Decision Making Improvement for Disaster Risk Management (DRM) through technological support

The workshop “Decision Making Improvement for Disaster Risk Management (DRM) through technological support” was held in Bucharest, Romania on 16th of October 2019, part of the 4th DRMKC Annual Seminar. The key objective of the session was to increase the collaboration with national/regional/local authorities and other institutions, aligning the development of the tools to the needs and concerns expressed at local/national level. To accomplish its objective, the workshop brought together technical and scientific experts with end users of the platforms, who have faced the main challenges related to data, knowledge and institutional practices while offering technological support for DRM. Showcases and feedback from national authorities and institutions were presented, as they were experienced when using the platforms presented in the session: the DRMKC Risk Data Hub, GRRASP and RAPID-N. The session was divided in two parts, in the first it was presented the general characteristics and functionalities of the platforms, followed in the second part by showcases of using these platforms in various applications by the local authorities and institutions.JRC.E.1-Disaster Risk Managemen

Update of Risk Data Hub software and data architecture

This document, as an update of the first technical report (JRC114712) on software and data architecture, will focus on the design, starting from a high level analysis of the business needs, going to the explanation of the solutions proposed, considering previous works in the topic of Disaster Risk Management and showing how the existent Loss Database architecture has been reviewed to fit the requirements of a complex and multi-context application. For a more generic overview of the concept of the DRMKC Risk Data Hub, the reader can consult the report “The Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre – Risk Data Hub: Vision Paper & roadmap”, European Commission, Ispra, 2019, JRC119384.JRC.E.1-Disaster Risk Managemen

Load cell monitoring in Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plants: potentialities for improved safeguards verifications

This paper describes the principle of load cell monitoring in Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plants (GCEP) and how this technique can be implemented in order to improve nuclear safeguards in this kind of installations. We present a few different possibilities of exploitation of the data that can be obtained by acquiring in continuous mode the weights of the cylinders in the feed and withdrawal (F/W) stations and how to derive conclusions concerning the operation of the plant (conformity or not with respect to ¿normal¿ operation). Finally the different diversion scenarios for GCEP are discussed and we show how mass monitoring techniques can contribute to detect each of them.JRC.DG.E.9-Nuclear security (Ispra

Integrated NDA User Laboratories at the JRC in Ispra for Nuclear Safeguards and Nuclear Security

For many decades, the JRC’s Nuclear Security Unit in Ispra (Italy) has continued to play an important role in international nuclear safeguards and nuclear security based on sound R&D programmes in non-destructive analysis (NDA) methods and instrumentation, testing and benchmarking of detection systems, user accessibility to laboratories and reference material, together with a comprehensive training programme. Beneficiaries of these programmes have generally been the European Commission DG’s (ENER, HOME, DEVCO, TAXUD, RTD), the IAEA, EU research institutions, EU member states and many international partners. The need for a modern and integrated infrastructure to promote synergy and efficient operation of all activities has been recognised and a new laboratory named INS3L (Ispra Nuclear Safeguards, Security and Standardization Laboratory) which will house all activities and facilities under one roof has indeed been approved and is now in its planning phase with its completion expected within about three years. This paper aims to describe the activities performed with reference to relevant publications and will present the conceptual design of the new INS3L as a user laboratory within an integrated approach that shall benefit all users and stakeholders, partners and EU member states in general.JRC.E.8-Nuclear securit

An online atlas of human plasma metabolite signatures of gut microbiome composition

Human gut microbiota produce a variety of molecules, some of which enter the bloodstream and impact health. Conversely, dietary or pharmacological compounds may affect the microbiota before entering the circulation. Characterization of these interactions is an important step towards understanding the effects of the gut microbiota on health. In this cross-sectional study, we used deep metagenomic sequencing and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography linked to mass spectrometry for a detailed characterization of the gut microbiota and plasma metabolome, respectively, of 8583 participants invited at age 50 to 64 from the population-based Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study. Here, we find that the gut microbiota explain up to 58% of the variance of individual plasma metabolites and we present 997 associations between alpha diversity and plasma metabolites and 546,819 associations between specific gut metagenomic species and plasma metabolites in an online atlas (https://gutsyatlas.serve.scilifelab.se/). We exemplify the potential of this resource by presenting novel associations between dietary factors and oral medication with the gut microbiome, and microbial species strongly associated with the uremic toxin p-cresol sulfate. This resource can be used as the basis for targeted studies of perturbation of specific metabolites and for identification of candidate plasma biomarkers of gut microbiota composition

Streptococcus Species Abundance in the Gut Is Linked to Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis in 8973 Participants From the SCAPIS Cohort

Background: Gut microbiota have been implicated in atherosclerotic disease, but their relation with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis is unclear. This study aimed to identify associations between the gut microbiome and computed tomography-based measures of coronary atherosclerosis and to explore relevant clinical correlates. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 8973 participants (50 to 65 years of age) without overt atherosclerotic disease from the population-based SCAPIS (Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage Study). Coronary atherosclerosis was measured using coronary artery calcium score and coronary computed tomography angiography. Gut microbiota species abundance and functional potential were assessed with shotgun metagenomics sequencing of stool, and associations with coronary atherosclerosis were evaluated with multivariable regression models adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors. Associated species were evaluated for association with inflammatory markers, metabolites, and corresponding species in saliva. Results: The mean age of the study sample was 57.4 years, and 53.7% were female. Coronary artery calcification was detected in 40.3%, and 5.4% had at least 1 stenosis with >50% occlusion. Sixty-four species were associated with coronary artery calcium score independent of cardiovascular risk factors, with the strongest associations observed for Streptococcus anginosus and Streptococcus oralis subsp oralis (P<1×10-5). Associations were largely similar across coronary computed tomography angiography-based measurements. Out of the 64 species, 19 species, including streptococci and other species commonly found in the oral cavity, were associated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein plasma concentrations, and 16 with neutrophil counts. Gut microbial species that are commonly found in the oral cavity were negatively associated with plasma indole propionate and positively associated with plasma secondary bile acids and imidazole propionate. Five species, including 3 streptococci, correlated with the same species in saliva and were associated with worse dental health in the Malmö Offspring Dental Study. Microbial functional potential of dissimilatory nitrate reduction, anaerobic fatty acid β-oxidation, and amino acid degradation were associated with coronary artery calcium score. Conclusions: This study provides evidence of an association of a gut microbiota composition characterized by increased abundance of Streptococcus spp and other species commonly found in the oral cavity with coronary atherosclerosis and systemic inflammation markers. Further longitudinal and experimental studies are warranted to explore the potential implications of a bacterial component in atherogenesis