Simulating Fleet Noise for Notional UAM Vehicles and Operations in New York

This paper presents the results of systems-level simulations using Metrosim that were conducted for notional Urban Air Mobility (UAM)-style vehicles analyzed for two different scenarios for New York (NY). UAM is an aviation industry term for passenger or cargo-carrying air transportation services, which are often automated, operating in an urban/city environment. UAM-style vehicles are expected to use vertical takeoff and landing with fixed wing cruise flight. Metrosim is a metroplex-wide route and airport planning tool that can also be used in standalone mode as a simulation tool. The scenarios described and reported in this paper were used to evaluate a fleet noise prediction capability for this tool. The work was a collaborative effort between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Intelligent Automation, Inc (IAI), and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ). One scenario was designed to represent an expanded air-taxi operation from existing helipads around Manhattan to the major New York airports. The other case represented a farther term vision case with commuters using personal air vehicles to hub locations just outside New York, with an air-taxi service running frequent connector trips to a few key locations inside Manhattan. For both scenarios, the trajectories created for the entire fleet were passed to the Aircraft Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) to generate Day-Night Level (DNL) noise contours for inspection. Without data for actual UAM vehicles available, surrogate AEDT empirical Noise-Power-Distance (NPD) tables used a similar sized current day helicopter as the Baseline, and a version of that same data linearly scaled as a first guess at possible UAM noise data. Details are provided for each of the two scenario configurations, and the output noise contours are presented for the Baseline and reduced noise DNL cases

Spatial multi-criteria decision analysis to predict suitability for African swine fever endemicity in Africa

Background African swine fever (ASF) is endemic in several countries of Africa and may pose a risk to all pig producing areas on the continent. Official ASF reporting is often rare and there remains limited awareness of the continent-wide distribution of the disease. In the absence of accurate ASF outbreak data and few quantitative studies on the epidemiology of the disease in Africa, we used spatial multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to derive predictions of the continental distribution of suitability for ASF persistence in domestic pig populations as part of sylvatic or domestic transmission cycles. In order to incorporate the uncertainty in the relative importance of different criteria in defining suitability, we modelled decisions within the MCDA framework using a stochastic approach. The predictive performance of suitability estimates was assessed via a partial ROC analysis using ASF outbreak data reported to the OIE since 2005. Results Outputs from the spatial MCDA indicate that large areas of sub-Saharan Africa may be suitable for ASF persistence as part of either domestic or sylvatic transmission cycles. Areas with high suitability for pig to pig transmission (‘domestic cycles’) were estimated to occur throughout sub-Saharan Africa, whilst areas with high suitability for introduction from wildlife reservoirs (‘sylvatic cycles’) were found predominantly in East, Central and Southern Africa. Based on average AUC ratios from the partial ROC analysis, the predictive ability of suitability estimates for domestic cycles alone was considerably higher than suitability estimates for sylvatic cycles alone, or domestic and sylvatic cycles in combination. Conclusions This study provides the first standardised estimates of the distribution of suitability for ASF transmission associated with domestic and sylvatic cycles in Africa. We provide further evidence for the utility of knowledge-driven risk mapping in animal health, particularly in data-sparse environments.</p

Bildungsfinanzierung neu gestalten

In Deutschland sind die privaten Bildungsausgaben anders zusammengesetzt als in vergleichbaren Industrieländern. Der private Finanzierungsanteil an den gesamten Bildungsausgaben ist hierzulande für die vorschulische Bildung deutlich höher als für die Schul-, Betriebs- und Hochschulbildung. Im internationalen Vergleich zeigt sich: Diese Aufteilung ist nicht geeignet, Chancengerechtigkeit herzustellen und bedarf daher einer gründlichen Überarbeitung. Der Kronberger Kreis fordert den Staat auf, sich an der Finanzierung der vorschulischen Bildung stärker zu beteiligen, so dass einkommensschwache Familien keine Kindergartengebühren zahlen müssen. Das letzte Kindergartenjahr vor der Einschulung könnte verpflichtend sein. Im Hochschulbereich plädiert der Kronberger Kreis hingegen für die Wiedereinführung von Studiengebühren. In dieser Studie finden sich darüber hinaus konkrete Vorschläge zur Stärkung des Wettbewerbs zwischen öffentlichen und privaten Schulen sowie zur Ausgestaltung der steuerlichen Förderung von Bildungsinvestitionen

Kaposi sarcoma in a HIV uninfected man who has sex with men

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a rare angioproliferative tumor associated with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection. Four clinical variants of KS have been described: classic, endemic, iatrogenic and HIV-associated. We describe a 53-year-old men who had sex with men with a rapidly growing nodule on his left foot. Histologically KS was confirmed. Our patient did not match the clinical subgroups as HIV infection or other immune disorders could be ruled out. KS in HIV-negative MSM has only been reported sporadically. It was shown that KS in these patients clinically resembles classic KS but occurs at a younger age, is limited to the skin, and is associated with a good prognosis

Primary merkel cell carcinoma clinically presenting as deep oedematous mass of the groin

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a relatively rare, polyomavirus associated, primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin which is usually arising from dermal skin layers. However, the origin of MCC in the subcutaneous tissue is debatable. We report a 58-yearold female patient with an oedematous mass on her left groin that was firm in consistency and had no discoloration or other visible abnormality of the overlying skin. On histology and immunohistology the tumour was consistent with the diagnosis of MCC showing a predominant subcutanous growth pattern. Pelvic magnetic resonance tomography revealed a tumour conglomerate reaching from the subcutis of the left groin to the left paraaortal and parailiacal region indicating widespread lymphogenic metastisation. Despite complete medical work-up no other MCC primary could be detected. In conclusion, predominant subcutaneous growth pattern as well as tumour localization in the groin are uncommon features of MCC. MCC showing the aforementioned features may be associated with significant delay of diagnosis and therefore represents an unfavourable prognostic factor

Preventive herd management practices and their effect on lamb mortality in Ethiopia.

