Surface water floods in Switzerland: what insurance claim records tell us about the damage in space and time

Surface water floods (SWFs) have received increasing attention in the recent years. Nevertheless, we still know relatively little about where, when and why such floods occur and cause damage, largely due to a lack of data but to some degree also because of terminological ambiguities. Therefore, in a preparatory step, we summarize related terms and identify the need for unequivocal terminology across disciplines and international boundaries in order to bring the science together. Thereafter, we introduce a large (n = 63 117), long (10–33 years) and representative (48 % of all Swiss buildings covered) data set of spatially explicit Swiss insurance flood claims. Based on registered flood damage to buildings, the main aims of this study are twofold: First, we introduce a method to differentiate damage caused by SWFs and fluvial floods based on the geographical location of each damaged object in relation to flood hazard maps and the hydrological network. Second, we analyze the data with respect to their spatial and temporal distributions aimed at quantitatively answering the fundamental questions of how relevant SWF damage really is, as well as where and when it occurs in space and time. This study reveals that SWFs are responsible for at least 45 % of the flood damage to buildings and 23 % of the associated direct tangible losses, whereas lower losses per claim are responsible for the lower loss share. The Swiss lowlands are affected more heavily by SWFs than the alpine regions. At the same time, the results show that the damage claims and associated losses are not evenly distributed within each region either. Damage caused by SWFs occurs by far most frequently in summer in almost all regions. The normalized SWF damage of all regions shows no significant upward trend between 1993 and 2013. We conclude that SWFs are in fact a highly relevant process in Switzerland that should receive similar attention like fluvial flood hazards. Moreover, as SWF damage almost always coincides with fluvial flood damage, we suggest considering SWFs, like fluvial floods, as integrated processes of our catchments

Atomic matter wave scanner

We report on the experimental realization of an atom optical device, that allows scanning of an atomic beam. We used a time-modulated evanescent wave field above a glass surface to diffract a continuous beam of metastable Neon atoms at grazing incidence. The diffraction angles and efficiencies were controlled by the frequency and form of modulation, respectively. With an optimized shape, obtained from a numerical simulation, we were able to transfer more than 50% of the atoms into the first order beam, which we were able to move over a range of 8 mrad.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Klinische Evaluation eines Überdruckventils für Kindertuben mit Cuff

Zusammenfassung: Ziel: Zum sicheren Einsatz von Tuben mit Cuff bei Kindern ist eine Cuffdruckbegrenzung bei 20-25cmH2O von entscheidender Bedeutung. Ziel der Studie war es, die Zuverlässigkeit und den Nutzen eines neuen Cuffüberdruckventils (Öffnungsdruck 20cmH2O) in Kombination mit Tuben mit Cuff in der klinischen Anwendung bei Kindern zu evaluieren. Methodik: In einer prospektiven Studie wurde der Cuffdruck bei Kindern und Adoleszenten, die mithilfe von Tuben mit Cuff intubiert waren und eine Sevofluran-Lachgas-Anästhesie erhielten, protokolliert. Das Cuffdruckentlastungsventil wurde zwischen Cuffmanometer und Pilotballon geschaltet. Bei 25Patienten wurde die Messung vom initialen Öffnungsdruck (GruppeA) aus und bei weiteren 25Patienten vom minimalen Dichtungsdruck (GruppeB) aus gestartet. Ergebnisse: Fünfzig Patienten im Alter von 0,4 bis 17,8Jahren (Median 7,4Jahre) wurden in die Studie aufgenommen. Der Öffnungsdruck (GruppeA) lag bei 19,7±0,8cmH2O und der minimale Dichtungscuffdruck (GruppeB) bei 11,7±2,9cmH2O (Variationsbreite 6-16cmH2O). Die mittleren Cuffdruckwerte in GruppeA stabilisierten sich bei 20,4±1,6cmH2O, während sich die Cuffdruckwerte in GruppeB bei 16,5±3,3cmH2O einpendelten. Bei einem Patienten der GruppeA kam es zu einem Überschreiten der Cuffdruckgrenze von 25cmH2O; dies hatte eine manuelle Entlastung gemäß Protokoll zur Folge. Insgesamt waren während 103,1Messstunden 24Nachfüllmanöver (14 in GruppeA und 10 in GruppeB) wegen Druckabfalls mit hörbarer Luftleckage notwendig. Die meisten davon waren durch Druckerhöhungen bei der Umlagerung des Patienten bzw. nachfolgender Entlastung durch das Überdruckventil verursacht. Schlussfolgerung: Die vorliegende Untersuchung zeigt, dass das eingesetzte, einfache und leicht zu handhabende Cuffüberdruckventil zur intraoperativen Cuffdrucklimitierung bei Kindern und Adoleszenten mit geblockten Trachealtuben geeignet is

