The doctrine of illegality serves as a touchstone of criminal law theory, and research into the criteria for determining illegality is of great significance for promoting debate between different schools of thought an...The doctrine of illegality serves as a touchstone of criminal law theory, and research into the criteria for determining illegality is of great significance for promoting debate between different schools of thought and for the overall development of Chinese criminal jurisprudence. The theories of anti-value consequences （Erfolgsunwert） and anti-value acts （Handlungsunwert） take different approaches to thinking about the issue of illegality, leading to differences in the scope of establishing what constitutes a crime, the process of determining whether a crime has been committed, the relationship between crime and punishment and the correlation between criminal law and society. The （dualistic） theory of anti-value acts takes into full consideration the social reality and normative anticipations of a given period and gives due weight to the function of criminal law in guiding behavior; it is therefore a rational theory. According to this view of illegality, the act is the core issue determining illegality; infringement of legal interests is simply an element determining the ＂nature of the act.＂ Criminal law does not exist only to provide restitution for injury, but also aims to cultivate citizens＇ consciousness of norms to prevent possible future injury. Contemporary criminal jurisprudence in China should be constructed on the basis of the （dualistic） theory of anti-value acts with a view to responding to the needs of society and promoting normative identification on the part of the general public.展开更多
Forests promote the conservation of biodiversity and also play a crucial role in safeguarding theenvironment against erosion,landslides,and climate change.However,illegal logging remains a significant threatworldwide,...Forests promote the conservation of biodiversity and also play a crucial role in safeguarding theenvironment against erosion,landslides,and climate change.However,illegal logging remains a significant threatworldwide,necessitating the development of automatic logging detection systems in forests.This paper proposesthe use of long-range,low-powered,and smart Internet of Things(IoT)nodes to enhance forest monitoringcapabilities.The research framework involves developing IoT devices for forest sound classification andtransmitting each node’s status to a gateway at the forest base station,which further sends the obtained datathrough cellular connectivity to a cloud server.The key issues addressed in this work include sensor and boardselection,Machine Learning(ML)model development for audio classification,TinyML implementation on amicrocontroller,choice of communication protocol,gateway selection,and power consumption optimization.Unlike the existing solutions,the developed node prototype uses an array of two microphone sensors forredundancy,and an ensemble network consisting of Long Short-Term Memory(LSTM)and ConvolutionalNeural Network(CNN)models for improved classification accuracy.The model outperforms LSTM and CNNmodels when used independently and also gave 88%accuracy after quantization.Notably,this solutiondemonstrates cost efficiency and high potential for scalability.展开更多
The depletion of the ozone layer, a vital shield protecting the Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, is now a worldwide environmental concern. Human activities, particularly the release of ozone depleting su...The depletion of the ozone layer, a vital shield protecting the Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, is now a worldwide environmental concern. Human activities, particularly the release of ozone depleting substances (ODS), have led to the thinning of this protective layer over recent decades. Simultaneously, illegal trade has emerged as a global challenge, giving rise to economic issues, losses of tax revenue, heightened criminal activities, health risks, and environmental hazards. The depletion of the ozone layer, a critical shield protecting the Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, has become a global environmental concern. This paper delves into the legal dimensions surrounding ozone-depleting substances (ODS), their impact on the ozone layer, and the subsequent risk of skin cancer. As countries navigate international agreements, domestic regulations, and enforcement mechanisms, the intricate interplay between legal frameworks and the health implications of ozone layer depletion comes to the forefront. The paper highlights particular instances of illegal trade in ozone depleting substances, drawing from data reported by the parties to the Montreal Protocol. Notably, China stands out as a significant source of contraband ODS, with other countries such as Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, and France reporting numerous cases. Analyzing these case instances offers insights into the efficacy of legal frameworks and enforcement measures. The paper offers a comprehensive set of recommendations to strengthen global control and enforcement against the illegal trade of ozone depleting substances. These recommendations span diverse aspects such as production monitoring, customs collaboration, mutual verification, cross-border agreements, public-private partnerships, international cooperation, detection equipment, global regulatory standards, resource allocation, public awareness campaigns, alternative substance development, and controlling the trade at its source. By applying these recommendations and enhancing enforcement measures, we aim to protect the ozone layer and create a healthier and safer world for future generations and achieve sustainable development goals.展开更多
According to the United Nations Environmental Programme(UNEP),the world loses 1.0×106hm2forest land through deforestation annually.About 1.6×106people who depend on forests for livelihood are negatively affe...According to the United Nations Environmental Programme(UNEP),the world loses 1.0×106hm2forest land through deforestation annually.About 1.6×106people who depend on forests for livelihood are negatively affected by deforestation and forest degradation.The paper attempts to study the impact of forest governance,enforcement and socio-economic factors on deforestation and forest degradation at the local level in West Bengal State,India.The study was based on questionnaire survey data during 2020–2021 collected from three western districts(Purulia,Bankura,and Paschim Medinipur)where deforestation and poverty rates are higher than other districts in West Bengal State.The total number of selected villages was 29,and the total sample households were 693.A stratified random sampling technique was used to collect data,and a questionnaire was followed.Forest governance and enforcement indices were constructed using United Nation Development Programme(UNDP)methodology and a step-wise logistic regression model was used to identify the factors affecting deforestation and forest degradation.The result of this study showed that four factors(illegal logging,weak forest administration,encroachment,and poverty)are identified for the causes of deforestation and forest degradation.It is observed that six indices of forest governance(rule of law,transparency,accountability,participation,inclusiveness and equitability,and efficiency and effectiveness)are relatively high in Purulia District.Moreover,this study shows that Purulia and Bankura districts follow medium forest governance,while Paschim Medinipur District has poor forest governance.The enforcement index is found to be highest in Purulia District(0.717)and lowest for Paschim Medinipur District(0.257).Finally,weak forest governance,poor socio-economic conditions of the households,and weak enforcement lead to the deforestation and forest degradation in the study area.Therefore,governments should strengthen law enforcement and encourage sustainable forest certification schemes to combat illegal logging.展开更多
