Environmental Systems Analysis Research Articles

Associations Between Maternal Stress, Early Language Behaviors, and Infant Electroencephalography During the First Year of Life.

Associations have been observed between socioeconomic status (SES) and language outcomes from early childhood, but individual variability is high. Exposure to high levels of stress, often associated with low-SES status, might influence how parents and infants interact within the early language environment. Differences in these early language behaviors, and in early neurodevelopment, might underlie SES-based differences in language that emerge later on. Analysis of natural language samples from a predominantly low-/mid-income sample of mother-infant dyads, obtained using the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system, found that maternal reports of exposure to stressful life events, and perceived stress, were negatively correlated with child vocalizations and conversational turns when infants were 6 and 12 months of age. Greater numbers of vocalizations and conversational turns were also associated with lower relative theta power and higher relative gamma power in 6- and 12-month baseline EEG - a pattern that might support subsequent language development.

Analysis of Current Environmental Impact Assessment System in Rwanda

Following its introduction in the developed countries, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is now established in many developing countries. However, EIA systems in developing countries vary greatly in procedures and practice. The concept of EIA in Rwanda was introduced through the establishment of Rwanda Environmental Management Authority (REMA). Under Organic Law No.04/2005 of 08/04/2005 Article 64, REMA came in to coordinate and oversee all aspects of environmental management for sustainable development in the country. Currently, the EIA department was transferred from REMA to Rwanda Development Board (RDB). By a set of criteria, the present work aims to evaluate and analyze the EIA system in Rwanda, focusing on process and methodology, highlighting some challenges of EIA practice and suggesting some recommendations. Given the nature of the work, the evaluation was based on the review of literature, investigation of legislative and administrative framework. EIA practice in Rwanda enhances the developmental projects to be viable and environmentally friendly. In regard of implementation challenge, environment-related government bodies are recommended to strengthen environmental monitoring and audits. Findings of this study could contribute to wider international experience of EIA performance in developing countries.

Associations between maternal stress, early language behaviors, and infant electroencephalography during the first year of life

Associations have been observed between socioeconomic status (SES) and language outcomes from early childhood, but individual variability is high. Exposure to high levels of stress, often associated with low-SES status, might influence how parents and infants interact within the early language environment. Differences in these early language behaviors, and in early neurodevelopment, might underlie SES-based differences in language that emerge later on. Analysis of natural language samples from a predominantly low-/mid-income sample of mother-infant dyads, obtained using the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system, found that maternal reports of exposure to stressful life events, and perceived stress, were negatively correlated with child vocalizations and conversational turns when infants were 6 and 12 months of age. Greater numbers of vocalizations and conversational turns were also associated with lower relative theta power and higher relative gamma power in 6- and 12-month baseline EEG - a pattern that might support subsequent language development.

The Natural Language Environment of 9-Month-Old Infants in Sweden and Concurrent Association With Early Language Development.

The language environment is important for the development of early communication and language. In the current study, we describe the natural home language environment of 9-month-old infants in Sweden and its concurrent association with language development. Eighty-eight families took part in the study. The home language environment was measured using the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) system, and language development was assessed using Swedish Early Communicative Development Inventory (SECDI), a parent questionnaire. LENA measures showed dramatic variation between individuals but were comparable to and showed overlapping variance with previous studies conducted in English-speaking households. Nonetheless, there were significantly more infant vocalizations and conversational turns in the present study than in one previous study. Adult word count correlated significantly and positively with infants’ Use of gestures and the subscale of that section Communicative gestures. These together with another four non-significant associations formed a consistent overall pattern that suggested a link between infants’ language environment and language development. Although the direction of causality cannot be determined from the current data, future studies should examine children longitudinally to assess the directionality or the bidirectionality of the reported associations between infant’s language environment and language development.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Intelligent analysis framework for healthy environment spatial model of BIM horticultural therapy based on complex network information model

With the continuous development of modern life, people have paid more and more attention to the needs of healthy and comfortable outdoor activities. The traditional static recuperation mode has been impacted, and the modern dynamic leisure agricultural tourism health care mode is more and more popular. Horticultural therapy improves people’s cognitive, psychological and physiological functions and provides people with positive values through plant-related sensory activities and horticultural operations. Therefore, horticultural therapy has become a product of the idea that designers have been exploring new forms of landscape architecture, trying to create a more comfortable environment and maximize the benefits of people in landscape architecture. In recent years, the theoretical and empirical studies of complex networks provide an important means to reveal the complexity of complex systems. As a new and active field of scientific research, complex networks have been introduced into the empirical research of real-world networks for a long time. At present, more and more people pay attention to computer science, social science, biological science, management science and many other fields. This paper constructs a BIM horticultural therapy health environment analysis system based on complex network model. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively analyze the application of BIM horticultural therapy in healthy environment.

