bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antarctic temperature and CO2: near-synchrony yet variable
phasing during the last deglaciation
Authors: Chowdhry Beeman Jai , Gest Léa , Parrenin Frédéric , Raynaud Dominique , Fudge Tyler J. , Buizert Christo , Brook Edward J.
Published: April 2018

Abstract. The last deglaciation, which occurred from 18,000 to 11,000 years ago, is the most recent large natural climatic variation of global extent. With accurately dated paleoclimate records, we can investigate the timings of related variables in the climate system during this major transition. Here, we use an accurate relative chronology to compare regional temperature proxy data and global atmospheric CO2 as recorded in Antarctic ice cores. We build a stack of temperature variations by averaging the records from five ice cores distributed across Antarctica, and develop a volcanic synchronization to compare it with the high-resolution, robustly dated WAIS Divide CO2 record. We assess the CO2/Antarctic temperature phase relationship using a stochastic method to accurately identify the probable timings of abrupt changes in their trends. During the large, millenial-scale changes at the onset of the last deglaciation at 18 ka and the onset of the Holocene at 11.5 ka, Antarctic temperature most likely led CO2 by several centuries. A marked event in both series around 16 ka began with a rapid rise in CO2, which stabilized synchronously with temperature. CO2 and Antarctic temperature peaked nearly synchronously at 14.4 ka, the onset of the Antarctic Cold Reversal (ACR) period. And CO2 likely led Antarctic temperature by around 250 years at the end of the ACR. The five major changes identified for both series are coherent, and synchrony is within the 2 σ uncertainty range for all of the changes except the Holocene onset. But the often-multimodal timings, centennial-scale substructures, and likely-variable phasings we identify testify to the complex nature of the two series, and of the mechanisms driving the carbon cycle and Antarctic temperature during the deglaciation.
Multimodel assessment of climate change-induced hydrologic
impacts for a Mediterranean catchment
Authors: Perra Enrica , Piras Monica , Deidda Roberto , Paniconi Claudio , Mascaro Giuseppe , Vivoni Enrique R. , Cau Pierluigi , Marras Pier Andrea , Ludwig Ralf , Meyer Swen
Published: April 2018

Abstract. This work addresses the impact of climate change on the hydrology of a catchment in the Mediterranean, a region that is highly susceptible to variations in rainfall and other components of the water budget. The assessment is based on a comparison of responses obtained from five hydrologic models implemented for the Rio Mannu catchment in southern Sardinia (Italy). The examined models – CATchment HYdrology (CATHY), Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), TOPographic Kinematic APproximation and Integration (TOPKAPI), TIN-based Real time Integrated Basin Simulator (tRIBS), and WAter balance SImulation Model (WASIM) – are all distributed hydrologic models but differ greatly in their representation of terrain features and physical processes and in their numerical complexity. After calibration and validation, the models were forced with bias-corrected, downscaled outputs of four combinations of global and regional climate models in a reference (1971–2000) and a future (2041–2070) period under a single emission scenario. Climate forcing variations and the structure of the hydrologic models influence the different components of the catchment response. Three water availability response variables – discharge, soil water content, and actual evapotranspiration – are analyzed. Simulation results from all five hydrologic models show for the future period decreasing mean annual streamflow and soil water content at 1 m depth. Actual evapotranspiration in the future will diminish according to four of the five models due to drier soil conditions. Despite their significant differences, the five hydrologic models responded similarly to the reduced precipitation and increased temperatures predicted by the climate models, and lend strong support to a future scenario of increased water shortages for this region of the Mediterranean basin. The multimodel framework adopted for this study allows estimation of the agreement between the five hydrologic models and between the four climate models. Pairwise comparison of the climate and hydrologic models is shown for the reference and future periods using a recently proposed metric that scales the Pearson correlation coefficient with a factor that accounts for systematic differences between datasets. The results from this analysis reflect the key structural differences between the hydrologic models, such as a representation of both vertical and lateral subsurface flow (CATHY, TOPKAPI, and tRIBS) and a detailed treatment of vegetation processes (SWAT and WASIM).
REVIEW OF 3D GIS DATA FUSION METHODS AND PROGRESS
Authors: Hua Wei , Hou Miaole , Hu Yungang
Published: April 2018

Abstract. 3D data fusion is a research hotspot in the field of computer vision and fine mapping, and plays an important role in fine measurement, risk monitoring, data display and other processes. At present, the research of 3D data fusion in the field of Surveying and mapping focuses on the 3D model fusion of terrain and ground objects. This paper summarizes the basic methods of 3D data fusion of terrain and ground objects in recent years, and classified the data structure and the establishment method of 3D model, and some of the most widely used fusion methods are analysed and commented.
MODELLING ABOVE GROUND BIOMASS OF MANGROVE FOREST USING SENTINEL-1 IMAGERY
Authors: Argamosa Reginald Jay Labadisos , Blanco Ariel Conferido , Baloloy Alvin Balidoy , Candido Christian Gumbao , Dumalag John Bart Lovern Caboboy , Dimapilis Lady Lee Carandang , Paringit Enrico Camero
Published: April 2018

