarimetric SAR data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skriver, Henning; Schou, Jesper; Dierking, Wolfgang

2000-01-01

during the growing season acquired a lot of data over a Danish agricultural site. The data acquisitions were co-ordinated with ground surveys to obtain a detailed land cover map. The test area contains a large number of different land cover classes, such as more than 10 different crop types, deciduous......The Danish Center for Remote Sensing (DCRS) is, in collaboration with the Danish mapping agency, conducting a study on topographic mapping using SAR data, and land cover mapping results are presented. The Danish EMISAR system (an L- and C-band, fully polarimetric, airborne SAR) have in 1994 to 1999...

3D Animation Essentials

CERN Document Server

Beane, Andy

2012-01-01

The essential fundamentals of 3D animation for aspiring 3D artists 3D is everywhere--video games, movie and television special effects, mobile devices, etc. Many aspiring artists and animators have grown up with 3D and computers, and naturally gravitate to this field as their area of interest. Bringing a blend of studio and classroom experience to offer you thorough coverage of the 3D animation industry, this must-have book shows you what it takes to create compelling and realistic 3D imagery. Serves as the first step to understanding the language of 3D and computer graphics (CG)Covers 3D anim

Essential Medicines for Children: An Endocrine Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjay Kalra

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The emergence of endocrine disease has created significant challenges for healthcare policy-makers and payers across the world. Policy-makers have to ensure availability of drugs used for various endocrinopathies. One way in which this is facilitated is through the World Health Organization (WHO List of Essential Medicines (LEM. The LEM aims to cover the basic pharmaceutical needs of the majority of people seeking healthcare (1.

Updating the 2001 National Land Cover Database land cover classification to 2006 by using Landsat imagery change detection methods

Science.gov (United States)

Xian, George; Homer, Collin G.; Fry, Joyce

2009-01-01

The recent release of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 2001, which represents the nation's land cover status based on a nominal date of 2001, is widely used as a baseline for national land cover conditions. To enable the updating of this land cover information in a consistent and continuous manner, a prototype method was developed to update land cover by an individual Landsat path and row. This method updates NLCD 2001 to a nominal date of 2006 by using both Landsat imagery and data from NLCD 2001 as the baseline. Pairs of Landsat scenes in the same season in 2001 and 2006 were acquired according to satellite paths and rows and normalized to allow calculation of change vectors between the two dates. Conservative thresholds based on Anderson Level I land cover classes were used to segregate the change vectors and determine areas of change and no-change. Once change areas had been identified, land cover classifications at the full NLCD resolution for 2006 areas of change were completed by sampling from NLCD 2001 in unchanged areas. Methods were developed and tested across five Landsat path/row study sites that contain several metropolitan areas including Seattle, Washington; San Diego, California; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Jackson, Mississippi; and Manchester, New Hampshire. Results from the five study areas show that the vast majority of land cover change was captured and updated with overall land cover classification accuracies of 78.32%, 87.5%, 88.57%, 78.36%, and 83.33% for these areas. The method optimizes mapping efficiency and has the potential to provide users a flexible method to generate updated land cover at national and regional scales by using NLCD 2001 as the baseline.

Galaxy redshift surveys with sparse sampling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiang, Chi-Ting; Wullstein, Philipp; Komatsu, Eiichiro; Jee, Inh; Jeong, Donghui; Blanc, Guillermo A.; Ciardullo, Robin; Gronwall, Caryl; Hagen, Alex; Schneider, Donald P.; Drory, Niv; Fabricius, Maximilian; Landriau, Martin; Finkelstein, Steven; Jogee, Shardha; Cooper, Erin Mentuch; Tuttle, Sarah; Gebhardt, Karl; Hill, Gary J.

2013-01-01

Survey observations of the three-dimensional locations of galaxies are a powerful approach to measure the distribution of matter in the universe, which can be used to learn about the nature of dark energy, physics of inflation, neutrino masses, etc. A competitive survey, however, requires a large volume (e.g., V survey ∼ 10Gpc 3 ) to be covered, and thus tends to be expensive. A ''sparse sampling'' method offers a more affordable solution to this problem: within a survey footprint covering a given survey volume, V survey , we observe only a fraction of the volume. The distribution of observed regions should be chosen such that their separation is smaller than the length scale corresponding to the wavenumber of interest. Then one can recover the power spectrum of galaxies with precision expected for a survey covering a volume of V survey (rather than the volume of the sum of observed regions) with the number density of galaxies given by the total number of observed galaxies divided by V survey (rather than the number density of galaxies within an observed region). We find that regularly-spaced sampling yields an unbiased power spectrum with no window function effect, and deviations from regularly-spaced sampling, which are unavoidable in realistic surveys, introduce calculable window function effects and increase the uncertainties of the recovered power spectrum. On the other hand, we show that the two-point correlation function (pair counting) is not affected by sparse sampling. While we discuss the sparse sampling method within the context of the forthcoming Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment, the method is general and can be applied to other galaxy surveys

Application of modified Martinez-Silva algorithm in determination of net cover

Science.gov (United States)

Stefanowicz, Łukasz; Grobelna, Iwona

2016-12-01

In the article we present the idea of modifications of Martinez-Silva algorithm, which allows for determination of place invariants (p-invariants) of Petri net. Their generation time is important in the parallel decomposition of discrete systems described by Petri nets. Decomposition process is essential from the point of view of discrete system design, as it allows for separation of smaller sequential parts. The proposed modifications of Martinez-Silva method concern the net cover by p-invariants and are focused on two important issues: cyclic reduction of invariant matrix and cyclic checking of net cover.

Solidarity outpatient clinics in Greece: a survey of a massive social movement.

Science.gov (United States)

Evlampidou, Iro; Kogevinas, Manolis

2018-03-06

Until 2016, around 3 million persons had limited access to health care in Greece due to the economic crisis. We describe a massive solidarity movement of community clinics and pharmacies in Greece. We conducted a survey in 2014-15 and describe the characteristics of community clinics and pharmacies spontaneously established all over Greece after 2008. A characteristic of the 92 active solidarity clinics is autonomous collective functioning, free services, and funding from non-governmental sources. The largest clinics examined more than 500 uninsured or partly insured patients per month. Clinics covered a wide range of clinical and preventive services. Funding, availability of drugs, vaccines, medical material and their legal status were the main problems identified. The solidarity movement involved thousands of health professionals covering essential population needs. The community outpatient clinics were an outstanding example of solidarity and temporarily alleviated the health needs of a large part of the population. Copyright © 2018 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Essentials of Electromagnetics for Engineering

Science.gov (United States)

de Wolf, David A.

2000-11-01

Essentials of Electromagnetics for Engineering introduces the key physical and engineering principles of electromagnetics. Throughout the book, David de Wolf describes the intermediate steps in mathematical derivations that many other textbooks leave out. He covers in depth the concepts of fields and potentials and then progresses to magnetostatics, Maxwell's equations, electrodynamics and wave propagation, waveguides, transmission lines, and antennas. At each stage, de Wolf stresses the physical principles underlying the mathematical results. He also includes homework exercises, a separate chapter on numerical methods in electromagnetics, and a broad range of worked examples to illustrate important concepts. Solutions manual available.

Essential maths for geoscientists an introduction

CERN Document Server

Palmer, Paul I

2014-01-01

Maths for Geoscientists is an accessible, student-friendly introduction to the essential mathematics required by those students taking degree courses within the Geosciences. Clearly structured throughout, this book carefully guides the student step by step through the mathematics they will encounter and will provide numerous applied examples throughout to enhance students understanding and to place each technique into context. Opening with a chapter explaining the need for studying mathematics within geosciences the book then moves on to cover algebra, equations, solutions, logarithms and ex

Car Covers | Outdoor Covers Canada

OpenAIRE

Covers, Outdoor

2018-01-01

Protect your car from the elements with Ultimate Touch Car Cover. The multi-layer non-woven fabric is soft on the finish and offers 4 seasons all weather protection.https://outdoorcovers.ca/car-covers/

76 FR 79054 - Direct Investment Surveys: BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-21

...] RIN 0691-AA80 Direct Investment Surveys: BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the... reporting requirements for the 2012 BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United... survey covers the universe of foreign direct investment in the United States, and is BEA's most detailed...

TQM: the essential concepts.

Science.gov (United States)

Chambers, D W

1998-01-01

This is an introduction to the major concepts in total quality management, a loose collection of management approaches that focus on continuous improvement of processes, guided by routine data collection and adjustment of the processes. Customer focus and involvement of all members of an organization are also characteristics commonly found in TQM. The seventy-five-year history of the movement is sketched from its beginning in statistical work on quality assurance through the many improvements and redefinitions added by American and Japanese thinkers. Essential concepts covered include: control cycles, focus on the process rather than the defects, the GEAR model, importance of the customer, upstream quality, just-in-time, kaizen, and service quality.

Extraction of land cover change information from ENVISAT-ASAR data in Chengdu Plain

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Wenbo; Fan, Jinlong; Huang, Jianxi; Tian, Yichen; Zhang, Yong

2006-10-01

Land cover data are essential to most global change research objectives, including the assessment of current environmental conditions and the simulation of future environmental scenarios that ultimately lead to public policy development. Chinese Academy of Sciences generated a nationwide land cover database in order to carry out the quantification and spatial characterization of land use/cover changes (LUCC) in 1990s. In order to improve the reliability of the database, we will update the database anytime. But it is difficult to obtain remote sensing data to extract land cover change information in large-scale. It is hard to acquire optical remote sensing data in Chengdu plain, so the objective of this research was to evaluate multitemporal ENVISAT advanced synthetic aperture radar (ASAR) data for extracting land cover change information. Based on the fieldwork and the nationwide 1:100000 land cover database, the paper assesses several land cover changes in Chengdu plain, for example: crop to buildings, forest to buildings, and forest to bare land. The results show that ENVISAT ASAR data have great potential for the applications of extracting land cover change information.

Does health facility service environment matter for the receipt of essential newborn care? Linking health facility and household survey data in Malawi.

Science.gov (United States)

Carvajal-Aguirre, Liliana; Mehra, Vrinda; Amouzou, Agbessi; Khan, Shane M; Vaz, Lara; Guenther, Tanya; Kalino, Maggie; Zaka, Nabila

2017-12-01

Health facility service environment is an important factor for newborns survival and well-being in general and in particular in high mortality settings such as Malawi where despite high coverage of essential interventions, neonatal mortality remains high. The aim of this study is to assess whether the quality of the health service environment at birth is associated with quality of care received by the newborn. We used data from the Malawi Millennium Development Goals Endline household survey conducted as part of MICS survey program and Service Provision Assessment Survey carried out in 2014. The analysis is based on 6218 facility births that occurred during the past 2 years. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate random effect models are used to assess the association of health facility service readiness score for normal deliveries and newborn care with newborns receiving appropriate newborn care, defined for this analysis as receiving 5 out of 6 recommended interventions during the first 2 days after birth. Newborns in districts with top facility service readiness score have 1.5 higher odds of receiving appropriate newborn care (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.52, 95% confidence interval CI = 1.19-1.95, P  = 0.001), as compared to newborns in districts with a lower facility score after adjusting for potential confounders. Newborns in the Northern region were two times more likely to receive 5 newborn care interventions as compared to newborns in the Southern region (aOR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.50-2.83, P  < 0.001). Living in urban or rural areas did not have an impact on receiving appropriate newborn care. There is need to increase the level of service readiness across all facilities, so that all newborns irrespective of the health facility, district or region of delivery are able to receive all recommended essential interventions. Investments in health systems in Malawi should concentrate on increasing training and availability of

Vegetation Cover Changes in Selected Pastoral Villages in Mkata ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Arid and semi-arid savannah ecosystems of Tanzania are subjected to increasing pressure from pastoral land-use systems. A spatial temporal study involving analysis of satellite imageries and range surveys was carried out to determine the effects of high stocking levels on savannah vegetation cover types in Mkata plains.

Engineering surveying

CERN Document Server

Schofield, W

2001-01-01

The aim of Engineering Surveying has always been to impart and develop a clear understanding of the basic topics of the subject. The author has fully revised the book to make it the most up-to-date and relevant textbook available on the subject.The book also contains the latest information on trigonometric levelling, total stations and one-person measuring systems. A new chapter on satellites ensures a firm grasp of this vitally important topic.The text covers engineering surveying modules for civil engineering students on degree courses and forms a reference for the engineering surveying module in land surveying courses. It will also prove to be a valuable reference for practitioners.* Simple clear introduction to surveying for engineers* Explains key techniques and methods* Details reading systems and satellite position fixing

Comparison of species-rich cover crop mixtures in Hungarian vineyards

Science.gov (United States)

Donkó, Adam; Miglécz, Tamas; Valkó, Orsolya; Török, Peter; Deák, Balazs; Kelemen, Andras; Zanathy, Gabor; Drexler, Dora

2014-05-01

In case of vine growing, agricultural practices of the past decades - as mechanical cultivation on steep vineyard slopes - can endanger the soil of vineyards. Moreover, climate change scenarios predict heavier rainstorms, which can also promote the degradation of the soil. These are some of the reasons why sustainable floor management plays an increasingly important role in viticulture recently. The use of cover crops in the inter-row has a special importance, especially on steep slopes and in case of organic farming to provide conditions for environmental friendly soil management. Species-rich cover crop seed mixtures may help to prevent erosion and create easier cultivation circumstances. Furthermore they have a positive effect on soil structure, soil fertility and ecosystem functions. However, it is important to find suitable seed mixtures for specific production sites, consisting ideally of native species from local provenance, adapted to the local climate/vine region/vineyard. Requirements for suitable cover crop species are as follows: they should save the soil from erosion and also from compaction caused by the movement of workers and machines, they should not compete significantly with the grapevines, or influence produce quality. We started to develop and apply several species-rich cover crop seed mixtures in spring 2012. During the experiments, three cover crop seed mixtures (Biocont-Ecovin mixture, mixture of legumes, mixture of grasses and herbs) were compared in vineyards of the Tokaj and Szekszárd vine regions of Hungary. Each mixture was sown in three consecutive inter-rows at each experimental site (all together 10 sites). Besides botanical measurements, yield, must quality, and pruning weight was studied in every treatment. The botanical survey showed that the following species of the mixtures established successfully and prospered during the years 2012 and 2013: Coronilla varia, Lotus corniculatus, Medicago lupulina, Onobrychis viciifolia

RELAXATION HEURISTICS FOR THE SET COVERING PROBLEM

OpenAIRE

Umetani, Shunji; Yagiura, Mutsunori; 柳浦, 睦憲

2007-01-01

The set covering problem (SCP) is one of representative combinatorial optimization problems, which has many practical applications. The continuous development of mathematical programming has derived a number of impressive heuristic algorithms as well as exact branch-and-bound algorithms, which can solve huge SCP instances of bus, railway and airline crew scheduling problems. We survey heuristic algorithms for SCP focusing mainly on contributions of mathematical programming techniques to heuri...

Creating motion graphics with After Effects essential and advanced techniques

CERN Document Server

Meyer, Chris

2010-01-01

* 5th Edition of best-selling After Effects book by renowned authors Trish and Chris Meyer covers the important updates in After Effects CS4 and CS5 * Covers both essential and advanced techniques, from basic layer manipulation and animation through keying, motion tracking, and color management * Companion DVD is packed with project files for version CS5, source materials, and nearly 200 pages of bonus chapters Trish and Chris Meyer share over 17 years of hard-earned, real-world film and video production experience inside this critically acclaimed text. More than a step-by-step review of th

An auto lifting device to lift manhole cover with ergonomics consideration

Science.gov (United States)

Draman, Wan Nur A'tiqah Wan; Majid, D. L.; Ishak, Muhammad Ikman; Rosli, M. U.; Lailina N., M.; Ismail, Ras Izzati

2017-09-01

The sewerage and maintenance process of manhole is important to ensure that the underground pipelines and other systems are in good condition. The manhole is covered with manhole cover to prevent people, animals or any objects fall into it. The manhole cover has one pocket which is to lock it and ensure that nobody open it. A questionnaire survey is distributed to the workers at Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur and interviews are conducted with Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) and Jabatan Perkhidmatan Pembentungan (JPP), Selangor to access the user requirements and needs for an effective manhole cover lifter. Currently, the workers used a T-hook to unlock the heavy manhole cover and lift it. However, this method affected some of the workers because they experienced back, legs, shoulders and arm injuries. The T-hook is also quite heavy and it is difficult to bring anywhere. Based on the result of questionnaire survey, four concepts are designed to create new manhole cover lifter with automated operation. The best concept is finalized by using concept screening and scoring method. The chosen concept is applied pulley chain mechanism and it is selected as the best concept because it is easy and safe to use, low cost maintenance, low time consuming and affordable price. The design of the device is suitable for Malaysian male and secured them from musculoskeletal disorder. The worker's posture is analyzed by using Rapid Upper Limb Analysis (RULA) ergonomics analysis. The stability and strength of the device is analyzed by calculation and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is used to analyze the screw cylinder.

Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Survey

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The standardized NEFSC Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Survey has covered an area from Cape Hatteras to Georges Bank. The survey was conducted every two or three...

Towards realistic Holocene land cover scenarios: integration of archaeological, palynological and geomorphological records and comparison to global land cover scenarios.

Science.gov (United States)

De Brue, Hanne; Verstraeten, Gert; Broothaerts, Nils; Notebaert, Bastiaan

2016-04-01

Accurate and spatially explicit landscape reconstructions for distinct time periods in human history are essential for the quantification of the effect of anthropogenic land cover changes on, e.g., global biogeochemical cycles, ecology, and geomorphic processes, and to improve our understanding of interaction between humans and the environment in general. A long-term perspective covering Mid and Late Holocene land use changes is recommended in this context, as it provides a baseline to evaluate human impact in more recent periods. Previous efforts to assess the evolution and intensity of agricultural land cover in past centuries or millennia have predominantly focused on palynological records. An increasing number of quantitative techniques has been developed during the last two decades to transfer palynological data to land cover estimates. However, these techniques have to deal with equifinality issues and, furthermore, do not sufficiently allow to reconstruct spatial patterns of past land cover. On the other hand, several continental and global databases of historical anthropogenic land cover changes based on estimates of global population and the required agricultural land per capita have been developed in the past decennium. However, at such long temporal and spatial scales, reconstruction of past anthropogenic land cover intensities and spatial patterns necessarily involves many uncertainties and assumptions as well. Here, we present a novel approach that combines archaeological, palynological and geomorphological data for the Dijle catchment in the central Belgium Loess Belt in order to arrive at more realistic Holocene land cover histories. Multiple land cover scenarios (> 60.000) are constructed using probabilistic rules and used as input into a sediment delivery model (WaTEM/SEDEM). Model outcomes are confronted with a detailed geomorphic dataset on Holocene sediment fluxes and with REVEALS based estimates of vegetation cover using palynological data from

Comparison of methods used to estimate coral cover in the Hawaiian Islands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul L. Jokiel

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Nine coral survey methods were compared at ten sites in various reef habitats with different levels of coral cover in Kāne‘ohe Bay, O’ahu, Hawaiʻi. Mean estimated coverage at the different sites ranged from less than 10% cover to greater than 90% cover. The methods evaluated include line transects, various visual and photographic belt transects, video transects and visual estimates. At each site 25 m transect lines were laid out and secured. Observers skilled in each method measured coral cover at each site. The time required to run each transect, time required to process data and time to record the results were documented. Cost of hardware and software for each method was also tabulated. Results of this investigation indicate that all of the methods used provide a good first estimate of coral cover on a reef. However, there were differences between the methods in detecting the number of coral species. For example, the classic “quadrat” method allows close examination of small and cryptic coral species that are not detected by other methods such as the “towboard” surveys. The time, effort and cost involved with each method varied widely, and the suitability of each method for answering particular research questions in various environments was evaluated. Results of this study support the finding of three other comparison method studies conducted at various geographic locations throughout the world. Thus, coral cover measured by different methods can be legitimately combined or compared in many situations. The success of a recent modeling effort based on coral cover data consisting of observations taken in Hawai‘i using the different methods supports this conclusion.

Comparison of methods used to estimate coral cover in the Hawaiian Islands.

Science.gov (United States)

Jokiel, Paul L; Rodgers, Kuʻulei S; Brown, Eric K; Kenyon, Jean C; Aeby, Greta; Smith, William R; Farrell, Fred

2015-01-01

Nine coral survey methods were compared at ten sites in various reef habitats with different levels of coral cover in Kāne'ohe Bay, O'ahu, Hawai'i. Mean estimated coverage at the different sites ranged from less than 10% cover to greater than 90% cover. The methods evaluated include line transects, various visual and photographic belt transects, video transects and visual estimates. At each site 25 m transect lines were laid out and secured. Observers skilled in each method measured coral cover at each site. The time required to run each transect, time required to process data and time to record the results were documented. Cost of hardware and software for each method was also tabulated. Results of this investigation indicate that all of the methods used provide a good first estimate of coral cover on a reef. However, there were differences between the methods in detecting the number of coral species. For example, the classic "quadrat" method allows close examination of small and cryptic coral species that are not detected by other methods such as the "towboard" surveys. The time, effort and cost involved with each method varied widely, and the suitability of each method for answering particular research questions in various environments was evaluated. Results of this study support the finding of three other comparison method studies conducted at various geographic locations throughout the world. Thus, coral cover measured by different methods can be legitimately combined or compared in many situations. The success of a recent modeling effort based on coral cover data consisting of observations taken in Hawai'i using the different methods supports this conclusion.

Geothermal survey handbook

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1974-01-01

The objective of this handbook is to publicize widely the nature of geothermal surveys. It covers geothermal survey planning and measurement as well as measurement of thermal conductivity. Methods for the detection of eruptive areas, the measurement of radiative heat using snowfall, the measurement of surface temperature using infrared radiation and the measurement of thermal flow are described. The book also contains information on physical detection of geothermal reservoirs, the measurement of spring wells, thermographic measurement of surface heat, irregular layer surveying, air thermographics and aerial photography. Isotope measurement techniques are included.

Enhanced Cover Assessment Project:Soil Manipulation and Revegetation Tests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Waugh, W. Joseph [Navarro Research and Engineering, Inc.; Albright, Dr. Bill [Desert Research Inst. (DRI), Reno, NV (United States); Benson, Dr. Craig [University of Wisconsin-Madison

2014-02-01

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management is evaluating methods to enhance natural changes that are essentially converting conventional disposal cell covers for uranium mill tailings into water balance covers. Conventional covers rely on a layer of compacted clayey soil to limit exhalation of radon gas and percolation of rainwater. Water balance covers rely on a less compacted soil “sponge” to store rainwater, and on soil evaporation and plant transpiration (evapotranspiration) to remove stored water and thereby limit percolation. Over time, natural soil-forming and ecological processes are changing conventional covers by increasing hydraulic conductivity, loosening compaction, and increasing evapotranspiration. The rock armor on conventional covers creates a favorable habitat for vegetation by slowing soil evaporation, increasing soil water storage, and trapping dust and organic matter, thereby providing the water and nutrients needed for plant germination, survival, and sustainable transpiration. Goals and Objectives Our overall goal is to determine if allowing or enhancing these natural changes could improve cover performance and reduce maintenance costs over the long term. This test pad study focuses on cover soil hydrology and ecology. Companion studies are evaluating effects of natural and enhanced changes in covers on radon attenuation, erosion, and biointrusion. We constructed a test cover at the Grand Junction disposal site to evaluate soil manipulation and revegetation methods. The engineering design, construction, and properties of the test cover match the upper three layers of the nearby disposal cell cover: a 1-foot armoring of rock riprap, a 6-inch bedding layer of coarse sand and gravel, and a 2-foot protection layer of compacted fine soil. The test cover does not have a radon barrier—cover enhancement tests leave the radon barrier intact. We tested furrowing and ripping as means for creating depressions parallel to the slope

A Landscape Indicator Approach to the Identification and Articulation of the Ecological Consequences of Land Cover Change in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, 1970-2000

Science.gov (United States)

Slonecker, Terrence

2008-01-01

The advancement of geographic science in the area of land surface status and trends and land cover change is at the core of the current geographic scientific research of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) (McMahon and others, 2005). Perhaps the least developed or articulated aspects of USGS land change science have been the identification and analysis of the ecological consequences of land cover change. Changes in land use and land cover significantly affect the ability of ecosystems to provide essential ecological goods and services, which, in turn, affect the economic, public health, and social benefits that these ecosystems provide. One of the great scientific challenges for geographic science is to understand and calibrate the effects of land use and land cover change and the complex interaction between human and biotic systems at a variety of natural, geographic, and political scales. Understanding the dynamics of land surface change requires an increased understanding of the complex nature of human-environmental systems and will require a suite of scientific tools that include traditional geographic data and analysis methods, such as remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS), as well as innovative approaches to understanding the dynamics of complex systems. One such approach that has gained much recent scientific attention is the landscape indicator, or landscape assessment, approach, which has been developed with the emergence of the science of landscape ecology.

A 16 deg2 survey of emission-line galaxies at z SSP Public Data Release 1

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, Masao; Tanaka, Masayuki; Shimakawa, Rhythm; Furusawa, Hisanori; Momose, Rieko; Koyama, Yusei; Silverman, John D.; Kodama, Tadayuki; Komiyama, Yutaka; Leauthaud, Alexie; Lin, Yen-Ting; Miyazaki, Satoshi; Nagao, Tohru; Nishizawa, Atsushi J.; Ouchi, Masami; Shibuya, Takatoshi; Tadaki, Ken-ichi; Yabe, Kiyoto

2018-01-01

We present initial results from the Subaru Strategic Program (SSP) with Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) on a comprehensive survey of emission-line galaxies at z SSP fields suggests that a survey volume of >5 × 105 Mpc3 is essential to overcome cosmic variance. Since the current data have not reached the full depth expected for the HSC-SSP, the color cut in i - NB816 or z - NB921 induces a bias towards star-forming galaxies with large equivalent widths, primarily seen in the stellar mass functions for the H α emitters at z ≈ 0.25-0.40. Even so, the emission-line galaxies clearly cover a wide range of luminosity, stellar mass, and environment, thus demonstrating the usefulness of the narrowband data from the HSC-SSP for investigating star-forming galaxies at z < 1.5.

Soundscape and the Adaptation of Soundscape to Covered Spaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aslı ÖZÇEVİK

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Soundscape, as urban noise is termed, is essentially a qualitative approach which aims to discover ways to improve the “sonic environment”. A possible analogy can be assumed for the acoustic quality of some types of covered spaces which have a function similar to urban spaces. Furthermore, it can be proposed that such covered spaces may have a specific, distinct and recognizable sound environment - hence, a “soundscape” occurs which is created both by the architecture and the sound sources. This study takes a further step in suggesting that the acoustic comfort or sound quality of these spaces cannot be sufficiently dealt with via noise parameters. This paper aims to show the possibility of evaluating the acoustical quality of covered spaces, such as shopping centers, through soundscape studies. The formation of streets is the basic spatial design concept that connects open and closed shopping areas. For this reason the researchers chose to study a modern and an historical shopping center and a modern and a traditional street, both of which have shopping as a basic function, The soundscapes of these open and closed shopping areas were determined by soundwalks and listening tests. The objective and subjective findings of this study showed that covered shopping areas have a specific soundscape that can be evaluated by the soundwalk method regardless of whether the environment is open or covered.

Anthropogenic Influences in Land Use/Land Cover Changes in Mediterranean Forest Landscapes in Sicily

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donato S. La Mela Veca

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes and quantifies the land use/land cover changes of the main forest and semi-natural landscape types in Sicily between 1955 and 2012. We analyzed seven representative forest and shrubland landscapes in Sicily. These study areas were chosen for their importance in the Sicilian forest panorama. We carried out a diachronic survey on historical and current aerial photos; all the aerial images used to survey the land use/land cover changes were digitalized and georeferenced in the UTM WGS84 system. In order to classify land use, the Regional Forest Inventory 2010 legend was adopted for the more recent images, and the CORINE Land Cover III level used for the older, lower resolution images. This study quantifies forest landscape dynamics; our results show for almost all study areas an increase of forest cover and expansion, whereas a regressive dynamic is found in rural areas due to intensive agricultural and pasturage uses. Understanding the dynamics of forest landscapes could enhance the role of forestry policy as a tool for landscape management and regional planning.

Ethical Considerations for Data Collection Using Surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammer, Marilyn J

2017-03-01

Surveys are widely used instruments to collect research data. Although surveys may appear relatively benign and easily unlinked to participants, considerations for the ethical conduct of research with surveys are important. Maintaining scientific rigor is essential. This article explores ethical tenets in relation to informed consent and scientific consent when using surveys.

Immunoevasive protein (IEP)-containing surface layer covering polydnavirus particles is essential for viral infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Furihata, Shunsuke; Tanaka, Kohjiro; Ryuda, Masasuke; Ochiai, Masanori; Matsumoto, Hitoshi; Csikos, Gyorge; Hayakawa, Yoichi

2014-01-01

Polydnaviruses (PDVs) are unique symbiotic viruses associated with parasitoid wasps: PDV particles are injected into lepidopteran hosts along with the wasp eggs and express genes that interfere with aspects of host physiology such as immune defenses and development. Recent comparative genomic studies of PDVs have significantly improved our understanding of their origin as well as the genome organization. However, the structural features of functional PDV particles remain ambiguous. To clear up the structure of Cotesia kariyai PDV (CkPDV) particles, we focused on immunoevasive protein (IEP), which is a mediator of immunoevasion by the wasp from the encapsulation reaction of the host insect's hemocytes, because it has been demonstrated to be present on the surface of the virus particle. We discovered that IEP tends to polymerize and constitutes a previously unidentified thin surface layer covering CkPDV particles. This outermost surface layer looked fragile and was easily removed from CkPVD particles by mechanical stressors such as shaking, which prevented CkPDV from expressing the encoded genes in the host target tissues such as fat body or hemocytes. Furthermore, we detected IEP homologue gene expression in the wasp's venom reservoirs, implying IEP has another unknown biological function in the wasp or parasitized hosts. Taken together, the present results demonstrated that female C. kariyai wasps produce the fragile thin layer partly composed of IEP to cover the outer surfaces of CkPDV particles; otherwise, they cannot function as infectious agents in the wasp's host. The fact that IEP family proteins are expressed in both venom reservoirs and oviducts suggests an intimate relationship between both tissues in the development of the parasitism strategy of the wasp. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Land use/cover change on Biomass Stock in Dryland ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Effect of Land use/cover change on Biomass Stock in Dryland Areas of Eastern Uganda. ... Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management ... Therefore, there is need for increased use of remote sensing and GIS to quantify change patterns at local scales for essential monitoring and assessment of land ...

Assessment of Machine Learning Algorithms for Automatic Benthic Cover Monitoring and Mapping Using Towed Underwater Video Camera and High-Resolution Satellite Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassan Mohamed

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Benthic habitat monitoring is essential for many applications involving biodiversity, marine resource management, and the estimation of variations over temporal and spatial scales. Nevertheless, both automatic and semi-automatic analytical methods for deriving ecologically significant information from towed camera images are still limited. This study proposes a methodology that enables a high-resolution towed camera with a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS to adaptively monitor and map benthic habitats. First, the towed camera finishes a pre-programmed initial survey to collect benthic habitat videos, which can then be converted to geo-located benthic habitat images. Second, an expert labels a number of benthic habitat images to class habitats manually. Third, attributes for categorizing these images are extracted automatically using the Bag of Features (BOF algorithm. Fourth, benthic cover categories are detected automatically using Weighted Majority Voting (WMV ensembles for Support Vector Machines (SVM, K-Nearest Neighbor (K-NN, and Bagging (BAG classifiers. Fifth, WMV-trained ensembles can be used for categorizing more benthic cover images automatically. Finally, correctly categorized geo-located images can provide ground truth samples for benthic cover mapping using high-resolution satellite imagery. The proposed methodology was tested over Shiraho, Ishigaki Island, Japan, a heterogeneous coastal area. The WMV ensemble exhibited 89% overall accuracy for categorizing corals, sediments, seagrass, and algae species. Furthermore, the same WMV ensemble produced a benthic cover map using a Quickbird satellite image with 92.7% overall accuracy.

Environmental Survey preliminary report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1988-04-01

This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Sandia National Laboratories conducted August 17 through September 4, 1987. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with Sandia National Laboratories-Albuquerque (SNLA). The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. This phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at SNLA, and interviews with site personnel. 85 refs., 49 figs., 48 tabs.

Black carbon semi-direct effects on cloud cover: review and synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Koch

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Absorbing aerosols (AAs such as black carbon (BC or dust absorb incoming solar radiation, perturb the temperature structure of the atmosphere, and influence cloud cover. Previous studies have described conditions under which AAs either increase or decrease cloud cover. The effect depends on several factors, including the altitude of the AA relative to the cloud and the cloud type. We attempt to categorize the effects into several likely regimes. Cloud cover is decreased if the AAs are embedded in the cloud layer. AAs below cloud may enhance convection and cloud cover. AAs above cloud top stabilize the underlying layer and tend to enhance stratocumulus clouds but may reduce cumulus clouds. AAs can also promote cloud cover in convergent regions as they enhance deep convection and low level convergence as it draws in moisture from ocean to land regions. Most global model studies indicate a regional variation in the cloud response but generally increased cloud cover over oceans and some land regions, with net increased low-level and/or reduced upper level cloud cover. The result is a net negative semi-direct effect feedback from the cloud response to AAs. In some of these climate model studies, the cooling effect of BC due to cloud changes is strong enough to essentially cancel the warming direct effects.

2003 Survey of Retired Military: Tabulations of Responses

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kroeger; Ceervantes, Flores; Jones; Wilson

2004-01-01

.... Survey Content Topics covered in the survey primarily addressed the post-service employment and earnings experiences of military retirees, with emphasis on the effects of combat- related disabilities...

Awareness and use of the Essential Electronic Agricultural Library ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study investigated the extent of awareness and use of The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL) resources by faculty members of Federal University, Kashere and Federal College of Education (Technical) Gombe. A survey design was adopted for the study. The questionnaire was used as data collection ...

Essential Oils’ Chemical Characterization and Investigation of Some Biological Activities: A Critical Review

Science.gov (United States)

Dhifi, Wissal; Bellili, Sana; Jazi, Sabrine; Bahloul, Nada; Mnif, Wissem

2016-01-01

This review covers literature data summarizing, on one hand, the chemistry of essential oils and, on the other hand, their most important activities. Essential oils, which are complex mixtures of volatile compounds particularly abundant in aromatic plants, are mainly composed of terpenes biogenerated by the mevalonate pathway. These volatile molecules include monoterpenes (hydrocarbon and oxygenated monoterpens), and also sesquiterpenes (hydrocarbon and oxygenated sesquiterpens). Furthermore, they contain phenolic compounds, which are derived via the shikimate pathway. Thanks to their chemical composition, essential oils possess numerous biological activities (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, etc…) of great interest in food and cosmetic industries, as well as in the human health field. PMID:28930135

Essential AOP: The A Calculus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Fraine, Bruno; Ernst, Erik; Südholt, Mario

2012-01-01

Aspect-oriented programming (AOP) has produced interesting language designs, but also ad hoc semantics that needs clarification. We contribute to this clarification with a calculus that models essential AOP, both simpler and more general than existing formalizations. In AOP, advice may intercept......-oriented code. Two well-known pointcut categories, call and execution, are commonly considered similar.We formally expose their differences, and resolve the associated soundness problem. Our calculus includes type ranges, an intuitive and concise alternative to explicit type variables that allows advice...... to be polymorphic over intercepted methods. We use calculus parameters to cover type safety for a wide design space of other features. Type soundness is verified in Coq....

Essentials of nonlinear optics

CERN Document Server

Murti, Y V G S

2014-01-01

Current literature on Nonlinear Optics varies widely in terms of content, style, and coverage of specific topics, relative emphasis of areas and the depth of treatment. While most of these books are excellent resources for the researchers, there is a strong need for books appropriate for presenting the subject at the undergraduate or postgraduate levels in Universities. The need for such a book to serve as a textbook at the level of the bachelors and masters courses was felt by the authors while teaching courses on nonlinear optics to students of both science and engineering during the past two decades. This book has emerged from an attempt to address the requirement of presenting the subject at college level. A one-semester course covering the essentials can effectively be designed based on this.

Essential pathway identification: from in silico analysis to potential antifungal targets in Aspergillus fumigatus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thykær, Jette; Andersen, Mikael Rørdam; Baker, S. E.

