bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Business Process Offshoring Services in India
Authors: Sudan Falendra Kumar
Published: March 2015

India is a leading player in the rapidly growing Business Process Offshoring (BPO) services. The Indian BPO market has grown manifold. The Indian BPO industry faces a unique opportunity to enhance its role as a full-service provider. At the same time, there is urgent need to address untapped BPO market opportunities in India. With the above backdrop, this chapter is an attempt to analyse the drivers of BPO services and barriers to BPO services, the job losses and gains, the strengths and weaknesses of Indian companies in BPO services, to identify India's competitors in offshoring business activities, and to draw policy implications to gain from the BPO market using available theoretical literature. The chapter provides a detailed account of the capabilities, opportunities, and growth imperatives for the BPO market in India with significant policy implications for the stakeholders.
Bhutan Tourism
Authors: Ray Nilanjan , Das Dillip Kumar
Published: March 2015

This chapter explores tourism, which acts to promote the local economy, socio-cultural changes, and lifestyle of the people residing in and around in Bhutan. The purpose of this study is to explore the issues and challenges of tourism at Bhutan and find the impact of tourism to gain experience from art, culture, lifestyle, etc., which in turn create a tremendous impact on the local economy. In a pilot survey, it was observed that tourism in Bhutan has also improved its civic amenities like communication, sanitation, transport facilities, and standard of living for the people in general. This chapter emphasizes the concept of tourism, different issues, challenges related to tourism, as well as revaluing the effectiveness of development of socio-economic conditions of underdeveloped regions. The potentiality of tourism in the context of social development in particular and general is analyzed through the tourism appraisal model.
Internet Use and Destination Preferences
Authors: Pappas Nikolaos
Published: March 2015

The aim of this chapter is to examine the destination marketing patterns via the use of e-tourism model to inbound tourists that had chosen their vacation destination via the Internet. The regions examined are the islands of Crete, in Greece, and Cyprus. Quantitative research showed that Internet provides significant tourism advantages dealing with prices and provision of information. Findings indicate that the use of Internet significantly influences the selection of transport and destination. On the other hand, the traditional marketing distributors still plays a crucial role in the promotion of the tourist product. Finally, the chapter formulates an e-tourism model that can be used for more successful marketing in island regions and suggests more efficient ways of using e-tourism in destination marketing activities.
Issues and Prospects of Sugar Industry
Authors: Dubey Ajit Dhar
Published: March 2015

This chapter explains the sugar industry of Uttar Pradesh, which plays a significant role in the economy. An attempt has been made to critically analyze the role of cane growers and the significant number of employees who are directly employed in this industry. Statistical figures suggest that, during 2010-12, the sugar industry in Uttar Pradesh paid around.78.27 Crores of Rupees as cane price to the growers and around .15 Crores of Rupees as wages to about 30,000 persons employed directly in the industry. The industry contributed more than 20.8 Crores of Rupees to government exchequer in the form of cane cess and excise duty on sugar and molasses in addition to another sizeable amount by way of commercial taxes, income tax, and other levies. An in-depth study is carried out to understand decent working time conditions of these cane workers who are the major factors for increasing production in this sector. The study focuses on increasing the productivity of these cane workers by effective allocation of time based on gender and age.
Targeting a New Tourism Market
Authors: Harrison Nicola , Jӧnsson Cristina
Published: March 2015

This chapter focuses on market segmentation from a tourism perspective and highlights the importance of taking tourist motivation into account when targeting new markets. It examines different perspectives of stakeholders in order to capture the many factors that affect market segmentation, its relative importance, and the way in which market segmentation affects a tourist destination's ability to successfully attract and retain a new tourism source market. This should help identify the impacts of market segmentation on the success of a tourist destination such as Barbados to attract a new tourist market. The chapter seeks to shed light on how market segmentation fits with the country's commitment to tourism, and in turn how this commitment matches readiness of Barbados's tourism sector to receive Brazilian tourists as a new source market.
Engineers, Emotions, and Ethics
Authors: Davis Michael
Published: March 2015

This chapter tries to answer the question: What part, if any, should emotion have in making engineering decisions? The chapter is, in effect, a critical examination of the view, common even among engineers, that a good engineer is not only accurate, laconic, orderly, and practical but also free of emotion. The chapter has four parts. The first, the philosophical, provides a critical analysis of the term “emotion.” The second and third parts show how that analysis helps us understand the relation between emotion and engineering. It explicates what a reasonable emotion is. These two sections are organized around an ethical problem concerning management's rejection of engineering judgment. The fourth part, the pedagogical, delineates how we should develop a curriculum for a course in engineering ethics. It suggests teachers of engineering ethics should take time in class to help students accept the fact that engineering has an emotional side, for example, that doing good engineering is likely to delight them and doing bad engineering to depress them.
Substantial Equality and Human Dignity
Authors: Deliyianni-Dimitrakou Christina
Published: March 2015

