Using near infra-red spectroscopy for characterization of transiting exoplanets

We propose a method for observing transiting exoplanets with near-infrared high-resolution spectrometers. We aim to create a robust data analysis method for recovering atmospheric transmission spectra from transiting exoplanets over a wide wavelength range in the near infrared. By using an inverse method approach, combined with stellar models and telluric transmission spectra, the method recovers the transiting exoplanet's atmospheric transmittance at high precision over a wide wavelength range. We describe our method and have tested it by simulating observations. This method is capable of recovering transmission spectra of high enough accuracy to identify absorption features from molecules such as O2, CH4, CO2, and H2O. This accuracy is achievable for Jupiter-size exoplanetsat S/N that can be reached for 8m class telescopes using high-resolution spectrometers (R>20 000) during a single transit, and for Earth-size planets and super-Earths transiting late K or M dwarf stars at S/N reachable during observations of less than 10 transits. We also analyse potential error sources to show the robustness of the method. Detection and characterization of atmospheres of both Jupiter-size planets and smaller rocky planets looks promising using this set-up.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figures, accepted to A&

Games the Government Plays: Federal Funding of Minority Economic Development

The objective of this study was to investigate regional differences in injury incidence in men's professional football in Europe. A nine-season prospective cohort study was carried out between 2001–2002 and 2009–2010 involving 1357 players in 25 teams from nine countries. Teams were categorized into different regions according to the Köppen–Geiger climate classification system. Teams from the northern parts of Europe (n = 20) had higher incidences of injury overall [rate ratio 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06 to 1.20], training injury (rate ratio 1.16, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.27), and severe injury (rate ratio 1.29, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.52), all statistically significant, compared to teams from more southern parts (n  = 5). In contrast, the anterior cruciate ligament injury incidence was lower in the northern European teams with a statistically significant difference (rate ratio 0.43, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.77), especially for noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injury (rate ratio 0.19, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.39). In conclusion, this study suggests that there are regional differences in injury incidence of European professional football. However, further studies are needed to identify the underlying causes.Funding Agencies|UEFA Football Development Division||Swedish National Centre for Research in Sports||</p

Unifying Requirements and Code: an Example

Requirements and code, in conventional software engineering wisdom, belong to entirely different worlds. Is it possible to unify these two worlds? A unified framework could help make software easier to change and reuse. To explore the feasibility of such an approach, the case study reported here takes a classic example from the requirements engineering literature and describes it using a programming language framework to express both domain and machine properties. The paper describes the solution, discusses its benefits and limitations, and assesses its scalability.Comment: 13 pages; 7 figures; to appear in Ershov Informatics Conference, PSI, Kazan, Russia (LNCS), 201

Preventing knee injuries in adolescent female football players – design of a cluster randomized controlled trial [NCT00894595]

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Knee injuries in football are common regardless of age, gender or playing level, but adolescent females seem to have the highest risk. The consequences after severe knee injury, for example anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, are well-known, but less is known about knee injury prevention. We have designed a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effect of a warm-up program aimed at preventing acute knee injury in adolescent female football.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this cluster randomized trial 516 teams (309 clusters) in eight regional football districts in Sweden with female players aged 13–17 years were randomized into an intervention group (260 teams) or a control group (256 teams). The teams in the intervention group were instructed to do a structured warm-up program at two training sessions per week throughout the 2009 competitive season (April to October) and those in the control group were informed to train and play as usual. Sixty-eight sports physical therapists are assigned to the clubs to assist both groups in data collection and to examine the players' acute knee injuries during the study period. Three different forms are used in the trial: (1) baseline player data form collected at the start of the trial, (2) computer-based registration form collected every month, on which one of the coaches/team leaders documents individual player exposure, and (3) injury report form on which the study therapists report acute knee injuries resulting in time loss from training or match play. The primary outcome is the incidence of ACL injury and the secondary outcomes are the incidence of any acute knee injury (except contusion) and incidence of severe knee injury (defined as injury resulting in absence of more than 4 weeks). Outcome measures are assessed after the end of the 2009 season.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Prevention of knee injury is beneficial for players, clubs, insurance companies, and society. If the warm-up program is proven to be effective in reducing the incidence of knee injury, it can have a major impact by reducing the future knee injury burden in female football as well as the negative long-term disabilities associated with knee injury.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>NCT00894595</p