2009-01-01

with the reactions, we identified orthologous candidate essential genes in Aspergillus fumigatus. Our predictions are validated in part by the modes of action for some antifungal drugs and by molecular genetic studies of essential genes in A. fumigatus and other fungi. The use of metabolic models to predict...... of 1190 biochemically unique reactions that are associated with 871 open reading frames. Through a systematic in silico deletion of single metabolic reactions using this model, several essential metabolic pathways were identified for A. niger. A total of 138 reactions were identified as being essential...... biochemical reactions during growth on a minimal glucose medium. The majority of the reactions grouped into essential biochemical pathways covering cell wall biosynthesis, amino acid biosynthesis, energy metabolism and purine and pyrimidine metabolism. Based on the A. niger open reading frames associated...

An Updated Collection of Sequence Barcoded Temperature-Sensitive Alleles of Yeast Essential Genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kofoed, Megan; Milbury, Karissa L; Chiang, Jennifer H; Sinha, Sunita; Ben-Aroya, Shay; Giaever, Guri; Nislow, Corey; Hieter, Philip; Stirling, Peter C

2015-07-14

Systematic analyses of essential gene function using mutant collections in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been conducted using collections of heterozygous diploids, promoter shut-off alleles, through alleles with destabilized mRNA, destabilized protein, or bearing mutations that lead to a temperature-sensitive (ts) phenotype. We previously described a method for construction of barcoded ts alleles in a systematic fashion. Here we report the completion of this collection of alleles covering 600 essential yeast genes. This resource covers a larger gene repertoire than previous collections and provides a complementary set of strains suitable for single gene and genomic analyses. We use deep sequencing to characterize the amino acid changes leading to the ts phenotype in half of the alleles. We also use high-throughput approaches to describe the relative ts behavior of the alleles. Finally, we demonstrate the experimental usefulness of the collection in a high-content, functional genomic screen for ts alleles that increase spontaneous P-body formation. By increasing the number of alleles and improving the annotation, this ts collection will serve as a community resource for probing new aspects of biology for essential yeast genes. Copyright © 2015 Kofoed et al.

Spatial housing economics: a survey

OpenAIRE

Meen, Geoff

2016-01-01

This introduction to the Virtual Special Issue surveys the development of spatial housing economics from its roots in neo-classical theory, through more recent developments in social interactions modelling, and touching on the role of institutions, path dependence and economic history. The survey also points to some of the more promising future directions for the subject that are beginning to appear in the literature. The survey covers elements hedonic models, spatial econometrics, neighbourh...

Site surveying and levelling

CERN Document Server

Clancy, John

2013-01-01

This popular and useful text has been completely revised and up-dated so that it forms and indipensible handbook for any student of surveying. An additional chapter on modern developments is included and the text has also been extended to cover ordnance survey; calculation of areas; computation of true horizontal length; measurement of vertical angles; Code of Measuring Practice; curve ranging and calculations of volumes for earthworks.

1979-1980 Administrative Compensation Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Bryan, James; And Others

Results of the 1979-80 Administrative Compensation Survey Report conducted by the College and University Personnel Association are presented. The survey is based on 1,383 responses and covers 77 positions. Salary data are indicated for the median and interquartile range for each position. Data are provided by type of institution, by size of…

The Relationship Between the Scope of Essential Health Benefits and Statutory Financing: An International Comparison Across Eight European Countries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wees, P.J. van der; Wammes, J.J.G.; Westert, G.P.; Jeurissen, P.P.T.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Both rising healthcare costs and the global financial crisis have fueled a search for policy tools in order to avoid unsustainable future financing of essential health benefits. The scope of essential health benefits (the range of services covered) and depth of coverage (the proportion

Brownfield, TX 1:250,000 Quad USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Dalhart, TX 1:250,000 Quad USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Hobbs, NM 1:250,000 Quad USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Clovis, NM 1:250,000 Quad USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Tucumcari, NM 1:250,000 Quad USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Health centres' view of the services provided by a university hospital laboratory: Use of satisfaction surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Oja, Paula; Kouri, Timo; Pakarinen, Arto

2010-01-01

Customer orientation has gained increasing attention in healthcare. A customer satisfaction survey is one way to raise areas and topics for quality improvement. However, it seems that customer satisfaction surveys have not resulted in quality improvement in healthcare. This article reports how the authors' university hospital laboratory has used customer satisfaction surveys targeted at the health centres in their hospital district. Closed-ended statements of the questionnaire were planned to cover the essential aspects of laboratory services. In addition, an open-ended question asked what was considered to be the most important problem in services. The questionnaires were sent to the medical directors of the health centres. The open-ended question proved to be very useful because the responses specified the main problems in service. Based on the responses, selected dissatisfied customers were contacted to specify their responses and possible corrective actions were taken. It is concluded that a satisfaction survey can be used as a screening tool to identify topics of dissatisfaction. In addition, further clarifications with selected customers are needed to specify the causes for their dissatisfaction and to undertake proper corrective actions. PMID:20205616

Examination of the semi-automatic calculation technique of vegetation cover rate by digital camera images.

Science.gov (United States)

Takemine, S.; Rikimaru, A.; Takahashi, K.

The rice is one of the staple foods in the world High quality rice production requires periodically collecting rice growth data to control the growth of rice The height of plant the number of stem the color of leaf is well known parameters to indicate rice growth Rice growth diagnosis method based on these parameters is used operationally in Japan although collecting these parameters by field survey needs a lot of labor and time Recently a laborsaving method for rice growth diagnosis is proposed which is based on vegetation cover rate of rice Vegetation cover rate of rice is calculated based on discriminating rice plant areas in a digital camera image which is photographed in nadir direction Discrimination of rice plant areas in the image was done by the automatic binarization processing However in the case of vegetation cover rate calculation method depending on the automatic binarization process there is a possibility to decrease vegetation cover rate against growth of rice In this paper a calculation method of vegetation cover rate was proposed which based on the automatic binarization process and referred to the growth hysteresis information For several images obtained by field survey during rice growing season vegetation cover rate was calculated by the conventional automatic binarization processing and the proposed method respectively And vegetation cover rate of both methods was compared with reference value obtained by visual interpretation As a result of comparison the accuracy of discriminating rice plant areas was increased by the proposed

Are essential medicines in Malaysia accessible, affordable and available?

Science.gov (United States)

Saleh, Kamaruzaman; Ibrahim, Mohamed I M

2005-12-01

To assess the pharmaceutical sector to know whether people have access to essential medicines. The study was conducted in 20 public health clinics, five public district drug stores and 20 private retail pharmacies selected randomly in five different areas randomly selected (four states and a federal territory). The methodology used was adopted from the World Health Organization study protocol. The degree of attainment of the strategic pharmaceutical objectives of improved access is measured by a list of tested indicators. Access is measured in terms of the availability and affordability of essential medicines, especially to the poor and in the public sector. The first survey in the public health clinics and public district drug stores gathered information about current availability of essential medicines, prevalence of stock-outs and affordability of treatment (except drug stores). The second survey assessed affordability of treatment in public health clinics and private retail pharmacies. Availability, stock-out duration, percent of medicines dispensed, accessibility and affordability of key medicines. The average availability of key medicines in the public health clinics for the country was 95.4%. The average stock-out duration of key medicines was 6.5 days. However, average availability of key medicines in the public district drug stores was 89.2%; with an average stock-out duration of 32.4 days. Medicines prescribed were 100% dispensed to the patients. Average affordability for public health clinics was 1.5 weeks salary and for the private pharmacies, 3.7 weeks salary. The present pharmaceutical situation in the context of essential medicines list implementation reflected that the majority of the population in Malaysia had access to affordable essential medicines. If medicines need to be obtained from the private sector, they are hardly affordable. Although the average availability of essential medicines in Malaysia was high being more than 95.0%, in certain

Decay Functions of Soil Moisture: Implications for Land Cover Controls on Actual Evapotranspiration During the Wet Season of a West-African Savanna

Science.gov (United States)

Bassiouni, M.; Ceperley, N. C.; Mande, T.; Parlange, M. B.

2012-04-01

The West-African savanna experiences extreme seasonal climate. The role of vegetation and the impact of agriculture on the regional hydrology of these areas are not well understood. A better understanding of such phenomena is crucial, as water resources are becoming unstable and populations dependent on rain-fed agriculture are more vulnerable. This study examines soil moisture dynamics during the 2010 rainy season in the Singou River Basin, Burkina Faso. Volumetric soil water content and meteorological data are collected from seven stations of a wireless sensor network. This network covers representative types of land cover in the watershed including riverbank, wetland, open savanna, agricultural parkland, and forested upland savanna. Vegetation was also surveyed throughout the season. Here, we present parameterizations and exploratory analysis of soil moisture decay functions at each station considered. Results are compared to the seasonal evolution of soil moisture storage, potential evapotranspiration and vegetation density. Preliminary results suggest these soil moisture measurements may be essential to understanding actual evapotranspiration and the hydrological influence of the types of land cover in the watershed over time. These findings contribute to improved modeling of the ecohydrological behavior of the Singou River Basin and up-scaling of the sensor network data for regional water management purposes as part of an integrated research and development project, Info4Dourou.

76 FR 13980 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2012 Economic Census Covering the Information...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-15

... essential information for government, business, and the general public. Economic data are the Census Bureau... Economic Census Covering the Information, etc. AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce. ACTION: Notice... ). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Abstract The economic census, conducted under authority of Title 13, United States...

Land use/cover classification in the Brazilian Amazon using satellite images.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Dengsheng; Batistella, Mateus; Li, Guiying; Moran, Emilio; Hetrick, Scott; Freitas, Corina da Costa; Dutra, Luciano Vieira; Sant'anna, Sidnei João Siqueira

2012-09-01

Land use/cover classification is one of the most important applications in remote sensing. However, mapping accurate land use/cover spatial distribution is a challenge, particularly in moist tropical regions, due to the complex biophysical environment and limitations of remote sensing data per se. This paper reviews experiments related to land use/cover classification in the Brazilian Amazon for a decade. Through comprehensive analysis of the classification results, it is concluded that spatial information inherent in remote sensing data plays an essential role in improving land use/cover classification. Incorporation of suitable textural images into multispectral bands and use of segmentation-based method are valuable ways to improve land use/cover classification, especially for high spatial resolution images. Data fusion of multi-resolution images within optical sensor data is vital for visual interpretation, but may not improve classification performance. In contrast, integration of optical and radar data did improve classification performance when the proper data fusion method was used. Of the classification algorithms available, the maximum likelihood classifier is still an important method for providing reasonably good accuracy, but nonparametric algorithms, such as classification tree analysis, has the potential to provide better results. However, they often require more time to achieve parametric optimization. Proper use of hierarchical-based methods is fundamental for developing accurate land use/cover classification, mainly from historical remotely sensed data.

Land Cover - Minnesota Land Cover Classification System

Data.gov (United States)

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — Land cover data set based on the Minnesota Land Cover Classification System (MLCCS) coding scheme. This data was produced using a combination of aerial photograph...

The Gaia-ESO Public Spectroscopic Survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilmore, G.; Randich, S.; Asplund, M.

2012-01-01

The Gaia-ESO Public Spectroscopic Survey has begun and will obtain high quality spectroscopy of some 100000 Milky Way stars, in the field and in open clusters, down to magnitude 19, systematically covering all the major components of the Milky Way. This survey will provide the first homogeneous o...

Fall Bottom Trawl Survey

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The standardized NEFSC Fall Bottom Trawl Survey was initiated in 1963 and covered an area from Hudson Canyon, NY to Nova Scotia, Canada. Throughout the years,...

Investigating the Feasibility of Geo-Tagged Photographs as Sources of Land Cover Input Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vyron Antoniou

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Geo-tagged photographs are used increasingly as a source of Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI, which could potentially be used for land use and land cover applications. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the feasibility of using this source of spatial information for three use cases related to land cover: Calibration, validation and verification. We first provide an inventory of the metadata that are collected with geo-tagged photographs and then consider what elements would be essential, desirable, or unnecessary for the aforementioned use cases. Geo-tagged photographs were then extracted from Flickr, Panoramio and Geograph for an area of London, UK, and classified based on their usefulness for land cover mapping including an analysis of the accompanying metadata. Finally, we discuss protocols for geo-tagged photographs for use of VGI in relation to land cover applications.

Satellite sensor requirements for monitoring essential biodiversity variables of coastal ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

The biodiversity and high productivity of coastal terrestrial and aquatic habitats are the foundation for important benefits to human societies around the world. These globally distributed habitats need frequent and broad systematic assessments, but field surveys only cover a sma...

Land-Cover Change in the East Central Texas Plains, 1973-2000

Science.gov (United States)

Karstensen, Krista A.

2009-01-01

Project Background: The Geographic Analysis and Monitoring (GAM) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Land Cover Trends project is focused on understanding the rates, trends, causes, and consequences of contemporary U.S. land-use and land-cover change. The objectives of the study are to: (1) develop a comprehensive methodology for using sampling and change analysis techniques and Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) and Thematic Mapper (TM) data for measuring regional land-cover change across the United States, (2) characterize the types, rates and temporal variability of change for a 30-year period, (3) document regional driving forces and consequences of change, and (4) prepare a national synthesis of land-cover change (Loveland and others, 1999). Using the 1999 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Level III ecoregions derived from Omernik (1987) as the geographic framework, geospatial data collected between 1973 and 2000 were processed and analyzed to characterize ecosystem responses to land-use changes. The 27-year study period was divided into five temporal periods: 1973-1980, 1980-1986, 1986-1992, 1992-2000, and 1973-2000. General land-cover classes such as water, developed, grassland/shrubland, and agriculture for these periods were interpreted from Landsat MSS, TM, and Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus imagery to categorize land-cover change and evaluate using a modified Anderson Land-Use Land-Cover Classification System for image interpretation. The interpretation of these land-cover classes complement the program objective of looking at land-use change with cover serving as a surrogate for land use. The land-cover change rates are estimated using a stratified, random sampling of 10-kilometer (km) by 10-km blocks allocated within each ecoregion. For each sample block, satellite images are used to interpret land-cover change for the five time periods previously mentioned. Additionally, historical aerial photographs from similar timeframes and other

Spring Bottom Trawl Survey

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The standardized NEFSC Spring Bottom Trawl Survey was initiated in 1968 and covered an area from Cape Hatteras, NC, to Nova Scotia, Canada, at depths >27m....

An airborne gamma ray snow survey of a forest covered area with a deep snowpack

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glynn, J.E.; Carroll, T.R.; Holman, P.B.; Grasty, R.L.

1988-01-01

Problems arising from the airborne gamma ray measurement of snow water equivalent over a forest covered deep snowpack are examined. The principal sources of error are believed to be due to the radioactivity in the biomass and to variability in the snow cover. A theoretical model is developed to correct the airborne measurements for these sources of error. The application of the theory to data collected over the St. John River Basin, located in the eastern part of Canada and the United States, is found to significantly improve the airborne results

Infrared Sky Surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Stephan D.

2009-02-01

A retrospective is given on infrared sky surveys from Thomas Edison’s proposal in the late 1870s to IRAS, the first sensitive mid- to far-infrared all-sky survey, and the mid-1990s experiments that filled in the IRAS deficiencies. The emerging technology for space-based surveys is highlighted, as is the prominent role the US Defense Department, particularly the Air Force, played in developing and applying detector and cryogenic sensor advances to early mid-infrared probe-rocket and satellite-based surveys. This technology was transitioned to the infrared astronomical community in relatively short order and was essential to the success of IRAS, COBE and ISO. Mention is made of several of the little known early observational programs that were superseded by more successful efforts.

Essential dimensions of a marketing strategy in the hospital industry.

Science.gov (United States)

McIlwain, T F; McCracken, M J

1997-01-01

This paper reviews existing literature and defines essential dimensions of a hospital's marketing strategy for each of two business strategies; using the results of a national survey, this study confirms that hospitals make different marketing decisions based on the type of business strategy adopted by the hospital.

Effect of land cover change on runoff curve number estimation in Iowa, 1832-2001

Science.gov (United States)

Wehmeyer, Loren L.; Weirich, Frank H.; Cuffney, Thomas F.

2011-01-01

Within the first few decades of European-descended settlers arriving in Iowa, much of the land cover across the state was transformed from prairie and forest to farmland, patches of forest, and urbanized areas. Land cover change over the subsequent 126 years was minor in comparison. Between 1832 and 1859, the General Land Office conducted a survey of the State of Iowa to aid in the disbursement of land. In 1875, an illustrated atlas of the State of Iowa was published, and in 2001, the US Geological Survey National Land Cover Dataset was compiled. Using these three data resources for classifying land cover, the hydrologic impact of the land cover change at three points in time over a period of 132+ years is presented in terms of the effect on the area-weighted average curve number, a term commonly used to predict peak runoff from rainstorms. In the four watersheds studied, the area-weighted average curve number associated with the first 30 years of settlement increased from 61·4 to 77·8. State-wide mapped forest area over this same period decreased 19%. Over the next 126 years, the area-weighted average curve number decreased to 76·7, despite an additional forest area reduction of 60%. This suggests that degradation of aquatic resources (plants, fish, invertebrates, and habitat) arising from hydrologic alteration was likely to have been much higher during the 30 years of initial settlement than in the subsequent period of 126 years in which land cover changes resulted primarily from deforestation and urbanization. 

Historical baselines of coral cover on tropical reefs as estimated by expert opinion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tyler D. Eddy

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Coral reefs are important habitats that represent global marine biodiversity hotspots and provide important benefits to people in many tropical regions. However, coral reefs are becoming increasingly threatened by climate change, overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution. Historical baselines of coral cover are important to understand how much coral cover has been lost, e.g., to avoid the ‘shifting baseline syndrome’. There are few quantitative observations of coral reef cover prior to the industrial revolution, and therefore baselines of coral reef cover are difficult to estimate. Here, we use expert and ocean-user opinion surveys to estimate baselines of global coral reef cover. The overall mean estimated baseline coral cover was 59% (±19% standard deviation, compared to an average of 58% (±18% standard deviation estimated by professional scientists. We did not find evidence of the shifting baseline syndrome, whereby respondents who first observed coral reefs more recently report lower estimates of baseline coral cover. These estimates of historical coral reef baseline cover are important for scientists, policy makers, and managers to understand the extent to which coral reefs have become depleted and to set appropriate recovery targets.

Historical baselines of coral cover on tropical reefs as estimated by expert opinion.

Science.gov (United States)

Eddy, Tyler D; Cheung, William W L; Bruno, John F

2018-01-01

Coral reefs are important habitats that represent global marine biodiversity hotspots and provide important benefits to people in many tropical regions. However, coral reefs are becoming increasingly threatened by climate change, overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution. Historical baselines of coral cover are important to understand how much coral cover has been lost, e.g., to avoid the 'shifting baseline syndrome'. There are few quantitative observations of coral reef cover prior to the industrial revolution, and therefore baselines of coral reef cover are difficult to estimate. Here, we use expert and ocean-user opinion surveys to estimate baselines of global coral reef cover. The overall mean estimated baseline coral cover was 59% (±19% standard deviation), compared to an average of 58% (±18% standard deviation) estimated by professional scientists. We did not find evidence of the shifting baseline syndrome, whereby respondents who first observed coral reefs more recently report lower estimates of baseline coral cover. These estimates of historical coral reef baseline cover are important for scientists, policy makers, and managers to understand the extent to which coral reefs have become depleted and to set appropriate recovery targets.

Potential Theory Surveys and Problems

CERN Document Server

Lukeš, Jaroslav; Netuka, Ivan; Veselý, Jiří

1988-01-01

The volume comprises eleven survey papers based on survey lectures delivered at the Conference in Prague in July 1987, which covered various facets of potential theory, including its applications in other areas. The survey papers deal with both classical and abstract potential theory and its relations to partial differential equations, stochastic processes and other branches such as numerical analysis and topology. A collection of problems from potential theory, compiled on the occasion of the conference, is included, with additional commentaries, in the second part of this volume.

Essentials of Game Theory A Concise Multidisciplinary Introduction

CERN Document Server

Leyton-Brown, Kevin

2008-01-01

Game theory is the mathematical study of interaction among independent, self-interested agents. The audience for game theory has grown dramatically in recent years, and now spans disciplines as diverse as political science, biology, psychology, economics, linguistics, sociology, and computer science, among others. What has been missing is a relatively short introduction to the field covering the common basis that anyone with a professional interest in game theory is likely to require. Such a text would minimize notation, ruthlessly focus on essentials, and yet not sacrifice rigor. This Synthes

DSP Architecture Design Essentials

CERN Document Server

Marković, Dejan

2012-01-01

In DSP Architecture Design Essentials, authors Dejan Marković and Robert W. Brodersen cover a key subject for the successful realization of DSP algorithms for communications, multimedia, and healthcare applications. The book addresses the need for DSP architecture design that maps advanced DSP algorithms to hardware in the most power- and area-efficient way. The key feature of this text is a design methodology based on a high-level design model that leads to hardware implementation with minimum power and area. The methodology includes algorithm-level considerations such as automated word-length reduction and intrinsic data properties that can be leveraged to reduce hardware complexity. From a high-level data-flow graph model, an architecture exploration methodology based on linear programming is used to create an array of architectural solutions tailored to the underlying hardware technology. The book is supplemented with online material: bibliography, design examples, CAD tutorials and custom software.

Drivers and Implications of Land Use and Land Cover Change in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study explores the major drivers of Land-use/Land-cover (LULC) dynamics and the observed environmental degradation as a response to these changes in the Modjo watershed, central Ethiopia. Data for this study were generated through household survey and supplemented with remotely sensed image interpretation ...

Mapping Rural Areas with Widespread Plastic Covered Vineyards Using True Color Aerial Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eufemia Tarantino

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Plastic covering is used worldwide to protect crops against damaging growing conditions. This agricultural practice raises some controversial issues. While it significantly impacts on local economic vitality, plasticulture also shows several environmental affects. In the Apulia Region (Italy the wide-spreading of artificial plastic coverings for vineyard protection has showed negative consequences on the hydrogeological balance of soils as well as on the visual quality of rural landscape. In order to monitor and manage this phenomenon, a detailed site mapping has become essential. In this study an efficient object-based classification procedure from Very High Spatial Resolution (VHSR true color aerial data was developed on eight test areas located in the Ionian area of the Apulia Region in order to support the updating of the existing land use database aimed at plastic covered vineyard monitoring.

Integrative teaching in Radiology. A survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dettmer, S.; Weidemann, J.; Wacker, F.; Fischer, V.

2015-01-01

To survey integrative teaching in radiology at German universities. A questionnaire about radiological education was sent electronically to all 37 chairpersons of university radiology departments in Germany. The questions included the course type, teaching methods, concept, perception, and advantages and disadvantages of integrative teaching. Statistical analysis was performed with nonparametric statistics and chi-square test. The survey was considered representative with a return rate of 68%. Integrative teaching is established at 4/5 of all departments. Integrative teaching is well accepted with an acceptance rate that is significantly higher in so-called 'Modellstudiengaengen' (model courses of study) (100%) compared to conventional courses of study (72%). The advantages of integrative teaching include linking of content (92%) and preparation for interdisciplinary work (76%). The disadvantages include high effort (75%) and time (67%) for organization. Furthermore, there is a risk that basic radiological facts and knowledge cannot be conveyed and that the visibility of radiology as an independent discipline is lost. Conventional radiological teaching has a similarly high acceptance (84%) compared to integrative courses (76%). Integrative teaching has a high acceptance among chairpersons in radiology in Germany despite the greater effort. A good interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for integrative teaching and at the same time this can be conveyed to the students. However, the visibility of radiology as a discipline and the possibility to cover basic radiological content must be ensured. Therefore, both conventional courses and integrative teaching seems reasonable, especially in cross-disciplinary subjects such as radiology.

A questionnaire-based survey on nurse perceptions of patient handoffs in japanese hospitals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gu, Xiuzhu; Itoh, Kenji; Andersen, Henning Boje

2012-01-01

transfer, responsibility transfer, management goals, environment and handoff system. As an overall trend, Japanese nurses indicated that both information and responsibility for the patient were transferred moderately well within the hospital. They put a higher priority on the goal of patient safety......Patient handoff is a critically important process in healthcare. However, there have been few studies investigated healthcare staff perceptions of its quality and safety. In the present paper, we seek to explore essential characteristics of patient handoff. We discuss critical factors...... and strategies contributing to effective handoffs. A questionnaire survey was conducted in 2011, collecting 1462 valid responses (74% response rate) from nurses in six Japanese hospitals. There were 17 questions, each with reply options on a five-point Likert scale, covering five main aspects: information...

How are arbuscular mycorrhizal associations related to maize growth performance during short-term cover crop rotation?

Science.gov (United States)

Higo, Masao; Takahashi, Yuichi; Gunji, Kento; Isobe, Katsunori

2018-03-01

Better cover crop management options aiming to maximize the benefits of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to subsequent crops are largely unknown. We investigated the impact of cover crop management methods on maize growth performance and assemblages of AMF colonizing maize roots in a field trial. The cover crop treatments comprised Italian ryegrass, wheat, brown mustard and fallow in rotation with maize. The diversity of AMF communities among cover crops used for maize management was significantly influenced by the cover crop and time course. Cover crops did not affect grain yield and aboveground biomass of subsequent maize but affected early growth. A structural equation model indicated that the root colonization, AMF diversity and maize phosphorus uptake had direct strong positive effects on yield performance. AMF variables and maize performance were related directly or indirectly to maize grain yield, whereas root colonization had a positive effect on maize performance. AMF may be an essential factor that determines the success of cover crop rotational systems. Encouraging AMF associations can potentially benefit cover cropping systems. Therefore, it is imperative to consider AMF associations and crop phenology when making management decisions. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

CDS User survey

CERN Multimedia

CERN Document Service

2011-01-01

  The CERN Document Server is launching a user survey in order to collect information relative to its search engine, submission interfaces, collaborative features and content organisation. With the view of re-shaping its collections and interfaces and to better integrate with the new INSPIRE platform that serves all HEP literature, CERN Document Server team invites you to take part in the survey. Your input is essential to provide us with useful information before setting up the new service and improve your interactions with CDS. Thanks for participating !  

Global coverage of cetacean line-transect surveys: status quo, data gaps and future challenges.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristin Kaschner

Full Text Available Knowledge of abundance, trends and distribution of cetacean populations is needed to inform marine conservation efforts, ecosystem models and spatial planning. We compiled a geo-spatial database of published data on cetacean abundance from dedicated visual line-transect surveys and encoded >1100 abundance estimates for 47 species from 430 surveys conducted worldwide from 1975-2005. Our subsequent analyses revealed large spatial, temporal and taxonomic variability and gaps in survey coverage. With the exception of Antarctic waters, survey coverage was biased toward the northern hemisphere, especially US and northern European waters. Overall, <25% of the world's ocean surface was surveyed and only 6% had been covered frequently enough (≥ 5 times to allow trend estimation. Almost half the global survey effort, defined as total area (km(2 covered by all survey study areas across time, was concentrated in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP. Neither the number of surveys conducted nor the survey effort had increased in recent years. Across species, an average of 10% of a species' predicted range had been covered by at least one survey, but there was considerable variation among species. With the exception of three delphinid species, <1% of all species' ranges had been covered frequently enough for trend analysis. Sperm whales emerged from our analyses as a relatively data-rich species. This is a notoriously difficult species to survey visually, and we use this as an example to illustrate the challenges of using available data from line-transect surveys for the detection of trends or for spatial planning. We propose field and analytical methods to fill in data gaps to improve cetacean conservation efforts.

Clifton, AZ 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Tularosa, NM 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Gallup, NM 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Clifton, AZ 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Albuquerque, NM 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Douglas, AZ 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Gallup, NM 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Roswell, NM 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Socorro, NM 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Douglas, AZ 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Roswell, NM 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Shiprock, NM 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Aztec, NM 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Aztec, NM 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Socorro, NM 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Carlsbad, NM 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Raton, NM 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Shiprock, NM 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Albuquerque, NM 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Raton, NM 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Carlsbad, NM 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Tularosa, NM 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Report on a survey in fiscal 1999. Survey on research exchange possibility; 1999 nendo kenkyu koryu kanosei chosa hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

This survey deals with research institutions of governmental organizations, universities, and business entities for the purpose of discussing the possibility of research exchange standing on a long-term point of view to serve for solving global environment problems, and the way the exchange should be. The research exchange shall cover the areas of trends in research and development of global environment related technologies, themes for the research and development, institutions for the research and development, and exchange of researchers and information with these research organizations. In fiscal 1999, three survey missions were dispatched to cover the following three areas: (1) surveys on research possibility of catalyst development by means of combinatorial chemistry, (2) surveys on research exchange possibility for thermo-chemical solar hybrid fuel production technologies, and (3) surveys on research exchange possibility for structuring function improving technologies of the 21st century type. Each survey mission has visited research institutions of the world to survey the trends in researches related to global environment, and the possibility of exchanging researches with RITE. The visits presented the following conclusions and findings: (1) the research on the combinatorial chemistry in the U.S.A. is still in the initial stage; (2) important findings were obtained when surveys were made on methane reformation utilizing solar heat, and coal gasification technologies in Europe; and (3) surveys were made on pioneering researches on plant molecule physiology in Europe. (NEDO)

Comparison of two Classification methods (MLC and SVM) to extract land use and land cover in Johor Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Rokni Deilmai, B.; Ahmad, B. Bin; Zabihi, H.

2014-06-01

Mapping is essential for the analysis of the land use and land cover, which influence many environmental processes and properties. For the purpose of the creation of land cover maps, it is important to minimize error. These errors will propagate into later analyses based on these land cover maps. The reliability of land cover maps derived from remotely sensed data depends on an accurate classification. In this study, we have analyzed multispectral data using two different classifiers including Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). To pursue this aim, Landsat Thematic Mapper data and identical field-based training sample datasets in Johor Malaysia used for each classification method, which results indicate in five land cover classes forest, oil palm, urban area, water, rubber. Classification results indicate that SVM was more accurate than MLC. With demonstrated capability to produce reliable cover results, the SVM methods should be especially useful for land cover classification.

Comparison of two Classification methods (MLC and SVM) to extract land use and land cover in Johor Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deilmai, B Rokni; Ahmad, B Bin; Zabihi, H

2014-01-01

Mapping is essential for the analysis of the land use and land cover, which influence many environmental processes and properties. For the purpose of the creation of land cover maps, it is important to minimize error. These errors will propagate into later analyses based on these land cover maps. The reliability of land cover maps derived from remotely sensed data depends on an accurate classification. In this study, we have analyzed multispectral data using two different classifiers including Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). To pursue this aim, Landsat Thematic Mapper data and identical field-based training sample datasets in Johor Malaysia used for each classification method, which results indicate in five land cover classes forest, oil palm, urban area, water, rubber. Classification results indicate that SVM was more accurate than MLC. With demonstrated capability to produce reliable cover results, the SVM methods should be especially useful for land cover classification

Market basket survey of essential elements in some core vegetables in Accra, Ghana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adotey, D.K.; Serfor-Armah, Y.; Yeboah, P.O.; Fianko, J.R.

2005-01-01

The concentrations of essential trace elements of nutritional and toxicological significance in 5 vegetables that constitute an essential part of Ghanaian diet have been studied, using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). The results of the study revealed that the elements As, Ca, Co, K, Mg, Mn and Na were present in all 5 vegetables analyzed. Elements of nutritional importance detected in very high concentrations are K, Ca and Mg whilst only trace levels of Mn, Na and Co were detected. Onions were found to have adequate amounts of As, Br, Ca, Cl, Mg and Mn and therefore a good source of these trace elements. Garden eggs have high concentration of K whiles Carrot is a good source of Co, Na and V. The precision and accuracy of the methods were tested with standard reference material, IAEA-359 (cabbage). The results obtained were within 5% of the certified values in all cases. The precision of the methods were calculated as percentage relative standard deviation. (au)

Essentials of the finite element method for mechanical and structural engineers

CERN Document Server

Pavlou, Dimitrios G

2015-01-01

Fundamental coverage, analytic mathematics, and up-to-date software applications are hard to find in a single text on the finite element method (FEM). Dimitrios Pavlou's Essentials of the Finite Element Method: For Structural and Mechanical Engineers makes the search easier by providing a comprehensive but concise text for those new to FEM, or just in need of a refresher on the essentials. Essentials of the Finite Element Method explains the basics of FEM, then relates these basics to a number of practical engineering applications. Specific topics covered include linear spring elements, bar elements, trusses, beams and frames, heat transfer, and structural dynamics. Throughout the text, readers are shown step-by-step detailed analyses for finite element equations development. The text also demonstrates how FEM is programmed, with examples in MATLAB, CALFEM, and ANSYS allowing readers to learn how to develop their own computer code. Suitable for everyone from first-time BSc/MSc students to practicing mechanic...

Intrasellar Iatrogenic Carotid Pseudoaneurysm: Endovascular Treatment with a Polytetrafluoroethylene-Covered S tent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanninen, R. L.; Manninen, H. I.; Rinne, J.

2003-01-01

This case illustrates successful treatment of a large postoperative intrasellar pseudoaneurysm with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-covered stent. The advantages and potential disadvantages of this novel method of treatment are discussed. A previously healthy 59-year-old man underwent transsphenoidal operative treatment for hypophyseal macroadenoma,complicated by bleeding. On the 17 th postoperative day the patient had profuse arterial bleeding from his nose requiring posterior tamponade. Subsequent angiography of the left internal carotid artery(ICA) revealed a large pseudoaneurysm located intrasellarly, with the orifice in the anteromedial wall in the ophthalmic segment of the ICA.Surgical treatment of the pseudoaneurysm was considered very risky. A12-mm PTFE-covered stent (JoMed, Ulestraten, Netherlands), manually compressed on a PTCA-balloon (Maxxum 4.5/13 mm, Boston Scientific,Ireland) was endovascularly delivered covering the orifice of the pseudoaneurysm. Control angiography immediately after the intervention and one year later revealed no flow into the pseudoaneurysm and the ICA was fully patent. In conclusion, deployment of a PTFE-covered stent proved to be feasible and successful in the treatment of an intrasellariatrogenic ICA pseudoaneurysm. Adequate anticoagulative treatment after the procedure is essential to prevent thrombotic complications

Landfill Top Covers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scheutz, Charlotte; Kjeldsen, Peter

2011-01-01

The purpose of the final cover of a landfill is to contain the waste and to provide for a physical separation between the waste and the environment for protection of public health. Most landfill covers are designed with the primary goal to reduce or prevent infiltration of precipitation...... into the landfill in order to minimize leachate generation. In addition the cover also has to control the release of gases produced in the landfill so the gas can be ventilated, collected and utilized, or oxidized in situ. The landfill cover should also minimize erosion and support vegetation. Finally the cover...... is landscaped in order to fit into the surrounding area/environment or meet specific plans for the final use of the landfill. To fulfill the above listed requirements landfill covers are often multicomponent systems which are placed directly on top of the waste. The top cover may be placed immediately after...

Evapotranspiration (ET) covers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rock, Steve; Myers, Bill; Fiedler, Linda

2012-01-01

Evapotranspiration (ET) cover systems are increasingly being used at municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills, hazardous waste landfills, at industrial monofills, and at mine sites. Conventional cover systems use materials with low hydraulic permeability (barrier layers) to minimize the downward migration of water from the surface to the waste (percolation), ET cover systems use water balance components to minimize percolation. These cover systems rely on soil to capture and store precipitation until it is either transpired through vegetation or evaporated from the soil surface. Compared to conventional membrane or compacted clay cover systems, ET cover systems are expected to cost less to construct. They are often aesthetic because they employ naturalized vegetation, require less maintenance once the vegetative system is established, including eliminating mowing, and may require fewer repairs than a barrier system. All cover systems should consider the goals of the cover in terms of protectiveness, including the pathways of risk from contained material, the lifecycle of the containment system. The containment system needs to be protective of direct contact of people and animals with the waste, prevent surface and groundwater water pollution, and minimize release of airborne contaminants. While most containment strategies have been based on the dry tomb strategy of keeping waste dry, there are some sites where adding or allowing moisture to help decompose organic waste is the current plan. ET covers may work well in places where complete exclusion of precipitation is not needed. The U.S. EPA Alternative Cover Assessment Program (ACAP), USDOE, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and others have researched ET cover design and efficacy, including the history of their use, general considerations in their design, performance, monitoring, cost, current status, limitations on their use, and project specific examples. An on-line database has been developed with information

A comparative analysis of forest cover and catchment water yield relationships in northern China

Science.gov (United States)

Shuai Wang; Bo-Jie Fu; Chan-Sheng He; Ge Sun; Guang-Yao Gao

2011-01-01

During the past few decades, China has implemented several large-scale forestation programs that have increased forest cover from 16.0% in the 1980s to 20.4% in 2009. In northern China, water is the most sensitive and limiting ecological factor. Understanding the dynamic interactions between forest ecosystems and water in different regions is essential for maximizing...

