Considering the costly nature of translation quality assessment in terms of time, money and energy, it seems logical to benefit from the modern technologies that are introduced in the field of machine translation (MT). Automated Translation Quality Evaluation Understudy METRICS (ATQEUMs) are one of these technologies that have revealed a promising application in assessing the MT output quality. This study, however, attempts to examine the reliability of the scores provided by the lexical ATQEUMs to human translated texts (i. e. the ones provided by 51 senior students of translator training programs in Iran) using 1, 2, … , 5 reference translations successively and separately. To this end, an empirical applied study is conducted following a quantitative approach to assess the reliability of the lexical ATQEUMs’ scores in comparison to the expert scorers’ scores. The higher the correlation between the sets of scores (in different stages of using 1, 2, … , 5 reference translations), the higher the reliability is interpreted to be. The results of the Pearson correlation coefficient analysis revealed that using 5 reference translations had led to the highest correlations in 37. 80% of cases, which is more than the number for any other situation considered (i. e. using 4 reference translations (3. 65%), 3 reference translations (10. 97%), 2 reference translations (31. 70%), and 1 reference translation (15. 85%)). However, using 2 reference translations achieved the second position in having the highest correlations which contradicted the hypothesis that more reference translations would

Landscape is one of the main factors influencing hydrological processes of the watershed. Changes in structure and spatial pattern of land use play important role in surface runoff and sediment yield. Determining the relationship between landscape patterns and hydrological processes can be used as an indicator of watershed soil erosion and sediment yield. Therefore, due to the problems in field measurement of sediment yield, its estimation using landscape properties and land use pattern is an appropriate alternative for current estimation methods. The purpose of this research is to determine the relationship between watershed sediment yield and landscape METRICS in the selected sub-watersheds of Golestan Province. To this end, suspended sediment concentration data for all hydrometric stations of the studied province were obtained from the relevant resources and appropriate sub-watersheds were selected. Then, using the land use map of Golestan Province, 15 landscape METRICS related to sediment yield were determined for different land uses by Fragstats 4. 2 software. In order to determine the relationship between watershed sediment yield and landscape METRICS, a partial least squares regression was used which combines the methods of principal component analysis and multiple linear regression. The relative importance of landscape METRICS was determined through examining the values of Variable Importance for the Projection (VIP) and Regression Coefficients (RCs). The results of this study indicated that the watershed sediment yield is densely associated with land use patterns. The main indices in reducing sediment yield were the Largest Patch Index (LPI), the average of the nearest neighbor distance (ENN-MN) and the average of perimeter-area ratio (PARA – MN) with values of VIPs of 1. 296, 1. 184 and 1. 747, and regression coefficients of-0. 014,-0. 039, and-0. 002, respectively. The main indices in incrising sediment yield were Landscape Shape Index (LSI) and mean patch size (AREA-MN) with regression coefficients of 0. 020 and 0. 017, respectively. The landscape characteristics in watersheds could account for as much as 71% of the variation in sediment yield of watershed. The results of study showed that the landscape characteristics can be used for watershed sediment yield modeling.

