Quantifying pursuit-diving seabirds’ associations with fine-scale physical features in tidal streamenvironments

Acknowledgements James J. Waggitt was funded by a NERC Case studentship supported by OpenHydro Ltd and Marine Scotland Science (NE/J500148/1). Vessel-based transects were funded by a NERC (NE/J004340/1) and a Scottish National Heritage (SNH) grant. FVCOM modelling was funded by a NERC grant (NE/J004316/1). Marine Scotland Science provided time on the FRV Alba-na-Mara as part as the Marine Collaboration Research Forum (MarCRF). The bathymetry data used in hydrodynamic models (HI 1122 Sanday Sound to Westray Firth) was collected by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) as part of the UK Civil Hydrography Programme. We wish to thank Christina Bristow, Matthew Finn and Jennifer Norris at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC); Marianna Chimienti, Ciaran Cronin, Tim Sykes and Stuart Thomas for performing vessel-based transects; Marine Scotland Science staff Eric Armstrong, Ian Davies, Mike Robertson, Robert Watret and Michael Stewart for their assistance; Shaun Fraser, Pauline Goulet, Alex Robbins, Helen Wade and Jared Wilson for invaluable discussions; Thomas Cornulier, Alex Douglas, James Grecian and Samantha Patrick for their help with statistical analysis; and Gavin Siriwardena, Leigh Torres, Mark Whittingham and Russell Wynn for their constructive comments on earlier versions of this manuscript.

Quantifying single gene copy number by measuring fluorescent probe lengths on combed genomic DNA

An approach was developed for the quantification of subtle gains and losses of genomic DNA. The approach relies on a process called molecular combing. Molecular combing consists of the extension and alignment of purified molecules of genomic DNA on a glass coverslip. It has the advantage that a large number of genomes can be combed per coverslip, which allows for a statistically adequate number of measurements to be made on the combed DNA. Consequently, a high-resolution approach to mapping and quantifying genomic alterations is possible. The approach consists of applying fluorescence hybridization to the combed DNA by using probes to identify the amplified region. Measurements then are made on the linear hybridization signals to ascertain the region's exact size. The reliability of the approach first was tested for low copy number amplifications by determining the copy number of chromosome 21 in a normal and trisomy 21 cell line. It then was tested for high copy number amplifications by quantifying the copy number of an oncogene amplified in the tumor cell line GTL-16. These results demonstrate that a wide range of amplifications can be accurately and reliably quantified. The sensitivity and resolution of the approach likewise was assessed by determining the copy number of a single allele (160 kb) alteration.

Impact of artifact correction methods on R-R interbeat signals to quantifying heart rate variability (HRV) according to linear and nonlinear methods.

In the analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) are used temporal series that contains the distances between successive heartbeats in order to assess autonomic regulation of the cardiovascular system. These series are obtained from the electrocardiogram (ECG) signal analysis, which can be affected by different types of artifacts leading to incorrect interpretations in the analysis of the HRV signals. Classic approach to deal with these artifacts implies the use of correction methods, some of them based on interpolation, substitution or statistical techniques. However, there are few studies that shows the accuracy and performance of these correction methods on real HRV signals. This study aims to determine the performance of some linear and non-linear correction methods on HRV signals with induced artefacts by quantification of its linear and nonlinear HRV parameters. As part of the methodology, ECG signals of rats measured using the technique of telemetry were used to generate real heart rate variability signals without any error. In these series were simulated missing points (beats) in different quantities in order to emulate a real experimental situation as accurately as possible. In order to compare recovering efficiency, deletion (DEL), linear interpolation (LI), cubic spline interpolation (CI), moving average window (MAW) and nonlinear predictive interpolation (NPI) were used as correction methods for the series with induced artifacts. The accuracy of each correction method was known through the results obtained after the measurement of the mean value of the series (AVNN), standard deviation (SDNN), root mean square error of the differences between successive heartbeats (RMSSD), Lomb\'s periodogram (LSP), Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA), multiscale entropy (MSE) and symbolic dynamics (SD) on each HRV signal with and without artifacts. The results show that, at low levels of missing points the performance of all correction techniques are very similar with very close values for each HRV parameter. However, at higher levels of losses only the NPI method allows to obtain HRV parameters with low error values and low quantity of significant differences in comparison to the values calculated for the same signals without the presence of missing points.

