Ranking Of Sites Research Articles

Assessment of an “Energy Tower” potential in Australia using a mathematical model and GIS

“Energy Tower” is a technology for producing renewable and clean electricity by means of cooling hot and dry air, which is continuously supplied to arid lands. We assess the potential of an Energy Tower by incorporating topographic and meteorological parameters into a computational model, providing evaluations for the net power production and the electricity production cost. We formulate a highly simplified model for the Energy Tower’s flow, setup and process a spatial dataset of topographic and Meteorological upper air parameters. The model was applied to the Australian continent. A model simulation of one annual cycle enabled the ranking and selection of promising sites. The highest potential for energy towers is in the Port Hedland region, where favorable meteorological and topographic conditions would result in high average net power (≈370 ± 160 MW), potentially providing the electricity needs of ∼0.5 million people, for an economically competitive costs (3.5 ¢kWh).

Web content accessibility of consumer health information web sites for people with disabilities: a cross sectional evaluation.

BackgroundThe World Wide Web (WWW) has become an increasingly essential resource for health information consumers. The ability to obtain accurate medical information online quickly, conveniently and privately provides health consumers with the opportunity to make informed decisions and participate actively in their personal care. Little is known, however, about whether the content of this online health information is equally accessible to people with disabilities who must rely on special devices or technologies to process online information due to their visual, hearing, mobility, or cognitive limitations.ObjectiveTo construct a framework for an automated Web accessibility evaluation; to evaluate the state of accessibility of consumer health information Web sites; and to investigate the possible relationships between accessibility and other features of the Web sites, including function, popularity and importance.MethodsWe carried out a cross-sectional study of the state of accessibility of health information Web sites to people with disabilities. We selected 108 consumer health information Web sites from the directory service of a Web search engine. A measurement framework was constructed to automatically measure the level of Web Accessibility Barriers (WAB) of Web sites following Web accessibility specifications. We investigated whether there was a difference between WAB scores across various functional categories of the Web sites, and also evaluated the correlation between the WAB and Alexa traffic rank and Google Page Rank of the Web sites.ResultsWe found that none of the Web sites we looked at are completely accessible to people with disabilities, i.e., there were no sites that had no violation of Web accessibility rules. However, governmental and educational health information Web sites do exhibit better Web accessibility than the other categories of Web sites (P < 0.001). We also found that the correlation between the WAB score and the popularity of a Web site is statistically significant (r = 0.28, P < 0.05), although there is no correlation between the WAB score and the importance of the Web sites (r = 0.15, P = 0.111).ConclusionsEvaluation of health information Web sites shows that no Web site scrupulously abides by Web accessibility specifications, even for entities mandated under relevant laws and regulations. Government and education Web sites show better performance than Web sites among other categories. Accessibility of a Web site may have a positive impact on its popularity in general. However, the Web accessibility of a Web site may not have a significant relationship with its importance on the Web.

Criteria to assess and select sites for long-term avian monitoring in an urbanizing landscape.

A methodology was developed to prioritize the suitability of sites for long-term monitoring of avian populations, including vulnerable species, both to enhance assessment of changes in ecological resources and to facilitate land-use planning at the regional scale. This paper argues that a successful monitoring program begins with a site prioritization procedure that integrates scores based on spatial controls with ecological and socio-economic indicators, particularly those dependent on community involvement. The evaluation strategy in this study combines 1) spatial controls such as land ownership and accessibility, with 2) biological and habitat indicators such as vulnerable species and habitat connectivity, and 3) community and agency variables such as volunteer commitment and agency priorities. In total, a set of ten indicators was identified. This strategy was applied to predominantly agricultural landscapes, which are experiencing increasing human pressures, in three sub-watersheds of the Credit River, Southern Ontario. Specifically, bird populations were recorded during the breeding seasons of 2000-2002 in nine land units or habitat types including marsh, deciduous forest, and grasslands as mapped by Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) following Ecological Land Classification (ELC) guidelines. CVC selected sites for long-term monitoring in 2002 and the relationships between the scored (or ranked) sites and the selected long-term monitoring sites are discussed.

