Variations of crop canopy spectral reflectance measurements under changing sky conditions

The possibility of using reflectance data collected under both cloudy and sunny conditions is studied. Extrenle values of red and far-red reflectances measured directly over bare soil and crop canopies during intermittently cloudy conditions can differ by more than 100 percent and 60 percent, respectively. Eliminating the irradiance variations by using only data collected under sunny conditions reduced such variation to within 1 percent for bare soil and to within 8 percent and 20 percent for crop canopy red and far-red reflectances, respectively. In general, the reflectances measured under cloudy conditions with relatively constant irradiance values are constant and approximately 10 percent larger than the ones measured at similar sun angles during sunny conditions. This result is independent of the species and the spectral regions under study

Field spectrometer to measure percent ground coverage and leaf area index of agriculture crops

Measurement of percent ground cover (PGC) and leaf area index (LAI) are required for crop modelling, yield estimation and for ground truth data in remote sensing studies. An instrument which traverses on a track above a crop and continuously measures the ratio of incident and reflected radiation at various wavelengths was developed and tested. Spectral irradiance and reflectance measurements were made at four wavelengths (647.8, 675.5, 739.9, 790.4 nm) at eight stages of growth of wheat and barley for three crop densities. Data provided information on the relations between spectral properties at selected wavelength and leaf area expansion at different growth stages. The spectral data were highly correlated with leaf area index measurements

Field spectrometer to measure percent ground coverage and leaf area index of agriculture crops [remote sensing]

Measurement of percent ground cover (PGC) and leaf area index (LAI) are required for crop modelling, yield estimati-on and for ground truth data in remote sensing studies. An instrument which traverses on a track above a crop and continuously measures the ratio of incident and reflected radiation at various wavelengths was developed and tested. Spectral irradiance and reflectance measurements were made at four wavelengths (647.8 , 675.5 , 739.9 , 790.4 nm) at eight stages of growth of wheat and barley for three crop densities. Data provided information on the relations between spectral properties at selected wavelength and leaf area expansion at different growth stages. The spectral data were highly correlated with leaf area index measurements

Variabilité introduite dans des mesures de réflectances spectrales de couverts végétaux agricoles par les facteurs état du ciel et vent

Parmi les facteurs introduisant de la variabilité indésirable dans les mesures de réflectance spectrale prises au-dessus de couverts végétaux, ceux de type radiatif ont été moins étudiés. A l'aide d'expériences isolant certains de ces facteurs et de méthodes empiriques d'analyses, nos résultats montrent que la présence de radiation diffuse non-directionnelle dans la radiation solaire incidente n'introduit pas beaucoup de variabilité indésirable dans les mesures de réflectance spectrale. Ils montrent aussi que la présence de nuages vis-à-vis le disque solaire entraîne généralement une sous-estimation des réflectances mesurées sous ces conditions par rapport aux conditions de ciel serein. Il semble toutefois possible de corriger cette erreur et ainsi d'utiliser indifféremment l'une ou l'autre de ces deux conditions radiatives pour relier les mesures de réflectances spectrales prises au niveau du sol à des paramètres du couvert végétal. Le vent est un autre facteur qui introduit passablement de variabilité indésirable dans ces mesures. Si la structure du couvert, la région spectrale et la vitesse du vent font varier l'importance de ce facteur, il n'en demeure pas moins que ces fluctuations continuelles dans le temps peuvent conduire à mesurer des réflectances qui ne sont pas représentatives de la réflectance réelle du couvert végétal au moment de la mesure. Many factors including the radiative ones introduce indesirable variability in measurements of spectral reflectance. Based upon experimental studies related to one specific factor at a time and a1so on empirica1 method of analysis, our results show that non-directional diffuse radiation from incident solar radiation introduce little indesirable variability in spectral reflectance measurements. They also show that clouds hiding the solar disc 1ead usually to an underestimation of reflectances measured under these conditions compared to those measured under clear sky. However, it seems easy to account for this difference. It then implies that the measurement of the spectral reflectances at the ground level under either one of these radiative conditions will give values which will be possible to relate to plant canopy structure

Technological Readiness in the Middle East and North Africa – Implications for Egypt