On December 2015,a new restaurant opened next to the University of Arizona campus,in Tucson.Its name was“Illegal Pete’s”and it sold Mexican food.The presence of this establishment led to an intense backlash between...On December 2015,a new restaurant opened next to the University of Arizona campus,in Tucson.Its name was“Illegal Pete’s”and it sold Mexican food.The presence of this establishment led to an intense backlash between several University of Arizona students and the owner of the restaurant as they argued over the use of the world“illegal”.This paper reflects on the construction of“illegality”,its meaning and consequences on lived experiences.Drawing on Bakhtin’s analysis of words and his concepts of“single-voiced”and“double-voiced”discourses,I examine how the word“illegal”perpetuates and normalizes discrimination,criminalization,and racism towards Mexican-origin people and leads to feelings of anxious belonging.展开更多
This paper proposes a novel unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)-based illegal radio station(IRS) localization scheme, where the transmit power of the IRS, the channel model and the noise model are unknown to the UAV. A direc...This paper proposes a novel unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)-based illegal radio station(IRS) localization scheme, where the transmit power of the IRS, the channel model and the noise model are unknown to the UAV. A direction-aware Q-learning algorithm is developed to process received signal strength(RSS) values collected by a directional antenna, as well as directions corresponding to the RSS values. This algorithm determines the direction the UAV flies towards and thereby finds the IRS. The proposed scheme is compared to two baseline schemes. One baseline locates the IRS by a UAV equipped with an omnidirectional antenna, where conventional Q-learning is exploited to process the measured RSS and determine the UAV's trajectory. The other baseline locates the IRS by a directional-antenna UAV, where the UAV flies towards the direction with respect to the maximum RSS value. Numerical results show that, especially for a low receive SNR, the proposed scheme can outperform the two baselines in terms of the localization efficiency, providing a smoother trajectory for the UAV.展开更多
The maritime administrative department employs synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite remote sensing technology to obtain evidence of illegal discharge of ships. If the ship is discharged during navigation, it forms...The maritime administrative department employs synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite remote sensing technology to obtain evidence of illegal discharge of ships. If the ship is discharged during navigation, it forms a long dark wake on the SAR image due to the suppression of the Bragg wave by the oil fi lm. This study investigates key techniques for rapid detection of long ship wakes, thereby providing law enforcement agencies with candidate ships for possible discharge. This paper presents a rapid long ship wake detection method that uses satellite imaging parameters and the axial direction of the ship in images to determine the potential detection area of the wake. Then, the threshold of long ship wake detection is determined using statistical analysis, the area is binarized, and isolated points are removed using a morphological filter operator. The method was tested with ENVISAT Synthetic Aperture Radar and GF-3 SAR data, and results showed that the method was eff ective, and the overall accuracy of the decision reaches 71%. We present two innovations;one is a method that draws a Doppler shift curve, and uses the SAR imaging parameters to determine the detection area of the long wake to achieve rapid detection and reduce the image detection area. The other is where a classical linear fitting method is used to quickly and accurately determine whether the detected dark area is a long ship wake and realizes the twisted long ship wake detection caused by the sea surface flow field, which is otherwise diffi cult to detect by the traditional Radon and Hough transform methods. This method has good suppression performance for the dark spot false alarm formed by low speed wind region or upward flow. The method is developed for maritime ship monitoring system and will promote the operational application of maritime ship monitoring system.展开更多
With the improvement of the national economic level,the number of vehicles is still increasing year by year.According to the statistics of National Bureau of Statics,the number is approximately up to 327 million in Ch...With the improvement of the national economic level,the number of vehicles is still increasing year by year.According to the statistics of National Bureau of Statics,the number is approximately up to 327 million in China by the end of 2018,which makes urban traffic pressure continues to rise so that the negative impact of urban traffic order is growing.Illegal parking-the common problem in the field of transportation security is urgent to be solved and traditional methods to address it are mainly based on ground loop and manual supervision,which may miss detection and cost much manpower.Due to the rapidly developing deep learning sweeping the world in recent years,object detection methods relying on background segmentation cannot meet the requirements of complex and various scenes on speed and precision.Thus,an improved Single Shot MultiBox Detector(SSD)based on deep learning is proposed in our study,we introduce attention mechanism by spatial transformer module which gives neural networks the ability to actively spatially transform feature maps and add contextual information transmission in specified layer.Finally,we found out the best connection layer in the detection model by repeated experiments especially for small objects and increased the precision by 1.5%than the baseline SSD without extra training cost.Meanwhile,we designed an illegal parking vehicle detection method by the improved SSD,reaching a high precision up to 97.3%and achieving a speed of 40FPS,superior to most of vehicle detection methods,will make contributions to relieving the negative impact of illegal parking.展开更多
Drones,also known as mini-unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs),are enjoying great popularity in recent years due to their advantages of low cost,easy to pilot and small size,which also makes them hard to detect.They can pro...Drones,also known as mini-unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs),are enjoying great popularity in recent years due to their advantages of low cost,easy to pilot and small size,which also makes them hard to detect.They can provide real time situational awareness information by live videos or high definition pictures and pose serious threats to public security.In this article,we combine collaborative spectrum sensing with deep learning to effectively detect potential illegal drones with states of high uncertainty.First,we formulate the detection of potential illegal drones under illegitimate access and rogue power emission as a quaternary hypothesis test problem.Then,we propose an algorithm of image classification based on convolutional neural network which converts the cooperative spectrum sensing data at a sensing slot into one image.Furthermore,to exploit more information and improve the detection performance,we develop a trajectory classification algorithm which converts theflight process of the drones in consecutive multiple sensing slots into trajectory images.In addition,simulations are provided to verify the proposed methods’performance under various parameter configurations.展开更多
