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Prediction and environmental appraisal of traffic noise intensity by auto-regressive integrated moving average technique

Auto-regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) assessment of traffic noise was conducted on different routes in Port Harcourt, Nigerian metropolis. This was achieved by measuring the traffic noise on the various routes of asphalt flexible and concrete rigid pavement structures with a meter for sound measurement with regards to the volume of traffic, vehicle movement rate, and location away from the midpoint of the highway. The average peak noise of traffic was obtained at selected distances of 5m, 10m, and 15m from the middle of the highway, for locations 1, 2, 3 and their mean average case 4 (Trunk A flexible pavement), for location 5 (Trunk C flexible pavement), and for location 6 (Trunk C rigid pavement). The results of the investigation show that the values of traffic noise at locations 1 to 3 and their mean average case 4 had the same range of high noise intensity as Trunk A flexible pavement and classified as heavy-traveled roads; while conversely, location 5 (Trunk C) had the same range of lower noise intensity, which was classified as light-traveled road. For Trunk C, the noise generated in a flexible pavement was less than that from a rigid pavement. Generally, the R2 values of the ARIMA models showed very good performance along selected travel routes. For case-specific distances, the ARIMA models performed very efficiently and had very high R2 values.

The Design of Soil Temperature and Humidity Monitoring Systems with IoT-Based LoRa Technology

Soil temperature and humidity are important factors in affecting the condition of agricultural sector, which has an impact on the quality and quantity of the production. Lack of information on the condition of agricultural soil is one of the causes in productivity deficiency in the process of agricultural cultivation. The application of technology in the field of agriculture is expected to be able to reduce various adverse effects of agricultural soil conditions. One of which is by periodic monitoring, such as the temperature and humidity of agricultural soil. This research aims to design LoRa technology to be used as a data transmission medium for monitoring soil temperature and humidity by applying a system that is based on the Blynk application, which will make the users easier to monitor the system remotely. The temperature sensor was able to acquire data with 98.37% accuracy and the soil humidity sensor was able to acquire data with 91.63% accuracy. The changes in LoRa transmission parameters for monitoring data have an effect on the quality of its performance. The experimental results with Bandwidth variation (BW) from 31.25 kHz, 62.50 kHz, 125 kHz, 250 kHz, and 500 kHz at a distance of 15m, the best SNR and RSSI values were obtained for BW 31.25 kHz with values of 5.42 dB and -104.90 dBm. Whereas, the best ToA is obtained with a BW of 500 kHz with a value of 27.50 ms. While, the experimental result with the variation of Coding Rate (CR) from CR 4/5, 4/6, 4/7, and 4/8 at a distance of 15m, the best SNR and RSSI values were obtained CR 4/8 with values of 4.10 dB and -106.40 dBm and he best ToA was obtained CR 4/5 with a value of 112.70 ms. In testing by using variation Spreading Factor (SF) from SF7, SF9, and SF12, the higher the SF value used, the wider the range of area data communication will be. Configuration SF7 and SF9 were only able to reach a distance of 25m, while SF12 was able to reach a distance of 35m.

Experimental Evaluation of Display Field Communication Based on Machine Learning and Modem Design

Display field communication (DFC) is a frequency-domain unobtrusive display-to-camera (D2C) communication, in which an electronic display serves as a transmitter and a camera serves as a receiver. In this paper, we propose a machine learning-based DFC scheme and evaluate its performance in a lab test scenario. First of all, we adopt the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) to transform a spatial-domain image into its spectral-domain equivalent. To reduce the computational complexity during the data-embedding process, addition allocation and subtraction data retrieval techniques are used. Moreover, channel coding is applied to overcome the data error caused by the optical wireless channel. In particular, robust turbo coding is used for error detection and correction. Afterward, we perform the experiments to validate the performance of the proposed system. After capturing the displayed image with a camera, data restoration is done using a deep learning technique. Extensive real-world experiments were performed considering various geometric distortions, noise, and different standard input images. As a result, we found that by increasing the transmit display image size (upsampling), the overall error rate can be reduced. In addition, real-world noise analysis is performed and it is notified that the actual noise is dominant in the low-frequency region of an image. The experimental results confirm the robust performance of the proposed DFC scheme and show that an error-free performance can be achieved up to a distance of 1m in the given lab test environment setting.

