bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validating Autofocus Algorithms with Automated Tests
Authors: Werner Tobias , Carrasco Javier
Published: June 2018

For an automated camera focus, a fast and reliable algorithm is key to its success. It should work in a precisely defined way for as many cases as possible. However, there are many parameters which have to be fine-tuned for it to work exactly as intended. Most literature only focuses on the algorithm itself and tests it with simulations or renderings, but not in real settings. Trying to gather this data by manually placing objects in front of the camera is not feasible, as no human can perform one movement repeatedly in the same way, which makes an objective comparison impossible. We therefore used a small industrial robot with a set of over 250 combinations of movement, pattern, and zoom-states to conduct these tests. The benefit of this method was the objectivity of the data and the monitoring of the important thresholds. Our interest laid in the optimization of an existing algorithm, by showing its performance in as many benchmarks as possible. This included standard use cases and worst-case scenarios. To validate our method, we gathered data from a first run, adapted the algorithm, and conducted the tests again. The second run showed improved performance.
Three-Dimensional Structure Inversion of Buildings with Nonparametric Iterative Adaptive Approach Using SAR Tomography
Authors: Peng Xing , Wang Changcheng , Li Xinwu , Du Yanan , Fu Haiqiang , Yang Zefa , Xie Qinghua
Published: June 2018

Synthetic aperture radar tomography (TomoSAR) is a useful tool for retrieving the three-dimensional structure of buildings in urban areas, especially for datasets with a high spatial resolution. However, among the previous TomoSAR estimators, some cannot retrieve the 3-D structure of objects with a high elevation resolution, some cannot maintain the spatial resolution, and some require the selection of a hyperparameter. To overcome these limitations, this paper proposes a new nonparametric iterative adaptive approach with a model selection tool based on the Bayesian information criterion (IAA-BIC) for the application of TomoSAR in urban areas. IAA-BIC employs weighted least squares to acquire a high elevation resolution and works well for both distributed and coherent scatterers, even with single-look. Concurrently, IAA-BIC does not require the user to make any difficult selection regarding a hyperparameter. The proposed IAA-BIC estimator was tested in simulated experiments, and the results confirmed the advantages of the IAA-BIC estimator. Moreover, the three-dimensional structure of the Hubei Science and Technology Venture building in Wuhan, China, was retrieved through the IAA-BIC method with nine very high spatial resolution TerraSAR-X images. The height estimation accuracy for this building was about 1% and 4% relative to its real height for single-look and multi-look, respectively. In addition, a comparison between the IAA-BIC estimator and some of the typical existing TomoSAR estimators (Capon, MUSIC, and compressed sensing (CS)) was also carried out. The results indicate that the IAA-BIC estimator obtains a better resolution for coherent sources than Capon and MUSIC; notably, the IAA-BIC estimator obtains a similar performance to CS, but in less computation time.
Satellite-Based Models Need Improvements on Simulating Annual Gross Primary Productivity: A Comparison of Six Models for Regional Modeling of Deciduous Broadleaf Forests
Authors: Li Le , Zhao Yaolong , Fu Yingchun , Xin Qinchuan
Published: June 2018

Modeling vegetation gross primary productivity (GPP) is crucial to understanding the land–atmosphere interactions and, hence, the global carbon cycle. While studies have demonstrated that satellite-based models could well simulate intra-annual variation of vegetation GPP, there is a need to understand our ability to capture interannual GPP variability. This study compares the spatiotemporal performance of six satellite-based models in regional modeling of annual GPP for deciduous broadleaf forests across the eastern United States. The 2001–2012 average annual gross primary productivities (AAGPPs) derived from different models have mismatched spatial patterns with divergent changing trends along both latitude and longitude. Evaluation using flux tower data indicates that some models could have considerable biases on a yearly basis. All tested models, despite performing well on the 8-day basis because of the underlying strong seasonality in vegetation productivity, fail to capture interannual variation of GPP across sites and years. Our study identifies considerable modeling uncertainties on a yearly basis even for an extensively studied biome of deciduous broadleaf forest at both site and large scales. Improvements to the current satellite-based models have to be made to capture interannual GPP variation in addition to intra-annual variation.
Real-Time Phase Bias Estimation for BeiDou Satellites Based on Consideration of Orbit Errors
Authors: Liu Yanyan , Zhu Jiasong , Ye Shirong , Song Weiwei
Published: June 2018

