193 research outputs found
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Projected impacts on heat-related mortality from changes in the mean and variability of temperature with climate change
The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of changing temperature variability
with climate change in assessments of future heat-related mortality. Previous studies have only considered
changes in the mean temperature. Here we present estimates of heat-related mortality resulting from climate
change for six cities: Boston, Budapest, Dallas, Lisbon, London and Sydney. They are based on climate
change scenarios for the 2080s (2070-2099) and the temperature-mortality (t-m) models constructed and
validated in Gosling et al. (2007). We propose a novel methodology for assessing the impacts of climate
change on heat-related mortality that considers both changes in the mean and variability of the temperature
distribution
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Processors (WO 2010/082067 A2)
A processing system comprises a plurality of processors (12) and communication means (20) arranged to carry
messages between the processors, wherein each of the processors (12) has an operating instruction memory field (32, 34, 36) arranged to hold stored operating instructions including a re-routing target address. Each processor is arranged to receive a message (38) including operating instructions including a target address. On receipt of the message, each processor is arranged to: check the target address in the message to determine whether it corresponds to an address associated with the processor; if the target address in the message does correspond to an address associated with the processor, to check the operating instructions in the message to determine whether the message is to be re-routed; and, if the message is to be re-routed, to replace operating instructions within the message with the stored operating instructions, and place the message on the communication means for delivery to the
re-routing target address
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Processors
A patent describing a computer architecture which implements a Perspex instruction
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Moving from knowledge hierarchies towards a Knowledge Exchange Partnership in development and Development Studies
What we teach in ‘Global North’ institutions can create
the basis for authoritative knowledge in development.
We might ‘decolonise our curriculum’ by adding a diversity
of writers to our reading lists, but they are still our reading
lists. Academics inhabit a closed space of power when
designing what we teach but are not the only stakeholders
in their design. This has provoked me, as the Programme
Director of UoR’s BSc International Development, to ask:
Do Development Studies programmes challenge current
structural inequalities or reinforce them
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Insights for the development of a functional fish product: drivers and barriers, acceptance, and communication of health benefits
This study aims to explore consumer acceptance of a new functional fish burger using a qualitative approach based on four focus group discussions conducted in selected major Italian cities. Results show that the development of functional fish products may bypass fish consumption barriers, combining convenience and health benefits delivered by functional ingredients. The acceptance of new functional fish products seems to be influenced positively by the enrichment of functional ingredients naturally present in fish, particularly omega-3 fatty acids. Consumer acceptance of this new product is also influenced by the use of different nutritional and health claims. Implications for marketers and policy makers and insights for further research are discussed in the conclusions
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Quantifying the potential for improved management of weather risk using subseasonal forecasting: the case of UK telecommunications infrastructure
Reliable and affordable telecommunications are an integral part of service-based economies but the nature of the associated physical infrastructure leads to considerable exposure to weather. With unique access to observational records of the UK fixed-line telecommunications infrastructure, an end-to-end demonstration of how extended range forecasts can be used to improve the management of weather risk is presented, assessing forecast value on both short term ‘operational’ (weeks) and longer term ‘planning’ timeframes (months/years). A robust long-term weather-related fault-rate climatology is first constructed at weekly resolution, based on the ERA-Interim reanalysis. A clear dependence of winter fault rates on large-scale atmospheric circulation indices is demonstrated. The ECMWF subseasonal forecast system is subsequently shown to produce skilful forecast of winter-time weekly fault-rates at lead times of 3-4 weeks ahead (i.e., days 14-20 and 21-28).
