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Copyright of Journal of History / Habaršy Tarihi Seriâsy is the property of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cluster thinning has been widely applied in yield management and its effect on green leaf volatiles (GLVs) in wines has seldom been studied. GLVs are important flavor compositions for grapes and wines. This work aimed to investigate the impact of cluster thinning on these volatiles and their precursors in grapes and wines. Severe cluster thinning (CT1) and medium cluster thinning (CT2) were performed on Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L.) vines in two sites (G-farm and Y-farm) from Xinjiang province in the Northwest of China. The impact of cluster thinning treatments on the accumulation of GLVs and their precursors, long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) of grape berries and C6 volatiles, in resulting wines was investigated. Multivariate analysis showed that cluster thinning treatments induced significant changes in fruit and wine composition in both farms. In Y-farm, medium cluster thinning (CT2) significantly increased the average cluster weight of harvested berries. Additionally, both cluster thinning treatments (CT1 and CT2) increased fatty acids in harvested berries and CT2 led to an increase in C6 esters and a decrease in C6 alcohols in the wines of Y-farm under the warmer and drier 2012 vintage. However, the effect of cluster thinning was likely negative in G-farm due to its wetter soil and excessive organic matter. The treatments may be applicable for local grape growers to improve viticultural practices for the more balanced vegetative and reproductive growth of Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines. This work also provided further knowledge on the regulation of fatty acids and the derived C6 volatiles through the lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban expansion and development continue to increase globally, threatening rural multifunctional landscapes that provide a diversity of direct and indirect ecological benefits. However, not all landscapes are equally impacted, thus making conservation planning more difficult. We used 8 years of land use and land cover to understand this change in Greenville Co. SC, a region experiencing rapid expansion of development into rural landscapes. Regression models helped explain the relationships between development predictor variables and rural response variables. To explore where these changes were occurring, we determined which size categories of land parcels were the most developed and how this is changing over time. Developed open space was revealed to significantly impact rural character, pasture, and evergreen forest most frequently. It was also found to be most prevalent in the smallest parcels. Determining relationships between development, rural character, and multifunctionality will aid in potential solutions for the conservation of multifunctional landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian Postal Services (IPSs) have above 155,333 post offices distributed globally. They are one of the most known and established government-owned institutions with sizable customer bases. They provide accessible and affordable services in India thanks to the unrivalled postal systems with various new services added in the last decades which include money transfers, distribution of mutual funds, and mail/parcel deliveries. IPSs have positioned themselves as dependable agencies for the Government of India. It has a competitive advantage of geographical accessibility. The system has also established centralized core banking solutions with alternative delivery channels enabling everywhere, anytime banking settings in India. Since the current marketplaces focus on clientele; businesses need to regard them as profit-making entities creating needs for high-quality services and management essential for customer satisfaction and retention. Globalization has added to acute competition to IPSs making it imperative to improve the overall quality of their services. This study's goal is to identify the primary drivers of consumer happiness with IPSs. Since social media is the most widely used for views, references, and product information, this study effort suggests a system based on social media data called Machine learning-based Assessments of Customer Satisfaction Levels in Indian Postal Services (ML-ACSLIPS). Regression analysis and machine learning techniques (MLTs) were used in this study to examine Indian customer satisfaction levels in IPSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cluster thinning has been widely applied in yield management and its effect on green leaf volatiles (GLVs) in wines has seldom been studied. GLVs are important flavor compositions for grapes and wines. This work aimed to investigate the impact of cluster thinning on these volatiles and their precursors in grapes and wines. Severe cluster thinning (CT1) and medium cluster thinning (CT2) were performed on Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L.) vines in two sites (G-farm and Y-farm) from Xinjiang province in the Northwest of China. The impact of cluster thinning treatments on the accumulation of GLVs and their precursors, long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) of grape berries and C6 volatiles, in resulting wines was investigated. Multivariate analysis showed that cluster thinning treatments induced significant changes in fruit and wine composition in both farms. In Y-farm, medium cluster thinning (CT2) significantly increased the average cluster weight of harvested berries. Additionally, both cluster thinning treatments (CT1 and CT2) increased fatty acids in harvested berries and CT2 led to an increase in C6 esters and a decrease in C6 alcohols in the wines of Y-farm under the warmer and drier 2012 vintage. However, the effect of cluster thinning was likely negative in G-farm due to its wetter soil and excessive organic matter. The treatments may be applicable for local grape growers to improve viticultural practices for the more balanced vegetative and reproductive growth of Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines. This work also provided further knowledge on the regulation of fatty acids and the derived C6 volatiles through the lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway.