Correction of the fractional cycle bias (FCB) in the undifferenced ambiguity allows precise point positioning (PPP) integer ambiguity resolution (IAR) to be achieved, which can improve positioning accuracy significantly. In addition, in real-time PPP-IAR, integration of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) can provide a significant reduction in the initial fixing time of global positioning system (GPS)-only PPP-IAR. However, the FCB quality can be considerably affected by the low precision of the BDS orbit, which then severely hampers the GPS + BDS PPP-IAR performance. Therefore, a real-time FCB estimation strategy that takes the BDS satellite orbit error into consideration was developed in this study. The slant orbit error can be absorbed by the ionosphere-free (IF) ambiguity, which can then be recovered by fixing all IF ambiguities from all the tracking stations. The estimated orbit error is then used to refine the orbit, which is broadcast along with the FCBs to enable PPP ambiguity resolution. To evaluate the proposed strategy, an experiment using 60 tracking stations covering the China region is performed in a simulated real-time mode. The a posteriori residuals of both the wide- and narrow-lane ambiguities are checked to validate the efficiency of the proposed FCB strategy. The results show that when the proposed strategy is applied, the effect of the BDS orbit error on narrow-lane FCB estimation is eliminated and more than 94% of the narrow-lane residuals are within 0.1 cycles for both the GPS and the BDS. The fixing percentage within 20 min is 46.3% for the GPS-only solution but is only 4.8% when using GPS + BDS with the traditional method. However, when the proposed strategy is used, the fixing percentage for GPS + BDS improves significantly to 91.7%.
Identification of Stable Backscattering Features, Suitable for Maintaining Absolute Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Radiometric Calibration of Sentinel-1
Authors: Yang Jintao , Qiu Xiaolan , Ding Chibiao , Lei Bin
Published: June 2018

Measuring the absolute calibration constant is crucial for the radiometric calibration of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. However, it is expensive to monitor the calibration constant continuously using manmade calibrators, and it is regionally restricted using the rainforest as the calibration field. In this study, the stability of SAR backscattering for common objects on the earth surface was analyzed, expecting to find the stable backscattering feature that could be used for maintaining absolute radiometric calibration. A database was established using Sentinel-1 dataset, and a classification model based on neural networks was proposed to extract the image slices of proper objects. Based on these, a temporal stable backscattering feature with a standard deviation of 0.19 dB was obtained from urban areas, and it was proved to be even more stable than the rainforest. Finally, the calibration scheme was given using this stable feature as a reference, which provided a new means of monitoring the SAR radiometric calibration constant.
SAR Tomography as an Add-On to PSI: Detection of Coherent Scatterers in the Presence of Phase Instabilities
Authors: Siddique Muhammad Adnan , Wegmüller Urs , Hajnsek Irena , Frey Othmar
Published: June 2018

The estimation of deformation parameters using persistent scatterer interferometry (PSI) is limited to single dominant coherent scatterers. As such, it rejects layovers wherein multiple scatterers are interfering in the same range-azimuth resolution cell. Differential synthetic aperture radar (SAR) tomography can improve deformation sampling as it has the ability to resolve layovers by separating the interfering scatterers. In this way, both PSI and tomography inevitably require a means to detect coherent scatterers, i.e., to perform hypothesis testing to decide whether a given candidate scatterer is coherent. This paper reports the application of a detection strategy in the context of “tomography as an add-on to PSI”. As the performance of a detector is typically linked to the statistical description of the underlying mathematical model, we investigate how the statistics of the phase instabilities in the PSI analysis are carried forward to the subsequent tomographic analysis. While phase instabilities in PSI are generally modeled as an additive noise term in the interferometric phase model, their impact in SAR tomography manifests as a multiplicative disturbance. The detection strategy proposed in this paper allows extending the same quality considerations as used in the prior PSI processing (in terms of the dispersion of the residual phase) to the subsequent tomographic analysis. In particular, the hypothesis testing for the detection of coherent scatterers is implemented such that the expected probability of false alarm is consistent between PSI and tomography. The investigation is supported with empirical analyses on an interferometric data stack comprising 50 TerraSAR-X acquisitions in stripmap mode, over the city of Barcelona, Spain, from 2007–2012.
Real-Time Observations of Dust–Cloud Interactions Based on Polarization and Raman Lidar Measurements
Authors: Huang Zhongwei , Nee Jan-Bai , Chiang Chih-Wei , Zhang Shuang , Jin Hongchun , Wang Wencai , Zhou Tian
Published: June 2018

Dust aerosols have significant impact on the environment and climate through long-range transport. We report, in this paper, a case of dust–cloud interaction process using combined measurements of a ground-based polarization and Raman (PR) lidar systems, and implemented by the spaceborne Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) lidar observations. The dust event occurred on 14 March 2009 over East Asia. During the two hours of observing time, the ground-based lidar observed an ongoing process of decreasing of the depolarization ratio (DR) accompanied by the increase of the water vapor simultaneously, indicating a dust–cloud interaction and particle transformation. CALIPSO measurements also found similar layers of dusts and clouds over lands and oceans with properties similar to the ground based lidar measurements. Our observation was a real-time dust–cloud process with the observation of occurrence of particle transformation. The depolarization reduced from 0.2 to 0.1 corresponding to a change of aspect ratio from 1.2 to 1.1. A discussion of a dust–cloud interaction in terms of three-stage cloud processes is made based on back-trajectory analyses and lidar observations. The result shows that dust aerosols decrease the cloud extinction coefficient by 41% but increase the cloud optical depth (COD) of water cloud by 12.79%, compared with that of pure water clouds. Furthermore, if dust aerosols participate as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) in cloud physical processes, then they significantly reduce the size of the cloud droplet by 44–79%. Finally, based on three-year collocated CALIPSO and CloudSat measurements from 2007 to 2010, we found approximately one-third of clouds are originally dusty in the spring over the Pacific Coast areas.
A Fast and Robust Non-Sparse Signal Recovery Algorithm for Wearable ECG Telemonitoring Using ADMM-Based Block Sparse Bayesian Learning
Authors: Cheng Yunfei , Ye Yalan , Hou Mengshu , He Wenwen , Li Yunxia , Deng Xuesong
Published: June 2018