The development and application of the ''digital mine'' concept in China depends heavily upon the use of remote sensing data as well as domestic expertise and awareness. Illegal mining of mineral resou...The development and application of the ''digital mine'' concept in China depends heavily upon the use of remote sensing data as well as domestic expertise and awareness. Illegal mining of mineral resources has been a serious long term problem frustrating the Xishimen Iron Ore Mine management. This mine is located in Wu'an county in Hebei province, China. Illegal activities have led to enormous economic losses by interfering with the normal operation of the Xishimen mine and have ruined the surrounding environ- ment and the stability of the Mahe riverbed the crosses the mined area. This paper is based on field recon- naissance taken over many years around the mine area. The ground survey data are integrated with Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (D-InSAR) results from ALOS/PALSAR data to pin- point mining locations. By investigating the relationship between the resulting interferometric deforma- tion pattern and the mining schedule, which is known a priori, areas affected by illegal mining activities are identified. To some extent these areas indicate the location of the illegal site. The results clearly dem- onstrate D-InSAR's ability to cost-effectively monitor illegal mining activities.展开更多
Based on the literature reviews and questionnaire, field survey on the species, feces, and tracks in non-snow season and snow season of Korean musk deer from February to December of 1999 in South Korea (Cultural Prope...Based on the literature reviews and questionnaire, field survey on the species, feces, and tracks in non-snow season and snow season of Korean musk deer from February to December of 1999 in South Korea (Cultural Properties Administration 1999), the authors summarized the change of distribution area and number of Korean musk deer from 1950s to 1999. The results showed that the distribution area of Korean musk deer (Moschus moschiferus parvipes) was sharply decreased from 1950s to 1999 in South Korea. Due to the road and forest road construction in the habitat of Korean musk deer, the musk deer habitats were fragmented and lost. And the illegal capture for economic benefits was the main reason of decreases in number of indi-viduals and habitats of this species. Forest roads in high elevation area were also used as the passages for illegal captures. For the conservation and protection of Korean musk deer, strict regulation of illegal capture is urgently needed.展开更多
At Kuwana illegal dumping site in Japan, where hazardous waste was illegally dumped, groundwater was severely contaminated by Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Groundwater was already remedied by conducting Pump-and-...At Kuwana illegal dumping site in Japan, where hazardous waste was illegally dumped, groundwater was severely contaminated by Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Groundwater was already remedied by conducting Pump-and-Treat (P&T) after containment of all the waste by vertical slurry walls from 2002 to 2007. However, 1,4-dioxane was detected in both waste and groundwater outside of slurry walls after it was newly added into Japan environmental standards in late 2009, which suggested that the walls did not contain 1,4-dioxane completely. Our previous study developed a model to predict the 1,4-dioxane distribution in groundwater after the previous remediation at the site. In this study, numerical simulation was applied for remediation planning at the site based on the concept of Verified Follow Up (VF-UP) that had been proposed as a new approach to complete remediation effectively with consideration of future risks. The amount of waste to be removed and pumping plans were discussed by numerical simulation to achieve the remedial objective in which 1,4-dioxane in groundwater outside of walls is remedied within 10 years and 1,4-dioxane spreading throughout the walls is prevented in the case where a portion of waste is remained. Firstly, the amount of waste to be removed considering pumping plans for P&T was determined by scenario analysis. As a result, at least two-third of waste should be removed by combining with P&T. However, if the waste is remained, future risks of 1,4-dioxane spreading through the slurry walls may occur. Our simulation suggested that groundwater within the remaining waste must be pumped up at least 20 m3/d for containment of 1,4-dioxane within the remaining waste. In conclusion, our numerical simulation determined the amount of waste to be removed and the pumping plans for P&T to achieve the remedial objective effectively considering future risks based on the concept of VF-UP.展开更多
The research takes three fundamental Internet Academic Journals (IAJ), which are China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chongqing VIP Information Co., Ltd. (VIP) and Beijing Wanfang Data Co., Ltd. (WFD), as s...The research takes three fundamental Internet Academic Journals (IAJ), which are China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chongqing VIP Information Co., Ltd. (VIP) and Beijing Wanfang Data Co., Ltd. (WFD), as subjects to discuss digital publishing mechanism innovations for China’s science information communication system. After introducing main Internet environment, comparing journal characteristics, and explaining publishing & operation modes of the IAJs, the paper analyses important issues such as redundant contents, digitalization issues, illegal journals, standards construction, copyright and benefit distribution. By learning from research practices and open access, a new benefit distribution and copyright management mode based on the Third Party Agency (TPA) is proposed. Future IAJs operation modes are also discussed from the view of scientific research innovation and state of the art platform construction.展开更多
“非法操作”(illegal operation)几乎是每个以Windows作为操作系统的计算机用户都会碰到的一个误操作提示。“illegal”在此是什么意思?它是否真的表示我们通常所理解的“不合法”之意呢?其实，在计算机术语里，“illegal”有特定的含...“非法操作”(illegal operation)几乎是每个以Windows作为操作系统的计算机用户都会碰到的一个误操作提示。“illegal”在此是什么意思?它是否真的表示我们通常所理解的“不合法”之意呢?其实，在计算机术语里，“illegal”有特定的含义，即“not interpretable or．recognized in the system in which it occurs”，展开更多
Issue on illegal logging and related trade is a hot topic for the international community. It has brought the negative effects to the sustainable development on global society, economy and ecology, which is also one o...Issue on illegal logging and related trade is a hot topic for the international community. It has brought the negative effects to the sustainable development on global society, economy and ecology, which is also one of the main objectives of international cooperation to combat with. At present, subjects of international law play a decisive role in combating illegal logging and related trade. The subjects of international law generally refer to states, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and part of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which can have an independent international legal personality, enjoy rights and assume obligations of international law. As a responsible big country of the international community and state member of intergovernmental organizations and international treaties of forest resources protection, China ought to fully perform the obligations of international law. In face of illegal logging and related trade around the world, China should rationally tackle with it, resolutely crack down on it, and finally choose the sustainable development strategy based on rule of law.展开更多
