bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Job Satisfaction and Attitude to Work of Cross River State College of Education Staff
Authors: Usani MO , Ushie JU , Adadu PMA
Published: November 2014

This study investigated the relationship between job satisfaction and attitude to work of staff in Cross River State College of Education, Akamkpa. The study went on to find out the relationship between job satisfaction and attitude to work due to gender of Cross River State College of Education staff. Two  research questions were formulated. A questionnaire was constructed and  used for data collection. To answer the research questions two hundred and  ten (210) staff of the College sampled and used. A correlational design was used for the study. The data for the research questions were analysed using  correlation coefficient analysis. The findings of the study showed that job  satisfaction has low relationship with attitude to work. Also job satisfaction and attitude to work have low relationship as a result of male staff and moderate relationship as a result female staff. The implication of these findings is that any staff whose attitude to work has been changed should not be attributed to job satisfaction.
Vocational Education and Economic Development in Nigeria
Authors: Ekpo K , Okon A
Published: November 2014

This paper discusses the capability of vocational education in creating jobs to reduce unemployment among the Nigerian youths which will result in sustainable economic development of Nigeria. It also defines Vocational education within the provisions of the National Policy on Education.  Philosophy of Vocational Education is also defined. In African states,  including Nigeria, much emphasize is not given to Vocational Education  which is a major instrument for the nations rapid and sustainable  development with proper planning and implementation. Vocational  education is capable of creating millions of jobs for Nigerian youths. This will lead to sustainable economic development for Nigeria in particular and African continent in general. The capability of Vocational education for job creation is not doubted but constrained by several challenges among which are poor funding, lack of training personnel and facilities. In order toovercome these challenges, it is recommended that Vocational experts, government officials and the business world should work together for the purpose of job creation, poverty alleviation and sustainable economic development.
Music Performance as a Therapy for Managing Stress amongst the Academics in Nigerian Federal Universities
Authors: Modeme ER , Sunday-Kanu RA
Published: November 2014

The serious breakdown in health of the academics in Nigerian Federal Universities which placed them in chronic dependency on drugs has necessitated this study. The study adopted a descriptive survey approach which ascertained that music performance as therapy would be a vital tool for managing stress amongst the academic staff of the Nigerian Federal Universities. The population comprised all the lecturers from the faculties of Education and Humanities in the two Federal Universities in the South-South Zone numbering 618 but 309 lecturers formed the sample. Stratified random sampling was used to select the subjects while simple random sample was used to select the universities. Four research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The instrument for data collection was a 45 item questionnaire developed by the researchers. The instrument consists of four sections (A-D). The instrument was validated and trial-tested. The reliability coefficient was computed for the four sections viz: section A = 0.84; B = 0.81; C = 0.77; and D = 0.84 using Cronboch Alpha technique. The instrument was administered by the researchers with the help of three research assistants. The data collected were analyzed using means to answer the research questions and t-test statistics for hypothesis at 0.05 alpha level. The result showed among others that music performance is a good therapy for stress management and would consequently prolong the life span of the academics. Hence, the recommendations were that the academics should make out time to listen to and watch musical performances that make them feel comfortable so as to reduce stress, and also be encouraged to go for medical check-ups to avoid serious breakdown in health.Key words: Music, Music Performance, Music Therapy, and Stress Management.
The Art of Preview in Appropriate Teaching/Learning Material Selection
Authors: Umera-Okeke N , Mbah C
Published: November 2014

This study recognised the importance of print materials and texts in effective and efficient teaching and learning. Though important, there is a proliferation of these materials in the market that learners, researchers and teachers cannot read all within the limited time available to them. They resort to the art of previewing to select the relevant ones. As previewers, they ought to look into the external and internal skeletons of materials such as textbooks, literature books, journal articles, essays and other continuous writings. The paper described skimming and scanning as important techniques for previewing. Finally, those elements and aspects of the English Language texts to be scanned or skimmed were looked at and the importance of each highlighted.
The Role of HDlive Technology in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Present and Future
Authors: Grigore Mihaela , Cojocaru Camelia , Lazar Tudor
Published: November 2014

Imaging techniques have continually evolved during the last few decades to improve diagnosis in obstetrics and gynecology. Developed more than 15 years ago, three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound has been widely used in clinical practice during the last decade, and its use continues to grow as researchers explore innovative new applications. High definition live (HDlive) ultrasound (US) is a novel ultrasound technology that improves both 3D and four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound images. This technology can mainly be used to study normal and pathologic embryonic and fetal development. HDlive could be important to perinatal research and could provide a better understanding of the development of the early embryo and fetus. Because of the natural pictures of the fetus that it provides, HDlive could be beneficial for increasing the fetal-maternal bonding, an important factor for healthy behavior during the pregnancy. In gynecology, HDlive could be useful in providing a better image of the adnexal pathology or coronal plane of the uterus. Although its advantages need to be further explored, in our opinion, HDlive is an innovative technique and a useful tool with applications both in obstetrics and gynecology.