Carbon revenue in the profitability of agroforestry relative to monocultures

The impact of carbon revenue on the profitability of agroforestry systems in comparison to monocultures is unexplored in regard to Sub-Saharan Africa. This study creates a multivariate model to evaluate the impact of carbon revenue on the profitability of agroforestry relative to the dominant monocultures in Ethiopia by using stylized plots. Yields and carbon stock changes of eight agroforestry systems were modeled based on data from agroforestry plots in the Ethiopian Central Rift Valley. According to our model, agroforestry was, on average, four times more profitable than the main monoculture systems (wheat, barley, maize, teff, sorghum, sugarcane and lentil) even when carbon revenues were excluded, primarily due to the higher prices of fruit produce. Carbon revenues were estimated using a plausible carbon price ranging from US$8/tCO2e to$40/tCO2e and carbon sequestration rates of 0.59 to 17.2 Mg C ha−1 year−1. The possibility of receiving carbon revenue increased the profitability of agroforestry by 0.5% when using the lowest utilized carbon price and carbon sequestration rate, by 20% when using the carbon price of $20 and the average carbon sequestration rate, and by 70% when using the highest price and highest sequestration rate of carbon. On average, carbon revenue increased the profitability of agroforestry by 150% in comparison to monoculture farming. We conclude that carbon income may have significant potential to motivate smallholders to convert to agroforestry when there is a proper management system, a sufficiently high carbon price and effective institutional support to mitigate the transition and transaction costs.Peer reviewe

Theoretical modelling of winding and influences to wound rolls

Taivekartonki on pakkauskartonkia, jonka käyttökohteet asettavat sille erilaisia vaatimuksia. Sen on oltava pinnaltaan painokelpoista ja materiaaliominaisuuksiltaan vahvaa. Pituusleikkaus on tehtaan viimeisimpiä tuotantoprosesseja. Siinä valmis konerulla leikataan pienemmiksi asiakasrulliksi. Rullauksen vaikutuksia valmiiseen tuotteeseen ei tunneta teollisuudessa riittävän hyvin ja rullaustapahtuman hallinta on hankalaa. Teoreettisesti tarkasteltuna rullaustapahtuma on hyvin monimutkainen. Rullausmallit antavat valmiuksia ymmärtää sekä rullauksessa tapahtuvia fysikaalisia ilmiöitä että erilaisten ajopaparametrien vaikutusta lopputulokseen. Rullausmalleissa rullan muodostuminen esitetään matemaattisten yhtälöryhmien avulla. Syntyvään rullaan vaikuttaa erilaisia voimia, jotka muuttuvat ja ovat riippuvaisia toisistaan. Rullausmallien vaatimat alkuarvot ovat materiaalista ja laitekonstruktioista riippuvaisia. Materiaalivakioiden määrittely on haastavaa, sillä ne eivät pysy vakioina eri kerrosten välillä. Rullaustapahtumaa hallitaan yleisesti ottaen kolmella parametrilla, joita ovat ratakireys, nippikuorma ja rullausmomentti. Erilaiset laitekonstruktiot ja rullausprosessit antavat valmiudet näiden perusparametrien käytölle syntyvän rullan sisäisten jännitysjakaumien hallinnassa. Valmiita rullia tutkittaessa huomataan hyvin rullan sisäisen jännitysjakauman ja rullaan vaikuttavan nippivoiman aiheuttamat muutokset

Николай Иванович Хвисюк : к 80-летию со дня рождения

Background: No study has investigated whether newcomers to professional soccer have a different injury rate than established players.                      Purpose: The primary objective was to investigate whether being a newcomer to professional soccer influences injury rates. The secondary objective was to evaluate whether playing position and player age influence injury rates.                      Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.                      Methods: Twenty-six soccer clubs, with 1401 players, were followed prospectively over 9 consecutive seasons between 2001 and 2010. Club medical staff recorded time-loss injuries and soccer exposure on an individual level. Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate associations between time-loss injuries and time in professional soccer, playing position, and age.                      Results: In total, 6140 injuries and 797,389 hours of exposure were registered. A decreased general injury rate was observed for newcomers (n = 116) compared with established players (n = 3091) (hazard ratio [HR], 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.99). In contrast, newcomers had a higher rate of fractures (rate ratio [RR], 1.77; 95% CI, 1.05-2.97), especially stress-related bone injuries (RR, 2.68; 95% CI, 1.08-6.69). Using goalkeepers as a reference, all outfield playing positions had significantly higher adjusted injury rates: defenders with an HR of 1.91 (95% CI, 1.64-2.24), midfielders with an HR of 1.78 (95% CI, 1.53-2.07), and forwards with an HR of 1.82 (95% CI, 1.55-2.14). Using players aged ≤21 years as a reference, the overall adjusted injury rate increased with age, with a peak injury rate among players aged 29 to 30 years (HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.24-1.68).                      Conclusion: Newcomers to professional soccer had a lower general injury rate than established players but a higher rate of stress-related bone injuries. Being a goalkeeper was associated with lower injury rates than all outfield playing positions. Injury rates increased with age, a pattern that persisted after adjusting for playing position and match exposure

