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Protecting China’s major urban bird diversity hotspots
Get PDFThe Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework puts forward a new conservation target to enhance urban biodiversity. Cities have a great potential for sustaining biodiversity and nurturing a healthy relationship between people and our nearest nature. It is especially important in developing countries such as China, which has a rich biodiversity and a rapidly growing urban population. Using citizen science data, we show that 48% of the national bird diversity and 42% of its threatened species have been recorded in the top-20 most avian-diverse cities of China. Urban bird diversity hotspots clustered along the eastern coast, indicating the importance of establishing an inter-city conservation network along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. This urban conservation network would be a starting point to promote social recognition of biodiversity’s relational value in a country with a vast population and an increasingly important role in meeting UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
Intraspecific facilitation of the recruitment of a burrowing mangrove crab species along an environmental gradient
Get PDFThe exploited mangrove crab Ucides cordatus, an important ecosystem engineer in South American mangroves, has a biphasic lifecycle with pelagic larvae developing offshore. Megalopae return to the mangrove forest to settle, i.e., metamorphose into benthic juveniles but its environmental drivers remain poorly understood. We postulate that conspecific crabs facilitate recruitment. In the field, we investigated whether the number of recruits is higher near conspecific burrows than in areas without conspecific bioturbation. Recruit sampling was conducted monthly from April 2008 to May 2009 along an environmental gradient. First, U. cordatus recruits of that year emerged from March to July. Intraspecific facilitation was indicated by significantly higher recruit numbers in bioturbated than in non-bioturbated substrates. Recruits were most abundant in zones with intermediate conditions of inundation, leaf litter standing stock, sediment consistency, luminosity, temperature, salinity, and pH. Avoidance of more inundated zones likely reduces predation by fishes and of less inundated zones helps individuals escape more stressful, drier environmental conditions. The observed habitat-specific recruitment pattern must be considered when designing field assessments of the population structure of U. cordatus (which should include sampling recruits) and enhancing stocks by releasing laboratory-cultivated larvae and first juveniles into the wild
SAR Target Incremental Recognition Based on Features With Strong Separability
Get PDFWith the rapid development of deep learning technology, many synthetic aperture radar (SAR) target recognition algorithms based on convolutional neural networks have achieved exceptional performance on various datasets. However, conventional neural networks are repeatedly iterated on a fixed dataset until convergence, and once they learn new tasks, a large amount of previously learned knowledge is forgotten, leading to a significant decline in performance on old tasks. This article presents an incremental learning method based on strong separability features (SSF-IL) to address the model’s forgetting of previously learned knowledge. The SSF-IL employs both intraclass and interclass scatter to compute the feature separability loss, in order to enhance the linear separability of features during incremental learning. In the process of learning new classes, an intraclass clustering loss is proposed to replace the conventional knowledge distillation. This loss function constrains the old class features to cluster around the saved class centers, maintaining the separability among the old class features. Finally, a classifier bias correction method based on boundary features is designed to reinforce the classifier’s decision boundary and reduce classification errors. SAR target incremental recognition experiments are conducted on the MSTAR dataset, and the results are compared with several existing incremental learning algorithms to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm
The impacts of host traits on parasite infection of montane birds in southwestern China
Get PDFParasitic infections have the potential to impact the hosts’ body condition, elevate physiological responses, and ultimately lead to increased mortality. Host-parasite interactions are tied to the ecological and life-history traits of the hosts. While montane birds are susceptible to avian blood parasites, few studies have simultaneously assessed how inter- and intra-specific traits of hosts influence their probability of parasite infection. In this study, we screened for avian blood parasites across 214 individuals from 51 species at two sites, including a lowland farmland at 700 m and a highland forest at 2,500 m, in the Gaoligong Mountains in southwestern China. Overall blood parasite prevalence was 53.74%, with divergent species-specific prevalence ranging from 6.25% to 66.67%. We also measured traits indicative of body condition and physiological responses of each sampled individual. Using Bayesian phylogenetic logistic models, we