Abstract. Many studies have been conducted in the estimation of forest above ground biomass (AGB) using features from synthetic aperture radar (SAR). Specifically, L-band ALOS/PALSAR (wavelength ~23 cm) data is often used. However, few studies have been made on the use of shorter wavelengths (e.g., C-band, 3.75 cm to 7.5 cm) for forest mapping especially in tropical forests since higher attenuation is observed for volumetric objects where energy propagated is absorbed. This study aims to model AGB estimates of mangrove forest using information derived from Sentinel-1 C-band SAR data. Combinations of polarisations (VV, VH), its derivatives, grey level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), and its principal components were used as features for modelling AGB. Five models were tested with varying combinations of features; a) sigma nought polarisations and its derivatives; b) GLCM textures; c) the first five principal components; d) combination of models a−c; and e) the identified important features by Random Forest variable importance algorithm. Random Forest was used as regressor to compute for the AGB estimates to avoid over fitting caused by the introduction of too many features in the model. Model e obtained the highest r2 of 0.79 and an RMSE of 0.44 Mg using only four features, namely, σ°VH GLCM variance, σ°VH GLCM contrast, PC1, and PC2. This study shows that Sentinel-1 C-band SAR data could be used to produce acceptable AGB estimates in mangrove forest to compensate for the unavailability of longer wavelength SAR.
IKH TURGEN MOUNTAIN GLACIER CHANGE AND 3D SURFACE EXTENTS PREDICTION USING LONG TERM LANDSAT IMAGE AND CLIMATE DATA
Authors: Nasanbat Elbegjargal , Erdenebat Erdenetogtokh , Chogsom Bolorchuluun , Lkhamjav Ochirkhuyag , Nanzad Lkhagvadorj
Published: April 2018

Abstract. The glacier is most important the freshwater resources and indicator of the climate change. The researchers noted that during last decades the glacier is melting due to global warming. The study calculates a spatial distribution of protentional change of glacier coverage in the Ikh Turgen mountain of Western Mongolia, and it integrates long-term climate data and satellite datasets. Therefore, in this experiment has tried to estimation three-dimensional surface area of the glacier. For this purpose, Normalized difference snow index (NDSI) was applied to decision tree approach, using Landsat MSS, TM, ETM+ and LC8 imagery for 1975–2016, a surface and slope for digital elevation model, precipitation and air temperature historical data of meteorological station. The potential volume area significantly changed glacier cover of the Ikh Turgen Mountain, and the area affected by highly variable precipitation and air temperature regimes. Between 1972 and 2016, a potential area of glacier area has been decreased in Ikh Turgen mountain region.
ANALYSIS OF IN-SITU SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE OF SAGO AND OTHER PALMS: IMPLICATIONS FOR THEIR DETECTION IN OPTICAL SATELLITE IMAGES
Authors: Santillan Jojene Rendon , Makinano-Santillan Meriam
Published: April 2018

Abstract. We present a characterization, comparison and analysis of in-situ spectral reflectance of Sago and other palms (coconut, oil palm and nipa) to ascertain on which part of the electromagnetic spectrum these palms are distinguishable from each other. The analysis also aims to reveal information that will assist in selecting which band to use when mapping Sago palms using the images acquired by these sensors. The datasets used in the analysis consisted of averaged spectral reflectance curves of each palm species measured within the 345–1045 nm wavelength range using an Ocean Optics USB4000-VIS-NIR Miniature Fiber Optic Spectrometer. This in-situ reflectance data was also resampled to match the spectral response of the 4 bands of ALOS AVNIR-2, 3 bands of ASTER VNIR, 4 bands of Landsat 7 ETM+, 5 bands of Landsat 8, and 8 bands of Worldview-2 (WV2). Examination of the spectral reflectance curves showed that the near infra-red region, specifically at 770, 800 and 875 nm, provides the best wavelengths where Sago palms can be distinguished from other palms. The resampling of the in-situ reflectance spectra to match the spectral response of optical sensors made possible the analysis of the differences in reflectance values of Sago and other palms in different bands of the sensors. Overall, the knowledge learned from the analysis can be useful in the actual analysis of optical satellite images, specifically in determining which band to include or to exclude, or whether to use all bands of a sensor in discriminating and mapping Sago palms.
DEVELOPING AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE MODEL FOR OFFSHORE OIL SPILL DISASTER MANAGEMENT USING SPATIAL DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM (SDSS)
Authors: Balogun Abdul-Lateef , Matori Abdul-Nasir , Toh Kiak Kelvin Wong
Published: April 2018