Analisis Kinerja Ruas Jalan (Studi Kasus Jalan Tangkuban Perahu, Denpasar Barat)

Denpasar city is one of the big cities that has a very high population, it can be seen from the population of Denpasar city of 962,900.000 million people, (BPS, 2020). Over time, the traffic density on the road has increased, in addition to the increasing number of residents and the increasing number of private vehicle ownership, it is also caused by the location adjacent to shopping centers and restaurants. This research was conducted using primary data. Primary data was obtained from survey results in the form of traffic survey data,Road Capacity, Degree of Saturation, and Level of Service using the 2014 PKJI method. Based on the results of the discussion, it can be concluded that the performance of the Tangkuban Perahu road is at Level of Service F, which means it is very bad, with the following indicators. The peak hour volume is 2394 cur/hour. Capacity 2381 cur/hour. The side resistance is 98,4, for the side resistance class it is classified as very low, which is 0.96. The degree of saturation (DJ) > 1.00 is 101 cur/hour. The average travel speed of vehicles at a distance of 100m is 21,69 km/hour.

Comparison of avian species diversity and abundance in relation to habitat structure: toward using birds as indicators of ecosystem health at zone 8, Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria

Avian species in relation to plant community can be used to determine the health status of the ecosystem. Habitat destruction can lead to extinction of many bird species as well as other plant communities. The study was conducted for three (3) months to determine the variation in avian species diversity and abundance in four different adjacent habitat structures: Farmland, Gallery Forest, Rocky Outcrops and Uncultivated Grassland, all located at Zone 8 area of Lokoja, Kogi State. The Line Transect method was used to collect data from the entire study area where 2000 m transect was marked and further divided into short sections of 100m with 50m distance apart. Each marked section was sampled ten (10) times from 6:30 am to 10:00 am. Birds’ species encountered were identified using the field guide and songs. Species diversity was determined using the Shannon-Weiner diversity index (H). The study recorded a total number of 4,490 individuals of 110 species belonging to 32 families. Farmland had the highest number of individuals with a total of 1,228 individuals belonging to 92 species, followed by the Gallery Forest with a total of 652 belonging to 95 species, followed by uncultivated grassland with a total of 339 individuals belonging to 65 species and the Rocky outcrop with a total of 122 individuals belonging to 55 species. Bird species abundance between the habitat types differ significantly (p<0.05). The Gallery Forest was the most diverse in bird species with a mean diversity index (H=3.55), though diversity between the habitat was not statistically different (p>0.05). The findings from this study indicate that Zone 8 is rich in avian species diversity. Therefore, there is need to conserve this area from activities that might contribute to habitat loss, which can lead to extinction of some bird species and possibly plants community in the nearest future.

Assessment of radiation dose rate emitted from patients undergoing iodine therapy

The Iodine Therapy is rapidly increasing and is becoming one of the most common treatment modality for thyroid cancer, in this type of treatment the thyroid is treated with large doses of radioactive iodine, this dose is much higher than the other thyroid treatments; which then is putting high demand from radiation protection point of view. The main objective of the present study was to investigate what is the optimum time for patient discharge. This is done by analyzing the radiation dose rate levels emitted from the patients following I-131 administration, and compares it with the maximum allowed dose rate according to the national regulations. To do that,74 thyroid cancer patients were included in this study, in which the radiation emitted from patients was measured at 1m distance from patients using a survey meter at various time intervals 48, 72 and 96 h after administration. Patients were divided into groups according to body mass indexes BMI; underweight <18.5 normal range between 18.5 and 24.9, overweight from 25 up to 29.9, and obese for BMI ≥30. All patients were discharged after 96h from dose administration. The mean radioactivity administered to the patients was 113.8 ± 17.6 mCi, with a range between 80 mCi to a maximum of 170 mCi. The radiation dose rate was found to be 30.3 ± 14.1 μSv h−1, 18.7 ± 12 μSv h−1, and 11.7 ± 7.9 μSv h−1 at 1 m distance from the patient's neck level after 48h, 72 and 96 h respectively. Our results showed that regardless of the patient gender, and administrated dose, the external dose rate values increases as BMI increases except for underweight group. It was concluded that The BMI values may be taken into account in the radiation protection optimization process.