Equality is a multi-dimensional concept. In the context of law, it is principally identified with formal legal equality comprising both numerical and proportional equality. Numerical equality grants all individuals the possibility to uphold the same rights and obligations before the law. Contrary, proportional equality imposes the same treatment of the alike and different treatment of the non-alike. Nevertheless, the second principle of proportional equality calling for unlike treatment of the unlike seems to be equally challenging. When implementing this principle, the emerging challenges stem from the widely accepted Western perception that identifies diversity with inequality and inferiority. This chapter explores these highly challenging issues attempting to enlighten the interpretation of the principle of equality in conjunction with the most cherished value of human dignity.
Refugee Claims Based on Persecution Due to Sexual Orientation before the Court of Justice of the European Union
Authors: Takis Athanassios
Published: March 2015

How can the European Union protect lesbians, gays, and bisexuals who face the fear of persecution in their country of origin? That is the question answered by the Court of Justice of the European Union. In its landmark judgment, the court opened the gates of Fortress-Europe to homosexual asylum seekers, but at the same time ensured that these gates are not wide open. Balancing between the need to protect the fundamental rights of LGBT persons and to prevent a massive influx of applicants, the court followed a restrictive interpretation of the Directive 2004/83/EC on minimum standards for the qualification and status of third country nationals or stateless persons as refugees. This chapter presents the judgment and posits the partial incompatibility of the interpretation followed with the protection of fundamental rights.
Domination, Asylum, and Sexual Orientation
Authors: Anastasia Pitsou
Published: March 2015

In this chapter, the authors determine that in the society of control, denizens who exercise their right to seek asylum on ground pertaining to sexual orientation are forced to prove their homosexuality through various humiliating ways during the asylum-granting process. Do public authorities aim to reject the criminalization of sexual orientation, eventually? Do they have the possibility to abolish the detention centres in the name of human dignity, human life and liberty, rights established by national, international, and European laws?
Case of Vallianatos and Others v. Greece
Authors: Kiltidou Despina
Published: March 2015

The case of Vallianatos and Others v. Greece concerns whether or not the “non-marital partnership,” designed solely for opposite-sex couples according to Greek law no. 3719/2008, should be extended to same-sex couples. According to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, the Greek Law violates rights protected under Article 14 (unjustified discrimination) taken in conjunction with Article 8 (right to private life) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). As the Court's judgment underlined, the Greek law should be extended to same-sex couples as long as “civil unions” are not an alternative or flexible form of marriage. This chapter explores the case.
The Conservatism of the European Court of Humans Rights Regarding Abortions on Demand
Authors: Anastasia Pitsou
Published: March 2015

In this chapter, the authors negotiate the fact that the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) missed the opportunity to recognize the right to abortion under specific criteria that are harmonized with the right to life and the right to privacy. It obviously remains a triumph of nationalism and of religious power over human dignity.
Egypt
Authors: Saad Mohamed Mustafa , Moawad Riham
Published: March 2015

This case considers the process of identifying the competencies needed for leaders of organizations in Egypt at a time of great political, economic, and social dislocation. Data was collected as many senior executives, entrepreneurs, and expats and locals in multinational businesses were leaving the country, fearing continued unrest. This scenario in Egypt presents a traumatic test for organizations and their human resources departments, who are seeking to retain talent, recruit new talent who can cope with this scenario, and to ensure the sustainability of their organizations for the future. It is widely believed by many in HR and general management that Egypt might take a decade even to return to the employment stability of the Mubarak era, for all its shortcomings. The research for this case was based on two sources: blogs written by interested observers both inside and outside Egypt published on local and foreign websites and a series of three Delphi rounds, consulting over 30 experts in leadership competencies.
Green Computing through Virtual Learning Environments
Authors: McWhorter Rochell R. , Delello Julie A.
Published: March 2015

As technology has quickly evolved into more sophisticated forms, it is opening the options for educators and business professionals to expand learning opportunities into virtual learning spaces. This chapter discusses a number of technology trends and practices that can promote green computing as a way for organizations and individuals to be efficient in time, currency, and resources. Three technology trends that are disrupting the status quo are Cloud computing, 3D printing, and the analytics associated with Big Data. In addition, trends that appear to be taking hold include digital badges, the Internet of things, and how we are handling recycling and e-waste of our devices. A discussion around issues of energy required for data servers to power the technology is also presented.
The Perception of Faculty Members on Hybrid Learning
Authors: Abdelrahman Nahed , Irby Beverly J.
Published: March 2015

In this chapter, the authors examine the perceptions of faculty using online and hybrid platforms in teaching. Hybrid/blended is a method in which faculty members use both online and face-to-face simultaneously. The study examined how faculty participants defined hybrid learning. In addition, researchers examined what the participants' thought of hybrid and online learning as vehicles for higher education advancement as well as strategies to attract more students to higher education. The main objective of this study is developing an analytical overview of one of the learning approaches such as hybrid and its effect on the learning process in the higher education. Ten faculty members were interviewed in order to achieve this objective. The results revealed that faculty members have multiple definitions of hybrid as it is not only teaching using face-to-face and online platforms but rather it is a way both teachers and students can meet their teaching and learning needs.
Return on Investment
Authors: Valentin Marie A.
Published: March 2015

