Quantifying physical characteristics of wildland fuels using the Fuel Characteristic Classification SystemThis article is one of a selection of papers published in the Special Forum on the Fuel Characteristic Classification System.

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (12) ◽  
pp. 2413-2420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia L. Riccardi ◽  
Susan J. Prichard ◽  
David V. Sandberg ◽  
Roger D. Ottmar
Keyword(s):  
Classification System ◽  
Habitat Management ◽  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Fire Effects ◽  
Physical Characteristics ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Fuel Characteristics ◽  
Fuel Characteristic ◽  
Fuel Components ◽  
Selection Of

Wildland fuel characteristics are used in many applications of operational fire predictions and to understand fire effects and behaviour. Even so, there is a shortage of information on basic fuel properties and the physical characteristics of wildland fuels. The Fuel Characteristic Classification System (FCCS) builds and catalogues fuelbed descriptions based on realistic physical properties derived from direct or indirect observation, inventories, expert knowledge, inference, or simulated fuel characteristics. The FCCS summarizes and calculates wildland fuel characteristics, including fuel depth, loading, and surface area. Users may modify fuelbeds and thereby capture changing fuel conditions over time and (or) under different management prescriptions. Fuel loadings from four sample fuelbed pairs (i.e., pre- and post-prescribed fire) were calculated and compared by using FCCS to demonstrate the versatility of the system and how individual fuel components, such as shrubs, nonwoody fuels, woody fuels, and litter, can be calculated and summarized. The ability of FCCS to catalogue and summarize complex fuelbeds and reflect dynamic fuel conditions allows calculated results to be used in a variety of applications including surface and crown fire predictions, carbon assessments, and wildlife habitat management.

A conceptual framework for ranking crown fire potential in wildland fuelbedsThis article is one of a selection of papers published in the Special Forum on the Fuel Characteristic Classification System.

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (12) ◽  
pp. 2464-2478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark D. Schaaf ◽  
David V. Sandberg ◽  
Maarten D. Schreuder ◽  
Cynthia L. Riccardi
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Classification System ◽  
Field Observations ◽  
Crown Fire ◽  
Fire Behaviour ◽  
Forest Canopies ◽  
Crown Fires ◽  
Fire Initiation ◽  
Fuel Characteristic ◽  
Selection Of

This paper presents a conceptual framework for ranking the crown fire potential of wildland fuelbeds with forest canopies. This approach extends the work by Van Wagner and Rothermel, and introduces several new physical concepts to the modeling of crown fire behaviour derived from the reformulated Rothermel surface fire modeling concepts proposed by Sandberg et al. (this issue). This framework forms the basis for calculating the crown fire potentials of Fuel Characteristic Classification System (FCCS) fuelbeds (Ottmar et al., this issue). Two new crown fire potentials are proposed (i) the torching potential (TP) and (ii) the active crown potential (AP). A systematic comparison of TP and AP against field observations and Crown Fire Initiation and Spread (CFIS) model outputs produced encouraging results, suggesting that the FCCS framework might be a useful tool for fire managers to consider when ranking the potential for crown fires or evaluating the relative behaviour of crown fires in forest canopies.

Fuel Characteristic Classification System (FCCS) field sampling and fuelbed development guide

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan J. Prichard ◽  
Anne G. Andreu ◽  
Roger D. Ottmar ◽  
Ellen Eberhardt
Keyword(s):  
Classification System ◽  
Field Sampling ◽  
Fuel Characteristic

Anwenderfreundliche Prozessüberwachungssysteme/User-friendly Process Monitoring Systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 110 (06) ◽  
pp. 435-439
Author(s):  
Berend Denkena ◽  
Benjamin Bergmann ◽  
H. Tobias Stiehl
Keyword(s):  
Process Monitoring ◽  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Monitoring Systems ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Monitoring Performance ◽  
Economic Use ◽  
Selection Of

Prozessüberwachungssysteme reduzieren Ausschuss und Stillstände. Allerdings schränken die prozessspezifische Parametrierung und das erforderliche Expertenwissen den wirtschaftlichen Einsatz der Systeme ein. Dieser Beitrag stellt nachvollziehbare und automatische Ansätze zur Auswahl geeigneter Signale, ihrer Verarbeitung und Bildung von Überwachungsgrenzen vor. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die damit erreichte Überwachungsleistung vergleichbar mit einer Konfiguration durch geschultes Personal ist.   Process monitoring systems reduce scrap, rework and downtime. However, process-specific parameterization and the required expert knowledge limit the economic use of the systems. This article presents approaches to the autonomous and comprehensible parameterization of systems covering the selection of suitable signals, their processing and the formation of monitoring limits. The results show that the achieved monitoring performance is comparable to a configuration by experts.

scholarly journals Stroke impairment categories: A new way to classify the effects of stroke based on stroke-related impairments

2020 ◽  
pp. 026921552096647
Author(s):  
Matthew Gittins ◽  
David Lugo-Palacios ◽  
Andy Vail ◽  
Audrey Bowen ◽  
Lizz Paley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Classification System ◽  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Stroke Severity ◽  
National Audit ◽  
Motor Impairments ◽  
Sensory Impairments ◽  
Scale Scores ◽  
Data Source ◽  
To Receive

