World Risk Report 2012

The World Risk Report examines who is at risk from natural disasters, what contributes to this risk and what can be done about it. The record for the decade 2002 to 2011 is alarming: 4,130 disasters, more than a million deaths and an economic loss of at least 1.195 trillion dollars. The centerpiece of the report, the WorldRiskIndex, developed by UNU-EHS in cooperation with the Alliance, determines the risk of becoming the victim of a disaster as a result of natural hazards for 173 countries throughout the world. The Pacific Island states of Vanuatu and Tonga have the highest disaster risk. Malta and Qatar face the lowest risk worldwide

IPCC, 2023: Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report, Summary for Policymakers. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, H. Lee and J. Romero (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland.

This Synthesis Report (SYR) of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) summarises the state of knowledge of climate change, its widespread impacts and risks, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. It integrates the main findings of the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) based on contributions from the three Working Groups1 , and the three Special Reports. The summary for Policymakers (SPM) is structured in three parts: SPM.A Current Status and Trends, SPM.B Future Climate Change, Risks, and Long-Term Responses, and SPM.C Responses in the Near Term.This report recognizes the interdependence of climate, ecosystems and biodiversity, and human societies; the value of diverse forms of knowledge; and the close linkages between climate change adaptation, mitigation, ecosystem health, human well-being and sustainable development, and reflects the increasing diversity of actors involved in climate action. Based on scientific understanding, key findings can be formulated as statements of fact or associated with an assessed level of confidence using the IPCC calibrated language

25th annual computational neuroscience meeting: CNS-2016

The same neuron may play different functional roles in the neural circuits to which it belongs. For example, neurons in the Tritonia pedal ganglia may participate in variable phases of the swim motor rhythms [1]. While such neuronal functional variability is likely to play a major role the delivery of the functionality of neural systems, it is difficult to study it in most nervous systems. We work on the pyloric rhythm network of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) [2]. Typically network models of the STG treat neurons of the same functional type as a single model neuron (e.g. PD neurons), assuming the same conductance parameters for these neurons and implying their synchronous firing [3, 4]. However, simultaneous recording of PD neurons shows differences between the timings of spikes of these neurons. This may indicate functional variability of these neurons. Here we modelled separately the two PD neurons of the STG in a multi-neuron model of the pyloric network. Our neuron models comply with known correlations between conductance parameters of ionic currents. Our results reproduce the experimental finding of increasing spike time distance between spikes originating from the two model PD neurons during their synchronised burst phase. The PD neuron with the larger calcium conductance generates its spikes before the other PD neuron. Larger potassium conductance values in the follower neuron imply longer delays between spikes, see Fig. 17.Neuromodulators change the conductance parameters of neurons and maintain the ratios of these parameters [5]. Our results show that such changes may shift the individual contribution of two PD neurons to the PD-phase of the pyloric rhythm altering their functionality within this rhythm. Our work paves the way towards an accessible experimental and computational framework for the analysis of the mechanisms and impact of functional variability of neurons within the neural circuits to which they belong

Klimawandel und Wintersporttourismus: Wahrnehmung und Reaktion der Touristen

Der Beitrag setzt sich mit der Bedeutung des Klimawandels für die Nachfrageseite im Wintersporttourismus auseinander. Während sich die Forschung bisher schwerpunktmäßig mit den Auswirkungen und Folgen des Klimawandels für die Angebotsseite und ihre Akteure (z.B. Destinationen, Bergbahnen, Skigebiete oder Beherbergung) beschäftigt hat, wird in diesem Beitrag zunächst gezeigt, warum das Thema auch für die Nachfrageseite, d.h. die Touristen, von Relevanz ist. Hierzu wird einerseits die Wahrnehmung des Klimawandels durch (potenzielle) Touristen (z.B. hinsichtlich ihrer Destinationswahl), andererseits aber auch deren Reaktion anhand der Ausweisung verschiedener Reaktionstypen darauf berücksichtigt. Hieraus resultieren unterschiedliche nachfrageinduzierte Folgen für wintersporttouristische Destinationen, die zum Abschluss des Beitrags diskutiert werden, wobei auch weitere Herausforderungen für die wintersporttouristischen Zielgebiete angesprochen werden. Climate change and winter sport tourism - tourists’ perception and reaction: This article discusses the significance of climate change for the demand-side in winter sport tourism. So far, climate change impact research primarily focused on the effects and consequences for the supplyside and its actors (e.g. destinations, cable cars, ski resorts or accommodation). Thus, this article shows why this topic is also relevant for the demand-side, i.e. tourists. For this purpose, the perception of climate change by (potential) tourists (e.g. with regard to their destination choice) is presented. Furthermore, the tourists’ reaction to climate change is described and associated to different reaction types. Finally, the demand-induced consequences for winter tourism destinations are discussed, whereby also further challenges are addresse

Ambulanssjuksköterskors upplevelser av att möta personer som blivit utsatta för våld i nära relationer

