Mapping Criteria Research Articles

Use of Habitats as Surrogates of Biodiversity for Efficient Coral Reef Conservation Planning in Pacific Ocean Islands

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been highlighted as a means toward effective conservation of coral reefs. New strategies are required to more effectively select MPA locations and increase the pace of their implementation. Many criteria exist to design MPA networks, but generally, it is recommended that networks conserve a diversity of species selected for, among other attributes, their representativeness, rarity, or endemicity. Because knowledge of species' spatial distribution remains scarce, efficient surrogates are urgently needed. We used five different levels of habitat maps and six spatial scales of analysis to identify under which circumstances habitat data used to design MPA networks for Wallis Island provided better representation of species than random choice alone. Protected-area site selections were derived from a rarity-complementarity algorithm. Habitat surrogacy was tested for commercial fish species, all fish species, commercially harvested invertebrates, corals, and algae species. Efficiency of habitat surrogacy varied by species group, type of habitat map, and spatial scale of analysis. Maps with the highest habitat thematic complexity provided better surrogates than simpler maps and were more robust to changes in spatial scales. Surrogates were most efficient for commercial fishes, corals, and algae but not for commercial invertebrates. Conversely, other measurements of species-habitat associations, such as richness congruence and composition similarities provided weak results. We provide, in part, a habitat-mapping methodology for designation of MPAs for Pacific Ocean islands that are characterized by habitat zonations similar to Wallis. Given the increasing availability and affordability of space-borne imagery to map habitats, our approach could appreciably facilitate and improve current approaches to coral reef conservation and enhance MPA implementation.

Maksymilian Rose, neurolog, psychiatra i wybitny znawca cytoarchitektoniki kory mózgu

<dm:abstracts xmlns:dm="http://www.elsevier.com/xml/dm/dtd"><ce:abstract xmlns:ce="http://www.elsevier.com/xml/common/dtd" view="all" class="author" id="aep-abstract-id1"><ce:section-title>Publisher Summary</ce:section-title><ce:abstract-sec view="all" id="aep-abstract-sec-id1"><ce:simple-para id="SP0005" view="all">This chapter discusses the principles of classical architectonic mapping in the context of recent imaging techniques. It presents an observer-independent approach for a quantitative analysis of cortical areas and their borders, which is based on a multivariate statistical analysis of the cytoarchitecture and illustrates the application of this approach for the cytoarchitectonic mapping of the human visual cortex. Important criteria for cytoarchitectonic mapping are the absolute thickness of cortical layers, the proportionate thickness of a layer relative to the other cortical layers and to the total cortical depth, the presence of clearly recognizable laminar borders and vertical columns, the packing density and size of neuronal cell bodies, the homogeneous or clustered distribution of cell bodies throughout the layers, and the presence of special cell types such as Betz cells. Understanding the regional distributions of neurotransmitter receptors is likely to provide a crucial intermediary level of description between function and structure, since different cytoarchitectonic and functional areas have different mean receptor densities as well as distinct laminar distribution patterns. Another way for a better understanding of brain function and the underlying anatomy is to compare architectonic maps obtained in postmortem brains with activation maps obtained in functional imaging studies in a common spatial reference system. Since these two kinds of maps stem from different subsets of brains, such a comparison must be performed on a probabilistic basis.</ce:simple-para></ce:abstract-sec></ce:abstract></dm:abstracts>

Neimark‐Sacker Bifurcation in a Discrete‐Time Financial System

A discrete‐time financial system is proposed by using forward Euler scheme. Based on explicit Neimark‐Sacker bifurcation (also called Hopf bifurcation for map) criterion, normal form method and center manifold theory, the system′s existence, stability and direction of Neimark‐Sacker bifurcation are studied. Numerical simulations are employed to validate the main results of this work. Some comparison of bifurcation between the discrete‐time financial system and its continuous‐time system is given.

FPGA implementation of log-polar mapping

Log-polar or spatially variant image representation is an important component of active vision system in tracking process for many robotic applications due to its data compression ability, faster sampling rates and hence, direct to faster image-processing speed in machine vision system. In this paper, we try to implement log-polar mapping techniques on Xilinx FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) board for unwarping the omnidirectional images into panoramic images to present a wide angle of view by preserving fine output image quality in a higher data compression manner. Simulations are also run on MATLAB to find out the optimum mapping criterion. Some significant advantages of this new approach are: lighter processing system, lesser space utilisation, cost saving, faster processing speed and faster reset time (boot time) compared to a laptop computer that uses MATLAB for doing the unwarping process.

