Adaptive Development of a Regional Spatial Data Infrastructure Facing Local Prospects and Socio-Technological Trends

The regional Lounaispaikka-SDI (Spatial Data Infrastructure) in south-west Finland is being developed by a dynamic assembly of the region’s geospatial expertise and its networking, spatial data and geoportal services. Emerging as a data-centric constellation that supported the region’s geographical information professionals, this assembly has developed into a geospatial service with more broadly-focused public information on the region. This development has had five adaptive phases, each as a response to changing local needs and fast-evolving trends in information and communication technologies. Alongside these processes, the Lounaispaikka-SDI has also reinforced the region’s geospatial competencies with benefits offered to academia, public sector institutions, and companies.</p

Airway hyperresponsiveness in young children with respiratory symptoms A five-year follow-up

Background: Recurrent wheezing in early life is transient in most children. The significance of airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) in persistence of respiratory symptoms from infancy to early childhood is controversial. Objective: We evaluated whether AHR in wheezy infants predicts doctor-diagnosed asthma (DDA) or AHR at the age of 6 years. Methods: Sixty-one wheezy infants (age 6-24 months) were followed up to the median age of 6 years. Lung function and AHR with methacholine challenge test were assessed at infancy and 6 years. The exercise challenge test was performed at the age of 6 years. Atopy was assessed with skin prick tests. Results: At 6 years, 21 (34%) of the children had DDA. Children with DDA had higher logarithmic transformed dose-response slope (LOGDRS) to methacholine in infancy than children without DDA (0.047 vs 0.025; P = .033). Furthermore, AHR to methacholine in infancy and at 6 years were associated with each other (r = 0.324, P = .011). Children with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) at 6 years were more reactive to methacholine in infancy than those without EIB (P = .019). Conclusion: Increased AHR in symptomatic infants was associated with increased AHR, DDA, and EIB at median the age of 6 years, suggesting early establishment of AHR. (C) 2019 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

UNIVERSIDAD POLITÉCNICA DE MADRID

OF THE MASTER&apos;S THESIS........................................................................................ 2 RESUMEN DEL PROYECTO FIN DE CARRERA .......................................................................... 3 DIPLOMITYN TIIVISTELM ........................................................................................................ 7 FOREWORD.......................................................................................................................................... 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS....................................................................................................................... 9 ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS ................................................................................................ 11 1

Abnormal lung function at preschool age – asthma in adolescence?

Background: Asthma often begins early in childhood. However, the risk for persistence is challenging to evaluate. Objective: This longitudinal study relates lung function assessed with impulse oscillometry (IOS) in preschool children to asthma in adolescence. Methods: Lung function was measured with IOS in 255 children with asthma-like symptoms aged 4-7 years. Baseline measurements were followed by exercise challenge and bronchodilation tests. At age 12-16 years, 121 children participated in the follow-up visit, when lung function was assessed with spirometry, followed by a bronchodilation test. Asthma symptoms and medication were recorded by a questionnaire and atopy defined by skin prick tests. Results: Abnormal baseline values in preschool IOS were significantly associated with low lung function, the need for asthma medication, and asthma symptoms in adolescence. Preschool abnormal R5 at baseline (z-score >= 1.645 SD) showed 9.2 odds ratio (95% CI 2.7; 31.7) for abnormal FEV1/FVC, use of asthma medication in adolescence, and 9.9 odds ratio (95% CI 2.9; 34.4) for asthma symptoms. Positive exercise challenge and modified asthma-predictive index at preschool age predicted asthma symptoms and the need for asthma medication, but not abnormal lung function at teenage. Conclusion: Abnormal preschool IOS is associated with asthma and poor lung function in adolescence and might be utilised for identification of asthma persistence. (c) 2018 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc.Peer reviewe

Dual-frequency sounder for UMTS frequency-division duplex channels

A single-frequency wideband chirp sounder designed and implemented at UMIST was modified to carry out Simultaneous measurements at the uplink and downlink frequencies of the UMTS bands. Measurements in the dense urban environment of Manchester city centre were carried out using both a trolley and a van, and power delay profiles were obtained over the two 60 MHz channels allocated for the frequency-division duplex links. Small-scale characterisation is determined from scattering functions and from power delay profiles, Both functions showed differences in the multipath structure between the two channels. Scattering functions with both sparse scattering and dense scattering were detected. The effects of moving vehicles on a stationary user are also presented. These results are preceded by a presentation of the sounder architecture and various back-to-back tests demonstrating its performance capabilities. These include linearity tests with multiple tones, and ambiguity functions of the two frequency bands