bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on nitrous oxide emission in a nitrogen-rich and two nitrogen-limited tropical forests
Authors: Zheng Mianhai , Zhang Tao , Liu Lei , Zhu Weixing , Zhang Wei , Mo Jiangming
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Nitrogen (N) deposition is generally considered to increase soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emission in N-rich forests. In many tropical forests, however, elevated N deposition has caused soil N enrichment and further phosphorus (P) deficiency, and the interaction of N and P to control soil N2O emission remains poorly understood, particularly in forests with different soil N status. In this study, we examined the effects of N and P additions on soil N2O emission in an N-rich old-growth forest and two N-limited younger forests (a mixed and a pine forest) in southern China to test the following hypotheses: (1) soil N2O emission is the highest in old-growth forest due to the N-rich soil; (2) N addition increases N2O emission more in the old-growth forest than in the two younger forests; (3) P addition decreases N2O emission more in the old-growth forest than in the two younger forests; and (4) P addition alleviates the stimulation of N2O emission by N addition. The following four treatments were established in each forest: Control, N addition (150 kg N ha−1 yr−1), P addition (150 kg P ha−1 yr−1), and NP addition (150 kg N ha−1 yr−1 plus 150 kg P ha−1 yr−1). From February 2007 to October 2009, monthly quantification of soil N2O emission was performed using static chamber and gas chromatography techniques. Mean N2O emission was shown to be significantly higher in the old-growth forest (13.9 ± 0.7 µg N2O-N m−2 h−1) than in the mixed (9.9 ± 0.4 µg N2O-N m−2 h−1) or pine (10.8 ± 0.5 µg N2O-N m−2 h−1) forests, with no significant difference between the latter two. N addition significantly increased N2O emission in the old-growth forest but not in the two younger forests. However, both P and NP addition had no significant effect on N2O emission in all three forests, suggesting that P addition alleviated the stimulation of N2O emission by N addition in the old-growth forest. Although P fertilization may alleviate the stimulated effects of atmospheric N deposition on N2O emission in N-rich forests, this effect may only occur under high N deposition and/or long-term P addition, and we suggest future investigations to definitively assess this management strategy and the importance of P in regulating N cycles from regional to global scales.
Soil carbon response to land-use change: Evaluation of a global vegetation model using meta-data
Authors: Nyawira Sylvia S. , Nabel Julia E. M. S. , Don Axel , Brovkin Victor , Pongratz Julia
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Global model estimates of soil carbon changes from past land-use changes remain uncertain. We develop an approach for evaluating dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs) against existing observational meta-data on soil carbon changes following land-use change. Using the DGVM JSBACH, we perform idealized simulations where the entire globe is covered by one vegetation type, which then undergoes a land-use change to another vegetation type. We select the grid cells that represent the climatic conditions of the meta-data and compare the mean simulated soil carbon changes to the meta-data. Our simulated results show model agreement with the meta-data on the direction of changes in soil carbon for some, but not all land-use changes, while the magnitude of simulated changes is smaller than in the meta-data. The conversion of crop to forest results in soil carbon gain of 10 % and that of forest to crop to a loss of −15 % compared to a gain of 42 % and loss of −40 %, respectively, in the meta-data. However, the conversion of crop to grass results in a small soil carbon loss (−4 %), while the meta-data indicate a gain in soil carbon of 38 %. These model deviations from the meta-data are substantially reduced by explicitly accounting for crop harvesting and switching off burning in grasslands in the model. We conclude that our idealized simulation approach provides an appropriate framework for evaluating DGVMs against meta-data and that this evaluation helps to identify the causes of deviation of simulated soil carbon changes from the meta-data.
Ecohydrological effects of stream–aquifer water interaction: a case study of the Heihe River basin, northwestern China
Authors: Zeng Yujin , Xie Zhenghui , Yu Yan , Liu Shuang , Wang Linying , Jia Binghao , Qin Peihua , Chen Yaning
Published: June 2016

Abstract. A scheme describing the process of stream–aquifer interaction was combined with the land model CLM4.5 to investigate the effects of stream water conveyance over riparian banks on ecological and hydrological processes. Two groups of simulations for five typical river cross sections in the middle reaches of the arid-zone Heihe River basin were conducted. The comparisons between the simulated results and the measurements from water wells, the FLUXNET station, and remote sensing data showed good performance of the coupled model. The simulated riparian groundwater table at a propagation distance of less than 1 km followed the intra-annual fluctuation of the river water level, and the correlation was excellent (R2  =  0.9) between the river water level and the groundwater table at the distance 60 m from the river. The correlation rapidly decreased as distance increased. In response to the variability of the water table, soil moisture at deep layers also followed the variation of river water level all year, while soil moisture at the surface layer was more sensitive to the river water level in the drought season than in the wet season. With increased soil moisture, the average gross primary productivity and respiration of riparian vegetation within 300 m from the river in a typical section of the river increased by approximately 0.03 and 0.02 mg C m−2 s−1, respectively, in the growing season. Consequently, the net ecosystem exchange increased by approximately 0.01 mg C m−2 s−1, and the evapotranspiration increased by approximately 3 mm day−1. Furthermore, the length of the growing season of riparian vegetation also increased by 2–3 months due to the sustaining water recharge from the river. Overall, the stream–aquifer water interaction plays an essential role in the controlling of riparian hydrological and ecological processes.