Developmental phases in a temperate natural spruce-fir-beech forest: determination by a supervised classification method

A sequentially shifting fine-scale mosaic of forest patches in different phases of development is widely accepted as being a basic description of the natural dynamics of temperate deciduous and mixed forests. The determination of these patches and phases has often been performed using subjective field observations and simplistic or loosely defined mapping criteria, with resulting maps being observer-dependent. The goal of this study is to develop a more objective, more complex and spatially explicit method for the determination and mapping of forest developmental stages and phases. We propose a new approach, based on local diameter distributions, presuming that their shape indicates the phase and trend of stand development. As input data, we used a stem position map of more than 18,500 trees in the Zofin natural forest (Czech Republic). Using focal filtering, we created local distributions of both live and dead tree counts and tree basal areas, across diameter classes, separately for every particular site in the stand and its circular surroundings (diameter of the moving filter was 21 m; mapping step 1 m). These distributions were then recognized by an artificial neural network and classified into pre-defined categories. Preliminary results indicate a classification accuracy of about 80% in distinguishing four developmental stages and above 68% in distinguishing eight developmental phases. The merits of this new method are in the fine scale and repeatability of mapping. It can be an objective unifying concept for the inter-comparison of stand dynamics from comparable site conditions.

Systems Thinking for Studying International Professional Program Participants’ Thoughts

Studying the experiences of participants in international professional programs requires conceptual frameworks that take into account the complex systemic nature of the intercultural journeys. This article explores the thoughts of a prospective teacher related to a field experience abroad. The purpose is to understand the narratives of experience and demonstrate how systems thinking facilitated a deep study of this case. The focal case is that of a prospective teacher from the US who participates in a professional program in Ecuador for 2 months. Systems mapping, critical and soft systems criteria, and correspondence analysis help explore the contexts of the international professional program and the thoughts of the participant. Results show that the participant developed an awareness of cultural systems which is also reflected in her culturally sensitive practices after her completion of the program. Both worldviews and social interactions abroad had a significant place in the participant’s narratives of experience.

New criteria for systematic mapping and reliability assessment of monogenetic volcanic vent alignments and elongate volcanic vents for crustal stress analyses

Linear arrays of monogenetic volcanic vent alignments represent an important source of stress/strain data from volcanic regions of the Earth and other planets. Currently, however, there is no standard methodology for mapping vent alignments or for assessing alignment reliability, which are essential to defining a robust stress datum from vent alignments. Here we define a systematic method for defining monogenetic vent alignments by mapping the locations and shapes of vents. Elongation of vents into elliptical shapes is directly related to the trend of subsurface fissures that control alignments. Elongated vents therefore are critical for defining reliable regional vent alignments, and also provide an independent means for assessing stress directions. Our reliability assessment system (A > B > C > D) for vent alignments is based on the number of vents, the standard deviation of vent center points from a best-fit line, the numbers and types of elongate vents, the standard deviation of long axes of elliptical vents from a best-fit line, and, in cases where alignments lack elongate vents, by vent spacing distances. We quantified morphometric parameters of well-defined fissure-fed vent alignments from polygenetic volcanoes and platform volcanic fields to establish appropriate threshold values for reliability assessments. In this new method, the combined analysis of vent locations and shapes optimizes the process of alignment mapping and the assessment of the reliability of alignments to be incorporated in stress analyses. We provide quality-ranking schemes for stress data derived from reliability-assessed vent alignments and from elongate vents. We demonstrate the utility of this new mapping and assessment methodology by analyzing monogenetic cinder cone fields within a platform volcanic field (the San Francisco volcanic field in Arizona) and within a volcanic field on the flank of a polygenetic volcano (Mount Morning in Antarctica).

