UV prognosis and UV index services in Europe

Ultraviolet radiation is a highly energetic component of the solar spectrum that needs to be monitored because is harmful to life on Earth, especially in areas where the ozone layer has been depleted, like Chile. This work is the first to address the long-term (five-year) behaviour of ultraviolet erythemal radiation (UVER) in Santiago, Chile (33.5° S, 70.7° W, 500 m) using in situ measurements and empirical modelling. Observations indicate that to alert the people on the risks of UVER overexposure, it is necessary to use, in addition to the currently available UV index (UVI), three more erythema indices: standard erythemal doses (SEDs), minimum erythemal doses (MEDs), and sun exposure time (tery). The combination of UVI, SEDs, MEDs, and tery shows that in Santiago, individuals with skin types III and IV are exposed to harmfully high UVER doses for 46% of the time that UVI indicates is safe. Empirical models predicted hourly and daily values UVER in Santiago with great accuracy and can be applied to other Chilean urban areas with similar climate. This research inspires future advances in reconstructing large datasets to analyse the UVER in Central Chile, its trends, and its changes.

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“I’ve Heard of It, Yes, but I Can’t Remember What Exactly It Was”—A Qualitative Study on Awareness, Knowledge, and Use of the UV Index

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041615 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1615

Author(s):

Katharina Diehl ◽

Tatiana Görig ◽

Charlotte Jansen ◽

Maike Carola Hruby ◽

Annette B. Pfahlberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Sun Protection ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Protection Factor ◽

Protection Measures ◽

Uv Index ◽

Correct Definition ◽

Definition Of

Pharmacists and pharmaceutical technicians play an important role in counselling customers regarding sunscreen use and sun protection measures. A potentially helpful tool that can be used during counselling is the ultraviolet index (UVI), which informs individuals when and what sun protection measures are needed at a specific place and time. Our aim in this qualitative study was to explore awareness, knowledge, and use of the UVI during counselling in pharmacies. We used semi-structured interviews with pharmacists and pharmaceutical technicians (n = 20) to answer our research questions. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. During the interviews pharmacists and pharmaceutical technicians revealed a lot of uncertainty and lack of knowledge regarding the UVI. Eight professionals were able to give a correct definition of UVI. Amongst others, the UVI was confused with sun protection factor. Overall, the UVI was hardly used during the counselling of customers. The UVI was developed to provide guidance when which type of sun protection is required to avoid detrimental effects of ultraviolet radiation. For effective implementation, both the general population and health professionals (e.g., pharmacists) have to increase their knowledge about the UVI. This would strengthen its use during professional counselling in pharmacies and may help to reduce the incidence of skin cancer over the long term.

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Travellers to high UV-index countries: Sun-exposure behaviour in 7822 French adults

Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease ◽

10.1016/j.tmaid.2006.08.001 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 176-182 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Khaled Ezzedine ◽

Christiane Guinot ◽

Emmanuelle Mauger ◽

Thierry Pistone ◽

Marie-Catherine Receveur ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sun Exposure ◽

Uv Index

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Global solar UV index

Melanoma Research ◽

10.1097/00008390-199509001-00093 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. 47-48

Author(s):

J. P. Césarini

Keyword(s):

Uv Index ◽

Solar Uv

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Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue: Part 3 – An Elephant Never Forgets

Journal of Intelligent Systems ◽

10.1515/jisys-2014-0148 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 433-437

Author(s):

Mark Dougherty

Keyword(s):

Artificial Intelligence ◽

Intelligent Systems ◽

Natural Systems ◽

European Court ◽

New Knowledge ◽

The Right ◽

Contextual Environment ◽

The Brain ◽

Index Services ◽

Incomplete Picture

AbstractForgetting is an oft-forgotten art. Many artificial intelligence (AI) systems deliver good performance when first implemented; however, as the contextual environment changes, they become out of date and their performance degrades. Learning new knowledge is part of the solution, but forgetting outdated facts and information is a vital part of the process of renewal. However, forgetting proves to be a surprisingly difficult concept to either understand or implement. Much of AI is based on analogies with natural systems, and although all of us have plenty of experiences with having forgotten something, as yet we have only an incomplete picture of how this process occurs in the brain. A recent judgment by the European Court concerns the “right to be forgotten” by web index services such as Google. This has made debate and research into the concept of forgetting very urgent. Given the rapid growth in requests for pages to be forgotten, it is clear that the process will have to be automated and that intelligent systems of forgetting are required in order to meet this challenge.

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Climatological Global Solar UV Index: Measurement and Health Issues in Malta

Climate Change Management - Handbook of Climate Services ◽

10.1007/978-3-030-36875-3_13 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 253-277

Author(s):

Roderick Busuttil ◽

Charles Galdies ◽

Joseph Cacciottolo ◽

Charles Yousif

Keyword(s):

Health Issues ◽

Uv Index ◽

Index Measurement ◽

Solar Uv

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Possible values of UV index in Serbia

Srpski arhiv za celokupno lekarstvo ◽

10.2298/sarh0812640l ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 136 (11-12) ◽

pp. 640-643 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Milorad Letic

Keyword(s):

Uv Radiation ◽

The Sun ◽

Total Column Ozone ◽

Uv Index ◽

Clear Sky ◽

Expected Values ◽

June July ◽

Column Ozone ◽

Ozone Column

INTRODUCTION UV Index is an indicator of human exposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) rays. The numerical values of the UV Index range from 1-11 and above. There are three levels of protection against UV radiation; low values of the UV Index - protection is not required, medium values of the UV Index - protection is recommended and high values of the UV Index - protection is obligatory. The value of the UV Index primarily depends on the elevation of the sun and total ozone column. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study is to determine the intervals of possible maximal annual values of the UV Index in Serbia in order to determine the necessary level of protection in a simple manner. METHOD For maximal and minimal expected values of total column ozone and for maximal elevation of the sun, the value of the UV Index was determined for each month in the Northern and Southern parts of Serbia. These values were compared with the forecast of the UV Index. RESULTS Maximal clear sky values of the UV Index in Serbia for altitudes up to 500m in May, June, July and August can be 9 or even 10, and not less than 5 or 6. During November, December, January and February the UV Index can be 4 at most. During March, April, September and October the expected values of the UV Index are maximally 7 and not less than 3. The forecast of the UV Index is within these limits in 98% of comparisons. CONCLUSION The described method of determination of possible UV Index values showed a high agreement with forecasts. The obtained results can be used for general recommendations in the protection against UV radiation.

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Comparison of UV climates at Summit, Greenland; Barrow, Alaska and South Pole, Antarctica

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions ◽

10.5194/acpd-8-4949-2008 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 4949-4976

Author(s):

G. Bernhard ◽

C. R. Booth ◽

J. C. Ehramjian

Keyword(s):

Total Ozone ◽

Surface Albedo ◽

High Surface ◽

Lower Latitude ◽

South Pole ◽

Model Calculations ◽

Uv Index ◽

Ice Caps ◽

Clear Sky ◽

Summer Maximum

Abstract. An SUV-150B spectroradiometer for measuring solar ultraviolet (UV) irradiance was installed at Summit, Greenland, in August 2004. Here we compare the initial data from this new location with similar measurements from Barrow, Alaska and South Pole. Measurements of irradiance at 345 nm performed at equivalent solar zenith angles (SZAs) are almost identical at Summit and South Pole. The good agreement can be explained with the similar location of the two sites on high-altitude ice caps with high surface albedo. Clouds have little impact at both sites, but can reduce irradiance at Barrow by more than 75%. Clear-sky measurements at Barrow are smaller than at Summit by 14% in spring and 36% in summer, mostly due to differences in surface albedo and altitude. Comparisons with model calculations indicate that aerosols can reduce clear-sky irradiance at 345 nm by 4–6%; aerosol influence is largest in April. Differences in total ozone at the three sites have a large influence on the UV Index. At South Pole, the UV Index is on average 20–80% larger during the ozone hole period than between January and March. At Summit, total ozone peaks in April and UV Indices in spring are on average 10–25% smaller than in the summer. Maximum UV Indices ever observed at Summit and South Pole are 6.7 and 4.0, respectively. The larger value at Summit is due to the site's lower latitude. For comparable SZAs, average UV Indices measured during October and November at South Pole are 1.9–2.4 times larger than measurements during March and April at Summit. Average UV Indices at Summit are over 50% greater than at Barrow because of the larger cloud influence at Barrow.

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