Wearable telemonitoring of electrocardiogram (ECG) based on wireless body Area networks (WBAN) is a promising approach in next-generation patient-centric telecardiology solutions. In order to guarantee long-term effective operation of monitoring systems, the power consumption of the sensors must be strictly limited. Compressed sensing (CS) is an effective method to alleviate this problem. However, ECG signals in WBAN are usually non-sparse, and most traditional compressed sensing recovery algorithms have difficulty recovering non-sparse signals. In this paper, we proposed a fast and robust non-sparse signal recovery algorithm for wearable ECG telemonitoring. In the proposed algorithm, the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is used to accelerate the speed of block sparse Bayesian learning (BSBL) framework. We used the famous MIT-BIH Arrhythmia Database, MIT-BIH Long-Term ECG Database and ECG datasets collected in our practical wearable ECG telemonitoring system to verify the performance of the proposed algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can directly recover ECG signals with a satisfactory accuracy in a time domain without a dictionary matrix. Due to acceleration by ADMM, the proposed algorithm has a fast speed, and also it is robust for different ECG datasets. These results suggest that the proposed algorithm is very promising for wearable ECG telemonitoring.
Ambient Sensors for Elderly Care and Independent Living: A Survey
Authors: Uddin Md. Zia , Khaksar Weria , Torresen Jim
Published: June 2018

Elderly care at home is a matter of great concern if the elderly live alone, since unforeseen circumstances might occur that affect their well-being. Technologies that assist the elderly in independent living are essential for enhancing care in a cost-effective and reliable manner. Elderly care applications often demand real-time observation of the environment and the resident’s activities using an event-driven system. As an emerging area of research and development, it is necessary to explore the approaches of the elderly care system in the literature to identify current practices for future research directions. Therefore, this work is aimed at a comprehensive survey of non-wearable (i.e., ambient) sensors for various elderly care systems. This research work is an effort to obtain insight into different types of ambient-sensor-based elderly monitoring technologies in the home. With the aim of adopting these technologies, research works, and their outcomes are reported. Publications have been included in this survey if they reported mostly ambient sensor-based monitoring technologies that detect elderly events (e.g., activities of daily living and falls) with the aim of facilitating independent living. Mostly, different types of non-contact sensor technologies were identified, such as motion, pressure, video, object contact, and sound sensors. Besides, multicomponent technologies (i.e., combinations of ambient sensors with wearable sensors) and smart technologies were identified. In addition to room-mounted ambient sensors, sensors in robot-based elderly care works are also reported. Research that is related to the use of elderly behavior monitoring technologies is widespread, but it is still in its infancy and consists mostly of limited-scale studies. Elderly behavior monitoring technology is a promising field, especially for long-term elderly care. However, monitoring technologies should be taken to the next level with more detailed studies that evaluate and demonstrate their potential to contribute to prolonging the independent living of elderly people.
On-Line Fabric Disk Sorptive Extraction via a Flow Preconcentration Platform Coupled with Atomic Absorption Spectrometry for the Determination of Essential and Toxic Elements in Biological Samples
Authors: Kazantzi Viktoria , Samanidou Victoria , Kabir Abuzar , Furton Kenneth G. , Anthemidis Aristidis
Published: June 2018

Fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) has gained notable attention and interest both in batch and automatic mode utilizing advanced sol-gel derived microextraction sorbents and the hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties of fabric substrates. Recently, the innovative on-line fabric disk sorptive extraction (FDSE) has opened new opportunities in the field of automatic sample preparation (preconcentration/separation). A novel sol-gel sorbent based on caprolactone-dimethylsiloxane-caprolactone block polymer comprised of a non-polar dimethylsiloxane and hydrophilic caprolactone as a coating on hydrophobic polyester fabric substrate and its evaluation in an automatic FDSE system coupled with flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), is presented for the first time. The capabilities of the proposed flow injection system were assessed for trace Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Pb(II), and Cd(II) determination in urine samples. The method was based on the on-line formation of target analytes with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) and their retention onto the surface of the fabric disk medium. Methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) was used to elute metal–APDC complexes directly into the nebulizer-burner system of FAAS. For 90 s of preconcentration time, enhancement factors of 250, 130, 185, and 36 and detection limits (3 s) of 0.15, 0.41, 1.62, and 0.49 μg L−1 were obtained for Cu(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), and Cd(II), respectively. For 30 s of preconcentration time, an enhancement factor of 49 and a detection limit of 0.12 μg L−1 was achieved for Zn(II) determination. The precision, expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD), was lower than 3.5% for all metals. The accuracy of the proposed method was sufficient and evaluated by analyzing certified reference materials and biological samples.
Heating Up Online Learning: Insights from a Collaboration Employing Arts Based Research/Pedagogy for an Adult Education, Online, Community Outreach Undergraduate Course
Authors: Norris Joe , Saudelli Mary Gene
Published: June 2018