Field-scale water balance closure in seasonally frozen conditions
Authors: Pan X. , Helgason W. , Ireson A. , Wheater H.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Hydrological water balance closure is a simple concept, yet in practice it is usually impossible to measure every significant term independently in the field. Here we explore field scale water balance closure in a prairie pasture field site in Saskatchewan, Canada. The area is cold, flat and semi-arid, with snowmelt-dominated runoff. Arrays of snow and soil moisture measurements were combined with a precipitation gauge and flux tower evapotranspiration estimates. We consider three hydrologically distinct periods: the snow accumulation period over the winter, the snowmelt period in spring, and the summer growing season. Over two years studied (1 November 2012 to 31 October 2014), we saw similar snowpacks develop each winter result in markedly different runoff responses during melt. This was attributed to different soil moisture conditions prior to the snow accumulation period in each year. In the more typical year (2013), the snow pack mostly infiltrates into the soil, and the water balance is dominated by vertical land-atmosphere exchanges. However, in the wetter year (2013–2014), the snowpack was not absorbed as soil moisture, and significant losses (i.e. deep or lateral fluxes) occurred in response to rainfall in the early growing season. As a result, we were unable to close the water balance. In particular, we were unable to quantify how the excess melt water was partitioned between lateral runoff and vertical soil drainage leading to groundwater recharge. Shallow piezometers suggest groundwater recharge was significant in the wet year, and was depression focused. It is concluded that models which use physically-based process representations to partition the melt cannot be rigorously validated using conventional field-scale measurements based on water balance residuals. Rather, models should be constrained using direct observations, accounting for uncertainty, and there is a need to establish which observations (what, where and when) are most effective at constraining the uncertainties in the water balance components.
MULTI-TARGET DETECTION FROM FULL-WAVEFORM AIRBORNE LASER SCANNER USING PHD FILTER
Authors: Fuse T. , Hiramatsu D. , Nakanishi W.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. We propose a new technique to detect multiple targets from full-waveform airborne laser scanner. We introduce probability hypothesis density (PHD) filter, a type of Bayesian filtering, by which we can estimate the number of targets and their positions simultaneously. PHD filter overcomes some limitations of conventional Gaussian decomposition method; PHD filter doesn’t require a priori knowledge on the number of targets, assumption of parametric form of the intensity distribution. In addition, it can take a similarity between successive irradiations into account by modelling relative positions of the same targets spatially. Firstly we explain PHD filter and particle filter implementation to it. Secondly we formulate the multi-target detection problem on PHD filter by modelling components and parameters within it. At last we conducted the experiment on real data of forest and vegetation, and confirmed its ability and accuracy.
3D DOCUMENTATION OF 40 KILOMETERS OF HISTORICAL PORTICOES – THE CHALLENGE
Authors: Remondino F. , Gaiani M. , Apollonio F. , Ballabeni A. , Ballabeni M. , Morabito D.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. In the last years the image-based pipeline for 3D reconstruction purposes has received large interest leading to fully automated methodologies able to process large image datasets and deliver 3D products with a level of detail and precision variable according to the applications. Different open issues still exist, in particular when dealing with the 3D surveying and modeling of large and complex scenarios, like historical porticoes. The paper presents an evaluation of various surveying methods for the geometric documentation of ca 40km of historical porticoes in Bologna (Italy). Finally, terrestrial photogrammetry was chosen as the most flexible and productive technique in order to deliver 3D results in form of colored point clouds or textured 3D meshes accessible on the web. The presented digital products are a complementary material for the final candidature of the porticoes as UNESCO WHS.
DEFORMATION MONITORING OF RETROFITTED SHORT CONCRETE COLUMNS WITH LASER SENSOR
Authors: Avsar E. Ö. , Celik M. F. , Binbir E. , Arslan A. E. , Çokkeçeci D. , Seker D. Z. , Pala S.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. This paper presents one of the applications of monitoring mechanical tests carried out in Construction Materials Laboratory of Istanbul Technical University. In Turkey, as in many countries, large amount of existing buildings exposed to seismic hazard, therefore various analytical and experimental studies are being conducted to contribute to the solution of the problem. One of the new generation retrofitting techniques is to strength the structural members by using Fiber Reinforcing Polymer (FRP). This study summarize the results of monitoring of deformations short concrete column samples under the incremental compression load. In this study, result of two rectangular short columns are given. One of them was tested as a reference sample, the other sample were tested after strengthening by PET reinforced polymer composite materials. Besides conventional displacement and strain measurement systems, laser scanning method was used to get three dimensional deformed shape of sample at each selected steps.