Comparative Analysis of Mobile Signal Propagation Path Loss in Lagos, Nigeria

This research involves comparative analysis of mobile radio transmission path loss models in Lagos state. Lagos, coastal region within an altitude of 38m, and geographical coordinates (63.60N, 3.280E), in the rainforest area of south-western, Nigeria. The measured active base stations propagation measured parameters (for selected areas; Agbowa, Ibeju Imota, Ilupeju, and Surulere in Lagos between 2019 and 2020 from MTN-NG Microsites) recorded between frequency range of 1500- 2500MHz band with a visible line of sight (LOS) in three areas within the state. Stanford University Interim, ECC-33 and COST 231 models were adopted and optimized models were developed and their empirical outcomes revealed standard deviations (SDs) of 1.87, 1.11, and 31.78 respectively at 500m distance from the microsite of average rural areas. For the sub-urban areas, RMSEs (root mean square errors) observed were 39.11, 0.04, and 1.98 and with SD being 33.52, 0.03, and 1.69. More so, for an urban area, it was discovered that the RMSEs obtained for these three models were 34.84, 1.98 and 0.55 with SD of 29.86, 10.27 and 0.47 at same distance of 500m. The implication is that probability of an improved performance is high when optimized models is adopted compared with what is in existence.

IMPACT OF ECOHYDROLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS ON MACROINVERTEBRATE DIVERSITY ASSOCIATED WITH PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS ON THE WETLANDS ALONG THE SOUTHEASTERN SHORE OF LAKE TANA, ETHIOPIA

Biological indicators have the improvement of monitoring ecological conditions and to measure of anthropogenic impacts on aquatic ecosystems. This indicates that appropriate wetland management mitigation measures that should be implemented in degraded wetlands to conserve biodiversity and improve water quality. The aim of the study was to investigate the impacts of ecohydrological intervention in relation to macroinvertebrate diversity and relate macroinvertebrate diversity with physicochemical parameters of the wetland in Lake Tana shore intervention site. Sampling stations were selected according to vegetation gradient. The sampling procedure employed using quadrats along transects following the main ecological gradient of water depth and vegetation structure and growth form. Four quadrats at every 25m distance were laid at each transect. A total of 24 quadrats of 1m x1m size were taken. Collected samples of each quadrat were pooled to represent each sampling site. One way ANOVA was further done to test any significant variation in macroinvertebrate and physiochemical attributes among stations. The Hilsenhoff Family-level Biotic Index (HFBI) was calculated for macroinvertebrate families. The HFBI index was analyzed and identified 975 macroinvertebrate individuals belonging to 15 families which were collected from all sampling sites during the study period, and the most dominant family were Hydrophilidae Coenagrionidae and Physidae. Based on the Shannon diversity index, the Gumetirs wetland was grouped under good ecological condition as compared to the remaining two reference wetlands. There was a significant variation in abundance and biodiversity of macroinvertebrates among sampling sites and better conditions exist at the intervention site. The correlation analysis between physicochemical parameters and macro-invertebrate abundance showed that organic carbon and temperature are most likely positively correlated with macroinvertebrate abundance. Thus, high macroinvertebrate diversity indicated that wetlands found in a good ecological condition.

