Geomagnetic disturbances on ground associated with particle precipitation during SC

We have examined several cases of magnetosphere compression by solar wind pressure pulses using a set of instruments located in the noon sector of auroral zone. We have found that the increase in riometric absorption (sudden commencement absorption, SCA) occurred simultaneously with the beginning of negative or positive magnetic variations and broadband enhancement of magnetic activity in the frequency range above 0.1 Hz. Since magnetic variations were observed before the step-like increase of magnetic field at equatorial station (main impulse, MI), the negative declinations resembled the so-called preliminary impulse, PI. In this paper a mechanism for the generation of PI is introduced whereby PI's generation is linked to SCA – associated precipitation and the local enhancement of ionospheric conductivity leading to the reconstruction of the ionospheric current system prior to MI. Calculation showed that PI polarity depends on orientation of the background electric field and location of the observation point relative to ionospheric irregularity. For one case of direct measurements of electric field in the place where the ionospheric irregularity was present, the sign of calculated disturbance corresponded to the observed one. High-resolution measurements on IRIS facility and meridional chain of the induction magnetometers are utilized for the accurate timing of the impact of solar wind irregularity on the magnetopause

Revisiting travellers' diarrhoea justifying antibiotic treatment: prospective study

Background As antimicrobials increase the risk of acquiring multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, unnecessary antibiotics should be avoided for travellers’ diarrhoea (TD). Antibiotics are recommended in TD accompanied by fever or incapacitation (TD justifying use of antibiotics, TDjuAB). Seeking tools for reducing antibiotic use, we explored factors predisposing to TDjuAB and scrutinized antibiotic treatment among those with TDjuAB [TDjuAB(+) subgroup] and those with diarrhoea not justifying antibiotics [TDjuAB(−) subgroup]. Methods We conducted a study among 370 prospectively recruited visitors to the tropics. Stool samples and questionnaires were collected before and after travel. Enteric pathogens were analysed by qPCR for enteropathogenic (EPEC), enteroaggregative (EAEC), enterotoxigenic (ETEC), enterohaemorrhagic (EHEC) and enteroinvasive (EIEC) E. coli/Shigella, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Yersinia and Vibrio cholerae, and for ETEC’s toxins LT (heat-labile), STh (human heat-stable) and STp (porcine heat-stable). TD was defined by the WHO criteria and TDjuAB as diarrhoea accompanied by fever, and/or disrupting or preventing daily activities. Multivariable analysis was applied—separately for travel-related factors and pathogens—to identify risk factors for TDjuAB(+). Results Among the 370 travellers, TD was contracted by 253 (68%), categorized as TDjuAB(+) in 93/253 (37%) and TDjuAB(−) in 160/253 (63%) of the cases. Antibiotics were used for TD by 41% in TDjuAB(+) and by 7% in the TDjuAB(−) group. Relative risk ratios (RRR)s are presented for both the TDjuAB(+) and the TDjuAB(−) groups. TDjuAB(+) was associated with long travel duration and young age. Among the 298 subjects not having taken antibiotics, increased RRRs were found e.g. for findings of Campylobacter coli/jejuni and ETEC’s STh toxin. Conclusions The first to analyse risk factors for TDjuAB, our study presents RRRs for demographic and behavioural factors and for various pathogens. Only less than half of those in the TDjuAB(+) group took antibiotics, which demonstrates that most cases meeting the current criteria recover without antimicrobial treatment.Peer reviewe

An architecture for presenting auditory awareness information in pervasive computing environments

Presented at the 12th International Conference on Auditory Display (ICAD), London, UK, June 20-23, 2006.In this paper we present how awareness can be supported in pervasive computing environments through auditory information. We introduce an application which uses soundscapes to support people's awareness of each other's presence in an office environment. We describe several techniques for construction and control of such soundscapes. Finally, we present an architecture for designing and controlling soundscapes. The architecture is based on managers, agents, evaluators, a blackboard information storage, and a control language, it emphasizes reusability and extensibility, and it is built upon a common system framework

High resolution general purpose D-layer experiment for EISCAT incoherent scatter radars using selected set of random codes

International audienceThe ionospheric D-layer is a narrow bandwidth radar target often with a very small scattering cross section. The target autocorrelation function can be obtained by transmitting a series of relatively short coded pulses and computing the correlation between data obtained from different pulses. The spatial resolution should be as high as possible and the spatial side lobes of the codes used should be as small as possible. However, due to the short pulse repetition period (in the order of milliseconds) at any instant, the radar receives detectable scattered signals not only from the pulse illuminating the D-region but also from 3?5 ambiguous-range pulses, which makes it difficult to produce a reliable estimate near zero lag of the autocorrelation function. A new experimental solution to this measurement problem, using a selected set of 40-bit random codes with 4 µs elements giving 600 m spatial resolution is presented. The zero lag is approximated by dividing the pulse into two 20-bit codes and computing the correlation between those two pulses. The lowest altitudes of the E-layer are measured by dividing the pulse into 5 pieces of 8 bits, which allows for computation of 4 lags. In addition, coherent integration of data from four pulses is used for obtaining separately the autocorrelation function estimate for the lowest altitudes and in cases when the target contains structures with a long coherence time. Design details and responses of the experiment are given, and analysed test data are shown

Effect of Rhesus D incompatibility on schizophrenia depends on offspring sex.