assessed whether parasite infection probability is associated with ecological and life history traits of host species. Larger bird species were more likely to be infected than smaller bird species, and omnivore species showed lower susceptibility than those with other diets such as insectivores and herbivores. In contrast, foraging strata, nest type, and participation in mixed-species flocks of host species did not affect infection probability. We then used a reduced sample of eight species with more than five individuals, to assess the associations between intra-specific infection probability and host body condition, represented by fat and muscle reserves, and acute stress responses measured through breath rate. While infected individuals were likely to have more fat reserves than non-infected individuals, we did not find any association between infection probability and muscle reserve and body mass, nor with breath rate. Our results revealed that at the species level, specific traits (body mass and diet) of host species predict infection probability and implied a potential link at the individual level between enhanced body condition and increased resilience to parasite infection
The 21st Century film, TV and media school: Teaching Documentary for the 21st Century
No full textTeaching Documentary spans a broad field of approaches and specifications within a genre that has been in constant change and development throughout its history. Documentary film is an art form and a practice, although often received or interpreted as a journalistic form of documenting an actual event happening now and acting like a mirror or snapshot. But documentaries are so much more, as you can perceive from the broad approach presented in this edition. The book is a result of submissions following Calls for Contributions throughout and beyond CILECT, followed by editorial collaboration with the authors. The submitted chapters or case studies presented here provide valuable insight into their teaching, pedagogical practice and concepts, as well as regional-specific production contexts, traditions and more.The contributors to this collection are scholars and documentary makers who imagine what forms documentary teaching may take in the twenty-first century. They approach the topic of effective documentary pedagogy from various levels of experience and perspectives, and from many different parts of the world
The bii4africa dataset of faunal and floral population intactness estimates across Africa’s major land uses
Get PDFSub-Saharan Africa is under-represented in global biodiversity datasets, particularly regarding the impact of land use on species’ population abundances. Drawing on recent advances in expert elicitation to ensure data consistency, 200 experts were convened using a modified-Delphi process to estimate ‘intactness scores’: the remaining proportion of an ‘intact’ reference population of a species group in a particular land use, on a scale from 0 (no remaining individuals) to 1 (same abundance as the reference) and, in rare cases, to 2 (populations that thrive in human-modified landscapes). The resulting bii4africa dataset contains intactness scores representing terrestrial vertebrates (tetrapods: ±5,400 amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and vascular plants (±45,000 forbs, graminoids, trees, shrubs) in sub-Saharan Africa across the region’s major land uses (urban, cropland, rangeland, plantation, protected, etc.) and intensities (e.g., large-scale vs smallholder cropland). This dataset was co-produced as part of the Biodiversity Intactness Index for Africa Project. Additional uses include assessing ecosystem condition; rectifying geographic/taxonomic biases in global biodiversity indicators and maps; and informing the Red List of Ecosystems
Eco-friendly 3D Printing Mortar with Low Cement Content: Investigation on Printability and Mechanical Properties
Get PDFThe conventional approach to achieving optimal printability and buildability in 3D printing mortar relies heavily on cement, which is both costly and environmentally detrimental due to substantial carbon emissions from its production. This study aims to mitigate these issues by investigating the viability of slag as a partial substitute for cement, with the goal of developing an eco-friendly alternative. The newly formulated mortar, featuring a 30% reduction in cement content (from 830 to 581 kg/m3) and the inclusion of 0.10% micro-fibers, exhibits properties comparable to conventional 3D printing mortar. The research is structured into two parts: Part 1 focuses on determining the optimal fiber content, while Part 2 delves into the investigation of fiber-reinforced mortar with reduced cement content for 3D printing. Criteria were established to ensure mortar flow at 115%, initial printable time below 60 minutes, and 7-day compressive strength exceeding 28 MPa. Part 1 results indicate that a fiber content of 0.1% by volume meets the specified requirements. In Part 2, it was observed that increasing the slag replacement percentage extended the initial printable time and time gap. However, even at a 30% replacement rate, the initial printable time remained within the acceptable range, partially attributed to the presence of fibers in the mix. Additionally, higher slag content led to increased flow and reduced filament height in the mixes. Notably, all formulations surpassed the 7-day compressive strength threshold. These findings underscore the potential of slag as a sustainable alternative to cement in 3D printing fiber-reinforced mortar, offering promising prospects for environmentally friendly construction practices
Supermarket/Hypermarket Opportunistic Screening for Atrial Fibrillation (SHOPS-AF) using sensors embedded in the handles of supermarket trolleys: A feasibility study
Get PDFBackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of death, stroke, heart failure, cognitive decline, and healthcare costs but is often asymptomatic and undiagnosed. There is currently no national screening programme for AF. The advent of validated hand-held devices allows AF to be detected in non-healthcare settings, enabling screening to be undertaken within the community. Method and ResultsIn this novel observational study, we embedded a MyDiagnostick single lead ECG sensor into the handles of shopping trolleys in four supermarkets in the Northwest of England: 2155 participants were recruited. Of these, 231 participants either activated the sensor or had an irregular pulse, suggesting AF. Some participants agreed to use the sensor but refused to provide their contact details, or consent to pulse assessment. In addition, some data were missing, resulting in 203 participants being included in the final analyses. Fifty-nine participants (mean age 73.6 years, 43% female) were confirmed or suspected of having AF; 20 were known to have AF and 39 were previously undiagnosed. There was no evidence of AF in 115 participants and the remaining 46 recordings were non-diagnostic, mainly due to artefact. Men and older participants were significantly more likely to have newly diagnosed AF. Due to the number of non-diagnostic ECGs (n=46), we completed three levels of analyses, excluding all non-diagnostic ECGs, assuming all non-diagnostic ECGs were masking AF, and assuming all non-diagnostic ECGs were not AF. Based on the results of the three analyses, the sensor's sensitivity (95% CI) ranged from 0.70 - 0.93; specificity from 0.15 - 0.97; positive predictive values (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) ranged from 0.24 - 0.56 and 0.55-1.00, respectively. These values should be interpreted with caution, as the ideal reference standard on 1934 participants was imperfect. ConclusionThe study demonstrates that the public will engage with AF screening undertaken as part of their daily routines using hand-held devices. Sensors can play a key role in identifying asymptomatic patients in this way, but the technology must be further developed to reduce the quantity of non-diagnostic ECGs
The collaborative use of career information by young people and career advisers: A thematic content analysis of career counselling records
Get PDFThis study explores the career information-seeking behaviours of young people and career advisers. These are examined through the interrogation of a secondary data set held by Scotland's national skills agency, Skills Development Scotland. Descriptive and frequency analyses of engagement records from career conversations reveal three key characteristics of information seeking in career advisory settings: prompted information seeking; information seeking on young people's behalf and collaborative information seeking. The original contribution of this study lies in two novel research foci: (a) the identification of distinct patterns of career information-seeking behaviours and colloquial language which signifies that information seeking has taken place and (b) the consideration of young people and career advisers’ collaborative information seeking behaviours and their roles and functions within the career information-seeking process. These findings have implications for the improvement of career services and the development of career information, advice and guidance (CIAG) policies
Hybrid Wi-Fi and PLC network for efficient e-health communication in hospitals: a prototype
Get PDFE-health is being adapted in modern hospitals as a significant addition to the existing healthcare services. To this end, modern hospitals urgently require a mobile, high-capacity, secure, and cost-effective communication infrastructure. In this paper, we explore potential applications of a hybrid broadband power line communication (PLC) and Wi-Fi in an indoor hospital scenario. It utilizes the existing power line cables and Wi-Fi plug-and-play devices for indoor broadband communication. Broadband power line (BPL) adaptors with Wi-Fi outputs are used to build an access network in hospitals, particularly in areas where the wireless router signal is poor. The Tenda PH10 AV1,000 AC Wi-Fi power line adapter is a set of BPL adapters that offer operational bandwidth of up to 1,000 Mbps. These adapters are based on the HomePlug AV2 protocol and can provide a data rate up to 200 Mbps on the physical layer. An experiment using the PLC Wi-Fi kit is carried out to show that a Wi-Fi and PLC hybrid network is the best candidate to provide wide range of practical applications in a hospital including, but not limited to, telemedicine, electronic medical records, early-stage disease diagnosis, health management, real-time monitoring, and remote surgeries
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