Abstract. Environmental resources face severe risks during offshore oil spill disasters and Geographic Information System (GIS) Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps are increasingly being used as response tools to minimize the huge impacts of these spills. However, ESI maps are generally unable to independently harmonize the diverse preferences of the multiple stakeholders’ involved in the response process, causing rancour and delay in response time. This paper’s Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) utilizes the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model to perform tradeoffs in determining the most significant resources to be secured considering the limited resources and time available to perform the response operation. The AHP approach is used to aggregate the diverse preferences of the stakeholders and reach a consensus. These preferences, represented as priority weights, are incorporated in a GIS platform to generate Environmental sensitivity risk (ESR) maps. The ESR maps provide a common operational platform and consistent situational awareness for the multiple parties involved in the emergency response operation thereby minimizing discord among the response teams and saving the most valuable resources.
A SEMI-EMPIRICAL TOPOGRAPHIC CORRECTION MODEL FOR MULTI-SOURCE SATELLITE IMAGES
Authors: Xiao Sa , Tian Xinpeng , Liu Qiang , Wen Jianguang , Ma Yushuang , Song Zhenwei
Published: April 2018

Abstract. Topographic correction of surface reflectance in rugged terrain areas is the prerequisite for the quantitative application of remote sensing in mountainous areas. Physics-based radiative transfer model can be applied to correct the topographic effect and accurately retrieve the reflectance of the slope surface from high quality satellite image such as Landsat8 OLI. However, as more and more images data available from various of sensors, some times we can not get the accurate sensor calibration parameters and atmosphere conditions which are needed in the physics-based topographic correction model. This paper proposed a semi-empirical atmosphere and topographic corrction model for muti-source satellite images without accurate calibration parameters.Based on this model we can get the topographic corrected surface reflectance from DN data, and we tested and verified this model with image data from Chinese satellite HJ and GF. The result shows that the correlation factor was reduced almost 85 % for near infrared bands and the classification overall accuracy of classification increased 14 % after correction for HJ. The reflectance difference of slope face the sun and face away the sun have reduced after correction.
HETEROGENEITY MEASUREMENT BASED ON DISTANCE MEASURE FOR POLARIMETRIC SAR DATA
Authors: Xing Xiaoli , Chen Qihao , Liu Xiuguo
Published: April 2018

Abstract. To effectively test the scene heterogeneity for polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) data, in this paper, the distance measure is introduced by utilizing the similarity between the sample and pixels. Moreover, given the influence of the distribution and modeling texture, the K distance measure is deduced according to the Wishart distance measure. Specifically, the average of the pixels in the local window replaces the class center coherency or covariance matrix. The Wishart and K distance measure are calculated between the average matrix and the pixels. Then, the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean is established for the Wishart and K distance measure, and the two features are defined and applied to reflect the complexity of the scene. The proposed heterogeneity measure is proceeded by integrating the two features using the Pauli basis. The experiments conducted on the single–look and multilook PolSAR data demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for the detection of the scene heterogeneity.
THE COORDINATE TRANSFORMATION METHOD OF HIGH RESOLUTION DEM DATA
Authors: Yan Chaode , Guo Wang , Li Aimin
Published: April 2018

Abstract. Coordinate transformation methods of DEM data can be divided into two categories. One reconstruct based on original vector elevation data. The other transforms DEM data blocks by transforming parameters. But the former doesn’t work in the absence of original vector data, and the later may cause errors at joint places between adjoining blocks of high resolution DEM data. In view of this problem, a method dealing with high resolution DEM data coordinate transformation is proposed. The method transforms DEM data into discrete vector elevation points, and then adjusts positions of points by bi-linear interpolation respectively. Finally, a TIN is generated by transformed points, and the new DEM data in target coordinate system is reconstructed based on TIN. An algorithm which can find blocks and transform automatically is given in this paper. The method is tested in different terrains and proved to be feasible and valid.
CLASSIFICATION OF LAND COVER AND LAND USE BASED ON CONVOLUTIONAL NEURAL NETWORKS
Authors: Yang Chun , Rottensteiner Franz , Heipke Christian
Published: April 2018

Abstract. Land cover describes the physical material of the earth’s surface, whereas land use describes the socio-economic function of a piece of land. Land use information is typically collected in geospatial databases. As such databases become outdated quickly, an automatic update process is required. This paper presents a new approach to determine land cover and to classify land use objects based on convolutional neural networks (CNN). The input data are aerial images and derived data such as digital surface models. Firstly, we apply a CNN to determine the land cover for each pixel of the input image. We compare different CNN structures, all of them based on an encoder-decoder structure for obtaining dense class predictions. Secondly, we propose a new CNN-based methodology for the prediction of the land use label of objects from a geospatial database. In this context, we present a strategy for generating image patches of identical size from the input data, which are classified by a CNN. Again, we compare different CNN architectures. Our experiments show that an overall accuracy of up to 85.7 % and 77.4 % can be achieved for land cover and land use, respectively. The classification of land cover has a positive contribution to the classification of the land use classification.
SUBSIDENCE EVALUATION OF HIGH-SPEED RAILWAY IN SHENYANG BASED ON TIME-SERIES INSAR
Authors: Zhang Yun , Wei Lianhuan , Li Jiayu , Liu Shanjun , Mao Yachun , Wu Lixin
Published: April 2018

