Evaluating the shoreline and bottom terrain variations in the naval port of zone 5, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang by using multi - temporal remote sensing images

In this study, the authors aim to study two major contents: (1) Evaluating the shoreline variation in the naval port of zone 5 (in the years of 1999, 2006, 2009 and 2016); (2) Evaluating the bottom terrain variation in the naval port of zone 5 (in the years of 2007 and 2010). Three main research methodologies were applied: (i) Band rationing method for the shoreline extraction; (ii) Shoreline change analysis method using GPS data; (iii) Digital elevation model integrated with bottom terrain analysis method. The most obvious change in shoreline is in the An Thoi port from Mui Den to Mui Ong Doi. In the shoreline from Mui Den to Mui Con Duong, a backward shoreline evolution (erosion) mainly occurred with an average width of about 40–50 m, while some other places had a forward shoreline evolution (accumulation), especially in Mui Con Duong with a width of 60 m. These sediment materials are sent to conductor and accumulation, making the bottom terrain raised. As on the sections AA’, BB’, CC’, DD’, we could see that the bottom terrain at the channel of naval port of zone 5 has the depth variation only from 2 m to 4 m. The accumulation rate is up to 1 m/year in this period

Research on marine environment and coral distribution on Nam Yet island using VNRedsat-1 and QuickBird images

Based on the processing of VNRedsat-1 and QuickBird images in the area of Truong Sa archipelago, the research results showed the efficiency of assessing marine environmental characteristics in surroundings of these islands. In this paper, we presented the research results on Nam Yet island and adjacent area. The marine parameters in this research include sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll-a concentration in the surface layer as well as in the deep layers of 20m and 40m, the distributions of the ground objects such as coral shelf, sand accumulation, coral reef combined with seagrass and seaweed. The accuracy of assessment of supervised and unsupervised classified results is approximate of 87.8%. The research results allowed assessing the environmental characteristics, warning of the risk of erosion and coastal line change in the study area

Research Trends in Evidence-Based Medicine: A Joinpoint Regression Analysis of More than 50 Years of Publication Data

Background Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has developed as the dominant paradigm of assessment of evidence that is used in clinical practice. Since its development, EBM has been applied to integrate the best available research into diagnosis and treatment with the purpose of improving patient care. In the EBM era, a hierarchy of evidence has been proposed, including various types of research methods, such as meta-analysis (MA), systematic review (SRV), randomized controlled trial (RCT), case report (CR), practice guideline (PGL), and so on. Although there are numerous studies examining the impact and importance of specific cases of EBM in clinical practice, there is a lack of research quantitatively measuring publication trends in the growth and development of EBM. Therefore, a bibliometric analysis was constructed to determine the scientific productivity of EBM research over decades. Methods NCBI PubMed database was used to search, retrieve and classify publications according to research method and year of publication. Joinpoint regression analysis was undertaken to analyze trends in research productivity and the prevalence of individual research methods. Findings Analysis indicates that MA and SRV, which are classified as the highest ranking of evidence in the EBM, accounted for a relatively small but auspicious number of publications. For most research methods, the annual percent change (APC) indicates a consistent increase in publication frequency. MA, SRV and RCT show the highest rate of publication growth in the past twenty years. Only controlled clinical trials (CCT) shows a non-significant reduction in publications over the past ten years. Conclusions Higher quality research methods, such as MA, SRV and RCT, are showing continuous publication growth, which suggests an acknowledgement of the value of these methods. This study provides the first quantitative assessment of research method publication trends in EBM

Search for long-lived gravitational-wave transients coincident with long gamma-ray bursts

Long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been linked to extreme core-collapse supernovae from massive stars. Gravitational waves (GW) offer a probe of the physics behind long GRBs. We investigate models of long-lived (~10–1000 s) GW emission associated with the accretion disk of a collapsed star or with its protoneutron star remnant. Using data from LIGO’s fifth science run, and GRB triggers from the Swift experiment, we perform a search for unmodeled long-lived GW transients. Finding no evidence of GW emission, we place 90% confidence-level upper limits on the GW fluence at Earth from long GRBs for three waveforms inspired by a model of GWs from accretion disk instabilities. These limits range from F<3:5 ergs cm⁻2 to F<1200 ergs cm⁻2, depending on the GRB and on the model, allowing us to probe optimistic scenarios of GW production out to distances as far as ≈ 33 Mpc. Advanced detectors are expected to achieve strain sensitivities 10× better than initial LIGO, potentially allowing us to probe the engines of the nearest long GRBs.J. Aasi ... D.J. Hosken ... W. Kim ... E.J. King ... J. Munch ... D. J. Ottaway ... P. J. Veitc

A new species of Limnonectes (Amphibia: Anura: Dicroglossidae) from Vietnam

Pham, Cuong The, Do, Dang Trong, Le, Minh Duc, Ngo, Hanh Thi, Nguyen, Luan Thanh, Ziegler, Thomas, Nguyen, Truong Quang (2020): A new species of Limnonectes (Amphibia: Anura: Dicroglossidae) from Vietnam. Zootaxa 4894 (3): 387-402, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4894.3.

Quadcopter UAVs Extended States/Disturbance Observer-Based Nonlinear Robust Backstepping Control

A trajectory tracking control for quadcopter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on a nonlinear robust backstepping algorithm and extended state/disturbance observer (ESDO) is presented in this paper. To obtain robust attitude stabilization and superior performance of three-dimension position tracking control, the construction of the proposed algorithm can be separated into three parts. First, a mathematical model of UAV negatively influenced by exogenous disturbances is established. Following, an extended state/disturbance observer using a general second-order model is designed to approximate undesirable influences of perturbations on the UAVs dynamics. Finally, a nonlinear robust controller is constructed by an integration of the nominal backstepping technique with ESDO to enhance the performance of attitude and position control mode. Robust stability of the closed-loop disturbed system is obtained and guaranteed through the Lyapunov theorem without precise knowledge of the upper bound condition of perturbations. Lastly, a numerical simulation is carried out and compared with other previous controllers to demonstrate the great advantage and effectiveness of the proposed control method