Interpretation of satellite images of the Republic of Niger

Interpretations of LANDSAT pictures were carried out for an area located in the west of the Niger Republic in the geological, hydrogeological and pedological sectors. Checking of the extent of vegetation and use of the soils and effects of desertification for the purpose of yearly map making was carried out. The proposed control of land use may be optimized by the direct reception of LANDSAT data by the receiving station planned for Ouagadougou. Since that station will not be operating before 1983, the establishment of a mobile reception station in the Republic of Niger to enable the installation of the required control system is advised

The Constructive Nature of Color Vision and Its Neural Basis

Our visual world is made up of colored surfaces. The color of a surface is physically determined by its reflectance, i.e., how much energy it reflects as a function of wavelength. Reflected light, however, provides only ambiguous information about the color of a surface as it depends on the spectral properties of both the surface and the illumination. Despite the confounding effects of illumination on the reflected light, the visual system is remarkably good at inferring the reflectance of a surface, enabling observers to perceive surface colors as stable across illumination changes. This capacity of the visual system is called color constancy and it highlights that color vision is a constructive process. The research presented here investigates the neural basis of some of the most relevant aspects of the constructive nature of human color vision using machine learning algorithms and functional neuroimaging. The experiments demonstrate that color-related prior knowledge influences neural signals already in the earliest area of visual processing in the cortex, area V1, whereas in object imagery, perceived color shared neural representations with the color of the imagined objects in human V4. A direct test for illumination-invariant surface color representation showed that neural coding in V1 as well as a region anterior to human V4 was robust against illumination changes. In sum, the present research shows how different aspects of the constructive nature of color vision can be mapped to different regions in the ventral visual pathway

Hydrogeological Investigations in the Pampa of Argentina

The author has identified the following significant results. Satellite imagery in combination with ground investigations allows the identification and delineation of the near surface ground water (depth to ground water, salinity). The degree of precision achieved is greater than that obtainable by conventional ground survey methods alone

Hydrogeological investigations in the Pampa of Argentina

The author has identified the following significant results. Satellite imagery in combination with ground investigations allows identification and delineation of differences in the conditions of the near surface ground water (depth to ground water, salinity). The degree of precision achieved is greater than that obtainable by conventional ground survey methods alone

Fostering students’ emotion regulation during learning : design and effects of a computer-based video training

Emotions have an essential impact on students’ learning outcome. Empirical findings show negative correlations between negative emotions and learning outcome. Negative emotions during learning are quite common and become more frequent over the course of an academic career. Thus, regulating these emotions is important. Existing studies indicate that university students lack the ability to successfully regulate their emotions during learning. However, interventions to foster university students’ inherent emotion regulation during learning are missing. In an attempt to identify interventions, this study investigates the effect of a video-based emotion regulation training for university students on emotion regulation strategies, emotions, and learning outcome. One hundred and sixteen university students either received training in emotion regulation (n = 60) or in workplace design (n = 56) before learning in a computer-based learning environment about probability theory. The emotion regulation training lead to improved emotion regulation (more cognitive reappraisal, less suppression) and less frustration and anxiety, but did not affect learning outcome. The results confirm that university students experience significant emotion regulation difficulties and suggest that they need intensive training in emotional regulation.peer-reviewe

Origin of XMRV and its Demise as a Human Pathogen Associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Retroviruses are well known pathogens of mammals, birds and fish. Their potential to induce cancer in chickens was already described almost 100 years ago and murine retroviruses have been a subject of study for 50 years. The first human retroviruses, HTLV and HIV, were discovered more than 30 years ago, surprising researchers and physicians by the profound differences in the diseases they cause. HTLV-1 is able to induce, after decades of infection, lymphomas/leukemia or neuroimmune disorders whereas untreated HIV infection leads almost inevitably to AIDS. The recently described XMRV (xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus) appeared to possess many of the features known for HTLV and was regarded by some to be the third human retrovirus. However, recent publications by Knox et al. [1] and Paprotka et al. [2] have shed new light on this gammaretrovirus. Knox and colleagues clearly demonstrate that XMRV is absent in patients belonging to a chronic fatigue syndrome cohort who had previously been reported to be XMRV-positive [3]. This supports the growing suspicion that laboratory contamination was responsible for the postulated link between XMRV and the disease. Furthermore, Paprotka et al’s identification of XMRV’s origin and the phylogenetic analysis of known XMRV sequences are further nails in the coffin to the notion that XMRV is a clinically relevant infectious human retrovirus