The primary purpose of this chapter is to examine the financial implications of the providers of MOOCs and to examine how and where financial gains are being felt. This chapter also examines the issues of sustainability of MOOCs. The research methods employed include a thorough review of literature published in refereed journals on MOOCs. The findings of the review of literature have revealed the profitability potential for platform providers, publishers, colleges, and universities, as well as test taking centers. Findings also reveal implications as to actual costs for student participants and benefits that may be assumed from participating in learning through MOOCs.
The Place of MOOCs in Africa's Higher Education
Authors: Odebero Stephen
Published: March 2015

In this chapter, the contentious issues of access to digital technology between the various social groups, the rich and the poor, the youth and the older generations, including rural urban livelihoods in Africa is tackled. The chapter examines the place of MOOCs in Africa's higher education and addresses the important question of digital divide in the design and delivery of MOOCs with a special focus on Africa. Using the multi-access learning theory, it is observed that the merits of investment in MOOCs included increased GDP in Africa, increased women participation in HE, creation of cultural independence in the continent, and recruitment and marketization of African institutions of higher learning. However, for Africa to enjoy these benefits, it has to surmount such challenges as high costs of design and development of MOOCs apart from developing online learning systems contingent on her own needs, practical realities, and aspirations.
Informal Individual Learning via Virtual Professional Development
Authors: Irby Beverly J. , Sutton-Jones Kara L. , Lara-Alecio Rafael , Tong Fuhui
Published: March 2015

This chapter incudes a discussion of general professional development and online professional development and professional learning. In particular, the authors present information on virtual professional learning from a U.S. federally-funded Investing in Innovation (i3) grant, English Language and Literacy Acquisition – Validation (ELLA-V). The grant term used is ELLA-Virsity. The overarching concept for ELLA-Virsity is proposed, and that is massive open online informal individual learning (MOOPIL).
Re-Imagining and Re-Structuring Scholarship, Teaching, and Learning in Digital Environments
Authors: Layne Melissa , Ice Phil
Published: March 2015

This chapter explores how digital scholarship, teaching, and learning is dramatically changing the educational landscape. New pedagogies are being reimagined and restructured in ways never before conceptualized. Despite the need to transform current models of scholarship, scholars and publishers have been sluggish to do so. The review of literature sheds light upon this hesitation, revealing two themes: 1) the lack of incentives for moving scholarship beyond the traditional criteria for promotion and tenure and 2) lack of technical skills to create digital works. The remainder of the chapter explores these themes further by highlighting topics including the democratization of digital publication, paradigmatic shifts, and digital spaces. Contemporary and future pathways are proposed in accessibility, following magazine publishers' lead for digitizing scholarship and including analytics in publication. The conclusion reiterates that although new communication methods will yield new methods of society's organization, the essence of scholarship will remain constant, academics will continue to converse, address problems with evidence, and disseminate findings.
The fuss over lipoâ€œfussâ€cin: not all autofluorescence is the same
Authors: Sainz Jr. B. , Miranda-Lorenzo I. , Heeschen C.
Published: March 2015

Since the first description of cellular autofluorescence over a century ago, we have now come to appreciate that autofluorescence should not be discarded as a biological artifact but embraced as a biological phenomenon with potentially important cellular relevance. Indeed, cellular and tissue autofluorescence has been attributed to a spectrum of unrelated molecules such as porphyrins, vitamins (vitamin A, riboflavin, thiamine), structural proteins, lipofuscin and ceroid pigments. We have recently shown that freshly isolated epithelial cancer stem cells (CSCs) bear autofluorescent vesicles in the cytoplasm. Our studies definitively prove that riboflavin and not lipofuscin is the source of autofluorescence in CSCs as the inhibition of ATP and not autophagy eliminates CSC autofluorescence, that the ATP-dependent transporter ABCG2, for which riboflavin is a substrate, is overexpressed in autofluorescent CSCs and co-localizes with the membrane of intracellular autofluorescent vesicles, the ABCG2-specific inhibitor Fumitremorgin C reversibly eliminates CSC autofluorescence, riboflavin is a substrate for ABCG2, and only the addition of riboflavin to vitamin-deprived CSC cultures is capable of restoring autofluorescence. Thus, the sum of these data unequivocally supports the conclusion that the source of CSC autofluorescence is the vitamin riboflavin.
Évolution récente de la médecine traditionnelle dans le système de santé au Mali
Authors: Koumaré Mamadou
Published: March 2015

L’utilisation de la médecine traditionnelle dans un système de santé s’effectuant aujourd’hui dans le cadre de quatre types de statuts à savoir exclusif, tolérant, inclusif et unique, nous avons analysé la situation du Mali. Celle-ci s’inscrit encore actuellement dans un système tolérant malgré certaines mesures récentes relatives à l’adoption et à la mise en œuvre de la vision et de la politique nationale en la matière.
Apresentação
Authors: Laffin Maria Hermínia Lage Fernandes , Durand Olga Celestina da Silva
Published: March 2015

Apresentação
La adaptación de los alumnos inmigrantes: factores importantes para la educación
Authors: Graff Munaro Jacqueline
Published: March 2015

