Identificació de paisatges funcionals mitjançant anàlisi cluster

El terme paisatge i les seves aplicacions són cada dia més utilitzats per les administracions i altres entitats com a eina de gestió del territori. Aprofitant la gran quantitat de dades en bases compatibles amb SIG (Sistemes d’Informació Geogràfica) existents a Catalunya s’ha desenvolupat una síntesi cartogràfica on s’identifiquen els Paisatges Funcionals (PF) de Catalunya, concepte que fa referència al comportament fisico-ecològic del terreny a partir de variables topogràfiques i climàtiques convenientment transformades i agregades. S’ha utilitzat un mètode semiautomàtic i iteratiu de classificació no supervisada (clustering) que permet la creació d’una llegenda jeràrquica o nivells de generalització. S’ha obtingut com a resultat el Mapa de Paisatges Funcionals de Catalunya (MPFC) amb una llegenda de 26 categories de paisatges i 5 nivells de generalització amb una resolució espacial de 180 m. Paral·lelament, s’han realitzat validacions indirectes sobre el mapa obtingut a partir dels coneixements naturalistes i la cartografia existent, així com també d’un mapa d’incertesa (aplicant lògica difusa) que aporten informació de la fiabilitat de la classificació realitzada. Els Paisatges Funcionals obtinguts permeten relacionar zones de condicions topo-climàtiques homogènies i dividir el territori en zones caracteritzades ambientalment i no políticament amb la intenció que sigui d’utilitat a l’hora de millorar la gestió dels recursos naturals i la planificació d’actuacions humanes.

Bats and zoonotic viruses: can we confidently link bats with emerging deadly viruses?

An increasingly asked question is 'can we confidently link bats with emerging viruses?'. No, or not yet, is the qualified answer based on the evidence available. Although more than 200 viruses - some of them deadly zoonotic viruses - have been isolated from or otherwise detected in bats, the supposed connections between bats, bat viruses and human diseases have been raised more on speculation than on evidence supporting their direct or indirect roles in the epidemiology of diseases (except for rabies). However, we are convinced that the evidence points in that direction and that at some point it will be proved that bats are competent hosts for at least a few zoonotic viruses. In this review, we cover aspects of bat biology, ecology and evolution that might be relevant in medical investigations and we provide a historical synthesis of some disease outbreaks causally linked to bats. We provide evolutionary-based hypotheses to tentatively explain the viral transmission route through mammalian intermediate hosts and to explain the geographic concentration of most outbreaks, but both are no more than speculations that still require formal assessment.

Understanding the development of the ESDP: Perspectives and insights from historical institutionalism and theories of learning

How can we best understand the emergence of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP)? This paper applies the theories of historical institutionalism and experiential learning to offer a dynamic conceptualisation of moves towards an ESDP which highlights some of the causal factors that a more temporally-restricted analysis would miss. It firstly shows how the institutional and functional expansion of European Political Cooperation (EPC) over the course of the 1970s and 80s gave rise to a context in which the development of a security and defence dimension came to be viewed as more logical and even necessary. It then goes on to analyse some of the external factors (in the form of actors, events and institutions) that further pushed in this direction and proved to influence the policy’s subsequent evolution. The paper is therefore intended to act as a first-step to understanding the ESDP’s development from this perspective.

Cross recurrence quantification for cover song identification

There is growing evidence that nonlinear time series analysis techniques can be used to successfully characterize, classify, or process signals derived from realworld dynamics even though these are not necessarily deterministic and stationary. In the present study we proceed in this direction by addressing an important problem our modern society is facing, the automatic classification of digital information. In particular, we address the automatic identification of cover songs, i.e. alternative renditions of a previously recorded musical piece. For this purpose we here propose a recurrence quantification analysis measure that allows tracking potentially curved and disrupted traces in cross recurrence plots. We apply this measure to cross recurrence plots constructed from the state space representation of musical descriptor time series extracted from the raw audio signal. We show that our method identifies cover songs with a higher accuracy as compared to previously published techniques. Beyond the particular application proposed here, we discuss how our approach can be useful for the characterization of a variety of signals from different scientific disciplines. We study coupled Rössler dynamics with stochastically modulated mean frequencies as one concrete example to illustrate this point.

