Digital Vapor Trails: Using Website Behavior to Nowcast Entrepreneurial Activity

[EN] Following recent research, we explore virtually contemporaneous, and geographically granular, user online activity related to entrepreneurship. In this paper, we present evidence that data harvested by Dstillery can complement efforts of, and data collected by, government agencies and organizations advocating for entrepreneurship, business formation and economic growth, e.g., the Kauffman Foundation. Our website-based behavior data is close to real time and at a geographically granular level. We find that the concentration of a region’s visits to website resources for entrepreneurship and business development are statistically related to business start-up and, particularly, growth activity. Visits to websites related to entrepreneurship are more strongly associated with growth entrepreneurship, in contrast to start-up entrepreneurship. While data capture and analysis related to entrepreneurship website activity is in its infancy, this analysis points to the potential of this data source to nowcast business formation and growth at a regional level.Slaper, T.; Bianco, A.; Lenz, P. (2018). Digital Vapor Trails: Using Website Behavior to Nowcast Entrepreneurial Activity. En 2nd International Conference on Advanced Reserach Methods and Analytics (CARMA 2018). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 107-113. https://doi.org/10.4995/CARMA2018.2018.8327OCS10711

Risks and Ultraviolet Budgets using Earth Observation (RUBEO): Including a nonstandard atmosphere and geographic ozone trend differences in risk assessments

No RIVM report number in publicationUV-budget maps (the geographical distribution of effective UV at ground level) can be derived from satellite data. These UV-budget maps visualise changes in effective UV caused by ozone depletion and changes in cloud cover and aerosol content. Alterations in UV-budget maps over time give - in combination with dose-effect models for UV-induced effects - insight in the associated risks for human health and the environment. This report describes the results of the RUBEO-project: calculating Risks and Ultraviolet Budgets using Earth Observation (RUBEO). RUBEO aims at a better cloud parameterisation and incorporating temporal and spatial resolution for surface albedo, aerosol content and tropospheric ozone content. The geographical distribution of ozone and UV climatology and trends over Europe are analysed, and a cost-benefit analysis of satellite based UV budget mapping is provided. The UV-budget mapping can be applied using TOMS and GOME ozone data. A large scale statistical analysis of cloud effects is given comparing ISCCP and TOMS based remote sensing methods with cloud effects derived from ground measurements. Both satellite derived methods correlate well (r 0.93) with the ground based analysis. Correction for non-zero albedo, under clear sky conditions, adds maximal 8% to the yearly effective UV-budget. Temporal and spatial differences in aerosol optical thickness and tropospheric ozone content, result in a decrease in effective UV of 3% for every 0.1 increase in aerosol optical thickness, and in a decrease in effective UV of 4% for every 10 DU increase in tropospheric ozone. Stratospheric ozone trends of -1 to -4% per decade observed over Europe correspond to a 0.5 to 4% increase in skin cancer weighted effective UV. The largest trends are seen in the central part of Western Europe. At present satellite based UV-budget maps form a functional basis for trend analysis and risk assessment. However, satellite data and ground-based observations are both indispensable. Maps for changing UV-budgets and associated skin cancer risks have been used in 'state of the environment', reports. Such overviews, regularly published by the Dutch National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and the European Environmental Agency (EPA), support the evaluation and formulation of adequate environmental policies. This report describes a project carried out in the framework of the Users Support Programme (USP-2), under responsibility of the Netherlands Remote Sensing Board (BCRS).Beleidscommissie Remote Sensing (BCRS

Third Places and Art Spaces: Using Web Activity to Differentiate Cultural Dimensions of Entrepreneurship Across U.S. Regions

[EN] We use unconventional, web-based user data to assess regional entrepreneurial activity and regional variations in characteristics and culture that drive differences in business formation. Using geographically granular, user-online activity to estimate a region’s proclivity for entrepreneurship, we assess the statistical relationship between business formation, operationalized as establishment births, and a region’s general interest in “third places” – informal gathering and mixing locations – and websites related to arts, music and design – “arts spaces.” We operationalize interest in, or intention to patronize, third places and arts spaces by individuals within a geographical unit of analysis (U.S. counties) who access website information and resources related to those third places. Controlling for regional interest in entrepreneurship related web resources, we find that interest in third places and art spaces is strongly associated with regional variation in business formation. This work corroborates research showing that regions with a high concentration of interest (and participation) in third places and art spaces may attract the attention of would be entrepreneurs as desirable places to live, work and explore business opportunities, and help identify and address a critical missing ingredient in regions that have lower rates of start-ups and business growth.Slaper, T.; Bianco, A.; Lenz, P. (2020). Third Places and Art Spaces: Using Web Activity to Differentiate Cultural Dimensions of Entrepreneurship Across U.S. Regions. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/CARMA2020.2020.11638OCS23924

