bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Unscented Kalman Filter Phase Unwrapping Method and Its Application on Gaofen-3 Interferometric SAR Data
Authors: Gao Yandong , Zhang Shubi , Li Tao , Chen Qianfu , Li Shijin , Meng Pengfei
Published: June 2018

Phase unwrapping (PU) is a key step in the reconstruction of digital elevation models (DEMs) and the monitoring of surface deformation from interferometric synthetic aperture radar (SAR, InSAR) data. In this paper, an improved PU method that combines an amended matrix pencil model, an adaptive unscented kalman filter (AUKF), an efficient quality-guided strategy based on heapsort, and a circular median filter is proposed. PU theory and the existing UKFPU method are covered. Then, the improved method is presented with emphasis on the AUKF and the circular median filter. AUKF has been well used in other fields, but it is for the first time applied to interferometric images PU, to the best of our knowledge. First, the amended matrix pencil model is used to estimate the phase gradient. Then, an AUKF model is used to unwrap the interferometric phase based on an efficient quality-guided strategy based on heapsort. Finally, the key results are obtained by filtering the results using a circular median. The proposed method is compared with the minimum cost network flow (MCF), statistical cost network flow (SNAPHU), regularized phase tracking technique (RPTPU), and UKFPU methods using two sets of simulated data and two sets of experimental GF-3 SAR data. The improved method is shown to yield the greatest accuracy in the interferometric phase maps compared to the methods considered in this paper. Furthermore, the improved method is shown to be the most robust to noise and is thus most suitable for PU of GF-3 SAR data in high-noise and low-coherence regions.
FPGA-Based On-Board Geometric Calibration for Linear CCD Array Sensors
Authors: Zhou Guoqing , Jiang Linjun , Huang Jingjin , Zhang Rongting , Liu Dequan , Zhou Xiang , Baysal Oktay
Published: June 2018

With increasing demands in real-time or near real-time remotely sensed imagery applications in such as military deployments, quick response to terrorist attacks and disaster rescue, the on-board geometric calibration problem has attracted the attention of many scientists in recent years. This paper presents an on-board geometric calibration method for linear CCD sensor arrays using FPGA chips. The proposed method mainly consists of four modules—Input Data, Coefficient Calculation, Adjustment Computation and Comparison—in which the parallel computations for building the observation equations and least squares adjustment, are implemented using FPGA chips, for which a decomposed matrix inversion method is presented. A Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA VC707 chip is selected and the MOMS-2P data used for inflight geometric calibration from DLR (Köln, Germany), are employed for validation and analysis. The experimental results demonstrated that: (1) When the widths of floating-point data from 44-bit to 64-bit are adopted, the FPGA resources, including the utilizations of FF, LUT, memory LUT, I/O and DSP48, are consumed at a fast increasing rate; thus, a 50-bit data width is recommended for FPGA-based geometric calibration. (2) Increasing number of ground control points (GCPs) does not significantly consume the FPGA resources, six GCPs is therefore recommended for geometric calibration. (3) The FPGA-based geometric calibration can reach approximately 24 times faster speed than the PC-based one does. (4) The accuracy from the proposed FPGA-based method is almost similar to the one from the inflight calibration if the calibration model and GCPs number are the same.
Design of Low-Cost Vehicle Roll Angle Estimator Based on Kalman Filters and an IoT Architecture
Authors: Garcia Guzman Javier , Prieto Gonzalez Lisardo , Pajares Redondo Jonatan , Sanz Sanchez Susana , Boada Beatriz
Published: June 2018

In recent years, there have been many advances in vehicle technologies based on the efficient use of real-time data provided by embedded sensors. Some of these technologies can help you avoid or reduce the severity of a crash such as the Roll Stability Control (RSC) systems for commercial vehicles. In RSC, several critical variables to consider such as sideslip or roll angle can only be directly measured using expensive equipment. These kind of devices would increase the price of commercial vehicles. Nevertheless, sideslip or roll angle or values can be estimated using MEMS sensors in combination with data fusion algorithms. The objectives stated for this research work consist of integrating roll angle estimators based on Linear and Unscented Kalman filters to evaluate the precision of the results obtained and determining the fulfillment of the hard real-time processing constraints to embed this kind of estimators in IoT architectures based on low-cost equipment able to be deployed in commercial vehicles. An experimental testbed composed of a van with two sets of low-cost kits was set up, the first one including a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, and the other having an Intel Edison System on Chip. This experimental environment was tested under different conditions for comparison. The results obtained from low-cost experimental kits, based on IoT architectures and including estimators based on Kalman filters, provide accurate roll angle estimation. Also, these results show that the processing time to get the data and execute the estimations based on Kalman Filters fulfill hard real time constraints.
Sensing and Storing the Blood Pressure Measure by Patients through A Platform and Mobile Devices †
Authors: Villarreal Vladimir , Nielsen Mel , Samudio Manuel
Published: June 2018