The Distributed L1 and L2 Language-Learning Environments of Dual Language Learners Across Home and School Settings.

Purpose This study explored the language-learning environments of typically developing dual language learners (DLLs) who learned Cantonese (first language [L1]) at home and English (second language [L2]) in preschool settings through direct and indirect measures. Method Nine typically developing Cantonese-English DLLs participated in this study. Participants' daylong activities were audio-recorded using the digital language processor of the Language ENvironment Analysis system. A manual coding scheme was developed to examine the audio recordings with the focus of the amount of L1 and L2 used by participants, adults, and their peers across home and school settings. In addition, participants' language use was indirectly examined using parent questionnaires, teacher reports, and classroom observations. Results The results of the audio recordings showed that Cantonese was the primary language used at home, and both Cantonese and English were used in school settings, consistent with the parent and teacher reports. Correlation analyses revealed that the amount of L1 used by the participants was associated with the L1 used by their peers: and the amount of L2 used by participants was positively related to the L2 used by adults at home. Conclusions The findings illustrate how parent/teacher reports and daylong audio recordings could complement each other in the investigation of DLLs' language-learning environments.

Investigating Cumulative Exposures among 3- to 4-Year-Old Children Using Wearable Ultrafine Particle Sensors and Language Environment Devices: A Pilot and Feasibility Study.

Interdisciplinary approaches are needed to measure the additive or multiplicative impacts of chemical and non-chemical stressors on child development outcomes. The lack of interdisciplinary approaches to environmental health and child development has led to a gap in the development of effective intervention strategies. It is hypothesized that a broader systems approach can support more effective interventions over time. To achieve these goals, detailed study protocols are needed. Researchers in child development typically focus on psychosocial stressors. Less attention is paid to chemical and non-chemical stressors and how the interaction of these stressors may impact child development. This feasibility study aims to bridge the gap between child development and environmental epidemiology research by trialing novel methods of gathering ultrafine particle data with a wearable air sensor, while simultaneously gathering language and noise data with the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system. Additionally, psychosocial data (e.g., parenting quality, caregiver depression, and household chaos) was gathered from parent reports. Child participants (age 3–4 years) completed cognitive tasks to assess self-regulation and receptive language skills, and provided a biospecimen analyzed for inflammatory biomarkers. Data collection was completed at two time points, roughly corresponding to fall and spring. Twenty-six participants were recruited for baseline data, and 11 participants completed a follow-up session. Preliminary results indicate that it is feasible to gather personal Particulate Matter (PM2.5), language, and noise data, cognitive assessments, and biospecimens from our sample of 3-4-year-old children. While there are obstacles to overcome when working with this age group, future studies can benefit from adapting lessons learned regarding recruitment strategies, study design, and protocol implementation.

Circumspection in using automated measures: Talker gender and addressee affect error rates for adult speech detection in the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) system.

Automatic speech processing devices have become popular for quantifying amounts of ambient language input to children in their home environments. We assessed error rates for language input estimates for the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) audio processing system, asking whether error rates differed as a function of adult talkers' gender and whether they were speaking to children or adults. Audio was sampled from within LENA recordings from 23 families with children aged 4-34 months. Human coders identified vocalizations by adults and children, counted intelligible words, and determined whether adults' speech was addressed to children or adults. LENA's classification accuracy was assessed by parceling audio into 100-ms frames and comparing, for each frame, human and LENA classifications. LENA correctly classified adult speech 67% of the time across families (average false negative rate: 33%). LENA's adult word count showed a mean +47% error relative to human counts. Classification and Adult Word Count error rates were significantly affected by talkers' gender and whether speech was addressed to a child or an adult. The largest systematic errors occurred when adult females addressed children. Results show LENA's classifications and Adult Word Count entailed random - and sometimes large - errors across recordings, as well as systematic errors as a function of talker gender and addressee. Due to systematic and sometimes high error in estimates of amount of adult language input, relying on this metric alone may lead to invalid clinical and/or research conclusions. Further validation studies and circumspect usage of LENA are warranted.

