Assessing the importance of audio/video synchronization for simultaneous translation of video sequences

Lip synchronization is considered a key parameter during interactive communication. In the case of video conferencing and television broadcasting, the differential delay between audio and video should remain below certain thresholds, as recommended by several standardization bodies. However, further research has also shown that these thresholds can be relaxed, depending on the targeted application and use case. In this article, we investigate the influence of lip sync on the ability to perform real-time language interpretation during video conferencing. Furthermore, we are also interested in determining proper lip sync visibility thresholds applicable to this use case. Therefore, we conducted a subjective experiment using expert interpreters, which were required to perform a simultaneous translation, and non-experts. Our results show that significant differences are obtained when conducting subjective experiments with expert interpreters. As interpreters are primarily focused on performing the simultaneous translation, lip sync detectability thresholds are higher compared with existing recommended thresholds. As such, primary focus and the targeted application and use case are important factors to be considered when selecting proper lip sync acceptability thresholds

Biodiversity and carbon storage co-benefits of coffee agroforestry across a gradient of increasing management intensity in the SW Ethiopian highlands

Agroforestry has been proposed as a way to reconcile biodiversity conservation, food production and the delivery of other ecosystem services in tropical landscapes. One such a key ecosystem service, especially in the light of climate change mitigation, is carbon storage. Increasing human disturbance and management intensification, however, are known to affect the carbon storage potential of forests. Here we assessed how the above- and belowground carbon stocks in Ethiopian moist evergreen Afromontane forest co-varied with their biodiversity, and with increasing agroforestry management intensity for the production of Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.). We assessed above- and belowground carbon storage in 60 plots across a gradient of agricultural intensification ranging from natural forest, over two different coffee agroforestry systems, to intensified shade plantations. We quantified the diversity of ground beetles and woody plants in the same plots. Carbon stocks in natural forests (413±55.6S.E. Mgha⿿1) and in the most extensively managed agroforestry systems (387±50.0Mgha⿿1) were significantly higher than those in the more intensified agroforest system (258±39.4Mgha⿿1) and in shade plantations (219±22.8Mgha⿿1). Diversity of woody plants, but not of ground beetles, declined with increasing management intensity and decreasing carbon stocks. Overall, this study demonstrates that extensive coffee farming in Ethiopian moist Afromontane forests is able to deliver important co-benefits in terms of woody plant species conservation and carbon storage. Given the associated coffee yield cost, it is most likely, however, that supporting payments from certification or policy mechanisms such as REDD+ are required to keep these extensive coffee agroforestry systems economically viable, which is required to avoid management intensification and associated carbon and biodiversity losses.publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Biodiversity and carbon storage co-benefits of coffee agroforestry across a gradient of increasing management intensity in the SW Ethiopian highlands journaltitle: Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.02.017 content_type: article copyright: Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.status: publishe

Nutritional red flags in children with cerebral palsy

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) are at risk for under-nutrition. The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) guidelines identified anthropometric nutritional red flags for neurologically impaired children: weight for age z-score (WFA) 2 and dysphagia were associated with a higher risk for lower scores of nearly all nutritional indices. CONCLUSIONS: Underweight was detected in almost three quarters of CP patients with GMFCS 5 classification, whereas deficits in subcutaneous fat and arm muscle reserve were observed in one fifth. Nutritional red flags, present in about 40% of the Flemish CP children, were apparently not successfully addressed in clinical practice, since up to one-fifth of CP patients with warning signs lost even further weight in the following 6 months. Beside a GMFCS >2, dysphagia was one of the most common conditions influencing the presence of low nutritional indices.status: publishe

Biodiversity and carbon storage co-benefits of coffee agroforestry across a gradient of increasing management intensity in the SW Ethiopian highlands

Agroforestry is a way to reconcile biodiversity conservation, food production and the delivery of other ecosystem services in tropical landscapes. One such a key ecosystem service, especially in the light of climate change mitigation, is carbon storage. Increasing human disturbance and management intensification, however, are known to affect the carbon storage potential of forests. In this study we assessed how carbon stocks in Ethiopian Afromontane forests co-varied with their biodiversity, and with increasing management intensity for the production of Arabica coffee. We also broadened our scope to the whole landscape and assessed the biodiversity conservation and carbon storage potential of all land uses. We quantified above- and belowground carbon stocks across a gradient of agricultural intensification ranging from natural forest, over two different coffee agroforestry systems, to intensified shade plantations. Ground beetle and woody plant diversity was defined based on the same plots. We found that carbon stocks in natural forests (413 ± 55.6 Mg ha-1) and in the most extensively managed agroforestry systems (387 ± 50.0 Mg ha-1) were significantly higher than those in the more intensified agroforest system (258 ± 39.4 Mg ha-1) and in shade plantations (219 ± 22.8 Mg ha-1). Diversity of woody plants, but not of ground beetles, declined with increasing management intensity and decreasing carbon stocks. The carbon account of the 106 ha studied landscape window emphasized the importance of non-forest land uses, storing 80% of the total carbon stock. Agroforests were found to harbour almost half of all encountered native tree species. To keep these extensive land use systems economically viable, which is required to avoid management intensification and associated carbon and biodiversity losses, we advocate payments for ecosystem services (PES) at the landscape scale.status: publishe