An adaptive joint source channel bit allocation method for video communications over error-prone channel is proposed.To protect the bit-streams from the channel bit errors,the rate compatible punctured convolution(RCP...An adaptive joint source channel bit allocation method for video communications over error-prone channel is proposed.To protect the bit-streams from the channel bit errors,the rate compatible punctured convolution(RCPC)code is used to produce coding rates varying from 4/5 to 1/2 using the same encoder and the Viterbi decoder.An expected end-to-end distortion model was presented to estimate the distortion introduced in compressed source coding due to quantization and channel bit errors jointly.Based on the proposed end-to-end distortion model,an adaptive joint source-channel bit allocation method was proposed under time-varying error-prone channel conditions.Simulated results show that the proposed methods could utilize the available channel capacity more efficiently and achieve better video quality than the other fixed coding-based bit allocation methods when transmitting over error-prone channels.展开更多
The authors compared two different sets of assessment of the abilities of contemporary climate models. One group is made of experts, and their results are provided in two expert reports, while the other is the subject...The authors compared two different sets of assessment of the abilities of contemporary climate models. One group is made of experts, and their results are provided in two expert reports, while the other is the subjective assessment made by "physical climate scientists" in general, sampled in a series of three survey questionnaires. The expert group is considerably more optimistic than the general group; the former suggesting progress, while the perception of the latter group is more or less stationary.展开更多
The assets valuation industry in China is the product, which comes from the reform and open policy and the development of the socialist market economy. Under more than 20 years of development which begins to bud in th...The assets valuation industry in China is the product, which comes from the reform and open policy and the development of the socialist market economy. Under more than 20 years of development which begins to bud in the beginning of the nineteen nineties, the assets valuation industry has become the indispensable Intermediary trade of the socialist market economy system in China. With the scale of assets valuation agency enlarging and its rapidly growing business in recent years, however, some problems have been exposed gradually, which harm the social image of the industry of asset valuation seriously. So the social public and the relevant administrative departments pay close attention on the quality of the asset valuation. To know about what are the essential causes that affect the assets valuation industry managers' decision, this paper, through using some means which include literature research, interview and questionnaire investigation and utilizing the method of the factor analysis, relegates 24 questions which come from some answers of the respondents to three factors which are the practicing quality factor, the sting factor of an organization and the internal management factor of valuation organization. Furthermore, it will analyze the features of these factors which are divided into two factors that are internal motivation and external motivation, looking for the key cause of the assets valuation industry quality problem of China which purposes in order to promote the healthy development of valuation profession and much better standard the internal quality of valuation industry of China.展开更多
This paper examines the role and effectiveness of locacal institutions in the management of forest biodiversity in New Dabaga-Ulongambi Forest Reserve, Tanzania. Data were obtained through questionnaires, interviews, ...This paper examines the role and effectiveness of locacal institutions in the management of forest biodiversity in New Dabaga-Ulongambi Forest Reserve, Tanzania. Data were obtained through questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, participatory rural appraisal and field observations. The study revealed that the most remarkable local institutions connected to forest biodiversity management include: Village Natural Resources Man- agement Committee (92%), tree nursery group (79.4%), beekeep- ing groups (61.1%), fish fanning (43.3%), livestock rearing group (33.9%). Main activities carried out by local institutions which directly contribute to the sustainability Of forest reserve include: forest patrols, fire extinguish, preparation of fire breaks, plant- ing of trees along the forest boundaries, creation of awareness, arresting of forest defaulters, participation in income generation activities. For the purpose of realization that local communities are capable of managing forest biodiversity through their traditional institutions, the policy should provide tangible opportunity for local communities to meet their needs as they manage the forests.展开更多