Tanzania’s Ruaha landscape is prominent for its potential wildlife resources, which play a key role in sustaining the economy and livelihoods of the people. However, most of these resources are illegally obtained and...Tanzania’s Ruaha landscape is prominent for its potential wildlife resources, which play a key role in sustaining the economy and livelihoods of the people. However, most of these resources are illegally obtained and traded in different places within and outside the Ruaha landscape. Due to its illegal nature, most of the important information regarding the trade is poorly documented. Therefore, the current study aimed first, to explore the origin and destination of wildlife products;second, to assess the relationship between hunters and buyers or customers;third, to assess the means used to transport wildlife products;and lastly, to assess who influences people to engage in illegal hunting and trade activities. In addition, we assess the materials used in the exchange of wildlife products. Semi-structured questionnaires and face-to-face interviews were used to collect information from 123 respondents. Social network analysis was used to indicate the origin and destination of wildlife products. The findings show that 70% of wildlife products originate from the Ruaha National Park and MBOMIPA wildlife management areas, with the remaining 30% originating from villages. The majority of respondents (65%) reported transporting wildlife products by foot and bicycle as the primary modes of transportation. Suppliers of wildlife products are reported to have close and long-term relationships with their customers and traders, with most of whom being friends and relatives. We found most poachers to be influenced by their friends and relatives in terms making decision to engage in illegal wildlife trade. In addition, crops like maize and rice were the most popular products used to exchange with wildlife products in the Ruaha landscape. Therefore, in order to combat illegal trade in wildlife products at the local level, alternative income-generating activities need to be promoted accompanied by not only well-funded anti-poaching programmes but also more effective surveillance plans. These should entail the use of advanced techniques and skills, such as wildlife forensics.展开更多
Timber harvesting data are very essential for sustainable management of forest resources.These data are very scarce in developing countries.Therefore,we collected and analyzed data on the rate of timber production of ...Timber harvesting data are very essential for sustainable management of forest resources.These data are very scarce in developing countries.Therefore,we collected and analyzed data on the rate of timber production of the free areas and the forest reserves in Ondo State,Nigeria.The data collected from the State Department of Forestry＇s official records,annual reports and files were on the species,volume and number of different economic timbers exploited on monthly basis between 2003 and 2005.Analyses were done with the student t-test and one-way analysis of variance.Results reveal that the highest numbers of species,families and stems were exploited in the free areas when compared with what was exploited from the reserves for the three-year period.However,the total volume of trees removed from the reserves was significantly higher（p〈0.05） than what was removed from the free areas.A total 60 different indigenous hardwood species in 25 families were exploited from the free areas,and 57 in 23 families from the reserves.The total number of stems exploited from the forest ecosystem of Ondo state during the three-year period stood at 111377 with an estimated volume of 295089.67 m^3.While the mean number of stems and volume exploited per annum is 37125 and 98363.22 m^3,respectively.The monthly average number of stems and volume is 3094 and 8196 m^3,respectively.The t-test results show that there were significant differences（p〈0.05） in number of stems and volume removed from the free areas and the reserves.The ANOVA results reveal a significant increase（p〈0.05） in logging activities between the years of 2003 and 2004 but there was a decline in year 2005.This trend reveals that economic timber species were disappearing from the forests and the ecosystem was seriously disturbed during logging activities.Principles for achieving the goals of sustainable forest management（SFM） and urgent conservation measures to mitigate the consequences of forest degradation were suggested.展开更多
The occurrence of illegal medicines is a well-established global problem and concerns mostly small molecules. However, due to the advances in genomics and recombinant expression technologies there is an increased deve...The occurrence of illegal medicines is a well-established global problem and concerns mostly small molecules. However, due to the advances in genomics and recombinant expression technologies there is an increased development of polypeptide therapeutics. Insulin is one of the best known polypeptide drug, and illegal versions of this medicine led to lethal incidents in the past. Therefore, it is crucial for the public health sector to develop reliable, efficient, cheap, unbiased and easily applicable active pharmaceutical ingredient(API) identification and quantification strategies for routine analysis of suspected illegal insulins. Here we demonstrate that our combined label-free full scan approach is not only able to distinguish between all those different versions of insulin and the insulins originating from different species, but also able to chromatographically separate human insulin and insulin lispro in conditions that are compatible with mass spectrometry(MS). Additionally, we were also able to selectively quantify the different insulins, including human insulin and insulin lispro according to the validation criteria, put forward by the United Nations(UN), for the analysis of seized illicit drugs. The proposed identification and quantification method is currently being used in our official medicines control laboratory to analyze insulins retrieved from the illegal market.展开更多
We analyzed the generation and dissemination of relevant information on wildlife utilization based on the African bush elephant(Loxodonta africana Blumenbach.),the tiger(Panthera tigris L.)and the totoaba,a species of...We analyzed the generation and dissemination of relevant information on wildlife utilization based on the African bush elephant(Loxodonta africana Blumenbach.),the tiger(Panthera tigris L.)and the totoaba,a species of marine fish,(Totoaba macdonaldi Gilbert)as examples,whose populations are more threatened by the illegal wildlife trade.We compared the illegal trade in wildlife with related information in order to find possible associations,searched for relevant information on major international websites to summarize similarities in information production and dissemination,and used a"Zhiwei"dissemination analysis platform to analyze the dissemination of information circulated at Microblog.The results show that the most infuential information related to the trade in wildlife is mainly generated from news media websites and new selfmedia platforms,usually from non-governmental organizations concerned with wildlife protection.The main factors that affect the depth and breadth of disseminating relevant information on wildlife utilization include the participation of relatively infuential opinion leaders,the verification ratio of forwarding users,the number of followers,and affective identification.Misleading information can stimulate and promote poaching and smuggling,regardless of their real market demand or their products.Therefore,all links in the course of information dissemination should be carefully examined in order to purify the information environment and reduce adverse effects of misleading information on wildlife protection.展开更多