In this article, we present a platform that allows for the integration of different applications for the follow-up of patients with chronic diseases. We developed two elements: a mobile and a web application. The mobile application allows the capture and processing of vital signs for patients with high blood pressure (hypertension). This application allows for the patient to store the data obtained, provides historical information and trends of the stored measures, and provides alerts and recommendations according to ranges of measures that were obtained. The web application allows the doctor and patients to obtain updated information of the disease behavior through the measures obtained. We used different biometric devices including an efimomanometer, glucometer, scale, and a thermometer with a wi-fi connection. Through this web application, we also generated information about average measures at a given time, by age, by region, and by a specific date. The developed system was evaluated in a medical center with different types of patients.
Distributed ISAR Subimage Fusion of Nonuniform Rotating Target Based on Matching Fourier Transform
Authors: Li Yuanyuan , Fu Yaowen , Zhang Wenpeng
Published: June 2018

In real applications, the image quality of the conventional monostatic Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) for the maneuvering target is subject to the strong fluctuation of Radar Cross Section (RCS), as the target aspect varies enormously. Meanwhile, the maneuvering target introduces nonuniform rotation after translation motion compensation which degrades the imaging performance of the conventional Fourier Transform (FT)-based method in the cross-range dimension. In this paper, a method which combines the distributed ISAR technique and the Matching Fourier Transform (MFT) is proposed to overcome these problems. Firstly, according to the characteristics of the distributed ISAR, the multiple channel echoes of the nonuniform rotation target from different observation angles can be acquired. Then, by applying the MFT to the echo of each channel, the defocused problem of nonuniform rotation target which is inevitable by using the FT-based imaging method can be avoided. Finally, after preprocessing, scaling and rotation of all subimages, the noncoherent fusion image containing all the RCS information in all channels can be obtained. The accumulation coefficients of all subimages are calculated adaptively according to the their image qualities. Simulation and experimental data are used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, and fusion image with improved recognizability can be obtained. Therefore, by using the distributed ISAR technique and MFT, subimages of high-maneuvering target from different observation angles can be obtained. Meanwhile, by employing the adaptive subimage fusion method, the RCS fluctuation can be alleviated and more recognizable final image can be obtained.
Tailored Algorithm for Sensitivity Enhancement of Gas Concentration Sensors Based on Tunable Laser Absorption Spectroscopy
Authors: Vargas-Rodriguez Everardo , Guzman-Chavez Ana Dinora , Baeza-Serrato Roberto
Published: June 2018

In this work, a novel tailored algorithm to enhance the overall sensitivity of gas concentration sensors based on the Direct Absorption Tunable Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (DA-ATLAS) method is presented. By using this algorithm, the sensor sensitivity can be custom-designed to be quasi constant over a much larger dynamic range compared with that obtained by typical methods based on a single statistics feature of the sensor signal output (peak amplitude, area under the curve, mean or RMS). Additionally, it is shown that with our algorithm, an optimal function can be tailored to get a quasi linear relationship between the concentration and some specific statistics features over a wider dynamic range. In order to test the viability of our algorithm, a basic C 2 H 2 sensor based on DA-ATLAS was implemented, and its experimental measurements support the simulated results provided by our algorithm.
Thermal Analysis of a Disposable, Instrument-Free DNA Amplification Lab-on-a-Chip Platform
Authors: Pardy Tamás , Rang Toomas , Tulp Indrek
Published: June 2018

Novel second-generation rapid diagnostics based on nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) offer performance metrics on par with clinical laboratories in detecting infectious diseases at the point of care. The diagnostic assay is typically performed within a Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) component with integrated temperature regulation. However, constraints on device dimensions, cost and power supply inherent with the device format apply to temperature regulation as well. Thermal analysis on simplified thermal models for the device can help overcome these barriers by speeding up thermal optimization. In this work, we perform experimental thermal analysis on the simplified thermal model for our instrument-free, single-use LoC NAAT platform. The system is evaluated further by finite element modelling. Steady-state as well as transient thermal analysis are performed to evaluate the performance of a self-regulating polymer resin heating element in the proposed device geometry. Reaction volumes in the target temperature range of the amplification reaction are estimated in the simulated model to assess compliance with assay requirements. Using the proposed methodology, we demonstrated our NAAT device concept capable of performing loop-mediated isothermal amplification in the 20–25 °C ambient temperature range with 32 min total assay time.
An Overview of High-k Oxides on Hydrogenated-Diamond for Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Capacitors and Field-Effect Transistors
Authors: Liu Jiangwei , Koide Yasuo
Published: June 2018