How to cite this article

Grigore M, Cojocaru C, Lazar T. The Role of HDlive Technology in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Present and Future. Donald School J Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2014;8(3):234-238.
Prenatal Diagnosis of Neuroblastoma
Authors: Zvanca Mona , Andrei Cristian
Published: November 2014

Fetal malignancies are rare complications during pregnancies, but when they appear, they are very challenging for the perinatology team. Because of their low incidence, the information is limited, with data provided from individual case reports or small case series. Although neuroblastoma is the most frequent extracranial solid tumor in childhood, prenatal diagnosis by ultrasound is very rare and almost always discovered during routine third trimester ultrasound. Expectant management is usually indicated prenatally, with serial ultrasound examination. Delivery should be planned in a tertiary center together with pediatric oncologists and surgeons to allow appropriate postnatal management. We present two cases of neuroblastoma diagnosed at 36 and 33 weeks of gestation with multiple aspects of this tumor identified by ultrasound. Both cases needed surgery and had a favorable outcome. The key role of ultrasound in diagnosis and follow-up of neuroblastoma in pregnancy is discussed, together with the management options recommended in literature.

How to cite this article

Andrei C, Vladareanu R, Zvanca M, Vladareanu S. Prenatal Diagnosis of Neuroblastoma. Donald School J Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2014;8(3):321-327.
Evaluation of a Pilot Parent-Delivered Play-Based Intervention for Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Wilkes-Gillan Sarah , Bundy Anita , Cordier Reinie , Lincoln Michelle
Published: November 2014

OBJECTIVE. This study evaluated a parent-delivered intervention aiming to address the social difficulties of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The intervention was evaluated from three perspectives: effectiveness, feasibility, and appropriateness.

METHOD. This one-group pretest–posttest study included 5 children with ADHD and their parents, who had previously participated in a therapist-delivered play-based intervention. The 7-wk parent-delivered intervention involved home modules (including a DVD, manual, and play dates with a typically developing playmate) and three therapist-led clinic-based play sessions. The Test of Playfulness was used as a pre- and postintervention and follow-up measure. Parents were interviewed 1 mo following the intervention, and data were analyzed for recurring themes.

RESULTS. Children’s social play outcomes improved significantly from pretest to 1-mo follow-up (Z = 2.02, p = .04, d = 1.0). Three themes emerged: the clinic play environment as a sanctuary, parental barriers to intervention delivery, and tools for repeating learned lessons.

CONCLUSION. The parent-delivered intervention demonstrated preliminary evidence for feasibility and effectiveness. Further research is warranted regarding appropriateness.
Update on Productive Aging Research in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2013, and Overview of Research Published 2009–2013
Authors: D’Amico Mariana
Published: November 2014

In light of the Centennial Vision charge of supporting practice through evidence, this article reviews productive aging research published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT) in 2013 and as a whole from 2009 to 2013. Thirteen such articles were published in 2013, consisting of 4 systematic reviews that identified effective occupational therapy interventions for older adults with low vision; 1 randomized controlled trial that examined changes in occupational therapists’ mental health practices with DVD training; and 8 descriptive articles addressing instrument development, practitioner decision making, patient management of medications, and effects of task activities on pain and participation levels. From 2009 to 2013, the quantity and quality of AJOT articles on productive aging increased; 63 articles were published, including 24 effectiveness studies, 14 basic research studies, 15 articles on instrument development and testing, 1 article linking occupational engagement and health, 6 articles on professional education, and 3 articles addressing professional questions.
Innovations and Updates to the American Journal of Occupational Therapy
Authors: Somers Frederick P.
Published: November 2014