In recent decades, theories of landscape ecology have offered new perspectives toward planning and landscape design. Development of ecological network concept is one of the findings of this topic. In general, the ecologists and designers use landscape ecology concepts to apply a developed spatial strategy to different urban areas. In order to analyze urban ecological conditions and networks, landscape METRICS have been used widely by ecologists. Landscape metric also have been used in order to judge the heterogeneity of urban greenbelts, to construct a sustainable landscape plan, to assess and provide biodiversity conservation planning, to describe landscape patterns for agro-ecosystems and to quantify the changes in forest cover patterns. In addition, the current study also tried to has looked into the urban ecological network of Tabriz city in urban scale in order to provide rehabilitation of urban ecological network of Tabriz city. The city of Tabriz is one of the main industrial cities in Iran with a population of over one and a half million people (Fig. 1). Tabriz with cold winters and temperate summers is located in a valley to the north of the long ridge of the volcanic cone of Sahand.In this study, satellite images of Landsat with ETM instrument of 2002 are used to study the elements of ecologic network. To secure the results, land use maps at the scale of 1:2000 were also used. Meanwhile, in order to perceive and identify the structure of ecological network and its basic components, we essentially elicited the natural and artificial information-based layers such as the hydrological maps, green spaces and transportation network for verifying the natural and artificial patches and corridors. In such a way, we can best examine the ecological network of Tabriz city based on the basic elements of the patch, corridor and matrix. Thus, it is essential to analyze the ecological network through superimposing these layers and studying them based on landscape METRICS (McGarigal et al. 2002) which includes MPS (Mean Patch Size), NP (Number of patches) and MNN (Mean Nearest Neighbor). The said METRICS having been matched with the selective model (mosaic model) to study the network structures effectively. These METRICS are analyzed using Arc GIS. By measuring the Mean Patch Size, large natural patches for conservation were identified. Number of patches indicates the level of fragmentation and the Mean Nearest Neighbor shows the level of isolation and fragmentation of patches. To map these METRICS, a combined network of 100-ha hexagonal polygons is used. So the ecological network of the city was zoned and geographical data for each zone was defined. Size of hexagonal polygons was chosen based on the aim of this paper and quality and accuracy of data. Using hexagonal polygons helps optimal coverage of the whole city. With summarizing the features of Tabriz ecologic network, some zones can be identified in the study area. Then the functional approaches will be introduced based on landscape ecological approaches and the purposes assigned for creating ecological networks in urban scale. In this way, the protection and restoration of ecological connection in a system including the core areas, buffer-zones and the biological alternative connections are considered the main objectives of creating ecological networks. Such connection can also be helpful in providing social, cultural and aesthetic functions in urban environments. Some of the important ecological functions of such a network are providing a suitable habitat for the urban wildlife, built corridors to move and transport the species, food and wind and even creating some blocks for some transportation which consequently lead to a protected biodiversity. To reach the above mentioned objectives, the following approaches have to be considered:Increasing the consistency in urban ecological network through developing, distributing and promoting the quality of corridors;Maintaining the remnant patches and rehabilitating the spoiled natural patches to develop the balanced distribution in network level;Increasing the artificial green patches to create and maintain their balanced distribution;Increasing the size of patches or building large green patches to make a balanced distribution of large green patches. In general, some solutions can be suggested for each of ecologic zones defined by analysis of study area. In the first zone patches are few and small and the situation is adverse. Density of buildings and population is high in this area. So ecological rehabilitation in this zone is difficult and expensive and it is not possible in short-term. Therefore it is suggested to have a long-term plan for conversion of existing land use to green space. The second zone where patches are smaller and less coherent, conservation of green patches and their integrity is suggested. In the third zone because the patches are small and near each other, conservation value is higher. So conservation of this zone is in a high priority.

Human activities induced changes in land cover/use have extensive impacts on the landscape. In recent years, these changes had an increasingly growth due to irrational use of the natural resources in Iran. Hence, considering the negative effects of the inappropriate use of land and land-use change, understanding of the landscape changes over time is necessary to planning and implementation of sustainable management. This study has been carried out aiming to investigate trends in the landscape changes in Korganrud watershed during 1975-2007. In order to generate the land use/cover map and analysis of the changes, satellite images, including Landsat (MSS), IRS/P6 (LISS III) were applied and landscape METRICS, including Class Area (CA), Patch Number (PN), Mean Patch Size (MPS) and Average Weighted of Mean Shape Index (AWMSI) were used to quantify the landscape patterns. Results of the present study revealed an extensive change in the landscape METRICS in distribution and ratio of the land uses due to the increase in the area of disturbing patches (agriculture, urban and barren lands) in expense of decrease in the natural resources (forests and rangeland) during the study period. Degradation and reduction of integrity of the landscape have also been observed due to the increase in patch number of the land uses that were in association with the increase in shape complexity and decrease in the patch size in the study area. If such a trend continues, without any appropriate management plan and or land-use planning, it could result in adverse impacts on the structure of the ecosystems. Therefore, the results suggest the necessity of implementation of land use planning in order to determination of the suitability between land supply and demand, and decreasing degradation of the natural resources.