Historical Image Registration and Land-Use Land-Cover Change Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fang-Ju Jao

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Historical aerial images are important to retain past ground surface information. The land-use land-cover change in the past can be identified using historical aerial images. Automatic historical image registration and stitching is essential because the historical image pose information was usually lost. In this study, the Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT algorithm was used for feature extraction. Subsequently, the present study used the automatic affine transformation algorithm for historical image registration, based on SIFT features and control points. This study automatically determined image affine parameters and simultaneously transformed from an image coordinate system to a ground coordinate system. After historical aerial image registration, the land-use land-cover change was analyzed between two different years (1947 and 1975 at the Tseng Wen River estuary. Results show that sandbars and water zones were transformed into a large number of fish ponds between 1947 and 1975.

The 4-H Club Meeting: An Essential Youth Development Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Cassels, Alicia; Post, Liz; Nestor, Patrick I.

2015-01-01

The club meeting has served as a key delivery method for 4-H programming across the United States throughout its history. A survey of WV 4-H community club members reinforces the body of evidence that the 4-H club meeting is an effective vehicle for delivering positive youth learning opportunities within the umbrella of the Essential Elements of…

Usability Study to Assess the IGBP Land Cover Classification for Singapore

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nanki Sidhu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Our research focuses on assessing the usability of the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP classification scheme provided in the MODIS MCD12Q1-1 dataset for assessing the land cover of the city-state, Singapore. We conducted a user study with responses from 33 users by providing them with Google Earth images from different parts of Singapore, asking survey-takers to classify these images according to their understanding by the IGBP definitions provided. We also conducted interviews with experts from major governmental agencies working with satellite imagery, which highlighted the need for a detailed land classification for Singapore. In addition to the qualitative analysis of the IGBP land classification scheme, we carried out a validation of the MCD12Q1-1 remote sensing product against SPOT-5 imagery for our study area. The user study revealed that survey-takers were able to correctly classify urban areas, as well as densely forested areas. Misclassifications between Cropland and Mixed Forest classes were highest and were attributed by users to the broad terminology of the IGBP of the two land cover class definitions. For the accuracy assessment, we obtained validation points using weighted and unweighted stratified sampling. The overall classification accuracy for all 17 IGBP land classes is 62%. Upon selecting only the four most occurring IGBP land classes in Singapore, the classification accuracy improved to 71%. Validation of the MCD12Q1-1 against ground truth for Singapore revealed less-common land classes that may be of importance in a global context but are sources of error when the same product is applied at a smaller scale. Combining the user study with the accuracy assessment gives a comprehensive overview of the challenges associated with using global-level land cover data to derive localized land cover information specifically for smaller land masses like Singapore.

Land Cover

Data.gov (United States)

Kansas Data Access and Support Center — The Land Cover database depicts 10 general land cover classes for the State of Kansas. The database was compiled from a digital classification of Landsat Thematic...

A call for surveys

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bernstein, Philip A.; Jensen, Christian S.; Tan, Kian-Lee

2012-01-01

The database field is experiencing an increasing need for survey papers. We call on more researchers to set aside time for this important writing activity. The database field is growing in population, scope of topics covered, and the number of papers published. Each year, thousands of new papers ...

The GOFC-GOLD/CEOS Land Cover Harmonization and Validation Initiative: Technical Design and Implementation

Science.gov (United States)

Herold, M.; Woodcock, C.; Stehman, S.; Nightingale, J.; Friedl, M.; Schmullius, C.

2010-12-01

A global effort to assess the accuracy of existing and future land cover products derived from a variety of satellite sensors over a range of spatial resolutions is being led by the Land Cover Implementation Team (LC-IT) of GOFC/GOLD (Global Observation of Land Cover Dynamics) in conjunction with the CEOS (Committee on Earth Observation Satellites) WGCV (Working Group on Calibration and Validation) LPV (Land Product Validation) subgroup. The first phase of this effort is complete and culminated in a publication of community consensus "best practices" for validation of global land cover datasets (2). The next phase is to implement the recommendations outlined in the "best practices" document. A "living database" of global randomized sample sites will form the basis of accuracy assessment for a host of global land cover products (GLC2000, MODIS land cover, GLOBCOVER, United Nation's Forest Resource Assessment (FRA2010), and the Mid-Decadal Global Land Survey. This "living dataset" will also be a community resource available for use in validation of regional or national mapping efforts using LCCS (UN FAO's Land Cover Classification System). Based on the known accuracy of existing land cover products, GOFC/GOLD will to develop and update a "best currently available" global land cover map. Individual geographic regions may be selected from different land cover products (global, national or regional), or they may be combined in various ways

Scleractinian Coral Cover Maps Derived from Classified in situ Seafloor Imagery for Select U.S. Locations in the Pacific from 2001 to 2015

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Coral cover maps depict percentage of scleractinian (hard) coral cover along survey tracks, overlain on existing bathymetric grids and/or satellite images, for...

Las Cruces, NM 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Santa Fe, NM 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Silver City, NM 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

El Paso, TX 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Silver City, NM 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Saint Johns, AZ 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Fort Sumner, NM 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Las Cruces, NM 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

El Paso, TX 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Santa Fe, NM 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Saint Johns, AZ 1:250,000 Quad West Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Fort Sumner, NM 1:250,000 Quad East Half USGS Land Use/Land Cover, 2000

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This land cover data set was produced as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

Interrelationships between soil cover and plant cover depending on land use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tiina Köster

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Interrelationships between soil cover and plant cover of normally developed (or postlithogenic mineral soils are analysed on the basis of four sampling soil groups. The four-link pedo-ecological sequence of analysed soils, rendzinas → brown soils → pseudopodzolic soils → gley-podzols, forms a representative cross section in relation to the normal mineral soils of Estonia. All groups differ substantially from each other in terms of soil properties (calcareousness, acidity, nutrition conditions, profile fabric and humus cover. The primary tasks of the research were (1 to elucidate the main pedo-ecological characteristics of the four soil groups and their suitability for plant cover, (2 to evaluate comparatively soils in terms of productivity, sustainability, biodiversity and environmental protection ability and (3 to analyse possibilities for ecologically sound matching of soil cover with suitable plant cover. On the basis of the same material, the influence of land-use change on humus cover (epipedon fabric, properties of the entire soil cover and soil–plant interrelationship were also analysed. An ecosystem approach enables us to observe particularities caused by specific properties of a soil type (species, variety in biological turnover and in the formation of biodiversity.

Areal variability of the mineral soil cover in a reclaimed soda waste dumping site

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klatka Sławomir

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Areal variability of the mineral soil cover in a reclaimed soda waste dumping site. This paper provides an analysis of the areal variability of the thickness and selected physical and chemical properties of the mineral cover formed in the process of settling ponds reclamation at the former Krakow Soda Plant “Solvay”. The topsoil is intended to provide a substrate for plants, therefore, its quality is the main determinant of the development for herbaceous and woody vegetation. Areal variability of the topsoil parameters was determined by kriging. In the context of the envisaged direction of management of the settling ponds, the analysis showed that electrical conductivity, thickness of the soil cover and the sand fraction content have potentially the highest impact on the diversification of vegetation. Understanding the spatial variability of the soil cover parameters, that are essential for vegetation, may contribute to increasing the efficiency of biological reclamation and also to cost reduction. Precise selection of the areas unsuitable for plant growth makes it possible to improve soil parameters on limited areas similarly as in the precision agriculture.

Equity of the essential public health service in rural china: evidence from a nationwide survey of hypertensive patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Donghua; Feng, Zhanchun; He, Shasha; Sun, Xi; Ma, Caihui; Lv, Benyan; Zou, Xiong

2013-07-01

To explore healthcare disparities in rural China two years after the implementation of the Essential Public Health Service (EPHS) reform in 2009. A cross-sectional study was conducted by surveying 930 hypertension patients (HPs) from different regions in rural China in 2011. The percentages of patients using recommended four or more follow-up visits in a year were calculated by patient socio-demographic characteristics and statistically examined using chi-square and logistic regression to uncover disparities and correlated factors in EPHS use. The rates were not significantly different by age, gender, education, insurance status or income, but significantly different by region and hypertension history (p<0.01). Higher rates were also observed on patients who sought actively follow-up service at clinics, making appointment for the next follow-up with doctors, awareness of the need of follow-up, more satisfied with the follow-up services, and better medication adherence (p<0.01). There were no disparities observed among HPs in the use of follow-up services, suggesting that the reform has to some extent achieved its goal in ensuring equal access to EPHS. In this regard, regional implementation of the national policies and improvement of EPHS management at local level should be further improved.

Essentials of Mathematica With Applications to Mathematics and Physics

CERN Document Server

Boccara, Nino

2007-01-01

Essentials of Mathematica: With Applications to Mathematics and Physics, based on the lecture notes of a course taught at the University of Illinois at Chicago to advanced undergraduate and graduate students, teaches how to use Mathematica to solve a wide variety problems in mathematics and physics. The text assumes no previous exposure to Mathematica. It is illustrated with many detailed examples that require the student to construct meticulous, step-by-step, easy-to-read Mathematica programs. It includes many detailed graphics, with instructions to students on how to achieve similar results. The aim of Essentials of Mathematica is to provide the reader with Mathematica proficiency quickly and efficiently. The first part, in which the reader learns how to use a variety of Mathematica commands, avoids long discussions and overly sophisticated techniques. The second part covers a broad range of applications in physics and applied mathematics, including negative and complex bases, the double pendulum, fractals,...

Engineering surveying

CERN Document Server

Schofield, W

2007-01-01

Engineering surveying involves determining the position of natural and man-made features on or beneath the Earth's surface and utilizing these features in the planning, design and construction of works. It is a critical part of any engineering project. Without an accurate understanding of the size, shape and nature of the site the project risks expensive and time-consuming errors or even catastrophic failure.Engineering Surveying 6th edition covers all the basic principles and practice of this complex subject and the authors bring expertise and clarity. Previous editions of this classic text have given readers a clear understanding of fundamentals such as vertical control, distance, angles and position right through to the most modern technologies, and this fully updated edition continues that tradition.This sixth edition includes:* An introduction to geodesy to facilitate greater understanding of satellite systems* A fully updated chapter on GPS, GLONASS and GALILEO for satellite positioning in surveying* Al...

National Land Cover Database 2001 (NLCD01)

Science.gov (United States)

LaMotte, Andrew E.

2016-01-01

This 30-meter data set represents land use and land cover for the conterminous United States for the 2001 time period. The data have been arranged into four tiles to facilitate timely display and manipulation within a Geographic Information System (see http://water.usgs.gov/GIS/browse/nlcd01-partition.jpg). The National Land Cover Data Set for 2001 was produced through a cooperative project conducted by the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium. The MRLC Consortium is a partnership of Federal agencies (http://www.mrlc.gov), consisting of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the National Park Service (NPS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). One of the primary goals of the project is to generate a current, consistent, seamless, and accurate National Land Cover Database (NLCD) circa 2001 for the United States at medium spatial resolution. For a detailed definition and discussion on MRLC and the NLCD 2001 products, refer to Homer and others (2004), (see: http://www.mrlc.gov/mrlc2k.asp). The NLCD 2001 was created by partitioning the United States into mapping zones. A total of 68 mapping zones (see http://water.usgs.gov/GIS/browse/nlcd01-mappingzones.jpg), were delineated within the conterminous United States based on ecoregion and geographical characteristics, edge-matching features, and the size requirement of Landsat mosaics. Mapping zones encompass the whole or parts of several states. Questions about the NLCD mapping zones can be directed to the NLCD 2001 Land Cover Mapping Team at the USGS/EROS, Sioux Falls, SD (605) 594-6151 or mrlc@usgs.gov.

Snow cover volumes dynamic monitoring during melting season using high topographic accuracy approach for a Lebanese high plateau witness sinkhole

Science.gov (United States)

Abou Chakra, Charbel; Somma, Janine; Elali, Taha; Drapeau, Laurent

2017-04-01

Climate change and its negative impact on water resource is well described. For countries like Lebanon, undergoing major population's rise and already decreasing precipitations issues, effective water resources management is crucial. Their continuous and systematic monitoring overs long period of time is therefore an important activity to investigate drought risk scenarios for the Lebanese territory. Snow cover on Lebanese mountains is the most important water resources reserve. Consequently, systematic observation of snow cover dynamic plays a major role in order to support hydrologic research with accurate data on snow cover volumes over the melting season. For the last 20 years few studies have been conducted for Lebanese snow cover. They were focusing on estimating the snow cover surface using remote sensing and terrestrial measurement without obtaining accurate maps for the sampled locations. Indeed, estimations of both snow cover area and volumes are difficult due to snow accumulation very high variability and Lebanese mountains chains slopes topographic heterogeneity. Therefore, the snow cover relief measurement in its three-dimensional aspect and its Digital Elevation Model computation is essential to estimate snow cover volume. Despite the need to cover the all lebanese territory, we favored experimental terrestrial topographic site approaches due to high resolution satellite imagery cost, its limited accessibility and its acquisition restrictions. It is also most challenging to modelise snow cover at national scale. We therefore, selected a representative witness sinkhole located at Ouyoun el Siman to undertake systematic and continuous observations based on topographic approach using a total station. After four years of continuous observations, we acknowledged the relation between snow melt rate, date of total melting and neighboring springs discharges. Consequently, we are able to forecast, early in the season, dates of total snowmelt and springs low

Data acquisition and processing - helicopter radiometric survey, Krageroe, 1998

CERN Document Server

Beard, L P

2000-01-01

On 07 October 1998 a helicopter radiometric survey was flown in the vicinity of Krageroe municipality. The purpose of the survey was to provide radiometric information to help assess radon hazard from radioactive rocks in the area. A total of 60 line-kilometres of radiometric data were acquired in a single flight, covering an area of approximately 3 square km with a 50-m line spacing. The data were collected by Geological Survey of Norway (NGU) personnel and processed at NGU. Radiometric data were reduced using the three-channel procedure recommended by the International Atomic Energy Association. All data were gridded using square cells with 30-m sides and geophysical maps were produced at a scale of 1:5000. This report covers aspects of data acquisition and processing (Author)

Data acquisition and processing - helicopter radiometric survey, Krageroe, 1998

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beard, Les P.; Mogaard, John Olav

2000-07-01

On 07 October 1998 a helicopter radiometric survey was flown in the vicinity of Krageroe municipality. The purpose of the survey was to provide radiometric information to help assess radon hazard from radioactive rocks in the area. A total of 60 line-kilometres of radiometric data were acquired in a single flight, covering an area of approximately 3 square km with a 50-m line spacing. The data were collected by Geological Survey of Norway (NGU) personnel and processed at NGU. Radiometric data were reduced using the three-channel procedure recommended by the International Atomic Energy Association. All data were gridded using square cells with 30-m sides and geophysical maps were produced at a scale of 1:5000. This report covers aspects of data acquisition and processing (Author)

Silicone covered vs. Non- covered endotracheal self expandable metallic stent: An experimental study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Do, Young Soo; Lee, Byung Hee; Kim, Soo Ah; Kim, Kie Hwan; Chin, Soo Yil; Cho, Kyung Ja; Cho, Dae Soon [Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1994-10-15

To evaluate pathologic changes of the trachea and the lung after insertion of silicone covered and non covered Gianturco stent in the trachea of dog. Silicone covered(covered) and non covered(bare) Gianturco stent, six in each, were inserted into the tracheal lumen of six consecutive dogs. After 1-10 weeks observation, the dogs were sacrificed and their tracheas and lungs were examined grossly and histopathologically. Serial chest radiographs were performed to evaluate pneumonia and stent migration every 3-5 days. Pneumonia was observed in one of bare stent group and five of covered stent group. Stent migration was noted in three of covered stent group. In bare stent group, the epithelium of the trachea was markedly thickened by hyperplasia and stent was covered by granulation tissue from 6 weeks after stent insertion. Inflammation was focal at contact site between the stent and the trachea. In covered stent group, the epithelium was denuded at multiple areas and there were multifocal squamous metaplasia of the mucosa. Inflammatory reaction of the trachea was diffuse. Inflammatory reaction was more severe and stent migration was more frequent in covered stent group. The use of covered stent in the trachea should be studied further.

Generation and Assessment of Urban Land Cover Maps Using High-Resolution Multispectral Aerial Images

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Höhle, Joachim; Höhle, Michael

2013-01-01

a unique method for the automatic generation of urban land cover maps. In the present paper, imagery of a new medium-format aerial camera and advanced geoprocessing software are applied to derive normalized digital surface models and vegetation maps. These two intermediate products then become input...... to a tree structured classifier, which automatically derives land cover maps in 2D or 3D. We investigate the thematic accuracy of the produced land cover map by a class-wise stratified design and provide a method for deriving necessary sample sizes. Corresponding survey adjusted accuracy measures...... and their associated confidence intervals are used to adequately reflect uncertainty in the assessment based on the chosen sample size. Proof of concept for the method is given for an urban area in Switzerland. Here, the produced land cover map with six classes (building, wall and carport, road and parking lot, hedge...

Building a Continental Scale Land Cover Monitoring Framework for Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Thankappan, Medhavy; Lymburner, Leo; Tan, Peter; McIntyre, Alexis; Curnow, Steven; Lewis, Adam

2012-04-01

Land cover information is critical for national reporting and decision making in Australia. A review of information requirements for reporting on national environmental indicators identified the need for consistent land cover information to be compared against a baseline. A Dynamic Land Cover Dataset (DLCD) for Australia has been developed by Geoscience Australia and the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) recently, to provide a comprehensive and consistent land cover information baseline to enable monitoring and reporting for sustainable farming practices, water resource management, soil erosion, and forests at national and regional scales. The DLCD was produced from the analysis of Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) data at 250-metre resolution derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) for the period from 2000 to 2008. The EVI time series data for each pixel was modelled as 12 coefficients based on the statistical, phenological and seasonal characteristics. The time series were then clustered in coefficients spaces and labelled using ancillary information on vegetation and land use at the catchment scale. The accuracy of the DLCD was assessed using field survey data over 25,000 locations provided by vegetation and land management agencies in State and Territory jurisdictions, and by ABARES. The DLCD is seen as the first in a series of steps to build a framework for national land cover monitoring in Australia. A robust methodology to provide annual updates to the DLCD is currently being developed at Geoscience Australia. There is also a growing demand from the user community for land cover information at better spatial resolution than currently available through the DLCD. Global land cover mapping initiatives that rely on Earth observation data offer many opportunities for national and international programs to work in concert and deliver better outcomes by streamlining efforts on development and

Availability, prices and affordability of essential medicines in Haiti.

Science.gov (United States)

Chahal, Harinder Singh; St Fort, Nazaire; Bero, Lisa

2013-12-01

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and faces numerous challenges, including inadequate medication access for its residents. The objective of this study was to determine the availability, prices, and affordability of essential medicines in Haiti and compare these findings to other countries. We conducted a cross-sectional nationwide survey in 2011 of availability and consumer prices of 60 essential medicines in Haiti using a standardized methodology developed by the World Health Organization and Health Action International. The survey was conducted in 163 medicine outlets in four health care sectors (public, retail, nonprofit and mixed sectors). Medicine prices were expressed as ratios relative to the International Reference Price. Affordability was calculated by comparing the costs of treatment for common conditions with the salary of the lowest paid government worker and was compared to available data from four Latin American countries. For generic medicines, the availability in public, retail, nonprofit and mixed sectors was 20%, 37%, 24% and 23% of medications, respectively. Most of the available medicines were priced higher than the International Reference Price. The lowest paid government worker would need 2.5 days' wages to treat an adult respiratory infection with generic medicines from the public sector. For treatment of common conditions with originator brands (OB) purchased from a retail pharmacy, costs were between 1.4 (anaerobic bacterial infection) and 13.7 (hyperlipidemia) days' wages, respectively. Treatment of pediatric bacterial infections with the OB of ceftriaxone from a retail pharmacy would cost 24.6 days' wages. Prices in Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico and Nicaragua were frequently lower for comparable medications. The availability of essential medicines was low and prices varied widely across all four sectors. Over 75% of Haitians live on less than US$ 2.00 /day; therefore, most medication regimens are largely unaffordable

A review: radiation sterilization of pharmaceuticals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobs, G.P.

1985-01-01

The literature on the effects of γ-radiation on drugs, relevant to their sterilization or decontamination, is reviewed. This literature survey essentially covers the past 7 yr, although relevant reports not covered in previous reviews have been included. (author)

Essential elements of the nursing practice environment in nursing homes: Psychometric evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

de Brouwer, Brigitte Johanna Maria; Kaljouw, Marian J; Schoonhoven, Lisette; van Achterberg, Theo

2017-06-01

To develop and psychometrically test the Essentials of Magnetism II in nursing homes. Increasing numbers and complex needs of older people in nursing homes strain the nursing workforce. Fewer adequately trained staff and increased care complexity raise concerns about declining quality. Nurses' practice environment has been reported to affect quality of care and productivity. The Essentials of Magnetism II © measures processes and relationships of practice environments that contribute to productivity and quality of care and can therefore be useful in identifying processes requiring change to pursue excellent practice environments. However, this instrument was not explicitly evaluated for its use in nursing home settings so far. In a preparatory phase, a cross-sectional survey study focused on face validity of the essentials of magnetism in nursing homes. A second cross-sectional survey design was then used to further test the instrument's validity and reliability. Psychometric testing included evaluation of content and construct validity, and reliability. Nurses (N = 456) working at 44 units of three nursing homes were included. Respondent acceptance, relevance and clarity were adequate. Five of the eight subscales and 54 of the 58 items did meet preset psychometric criteria. All essentials of magnetism are considered relevant for nursing homes. The subscales Adequacy of Staffing, Clinically Competent Peers, Patient Centered Culture, Autonomy and Nurse Manager Support can be used in nursing homes without problems. The other subscales cannot be directly applied to this setting. The valid subscales of the Essentials of Magnetism II instrument can be used to design excellent nursing practice environments that support nurses' delivery of care. Before using the entire instrument, however, the other subscales have to be improved. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A physically based 3-D model of ice cliff evolution over debris-covered glaciers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buri, Pascal; Miles, Evan S.; Steiner, J.F.; Immerzeel, W.W.; Wagnon, Patrick; Pellicciotti, Francesca

2016-01-01

We use high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys to document the evolution of four ice cliffs on the debris-covered tongue of Lirung Glacier, Nepal, over one ablation season. Observations show that out of four cliffs, three different patterns of

Levels of essential and non-essential metals in ginger (Zingiber officinale) cultivated in Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagesho, Yohannes; Chandravanshi, Bhagwan Singh

2015-01-01

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is a common condiment for various foods and beverages and widely used worldwide as a spice. Its extracts are used extensively in the food, beverage, and confectionary industries in the production of products such as marmalade, pickles, chutney, ginger beer, ginger wine, liquors, biscuits, and other bakery products. In Ethiopia, it is among the important spices used in every kitchen to flavor stew, tea, bread and local alcoholic drinks. It is also chiefly used medicinally for indigestion, stomachache, malaria, fevers, common cold, and motion sickness. The literature survey revealed that there is no study conducted on the determination of metals in ginger cultivated in Ethiopia. Hence it is worthwhile to determine the levels of essential and non-essential metals in ginger cultivated in Ethiopia. The levels of essential (Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Cr, Mn, and Ni) and non-essential (Cd and Pb) metals in ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) cultivated in four different regions of Ethiopia and the soil where it was grown were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. 0.5 g of oven dried ginger and soil samples were digested using 3 mL of HNO3 and 1 mL of HClO4 at 210°C for 3 h and a mixture of 6 mL aqua-regia and 1.5 mL H2O2 at 270°C for 3 h, respectively. The mean metal concentration (μg/g dry weight basis) ranged in the ginger and soil samples, respectively, were: Ca (2000-2540, 1770-3580), Mg (2700-4090, 1460-2440), Fe (41.8-89.0, 21700-46900), Zn (38.5-55.2, 255-412), Cu (1.1-4.8, 3.80-33.9), Co (2.0-7.6, 48.5-159), Cr (6.0-10.8, 110-163), Mn (184-401, 1760-6470), Ni (5.6-8.4, 14.1-79.3) and Cd (0.38-0.97, 0.24-1.1). The toxic metal Pb was not detected in both the ginger and soil samples. There was good correlation between some metals in ginger and soil samples while poor correlation between other metals (Fe, Ni, Cu). This study revealed that Ethiopian gingers are good source of essential metals and free from toxic

Branched polynomial covering maps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Vagn Lundsgaard

2002-01-01

A Weierstrass polynomial with multiple roots in certain points leads to a branched covering map. With this as the guiding example, we formally define and study the notion of a branched polynomial covering map. We shall prove that many finite covering maps are polynomial outside a discrete branch ...... set. Particular studies are made of branched polynomial covering maps arising from Riemann surfaces and from knots in the 3-sphere. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.......A Weierstrass polynomial with multiple roots in certain points leads to a branched covering map. With this as the guiding example, we formally define and study the notion of a branched polynomial covering map. We shall prove that many finite covering maps are polynomial outside a discrete branch...

Activation Analysis and Public Health. Survey Paper

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lenihan, I. M.A. [Western Regional Hospital Board, Glasgow (United Kingdom); Smith, H. [University of Glasgow, Glasgow (United Kingdom)

1967-10-15

The technique of activation analysis has useful and distinctive applications, not yet fully recognized or exploited, in public health. Three areas of usefulness may be recognized. 1. Industrial hygiene. Activation analysis offers a simple and efficient method for assessing and controlling occupational hazards associated with the handling of toxic materials, such as compounds of arsenic and of mercury. Examination of hair and nail samples, taken at six-monthly intervals, will yield a surprising amount of information regarding the influence on occupational exposure of individual variation in working habits, and inadequacy or non-observance of hygienic rules and other prescribed safety measures. 2. Epidemiology. The advantage conferred by activation analysis lies in the possibility of rapid and accurate estimation of trace element concentrations in small samples of tissue or other materials, such as can readily be obtained from population groups large enough to be statistically significant. Surveys of this kind have interesting potentialities in relation to dental caries, cancer, cirrhosis of the liver and heart disease. 3. Recognition of essential trace elements. Surveys of trace element concentrations suggest that the variability of tissue levels among members of a population is smaller for essential trace elements than for non-essential elements. It is possible also that tissue levels show a normal distribution for essential elements and a log-normal distribution for non-essential elements. (author)

Predicting survey responses: how and why semantics shape survey statistics on organizational behaviour.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Ketil Arnulf

Full Text Available Some disciplines in the social sciences rely heavily on collecting survey responses to detect empirical relationships among variables. We explored whether these relationships were a priori predictable from the semantic properties of the survey items, using language processing algorithms which are now available as new research methods. Language processing algorithms were used to calculate the semantic similarity among all items in state-of-the-art surveys from Organisational Behaviour research. These surveys covered areas such as transformational leadership, work motivation and work outcomes. This information was used to explain and predict the response patterns from real subjects. Semantic algorithms explained 60-86% of the variance in the response patterns and allowed remarkably precise prediction of survey responses from humans, except in a personality test. Even the relationships between independent and their purported dependent variables were accurately predicted. This raises concern about the empirical nature of data collected through some surveys if results are already given a priori through the way subjects are being asked. Survey response patterns seem heavily determined by semantics. Language algorithms may suggest these prior to administering a survey. This study suggests that semantic algorithms are becoming new tools for the social sciences, opening perspectives on survey responses that prevalent psychometric theory cannot explain.

(Canada) Oil and gas survey, 1987

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1987-01-01

This summarizes the financial reporting of a major segment of the oil and gas industry in Canada as shown in annual reports to shareholders for 1986. Annual reports have been surveyed with particular attention to developments in accounting practices in the oil and gas industry during 1986. The survey was not restricted to financial statements and all information presented in the annual reports was considered. Matters of general financial disclosure not unique to the oil and gas industry are not included. Examples quoted from reports covered by this survey are not presented as recommended methods but are illustrations of present practice only. Some illustrations were drawn from oil and gas companies not included in the survey.

Land use, population dynamics, and land-cover change in Eastern Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

W.A. Gould; S. Martinuzzi; I.K. Páres-Ramos

2012-01-01

We assessed current and historic land use and land cover in the Luquillo Mountains and surrounding area in eastern Puerto Rico, including four small subwatersheds that are study watersheds of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB) program. This region occupies an area of 1,616 square kilometers, about 18 percent of the total land...

Physiography, geology, and land cover of four watersheds in Eastern Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

S.F. Murphy; R.F. Stallard; M.C. Larsen; W.A. Gould

2012-01-01

Four watersheds with differing geology and land cover in eastern Puerto Rico have been studied on a long-term basis by the U.S. Geological Survey to evaluate water, energy, and biogeochemical budgets. These watersheds are typical of tropical, island-arc settings found in many parts of the world. Two watersheds are located on coarse-grained granitic rocks that weather...

First high-temperature electronics products survey 2005.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Normann, Randy Allen

2006-04-01

On April 4-5, 2005, a High-Temperature Electronics Products Workshop was held. This workshop engaged a number of governmental and private industry organizations sharing a common interest in the development of commercially available, high-temperature electronics. One of the outcomes of this meeting was an agreement to conduct an industry survey of high-temperature applications. This report covers the basic results of this survey.

Degradable Systems: A Survey of Multistate System Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-08-01

and Subtitle) S. TYPE OF REPORT & PERIOD COVERED C. O DEGRADABLE SYSTEMS: A SURVEY OF MULTISTATE TECHNICAL SYSTEM THEORY 6. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT...THIS PAGE(R7,en Date £nt.,.d) AEoS-T- 8- 9 2 0 Degradable Systems: A Survey of Multistate System Theory by 1 2Emad El-Neweihi and Frank Proschan

CANDELS: The Cosmic Assembly Near-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Grogin, Norman A.; Koekemoer, anton M.; Faber, S. M.; Ferguson, Henry C.; Kocevski, Dale D.; Riess, Adam G.; Acquaviva, Viviana; Alexander, David M.; Almaini, Omar; Ashby, Matthew L. N.;

Mekong Land Cover Dasboard: Regional Land Cover Mointoring Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Saah, D. S.; Towashiraporn, P.; Aekakkararungroj, A.; Phongsapan, K.; Triepke, J.; Maus, P.; Tenneson, K.; Cutter, P. G.; Ganz, D.; Anderson, E.

2016-12-01

SERVIR-Mekong, a USAID-NASA partnership, helps decision makers in the Lower Mekong Region utilize GIS and Remote Sensing information to inform climate related activities. In 2015, SERVIR-Mekong conducted a geospatial needs assessment for the Lower Mekong countries which included individual country consultations. The team found that many countries were dependent on land cover and land use maps for land resource planning, quantifying ecosystem services, including resilience to climate change, biodiversity conservation, and other critical social issues. Many of the Lower Mekong countries have developed national scale land cover maps derived in part from remote sensing products and geospatial technologies. However, updates are infrequent and classification systems do not always meet the needs of key user groups. In addition, data products stop at political boundaries and are often not accessible making the data unusable across country boundaries and with resource management partners. Many of these countries rely on global land cover products to fill the gaps of their national efforts, compromising consistency between data and policies. These gaps in national efforts can be filled by a flexible regional land cover monitoring system that is co-developed by regional partners with the specific intention of meeting national transboundary needs, for example including consistent forest definitions in transboundary watersheds. Based on these facts, key regional stakeholders identified a need for a land cover monitoring system that will produce frequent, high quality land cover maps using a consistent regional classification scheme that is compatible with national country needs. SERVIR-Mekong is currently developing a solution that leverages recent developments in remote sensing science and technology, such as Google Earth Engine (GEE), and working together with production partners to develop a system that will use a common set of input data sources to generate high

Combining NLCD and MODIS to create a land cover-albedo database for the continental United States

Science.gov (United States)

Wickham, J.; Barnes, Christopher A.; Nash, M.S.; Wade, T.G.

2015-01-01

Land surface albedo is an essential climate variable that is tightly linked to land cover, such that specific land cover classes (e.g., deciduous broadleaf forest, cropland) have characteristic albedos. Despite the normative of land-cover class specific albedos, there is considerable variability in albedo within a land cover class. The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) albedo product were combined to produce a long-term (14 years) integrated land cover-albedo database for the continental United States that can be used to examine the temporal behavior of albedo as a function of land cover. The integration identifies areas of homogeneous land cover at the nominal spatial resolution of the MODIS (MCD43A) albedo product (500 m × 500 m) from the NLCD product (30 m × 30 m), and provides an albedo data record per 500 m × 500 m pixel for 14 of the 16 NLCD land cover classes. Individual homogeneous land cover pixels have up to 605 albedo observations, and 75% of the pixels have at least 319 MODIS albedo observations (≥ 50% of the maximum possible number of observations) for the study period (2000–2013). We demonstrated the utility of the database by conducting a multivariate analysis of variance of albedo for each NLCD land cover class, showing that locational (pixel-to-pixel) and inter-annual variability were significant factors in addition to expected seasonal (intra-annual) and geographic (latitudinal) effects.

Land cover mapping of North and Central America—Global Land Cover 2000

Science.gov (United States)

Latifovic, Rasim; Zhu, Zhi-Liang

2004-01-01

The Land Cover Map of North and Central America for the year 2000 (GLC 2000-NCA), prepared by NRCan/CCRS and USGS/EROS Data Centre (EDC) as a regional component of the Global Land Cover 2000 project, is the subject of this paper. A new mapping approach for transforming satellite observations acquired by the SPOT4/VGTETATION (VGT) sensor into land cover information is outlined. The procedure includes: (1) conversion of daily data into 10-day composite; (2) post-seasonal correction and refinement of apparent surface reflectance in 10-day composite images; and (3) extraction of land cover information from the composite images. The pre-processing and mosaicking techniques developed and used in this study proved to be very effective in removing cloud contamination, BRDF effects, and noise in Short Wave Infra-Red (SWIR). The GLC 2000-NCA land cover map is provided as a regional product with 28 land cover classes based on modified Federal Geographic Data Committee/Vegetation Classification Standard (FGDC NVCS) classification system, and as part of a global product with 22 land cover classes based on Land Cover Classification System (LCCS) of the Food and Agriculture Organisation. The map was compared on both areal and per-pixel bases over North and Central America to the International Geosphere–Biosphere Programme (IGBP) global land cover classification, the University of Maryland global land cover classification (UMd) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Global land cover classification produced by Boston University (BU). There was good agreement (79%) on the spatial distribution and areal extent of forest between GLC 2000-NCA and the other maps, however, GLC 2000-NCA provides additional information on the spatial distribution of forest types. The GLC 2000-NCA map was produced at the continental level incorporating specific needs of the region.

Essentials of Conservation Biotechnology: A mini review

Science.gov (United States)

Merlyn Keziah, S.; Subathra Devi, C.

2017-11-01

Equilibrium of biodiversity is essential for the maintenance of the ecosystem as they are interdependent on each other. The decline in biodiversity is a global problem and an inevitable threat to the mankind. Major threats include unsustainable exploitation, habitat destruction, fragmentation, transformation, genetic pollution, invasive exotic species and degradation. This review covers the management strategies of biotechnology which include sin situ, ex situ conservation, computerized taxonomic analysis through construction of phylogenetic trees, calculating genetic distance, prioritizing the group for conservation, digital preservation of biodiversities within the coding and decoding keys, molecular approaches to asses biodiversity like polymerase chain reaction, real time, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA, restriction fragment length polymorphism, amplified fragment length polymorphism, single sequence repeats, DNA finger printing, single nucleotide polymorphism, cryopreservation and vitrification.

Implementation of a national anti-tuberculosis drug resistance survey in Tanzania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mfaume Saidi M

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A drug resistance survey is an essential public health management tool for evaluating and improving the performance of National Tuberculosis control programmes. The current manuscript describes the implementation of the first national drug resistance survey in Tanzania. Methods Description of the implementation process of a national anti-tuberculosis drug resistance survey in Tanzania, in relation to the study protocol and Standard Operating Procedures. Results Factors contributing positively to the implementation of the survey were a continuous commitment of the key stakeholders, the existence of a well organized National Tuberculosis Programme, and a detailed design of cluster-specific arrangements for rapid sputum transportation. Factors contributing negatively to the implementation were a long delay between training and actual survey activities, limited monitoring of activities, and an unclear design of the data capture forms leading to difficulties in form-filling. Conclusion Careful preparation of the survey, timing of planned activities, a strong emphasis on data capture tools and data management, and timely supervision are essential for a proper implementation of a national drug resistance survey.

Implementation of a national anti-tuberculosis drug resistance survey in Tanzania.