MACRONUTRIENT STATUS AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS AROUND THE GAS FLARE SITE AT OYIGBO IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

This work assessed the impact of gas flaring on soils surrounding the gas flare stack at Oyigbo in Rivers State, Nigeria. Soil samples were collected at 10m, 50m, and 100m from the flare point and analysed for physico-chemical properties, including primary and secondary soil macronutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. The results obtained from the investigation of the soil properties were all within the set benchmark values of EGASPIN-DPR. A One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) showed that there were no significant differences (p &lt; 0.05) in the concentration of the physico-chemical parameters and nutrients of both surface and sub-surface soils, irrespective of their distances from the flare point. For example, total organic carbon (TOC) in the soil within 10m of the gas flare point was 1.4±0.02% at surface level and 1.4±0.01% at sub-surface level. At a distance of 50m from the flare point, the total organic carbon (TOC) recorded a mean value of 1.4±0.02%, while a mean of 1.4±0.01% was recorded at a distance of 100m from the flare point. Although flare particulates could bring about acid deposition on the surrounding soils, which would decrease soil pH, the results obtained in this work showed a reverse trend of a slightly lower pH at a further 100 m distance compared to the pH range obtained 10 m away from the flare point. This trend could be attributed to anthropogenic activities, which cannot occur near the scorching temperature of the flared gas, which exceeds 1300 oC. This might have encouraged the acidification of the soils further away from the flare point.

Individual and food environment factors associated with the diet of disadvantaged adults in Flanders

Abstract Background Health inequalities partially remain due to differences in diet between socioeconomic groups. Examining the association between socio-ecological factors and the diet of socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) individuals can enhance the development of interventions to decrease health inequalities. Methods In total, 278 SED adults residing in two Flemish municipalities completed a survey addressing sociodemographics, diet, health and their perceptions of the food environment. The objective food environment was examined by assessing food retailer information in street network-based buffers of 500m and 1000m around participants’ addresses. Linear regression was used to test assumptions. Results Individual factors such as poor subjective health (OR0.58;CI 0.34-0.97), food insecurity (OR0.60;CI 0.38-0.94) and living alone (OR0.86;CI 0.75-0.98) were negatively associated with healthy dietary habits such as daily fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption. Positive perceptions on the availability of FV were positively associated (OR1.09;CI 1.02-1.17) with daily FV consumption. Objective food environmental factors showed a stronger association with unhealthy dietary habits. A greater amount of retailers within 1000m walking distance was negatively associated with fast-food (OR0.96;CI 0.94-0.99) and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) consumption (OR0.93; CI 0.88-0.98). More supermarkets within 500m distance was negatively associated (OR0.77;CI 0.58-0.97) with SSB consumption, while more convenience stores within a 1000m distance was positively associated (OR1.48;CI 1.17-1.88) with SSB consumption. Conclusions Our findings suggest that factors associated with the diet of SED adults differ according to food and drink items. Interventions focused on this population should take these differences into account. Key messages

The Simulation of Autonomous Vehicle Using ROS2 Based on Convolutional Neural Networks for Object Recognition

The main justification for implementing an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) system in the real world is the safety aspect of driving, because if there is an error in driving then the error will become a gap that can threaten the safety of the driver himself and other drivers, therefore an AV system is made to reduce driver errors. in driving. The aim of this research is to implement one of the parts of the AV system, that is object recognition, and in this study, we also conduct an experiment with simulating the object recognition feature that has been implemented in order to get more concrete results. Architectural object recognition is designed to extract key features from traffic sign images, the traffic sign detection uses the customized Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) architecture. After the architectural has been implemented, training will be carried out using Custom Traffic Sign Dataset and experiments will also be conducted to simulate object recognition by applying ROS2 as a car robotic system that represents a car's functionality system in the real world. the results of this study for the implementation of the modified CNNs architecture is 99.96% and the results of the simulations carried out show that the prototype can detect traffic signs objects with a distance of 10m

P356 An aeromycological study of diagnostic microbiology laboratory at a tertiary care center