Este estudio analiza la integración de los alumnos inmigrantes, en España, así como las actitudes hacia la inmigración de los alumnos españoles, en relación con variables psicosociales. El objetivo principal fue describir el proceso adaptativo e identificar variables que puedan servir para la acción educativa. El marco teórico de la aculturación y la identidad étnica es de Berry. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y correlacional con una metodología cuantitativa y cualitativa. Los participantes eran adolescentes de 12 Institutos de la provincia de Salamanca repartidos en dos muestras: 516 autóctonos y 73 inmigrantes procedentes de América Latina, Europa, África del Norte y Central, y de Oriente (Total: 589). Se realizaron entrevistas (inmigrantes) y cuestionarios para ambas muestras. Se utilizó la comparación de medias para analizar las muestras de españoles e inmigrantes por separado y después conjuntamente con las variables comunes. Se hizo un análisis de contenido de las entrevistas para conocer la apreciación del nuevo país y sus expectativas de futuro. Los resultados han demostrado que la integración es mayoritaria, pese a la discriminación. Las actitudes de los españoles hacia la inmigración fueron favorables. Estos factores están relacionados con variables psicosociales importantes para la actuación educativa: la empatía, el clima de clase, la importancia percibida de contacto y la autoestima.
A Imagem na Documentação Pedagógica: a integração da comunicação na formação do professor
Authors: Silva Karin Patricia da , Bertomeu Virginia Pereira Cegato , Bertomeu João Vicente Cegato
Published: March 2015

Este artigo tem como objetivo dialogar a respeito da utilização consciente das imagens na Documentação Pedagógica. Procurou-se situar a visão da Pedagogia e da Comunicação em relação ao uso de imagens, considerando a intersecção dessas áreas, com o intuito de estabelecer um diálogo potente entre o produtor de imagens e o espectador. Foi apresentada uma prática desenvolvida através de estudo de caso e, com base nessa experiência, foram apontadas as novas tendências de inovação sobre a prática do registro reflexivo do professor, procurando compreender o processo de construção da imagem como elemento de comunicação presente na educação e a utilização das novas tecnologias de informação e comunicação aplicadas em salas de aula e nos processos educacionais.
Anzac Commemoration and the Turkish Perspective
Authors: Orel Muzaffer
Published: March 2015

This presentation was made at the ‘Remembering Conflicts: Gallipoli, Coniston and the Frontiers of Violence’ Conference, held at Cosmopolitan Civil Societies Conference, University of Technology, Sydney, on 28 August, 2014. It is a reflection on the commemoration of ANZAC Day and the involvement of the Turkish Community, and emphasizes mutual respect in the understandings of cultural diversity.
Characterization of primary and secondary wood combustion products generated under different burner loads
Authors: Bruns E. A. , Krapf M. , Orasche J. , Huang Y. , Zimmermann R. , Drinovec L. , Močnik G. , El-Haddad I. , Slowik J. G. , Dommen J. , Baltensperger U. , Prévôt A. S. H.
Published: March 2015

Abstract. Residential wood burning contributes to the total atmospheric aerosol burden; however, large uncertainties remain in the magnitude and characteristics of wood burning products. Primary emissions are influenced by a variety of parameters, including appliance type, burner wood load and wood type. In addition to directly emitted particles, previous laboratory studies have shown that oxidation of gas-phase emissions produces compounds with sufficiently low volatility to readily partition to the particles, forming considerable quantities of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). However, relatively little is known about wood burning SOA, and the effects of burn parameters on SOA formation and composition are yet to be determined. There is clearly a need for further study of primary and secondary wood combustion aerosols to advance our knowledge of atmospheric aerosols and their impacts on health, air quality and climate. For the first time, smog chamber experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of wood loading on both primary and secondary wood combustion products. Products were characterized using a range of particle- and gas-phase instrumentation, including an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS). A novel approach for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) quantification from AMS data was developed and results were compared to those from GC-MS analysis of filter samples. Similar total particle mass emission factors were observed under high and average wood loadings; however, high fuel loadings were found to generate significantly higher contributions of PAHs to the total organic aerosol (OA) mass compared to average loadings. PAHs contributed 15 ± 4% (mean ±2 sample standard deviations) to the total OA mass in high-load experiments, compared to 4 ± 1% in average-load experiments. With aging, total OA concentrations increased by a factor of 3 ± 1 for high load experiments compared to 1.6 ± 0.4 for average-load experiments. In the AMS, an increase in PAH and aromatic signature ions at lower m / z values, likely fragments from larger functionalized PAHs, was observed with aging. Filter samples also showed an increase in functionalized PAHs in the particles with aging, particularly oxidized naphthalene species. As PAHs and their oxidation products are known to have deleterious effects on health, this is a noteworthy finding to aid in the mitigation of negative wood burning impacts by improving burner operation protocols.
Temperature profiling of the atmospheric boundary layer with rotational Raman lidar during the HD(CP)2 Observational Prototype Experiment
Authors: Hammann E. , Behrendt A. , Le Mounier F. , Wulfmeyer V.
Published: March 2015

Abstract. The temperature measurements of the rotational Raman lidar of the University of Hohenheim (UHOH RRL) during the High Definition of Clouds and Precipitation for advancing Climate Prediction (HD(CP)2) Observation Prototype Experiment (HOPE) in April and May 2013 are discussed. The lidar consists of a frequency-tripled Nd:YAG laser at 355 nm with 10 W average power at 50 Hz, a two-mirror scanner, a 40 cm receiving telescope, and a highly efficient polychromator with cascading interference filters for separating four signals: the elastic backscatter signal, two rotational Raman signals with different temperature dependence, and the vibrational Raman signal of water vapor. The main measurement variable of the UHOH RRL is temperature. For the HOPE campaign, the lidar receiver was optimized for high and low background levels, with a novel switch for the passband of the second rotational Raman channel. The instrument delivers atmospheric profiles of water vapor mixing ratio as well as particle backscatter coefficient and particle extinction coefficient as further products. As examples for the measurement performance, measurements of the temperature gradient and water vapor mixing ratio revealing the development of the atmospheric boundary layer within 25 h are presented. As expected from simulations, a reduction of the measurement uncertainty of 70% during nighttime was achieved with the new low-background setting. A two-mirror scanner allows for measurements in different directions. When pointing the scanner to low elevation, measurements close to the ground become possible which are otherwise impossible due to the non-total overlap of laser beam and receiving telescope field of view in the near range. An example of a low-level temperature measurement is presented which resolves the temperature gradient at the top of the stable nighttime boundary layer 100 m above the ground.
Two decades of water vapor measurements with the FISH fluorescence hygrometer: a review
Authors: Meyer J. , Rolf C. , Schiller C. , Rohs S. , Spelten N. , Afchine A. , Zöger M. , Sitnikov N. , Thornberry T. D. , Rollins A. W. , Bozóki Z. , Tátrai D. , Ebert V. , Kühnreich B. , Mackrodt P. , Möhler O. , Saathoff H. , Rosenlof K. H. , Krämer M.
Published: March 2015

Abstract. The Fast In-situ Stratospheric Hygrometer (FISH) is an airborne Lyman-α photofragment fluorescence hygrometer for accurate and precise measurement of total water mixing ratios (WMR) (gas phase + evaporated ice) in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UT/LS) since almost two decades. Here, we present a comprehensive review of the measurement technique, calibration procedure, accuracy and reliability of FISH. A crucial part for the FISH measurement quality is the regular calibration to a water vapor reference, namely the commercial frostpoint hygrometer DP30. In the frame of this work this frostpoint hygrometer is compared to German and British traceable metrological water standards and its accuracy is found to be 2–4%. Overall, in the range from 4–1000 ppmv, the total accuracy of FISH was found to be 6–8% as stated also in previous publications. For lower mixing ratios down to 1 ppmv, the uncertainty reaches a lower limit of 0.3 ppmv. For specific, non-atmospheric conditions, as set in experiments at the AIDA chamber – namely mixing ratios below 10 and above 100 ppmv in combination with high and low pressure conditions – the need to apply a modified FISH calibration evaluation has been identified. The new evaluation improves the agreement of FISH with other hygrometers to ± 10% accuracy in the respective mixing ratio ranges. Further, a quality check procedure for high total water measurements in cirrus clouds at high pressures (400–500 hPa) is introduced. The performance of FISH in the field is assessed by reviewing intercomparisons of FISH water vapor data with other in-situ and remote sensing hygrometers over the last two decades. We find that the agreement of FISH with the other hygrometers has improved over that time span from overall up to ±30% or more to about ±5–20% @ < 10 ppmv and to ±0–15% @ > 10 ppmv. As presented here, the robust and continuous calibration and operation procedures of the FISH instrument over the last two decades, establish the position of FISH as one of the core instruments for in-situ observations of water vapor in the UT/LS.
Mapping hydrological environments in central Amazonia: ground validation and surface model based on SRTM DEM data corrected for deforestation
Authors: Moulatlet G. M. , Rennó C. D. , Costa F. R. C. , Emilio T. , Schietti J.
Published: March 2015

