Electronic Ticketing in Public Transport

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15472450701293866 http://hdl.handle.net/1871/2368

Quantication of magnetic coercivity components by the analysis of acquisition curves of isothermal remanent magnetisation

A new method of analysing isothermal remanent magnetisation (IRM) acquisition curves based on cumulative log Gaussian analysis [Robertson and France, Phys. Earth Planet. Inter. 82 (1994) 223-234] is proposed. It is based on the curve fitting of the IRM acquisition curve versus the logarithm of the applied field with: (i) the acquisition curve on a linear scale, (ii) the acquisition curve expressed as a gradient, and (iii) the acquisition curve on a probability scale. Even when a sample is not saturated, its magnetic properties can be defined, although with less certainty. The number of magnetic components required for an optimal fit to a measured IRM acquisition curve is evaluated statistically. The method discriminates on the basis of different mineral coercivity. Therefore, additional rock-magnetic tests are still required to separate minerals with similar coercivities

Selection for Lean Growth Rate in a Synthetic Line of YorkshireMeishan Pigs 1. Selection Pressure Applied and Direct Response

Selection for lean growth rate (LGR) was conducted for four generations in a synthetic line of YorkshireMeishan pigs. In the select line, seven boars and 20 gilts with the highest LGR were selected from each generation to produce the subsequent generation. A contemporaneous control line was maintained by randomly selecting five boars and 15 gilts to produce the next generation. Inbreeding coefficients averaged .198 and .207 for the select and control line pigs and .173 and .162 for the select and control line dams, respectively, in the fourth generation. LGR was estimated from ultrasound measures of 10 th -rib backfat thickness and longissimus muscle area from 1,057 pigs. These pigs were sired by 58 boars and out of 133 sows. The generation interval was 13 months and the average selection differential per generation was 1.1 phenotypic standard deviation units for LGR. Heritability and response were estimated from the deviation of select line from the control line and multiple trait derivative free restricted maximum likelihood (MTDFREML) on the same material. Realized heritability was .29 ± .12 for LGR in the control line. Corresponding estimates from MTDFREML were .32 and .37. The estimate of direct genetic change per generation using the deviation from the control line was 9.4 g/day for LGR. Corresponding estimates from MTDFREML were similar but were more precisely estimated

Occupational burden of disease in the Netherlands

Ongunstige arbeidsomstandigheden veroorzaken 3,9% (onzekerheidsmarge 1,5%-7,2%) van de totale ziektelast in Nederland. De ziektelast is een maat om het verlies aan gezondheid uit te drukken. Het combineert vroegtijdige sterfte, de mate van vóórkomen van gezondheidsproblemen en de ernst van de gezondheidsproblemen. De ongunstige arbeidsomstandigheden die leiden tot de meeste ongezondheid zijn werkdruk, beeldschermwerk en blootstelling aan stoffen. Deze omstandigheden kunnen leiden tot burn-out, depressie, KANS (klachten van arm, nek en schouder), COPD (chronisch obstructieve longziekten) en longkanker. In het rapport is de positieve invloed van arbeid op de gezondheid niet meegenomen. Ook in 2020 veroorzaken burn-out, depressie en KANS veel ziektelast in de werkzame beroepsbevolking, bij ongewijzigde economische omstandigheden, een pensioengerechtigde leeftijd van 65 jaar en bij ongewijzigd (arbo)beleid. In 2007 heeft het RIVM voor het eerst laten zien welke arbeidsgerelateerde aandoeningen veel ziektelast in Nederland veroorzaken met gegevens uit 2003. Het huidige rapport biedt een hernieuwde versie met data uit 2007, evenals een toekomstverkenning en een verkenning van de ziektelast per sector. Deze schattingen geven beleidsmakers inzicht in de invloed van arbeidsrisico's op de gezondheid van werknemers. Deze benadering geeft ook aanknopingspunten voor maatregelen om de ziektelast door deze aandoeningen te verminderen.Occupational health risks cause 3.9% (uncertainty 1.5%-7.2%) of the total burden of disease in the Netherlands. The concept of burden of disease is a measure to express the loss of health. It combines the time lost due to premature mortality, prevalence and seriousness of the health problems. A high workload, working with a computer and exposure to harmful chemicals are the most unfavourable working conditions leading to health problems. They contribute most to the occupational burden of disease caused by: burn-out, depression, complaints of arm, neck and shoulder (CANS), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. The health benefits of work were not included in this report. In 2020, burn-out, depression and CANS also cause a high burden of disease in the working population, considering unchanged economical conditions, a retirement age of 65 and unchanged health and safety policy. In 2007, the RIVM showed for the first time which occupational conditions contributed most to the burden of disease in 2003. The current report provides an update of the occupational burden of disease with data from 2007, as well as a forecast to 2020 and an exploration of the burden of disease per occupational sector. These estimates give policy makers insight in the influence of occupational risks on the health of employees. The data offer starting points for measures to reduce the burden of disease caused by these complaints.SZ

A utility-based suitability framework for integrated local-scale land-use modelling

AbstractModels that simulate land-use patterns often use either inductive, data-driven approaches or deductive, theory-based methods to describe the relative strength of the social, economic and biophysical forces that drive the various sectors in the land system. An integrated framework is proposed here that incorporates both approaches based on a unified assessment for local land suitability following a monetary, utility-based logic. The framework is illustrated with a hedonic pricing analysis of urban land values and a net present value assessment for agricultural production system in combination with statistics-based assessments of land suitability for other sectors.The results show that limited difference exists between the most commonly applied inductive approaches that use either multinomial or binomial logistic regression specifications of suitability. Land-use simulations following the binomial regression based suitability values that were rescaled to bid prices (reflecting relative competitiveness) perform better for all individual land-use types. Performance improves even further when a land value based description of urban bid prices is added to this approach. Interestingly enough the better fitting description of suitability for urban areas also improves the ability of the model to simulate correct locations for business estates and greenhouses.The simulation alternatives that consider the net present values for agricultural types of land use show the relevance of this approach for understanding the spatial distribution of these types of land use. The combined use of urban land values and net present values for agricultural land use in defining land suitability performs best in our validation exercise. The proposed methodology can also be used to incorporate information from other research frameworks that describe the utility of land for different types of use