Evaluating the Capability of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Imagery to Detect and Measure the Effects of Edge Influence on Forest Canopy Cover in New England

Characterizing and measuring the extent of change at forest edges is important for making management decisions, especially in the face of climate change, but is difficult due to the large number of factors that can modify the response. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) imagery may serve as a tool to detect and measure the forest response at the edge quickly and repeatedly, thus allowing a larger amount of area to be covered with less work. This study is a preliminary attempt to utilize UAS imagery to detect changes in canopy cover, known to exhibit changes due to edge influences, across forest edges in a New England forest. Changes in canopy cover with increasing distance from the forest edge were measured on the ground using digital cover photography and from photogrammetric point clouds and imagery-based maps of canopy gaps produced with UAS imagery. The imagery-based canopy gap products were significantly more similar to ground estimates for canopy cover (p value > 0.05) than the photogrammetric point clouds, but still suffered overestimation (RMSE of 0.088) due to the inability to detect small canopy openings. Both the ground and UAS data were able to detect a decrease in canopy cover to between 45–50 m from the edge, followed by an increase to 100 m. The UAS data had the advantage of a greater sampling intensity and was thus better able to detect a significant edge effect of minimal magnitude effect in the presence of heavy variability.

Comparison of two pixelated insoles using in-shoe pressure sensors to determine percent offloading: case studies

Objective: The gold standard for offloading neuropathic forefoot and midfoot wounds is the total contact cast (TCC). However, in practice TCC is rarely used and is contraindicated in patients with fluctuating oedema, poor perfusion, lack of adequate tissue oxygenation and morbid obesity. It can also be too restrictive for patients, inevitably resulting in treatment rejection and delayed healing. This paper examines the role of shoe-based offloading devices as an alternative in reducing plantar pressure and optimising the healing of neuropathic ulcers. Method: Healthy subjects were recruited and fitted for two types of pixelated insoles: PegAssist (PA) insole system (Darco International, US) and FORS-15 (FORS) offloading insole (Saluber, Italy). An area of discreet, elevated high pressure was created by adding a 1/4-inch-thick felt pad to the plantar skin under the first metatarsal head. Subjects walked barefoot in surgical shoes with standard insoles (Condition 1), barefoot in pixelated insoles (Condition 2), barefoot with pixels removed (Condition 3). Dynamic plantar pressures were measured using F-Scan and the results were analysed to determine plantar pressure changes in each condition. Results: Using PA, the percentage reduction of plantar pressure (kPa) under the first metatarsal between Condition 1 and Condition 2 was 10.54±15.81% (p=0.022), between Condition 2 and Condition 3 was 40.13±11.11% (p<0.001), and between Condition 1 and Condition 3 was 46.67±12.95 % (p<0.001). Using FORS, the percentage reduction between Condition 1 and Condition 2 was 24.25±23.33% (p=0.0029), between Condition 2 and Condition 3 was 23.61±19.45% (p<0.001), and between Condition 1 and Condition 3 was 43.39±18.70% (p<0.001). A notable difference in the findings between the two insoles was the presence of a significant edge effect associated with PA, indicating that the offloading was not entirely successful. No edge effect was detected with FORS. Conclusion: Our current analysis shows that pixelated insoles exhibit potential for supplemental offloading in surgical shoes. These devices could provide an alternative way for physicians to offload plantar wounds and expedite closure for patients that cannot tolerate a TCC or other restrictive devices.

Isotope effects in self-organization of internal transport barrier and concomitant edge confinement degradation in steady-state LHD plasmas

The isotope effect, which has been a long-standing mystery in the turbulent magnetically confined plasmas, is the phenomena that the plasma generated with heavier hydrogen isotope show a mitigated transport. This is on the contrary to what is predicted with the simple scaling theory, in which the heavier ions easily diffuse because of its larger gyro-radius. Thanks to the newly developed analysis method and a comprehensive parameter scan experiment in the steady-state plasmas in the Large Helical Device (LHD), the isotope effect was clearly observed in the self-organized internal transport barrier (ITB) structure for the first time. Comparing the ITB intensity in deuterium (D) and hydrogen (H) plasmas, two distinct hydrogen isotope effects are found: stronger ITB is formed in D plasmas and a significant edge confinement degradation accompanied by the ITB formation emerges in H plasmas. This observation sheds light on a new aspect of the turbulent plasmas regarding how the basic properties of the fluid material affect the turbulent structure formation in the open-system.