Advantages of a modified gastroscope for video-assisted internal mammary artery harvesting.

Instead of standard rigid thoracoscopes, we used a modified gastroscope for video assistance during 12 minimally invasive left internal mammary harvesting. Flexibility and remote control of its last centimeters give to the gastroscope a total freedom of movements, and perfect positioning in every direction. The scope is equipped with cold light, a suction canal and an irrigation canal, which allow for in situ washing without needing to remove it from the thoracic cavity. Thanks to these advantages, vision and lighting are always perfect.

Guidelines for the Conversion of Urban Four-Lane Undivided Roadways to Three-Lane Two-Way Left-turn Lane Facilities, April 2001

Four-lane undivided roadways in urban areas can experience a degradation of service and/or safety as traffic volumes increase. In fact, the existence of turning vehicles on this type of roadway has a dramatic effect on both of these factors. The solution identified for these problems is typically the addition of a raised median or two-way left-turn lane (TWLTL). The mobility and safety benefits of these actions have been proven and are discussed in the “Past Research” chapter of this report along with some general cross section selection guidelines. The cost and right-of-way impacts of these actions are widely accepted. These guidelines focus on the evaluation and analysis of an alternative to the typical four-lane undivided cross section improvement approach described above. It has been found that the conversion of a four-lane undivided cross section to three lanes (i.e., one lane in each direction and a TWLTL) can improve safety and maintain an acceptable level of service. These guidelines summarize the results of past research in this area (which is almost nonexistent) and qualitative/quantitative before-and-after safety and operational impacts of case study conversions located throughout the United States and Iowa. Past research confirms that this type of conversion is acceptable or feasible in some situations but for the most part fails to specifically identify those situations. In general, the reviewed case study conversions resulted in a reduction of average or 85th percentile speeds (typically less than five miles per hour) and a relatively dramatic reduction in excessive speeding (a 60 to 70 percent reduction in the number of vehicles traveling five miles per hour faster than the posted speed limit was measured in two cases) and total crashes (reductions between 17 to 62 percent were measured). The 13 roadway conversions considered had average daily traffic volumes of 8,400 to 14,000 vehicles per day (vpd) in Iowa and 9,200 to 24,000 vehicles per day elsewhere. In addition to past research and case study results, a simulation sensitivity analysis was completed to investigate and/or confirm the operational impacts of a four-lane undivided to three-lane conversion. First, the advantages and disadvantages of different corridor simulation packages were identified for this type of analysis. Then, the CORridor SIMulation (CORSIM) software was used x to investigate and evaluate several characteristics related to the operational feasibility of a four-lane undivided to three-lane conversion. Simulated speed and level of service results for both cross sections were documented for different total peak-hour traffic, access densities, and access-point left-turn volumes (for a case study corridor defined by the researchers). These analyses assisted with the identification of the considerations for the operational feasibility determination of a four -lane to three-lane conversion. The results of the simulation analyses primarily confirmed the case study impacts. The CORSIM results indicated only a slight decrease in average arterial speed for through vehicles can be expected for a large range of peak-hour volumes, access densities, and access-point left-turn volumes (given the assumptions and design of the corridor case study evaluated). Typically, the reduction in the simulated average arterial speed (which includes both segment and signal delay) was between zero and four miles per hour when a roadway was converted from a four-lane undivided to a three-lane cross section. The simulated arterial level of service for a converted roadway, however, showed a decrease when the bi-directional peak-hour volume was about 1,750 vehicles per hour (or 17,500 vehicles per day if 10 percent of the daily volume is assumed to occur in the peak hour). Past research by others, however, indicates that 12,000 vehicles per day may be the operational capacity (i.e., level of service E) of a three-lane roadway due to vehicle platooning. The simulation results, along with past research and case study results, appear to support following volume-related feasibility suggestions for four-lane undivided to three-lane cross section conversions. It is recommended that a four-lane undivided to three-lane conversion be considered as a feasible (with respect to volume only) option when bi-directional peak-hour volumes are less than 1,500 vehicles per hour, but that some caution begin to be exercised when the roadway has a bi-directional peak-hour volume between 1,500 and 1,750 vehicles per hour. At and above 1,750 vehicles per hour, the simulation indicated a reduction in arterial level of service. Therefore, at least in Iowa, the feasibility of a four-lane undivided to three-lane conversion should be questioned and/or considered much more closely when a roadway has (or is expected to have) a peak-hour volume of more than 1,750 vehicles. Assuming that 10 percent of the daily traffic occurs during the peak-hour, these volume recommendations would correspond to 15,000 and 17,500 vehicles per day, respectively. These suggestions, however, are based on the results from one idealized case xi study corridor analysis. Individual operational analysis and/or simulations should be completed in detail once a four-lane undivided to three-lane cross section conversion is considered feasible (based on the general suggestions above) for a particular corridor. All of the simulations completed as part of this project also incorporated the optimization of signal timing to minimize vehicle delay along the corridor. A number of determination feasibility factors were identified from a review of the past research, before-and-after case study results, and the simulation sensitivity analysis. The existing and expected (i.e., design period) statuses of these factors are described and should be considered. The characteristics of these factors should be compared to each other, the impacts of other potentially feasible cross section improvements, and the goals/objectives of the community. The factors discussed in these guidelines include • roadway function and environment • overall traffic volume and level of service • turning volumes and patterns • frequent-stop and slow-moving vehicles • weaving, speed, and queues • crash type and patterns • pedestrian and bike activity • right-of-way availability, cost, and acquisition impacts • general characteristics, including - parallel roadways - offset minor street intersections - parallel parking - corner radii - at-grade railroad crossings xii The characteristics of these factors are documented in these guidelines, and their relationship to four-lane undivided to three-lane cross section conversion feasibility identified. This information is summarized along with some evaluative questions in this executive summary and Appendix C. In summary, the results of past research, numerous case studies, and the simulation analyses done as part of this project support the conclusion that in certain circumstances a four-lane undivided to three-lane conversion can be a feasible alternative for the mitigation of operational and/or safety concerns. This feasibility, however, must be determined by an evaluation of the factors identified in these guidelines (along with any others that may be relevant for a individual corridor). The expected benefits, costs, and overall impacts of a four-lane undivided to three-lane conversion should then be compared to the impacts of other feasible alternatives (e.g., adding a raised median) at a particular location.