Demonstration of the equivalence of PM2.5 and PM10 measurement methods in Kuopio 2014 - 2015

Euroopan Yhteisön CAFÉ-direktiivin (2008/50/EY) määrittää mm. hiukkasmittausten vertailumenetelmän, mikä perustuu hiukkasmassan gravimetriseen määritykseen. Jäsenmaa voi käyttää muuta menetelmää vertailumenetelmän sijasta, mikäli se voi osoittaa, että tulokset ovat yhteneviä vertailumenetelmän antamien tulosten kanssa. Tällaisella menetelmällä saatuja tuloksia on tarvittaessa korjattava, jotta saataisiin vertailumenetelmää käyttämällä saatavia tuloksia vastaavat tulokset. Hiukkasmittausten osalta vertailumenetelmä PM2.5 ja PM10 massapitoisuuden määrittämiseksi ulkoilmassa perustuu gravimetriseen määritysmenetelmään. Tässä tutkimuksessa testattiin eräiden jatkuvatoimisten hiukkasmittalaitteiden yhdenvertaisuutta vertailumenetelmää vastaan noudattaen komission ohjetta. Vertailumittaukset tehtiin Kuopiossa ja ne käsittivät hiukkasten aerodynaamiselta halkaisijaltaan olevat alle 2.5 μm:n ja alle 10 μm:n kokoiset hiukkasmittaukset. Vertailuun osallistuivat kaikkiaan kahdeksan eri jatkuvatoimista hiukkasanalysaattorimallia: BAM 1020, DustTrak 8535, FH 62 I-R, Grimm 180, MP101 CPM, Osiris, SHARP 5030 ja TEOM 1405. Vertailumittausohjelma toteutettiin komission ohjeen mukaisesti. Ohje määrittelee mm. pitoisuustasoista niin, että 20 % havainnoista tulee ylittää alimman arviointikynnykset (UAT) sekä PM2.5 että PM10 massapitoisuuksille. Havaintoaineistosta osoittautui, että PM2.5 massapitoisuudet eivät ylittäneet sille asetettua UAT arvoa, 17 µg/m3, yli asetetun kriteerin, vaan tästä jäätiin selvästi alle. Verrattaessa Suomessa mitattuja PM2.5 pitoisuuksia, voidaan todeta, että hyvin harvoin mittauksissa ylitetään UAT-arvo PM2.5 pitoisuuksissa. PM10 pitoisuuksissa sen sijaan ylempi arviointikynnys, 30 µg/m3, ylitettiin useammin kuin vaadittava määrä. Vertailumittaustulokset analysoitiin komission ohjeen mukaan ja sen perusteella esitetään jokaiselle vertailtavalle hiukkasanalysaattorille kalibrointikertoimet sekä PM2.5- että PM10-mittauksille. Raportissa osoitetaan myös kaikki poikkeamat, mitä esiintyi sallituista kriteereistä. Tulosten perusteella voidaan todeta, että yksi vertailtava analysaattori, DustTrak 8535, ei täyttänyt vaadittavia kriteerejä sekä PM2.5- että PM10-mittauksille. Osiris täytti vaatimukset PM10-mittauksille, mutta ei PM2.5-mittauksille. Sen sijaan kaikki muut testatut hiukkasanalysaattorit, FH 62 I-R, Grimm 180, MP101 CPM, SHARP 5030, TEOM 1405 ja BAM 1020 täyttivät vertailumenetelmälle asetetut vaatimukset sekä PM2.5- että PM10-mittauksille