Climatology of Ultraviolet Budgets using Earth Observation (CUBEO): mapping UV from the perspective of risk assessments : final report

No RIVM report number in publicationThe use of satellite data to construct ground level UV-radiation maps offers a unique opportunity to investigate geographical and temporal variability of ground level UV-radiation levels related to atmospheric changes, like ozone depletion or cloud changes. The calculation of long term yearly UV-doses in combination with dose-effect models for UV-related effects, like skin cancer, further enhances the application of UV-maps as a powerful tool to support environmental assessments. This report describes the results obtained in the CUBEO-project: a Climatology of Ultraviolet Budgets using Earth Observation. The project aimed at the development and validation of UV-mapping methods that can be applied in environmental assessments. The results indicated that the satellite derived cloud correction provides accurate and representative results if the ground albedo is low. The comparison with ground based UV-measurements at different sites in Europe shows an agreement for the yearly UV-dose within 10%. An indication of the long term stability of the UV-mapping methods is obtained by means of a systematic comparison of UV-doses derived from ground based ozone and cloud data and doses derived from satellite observations over a period of nearly 20 years. The European maps of changes in UV-budgets at the ground and associated excess skin cancer risks have been reported in national and international state of the environment reports published by the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and/or the European Environmental Agency (EEA). These state of the environment reports contribute to the provision of information necessary for framing and implementing sound and effective environmental policies. This investigation has been performed by order and for the account of BCRS, EU and RIVM, within the framework of the projects CUBEO and MAUVE.Beleidscommissie Remote Sensing (BCRS

Value-driven partner search for <i>Energy from Waste</i> projects

Energy from Waste (EfW) projects require complex value chains to operate effectively. To identify business partners, plant operators need to network with organisations whose strategic objectives are aligned with their own. Supplier organisations need to work out where they fit in the value chain. Our aim is to support people in identifying potential business partners, based on their organisation’s interpretation of value. Value for an organisation should reflect its strategy and may be interpreted using key priorities and KPIs (key performance indicators). KPIs may comprise any or all of knowledge, operational, economic, social and convenience indicators. This paper presents an ontology for modelling and prioritising connections within the business environment, and in the process provides means for defining value and mapping these to corresponding KPIs. The ontology is used to guide the design of a visual representation of the environment to aid partner search

Intercomparisons of Nine Sky Brightness Detectors

Nine Sky Quality Meters (SQMs) have been intercompared during a night time measurement campaign held in the Netherlands in April 2011. Since then the nine SQMs have been distributed across the Netherlands and form the Dutch network for monitoring night sky brightness. The goal of the intercomparison was to infer mutual calibration factors and obtain insight into the variability of the SQMs under different meteorological situations. An ensemble average is built from the individual measurements and used as a reference to infer the mutual calibration factors. Data required additional synchronization prior to the calibration determination, because the effect of moving clouds combined with small misalignments emerges as time jitter in the measurements. Initial scatter of the individual instruments lies between ±14%. Individual night time sums range from −16% to +20%. Intercalibration reduces this to 0.5%, and −7% to +9%, respectively. During the campaign the smallest luminance measured was 0.657 ± 0.003 mcd/m2 on 12 April, and the largest value was 5.94 ± 0.03 mcd/m2 on 2 April. During both occurrences interfering circumstances like snow cover or moonlight were absent

UV-radiation and health

Jaarlijks krijgen meer dan 51.000 mensen in Nederland te horen dat ze huidkanker hebben en overlijden ruim 900 mensen aan de gevolgen ervan. Sinds 1990 is het aantal gevallen verviervoudigd. Deze stijging is veel sterker dan bij andere vormen van kanker, en een verdere stijging dreigt (met een factor 2 tot 5). De gevaarlijkste vorm van huidkanker komt in Nederland relatief vaak voor, en binnen Europa behoort Nederland tot de koplopers. Blootstelling van de huid aan UV-straling is de voornaamste oorzaak van het ontstaan van huidkanker, en dan vooral door onverstandig zongedrag. De vergrijzing en de aantasting van de ozonlaag blijken slechts een deel van de toename aan huidkanker te verklaren. Het blootstellingsgedrag lijkt de hoofdrol te spelen en daarbij zijn het dragen van minder bedekkende kleding, meer vrije tijd en langere (zon/strand) vakanties van belang, maar ook klimaatverandering en het gebruik van kunstmatige UV-bronnen voor bruining dragen mogelijk bij. De belangrijkste manier om huidkanker te voorkomen is dan ook ervoor te zorgen dat de huid niet verbrandt door de zon of zonnebank. Maar ook zonder te verbranden kan de huid beschadigd raken. Daarom is het verstandig om de huiddelen die veelvuldig worden blootgesteld extra te beschermen en om daarbij rekening te houden met de zonkracht en de duur van het verblijf in de zon. Bij een hoogstaande (zomer)zon tussen 11 en 16 uur is meer bescherming nodig dan 's morgens vroeg en in de namiddag. Behalve aan huidkanker draagt UV-straling bij aan de vorming van staar en veroorzaakt het huidveroudering en sneeuwblindheid. Het is niet wenselijk om de zonblootstelling volledig te vermijden, omdat UV-blootstelling van de huid ook de voornaamste bron is van vitamine D. Deze vitamine is essentieel voor gezonde botten en spieren. Bovendien zijn er aanwijzingen dat vitamine D de kans op darmkanker kan verkleinen. Momenteel is er een felle wetenschappelijke discussie gaande welke hoeveelheid vitamine D de meeste gezondheidswinst oplevert. De kosten van de medische behandeling van huidkanker bedragen naar schatting circa 325 (250-400) miljoen euro per jaar. De kosten voor de behandeling van door UV veroorzaakte staar, worden geschat op 75-150 miljoen euro per jaar. De kosten zijn grotendeels vermijdbaar door verstandiger (zon)gedrag. De actuele zonkrachtmetingen (www.rivm.nl/zonkracht) en betere kennis over (ontwikkelingen in) blootstellingsgedrag en gezondheidseffecten dragen bij aan een goede voorlichting en preventie. Er is alle reden de kennisopbouw met betrekking tot UV-stralingsbescherming te versterken.Every year more than 51,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the Netherlands and over 900 fatalities are reported. The number of new skin cancer cases is rising rapidly and since 1990 a fourfold increase has been observed. This increase is much stronger than for other types of cancer, and a further increase is expected (with a factor of 2-5). The incidence of melanoma of the skin in the Netherlands is among the highest in Europe. Exposure of the skin to UV-radiation is the primary cause of skin cancer, and sun-exposure is the primary source of UV-exposure. The increase in skin cancer incidence that has been observed is only partly explained by the ageing of the Dutch population and the depletion of the ozone layer. A change in exposure behaviour is probably the most dominant factor that could explain a major part of the increased skin cancer incidence. Changes in fashion, with more of the body exposed, shorter working hours and longer vacations, including an increase in summer holidays spent in southern Europe are likely causes. Climate change and the use of artificial tanning devices may also contribute. Skin cancer prevention should be focused on the avoidance of UV-induced erythema (sunburn) in solar and artificial exposures. Limiting the chronic exposure of the most exposed skin parts is also very important, because damage to the skin also occurs below the threshold of erythemal doses. It is, therefore, important to provide additional protection for the parts of the skin that are chronically exposed. Solar exposure is the most important UV-source and protection is most needed when the sun is high in the sky, in the summer months between 11:00 am and 16:00 (4 pm). The UV-index is a good indicator; it is much lower in the early morning or late afternoon/early evening. UV-exposure also contributes to the incidence of cataract and causes skin ageing and snow blindness (photokeratitis). Exposure of the skin to solar UV from the sun should not be completely avoided, however, as it is an important source of vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones and muscles, and there are indications that a high vitamin D status lowers the risk of developing colon cancer, and may also be a factor in the development of a number of other cancers and chronic diseases. At present, a scientific debate is ongoing regarding the minimally required and optimal levels of vitamin D, and how to best achieve them. In the Netherlands the estimated costs for medical treatments of skin cancer and precancerous skin lesions amount to 325 million Euro (250-400). Estimated medical costs for the UV-contribution to cataract formation are 75-150 million Euro per year. These costs can be substantially reduced if (solar) UV-exposure is restricted. Prevention is supported by Solar UV-index measurements (www.rivm.nl/zonkracht), and improved knowledge on UV-radiation exposure and associated health effects. Strengthening the knowledge building and dissemination of information about UV-radiation protection is vitally important.Ministerie van VW