TOWARDS A LOW-COST, REAL-TIME PHOTOGRAMMETRIC LANDSLIDE MONITORING SYSTEM UTILISING MOBILE AND CLOUD COMPUTING TECHNOLOGY
Authors: Chidburee P. , Mills J. P. , Miller P. E. , Fieber K. D.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Close-range photogrammetric techniques offer a potentially low-cost approach in terms of implementation and operation for initial assessment and monitoring of landslide processes over small areas. In particular, the Structure-from-Motion (SfM) pipeline is now extensively used to help overcome many constraints of traditional digital photogrammetry, offering increased user-friendliness to nonexperts, as well as lower costs. However, a landslide monitoring approach based on the SfM technique also presents some potential drawbacks due to the difficulty in managing and processing a large volume of data in real-time. This research addresses the aforementioned issues by attempting to combine a mobile device with cloud computing technology to develop a photogrammetric measurement solution as part of a monitoring system for landslide hazard analysis. The research presented here focusses on (i) the development of an Android mobile application; (ii) the implementation of SfM-based open-source software in the Amazon cloud computing web service, and (iii) performance assessment through a simulated environment using data collected at a recognized landslide test site in North Yorkshire, UK. Whilst the landslide monitoring mobile application is under development, this paper describes experiments carried out to ensure effective performance of the system in the future. Investigations presented here describe the initial assessment of a cloud-implemented approach, which is developed around the well-known VisualSFM algorithm. Results are compared to point clouds obtained from alternative SfM 3D reconstruction approaches considering a commercial software solution (Agisoft PhotoScan) and a web-based system (Autodesk 123D Catch). Investigations demonstrate that the cloud-based photogrammetric measurement system is capable of providing results of centimeter-level accuracy, evidencing its potential to provide an effective approach for quantifying and analyzing landslide hazard at a local-scale.
CLIFF COLLAPSE HAZARD FROM REPEATED MULTICOPTER UAV ACQUISITIONS: RETURN ON EXPERIENCE
Authors: Dewez T.J. B. , Leroux J. , Morelli S.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Cliff collapse poses a serious hazard to infrastructure and passers-by. Obtaining information such as magnitude-frequency relationship for a specific site is of great help to adapt appropriate mitigation measures. While it is possible to monitor hundreds-of-meter-long cliff sites with ground based techniques (e.g. lidar or photogrammetry), it is both time consuming and scientifically limiting to focus on short cliff sections. In the project SUAVE, we sought to investigate whether an octocopter UAV photogrammetric survey would perform sufficiently well in order to repeatedly survey cliff face geometry and derive rock fall inventories amenable to probabilistic rock fall hazard computation. An experiment was therefore run on a well-studied site of the chalk coast of Normandy, in Mesnil Val, along the English Channel (Northern France). Two campaigns were organized in January and June 2015 which surveyed about 60 ha of coastline, including the 80-m-high cliff face, the chalk platform at its foot, and the hinterland in a matter of 4 hours from start to finish. To conform with UAV regulations, the flight was flown in 3 legs for a total of about 30 minutes in the air. A total of 868 and 1106 photos were respectively shot with a Sony NEX 7 with fixed focal 16mm. Three lines of sight were combined: horizontal shots for cliff face imaging, 45°-oblique views to tie plateau/platform photos with cliff face images, and regular vertical shots. Photogrammetrically derived dense point clouds were produced with Agisoft Photoscan at ultra-high density (median density is 1 point every 1.7cm). Point cloud density proved a critical parameter to reproduce faithfully the chalk face’s geometry. Tuning down the density parameter to “high” or “medium”, though efficient from a computational point of view, generated artefacts along chalk bed edges (i.e. smoothing the sharp gradient) and ultimately creating ghost volumes when computing cloud to cloud differences. Yet, from a hazard point of view, this is where small rock fall will most likely occur. Absolute orientation of both point clouds proved unsufficient despite the 30 black and white quadrants ground control point DGPS surveyed. Additional ICP was necessary to reach centimeter-level accuracy and segment rock fall scars corresponding to the expected average daily rock fall volume (ca. 0.013 m3).
PATIENT REGISTRATION USING PHOTOGRAMMETRIC SURFACE RECONSTRUCTION FROM SMARTPHONE IMAGERY
Authors: Hellwich O. , Rose A. , Bien T. , Malolepszy C. , Mucha D. , Krüger T.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. In navigated surgery the patient’s body has to be co-registered with presurgically acquired 3D data in order to enable navigation of the surgical instrument. For this purpose the body surface of the patient can be acquired by means of photogrammetry and co-registered to corresponding surfaces in the presurgical data. In this paper this task is exemplarily solved for 3D data of human heads using the face surface to establish correspondence. We focus on investigation of achieved geometric accuracies reporting positioning errors in the range of 1 mm.