Introduction: Awareness of the types of land cover and human activities as a data base of planning is important, which for optimum use of natural resources in sustainable development way to aware of ecological resources in limited time and minimum cost needed. The aim of this study has been Investigation of Cover/Land Use Structure of Sefidrood Watershed by Landscape Ecology METRICS.Material and method: In this study cover/land use maps of watershed with the goal Sefidrood paper using Arc GIS 9.2 software maps the desired category and eventually became relevant measures using software Fragstat 3.3 were extracted. Measures used in the grade level (the user) in this study measures grade level, percentage area, the number of spots, total margin, shape, Land, the largest spots, the average level of spot, average spot shape index and mean nearest neighbor distances were Euclidean.Results: Index numbers to measure tear stains classes used in this study, the largest number of spots and tear, ie the most agriculture-related classes (691) and the lowest dissociation related to the forest class (30), respectively. The highest rating land to grassland class (39.56) had the spots are more dispersed than classes and the lowest to the forest class (10.78) and in the forest of stain less dispersion of have. The highest mean Euclidean nearest neighbor distance of the amount of disruption pieces spots shows a class related to the agricultural class (6747.32 m) and the lowest value was to the forest class (908.32). Conclusion: User disruption in agriculture is the highest amount of fragmentation can therefore be concluded their relationship with their collection has been discontinued and the notion that this is agricultural land have less integrity (fragmented more disruption) than other classes. The use of renewable resources should be a way that do not cause disturbs the balance of the environment, because the change in resources due to changes in ecological structure and function of Landscape is impressive in the area. However, applying principles of landscape ecology gives an initial assessment in the landcape ecological scale that on the way for rapid assessment and scientific use and emphasized services of the nature, The prioritization each of the pathes is based on their quality. So suggested utilization princpel of landscape ecology to provide structural information to design and landuse planning.

Landscape METRICS quantifies structural features of the landscape. One of the advantages of these METRICS is a possibility to use them in fast cumulative assessment of the development activities in the environment. In this paper, the cumulative effects of road network expansion on the tree cover of Gorgan, Kordkuy, Aliabad townships in Golestan province were investigated. To prepare the required land use map, images of the Landsat TM (1987) and ETM+ (2002) sensors were employed. Based on previous studies in this area and towards cumulative effects assessment, seven related classes related were defined and distinguished in a supervised manner (maximum likelihood). Then, the effects of road network expansion and the cumulative effects of land use development on the tree cover were analyzed, using METRICS of patch area, perimeter to area ratio, shape, fractal dimension, contiguity, proximity, and Euclidean nearest neighbor distance. With applying cross tabulation method, the amount of cumulative effects of development, and the road effects on the tree cover were calculated for a period of 15 years. Results showed that most patches which need protection from cumulative development are located 684-342 meters from the road. It was also determined we can assess the cumulative effects of development activities on tree patches, using landscape METRICS. We also prioritized tree patches for protection and mitigation measures.