Poster session 3, September 23, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PMObjectivesTo evaluate the aeromycoflora of diagnostic microbiology laboratory at a tertiary care center.MethodsThis is an ecological prospective analytical study. This pilot study was conducted at a diagnostic microbiology laboratory in which the Bacteriology section and Mycology section were the study areas. One indoor and one outdoor community area were taken as community controls and histopathology lab was taken as Laboratory control. The sampling was done every fortnight for a period of 1 year from March 2021 to February 2022.Environmental air samples were collected using the passive settle plate method based on sedimentation on 90 mm Sabouraud Dextrose Agar plates. The plates were exposed for 30 mins at a height of 1 m and a distance of 1m from the wall as per standard references.After sample collection, plates were incubated at 22°C for a maximum of 3 weeks or till the time the colonies were countable. The colonies were counted and the total CFU/m3 was calculated using the Omeliansky Formula. The identification of the isolates was done using standard mycological protocols. Statistical analysis using paired student t-test was also performed.ResultsA total of 13 types of fungi were isolated in the study belonging to the following genera- Aspergillus, Alternaria, Curvularia, Bipolaris, Cladosporium, Fonseacea, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Rhizopus. In the Bacteriology section, the highest frequency was of A. niger (63%) followed by A. flavus (50%) while in the mycology section the highest frequency of A. fumigatus (50%) followed by A. flavus (46%) was observed.Certain fungal species known to cause serious infections like A. flavus, Rhizopus arrhizus, Fusarium spp., Penicillium spp., Curvularia spp., were isolated only in the laboratory environment and were absent in the Community Controls.The total CFU/m3 ranged from 26.11 to 576.64 in mycology section and 26.11 to 419.37 in Bacteriology section while in the indoor community control the range was between 26.11 to 235.89 CFU/m3 which was found to be statistically significantly lesser using T-test when compared to the laboratory environment. A seasonal variation with higher counts during the autumn months (September-October) was observed in both the labs. Seasonal variation in the distribution of fungi was observed especially in the case of Rhizopus.ConclusionHealthcare workers spending a significant time in this environment need to be made aware of the quality of air in laboratories and initiation of appropriate intervention to make the laboratory environment safer to work as in this study it was found that more pathogenic fungi were grown in a laboratory environment which is clearly due to the processing of clinical samples in labs as compared to the community environment.The use of standard aseptic precautions, biosafety cabinets, fumigation of laboratories, and regular housekeeping activities would help to decrease the aerosols generated in the labs.The results from this study will be useful to spread awareness and help in formulating guidelines for the air quality of laboratories. However, aeromycology data from more such studies over a larger number of labs from different demographic areas are needed to enable a better understanding of the role of the formulation of standards for a safer laboratory environment.

Anthropometric and Physiological Profiles of Hungarian Youth Male Soccer Players of Varying Ages and Playing Positions: A Multidimensional Assessment with a Critical Approach.

Background: This study aimed to create preliminary anthropometric and physiological profiles of Hungarian male soccer players belonging to different age categories (14, 15, 16, and 17–18-years) and assigned to different playing positions (forward, defender, midfielder, goalkeeper). Methods: Anthropometric and physiological profiles were created for four age groups: 14- (n = 20), 15- (n = 16), 16- (n = 22) and 17–18-year-olds (n = 23) representing the Hungarian soccer academy. Additionally, the variables were analyzed across the four player positions mentioned above. Results: The mean values of body mass, fat mass and BMI were within normal limits, although in some cases the anthropometric and body composition values were too high, particularly among the 17–18-year-olds. The mean values of HRrest were lowest among the 15-year-olds. The highest mean and maximal values of rVO2max and rVO2/AT [57.6 ± 8.12 (43.8–68.3) and 51.2 ± 7.24 (38.9–60.8) mL/kg/min, respectively] were noted in 14-year-olds. Goalkeepers performed significantly better than the remaining soccer players in terms of the most anthropometric and physiological characteristics, except for the Yo-Yo test (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The values of anthropometric parameters increased with age. As expected, the oldest group achieved the best results in the performance tests. Goalkeepers outperformed the players representing other playing positions in the tests when assessing lower limb strength, sprint performance (5- and 10-m distance), and agility tests. From a practical point of view, the presented anthropometric and physiological profiles of players representing different age groups and playing positions can be useful for soccer coaches, strength and conditioning specialists, and athletic trainers of other soccer clubs in terms of the individualization and optimalization of soccer training.

