Challenges and needs of European cities in using geofencing for urban traffic management

This report presents the results and analysis of exploratory interviews and a questionnaire survey among transport experts and professionals in Europe dealing with geofencing in urban transport management. As part of the European collaboration project GeoSence - "Geofencing strategies for implementation in urban traffic management and planning", the report contributes to a first step of solving the problems by identifying and exploring the challenges and needs of transport authorities. Starting from the cities' biggest traffic challenges, as experienced by municipalities and cities, but also from the perspective of regional and national authorities, the report focuses mainly on geofencing and its following unresolved implementation issues, such as lack of regulation, an issue prevalent across both experienced and less experienced users of geofencing, GNSS accuracy and infrastructure, user acceptance, costs, knowledge and various practicalities. In the discussion section we synthesise how to overcome some of the barriers and how to tackle those needs suggested by the informants, as well as presenting risks and possible mitigation options, and a transferability analysis for cities that do not use geofencing yet. While findings show the applications of geofencing for micro-mobility and parking as the most transferable use case, the case also is an example of how regulation and the legal framework would need to keep pace with the development of the practical solutions. In conclusion, several recommendations are derived, including the need for investing in digital infrastructure in European cities, and further developments matching digital and physical infrastructure to achieve the potential for geofencing. Further, increasing municipalities capacity for knowledge building- and sharing, starting new geofencing real traffic trials, as well as scaling up and transferring existing and good functioning solutions will be key.publishedVersio

Design of the top tether component for the premium car market segment: Case study of Volvo Cars

The positive correlation between successful car design and high perceived quality is indisputable. In the highly competitive premium car market segment, the implementation of methods for perceived quality evaluation is an integral part of the strategic development plans of car manufacturers. However, to correctly define the perceived quality requirements and address market opportunities, the car manufacturers need to capture diverse customer demands. This study seeks to understand how customers perceive and prioritize attributes that are associated with the perceived quality of the premium car market segment. During the study, we evaluated the next generation top tether design concepts for Volvo Cars sedan models S60 and S90. The top tether is the part of an ISOFIX system used to connect a forward-facing child seat in a car and is a critical safety component significantly reducing potential injuries. We applied the Perceived Quality Attributes Importance Ranking (PQAIR) methodology to understand the importance of different perceived quality attributes from a customer perspective. In other words, we investigated the meaning of “premiumness” for the customers, applied to the specific car component. This approach was tested on 200 respondents representing the customer target group and was performed in collaboration with Volvo Cars technical experts. Our results verify the rationality of the applied method and indicate the improvement of engineering practices regarding the evaluation of perceived quality

Visualization of causation in social-ecological systems

In social-ecological systems (SES), where social and ecological processes are intertwined, phenomena are usually complex and involve multiple interdependent causes. Figuring out causal relationships is thus challenging but needed to better understand and then affect or manage such systems. One important and widely used tool to identify and communicate causal relationships is visualization. Here, we present several common visualization types: diagrams of objects and arrows, X-Y plots, and X-Y-Z plots, and discuss them in view of the particular challenges of visualizing causation in complex systems such as SES. We use a simple demonstration model to create and compare exemplary visualizations and add more elaborate examples from the literature. This highlights implicit strengths and limitations of widely used visualization types and facilitates adequate choices when visualizing causation in SES. Thereupon, we recommend further suitable ways to account for complex causation, such as figures with multiple panels, or merging different visualization types in one figure. This provides caveats against oversimplifications. Yet, any single figure can rarely capture all relevant causal relationships in an SES. We therefore need to focus on specific questions, phenomena, or subsystems, and often also on specific causes and effects that shall be visualized. Our recommendations allow for selecting and combining visualizations such that they complement each other, support comprehensive understanding, and do justice to the existing complexity in SES. This lets visualizations realize their potential and play an important role in identifying and communicating causation.Peer reviewe

Validation studies of virtual reality simulation performance metrics for mechanical thrombectomy in ischemic stroke