Objective: To create a classification system based on stroke-related impairments. Data source: All adults with stroke admitted for at least 72 hours in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from July 2013 to July 2015 extracted from the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme Analysis: Impairments were defined using the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale scores at admission. Common combinations of impairments were identified based on geometric coding and expert knowledge. Validity of the classification was assessed using standard descriptive statistics to report and compare patients’ characteristics, therapy received and outcomes in each group. Results: Data from 94,905 patients were extracted. The items of the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (on admission) were initially grouped into four body systems: Cognitive, Motor, Sensory and Consciousness. Seven common combinations of these impairments were identified (in order of stroke severity); Patients with Loss of Consciousness ( n = 6034, 6.4%); those with Motor + Cognitive + Sensory impairments ( n = 28,226, 29.7%); Motor + Cognitive impairments ( n = 16,967, 17.9%); Motor + Sensory impairments ( n = 9882, 10.4%); Motor Only impairments ( n = 20,471, 21.6%); Any Non-Motor impairments ( n = 7498, 7.9%); and No Impairments ( n = 5827, 6.1%). There was a gradation of age, premorbid disability, mortality and disability on discharge. People with the most and least severe categories were least likely to receive therapy, and received least therapy (−20 minutes/day of stay) compared to −35 minutes/day of stay for the moderately severe categories. Conclusions: A classification system of seven Stroke Impairment Categories has been presented.

scholarly journals Expert knowledge assessment of threats and conservation strategies for breeding Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl across Europe

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
DARÍO FERNÁNDEZ-BELLON ◽  
JOHN LUSBY ◽  
JULES BOS ◽  
TONIO SCHAUB ◽  
ALAN MCCARTHY ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Habitat Management ◽  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Active Management ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Conservation Threats ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hen Harrier

Summary Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus and Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus are open-country birds of prey with overlapping distributions. Although both species face similar conservation threats across their ranges, work to date has largely been undertaken at a national scale with few attempts to collate and assess factors relevant to their conservation at an international scale. Here we use an expert knowledge approach to evaluate the impact of conservation threats and the effectiveness of conservation strategies for each species across Europe. We report results of responses to a questionnaire from 23 Hen Harrier experts from nine countries and 12 Short-eared Owl experts from six countries. The majority of responses for both species reported declines in breeding numbers. The perceived impact of threats was broadly similar for both species: ecological factors (predation, extreme weather and prey availability), changes in land use (habitat loss and agricultural intensification) and indirect persecution (accidental nest destruction) were considered to be the greatest threats to breeding Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl. Short-eared Owl experts also highlighted lack of knowledge and difficulties associated with monitoring as a major conservation challenge. Despite broad-scale similarities, geographical variation was also apparent in the perceived importance of conservation threats, with some threats (such as direct persecution, large-scale afforestation or habitat degradation) requiring country-specific actions. Implementation of different conservation strategies also varied between countries, with the designation of protected areas reported as the most widespread conservation strategy adopted, followed by species and habitat management. However, protected areas (including species-specific protected areas) were perceived to be less effective than active management of species and habitats. These findings highlight the overlap between the conservation requirements of these two species, and the need for collaborative international research and conservation approaches that prioritise pro-active conservation strategies subject to continued assessment and with specific conservation goals.

scholarly journals Statistical Validation of the Grand Rapids Arch Collapse Classification

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 247301141983453
Author(s):  
David Burkard ◽  
Daniel Patton ◽  
Michelle Padley ◽  
John David Maskill ◽  
Donald Raymond Bohay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Classification System ◽  
Senior Author ◽  
Intrarater Reliability ◽  
Statistical Validation ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Kappa Score ◽  
A Value ◽  
Grand Rapids ◽  
Level Of Agreement ◽  
Selection Of

Background: The Grand Rapids Arch Collapse Classification system was devised in 2011 to assist physicians’ and patients’ understanding of the mechanisms underlying arch collapse. Five types of arch collapse are described, based on which part of the foot or ankle is affected. The purpose of this study was to determine the inter- and intrarater reliability of this classification system when used by physicians with various levels of training. Methods: A senior author identified a stratified selection of 50 patients (10 per classification type) who presented with foot/ankle pain and suitable radiographs. A survey was designed using prediagnosis radiographs and clinical synopses of the patient’s chart. The survey consisted of a description of the classification scheme and the 50 cases in a randomized order. Eight weeks later, they repeated the test to analyze for intra-rater agreement. Results: Of the 33 physicians who received the survey, 26 completed the first round (16 attendings, 4 foot and ankle fellows, and 6 residents). Overall, there was substantial agreement among raters in all five types. Kappa scores for each type were 0.72, 0.65, 0.72, 0.70, 0.63, respectively. The combined kappa score was 0.68. After 8 weeks, 13 of the 26 participants repeated the study. A Kappa analysis was once again performed for the 13 respondents, which produced a substantial level of agreement with a value of 0.74 for intrarater reliability. Conclusion: The Grand Rapids Arch Collapse Classification system was designed to provide an accessible mechanism for physicians to consistently describe arch collapse, its effects, and the conditions associated with it. The utility of this system is wholly reliant on the repeatability among clinicians. This study has demonstrated that the classification system has substantial rates of reliability among physicians of different levels of experience and training. Level of evidence: Level IV.

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