ASSESSMENT OF RESTORATION METHODS OF X-RAY IMAGES WITH EMPHASIS ON MEDICAL PHOTOGRAMMETRIC USAGE
Authors: Hosseinian S. , Arefi H.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Nowadays, various medical X-ray imaging methods such as digital radiography, computed tomography and fluoroscopy are used as important tools in diagnostic and operative processes especially in the computer and robotic assisted surgeries. The procedures of extracting information from these images require appropriate deblurring and denoising processes on the pre- and intra-operative images in order to obtain more accurate information. This issue becomes more considerable when the X-ray images are planned to be employed in the photogrammetric processes for 3D reconstruction from multi-view X-ray images since, accurate data should be extracted from images for 3D modelling and the quality of X-ray images affects directly on the results of the algorithms. For restoration of X-ray images, it is essential to consider the nature and characteristics of these kinds of images. X-ray images exhibit severe quantum noise due to limited X-ray photons involved. The assumptions of Gaussian modelling are not appropriate for photon-limited images such as X-ray images, because of the nature of signal-dependant quantum noise. These images are generally modelled by Poisson distribution which is the most common model for low-intensity imaging. In this paper, existing methods are evaluated. For this purpose, after demonstrating the properties of medical X-ray images, the more efficient and recommended methods for restoration of X-ray images would be described and assessed. After explaining these approaches, they are implemented on samples from different kinds of X-ray images. By considering the results, it is concluded that using PURE-LET, provides more effective and efficient denoising than other examined methods in this research.
4D ANIMATION RECONSTRUCTION FROM MULTI-CAMERA COORDINATES TRANSFORMATION
Authors: Jhan J. P. , Rau J. Y. , Chou C. M.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Reservoir dredging issues are important to extend the life of reservoir. The most effective and cost reduction way is to construct a tunnel to desilt the bottom sediment. Conventional technique is to construct a cofferdam to separate the water, construct the intake of tunnel inside and remove the cofferdam afterwards. In Taiwan, the ZengWen reservoir dredging project will install an Elephant-trunk Steel Pipe (ETSP) in the water to connect the desilting tunnel without building the cofferdam. Since the installation is critical to the whole project, a 1:20 model was built to simulate the installation steps in a towing tank, i.e. launching, dragging, water injection, and sinking. To increase the construction safety, photogrammetry technic is adopted to record images during the simulation, compute its transformation parameters for dynamic analysis and reconstruct the 4D animations. In this study, several Australis© coded targets are fixed on the surface of ETSP for auto-recognition and measurement. The cameras orientations are computed by space resection where the 3D coordinates of coded targets are measured. Two approaches for motion parameters computation are proposed, i.e. performing 3D conformal transformation from the coordinates of cameras and relative orientation computation by the orientation of single camera. Experimental results show the 3D conformal transformation can achieve sub-mm simulation results, and relative orientation computation shows the flexibility for dynamic motion analysis which is easier and more efficiency.
PHOTOGRAMMETRY-BASED AUTOMATED MEASUREMENTS FOR TOOTH SHAPE AND OCCLUSION ANALYSIS
Authors: Knyaz V. A. , Gaboutchian A. V.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Tooth measurements (odontometry) are performed for various scientific and practical applications, including dentistry. Present-day techniques are being increasingly based on 3D model use that provides wider prospects in comparison to measurements on real objects: teeth or their plaster copies. The main advantages emerge through application of new measurement methods which provide the needed degree of non-invasiveness, precision, convenience and details. Tooth measurements have been always regarded as a time-consuming research, even more so with use of new methods due to their wider opportunities. This is where automation becomes essential for further development and implication of measurement techniques. In our research automation in obtaining 3D models and automation of measurements provided essential data that was analysed to suggest recommendations for tooth preparation – one of the most responsible clinical procedures in prosthetic dentistry – within a comparatively short period of time. The original photogrammetric 3D reconstruction system allows to generate 3D models of dental arches, reproduce their closure, or occlusion, and to perform a set of standard measurement in automated mode.
AUTOMATIC WATERLINE EXTRACTION FROM SMARTPHONE IMAGES
Authors: Kröhnert M.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Considering worldwide increasing and devastating flood events, the issue of flood defence and prediction becomes more and more important. Conventional methods for the observation of water levels, for instance gauging stations, provide reliable information. However, they are rather cost-expensive in purchase, installation and maintenance and hence mostly limited for monitoring large streams only. Thus, small rivers with noticeable increasing flood hazard risks are often neglected. State-of-the-art smartphones with powerful camera systems may act as affordable, mobile measuring instruments. Reliable and effective image processing methods may allow the use of smartphone-taken images for mobile shoreline detection and thus for water level monitoring. The paper focuses on automatic methods for the determination of waterlines by spatio-temporal texture measures. Besides the considerable challenge of dealing with a wide range of smartphone cameras providing different hardware components, resolution, image quality and programming interfaces, there are several limits in mobile device processing power. For test purposes, an urban river in Dresden, Saxony was observed. The results show the potential of deriving the waterline with subpixel accuracy by a column-by-column four-parameter logistic regression and polynomial spline modelling. After a transformation into object space via suitable landmarks (which is not addressed in this paper), this corresponds to an accuracy in the order of a few centimetres when processing mobile device images taken from small rivers at typical distances.
