Software visualisation for object-oriented program comprehension

Software visualisation is the process of modelling software systems for comprehension. The comprehension of software systems both during and after development is a crucial component of the software process. The complex interactions inherent in the object-oriented paradigm make visualisation a particularly appropriate comprehension technique, and the large volume of information typically generated during visualisation necessitates tool support

A comparative evaluation of dynamic visualisation tools

Despite their potential applications in software comprehension, it appears that dynamic visualisation tools are seldom used outside the research laboratory. This paper presents an empirical evaluation of five dynamic visualisation tools - AVID, Jinsight, jRMTool, Together ControlCenter diagrams and Together ControlCenter debugger. The tools were evaluated on a number of general software comprehension and specific reverse engineering tasks using the HotDraw objectoriented framework. The tasks considered typical comprehension issues, including identification of software structure and behaviour, design pattern extraction, extensibility potential, maintenance issues, functionality location, and runtime load. The results revealed that the level of abstraction employed by a tool affects its success in different tasks, and that tools were more successful in addressing specific reverse engineering tasks than general software comprehension activities. It was found that no one tool performs well in all tasks, and some tasks were beyond the capabilities of all five tools. This paper concludes with suggestions for improving the efficacy of such tools

Primijenjena geografija: načela i primjena

An applied geographical approach has the potential to illuminate the nature and causes of a wide range of economic, social and environmental problems, and inform the formulation of appropriate responses. This paper provides an overview of the principles and praxis of applied geography. First we examine the conceptual foundations of applied geography and consider the relationship between pure and applied research, and the concept of useful knowledge. This conceptual discussion is then complemented by empirical case study examples of applied research in the field of urban geography, with particular reference to the key question of quality of life and human wellbeing. Finally, we adopt a prospective perspective to address the question of the value of applied geography in contemporary society.Pristup primijenjene geografije ima mogućnost razjasniti uzroke velikog broja ekonomskih, socijalnih i ekoloških problema, te stvoriti osnovu za njihovo rješavanje. U članku se daje sažeti pregled načela primijenjene geografije te se raspravlja o mogućnostima njene primjene u praksi. Prvi dio rada odnosi se na konceptualnu utemeljenost primijenjene geografije. Također se raspravlja o odnosu između teorijskog i primijenjenog istraživanja, a definiran je i pojam korisnoga znanja. U drugom je dijelu rada prikazana mogućnost primjene geografskog znanja u području urbane geografije. Posebna pažnja posvećena je pitanjima kvalitete života i ljudskog blagostanja. Završno je prikazano značenje primijenjene geografije u suvremenom društvu

Comparative Studies for the Assessment of the Quality of Near-Real-Time GPS-Derived Atmospheric Parameters

Abstract Accurate and frequent sampling of atmospheric parameters, such as water vapor, is important for enabling reliable weather forecasts and global climate studies over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Recent developments in global positioning system data processing have allowed the estimation of zenith total delay (ZTD), the delay of the neutral atmosphere, with a high degree of accuracy using continuously operating GPS networks. From this delay integrated water vapor can be derived by means of additional meteorological information, in particular observed pressure or numerical weather prediction model pressure. Comparisons with other independent techniques must be performed to evaluate the quality of atmospheric parameters directly estimated or retrieved from the GPS system. In this work the accuracy of GPS atmospheric parameter, namely, zenith total delay, delivered in near–real time from a European ground-based network of permanent GPS receivers has been assessed. It is compared to other GPS solutions, radiosonde profiles, and High-Resolution Limited-Area Model (HIRLAM)-derived ZTD. Intercomparisons between results from different GPS analysis centers in the framework of the Targeting Optimal Use of GPS Humidity Measurements in Meteorology (TOUGH) project show a mean ZTD station bias at the level of ±6 mm with a related standard deviation of about 7–8 mm. In the comparison with radiosondes, an overall ZTD bias of about 7 mm with a standard deviation of 9 mm is detected. Finally, the comparison of ZTD near–real time against the HIRLAM models has an average bias of about −4.8 mm and a standard deviation of 11.5 mm

Toronto Homeless Shelters Occupancy Levels & Transit Accessibility

Homelessness in the City of Toronto is an ongoing problem. While the number of homeless seems to have remained steady, the number living on the streets has actually increased (Peat & Chief, 2013). In fact, this past winter of 2014-2015 has seen the deaths of three homeless men as a result of sleeping on the streets during extreme cold weather (Colbert, 2015). As a result of these facts it is necessary to look at options homeless individuals have for obtaining shelter as well as the distance they have to travel to get to a shelter. Our research project has focused on occupancy levels in homeless shelters during “extreme cold weather alert” days in the City of Toronto, as well as access to the homeless shelters using public transit and by walking from various points in Toronto where homeless people spend the day. The goal of this research is to see how accessible homeless shelters are to public transit routes as most homeless individuals will be using public transit or walking to get to the shelters for the night. Also, to look at how accessible the shelters are to spaces homeless individuals stay during the day, such as public libraries and warming centers. Finally, with the recent deaths due to homeless individuals sleeping on the streets during extreme cold weather events, it is necessary to see what the occupancy levels can be at the shelters and if the issue is a shortage of beds or another unrelated issue

