Comparing the input, output, and validation maps for several models of land change

This paper applies methods of multiple resolution map comparison to quantify characteristics for 13 applications of 9 different popular peer-reviewed land change models. Each modeling application simulates change of land categories in raster maps from an initial time to a subsequent time. For each modeling application, the statistical methods compare: (1) a reference map of the initial time, (2) a reference map of the subsequent time, and (3) a prediction map of the subsequent time. The three possible two-map comparisons for each application characterize: (1) the dynamics of the landscape, (2) the behavior of the model, and (3) the accuracy of the prediction. The three-map comparison for each application specifies the amount of the prediction’s accuracy that is attributable to land persistence versus land change. Results show that the amount of error is larger than the amount of correctly predicted change for 12 of the 13 applications at the resolution of the raw data. The applications are summarized and compared using two statistics: the null resolution and the figure of merit. According to the figure of merit, the more accurate applications are the ones where the amount of observed net change in the reference maps is larger. This paper facilitates communication among land change modelers, because it illustrates the range of results for a variety of models using scientifically rigorous, generally applicable, and intellectually accessible statistical techniques.     

Urbanization and spatial planning in an international perspective

This contribution compares Germany, France, and the United Kingdom with the Netherlands on a number of issues. The focus is on (a) processes of urbanization and (b) urban policies (broadly defined in an economic, social, and ecological sense). These issues are seen in relation to national spatial planning. The authors combine the findings of this comparative analysis with the results of previous research by one of the authors. At the end, they draw some conclusions and make recommendations for the next (Fifth) Report on Physical Planning in the Netherlands. Ton Kreukels is professor of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Geographical Sciences at Utrecht University. From 1986 to 1992, he was also a member of the Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy. Then, and especially in this last position, his research was focused on a study of the four big cities and city regions in the Netherlands: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht. From 1992 up to the present, he has been involved in a comparative study of urban regions in Europe, including those of the Netherlands. Egge-Jan Pollé is a human geographer from Utrecht University. In 1996, while a junior-researcher at Utrecht University, he worked together with the first author on the study about Germany, France, and the United Kingdom that is reported in this article. That study was commissioned by the Netherlands National Spatial Planning Agency.     

SPMD programming in Java

We consider the suitability of the Java concurrent constructs for writing high-performance SPMD code for parallel machines. More specifically, we investigate implementing a financial application in Java on a distributed-memory parallel machine. Despite the fact that Java was not expressly targeted to such applications and architectures per se, we conclude that efficient implementations are feasible. Finally, we propose a library of Java methods to facilitate SPMD programming. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Enzymatic Determination of Starch in Food,Feed and Raw Materials of the Starch Industry

An enzymatic starch determination which can be used for the analysis of starch in a very broad range of different samples is evaluated, ranging from starch in plants, feed and food to industrial applications as starch in starch. The method is based on a complete enzymatic conversion of the starch into glucose, followed by an enzymatic determination of the glucose. A statistical evaluation of the method based on the analysis of 15 different matrices is presented. The performance of the method is compared with other methods for the determination of starch. Especially the sample desintegration and solubilization in this method perform better than in other methods which appear to be applicable in just a limited number of different sample matrices. The protocol described in this paper has been tested in an interlaboratory study, involving seven laboratories and four samples. The determination can be used in routine for the analysis of about 50 samples simultaneously, it has a good repeatability, a high selectivity, and is good applicable to samples from agricultural and industrial origin.     

Improving Product Quality and Reliability with Customer Experience Data

Advance technology development and wide use of the World Wide Web have made it possible for new product development organizations to access multi‐sources of data‐related customer complaints. However, the number of customer plaints of highly innovative consumer electronic products is still increasing; that is, product quality and reliability is at risk. This article aims to understand why existing solutions from literature as well as from industry to deal with these increasingly complex multiple data sources are not able to manage product quality and reliability. Three case studies in industry are discussed. On the basis of the case study results, this article also identifies a new research agenda that is needed to improve product quality and reliability under this circumstance. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Is decision making really impaired in eating disorders?

Objective: Decision making has been reported to be reduced in eating disorders. However, studies are sparse and have been carried out in various selected populations. In the current study we arranged to confirm previous observations and to assess the relationship between decision making and dimensions relevant to eating disorders. Method: Patients suffering from anorexia nervosa (n = 49), bulimia nervosa (n = 38), and healthy controls (n = 83) were assessed using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). All patients were euthymic and free of psychotropic medication. Self-questionnaires (Eating Disorder Inventory–2; Gardner, 1991; and Eating Attitude Test; Garner & Garfinkel, 1979) were used to assess clinical dimensions relevant to eating disorders. Results: No significant differences in IGT performance were observed between patients and healthy controls or between restrictive and purging types of anorexia nervosa. No correlations were found between IGT performance and eating disorder questionnaires. Conclusion: These results do not support reduced decision making in patients with eating disorders, and suggest that previously reported alterations could be related to other clinical characteristics. This should stimulate new topic-related studies designed to reach a firm conclusion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lead time anticipation in Supply Chain Operations Planning

Linear programming (LP) models for Supply Chain Operations Planning are widely used in Advanced Planning Systems. The solution to the LP model is a proposal for order releases to the various production units (PU) in the supply network. There is a non-linear relationship between the work-in-process in the PU and the lead time that is difficult to capture in the LP model formulation. We propose a two-step lead time anticipation (LTA) procedure where the LP model is first solved irrespective of the available production capacity and is subsequently updated with aggregate order release targets. The order release targets are generated by a local smoothing algorithm that accounts for the evolution of the stochastic workload in the PU. A solution that is both feasible with respect to the planned lead time and meets the material requirements may not exist. By means of discrete event simulation, we compare a conservative strategy where the production quantities are reduced to an optimistic strategy where the planned lead time constraint is allowed to be violated.     

Light interactions with gold nanorods and cells: implications for photothermal nanotherapeutics

Gold nanorods (AuNR) can be tailored to possess an intense and narrow longitudinal plasmon (LP) absorption peak in the far-red to near-infrared wavelength region, where tissue is relatively transparent to light. This makes AuNRs excellent candidates as contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging, and as photothermal therapeutic agents. The favorable optical properties of AuNR which depend on the physical parameters of shape, size and plasmonic coupling effects, are required to be stable during use. We investigate the changes that are likely to occur in these physical parameters in the setting of photothermal therapeutics, and the influence that these changes have on the optical properties and the capacity to achieve target cell death. To this end we study 3 sets of interactions: pulsed light with AuNR, AuNR with cells, and pulsed light with cells incubated with AuNR. In the first situation we ascertain the threshold value of fluence required for photothermal melting or reshaping of AuNR to shorter AuNR or nanospheres, which results in drastic changes in optical properties. In the second situation when cells are exposed to antibody-conjugated AuNR, we observe using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) that the particles are closely packed and clustered inside vesicles in the cells. Using dark-field microscopy we show that plasmonic interactions between AuNRs in this situation causes blue-shifting of the LP absorption peak. As a consequence, no direct lethal damage to cells can be inflicted by laser irradiation at the LP peak. On the other hand, using irradiation at the transverse peak (TP) wavelength in the green, at comparative fluences, extensive cell death can be achieved. We attribute this behavior on the one hand to the photoreshaping of AuNR into spheres and on the other hand to clustering of AuNR inside cells. Both effects create sufficiently high optical absorption at 532 nm, which otherwise would have been present at the LP peak. We discuss implications of these finding on the application of these particles in biomedicine.