GIS-based landslide susceptibility maps for the Kankai watershed in east Nepal are developed using the frequency ratio method and the multiple linear regression technique. The maps are derived from ...comparing observed landslides with possible causative factors: slope angle, slope aspect, slope curvature, relative relief, distance from drainage, land use, geology, distance from faults and mean annual rainfall. The consistency of the maps is evaluated using landslide density analysis, success rate analysis and spatially agreed area approach. The first two analyses produce almost identical quantitative results, whereas the last approach is able to reveal spatial differences between the maps and also to improve predictions in the agreed high landslide-susceptible area.
Local scour at the downstream of the river bed protection is one of the most important parameters for the design criteria and sustainable management of the hydraulic structures. Previously, various ...researches on its process in the equilibrium state have been suggested with experimental and numerical approaches. In this study, relatively long-term laboratory experiments of local scouring at the downstream of fixed bed in an open channel were conducted with mono-granular sediment bed and analyzed about maximum scour depth and its temporal development. In particular, we conducted experiments with relatively low Froude number (less than 0.5) and their duration of tests was exceeded over 700 hours. We modified the relationship between the dimensionless time and length scales of the maximum scour depth of the local scour hole based on the turbulent shear layer thickness. A new functional relationship between dominant factors and the maximum scour depth in the equilibrium state were suggested and compared with previously suggested formula. Also, from the results by nonlinear regression, Froude number was founded as a dominant factor on the prediction of equilibrium maximum scour depth.
When milling corners in high speed, it will lead the mutation of cutting force that affects the processing quality and processing efficiency. In order to study the influence of milling parameters on ...milling force in the corner. Firstly, an orthogonal experimental of corner is designed to study the influence of various cutting parameters on cutting force. Axial cutting depth, radial depth, spindle speed and feed speed, as the major influence factors, impact on cutting force in corner milling. Then, a cutting force model of corner is established based on a method of orthogonal experiment linear regression. The significance test of regression equation and regression coefficient shows that cutting force model is accurate. The cutting force model is used to predict the cutting force, and then select the appropriate cutting parameters.
Objective: To assess the impact of reference pricing and extension of generic substitution on the daily cost of antipsychotic drugs in Finland during the first year after its launch. Furthermore, the ...additional impact of reference pricing on prior implemented generic substitution is assessed. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed between 2006 and 2010. A segmented linear regression analysis of interrupted time series was used to estimate changes in the levels and trends in the cost of one day of treatment. Of the study drugs, clozapine belonged to generic substitution already at the start of the study period while olanzapine and quetiapine were included in generic substitution alongside with reference pricing in 2009. Risperidone was included in generic substitution in 2008, before reference pricing. Results: A substantial decrease in the daily cost of all four antipsychotic substances was seen after one year of the implementation of reference pricing and the extension of generic substitution. The impact ranged from -29.9% to -66.3%, and it was most substantial on the daily cost of olanzapine. Also in the daily cost of risperidone a substantial decrease of -43.3% was observed. However, most of these savings, -32.6%, were generated by generic substitution which had been adopted prior. Conclusions: Reference pricing and the extension of generic substitution produced substantial savings on antipsychotic medication costs during the first year after its launch, but the intensity of the impact differed between active substances. Furthermore, our results suggest that the additional cost savings from reference pricing after prior implemented generic substitution, are comparatively low.
BACKGROUND: Assessment of physical fitness is a common and effective method for evaluating the health status of teenage students. OBJECTIVES: The present study was conducted to assess physical ...fitness in adolescents residing in Shanghai, and investigate the relationships among anthropometry, muscle fitness, and a 20-meter shuttle run test (20-m SRT). METHODS: A total of 449 middle school students (12–17 years old, 246 boys and 203 girls) from four different regions of Shanghai, China were included as study participants. RESULTS: Multiple linear regression analyses indicate that upper extremity muscle strength and standing vertical jump were positively related to age and weight, while negatively related to gender, scapular skinfold, and calf skinfold. Strong positive correlations were also demonstrated between the number of laps accomplished on the 20-m SRT and upper extremity muscle strength as well as standing vertical jump height. CONCLUSION: Muscle strength is an important anthropometric characteristic that may be used for the assessment of sprinting ability in adolescents.
This paper aims to modeling the relationship between the error of visual-based systems developed for vehicle speed estimation (as dependent variable) and each of the detection region length, the ...camera angle, and the volume-to-capacity ratio (V/C), as independent variables. Simulation software (VISSIM) is used to generate a set of video clips of predefined traffic based on different values of the dependent variables. These videos are analyzed with a video-based detection and tracking model (VBDATM) developed in 2015. Errors are expressed as differences between each of the actual speeds generated by VISSIM and the speeds computed by the VBDATM divided by the actual speed. The results conducted by the forward stepwise regression analysis show that the V/C ratio does not affect the accuracy of the estimate and there are weak relationships between the estimation error and each of camera position and the detection region length.
•We examined biceps brachii motor unit activities before/after dynamic exercises.•Eccentric exercise induced greater strength loss than concentric exercise.•Concentric exercise did not change the ...motor control strategy significantly.•Eccentric exercises increased the firing rates of low-threshold motor units.
The aim of this study was to compare the acute effects of concentric versus eccentric exercise on motor control strategies. Fifteen men performed six sets of 10 repetitions of maximal concentric exercises or eccentric isokinetic exercises with their dominant elbow flexors on separate experimental visits. Before and after the exercise, maximal strength testing and submaximal trapezoid isometric contractions (40% of the maximal force) were performed. Both exercise conditions caused significant strength loss in the elbow flexors, but the loss was greater following the eccentric exercise (t=2.401, P=.031). The surface electromyographic signals obtained from the submaximal trapezoid isometric contractions were decomposed into individual motor unit action potential trains. For each submaximal trapezoid isometric contraction, the relationship between the average motor unit firing rate and the recruitment threshold was examined using linear regression analysis. In contrast to the concentric exercise, which did not cause significant changes in the mean linear slope coefficient and y-intercept of the linear regression line, the eccentric exercise resulted in a lower mean linear slope and an increased mean y-intercept, thereby indicating that increasing the firing rates of low-threshold motor units may be more important than recruiting high-threshold motor units to compensate for eccentric exercise-induced strength loss.
Knowledge about regolith thickness is important in several civil and environmental engineering fields. However, subsurface characteristics such as regolith thickness are difficult to determine ...through surface investigations and maps at regional scales. This paper presents four methods for estimating regolith thickness in a GIS environment for previously glaciated terrain with high frequency of rock outcrops: linear regression (LR) using topographical covariates; inverse distance weighting (IDW) interpolation of regolith thickness point data from well drillings; a trigonometrical approach (TA) developed for this study which uses outcrop slopes and distance between outcrops; and a simplified regolith model (SRM). The SRM is a model modified from TA which estimates the regolith thickness based on outcrops, slopes and the distance to outcrops in eight directions. The methods were compared for three study areas (Tyresö, Vallentuna and Österåker) in Stockholm County, Sweden. Based on the results in this paper, LR proved to be the most accurate method for regolith thickness estimation, measured through root mean square error values. Whereas IDW was the most accurate method in terms of error within ±2m, which would make it a suitable model if and when large datasets of regolith point data are available. When drilling data is scarce then both the TA and SRM methods can be used for regolith estimations. However, the SRM proved to be a more accurate regolith thickness model compared to TA. SRM shows promising results and could be used at a preliminary stage in engineering projects where little or no data is available prior to detailed field investigations in previously glaciated terrain.
•Comparing four methods for estimating regolith thickness, i.e. LR, IDW, TA, and SRM.•SRM estimates regolith thickness based on outcrops, slopes and distance.•Data driven LR was the most accurate method for regolith thickness estimation.•TA was not able to take local slope conditions into consideration.•SRM is a better model when drilling data is not available.
We examined the relationship between ladder exercise and reaction times of the upper limbs and whole body in preschool children. The participants were 167 children, aged 4-6 years, who practiced ...ladder tasks for 4 months. Thereafter, they completed a ladder achievement test. In addition, they performed three types of reaction-time tests (pushing a switch, removing their hands from the switch, and jumping to a mat in front of them). Relationships between the ladder scores and the three reaction-time test results were significant and relatively high (R = 0.707). In particular, the standard partial regression coefficient for whole-body reaction time (-0.417) was significant (p < 0.05). Therefore, ladder exercise may be particularly effective for developing various reaction movements of children in recent times.
Fadel, A., Faour G. and Slim K. 2016. Assessment of the trophic state and chlorophyll-a concentrations using Landsat OLI in Karaoun reservoir, Lebanon. Lebanese Science Journal, 17(2): 130-145. ...Harmful algal blooms have become a worldwide environmental problem. A regular and cost-effective monitoring of these blooms is highly needed by lakes managers. Satellite remote sensing imagery like Landsat Operational Land Imager (OLI) can be used to assess and monitor chlorophyll-a in water bodies over large areas in a cost-effective way. In this study, the accuracy of Landsat OLI to estimate chlorophyll-a was examined. Four field campaigns and cloud free images of Landsat OLI with 30 m resolution (01 May 2013, 21 August 2013, 10 July 2015, and 11 August 2015) were used in this study to determine the accuracy of Landsat OLI in estimating chlorophyll-a in a 12 km2 freshwater body, Karaoun reservoir. After atmospheric correction of these images, reflectance of single and multiple band combinations were compared to field chlorophyll-a data. Results of field campaigns showed that the trophic state of Karaoun reservoir is still eutrophic to hypereutrophic with high nutrient concentration and low phytoplankton biodiversity, dominated by cyanobacteria species, Microcystis aeruginosa and Aphanizomenon ovalisporum. On single band level, the in situ chlorophyll-a measurement correlated best with band 5 (0.85 - 0.88 µm), with R=0.75 and R2=0.57. Highest correlation (R=0.84 and R2=0.72) was obtained using band combination, B2:B4 band ratio multiplied by B5. Results indicated that Landsat OLI can be used effectively to determine chlorophyll-a concentration in lakes and reservoirs. We recommend the application of Landsat OLI as a satisfactory and cost effective method for monitoring chlorophyll-a in other lakes through-out the world
PDF