Diagnosis of muscular dystrophies at the nanometer scale

The diagnosis of muscular dystrophies or the assessment of the functional benefit of gene or cell therapies can be difficult, especially for poorly accessible muscles, and it often lacks a singlefiber resolution. In the present study, we evaluated whether muscle diseases can be diagnosed from small biopsies using atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM was shown to provide a sensitive and quantitative description of the resistance of normal and dystrophic myofibers within live muscle tissues explanted from Duchenne mdx mice. The rescue of dystrophin expression by gene therapy approaches led to the functional recovery of treated dystrophic muscle fibers, as probed using AFM and by in situ wholemuscle strength measurements. Comparison of muscles treated with viral or non-viral vectors indicated that the efficacy of the gene transfer approaches could be distinguished with a single myofiber resolution. This indicated full correction of the resistance to deformation in nearly all of the muscle fibers treated with an adeno-associated viral vector that mediates exon-skipping on the dystrophin mRNA. Having shown that AFM can provide a quantitative assessment of the expression of muscle proteins and of the muscular function in animal models, we assessed myofiber resistance in the context of human muscular dystrophies and myopathies. Thus, various forms of human Becker syndrome can also be detected using AFM in blind studies of small frozen biopsies from human patients. Interestingly, it also allowed the detection of anomalies in a fraction of the muscle fibers from patients showing a muscle weakness that could not be attributed to a known molecular or genetic defect. Overall, we conclude that AFM may provide a useful method to complement current diagnosis tools of known and unknown muscular diseases, in research and in a clinical context.

