Automatic Information Exchange in the Early Rescue Chain Using the International Standard Accident Number (ISAN)

Thus far, emergency calls are answered by human operators who interview the calling person in order to obtain all relevant information. In the near future-based on the Internet of (Medical) Things (IoT, IoMT)-accidents, emergencies, or adverse health events will be reported automatically by smart homes, smart vehicles, or smart wearables, without any human in the loop. Several parties are involved in this communication: the alerting system, the rescue service (responding system), and the emergency department in the hospital (curing system). In many countries, these parties use isolated information and communication technology (ICT) systems. Previously, the International Standard Accident Number (ISAN) has been proposed to securely link the data in these systems. In this work, we propose an ISAN-based communication platform that allows semantically interoperable information exchange. Our aims are threefold: (i) to enable data exchange between the isolated systems, (ii) to avoid data misinterpretation, and (iii) to integrate additional data sources. The suggested platform is composed of an alerting, responding, and curing system manager, a workflow manager, and a communication manager. First, the ICT systems of all parties in the early rescue chain register with their according system manager, which tracks the keep-alive. In case of emergency, the alerting system sends an ISAN to the platform. The responsible rescue services and hospitals are determined and interconnected for platform-based communication. Next to the conceptual design of the platform, we evaluate a proof-of-concept implementation according to (1) the registration, (2) channel establishment, (3) data encryption, (4) event alert, and (5) information exchange. Our concept meets the requirements for scalability, error handling, and information security. In the future, it will be used to implement a virtual accident registry

Co-developing the IPCC frequently asked questions as an effective science communication tool

In its Sixth Assessment Report Cycle (AR6), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) aims to strengthen the communication of its products. As the only mandatory part of IPCC reports specifically targeting a lay audience, the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) provide an opportunity for broader communication of key IPCC topics. AR6 has released three Special Reports that include FAQs, varying in number and structure, as well as the approach taken to develop them. Using these Special Report FAQs, in this essay, we take stock of current efforts to co-develop IPCC FAQs and provide recommendations to strengthen the impact of these highly useful yet currently under-utilised resources. Building on evidence from a user survey, text analysis and social media statistics, we find that bringing together IPCC authors and communication specialists to jointly develop the text and graphics increases the accessibility and usefulness of the FAQs. Efforts made for informative visuals additionally increase their impact on social media. To maximise the potential and impact of the IPCC FAQs, we recommend involving communication experts from the beginning of the drafting process to share responsibility, which requires sufficient resources to be allocated to the FAQs. We also suggest developing common FAQ guidelines across Working Groups so future assessment reports can ensure all FAQs are an effective and useful tool for IPCC communication. We also hope that other scientific institutions and projects that wish to summarise scientific content for diverse audiences can benefit from our lessons learned

Influence of Ocean Acidification on a Natural Winter-to-Summer Plankton Succession : First Insights from a Long-Term Mesocosm Study Draw Attention to Periods of Low Nutrient Concentrations

Every year, the oceans absorb about 30% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) leading to a re-equilibration of the marine carbonate system and decreasing seawater pH. Today, there is increasing awareness that these changes-summarized by the term ocean acidification (OA)-could differentially affect the competitive ability of marine organisms, thereby provoking a restructuring of marine ecosystems and biogeochemical element cycles. In winter 2013, we deployed ten pelagic mesocosms in the Gullmar Fjord at the Swedish west coast in order to study the effect of OA on plankton ecology and biogeochemistry under close to natural conditions. Five of the ten mesocosms were left unperturbed and served as controls (similar to 380 mu atm pCO(2)), whereas the others were enriched with CO2-saturated water to simulate realistic end-of-the-century carbonate chemistry conditions (mu 760 mu atm pCO(2)). We ran the experiment for 113 days which allowed us to study the influence of high CO2 on an entire winter-to-summer plankton succession and to investigate the potential of some plankton organisms for evolutionary adaptation to OA in their natural environment. This paper is the first in a PLOS collection and provides a detailed overview on the experimental design, important events, and the key complexities of such a "long-term mesocosm" approach. Furthermore, we analyzed whether simulated end-of-the-century carbonate chemistry conditions could lead to a significant restructuring of the plankton community in the course of the succession. At the level of detail analyzed in this overview paper we found that CO2-induced differences in plankton community composition were non-detectable during most of the succession except for a period where a phytoplankton bloom was fueled by remineralized nutrients. These results indicate: (1) Long-term studies with pelagic ecosystems are necessary to uncover OA-sensitive stages of succession. (2) Plankton communities fueled by regenerated nutrients may be more responsive to changing carbonate chemistry than those having access to high inorganic nutrient concentrations and may deserve particular attention in future studies.Peer reviewe

Ocean Sampling Day 2014 at Boknis Eck

Scientists from Kiel University and GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel take samples and measurements at the time series station Boknis Eck (Baltic Sea, Germany, www.bokniseck.de) on the international Ocean Sampling Day 2014 on June 21, 2014. during Kieler Woche 201

GEOMAR TV: Folge 1

Mit der Serie GEOMAR TV berichtet das GEOMAR über seine aktuellen Forschungsthemen Folge 1 widmet sich der SONNE-Ausfahrt zum Manihiki-Plateau im Westpazifik, dem Langzeit-Experiment zur Ozeanversauerung mit den KOSMOS Mesokosmen in Westschweden und Forschungsarbeiten zur Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf Lebewesen am Boden der Ostsee mit den Kieler Benthokosmen. Außerdem wird JAGO vorgestellt - Deutschlands einziges bemanntes Forschungstauchboot. Weitere News: ROV HYBIS und der Bildband über den Sonderforschungsbereich zu Subduktionszonen "Am Puls der Erde

Ocean Acidification: An Ecosystem Facing Dissolution = Ozeanversauerung: Eine Lebensgemeinschaft in Auflösung

As a large sink, the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But in sea water, the gas reacts to produce carbonic acid - a threat for organisms building their shells and skeletons from calcium carbonate. Der Ozean nimmt als gigantische Senke Kohlendioxid aus der Atmosphäre auf. Doch im Wasser regiert das Gas zu Kohlensäure - eine Gefahr für Organismen, die ihre Schalen und Skellette aus Kalk aufbauen

Black Smokers: Ore Factories of the Deep = Schwarze Raucher: Erzfabriken der Tiefsee

At the bottom of the sea, in a depth of several thousand metres, black smokers bring up valuable raw materials from inside the earth. Their metre-high vents seem to give off smoke like under water industrial chimneys. Am Meeresboden, in mehreren tausend Metern Wassertiefe befördern Schwarze Raucher wertvolle Rohstoffe aus dem Erdinneren herauf. Ihre meterhohen Schlote scheinen wie unterseeische Industrieschornsteine zu qualmen