Retrieving Cloud Characteristics from Ground-Based Daytime Color All-Sky Images

A discussion is presented of daytime sky imaging and techniques that may be applied to the analysis of full-color sky images to infer cloud macrophysical properties. Descriptions of two different types of skyimaging systems developed by the authors are presented, one of which has been developed into a commercially available instrument. Retrievals of fractional sky cover from automated processing methods are compared to human retrievals, both from direct observations and visual analyses of sky images. Although some uncertainty exists in fractional sky cover retrievals from sky images, this uncertainty is no greater than that attached to human observations for the commercially available sky-imager retrievals. Thus, the application of automatic digital image processing techniques on sky images is a useful method to complement, or even replace, traditional human observations of sky cover and, potentially, cloud type. Additionally, the possibilities for inferring other cloud parameters such as cloud brokenness and solar obstruction further enhance the usefulness of sky imagers

A non-linear Bayesian approach for upscaling local-scale hydraulic conductivity measurements based on local- and regional-scale geophysical data

Significant progress has been made with regard to the quantitative integration of geophysical and hydrological data at the local scale. However, extending the corresponding approaches to the regional scale represents a major, and as-of-yet largely unresolved, challenge. To address this problem, we have developed an upscaling procedure based on a Bayesian sequential simulation approach. This method is then applied to the stochastic integration of low-resolution, regional-scale electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) data in combination with high-resolution, local-scale downhole measurements of the hydraulic and electrical conductivities. Finally, the overall viability of this upscaling approach is tested and verified by performing and comparing flow and transport simulation through the original and the upscaled hydraulic conductivity fields. Our results indicate that the proposed procedure does indeed allow for obtaining remarkably faithful estimates of the regional-scale hydraulic conductivity structure and correspondingly reliable predictions of the transport characteristics over relatively long distances.

Penetration Characteristics of Asphalt in a Recycled Mixture, MLR-79-03, 1979

Samples of both recycled and nonrecycled asphaltic concrete were extracted in increments by the Abson Recovery Method and the penetration of the asphalt from each increment determined. The recycled projects were plantsite operations containing various amounts of virgin gravel. Cored samples were taken from the pavements on Kossuth County roads that were constructed as recycled projects in 1975, 1976, and 1977. Cored samples were also taken from a Kossuth County paving project done in 1975, that was not recycled. Comparison mix samples from 1978 construction projects in Marshall and Woodbury Counties of non - recycled projects are included. The test data from the penetrations of the recovered asphalt indicates that mixing of the old and new asphalt occurs very extensively in the hot recycling process. In laboratory controlled conditions it is difficult to coat aggregates with different penetration asphalts and prevent them from mixing.

Unplanned nursing home short stay : elderly patients characteristics and 3-month outcomes.

Background: Nursing home short stays (NHSS) in the canton of Vaud have been introduced for respite care purpose. However, a growing number of older patients are urgently admitted from home (within 24h) or directly after hospital discharge (58% of all admissions in 2010). NHSS appears therefore as an increasingly important component of the health care system, but the characteristics of admitted patients have not been previously described. A better knowledge would contribute to identify specific care needs and enhance their care. Objectives: 1) To describe the characteristics of patients admitted in unplanned NHSS ( after hospital stay or urgently from home); 2) To determine living disposition 3-month after NHSS discharge. Method: Over a 18-month period, elderly patients with unplanned NHSS admission to 2 facilities in Lausanne were identified. Demographic, social, health, and functional data, as well as main reason for admission were collected. Death and place of living at 3-months were collected using the administrative database. Results: Overall, 114 patients (mean age 83.1 ± 6.2 years, 77% women, 84% living alone) were assessed, 80% being admitted from hospital. Mean score in Lawton's instrumental ADL before NHSS admission was 4.6 ± 2.5 and 69% of the patients were home care recipients (median number of weekly visits: 5 ± 3). Patients reported going out 4.2 ± 1.3 times/week and 56% reported at least one fall over the past year. Among the 91 patients coming from the hospital, main reason for admission was injury/limb immobilization (58%), recuperation (13%) and functional impairment in basic ADL (10%). Mean score at Katz's Basic ADL at admission was 3.7 ± 1.9. Overall, 90% of patients were identified with gait and balance impairment, 78% with cognitive impairment and 70% with polypharmacy (>6 different drugs). At 3-month after NHSS discharge (N = 92), 72% patients were living at home, 16% had been admitted to long term care, and 6% died. Among patients living at home at follow-up, 11% had been readmitted to hospital during the follow-up period. Conclusion: Older patients with unplanned NHSS admission show a high prevalence of functional, mobility, and cognitive impairments, as well as other geriatric syndromes. Specific measures should be considered during these stays to prevent further functional decline and, possibly, hospital readmission. Patients admitted with basic ADLs impairment might be candidate for higher levels of care (rehabilitation).