Innovation is widely recognized as a key driver of sustainable economic development. Governments, international organizations, donors and investors are increasingly interested in evaluating the technological capabilities and innovative capacities in developing countries, but often lack appropriate approaches for such measurement. This paper focuses on innovation and technological progress in the MENA region and discusses the challenges of understanding, expanding and fostering innovative potential in Egypt.Innovation wird weithin als eine treibende Kraft von nachhaltiger wirtschaftlicher Entwicklung angesehen. Regierungen, internationale Organisationen, Geber von Entwicklungshilfe und Investoren haben ein zunehmendes Interesse daran, die technologischen Fertigkeiten und die innovative Leistungsfähigkeit von Entwicklungsländern zu beurteilen, häufig mangelt es jedoch an geeigneten Ansätzen für eine solche Untersuchung. Dieses Paper untersucht den Fortschritt in den Bereichen Innovation und Technologie in der MENA-Region und diskutiert die Herausforderungen, die das Verstehen, Ausweiten und Fördern des innovativen Potenzials in Ägypten darstellen

Mapping of Dietary Interventions Beneficial in the Prevention of Secondary Health Conditions in Spinal Cord Injured Population: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES Individuals with spinal cord injury are at risk of secondary health conditions (SHC) that develop as a consequence of autonomic dysfunction, prolonged oxidative stress and inflammation, and physical inactivity coupled with inadequate energy and nutritional intake. SHC can be debilitating and even life-threatening, and its prevention remains one of the major challenges in the continuum of medical care of aging SCI population. An unhealthy diet is a major driver of inflammation, oxidative stress, and unfavourable metabolic status and may be a practical preventive target to tackle increased SHC risk post-injury. AIMS To provide a catalogue of dietary interventions beneficial in prevention of SHC among individuals with SCI by conducting a systematic review of the literature on dietary interventions and dietary supplementation in promoting health and well-being after the injury. In addition, we aimed to provide a summary of observational studies exploring the association between habitual diet (macro- and micronutrients intake and dietary patterns) and health patterns following the injury. METHOD This review was registered at PROSPERO (University of York) with registration number CRD42022373773. Four medical databases (EMBASE.com, MEDLINE [Ovid], Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science Core Collection) and Google Scholar were searched from inception until 11th July 2022. Studies were included if they were clinical trials or observational studies conducted in adult individuals with SCI and provided information of interest. Based on strength of the study design and risk of bias assessment (using the NIH tool), we classified studies from Level 1 (most reliable studies) to Level 4 (least reliable studies). RESULTS Of 12,313 unique citations, 47 articles (based on 43 original studies) comprising 32 interventional (22 RCTs, 3 NRCT, and 7 pre-post studies) and 11 observational studies (2 cohort studies, 2 case-control, 1 post-intervention follow-up study, and 6 cross-sectional studies) were included in the present systematic review. Twenty studies (46.5%) were classified as Level 1 or 2, indicating high/moderate methodological quality. Based on those studies, dietary strategies including high protein diet, intermittent fasting, balanced diet in combination with physical conditioning and electrical stimulation, and dietary supplementation including alpha-lipoic acid, creatine, vitamin D, and cranberry-derived supplements and probiotics were mapped as the most promising in prevention of SHC among individuals with SCI. CONCLUSIONS To develop timely and effective preventive strategies targeting major SHC (e.g., cardiometabolic diseases, urinary tract infections) in SCI, further research is warranted to confirm the effectiveness of dietary strategies/interventions identified through the current systematic review of the literature

Self-diffusion in granular gases

The coefficient of self-diffusion for a homogeneously cooling granular gas changes significantly if the impact-velocity dependence of the restitution coefficient $\epsilon$ is taken into account. For the case of a constant $\epsilon$ the particles spread logarithmically slow with time, whereas the velocity dependent coefficient yields a power law time-dependence. The impact of the difference in these time dependences on the properties of a freely cooling granular gas is discussed.Comment: 6 pages, no figure

Geochemical Study of Natural CO2 Emissions in the French Massif Central: How to Predict Origin, Processes and Evolution of CO2 Leakage