This article examines a three-stage collaboration in the design and implementation of a community outreach online course for an adult education program at a Canadian university. The collaboration used a participatory arts-based pedagogy approach that is designed to evoke thought rather than prescribe meanings. This manuscript has been structured to parallel a script format with Act I reporting how a group of university drama students employed the ‘playbuilding’ research/pedagogical methodology to devise a series of tableaus and video vignettes that examined concepts of community development that would be used in the design of an online community outreach and adult literacy elective course. Act II argues for and provides the devised script as evidence (data) of student learning. Act III discussed how an adult education instructor designed the new course, incorporating the vignettes as a central component and what was observed from delivering the online course over several iterations. Embedded in the discussion were: the processes involved in both instructional environments; and an examination of the impact of the dramatic pedagogical approach in the digital environment, particularly in relation to transformation, meaning making, and community outreach. The insights, however, are not coded in an etic analytical style. Rather, the authors used an emic approach with themes embedded within the narrative structure. Given its collaborative nature, the co-authors employ a polyvocal format through which their individual voices are made explicit.
Modern Running Events in Sustainable Development—More than Just Taking Care of Health and Physical Condition (Poznan Half Marathon Case Study)
Authors: Poczta Joanna , Malchrowicz-Mośko Ewa
Published: June 2018

The aim of the study was to evaluate the motivations to participate in a half marathon among two groups of respondents—those living in large cities (with more than 500,000 inhabitants) and 110 living in rural areas—and evaluate the differences between them. The empirical research (n = 342) was conducted during the one of the most important running events in Poland, and recognized the motives for participation in sports events according to the four basic types of orientation: social orientation, sensation-seeking orientation, factual orientation, and result orientation. The division of Freyer and Gross (2002) was the basis for the development of the author’s questionnaire survey of motives for participation in running events. The results indicated that the significant difference between urban and rural residents appeared in the results regarding the group of motives in the scope of sensation-seeking orientation. City residents declared that the most important thing for them was the desire to have fun, which was 15% higher than in rural residents. On the other hand, rural residents reported that the most important thing for them was the need to experience strong emotions related to participation, which was 20% higher than in urban residents. In general, the results might help sport managers and city government analyze consumer behavior and utilize the results in the strategic, sustainable planning, marketing, and implementation of physical culture and leisure in connection with massive sport events organizations.
A New Approach to Land-Use Structure: Patch Perimeter Metrics as a Spatial Analysis Tool
Authors: Zambon Ilaria , Serra Pere , Pili Silvia , Bernardini Vincenzo , Ferrara Carlotta , Salvati Luca
Published: June 2018

This work introduces a new class of landscape metrics characterizing basic features of patch perimeters. Specific computation on patch perimeters was carried out on fine-grained land-use maps with the aim to characterize spatial patterns of neighbor patches, evidencing contact points and perimeter length between two (or more) land-use types. A detailed set of class and landscape metrics were derived from such analysis. This approach is complementary to classical landscape metrics and proved to be particularly useful to characterize complex, fragmented landscapes profiling metropolitan regions based on integrated evaluations of their structural (landscape) and functional (land-use) organization. A multivariate analysis was run to characterize distinctive spatial patterns of the selected metrics in four metropolitan regions of southern Europe reflecting different morphological configurations (Barcelona: compact, polycentric; Lisbon: dispersed, mono-centric; Rome: dispersed, polycentric; and Athens: compact, mono-centric). Perimeter metrics assumed different values for each investigated land-use type, with peculiar characteristics associated to each city. Land-use types assessing residential, discontinuous urban patches were associated to particularly high values of perimeter metrics, possibly indicating patch fragmentation, spatially-associated distribution of land-use types and landscape complexity. Multivariate analysis indicates substantial differences among cities, reflecting the range of morphological configurations described above (from compact mono-centric to dispersed polycentric) and suggesting that urban expansion is accompanied with multiple modifications in the use of the surrounding non-urban land. The computational approach proposed in this study and based on spatially-explicit metrics of landscape configuration and proximity may reflect latent changes in local socio-spatial structures. Our results demonstrate that scattered urban expansion determines a polarization in suburban areas with highly fragmented and more homogeneous landscapes, respectively, associated with mixed cropland and forest systems.
Assessing the Sustainable Development of Bioenergy from Cassava within “Water-Energy-Food” Nexus Framework in China
Authors: Jiang Dong , Chen Shuai , Hao Mengmeng , Fu Jingying , Ding Fangyu
Published: June 2018

