Multi-methodical realisation of Austrian climate maps for 1971–2000

Constantly changing climate, the availability of a higher resolved digital elevation model and further development of geostatistical interpolation methods gave reason for updating the most frequently demanded climate maps out of the Austrian digital climate atlas from 1961–1990 to 1971–2000. To achieve a station density as high as possible, data from eleven national and foreign institutes were collected and gap-filled. According to the climate parameter, different geostatistical interpolation methods (including regionalised multilinear regressions, geographically weighted regressions and curve fitting to base parameter) were applied. The resultant 17 grids concern 30-year-means of air temperature, precipitation and snow parameters as well as derived indices. They are now available for a variety of scientific and planning purposes

A qualitative study exploring midlife women’s stages of change from domestic violence towards freedom

Gold OABackground Domestic Violence (DV) remains a significant global health problem for women in contemporary society. Existing literature on midlife women’s experiences of domestic violence is limited and focuses on health implications. Leaving a violent relationship is a dynamic process that often requires multiple attempts and separations prior to final termination. The aim of this study was to explore the process of leaving a violent relationship for midlife women. Methods This qualitative study involved fifteen women aged between 40–55 who had accessed residential and non-residential community support services for domestic violence within the UK. Community-based support agencies provided these women with access to letters of invitation and participant information sheet explaining the study. The women notified agency staff who contacted the research team to arrange a mutually convenient time to meet within a safe place for both the women and researchers. It was stressed to all potential participants that no identifiable information would be shared with the agency staff. Women were considered survivors of DV if they defined themselves as such. Data were gathered through semi structured interviews, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Results Midlife women appear to differ from younger women by transitioning quickly though the stages of change, moving rapidly through the breaking free onto the maintenance stage. This rapid transition is the resultant effect of living with long-term violence causing a shift in the women’s perception towards the violent partner, with an associated reclamation of power from within the violent relationship. A realisation that rapid departure from the violence may be critical in terms of personal safety, and the realisation that there was something ‘wrong’ within the relationship, a ‘day of dawning’ that had not been apparent previously appears to positively affect the trajectory of leaving. Conclusions Midlife women appeared to navigate through the stages of change in a rapid linear process, forging ahead and exiting the relationship with certainty and without considering options. Whilst these findings appear to differ from younger women’s process of leaving, further research is needed to explore and understand the optimum time for intervention and support to maximise midlife women’s opportunities to escape an abusive partner, before being reflected appropriately in policy and practice.This study received funding from The Research and Knowledge Transfer Office, The University of Chester, and from the Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation – ‘Healthway

Detecting and characterizing sources of persistent organic pollutants (PAHs AND PCBs) in surface sediments of an industrialized area (Harbour of Trieste, Northern Adriatic)

A sediment sampling based on a two-dimensional mapping was performed in the harbour of Trieste (northern Adriatic Sea), considering 28 sites exposed to pollutant inputs from harbour and industrial activities. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in surface sediments, because these very persistent pollutants seem to be responsible for the depletion of benthic populations observed in this area. The correlation matrix indicates that PAHs and PCBs are non-correlated, and probably have different sources. Both cluster analysis performed on the sampling sites and graphical drawing of the PAH sediment contents make it possible to locate along the shoreline a band of more polluted sediments, clustered around a site facing a steelmaking factory, to be considered as the main source point for PAHs. The evaluation of phenanthrene to anthracene (P/AN) and fuoranthene to pyrene (FL/PY) ratios permits the assessment of the pyrolytic, industrial origin of these PAHs, rejecting a second possible source of hydrocarbons (i.e., an oilpipeline terminal, situated near the steelmaking factory). Graphical drawing of the total PCB iso-concentrations reveals a different source-point for this other category of very persistent pollutants

Non-tariff barriers and the telecommunications sector

'This paper discusses the nature, importance, and measurement of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) in services trade with particular reference to telecommunications services. It is shown that although more effectively addressed for the telecom sector at the multilateral level than for other service sectors, NTBs are still widespread and would appear to have a large potential for restricting trade in services. The paper reviews the scope and classification of non-tariff barriers to services trade and sets out an alternative typology for their classification, highlighting the fact that NTBs may be either government-imposed, may result from non-competitive market structures, or from the absence of appropriate regulation. The latter is shown to constitute one of the most important sources of NTBs in network industries, such as telecommunications services. Attempts by the relevant literature to measure NTBs in telecommunications are summarized and their usefulness in identifying 'appropriate' policy mixes is commented. Lastly, the paper probes the question of whether existing multilateral and regional instruments and agreements are adequate to deal with the non-tariff phenomenon in the telecom sector in its several dimensions.' (author's abstract)'Dieses Papier behandelt das Wesen, die Bedeutung und die Messung nicht-tarifaerer Handelsbeschraenkungen (NTBs) im Dienstleistungshandel, unter besonderer Beruecksichtigung der Telekommunikationsdienstleistungen. Es zeigt, dass NTBs, obwohl sie in der Telekommunikation auf der multilateralen Ebene wirksamer angegangen wurden als in anderen Dienstleistungsbereichen, noch immer weit verbreitet sind und den Dienstleistungshandel potentiell stark beeintraechtigen. Das Papier beschreibt die Erscheinungsformen und die Klassifikation nicht-tarifaerer Handelsschranken im Dienstleistungshandel. Es stellt ein alternatives Klassifikationsschema vor, das von der Beobachtung ausgeht, dass NTBs entweder von Regierungen eingefuehrt sein koennen, oder auf monopolistischen Marktstrukturen basieren, oder Ergebnis unzureichender Regulierungen sind. Gezeigt wird, dass der letztgenannte Tatbestand eine der wichtigsten Quellen von NTBs in Netzwerkindustrien, wie der Telekommunikation, ist. Das Papier gibt einen Ueberblick ueber die Literatur zur Messung nicht-tarifaerer Handelsschranken in der Telekommunikation und kommentiert ihre Brauchbarkeit fuer die Entwicklung geeigneter 'policy mixes'. Schliesslich wird geprueft, ob die existierenden multilateralen und regionalen Instrumente und Vereinbarungen ausreichend sind, um mit dem vielschichtigen Problem der nicht-tarifaeren Hemmnisse im Telekommunikationssektor umzugehen.' (Autorenreferat)German title: Nichttarifaere Handelshemmnisse und der TelekommunikationssektorAvailable from <a href=http://www.hwwa.de/Publikationen/Discussion target=NewWindow>http://www.hwwa.de/Publikationen/Discussion</a> Paper/2002/160.pdf / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Multivariate Classification and Modelling in surface water pollution estimation

The present study deals with the application of selforganizing maps (SOM) and multiway principal-components analysis to classify, model, and interpret a large monitoring data set for surface water quality. The chemometric methods applied made it possible to reveal specific quality patterns of the chemical and biological parameters used to monitor the water quality (relation between water temperature, turbidity, hardness, colibacteria), seasonal impacts during the long period of observation and the relative independence on the spatial location of the sampling sites (water supply sources for the City of Trieste)