According to previous studies, lamb mortality is high in the Ethiopian highlands. The present study aims to evaluate the execution of preventive sheep herd health management practices with respect to if, and how, such practices are linked to occurrence of lamb mortality. Interviews were performed with 74 sheep-owning households participating in a capacity development program on livestock and 69 households not participating in such program. To evaluate the impact of combinations of performed practices, a scoring system was developed-the households retrieved a higher score the more desired routines were accomplished. To identify which practices had the highest impact on lamb mortality, a similar score was calculated for each phase of the sheep reproductive year, creating sub-scores for each phase. The results showed a significant (p < 0.05) negative correlation between the total number of performed practices and occurrence of lamb mortality, indicating a lower occurrence of lamb mortality the more desired practices implemented. Further analysis of sub-scores showed significant (p < 0.05) negative correlations between a higher number of performed desired practices during gestation period and during lambing. Conclusively, the study indicates that preventive herd management routines are beneficial for lamb survival, foremost when enforced during the gestation period and around lambing-hence, this is where to focus future interventions

BPEX Pig Health Scheme: a useful monitoring system for respiratory disease control in pig farms?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Respiratory diseases account for significant economic losses to the UK pig industry. Lesions indicative of respiratory disease in pig lungs at slaughter e.g. pneumonia and pleuritis are frequently recorded to assess herd health or provide data for epidemiological studies. The BPEX Pig Health Scheme (BPHS) is a monitoring system, which informs producers of gross lesions in their pigs' carcasses at slaughter, enabling farm-level decisions to be made. The aim of the study was to assess whether information provided by the BPHS regarding respiratory lesions was associated with respiratory pathogens in the farm, farm management practices and each other.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>BPHS reports were obtained from a subset of 70 pig farms involved in a cross-sectional study conducted in 2008-09 investigating the epidemiology of post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome. The reports were combined with data regarding the presence/absence of several pathogens in the herd and potential farm-level risk factors for respiratory disease. Principal component analysis (PCA) performed on BPHS reports generated three principal components, explaining 71% of the total variance. Enzootic pneumonia score, severe pleurisy and acute pleuropneumonia had the highest loadings for the principal component which explained the largest percentage of the total variance (35%) (BPHS component 1), it was thought that this component identifies farms with acute disease. Using the factor loadings a score for each farm for BPHS component 1 was obtained. As farms' score for BPHS component 1 increased, average carcass weight at slaughter decreased. In addition, farms positive for H1N2 and porcine reproductive and respiratory disease virus (PRRSV) were more likely to have higher levels of severe and mild pleurisy reported by the BPHS, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The study found statistical associations between levels of pleurisy recorded by BPHS at slaughter and the presence H1N2 and PRRSV in the herd. There is also some evidence that farms which submit pigs with these lesions may have reduced productivity. However, more research is needed to fully validate the scheme.</p

Wie viel Koordinierung braucht Europa?

Die Europäische Wirtschafts- und Währungsunion steht am Scheideweg. Einige Mitgliedstaaten leiden unter Verschuldung und hohen Kapitalmarktzinsen. Der strukturelle Reformbedarf ist enorm. Zu Beginn der Krise noch undenkbar fordern manche eine Fiskalunion mit vergemeinschafteter Staatsverschuldung, während andere die einzige Lösung in einer Aufsplittung oder gar Auflösung der Währungsunion sehen. Das Konzept des Kronberger Kreises für eine erfolgreiche europäische Zukunft besteht indes in einer national verantworteten Stabilitätsunion mit einer einvernehmlichen Festlegung auf unverrückbare fiskalpolitische Regeln. So werden die nationalen Unterschiede in der präferierten Ausgaben- und Einnahmestruktur respektiert. Lehnt ein Staat hingegen eine verantwortliche Stabilitätspolitik ab, so hat er die Mitgliedschaft in der Währungsunion verwirkt. Des Weiteren erläutert der Kronberger Kreis in dieser Studie seine Empfehlungen zur europäischen Geldpolitik, insbesondere seine Warnung vor dem Aufkauf von Staatsanleihen, und hinsichtlich einer rigoroseren Bankenregulierung

Renaissance der Angebotspolitik

Von der europäischen Schulden- und Wirtschaftskrise scheint Deutschland unbeeindruckt. Doch die derzeitige wirtschaftliche Stärke bedeutet nicht, dass das deutsche Reformmodell auch zukünftigen Herausforderungen, wie der demografischen Entwicklung und den Belastungen durch Schulden- und Finanzkrise, gewachsen ist. Wenn der bestehende Reformbedarf nicht ernst genommen wird, kann Deutschland sehr schnell wieder zum "kranken Mann Europas" werden. Der Kronberger Kreis empfiehlt der neuen Bundesregierung, sich auf die Angebotspolitik zu konzentrieren und so die deutsche Wettbewerbsfähigkeit zu stärken. In dieser Studie finden sich sorgfältig konzipierte Politikvorschläge für die Gestaltung der öffentlichen Finanzen, der Steuer- und Arbeitsmarktpolitik, der Renten-, Kranken- und Pflegeversicherung, der Energiewende sowie der Privatisierung und Deregulierung. Die Analyse der deutschen Probleme und das Aufzeigen der Lösungskonzepte erfolgen grundsätzlich im europäischen Kontext