Introduction: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) has transformed the treatment of ischemic stroke. However, patient access to MT may be limited due to a shortage of doctors specifically trained to perform MT. The studies reported here were done to (1) develop, operationally define, and seek consensus from procedure experts on the metrics which best characterize a reference procedure for the performance of an MT for ischemic stroke and (2) evaluate their construct validity when implemented in a virtual reality (VR) simulation. Methods: In study 1, the metrics for a reference approach to an MT procedure for ischemic stroke of 10 phases, 46 steps, and 56 errors and critical errors, were presented to an international Delphi panel of 21 consultant level interventional neuroradiologists (INRs). In study 2, the metrics were used to assess 8 expert and 10 novice INRs performing a VR simulated routine MT procedure. Results: In study 1, the Delphi panel reached consensus on the appropriateness of the procedure metrics for a reference approach to MT in ischemic stroke. Group differences in median scores in study 2 demonstrated that experienced INRs performed the case 19% faster (P=0.029), completed 40% more procedure phases (P=0.009), 20% more steps (P=0.012), and made 42% fewer errors (P=0.016) than the novice group. Conclusions: The international Delphi panel agreed metrics implemented in a VR simulation of MT distinguished between the computer scored procedure performance of INR experts and novices. The studies reported here support the demonstration of face, content, and construct validity of the MT metrics

Biogas från Skånsk betblast - potential, teknik och ekonomi

Sammanfattning I Skåne odlas 34 500 ha sockerbetor för sockerutvinning och i Sverige 36 000 ha (Jordbruksstatistik årsbok 2014). Vid insamling och rötning av blasten från betorna i Skåne skulle drygt 200 GWh biogas kunna produceras per år och driva minst 19 000 bilar eller 1000 bussar. Men idag lämnas den i fält. Tidigare studier har visat att betblast från sockerproduktion är på gränsen till lönsamt att skörda och använda för biogasproduktion (Lantz, 2013b). I det här projektet har flera forskare, en biogasproducent och en representant för betodlarna gemensamt tagit fram och undersökt ett par förslag för hur skörd, lagring och rötning av betblast kan genomföras och hur olika tillvägagångssätt påverkar kostnader och klimatpåverkan. Dessa innefattar en jämförelse av två olika skördekedjor och undersökning av effekterna av att fraktionera betblast före lagring och rötning på; biogasproduktion, ekonomi och klimatpåverkan. För dessa beräkningar antogs att endast betblast rötades i en biogasanläggning med en årlig produktion om 172 TJ (48 GWh) metan. Effekterna av att introducera icke fraktionerad och fraktionerad betblast i en samrötningsanläggning analyserades också. Dessutom arrangerades en skördedemonstration i oktober 2013 i samarbete med Skånska Biobränslebolaget (länk till video). Analysen av skördeteknik har begränsats till skörd av blast från betor odlade för sockerproduktion, vilket är det som görs i Sverige idag. Om sockerbetor odlas endast för biogasproduktion kan andra skördetekniker för betor och blast vara aktuella. Studien har visat att när biogas från betblast ersatte fossil energi som drivmedel så sänktes utsläppen av klimatgaser kraftigt, med 80 %. Därmed uppfylldes EUs hållbarhetskriterier för biodrivmedel, både enligt dagens direktiv (35 % reduktion) och föreslagna framtida (60 % reduktion). Viktigt i detta sammanhang är att blasten är en restprodukt och den konkurrerar inte om åkermark för livsmedelsproduktion. I Skåne skulle ca 200 GWh biogas kunna produceras från betblast vid dagens sockerbetsproduktion. Men, även för den andel av blasten som skördas under september (motsvarande ca 40 GWh), då det är mer gynnsamt än vid senare skörd, är det svårt att hitta ekonomisk hållbarhet. Studien tyder på att kostnader och klimatpåverkan är de samma om betblast fraktioneras eller ej. I fallstudien framkom att fraktionering av betblasten gav praktisk möjlighet att ta emot mer material i den studerade samrötningsanläggningen. Vätskefraktionen kunde då ersätta vatten i förbehandlingen och mera torrsubstans (TS) kunde tas emot med den fasta fraktionen innan uppehållstiden begränsade mängden i rötningsprocessen. Att ersätta vatten i förbehandlingsanläggningen ger mindre kapitalkostnader per producerad MWh jämfört med om man skulle röta denna fraktion i en dedikerad anläggning. Men, inte heller i fallstudien medförde fraktionering lägre kostnader per producerad mängd metan. Blastskörden visade sig vara högre i september, 3,6 ton torrsubstans per hektar (t TS/ha), än i oktober, 3,2 t TS/ha, vilket gör det fördelaktigare att samla in blast i september än oktober. Av de skörde- och transportkedjor som teoretiskt utvärderades i projektet var det ekonomiskt mest fördelaktigt med en skördekedja där en mindre mängd blast samlades in (55 % av tillgänglig mängd) för att minimera maskinernas väntetider. Alternativet har dock nackdelen att en större andel kvarlämnad blast gör att en större andel av fältets ytafår ojämn förfruktseffekt i efterföljande gröda jämfört med ett scenario då större andel av blasten samlas in. Priset för skörd (i september) och lagring beräknades till 1,7–2,1 kr/kg TS både med och utan fraktionering. Detta är högre än det pris som tidigare beräknats (Gissén et al. 2014), vilket bedöms som underskattat. Tester av fraktionering av betblast gjordes i liten skala med en äppeljuicepress. Metanpotentialtester gjordes på de olika fraktionerna. Pressning av strimlad blast (13 % TS) gav en vätskefraktion (7 % TS) motsvarande en fjärdedel av våtvikten och 3 fjärdedelar återstod som fast fraktion (15 % TS). Den fasta fraktionen gav dubbelt så högt metanutbyte per kg våtvikt som vätskefraktionen, men ingen signifikant skillnad i metanutbyte per kg organiskt material. Ingen inverkan av sortval på betblastskörden eller metanutbyte per kg organiskt material kunde hittas vid test av fem sockerbetssorter som förädlats fram för sockerproduktion. När fraktionerad blast används kan möjlighet finnas att dubbelanvända lager för den våta fraktionen och rötrest. Det gäller även för andra flytande substrat som behöver lagras. Studien visar att dubbelanvändning kan påverka investeringskostnaderna för rötrestlagret signifikant och en närmare undersökning av om det är praktiskt möjligt vore intressant. När flera positiva faktorer samspelar kan det finnas möjlighet att med dagens förhållanden producera biogas som biodrivmedel från betblast på ett ekonomiskt hållbart sätt. Exempel på identifierade positiva faktorer är: högt blastutbyte, användning av underutnyttjade jordbruksredskap, rötning i befintliga anläggningar för att fylla ut substratluckor, korta transportsträckor och direktanvändning av färsk betblast utan lagring. Det är troligtvis endast för en liten del av den totala mängden blast som tillräckligt många positiva faktorer samspelar för att den idag ska kunna vara ekonomiskt intressant att använda för biogasproduktion