Våld i nära relationer är ett stort problem för samhället och individen. Majoriteten av de som blir utsatta är kvinnor, men det drabbar även män och barn. Studiens syfte var att undersöka ambulanssjuksköterskors upplevelser av att möta patienter som blivit utsatta för våld i nära relationer. Studien är en kvalitativ intervjustudie med induktiv ansats. Åtta sjuksköterskor som arbetar i ambulanssjukvården i Göteborg deltog i studien. Analysen av materialet resulterade i tre teman: Förutsättningar inför mötet med den våldsutsatta patienten, Möta den våldsutsatta patienten och Upplevelser som är svåra att släppa. Resultatet av studien visar att ambulanssjuksköterskor upplever ilska, frustration och maktlöshet i mötet med patienter som blivit utsatta för våld i nära relationer. Särskilt starka blir dessa känslor när barn är inblandade. Ett fungerande samarbete med sin ambulanskollega och känslan av en tillfredsställande arbetsinsats hade positiv inverkan på informanterna. Det framkommer också att regelverket kring vem som ansvarar för patienten är för otydligt och att det ibland är svårt att få patienter till rätt vårdinstans. Vidare framkom det i resultatet att informanterna upplever att det inte finns några riktlinjer gällande handhavandet av patienter som utsatts för våld i nära relationer i ambulanssjukvården och orosanmälan som skall göras när barn misstänks fara illa är alldeles för krångliga att göra. Informanterna känner ett behov av tydligare riktlinjer och mer utbildning kring våld i nära relationer.Domestic violence is a major issue for society and for the individual. The majority of those who are exposed are women, but it also affects men and children. The purpose of this study was to investigate ambulance nurses' experience of meeting patients who have been exposed to domestic violence. The study is a qualitative interview study with an inductive approach. Eight nurses working in the ambulance service in Gothenburg participated in the study. The analysed material resulted in three themes: Prerequisites for the encounter with the abused patient, Encounter the abused patient and Experiences that are difficult to let go. The results of the study show that nurses in the ambulance service experience anger, frustration, and powerlessness in the face of domestic violence. These feelings become especially strong when children are involved. To have good teamwork with your colleague and the feeling of a satisfactory work effort had a positive impact on informants. It also shows that the regulations are too vague, and it is sometimes difficult to get patients to the right care institution. Furthermore, the results showed that the informants experienced that there are no guidelines for domestic violence and to write a notification of concern when children are involved, is far too complicated to do. The informants feel the need for clearer guidelines and more education on domestic violence

Ambulanssjuksköterskors upplevelser av att möta personer som blivit utsatta för våld i nära relationer

Våld i nära relationer är ett stort problem för samhället och individen. Majoriteten av de som blir utsatta är kvinnor, men det drabbar även män och barn. Studiens syfte var att undersöka ambulanssjuksköterskors upplevelser av att möta patienter som blivit utsatta för våld i nära relationer. Studien är en kvalitativ intervjustudie med induktiv ansats. Åtta sjuksköterskor som arbetar i ambulanssjukvården i Göteborg deltog i studien. Analysen av materialet resulterade i tre teman: Förutsättningar inför mötet med den våldsutsatta patienten, Möta den våldsutsatta patienten och Upplevelser som är svåra att släppa. Resultatet av studien visar att ambulanssjuksköterskor upplever ilska, frustration och maktlöshet i mötet med patienter som blivit utsatta för våld i nära relationer. Särskilt starka blir dessa känslor när barn är inblandade. Ett fungerande samarbete med sin ambulanskollega och känslan av en tillfredsställande arbetsinsats hade positiv inverkan på informanterna. Det framkommer också att regelverket kring vem som ansvarar för patienten är för otydligt och att det ibland är svårt att få patienter till rätt vårdinstans. Vidare framkom det i resultatet att informanterna upplever att det inte finns några riktlinjer gällande handhavandet av patienter som utsatts för våld i nära relationer i ambulanssjukvården och orosanmälan som skall göras när barn misstänks fara illa är alldeles för krångliga att göra. Informanterna känner ett behov av tydligare riktlinjer och mer utbildning kring våld i nära relationer.Domestic violence is a major issue for society and for the individual. The majority of those who are exposed are women, but it also affects men and children. The purpose of this study was to investigate ambulance nurses' experience of meeting patients who have been exposed to domestic violence. The study is a qualitative interview study with an inductive approach. Eight nurses working in the ambulance service in Gothenburg participated in the study. The analysed material resulted in three themes: Prerequisites for the encounter with the abused patient, Encounter the abused patient and Experiences that are difficult to let go. The results of the study show that nurses in the ambulance service experience anger, frustration, and powerlessness in the face of domestic violence. These feelings become especially strong when children are involved. To have good teamwork with your colleague and the feeling of a satisfactory work effort had a positive impact on informants. It also shows that the regulations are too vague, and it is sometimes difficult to get patients to the right care institution. Furthermore, the results showed that the informants experienced that there are no guidelines for domestic violence and to write a notification of concern when children are involved, is far too complicated to do. The informants feel the need for clearer guidelines and more education on domestic violence

Behavioural change or “business as usual”? Characterising the reaction behaviour of winter (sport) tourists to climate change in two German destinations

Climate change affects both the supply and the demand side of winter tourism. So far, few demand-side studies exist in the field of climate change impact research. Those investigating the tourists' behavioural response to climate change concentrated exclusively on ski tourists in various countries, except for the highly vulnerable German market. This study conducted a survey (n= 751) in two German destinations to investigate the reaction behaviour of winter tourists to climate change, differentiated according to day and overnight guests. Findings show that not only weather, snow and operating conditions determine the reaction behaviour, but also lifestyle or sociodemographic aspects