Quantifying the contamination by old main-sequence stars in young moving groups: the case of the Local Association

Context. The associations and moving groups of young stars are excellent laboratories for investigating stellar formation in the solar neighborhood. Previous results have confirmed that a non-negligible fraction of old main-sequence stars is present in the lists of possible members of young stellar kinematic groups. A detailed study of the properties of these samples is needed to separate the young stars from old main-sequence stars with similar space motion, and identify the origin of these structures. Aims. Our intention is to characterize members of the young moving groups, determine their age distribution, and quantify the contamination by old main-sequence stars, in particular, for the Local Association. Methods. We used stars possible members of the young (~10-650 Myr) moving groups from the literature. To determine the age of the stars, we used several suitable age indicators for young main sequence stars, i.e., X-ray fluxes from the Rosat All-sky Survey database, photometric data from the Tycho-2, Hipparcos, and 2MASS database. We also used spectroscopic data, in particular the equivalent width of the lithium line Li I λ6707.8 Å and H_α, to constrain the range of ages of the stars. Results. By combining photometric and spectroscopic data, we were able to separate the young stars (10-650 Myr) from the old (> 1 Gyr) field ones. We found, in particular, that the Local Association is contaminated by old field stars at the level of ~30%. This value must be considered as the contamination for our particular sample, and not of the entire Local Association. For other young moving groups, it is more difficult to estimate the fraction of old stars among possible members. However, the level of X-ray emission can, at least, help to separate two age populations: stars with <200 Myr and stars older than this. Conclusions. Among the candidate members of the classical moving groups, there is a non-negligible fraction of old field stars that should be taken into account when studying the stellar birthrate in the solar neighborhood. Our results are consistent with a scenario in which the moving groups contain both groups of young stars formed in a recent star-formation episode and old field stars with similar space motion. Only by combining X-ray and optical spectroscopic data is it possible to distinguish between these two age populations.

Quantifying Non-Tariff Measures for TTIP. Paper No. 12 in the CEPS-CTR project ‘TTIP in the Balance’ and CEPS Special Report No. 116/July 2015

This paper provides an overview of methods employed to quantify non-tariff measures (NTMs) and then analyses their differences and looks at what these mean for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations. The authors find several similarities in the approaches taken. Because all studies conclude that NTMs matter, they argue that policy-makers are right to focus on ‘regulatory cooperation’ in TTIP. Given the significant differences in NTMs across sectors, policy-makers are urged to dive deep into sector-specific elements of NTMs and focus on those sectors where the largest potential gains can be made (i.e. where NTMs are highest, such as in agriculture, automobiles, steel, textiles and insurance services). An area identified for further research is the fact that unlike trade taxes (i.e. tariffs), regulatory barriers to trade are not generally targeted as the primary policy objective, but rather stem from other strategic policy concerns such as consumer safety and/or social and environmental protection. This element should be further investigated.

Quantifying epistemic actions in human-computer interaction

As digital systems move away from traditional desktop setups, new interaction paradigms are emerging that better integrate with users’ realworld surroundings, and better support users’ individual needs. While promising, these modern interaction paradigms also present new challenges, such as a lack of paradigm-specific tools to systematically evaluate and fully understand their use. This dissertation tackles this issue by framing empirical studies of three novel digital systems in embodied cognition – an exciting new perspective in cognitive science where the body and its interactions with the physical world take a central role in human cognition. This is achieved by first, focusing the design of all these systems on a contemporary interaction paradigm that emphasizes physical interaction on tangible interaction, a contemporary interaction paradigm; and second, by comprehensively studying user performance in these systems through a set of novel performance metrics grounded on epistemic actions, a relatively well established and studied construct in the literature on embodied cognition. The first system presented in this dissertation is an augmented Four-in-a-row board game. Three different versions of the game were developed, based on three different interaction paradigms (tangible, touch and mouse), and a repeated measures study involving 36 participants measured the occurrence of three simple epistemic actions across these three interfaces. The results highlight the relevance of epistemic actions in such a task and suggest that the different interaction paradigms afford instantiation of these actions in different ways. Additionally, the tangible version of the system supports the most rapid execution of these actions, providing novel quantitative insights into the real benefits of tangible systems. The second system presented in this dissertation is a tangible tabletop scheduling application. Two studies with single and paired users provide several insights into the impact of epistemic actions on the user experience when these are performed outside of a system’s sensing boundaries. These insights are clustered by the form, size and location of ideal interface areas for such offline epistemic actions to occur, as well as how can physical tokens be designed to better support them. Finally, and based on the results obtained to this point, the last study presented in this dissertation directly addresses the lack of empirical tools to formally evaluate tangible interaction. It presents a video-coding framework grounded on a systematic literature review of 78 papers, and evaluates its value as metric through a 60 participant study performed across three different research laboratories. The results highlight the usefulness and power of epistemic actions as a performance metric for tangible systems. In sum, through the use of such novel metrics in each of the three studies presented, this dissertation provides a better understanding of the real impact and benefits of designing and developing systems that feature tangible interaction.

