An Interface for Remote Sensing Digital Image Systems and Geographic Information Systems

An interfacing technique, zonation algorithms (ZONAL), which provides a means of utilizing LANDSAT information in a polygon-based geographic information system (GIS) is discussed. The ZONAL mechanisms are based on the use of existing GIS polynomial layer, thereby making the process entirely automated

DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES: EFFECT OF DECERTIFICATION AND COMPETING IN THE GEORGIA TRANSPORTATION CONSTRUCTION MARKETPLACE

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) allocates billions of dollars annually for transportation projects. State Departments of Transportation (SDOT) that receive federal assistance for transportation contracting must meet the requirements of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 49: Transportation Part 26 (ECFR, 2016). This regulation ensures that all business enterprises have fair opportunities for federally funded transportation contracting. Therefore, SDOTs are mandated to develop DBE goals for participation of firms, certification of DBE firm eligibility, evaluation of their DOT-assisted contracts for compliance with goals to ensure nondiscrimination in federally assisted procurement. There are eight primary objectives for the DBE program. One of which is to assist the development of firms that can compete successfully in the marketplace outside the DBE program. The DBE program has been a source of controversy since its inception (La Noue, 2008). Research shows that both DBE and non-DBE firms have grievances with the effectiveness of the overall program. Some also believe that the program creates a dependency of its participant and that inputs of knowledge would assist with the growth and development of firms to become independent contractors outside of the program (Beliveau et al., 1991). A number of factors have been presented by prior research that hinder the growth and development of certified DBE firms with a focus on performance, internal impediments, and external impediments of the program. However, there is minimal data on the preparation of DBE firms by SDOTs and their ability to compete in the open market outside of the DBE program. There is value in a study that evaluates the DBE program to determine if it is meeting the referenced objective. This research analyzes the participants of the DBE program and factors that contribute to the decertification of firms and affect their growth and development. Evaluation of certified DBEs, decertified DBEs and program administrators on this specific program objective contributes new data to the body of knowledge. The objective of this study is to evaluate the GDOT DBE program and that of similar SDOTs to determine if the DBE program in Georgia is assisting with the development of firms to compete in the marketplace. The main contribution of this research is to identify factors that assist the growth and development of DBE construction firms who voluntarily decertify and compete independently in the open market and explore the issues of certified firms that prohibit graduation. There are three outcomes of this study that contribute to the body of knowledge: regression models, development and decertification factors, and program administrator recommendations. The results of this research reveal if the program is meeting this objective for Georgia construction transportation projects based on factors obtained from the data analysis. The findings offer improvement to policy regarding the DBE program and government contracting for construction transportation projects.Ph.D

Evaluating candidate reactions to selection practices using organisational justice theory

Objectives: This study aimed to examine candidate reactions to selection practices in postgraduate medical training using organisational justice theory. Methods: We carried out three independent cross-sectional studies using samples from three consecutive annual recruitment rounds. Data were gathered from candidates applying for entry into UK general practice (GP) training during 2007, 2008 and 2009. Participants completed an evaluation questionnaire immediately after the short-listing stage and after the selection centre (interview) stage. Participants were doctors applying for GP training in the UK. Main outcome measures were participants’ evaluations of the selection methods and perceptions of the overall fairness of each selection stage (short-listing and selection centre). Results: A total of 23 855 evaluation questionnaires were completed (6893 in 2007, 10 497 in 2008 and 6465 in 2009). Absolute levels of perceptions of fairness of all the selection methods at both the short-listing and selection centre stages were consistently high over the 3 years. Similarly, all selection methods were considered to be job-related by candidates. However, in general, candidates considered the selection centre stage to be significantly fairer than the short-listing stage. Of all the selection methods, the simulated patient consultation completed at the selection centre stage was rated as the most job-relevant. Conclusions: This is the first study to use a model of organisational justice theory to evaluate candidate reactions during selection into postgraduate specialty training. The high-fidelity selection methods are consistently viewed as more job-relevant and fairer by candidates. This has important implications for the design of recruitment systems for all specialties and, potentially, for medical school admissions. Using this approach, recruiters can systematically compare perceptions of the fairness and job relevance of various selection methods

Systems study for an Integrated Digital-Electric Aircraft (IDEA)

The results of the Integrated Digital/Electric Aircraft (IDEA) Study are presented. Airplanes with advanced systems were, defined and evaluated, as a means of identifying potential high payoff research tasks. A baseline airplane was defined for comparison, typical of a 1990's airplane with advanced active controls, propulsion, aerodynamics, and structures technology. Trade studies led to definition of an IDEA airplane, with extensive digital systems and electric secondary power distribution. This airplane showed an improvement of 3% in fuel use and 1.8% in DOC relative to the baseline configuration. An alternate configuration, an advanced technology turboprop, was also evaluated, with greater improvement supported by digital electric systems. Recommended research programs were defined for high risk, high payoff areas appropriate for implementation under NASA leadership