Sense of coherence and job characteristics in predicting burnout in a South African sample

Orientation: Research that considers the effects of individual characteristics and job characteristics jointly in burnout is necessary, especially when one considers the possibility of curvilinear relationships between job characteristics and burnout. Research purpose: This study examines the contribution of sense of coherence (SOC) and job characteristics to predicting burnout by considering direct and moderating effects. Motivation for this study: Understanding the relationships of individual and job characteristics with burnout is necessary for preventing burnout. It also informs the design of interventions. Research design, approach and method: The participants were 632 working adults (57% female) in South Africa. The measures included the Job Content Questionnaire, the Sense of Coherence Questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The authors analysed the data using hierarchical multiple regression with the enter method. Main findings: Job characteristics and SOC show the expected direct effects on burnout. SOC has a direct negative effect on burnout. Job demands and supervisor social support show nonlinear relationships with burnout. SOC moderates the effect of demands on burnout and has a protective function so that the demands-burnout relationship differs for those with high and low SOC. Practical/managerial implications: The types of effects, the shape of the stressor-strain relationship and the different contributions of individual and job characteristics have implications for designing interventions. Contribution/value add: SOC functions differently when combined with demands, control and support. These different effects suggest that it is not merely the presence or absence of a job characteristic that is important for well-being outcomes but how people respond to its presence or absence.

Identification of Laboratory Techniques to Optimize Superpave HMA Surface Friction Characteristics, TR-450, 2010

Wet pavement friction is known to be one of the most important roadway safety parameters. In this research, frictional properties of flexible (asphalt) pavements were investigated. As a part of this study, a laboratory device to polish asphalt specimens was refined and a procedure to evaluate mixture frictional properties was proposed. Following this procedure, 46 different Superpave mixtures, one stone matrix asphalt (SMA) mixture and one porous friction course (PFC) mixture were tested. In addition, 23 different asphalt and two concrete field sections were also tested for friction and noise. The results of both field and laboratory measurements were used to develop an International Friction Index (IFI)-based protocol for measurement of the frictional characteristics of asphalt pavements for laboratory friction measurements. Based on the results of the study, it appears the content of high friction aggregate should be 20% or more of the total aggregate blend when used with other, polish susceptible coarse aggregates; the frictional properties increased substantially as the friction aggregate content increased above 20%. Both steel slag and quartzite were found to improve the frictional properties of the blend, though steel slag had a lower polishing rate. In general, mixes containing soft limestone demonstrated lower friction values than comparable mixes with hard limestone or dolomite. Larger nominal maximum aggregate size mixes had better overall frictional performance than smaller sized mixes. In addition, mixes with higher fineness moduli generally had higher macrotexture and friction.

Quantitative Mapping of Waterways Characteristics at Bridge Sites, TR-569, 2008

Iowa state, county, and city engineering offices expend considerable effort monitoring the state’s approximately 25,000 bridges, most of which span small waterways. In fact, the need for monitoring is actually greater for bridges over small waterways because scour processes are exacerbated by the close proximity of abutments, piers, channel banks, approach embankments, and other local obstructions. The bridges are customarily inspected biennially by the county’s road department bridge inspectors. It is extremely time consuming and difficult to obtain consistent, reliable, and timely information on bridge-waterway conditions for so many bridges. Moreover, the current approaches to gather survey information is not uniform, complete, and quantitative. The methodology and associated software (DIGIMAP) developed through the present project enable a non-intrusive means to conduct fast, efficient, and accurate inspection of the waterways in the vicinity of the bridges and culverts using one technique. The technique combines algorithms image of registration and velocimetry using images acquired with conventional devices at the inspection site. The comparison of the current bridge inspection and monitoring methods with the DIGIMAP methodology enables to conclude that the new procedure assembles quantitative information on the waterway hydrodynamic and morphologic features with considerable reduced effort, time, and cost. It also improves the safety of the bridge and culvert inspections conducted during normal and extreme hydrologic events. The data and information are recorded in a digital format, enabling immediate and convenient tracking of the waterway changes over short or long time intervals.