Thanks to its excellent intrinsic properties, diamond is promising for applications of high-power electronic devices, ultraviolet detectors, biosensors, high-temperature tolerant gas sensors, etc. Here, an overview of high-k oxides on hydrogenated-diamond (H-diamond) for metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors and MOS field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) is demonstrated. Fabrication routines for the H-diamond MOS capacitors and MOSFETs, band configurations of oxide/H-diamond heterointerfaces, and electrical properties of the MOS and MOSFETs are summarized and discussed. High-k oxide insulators are deposited using atomic layer deposition (ALD) and sputtering deposition (SD) techniques. Electrical properties of the H-diamond MOS capacitors with high-k oxides of ALD-Al2O3, ALD-HfO2, ALD-HfO2/ALD-Al2O3 multilayer, SD-HfO2/ALD-HfO2 bilayer, SD-TiO2/ALD-Al2O3 bilayer, and ALD-TiO2/ALD-Al2O3 bilayer are discussed. Analyses for capacitance-voltage characteristics of them show that there are low fixed and trapped charge densities for the ALD-Al2O3/H-diamond and SD-HfO2/ALD-HfO2/H-diamond MOS capacitors. The k value of 27.2 for the ALD-TiO2/ALD-Al2O3 bilayer is larger than those of the other oxide insulators. Drain-source current versus voltage curves show distinct pitch-off and p-type channel characteristics for the ALD-Al2O3/H-diamond, SD-HfO2/ALD-HfO2/H-diamond, and ALD-TiO2/ALD-Al2O3/H-diamond MOSFETs. Understanding of fabrication routines and electrical properties for the high-k oxide/H-diamond MOS electronic devices is meaningful for the fabrication of high-performance H-diamond MOS capacitor and MOSFET gas sensors.
Sparse Method for Direction of Arrival Estimation Using Denoised Fourth-Order Cumulants Vector
Authors: Fan Yangyu , Wang Jianshu , Du Rui , Lv Guoyun
Published: June 2018

Fourth-order cumulants (FOCs) vector-based direction of arrival (DOA) estimation methods of non-Gaussian sources may suffer from poor performance for limited snapshots or difficulty in setting parameters. In this paper, a novel FOCs vector-based sparse DOA estimation method is proposed. Firstly, by utilizing the concept of a fourth-order difference co-array (FODCA), an advanced FOCs vector denoising or dimension reduction procedure is presented for arbitrary array geometries. Then, a novel single measurement vector (SMV) model is established by the denoised FOCs vector, and efficiently solved by an off-grid sparse Bayesian inference (OGSBI) method. The estimation errors of FOCs are integrated in the SMV model, and are approximately estimated in a simple way. A necessary condition regarding the number of identifiable sources of our method is presented that, in order to uniquely identify all sources, the number of sources K must fulfill K ≤ ( M 4 − 2 M 3 + 7 M 2 − 6 M ) / 8 . The proposed method suits any geometry, does not need prior knowledge of the number of sources, is insensitive to associated parameters, and has maximum identifiability O ( M 4 ) , where M is the number of sensors in the array. Numerical simulations illustrate the superior performance of the proposed method.
Sequence-Based Indoor Localization with Channel Status Information
Authors: Wang Zhongqiu , Chen Ying , Wang Hai
Published: June 2018

Most of the indoor localization systems nowadays are based on received signal strength indication (RSSI), which has further increased the importance of precise localization of access points (AP) in a wireless local area network (WLAN). Since most existing AP localization algorithms suffer from a high error rate in practical scenarios due to multipath fading and temporal dynamics, we propose an AP localization algorithm based on the channel status information (CSI) sequence-based localization (SBL-CSI). The proposed algorithm SBL-CSI is an efficient localization method that consists of the following three major steps: Firstly, a 2D localization space is divided by special APs into distinct regions, and each region has a unique location sequence that represents the distance ranks of special APs to that region and constructs the location sequence table. Then, the relative distance of the ordinary AP, served in the location sequence, is obtained by using CSI between the ordinary AP and special AP. Finally, the “nearest” feasible sequence of the ordinary AP in the location sequence table is searched, and the centroid of the corresponding region is the ordinary AP’s localization. Compared with the traditional localization algorithm based on RSSI, the experiment results demonstrate that the positioning accuracy is improved approximately 24.31%.
Cocrystal of Ibuprofen–Nicotinamide: Solid-State Characterization and In Vivo Analgesic Activity Evaluation
Authors: Yuliandra Yori , Zaini Erizal , Syofyan Syofyan , Pratiwi Wenny , Putri Lidiya Novita , Pratiwi Yuti Sahra , Arifin Helmi
Published: June 2018

