Operational Framework for Rapid, Very-high Resolution Mapping of Glacial Geomorphology Using Low-cost Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Structure-from-Motion Approach

This study presents the operational framework for rapid, very-high resolution mapping of glacial geomorphology, with the use of budget Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and a structure-from-motion approach. The proposed workflow comprises seven stages: (1) Preparation and selection of the appropriate platform; (2) transport; (3) preliminary on-site activities (including optional ground-control-point collection); (4) pre-flight setup and checks; (5) conducting the mission; (6) data processing; and (7) mapping and change detection. The application of the proposed framework has been illustrated by a mapping case study on the glacial foreland of Hørbyebreen, Svalbard, Norway. A consumer-grade quadcopter (DJI Phantom) was used to collect the data, while images were processed using the structure-from-motion approach. The resultant orthomosaic (1.9 cm ground sampling distance—GSD) and digital elevation model (7.9 cm GSD) were used to map the glacial-related landforms in detail. It demonstrated the applicability of the proposed framework to map and potentially monitor detailed changes in a rapidly evolving proglacial environment, using a low-cost approach. Its coverage of multiple aspects ensures that the proposed framework is universal and can be applied in a broader range of settings

Was sagen uns positive und negative Erfahrungen von Patienten, Angehörigen, Hausärzten, medizinischen Fachangestellten und Pflegekräften über Barrieren und Förderfaktoren in der ambulanten Palliativversorgung? Eine Critical Incident Interview Studie

Background: The strengthening of the general practitioners' (GPs') role in palliative care (PC) has been identified as a top priority in order to improve PC in Germany. This study aims at exploring positive and negative experiences in PC in Germany from the perspectives of patients, relatives, and health care professionals in a primary care setting.Methods: Between March 2017 and August 2017, a total of 16 interviews with patients, relatives, GPs, medical assistants, and nurses were conducted. The Critical Incident Technique (CIT) was used to explore factors that influence excellent versus undesirable events in PC provision. Two researchers independently defined and counted critical incidents (CIs) from interview transcripts, performed a thematic analysis, and clustered the CIs into dimensions.Results: In summary, 16 interviews contained 280 CIs, divided into 130 positive and 150 negative CIs. The thematic analysis resulted in seven content domains, with each including positive and negative CIs, respectively: 1) way of care provision, 2) availability of care providers, structures, medication, and aids, 3) general formal conditions of care provision, 4) bureaucracy, 5) working practices in health care teams, 6) quality and outcome of care provision, and 7) communication.Conclusions: The results raise awareness for the aspects that lead to successful or undesirable PC experiences, observed from different perspectives. They open up the potential for primary PC improvement. Future research will facilitate development and implementation of more tailored interventions in order to improve generalists' PC.Einleitung: Um die Palliativversorgung in Deutschland zu verbessern, wurde die Stärkung der Rolle von Allgemeinmedizinern in der Palliativversorgung als höchste Priorität eingestuft. Das Ziel dieser Studie ist das Erforschen positiver und negativer Erfahrungen mit Palliativversorgung in Deutschland aus der Perspektive von Patienten, Angehörigen und medizinischen Fachkräften in der Grundversorgung.Methoden: Von März 2017 bis August 2017 wurden insgesamt 16 Interviews mit Patienten, Angehörigen, Allgemeinmedizinern, medizinischen Fachangestellten und Pflegekräften geführt. Dabei wurde die Critical Incident Technik benutzt, um Faktoren zu finden, die positive oder unerwünschte Ereignisse in der Palliativversorgung beeinflussen. Zwei Forscher haben unabhängig voneinander Critical Incidents (CIs) in Interviewprotokollen definiert und gezählt, eine thematische Analyse durchgeführt und die CIs in Dimensionen gruppiert.Ergebnisse: Zusammengefasst enthielten 16 Interviews 130 positive und 150 negative CIs. Das Ergebnis der thematischen Analyse waren sieben Inhaltsdomänen, die jeweils positive und negative CIs beinhalten: 1) die spezifische Art der Versorgung, 2) Verfügbarkeit von Diensten, Strukturen, Medikamenten und Hilfsmitteln, 3) formale Rahmenbedingungen der Gesundheitsversorgung, 4) Bürokratie, 5) Arbeitsweisen in Teams der Gesundheitsversorgung, 6) Qualität der Arbeit und Ergebnisse der Versorgung, und 7) Kommunikation.Schlussfolgerung: Die Ergebnisse sensibilisieren für die Aspekte, die zu erfolgreichen oder unerwünschten Erfahrungen mit Palliativversorgung führen, beobachtet aus verschiedenen Perspektiven. Sie erschließen das Potenzial für eine Verbesserung der palliativen Versorgung. Zukünftige Forschung wird die Entwicklung und Implementierung spezifischer Interventionen vorantreiben, damit die von Generalisten ausgeübte Palliativversorgung verbessert werden kann

Quantification of historical landscape change on the foreland of a receding polythermal glacier, Hørbyebreen, Svalbard

The assessment of multidecadal scale change in a polythermal glacial landsystem in the high Arctic is facilitated by a quantitative approach that utilises time series of aerial photographs, satellite images, digital elevation models, and field geomorphological mapping. The resulting spatiotemporal analysis illustrates a transition from glacial to proglacial/paraglacial conditions indicating that (1) the areal coverage of ice between the maximum LIA extent and 2013 decreased from 29.35 to 16.07 km2, which is a reduction in the glacierized area in the catchment from 62% to 34%; (2) the ice volume loss in the proglacial area amounted to 214.9 (±3%) million m3, which was attributed mostly to ablation of the glacier snout but to a lesser extent the degradation of ice-cored landforms; (3) the transition from areas formerly covered by glacier ice to ice-cored moraines, glacifluvial deposits, and other landforms was the most intense in the period 1990–2013; (4) two end member scenarios (polythermal glacial landsystem domains) evolve during glacier recession, each one dictated by the volume of debris in englacial and supraglacial positions, and include (a) subglacial surfaces (limited englacial and supraglacial debris) related to temperate basal ice and (b) ice-cored lateral moraines and moraine-mound complexes (significant supraglacial debris accumulations) related to marginal cold-based ice. An additional assemblage of geometric ridge networks (discrete or linear englacial and supraglacial debris concentrations) relates to crevasse and hydrofracture infill branching out from an esker complex and is indicative of either surging or later rapid release of pressurised meltwater from temperate to cold-based parts of the former glacier snout