• A novel method for automated parcellated Corpus callosum (Cc) segmentation from 2D brain MRI images is proposed. • The proposed PCCS-RAU-Net is deep learning-based modified residual attention U-Net model for multi-class segmentation configuration with five target classes (also called parcels of Cc): rostrum, genu, mid-body, isthmus and splenium. • Extensive experiments were performed on two benchmark MRI datasets, including a private dataset. • Comparison with existing state-of-art methods shows its significance and superiority. • Radiologist experts from the affiliated medical institute have validated the results. The Corpus callosum (Cc) in the cerebral cortex is a bundle of neural fibers that facilitates inter-hemispheric communication. The Cc area and area of its sub-regions (also known as parcels) have been examined as a biomarker for cortical pathology and differential diagnosis in neurodegenerative diseases such as Autism, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and more. Manual segmentation and parcellation of Cc are laborious and time-consuming. The present work proposes a novel work of automated parcellated Cc (PCc) segmentation that will serve as a potential biomarker to study and diagnose neurological disorders in brain MRI images. In this perspective, the present work aims to develop an automated PCc segmentation from mid-sagittal T1- weighted (w) 2D brain MRI images using a deep learning-based fully convolutional network, a modified residual attention U-Net, referred to as PCcS-RAU-Net. The model has been modified to use a multi-class segmentation configuration with five target classes (parcels): rostrum, genu, mid-body, isthmus and splenium. The experimental research uses two benchmark MRI datasets, ABIDE and OASIS. The proposed PCcS-RAU-Net outperformed existing methods on the ABIDE dataset with a DSC of 97.10% and MIoU of 94.43%. Furthermore, the model's performance is validated on the OASIS and Real clinical image (RCI) data and hence verifies the model's generalization capability. The proposed PCcS-RAU-Net model extracts essential characteristics such as the total area of the Cc (TCcA) to categorize MRI slices into healthy controls (HC) and disease groups. Also, sub-regional areas, Cc1A to Cc5A, help study atrophy progression for early diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article delves into the phenomenon of material goods circulation in the context of international migration, specifically looking at the exchange of parcels between Moldovan immigrants in the Paris region, France, and their kin, friends, and acquaintances in Moldova. The analysis uses field data collected during an ethnographic study conducted in 2017 within the Moldovan immigrant community in Paris. It moves beyond the limitations of push-pull theories that focus solely on one-way material circulation from immigrants to their home country families or only on the economic implications of remittances. Adopting a diverse methodological and epistemological stance, the author's inductive approach highlights the heuristic value of the field data. This data suggests that the parcel exchange between Moldovan immigrants and their compatriots carries significant social and symbolic meaning for all actors involved in this process. Over time, this exchange has evolved into a social institution, creating an ongoing link between the host country and the country of origin. The author scrutinizes the material and symbolic processes involved in the parcel transfer mechanism, whimsically referred to by the migrants as "Post Office of Moldova", the name of the national postal service in Moldova. The article explores both the commercial and non-commercial dynamics that shape this mechanism's operations and its integrative impact on the Moldovan immigrant community in the Paris region. The motivations that drive these material flows associated with migration are portrayed in terms of reciprocity, redistribution, and altruism, thereby emphasizing the reciprocal nature of these exchanges.