Abstract. One of the most important freely available digital elevation models (DEMs) for Amazonia is the one obtained by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). However, since SRTM tends to represent the vegetation surface instead of the ground surface, the broad use of SRTM DEM as a framework for terrain description in Amazonia is hampered by the presence of deforested areas. We present here two data sets: (1) a deforestation-corrected SRTM DEM for the interfluve between the Purus and Madeira rivers, in central Amazonia, which passed through a careful identification of different environments and has deforestation features corrected by a new method of increasing pixel values of the DEM (Rennó, 2009); and (2) a set of 18 hydrological-topographic descriptors based on the corrected SRTM DEM. Deforestation features are related with the opening of an 800 km road in the central part of the interfluve and occupancy of its vicinity. We used topographic profiles from the pristine forest to the deforested feature to evaluate the recovery of the original canopy coverage by minimizing canopy height variation (corrections ranged from 1 to 38 m). The hydrological–topographic description was obtained by the Height Above the Nearest Drainage (HAND) algorithm, which normalizes the terrain elevation (above sea level) by the elevation of the nearest hydrologically connected drainage. The validation of the HAND data set was done by in situ hydrological description of 110 km of walking trails also available in this data set. The new SRTM DEM expands the applicability of SRTM data for landscape modelling; the data sets of hydrological features based on topographic modelling are undoubtedly appropriate for ecological modelling and an important contribution to environmental mapping of Amazonia. The deforestation-corrected SRTM DEM is available at http://ppbio.inpa.gov.br/knb/metacat/naman.318.3/ppbio; the polygons selected for deforestation correction are available at http://ppbio.inpa.gov.br/knb/metacat/naman.317.3/ppbio; the set of hydrological–topographic descriptors is available at http://ppbio.inpa.gov.br/knb/metacat/naman.544.2/ppbio; the environmental description of access trails is available at http://ppbio.inpa.gov.br/knb/metacat/naman.541.2/ppbio; and the limits of deforestation corrections and drainage validation are available at http://ppbio.inpa.gov.br/knb/metacat/liliandias.38.1/ppbio.
SEMANTIC SEGMENTATION OF AERIAL IMAGES IN URBAN AREAS WITH CLASS-SPECIFIC HIGHER-ORDER CLIQUES
Authors: Montoya-Zegarra J. A. , Wegner J. D. , Ladický L. , Schindler K.
Published: March 2015

Abstract. In this paper we propose an approach to multi-class semantic segmentation of urban areas in high-resolution aerial images with classspecific object priors for buildings and roads. What makes model design challenging are highly heterogeneous object appearances and shapes that call for priors beyond standard smoothness or co-occurrence assumptions. The data term of our energy function consists of a pixel-wise classifier that learns local co-occurrence patterns in urban environments. To specifically model the structure of roads and buildings, we add high-level shape representations for both classes by sampling large sets of putative object candidates. Buildings are represented by sets of compact polygons, while roads are modeled as a collection of long, narrow segments. To obtain the final pixel-wise labeling, we use a CRF with higher-order potentials that balances the data term with the object candidates. We achieve overall labeling accuracies of > 80%.
SALIENCY BASED SEGMENTATION OF SATELLITE IMAGES
Authors: Sharma A. , Ghosh J. K.
Published: March 2015

Abstract. Saliency gives the way as humans see any image and saliency based segmentation can be eventually helpful in Psychovisual image interpretation. Keeping this in view few saliency models are used along with segmentation algorithm and only the salient segments from image have been extracted. The work is carried out for terrestrial images as well as for satellite images. The methodology used in this work extracts those segments from segmented image which are having higher or equal saliency value than a threshold value. Salient and non salient regions of image become foreground and background respectively and thus image gets separated. For carrying out this work a dataset of terrestrial images and Worldview 2 satellite images (sample data) are used. Results show that those saliency models which works better for terrestrial images are not good enough for satellite image in terms of foreground and background separation. Foreground and background separation in terrestrial images is based on salient objects visible on the images whereas in satellite images this separation is based on salient area rather than salient objects.
CONSISTENT MULTI-VIEW TEXTURING OF DETAILED 3D SURFACE MODELS
Authors: Davydova K. , Kuschk G. , Hoegner L. , Reinartz P. , Stilla U.
Published: March 2015

Abstract. Texture mapping techniques are used to achieve a high degree of realism for computer generated large-scale and detailed 3D surface models by extracting the texture information from photographic images and applying it to the object surfaces. Due to the fact that a single image cannot capture all parts of the scene, a number of images should be taken. However, texturing the object surfaces from several images can lead to lighting variations between the neighboring texture fragments. In this paper we describe the creation of a textured 3D scene from overlapping aerial images using a Markov Random Field energy minimization framework. We aim to maximize the quality of the generated texture mosaic, preserving the resolution from the original images, and at the same time to minimize the seam visibilities between adjacent fragments. As input data we use a triangulated mesh of the city center of Munich and multiple camera views of the scene from different directions.
NON-LOCAL MEANS FILTER FOR POLARIMETRIC SAR SPECKLE REDUCTION-EXPERIMENTS USING TERRASAR-X DATA
Authors: Hu J. , Guo R. , Zhu X. , Baier G. , Wang Y.
Published: March 2015

Abstract. The speckle is omnipresent in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images as an intrinsic characteristic. However, it is unwanted in certain applications. Therefore, intelligent filters for speckle reduction are of great importance. It has been demonstrated in several literatures that the non-local means filter can reduce noise while preserving details. This paper discusses non-local means filter for polarimetric SAR (PolSAR) speckle reduction. The impact of different similarity approaches, weight kernels, and parameters in the filter were analysed. A data-driven adaptive weight kernel was proposed. Combined with different similarity measures, it is compared with existing algorithms, using fully polarimetric TerraSAR-X data acquired during the commissioning phase. The proposed approach has overall the best performance in terms of speckle reduction, detail preservation, and polarimetric information preservation. This study suggests the high potential of using the developed non- local means filer for speckle reduction of PolSAR data acquired by the next generation SAR missions, e.g. TanDEM-L and TerraSAR-X NG.
BUILDINGS IN HIGH RESOLUTION SAR IMAGES - IDENTIFICATION BASED ON CITYGML DATA
Authors: Auer S. , Donaubauer A.
Published: March 2015