Bioenergy from cassava is a promising alternative energy source for both energy supply and the mitigation of greenhouse gases. However, major global trends, such as climate change and competing landuse patterns, pose substantial risks to the sustainable development of bioenergy. The main purpose of this study was to assess the sustainable development of bioenergy from cassava, considering landuse change and climate change with a biogeochemical process model within the “water-energy-food” nexus framework. The results showed that the land resources that were suitable for the development of cassava bioenergy have continuously decreased in China since 1990. At the same time, the climate has also undergone significant changes, with temperature showing an increasing trend, and precipitation showing a decreasing trend. With the influences of both landuse change and climate change, the total bioenergy of cassava showed a downward trend. In China, the potential bioenergy production for the year 1990, 2000, and 2010 was 6075 PJ, 5974 PJ, and 4399 PJ, respectively. Compared to 1990, the bioenergy production in 2010 decreased by 1676.40 million GJ, which equals 57 million tons of standard coal. In addition, the water footprint of bioenergy from cassava was discussed. After considering changes to landuse, climate, and water footprint, it was concluded that Guangxi was the most suitable place to develop cassava bioenergy, followed by Fujian, Guangdong, and Yunnan.
Assessment of Small Towns’ Fitness around China’s Major Cities: A Case Study in Wuhan City
Authors: Geng Hong , Qiao Jing
Published: June 2018

As China increases its pace of urbanization, urban areas achieve rapid development by snatching resources from small towns that suffer persistent outflow of resources and anemic growth. Consequently, this trend is likely to destroy the foundation of urbanization and structural equilibrium of sustainable development. Based on the theory of complex adaptive systems (CAS), this paper held that the changes above were results of the small towns’ making adaptive adjustments to their internal structures according to external environments. To assess the fitness values of the small towns around major cities in China, this study analyzed Wuhan city and its peripheral towns from the ‘fitness’ perspective using the NK model. Meanwhile, the “space-function” coupled mode was introduced to analyze the development features of these small towns at different fitness levels. On this basis, spatial autocorrelation was employed to reveal the spatial patterns of the small towns around Wuhan according to their fitness values. Besides, the locally optimal paths of eight different types of combinations to evolve fitness were identified based on the NK computation results. The findings indicate positive correlations between the fitness values of small towns around major cities and the number of dominant factors. Apart from this, there exists a hierarchical clustering structure in the region of the major city which is bounded by urban growth boundary based on the fitness values of small towns. Also, spatial restructuring, the path to closer interaction with peripheral adaptive agents and effective resource integration in a greater scope, should be given priority to improve the adaptability of small towns. Additionally, the small towns should shift toward the function-oriented pattern that emphasizes specialization from the conventional centralized clustering structure to go with the tide of regional specialization and transformation in urban areas and realize their regional value.
How Foreign Direct Investment Influences Carbon Emissions, Based on the Empirical Analysis of Chinese Urban Data
Authors: Zhou Yang , Fu Jintao , Kong Ying , Wu Rui
Published: June 2018

The overabundance of carbon emissions is widely considered as a serious world problem. This paper focuses on analyzing the influence of economic factors on carbon emissions. Based on the traditional STIRPAT model, in terms of the “pollution haven hypothesis” and “pollution halo hypothesis”, this paper employs the dynamic panel data model to explore the impact of economic elements such as economic growth, population, foreign direct investment and others on carbon emissions. Based on our research, China’s urban carbon emissions do not follow the inverted U-shaped hypothesis of the traditional EKC curve theory and presents an inverted N-type. Moreover, current foreign direct investment increases the carbon emissions of Chinese cities due to the “implicit trade carbon”. However, during the lagging period of one phase, it significantly reduced urban carbon emissions. In addition, the lag of one period of carbon emissions statistically led to carbon emissions at the current stage. According to the empirical analysis results, this paper proposes some reasonable improvements for carbon dioxide emission reduction, which have certain reference values for other developing countries facing similar carbon emission reduction challenges.
Mechanisms and Pedagogical Counterforces of Young People’s Social Exclusion: Some Remarks on the Requisites of Social Sustainability
Authors: Hämäläinen Juha , Matikainen Pasi
Published: June 2018

This paper is focused around the concept of social exclusion and its underlying factors. Social exclusion—just as its opposite, social inclusion—is seen as a relationship between an individual’s life course and society. In modern society, this relationship becomes ever more complex, increasing the probability of social exclusion. This complexity will be discussed from the viewpoint of socialization of young people. Education, employment, and citizenship are regarded as fundamental determinants of social exclusion. This paper constructs a novel theoretical understanding of the phenomenon of social exclusion and its pedagogical counterforces within the framework of social sustainability through philosophical conceptual analysis. The problem field is based on the example of Finland, where social exclusion of young people has become an important issue in political debate, despite the population’s extensive social rights. In conclusion, the importance of holistic-systemic modeling is highlighted as a foundation for an integrated and coordinated system of political and educational interventions. Pedagogical counterforces against social exclusion are discussed particularly in the light of the concept of social sustainability.
The Concept of Sustainable Development in the Functioning of Municipalities Belonging to Special Economic Zones in Poland
Authors: Ślusarczyk Beata , Grondys Katarzyna
Published: June 2018