As 2014 draws to a close, it is an opportune time to reflect on the tremendous strides AJOT has made and to look forward to the exciting directions in which the journal is headed
Lidar-observed enhancement of aerosols in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere over the Tibetan Plateau induced by the Nabro volcano eruption
Authors: He Q. S. , Li C. C. , Ma J. Z. , Wang H. Q. , Yan X. L. , Lu J. , Liang Z. R. , Qi G. M.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Vertical profiles of aerosol extinction coefficients were measured by a micro-pulse lidar at Naqu (31.5° N, 92.1° E; 4508 m a.m.s.l.), a meteorological station located on the central part of the Tibetan Plateau during summer 2011. Observations show a persistent maximum in aerosol extinction coefficients in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere (UTLS). These aerosol layers were generally located at an altitude of 18–19 km a.m.s.l., 1–2 km higher than the tropopause, with broad layer depth ranging approximately 3–4 km and scattering ratio of 4–9. Daily averaged aerosol optical depths (AODs) of the enhanced aerosol layers in UTLS over the Tibetan Plateau varied from 0.007 to 0.030, in agreement with globally averaged levels of 0.018 ± 0.009 at 532 nm from previous observations, but the percentage contributions of the enhanced aerosol layers to the total AOD over the Tibetan Plateau are higher than those observed elsewhere. The aerosol layers in UTLS wore off gradually with the reducing intensity of the Asian monsoon over the Tibetan Plateau at the end of August. The eruption of Nabro volcano on 13 June 2011 is considered an important factor to explain the enhancement of tropopause aerosols observed this summer over the Tibetan Plateau.
Global modelling of direct and indirect effects of sea spray aerosol using a source function encapsulating wave state
Authors: Partanen A.-I. , Dunne E. M. , Bergman T. , Laakso A. , Kokkola H. , Ovadnevaite J. , Sogacheva L. , Baisnée D. , Sciare J. , Manders A. , O'Dowd C. , de Leeuw G. , Korhonen H.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Recently developed parameterizations for the sea spray aerosol source flux, encapsulating wave state, and its organic fraction were incorporated into the aerosol–climate model ECHAM-HAMMOZ to investigate the direct and indirect radiative effects of sea spray aerosol particles. Our simulated global sea salt emission of 805 Tg yr−1 (uncertainty range 378–1233 Tg yr−1) was much lower than typically found in previous studies. Modelled sea salt and sodium ion concentrations agreed relatively well with measurements in the smaller size ranges at Mace Head (annual normalized mean model bias −13% for particles with vacuum aerodynamic diameter Dva < 1 μm), Point Reyes (−29% for particles with aerodynamic diameter Da < 2.5 μm) and Amsterdam Island (−52% for particles with Da < 1 μm) but the larger sizes were overestimated (899% for particles with 2.5 μm < Da < 10 μm) at Amsterdam Island. This suggests that at least the high end of the previous estimates of sea spray mass emissions is unrealistic. On the other hand, the model clearly underestimated the observed concentrations of organic or total carbonaceous aerosol at Mace Head (−82%) and Amsterdam Island (−68%). The large overestimation (212%) of organic matter at Point Reyes was due to the contribution of continental sources. At the remote Amsterdam Island site, the organic concentration was underestimated especially in the biologically active months, suggesting a need to improve the parameterization of the organic sea spray fraction. Globally, the satellite-retrieved AOD over the oceans, using PARASOL data, was underestimated by the model (means over ocean 0.16 and 0.10, respectively); however, in the pristine region around Amsterdam Island the measured AOD fell well within the simulated uncertainty range. The simulated sea spray aerosol contribution to the indirect radiative effect was positive (0.3 W m−2), in contrast to previous studies. This positive effect was ascribed to the tendency of sea salt aerosol to suppress both the in-cloud supersaturation and the formation of cloud condensation nuclei from sulfate. These effects can be accounted for only in models with sufficiently detailed aerosol microphysics and physics-based parameterizations of cloud activation. However, due to a strong negative direct effect, the simulated effective radiative forcing (total radiative) effect was −0.2 W m−2. The simulated radiative effects of the primary marine organic emissions were small, with a direct effect of 0.03 W m−2 and an indirect effect of −0.07 W m−2.
Alignment of 3D Building Models and TIR Video Sequences with Line Tracking
Authors: Iwaszczuk D. , Stilla U.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Thermal infrared imagery of urban areas became interesting for urban climate investigations and thermal building inspections. Using a flying platform such as UAV or a helicopter for the acquisition and combining the thermal data with the 3D building models via texturing delivers a valuable groundwork for large-area building inspections. However, such thermal textures are useful for further analysis if they are geometrically correctly extracted. This can be achieved with a good coregistrations between the 3D building models and thermal images, which cannot be achieved by direct georeferencing. Hence, this paper presents methodology for alignment of 3D building models and oblique TIR image sequences taken from a flying platform. In a single image line correspondences between model edges and image line segments are found using accumulator approach and based on these correspondences an optimal camera pose is calculated to ensure the best match between the projected model and the image structures. Among the sequence the linear features are tracked based on visibility prediction. The results of the proposed methodology are presented using a TIR image sequence taken from helicopter in a densely built-up urban area. The novelty of this work is given by employing the uncertainty of the 3D building models and by innovative tracking strategy based on a priori knowledge from the 3D building model and the visibility checking.