Exhibition performance should be evaluated from different perspectives of stakeholders.The benefits of each stakeholder can not be satisfied when evaluating the exhibition performance from a single perspective or only...Exhibition performance should be evaluated from different perspectives of stakeholders.The benefits of each stakeholder can not be satisfied when evaluating the exhibition performance from a single perspective or only evaluating the economic performance of the exhibition.In this paper,the stakeholders are defined on the basis of questionnaire investigation and classified by mathematical statistical method.According to the requirements of the stakeholders,the exhibition performance appraisal indicators are extracted and simplified by factor analysis,which leads to the formation of a set of performance appraisal index system.It is an instructive attempt to work out the exhibition performance appraisal model from the perspective of stakeholders,which may provide theoretical foundation and practice instruction for exhibition performance appraisal in our country.展开更多
Most of the time, clients only have one opportunity to evaluate a service received in terms of quality and satisfaction; under this premise organizations have been concerned with developing, in a permanent manner, a q...Most of the time, clients only have one opportunity to evaluate a service received in terms of quality and satisfaction; under this premise organizations have been concerned with developing, in a permanent manner, a quality evaluation culture in the services offered to their clients. To do this, procedures and methods that let them achieve it, have been implemented. That is the case of the model that concedes to measure and evaluate service quality, which is redefined and named Servqual, considering a multidimensional theoretical construct that explains the client's perception of quality service considering the differences between what is expected and what is received. Therefore, the goal of this study is to identify the factors that define the quality of emergency services provided by a private hospital in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mtxico, a sample of 384 patients, with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of permissible error of 5%. A questionnaire with 22 items was applied to measure the perceptions and expectations of users in terms of the quality of the service, which was subjected to an extensive evaluation of reliability and construct validity, with an estimate Cronbach's alpha of 95.6% and 97.9% respectively. The results showed that Servqual is a valid, reliable, and dependable instrument to monitor and measure the quality of the services offered in private hospitals in Hermosillo, and permit hospital administrators to identify opportunities or improvement areas, from the patients' perspective.展开更多
Background: Prevalence of eating disorders (EDs) among college-aged athletes has risen in recent years. Although measures exist for assessing EDs, these measures have not been thoroughly reviewed in athletes. This ...Background: Prevalence of eating disorders (EDs) among college-aged athletes has risen in recent years. Although measures exist for assessing EDs, these measures have not been thoroughly reviewed in athletes. This study reviewed the validity and reliability evidence of the commonly used measures for assessing EDs in athlete populations aged 18--26 years. Methods: Databases were searched for studies of regarding ED on male and/or female athletes. Inclusion criteria stated the study (a) assessed EDs in an athlete population 18--26 years of age and (b) investigated EDs using a psychometric measure found valid and/or reliable in a non- athlete population and/or athlete population. Results: Fifty studies met the inclusion criteria. Seven and 22 articles, respectively, studied EDs behaviors in male and female athletes whereas 21 articles studied EDs in combined-gender samples. The five most commonly used measures were the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI), Bulimia Test-Revised (BULIT-R), Questionnaire for Eating Disorder Diagnosis (QEDD), and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Conclusion: Only seven studies calculated validity coefficients within the study whereas 47 cited the validity coefficient. Twenty-six calculated a reliability coefficient whereas 47 cited the reliability of the ED measures. Four studies found validity evidence for the EAT, EDI, BULIT-R, QEDD, and EDE-Q in an athlete population. Few studies reviewed calculated validity and reliability coefficients of ED measures. Cross- validation of these measures in athlete populations is clearly needed.展开更多
This paper presents cognitive awareness levels of ecosystem services and their consumption by farmers in Guyuan City, which lies in the Jinghe watershed. Household Surveys and Participatory Rural Assessment (PRA) we...This paper presents cognitive awareness levels of ecosystem services and their consumption by farmers in Guyuan City, which lies in the Jinghe watershed. Household Surveys and Participatory Rural Assessment (PRA) were used to determine differences in farmers cognitive awareness levels. The household survey results showed that farmers have a cognitive awareness of 11 ecosystem services: food supply, air purification, environmental purification, soil and water conservation, clean water supply, natural disaster minimization, increasing income, fuel wood supply, aesthetic recreation, fodder