Indicator taxa of spider ( Araneae) diversity and their efficiency in conservation

A considerable number of alternative approaches have been suggested during the last years to predict species richness of a given taxon, while retaining information on the identities of the observed individuals. Such information can be extremely useful for choosing conservation priority areas, either by using raw richness values or, preferentially, by considering the complementarity between potential sites. Among the most popular approaches is the use of indicator taxa. Both one single family and a group of several families are here tested in their ability to predict the number of spider ( Araneae) species independently of sampling effort, geographical location and type of habitat. We use data from three Portuguese protected areas as a test case. A two-family indicator group – Gnaphosidae and Theridiidae – is found to be a good surrogate of species richness, even if caution is needed regarding the comparison of sites with considerably different sampling effort or vegetation cover. No single family can be seen as a good surrogate of the totality of spiders. In addition, only a group of the two mentioned families is found to be efficient and reliable either when used to rank sites according to taxa richness or for determining near-minimum sets of sites for conservation. We therefore recommend surrogacy with this indicator group as a promising approach for the prediction of spider species richness or evaluation and ranking of areas according to their conservation importance. The reached conclusions should uphold for Portugal and the entire Mediterranean region.

Fish-habitat associations across multiple spatial scales

Important to the study of reef fish ecology is understanding the degree to which fish community structure varies across space, what factors can account for such variation, and whether these factors are scale dependent. This study examined the structure of reef fish communities across four spatial scales (1, 10 100, and 200 m2) visually censused from seven sites within Tague Bay, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Relative differences in the number of individuals and species among sites indicated a pattern that was consistent across spatial scales. Spearman’s rank correlation revealed significant positive correlation in site rankings, in terms of species richness, between 1 and 10 m2, and 100 and 200 m2; and for the abundance of individuals between 100 and 200 m2. In order to understand the degree to which quantified habitat variables account for patterns in the abundance of individuals and species, and whether these fish-habitat relationships were consistent regardless of spatial scale, separate canonical correlation analyses were conducted at each scale. Independent of scale, the total number of individuals and species were correlated with specific habitat variables, either negatively (with areas of pavement, sand, no algae, and low structural complexity) or positively (with areas of Amphiroa rigida, Halimeda incrassata, high structural complexity, and diverse algae/seagrass communities). These habitat variables explained 31–81% (at scales of 1–200 m2) of the variation in the number of individuals and species. Similar analyses were also performed on the abundances of the nine most common species, and whether their specific habitat associations were independent of scale. Results indicated that habitat variables explained 19–73% (at scales of 1–200 m2) of the variation in abundances of each species. Unique fish-habitat relationships were observed for each species, and most such relationships were consistent across spatial scales. The structure of reef fish communities of Tague Bay was explained in large part by the composition of coral and algae communities present. Both the spatial variation in community structure and the fish-habitat relationships, at the community and population level, appeared to be largely independent of the spatial scale examined. This suggests that generalizations across Tague Bay are possible. Similar habitat associations reported in the literature are discussed with regard to the possibility for generalizations across regions.

A Low-Cost, Post Hoc Method to Rate Overall Site Quality in a Multi-Site Demonstration

Demonstration programs and social experiments are often subject to sophisticated, controlled evaluations. An important factor that is not subject to control, and sometimes even goes unobserved, is overall program site quality. Site quality can be observed in process evaluations, but these tend to be expensive. This paper describes an alternative approach to site quality measurement. With observations elicited from national program staff of a large demonstration project, we developed an approach that uses Concept Mapping to identify dimensions for rating program site quality and compared our results with ratings based on site visits developed during program implementation. The site quality ratings and rankings resulting from our approach are plausible, have desirable psychometric properties, and are developed at much lower cost than is possible for even relatively modest process analyses.

Surface soil changes in base cation concentrations in fertilised hardwood and softwood plantations in Australia

Soils at seven nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertiliser experiments in Australia were sampled to determine the changes in exchangeable and soil solution cation concentrations resulting from fertiliser application. Nitrogen fertiliser was applied as ammonium sulphate and/or urea at cumulative rates in the range 0–1600 kg N ha −1 and the P fertiliser as single or triple superphosphate at cumulative rates in the range 0–600 kg P ha −1. High cumulative rates of fertiliser application (greater than 600 kg N ha −1 and 250 kg P ha −1) resulted in acidification of the topsoil at five sites, but had no effect on soil pH at the other two sites. Acidification of deeper soil layers was also observed at the one site where sub-soils were sampled. Exchangeable cations were generally lower in the fertilised treatments than the non-fertilised treatments whereas, there was evidence of a short-term increase in base cation concentrations in solution. Exchangeable and soil solution cation concentrations provided contrasting interpretations of site rankings and the effects of N fertilisation. The fate of cations depleted from surface soils probably included increased uptake by fertilised trees, as increased growth rates have been reported for a number of the experimental sites, and there was some evidence of increased base cation leaching in the fertilised treatments.

