A Long-Term Hydrologically-Based Data Set of Land Surface Fluxes and States for the Conterminous United States

A frequently encountered difficulty in assessing model-predicted land–atmosphere exchanges of moisture and energy is the absence of comprehensive observations to which model predictions can be compared at the spatial and temporal resolutions at which the models operate. Various methods have been used to evaluate the land surface schemes in coupled models, including comparisons of model-predicted evapotranspiration with values derived from atmospheric water balances, comparison of model-predicted energy and radiative fluxes with tower measurements during periods of intensive observations, comparison of model-predicted runoff with observed streamflow, and comparison of model predictions of soil moisture with spatial averages of point observations. While these approaches have provided useful model diagnostic information, the observation-based products used in the comparisons typically are inconsistent with the model variables with which they are compared—for example, observations are for points or areas much smaller than the model spatial resolution, comparisons are restricted to temporal averages, or the spatial scale is large compared to that resolved by the model. Furthermore, none of the datasets available at present allow an evaluation of the interaction of the water balance components over large regions for long periods. In this study, a model-derived dataset of land surface states and fluxes is presented for the conterminous United States and portions of Canada and Mexico. The dataset spans the period 1950–2000, and is at a 3-h time step with a spatial resolution of ⅛ degree. The data are distinct from reanalysis products in that precipitation is a gridded product derived directly from observations, and both the land surface water and energy budgets balance at every time step. The surface forcings include precipitation and air temperature (both gridded from observations), and derived downward solar and longwave radiation, vapor pressure deficit, and wind. Simulated runoff is shown to match observations quite well over large river basins. On this basis, and given the physically based model parameterizations, it is argued that other terms in the surface water balance (e.g., soil moisture and evapotranspiration) are well represented, at least for the purposes of diagnostic studies such as those in which atmospheric model reanalysis products have been widely used. These characteristics make this dataset useful for a variety of studies, especially where ground observations are lacking

BBPR versie 8: Uw bedrijf doorgelicht

BBPR maakt ook begrotingen van technische resultaten bij veranderingen in de bedrijfsvoering

Some Agents are more Similar than Others:Customer Orientation of Frontline Robots and Employees

Purpose: The impact of frontline robots (FLRs) on customer orientation perceptions remains unclear. This is remarkable because customers may associate FLRs with standardization and cost-cutting, such that they may not fit firms that aim to be customer oriented. Design/methodology/approach: In four experiments, data are collected from customers interacting with frontline employees (FLEs) and FLRs in different settings. Findings: FLEs are perceived as more customer-oriented than FLRs due to higher competence and warmth evaluations. A relational interaction style attenuates the difference in perceived competence between FLRs and FLEs. These agents are also perceived as more similar in competence and warmth when FLRs participate in the customer journey's information and negotiation stages. Switching from FLE to FLR in the journey harms FLR evaluations. Practical implications: The authors recommend firms to place FLRs only in the negotiation stage or in both the information and negotiation stages of the customer journey. Still then customers should not transition from employees to robots (vice versa does no harm). Firms should ensure that FLRs utilize a relational style when interacting with customers for optimal effects. Originality/value: The authors bridge the FLR and sales/marketing literature by drawing on social cognition theory. The authors also identify the product categories for which customers are willing to negotiate with an FLR. Broadly speaking, this study’s findings underline that customers perceive robots as having agency (i.e. the mental capacity for acting with intentionality) and, just as humans, can be customer-oriented.</p

Bedrijfsvergelijkend onderzoek snijanthurium

Zoals dat bij alle snijbloemen het geval is, zijn ook snij-Anthuriumbedrijven de verschillen in rentabiliteit groot. Dit blijkt uit de verschillen in opbrengst uit registratiegegevens uit het verleden. Indien de verschillen in bedrijfsresultaat groot zijn, mag verwacht worden dat de winst die met de verklaring van deze verschillen kan worden bereikt groter is, dan bij de situatie waarbij de verschillen in bedrijfsresultaten geringer zijn. Met dit gegeven hebben de onderzoekers in nauw overleg met de landelijke N.T.S.-commissie een (ambitieus) relatieschema opgesteld, dat als richtlijn voor een bedrijfsvergelijkend onderzoek kon dienen. Helaas was dit plan wat te ambitieus en moesten de plannen worden bijgesteld. Dit resulteerde in een onderzoeksopzet met een globaal karakter, wat inhield dat de gegevensverzameling met minimale arbeidsinzet is uitgevoerd. De consequentie hiervan is dat de resultaten niet meer dan tendensen zullen zijn. Het onderzoek bestaat uit drie onderdelen: analyse van de verschillen in rentabiliteit, een analyse van economische kengetallen die leiden tot gewasvervanging en analyse van de verschillen in groei en ontwikkeling bij het belangrijkste ras 'Tropical'

Violence Defied? A Review of Prevention of Violence in the Public and Semi-public Domain

This report provides a synthesis of 48 studies of the effects of the prevention of violence in the public and semi-public domain

Branden als EGM-maatregel

Periodiek branden is een traditionele gebruiks- of beheermethode die in het verleden op meerdere plaatsen werd toegepast. Dit gebeurde met name in heideterreinen en soms in duingraslanden, om de vegetatie te verjongen en de opslag van struiken en bomen tegen te gaan. geleidelijk is de beheersmethode uit het zicht verdwenen. In dit rapport zijn de ervaringen met periodiek branden en de kennis die er in binnenland en buitenland is over de effecten op de beschikbaarheid van nutriënten, vegetatie en fauna op een rij gezet. Het rapport geeft aan in welke situaties branden een aantrekkelijke effectgerichte maatregel kan zijn. In dit onderzoek (in het kader van OBN) werkten samen: Stichting Bargerveen, Bware en Alterr

Verbeter uw resultaten met nieuw computerprogramma SaldoRegistratie Schapen

Het programma is specifiek voor de schapenhouderij ontwikkeld en biedt schapenhouders de mogelijkheid een goed inzicht te krijgen in de bedrijfsvoering. Het is hiermee een nuttig hulpmiddel bij het verbeteren van de bedrijfsresultaten en daarmee het inkomen uit de schapenhouderij

Effects of Physical Exercise Training on Cerebral Blood Flow Measurements:A Systematic Review of Human Intervention Studies

The aim of this systematic review was to examine the effects of physical exercise training on cerebral blood flow (CBF), which is a physiological marker of cerebrovascular function. Relationships between training-induced effects on CBF with changes in cognitive performance were also discussed. A systematic search was performed up to July 2022. Forty-five intervention studies with experimental, quasi-experimental, or pre-post designs were included. Sixteen studies (median duration: 14 weeks) investigated effects of physical exercise training on CBF markers using magnetic resonance imaging, 20 studies (median duration: 14 weeks) used transcranial Doppler ultrasound, and eight studies (median duration: 8 weeks) used near-infrared spectroscopy. Studies using magnetic resonance imaging observed consistent increases in CBF in the anterior cingulate cortex and hippocampus, but not in whole-brain CBF. Effects on resting CBF-measured with transcranial Doppler ultrasound and near-infrared spectroscopy-were variable, while middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity increased in some studies following exercise or hypercapnic stimuli. Interestingly, concomitant changes in physical fitness and regional CBF were observed, while a relation between training-induced effects on CBF and cognitive performance was evident. In conclusion, exercise training improved cerebrovascular function because regional CBF was changed. Studies are however still needed to establish whether exercise-induced improvements in CBF are sustained over longer periods of time and underlie the observed beneficial effects on cognitive performance.</p