Video-based Mobile Mapping System Using Smartphones
Authors: Al-Hamad A. , Moussa A. , El-Sheimy N.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. The last two decades have witnessed a huge growth in the demand for geo-spatial data. This demand has encouraged researchers around the world to develop new algorithms and design new mapping systems in order to obtain reliable sources for geo-spatial data. Mobile Mapping Systems (MMS) are one of the main sources for mapping and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data. MMS integrate various remote sensing sensors, such as cameras and LiDAR, along with navigation sensors to provide the 3D coordinates of points of interest from moving platform (e.g. cars, air planes, etc.). Although MMS can provide accurate mapping solution for different GIS applications, the cost of these systems is not affordable for many users and only large scale companies and institutions can benefits from MMS systems. The main objective of this paper is to propose a new low cost MMS with reasonable accuracy using the available sensors in smartphones and its video camera. Using the smartphone video camera, instead of capturing individual images, makes the system easier to be used by non-professional users since the system will automatically extract the highly overlapping frames out of the video without the user intervention. Results of the proposed system are presented which demonstrate the effect of the number of the used images in mapping solution. In addition, the accuracy of the mapping results obtained from capturing a video is compared to the same results obtained from using separate captured images instead of video.
Crop height determination with UAS point clouds
Authors: Grenzdörffer G. J.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. The accurate determination of the height of agricultural crops helps to predict yield, biomass etc. These relationships are of great importance not only for crop production but also in grassland management, because the available biomass and food quality are valuable information. However there is no cost efficient and automatic system for the determination of the crop height available. 3D-point clouds generated from high resolution UAS imagery offer a new alternative. Two different approaches for crop height determination are presented. The "difference method" were the canopy height is determined by taking the difference between a current UAS-surface model and an existing digital terrain model (DTM) is the most suited and most accurate method. In situ measurements, vegetation indices and yield observations correlate well with the determined UAS crop heights.
Linear Approach for Initial Recovery of the Exterior Orientation Parameters of Randomly Captured Images by Low-Cost Mobile Mapping Systems
Authors: He F. , Habib A.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. In this paper, we present a novel linear approach for the initial recovery of the exterior orientation parameters (EOPs) of images. Similar to the conventional Structure from Motion (SfM) algorithm, the proposed approach is based on a two-step strategy. In the first step, the relative orientation of all possible image stereo-pairs is estimated. In the second step, a local coordinate frame is established, and an incremental image augmentation process is implemented to reference all the remaining images into a local coordinate frame. Since our approach is based on a linear solution for both the relative orientation estimation as well as the initial recovery of the image EOPs, it does not require any initial approximation for the optimization process. Another advantage of our approach is that it does not require any prior knowledge regarding the sequence of the image collection procedure, therefore, it can handle a set of randomly collected images in the absence of GNSS/INS information. In order to illustrate the feasibility of our approach, several experimental tests are conducted on real datasets captured in either a block or linear trajectory configuration. The results demonstrate that the initial image EOPs obtained are accurate and can serve as a good initialization for an additional bundle adjustment process.
Utilizing Multi-Sensor Fire Detections to Map Fires in the United States
Authors: Howard S. M. , Picotte J. J. , Coan M. J.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. In 2006, the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS) project began a cooperative effort between the US Forest Service (USFS) and the U.S.Geological Survey (USGS) to map and assess burn severity all large fires that have occurred in the United States since 1984. Using Landsat imagery, MTBS is mandated to map wildfire and prescribed fire that meet specific size criteria: greater than 1000 acres in the west and 500 acres in the east, regardless of ownership. Relying mostly on federal and state fire occurrence records, over 15,300 individual fires have been mapped. While mapping recorded fires, an additional 2,700 "unknown" or undocumented fires were discovered and assessed. It has become apparent that there are perhaps thousands of undocumented fires in the US that are yet to be mapped. Fire occurrence records alone are inadequate if MTBS is to provide a comprehensive accounting of fire across the US. Additionally, the sheer number of fires to assess has overwhelmed current manual procedures. To address these problems, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Applied Sciences Program is helping to fund the efforts of the USGS and its MTBS partners (USFS, National Park Service) to develop, and implement a system to automatically identify fires using satellite data. In near real time, USGS will combine active fire satellite detections from MODIS, AVHRR and GOES satellites with Landsat acquisitions. Newly acquired Landsat imagery will be routinely scanned to identify freshly burned area pixels, derive an initial perimeter and tag the burned area with the satellite date and time of detection. Landsat imagery from the early archive will be scanned to identify undocumented fires. Additional automated fire assessment processes will be developed. The USGS will develop these processes using open source software packages in order to provide freely available tools to local land managers providing them with the capability to assess fires at the local level.