Speech Enhancement Based on Minima Controlled Recursive Averaging Incorporating Second-Order Conditional MAP Criterion

<para xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> In this letter, we propose a novel method to improve the minima controlled recursive averaging (MCRA) based on the second-order conditional maximum <emphasis emphasistype="italic">a posteriori</emphasis> (CMAP). From an investigation of the previous MCRA scheme, it is discovered that the MCRA method cannot take full consideration of the inter-frame correlation of voice activity since the noise power estimate is adjusted by the speech presence probability depending on a current observation. To avoid this phenomenon, we propose the MCRA approach incorporating the second-order CMAP criterion in which the noise power estimate is obtained using the speech presence probability conditioned on both the current observation and the speech activity decision in the previous two frames. Experimental results show that the proposed MCRA technique based on second-order CMAP yields better results compared to the previous MCRA method in speech enhancement. </para>

Representation of Uncertainty and Integration of PGIS‐based Grazing Intensity Maps Using Evidential Belief Functions

AbstractIn a project to classify livestock grazing intensity using participatory geographic information systems (PGIS), we encountered the problem of how to synthesize PGIS‐based maps of livestock grazing intensity that were prepared separately by local experts. We investigated the utility of evidential belief functions (EBFs) and Dempster's rule of combination to represent classification uncertainty and integrate the PGIS‐based grazing intensity maps. These maps were used as individual sets of evidence in the application of EBFs to evaluate the proposition that “This area or pixel belongs to the high, medium, or low grazing intensity class because the local expert(s) says (say) so”. The class‐area‐weighted averages of EBFs based on each of the PGIS‐based maps show that the lowest degree of classification uncertainty is associated with maps in which “vegetation species” was used as the mapping criterion. This criterion, together with local landscape attributes of livestock use may be considered as an appropriate standard measure for grazing intensity. The maps of integrated EBFs of grazing intensity show that classification uncertainty is high when the local experts apply at least two mapping criteria together. This study demonstrates the usefulness of EBFs to represent classification uncertainty and the possibility to use the EBF values in identifying and using criteria for PGIS‐based mapping of livestock grazing intensity.

Note on equivariant harmonic maps in complex projective spaces

We give a simple criterion for equivariant harmonic maps into complex projective spaces CP n . As an application of the criterion, we give examples of equivariant harmonic cylinders. We also give examples of non-equivariant harmonic cylinders as perturbations of equivariant harmonic cylinders.

Through-process numerical simulations of the structural behaviour of Al–Si die-castings

A through-process methodology for numerical predictions of the structural performance of thin-walled aluminium castings is presented. The methodology has been validated against experimental investigations of generic AlSi9MgMn components produced by high-pressure die-casting (HPDC). An experimental database consisting of both material tests and component tests has been established in a previous work [C. Dørum, H.I. Laukli, O.S. Hopperstad, M. Langseth, European Journal of Mechanics – A/Solids, in press, Available online: 18 April 2008]. Identification of critical defects has allowed for implicit reproduction of the defects by numerical casting process simulations of mould filling and solidification. Air/gas contact times have per se been considered numerically representative of the defects and have been semi-quantitatively transferred onto a finite element model for simulation of the structural behaviour of the cast components. Fracture of the cast aluminium alloy has been modelled using stochastic ductile fracture parameters; allowing for numerical prediction of the scatter in mechanical properties that are present in the cast material. The simulations using the proposed through-process methodology capture the scatter in mechanical properties found in HPDC material. The air/gas contact time criterion in the casting simulations appears to be a relevant measure to associate with the dominating flow-related defects found in die-castings. The controlling defects in the castings have been identified in previous studies as surface depressions, confluence welds and oxide bifilms. It is proposed that these defects are strongly correlated to the air/gas contact time criterion. The approach of using refined casting simulations and adopting the air/gas contact time criterion for defect mapping onto a FE mesh allows for numerical reproduction of the position-dependent scatter in mechanical properties found in HPDC components. The influence of the stochastic variations in local mechanical properties on the structural performance of cast components can be predicted by using stochastic fracture parameters.