Abstract. Motivated by the distinct appearance of facades in high resolution SAR images with respect to signal incidence angles and polarizations, this paper introduces a way to fuse SAR imagery and 3D GIS (geoinformation system) data (format: CityGML) based on SAR simulation methods. To this end, the known building geometry is used to simulate the extent of building layover for identifying the related image parts in high resolution TerraSAR-X images. The simulated SAR images are generated and geocoded by an automated processing chain which is initialized by the automated parsing of the CityGML dataset and the TerraSAR-X orbit file. Confirming the functionality of the developed interface between simulation and CityGML, first results are presented for an urban scene in the Munich city center in order to discuss future opportunities in the context of change detection applications.
ESTIMATING AIRCRAFT HEADING BASED ON LASERSCANNER DERIVED POINT CLOUDS
Authors: Koppanyi Z. , Toth C K.
Published: March 2015

Abstract. Using LiDAR sensors for tracking and monitoring an operating aircraft is a new application. In this paper, we present data processing methods to estimate the heading of a taxiing aircraft using laser point clouds. During the data acquisition, a Velodyne HDL-32E laser scanner tracked a moving Cessna 172 airplane. The point clouds captured at different times were used for heading estimation. After addressing the problem and specifying the equation of motion to reconstruct the aircraft point cloud from the consecutive scans, three methods are investigated here. The first requires a reference model to estimate the relative angle from the captured data by fitting different cross-sections (horizontal profiles). In the second approach, iterative closest point (ICP) method is used between the consecutive point clouds to determine the horizontal translation of the captured aircraft body. Regarding the ICP, three different versions were compared, namely, the ordinary 3D, 3-DoF 3D and 2-DoF 3D ICP. It was found that 2-DoF 3D ICP provides the best performance. Finally, the last algorithm searches for the unknown heading and velocity parameters by minimizing the volume of the reconstructed plane. The three methods were compared using three test datatypes which are distinguished by object-sensor distance, heading and velocity. We found that the ICP algorithm fails at long distances and when the aircraft motion direction perpendicular to the scan plane, but the first and the third methods give robust and accurate results at 40m object distance and at ~12 knots for a small Cessna airplane.
Brief Communication: Getting Greenland's glaciers right – a new dataset of all official Greenlandic glacier names
Authors: A. Bjørk A. , M. Kruse L. , B. Michaelsen P.
Published: March 2015

Abstract. With this new dataset we wish to give the researcher working with Greenlandic glaciers the proper tool to finding the correct name for glaciers and ice caps in Greenland, as well as to locate glaciers described in the historic literature with the old Greenlandic orthography.
On real fixed points of one parameter family of Function x/${(b^{x}-1)}$
Authors: Sajid Mohammad
Published: March 2015

In the present paper, the real fixed points of one parameter family ${\cal T}=\{f_{\lambda}(x)$$=\lambda\frac{x}{b^{x}-1}\; \text{and}\;f_{\lambda}(0)=\frac{\lambda}{\ln b} : \lambda>0, x \in \mathbb{R},b>0, b\neq 1\}$ are investigated. Further, the nature of these fixed points of $f_{\lambda}(x)$ are shown for $b>0$ except $b=1$.
Expression of Coxsackievirus and Adenovirus Receptor Separates Hematopoietic and Cardiac Progenitor Cells in Fetal Liver Kinase 1-Expressing Mesoderm
Authors: Tashiro Katsuhisa , Hirata Nobue , Okada Atsumasa , Yamaguchi Tomoko , Takayama Kazuo , Mizuguchi Hiroyuki , Kawabata Kenji
Published: March 2015

In developing embryos or in vitro differentiation cultures using pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), such as embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, fetal liver kinase 1 (Flk1)-expressing mesodermal cells are thought to be a heterogeneous population that includes hematopoietic progenitors, endothelial progenitors, and cardiac progenitors. However, information on cell surface markers for separating these progenitors in Flk1+ cells is currently limited. In the present study, we show that distinct types of progenitor cells in Flk1+ cells could be separated according to the expression of coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR, also known as CXADR), a tight junction component molecule. We found that mouse and human PSC- and mouse embryo-derived Flk1+ cells could be subdivided into Flk1+CAR+ cells and Flk1+CAR− cells. The progenitor cells with cardiac potential were almost entirely restricted to Flk1+CAR+ cells, and Flk1+CAR− cells efficiently differentiated into hematopoietic cells. Endothelial differentiation potential was observed in both populations. Furthermore, from the expression of CAR, Flk1, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α (PDGFRα), Flk1+ cells could be separated into three populations (Flk1+PDGFRα−CAR− cells, Flk1+PDGFRα−CAR+ cells, and Flk1+PDGFRα+CAR+ cells). Flk1+PDGFRα+ cells and Flk1+PDGFRα− cells have been reported as cardiac and hematopoietic progenitor cells, respectively. We identified a novel population (Flk1+PDGFRα−CAR+ cells) with the potential to differentiate into not only hematopoietic cells and endothelial cells but also cardiomyocytes. Our findings indicate that CAR would be a novel and prominent marker for separating PSC- and embryo-derived Flk1+ mesodermal cells with distinct differentiation potentials.