Understanding spatio-temporal mobility patterns for seniors, child/student and adult using smart card data
Authors: Huang X. , Tan J.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Commutes in urban areas create interesting travel patterns that are often stored in regional transportation databases. These patterns can vary based on the day of the week, the time of the day, and commuter type. This study proposes methods to detect underlying spatio-temporal variability among three groups of commuters (senior citizens, child/students, and adults) using data mining and spatial analytics. Data from over 36 million individual trip records collected over one week (March 2012) on the Singapore bus and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system by the fare collection system were used. Analyses of such data are important for transportation and landuse designers and contribute to a better understanding of urban dynamics. Specifically, descriptive statistics, network analysis, and spatial analysis methods are presented. Descriptive variables were proposed such as density and duration to detect temporal features of people. A directed weighted graph G ≡ (N , L, W) was defined to analyze the global network properties of every pair of the transportation link in the city during an average workday for all three categories. Besides, spatial interpolation and spatial statistic tools were used to transform the discrete network nodes into structured human movement landscape to understand the role of transportation systems in urban areas. The travel behaviour of the three categories follows a certain degree of temporal and spatial universality but also displays unique patterns within their own specialties. Each category is characterized by their different peak hours, commute distances, and specific locations for travel on weekdays.
Professional Development in Remote Sensing for Community College Instructors
Authors: Allen J. E. , Cruz C.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. The ingredients for the highly successful, ongoing educator professional development program, "Integrated Geospatial Education and Technology Training–Remote Sensing (iGETT-RS)" came into place in 2006 when representatives of public and private organizations convened a two-day workshop at the National Science Foundation (NSF) to explore issues around integrating remote sensing with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) instruction at two-year (community and Tribal) colleges. The results of that 2006 workshop informed the shape of a grant proposal, and two phases of iGETT-RS were funded by NSF's Advanced Technological Education Program (NSF DUE #0703185, 2007–2011, and NSF DUE #1205069, 2012–2015). 76 GIS instructors from all over the country have been served. Each of them has spent 18 months on the project, participating in monthly webinars and two Summer Institutes, and creating their own integrated geospatial exercises for the classroom. The project will be completed in June 2015. As the external evaluator for iGETT expressed it, the impact on participating instructors "can only be described as transformative." This paper describes how iGETT came about, how it was designed and implemented, how it affected participants and their programs, and what has been learned by the project staff about delivering professional development in geospatial technologies for workforce preparedness.
Point Cloud Generation from sUAS-Mounted iPhone Imagery: Performance Analysis
Authors: Ladai A. D. , Miller J.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. The rapidly growing use of sUAS technology and fast sensor developments continuously inspire mapping professionals to experiment with low-cost airborne systems. Smartphones has all the sensors used in modern airborne surveying systems, including GPS, IMU, camera, etc. Of course, the performance level of the sensors differs by orders, yet it is intriguing to assess the potential of using inexpensive sensors installed on sUAS systems for topographic applications. This paper focuses on the quality analysis of point clouds generated based on overlapping images acquired by an iPhone 5s mounted on a sUAS platform. To support the investigation, test data was acquired over an area with complex topography and varying vegetation. In addition, extensive ground control, including GCPs and transects were collected with GSP and traditional geodetic surveying methods. The statistical and visual analysis is based on a comparison of the UAS data and reference dataset. The results with the evaluation provide a realistic measure of data acquisition system performance. The paper also gives a recommendation for data processing workflow to achieve the best quality of the final products: the digital terrain model and orthophoto mosaic. After a successful data collection the main question is always the reliability and the accuracy of the georeferenced data.
A novel quality control procedure for the evaluation of laser scanning data segmentation
Authors: Lari Z. , Al-Durgham K. , Habib A.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Over the past few years, laser scanning systems have been acknowledged as the leading tools for the collection of high density 3D point cloud over physical surfaces for many different applications. However, no interpretation and scene classification is performed during the acquisition of these datasets. Consequently, the collected data must be processed to extract the required information. The segmentation procedure is usually considered as the fundamental step in information extraction from laser scanning data. So far, various approaches have been developed for the segmentation of 3D laser scanning data. However, none of them is exempted from possible anomalies due to disregarding the internal characteristics of laser scanning data, improper selection of the segmentation thresholds, or other problems during the segmentation procedure. Therefore, quality control procedures are required to evaluate the segmentation outcome and report the frequency of instances of expected problems. A few quality control techniques have been proposed for the evaluation of laser scanning segmentation. These approaches usually require reference data and user intervention for the assessment of segmentation results. In order to resolve these problems, a new quality control procedure is introduced in this paper. This procedure makes hypotheses regarding potential problems that might take place in the segmentation process, detects instances of such problems, quantifies the frequency of these problems, and suggests possible actions to remedy them. The feasibility of the proposed approach is verified through quantitative evaluation of planar and linear/cylindrical segmentation outcome from two recently-developed parameter-domain and spatial-domain segmentation techniques.
