Spatial Sampling Strategies for Assessing Public Opinion Under the Water Framework Directive: A Case Study of the Ythan Project

Consultation with and inclusion of the public on measures to manage and improve water resources is a key tenet of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). This involves establishing people’s opinions but also the perspectives (both metaphoric and literal) which inform these. In particular water is a complex and dynamic spatial entity with many spatial expressions relating to its various functions, so perspectives as to its utility and proper management are equally various. In establishing a catchment rather than discipline based approach to management, the WFD recognises the spatially integrated nature of the issues. It also poses a challenge to research, in that the pattern presented by the interaction between human and biophysical processes is a compound of the complexities of the two systems. Capturing the detail of such a pattern from a sample requires a strategy which is sensitive to the relevant dynamics of each system. This paper considers a case study relating to a postal survey carried out by the Macaulay Institute on behalf of the EU Life Environment Fund’s Ythan Project, which aimed to develop wider participation in the protection of the River Ythan (Scotland’s first Nitrate Vulnerable Zone). A thousand questionnaires were sent to residents and farmers in the Ythan catchment in spring 2002, for comparison the adjacent River Ugie and the more distant Loch Leven catchments were surveyed the following year. The methodology presented represents the attempt to maximise at the design stage the utility this data would have for analysis of responses in relation to both respondent’s social-environs and the proximity of the water body, as well as to ensure a representative over all sample. The somewhat awkward term “water body” highlights the difficulties for the key issue of definition, be that for rivers and lochs, or people, residences and urban areas. The decisions made with regards to definition are explained and results from the survey presented illustrating the practical significance of initial object definitions in conditioning the outcome. The importance of considering spatial aspects post survey is also highlighted. Keywords: Spatial, Sampling, Water Framework Directive, Survey.

Does Time Smoothen Space? Implications for Space-Time Representation

The continuous nature of space and time is a fundamental tenet of many scientific endeavors. That digital representation imposes granularity is well recognized, but whether it is possible to address space completely remains unanswered. This paper argues Hales' proof of Kepler's conjecture on the packing of hard spheres suggests the answer to be "no", providing examples of why this matters in GIS generally and considering implications for spatio-temporal GIS in particular. It seeks to resolve the dichotomy between continuous and granular space by showing how a continuous space may be emergent over a random graph. However, the projection of this latent space into 3D/4D imposes granularity. Perhaps surprisingly, representing space and time as locally conjugate may be key to addressing a "smooth" spatial continuum. This insight leads to the suggestion of Face Centered Cubic Packing as a space-time topology but also raises further questions for spatio-temporal representation

Comparing ground and remotely sensed measurements of urban tree canopy in private residences

Private residential areas represent a large portion of urban tree canopy and provide a significant amount of ecosystem services for mitigation of negative environmental impacts. With densification, construction of impermeable surfaces, loss of plantable space and urban tree canopy loss, communities are facing a potential degradation of urban environment and loss of living quality. Monitoring urban tree canopy change with repeated assessments over time is key for supplying information for management decisions. We examined how remote sensing has been used in the past assessments of urban tree canopy area, the public availability and quality of geodata sources and grey literature examples. Field measurements of tree canopy area were collected in private residential properties in Malmö, Sweden and compared to estimates of canopy area using remote sensing data collected by the public mapping agency ‘Lantmäteriet’. The remote sensing model was derived using normalized difference in vegetation (NDVI) and LiDAR. Most Swedish municipalities conduct urban tree monitoring schemes only on street and park trees. Our results show a correlation in remotely sensed tree canopy area and field measurements, suggesting that monitoring of private residential areas can be conducted frequently and non-invasively where remote sensing information of similar quality is available

Molecular Evolution Patterns in Metastatic Lymph Nodes Reflect the Differential Treatment Response of Advanced Primary Lung Cancer