3D MODELLING AND RAPID PROTOTYPING FOR CARDIOVASCULAR SURGICAL PLANNING – TWO CASE STUDIES
Authors: Nocerino E. , Remondino F. , Uccheddu F. , Gallo M. , Gerosa G.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. In the last years, cardiovascular diagnosis, surgical planning and intervention have taken advantages from 3D modelling and rapid prototyping techniques. The starting data for the whole process is represented by medical imagery, in particular, but not exclusively, computed tomography (CT) or multi-slice CT (MCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). On the medical imagery, regions of interest, i.e. heart chambers, valves, aorta, coronary vessels, etc., are segmented and converted into 3D models, which can be finally converted in physical replicas through 3D printing procedure. In this work, an overview on modern approaches for automatic and semiautomatic segmentation of medical imagery for 3D surface model generation is provided. The issue of accuracy check of surface models is also addressed, together with the critical aspects of converting digital models into physical replicas through 3D printing techniques. A patient-specific 3D modelling and printing procedure (Figure 1), for surgical planning in case of complex heart diseases was developed. The procedure was applied to two case studies, for which MCT scans of the chest are available. In the article, a detailed description on the implemented patient-specific modelling procedure is provided, along with a general discussion on the potentiality and future developments of personalized 3D modelling and printing for surgical planning and surgeons practice.
Modelling the socio-economic impact of river floods in Europe
Authors: Alfieri Lorenzo , Feyen Luc , Salamon Peter , Thielen Jutta , Bianchi Alessandra , Dottori Francesco , Burek Peter
Published: June 2016

Abstract. River floods generate a large share of the socio-economic impact of weather-driven hazards worldwide. Accurate assessment of their impact is a key priority for governments, international organization, reinsurance companies and emergency responders. Yet, available databases of flood losses over large domains are often affected by gaps and inconsistencies in reported figures. In this work, a framework to reconstruct the economic damage and population affected by river floods at continental scale is applied. Pan-European river flow simulations are coupled with a high-resolution impact assessment framework based on 2-D inundation modelling. Two complementary methods are compared in their ability to estimate the climatological average flood impact and the impact of each flood event in Europe between 1990 and 2013. The event-based method reveals key features, such as the ability to include changes in time of all three components of risk, namely hazard, exposure and vulnerability. Furthermore, it skilfully reproduces the socio-economic impact of major flood events in the past two decades, including the severe flooding hitting central Europe in June 2013. On the other hand, the integral method is capable of reproducing the average flood losses which occurred in Europe between 1998 and 2009. Strengths and limitations of the proposed model are discussed to stress the large potential for filling in the gaps of current datasets of flood impact.
Hydrodynamics of long-duration urban floods: experiments and numerical modelling
Authors: Arrault Anaïs , Finaud-Guyot Pascal , Archambeau Pierre , Bruwier Martin , Erpicum Sébastien , Pirotton Michel , Dewals Benjamin
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Flood risk in urbanized areas raises increasing concerns as a result of demographic and climate changes. Hydraulic modelling is a key component of urban flood risk analysis; yet, detailed validation data are still lacking for comprehensively validating hydraulic modelling of inundation flow in urbanized floodplains. In this study, we present an experimental model of inundation flow in a typical European urban district and we compare the experimental observations with predictions by a 2-D shallow-water numerical model. The experimental set-up is 5 m  ×  5 m and involves seven streets in each direction, leading to 49 intersections. For a wide range of inflow discharges, the partition of the measured outflow discharges at the different street outlets was found to remain virtually constant. The observations also suggest that the street widths have a significant influence on the discharge partition between the different streets' outlets. The profiles of water depths along the streets are mainly influenced by the complex flow processes at the intersections, while bottom roughness plays a small part. The numerical model reproduces most of the observed flow features satisfactorily. Using a turbulence model was shown to modify the length of the recirculations in the streets, but not to alter significantly the discharge partition. The main limitation of the numerical model results from the Cartesian grid used, which can be overcome by using a porosity-based formulation of the shallow-water equations. The upscaling of the experimental observations to the field is also discussed.