supply and sand stabilization. The job-related requirements of a farmers’ daily life, their direct consumption of ecosystem services and the importance of ecosystem services to them all influence their cognitive awareness of ecosystem services. Through group interviews the PRA method can provide the opportunity for information exchange and discussion. The process can help farmers to gain more cognitive awareness of ecosystem services. Large changes in ecosystem services have been observed in the study area. Food production and fuel wood supply have decreased markedly, yet incomes have increased. Spatial and temporal variables, changes in ecosystem services and the level of income all have an impact on farmers’ food supply and resource consumption. Overall, the total consumption of food (cereal and potato) and fuel wood declines for most farmers and consumption of vegetables, meat, coals and gas have increased.展开更多
Black capuchin monkeys Sapajus nigritus are among several mammalian species that damage forest plantations, pri- marily plantations of pine trees (Pinus spp.) in South Brazil. Management practices to reduce these da...Black capuchin monkeys Sapajus nigritus are among several mammalian species that damage forest plantations, pri- marily plantations of pine trees (Pinus spp.) in South Brazil. Management practices to reduce these damages include supplemen- tary food offerings and plantation surveillance. To assess the efficiency of these techniques, four treatments were evaluated: feeding (F, with supplementary bananas and maize), surveillance (S, in situ, wherein men patrolled the plantations, deterring the monkeys), feeding + surveillance (FS) and control (no procedures) (C). The efficiency assessment of each treatment involved the number of recorded primate sightings in the treatments with the presence of guards (S and FS) and a damage inventory of the outskirts of the experimental points immediately before and after the experiment. These data were complemented by a simulta- neous study of the availability of fruit, the primary item in the diet of this primate species, in the remnant native forest in the study area. Most sightings of S. nigritus occurred early in the morning, and in general, sightings were inversely proportional to the availability of native fruits. This trend was most evident in treatment FS, most likely due to the presence of food. Treatments F and FS exhibited higher percentages of damage, indicating that these are inefficient management techniques. Treatment S exhi- bited the lowest damage rate, but at a high cost, making this technique difficult to apply over large expanses. The development of other management techniques, such as environmental enrichment and the use of deterrents, is recommended to minimize the damage caused by capuchins in forest plantations [Current Zoology 60 (5): 581-590, 2014].展开更多
This paper addresses estimation and its asymptotics of mean transformation θ = E[h(X)] of a random variable X based on n lid. observations from errors-in-variables model Y = X+ v, where v is a measurement error wi...This paper addresses estimation and its asymptotics of mean transformation θ = E[h(X)] of a random variable X based on n lid. observations from errors-in-variables model Y = X+ v, where v is a measurement error with a known distribution and h(.) is a known smooth function. The asymptotics of deconvolution kernel estimator for ordinary smooth error distribution and expectation extrapolation estimator are given for normal error distribution respectively. Under some mild regularity conditions, the consistency and asymptotically normality are obtained for both type of estimators. Simulations show they have good performance.展开更多
基金National High-Tech Research and Development Plan of China(No.2003AA1Z2130)Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang Province,China(No.2006C11200)
文摘An adaptive joint source channel bit allocation method for video communications over error-prone channel is proposed.To protect the bit-streams from the channel bit errors,the rate compatible punctured convolution(RCPC)code is used to produce coding rates varying from 4/5 to 1/2 using the same encoder and the Viterbi decoder.An expected end-to-end distortion model was presented to estimate the distortion introduced in compressed source coding due to quantization and channel bit errors jointly.Based on the proposed end-to-end distortion model,an adaptive joint source-channel bit allocation method was proposed under time-varying error-prone channel conditions.Simulated results show that the proposed methods could utilize the available channel capacity more efficiently and achieve better video quality than the other fixed coding-based bit allocation methods when transmitting over error-prone channels.
文摘The authors compared two different sets of assessment of the abilities of contemporary climate models. One group is made of experts, and their results are provided in two expert reports, while the other is the subjective assessment made by "physical climate scientists" in general, sampled in a series of three survey questionnaires. The expert group is considerably more optimistic than the general group; the former suggesting progress, while the perception of the latter group is more or less stationary.