Improving Parents’ Interactions with Children with Hearing Loss Using Data-based Feedback

ABSTRACT An AB single case design was used to measure the effect of data-based feedback for 6 children in a listening and spoken language early intervention (EI) programme in Australia. Changes in the number of parent-child conversational turns following feedback were measured using an automated language environment analysis system. The perceived value and practicality of the feedback model were also investigated. A functional relationship was demonstrated between the intervention and an increase in the number of conversational turns for 4 of the children. Therapists were able to implement the model with high fidelity and perceived the intervention to be effective in changing parent behaviours. Parents reported the feedback helped them to improve their verbal interactions with their children. This study has provided preliminary evidence that supports the feasibility and the positive impact of data-based feedback in a listening and spoken language EI programme.

Sensitivity Analysis of Coastal City Tourism and Environmental Systems Based on Coupling Model

Sensitivity Analysis of Coastal City Tourism and Environmental Systems Based on Coupling Model

Accuracy of the Language Environment Analysis System Segmentation and Metrics: A Systematic Review.

Purpose The Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system provides automated measures facilitating clinical and nonclinical research and interventions on language development, but there are only a few, scattered independent reports of these measures' validity. The objectives of the current systematic review were to (a) discover studies comparing LENA output with manual annotation, namely, accuracy of talker labels, as well as involving adult word counts (AWCs), conversational turn counts (CTCs), and child vocalization counts (CVCs); (b) describe them qualitatively; (c) quantitatively integrate them to assess central tendencies; and (d) quantitatively integrate them to assess potential moderators. Method Searches on Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and PsycInfo were combined with expert knowledge, and interarticle citations resulting in 238 records screened and 73 records whose full text was inspected. To be included, studies must target children under the age of 18 years and report on accuracy of LENA labels (e.g., precision and/or recall) and/or AWC, CTC, or CVC (correlations and/or error metrics). Results A total of 33 studies, in 28 articles, were discovered. A qualitative review revealed most validation studies had not been peer reviewed as such and failed to report key methodology and results. Quantitative integration of the results was possible for a broad definition of recall and precision (M = 59% and 68%, respectively; N = 12-13), for AWC (mean r = .79, N = 13), CVC (mean r = .77, N = 5), and CTC (mean r = .36, N = 6). Publication bias and moderators could not be assessed meta-analytically. Conclusion Further research and improved reporting are needed in studies evaluating LENA segmentation and quantification accuracy, with work investigating CTC being particularly urgent. Supplemental Material https://osf.io/4nhms/.

Carbon dots based solid phase microextraction of 2-nitroaniline followed by fluorescence sensing for selective early screening and sensitive gas chromatography-mass spectrometry determination

For decades, researches have been involving in improving and optimizing solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique to fit the growing environmental analysis demand. But it is more significant now to introduce meaningful information into the analysis line instead of improving every step in SPME. Herein, we design a carbon dots (CDs) based SPME platform and report its unique application in selective early screening and sensitive detection of 2-nitroaniline. The fluorescence quenching state of the CDs fiber after extraction could be used to prejudge whether an environmental sample contains 2-nitroaniline exceeding the maximum permitted level (30 μg L−1) regulated by the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection or not. Photo-induced electron transfer (PET) is believed to be the primary quenching route that leads to electron transfer from the electron-rich CDs to the electron-deficient analyte. A preliminary in vivo study on Daphnia magna and a 2-nitroaniline assay in environmental water and biofluid samples suggested the safety and the excellent qualitative ability of the proposed platform. As a result, the innovative incorporation of fluorescence sensing and SPME not only achieves the information imbedding of environmental analysis system, but also combines the advantages of two techniques including early visual-screening, reusability (≥50 times), high specificity and excellent quantitative ability (detection limit: 0.011 μg L−1). We believe this study can open new avenues in the field of environmental toxicant monitoring.

An integrated environmental analytics system (IDEAS) based on a DGGS

Discrete global grid systems (DGGS) have been proposed as a data model for a digital earth framework. We introduce a new data model and analytics system called IDEAS – integrated discrete environmental analysis system to create an operational DGGS-based GIS which is suitable for large scale environmental modelling and analysis. Our analysis demonstrates that DGGS-based GIS is feasible within a relational database environment incorporating common data analytics tools. Common GIS operations implemented in our DGGS data model outperformed the same operations computed using traditional geospatial data types. A case study into wildfire modelling demonstrates the capability for data integration and supporting big data geospatial analytics. These results indicate that DGGS data models have significant capability to solve some of the key outstanding problems related to geospatial data analytics, providing a common representation upon which fast and scalable algorithms can be built.

Analysis and processing of environmental monitoring system

Abstract In this article, the problem of monitoring of climatic and ecological condition of the region is considered. The authors propose an approach to the construction of such systems using the LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) technology. This will make it possible to create easily scalable low-cost systems with high energy efficiency through the use of modern communication technologies. During the experiment, the authors have identified certain patterns in collected data, such as dependence on the time of year, weather, and the location of certain industrial facilities near the observed zone.

Analysis and research on precise control mode of outdoor substation noise

As people pay more and more attention to the environmental noise problem of substations, it is an important environmental protection work to carry out noise control of over-subjected substation. According to the lack of strict scientific argumentation, poor engineering control effect and high project cost, the paper proposes an accurate control model for outdoor substation noise. Taking the actual substation as an example, with the development of the substation environmental noise analysis system software SENCS, through six steps of data collection, model verification, pre-treatment analysis, optimization of governance plan and analysis of management effects, it is proposed the model of precise control of outdoor substation, which can play an important guiding role in outdoor substation noise control and new substation planning and design..

A systematic analysis of environmental management systems in SMEs: Possible research directions from a management accounting and control stance

Abstract This paper systematically reviews the drivers, implementation processes and performance outcomes of environmental management systems (EMS) in small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from a management accounting and control (MAC) stance. It finds that there are various contextual, control and performance themes which require research attention. Regarding context, there is the need to: a) explore the relationship between firm size and the development of sustainability tools; b) assess the impact of context for better environmental performance and c) on adoption motivations; and d) explore how EMS affect corporate and individual accountability. Regarding control, there is the need to: a) theoretically explore the control typologies for SMEs; b) better understand the type (i.e. formal or informal) and nature (i.e. tight or flexible) of this control; and c) develop understandings of socio-ideological controls for improved sustainability. Finally, regarding performance, there is the need to: a) understand how environmental performance is defined and the interaction between its dimensions; and b) explore the relationship between EMS and environmental performance in SMEs. The paper serves as a first step to understanding MAC in SMEs, highlighting contemporary issues that are relevant for academic and professional sustainability practice.

Analysing modeling methods in the ecology from the systemology positions

To obtain a forecast, models of behavior of specific systems are created, whose adequacy can be judged only within the framework of accepted hypotheses. The increase in the complexity of the object under study causes an increase in the complexity of the mathematical apparatus. However, today’s modeling device does not solve the main problem of increasing the low (or unsatisfactory) predictive ability of models of rather complicated systems. Ecosystems are the objects of complex nature, and the methodological basis for their study is the theory of complex systems. Therefore, when solving this issue, it is necessary to turn to the analysis of the basic principles of systemology. Goal: analysis of the main provisions of systemology for the application of modeling in ecosystem research. The methodological basis for the study of the ecosystem is the theory of complex systems. As a result of the work the analysis of the basic positions of systemology concerning the approaches in the study of simple and complex systems was carried out. The basic principles of systemology and the most important functions of explanation and prediction of the observed phenomena in the studied class of systems are considered, as well as the connection between the complications of the behavior of simulated objects and the methods of their modeling. It is determined that in the study of complex systems, the principle of multiplicity of models is used. In this case, none of the methods of modeling has all sets of model functions at the same time. The principle of feasibility of models is manifested in the block method of constructing simulation models. This to overcome allows to some extent the pro-oath of dimension in models of potential efficiency, where impossible situations can be rejected for real systems. The principle of incompatibility manifests itself in the fact that none of the methods of modeling realizes simultaneously the explanatory and predictive functions of the theory. Finally, the principle of counter-intuitive behavior of complex systems is taken into account when constructing self-organizing models. It is noted that mathematical modeling of complex systems should be considered as an extension of traditional natural science experiment. With regard to the analysis of environmental systems, as well as the analysis of any other complex system, the experiment should replace the power of abstraction and computer simulation.