Source wavelet estimation for waveform inversion of crosshole georadar data

AbstractFor a wide range of environmental, hydrological, and engineering applications there is a fast growing need for high-resolution imaging. In this context, waveform tomographic imaging of crosshole georadar data is a powerful method able to provide images of pertinent electrical properties in near-surface environments with unprecedented spatial resolution. In contrast, conventional ray-based tomographic methods, which consider only a very limited part of the recorded signal (first-arrival traveltimes and maximum first-cycle amplitudes), suffer from inherent limitations in resolution and may prove to be inadequate in complex environments. For a typical crosshole georadar survey the potential improvement in resolution when using waveform-based approaches instead of ray-based approaches is in the range of one order-of- magnitude. Moreover, the spatial resolution of waveform-based inversions is comparable to that of common logging methods. While in exploration seismology waveform tomographic imaging has become well established over the past two decades, it is comparably still underdeveloped in the georadar domain despite corresponding needs. Recently, different groups have presented finite-difference time-domain waveform inversion schemes for crosshole georadar data, which are adaptations and extensions of Tarantola's seminal nonlinear generalized least-squares approach developed for the seismic case. First applications of these new crosshole georadar waveform inversion schemes on synthetic and field data have shown promising results. However, there is little known about the limits and performance of such schemes in complex environments. To this end, the general motivation of my thesis is the evaluation of the robustness and limitations of waveform inversion algorithms for crosshole georadar data in order to apply such schemes to a wide range of real world problems.One crucial issue to making applicable and effective any waveform scheme to real-world crosshole georadar problems is the accurate estimation of the source wavelet, which is unknown in reality. Waveform inversion schemes for crosshole georadar data require forward simulations of the wavefield in order to iteratively solve the inverse problem. Therefore, accurate knowledge of the source wavelet is critically important for successful application of such schemes. Relatively small differences in the estimated source wavelet shape can lead to large differences in the resulting tomograms. In the first part of my thesis, I explore the viability and robustness of a relatively simple iterative deconvolution technique that incorporates the estimation of the source wavelet into the waveform inversion procedure rather than adding additional model parameters into the inversion problem. Extensive tests indicate that this source wavelet estimation technique is simple yet effective, and is able to provide remarkably accurate and robust estimates of the source wavelet in the presence of strong heterogeneity in both the dielectric permittivity and electrical conductivity as well as significant ambient noise in the recorded data. Furthermore, our tests also indicate that the approach is insensitive to the phase characteristics of the starting wavelet, which is not the case when directly incorporating the wavelet estimation into the inverse problem.Another critical issue with crosshole georadar waveform inversion schemes which clearly needs to be investigated is the consequence of the common assumption of frequency- independent electromagnetic constitutive parameters. This is crucial since in reality, these parameters are known to be frequency-dependent and complex and thus recorded georadar data may show significant dispersive behaviour. In particular, in the presence of water, there is a wide body of evidence showing that the dielectric permittivity can be significantly frequency dependent over the GPR frequency range, due to a variety of relaxation processes. The second part of my thesis is therefore dedicated to the evaluation of the reconstruction limits of a non-dispersive crosshole georadar waveform inversion scheme in the presence of varying degrees of dielectric dispersion. I show that the inversion algorithm, combined with the iterative deconvolution-based source wavelet estimation procedure that is partially able to account for the frequency-dependent effects through an "effective" wavelet, performs remarkably well in weakly to moderately dispersive environments and has the ability to provide adequate tomographic reconstructions.

Hakunilan Kultsa/Urban II hanke : pohdintaa yhteisöteatterin merkityksestä alueelle