Does Accessibility Planning address what matters? A review of current practice and practitioner perspectives

'Accessibility' has become commonplace in transport planning and as such there is a plethora of interpretations of what accessibility means, what constitutes a good measure of accessibility, and how this might be applied in practice. This paper presents an overview of approaches to measuring accessibility and presents a case study of Accessibility Planning in England — one approach to formalising the concept of accessibility. Results of semi-structured interviews with local authority officers are discussed to establish whether current approaches, allow their desired outcomes to be met. This approach demonstrates where there might be gaps between measured or modelled accessibility and the perceptions of the individuals. Findings suggest that while the process is deemed useful in raising the profile of accessibility issues, measures of accessibility do not necessarily easily translate into quantifying benefits of those improvements that are perceived by practitioners to improve accessibility and reduce transport disadvantage

Ground-based GNSS for climate research: review and perspectives

In climate research, the role of water vapour can hardly be overestimated. Water vapour is the most important natural greenhouse gas and is responsible for the largest known feedback mechanism for amplifying climate change. It also strongly influences atmospheric dynamics and the hydrologic cycle through surface evaporation, latent heat transport and diabatic heating, and is, in particular, a source of clouds and precipitation.Atmospheric water vapour is highly variable, both in space and in time. Therefore, measuring it remains a demanding and challenging task. The Zenith Total Delay (ZTD) estimated from GNSS observations, provided at a temporal resolution of minutes and under all weather conditions, can be converted to Integrated Water Vapour (IWV), if additional meteorological variables are available. Inconsistencies introduced into long-term time series from improved GNSS processing algorithms, instrumental, and environmental changes at GNSS stations make climate trend analyses challenging. Ongoing re-processing efforts using state-of-the-art models aim at providing consistent time series of tropospheric data, using 24+ years of GNSS observations from global and regional networks. GNSS is reaching the “maturity age” of 30 years when climate normal of ZTD/IWV (and horizontal gradients) can be derived. Being not assimilated in numerical weather prediction model reanalyses, GNSS products can also be used as independent datasets to validate climate model outputs (ZTD/IWV). However, what is the actual use of GNSS ZTDs in climate monitoring? What are the advantages of using GNSS ZTDs for climate monitoring? In addition, what would be the best ZTD time series to serve the climate community?The presentation will provide a review of the progress made in and the status of using GNSS tropospheric datasets for climate research, highlighting the challenges and pitfalls, and outlining the major remaining steps ahead. We will show examples demonstrating the benefits for climate monitoring brought by using GNSS ZTD and/or IWV datasets in complement to other observations.This contribution is related to the activities of JWG C.2: Quality control methods for climate applications of geodetic tropospheric parameters, https://iccc.iag-aig.org/joint-work-groups/216, of the IAG Inter-Commission Committee on "Geodesy for Climate Research" (ICCC)

EPN-Repro2: A reference GNSS tropospheric data set over Europe

The present availability of 18+ years of GNSS data belonging to the EUREF Permanent Network (EPN, http://www.epncb.oma.be/) is a valuable database for the development of a climate data record of GNSS tropospheric products over Europe. This data record can be used as a reference for a variety of scientific applications (e.g. validation of regional numerical weather prediction reanalyses and climate model simulations) and has a high potential for monitoring trends and the variability in atmospheric water vapour. In the framework of the EPN-Repro2, the second reprocessing campaign of the EPN, five Analysis Centres homogenously reprocessed the EPN network for the period 1996–2014. A huge effort has been made to provide solutions that are the basis for deriving new coordinates, velocities and tropospheric parameters for the entire EPN. The individual contributions are then combined to provide the official EPN reprocessed products. This paper is focused on the EPN-Repro2 tropospheric product. The combined product is described along with its evaluation against radiosonde data and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis (ERA-Interim) data

Healthy Cities: The Impact of Food Retail-led Regeneration on Food Access, Choice and Retail Structure

The health, social and planning policy agendas which have focused on the issue of food deserts, food access and food choice provide the context for this study of the outcomes of a large scale food retail intervention in Springburn, Glasgow. Through an analysis of changing retail structure and foodscape health impacts on food provision, food choice and physical and economic accessibility. This is set within the regeneration context of the Tesco St Rollox Partnership. Conclusions are reached on the potential for such schemes to deliver a range of diet, health, social, regeneration and planning policy goals