Abstract. More and more high-speed railway are under construction in China. The slow settlement along high-speed railway tracks and newly-built stations would lead to inhomogeneous deformation of local area, and the accumulation may be a threat to the safe operation of high-speed rail system. In this paper, surface deformation of the newly-built high-speed railway station as well as the railway lines in Shenyang region will be retrieved by time series InSAR analysis using multi-orbit COSMO-SkyMed images. This paper focuses on the non-uniform subsidence caused by the changing of local environment along the railway. The accuracy of the settlement results can be verified by cross validation of the results obtained from two different orbits during the same period.
DUSTFALL EFFECT ON HYPERSPECTRAL INVERSION OF CHLOROPHYLL CONTENT – A LABORATORY EXPERIMENT
Authors: Chen Yuteng , Ma Baodong , Li Xuexin , Zhang Song , Wu Lixin
Published: April 2018

Abstract. Dust pollution is serious in many areas of China. It is of great significance to estimate chlorophyll content of vegetation accurately by hyperspectral remote sensing for assessing the vegetation growth status and monitoring the ecological environment in dusty areas. By using selected vegetation indices including Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer Terrestrial Chlorophyll Index (MTCI) ，Double Difference Index (DD) and Red Edge Position Index (REP), chlorophyll inversion models were built to study the accuracy of hyperspectral inversion of chlorophyll content based on a laboratory experiment. The results show that: (1) REP exponential model has the most stable accuracy for inversion of chlorophyll content in dusty environment. When dustfall amount is less than 80 g/m2, the inversion accuracy based on REP is stable with the variation of dustfall amount. When dustfall amount is greater than 80 g/m2, the inversion accuracy is slightly fluctuation. (2) Inversion accuracy of DD is worst among three models. (3) MTCI logarithm model has high inversion accuracy when dustfall amount is less than 80 g/m2; When dustfall amount is greater than 80 g/m2, inversion accuracy decreases regularly and inversion accuracy of modified MTCI (mMTCI) increases significantly. The results provide experimental basis and theoretical reference for hyperspectral remote sensing inversion of chlorophyll content.
OBJECT BASED BUILDING EXTRACTION AND BUILDING PERIOD ESTIMATION FROM UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE DATA
Authors: Comert Resul , Kaplan Onur
Published: April 2018

Abstract. The aim of this study is to examine whether it is possible to estimate the building periods with respect to the building heights in the urban scale seismic performance assessment studies by using the building height retrieved from the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data. For this purpose, a small area, which includes eight residential reinforced concrete buildings, was selected in Eskisehir (Turkey) city center. In this paper, the possibilities of obtaining the building heights that are used in the estimation of building periods from UAV based data, have been investigated. The investigations were carried out in 3 stages; (i) Building boundary extraction with Object Based Image Analysis (OBIA), (ii) height calculation for buildings of interest from nDSM and accuracy assessment with the terrestrial survey. (iii) Estimation of building period using height information. The average difference between the periods estimated according to the heights obtained from field measurements and from the UAV data is 2.86 % and the maximum difference is 13.2 %. Results of this study have shown that the building heights retrieved from the UAV data can be used in the building period estimation in the urban scale vulnerability assessments.
RESEARCH ON REMOTE SENSING GEOLOGICAL INFORMATION EXTRACTION BASED ON OBJECT ORIENTED CLASSIFICATION
Authors: Gao Hui
Published: April 2018

Abstract. The northern Tibet belongs to the Sub cold arid climate zone in the plateau. It is rarely visited by people. The geological working conditions are very poor. However, the stratum exposures are good and human interference is very small. Therefore, the research on the automatic classification and extraction of remote sensing geological information has typical significance and good application prospect. Based on the object-oriented classification in Northern Tibet, using the Worldview2 high-resolution remote sensing data, combined with the tectonic information and image enhancement, the lithological spectral features, shape features, spatial locations and topological relations of various geological information are excavated. By setting the threshold, based on the hierarchical classification, eight kinds of geological information were classified and extracted. Compared with the existing geological maps, the accuracy analysis shows that the overall accuracy reached 87.8561 %, indicating that the classification-oriented method is effective and feasible for this study area and provides a new idea for the automatic extraction of remote sensing geological information.
A Modified Prandtl-Ishlinskii Hysteresis Modeling Method with Load-dependent Delay for Characterizing Magnetostrictive Actuated Systems
Authors: Feng Ying , Li Zhi , Rakheja Subhash , Jiang Hui
Published: April 2018

Abstract. The actuating precision of a micro-positioning system,
driven by a magnetostrictive actuator, is adversely limited by its
nonlinearities, particularly the output-input hysteresis, which are further
affected by the operating load and input frequency. In this paper, the
output-input properties of a magnetostrictive actuated system are
experimentally characterized considering a wide range of operating
frequencies and loads. The measured data revealed that the hysteresis
behaviour is strongly affected with a change of operating load, and a
modified Prandtl-Ishlinskii model with load-dependent delay is subsequently
formulated to describe the nonlinear characteristics of the magnetostrictive
actuated system in terms of major and minor loop hysteresis, and output
magnitude and phase responses. The proposed model integrates a load-delay
function related to the load mass with the Prandtl-Ishlinskii hysteresis
model so as to fully describe the coupled nonlinear delay effects of the
system output. The validity of the proposed model is demonstrated through
comparisons with the experimental data for a range of operating loads and
frequencies. It is shown that the proposed model can accurately describe the
load-dependent hysteresis effects of the magnetostrictive actuated system up
to certain input frequencies.
On the relevance of extremal dependence for spatial statistical modelling of natural hazards
Authors: Dawkins Laura C. , Stephenson David B.
Published: April 2018

