Physical Environment

Virtual reality applications refer to the use of com- puters to simulate a physical environment in such a way that humans can readily visualize, explore, and interact with "objects" in this environment. The design of virtual scenes requires realistic physically based simulation algorithms and in particular effi- cient collision detection routines. Collision detection prevent penetrations between objects. This paper presents an overview of the collision detection procedures for rigid bodies. It divides those procedures in two families that form a general hybrid collision detection algorithm. The first family is used in the first phase known as broad phase that roughly detects collision. The second family is used in the second one known as narrow phase that exactly detects if collision occurs.

Previous research shows that a sense of anonymity increases unethical behaviour (Zhong, et al., 2010a). A set of quasi-experiments are used to extend this research by studying the interaction between physical privacy and ethical behaviour. Both unethical behaviour and pro-social behaviour are studied. The results suggest that barriers in the physical environment are associated with increased unethical behaviour and decreased pro-social behaviour.

Accordingly, when people feel physically hidden from scrutiny, their behaviour becomes less ethical and more selfish. This relationship is particularly strong among the young. Well lit open-plan office designs can therefore be used to increase ethical and pro-social behaviour.
Moreover, the findings show that in some conditions, privacy can make young people more generous. Further research is needed on situational factors to understand why the relationship between physical privacy and pro-social behaviour changes direction.

Climate change and resource depletion are driving the transition to renewable energy sources. Both the supply of renewables and the demand for energy are influenced by the physical environment and therefore concern spatial planning and landscape design. Envisioning the long-term development of alternative energy landscapes – that is sustainable energy landscapes – present spatial planners and landscape architects with new challenges. The first paper of this two-part series discussed several existing approaches to long-term regional planning and landscape design, and presented an alternative, five-step approach for the composition of integrated visions [Stremke, S., Kann, F. Van & Koh, J. (2012) Integrated Visions (part I): Methodological Framework, European Planning Studies, [20(2), pp. 305–320]. This paper illustrates how the five-step approach was employed to compose a set of integrated visions for the development of sustainable energy landscapes in south of the Netherlands. The p...

Considerable evidence has emerged of a substantial decade-long change in the north Pacific atmosphere and ocean lasting from about 1976 to 1988. Observed significant changes in the atmospheric circulation throughout the troposphere revealed a deeper and eastward shifted Aleutian low pressure system in the winter half year which advected warmer and moister air along the west coast of North America and into Alaska and colder air over the north Pacific. Consequently, there were increases in temperatures and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) along the west coast of North America and Alaska but decreases in SSTs over the central north Pacific, as well as changes in coastal rainfall and streamflow, and decreases in sea ice in the Bering Sea. Associated changes occurred in the surface wind stress, and, by inference, in the Sverdrup transport in the north Pacific Ocean. Changes in the monthly mean flow were accompanied by a southward shift in the storm tracks and associated synoptic eddy activity and in the surface ocean sensible and latent heat fluxes. In addition to the changes in the physical environment, the deeper Aleutian low increased the nutrient supply as seen through increases in total chlorophyll in the water column, phytoplankton and zooplankton. These changes, along with the altered ocean currents and temperatures, changed the migration patterns and increased the stock of many fish species. A north Pacific (NP) index is defined to measure the decadal variations, and the temporal variability of the index is explored on daily, annual, interannual and decadal time scales. The dominant atmosphere-ocean relation in the north Pacific is one where atmospheric changes lead SSTs by one to two months. However, strong ties are revealed with events in the tropical Pacific, with changes in tropical Pacific SSTs leading SSTs in the north Pacific by three months. Changes in the storm tracks in the north Pacific help to reinforce and maintain the anomalous circulation in the upper troposphere. A hypothesis is put forward outlining the tropical and extratropical realtionships which stresses the role of tropical forcing but with important feed-backs in the extratropics that serve to emphasize the decadal relative to interannual time scales. The Pacific decadal timescale variations are linked to recent changes in the frequency and intensity of El Niño versus La Nina events but whether climate change associated with “global warming” is a factor is an open question.