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Northern Wisconsin's tourism economy has drawn the attention of scholars interested in the economic linkages that exist between it and sending areas in the urban and suburban Upper Midwest. Interrelationships between the two areas have left an indelible mark on the rural landscape through the presence of lakefront vacation homes owned by nonresidents. Where are these properties located, and where do the nonresident landowners call home? Geospatial data for 816,000 parcels, provided by the Wisconsin State Cartographer's Office, are utilized to reveal the extent and value of nonresident property in the Northwoods. Schumpeter's theory of Creative Destruction is used as a framework to explain the emergence of tourism-dependent communities in the region, and case studies reveal the impacts of nonresident property taxes on public school funding. These findings suggest that as population in the Northwoods declines in upcoming years, communities will increasingly rely on nonresident investment to sustain local institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of parcels and pieces of luggage are scanned daily for threat detection at border control or high‐security buildings. Currently, the process is manually operated by security agents and it is slow and time‐consuming. The automation of this process will lift the burden from the security agents and will allow larger volumes of items to be scanned. The authors consider the problem of automatic threat detection, in particular firearms, in X‐rays. To achieve this goal, they propose a hybrid algorithm that combines two well‐established image segmentation algorithms into a two‐step clustering method. The first step is a semi‐supervised spectral clustering algorithm at the image level, which classifies whole images into benign or containing a threat. The images classified as threatening from the first step proceed to the second stage, where a variational image segmentation algorithm performs clustering at the pixel level to locate the threat if it exists. The hybrid algorithm is designed to scale‐up the processing of hundreds of images, in comparison to the academic literature where only a handful images are used for demonstration. Numerical experiments establish that the combination of two different algorithms produces better results than using individual algorithms.

Land use mix (LUM) has long been employed as one of the key methods to improve urban vibrancy and optimize built-up areas. Within the urban studies discipline, LUM is usually defined as a functional compatible but diverse land use pattern. However, its quantitative methodological approaches thereby heavily rely on the diversity of land use and fail to consider functional compatibility as another critical defining characteristic, providing only a partial picture of land use pattern. Thus, reviewing LUM’s concepts and definitions, this paper develops a new index to describe functional compatibility according to the spatial segregation measurements. To evaluate and provide empirical evidence of the proposed index, this paper selects the medium-sized city of Xiangtan as a case study. The findings demonstrate that Xiangtan exhibits a quite compatible land use pattern to a certain extent. In addition, particular clusters with relatively incompatible land use patterns are observed, which are closely linked to a special historical working unit, the ‘Danwei’ compounds, and a special rural planning authority, ‘Township-Village-Enterprise’, in China. Finally, an integrated evaluation is conducted based on the proposed index and Shannon entropy index, which can be regarded as a useful tool in future land use planning while contributing to shaping a sustainable form of urban development.

This paper presents a new index for determining the shape of land parcels. Parcel shapes are usually represented descriptively (i.e. ribbon-shaped, rectangular, irregularly shaped), which is useless for automated distinguishing between parcel shapes or for determining and distinguishing between the patterns formed by parcels. Thus, we developed a Parcel Shape Index (IOP) to describe parcel shape characteristics, and then tested it in the test area of Gorenje pri Divači to analyse selected fields – as irregular blocks, enclosures, continuous strips, and furlongs. We found that IOP allows for a differentiation of parcels according to their shape as well as parcel patterns formed due to the individual types of dividing arable land.