Science.gov (United States)

Chonde, Timothy M; Doulla, Basra; van Leth, Frank; Mfinanga, Sayoki G M; Range, Nyagosya; Lwilla, Fred; Mfaume, Saidi M; van Deun, Armand; Zignol, Matteo; Cobelens, Frank G; Egwaga, Saidi M

2008-12-30

A drug resistance survey is an essential public health management tool for evaluating and improving the performance of National Tuberculosis control programmes. The current manuscript describes the implementation of the first national drug resistance survey in Tanzania. Description of the implementation process of a national anti-tuberculosis drug resistance survey in Tanzania, in relation to the study protocol and Standard Operating Procedures. Factors contributing positively to the implementation of the survey were a continuous commitment of the key stakeholders, the existence of a well organized National Tuberculosis Programme, and a detailed design of cluster-specific arrangements for rapid sputum transportation. Factors contributing negatively to the implementation were a long delay between training and actual survey activities, limited monitoring of activities, and an unclear design of the data capture forms leading to difficulties in form-filling. Careful preparation of the survey, timing of planned activities, a strong emphasis on data capture tools and data management, and timely supervision are essential for a proper implementation of a national drug resistance survey.

Integrating Remote Sensing and Field Data to Monitor Changes in Vegetative Cover on a Multipurpose Range Complex and Adjacent Training Lands at Camp Grayling, Michigan

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Tweddale, Scott

2001-01-01

.... Remote sensing and field surveys were used to determine vegetative cover. In the field, vegetative cover data were collected on systematically allocated plots during the peak of the growing season in 1997...

Spatiotemporal Change Detection in Forest Cover Dynamics Along Landslide Susceptible Region of Karakoram Highway, Pakistan

Science.gov (United States)

Rashid, Barira; Iqbal, Javed

2018-04-01

Forest Cover dynamics and its understanding is essential for a country's social, environmental, and political engagements. This research provides a methodical approach for the assessment of forest cover along Karakoram Highway. It has great ecological and economic significance because it's a part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Landsat 4, 5 TM, Landsat 7 ETM and Landsat 8 OLI imagery for the years 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2016 respectively were subjected to supervised classification in ArcMap 10.5 to identify forest change. The study area was categorized into five major land use land cover classes i.e., Forest, vegetation, urban, open land and snow cover. Results from post classification forest cover change maps illustrated notable decrease of almost 26 % forest cover over the time period of 26 years. The accuracy assessment revealed the kappa coefficients 083, 0.78, 0.77 and 0.85, respectively. Major reason for this change is an observed replacement of native forest cover with urban areas (12.5 %) and vegetation (18.6 %) However, there is no significant change in the reserved forests along the study area that contributes only 2.97 % of the total forest cover. The extensive forest degradation and risk prone topography of the region has increased the environmental risk of landslides. Hence, effective policies and forest management is needed to protect not only the environmental and aesthetic benefits of the forest cover but also to manage the disaster risks. Apart from the forest assessment, this research gives an insight of land cover dynamics, along with causes and consequences, thereby showing the forest degradation hotspots.

Aerial radiological survey of the United States Department of Energy's Rocky Flats Plant, Golden, Colorado. Date of survey, August 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-09-01

An aerial radiological survey of the Rocky Flats Plant was conducted during August 1981. The survey consisted of an airborne measurement of both natural and man-made gamma radiation from the terrain surface in and around the Rocky Flats Plant. These measurements allowed an estimate of the distribution of isotope concentrations in the survey area. Results are reported as exposure rate, man-made, and 241 Am isopleths superimposed on photographs of the area. The survey covered a square area approximately 9.7 km on each side. Gamma ray energy spectra are also presented for the net man-made radionuclides

76 FR 38203 - Proposed Information Collection; North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-29

...] Proposed Information Collection; North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife... populations. The North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey is an essential part of the migratory bird.... II. Data OMB Control Number: 1018-0019. Title: North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey. Service...

Medical Simulation Practices 2010 Survey Results

Science.gov (United States)

McCrindle, Jeffrey J.

2011-01-01

Medical Simulation Centers are an essential component of our learning infrastructure to prepare doctors and nurses for their careers. Unlike the military and aerospace simulation industry, very little has been published regarding the best practices currently in use within medical simulation centers. This survey attempts to provide insight into the current simulation practices at medical schools, hospitals, university nursing programs and community college nursing programs. Students within the MBA program at Saint Joseph's University conducted a survey of medical simulation practices during the summer 2010 semester. A total of 115 institutions responded to the survey. The survey resus discuss overall effectiveness of current simulation centers as well as the tools and techniques used to conduct the simulation activity

Surveys of radio sources at 5 GHz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pauliny-Toth, I.I.K.

1977-01-01

A number of surveys have been carried out at a frequency of 5 GHz at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and at the Max-Planck-Institut fuer Radioastronomy (MPIFR) with the aim of determining the number-flux density relation for the sources detected and also of obtaining their radio spectra and optical identifications. The surveys fall into two categories: first, the strong source (S) surveys which are intended in due course to cover the whole northern sky and to be complete above a flux density of about 0.6 Jy; second, surveys of limited areas of sky down to lower levels of the flux density. (Auth.)

The oral health of people with learning disabilities - a user-friendly questionnaire survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Owens, J; Jones, K; Marshman, Z

2017-03-01

To conduct a user-friendly questionnaire survey of the oral health and service needs of adults with learning disabilities. Researchers collaborated with local self-advocacy services to develop a questionnaire adapted from one used in a regional postal survey. The questionnaire, which covered dental status, oral health and dental services use, was sent to a random sample of people from the learning disability case register. Of 2,000 questionnaires mailed, 117 were returned undelivered and 625 were completed (response rate 31.3%). The self-reported dental status of people with learning disabilities appeared similar to that of the 2008 postal survey of the general population in Sheffield. The major difference in dental status was 11.5% of people with learning disabilities wore upper dentures and 7.2% wore lower dentures, compared to 21.2% and 12.1% of the general population in Sheffield. Using the case register as a recruitment instrument may have excluded people with learning disabilities not registered. Time and finances only permitted one mailing. Analysis on the basis of deprivation could not be conducted. Contrary to current practice, it is possible to include people with learning disabilities in oral health surveys. A multidisciplinary team was essential for enabling the progression and implementation of inclusive research and for people with learning disabilities and their supporters to engage meaningfully. This level of collaboration appears necessary if we are committed to ensuring that people with learning disabilities and their supporters are made visible to policy and decision-makers. Copyright© 2017 Dennis Barber Ltd

Complex surveys analysis of categorical data

CERN Document Server

Mukhopadhyay, Parimal

2016-01-01

The primary objective of this book is to study some of the research topics in the area of analysis of complex surveys which have not been covered in any book yet. It discusses the analysis of categorical data using three models: a full model, a log-linear model and a logistic regression model. It is a valuable resource for survey statisticians and practitioners in the field of sociology, biology, economics, psychology and other areas who have to use these procedures in their day-to-day work. It is also useful for courses on sampling and complex surveys at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. The importance of sample surveys today cannot be overstated. From voters’ behaviour to fields such as industry, agriculture, economics, sociology, psychology, investigators generally resort to survey sampling to obtain an assessment of the behaviour of the population they are interested in. Many large-scale sample surveys collect data using complex survey designs like multistage stratified cluster designs. The o...

Shielding effect of snow cover on indoor exposure due to terrestrial gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujimoto, Kenzo; Kobayashi, Sadayoshi

1988-01-01

Many people in the world live in high latitude region where it snows frequently in winter. When snow covers the ground, it considerably reduces the external exposure from the radiation sources in the ground. Therefore, the evaluation of snow effect on exposure due to terrestrial gamma radiation is necessary to obtain the population dose as well as the absorbed dose in air in snowy regions. Especially the shielding effect on indoor exposure is essentially important in the assessment of population dose since most individuals spend a large portion of their time indoors. The snow effect, however, has been rather neglected or assumed to be the same both indoors and outdoors in the population dose calculation. Snow has been recognized only as a cause of temporal variation of outdoor exposure rate due firstly to radon daughters deposition with snow fall and secondly to the shielding effect of snow cover. This paper describes an approach to the evaluation of shielding effect of snow cover on exposure and introduces population dose calculation as numerical example for the people who live in wooden houses in Japan

Hydrogen storage in Pd nanocrystals covered with a metal-organic framework

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Guangqin; Kobayashi, Hirokazu; Taylor, Jared M.; Ikeda, Ryuichi; Kubota, Yoshiki; Kato, Kenichi; Takata, Masaki; Yamamoto, Tomokazu; Toh, Shoichi; Matsumura, Syo; Kitagawa, Hiroshi

2014-08-01

Hydrogen is an essential component in many industrial processes. As a result of the recent increase in the development of shale gas, steam reforming of shale gas has received considerable attention as a major source of H2, and the more efficient use of hydrogen is strongly demanded. Palladium is well known as a hydrogen-storage metal and an effective catalyst for reactions related to hydrogen in a variety of industrial processes. Here, we present remarkably enhanced capacity and speed of hydrogen storage in Pd nanocrystals covered with the metal-organic framework (MOF) HKUST-1 (copper(II) 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate). The Pd nanocrystals covered with the MOF have twice the storage capacity of the bare Pd nanocrystals. The significantly enhanced hydrogen storage capacity was confirmed by hydrogen pressure-composition isotherms and solid-state deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. The speed of hydrogen absorption in the Pd nanocrystals is also enhanced by the MOF coating.

Bibliographic survey of medium energy inclusive reaction data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arthur, E.D.; Madland, D.G.; McClellan, D.M.

1986-04-01

A bibliographic survey of inclusive reaction data (experimental and theoretical) for several projectile types having energies between 50 and 1000 MeV has been completed. Approximately one thousand references selected from this survey describe the current state of knowledge for particle-induced inclusive reaction data. The search covered data for the following projectiles: p, d, t, 3 He, 4 He, and lithium ions

Essential interventions on workers' health by primary health care : a scoping review of the literature: a technical report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buijs, P.; Dijk, F. van

2014-01-01

The TNO review Essential interventions on Workers’ Health by Primary Health Care shows those interventions in primary, secondary and tertiary prevention are necessary and feasible but not yet satisfactorily evidence-based. Necessary, because primary or community health care covers about 80% of the

Understanding uncertainties in non-linear population trajectories: a Bayesian semi-parametric hierarchical approach to large-scale surveys of coral cover.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julie Vercelloni

Full Text Available Recently, attempts to improve decision making in species management have focussed on uncertainties associated with modelling temporal fluctuations in populations. Reducing model uncertainty is challenging; while larger samples improve estimation of species trajectories and reduce statistical errors, they typically amplify variability in observed trajectories. In particular, traditional modelling approaches aimed at estimating population trajectories usually do not account well for nonlinearities and uncertainties associated with multi-scale observations characteristic of large spatio-temporal surveys. We present a Bayesian semi-parametric hierarchical model for simultaneously quantifying uncertainties associated with model structure and parameters, and scale-specific variability over time. We estimate uncertainty across a four-tiered spatial hierarchy of coral cover from the Great Barrier Reef. Coral variability is well described; however, our results show that, in the absence of additional model specifications, conclusions regarding coral trajectories become highly uncertain when considering multiple reefs, suggesting that management should focus more at the scale of individual reefs. The approach presented facilitates the description and estimation of population trajectories and associated uncertainties when variability cannot be attributed to specific causes and origins. We argue that our model can unlock value contained in large-scale datasets, provide guidance for understanding sources of uncertainty, and support better informed decision making.

488-D Ash Basin Vegetative Cover Treatibility Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barton, Christopher; Marx, Don; Blake, John; Adriano, Domy; Koo, Bon-Jun; Czapka, Stephen

2003-01-01

The 488-D Ash Basin is an unlined containment basin that received ash and coal reject material from the operation of a powerhouse at the USDOE's Savannah River Site, SC. They pyretic nature of the coal rejects has resulted in the formation of acidic drainage (AD), which has contributed to groundwater deterioration and threatens biota in down gradient wetlands. Establishment of a vegetative cover was examined as a remedial alternative for reducing AD generation within this system by enhanced utilization of rainwater and subsequent non-point source water pollution control. The low nutrient content, high acidity, and high salinity of the basin material, however, was deleterious to plant survivability. As such, studies to identify suitable plant species and potential adaptations, and pretreatment techniques in the form of amendments, tilling, and/or chemical stabilization were needed. A randomized block design consisting of three subsurface treatments (blocks) and five duplicated surface amendments (treatments) was developed. One hundred inoculated pine trees were planted on each plot. Herbaceous species were also planted on half of the plots in duplicated 1-m2 beds. After two growing seasons, deep ripping, subsurface amendments and surface covers were shown to be essential for the successful establishment of vegetation on the basin. This is the final report of the study.

2009 Bayfield County Lake Superior Lidar Survey

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The LIDAR survey presents digital elevation data sets of a bald earth surface model and 2ft interval contours covering Bayfield County, Wisconsin. The LIDAR data was...

Feasibility Study of Land Cover Classification Based on Normalized Difference Vegetation Index for Landslide Risk Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thilanki Dahigamuwa

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Unfavorable land cover leads to excessive damage from landslides and other natural hazards, whereas the presence of vegetation is expected to mitigate rainfall-induced landslide potential. Hence, unexpected and rapid changes in land cover due to deforestation would be detrimental in landslide-prone areas. Also, vegetation cover is subject to phenological variations and therefore, timely classification of land cover is an essential step in effective evaluation of landslide hazard potential. The work presented here investigates methods that can be used for land cover classification based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI, derived from up-to-date satellite images, and the feasibility of application in landslide risk prediction. A major benefit of this method would be the eventual ability to employ NDVI as a stand-alone parameter for accurate assessment of the impact of land cover in landslide hazard evaluation. An added benefit would be the timely detection of undesirable practices such as deforestation using satellite imagery. A landslide-prone region in Oregon, USA is used as a model for the application of the classification method. Five selected classification techniques—k-nearest neighbor, Gaussian support vector machine (GSVM, artificial neural network, decision tree and quadratic discriminant analysis support the viability of the NDVI-based land cover classification. Finally, its application in landslide risk evaluation is demonstrated.

Mapping Impervious Surfaces Globally at 30m Resolution Using Landsat Global Land Survey Data

Science.gov (United States)

Brown de Colstoun, E.; Huang, C.; Wolfe, R. E.; Tan, B.; Tilton, J.; Smith, S.; Phillips, J.; Wang, P.; Ling, P.; Zhan, J.; Xu, X.; Taylor, M. P.

2013-12-01

Impervious surfaces, mainly artificial structures and roads, cover less than 1% of the world's land surface (1.3% over USA). Regardless of the relatively small coverage, impervious surfaces have a significant impact on the environment. They are the main source of the urban heat island effect, and affect not only the energy balance, but also hydrology and carbon cycling, and both land and aquatic ecosystem services. In the last several decades, the pace of converting natural land surface to impervious surfaces has increased. Quantitatively monitoring the growth of impervious surface expansion and associated urbanization has become a priority topic across both the physical and social sciences. The recent availability of consistent, global scale data sets at 30m resolution such as the Global Land Survey from the Landsat satellites provides an unprecedented opportunity to map global impervious cover and urbanization at this resolution for the first time, with unprecedented detail and accuracy. Moreover, the spatial resolution of Landsat is absolutely essential to accurately resolve urban targets such a buildings, roads and parking lots. With long term GLS data now available for the 1975, 1990, 2000, 2005 and 2010 time periods, the land cover/use changes due to urbanization can now be quantified at this spatial scale as well. In the Global Land Survey - Imperviousness Mapping Project (GLS-IMP), we are producing the first global 30 m spatial resolution impervious cover data set. We have processed the GLS 2010 data set to surface reflectance (8500+ TM and ETM+ scenes) and are using a supervised classification method using a regression tree to produce continental scale impervious cover data sets. A very large set of accurate training samples is the key to the supervised classifications and is being derived through the interpretation of high spatial resolution (~2 m or less) commercial satellite data (Quickbird and Worldview2) available to us through the unclassified

Merging airborne and carborne radiometric data for surveying the Deir Az-Zor area, Syria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jubeli, Y.M.; Aissa, M.; Al-Hent, R.

1997-01-01

To complete the radiometric map of Syria, and to estimate the natural background radiation levels for environmental monitoring, a carborne survey was undertaken over the Deir Az-Zor area. This area was not covered by a previous airborne survey, except for peripheral regions in the south and west. To complete the radiometric map, results of the carborne and airborne surveys had to be merged. This paper presents the merging procedure which was used after normalizing the two data sets to match each other. No anomalies suitable for radioelement exploration were found. However, the overall radiometric maps resulting from the present work were consistent with the maps of the areas covered by the airborne survey. (author)

Radiological survey of Goiania by a mobile monitoring unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreira, M.C.F.

1989-01-01

After the initial response to the radiological accident in Goiania, a radiological survey throughout the city was performed using a mobile unit. This unit was equipped with two Geiger Muller detectors outsise the vehicle and one 4' x 4' NaI(Tl) detector connected to a dual recorder. All three detectors were placed 1 m above the ground. The survey system covers a wide range of exposure rate, since environmental levels up to 10 R h -1 . Eighty percent of the Goiania urban area was covered by this survey and except for some specific locations the contamination was restricted to the main foci surroundings ocurring in a non homogenous pattern. The highest value observed in the city after the main foci decontamination was of 0.7 mR h -1 in the 57 th street - where the source was opened. Results of the main foci and some other locations are apresented in the paper. The system designed to perform the survey in the city played a fundamental role during the decontamination process (author) [pt

SkyMapper Southern Survey: First Data Release (DR1)

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Christian; Onken, Christopher A.; Luvaul, Lance C.; Schmidt, Brian P.; Bessell, Michael S.; Chang, Seo-Won; Da Costa, Gary S.; Mackey, Dougal; Martin-Jones, Tony; Murphy, Simon J.; Preston, Tim; Scalzo, Richard A.; Shao, Li; Smillie, Jon; Tisserand, Patrick; White, Marc C.; Yuan, Fang

2018-02-01

We present the first data release of the SkyMapper Southern Survey, a hemispheric survey carried out with the SkyMapper Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia. Here, we present the survey strategy, data processing, catalogue construction, and database schema. The first data release dataset includes over 66 000 images from the Shallow Survey component, covering an area of 17 200 deg2 in all six SkyMapper passbands uvgriz, while the full area covered by any passband exceeds 20 000 deg2. The catalogues contain over 285 million unique astrophysical objects, complete to roughly 18 mag in all bands. We compare our griz point-source photometry with Pan-STARRS1 first data release and note an RMS scatter of 2%. The internal reproducibility of SkyMapper photometry is on the order of 1%. Astrometric precision is better than 0.2 arcsec based on comparison with Gaia first data release. We describe the end-user database, through which data are presented to the world community, and provide some illustrative science queries.

Implementation of a national anti-tuberculosis drug resistance survey in Tanzania

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chonde, Timothy M.; Doulla, Basra; van Leth, Frank; Mfinanga, Sayoki G. M.; Range, Nyagosya; Lwilla, Fred; Mfaume, Saidi M.; van Deun, Armand; Zignol, Matteo; Cobelens, Frank G.; Egwaga, Saidi M.

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: A drug resistance survey is an essential public health management tool for evaluating and improving the performance of National Tuberculosis control programmes. The current manuscript describes the implementation of the first national drug resistance survey in Tanzania. METHODS:

Branched polynomial covering maps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Vagn Lundsgaard

1999-01-01

A Weierstrass polynomial with multiple roots in certain points leads to a branched covering map. With this as the guiding example, we formally define and study the notion of a branched polynomial covering map. We shall prove that many finite covering maps are polynomial outside a discrete branch...... set. Particular studies are made of branched polynomial covering maps arising from Riemann surfaces and from knots in the 3-sphere....

Characteristics of the ancient tombs and application to cover design of a near-surface disposal facility : literature survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Jin Beak; Lee, Ji Hoon; Park, Joo Wan; Kim, Chang Lak [Nuclear Environment Technology Institute, Taejeon (Korea, Republic of); Yang, Si Eun; Lee, Sun Bok [Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2005-06-15

To support the design concept and performance evaluation of the cover system for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste(LILW) disposal facility, the pioneering study is conducted with the tomb of historical age. Research status of the art are followed and the characteristics of tomb cover are summarized based on the preservation of historical remains. Visiting the excavation site of historical tomb and communication with Korean archaeological society is required for the further understanding and for the extension of radioactive waste disposal research.

Expectations and essentials for the community practice of pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Horowitz, Richard E

2006-08-01

In 3 surveys during the past 10 years, community hospital pathologists were asked what they want, need, or look for when employing a pathologist and, more specifically, what skills and knowledge a newly minted pathologist should have to be successful in the community practice of pathology. The most recent survey, done in spring of 2005, cited surgical pathology diagnosis, frozen section diagnosis, gross dissection, cytology, and fine-needle aspiration as essentials in anatomic pathology. For clinical pathology, knowledge of clinical medicine and test strategies that use the laboratory for clinical problem solving was paramount. New expectations in the latest survey were knowledge of molecular pathology and experience in quality assurance procedures. New pathologists generally meet the expectations of the community hospital workplace; however, there were some deficiencies: they were not proficient in gross pathology or autopsy pathology, they were slow, and many lack the clinical knowledge and experience to be effective consultants. The principal attribute that determines success in the practice of pathology, however, is skill in communication and interpersonal relations, and this remains the major deficiency of the fledgling pathologist.

UAS applications in high alpine, snow-covered terrain

Science.gov (United States)

Bühler, Y.; Stoffel, A.; Ginzler, C.

2017-12-01

Access to snow-covered, alpine terrain is often difficult and dangerous. Hence parameters such as snow depth or snow avalanche release and deposition zones are hard to map in situ with adequate spatial and temporal resolution and with spatial continuous coverage. These parameters are currently operationally measured at automated weather stations and by observer networks. However such isolated point measurements are not able to capture the information spatial continuous and to describe the high spatial variability present in complex mountain topography. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) have the potential to fill this gap by frequently covering selected high alpine areas with high spatial resolution down to ground resolutions of even few millimeters. At the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF we test different photogrammetric UAS with visual and near infrared bands. During the last three years we were able to gather experience in more than 100 flight missions in extreme terrain. By processing the imagery applying state-of-the-art structure from motion (SfM) software, we were able to accurately document several avalanche events and to photogrammetrically map snow depth with accuracies from 1 to 20 cm (dependent on the flight height above ground) compare to manual snow probe measurements. This was even possible on homogenous snow surfaces with very little texture. A key issue in alpine terrain is flight planning. We need to cover regions at high elevations with large altitude differences (up to 1 km) with high wind speeds (up to 20 m/s) and cold temperatures (down to - 25°C). Only a few UAS are able to cope with these environmental conditions. We will give an overview on our applications of UAS in high alpine terrain that demonstrate the big potential of such systems to acquire frequent, accurate and high spatial resolution geodata in high alpine, snow covered terrain that could be essential to answer longstanding questions in avalanche and snow hydrology

Essential health benefits and the Affordable Care Act: law and process.

Science.gov (United States)

Bagley, Nicholas; Levy, Helen

2014-04-01

Starting in 2014, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will require private insurance plans sold in the individual and small-group markets to cover a roster of "essential health benefits." Precisely which benefits should count as essential, however, was left to the discretion of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The matter was both important and controversial. Nonetheless, HHS announced its policy by posting on the Internet a thirteen-page bulletin stating that it would allow each state to define essential benefits for itself. On both substance and procedure, the move was surprising. The state-by-state approach departed from the uniform, federal standard that the ACA appears to anticipate and that informed observers expected HHS to adopt. And announcing the policy through an Internet bulletin appeared to allow HHS to sidestep traditional administrative procedures, including notice and comment, immediate review in the courts, and White House oversight. This article explores two questions. First, is the state-by-state approach a lawful exercise of HHS's authority? Second, did HHS in fact evade the procedural obligations that are meant to shape the exercise of its discretion?

Designing and conducting survey research a comprehensive guide

CERN Document Server

Rea, Louis M

2014-01-01

The industry standard guide, updated with new ideas and SPSS analysis techniques Designing and Conducting Survey Research: A Comprehensive Guide Fourth Edition is the industry standard resource that covers all major components of the survey process, updated to include new data analysis techniques and SPSS procedures with sample data sets online. The book offers practical, actionable guidance on constructing the instrument, administrating the process, and analyzing and reporting the results, providing extensive examples and worksheets that demonstrate the appropriate use of survey and data tech

Proper survey methods for research of aquatic plant ecology and management

Science.gov (United States)

Proper survey methods are essential for objective, quantitative assessment of the distribution and abundance of aquatic plants as part of research and demonstration efforts. For research, the use of the appropriate method is an essential part of the scientific method, to ensure that the experimenta...

76 FR 67403 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

.... Economic census statistics serve as part of the framework for the national accounts and provide essential... economic surveys and an essential source of detailed, comprehensive economic information for use in....S. Census Bureau. Title: 2012 Economic Census Covering the Manufacturing Sector. OMB Control Number...

IALS and Essential Skills in Canadian Literacy Policy and Practice: A Descriptive Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Centre for Literacy, 2013

2013-01-01

This paper gathers descriptions on the use of the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) and essential skills cross Canada. IALS was developed as a population measure to lay out the distribution of skills and their relationship to other social and economic attributes. The information was taken from federal, provincial, and territorial…

[Advance in researches on vegetation cover and management factor in the soil erosion prediction model].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yan; Yuan, Jianping; Liu, Baoyuan

2002-08-01

Vegetation cover and land management are the main limiting factors of soil erosion, and quantitative evaluation on the effect of different vegetation on soil erosion is essential to land use and soil conservation planning. The vegetation cover and management factor (C) in the universal soil loss equation (USLE) is an index to evaluate this effect, which has been studied deeply and used widely. However, the C factor study is insufficient in China. In order to strengthen the research of C factor, this paper reviewed the developing progress of C factor, and compared the methods of estimating C value in different USLE versions. The relative studies in China were also summarized from the aspects of vegetation canopy coverage, soil surface cover, and root density. Three problems in C factor study were pointed out. The authors suggested that cropland C factor research should be furthered, and its methodology should be unified in China to represent reliable C values for soil loss prediction and conservation planning.

Global warming in the context of 2000 years of Australian alpine temperature and snow cover.

Science.gov (United States)

McGowan, Hamish; Callow, John Nikolaus; Soderholm, Joshua; McGrath, Gavan; Campbell, Micheline; Zhao, Jian-Xin

2018-03-13

Annual resolution reconstructions of alpine temperatures are rare, particularly for the Southern Hemisphere, while no snow cover reconstructions exist. These records are essential to place in context the impact of anthropogenic global warming against historical major natural climate events such as the Roman Warm Period (RWP), Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) and Little Ice Age (LIA). Here we show for a marginal alpine region of Australia using a carbon isotope speleothem reconstruction, warming over the past five decades has experienced equivalent magnitude of temperature change and snow cover decline to the RWP and MCA. The current rate of warming is unmatched for the past 2000 years and seasonal snow cover is at a minimum. On scales of several decades, mean maximum temperatures have undergone considerable change ≈ ± 0.8 °C highlighting local scale susceptibility to rapid temperature change, evidence of which is often masked in regional to hemisphere scale temperature reconstructions.

Disponibilidade de medicamentos essenciais em duas regiões de Minas Gerais, Brasil Availability of essential drugs in two regions of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Augusto Afonso Guerra Jr

2004-03-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar a disponibilidade de medicamentos essenciais em localidades com índice de desenvolvimento humano OBJECTIVE: To investigate the availability of essential drugs in municipalities with a human development index < 0.699. METHODS: We surveyed 69 institutions, including municipal pharmacies, public clinics, private and philanthropic health units, and commercial pharmacies, in 19 municipalities of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The municipalities were chosen according to the following selection criteria: (1 a human development index (HDI < 0.699 (the HDI for the entire state of Minas Gerais in 1991 in the microregion where the municipality was located; (2 the municipality had to be the seat of government for the microregion where it was located; (3 there had to be at least two eligible institutions (belonging to the public, private, or philanthropic sectors in full functioning in the municipality during the survey period. Health professionals who were directly responsible for stock control and drug dispensation at the institutions surveyed were interviewed. Institutional documents and records were also reviewed. A list of 21 tracer essential drugs, which were selected among the drugs most widely employed in the State of Minas Gerais’ Basic Pharmacy Program, was used to measure availability. The availability of each tracer drug was calculated at the time of the site visit and for the 12-month period immediately before the survey. In addition, the availability of tracer drugs was calculated for each type of institution surveyed. RESULTS: The availability of essential drugs in municipal pharmacies was 52.0%; in public health clinics, 46.9%; and in philanthropic and private health units, 41.0% and 38.1%, respectively. In commercial pharmacies, the availability of essential drugs reached 81.2%. CONCLUSION: The availability of essential drugs in public facilities is low and varies widely, with the result that persons who need such

A SUCCESSFUL BROADBAND SURVEY FOR GIANT Lyα NEBULAE. I. SURVEY DESIGN AND CANDIDATE SELECTION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prescott, Moire K. M.; Dey, Arjun; Jannuzi, Buell T.

2012-01-01

Giant Lyα nebulae (or Lyα 'blobs') are likely sites of ongoing massive galaxy formation, but the rarity of these powerful sources has made it difficult to form a coherent picture of their properties, ionization mechanisms, and space density. Systematic narrowband Lyα nebula surveys are ongoing, but the small redshift range covered and the observational expense limit the comoving volume that can be probed by even the largest of these surveys and pose a significant problem when searching for such rare sources. We have developed a systematic search technique designed to find large Lyα nebulae at 2 ∼ 2 NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey Boötes field. With a total survey comoving volume of ≈10 8 h –3 70 Mpc 3 , this is the largest volume survey for Lyα nebulae ever undertaken. In this first paper in the series, we present the details of the survey design and a systematically selected sample of 79 candidates, which includes one previously discovered Lyα nebula.

Mean species cover: a harmonized indicator of shrub cover for forest inventories

Science.gov (United States)

Iciar Alberdi; Sonia Condés; Ronald E. Mcroberts; Susanne Winter

2018-01-01

Because shrub cover is related to many forest ecosystem functions, it is one of the most relevant variables for describing these communities. Nevertheless, a harmonized indicator of shrub cover for large-scale reporting is lacking. The aims of the study were threefold: to define a shrub indicator that can be used by European countries for harmonized shrub cover...

Pension coverage among the baby boomers: initial findings from a 1993 survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Woods, J R

1994-01-01

Using data from a series of supplements to the Current Population Survey, this article presents findings on workers' coverage under employer-sponsored retirement plans in 1993, and recent trends in coverage. The analysis focuses on workers 25-54, a group that includes the baby boom generation. Among all wage and salary workers in this age range (including government employees and part-time workers), 55 percent reported participating in a retirement plan on their current primary jobs, and an additional 3 percent were covered from other jobs. After a modest decline in the early 1980's, the coverage rate has remained essentially unchanged over the past 10 years, and limited data suggest that the baby boomers are doing about as well on pension coverage as older workers at similar points in their careers. Beneath this relative stability in overall coverage, however, at least two important changes have occurred: a significant narrowing of the gender gap in coverage and a shift in types of retirement plans. Increasing numbers of workers are being covered solely by 401(k)-type plans, a development that raises new uncertainties about the form and amount of future benefits. On the other hand, limited data in this study suggest that 401(k) plans may be serving their intended purpose for the majority of workers who have them.

Spatial capture-recapture: a promising method for analyzing data collected using artificial cover objects

Science.gov (United States)

Sutherland, Chris; Munoz, David; Miller, David A.W.; Grant, Evan H. Campbell

2016-01-01

Spatial capture–recapture (SCR) is a relatively recent development in ecological statistics that provides a spatial context for estimating abundance and space use patterns, and improves inference about absolute population density. SCR has been applied to individual encounter data collected noninvasively using methods such as camera traps, hair snares, and scat surveys. Despite the widespread use of capture-based surveys to monitor amphibians and reptiles, there are few applications of SCR in the herpetological literature. We demonstrate the utility of the application of SCR for studies of reptiles and amphibians by analyzing capture–recapture data from Red-Backed Salamanders, Plethodon cinereus, collected using artificial cover boards. Using SCR to analyze spatial encounter histories of marked individuals, we found evidence that density differed little among four sites within the same forest (on average, 1.59 salamanders/m2) and that salamander detection probability peaked in early October (Julian day 278) reflecting expected surface activity patterns of the species. The spatial scale of detectability, a measure of space use, indicates that the home range size for this population of Red-Backed Salamanders in autumn was 16.89 m2. Surveying reptiles and amphibians using artificial cover boards regularly generates spatial encounter history data of known individuals, which can readily be analyzed using SCR methods, providing estimates of absolute density and inference about the spatial scale of habitat use.

Weak lensing in the Dark Energy Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Troxel, Michael

2016-03-01

I will present the current status of weak lensing results from the Dark Energy Survey (DES). DES will survey 5000 square degrees in five photometric bands (grizY), and has already provided a competitive weak lensing catalog from Science Verification data covering just 3% of the final survey footprint. I will summarize the status of shear catalog production using observations from the first year of the survey and discuss recent weak lensing science results from DES. Finally, I will report on the outlook for future cosmological analyses in DES including the two-point cosmic shear correlation function and discuss challenges that DES and future surveys will face in achieving a control of systematics that allows us to take full advantage of the available statistical power of our shear catalogs.

Zinc and immunity: An essential interrelation.

Science.gov (United States)

Maares, Maria; Haase, Hajo

2016-12-01

The significance of the essential trace element zinc for immune function has been known for several decades. Zinc deficiency affects immune cells, resulting in altered host defense, increased risk of inflammation, and even death. The micronutrient zinc is important for maintenance and development of immune cells of both the innate and adaptive immune system. A disrupted zinc homeostasis affects these cells, leading to impaired formation, activation, and maturation of lymphocytes, disturbed intercellular communication via cytokines, and weakened innate host defense via phagocytosis and oxidative burst. This review outlines the connection between zinc and immunity by giving a survey on the major roles of zinc in immune cell function, and their potential consequences in vivo. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Land-cover change detection

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xuexia; Giri, Chandra; Vogelmann, James

2012-01-01

Land cover is the biophysical material on the surface of the earth. Land-cover types include grass, shrubs, trees, barren, water, and man-made features. Land cover changes continuously.  The rate of change can be either dramatic and abrupt, such as the changes caused by logging, hurricanes and fire, or subtle and gradual, such as regeneration of forests and damage caused by insects (Verbesselt et al., 2001).  Previous studies have shown that land cover has changed dramatically during the past sevearal centuries and that these changes have severely affected our ecosystems (Foody, 2010; Lambin et al., 2001). Lambin and Strahlers (1994b) summarized five types of cause for land-cover changes: (1) long-term natural changes in climate conditions, (2) geomorphological and ecological processes, (3) human-induced alterations of vegetation cover and landscapes, (4) interannual climate variability, and (5) human-induced greenhouse effect.  Tools and techniques are needed to detect, describe, and predict these changes to facilitate sustainable management of natural resources.

A SUCCESSFUL BROADBAND SURVEY FOR GIANT Ly{alpha} NEBULAE. I. SURVEY DESIGN AND CANDIDATE SELECTION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prescott, Moire K. M. [Department of Physics, Broida Hall, Mail Code 9530, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Dey, Arjun; Jannuzi, Buell T., E-mail: mkpresco@physics.ucsb.edu [National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States)

2012-04-01

Giant Ly{alpha} nebulae (or Ly{alpha} 'blobs') are likely sites of ongoing massive galaxy formation, but the rarity of these powerful sources has made it difficult to form a coherent picture of their properties, ionization mechanisms, and space density. Systematic narrowband Ly{alpha} nebula surveys are ongoing, but the small redshift range covered and the observational expense limit the comoving volume that can be probed by even the largest of these surveys and pose a significant problem when searching for such rare sources. We have developed a systematic search technique designed to find large Ly{alpha} nebulae at 2 {approx}< z {approx}< 3 within deep broadband imaging and have carried out a survey of the 9.4 deg{sup 2} NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey Booetes field. With a total survey comoving volume of Almost-Equal-To 10{sup 8} h{sup -3}{sub 70} Mpc{sup 3}, this is the largest volume survey for Ly{alpha} nebulae ever undertaken. In this first paper in the series, we present the details of the survey design and a systematically selected sample of 79 candidates, which includes one previously discovered Ly{alpha} nebula.

Latest Results of the SETHI Survey at Arecibo

Science.gov (United States)

Korpela, E. J.; Demorest, P.; Heien, E.; Heiles, C.; Werthimer, D.

2004-10-01

SETH i is a survey of the distribution of galactic neutral hydrogen being performed comensally at the NAIC Arecibo Observatory. At the same time that observers use receivers in the Gregorian dome, SETHi is recording a 2.5MHz band centered at 1420 MHz from a flat feed on Carriage House 1. During normal astronomical observations, the SETH i feed scans across the sky at twice the sidereal rate. During 4 years of observations, we have accumulated over 15,000 hours of data covering most of the sky accessible to Arecibo. This survey has higher angular resolution than existing single dish surveys and higher sensitivity than existing or planned interferometric surveys.