Nutrient concentrations, primary productivity, and nitrogen uptake rates were measured in coastal waters of the Mid-Atlantic Bight over a two-year period that included measurements from all four seasons. In order to assess carbon productivity and nitrogen demand within the context of the physical environment, the region was divided into three distinct hydrographic regimes: the Chesapeake and Delaware Bay outflow plumes (PL), the southern Mid-Atlantic shelf influenced by the Gulf Stream (SS), and the mid-shelf area to the north of the Chesapeake Bay mouth (MS). Annual areal rates of total nitrogen (N) uptake were similar across all regions (10.9 ± 2.1 mol N m -2 y -1). However, annual areal rates of net primary productivity were higher in the outflow plume region (43 mol C m -2 y -1), than along the Mid-Atlantic shelf and in areas influenced by the Gulf Stream (41 and 34 mol C m -2 y -1, respectively). Rates of net primary productivity were not well correlated with Chl a concentrations and were uncoupled with net N uptake rates. Seasonally averaged annual areal rates of net primary productivity for the Mid-Atlantic Bight measured in this study were higher than those calculated in previous decades and provide important validation information for biogeochemical models and satellite remote sensing algorithms developed for the region.

The fast and uncontrolled emergence of a will to promote sustainable development in the field of building construction generates new require- ments for urban development. Besides technical solutions, project managers or urban planners must take into consideration the overall impact of his project on the local and global environ- ment as well as social trends, economic devel- opment, health and

North American coastal sandplain heathlands are unique in species composition and vegetation, but the extent to which edaphic factors influence the structure of these communities is currently debated. It was hypothesized that salt spray and edaphic factors maintain the dwarf stature and community composition of heathlands by limiting plant growth and excluding competitively dominant woody species close to the ocean. Field surveys were carried out to investigate the spatial patterns of salt spray accumulation, soil salt and soil moisture. High salt spray correlated significantly with increased leaf necrosis and water stress in Myrica pensylvanica and with decreased plant height. Plant community composition changed across a salt spray and soil gradient, as well. Distinctive sub-communities were identified that separated according to soil salt and soil moisture but salt spray was the main factor affecting sites occupied only by heathland vegetation. Results from this study suggest that salt spray suppresses the growth of heathland plants in close proximity to the ocean, and therefore maintains the low stature in these dwarf shrublands. This research also demonstrates that the physical environment influences the community structure in heathlands, particularly by limiting tree species from growing in high salt spray, low water availability sites.

It is now known that the quality of the physical, designed environment of early childhood centers - size, density, privacy, well-defined activity settings, modified open-plan space, a variety of technical design features and the quality of outdoor play spaces - is related to children's cognitive, social and emotional development. A number of scales are in existence for assessing childcare centres and are widely used around the English-speaking world, including the Harms' et al family of Early Childhood Environment Rating Scales (ECERS, ITERS and ECERS-R) and the NAEYC Accreditation Procedures. The new Children's Physical Environments Rating Scale (CPERS), however, is the first tool for centre directors, early childhood educators, policy makers and regulators to assess the quality of the physical environment of childcare, preschool, kindergarten and other early childhood education settings. CPERS is based on a Piagetian ecological theory of child development and the en...