Insights into the Design and Characteristics of the Sedimentation Process at Multi-Barrel Culverts in Iowa, TR-596, 2010

The present study is an integral part of a broader study focused on the design and implementation of self-cleaning culverts, i.e., configurations that prevent the formation of sediment deposits after culvert construction or cleaning. Sediment deposition at culverts is influenced by many factors, including the size and characteristics of material of which the channel is composed, the hydraulic characteristics generated under different hydrology events, the culvert geometry design, channel transition design, and the vegetation around the channel. The multitude of combinations produced by this set of variables makes the investigation of practical situations a complex undertaking. In addition to the considerations above, the field and analytical observations have revealed flow complexities affecting the flow and sediment transport through culverts that further increase the dimensions of the investigation. The flow complexities investigated in this study entail: flow non-uniformity in the areas of transition to and from the culvert, flow unsteadiness due to the flood wave propagation through the channel, and the asynchronous correlation between the flow and sediment hydrographs resulting from storm events. To date, the literature contains no systematic studies on sediment transport through multi-box culverts or investigations on the adverse effects of sediment deposition at culverts. Moreover, there is limited knowledge about the non-uniform, unsteady sediment transport in channels of variable geometry. Furthermore, there are few readily useable (inexpensive and practical) numerical models that can reliably simulate flow and sediment transport in such complex situations. Given the current state of knowledge, the main goal of the present study is to investigate the above flow complexities in order to provide the needed insights for a series of ongoing culvert studies. The research was phased so that field observations were conducted first to understand the culvert behavior in Iowa landscape. Modeling through complementary hydraulic model and numerical experiments was subsequently carried out to gain the practical knowledge for the development of the self-cleaning culvert designs.

Estimating traveltimes and groundwater flow patterns using 3D time-lapse crosshole ERT imaging of electrical resistivity fluctuations induced by infiltrating river water

The infiltration of river water into aquifers is of high relevance to drinking-water production and is a key driver of biogeochemical processes in the hyporheic and riparian zone, but the distribution and quantification of the infiltrating water are difficult to determine using conventional hydrological methods (e.g., borehole logging and tracer tests). By time-lapse inverting crosshole ERT (electrical resistivity tomography) monitoring data, we imaged groundwater flow patterns driven by river water infiltrating a perialpine gravel aquifer in northeastern Switzerland. This was possible because the electrical resistivity of the infiltrating water changed during rainfall-runoff events. Our time-lapse resistivity models indicated rather complex flow patterns as a result of spatially heterogeneous bank filtration and aquifer heterogeneity. The upper part of the aquifer was most affected by the river infiltrate, and the highest groundwater velocities and possible preferential flow occurred at shallow to intermediate depths. Time series of the reconstructed resistivity models matched groundwater electrical resistivity data recorded on borehole loggers in the upper and middle parts of the aquifer, whereas the resistivity models displayed smaller variations and delayed responses with respect to the logging data. in the lower part. This study demonstrated that crosshole ERT monitoring of natural electrical resistivity variations of river infiltrate could be used to image and quantify 3D bank filtration and aquifer dynamics at a high spatial resolution.

Trends over time of virological and immunological characteristics in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The long-term outcome of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not assessed in controlled trials. We aimed to analyse trends in the population effectiveness of ART in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study over the last decade. METHODS: We analysed the odds of stably suppressed viral load (ssVL: three consecutive values <50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL) and of CD4 cell count exceeding 500 cells/μL for each year between 2000 and 2008 in three scenarios: an open cohort; a closed cohort ignoring the influx of new participants after 2000; and a worst-case closed cohort retaining lost or dead patients as virological failures in subsequent years. We used generalized estimating equations with sex, age, risk, non-White ethnicity and era of starting combination ART (cART) as fixed co-factors. Time-updated co-factors included type of ART regimen, number of new drugs and adherence to therapy. RESULTS: The open cohort included 9802 individuals (median age 38 years; 31% female). From 2000 to 2008, the proportion of participants with ssVL increased from 37 to 64% [adjusted odds ratio (OR) per year 1.16 (95% CI 1.15-1.17)] and the proportion with CD4 count >500 cells/μL increased from 40 to >50% [OR 1.07 (95% CI 1.06-1.07)]. Similar trends were seen in the two closed cohorts. Adjustment did not substantially affect time trends. CONCLUSIONS: There was no relevant dilution effect through new participants entering the open clinical cohort, and the increase in virological/immunological success over time was not an artefact of the study design of open cohorts. This can partly be explained by new treatment options and other improvements in medical care.

Assessment of quadriceps muscle inactivation with a new electrical stimulation paradigm.