United European Gastroenterology evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and therapy of chronic pancreatitis (HaPanEU)

Background:There have been substantial improvements in the management of chronic pancreatitis, leading to the publication of several national guidelines during recent years. In collaboration with United European Gastroenterology, the working group on Harmonizing diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis across Europe' (HaPanEU) developed these European guidelines using an evidence-based approach. Methods: Twelve multidisciplinary review groups performed systematic literature reviews to answer 101 predefined clinical questions. Recommendations were graded using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system and the answers were assessed by the entire group in a Delphi process online. The review groups presented their recommendations during the 2015 annual meeting of United European Gastroenterology. At this one-day, interactive conference, relevant remarks were voiced and overall agreement on each recommendation was quantified using plenary voting (Test and Evaluation Directorate). After a final round of adjustments based on these comments, a draft version was sent out to external reviewers. Results: The 101 recommendations covered 12 topics related to the clinical management of chronic pancreatitis: aetiology (working party (WP)1), diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis with imaging (WP2 and WP3), diagnosis of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (WP4), surgery in chronic pancreatitis (WP5), medical therapy (WP6), endoscopic therapy (WP7), treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts (WP8), pancreatic pain (WP9), nutrition and malnutrition (WP10), diabetes mellitus (WP11) and the natural course of the disease and quality of life (WP12). Using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system, 70 of the 101 (70%) recommendations were rated as strong' and plenary voting revealed strong agreement' for 99 (98%) recommendations. Conclusions:The 2016 HaPanEU/United European Gastroenterology guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations concerning key aspects of the medical and surgical management of chronic pancreatitis based on current available evidence. These recommendations should serve as a reference standard for existing management of the disease and as a guide for future clinical research

Management by boundaries : Insights into the role of boundary objects in a community-based tourism development project

Community-based tourism development typically assumes co-operation between different stakeholder groups at the local level, and thus combines different types of knowledge. However, this does not imply that a consensus exists between the stakeholders in the first place. In this article, we present a potential conceptual tool, namely boundary objects that could support stakeholders from different knowledge communities in working jointly towards a common goal and generate commitment towards it. The literature concerning knowledge communities and boundary objects is used as a theoretical framework. A three-year community-based tourism development project comprises the data of the article, and is used as a case study to illustrate the role of different knowledge communities, and to analyse the selected boundary objects. The results illustrate the importance of proper design of boundary objects in community-based tourism development processes, and highlight the features of a successful boundary object in generating ownership feelings towards development activities. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe