bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
WSF-NET: Weakly Supervised Feature-Fusion Network for Binary Segmentation in Remote Sensing Image
Authors: Fu Kun , Lu Wanxuan , Diao Wenhui , Yan Menglong , Sun Hao , Zhang Yi , Sun Xian
Published: December 2018

Binary segmentation in remote sensing aims to obtain binary prediction mask classifying each pixel in the given image. Deep learning methods have shown outstanding performance in this task. These existing methods in fully supervised manner need massive high-quality datasets with manual pixel-level annotations. However, the annotations are generally expensive and sometimes unreliable. Recently, using only image-level annotations, weakly supervised methods have proven to be effective in natural imagery, which significantly reduce the dependence on manual fine labeling. In this paper, we review existing methods and propose a novel weakly supervised binary segmentation framework, which is capable of addressing the issue of class imbalance via a balanced binary training strategy. Besides, a weakly supervised feature-fusion network (WSF-Net) is introduced to adapt to the unique characteristics of objects in remote sensing image. The experiments were implemented on two challenging remote sensing datasets: Water dataset and Cloud dataset. Water dataset is acquired by Google Earth with a resolution of 0.5 m, and Cloud dataset is acquired by Gaofen-1 satellite with a resolution of 16 m. The results demonstrate that using only image-level annotations, our method can achieve comparable results to fully supervised methods.
A Methodological Framework to Retrospectively Obtain Downscaled Precipitation Estimates over the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: He Kang , Ma Ziqiang , Zhao Ruiying , Biswas Asim , Teng Hongfen , Xu Junfeng , Yu Wu , Shi Zhou
Published: December 2018

Long-term precipitation estimates with both finer spatial resolution and better quality are vital and highly needed in various related fields. Numerous downscaling algorithms have been investigated based on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), to obtain precipitation data with finer resolution (~1 km). However, this research was restricted by the time span of the TMPA dataset, as the starting time of TMPA was 1998. In this study, a new methodological framework incorporating wavelet coherence and Cubist was proposed to retrospectively obtain downscaled precipitation estimates (DS) over the Tibetan Plateau (TP), based on TMPA and ground observations, in 1990s. The correlations and similarities of precipitation patterns between the target years, from 1990 to 1999, and reference years, from 2000 to 2013, were firstly determined using wavelet coherence based on ground observations. Following this, the TMPA data in the reference years were regarded as the reference in the corresponding target years, which were adopted to be downscaled using Cubist models and land surface variables, to obtain the DS in the target years. We found that the DS showed continuous trends, which corresponded well with the ground observations. Additionally, the performances of the DS were better than those of the Climate Hazards group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) data over the TP. Therefore, this methodological framework has great potential for obtaining precipitation estimates for the period of the 1990s for which TMPA data is inaccessible.
Validation of the EGSIEM GRACE Gravity Fields Using GNSS Coordinate Timeseries and In-Situ Ocean Bottom Pressure Records
Authors: Chen Qiang , Poropat Lea , Zhang Liangjing , Dobslaw Henryk , Weigelt Matthias , Van Dam Tonie
Published: December 2018

Over the 15 years of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, various data processing approaches were developed to derive time-series of global gravity fields based on sensor observations acquired from the two spacecrafts. In this paper, we compare GRACE-based mass anomalies provided by various processing groups against Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) station coordinate time-series and in-situ observations of ocean bottom pressure. In addition to the conventional GRACE-based global geopotential models from the main processing centers, we focus particularly on combined gravity field solutions generated within the Horizon2020 project European Gravity Service for Improved Emergency Management (EGSIEM). Although two validation techniques are fully independent from each other, it is demonstrated that they confirm each other to a large extent. Through the validation, we show that the EGSIEM combined long-term monthly solutions are comparable to CSR RL05 and ITSG2016, and better than the other three considered GRACE monthly solutions AIUB RL02, GFZ RL05a, and JPL RL05.1. Depending on the GNSS products, up to 25.6% mean Weighted Root-Mean-Square (WRMS) reduction is obtained when comparing GRACE to the ITRF2014 residuals over 236 GNSS stations. In addition, we also observe remarkable agreement at the annual period between GNSS and GRACE with up to 73% median WRMS reduction when comparing GRACE to the 312 EGSIEM-reprocessed GNSS time series. While the correspondence between GRACE and ocean bottom pressure data is overall much smaller due to lower signal to noise ratio over the oceans than over the continents, up to 50% agreement is found between them in some regions. The results fully confirm the conclusions found using GNSS.
Validation of CM SAF CLARA-A2 and SARAH-E Surface Solar Radiation Datasets over China
Authors: Wang Yawen , Trentmann Jörg , Yuan Wenping , Wild Martin
Published: December 2018

To achieve high-quality surface solar radiation (SSR) data for climate monitoring and analysis, the two satellite-derived monthly SSR datasets of CM SAF CLARA-A2 and SARAH-E have been validated against a homogenized ground-based dataset covering 59 stations across China for 1993–2015 and 1999–2015, respectively. The satellite products overestimate surface solar irradiance by 10.0 W m−2 in CLARA-A2 and 7.5 W m−2 in SARAH-E on average. A strong urbanization effect has been noted behind the large positive bias in China. The bias decreased after 2004, possibly linked to a weakened attenuating effect of aerosols on radiation in China. Both satellite datasets can reproduce the monthly anomalies of SSR, indicated by a significant correlation around 0.8. Due to the neglection of temporal aerosol variability in the satellite algorithms, the discrepancy between the satellite-estimated and ground-observed SSR trends slightly increases in 1999–2015 as compared to 1993–2015. The seasonal performance of the satellite products shows a better accuracy during warm than cold seasons. With respect to the spatial performance, the effects from anthropogenic aerosols, dust aerosols and high elevation and snow-covered surfaces should be well considered in the satellite SSR retrievals to further improve the performance in the eastern, northwestern and southwestern parts of China, respectively.
The Identification of Seven Chemical Warfare Mimics Using a Colorimetric Array
Authors: Kangas Michael J. , Ernest Adreanna , Lukowicz Rachel , Mora Andres V. , Quossi Anais , Perez Marco , Kyes Nathan , Holmes Andrea E.
Published: December 2018

Chemical warfare agents pose significant threats in the 21st century, especially for armed forces. A colorimetric detection array was developed to identify warfare mimics, including mustard gas and nerve agents. In total, 188 sensors were screened to determine the best sensor performance, in order to identify warfare mimics 2-chloro ethyl ethylsulfide, 2-2′-thiodiethanol, trifluoroacetic acid, methylphosphonic acid, dimethylphosphite, diethylcyanophosphonate, and diethyl (methylthiomethyl)phosphonate. The highest loadings in the principle component analysis (PCA) plots were used to identify the sensors that were most effective in analyzing the RGB data to classify the warfare mimics. The dataset was reduced to only twelve sensors, and PCA results gave comparable results as the large data did, demonstrating that only twelve sensors are needed to classify the warfare mimics.
Applying Case-Based Reasoning to Tactical Cognitive Sensor Networks for Dynamic Frequency Allocation
Authors: Park Jae Hoon , Lee Won Cheol , Choi Joo Pyoung , Choi Jeung Won , Um Soo Bin
Published: December 2018

In this paper, a cognitive radio engine platform is proposed for exploiting available frequency channels for a tactical wireless sensor network while aiming to protect incumbent communication devices, known as the primary user (PU), from undesired harmful interference. In the field of tactical communication networks, there is an urgent need to identify available frequencies for opportunistic and dynamic access to channels on which the PU is active. This paper introduces a cognitive engine platform for determining the available channels on the basis of a case-based reasoning technique deployable as a core functionality on a cognitive radio engine to enable dynamic spectrum access (DSA) with high fidelity. To this end, a plausible learning engine to characterize the channel usage pattern is introduced to extract the best channel candidate for the tactical cognitive radio node (TCRN). The performance of the proposed cognitive engine was verified by simulation tests that confirmed the reliability of the functional aspect, which includes the learning engine, as well as the case-based reasoning engine. Moreover, the efficacy of the TCRN with regard to the avoidance of collision with the PU operation, considered the etiquette secondary user (SU), was demonstrated.
Point of Care Sensing Devices: Better Care for Everyone
Authors: Kaushik Ajeet , Mujawar Mubarak A.
Published: December 2018

Improved health management is a key to provide a better health care [...]
Implementation and Analysis of Tightly Coupled Global Navigation Satellite System Precise Point Positioning/Inertial Navigation System (GNSS PPP/INS) with Insufficient Satellites for Land Vehicle Navigation
Authors: Liu Yue , Liu Fei , Gao Yang , Zhao Lin
Published: December 2018

This paper implements and analyzes a tightly coupled single-frequency global navigation satellite system precise point positioning/inertial navigation system (GNSS PPP/INS) with insufficient satellites for land vehicle navigation using a low-cost GNSS receiver and a microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based inertial measurement unit (IMU). For land vehicle navigation, it is inevitable to encounter the situation where insufficient satellites can be observed. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the performance of tightly coupled integration in a GNSS-challenging environment. In addition, it is also of importance to investigate the least number of satellites adopted to improve the performance, compared with no satellites used. In this paper, tightly coupled integration using low-cost sensors with insufficient satellites was conducted, which provided a clear view of the improvement of the solution with insufficient satellites compared to no GNSS measurements at all. Specifically, in this paper single-frequency PPP was implemented to achieve the best performance, with one single-frequency receiver. The INS mechanization was conducted in a local-level frame (LLF). An extended Kalman filter was applied to fuse the two different types of measurements. To be more specific, in PPP processing, the atmosphere errors are corrected using a Saastamoinen model and the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) global ionosphere map (GIM) product. The residuals of atmosphere errors are not estimated to accelerate the ambiguity convergence. For INS error mitigation, velocity constraints for land vehicle navigation are adopted to limit the quick drift of a MEMS-based IMU. Field tests with simulated partial and full GNSS outages were conducted to show the performance of tightly coupled GNSS PPP/INS with insufficient satellites: The results were classified as long-term (several minutes) and short-term (less than 1 min). The results showed that generally, with GNSS measurements applied, although the number of satellites was not enough, the solution still could be improved, especially with more than three satellites observed. With three GPS satellites used, the horizontal drift could be reduced to a few meters after several minutes. The 3D position error could be limited within 10 m in one minute when three GPS satellites were applied. In addition, a field test in an urban area where insufficient satellites were observed from time to time was also conducted to show the limited solution drift.
Lifting Wavelet Transform De-noising for Model Optimization of Vis-NIR Spectroscopy to Predict Wood Tracheid Length in Trees
Authors: Li Ying , Via Brian K. , Cheng Qingzheng , Li Yaoxiang
Published: December 2018

The data analysis of visible-near infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy is critical for precise information extraction and prediction of fiber morphology. The objectives of this study were to discuss the de-noising of Vis-NIR spectra, taken from wood, to improve the prediction accuracy of tracheid length in Dahurian larch wood. Methods based on lifting wavelet transform (LWT) and local correlation maximization (LCM) algorithms were developed for optimal de-noising parameters and partial least squares (PLS) was employed as the prediction method. The results showed that: (1) The values of tracheid length in the study were generally high and had a great positive linear correlation with annual rings (R = 0.881), (2) the optimal de-noising parameters for larch wood based Vis-NIR spectra were Daubechies-2 (db2) mother wavelet with 4 decomposition levels while using a global fixed hard threshold based on LWT, and (3) the Vis-NIR model based on the optimal LWT de-noising parameters ( R c 2 = 0.834, RMSEC = 0.262, RPD c = 2.454) outperformed those based on the LWT coupled with LCM algorithm (LWT-LCM) ( R c 2 = 0.816, RMSEC = 0.276, RPD c = 2.331) and raw spectra ( R c 2 = 0.822, RMSEC = 0.271, RPD c = 2.370). Thus, the selection of appropriate LWT de-noising parameters could aid in extracting a useful signal for better prediction accuracy of tracheid length.
A Fast Learning Method for Accurate and Robust Lane Detection Using Two-Stage Feature Extraction with YOLO v3
Authors: Zhang Xiang , Yang Wei , Tang Xiaolin , Liu Jie
Published: December 2018

To improve the accuracy of lane detection in complex scenarios, an adaptive lane feature learning algorithm which can automatically learn the features of a lane in various scenarios is proposed. First, a two-stage learning network based on the YOLO v3 (You Only Look Once, v3) is constructed. The structural parameters of the YOLO v3 algorithm are modified to make it more suitable for lane detection. To improve the training efficiency, a method for automatic generation of the lane label images in a simple scenario, which provides label data for the training of the first-stage network, is proposed. Then, an adaptive edge detection algorithm based on the Canny operator is used to relocate the lane detected by the first-stage model. Furthermore, the unrecognized lanes are shielded to avoid interference in subsequent model training. Then, the images processed by the above method are used as label data for the training of the second-stage model. The experiment was carried out on the KITTI and Caltech datasets, and the results showed that the accuracy and speed of the second-stage model reached a high level.
Feature Extraction and Similarity of Movement Detection during Sleep, Based on Higher Order Spectra and Entropy of the Actigraphy Signal: Results of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos
Authors: Iglesias Martínez Miguel Enrique , García-Gomez Juan M. , Sáez Carlos , Fernández de Córdoba Pedro , Alberto Conejero J.
Published: December 2018

The aim of this work was to develop a new unsupervised exploratory method of characterizing feature extraction and detecting similarity of movement during sleep through actigraphy signals. We here propose some algorithms, based on signal bispectrum and bispectral entropy, to determine the unique features of independent actigraphy signals. Experiments were carried out on 20 randomly chosen actigraphy samples of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) database, with no information other than their aperiodicity. The Pearson correlation coefficient matrix and the histogram correlation matrix were computed to study the similarity of movements during sleep. The results obtained allowed us to explore the connections between certain sleep actigraphy patterns and certain pathologies.
Spatial-Temporal Analysis of PM2.5 and NO2 Concentrations Collected Using Low-Cost Sensors in Peñuelas, Puerto Rico
Authors: Reece Stephen , Williams Ron , Colón Maribel , Southgate David , Huertas Evelyn , O’Shea Marie , Iglesias Ariel , Sheridan Patricia
Published: December 2018

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is involved in the discovery, evaluation, and application of low-cost air quality (AQ) sensors to support citizen scientists by directly engaging with them in the pursuit of community-based interests. The emergence of low-cost (<$2500) sensors have allowed a wide range of stakeholders to better understand local AQ conditions. Here we present results from the deployment of the EPA developed Citizen Science Air Monitor (CSAM) used to conduct approximately five months (October 2016–February 2017) of intensive AQ monitoring in an area of Puerto Rico (Tallaboa-Encarnación, Peñuelas) with little historical data on pollutant spatial variability. The CSAMs were constructed by combining low-cost particulate matter size fraction 2.5 micron (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) sensors and distributed across eight locations with four collocated weather stations to measure local meteorological parameters. During this deployment 1 h average concentrations of PM2.5 and NO2 ranged between 0.3 to 33.6 µg/m3 and 1.3 to 50.6 ppb, respectively. Peak concentrations were observed for both PM2.5 and NO2 when conditions were dominated by coastal-originated winds. These results advanced the community’s understanding of pollutant concentrations and trends while improving our understanding of the limitations and necessary procedures to properly interpret measurements produced by low-cost sensors.
Population Ageing, Financial Deepening and Economic Growth: Evidence from China
Authors: Zhao Shangmei , He Jiang , Yang Haijun
Published: December 2018

Using a panel of 31 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2016, we investigated the impact of population ageing and financial deepening on economic growth. Based on the dynamic panel system GMM estimators, the empirical results address that both population ageing and financial deepening have a significantly positive impact on economic growth, while the interactions between them have a significantly negative effect on economic growth. From the perspective of total marginal effect, we also find that population ageing does contribute to economic growth but only when financial deepening is less than a threshold level; however, on the whole, financial deepening has an inhibitory effect on economic growth which increases with population ageing.
Land Use and Land Cover Changes, and Environment and Risk Evaluation of Dujiangyan City (SW China) Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques
Authors: Nath Biswajit , Niu Zheng , Singh Ramesh P.
Published: December 2018

Understanding of the Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) change, its transitions and Landscape risk (LR) evaluation in earthquake-affected areas is important for planning and urban sustainability. In the present study, we have considered Dujiangyan City and its Environs (DCEN), a seismic-prone area close to the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (8.0 Mw) during 2007–2018. Five different multi-temporal data sets for the years 2007, 2008, 2010, 2015, and 2018 were considered for LULC mapping, followed by the maximum likelihood supervised classification technique. The individual LULC maps were further used in four time periods, i.e., 2007–2018, 2008–2018, 2010–2018, and 2015–2018, to evaluate the Land Use and Land Cover Transitions (LULCT) using combined remote sensing and GIS (Geographical Information System). Furthermore, multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) techniques were applied for LR mapping. The results of the LULC change data indicate that built-up, agricultural area, and forest cover are the prime categories that had been changed by the natural and anthropogenic activities. LULCT, along with multi-parameters, are suggested to avoid development in fault-existing areas that are seismically vulnerable for future landscape planning in a sustainable manner.
Planning & Open-Air Demonstrating Smart City Sustainable Districts
Authors: Bracco Stefano , Delfino Federico , Laiolo Paola , Morini Andrea
Published: December 2018

The article is focused on the “demonstration” activities carried out by the University of Genoa at Savona Campus facilities in order to implement the “Living Lab Smart City”. The idea is to transform the Savona Campus in a Living Lab of the City of the Future: smart technologies in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and energy sectors were installed in order to show a real application of the Smart City concept to population and external stakeholders. Moreover, special attention was given to the environment, personal wellbeing, and social equalities. The sustainable energy Research Infrastructures (RIs) of Savona Campus allowed enhancement of the applied research in degree programs and the collaboration with several companies. In particular, an important partnership with the Italian electric Distribution System Operator (DSO), ENEL S.p.A., started in 2017 to test the capability of these RIs to operate disconnected from the National Grid, relying only on the supply of renewables and storage systems. The “Living Lab Smart City” is an important action to reduce the carbon footprint of the Savona Campus and to increase the awareness of students, teachers and researchers towards Sustainable Development in Higher Education Institutes.
Effects of Tree Root Density on Soil Total Porosity and Non-Capillary Porosity Using a Ground-Penetrating Tree Radar Unit in Shanghai, China
Authors: Yu Bingqin , Xie Changkun , Cai Shize , Chen Yan , Lv Yongpeng , Mo Zulan , Liu Tianlei , Yang Zhiwen
Published: December 2018

To explore the relationship between arbor root density and corresponding physical soil properties (total porosity, non-capillary porosity, specific weight, bulk density, moisture content, and permeability), noninvasive methods such as Tree Radar Unit (TRU) were utilized to detect the root systems of 10 species of tree that are commonly used in Shanghai green spaces with more than 70% frequency of occurrence. Using TRU and soil investigation, root density and soil porous features were determined for different tree species, depth slices, and distances. The relationships among root density, soil porosity, and non-capillary porosity were identified using variance analysis and regression analysis. The results indicated that root density decreased with increasing distance from the trunk and soil depth. Soil porosity and non-capillary porosity had significantly positive and linear correlations with root density. Compared with lawns, trees such as Zelkova serrata, Koelreuteria paniculata, Cinnamomum camphora, and Metasequoia glyptostroboides had the greatest effects on soil improvement through soil porosity and non-capillary porosity. Due to the spatial distribution of root systems, trees could be divided into three types based on their influence at various soil depths.
Pattern Matching Trading System Based on the Dynamic Time Warping Algorithm
Authors: Kim Sang Hyuk , Lee Hee Soo , Ko Han Jun , Jeong Seung Hwan , Byun Hyun Woo , Oh Kyong Joo
Published: December 2018

The futures market plays a significant role in hedging and speculating by investors. Although various models and instruments are developed for real-time trading, it is difficult to realize profit by processing and trading a vast amount of real-time data. This study proposes a real-time index futures trading strategy that uses the KOSPI 200 index futures time series data. We construct a pattern matching trading system (PMTS) based on a dynamic time warping algorithm that recognizes patterns of market data movement in the morning and determines the afternoon’s clearing strategy. We adopt 13 and 27 representative patterns and conduct simulations with various ranges of parameters to find optimal ones. Our experimental results show that the PMTS provides stable and effective trading strategies with relatively low trading frequencies. Financial market investors are able to make more efficient investment strategies by using the PMTS. In this sense, the system developed in this paper contributes the efficiency of the financial markets and helps to achieve sustained economic growth.
Effects of Biochar and Synthetic Polymer on the Hydro-Physical Properties of Sandy Soils
Authors: Alkhasha Arafat , Al-Omran Abdulrasoul , Aly Anwar
Published: December 2018

Synthetic polymers, such as polyacrylamide (PAM), and biochar are generally used as soil amendments to improve soil properties. This paper explores a laboratory column experiment conducted to investigate the effects of biochar (pyrolysis at 400–450 °C) and polymers, with different application rates, on the hydro-physical properties of sandy soil. The experiment evaluated four rates each of biochar (0.0% (C), 2% (B1), 4% (B2), 6% (B3) and 8% (B4)) and polymers (0.0% (C), 0.2% (P1), 0.4% (P2), 0.6% (P3), and 0.8%(P4)), as well as a mixture of them. The infiltration rate decreased significantly when a mixture of biochar and polymers was adopted. B1 showed a decrease of 32.73% while a mixture of 8% (B4) and (0.8%) P4 exhibited a decrease of 57.31%. The polymers increased the infiltration rate at low concentrations (P1 and P2) and reduced it at high concentrations (P3 and P4). The cumulative evaporation decreased significantly for most treatments. B1 recorded the highest decrease in cumulative evaporation with a percentage decrease of 31.9%. The highest decrease in hydraulic conductivity (Ks) was for B1. However, the mixture of B4 and P4 resulted in the highest increase in soil moisture content at field capacity compared to the control and other treatments. P4 and the mixture of B2 and P2 showed significant (p < 0.05) increases in the percentage of stable aggregate (SA) in fraction size (0.25–0.125 mm). Although the mixture of B4 and P4 had the highest increase in soil moisture content, this study recommends using the B1 treatment on sandy soil in arid environments due to its strong hydro-physical properties and affordability.
Urban Food Sources and the Challenges of Food Availability According to the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines Recommendations
Authors: Aparecida Borges Camila , Cabral-Miranda William , Constante Jaime Patricia
Published: December 2018

The study investigated availability and food sources in urban areas using elements of the NOVA food classification system, adopted by the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines, in a Brazilian municipality. In addition, the study also aimed to identify inequalities in the geographical distribution of food retailers that commercialize healthy and/or unhealthy foods. This cross-sectional study was performed in the municipality of Jundiai in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Data from within-store audit and geographic data were used to characterizing the nutrition community environment. The mean was calculated for food items available in each of the four NOVA groups for each audited food retailer. The mean of food items available in each of the four NOVA groups for each audited food retail were calculated. The density and proportion of different types of food retailers were georeferenced. The supermarkets, medium market stores, and grocery stores presented the highest availability of unprocessed foods as well as ultra-processed foods. Establishments that sold primarily unprocessed foods and included a fruits and vegetables section at the entrance of the store had a greater availability of healthy foods, but their density in the territory was low compared to establishments that prioritized the sale of ultra-processed foods and sold ultra-processed foods in the checkout area. Especially in middle- and low-income areas, the concentration of food retailers with priority sale of ultra-processed products is reaches 22 times higher than the sale of unprocessed or minimally processed foods. The study supported the identification of regions where it was necessary to improve access to equipment that marketed unprocessed foods as a priority.
Erratum: Scholten, D., et al. Towards the Comprehensive Design of Energy Infrastructures. Sustainability 2016, 8, 1291
Authors:   Sustainability Editorial Office
Published: December 2018

The authors wish to make the following corrections about the published paper [...]
Erosion Control in the Sustainable Cultivation of Maize (Zea mays L.) and Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) at Two Stages of the Agricultural Cycle in Southern Guatemala
Authors: Blanco Sepúlveda Rafael , Enríquez Narváez Francisco
Published: December 2018

Agricultural intensification in the mountains of Central America has increased soil vulnerability to erosion by water. This study was undertaken to analyse the erosion that affects the mixed cultivation of maize and beans at two stages of the crop development cycle (at 3 and 6 months after sowing) in southern Guatemala, together with the influence of the ground and crop canopy vegetal cover on soil erosion. The main aim of this analysis is to establish the soil erosion threshold enabling sustainable agriculture. The results obtained show that the soil surface was severely eroded, with mean values of area affected of 88.4% and 73.5% at 3 and 6 months, respectively. In the 3-month plots, the erosion bore scant relation to the factors analysed. Conversely, the area affected by soil erosion in the 6-month plots was significantly related to the degree of ground cover by weeds and litter, and the erosion threshold was located at 80% of vegetal cover. However, plots with this level of cover did not achieve effective erosion control, due to the low level of plant litter cover (15.7%) compared to that of weeds (75.5%). We conclude that this low content of vegetal residue in the soil, together with the tillage practices employed, explains the large surface area affected by erosion and the impossibility of establishing an erosion threshold.
Generalized Modified Slash Birnbaum–Saunders Distribution
Authors: Reyes Jimmy , Barranco-Chamorro Inmaculada , Gallardo Diego I. , Gómez Héctor W.
Published: December 2018

In this paper, a generalization of the modified slash Birnbaum–Saunders (BS) distribution is introduced. The model is defined by using the stochastic representation of the BS distribution, where the standard normal distribution is replaced by a symmetric distribution proposed by Reyes et al. It is proved that this new distribution is able to model more kurtosis than other extensions of BS previously proposed in the literature. Closed expressions are given for the pdf (probability density functio), along with their moments, skewness and kurtosis coefficients. Inference carried out is based on modified moments method and maximum likelihood (ML). To obtain ML estimates, two approaches are considered: Newton–Raphson and EM-algorithm. Applications reveal that it has potential for doing well in real problems.
Binary Locating-Dominating Sets in Rotationally-Symmetric Convex Polytopes
Authors: Raza Hassan , Hayat Sakander , Pan Xiang-Feng
Published: December 2018

A convex polytope or simply polytope is the convex hull of a finite set of points in Euclidean space R d . Graphs of convex polytopes emerge from geometric structures of convex polytopes by preserving the adjacency-incidence relation between vertices. In this paper, we study the problem of binary locating-dominating number for the graphs of convex polytopes which are symmetric rotationally. We provide an integer linear programming (ILP) formulation for the binary locating-dominating problem of graphs. We have determined the exact values of the binary locating-dominating number for two infinite families of convex polytopes. The exact values of the binary locating-dominating number are obtained for two rotationally-symmetric convex polytopes families. Moreover, certain upper bounds are determined for other three infinite families of convex polytopes. By using the ILP formulation, we show tightness in the obtained upper bounds.
Performance Assessment of General Circulation Model in Simulating Daily Precipitation and Temperature Using Multiple Gridded Datasets
Authors: Khan Najeebullah , Shahid Shamsuddin , Ahmed Kamal , Ismail Tarmizi , Nawaz Nadeem , Son Minwoo
Published: December 2018

The performance of general circulation models (GCMs) in a region are generally assessed according to their capability to simulate historical temperature and precipitation of the region. The performance of 31 GCMs of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) is evaluated in this study to identify a suitable ensemble for daily maximum, minimum temperature and precipitation for Pakistan using multiple sets of gridded data, namely: Asian Precipitation–Highly-Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation (APHRODITE), Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature (BEST), Princeton Global Meteorological Forcing (PGF) and Climate Prediction Centre (CPC) data. An entropy-based robust feature selection approach known as symmetrical uncertainty (SU) is used for the ranking of GCM. It is known from the results of this study that the spatial distribution of best-ranked GCMs varies for different sets of gridded data. The performance of GCMs is also found to vary for both temperatures and precipitation. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Australia (CSIRO)-Mk3-6-0 and Max Planck Institute (MPI)-ESM-LR perform well for temperature while EC-Earth and MIROC5 perform well for precipitation. A trade-off is formulated to select the common GCMs for different climatic variables and gridded data sets, which identify six GCMs, namely: ACCESS1-3, CESM1-BGC, CMCC-CM, HadGEM2-CC, HadGEM2-ES and MIROC5 for the reliable projection of temperature and precipitation of Pakistan.
Barriers and Drivers of Household Water-Conservation Behavior: A Profiling Approach
Authors: Addo Isaac B. , Thoms Martin C. , Parsons Melissa
Published: December 2018

Factors that influence behavioral response (barriers and drivers) are important for household water-conservation practices. These factors either support or inhibit sustainable behavior. In this research, a latent profile analysis (LPA) was used within the capability-, opportunity-, and motivation-behavior (COM-B) framework to identify key barriers and drivers of household water-conservation behaviors. Participants (N = 510, mean age = 56.08 years, SD = 14.71) completed measures of psycho-social constructs related to barriers and drivers of water-conservation behavior. An LPA yielded a 3-profile statistical solution: capability (35.8%), opportunity (23.2%), and motivation (41.0%) conceptualizing levels of barriers and drivers of water-conservation behavior. Major identified barriers and drivers associated with these profile groupings were time constraints, acuity of water-efficient devices, lack of skills to adopt conservation practices, and availability of incentives/disincentives for water-saving devices. Validation analyses showed that the three COM-B groups diverged considerably based on socio-demographic status and actual water-conservation behavior. Results are pertinent to water authorities in identifying interventions to reduce barriers and promote drivers of positive household water-conservation behaviors by altering and directing appropriate COM-B dimensions to individual water consumers.
COMMUNICATIVE CREATIVITY: FROM CUSTOMARY METAPHYSICS TO ORIGINAL ONTOLOGY
Authors: Stasiulis Nerijus
Published: December 2018

This paper deals with the metaphysical basis of creative communication in the society and the creative city and seeks to uncover the metaphysical grounds of the practical issues we currently face in our everyday academic life and economy. The focus is on the metaphysics of genius and also on former Christian metaphysics of creation from nothing and the importance of individual will as the predecessors of genius. Both Western rationalism as manifested in definite boundaries of sciences and the irrationalism as manifested in metaphysics of genius still shape the framework of our current thought and polemics relating to copyright and patent law, the communication (collaboration) of sciences and arts. After rooting the practical problematic in its metaphysical context, this paper provides a Heideggerian reworking of Western metaphysics to shape an original ontology which is to shape practice in time to come. The notion of ecstatic time itself proves to be of key importance to original creativity. Santrauka Straipsnyje tiriamas kūrybinės komunikacijos visuomenėje ir kūrybinio miesto metafizinis pamatas, taip pat siekiama atrasti praktinių problemų, su kuriomis šiandien susiduriame kasdienybėje ir ekonomikoje, metafizinius pagrindus. Susitelkiama į genijaus metafiziką ir ankstesnę krikščioniškąją kūrimo iš nieko metafiziką, taip pat ir į individualios valios svarbą kaip genialumo sampratos pirmtakus. Vakarų racionalizmas, kurio viena iš apraiškų yra apibrėžtos mokslų ribos ir iracionalizmas,o jo apraiška yra genijaus metafizika, vis dar nustato mūsų šiandienės minties bei polemikos rėmus autorių ir patentų teisių, mokslų ir menų komunikacijos (t. y. bendradarbiavimo) klausimais. Ištyrus praktinės problematikos metafizinį kontekstą, pateikiama haidegeriškoji Vakarų metafizikos pertvarka, siekiant suformuoti originalią ontologiją, kurios tikslas – formuoti praktiką ateityje. Parodoma, kad pati ekstatinio laiko samprata yra itin reikšminga originaliam kūrybiškumui.
Wet collections accession: a workflow based on a large stonefly (Insecta, Plecoptera) donation
Authors: DeWalt R. , Yoder Matthew , Snyder Elise , Dmitriev Dmitry , Ower Geoffrey
Published: December 2018

This study details a workflow used to accession a large stonefly (Plecoptera) collection resulting from several donations. The eastern North American material of Kenneth W. Stewart (deceased, University of North Texas), the entire collection of Stanley W. Szczytko (deceased, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point), and a small portion of the Barry C. Poulton collection (active, United States Geological Survey, Columbia, Missouri) were donated to the Illinois Natural History Survey in 2013. These 5,767 vials of specimens were processed to help preserve the specimen legacy of these world renowned Plecoptera researchers. The workflow used an industrialized approach to organize the specimens taxonomically, image the specimens and labels, and place the specimens into new storage. Utilizing the images as a verbatim data source, we transcribed labels in iterative steps that yielded more information with each pass. The data were normalized, locations georeferenced, all specimen data formatted to meet Darwin Core Archive format for occurrence data, and a data set created using Pensoft's Integrated Publishing Toolkit. This is the first time that any of the specimen data has been made available electronically. We also provide two important electronic supplements that include the Bill P. Stark (active, Mississippi College) Oklahoma field notebook for 1971 and 1972 detailing locations for many coded stonefly specimens in the Stewart collection, and the coded locations of B. C. Poulton's Arkansas and Missouri study. Again, we have linked coded labels in vials to normalized and georefenced site data. We confirmed 243 stonefly species were contained within the collections, and the potential for many more species exists among the specimens identified to family and genus level. Twenty-one new state, province, and other significant stonefly records are reported herein with all identifications verified by the senior author, often through consultation with other stonefly taxonomists. Researchers are encouraged to utilize the specimen data, form collaborations with the authors, and borrow specimens for research.
Quand la marche raconte la ville. Quelques itinéraires de la cour à Bruxelles (XVI e -XVII e siècles)
Authors: Demeter Stéphane , Paredes Cecilia
Published: December 2018

Au cours des siècles passés, la ville a été régulièrement parcourue à pied par les élites urbaines à l’occasion de manifestations publiques. La marche à travers la ville apparaît dans ce contexte comme le fil directeur de véritables spectacles ambulants qui ont contribué à asseoir le pouvoir d’un souverain ou de ses représentants sur un territoire. À la lumière des livres de cérémonies et d’autres témoignages, la présente contribution s’attache aux pas de ces marches d’autrefois à Bruxelles, aux XVI e et XVII e siècles. L’étude des textes suivant une perspective diachronique et la mise en cartographie des informations livrées permettent de reconstituer des itinéraires qui, au fil du temps, se sont imposés comme des cheminements récurrents et particuliers dans la ville, à la fois historiques et symboliques. Ces marches racontées à la fois par le texte et l’image, racontent à leur tour… Elles nous éclairent sur la pratique de la ville par les acteurs et spectateurs des festivités urbaines et sur la ville elle-même.
Embellir la ville pour le piéton : La prise en compte esthétique et fonctionnelle du piéton dans la littérature sur les embellissements de Paris de Pierre Patte à Eugène Hénard
Authors: Lemas Nicolas
Published: December 2018

Contrairement à ce que voudrait une certaine vulgate historiographique, la notion d’embellissement qui se développe entre la deuxième moitié du XVIII e siècle et la Belle Époque n’implique pas seulement un aménagement utilitaire des villes pour les flux économiques. En se centrant sur la figure d’Eugène Hénard, replacée dans la tradition issue des Lumières qui est la sienne, ce texte montre, à travers une réflexion sur les parcours urbains idéaux, combien les besoins et les conforts du piéton sont non seulement au cœur des ambitions embellisseuses, mais en outre unifient une notion en apparence composite, voire contradictoire, écartelée entre esthétique et utilitarisme.
Entre urbanisme et déplacements au Grand Lyon
Authors: Lensel Bernard
Published: December 2018

La prise en charge des déplacements internes au Grand Lyon, l’une des plus grandes agglomérations françaises après Paris, est une démarche qui a fait ses preuves et qui concerne toute la panoplie des modes de transport. Depuis maintenant plusieurs décennies, les modes de déplacement doux, aussi appelés modes actifs, notamment le vélo et la marche à pied, sont l’objet de prises en charge dans le cadre des aménagements urbains, que ce soit par le retraitement des espaces publics ou en complément des politiques de stationnement. Ces dernières années, la marche urbaine, complément naturel et indispensable des autres modes, a été facilitée par ces aménagements et par les travaux de mise en accessibilité des équipements publics. D’autres mesures d’encouragement sont en cours, en vue de permettre une véritable multimodalité et un enrichissement des pratiques urbaines au sein de l’agglomération lyonnaise. Ceci se fait dans le cadre d’une démarche comparative à l’échelle européenne, qui se révèle extrêmement enrichissante.
Mosquées et médiations
Authors: Vella Graziella
Published: December 2018

Comment travailler en terrain miné lorsque le malaise est palpable, le vocabulaire guerrier : privatisation, envahissement de l’espace public, communautarisme, débordement, risque de contagion de l’espace public par le religieux ? Comment déjouer les catégories ou l’imaginaire négatif qui s’ouvre quand on aborde la question de la mosquée ? En se saisissant de la singularité du projet de mosquée. Une mosquée est un lieu dont on ne sait pas à l’avance de quoi il s’agit, dont les limites sont floues, car ses usages sont variables, flexibles selon les temporalités de la journée ou de l’année ; un lieu qui brouille les frontières, les catégories, car ce qui devrait être tenu séparé – le cultuel, le culturel, l’éducatif, le sportif… – y est, au contraire, enchevêtré ; un lieu à haut potentiel d’articulations troublant ce qui devrait aller de soi. Apprendre de ce trouble plutôt que de chercher à le canaliser selon un modèle de fonctionnement idéal, multiplier les connexions possibles entre acteurs, entre lieux, entre usages, faire exister d’autres versions de l’espace public, « médier »… c’est ce qui a été expérimenté au sein de l’atelier Terrains d’architecture et qui est relaté dans cet article.
Mosquées bruxelloises. Questions élémentaires de configuration
Authors: Terlinden Bertrand
Published: December 2018

Cet essai aborde la question de la mosquée sous l’angle de sa forme et particulièrement de ses dispositions fondamentales. Il classe les mosquées bruxelloises en trois catégories, ou « générations », qui sont plus logiques que chronologiques. Contrairement à ce que suppose un peu rapidement une critique contemporaine qui prétend la mosquée malléable aux recherches les plus formalistes, le lieu où s’accomplissent les rites musulmans, tant qu’il n’a pas été soumis aux interprétations sophistiquées des architectes, continue à répondre à un ensemble de normes architecturales qui ne sont pas imposées par un quelconque pouvoir autoritaire, mais sont issues d’une longue expérience partagée. La reconnaissance de ces normes – qui traitent de la morphologie élémentaire comme des niveaux morphématique et configuratif de la mosquée – ouvre une piste alternative à celle, pour le moins éreintante, qu’oblige l’actuel compromis entre « modernisation » structurelle et conservation ornemaniste. Cette piste, élémentariste – en particulier pour ce qui concerne les niveaux les plus basiques de sa configuration –, pourrait bien ne pas concerner seulement la mosquée, mais impliquer plus largement le futur des objets de l’architecture.
Troubles de l’Espace Public : épaissir les lieux
Authors: Jamar David
Published: December 2018

La présente contribution s’appuie sur la participation à trois jurys d’architecture (Faculté d’architecture La Cambre-Horta, ULB) destinés à évaluer des projets de mosquées sur trois sites bruxellois. Épaissir l’Espace Public, sa notion au moins, correspond à un enjeu tel qu’il nous est apparu au contact de ces situations : s’éloigner de l’une de ses définitions unitaires comme ce qui lutte contre les appartenances, au nom d’une accessibilité « pour tous » dont l’acteur étatique serait in fine le garant. Face à cet Espace Public canonique se présente alors la foule des espaces privés selon une ligne claire de démarcation : aux espaces privés, les appartenances – parfois réduites à la propriété juridique ou, au contraire, rabattues sur la question de l’identité – et à l’Espace Public, le détachement débarrassé des formes expressives – réputées privées ou entravant la circulation –, représenté par la figure abstraite du Citoyen. À confondre expressions et privatisation , grand est le risque de neutralisation des engagements hétérogènes qui font des morceaux de ville. Nous tentons à l’inverse de montrer comment des attaches, des espaces marqués, deviennent une condition pour des espaces publics pluralisés, aptes à nouer entre eux des engagements hétérogènes, à produire, peut-être, des villes.