A Systematic Review of Published Respondent-Driven Sampling Surveys Collecting Behavioral and Biologic Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Lisa G; Hakim, Avi J; Dittrich, Samantha; Burnett, Janet; Kim, Evelyn; White, Richard G

2016-08-01

Reporting key details of respondent-driven sampling (RDS) survey implementation and analysis is essential for assessing the quality of RDS surveys. RDS is both a recruitment and analytic method and, as such, it is important to adequately describe both aspects in publications. We extracted data from peer-reviewed literature published through September, 2013 that reported collected biological specimens using RDS. We identified 151 eligible peer-reviewed articles describing 222 surveys conducted in seven regions throughout the world. Most published surveys reported basic implementation information such as survey city, country, year, population sampled, interview method, and final sample size. However, many surveys did not report essential methodological and analytical information for assessing RDS survey quality, including number of recruitment sites, seeds at start and end, maximum number of waves, and whether data were adjusted for network size. Understanding the quality of data collection and analysis in RDS is useful for effectively planning public health service delivery and funding priorities.

Awareness and implementation of tobacco dependence treatment guidelines in Arizona: Healthcare Systems Survey 2000

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Menke J Michael

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This paper presents findings from the Tobacco Control in Arizona Healthcare Systems Survey, conducted in 2000. The purpose of the survey was to assess the status of Arizona healthcare systems' awareness and implementation of tobacco cessation and prevention measures. Methods The 20-item survey was developed by The University of Arizona HealthCare Partnership in collaboration with the Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Tobacco Education and Prevention. It was mailed to representatives of Arizona's 40 healthcare systems, including commercial and Medicare managed care organizations, "managed Medicaid" organizations, Veterans Affairs Health Care Systems, and Indian Health Service Medical Centers. Thirty-three healthcare systems (83% completed the survey. Results The majority of healthcare systems reported awareness of at least one tobacco cessation and prevention clinical practice guideline, but only one third reported full guideline implementation. While a majority covered some form of behavioral therapy, less than half reported covering tobacco treatment medications. "Managed Medicaid" organizations administered through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System were significantly less likely to offer coverage for behavioral therapy and less likely to cover pharmacotherapy than were their non-Medicaid counterparts in managed care, Veterans Affairs Health Care Systems and Indian Health Service Medical Centers. Conclusion Arizona healthcare system coverage for tobacco cessation in the year 2000 was comparable to national survey findings of the same year. The findings that only 10% of "Managed Medicaid" organizations covered tobacco treatment medication and were significantly less likely to cover behavioral therapy were important given the nearly double smoking prevalence among Medicaid patients. Throughout the years of the program, the strategic plan of the Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Tobacco

The Use of Cover Crops as Climate-Smart Management in Midwest Cropping Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Basche, A.; Miguez, F.; Archontoulis, S.; Kaspar, T.

2014-12-01

The observed trends in the Midwestern United States of increasing rainfall variability will likely continue into the future. Events such as individual days of heavy rain as well as seasons of floods and droughts have large impacts on agricultural productivity and the natural resource base that underpins it. Such events lead to increased soil erosion, decreased water quality and reduced corn and soybean yields. Winter cover crops offer the potential to buffer many of these impacts because they essentially double the time for a living plant to protect and improve the soil. However, at present, cover crops are infrequently utilized in the Midwest (representing 1-2% of row cropped land cover) in particular due to producer concerns over higher costs and management, limited time and winter growing conditions as well as the potential harm to corn yields. In order to expand their use, there is a need to quantify how cover crops impact Midwest cropping systems in the long term and namely to understand how to optimize the benefits of cover crops while minimizing their impacts on cash crops. We are working with APSIM, a cropping systems platform, to specifically quantify the long term future impacts of cover crop incorporation in corn-based cropping systems. In general, our regional analysis showed only minor changes to corn and soybean yields (<1% differences) when a cover crop was or was not included in the simulation. Further, a "bad spring" scenario (where every third year had an abnormally wet/cold spring and cover crop termination and planting cash crop were within one day) did not result in any major changes to cash crop yields. Through simulations we estimate an average increase of 4-9% organic matter improvement in the topsoil and an average decrease in soil erosion of 14-32% depending on cover crop planting date and growth. Our work is part of the Climate and Corn-based Cropping Systems Coordinated Agriculture Project (CSCAP), a collaboration of eleven Midwestern

Impact of different plants on the gas profile of a landfill cover

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reichenauer, Thomas G.; Watzinger, Andrea; Riesing, Johann; Gerzabek, Martin H.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Plants influence gas profile and methane oxidation in landfill covers. → Plants regulate water content and increase the availability of oxygen for methane oxidation. → Plant species with deep roots like alfalfa showed more stimulation of methane oxidation than plants with shallow root systems like grasses. - Abstract: Methane is an important greenhouse gas emitted from landfill sites and old waste dumps. Biological methane oxidation in landfill covers can help to reduce methane emissions. To determine the influence of different plant covers on this oxidation in a compost layer, we conducted a lysimeter study. We compared the effect of four different plant covers (grass, alfalfa + grass, miscanthus and black poplar) and of bare soil on the concentration of methane, carbon dioxide and oxygen in lysimeters filled with compost. Plants were essential for a sustainable reduction in methane concentrations, whereas in bare soil, methane oxidation declined already after 6 weeks. Enhanced microbial activity - expected in lysimeters with plants that were exposed to landfill gas - was supported by the increased temperature of the gas in the substrate and the higher methane oxidation potential. At the end of the first experimental year and from mid-April of the second experimental year, the methane concentration was most strongly reduced in the lysimeters containing alfalfa + grass, followed by poplar, miscanthus and grass. The observed differences probably reflect the different root morphology of the investigated plants, which influences oxygen transport to deeper compost layers and regulates the water content.

Thermal stress and coral cover as drivers of coral disease outbreaks.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John F Bruno

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Very little is known about how environmental changes such as increasing temperature affect disease dynamics in the ocean, especially at large spatial scales. We asked whether the frequency of warm temperature anomalies is positively related to the frequency of coral disease across 1,500 km of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. We used a new high-resolution satellite dataset of ocean temperature and 6 y of coral disease and coral cover data from annual surveys of 48 reefs to answer this question. We found a highly significant relationship between the frequencies of warm temperature anomalies and of white syndrome, an emergent disease, or potentially, a group of diseases, of Pacific reef-building corals. The effect of temperature was highly dependent on coral cover because white syndrome outbreaks followed warm years, but only on high (>50% cover reefs, suggesting an important role of host density as a threshold for outbreaks. Our results indicate that the frequency of temperature anomalies, which is predicted to increase in most tropical oceans, can increase the susceptibility of corals to disease, leading to outbreaks where corals are abundant.

Rapidly increasing macroalgal cover not related to herbivorous fishes on Mesoamerican reefs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam Suchley

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Long-term phase shifts from coral to macroalgal dominated reef systems are well documented in the Caribbean. Although the impact of coral diseases, climate change and other factors is acknowledged, major herbivore loss through disease and overfishing is often assigned a primary role. However, direct evidence for the link between herbivore abundance, macroalgal and coral cover is sparse, particularly over broad spatial scales. In this study we use a database of coral reef surveys performed at 85 sites along the Mesoamerican Reef of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras, to examine potential ecological links by tracking site trajectories over the period 2005–2014. Despite the long-term reduction of herbivory capacity reported across the Caribbean, the Mesoamerican Reef region displayed relatively low macroalgal cover at the onset of the study. Subsequently, increasing fleshy macroalgal cover was pervasive. Herbivorous fish populations were not responsible for this trend as fleshy macroalgal cover change was not correlated with initial herbivorous fish biomass or change, and the majority of sites experienced increases in macroalgae browser biomass. This contrasts the coral reef top-down herbivore control paradigm and suggests the role of external factors in making environmental conditions more favourable for algae. Increasing macroalgal cover typically suppresses ecosystem services and leads to degraded reef systems. Consequently, policy makers and local coral reef managers should reassess the focus on herbivorous fish protection and consider complementary measures such as watershed management in order to arrest this trend.

Comparison of regional and global land cover products and the implications for biogenic emission modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Ling; McDonald-Buller, Elena; McGaughey, Gary; Kimura, Yosuke; Allen, David T

2015-10-01

Accurate estimates of biogenic emissions are required for air quality models that support the development of air quality management plans and attainment demonstrations. Land cover characterization is an essential driving input for most biogenic emissions models. This work contrasted the global Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land cover product against a regional land cover product developed for the Texas Commissions on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) over four climate regions in eastern Texas, where biogenic emissions comprise a large fraction of the total inventory of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and land cover is highly diverse. The Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) was utilized to investigate the influences of land cover characterization on modeled isoprene and monoterpene emissions through changes in the standard emission potential and emission activity factor, both separately and simultaneously. In Central Texas, forest coverage was significantly lower in the MODIS land cover product relative to the TCEQ data, which resulted in substantially lower estimates of isoprene and monoterpene emissions by as much as 90%. Differences in predicted isoprene and monoterpene emissions associated with variability in land cover characterization were primarily caused by differences in the standard emission potential, which is dependent on plant functional type. Photochemical modeling was conducted to investigate the effects of differences in estimated biogenic emissions associated with land cover characterization on predicted ozone concentrations using the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx). Mean differences in maximum daily average 8-hour (MDA8) ozone concentrations were 2 to 6 ppb with maximum differences exceeding 20 ppb. Continued focus should be on reducing uncertainties in the representation of land cover through field validation. Uncertainties in the estimation of biogenic emissions associated with

Measurement of semantic similarity for land use and land cover classification systems

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Dongpo

2008-12-01

Land use and land cover (LULC) data is essential to environmental and ecological research. However, semantic heterogeneous of land use and land cover classification are often resulted from different data resources, different cultural contexts, and different utilities. Therefore, there is need to develop a method to measure, compare and integrate between land cover categories. To understand the meaning and the use of terminology from different domains, the common ontology approach is used to acquire information regarding the meaning of terms, and to compare two terms to determine how they might be related. Ontology is a formal specification of a shared conceptualization of a domain of interest. LULC classification system is a ontology. The semantic similarity method is used to compare to entities of three LULC classification systems: CORINE (European Environmental Agency), Oregon State, USA), and Taiwan. The semantic properties and relations firstly have been extracted from their definitions of LULC classification systems. Then semantic properties and relations of categories in three LULC classification systems are mutually compared. The visualization of semantic proximity is finally presented to explore the similarity or dissimilarity of data. This study shows the semantic similarity method efficiently detect semantic distance in three LULC classification systems and find out the semantic similar objects.

77 FR 48733 - Transitional Program for Covered Business Method Patents-Definitions of Covered Business Method...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-14

... Office 37 CFR Part 42 Transitional Program for Covered Business Method Patents--Definitions of Covered... Business Method Patents-- Definitions of Covered Business Method Patent and Technological Invention AGENCY... forth in detail the definitions of the terms ``covered business method patent'' and ``technological...

Controls on sediment cover in bedrock-alluvial channels of the Henry Mountains, Utah

Science.gov (United States)

Hodge, R. A.; Yager, E.; Johnson, J. P.; Tranmer, A.

2017-12-01

The location and extent of sediment cover in bedrock-alluvial channels influences sediment transport rates, channel incision and instream ecology. However, factors affecting sediment cover and how it responds to changes in relative sediment supply have rarely been quantitatively evaluated in field settings. Using field surveys and SFM analysis of channel reach topography, we quantified sediment cover and channel properties including slope, width, grain size distributions, and bedrock and alluvial roughness in North Wash and Chelada Creek in the Henry Mountains, Utah. Along reaches where upstream sediment supply does not appear to be restricted, we find that the fraction of local bedrock exposure increases as a function of local relative transport capacity . In a downstream section of Chelada Creek, decadal-scale sediment supply has been restricted by an upstream culvert that has caused a backwater effect and corresponding upstream deposition. In this section, alluvial cover is uncorrelated with local stream power. To test the impact of relative sediment supply on sediment cover, a 1D sediment transport model was used to predict the equilibrium sediment cover in Chelada Creek under varying flow and sediment supply conditions. Sediment transport in each model section was predicted using the partial cover model of Johnson (2015), which accounts for differences in bedrock and alluvial roughness on critical shear stress and flow resistance. Model runs in which sediment supply was approximately equal to mean transport capacity produced a pattern of sediment cover which best matched the field observations upstream of the culvert. However, runs where sediment supply was under-capacity produced the pattern most similar to field observations downstream of the culvert, consistent with our field-based interpretations. Model results were insensitive to initial sediment cover, and equilibrium was relatively quickly reached, suggesting that the channel is responsive to changes in

Using the FORE-SCE model to project land-cover change in the southeastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Sohl, Terry; Sayler, Kristi L.

2008-01-01

A wide variety of ecological applications require spatially explicit current and projected land-use and land-cover data. The southeastern United States has experienced massive land-use change since European settlement and continues to experience extremely high rates of forest cutting, significant urban development, and changes in agricultural land use. Forest-cover patterns and structure are projected to change dramatically in the southeastern United States in the next 50 years due to population growth and demand for wood products [Wear, D.N., Greis, J.G. (Eds.), 2002. Southern Forest Resource Assessment. General Technical Report SRS-53. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Asheville, NC, 635 pp]. Along with our climate partners, we are examining the potential effects of southeastern U.S. land-cover change on regional climate. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Land Cover Trends project is analyzing contemporary (1973-2000) land-cover change in the conterminous United States, providing ecoregion-by-ecoregion estimates of the rates of change, descriptive transition matrices, and changes in landscape metrics. The FORecasting SCEnarios of future land-cover (FORE-SCE) model used Land Cover Trends data and theoretical, statistical, and deterministic modeling techniques to project future land-cover change through 2050 for the southeastern United States. Prescriptions for future proportions of land cover for this application were provided by ecoregion-based extrapolations of historical change. Logistic regression was used to develop relationships between suspected drivers of land-cover change and land cover, resulting in the development of probability-of-occurrence surfaces for each unique land-cover type. Forest stand age was initially established with Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data and tracked through model iterations. The spatial allocation procedure placed patches of new land cover on the landscape until the scenario

Survey Report of Presentation Skills Training in "Fortune 500" Industrial Companies.

Science.gov (United States)

Corder, Lloyd E.

A study surveyed current presentation skills training practices of "Fortune 500" industrial companies. Each company's chief executive officer was sent a cover letter explaining the study and a copy of the survey. Data were obtained from 154 respondents (for a 36% response rate). Results indicated the importance of presentation skills to…

Chemical composition and antifungal activities of essential oils of Satureja thymbra L. and Salvia pomifera ssp. calycina (Sm.) Hayek

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Glamoclija, J.; Sokovic, M.; Vukojevic, J.; Milenkovic, I.; Griensven, van L.J.L.D.

2006-01-01

This work covers the chemical composition and antifungal activities of essential oils isolated from savory (Satureja thymbra) and sage (Salvia pomifera ssp. calycina) analyzed using GC/MS. The main components of S. thymbra oil were gamma-terpinene (23.2%) and carvacrol (48.5%). The main components

Covering folded shapes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oswin Aichholzer

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Can folding a piece of paper flat make it larger? We explore whether a shape S must be scaled to cover a flat-folded copy of itself. We consider both single folds and arbitrary folds (continuous piecewise isometries \\(S\\to\\mathbb{R}^2\\. The underlying problem is motivated by computational origami, and is related to other covering and fixturing problems, such as Lebesgue's universal cover problem and force closure grasps. In addition to considering special shapes (squares, equilateral triangles, polygons and disks, we give upper and lower bounds on scale factors for single folds of convex objects and arbitrary folds of simply connected objects.

Aerial radiological survey of the United States Department of Energy's Pantex Plant and surrounding area Amarillo, Texas. Date of survey: October 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyns, P.K.

1981-07-01

An aerial radiological survey was conducted over the United States Department of Energy's Pantex Plant and Pantex Lake areas in October, 1979. The Pantex Plant survey covered an area of approximately 64 km 2 . The Pantex Lake survey area was approximately 2 km 2 . Both areas were surveyed at an altitude of 46 m (150 feet) with lines spaced at 91 m (300 foot) intervals. Several passes were also made over the shipping areas at the Amarillo International Airport. An array of sodium iodide detectors were mounted in a helicopter to collect gamma ray spectral data. As expected, the spectral data indicated the presence of several areas containing man-made sources

Land cover and water yield: inference problems when comparing catchments with mixed land cover

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. I. J. M. van Dijk

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Controlled experiments provide strong evidence that changing land cover (e.g. deforestation or afforestation can affect mean catchment streamflow (Q. By contrast, a similarly strong influence has not been found in studies that interpret Q from multiple catchments with mixed land cover. One possible reason is that there are methodological issues with the way in which the Budyko framework was used in the latter type studies. We examined this using Q data observed in 278 Australian catchments and by making inferences from synthetic Q data simulated by a hydrological process model (the Australian Water Resources Assessment system Landscape model. The previous contrasting findings could be reproduced. In the synthetic experiment, the land cover influence was still present but not accurately detected with the Budyko- framework. Likely sources of interpretation bias demonstrated include: (i noise in land cover, precipitation and Q data; (ii additional catchment climate characteristics more important than land cover; and (iii covariance between Q and catchment attributes. These methodological issues caution against the use of a Budyko framework to quantify a land cover influence in Q data from mixed land-cover catchments. Importantly, however, our findings do not rule out that there may also be physical processes that modify the influence of land cover in mixed land-cover catchments. Process model simulations suggested that lateral water redistribution between vegetation types and recirculation of intercepted rainfall may be important.

Integrative teaching in radiology - a survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Dettmer, S; Weidemann, J; Fischer, V; Wacker, F K

2015-04-01

To survey integrative teaching in radiology at German universities. A questionnaire about radiological education was sent electronically to all 37 chairpersons of university radiology departments in Germany. The questions included the course type, teaching methods, concept, perception, and advantages and disadvantages of integrative teaching. Statistical analysis was performed with nonparametric statistics and chi-square test. The survey was considered representative with a return rate of 68 %. Integrative teaching is established at 4/5 of all departments. Integrative teaching is well accepted with an acceptance rate that is significantly higher in so-called "Modellstudiengängen" [model courses of study] (100 %) compared to conventional courses of study (72 %). The advantages of integrative teaching include linking of content (92 %) and preparation for interdisciplinary work (76 %). The disadvantages include high effort (75 %) and time (67 %) for organization. Furthermore, there is a risk that basic radiological facts and knowledge cannot be conveyed and that the visibility of radiology as an independent discipline is lost. Conventional radiological teaching has a similarly high acceptance (84 %) compared to integrative courses (76 %). Integrative teaching has a high acceptance among chairpersons in radiology in Germany despite the greater effort. A good interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for integrative teaching and at the same time this can be conveyed to the students. However, the visibility of radiology as a discipline and the possibility to cover basic radiological content must be ensured. Therefore, both conventional courses and integrative teaching seems reasonable, especially in cross-disciplinary subjects such as radiology. Both integrative teaching and conventional radiological teaching are highly accepted. The advantages include the linking of multidisciplinary content and the preparation for interdisciplinary cooperation

Armored Geomembrane Cover Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin Foye

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Geomembranes are an important component of modern engineered barriers to prevent the infiltration of stormwater and runoff into contaminated soil and rock as well as waste containment facilities—a function generally described as a geomembrane cover. This paper presents a case history involving a novel implementation of a geomembrane cover system. Due to this novelty, the design engineers needed to assemble from disparate sources the design criteria for the engineering of the cover. This paper discusses the design methodologies assembled by the engineering team. This information will aid engineers designing similar cover systems as well as environmental and public health professionals selecting site improvements that involve infiltration barriers.

Three decades of BGR airborne geophysical surveys over the polar regions - a review

Science.gov (United States)

Damaske, Detlef

2013-04-01

The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) has been conducting geological polar research since 1979. A few years later BGR engaged in airborne geophysical projects. Investigation of the lithosphere of the continent and the continental margins was one of the key issues for BGR. Right from the beginning geophysical research was closely associated with the geological activities. The GANOVEX (German Antarctic North Victoria Land Expedition) program combined geological research with geophysical (mainly airborne) investigations. This proved to be a fruitful approach to many of the open questions regarding the tectonic development of the Ross Sea region. Aeromagnetic surveys evolved into a powerful tool for identifying geological structures and following them underneath the ice covered areas - not accessible to direct geological investigations. To achieve this aim it was essential to lay out these surveys with a relatively closely spaced line separation on the expense of covering large areas at the same time. Nevertheless, over many years of continues research areas of more than a just regional extent could be covered. This was, however, only possible through international collaboration. During the first years, working in the Ross Sea area, the cooperation with the US and Italian programs played a significant role, especially the GITARA (German-Italian Aeromagnetic Research in Antarctica) program has to be mentioned. GEOMAUD (Geoscientific Expedition to Dronning Maud Land) and the German-Australian joint venture PCMEGA (Prince Charles Mountains Expedition of Germany & Australia) expanded research activities to the East Antarctic shield area. In the International Polar Year (IPY), BGR played a leading role in the international project AGAP (Antarctica's GAmburtsev Province) as part of the main topic "Venture into Unknown Regions". AGAP was jointly conducted by the USA, Great Britain, Australia, China and Germany. While in the Ross Sea area even

Covering bariatric surgery has minimal effect on insurance premium costs within the Affordable Care Act.

Science.gov (United States)

English, Wayne; Williams, Brandon; Scott, John; Morton, John

2016-06-01

Currently, of the 51 state health exchanges operating under the Affordable Care Act, only 23 include benchmark plans that cover bariatric surgery coverage. Bariatric surgery coverage is not considered an essential health benefit in 28 state exchanges, and this lack of coverage has a discriminatory and detrimental impact on millions of Americans participating in state exchanges that do not provide bariatric surgery coverage. We examined 3 state exchanges in which a portion of their plans provided coverage for bariatric surgery to determine if bariatric surgery coverage is correlated with premium costs. State health exchanges; United States. Data from the 2015 state exchange plans were analyzed using information from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Individual Market Landscape file and Benefits and Cost Sharing public use files. Only 3 states (Oklahoma, Oregon, and Virginia) in the analysis have 1 or more rating regions in which a portion of the plans cover bariatric surgery. In Oklahoma and Oregon, the average monthly premiums for all bronze, silver, and gold coverage levels are higher for plans covering bariatric surgery. Only 1 of these states included platinum plans that cover bariatric surgery. The average difference in premiums was between $1 to $45 higher in Oklahoma, and $18 to $32 higher in Oregon. Conversely, in Virginia, the average monthly premiums are between $2 and $21 lower for each level for plans covering bariatric surgery. Monthly premiums for plans covering versus not covering bariatric surgery ranged from 6% lower to 15% higher in the same geographic rating region. Across all 3 states in the sample, the average monthly premiums do not differ consistently on the basis of whether the state exchange plans cover bariatric surgery. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

1990 National Compensation Survey of Research and Development Scientists and Engineers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1990-11-01

This report presents the results of the fourth in a new series of surveys of compensation and benefits for research and development (R D) scientists and engineers (S Es). The 1990 Survey represents the largest nationwide database of its kind, covering 104 establishments which provided data on almost 41,000 degreed researchers in the hard'' sciences. The fundamental nature of the survey has not changed: the focus is still on medium- and large-sized establishments which employ at least 100 degreed S Es in R D. The 1990 Survey contains data which cover about 18% of all establishments eligible to participate, encompassing approximately 18% of all eligible employees. As in the last three years, the survey sample constitutes a fairly good representation of the entire population of eligible establishments on the basis of business sector, geographic location, and size. Maturity-based analyses of salaries for some 34,000 nonsupervisory researchers are provided, as are job content-based analyses of more than 27,000 individual contributors and almost 5000 first level supervisors and division directors. Compensation policies and practices data are provided for 102 establishments, and benefits plans for 62 establishments are analyzed.

The Land Cover Dynamics and Conversion of Agricultural Land in Northwestern Bangladesh, 1973-2003.

Science.gov (United States)

Pervez, M.; Seelan, S. K.; Rundquist, B. C.

2006-05-01

The importance of land cover information describing the nature and extent of land resources and changes over time is increasing; this is especially true in Bangladesh, where land cover is changing rapidly. This paper presents research into the land cover dynamics of northwestern Bangladesh for the period 1973-2003 using Landsat satellite images in combination with field survey data collected in January and February 2005. Land cover maps were produced for eight different years during the study period with an average 73 percent overall classification accuracy. The classification results and post-classification change analysis showed that agriculture is the dominant land cover (occupying 74.5 percent of the study area) and is being reduced at a rate of about 3,000 ha per year. In addition, 6.7 percent of the agricultural land is vulnerable to temporary water logging annually. Despite this loss of agricultural land, irrigated agriculture increased substantially until 2000, but has since declined because of diminishing water availability and uncontrolled extraction of groundwater driven by population pressures and the extended need for food. A good agreement (r = 0.73) was found between increases in irrigated land and the depletion of the shallow groundwater table, a factor affecting widely practiced small-scale irrigation in northwestern Bangladesh. Results quantified the land cover change patterns and the stresses placed on natural resources; additionally, they demonstrated an accurate and economical means to map and analyze changes in land cover over time at a regional scale, which can assist decision makers in land and natural resources management decisions.

Internet, Phone, Mail, and Mixed-Mode Surveys: The Tailored Design Method, 4th Edition

Science.gov (United States)

Dillman, Don A.; Smyth, Jolene D.; Christian, Lean Melani

2014-01-01

For over two decades, Dillman's classic text on survey design has aided both students and professionals in effectively planning and conducting mail, telephone, and, more recently, Internet surveys. The new edition is thoroughly updated and revised, and covers all aspects of survey research. It features expanded coverage of mobile phones, tablets,…

MANAGEMENT EFFECTS ON GROUND COVER CLUMPINESS: SCALING FROM FIELD TO SENTINEL-2 COVER ESTIMATES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Scarth

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Significant progress has been made in the development of cover data and derived products based on remotely sensed fractional cover information and field data across Australia, and these cover data sets are now used for quantifying and monitoring grazing land condition. The availability of a dense time-series of nearly 30 years of cover data to describe the spatial and temporal patterns in landscape changes over time can help with monitoring the effectiveness of grazing land management practice change. With the advent of higher spatial resolution data, such as that provided by the Copernicus Sentinel 2 series of satellites, we can look beyond reporting purely on cover amount and more closely at the operational monitoring and reporting on spatial arrangement of cover and its links with land condition. We collected high spatial resolution cover transects at 20 cm intervals over the Wambiana grazing trials in the Burdekin catchment in Queensland, Australia. Spatial variance analysis was used to determine the cover autocorrelation at various support intervals. Coincident Sentinel-2 imagery was collected and processed over all the sites providing imagery to link with the field data. We show that the spatial arrangement and temporal dynamics of cover are important indicators of grazing land condition for both productivity and water quality outcomes. The metrics and products derived from this research will assist land managers to prioritize investment and practice change strategies for long term sustainability and improved water quality, particularly in the Great Barrier Reef catchments.

Conducting Surveys and Data Collection: From Traditional to Mobile and SMS-based Surveys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iftikhar Alam

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Fresh, bias-free and valid data collected using different survey modes is considered an essential requirement for smooth functioning and evolution of an organization. Surveys play a major role in making in-time correct decisions and generating reports. The aim of this study is to compare and investigate state-of-the-art in different survey modes including print, email, online, mobile and SMS-based surveys. Results indicated that existing methods are neither complete nor sufficient to fulfil the overall requirements of an organization which primarily rely on surveys. Also, it shows that SMS is a dominant method for data collection due to its pervasiveness. However, existing SMS-based data collection has limitations like limited number of characters per SMS, single question per SMS and lake of multimedia support. Recent trends in data collection emphasis on data collection applications for smart phones. However, in developing countries low-end mobile devices are still extensively used which makes the data collection difficult from man in the street. The paper conclude that existing survey modes and methods should be improved to get maximum responses quickly in low cost manner. The study has contributed to the area of surveying and data collection by analysing different factors such as cost, time and response rate. The results of this study can help practitioners in creating a more successful surveying method for data collection that can be effectively used for low budget projects in developed as well as developing countries.

The VLA Sky Survey (VLASS): Overview and First Results

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, Steven T.; VLASS Survey Team, Survey Science Group (SSG)

2018-01-01

The VLA Sky Survey (VLASS) is a 5520 hour spectropolarimetric synoptic survey covering the 33885 square degrees of the sky above Declination -40 degrees from 2-4 GHz at 2.5" angular resolution using the upgraded Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA). Over the survey duration of 7 years, each area of the sky will be covered in 3 epochs spaced 32 months apart, to a projected depth of 0.12mJy/beam rms noise per epoch and 0.07mJy/beam for 3 epochs combined. The VLASS employs on-the-fly mosaicking (OTFM) to rapidly scan the sky with a net speed of approximately 20 sq. degrees per hour. The high-level science goals for the survey include the identification and precise location of radio transients, the measurement of magnetic fields in our galaxy and beyond, and the study of radio emission from galaxies and active galactic nuclei throughout the Universe. The ability of the VLASS to see through dust allows us to unveil phenomena such as hidden cosmic explosions, emission from deep within our galaxy, and supermassive black holes buried within host galaxies.The VLASS was proposed in 2014 by our community-led Survey Science Group (SSG). VLASS Pilot observations were taken in mid-2016, and the first epoch covering half the area (VLASS1.1) commenced in September 2017. The raw data from the VLASS are available in the NRAO archive immediately with no proprietary period. The Basic Data Products (BDP) that will be produced by the survey team are public and will additionally include: calibrated visibility data, quick-look continuum images (with a goal of posting to the archive within 1 week of observation), single-epoch and cumulative combined-epoch images, spectral image cubes, and basic object catalogs. Single-epoch and cumulative images are in intensity and linear polarization (Stokes IQU). In addition to the BDP provided by NRAO and served through the NRAO archive, there are plans for Enhanced Data Products and Services to be provided by the community in partnership with the

Land-cover change analysis in 50 global cities by using a combination of Landsat data and analysis of grid cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bagan, Hasi; Yamagata, Yoshiki

2014-01-01

Global urban expansion has created incentives to convert green spaces to urban/built-up area. Therefore, understanding the distribution and dynamics of the land-cover changes in cities is essential for better understanding of the cities’ fundamental characteristics and processes, and of the impact of changing land-cover on potential carbon storage. We present a grid square approach using multi-temporal Landsat data from around 1985–2010 to monitor the spatio-temporal land-cover dynamics of 50 global cities. The maximum-likelihood classification method is applied to Landsat data to define the cities’ urbanized areas at different points in time. Subsequently, 1 km 2 grid squares with unique cell IDs are designed to link among land-cover maps for spatio-temporal land-cover change analysis. Then, we calculate land-cover category proportions for each map in 1 km 2 grid cells. Statistical comparison of the land-cover changes in grid square cells shows that urban area expansion in 50 global cities was strongly negatively correlated with forest, cropland and grassland changes. The generated land-cover proportions in 1 km 2 grid cells and the spatial relationships between the changes of land-cover classes are critical for understanding past patterns and the consequences of urban development so as to inform future urban planning, risk management and conservation strategies. (letters)

Landfill covers for dry environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dwyer, S.F.

1996-01-01

A large-scale landfill cover field test is currently underway at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is intended to compare and document the performance of alternative landfill cover technologies of various costs and complexities for interim stabilization and/or final closure of landfills in arid and semi-arid environments. Test plots of traditional designs recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency for both RCRA Subtitle open-quote C close-quote and open-quote D close-quote regulated facilities have been constructed side-by-side with the alternative covers and will serve as baselines for comparison to these alternative covers. The alternative covers were designed specifically for dry environments. The covers will be tested under both ambient and stressed conditions. All covers have been instrumented to measure water balance variables and soil temperature. An on-site weather station records all pertinent climatological data. A key to acceptance of an alternative environmental technology is seeking regulatory acceptance and eventual permitting. The lack of acceptance by regulatory agencies is a significant barrier to development and implementation of innovative cover technologies. Much of the effort on this demonstration has been toward gaining regulatory and public acceptance

KNIME essentials

CERN Document Server

Bakos, Gábor

2013-01-01

KNIME Essentials is a practical guide aimed at getting the results you want, as quickly as possible.""Knime Essentials"" is written for data analysts looking to quickly get up to speed using the market leader in data processing tools, KNIME. No knowledge of KNIME is required, but we will assume that you have some background in data processing.

Plant life form based habitat monitoring in a European landscape framework for early warning of changes in land cover and biodiversity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandt, Jesper; Olsen, Martin; Bloch-Petersen, Margit

and habitat composition and quality. The focus on essential features of the habitat that can be expressed easily and quantitatively for identification and mapping of small but significant changes at a landscape level has resulted in the reintroduction of Raunkiaers plant life form concept from 1907...... of agricultural land use, general land cover and tree and shrub cover of small biotopes), it has not been difficult to integrate the BioHab framework in the SBMP-monitoring system, thus permitting the monitoring system to deliver an additional important European perspective with only very limited extra resources...

On approximating restricted cycle covers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Manthey, Bodo

2008-01-01

A cycle cover of a graph is a set of cycles such that every vertex is part of exactly one cycle. An $L$-cycle cover is a cycle cover in which the length of every cycle is in the set $L$. The weight of a cycle cover of an edge-weighted graph is the sum of the weights of its edges. We come close to

Large Synoptic Survey Telescope: From Science Drivers to Reference Design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ivezic, Z.; Axelrod, T.; Brandt, W.N.; Burke, D.L.; Claver, C.F.; Connolly, A.; Cook, K.H.; Gee, P.; Gilmore, D.K.; Jacoby, S.H.; Jones, R.L.; Kahn, S.M.; Kantor, J.P.; Krabbendam, V.; Lupton, R.H.; Monet, D.G.; Pinto, P.A.; Saha, A.; Schalk, T.L.; Schneider, D.P.; Strauss, Michael A.; /Washington U., Seattle, Astron. Dept. /LSST Corp. /Penn State U., Astron. Astrophys. /KIPAC, Menlo Park /NOAO, Tucson /LLNL, Livermore /UC, Davis /Princeton U., Astrophys. Sci. Dept. /Naval Observ., Flagstaff /Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ. /UC, Santa Cruz /Harvard U. /Johns Hopkins U. /Illinois U., Urbana

2011-10-14

In the history of astronomy, major advances in our understanding of the Universe have come from dramatic improvements in our ability to accurately measure astronomical quantities. Aided by rapid progress in information technology, current sky surveys are changing the way we view and study the Universe. Next-generation surveys will maintain this revolutionary progress. We focus here on the most ambitious survey currently planned in the visible band, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). LSST will have unique survey capability in the faint time domain. The LSST design is driven by four main science themes: constraining dark energy and dark matter, taking an inventory of the Solar System, exploring the transient optical sky, and mapping the Milky Way. It will be a large, wide-field ground-based system designed to obtain multiple images covering the sky that is visible from Cerro Pachon in Northern Chile. The current baseline design, with an 8.4 m (6.5 m effective) primary mirror, a 9.6 deg{sup 2} field of view, and a 3,200 Megapixel camera, will allow about 10,000 square degrees of sky to be covered using pairs of 15-second exposures in two photometric bands every three nights on average. The system is designed to yield high image quality, as well as superb astrometric and photometric accuracy. The survey area will include 30,000 deg{sup 2} with {delta} < +34.5{sup o}, and will be imaged multiple times in six bands, ugrizy, covering the wavelength range 320-1050 nm. About 90% of the observing time will be devoted to a deep-wide-fast survey mode which will observe a 20,000 deg{sup 2} region about 1000 times in the six bands during the anticipated 10 years of operation. These data will result in databases including 10 billion galaxies and a similar number of stars, and will serve the majority of science programs. The remaining 10% of the observing time will be allocated to special programs such as Very Deep and Very Fast time domain surveys. We describe how the

Large Synoptic Survey Telescope: From science drivers to reference design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivezić Ž.

2008-01-01

Full Text Available In the history of astronomy, major advances in our understanding of the Universe have come from dramatic improvements in our ability to accurately measure astronomical quantities. Aided by rapid progress in information technology, current sky surveys are changing the way we view and study the Universe. Next- generation surveys will maintain this revolutionary progress. We focus here on the most ambitious survey currently planned in the visible band, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST. LSST will have unique survey capability in the faint time domain. The LSST design is driven by four main science themes: constraining dark energy and dark matter, taking an inventory of the Solar System, exploring the transient optical sky, and mapping the Milky Way. It will be a large, wide-field ground-based system designed to obtain multiple images covering the sky that is visible from Cerro Pachon in Northern Chile. The current baseline design, with an 8.4 m (6.5 m effective primary mirror, a 9.6 deg2 field of view, and a 3,200 Megapixel camera, will allow about 10,000 square degrees of sky to be covered using pairs of 15-second exposures in two photometric bands every three nights on average. The system is designed to yield high image quality, as well as superb astrometric and photometric accuracy. The survey area will include 30,000 deg2 with δ < +34.5◦ , and will be imaged multiple times in six bands, ugrizy, covering the wavelength range 320-1050 nm. About 90% of the observing time will be devoted to a deep- wide-fast survey mode which will observe a 20,000 deg2 region about 1000 times in the six bands during the anticipated 10 years of operation. These data will result in databases including 10 billion galaxies and a similar number of stars, and will serve the majority of science programs. The remaining 10% of the observing time will be allocated to special programs such as Very Deep and Very Fast time domain surveys. We describe how the LSST

Large Synoptic Survey Telescope: From Science Drivers To Reference Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivezić, Ž.

2008-06-01

Full Text Available In the history of astronomy, major advances in our understanding of the Universe have come from dramatic improvements in our ability to accurately measure astronomical quantities. Aided by rapid progress in information technology, current sky surveys are changing the way we view and study the Universe. Next-generation surveys will maintain this revolutionary progress. We focus here on the most ambitious survey currently planned in the visible band, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST. LSST will have unique survey capability in the faint time domain. The LSST design is driven by four main science themes: constraining dark energy and dark matter, taking an inventory of the Solar System, exploring the transient optical sky, and mapping the Milky Way. It will be a large, wide-field ground-based system designed to obtain multiple images covering the sky that is visible from Cerro Pach'{o}n in Northern Chile. The current baseline design, with an 8.4, m (6.5, m effective primary mirror, a 9.6 deg$^2$ field of view, and a 3,200 Megapixel camera, will allow about 10,000 square degrees of sky to be covered using pairs of 15-second exposures in two photometric bands every three nights on average. The system is designed to yield high image quality, as well as superb astrometric and photometric accuracy. The survey area will include 30,000 deg$^2$ with $delta<+34.5^circ$, and will be imaged multiple times in six bands, $ugrizy$, covering the wavelength range 320--1050 nm. About 90\\% of the observing time will be devoted to a deep-wide-fast survey mode which will observe a 20,000 deg$^2$ region about 1000 times in the six bands during the anticipated 10 years of operation. These data will result in databases including 10 billion galaxies and a similar number of stars, and will serve the majority of science programs. The remaining 10\\% of the observing time will be allocated to special programs such as Very Deep and Very Fast time domain surveys. We

An Investigation of the Essential Factors on Customer Loyalty in Banking Sector: A Case of Albanian Retail Bank

OpenAIRE

Yüksel KÖKSAL; Oneda DEMA

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research is to reveal essential factors that have influences on customer loyalty directly in Albanian retail banking context. In order to bring out essential factors, we have developed a questionnaire and 410 people participated in the survey. Five different factors have been described to analyze their directly impacts on customer loyalty such as Service, Security, Relationship, Reliability and Staff. The significant relations of each factor with customer loyalty have been...

Response of alpine vegetation growth dynamics to snow cover phenology on the Tibetan Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, X.; Wu, C.

2017-12-01

Alpine vegetation plays a crucial role in global energy cycles with snow cover, an essential component of alpine land cover showing high sensitivity to climate change. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) has a typical alpine vegetation ecosystem and is rich of snow resources. With global warming, the snow of the TP has undergone significant changes that will inevitably affect the growth of alpine vegetation, but observed evidence of such interaction is limited. In particular, a comprehensive understanding of the responses of alpine vegetation growth to snow cover variability is still not well characterized on TP region. To investigate this, we calculated three indicators, the start (SOS) and length (LOS) of growing season, and the maximum of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVImax) as proxies of vegetation growth dynamics from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data for 2000-2015. Snow cover duration (SCD) and melt (SCM) dates were also extracted during the same time frame from the combination of MODIS and the Interactive Multi-sensor Snow and Ice Mapping System (IMS) data. We found that the snow cover phenology had a strong control on alpine vegetation growth dynamics. Furthermore, the responses of SOS, LOS and NDVImax to snow cover phenology varied among plant functional types, eco-geographical zones, and temperature and precipitation gradients. The alpine steppes showed a much stronger negative correlation between SOS and SCD, and also a more evidently positive relationship between LOS and SCD than other types, indicating a longer SCD would lead to an earlier SOS and longer LOS. Most areas showed positive correlation between SOS and SCM, while a contrary response was also found in the warm but drier areas. Both SCD and SCM showed positive correlations with NDVImax, but the relationship became weaker with the increase of precipitation. Our findings provided strong evidences between vegetation growth and snow cover phenology, and changes in

An assessment of plant biointrusion at the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project rock-covered disposal cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-10-01

This study is one of a number of special studies that have been conducted regarding various aspects of the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project. This special study was proposed following routine surveillance and maintenance surveys and observations reported in a special study of vegetative covers (DOE, 1988), in which plants were observed growing up through the rock erosion layer at recently completed disposal cells. Some of the plants observed were deep-rooted woody species, and questions concerning root intrusion into disposal cells and the need to control plant growth were raised. The special study discussed in this report was designed to address some of the ramifications of plant growth on disposal cells that have rock covers. The NRC has chosen rock covers over vegetative covers in the arid western United States because licenses cannot substantiate that the vegetative covers ''will be significantly greater than 30 percent and preferably 70 percent,'' which is the amount of ''vegetation required to reduce flow to a point of stability.'' The potential impacts of vegetation growing in rock covers are not addressed by the NRC (1990). The objectives, then, of this study were to determine the species of plants growing on two rock-covered disposal cells, study the rooting pattern of plants on these cells, and identify possible impacts of plant root penetration on these and other UMTRA Project rock-covered cells

Analysis of land cover/use changes using Landsat 5 TM data and indices.

Science.gov (United States)

Ettehadi Osgouei, Paria; Kaya, Sinasi

2017-04-01

Urban expansion and unprecedented rural to urban transition, along with a huge population growth, are major driving forces altering land cover/use in metropolitan areas. Many of the land cover classes such as farmlands, wetlands, forests, and bare soils have been transformed during the past years into human settlements. Identification of the city growth trends and the impact of it on the vegetation cover of an area is essential for a better understanding of the sustainability of urban development processes, both planned and unplanned. Analyzing the causes and consequences of land use dynamics helps local government, urban planners, and managers for the betterment of future plans and minimizing the negative effects.This study determined temporal changes in vegetation cover and built-up area in Istanbul (Turkey) using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), and built-up area index (BUAI). The temporal data were based on Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) images acquired in June of 1984, 2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011. The NDVI was applied to all the Landsat images, and the resulting NDVI images were overlaid to generate an NDVI layer stack image. The same procedure was repeated using the SAVI and BUAI images. The layer stack images revealed those areas that had changed in terms of the different indices over the years. To determine temporal change trends, the values of 150 randomly selected control points were extracted from the same locations in the NDVI, SAVI, and BUAI layer stack images. The results obtained from these control points showed that vegetation cover decreased considerably because of a remarkable increase in the built-up area.

Reactor cover gas monitoring at the Fast Flux Test Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bechtold, R A; Holt, F E; Meadows, G E; Schenter, R E [Westinghouse Hanford Company, Richland, WA (United States)

1987-07-01

The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is a 400 megawatt (thermal) sodium cooled reactor designed for irradiation testing of fuels, materials and components for LMRs. It is operated by the Westinghouse Hanford Company for the U. S. Department of Energy on the government-owned Hanford reservation near Richland, Washington. The first 100 day operating cycle began in April 1982 and the eighth operating cycle was completed In July 1986. Argon is used as the cover gas for all sodium systems at the plant. A program for cover gas monitoring has been in effect since the start of sodium fill in 1978. The argon is supplied to the FFTF by a liquid argon Dewar System and used without further purification. A liquid argon Dewar system provides the large volume of inert gas required for operation of the FFTF. The gas is used as received and is not recycled. Low concentrations of krypton and xenon in the argon supply are essential to preclude interference with the gas tag system. Gas chromatography has been valuable for detection of inadvertent air in leakage during refueling operations. A temporary system is installed over the reactor during outages to prevent oxide formation in the sodium vapor traps upstream from the on line gas chromatograph. On line gas monitoring by gamma spectrometry and grab sampling with GTSTs has been successful for the identification of numerous radioactive gas releases from creep capsule experiments as well as 9 fuel pin ruptures. A redundant fission gas monitoring system has been installed to insure constant surveillance of the reactor cover gas.

Aerial radiological survey of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho. Date of survey: June 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-02-01

An aerial radiological survey of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) was conducted during June 1982 by EG and G Energy Measurements, Inc. for the United States Department of Energy (DOE). The survey consisted of airborne measurements of both natural and man-made gamma radiation from the terrain surface in and around the INEL site. These measurements allowed an estimate of the distribution of isotopic concentrations in the survey area. Results are reported as isopleths superimposed on maps and photographs of the area. Gamma ray energy spectra are also presented for the net man-made radionuclides. The survey was designed to cover all of the area within a 2 mile radius of any facility at the INEL. Several areas of man-made activity were detected. These areas are all known working or storage areas which are associated with normal operations at the INEL. 3 references, 48 figures, 5 tables

Forests as landscapes of social inequality: tropical forest cover and land distribution among shifting cultivators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oliver T. Coomes

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Can social inequality be seen imprinted in a forest landscape? We studied the relationship between land holding, land use, and inequality in a peasant community in the Peruvian Amazon where farmers practice swidden-fallow cultivation. Longitudinal data on land holding, land use, and land cover were gathered through field-level surveys (n = 316 and household interviews (n = 51 in 1994/1995 and 2007. Forest cover change between 1965 and 2007 was documented through interpretation of air photos and satellite imagery. We introduce the concept of "land use inequality" to capture differences across households in the distribution of forest fallowing and orchard raising as key land uses that affect household welfare and the sustainability of swidden-fallow agriculture. We find that land holding, land use, and forest cover distribution are correlated and that the forest today reflects social inequality a decade prior. Although initially land-poor households may catch up in terms of land holdings, their use and land cover remain impoverished. Differential land use investment through time links social inequality and forest cover. Implications are discussed for the study of forests as landscapes of inequality, the relationship between social inequality and forest composition, and the forest-poverty nexus.

Repellent Activities of Essential Oils of Some Plants Used Traditionally to Control the Brown Ear Tick, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wanzala, W.W.; Hassanali, A.; Mukabana, W.R.; Takken, W.

2014-01-01

Essential oils of eight plants, selected after an ethnobotanical survey conducted in Bukusu community in Bungoma County, western Kenya (Tagetes minuta, Tithonia diversifolia, Juniperus procera, Solanecio mannii, Senna didymobotrya, Lantana camara, Securidaca longepedunculata, and Hoslundia

X-RAY ABSORPTION, NUCLEAR INFRARED EMISSION, AND DUST COVERING FACTORS OF AGNs: TESTING UNIFICATION SCHEMES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mateos, S.; Carrera, F. J.; Alonso-Herrero, A.; Hernán-Caballero, A.; Barcons, X. [Instituto de Física de Cantabria (CSIC-Universidad de Cantabria), E-39005, Santander (Spain); Ramos, A. Asensio; Almeida, C. Ramos [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38205, La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain); Watson, M. G.; Blain, A. [Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH (United Kingdom); Caccianiga, A.; Ballo, L. [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, via Brera 28, I-20121 Milano (Italy); Braito, V., E-mail: mateos@ifca.unican.es [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, Via Bianchi 46, I-23807 Merate (Italy)

2016-03-10

We present the distributions of the geometrical covering factors of the dusty tori (f{sub 2}) of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) using an X-ray selected complete sample of 227 AGNs drawn from the Bright Ultra-hard XMM-Newton Survey. The AGNs have z from 0.05 to 1.7, 2–10 keV luminosities between 10{sup 42} and 10{sup 46} erg s{sup −1}, and Compton-thin X-ray absorption. Employing data from UKIDSS, 2MASS, and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer in a previous work, we determined the rest-frame 1–20 μm continuum emission from the torus, which we model here with the clumpy torus models of Nenkova et al. Optically classified type 1 and type 2 AGNs are intrinsically different, with type 2 AGNs having, on average, tori with higher f{sub 2} than type 1 AGNs. Nevertheless, ∼20% of type 1 AGNs have tori with large covering factors, while ∼23%–28% of type 2 AGNs have tori with small covering factors. Low f{sub 2} are preferred at high AGN luminosities, as postulated by simple receding torus models, although for type 2 AGNs the effect is certainly small. f{sub 2} increases with the X-ray column density, which implies that dust extinction and X-ray absorption take place in material that share an overall geometry and most likely belong to the same structure, the putative torus. Based on our results, the viewing angle, AGN luminosity, and also f{sub 2} determine the optical appearance of an AGN and control the shape of the rest-frame ∼1–20 μm nuclear continuum emission. Thus, the torus geometrical covering factor is a key ingredient of unification schemes.

Survey of neutrons inside the containment of a pressurized water reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hankins, D.E; Griffith, R.V.

1978-01-01

A neutron survey was made inside the containment of the Farley Nuclear Plant, Alabama Power and Light Company, Dothan, Alabama, in November 1977. The survey was made to determine the spectra of leakage neutrons and to evaluate the accuracy of albedo neutron dosimeters and a 9-in.-diameter sphere rem meter. The survey also covered variations in the neutron spectra, the ratio of gamma-to-neutron dose rates, and the thermal neutron component of the neutron dose

Survey on the availability, price and affordability of selected essential medicines for non-communicable diseases in community pharmacies of Kathmandu valley.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Rajeev; Ghale, Anish; Chapagain, Bijay Raj; Gyawali, Mahasagar; Acharya, Trishna

2017-01-01

The access to essential medicines for non-communicable disease treatment is unacceptably low worldwide. The fundamental right to health cannot be fulfilled without equitable access to essential medicines. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 94 community pharmacies of Kathmandu valley. Non-probability quota sampling method was adopted for the purpose. Village Development Committees with more than 5000 populations were included in the study. The availability of the selected essential medicines, their price and producer identity were observed. Data entry and analysis were carried out in Microsoft Excel and Statistical package for social science. The availability of the essential medicines was not 100% in Kathmandu valley. High competition and high price variation were seen in metformin 500 mg (254.6%) and atorvastatin 10 mg (327.6%). The study showed that maximum (54.7%) brands were manufactured in Nepal. Furthermore, atorvastatin 10 mg (0.6 day wage) was found to be quite expensive, and glibenclamide 5 mg (0.1 day wage) was the cheapest one for diabetes mellitus treatment for 1 month of treatment period compared to daily wages of other essential medicines. The availability of the selected essential medicines was found to be ununiform and insufficient in the entire region. High competition was observed in the products with high price variation, and the access to cost-effective brand was poor. Furthermore, it was found that government salary is affordable to treat non-communicable disease with the help of the essential medicines.

TESTING OF LAND COVER CLASSIFICATION FROM MULTISPECTRAL AIRBORNE LASER SCANNING DATA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Bakuła

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Multispectral Airborne Laser Scanning provides a new opportunity for airborne data collection. It provides high-density topographic surveying and is also a useful tool for land cover mapping. Use of a minimum of three intensity images from a multiwavelength laser scanner and 3D information included in the digital surface model has the potential for land cover/use classification and a discussion about the application of this type of data in land cover/use mapping has recently begun. In the test study, three laser reflectance intensity images (orthogonalized point cloud acquired in green, near-infrared and short-wave infrared bands, together with a digital surface model, were used in land cover/use classification where six classes were distinguished: water, sand and gravel, concrete and asphalt, low vegetation, trees and buildings. In the tested methods, different approaches for classification were applied: spectral (based only on laser reflectance intensity images, spectral with elevation data as additional input data, and spectro-textural, using morphological granulometry as a method of texture analysis of both types of data: spectral images and the digital surface model. The method of generating the intensity raster was also tested in the experiment. Reference data were created based on visual interpretation of ALS data and traditional optical aerial and satellite images. The results have shown that multispectral ALS data are unlike typical multispectral optical images, and they have a major potential for land cover/use classification. An overall accuracy of classification over 90% was achieved. The fusion of multi-wavelength laser intensity images and elevation data, with the additional use of textural information derived from granulometric analysis of images, helped to improve the accuracy of classification significantly. The method of interpolation for the intensity raster was not very helpful, and using intensity rasters with both first and

Underwater Gravity Survey of Northern Monterey Bay.

Science.gov (United States)

stations were occupied just above the swash zone. A complete Bouguer anomaly map was drawn and tied in with the previous land surveys and with one...covering the southern half of the bay. The isolines of the complete Bouguer anomaly indicate the relative vertical position of the basement complex Santa

Do patient surveys work? The influence of a national survey programme on local quality-improvement initiatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Reeves, R; Seccombe, I

2008-12-01

To assess current attitudes towards the national patient survey programme in England, establish the extent to which survey results are used and identify barriers and incentives for using them. Qualitative interviews with hospital staff responsible for implementing the patient surveys (survey leads). National Health Service (NHS) hospital organisations (trusts) in England. Twenty-four patient survey leads for NHS trusts. Perceptions of the patient surveys were mainly positive and were reported to be improving. Interviewees welcomed the surveys' regular repetition and thought the questionnaires, survey methods and reporting of results, particularly inter-organisational benchmark charts, were of a good standard. The survey results were widely used in action planning and were thought to support organisational patient-centredness. There was variation in the extent to which trusts disseminated survey findings to patients, the public, staff and their board members. The most common barrier to using results was difficulty engaging clinicians because survey findings were not sufficiently specific to specialties, departments or wards. Limited statistical expertise and concerns that the surveys only covered a short time frame also contributed to some scepticism. Other perceived barriers included a lack of knowledge of effective interventions, and limited time and resources. Actual and potential incentives for using survey findings included giving the results higher weightings in the performance management system, financial targets, Payment by Results (PbR), Patient Choice, a patient-centred culture, leadership by senior members of the organisation, and boosting staff morale by disseminating positive survey findings. The national patient surveys are viewed positively, their repetition being an important factor in their success. The results could be used more effectively if they were more specific to smaller units.

MVMA's 1991 summer gasoline survey and air quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

In a previous newsletter (September 1991 issue of this journal), the results of MVMA's 1990 Summer Gasoline Survey were discussed. It was noted that many gasolines containing high concentrations of olefins (over 15 percent volume) were being marketed in the northeast corridor between Washington, D.C. and Boston. Also noted was the finding that the composition of gasoline plays an important role in determining the emissions from vehicles on the road. In this newsletter, the potential effects on air quality of the more recently surveyed gasolines are discussed. Three grades of unleaded gasoline were covered in the survey (premium, intermediate, and regular). 1 tab

Mapping surface temperature variability on a debris-covered glacier with an unmanned aerial vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Kraaijenbrink, P. D. A.; Litt, M.; Shea, J. M.; Treichler, D.; Koch, I.; Immerzeel, W.

2016-12-01

Debris-covered glacier tongues cover about 12% of the glacier surface in high mountain Asia and much of the melt water is generated from those glaciers. A thin layer of supraglacial debris enhances ice melt by lowering the albedo, while thicker debris insulates the ice and reduces melt. Data on debris thickness is therefore an important input for energy balance modelling of these glaciers. Thermal infrared remote sensing can be used to estimate the debris thickness by using an inverse relation between debris surface temperature and thickness. To date this has only been performed using coarse spaceborne thermal imagery, which cannot reveal small scale variation in debris thickness and its influence on the heterogeneous melt patterns on debris-covered glaciers. We deployed an unmanned aerial vehicle mounted with a thermal infrared sensor over the debris-covered Lirung Glacier in Nepal three times in May 2016 to reveal the spatial and temporal variability of surface temperature in high detail. The UAV survey matched a Landsat 8 overpass to be able to make a comparison with spaceborne thermal imagery. The UAV-acquired data is processed using Structure from Motion photogrammetry and georeferenced using DGPS-measured ground control points. Different surface types were distinguished by using data acquired by an additional optical UAV survey in order to correct for differences in surface emissivity. In situ temperature measurements and incoming solar radiation data are used to calibrate the temperature calculations. Debris thicknesses derived are validated by thickness measurements of a ground penetrating radar. Preliminary analysis reveals a spatially highly heterogeneous pattern of surface temperature over Lirung Glacier with a range in temperature of over 40 K. At dawn the debris is relatively cold and its temperature is influenced strongly by the ice underneath. Exposed to the high solar radiation at the high altitude the debris layer heats up very rapidly as sunrise

Surveys of LGBT Public Employees and Their Co-Workers

OpenAIRE

Sears, Brad; Mallory, Christy; Hunter, Nan D.

2009-01-01

This section summarizes a large body of survey data, with samples drawn from across the nation and covering a range of occupational classifications, that provides compelling evidence that discrimination against LGBT state government employees, as well as other public sector workers, is serious, pervasive and continuing. The more than 80 surveys summarized in this section also indicate that there is no reason to believe that the level of employment discrimination based on sexual orientation an...

Completion of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 1992-2001 Land Cover Change Retrofit Product

Science.gov (United States)

The Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium has supported the development of two national digital land cover products: the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) 1992 and National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 2001. Substantial differences in imagery, legends, and methods betwe...

Survey of Ground Dwelling Arthropods Associated with Two Habitat ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Survey of Ground Dwelling Arthropods Associated with Two Habitat Types in the Jos ... in the mean abundance of ground dwelling arthropods in relation to taxa. ... Food availability and vegetation cover were found to be critical to arthropods ...

Climate Impacts of Cover Crops

Science.gov (United States)

Lombardozzi, D.; Wieder, W. R.; Bonan, G. B.; Morris, C. K.; Grandy, S.

2016-12-01

Cover crops are planted in agricultural rotation with the intention of protecting soil rather than harvest. Cover crops have numerous environmental benefits that include preventing soil erosion, increasing soil fertility, and providing weed and pest control- among others. In addition to localized environmental benefits, cover crops can have important regional or global biogeochemical impacts by increasing soil organic carbon, changing emissions of greenhouse trace gases like nitrous oxide and methane, and reducing hydrologic nitrogen losses. Cover crops may additionally affect climate by changing biogeophysical processes, like albedo and latent heat flux, though these potential changes have not yet been evaluated. Here we use the coupled Community Atmosphere Model (CAM5) - Community Land Model (CLM4.5) to test how planting cover crops in the United States may change biogeophysical fluxes and climate. We present seasonal changes in albedo, heat fluxes, evaporative partitioning, radiation, and the resulting changes in temperature. Preliminary analyses show that during seasons when cover crops are planted, latent heat flux increases and albedo decreases, changing the evaporative fraction and surface temperatures. Understanding both the biogeophysical changes caused by planting cover crops in this study and the biogeochemical changes found in other studies will give a clearer picture of the overall impacts of cover crops on climate and atmospheric chemistry, informing how this land use strategy will impact climate in the future.

A Protocol for Advanced Psychometric Assessment of Surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Squires, Janet E.; Hayduk, Leslie; Hutchinson, Alison M.; Cranley, Lisa A.; Gierl, Mark; Cummings, Greta G.; Norton, Peter G.; Estabrooks, Carole A.

2013-01-01

Background and Purpose. In this paper, we present a protocol for advanced psychometric assessments of surveys based on the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. We use the Alberta Context Tool (ACT) as an exemplar survey to which this protocol can be applied. Methods. Data mapping, acceptability, reliability, and validity are addressed. Acceptability is assessed with missing data frequencies and the time required to complete the survey. Reliability is assessed with internal consistency coefficients and information functions. A unitary approach to validity consisting of accumulating evidence based on instrument content, response processes, internal structure, and relations to other variables is taken. We also address assessing performance of survey data when aggregated to higher levels (e.g., nursing unit). Discussion. In this paper we present a protocol for advanced psychometric assessment of survey data using the Alberta Context Tool (ACT) as an exemplar survey; application of the protocol to the ACT survey is underway. Psychometric assessment of any survey is essential to obtaining reliable and valid research findings. This protocol can be adapted for use with any nursing survey. PMID:23401759

Land cover, land use changes and air pollution in Asia: a synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Vadrevu, Krishna; Ohara, Toshimasa; Justice, Chris

2017-12-01

A better understanding of land cover/land use changes (LCLUC) and their interactions with the atmospheric environment is essential for the sustainable management of natural resources, environmental protection, air quality, agricultural planning and food security. The 15 papers published in this focus issue showcase a variety of studies relating to drivers and impacts of LCLUC and air pollution in different South/Southeast Asian (S/SEA) countries. This synthesis article, in addition to giving context to the articles in this focus issue, also reviews the broad linkages between population, LCLUC and air pollution. Additionally, we identify knowledge gaps and research priorities that are essential in addressing air pollution issues in the region. We conclude that for effective pollution mitigation in S/SEA countries, quantifying drivers, sources and impacts of pollution need a thorough data analysis through ground-based instrumentation, models and integrated research approaches. We also stress the need for the development of sustainable technologies and strengthening the scientific and resource management communities through capacity building and training activities to address air pollution issues in S/SEA countries.

Ten Years of Forest Cover Change in the Sierra Nevada Detected Using Landsat Satellite Image Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Potter, Christopher S.

2014-01-01

The Landsat Ecosystem Disturbance Adaptive Processing System (LEDAPS) methodology was applied to detected changes in forest vegetation cover for areas burned by wildfires in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California between the periods of 1975- 79 and 1995-1999. Results for areas burned by wildfire between 1995 and 1999 confirmed the importance of regrowing forest vegetation over 17% of the combined burned areas. A notable fraction (12%) of the entire 5-km (unburned) buffer area outside the 1995-199 fires perimeters showed decline in forest cover, and not nearly as many regrowing forest areas, covering only 3% of all the 1995-1999 buffer areas combined. Areas burned by wildfire between 1975 and 1979 confirmed the importance of disturbed (or declining evergreen) vegetation covering 13% of the combined 1975- 1979 burned areas. Based on comparison of these results to ground-based survey data, the LEDAPS methodology should be capable of fulfilling much of the need for consistent, low-cost monitoring of changes due to climate and biological factors in western forest regrowth following stand-replacing disturbances.

What is behind smoker support for new smokefree areas? National survey data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wilson Nick

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Some countries have started to extend indoor smokefree laws to cover cars and various outdoor settings. However, policy-modifiable factors around smoker support for these new laws are not well described. Methods The New Zealand (NZ arm of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Survey (ITC Project derives its sample from the NZ Health Survey (a national sample. From this sample we surveyed adult smokers (n = 1376. Results For the six settings considered, 59% of smokers supported at least three new completely smokefree areas. Only 2% favoured smoking being allowed in all the six new settings. Support among Maori, Pacific and Asian smokers relative to European smokers was elevated in multivariate analyses, but confidence intervals often included 1.0. Also in the multivariate analyses, "strong support" by smokers for new smokefree area laws was associated with greater knowledge of the second-hand smoke (SHS hazard, and with behaviours to reduce SHS exposure towards others. Strong support was also associated with reporting having smokefree cars (aOR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.21 - 2.34; and support for tobacco control regulatory measures by government (aOR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.32 - 2.01. There was also stronger support by smokers with a form of financial stress (not spending on household essentials. Conclusions Smokers from a range of population groups can show majority support for new outdoor and smokefree car laws. Some of these findings are consistent with the use of public health strategies to support new smokefree laws, such as enhancing public knowledge of the second-hand smoke hazard.

Mycotoxicogenic fungal inhibition by innovative cheese cover with aromatic plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Moro, Armando; Librán, Celia M; Berruga, M Isabel; Zalacain, Amaya; Carmona, Manuel

2013-03-30

The use of aromatic plants and their extracts with antimicrobial properties may be compromised in the case of cheese, as some type of fungal starter is needed during its production. Penicillium verrucosum is considered a common cheese spoiler. The aim of this study was to evaluate the innovative use of certain aromatic plants as natural cheese covers in order to prevent mycotoxicogenic fungal growth (P. verrucosum). A collection of 12 essential oils (EOs) was obtained from various aromatic plants by solvent-free microwave extraction technology, and volatile characterisation of the EOs was carried out by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The most effective EOs against P. verrucosum were obtained from Anethum graveolens, Hyssopus officinalis and Chamaemelum nobile, yielding 50% inhibition of fungal growth at concentration values lower than 0.02 µL mL⁻¹. All EOs showed high volatile heterogeneity, with α-phellandrene, pinocamphone, isopinocamphone, α-pinene, camphene, 1,8-cineole, carvacrol and trans-anethole being found to be statistically significant in the antifungal model. The use of these aromatic plants as natural covers on cheese can satisfactorily inhibit the growth of some mycotoxicogenic fungal spoilers. Among the volatile compounds present, α- and β-phellandrene were confirmed as the most relevant in the inhibition. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

Finite cover method with mortar elements for elastoplasticity problems

Science.gov (United States)

Kurumatani, M.; Terada, K.

2005-06-01

Finite cover method (FCM) is extended to elastoplasticity problems. The FCM, which was originally developed under the name of manifold method, has recently been recognized as one of the generalized versions of finite element methods (FEM). Since the mesh for the FCM can be regular and squared regardless of the geometry of structures to be analyzed, structural analysts are released from a burdensome task of generating meshes conforming to physical boundaries. Numerical experiments are carried out to assess the performance of the FCM with such discretization in elastoplasticity problems. Particularly to achieve this accurately, the so-called mortar elements are introduced to impose displacement boundary conditions on the essential boundaries, and displacement compatibility conditions on material interfaces of two-phase materials or on joint surfaces between mutually incompatible meshes. The validity of the mortar approximation is also demonstrated in the elastic-plastic FCM.

Completion of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 1992–2001 Land Cover Change Retrofit product

Science.gov (United States)

Fry, J.A.; Coan, Michael; Homer, Collin G.; Meyer, Debra K.; Wickham, J.D.

2009-01-01

The Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium has supported the development of two national digital land cover products: the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) 1992 and National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 2001. Substantial differences in imagery, legends, and methods between these two land cover products must be overcome in order to support direct comparison. The NLCD 1992-2001 Land Cover Change Retrofit product was developed to provide more accurate and useful land cover change data than would be possible by direct comparison of NLCD 1992 and NLCD 2001. For the change analysis method to be both national in scale and timely, implementation required production across many Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) path/rows simultaneously. To meet these requirements, a hybrid change analysis process was developed to incorporate both post-classification comparison and specialized ratio differencing change analysis techniques. At a resolution of 30 meters, the completed NLCD 1992-2001 Land Cover Change Retrofit product contains unchanged pixels from the NLCD 2001 land cover dataset that have been cross-walked to a modified Anderson Level I class code, and changed pixels labeled with a 'from-to' class code. Analysis of the results for the conterminous United States indicated that about 3 percent of the land cover dataset changed between 1992 and 2001.

The HST/ACS Coma Cluster Survey : II. Data Description and Source Catalogs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hammer, Derek; Kleijn, Gijs Verdoes; Hoyos, Carlos; den Brok, Mark; Balcells, Marc; Ferguson, Henry C.; Goudfrooij, Paul; Carter, David; Guzman, Rafael; Peletier, Reynier F.; Smith, Russell J.; Graham, Alister W.; Trentham, Neil; Peng, Eric; Puzia, Thomas H.; Lucey, John R.; Jogee, Shardha; Aguerri, Alfonso L.; Batcheldor, Dan; Bridges, Terry J.; Chiboucas, Kristin; Davies, Jonathan I.; del Burgo, Carlos; Erwin, Peter; Hornschemeier, Ann; Hudson, Michael J.; Huxor, Avon; Jenkins, Leigh; Karick, Arna; Khosroshahi, Habib; Kourkchi, Ehsan; Komiyama, Yutaka; Lotz, Jennifer; Marzke, Ronald O.; Marinova, Irina; Matkovic, Ana; Merritt, David; Miller, Bryan W.; Miller, Neal A.; Mobasher, Bahram; Mouhcine, Mustapha; Okamura, Sadanori; Percival, Sue; Phillipps, Steven; Poggianti, Bianca M.; Price, James; Sharples, Ray M.; Tully, R. Brent; Valentijn, Edwin

The Coma cluster, Abell 1656, was the target of an HST-ACS Treasury program designed for deep imaging in the F475W and F814W passbands. Although our survey was interrupted by the ACS instrument failure in early 2007, the partially completed survey still covers ~50% of the core high-density region in

Linking the Observation of Essential Variables to Societal Benefits

Science.gov (United States)

Sylak-Glassman, E.

2017-12-01

Different scientific communities have established sets of commonly agreed upon essential variables to help coordinate data collection in a variety of Earth observation areas. As an example, the World Meteorological Organization Global Climate Observing System has identified 50 Essential Climate Variables (ECVs), such as sea-surface temperature and carbon dioxide, which are required to monitoring the climate and detect and attribute climate change. In addition to supporting climate science, measuring these ECVs deliver many types of societal benefits, ranging from disaster mitigation to agricultural productivity to human health. While communicating the value in maintaining and improving observational records for these variables has been a challenge, quantifying how the measurement of these ECVs results in the delivery of many different societal benefits may help support their continued measurement. The 2016 National Earth Observation Assessment (EOA 2016) quantified the impact of individual Earth observation systems, sensors, networks, and surveys (or Earth observation systems, for short) on the achievement of 217 Federal objectives in 13 societal benefit areas (SBAs). This study will demonstrate the use of the EOA 2016 dataset to show the different Federal objectives and SBAs that are impacted by the Earth observation systems used to measure ECVs. Describing how the measurements from these Earth observation systems are used not only to maintain the climate record but also to meet additional Federal objectives may help articulate the continued measurement of the ECVs. This study will act as a pilot for the use of the EOA 2016 dataset to map between the measurements required to observe additional sets of variables, such as the Essential Ocean Variables and Essential Biodiversity Variables, and the ability to achieve a variety of societal benefits.

Benthic percent cover derived from analysis of benthic images collected at coral reef sites in Timor-Leste in 2013 and 2014

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The benthic cover data described here result from benthic photo-quadrat surveys conducted by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) in hard bottom shallow...

Application of spectrometer cropscan MSR 16R and Landsat imagery for identification the spectral characteristics of land cover

Science.gov (United States)

Tampubolon, Togi; Abdullah, Khiruddin bin; San, Lim Hwee

2013-09-01

The spectral characteristics of land cover are basic references in classifying satellite image for geophysics analysis. It can be obtained from the measurements using spectrometer and satellite image processing. The aims of this study to investigate the spectral characteristics of land cover based on the results of measurement using Spectrometer Cropscan MSR 16R and Landsat satellite imagery. The area of study in this research is in Medan, (Deli Serdang, North Sumatera) Indonesia. The scope of this study is the basic survey from the measurements of spectral land cover which is covered several type of land such as a cultivated and managed terrestrial areas, natural and semi-natural, cultivated aquatic or regularly flooded areas, natural and semi-natural aquatic, artificial surfaces and associated areas, bare areas, artificial waterbodies and natural waterbodies. The measurement and verification were conducted using a spectrometer provided their spectral characteristics and Landsat imagery, respectively. The results of the spectral characteristics of land cover shows that each type of land cover have a unique characteristic. The correlation of spectral land cover based on spectrometer Cropscan MSR 16R and Landsat satellite image are above 90 %. However, the land cover of artificial waterbodiese have a correlation under 40 %. That is because the measurement of spectrometer Cropscan MSR 16R and acquisition of Landsat satellite imagery has a time different.

Geological and Structural Inferences from Satellite Images in Parts of Deccan basalt covered regions of Central India

Science.gov (United States)

Harinarayana, Tirumalachetty; Borra, Veeraiah; Basava, Sharana; Suryabali, Singh

In search of new areas for hydrocarbon exploration, integrated ground geophysical studies have been taken up in Central India with seismic, magnetotellurics, deep resistivity and gravity surveys. Since the region is covered with basalt and well known for its intensive tectonic activity, remote sensing method seems to have value addition to the subsurface information derived from geophysical, geological and tectonic studies. The Narmada and Tapti rift zone and Deccan basalt covered regions of Central India, stems from its complexity. A Resourcesat-1 (IRS- P6) LISS-III satellite images covering an area of approximately 250,000 sq. km corresponding to the region in and around Baroda(Vadodara), Indore, Nandurbar, Khandwa, Akot, Nasik, Aurangabad, Pune and Latur in Central India was digitally processed and interpreted to present a schematic map of the geology and elucidate the structural fabric of the region. From our study, the disposition of the intensive dyke system, various faults and other lineaments in the region are delineated. Ground truth studies have shown good correlation with lineaments/dykes indicated in remote sensing studies and have revealed distinct ENE-WSW trending lineaments, dykes which are more prominent near the Narmada and Tapti river course. Evolution of these features with Deccan volcanism is discussed with available geochronological data set. These findings are significant in relation to structural data and form a part of the geo-structural database for ground surveys.