Kontrol Pengereman Sepeda Listrik Berbasis Internet of Things (IoT) dengan Monitoring GPS

Motor vehicles dominate the occurrence of accidents on the highway although there are several factors that cause it, among others, due to mechanical factors and human factors. This electric bicycle is still being developed with features that can improve driving safety which will later have a function to avoid collisions with objects in front of it. By using an ultrasonic sensor as a distance detector and NodeMCU ESP8266 as a microcontroller and with a GPS sensor that displays a map display in the blynk application, this system is expected to be able to create security for motorists so as to reduce the risk of accidents with vehicles or objects in front and at the same time can monitor vehicle position via smartphone. In this study, which will be implemented on an electric bicycle, braking success is obtained without hitting the object in front of it with an average speed of 10-15 km/hour and a maximum distance of 6m from the object and stopping 1m behind the object with 100% accuracy. Braking works from a distance of 3m to the object in front of it and will stop slowly according to the variables at a speed of 3m stop slowly 95o, 2m stop slowly 45o and 1m will stop slowly until it stops, and get slow braking when this automatic brake works

ANALISIS DAMPAK INTERFERENSI TERHADAP KUALITAS SINYAL JARINGAN LONG RANGE FREKUENSI 920MHZ-923MHZ (AS2)

This study modeled the interference between the Lora system signal in the AS2 frequency band and a non-Lora radio signal. Two Lora devices operate on uplink and downlink at a frequency of 923.2MHz to send and receive data on the bandwidth of 125KHz, 250KHz, and 500KHz. The interference generator device is composed of a single board computer installed by the RPITX application. In addition, there is a GNU-Radio application to monitor data and signal transmission levels. Signal quality tests (RSSI, SNR, and time-on-air(ToA)) were carried out under line-of-sight (LOS) conditions and used reference distances of 1m and 4m. The ToA test shows that the greater the bandwidth, the smaller the ToA value, while the change in distance does not affect the ToA. The RSSI test shows that the change in distance affects the RSSI value more significantly than the change in bandwidth. The presence of an interference signal does not significantly affect the RSSI value. SNR testing shows that the greater the bandwidth, the smaller the SNR and significantly decreases when interference occurs.&#x0D;

Vibration compensation for railway track displacement monitoring system using biomedical image processing concept

Vibration compensation in track displacement monitoring is explored by using rail image feature points. The key point is to compare the image of the rail to be tested with the image of the standard rail. A downstream section of Metro Line A is selected for real time analysis of image. The sampling frequency of the detection system is 0.5m/point, and the driving speed of the detection vehicle is about 40km/h, take the distance of 100m between K23+000-K22+900 of kilometer mark, total 200 points, and analyze the image data by grey scale conversion concept. In order to verify the accuracy of the vibration compensation data, one point is taken at an interval of 5m, and a total of 20 points are measured, and compare and analyze with dynamic real-time detection data. After vibration compensation, the geometric parameters of the contact rail are closer to the expected value, and the maximum error can be controlled within ±3mm. Using biomedical image-based processing concept to realize the track displacement monitoring method, which meets the requirements of non-contact measurement, and the degree of automation is high, it can be monitored and alarmed in real time, and it has a good application prospect.