Dairy cream response in instrumental texture evaluation processed by multivariate analysis

The purpose of the present work is to highlight potentiality of chemometric interpretation of consolidated instrumental food texture evaluations. In this study, back-extrusion tests were carried out on industrial-made whipped dairy creams. Mechanical profiles were obtained from 0 up to 49 storage days and were analyzed by considering the signal as a whole using basic chemometrics tools. In order to obtain the maximum content of information related to the mechanical properties of the dairy cream samples, the texture information carried on by mechanical profiles were quantified in terms of Principal Component Analysis. A threshold in whipped creams shelf-life was identified in terms of overall textural attributes and was equal to around 28 and 35 storage days, where a relevant variation of the mechanical properties was observed. Multivariate classification furnished objective and quantitative criteria for the shelf life mapping of the product, based on mechanical signals. Multivariate statistical analysis proved to be able to handle large datasets produced by a consolidated analytical technique and consequently appeared as a promising tool for studying the entire mechanical profiles.

New invariants of CR manifolds and a criterion for finite mappings to be diffeomorphic

We introduce a new sequence of invariants for a generic (CR) submanifold of complex space. We provide a sufficient condition, in terms of these invariants, which guarantees that all finite CR mappings are locally diffeomorphic.

A NOVEL APPROACH OF REQUIREMENT GATHERING AND ANALYSIS FOR AGENT ORIENTED SOFTWARE ENGINEERING (AOSE)

In this paper, an agent-based open and adaptive system development process has been proposed which continuously change and evolve to meet new requirements. The proposed methodology is based on a model-based technique that provides a specific model for the type of information to be gathered and uses this model to drive the domain specific analysis process. The focus is on a clear separtion between the requirement gathering and analysis phases. The analysis methodology further splits the analysis phase into the user_centric analysis and the system_centric analysis phases. Optimization of the system performance has also been proposed by exploiting the relationships and dependencies among roles and mapping criteria between roles to agents. The Gaia and ROADMAP models have been used as a basis to the proposed agent-based modeling method.

Mapping Coral Reef Habitats in Southeast Florida Using a Combined Technique Approach

To create maps of nearshore benthic habitats of Broward County, Florida, from 0 to 35 m depth, we combined laser bathymetry, acoustic ground discrimination, subbottom profiling, and aerial photography data in a geographic information system (GIS). A mosaic of interpolated, sun-shaded, laser bathymetry data served as the foundation upon which acoustic ground discrimination, limited subbottom profiling and aerial photography, and groundtruthing data aided in interpretation of habitats. Mapping criteria similar to NOAA biogeographic Caribbean mapping were used to allow for a comparable output. Expert-driven visual interpretation outlined geomorphological features at a scale of 1 : 6000 with a minimum mapping unit of 1 acre. Acoustic data were then used to differentiate areas of similar geomorphology by their acoustic diversity into areas of high and low scatter, which could be equated to rugosity created by either the substratum or benthic fauna. Of the approximately 112 km2 mapped, 56.62 km2 were coral reef and colonized hard bottom (50.42%), 54.78 km2 were unconsolidated sediments (46.80%), and 0.43 km2 were other categories (2.78%). Three linear reef complexes exist. The outermost linear reef has a mature windward reef morphology including a drowned spur and groove system, which was absent on the other two reef lines. The acoustic ground discrimination and groundtruthing showed different benthic habitats on the outer vs. middle and inner reefs. Higher acoustic scatter could be related to taller benthos and more rugose substratum. A considerable amount of colonized pavement (nearshore hard grounds) was found inshore. The map of Broward County yielded a high overall accuracy of 89.6%, only slightly less than the photo-interpreted NOAA Caribbean maps (overall accuracy of 91.1%). User and producer accuracies within each category were also similar. The combined technique approach was effective and accurate, and similar methodology can be used in other areas where photo interpretation is not feasible because of turbidity or depth limitations.

