Cross border Classical Swine Fever control: Improving Dutch and German crisis management systems by an integrated public-private approach

The objective of this research approach is to analyse in which ways crisis management measures against Classical Swine Fever (CSF) can be improved by a public private cross border model. A core activity contains the analysis of information and communication systems: In a case study it has been empirically analysed if a sufficient supply of public and private information enables crisis managers at both sides of the Dutch-German border area to take decisions about CSF control more efficient. At the end of this approach a new crisis management model had been developed. One of the most important aspects thereby is the assessment of data: (1) within private quality management systems in normal times according to the benefit for public management tasks in times of crisis and (2) within public crisis management systems according to the benefit for cross-border CSF-control activities. To this effect two different methodological approaches have been combined within the model: (1) a method to identify and illustrate public actors and their options in crisis management decision making and (2) a system of communication and information exchange between public and private as well as Dutch and German actors (engage& exchange model) which permit to collect and to evaluate data in addition for a predefined time period are activated. Received: September 30, 2008; accepted: October 1, 2008     

减小电感尺寸,设计纤薄的PFC电源段

功率因数校正（PFC）电路嵌在交流线路与主电源之间,从交流线路汲入正弦电流,从而提供恒定直流电压。这中间段一般是升压转换器,电感是系统中体积最大且昂贵的元器件之一。在对成本和尺寸敏感的应用中,必须将电感的尺寸和成本降至最低。     

Dynamic wetting and heat transfer at the initiation of aluminum solidification on copper substrates

Dynamic wetting and heat transfer during the start of solidification were studied with the help of molten aluminum droplets falling from a crucible onto a copper substrate. A high-speed camera captured the change in the spreading droplet’s geometry, while thermocouple, inserted inside the substrate, allowed a heat transfer analysis to be performed. Droplet spreading factors and interfacial heat fluxes were then used to, respectively, characterize dynamic wetting and heat transfer for the various experimental conditions explored. These were: (1) effects of chemical composition of the aluminum alloy, (2) initial temperature of the substrate, (3) surface roughness of the substrate, and (4) composition of the gaseous atmosphere. The experiments were all carried out in gaseous atmospheres containing oxygen in sufficient amount to form oxide skins at the surface of the droplets and the substrates. The results showed instances where an improvement in the dynamic wetting was accompanied by an increase in heat transfer during the early stages of solidification but this was not systematic. In these cases where a positive correlation was not observed, it was postulated this was caused by factors such as variations in the oxidation at the surface of the substrates and the droplets as well as gas trapped at the interface between the droplets and the substrates. Sébastien Leboeuf formerly with the Aluminum Technology Centre and McGill University.     

Using Survey Data and Mathematical Modeling to Prioritize Water Interventions in Developing Countries

Water Resources Management - A traditional cost-benefit analysis of potential water interventions in a given locality is a laborious and time-intensive process. To help decision makers identify...     

Influences of environmental conditions during infancy on final body stature

In the following article we shall investigate the Second World War with its consequences on nutrition and other living conditions for the German population to try to determine whether lack of nutrition plus other deficiencies, which infants were subjected to in Germany during this time, had any influence on their adult stature. The following data formed the basis of our investigation: (1) nutrition of infants and school-aged children during the years 1939-1948; (2) stature and weight of 6-year-old boys between 1907 and 1948; (3) infant mortality between 1935 and 1950; (4) stature of 19-year-old men who were born between 1938 and 1951. From Figure 5 it can be seen that the mean stature of 19-year-old men born between 1938 and 1951 (except for those born in 1944 and 1945) rose steadily (secular acceleration). The plot of the yearly rate of acceleration (Fig. 6) reveals a minimum in 1944-1945, and follows a general downward, U-shaped trend (P less than 0.05). On the other hand, infant mortality between 1941 and 1949 follows an upward U-shaped trend (P less than 0.05). For the 6- to 8-month-old infants during 1945-1948 nutrition was far worse than that during the preceding years. It is even likely that the nutrition for the infants had already begun to decrease in quality in 1942. We find, therefore, a close correlation between the years of high infant mortality and the growth deficiencies of the men born during these years. Since we must assume that the nutritional situation for babies and infants worsened steadily after 1942 until it is apparent that a number of environmental factors directly influence human growth. The conclusion of our analysis is that a deficit of growth occurring after the end of the fourth year can be compensated fully. We conclude, furthermore, that the growth deficits which arise before the fourth year, on the other hand, cannot be compensated fully even if good or excellent environmental conditions follow.     

The open reading frame YAL048c affects the secretion of proteinase A in S. cerevisiae

Over-expression of the yeast PEP4 gene encoding the vacuolar aspartic protease proteinase A (PrA) leads to saturation of the vacuolar targeting system of the cell and missorting of PrA to the growth medium. In a screen for genes affecting the secretion of over-expressed PrA we found that multiple copies of the open reading frame (ORF) YAL048c enhanced PrA secretion. Since no function has hitherto been ascribed to YAL048c, we undertook further studies of this ORF. Deletion of YAL048c resulted in slightly reduced secretion of over-produced PrA. Furthermore, strains deleted for YAL048c showed a growth inhibition phenotype resulting in wrinkled colony morphology when grown on rich medium containing high concentrations of calcium. YAL048c is predicted to encode a polypeptide of 662 amino acid residues containing two consensus ATP/GTP-binding site motifs and a putative carboxy-terminal transmembrane region. In addition, the amino acid sequence contains two putative calcium-binding domains. The YAL048c protein may be evolutionarily conserved, as homologues exist in humans and Caenorhabditis elegans. We suggest that the YAL048c protein is involved in vesicle transport in the secretory pathway.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> mapping of cerebrospinal fluid: 3 T versus 7 T

Object

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) T ₂ mapping can potentially be used to investigate CSF composition. A previously proposed CSF T ₂–mapping method reported a T ₂ difference between peripheral and ventricular CSF, and suggested that this reflected different CSF compositions. We studied the performance of this method at 7 T and evaluated the influence of partial volume and B ₁ and B ₀ inhomogeneity.

Materials and methods

T ₂-preparation-based CSF T ₂-mapping was performed in seven healthy volunteers at 7 and 3 T, and was compared with a single echo spin-echo sequence with various echo times. The influence of partial volume was assessed by our analyzing the longest echo times only. B ₁ and B ₀ maps were acquired. B ₁ and B ₀ dependency of the sequences was tested with a phantom.

Results

T _2,CSF was shorter at 7 T compared with 3 T. At 3 T, but not at 7 T, peripheral T _2,CSF was significantly shorter than ventricular T _2,CSF. Partial volume contributed to this T ₂ difference, but could not fully explain it. B ₁ and B ₀ inhomogeneity had only a very limited effect. T _2,CSF did not depend on the voxel size, probably because of the used method to select of the regions of interest.

Conclusion

CSF T ₂ mapping is feasible at 7 T. The shorter peripheral T _2,CSF is likely a combined effect of partial volume and CSF composition.