Stereo photo series for quantifying natural fuels /

"PMS 830"--Cover, v. 1; "PMS 831"--Cover, v. 2; "PMS 832"--Cover, v. 3; "PMS 833"--Cover, v. 4; "PMS 835"--Cover, v. 6; "PMS 838"--Cover, v. 6a; "PMS 839"--Cover. v. 7; "PMS 840"--Cover, v. 8.

Quantifying the night driver's visual environment. Final report.

Mode of access: Internet.

Quantifying the night driver's visual environment.

Mode of access: Internet.

Quantifying riparian habitat for wildlife in the Vermilion Basin : an evaluation of the Illinois stream information system and other geographic data for statewide classification of riparian habitat /

"This one-year project was designed to assess the feasibility of using the information contained in the Illinois Stream Information System (ISIS), in conjunction with the Illinois Geographic Information System (IGIS), to evaluate the riparian habitat for wildlife in the Vermilion River Basin." -- pg. 4.

Photo series for quantifying forest residues in the Black Hills : ponderosa pine type, spruce type.

"A-89-1-90."

Photo series for quantifying forest residues in the southwestern region : data compiled from Black Hills Ponderosa Pine and Spruce Type, 1990; GTR-PNW-105, 1980; GTR-PNW-52, 1976; GTR-PSW-56, 1981.

Not distributed to depository libraries.

Quantifying ice-shelf basal melt and ice-stream dynamics using high-resolution DEM and GPS time series

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Quantifying the effect of stress relaxation on excavation

Stress relaxation is relevant to the design of both civil and mining excavations. While many authors refer to the adverse effect of stress relaxation on excavation stability, some present compelling empirical evidence indicating that stress relaxation does not have a significant effect. Establishing clear definitions of stress relaxation was critical to understanding and quantifying stress relaxation of the various types that have been referred to in the literature. This paper defines three types of stress relaxation – partial relaxation, full relaxation and tangential relaxation. Once clear definitions were determined, it became clear that the theoretical arguments and empirical evidence presented by various authors to support their respective cases are not contradictory; rather, the different conclusions can be attributed to different types of stress relaxation. In particular, when the minor principal stress is negative the intermediate principal stress has been identified as significantly affecting jointed rock mass behaviour. The aim of the study was to review and evaluate existing methods of quantifying the effect of stress relaxation around underground excavations and, if necessary, propose a new set of recommendations. An empirical stope stability model, that has been termed the Extended Mathews stability chart, was considered to be the most appropriate method of quantifying the effects of stress relaxation. A new set of guidelines to account for the effect of stress relaxation on excavation stability in the Extended Mathews stability chart has been proposed from a back-analysis of 55 case histories of stress relaxation.

Quantifying potential nitrogen removal by denitrification in stream sediments at a regional scale

Potential denitrification rates were measured using the acetylene block method, in sediments collected from streams in the sub-tropical, south-east Queensland region of Australia. Our aim was to estimate how much nitrogen could be removed from lotic systems by denitrification at the regional scale. Denitrification measured at 65 sites in August and September from a catchment of 22700 km(2) was extrapolated to all streams and rivers in the region based on the sediment area available for denitrification. Denitrification rates ranged between 4 and 950 mumol N m(-2) h(-1), with most sites having rates below 150 mumol N m(-2) h(-1). Based on these results, the current study estimates that a total of 305 t of nitrogen could be denitrified per year from all streams and rivers in the region, representing 6% of the total annual nitrogen load from surrounding land use. During baseflow conditions, when nitrogen loads to streams are low, the proportion of nitrogen removed through denitrification would be substantially higher, in some cases removing 100% of the nitrogen load. It is proposed that denitrification is an important process maintaining low concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen under baseflow conditions and is therefore likely to enhance nitrogen limitation of primary production in this region.