TU‐EE‐A1‐02: Validation of Treatment Planning and Delivery in Conventional Linear Accelerator Without Flattening Filter

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare planning and delivery accuracy of IMRT on a conventional linac with and without the flattening filter. Method and Materials: The 6 MV x‐ray beam of a Siemens Oncor linac was modified by removing the flattening filter, enabling dose rates of 1000 MU/min, and modeled within a commercial treatment planning system. IMRT treatment plans created with the flattening filter (F) were reoptimized with equivalent segments and computed for the beam model without the filter (NF) on 10 clinical head‐and‐neck cases. All plans (F and NF) were compared for equivalence and delivered to phantoms; treatment time and dose agreement with planning system were determined. Results: Dose distributions are similar between the two beam lines, and clinically reasonable plans were created despite the absence of the flattening filter. PTV hot spots were &lt;0.5% hotter and cold spots were &lt;0.5% colder for the (NF) plan. Similarly, all other ROIs investigated were within 1% for hot spots and cold spots. On average NF plans required 15% more MU, but delivered treatments were shorter (9 min vs 11 min). Dosimetric differences between computed and ion chamber measurements were similar (−1.7%+/−1.3% − F) and (1.7%+/−1.9% − NF). The number of pixels meeting gamma map criteria of 3%/3mm, 5%/5mm, and 7%/7mm were statistically equivalent (p = 0.6): [88.5%, 96.8%, and 97.8% (NF)], [87.8%, 96.6%, and 97.9% (F)]. Conclusion: The planning system was able to generate equivalent plans, and measured dose distributions in ion chamber and film show no difference between beam models with or without the flattening filter. At the higher dose rate, overall treatment times were reduced and could be applied to gating and hypofractionation. Conflict of Interest: Research supported by industrial grant from Siemens Medical Solutions.

Study of the improved algorithm for correlation integral method and its application to surge precursor identification

Correlation integral method (CIM) is a perfect method for the detection of stall and surge. However, CIM is very time-consuming due to its computational complexity. This paper aims to resolve the disadvantage. First, the segmented computation of correlation integral (CI) is deduced; second, the mapping criterion is given; finally the improved correlation integral method (ICIM) is proposed. The criterion can search the repeated subset of points and pair of subsets efficiently, which aids the ICIM in eliminating all redundancy caused by the overlapping of consecutive time windows. By applying ICIM to the detection of surge precursor in centrifugal compressors, it is illustrated that CI has a sharp decline more than 1.5 s prior to the fully developed surge. Also the processing time of ICIM is much shorter than that of CIM. The explicit detection of surge precursor, its rapid recognition, and the resulting longer time available for the feedback preventing the surge are the principal advantages of this approach. These studies are significant for CIM and will boost its application in numerous fields, especially in the detection of stall and surge.

Une adaptation française du STAXI-2, inventaire de colère-trait et de colère-état de C.D. Spielberger

The assessment of anger has received increasing attention because of growing evidence that anger and hostility are related to heart disease. Research on anger assessment has also been stimulated by the development of psychometric measures for evaluating different aspects of anger. First, we review the major self-report scales used to assess anger and hostility. The scales appeared to have been constructed without explicit definition of anger and there is little differentiation between the experience and expression of anger. The factor-derived STAXI-2 is a 57-item measure of the expression of anger, and is comprised of the state-trait anger scale [Spielberger CD, Jacobs G, Russell JS, Crane RS. Assessment of anger: the state-trait anger scale. In: Butcher JN, Spielberger CD, editors. Advances in personality assessment, 2. Hillside, NJ: Erlbaum; 1983] and the anger expression scale (AX; Spielberger et al., 1985). The state anger scale (SAS) includes three subscales: feeling angry, feeling like expressing anger verbally, and feeling like expressing anger physically. The trait anger scale (TAS) consists of two subscales: angry temperament and angry reaction. The AX deals with the direction of both anger expression and anger control, resulting in four revised AX subscales: anger expression/out (verbal and physical, aggressive behavior directed toward other persons or objects), and anger expression/in (anger suppression), anger control/out (attempts to monitor and prevent the outward expression of anger) and anger control/in (active attempts to calm down and reduce angry feelings). The aim of this work was to examine the factor structure and the psychometric properties of the French adaptation of STAXI-2. A sample of 1085 French subjects, 546 female and 539 male, between 18 and 70 years old participated in the study. The 57 items of the three original subscales (SAS, TAS, and AX scale) were analyzed separately by sex and by subscale, using exploratory factor analyses (principal axis analysis, followed by promax rotations). For the first part of the questionnaire (SAS), factor analysis suggested the presence of three factors with eigenvalues >1.0; but the factor structure obtained for males and females differed and was difficult to interpret. Moreover, the explained variance of Factors 2 and 3 was low. Velicer's MAP criteria and screen test established that one solution factor was more relevant. Confirmatory factor analysis suggested that the three factor solution was acceptable, but the unifactorial solution adjusted better to the data. For the second part of the questionnaire (TAS) factor analysis was conducted following the same procedure, and two factors were extracted. The explained variance of Factor 2 was very low. Velicer's MAP criteria and screen test suggested that the solution factor was more relevant. Moreover, the adjustment parameters of the original two-factor structure were not satisfactory. Finally, the analyses of the 32 items of anger expression and control yielded four factors with eigenvalues >1.0. All items loaded higher than 0.38 on the corresponding factor and lower than 0.30 in other factor. The factor structure of the AX scale was fairly robust, both for males and females. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the subscales were acceptable except for the SAS. The correlations of the six subscales with four criterion variables (Buss Durkee hostility inventory, Cook and Medley Ho scale, NEO PI-R Ho scale and Courtauld emotions control scale) were in the expected direction, establishing their convergent validity. In summary, the analysis reported in this study checked the factor structure of the STAXI-2 translated into French. The state anger dimension was also essentially confirmed, but no distinction was found between the three components: feeling angry, feeling like expressing anger verbally, and feeling like expressing anger physically. Moreover, the distinction between angry temperament and angry reaction was not confirmed because of gender differences, but we established a robust and valid trait anger factor. Finally, we confirmed the factor structure of the original anger expression scale without gender differences. Some practical and theoretical perspectives for the use of the French adaptation of the STAXI-2 are suggested.

