Assessing the Sensitivity and Uncertainty of an NH3 Emission Reduction Calculator for Dairy Cattle Barns by Means of Monte Carlo Analysis Combined with Least Square Linearization

With regard to Natura 2000, the Flemish government (Belgium) established the Programmatic Approach to Nitrogen (PAS: acronym in Flemish), with the aim of reducing environmental overload of nitrogen compounds. This approach will have substantial consequences for livestock farms located next to or within special areas of conservation and will likely result in generic measures to reduce ammonia (NH3) emissions from livestock facilities. An NH3 emission reduction calculator for dairy cattle systems (AEREC-DC) was adapted based on a mechanistic approach. Reduction coefficients estimated with this tool are used to assess the efficiency of “low NH3 emission” techniques which can be implemented in Flanders at a later stage. Field measurements will be made in the future to confirm/correct them. Emission reduction techniques combining processes such as floor scraping, flushing, manure acidification, and different types of floor were modeled. The tool comprises 36 input variables, some of which have values that are based on experimental measurements. Nevertheless, reliable information concerning other relevant variables are scarce in the literature. Hence, model sensitivity analysis is imperative. We hypothesize that the ranking of input variables in terms of their effect on the model outcome will change if different uncertainty ranges are assigned to them. Hence, this study was conducted to combine Monte Carlo Analysis associated with Least Square Linearization in order to perform sensitivity and uncertainty analyses on AEREC-DC. The sensitivity analysis was performed by assigning each input variables’ probability distribution function (PDF) with a relatively narrow variance (1% of mean value). The uncertainty analysis was carried out by gradually increasing the PDF’s variance up to what is considered realistic. The outcomes of this study will help deciding which variables urgently need to be monitored experimentally in order to improve predictions’ accuracy

Assessing airflow rates of a naturally ventilated test facility using a fast and simple algorithm supported by local air velocity measurements

The high spatial and temporal variations of airflow patterns in ventilation openings of naturally ventilated animal houses make it difficult to accurately measure the airflow rate. This paper focuses on the development of a fast assessment technique for the airflow rate of a naturally ventilated test facility through the combination of a linear algorithm and local air velocity measurements. This assessment technique was validated against detailed measurement results obtained by the measuring method of Van Overbeke et al. (2015) as a reference. The total air velocity |u-|, the normal |Y-| and tangential velocity component |x-| and the velocity vector u- measured at the meteomast were chosen as input variables for the linear algorithms. The airflow rates were split in a group where only uni-directional flows occurred at vent level (no opposite directions of |Y-| present in the airflow pattern of the opening), and a group where bi-directional flows occurred (the air goes simultaneously in and out of the opening). For airflow rates with uni-directional flows the input variables u- and |Y-| yielded the most accurate results. For this reason, it was suggested to use the |Y-| instead of |u-| in ASHRAE’s formula of Q = E × A × |u-|. For bi-directional flows a multiple linear model was suggested where input variable u- gave the best results to assess the airflow rate

Methodology for airflow rate measurements in a naturally ventilated mock-up animal building with side and ridge vents

Currently there exists no generally accepted reference technique to measure the ventilation rate through naturally ventilated (NV) vents. This has an impact on the reliability of airflow rate control techniques and emission rate measurements in NV animal houses. As an attempt to address this issue a NV test facility was built to develop new airflow rate measurement techniques for both side wall and ridge vents. Three set-ups were used that differed in vent configuration, i.e. one cross ventilated set-up and two ridge ventilated set-ups with different vent sizes. The airflow through the side vents was measured with a technique based on an automatic traverse movement of a 3D ultrasonic anemometer. In the ridge, 7 static 2D ultrasonic anemometers were installed. The methods were validated by applying the air mass conservation principle, i.e. the inflow rates must equal the outflow rates. The calculated in - and outflow rates agreed within (5 ± 8)%, (8 ± 5)% and (−9 ± 7)% for the three different set-ups respectively, over a large range of wind incidence angles. It was found that the side vent configuration was of large importance for the distribution of the airflow rates through the vents. The ridge proved to be a constant outlet, whilst side vents could change from outlet to inlet depending on the wind incidence angle. The range of wind incidence angles in which this transition occurred could be clearly visualised

Protocol for a national audit on self-reported confidence levels, training requirements and current practice among trainee doctors in the UK: The Trainees Own Perception of Delivery of Care in Diabetes (TOPDOC) Study

Background: As the incidence and prevalence of diabetes increases across the world, resource pressures require doctors without specialist training to provide care for people with diabetes. In the UK, national standards have been set to ensure quality diabetes care from diagnosis to the management of complications. In a multi-centre pilot study, we have demonstrated a lack of confidence among UK trainee doctors in managing diabetes. Suboptimal confidence was identified in a number of areas, including the management of diabetes emergencies. A national survey would clarify whether the results of our pilot study are representative and reproducible. Methods/Design: Target cohort: All postgraduate trainee doctors in the UK. Domains Studied: The self reported online survey questionnaire has 5 domains: (1) confidence levels in the diagnosis and management of diabetes, (2) working with diabetes specialists, (3) perceived adequacy of training in diabetes (4) current practice in optimising glycaemic control and (5) perceived barriers to seeking euglycaemia. Assessment tools: Self-reported confidence is assessed using the 'Confidence Rating' (CR) scale for trainee doctors developed by the Royal College of Physicians. This scale has four points - ('not confident' (CR1), 'satisfactory but lacking confidence' (CR2), 'confident in some cases (CR3) and 'fully confident in most cases' (CR4). Frequency of aspects of day-to-day practice is assessed using a six-point scale. Respondents have a choice of 'always' (100%), 'almost always' (80-99%), 'often' (50-79%), 'not very often' (20-49%) and 'rarely' (5-19%) or never (less than 5%). Discussion: It is anticipated that the results of this national study will clarify confidence levels and current practice among trainee doctors in the provision of care for people with diabetes. The responses will inform efforts to enhance postgraduate training in diabetes, potentially improving the quality of care for people with diabetes.</p