Rhesus D incompatibility increases risk for schizophrenia, with some evidence that risk is limited to male offspring. The purpose of this study is to determine whether risk for schizophrenia due to Rhesus D incompatibility differs by offspring sex using a nuclear family-based candidate gene approach and a meta-analysis approach. The genetic study is based on a sample of 277 nuclear families with RHD genotype data on at least one parent and at least one child diagnosed with schizophrenia or related disorder. Meta-analysis inclusion criteria were (1) well-defined sample of schizophrenia patients with majority born before 1970, (2) Rhesus D incompatibility phenotype or genotype data available on mother and offspring, and by offspring sex. Two of ten studies, plus the current genetic study sample, fulfilled these criteria, for a total of 358 affected males and 226 affected females. The genetic study found that schizophrenia risk for incompatible males was significantly greater than for compatible offspring (p=0.03), while risk for incompatible and compatible females was not significantly different (p=.32). Relative risks for incompatible males and females were not significantly different from each other. Meta-analysis using a larger number of affected males and females supports their difference. Taken together, these results provide further support that risk of schizophrenia due to Rhesus D incompatibility is limited to incompatible males, although a weak female incompatibility effect cannot be excluded. Sex differences during fetal neurodevelopment should be investigated to fully elucidate the etiology of schizophrenia

Activity of perch, Perca fluviatilis L. in relation to water temperature [Translation from: Kalamies 1973(6) 4.]

Catchability and activity of Perca fluviatilis in relation to temperature is examined. The number of fish caught and water temperature during the 3 summer months was used the assess the numbers of hours of activity of perch. Parallel to the research on activity, large-scale marking was carried out to establish the periods of growth during the year

EU Peatlands: Current Carbon Stocks and Trace Gas Fluxes

Peatlands in Europe has formed a significant sink for atmospheric CO2 since the last glacial maximum. Currently they are estimated to hold ca. 42 Gt carbon in the form of peat and are therefore a considerable component in the European carbon budget. Due to the generally wet soil conditions in peatlands they are also significant emitters of the strong greenhouse gas (GHG) methane (CH4) and in some cases also of nitrous oxide (N2O). The EU funded CarboEurope-GHG Concerted Action attempts to develop a reliable and complete greenhouse gas budget for Europe and this report aims to provide a review and synthesis of the available information about GHG exchanges in European peatlands and their underlying processes. A best estimate for all the European countries shows that some are currently sinks for atmospheric CO2 while others are sources. In contrast, for CH4 and N2O, only the sources are relevant. Whilst some countries are CO2 sinks, all countries are net GHG emitters from peatlands. The results presented, however, carry large uncertainties, which cannot be adequately quantified yet. One outstanding uncertainty is the distribution of land use types, particular in Russia, the largest European peat nation. The synthesis of GHG exchange, nevertheless, indicates some interesting features. Russia hosts an estimated 41% of European peatlands and contributes most to all GHG exchanges (CO2: 25%, CH4: 52%, N2O: 26%, Total: 37%). Germany is the second-largest emitter (12% of European total) although it contains only 3.2% of European peatlands. The reason is the use of most of the peatland area for intensive cropland and grassland. The largest CO2 emitters are countries with large agricultural peatland areas (Russia, Germany, Belarus, Poland), the largest N2O emitters are those with large agricultural fen areas (Russia, Germany, Finland). In contrast, the largest CH4 emitters are concentrated in regions with large areas of intact mires, namely Russia and Scandinavia. High average emission densities above 3.5 t C-equiv. ha-1 are found in the Southeast Mediterranean, Germany and the Netherlands where agricultural use of peatlands is intense. Low average emission densities below 0.3 t C-equiv. ha-1 occur where mires and peatland forests dominate, e.g. Finland and the UK. This report concludes by pointing at key gaps in our knowledge about peatland carbon stocks and GHG exchanges which include insufficient basic information on areal distribution of peatlands, measurements of peat depth and also a lack of flux datasets providing full annual budgets of GHG exchanges