Abstract. Natural hazard loss portfolios with exposure over a region are sensitive to the dependency between extreme values of the key hazard variable at different spatial locations. It is therefore important to correctly identify and quantify dependency to avoid poor quantification of risk. This study demonstrates how bivariate extreme value tail dependency methods can be used together in a novel way to explore and quantify extremal dependency in spatial hazard fields. A relationship between dependency and loss is obtained by deriving how the probability distribution of conceptual loss depends on the tail dependency coefficient. The approaches are illustrated by applying them to 6103 historical European windstorm footprints (spatial maps of 3-day maximum gust speeds). We find there is little evidence of asymptotic extremal dependency in windstorm footprints. Furthermore, empirical extremal properties and conceptual loss distributions between pairs of locations are shown to be well reproduced using Gaussian copulas but not by extremally-dependent models such as Gumbel copulas. It is conjectured that the lack of asymptotic dependence is a generic property of turbulent flows, which may extend to other spatially continuous hazards such as heat waves and air pollution. These results motivate the potential of using Gaussian process (geostatistical) models for efficient simulation of hazard fields.
Family and Volunteer Partner Opinions on Young Athletes Project
Authors: Bildiren Ahmet
Published: April 2018

The objective of this study was to examine the impacts during the pre-school period of Special Olympics activities on the attitudes of children with special needs as well as the families of normal developing children along with the teacher candidates who are likely to work with disabled children in the future (volunteers). The study group was comprised of the parents of 45 special athletes from 6 different cities who have participated in the Young Athletes Project and whose opinions have been asked during the pre-test along with the parents of 60 partner athletes along with 119 volunteer partners, parents of 46 special athletes and 51 partner athletes as well as 107volunteer partners. Children with special needs and normal developing children were placed in an 8 week sports and game program within the scope of an integrated approach. Qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques were used in the study. The study results set forth that Young Athletes project has a positive impact on the opinions of the families of children with special needs and normal developing children as well as the opinions of volunteer partners.
Bank Loan Financing Decisions of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: The Significance of Owner/Managers’ Behaviours
Authors: Jude Forbeneh Agha , Adamou Ntieche
Published: April 2018

The objective of this study is to highlight the influence of entrepreneurs’ behaviour on the decisions to apply for bank loans. A mixed research methodology known as triangulation was employed in order to achieve the objective of the study. Data were sourced from a stratified randomly selected sample of 450 Cameroonian SMEs and analysed using logistic regression. The result of the study revealed that both control aversion and overconfidence behaviours of the owner/managers influence significantly the decisions of SMEs to apply for bank loans.  From the result, it is found that behavioural finance theory explains the decisions of SMEs to seek for bank credits. Contrary to the predictions of the pecking order theory, managerial behaviours such as the fear to loss the control of the firm, and overconfidence provide explanations on the decisions of SMEs to seek for bank loans. For instance, the fact that debt does not entail any loss of business control urges SMEs to prefer debt than external equity.
Income Inequality and Economic Growth: An Analysis Using a Panel Data
Authors: Bouincha Mohamed , Karim Mohamed
Published: April 2018

A long time ago, economic growth was the main indicator of countries’ economic health. However, since the 1970s, the analysis of the relationship between economic growth and other economic phenomena such as inequality has begun to grow (Sundrum, 1974). Much of the literature on the link between economic growth and income inequality is based on Kuznets revolutionary theory. The purpose of our article is to suspect the causality relationship between growth and inequality. To do this, we used data from 189 countries for the period between 1990 and 2015. We estimated a global model and three other of each category of countries in terms of development. In the global model, economic growth is insignificant even if its sign is positive. The same result appears in the developing country model and the moderately developed countries one. However, in the developed countries model, economic growth is negatively and statistically related to inequality. The Kuznets curve is approved in our study only when using human development indicator in the place of growth. Growth explain inequality’s movement in our study only in the model of developed countries and its coefficient is negative.
Urban Conflict, Rent Seeking, and Corruption Economic and Political Institutions in a Historical Perspective
Authors: THAIZE  CHALLIER Marie-Christine
Published: April 2018

This paper is an empirical analysis to explore the relationships between urban conflict and both rent seeking and corruption. It examines social disturbances in medieval France through a sample of twelve towns examined over the period 1270-1399 in a real context of informational asymmetries, commitment problems, and issues indivisibilities. As regards the economic corruption class, it is found that townspeople rebel more often and more intensely against the extortion of funds carried out by policy makers than against the embezzlement of a part of these funds. As to the political corruption class, the findings highlight that abuse of power against municipalities is identified in more social unrest than influence peddling against these local institutions. Furthermore, it is shown that rent-seeking-related policies (like arbitrary actions limiting property rights, economic rules-based policies, and targeted political measures) have less influence on urban conflict than corrupt policies do. These findings produce insights that apply beyond the historical context and analysis of the paper. Situations presenting over-indebted towns despite overtaxed people disturb also modern democracies.
Applying Confirmation Theory to the Case against Neurolaw
Authors: Donchev Anton ,   Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Published: April 2018