文摘The doctrine of illegality serves as a touchstone of criminal law theory, and research into the criteria for determining illegality is of great significance for promoting debate between different schools of thought and for the overall development of Chinese criminal jurisprudence. The theories of anti-value consequences （Erfolgsunwert） and anti-value acts （Handlungsunwert） take different approaches to thinking about the issue of illegality, leading to differences in the scope of establishing what constitutes a crime, the process of determining whether a crime has been committed, the relationship between crime and punishment and the correlation between criminal law and society. The （dualistic） theory of anti-value acts takes into full consideration the social reality and normative anticipations of a given period and gives due weight to the function of criminal law in guiding behavior; it is therefore a rational theory. According to this view of illegality, the act is the core issue determining illegality; infringement of legal interests is simply an element determining the ＂nature of the act.＂ Criminal law does not exist only to provide restitution for injury, but also aims to cultivate citizens＇ consciousness of norms to prevent possible future injury. Contemporary criminal jurisprudence in China should be constructed on the basis of the （dualistic） theory of anti-value acts with a view to responding to the needs of society and promoting normative identification on the part of the general public.
基金funded by Climate Change AI(2023 innovation grant-https://www.climatechange.ai/innovation_grants).
文摘Forests promote the conservation of biodiversity and also play a crucial role in safeguarding theenvironment against erosion,landslides,and climate change.However,illegal logging remains a significant threatworldwide,necessitating the development of automatic logging detection systems in forests.This paper proposesthe use of long-range,low-powered,and smart Internet of Things(IoT)nodes to enhance forest monitoringcapabilities.The research framework involves developing IoT devices for forest sound classification andtransmitting each node’s status to a gateway at the forest base station,which further sends the obtained datathrough cellular connectivity to a cloud server.The key issues addressed in this work include sensor and boardselection,Machine Learning(ML)model development for audio classification,TinyML implementation on amicrocontroller,choice of communication protocol,gateway selection,and power consumption optimization.Unlike the existing solutions,the developed node prototype uses an array of two microphone sensors forredundancy,and an ensemble network consisting of Long Short-Term Memory(LSTM)and ConvolutionalNeural Network(CNN)models for improved classification accuracy.The model outperforms LSTM and CNNmodels when used independently and also gave 88%accuracy after quantization.Notably,this solutiondemonstrates cost efficiency and high potential for scalability.
文摘The depletion of the ozone layer, a vital shield protecting the Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, is now a worldwide environmental concern. Human activities, particularly the release of ozone depleting substances (ODS), have led to the thinning of this protective layer over recent decades. Simultaneously, illegal trade has emerged as a global challenge, giving rise to economic issues, losses of tax revenue, heightened criminal activities, health risks, and environmental hazards. The depletion of the ozone layer, a critical shield protecting the Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, has become a global environmental concern. This paper delves into the legal dimensions surrounding ozone-depleting substances (ODS), their impact on the ozone layer, and the subsequent risk of skin cancer. As countries navigate international agreements, domestic regulations, and enforcement mechanisms, the intricate interplay between legal frameworks and the health implications of ozone layer depletion comes to the forefront. The paper highlights particular instances of illegal trade in ozone depleting substances, drawing from data reported by the parties to the Montreal Protocol. Notably, China stands out as a significant source of contraband ODS, with other countries such as Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, and France reporting numerous cases. Analyzing these case instances offers insights into the efficacy of legal frameworks and enforcement measures. The paper offers a comprehensive set of recommendations to strengthen global control and enforcement against the illegal trade of ozone depleting substances. These recommendations span diverse aspects such as production monitoring, customs collaboration, mutual verification, cross-border agreements, public-private partnerships, international cooperation, detection equipment, global regulatory standards, resource allocation, public awareness campaigns, alternative substance development, and controlling the trade at its source. By applying these recommendations and enhancing enforcement measures, we aim to protect the ozone layer and create a healthier and safer world for future generations and achieve sustainable development goals.
文摘According to the United Nations Environmental Programme(UNEP),the world loses 1.0×106hm2forest land through deforestation annually.About 1.6×106people who depend on forests for livelihood are negatively affected by deforestation and forest degradation.The paper attempts to study the impact of forest governance,enforcement and socio-economic factors on deforestation and forest degradation at the local level in West Bengal State,India.The study was based on questionnaire survey data during 2020–2021 collected from three western districts(Purulia,Bankura,and Paschim Medinipur)where deforestation and poverty rates are higher than other districts in West Bengal State.The total number of selected villages was 29,and the total sample households were 693.A stratified random sampling technique was used to collect data,and a questionnaire was followed.Forest governance and enforcement indices were constructed using United Nation Development Programme(UNDP)methodology and a step-wise logistic regression model was used to identify the factors affecting deforestation and forest degradation.The result of this study showed that four factors(illegal logging,weak forest administration,encroachment,and poverty)are identified for the causes of deforestation and forest degradation.It is observed that six indices of forest governance(rule of law,transparency,accountability,participation,inclusiveness and equitability,and efficiency and effectiveness)are relatively high in Purulia District.Moreover,this study shows that Purulia and Bankura districts follow medium forest governance,while Paschim Medinipur District has poor forest governance.The enforcement index is found to be highest in Purulia District(0.717)and lowest for Paschim Medinipur District(0.257).Finally,weak forest governance,poor socio-economic conditions of the households,and weak enforcement lead to the deforestation and forest degradation in the study area.Therefore,governments should strengthen law enforcement and encourage sustainable forest certification schemes to combat illegal logging.
