Estimation of Burned Area in the Northeastern Siberian Boreal Forest from a Long-Term Data Record (LTDR) 1982–2015 Time Series

A Bayesian classifier mapped the Burned Area (BA) in the Northeastern Siberian boreal forest (70°N 120°E–60°N 170°E) from 1982 to 2015. The algorithm selected the 0.05° (~5 km) Long-Term Data Record (LTDR) version 3 and 4 data sets to generate 10-day BA composites. Landsat-TM scenes of the entire study site in 2002, 2010, and 2011 assessed the spatial accuracy of this LTDR-BA product, in comparison to Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) MCD45A1 and MCD64A1 BA products. The LTDR-BA algorithm proves a reliable source to quantify BA in this part of Siberia, where comprehensive BA remote sensing products since the 1980s are lacking. Once grouped by year and decade, this study explored the trends in fire activity. The LTDR-BA estimates contained a high interannual variability with a maximum of 2.42 million ha in 2002, an average of 0.78 million ha/year, and a standard deviation of 0.61 million ha. Going from 6.36 in the 1980s to 10.21 million ha BA in the 2010s, there was a positive linear BA trend of approximately 1.28 million ha/decade during these last four decades in the Northeastern Siberian boreal forest

Decision support tools for selecting organisational improvement initiatives: a review

Decision support tools are used in many organisations to support organisational decision making activities. However, very limited studies have been found focussing on the decision support tools for selecting organisational improvement initiatives. Improvement initiatives are approaches, management systems, tools and/or techniques that can be used for managing and improving organisations, such as Lean, ISO9001 and Improvement Team. Four existing decision support tools were reviewed and compared. All four decision support tools consist of decision matrix, rating and ranking to assist in selecting appropriate improvement initiative. Finally, several potential future studies have been proposed

CemOrange2 fusions facilitate multifluorophore subcellular imaging in C. elegans

Due to its ease of genetic manipulation and transparency, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has become a preferred model system to study gene function by microscopy. The use of Aequorea victoria green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to proteins or targeting sequences of interest, further expanded upon the utility of C. elegans by labeling subcellular structures, which enables following their disposition during development or in the presence of genetic mutations. Fluorescent proteins with excitation and emission spectra different from that of GFP accelerated the use of multifluorophore imaging in real time. We have expanded the repertoire of fluorescent proteins for use in C. elegans by developing a codon-optimized version of Orange2 (CemOrange2). Proteins or targeting motifs fused to CemOrange2 were distinguishable from the more common fluorophores used in the nematode; such as GFP, YFP, and mKate2. We generated a panel of CemOrange2 fusion constructs, and confirmed they were targeted to their correct subcellular addresses by colocalization with independent markers. To demonstrate the potential usefulness of this new panel of fluorescent protein markers, we showed that CemOrange2 fusion proteins could be used to: 1) monitor biological pathways, 2) multiplex with other fluorescent proteins to determine colocalization and 3) gain phenotypic knowledge of a human ABCA3 orthologue, ABT-4, trafficking variant in the C. elegans model organism

Evaluation of a Bayesian Algorithm to Detect Burned Areas in the Canary Islands’ Dry Woodlands and Forests Ecoregion Using MODIS Data

Burned Area (BA) is deemed as a primary variable to understand the Earth’s climate system. Satellite remote sensing data have allowed for the development of various burned area detection algorithms that have been globally applied to and assessed in diverse ecosystems, ranging from tropical to boreal. In this paper, we present a Bayesian algorithm (BY-MODIS) that detects burned areas in a time series of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images from 2002 to 2012 of the Canary Islands’ dry woodlands and forests ecoregion (Spain). Based on daily image products MODIS, MOD09GQ (250 m), and MOD11A1 (1 km), the surface spectral reflectance and the land surface temperature, respectively, 10 day composites were built using the maximum temperature criterion. Variables used in BY-MODIS were the Global Environment Monitoring Index (GEMI) and Burn Boreal Forest Index (BBFI), alongside the NIR spectral band, all of which refer to the previous year and the year the fire took place in. Reference polygons for the 14 fires exceeding 100 hectares and identified within the period under analysis were developed using both post-fire LANDSAT images and official information from the forest fires national database by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment of Spain (MAPAMA). The results obtained by BY-MODIS can be compared to those by official burned area products, MCD45A1 and MCD64A1. Despite that the best overall results correspond to MCD64A1, BY-MODIS proved to be an alternative for burned area mapping in the Canary Islands, a region with a great topographic complexity and diverse types of ecosystems. The total burned area detected by the BY-MODIS classifier was 64.9% of the MAPAMA reference data, and 78.6% according to data obtained from the LANDSAT images, with the lowest average commission error (11%) out of the three products and a correlation (R2) of 0.82. The Bayesian algorithm—originally developed to detect burned areas in North American boreal forests using AVHRR archival data Long-Term Data Record—can be successfully applied to a lower latitude forest ecosystem totally different from the boreal ecosystem and using daily time series of satellite images from MODIS with a 250 m spatial resolution, as long as a set of training areas adequately characterising the dynamics of the forest canopy affected by the fire is defined

ARDL Modelling Approach to Testing the Financial Liberalisation Hypothesis

It is a stylised fact that financial "repression" retards economic growth. Hence, financial liberalisation is advocated to remove the stranglehold on the economy. Financial liberalisation policy argues that deregulation of interest rate would result into a higher real interest rate which would lead to increased savings, increased investment and achieve efficiency in financial resource allocation. Past studies have reported inconclusive results regarding the interest rate effects on savings and investment. This paper examines the financial liberalisation hypothesis by employing autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) modelling approach on Nepalese data. Results show that the real interest rate affects both savings and investment positively.Financial Liberalisation, Interest Rate Effects, Unit Roots, Cointegration, ARDL Modelling

Radiation data definitions and compilation for equipment qualification data bank

Dose definitions, physical properties, mechanical properties, electrical properties, and particle definitions are listed for insulators and dielectrics, elastomeric seals and gaskets, lubricants, adhesives, and coatings

Capital Structure Determinants of Malaysian Public Listed Real Estate Companies (2007-2009)

Examining capital structure determinants of seventy two publicly-listed Malaysian real estate firms during 2007-2009, this study clarifies the impact of the sub-mortgage loan crisis on the capital structure of the sampled firms, and establishes which theory, Trade-off Theory (TOT), or Pecking Order Theory (POT), that explains financing behavior by the firms. The capital structure determinants tested are size, profitability, tangibility, non-debt tax shields (NDTS), growth, liquidity, business risk (BR) and effective tax rate (ETR). Three debt ratios, namely, short-term debt ratio (STDR), long-term debt ratio (LTDR) and total debt ratio (TDR), are proxies for capital structure. Findings indicate that size and profitability affect debt ratios positively, NDTS and liquidity affect the debt ratios negatively, tangibility affects STDR and TDR positively and LTDR negatively, growth affects STDR and TDR negatively and LTDR positively, while ETR affects LTDR and TDR positively and STDR negatively. Inconsistent with almost all previous studies, and unsupported by both the TOT and POT, business risk positively affects STDR and LTDR, and has a significant positive relationship with TDR. The results also show that the debt levels of these firms declined during the sub-mortgage loans crisis. Finally, the results suggest that both theories (TOT and POT) explain the financing behavior of the sampled firms, though, when taking into account the decline in the debt levels, POT seems to explain the financing behavior of the firms better than TOT

Consolidation of water management and efficiency parameters for development of green building rating system

Water generation and distribution involve activities that leads to energy consumptions in various ways. This leads to GHG emission which make it important for various sustainable development assessment. Hence it is important to develop some consolidated parameters to cover water in building life cycle assessment (LCA). Development of rating system involves the utilisation of some parameters and points allocation. These parameters and points allocation varies between countries and their rating systems. This study aim at reviewing water management and efficiency category and the extent of parameters and points allocation across some rating systems. The purpose of the review is to develop a consolidated parameters that will universally cover building life cycle assessment. Eleven rating scheme’s categories, parameters and points allocation were reviewed. Specifically, water generation, distribution and usage was further elaborated for this study. The parameters were reviewed from the context of their, adaptability, preference, prevalence, relevance and measurability of parameter to suit the universal concept of sustainable building assessment. The review shows that the variations of the parameters and points distribution are based on social, economic and environmental need of the country. The highest parameters and points allocation signifies the need of efficient water generation, distribution and usage and lack of enough fresh water for daily activities. The lowest consideration is due to advancement in sustainable water generation, distribution and usage. The study consolidated the parameters in to nine parameters covering the strategies for reducing unnecessary water usage and other sourcing consequences. They also cover the approximate accounting of GHG emission from water consumption and its reduction. The study can be used by researcher, organisations and countries developing rating schemes. As the study harmonised parameters covered the entire sustainable building and greenhouse gas assessment in term of water generation, distribution and usage

Like milk or wine: Does firm performance improve with age?

Our empirical literature review shows that little is known about how firm performance changes with age, presumably because of the paucity of data on firm age. For Spanish manufacturing firms, we analyse the firm performance related to firm age between 1998 and 2006. We find evidence that firms improve with age, because ageing firms are observed to have steadily increasing levels of productivity, higher profits, larger size, lower debt ratios, and higher equity ratios. Furthermore, older firms are better able to convert sales growth into subsequent growth of profits and productivity. On the other hand, we also found evidence that firm performance deteriorates with age. Older firms have lower expected growth rates of sales, profits and productivity, they have lower profitability levels (when other variables such as size are controlled for), and also that they appear to be less capable to convert employment growth into growth of sales, profits and productivity.firm age, firm growth, LAD, financial structure, vector autoregression