Neurolaw is the emerging research field and practice of applying neuroscientific knowledge to legal standards and proceedings. This intersection of neuroscience and law has put up some serious claims, the most significant of which is the overall transformation of the legal system as we know it. The claim has met with strong opposition from scholars of law, such as Michael Pardo and Dennis Patterson (2011), who argue that neurolaw (and neuroscience more generally) is conceptually wrong and thus perceive most of it as “nonsense” (Patterson, 2003). I expose a flaw in Pardo and Patterson’s arguments by means of confirmation theory. My main point is that Pardo and Patterson use implicit hypothetico-deductivism in their attack on neurolaw, and that we have good reasons to doubt the employment of such a model, because it faces serious theoretical problems. I then demonstrate how the alleged problems associated with neurolaw disappear if we use a quantitative probabilistic account of confirmation. I also explain why it provides a better account for the way the legal system actually works.
Using Art as Therapy with a Child with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder - Comorbid Intellectual Disability: A Case Study
Authors: Hina Ayaz
Published: April 2018

Objective: The aim of the present study is to highlight the significance of Art as therapy for the reduction of symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder.Place of Study: Karachi, Pakistan.Research Design: Case study.Sample and Method: This paper is based on a case of a 6 year and 5 months old girl with Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder predominantly hyperactive-Impulsive type and Mild Intellectual disability diagnosed by Trained and qualified clinical psychologist At Institute of Clinical Psychology, University of Karachi. She was regular student of Special school, Karachi Pakistan. She was given 25 sessions of behavioral approach to art therapy. ADHD-T was administered (pre-post intervention) for measuring the intensity of symptoms Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder and improvement in the developmental and artistic level of the child.Conclusions: The results revealed the effectiveness of art therapy in reduction of the symptoms of Attention Deficit/hyperactivity Disorder. The improvement is vivid in the graphic presentation of the art work. Limitations and implications were also discussed.Results: Results showed decrease in the intensity of the symptoms of Attention.
Disponibilidad léxica en futuros profesores de Educación Infantil y Primaria
Authors: Herranz Llácer Cristina Victoria
Published: April 2018

El objetivo de esta investigación ha sido analizar el léxico disponible de 591 alumnos/as de los grados de Educación Infantil y Primaria matriculados en los cursos de primero y cuarto, con objeto de conocer la evolución del léxico de estos estudiantes durante los cuatro años de formación universitaria. Para evaluar la disponibilidad léxica, se elaboró una encuesta dividida en dos secciones: la primera recogía los datos sociodemográficos del/la estudiante y la segunda evaluaba la disponibilidad léxica en torno a 18 centros de interés. Los resultados obtenidos muestran diferencias entre los alumnos/as de primero y cuarto pero que también es importante reforzar las distintas áreas de conocimiento para conseguir una mejora del vocabulario de los futuros docentes.
Construcción del discurso en torno a la Educación Inclusiva
Authors: Jiménez Ruíz María , Rodríguez Navarro Henar , Sánchez Fuentes Sergio , Rodríguez Medina Jairo
Published: April 2018

En este trabajo se realiza un análisis cualitativo sobre los discursos de 85 profesionales en torno a la conceptualización de la Educación Inclusiva. Para ello, se usa la técnica del text mining para contabilizar la frecuencia de los términos utilizados unido a la categorización axial de los discursos. Posteriormente se reconstruye esta información mediante un marco de análisis. Los tres ámbitos están basados en la toma de decisión curricular de un docente. Todo ello con la intencionalidad de llegar a acuerdos teóricos en torno a este fenómeno y poder establecer puentes de conexión entre los postulados étics ofrecidos por la literatura y los producidos por los sujetos en la práctica de carácter émic. Concluimos el texto, por tanto, con una serie de postulados en torno a los que giran estos discursos y que condicionan de forma notable la práctica diaria de las escuelas. 
Titration Protocol for Upper Airway Stimulation in Pediatric Patients With Down Syndrome
Authors: Frederick Robert M. , Baldassari Cristina M.
Published: October 2024

Importance

Upper airway stimulation (UAS) was recently approved to treat persistent obstructive sleep apnea in pediatric patients with Down syndrome. Appropriate titration of the UAS implantable device is essential to achieve optimal outcomes, but standardized titration protocols for young patients are lacking.

Objective

To develop and share a UAS titration protocol for pediatric patients with Down syndrome.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This small cohort study of pediatric patients with Down syndrome presents a standardized UAS stimulation titration protocol for conducting postimplantation polysomnograms. The protocol was developed through a multidisciplinary collaboration at a tertiary children’s hospital with a dedicated pediatric polysomnogram laboratory. The initial titration polysomnogram was performed on the night of device activation, with subsequent titration polysomnograms performed at 1 month, 2 to 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after implantation. The initial titration goal is acclimation, promoting AHI optimization in later polysomnograms. Pediatric patients with Down syndrome and persistent obstructive sleep apnea who have undergone UAS titration from June 2022 to January 2024 participated in this study.