Inclusive design for a barrier free city: case study of the City of Lincoln, UK

Using the city of Lincoln as a case study, this paper aims to discuss the importance of inclusive design and accessibility in the city, within the context of current global challenges. The relationship between theory and practice has become overwrought, meaning that a dearth of social relevance in design is rife. Practising architects often view theory as esoteric, whilst theorists seldom manifest their ideas into reality and build. With the division widening, this paper is written with aims to convince and encourage that there is real worth and importance in instigating concepts and solutions proposed in this paper, which are not only applicable to the city of Lincoln, but are adaptable and applicable to all cities. The global paradigm shift in population size, the explosion of urbanisation and widespread increased longevity urgently calls for change in urban design. This is not a subject to be ignored, but to be acted upon at once. Motivated by the vision of a barrier free world, this paper hopes to inspire the spirit needed to eradicate social inequities in urban design. The paper will conclude discussing the complex relationship between societal and spatial dynamics, asserting that segregation is produced through misinformed design

Efectos de la iluminación led en el coeficiente de luminancia

El trabajo analiza los efectos del espectro de la iluminación led en la reflexión de la luz sobre las calzadas. Tomando como eje la mejora de la Técnica de Luminancia para el alumbrado vial, se estudia la influencia del espectro de la luz incidente en el coeficiente de luminancia medio Qo, asimilable al “grado de claridad” de la calzada. Los resultados obtenidos permiten inferir cierta “selectividad espectral” en la reflexión de la luz blanca del led en las calzadas analizadas, pertenecientes a autopistas de zonas aledañas a la ciudad de Buenos Aires (Argentina). Esta “selectividad” se manifestó por un ligero incremento del coeficiente Qoo para instalaciones con iluminación led, frente a las mismas calzadas iluminadas por tradicionales lámparas de sodio alta presión. El trabajo se complementa con mediciones de reflexión espectral de probetas de superficies de calzada, evaluadas para las condiciones de observación e iluminación estandarizadas.The effect of led light spectra on road surfaces reflection is analyzed in the present paper. The improvement of Luminance Technique for road lighting is the central orientation of this work and for that the influence of light spectra on average luminance coefficient Qo, which can represent the “road surface lightness”, was studied. The obtained results show a “spectral selectivity” for white led light in the analyzed road surfaces, belonging to Buenos Aires City (Argentina) motorways. This “selectivity” resulted in a slight increase of luminance coefficient Qoo for led lighting installations, compared with traditional high pressure sodium lamps installations. Additionally, the work presents spectral road surface measurements on road samples, evaluated under standard observation an illumination conditions

HERV-K(HML-2), the best preserved family of HERVs: endogenization, expression, and implications in health and disease

Retroviruses that have the ability to infect germ line cells can become an integral and inherited part of the host genome. About 8% of the human chromosomal DNA consists of sequences derived from infections by retroviruses that presumably circulated 2–40 millions of years ago, and some elements are actually much older. Post-insertional recombinations, deletions, and mutations have rendered all known human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) non-infectious. However some, particularly the most recently acquired proviruses of the HERV-K(HML-2) family, can expresses viral proteins and produce viral particles. In this review we will first discuss the major aspects of the endogenization process and peculiarities of the different HERV-K families. We will then focus on the genes and proteins encoded by HERV-K(HML-2) as well as inactivation of these proviruses by postinsertional mutations and their inhibition by antiretroviral factors. After describing the evolutionary interplay between host and endogenous retrovirus we will delve deeper into the currently limited understanding of HERV-K and its possible association with disease, particularly tumorigenesis