Den Collapse Kills Female Polar Bear and Two Newborn Cubs

A female polar bear (Ursus maritimus) and two newborn cubs were found dead at their den site on the Yukon coast. The site investigation and necropsy indicated that den collapse was the cause of death.Key words: polar bear, Ursus maritimus, den collapse, mortality, Yukon coastMots clés: ours polaire, Ursus maritimus, effondrement de la tanikre, mortalité, côte du Yuko

Dynamics of a two-level system strongly coupled to a high-frequency quantum oscillator

Recent experiments on quantum behavior in microfabricated solid-state systems suggest tantalizing connections to quantum optics. Several of these experiments address the prototypical problem of cavity quantum electrodynamics: a two-level system coupled to a quantum harmonic oscillator. Such devices may allow the exploration of parameter regimes outside the near-resonance and weak-coupling assumptions of the ubiquitous rotating-wave approximation (RWA), necessitating other theoretical approaches. One such approach is an adiabatic approximation in the limit that the oscillator frequency is much larger than the characteristic frequency of the two-level system. A derivation of the approximation is presented and the time evolution of the two-level-system occupation probability is calculated using both thermal- and coherent-state initial conditions for the oscillator. Closed-form evaluation of the time evolution in the weak-coupling limit provides insight into the differences between the thermal- and coherent-state models. Finally, potential experimental observations in solid-state systems, particularly the Cooper-pair box--nanomechanical resonator system, are discussed and found to be promising.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures; revised abstract; some text revisions; added two figures and combined others; added references. Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Identification of decomposition volatile organic compounds from surface deposited and submerged porcine remains

Cadaver dogs are routinely used internationally by police and civilian search organisations to locate human remains on land and in water, yet little is currently known about the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are released by a cadaver underwater; how this compares to those given off by a cadaver deposited on land; and ultimately, how this affects the detection of drowned victims by dogs. The aim of this study was to identify the VOCs released by whole porcine (Sus scrofa domesticus) cadavers deposited on the surface and submerged in water using solid phase microextraction gas chromatography mass spectrometry (SPME GC–MS) to ascertain if there are notable differences in decomposition odour depending on the deposition location. For the first time in the UK, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the headspace of decomposing porcine cadavers deposited in both terrestrial and water environments have been detected and identified using SPME-GCMS, including thirteen new VOCs not previously detected from porcine cadavers. Distinct differences were found between the VOCs emitted by porcine cadavers in terrestrial and water environments. In total, seventy-four VOCs were identified from a variety of different chemical classes; carboxylic acids, alcohols, aromatics, aldehydes, ketones, hydrocarbons, esters, ethers, nitrogen compounds and sulphur compounds. Only forty-one VOCs were detected in the headspace of the submerged pigs with seventy detected in the headspace of the surface-deposited pigs. These deposition-dependent differences have important implications for the training of cadaver dogs in the UK. If dog training does not account for these depositional differences, there is potential for human remains to be missed. Whilst the specific odours that elicit a trained response from cadaver dogs remain unknown, this research means that recommendations can be made for the training of cadaver dogs to incorporate different depositions, to account for odour differences and mitigate the possibility of missed human remains operationally

Responding to Sea Level Rise: Does Short-Term Risk Reduction Inhibit Successful Long-Term Adaptation?

Most existing coastal climate-adaptation planning processes, and the research supporting them, tightly focus on how to use land use planning, policy tools, and infrastructure spending to reduce risks from rising seas and changing storm conditions. While central to community response to sea level rise, we argue that the exclusive nature of this focus biases against and delays decisions to take more discontinuous, yet proactive, actions to adapt—for example, relocation and aggressive individual protection investments. Public policies should anticipate real estate market responses to risk reduction to avoid large costs—social and financial—when and if sea level rise and other climate-related factors elevate the risks to such high levels that discontinuous responses become the least bad alternative

The effects of natural structure on estimated tropical cyclone surge extremes

Abstract The past 12 years have seen significant steps forward in the science and practice of coastal flood analysis. This paper aims to recount and critically assess these advances, while helping identify next steps for the field. This paper then focuses on a key problem, connecting the probabilistic characterization of flood hazards to their physical mechanisms. Our investigation into the effects of natural structure on the probabilities of storm surges shows that several different types of spatial-, temporal-, and process-related organizations affect key assumptions made in many of the methods used to estimate these probabilities. Following a brief introduction to general historical methods, we analyze the two joint probability methods used in most tropical cyclone hazard and risk studies today: the surface response function and Bayesian quadrature. A major difference between these two methods is that the response function creates continuous surfaces, which can be interpolated or extrapolated on a fine scale if necessary, and the Bayesian quadrature optimizes a set of probability masses, which cannot be directly interpolated or extrapolated. Several examples are given here showing significant impacts related to natural structure that should not be neglected in hazard and risk assessment for tropical cyclones including: (1) differences between omnidirectional sampling and directional-dependent sampling of storms in near coastal areas; (2) the impact of surge probability discontinuities on the treatment of epistemic uncertainty; (3) the ability to reduce aleatory uncertainty when sampling over larger spatial domains; and (4) the need to quantify trade-offs between aleatory and epistemic uncertainties in long-term stochastic sampling