Exposure

A novel standardized UAS titration polysomnogram protocol.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The main outcomes were apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) change and nightly device use in hours.

Results

This study included 5 pediatric patients with Down syndrome who have undergone UAS implantation. Three patients were male, and 4 identified as White. The median (range) age at implantation was 15 years (12-20 years), and the median (range) preoperative AHI was 20.1 (15.6-38.8). The median (range) incoming voltage for a 1-month postimplant UAS titration polysomnogram was 1.7 V (0.4-1.7 V). All 5 patients completed UAS titration polysomnograms at the aforementioned postoperative time course; all patients also experienced an AHI reduction from baseline and adequate tolerance of UAS (ie, nightly device use of more than 6 hours). A titration protocol for UAS in pediatric patients with Down syndrome, a sample polysomnogram report form, and general information for sleep technologists are provided.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this study, a standardized UAS protocol for device titration during polysomnogram promoting acclimation and optimized AHI reduction demonstrated UAS efficacy in pediatric patients with Down syndrome. The protocol can be used as a model for other institutions creating programs for UAS titration in pediatric patients with Down syndrome. As more pediatric patients undergo UAS device implants, protocols can be refined to ensure optimal outcomes.
Intraductal Carcinoma of the Salivary Gland With Extensive Bone Invasion
Authors: Ver Berne Jonas , De Ceulaer Joke , Dalle Ignace , Creytens David , Vanwalleghem Lieve
Published: October 2024

This case report describes a 77-year-old woman who presented to the oral and maxillofacial surgery department with a palatal mass.
Extrusion‐Based Additive Manufacturing of Cranial Implants Using High‐Performance Polymers: A Comparative Study on Mechanical Performance and Dimensional Accuracy
Authors: Fuckner Julia , Mueller Kilian Maria Arthur , Bruyas Arnaud , Mela Petra
Published: October 2024

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) offers great potential to fabricate patient‐specific implants to treat large size defects resulting from craniectomy. Such cranial implants impose critical requirements on material and design. So far, the field has focused on printing cranial implants from polyetheretherketone (PEEK), which is semicrystalline in nature and, therefore, not ideal for FFF because of warping and nonhomogeneous crystallization. Consequently, this work aims at exploring alternative amorphous high‐performance polymers. The tensile and flexural mechanical properties of printed samples from PEEK, polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), and polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) according to ISO standards are compared. Testing of specimens obtained from three orthogonal build directions reveals nearly isotropic mechanical behavior (e.g. ultimate tensile strength differed no more than 8% between print orientations). This enables printing of patient‐specific cranial implants in vertical orientation with minimal support structures, which result in dimensional accuracies in the clinically acceptable range for craniofacial reconstructions. Mechanical assessment via an in‐house designed indentation set‐up shows that both PEKK and PPSU should be considered valid alternatives to PEEK for cranial implants. This work showcases the maturity of FFF for high‐performance polymers and leverages it for complex patient‐specific geometries such as a cranial implant.
Optimizing Glass Foam Production from Recycled Sources: Influence of Variation in Cullet Color and Spent Alkaline Battery Components
Authors: Cozzarini Luca , Fortuna Lorenzo , Bevilacqua Paolo
Published: October 2024

Glass foams present a compelling opportunity for upcycling glass waste, offering a favorable combination of low weight, thermal insulation, and mechanical strength. Prior works demonstrated the feasibility of producing glass foams from glass waste and foaming agents sourced from synthetic textile waste, manganese oxides, and spent alkaline battery cathodes. This work explores the optimization of the process, investigating the impact of glass composition of differently colored glasses on final properties and incorporating entire alkaline batteries, encompassing both cathode and anode components. By carefully adjusting the composition, foaming agent content, and process temperature, customizable properties are achieved. Increasing foaming agent content or utilizing transparent glass improves insulation but lowers density and mechanical properties. Lowering foaming agent content or using brown/green glass enhances density and strength at the expense of insulation. Temperatures beyond 900 °C increase crystalline content, boosting mechanical performance without affecting density. This innovative approach not only offers a pathway to sustainable insulation materials but also underscores the potential for minimizing environmental impact through the efficient upcycling of glass waste.
Skin Temperature‐Activated Multifunctional Thermoelectric Dressing for Bacterial Infected Wound Treatment
Authors: Gao Shuna , Rao Yu , Wang Xiaowei , He Qingxiang , Yang Mingchen , Wang Yuxuan , Zhou Yuting , Guo Jiangna , Yan Feng
Published: October 2024

Endogenous electric field (EEF) is weakened in wounds due to electrolyte loss, hindering wound repair. Reshaping and repairing EEF play important roles in accelerating wound healing. The design of antibacterial dressings coupled with an EEF recovery ability to promote wound healing is urgent and significant. Herein, a self‐powered wearable thermoelectric dressing with antibacterial, antioxidant, and EEF reshaping activities for methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus‐infected wound therapy is fabricated. The dressing is based on a wearable thermoelectric device constructed of a polyanionic thermoelectric hydrogel loaded with tannic acid (TA). By taking advantage of the natural temperature difference between infected wounds and the external environment, the dressing is activated to convert thermal energy into electricity, producing a continuous and compensating electric field to reshape damaged EEF and stimulate tissue regeneration. Combined with the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of the TA released from the thermoelectric hydrogel, the self‐powered dressing can accelerate wound healing in vivo by topical targeted sterilization, reducing inflammation and reshaping the EEF of the wounds. Thus, this dressing provides a promising and facile self‐powered therapeutic strategy without the need for external stimuli to treat infected wounds.
Microenvironment Self‐Adaptive Nanomedicine Promotes Spinal Cord Repair by Suppressing Inflammation Cascade and Neural Apoptosis
Authors: Qian Dingfei , Xu Jiaqi , Zhang Xuelian , Hu Fanqi , Cao Shiqi , Dong Yuan , Liu Xiaole , Yao Yawei , Yu Haichao , Lu Yichao , Ma Xiaotu , Cheng Keman , Zhao Xiao , Nie Guangjun , Zhang Xuesong
Published: October 2024

Despite various biomaterial‐based strategies are tried in spinal cord injury (SCI), developing safe and effective microinvasive pharmacotherapy strategies is still an unmet clinical need. Stimuli‐responsive nanomedicine has emerged as a promising non‐invasion technology, which enhances drug delivery and promotes functional recovery following SCI. Considering the multiple progressive pathological events and the blood spinal cord barrier (BSCB) associating SCI, a microenvironment self‐adaptive nanoparticle (custom‐designed with rabies virus glycoprotein 29‐RVG29 and hyaluronic acid‐HA, RHNP) capable of consistently crossing the BSCB and selectively targeting inflammatory cells and neural cells based on different stages of SCI are developed. The data indicated that RHNP can effectively traverse the BSCB through RVG29, and adaptively modulate cellular internalization by selectively exposing either HA or RVG29 through diselenide bonds, depending on pathological reactive oxygen species (ROS) signals. Furthermore, curcumin is loaded into RHNP (RHNP‐Cur) to improve motor function and coordination of hind‐limbs in a traumatic SCI mouse model. This study finds that RHNP‐Cur exhibited inhibitory effects on the inflammatory cascade originating from M1 microglia/macrophages and neurotoxic astrocytes, and protected neural cells from inflammation‐induced apoptosis during nerve regeneration. Collectively, the work provides a microenvironment self‐adaptive nanomedicine which enables efficient microinvasive treatment of SCI.
Tillandsia‐Inspired Ultra‐Efficient Thermo‐Responsive Hygroscopic Nanofibers for Solar‐Driven Atmospheric Water Harvesting
Authors: Wang Jiayun , Ying Wenjun , Lin Bowen , Li Chunfeng , Deng Chaohe , Zhang Hua , Wang Shige , Wang Ruzhu
Published: October 2024

Sorption‐based atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH) is a promising approach for supplying water in off‐grid arid regions. However, it is difficult to improve the SAWH efficiency because water undergoes multiple phase transformations, such as water vapor–water (desorption and condensation) in the desorption phase. To address this issue, an ultrahygroscopic temperature‐responsive hydrogel nanofiber inspired by Tillandsia is developed, comprising poly N‐isopropylacrylamide, poly N‐dimethylacetamide, and carbon nanotubes and impregnated with lithium chloride (PCP@LiCl). The hydrophobicity of the nanofiber membrane is enhanced with increasing temperature, facilitating water separation from the hydrogel in liquid form. Moreover, PCP@LiCl exhibits unique kinetics at 25 °C and 15%–30% relative humidity, capable of adsorbing moisture to saturation within 2 h, and oozing liquid water within 5 min under sunlight. Through global potential modeling, it is demonstrated that PCP@LiCl has potential applications in arid and semiarid regions. This study provides new insights into the design of high‐performance composites for solar‐powered atmospheric water harvesting.
Tunable Graphene‐Based Absorber Using Nanoscale Grooved Metal Film at Telecommunication Wavelengths
Authors: Afzalipour Afrooz , Zare Mohammad Sadegh , Attariabad Asma , Farmani Ali
Published: October 2024

Graphene‐based absorbers have various modern applications across industries due to their exceptional properties. Some common applications include: thermal management and energy storage. Herein, the design and simulation of a broadband tunable absorber based on graphene with perfect absorption spectra in the near‐infrared region are reported. The proposed structure consists of an MgF2 layer and golden disc surrounded by L‐shaped golden arms placed on single layer of graphene. The structure guarantees polarization‐insensitive (PI) performance under normal incident due to the symmetrical design. The investigation of the PI of the structure reveals almost similar absorption for oblique incident angles up to 55° for TM and up to 60° for TE polarization. The desirable resonance wavelength is achievable by tuning the geometrical parameters. By changing the chemical potential of graphene, the absorption and bandwidth of absorber are controllable. A full width at half maximum of 330 nm is another superiority of this absorber. These considerable aspects of the proposed structure make it practical for varieties of applications such as cloaking, sensing, switching, and so on.