文摘On December 2015,a new restaurant opened next to the University of Arizona campus,in Tucson.Its name was“Illegal Pete’s”and it sold Mexican food.The presence of this establishment led to an intense backlash between several University of Arizona students and the owner of the restaurant as they argued over the use of the world“illegal”.This paper reflects on the construction of“illegality”,its meaning and consequences on lived experiences.Drawing on Bakhtin’s analysis of words and his concepts of“single-voiced”and“double-voiced”discourses,I examine how the word“illegal”perpetuates and normalizes discrimination,criminalization,and racism towards Mexican-origin people and leads to feelings of anxious belonging.
基金supported by China NSF Grants(61631020)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(NP2018103,NE2017103,NC2017003)
文摘This paper proposes a novel unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)-based illegal radio station(IRS) localization scheme, where the transmit power of the IRS, the channel model and the noise model are unknown to the UAV. A direction-aware Q-learning algorithm is developed to process received signal strength(RSS) values collected by a directional antenna, as well as directions corresponding to the RSS values. This algorithm determines the direction the UAV flies towards and thereby finds the IRS. The proposed scheme is compared to two baseline schemes. One baseline locates the IRS by a UAV equipped with an omnidirectional antenna, where conventional Q-learning is exploited to process the measured RSS and determine the UAV's trajectory. The other baseline locates the IRS by a directional-antenna UAV, where the UAV flies towards the direction with respect to the maximum RSS value. Numerical results show that, especially for a low receive SNR, the proposed scheme can outperform the two baselines in terms of the localization efficiency, providing a smoother trajectory for the UAV.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41476088)the National High Resolution Project of China(No.41Y30B12-9001-14/16)+1 种基金the 2016 Key Projects for Marine Environmental Security(No.2016YFC14032)the research grants of the Second Institute of Oceanography,MNR(No.JT1307)
文摘The maritime administrative department employs synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite remote sensing technology to obtain evidence of illegal discharge of ships. If the ship is discharged during navigation, it forms a long dark wake on the SAR image due to the suppression of the Bragg wave by the oil fi lm. This study investigates key techniques for rapid detection of long ship wakes, thereby providing law enforcement agencies with candidate ships for possible discharge. This paper presents a rapid long ship wake detection method that uses satellite imaging parameters and the axial direction of the ship in images to determine the potential detection area of the wake. Then, the threshold of long ship wake detection is determined using statistical analysis, the area is binarized, and isolated points are removed using a morphological filter operator. The method was tested with ENVISAT Synthetic Aperture Radar and GF-3 SAR data, and results showed that the method was eff ective, and the overall accuracy of the decision reaches 71%. We present two innovations;one is a method that draws a Doppler shift curve, and uses the SAR imaging parameters to determine the detection area of the long wake to achieve rapid detection and reduce the image detection area. The other is where a classical linear fitting method is used to quickly and accurately determine whether the detected dark area is a long ship wake and realizes the twisted long ship wake detection caused by the sea surface flow field, which is otherwise diffi cult to detect by the traditional Radon and Hough transform methods. This method has good suppression performance for the dark spot false alarm formed by low speed wind region or upward flow. The method is developed for maritime ship monitoring system and will promote the operational application of maritime ship monitoring system.
基金This research has been supported by NSFC(61672495)Scientific Research Fund of Hunan Provincial Education Department(16A208)+1 种基金Project of Hunan Provincial Science and Technology Department(2017SK2405)in part by the construct program of the key discipline in Hunan Province and the CERNET Innovation Project(NGII20170715).
文摘With the improvement of the national economic level,the number of vehicles is still increasing year by year.According to the statistics of National Bureau of Statics,the number is approximately up to 327 million in China by the end of 2018,which makes urban traffic pressure continues to rise so that the negative impact of urban traffic order is growing.Illegal parking-the common problem in the field of transportation security is urgent to be solved and traditional methods to address it are mainly based on ground loop and manual supervision,which may miss detection and cost much manpower.Due to the rapidly developing deep learning sweeping the world in recent years,object detection methods relying on background segmentation cannot meet the requirements of complex and various scenes on speed and precision.Thus,an improved Single Shot MultiBox Detector(SSD)based on deep learning is proposed in our study,we introduce attention mechanism by spatial transformer module which gives neural networks the ability to actively spatially transform feature maps and add contextual information transmission in specified layer.Finally,we found out the best connection layer in the detection model by repeated experiments especially for small objects and increased the precision by 1.5%than the baseline SSD without extra training cost.Meanwhile,we designed an illegal parking vehicle detection method by the improved SSD,reaching a high precision up to 97.3%and achieving a speed of 40FPS,superior to most of vehicle detection methods,will make contributions to relieving the negative impact of illegal parking.