Feasibility study of using the RoboEarth cloud engine for rapid mapping and tracking with small unmanned aerial systems
Authors: Li-Chee-Ming J. , Armenakis C.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. This paper presents the ongoing development of a small unmanned aerial mapping system (sUAMS) that in the future will track its trajectory and perform 3D mapping in near-real time. As both mapping and tracking algorithms require powerful computational capabilities and large data storage facilities, we propose to use the RoboEarth Cloud Engine (RCE) to offload heavy computation and store data to secure computing environments in the cloud. While the RCE's capabilities have been demonstrated with terrestrial robots in indoor environments, this paper explores the feasibility of using the RCE in mapping and tracking applications in outdoor environments by small UAMS. The experiments presented in this work assess the data processing strategies and evaluate the attainable tracking and mapping accuracies using the data obtained by the sUAMS. Testing was performed with an Aeryon Scout quadcopter. It flew over York University, up to approximately 40 metres above the ground. The quadcopter was equipped with a single-frequency GPS receiver providing positioning to about 3 meter accuracies, an AHRS (Attitude and Heading Reference System) estimating the attitude to about 3 degrees, and an FPV (First Person Viewing) camera. Video images captured from the onboard camera were processed using VisualSFM and SURE, which are being reformed as an Application-as-a-Service via the RCE. The 3D virtual building model of York University was used as a known environment to georeference the point cloud generated from the sUAMS' sensor data. The estimated position and orientation parameters of the video camera show increases in accuracy when compared to the sUAMS' autopilot solution, derived from the onboard GPS and AHRS. The paper presents the proposed approach and the results, along with their accuracies.
Integrating Recent Land Cover Mapping Efforts to Update the National Gap Analysis Program's Species Habitat Map
Authors: McKerrow A. J. , Davidson A. , Earnhardt T. S. , Benson A. L.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Over the past decade, great progress has been made to develop national extent land cover mapping products to address natural resource issues. One of the core products of the GAP Program is range-wide species distribution models for nearly 2000 terrestrial vertebrate species in the U.S. We rely on deductive modeling of habitat affinities using these products to create models of habitat availability. That approach requires that we have a thematically rich and ecologically meaningful map legend to support the modeling effort. In this work, we tested the integration of the Multi-Resolution Landscape Characterization Consortium's National Land Cover Database 2011 and LANDFIRE's Disturbance Products to update the 2001 National GAP Vegetation Dataset to reflect 2011 conditions. The revised product can then be used to update the species models. We tested the update approach in three geographic areas (Northeast, Southeast, and Interior Northwest). We used the NLCD product to identify areas where the cover type mapped in 2011 was different from what was in the 2001 land cover map. We used Google Earth and ArcGIS base maps as reference imagery in order to label areas identified as "changed" to the appropriate class from our map legend. Areas mapped as urban or water in the 2011 NLCD map that were mapped differently in the 2001 GAP map were accepted without further validation and recoded to the corresponding GAP class. We used LANDFIRE's Disturbance products to identify changes that are the result of recent disturbance and to inform the reassignment of areas to their updated thematic label. We ran species habitat models for three species including Lewis's Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis) and the White-tailed Jack Rabbit (Lepus townsendii) and Brown Headed nuthatch (Sitta pusilla). For each of three vertebrate species we found important differences in the amount and location of suitable habitat between the 2001 and 2011 habitat maps. Specifically, Brown headed nuthatch habitat in 2011 was −14% of the 2001 modeled habitat, whereas Lewis's Woodpecker increased by 4%. The white-tailed jack rabbit (Lepus townsendii) had a net change of −1% (11% decline, 10% gain). For that species we found the updates related to opening of forest due to burning and regenerating shrubs following harvest to be the locally important main transitions. In the Southeast updates related to timber management and urbanization are locally important.
Rapid Response Tools and Datasets for Post-fire Erosion Modeling: Linking Remote Sensing and Process-based Hydrological Models to support Post-fire Remediation