Tumor heterogeneity influences the clinical outcome of patients with cancer, and the diagnostic method to measure the tumor heterogeneity needs to be developed. We analyzed genomic features on pairs of primary and multiple metastatic lymph nodes from six patients with lung cancer using whole-exome sequencing and RNA sequencing. Although somatic single-nucleotide variants were shared in primary lung cancer and metastases, tumor evolution predicted by the pattern of genomic alterations was matched to anatomic location of the tumors. Four of six cases exhibited a branched clonal evolution pattern. Lymph nodes with acquired somatic variants demonstrated resistance to the cancer treatment. In this study, we demonstrated that multiple biopsies and sequencing strategies for different tumor regions are required for a comprehensive understanding of the landscape of genetic alteration and for guiding targeted therapy in advanced primary lung cancer. Cancer Res; 76(22); 6568-76. ©2016 AACR

Mapping the force field of a hydrogen-bonded assembly

Hydrogen bonding underpins the properties of a vast array of systems spanning a wide variety of scientific fields. From the elegance of base pair interactions in DNA to the symmetry of extended supramolecular assemblies, hydrogen bonds play an essential role in directing intermolecular forces. Yet fundamental aspects of the hydrogen bond continue to be vigorously debated. Here we use dynamic force microscopy (DFM) to quantitatively map the tip-sample force field for naphthalene tetracarboxylic diimide molecules hydrogen-bonded in two-dimensional assemblies. A comparison of experimental images and force spectra with their simulated counterparts shows that intermolecular contrast arises from repulsive tip-sample interactions whose interpretation can be aided via an examination of charge density depletion across the molecular system. Interpreting DFM images of hydrogen-bonded systems therefore necessitates detailed consideration of the coupled tip-molecule system: analyses based on intermolecular charge density in the absence of the tip fail to capture the essential physical chemistry underpinning the imaging mechanism

Readout and Control of a Single Nuclear Spin with a Metastable Electron Spin Ancilla

Electron and nuclear spins associated with point defects in insulators are promising systems for solid-state quantum technology1, 2, 3. The electron spin is usually used for readout and addressing, and nuclear spins are used as exquisite quantum bits4, 5 and memory systems3, 6. With these systems, single-shot readout of single nuclear spins5, 7 as well as entanglement4, 8, 9, aided by the electron spin, have been shown. Although the electron spin in this example is essential for readout, it usually limits the nuclear spin coherence10, leading to a quest for defects with spin-free ground states9, 11. Here, we isolate a hitherto unidentified defect in diamond and use it at room temperature to demonstrate optical spin polarization and readout with exceptionally high contrast (up to 45%), coherent manipulation of an individual excited triplet state spin, and coherent nuclear spin manipulation using the triplet electron spin as a metastable ancilla. We demonstrate nuclear magnetic resonance and Rabi oscillations of the uncoupled nuclear spin in the spin-free electronic ground state. Our study demonstrates that nuclei coupled to single metastable electron spins are useful quantum systems with long memory times, in spite of electronic relaxation processes.Engineering and Applied Science

Uniaxially aligned electrospun fibers for advanced nanocomposites based on a model PVOH-epoxy system

This work demonstrates the potential of aligned electrospun fibers as the sole reinforcement in nanocom- posite materials. Poly(vinyl alcohol) and epoxy resin were selected as a model system and the effect of electrospun fiber loading on polymer properties was examined in conjunction with two manufacturing methods. A proprietary electrospinning technology for production of uniaxially aligned electrospun fiber arrays was used. A conventional wet lay-up fabrication method is compared against a novel, hybrid electrospinning–electrospraying approach. The structure and thermomechanical properties of resulting composite materials were examined using scanning electron microscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and tensile testing. The result demonstrate that using aligned electrospun fibers significantly enhances material properties compared to unreinforced resin, especially when manufactured using the hybrid electrospinning–electrospraying method. For example, tensile strength of such a material containing only 0.13 vol% of fiber was increased by �700%, and Young’s modulus by �250%, with concomitant increase in ductility