基金supported by the Foundation of Graduate Innovation Center in NUAA under Grant No. kfjj20190414the open research fund of Key Laboratory of Dynamic Cognitive System of Electromagnetic Spectrum Space (Nanjing Univ. Aeronaut. Astronaut.), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Nanjing, 211106, China (No. KF20181913)+2 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61631020, No. 61871398, No. 61931011 and No. 61801216)the Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of Jiangsu Province (No. BK20190030)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (No. BK20180420)
文摘Drones,also known as mini-unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs),are enjoying great popularity in recent years due to their advantages of low cost,easy to pilot and small size,which also makes them hard to detect.They can provide real time situational awareness information by live videos or high definition pictures and pose serious threats to public security.In this article,we combine collaborative spectrum sensing with deep learning to effectively detect potential illegal drones with states of high uncertainty.First,we formulate the detection of potential illegal drones under illegitimate access and rogue power emission as a quaternary hypothesis test problem.Then,we propose an algorithm of image classification based on convolutional neural network which converts the cooperative spectrum sensing data at a sensing slot into one image.Furthermore,to exploit more information and improve the detection performance,we develop a trajectory classification algorithm which converts theflight process of the drones in consecutive multiple sensing slots into trajectory images.In addition,simulations are provided to verify the proposed methods’performance under various parameter configurations.
基金supported by the National Hi-Tech Research and Development Program of China (No. 2009AA11Z105)the sponsors of Hanxing Iron Ore Mine Administration Bureau for providing the research funds,insitu test assistance and monitor work
文摘The development and application of the ''digital mine'' concept in China depends heavily upon the use of remote sensing data as well as domestic expertise and awareness. Illegal mining of mineral resources has been a serious long term problem frustrating the Xishimen Iron Ore Mine management. This mine is located in Wu'an county in Hebei province, China. Illegal activities have led to enormous economic losses by interfering with the normal operation of the Xishimen mine and have ruined the surrounding environ- ment and the stability of the Mahe riverbed the crosses the mined area. This paper is based on field recon- naissance taken over many years around the mine area. The ground survey data are integrated with Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (D-InSAR) results from ALOS/PALSAR data to pin- point mining locations. By investigating the relationship between the resulting interferometric deforma- tion pattern and the mining schedule, which is known a priori, areas affected by illegal mining activities are identified. To some extent these areas indicate the location of the illegal site. The results clearly dem- onstrate D-InSAR's ability to cost-effectively monitor illegal mining activities.
文摘Based on the literature reviews and questionnaire, field survey on the species, feces, and tracks in non-snow season and snow season of Korean musk deer from February to December of 1999 in South Korea (Cultural Properties Administration 1999), the authors summarized the change of distribution area and number of Korean musk deer from 1950s to 1999. The results showed that the distribution area of Korean musk deer (Moschus moschiferus parvipes) was sharply decreased from 1950s to 1999 in South Korea. Due to the road and forest road construction in the habitat of Korean musk deer, the musk deer habitats were fragmented and lost. And the illegal capture for economic benefits was the main reason of decreases in number of indi-viduals and habitats of this species. Forest roads in high elevation area were also used as the passages for illegal captures. For the conservation and protection of Korean musk deer, strict regulation of illegal capture is urgently needed.
文摘At Kuwana illegal dumping site in Japan, where hazardous waste was illegally dumped, groundwater was severely contaminated by Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Groundwater was already remedied by conducting Pump-and-Treat (P&T) after containment of all the waste by vertical slurry walls from 2002 to 2007. However, 1,4-dioxane was detected in both waste and groundwater outside of slurry walls after it was newly added into Japan environmental standards in late 2009, which suggested that the walls did not contain 1,4-dioxane completely. Our previous study developed a model to predict the 1,4-dioxane distribution in groundwater after the previous remediation at the site. In this study, numerical simulation was applied for remediation planning at the site based on the concept of Verified Follow Up (VF-UP) that had been proposed as a new approach to complete remediation effectively with consideration of future risks. The amount of waste to be removed and pumping plans were discussed by numerical simulation to achieve the remedial objective in which 1,4-dioxane in groundwater outside of walls is remedied within 10 years and 1,4-dioxane spreading throughout the walls is prevented in the case where a portion of waste is remained. Firstly, the amount of waste to be removed considering pumping plans for P&T was determined by scenario analysis. As a result, at least two-third of waste should be removed by combining with P&T. However, if the waste is remained, future risks of 1,4-dioxane spreading through the slurry walls may occur. Our simulation suggested that groundwater within the remaining waste must be pumped up at least 20 m3/d for containment of 1,4-dioxane within the remaining waste. In conclusion, our numerical simulation determined the amount of waste to be removed and the pumping plans for P&T to achieve the remedial objective effectively considering future risks based on the concept of VF-UP.
文摘The research takes three fundamental Internet Academic Journals (IAJ), which are China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chongqing VIP Information Co., Ltd. (VIP) and Beijing Wanfang Data Co., Ltd. (WFD), as subjects to discuss digital publishing mechanism innovations for China’s science information communication system. After introducing main Internet environment, comparing journal characteristics, and explaining publishing & operation modes of the IAJs, the paper analyses important issues such as redundant contents, digitalization issues, illegal journals, standards construction, copyright and benefit distribution. By learning from research practices and open access, a new benefit distribution and copyright management mode based on the Third Party Agency (TPA) is proposed. Future IAJs operation modes are also discussed from the view of scientific research innovation and state of the art platform construction.
文摘“非法操作”(illegal operation)几乎是每个以Windows作为操作系统的计算机用户都会碰到的一个误操作提示。“illegal”在此是什么意思?它是否真的表示我们通常所理解的“不合法”之意呢?其实，在计算机术语里，“illegal”有特定的含义，即“not interpretable or．recognized in the system in which it occurs”，
文摘Issue on illegal logging and related trade is a hot topic for the international community. It has brought the negative effects to the sustainable development on global society, economy and ecology, which is also one of the main objectives of international cooperation to combat with. At present, subjects of international law play a decisive role in combating illegal logging and related trade. The subjects of international law generally refer to states, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and part of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which can have an independent international legal personality, enjoy rights and assume obligations of international law. As a responsible big country of the international community and state member of intergovernmental organizations and international treaties of forest resources protection, China ought to fully perform the obligations of international law. In face of illegal logging and related trade around the world, China should rationally tackle with it, resolutely crack down on it, and finally choose the sustainable development strategy based on rule of law.