EDGE WAVE INDUCED BY AN ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE DISTURBANCE MOVING ALONG A SLOPING BEACH

Edge wave can be generated by an atmospheric pressure disturbance moving along the shoreline on a sloping beach. A two-dimensional numerical model based on non-linear shallow water equations is established and a set of numerical experiments are conducted to study the edge wave packets evolution in coastal ocean. In light of the analytical solutions by Greenspan, some dominant factors are discussed, such as disturbance spatial size, translation speed, its location and the slope inclination, that influence the generation conditions and evolution process of edge waves. The results indicate on what circumstances significant edge waves will be excited and how long it takes for the wave growth.

How I Do it: A Practical Database Management System to Assist Clinical Research Teams with Data Collection, Organization, and Reporting

With the growing amount of research projects in the field of interventional radiology, storing and organizing the patients' data and information effectively is becoming more difficult. Existing hospital electronic medical record and archiving systems store patient information in the form of reports which put the physicians and researchers in a situation where they have to use time-consuming manual search through reports for suitable patients for different clinical researches. Spreadsheet programs such as Microsoft Excel® (Microsoft, Washington, USA) are often used as a data storage, which has limitations in both organization and the quality of the data. Higher risk of incorrect data entry and introducing duplicates are associated with data input and analysis without a database system. Furthermore, selection, as well as calculation of data, is time-consuming. This article aims to provide interventionists with an efficient data collection tool optimized for interventional oncology clinical research. The implementation of the current database and interface allows a much faster and more detailed retrospective analysis of patient cohorts. The database management system with an interface is a very time-efficient and robust tool that provides a significant edge over the manual retrieval of patient records by filtering data and assisting statistical analysis in a study-relevant fashion.

Psyching up to become exceptional

Purpose – Indicates an important and often overlooked approach to talent development: managers who apply everyday psychology with their people to drive significant growth. Design/methodology/approach – Shows how to grow people in significant ways, based upon years of consulting with managers, original research of the practices of exceptional development managers and expert recommended approaches. Findings – Concludes that companies undervalue the important role managers can play in talent development. Advises that managers are well positioned to significantly develop people, yet most do not. Describes five actions managers can take using everyday psychology to help to drive employees’ development. Practical implications – Alerts companies to the fact that, while they strive for a fully skilled workforce, for the majority this is far from reality. Suggests that, with greater investments being made to company-wide talent development, it is wise to also invest in equipping managers to turn everyday work into everyday development for their employees. Counsels that, because development breakthroughs can be daunting, managers who know how to practically apply everyday psychology have a significant edge. Adds that human resources (HR) departments, company leadership and individual managers can benefit greatly from leveraging these practices. Originality/value – Acknowledges that, while managers’ involvement in employee development is not new, it has not gone far enough. Warns that companies are often not relying on the development driven by managers to make a significant impact on their talent-development objectives. Encourages the view that managers are key to developing people, and making psychological principles readily adaptable by managers unlocks their path forward.

How exceptional managers use everyday psychology to develop their people

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify an important and often overlooked approach to talent development: managers who apply everyday psychology with their people to drive significant growth. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based upon: years of consulting with managers, indentifying how to grow people in significant ways; original research of the practices of Exceptional Development Managers; and expert recommended approaches. Findings – Companies undervalue the important role managers can play in talent development. Managers are well positioned to significantly develop people, yet most do not. This paper describes the five actions managers can take using everyday psychology to help drive employees’ development. Practical implications – While every company strives for a fully skilled workforce, for the majority, this is far from reality. With greater investments being made to companywide talent development, it is wise to also invest in equipping managers to turn everyday work into everyday development for their employees. Because the development breakthroughs can be daunting, managers who know how to practically apply everyday psychology have a significant edge. HR departments, company leadership, and individual managers can benefit greatly from leveraging these practices. Originality/value – Manager's involvement in employee development is not new, this just has not gone far enough. Frequently employee development is viewed as needing to be a sideline to getting results. Further, companies are often not relying on the development driven by managers to make a significant impact on their talent development objectives. Yet, managers are key to developing people, and making psychological principles readily adaptable by managers unlocks their path forward.