This study focuses on Large Eddy Simulations (LES) in the Eulerian-Lagrangian framework of turbulent spray jets. The choice of the numerical grid relates both to turbulence level description and parcels-grid cells interaction. The objective of the present work is to determine a case set-up capable of predicting flow fields of a turbulent n-heptane spray jet for which a set of experimental data in non-reactive conditions (isothermal) is available (Shum-Kivan Proc. Combust. Inst. 36(2), 2567–2575 (2017)). The study first focuses on the LES grid, based on simulation with only gas phase, and subsequently on the choice of the suitable number of parcels to describe the spray. The droplets behavior is analyzed using the particle Stokes number at different axial locations. Furthermore, a variation in the existing injection methodology, as available in OpenFOAMⓇ, reveals a beneficial impact on the prediction of the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of parcels and pieces of luggage are scanned daily for threat detection at border control or high‐security buildings. Currently, the process is manually operated by security agents and it is slow and time‐consuming. The automation of this process will lift the burden from the security agents and will allow larger volumes of items to be scanned. The authors consider the problem of automatic threat detection, in particular firearms, in X‐rays. To achieve this goal, they propose a hybrid algorithm that combines two well‐established image segmentation algorithms into a two‐step clustering method. The first step is a semi‐supervised spectral clustering algorithm at the image level, which classifies whole images into benign or containing a threat. The images classified as threatening from the first step proceed to the second stage, where a variational image segmentation algorithm performs clustering at the pixel level to locate the threat if it exists. The hybrid algorithm is designed to scale‐up the processing of hundreds of images, in comparison to the academic literature where only a handful images are used for demonstration. Numerical experiments establish that the combination of two different algorithms produces better results than using individual algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new index for determining the shape of land parcels. Parcel shapes are usually represented descriptively (i.e. ribbon-shaped, rectangular, irregularly shaped), which is useless for automated distinguishing between parcel shapes or for determining and distinguishing between the patterns formed by parcels. Thus, we developed a Parcel Shape Index (IOP) to describe parcel shape characteristics, and then tested it in the test area of Gorenje pri Divači to analyse selected fields - as irregular blocks, enclosures, continuous strips, and furlongs. We found that IOP allows for a differentiation of parcels according to their shape as well as parcel patterns formed due to the individual types of dividing arable land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model covering land registration and cadastre with its effects is required in these days, so this work will focus on including 3D aspects of roads in the base cadastral model. We considered two important components of the 3D Cadastre: the surface parcels represented in the Stereo'70 system and the parcels of volume and its overlapped representation over the coordinates of the 2D cadastral system. Several countries in the world already have legislation allowing the registration of volume parcels, sometimes even including detailed regulations for 3D survey plans. From this idea of different parcel management, we have reached to the implementation of the 3D cadastre also to the linear elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land is a critical and limited natural resource. The Land Administration System (LAS) has been developed to resolve and adjudicate over any disputes that might arise concerning the rights and boundaries of land. Land registration and cadastre are types of land recording that need to be established. To secure the property rights, we must be sure of accuracy of the boundary points determining the size of the property. However, in addition to typical factors considered when determining the boundary point positions, such as accuracy of geodetic networks and measurement errors, the global and local crustal deformation, resulting, e.g., from the movement of tectonic plates, should be considered. In this work, the focus is on the movement of points inside the European plate due to tectonic movement, without taking into account local events caused by erosion, landslides, etc. The study area is Europe, and particular attention was paid to Poland, which is located in the centre of the European continent and does not have significant anomalous sub-areas, making it an authoritative research object. In this study, we analysed the velocity of point displacements and the boundary deformation, using GPS observations. For this reason, we used both global (IGS) and regional (ETRF) reference frames, to show differences in point velocities for the studied areas. Overall, for the needs of the real estate cadastre in Poland, information about parcel boundary points must be obtained with an accuracy better than 0.30 m. Within 25 years, the border mark may be shifted by 0.13 m due to tectonic plate movement, which is within the required accuracy. Pursuant to the current legal regulations, the measurements of the boundary points can be performed with any method, ensuring the required accuracy (0.30 m). The most commonly used are direct measurements (GNSS and tacheometry) and photogrammetric measurements. It is recommended that periodic verifications and update of the cadastre data in Poland be carried out at least once every 15 years. In the case of such relatively frequent verification and possible modernisation of data, the potential impact of tectonic plate movement on the relative boundary point displacement can be ignored, particularly in the short term. However, for a long time period it has an influence. We suggest “relatively frequent” cadastral boundary verification to be able to ignore such influence.

Public and private actors in cities have embarked on a race to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. However, parcel delivery in urban areas is booming, especially due to e-commerce. This context necessitates the study of sustainable transportation use. Among the various city-center parcel delivery modes, delivery by river is largely understudied. This study proposes a cost calculation model for delivery by inland waterways. This model considers fixed and variable costs for pre-carriage, transshipment, and last-mile delivery using a two-echelon last-mile delivery network framework. The model is tested using a real-life French case study and worldwide academic investigation. The results show that load optimization is key for profitability and that the most important costs are personnel and investment costs. • A cost calculation model for delivery by inland waterways is developed. • Fixed and variable costs are calculated for pre-carriage, transshipment, and last-mile delivery. • The proposed model uses a two-echelon last-mile delivery network. • Personnel and investment are the most impactful costs. • Load optimization is a key element for profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forestry measures applied consist in adjusting and decreasing of the forestry personnel for obtaining wooden material as required, with a good physiological state, without any specific flaw on its surface. The IV production Unit of Chirnogi belongs and develops in district Campiei Burnasului, it is administered by Mitreni SilvicDistrict, while being a public property of the state in the R.N.P. Romsilva. Thinning shave been done in UPF IV Chirnogi on a surface of 41.16 ha with a volume of 455 m3 and a 46 m3 annual average. The major modifications have been done by assignations in the parcel and underlake area in UP III Frasin Ulmeni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth in e-commerce has led to increasing use of light goods vehicles for parcel deliveries in urban areas. This paper provides an insight into the reasons behind this growth and the resulting effort required to meet the exacting delivery services offered by e-retailers which often lead to poor vehicle utilisation in the last-mile operation, as well as the duplication of delivery services in urban centres as competitors vie for business. A case study investigating current parcel delivery operations in central London identified the scale of the challenge facing the last-mile parcel delivery driver, highlighting the importance of walking which can account for 62% of the total vehicle round time and 40% of the total round distance in the operations studied. The characteristics of these operations are in direct conflict with the urban infrastructure which is being increasingly redesigned in favour of walking, cycling and public transport, reducing the kerbside accessibility for last-mile operations. The paper highlights other pressures on last-mile operators associated with managing seasonal peaks in demand; reduced lead times between customers placing orders and deliveries being made; meeting delivery time windows; first-time delivery failure rates and the need to manage high levels of product returns. It concludes by describing a range of initiatives that retailers and parcel carriers, sometimes in conjunction with city authorities, can implement to reduce the costs associated with last-mile delivery, without negatively impacting on customer service levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Dialogue: East-West is the property of International Center for Slavic Education- Sveti Nikole and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Parcels of comforting food sent from the United Kingdom loom large in accounts of how British POWs were sustained during the First World War. But these care packages provoked considerable contestation amongst a variety of stakeholders. While food parcels were part of humanitarianism, the state had considerable oversight as to the amount of food dispatched, the contents of the parcels and who was allowed to send them. They were thus a critical part of the British government's wartime food strategy. The state's regulations mitigated the effects of class privilege that extended even into the camps by helping to equalize food distribution amongst interned British subjects. But the British government's control over parcels starting in late 1916 provoked tensions amongst voluntary associations and led to criticism from the families of imprisoned men and from some POWs themselves who decried what they saw as unnecessary meddling. The standardization and centralization of the parcel system, argued its opponents, undermined the role of families who wished to remain connected to their captive loved ones through nurturing their bodies. In addition, it challenged the masculinity of POWs by rendering them dependent on the state. Sending parcels to British prisoners was thus a much more fraught enterprise and one that involved considerably more government oversight than scholarship on the First World War has previously acknowledged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural equation models (SEMs) can be estimated using a variety of methods. For complete normally distributed data, two asymptotically efficient estimation methods exist: maximum likelihood (ML) and generalized least squares (GLS). With incomplete normally distributed data, an extension of ML called “full information” ML (FIML), is often the estimation method of choice. An extension of GLS to incomplete normally distributed data has never been developed or studied. In this article we define the “full information” GLS estimator for incomplete normally distributed data (FIGLS). We also identify and study an important application of the new GLS approach. In many modeling contexts, the variables in the SEM are linear composites (e.g., sums or averages) of the raw items. For instance, SEMs often use parcels (sums of raw items) as indicators of latent factors. If data are missing at the item level, but the model is at the composite level, FIML is not possible. In this situation, FIGLS may be the only asymptotically efficient estimator available. Results of a simulation study comparing the new FIGLS estimator to the best available analytic alternative, two-stage ML, with item-level missing data are presented.