文摘Tanzania’s Ruaha landscape is prominent for its potential wildlife resources, which play a key role in sustaining the economy and livelihoods of the people. However, most of these resources are illegally obtained and traded in different places within and outside the Ruaha landscape. Due to its illegal nature, most of the important information regarding the trade is poorly documented. Therefore, the current study aimed first, to explore the origin and destination of wildlife products;second, to assess the relationship between hunters and buyers or customers;third, to assess the means used to transport wildlife products;and lastly, to assess who influences people to engage in illegal hunting and trade activities. In addition, we assess the materials used in the exchange of wildlife products. Semi-structured questionnaires and face-to-face interviews were used to collect information from 123 respondents. Social network analysis was used to indicate the origin and destination of wildlife products. The findings show that 70% of wildlife products originate from the Ruaha National Park and MBOMIPA wildlife management areas, with the remaining 30% originating from villages. The majority of respondents (65%) reported transporting wildlife products by foot and bicycle as the primary modes of transportation. Suppliers of wildlife products are reported to have close and long-term relationships with their customers and traders, with most of whom being friends and relatives. We found most poachers to be influenced by their friends and relatives in terms making decision to engage in illegal wildlife trade. In addition, crops like maize and rice were the most popular products used to exchange with wildlife products in the Ruaha landscape. Therefore, in order to combat illegal trade in wildlife products at the local level, alternative income-generating activities need to be promoted accompanied by not only well-funded anti-poaching programmes but also more effective surveillance plans. These should entail the use of advanced techniques and skills, such as wildlife forensics.
文摘Timber harvesting data are very essential for sustainable management of forest resources.These data are very scarce in developing countries.Therefore,we collected and analyzed data on the rate of timber production of the free areas and the forest reserves in Ondo State,Nigeria.The data collected from the State Department of Forestry＇s official records,annual reports and files were on the species,volume and number of different economic timbers exploited on monthly basis between 2003 and 2005.Analyses were done with the student t-test and one-way analysis of variance.Results reveal that the highest numbers of species,families and stems were exploited in the free areas when compared with what was exploited from the reserves for the three-year period.However,the total volume of trees removed from the reserves was significantly higher（p〈0.05） than what was removed from the free areas.A total 60 different indigenous hardwood species in 25 families were exploited from the free areas,and 57 in 23 families from the reserves.The total number of stems exploited from the forest ecosystem of Ondo state during the three-year period stood at 111377 with an estimated volume of 295089.67 m^3.While the mean number of stems and volume exploited per annum is 37125 and 98363.22 m^3,respectively.The monthly average number of stems and volume is 3094 and 8196 m^3,respectively.The t-test results show that there were significant differences（p〈0.05） in number of stems and volume removed from the free areas and the reserves.The ANOVA results reveal a significant increase（p〈0.05） in logging activities between the years of 2003 and 2004 but there was a decline in year 2005.This trend reveals that economic timber species were disappearing from the forests and the ecosystem was seriously disturbed during logging activities.Principles for achieving the goals of sustainable forest management（SFM） and urgent conservation measures to mitigate the consequences of forest degradation were suggested.
文摘The occurrence of illegal medicines is a well-established global problem and concerns mostly small molecules. However, due to the advances in genomics and recombinant expression technologies there is an increased development of polypeptide therapeutics. Insulin is one of the best known polypeptide drug, and illegal versions of this medicine led to lethal incidents in the past. Therefore, it is crucial for the public health sector to develop reliable, efficient, cheap, unbiased and easily applicable active pharmaceutical ingredient(API) identification and quantification strategies for routine analysis of suspected illegal insulins. Here we demonstrate that our combined label-free full scan approach is not only able to distinguish between all those different versions of insulin and the insulins originating from different species, but also able to chromatographically separate human insulin and insulin lispro in conditions that are compatible with mass spectrometry(MS). Additionally, we were also able to selectively quantify the different insulins, including human insulin and insulin lispro according to the validation criteria, put forward by the United Nations(UN), for the analysis of seized illicit drugs. The proposed identification and quantification method is currently being used in our official medicines control laboratory to analyze insulins retrieved from the illegal market.
基金supported by“Research on the Infuence and Countermeasures of International NGOs in the Field of Forestry,Grassland and Wildlife of the International Cooperation Division”of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration“Research and Development of Wildlife Smuggling Situation and Case Information Integrated Management System”funded by the Endangered Species Import and Export Management Office of the People’s Republic of China“the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities”(2572019DA02)。
文摘We analyzed the generation and dissemination of relevant information on wildlife utilization based on the African bush elephant(Loxodonta africana Blumenbach.),the tiger(Panthera tigris L.)and the totoaba,a species of marine fish,(Totoaba macdonaldi Gilbert)as examples,whose populations are more threatened by the illegal wildlife trade.We compared the illegal trade in wildlife with related information in order to find possible associations,searched for relevant information on major international websites to summarize similarities in information production and dissemination,and used a"Zhiwei"dissemination analysis platform to analyze the dissemination of information circulated at Microblog.The results show that the most infuential information related to the trade in wildlife is mainly generated from news media websites and new selfmedia platforms,usually from non-governmental organizations concerned with wildlife protection.The main factors that affect the depth and breadth of disseminating relevant information on wildlife utilization include the participation of relatively infuential opinion leaders,the verification ratio of forwarding users,the number of followers,and affective identification.Misleading information can stimulate and promote poaching and smuggling,regardless of their real market demand or their products.Therefore,all links in the course of information dissemination should be carefully examined in order to purify the information environment and reduce adverse effects of misleading information on wildlife protection.