A survey of commercial frameworks for the Internet of Things

OpenAIRE

Derhamy, Hasan; Eliasson, Jens; Delsing, Jerker; Priller, Peter

2015-01-01

In 2011 Ericsson and Cisco estimated 50 billion Internet connected devices by 2020, encouraged by this industry is developing application frameworks to scale the Internet of Things. This paper presents a survey of commercial frameworks and platforms designed for developing and running Internet of Things applications. The survey covers frameworks supported by big players in the software and electronics industries. The frameworks are evaluated against criteria such as architectural approach, in...

Global Land Survey Impervious Mapping Project Web Site

Science.gov (United States)

DeColstoun, Eric Brown; Phillips, Jacqueline

2014-01-01

The Global Land Survey Impervious Mapping Project (GLS-IMP) aims to produce the first global maps of impervious cover at the 30m spatial resolution of Landsat. The project uses Global Land Survey (GLS) Landsat data as its base but incorporates training data generated from very high resolution commercial satellite data and using a Hierarchical segmentation program called Hseg. The web site contains general project information, a high level description of the science, examples of input and output data, as well as links to other relevant projects.

Utility FGD Survey, January--December 1989

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hance, S.L.; McKibben, R.S.; Jones, F.M. (IT Corp., Cincinnati, OH (United States))

1992-03-01

The Utility flue gas desulfurization (FGD) Survey report, which is generated by a computerized data base management system, represents a survey of operational and planned domestic utility flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems. It summarizes information contributed by the utility industry, system and equipment suppliers, system designers, research organizations, and regulatory agencies. The data cover system design, fuel characteristics, operating history, and actual system performance. Also included is a unit-by-unit discussion of problems and solutions associated with the boilers, scrubbers, and FGD systems. The development status (operational, under construction, or in the planning stages), system supplier, process, waste disposal practice, and regulatory class are tabulated alphabetically by utility company.

Automatic design of magazine covers

Science.gov (United States)

Jahanian, Ali; Liu, Jerry; Tretter, Daniel R.; Lin, Qian; Damera-Venkata, Niranjan; O'Brien-Strain, Eamonn; Lee, Seungyon; Fan, Jian; Allebach, Jan P.

2012-03-01

In this paper, we propose a system for automatic design of magazine covers that quantifies a number of concepts from art and aesthetics. Our solution to automatic design of this type of media has been shaped by input from professional designers, magazine art directors and editorial boards, and journalists. Consequently, a number of principles in design and rules in designing magazine covers are delineated. Several techniques are derived and employed in order to quantify and implement these principles and rules in the format of a software framework. At this stage, our framework divides the task of design into three main modules: layout of magazine cover elements, choice of color for masthead and cover lines, and typography of cover lines. Feedback from professional designers on our designs suggests that our results are congruent with their intuition.

Evaluation of Piper aduncum Linn. Essential Oil (Fam:Piperaceae against Periplaneta americana(L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I Ling A

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Background: The efficacy of Piper aduncum essential oil was evaluated against Periplaneta americana adults and nymphs in the laboratory."nMethods: The plant essential oil at varying concentrations ranging between 10,000 to 80,000 ppm were placed inside glass beakers, rolled horizontally to ensure the essential oil covers all sides of the beakers and exposed to adults and nymphs of P. americana. Resigen (R 1ppm was used as positive control and distilled water as negative control. The LT50 and LT90 was obtained using Log Probit programme."nResults: Exposure of essential oil to females P. americana at concentrations between 10,000 to 80,000 ppm indicated the LT50 and LT90 values between 5.31 h-189.19 h and 14.90 h-2105.31 h, respectively. Treatment with the same con­centrations against males P. americana ,the LT50 and LT90 were 2.08 h-181.73 h and 5.4 h-8460.51 h, respectively. Treatment against the nymphal stage with the same range of concentrations indicated the LT50 and LT 90 of 4.68 h-381.02 h and 28.71 h-5313.36 h, respectively.The nymphs and males were more susceptible than the females cock­roaches. Treatment with Resigen (R at 1ppm indicated much lower LT 50 and LT 90 values of 2.54 h-9.47 h for the fe­males, 1.47 h-4.22 h for the males and 4.69 h-8.92 h for the nymphs.The negative control indicated no mortality for all stages of the cockroach."nConclusion: Piper aduncum essential oil can be used as an alternative natural product for controlling the cockroach Peri­patetic americana. "nKeywords: Piper aduncum essential oil, Periplaneta americana, Adults, Nymphs

levels of essential and non-essential metals in ethiopian ouzo

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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Key words/phrases: Alcoholic beverage, Ethiopia, essential metal, non-essential metal, ouzo. * Author to whom all correspondence should ... ing the attention of scientists and policy makers as a vital part of food security strategies and ... Canadian Government indicated that it had detected ethyl carbamate, C3H7NO2, which ...

The assessment of data mining algorithms for modelling Savannah woody cover using multi-frequency (X-, C- and L-band) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) datasets

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Naidoo, L

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The woody component in African Savannahs provides essential ecosystem services such as fuel wood and construction timber to large populations of rural communities. Woody canopy cover (i.e. the percentage area occupied by woody canopy or CC) is a key...

Surveying Adult Education Practitioners about Ethical Issues.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Kimberly S.; Wood, George S., Jr.

1993-01-01

An Indiana survey of 113 of 248 adult basic educators, 113 of 117 trainers, and 23 of 29 continuing educators identified ethical dilemmas they face. Fifty-two percent believed a code of ethics should be created and enforced by professional associations, covering broad issues. Those who had experience with codes were positive about them. (SK)

Do cover crop mixtures have the same ability to suppress weeds as competitive monoculture cover crops?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brust, Jochen

2014-02-01

Full Text Available An increasing number of farmers use cover crop mixtures instead of monoculture cover crops to improve soil and crop quality. However, only little information is available about the weed suppression ability of cover crop mixtures. Therefore, two field experiments were conducted in Baden-Württemberg between 2010 and 2012, to compare growth and weed suppression of monoculture cover crops and cover crop mixtures. In the first experiment, heterogeneous results between yellow mustard and the cover crop mixture occurred. For further research, a field experiment was conducted in 2012 to compare monocultures of yellow mustard and hemp with three cover crop mixtures. The evaluated mixtures were: “MELO”: for soil melioration; “BETA”: includes only plant species with no close relation to main cash crops in Central Europe and “GPS”: for usage as energy substrate in spring. Yellow mustard, MELO, BETA and GPS covered 90% of the soil in less than 42 days and were able to reduce photosynthetically active radiation (PAR on soil surface by more than 96% after 52 days. Hemp covered 90% of the soil after 47 days and reduced PAR by 91% after 52 days. Eight weeks after planting, only BETA showed similar growth to yellow mustard which produced the highest dry matter. The GPS mixture had comparatively poor growth, while MELO produced similar dry matter to hemp. Yellow mustard, MELO and BETA reduced weed growth by 96% compared with a no cover crop control, while hemp and GPS reduced weeds by 85% and 79%. In spring, weed dry matter was reduced by more than 94% in plots with yellow mustard and all mixtures, while in hemp plots weeds were only reduced by 71%. The results suggest that the tested cover crop mixtures offer similar weed suppression ability until spring as the monoculture of the competitive yellow mustard.

Pilot information needs survey regarding climate relevant technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Berkel, R.; Van Roekel, A.

1997-02-01

The objective of this pilot survey was to arrive at a preliminary understanding of the initial technology and technology information needs in non-Annex II countries in order to support international efforts to facilitate the transfer of technologies and know-how conducive to mitigating and adapting to climate change. The study encompassed two main components, i.e. the development of a survey instrument and the execution of a pilot survey among selected non-Annex II countries. The survey instrument addresses the present status of enabling activities; technology and technology information needs; and issues related to information supply and accessibility. The survey was distributed to national focal points in 20 non-Annex II countries and to at least 35 other stakeholders in five of these non-Annex II countries. A total of 27 completed questionnaires were received, covering 10 non-Annex II countries. 3 refs

A micro-controller based wide range survey meter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhingare, R.R.; Bajaj, K.C.; Kannan, S.

2004-01-01

Wide range survey meters (1μSv/h -10 Sv/h) with the detector(s) mounted at the end of a two-to-four meter-long extendable tube are widely used for radiation protection survey of difficult to reach locations and high dose rate areas, The commercially available survey meters of this type use two GM counters to cover a wide range of dose rate measurement. A new micro-controller based wide range survey meter using two Si diode detectors has been developed. The use of solid state detectors in the survey meter has a number of advantages like low power consumption, lighter battery powered detector probe, elimination of high voltage for the operation of the detectors, etc. The design uses infrared communication between the probe and the readout unit through a light-weight collapsible extension tube for high reliability. The design details and features are discussed in detail. (author)

Pilot information needs survey regarding climate relevant technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Berkel, R.; Van Roekel, A.

1997-02-01

The objective of this pilot survey was to arrive at a preliminary understanding of the initial technology and technology information needs in non-Annex II countries in order to support international efforts to facilitate the transfer of technologies and know-how conducive to mitigating and adapting to climate change. The study encompassed two main components, i.e. the development of a survey instrument and the execution of a pilot survey among selected non-Annex II countries. The survey instrument addresses the present status of enabling activities; technology and technology information needs; and issues related to information supply and accessibility. The survey was distributed to national focal points in 20 non-Annex II countries and to at least 35 other stakeholders in five of these non-Annex II countries. A total of 27 completed questionnaires were received, covering 10 non-Annex II countries. 3 refs.

Land cover variation and West Nile virus prevalence: Patterns, processes, and implications for disease control

Science.gov (United States)

Ezenwa, V.O.; Milheim, L.E.; Coffey, M.F.; Godsey, M.S.; King, R.J.; Guptill, S.C.

2007-01-01

Identifying links between environmental variables and infectious disease risk is essential to understanding how human-induced environmental changes will effect the dynamics of human and wildlife diseases. Although land cover change has often been tied to spatial variation in disease occurrence, the underlying factors driving the correlations are often unknown, limiting the applicability of these results for disease prevention and control. In this study, we described associations between land cover composition and West Nile virus (WNV) infection prevalence, and investigated three potential processes accounting for observed patterns: (1) variation in vector density; (2) variation in amplification host abundance; and (3) variation in host community composition. Interestingly, we found that WNV infection rates among Culex mosquitoes declined with increasing wetland cover, but wetland area was not significantly associated with either vector density or amplification host abundance. By contrast, wetland area was strongly correlated with host community composition, and model comparisons suggested that this factor accounted, at least partially, for the observed effect of wetland area on WNV infection risk. Our results suggest that preserving large wetland areas, and by extension, intact wetland bird communities, may represent a valuable ecosystem-based approach for controlling WNV outbreaks. ?? Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Gainesville's urban forest canopy cover

Science.gov (United States)

Francisco Escobedo; Jennifer A. Seitz; Wayne Zipperer

2009-01-01

Ecosystem benefits from trees are linked directly to the amount of healthy urban forest canopy cover. Urban forest cover is dynamic and changes over time due to factors such as urban development, windstorms, tree removals, and growth. The amount of a city's canopy cover depends on its land use, climate, and people's preferences. This fact sheet examines how...

Using a Calendar and Explanatory Instructions to Aid Within-Household Selection in Mail Surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Stange, Mathew; Smyth, Jolene D.; Olson, Kristen

2016-01-01

Although researchers can easily select probability samples of addresses using the U.S. Postal Service's Delivery Sequence File, randomly selecting respondents within households for surveys remains challenging. Researchers often place within-household selection instructions, such as the next or last birthday methods, in survey cover letters to…

ASSESSMENT OF VEGETATION COVER ON SODA WASTE DISPOSAL SITE AT JANIKOWO, FOLLOWING 13-YEAR-LONG RECLAMATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazimierz Henryk Dyguś

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The results are presented of vegetation survey on the alkaline and saline soda waste disposal site at Janikowo Soda Plant near Toruń (central Poland. The site was subject to reclamation using diverse techniques including sewage sludge and ash, starting from the year 2000 onwards. The survey was made to evaluate the status of plant succession as well as stability and diversity of vegetation cover. The vegetation was inventoried using the cover-frequency method, on a 10 x 10 m quadrat samples randomly distributed over the reclaimed area. Communities were classified using the Central-European approach by Braun-Blanquet (1964. In 2013, the vegetation was well established and provided a dense cover of the substrate. 108 plant species were found compared to some 5–8 plants which arrived spontaneously until the year 2000. Species richness increased 15 fold since the year when reclamation started. Species of graminoid and Asteraceae families prevailed in most patches of local vegetation. The vegetation cover on sites treated with a mixt of power plant ash and sewage sludge was less stable and less diverse than that on sites where sewage sludge only was applied. Annuals and biennials dominated in the vegetation on ash grounds while more competitive perennials prevailed on sewage sludge substrates. On the latter substrates there develop plant communities classified as an association of smooth meadow grass and common yarrow Poa pratensis-Achillea millefolium, whose species combination closely resembles that of seminatural fresh meadows. On the ash grounds, a variety of associations of ruderal plants were found with dominating Loesel mustard and common mugwort Sisymbrium loeselii-Artemisia vulgaris. Phytoindicatory methods using Ellenberg values have shown that waste substrates contained increased salt concentrations, however, there was no indication of increased heavy metal contents, as no plants tolerating excessive amounts of heavy metals were

Internet Safety and Security Surveys - A Review

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sharp, Robin

This report gives a review of investigations into Internet safety and security over the last 10 years. The review covers a number of surveys of Internet usage, of Internet security in general, and of Internet users' awareness of issues related to safety and security. The focus and approach...... of the various surveys is considered, and is related to more general proposals for investigating the issues involved. A variety of proposals for how to improve levels of Internet safety and security are also described, and they are reviewed in the light of studies of motivational factors which affect the degree...

Levels of essential and non-essential metals in Rhamnus prinoides ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The objective of this study was to assess the levels of essential and toxic metals in leaf and stem of Rhamnus prinoides which are used for bitterness of local alcoholic beverages in Ethiopia and as traditional medicine in some African countries. Levels of essential metals (Ca, Mg, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn) and toxic ...

Classical tandem-source dwelling covering the entire uterus. Essential in modern intracavitary radiotherapy for cervical cancer?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohara, Kiyoshi; Nemoto, Keiko; Ohnishi, Kayoko; Hashimoto, Takayuki; Fukumitsu, Nobuyoshi; Hata, Masaharu; Sugahara, Shinji; Tokuuye, Koichi; Akine, Yasuyuki

2007-01-01

We investigated whether conventional tandem-source dwelling to cover the entire uterus, classically regarded as the target volume, is necessary in modem intracavitary radiotherapy (ICRT) for cervical cancer. The study included 95 cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients treated by high-dose-rate ICRT (point A dose was 6.0 Gy, with three to five insertions per patient) after external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), with central pelvic doses of 12-50 Gy. The tandem-source dwell length was adjusted to the target volume specified by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. A tandem applicator was inserted as far as the uterine fundus in accordance with the post-EBRT MR-assessed cavity length. The pre-EBRT MR-specified target volume was used for the dwell-length adjustment. The safety of the dwell-length adjustment was assessed in terms of treatment failure. The dwell-length adjustment was made in 248 of 366 total insertions with a dwell-length reduction of 5-55 mm (median 15 mm) at the corpus. Pelvic failure was identified in 22 patients with a 2-year pelvic disease-free survival rate of 75.6% but without evidence of failure at dwelling-skipped corpuses. Given after pelvic EBRT and ICRT of full-length dwelling in part, which may have eradicated possible subclinical extension, adjustment of the tandem-source dwell length to the MR-specified target volume appeared to be safe. (author)

Estonian soil classification as a tool for recording information on soil cover and its matching with local site types, plant covers and humus forms classifications

Science.gov (United States)

Kõlli, Raimo; Tõnutare, Tõnu; Rannik, Kaire; Krebstein, Kadri

2015-04-01

Estonian soil classification (ESC) has been used successfully during more than half of century in soil survey, teaching of soil science, generalization of soil databases, arrangement of soils sustainable management and others. The Estonian normally developed (postlithogenic) mineral soils (form 72.4% from total area) are characterized by mean of genetic-functional schema, where the pedo-ecological position of soils (ie. location among other soils) is given by means of three scalars: (i) 8 stage lithic-genetic scalar (from rendzina to podzols) separates soils each from other by parent material, lithic properties, calcareousness, character of soil processes and others, (ii) 6 stage moisture and aeration conditions scalar (from aridic or well aerated to permanently wet or reductic conditions), and (iii) 2-3 stage soil development scalar, which characterizes the intensity of soil forming processes (accumulation of humus, podzolization). The organic soils pedo-ecological schema, which links with histic postlithogenic soils, is elaborated for characterizing of peatlands superficial mantle (form 23.7% from whole soil cover). The position each peat soil species among others on this organic (peat) soil matrix schema is determined by mean of 3 scalars: (i) peat thickness, (ii) type of paludification or peat forming peculiarities, and (iii) stage of peat decomposition or peat type. On the matrix of abnormally developed (synlithogenic) soils (all together 3.9%) the soil species are positioned (i) by proceeding in actual time geological processes as erosion, fluvial processes (at vicinity of rivers, lakes or sea) or transforming by anthropogenic and technological processes, and (ii) by 7 stage moisture conditions (from aridic to subaqual) of soils. The most important functions of soil cover are: (i) being a suitable environment for plant productivity; (ii) forming adequate conditions for decomposition, transformation and conversion of falling litter (characterized by humus

Vegetation survey: a new focus for Applied Vegetation Science

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chytry, M.; Schaminee, J.H.J.; Schwabe, A.

2011-01-01

Vegetation survey is an important research agenda in vegetation science. It defines vegetation types and helps understand differences among them, which is essential for both basic ecological research and applications in biodiversity conservation and environmental monitoring. In this editorial, we

Climate under cover

CERN Document Server

Takakura, Tadashi

2002-01-01

1.1. INTRODUCTION Plastic covering, either framed or floating, is now used worldwide to protect crops from unfavorable growing conditions, such as severe weather and insects and birds. Protected cultivation in the broad sense, including mulching, has been widely spread by the innovation of plastic films. Paper, straw, and glass were the main materials used before the era of plastics. Utilization of plastics in agriculture started in the developed countries and is now spreading to the developing countries. Early utilization of plastic was in cold regions, and plastic was mainly used for protection from the cold. Now plastic is used also for protection from wind, insects and diseases. The use of covering techniques started with a simple system such as mulching, then row covers and small tunnels were developed, and finally plastic houses. Floating mulch was an exception to this sequence: it was introduced rather recently, although it is a simple structure. New development of functional and inexpensive films trig...

Alternative cover design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-11-01

The special study on Alternative Cover Designs is one of several studies initiated by the US Department of Energy (DOE) in response to the proposed US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) groundwater standards. The objective of this study is to investigate the possibility of minimizing the infiltration of precipitation through stabilized tailings piles by altering the standard design of covers currently used on the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project. Prior. to the issuance of the proposed standards, UMTRA Project piles had common design elements to meet the required criteria, the most important of which were for radon diffusion, long-term stability, erosion protection, and groundwater protection. The standard pile covers consisted of three distinct layers. From top to bottom they were: rock for erosion protection; a sand bedding layer; and the radon barrier, usually consisting of a clayey sand material, which also functioned to limit infiltration into the tailings. The piles generally had topslopes from 2 to 4 percent and sideslopes of 20 percent

U.S. Geological Survey flies high for now

Science.gov (United States)

Clinton is asking Congress to keep the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) alive and well in FY 1996. With a proposed 2.6% increase to $586 million, the Clinton request flies in the face of the Republican Contract with America that calls for abolishing the survey.Indeed, Clinton has made it clear that the onus will be on Congress if it wants to make major cuts at USGS. As Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt puts it: “Good science is essential to good management.”

Special study on vegetative covers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-11-01

This report describes the findings of a special study on the use of vegetative covers to stabilize tailings piles for the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project. The principal rationale for using plants would be to establish a dynamic system for controlling water balance. Specifically, vegetation would be used to intercept and transpire precipitation to the atmosphere, rather than allowing water to drain into the tailings and mobilize contaminants. This would facilitate compliance with groundwater standards proposed for the UMTRA Project by the Environmental Protection Agency. The goals of the study were to evaluate the feasibility of using vegetative covers on UMTRA Project piles, define the advantages and disadvantages of vegetative covers, and develop general guidelines for their use when such use seems reasonable. The principal method for the study was to analyze and apply to the UMTRA Project the results of research programs on vegetative covers at other US Department of Energy (DOE) waste management facilities. The study also relied upon observations made of existing stabilized piles at UMTRA Project sites where natural vegetation is growing on the rock-covered surfaces. Water balance and erosion models were also used to quantify the long-term performance of vegetative covers planned for the topslopes of stabilized piles at Grand Junction and Durango, Colorado, two UMTRA Project sites where the decision was made during the course of this special study to use vegetative covers. Elements in the design and construction of the vegetative covers at these two sites are discussed in the report, with explanations of the differing features that reflect differing environmental conditions. 28 refs., 18 figs., 9 tabs

The Effects of Organic Manures, Soil Cover and Drying Temperature on Some Growth and Phytochemical Characteristics of Calendula officinalis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lamia Vojodi Mehrabani

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Two separate experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of some pre and post -harvest treatments on growth characteristics of Calendula officinalis. The first experiment as RCBD with three replication studied the effects of organic fertilizers as vermicompost, cow and poultry manure with control plus soil cover (plastic white and black. Organic manure application +mulch had positive effects on flower fresh weight. The greatest amount for chlorophyll b content was recorded in vermicompost + black plastic cover. In the second experiment, the effects of nutrition with organic manure +soil cover and post-harvest flower drying temperature (natural drying in shade condition and oven drying at 40 and 60 0C as a factorial based on RCBD were evaluated. The highest methanolic extract amount and total anthocyanin content were recorded with vermicompost + black cover + natural drying. For essential oil content and carotenoids gross amount poultry manure + black cover and drying at 60 0C was the preferred treatments. The highest recorded data for total flavonoids was traced in vermicompot and cow manure with white cover at natural drying condition. For total phenolics content, cow manure + black cover at 40 0C used for drying was selected as the treatment of choice. Also, vermicompost+ black mulch and natural drying were nice treatment combinations for the highest total phenolics content. In total, all the treatment applied i.e. organic manures, soil covers and drying methods at varying levels and combinations had suitable effectiveness on the growth characteristics and phytochemicals content of Calendula officinalis.

The effect of using social pressure in cover letters to improve retention in a longitudinal health study: an embedded randomised controlled retention trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Cotterill, Sarah; Howells, Kelly; Rhodes, Sarah; Bower, Peter

2017-07-20

Retention of participants in cohort studies is important for validity. One way to promote retention is by sending a persuasive cover letter with surveys. The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a covering letter containing social pressure with a standard covering letter on retention in a health cohort study. Social pressure involves persuading people to behave in a certain way by the promise that their actions will be made know to others. We implemented a mild form of social pressure, where the recipient was told that information about whether they responded to the current survey would be noted by the research team and printed on future correspondence from the research team to the recipient. The design was an embedded randomised controlled retention trial, conducted between July 2015 and April 2016 in Salford, UK. Participants in the host health cohort study were eligible. They received either: (1) a covering letter with two consecutive surveys (sent six and twelve months after recruitment), containing a social pressure intervention; or (2) a matching letter without the social pressure text. The primary outcome was retention in the host study, defined as return of both surveys. Randomisation was computer-generated, with stratification by household size. Participants were blinded to group assignment. Researchers were blinded for outcome ascertainment. Adults (n = 4447) aged over 65 years, with a long-term condition and enrolled in the host study, were randomly allocated to receive a social pressure covering letter (n = 2223) or control (n = 2224). All 4447 participants were included in the analysis. Both questionnaires were returned by 1577 participants (71%) sent the social pressure letters and 1511 (68%) sent control letters, a risk difference of 3 percentage points (adjusted odds ratio = 1.16 (95% confidence interval = 1.02-1.33)). A mild form of social pressure made a small but significant improvement in retention of older adults in

Evaluation of burial ground soil covers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fenimore, J.W.

1976-11-01

Solid radioactive waste burial at the Savannah River Plant between 1955 and 1972 filled a 76-acre site. Burial operations then were shifted to an adjacent site, and a program was begun to develop a land cover that would: (1) minimize soil erosion; and (2) protect the buried waste from deep-rooted plants, since radionuclides can be recycled by uptake through root systems. In anticipation of the need for a suitable soil cover, five grass species were planted on 20 plots (4 plots of each species) at the burial ground (Facility 643-G) in 1969. The grass plots were planted for evaluation of viability, root depth, and erosion protection existing under conditions of low fertility and minimum care. In addition, 16 different artificial soil covers were installed on 32 plots (each cover on two plots) to evaluate: (1) resistance of cover to deterioration from weathering; (2) resistance of cover to encroachment by deep-rooted plants; and (3) soil erosion protection provided by the cover. All test plots were observed and photographed in 1970 and in 1974. After both grass and artificial soil covers were tested five years, the following results were observed: Pensacola Bahia grass was the best of the five cover grasses tested; and fifteen of the sixteen artificial covers that were tested controlled vegetation growth and soil erosion. Photographs of the test plots will be retaken at five-year intervals for future documentation

Aerial radiological survey of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant and surrounding area, Diablo Canyon, California. Date of survey: September-October 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-03-01

An aerial radiological survey was conducted over the area surrounding the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in Diablo Canyon, California. The survey was conducted between 20 September and 3 October 1984. A series of flight lines parallel to the coastline were flown at an altitude of 91 meters (300 feet) and were spaced 152 meters (500 feet) apart. The survey covered an area of 250 square kilometers (100 square miles). The resulting background exposure rates over the survey area ranged from 5 to 21 microroentgens per hour (μR/h). The reported exposure rate values include an estimated cosmics ray contribution of 3.6 μR/h. Soil samples were also collected at several locations within the survey areas and analyzed in the laboratory for isotopic composition. The results of the survey showed only the presence of naturally occurring background radiation. No man-made radioactivity was detected. 4 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs

Essential Palatal Myoclonus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhuwan Raj Pandey

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Palatal myoclonus is a rare condition presenting with clicking sound in ear or muscle tremor in pharynx. There are two varieties: essential and symptomatic. Various treatment options exists ranging from watchful observation to botulinum toxin injection. We have not found any reported case of palatal myoclonus from our country. Here we present a case of essential palatal myoclonus managed with clonazepam. Case report: A young female presented in Ear Nose and Throat clinic with complain of auditory click and spontaneous rhythmic movement of throat muscles for eight months. On examination, there was involuntary, rhythmic contraction of bilateral soft-palate, uvula, and base of tongue. Neurological, eye, and peripheral examination were normal. A diagnosis of essential palatal myoclonus was made. It was managed successfully with clonazepam; patient was still on low dose clonazepam at the time of making this report. Conclusion: Essential palatal myoclonus can be clinically diagnosed and managed even in settings where MRI is not available or affordable.

Optimal shortening of uniform covering arrays.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose Torres-Jimenez

Full Text Available Software test suites based on the concept of interaction testing are very useful for testing software components in an economical way. Test suites of this kind may be created using mathematical objects called covering arrays. A covering array, denoted by CA(N; t, k, v, is an N × k array over [Formula: see text] with the property that every N × t sub-array covers all t-tuples of [Formula: see text] at least once. Covering arrays can be used to test systems in which failures occur as a result of interactions among components or subsystems. They are often used in areas such as hardware Trojan detection, software testing, and network design. Because system testing is expensive, it is critical to reduce the amount of testing required. This paper addresses the Optimal Shortening of Covering ARrays (OSCAR problem, an optimization problem whose objective is to construct, from an existing covering array matrix of uniform level, an array with dimensions of (N - δ × (k - Δ such that the number of missing t-tuples is minimized. Two applications of the OSCAR problem are (a to produce smaller covering arrays from larger ones and (b to obtain quasi-covering arrays (covering arrays in which the number of missing t-tuples is small to be used as input to a meta-heuristic algorithm that produces covering arrays. In addition, it is proven that the OSCAR problem is NP-complete, and twelve different algorithms are proposed to solve it. An experiment was performed on 62 problem instances, and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of solving the OSCAR problem to facilitate the construction of new covering arrays.

Study on essential and toxic elements intake from drinking of Chinese tea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hai-Qing Zhang; Bang-Fa Ni; Wei-Zhi Tian; Gui-Ying Zhang; Dong-Hui Huang; Cun-Xiong Liu; Cai-Jin Xiao; Hong-Chao Sun; Chang-Jun Zhao

2011-01-01

Twenty different brands of Chinese tea were analyzed for multiple trace elements, including some essential and toxic elements, by neutron activation analysis (NAA). A comparison among tea brands from China, India, US and other countries was made for the ranges and averages of concentrations for Na, K, Mn, Cu, and Br. It has been observed that the trace element contents in tea leaves are largely dependent upon the soil and the environment where the tea grows. Chinese tea is rich in Mn and Cu comparing with those of other counties surveyed, but is indigent in Na. The transference ratio for each element determined (i.e., the fraction of an element in tea leave transferred into solution when tea is leached by percolation) is also reported. Adult daily intakes of some essential and toxic elements from tea drinking were also estimated. (author)

Evaluation of Piper aduncum Linn. Essential Oil (Fam:Piperaceae) against Periplaneta americana (L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Ling A, I; Sulaiman, S; Othman, H

2009-01-01

The efficacy of Piper aduncum essential oil was evaluated against Periplaneta americana adults and nymphs in the laboratory. The plant essential oil at varying concentrations ranging between 10,000 to 80,000 ppm were placed inside glass beakers, rolled horizontally to ensure the essential oil covers all sides of the beakers and exposed to adults and nymphs of P. americana. Resigen (R) 1ppm was used as positive control and distilled water as negative control. The LT50 and LT90 was obtained using Log Probit programme. Exposure of essential oil to females P. americana at concentrations between 10,000 to 80,000 ppm indicated the LT50 and LT90 values between 5.31 h-189.19 h and 14.90 h-2105.31 h, respectively. Treatment with the same concentrations against males P. americana ,the LT50 and LT90 were 2.08 h-181.73 h and 5.4 h-8460.51 h, respectively. Treatment against the nymphal stage with the same range of concentrations indicated the LT50 and LT 90 of 4.68 h-381.02 h and 28.71 h-5313.36 h, respectively.The nymphs and males were more susceptible than the females cockroaches. Treatment with Resigen (R) at 1ppm indicated much lower LT 50 and LT 90 values of 2.54 h-9.47 h for the females, 1.47 h-4.22 h for the males and 4.69 h-8.92 h for the nymphs.The negative control indicated no mortality for all stages of the cockroach. Piper aduncum essential oil can be used as an alternative natural product for controlling the cockroach Peripatetic americana.

Environmental Survey preliminary report, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, Illinois

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-10-01

This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the US Department of Energy (DOE) Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), conducted September 14 through 25, 1987. The Survey is being conducted by an interdisciplinary team of environmental specialists led and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. Individual participants for the Survey team are being supplied by a private contractor. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with Fermilab. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. This phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations performed at Fermilab, and interviews with site personnel. 110 refs., 26 figs., 41 tabs

Environmental Survey preliminary report, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, Illinois

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1988-10-01

This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the US Department of Energy (DOE) Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), conducted September 14 through 25, 1987. The Survey is being conducted by an interdisciplinary team of environmental specialists led and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. Individual participants for the Survey team are being supplied by a private contractor. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with Fermilab. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. This phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations performed at Fermilab, and interviews with site personnel. 110 refs., 26 figs., 41 tabs.

Modelling energy and non-energy substitution: A brief survey of elasticities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frondel, Manuel

2011-01-01

Estimating the degree of substitution between energy and non-energy inputs is the key for any evaluation of environmental and energy policies. Yet, given the variety of substitution elasticities, the central question arises as to which measure would be most appropriate. Apparently, Allen's elasticities of substitution have been the most-used measures in applied production analysis. In line with , this paper argues that cross-price elasticities are preferable for many practical purposes. This conclusion is based on a survey of classical substitution measures, such as those from Allen, Morishima, and McFadden. The survey highlights the fact that cross-price elasticities are their essential ingredients. - Highlights: → Given the large variety of substitution elasticities, the central question arises as to which measure would be most appropriate. Apparently, Allen's elasticities of substitution have been the most-used measures in applied production analysis. → In line with , this paper argues that cross-price elasticities are preferable for many practical purposes. → This conclusion is based on a survey of classical substitution measures, such as those from Allen, Morishima, and McFadden. → The survey also highlights the fact that cross-price elasticities are their essential ingredients.

Soil erosion and runoff response in almond orchards under two shrub cover-crops strips in a high slope in semi-arid environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carceles-Rodriguez, B.; Francia-Martinez, J. R.; Martinez-Raya, A.; Duran-Zuazo, V. H.; Rodriguez-Pleguezuelo, C. R.; Casado-Mateos, J. P.

2009-01-01

Soil erosion is one of the main physical processes of land degradation in Spain. Several studies in the Mediterranean environment have demonstrated the positive effect of vegetation covers on the reduction of water erosion and their indirect improvement of the soil physical and chemical properties, essentially by the incorporation of organic matter. (Author)

Air sampling system for airborne surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jupiter, C.; Tipton, W.J.

1975-01-01

An air sampling system has been designed for installation on the Beechcraft King Air A-100 aircraft as a part of the Aerial Radiological Measuring System (ARMS). It is intended for both particle and whole gas sampling. The sampling probe is designed for isokinetic sampling and is mounted on a removable modified escape hatch cover, behind the co-pilot's seat, and extends about two feet forward of the hatch cover in the air stream lines. Directly behind the sampling probe inside the modified hatch cover is an expansion chamber, space for a 5-inch diameter filter paper cassette, and an optional four-stage cascade impactor for particle size distribution measurements. A pair of motors and blower pumps provide the necessary 0.5 atmosphere pressure across the type MSA 1106 B glass fiber filter paper to allow a flow rate of 50 cfm. The MSA 1106 B filter paper is designed to trap sub-micrometer particles with a high efficiency; it was chosen to enable a quantitative measurement of airborne radon daughters, one of the principal sources of background signals when radiological surveys are being performed. A venturi section and pressure gauges allow air flow rate measurements so that airborne contaminant concentrations may be quantified. A whole gas sampler capable of sampling a cubic meter of air is mounted inside the aircraft cabin. A nuclear counting system on board the aircraft provides capability for α, β and γ counting of filter paper samples. Design data are presented and types of survey missions which may be served by this system are described

Impact of plant cover on fitness and behavioural traits of captive red-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher J Michaels

Full Text Available Despite the importance of ex situ conservation programmes as highlighted in the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan, there are few empirical studies that examine the influence of captive conditions on the fitness of amphibians, even for basic components of enclosure design such as cover provision. Maintaining the fitness of captive amphibian populations is essential to the success of ex situ conservation projects. Here we examined the impact of plant cover on measures of fitness and behaviour in captive red-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas. We found significant effects of plant provision on body size, growth rates and cutaneous bacterial communities that together demonstrate a compelling fitness benefit from cover provision. We also demonstrate a strong behavioural preference for planted rather than non-planted areas. We also assessed the impact of plant provision on the abiotic environment in the enclosure as a potential driver of these behavioural and fitness effects. Together this data provides valuable information regarding enclosure design for a non-model amphibian species and has implications for amphibian populations maintained in captivity for conservation breeding programmes and research.

Survey of Tokamak experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bickerton, R.J.

1977-01-01

The survey covers the following topics:- Introduction and history of tokamak research; review of tokamak apparatus, existing and planned; remarks on measurement techniques and their limitations; main results in terms of electron and ion temperatures, plasma density, containment times, etc. Empirical scaling; range of operating densities; impurities, origin, behaviour and control (including divertors); data on fluctuations and instabilities in tokamak plasmas; data on disruptive instabilities; experiments on shaped cross-sections; present experimental evidence on β limits; auxiliary heating; experimental and theoretical problems for the future. (author)

Spatial and temporal analysis of land cover changes and water quality in the Lake Issaqueena watershed, South Carolina.