Compositional Diversity of the Vestan Regolith Derived from Howardite Compositions and Dawn VIR Spectra

Howardite, eucrite and diogenite meteorites likely come from asteroid 4 Vesta [1]. Howardites - physical mixtures of eucrites and diogenites - are of two subtypes: regolithic howardites were gardened in the true regolith; fragmental howardites are simple polymict breccias [2]. The Dawn spacecraft imaged the howarditic surface of Vesta with the visible and infrared mapping spectrometer (VIR) resulting in qualitative maps of the distributions of distinct diogenite-rich and eucrite-rich terranes [3, 4]. We are developing a robust basis for quantitative mapping of the distribution of lithologic types using spectra acquired on splits of well-characterized howardites [5, 6]. Spectra were measured on sample powders sieved to <75 m in the laboratories of the Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali and Brown University. Data reduction was done using the methods developed to process Dawn VIR spectra [4]. The band parameters for the ~1 and ~2 m pyroxene absorption features (hereafter BI and BII) can be directly compared to Dawn VIR results. Regolithic howardites have shallower BI and BII absorptions compared to fragmental howardites with similar compositions. However, there are statistically significant correlations between Al or Ca contents and BI or BII center wavelengths regardless of howardite subtype. Diogenites are poor in Al and Ca while eucrites are rich in these elements. The laboratory spectra can thus be directly correlated with the percentage of eucrite material contained in the howardites. We are using these correlations to quantitatively map Al and Ca distributions, and thus the percentage of eucritic material, in the current regolith of Vesta

In vitro drug sensitivity of normal peripheral blood lymphocytes and childhood leukaemic cells from bone marrow and peripheral blood.

In vitro drug sensitivity of leukaemic cells might be influenced by the contamination of such a sample with non-malignant cells and the sample source. To study this, sensitivity of normal peripheral blood (PB) lymphocytes to a number of cytostatic drugs was assessed with the MTT assay. We compared this sensitivity with the drug sensitivity of leukaemic cells of 38 children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. We also studied a possible differential sensitivity of leukaemic cells from bone marrow (BM) and PB. The following drugs were used: Prednisolone, dexamethasone, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytosine arabinoside, vincristine, vindesine, daunorubicin, doxorubicin, mafosfamide (Maf), 4-hydroperoxy-ifosfamide, teniposide, mitoxantrone, L-asparaginase, methotrexate and mustine. Normal PB lymphocytes were significantly more resistant to all drugs tested, except to Maf. Leukaemic BM and PB cells from 38 patients (unpaired samples) showed no significant differences in sensitivity to any of the drugs. Moreover, in 11 of 12 children with acute leukaemia of whom we investigated simultaneously obtained BM and PB (paired samples), their leukaemic BM and PB cells showed comparable drug sensitivity profiles. In one patient the BM cells were more sensitive to most drugs than those from the PB, but the actual differences in sensitivity were small. We conclude that the contamination of a leukaemic sample with normal PB lymphocytes will influence the results of the MTT assay. The source of the leukaemic sample, BM or PB, does not significantly influence the assay results

First mineralogical maps of 4 Vesta

Before Dawn arrived at 4 Vesta only very low spatial resolution (~50 km) albedo and color maps were available from HST data. Also ground-based color and spectroscopic data were utilized as a first attempt to map Vesta’s mineralogical diversity [1-4]. The VIR spectrometer [5] onboard Dawn has ac-quired hyperspectral data while the FC camera [6] ob-tained multi-color data of the Vestan surface at very high spatial resolutions, allowing us to map complex geologic, morphologic units and features. We here re-port about the results obtained from a preliminary global mineralogical map of Vesta, based on data from the Survey orbit. This map is part of an iterative map-ping effort; the map is refined with each improvement in resolution

Mapping Vesta: First Results from Dawn’s Survey Orbit

The geologic objectives of the Dawn Mission [1] are to derive Vesta’s shape, map the surface geology, understand the geological context and contribute to the determination of the asteroids’ origin and evolution.Geomorphology and distribution of surface features will provide evidence for impact cratering, tectonic activity, volcanism, and regolith processes. Spectral measurements of the surface will provide evidence of the compositional characteristics of geological units. Age information, as derived from crater sizefrequency distributions, provides the stratigraphic context for the structural and compositional mapping results, thus revealing the geologic history of Vesta. We present here the first results of the Dawn mission from data collected during the approach to Vesta, and its first discrete orbit phase – the Survey Orbit, which lasts 21 days after the spacecraft had established a circular polar orbit at a radius of ~3000 km with a beta angle of 10°-15°