An intercomparison of tropical cyclone best-track products for the southwest Pacific
Authors: Magee Andrew D. , Verdon-Kidd Danielle C. , Kiem Anthony S.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Recent efforts to understand tropical cyclone (TC) activity in the southwest Pacific (SWP) have led to the development of numerous TC databases. The methods used to compile each database vary and are based on data from different meteorological centres, standalone TC databases and archived synoptic charts. Therefore the aims of this study are to (i) provide a spatio-temporal comparison of three TC best-track (BT) databases and explore any differences between them (and any associated implications) and (ii) investigate whether there are any spatial, temporal or statistical differences between pre-satellite (1945–1969), post-satellite (1970–2011) and post-geostationary satellite (1982–2011) era TC data given the changing observational technologies with time. To achieve this, we compare three best-track TC databases for the SWP region (0–35° S, 135° E–120° W) from 1945 to 2011: the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), the International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS) and the Southwest Pacific Enhanced Archive of Tropical Cyclones (SPEArTC). The results of this study suggest that SPEArTC is the most complete repository of TCs for the SWP region. In particular, we show that the SPEArTC database includes a number of additional TCs, not included in either the JTWC or IBTrACS database. These SPEArTC events do occur under environmental conditions conducive to tropical cyclogenesis (TC genesis), including anomalously negative 700 hPa vorticity (VORT), anomalously negative vertical shear of zonal winds (VSZW), anomalously negative 700 hPa geopotential height (GPH), cyclonic (absolute) 700 hPa winds and low values of absolute vertical wind shear (EVWS). Further, while changes in observational technologies from 1945 have undoubtedly improved our ability to detect and monitor TCs, we show that the number of TCs detected prior to the satellite era (1945–1969) are not statistically different to those in the post-satellite era (post-1970). Although data from pre-satellite and pre-geostationary satellite periods are currently inadequate for investigating TC intensity, this study suggests that SPEArTC data (from 1945) may be used to investigate long-term variability of TC counts and TC genesis locations.
Land use and land cover change based on historical space-time model
Authors: Sun Qiong , Zhang Chi , Liu Min , Zhang Yongjing
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Land use and cover change is a leading edge topic in the current research field of global environmental changes and case study of typical areas is an important approach understanding global environmental changes. Taking Qiantang River (Zhejiang, China) as an example, this study explores automatic classification of land use using remote sensing technology and analyzes historical space-time change by remote sensing monitoring, which provide new methods for optimizing land use structure and realize the optimal allocation of land resources as well as intensive utilization. It is of great importance to the sustainable development of Qiantang River basin and the whole Zhejiang province. This study combines spectral angle mapping (SAM) with multi-source information and creates a convenient and efficient high precision land use computer automatic classification method which meets the application requirements and is suitable for complex landform of the studied area. This work analyzes the histological space-time characteristic of land use and cover change in 2001, 2007 and 2014, providing a strong information support and new research method for optimizing Qiantang River land use structure and achieving optimal allocation of land resources and scientific management.
Permafrost Distribution Modeling in the Semi-Arid Chilean Andes
Authors: Azócar Guillermo F. , Brenning Alexander , Bodin Xavier
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Mountain permafrost and rock glaciers in the dry Andes are of growing interest due to the increase in human activities in this remote area. Empirical models of mountain permafrost distribution based on the spatial analysis of intact and relict rock glaciers and mean annual air temperature (MAAT) have been established as a tool for regional-scale assessments of permafrost favorability across entire mountain ranges; however, this kind of model approach has never been applied for a large portion of the Andes. In the present study, this methodology is applied to map permafrost favorability throughout the semi-arid Andes of central Chile (29° S–32° S), excluding areas of exposed bedrock. After spatially modeling MAAT distribution from scarce temperature records (116 station-years) using a linear mixed-effects model (LMEM), a generalized additive model (GAM) was built to model the activity status of 3524 rock glaciers. A Permafrost Favorability Index (PFI) was obtained by adjusting model predictions for conceptual differences between permafrost and rock glacier distribution. The results indicate that model has an acceptable performance (median AUROC: 0.76). Conditions highly favorable to permafrost presence (PFI ≥ 0.75) are predicted for 1051 km2 of mountain terrain, or 2.7 % of the total area of the watersheds studied. Favorable conditions are expected to occur in 2636 km2, or 6.8 % of the area. Especially in the Elqui and Huasco watersheds in the northern half of the study area, where a substantial surface portion (11.8 % each) was considered to be favorable for permafrost presence, while predicted favorable areas in the southern Limarí and Choapa watersheds are mostly limited to specific sub-watersheds. In the future, local ground-truth observations will be required to confirm permafrost presence in favorable areas, and to monitor permafrost evolution under the influence of climate change.