This article deals with RFID technology, which is a part of automatic identification and data capture. Nowadays, the identification of parcels in postal sector is carried through barcodes. In this article we would like specify, how can be postal parcels located in postal container identified in the transmission process of postal main processing centre by UHF RFID technology. All results are verified by measurement in our AIDC laboratory, which is located at the University of Žilina. Our research contains 12 different types of orientation tags and antennas and more than 1000 tests. Our identification performance was close to 100%. All tested parcels were located in postal container. The results of our research bring the new point of view and indicate the ways using of UHF RFID technology in postal applications. At the end of this article the utilization of the RFID technology in postal logistics chain is characterized.

Accurate estimations of the extent of agricultural land abandonment (ALA) are critical to the sustainable management of agricultural resources and forestry, the understanding of ALA determinants, and the development of future agricultural policies. Although ALA is widespread in Europe, mapping it over large areas using remote sensing data is difficult as a result of the complexity of this phenomenon. This study aims to develop methods for a detailed wall-to-wall regional-scale mapping of ALA using vegetation height and secondary forest succession indicators. The rates and distribution of ALA were analyzed at the parcel and communal level in the Polish Carpathians using a high-resolution vegetation height model (VHM) derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) point clouds and topographic data. Depending on the parcel-level secondary forest succession threshold (10, 20, and 50%), the regional ALA rates were 18.8, 9.0, and 2.1%, respectively. Regardless of the threshold, abandoned grasslands covered about three times more area than abandoned croplands. The highest ALA rates were observed in communes located in the western part of the study area, as well as east and south of Rzeszów. We found that areas receiving European Union Common Agricultural Policy payments very rarely showed signs of secondary forest succession and land abandonment. The developed method proved to be effective for detailed ALA mapping at various spatial scales.

The grouping of parcel data based on proximity is a pre-processing step of GIS and a key link of urban structure recognition for regional function discovery and urban planning. Currently, most literature abstracts parcels into points and clusters parcels based on their attribute similarity, which produces a large number of coarse granularity functional regions or discrete distribution of parcels that is inconsistent with human cognition. In this paper, we propose a novel parcel grouping method to optimise this issue, which considers both the urban morphology and the urban functional connectivity. Infiltration behaviours of urban components provide a basis for exploring the correlation between morphology mechanism and functional connectivity of urban areas. We measured the infiltration behaviours among adjacent parcels and concluded that the occurrence of infiltration behaviours often appears in the form of groups, which indicated the practical significance of parcel grouping. Our method employed two parcel morphology indicators: the similarity of the line segments and the compactness of the distribution. The line segment similarity was used to establish the adjacent relationship among parcels and the compactness was used to optimise the grouping result in obtain a satisfactory visual expression. In our study, constrained Delaunay triangulation, Hausdorff distance, and graph theory were employed to construct the proximity, delineate the parcel adjacency matrix, and implement the grouping of parcels. We applied this method for grouping urban parcel data of Beijing and verified the rationality of grouping results based on the quantified results of infiltration behaviours. Our method proved to take a good account of infiltration behaviours and satisfied human cognition, compared with a k-means++ method. We also presented a case using Xicheng District in Beijing to demonstrate the practicability of the method. The result showed that our method obtained fine-grained groups while ensuring functional regions-integrity.