Authors: Miller M. E. , Elliot W. J. , Endsley K. A. , Robichaud P. R. , Billmire M.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Post-fire flooding and erosion can pose a serious threat to life, property, and municipal water supplies. Increased peak flows and sediment delivery due to the loss of surface cover and fire-induced changes in soil properties are of great concern to both resource managers and the public. To respond to this threat, interdisciplinary Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Teams are formed to assess potential erosion and flood risks. These teams are under tight deadlines as remediation plans and treatments must be developed and implemented before the first major storms in order to be effective. One of the primary sources of information for making these decisions is a burn severity map derived from remote sensing data (typically Landsat) that reflects fire induced changes in vegetative cover and soil properties. Slope, soils, land cover, and climate are also important parameters that need to be considered when accessing risk. Many modeling tools and datasets have been developed to assist BAER teams, but process-based and spatially explicit empirical models are currently under-utilized compared to simpler, lumped models because they are both more difficult to set up and require spatially explicit inputs such as digital elevation models, soils, and land cover. We are working to facilitate the use of models by preparing spatial datasets within a web-based tool that rapidly modifies model inputs using burn severity maps derived from earth observation data. Automating the creation of model inputs facilitates the wider use of more accurate, process-based models for spatially explicit predictions of post-fire erosion and runoff.
Development of a Multi-Sensor System for Road Condition Mapping
Authors: Miraliakbari A. , Hahn M. , Maas H.-G.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. We present a concept for a vehicle based road condition mapping system using infrared spectrometers, high resolution RGB cameras and a laser scanner. Infrared spectrometry is employed to monitor the deterioration of the surface material and pavement condition, in particular by aging. High resolution RGB imaging enables automatic asphalt crack detection and provides base images for spectrometry spots. Laser scanning aims at the detection of geometrical road irregularities and pavement failures such as potholes and ruts. These three major recordings contribute to the analysis of the pavements condition. All mapping sensors are synchronised with a navigation sensor to collect geo-referenced data. The concept of road condition mapping relies on a separate analysis of the different sensor data which are related to road sections. Processing results like the percentage of the road section area related to cracks, pot holes, ruts etc. are merged to achieve an assessment for the road section. The processes for assessing deterioration from the spectrometer data, the detection of ruts from the laser data and cracks from the images are discussed in detail and outlined with some experiments.
Analyzing the Effects of Spatial Resolution for Small Landslide Susceptibility and Hazard Mapping
Authors: Mora O. E. , Lenzano M. G. , Toth C. K. , Grejner-Brzezinska D. A.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Spatial resolution plays an important role in remote sensing technology as it defines the smallest scale at which surface features may be extracted, identified, and mapped. Remote sensing technology has become a vital component in recent developments for landslide susceptibility mapping. The spatial resolution is essential, especially when landslides are small and the dimensions of slope failures vary. If the spatial resolution is relevant to the surface features found in the landslide morphology, it will help improve the extraction, identification and mapping of landslide surface features. Although, the spatial resolution is a well-known issue, few studies have demonstrated the potential effects it may have on small landslide susceptibility mapping. For these reasons, an evaluation to assess the impact of spatial resolution was performed using data acquired along a transportation corridor in Zanesville, Ohio. Using a landslide susceptibility mapping algorithm, landslide surface features were extracted and identified on a cell-by-cell basis from Digital Elevation Models (DEM) generated at 50, 100, 200 and 400 cm spatial resolution. The performance of the landslide surface feature extraction algorithm was then evaluated using an inventory map and a confusion matrix to assess the effects of spatial resolution. In addition to assessing the performance of the algorithm, we statistically analyzed the surface features and their relevant patterns. The results from this evaluation reveal patterns caused by the varying spatial resolution. From this study we can conclude that the spatial resolution has an effect on the accuracy and surface features extracted for small landslide susceptibility mapping, as the performance is dependent on the scale of the landslide morphology.
RGB-D Indoor Plane-based 3D-Modeling using Autonomous Robot
Authors: Mostofi N. , Moussa A. , Elhabiby M. , El-Sheimy N.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. 3D model of indoor environments provide rich information that can facilitate the disambiguation of different places and increases the familiarization process to any indoor environment for the remote users. In this research work, we describe a system for visual odometry and 3D modeling using information from RGB-D sensor (Camera). The visual odometry method estimates the relative pose of the consecutive RGB-D frames through feature extraction and matching techniques. The pose estimated by visual odometry algorithm is then refined with iterative closest point (ICP) method. The switching technique between ICP and visual odometry in case of no visible features suppresses inconsistency in the final developed map. Finally, we add the loop closure to remove the deviation between first and last frames. In order to have a semantic meaning out of 3D models, the planar patches are segmented from RGB-D point clouds data using region growing technique followed by convex hull method to assign boundaries to the extracted patches. In order to build a final semantic 3D model, the segmented patches are merged using relative pose information obtained from the first step.
Impacts of stochastic models on real-time 3D UAV mapping