In-line filter included into the syringe infusion pump assembly reduces flow irregularities

Purpose: To evaluate whether an in-line filter inserted in the syringe pump infusion line assembly influences start-up times and flow irregularities during vertical pump displacement at low infusion rates. Methods: Fluid delivery after syringe pump start-up and after vertical displacement of the syringe pump by −50cm was determined gravimetrically at flow rates of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0mlh−1. Measurements were repeated for each flow rate four times with two different syringe pumps with and without an in-line filter incorporated. Data are shown as median and range. Results: Start-up times were reduced by an in-line filter at 0.5mlh−1 flow rate from 355.5s (0-660) to 115s (0-320), whereas the effect was attenuated at higher flow rates. Pooling of fluid into the infusion system after lowering the infusion syringe pump was halved in all flow rates tested. Amount of infusion bolus after elevating the syringe pump by 50cm was not affected by an in-line filter. Conclusion: In the evaluated model in-line filters help to reduce flow irregularities and delay in drug delivery of syringe pumps at low flow rates and represent an option to optimize continuous administration of highly concentrated short-acting drugs at very small infusion rate

Rapid pressure compensation by automated cuff pressure controllers worsens sealing in tracheal tubes

Background Cyclic redistribution of air within the cuff during respiratory pressure changes creates a self-sealing mechanism which allows tracheal sealing, despite tracheal airway pressure being above baseline cuff inflation pressure. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of continuous automated cuff pressure regulation on tracheal sealing during cyclic respiratory pressure changes. Methods In vitro tracheal sealing was studied in four different high volume-low pressure (HVLP) tracheal tube cuffs size internal diameter 8.0 and 5.0 mm in combination with a conventional pressure manometer and two different automated pressure controllers (VBM Cuff Controller; Cuff Pressure Control Tracoe™). Experiments were performed at 10, 15, 20, and 25 cm H2O cuff pressure during intermittent positive pressure ventilation with peak inspiratory pressures of 20 and 25 cm H2O. Air leakage was assessed spirometrically. Experiments were performed four times with each tube brand and size with two exemplars of each of the three cuff pressure controllers. Results Owing to immediate cuff pressure correction, tracheal sealing at cuff pressure below inspiratory pressure was reduced in most of the tracheal tube cuffs, except in those with reduced sealing characteristics when using the Pressure Control Tracoe™ compared with the conventional pressure manometer and the VBM Cuff Controller. Tracheal sealing with the Pressure Control Tracoe™ comparable with the other two devices was only achieved at cuff pressures of 20 and 25 cm H2O. Conclusions Automated cuff pressure controllers with rapid pressure correction interfere with the self-sealing mechanism of high sealing HVLP tube cuffs and reduce their improved sealing characteristic

Hypothermia for perinatal asphyxial encephalopathy. A Swiss survey of opinion, practice and cerebral investigations