We present an analysis framework composed of a geospatial process that can be employed to identify suitable areas for increasing the supply of biomass material on landscapes that include a large number of private landowners. Our analysis estimated bare land and a broad open land class, and considered restrictions on bioenergy projects pertaining to soils, parcel size, landowner, and landowner residence. In our case study county within the southern United States, the public land area remaining after excluded areas were removed represented less than 1% of the non-excluded land in the county, and broader-classified, open areas comprised about 1% of the non-excluded land. About 30% of the non-excluded land in the county was located on privately-owned land. However, when logical restrictions were considered, this estimate was reduced by as much as 43 (open areas) to 50% (bare ground) of the non-excluded private lands. The analysis suggests that large reductions in estimates of potential land areas available for bioenergy production may be observed when realistic assumptions are placed on geospatial analyses of land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For most sub-Saharan African (SSA) cities, in order to control the historically unplanned urban growth and stimulate sustainable future urban development, there is a need for accurate identification of the past and present urban land use (ULU). However, studies addressing ULU classification in SSA cities are lacking. In this study, we developed an integrated approach of remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques to classify ULU in the developing SSA city of Lusaka. First, we defined six ULU classes (i.e., unplanned high density residential; unplanned low density residential; planned medium-high density residential; planned low density residential; commercial and industrial; public institutions and service areas). ULU parcels, created using road networks as homogenous units separating ULU classes, were used to classify ULU.We utilised the combined detail of cadastral and land use data plus high-resolution Google Earth imagery to infer ULU and classify the parcels. For residential ULU, we also created density thresholds for accurate separation of the classes. We then used the classified ULU parcels for post-classification sorting of built-up pixels extracted from three Landsat TM/ETM+ imageries (1990, 2000, and 2010) into respective ULU classes. Three ULU maps were produced with overall accuracy values of 84.09% to 85.86%. The maps provide information that is relevant to urban planners and policy makers for sustainable future urban planning of Lusaka City. The study also provides an insight for ULU classification in SSA cities with complex urban landscapes similar to Lusaka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays natural resources have a controversial accounting treatment which is caused, firstly, by neglecting their inherent properties and, secondly, by a free and one-sided interpretation of the legal framework. The definition of natural resources is bad too, which also creates additional difficulties in accounting of the operations connected with the preparation for natural resources usage and exploitation.

Morphological analysis of the pre-industrial Paris (streets and parcels in a GIS), crossed with the archeological and historical data, allows to understand the evolution of the use of the land in the capital between Antiquity and Middle Ages. During this period, the relationship of the societies with the river was moved by culturel changement, which found expression in the swing oh urban centrality from the left bank to the right one, and in the lasting transformation of the street-network (emergence of the diagonal from the harbour of the Grève up to the Halles). The concepts of archeogeography are used to explain these evolutions.

As viewed from the perspective of the farmer entrepreneur, the author stresses the importance of identifying all the types of questions he must ask. He shows us all what a methodical and careful observation of every parcels (plain or mountain!) and cultures can bring positive and even essential in managing a farm business, as only a solid technical foundation can allow wise economical choices.