Ibuprofen is classified as a BCS class II drug which has low solubility and high permeability. We conducted the formation of the cocrystalline phase of ibuprofen with coformer nicotinamide to increase its solubility. The purpose of this study was to characterize the solid state of cocrystalline phase of ibuprofen-nicotinamide, determine the solubility, and evaluate its in vivo analgesic activity. The cocrystal of ibuprofen-nicotinamide was prepared by a slow evaporation method. The solid-state characterization was conducted by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis, differential thermal analysis (DTA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To investigate the in vivo analgesic activity, 28 male Swiss-Webster mice were injected with acetic acid 0.5% following oral administration of intact ibuprofen, physical mixture, and its cocrystalline phase with nicotinamide (equivalent to 26 mg/kg ibuprofen). The number of writhes was counted, and pain inhibition was calculated. All data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA followed by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (95% confidence interval). The results revealed that a new cocrystalline phase was successfully formed. The solubility testing showed that the cocrystal formation enhanced the solubility significantly as compared with the physical mixture and intact ibuprofen. A significant increase in the analgesic activity of cocrystal ibuprofen-nicotinamide was also confirmed.
Inequalities and Child Protection System Contact in Aotearoa New Zealand: Developing a Conceptual Framework and Research Agenda
Authors: Keddell Emily , Davie Gabrielle
Published: June 2018

There is a growing movement to integrate conceptual tools from the health inequalities field into research that examines the relationship between inequalities and chances of child protection system contact. This article outlines the key concepts of an inequalities perspective, and discusses how these apply to inequalities in child protection in the Aotearoa New Zealand context. Drawing on existing research, this article shows that while there is evidence of links between deprivation, ethnicity, location and system contact, a more systematic research agenda shaped by an inequalities perspective would contribute to understanding more fully the social determinants of contact with the child protection system. An inequalities perspective provides balance to the current ‘social investment’ policy approach that targets individuals and families for service provision, with little attention to how structural inequalities impact on system contact. Directions for research are discussed, with some specific questions suggested. These include questions relating to the relationships between social inequalities and various decision points in the child protection system; if a social gradient exists and how steep it is; the inter-relationship between ethnicity, deprivation and patterns of system contact; and how similarly deprived children in different locations compare with each other in relation to child protection system contact, that is, is there an ‘inverse intervention law’ operating?
Policies, Practices, and Attitudes toward Inclusive Education: The Case of Greece
Authors: Pappas Marios A. , Papoutsi Chara , Drigas Athanasios S.
Published: June 2018

Inclusive education is now firmly established as the main educational policy for children with special educational needs and disabilities, which emerges as the mean of creating an inclusive society in which equal opportunities are provided. However, there are concerns expressed on the effect of such a change in the educational system and on how possible it is to make this a reality. The concerns and objections of educators toward inclusion are mainly based on the diversity of learning disabilities, the learning outcomes that could be generated by applying this practice, and the lack of confidence of teachers to teach in an inclusive environment. In this study, we examine teachers’ attitudes toward inclusive education, while at the same time, we analyze current inclusive policies and practices in the Greek educational system. Results revealed that teachers have generally positive attitudes toward inclusion. However, they indicated some issues and barriers to the implementation of inclusion. We consider that policy-makers in Greece should target educator training and increase funding for education.
Critical Decline of Earthworms from Organic Origins under Intensive, Humic SOM-Depleting Agriculture
Authors: Blakemore Robert
Published: June 2018

In view of recent reports of critical declines of microbes, plants, insects and other invertebrates, birds and other vertebrates, the situation pertaining to neglected earthworms was investigated. Entomological reports found the probable cause of general loss was lack of recruitment from surrounding fields (except for pest species). Earthworm decline under agricultural intensification compared to organic fertilizing is herein charted from several long-term agronomic trials, some operational >170 years. Relative biomass losses of –50–100% (with a mean of –83.3 %) match or exceed those reported for other faunal groups, thus earthworms are conclusively shown to be similarly depleted from their optima in agrichemical fields. Concomitant mean loss of SOC/SOM humus is –56.8% and soil moisture is reduced by –22.3%. Organic farming lessens humic degradation and topsoil erosion, conserves essential soil moisture and biota, and produces equivalent or higher crop and pasture yields (on average +17.8% in this study) at lower cost. Loss of earthworms adds weight for rational re-evaluation of viable means for food production compatible with environmental conservation (agroecology), hence various interlinked benefits of organic husbandry in terms of yields, soil restoration, biodiversity and economics are briefly discussed. Persistence with failing chemical agriculture makes neither ecological nor economic sense.
Structural Impact Relationships Between Urban Development Intensity Characteristics and Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Korea
Authors: Son Cheol Hee , Baek Jong In , Ban Yong Un
Published: June 2018

The goal of this study is to analyze the interrelated direct and indirect impacts of urban development intensity (UDI) characteristics on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Korea. The study also compares the main arguments and analysis results of previous studies on cities that are effective in reducing CO2 emissions. To do this, factors attributable to the UDI characteristics of Korea were selected, and CO2 emissions were calculated. Then, the impact of UDI characteristics on CO2 emissions was analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation model. The main results show that the physical, spatial, and socio-demographic characteristics of UDI have a direct impact on CO2 emissions, and physical, economic, and city-type characteristics indirectly affect CO2 emissions. As a result, we reach the following conclusions: (i) dense urban forms reduce CO2 emissions; (ii) economic characteristics of UDI have impact on total CO2 emissions, having both negative and positive effects; and (iii) medium and small cities have higher per capita CO2 emissions than do large cities.
Towards Sustainable Renovation: Key Performance Indicators for Quality Monitoring
Authors: Vilutiene Tatjana , Ignatavičius Česlovas
Published: June 2018

The aim of this study is to propose the rational quality monitoring of the renovation process with methodology for data collection and analysis. The presented approach is based on a complex system of criteria that enables the comprehensive evaluation of the quality of the renovation process. Methodology that is developed for the rational quality monitoring of the renovation process can be used for long term monitoring activities to ensure that the system is up to date, while reflecting the concerns of the key stakeholders and the transfer of requirements. The main emphasis lies on the identification of the rapidly changing environment (regulations, technologies, needs and expectations of building owners, etc.). Quality monitoring will also serve as an analytical framework to analyze the effects of renovation and to identify what measures shall be undertaken to ensure that the renovation delivers the most positive results. This paper presents the case study analysis of renovated multi-family apartment buildings, the existing indicators of the renovation monitoring scheme and the structure of the proposed monitoring system of the renovation processes, key indicators, the main components of the system, and their links.
Green Product Innovation and Firm Performance: Assessing the Moderating Effect of Novelty-Centered and Efficiency-Centered Business Model Design
Authors: Ma Yuan , Yin Qiyue , Pan Yajun , Cui Wei , Xin Baogui , Rao Ziqian
Published: June 2018

Motivated by government policies and decision-makers’ opportunity perception, many firms have invested in green product innovation. The effect of this type of innovation has been analyzed in extant literature thoroughly, but how to improve innovator’s economic performance is still under-researched. When considering this research gap, the business model theory is used in this paper. An empirically based and testable framework is developed. Using survey data from 231 traditional manufacturing firms in China, these hypotheses are tested. The results show that novelty-centered and efficiency-centered business model design themes all play a moderating effect on the relationship between green product innovation and firm performance, while a fit between green product innovation and novelty-centered design theme is better for firm performance.
Holistic Management and Adaptive Grazing: A Trainers’ View
Authors: Mann Carolyn , Sherren Kate
Published: June 2018

Holistic Management (HM) is a grazing practice that typically uses high-intensity rotation of animals through many paddocks, continually adapted through planning and monitoring. Despite widespread disagreement about the environmental and production benefits of HM, researchers from both sides of that debate seem to agree that its emphasis on goal-setting, complexity, adaptivity and strategic decision-making are valuable. These ideas are shared by systems thinking, which has long been foundational in agroecology and recognized as a valuable tool for dealing with agricultural complexity. The transmission of such skills is thus important to understand. Here, twenty-five Canadian and American adaptive grazing trainers were interviewed to learn more about how they teach such systems thinking, and how they reflect upon their trainees as learners and potential adopters. Every trainer considered decision-making to be a major component of their lessons. That training was described as tackling both the “paradigm” level—changing the way participants see the world, themselves or their farm—and the “concept/skill” level. Paradigm shifts were perceived as the biggest challenge for participants. Trainers had difficulty estimating adoption rates because there was little consensus on what constituted an HM-practitioner: to what level must one adopt the practices? We conclude that: (1) trainers’ emphasis on paradigms and decision-making confirms that HM is systems thinking in practice; (2) the planning and decision-making components of HM are distinct from the grazing methods; and (3) HM is a fluid and heterogeneous concept that is difficult to define and evaluate.
Evaluation of Oasis Sustainability Based on Emergy and Decomposition Analysis
Authors: Chang Ting , Yang Degang , Huo Jinwei , Xia Fuqiang , Zhang Zhiping
Published: June 2018

The human welfare and sustainability of oases have received wide attention because of the fragility of the ecological environment and the instability of these systems. In this study, the sustainability level and the driving forces of emergy utilization in the Hotan Prefecture (in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China) from 2005 to 2015 were evaluated using the emergy approach combined with the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method. The emergy analysis showed that non-renewable resources (N) accounted for a large proportion of net emergy (U). The Emergy Sustainability Index (ESI) continued to decline in the study period, implying increasing environmental stress. From a long-term perspective, the system’s development is not sustainable. According to the emergy analysis and the LMDI results, it is imperative to pursue the following aims: (1) increase the per capita gross domestic product (GDP) and labor productivity, (2) improve the efficiency of state investment and aid fund utilization, (3) enhance the area’s sustainability level and economic independence, and (4) protect the area’s fragile ecological environment.
Creating Green Space Sustainability through Low-Budget and Upcycling Strategies
Authors: Herman Krzysztof , Sbarcea Madalina , Panagopoulos Thomas
Published: June 2018

Frugality is a core notion of sustainability, and responsible resource management should be prioritized in urban planning and landscape architecture. Low-budget strategies as a deliberate means of creating valuable, attractive, well-used, sociable public spaces are recognized by some influential designers using the “Light, cheap, quick” methodology. Unused spaces, just like objects and waste, can be creatively changed, reinvented with little resource input through a circular solution of upcycling. Case study methodology was predominantly used in the inquiry with three new parks, built after the year 2004, in Faro, Portugal. The study examined how the success rate and the current state of these public green areas correlates with the amount of financial resources invested in each of the projects. The case studies show key aspects in the building of the three spaces including: urban context, management and community participation. The success rate of a place is established based on user activity observations, user counts and questionnaires—conveyed amongst both experts and local residents. Results illustrate how low-budget strategies and limited use of funds and resources can be translated into a successful project of a public greenery. Comparative studies from Warsaw and Berlin further extend the discussion to the concept of upcycling as a sustainable solution for landscape architecture.
Analysis of the Land Use and Cover Changes in the Metropolitan Area of Tepic-Xalisco (1973–2015) through Landsat Images
Authors: Jiménez Armando Avalos , Vilchez Fernando Flores , González Oyolsi Nájera , Flores Susana M. L. Marceleño
Published: June 2018

Land use and cover changes (LUCC) have been identified as one of the main causes of biodiversity loss and deforestation in the world. Fundamentally, the urban land use has replaced agricultural and forest cover causing loss of environmental services. Monitoring and quantifying LUCC are essential to achieve a proper land management. The objective of this study was to analyze the LUCC in the metropolitan area of Tepic-Xalisco during the period 1973–2015. To find the best fit and obtain the different land use classes, supervised classification techniques were applied using Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC), Support Vector Machines (SVMs) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). The results were validated with control points (ground truth) through cross tabulation. The best results were obtained from the SVMs method with kappa indices above 85%. The transition analysis infers that urban land has grown significantly during 42 years, increasing 62 km2 and replacing agricultural areas at a rate of 1.48 km2/year. Forest loss of 5.78 km2 annually was also identified. The results show the different land uses distribution and the dynamics developed in the past. This information may be used to simulate future LUCC and modeling different scenarios.
Ecological Risk Assessment of the Southern Fujian Golden Triangle in China Based on Regional Transportation Development
Authors: Yang Xinyi , Tang Lina , Jia Yuqiu , Liu Jiantao
Published: June 2018

Regional transportation development (RTD) is an important stressor of urban agglomeration ecosystems. Groundwater recharge potential may be adversely affected when natural soil is replaced by impervious materials. To systematically identify the urban agglomeration ecological risk (UAER) of RTD in the southern Fujian Golden Triangle, water regulation was used as an assessment endpoint, and RTD was considered the stressor. We used the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number method (SCS-CN) to analyze the internal relationship between the assessment endpoint and the stressor factors. Then, a multi-level risk characterization method was used to show the evolutionary process of risk, and to provide a scientific basis for the management of UAER. Based on the current RTD plan, the UAER assessment shows that there is a 0.90 probability of that the risk distribution results will occur by 2030. The intensity of stress from arterial roads on the urban agglomeration ecosystem is greater than that of the railway system. By considering the development of the railway system as a factor in the stress of RTD, this study of UAER assessment differs from past studies of urban ecological risk assessment, since the latter considers only highways. We also propose a systematic method of risk assessment simulation-prediction.
Cycle Tourism as a Driver for the Sustainable Development of Little-Known or Remote Territories: The Experience of the Apennine Regions of Northern Italy
Authors: Gazzola Patrizia , Pavione Enrica , Grechi Daniele , Ossola Paola
Published: June 2018

One form of cycle tourism can be represented features tourism that focuses on the relation between biking and the discovery of a territory. Geared toward forms of holiday that allow for the low consumption of natural resources and a connection with the landscape, cycle tourism represents a concrete expression of sustainable tourism. As an emerging phenomenon in Italy, cycle tourism requires further understanding in order to identify methods of development and applicable business models. The aim of this paper is to explore the characteristics of cycle tourism’s development in northern Italy in order to identify the links that exist between sustainability and the group of cycle tourists who prefer to spend their holidays discovering little-known or remote territories. For this study, we selected three different destinations in sensitive mountain areas that converge on the common goal to use cycling to rejuvenate the tourism sector. It has been found that the development of cycle tourism in areas not characterized by mass tourism, such as those considered here, is economically, socially, and environmentally beneficial. The business models through which cycle tourism usually develops include a bottom up approach or a top down approach, involving the cooperation of several local destination stakeholders.
Assessment of Carbon Storage and Its Influencing Factors in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Authors: Zhao Zhonghe , Liu Gaohuan , Mou Naixia , Xie Yichun , Xu Zengrang , Li Yong
Published: June 2018

Land use/cover change (LUCC) is one of the major factors influencing the storage of ecosystem carbon. The carbon storage in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the world’s highest plateau, is affected by a combination of many factors. Using MCD12Q1 land classification data, aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, soil carbon and humus carbon data, as well as field sampling data for parameters verification, we applied the InVEST model to simulate the ecosystem carbon storage and the impacts of driving factors. The field survey samples were used to test the regression accuracy, and the results confirmed that the model performance was reasonable and acceptable. The main conclusions of this study are as follows: From 2001 to 2010, carbon storage in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau increased by 10.39 billion t when assuming that the carbon density in each land cover type was constant. Changes of the land cover types caused carbon storage to increase by 116 million t, which contributed 13.82% of the dynamic carbon storage. Consequently, changes in carbon density accounted for 86.18% of the carbon storage change. In addition, we investigated the soil organic matter and aboveground biomass characteristics between 2012 and 2014 and found that the influences of fencing and dung on carbon storage were positive.
sEMG-Based Gesture Recognition with Convolution Neural Networks
Authors: Ding Zhen , Yang Chifu , Tian Zhihong , Yi Chunzhi , Fu Yunsheng , Jiang Feng
Published: June 2018

The traditional classification methods for limb motion recognition based on sEMG have been deeply researched and shown promising results. However, information loss during feature extraction reduces the recognition accuracy. To obtain higher accuracy, the deep learning method was introduced. In this paper, we propose a parallel multiple-scale convolution architecture. Compared with the state-of-art methods, the proposed architecture fully considers the characteristics of the sEMG signal. Larger sizes of kernel filter than commonly used in other CNN-based hand recognition methods are adopted. Meanwhile, the characteristics of the sEMG signal, that is, muscle independence, is considered when designing the architecture. All the classification methods were evaluated on the NinaPro database. The results show that the proposed architecture has the highest recognition accuracy. Furthermore, the results indicate that parallel multiple-scale convolution architecture with larger size of kernel filter and considering muscle independence can significantly increase the classification accuracy.
Efficiency Assessment of Inbound Tourist Service Using Data Envelopment Analysis
Authors: Chen Han-Shen , Tsai Bi-Kun , Liou Gwo-Bao , Hsieh Chi-Ming
Published: June 2018

The successful and sustainable development of inbound tourism necessitates a long-term commitment, balancing between tourism supply and tourist demands. This study manipulated a performance appraisal of tourism service quality in Taiwan with Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) by employing input and output constructs to assess service quality efficiency. The empirical results of the estimation of technical efficiency (TE) revealed that (1) the domestic tourism market is competitive, but still needs enhancements for tourism service; (2) Mainland Chinese tourists had the highest score among all foreign tourists, followed by Hong Kong and Macau tourists, tourists from other countries, Japanese tourists, and South Korean tourists; and (3) South Korean tourists had higher travel expenditure than others, but felt less satisfaction with travel services, which can be regarded as inefficient. Tourists from other countries had lower travel expenditure, but had higher satisfaction levels, which was considered efficient based on input and output index. The findings could contribute to bridging the gap between research and practice in assessing the efficiency of inbound tourist service. Tourism practitioners should be aware of tourists’ needs and interests, as these could be key fundamentals for improving tourists’ satisfaction with Taiwan’s service offerings.
Associations between Public Transit Usage and Bikesharing Behaviors in The United States
Authors: Zhang Yuanyuan , Zhang Yuming
Published: June 2018

Public bikesharing systems have rapidly expanded across many cities in the United States (US). Previous studies in the literature found that, in general, bikesharing is associated with public transit ridership. However, the interdependencies between public transit usage and bikesharing behaviors have been mixed and have not been fully understood. Therefore, the objective of this research is to examine the associations between the frequency of public transit usage and the probability and frequency of bikesharing usage in the US using data from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey. The respondents were asked how many times they had used public transit and bikesharing in the last 30 days. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression models were conducted to assess the associations between the frequency of public transit usage and the probability and frequency of bikesharing usage. The results show that, in general, a one-unit increase in the frequency of public transit usage is significantly associated with a 4.0% increase in the probability of bikesharing usage and a 1.4% increase in the frequency of bikesharing usage. The significantly positive relationship between the frequency of public transit usage and the frequency of bikesharing usage is more pronounced among those living in areas with higher population density or with rail service. The empirical results demonstrate that public transit usage is significantly positively associated with bikesharing usage, and suggest policy implications that improving public transit usage tends to increase the usage of bikesharing. This study also provides significant empirical evidence for the formulation of interventions and policies targeting to promote integrated transportation systems that support multimodal transportation and mutually sustainable transport networks.
Urban Foraging in Berlin: People, Plants and Practices within the Metropolitan Green Infrastructure
Authors: Landor-Yamagata Jonah L. , Kowarik Ingo , Fischer Leonie K.
Published: June 2018