Accuracy of the language environment analysis (LENA) speech processing system for detecting communicative vocalizations of young children

Automated audio processing systems, such as the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system, are useful tools for understanding developmental language behaviors for clinical and basic research purposes. However, it is still unclear how accurate they may be in comparison to the traditional gold standard of evaluation by trained human listeners. In our study, human coders identified starts and ends of communicative vocalizations of children and adults from sampled audio in day-long LENA recordings of 23 families with a child with variable hearing status; accuracy of LENA was then determined for each recording by comparing LENA and human-derived labels for 100-ms frames of sampled audio. Preliminary analysis suggests that LENA accurately identified communicative vocalizations of the target child wearing the device as being produced by that target child 65% of the time (35% error); accuracy ranged from 49%—79% across recordings. When any child vocalization was correctly identified, LENA accurately distinguished whether this belonged to the target child or another child 75% of the time (25% error); accuracy, however, ranged from 7%—96%. These accuracy levels suggest caution is needed in applying popular speech processing systems like LENA to clinical and scientific questions in absence of additional validation measures.

The CREATE study: Pilot testing Cumulative Personal Environmental Exposure and Educational Readiness Assessments in Pre-school Children (ages 3-4)

TPS 731: Neurological effects in children, Exhibition Hall, Ground floor, August 26, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Background: Preschool is a critical time for neurological growth and development in children. Few studies have attempted to measure personal air pollution exposure simultaneously with family and home characteristics such as verbal language exposure, important predictors of future educational outcomes. The Cumulative Risks, Early Development and Academic Trajectories (CREATE) pilot study aims to assess personal, home and school exposure with growth and development data among 3-4 year old preschool children. Methods: Small backpacks were equipped with personal air monitors and t-shirts designed with Language EnviroNment Analysis system (LENA) technology to collect air and language data for two consecutive 24-hour periods. Plug-in air pollution monitors were also stationed in each child’s home and school. Collection time, percent missing, and percent of time fine particulate matter (PM2.5) > 35 µg/m3 along with minimum, maximum, and average PM2.5 were calculated in R version 3.5.2 for each location, timepoint, day, and child combination and compared across location and day graphically and statistically. A urine collection protocol was also tested. Results: Missing data arose from unintentional unplugging of air monitors. However, few significant differences in air pollution summary measures across location or day were observed (p>. 05). Technical challenges in the school environment suggest home and personal measurement may be more valid and reliable metrics of child personal exposures compared to school. Maternal, paternal and other adult language also varied by location and time of day. Over 85% of 3-4 year olds were compliant with the first 24 hours of air monitoring and day one urine collection, which dropped to 50% on day two. Conclusions: It is possible to collect personal air exposure and language environment data in preschool children’s home and school environments. Future studies may not require multi-location or multi-day collection for establishing a baseline, rather repeat measurement should occur at longer intervals.

Concave wall-based mixing chambers and convex wall-based constriction channel micromixers

ABSTRACT Micromixers with concave wall-based mixing chambers and convex wall-based constriction channel are studied. The effect of shape and aspect ratio of the obstacle on mixing performance was investigated for the Reynolds number in the range of 0.1–75 using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The micromixers showed interesting mixing dynamics and flow features in respect of two flow regimes identified for the present study. The first flow regime is for the Reynolds number in the range 0.1 < Re < 5 wherein diffusion-dominated mixing was observed and the second flow regime is for the Reynolds number in the range 5 < Re ≤ 75 wherein convection-dominated mixing was observed. The simulation results reveal that the rectangular obstacle-based micromixer gives mixing index MI ≥ 0.90 at the Re ≥ 30 in all cases of aspect ratio and it is highest compared to triangular obstacle-based and teardrop obstacle-based micromixers. Further, in respect of pressure drop, teardrop obstacle-based micromixer showed less pressure drop. Both mixing index and pressure drop increase with increase in aspect ratio of the obstacle. The proposed micromixers are simple in design which make them best candidates for environmental and clinical analysis or diagnostic systems.