INTRODUCTION: In this study we evaluated the validity of garment-based quadriceps stimulation (GQS) for assessment of muscle inactivation in comparison with femoral nerve stimulation (FNS). METHODS: Inactivation estimates (superimposed doublet torque), self-reported discomfort, and twitch and doublet contractile properties were compared between GQS and FNS in 15 healthy subjects. RESULTS: Superimposed doublet torque was significantly lower for GQS than for FNS at 20% and 40% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) (P < 0.01), but not at 60%, 80%, and 100% MVC. Discomfort scores were systematically lower for GQS than for FNS (P < 0.05). Resting twitch and doublet peak torque were lower for GQS, and time to peak torque was shorter for GQS than for FNS (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: GQS can be used with confidence for straightforward evaluation of quadriceps muscle inactivation, whereas its validity for assessment of contractile properties remains to be determined. Muscle Nerve 51: 117-124, 2015.

Stochastic inversion of tracer test and electrical geophysical data to estimate hydraulic conductivities.

Quantifying the spatial configuration of hydraulic conductivity (K) in heterogeneous geological environments is essential for accurate predictions of contaminant transport, but is difficult because of the inherent limitations in resolution and coverage associated with traditional hydrological measurements. To address this issue, we consider crosshole and surface-based electrical resistivity geophysical measurements, collected in time during a saline tracer experiment. We use a Bayesian Markov-chain-Monte-Carlo (McMC) methodology to jointly invert the dynamic resistivity data, together with borehole tracer concentration data, to generate multiple posterior realizations of K that are consistent with all available information. We do this within a coupled inversion framework, whereby the geophysical and hydrological forward models are linked through an uncertain relationship between electrical resistivity and concentration. To minimize computational expense, a facies-based subsurface parameterization is developed. The Bayesian-McMC methodology allows us to explore the potential benefits of including the geophysical data into the inverse problem by examining their effect on our ability to identify fast flowpaths in the subsurface, and their impact on hydrological prediction uncertainty. Using a complex, geostatistically generated, two-dimensional numerical example representative of a fluvial environment, we demonstrate that flow model calibration is improved and prediction error is decreased when the electrical resistivity data are included. The worth of the geophysical data is found to be greatest for long spatial correlation lengths of subsurface heterogeneity with respect to wellbore separation, where flow and transport are largely controlled by highly connected flowpaths.

Assessment of diesel exhaust particulate exposure and surface characteristics in association with levels of oxidative stress biomarkers

Exposure to PM10 and PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter smaller than 10 μm and 2.5 μm, respectively) is associated with a range of adverse health effects, including cancer, pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Surface characteristics (chemical reactivity, surface area) are considered of prime importance to understand the mechanisms which lead to harmful effects. A hypothetical mechanism to explain these adverse effects is the ability of components (organics, metal ions) adsorbed on these particles to generate Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), and thereby to cause oxidative stress in biological systems (Donaldson et al., 2003). ROS can attack almost any cellular structure, like DNA or cellular membrane, leading to the formation of a wide variety of degradation products which can be used as a biomarker of oxidative stress. The aim of the present research project is to test whether there is a correlation between the exposure to Diesel Exhaust Particulate (DEP) and the oxidative stress status. For that purpose, a survey has been conducted in real occupational situations where workers were exposed to DEP (bus depots). Different exposure variables have been considered: - particulate number, size distribution and surface area (SMPS); - particulate mass - PM2.5 and PM4 (gravimetry); - elemental and organic carbon (coulometry); - total adsorbed heavy metals - iron, copper, manganese (atomic adsorption); - surface functional groups present on aerosols (Knudsen flow reactor). Several biomarkers of oxidative stress (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and several aldehydes) have been determined either in urine or serum of volunteers. Results obtained during the sampling campaign in several bus depots indicated that the occupational exposure to particulates in these places was rather low (40-50 μg/m3 for PM4). Bimodal size distributions were generally observed (5 μm and <1 μm). Surface characteristics of PM4 varied strongly, depending on the bus depot. They were usually characterized by high carbonyl and low acidic sites content. Among the different biomarkers which have been analyzed within the framework of this study, mean urinary levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine increased significantly (p<0.05) during two consecutive days of exposure for non-smoker workers. On the other hand, no statistically significant differences were observed for serum levels of hexanal, nonanal and 4- hydroxy-nonenal (p>0.05). Biomarkers levels will be compared to exposure variables to gain a better understanding of the relation between the particulate characteristics and the formation of ROS by-products. This project is financed by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education and Research. It is conducted within the framework of the COST Action 633 "Particulate Matter - Properties Related to Health Effects".

Red clover grown in a mixture with grasses : yield, persistence and dynamics of quality characteristics

Selostus: Puna-apilan pysyvyys apila-heinänurmessa sekä seosnurmen satoisuus ja laadun muutokset erilaisissa kasvuoloissa