Wave Height Characteristics in the North Atlantic Ocean: A new approach based on Statistical and Geometrical techniques

Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk AssessmentThe article of record as published may be located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00477-011-0540-2The main characteristics of the significant wave height in an area of increased interest, the north Atlantic ocean, are studied based on satellite records and corresponding simulations obtained from the numerical wave prediction model WAM. The two data sets are analyzed by means of a variety of statistical measures mainly focusing on the distributions that they form. Moreover, new techniques for the estimation and minimization of the discrepancies between the observed and modeled values are proposed based on ideas and methodologies from a relatively new branch of mathematics, information geometry. The results obtained prove that the modeled values overestimate the corresponding observations through the whole study period. On the other hand, 2-parameter Weibull distributions fit well the data in the study. However, one cannot use the same probability density function for describing the whole study area since the corresponding scale and shape parameters deviate significantly for points belonging to different regions. This variation should be taken into account in optimization or assimilation procedures, which is possible by means of information geometry techniques

Development of a High-Resolution Wind Forecast System Based on the WRF Model and a Hybrid Kalman-Bayesian Filter

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Dietary Intakes and Nutritional Status of a Greek Team of Female Volleyball Players

Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the dietary intakes and nutritional status of a nationally ranked team of female volleyball players. Methods: The subjects completed a general history questionnaire and 7-day food and physical activity records. Anthropometric measurements included height, weight, triceps and subscapular skinfolds and mid-upper-arm circumference. Biochemical assessment included parameters for protein, lipid, and iron status. Results: All subjects had normal menstrual cycles and body fat values (27 %) at levels higher than for optimum performance. Most were in negative energy balance and had low energy (30 kcal/kg/d), carbohydrate (3.8 g/kg/d) and protein (1.0 g/kg/d) intakes. Fat intakes were high (39 %) and micronutrient intakes were below recommended levels, except for vitamin C, vitamin B12 and niacin. Biochemical indices were normal except for iron and lipid status of some players. Conclusion: These results indicate that the players of this team have dietary intakes that place them at risk for nutritional shortages and compromised performance; they need professional counseling regarding nutrition practices for optimum health and performance

Synthetic Peptides as Structural Maquettes of Angiotensin-I Converting Enzyme Catalytic Sites

The rational design of synthetic peptides is proposed as an efficient strategy for the structural investigation of crucial protein domains difficult to be produced. Only after half a century since the function of ACE was first reported, was its crystal structure solved. The main obstacle to be overcome for the determination of the high resolution structure was the crystallization of the highly hydrophobic transmembrane domain. Following our previous work, synthetic peptides and Zinc(II) metal ions are used to build structural maquettes of the two Zn-catalytic active sites of the ACE somatic isoform. Structural investigations of the synthetic peptides, representing the two different somatic isoform active sites, through circular dichroism and NMR experiments are reported

Environmental Effects and Externalities from the Transport Sector and Sustainable Transportation Planning – A Review

A literature review of the environmental effects and externalities of the transport sector and the concerns in sustainable transport planning is presented in this paper. The relation between air pollution and transport, considering that transport is an important air pollution emitter, is initially analyzed. The causal relationship between per capita GDP and individual consumption for transport, annual growth of global GDP and CO2 emissions and changes in CO2 emissions from fuel combustion by the various transport modes is then explained. Furthermore, energy consumption of transport modes for the EU countries is illustrated, as well as the relation between traffic flow and noise emissions and the implications of transport infrastructure to the landscape and environmental aesthetics. The increase in passenger mobility has caused traffic congestion, constituting an effect which is also quantified. Furthermore, the impact of accidents in terms of injuries, impairments and fatalities is a global social and public health issue. Moreover, the transport policies and the impact on economic and urban development, health, environmental protection and energy, focusing also on possible conflicts and convergence between safety and environmental policies are discussed. Finally, transport sector externalities, quantification in monetary units and possible effects of eventual internalization of these external costs are presented. Keywords: Environmental effects; Externalities; Internalization; Sustainable; Transportation planning JEL Classifications: H23; O44; Q53; R4

The incidence of deep vein thrombosis detected by routine surveillance ultrasound in neurosurgery patients receiving dual modality prophylaxis.

The optimal method of thromboprophylaxis and the value of screening ultrasonography for detection of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in neurosurgery patients remains unclear. The goal of this study was to determine the incidence of DVT in neurosurgical patients who, by hospital protocol, receive surveillance ultrasonography of the lower extremities twice weekly, in addition to prophylaxis with unfractionated heparin and external pneumatic compression sleeves. A retrospective review of 7,298 ultrasound studies carried out on 2,593 patients over 4 years at a university neurosurgical hospital was conducted. There was a 7.4% incidence of proximal lower extremity DVT and a 9.7% total incidence including distal DVT. A greater number of distal DVTs were detected with the implementation of whole-leg ultrasonography in the last 2 years of observation. Chart review of 237 patients diagnosed with DVT demonstrated an admitting diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage in nearly half of the patients. The median hospital length of stay for DVT patients was 18 days. Institutional control data demonstrated non-ruptured aneurysm and cerebrovascular anomalies to be the leading reason for admission, followed closely by subarachnoid hemorrhage. The hospital protocol of biweekly screening ultrasound and dual modality prophylaxis for neurosurgery patients resulted in a proximal DVT incidence consistent with that demonstrated by previous studies of standardized dual modality prophylaxis, and higher than that demonstrated in previous studies that employed ultrasound screening protocols

Coupling and Decoupling Relationships between Energy Consumption and Air Pollution from the Transport Sector and the Economic Activity

In the present paper an analysis of whether and under which conditions coupling or decoupling exists between growth rates (as reflecting in GDP rates) of the economy and energy consumption and air pollution from the transport sector. An extensive time period from 1995 to 2012 is surveyed and divided into two periods, from 1995 to 2008 (growth period) and from 2008 to 2012 (recession period). The analysis is conducted for the 28 European Union countries and illustrates, for most of these countries, a coupling phenomenon for the growth period and a decoupling phenomenon for the recession period. This finding may be essential for the further institutional steps to be undertaken, in view of the reduction of CO2 and of energy conservation. Keywords: Coupling; Decoupling; Transportation; Environment; Sustainability JEL Classifications: H23; O44; R4; Q53