Gathering wild plants in cities (urban foraging) is likely an important, but understudied human-nature interaction globally. As large European cities are critically understudied in this regard, we performed in-depth ethnography-based interviews in Berlin, Germany, to shed light on the cultural background of foragers, their motivations and which plants and fungi are gathered for which purposes. Results demonstrate multiple uses of 125 taxa, mostly frequently-occurring species but also some Red List species, from a range of formal and informal greenspace types. Both native and non-native species were gathered, with significant differences in use patterns. Use for food was most common, followed by medicinal uses, and personal enjoyment was a frequent motivation, indicating that urban foraging combines provisioning and cultural ecosystem services. Familial and childhood foraging exposure were common, pointing to influences of early-in-life exposure on later-in-life activities and transgenerational aspects of the practice. Results further suggest legacy effects from the post-war and communist eras on foraging knowledge. Although non-commercial foraging is allowed in Berlin, over-harvesting was not evident. Interviews indicate that stewardship of urban biodiversity is common among foragers. Results thus suggest considering urban foraging as a promising vehicle for linking humans with nature when developing a biodiverse urban green infrastructure.
Integrating Functions for a Sustainable Urban System: A Review of Multifunctional Land Use and Circular Urban Metabolism
Authors: Van Broekhoven Saskia , Vernay Anne Lorène
Published: June 2018

Cities pose environmental challenges but also offer possibilities to close material and energy loops and connect multiple societal and ecologic services. This article reviews and brings together the literature on two important new research directions that address urban sustainability by integrating functions or material flows: Circular Urban Metabolism (CUM) and Multifunctional Land Use (MLU). We focus on challenges to MLU and CUM and strategies to facilitate their realization. The review shows that although MLU and CUM differ in what they integrate, they face partly similar integration challenges. In both fields, the collaboration between actors related to particular functions (water safety, recreation), high investment costs and uncertainties about costs and benefits, and legislation that hampers integration are identified as challenges. In both fields, strategies are proposed to facilitate the collaboration between actors. However, other challenges and strategies are specific. Whilst MLU scholars mostly highlight socio-economic aspects of realizing integration, CUM scholars focus more on technical aspects. We find limited cross-fertilization between both fields so far. To stimulate discussion and knowledge exchange, we introduce ‘integration of urban functions’ as a shared idea for a sustainable urban system. To find further solutions for integration challenges, we propose conceptualizing MLU or CUM initiatives as processes of change, which requires connecting across previously separate ‘worlds’ and changing previously established monofunctional ways of working.
Some Normal Intuitionistic Fuzzy Heronian Mean Operators Using Hamacher Operation and Their Application
Authors: Zhang Guofang , Zhang Zhiming , Kong Hang
Published: June 2018

Hamacher operation is a generalization of the algebraic and Einstein operation and expresses a family of binary operation in the unit interval [0,1]. Heronian mean can deal with correlations of different criteria or input arguments and does not bring out repeated calculation. The normal intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (NIFNs) can depict normal distribution information in practical decision making. A decision-making problem was researched under the NIFN environment in this study, and a new multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) approach is herein introduced on the basis of Hamacher operation. Firstly, according to Hamacher operation, some operational laws of NIFNs are presented. Secondly, it is noted that Heronian mean not only takes into account mutuality between the attribute values once, but also considers the correlation between input argument and itself. Therefore, in order to aggregate NIFN information, we developed some operators and studied their properties. These operators include Hamacher Heronian mean (NIFHHM), Hamacher weighted Heronian mean (NIFHWHM), Hamacher geometric Heronian mean (NIFHGHM), and Hamacher weighted geometric Heronian mean (NIFHWGHM). Furthermore, we applied the proposed operators to the MCGDM problem and developed a new MCGDM approach. The characteristics of this new approach are that: (1) it is suitable for making a decision under the NIFN environment and it is more reasonable for aggregating the normal distribution data; (2) it utilizes Hamacher operation to provide an effective and powerful MCGDM algorithm and to make more reliable and more flexible decisions under the NIFN circumstance; (3) it uses the Heronian mean operator to deal with interrelations between the attributes or input arguments, and it does not bring about repeated calculation. Therefore, the proposed method can describe the interaction of the different criteria or input arguments and offer some reasonable and reliable MCGDM aggregation operators, which can open avenues for decision making and broaden perspectives of the decision experts. Lastly, an application is given for showing the effectiveness and feasibility of the approach presented in this paper.
Topological Characterization of the Symmetrical Structure of Bismuth Tri-Iodide
Authors: Imran Muhammad , Ali Muhammad , Ahmad Sarfraz , Siddiqui Muhammad , Baig Abdul
Published: June 2018

The bismuth tri-iodide ( B i I 3 ) is an inorganic compound. It is the result of the response of bismuth and iodine, which has inspired enthusiasm for subjective inorganic investigation. The topological indices are the numerical invariants of the molecular graph that portray its topology and are normally graph invariants. In 1975, Randic presented, in a bond-added substance, a topological index as a descriptor for portraying subatomic branching. In this paper, we investigate the precious stone structure of bismuth tri-iodide chain and sheet. Moreover, exact formulas of degree-based added-substance topological indices principally the first, second, and hyper Zagreb indices, the general Randic index, the geometric-arithmetic index, the fourth atom-bond connectivity index, and the fifth geometric arithmetic index of the subatomic graph of bismuth tri-iodide for both chain and sheet structures are determined.