Introduction: Land cover and its configuration in the landscape are crucial components in the provision of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Hyrcanian forests have a long history (arising in the Jurassic Period) and are among the world's most valuable forests; the decline in the Hyrcanian forests is one of the most serious problems of recent years. Material & Method: This study aims at comparing multi-temporal land use and landscape pattern analysis using satellite images from 1984, 2001 and 2010. Land use and spatial structures were predicted for future time horizons in the Tajan Watershed by land change modeler (LCM). Also, the landscape patterns were calculated by FRAGSTATS 4. 2. Result & Discussion: The results show that forest was the dominant land cover (72% of area in 1984 and 46% in 2040) in the study area. The total area of forest was 8/4 times higher than the agriculture land cover in 1984 and 1. 8 times in 2040. The Largest patch Index (LPI) shows forest lands as dominant cover in the whole period. Also proximity index (PROX) in agriculture and pasture land use increase during 1984 to 2040. The Edge density (ED) will increase in the future for three land uses. The edge density will increase at forest land use from 2010 to 2040. An informed vision on past, present and future forest area dynamics may help guide and prioritize international decisions aimed at reducing forest loss.

This paper attempts to suggest some scientific criteria for investigating what details have been added to his classic text because of some irresistible metric forces. In this research, we assumed that Ferdowsi had not changed the content of his source except for METRICS. Hence, for finding how and why these changes have occurred, we have selected 1000 stanzas from one of his stories called Siavash. Then, we have specified the stanzas affected by METRICS, and their sentence changes (not lexical) are analyzed. We have analyzed what Ferdowsi had added both from the syntagmatic point of view and paradigmatic point of view. Consequently, the most significant effects of METRICS on Ferdowsi’ s narration are “ Langauge Extension” in the syntagmatic axis and “ Ironical Language” in the paradigmatic axis. In order to explain the changes that are observed in Ferdowsi’ s version of the story, it is compared with the version written by a famous writer, Sa’ alabi.

The aim of this study is to determine the status of forest spatial disturbance in Golestan National Park using remote sensing and landscape METRICS. Detailed forest/non-forest map was prepared by on-screen digitizing method using Landsat 8 data. After determining the optimal area of gridding, the studied area was divided into 550 hexagonal zones with the area of 100 hectares each one. Spatial distribution, connectivity and composition of non-forest patches in each zone were measured using 12 spatial METRICS (MESH, NP, PD, ENN-MN, LPI, FRAC-MN, CONTIG_MN, SPLIT, AREA-MN, DIVISION, PLAND and SHAPE-MN). After standardization of METRICS values, principal component analysis was also performed in order to determine the effective METRICS in disturbance and their associate weight in the spatial disturbance model. Afterwards, based on the prepared model, the disturbance index map was prepared and classified in four classes of disturbance including 1) without disturbance, 2) low disturbance 3) medium disturbance and 4) high disturbance. The results showed that the mentioned classes cover 48.53, 16.15, 19.90 and 15.41 percentage of the studied area, respectively. With the approach that used in this study, the disturbances map of the under management forest areas can be prepared periodically and used as one of its monitoring tools.

The performance and desirability of a passenger car is no longer assessed based on its in-gear accelerations, gradability and maximum speed alone, but also, and more importantly, based on its emissions and fuel economy. Of these various attributes, the first three may, fairly straightforwardly, be determined through analyzing the power flow from the prime mover to the driver tire(s) through driveline components; whereas the last two are quite difficult to calculate and predict. This is because they are the products of a complex mechano-chemical process involving an array of interconnected parameters. This paper reports on the optimal design of a passenger car’s transmission based on fuel consumption and vehicle performance METRICS. Decision parameters affecting the choice of a transmission for a given engine are first introduced and modeled. To minimize an objective function that would encompass fuel economy and performance parameters and take into account the effects of suspension nonlinearities on vehicle directional response, an Elitist Genetic Algorithm is employed which can readily handle such discrete parameters as the preferred gear ratios. Evaluation of this objective function in each iteration of the optimization algorithm involves the solution of a set of non-linear differential equations to determine the performance METRICS. To validate the proposed model, a 5-speed manual transmission for a 1.6 liter gasoline engine is designed and resulting values of the decision parameters including acceleration, top speed, gear-shift points, deviation from optimal power and fuel consumption are compared with experimental results. Using the proposed model, and defining an objective function to include performance- and fuel consumption METRICS, ratios for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears are then determined using the elitist genetic algorithm.