Authors: Alqurashi M. , Wang J.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. In UAV mapping using direct geo-referencing, the formation of stochastic model generally takes into the account the different types of measurements required to estimate the 3D coordinates of the feature points. Such measurements include image tie point coordinate measurements, camera position measurements and camera orientation measurements. In the commonly used stochastic model, it is commonly assumed that all tie point measurements have the same variance. In fact, these assumptions are not always realistic and thus, can lead to biased 3D feature coordinates. Tie point measurements for different image feature objects may not have the same accuracy due to the facts that the geometric distribution of features, particularly their feature matching conditions are different. More importantly, the accuracies of the geo-referencing measurements should also be considered into the mapping process. In this paper, impacts of typical stochastic models on the UAV mapping are investigated. It has been demonstrated that the quality of the geo-referencing measurements plays a critical role in real-time UAV mapping scenarios.
Multi-view Dense Match for Forest Area
Authors: Tao W.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) is widely used in forestry applications to obtain information about tree density, composition, change, etc. An advantage of LIDAR is its ability to get this information in a 3D structure. However, the density of LIDAR data is low, the acquisition of LIDAR data is often very expensive, and it is difficult to be utilised in small areas. In this article we eavluate different methods by using multi-view to acquire high resolution images of the forest. Using the dense match method a dense point cloud can be generated. Our analysis shows that this method can provide a good alternative to using LIDAR in situations such as these.
Evaluating sensor linearity of chosen infrared sensors
Authors: Walczykowski P. , Orych A. , Jenerowicz A. , Karcz P.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. The paper describes a series of experiments conducted as part of the IRAMSWater Project, the aim of which is to establish methodologies for detecting and identifying pollutants in water bodies using aerial imagery data. The main idea is based on the hypothesis, that it is possible to identify certain types of physical, biological and chemical pollutants based on their spectral reflectance characteristics. The knowledge of these spectral curves is then used to determine very narrow spectral bands in which greatest reflectance variations occur between these pollutants. A frame camera is then equipped with a band pass filter, which allows only the selected bandwidth to be registered. In order to obtain reliable reflectance data straight from the images, the team at the Military University of Technology had developed a methodology for determining the necessary acquisition parameters for the sensor (integration time and f-stop depending on the distance from the scene and it's illumination). This methodology however is based on the assumption, that the imaging sensors have a linear response. This paper shows the results of experiments used to evaluate this linearity.
Test field for airborne laser scanning in Finland
Authors: Ahokas E. , Kaartinen H. , Kukko A. , Litkey P.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is a widely spread operational measurement tool for obtaining 3D coordinates of the ground surface. There is a need for calibrating the ALS system and a test field for ALS was established at the end of 2013. The test field is situated in the city of Lahti, about 100 km to the north of Helsinki. The size of the area is approximately 3.5 km × 3.2 km. Reference data was collected with a mobile laser scanning (MLS) system assembled on a car roof. Some streets were measured both ways and most of them in one driving direction only. The MLS system of the Finnish Geodetic Institute (FGI) consists of a navigation system (NovAtel SPAN GNSS-IMU) and a laser scanner (FARO Focus3D 120). In addition to the MLS measurements more than 800 reference points were measured using a Trimble R8 VRS-GNSS system. Reference points are along the streets, on parking lots, and white pedestrian crossing line corners which can be used as reference targets. The National Land Survey of Finland has already used this test field this spring for calibrating their Leica ALS-70 scanner. Especially it was easier to determine the encoder scale factor parameter using this test field. Accuracy analysis of the MLS points showed that the point height RMSE is 2.8 cm and standard deviation is 2.6 cm. Our purpose is to measure both more MLS data and more reference points in the test field area to get a better spatial coverage. Calibration flight heights are planned to be 1000 m and 2500 m above ground level. A cross pattern, southwest–northeast and northwest–southeast, will be flown both in opposite directions.
Changes in extreme regional sea surface height due to an abrupt weakening of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation
Authors: Brunnabend S.-E. , Dijkstra H. A. , Kliphuis M. A. , van Werkhoven B. , Bal H. E. , Seinstra F. , Maassen J. , van Meersbergen M.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. As an extreme scenario of dynamical sea level changes, regional sea surface height (SSH) changes that occur in the North Atlantic due to an abrupt weakening of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) are simulated. Two versions of the same ocean-only model are used to study the effect of ocean model resolution on these SSH changes: a high-resolution (HR) strongly eddying version and a low-resolution (LR) version in which the effect of eddies is parameterised. The weakening of the AMOC is induced in both model versions by applying strong freshwater perturbations around Greenland. A rapid decrease of the AMOC in the HR version induces much shorter return times of several specific regional and coastal extremes in North Atlantic SSH than in the LR version. This effect is caused by a change in main eddy pathways associated with a change in separation latitude of the Gulf Stream.