Special economic zones (SEZs) differ in terms of the scope and principles of functioning, they have the same objective: to attract investments and create jobs and simultaneously generate benefits for municipalities and their residents. However, in order to make the activity of SEZs and their further development possible and acceptable, activities undertaken in these areas should be consistent with the concept of sustainable development. Therefore, in addition to the leading economic benefits in the development of municipalities social and environmental ones should also be expected. The activity of the entities investing in SEZs certainly arouses some doubts as to their involvement in the search for balance between three pillars of sustainable development. The objective of the research was to assess the concept of special economic zones taking into account measurable economic, social and environmental criteria accompanying the idea of sustainable development. The research included the analysis of selected results of the activity of Polish municipalities. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) applied to independent groups indicated that the municipalities functioning in the area of SEZs differ in a positive way from other municipalities in terms of the analyzed scope.
Coverage, Timelines, and Determinants of Incomplete Immunization in Bangladesh
Authors: Sheikh Nurnabi , Sultana Marufa , Ali Nausad , Akram Raisul , Mahumud Rashidul Alam , Asaduzzaman Muhammad , Sarker Abdur Razzaque
Published: June 2018

Immunization has become one of the major contributors to public health globally as it prevents communicable disease, particularly in children. The objective of this study was to estimate the extent of timely immunization coverage and to investigate the determinants of incomplete and untimely vaccination. Methods: The study used data from the latest Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey (BDHS) 2014. A total sample of 1631 children aged 12–23 months who had an Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) card and immunization history were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the significant influencing factors on untimely vaccination (BCG, pentavalent vaccine/OPV, and measles) and incomplete vaccination. The results were presented in terms of adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval and a significance level p < 0.05. Results: The proportions of children who received timely vaccinations were 24% for BCG, 46% for pentavalent 3, and 53% for measles, whereas 76%, 51%, and 36% children failed to receive the BCG, pentavalent 3, and measles vaccines, respectively, in a timely manner. The proportion of early vaccination was 3% for pentavalent 3 and 12% for measles. Several significant influencing factors including age, maternal education and working status, awareness of community clinics, socioeconomic status, and geographic variation significantly contributed to untimely and incomplete vaccination of children in Bangladesh. Conclusions: The study identified some key determinants of untimely and incomplete childhood vaccinations in the context of Bangladesh. The findings will contribute to the improvement of age-specific vaccination and support policy makers in taking the necessary control strategies with respect to delayed and early vaccination in Bangladesh.
From Relativistic to Quantum Universe: Observation of a Spatially-Discontinuous Particle Dynamics beyond Relativity
Authors: Emelyanov Sergey
Published: June 2018

We perform an experimental test where we directly observe light-induced electron transitions with a macroscopic spatial discontinuity. The effect is related to the fundamental indivisibility of macroscopic orbit-like quantum states reminiscent of so-called extended states in the integer quantum Hall system. The test has become realizable due to the discovering of a quantum phase with spontaneous pervasive quantum ordering reminiscent of that of a single atom. The observed transitions may be regarded as a peculiar quantum dynamics beyond relativity, which implies that the current relativistic model of universe should be replaced by a deeper quantum model. It is the Bohm’s model of undivided universe which now should involve a deeper-than-classical concept of absolute simultaneity and a deeper-than-relativistic concept of space and time. Ultimately, our test thus establishes a new hierarchy of fundamental physical theories where the de Broglie-Bohm realistic quantum theory is the deepest theory which does not contradict either classical physics or relativity but rather is beyond both. This is because the fact that quantum theory is dealing with a deeper reality where physical objects are not self-sufficient entities and therefore they can transit discontinuously within an overall quantum system determined by their wavefunctions.
Integrating a City’s Existing Infrastructure Vulnerabilities and Carbon Footprint for Achieving City-Wide Sustainability and Resilience Goals
Authors: Reiner Mark , Pelton Rylie , Fang Andrew
Published: June 2018

Cities are setting both sustainability and resilience goals that recognize the significant pressures that cities will face over the coming decades due to increasing global populations, aging infrastructure, and hazards posed by climate change. To further help cities reach and meet this broad range of goals, the World Bank recently released the Urban Sustainability Framework in early 2018 as a framework for achieving an intelligent growth scenario, with a key recommendation of calls for the more efficient use of existing infrastructure. Albeit a prudent course, the first step in adding more stress to existing infrastructure requires a baseline cross-sector examination as to the existing daily reliability, age of assets, and other vulnerabilities regarding climate change. This examination of the inherent reliability of a city’s infrastructure systems then becomes the foundation for prioritizing projects in the capital investment planning process. However, to better integrate cross-silo priorities, new key performance indicators are required to better connect existing infrastructure vulnerabilities to a city’s carbon footprint and move towards synchronizing climate action and capital investment planning priorities to better represent intelligent growth and resource use.
Management of Cleft Palate in Puppies Using A Temporary Prosthesis: A Report of Three Cases
Authors: Conze Theresa , Ritz Isabelle , Hospes Rainer , Wehrend Axel
Published: June 2018