Kahlaajapopulaatioiden vähenemisen syyt ja ympäristönhoitotoimet

Tiivistelmä. Kahlaajat ovat monipuolinen maassa pesivien lintujen ryhmä. Ne ovat vähentyneet rajusti ympäri Eurooppaa. Kahlaajat pesivät matalakasvuisilla ja kosteilla niityillä. Niiden vähenemisen uskotaan johtuvan pääosin pesimäpaikoilla tapahtuvista muutoksista. Kahlaajia suojellaan mm. muuttamalla maataloustoimia kahlaajille ystävällisemmiksi sekä niittämällä ja laiduntamalla pesimäympäristöjä Euroopan Unionin (EU) erityismaataloustukien avulla, joiden vaikutukset vaihtelevat positiivisesta, neutraaliin ja negatiiviseen. Perehdyn työssäni tieteellisen kirjallisuuden avulla kahlaajien vähenemiseen ja kahlaajiin kohdistettuihin hoitotoimiin. Selvitän 1) mitkä demografiset tekijät ovat vähenemisen taustalla. 2) Mitkä prosessit ovat vaikuttaneet näihin muutoksiin. 3) Lopuksi selvitän miten eri hoitotoimet ovat vaikuttaneet kahlaajapopulaatioihin. Kahlaajien vähenemiseen vaikuttavat monet demografiset tekijät. Aikuisten yksilöiden, pesien sekä poikasten säilyvyys on tärkeää taata populaatioiden ylläpitämiseksi. Maassa pesivinä lintuina kahlaajia uhkaa suuresti heikko pesäsäilyvyys. Siihen vaikuttaa etenkin lisääntynyt saalistus. Muun muassa uudet vieraspedot kuten minkki ja supikoira tuhoavat aktiivisesti kahlaajien pesiä. Myös pesimäympäristöjen muutokset uhkaavat kahlaajia, koska useat kahlaajat ovat vaativia oikeanlaisen ympäristön suhteen, jotta pesimäympäristö olisi turvallinen ja ravinteikas poikasille. Kahlaajien tilanteen parantamiseksi Euroopan Unioni on tehnyt useita hoitotoimia, joilla pyritään auttamaan kahlaajapopulaatioita. Monien hoitotoimien vaikutukset ovat kiisteltyjä, mutta useat keinot ovat nykyisin välttämättömiä kahlaajille sopivan ympäristön ylläpitämiseksi. Tärkeimpiä hoitotoimia ovat laiduntaminen, niitto ja petojen poistaminen pesimäalueilta. Laidunnus ja niitto ylläpitävät kahlaajien pesinnälle sopivia ruohomaita ja estävät umpeen kasvua. Petojen poisto taas on yksi tärkeimpiä kahlaajia suojelevia toimia, koska lisääntyneet pedot uhkaavat kahlaajapopulaatioita. Kahlaajapopulaatioiden säilymisen kannalta on kriittistä, että niiden suojelua edistetään laajoilla hoitotoimilla. Jatkossa olisi hyvä panostaa alun perin turvallisiin ja sopiviin pesimäympäristöihin ihmisasutuksen lähellä olevien peltojen sijaan

Big datan hyödyntäminen kaupunkisuunnittelussa

Tiivistelmä. Tässä kandidaatintyössä käsitellään big datan ja kaupunkisuunnittelun yhteyttä. Ensimmäiseksi big dataa itsessään, sekä sen jälkeen sen mahdollisuuksia ja haasteita kaupunkisuunnittelun yhteydessä. Big datan hyödyntäminen on kaupunkisuunnittelussa kasvava trendi ja tulevaisuudessa rutiinia. Terminä big data on tuore, sillä siitä on puhuttu vasta 10 vuotta. Usein termi big data käsitetään kolmen v:n määritelmän kautta. Lyhyesti sanottuna se on kuitenkin dataa, joka ei mahdu perinteiseen Excel-tiedostoon. Datan määrä kasvaa yli 40 prosenttia vuosittain digitaalisten laitteiden yleistyessä. Merkittävimmät big datan lähteet kaupungeille ovat älypuhelinten tuottama sijaintitieto, julkisen liikenteen älykorttitiedot, sosiaalisen median ja hakukoneiden tuottama data, sensoreiden ja antureiden tuottama data, sekä eri datalähteiden yhdistely. Big data on yksi älykaupunkien rakennusaineista, ja se muuttaa kaupunkisuunnittelua merkittävästi. Kaupungit haluavat tehostaa toimintojaan ja olla entistä kilpailukykyisempiä. Big datan avulla päätöksentekoa on mahdollista muuttaa entistä dynaamisemmaksi ja tehokkaammaksi, sekä sen avulla on mahdollista osallistaa laajempi kansanjoukko vaikuttamaan päätöksentekoon. Lisäksi big data on tuonut uusia mahdollisuuksia päätösten simulointiin ja arviointiin. Konkreettisemmin big dataa on hyödynnetty muun muassa maankäytön ja liikenteen suunnittelussa. Aiheen tuoreuden takia kaikkia mahdollisuuksia ei ole vielä löydetty ja ala tulee kehittymään nopeasti. Kuitenkin myös riskejä ja haasteita on paljon. Näistä oleellisimpia ovat big datan saatavuus, laatu ja koulutuksen puute. Myös yksityisyys, tietoturva ja liian datavetoinen päätöksenteko herättävät huolta