Smart Home Automation using Augmented Reality and Internet of Things

This paper demonstrates the concept of Augmented Reality and the Internet of Things controlling home appliances through the internet. Nowadays, Home Automation using IoT became an integral part but it can be extended to Augmented Reality. Augmented Reality is used to superimpose interactive content into real-world objects. It helps in placing the 3D objects that help in controlling different IoT devices. The main objective of this paper is to demonstrate and analyse the control of home appliances using augmented reality with the internet of things by a Wi-Fi-based microcontroller. This paper also demonstrates its approach toward multiple devices and proves that augmented reality and IoT are complementary to each other that visual interactive objects can control IoT devices. Performance measures like transmission time, RSSI were taken which plays a major role in terms of Internet of Things. The Transmission time determines the time taken by the Wi-Fi of Esp32 to connect to the blynk server. The Comparative analysis for the Transmission ON time and Transmission OFF time at different ranges is measured. The Transmission ON time is of maximum of 2.36 seconds at a distance of 5m and of 2.65 seconds at a distance of 10m without any hindrance. The Transmission time with a wall hindrance is increases than without the wall hindrance. The Transmission ON time is of 2.9 seconds and the Transmission OFF time is of 2.8 seconds. The Received Signal Strength Indicator indicates the strength of the wifi network is also measured and it indicates the network is good. The Measured value is between -23 dbm to -25 dbm which indicates a better network performance.

Using an unmanned aerial system to analyse environmental impacts of charcoal production on tropical savanna ecosystems in northwestern Kenya

In many regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, charcoal plays an important role as energy source but is widely perceived as a major driver of deforestation and forest degradation. This narrative, however, is mostly based on research within primary production regions. Though space-borne remote sensing applications can be useful in monitoring such large-scale production modes, environmental effects of household-level production are less easy to assess. Therefore, the present study employs an unmanned aerial system (UAS) to assess the impact of small-scale charcoal production on the vegetation density in the immediate vicinity of production sites. The UAS data was complemented by field measurements and very high-resolution WordView-2 satellite imagery. This approach revealed only small differences between charcoal production sites and reference plots which were usually evened out after 20–25-m distance to the plot centre using a concentric ring analysis. Results further show that a distinction between different land-use practices is difficult, even with the high spatial resolution provided by a UAS. Thus, more research and new approaches are needed to evaluate the role of small-scale charcoal production in deforestation and forest degradation processes against the background of other human activities. However, to exploit the full potential of UAS for monitoring environmental effects in charcoal producing areas, official regulations need to be clearer and more reliable.

Increased heavy metal concentrations in the soils near electric power generators in Samarra city (Iraq)

Purpose. To determine the concentration levels of various heavy metals and carbon in the soils of four Samarra City areas that are close to pollution sources (electric power generators). Methodology. A pollution source is sampled at a distance of 5, 10, 15, and 20 meters. The concentrations of iron (Fe), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) metals, as well as carbon, are then determined. Findings. It has been determined that the iron and copper concentrations are within the permissible limits prescribed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. However, the soils contaminated with cadmium and lead in concentration exceed the permissible limits. The metal concentrations increase with distance from the source. The metal concentration is low at a distance of 5 m from the pollution source, then it increases at a greater distance. Moreover, metals are found in soils at a distance of 10 m, then their concentration further increases at a distance up to 20 m. Concentrations of metal and carbon at a distance of 20m are the highest. Originality. This study determines the concentration level of heavy metal contaminants, as well as the impact of electric power generating waste on the metropolis. According to the study, the concentration of these components increases around electric power producers. Practical value. The concentrations of heavy metals in soils increase as the distance from the source of pollution increases.

Best Distance Perception in Virtual Audiovisual Environment.

Auditory distance perception is important to virtual sound production and is affected by many factors. In order to investigate the effect of the visual cue on auditory distance perception and the best auditory distance perception in the existence of virtual sound source, experiments on the effect of visual cue on distance perception and the best auditory distance perception were conducted, respectively. The results of the first experiment showed that there was no obvious difference between the auditory distance perception in the existence and absence of virtual sound source, but visual cue can decrease the fluctuation of the perception. From the best auditory distance perception experiment, the attenuating SPL of the initial sound signal that made the subjects perceive the best auditory distance in the existence of virtual sound source at the distance of 4m, 6m, 8m, 10m, and 12m was measured, respectively, and compared the difference of attenuating SPL between experiment measurement and theoretical calculation.