Forecast skill at a given lead-time is, however, a necessary rather than sufficient condition for improved risk management. It is shown that practical decision-making leads to dependencies across multiple forecasts times that cannot be modelled using traditional “cost-loss matrix” methods as errors in previous forecasts influence the value of subsequent forecasts. A parsimonious model representing operational decision-making for fault repair scheduling is therefore constructed to show that fault-rate forecast skill does improve both short-term and long-term management outcomes (in this case meeting performance targets more often in the short-term, or reducing the resources required to achieve these targets in the long-term). Consequently, it is argued that new methods are needed for forecast skill assessment in complex decision environments
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Establishing a connection between knowledge transfer and innovation diffusion
Successful innovation diffusion process may well take the form of knowledge transfer process. Therefore, the primary objectives of this paper include: first, to evaluate the interrelations between transfer of knowledge and diffusion of innovation; and second to develop a model to establish a connection between the two. This has been achieved using a four-step approach. The first step of the approach is to assess and discuss the theories relating to knowledge transfer (KT) and innovation diffusion (ID). The second step focuses on developing basic models for KT and ID, based on the key theories surrounding these areas. A considerable amount of literature has been written on the association between knowledge management and innovation, the respective fields of KT and ID. The next step, therefore, explores the relationship between innovation and knowledge management in order to identify the connections between the latter, i.e. KT and ID. Finally, step four proposes and develops an integrated model for KT and ID. As the developed model suggests the sub-processes of knowledge transfer can be connected to the innovation diffusion process in several instances as discussed and illustrated in the paper
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A soft systems methodology approach to the improvement of a housing association’s defects management and learning systems
Rapid growth in the production of new homes in the United Kingdom (UK) is putting build quality under pressure as evidenced by rising numbers of defects. Housing Associations (HAs) contribute approximately 20% to the UK’s housing supply. HAs are experiencing challenges of central government funding cuts and rental revenue reductions. Maximising the benefit of learning from defects is recognised as being a key opportunity for HAs to help meet these challenges. This paper explores how a HA is introducing change to improve the way they learn from past defects in an effort to reduce the prevalence of defects in future new homes. Soft systems methodology was used to assist a HA who were intent on making such change, but were unable to identify a clear improvement opportunity. The findings identify a significant mismatch between what the HA’s system should be doing to enable the HA to manage and learn from defects and the current situation. The mismatch has revealed to the HA that a modification to their information system is necessary to improve performance and enhance learning via live data analysis and reporting. This research is ongoing and the HA is currently in the ‘taking action’ stage
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Estimation of water storage changes in small endorheic lakes in Northern Kazakhstan
Both climate change and anthropogenic activities contribute to the deterioration of terrestrial water resources and ecosystems worldwide, with Central Asia and its endorheic lakes being among the most severely affected. We used a digital elevation model, bathymetry maps and Landsat images to estimate the areal water cover extent and volumetric storage changes for eleven small terminal lakes in Burabay National Nature Park (BNNP) in Northern Kazakhstan from 1986 to 2016. Based on the analysis of hydrometeorological observations, lake water balance, lake evaporation and Budyko equations, driven by gridded climate and global atmospheric reanalysis datasets, we evaluate the impact of historical climatic conditions on the water balance of the BNNP lake catchments. The total surface water area of the BNNP lakes decreased by around 7% for that period, mainly due to a reduction in the extent of three main lakes. In contrast, for some smaller lakes, the surface area increased. Overall, we attribute the decline of the BNNP lakes’ areal extent and volume to the prolonged periods of water balance deficit when lake evaporation exceeded precipitation. However, during the most recent years (2013-2016) precipitation increased and the BNNP lake levels stabilized
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Intra-annual taxonomic and phenological drivers of spectral variance in grasslands
According to the Spectral Variation Hypothesis (SVH), spectral variance has the potential to predict taxonomic composition in grasslands over time. However, in previous studies the relationship has been found to be unstable. We hypothesise that the diversity of phenological stages is also a driver of spectral variance and could act to confound the species signal. To test this concept, intra-annual repeat spectral and botanical sampling was performed at the quadrat scale at two grassland sites, one displaying high species diversity and the other low species diversity. Six botanical metrics were used, three taxonomy based and three phenology based. Using uni-temporal linear permutation models, we found that the SVH only held at the high diversity site and only for certain metrics and at particular time points. We tested the seasonal influence of the taxonomic and phenological metrics on spectral variance using linear mixed models. A significant interaction term of percent mature leaves and species diversity was found, with the most parsimonious model explaining 43% of the intra-annual change. These results indicate that the dominant canopy phenology stage is a confounding variable when examining the spectral variance -species diversity relationship. We emphasise the challenges that exist in tracking species or phenology-based metrics in grasslands using spectral variance but encourage further research that contextualises spectral variance data within seasonal plant development alongside other canopy structural and leaf traits
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