Spatio-temporal dynamics of snow cover based on multi-source remote sensing data in China
Authors: Huang Xiaodong , Deng Jie , Ma Xiaofang , Wang Yunlong , Feng Qisheng , Hao Xiaohua , Liang Tiangang
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Through combining optical remote sensing snow cover products with passive microwave remote-sensing snow depth data, we produced a MODIS cloudless binary snow cover product and a 500-m spatial resolution snow depth product for December 2000 to November 2014. We used the synthesized products to analyze the temporal and spatial variation of the snow cover in China. The results indicated that in the past 14 years, the overall annual number of snow-covered days and average snow depth in China increased. The annual average snow-covered area did not change significantly, and the number of snow-covered days in summer in China decreased. The number of snow-covered days in the winter, spring, and fall seasons all increased. The average snow-covered area in the summer and winter seasons decreased, whereas the average snow-covered area in the spring and fall seasons increased. The average snow depth in the winter, summer, and fall seasons decreased. Only the average snow depth in spring increased. The spatial distribution of the increase and decrease in the annual average snow depth was highly consistent with that of the annual number of snow-covered days. The spatial distributions of the variation of the number of snow-covered days and the average snow depth of each season were also highly consistent. The regional differences in the snow cover variation in China were significant. The snow cover increased significantly in South and Northeast China, decreased significantly in Xinjiang, increased in the southwest edge and southeast of the Tibetan Plateau, and mainly decreased in the north and northwest regions of the plateau.
Ulikhet i helse og helsetjenestebruk hos nordiske barn etter foreldrenes utdannelse
Authors: Grøholt Else-Karin , Nordhagen Rannveig
Published: June 2016

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Room for everyone in working life? 10% of the employees – 82% of the sickness leave
Authors: Tveito m.fl., Torill H.
Published: June 2016

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Refractory hypercalcemia: Unusual presentation for diffuse large B cell lymphoma
Authors: Yadav Dhiraj , Chaudhary Ranjit Kumar , Chisti Mohammad Muhsin
Published: June 2016

Patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma can occasionally develop hypercalcemia but it is rare at the onset of disease. We present a case of an elderly female who presented with refractory hypercalcemia, workup of which led to the diagnosis of B cell lymphoma. We discuss about various etiologies for development of hypercalcemia in a patient with lymphoma or leukemia.
An analysis of the readability of patient information materials for common urological conditions
Authors: Dalziel Katie , Leveridge Michael J. , Steele Stephen S. , Izard Jason P.
Published: June 2016

Introduction: Health literacy has been shown to be an important determinant of outcomes in numerous disease states. In an effort to improve health literacy, the Canadian Urological Association (CUA) publishes freely accessible patient information materials (PIMs) on common urological conditions. We sought to evaluate the readability of the CUA’s PIMs.Methods: All PIMs were accessed through the CUA website. The Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), and the number of educational graphics were determined for each PIM. Low FRES scores and high FKGL scores are associated with more difficult-to-read text. Average readability values were calculated for each PIM category based on the CUA-defined subject categorizes. The five pamphlets with the highest FKGL scores were revised using word substitutions for complex multisyllabic words and reanalyzed. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to identify readability differences between PIM categories and paired t-tests were used to test differences between FKGL scores beforeand after revisions.Results: Across all PIMs, FRES values were low (mean 47.5, standard deviation [SD] 7.47). This corresponded to an average FKGL of 10.5 (range 8.1‒12.0). Among PIM categories, the infertility andsexual function PIMs exhibited the highest average FKGL (mean 11.6), however, differences in scores between categories were not statistically significant (p=0.38). The average number of words persentence was also highest in the infertility and sexual function PIMs and significantly higher than other categories (mean 17.2; p=0.01). On average, there were 1.4 graphics displayed per PIM (range 0‒4), which did not vary significantly by disease state (p=0.928). Simple words substitutions improved the readability of the five most difficult-to-read PIMs by an average of 3.1 grade points (p<0.01).Conclusions: Current patient information materials published by the CUA compare favourably to those produced by other organizations, but may be difficult to read for low-literacy patients. Readability levels must be balanced against the required informational needs of patients, which may be intrinsically complex.
The role of voiding cystourethrography in the investigation of children with urinary tract infections
Authors: Lee Linda C. , Lorenzo Armando J. , Koyle Martin A.
Published: June 2016

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent a common bacterial cause of febrile illness in children. Of children presenting with a febrile UTI, 25‒40% are found to have vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Historically, the concern regarding VUR was that it could lead to recurrent pyelonephritis, renal scarring, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. As a result, many children underwent invasive surgical procedures to correct VUR. We now know that many cases of VUR are low-grade and have a high rate of spontaneous resolution. The roles of surveillance, antibiotic prophylaxis, endoscopic injection, and ureteral reimplantation surgery also continue to evolve. In turn, these factors have influenced the investigation of febrile UTIs.Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) is the radiographic test of choice to diagnose VUR. Due to its invasive nature and questionable benefit in many cases, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) no longer recommends VCUG routinely after an initial febrile UTI. Nevertheless, these guidelines pre-date the landmark Randomized Intervention of Children with Vesicoureteral Reflux (RIVUR) trial and there continues to be controversy regarding the diagnosis and management of VUR. This paper discusses the current literature regarding radiographic testing in children with febrile UTIs and presents a practical risk-based approach for deciding when to obtain a VCUG.
