Since the failure of the Scan Line Corrector (SLC) instrument on Landsat 7, observable gaps occur in the acquired Landsat 7 imagery, impacting the spatial continuity of observed imagery. Due to the highly geometric and radiometric accuracy provided by Landsat 7, a number of approaches have been proposed to fill the gaps. However, all proposed approaches have evident constraints for universal application. The main issues in gap-filling are an inability to describe the continuity features such as meandering streams or roads, or maintaining the shape of small objects when filling gaps in heterogeneous areas. The aim of the study is to validate the feasibility of using the Direct Sampling multiple-point geostatistical method, which has been shown to reconstruct complicated geological structures satisfactorily, to fill Landsat 7 gaps. The Direct Sampling method uses a conditional stochastic resampling of known locations within a target image to fill gaps and can generate multiple reconstructions for one simulation case. The Direct Sampling method was examined across a range of land cover types including deserts, sparse rural areas, dense farmlands, urban areas, braided rivers and coastal areas to demonstrate its capacity to recover gaps accurately for various land cover types. The prediction accuracy of the Direct Sampling method was also compared with other gap-filling approaches, which have been previously demonstrated to offer satisfactory results, under both homogeneous area and heterogeneous area situations. Studies have shown that the Direct Sampling method provides sufficiently accurate prediction results for a variety of land cover types from homogeneous areas to heterogeneous land cover types. Likewise, it exhibits superior performances when used to fill gaps in heterogeneous land cover types without input image or with an input image that is temporally far from the target image in comparison with other gap-filling approaches.

Land surface albedo describes the proportion of incident solar radiant flux that is reflected from the Earth's surface and therefore is a crucial parameter in modeling and monitoring attempts to capture the current climate, hydrological, and biogeochemical cycles and predict future scenarios. Due to the temporal variability and spatial heterogeneity of land surface albedo, remote sensing offers the only realistic method of monitoring albedo on a global scale. While the distribution of bright, highly reflective surfaces (clouds, snow, deserts) govern the vast majority of the fluctuation, variations in the intrinsic surface albedo due to natural and human disturbances such as urban development, fire, pests, harvesting, grazing, flooding, and erosion, as well as the natural seasonal rhythm of vegetation phenology, play a significant role as well. The development of times series of global snow-free and cloud-free albedo from remotely sensed observations over the past decade and a half offers a unique opportunity to monitor and assess the impact of these alterations to the Earth's land surface. By utilizing multiple satellite records from the MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), the Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR) and the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments, and developing innovative spectral conversion coefficients and temporal gap-filling strategies, it has been possible to utilize the strengths of the various sensors to improve the spatial and temporal coverage of global land surface albedo retrievals. The availability of these products is particularly important in tropical regions where cloud cover obscures the forest for significant periods. In the Amazon, field ecologists have noted that some areas of the forest ecosystem respond rapidly with foliage growth at the beginning of the dry season, when sunlight can finally penetrate fully to the surface and have suggested this phenomenon can continue until reductions in water availability (particularly in times of drought) impact the growth cycle. While it has been difficult to capture this variability from individual optical satellite sensors, the temporally gap-filled albedo products developed during this research are used in a case study to monitor the Amazon during the dry season and identify the extent of these regions of foliage growth.

Export is a top priority for Sweden's economy but for Swedish companies it may involve uncomfortable risks of exporting without sincere consideration. When the United Nations Security Council puts an embargo against a country, this often mean an import and export restriction. The thought is to push undemocratic regimes into respecting human rights. When the embargo is in force, however, the parties are not able to fulfill their contractual obligations, which practically means that the agreement will be suspended. The problem is what happens when an embargo is in force for a longer period of time. After the embargo is withdrawn, the price on the market may have changed significantly, which indicates a financial sacrifice for a seller if he has to provide specific performance to the buyer. The question thus is whether the seller, after a prolonged economic sanctions is withdrawn, still is obliged to provide specific performance? The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) is applicable where both parties are signatories to CISG or by rules of international private law. To require performance as a buyer is a general right in Article 46 CISG, but there are exceptions to this rule in Article 28 CISG. Article 28 CISG states that if one party is entitled to require performance of any obligation by the other party, a court is not bound to enter a judgment for specific performance unless the court would do so under its own law in respect of similar contracts of sale not governed by this Convention. Since CISG advocates a harmonized application of international trade, the right to specific performance cannot be waived just on the basis of Article 28 CISG alone. With regard to good faith in international trade in Article 7 (1) CISG, the principle of reasonableness, which is a general principle that the CISG is based upon in accordance with Article 7 (2) CISG and 7.2.2 (b) UPICC, and with the support of international usage regularity observed in the trade concerned in Article 9 CISG, the right to specific performance does not exist anymore after a prolonged embargo has been withdrawn. / Export är högprioriterat för Sveriges ekonomi men för svenska företag kan det inne-bära obekväma risker med att exportera utan eftertanke. När Förenta Nationernas säkerhetsråd går in och lägger ett embargo mot en stat innebär detta ofta en import- och export restriktion. Tanken är att pressa odemokratiska regimer att respektera mänskliga rättigheter. När embargot är i kraft kan dock parterna inte uppfylla sina avtalsförpliktelser vilket innebär att avtalet blir suspenderat. Det problematiska är vad som händer då ett embargo är i kraft under en längre tid. Efter det att ett embargo lyfts kan priset på marknaden ändrats avsevärt vilket innebär en ekonomisk uppoffring för en säljare att tvingas fullgöra i natura. Frågan blir då om säljare efter det att en långvarig ekonomisk sanktion lyfts, fortfarande är tvingen att fullgöra i natura? Lag (1987:822) om internationella köp(CISG) blir tillämplig i det fall då båda parters stater är signatärer eller genom privaträttsliga regler. Att kräva fullgörelse som köpare är en generell rätt i artikel 46 CISG men det finns ett explicit undantag till denna regel i artikel 28 CISG. Artikel 28 CISG stadgar att domstol som ska lösa tvisten, inte är skyldig att meddela dom på fullgörelse om domstol enligt egen forumlandets egen lagstiftning inte skulle ha gjort detta. Skulle tvisten lösas i Svensk domstol blir 23 § köplag (1990:931) tillämplig. Eftersom CISG förespråkar en harmoniserad tillämpning inom internationell handel är det inte tillförlitligt att mena på att rätten till fullgörelse bortfaller med stöd av endast artikel 28 CISG. Med beaktande av god sed i internationell handel i artikel 7(1) CISG, principen om rimlighet/förnuftig person som är en generell princip som CISG är baserat på i enlighet med artikel 7(2) CISG och 7.2.2 (b) UPICC, samt med stöd av handelsbruk i artikel 9 CISG, bortfaller rätten till fullgörelse i natura efter det att ett långvarigt embargo har lyfts.

The objective of this thesis is to frame the scope of application of the Vienna Convention on the International Sale of Goods and other instruments of private international law relating to the international sales contract. In this field the gaps in the Vienna Convention are analysed and methods to fill them are explored. The first chapter introduces the key terms of international trade law. First, the types of legal provisions are listed and then the sales contract is defined under both, the Czech law and the Vienna Convention. In the second chapter I focus on the overview of the development of international uniform sales law and on further sources of law, which are important for international transactions. Besides the Convention itself, I study the Rome I Regulation, the uniform principles of international contract law and the Common European Sales Law. The third chapter advances to the core of the thesis, the gaps in the Vienna Convention. After defining the gaps and characterising them, I formulate the basic principles underlying the Convention, which are to be used to fill the internal gaps. In the last, fourth chapter I selected three gaps in the Vienna Convention: interest rate, set off and the form of the contract. One by one, I explain their nature and all approaches to the gap-filling with...

Wetlands are considered to be one of the most valuable natural occurring forms of land cover in the world. Hydrologic regulation, carbon sequestration, and habitat provision for a wide assortment of flora and fauna are just a few of the benefits associated with wetlands. The implementation of satellite remote sensing has been demonstrated to be a reliable approach to monitoring wetlands over time. Unfortunately, a national wetland inventory does not exist for Canada at this time. This study employs a supervised classification method of Landsat satellite imagery between 1976 and 2008 within the Tunkwa watershed, southwest of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. Images from 2005 and 2008 were repaired using a gap-filling technique due to do the failure of the scan-line corrector on the Landsat 7 satellite in 2003. Percentage pixel counts for wetlands were compared, and a diminishing trend was identified; approximately 4.8% of wetland coverage loss was recognized. The influence of the expansion of Highland Valley Copper and the forestry industry in the area may be the leading causes of wetland desiccation. This study expresses the feasibility of wetland monitoring using remote sensing and emphasizes the need for future work to compile a Canadian wetland inventory.

PCNA and RPA are required for DNA mismatch repair (MMR), but their rolesin the pathway are not fully understood. Using an affinity pull-down approach, weshow that (1) increased PCNA binding to DNA heteroduplexes is associated withthe appearance and accumulation of excision products; and (2) RPAphosphorylation occurs when DNA polymerase ?? binds to the DNA substrate. Wetherefore hypothesize that PCNA plays an important role in mismatch-provokedexcision and that RPA phosphorylation plays an important role in DNA resynthesis.To determine the role of PCNA in MMR, mismatch-provoked and nick-directedexcision was assayed in a cell-free system in the presence of the PCNA inhibitor,p21CIP1/WAF. We show that whereas PCNA is essential for 3' directed excision, it isdispensable for the 5' directed reaction, suggesting a differential role for PCNA inMMR. We further find that the PCNA-dependent pathway is the only pathway for3' directed excision, but there are at least two pathways for 5' directed excision,one of which is a PCNA-independent 5' excision pathway. To determine if RPAphosphorylation facilitates DNA resynthesis, a gap-filling assay was developedusing both a cell-free system and a purified system, and we demonstrate that RPAphosphorylation stimulates DNA polymerase ??-catalyzed resynthesis in bothsystems. Kinetic studies indicate that phosphorylated RPA has a lower affinity forDNA compared with un-phosphorylated RPA. Therefore, the stimulation ofresynthesis by phosphorylated RPA is likely due to the fact that phosphorylationpromotes the release of RPA from DNA, thereby making DNA template availablefor resynthesis.

Submitted by Lucienne Costa (lucienneferreira@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-08-08T20:51:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 LEYDSON GALVÍNCIO DANTAS – DISSERTAÇÃO (PPGMET) 2016.pdf: 2738181 bytes, checksum: db3cee5c7f083124e00eb4eb3220492c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-08T20:51:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LEYDSON GALVÍNCIO DANTAS – DISSERTAÇÃO (PPGMET) 2016.pdf: 2738181 bytes, checksum: db3cee5c7f083124e00eb4eb3220492c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-19 / CNPq / A variabilidade espacial e temporal das precipitações no estado da Paraíba, proporciona irregularidades na distribuição da mesma, como frequentemente observado nos eventos de secas prolongadas e excesso de precipitação em intervalos curtos de tempo, comprometendo em termos gerais a qualidade de vida da população. Neste trabalho é elaborado o preenchimento das falhas encontradas nas séries temporais em alguns municípios do Estado, obtendo deste modo, uma séria robusta o bastante, na qual tem a função de auxiliar, as análises dos resultados ao ser trabalhada com a metodologia de Box-Jenkins para séries temporais. Visando assim, a elaboração de prognósticos pluviométricos em algumas cidades do Estado por intermédio de modelos estocásticos, onde nota-se que a forma do modelo SARIMA(1,0,1)×(1,1,1) é o que melhor se ajusta pela análise dos critérios e resíduos, dentre os municípios onde as previsões chegaram a equivaler alguns dos valores observados nas estações pluviométricas. Os municípios localizados nas proximidades do Planalto da Borborema foram os que demonstraram a melhor acurácia em termos de previsibilidade ao ser comparado com os outros analisados neste estudo. / The spatial and temporal variability of rainfall in the state of Paraiba, provides irregularities in the distribution of the same, as often observed in prolonged droughts events and excess rainfall in short time intervals, affecting generally the quality of life of the population. This paper prepared filling the gaps found in the time series in some cities of the State, thereby obtaining a robust serious enough, which has a helper function, the analysis of the results to be crafted with the Box-Jenkins methodology for time series. Aiming thus the development of rainfall predictions in some cities of the State through stochastic models, where it is noted that the model shape SARIMA(1,0,1)×(1,1,1) is the best fit for analysis the criteria and waste from the municipalities where the predictions come to equate some of the values observed in the rainfall stations. The Cities located near of the Planalto of Borborema were the ones that showed the best accuracy in terms of predictability when compared to the other analyzed in this study.

Boreal old-growth forests are key determinants in the global carbon cycle. It is unknown how the role of persistent old-growth forests will be in the carbon cycle in the face of predicted climatic changes. Eddy-covariance measurements are commonly used to quantify carbon exchange between ecosystems, such as forests, and the atmosphere. Error due to gap-fill method is of particular interest in these datasets. Here we filled a 15-year eddy covariance dataset from the Northern Old-Growth Boreal Black Spruce (Picea mariana) site located near Thompson, in central Manitoba, Canada using four different gap-fill methods. Our objectives were to determine if choice of gap-fill method affected annual NEP and if these errors compounded to even greater differences over the 15-year study period. Most significant differences in NEP among methods occurred from September to December, but variations during the growing season were responsible for most of the annual differences. / October 2016

Recentes estudos em animais tem demonstrado pronunciada reabsorção da tábua óssea vestibular, após a colocação de implantes imediatos. A realização de cirurgias sem retalho para a colocação de implantes imediatos, e a utilização de enxertos ósseos nos gaps, representam alternativas viáveis para minimizar a reabsorção da tábua óssea vestibular e, dessa forma, otimizar a osseointegração. O presente trabalho se propôs a investigar a remodelação da tábua óssea vestibular, associada ou não ao enxerto ósseo sintético no gap entre a superfície do implante e a tábua vestibular, em cirurgias sem retalho. Neste contexto, implantes posicionados ao nível da tábua óssea vestibular, e 2.0 mm subcrestal foram comparados. Metodologicamente, os pré-molares mandibulares bilaterais de 8 cães foram extraídos sem retalho, 4 implantes foram instalados nos alvéolos de cada lado, e posicionados 2.0 mm da tábua óssea vestibular originando o gap. Os seguintes grupos foram testados: implantes equicrestal associado com o enxerto ósseo sintético (grupo teste equicrestal-GTEC), implantes equicrestal com coágulo sanguíneo (grupo controle-GCEC), implantes 2.0 mm subcrestal associado com o enxerto ósseo sintético (grupo teste subcrestal-GTSC) e implantes 2.0 mm subcrestal com coágulo sanguíneo (grupo controle-GCSC). Uma semana após as cirurgias, próteses metálicas foram instaladas. Marcadores ósseos foram administrados 1, 2, 4 e 12 semanas após as cirurgias para a análise da fluorescência. Doze semanas após a colocação dos implantes os animais foram sacrificados. Para a análise radiográfica, cortes vestíbulo-linguais foram realizados nos blocos com os implantes individualizados, e imagens digitais radiográficas foram obtidas. Para a análise histomorfométrica, lâminas foram preparadas através dos blocos seccionados. A análise radiográfica revelou que o grupo teste subcrestal apresentou maior perda da tábua óssea vestibular com diferença estatisticamente significante quando comparado com os grupos equicrestais (p<0,05). Não foi observada diferença significativa entre os grupos em relação à distância linear, e a presença ou ausência de neoformação tecidual no gap residual. A avaliação histomorfométrica demonstrou resultados significativos para o grupo teste equicrestal, sem perda da tábua óssea vestibular. Em relação aos outros parâmetros, o grupo controle subcrestal apresentou melhores resultados. A nova formação de tecido ósseo foi determinada pela quantificação da fluorescência dos marcadores em áreas adjacentes e distantes às superfícies dos implantes. As áreas adjacentes mostraram diferentes resultados entre os grupos, e pequeno um decréscimo na 12a semana, exceto para o grupo controle subcrestal, que apresentou um aumento. As áreas distantes mostraram um aumento contínuo na formação óssea. Os implantes equicrestais apresentaram insignificativa perda da tábua óssea vestibular. No entanto, os implantes subcrestais mostraram maior perda da tábua óssea vestibular, mesmo com a presença do enxerto ósseo. No entanto, a tábua vestibular manteve-se sempre coronal ao ombro do implante. Ambos os grupos equicrestais e subcrestais testes e controles foram beneficiados nas fases iniciais do processo de formação óssea como evidenciado pela análise de fluorescência. / Recent studies in animals have shown pronounced resorption of the buccal bone plate after immediate implantation. The use of flapless surgical procedures prior to the installation of immediate implants, as well as the use of synthetic bone graft in the gaps represent viable alternatives to minimize buccal bone resorption and to favor osseointegration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the healing of the buccal bone plate following immediate implantation using the flapless approach, and compare this process with sites in which a synthetic bone graft was or was not inserted into the gap between the implant and the buccal bone plate. Lower bicuspids from 8 dogs were bilaterally extracted without the use of flaps and 4 implants were installed in the alveoli in each side of the mandible and were positioned 2.0 mm from the buccal bone plate (gap). Four groups were devised: 2.0 mm subcrestal implants (3.3 x 8 mm) using bone grafts (SCTG), 2.0 mm subcrestal implants without bone grafts (SCCG), equicrestal implants (3.3 x 10 mm) with bone grafts (ECTG) and equicrestal implants without bone grafts (ECCG). One week following the surgical procedures, metallic prostheses were installed and within 12 weeks the dogs were sacrificed. The blocks containing the individual implants were turned sideways and radiographic imaging was obtained to analyze the remodeling of the buccal bone plate. In the analysis of the resulting distance between the implant shoulder and the bone crest (IS-BC), statistically significant differences were found in the SBTG when compared to the ECTG (p=0.02) and ECCG (p=0.03). For meanvalue comparison of the resulting linear distance between the implant surface and the buccal plate (GAP-L) no statistically significant difference was found between all the groups (p>0.05). The same result was observed in the parameter for presence or absence of tissue formation between the implant surface and buccal plate (GAPA). Equicrestally placed implants, in this methodology, presented little or no loss of the buccal bone. The subcrestally positioned implants presented loss of buccal bone, even though synthetic bone graft was used. The buccal bone, however, was always coronal to the implant shoulder.

