scholarly journals Natural hazard events affecting transportation networks in Switzerland from 2012 to 2016

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jérémie Voumard ◽  
Marc-Henri Derron ◽  
Michel Jaboyedoff
Keyword(s):  
Natural Hazard ◽  
Transportation Networks ◽  
National Level ◽  
Event Type ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Distributions ◽  
Closure Duration ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Event Date ◽  
Google Alerts ◽  
Short Time

Abstract. Switzerland is a country threatened by a lot of natural hazards. Many events occur in built environment, affecting infrastructures, buildings or transportation networks and producing occasionally expensive damages. This is the reason why large landslides are generally well studied and monitored in Switzerland to reduce the financial and human risks. However, we have noticed a lack of data on small events which have impacted roads and railways these last years. Therefore, we have collected all the reported natural hazard events which have affected the Swiss transportation networks since 2012 in a database. More than 800 events affecting roads and railways have been recorded in five years from 2012 to 2016. These events are classified into six classes: earth flow, debris flow, rockfall, flood, snow avalanche and others. Data come from Swiss online press articles sorted by Google Alerts. The search is based on more than thirty keywords, in three languages (Italian, French, German). After verifying that the article relates indeed an event which has affected a road or a railways track, it is studied in detail. We get finally information on about sixty attributes by event about event date, event type, event localisation, meteorological conditions as well as impacts and damages on the track and human damages. From this database, many trends over the five years of data collection can be outlined: in particular, the spatial and temporal distributions of the events, as well as their consequences in term of traffic (closure duration, deviation, etc.). Even if the database is imperfect because of it was built and because of the short time period considered, it highlights the not negligible impact of small natural hazard events on roads and railways in Switzerland at a national level. This database helps to better understand and quantify this type of events and to better integrate them in risk assessment.

scholarly journals Natural hazard events affecting transportation networks in Switzerland from 2012 to 2016

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 2093-2109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jérémie Voumard ◽  
Marc-Henri Derron ◽  
Michel Jaboyedoff
Keyword(s):  
Natural Hazard ◽  
Transportation Networks ◽  
National Level ◽  
Railway Track ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Distributions ◽  
Actual Event ◽  
Closure Duration ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Event Date ◽  
Google Alerts

Abstract. Switzerland is threatened by many natural hazards. Many events occur in built-up environments, affecting infrastructure, buildings, and transportation networks, occasionally producing expensive damages. This expense is why large landslides are generally well studied and monitored in Switzerland to reduce the financial and human risks. However, there is a lack of data on small events, which have recently affected roads and railways. Therefore, in this study, all of the reported natural hazard events that have affected Swiss transportation networks since 2012 were collected in a database. More than 800 events affecting roads and railways were recorded within in a 5-year period from 2012 to 2016. These events are classified into six classes: earth flow, debris flow, rockfall, flood, snow avalanche, and others. Data from Swiss online press articles were sorted by Google Alerts. The search was based on more than 30 keywords in three languages (Italian, French, and German). After verification that the article was related to an actual event that affected a road or a railway track, it was studied in detail. We collected information on more than 170 attributes of events, such as the event date, event type, event localization, meteorological conditions, impacts and damages on the track, and human damages. From this database, a variety of trends over the 5-year period can be observed in the event attributes, particularly the spatial and temporal distributions of the events, and their consequences on traffic (closure duration, deviation, costs of direct damage). The database is imperfect due to the short period of data collection, but it highlights the non-negligible impact of small natural hazard events on roads and railways in Switzerland at a national level. This database contributes to understanding and quantification of these types of events and better integration in risk assessment.

World Economy: Prospects and Barriers for Recovery

2012 ◽  
pp. 61-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ershov
Keyword(s):  
World Economy ◽  
Western World ◽  
Short Time Period ◽  
Market Segments ◽  
Junk Bonds ◽  
The Past ◽  
Time Period ◽  
The Us ◽  
Global Liquidity ◽  
Short Time

According to the latest forecasts, it will take 10 years for the world economy to get back to “decent shape”. Some more critical estimates suggest that the whole western world will have a “colossal mess” within the next 5–10 years. Regulators of some major countries significantly and over a short time‑period changed their forecasts for the worse which means that uncertainty in the outlook for the future persists. Indeed, the intensive anti‑crisis measures have reduced the severity of the past problems, however the problems themselves have not disappeared. Moreover, some of them have become more intense — the eurocrisis, excessive debts, global liquidity glut against the backdrop of its deficit in some of market segments. As was the case prior to the crisis, derivatives and high‑risk operations with “junk” bonds grow; budget problems — “fiscal cliff” in the US — and other problems worsen. All of the above forces the regulators to take unprecedented (in their scope and nature) steps. Will they be able to tackle the problems which emerge?