Significance

Flk1-expressing (Flk+) mesodermal cells are assumed to be a heterogeneous population that includes hematopoietic progenitors and cardiac progenitors. However, information on cell surface markers for separating the Flk1+ cell subsets is currently limited. This study shows that hematopoietic lineage cells and cardiac lineage cells of pluripotent stem cell- and mouse embryo-derived Flk1+ cells could be separated based on the expression of coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR), a tight junction component molecule. The results indicate that CAR is a novel and prominent cell surface marker for separating the Flk1+ cell subsets, and these differentiation methods based on the expression levels of CAR are expected to be instrumental in basic sciences and clinical studies.
Triaging Shakespeare
Authors: Raman Indira M
Published: March 2015

What if every creative endeavor had to go through Peer Review? Indira M Raman considers the possibility.
Erratum to: Plaguicidas en México: usos, riesgos y marco regulatorio
Authors: Ortíz Irmene , Avila-Chávez Marco A. , Torres Luis G.
Published: March 2015

El presente documento describe la situación actual referente a la reglamentación de la producción, distribución, almacenamiento y uso de los plaguicidas en México. Se muestran datos de morbilidad como consecuencia del uso de estos productos como un referente de sus efectos sobre la salud humana, así como, los sitios en la República Mexicana en donde la incidencia es mayor. Adicionalmente, se presenta una revisión de la regulación nacional e internacional sobre plaguicidas, así como, las distintas dependencias gubernamentales, organizaciones civiles y centros de investigación involucrados en el tema en México. La información presentada sugiere que a pesar de las regulaciones y restricciones de uso de los plaguicidas, éstos pueden representar un grave problema de salud para los trabajadores y poblaciones expuestas, así como, de contaminación de suelos y aguas en México.
Extraordinary halocarbon emissions initiated by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake
Authors: Saito Takuya , Fang Xuekun , Stohl Andreas , Yokouchi Yoko , Zeng Jiye , Fukuyama Yukio , Mukai Hitoshi
Published: March 2015

The Tohoku earthquake of 11 March 2011, with moment magnitude Mw = 9.0, and subsequent tsunami caused catastrophic structural damage in east Japan. Using high‐frequency atmospheric monitoring data, we show that emissions of halocarbons, potent greenhouse gases and stratospheric ozone‐depleting substances, dramatically increased shortly after the earthquake and that annual emissions were significantly higher in 2011 than in other years. We estimate that the sum of earthquake‐related emissions of the six studied halocarbon species (CFC‐11, HCFC‐22, HCFC‐141b, HFC‐134a, HFC‐32, and SF6) was 6.6 (5.2–8.0) Gg, which is equivalent to ozone depletion potential‐weighted emissions of 1.3 (1.1–1.6) Gg with a global warming potential equivalent to 19.2 (15.8–22.5) Tg of carbon dioxide. These extraordinary halocarbon emissions are likely due to destruction of building components containing halocarbons, such as air conditioners, foam insulation, and electrical equipment.
Global storm time depletion of the outer electron belt
Authors: Ukhorskiy A. Y. , Sitnov M. I. , Millan R. M. , Kress B. T. , Fennell J. F. , Claudepierre S. G. , Barnes R. J.
Published: March 2015

The outer radiation belt consists of relativistic (>0.5 MeV) electrons trapped on closed trajectories around Earth where the magnetic field is nearly dipolar. During increased geomagnetic activity, electron intensities in the belt can vary by orders of magnitude at different spatial and temporal scales. The main phase of geomagnetic storms often produces deep depletions of electron intensities over broad regions of the outer belt. Previous studies identified three possible processes that can contribute to the main‐phase depletions: adiabatic inflation of electron drift orbits caused by the ring current growth, electron loss into the atmosphere, and electron escape through the magnetopause boundary. In this paper we investigate the relative importance of the adiabatic effect and magnetopause loss to the rapid depletion of the outer belt observed at the Van Allen Probes spacecraft during the main phase of 17 March 2013 storm. The intensities of >1 MeV electrons were depleted by more than an order of magnitude over the entire radial extent of the belt in less than 6 h after the sudden storm commencement. For the analysis we used three‐dimensional test particle simulations of global evolution of the outer belt in the Tsyganenko‐Sitnov (TS07D) magnetic field model with an inductive electric field. Comparison of the simulation results with electron measurements from the Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer experiment shows that magnetopause loss accounts for most of the observed depletion at L>5, while at lower L shells the depletion is adiabatic. Both magnetopause loss and the adiabatic effect are controlled by the change in global configuration of the magnetic field due to storm time development of the ring current; a simulation of electron evolution without a ring current produces a much weaker depletion.