Science.gov (United States)

Pilgrim, C M; Mikhailova, E A; Post, C J; Hains, J J

2014-11-01

Monitoring changes in land cover and the subsequent environmental responses are essential for water quality assessment, natural resource planning, management, and policies. Over the last 75 years, the Lake Issaqueena watershed has experienced a drastic shift in land use. This study was conducted to examine the changes in land cover and the implied changes in land use that have occurred and their environmental, water quality impacts. Aerial photography of the watershed (1951, 1956, 1968, 1977, 1989, 1999, 2005, 2006, and 2009) was analyzed and classified using the geographic information system (GIS) software. Seven land cover classes were defined: evergreen, deciduous, bare ground, pasture/grassland, cultivated, and residential/other development. Water quality data, including sampling depth, water temperature, dissolved oxygen content, fecal coliform levels, inorganic nitrogen concentrations, and turbidity, were obtained from the South Carolina (SC) Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) for two stations and analyzed for trends as they relate to land cover change. From 1951 to 2009, the watershed experienced an increase of tree cover and bare ground (+17.4 % evergreen, +62.3 % deciduous, +9.8 % bare ground) and a decrease of pasture/grassland and cultivated land (-42.6 % pasture/grassland and -57.1 % cultivated). From 2005 to 2009, there was an increase of 21.5 % in residential/other development. Sampling depth ranged from 0.1 to 0.3 m. Water temperature fluctuated corresponding to changing air temperatures, and dissolved oxygen content fluctuated as a factor of water temperature. Inorganic nitrogen content was higher from December to April possibly due to application of fertilizers prior to the growing season. Turbidity and fecal coliform bacteria levels remained relatively the same from 1962 to 2005, but a slight decline in pH can be observed at both stations. Prior to 1938, the area consisted of single-crop cotton farms; after 1938, the

Discovery of Wolitu Pb-Zn deposit through geochemical prospecting under loess cover in Inner Mongolia, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan Yang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available We report the finding of the Wolitu Pb-Zn deposit in Inner Mongolia, China, through a series of geochemical surveys. The Wolitu area, located in the loess-cover area in the Hure Banner, Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia, and neighboring the Horqin Sandy Land to the north, had no previous history of Pb-Zn mining or record of Pb-Zn mineralization. Our study identified a large Pb-Zn anomaly with potential zones of mineralization by stream sediment survey. Random rock sampling reveals limonitization at sporadic outcrops in the gullies. The high concentrations of Pb in the residual debris provided guidelines to fix the position for exploratory trench. Oxidized concealed orebodies were identified by trenching. Blind orebodies in veins hosted within the structural zone between slates and marbles of the upper Carboniferous Shizuizi Formation and the Permian granite were discovered by drilling. It is computed that the ore reserve may reach up to 540,000 tones with Pb grade of 1.27% and Zn of 1.9%. This case study is an excellent example for identifying potential polymetallic deposits in loess covered terrains using geochemical exploration.

Symposium on cross national comparisons: Youth population surveys about child maltreatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helweg-Larsen, Karin; Larsen, Helmer Bøving

Cross National Comparisons: Youth Population Surveys About Child Maltreatment In this multi-session track, researchers will present the results concerning the epidemiology of child maltreatment from over one dozen general population surveys of youth, covering four continents and portions...... of the world where epidemiologic data has not been previously available. Organizers will request in advance that the presenters include some data in formats that can be compared across studies. In a final session, the organizers will lead a discussion about the challenges of national surveys and cross national...

Junior Radiologists' Forum (JRF): National trainee survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ilyas, S.; Beatie, A.; Pettet, G.; Kharay, A.; Hedayati, V.; Hameed, S.; McCleery, M.A.; Papadakos, N.; Chari, B.

2014-01-01

Aim: To gather information in order to highlight areas within training that could be improved and share ideas of good practice and, in addition, to compare national results with those of local training schemes. Materials and methods: A request to participate in the survey was emailed to 1158 radiology trainees across 36 UK training schemes in October 2012. The electronic replies were anonymous. The survey remained active for 6 weeks. The data were collated and analysed by members of the JRF. The survey itself was divided into seven sections, covering a diverse range of topics. Results: Six hundred and four trainees from 36 UK training schemes completed the survey, resulting in a response rate of 52%. - Highlights: • First Radiology specific national survey, written by trainees. • Training schemes can benchmark their performance against a national average. • Also can share areas of good practice; and highlight those that need improvement. • Summary of the results, highlighting the most pertinent findings from each section

[Snow cover pollution monitoring in Ufa].

Science.gov (United States)

Daukaev, R A; Suleĭmanov, R A

2008-01-01

The paper presents the results of examining the snow cover polluted with heavy metals in the large industrial town of Ufa. The level of man-caused burden on the snow cover of the conventional parts of the town was estimated and compared upon exposure to a wide range of snow cover pollutants. The priority snow cover pollutants were identified among the test heavy metals.

A Decade of Annual National Land Cover Products - the Cropland Data Layer

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, R.; Johnson, D. M.; Sandborn, A.; Willis, P.; Ebinger, L.; Yang, Z.; Seffrin, R.; Boryan, C. G.; Hardin, R.

2017-12-01

The Cropland Data Layer (CDL) is a national land cover product produced by the US Department of Agriculture/National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to assess planted crop acreage on an annual basis. The 2017 CDL product serves as the decadal anniversary for the mapping of conterminous US agriculture. The CDL is a supervised land cover classification derived from medium resolution Earth observing satellites that capture crop phenology throughout the growing season, leveraging confidentially held ground reference information from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) as training data. The CDL currently uses ancillary geospatial data from the US Geological Survey's National Land Cover Database (NLCD), and Imperviousness and Forest Canopy layers as well as the National Elevation Dataset as training for the non-agricultural domain. Accuracy assessments are documented and released annually with metadata publication. NASS is currently reprocessing the 2008 and 2009 CDL products to 30m resolution. They were originally processed and released at 56m based on the Resourcesat-1 AWiFS sensor. Additionally, best practices learned from processing the FSA ground reference data were applied to the historical training set, providing an enhanced classification at 30m. The release of these reprocessed products in the fall of 2017, along with the 2017 CDL annual product will be discussed and will complete a decade's worth of annual 30m products. Discussions of change and trend analytics as well as partnerships with key industry stakeholders will be displayed on the evolution and improvements made to this decadal geospatial crop specific land cover product.

Three Mile Island telephone survey: preliminary report on procedures and findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flynn, C.B.

1979-10-01

This report describes the methodology used in, and the results of, a telephone survey conducted in the vicinity of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. The survey is part of a study of the socioeconomic impacts of nuclear power plant construction and operation at Three Mile Island, and eleven other nuclear power plant sites. The survey covers the areas of evacuation behavior, information processing, short-term accident effects, continuing effects of the accident, and respondent's evaluation of TMI and nuclear power in general. Approximately 1500 households in the vicinity of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant participated in the survey, which was conducted in July and August 1979

Development of a digital land cover data base for the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge

Science.gov (United States)

Markon, Carl J.; Kirk, William

1994-01-01

Digital land cover and terrain data of the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge were produced by the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Earth Resources Observation Systems Alaska Field Office for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These and other environmental data were incorporated into a Fish and Wildlife Service geographic information system to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan and an environmental impact statement for the refuge and to assist in research and management of the refuge.

Essential Bacillus subtilis genes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kobayashi, K.; Ehrlich, S.D.; Albertini, A.

2003-01-01

To estimate the minimal gene set required to sustain bacterial life in nutritious conditions, we carried out a systematic inactivation of Bacillus subtilis genes. Among approximate to4,100 genes of the organism, only 192 were shown to be indispensable by this or previous work. Another 79 genes were...... predicted to be essential. The vast majority of essential genes were categorized in relatively few domains of cell metabolism, with about half involved in information processing, one-fifth involved in the synthesis of cell envelope and the determination of cell shape and division, and one-tenth related...... to cell energetics. Only 4% of essential genes encode unknown functions. Most essential genes are present throughout a wide range of Bacteria, and almost 70% can also be found in Archaea and Eucarya. However, essential genes related to cell envelope, shape, division, and respiration tend to be lost from...

AGN Populations in Large-volume X-Ray Surveys: Photometric Redshifts and Population Types Found in the Stripe 82X Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Ananna, Tonima Tasnin; Salvato, Mara; LaMassa, Stephanie; Urry, C. Megan; Cappelluti, Nico; Cardamone, Carolin; Civano, Francesca; Farrah, Duncan; Gilfanov, Marat; Glikman, Eilat; Hamilton, Mark; Kirkpatrick, Allison; Lanzuisi, Giorgio; Marchesi, Stefano; Merloni, Andrea; Nandra, Kirpal; Natarajan, Priyamvada; Richards, Gordon T.; Timlin, John

2017-11-01

Multiwavelength surveys covering large sky volumes are necessary to obtain an accurate census of rare objects such as high-luminosity and/or high-redshift active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Stripe 82X is a 31.3 X-ray survey with Chandra and XMM-Newton observations overlapping the legacy Sloan Digital Sky Survey Stripe 82 field, which has a rich investment of multiwavelength coverage from the ultraviolet to the radio. The wide-area nature of this survey presents new challenges for photometric redshifts for AGNs compared to previous work on narrow-deep fields because it probes different populations of objects that need to be identified and represented in the library of templates. Here we present an updated X-ray plus multiwavelength matched catalog, including Spitzer counterparts, and estimated photometric redshifts for 5961 (96% of a total of 6181) X-ray sources that have a normalized median absolute deviation, σnmad=0.06, and an outlier fraction, η = 13.7%. The populations found in this survey and the template libraries used for photometric redshifts provide important guiding principles for upcoming large-area surveys such as eROSITA and 3XMM (in X-ray) and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (optical).

Analyzing Land Use/Land Cover Changes Using Remote Sensing and GIS in Rize, North-East Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Selçuk

2008-10-01

Mapping land use/land cover (LULC) changes at regional scales is essential for a wide range of applications, including landslide, erosion, land planning, global warming etc. LULC alterations (based especially on human activities), negatively effect the patterns of climate, the patterns of natural hazard and socio-economic dynamics in global and local scale. In this study, LULC changes are investigated by using of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Rize, North-East Turkey. For this purpose, firstly supervised classification technique is applied to Landsat images acquired in 1976 and 2000. Image Classification of six reflective bands of two Landsat images is carried out by using maximum likelihood method with the aid of ground truth data obtained from aerial images dated 1973 and 2002. The second part focused on land use land cover changes by using change detection comparison (pixel by pixel). In third part of the study, the land cover changes are analyzed according to the topographic structure (slope and altitude) by using GIS functions. The results indicate that severe land cover changes have occurred in agricultural (36.2%) (especially in tea gardens), urban (117%), pasture (-72.8%) and forestry (-12.8%) areas has been experienced in the region between 1976 and 2000. It was seen that the LULC changes were mostly occurred in coastal areas and in areas having low slope values.

Analyzing Land Use/Land Cover Changes Using Remote Sensing and GIS in Rize, North-East Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Selçuk Reis

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Mapping land use/land cover (LULC changes at regional scales is essential for a wide range of applications, including landslide, erosion, land planning, global warming etc. LULC alterations (based especially on human activities, negatively effect the patterns of climate, the patterns of natural hazard and socio-economic dynamics in global and local scale. In this study, LULC changes are investigated by using of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS in Rize, North-East Turkey. For this purpose, firstly supervised classification technique is applied to Landsat images acquired in 1976 and 2000. Image Classification of six reflective bands of two Landsat images is carried out by using maximum likelihood method with the aid of ground truth data obtained from aerial images dated 1973 and 2002. The second part focused on land use land cover changes by using change detection comparison (pixel by pixel. In third part of the study, the land cover changes are analyzed according to the topographic structure (slope and altitude by using GIS functions. The results indicate that severe land cover changes have occurred in agricultural (36.2% (especially in tea gardens, urban (117%, pasture (-72.8% and forestry (-12.8% areas has been experienced in the region between 1976 and 2000. It was seen that the LULC changes were mostly occurred in coastal areas and in areas having low slope values.

Evaluation of the structural health status of the covering of Villa dei Misteri in Pompeii

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carpani, B.

2015-01-01

'Villa dei Misteri' is one of the most visited monuments of the archaeological area of Pompeii. It is sited just outside the ancient city and takes its name from the superb frescoes cycle depicting ritual mysteries. The ancient masonry structures, dating from the 2. century B.C. to the Vesuvian eruption, are protected from weathering by modern roofs built in various materials (reinforced concrete, timber, steel). After the collapse, in the fall of 2012, of a decayed timber beam, the Suprintendence decided to carry out, in collaboration with ENEA, a detailed survey of all the covering structures to evaluate its health status and to assess the safety condition of the monument. This paper illustrates the research methodology developed, which is based on a multidisciplinary approach including historical research, geometrical and structural surveys, damage assessment based on both in situ and laboratory diagnostic test, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) remote sensing to inspect area and coverings not easy to reach in safe, and, as basis for seismic safety assessment, ambient vibration measurement to characterize the dynamic response of the soil and of the most relevant structural components of the 'Villa'. The preliminary results of the first stage of the diagnostic campaign are also presented.

Combinatorial aspects of covering arrays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles J. Colbourn

2004-11-01

Full Text Available Covering arrays generalize orthogonal arrays by requiring that t -tuples be covered, but not requiring that the appearance of t -tuples be balanced.Their uses in screening experiments has found application in software testing, hardware testing, and a variety of fields in which interactions among factors are to be identified. Here a combinatorial view of covering arrays is adopted, encompassing basic bounds, direct constructions, recursive constructions, algorithmic methods, and applications.

The Relationship Between the Scope of Essential Health Benefits and Statutory Financing: An International Comparison Across Eight European Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philip J. van der Wees

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background Both rising healthcare costs and the global financial crisis have fueled a search for policy tools in order to avoid unsustainable future financing of essential health benefits. The scope of essential health benefits (the range of services covered and depth of coverage (the proportion of costs of the covered benefits that is covered publicly are corresponding variables in determining the benefits package. We hypothesized that a more comprehensive health benefit package may increase user costsharing charges. Methods We conducted a desktop research study to assess the interrelationship between the scope of covered health benefits and the height of statutory spending in a sample of 8 European countries: Belgium, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Scotland, Sweden, and Switzerland. We conducted a targeted literature search to identify characteristics of the healthcare systems in our sample of countries. We analyzed similarities and differences based on the dimensions of publicly financed healthcare as published by the European Observatory on Health Care Systems. Results We found that the scope of services is comparable and comprehensive across our sample, with only marginal differences. Cost-sharing arrangements show the most variation. In general, we found no direct interrelationship in this sample between the ranges of services covered in the health benefits package and the height of public spending on healthcare. With regard to specific services (dental care, physical therapy, we found indications of an association between coverage of services and cost-sharing arrangements. Strong variations in the volume and price of healthcare services between the 8 countries were found for services with large practice variations. Conclusion Although reducing the scope of the benefit package as well as increasing user charges may contribute to the financial sustainability of healthcare, variations in the volume and price of care seem to have

Survey of particle codes in the Magnetic Fusion Energy Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-12-01

In the spring of 1976, the Fusion Plasma Theory Branch of the Division of Magnetic Fusion Energy conducted a survey of all the physics computer codes being supported at that time. The purpose of that survey was to allow DMFE to prepare a description of the codes for distribution to the plasma physics community. This document is the first of several planned and covers those types of codes which treat the plasma as a group of particles

Sample Archaeological Survey of Public Use Areas, Milford Lake, Kansas

Science.gov (United States)

1982-09-01

especially ceramics); Middle "" Mississippian, Middle Woodland and Central Plains archaeology ; the engineering and building technology of the Maya ...Sample Archaeological Survey of Public Use Areas -- 0C 0 awo (L" . .614 4.- -. 1?CNOV 1 40484 * , "n. O ji - 0" By Laura S. Schwiekhard Thn ’.iint haUs...RECIPIENT’S CATALOG NUMBER 4. TITLE (and Subtitle) 5. TYPE OF REPORT & PERIOD COVERED Milford Lake, Kansas Sample Archaeological Survey of Public Use

2007 Survey of Energy Resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-09-15

This WEC study is a unique comprehensive compilation of global energy resources. Complementing the BP Statistical Review and the World Energy Outlook, it details 16 key energy resources with the latest data provided by 96 WEC Member Committees worldwide. This highly regarded publication is an essential tool for governments, NGOs, industry, academia and the finance community. This 21st edition is the latest in a long series of reviews of the status of the world's major energy resources. It covers not only the fossil fuels but also the major types of traditional and novel sources of energy.

2007 Survey of Energy Resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-09-15

This WEC study is a unique comprehensive compilation of global energy resources. Complementing the BP Statistical Review and the World Energy Outlook, it details 16 key energy resources with the latest data provided by 96 WEC Member Committees worldwide. This highly regarded publication is an essential tool for governments, NGOs, industry, academia and the finance community. This 21st edition is the latest in a long series of reviews of the status of the world's major energy resources. It covers not only the fossil fuels but also the major types of traditional and novel sources of energy.

THE GBT 67–93.6 GHz SPECTRAL LINE SURVEY OF ORION-KL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frayer, D. T.; Maddalena, Ronald J.; Meijer, M.; Hough, L.; White, S.; Norrod, R.; Watts, G.; Stennes, M.; Simon, R.; Woody, D.; Whitehead, M.; Ford, P.; Mello, M.; Bloss, M.; Srikanth, S.; Pospieszalski, M.; Bryerton, E.

2015-01-01

We present a 67–93.6 GHz spectral line survey of Orion-KL with the new 4 mm Receiver on the Green Bank Telescope (GBT). The survey reaches unprecedented depths and covers the low-frequency end of the 3 mm atmospheric window which has been relatively unexplored previously. The entire spectral-line survey is published electronically for general use by the astronomical community. The calibration and performance of the 4 mm Receiver on the GBT is also summarized

Covered Biodegradable Stent: New Therapeutic Option for the Management of Esophageal Perforation or Anastomotic Leak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Černá, Marie; Köcher, Martin; Válek, Vlastimil; Aujeský, René; Neoral, Čestmír; Andrašina, Tomáš; Pánek, Jiří; Mahathmakanthi, Shankari

2011-01-01

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate our experience with the treatment of postoperative anastomotic leaks and benign esophageal perforations with covered biodegradable stents. Materials and Methods: From 2008 to 2010, we treated five men with either an anastomotic leak or benign esophageal perforation by implanting of covered biodegradable Ella-BD stents. The average age of the patients was 60 (range, 38–74) years. Postoperative anastomotic leaks were treated in four patients (1 after esophagectomy, 1 after resection of diverticulum, 2 after gastrectomy). In one patient, perforation occurred as a complication of the treatment of an esophageal rupture (which occurred during a balloon dilatation of benign stenosis) with a metallic stent. Results: Seven covered biodegradable stents were implanted in five patients. Primary technical success was 100%. Clinical success (leak sealing) was achieved in four of the five patients (80%). Stent migration occurred in three patients. In two of these patients, the leak had been sealed by the time of stent migration, therefore no reintervention was necessary. In one patient an additional stent had to be implanted. Conclusion: The use of biodegradable covered stents for the treatment of anastomotic leaks or esophageal perforations is technically feasible and safe. The initial results are promising; however, larger number of patients will be required to evaluate the capability of these biodegradable stents in the future. The use of biodegradable material for coverage of the stent is essential.

The contribution of Landsat 8 TIRS sensor data to the identification of plastic covered vineyards

Science.gov (United States)

Novelli, Antonio; Tarantino, Eufemia

2015-06-01

Plastic covering is a common practice in agricultural fields. From an agronomic point of view, plastic coverings offer many advantages against unfavourable growing conditions. This explains their widespread utilization with consequent positive impact on local economy. On the other hand, plasticulture raises both environmental and landscape issues. In the Apulia Region (Italy) the wide implementation of such practice generally relates to vineyard cultivation. Continuous vineyard protection has resulted in negative effects on the hydrogeological balance of soils, causing a deep modification of the traditional rural landscape and therefore affecting its quality. To guarantee both the protection of local economy as well as the preservation of local environment and landscape features, a detailed site mapping of the areas involved is necessary. Indeed, the quantification of this phenomenon is essential in the periodic updating of the existing land use database and in the development of local policies. In this study we evaluate the potential of the novel Thermal Infrared Sensor bands (TIRS) provided by the LANDSAT 8 mission in plasticulture discrimination. Using the evident anomaly retrieved in the study area on the Quality Assessment (QA) band, a fast procedure involving TIRS data was developed, proposing a new index (Plastic Surface Index- PSI) able to emphasize plasticulture. For the aim of this study, two different acquisition dates on a test area in the Apulia region (Italy) were analyzed, one in the growing season with high plastic covering density and one in the post-harvest period with low plastic cover density.

Integrative teaching in Radiology. A survey; Integrative Lehre in der Radiologie. Eine Bestandsaufnahme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dettmer, S.; Weidemann, J.; Wacker, F. [Hannover Medical School, Hannover (Germany). Inst. for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology; Fischer, V. [Hannover Medical School, Hannover (Germany). Office for Medical Education

2015-04-15

To survey integrative teaching in radiology at German universities. A questionnaire about radiological education was sent electronically to all 37 chairpersons of university radiology departments in Germany. The questions included the course type, teaching methods, concept, perception, and advantages and disadvantages of integrative teaching. Statistical analysis was performed with nonparametric statistics and chi-square test. The survey was considered representative with a return rate of 68%. Integrative teaching is established at 4/5 of all departments. Integrative teaching is well accepted with an acceptance rate that is significantly higher in so-called 'Modellstudiengaengen' (model courses of study) (100%) compared to conventional courses of study (72%). The advantages of integrative teaching include linking of content (92%) and preparation for interdisciplinary work (76%). The disadvantages include high effort (75%) and time (67%) for organization. Furthermore, there is a risk that basic radiological facts and knowledge cannot be conveyed and that the visibility of radiology as an independent discipline is lost. Conventional radiological teaching has a similarly high acceptance (84%) compared to integrative courses (76%). Integrative teaching has a high acceptance among chairpersons in radiology in Germany despite the greater effort. A good interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for integrative teaching and at the same time this can be conveyed to the students. However, the visibility of radiology as a discipline and the possibility to cover basic radiological content must be ensured. Therefore, both conventional courses and integrative teaching seems reasonable, especially in cross-disciplinary subjects such as radiology.

Research progress in airborne surveys of terrestrial gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burson, Z.G.

1974-01-01

Progress during the last few years in airborne surveys of terrestrial gamma radiation, i.e. in the measuring, recording, and interpreting of gamma ray signals in NaI(Tl) crystals, is discussed. Non-terrestrial background contributions have been accurately characterized. The feasibility of determining the water equivalent of snow cover by aerial survey techniques has been demonstrated. Repeat surveys over areas surrounding reactor sites can now be used to detect average differences of less than 1.0 μR/hr in terrestrial gamma radiation levels. New data acquisition and recording systems allow isotope concentrations and total inventories to be measured in spatial resolutions of a few hundred feet. Aerial survey data have been combined with population distribution data to obtain population exposure values from natural terrestrial gamma radiation around reactor sites

Survey Harmonisation with New Technologies Improvement (SHANTI)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kagerbauer, Martin

The transport sector is one of the major sources of global warming, both from individual travel behaviour (especially car use) and from freight transport (mainly by trucks). Mobility surveys, as well as data collections about travel behaviour, are essential to develop transportation policies...... and measures which encourage more environment-friendly transport modes. Data quality is a real challenge, mainly because response rates are declining and interviewees are more and more reluctant to respond to burdensome questionnaires. Furthermore, harmonized data are a must for authorities, but in Europe...... and positioning technologies including GPS/GALILEO, GSM and Radio Data System (RDS) have advanced rapidly and their costs are decreasing. They demonstrate great potential as survey instruments for tracking individual mobility and travel behaviour as well as freight movements, by enabling to conduct surveys along...

Monographs for medicines on WHO's Model List of Essential Medicines.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Lukas; Adler, Melissa; Jain, Tanvi; Bempong, Daniel

2018-06-01

To raise awareness about the importance of public pharmaceutical standards, identify if and, if so, where current pharmacopeias are falling short in the development of new and complete monographs and foster collaboration among the various pharmacopeias, to prioritize, develop and make available standards for those key medicines for which no complete monographs exist. In August 2017, we mined eight pharmacopeias to identify which of the 669 medicines in the 20th edition of the World Health Organization's Model List of Essential Medicines were covered by complete or incomplete monographs. The pharmacopeias we included were the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia, the British Pharmacopoeia, the Indian Pharmacopeia Commission, the International Pharmacopoeia, the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, the Mexican Pharmacopoeia, the Pharmacopeia of the People's Republic of China and the United States Pharmacopeia. For 99 (15%) of the medicines on the Model List, no monographs were available in any of the eight pharmacopeias investigated. Only 3% (1/30) of the cardiovascular medicines listed, but 28% (9/32) of the antiretroviral medicines and 23% (6/26) of the antimalarial medicines lacked monographs. There appear to be no public standards for many so-called essential medicines. To address this shortfall, a greater collaboration in the global health community is needed.

Mapping decadal land cover changes in the woodlands of north eastern Namibia using the Landsat satellite archive (1975-2014)

Science.gov (United States)

Wingate, Vladimir; Phinn, Stuart; Kuhn, Nikolaus

2016-04-01

Woodland savannahs provide essential ecosystem functions and services to communities. On the African continent, they are widely utilized and converted to intensive land uses. This study investigates the land cover changes over 108,038 km2 in NE Namibia using multi-sensor Landsat imagery, at decadal intervals from 1975 to 2014, with a post-classification change detection method and supervised Regression Tree classifiers. We discuss likely impacts of land tenure and reforms over the past four decades on changes in land use and land cover. These included losses, gains and exchanges between predominant land cover classes. Exchanges comprised logical conversions between woodland and agricultural classes, implying woodland clearing for arable farming, cropland abandonment and vegetation succession. The dominant change was a reduction in the area of the woodland class due to the expansion of the agricultural class, specifically, small-scale cereal and pastoral production. Woodland area decreased from 90% of the study area in 1975 to 83% in 2014, while cleared land increased from 9% to 14%. We found that the main land cover changes are conversion from woodland to agricultural and urban land uses, driven by urban expansion and woodland clearing for subsistence-based agriculture and pastoralism.

Covered Bridge Security Manual

Science.gov (United States)

Brett Phares; Terry Wipf; Ryan Sievers; Travis Hosteng

2013-01-01

The design, construction, and use of covered timber bridges is all but a lost art in these days of pre-stressed concrete, high-performance steel, and the significant growth both in the volume and size of vehicles. Furthermore, many of the existing covered timber bridges are preserved only because of their status on the National Registry of Historic Places or the...

Genetics Home Reference: essential tremor

Science.gov (United States)

... Facebook Twitter Home Health Conditions Essential tremor Essential tremor Printable PDF Open All Close All Enable Javascript to view the expand/collapse boxes. Description Essential tremor is a movement disorder that causes involuntary, rhythmic ...

Environmental Survey preliminary report, Solar Energy Research Institute, Golden, Colorado

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1988-10-01

This report presents the preliminary findings of the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), conducted December 14 through 18, 1987. The Survey is being conducted by an interdisciplinary team of environmental specialists, led and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. The team includes outside experts supplied by private contractors. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with SERI. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. The on-site phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at SERI, and interviews with site personnel. 33 refs., 22 figs., 21 tabs.

Summary of decontamination cover manufacturing experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulrich, G.B.; Berry, H.W.

1995-02-01

Decontamination cover forming cracks and vent cup assembly leaks through the decontamination covers were early manufacturing problems. The decontamination cover total manufacturing process yield was as low as 55%. Applicable tooling and procedures were examined. All manufacturing steps from foil fabrication to final assembly leak testing were considered as possible causes or contributing factors to these problems. The following principal changes were made to correct these problems: (1) the foil annealing temperature was reduced from 1375 degrees to 1250 degrees C, (2) the decontamination cover fabrication procedure (including visual inspection for surface imperfections and elimination of superfluous operations) was improved, (3) the postforming dye penetrant inspection procedure was revised for increased sensitivity, (4) a postforming (prewelding) 1250 degrees C/1 h vacuum stress-relief operation was added, (5) a poststress relief (prewelding) decontamination cover piece-part leak test was implemented, (6) the hold-down fixture used during the decontamination cover-to-cup weld was modified, and concomitantly, and (7) the foil fabrication process was changed from the extruding and rolling of 63-mm-diam vacuum arc-remelted ingots (extrusion process) to the rolling of 19-mm-square arc-melted drop castings (drop cast process). Since these changes were incorporated, the decontamination cover total manufacturing process yield has been 91 %. Most importantly, more than 99% of the decontamination covers welded onto vent cup assemblies were acceptable. The drastic yield improvement is attributed primarily to the change in the foil annealing temperature from 1375 degrees to 1250 degrees C and secondarily to the improvements in the decontamination cover fabrication procedure

Sensitivity of selected landscape pattern metrics to land-cover misclassification and differences in land-cover composition

Science.gov (United States)

James D. Wickham; Robert V. O' Neill; Kurt H. Riitters; Timothy G. Wade; K. Bruce Jones

1997-01-01

Calculation of landscape metrics from land-cover data is becoming increasingly common. Some studies have shown that these measurements are sensitive to differences in land-cover composition, but none are known to have tested also their a sensitivity to land-cover misclassification. An error simulation model was written to test the sensitivity of selected land-scape...

Comparison of visual-based helicopter and fixed-wing forward-looking infrared surveys for counting white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus

Science.gov (United States)

Storm, Daniel J.; Samuel, Michael D.; Van Deelen, Timothy R.; Malcolm, Karl D.; Rolley, Robert E.; Frost, Nancy A.; Bates, Donald P.; Richards, Bryan J.

2011-01-01

Aerial surveys using direct counts of animals are commonly used to estimate deer abundance. Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) technology is increasingly replacing traditional methods such as visual observation from helicopters. Our goals were to compare fixed-wing FLIR and visual, helicopter-based counts in terms of relative bias, influence of snow cover and cost. We surveyed five plots: four 41.4 km2 plots with free-ranging white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus populations in Wisconsin and a 5.3 km2 plot with a white-tailed deer population contained by a high fence in Michigan. We surveyed plots using both fixed-wing FLIR and helicopters, both with snow cover and without snow. None of the methods counted more deer than the other when snow was present. Helicopter counts were lower in the absence of snow, but lack of snow cover did not apparently affect FLIR. Group sizes of observed deer were similar regardless of survey method or season. We found that FLIR counts were generally precise (CV = 0.089) when two or three replicate surveys were conducted within a few hours. However, at the plot level, FLIR counts differed greatly between seasons, suggesting that detection rates vary over larger time scales. Fixed-wing FLIR was more costly than visual observers in helicopters and was more restrictive in terms of acceptable survey conditions. Further research is needed to understand what factors influence the detection of deer during FLIR surveys.

ESR teleradiology survey: results.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-08-01

With recent developments of teleradiology technology and services, it has become necessary to better evaluate its extent and use among different countries in Europe. With this goal in mind, the ESR launched two specific surveys intended to gather the current state of adoption and implementation of teleradiology in clinical practice. A special focus on differentiating between insourcing teleradiology services among partners of the same organisation and outsourcing to external services was an essential part of the design of these surveys. The first survey was addressed to 44 national societies of different countries in Europe, while the second survey was intended for all practicing radiologist ESR members. While the results of these surveys reported here may provide a wealth of information to better understand the trends in adoption of teleradiology in Europe, they only represent a snapshot at a certain point in time. The rapid development of telecommunication tools as well as a fundamental change in practice and healthcare economics will certainly influence these observations in the upcoming years. These data, however, will provide objective and relevant parameters for supporting the efforts of experts and policy makers in promoting appropriate criteria and guidelines for adequate use of teleradiology in clinical practice. Main Messages • Understand concepts and challenges of teleradiology • Provide insight into current trends and solutions for teleradiology • Compare differences in teleradiolgy strategies between countries in Europe • Establish a reference on statistical data of usage of teleradiology in Europe.

The THU-NAOC transient survey: the performance and results from the first year

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Tian-Meng; Zhou Xu; Nie Jun-Dan; Jiang Zhao-Ji; Ma Jun; Wang Ling-Zhi; Zhou Zhi-Min; Zou Hu; Wang Xiao-Feng; Chen Jun-Cheng; Zhou Li; Li Wen-Xiong; Liu Qing; Mo Jun; Zhang Kai-Cheng; Yao Xin-Yu; Zhao Xu-Lin; Huang Fang; Zhang Ju-Jia; Wu Chao

2015-01-01

The Tsinghua University-National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) Transient Survey is an automatic survey that conducts a systematic exploration of optical transients. This project utilizes a 60/90 cm Schmidt telescope at the Xinglong Station of NAOC. This survey repeatedly covers ∼ 1000 square degrees of the northern sky with a cadence of 3–4 d. With an exposure of 60 s, the survey reaches a limiting unfiltered magnitude of about 19.5 mag, which enables us to discover supernovae in their relatively young stages. We describe the overall performance of our survey during the first year and present some preliminary results. (research papers)

[Quantitative estimation of vegetation cover and management factor in USLE and RUSLE models by using remote sensing data: a review].

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Chang-Guang; Li, Sheng; Ren, Hua-Dong; Yao, Xiao-Hua; Huang, Zi-Jie

2012-06-01

Soil loss prediction models such as universal soil loss equation (USLE) and its revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) are the useful tools for risk assessment of soil erosion and planning of soil conservation at regional scale. To make a rational estimation of vegetation cover and management factor, the most important parameters in USLE or RUSLE, is particularly important for the accurate prediction of soil erosion. The traditional estimation based on field survey and measurement is time-consuming, laborious, and costly, and cannot rapidly extract the vegetation cover and management factor at macro-scale. In recent years, the development of remote sensing technology has provided both data and methods for the estimation of vegetation cover and management factor over broad geographic areas. This paper summarized the research findings on the quantitative estimation of vegetation cover and management factor by using remote sensing data, and analyzed the advantages and the disadvantages of various methods, aimed to provide reference for the further research and quantitative estimation of vegetation cover and management factor at large scale.

THE SIMPLE SURVEY: OBSERVATIONS, REDUCTION, AND CATALOG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damen, M.; Franx, M.; Taylor, E. N.; Labbe, I.; Van Dokkum, P. G.; Muzzin, A.; Brandt, W. N.; Dickinson, M.; Gawiser, E.; Illingworth, G. D.; Kriek, M.; Marchesini, D.; Papovich, C.; Rix, H.-W.

2011-01-01

We present the Spitzer IRAC/MUSYC Public Legacy Survey in the Extended CDF-South (SIMPLE), which consists of deep IRAC observations covering the ∼1600 arcmin 2 area surrounding GOODS-S. The limiting magnitudes of the SIMPLE IRAC mosaics typically are 23.8, 23.6, 21.9, and 21.7, at 3.6 μm, 4.5 μm, 5.8 μm, and 8.0 μm, respectively (5σ total point source magnitudes in AB). The SIMPLE IRAC images are combined with the 10' x 15' GOODS IRAC mosaics in the center. We give detailed descriptions of the observations, data reduction, and properties of the final images, as well as the detection and photometry methods used to build a catalog. Using published optical and near-infrared data from the Multiwavelength Survey by Yale-Chile (MUSYC), we construct an IRAC-selected catalog, containing photometry in UBVRIz'JHK, [3.6 μm], [4.5 μm], [5.8 μm], and [8.0 μm]. The catalog contains 43,782 sources with S/N >5 at 3.6 μm, 19,993 of which have 13-band photometry. We compare this catalog to the publicly available MUSYC and FIREWORKS catalogs and discuss the differences. Using a high signal-to-noise sub-sample of 3391 sources with ([3.6] + [4.5])/2 * >10 11 M sun ) are passively evolving, in agreement with earlier results from surveys covering less area.

Aerial radiological survey of the Savannah River floodplain. Date of survey: July-October 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyns, P.K.

1984-12-01

An aerial radiological survey of the Savannah River floodplain was conducted from late July through early October 1983 by EG and G Energy Measurements, Inc. for the United States Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Safety, and E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company, Inc., Savannah River Plant. The survey consisted of airborne measurements of both natural and man-made gamma radiation emanating from the terrestrial surface. These measurements allowed an estimate of the distribution of isotopic concentrations in the floodplain area. Results are reported as isopleths superimposed on maps and aerial photographs of the area. Gamma ray energy spectra are also presented for the net man-made radionuclides. The survey was designed to cover all the Savannah River floodplain (over 8000 flight line miles) from Augusta to Savannah, Georgia. Several areas of man-made activity were detected in the vicinity of the Savannah River Plant (SRP). The presence of 60 Co was not detected below the Lower Three Runs Creek area. The 137 Cs activity decreased rapidly below Lower Three Runs Creek; at a distance of 15 kilometers (9 miles) the annual dose due to 137 Cs was less than 10 millirem (mrem). Typical backgrounds in the survey areas were between 65 and 125 mrem per year. 4 references, 51 figures, 8 tables

Qualitative and quantitative composition of essential oils: A literature-based database on contact allergens used for safety assessment.