Use of a mobile platform for assessing urban heat stress in Rotterdam

In this study, an assessment of the intensity of the urban heat island (UHI) in Rotterdam was carried out using an innovative mobile bio-meteorological measuring platform mounted on a cargo bicycle. The goal was to assess whether or not heat stress is currently or likely to become a critical issue. Physiological equivalent temperatures were calculated directly from the measurements. Preliminary results show how effective urban parks and greenery are in reducing the UHI. The maximum UHI was about 7 K warmer than the rural area, whereas greener urban configurations were under 3 K warmer. City parks show marked cooling effects during daytime. The preliminary results clearly demonstrate the presence of a considerable UHI in Rotterdam, which is expected to be found in other Dutch cities, and confirms the important role of green spaces in mitigating urban heat stress

Gemeten actuele verdamping voor twaalf locaties in Nederland

Stowa heeft Alterra de opdracht gegeven jaarreeksen van actuele dagelijkse verdamping af te leiden voor twaalf meetlocaties in Nederland. Daarbij is gebruik gemaakt van bestaande (micro)meteorologische meetgegevens. De meetgegevens zijn gecontroleerd op kwaliteit en continuïteit en ontbrekende dagtotalen zijn aangevuld met door een Artificieel Neuraal Netwerk gesimuleerde gegevens. De onzekerheid in de jaartotalen van de bepaalde actuele verdamping ligt tussen de 10 en 15%

Comments on article ”First report of Ixodes frontalis (Acari: Ixodidae) in Finland, an example of foreign tick species transported by a migratory bird” (Memoranda Soc. Fauna Flora Fennica 85:16–19. 2009)

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Dielectronic Recombination in Li+ Ions

This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478

Dielectronic Recombination in Li+ Ions

This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478

Interobserver Variation of Colour Duplex Scanning of the Popliteal,Tibial and Pedal Arteries

AbstractObjectives: to determine interobserver variation in the measurement of Peak Systolic Velocity (PSV) and grading of disease by means of Duplex scanning (DS) in the popliteal, tibial and pedal arteries. Design: prospective validation study. Materials twenty-four consecutive patients with severe claudication (n=6), ischaemic rest pain (n=11) and tissue loss (n=7). Methods two vascular technologists independently examined the popliteal, tibial and pedal arteries. The PSV was recorded in 15 arterial segments that were graded with B-mode and Doppler parameters as fully patent, severely diseased or occluded. Concordance in PSV recordings was expressed as intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Agreement in artery assessment was expressed as weighted κ-values. Results the ICC for PSV measurements was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.86 to 0.93) within the popliteal and tibial arteries and 0.64 (95% CI, 0.37 to 0.81) within the pedal arteries. Agreement for grading disease was good within the popliteal and tibial arteries (κ 0.66, 95% CI, 0.58 to 0.74), and moderate within the pedal arteries (κ 0.54, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.74). The presence of diabetes or stage of disease did not influence interobserver agreement. Conclusion interobserver agreement of DS is good within the popliteal and tibial arteries and moderate within the pedal arteries

FES-supported standing up by independent control of three global variables - a modelling study

According to the work of Jacobs [1], we propose to control standing-up by applying independent controllers of three global variables (length l and orientation ϕ of the vector between ankle and body center of mass (CoM) and the orientation θ of the trunk). Furthermore, we propose to control l by modulating the activation of mono-articular muscles and to control ϕ and θ by modulating the activation of biarticular muscles (see also [1]). This division of tasks between mono-and biarticular muscles was found in postural control in cats [2]. Our simulations indicate that effective and well co-ordinated standing up may be achieved using this concept, allowing for a range of initial postures and arm support forces