Cleft palate in dogs is a congenital defect that mostly leads to euthanasia of the affected puppy. If an attempt is made to raise the puppy, it is generally fed via an orogastric tube. Here, we describe the management of cleft palate in three puppies (two Boxers, one Collie) using a customised temporary prosthesis, which allowed the puppies to be bottle-fed and successfully raised by their owners (Cases 2 and 3) and the author (Case 1). The temporary palatal prosthesis was manufactured from a mouthguard intended for human children, which is made of thermoplastic silicone. The preparation procedure was simple and cost-effective. All puppies underwent corrective surgery at 5–6 months of age. After surgery, one of the Boxer puppies showed mandibular mesioclusion, while the other two showed no aberrations. All puppies gained the same amount of weight as their littermates, although the weight gain of the two Boxers was slower than that of their littermates. In summary, this case report describes an easy and effective way to raise puppies with cleft palate until corrective surgery can be performed.
Climate Change Impacts and Flood Control Measures for Highly Developed Urban Watersheds
Authors: Da Silva Carla , Schardong Andre , Garcia Joaquin , Oliveira Cristiano
Published: June 2018

Flooding and overflow are recurring problems in several Brazilian cities, which usually face disorderly development. The causes vary, and include increased impervious surface areas, deficiency/inefficiency of drainage structures and lack of maintenance, siltation of rivers, channel obstructions, and climatic factors. In this paper, we present an analysis of mitigation measures to minimize flooding in a watershed located in the core of the city of São Paulo, the biggest city with the highest gross domestic product (GDP) in Brazil. Observed rainfall records and existing intensity duration frequency (IDF) curves for the region are used to obtain design storms. To account for climate change, the equidistance quantile matching method for updating IDF curves under climate change, a well-known procedure, was applied to the existing historical data. Several different global climate models (GCMs) and one regional model were applied to obtain and update rainfall design storms. The GCMs and future scenarios used were from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change—IPCC Assessment Report 5 (AR5) and two future projections—representative concentration pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5. Spatially distributed reservoirs combined with low-impact development (LID) measures were used to evaluate different design storm scenarios combined with return periods of 25 and 100 years as well as the updated IDF under climate change for RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. Results show that the proposed changes to the drainage system can help reduce the risk and damage of flooding. The climate change scenarios, however, impose a significant threat and need immediate attention from city planners and stakeholders.
Detection of Infectious Noroviruses from Wastewater and Seawater Using PEMAXTM Treatment Combined with RT-qPCR
Authors: Gyawali Pradip , Hewitt Joanne
Published: June 2018

Rapid detection of infectious noroviruses from environmental samples is essential to minimize the risk of norovirus outbreaks associated with environmental transmission. Reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) methods are rapid and sensitive, but cannot differentiate between infectious and non-infectious noroviruses. In this study, a PEMAXTM treatment followed by RT-qPCR (PEMAXTM-RT-qPCR) method was developed for murine norovirus and norovirus GI/GII, and evaluated for the selective detection of infectious viruses following heat inactivation. The norovirus PEMAXTM-RT-qPCR method was then evaluated for the selective detection of infectious viruses from environmental samples. Following heat-treatment (90 °C for 3 min), the murine norovirus PEMAXTM-RT-qPCR showed at least a 2.04 log10 reduction in detectable virus, compared to a 0.43 log10 reduction for RT-qPCR alone. Under the same conditions, the norovirus PEMAXTM-RT-qPCR showed a 0.34 to 0.98 log10 (GI.3) and 0.63 to 2.06 log10 (GII.4) reduction in detectable viruses, compared to 0.05 to 0.18 log10 (GI.3) and 0.06 to 0.25 log10 (GII.4) for RT-qPCR alone. Evaluation of the norovirus PEMAXTM-RT-qPCR on norovirus-contaminated influent and effluent wastewater, and seawater indicated a high proportion of non-infectious norovirus GI and GII (i.e., 56 to 100% in seawater, 32 to 76% in effluent, and 11 to 79% in influent) was present in samples. While potentially overestimating the amount of infectious noroviruses, this approach has potential to provide better information on viral infectivity than RT-qPCR alone.
Cobalt-catalyzed C–H cyanations: Insights into the reaction mechanism and the role of London dispersion
Authors: Detmar Eric , Müller Valentin , Zell Daniel , Ackermann Lutz , Breugst Martin
Published: June 2018

