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Abstract Understanding the interactions among agricultural processes, soil, and plants is necessary for optimizing crop yield and productivity. This study focuses on developing effective monitoring and analysis methodologies that estimate key soil and plant properties. These methodologies include data acquisition and processing approaches that use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and surface geophysical techniques. In particular, we applied these approaches to a soybean farm in Arkansas to characterize the soil–plant coupled spatial and temporal heterogeneity, as well as to identify key environmental factors that influence plant growth and yield. UAV-based multitemporal acquisition of high-resolution RGB (red–green–blue) imagery and direct measurements were used to monitor plant height and photosynthetic activity. We present an algorithm that efficiently exploits the high-resolution UAV images to estimate plant spatial abundance and plant vigor throughout the growing season. Such plant characterization is extremely important for the identification of anomalous areas, providing easily interpretable information that can be used to guide near-real-time farming decisions. Additionally, high-resolution multitemporal surface geophysical measurements of apparent soil electrical conductivity were used to estimate the spatial heterogeneity of soil texture. By integrating the multiscale multitype soil and plant datasets, we identified the spatiotemporal co-variance between soil properties and plant development and yield. Our novel approach for early season monitoring of plant spatial abundance identified areas of low productivity controlled by soil clay content, while temporal analysis of geophysical data showed the impact of soil moisture and irrigation practice (controlled by topography) on plant dynamics. Our study demonstrates the effective coupling of UAV data products with geophysical data to extract critical information for farm management.

LIDAR-based analyses of the first theropod dinosaur trackways known from the state of Arkansas, USA are reported. The trackways were found on a limestone bedding plane in the Albian De Queen Formation in an active gypsum quarry. Because limited access precluded thorough field study, fieldwork focused on preserving the entire site digitally with ground-based LIDAR, and detailed measurements were later taken digitally from point cloud data. The site contains eight tridactyl trackways associated with sauropod trackways and numerous isolated tracks. Although there appear to be two different tridactyl morphotypes, we show that the tracks are all likely from a single species of trackmaker. We apply a simple method of estimating substrate consistency by comparing the differences between true track dimensions and apparent track dimensions. The tridactyl tracks at the southern end of the site are preserved with significantly greater differences in true vs. apparent dimensions and are shallower than the rest of the tridactyl tracks at the site, which we interpret as the result of outward expansion of the soft tissues of the foot upon contact with a firm substrate. We interpret the firm substrate as having high bulk density and high shear strength, which also explain associated manus-only sauropod tracks. We show that the tridactyl tracks are likely from theropod trackmakers and that footprint lengths, trackway paces, stride lengths, and pace angulations of the De Queen trackways are statistically indistinguishable from equivalent measurements of theropod trackways in the Glen Rose Formation. The Glen Rose tracks are attributed to the large-bodied theropod, Acrocanthosaurus and we likewise attribute the De Queen tracks to Acrocanthosaurus, which is known from skeletal remains in temporally equivalent units and from the mine itself.

In recent years, both realism and complexity have begun to have methodological influence in social research. Yet for the most part, these have existed separately and have had limited impact on empirical research. In this article, we develop a theoretical argument for complex realism, grounded in an ontology of probability, that may be operationalised to demonstrate the reality of social change at a micro- and meso-level. We apply our conception of complex realism to an example using the method of longitudinal case–based cluster analysis to analyse the trajectories over time of male and female prisoners aged 18 and above who were at risk of self-harm.

Entre los aspectos de la teoría y el análisis del discurso que todavía deben ser estudiados con mayor profundidad, se encuentra el del metadiscurso, que Hyland define como los medios que utiliza el autor para hacer referencia a sí mismo, al texto o al lector, con el fin de organizar el contenido proposicional del texto, de ayudar al lector a comprender el texto y de persuadir al lector que acepte sus argumentos. El metadiscurso hace parte integral de las herramientas retóricas de las que dispone el autor de un texto. En este artículo, son presentados los diversos elementos metadiscursivos para, seguidamente, analizar la manera como ciertos estudiantes tradujeron (o no) muchos de estos elementos en el marco de trabajos de traducción. Inspirándose en ciertas teorías de la traducción, el autor hace visibles lagunas importantes en el nivel de la traducción del metadiscurso y propone, para solucionarlas, algunas explicaciones provisionales desde la perspectiva de la formación universitaria.

The relevance of, and justification for, translation quality assessment (TQA) is stronger than ever: professional translators, their clients, translatological researchers and trainee translators all rely on TQA for different reasons. Yet whereas there is general agreement about the need for a translation to be "good," "satisfactory" or "acceptable," the definition of acceptability and of the means of determining it are matters of ongoing debate. National and international translation standards now exist, but there are no generally accepted objective criteria for evaluating the quality of translations. What are the problems and issues that stand in the way of consensus and coherence in TQA? This article presents an updated argumentation-centred model to solve some of those problems.

Las diversas herramientas para evaluar la calidad de las traducciones se critican a menudo, debido a las múltiples variables que implica, entre ellas la definición, el número y la gravedad de las faltas, el propósito de la evaluación, la competencia y la fiabilidad del evaluador, las exigencias del cliente o del usuario final, el tiempo y la complejidad del modelo de evaluación. No obstante, en los últimos años, el modelo funcionalista de la evaluación de la calidad de la traducción, basado en criterios establecidos, propuesto por Colina (2008, 2009), entre otros modelos, ha permitido tener en cuenta diferentes variables y, por lo tanto, proporcionar una mayor fiabilidad y validez incluso si es criticado por de los partidarios de evaluación normativa en la traducción (Anckaert et al., 2008, 2009). Asimismo, se han logrado avances en la evaluación educativa por medio de un enfoque holístico y basado en criterios establecidos, desarrollado por Wiggins (1998) y Biggs y Tang (2007), investigadores en el campo de la educación científica. En este artículo, el autor propone la integración del modelo funcionalista con el enfoque holístico, basado en la definición de las normas profesionales aplicables en América del Norte, con el fin de crear un modelo de evaluación "integral y componencial" del desempeño y las habilidades de los traductores en formación. Este modelo corregiría las deficiencias atribuidas a los tradicionales esquemas de corrección cuantitativos, a los esquemas de corrección "impresionistas" y a los modelos basados en criterios establecidos.

Les sans-domicile constituent une population rare et difficile à joindre, mais en plus, son dénombrement est rendu plus difficile du fait de l'absence d'accord sur une définition, du point de vue de la référence temporelle et du lieu, de ce qui constitue une population sans domicile. Cet article passe en revue certaines méthodes employées pour dénombrer cette population et effectue une évaluation critique d'une méthode particulière, celle de =capture-recapture’. Les investigations conduites par l'auteur et ses collègues au Royaume-Uni sont utilisées pour illustrer les possibilités et les limitations de cette méthode.

Homeless people constitute a rare and elusive population, but additionally counting the numbers homeless is made more difficult as a result of the absence of agreed definitions, across time and place, of what constitutes homelessness. This paper reviews some of the methods of counting used and critically evaluates one particular method, that of ‘capture-recapture’. Projects undertaken by the author and his colleagues, in the UK, are used as illustrations of the possibilities and limitations of the method.

Entre los aspectos de la teoría y el análisis del discurso que todavía deben ser estudiados con mayor profundidad, se encuentra el del metadiscurso, que Hyland define como los medios que utiliza el autor para hacer referencia a sí mismo, al texto o al lector, con el fin de organizar el contenido proposicional del texto, de ayudar al lector a comprender el texto y de persuadir al lector que acepte sus argumentos. El metadiscurso hace parte integral de las herramientas retóricas de las que dispone el autor de un texto. En este artículo, son presentados los diversos elementos metadiscursivos para, seguidamente, analizar la manera como ciertos estudiantes tradujeron (o no) muchos de estos elementos en el marco de trabajos de traducción. Inspirándose en ciertas teorías de la traducción, el autor hace visibles lagunas importantes en el nivel de la traducción del metadiscurso y propone, para solucionarlas, algunas explicaciones provisionales desde la perspectiva de la formación universitaria.

La relevancia y la justificación para reflexionar sobre la evaluación de la calidad de las traducciones (TQA) es más fuerte que nunca. Los traductores profesionales sus clientes, los investigadores en traductología y los formadores de traductores, confían en la evaluación de la calidad de las traducciones por razones diferentes. Sin embargo, a pesar de que existe un acuerdo general sobre la necesidad de que las traducciones sean "buenas", "satisfactorias" o "aceptables", la definición de aceptabilidad y de la manera de determinarla es un asunto en continuo debate. Existen ahora estándares nacionales e internacionales de traducción, pero no existen criterios objetivos de aceptación general para evaluar la calidad de las traducciones. ¿Cuáles son los problemas y los elementos que se interponen para que haya consenso y coherencia en la evaluación de la calidad de las traducciones? Este artículo presenta un modelo centrado en la argumentación actualizado como propuesta de soluciones a estos problemas.

Abstract Background In 2008, the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG) was established to coordinate a national antimicrobial stewardship programme. In 2009 SAPG led participation in a European point prevalence survey (PPS) of hospital antibiotic use. We describe how SAPG used this baseline PPS as the foundation for implementation of measures for improvement in antibiotic prescribing. Methods In 2009 data for the baseline PPS were collected in accordance with the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption [ESAC] protocol. This informed the development of two quality prescribing indicators: compliance with antibiotic policy in acute admission units and duration of surgical prophylaxis. From December 2009 clinicians collected these data on a monthly basis. The prescribing indicators were reviewed and further modified in March 2011. Data for the follow up PPS in September 2011 were collected as part of a national PPS of healthcare associated infection and antimicrobial use developed using ECDC protocols. Results In the baseline PPS data were collected in 22 (56%) acute hospitals. The frequency of recording the reason for treatment in medical notes was similar in Scotland (75.9%) and Europe (75.7%). Compliance with policy (81.0%) was also similar to Europe (82.5%) but duration of surgical prophylaxis Conclusions The baseline PPS identified priorities for quality improvement. SAPG has demonstrated that implementation of regularly reviewed national prescribing indicators, acceptable to clinicians, implemented through regular systematic measurement can drive improvement in quality of antibiotic use in key clinical areas. However, our data also show that the ESAC PPS method may underestimate the proportion of surgical prophylaxis with duration

Abstract Backgound The Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG) was established by the Scottish Government in 2008 to lead the first national initiative to actively address antimicrobial stewardship. Healthcare associated infection (HAI) is a priority in Scotland and the work of SAPG contributes to the national HAI Delivery Plan. SAPG's early work has focused on restricting the use of antibiotics associated with a high risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) and development of national prescribing indicators to support reduction of CDI. Findings Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group has developed prescribing indicators for hospital and primary care, which are measured and reported in all 14 NHS board areas. Improvement in compliance with the indicators has been demonstrated with resultant reductions in CDI rates and no adverse effect on mortality or antimicrobial resistance patterns. Conclusions The establishment of a Scottish national antimicrobial stewardship programme has made a significant contribution to the HAI agenda, particularly in relation to CDI. The programme is supported by local antimicrobial teams, a national framework for education, surveillance of antimicrobial use and resistance and sharing of data for improvement. Antimicrobial stewardship has been integrated with other national programmes on patient safety and quality improvement.