How Best to Rank Sites with Promise

The starting point for a program of local safety improvements is the preparation of a list of sites with promise at which to conduct a detailed engineering study, by which cost-effective projects can be identified. Inclusion on the list depends on the criteria used for ranking sites. Five alternative ranking criteria were compared by the cost-effectiveness of the projects to which they lead. It was found that sites at which most accidents or most severity-weighed accidents are expected lead to most cost-effective projects.

A Low-Cost, Post Hoc Method to Rate Overall Site Quality in a Multi-Site Demonstration

Demonstration programs and social experiments are often subject to sophisticated, controlled evaluations. An important factor that is not subject to control, and sometimes even goes unobserved, is overall program site quality. Site quality can be observed in process evaluations, but these tend to be expensive. This paper describes an alternative approach to site quality measurement. With observations elicited from national program staff of a large demonstration project, we developed an approach that uses Concept Mapping to identify dimensions for rating program site quality and compared our results with ratings based on site visits developed during program implementation. The site quality ratings and rankings resulting from our approach are plausible, have desirable psychometric properties, and are developed at much lower cost than is possible for even relatively modest process analyses.

Effects of Understory Foliage on Patterns of Light Attenuation near the Forest Floor1

Understory light availability is an important component of the environment for canopy tree seedlings. Understanding what generates variation in understory light availability represents one step in understanding processes regulating seedling banks, the beginning capital of regeneration in tropical forests. Near the forest floor, variation in light availability may be strongly influenced by the structure and composition of the understory. I examined abundance of understory foliage and patterns of light attenuation in five Neotropical forests (La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica = LS; Barro Colorado Nature Monument, Panama = BCI; Cocha Cashu Biological Station, Manu National Park, Peru = CC; Kilometer 41, Manaus, Brazil = KM41; and Nouragues, French Guiana = NG). I used hemispherical canopy photos to estimate light availability at two heights (0.65 and 1.7 m) above the forest floor and counted foliage between these heights. Light availability differed significantly among sites, and site rankings depended on measurement height. At 0.65 m, NG had significantly lower mean light availability than CC, with KM41, LS, and BCI equivalent and intermediate. At 1.7 m, light availability was still lowest at NG, and highest at CC, but LS had levels similar to CC while KM41 and BCI remained intermediate. Across sites, light attenuation was positively related to foliage density. LS had the most understory foliage and the highest light attenuation between 0.65 and 1.7 m. KM41, NG and CC had intermediate amounts of foliage and intermediate light attenuation. BCI had the lowest density of understory foliage and no difference between light at the two measurement heights. My results show significant effects of understory foliage on understory light and indicate that the selective environment of canopy tree seedlings differs among sites.

Variability in breeding parameters of the Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides

Capsule Breeding parameters and body condition of chicks varied with colony sites. Aims To investigate variations of breeding parameters and chick body condition. Methods In 2000, marked nests (n = 86) were surveyed weekly at four colonies and each nestling was measured and weighed. Nest survival probabilities during the egg and nestling periods were estimated, and the number of fledglings per breeding attempt were estimated and compared between colonies. Results The mean clutch size of all colonies combined was four eggs but varied significantly (Kruskall–Wallis = 10.4, P = 0.01) between colonies. Daily nest survival probabilities during the egg and nestling periods were constant across colonies and were 0.983 (± 0.005 se) and 0.999 (± 0.009 se), respectively. Nest survival during the entire breeding period was 0.7. The number of fledglings per breeding attempt was 1.8 (± 0.02 se) and varied between colonies. The body condition of chicks varied with colony site and size rank of chicks in the brood hierarchy, i.e. the first hatched having a better condition. Conclusions The differences between colonies were mostly in laying date, clutch size, number of fledglings per breeding attempt and chick condition. We conclude that breeding parameters need to be monitored over several breeding colonies in order to obtain reliable estimates.

Measuring user perceptions of Web site reputation

In this study, we compare a search tool, TOPIC, with three other widely used tools that retrieve information from the Web: AltaVista, Google, and Lycos. These tools use different techniques for outputting and ranking Web sites: external link structure (TOPIC and Google) and semantic content analysis (AltaVista and Lycos). TOPIC purports to output, and highly rank within its hit list, reputable Web sites for searched topics. In this study, 80 participants reviewed the output (i.e., highly ranked sites) from each tool and assessed the quality of retrieved sites. The 4800 individual assessments of 240 sites that represent 12 topics indicated that Google tends to identify and highly rank significantly more reputable Web sites than TOPIC, which, in turn, outputs more than AltaVista and Lycos, but this was not consistent from topic to topic. Metrics derived from reputation research were used in the assessment and a factor analysis was employed to identify a key factor, which we call ‘repute’. The results of this research include insight into the factors that Web users consider in formulating perceptions of Web site reputation, and insight into which search tools are outputting reputable sites for Web users. Our findings, we believe, have implications for Web users and suggest the need for future research to assess the relationship between Web page characteristics and their perceived reputation.

Googled: the quest for visibility on the Internet

ABSTRACTSmall publishing‐related firms have a problem getting their services and products known to the scholarly and STM market. Getting listed on search engine results pages is difficult due to the way the most popular search engines rank sites. Galayaa has tried out Google's AdWords as a way to get noticed. Does it work? An impression of early results of the campaign is given.

Classification and evaluation of spider (Araneae) assemblages on environmentally sensitive areas in Northern Ireland

Spiders have been collected as part of a biodiversity monitoring programme on environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs) in Northern Ireland initiated in 1993. Work to date on spiders in Ireland has consisted mainly of the cataloguing of County records. This paper furthers this work by classifying spider assemblages according to the habitat on which they were trapped. A total of 64 205 individuals of 184 species have been trapped using pitfalls representing almost half of the known Irish species. Distinct spider assemblages were recognisable on heather moorland, in woodland and on species-rich and species-poor grasslands. Geographical differences in assemblage composition were discernible. The number of records for each species was used to construct a provisional set of species quality scores to rank sites accordingly. Heather moorland harboured the highest mean number of species per site whilst ash woodland in County Fermanagh had the highest species quality score per site based on the number and rarity of spiders. Species-poor grassland had the lowest numbers of spider species with the lowest species quality scores due to their relative abundances. The scoring system used in conjunction with traditional phytosociological studies adds an important dimension to the evaluation of biodiversity on a monitoring site. Scores are a valuable tool for the future evaluation of monitored sites. Our results highlight the importance of heather moorland and woodland as plant communities and as unique habitats for specialist spider species.

A descriptive analysis of internet information regarding music therapy.

The purpose of the two studies reported here was to investigate and describe information available about music therapy that is likely to be found on the Internet. The top 20 Internet search engines were surveyed using the term "Music Therapy." Information concerning the first 25 sites listed per engine was collected. The following categories of information were described: the frequency of mention across the search engine sites, the type of site, whether the site gave a definition of music therapy, the orientation of that definition, the number of links, orientation of links, and the number of hits shown on the main page. A rank order was then compiled of the 267 sites listed across all searches. Results showed that American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) web page was the most frequent and highest ranked site across the 20 search engine sites. Sites from educational institutions were frequent, as were commercial sites. Most of the highest ranked sites gave traditional definitions (as defined by AMTA) for music therapy and associated links were conventional as well. These procedures were replicated one year later, although the question "What is Music Therapy?" was used as the search term. Results from this second search revealed only 145 sites. Of those, American Music Therapy Association web page was again the most frequent and highest ranked site across the search engines. Sites from educational institutions were frequent, as were commercial sites, however, only half of the highest ranked sites gave traditional definitions for music therapy.

Site selection under differential predation risks by drifting prey in streams

We derived a model to predict site selection by drifting prey in streams. This model considers the conflicting demands between feeding and avoiding both benthic and drift predators. Our analysis suggests a ranking of site qualities based on the ratio of food acquisition rate to benthic predation risk (termed site value). Drifting organisms should accept a given site type when its site value exceeds the expected value of drifting, which is the average site value prey are likely to encounter adjusted for the costs of drifting. These costs are represented as drift predation risk and time that is lost from foraging as prey search for a better site. We contend that prey should rank site types in descending order based on site value and sequentially add site types to the acceptable category in order of highest rank until the addition of the next lowest ranked site decreases rather than increases the expected value of drifting. The best sites should be those with high food availability and low benthic predation risk. Prey should reject a site when drift predation risk is low, the proportion of acceptable site types is high, and the rate that prey settle from the drift is high. Interestingly, prey with the greatest locomotory ability should have the greatest propensity to drift because these individuals spend less time drifting, making them less susceptible to drift predators. Our model provides a framework to simultaneously integrate the effects of food availability, benthic predation risk, and drift predation risk on site selection of actively drifting prey.

Choice of sites and means of transport for dislocation

Ranking and choice of sites and resources for dislocation of material supplies have been treated. Possible sites for dislocation and available resources are of different characteristics, thus being more or less suitable for dislocation of material supplies. Their ranking and choice are possible with the application of multicriteria ranking methods. However, since these methods are time-consuming, they are not suitable for time-restricted decision making. Therefore, this paper proposes an expert method (rank summing method) which gives fast results after an adequate preparation. Ranking of sites and means of transport is used to illustrate the application of this method.

Factors Influencing Outcomes in Cystic Fibrosis: A Center-Based Analysis

Guidelines for managing cystic fibrosis (CF) patients have been widely circulated, but little is known about the variations in practice between sites and their association with outcomes. To determine whether differences in lung health existed between groups of patients attending different CF care sites and to determine whether these differences are associated with differences in monitoring and intervention. The analysis was conducted using data from the Epidemiologic Study of Cystic Fibrosis from 1995 through 1996. This was an observational database collecting prospective information from a large number of CF patients undergoing routine care in North America. Participating sites that had at least 50 CF patients who had each made at least one visit to a center during the 2-year study period were ranked on the basis of median values for FEV(1) within each of three age groups (6 to 12 years, 13 to 17 years, and >or= 18 years). There were no prespecified interventions in this observational study. The frequency of patient monitoring and the use of therapeutic interventions were compared between sites in the upper and lower quartiles after stratification within the site for disease severity. Within-site rankings tended to be consistent across the three age groups. Patients who were treated at higher ranking sites had more frequent monitoring of their clinical status, measurements of lung function, and cultures for respiratory pathogens. These patients also received more interventions, particularly IV antibiotics for pulmonary exacerbations. We found substantial differences in lung health across different CF care sites. We found that frequent monitoring and increased use of appropriate medications in the management of CF are associated with improved outcomes.

Hazard potential ranking of hazardous waste landfill sites and risk of congenital anomalies

Background: A 33% increase in the risk of congenital anomalies has been found among residents near hazardous waste landfill sites in a European collaborative study (EUROHAZCON). Aims: To develop and...

Evaluating Helix aspersa as a sentinel for mapping metal pollution

The common garden snail has been proposed as a sentinel species for mapping environmental concentrations of toxic metals, since it accumulates high levels in its soft tissues. The capacity of Helix aspersa to quantify site differences is assessed here from a survey of 23 populations around UK and Wales with a wide range of contamination. Five adult snails were collected from each site during 1 week in 1990. Each replicate snail was partitioned into two soft tissue components (the hepatopancreas and the ‘rest’) and their Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn levels compared with those in the soil (as an integrative long-term measure of exposure) and the leaves of one food plant, Taraxacum (as a measure of recent dietary exposure). Median concentrations in one or both tissue fractions correlated with both soil and vegetation levels for each metal except Cu. Whole soft tissue Zn, Pb and Cd concentrations were also correlated with either soil or Taraxacum or both. However, Cd and Zn levels were not independent of tissue dry weight and there were also interference effects between Pb, Cd and Zn in the ‘rest’ and between Cd and Zn in all fractions. Lead in the hepatopancreas correlated with both soil and dietary sources, and was independent of dry weight. There was some correlation of Cd with Pb in this tissue. Outliers largely determined the relationship between hepatopancreatic Pb and both soil Pb and vegetation Pb. If sites with very high levels in each source were excluded from the analysis, the significant correlation of hepatopancreatic Pb with vegetation and soil concentrations disappear. This study emphasizes that sentinels have to do more than simply rank sites by their tissue concentrations: a prime criterion in their selection should be their capacity to quantify the magnitude of site differences.