Characterisation of Direction-dependent Conduction Abnormalities Predisposing to Atrial Arrhythmias

Methods:Mappingwasperformed in eight sheeps, 60± 54 weeks post-MI. Twenty multielectrode needles were deployed at thoracotomy in the left ventricle within and surrounding scar. Needles were located using EnsiteTM. Endocardial contact (needle) and noncontact unipolar electrograms were recorded simultaneously during SR and multisite pacing. DSM maps were calculated as a ratiometric consensus of peak negative voltage (PNV). ADSM maps were calculated using a root mean square consensus of peak–peak voltage (P2PV). Scar was quantified histologically and correlated with mapping criteria using receiver operator curves with 50% scar density cutoff. Results: All modalities could identify scar (symbols †p 2mA=29± 8%, AUC=0.93†) and conduction delay (ADSM%, ≤30ms= 63± 19%, >30ms= 45± 23%, AUC=0.72‡) were associated with decreased ADSM%. ADSM sensitivity was improved with limited distance from the array (r< 40mm, AUC=0.74†). Conclusions: ADSM is more reliable in detecting scar p< 0.001); delayed activation in the high-posterior (78± 14ms vs. 46± 15ms, p< 0.05), high-septal (81± 27ms vs. 46± 7ms, p< 0.05) and low-septal RA (87± 41ms vs. 42± 13ms, p< 0.05); greater proportion of DP/FS (48% vs. 7%, p< 0.001) and lower regional voltage (1.4± 0.3mV vs. 2.1± 0.5mV, p< 0.005) compared to SR. Anatomical regions of FS correlated with regions of low voltage (r=−0.63, p= 0.01). Septal-paced and SR-maps showed lines of block at: the crista terminalis (10 vs. 11), septum (8 vs. 2, p= 0.02), lateral RA (4 vs. 1), eustachian ridge (2 vs. 0) and appendage (1 vs. 0). Septal-paced maps identified significantly more lines (25 vs. 14, p= 0.03) of greater length (60± 27mm vs. 43± 12mm, p< 0.05). Additionally, the crista terminalis identified in septal-paced maps was significantly longer (80± 24mm vs. 42± 10mm, p< 0.001). Conclusions: Direction-dependent analysis revealed significant changes in regional conduction velocities, voltage and fractionation. These heterogeneous changes suggest ectopy from septal sites may be more likely to initiate arrhythmiabyconductingaroundareasof functionalblock to promote re-entry. doi:10.1016/j.hlc.2008.05.283

A note on convexity and semicontinuity of fuzzy mappings

By using parameterized representation of fuzzy numbers, criteria for a lower semicontinuous fuzzy mapping defined on a non-empty convex subset of R n to be a convex fuzzy mapping are obtained.