The impact of teaching on the duration of common urological operations
Authors: Welk Blayne , Winick-Ng Jennifer , McClure Andrew , Vinden Chris , Dave Sumit , Pautler Stephen
Published: June 2016

Introduction: The ability of academic (teaching) hospitals to offer the same level of efficiency as non-teaching hospitals in a publicly funded healthcare system is unknown. Our objective was to compare the operative duration of general urology procedures between teaching and non-teaching hospitals. Methods: We used administrative data from the province of Ontario to conduct a retrospective cohort study of all adults who underwent a specified elective urology procedure (2002–2013). Primary outcome was duration of surgical procedure. Primary exposure was hospital type (academic or non-teaching). Negative binomial regression was used to adjust relative time estimates for age, comorbidity, obesity, anesthetic, and surgeon and hospital case volume.Results: 114 225 procedures were included (circumcision n=12 280; hydrocelectomy n=7221; open radical prostatectomy n=22 951; transurethral prostatectomy n=56 066; or mid-urethral sling n=15 707). These procedures were performed in an academic hospital in 14.8%, 13.3%, 28.6%, 17.1%, and 21.3% of cases, respectively. The mean operative duration across all procedures was higher in academic centres; the additional operative time ranged from 8.3 minutes (circumcision) to 29.2 minutes (radical prostatectomy). In adjusted analysis, patients treated in academic hospitals were still found to have procedures that were significantly longer (by 10‒21%). These results were similar in sensitivity analyses that accounted for the potential effect of more complex patients being referred to tertiary academic centres.Conclusions: Five common general urology operations take significantly longer to perform in academic hospitals. The reason for this may be due to the combined effect of teaching students and residents or due to inherent systematic inefficiencies within large academic hospitals.
What’s new in functional urology research?
Authors: Herschorn Sender
Published: June 2016

What’s new in functional urology research?
What’s new bladder cancer research?
Authors: Zlotta Alexandre R.
Published: June 2016

What’s new bladder cancer research?
Comparing the Performance of Different Data Mining Techniques in Evaluating Loan Applications
Authors: Riasi Arash , Wang Deshen
Published: June 2016

This study compares the performance of various data mining classifiers in order to find out which classifiers should be used for predicting whether a loan application will be approved or rejected. The study also tries to find the data mining classifiers which have the best performance in predicting whether an approved loan applicant will eventually default on his/her loan or not. The study was performed using a sample of 971 loan applicants. The results indicated that the best data mining classifier for predicting whether a loan applicant will be approved or rejected is LAD Tree, followed by Rotation Forest, Logit Boost, Random Forest, and AD Tree. It was also found that the best classifier for predicting whether an approved applicant will default on his/her loan is Bagging, followed by Simple Cart, J 48, J 48 graft, END, Class Balance ND, Data Near Balance ND, ND, and Ordinal Class Classifier.
Pseudomonas Prosthetic Joint Infections: A Review of 102 Episodes
Authors: Shah Neel B. , Osmon Douglas R. , Steckelberg James M. , Sierra Rafael J. , Walker Randall C. , Tande Aaron J. , Berbari Elie F.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Background: The outcome of patients with Pseudomonas prosthetic joint infection (PS PJI) has not been well studied. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the outcome of patients with Pseudomonas PJI and to review risk factors associated with failure of therapy.Methods: Between 1/1969 and 12/2012, 102 episodes of PS PJI in 91 patients were identified.Results: The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 67.4 years; forty three percent had knee involvement. Over 40 percent had either diabetes mellitus or a history of gastrointestinal or genitourinary surgery. Nearly half (48 out of 102 episodes) received aminoglycoside monotherapy, while 25% received an anti-pseudomonal cephalosporin. The 2-year cumulative survival free from failure was 69% (95% CI, 56%-82%). Patients treated with resection arthroplasty, two-stage exchange, and debridement with implant retention had a 2-year cumulative survival free from failure of 80% (95% CI, 66%-95%), 83% (95% CI, 60%-100%), and 26% (95% CI, 23%-29%) respectively (P=0.0001).Conclusions: PS PJI's are associated with a high failure rate. Patients treated with debridement and implant retention had a worse outcome.
Autonomy and Dependency in Two Successful UK Film and Television Companies: An Analysis of RED Production Company and Warp Films
Authors: Spicer Andrew , Presence Steve
Published: June 2016

This article analyses the production cultures of two film and television companies in the United Kingdom – RED Production and Warp Films – by discussing the companies formation and identity, aims and ethos, internal structures and their networks of external relationships. The article argues that although managing directors and senior personnel exercise considerable power within the companies themselves, the companies depend on the extent to which they are able to engage with other industry agents, in particular the large-scale institutions that dominate the film and television industries. By situating analysis of these negotiated dependencies within shifting macroeconomic, historical and cultural contexts, the article argues that the increasing power of multinational conglomerates and the cultural convergence between film and high-end television drama marks a threshold moment for both companies which will alter their production cultures significantly.