This thesis analyses what local community theatre activity means to an area and its residents, and whether this kind of activity is meaningful. The objective was to explore whether and how community art can help urban areas to move in the direction of sustainable development: whether art can be part of regional policy development work. Hakunilan Kultsa was founded in 2003. It is an Urban II, European Union project and part of the Community Iniative Programme 2001-2006, financed by the EU. Hakunilan Kultsa is also a co-operation between Vantaa city council's culture and youth services. The project encourages Hakunila residents of different ages to take part in versatile art and cultural intrests in the Hakunila youth centre. People have the opportunity to participate in theatre, expression, arts, dance, performing arts and writing groups. One of the main aims is to found a sustainable community theatre in the area. The thesis examines what effects Hakunilan Kultsa has had so far. Inquiry form and thematical interviews have been used as research methods. Interviews and questionnaires were gathered between Autumn 2004 and Spring 2005. The whole process lasted from Spring 2004 until Spring 2006. The author also made participatory observations during the research process which in turn affected the conclusions. The thesis also deals with associated topics such as urban programmes, sustainable development, Hakunila as a suburban area, resident stimulation, and community thetare work. Hakunilan Kultsa has proved its importance. Based on the enquiries and interviews, the project has effectively presented the possibility for art forms to become hobbies. There is no cultural, age or economical discrimination. The easily accessible site and the low threshold principle make it easy for people to participate. The community theatre has improved the area's public image, increased participation and initiative, and given a voice to the community.

Evaluation of a Bridge Constructed using High Performance Steel, May 2006

Of the approximately 25,000 bridges in Iowa, 28% are classified as structurally deficient, functionally obsolete, or both. Because many Iowa bridges require repair or replacement with a relatively limited funding base, there is a need to develop new bridge materials that may lead to longer life spans and reduced life-cycle costs. In addition, new and effective methods for determining the condition of structures are needed to identify when the useful life has expired or other maintenance is needed. Due to its unique alloy blend, high-performance steel (HPS) has been shown to have improved weldability, weathering capabilities, and fracture toughness than conventional structural steels. Since the development of HPS in the mid-1990s, numerous bridges using HPS girders have been constructed, and many have been economically built. The East 12th Street Bridge, which replaced a deteriorated box girder bridge, is Iowa’s first bridge constructed using HPS girders. The new structure is a two-span bridge that crosses I-235 in Des Moines, Iowa, providing one lane of traffic in each direction. A remote, continuous, fiber-optic based structural health monitoring (SHM) system for the bridge was developed using off-the-shelf technologies. In the system, sensors strategically located on the bridge collect raw strain data and then transfer the data via wireless communication to a gateway system at a nearby secure facility. The data are integrated and converted to text files before being uploaded automatically to a website that provides live strain data and a live video stream. A data storage/processing system at the Bridge Engineering Center in Ames, Iowa, permanently stores and processes the data files. Several processes are performed to check the overall system’s operation, eliminate temperature effects from the complete strain record, compute the global behavior of the bridge, and count strain cycles at the various sensor locations.

Formação Profissional e Empreendedorismo: O Caso do Centro de Juventude de S. Vicente

À medida que oportunidades de emprego para toda a vida escasseiam, altas taxas de desemprego têm despertado o interesse por empreendedorismo. A salvação passa a ser a empregabilidade, sendo a educação empreendedora apontada como uma das áreas chave para fazer com que todos descubram potencialidades inovadoras e criativas despertando comportamentos empreendedores. A inserção dos jovens no mercado de trabalho é neste momento um dos maiores problemas da ilha de São Vicente com 23,3% de desempregados numa população maioritariamente jovem (65,7%) segundo INE (Instituto Nacional de Estatística). É neste contexto marcado por instabilidade e incerteza, que o Centro de Juventude de São Vicente tem vindo a promover a formação profissional oferecendo cursos de curta duração visando a inserção sócio económica de jovens carenciados e em situação de risco. Com base num suporte teórico que revela a possibilidade de desenvolver o espírito empreendedor através do ensino, optou-se pela metodologia de estudo de caso para analisar de que forma o Centro de Juventude de São Vicente contribui na formação para a empregabilidade e/ou no despertar do espírito empreendedor. Os resultados revelam que o Centro está dando os primeiros passos nesse sentido e que terá um papel importante no estímulo e incentivo ao trabalho por conta própria através da formação profissional, desde que em estreita articulação com o IEFP (Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional) e o mercado de trabalho. Visando uma mudança de mentalidade tem propiciado aos jovens um contexto de estímulo à iniciativa sobretudo através do apoio psicológico e na busca de financiamento. While opportunities for lifetime jobs are decreasing, high unemployment rates have aroused the interest in entrepreneurship. Employability will be the solution, being entrepreneurial education pointed out as one of the key factors in finding out innovative and creative potentialities as well as in stimulating entrepreneurial behaviours. Inserting young people in the labour market is, at present, one of the biggest problems in S.Vicente, an island with 23,3% of unemployed in a population mostly constituted by young people (65,7%), according to INE (National Institute of Statistics). In this context characterised by instability and uncertainty, the Youth Centre in S.Vicente has been promoting professional training through short courses aimed at socioeconomic insertion of young people in vulnerable and risky situations. Based on a theoretical support which points out the possibility of developing entrepreneurial spirit through education, the case study methodology was selected in order to analyse how the Youth Centre contributes through its training courses to employability and/or entrepreneurial spirit. The results obtained indicate that the Centre is taking its first steps in this direction and will play an important role in encouraging self-employment, through professional training. This has to be carried out in close relationship with both IEFP (Institute of Employment and Professional Training) and the labour market. With a view to changing mentalities, the Centre has been providing young people with a context capable of stimulating initiative, especially by supplying psychological support and helping them find financing sources.