Recentes estudos em animais tem demonstrado pronunciada reabsorção da tábua óssea vestibular, após a colocação de implantes imediatos. A realização de cirurgias sem retalho para a colocação de implantes imediatos, e a utilização de enxertos ósseos nos gaps, representam alternativas viáveis para minimizar a reabsorção da tábua óssea vestibular e, dessa forma, otimizar a osseointegração. O presente trabalho se propôs a investigar a remodelação da tábua óssea vestibular, associada ou não ao enxerto ósseo sintético no gap entre a superfície do implante e a tábua vestibular, em cirurgias sem retalho. Neste contexto, implantes posicionados ao nível da tábua óssea vestibular, e 2.0 mm subcrestal foram comparados. Metodologicamente, os pré-molares mandibulares bilaterais de 8 cães foram extraídos sem retalho, 4 implantes foram instalados nos alvéolos de cada lado, e posicionados 2.0 mm da tábua óssea vestibular originando o gap. Os seguintes grupos foram testados: implantes equicrestal associado com o enxerto ósseo sintético (grupo teste equicrestal-GTEC), implantes equicrestal com coágulo sanguíneo (grupo controle-GCEC), implantes 2.0 mm subcrestal associado com o enxerto ósseo sintético (grupo teste subcrestal-GTSC) e implantes 2.0 mm subcrestal com coágulo sanguíneo (grupo controle-GCSC). Uma semana após as cirurgias, próteses metálicas foram instaladas. Marcadores ósseos foram administrados 1, 2, 4 e 12 semanas após as cirurgias para a análise da fluorescência. Doze semanas após a colocação dos implantes os animais foram sacrificados. Para a análise radiográfica, cortes vestíbulo-linguais foram realizados nos blocos com os implantes individualizados, e imagens digitais radiográficas foram obtidas. Para a análise histomorfométrica, lâminas foram preparadas através dos blocos seccionados. A análise radiográfica revelou que o grupo teste subcrestal apresentou maior perda da tábua óssea vestibular com diferença estatisticamente significante quando comparado com os grupos equicrestais (p<0,05). Não foi observada diferença significativa entre os grupos em relação à distância linear, e a presença ou ausência de neoformação tecidual no gap residual. A avaliação histomorfométrica demonstrou resultados significativos para o grupo teste equicrestal, sem perda da tábua óssea vestibular. Em relação aos outros parâmetros, o grupo controle subcrestal apresentou melhores resultados. A nova formação de tecido ósseo foi determinada pela quantificação da fluorescência dos marcadores em áreas adjacentes e distantes às superfícies dos implantes. As áreas adjacentes mostraram diferentes resultados entre os grupos, e pequeno um decréscimo na 12a semana, exceto para o grupo controle subcrestal, que apresentou um aumento. As áreas distantes mostraram um aumento contínuo na formação óssea. Os implantes equicrestais apresentaram insignificativa perda da tábua óssea vestibular. No entanto, os implantes subcrestais mostraram maior perda da tábua óssea vestibular, mesmo com a presença do enxerto ósseo. No entanto, a tábua vestibular manteve-se sempre coronal ao ombro do implante. Ambos os grupos equicrestais e subcrestais testes e controles foram beneficiados nas fases iniciais do processo de formação óssea como evidenciado pela análise de fluorescência. / Recent studies in animals have shown pronounced resorption of the buccal bone plate after immediate implantation. The use of flapless surgical procedures prior to the installation of immediate implants, as well as the use of synthetic bone graft in the gaps represent viable alternatives to minimize buccal bone resorption and to favor osseointegration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the healing of the buccal bone plate following immediate implantation using the flapless approach, and compare this process with sites in which a synthetic bone graft was or was not inserted into the gap between the implant and the buccal bone plate. Lower bicuspids from 8 dogs were bilaterally extracted without the use of flaps and 4 implants were installed in the alveoli in each side of the mandible and were positioned 2.0 mm from the buccal bone plate (gap). Four groups were devised: 2.0 mm subcrestal implants (3.3 x 8 mm) using bone grafts (SCTG), 2.0 mm subcrestal implants without bone grafts (SCCG), equicrestal implants (3.3 x 10 mm) with bone grafts (ECTG) and equicrestal implants without bone grafts (ECCG). One week following the surgical procedures, metallic prostheses were installed and within 12 weeks the dogs were sacrificed. The blocks containing the individual implants were turned sideways and radiographic imaging was obtained to analyze the remodeling of the buccal bone plate. In the analysis of the resulting distance between the implant shoulder and the bone crest (IS-BC), statistically significant differences were found in the SBTG when compared to the ECTG (p=0.02) and ECCG (p=0.03). For meanvalue comparison of the resulting linear distance between the implant surface and the buccal plate (GAP-L) no statistically significant difference was found between all the groups (p>0.05). The same result was observed in the parameter for presence or absence of tissue formation between the implant surface and buccal plate (GAPA). Equicrestally placed implants, in this methodology, presented little or no loss of the buccal bone. The subcrestally positioned implants presented loss of buccal bone, even though synthetic bone graft was used. The buccal bone, however, was always coronal to the implant shoulder.