Effect of short-term use of oral contraceptive pills on intraocular pressure

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tayyaba Gul Malik ◽  
Hina Nadeem ◽  
Eiman Ayesha ◽  
Rabail Alam
Keyword(s):  
Oral Contraceptive ◽  
Childbearing Age ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Oral Contraceptive Pills ◽  
Contraceptive Pills ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Group A ◽  
Group B ◽  
Short Time

Objective: To study the effect of short-term use of oral contraceptive pills on intra-ocular pressures of women of childbearing age.   Methods: It was a comparative observational study, conducted at Arif memorial teaching hospital and Allied hospital Faisalabad for a period of six months. Hundred female subjects were divided into two groups of 50 each. Group A, included females, who had been taking oral contraceptive pills (OCP) for more than 6 months and less than 36 months. Group B, included 50 age-matched controls, who had never used OCP. Ophthalmic and systemic history was taken. Careful Slit lamp examination was performed and intraocular pressures (IOP) were measured using Goldman Applanation tonometer. Fundus examination was done to rule out any posterior segment disease. After collection of data, we analyzed and compared the intra ocular pressures between the two groups by using ANOVA in SPSS version 21.   Results: Average duration of using OCP was 14.9 months. There was no significant difference of Cup to Disc ratios between the two groups (p= 0.109). However, significant difference was noted between the IOP of OCP group and controls. (p=0.000). Conclusion: OCP significantly increase IOP even when used for short time period.

scholarly journals Political ideology and vaccination willingness: implications for policy design

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Debus ◽  
Jale Tosun
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
Policy Design ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Individual Freedom ◽  
Short Time Period ◽  
Successful Development ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Short Time

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has forced governments to impose major restrictions on individual freedom in order to stop the spread of the virus. With the successful development of a vaccine, these restrictions are likely to become obsolete—on the condition that people get vaccinated. However, parts of the population have reservations against vaccination. While this is not a recent phenomenon, it might prove a critical one in the context of current attempts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, the task of designing policies suitable for attaining high levels of vaccination deserves enhanced attention. In this study, we use data from the Eurobarometer survey fielded in March 2019. They show that 39% of Europeans consider vaccines to cause the diseases which they should protect against, that 50% believe vaccines have serious side effects, that 32% think that vaccines weaken the immune system, and that 10% do not believe vaccines are tested rigorously before authorization. We find that—even when controlling for important individual-level factors—ideological extremism on both ends of the spectrum explains skepticism of vaccination. We conclude that policymakers must either politicize the issue or form broad alliances among parties and societal groups in order to increase trust in and public support for the vaccines in general and for vaccines against COVID-19 in particular, since the latter were developed in a very short time period and resulted—in particular in case of the AstraZeneca vaccine—in reservations because of the effectiveness and side effects of the new vaccines.

scholarly journals Platypnoea–orthodeoxia syndrome induced by short-term weight loss: a case series

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yudai Tamura ◽  
Tomohiro Sakamoto
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Septal Defect ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Transoesophageal Echocardiography ◽  
Sitting Position ◽  
Short Time Period ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Uncommon Condition ◽  
The Right ◽  
Short Time

Abstract Background Platypnoea–orthodeoxia syndrome (POS) is an uncommon condition characterized by dyspnoea and arterial desaturation in the standing or sitting position that improves in the supine position. Case summary We report two cases of POS caused by an atrial septal defect (ASD) and a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Both cases reported a recent decrease in body weight of more than 10 kg in a short time period. Transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) with agitated saline bubble study revealed and a large amount of contrast bubble through the ASD (Patient 1) or the PFO (Patient 2) from the right atrium to the left atrium in the sitting position. Both patients were diagnosed by the finding of positional dyspnoea and the results of TOE using agitated saline bubble contrast. Discussion Taken together, their presentations suggest that weight loss in a short time period could be a pathogenic factor for POS.

Origins and Destinations – Social Security Claimant Dynamics

1998 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 351-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHAEL NOBLE ◽  
SIN YI CHEUNG ◽  
GEORGE SMITH
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Income Support ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Family Structures ◽  
Highly Educated ◽  
Lone Parents ◽  
Lone Mothers ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Short Time

This article briefly reviews American and British literature on welfare dynamics and examines the concepts of welfare dependency and ‘dependency culture’ with particular reference to lone parents. Using UK benefit data sets, the welfare dynamics of lone mothers are examined to explore the extent to which they inform the debates. Evidence from Housing Benefits data show that even over a relatively short time period, there is significant turnover in the benefits-dependent lone parent population with movement in and out of income support as well as movement into other family structures. Younger lone parents and owner-occupiers tend to leave the data set while older lone parents and council tenants are most likely to stay. Some owner-occupier lone parents may be relatively well off and on income support for a relatively short time between separation and a financial settlement being reached. They may also represent a more highly educated and highly skilled group with easier access to the labour market than renters. Any policy moves paralleling those in the United States to time limit benefit will disproportionately affect older lone parents.

scholarly journals Retention Of Cardiac Auscultation Skill Requires Paired Visual And Audio Information In New Learners

2008 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn Nordehn ◽  
Spencer Strunic ◽  
Tom Soldner ◽  
Nicholas Karlisch ◽  
Ian Kramer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Information ◽  
Heart Sound ◽  
Heart Sounds ◽  
Sound Recognition ◽  
Cardiac Auscultation ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Short Time ◽  
Audio Information