Strategies for the development of tdm for targeted anticancer agents

Most of the novel targeted anticancer agents share classical characteristics that define drugs as candidates for blood concentration monitoring: long-term therapy; high interindividual but restricted intraindividual variability; significant drug-drug and drug- food interactions; correlations between concentration and efficacy/ toxicity with rather narrow therapeutic index; reversibility of effects; and absence of early markers of response. Surprisingly though, therapeutic concentration monitoring has received little attention for these drugs despite reiterated suggestions from clinical pharmacologists. Several issues explain the lack of clinical research and development in this field: global tradition of empiricism regarding treatment monitoring, lack of formal conceptual framework, ethical difficulties in the elaboration of controlled clinical trials, disregard from both drug manufacturers and public funders, limited encouragement from regulatory authorities, and practical hurdles making dosage adjustment based on concentration monitoring a difficult task for prescribers. However, new technologies are soon to help us overcome these obstacles, with the advent of miniaturized measurement devices able to quantify circulating drug concentrations at the point-of-care, to evaluate their plausibility given actual dosage and sampling time, to determine their appropriateness with reference to therapeutic targets, and to advise on suitable dosage adjustment. Such evolutions could bring conceptual changes into the clinical development of drugs such as anticancer agents, while increasing the therapeutic impact of population PK-PD studies and systematic reviews. Research efforts in that direction from the clinical pharmacology community will be essential for patients to receive the greatest benefits and the least harm from new anticancer treatments. The example of imatinib, the first commercialized tyrosine kinase inhibitor, will be outlined to illustrate a potential research agenda for the rational development of therapeutic concentration monitoring.

The effect of intergroup competition on group coordination: An experimental study

We report an experiment on the effect of intergroup competition on group coordination in the minimal-effort game (Van Huyck et al., 1990). The competition was between two 7-person groups. Each player in each group independently chose an integer from 1 to 7. The group with the higher minimum won the competition and each of its members was paid according to the game s original payoff matrix. Members of the losing group were paid nothing. In case of a tie, each player was paid half the payoff in the original matrix. This treatment was contrasted with two control treatments where each of the two groups played an independent coordination game, either with or without information about the minimum chosen by the outgroup. Although the intergroup competition does not change the set of strict equilibria, we found that it improved collective rationality by moving group members in the direction of higher-payoff equilibria. Merely providing group members with information about the minimal-effort level in the other group was not sufficient to generate this effect.

A consistency test of the time trade-off

This paper tests the internal consistency of time trade-off utilities.We find significant violations of consistency in the direction predictedby loss aversion. The violations disappear for higher gauge durations.We show that loss aversion can also explain that for short gaugedurations time trade-off utilities exceed standard gamble utilities. Ourresults suggest that time trade-off measurements that use relativelyshort gauge durations, like the widely used EuroQol algorithm(Dolan 1997), are affected by loss aversion and lead to utilities thatare too high.