Carboxylate-assisted cobalt(III)-catalyzed C–H cyanations are highly efficient processes for the synthesis of (hetero)aromatic nitriles. We have now analyzed the cyanation of differently substituted 2-phenylpyridines in detail computationally by density functional theory and also experimentally. Based on our investigations, we propose a plausible reaction mechanism for this transformation that is in line with the experimental observations. Additional calculations, including NCIPLOT, dispersion interaction densities, and local energy decomposition analysis, for the model cyanation of 2-phenylpyridine furthermore highlight that London dispersion is an important factor that enables this challenging C–H transformation. Nonbonding interactions between the Cp* ligand and aromatic and C–H-rich fragments of other ligands at the cobalt center significantly contribute to a stabilization of cobalt intermediates and transition states.
CO in Protostars (COPS): Herschel-SPIRE Spectroscopy of Embedded Protostars∗
Authors: Yang Yao-Lun , Green Joel D. , Evans II Neal J. , Lee Jeong-Eun , Jørgensen Jes K. , Kristensen Lars E. , Mottram Joseph C. , Herczeg Gregory , Karska Agata , Dionatos Odysseas , Bergin Edwin A. , Bouwman Jeroen , van Dishoeck Ewine F. , van Kempen Tim A. , Larson Rebecca L. , Yıldız Umut A.
Published: June 2018

We present full spectral scans from 200 to 670 μm of 26 Class 0+I protostellar sources obtained with Herschel-SPIRE as part of the “COPS-SPIRE” Open Time program, complementary to the DIGIT and WISH Key Programs. Based on our nearly continuous, line-free spectra from 200 to 670 μm, the calculated bolometric luminosities (L
bol) increase by 50% on average, and the bolometric temperatures (T
bol) decrease by 10% on average, in comparison with the measurements without Herschel. Fifteen protostars have the same class using T
bol and L
bol/L
smm. We identify rotational transitions of CO lines from

to

, along with emission lines of 13CO, HCO+, H2O, and [C i]. The ratios of 12CO to 13CO indicate that 12CO emission remains optically thick for J
up < 13. We fit up to four components of temperature from the rotational diagram with flexible break points to separate the components. The distribution of rotational temperatures shows a primary population around 100 K with a secondary population at ∼350 K. We quantify the correlations of each line pair found in our data set and find that the strength of the correlation of CO lines decreases as the difference between J levels between two CO lines increases. The multiple origins of CO emission previously revealed by velocity-resolved profiles are consistent with this smooth distribution if each physical component contributes to a wide range of CO lines with significant overlap in the CO ladder. We investigate the spatial extent of CO emission and find that the morphology is more centrally peaked and less bipolar at high-J lines. We find the CO emission observed with SPIRE related to outflows, which consists of two components, the entrained gas and shocked gas, as revealed by our rotational diagram analysis, as well as the studies with velocity-resolved CO emission.
A New Method to Test the Einstein’s Weak Equivalence Principle
Authors: Yu Hai , Xi Shao-Qiang , Wang Fa-Yin
Published: June 2018

The Einstein’s weak equivalence principle (WEP) is one of the foundational assumptions of general relativity and some other gravity theories. In the theory of parametrized post-Newtonian (PPN), the difference between the PPN parameters γ of different particles or the same type of particle with different energies, Δγ, represents the violation of WEP. Current constraints on Δγ are derived from the observed time delay between correlated particles of astronomical sources. However, the observed time delay is contaminated by other effects, such as the time delays due to different particle emission times, the potential Lorentz invariance violation, and none-zero photon rest mass. Therefore, current constraints are only upper limits. Here, we propose a new method to test WEP based on the fact that the gravitational time delay is direction-dependent while others are not. This is the first method that can naturally correct other time-delay effects. Using the time-delay measurements of BASTE gamma-ray burst sample and the gravitational potential of local super galaxy cluster Laniakea, we find that the constraint on Δγ of different energy photons can be as low as 10−14. In the future, if more gravitational wave events and fast radio bursts with much more precise time-delay measurements are observed, this method can give a reliable and tight constraint on WEP.
Consequences of Treating the Solar Magnetic Field as a Dipole on the Global Structure of the Heliosphere and Heliosheath
Authors: Michael A. T. , Opher M. , Tóth G.
Published: June 2018

We investigate the effect of including the heliospheric current sheet on global modeling of the heliosphere. Due to inherent numerical dissipation in the current handling of the heliospheric current sheet, models have chosen to remove it to avoid numerical problems. We compare a model where the polarity of the Parker spiral is the same in both hemispheres (unipolar) to a dipole description of the solar magnetic field, with the magnetic and rotational axes aligned forming a flat heliospheric current sheet. The flat current sheet is pulled into the northern hemisphere, which reduces the magnetic field strength at the Voyager 1 trajectory over the last 22% of the heliosheath. The decrease in magnetic field intensity is transferred into the thermal energy of the plasma causing the dipole model to predict an entirely thermally dominated heliosheath; this is a stark contrast to the magnetically dominated region ahead of the heliopause in the unipole model. We find that the two-lobe structure of the solar wind magnetic field persists within the dipole model, with the flat current sheet not able to fully erode the magnetic tension force. However, there is a large amount of magnetic dissipation in the tail between the lobes, which affects the structure of the plasma in the region. Furthermore, the draped interstellar magnetic field in the dipole model is strongly affected by reconnection at the nose of the heliosphere, yielding a distinctly different draping pattern than that observed at Voyager 1.