文摘The assets valuation industry in China is the product, which comes from the reform and open policy and the development of the socialist market economy. Under more than 20 years of development which begins to bud in the beginning of the nineteen nineties, the assets valuation industry has become the indispensable Intermediary trade of the socialist market economy system in China. With the scale of assets valuation agency enlarging and its rapidly growing business in recent years, however, some problems have been exposed gradually, which harm the social image of the industry of asset valuation seriously. So the social public and the relevant administrative departments pay close attention on the quality of the asset valuation. To know about what are the essential causes that affect the assets valuation industry managers' decision, this paper, through using some means which include literature research, interview and questionnaire investigation and utilizing the method of the factor analysis, relegates 24 questions which come from some answers of the respondents to three factors which are the practicing quality factor, the sting factor of an organization and the internal management factor of valuation organization. Furthermore, it will analyze the features of these factors which are divided into two factors that are internal motivation and external motivation, looking for the key cause of the assets valuation industry quality problem of China which purposes in order to promote the healthy development of valuation profession and much better standard the internal quality of valuation industry of China.
基金TAFORI and Forestry and Beekeeping Division through Participatory Forest Management (PFM)grant for funding this study
文摘This paper examines the role and effectiveness of locacal institutions in the management of forest biodiversity in New Dabaga-Ulongambi Forest Reserve, Tanzania. Data were obtained through questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, participatory rural appraisal and field observations. The study revealed that the most remarkable local institutions connected to forest biodiversity management include: Village Natural Resources Man- agement Committee (92%), tree nursery group (79.4%), beekeep- ing groups (61.1%), fish fanning (43.3%), livestock rearing group (33.9%). Main activities carried out by local institutions which directly contribute to the sustainability Of forest reserve include: forest patrols, fire extinguish, preparation of fire breaks, plant- ing of trees along the forest boundaries, creation of awareness, arresting of forest defaulters, participation in income generation activities. For the purpose of realization that local communities are capable of managing forest biodiversity through their traditional institutions, the policy should provide tangible opportunity for local communities to meet their needs as they manage the forests.
文摘Exhibition performance should be evaluated from different perspectives of stakeholders.The benefits of each stakeholder can not be satisfied when evaluating the exhibition performance from a single perspective or only evaluating the economic performance of the exhibition.In this paper,the stakeholders are defined on the basis of questionnaire investigation and classified by mathematical statistical method.According to the requirements of the stakeholders,the exhibition performance appraisal indicators are extracted and simplified by factor analysis,which leads to the formation of a set of performance appraisal index system.It is an instructive attempt to work out the exhibition performance appraisal model from the perspective of stakeholders,which may provide theoretical foundation and practice instruction for exhibition performance appraisal in our country.
文摘Most of the time, clients only have one opportunity to evaluate a service received in terms of quality and satisfaction; under this premise organizations have been concerned with developing, in a permanent manner, a quality evaluation culture in the services offered to their clients. To do this, procedures and methods that let them achieve it, have been implemented. That is the case of the model that concedes to measure and evaluate service quality, which is redefined and named Servqual, considering a multidimensional theoretical construct that explains the client's perception of quality service considering the differences between what is expected and what is received. Therefore, the goal of this study is to identify the factors that define the quality of emergency services provided by a private hospital in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mtxico, a sample of 384 patients, with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of permissible error of 5%. A questionnaire with 22 items was applied to measure the perceptions and expectations of users in terms of the quality of the service, which was subjected to an extensive evaluation of reliability and construct validity, with an estimate Cronbach's alpha of 95.6% and 97.9% respectively. The results showed that Servqual is a valid, reliable, and dependable instrument to monitor and measure the quality of the services offered in private hospitals in Hermosillo, and permit hospital administrators to identify opportunities or improvement areas, from the patients' perspective.
文摘Background: Prevalence of eating disorders (EDs) among college-aged athletes has risen in recent years. Although measures exist for assessing EDs, these measures have not been thoroughly reviewed in athletes. This study reviewed the validity and reliability evidence of the commonly used measures for assessing EDs in athlete populations aged 18--26 years. Methods: Databases were searched for studies of regarding ED on male and/or female athletes. Inclusion criteria stated the study (a) assessed EDs in an athlete population 18--26 years of age and (b) investigated EDs using a psychometric measure found valid and/or reliable in a non- athlete population and/or athlete population. Results: Fifty studies met the inclusion criteria. Seven and 22 articles, respectively, studied EDs behaviors in male and female athletes whereas 21 articles studied EDs in combined-gender samples. The five most commonly used measures were the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI), Bulimia Test-Revised (BULIT-R), Questionnaire for Eating Disorder Diagnosis (QEDD), and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Conclusion: Only seven studies calculated validity coefficients within the study whereas 47 cited the validity coefficient. Twenty-six calculated a reliability coefficient whereas 47 cited the reliability of the ED measures. Four studies found validity evidence for the EAT, EDI, BULIT-R, QEDD, and EDE-Q in an athlete population. Few studies reviewed calculated validity and reliability coefficients of ED measures. Cross- validation of these measures in athlete populations is clearly needed.
基金National Basic Research Program of China (2009CB421106)the Knowledge Innovation Program of CAS (KZCX2-EW-306)+1 种基金Special Funds for Sino-EU Cooperation of MOST (0813)National Key Project of Science and Technical Supporting Programs of China (2008BAK50B05)
文摘This paper presents cognitive awareness levels of ecosystem services and their consumption by farmers in Guyuan City, which lies in the Jinghe watershed. Household Surveys and Participatory Rural Assessment (PRA) were used to determine differences in farmers cognitive awareness levels. The household survey results showed that farmers have a cognitive awareness of 11 ecosystem services: food supply, air purification, environmental purification, soil and water conservation, clean water supply, natural disaster minimization, increasing income, fuel wood supply, aesthetic recreation, fodder supply and sand stabilization. The job-related requirements of a farmers’ daily life, their direct consumption of ecosystem services and the importance of ecosystem services to them all influence their cognitive awareness of ecosystem services. Through group interviews the PRA method can provide the opportunity for information exchange and discussion. The process can help farmers to gain more cognitive awareness of ecosystem services. Large changes in ecosystem services have been observed in the study area. Food production and fuel wood supply have decreased markedly, yet incomes have increased. Spatial and temporal variables, changes in ecosystem services and the level of income all have an impact on farmers’ food supply and resource consumption. Overall, the total consumption of food (cereal and potato) and fuel wood declines for most farmers and consumption of vegetables, meat, coals and gas have increased.
文摘Black capuchin monkeys Sapajus nigritus are among several mammalian species that damage forest plantations, pri- marily plantations of pine trees (Pinus spp.) in South Brazil. Management practices to reduce these damages include supplemen- tary food offerings and plantation surveillance. To assess the efficiency of these techniques, four treatments were evaluated: feeding (F, with supplementary bananas and maize), surveillance (S, in situ, wherein men patrolled the plantations, deterring the monkeys), feeding + surveillance (FS) and control (no procedures) (C). The efficiency assessment of each treatment involved the number of recorded primate sightings in the treatments with the presence of guards (S and FS) and a damage inventory of the outskirts of the experimental points immediately before and after the experiment. These data were complemented by a simulta- neous study of the availability of fruit, the primary item in the diet of this primate species, in the remnant native forest in the study area. Most sightings of S. nigritus occurred early in the morning, and in general, sightings were inversely proportional to the availability of native fruits. This trend was most evident in treatment FS, most likely due to the presence of food. Treatments F and FS exhibited higher percentages of damage, indicating that these are inefficient management techniques. Treatment S exhi- bited the lowest damage rate, but at a high cost, making this technique difficult to apply over large expanses. The development of other management techniques, such as environmental enrichment and the use of deterrents, is recommended to minimize the damage caused by capuchins in forest plantations [Current Zoology 60 (5): 581-590, 2014].
基金This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No. 19771011 and 10071009) the RFDP (No. 20020027010) of MOE.
文摘This paper addresses estimation and its asymptotics of mean transformation θ = E[h(X)] of a random variable X based on n lid. observations from errors-in-variables model Y = X+ v, where v is a measurement error with a known distribution and h(.) is a known smooth function. The asymptotics of deconvolution kernel estimator for ordinary smooth error distribution and expectation extrapolation estimator are given for normal error distribution respectively. Under some mild regularity conditions, the consistency and asymptotically normality are obtained for both type of estimators. Simulations show they have good performance.