Soil fertility, one of the important determinants of agricultural productivity, is generally thought to be supplemented through the application of nutrients mainly through inorganic fertilizers. The physical fertility of the soil, which creates suitable environment for the availability and uptake of these nutrients, is generally ignored. The present study aims to characterize the soil physical environment in relation to the long term application of farm yard manure (FYM) and inorganic fertilizers in rice–wheat. The treatments during both rice and wheat crops were (i) farm yard manure @ 20 t ha−1 (FYM); (ii) nitrogen @ 120 kg ha−1 (N120); (iii) nitrogen and phosphorus @ 120 and 30 kg ha−1 (N120P30) and (iv) nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium @ 120, 30 and 30 kg ha−1 (N120P30K30) in addition to (iv) control treatment, i.e. without any fertilizer and/or FYM addition. The treatments were replicated four times in randomized block design in a sandy loam (typic Ustipsament, non-saline, slightly alkaline). Bulk density, structural stability of soil aggregates and water holding capacity of 0–60 cm soil layer were measured.The average mean weight diameter (MWD) was highest in FYM-plots both in rice (0.237 mm) and wheat (0.249 mm) closely followed by that in N120P30K30 plots. The effect of FYM in increasing the MWD decreased with soil depth. The addition of both FYM and N120P30K30 increased the organic carbon by 44 and 37%, respectively in rice. The total porosity of soil increased with the application of both FYM and N120P30K30 from that in control plots. In 0–15 cm soil layer, the total porosity increased by 25% with FYM from that in control plots. This difference decreased to 13% in 15–30 cm soil layer. The average water holding capacity (WHC) was 16 and 11% higher with FYM and N120P30K30 application from that in control plots. The MWD, total porosity and WHC improved with the application of balanced application of fertilizers. The grain yield and uptake of N, P and K by both rice and wheat were higher with the application of FYM and inorganic fertilizers than in control plots. The carbon sequestration rate after 32 years was maximum (0.31 t ha−1 year−1) in FYM-plots, followed by 0.26 t ha−1 year−1 in N120P30K30-plots, 0.19 t ha−1 year−1 in N120P30 and minimum (0.13 t ha−1 year−1) in N120-plots.

This presentation summarizes,the findings from eight African countries where case studies of co-managementarrangements,in artisanal fisheries have been undertaken during the period 1996-97. The countries concerned are Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In most of the cases co-management represents a new approach to fisheries management. In some cases, it has only been applied within

“Prepared environment”, “prepared adult” and “educational materials” are important in Montessori education program widely applied in our country. In Montessori classes, the physical environment is created and organized within the framework of these three elements. The purpose of this study; is to determine how Montessori educators who work at 3-6 early childhood calssroom in public or private pre-school education institutions in Turkey relate classroom management practices to the regulation of physical environment and the practices they apply to classroom management. 13 Montessori educators working in four different institutions in Başakşehir, Ümraniye, Sancaktepe and Sarıyer districts of İstanbul province constitute the sample of the study carried out by adopting a phenomenological approach. The data was collected through individual face-to-face interviews. The data obtained on the practices were collected under three themes: regulation of the classroom environment, regulation of the classroom environment and regulation of the materials. A total of 66 practices of these themes have been identified. According to the second interview findings, it was determined that the educators associated their practices with classroom management within the framework of prepared environment, prepared adult and educational materials.

We analyse the coupling between sea surface chlorophyll concentration (CC) and the physical environment in the Mozambique Channel (MZC) using statistical models. Seasonal and interannual patterns are studied along with the role of mesoscale dynamics on enhancement and concentration processes for phytoplankton. We use SeaWifs data for CC and two other remotely sensed data sets, TMMI for sea surface temperature (SST) and merged altimetry products for sea level anomaly and geostrophic current. Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOF) on SSC and SST show strong seasonality and partition the MZC into three distinct sub-areas. The chlorophyll variability is mostly driven by seasonality, but more in the North (10°S–16°S) and South (24°S–30°S), and explains respectively 64% and 82% of the CC variance. In the Central part (16°S–24°S), the seasonal signal has less influence (60% variance). There, complex EOFs on Sea Level Anomaly (SLA) highlight the role of mesoscale activity (i.e. eddies and fil...

Work-related neck and upper limb disorders (WRNULD) are common problems among office workers who use computers intensively and maintain prolonged static postures. These disorders have often been attributed to result from sustained muscle activity in the neck–shoulder musculature. The present study examined whether symptomatic subjects exhibited the same muscle activity patterns as asymptomatic controls when they performed a prolonged computer