The paper presents results and analysis of a methodology for automatic building extraction that integrates remote sensing sources and readily available geographic information system data (tax assessor parcel data). The methodology consists of a series of image processing and spatial analysis techniques and incorporates an initial simplification, parcel-based image partitioning procedure. The results showed great promise for such image partitioning in reducing the complexity of the building extraction procedure by localizing its search while maintaining the integrity of the structures (85 percent of buildings reside completely within parcels and the majority of the rest consists of very small portions outside the parcel boundaries). Herein, we discuss the results as they apply to three distinct building types (commercial, residential, and high-rise). The paper presents successful building extraction scenarios as well as challenges, difficulties and drawbacks of the process and identifies the underlying factors that impact the success of footprint extraction for each type of building. The results show that 83 percent of commercial buildings are successfully extracted with average footprint area discrepancy less than 10 percent, while challenges in high-rise and residential scenes are examined and further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Oikos: Lithuanian Migration & Diaspora Studies is the property of Lithuanian Emigration Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As rail freight reform develops further, parcels transport by the high speed rail network is expanding in China. We explore the optimal operational method through case studies. Both France and Germany have operated parcels trains on their high speed networks, at a speed of 270 km/h and 160 km/h respectively; following the literature we consider both as high speed freight trains. The business model, transportation organization and performance are compared between Germany, France and China. The findings of our analysis suggest dedicated high speed freight trains are better than mixed trains at exploiting advantages of high speed railways and achieving economies of scale. However, the sensitivity analysis tells us the dedicated high speed freight train in China will require at least 5% mode share on the busiest routes like Beijing-Shanghai and Guangzhou-Shanghai and over 30% on less busy routes like Chengdu-Changsha. From German and French experience, volume guarantees seem crucial for the operation of high speed freight trains. Competitive price is also important to attract enough volume. The construction of a limited high speed rail freight network on key routes will permit exploitation of economies of scale. Also night trains are a better choice for parcels and mail delivery companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Updating the cadastre requires much work carried out by surveying companies in countries that have still not solved the problem of updating the cadastral data. In terms of the required precision, these works are among the most accurate. This raises the question: to what extent may modern digital photogrammetric methods be useful in this process? The capabilities of photogrammetry have increased significantly after the introduction of digital aerial cameras and digital technologies. For the registration of cadastral objects, i.e., land parcels' boundaries and the outlines of buildings, very high-resolution aerial photographs can be used. The paper relates an attempt to use an alternative source of data for this task - the development of images acquired from UAS platforms. Multivariate mapping of cadastral parcels was implemented to determine the scope of the suitability of low altitude photos for the cadastre. In this study, images obtained from UAS with the GSD of 3 cm were collected for an area of a few square kilometres. Bundle adjustment of these data was processed with sub-pixel accuracy. This led to photogrammetric measurements being carried out and the provision of an orthophotomap (orthogonalized with a digital surface model from dense image matching of UAS images). Geometric data related to buildings were collected with two methods: stereoscopic and multi-photo measurements. Data related to parcels' boundaries were measured with monoplotting on an orthophotomap from low-altitude images. As reference field surveying data were used. The paper shows the potential and limits of the use of UAS in a process of updating cadastral data. It also gives recommendations when performing photogrammetric missions and presents the possible accuracy of this type of work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tracking of parcels is an important element in serving clients in the transportation industry, as well as essential services in logistics. However, modern systems for tracking shipments intended for use within a company and thus always-appropriate for use in multiple companies at once. This paper is an independent approach to systems monitoring packages that can be applied to most companies transport logistics. The research in this paper will present contemporary approach to monitoring the flow of materials in the distribution network of more (multi-company) logistic companies at once. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Innovación Tecnológica is the property of Instituto de Informacion Cientifica y Tecnologica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Defense Style Questionnaire-40 (DSQ-40; Andrews, Singh, & Bond, 1993) uses pairs of items to measure 20 individual defense mechanisms. In a statistical sense, these item pairs represent parcels and are subject to the standards of unidimensionality demanded of parcels in general. Using a 2-facet modeling approach (N = 672), the present study examined the dimensionality of the defense-mechanism parcels in the DSQ-40 and found that the majority of the parcels did not satisfy the criteria for unidimensionality. In addition, the original 3-factor model of defense styles was not tenable with the present data. Overall, the results suggest caution when attempting to assess individual defense mechanisms using the DSQ-40. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]