Introduction: Cardiac auscultation accuracy is poor: 20% to 40%. Audio-only of 500 heart sounds cycles over a short time period significantly improved auscultation scores. Hypothesis: adding visual information to an audio-only format, significantly (p<.05) improves short and long term accuracy. Methods: Pre-test: Twenty-two 1st and 2nd year medical student participants took an audio-only pre-test. Seven students comprising our audio-only training cohort heard audio-only, of 500 heart sound repetitions. 15 students comprising our paired visual with audio cohort heard and simultaneously watched video spectrograms of the heart sounds. Immediately after trainings, both cohorts took audio-only post-tests; the visual with audio cohort also took a visual with audio post-test, a test providing audio with simultaneous video spectrograms. All tests were repeated in six months. Results: All tests given immediately after trainings showed significant improvement with no significant difference between the cohorts. Six months later neither cohorts maintained significant improvement on audio-only post-tests. Six months later the visual with audio cohort maintained significant improvement (p<.05) on the visual with audio post-test. Conclusions: Audio retention of heart sound recognition is not maintained if: trained using audio-only; or, trained using visual with audio. Providing visual with audio in training and testing allows retention of auscultation accuracy. Devices providing visual information during auscultation could prove beneficial.

scholarly journals How much should we believe correlations between Arctic cyclones and sea ice extent?

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie G. L. Rae ◽  
Alexander D. Todd ◽  
Edward W. Blockley ◽  
Jeff K. Ridley
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Arctic Sea Ice ◽  
Reanalysis Dataset ◽  
Sea Ice Extent ◽  
Sea Level Pressure ◽  
Temporal Sampling ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Arctic Sea ◽  
Short Time

Abstract. This paper presents an analysis of Arctic summer cyclones in a climate model and in a reanalysis dataset. A cyclone identification and tracking algorithm is run for output from model simulations at two resolutions, and for the reanalysis, using two different tracking variables (mean sea-level pressure and 850 hPa vorticity) for identification of the cyclones. Correlations between characteristics of the cyclones and September Arctic sea ice extent are investigated, and the influence of the tracking variable, the spatial resolution of the model, and spatial and temporal sampling, on the correlations is explored. We conclude that the correlations obtained depend on all of these factors, and that care should be taken when interpreting the results of such analyses, especially when the focus is on one reanalysis, or output from one model, analysed with a single tracking variable for a short time period.

scholarly journals Drivers of Change in National Disaster Governance under the Hyogo Framework for Action

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 256-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian S. T. Wanner
Keyword(s):  
Natural Hazard ◽  
National Level ◽  
Development Aid ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Substantial Variation ◽  
Drivers Of Change ◽  
Governance Capacity ◽  
Systematic Assessment ◽  
First Results ◽  
National Disaster

Many suggestions have been made on what motivates countries to expand their measures for disaster risk reduction (DRR), including the frequency and severity of natural hazards, accountability mechanisms, and governance capacity. Despite the fact that theoretical arguments have been developed and evidence collected from small-scale case studies, few studies have attempted to explain the substantial variation in the adoption of DRR measures across countries. This study combines available data on DRR measures, natural hazard events, governance, and socioeconomic characteristics to provide a systematic assessment of the changes that have occurred in the state of DRR at the national level. In line with theoretical explanations, there are indeed associations between several measures of frequency and severity and the development of DRR status. Additionally, voice and accountability mechanisms, as well as development aid, might facilitate positive change. Although these first results of a global comparative study on change in DRR have to be taken cautiously, it is a step forward to understanding the drivers of change at the national level.

scholarly journals Estimation of three-dimensional crustal movements in the 2011 Tohoku-oki, Japan earthquake from TerraSAR-X intensity images

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (12) ◽  
pp. 7383-7408
Author(s):  
W. Liu ◽  
F. Yamazaki ◽  
M. Matsuoka ◽  
T. Nonaka ◽  
T. Sasagawa
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Short Time Period ◽  
Sar Images ◽  
Crustal Movements ◽  
Surface Displacements ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Intensity Images ◽  
Short Time ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Gps Observations

Abstract. The Tohoku-Oki earthquake on 11 March 2011 caused significant widespread crustal movements. In a previous study, we proposed a method for capturing two-dimensional (2-D) surface displacements from a pair of pre- and post-event TerraSAR-X (TSX) intensity images. However, it is difficult to detect three-dimensional (3-D) displacements from one pair of TSX images. In this study, three pairs of pre- and post-event TSX images taken on different paths were used to estimate 3-D crustal movements. The relationship between the actual 3-D displacements and the converted 2-D movements in the SAR images was derived based on the observation model of a SAR sensor. The 3-D movements were then calculated from three sets of detected 2-D movements that occurred within a short time period. Compared with GPS observations, the proposed method was found to be capable of detecting the 3-D crustal movements with sub-pixel accuracy.

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