International audienceThis study presents an overview of some results obtained within the French ANR (National Agency of Research) supported Géocarbone-Monitoring research program. The measurements were performed in Sainte-Marguerite, located in the French Massif Central. This site represents a natural laboratory for CO2/fluid/rock interactions studies, as well as CO2 migration mechanisms towards the surface. The CO2 leaking character of the studied area also allows to test and validate measurements methods and verifications for the future CO2 geological storage sites. During these surveys, we analyzed soil CO2 fluxes and concentrations. We sampled and analyzed soil gases, and gas from carbo-gaseous bubbling springs. A one-month continuous monitoring was also tested, to record the concentration of CO2 both in atmosphere and in the soil at a single point. We also developed a new methodology to collect soil gas samples for noble gas abundances and isotopic analyses, as well as carbon isotopic ratios. Our geochemical results, combined with structural geology, show that the leaking CO2 has a very deep origin, partially mantle derived. The gas rises rapidly along normal and strike-slip active faults. CO2 soil concentrations (also showing a mantle derived component) and CO2 fluxes are spatially variable, and reach high values. The recorded atmospheric CO2 is not very high, despite the important CO2 degassing throughout the whole area

Fostering implementation of health services research findings into practice: a consolidated framework for advancing implementation science

Abstract Background Many interventions found to be effective in health services research studies fail to translate into meaningful patient care outcomes across multiple contexts. Health services researchers recognize the need to evaluate not only summative outcomes but also formative outcomes to assess the extent to which implementation is effective in a specific setting, prolongs sustainability, and promotes dissemination into other settings. Many implementation theories have been published to help promote effective implementation. However, they overlap considerably in the constructs included in individual theories, and a comparison of theories reveals that each is missing important constructs included in other theories. In addition, terminology and definitions are not consistent across theories. We describe the Consolidated Framework For Implementation Research (CFIR) that offers an overarching typology to promote implementation theory development and verification about what works where and why across multiple contexts. Methods We used a snowball sampling approach to identify published theories that were evaluated to identify constructs based on strength of conceptual or empirical support for influence on implementation, consistency in definitions, alignment with our own findings, and potential for measurement. We combined constructs across published theories that had different labels but were redundant or overlapping in definition, and we parsed apart constructs that conflated underlying concepts. Results The CFIR is composed of five major domains: intervention characteristics, outer setting, inner setting, characteristics of the individuals involved, and the process of implementation. Eight constructs were identified related to the intervention (e.g., evidence strength and quality), four constructs were identified related to outer setting (e.g., patient needs and resources), 12 constructs were identified related to inner setting (e.g., culture, leadership engagement), five constructs were identified related to individual characteristics, and eight constructs were identified related to process (e.g., plan, evaluate, and reflect). We present explicit definitions for each construct. Conclusion The CFIR provides a pragmatic structure for approaching complex, interacting, multi-level, and transient states of constructs in the real world by embracing, consolidating, and unifying key constructs from published implementation theories. It can be used to guide formative evaluations and build the implementation knowledge base across multiple studies and settings.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78272/1/1748-5908-4-50.xmlhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78272/2/1748-5908-4-50-S1.PDFhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78272/3/1748-5908-4-50-S3.PDFhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78272/4/1748-5908-4-50-S4.PDFhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78272/5/1748-5908-4-50.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78272/6/1748-5908-4-50-S2.PDFPeer Reviewe

Primary Language and Receipt of Recommended Health Care Among Hispanics in the United States

BackgroundDisparities in health care services between Hispanics and whites in the United States are well documented.ObjectiveThe objective of the study was to determine whether language spoken at home identifies Hispanics at risk for not receiving recommended health care services.DesignThe design of the study was cross-sectional, nationally representative survey of households.PatientsThe patients were non-Hispanic white and Hispanic adults participating in the 2003 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.MeasurementsWe compared receipt of ten recommended health care services by ethnicity and primary language adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health status, and access to care.ResultsThe sample included 12,706 whites and 5,500 Hispanics. In bivariate comparisons, 57.0% of whites received all eligible health care services compared to 53.6% for Hispanics who spoke English at home, 44.9% for Hispanics who did not speak English at home but who were comfortable speaking English, and 35.0% for Hispanics who did not speak English at home and were uncomfortable speaking English (p < .001). In multivariate logistic models, compared to non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics who did not speak English at home were less likely to receive all eligible health care services, whether they were comfortable speaking English (risk ratio [RR] 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74-0.97) or not (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.68-0.95).ConclusionsSpeaking a language other than English at home identified Hispanics at risk for not receiving recommended health care services, whether they were comfortable in speaking English or not. Identifying the mechanism for disparities by language usage may lead to interventions to reduce ethnic disparities