BACKGROUND: Perinatal asphyxial encephalopathy occurs in 1-per 1000 live births and is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Therapeutic hypothermia increases intact survival and improves neurodevelopmental outcome in survivors.AIMS: To evaluate (i) the opinion and practice of therapeutic hypothermia as a therapy for moderate to severe perinatal asphyxial encephalopathy amongst Swiss neonatologists and paediatric intensive care specialists, (ii) the current clinical management of infants with perinatal asphyxial encephalopathy and (iii) the need for a national perinatal asphyxia and therapeutic hypothermia registry.METHODS: Two web-based questionnaires were sent to 18 senior staff physicians within the Swiss Neonatal Network.RESULTS: Therapeutic hypothermia was considered effective by all responders, however only 11 of 18 units provided therapeutic hypothermia. Cooling was initiated during transfer and performed passively in 82% of centres with a target rectal temperature of 33-34 degrees C. Most units ventilated infants with perinatal asphyxial encephalopathy if clinically indicated and 73% of responders gave analgesia routinely to cooled infants. Neuromonitoring included continuous amplitude integrated EEG (aEEG) and EEG. Neuroimaging included cranial ultrasound (cUS), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT). Sixty-seven percent of units treating infants with perinatal asphyxial encephalopathy performed MRI routinely. All heads of departments questioned indicated that a "Swiss National Asphyxia and Cooling Registry" is needed.CONCLUSIONS: In Switzerland, access to therapeutic hypothermia is widespread and Swiss neonatologists believe that therapeutic hypothermia for perinatal asphyxia is effective. National cooling protocols are needed for the management of infants with perinatal asphyxial encephalopathy in order to ensure safe cooling, appropriate monitoring, imaging and follow-up assessment. A national registry is needed to collect data on diagnosis, treatment, adverse events and outcome

Permissive Controller Synthesis for Probabilistic Systems

We propose novel controller synthesis techniques for probabilistic systems modelled using stochastic two-player games: one player acts as a controller, the second represents its environment, and probability is used to capture uncertainty arising due to, for example, unreliable sensors or faulty system components. Our aim is to generate robust controllers that are resilient to unexpected system changes at runtime, and flexible enough to be adapted if additional constraints need to be imposed. We develop a permissive controller synthesis framework, which generates multi-strategies for the controller, offering a choice of control actions to take at each time step. We formalise the notion of permissivity using penalties, which are incurred each time a possible control action is disallowed by a multi-strategy. Permissive controller synthesis aims to generate a multi-strategy that minimises these penalties, whilst guaranteeing the satisfaction of a specified system property. We establish several key results about the optimality of multi-strategies and the complexity of synthesising them. Then, we develop methods to perform permissive controller synthesis using mixed integer linear programming and illustrate their effectiveness on a selection of case studies

Resolved diffraction patterns from a reflection grating for atoms

We have studied atomic diffraction at normal incidence from an evanescent standing wave with a high resolution using velocity selective Raman transitions. We have observed up to 3 resolved orders of diffraction, which are well accounted for by a scalar diffraction theory. In our experiment the transverse coherence length of the source is greater than the period of the diffraction grating.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

Matter wave pulses characteristics

We study the properties of quantum single-particle wave pulses created by sharp-edged or apodized shutters with single or periodic openings. In particular, we examine the visibility of diffraction fringes depending on evolution time and temperature; the purity of the state depending on the opening-time window; the accuracy of a simplified description which uses ``source'' boundary conditions instead of solving an initial value problem; and the effects of apodization on the energy width.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figure

First Measurement of the Transverse Spin Asymmetries of the Deuteron in Semi-Inclusive Deep Inelastic Scattering

First measurements of the Collins and Sivers asymmetries of charged hadrons produced in deep-inelastic scattering of muons on a transversely polarized 6-LiD target are presented. The data were taken in 2002 with the COMPASS spectrometer using the muon beam of the CERN SPS at 160 GeV/c. The Collins asymmetry turns out to be compatible with zero, as does the measured Sivers asymmetry within the present statistical errors.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure