Common Nordic Retail Market. Organisation of the further work

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2010-12-15

For several years NordREG has been working to promote and facilitate a common Nordic end user market. Given the political support that was expressed at the meeting of the Nordic energy ministers in the autumn of 2009, the work has become even more concrete. It should also be noted that the energy ministers expressed their support for the NordREGs implementation plan for a common Nordic retail market at their yearly meeting on the 25th of October 2010. With this organization document, NordREG define the organization of the future work and the governance rules of the whole process. The document shows which bodies needs to be established, what their roles are and how the decision-making and the consultation of stakeholders will be organized. As the document shows, the need for contributed efforts from all stakeholders will be vital in the coming years in order to make a reality of the plans for creating a common Nordic end user market. The organization document has been prepared by the NordREG Retail and Distribution Working Group. Nordenergi and Nordic TSOs have had an opportunity to comment the document before it was finalized. NordREG appreciates all the comments and has taken them into consideration before finalizing the document

End-Users, Front Ends and Librarians.

Science.gov (United States)

Bourne, Donna E.

1989-01-01

The increase in end-user searching, the advantages and limitations of front ends, and the role of the librarian in end-user searching are discussed. It is argued that librarians need to recognize that front ends can be of benefit to themselves and patrons, and to assume the role of advisors and educators for end-users. (37 references) (CLB)

Drug user organizations in the Nordic countries--local, national, and international dimensions.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Vibeke Asmussen; Anker, Jørgen; Tammi, Tuukka

2012-04-01

The article focuses on drug user organizations that represent and advocate for active "hard drug" users in the Nordic countries. It discusses the opportunities and challenges that these organizations face in their search for legitimacy and political influence. The comparative perspective points at similarities and differences in national contexts that both support and challenges the existence of drug user organizations, including drug policy, social welfare policy, trends in drug use, and organizational conditions. The article also discusses the importance of international network and transnational organizations that support drug user organizations.

End-User Evaluations of Semantic Web Technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCool, Rob; Cowell, Andrew J.; Thurman, David A.

2005-11-07

Stanford University's Knowledge Systems Laboratory (KSL) is working in partnership with Battelle Memorial Institute and IBM Watson Research Center to develop a suite of technologies for information extraction, knowledge representation & reasoning, and human-information interaction, in unison entitled 'Knowledge Associates for Novel Intelligence' (KANI). We have developed an integrated analytic environment composed of a collection of analyst associates, software components that aid the user at different stages of the information analysis process. An important part of our participatory design process has been to ensure our technologies and designs are tightly integrate with the needs and requirements of our end users, To this end, we perform a sequence of evaluations towards the end of the development process that ensure the technologies are both functional and usable. This paper reports on that process.

Monitoring and Benchmarking eHealth in the Nordic Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Nøhr, Christian; Koch, Sabine; Vimarlund, Vivian; Gilstad, Heidi; Faxvaag, Arild; Hardardottir, Gudrun Audur; Andreassen, Hege K; Kangas, Maarit; Reponen, Jarmo; Bertelsen, Pernille; Villumsen, Sidsel; Hyppönen, Hannele

2018-01-01

The Nordic eHealth Research Network, a subgroup of the Nordic Council of Ministers eHealth group, is working on developing indicators to monitor progress in availability, use and outcome of eHealth applications in the Nordic countries. This paper reports on the consecutive analysis of National eHealth policies in the Nordic countries from 2012 to 2016. Furthermore, it discusses the consequences for the development of indicators that can measure changes in the eHealth environment arising from the policies. The main change in policies is reflected in a shift towards more stakeholder involvement and intensified focus on clinical infrastructure. This change suggests developing indicators that can monitor understandability and usability of eHealth systems, and the use and utility of shared information infrastructure from the perspective of the end-users - citizens/patients and clinicians in particular.

Implementation Plan for a Common Nordic Retail Market. Evaluation of the responses on the public consultation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2010-09-15

Draft implementation plan for a common Nordic Retail Market was developed in close cooperation with relevant stakeholders in the Nordic electricity market during winter and spring 2010. The implementation plan outlines what should be done, by whom and when in order to create a common Nordic end user market over the coming years. NordREG organised a public consultation on the draft implementation plan from the end of June until the beginning of the August, 2010 and received 25 responses from stakeholders. This evaluation report includes summary of stakeholders' responses and NordREG comments on stakeholders' views. The evaluation of the responses has been taken into account during the finalization of the implementation plan

Integrating a work-flow engine within a commercial SCADA to build end users applications in a scientific environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ounsy, M.; Pierre-Joseph Zephir, S.; Saintin, K.; Abeille, G.; Ley, E. de

2012-01-01

To build integrated high-level applications, SOLEIL is using an original component-oriented approach based on GlobalSCREEN, an industrial Java SCADA. The aim of this integrated development environment is to give SOLEIL's scientific and technical staff a way to develop GUI (Graphical User Interface) applications for external users of beamlines. These GUI applications must address the two following needs: monitoring and supervision of a control system and development and execution of automated processes (as beamline alignment, data collection and on-line data analysis). The first need is now completely answered through a rich set of Java graphical components based on the COMETE library and providing a high level of service for data logging, scanning and so on. To reach the same quality of service for process automation, a big effort has been made for more seamless integration of PASSERELLE, a work-flow engine with dedicated user-friendly interfaces for end users, packaged as JavaBeans in GlobalSCREEN components library. Starting with brief descriptions of software architecture of the PASSERELLE and GlobalSCREEN environments, we will then present the overall system integration design as well as the current status of deployment on SOLEIL beamlines. (authors)

End-user satisfaction analysis on library management system unnes using technology acceptance model towards national standard of integrated library

Science.gov (United States)

Hardyanto, W.; Purwinarko, A.; Adhi, M. A.

2018-03-01

The library which is the gate of the University should be supported by the existence of an adequate information system, to provide excellent service and optimal to every user. Library management system that has been in existence since 2009 needs to be re-evaluated so that the system can meet the needs of both operator and Unnes user in particular, and users from outside Unnes in general. This study aims to evaluate and improve the existing library management system to produce a system that is accountable and able to meet the needs of end users, as well as produce a library management system that is integrated Unnes. Research is directed to produce evaluation report with Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) approach and library management system integrated with the national standard.

Service user integration into social work education: lessons learned from nordic participatory action projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Angelin, Anna

2015-01-01

Service users have lacked substantial influence, access, and participation in social work education in Norway and Sweden. In this article the author presents comparative analyses of two participatory projects that have developed and implemented practices that integrate service users into academic social work education and empower service users. The Norwegian HUSK project and the Social Work as Mobilization and Entrepreneurship course, also known as the "Mobilization course," at Lund University in Sweden demonstrate collaboration between research, social work education, and service users. The conclusions focus on the importance of the empowering processes by including recognition and dialogue, co-learning in practice, and the use of neutral venues to ensure effective user participation. The inclusion of service users in social work education can improve both practice and education.

NordicWalking Performance Analysis with an Integrated Monitoring System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesco Mocera

2018-05-01

Full Text Available There is a growing interest in Nordic walking both from the fitness and medical point of views due to its possible therapeutic applications. The proper execution of the technique is an essential requirement to maximize the benefits of this practice. This is the reason why a monitoring system for outdoor Nordic walking activity was developed. Using data obtained from synchronized sensors, it is possible to have a complete overview of the users’ movements. The system described in this paper is able to measure: the pole angle during the pushing phase, the arms cycle frequency and synchronization and the pushing force applied to the ground. Furthermore, data from a GPS module give an image of the environment where the activity session takes place, in terms of the distance, slope, as well as the ground typology. A heart rate sensor is used to monitor the effort of the user through his/her Beats Per Minute (BPM. In this work, the developed monitoring system is presented, explaining how to use the gathered data to obtain the main feedback parameters for Nordic walking performance analysis. The comparison between left and right arm measurements allowed validating the system as a tool for technique evaluation. Finally, a procedure to estimate the peak pushing force from acceleration measurements is proposed.

Practical cloud evaluation from a Nordic eScience user perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Edlund, Åke; Koopmans, Maarten; Shah, Zeeshan Ali

2011-01-01

In this paper, we describe the findings of the NEON project - a cross-Nordic - Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland - project evaluating the usefulness of private versus public cloud services for HPC users. Our findings are briefly that private cloud technology is not mature enough yet...... to provide a transparent user experience. It is expected that this will be the case mid 2012. The cost efficiency of both public and private cloud should be continuously monitored as there is a strong downward trend. This conclusion is supported by NEON experimenting as well as larger initiatives e.......g. StratusLab reports. Public cloud technology is mature enough but lacks certain features that will be necessary to include cloud resources in a transparent manner in a national infrastructure like the Norwegian NOTUR (www.notur.no) case, e.g. with respect to quota management. These features are expected...

Security Policy at Road’s End? The Roles of Sweden and Finland in the Nordic-Baltic Defence Cooperation Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Winnerstig Mike

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article addresses a number of questions related to Nordic and to an extent also Nordic-Baltic defence cooperation. First of all, how far has Nordic and Nordic-Baltic defence cooperation come today? Secondly, what are the differences in the approaches of Sweden and Finland when it comes to defence cooperation, especially regarding NATO, in the Nordic-Baltic area? As a first analytical result, it is apparent that the rhetorical standing of the Nordic and Nordic-Baltic defence cooperation process is greater than its real achievements, especially in terms of defence integration. Secondly, it seems also to be clear that the defence and security policy debates of Sweden and Finland are quite different. Some problems identified in the debates within the two countries, respectively, are very similar although the suggested solutions vary very remarkably. Regarding the key issue of NATO membership, the developments of the last few years suggest that the Swedish political establishment, as well as the general public, might be closer to a substantial discussion of NATO membership than their Finnish equivalents.

End-User Development of Information Visualization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pantazos, Kostas; Lauesen, Søren; Vatrapu, Ravi

2013-01-01

such as data manipulation, but no formal training in programming. 18 visualization tools were surveyed from an enduser developer perspective. The results of this survey study show that end-user developers need better tools to create and modify custom visualizations. A closer collaboration between End......This paper investigates End-User Development of Information Visualization. More specifically, we investigated how existing visualization tools allow end-user developers to construct visualizations. End-user developers have some developing or scripting skills to perform relatively advanced tasks......-User Development and Information Visualization researchers could contribute towards the development of better tools to support custom visualizations. In addition, as empirical evaluations of these tools are lacking both research communities should focus more on this aspect. The study serves as a starting point...

End User Development Toolkit for Developing Physical User Interface Applications

OpenAIRE

Abrahamsen, Daniel T; Palfi, Anders; Svendsen, Haakon Sønsteby

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Tangible user interfaces and end user development are two increasingresearch areas in software technology. Physical representation promoteopportunities to ease the use of technology and reinforce personality traits ascreativeness, collaboration and intuitive actions. However, designing tangibleuser interfaces are both cumbersome and require several layers of architecture.End user development allows users with no programming experience to createor customize their own applications. ...

Approaches for integrated assessment of ecological and eutrophication status of surface waters in Nordic Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jesper H.; Aroviita, Jukka; Carstensen, Jacob

2016-01-01

We review approaches and tools currently used in Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) for integrated assessment of ‘ecological status’ sensu the EU Water Framework Directive as well as assessment of ‘eutrophication status’ in coastal and marine waters. Integration principles for...... principles applied within BQEs are critical and in need of harmonisation if we want a better understanding of potential transition in ecological status between surface water types, e.g. when riverine water enters a downstream lake or coastal water body.......We review approaches and tools currently used in Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) for integrated assessment of ‘ecological status’ sensu the EU Water Framework Directive as well as assessment of ‘eutrophication status’ in coastal and marine waters. Integration principles...

Designing end-user interfaces

CERN Document Server

Heaton, N

1988-01-01

Designing End-User Interfaces: State of the Art Report focuses on the field of human/computer interaction (HCI) that reviews the design of end-user interfaces.This compilation is divided into two parts. Part I examines specific aspects of the problem in HCI that range from basic definitions of the problem, evaluation of how to look at the problem domain, and fundamental work aimed at introducing human factors into all aspects of the design cycle. Part II consists of six main topics-definition of the problem, psychological and social factors, principles of interface design, computer intelligenc

Determination of the moisture content of Nordic spruce wood through cone heater experiments and an integral model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mindykowski, Pierrick Anthony; Jørgensen, M.; Svensson, Staffan

2015-01-01

The combination of cone heater experiments and an integral model was used to determine the moisture content of Nordic spruce with varying degree of drying. Nine specimens of Nordic spruce were pre-heated to 105°C in a convective oven for durations ranging from 0 days (no drying) and up to 63 days...

Interfaces for End-User Information Seeking.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchionini, Gary

1992-01-01

Discusses essential features of interfaces to support end-user information seeking. Highlights include cognitive engineering; task models and task analysis; the problem-solving nature of information seeking; examples of systems for end-users, including online public access catalogs (OPACs), hypertext, and help systems; and suggested research…

Nuclear threats in the vicinity of the Nordic countries. Supplementary final report of the Nordic Nuclear Safety research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eikelmann, I.M.H.

2006-04-01

The purpose of this project was to continue the cross-disciplinary study SBA-1 'base of knowledge' in the NKS research program 1998-2001 regarding possible nuclear threats in the vicinity of the Nordic countries. The main task for the project was to expand and envelope this database. Finding information to be placed in the database and identifying and filling gaps in knowledge were prioritised. This is a continuous process which extends beyond the end of this project, in order to have an operating and updated database also in the years to come. In this project work has been done making information systems in Norway that can take care of the database in the future. The scope of the preceding project was to prepare a base of knowledge regarding possible nuclear threats in the vicinity of the Nordic countries. The database, including a literature database, is presented on the website 'Nuclear threats in the vicinity of the Nordic Countries'. The utilisation of modern information technology gives the user of the database easy access to information on different types of nuclear installations and threats. The project focused on potential events at nuclear installations and the consequences for the Nordic countries, especially with regards to vulnerable food chains, doses to man, environmental contamination and emergency preparedness systems. The geographical area dealt with includes North-west Russia and the Baltic states and the nuclear installations investigated are nuclear power plants, ship reactors and storage and handling of used fuel and radioactive waste. (au)

Nordic Energy Policy Cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Birte Holst

2016-01-01

Brundtland Commission Report, and climate change became a common concern. Energy technology cooperation was an integral part of Nordic energy policy cooperation from the very beginning. The Nordic Energy Research Programme was established with funding from each of the Nordic countries, and was earmarked...... by a committee of senior officials and a secretariat. This was characterised by an incremental development of the cooperation based on consensus, mutual understanding and trust facilitated through exchange of experiences, work groups, seminars, educational activities and mobility schemes for energy policy...

Integrating virtual reality and BIM for end-user involvement in building design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petrova, Ekaterina Aleksandrova; Rasmussen, Mai; Jensen, Rasmus Lund

2017-01-01

The outcome of projects within Architecture, Engineering, and Construction is highly dependent on the quality of the collaboration between the involved actors. The end-users occupy the buildings on a daily basis, and therefore their involvement in the design process is essential to the output. Ho...

Liver transplantation in the Nordic countries – An intention to treat and post-transplant analysis from The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry 1982–2013

Science.gov (United States)

Fosby, Bjarte; Melum, Espen; Bjøro, Kristian; Bennet, William; Rasmussen, Allan; Andersen, Ina Marie; Castedal, Maria; Olausson, Michael; Wibeck, Christina; Gotlieb, Mette; Gjertsen, Henrik; Toivonen, Leena; Foss, Stein; Makisalo, Heikki; Nordin, Arno; Sanengen, Truls; Bergquist, Annika; Larsson, Marie E.; Soderdahl, Gunnar; Nowak, Greg; Boberg, Kirsten Muri; Isoniemi, Helena; Keiding, Susanne; Foss, Aksel; Line, Pål-Dag; Friman, Styrbjörn; Schrumpf, Erik; Ericzon, Bo-Göran; Höckerstedt, Krister; Karlsen, Tom H.

2015-01-01

Abstract Aim and background. The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry (NLTR) accounts for all liver transplants performed in the Nordic countries since the start of the transplant program in 1982. Due to short waiting times, donor liver allocation has been made without considerations of the model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. We aimed to summarize key outcome measures and developments for the activity up to December 2013. Materials and methods. The registry is integrated with the operational waiting-list and liver allocation system of Scandiatransplant (www.scandiatransplant.org) and accounted at the end of 2013 for 6019 patients out of whom 5198 were transplanted. Data for recipient and donor characteristics and relevant end-points retransplantation and death are manually curated on an annual basis to allow for statistical analysis and the annual report. Results. Primary sclerosing cholangitis, acute hepatic failure, alcoholic liver disease, primary biliary cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma are the five most frequent diagnoses (accounting for 15.3%, 10.8%, 10.6%, 9.3% and 9.0% of all transplants, respectively). Median waiting time for non-urgent liver transplantation during the last 10-year period was 39 days. Outcome has improved over time, and for patients transplanted during 2004–2013, overall one-, five- and 10-year survival rates were 91%, 80% and 71%, respectively. In an intention-to-treat analysis, corresponding numbers during the same time period were 87%, 75% and 66%, respectively. Conclusion. The liver transplant program in the Nordic countries provides comparable outcomes to programs with a MELD-based donor liver allocation system. Unique features comprise the diagnostic spectrum, waiting times and the availability of an integrated waiting list and transplant registry (NLTR). PMID:25959101

CO2 emissions abatement in the Nordic carbon-intensive industry – An end-game in sight?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rootzén, Johan; Johnsson, Filip

2015-01-01

Analysing different future trajectories of technological developments we assess the prospects for Nordic carbon-intensive industries to significantly reduce direct CO 2 emissions in the period 2010–2050. This analysis covers petroleum refining, integrated iron and steel production, and cement manufacturing in the four largest Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Our results show that the implementation of currently available abatement measures will not be enough to meet the ambitious emissions reduction targets envisaged for the Year 2050. We show how an extensive deployment of CCS (carbon capture and storage) could result in emissions reductions that are in line with such targets. However, large-scale introduction of CCS would come at a significant price in terms of energy use and the associated flows of captured CO 2 would place high requirements on timely planning of infrastructure for the transportation and storage of CO 2 . Further the assessment highlights the importance of, especially in the absence of successful deployment of CO 2 capture, encouraging increased use of biomass in the cement and integrated iron and steel industries, and of promoting the utilisation of alternative raw materials in cement manufacturing to complement efforts to improve energy efficiency. - Highlights: • Scenarios exploring the potential for reducing CO 2 emissions in Nordic industry. • Current measures not sufficient to comply with stringent emission reduction targets. • CCS enables carbon-intensive industries to comply with stringent reduction targets. • CCS would come at a high price in terms of energy use. • Without CO 2 capture increased use of biomass and alternative raw materials vital

End-User Development of Visualizations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauesen, Søren; Pantazos, Kostas

2016-01-01

view. With uVis, developers construct a visualization from simple visual components such as boxes, curvePoints, and textboxes. All component properties such as Top and BackColor can be complex formulas similar to spreadsheet formulas. The operands in the formula can address relational data......In this article the authors investigated a visualization tool (uVis) for end-user developers, in order to see how end users actually use it. The tool was an early version and the investigation helped the authors to improve it. The investigation showed that users appreciated the simple formula...... language, the coordinated panels, and the drag-and-drop mechanism. However, the most important thing for them was the immediate response when they changed something, for instance part of a formula. The entire visualization was updated immediately without having to switch from development view to production...

End-User Driven Business Process Composition

OpenAIRE

Stoitsev, Todor

2009-01-01

Business Process Management (BPM) solutions enable enterprises to consolidate and optimize their business operations and to gain competitive advantage in the fast evolving global market. Often, the only ones to understand the matter and complexity of business processes are the end users of enterprise software, who execute them on a daily basis. The need to involve end users in business process composition during the implementation of BPM solutions in enterprises is clearly perceived. However,...

End-user centeredness in antiretroviral therapy services in Nigerian ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To describe the perception of end users with regard to end-user centeredness in antiretroviral therapy (ART) service provision in Nigerian public health facilities. Design: A qualitative design was followed. Subjects and setting: Unstructured focus group discussions were conducted with end users (n = 64) in six ...

How to engage end-users in smart energy behaviour?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valkering Pieter

2014-01-01

Full Text Available End users will play a crucial role in up-coming smart grids that aim to link end-users and energy providers in a better balanced and more efficient electricity system. Within this context, this paper aims to deliver a coherent view on current good practice in end-user engagement in smart grid projects. It draws from a recent review of theoretical insights from sustainable consumption behaviour, social marketing and innovation systems and empirical insights from recent smart grid projects to create an inventory of common motivators, enablers and barriers of behavioural change, and the end-user engagement principles that can be derived from that. We conclude with identifying current research challenges as input for a research agenda on end-user engagement in smart grids.

Nordic Housing Enabler

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helle, Tina; Brandt, Åse

Development and reliability testing of the Nordic Housing Enabler – an instrument for accessibility assessment of the physical housing. Tina Helle & Åse Brandt University of Lund, Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine (SE) and University College Northern Jutland, Occupational Therapy department (DK......). Danish Centre for Assistive Technology. Abstract. For decades, accessibility to the physical housing environment for people with functional limitations has been of interest politically, professionally and for the users. Guidelines and norms on accessible housing design have gradually been developed......, however, the built environment shows serious deficits when it comes to accessibility. This study addresses development of a content valid cross-Nordic version of the Housing Enabler and investigation of inter-rater reliability, when used in occupational therapy practice. The instrument was translated from...

Nordic market report 2009 : Development in the Nordic electricity market

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2009-07-01

integration has started. Prerequisites for well-functioning retail markets are active customers who engage in the market. The share of customers switching electricity supplier differs considerably between the Nordic countries; from approx 2 per cent in Denmark to 8 per cent in Sweden. NordREG has undertaken the assignment of developing a number of statistical indicators to describe and assess the functioning and status of both the wholesale and retail markets. The work on the indicators is complex and still ongoing. NordREG intends to launch a public consultation in the beginning of 2010. (Author)

Nordic market report 2009. Development in the Nordic electricity market

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2009-07-15

integration has started. Prerequisites for well-functioning retail markets are active customers who engage in the market. The share of customers switching electricity supplier differs considerably between the Nordic countries; from app. 2 per cent in Denmark to 8 per cent in Sweden. NordREG has undertaken the assignment of developing a number of statistical indicators to describe and assess the functioning and status of both the wholesale and retail markets. The work on the indicators is complex and still ongoing. NordREG intends to launch a public consultation in the beginning of 2010.

Nordic Narratives of the Second World War : National Historiographies Revisited

OpenAIRE

2011-01-01

How have the dramatic events of the Second World War been viewed in the Nordic countries? In Nordic Narratives of the Second World War, leading Nordic historians analyse post-war memory and historiography. They explore the relationship between scholarly and public understandings of the war. How have national interpretations been shaped by official security-policy doctrines? And in what way has the end of the Cold War affected the Nordic narratives? The authors not only present the ...

Frame conditions for a well-functioning end user market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Livik, Klaus

1997-10-01

The aim of this report is to describe and define different frame conditions being necessary for the development of a well-functioning end user market. The report describes the sharing of roles between end users, grid owners, suppliers, system operators and market operators in the power market, and it points out how the interplay between these roles should be arranged. A particular attention is laid on how to involve the end user relations into the five different market roles during the development of a more active end user market. Products and eventual potentials are described and discussed being based on estimates as well as load measurements. 17 figs., 4 tabs

An end-users oriented methodology for enhancing the integration of knowledge on soil-water-sediment systems in River Basin Management: an illustration from the AquaTerra project.

Science.gov (United States)

Merly, Corinne; Chapman, Antony; Mouvet, Christophe

2012-01-01

Research results in environmental and socio-economic sciences are often under-used by stakeholders involved in the management of natural resources. To minimise this gap, the FP6 EU interdisciplinary project AquaTerra (AT) developed an end-users' integration methodology in order to ensure that the data, knowledge and tools related to the soil-water-sediment system that were generated by the project were delivered in a meaningful way for end-users, thus improving their uptake. The methodology and examples of its application are presented in this paper. From the 408 project deliverables, 96 key findings were identified, 53 related to data and knowledge, and 43 describing advanced tools. River Basin Management (RBM) stakeholders workshops identified 8 main RBM issues and 25 specific stakeholders' questions related to RBM which were classified into seven groups of cross-cutting issues, namely scale, climate change, non-climatic change, the need for systemic approaches, communication and participation, international and inter-basin coordination and collaboration, and the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. The integration methodology enabled an assessment of how AT key findings meet stakeholders' demands, and for each main RBM issue and for each specific question, described the added-value of the AT project in terms of knowledge and tools generated, key parameters to consider, and recommendations that can be made to stakeholders and the wider scientific community. Added value and limitations of the integration methodology and its outcomes are discussed and recommendations are provided to further improve integration methodology and bridge the gaps between scientific research data and their potential uptake by end-users.

Ideas on a system design for end-user robots

Science.gov (United States)

Bonasso, R. P.; Slack, Marc G.

1992-11-01

Robots are being used successfully in factory automation; however, recently there has been some success in building robots which can operate in field environments, where the domain is less predictable. New perception and control techniques have been developed which allow a robot to accomplish its mission while dealing with natural changes in both land and underwater environments. Unfortunately, efforts in this area have resulted in many one-of-a-kind robots, limited to research laboratories or carefully delimited field task arenas. A user who would like to apply robotic technology to a particular field problem must basically start from scratch. The problem is that the robotic technology (i.e., the hardware and software) which might apply to the user's domain exists in a diverse array of formats and configurations. For end-user robots to become a reality, an effort to standardize some aspects of the robotic technology must be made, in much the same way that personal computer technology is becoming standardized. Presently, a person can buy a computer and then acquire hardware and software extensions which simply `plug in' and provide the user with the required utility without the user having to understand the inner workings of the pieces of the system. This technology even employs standardized interface specifications so the user is presented with a familiar interaction paradigm. This paper outlines some system requirements (hardware and software) and a preliminary design for end-user robots for field environments, drawing parallels to the trends in the personal computer market. The general conclusion is that the appropriate components as well as an integrating architecture are already available, making development of out-of-the- box, turnkey robots for a certain range of commonly required tasks a potential reality.

Integrated IoT technology in industrial lasers for the improved user experience

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Jianwu; Liu, Jinhui

2018-02-01

The end users' biggest concern for any industrial equipment is the reliability and the service down-time. This is especially true for industrial lasers as they are typically used in fully or semi- automated processes. Here we demonstrate how to use the integrated Internet of Things (IoT) technology in industrial lasers to address the reliability and the service down-time so to improve end users' experience.

Trading with electric power in the Nordic countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

During recent years Nordic cooperation has contributed to a greater integration of the Nordic electric power markets. This has been based on trade on a short-term basis. As a part of increased integration in Europe and the demand for more effective administration of Nordic energy resources, trade with electric power has become more significant. At the same time environmental challenges have lead to an increase in Nordic and European cooperation, also within the energy sector. The aim of the seminar held in Hankoe, Norway, on June 9-11, 1992 was to discuss the problems within this field. Both theoretical and practical aspects were dealt with and developments in Europe and environmental issues were in focus. The lectures given at the seminar are included in this publication. (AB)

Liver transplantation in the Nordic countries - An intention to treat and post-transplant analysis from The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry 1982-2013

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fosby, Bjarte; Melum, Espen; Bjøro, Kristian

2015-01-01

AIM AND BACKGROUND: The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry (NLTR) accounts for all liver transplants performed in the Nordic countries since the start of the transplant program in 1982. Due to short waiting times, donor liver allocation has been made without considerations of the model of end-stage...

A Systematic Review of End-users Within Sustainable Innovation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roed Nielsen, Kristian; Reisch, Lucia A.; Bogers, Marcel

with the advent Web 2.0, the continuously decreasing cost of communication, and the rise of multiple types of freeware has the knowledge and toolsets available for end-user innovation increased dramatically. With the rise of 3D-printing (and other open workshops), digital end-user generated content is also......Sustainable innovation is typically seen as within the purview of the producer with consumers (apart from offering critical input) only playing a peripheral role in the development of product(s) and service(s). Hence one could argue that end-users are dominantly perceived as passive adopters...... of sustainable products and services developed by firms and thus attention is typically paid to the (non-) diffusion of sustainable products and services. The literature on user innovation, however, sharply contrasts with this view denoting that end-users play key and growing role within innovation. Especially...

VMTL: a language for end-user model transformation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Acretoaie, Vlad; Störrle, Harald; Strüber, Daniel

2016-01-01

, these languages are largely ill-equipped for adoption by end-user modelers in areas such as requirements engineering, business process management, or enterprise architecture. We aim to introduce a model transformation language addressing the skills and requirements of end-user modelers. With this contribution, we......Model transformation is a key enabling technology of Model-Driven Engineering (MDE). Existing model transformation languages are shaped by and for MDE practitioners—a user group with needs and capabilities which are not necessarily characteristic of modelers in general. Consequently...... hope to broaden the application scope of model transformation and MDE technology in general. We discuss the profile of end-user modelers and propose a set of design guidelines for model transformation languages addressing them. We then introduce Visual Model Transformation Language (VMTL) following...

Managing the Risks Associated with End-User Computing.

Science.gov (United States)

Alavi, Maryam; Weiss, Ira R.

1986-01-01

Identifies organizational risks of end-user computing (EUC) associated with different stages of the end-user applications life cycle (analysis, design, implementation). Generic controls are identified that address each of the risks enumerated in a manner that allows EUC management to select those most appropriate to their EUC environment. (5…

Nordic Approaches to Peace Operations (in Korean)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Peter Viggo

operations. First, it demolishes the widely held view that the Nordic countries remain a bastion of traditional Cold War peacekeeping with little relevance for contemporary operations. Second, it constitutes the first systematic overview of the reforms undertaken by the four Nordic countries since the end......A new examination of Nordic approaches to peace operations after the Cold War. It shows how the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) remain relevant for the study and practice of post-Cold War peace operations. This unique study is structured around eleven success conditions...... derived from an analysis of the lessons learned since the early 1990s, ensuring that the results of the case studies are directly comparable. These case studies are supplemented by an analysis of Nordics’ collective efforts to replace their old Cold War peacekeeping model with a new one that meets...

Nordic Market report 2010. Development in the Nordic Electricity Market

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2010-07-15

The Nordic region is characterized by a unique mix of generation sources, with a very high share of hydropower. Hydropower accounts for virtually all of the Norwegian and nearly half of the Swedish generation capacity, making the level of precipitation vital when calculating and analysing potential generation levels. Climatic conditions such as, significantly colder winters than any other European country also influence consumption in the Nordic region, as many households are electrically heated. Overall electricity consumption in the Nordic region in 2009 was marked by decreasing consumption in every market - from a decrease of 1,5% in Denmark to a decrease of 5,5% in Finland. The Nordic transmission grid connects almost the entire region into one synchronous power system enabling increased security of supply as well as a more efficient use of the generation capacity, but congestion occurs. Congestions between the Nord Pool bidding areas are handled through market splitting, while internal congestions in general are handled through counter trade or by reducing interconnector capacity at the bidding area borders. The key future challenge for transmission network operations both in the Nordic area, and as well on the European level will be to facilitate the functioning of the pan-European wholesale electricity markets. The Nordic wholesale power market is well functioning. The volume traded at Nord Pool in 2009 was about the same share of total consumption as that of 2008. Although trading at Nord Pool is voluntary, significantly more power is traded on the power exchange than bilaterally. During 2009 average spot prices at Nord Pool were lower than prices in 2008 due to both lower demand and generation costs for thermal power plants for most of 2009. The Nordic retail markets are essentially four separate markets, influenced by national differences, but work on integration has started. Throughout 2009 retail prices in the Nordic region were lower than in 2008

E-learning Nordic 2006

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Sanya Gertsen

2006-01-01

E-learning Nordic 2006 er den første fællesnordiske undersøgelse, som specifikt fokuserer på effekten af it i uddannelsessektoren. Studiet er gennemført i Finland, Sverige, Norge og Danmark og mere end 8000 personer (elever, lærere, forældre og skoleledere i grundskoler og på de gymnasiale...... ungdomsuddannelser) har deltaget. Dette studie giver en række svar på centrale spørgsmål såsom: Hvad har vi fået ud af satsningen på it i uddannelsessektoren indtil nu? Og hvilke udfordringer inden for uddannelsessektoren står de nordiske lande foran i en globaliseret verden? E-learning Nordic 2006 er designet og...

End-User Applications of Real-Time Earthquake Information in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Cua, G. B.; Gasparini, P.; Giardini, D.; Zschau, J.; Filangieri, A. R.; Reakt Wp7 Team

2011-12-01

The primary objective of European FP7 project REAKT (Strategies and Tools for Real-Time Earthquake Risk Reduction) is to improve the efficiency of real-time earthquake risk mitigation methods and their capability of protecting structures, infrastructures, and populations. REAKT aims to address the issues of real-time earthquake hazard and response from end-to-end, with efforts directed along the full spectrum of methodology development in earthquake forecasting, earthquake early warning, and real-time vulnerability systems, through optimal decision-making, and engagement and cooperation of scientists and end users for the establishment of best practices for use of real-time information. Twelve strategic test cases/end users throughout Europe have been selected. This diverse group of applications/end users includes civil protection authorities, railway systems, hospitals, schools, industrial complexes, nuclear plants, lifeline systems, national seismic networks, and critical structures. The scale of target applications covers a wide range, from two school complexes in Naples, to individual critical structures, such as the Rion Antirion bridge in Patras, and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridge in Istanbul, to large complexes, such as the SINES industrial complex in Portugal and the Thessaloniki port area, to distributed lifeline and transportation networks and nuclear plants. Some end-users are interested in in-depth feasibility studies for use of real-time information and development of rapid response plans, while others intend to install real-time instrumentation and develop customized automated control systems. From the onset, REAKT scientists and end-users will work together on concept development and initial implementation efforts using the data products and decision-making methodologies developed with the goal of improving end-user risk mitigation. The aim of this scientific/end-user partnership is to ensure that scientific efforts are applicable to operational

Active Involvement of End Users When Developing Web-Based Mental Health Interventions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Derek de Beurs

2017-05-01

Full Text Available BackgroundAlthough many web-based mental health interventions are being released, the actual uptake by end users is limited. The marginal level of engagement of end users when developing these interventions is recognized as an important cause for uptake problems. In this paper, we offer our perceptive on how to improve user engagement. By doing so, we aim to stimulate a discourse on user involvement within the field of online mental health interventions.MethodsWe shortly describe three different methods (the expert-driven method, intervention mapping, and scrum that were currently used to develop web-based health interventions. We will focus to what extent the end user was involved in the developmental phase, and what the additional challenges were. In the final paragraph, lessons learned are summarized, and recommendations provided.ResultsEvery method seems to have its trade-off: if end users are highly involved, availability of end users and means become problematic. If end users are less actively involved, the product may be less appropriate for the end user. Other challenges to consider are the funding of the more active role of technological companies, and the time it takes to process the results of shorter development cycles.ConclusionThinking about user-centered design and carefully planning, the involvement of end users should become standard in the field of web-based (mental health. When deciding on the level of user involvement, one should balance the need for input from users with the availability of resources such as time and funding.

ERP ASSIMILATION: AN END-USER APPROACH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hurbean Luminita

2013-07-01

The paper discusses the ERP adoption based on the IT assimilation theory. The ERP lifecycle is associated with the IT assimilation steps. We propose a distribution of these steps along the lifecycle. Derived from the findings in the reviewed literature we will focus the cultural factors, in particular those related to the end-users (determined as a major impact factor in our previous study: Negovan et al., 2011. Our empirical study is centred on the end-users perspective and it tries to determine if and how their behaviour affects the achievement of the ERP assimilation steps. The paper reasons that organizations that understand the IT assimilation steps correlated to the ERP implementation critical factors are more likely to implement and use ERP successfully.

CISG Nordic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2009-01-01

CISG Nordic offers full text court decisions, papers, domestic laws, etc. collected in the Nordic countries. All material is related to the application of the CISG.......CISG Nordic offers full text court decisions, papers, domestic laws, etc. collected in the Nordic countries. All material is related to the application of the CISG....

Online Help to End-Users in a Networked Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Paul

1991-01-01

Discusses the need for online help for end-users based on experiences with an online public access catalog (OPAC) at the University of Cape Town libraries. The concept of end users is examined, the role of search intermediaries in information systems is explained, and online help and systems design is discussed. (LRW)

Integrated SNG Production in a Typical Nordic Sawmill

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sennai Mesfun

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Advanced biomass-based motor fuels and chemicals are becoming increasingly important to replace fossil energy sources within the coming decades. It is likely that the new biorefineries will evolve mainly from existing forest industry sites, as they already have the required biomass handling infrastructure in place. The main objective of this work is to assess the potential for increasing the profit margin from sawmill byproducts by integrating innovative downstream processes. The focus is on the techno-economic evaluation of an integrated site for biomass-based synthetic natural gas (bio-SNG production. The option of using the syngas in a biomass-integrated gasification combined cycle (b-IGCC for the production of electricity (instead of SNG is also considered for comparison. The process flowsheets that are used to analyze the energy and material balances are modelled in MATLAB and Simulink. A mathematical process integration model of a typical Nordic sawmill is used to analyze the effects on the energy flows in the overall site, as well as to evaluate the site economics. Different plant sizes have been considered in order to assess the economy-of-scale effect. The technical data required as input are collected from the literature and, in some cases, from experiments. The investment cost is evaluated on the basis of conducted studies, third party supplier budget quotations and in-house database information. This paper presents complete material and energy balances of the considered processes and the resulting process economics. Results show that in order for the integrated SNG production to be favored, depending on the sawmill size, a biofuel subsidy in the order of 28–52 €/MWh SNG is required.

Users of home-care services in a Nordic welfare state under marketisation: the rich, the poor and the sick.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathew Puthenparambil, Jiby; Kröger, Teppo; Van Aerschot, Lina

2017-01-01

Stricter access to public services, outsourcing of municipal services and increasing allocation of public funding for the purchase of private services have resulted in a marketisation wave in Finland. In this context of a Nordic welfare state undergoing marketisation, this paper aims to examine the use of Finnish care services among older people and find out who are using these new kinds of private services. How wide is their use and do the users of private care services differ from those who are using public services? How usual is it to mix both public and private care services? The questionnaire survey data set used here was gathered in 2010 among the population aged 75 and over in the cities of Jyväskylä and Tampere (N = 1436). The methods of analysis used include cross-tabulation, chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression. The findings showed that among those respondents who used care services (n = 681), 50% used only public services, 24% utilised solely private services and the remaining 26% used both kinds of services. Users of solely private services had significantly higher income and education as well as better health than those using public services only. The users of public services had the lowest education and income levels and usually lived in rented housing. The third group, those mixing both public and private services, reported poorer health than others. The results increase concerns about the development towards a two-tier service system, jeopardising universalistic Nordic principles, and also suggest that older people with the highest needs do not receive adequate services without complementing their public provisions with private services. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Closing the Gap between Methodologists and End-Users: R as a Computational Back-End

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Byron C. Wallace

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The R environment provides a natural platform for developing new statistical methods due to the mathematical expressiveness of the language, the large number of existing libraries, and the active developer community. One drawback to R, however, is the learning curve; programming is a deterrent to non-technical users, who typically prefer graphical user interfaces (GUIs to command line environments. Thus, while statisticians develop new methods in R, practitioners are often behind in terms of the statistical techniques they use as they rely on GUI applications. Meta-analysis is an instructive example; cutting-edge meta-analysis methods are often ignored by the overwhelming majority of practitioners, in part because they have no easy way of applying them. This paper proposes a strategy to close the gap between the statistical state-of-the-science and what is applied in practice. We present open-source meta-analysis software that uses R as the underlying statistical engine, and Python for the GUI. We present a framework that allows methodologists to implement new methods in R that are then automatically integrated into the GUI for use by end-users, so long as the programmer conforms to our interface. Such an approach allows an intuitive interface for non-technical users while leveraging the latest advanced statistical methods implemented by methodologists.

The Nordic power exchange Nord pool and the Nordic model for a liberalised power market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houmoller, A. P.

2000-01-01

As the first countries in the world, the Nordic countries Norway, Sweden, Finland and denmark have established a common, multinational power exchange. By means of this common power exchange, these countries also have established a common power market. this is also the first - and for the time being - the only place in the world, where you can find a multinational, truly competitive power market. This Nordic model has attracted much interest from other countries in Europe, Asia, North America and South America. The presentation will explain, how the common power exchange makes it possible for the four countries and the five system operators in Scandinavia physically and financially to operate a common, multinational, competitive power market. The presentation will explain how this systems works in the Nordic countries by discussion the following items: - The non-commercial players: The Transmission System Operators and the local grid operators; - The market players: the producers, the retailers, the traders, the brokers and the end users; - The access to the grid: The point tariff system; - The fairness towards the market players and the security of supply: The balancing power and the regulating power; - The power exchange handles bottlenecks in the grid. The presentation will explain how this is done and will demonstrate how this gives the power market a bottleneck handing method which:- Is neutral and fair towards all the market players, - Ensures that all the capacity of any bottleneck is utilised during every hour of operation, - Is extremely easy to use for the Transmission System Operators - also if the bottleneck is cross-border bottleneck; - The Nord Pool spot market Elspot; - The Nord Pool futures market Eltermin; - Area prices; - How financial contracts replace physical contracts when the power market is liberalised; - The day-to-day market and the market for long-term contracts in a liberalised power market; - How to eliminate the c ounter party risk

A well functioning end user market - what, who, why and how

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groenli, Helle; Livik, Klaus

2000-01-01

The report describes a well functioning end user market, who is interested in participating, why various parties want to participate and how they may contribute. There are several illustrations and examples of possible profits, especially with respect to technology. Different products and services are surveyed and a closer look at what parties could be interested in them is taken. Various cooperation constellations between the parties in the end user market is discussed regarding possible profits due to complementary resources, may have scaled advantages or obtain reduced transaction costs. With a well functioning end user marked one understands a power market with frame conditions that stimulates a rational behaviour by the end user, the power supplier and the network company. In addition such conditions would contribute to the systems operator may activity use the end users as well as the power producers for handling of the systems services and the regulated power market. The market participants have different incentives for participation in a well functioning send user market. The end users would also be motivated by the possibilities for economical profits, environmental considerations, comfort and wish for a simpler existence. The power suppliers wish to earn money from the chosen competition strategy whether it may be cost management, differentiation, focusing or innovation. The network companies would be motivated by the possibilities of a more efficient network operation and reduced costs i.e. by reducing the maximal effect. The systems operator would also have a rational use of the reserves and the systems services as incentive. The effect reserve in the ordinary supply is estimated to ca. 4000 MW under certain conditions that indicates that a better functioning end user market would be advantageous for all market participants. Through active demands to the power supplier and the network company and adapting to conditions in their own preferences, the end

Carbon leakage from a Nordic perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naess-Schmidt, S.; Hansen, Martin Bo; Sand Kirk, J. [Copenhagen Economics, Copenhagen (Denmark)

2012-02-15

Carbon pricing is generally considered a highly effective tool in reducing carbon emissions. Putting a price on carbon provides incentives for users and producers of fossil fuels to reduce consumption and develop low carbon products and processes. However, pursuing an ambitious climate policy can lead to carbon leakage, which refers to a situation where unilateral or regional climate change policy drives the relocation of industry investments and installations, and associated emissions, to third countries. This report by Copenhagen Economics has been commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers to give an overview of the industries at risk of carbon leakage in the Nordic countries, and estimate the expected extent of carbon leakage from unilateral climate policies in the Nordic countries. The report also assesses available policy options that may reduce the risk of carbon leakage, such as exemptions from energy tax and exemptions from quota obligations under green certificate schemes. The key drivers of carbon leakage are identified, which include energy intensity, product differentiation, transportation costs and capital intensity. The analysis suggests that industries such as paper and pulp, iron and steel, aluminium, cement, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and fertilizers are most at risk of carbon leakage in the Nordic manufacturing sector. (Author)

Where to place the saving obligation: Energy end-users or suppliers?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertoldi, Paolo; Labanca, Nicola; Rezessy, Silvia; Steuwer, Sibyl; Oikonomou, Vlasis

2013-01-01

Obligations to save energy differentiate, among other features, by obliged parties. These are obligations on energy suppliers and energy end-users. Supplier obligations have been introduced in North America, Europe and Australia. Under supplier obligations energy suppliers have to comply with mandatory energy saving targets and thus they implement (directly or via third parties) energy efficiency projects on their clients’ premises, or they decide to trade certified project savings if this option is envisaged by their obligation scheme. In several emerging schemes such as the UK Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme, the Tokyo Emission Trading Scheme or the Perform Achieve and Trade (PAT) Scheme in India, the obligation to reduce energy consumption is placed on large end-users directly and end-users are allowed to trade emissions allowances or energy saving certificates. The paper starts with presenting these two conceptually different ways for introducing energy saving obligations. Then it analyses advantages and disadvantages of end-users obligations compared to suppliers obligations. The preliminary conclusion of the paper is that supplier obligations seem to be well-suited for the residential sector, but end-user saving obligations may offer advantages when it comes to the industrial and commercial sectors. - Highlights: • We present different ways for introducing energy saving obligations. • We analyse energy end-users obligations vs. supplier obligations. • Supplier obligations seem to be well-suited for the residential sector. • End-user obligations offer advantages in the industrial and commercial sectors

Evolutions of the Social Sphere and of the Labour Market in Process of European Integration – is the Nordic Model Worth Following?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alina Ailinca

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Economic integration in Europe knows different stages and degrees of integration, Economic and Monetary Union (EMU being the penultimate stage which involves harmonizing fiscal and monetary policies. In this respect, in the desire to show the contribution to the increasing of economic integration in the European Union (EU, the article sets as the objectives, in tandem national-European, the identification of discrepancies of social indicators of EU countries in report to the targets of the Europe 2020 strategy. Thus, we used an approach based on a case study of EU countries, comparing the performance of social indicators in EU countries against European targets. The results showed that the Nordic countries are the closest to the social objectives of the Union, offering a good performance of these indicators. The prior work in the literature identifies many types of social models, from which the Nordic model is described as the one that provides the highest level of social welfare. Thus, the value of the study consists in clearly pointing out the qualities of the Nordic social model, arguing with figures and information why it may be more appropriate to its expanded implementation at the level of the European Union. As far as social policies of EU member states may be at least partially adapted to meet the performance of Nordic social model, the research can have several benefic implications, especially for policy makers.

Nordic network of meteorological services engaged in nuclear preparedness - NKS-MetNet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Persson, C; Kolax, M [Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, SHMI (Sweden); Baklanov, A; Soerensen, Jens H [Danish Meteorological Institute, DMI (Denmark); Sofiev, M; Valkama, I [Finnish Meteorological Institute, FMI (Finland); Karlsdottier, S [Icelandic Meteorological Office, IMO (Ireland); Bartnicki, J; Saltbones, J [Norwegian Meteorological Institute, met.no (Norway)

2007-03-15

The current NKS-MetNet project was initiated to strengthen the Nordic collaboration within the field of real-time atmospheric transport modelling for nuclear emergency preparedness and to improve its contacts to the Nordic radiation protection authorities. A backup facility for the network has been established regarding exchange of operational real-time long-range dispersion model calculations. The facility consists of national password protected Web sites, at which some few basic results (maps) of atmospheric dispersion model calculations (forecasts) in emergency situations (or exercises) can be made available to the network. Technical problems at one institute will not influence the calculations or presentations from the other participants, which makes the system robust. The project has fulfilled its main harmonization goal by bringing the Nordic emergency modelling towards more unified approaches of the presentations of results and introduced a voluntary unification of the model output formats. It was left optional to upload raw data in a format enabling import into one of the Decision Support System (DSS) ARGOS or RODOS. However, implementation of either of these formats is feasible only in case of availability and utilization of the systems by the end-users in the specific country. Within the Nordic countries to-date most but not all of the models are capable of producing the ARGOS-compatible results. Another format of the output data supported by almost all MetNet participants is ENSEMBLE a standard developed within the scope of the EC ENSEMBLE project that currently continues on a voluntary basis, regulated by a joint MoU, and covers nearly all European emergency-engaged services. It seems to be feasible to keep the Nordic network of MetNet Web sites also in a near future and continue its development regardless of presence of a third-party large-scale DSS, whether it is ARGOS, RODOS, ENSEMBLE or any other. Foreseen future close cooperation of the

Nordic network of meteorological services engaged in nuclear preparedness - NKS-MetNet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Persson, C.; Kolax, M.; Baklanov, A.; Soerensen, Jens H.; Sofiev, M.; Valkama, I.; Karlsdottier, S.; Bartnicki, J.; Saltbones, J.

2007-03-01

The current NKS-MetNet project was initiated to strengthen the Nordic collaboration within the field of real-time atmospheric transport modelling for nuclear emergency preparedness and to improve its contacts to the Nordic radiation protection authorities. A backup facility for the network has been established regarding exchange of operational real-time long-range dispersion model calculations. The facility consists of national password protected Web sites, at which some few basic results (maps) of atmospheric dispersion model calculations (forecasts) in emergency situations (or exercises) can be made available to the network. Technical problems at one institute will not influence the calculations or presentations from the other participants, which makes the system robust. The project has fulfilled its main harmonization goal by bringing the Nordic emergency modelling towards more unified approaches of the presentations of results and introduced a voluntary unification of the model output formats. It was left optional to upload raw data in a format enabling import into one of the Decision Support System (DSS) ARGOS or RODOS. However, implementation of either of these formats is feasible only in case of availability and utilization of the systems by the end-users in the specific country. Within the Nordic countries to-date most but not all of the models are capable of producing the ARGOS-compatible results. Another format of the output data supported by almost all MetNet participants is ENSEMBLE a standard developed within the scope of the EC ENSEMBLE project that currently continues on a voluntary basis, regulated by a joint MoU, and covers nearly all European emergency-engaged services. It seems to be feasible to keep the Nordic network of MetNet Web sites also in a near future and continue its development regardless of presence of a third-party large-scale DSS, whether it is ARGOS, RODOS, ENSEMBLE or any other. Foreseen future close cooperation of the

A nordic charter for universal design.

Science.gov (United States)

Björk, Evastina

2014-02-01

The aim of this paper is to present the result of a pioneer project; A Nordic Charter for Universal Design, which was initiated by the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs in 2011. The purpose of the Charter was to present rationales that stated prerequisites for successful investment in Universal Design, and to establish a platform for further research and good practice. It was also meant to contribute to spreading of information and knowledge about the importance of guidance by the concept of Universal Design of initiatives with effects on the public arena. A Nordic group of researchers and professionals in the field ended up after 8 months of work with a written document: "A Nordic Charter for Universal Design", which was presented at the International Conference in Universal Design in Oslo, Norway (UD 2012). A Nordic Charter for Universal Design. Persons with disabilities often experience the public arenas environments, products and services as poorly-designed to fit their abilities and/or their needs. Together with the demographic changes in the Nordic societies with an increasing number of elderly people, it needs initiatives to improve independence, accessibility and participation in society. A strategy which aims to make design and composition of different environments, products, communication, information technology and services accessible, usable and understandable to as many as possible is Universal Design.

Flexibility and adaptability - key elements of end-user participation in living space designing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jakšić Željko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available An end-user has the main role in the creation of space where spends most of its lifetime (home, workplace. That is why important that a designer (he first recognizes what requests of the end-user are. In the reference literature and researches that deal with the spatial organisations and designing of living area, the role of an end-user is essential. However, what does the end user participation mean, actually? At what level an end-user makes a final decision? Is it a choice among several alternative solutions provided by an architect or end-user himself? This article precisely deals with that subject - where begins and where ends participation of the end-user when the theme is the final spatial solution and under what circumstances. In this case, habitation represents the much more sensitive area than any other area for human needs or activities. In technical terms, an end-user could be someone who either knows nothing or knows a lot but not enough about both the spatial and functional organisations. His role should be reduced to choice of one from the group of high-quality solutions and, in a technical sense, logical solutions made by an expert. No more than that.

On Russian/Nordic Investment Competition in the Baltic States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olenchenko Vladimir

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The researchers often overlook the relationships between Russian and Nordic investment capital; and even less attention is paid to studying the competition between the two. Yet this subject can be of particular relevance to the areas that are geographically, historically and culturally close to both Russia and the Nordic countries. Thus, the aim of this article is to understand how the competition between Russian and Nordic capital investment is played out in the Baltic States. The study discusses the principles of Russian and Nordic investment in the Baltic, and suggests ways to regulate these relations. To this end, we compare the investment conditions created in the Baltic States for both Russian and Nordic investors. The analysis shows that most of the Baltic market is controlled by the Nordic capital, which blocks the arrival of Russian investment to the Baltic States. With a nod to a number of previous studies, the authors of this article suggest some adjustments to the theory of foreign direct investment. The study will be also of practical interest to those Russian investors who are seeking entry points to the Baltic markets.

User friendly far front ends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zagel, J.R.; Chapman, L.J.

1987-10-01

For years controls group hardware designers have designed microprocessor systems to accomplish specific functions such as refrigeration control. These systems often require years of software effort. The backlog of requests for even simple additions or modifications to software in embedded controllers has become overwhelming. We discuss the requirements of ''far forward'' controllers. Can we build a system that is modular enough to be configurable for specific applications without sacrificing performance? The hardware and software framework must be complete enough to isolate the end user from the peculiarities of bit and byte manipulation, but still allow system specifics to be implanted by the user. It is time to provide embedded controller systems as easy to use as workstation consoles

Advancing life cycle economics in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haugbølle, Kim; Hansen, Ernst Jan de Place

2005-01-01

Advancing construction and facilities management requires the ability to estimate and evaluate the economic consequences of decisions in a lifetime perspective. A survey of state-of-the-art on life cycle economics in the Nordic countries showed that, despite a number of similarities, no strong...... that the configuration of the roles as client, owner and user is indicative of a client's interest in life cycle economics. Second, a proposal for a common Nordic cost classification was put forward. Third, it was argued that there is a strong need to develop tools and methodologies to depict the cost/value ratio...

Government policy on privatization of power in Nigeria: end-users ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Since the privatization of the power sector in Nigeria in 1999, the cost impact to end-users have not received adequate empirical evaluation. Using data from consumers of privatized electricity power in Enugu State, this paper sought to evaluate the significant effect of privatization on end-users of electricity product.

Nordic Exceptionalism and the Nordic 'Others'

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Lars; Loftsdóttir, Kristín

2012-01-01

Introduction to 'Whiteness and Postcolonialism in the Nordic Region' co-authored with Kristín Loftsdóttir, University of Iceland......Introduction to 'Whiteness and Postcolonialism in the Nordic Region' co-authored with Kristín Loftsdóttir, University of Iceland...

New Nordic Exceptionalism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danbolt, Mathias

2016-01-01

At the 2009 Nordic Culture Forum summit in Berlin that centered on the profiling and branding of the Nordic region in a globalized world, one presenter stood out from the crowd. The lobbyist Annika Sigurdardottir delivered a speech that called for the establishment of “The United Nations of Norden...... that have been central to the debates on the branding of Nordicity over the last decades: on the one hand, the discourse of “Nordic exceptionalism,” that since the 1960s has been central to the promotion of a Nordic political, socio-economic, and internationalist “third way” model, and, on the other hand......, the discourse on the “New Nordic,” that emerged out of the New Nordic Food-movement in the early 2000s, and which has given art and culture a privileged role in the international re-fashioning of the Nordic brand. Through an analysis of Kim and Einhorn’s United Nations of Norden (UNN)-performance, the article...

Survey of existing studies of smart grids and consumers - Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Meiken; Borup, Mads

2014-01-01

is on household consumers; not on industrial companies or other private or public organisations. The present report focuses on studies in the Nordic region, i.e., studies in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Initially this report was part of a dual delivery, where 1) focused on the Nordic countries......The objective of this survey is to map smart grid studies that address private consumers. The survey shall identify what knowledge there exists about consumer and user behaviour in connection to smart grids and, moreover, how consumers and users are approached in the studies made. The focus......; and 2) focused on selected projects in other countries. This present report is the work completed in relation to the first part....

Gromita: a fully integrated graphical user interface to gromacs 4.

Science.gov (United States)

Sellis, Diamantis; Vlachakis, Dimitrios; Vlassi, Metaxia

2009-09-07

Gromita is a fully integrated and efficient graphical user interface (GUI) to the recently updated molecular dynamics suite Gromacs, version 4. Gromita is a cross-platform, perl/tcl-tk based, interactive front end designed to break the command line barrier and introduce a new user-friendly environment to run molecular dynamics simulations through Gromacs. Our GUI features a novel workflow interface that guides the user through each logical step of the molecular dynamics setup process, making it accessible to both advanced and novice users. This tool provides a seamless interface to the Gromacs package, while providing enhanced functionality by speeding up and simplifying the task of setting up molecular dynamics simulations of biological systems. Gromita can be freely downloaded from http://bio.demokritos.gr/gromita/.

Natural contextual reasoning for end users

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Metaxas, G.; Markopoulos, P.

2017-01-01

The realization and deployment of the Internet of Things require providing to non-programmers some level of programmatic control for tailoring system behaviour to their context and needs. We introduce a simple context-range semantics (CRS) and a context-range editor (CoRE) that support end users

End-user GHG emissions from energy. Reallocation of emissions from energy industries to end users 2005-2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandez, R. (European Environment Agency (EEA), Copenhagen (Denmark)); Watterson, J. (AEA Technology plc - EEA' s European Topic Centre on Air Pollution and Climate Change Mitigation (ETC/ACM) (United Kingdom))

2011-12-15

The objective of this report is to help improve the understanding of past greenhouse gas (GHG) emission trends in the energy sector from the demand or end-user side. To do this, the report develops a methodology to redistributes emissions from energy industries to the final users (by sector) of that energy. This reallocation is done on the basis of Eurostat's energy balances and GHG inventories for the energy sector as reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), for the period 2005-2009. (Author)

End-user GHG emissions from energy. Reallocation of emissions from energy industries to end users 2005-2010

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandez, R. [European Environment Agency (EEA), Copenhagen (Denmark); Watterson, J. [AEA Technology plc - EEA' s European Topic Centre on Air Pollution and Climate Change Mitigation (ETC/ACM) (United Kingdom)

2012-12-15

The objective of this report is to help improve the understanding of past GHG emission trends in the energy sector from the demand or end-user side. To do this, the report develops a methodology to redistributes emissions from energy industries to the final users (by sector) of that energy. This reallocation is done on the basis of Eurostat's energy balances and GHG inventories for the energy sector as reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), for the period 2005-2010. (Author)

7 CFR 782.21 - End-user and exporter records and reports.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... and exporter records and reports. (a) The end user or exporter shall retain a copy of each form FSA...). (b) The end user or exporter shall retain a copy of each form FSA-750, End-Use Certificate for Wheat... time as the wheat was loaded onto a conveyance for delivery to the foreign country or instrumentality...

Workshop on assessments of National Carbon Budgets within the Nordic Region

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Kristina; Koyama, Aki; Lansø, Anne Sofie

The three-day workshop organized by the three Nordic research projects; ECOCLIM, LAGGE and SnowCarbo brought together scientists and other actors from Nordic countries to communicate and discuss research on carbon budget estimations in the Nordic region. Through presentations of most recent...... research in the field and following scientific discussions, the workshop contributed to strengthen the scientific basis of the identification and quantification of major natural carbon sinks in the Nordic region on which integrated climate change abatement and management strategies and policy decisions...... status and knowledge on research on assessments of national carbon budgets as well as on projections and sensitivity to future changes in e.g. management and climate change in the Nordic Region....

Workshop on assessments of National Carbon Budgets within the Nordic Region

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mørk, Eva Thorborg; Lansø, Anne Sofie; Hansen, Kristina

2013-01-01

The three-day workshop organized by the three Nordic research projects; ECOCLIM, LAGGE and SnowCarbo brought together scientists and other actors from Nordic countries to communicate and discuss research on carbon budget estimations in the Nordic region. Through presentations of most recent...... research in the field and following scientific discussions, the workshop contributed to strengthen the scientific basis of the identification and quantification of major natural carbon sinks in the Nordic region on which integrated climate change abatement and management strategies and policy decisions...... status and knowledge on research on assessments of national carbon budgets as well as on projections and sensitivity to future changes in e.g. management and climate change in the Nordic Region....

Support for Quality Assurance in End-User Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Klepper, Robert; McKenna, Edward G.

1989-01-01

Suggests an approach that organizations can take to provide centralized support services for quality assurance in end-user information systems, based on the experiences of a support group at Citicorp Mortgage, Inc. The functions of the support group include user education, software selection, and assistance in testing, implementation, and support…

Online development in the Nordic countries

OpenAIRE

Mickos, Elisabet (ed.); Lamvik, Aud (ed.); Retlev, Ulla (ed.); Wallin, Marie (ed.); Oker-Blom, Teodora (ed.)

2007-01-01

This is a collection of some of the articles that will form the e-book “Online development in the Nordic countries”. The e-book will contain the chapters: Introduction - Information policy - The infrastructure - Information systems and databases - Users - The online market in perspective. The final version of the e-book will include more articles, more pictures and information about the authors.

Shortcuts to sustainable Nordic communities. Experiences from Nordic Climate Festival (at) Aalto

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haanpaa, S [ed.

2011-07-01

Nordic Climate Festival (at) Aalto gathered some 90 Nordic Master's and PhD students to Helsinki and Espoo in late August 2011, to search for shortcuts to sustainable Nordic societies. The students worked in 7 workshop tracks, covering all key fields of sustainable societies, under the guidance of researchers from Aalto University. The workshop turned out to be a success with enthusiastic contribution from dedicated students. The real value of the workshop lies not only in the results however, but also in new ways of thinking about sustainability - both for the students and Aalto staff. Most of all, the event helped to build individual connections and networks people engaged in the topic. In the end, the festival was much more than just a Nordic event; the participants represented over 30 countries in total. This can only be seen as a richness in ways of looking at climate change related challenges and especially solutions that, although always being operationalized on a local level and in a local context, in the end are common challenges to all countries in one form or another. The core challenge in dealing with climate change, especially on mitigation, is time. As the level of global greenhouse gas emissions keeps on growing, we desperately need new policies and practices to turn this trend around. At the same time inertia both in natural phenomena and in changing our lifestyles means that global temperatures based on current emissions only will keep on rising for decades to come. This forces us to think of ways to adapt to unavoidable consequences of climate change and adaptation to them, despite the success of mitigation policies. Both aspects of managing climate change require forward oriented thinking already today, so that we can avoid being locked into unsustainable development pathways at the very least - a thing one might argue in many cases is already slowing mitigation efforts down. Therefore the key question the workshop set to study was: can we find

The Effects of Normalisation of the Satisfaction of Novice End-User Querying Databases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Conrad Benedict

1997-05-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the results of an experiment that investigated the effects different structural characteristics of relational databases have on information satisfaction of end-users querying databases. The results show that unnormalised tables adversely affect end-user satisfaction. The adverse affect on end-user satisfaction is attributable primarily to the use of non atomic data. In this study, the affect on end user satisfaction of repeating fields was not significant. The study contributes to the further development of theories of individual adjustment to information technology in the workplace by alerting organisations and, in particular, database designers to the ways in which the structural characteristics of relational databases may affect end-user satisfaction. More importantly, the results suggest that database designers need to clearly identify the domains for each item appearing in their databases. These issues are of increasing importance because of the growth in the amount of data available to end-users in relational databases.

An End User Development Approach for Mobile Web Augmentation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Bosetti

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The trend towards mobile devices usage has made it possible for the Web to be conceived not only as an information space but also as a ubiquitous platform where users perform all kinds of tasks. In some cases, users access the Web with native mobile applications developed for well-known sites, such as, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. These native applications might offer further (e.g., location-based functionalities to their users in comparison with their corresponding Web sites because they were developed with mobile features in mind. However, many Web applications have no native counterpart and users access them using a mobile Web browser. Although the access to context information is not a complex issue nowadays, not all Web applications adapt themselves according to it or diversely improve the user experience by listening to a wide range of sensors. At some point, users might want to add mobile features to these Web sites, even if those features were not originally supported. In this paper, we present a novel approach to allow end users to augment their preferred Web sites with mobile features. We support our claims by presenting a framework for mobile Web augmentation, an authoring tool, and an evaluation with 21 end users.

Telehealth ICT Infrastructures in the Nordic Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Daniel Bjerring; Hallenborg, Kasper

2015-01-01

This paper presents an overview and recommendations of ICT infrastructures and reference architectures for telehealth in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden). This study shows that so far only Denmark has designed a complete reference architecture, and by the end...

Dry years in the North. Nordic reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

This document deals with how authorities, politicians and people in general reacted to the dry autumn and winter with respect to the high prices on electric power and the risk of power rationing throughout the following spring. Even though we have a common Nordic power market, the degree of interest and thematic focus differ from one country to another. In Denmark, people have focused on the high prices in the spot market, what happens to Barsebaeck (the nuclear power plant on the Swedish west coast, just opposite the 1.7 mill citizens of Greater Copenhagen), and how to secure sufficient capacity in the future. Finland has focused mostly on the development of nuclear power and on energy saving. In Sweden, the emphasis has been on the danger of frequent power cuts and the consequences of a possible discontinuation of nuclear power. In Norway, above all the high prices to be paid by the end-users have created big headlines and hot debate in the newspapers

Impact of Germany's energy transition on the Nordic power market – A market-based multi-region energy system model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakeri, Behnam; Virasjoki, Vilma; Syri, Sanna; Connolly, David; Mathiesen, Brian V.; Welsch, Manuel

2016-01-01

The EU energy policy aims at creating a single European electricity market through market couplings and grid expansions. To analyse the implications of such power market couplings, we propose a market-based multi-region energy system model. The model simulates a multi-region power market (by applying market optimization and network theory), with detailed representation of each region as an energy system (by simulation of both heat and power sectors). We examine the impact of further integration of variable renewable energy (VRE) in Germany on the Nordic power market. The results indicate that the average electricity price slightly grows in the Nordic power market after Germany's Energy Transition (Energiewende). Hence, the economic surplus of Nordic consumers diminishes while Nordic producers improve their gain under new market conditions. Considering the gird congestion income, the overall system-level benefits (social welfare) will improve in the Nordic region after Germany's Energiewende. However, this gain is not equally distributed among different Nordic countries and across different stakeholders. Furthermore, the Energiewende slightly increases carbon emissions from power and district heating (DH) sectors, and reduces the flexibility in integration of VRE in some Nordic countries like Denmark. The direct interconnection of Norway and Germany through NordLink will contribute to the flexibility in wind integration in other Nordic countries, such as Denmark and Finland. - Highlights: • By an integrated hourly analysis, we model the energy systems of several networked countries and their common electricity market. • The proposed model can inform energy policy on implications of renewable energy integration in an international power market. • Among Nordic countries, Norway gains the highest economic benefits from Germany's energy transition. • Germany's energy transition constrains the flexibility of the Nordic countries in wind integration. • Nord

Brain-computer interface controlled gaming: evaluation of usability by severely motor restricted end-users.

Science.gov (United States)

Holz, Elisa Mira; Höhne, Johannes; Staiger-Sälzer, Pit; Tangermann, Michael; Kübler, Andrea

2013-10-01

Connect-Four, a new sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) based brain-computer interface (BCI) gaming application, was evaluated by four severely motor restricted end-users; two were in the locked-in state and had unreliable eye-movement. Following the user-centred approach, usability of the BCI prototype was evaluated in terms of effectiveness (accuracy), efficiency (information transfer rate (ITR) and subjective workload) and users' satisfaction. Online performance varied strongly across users and sessions (median accuracy (%) of end-users: A=.65; B=.60; C=.47; D=.77). Our results thus yielded low to medium effectiveness in three end-users and high effectiveness in one end-user. Consequently, ITR was low (0.05-1.44bits/min). Only two end-users were able to play the game in free-mode. Total workload was moderate but varied strongly across sessions. Main sources of workload were mental and temporal demand. Furthermore, frustration contributed to the subjective workload of two end-users. Nevertheless, most end-users accepted the BCI application well and rated satisfaction medium to high. Sources for dissatisfaction were (1) electrode gel and cap, (2) low effectiveness, (3) time-consuming adjustment and (4) not easy-to-use BCI equipment. All four end-users indicated ease of use as being one of the most important aspect of BCI. Effectiveness and efficiency are lower as compared to applications using the event-related potential as input channel. Nevertheless, the SMR-BCI application was satisfactorily accepted by the end-users and two of four could imagine using the BCI application in their daily life. Thus, despite moderate effectiveness and efficiency BCIs might be an option when controlling an application for entertainment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using rapid prototyping to design a smoking cessation website with end-users

OpenAIRE

Ronquillo, C. E.; Currie, L.; Rowsell, D.; Phillips, J. C.

2016-01-01

Rapid prototyping is an iterative approach to design involving cycles of prototype building, review by end-users, and refinement, and can be a valuable tool in user-centered website design. Informed by various user-centered approaches, we used rapid prototyping as a tool to collaborate with users in building a peer-support focused smoking-cessation website for gay men living with HIV. Rapid prototyping was effective in eliciting feedback on the needs of this group of potential end-users\\ud fr...

Engaging With Colonial Archives: Reflections Of An End-User

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayodeji Olukoju

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Official and/or public archives were a byproduct of colonial rule in Africa. (Archives are a byproduct of administrative governance everywhere. Given the density and diversity of colonial archival records, historians have tended to rely on them for the study of the colonial period. Publications on the use of archives have not captured the perspective of end-users, who often face peculiar challenges in the use of colonial and metropolitan archives. This paper provides an end-user perspective on colonial archives in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. It highlights the challenges of data collection and prospects of optimal use of archival source material. The discussion is of general application to users of colonial archives especially in the former British colonies in Africa.

FaceMashup: An End-User Development Tool for Social Network Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniele Massa

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Every day, each active social network user produces and shares texts, images and videos. While developers can access such data through application programming interfaces (APIs for creating games, visualizations and routines, end users have less control on such information. Their access is mediated by the social application features, which limits them in combining sources, filtering results and performing actions on groups of elements. In order to fill this gap, we introduce FaceMashup, an end user development (EUD environment supporting the manipulation of the Facebook graph. We describe the tool interface, documenting the choices we made during the design iterations. Data types are represented through widgets containing user interface (UI elements similar to those used in the social network application. Widgets can be connected with each other with the drag and drop of their inner fields, and the application updates their content. Finally, we report the results of a user-test on the FaceMashup prototype, which shows a good acceptance of the environment by end-users.

Visual Alphabets: Video classification by end users

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Israël, Menno; van den Broek, Egon; van der Putten, Peter; den Uyl, Marten J.; Petrushin, Valery A.; Khan, Latifur

2007-01-01

The work presented here introduces a real-time automatic scene classifier within content-based video retrieval. In our envisioned approach end users like documentalists, not image processing experts, build classifiers interactively, by simply indicating positive examples of a scene. Classification

Using Rapid Prototyping to Design a Smoking Cessation Website with End-Users.

Science.gov (United States)

Ronquillo, Charlene; Currie, Leanne; Rowsell, Derek; Phillips, J Craig

2016-01-01

Rapid prototyping is an iterative approach to design involving cycles of prototype building, review by end-users and refinement, and can be a valuable tool in user-centered website design. Informed by various user-centered approaches, we used rapid prototyping as a tool to collaborate with users in building a peer-support focused smoking-cessation website for gay men living with HIV. Rapid prototyping was effective in eliciting feedback on the needs of this group of potential end-users from a smoking cessation website.

Shortcuts to sustainable Nordic communities. Experiences from Nordic Climate Festival (at) Aalto

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haanpaa, S. (ed.)

2011-07-01

Nordic Climate Festival (at) Aalto gathered some 90 Nordic Master's and PhD students to Helsinki and Espoo in late August 2011, to search for shortcuts to sustainable Nordic societies. The students worked in 7 workshop tracks, covering all key fields of sustainable societies, under the guidance of researchers from Aalto University. The workshop turned out to be a success with enthusiastic contribution from dedicated students. The real value of the workshop lies not only in the results however, but also in new ways of thinking about sustainability - both for the students and Aalto staff. Most of all, the event helped to build individual connections and networks people engaged in the topic. In the end, the festival was much more than just a Nordic event; the participants represented over 30 countries in total. This can only be seen as a richness in ways of looking at climate change related challenges and especially solutions that, although always being operationalized on a local level and in a local context, in the end are common challenges to all countries in one form or another. The core challenge in dealing with climate change, especially on mitigation, is time. As the level of global greenhouse gas emissions keeps on growing, we desperately need new policies and practices to turn this trend around. At the same time inertia both in natural phenomena and in changing our lifestyles means that global temperatures based on current emissions only will keep on rising for decades to come. This forces us to think of ways to adapt to unavoidable consequences of climate change and adaptation to them, despite the success of mitigation policies. Both aspects of managing climate change require forward oriented thinking already today, so that we can avoid being locked into unsustainable development pathways at the very least - a thing one might argue in many cases is already slowing mitigation efforts down. Therefore the key question the workshop set to study was: can we

EDITORIAL The 23rd Nordic Semiconductor Meeting The 23rd Nordic Semiconductor Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

Ólafsson, Sveinn; Sveinbjörnsson, Einar

2010-12-01

A Nordic Semiconductor Meeting is held every other year with the venue rotating amongst the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The focus of these meetings remains 'original research and science being carried out on semiconductor materials, devices and systems'. Reports on industrial activity have usually featured. The topics have ranged from fundamental research on point defects in a semiconductor to system architecture of semiconductor electronic devices. Proceedings from these events are regularly published as a topical issue of Physica Scripta. All of the papers in this topical issue have undergone critical peer review and we wish to thank the reviewers and the authors for their cooperation, which has been instrumental in meeting the high scientific standards and quality of the series. This meeting of the 23rd Nordic Semiconductor community, NSM 2009, was held at Háskólatorg at the campus of the University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland, 14-17 June 2009. Support was provided by the University of Iceland. Almost 50 participants presented a broad range of topics covering semiconductor materials and devices as well as related material science interests. The conference provided a forum for Nordic and international scientists to present and discuss new results and ideas concerning the fundamentals and applications of semiconductor materials. The meeting aim was to advance the progress of Nordic science and thus aid in future worldwide technological advances concerning technology, education, energy and the environment. Topics Theory and fundamental physics of semiconductors Emerging semiconductor technologies (for example III-V integration on Si, novel Si devices, graphene) Energy and semiconductors Optical phenomena and optical devices MEMS and sensors Program 14 June Registration 13:00-17:00 15 June Meeting program 09:30-17:00 and Poster Session I 16 June Meeting program 09:30-17:00 and Poster Session II 17 June Excursion and dinner

Training leads to increased auditory brain-computer interface performance of end-users with motor impairments.

Science.gov (United States)

Halder, S; Käthner, I; Kübler, A

2016-02-01

Auditory brain-computer interfaces are an assistive technology that can restore communication for motor impaired end-users. Such non-visual brain-computer interface paradigms are of particular importance for end-users that may lose or have lost gaze control. We attempted to show that motor impaired end-users can learn to control an auditory speller on the basis of event-related potentials. Five end-users with motor impairments, two of whom with additional visual impairments, participated in five sessions. We applied a newly developed auditory brain-computer interface paradigm with natural sounds and directional cues. Three of five end-users learned to select symbols using this method. Averaged over all five end-users the information transfer rate increased by more than 1800% from the first session (0.17 bits/min) to the last session (3.08 bits/min). The two best end-users achieved information transfer rates of 5.78 bits/min and accuracies of 92%. Our results show that an auditory BCI with a combination of natural sounds and directional cues, can be controlled by end-users with motor impairment. Training improves the performance of end-users to the level of healthy controls. To our knowledge, this is the first time end-users with motor impairments controlled an auditory brain-computer interface speller with such high accuracy and information transfer rates. Further, our results demonstrate that operating a BCI with event-related potentials benefits from training and specifically end-users may require more than one session to develop their full potential. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

H{sub 2} R and D activities in the Nordic Countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holst Joergensen, B.

2003-10-01

The report describes hydrogen related R and D activities in the five Nordic countries from 1998 and onwards. It is not a comprehensive account of all hydrogen related R and D as much relevant research is not described under the heading of hydrogen energy but integrated in other programmes or part of more generic basic research. Also much industry conducted H2 R and D activities are not published. It gives some background information on R and D in the five Nordic countries and gives account of the R and D efforts. At Nordic level through the Nordic Energy Research a number of R and D projects are also conducted and shortly described. At EU level, Nordic stakeholders are represented in a number of hydrogen and fuel cell R and D projects and short descriptions are provided. In the appendix, more detaield informaiton is given on the R and D projects at national, EU and Nordic levels. (au)

Nordic Branding Podcast 4

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2017-01-01

Reflections on Nordic branding with professor Dannie Kjeldgaard. Why Nordic regionality and why now? What is the dynamics of local/global/glocal/regional?......Reflections on Nordic branding with professor Dannie Kjeldgaard. Why Nordic regionality and why now? What is the dynamics of local/global/glocal/regional?...

End user orientation of TC projects. Special evaluation review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-12-01

The present review of the end use orientation of TC projects was undertaken as requested by the TC Department to identify: (a) end users and beneficiaries beyond the boundaries of the counterpart laboratories, as appropriate; (b) means provided or planned to reach the end users and beneficiaries; (c) performance indicators in quantifiable terms, including those related to the counterpart activities that could be foreseen during and after completion of Agency assistance; and (d) recommendations of additional means, if necessary, to reach the end users and beneficiaries. A total of 13 TC projects with large budgets of around $200,000 and above were selected from those first approved under the 1995-1996 biennial programme and supported under the TCF, representing diverse fields of Agency activities and covering all the geographical areas of the Agency's technical co-operation. The projects thus selected were one each from Argentina, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Mexico, Mongolia, Slovenia, Turkey and Viet-Nam. The overall budget of the 13 projects as originally approved for 1995 to 1998, amounted to $5,510,980. The current budget as of 8 November 1996 stands at $5,446,719, representing a decrease of more than one percent. Figs, tabs

Sedation practice in Nordic and non-Nordic ICUs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Egerod, Ingrid; Albarran, John W; Ring, Mette

2013-01-01

A trend towards lighter sedation has been evident in many intensive care units (ICUs). The aims of the survey were to describe sedation practice in European ICUs and to compare sedation practice in Nordic and non-Nordic countries....

The representation of healthcare end users' perspectives by surrogates in healthcare decisions: a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Syed Ghulam Sarwar; Farrow, Alexandra; Robinson, Ian

2009-12-01

The representation of end users' perspectives in healthcare decisions requires involvement of their surrogates when the end users, i.e. certain patients, elderly people, children and people with disabilities, are unable to present their views. To review critical issues, and the advantages and disadvantages of involving surrogates in representing end users' perspectives in healthcare decisions. A systematic review of literature published in peer-reviewed journals from 1990 to 2005. Findings show that surrogates are used widely in health care and that they are necessary to represent end users' perspectives in healthcare decisions when the latter are unable to do so themselves. Critical issues in using surrogates include key ethical, social, cultural, legal and medico-technological factors; ascertaining the best interest of end users; potential conflict of interest; possible biased decisions and the burden on surrogates. The key advantage of surrogate involvement in healthcare decisions is their ability to represent end users' needs, values and wishes. The main disadvantages include potential discrepancies between the decisions and conclusions of surrogates and end users; the failure of surrogates to predict end users' preferences accurately and the lack of certainty that useful information will be obtained through the surrogacy process. This systematic review has revealed that the involvement of surrogates is an additional vital way to represent end users' perspectives in healthcare decisions where for a range of reasons their opinions are unable to be effectively ascertained. However, because of the heterogeneity of surrogates and end users, the selection of appropriate surrogates and deploying surrogate decisions require particularly careful consideration of their value in individual cases; thus, subsequent decision-making must be reviewed on a case-to-case basis to seek to ensure that the best interests, needs and wishes of the end user are fully and accurately

Sedation practice in Nordic and non-Nordic ICUs: a European survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Egerod, Ingrid; Albarran, John W; Ring, Mette; Blackwood, Bronagh

2013-07-01

A trend towards lighter sedation has been evident in many intensive care units (ICUs). The aims of the survey were to describe sedation practice in European ICUs and to compare sedation practice in Nordic and non-Nordic countries. A cross-sectional survey of ICU nurses attending the fourth European federation of Critical Care Nursing associations (EfCCNa) in Denmark, 2011. Data included use of protocols; sedation, pain and delirium assessment tools; collaborative decision-making; sedation and analgesic medications; and educational preparation related to sedation. Response rate was 42% (n = 291) from 22 countries where 53% (n = 148) used sedation protocols. Nordic nurses reported greater use of sedation (91% versus 67%, p Nordic nurses. Decision-making on sedation was more inter-professionally collaborative in Nordic ICUs (83% versus 61%, p Nordic nurses reported greater consistency in maintaining circadian rhythm (66% versus 49%, p Nordic context might be more germane to the goal of lighter sedation and better pain management. Our study raises awareness of current sedation practice, paving the way towards optimized ICU sedation management. © 2013 The Authors. Nursing in Critical Care © 2013 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

The Nordic Nuclear Safety Research (NKS) programme. Nordic cooperation on nuclear safety

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersson, Kasper G. [Technical Univ. of Denmark, Roskilde (Denmark). National Lab. for Sustainable Energy; Ekstroem, Karoliina [Fortum Power and Heat, Fortum (Finland); Gwynn, Justin P. [Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Tromsoe (Norway). Fram Centre; Magnusson, Sigurdur M. [Icelandic Radiation Safety Authority, Reykjavik (Iceland); Physant, Finn C. [NKS-Sekretariatet, Roskilde (Denmark)

2012-07-01

The roots of the current Nordic Nuclear Safety Research (NKS) programme can be traced back to the recommendation by the Nordic Council in the late 1950s for the establishment of joint Nordic committees on the issues of nuclear research and radiation protection. One of these joint Nordic committees, the 'Kontaktorgan', paved the way over its 33 years of existence for the future of Nordic cooperation in the field of nuclear safety, through the formation of Nordic groups on reactor safety, nuclear waste and environmental effects of nuclear power in the late 1960s and early 1970s. With an increased focus on developing nuclear power in the wake of the energy crisis on the 1970s, the NKS was established by the Nordic Council to further develop the previous strands of Nordic cooperation in nuclear safety. NKS started its first programme in 1977, funding a series of four year programmes over the next 24 years covering the areas of reactor safety, waste management, emergency preparedness and radioecology. Initially funded directly from the Nordic Council, ownership of NKS was transferred from the political level to the national competent authorities at the beginning of the 1990s. This organizational and funding model has continued to the present day with additional financial support from a number of co-sponsors in Finland, Norway and Sweden. (orig.)

Identification and implementation of end-user needs during development of a state-of-the-art modeling tool-set - 59069

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seitz, Roger; Williamson, Mark; Gerdes, Kurt; Freshley, Mark; Dixon, Paul; Collazo, Yvette T.; Hubbard, Susan

2012-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) Office of Environmental Management, Technology Innovation and Development is supporting a multi-National Laboratory effort to develop the Advanced Simulation Capability for Environmental Management (ASCEM). ASCEM is an emerging state-of-the-art scientific approach and software infrastructure for understanding and predicting contaminant fate and transport in natural and engineered systems. These modular and open-source high performance computing tools and user interfaces will facilitate integrated approaches that enable standardized assessments of performance and risk for EM cleanup and closure decisions. The ASCEM team recognized that engaging end-users in the ASCEM development process would lead to enhanced development and implementation of the ASCEM tool-sets in the user community. End-user involvement in ASCEM covers a broad spectrum of perspectives, including: performance assessment (PA) and risk assessment practitioners, research scientists, decision-makers, oversight personnel, and regulators engaged in the US DOE cleanup mission. End-users are primarily engaged in ASCEM via the ASCEM User Steering Committee (USC) and the 'user needs interface' task. Future plans also include user involvement in demonstrations of the ASCEM tools. This paper will describe the details of how end users have been engaged in the ASCEM program and will demonstrate how this involvement has strengthened both the tool development and community confidence. ASCEM tools requested by end-users specifically target modeling challenges associated with US DOE cleanup activities. The demonstration activities involve application of ASCEM tools and capabilities to representative problems at DOE sites. Selected results from the ASCEM Phase 1 demonstrations are discussed to illustrate how capabilities requested by end-users were implemented in prototype versions of the ASCEM tool. The ASCEM team engaged a variety of interested parties early in the development

Locating Nordic Noir

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Kim Toft; Waade, Anne Marit

such as Beck, The Killing, Trapped and The Bridge as well as a range of other important Nordic Noir cases. The book positions the development of Nordic Noir on the global market for popular television drama and places the international attention towards Nordic crime dramas within regional development of drama...

Impact of Germany's energy transition on the Nordic power market – A market-based multi-region energy system model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zakeri, Behnam; Virasjoki, Vilma; Syri, Sanna

2016-01-01

-level benefits (social welfare) will improve in the Nordic region after Germany's Energiewende. However, this gain is not equally distributed among different Nordic countries and across different stakeholders. Furthermore, the Energiewende slightly increases carbon emissions from power and district heating (DH......) sectors, and reduces the flexibility in integration of VRE in some Nordic countries like Denmark. The direct interconnection of Norway and Germany through NordLink will contribute to the flexibility in wind integration in other Nordic countries, such as Denmark and Finland....

Melancholy in Nordic Noir

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Waade, Anne Marit

2017-01-01

Nordic noir on screen is characterised by a certain melancholy displayed in the plot, the imagery and the characters. These elements also characterise Scandinavian crime fiction, for example, the troubled protagonists and the cold climate. Nordic noir has attracted considerable interest among...... audiences and academics. However, none of the academic contributions reflect the connection to the historical Nordic melancholy. In this article, I relate Nordic noir to Nordic melancholy in art, philosophy and culture in which melancholy as a romantic ideal was embedded in a particular landscape...

Nordic Energy Technologies : Enabling a sustainable Nordic energy future

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vik, Amund; Smith, Benjamin

2009-10-15

A high current Nordic competence in energy technology and an increased need for funding and international cooperation in the field are the main messages of the report. This report summarizes results from 7 different research projects relating to policies for energy technology, funded by Nordic Energy Research for the period 2007-2008, and provides an analysis of the Nordic innovation systems in the energy sector. The Nordic countries possess a high level of competence in the field of renewable energy technologies. Of the total installed capacity comprises a large share of renewable energy, and Nordic technology companies play an important role in the international market. Especially distinguished wind energy, both in view of the installed power and a global technology sales. Public funding for energy research has experienced a significant decline since the oil crisis of the 1970s, although the figures in recent years has increased a bit. According to the IEA, it will require a significant increase in funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit further climate change. The third point highlighted in the report is the importance of international cooperation in energy research. Nordic and international cooperation is necessary in order to reduce duplication and create the synergy needed if we are to achieve our ambitious policy objectives in the climate and energy issue. (AG)

Quality of antiretroviral therapy in public health facilities in Nigeria and perceptions of end users.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiegil, Robert J; Zungu, Lindiwe I; Jooste, Karien

2014-04-01

This paper describes perceptions of the end users on quality of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in public health facilities in Nigeria. Health care services in Nigeria face challenges of meeting end users' requirements and expectations for quality ART service provision. A qualitative design was followed. Unstructured focus group discussions were conducted with end users (n = 64) in six locations across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The findings indicate that end users were satisfied with uninterrupted antiretroviral drug supplies, courtesy treatment, volunteerism of support group members and quality counselling services. End users expect effective collaboration between healthcare providers and support group members, to enhance the quality of life of people living with HIV. A best practice guideline for the provision of end user focused ART service provision was developed for nurse managers. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Antecedents and Outcomes of End User Computing Competence

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Case, David

2003-01-01

.... The end user has had to evolve and will continue evolving as well; from someone with low level technical skills to someone with a high level of technical knowledge and information managerial skills...

Design and evaluation of an end-user friendly tool for robot programming

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buchina, N.; Barakova, E.I.; Kamel, S.M.W.

2016-01-01

End-user programming for robots is becoming an increasingly important topic since robots are being introduced into a wide variety of domains. We propose a design of a web based programming interface that makes it possible for end-users with different backgrounds to program robots using natural

Nature-based integration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pitkänen, Kati; Oratuomi, Joose; Hellgren, Daniela

Increased attention to, and careful planning of the integration of migrants into Nordic societies is ever more important. Nature based integration is a new solution to respond to this need. This report presents the results of a Nordic survey and workshop and illustrates current practices of nature...... based integration by case study descriptions from Denmark, Sweden Norway and Finland. Across Nordic countries several practical projects and initiatives have been launched to promote the benefits of nature in integration and there is also growing academic interest in the topic. Nordic countries have...... the potential of becoming real forerunners in nature based integration even at the global scale....

End user prices in liberalised energy markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lijesen, M.G. [Afdeling Energie en Grondstoffen, Centraal Planbureau CPB, Den Haag (Netherlands)

2002-12-01

As European energy markets move towards deregulation, energy prices shift from classic 'cost plus' prices towards market prices. We develop a model for the retail and wholesale energy markets in Europe, based on Bertrand competition in a two part pricing structure with switching costs. We use the model to forecast end user electricity and natural gas prices and find that the introduction of competition in energy retail and wholesale markets will decrease standing charges, lowering total costs for energy users. A larger number of entrants, a cost advantage for one of the suppliers, or lower switching costs reduces standing charges further.

Assessing Children in the Nordic Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Karen Egedal; Hjörne, Eva

2014-01-01

Recent tendencies within assessment in comprehensive school in Nordic countries raise the question of the role of different practices of assessments, on how assessments are being used, for which purposes and the consequences of this. Assessments can be considered to be an integrated part of forma...

Evolving Frameworks for Different Communities of Scientists and End Users

Science.gov (United States)

Graves, S. J.; Keiser, K.

2016-12-01

Two evolving frameworks for interdisciplinary science will be described in the context of the Common Data Framework for Earth-Observation Data and the importance of standards and protocols. The Event Data Driven Delivery (ED3) Framework, funded by NASA Applied Sciences, provides the delivery of data based on predetermined subscriptions and associated workflows to various communities of end users. ED3's capabilities are used by scientists, as well as policy and resource managers, when event alerts are triggered to respond to their needs. The EarthCube Integration and Testing Environment (ECITE) Assessment Framework for Technology Interoperability and Integration is being developed to facilitate the EarthCube community's assessment of NSF funded technologies addressing Earth science problems. ECITE is addressing the translation of geoscience researchers' use cases into technology use case that apply EarthCube-funded building block technologies (and other existing technologies) for solving science problems. EarthCube criteria for technology assessment include the use of data, metadata and service standards to improve interoperability and integration across program components. The long-range benefit will be the growth of a cyberinfrastructure with technology components that have been shown to work together to solve known science objectives.

Greening of Nordic electricity industry: policy convergence and diversity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Midttun, Atle; Gundersen, Mari Hegg; Koefoed, Anne Louise

2004-01-01

With a comparative focus on policy similarity and diversity, this article gives an overview of the main elements of electricity-related environmental policy in the Nordic countries, following the launching of a common electricity market in the 1990s. The article points out that the electricity related environmental policy positions of the Nordic countries showed a noticeable lack of coordination in the 1990s. Nordic divergence is observed both in terms of general policy orientations and at the instrument and incentive levels, in spite of the pioneering development of a common integrated electricity market and ambitious environmental policy goals. The article then highlights how the recent Swedish 'green' certificate market model has created a new momentum for market-based 'greening' with a potential for stronger convergence in Nordic renewable energy policy. In spite of signs of convergence, the article shows how the development of Nordic electricity-related environmental policy still contains considerable ambiguity: Unequal resource endowments, subject to simple resource-based interest formation, should indicate that there is little room for convergence in Nordic renewable energy policy. Shifting the environmental policy focus from existing technologies and resources to potential innovations, however provides a more open arena where the Nordic countries may see themselves served by the dynamic scope of a broader Nordic market based on a common policy approach, such as a green certificate market. In explaining why the Nordic arena may be an interesting locus for common renewable energy policy, the article points out that small countries may need an 'intermediary' arena to aggregate size and scope in order to generate a European momentum in regulatory competition with larger European states. Similarly, Nordic companies may consider the opportunity to gain first mover advantages by partnering with government as local experimentation may be seen as useful pilot

PardNor - PARameters for ingestion dose models for NORdic areas. Status report for the NKS-B activity 2008

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, S.P.; Andersson, K.G.

2009-03-01

The ECOSYS foodchain model is built into the European standard decision support systems ARGOS and RODOS, which are integrated in the preparedness for radiological events in the Nordic countries. However, a review has revealed that a number of parameters in ECOSYS do not reflect the current state-of-the-art knowledge, and do not adequately represent Nordic conditions. Improved and country/region specific data is required for ECOSYS to give trustworthy results. It is the aim of the PardNor activity to collect new data, and thus enable reliable use of ECOSYS for scenarios involving contamination of Nordic food production areas. In the reported work period of the PardNor activity, analyses have been performed for each Nordic country to determine the sensitivity of the ingestion dose end-point in ECOSYS to variation in 9 selected, potentially important parameters (human dietary components and animal fodder components). This parametric sensitivity was found to vary considerably between the different Nordic countries, reflecting considerable differences in diet and domestic production, and highlighting the importance of last year's work to identify appropriate location-specific parameters. A simple empirical Danish soil temperature based methodology for calculation of more reliable location-specific values of leaf area index (LAI) was tested for Swedish conditions and applied to estimate the seasonal LAI variation in other countries. The leaf area index reaches its maximum value much earlier in the southern parts of the Nordic region than in the northern. This means that the conditions for deposition and interception to vegetation would over a certain time span be very different in different Nordic areas. Also the influence on ECOSYS dose estimates of resuspension enrichment factors, leaching rates, fixation rates and desorption rates was investigated in the reported activity period, identifying new data sets where needed.(au)

PardNor - PARameters for ingestion dose models for NORdic areas. Status report for the NKS-B activity 2008

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nielsen, S.P.; Andersson, K.G. (Technical Univ. of Denmark, Risoe National Lab. for Sustainable Energy, Roskilde (Denmark))

2009-03-15

The ECOSYS foodchain model is built into the European standard decision support systems ARGOS and RODOS, which are integrated in the preparedness for radiological events in the Nordic countries. However, a review has revealed that a number of parameters in ECOSYS do not reflect the current state-of-the-art knowledge, and do not adequately represent Nordic conditions. Improved and country/region specific data is required for ECOSYS to give trustworthy results. It is the aim of the PardNor activity to collect new data, and thus enable reliable use of ECOSYS for scenarios involving contamination of Nordic food production areas. In the reported work period of the PardNor activity, analyses have been performed for each Nordic country to determine the sensitivity of the ingestion dose end-point in ECOSYS to variation in 9 selected, potentially important parameters (human dietary components and animal fodder components). This parametric sensitivity was found to vary considerably between the different Nordic countries, reflecting considerable differences in diet and domestic production, and highlighting the importance of last year's work to identify appropriate location-specific parameters. A simple empirical Danish soil temperature based methodology for calculation of more reliable location-specific values of leaf area index (LAI) was tested for Swedish conditions and applied to estimate the seasonal LAI variation in other countries. The leaf area index reaches its maximum value much earlier in the southern parts of the Nordic region than in the northern. This means that the conditions for deposition and interception to vegetation would over a certain time span be very different in different Nordic areas. Also the influence on ECOSYS dose estimates of resuspension enrichment factors, leaching rates, fixation rates and desorption rates was investigated in the reported activity period, identifying new data sets where needed.(au)

A flexible energy market - electric power reserves at the place of the end-user

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Livik, Klaus; Groenli, Helle; Fretheim, Stig; Feilberg, Nicolai; Gjervan, Sverre; Dymbe, Lars

1996-01-01

If short-term as well as long-term prices in the electric power market are to be stable, then the market must be flexible and both energy and power related efforts must be taken at the end-user's place. The report analyses what type of actors in the electric power market are profiting from a flexible end-user market for energy and power. It is found that a flexible market has utilitarian value for end-users, network owners, suppliers, market operators and system operators. It is also clearly desirable from the point of view of the authorities. Considerable possibilities of developing the flexible energy and power market exist at the end-user. The possibilities can be realized by means of technological developments and political incentives such as by rules for monopoly control. End-user measures may have considerable utilitarian value, socio economically. Especially in areas with high marginal costs of power transport will network owners see the advantages of such measures

Web-based DAQ systems: connecting the user and electronics front-ends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenzi, Thomas

2016-01-01

Web technologies are quickly evolving and are gaining in computational power and flexibility, allowing for a paradigm shift in the field of Data Acquisition (DAQ) systems design. Modern web browsers offer the possibility to create intricate user interfaces and are able to process and render complex data. Furthermore, new web standards such as WebSockets allow for fast real-time communication between the server and the user with minimal overhead. Those improvements make it possible to move the control and monitoring operations from the back-end servers directly to the user and to the front-end electronics, thus reducing the complexity of the data acquisition chain. Moreover, web-based DAQ systems offer greater flexibility, accessibility, and maintainability on the user side than traditional applications which often lack portability and ease of use. As proof of concept, we implemented a simplified DAQ system on a mid-range Spartan6 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) development board coupled to a digital front-end readout chip. The system is connected to the Internet and can be accessed from any web browser. It is composed of custom code to control the front-end readout and of a dual soft-core Microblaze processor to communicate with the client.

Web-based DAQ systems: connecting the user and electronics front-ends

Science.gov (United States)

Lenzi, Thomas

2016-12-01

Web technologies are quickly evolving and are gaining in computational power and flexibility, allowing for a paradigm shift in the field of Data Acquisition (DAQ) systems design. Modern web browsers offer the possibility to create intricate user interfaces and are able to process and render complex data. Furthermore, new web standards such as WebSockets allow for fast real-time communication between the server and the user with minimal overhead. Those improvements make it possible to move the control and monitoring operations from the back-end servers directly to the user and to the front-end electronics, thus reducing the complexity of the data acquisition chain. Moreover, web-based DAQ systems offer greater flexibility, accessibility, and maintainability on the user side than traditional applications which often lack portability and ease of use. As proof of concept, we implemented a simplified DAQ system on a mid-range Spartan6 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) development board coupled to a digital front-end readout chip. The system is connected to the Internet and can be accessed from any web browser. It is composed of custom code to control the front-end readout and of a dual soft-core Microblaze processor to communicate with the client.

Give the people what they want: studying end-user needs for enhancing the web

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tak Yeon Lee

2016-11-01

Full Text Available End-user programming (EUP is a common approach for helping ordinary people create small programs for their professional or daily tasks. Since end-users may not have programming skills or strong motivation for learning them, tools should provide what end-users want with minimal costs of learning –i.e., they must decrease the barriers to entry. However, it is often hard to address these needs, especially for fast-evolving domains such as the Web. To better understand these existing and ongoing challenges, we conducted two formative studies with Web users –a semi-structured interview study, and a Wizard-of-Oz study. The interview study identifies challenges that participants have with their daily experiences on the Web. The Wizard-of-Oz study investigates how participants would naturally explain three computational tasks to an interviewer acting as a hypothetical computer agent. These studies demonstrate a disconnect between what end-users want and what existing EUP systems support, and thus open the door for a path towards better support for end user needs. In particular, our findings include: (1 analysis of challenges that end-users experience on the Web with solutions; (2 seven core functionalities of EUP for addressing these challenges; (3 characteristics of non-programmers describing three common computation tasks; (4 design implications for future EUP systems.

Power reserves in the end-user market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Livik, K.; Mo, B.

1994-10-01

Based on a detailed modelling of the end-user electric power market it is evaluated how a selection of energy conservation efforts will affect Norway's system curve for the day of maximum power load. The analysis given in this report is based on empiric load data and statistical analyses of how changing simultaneity in power consumption by the end-users contribute to an aggregated effect on the maximum power of the system. The computer code PMAX was used for the simulation. The following efforts are considered: controlling water heaters in the housing sector, replacing electricity by oil for heating in the housing sector and in the service sector, implementation of temperature control with reduced temperature at night/day in the housing and service sectors, energy conservation in the service sector, heat recovery in the service sector. Transition from electricity to oil in heating is the effort which most strongly affects the energy consumption and power load on the day of peak power load. The discussion excludes energy-intensive industries, pumps and boilers. 11 refs., 16 figs., 6 tabs

On the end-user QoS-awareness of a distributed service environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Widya, I.; Stap, R.E.; Teunissen, L.J.; Hopman, B.F.

2001-01-01

A lot of attention has been given to network quality of service and efforts to make layers on top of the network also QoS-aware increase noticeably. This paper explores QoS-aware service provisioning at a level close to end-user's perception. It shows how end-user oriented QoS requirements have been

The Nordic Obstetric Surveillance Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Colmorn, Lotte B.; Petersen, Kathrine B; Jakobsson, Maija

2015-01-01

by using International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision codes on diagnoses and the Nordic Medico-Statistical Committee Classification of Surgical Procedure codes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rates of the studied complications and possible risk factors among parturients in the Nordic countries. RESULTS......OBJECTIVE: To assess the rates and characteristics of women with complete uterine rupture, abnormally invasive placenta, peripartum hysterectomy, and severe blood loss at delivery in the Nordic countries. DESIGN: Prospective, Nordic collaboration. SETTING: The Nordic Obstetric Surveillance Study...... (NOSS) collected cases of severe obstetric complications in the Nordic countries from April 2009 to August 2012. SAMPLE AND METHODS: Cases were reported by clinicians at the Nordic maternity units and retrieved from medical birth registers, hospital discharge registers, and transfusion databases...

Perceptions of Cataloguers and End-Users towards Bilingual Authority Files.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdoulaye, Kaba

2002-01-01

Analyzes and describes bilingual authority files at the main library of the International Islamic University of Malaysia. Highlights include a review of multilingual research; perceptions of end users and catalogers; problems with bilingual files; and use of the OPAC (online public access catalog) by users. (Author/LRW)

Engineering of Data Acquiring Mobile Software and Sustainable End-User Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Benton T.

2013-01-01

The criteria for which data acquiring software and its supporting infrastructure should be designed should take the following two points into account: the reusability and organization of stored online and remote data and content, and an assessment on whether abandoning a platform optimized design in favor for a multi-platform solution significantly reduces the performance of an end-user application. Furthermore, in-house applications that control or process instrument acquired data for end-users should be designed with a communication and control interface such that the application's modules can be reused as plug-in modular components in greater software systems. The application of the above mentioned is applied using two loosely related projects: a mobile application, and a website containing live and simulated data. For the intelligent devices mobile application AIDM, the end-user interface have a platform and data type optimized design, while the database and back-end applications store this information in an organized manner and manage access to that data to only to authorized user end application(s). Finally, the content for the website was derived from a database such that the content can be included and uniform to all applications accessing the content. With these projects being ongoing, I have concluded from my research that the applicable methods presented are feasible for both projects, and that a multi-platform design for the mobile application only marginally drop the performance of the mobile application.

Storyboard method of end-user programming with natural language configuration

Science.gov (United States)

Bouchard, Ann M; Osbourn, Gordon C

2013-11-19

A technique for end-user programming includes populating a template with graphically illustrated actions and then invoking a command to generate a screen element based on the template. The screen element is rendered within a computing environment and provides a mechanism for triggering execution of a sequence of user actions. The sequence of user actions is based at least in part on the graphically illustrated actions populated into the template.

Adoption of ERP system: An empirical study of factors influencing the usage of ERP and its impact on end user

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christy Angeline Rajan

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Complex information systems like the ERP integrate the data of all business areas within the organization. The implementation of ERP is a difficult process as it involves different types of end users. Based on literature, we proposed a conceptual framework and examined it to find the effect of some of the individual, organizational, and technological factors on the usage of ERP and its impact on the end user. The results of the analysis suggest that computer self-efficacy, organizational support, training, and compatibility have a positive influence on ERP usage which in turn has significant influence on panoptic empowerment and individual performance.

Bitmap indices for fast end-user physics analysis in ROOT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stockinger, Kurt; Wu Kesheng; Brun, Rene; Canal, Philippe

2006-01-01

Most physics analysis jobs involve multiple selection steps on the input data. These selection steps are called cuts or queries. A common strategy to implement these queries is to read all input data from files and then process the queries in memory. In many applications the number of variables used to define these queries is a relative small portion of the overall data set therefore reading all variables into memory takes unnecessarily long time. In this paper we describe an integration effort that can significantly reduce this unnecessary reading by using an efficient compressed bitmap index technology. The primary advantage of this index is that it can process arbitrary combinations of queries very efficiently, while most other indexing technologies suffer from the 'curse of dimensionality' as the number of queries increases. By integrating this index technology with the ROOT analysis framework, the end-users can benefit from the added efficiency without having to modify their analysis programs. Our performance results show that for multi-dimensional queries, bitmap indices outperform the traditional analysis method up to a factor of 10

Adapting Coastal State Indicators to end-users: the iCoast Project

Science.gov (United States)

Demarchi, Alessandro; Isotta Cristofori, Elena; Gracia, Vicente; Sairouní, Abdel; García-León, Manuel; Cámaro, Walther; Facello, Anna

2016-04-01

The extraordinary development of the built environment and of the population densities in the coastal areas are making coastal communities highly exposed. The sea level rise induced by climate change will worsen this coastal vulnerability scenario and a considerable amount of people are expected to be threatened by coastal flooding in the future. Due to the increasing number of catastrophic events, and the consequent increased number of damages and people affected, over the last decades coastal hazard management has become a fundamental activity in order to improve the resilience of coastal community. In this scenario, iCoast (integrated COastal Alert SysTem) project has been founded to develop a tool able to address coastal risks caused by extreme waves and high sea water levels in European coastal areas. In the framework of iCoast Project, a set of Coastal State Indicators (CSIs) has been developed in order to improve the forecasting and the assessment of coastal risks. CSIs are indeed parameters able to provide end-users with an essential information about coastal hazards and related impacts. Within the iCoast Project, following a comprehensive literature review about existing indicators concerning coastal risks, a list of CSIs have been chosen as parameters that can be derived from the meteorological and the hydrodynamic modules. They include both physical variables used as trigger for meteorological and flood warnings from the majority of the operational National/Regional warning systems and further essential parameters, so called 'storm integrated' coastal-storm indicators, able to describe the physical processes that drive coastal damages, such as erosion, accumulation, flooding, destructions. Nowadays, it is generally acknowledged that communities are not homogenous and hence their different vulnerable groups might need different warnings. Generally, even existing national EWS in developed countries are often ineffective to issue targeted warnings for

Adherence to the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations in a Nordic population with metabolic syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jonsdottir, Svandis Erna; Brader, Lea; Gunnarsdottir, Ingibjorg

2013-01-01

The Nordic countries collaborate in setting recommendations for intake of nutrients by publishing the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR). Studies exploring how well the Nordic population adheres to the NNR are limited and none are available for the metabolic syndrome (MetS) subgroup...

Nuclear threats in the vicinity of the Nordic countries. Final report of the Nordic Nuclear Safety Research project SBA-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eikelmann, I.M.H.

2002-11-01

The acute phase of a nuclear accident and the possibility of high exposure of the populations are always the most important threats in the emergency preparedness work. Radioactive contamination from an accident can however also cause long term effects for land use and enhanced doses to special population groups and economic problems for agriculture, reindeer industry, hunting, tourism and recreation. For planning purposes it is always valuable to be aware of surrounding radiation hazards and other potential threats. Thus, mapping such threats in a Nordic context is an important factor in emergency preparedness in the area. This report presents a cross-disciplinary study from the NKS research program 1998-2001.The scope of the project was to prepare a 'base of knowledge' regarding possible nuclear threats in the vicinity of the Nordic countries. This base of knowledge will, by modere information technology as different websites, be made available to authorities, media and the population. The users of the websites can easily get information on different types of nuclear installations and threats. The users can get an overview of the situation and, if they so wish, make their own judgements. The project dealt with a geographical area including North-west Russia and the Baltic states. The results from the different activities in the project were generated in a web based database called the 'the base of knowledge'. Key words Nuclear threats, Nordic countries, nuclear power plants, nuclear ship, nuclear waste, literature database, base of knowledge, webaccessed information, atmospheric transport, decommissioning of submarines, nuclear installations, waste management, radioactive contamination in marine environment, radioactive sources, criticality analysis. (au)

Nuclear threats in the vicinity of the Nordic countries. Final report of the Nordic Nuclear Safety Research project SBA-1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eikelmann, I.M.H. [Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (Norway)

2002-11-01

The acute phase of a nuclear accident and the possibility of high exposure of the populations are always the most important threats in the emergency preparedness work. Radioactive contamination from an accident can however also cause long term effects for land use and enhanced doses to special population groups and economic problems for agriculture, reindeer industry, hunting, tourism and recreation. For planning purposes it is always valuable to be aware of surrounding radiation hazards and other potential threats. Thus, mapping such threats in a Nordic context is an important factor in emergency preparedness in the area. This report presents a cross-disciplinary study from the NKS research program 1998-2001.The scope of the project was to prepare a 'base of knowledge' regarding possible nuclear threats in the vicinity of the Nordic countries. This base of knowledge will, by modere information technology as different websites, be made available to authorities, media and the population. The users of the websites can easily get information on different types of nuclear installations and threats. The users can get an overview of the situation and, if they so wish, make their own judgements. The project dealt with a geographical area including North-west Russia and the Baltic states. The results from the different activities in the project were generated in a web based database called the 'the base of knowledge'. Key words Nuclear threats, Nordic countries, nuclear power plants, nuclear ship, nuclear waste, literature database, base of knowledge, webaccessed information, atmospheric transport, decommissioning of submarines, nuclear installations, waste management, radioactive contamination in marine environment, radioactive sources, criticality analysis. (au)

The Nordic Region - leading in green growth. Report by the Nordic prime ministers' working group for green growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2011-10-15

If green growth is to be a key priority for Nordic co-operation in the next few years, then it is essential to have a joint vision for the work - a vision underpinned by tangible activities, one that enjoys strong political support and sends important signals about political goals and intentions. ''The Nordic Region - leading in green growth'' is a vision based on the joint utilisation of Nordic strengths in energy efficiency, the development of sustainable energy, environmental awareness, investment in innovation and research, and ambitious international targets for the environment and climate. Working together, the Region will carry more weight, earn a bigger market share and make more of a political impact at international level. The working group recommends eight priorities: 1. developing Nordic test centres for green solutions. 2. working together on education, training and research for green growth. 3. promoting flexible consumption of electricity. 4. working together on green-technology norms and standards. 5. working together on green procurement in the public sector. 6. developing techniques and methods for waste treatment. 7. promoting the integration of environmental and climate considerations into development aid. 8. co-ordinating and improving funding for green investment and companies. (LN)

Password Authentication from a Human Factors Perspective: Results of a Survey Among End-Users

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoonakker, Peter; Bornoe, Nis; Carayon, Pascale

2009-01-01

Considering that many organizations today are extremely dependent on information technology, computer and information security (CIS) has become a critical concern from a business viewpoint. CIS is concerned with protecting the confidentiality, integrity, accessible information, when using computer...... systems. Much research has been conducted on CIS in the past years. However, the attention has been primarily focused on technical problems and solutions. Only recently, the role of human factors in CIS has been recognized. End-user behavior can increase the vulnerability of computer and information...

Wind and load variability in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holttinen, Hannele; Rissanen, Simo; Larsén, Xiaoli Guo

the three years analysed in this publication there were few storm incidents and they did not produce dramatic wind power ramps in the Nordic region. Wind and load variations are not correlated between the countries, which is beneficial from the viewpoint of wind integration. The smoothing effect is shown......This publication analysed the variability of wind production and load in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and the Nordic region as a whole, based on real data measured from large-scale wind power during 2009–2011. The Nordic-wide wind power time series was scaled up such that Sweden had same amount...... of wind power production than Denmark, and Finland and Norway only 50% of the wind power production in Denmark. Wind power production in Denmark and Sweden is somewhat correlated (coefficient 0.7) but less correlation is found between the other countries. The variations from one hour to the next are only...

Nordic Energy basics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koljonen, T.; Pursiheimo, E. [VTT, Espoo (Finland)

2004-01-01

This report gives numerical data of the existing energy systems in Denmark, Finland, Island, Norway and Sweden. The data includes: 1) Primary fossil fuel production and fuel reserves; 2) Energy production and consumption; 3) Hydrogen production in the Nordic countries; 4) Energy balances of the Nordic countries. The above data has been used as background information during the Nordic H{sub 2} Energy Foresight project. The data has been collected from public literature sources and also from project partners. (au)

Nordic Pharmacy Schools’ Experience in Communication Skills Training

Science.gov (United States)

Björnsdottir, Ingunn; Wallman, Andy; Sporrong, Sofia Kälvemark

2017-01-01

Objective. To assess communication skills training at Nordic pharmacy schools and explore ways for improvement. Methods. E-mail questionnaires were developed and distributed with the aim to explore current practice and course leaders’ opinions regarding teaching of patient communication skills at all the 11 master level Nordic (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) pharmacy schools. The questionnaires contained both closed- and open-ended questions. Results. There was a variation of patient communication skills training among schools. In general, communication skills training was included in one to five courses (mode 1); varied in quantity (6-92 hours); had low use of experiential training methods; and had challenges regarding assessments and acquiring sufficient resources. However, some schools had more focus on such training. Conclusion. The results show room for improvement in patient communication skills training in most Nordic pharmacy schools and give insights into how to enhance communication skill building in pharmacy curricula. Suggestions for improving the training include: early training start, evidence-based frameworks, experiential training, and scaffolding. PMID:29302085

Synthesis of the initial survey related to PSAs End-Users needs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guigueno, Yves; Duflot, Nicolas; Durin, Thomas; Pihl, Joel; Benzoni, Stephane; Brac, Pascal; Gallois, Marie; Vasseur, Dominique; Loeffler, Horst; Nitoi, Mirela; Volkanovski, Andrija; Sevbo, Oleksandr; Ivanov, Ivan

2015-01-01

The ASAMPSA-E project aims at identifying good practices for the development of extended PSAs that include low-probability internal and external hazards which can lead to extreme consequences, and at discussing the application of extended PSAs for NPP safety enhancement decision making in the European context. A first questionnaire related to End-Users needs (ASAMPSA-E/WP10/D10.112013-4) has been disseminated at international level to PSA End-Users in November 2013 in order to identify the needs for guidance for the performance and application of extended PSA. This document presents the analysis of the responses to the survey. A draft version has been used to present the responses to the survey and discuss End-Users' needs during an international workshop organized on 26, 27 and 28 May 2014 in Uppsala (Sweden). The final version of this document has been prepared by incorporating the comments received from the project partners and the outcomes of the discussions at the Uppsala workshop. (authors)

Perspectives on Nordic Working Life Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Ch. Karlsson

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Welcome to this Thematic Issue on Perspectives on Nordic Working Life Research! It is perhaps not that surprising that a journal called Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies contains many discussions about “Nordic Models”: What is the Nordic Welfare State Model? What has happened to it lately? Is there still one? Has there ever been one? What about the Nordic Industrial Relations Model—is it on its way to be abandoned? And the Nordic Labor Market Model? Or the Nordic Work Environment Model? In contrast, in the Thematic Issue part of this issue of NJWLS Nordic working life research itself is discussed. Editing the issue has led me to some (selfcritical reflections on Nordic working life research—or perhaps rather reflections on the self-image of Nordic working life researchers. We often say that two of the cornerstones of Nordic working life research are the assumption that there is a positive correlation between employee autonomy at work and higher productivity, and that our research tradition is different from those found in other geographical areas (and, implicitly, probably better. Being part of the Nordic tradition, I too have claimed both, but I now think both needs to be qualified and critically discussed. Or rather, the first needs to be qualified and the consequences of the other critically evaluated (...

Measuring international electricity integration: a comparative study of the power systems under the Nordic Council, MERCOSUR, and NAFTA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pineau, P.-O.; Hira, Anil; Froschauer, Karl

2004-01-01

Many regions of the world feel the pressure to interconnect electric power systems internationally. Regional integrations of the electricity sector have become part of free trade and common market initiatives, though the steps individual national jurisdictions take towards developing integrated systems vary. In this article, we review three regions concerned with common market initiatives and at different stages of integration processes that involve infrastructural, regulatory, and commercial decisions. First, we examine the North European countries in the Nordic Council, then countries in the Southern Cone of South America in MERCOSUR, and finally Mexico, the United States and Canada, linked under NAFTA. This comparative study highlights the potential, but also the many hurdles, that electricity sector integrations face. The study suggests a framework for measuring the level of electricity sector integration that could be applied to other regions

Storage system software solutions for high-end user needs

Science.gov (United States)

Hogan, Carole B.

1992-01-01

Today's high-end storage user is one that requires rapid access to a reliable terabyte-capacity storage system running in a distributed environment. This paper discusses conventional storage system software and concludes that this software, designed for other purposes, cannot meet high-end storage requirements. The paper also reviews the philosophy and design of evolving storage system software. It concludes that this new software, designed with high-end requirements in mind, provides the potential for solving not only the storage needs of today but those of the foreseeable future as well.

Nordic cultural policies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duelund, Peter

2008-01-01

A critical view on Nordic Cultural Policy 1961-2008 - Aims, measures, forms of organisation, state og national identity......A critical view on Nordic Cultural Policy 1961-2008 - Aims, measures, forms of organisation, state og national identity...

Empowering the end-user in smart grids: Recommendations for the design of products and services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geelen, Daphne; Reinders, Angèle; Keyson, David

2013-01-01

In discussions on smart grids, it is often stated that residential end-users will play a more active role in the management of electric power supply and demand. They are expected to shift from a passive role as consumer of electricity to an active role as co-provider. In this article, the extent to which current technologies, products and services empower end-users to take up an active role as co-providers is evaluated. Based on a review of literature and related pilot projects, current approaches were found to be driven by technical and financial considerations. There appears to be a lack of product and service design that supports end-users in their role as co-providers in a smart grid. This is reflected in the lack of thought given to how the end-users’ process of behavioral change can be supported to enable the transition from consumer to co-provider. Several recommendations are provided for product and service designers towards fostering the role of co-provider, which comes under under: (a) user interaction needs, (b) approaches to behavioral change and (c) community initiatives and management of resources. Designers are considered to play a bridging role between policy making and engineering, while facilitating involvement of end-users in the design process. - Highlights: • Overview of products and services for residential end-users in smart grids. • Evaluation of extent to which end-users are empowered to adopt a co-provider role. • Products and services often focus on technical functionality and financial incentives. • Behavioral aspects and social context would have to be taken into account more. • Design recommendations are proposed to empower end-users in becoming co-providers

Supporting Facility Management Processes through End-Users’ Integration and Coordinated BIM-GIS Technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudio Mirarchi

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The integration of facility management and building information modelling (BIM is an innovative and critical undertaking process to support facility maintenance and management. Even though recent research has proposed various methods and performed an increasing number of case studies, there are still issues of communication processes to be addressed. This paper presents a theoretical framework for digital systems integration of virtual models and smart technologies. Based on the comprehensive analysis of existing technologies for indoor localization, a new workflow is defined and designed, and it is utilized in a practical case study to test the model performance. In the new workflow, a facility management supporting platform is proposed and characterized, featuring indoor positioning systems to allow end users to send geo-referenced reports to central virtual models. In addition, system requirements, information technology (IT architecture and application procedures are presented. Results show that the integration of end users in the maintenance processes through smart and easy tools can overcome the existing limits of barcode systems and building management systems for failure localization. The proposed framework offers several advantages. First, it allows the identification of every element of an asset including wide physical building elements (walls, floors, etc. without requiring a prior mapping. Second, the entire cycle of maintenance activities is managed through a unique integrated system including the territorial dimension. Third, data are collected in a standard structure for future uses. Furthermore, the integration of the process in a centralized BIM-GIS (geographical information system information management system admit a scalable representation of the information supporting facility management processes in terms of assets and supply chain management and monitoring from a spatial perspective.

The STEP database through the end-users eyes--USABILITY STUDY.

Science.gov (United States)

Salunke, Smita; Tuleu, Catherine

2015-08-15

The user-designed database of Safety and Toxicity of Excipients for Paediatrics ("STEP") is created to address the shared need of drug development community to access the relevant information of excipients effortlessly. Usability testing was performed to validate if the database satisfies the need of the end-users. Evaluation framework was developed to assess the usability. The participants performed scenario based tasks and provided feedback and post-session usability ratings. Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) was performed to prioritize the problems and improvements to the STEP database design and functionalities. The study revealed several design vulnerabilities. Tasks such as limiting the results, running complex queries, location of data and registering to access the database were challenging. The three critical attributes identified to have impact on the usability of the STEP database included (1) content and presentation (2) the navigation and search features (3) potential end-users. Evaluation framework proved to be an effective method for evaluating database effectiveness and user satisfaction. This study provides strong initial support for the usability of the STEP database. Recommendations would be incorporated into the refinement of the database to improve its usability and increase user participation towards the advancement of the database. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The EEC's single market and the reconstruction of the Nordic electric power sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsen, O.J.

1992-01-01

When the Single Market comes into operation, the author claims, vertically integrated, national and regional monopolies within the electric power sector will be abolished. The nature of the new organization of this sector is as yet unclear. The Nordic countries are beginning to prepare themselves for the new situation. The subject of the article is this prospective development and some of the problems that will arise for the Nordic countries in this respect. The various Nordic proposals and their background are described in addition to the present conditions within the Nordic electric power sector. The special problems which may arise in relation to the Nordic adaption to the Single Market, the forms of adaption that are already beginning (adaptions of regulations, legal aspects etc.) on the part of the authorities and the electric power companies' attitudes and adaptions to expected future conditions are elucidated. (AB)

New Nordic comics—a question of promotion?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rikke Platz Cortsen

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Throughout history, the cultures of the Nordic countries have at certain points been seen through a lense that stresses regional commonality, most recently with terms like “New Nordic Cooking” or “Nordic Noir.” In this article, we examine the possibility of a common concept of “New Nordic Comics” by analyzing a number of Nordic comics anthologies. We discuss in what way Nordic comics might be said to be new and how they can be considered to be Nordic. We state that the comics in the collections are not identifiable as particularly Nordic based on their themes or the stylistic or visual repertoires. In these respects, Nordic comics are part of a broader transnational comics culture. The comics, however, occasionally bear witness to a Nordic background or heritage, for instance, in the form of words in Finnish or the Scandinavian languages, names of characters or the milieux in the comics. On the whole, Nordicness in comics is variable and diverse, and rather than a phenomenon based on inherent quality or aesthetic commonality, new Nordic comics are a result of promotional strategies, cultural policies, and transnational connections between Nordic actors in the comics field.

Pharmacoepidemiology at Nordic School of Public Health NHV: Examples from 1999 to 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Stålsby Lundborg, Cecilia; Gyllensten, Hanna; Hedna, Khedidja; Hakkarainen, Katja M; Lesén, Eva; Andersson Sundell, Karolina; Gyllensten, H; Hedna, K; Hakkarainen, K M; Lesén, E; Sundell, K Andersson

2015-08-01

Pharmacoepidemiology is a branch of public health and had a place at the Nordic School of Public Health. Courses, Master's theses and Doctorates of Public Health (DrPH) in Pharmacoepidemiology were a relatively minor, but still important part of the school's activities. This paper gives a short background, followed by some snapshots of the activities at NHV, and then some illustrative case-studies. These case-studies list their own responsible co-authors and have separate reference lists. In the Nordic context, NHV was a unique provider of training and research in pharmacoepidemiology, with single courses to complete DrPH training, as well as implementation of externally-funded research projects. With the closure of NHV at the end of 2014, it is unclear if such a comprehensive approach towards pharmacoepidemiology will be found elsewhere in the Nordic countries. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Introduction: Postimperial sovereignty games in the Nordic region

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Adler-Nissen, Rebecca; Gad, Ulrik Pram

2014-01-01

Benevolence, homogeneity and peace has never been the full story of the Nordic region. Building on a critical review of myths of ‘Norden’ in international relations theory and beyond (international political economy, security studies, regional and European integration theory and postcolonialism...

Kineziologická charakteristika Nordic Walking

OpenAIRE

Pospíšilová, Petra

2009-01-01

Title: Functional a physiological characteristics of Nordic Walking Purposes: The aim of the thesis is to describe and summarize current knowledge about Nordic Walking Methods: Literature analysis Key words: Nordic Walking, free bipedal walk, health benefits, functional indicator changes

Developing End-User Innovation from Circuits of Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Fosstenløkken, Siw M.

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to raise the question of how end-user product innovation is developed by exploring the underlying learning mechanisms that drive such idea realization in practice. A trialogical learning perspective from educational science is applied as an analytical approach to enlighten the black box of learning dynamics in user…

Nordic Regional Report; Selected Issues

OpenAIRE

International Monetary Fund

2013-01-01

This Selected Issues paper elaborates findings and discussions of 2013 Cluster Consultation Nordic Regional report. The countries have close economic and financial ties and face some common challenges and shared risks, such as large banking sectors and high household debt. The economic performance of the four continental Nordic economies (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden—Nordic-4) ranks among the advanced economic development circle. It is analyzed that the large Nordic banking systems su...

The search for the white Nordic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreassen, Rikke

2014-01-01

arrived immigrants and descendants. The article includes an analysis of Nordic race science from the turn of the twentieth century in order to illustrate how the New Nordic Kitchen draws upon a longer historical tradition of viewing the Nordic, and especially Nordic whiteness, as superior. The historical...... importance of race science in Denmark is not common knowledge, and very limited research is done in this area. The article therefore also brings new insights to the historical construction of whiteness in the Nordic context. Finally, the article also shows how the New Nordic Kitchen not only draws upon...

Nordic cooperation within natural gas research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edna, O.-J.

1993-01-01

Nordic cooperation within natural gas research is discussed. A reorganization of this cooperation has recently taken place. It is explained that common Nordic resources are now to be concentrated within 7 areas, one of which is the area of energy/industrial policies, regional policies and agriculture and forestry, all under the common heading of ''Economy''. The plan of activities within this area includes international cooperation within the European Communities, the European Energy Charter, the International Energy Agency and will involve the energy policy situation in eastern Europe and the Baltic countries, the electric power and natural gas markets in the northern countries, energy related environmental questions and Nordic energy research cooperation. Nordic research activities constitute 2% of research resources within the OECD. The basis for Nordic research cooperation (for example a common cultural background) is described, and suggestions are made as to how it should be administrated. The Nordic energy research programme for 1991-1994 embodies bioenergy and the environment, fuel cells, energy and the society, solid fuels, district heating and petroleum technology. The status report for the nordic gas market, which represents the Nordic gas companies' evaluation of the Nordic gas market, is summarized, and Nordic research activities related to gas utilization are shortly commented upon. (AB)

Cost-effective evolution of research prototypes into end-user tools: The MACH case study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Störrle, Harald

2017-01-01

's claim by fellow scientists, and (3) demonstrate the utility and value of the research contribution to any interested parties. However, turning an exploratory prototype into a “proper” tool for end-users often entails great effort. Heavyweight mainstream frameworks such as Eclipse do not address...... this issue; their steep learning curves constitute substantial entry barriers to such ecosystems. In this paper, we present the Model Analyzer/Checker (MACH), a stand-alone tool with a command-line interpreter. MACH integrates a set of research prototypes for analyzing UML models. By choosing a simple...... command line interpreter rather than (costly) graphical user interface, we achieved the core goal of quickly deploying research results to a broader audience while keeping the required effort to an absolute minimum. We analyze MACH as a case study of how requirements and constraints in an academic...

Integrating the results of user research into medical device development: insights from a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Jennifer L; Barnett, Julie

2012-07-19

It is well established that considering users is an important aspect of medical device development. However it is also well established that there are numerous barriers to successfully conducting user research and integrating the results into product development. It is not sufficient to simply conduct user research, it must also be effectively integrated into product development. A case study of the development of a new medical imaging device was conducted to examine in detail how users were involved in a medical device development project. Two user research studies were conducted: a requirements elicitation interview study and an early prototype evaluation using contextual inquiry. A descriptive in situ approach was taken to investigate how these studies contributed to the product development process and how the results of this work influenced the development of the technology. Data was collected qualitatively through interviews with the development team, participant observation at development meetings and document analysis. The focus was on investigating the barriers that exist to prevent user data from being integrated into product development. A number of individual, organisational and system barriers were identified that functioned to prevent the results of the user research being fully integrated into development. The user and technological aspects of development were seen as separate work streams during development. The expectations of the developers were that user research would collect requirements for the appearance of the device, rather than challenge its fundamental concept. The manner that the user data was communicated to the development team was not effective in conveying the significance or breadth of the findings. There are a range of informal and formal organisational processes that can affect the uptake of user data during medical device development. Adopting formal decision making processes may assist manufacturers to take a more integrated and

Integrating the results of user research into medical device development: insights from a case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Jennifer L

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is well established that considering users is an important aspect of medical device development. However it is also well established that there are numerous barriers to successfully conducting user research and integrating the results into product development. It is not sufficient to simply conduct user research, it must also be effectively integrated into product development. Methods A case study of the development of a new medical imaging device was conducted to examine in detail how users were involved in a medical device development project. Two user research studies were conducted: a requirements elicitation interview study and an early prototype evaluation using contextual inquiry. A descriptive in situ approach was taken to investigate how these studies contributed to the product development process and how the results of this work influenced the development of the technology. Data was collected qualitatively through interviews with the development team, participant observation at development meetings and document analysis. The focus was on investigating the barriers that exist to prevent user data from being integrated into product development. Results A number of individual, organisational and system barriers were identified that functioned to prevent the results of the user research being fully integrated into development. The user and technological aspects of development were seen as separate work streams during development. The expectations of the developers were that user research would collect requirements for the appearance of the device, rather than challenge its fundamental concept. The manner that the user data was communicated to the development team was not effective in conveying the significance or breadth of the findings. Conclusion There are a range of informal and formal organisational processes that can affect the uptake of user data during medical device development. Adopting formal decision

Nordic urban nature recreation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cole, Scott; Lindhjem, Henrik; Zandersen, Marianne

the associated nonmarket welfare benefits. The study stresses the need to collect user data to better understand visitation patterns, which can be combined with valuation methods to provide evidence of economic benefits associated with e.g., hiking, cycling, skiing, paddling and other recreation activities. Once......The Nordic countries continue to experience growth of urban areas, which provides benefits like economic growth, but also imposes economic costs in terms of reduced ecosystem services. This report focuses on urban nature recreation and highlights economic methods and data that can help capture...... these benefits are visible, decision-makers will have a better basis to balance economic growth with the environmental costs it imposes on urban ecosystem services....

Potential for the adoption of probabilistic risk assessments by end-users and decision-makers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frewer, Lynn J.; Fischer, Arnout R. H.; van den Brink, Paul J.

2008-01-01

-user and regulatory uptake has not been, to date, extensive. A case study, utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior, was conducted in order to identify potential determinants of end-user adoption of probabilistic risk assessments associated with the ecotoxicological impact of pesticides. Seventy potential end...

Ethical aspects of registry-based research in the Nordic countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Ludvigsson, Jonas F; Håberg, Siri E; Knudsen, Gun Peggy; Lafolie, Pierre; Zoega, Helga; Sarkkola, Catharina; von Kraemer, Stephanie; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Nørgaard, Mette

2015-01-01

National health care registries in the Nordic countries share many attributes, but different legal and ethical frameworks represent a challenge to promoting effective joint research. Internationally, there is a lack of knowledge about how ethical matters are considered in Nordic registry-based research, and a lack of knowledge about how Nordic ethics committees operate and what is needed to obtain an approval. In this paper, we review ethical aspects of registry-based research, the legal framework, the role of ethics review boards in the Nordic countries, and the structure of the ethics application. We discuss the role of informed consent in registry-based research and how to safeguard the integrity of study participants, including vulnerable subjects and children. Our review also provides information on the different government agencies that contribute registry-based data, and a list of the major health registries in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Both ethical values and conditions for registry-based research are similar in the Nordic countries. While Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have chosen different legal frameworks, these differences can be resolved through mutual recognition of ethical applications and by harmonizing the different systems, likely leading to increased collaboration and enlarged studies.

The nordic perspective on early childhood education and care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Broström, Stig; Einarsdóttir, Johanna; Pramling Samuelsson, Ingrid

2018-01-01

and Women’s Liberation’ and ‘ECEC for All in an Internordic Perspective’, we describe the fact that almost all children in the Nordic countries attend preschool, which on the one hand can be described in the light of the participation of both mothers and fathers in the labour market and on the other hand......This chapter discusses a number of central dimensions and dilemmas of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. In the two first sections, ‘Early Childhood Education and Care: An Integrated Part of the Welfare System, Democracy...

In Search of Nordicity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ooi, Can-Seng; Strandgaard, Jesper

2017-01-01

This article looks at the branding of Copenhagen as a food destination through the advent of the New Nordic Cuisine movement and how this may change the way we think about destination branding. The destination management organization of Copenhagen opportunistically embraced the New Nordic Cuisine...... an inductive, in-depth, longitudinal study of the New Nordic Cuisine and its movement's development in relation to branding Copenhagen as a tourism destination....

Green Nanotechnology in Nordic Construction - Eco-innovation strategies and Dynamics in nordic Window Chains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Maj Munch; Sandén, Björn A.; Palmberg, Christopher

This project analyzes Nordic trends in the development and industrial uptake of green nanotechno-logy in construction. The project applies an evolutionary economic perspective in analyzing the innovation dynamics and firm strategies in the window value chains in three Nordic countries, Denmark......, Finland and Sweden. Hence the project investigates two pervasive parallel market trends: The emergence of the green market and the emergence of nanotechnology. The analysis investigates how a traditional economic sector such as the construction sector reacts to such major trends. Conclusions are multiple...... of nanotechnology in the construction sector in the Nordic countries we do find quite a high number of nanotech applications in the Nordic window chains. Eco-innovation is influencing strongly on the nanotech development. We see several examples of nano-enabled smart, multifunctional green solutions in the Nordic...

Challenges to Nordic Police Research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holmberg, Lars

2015-01-01

The paper will cover three main points: A short description of published police research in the Nordic countries; a somewhat longer discussion of the nature of, and challenges to, Nordic police research and, finally, a critique of the homeliness of research.......The paper will cover three main points: A short description of published police research in the Nordic countries; a somewhat longer discussion of the nature of, and challenges to, Nordic police research and, finally, a critique of the homeliness of research....

The Nordic electricity market towards 2010

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aune, Finn Roar; Johnsen, Tor Arnt

2001-01-01

This article opens by examining the development of the Nordic power market in the 1990s. It tries to establish that the power market is a complex one. The market conditions vary greatly from one region to another and over time, and there is varying degree of integration among the regional markets. Thus, analyses of policy and political measures must be based on a detailed computational tool. In the SAMRAM project ''Power trade and Transmission'', such a computational model has been established, Normod-T. The article describes the principle features of the model and uses it to study the development of the Nordic power market toward the year 2010. It further analyses the impact of building gas power plants in Norway and of establishing a new cable for transmission of electric power between Norway and Germany

Geriatric work-up in the Nordic countries. The Nordic approach to comprehensive geriatric assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sletvold, O; Tilvis, R; Jonsson, A

1996-01-01

A group established by the Nordic professors of geriatrics has developed a position document presenting a shared and updated review of geriatric work-up as a way of comprehensive geriatric assessment in the Nordic countries. The main intention is that the document will serve as support and help f...... languages, and the translated versions should ideally have been subjected to validity and reliability testing. However, so far no scale meets these demands regarding all the five Nordic languages.......A group established by the Nordic professors of geriatrics has developed a position document presenting a shared and updated review of geriatric work-up as a way of comprehensive geriatric assessment in the Nordic countries. The main intention is that the document will serve as support and help...... for the clinician concerned with hospital based geriatric medicine. It may also be useful for quality control and teaching. Not least, it may be useful for health professionals other than geriatricians. To some extent, the position of geriatric medicine in the Nordic countries varies between the countries. However...

Nordic Management and Sustainable Business

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Preuss, Bjørn

2017-01-01

of the Nordics and from that wants to answer if this management approach fosters a sustainable business culture. For defining the management and cultural approach applied in Nordic companies, the method of text mining in relation with machine learning will be used. Among European companies, the Nordic companies...

Nordic Landscape

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjortshøj, Rasmus

2017-01-01

This Box Set NORDIC LANDSCAPE presents Nordic Territories, a project by Rasmus Hjortshøj, exploring the man-made landscapes of the coastal territories and the entanglement of society and nature in times where it is no longer merely mankind subjected to nature, but where nature is equally being...... territories is not only their transient nature, but also the warm currents of the Gulf Stream making these northern shorelines habitable for human settlements....

CISG Nordic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2013-01-01

CISG Nordic er en forskningsdatabase hvor den seneste information om den internationale købelovs anvendelse i de Nordiske lande offentliggøres. På hjemmesiden indgår retsafgørelser, bibliografiske noter, FN dokumenter m.m.......CISG Nordic er en forskningsdatabase hvor den seneste information om den internationale købelovs anvendelse i de Nordiske lande offentliggøres. På hjemmesiden indgår retsafgørelser, bibliografiske noter, FN dokumenter m.m....

CISG Nordic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2010-01-01

CISG Nordic er en forskningsdatabase hvor den seneste information om den internationale købelovs anvendelse i de Nordiske lande offentliggøres. På hjemmesiden indgår retsafgørelser, bibliografiske noter, FN dokumenter m.m.......CISG Nordic er en forskningsdatabase hvor den seneste information om den internationale købelovs anvendelse i de Nordiske lande offentliggøres. På hjemmesiden indgår retsafgørelser, bibliografiske noter, FN dokumenter m.m....

Proceedings of the 1st Nordic Optimization Symposium - 10th Nordic MPS meeting, Copenhagen 2006

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Jens; Jørgensen, Rene Munk; Kohl, Niklas

2006-01-01

, Operations Research and Mathematical Programming. Finally we would like to thank our sponsors and supporter for their contributions. It has among other things made it possible to give free registration to a number of researchers from the Baltic countries and Ph.D. students in general. We wish you all......On behalf of the Technical University of Denmark, the Danish Operations Research Society and the Nordic Section of the Mathematical Programming Society we welcome you to Copenhagen and the 1st Nordic Optimization Symposium - the 10th meeting of the Nordic MPS. The meetings of the Nordic MPS have...... to add a new title, that reflects the much broader field that is our playground at these meetings. Still the odd trustworthy title “Meeting of the Nordic MPS” has been maintained to demonstrate the origin of the symposium. It is our hope that future Nordic MPS meetings will carry on using this “double...

Nordic wind power conference 2007. Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cutululis, Nicolaos; Soerensen, Poul

2007-11-01

This fourth Nordic Wind Power Conference was focused on power system integration and electrical systems of wind turbines and wind farms. NWPC presents the newest research results related to technical electrical aspects of wind power, spanning from power system integration to electrical design and control of wind turbines. The first NWPC was held in Trondheim (2000), Norway, the second in Gothenburg (2004), Sweden, and the third in Espoo (2006), Finland. Invited speakers, oral presentation of papers and poster sessions ensured this to be a valuable event for professionals and high-level students wanting to strengthen their knowledge on wind power integration and electrical systems. (au)

Nordic wind power conference 2007. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cutululis, N; Soerensen, P [eds.

2007-11-15

This fourth Nordic Wind Power Conference was focused on power system integration and electrical systems of wind turbines and wind farms. NWPC presents the newest research results related to technical electrical aspects of wind power, spanning from power system integration to electrical design and control of wind turbines. The first NWPC was held in Trondheim (2000), Norway, the second in Gothenburg (2004), Sweden, and the third in Espoo (2006), Finland. Invited speakers, oral presentation of papers and poster sessions ensured this to be a valuable event for professionals and high-level students wanting to strengthen their knowledge on wind power integration and electrical systems. (au)

Energy efficiency and renewable energy sources in Nordic homes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hyysalo, S; Rinkinen, J [Aalto Univ. School of Economics, Helsinki (Finland). Dept. of Management and International Business; Heiskanen, E [National Consumer Research Centre, Helsinki (Finland)

2011-07-01

The role of citizens as innovators, adaptors of existing technologies and diffusers of new climate-relevant innovations has been studied extensively in recent years. Since the late 1970s, sociological and demographic research on residential energy use has consistently found great variations in energy use among similar households. It has been suggested that these variations constitute a source of innovative low-carbon practices. Yet, while there are many generic technologies available for end-use efficiency and renewables, their slow rate of diffusion suggests that they are not as such applicable to local conditions. Citizens have a key role in their adoption and adaptation to local conditions, as well in their diffusion to other users. Against this backdrop, the track 4 of NCF called for poster presentations of innovative new products, modifications of existing products, news ways of make use of existing technologies as well as such living practices that reduce energy use or enable the utilization of renewable energy sources in domestic settings in the Nordic countries. (orig.)

Nordic Mediation - Comparing Denmark and Finland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lappi-Seppälä, Tapio; Storgaard, Anette

2015-01-01

The Nordic Countries have a long common history in criminal policy but a closer look also indicates individual Development. the introduction of Victim Offender Mediation is one example of Nordic diversity in details.......The Nordic Countries have a long common history in criminal policy but a closer look also indicates individual Development. the introduction of Victim Offender Mediation is one example of Nordic diversity in details....

Fiber-to-the-home: bringing the services the end-user

Science.gov (United States)

van den Hoven, G. N.; Pluk, E. G. C.

2006-07-01

The ever increasing bandwidth demand will put large pressure on classical broadband communication networks. Optical fiber, with its high bandwidth, offers a solution to this emerging problem. Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) can provide end-users with virtually unlimited bandwidth, creating the opportunity to receive any service they like. FTTH networks consist of a passive network, active equipment and a top-layer which brings the services to the end-user. Companies and organisations who are deploying FTTH networks are not the traditional telecom and cable operators, but utility companies, housing corporations and local communities. The FTTH network deployed in Nuenen is a good example showing the strength of FTTH. In the future, bandwidth demand will increase even more. Intelligent solutions, such as flexible bandwidth, can have large added value for future FTTH networks.

Green nanotechnology in Nordic Construction: Eco-innovation strategies and Dynamics in Nordic Window Value Chains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Maj Munch

2010-01-01

This project analyzes Nordic trends in the development and industrial uptake of green nanotechno-logy in construction. The project applies an evolutionary economic perspective in analyzing the innovation dynamics and firm strategies in the window value chains in three Nordic countries, Denmark......, Finland and Sweden. Hence the project investigates two pervasive parallel market trends: The emergence of the green market and the emergence of nanotechnology. The analysis investigates how a traditional economic sector such as the construction sector reacts to such major trends. Conclusions are multiple...... of nanotechnology in the construction sector in the Nordic countries we do find quite a high number of nanotech applications in the Nordic window chains. Eco-innovation is influencing strongly on the nanotech development. We see several examples of nano-enabled smart, multifunctional green solutions in the Nordic...

Nordic research infrastructures for plant phenotyping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristiina Himanen

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Plant phenomics refers to the systematic study of plant phenotypes. Together with closely monitored, controlled climates, it provides an essential component for the integrated analysis of genotype-phenotype-environment interactions. Currently, several plant growth and phenotyping facilities are under establishment globally, and numerous facilities are already in use. Alongside the development of the research infrastructures, several national and international networks have been established to support shared use of the new methodology. In this review, an overview is given of the Nordic plant phenotyping and climate control facilities. Since many areas of phenomics such as sensor-based phenotyping, image analysis and data standards are still developing, promotion of educational and networking activities is especially important. These facilities and networks will be instrumental in tackling plant breeding and plant protection challenges. They will also provide possibilities to study wild species and their ecological interactions under changing Nordic climate conditions.

Child poverty in the Nordic countries: Definitions, measures and consequence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eriksson Bodil

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The Nordic countries are highly ranked in different statistical surveys on welfare and policy on a fairer distribution of income among different groups in the society. In social policy we talk about a Scandinavian model aiming to give the citizens basic economic and social security to reduce poverty. This model includes general and selective policies in areas as housing, income and social issues. The state is the main deliver of welfare services, even if private providers funded by the state are taking a bigger part of the delivery today. There are transfer payment to different groups, as families with children who get child allowances. The aim is to create good living conditions with equal opportunities to education and future life. During the last decade the welfare policy has been questioned and we have seen a development towards a more restricted welfare policy. Different statistics point at rising gaps of income between social groups in the Nordic societies. During an expert seminar on child poverty in the Nordic countries in the end of 2009, organized by the Swedish National Committee of the International Council of Social Welfare (ICSW, scholars and representatives from authorities and NGOs from the Nordic member organizations met in order to compare the situation in their respectively country. One topic of discussion was how to measure child poverty and what impact different measures have. In this article I will use this conference as a starting point when I discuss different definitions of child poverty and the prevalence of child poverty in the Nordic countries.

Decision Making Under Uncertainty - Bridging the Gap Between End User Needs and Science Capability

Science.gov (United States)

Verdon-Kidd, D. C.; Kiem, A.; Austin, E. K.

2012-12-01

Successful adaptation outcomes depend on decision making based on the best available climate science information. However, a fundamental barrier exists, namely the 'gap' between information that climate science can currently provide and the information that is practically useful for end users and decision makers. This study identifies the major contributing factors to the 'gap' from an Australian perspective and provides recommendations as to ways in which the 'gap' may be narrowed. This was achieved via a literature review, online survey (targeted to providers of climate information and end users of that information), workshop (where both climate scientists and end users came together to discuss key issues) and focus group. The study confirmed that uncertainty in climate science is a key barrier to adaptation. The issue of uncertainty was found to be multi-faceted, with issues identified in terms of communication of uncertainty, misunderstanding of uncertainty and the lack of tools/methods to deal with uncertainty. There were also key differences in terms of expectations for the future - most end users were of the belief that uncertainty associated with future climate projections would reduce within the next five to 10 years, however producers of climate science information were well aware that this would most likely not be the case. This is a concerning finding as end users may delay taking action on adaptation and risk planning until the uncertainties are reduced - a situation which may never eventuate or may occur after the optimal time for action. Improved communication and packaging of climate information was another key theme that was highlighted in this study. Importantly, it was made clear that improved communication is not just about more glossy brochures and presentations by climate scientists, rather there is a role for a program or group to fill this role (coined a 'knowledge broker' during the workshop and focus group). The role of the 'knowledge

Particularities of the Nordic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Siim, Birte; Stoltz, Pauline

2015-01-01

The Nordic countries are in international rankings included as some of the most gender equal societies in the world (see e.g. the Global Gender Gap Index and the Gender Equality Index developed by the European Gender Equality Institute, EIGE), and scholars have demonstrated that the discourse...... and politics of women’s rights and gender equality has become an intrinsic part of the Nordic national identities and politics of belongings (Gullestad 2006). In spite of these achievements, Nordic scholars suggest that the increasing impact of globalization present major challenges for addressing multiple...... inequalities in power and resources (Melby et.al. 2008; Siim and Skjeie 2008). The chapter aims to analyse the challenge from globalization to the Nordic welfare and gender regimes and discuss the potentials and limits of this approach to equality from historical and comparative perspectives. The main research...

User centered integration of Internet of Things devices

Science.gov (United States)

Manione, Roberto

2017-06-01

This paper discusses an IoT framework which allows rapid and easy setup and customization of end-to-end solutions for field data collection and presentation; it is effective in the development of both informative and transactional applications for a wide range of application fields, such as home, industry and environment. On the "far-end" of the chain are the IoT devices gathering the signals; they are developed used a full Model Based approach, where programming is not required: the TaskScript technology is used to this purpose, which supports a choice of physical boards and boxes equipped with a range of Input and Output interfaces, and with a Tcp/Ip interface. The development of the needed specific IoT devices takes advantage of the available "standard" hardware; the software development of the algorithms for sampling, conditioning and uploading signals to the Cloud is supported by a graphical-only IDE. On the "near-end" of the chain is the presentation Interface, through which users can browse through the information provided by their IoT devices; it is implemented in a Conversational way, using the Bot paradigm: Bots are conversational automatons, to whom users can "chat". They are accessed via mainstream Messenger programs, such as Telegram(C), Skype(C) or others, available on smartphones, tablets or desktops; unlike apps, bots do not need installation on the user device. A message Broker has been implemented, to mediate among the far-end and the near-end of the chain, providing the needed services; its behavior is driven by a set of rules provided on a per-device basis, at configuration level; the Broker is able to store messages received from the devices, process and forward them to the specified recipient(s) according to the provided rules; finally, finally is it is able to send transactional commands, from users back to the requested device, to implement not only field observation but also field control. IoT solutions implemented with the proposed

An Australian Perspective On The Challenges For Computer And Network Security For Novice End-Users

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patryk Szewczyk

2012-12-01

Full Text Available It is common for end-users to have difficulty in using computer or network security appropriately and thus have often been ridiculed when misinterpreting instructions or procedures. This discussion paper details the outcomes of research undertaken over the past six years on why security is overly complex for end-users. The results indicate that multiple issues may render end-users vulnerable to security threats and that there is no single solution to address these problems. Studies on a small group of senior citizens has shown that educational seminars can be beneficial in ensuring that simple security aspects are understood and used appropriately.

Integrated Approach to User Account Management

Science.gov (United States)

Kesselman, Glenn; Smith, William

2007-01-01

IT environments consist of both Windows and other platforms. Providing user account management for this model has become increasingly diffi cult. If Microsoft#s Active Directory could be enhanced to extend a W indows identity for authentication services for Unix, Linux, Java and Macintosh systems, then an integrated approach to user account manag ement could be realized.

Nordic Corporate Governance and Industrial Foundations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Steen

to the international audience. This paper therefore reviews the Nordic corporate governance model with special emphasis on a unique ownership structure, industrial foundations (foundations that own business companies). Rather than a meticulous description of details it emphasizes the Nordic model as a mode......The Nordic countries have attracted considerable attention in recent years as a benchmark for good governance. However, while the political governance characteristics of the Nordic model – particularly the welfare state - are well understood, its corporate governance characteristics remain elusive...

ANTECEDENTS OF END-USER SATISFACTION WITH AN ERP SYSTEM IN A TRANSNATIONAL BANK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luís Kalb Roses

2011-08-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this study is to identify the antecedents of end-user satisfaction with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP system, in the context of a transnational Bank. The Information System (IS success theory is applied for the end-user computing satisfaction (EUCS assessment. Quantitative data is analyzed through multivariate statistical techniques whereas qualitative data is analyzed through content analysis technique. The results indicate that the EUCS model is pertinent to the context of ERP systems for a fast data collection and overall perception of user satisfaction; nevertheless it is suggested the continuity of its evaluation in other research contexts and additional categories should be considered as antecedents to IS enduser satisfaction.

Regional climate scenarios for use in Nordic water resources studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rummukainen, Markku; Räisänen, J.; Bjørge, D.

2003-01-01

in the Nordic region than in the global mean, regional increases and decreases in net precipitation, longer growing season, shorter snow season etc. These in turn affect runoff, snowpack, groundwater, soil frost and moisture, and thus hydropower production potential, flooding risks etc. Regional climate models......-users of water resources scenarios are the hydropower industry, dam safety instances and planners of other lasting infrastructure exposed to precipitation, river flows and flooding....

78 FR 69535 - Amendments to Existing Validated End-User Authorizations in the People's Republic of China

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-20

.... (Samsung China), Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), SK hynix Semiconductor..., Chair, End-User Review Committee, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th...)'' for Validated End-User Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) This final rule...

Comparison and Evaluation of End-User Interfaces for Online Public Access Catalogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Zumer, Maja

End-user interfaces for the online public access catalogs (OPACs) of OhioLINK, a system linking major university and research libraries in Ohio, and its 16 member libraries, accessible through the Internet, are compared and evaluated from the user-oriented perspective. A common, systematic framework was used for the scientific observation of the…

Changing assumption for the design process – New roles of the active end user

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Hestad

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to discuss how end user involvement in all stages of a product life cycle changes the assumptions of the design process. This article is based on a literature review and three case studies – Imsdal (Ringnes/Carlsberg, Jordan and Stokke. Several examples of how consumers or users are involved in various stages of the product life cycle are presented. The product development is affected both by end users’ activity and by previous knowledge of the product. The use of the product is changing the meaning, and even the disposal of the product is affecting how the product is perceived. The product becomes part of a cultural and historical context in which the end user is actively shaping.  

BIM-based Multiuser Collaborative Virtual Environments for end user involvement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Jesper Bendix; Svidt, Kjeld

2017-01-01

This paper examines the potential of utilizing virtual mock-ups in end user involvement processes. To access if virtual mock-ups can optimize existing processes, current workflows using physical full-scale mock-ups on several projects are explored. Requirements regarding the traditional workflows...

Developing Nordic Pedagogical Best Practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bagger, Bettan; Kelly, Hélène; Wonsyld, Merete

2012-01-01

This article describes a Nordic educational project that supported dialogue and cooperation between nursing students and educators from eight Nordic educational institutions. An intensive course concept was developed. The course focus of prevention and health promotion among nordic youth not only...... illuminated the benefits of student exchange with respect to student learning but also how pedagogical cooperation can contribute to institutional, pedagogical innovation. Keywords Cooperation, pedagogcial development, comparative nursing, pedagogical best practice....

The Nordic Housing Enabler

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helle, T.; Nygren, C.; Slaug, B.

2014-01-01

This study addresses development of a content-valid cross-Nordic version of the Housing Enabler and investigation of its inter-rater reliability when used in occupational therapy rating situations, involving occupational therapists, clients, and their home environments. The instrument was transla......This study addresses development of a content-valid cross-Nordic version of the Housing Enabler and investigation of its inter-rater reliability when used in occupational therapy rating situations, involving occupational therapists, clients, and their home environments. The instrument...... was translated from the original Swedish version of the Housing Enabler, and adapted according to accessibility norms and guidelines for housing design in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. This iterative process involved occupational therapists, architects, building engineers, and professional translators......, resulting in the Nordic Housing Enabler. For reliability testing, the sampling strategy and data collection procedures used were the same in all countries. Twenty voluntary occupational therapists, pair-wise but independently of each other, collected data from 106 cases by means of the Nordic Housing...

Nordic Analysis of Climate Friendly Buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andresen, Inger; Thomsen, Kirsten Engelund; Wahlstrøm, Åsa

This report summarizes the findings of the work conducted within the project “Nordic Analysis of Climate Friendly Buildings”, financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The main goal of the project was to establish a knowledge and decision base for a Nordic innovation program that will promote...... the development and demonstration of low energy and climate friendly buildings. The innovation program should support a development that brings the Nordic countries to an international forefront with respect to business strongholds and market penetration of low energy and climate friendly buildings....

Action plan for Nordic energy co-operation 2006-2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

The Action Plan for Nordic Energy Co-operation 2006-2009 is targeted at creating a visible and sustainable contribution to solving the most important and politically most relevant energy policy challenges faced by the Nordic region. The plan concentrates on three main areas: Energy markets; Sustainable energy system; and Nordic impact on the international agenda. The Action Plan is the energy sector's contribution to the implementation of the Nordic strategy 'Sustainable Development - New Bearing for the Nordic Countries' and to a number of the Nordic Council's recommendations for the development of the Nordic energy sector. An important element of the implementation of the action plan is on-going contact and information sharing between the Nordic Energy Policy co-operation and the Nordic Energy Research. The continues dialogue between the Nordic Council of Energy Ministers and The Nordic Council on future energy policy challenges will likewise be an important part of the political process. (BA)

Nordic Noir - Location, Identity and Emotion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Agger, Gunhild

2016-01-01

Understanding and discussing the impact of the Nordic element in ‘Nordic Noir’ is the main purpose of this article. This is pursued by tracing the concepts of location, identity and emotion in selected episodes of TV series and serials representative of Nordic Noir – Wallander (2005-) Forbrydelsen...... the Nordic countries traditionally see each other are therefore investigated – with Denmark and Sweden in the main roles. In terms of theory, the concept of emotions as “structures of feeling” (Raymond Williams 1978) has recently been revived, paving the way for studies of the relationship between culture...... and emotion (Sharma & Dahl 2013, Tygstrup 2013, Pribram 2011, Laine 2011). Their concepts are applied in the analyses. The article concludes with a perspective considering the role of Nordic Noir vis-à-vis international TV drama productions....

Technology foresight in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eerola, A.; Jørgensen, Birte Holst

2002-01-01

and the society at large at the sametime. The report recommends: 1. The establishment of a Nordic forum for technology foresight practitioners and researchers. 2. The creation of a common follow-up system for relevant international technology foresight exercises. 3. The realisation oftechnology foresight......Technology foresight (TF) is increasingly used by governments, funding agencies, R&D institutions and private companies as a tool for strategy development, prioritisation of R&D funds, and learning. Although the Nordic Council of Ministers aims at"developing Nordic region in next 10 years...... and social differences among the Nordic countries. Nordic foresight cooperation may alsoremain as a distant academic exercise if proper links to political and economic decisions cannot be made and maintained. A technology foresight exercise might serve different institutions of the innovation system...

PREFACE: 16th Nordic Semiconductor Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

Pétur Gíslason, Hafliði; Guðmundsson, Viðar

1994-01-01

Some 30 years ago an informal meeting of the few Nordic specialists in semiconductor physics marked the beginning of what has become a biannual meeting of some hundred physicists and physics students from all the Nordic countries. The 16th Nordic Semiconductor Meeting took place at Laugarvatn, Iceland, June 12-15,1994. As a regional meeting the Nordic Semiconductor meeting has three characteristic features all of which distinguish it from more traditional international meetings in the field. First, it has the purpose of promoting Nordic cooperation in the international field of semiconductor physics. Research in the fields of advanced science and technology in the Nordic countries is likely to benefit from joining national forces before participating in the increasing European integration. Second, there is an unusually large fraction of graduate students amongst the participants of the Nordic Semiconductor Meeting. In fact, attending this conference is traditionally a part of the graduate program in seniconductor physics and technology. The Nordic Semiconductor Meeting is often the first conference of international character that graduate students attend in order to present a paper of poster. Third, there is an interdisciplinary quality of the meeting which is normally not the case for meetings of this size. In particular, the number of professional scientists from industry is comparable to the number of their academic colleagues. This is important for both groups, but perhaps the graduate students benefit most from presenting their results to both groups. The 16th Nordic Semiconductor Meeting, the first one in this series held in Iceland, attracted 129 active participants. The scientific programme was divided in twelve oral sessions. A novelty of this meeting was the emphasis on more fundamental physics in one of the two parallel sessions but more applied topics in the other, although the distinction was sometimes a matter of predilection. A poster session

Nordic walking and chronic low back pain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morsø, Lars; Hartvigsen, Jan; Puggaard, Lis

2006-01-01

activity provide similar benefits. Nordic Walking is a popular and fast growing type of exercise in Northern Europe. Initial studies have demonstrated that persons performing Nordic Walking are able to exercise longer and harder compared to normal walking thereby increasing their cardiovascular metabolism....... Until now no studies have been performed to investigate whether Nordic Walking has beneficial effects in relation to low back pain. The primary aim of this study is to investigate whether supervised Nordic Walking can reduce pain and improve function in a population of chronic low back pain patients...... when compared to unsupervised Nordic Walking and advice to stay active. In addition we investigate whether there is an increase in the cardiovascular metabolism in persons performing supervised Nordic Walking compared to persons who are advised to stay active. Finally, we investigate whether...

Gym-based exoskeleton walking: A preliminary exploration of non-ambulatory end-user perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Cahill, Aoife; Ginley, Orna Mc; Bertrand, Courtney; Lennon, Olive

2018-07-01

Robotic walking devices (RWD) have shown many physical benefits in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) rehabilitation. No study to date has explored end-user perceptions of these devices or gained insight into the use of these devices in a gym-based setting. This preliminary study explores the perspectives of four non-ambulatory individuals with SCI on using an exoskeleton walking device in a gym-based community setting. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with four SCI individuals living in the community. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Inductive thematic analysis established common overarching themes and subthemes. Four primary themes emerged addressing "The Psychological Adjustments Around Using RWDs with Respect to Disability", "Perceived Physical, Social and Psychological Benefits of Using an Exoskeleton", "The Role of External Influences", and "A Wellness Model to Health". A fully integrated gym setting was found to provide a positive and encouraging space to utilise the device. In addition, both the ability to set training goals and the positive attitude of robotic trainers were deemed to be important factors. This preliminary study provides detailed perspectives of four non-ambulatory individuals with SCI on utilising an exoskeleton walking device in a community setting. It suggests that gym-based RWDs impact positively on the users' lives and enhance their perceived wellbeing and sense of community integration. Enabling access to similar, community-based facilities should be prioritised for those with longstanding SCI disability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cohort profile: the Nordic Antireflux Surgery Cohort (NordASCo).

Science.gov (United States)

Maret-Ouda, John; Wahlin, Karl; Artama, Miia; Brusselaers, Nele; Färkkilä, Martti; Lynge, Elsebeth; Mattsson, Fredrik; Pukkala, Eero; Romundstad, Pål; Tryggvadóttir, Laufey; Euler-Chelpin, My von; Lagergren, Jesper

2017-06-08

To describe a newly created all-Nordic cohort of patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), entitled the Nordic Antireflux Surgery Cohort (NordASCo), which will be used to compare participants having undergone antireflux surgery with those who have not regarding risk of cancers, other diseases and mortality. Included were individuals with a GORD diagnosis recorded in any of the nationwide patient registries in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) in 1964-2014 (with various start and end years in different countries). Data regarding cancer, other diseases and mortality were retrieved from the nationwide registries for cancer, patients and causes of death, respectively. The NordASCo includes 945 153 individuals with a diagnosis of GORD. Of these, 48 433 (5.1%) have undergone primary antireflux surgery. Median age at primary antireflux surgery ranged from 47 to 52 years in the different countries. The coding practices of GORD seem to have differed between the Nordic countries. The NordASCo will initially be used to analyse the risk of developing known or potential GORD-related cancers, that is, tumours of the oesophagus, stomach, larynx, pharynx and lung, and to evaluate the mortality in the short-term and long-term perspectives. Additionally, the cohort will be used to evaluate the risk of non-malignant respiratory conditions that might be caused by aspiration of gastric contents. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Innovating and re-branding Nordic wellbeing tourism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjalager, Anne-Mette; Konu, H.; Huijbens., E.H.

2011-01-01

Driving forces behind the successful development of coherent wellbeing tourism in the Nordic region. An innovation perspective on developing a particular Nordic content of wellbeing offered by tourism enterprises and destinations across the five Nordic countries...

Genomic predictions across Nordic Holstein and Nordic Red using the genomic best linear unbiased prediction model with different genomic relationship matrices.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, L; Lund, M S; Wang, Y; Su, G

2014-08-01

This study investigated genomic predictions across Nordic Holstein and Nordic Red using various genomic relationship matrices. Different sources of information, such as consistencies of linkage disequilibrium (LD) phase and marker effects, were used to construct the genomic relationship matrices (G-matrices) across these two breeds. Single-trait genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) model and two-trait GBLUP model were used for single-breed and two-breed genomic predictions. The data included 5215 Nordic Holstein bulls and 4361 Nordic Red bulls, which was composed of three populations: Danish Red, Swedish Red and Finnish Ayrshire. The bulls were genotyped with 50 000 SNP chip. Using the two-breed predictions with a joint Nordic Holstein and Nordic Red reference population, accuracies increased slightly for all traits in Nordic Red, but only for some traits in Nordic Holstein. Among the three subpopulations of Nordic Red, accuracies increased more for Danish Red than for Swedish Red and Finnish Ayrshire. This is because closer genetic relationships exist between Danish Red and Nordic Holstein. Among Danish Red, individuals with higher genomic relationship coefficients with Nordic Holstein showed more increased accuracies in the two-breed predictions. Weighting the two-breed G-matrices by LD phase consistencies, marker effects or both did not further improve accuracies of the two-breed predictions. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

A Nordic perspective on career competences and guidance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Rie

This concept note reflects an initiative within the Nordic ELPGN group, in partnership with the Nordic network for adult learning (NVL), to investigate the possibilities for collaboration between the Nordic countries in developing a number of joint documents on career competences and....../or a competence framework for career learning in the Nordic countries. The objective for this concept note is to contribute to a shared Nordic frame of understanding for career competences which can be used in the ongoing development of guidance in the Nordic countries. The intended audience is guidance...... professionals, teachers, researchers, managers, policy makers and clients....

End User Evaluations

Science.gov (United States)

Jay, Caroline; Lunn, Darren; Michailidou, Eleni

As new technologies emerge, and Web sites become increasingly sophisticated, ensuring they remain accessible to disabled and small-screen users is a major challenge. While guidelines and automated evaluation tools are useful for informing some aspects of Web site design, numerous studies have demonstrated that they provide no guarantee that the site is genuinely accessible. The only reliable way to evaluate the accessibility of a site is to study the intended users interacting with it. This chapter outlines the processes that can be used throughout the design life cycle to ensure Web accessibility, describing their strengths and weaknesses, and discussing the practical and ethical considerations that they entail. The chapter also considers an important emerging trend in user evaluations: combining data from studies of “standard” Web use with data describing existing accessibility issues, to drive accessibility solutions forward.

Nordic registry-based cohort studies: Possibilities and pitfalls when combining Nordic registry data.

Science.gov (United States)

Maret-Ouda, John; Tao, Wenjing; Wahlin, Karl; Lagergren, Jesper

2017-07-01

All five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) have nationwide registries with similar data structure and validity, as well as personal identity numbers enabling linkage between registries. These resources provide opportunities for medical research that is based on large registry-based cohort studies with long and complete follow-up. This review describes practical aspects, opportunities and challenges encountered when setting up all-Nordic registry-based cohort studies. Relevant articles describing registries often used for medical research in the Nordic countries were retrieved. Further, our experiences of conducting this type of study, including planning, acquiring permissions, data retrieval and data cleaning and handling, and the possibilities and challenges we have encountered are described. Combining data from the Nordic countries makes it possible to create large and powerful cohorts. The main challenges include obtaining all permissions within each country, usually in the local language, and retrieving the data. These challenges emphasise the importance of having experienced collaborators within each country. Following the acquisition of data, data management requires the understanding of the differences between the variables to be used in the various countries. A concern is the long time required between initiation and completion. Nationwide Nordic registries can be combined into cohorts with high validity and statistical power, but the considerable expertise, workload and time required to complete such cohorts should not be underestimated.

CONFERENCE: Nordic physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1984-01-01

Around 80 physicists from eleven countries fought heavy snowstorms and 20-below temperatures at the winter resort of Spåtind, Norway, for the 8th Nordic Meeting on Elementary Particle Physics in January. This biennial conference is a traditional meeting place for Nordic particle physicists, and especially for the young research students, but also draws participants from other countries. This year's meeting was organized by the Division of Particle Physics of the Swedish Physical Society

User interface design and system integration aspects of core monitoring systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berg, O.; Bodal, T.; Hornaes, A.; Porsmyr, J.

2000-01-01

The present paper describes our experience with the SCORPIO core monitoring system using generic building blocks for the MMI and system integration. In this context the different layers of the software system are discussed starting with the communication system, interfacing of various modules (e.g. physics codes), administration of several modules and generation of graphical user interfaces for different categories of end-users. A method by which re-use of software components can make the system development and maintenance more efficient is described. Examples are given from different system installation projects. The methodology adopted is considered particularly important in the future, as it is anticipated that core monitoring systems will be expanded with new functions (e.g. information from technical specifications, procedures, noise analysis, etc). Further, efficient coupling of off-line tools for core physics calculations and on-line modules in core monitoring can pave the way for cost savings. (authors)

Contribution of the Nordic School of Public Health to the public mental health research field: a selection of research initiatives, 2007-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Forsman, Anna K; Fredén, Lars; Lindqvist, Rafael; Wahlbeck, Kristian

2015-08-01

The field of public mental health has been defined by an expert group convened by the Nordic School of Public Health (NHV) as encompassing the experience, occurrence, distribution and trajectories of positive mental health and mental health problems and their determinants; mental health promotion and prevention of mental disorders; as well as mental health system policies, governance and organization. The mental health priorities of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2010 signalled a mutual Nordic exchange of knowledge in the following thematic areas: child and adolescent mental health; working life and mental health; mental health in older people; strengthening the role of primary care in mental health service provision; stronger involvement of users and carers; and reduction of use of coercion in psychiatric care. Efforts to realize these priorities included commissioning the Nordic Research Academy for Mental Health, an NHV-based network of research institutions with a common interest in mental health research across the Nordic countries, to develop, organize and follow-up projects on public mental health. The research initiatives included mental health policy analysis, register-based research and research focused on the users' perspective in a Nordic context, as well as EU-level research policy analysis. The public mental health research conducted at the NHV highlighted the complexity of mental health and emphasized that the broad determinants of mental health need to be increasingly addressed in both public health research and practice. For example, health promotion actions, improved access to health care, a healthy alcohol policy and prevention of suicides and violence are all needed to reduce the life expectancy gap - a red flag indicator of public health inequalities. By exchanging knowledge and best practice, the collaboration between the Nordic countries contributes to the welfare of the region. The expertise and traditions developed at the NHV are of

Cost effective maintenance to supply end user value: Visionary or utopian

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wessels, J.; Alten, K.; Turk, M.R.; Palić, S.Š.

2013-01-01

Infrastructure stakeholders expect maintenance managers to deliver acceptable End User Service Levels (EUSL), such as availability, comfort, and safety. Means of controlling these requirements involve technical maintenance and operative measures. Within the ERANET Road Program 'Effective asset

End-to-End Traffic Flow Modeling of the Integrated SCaN Network

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, K.-M.; Abraham, D. S.

2012-05-01

In this article, we describe the analysis and simulation effort of the end-to-end traffic flow for the Integrated Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Network. Using the network traffic derived for the 30-day period of July 2018 from the Space Communications Mission Model (SCMM), we generate the wide-area network (WAN) bandwidths of the ground links for different architecture options of the Integrated SCaN Network. We also develop a new analytical scheme to model the traffic flow and buffering mechanism of a store-and-forward network. It is found that the WAN bandwidth of the Integrated SCaN Network is an important differentiator of different architecture options, as the recurring circuit costs of certain architecture options can be prohibitively high.

Obesity Prevention in the Nordic Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Stockmarr, Anders; Hejgaard, Tatjana; Matthiessen, Jeppe

2016-06-01

Previous studies have shown that mean BMI and prevalences of overweight/obesity and obesity have increased over the last decades in the Nordic countries, despite highly regulated societies with a focus on obesity prevention. We review recent overweight/obesity and obesity prevention initiatives within four of the five Nordic countries: Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. Moreover, we analyze the current situation based on monitoring data on BMI collected in 2011 and 2014, and obtain overall estimates of overweight/obesity and obesity prevalences for the Nordic Region. Data analysis shows that obesity in adults has increased from 2011 to 2014, while no significant changes were found for children. No significant increases were found for mean BMI and overweight/obesity prevalence. Obesity prevention initiatives among the Nordic countries are highly similar although minor differences are present, which is rooted in transnational Nordic cooperation and comparable societal structures.

Nordic studies in reactor safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pershagen, N.

1993-01-01

The Nordic Nuclear Safety Research Programme SIK programme in reactor safety is part of a major joint Nordic research effort in nuclear safety. The report summarizes the achievements of the SIK programme, which was carried out during 1990-1993 in collaboration between Nordic nuclear utilities, safety authorities, and research institutes. Three main projects were successfully completed dealing with: 1) development and application of a living PSA concept for monitoring the risk of core damage, and of safety indicators for early warning of possible safety problems; 2) review and intercomparison of severe accident codes, case studies of potential core melt accidents in nordic reactors, development of chemical models for the MAAP code, and outline of a system for computerized accident management support; 3) compilation of information about design and safety features of neighbouring reactors in Germany, Lithuania and Russia, and for naval reactors and nuclear submarines. The report reviews the state-of-the-art in each subject matter as an introduction to the individual project summaries. The main findings of each project are highlighted. The report also contains an overview of reactor safety research in the Nordic countries and a summary of fundamental reactor safety principles. (au) (69 refs.)

The Nordic Health Promotion Research Network (NHPRN).

Science.gov (United States)

Ringsberg, Karin C

2015-08-01

The Nordic Health Promotion Research Network (NHPRN) was established in 2007 at the Nordic School of Public Health (NHV). This article aims to describe the foundation of the NHPRN, the development and the present status of the work of NHPRN. The NHPRN consists of about 50 senior and junior researchers from all Nordic countries. It is a working network that aims to develop the theoretical understanding of health promotion, to create research cooperation in health promotion from a Nordic perspective and to extend the scope of health promotion through education. Network members meet biannually to discuss and further develop research within the field and are also responsible for the Nordic conference on Health Promotion, organized every 3 years. The NHV hosted the network between 2007 and 2014; and the World Health Organisation (WHO) will assume this role in 2015. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Partnerships in Nordic Building Industry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

The project had two main objectives. The first was to establish a Nordic network of people and organisations interested in partnerships and partnering in the building industry in order to facilitate the exchange of experiences and new ideas. This objective was met through a series of workshops......, the functioning of specific partnering tools, knowledge management, training etc. Whereas the growth of partnering in all of the Nordic construction industries has developed from inspiration from the UK, and from other Nordic countries, it is the overall impression that partnering is interpreted, implemented...

NORDCAN--a Nordic tool for cancer information, planning, quality control and research.

Science.gov (United States)

Engholm, Gerda; Ferlay, Jacques; Christensen, Niels; Bray, Freddie; Gjerstorff, Marianne L; Klint, Asa; Køtlum, Jóanis E; Olafsdóttir, Elínborg; Pukkala, Eero; Storm, Hans H

2010-06-01

The NORDCAN database and program ( www.ancr.nu ) include detailed information and results on cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence in each of the Nordic countries over five decades and has lately been supplemented with predictions of cancer incidence and mortality; future extensions include the incorporation of cancer survival estimates. The data originates from the national cancer registries and causes of death registries in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Faroe Islands and is regularly updated. Presently 41 cancer entities are included in the common dataset, and conversions of the original national data according to international rules ensure comparability. With 25 million inhabitants in the Nordic countries, 130 000 incident cancers are reported yearly, alongside nearly 60 000 cancer deaths, with almost a million persons living with a cancer diagnosis. This web-based application is available in English and in each of the five Nordic national languages. It includes comprehensive and easy-to-use descriptive epidemiology tools that provide tabulations and graphs, with further user-specified options available. The NORDCAN database aims to provide comparable and timely data to serve the varying needs of policy makers, cancer societies, the public, and journalists, as well as the clinical and research community.

Non-standard Employment in the Nordics – towards precarious work?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Stine; Nätti, Jouko; Larsen, Trine Pernille

2018-01-01

This article examines non-standard employment and precariousness in four Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway). Drawing on data from the Labour Force Survey from 1995-2015, the article investigates and compares recent developments of non-standard employment in the countries and w...... to be largely integrated in the Nordic labour markets, it still entails precarious elements in certain countries. Norway and Denmark stand out as less insecure labour markets, while Finland and Sweden have more precariousness associated with non-standard employment.......This article examines non-standard employment and precariousness in four Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway). Drawing on data from the Labour Force Survey from 1995-2015, the article investigates and compares recent developments of non-standard employment in the countries...... and whether fixed-term contracts, temporary agency work, marginal part-time work and solo self-employment have precarious elements (income or job insecurity). We conclude that non-standard employment has remained rather stable in all four countries over time. However, although non-standard employment seems...

The Nordic Approach to the Experience Economy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bille, Trine

This paper discusses the concept of the experience economy in a Nordic context and shows how the Nordic version of the concept has come about from a mix of three different approaches and theories. Besides, the Nordic definition links the experience economy closely with cultural activities...

An end-user perspective on smart home energy systems in the PowerMatching City demonstration project

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geelen, Daphne; Vos-Vlamings, Manon; Filippidou, Faidra; van den Noort, Albert; van Grootel, Maike; Moll, Henri C.; Reinders, Angèle; Keyson, David

In discussions on smart grids, it is often stated that residential end-users will play a more active role in the management of the electric power system. Experience in practice on how to empower end-users for such a role is however limited. This paper presents a field study in the first phase of the

An end-user perspective on smart home energy systems in the PowerMatching City demonstration project

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geelen, D.V.; Vos-Vlamings, M.; Fillippidou, F.; van den Noort, A.; van Grootel, M.; Moll, H.; Reinders, Angelina H.M.E.; Keyson, D.

2013-01-01

In discussions on smart grids, it is often stated that residential end-users will play a more active role in the management of the electric power system. Experience in practice on how to empower end-users for such a role is however limited. This paper presents a field study in the first phase of the

Nordic Branding Podcast 5

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2017-01-01

'Hygge' is a concept that has generated much interest as a way of conceptualising 'Nordic living', e.g. in books on hygge or scented candles. In this Nordic Branding reflections podcast we are having a 'hyggelig' session with ph.d. Jeppe Trolle Linnet, reflecting on this concept and related 'Nord......' values. We met at Meyers Deli and The Laundromat Cafe (Copenhagen)....

The Nordic Housing Enabler

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helle, Tina; Slaug, Bjørn; Brandt, Åse

2010-01-01

This study addresses development of a content valid cross-Nordic version of the Housing Enabler and investigation of its inter-rater reliability when used in occupational therapy rating situations, involving occupational therapists, clients and their home environments. The instrument was translated...... from the original Swedish version of the Housing Enabler, and adapted according to accessibility norms and guidelines for housing design in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. This iterative process involved occupational therapists, architects, building engineers and professional translators......, resulting in the Nordic Housing Enabler. For reliability testing, the sampling strategy and data collection procedures used were the same in all countries. Twenty voluntary occupational therapists, pair-wise but independently from each other, collected data from 106 cases by means of the Nordic Housing...

PardNor - PARameters for ingestion dose models for NORdic areas - Status report for the NKS-B activity 2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, Sven P.; Andersson, K.G.

2010-01-01

The ECOSYS foodchain model is built into the European standard decision support systems ARGOS and RODOS, which are integrated in the preparedness for radiological events in the Nordic countries. However, a review has revealed that a number of parameters in ECOSYS do not reflect the current state-of-the-art knowledge, and do not adequately represent Nordic conditions. Improved and country/region specific data is required for ECOSYS to give trustworthy results. It is the aim of the PardNor activity to collect new data, and thus enable reliable use of ECOSYS for scenarios involving contamination of Nordic food production areas. In the reported work period of the PardNor activity, examinations have been made of the availability in each of the Nordic countries of soil characterisation data that could be used as a basis for a refined and location-specific approach for estimation of soil-to-plant transfer of contaminants. Large national gridded soil type databases were found to be available for most of the Nordic countries. In addition, for many of these countries, also a number of more detailed soil parameter values, such as local concentrations of various exchangeable ions, cation exchange capacity and soil pH are available on national grids. The feasibility of implementing each of two detailed crop uptake models in ECOSYS - The CoupModel and the 'Absalom' model - was investigated. Both models were found to have serious constraints in this context, and it was therefore recommended to apply a simpler soil classification. To this end, a review was made of state-of-the-art transfer factor data for different soil types, and for the Faeroe Islands, where gridded information is not available, a different approach was described. A preliminary study was also included, on using the Radiocaesium Interception Potential (RIP) as a transfer parameter, utilising the very low RIP values caused by the geological conditions in Iceland. Parameters describing the processes of

Energy economy in Nordic industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersen, P H; Finnedal, B H

1980-01-01

The employment, economic and energetic situation in various industrial branches and their importance for industry as a whole is mapped for Nordic countries. Future Nordic energy projects can base their attempts to decrease energy costs per unit on this report. In food and stimulants industry, chemical, glass and ceramic industry over 90% energy is used for processing while in steel- and metal-industry the processing consumes only about 25%. Rentability of new investments in energy saving should be considered in these branches against investments in automation, new equipment etc. Common Nordic energy-saving projects can provide much better energy economy. For instance 4% of USA energy which had formerly been used in drying processes is drastically decreased and if the USA result can be transferred to Nordic conditions DKr 160 million can be save. Prospective common projects are process-types like drying, spray-drying, heat treatments of mineral proproducts, and evaporation.

Vocational education and training in the Nordic countries:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Christian Helms

2018-01-01

countries and the historical development of each of the four VET systems. This is followed by an examination of the role of VET in relation to the Nordic model of education and the Nordic labour market model. Finally, the position of VET in the Nordic transition systems is considered.......The chapter examines the systems of vocational education and training (VET) in four Nordic countries, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark. First, it identifies the common political challenges for VET, which the following chapters of the book examine. Next, it outlines shared qualities of the Nordic...

Wind and load variability in the Nordic countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holttinen, H.; Rissanen, S. [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espoo (Finland); Larsen, X. [Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, Lyngby (Denmark); Loevholm, A. L. [Kjeller Vindteknikk (Norway)

2013-04-15

This publication analysed the variability of wind production and load in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and the Nordic region as a whole, based on real data measured from large-scale wind power during 2009-2011. The Nordic-wide wind power time series was scaled up such that Sweden had same amount of wind power production than Denmark, and Finland and Norway only 50% of the wind power production in Denmark. Wind power production in Denmark and Sweden is somewhat correlated (coefficient 0.7) but less correlation is found between the other countries. The variations from one hour to the next are only weakly correlated between all countries, even between Denmark and Sweden. Largest variations occur when the production is approximately 30-70% of installed capacity and variability is low during periods of light winds. The variability in shorter time scales was less than the hourly variations. During the three years analysed in this publication there were few storm incidents and they did not produce dramatic wind power ramps in the Nordic region. Wind and load variations are not correlated between the countries, which is beneficial from the viewpoint of wind integration. The smoothing effect is shown as reduction of variability from a single country to Nordic-wide wind power. The impact of wind power on the variability that the system experiences is evaluated by analysing the variability of net load with different wind power penetration levels. The Nordic-wide wind power production increases the highest hourly ramps by 2.4% (up) and -3.6% (down) of installed wind power capacity when there is 20% wind power penetration and by 2.7% (up) and -4.7% (down) for 30% wind penetration. These results assess the impacts of variability only. The next step will be assessing the uncertainty from forecast errors. The timing of ramp events, and occurrence of high-wind and low-load are studied. With current wind penetration, low production levels (2-5% of installed wind power) can occur in a

The Design and Evaluation of a Front-End User Interface for Energy Researchers.

Science.gov (United States)

Borgman, Christine L.; And Others

1989-01-01

Reports on the Online Access to Knowledge (OAK) Project, which developed software to support end user access to a Department of Energy database based on the skill levels and needs of energy researchers. The discussion covers issues in development, evaluation, and the study of user behavior in designing an interface tailored to a special…

The Responsibility of Telemedicine Focused Organizations in regards to creating Compliant end Users Products and Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrian Dumitru Tanţău

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of the present study is to provide a highly comprehensive methodological solution for carrying out products/services which fully comply with customers (i.e. end users functional and performance requirements in Telemedicine field, and furthermore to satisfy multitude end users simultaneously. By bringing into the light Systems Engineering (SE as a multidisciplinary theory used preponderantly in the aero-space segment for realization of complex projects, the paper illustrates the way it can be fulfilled the Functional and Performance Requirements of the end users from Romanian (non emergency medicine services in order to develop an innovative telemedicine product. The case study is based on two sets of qualitative researches as interviews in order to validate the telemedicine triggering idea among users, and to classify them, and secondly, as ample observations in order to gain insights on the users' scenarios and further to elaborate user requirements. Both sets of researches undertaken from users' specific environments were backed up with secondary information gained through document analysis. Relevant for this telemedicine research, it is the fact that the results of this survey have been already successfully used as a baseline to prototype the telemedicine product for Romanian market, in a European Space Agency (ESA Project.

The Danish apprenticeship system and the Nordic model of education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Christian Helms

during the latest decades. This is seen especially in three areas: VET as an instrument for social inclusion of disadvantaged youth, the state initiative to establish school-based training (training centres) and an initiative for unification of vocational and general education (the eux programme)......The paper examines the development of initial vocational education and training (VET) in Denmark in relation to the Nordic model of education. The egalitarian ideal of this model is to provide equal opportunities for education for all at all levels. This ideal has been pursued by policies in all...... the Nordic countries to establish public, free and comprehensive schooling. Key principles are the equal access for all regardless of social background and gender, and full permeability from the lowest to the highest levels with no dead ends in the education system (Blossing et al., 2014). This implies...

Is Nordic Private Equity Different?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spliid, Robert

2013-01-01

Most research on private equity is based on American theory, tested on American empirical data. Nevertheless, the private equity concept has gained a solid foothold in the Nordic region, especially in Sweden. This article analyzes whether American-biased assumptions prevail in the Nordic countries...

Nordic Luther Research in Motion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Bo Kristian

2008-01-01

Luther research in the Nordic countries is characterised by both continuation and discussion of its own legacy. Finnish Luther studies have a prominent position here, but are by no means the only actors in Nordic Luther research. Giving an overview of Nordic Luther research in the last decade......, the article selects four main topics that have been the focus of special attention: politics and ethics, Communicatio idiomatum  and Luther's view on language, Luther as preacher, and Luther and the gift. The article concludes with some comments on the continuing role of creation theology, so strongly...

The development of voluntary private health insurance in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alexandersen, Nina; Anell, Anders; Kaarboe, Odvar

2016-01-01

and capped. Nevertheless, the markets for voluntary private health insurance (VPHI) have been rapidly expanding. In this paper we describe the development of the market for VPHI in the Nordic countries. We outline similarities and differences and provide discussion of the rationale for the existence......The Nordic countries represent an institutional setting with tax-based health care financing and universal access to health care services. Very few health care services are excluded from what are offered within the publically financed health care system. User fees are often non-existing or low...... of different types of VPHI. Data is collected on the population covered by VPHI, type and scope of coverage, suppliers of VPHI and their relations with health providers. It seems that the main roles of VPHI are to cover out-of-pocket payments for services that are only partly financed by the public health care...

Labour education the Nordic way

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, John Steen

2007-01-01

With its more than 75 years of experience, the Nordic Folk High School in Geneva has a strong tradition of labour education. Every year, about 35 trade union members from the Nordic countries take part in a course run alongside the International Labour Conference in Geneva....

Nordic air quality co-benefits from European post-2012 climate policies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rypdal, Kristin; Rive, Nathan; Astroem, Stefan; Karvosenoja, Niko; Aunan, Kristin; Bak, Jesper L.; Kupiainen, Kaarle; Kukkonen, Jaakko

2007-01-01

Although climate policies target primarily CO 2 , they may indirectly have an impact on air pollutants and thus on air quality. Here we look specifically at the co-benefits of various European post-2012 climate policy scenarios related to air quality in the Nordic region. We analyse how caps on emissions, expansion of the European Union (EU) Emissions Trading System, carbon taxes, and Russian and non-EU Eastern Europe participation after 2012 will influence emissions, air quality, avoided abatement costs, welfare effects, the regional environment and human exposure to particulate matter in the Nordic countries. We find that stricter targets will contribute to reduced emissions of air pollutants, and benefits to ecosystems and human health, which would have required substantial abatement costs if achieved by application of 'end-of-pipe' measures. Due to the assumed use of the flexibility mechanisms, reductions in emissions in the Nordic countries are smaller than in other regions, but the Nordic countries benefit from reductions in emissions in nearby regions. The more sectors that are included in the emissions trading scheme, the greater the emission of air pollutants. If Eastern Europe and Russia were to abandon participation in a climate agreement, the EU and Norway would have to undertake more emission cuts at home in order to meet the same targets. This would benefit ecosystems in southern Scandinavia, but acidification would increase in the north because of increased emissions in Russia

Model Manipulation for End-User Modelers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Acretoaie, Vlad

, and transformations using their modeling notation and editor of choice. The VM* languages are implemented via a single execution engine, the VM* Runtime, built on top of the Henshin graph-based transformation engine. This approach combines the benefits of flexibility, maturity, and formality. To simplify model editor......End-user modelers are domain experts who create and use models as part of their work. They are typically not Software Engineers, and have little or no programming and meta-modeling experience. However, using model manipulation languages developed in the context of Model-Driven Engineering often...... requires such experience. These languages are therefore only used by a small subset of the modelers that could, in theory, benefit from them. The goals of this thesis are to substantiate this observation, introduce the concepts and tools required to overcome it, and provide empirical evidence in support...

Evaluation of Musculoskeletal Disorders among computer Users in Isfahan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayoub Ghanbary

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Along with widespread use of computers, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs have become the most prevalent ergonomic problems in computer users. With evaluating musculoskeletal disorders among Computer Users can intervent a action to reduce musculoskeletal disorders carried out. The aim of the present study was to Assessment of Musculoskeletal Disorders among Computer Users in Isfahan University with Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA method and Nordic questionnaire. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 96 computer users in Isfahan university. The data were analyzed using correlation and line regression by test spss 20. and descriptive statistics and Anova test. Data collection tool was Nordic questionnaire and Rapid Office Strain Assessment method checklist. The results of Nordic questionnaire showed that prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in computer users were in the shoulder (62.1%, neck (54.9% and back (53.1% respectively more than in other parts of the body. Based on the level of risk of ROSA were 19 individuals in an area of low risk, 50 individual area of notification and 27 individual in the area hazard and need for ergonomics interventions. Musculoskeletal disorders prevalence were in women more than men. Also Anova test showed that there is a direct and significant correlation between age and work experience with a final score ROSA (p<0.001. The study result showed that the prevalence of MSDs among computer users of Isfahan universities is pretty high and must ergonomic interventions such as computer workstation redesign, users educate about ergonomic principles computer with work, reduced working hours in computers with work, and elbows should be kept close to the body with the angle between 90 and 120 degrees to reduce musculoskeletal disorders carried out.

End-user perspective of low-cost sensors for outdoor air pollution monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Rai, Aakash C; Kumar, Prashant; Pilla, Francesco; Skouloudis, Andreas N; Di Sabatino, Silvana; Ratti, Carlo; Yasar, Ansar; Rickerby, David

2017-12-31

Low-cost sensor technology can potentially revolutionise the area of air pollution monitoring by providing high-density spatiotemporal pollution data. Such data can be utilised for supplementing traditional pollution monitoring, improving exposure estimates, and raising community awareness about air pollution. However, data quality remains a major concern that hinders the widespread adoption of low-cost sensor technology. Unreliable data may mislead unsuspecting users and potentially lead to alarming consequences such as reporting acceptable air pollutant levels when they are above the limits deemed safe for human health. This article provides scientific guidance to the end-users for effectively deploying low-cost sensors for monitoring air pollution and people's exposure, while ensuring reasonable data quality. We review the performance characteristics of several low-cost particle and gas monitoring sensors and provide recommendations to end-users for making proper sensor selection by summarizing the capabilities and limitations of such sensors. The challenges, best practices, and future outlook for effectively deploying low-cost sensors, and maintaining data quality are also discussed. For data quality assurance, a two-stage sensor calibration process is recommended, which includes laboratory calibration under controlled conditions by the manufacturer supplemented with routine calibration checks performed by the end-user under final deployment conditions. For large sensor networks where routine calibration checks are impractical, statistical techniques for data quality assurance should be utilised. Further advancements and adoption of sophisticated mathematical and statistical techniques for sensor calibration, fault detection, and data quality assurance can indeed help to realise the promised benefits of a low-cost air pollution sensor network. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trading electricity outside the Nordic countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

The subject of transborder trade of electricity between the Nordic countries and other North-European countries is dealt with. A detailed comparison of generating capacity, generating costs as well as electricity prices, market structure and national and international regulations is given. This shows that generating costs in the Nordic countries in general are lower than those in other North-European countries. This indicates a potential for transborder trade. Norway has a potential for exporting power while Denmark and Sweden have a potential for energy exports due to current excess capacity. Transmission capacity from the Nordic countries to Germany is limited. As access to the German transmission network is restricted, conditions for trade depend on differences between marginal cost. After transmission cost, those differences do not finance larger investments in further capacity. A change in the market structure in Germany with third party access to the transmission network will allow major consumers to buy directly from producers in the Nordic countries. An opening up of the market should reduce the price load in Germany. This could cause price increases in the Nordic countries. (AB)

Ionospheric threats to the integrity of airborne GPS users

Science.gov (United States)

Datta-Barua, Seebany

The Global Positioning System (GPS) has both revolutionized and entwined the worlds of aviation and atmospheric science. As the largest and most unpredictable source of GPS positioning error, the ionospheric layer of the atmosphere, if left unchecked, can endanger the safety, or "integrity," of the single frequency airborne user. An augmentation system is a differential-GPS-based navigation system that provides integrity through independent ionospheric monitoring by reference stations. However, the monitor stations are not in general colocated with the user's GPS receiver. The augmentation system must protect users from possible ionosphere density variations occurring between its measurements and the user's. This study analyzes observations from ionospherically active periods to identify what types of ionospheric disturbances may cause threats to user safety if left unmitigated. This work identifies when such disturbances may occur using a geomagnetic measure of activity and then considers two disturbances as case studies. The first case study indicates the need for a non-trivial threat model for the Federal Aviation Administration's Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS) that was not known prior to the work. The second case study uses ground- and space-based data to model an ionospheric disturbance of interest to the Federal Aviation Administration's Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). This work is a step in the justification for, and possible future refinement of, one of the WAAS integrity algorithms. For both WAAS and LAAS, integrity threats are basically caused by events that may be occurring but are unobservable. Prior to the data available in this solar cycle, events of such magnitude were not known to be possible. This work serves as evidence that the ionospheric threat models developed for WARS and LAAS are warranted and that they are sufficiently conservative to maintain user integrity even under extreme ionospheric behavior.

What Characterise the Nordic Welfare State Model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Greve, Bent

2007-01-01

The main distinctive characteristics of the Nordic welfare states are presented. These include full employment, high degree of equality, a high level of taxes and public sector spending. The Nordic countries are compared to other European countries. The conclusion being that the Nordic Model...... is here to stay, although a movement in a European direction is underway....

Mapping the seafloor, with end users in mind

Science.gov (United States)

Lecours, V.

2017-12-01

In the last 25 years, as more seafloor data and user-friendly analysis tools have become available, the amount and diversity of applications making use of such data have considerably increased. While limitations in the utility of the data caused by the data collection and processing methods may be quite apparent to experts, such limitations may be less obvious to users with different background and expertise. For instance, it has been acknowledged many times in the literature that seafloor data are often treated as true representations of the seafloor rather that as models. This lack of understanding brings hidden dangers to unsuspecting end users misusing data, which may result in misleading outcomes/conclusions for different applications like marine geomorphology, marine habitat mapping, marine conservation, and management of marine resources. In this paper, I identify common practices of both data producers and users that can prevent a proper use of seafloor data. Using seafloor data from a variety of locations and sources, I demonstrate how the choice of soundings interpolator, elements of data quality, scale alterations, and backscatter representation can impact applications. I show how these elements propagate throughout analyses and directly influence outcomes, sometimes in predictable ways (e.g. in marine geomorphology) and sometimes in unpredictable ways (e.g. in marine habitat mapping). Regardless of the final use of seafloor data, better and more transparent error and uncertainty quantification and representation should be implemented at the data collection, processing, and analysis levels. Complete metadata should always be documented, with elements related to data provenance, survey, scale, error and uncertainty quantification, and any other information relevant to further use of seafloor data, in order to create a community of users aware of data quality and limitations. As the number of applications using seafloor data increases, some of the

Lutheranism and the Nordic States

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buchardt, Mette

2017-01-01

The Reformation in the Nordic region – today consisting of Island, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland – was Lutheran and state driven. This chapter addresses the question of Nordic forms of Lutheranism as well as the question of the impact of Lutheranism in the North by focusing on the relation...

Supporting Dynamic Service Composition at Runtime based on End-user Requirements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goncalves da Silva, Eduardo; Ferreira Pires, Luis; van Sinderen, Marten J.; Dustdar, S.; Hauswirth, M.; Hierro, J. J.; Soriano, J.; Urmetzer, F.; Möller, K.; Rivera, I.

2009-01-01

Network-based software application services are receiving a lot of attention in recent years, as observed in developments as Internet of Services, Software as a Service and Cloud Computing. A service-oriented computing ecosystem is being created where the end-user is having an increasingly more

Obesity Prevention in the Nordic Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stockmarr, Anders; Hejgaard, Tatjana; Matthiessen, Jeppe

2016-01-01

Previous studies have shown that mean BMI and prevalences of overweight/obesity and obesity have increased over the last decades in the Nordic countries, despite highly regulated societies with a focus on obesity prevention. We review recent overweight/obesity and obesity prevention initiatives...... that obesity in adults has increased from 2011 to 2014, while no significant changes were found for children. No significant increases were found for mean BMI and overweight/obesity prevalence. Obesity prevention initiatives among the Nordic countries are highly similar although minor differences are present...... within four of the five Nordic countries: Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. Moreover, we analyze the current situation based on monitoring data on BMI collected in 2011 and 2014, and obtain overall estimates of overweight/obesity and obesity prevalences for the Nordic Region. Data analysis shows...

Nordic Noir Production Values

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Waade, Anne Marit; Jensen, Pia Majbritt

2013-01-01

In this article the authors argue that Nordic noir constitutes a set of production values utilised and conceptualised to make Danish television series attractive in the international market. The idea of production values is embedded into a media industrial context where market principles of target...... by relating the specific Nordic noir production values present in the two series to changing conditions in Danish television drama production, in particular the internationalisation of DR’s Drama Division....

End-user Acceptance of Online Shopping Sites in India

OpenAIRE

Bolar K; Shaw B

2015-01-01

Online shopping sites have recently gained momentum in India. Since the ecommerce industry is in infancy state, customer (end user) satisfaction with the online shopping is the prime concern because decreasing customer satisfaction leads to negative electronic word of mouth (eWOM) which is very severe for the business. Through a dataset gathered from 127 online shopping customers in with respect to online shopping sites in India, this study investigates the role of website quality, informatio...

Market power in the Nordic electricity wholesale market: A survey of the empirical evidence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fridolfsson, Sven-Olof; Tangeras, Thomas P.

2009-01-01

We review the recent empirical research assessing market power on the Nordic wholesale market for electricity, Nord Pool. The studies find no evidence of systematic exploitation of system level market power on Nord Pool. Local market power arising from transmission constraints seems to be more problematic in some price areas across the Nordic countries. Market power can manifest itself in a number of ways that have so far escaped empirical scrutiny. We discuss investment incentives, vertical integration and buyer power, as well as withholding of base-load (nuclear) capacity.

Integration of the End Cap TEC+ of the CMS Silicon Strip Tracker

CERN Document Server

Adler, Volker; Ageron, Michel; Agram, Jean-Laurent; Atz, Bernd; Barvich, Tobias; Baulieu, Guillaume; Beaumont, Willem; Beissel, Franz; Bergauer, Thomas; Berst, Jean-Daniel; Blüm, Peter; Bock, E; Bogelsbacher, F; de Boer, Wim; Bonnet, Jean-Luc; Bonnevaux, Alain; Boudoul, Gaelle; Bouhali, Othmane; Braunschweig, Wolfgang; Bremer, R; Brom, Jean-Marie; Butz, Erik; Chabanat, Eric; Chabert, Eric Christian; Clerbaux, Barbara; Contardo, Didier; De Callatay, Bernard; Dehm, Philip; Delaere, Christophe; Della Negra, Rodolphe; Dewulf, Jean-Paul; D'Hondt, Jorgen; Didierjean, Francois; Dierlamm, Alexander; Dirkes, Guido; Dragicevic, Marko; Drouhin, Frédéric; Ernenwein, Jean-Pierre; Esser, Hans; Estre, Nicolas; Fahrer, Manuel; Feld, Lutz; Fernández, J; Florins, Benoit; Flossdorf, Alexander; Flucke, Gero; Flügge, Günter; Fontaine, Jean-Charles; Freudenreich, Klaus; Frey, Martin; Friedl, Markus; Furgeri, Alexander; Giraud, Noël; Goerlach, Ulrich; Goorens, Robert; Graehling, Philippe; Grégoire, Ghislain; Gregoriev, E; Gross, Laurent; Hansel, S; Haroutunian, Roger; Hartmann, Frank; Heier, Stefan; Hermanns, Thomas; Heydhausen, Dirk; Heyninck, Jan; Hosselet, J; Hrubec, Josef; Jahn, Dieter; Juillot, Pierre; Kaminski, Jochen; Karpinski, Waclaw; Kaussen, Gordon; Keutgen, Thomas; Klanner, Robert; Klein, Katja; König, Stefan; Kosbow, M; Krammer, Manfred; Ledermann, Bernhard; Lemaître, Vincent; De Lentdecker, Gilles; Linn, Alexander; Lounis, Abdenour; Lübelsmeyer, Klaus; Lumb, Nicholas; Maazouzi, Chaker; Mahmoud, Tariq; Michotte, Daniel; Militaru, Otilia; Mirabito, Laurent; Müller, Thomas; Neukermans, Lionel; Ollivetto, C; Olzem, Jan; Ostapchuk, Andrey; Pandoulas, Demetrios; Pein, Uwe; Pernicka, Manfred; Perriès, Stephane; Piaseki, C; Pierschel, Gerhard; Piotrzkowski, Krzysztof; Poettgens, Michael; Pooth, Oliver; Rouby, Xavier; Sabellek, Andreas; Schael, Stefan; Schirm, Norbert; Schleper, Peter; Schmitz, Stefan Antonius; Schultz von Dratzig, Arndt; Siedling, Rolf; Simonis, Hans-Jürgen; Stahl, Achim; Steck, Pia; Steinbruck, G; Stoye, Markus; Strub, Roger; Tavernier, Stefaan; Teyssier, Daniel; Theel, Andreas; Trocmé, Benjamin; Udo, Fred; Van der Donckt, M; Van der Velde, C; Van Hove, Pierre; Vanlaer, Pascal; Van Lancker, Luc; Van Staa, Rolf; Vanzetto, Sylvain; Weber, Markus; Weiler, Thomas; Weseler, Siegfried; Wickens, John; Wittmer, Bruno; Wlochal, Michael; De Wolf, Eddi A; Zhukov, Valery; Zoeller, Marc Henning

2009-01-01

The silicon strip tracker of the CMS experiment has been completed and inserted into the CMS detector in late 2007. The largest sub-system of the tracker is its end cap system, comprising two large end caps (TEC) each containing 3200 silicon strip modules. To ease construction, the end caps feature a modular design: groups of about 20 silicon modules are placed on sub-assemblies called petals and these self-contained elements are then mounted into the TEC support structures. Each end cap consists of 144 petals, and the insertion of these petals into the end cap structure is referred to as TEC integration. The two end caps were integrated independently in Aachen (TEC+) and at CERN (TEC--). This note deals with the integration of TEC+, describing procedures for end cap integration and for quality control during testing of integrated sections of the end cap and presenting results from the testing.

MSAT wide-area fleet management: End-user requirements and applications

Science.gov (United States)

Pedersen, Allister

1995-01-01

MSAT (Mobile SATellite) Services will become a reality in North America in 1995. MSAT will provide wide-area voice, data and fax services to land, marine and aeronautical mobile users anywhere in North America including 200 nautical miles off the coasts and into the Arctic waters. MSAT will also convey GPS position information from mobiles to dispatch centers. One broad application of MSAT is Wide Area Fleet Management (WAFM). This paper defines WAFM, outlines end-user requirements and identifies potential applications of MSAT WAFM. The paper draws from information obtained in several preMSAT WAFM field trials in land, marine and aeronautical mobile environments. The paper concludes with an outline of the potential benefits of MSAT WAFM.

The Nordic Mobile Telecommunication Cluster

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Ulrik

2000-01-01

A study of the historic role of the Nordic mobile telephone and telecommunications cluster and its background in both coordinated innovation policies and societal developments in Scandinavia.......A study of the historic role of the Nordic mobile telephone and telecommunications cluster and its background in both coordinated innovation policies and societal developments in Scandinavia....

2016 CSSE L3 Milestone: Deliver In Situ to XTD End Users

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patchett, John M. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Nouanesengsy, Boonthanome [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Fasel, Patricia Kroll [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Ahrens, James Paul [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-09-13

This report summarizes the activities in FY16 toward satisfying the CSSE 2016 L3 milestone to deliver in situ to XTD end users of EAP codes. The Milestone was accomplished with ongoing work to ensure the capability is maintained and developed. Two XTD end users used the in situ capability in Rage. A production ParaView capability was created in the HPC and Desktop environment. Two new capabilities were added to ParaView in support of an EAP in situ workflow. We also worked with various support groups at the lab to deploy a production ParaView in the LANL environment for both desktop and HPC systems. . In addition, for this milestone, we moved two VTK based filters from research objects into the production ParaView code to support a variety of standard visualization pipelines for our EAP codes.

75 FR 80747 - End-User Exception to Mandatory Clearing of Swaps

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-23

..., via its Comments Online process: http://comments.cftc.gov . Follow the instructions for submitting... predominantly engaged in activities that are in the business of banking or financial in nature, as defined in... regarding use of the end-user clearing exception to be made through SDRs? What are the advantages or...

New New Nordic Branding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Lars Pynt

2017-01-01

Konstruktionen af nordisk regionalisme er en stærk tendens som udgangspunkt for Nordic branding, men har vi egentlig forstået de værdier og spændinger, der driver hele projektet om en ny ’nordiskhed’?......Konstruktionen af nordisk regionalisme er en stærk tendens som udgangspunkt for Nordic branding, men har vi egentlig forstået de værdier og spændinger, der driver hele projektet om en ny ’nordiskhed’?...

The Nordic safety program on accident consequence assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tveten, U.

1988-01-01

One important part of Nordic cooperation is partially funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, namely the work performed within the Nordic Safety Program (often referred to as the NKA projects). NKA is the Nordic abbreviation of the Nordic Liaison Committee on Atomic Energy. One program area in the present four-year period is concerned with problems related to reactor accident consequence assessment, and contains almost twenty projects covering a wide range of subjects. The author is program coordinator for this program area. The program will be completed in 1989. The program was strongly influenced by Chernobyl, and a number of new projects were included in the program in 1986. Involved in the program are these Nordic institutions: Riso National Laboratory (Denmark). Technical Research Centre of Finland. Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety. Finnish Meteorological Institute. Institute for Energy Technology (Norway). Agricultural University of Norway. Meteorological Institute of Norway. Studsvik Energiteknik AB (Sweden). National Defence Research Laboratory (Sweden)

Occupation and leukemia in Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Talibov, Madar; Kautiainen, Susanna; Martinsen, Jan Ivar

2012-01-01

We studied occupational variation of the risk of acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and other leukemia in Nordic countries.......We studied occupational variation of the risk of acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and other leukemia in Nordic countries....

Winning end users active support to demand side response

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osorio, Jose [Rede Electrica Nacional, S.A., Lisbon (Portugal); Estanqueiro, Ana [Laboratorio Nacional de Energia e Geologia (LNEG), Lisbon (Portugal)

2012-07-01

While objectives proposed for Smart Grids and Smart metering may seem to be able to win easily end user's supports, a considerable amount of studies on social behavior concerning energy efficiency and sustainability show the gap between the values people would like to fulfill and their real life performance. As TSOs envision here a source of System Ancillary Services, measures to make the source really dependable, so that an adequate market design may really work are pointed out. (orig.)

Certification of OHS management in a Nordic context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hendriksen, Kåre; Jørgensen, Kirsten; Jørgensen, Ulrik

2009-01-01

’s management to decide which elements of OHS performance they commit to while the only explicit OHS demand is to comply with legal requirements. Additionally the certification is covered by the accreditation standard requirements of confidentiality, where as the validity of a certificate end up being hidden...... for the involved stakeholders. The consequences of these foundational elements of the existing management standard are analysed and exemplified. The Nordic Minister Council has funded the project, OHS Certification as Control Instrument and Control Strategy, which together with earlier studies of the working...

Driving pattern analysis of Nordic region based on the national travel surveys for electric vehicle integration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Zhaoxi; Wu, Qiuwei; Christensen, Linda

2015-01-01

to the power system. This paper presents a methodology to transform driving behavior of persons into the one of cars in order to analyze the driving pattern of electric vehicles (EVs) based on the National Travel Surveys. In the proposed methodology, a statistical process is used to obtain the driving behavior......EVs show great potential to cope with the intermittency of renewable energy sources (RES) and provide demand side flexibility required by the smart grid.On the other hand, the EVs will increase the electricity consumption. Large scale integration of EVs will probably have substantial impacts...... of cars by grouping the survey respondents according to the driving license number and car number and mapping the households with similar characteristics. The proposed methodology was used to carry out the driving pattern analysis in the Nordic region. The detailed driving requirements and the charging...

Work Programme 2010. Nordic Energy Regulators (NordREG)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2010-02-15

The Nordic regulators' cooperation through NordREG is based on a strong consensus and common understanding of the Nordic market. Through mutual efforts and contributions NordREG members identify areas of work that can create added value for the Nordic electricity market. NordREG works by exchanging information and views, mapping and analysing energy market issues and by delivering statements and reports for harmonisation and improvement. In this, the regulators aim at identifying areas where NordREG can take joint action to influence Nordic or European electricity market development. NordREGs key focus in 2010 is the work towards a common Nordic retail market and the emphasis is on promoting a legal and institutional framework that supports this goal

Internal versus external preference analysis : an exploratory study on end-user evaluation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kleef, van E.; Trijp, van H.C.M.; Luning, P.A.

2006-01-01

Internal and external preference analysis emphasise fundamentally different perspectives on the same data. We extend the literature on comparisons between internal and external preference analysis by incorporating the perspective of the end user of the preference analysis results. From a conceptual

Nordic Dance Spaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

This volume identifies different kinds of dance activities and examines their distribution and modes of operation across and beyond the Nordic region. The focus of the research is on dance and how it moves between different locations, organizations and networks of individuals. The study integrates...... three complementary perspectives. One looks at the interplay between politics and larger global flows on the one hand and the movements of dance and dancers on the other. Another looks at the contribution of localized activities such as dance festivals, competitions and cultural mobility pro......-grammes to the transnational movements within dance. The third looks at the ways in which the impact of the transnational context is supported, resisted or commented upon either by the general public, in the dance itself or by the dancers themselves. The book presents a critical analysis of cul-tural location, relocation...

Energy research projects in the Nordic countries - catalogue 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

The Nordic energy ministers at their meeting February 9, 1982 agreed upon a working plan for the Nordic energy cooperation. As part of this plan a contact group was established in order to maintain coordination and cooperation within the area of energy research and development. This group decided April 1982 to establish a catalogue of energy research projects in the Nordic countries. A pilot catalogue was published in June 1982. The 1983 catalogue gives an up-to-date survey of energy research and development projects in the Nordic countries. About 2125 projects are described, and information is given on investigator(s), performing organization, financing body, funds, and period. The catalogue is prepared by the Nordic energy libraries through their cooperation in Nordic Atomic Libraries Joint Secretariat. The information is also included in the data base Nordic Energy Index (NEI), which is online accessible at I/S Datacentralen, Copenhagen, via EURONET, SCANNET, TYMNET, AND TELENET. (BP)

Re-Mediating Research Ethics: End-User License Agreements in Online Games

Science.gov (United States)

Chee, Florence M.; Taylor, Nicholas T.; de Castell, Suzanne

2012-01-01

This article is a theoretical and empirical exploration of the meaning that accompanies contractual agreements, such as the End-User License Agreements (EULAs) that participants of online communities are required to sign as a condition of participation. As our study indicates, clicking "I agree" on the often lengthy conditions presented during the…

A content validity approach to creating an end-user computer skill assessment tool

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shirley Gibbs

Full Text Available Practical assessment instruments are commonly used in the workplace and educational environments to assess a person\\'s level of digital literacy and end-user computer skill. However, it is often difficult to find statistical evidence of the actual validity of instruments being used. To ensure that the correct factors are being assessed for a particular purpose it is necessary to undertake some type of psychometric testing, and the first step is to study the content relevance of the measure. The purpose of this paper is to report on the rigorous judgment-quantification process using panels of experts in order to establish inter-rater reliability and agreement in the development of end-user instruments developed to measure workplace skills using spreadsheet and word-processing applications.

15 CFR Supplement No. 8 to Part 748 - Information Required in Requests for Validated End-User (Veu) Authorization

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... overview of any business activity or corporate relationship that the entity has with either government or... structure, ownership and business of the prospective validated end-user. Include a description of the entity...-site reviews by U.S. Government officials to verify the end-user's compliance with the conditions of...

Health Information Technology Systems profoundly impact users: a case study in a dental school.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Heather K; Stewart, Denice C L; Ash, Joan S

2010-04-01

The purpose of this study was to increase our understanding of the impact of Health Information Technology Systems (HITS) on dental school users when the systems are integrated into chair-side patient care. We used qualitative research methods, including interviews, focus groups, and observations, to capture the experiences of HITS users at a single institution. Users included administrators, clinical faculty members, predoctoral students, support staff, and residents. The data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach, and nine themes emerged: 1) HITS benefits were disproportionate among users; 2) communicating about the HITS was challenging; 3) users experienced a range of strong emotions; 4) the instructor persona diminished; 5) there were shifts in the school's power structure; 6) allocation of end-users' time shifted; 7) the training and support needs of end-users were significant; 8) perceived lack of HITS usability made documentation cumbersome for clinicians; and 9) clinicians' workflow was disrupted. HITS integration into patient care impacts the work of all system users, especially end-users. The themes highlight areas of potential concern for implementers and users in integrating a HITS into patient care.

Nordic eHealth Indicators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hyppönen, Hannele; Faxvaag, Arild; Gilstad, Heidi

This report describes first results of the Network: eHealth policy analysis and first common Nordic eHealth indicators. The results show similarities and also some differences in the eHealth policies, priorities and implementation. Interesting similarities and differences in availability and use...... of eHealth services in the Nordic countries were found with the first comparable eHealth indicators. The results create a basis for Evidence-based policy making as well as benchmarking and learning best practices from each other....

Proceedings of the joint Nordic spring meeting '92

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindgaard, P.-A.

1992-05-01

Proceedings in the form of extended abstracts of the Joint Nordic Spring Meeting '92 including the 3rd Nordic Conference on Surface Science, the 6th Nordic Symposium on Computer Simulation, and 3rd Nordic Symposium on Superconductivity. In addition there are contributions from workshops on the Physics of Small Cluster, on Soft Condensed Matter Physics and from an Electronic Properties Workshop. The proceedings constrain over 300 contributions on the mentioned subjects. Further, there are several contributions on general solid state subjects, magnetism, semiconductors etc. (au) (4 tabs., 187 ills., 931 refs.)

District heating as a source of flexibility in the Nordic electricity market

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skytte, Klaus; Sneum, Daniel Møller; Sandberg, Eli

2016-01-01

to come in order to reach the ambitious renewable energy deployment targets in the Nordic and Baltic countries. Transformation to an energy system increasingly based on VRE will escalate the requirement for flexible operation of the entire energy system, including improved integration among energy sectors...... compared to the electricity market, e.g. different energy taxes, which may hinder the potential benefits from systems integration and lower the realisable potentials....

Analyses Of Two End-User Software Vulnerability Exposure Metrics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jason L. Wright; Miles McQueen; Lawrence Wellman

2012-08-01

The risk due to software vulnerabilities will not be completely resolved in the near future. Instead, putting reliable vulnerability measures into the hands of end-users so that informed decisions can be made regarding the relative security exposure incurred by choosing one software package over another is of importance. To that end, we propose two new security metrics, average active vulnerabilities (AAV) and vulnerability free days (VFD). These metrics capture both the speed with which new vulnerabilities are reported to vendors and the rate at which software vendors fix them. We then examine how the metrics are computed using currently available datasets and demonstrate their estimation in a simulation experiment using four different browsers as a case study. Finally, we discuss how the metrics may be used by the various stakeholders of software and to software usage decisions.

Nordic research in logistics and supply chain management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arlbjørn, Jan Stentoft; Jonsson, Patrik; Johansen, John

2006-01-01

management and to explain how the discipline differs in terms of demographics, research areas, methodological approach, resources and publication. The analysis is conducted in a Nordic research context through a survey distributed to persons with research interest in logistics and supply chain management......This article reflects on research completed within logistics and supply chain management in the Nordic countries based on an empirical analysis. The purpose of this paper is to describe the characteristics of the Nordic academic discipline working in the field of logistics and supply chain....... The research does not provide clear empirical evidence of the contours of a Nordic research paradigm within logistics and supply chain management. The analysis shows that the significant and typical research issues among the Nordic researchers are the focus on supply chains/networks as the most important...

CISG Part II in Nordic Context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lookofsky, Joseph

2015-01-01

In 2015, as the Nordic countries celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Nordic Contract Act (NCA), there is also good reason to celebrate the fact that - due to recent developments - the original field of NCA application has been narrowed in one important respect. In particular, the contract...... formation rules in NCA Chapter I – which for nearly 100 years applied by default to all contracts – no longer apply to contracts for the international sale of goods. As regards this latter significant contract category, Chapter I of the NCA has (except for inter-Nordic sales) been pre-empted, i.e. replaced...

Ethical aspects of registry-based research in the Nordic countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ludvigsson JF

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Jonas F Ludvigsson,1,2 Siri E Håberg,3 Gun Peggy Knudsen,3 Pierre Lafolie,4,5 Helga Zoega,6 Catharina Sarkkola,7 Stephanie von Kraemer,7 Elisabete Weiderpass,1,7–10 Mette Nørgaard11 1Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 2Department of Pediatrics, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden; 3Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; 4Department of Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology Unit, 5The Stockholm Regional Ethical Review Board, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 6Center of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland; 7Genetic Epidemiology Group, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland; 8Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, 9The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, 10Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway; 11Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark Abstract: National health care registries in the Nordic countries share many attributes, but different legal and ethical frameworks represent a challenge to promoting effective joint research. Internationally, there is a lack of knowledge about how ethical matters are considered in Nordic registry-based research, and a lack of knowledge about how Nordic ethics committees operate and what is needed to obtain an approval. In this paper, we review ethical aspects of registry-based research, the legal framework, the role of ethics review boards in the Nordic countries, and the structure of the ethics application. We discuss the role of informed consent in registry-based research and how to safeguard the integrity of study participants, including vulnerable subjects and children. Our review also provides information on the different government agencies that contribute registry-based data, and a list of the major health registries in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and

The Thrill of the Nordic Kill:The Manhunt Movie in the Nordic Thriller

OpenAIRE

Schubart, Rikke

2015-01-01

chapter in Nordic Genre Film: Small Nation Film Cultures in the Global Marketplace, eds Tommy Gustafsson and Pietari Kääpä. The chapter has three aims: First, it establishes the central generic traits of themanhunt movie. Second, it sets up a theoretical framework of sociobiological andecological theories with hunting as a reference point. And, third, it examines theNordic version of the manhunt movie focusing on the themes of hunting, nature,social standing, and civilization. I look at the D...

Users Integrity Constraints in SOLAP Systems. Application in Agroforestry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdallah Bensalloua Charef

2018-06-01

Full Text Available SpatialData Warehouse and Spatial On-Line Analytical Processing are decision support technologies which offer the spatial and multidimensional analysis of data stored in multidimensional structure. They are aimed also at supporting geographic knowledge discovery to help decision-maker in his job related to make the appropriate decision . However, if we don’t consider data quality in the spatial hypercubes and how it is explored, it may provide unreliable results. In this paper, we propose a system for the implementation of user integrity constraints in SOLAP namely “UIC-SOLAP”. It corresponds to a methodology for guaranteeing results quality in an analytical process effectuated by different users exploiting several facts tables within the same hypercube. We integrate users Integrity Constraints (IC by specifying visualization ICs according to their preferences and we define inter-facts ICs in this case. In order to validate our proposition, we propose the multidimensional modeling by UML profile to support constellation schema of a hypercube with several fact tables related to subjects of analysis in forestry management. Then, we propose implementation of some ICs related to users of such a system.

75 FR 62462 - Additions to the List of Validated End-Users in the People's Republic of China: Hynix...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-12

...-01] RIN 0694-AE95 Additions to the List of Validated End-Users in the People's Republic of China... Corporation to the list of validated end-users in the People's Republic of China (PRC). With this rule, exports, reexports and transfers (in-country) of certain items to one facility of Hynix Semiconductor...

Time for a Nordic Business History Initiative?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ekberg, Espen; Iversen, Martin Jes

2018-01-01

The current state of Nordic business history is by certain estimates better than ever. Nordic business historians publish extensively in leading international journals and have a strong presence at international business history conferences. Still, in this discussion article we raise a yellow flag...... of warning for the future of Nordic business history. We argue that the subject field is challenged along three important dimensions: (i) lack of relevant teaching, (ii) continued reliance on commissioned history and (iii) limited recruitment. The article discusses these challenges and seeks to place them...... grounds for the development of such projects, The Scandinavian Society for Economic and Social History – the formal collaborative body for Nordic economic historians and the owner of Scandinavian Economic History Review – should be reinvigorated....

Changing health inequalities in the Nordic countries?

Science.gov (United States)

Lahelma, E; Lundberg, O; Manderbacka, K; Roos, E

2001-01-01

The Nordic countries, referring here to Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, have often been viewed as a group of countries with many features in common, such as geographical location, history, culture, religion, language, and economic and political structures. It has also been habitual to refer to a "Nordic model" of welfare states comprising a large public sector, active labour market policies, high costs for social welfare as well as high taxes, and a general commitment to social equality. Recent research suggests that much of this "Nordicness" appears to remain despite the fact that the Nordic countries have experienced quite different changes during the 1980s and 1990s. How this relates to changes in health inequalities is in the focus of this supplement.

An end-to-end secure patient information access card system.

Science.gov (United States)

Alkhateeb, A; Singer, H; Yakami, M; Takahashi, T

2000-03-01

The rapid development of the Internet and the increasing interest in Internet-based solutions has promoted the idea of creating Internet-based health information applications. This will force a change in the role of IC cards in healthcare card systems from a data carrier to an access key medium. At the Medical Informatics Department of Kyoto University Hospital we are developing a smart card patient information project where patient databases are accessed via the Internet. Strong end-to-end data encryption is performed via Secure Socket Layers, transparent to transmit patient information. The smart card is playing the crucial role of access key to the database: user authentication is performed internally without ever revealing the actual key. For easy acceptance by healthcare professionals, the user interface is integrated as a plug-in for two familiar Web browsers, Netscape Navigator and MS Internet Explorer.

PardNor - PARameters for ingestion dose models for NORdic areas - Status report for the NKS-B activity 2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nielsen, Sven P.; Andersson, K.G. (eds.) (Technical Univ. of Denmark, Risoe National Lab. for Sustainable Energy, Roskilde (Denmark))

2010-01-15

The ECOSYS foodchain model is built into the European standard decision support systems ARGOS and RODOS, which are integrated in the preparedness for radiological events in the Nordic countries. However, a review has revealed that a number of parameters in ECOSYS do not reflect the current state-of-the-art knowledge, and do not adequately represent Nordic conditions. Improved and country/region specific data is required for ECOSYS to give trustworthy results. It is the aim of the PardNor activity to collect new data, and thus enable reliable use of ECOSYS for scenarios involving contamination of Nordic food production areas. In the reported work period of the PardNor activity, examinations have been made of the availability in each of the Nordic countries of soil characterisation data that could be used as a basis for a refined and location-specific approach for estimation of soil-to-plant transfer of contaminants. Large national gridded soil type databases were found to be available for most of the Nordic countries. In addition, for many of these countries, also a number of more detailed soil parameter values, such as local concentrations of various exchangeable ions, cation exchange capacity and soil pH are available on national grids. The feasibility of implementing each of two detailed crop uptake models in ECOSYS - The CoupModel and the 'Absalom' model - was investigated. Both models were found to have serious constraints in this context, and it was therefore recommended to apply a simpler soil classification. To this end, a review was made of state-of-the-art transfer factor data for different soil types, and for the Faeroe Islands, where gridded information is not available, a different approach was described. A preliminary study was also included, on using the Radiocaesium Interception Potential (RIP) as a transfer parameter, utilising the very low RIP values caused by the geological conditions in Iceland. Parameters describing the processes of

From top to bottom: end user development motivation, creativity and organisational support

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kierkegaard, P.M.; Markopoulos, P.; Costabile, M.F.; Dittrich, Y.; Piccino, A.

2011-01-01

This paper examines the socio-technical and organisational factors that influence the adoption of End User Development (EUD) technology and practices at the workplace. This research focuses on the rehabilitation industry, where a 64-item paper-based survey was completed by 52 therapists working at

Half a Century of Nordic Nuclear Co-operation - An Insider's Recollections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Napier, Bruce A.

1999-01-01

This is a book review. This is the story of one of the most enduring instances of cooperation among different countries in any field in the twentieth century. Specifically, it describes efforts at coordination and integration in the area of nuclear development between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden starting after World War II and continuing through the present. The Nordic countries had an early interest in nuclear activities, in part because of informal contacts based on influential individuals such as Niels Bohr. Their common history, environment, and culture led to common interests in developing nuclear power, and the precedent of the creation of the Scandinavian Airlines Systems (SAS) in 1946 showed that international initiatives could actually work. Efforts in the 1950s lead to establishment of a joint institute for theoretical atomic physics, a liaison committee to follow developments in the nuclear filed, and a Nordic group on radiation protection. Nordic electric utilities also began working together. In the mid-1960s, a Nordic Coordination Committee for Atomic Energy was established, as well as a Contact Group of members of national ministries, which generated a number of active initiatives. These groups helped direct research and development, by influencing government funding programs, through the 1960s and 1970s. Following the Three Mile Island accident in 1979, the thrust changed to nuclear waste management and safety research. In the immediate aftermath of the Chernobyl accident, the close working relations allowed quick communication of data and recommendations throughout the various countries. As time passed and regulatory programs became more formalized, the ad hoc groups were replaced with more bureaucratic structures, which were in turn threatened by funding shortfalls. A series of Nordic Committee for Nuclear Safety Research initiatives continued well into the mid-1990s

USER SPECIFICATIONS FOR PRESSURE VESSELS AND TECHNICAL INTEGRITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K.S. Johnston

2012-01-01

Full Text Available

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Specifications translated from user requirements are prescribed in an attempt to capture and incorporate best practices with regards to the design, fabrication, testing, and operation of pressure vessels. The question as to whether these requirements affect the technical integrity of pressure vessels is often a subjective matter. This paper examines typical user requirement specifications against technical integrity of pressure vessels.
The paper draws on a survey of a convenience sample of practising engineers in a diversified petrochemical company. When compared with failures on selected pressure vessels recorded by Phillips and Warwick, the respondent feedback confirms the user specifications that have the highest impact on technical integrity.

AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gebruikersbehoeftes word saamgevat in spesifikasies wat lei tot goeie praktyk vir ontwerp, vervaarding, toetsing en bedryf van drukvate. Subjektiwiteit van die gebruikersbehoeftes mag soms die tegniese integriteit van ‘n drukvat beinvloed.
Die navorsing maak by wyse van monsterneming gebruik van die kennis van ingenieurs wat werk in ‘n gediversifiseerde petrochemiese bedryf. Die terugvoering bevestig dat bogenoemde spesifikasies inderdaad die grootste invloed het op tegniese integriteit.

Further Development of the Nordic Electricity Market - a Common Solution for Investments in Transmission, Congestion Management and Peak Load Capacity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granstroem, Per-Olof

2005-06-01

The Nordic market fits well into place as a regional market in the over all European development, and it is therefore necessary to change the perspectives from a national one to a common Nordic approach. Despite the fact that the Nordic market is seen as a success, significant further improvements for customers and society can be made through deeper Nordic integration. The ongoing work on the Nordic electricity market within the Nordic Council of Ministers is therefore very welcomed and the Nordel report 'Enhancing Efficient Functioning of the Nordic Electricity Market' constitutes a good basis material for the further development of the market. There is a need to accelerate the pace of the harmonisation process, by making a clear timetable and prioritisation for the further work. Key issues for the next step are: Harmonisation of the legal framework and hence intensified co-operation among the Nordic governments; Implementation of the five known transmission investments, including a cost-benefit analysis; A more precise definition of the TSO responsibilities and core businesses, including operational reserves a prerequisite for further work on, e.g. the peak load issue; Initiation of cost-benefit analysis concerning future transmission investments; Guaranteed cross border capacity for market players; An analysis on settlement of imbalances and how this is affecting the peak load issue

An Overview of Nordic Contract Law

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Mads Bryde; Runesson, Eric

2015-01-01

This essay is published as the opening chapter in a book that celebrates the 100 year anniversary of the uniform Nordic Contracts Acts. It introduces some of the main concepts, main rules and lines of argumentation that you will find in Nordic contract law. Thereby it introduces the reader...

Nordic Walking as an Exercise Intervention to Reduce Pain in Women With Aromatase Inhibitor-Associated Arthralgia: A Feasibility Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fields, Jo; Richardson, Alison; Hopkinson, Jane; Fenlon, Deborah

2016-10-01

Women taking aromatase inhibitors as treatment for breast cancer commonly experience joint pain and stiffness (aromatase inhibitor-associated arthralgia [AIAA]), which can cause problems with adherence. There is evidence that exercise might be helpful, and Nordic walking could reduce joint pain compared to normal walking. To determine the feasibility of a trial of Nordic walking as an exercise intervention for women with AIAA. A feasibility study was carried out in a sample of women with AIAA using a randomized control design. Women were randomized to exercise (six-week supervised group Nordic walking training once per week with an increasing independent element, followed by six weeks 4 × 30 minutes/week independent Nordic walking); or enhanced usual care. Data were collected on recruitment, retention, exercise adherence, safety, and acceptability. The Brief Pain Inventory, GP Physical Activity Questionnaire, and biopsychosocial measures were completed at baseline, six and 12 weeks. Forty of 159 eligible women were recruited and attrition was 10%. There was no increased lymphedema and no long-term or serious injury. Adherence was >90% for weekly supervised group Nordic walking, and during independent Nordic walking, >80% women managed one to two Nordic walking sessions per week. From baseline to study end point, overall activity levels increased and pain reduced in both the intervention and control groups. Our findings indicate that women with AIAA are prepared to take up Nordic walking, complete a six-week supervised course and maintain increased activity levels over a 12-week period with no adverse effects. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Visualization for Hyper-Heuristics. Front-End Graphical User Interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kroenung, Lauren [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2015-03-01

Modern society is faced with ever more complex problems, many of which can be formulated as generate-and-test optimization problems. General-purpose optimization algorithms are not well suited for real-world scenarios where many instances of the same problem class need to be repeatedly and efficiently solved because they are not targeted to a particular scenario. Hyper-heuristics automate the design of algorithms to create a custom algorithm for a particular scenario. While such automated design has great advantages, it can often be difficult to understand exactly how a design was derived and why it should be trusted. This project aims to address these issues of usability by creating an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) for hyper-heuristics to support practitioners, as well as scientific visualization of the produced automated designs. My contributions to this project are exhibited in the user-facing portion of the developed system and the detailed scientific visualizations created from back-end data.

Fitness Club / Nordic Walking

CERN Multimedia

Fitness Club

2011-01-01

Nordic Walking at CERN Enrollments are open for Nordic Walking courses and outings at CERN. Classes will be on Tuesdays as of 20 September, and outings for the more experienced will be on Thursdays as of 15 September. We meet at the CERN Club barracks car park (near entrance A). • 18:00 to 19:00 on 20 & 27 September, as well as 4 & 11 October. Check out our schedule and rates and enroll at: http://cern.ch/club-fitness Hope to see you among us! CERN Fitness Club fitness.club@cern.ch  

Nordic Model of Subregional Co-Operation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grzela Joanna

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Nordic co-operation is renowned throughout the world and perceived as the collaboration of a group of countries which are similar in their views and activities. The main pillars of the Nordic model of co-operation are the tradition of constitutional principles, activity of public movements and organisations, freedom of speech, equality, solidarity, and respect for the natural environment. In connection with labour and entrepreneurship, these elements are the features of a society which favours efficiency, a sense of security and balance between an individual and a group. Currently, the collaboration is a complex process, including many national, governmental and institutional connections which form the “Nordic family”.

NORTRIP emission model user guide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denby, Rolstad Bruce

2012-07-01

The NORTRIP emission model has been developed at NILU, in conjunction with other Nordic institutes, to model non-exhaust traffic induced emissions. This short summary document explains how to run the NORTRIP model from the MATLAB environment or by using the executable user interface version. It also provides brief information on input files and the model architecture.(Author)

AFM-CMM integrated instrument user manual

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marinello, Francesco; Bariani, Paolo

This manual gives general important guidelines for a proper use of the integrated AFM-CMM instrument. More information can be collected reading: • N. Kofod Ph.D thesis [1]; • P. Bariani Ph.D thesis [2]; • Dualscope DME 95-200 operation manuals [3]; • SPIP help [4] • Stitching software user manual...

Radiation Protection Legislation in the Nordic Countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Person, Lars.

1990-01-01

Recent alterations in the radiation protection laws of the Nordic countries are presented. The report amends the previous SS-report 87-37 with the title Radiation Protection and Atomic Energy Legislation in the Nordic Countries. (au)

The rise and fall of the New Nordic Cuisine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonatan Leer

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This article provides a history of the New Nordic Cuisine—the ideology, the politics, the criticism, and the counter-reactions to it. The article has a particular focus on the Copenhagen restaurant scene which has been recognized as the epicenter of the movement, and it argues that after a decade of dominance of the strict Nordic locavorism, the dogmas of New Nordic Cuisine are being challenged from within by a generation of chefs who were brought up in New Nordic restaurants, but they are currently distancing themselves from the movement. A notable example of this new generation is Christian Puglisi, who while holding on to some of the core elements of the New Nordic Cuisine (particularly ideals of sound production and the focus on vegetables refuses the geographical dogmas of the movement and unfolds a cosmopolitan fusion kitchen. The article also discusses how different actors in different contexts have used the New Nordic Cuisine to position themselves in the culinary field either by adhering to or rejecting the concept, and how the example of the New Nordic Cuisine highlights the complex and often contradictory dynamics of the local/global dichotomy in contemporary food and consumer culture.

End-user programming architecture facilitates the uptake of robots in social therapies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Barakova, E.I.; Gillesen, J.C.C.; Huskens, Bibi; Lourens, T.

2013-01-01

This paper proposes an architecture that makes programming of robot behavior of an arbitrary complexity possible for end-users and shows the technical solutions in a way that is easy to understand and generalize to different situations. It aims to facilitate the uptake and actual use of robot

User-oriented end-to-end transport protocols for the real-time distribution of telemetry data from NASA spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Hooke, A. J.

1979-01-01

A set of standard telemetry protocols for downlink data flow facilitating the end-to-end transport of instrument data from the spacecraft to the user in real time is proposed. The direct switching of data by autonomous message 'packets' that are assembled by the source instrument on the spacecraft is discussed. The data system consists thus of a format on a message rather than word basis, and such packet telemetry would include standardized protocol headers. Standards are being developed within the NASA End-to-End Data System (NEEDS) program for the source packet and transport frame protocols. The source packet protocol contains identification of both the sequence number of the packet as it is generated by the source and the total length of the packet, while the transport frame protocol includes a sequence count defining the serial number of the frame as it is generated by the spacecraft data system, and a field specifying any 'options' selected in the format of the frame itself.

Migrants and Health in the Nordic welfare states

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Greve, Bent

2016-01-01

This article probes into the health of migrants with a focus on the situation in the Nordic universal welfare states. The Nordic welfare states are further compared to each other with a comparison to the EU28 if possible, including investigation of the differences among the four Nordic countries...... socioeconomic factors, such as the impact of economic inequality. Moreover, the healthy migrant paradox cannot be confirmed....

The development of voluntary private health insurance in the Nordic countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nina Alexandersen

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The Nordic countries represent an institutional setting with tax-based health care financing and universal access to health care services. Very few health care services are excluded from what are offered within the publically financed health care system. User fees are often non-existing or low and capped. Nevertheless, the markets for voluntary private health insurance (VPHI have been rapidly expanding. In this paper we describe the development of the market for VPHI in the Nordic countries. We outline similarities and differences and provide discussion of the rationale for the existence of different types of VPHI. Data is collected on the population covered by VPHI, type and scope of coverage, suppliers of VPHI and their relations with health providers. It seems that the main roles of VPHI are to cover out-of-pocket payments for services that are only partly financed by the public health care system (complementary, and to provide preferential access to treatments that are also available free of charge within the public health care system, but often with some waiting time (duplicate.

Nordic H{sub 2} energy foresight action report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eerola, A [VTT Technology Studies (Finland)

2004-11-01

The Action Report is one of the intermediate outputs of the Nordic H{sub 2} Energy Foresight project. It pools together the results of the Action Workshop that was organised in Espoo, Finland, in March 2004. It includes the views of 28 Nordic experts representing research, industry, government and relevant associations. A number of challenges are faced when introducing hydrogen energy into the Nordic markets. The report discusses these generics and specific challenges concerning the entire hydrogen energy value chain - hydrogen production, hydrogen use in transport, the stationary use of hydrogen - and the required infrastructure. A multi-perspective approach is taken: techno-economic, infrastructural, geographical, ecological, environmental and socio-political issues are all paid attention to. Thereafter the actions needed to realize the Nordic hydrogen energy visions are discussed. The report suggests that the Nordic countries should take an active role in promoting the successful introduction of hydrogen energy and in exploiting the business opportunities provided by the new technology. The suggestions for actions provided by the Nordic experts can be classified into six categories: 1) informing decision-makers and the wider public, 2) carrying out relevant research and development, 3) creating appropriate strategies and policies, 4) obtaining financial support for the technological developments in the transition phase, 5) market creation and intervention, and 6) contribution to international agreements. The report lists a number of specific tasks within each category and identifies the key actors to be involved at Nordic, national and EU-levels. (au)

Individual 3D measurements of end users to personalize work wear clothing

Science.gov (United States)

Mielicka, E.; Napieralska, L.; Jasińska, I.; Jarzyna, V.

2017-10-01

Body silhouette 3D measurements need to be performed separately in each country due to significant ethnic differences in body silhouette which preclude the transfer of European data to particular countries. Systematic research allows to update information on the population body silhouette and body proportions as well as select the size changes possible to implement in clothing construction modifications. The diversity in body silhouettes and sizes as well as the issue of clothing fitting encourage clothing producers to provide work wear clothing based on individual measurements of the end users’ bodies. In the framework of the carried research, the group of construction workers was selected as the target group of the analysed work wear clothing users. 42 construction workers, men only, were measured. The body silhouette measurement process was non-contact and was carried out with the use of 3D body scanner. The collected data on the body silhouette allowed to select sizes used to construct the work wear clothing and identify the clothing size. The selected measurement points of the body silhouette underwent statistical analysis to determine the distribution of random variables, here body sizes. The variables distribution characteristics were calculated. On that basis, the fitting appraisal of work wear clothing with respect to the size of the finished product corresponding to the adequate size of individually measured worker/end user was performed. The size overview of the work wear clothing used by the specific professional group and the appraisal of the size fitting to the body silhouette took into consideration the work wear clothing ergonomic functionality with respect to the body posture when performing the tasks, design and clothing construction. The analysis based on the currently gathered end users’ remarks and objections concerning the clothing fitting and performed body silhouette measurements allows to modify the existing work wear clothing for the

CISG Nordic: www.cisgnordic.net

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

CISG Nordic er en forskningsdatabase hvor den seneste information om den internationale købelovs anvendelse i de Nordiske lande offentliggøres. På hjemmesiden indgår retsafgørelser, bibliografiske noter, FN dokumenter m.m.......CISG Nordic er en forskningsdatabase hvor den seneste information om den internationale købelovs anvendelse i de Nordiske lande offentliggøres. På hjemmesiden indgår retsafgørelser, bibliografiske noter, FN dokumenter m.m....

CISG Nordic: www.cisgnordic.net

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2015-01-01

CISG Nordic er en forskningsdatabase hvor den seneste information om den internationale købelovs anvendelse i de Nordiske lande offentliggøres. På hjemmesiden indgår retsafgørelser, bibliografiske noter, FN dokumenter m.m.......CISG Nordic er en forskningsdatabase hvor den seneste information om den internationale købelovs anvendelse i de Nordiske lande offentliggøres. På hjemmesiden indgår retsafgørelser, bibliografiske noter, FN dokumenter m.m....

The Nordic Gender Equality Model

OpenAIRE

Teigen, Mari; Skjeie, Hege

2017-01-01

In this chapter, we investigate the descriptive premises involved in portrayals of a Nordic model of gender equality. Mainly, we focus on the equality dimensions that form the baseline in comparative welfare state research and research on political participation. We outline these dimensions as norms for economic equity and democratic parity. First, we examine whether and how descriptive statistics that assess these two dimensions currently rank Nordic countries compared with other European co...

European Standards and Guidelines in a Nordic Perspective: Joint Nordic Project 2005-2006. ENQA Occasional Papers 11

Science.gov (United States)

Vinther-Jorgensen, Tue, Ed.; Hansen, Signe Ploug, Ed.

2006-01-01

This report presents the results of the joint 2005-06 project of the Nordic Quality Assurance Network in Higher Education (NOQA). The project focused on the European standards and guidelines for quality assurance agencies, examining them in a Nordic perspective. The project aimed at interpreting and clarifying the European standards and guidelines…

Operation management system evaluation in the central Finland health care district - end users' view of system implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemmetty, Kaisa; Häyrinen, Eija

2005-01-01

In this paper we evaluate the implementation of the operation management system in the Central Finland Health Care District. The implementation of the operation management system changed the practice of operation management for the surgical clinic and concerned 500 personnel in total. A survey was carried out to investigate the end users' views on the system's usefulness, usability and the training and user support provided. The users' possibilities to accomplish their tasks and the kind of obstacles they face in operation management were explored. The assessment revealed that more end support is needed after the system implementation, even though a generally positive attitude towards the system was manifested among the staff.

A Mixed Nordic Experience:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Ole Jess; Johnsen, Tor Arnt; Lewis, Philip

2006-01-01

Although the Nordic countries were among the first to develop competition in the electricity industry, it took a long time to make retail competition work. In Norway and Sweden a considerable number of households are actively using the market but very few households are active in Finland and Denm......Although the Nordic countries were among the first to develop competition in the electricity industry, it took a long time to make retail competition work. In Norway and Sweden a considerable number of households are actively using the market but very few households are active in Finland...

Factors affecting the diffusion of online end user literature searching.

Science.gov (United States)

Ash, J S

1999-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify factors that affect diffusion of usage of online end user literature searching. Fifteen factors clustered into three attribute sets (innovation attributes, organizational attributes, and marketing attributes) were measured to study their effect on the diffusion of online searching within institutions. A random sample of sixty-seven academic health sciences centers was selected and then 1,335 library and informatics staff members at those institutions were surveyed by mail with electronic mail follow-up. Multiple regression analysis was performed. The survey yielded a 41% response rate with electronic mail follow-up being particularly effective. Two dependent variables, internal diffusion (spread of diffusion) and infusion (depth of diffusion), were measured. There was little correlation between them, indicating they measured different things. Fifteen independent variables clustered into three attribute sets were measured. The innovation attributes set was significant for both internal diffusion and infusion. Significant individual variables were visibility for internal diffusion and image enhancement effects (negative relation) as well as visibility for infusion (depth of diffusion). Organizational attributes were also significant predictors for both dependent variables. No individual variables were significant for internal diffusion. Communication, management support (negative relation), rewards, and existence of champions were significant for infusion. Marketing attributes were not significant predictors. Successful diffusion of online end user literature searching is dependent on the visibility of the systems, communication among, rewards to, and peers of possible users who promote use (champions). Personal image enhancement effects have a negative relation to infusion, possibly because the use of intermediaries is still seen as the more luxurious way to have searches done. Management support also has a negative relation to

5G Visions of User Privacy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Lene Tolstrup; Khajuria, Samant; Skouby, Knud Erik

2015-01-01

Currently, the discussions are going on the elements and definition of 5G networks. One of the elements in this discussion is how to provide for user controlled privacy for securing users' digital interaction. The purpose of this paper is to present elements of user controlled privacy needed...... for the future 5G networks. The paper concludes that an ecosystem consisting of Trusted Third Party between the end user and the service providers as a distributed system could be integrated to secure the perspective of user controlled privacy for future systems...

Brain Computer Interfaces on Track to Home: Results of the Evaluation at Disabled End-Users's Homes and Lessons Learnt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felip eMiralles

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The BackHome system is a multi-functional BCI system, the final outcome of a User Centred Design approach, whose ambition is to move BCI systems from laboratories into the home of people in need for their independent home use. The paper presents the results of testing and evaluation of the BackHome system with end-users at their own homes. Results show moderate to good acceptance from end-users, caregivers and therapists; which reported promising usability levels, good user satisfaction and levels of control in the use of services and home support based on remote monitoring tools.

Social Policy and Economic Development in the Nordic Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kangas, Olli; Palme, Joakim

between democratization and social policy, drawing attention to the role of the state and non-governmental organizations. Social Policy and Economic Development in Nordic Countries examines Nordic social policies on unemployment, social care, family, education and health care policies, and reviews future......This volume examines the relationship between Nordic social policy and economic development from a comparative perspective. It identifies the driving forces behind the development of the Nordic welfare model and the problems and dilemmas the model is facing at present. The book also traces the link...

Nuclear threats in the vicinity of the Nordic countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eikelmann, I.M.H.; Moeller, B.

1999-01-01

This project is one of the new cross-disciplinary studies in the NKS (Nordic Nuclear Safety) research program 1998-2001. The main task for the project is to aggregate knowledge of nuclear threats in the vicinity of the Nordic countries, a 'base of knowledge', and make this available for the Nordic authorities as a supplement for the national emergency preparedness work. The project will focus on potential events in nuclear installations and the consequences for the Nordic countries especially on: vulnerable food chains; doses to man; environmental contamination; the emergency preparedness system. (au)

Seeing the System through the End Users' Eyes: Shadow Expert Technique for Evaluating the Consistency of a Learning Management System

Science.gov (United States)

Holzinger, Andreas; Stickel, Christian; Fassold, Markus; Ebner, Martin

Interface consistency is an important basic concept in web design and has an effect on performance and satisfaction of end users. Consistency also has significant effects on the learning performance of both expert and novice end users. Consequently, the evaluation of consistency within a e-learning system and the ensuing eradication of irritating discrepancies in the user interface redesign is a big issue. In this paper, we report of our experiences with the Shadow Expert Technique (SET) during the evaluation of the consistency of the user interface of a large university learning management system. The main objective of this new usability evaluation method is to understand the interaction processes of end users with a specific system interface. Two teams of usability experts worked independently from each other in order to maximize the objectivity of the results. The outcome of this SET method is a list of recommended changes to improve the user interaction processes, hence to facilitate high consistency.

Broadband Wireline Provider Service: Optical Carrier - Fiber to the End User; BBRI_fiber12

Data.gov (United States)

University of Rhode Island Geospatial Extension Program — This dataset represents the availability of wireline broadband Internet access in Rhode Island via "Optical Carrier - Fiber to the End User" technology. Broadband...

Nordic nuclear emergency exercises. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennerstedt, T.; Stranden, E.; Salo, A.

1995-01-01

In all Nordic countries, nuclear emergency provisions have been revised following the Chernobyl accident. Local and national exercises are carried out regularly in each country. Several actions have been taken to harmonize the emergency approaches of the Nordic countries. In order to further promote consistent decisions in an emergency situation, two Nordic exercises were conducted in 1993. It was important to see if all five countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) responded in a similar way to a given situation, as far as risk assessment and protective measures were concerned. The exercises were mainly aimed at decision makers and advisers of the five national emergency organizations. Thus, the exercises did not include comparison of underlying calculations on, e.g., atmospheric trajectories or transfer of radioactive material from air to ground. Such functions were tested separately in drills that also formed part of the Nordic emergency preparedness program. The exercises included an acute-phase situation (NORA), and a late-phase situation (ODIN). The Nordic exercises aroused international interest, and hence observers from IAEA, OECD/NEA and the European Union were invited to the exercises. NORA was observed by representatives from IAEA (in Finland) and OECD/NEA (in Sweden). ODIN was attended by IAEA (in Sweden) and the European Union (in Norway). Generally speaking, regional exercises such as NORA and ODIN help improve national emergency preparedness planning, organization and operations as well as international coordination. (EG)

Challenges in Nordic Design Research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Mogens Myrup

1996-01-01

Design research has not won a convincing reputation in industry. Nordic research being scattered and small in number of researchers should find its special strengths and focus on creating results, which are based on our peculiar conditions and background.......Design research has not won a convincing reputation in industry. Nordic research being scattered and small in number of researchers should find its special strengths and focus on creating results, which are based on our peculiar conditions and background....

Transport in the Nordic countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gustafsson, B.; Pettersson, S.; Vilkamo, S.

1989-01-01

Transport of radioactive material from different fields of operation is well advanced in the Nordic countries: waste from the medical sector, industry, research, and now in increasing amounts from reactor operation, including spent fuel. In the future, waste from decommissioning will also be transported. This report gives the amount of radioactive waste material to be transported in the Nordic countries. Transport routes, transport containers, and transport systems are described. Legislations and transport regulatins are discussed. (author)

Gender-Based Behavioral Analysis for End-User Development and the "RULES" Attributes

Science.gov (United States)

Tzafilkou, Katerina; Protogeros, Nicolaos; Karagiannidis, Charalampos; Koumpis, Adamantios

2017-01-01

This paper addresses the role of gender in End-User Development (EUD) environments and examines whether there are gender differences in performance and in correlations between performance and a set of behavioral attributes. Based on a review of the most prominent EUD-related behavioral Human Computer Interaction (HCI) theories, and the influence…

Nordic Seniors on the Move

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

”I believe that all people need to move about. Actually, some have difficulties in doing so. They stay in their home neighbourhoods where they’ve grown up and feel safe. I can understand that, but my wife and I, we didn’t want that. We are more open to new ideas.” This anthology is about seniors...... on the move. In seven chapters, Nordic researchers from various disciplines, by means of ethnographic methods, attempt to comprehend the phenomenon of Nordic seniors who move to leisure areas in their own or in other countries. The number of people involved in this kind of migratory movement has grown...... above gives voice to one of these seniors, stressing the necessity of moving. The anthology contributes to the international body of literature about later life migration, specifically representing experiences made by Nordic seniors. As shown here, mobility and migration in later life have implications...

Energy efficiency business options for industrial end users in Latin American competitive energy markets: The case of Colombia

Science.gov (United States)

Botero, Sergio

2002-01-01

Energy markets today in Latin America and worldwide are being restructured from monopolies, either state-owned or privately-owned, to be more openly competitive and incorporate more participation from the private sector. Thus, the schemes that were formerly developed to foster end use energy efficiency are no longer applicable because they were based on mandatory regulations made with political decisions, without sufficiently considering economic feasibility. A consensus exists that the only way energy efficiency could survive in this new paradigm is by being market oriented, giving better services, and additional options to users. However; there is very little information on what end users prefer, and which options would most satisfy customers. Using Colombia as a case study, this research determines and categorizes the energy efficiency business options for large energy end users that can freely participate in the competitive energy market. The energy efficiency market is understood as a market of services aiming to increase efficiency in energy use. These services can be grouped into seven business options. A survey, following the descriptive method, was sent to energy end users in order to determine their preferences for specific energy efficiency business options, as well as the decision-making criteria taken into account for such options. This data was categorized in ten industry groups. As a conclusion, energy efficiency providers should adapt not only to the economic activity or processes of each customer, but also to the potential business options. It was also found that not all industries consider performance contracting as their most preferred option, as a matter of fact, some industries show much higher preference for conventional business options. Among end users, the divergence in option preferences contrasted with the convergence in decision-making criteria. The decision-making criteria "cost-benefit ratio" overwhelmed all other criterion. End users

Current research in transcultural psychiatry in the Nordic countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Ekblad, Solvig; Kastrup, Marianne Carisius

2013-12-01

This article discusses major themes in recent transcultural psychiatric research in the Nordic countries from 2008 to 2011: (a) epidemiological studies of migration, (b) indigenous populations, and (c) quality of psychiatric care for migrants. Over the past several decades, the populations of the Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, which were relatively homogeneous, have become increasingly culturally diverse. Many migrants to Nordic countries have been exposed to extreme stress, such as threats of death and/or torture and other severe social adversities before, during, and after migration, with potential effects on their physical, mental, social, and spiritual health. Growing interest in transcultural issues is reflected in the level of scientific research and clinical activity in the field by Nordic physicians, psychologists, social scientists, demographers, medical anthropologists, as well as other clinicians and policy planners. Research includes work with migrants and indigenous minorities in the Nordic countries, as well as comparisons with mental health in postconflict countries. We conclude by suggesting future directions for transcultural psychiatry research and providing guidelines for the education and training of future clinicians in the Nordic countries.

Nuclear threats in the vicinity of the Nordic countries. A database, Nordic Nuclear Safety Research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Margrethe, I.; Eikelmann, H.

2003-01-01

The acute phase of an accident and the possibility of high exposure of the populations are always the most important threats in the emergency preparedness work. Radioactive contamination from an accident can however also cause long time effects for land use and enhanced doses to special population groups and economic problems for agriculture, grazing animals, reindeer industry, hunting, freshwater fishing, tourism and recreation. For planning purposes it is always valuable to be aware of potential radiation hazard and other potential threats in the vicinity of the Nordic countries. Thus, mapping such threats in a Nordic context is an important factor in emergency preparedness in the Nordic countries. The project has dealt with threats from the north west of Russia and the Baltic states. The results from the different activities in the project is generated in a web based database called the 'the base of knowledge'. (orig.)

Who are private alcohol importers in the Nordic countries?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grittner Ulrike

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Aims - The high price of alcohol in the Nordic countries has been a long-standing policy to curb consumption, which has led consumers to importing alcohol from countries with lower prices. This paper seeks to develop a profile of alcohol importers in four Nordic countries. Methods - Cross-sectional data from general population surveys in Denmark (2003-2006, Norway (2004, Sweden (2003-2006 and Finland (2005-2006 were analysed by multiple logistic and linear regression. Independent variables included region, socio-demographics, drinking indicators and alcohol-related problems. Outcome variables were importer status and amount of imported alcohol. Results - People living in regions close to countries with lower alcohol prices were more often importers and imported higher amounts than people living in other regions. Higher educated persons were more likely to be importers, but the amounts imported were smaller than those by people with lower education. Persons with higher incomes were also more likely to be importers and they also imported larger amounts than people with lower incomes. In Sweden and Denmark regional differences of importer rates were more pronounced for persons of lower incomes. Age, risky single-occasion drinking, risky drinking and alcohol problems were positively related to the amounts of imported alcohol. Conclusions - Private importers in the Nordic countries are an integrated yet heavy drinking segment of society and do not appear to be located on the fringes of society

75 FR 25763 - Addition to the List of Validated End-Users: Advanced Micro Devices China, Inc.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-10

... People's Republic of China (PRC) Consistent with U.S. Government policy to facilitate trade for civilian...-user to the list of validated end-users in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Exports, reexports and... Hand Delivery/Courier: Sheila Quarterman, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security...

Reinterpreting the Historicity of the Nordic Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pauli Kettunen

2012-11-01

Full Text Available In conventional images of the so-called Nordic model, the strong state is opposed to markets or civil society and co-operation is opposed to conflict. These opposites appear problematic if one takes seriously the Nordic market- and interest-centered language used for the practices of social regulation, including the stubborn use of “labor market parties” instead of the EU concept “social partners”. Applying an approach sensitive to the historical and political aspects of language and concepts, the paper argues that a particular notion of social citizenship developed in the Nordic countries, in which interests rather than rights were put into the center. Such a notion of social citizenship was associated with two intertwined ideas, important in the development of the Nordic pattern of social reform: the idea of symmetry between workers and employers and the idea of a virtuous circle between divergent interests. With these ideas democracy and citizenship were combined with paid work and conflicting interests. This combination has been questioned by the projects for competitive national (and European communities, responding to globalized and financialized capitalism. The vigorous comparisons of “models”, and the popularity of the concept of “the Nordic model”, can be seen as an aspect of this current transformation.

Space station operations task force. Panel 3 report: User development and integration

Science.gov (United States)

1987-01-01

The User Development and Integration Panel of the Space Station Operations Task Force was chartered to develop concepts relating to the operations of the Space Station manned base and the platforms, user accommodation and integration activities. The needs of the user community are addressed in the context with the mature operations phase of the Space Station. Issues addressed include space station pricing options, marketing strategies, payload selection and resource allocation options, and manifesting techniques.

Nordic noir and lifted localities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Kim Toft

What I do here is to draw attention to a particular visual quality of recent Nordic noir and to relate the visuality of TV-drama to what I – with a term borrowed from Roland Robertson – dub lifted localites.......What I do here is to draw attention to a particular visual quality of recent Nordic noir and to relate the visuality of TV-drama to what I – with a term borrowed from Roland Robertson – dub lifted localites....

Naturally occurring radioactivity in the Nordic countries. Recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

In the publication 'Naturally Occurring Radiation in the Nordic Countries - Recommendations' published in 1986 the radiation protection authorities in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden gave radiation protection recommendations for natural radiation in the Nordic countries. The exposure of the populations in the Nordic countries to natural radiation sources is among the highest in the world and much effort has been devoted during the last 10 to 20 years to characterising, assessing and, where feasible, to reduce these exposures. The exposure of workers to natural radiation sources has also been an important area of work in the same period. During this period the international recommendations on radiation protection policy have been further developed with ICRP Publication 60: '1990 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection', and ICRP Publication 65: 'Protection Against Radon-222 at Home and at Work'. The European Basic Safety Standards Directive from 1996 (96/29/EURATOM), which is based on the ICRP recommendations, differs from the earlier versions in that special provisions have been laid down concerning exposure to natural radiation sources. As Denmark, Finland and Sweden are members of European Union and the EFTA-countries (Iceland and Norway) have close co-operation with the EU, the practical implementation of the EU-BSS will play an important role in all the Nordic countries. In November 1998, a new Drinking Water Directive, 98/83/EC, was adopted. The directive also includes radioactivity in drinking water, excluding potassium-40, radon, and radon decay products. Altogether this means that the Nordic recommendations from 1986 for natural radiation needed to be updated. The Nordic Radiation Protection Authorities therefore decided to set up a working group with the aim of revising the recommendations from 1986. The new revised recommendations will, as before, only deal with the components of the exposure to natural

Psoriatic arthritis mutilans (PAM) in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gudbjornsson, B; Ejstrup, L; Gran, J T

2013-01-01

To determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of psoriatic arthritis mutilans (PAM) in the Nordic countries.......To determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of psoriatic arthritis mutilans (PAM) in the Nordic countries....

The Wage Curve in the Nordic Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Erik Strøjer; Albæk, K.; Asplund, R.

regions in the long run. One explanation put forward for this slow speed of regional wage adjustment is the rather centralized bargaining system on the labour market in the Nordic countries. Wages are set according to the average unemployment rate for the economy as a whole, and differences in regional...... for researchers or civil servants with a deeper interest in labour market problems. The main result from this study is that the wage formation at the regional level is rather inflexible in the short run in all five Nordic countries, with no effect from changes in local unemployment on the local wage level......This report focusses on wage formation in the Nordic countries with a special attention to the effect from changes in local unemployment on the local wage level. The book gives a comprehensive and comparable study of this topic in the five Nordic countries which may be of great value...

End users heat energy savings using thermostat regulation valves radiators, v. 16(64)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jakimovska, Emilija Misheva; Potsev, Eftim

2008-01-01

Billing the used heat energy offers the opportunity to motivate end users to use the heat energy rationally and to save the energy. Installing the thermostat valves on the radiators it is possible frequently to regulate the room temperature and to use the heat gains, obtaining comfortable climate in the apartments and saving the energy. Thermostat valves give the possibility to use the heat energy rationally and save the energy, and these way and users can regulate the heat energy consumption according to their own level of thermal comfort. (Author)

End users heat energy savings using thermostat regulation valves radiators, v. 16(63)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jakimovska, Emilija Misheva; Potsev, Eftim

2008-01-01

Billing the used heat energy offers the opportunity to motivate end users to use the heat energy rationally and to save the energy. Installing the thermostat valves on the radiators it is possible frequently to regulate the room temperature and to use the heat gains, obtaining comfortable climate in the apartments and saving the energy. Thermostat valves give the possibility to use the heat energy rationally and save the energy, and these way and users can regulate the heat energy consumption according to their own level of thermal comfort. (Author)

Challenges for Nordic VET-systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Christian Helms

2015-01-01

, this challenge is not new. It has been on the agenda since the late 1960s following the crisis for apprenticeship and the growing demand for equal access to all levels of education. What is new, however, is that the challenge has intensified and the solutions developed since the 1970s don’t appear tenable today......The systems of vocational education and training (VET) in the Nordic Countries all face a similar challenge: to offer double qualifications. The Nordic VET-systems are expected to give access not only to skilled employment, but also to higher education. As an increasing share of young people....... This situation calls for new solutions to tackle the challenge of double qualifications. The question, which I will examine in this chapter, is how the Nordic VET-systems have handled this challenge in different ways and what these systems can learn from Switzerland, which is often highlighted as a model...

The Nordic difference: Job quality in Europe 1995–2010

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomi Oinas

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Previous empirical research has pointed out that Nordic countries are distinguished from the rest of Europe in terms of job quality. On the other hand, it has been debated whether, in the longer run, the Nordic welfare state is able to insulate workers from globalization effects. This article investigates whether Nordic countries have retained their advantageous position concerning job quality compared with other EU countries. Empirical analyses are based on the European Working Conditions Survey collected in 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010. We use data on employees in the 15 member states of the EU prior to enlargement in 2004 (n = 61,457. The results partly confirm previous findings of high job quality in the Nordic countries. However, there are clear differences between Nordic countries. To be precise, Denmark stands out from the rest of Europe and other Nordic countries with its higher level of job quality.

Milestones in Nordic Health Promotion research.

Science.gov (United States)

Haglund, Bo J A; Tillgren, Per

2018-02-01

Based on the storytelling tradition and analyses of conference material, this article provides an overview of the evolving Nordic Health Promotion Research Network (NHPRN) and its conferences over the last 20 years. The story goes from the planning of the first conference in Bergen, Norway, back in 1996 to the eighth conference in Jyväskylä, Finland, in 2016. There have been three phases of development. During the first phase, 1996-2007, the five first conferences were initiated and implemented by departments of public health in the Nordic countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) collaborative centres of Health Promotion in Bergen University and a group at Karolinska Institute, Department of Social Medicine, creating supportive environments for health in Stockholm played key roles in initiating and supporting NHPRN. During the second phase, 2007-2014, the network was strengthened and supported by the Nordic School of Public Health (NHV) in Gothenburg. The third phase started when NHV closed down in 2015 and networking activities were transferred to the European Office of WHO in Copenhagen. The Nordic Health Promotion Research Conference series has served several purposes and will continue to do so. They are important Nordic meeting places, stimulating Health Promotion research, as well as explicitly managing ongoing concerns in the international Health Promotion community. This is reflected in the shift of foci over time. The content of the conferences has been highly responsive to whatever challenges are particularly relevant at different points in time, while also contributing to developing Health Promotion as a discipline, given that every conference has built on the previous ones.

End-user flexibility in periods with scarcity - efficient use of ICT; Effektiv bruk av IKT : forbrukerfleksibilitet i knapphetssituasjoner

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grande, Ove S.; Saele, Hanne

2002-07-01

In a period with limited extension of new power production, it is important to utilize the flexibility in consumption for end users. Last winter in Norway there was a new record in demand that outweighed the available power production. In addition, the country is gradually heading towards a larger energy deficit. The problem with power scarcity is concentrated in a limited number of hours and it is important that correct and efficient initiatives arc taken towards end users so that the power problem can be solved without increasing energy consumption. About 30% of the total demand in the Norwegian power system is flexible and can be disconnected or consumption patterns can be changed for shorter periods, but this potential is utilized only to a limited amount. These challenges have been addressed in a new research project ''End-user flexibility by efficient use of ICT'' that was established at SINTEF Energy Research in 2001. The main objective is to increase end-user flexibility in periods of scarcity of both energy and power. The project will test and evaluate different means of stimulating flexibility in consumption, based on the network tariff, the power price and new market solutions such as demand-side bidding. (author)

The Nordic electricity market and how it can be improved

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Togeby, M.

2012-05-15

The Nordic electricity market is acknowledged worldwide as being successful. However, the market is not perfect. In this report we emphasise the consumer perspective of the electricity market - it seems clear that further development is required here. Challenges to the Nordic electricity market include: 1) Efficient involvement of the consumer in the market and consumer trust in the market. 2) Efficient integration of large scale renewable energy - e.g. 15,000 MW wind power in 2020. 3) Limited competition in peak load situations, in situations with little hydro availability and in situations with congestions in the transmission system. This analysis recommends three areas as focus points for future market development: 4) Ways to radically increase the volume of demand response. 5) Ways to improve the system of default suppliers. 6) Ways to improve the regulation of distribution companies. The issues related to these three focus points differ from country to country, but the overarching issues are relevant in all market areas. (Author)

Social acceptance of solar energy technologies in China-End users' perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Xueliang; Zuo Jian; Ma Chunyuan

2011-01-01

Energy is essential to human beings. The increasing demand of energy has triggered the public scrutiny on the sustainability issues associated with the energy production and transmission. There have been a large number of studies focusing on reducing the environmental impacts associated with the energy sector. Renewable energy sources such as solar energy have been prompted to mitigate these environmental impacts. This research adopted a quantitative approach to investigate the social acceptance of solar energy technologies from end users' perspective in Shandong province, China. A large scale questionnaire survey was conducted. The results show that there is a considerable high level of social acceptance and public awareness of solar water heater. However, another major application of solar energy, solar PV has not gained a high level of social acceptance or public awareness in Shandong. This study provides useful references for policy makers to further promote the utilization of solar energy innovations. - Research Highlights: → Social acceptance of solar energy technologies from end users' perspective is investigated by a large scale questionnaire survey. → Higher level of social acceptance and public awareness of solar water heater than solar PV. → Impact factors for social acceptance of solar energy technologies are analyzed.

Control mechanisms for Nordic ship emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinsen, K. [DNV, Oslo (Norway); Torvanger, A. [Cicero, Oslo (Norway)

2013-04-15

Shipping today operates under a complex set of international and domestic regulations. However, the environmental regulations have lagged behind those of other industries. This situation is now changing quite dramatically. The increased focus on environmental issues, combined with the growing realisation of the actual pollution burden imposed by shipping, has led to an upsurge in both international and national regulations. Some are ready and will enter into force in the near future, while others are still being developed. On behalf of the Nordic Council of Ministers DNV has carried out a study on possible control mechanisms for Nordic ship emission. The aim is to assess the baseline shipping emissions and reduction potential and the possible controlling mechanisms (both incentives and regulations) available for reducing the emissions to air from shipping within the Nordic region. (Author)

New Nordic and Scandinavian Retro: reassessment of values and aesthetics in contemporary Nordic design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niels Peter Skou

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The “New Nordic” label has spread in the design world since 2005, but it is quite difficult to distinguish from the image of “Scandinavian Design” and the heritage of values and aesthetics from the 1950s. Many designer statements and promotional texts are eager to mention both designations. This survey sketches the background and asks, “What is ‘New’?” and “What is ‘Nordic’?” with a focus on the Danish firm Muuto, which has been a central actor in establishing the term “New Nordic Design.” We focus on the interplay between the storytelling around the products and designers on webpages and in marketing, popular literature, etc., and the actual design objects. Reoccurring themes from the 1950s are how it relates to nature and climate, social models of welfare and equality, and pure, minimalist forms. They are, however, more present in the high expectations of an international audience and in promotions than in the objects themselves. The new products of Nordic Design are close to the current international neo-modernism in the form of digitally designed and industrially produced items in often thought-provoking minimalist forms and are directed at an elitist, international audience that wants to engage with these demanding aesthetics and the ideal picture of Nordic cultures—as a nice design and gourmet destination. New Nordic Design shows that the image and ideals of Scandinavian Modern are still living, as a subtle version of Scandinavian Retro, a reimagination of the lifestyle and values of Scandinavian Modern.

Dermatological moulage collections in the Nordic countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Worm, A-M; Sinisalo, H; Eilertsen, G; Åhrén, E; Meyer, I

2018-04-01

The art of producing and acquiring dermatological wax models, moulages, flourished all over Europe in the beginning of the twentieth century, whereas very little is known about the existence of moulage collections in the Nordic countries. The aim of this study was to elucidate the presence, the origin, the production place, the use and the condition of dermatological moulage collections in the Nordic countries. In each Nordic country, an extensive survey was undertaken during spring 2016. Dermatological departments, museums with medical collections, persons assumed to have specific information about wax moulages as well as secondary sources were contacted and interviewed. Several hitherto undescribed collections have survived in each country, most, however, damaged and in disrepair. One Danish and part of a Finnish collection have been restored. Only few moulages are exhibited and some have been photographed and digitalized. Denmark and Sweden have had a local moulage production. Responses to the survey indicate that the result covers all collections of dermatological moulages in the Nordic countries, though some moulages may remain in private collections unknown to the authors, or uncatalogued in museums. Moulages are medical gems from bygone days before modern technology facilitated new means of communication. Restoration and appropriate storing should be considered for at least selected items from the Nordic collections. © 2017 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Status of small water supplies in the Nordic countries: Characteristics, water quality and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Gunnarsdottir, Maria J; Persson, Kenneth M; Andradottir, Hrund O; Gardarsson, Sigurdur M

2017-11-01

Access to safe water is essential for public health and is one of the most important prerequisites for good living and safe food production. Many studies have shown that non-compliance with drinking water quality standards in small water supply systems is much higher than in large systems. Nevertheless, people served by small water supply systems have the right to the same level of health protection. Actions are therefore needed to improve the situation. The objective of the present study was to carry out a baseline analysis of the situation in the Nordic region and provide recommendations for governmental policy and actions. Data were gathered on number of water supplies, population served, compliance with regulations and waterborne disease outbreaks from various sources in the Nordic countries. The collected data showed that there are about 12500 regulated water supplies, 9400 of which serve fewer than 500 persons. The number of unregulated and poorly regulated supplies is unknown, but it can be roughly estimated that these serve 10% of the Nordic population on a permanent basis or 2.6 million people. However, this does not tell the whole story as many of the very small water supplies serve transient populations, summerhouse dwellers and tourist sites, with many more users. Non-compliance regarding microbes is much higher in the small supplies. The population weighted average fecal contamination incidence rate in the Nordic region is eleven times higher in the smaller supplies than in the large ones, 0.76% and 0.07%, respectively. Registered waterborne disease outbreaks were also more frequent in the small supplies than in the large ones. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

NordREG report on the price peaks in the Nordic wholesale market during winter 2009-2010. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2011-01-15

In winter 2009-2010, prices peaked on three days. The high prices that were experienced in the majority of the Nord Pool Spot price areas initiated a study on the reasons that led to the price spikes and on the possible measures to develop the Nordic market arrangements to avoid such situations in the future. The analysis of the winter 2009-2010 events revealed that there were a number of primary causes for the occurrence of the price peaks and no single individual cause could be pinpointed to bear the key responsibility. The fact that the weather was cold all over the Nordic area in conjunction with the low availability for the Swedish nuclear generation capacity, however, could be indicated as the key underlying causes. The analysis also showed that the way the Nordic transmission capacity is allocated can be listed as an additional factor complementing to the occurrence of the price peaks. Thus, NordREG concluded that a review of the methods of calculating and allocating transmission capacity for the market should be carried out. As a part of this, an analysis that addresses the delimitation of bidding areas and maintenance planning of the transmission network infrastructure should be prepared as well. The flexibility on the demand side has not been very large in the Nordic region. However, the background study prepared by Gaia Consulting showed that even small degree of increased price elasticity could substantially cut the price peaks. This could be seen as an improvement potential of the trading system reflecting the present inability of the market participants to react on the price signals the market place provides. Therefore, NordREG sees that facilitating the appearance of a real price elastic behaviour of the users of electricity can be regarded as one of the key fixes for the problem. Furthermore, NordREG proposes that a consultancy study on how to promote demand flexibility in the Nordic market in a coherent way should be prepared. A further area for

Plan of Nordic research in nuclear safety 1994-97

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-04-01

A new four-year Nordic research programme in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection is to start in 1994 as a followup of several preceding Nordic programmes. It will include seven projects and a joint coordination function. The programme is intended to sustain a common understanding among safety authorities in the Nordic countries with respect to reactor safety and radiation protection. It mainly deals with questions that are actual within the Nordic region, but it may also include problems of concern to its eastern neighbours. Two of the projects deal with reactor safety, and one with radioactive waste. The other four projects are on environmental aspects: two of them deal with radioecology, and two with questions related to emergency preparedness. The programme is managed by the Nordic Committee for Safety Research, NKS, consisting of representatives from regulatory authorities, research bodies, and industry. Basic financing is provided by one consortium member from each of the five Nordic countries, whereby an annual budget of approximately 8 million Danish Kroner will be provided. Additional financing comes from sponsors interested in the programme as well as from those organizations taking part in the project work. Definite project plans are to be elaborated within the more general frames described in the present outline. The flexibility of the programme is enhanced by limiting the duration of individual activities to one or two years. This will make it possible to adjust the programme to actual needs in the Nordic countries. (au)

Absenteeism in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Løkke Nielsen, Ann-Kristina; Eskildsen, Jacob Kjær; Jensen, Troels Wendelboe

2007-01-01

and Sweden. Employees working in the public sector, more specific the municipalities, have a higher level of absence compared to the private sector. According to the personal characteristics, women are more absent than men in all Nordic countries, but the effect of age differs according to the country...... in question. If the manager however is a woman and the employee likewise, then the level of absence is higher in Denmark, Norway and Finland compared to the other gender constellations. Originality/value - Because of the lack of international comparative studies of absenteeism in the Nordic countries...

Sectoral innovation system foresight in practice: Nordic facilities management foresight

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Per Dannemand; Dahl Andersen, Allan; Jensen, Per Anker

2014-01-01

a proposal for a common Nordic facilities management research agenda. The paper finds that three elements of the innovation system literature are of particular interest for the practice of foresight: innovation systems and context dependency, learning and user-producer interactions, and the role of knowledge...... and knowledge production. These elements are embedded into a simple sectoral innovation system model (including actors, knowledge flows, and the strategic environment).......A number of studies have explored the interconnection between the foresight literature and the innovation system literature. This paper adds to these studies by investigating how theoretical elements of the innovation system approach can contribute to the design and practice of foresight processes...

Grid investments in a Nordic perspective. Report to EMG

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2010-05-15

In a letter of 20 November 2008, the Electricity Market Group (EMG) under the Nordic Council of Ministers requested NordREG to carry out an assignment related to transmission network investments in the Nordic countries. The assignment to NordREG was divided into two tasks; to map the differences in the legislation and licensing processes in the Nordic countries and to analyse these differences and possible ways of financing common network investment projects. In the second half of 2009 the consultant Econ Poeyry was engaged to support in the finalisation of this project, mainly concerning possibilities for Nordic financing. The final text is however the sole responsibility of the task force. A draft version of the final report was delivered to EMG in December 2009. At the same time the report was sent to the Nordic TSOs together with an invitation to a workshop at Gardermoen on 26 January 2010. The comments from the TSOs are included in appendix 2 of the report

The role of forests in climate change: Nordic experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Portin, A.; Barua, S.; Clarke, M.; Camargo, M.; Viding, J.; Pekkanen, M.

2013-08-15

The objective of this project is to discuss the role of forests in Nordic countries in climate change mitigation and discuss the possible roles of forests as a part of a cost-effective climate policy. The report aims to provide a comprehensive and easily digestible way to better understand the issue. The report includes a discussion on the role of forests for enhancing carbon stocks and carbon sinks in the Nordic countries. The extent of above- and below-ground biomass and their role as forests carbon sinks in Nordic forests is analysed. The use of wood in products, buildings and as bioenergy is examined. Finally the report presents emissions trading schemes from around the globe that allow offsets and credits from forest projects on them and provides an analysis on the feasibility of such a scheme for the Nordic region. The report has been commissioned by the Working Group on Environment and Economics under the Nordic Council of Ministers. The study was carried out by Indufor. (Author)

Standardizing information exchange towards the end user. Present data models with two way communication over the Internet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saele, Hanne; Graabak, Ingeborg; Tangen, Grethe

2000-01-01

The two-way communication towards the end consumer is in little use so far. There are probably several reasons for this but one important reason may be the lack of standardized interfaces for the information exchange towards the end user. The lack of such standards results in substantial system investment risks for the network companies because the systems may not be developed further and maintained should the deliverer leave the market. The communication channel Internet has expanded quickly and in Norway of today (1999) 25 to 30 % of the households have an Internet connection. The use of existing infrastructure and already tried out technology for information transferrals may contribute to making two-way communication more reasonable and functional. In the report various alternatives of standardized information exchange towards the end users are evaluated. Various formats are discussed with the following demands in mind: 1) Shall be suited for all types of communication media. 2) An international standard followed by everyone. 3) Reliable information transferral and flexible. The focus is on what kind of information is being transferred and how this is organized, and not on how the information is transferred. The discussed alternatives are evaluated both regarding traditional solutions for two- way communication and the use of the Internet. The following format alternatives are discussed: EDIEL/EDIFACT, ODEL(GS2), LonWorks/Echelon, UCA, DLMS/COSEM, COBRA and DCOM. The formats represent communication at various levels but they are mentioned in the report because they are often mentioned as possible standard formats towards the end user: ODEL, DLSM/COSEM and UCA. EDIEL is not suited for this interface. The market for two-way communication systems is international and it does not seem to be practical to establish a joint Norwegian/Swedish standard. The work with establishing one standard should therefore be continued through international standardization

Iodine status in the Nordic countries - past and present.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyström, Helena Filipsson; Brantsæter, Anne Lise; Erlund, Iris; Gunnarsdottir, Ingibjörg; Hulthén, Lena; Laurberg, Peter; Mattisson, Irene; Rasmussen, Lone Banke; Virtanen, Suvi; Meltzer, Helle Margrete

2016-01-01

Adequate iodine nutrition is dependent on ground water content, seafood, and, as many countries use iodized cow fodder, dairy products. In most countries, salt fortification programs are needed to assure adequate iodine intake. The objectives are threefold: 1) to describe the past and present iodine situation in the Nordic countries, 2) to identify important gaps of knowledge, and 3) to highlight differences among the Nordic countries' iodine biomonitoring and fortification policies. Historical data are compared with the current situation. The Nordic countries' strategies to achieve recommended intake and urine iodine levels and their respective success rates are evaluated. In the past, the iodine situation ranged from excellent in Iceland to widespread goiter and cretinism in large areas of Sweden. The situation was less severe in Norway and Finland. According to a 1960 World Health Organization (WHO) report, there were then no observations of iodine deficiency in Denmark. In Sweden and Finland, the fortification of table salt was introduced 50-75 years ago, and in Norway and Finland, the fortification of cow fodder starting in the 1950s helped improve the population's iodine status due to the high intake of milk. In Denmark, iodine has been added to household salt and salt in bread for the past 15 years. The Nordic countries differ with regard to regulations and degree of governmental involvement. There are indications that pregnant and lactating women, the two most vulnerable groups, are mildly deficient in iodine in several of the Nordic countries. The Nordic countries employ different strategies to attain adequate iodine nutrition. The situation is not optimal and is in need of re-evaluation. Iodine researchers, Nordic national food administrations, and Nordic governmental institutions would benefit from collaboration to attain a broader approach and guarantee good iodine health for all.

Graphical User Interfaces and Library Systems: End-User Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zorn, Margaret; Marshall, Lucy

1995-01-01

Describes a study by Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research Library to determine user satisfaction with the graphical user interface-based (GUI) Dynix Marquis compared with the text-based Dynix Classic Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC). Results show that the GUI-based OPAC was preferred by endusers over the text-based OPAC. (eight references) (DGM)

2nd Nordic NJF Seminar on Reindeer Husbandry Research "Reindeer herding and land use management - Nordic perspectives"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Päivi Soppela

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The 2nd NJF Seminar on Reindeer Husbandry Research was held at the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland from 19 to 21 October 2014. The seminar was organised under the framework of Reindeer Husbandry Research Section of NJF (Nordic Association of Agricultural Scientists, established in 2012. Over 100 Nordic and international delegates including researchers, managers, educators, students and reindeer herders participated in the seminar.

Toddlers in Nordic Early Childhood Education and Care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Ole Henrik; Greve, Anne

2018-01-01

-called Nordic model represents a uni ed system of early childhood education and care (ECEC). This chapter underlines the distinctive shared characteristics of the Nordic approach to play and learning, and care and education, where participation, democracy, respect for other cultures and religions...... and character of the Nordic people. Here, there is a strong foundation in an ideal of freedom, democracy, equality, in uence and sustainability, but also a focus on education that emphasises the toddler as a learning being. However, toddlers in ECEC represent an area in need of more attention and new research....

Integrated X-band FMCW front-end in SiGe BiCMOS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Suijker, Erwin; de Boer, Lex; Visser, Guido; van Dijk, Raymond; Poschmann, Michael; van Vliet, Frank Edward

2010-01-01

An integrated X-band FMCW front-end is reported. The front-end unites the core functionality of an FMCW transmitter and receiver in a 0.25 μm SiGe BiCMOS process. The chip integrates a PLL for the carrier generation, and single-side band and image-reject mixers for up- and down-conversion of the

A Healthy Nordic Diet Alters the Plasma Lipidomic Profile in Adults with Features of Metabolic Syndrome in a Multicenter Randomized Dietary Intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Lankinen, Maria; Schwab, Ursula; Kolehmainen, Marjukka; Paananen, Jussi; Nygren, Heli; Seppänen-Laakso, Tuulikki; Poutanen, Kaisa; Hyötyläinen, Tuulia; Risérus, Ulf; Savolainen, Markku J; Hukkanen, Janne; Brader, Lea; Marklund, Matti; Rosqvist, Fredrik; Hermansen, Kjeld; Cloetens, Lieselotte; Önning, Gunilla; Thorsdottir, Inga; Gunnarsdottir, Ingibjorg; Åkesson, Björn; Dragsted, Lars Ove; Uusitupa, Matti; Orešič, Matej

2016-03-09

A healthy Nordic diet is associated with improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors, but the effect on lipidomic profile is not known. The aim was to investigate how a healthy Nordic diet affects the fasting plasma lipidomic profile in subjects with metabolic syndrome. Men and women (n = 200) with features of metabolic syndrome [mean age: 55 y; body mass index (in kg/m 2 ): 31.6] were randomly assigned to either a healthy Nordic (n = 104) or a control (n = 96) diet for 18 or 24 wk at 6 centers. Of the participants, 156 completed the study with plasma lipidomic measurements. The healthy Nordic diet consisted of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, berries, vegetable oils and margarines, fish, low-fat milk products, and low-fat meat. An average Nordic diet served as the control diet and included low-fiber cereal products, dairy fat-based spreads, regular-fat milk products, and a limited amount of fruits, vegetables, and berries. Lipidomic profiles were measured at baseline, week 12, and the end of the intervention (18 or 24 wk) by using ultraperformance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. The effects of the diets on the lipid variables were analyzed with linear mixed-effects models. Data from centers with 18- or 24-wk duration were also analyzed separately. Changes in 21 plasma lipids differed significantly between the groups at week 12 (false discovery rate P Nordic diet group compared with the control group. At the end of the study, changes in lipidomic profiles did not differ between the groups. However, when the intervention lasted 24 wk, changes in 8 plasma lipids that had been identified at 12 wk, including plasmalogens, were sustained. There were no differences in changes in plasma lipids between groups with an intervention of 18 wk. By the dietary biomarker score, adherence to diet did not explain the difference in the results related to the duration of the study. A healthy Nordic diet transiently modified the plasma lipidomic profile, specifically by

What makes end-user training successful? : a mixed method study of a business process management system implementation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benny de Waal; Ronald Batenburg

2012-01-01

Under what conditions is end-user training (EUT) as part of the implementation of a business process management (BPM) system successful? This question is addressed in this paper. Based on the literature on EUT and implementation success, we first argue that user involvement with, and attitude

What makes end-user training successful? A mixed method study of a business process management system implementation.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Waal, B.M.E. de; Batenburg, R.

2012-01-01

Under what conditions is end-user training (EUT) as part of the implementation of a business process management (BPM) system successful? This question is addressed in this paper. Based on the literature on EUT and implementation success, we first argue that user involvement with, and attitude

Challenges to nordic teacher education programmes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Jens; Dorf, Hans

2010-01-01

and subjects in the Finnish teacher education program (pedagogical studies, quality of practice teaching, research base) and its strong focus on training future teachers for the teacher profession and a professional community play an important role in respect to recruitment and low drop-out rates.......  This article resumes a comparative study on the Nordic teacher education programs in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden (Nordisk Ministerråd/Nordic Council of Ministers, 2008). By focusing on the part of the study which is occupied with the structure and organisation of the Nordic...... teacher education programs it tries to find explanations for the fact that only the Finnish teacher education does not suffer from a decreasing number of applicants, from high drop-out rates, and from low retention rates. It is claimed that the strong emphasis on specific professional elements...

Performance management in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristiansen, Mads Bøge

-specific perspective, I analyze variations and similarities among countries and agencies in their development of a performance measurement system and the incorporation and use of performance information. Empirically the study shows that some patterns can be discerned but they also seem to be rather complex. Starting......This paper reports a study of performance management in practice in three tasks (Food safety, Meteorology and Prisons) across the three Scandinavian countries Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The paper examines how the system of performance management in Denmark, Norway and Sweden (Management...... from this analysis I discuss, whether it is possible to identify a Nordic model of performance management? Whether we should distinguish between an East Nordic and a West Nordic model? Should we rather talk about a Danish model, a Swedish model and a Norwegian model, or are the differences within...

Living with the New Nordic Diet

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Micheelsen, Arun; Holm, Lotte; Jensen, Katherine O'Doherty

2014-01-01

Purpose – Based on New Nordic Cuisine and Nordic dietary recommendations, the research centre OPUS has developed a healthy, sustainable and tasty New Nordic Diet (NND) with the goal of improving public health in Denmark. In order to determine the health potential of the NND, a six-month, controlled...... dietary intervention trial was conducted, in which participants procured NND foods at a specially designed intervention supermarket and prepared and consumed NND meals in their homes. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative sociological study was conducted among...... indicate that while the taste of the NND is likely to appeal to wider groups of consumers, the tasks of food procurement and preparation are likely to constitute barriers to its adoption. The strictly controlled intervention setting enabled participants to learn how to comply with dietary composition...

Nordic (cross-country) skiing injuries in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sherry, E; Asquith, J

1987-03-02

A retrospective study of 88 nordic skiing injuries from the 1984 and 1985 skiing seasons in Australia is presented. To our knowledge, this is the largest study to date of such injuries. These injuries are compared with alpine skiing injuries from the same medical clinic for the 1985 skiing season. There was a much lower incidence of injury from nordic skiing; however, when injuries did occur, they tended to be more serious than those of alpine skiing and frequently required immediate evacuation to hospital for treatment. As the nordic skier is relatively isolated from medical services, these findings need to be considered in the future planning of rescue services for such skiers.

Model of Nordic energy market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gjelsvik, E.; Johnsen, T.; Mysen, H.T.

1992-01-01

Simulation results are given of the consumption of electricity and oil in Denmark, Norway and Sweden based on the demand section of a Nordic energy market model which is in the process of being developed in Oslo under the auspices of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The model incorporates supply, and trade between countries so that it can be analyzed how trading can contribute to goals within energy and environmental policies and to cost effective activities aimed at reducing pollution. The article deals in some detail with the subject of how taxation on carbon dioxide emission can influence pollution abatement and with energy consumption development within individual sectors in individual Northern countries. The model of energy demand is described with emphasis on the individual sectors of industry, transport, service and private households. Simulation results giving the effects of energy consumption and increased taxation on fossil fuels are given. On this background the consequences of the adaption of power plants is discussed and a sketch is given of a Nordic electric power market incorporating trading. (AB) (15 refs.)

Energy research and development projects in the Nordic countries. Directory 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1988-01-01

This is the fifth directory of research, development and demonstration projects in the Nordic countries within the field of energy. The directory includes projects running in 1987. 2378 projects are described, all of them financed through special public funds (i.e. external funding). The energy research organisation in each Nordic country is briefly reviewed in the appendixes, and a list of relevant newsletters are given. The directory is published at the request of the Nordic Council of Ministers and a special Energy Research Committee set up by the Nordic energy ministers in order to coordinate and promote Nordic information sharing in the energy field. (author)

Radiation protection legislation in the Nordic countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Persson, L.

1992-01-01

A close collaboration exists in the Nordic countries in the field of radiation protection. The radiation protection authorities attach major importance to a uniform interpretation of the international recommendations. The legal situation of the Nordic countries in the radiation protection field will be reviewed with the main emphasis on the new Swedish and Finnish laws. (author)

Summary of the 4th Nordic Symposium on Digital Pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundström, Claes; Waltersson, Marie; Persson, Anders; Treanor, Darren

2017-01-01

The Nordic symposium on digital pathology (NDP) was created to promote knowledge exchange across stakeholders in health care, industry, and academia. In 2016, the 4 th NDP installment took place in Linköping, Sweden, promoting development and collaboration in digital pathology for the benefit of routine care advances. This article summarizes the symposium, gathering 170 attendees from 13 countries. This summary also contains results from a survey on integrated diagnostics aspects, in particular radiology-pathology collaboration.

Geopolitical Geworfenheit

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Breitenbauch, Henrik Ø.

2015-01-01

the end of the Post-Cold War period and its aspiration to peaceful integration. The small states of the greater Nordic space are now rediscovering their inescapable geopolitical nearness to Russia. Drawing on RSCT and Nordic-Baltic integration literature, the article contributes to understanding...

15 CFR Supplement No. 9 to Part 748 - End-User Review Committee Procedures

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... potential validated end-user is not included in calculating the 30 calendar day deadline for the ERC's... matter to the Advisory Committee on Export Policy (ACEP). The procedures and time frame for escalating... Supplement No. 7 to this part operates as clearance by all member agencies to publish the amendment in the...

Interinstitutional collaboration for end-user bioinformatics training: Cytoscape as a case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marci D. Brandenburg, MS, MSI

2017-04-01

Conclusions: This collaboration furthered the U-M bioinformationist’s role in the field as an expert in Cytoscape instruction, while also establishing the CWML as a leader in providing support for analyzing and visualizing molecular data at Yale University. The authors found this collaboration to be a successful way for librarians to fill end-user training gaps in rapidly changing fields such as bioinformatics.

Cohort Fertility Patterns in the Nordic Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gunnar Andersson

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Previous analyses of period fertility suggest that the trends of the Nordic countries are sufficiently similar to speak of a common "Nordic fertility regime". We investigate whether this assumption can be corroborated by comparing cohort fertility patterns in the Nordic countries. We study cumulated and completed fertility of Nordic birth cohorts based on the childbearing histories of women born in 1935 and later derived from the population registers of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. We further explore childbearing behaviour by women's educational attainment. The results show remarkable similarities in postponement and recuperation between the countries and very small differences in completed fertility across educational groups. Median childbearing age is about 2-3 years higher in the 1960-64 cohort than in the 1950-54 cohort, but the younger cohort recuperates the fertility level of the older cohort at ages 30 and above. A similar pattern of recuperation can be observed for highly educated women as compared to women with less education. An interesting finding is that of a positive relationship between educational level and the final number of children when women who become mothers at similar ages are compared. Country differences in fertility outcome are generally rather low. Childlessness is highest in Finland and lowest in Norway, and the educational differentials are largest in Norway. Despite such differences, the cohort analyses in many ways support the notion of a common Nordic fertility regime.

Why a well-designed HR shared service provider fails to create end-user value?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijerink, Jeroen Gerard; Bondarouk, Tatiana; Looise, Jan C.

2011-01-01

Human resource shared services centres (HR SSCs) are foreseen as improving HR service delivery for their end-users: employees, line managers and decentralized HR professionals. Although the concept expects the benefits of HR SSCs to come from centralizing knowledge and decentralizing the control

Learning from the private sector: towards a keener understanding of the end-user for microbicide introduction planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Amy H; Breger, Tiffany L; Barnhart, Matthew; Kim, Ann; Vangsgaard, Charlotte; Harris, Emily

2014-01-01

In planning for the introduction of vaginal microbicides and other new antiretroviral (ARV)-based prevention products for women, an in-depth understanding of potential end-users will be critically important to inform strategies to optimize uptake and long-term adherence. User-centred private sector companies have contributed to the successful launch of many different types of products, employing methods drawn from behavioural and social sciences to shape product designs, marketing messages and communication channels. Examples of how the private sector has adapted and applied these techniques to make decisions around product messaging and targeting may be instructive for adaptation to microbicide introduction. In preparing to introduce a product, user-centred private sector companies employ diverse methods to understand the target population and their lifestyles, values and motivations. ReD Associates' observational research on user behaviours in the packaged food and diabetes fields illustrates how 'tag along' or 'shadowing' techniques can identify sources of non-adherence. Another open-ended method is self-documentation, and IDEO's mammography research utilized this to uncover user motivations that extended beyond health. Mapping the user journey is a quantitative approach for outlining critical decision-making stages, and Monitor Inclusive Markets applied this framework to identify toilet design opportunities for the rural poor. Through an iterative process, these various techniques can generate hypotheses on user drop-off points, quantify where drop-off is highest and prioritize areas of further research to uncover usage barriers. Although research constraints exist, these types of user-centred techniques have helped create effective messaging, product positioning and packaging of health products as well as family planning information. These methods can be applied to microbicide acceptability testing outside of clinical trials to design microbicide marketing

The European internal market and Nordic energy policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grohnheit, P.E.; Hoier Nielsen, H.; Soerensen, H.

1992-01-01

The aim was to attempt to clarify the immediate consequences, and potentials for energy policy, for the authorities and supply companies in the Nordic countries in relation to the establishment of the Single Market. Potentials for the development of coordinated electricity supply and natural gas markets, and for cooperative Nordic research and initiatives are examined. Descriptions of conditions in other lands are given. It is stated that decisions on investments must now be taken within an open capital market with other traditions. There is a need for faster technology transfer. It is concluded that it will be difficult to develope trade related to natural gas between all the Nordic countries, but it should increase (also with regard to electricity) between the Nordic countries and their neighbour countries. Regarding electricity supply, lifting of existing rights of monopoly will result in weaker connections between producer and consumer and supply reliability will decrease. Natural gas supply reliability will be strengthened but producers will shoulder more market risks. Fusions will increase but a greater variation of company types and organization forms will develope. Competition will be sharper and prices for electric power could rise. Nordic energy policy will have a more international character, especially with regard to environmental protection. Long-term investment will be encouraged. The Nordic Council of Ministers will need to concentrate on information dissemination related to energy system analyses as a basis for decision-making. Export of Scandinavian hydroelectric power will contribute to international goals for environmental protection. (AB) (45 refs.)

Declarative Parallel Programming in Spreadsheet End-User Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Biermann, Florian

2016-01-01

Spreadsheets are first-order functional languages and are widely used in research and industry as a tool to conveniently perform all kinds of computations. Because cells on a spreadsheet are immutable, there are possibilities for implicit parallelization of spreadsheet computations. In this liter...... can directly apply results from functional array programming to a spreadsheet model of computations.......Spreadsheets are first-order functional languages and are widely used in research and industry as a tool to conveniently perform all kinds of computations. Because cells on a spreadsheet are immutable, there are possibilities for implicit parallelization of spreadsheet computations....... In this literature study, we provide an overview of the publications on spreadsheet end-user programming and declarative array programming to inform further research on parallel programming in spreadsheets. Our results show that there is a clear overlap between spreadsheet programming and array programming and we...

Modelling of electricity savings in the Danish households sector: from the energy system to the end-user

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baldini, Mattia; Trivella, Alessio

2017-01-01

sectors, has been extended in order to endogenously determine the best possible investments in more efficient home appliances. Second, we propose a method to relate the optimal energy system solution to the end-user choices by incorporating consumer behaviour and electricity price addition due to taxes...... of support to become profitable. The analysis quantifies energy and economic savings from the consumer side and reveals the impacts on the Danish power system and surrounding countries. Compared to a business-as-usual energy scenario, the end-user attains net economic savings in the range of 30–40 EUR per...

Policies and Initiatives for Carbon Neutrality in Nordic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Qiuwei; Møller, Jakob Glarbo; Østergaard, Jacob

2013-01-01

Policies and initiatives promoting carbon neutrality in the Nordic heating and transport systems are presented. The focus within heating systems is the promotion of HPs (heat pumps) while the focus within transport systems is initiatives regarding EVs (electric vehicles). It is found...... for the future heating and transport systems with the ambition of realizing carbon neutrality...... that the conversion to HPs in the Nordic region relies on both private economic and national economic incentives. Initiatives toward carbon neutrality in the transport system are mostly concentrated on research, development and demonstration for deployment of a large number of EVs. All Nordic countries have plans...

User experience integrated life-style cloud-based medical application.

Science.gov (United States)

Serban, Alexandru; Lupşe, Oana Sorina; Stoicu-Tivadar, Lăcrămioara

2015-01-01

Having a modern application capable to automatically collect and process data from users, based on information and lifestyle answers is one of current challenges for researchers and medical science. The purpose of the current study is to integrate user experience design (UXD) in a cloud-based medical application to improve patient safety, quality of care and organizational efficiency. The process consists of collecting traditional and new data from patients and users using online questionnaires. A questionnaire dynamically asks questions about the user's current diet and lifestyle. After the user will introduce the data, the application will formulate a presumptive nutritional plan and will suggest different medical recommendations regarding a healthy lifestyle, and calculates a risk factor for diseases. This software application, by design and usability will be an efficient tool dedicated for fitness, nutrition and health professionals.

An end user evaluation of query formulation and results review tools in three medical meta-search engines.

Science.gov (United States)

Leroy, Gondy; Xu, Jennifer; Chung, Wingyan; Eggers, Shauna; Chen, Hsinchun

2007-01-01

Retrieving sufficient relevant information online is difficult for many people because they use too few keywords to search and search engines do not provide many support tools. To further complicate the search, users often ignore support tools when available. Our goal is to evaluate in a realistic setting when users use support tools and how they perceive these tools. We compared three medical search engines with support tools that require more or less effort from users to form a query and evaluate results. We carried out an end user study with 23 users who were asked to find information, i.e., subtopics and supporting abstracts, for a given theme. We used a balanced within-subjects design and report on the effectiveness, efficiency and usability of the support tools from the end user perspective. We found significant differences in efficiency but did not find significant differences in effectiveness between the three search engines. Dynamic user support tools requiring less effort led to higher efficiency. Fewer searches were needed and more documents were found per search when both query reformulation and result review tools dynamically adjust to the user query. The query reformulation tool that provided a long list of keywords, dynamically adjusted to the user query, was used most often and led to more subtopics. As hypothesized, the dynamic result review tools were used more often and led to more subtopics than static ones. These results were corroborated by the usability questionnaires, which showed that support tools that dynamically optimize output were preferred.

Experiences from Nordic research collaboration in linguistics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helge Sandøy

2007-04-01

Full Text Available The project “Modern loanwords in the languages of the Nordic countries (MIN – Moderne importord i språka i Norden” was the first large-scale collaborative project between linguists in the Nordic countries. This article presents both the aim of the project and some experiences from the work with respect to project design, financing and networking.

How additive manufacturing enables more sustainable end-user maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) strategies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wits, Wessel Willems; Reyes Garcia, José Roberto; Jauregui Becker, Juan Manuel

2016-01-01

This paper projects how Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) strategies can be optimized to the specific needs of end-users using Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies. AM can significantly reduce the design and production times for customized parts. This leads to key advantages for MRO

Evaluating a web-based health risk assessment with tailored feedback: what does an expert focus group yield compared to a web-based end-user survey?

Science.gov (United States)

Vosbergen, Sandra; Mahieu, Guy R; Laan, Eva K; Kraaijenhagen, Roderik A; Jaspers, Monique Wm; Peek, Niels

2014-01-02

Increasingly, Web-based health applications are developed for the prevention and management of chronic diseases. However, their reach and utilization is often disappointing. Qualitative evaluations post-implementation can be used to inform the optimization process and ultimately enhance their adoption. In current practice, such evaluations are mainly performed with end-user surveys. However, a review approach by experts in a focus group may be easier to administer and might provide similar results. The aim of this study was to assess whether industrial design engineers in a focus group would address the same issues as end users in a Web-based survey when evaluating a commercial Web-based health risk assessment (HRA) with tailored feedback. Seven Dutch companies used the HRA as part of their corporate health management strategy. Employees using the HRA (N=2289) and 10 independent industrial designers were invited to participate in the study. The HRA consisted of four components: (1) an electronic health questionnaire, (2) biometric measurements, (3) laboratory evaluation, and (4) individually tailored feedback generated by decision support software. After participating in the HRA as end users, both end users and designers evaluated the program. End users completed an evaluation questionnaire that included a free-text field. Designers participated in a focus group discussion. Constructs from user satisfaction and technology acceptance theories were used to categorize and compare the remarks from both evaluations. We assessed and qualitatively analyzed 294 remarks of 189 end users and 337 remarks of 6 industrial designers, pertaining to 295 issues in total. Of those, 137 issues were addressed in the end-user survey and 148 issues in the designer focus group. Only 7.3% (10/137) of the issues addressed in the survey were also addressed in the focus group. End users made more remarks about the usefulness of the HRA and prior expectations that were not met. Designers made

School meal provision, health, and cognitive function in a Nordic setting - the ProMeal-study: description of methodology and the Nordic context.

Science.gov (United States)

Waling, Maria; Olafsdottir, Anna S; Lagström, Hanna; Wergedahl, Hege; Jonsson, Bert; Olsson, Cecilia; Fossgard, Eldbjørg; Holthe, Asle; Talvia, Sanna; Gunnarsdottir, Ingibjorg; Hörnell, Agneta

2016-01-01

School meals, if both nutritious and attractive, provide a unique opportunity to improve health equality and public health. To describe the study rationale, data collection, and background of participants in the study 'Prospects for promoting health and performance by school meals in Nordic countries' (ProMeal). The general aim was to determine whether overall healthiness of the diet and learning conditions in children can be improved by school lunches, and to capture the main concerns regarding school lunches among children in a Nordic context. A cross-sectional, multidisciplinary study was performed in Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden on pupils (n=837) born in 2003. In total 3,928 pictures of school lunches were taken to capture pupils' school lunch intake. A mean of 85% of all parents responded to a questionnaire about socioeconomic background, dietary intake, and habitual physical activity at home. Cognitive function was measured on one occasion on 93% of the pupils during optimal conditions with a Stroop and a Child Operation Span test. A mean of 169 pupils also did an Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test after lunch over 3 days. In total, 37,413 10-sec observations of classroom learning behavior were performed. In addition, 753 empathy-based stories were written and 78 focus groups were conducted. The pupils had high socioeconomic status. This study will give new insights into which future interventions are needed to improve pupils' school lunch intake and learning. The study will provide valuable information for policy making, not least in countries where the history of school meals is shorter than in some of the Nordic countries.

Performance analysis for waste repositories in the nordic countries. Report for project AFA-1.2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vuori, S. [VTT Energy (Finland); Broden, K. [Studsvik RadWaste AB (Sweden); Carugati, S.; Brodersen, K. [Forskningscenter Risoe (Denmark); Walderhaug, T. [Icelandic Radiation Protection Institute (Iceland); Helgason, J. [Ekra Geological Consulting (Iceland); Sneve, M.; Hornkjoel, S. [Norwegian Radiation Protection (Norway); Backe, S. [IFE (Norway)

1997-02-01

The Nordic Nuclear Safety Research (NKS) project (AFA-1) focused on safety in the final disposal of long-lived low and medium level radioactive waste and its sub project (AFA-1.2), where this report has been produced, is dealing with the performance analysis of the engineered barrier system (near-field) of the repositories for low-and medium level wastes. The topic intentionally excludes the discussion of the characteristics of the geological host medium. Therefore a more generic discussion of the features of performance analysis is possible independent of the fact that different host media are considered in the Nordic countries. The different waste management systems existing and planned in the Nordic countries are shortly described in the report. In the report main emphasis is paid on the general repositories. Some of the phenomena and interactions relevant for a generic type of repository are discussed as well. Among the different approaches for the development of scenarios for safety and performance analyses one particular method - the Rock Engineering System (RES) - was chosen to be demonstratively tested in a brainstorming session, where the possible interactions and their safety significance were discussed employing a simplified and generic Nordic repository system as the reference system. As an overall impression, the AFA-project group concludes that the use of the RES approach is very easy to learn even during a short discussion session. The use of different ways to indicate the safety significance of various interactions in a graphical user interface increases the clarity. Within the project a simple software application was developed employing a generally available spread sheet programme. The developed tool allows an easy opportunity to link the cell specific comments readily available for the `reader` of the obtained results. A short review of the performance analyses carried out in the Nordic countries for actual projects concerning repositories for

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among People with Multiple Sclerosis in the Nordic Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Skovgaard

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Aims. The aim of the study was to describe and compare (1 the types and prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM treatments used among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS in the Nordic countries; (2 the types of conventional treatments besides disease-modifying medicine for MS that were used in combination with CAM treatments; (3 the types of symptoms/health issues addressed by use of CAM treatments. Methods. An internet-based questionnaire was used to collect data from 6455 members of the five Nordic MS societies. The response rates varied from 50.9% in Norway to 61.5% in Iceland. Results. A large range of CAM treatments were reported to be in use in all five Nordic countries. Supplements of vitamins and minerals, supplements of oils, special diet, acupuncture, and herbal medicine were among the CAM treatment modalities most commonly used. The prevalence of the overall use of CAM treatments within the last twelve months varied from 46.0% in Sweden to 58.9% in Iceland. CAM treatments were most often used in combination with conventional treatments. The conventional treatments that were most often combined with CAM treatment were prescription medication, physical therapy, and over-the-counter (OTC medications. The proportion of CAM users who reported exclusive use of CAM (defined as use of no conventional treatments besides disease-modifying medicine for MS varied from 9.5% in Finland to 18.4% in Norway. In all five Nordic countries, CAM treatments were most commonly used for nonspecific/preventative purposes such as strengthening the body in general, improving the body’s muscle strength, and improving well-being. CAM treatments were less often used for the purpose of improving specific symptoms such as body pain, problems with balance, and fatigue/lack of energy. Conclusions. A large range of CAM treatments were used by individuals with MS in all Nordic countries. The most commonly reported rationale for CAM treatment use

Performance analysis for waste repositories in the nordic countries. Report for project AFA-1.2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vuori, S.; Broden, K.; Carugati, S.; Brodersen, K.; Walderhaug, T.; Helgason, J.; Sneve, M.; Hornkjoel, S.; Backe, S.

1997-02-01

The Nordic Nuclear Safety Research (NKS) project (AFA-1) focused on safety in the final disposal of long-lived low and medium level radioactive waste and its sub project (AFA-1.2), where this report has been produced, is dealing with the performance analysis of the engineered barrier system (near-field) of the repositories for low-and medium level wastes. The topic intentionally excludes the discussion of the characteristics of the geological host medium. Therefore a more generic discussion of the features of performance analysis is possible independent of the fact that different host media are considered in the Nordic countries. The different waste management systems existing and planned in the Nordic countries are shortly described in the report. In the report main emphasis is paid on the general repositories. Some of the phenomena and interactions relevant for a generic type of repository are discussed as well. Among the different approaches for the development of scenarios for safety and performance analyses one particular method - the Rock Engineering System (RES) - was chosen to be demonstratively tested in a brainstorming session, where the possible interactions and their safety significance were discussed employing a simplified and generic Nordic repository system as the reference system. As an overall impression, the AFA-project group concludes that the use of the RES approach is very easy to learn even during a short discussion session. The use of different ways to indicate the safety significance of various interactions in a graphical user interface increases the clarity. Within the project a simple software application was developed employing a generally available spread sheet programme. The developed tool allows an easy opportunity to link the cell specific comments readily available for the 'reader' of the obtained results. A short review of the performance analyses carried out in the Nordic countries for actual projects concerning repositories for

Return to sender - American Images of the Nordic Welfare States and Nordic Welfare State Branding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marklund, C.; Petersen, Klaus

2013-01-01

In this article, we study the relationship between the United States of America and Norden, first showing how images of the Nordic model were constructed and reproduced in the United States from the 1920s until the 1960s. We find both utopias and dystopias in these narratives. Second, the article...... argues that these American images, narratives, and stereotypes did not only fulfill a function in the American debate, but were also relayed back to Norden, and affected debate, nation-branding strategies, and self-understandings there. During the Cold War, furthermore, the Nordic welfare state image...

Adherence to the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations in a Nordic population with metabolic syndrome: high salt consumption and low dietary fibre intake (The SYSDIET study).

Science.gov (United States)

Jonsdottir, Svandis Erna; Brader, Lea; Gunnarsdottir, Ingibjorg; Kally Magnusdottir, Ola; Schwab, Ursula; Kolehmainen, Marjukka; Risérus, Ulf; Herzig, Karl-Heinz; Cloetens, Lieselotte; Helgegren, Hannah; Johansson-Persson, Anna; Hukkanen, Janne; Poutanen, Kaisa; Uusitupa, Matti; Hermansen, Kjeld; Thorsdottir, Inga

2013-12-16

The Nordic countries collaborate in setting recommendations for intake of nutrients by publishing the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR). Studies exploring how well the Nordic population adheres to the NNR are limited and none are available for the metabolic syndrome (MetS) subgroup. Individuals with MetS are a large part of the adult Nordic population and their diet's nutritional quality is of great importance as it can affect the progression of MetS. To evaluate nutritional intake in a cohort of Nordic adults with MetS or MetS risk factors and their adherence to the NNR. A multi-centre study was carried out in six centres in four Nordic countries (SYSDIET CoE). Participants (n=175) were 30-65 years of age, with BMI 27-38 kg/m(2) and had at least two criteria for MetS. The NNR was used to evaluate the baseline nutrient intake calculated from the participants' 4-day food diaries using national nutrient databases. Less than 20% of participants consumed ≤10 E% from saturated fat as recommended in the NNR. Recommended intake (RI) of polyunsaturated fat was met by approximately one-third of participants. Only 20% of men and 26% of women met the RI of dietary fibre. Intake below the defined lower intake level of 2.5 µg/day for vitamin D was observed in nearly 20% of participants. The daily median intake of salt was 8.8 g for men and 6.7 g for women. Dietary quality of this Nordic population with Mets or MetS risk factors is unsatisfactory and characterised by high intakes of SFA and sodium and low intakes of PUFA and dietary fibre. Vitamin D intake was below RI level in a large part of the population. Authorities in the Nordic countries are encouraged to develop intervention programmes for high-risk groups.

The Nordic Seas carbon budget: Sources, sinks, and uncertainties

OpenAIRE

Jeansson, Emil; Olsen, Are; Eldevik, Tor; Skjelvan, Ingunn; Omar, Abdirahman M.; Lauvset, Siv K.; Nilsen, Jan Even Ø.; Bellerby, Richard G. J; Johannessen, Truls; Falck, Eva

2011-01-01

A carbon budget for the Nordic Seas is derived by combining recent inorganic carbon data from the CARINA database with relevant volume transports. Values of organic carbon in the Nordic Seas' water masses, the amount of carbon input from river runoff, and the removal through sediment burial are taken from the literature. The largest source of carbon to the Nordic Seas is the Atlantic Water that enters the area across the Greenland-Scotland Ridge; this is in particular true for the anthropogen...

Quality of Kindergarten Teachers Training in regard to Science: a joint Nordic Approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sortland, Merete; Tikkanen, Tarja Irene; Presthus Heggen, Marianne

2017-01-01

This article presents a new joint Nordic study module consisting of a theoretical framework, the kindergarten teacher students’ case study and a reflection talk, in natural science for the kindergarten teacher education. The module is developed through an interdisciplinary collaboration in the No......This article presents a new joint Nordic study module consisting of a theoretical framework, the kindergarten teacher students’ case study and a reflection talk, in natural science for the kindergarten teacher education. The module is developed through an interdisciplinary collaboration...... and competence are shortly discussed. It is followed by the module’s theoretical framework. Then the study module’s development process is described accompanied by reflections of the student’s case studies in relation to the theoretical framework. At the end, the work with the study module is summarised......, and the main conclusion is that the study module contributes positively to the students’ skills development, both in science and quality....

Occupational Science in a Nordic perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borg, Tove; Bendixen, HJ; Frydendal, E

The book is anthology and the first of its kind to be publiched in the Nordic countries. It comprices contributions from Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The authors write from respective fields of interest, research perspectives and personal experiences. The overall goal is to present a vision and im...... and importance of Occupational Science in a Nordic perspective, in responce to the American understanding. The anthology comprise 14 articles and adresses all with an interest in research in human activity and social participation....

Summary of the 4th nordic symposium on digital pathology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claes Lundström

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The Nordic symposium on digital pathology (NDP was created to promote knowledge exchange across stakeholders in health care, industry, and academia. In 2016, the 4th NDP installment took place in Linköping, Sweden, promoting development and collaboration in digital pathology for the benefit of routine care advances. This article summarizes the symposium, gathering 170 attendees from 13 countries. This summary also contains results from a survey on integrated diagnostics aspects, in particular radiology-pathology collaboration.

Nordic Walking Practice Might Improve Plantar Pressure Distribution

Science.gov (United States)

Perez-Soriano, Pedro; Llana-Belloch, Salvador; Martinez-Nova, Alfonso; Morey-Klapsing, G.; Encarnacion-Martinez, Alberto

2011-01-01

Nordic walking (NW), characterized by the use of two walking poles, is becoming increasingly popular (Morgulec-Adamowicz, Marszalek, & Jagustyn, 2011). We studied walking pressure patterns of 20 experienced and 30 beginner Nordic walkers. Plantar pressures from nine foot zones were measured during trials performed at two walking speeds (preferred…

Optimal planning of the Nordic transmission system with 100% electric vehicle penetration of passenger cars by 2050

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graabak, Ingeborg; Wu, Qiuwei; Warland, Leif; Liu, Zhaoxi

2016-01-01

This paper presents the optimal planning of the Nordic backbone transmission system with 100% electric vehicle penetration of passenger cars by 2050. Electric vehicles will play an important role in the future energy systems and can reduce the greenhouse gas emission from the transport sector. However, the electric vehicles will increase the electricity consumption and might induce congestions in the transmission systems. In order to deal with the electricity consumption increase from the electric vehicle integration into the power system and maximize the social welfare, the optimal investments of the Nordic transmission system are studied. Case studies were conducted using the market simulation model EMPS (Efi's multi-area power market simulator) and two electric vehicle charging scenarios: a spot price based scenario and a dumb charging scenario. The electric vehicle charging power is assumed to be 3.68 kW with 1 phase 16 A. The complete electrification of the private passenger fleet increases the yearly power demand in the Nordic region with ca 7.5%. The profitable increases in transmission capacities are highest for dumb charging, but are very low for both dumb and spot price based charging compared to a Reference case. - Highlights: • The electric vehicle distribution is done using population and car statistics. • The 100% penetration electric vehicle demand is obtained for Nordic countries. • The optimal investments in the Nordic transmission system with electric vehicles are studied.

Building Bridge between End-Users and E&T Organizations, Case Study: Romania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavel, G. L.; Ghitescu, P.

2016-01-01

Full text: Over the last decade a constant concern of both E&T providers and end-users was formalizing and shaping the content of transmitted knowledge in order to fit most the industry needs. The EU Member States were invited to relate their national qualifications systems and to use an approach based on learning outcomes when defining and describing qualifications, and promoting the validation of non-formal and informal learning. This approach is the European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training together with the implementation of already existing in industry Systematic Approach to Training. Nevertheless a gap between the provided education and industry expectations still exists and the purpose of the case study was to build a bridge between E&T providers and end-users regarding exchange of information, needs, methodologies and tools, with the expected outcome of shaping the curriculum according to actual industry needs. University Politehnica Bucharest together with partners from industry (Energonuclear-Romania), research (Jožef Stefan Institute, Slovenia) and training (Tecnatom-Spain) developed a project aimed at filling this gap. Following the analysis of specific personnel needs based on a new proposed methodology, the partners evaluated the learning outcomes and proposed correction of curricula by new learning activities. (author

Dermatological moulage collections in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Worm, A M.; Sinisalo, H.; Eilertsen, G.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: The art of producing and acquiring dermatological wax models, moulages, flourished all over Europe in the beginning of the twentieth century, whereas very little is known about the existence of moulage collections in the Nordic countries. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to elucidate...... the presence, the origin, the production place, the use and the condition of dermatological moulage collections in the Nordic countries. METHODS: In each Nordic country, an extensive survey was undertaken during spring 2016. Dermatological departments, museums with medical collections, persons assumed to have...... specific information about wax moulages as well as secondary sources were contacted and interviewed. RESULTS: Several hitherto undescribed collections have survived in each country, most however damaged and in disrepair. One Danish and part of a Finnish collection have been restored. Only few moulages...

Unidata's Vision for Providing Comprehensive and End-to-end Data Services

Science.gov (United States)

Ramamurthy, M. K.

2009-05-01

This paper presents Unidata's vision for providing comprehensive, well-integrated, and end-to-end data services for the geosciences. These include an array of functions for collecting, finding, and accessing data; data management tools for generating, cataloging, and exchanging metadata; and submitting or publishing, sharing, analyzing, visualizing, and integrating data. When this vision is realized, users no matter where they are or how they are connected to the Internetwill be able to find and access a plethora of geosciences data and use Unidata-provided tools and services both productively and creatively in their research and education. What that vision means for the Unidata community is elucidated by drawing a simple analogy. Most of users are familiar with Amazon and eBay e-commerce sites and content sharing sites like YouTube and Flickr. On the eBay marketplace, people can sell practically anything at any time and buyers can share their experience of purchasing a product or the reputation of a seller. Likewise, at Amazon, thousands of merchants sell their goods and millions of customers not only buy those goods, but provide a review or opinion of the products they buy and share their experiences as purchasers. Similarly, YouTube and Flickr are sites tailored to video- and photo-sharing, respectively, where users can upload their own content and share it with millions of other users, including family and friends. What all these sites, together with social-networking applications like MySpace and Facebook, have enabled is a sense of a virtual community in which users can search and browse products or content, comment and rate those products from anywhere, at any time, and via any Internet- enabled device like an iPhone, laptop, or a desktop computer. In essence, these enterprises have fundamentally altered people's buying modes and behavior toward purchases. Unidata believes that similar approaches, appropriately tailored to meet the needs of the scientific

Energy integration experiences at the Europe, at the Nordic countries and at the Central America: considerations relevant to the South America integration process; Experiencias de integracao energetica na Europa, nos paises nordicos e na America Central: consideracoes relevantes ao processo de integracao Sul-Americana

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campos, Adriana Fiorotti; Andreza, Fernanda Marques Pereira; Soares, Jeferson Borghetti; Pinheiro, Maria Fernanda Bacile; Oliveira, Ricardo Gorini de [Empresa de Pesquisa Energetica (EPE), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)], Emails: adriana.campos@epe.gov.br, fernanda.andreza@epe.gov.br; jeferson.soares@epe.gov.br, maria.pinheiro, ricardo.gorini@epe.gov.br

2010-07-01

In view of institutional/contractual regulatory problems at the South America, some experiences of energy integration at the electrical sectors and natural gas (Nordic countries. European Union and Central America), identifying related vantages and advantageous. Besides, there is an attempt of characterization of the process step of energy integration, and the fitting of regions in these steps, observing that the process of energy integration in the South America it is found in a initial step yet if it is considered the used methodology by the Colombian enterprise Interconexion Electrica S.A.E.S.P. - ISA (2007)

Impact of Seawater Nonlinearities on Nordic Seas Circulation

Science.gov (United States)

Helber, R. W.; Wallcraft, A. J.; Shriver, J. F.

2017-12-01

The Nordic Seas (Greenland, Iceland, and Norwegian Seas) form an ocean basin important for Arctic-mid-latitude climate linkages. Cold fresh water from the Arctic Ocean and warm salty water from the North Atlantic Ocean meet in the Nordic Seas, where a delicate balance between temperature and salinity variability results in deep water formation. Seawater non-linearities are stronger at low temperatures and salinities making high-latitude oceans highly subject to thermbaricity and cabbeling. This presentation highlights and quantifies the impact of seawater non-linearities on the Nordic Seas circulation. We use two layered ocean circulation models, the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYOCM) and the Modular Ocean Model version 6 (MOM6), that enable accurate representation of processes along and across density or neutral density surfaces. Different equations-of-state and vertical coordinates are evaluated to clarify the impact of seawater non-linearities. Present Navy systems, however, do not capture some features in the Nrodic Seas vertical structure. For example, observations from the Greenland Sea reveal a subsurface temperature maximum that deepens from approximately 1500 m during 1998 to 1800 m during 2005. We demonstrate that in terms of density, salinity is the largest source of error in Nordic Seas Navy forecasts, regional scale models can represent mesoscale features driven by thermobaricity, vertical coordinates are a critical issue in Nordic Sea circulation modeling.

End-User Searching in a Large Library Network: A Case Study of Patent Attorneys.

Science.gov (United States)

Vollaro, Alice J.; Hawkins, Donald T.

1986-01-01

Reports results of study of a group of end users (patent attorneys) doing their own online searching at AT&T Bell Laboratories. Highlights include DIALOG databases used by the attorneys, locations and searching modes, characteristics of patent attorney searchers, and problem areas. Questionnaire is appended. (5 references) (EJS)

Presentations at the ARGONA End Users Conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

The Uppsala conference is an opportunity for communication and dissemination of preliminary results from the ARGONA project and to give the project feedback on its preliminary results and recommendations. The intention is also to give a wider view of the state of knowledge about participation and transparency in radioactive waste management in Europe by the active participation of three other major on-going or recently ended projects - CARL (Citizen stakeholders, Agencies responsible for radioactive waste management, social science Research organizations and Licensing and regulatory authorities), OBRA (European Observatory for long-term governance on radioactive waste management) and CIP (COWAM (Community Waste Management) in Practice). The conference provides a forum for municipalities, other end users and researchers to discuss the outcome of research in the field, and to reach their own respective positions about their needs for participation and transparency in the future. The focus is thus on practical implications of research, (The ARGONA Project Arenas for Risk Governance) is a project within the sixth Euratom research and training Framework Programme (FP6) on nuclear energy of the European Commission). The following presentations can be viewed at the home page: Research on radioactive waste governance under the 6th Euratom Framework Programme for Research and Training on Nuclear Energy; The ARGONA Project - Background and objectives, preliminary conclusions and recommendations; The CARL Project; The OBRA Project: Vision and results; The CIP Project; An Internet Forum for Public Discussion on Nuclear Waste Management - An Uppsala Regional Council initiative; Implementing geological disposal of radioactive waste - A Technological Platform; The Transparency Programme of the Swedish National Council for Nuclear Waste; The need for implementation of research results on the governance of nuclear waste management

Iodine status in the Nordic countries – past and present

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helena Filipsson Nyström

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Adequate iodine nutrition is dependent on ground water content, seafood, and, as many countries use iodized cow fodder, dairy products. In most countries, salt fortification programs are needed to assure adequate iodine intake. Objectives: The objectives are threefold: 1 to describe the past and present iodine situation in the Nordic countries, 2 to identify important gaps of knowledge, and 3 to highlight differences among the Nordic countries’ iodine biomonitoring and fortification policies. Design: Historical data are compared with the current situation. The Nordic countries’ strategies to achieve recommended intake and urine iodine levels and their respective success rates are evaluated. Results: In the past, the iodine situation ranged from excellent in Iceland to widespread goiter and cretinism in large areas of Sweden. The situation was less severe in Norway and Finland. According to a 1960 World Health Organization (WHO report, there were then no observations of iodine deficiency in Denmark. In Sweden and Finland, the fortification of table salt was introduced 50–75 years ago, and in Norway and Finland, the fortification of cow fodder starting in the 1950s helped improve the population's iodine status due to the high intake of milk. In Denmark, iodine has been added to household salt and salt in bread for the past 15 years. The Nordic countries differ with regard to regulations and degree of governmental involvement. There are indications that pregnant and lactating women, the two most vulnerable groups, are mildly deficient in iodine in several of the Nordic countries. Conclusion: The Nordic countries employ different strategies to attain adequate iodine nutrition. The situation is not optimal and is in need of re-evaluation. Iodine researchers, Nordic national food administrations, and Nordic governmental institutions would benefit from collaboration to attain a broader approach and guarantee good iodine health for all.

Iodine status in the Nordic countries – past and present

Science.gov (United States)

Nyström, Helena Filipsson; Brantsæter, Anne Lise; Erlund, Iris; Gunnarsdottir, Ingibjörg; Hulthén, Lena; Laurberg, Peter; Mattisson, Irene; Rasmussen, Lone Banke; Virtanen, Suvi; Meltzer, Helle Margrete

2016-01-01

Background Adequate iodine nutrition is dependent on ground water content, seafood, and, as many countries use iodized cow fodder, dairy products. In most countries, salt fortification programs are needed to assure adequate iodine intake. Objectives The objectives are threefold: 1) to describe the past and present iodine situation in the Nordic countries, 2) to identify important gaps of knowledge, and 3) to highlight differences among the Nordic countries’ iodine biomonitoring and fortification policies. Design Historical data are compared with the current situation. The Nordic countries’ strategies to achieve recommended intake and urine iodine levels and their respective success rates are evaluated. Results In the past, the iodine situation ranged from excellent in Iceland to widespread goiter and cretinism in large areas of Sweden. The situation was less severe in Norway and Finland. According to a 1960 World Health Organization (WHO) report, there were then no observations of iodine deficiency in Denmark. In Sweden and Finland, the fortification of table salt was introduced 50–75 years ago, and in Norway and Finland, the fortification of cow fodder starting in the 1950s helped improve the population's iodine status due to the high intake of milk. In Denmark, iodine has been added to household salt and salt in bread for the past 15 years. The Nordic countries differ with regard to regulations and degree of governmental involvement. There are indications that pregnant and lactating women, the two most vulnerable groups, are mildly deficient in iodine in several of the Nordic countries. Conclusion The Nordic countries employ different strategies to attain adequate iodine nutrition. The situation is not optimal and is in need of re-evaluation. Iodine researchers, Nordic national food administrations, and Nordic governmental institutions would benefit from collaboration to attain a broader approach and guarantee good iodine health for all. PMID:27283870

Shared and task-specific muscle synergies of Nordic walking and conventional walking.

Science.gov (United States)

Boccia, G; Zoppirolli, C; Bortolan, L; Schena, F; Pellegrini, B

2018-03-01

Nordic walking is a form of walking that includes a poling action, and therefore an additional subtask, with respect to conventional walking. The aim of this study was to assess whether Nordic walking required a task-specific muscle coordination with respect to conventional walking. We compared the electromyographic (EMG) activity of 15 upper- and lower-limb muscles of 9 Nordic walking instructors, while executing Nordic walking and conventional walking at 1.3 ms -1 on a treadmill. Non-negative matrix factorization method was applied to identify muscle synergies, representing the spatial and temporal organization of muscle coordination. The number of muscle synergies was not different between Nordic walking (5.2 ± 0.4) and conventional walking (5.0 ± 0.7, P = .423). Five muscle synergies accounted for 91.2 ± 1.1% and 92.9 ± 1.2% of total EMG variance in Nordic walking and conventional walking, respectively. Similarity and cross-reconstruction analyses showed that 4 muscle synergies, mainly involving lower-limb and trunk muscles, are shared between Nordic walking and conventional walking. One synergy acting during upper limb propulsion is specific to Nordic walking, modifying the spatial organization and the magnitude of activation of upper limb muscles compared to conventional walking. The inclusion of the poling action in Nordic walking does not increase the complexity of movement control and does not change the coordination of lower limb muscles. This makes Nordic walking a physical activity suitable also for people with low motor skill. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Integrated Reliability and Risk Analysis System (IRRAS) Version 2.0 user's guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, K.D.; Sattison, M.B.; Rasmuson, D.M.

1990-06-01

The Integrated Reliability and Risk Analysis System (IRRAS) is a state-of-the-art, microcomputer-based probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) model development and analysis tool to address key nuclear plant safety issues. IRRAS is an integrated software tool that gives the user the ability to create and analyze fault trees and accident sequences using a microcomputer. This program provides functions that range from graphical fault tree construction to cut set generation and quantification. Also provided in the system is an integrated full-screen editor for use when interfacing with remote mainframe computer systems. Version 1.0 of the IRRAS program was released in February of 1987. Since that time, many user comments and enhancements have been incorporated into the program providing a much more powerful and user-friendly system. This version has been designated IRRAS 2.0 and is the subject of this user's guide. Version 2.0 of IRRAS provides all of the same capabilities as Version 1.0 and adds a relational data base facility for managing the data, improved functionality, and improved algorithm performance. 9 refs., 292 figs., 4 tabs

The Reinvention of Nordic Terroir and the Making of Gastrotourism Places

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gyimóthy, Szilvia

contributed to the mediatization of Nordic regional gastronomy. But how can we conceptualize contemporary food place promotion strategies the Nordic context, in which terroir was virtually absent before 2004 (the year when the New Nordic Cuisine manifesto was issued)? To address the question, this paper...... studies place branding narratives that mobilize local food and contemporary gastronomic trends by revisiting the notion of terroir (taste of place) as a strategic marketing asset. In particular, it explores how rural tourism destinations with little or no gastronomic heritage exploit the discourses of New...... Nordic Food to create a distinct sense of place. An extensive review of the literature identifies two conservationist strategies by which terroir narratives are constructed (accreditation and patrimonialization), neither of which fully capturing the particular rhetoric approaches shaping the Nordic...

Prescription drugs purchased through the internet: who are the end users?

Science.gov (United States)

Inciardi, James A; Surratt, Hilary L; Cicero, Theodore J; Rosenblum, Andrew; Ahwah, Candice; Bailey, J Elise; Dart, Richard C; Burke, John J

2010-07-01

Although prescription drugs are readily available on the Internet, little is known about the prevalence of Internet use for the purchase of medications without a legitimate prescription, and the characteristics of those that obtain non-prescribed drugs through online sources. The scientific literature on this topic is limited to anecdotal reports or studies plagued by small sample sizes. Within this context, the focus of this paper is an examination of five national data sets from the U.S. with the purpose of estimating: (1) how common obtaining prescription medications from the Internet actually is, (2) who are the typical populations of "end users" of these non-prescribed medications, and (3) which drugs are being purchased without a prescription. Three of the data sets are drawn from the RADARS (Researched Abuse Diversion and Addiction-Related Surveillance) System, a comprehensive series of studies designed to collect timely and geographically specific data on the abuse and diversion of a number of prescription stimulants and opioid analgesics. The remaining data sets include the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and the Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey. Our analysis yielded uniformly low rates of prescription drug acquisition from online sources across all five data systems we examined. The consistency of this finding across very diverse populations suggests that the Internet is a relatively minor source for illicit purchases of prescription medications by the individual end-users of these drugs. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nordic Migration and Integration Research

OpenAIRE

Pyrhönen, Niko; Martikainen, Tuomas; Leinonen, Johanna

2017-01-01

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Migration and integration are currently highly contentious topics in political, public and scientific arenas, and will remain so in the near future. However, many common migration-related prejudices and inefficien¬cies in the integration of the migrant population are due to the lack of sound, tested and accessible scientific research. Therefore, the study of migration – by developing basic research and by properly resourcing novel methodological approaches and interventions ...

Challenges for future family policies in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

responsibility of parents, but also a responsibility to be shared with society. Moreover, the Nordic welfare model goes hand-in-hand with the women’s movement by offering opportunities for women, as well as men, to also participate in education and employment. The question remains how more recent trends...... such as New Public Management principles and increased focus on children’s positions and rights affect family policies in the Nordic countries? The authors, who come from all five Nordic countries, discuss the following topics: issues related to family demographics, children’s position in society...

Survey of system responsibility in the Nordic countries. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-02-01

In September 2004 the Nordic Council of Ministers asked Nordel to perform some tasks and present the results to the Council on 1 March 2005. One of the tasks is to survey how system responsibility is defined and executed in the different Nordic countries. According to the Nordic Council of Ministers, the survey shall illuminate similarities and differences between the countries and assess the reasons for the differences. Nordel is asked to present a joint view system responsibility in the Nordic countries. Among other things, the responsibility for the system operators and the participants in the market shall be defined. The definition shall also include the distribution of costs between costs for network business and costs for business in competition. This shall be done in a way that creates a common platform for the further harmonisation work and continuous positive development of the Nordic electricity market. It is also important to identify the need for changes in e.g. legislation and guidelines in the different countries as a consequence of an implementation of a common definition in the Nordic countries. Areas to be included in the task are among others, balance settlement, security of supply, congestion management and system services. (BA)

Regulated and unregulated Nordic retail prices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnsen, Tor Arnt; Olsen, Ole Jess

2011-01-01

Nordic residential electricity consumers can now choose among a number of contracts and suppliers. A large number of households have continued to purchase electricity from the incumbent supplier at default contract terms. In this paper, we compare the situation for such passive customers. Danish default prices are regulated whereas default prices in the other countries are unregulated. Systematic price differences exist among the Nordic countries. However, as wholesale prices sometimes differ the gross margin is a more relevant indicator. Regulated gross margins are lower in Denmark than in Sweden but higher than in Norway and Finland. Because of market design Norwegian default contracts are competitive whereas Swedish contracts provide the retailer with some market power. We interpret the low Finnish margins as a result of municipal retailers continuing traditional pricing from the monopoly period. Danish margins are higher than the competitive Norwegian margins but are earned from a much lower level of consumption. The annually margins earned per consumer are very close in the two countries, which indicates that the Danish regulation is achieving its objective of approaching competitive prices. - Highlights: → Prices of active and passive Nordic residential electricity consumers are compared. → Active consumers get lower prices in Sweden but not in Norway. → Prices of passive consumers differ considerably among the four Nordic countries. → Danish regulated prices compare well with unregulated prices in the other countries. → Passive consumers in Finland have low prices compared with the other countries.

Regulated and unregulated Nordic retail prices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnsen, Tor Arnt, E-mail: tor.a.johnsen@bi.no [Norwegian School of Management BI, NO-0442 Oslo (Norway); Olsen, Ole Jess, E-mail: ojo@ruc.dk [Department of Environmental, Social and Spatial Change (ENSPAC), Roskilde University, Building 10.1, Universitetsvej 1, DK-4000, Roskilde (Denmark)

2011-06-15

Nordic residential electricity consumers can now choose among a number of contracts and suppliers. A large number of households have continued to purchase electricity from the incumbent supplier at default contract terms. In this paper, we compare the situation for such passive customers. Danish default prices are regulated whereas default prices in the other countries are unregulated. Systematic price differences exist among the Nordic countries. However, as wholesale prices sometimes differ the gross margin is a more relevant indicator. Regulated gross margins are lower in Denmark than in Sweden but higher than in Norway and Finland. Because of market design Norwegian default contracts are competitive whereas Swedish contracts provide the retailer with some market power. We interpret the low Finnish margins as a result of municipal retailers continuing traditional pricing from the monopoly period. Danish margins are higher than the competitive Norwegian margins but are earned from a much lower level of consumption. The annually margins earned per consumer are very close in the two countries, which indicates that the Danish regulation is achieving its objective of approaching competitive prices. - Highlights: > Prices of active and passive Nordic residential electricity consumers are compared. > Active consumers get lower prices in Sweden but not in Norway. > Prices of passive consumers differ considerably among the four Nordic countries. > Danish regulated prices compare well with unregulated prices in the other countries. > Passive consumers in Finland have low prices compared with the other countries.

Why do NRM regional planning processes and tools have limited effect? Presenting the perspective of the end user

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dana Reiter

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Natural resource managers are required to prepare a plan for managing the natural resources in their regions. Environmental decision support systems (EDSS have been developed to assist managers and stakeholders make decisions about complex natural resource problems. Research has shown that these EDSS are valuable and used internationally. However, sustainability science literature reports that too often these natural resource management (NRM plans are not consulted upon completion, and the EDSS are no longer used. To gain insight into why the EDSS are no longer used after the research and development phase of the NRM planning project, we have asked the stakeholders, as end users of the EDSS tool themselves, to share their perceptions of, and experience with development of the tool and then, the tool itself. This paper reports on the perspectives of the end users of an EDSS used in a South Australian NRM planning project from 2011 to 2013. The findings were mixed in that they show that the majority (90% of respondents felt the EDSS had overall value, yet it was virtually abandoned after the completion of the planning project. Further, just over half of respondents reported that they thought that the EDSS should have been used on a regular basis after the pilot project ended. We conclude that genuine capacity development, aided by the EDSS, took place during the project. However, the lack of use of the EDSS after the pilot project finished was the result of failures both with researcher follow up and especially with the lack of commitment from government agencies who support and influence the array of end users. Unless agencies commit to the changed practices identified by end users that would support ongoing use of EDSS it is inevitable that the legacy value of EDSS development will remain limited.

Power engineers of the Nordic and Baltic countries in Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veski, Rein

1999-01-01

The Estonian delegation had been invited by Helsinki Energy to participate in the Nordic-Baltic District Heating Symposium. Distance heating enjoys a wide popularity in the Nordic countries. For heating purposes the use of biofuels, incl. peat, is highly recommended. Biofuels have found wide use in the Nordic countries, the share of peat being more considerable in Finland. The Estonians attended also the MODIS Workshop and made a visit to heat enterprises. (author)

End-User Software for Efficient Sensor Placement in Jacketed Wine Tanks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dominik Schmidt

2018-06-01

Full Text Available In food processing, temperature is a key parameter affecting product quality and energy consumption. The efficiency of temperature control depends on the data provided by sensors installed in the production device. In the wine industry, temperature sensor placement inside the tanks is usually predetermined by the tank manufacturers. Winemakers rely on these measurements and configure their temperature control accordingly, not knowing whether the monitored values really represent the wine’s bulk temperature. To address this problem, we developed an end-user software which 1. allows winemakers or tank manufacturers to identify optimal sensor locations for customizable tank geometries and 2. allows for comparisons between actual and optimal sensor placements. The analysis is based on numerical simulations of a user-defined cooling scenario. Case studies involving two different tanks showed good agreement between experimental data and simulations. Implemented based on the scientific Linux operating system gmlinux, the application solely relies on open-source software that is available free of charge.

The Nordic Research programme on nuclear safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-06-01

Only two of the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden) - Sweden and Finland - operate nuclear power plants, but there are a number of nuclear installations close to their borders. Regular 4-year programmes were initiated in 1977, designated NKS-programmes. (NKS: Nordisk KerneSikkerhedsforskning - Nordic nuclear-safety research). The current fourth NKS-programme is, influenced by the Chernobyl accident, dominated by the necessity for acquiring knowledge on unexpected events and release of radioactive material from nuclear installations. The present programme is divided into the areas of emergency preparedness, waste and decommissioning, radioecology and reactor safety. It comprises a total of 18 projects, the results of which will later be published in the form of handbooks for use in cases of emergency etc. The future of joint Nordic project work in the nuclear safety field must be seen in the light of changing conditions in and around the Nordic countries, such as the opening of relations to neighbours in the east, the move towards the European Communities and the need for training a new generation of specialists in the nuclear field etc. Each project is described in considerable detail and a list of reports resulting from the third NKS-programme 1985-1989 is given. (AB)

Language attitudes and the ideology of the Nordic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thøgersen, Jacob Martin; Östman, Jan Ola

2010-01-01

This article discusses the rise and the current standing of “Norden” (the Nordic societies) as an imagined community (Anderson, Imagined communities, Verso, 1991). The ideology of Norden as a coherent community rests on the one hand on the perceived mutual intelligibility of the Scandinavian...... languages, used as mother tongue or as lingua franca. On the other hand the ideology of Norden rests on a sense of historical unity. Historically, the ideology of the Nordic grew out of the era of national romanticism. The present study therefore addresses the pertinent question of how the ideology...... of the Nordic fares in late modernity where ideology is under threat from more “rational”, e.g., financial lines of thinking....

Adherence to the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations in a Nordic population with metabolic syndrome: high salt consumption and low dietary fibre intake (The SYSDIET study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svandis Erna Jonsdottir

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Background: The Nordic countries collaborate in setting recommendations for intake of nutrients by publishing the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR. Studies exploring how well the Nordic population adheres to the NNR are limited and none are available for the metabolic syndrome (MetS subgroup. Individuals with MetS are a large part of the adult Nordic population and their diet's nutritional quality is of great importance as it can affect the progression of MetS. Objective: To evaluate nutritional intake in a cohort of Nordic adults with MetS or MetS risk factors and their adherence to the NNR. Design: A multi-centre study was carried out in six centres in four Nordic countries (SYSDIET CoE. Participants (n=175 were 30–65 years of age, with BMI 27–38 kg/m2 and had at least two criteria for MetS. The NNR was used to evaluate the baseline nutrient intake calculated from the participants’ 4-day food diaries using national nutrient databases. Results: Less than 20% of participants consumed ≤10 E% from saturated fat as recommended in the NNR. Recommended intake (RI of polyunsaturated fat was met by approximately one-third of participants. Only 20% of men and 26% of women met the RI of dietary fibre. Intake below the defined lower intake level of 2.5 µg/day for vitamin D was observed in nearly 20% of participants. The daily median intake of salt was 8.8 g for men and 6.7 g for women. Conclusion: Dietary quality of this Nordic population with Mets or MetS risk factors is unsatisfactory and characterised by high intakes of SFA and sodium and low intakes of PUFA and dietary fibre. Vitamin D intake was below RI level in a large part of the population. Authorities in the Nordic countries are encouraged to develop intervention programmes for high-risk groups.

Nordic Walking improves daily physical activities in COPD: a randomised controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Breyer Marie-Kathrin

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In patients with COPD progressive dyspnoea leads to a sedentary lifestyle. To date, no studies exist investigating the effects of Nordic Walking in patients with COPD. Therefore, the aim was to determine the feasibility of Nordic Walking in COPD patients at different disease stages. Furthermore we aimed to determine the short- and long-term effects of Nordic Walking on COPD patients' daily physical activity pattern as well as on patients exercise capacity. Methods Sixty COPD patients were randomised to either Nordic Walking or to a control group. Patients of the Nordic Walking group (n = 30; age: 62 ± 9 years; FEV1: 48 ± 19% predicted underwent a three-month outdoor Nordic Walking exercise program consisting of one hour walking at 75% of their initial maximum heart rate three times per week, whereas controls had no exercise intervention. Primary endpoint: daily physical activities (measured by a validated tri-axial accelerometer; secondary endpoint: functional exercise capacity (measured by the six-minute walking distance; 6MWD. Assessment time points in both groups: baseline, after three, six and nine months. Results After three month training period, in the Nordic Walking group time spent walking and standing as well as intensity of walking increased (Δ walking time: +14.9 ± 1.9 min/day; Δ standing time: +129 ± 26 min/day; Δ movement intensity: +0.40 ± 0.14 m/s2 while time spent sitting decreased (Δ sitting time: -128 ± 15 min/day compared to baseline (all: p Conclusions Nordic Walking is a feasible, simple and effective physical training modality in COPD. In addition, Nordic Walking has proven to positively impact the daily physical activity pattern of COPD patients under short- and long-term observation. Clinical trial registration Nordic Walking improves daily physical activities in COPD: a randomised controlled trial - ISRCTN31525632

Effect of variable consumption habits in the Nordic populations on ECOSYS model predictions of ingestion dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, Sven P.; Andersson, Kasper G.; Hansen, Hanne S.; Thoerring, Haavard; Joensen, Hans P.; Isaksson, Mats; Kostiainen, Eila; Suolanen, Vesa; Sigurgeirsson, Magnus A.; Palsson, Sigurour E.

2008-01-01

Full text: The two European standard decision support systems, ARGOS and RODOS, have in recent years become increasingly integrated in the Nordic preparedness against nuclear and radiological accidents and incidents. In the event of an emergency, decision making will rest heavily on the reliability of these tools. The ECOSYS model is the ingestion dose module in both decision support systems. This module is highly sensitive to variation in a number of input parameters, food production patterns, diets and environmental transfer data. With regard to for instance consumption habits, the ECOSYS default values, based on data from Southern Germany, have shown to be inadequate for Nordic conditions. We have thus collected recent data describing the human diets for four different age groups in each of the Nordic countries. Also the fractions of the consumed food items that have national origin and the animal feeding regimes in each of the Nordic countries have been examined. For a particular contamination scenario of atmospheric deposition of caesium-137, country specific data regarding consumption habits were used for dose calculations. Resulting 'country specific' doses were then compared among the participating countries and with the doses calculated using the default values of the parameters.The collected data for diets demonstrated that the average consumption of milk varied by a factor of 4-5 among the Nordic countries, and consumption of leafy vegetables varied by a factor of almost 4. Calculated ingestion doses based on country specific data for diets, with all other parameters being default values, varied by a factor of 1.8 among the countries. When also the import fractions were taken into account the calculated doses varied by a factor of 2. Due to the differences in the climate among the Nordic countries, and between these countries and Southern Germany, there were also very significant differences in the production regimes of some food items. In countries in

Avoidable cancers in the Nordic countries. External environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dreyer, L; Andersen, A; Pukkala, E

1997-01-01

of the Nordic countries, corresponding to 7.3 million people, lives in urban areas. If there is an excess risk associated with air pollution, the annual number of lung cancer cases around the year 2000 in the Nordic countries would range from 0 (no excess risk) to 1,800 (relative risk, 1.5). As the existence...

A Nordic view on perspectives for radioecology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, S.P.

2002-01-01

At the turn of millennium, several scientists have expressed their thoughts on the future of radioecology and related topics in the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. These contributions are listed and commented upon. The role of radioecology in the 6th Euratom Framework Programme (2002-2006) is discussed. Previous Nordic radioecology seminars are summarised and trends identified, and suggestions are given for future Nordic activities and developments in the field of environmental radioactivity. (au)

A Nordic view on perspectives for radioecology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nielsen, S P [Risoe National Lab., Roskilde (Denmark)

2002-04-01

At the turn of millennium, several scientists have expressed their thoughts on the future of radioecology and related topics in the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. These contributions are listed and commented upon. The role of radioecology in the 6th Euratom Framework Programme (2002-2006) is discussed. Previous Nordic radioecology seminars are summarised and trends identified, and suggestions are given for future Nordic activities and developments in the field of environmental radioactivity. (au)

Information Society Visions in the Nordic Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henten, Anders; Kristensen, Thomas Myrup

2000-01-01

This paper analyses the information society visions put forward by the governments/administrations of the Nordic countries and compares them to the visions advanced at the EU-level. The paper suggests that the information society visions constitute a kind of common ideology for almost the whole...... political spectrum although it is characterised by a high degree of neo-liberal thinking. It is further argued that there is no distinctly Nordic model for an information society....

Intimate partner violence against women and the Nordic paradox.

Science.gov (United States)

Gracia, Enrique; Merlo, Juan

2016-05-01

Nordic countries are the most gender equal countries in the world, but at the same time they have disproportionally high prevalence rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women. High prevalence of IPV against women, and high levels of gender equality would appear contradictory, but these apparently opposite statements appear to be true in Nordic countries, producing what could be called the 'Nordic paradox'. Despite this paradox being one of the most puzzling issues in the field, this is a research question rarely asked, and one that remains unanswered. This paper explores a number of theoretical and methodological issues that may help to understand this paradox. Efforts to understand the Nordic paradox may provide an avenue to guide new research on IPV and to respond to this major public health problem in a more effective way. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Nordic Chernobyl data base

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walmod-Larsen, O.

1990-01-01

The NORDIC CHERNOBYL DATA BASE (NCDB) is established for scientific purposes. The aim is to collect valid data on radiation and radioactivity resulting from measurements made in the Nordic countries particularly after the Chernobyl accident. All information is stored in the so called C-base data system, which can handle input from a variety of sources, including multiple information on each sample. The system permits output to various other computer programs for furhter data treatment. The data base can be used from personal computers and as well as from VAX-computers. Data can be displayed in time- or geographical scales and they can be arranged so as to fit different system for statistical analysis. (author)

Why has the Nordic electricity market worked so well

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergman, Lars

2005-06-01

There are two major threats to the success of electricity market reform in the Nordic countries. The first is that security of supply can not be maintained. The second is that market power prevents the potential benefits of competition to be realized. So far security of supply has been maintained, although exceptional storms have created serious problems in electricity distribution. The major power companies have been accused of exercising market power, but convincing proofs are lacking. At the same time power industry productivity has increased, and retail electricity prices (before tax) have become strongly linked to wholesale electricity prices. The situation may change in the future. Thus it remains to be seen that investments in new capacity are carried out when they are needed, and that mergers and capacity expansion do not significantly increase concentration and market power. But the development of the Nordic electricity market so far to a large extent is quite successful. Does this mean that the 'Nordic model' should be adopted all over the world? The answer is 'no'. In many ways the success of the Nordic model depends on area specific factors such as ample supply of hydropower and significant inter-connector capacities. Yet there are some 'universal' lessons that can be learned from the Nordic experiences. In particular the Nordic experiences suggest that a 'deregulated' market for electricity works well if: There are no price regulations and constraints on the development of financial markets; There is continued political support for a market based electricity supply system also when electricity is scarce and prices are high

Authentication and Authorization of End User in Microservice Architecture

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xiuyu; Yang, Xudong

2017-10-01

As the market and business continues to expand; the traditional single monolithic architecture is facing more and more challenges. The development of cloud computing and container technology promote microservice architecture became more popular. While the low coupling, fine granularity, scalability, flexibility and independence of the microservice architecture bring convenience, the inherent complexity of the distributed system make the security of microservice architecture important and difficult. This paper aims to study the authentication and authorization of the end user under the microservice architecture. By comparing with the traditional measures and researching on existing technology, this paper put forward a set of authentication and authorization strategies suitable for microservice architecture, such as distributed session, SSO solutions, client-side JSON web token and JWT + API Gateway, and summarize the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Status of occupational radiation protection at end users in Tanzania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muhogora, W.E.; Mwalongo, D.; Lema, U.S.; Mboya, G.; Banzi, F.P.

2008-01-01

Full text: This paper presents the results of the national survey conducted by regulatory authority to assess the awareness on occupational radiation protection (ORP) at end using facilities in Tanzania. The survey was done by using a questionnaire, which addressed elements required for desirable ORP infrastructure at end users. The questions were mainly structured with closed questions such that the first response could be 'yes' or 'no'. The elements included compliance to authorization requirements, cooperation to ensure the safety of employees of another employer, availability of radiation safety officer (RSO) with adequate power to discharge his/her functions, availability of radiation protection programme (RPP) and desirable management structure. Others; were the availability of programmes on staff selection, information and training; workplace (WP) monitoring, coverage of individual monitoring for external radiation service (IMERS), intervention and emergencies and health insurance. Aspects on effective control of doses, provisional of administrative control, quality management system and occupational exposures from natural sources were not covered because they were presumed to be less familiar. Out of 270 questionnaires distributed, seventy four questionnaires (28%) were returned for analysis. The results indicated that 65% responded to questions as requested and therefore had a satisfactory general awareness on ORP. Other positive findings were good understanding on authorization details and related compliance (92%), availability of RPP and recognition of RSO as well as a supportive management structure (86%) and fully coverage by IMERS (72%). The shortcomings were observed in the following areas: absence of cooperation agreements to ensure the safety of employees of other employers (96%); absence of formal information and training programmes (72%); absence of work place monitoring programmes (96%); absence of interventions and emergency programmes (78

Nordic Corporate Governance Revisited

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Steen

2016-01-01

This paper reviews the key elements of the Nordic governance model, which include a distinct legal system, high governance ratings and low levels of corruption. Other characteristics include concentrated ownership, foundation ownership, semi two-tier board structures, employee representation...

An Object-Oriented Architecture for User Interface Management in Distributed Applications

OpenAIRE

Denzer, Ralf

2017-01-01

User interfaces for large distributed applications have to handle specific problems: the complexity of the application itself and the integration of online-data into the user interface. A main task of the user interface architecture is to provide powerful tools to design and augment the end-user system easily, hence giving the designer more time to focus on user requirements. Our experiences developing a user interface system for a process control room showed that a lot of time during the dev...

Improving User Access to the Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) Products

Science.gov (United States)

Huffman, George; Bolvin, David; Nelkin, Eric; Kidd, Christopher

2016-04-01

The U.S. Global Precipitation Measurement mission (GPM) team has developed the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) algorithm to take advantage of the international constellation of precipitation-relevant satellites and the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre surface precipitation gauge analysis. The goal is to provide a long record of homogeneous, high-resolution quasi-global estimates of precipitation. While expert scientific researchers are major users of the IMERG products, it is clear that many other user communities and disciplines also desire access to the data for wide-ranging applications. Lessons learned during the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, the predecessor to GPM, led to some basic design choices that provided the framework for supporting multiple user bases. For example, two near-real-time "runs" are computed, the Early and Late (currently 5 and 15 hours after observation time, respectively), then the Final Run about 3 months later. The datasets contain multiple fields that provide insight into the computation of the complete precipitation data field, as well as diagnostic (currently) estimates of the precipitation's phase. In parallel with this, the archive sites are working to provide the IMERG data in a variety of formats, and with subsetting and simple interactive analysis to make the data more easily available to non-expert users. The various options for accessing the data are summarized under the pmm.nasa.gov data access page. The talk will end by considering the feasibility of major user requests, including polar coverage, a simplified Data Quality Index, and reduced data latency for the Early Run. In brief, the first two are challenging, but under the team's control. The last requires significant action by some of the satellite data providers.

MERBoard User's Guide

Science.gov (United States)

Trimble, Jay; Shab, Ted; Vera, Alonso; Gaswiller, Rich; Clancy, Daniel (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

An important goal of MERBoard is to allow users to quickly and easily share information. The front-end interface is physically a large plasma computer display with a touch screen, allowing multiple people to interact shoulder-to-shoulder or in a small meeting area. The software system allows people to interactively create digital whiteboards, browse the web, give presentations and connect to personal computers (for example, to run applications not on the MERBoard computer itself). There are four major integrated applications: a browser; a remote connection to another computer (VNC); a digital whiteboard; and a digital space (MERSpace), which is a digital repository for each individual user.

Enhancing efficient functioning of the nordic electricity market. Summary and conclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-02-01

In September 2004, Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM) in their meeting in Akureyri, Iceland, assessed the state of the Nordic electricity market. The Ministers acknowledged that the market has proved it is well functioning in many respects, however, further development of the Nordic electricity market is needed, i.e. towards a regional market without borders. The Nordic Transmission System Operators (TSOs) were asked to study how a further co-ordination of the system responsibility, a joint organizing and financing of the grid investments and a handling of peak load situations can be established in the Nordic countries. In this report, the main focus is on market-related tasks within system responsibility that are market-related and may have an effect on the functioning of the market. The report covers the following issues: definition of the system responsibility and role of TSOs, harmonization of operational rules and practices in order to improve functioning of the market, TSOs' collaboration in disturbances and shortage situations and joint Nordic transmission investments. Furthermore, the report summarizes the concrete actions taken by the TSOs in strengthening of the market mechanisms in peak load situations. (BA)

Enhancing efficient functioning of the nordic electricity market. Summary and conclusions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-02-01

In September 2004, Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM) in their meeting in Akureyri, Iceland, assessed the state of the Nordic electricity market. The Ministers acknowledged that the market has proved it is well functioning in many respects, however, further development of the Nordic electricity market is needed, i.e. towards a regional market without borders. The Nordic Transmission System Operators (TSOs) were asked to study how a further co-ordination of the system responsibility, a joint organizing and financing of the grid investments and a handling of peak load situations can be established in the Nordic countries. In this report, the main focus is on market-related tasks within system responsibility that are market-related and may have an effect on the functioning of the market. The report covers the following issues: definition of the system responsibility and role of TSOs, harmonization of operational rules and practices in order to improve functioning of the market, TSOs' collaboration in disturbances and shortage situations and joint Nordic transmission investments. Furthermore, the report summarizes the concrete actions taken by the TSOs in strengthening of the market mechanisms in peak load situations. (BA)

Lake Representations in Global Climate Models: An End-User Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Rood, R. B.; Briley, L.; Steiner, A.; Wells, K.

2017-12-01

The weather and climate in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada are strongly influenced by the lakes. Within global climate models, lakes are incorporated in many ways. If one is interested in quantitative climate information for the Great Lakes, then it is a first principle requirement that end-users of climate model simulation data, whether scientists or practitioners, need to know if and how lakes are incorporated into models. We pose the basic question, how are lakes represented in CMIP models? Despite significant efforts by the climate community to document and publish basic information about climate models, it is unclear how to answer the question about lake representations? With significant knowledge of the practice of the field, then a reasonable starting point is to use the ES-DOC Comparator (https://compare.es-doc.org/ ). Once at this interface to model information, the end-user is faced with the need for more knowledge about the practice and culture of the discipline. For example, lakes are often categorized as a type of land, a counterintuitive concept. In some models, though, lakes are specified in ocean models. There is little evidence and little confidence that the information obtained through this process is complete or accurate. In fact, it is verifiably not accurate. This experience, then, motivates identifying and finding either human experts or technical documentation for each model. The conclusion from this exercise is that it can take months or longer to provide a defensible answer to if and how lakes are represented in climate models. Our experience with lake finding is that this is not a unique experience. This talk documents our experience and explores barriers we have identified and strategies for reducing those barriers.

Reinterpreting the Historicity of the Nordic Model

OpenAIRE

Pauli Kettunen

2012-01-01

In conventional images of the so-called Nordic model, the strong state is opposed to markets or civil society and co-operation is opposed to conflict. These opposites appear problematic if one takes seriously the Nordic market- and interest-centered language used for the practices of social regulation, including the stubborn use of “labor market parties” instead of the EU concept “social partners”. Applying an approach sensitive to the historical and political aspects of language and concepts...

Combining interviewing and modeling for end-user energy conservation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldblatt, David L.; Hartmann, Christoph; Duerrenberger, Gregor

2005-01-01

Studying energy consumption through the lens of households is an increasingly popular research avenue. This paper focuses on residential end-user energy conservation. It describes an approach that combines energy modeling and in-depth interviews for communicating about energy use and revealing consumer preferences for change at different levels and intervention points. Expert knowledge was embodied in a computer model for householders that calculates an individual's current energy consumption and helps assess personal savings potentials, while also bringing in socio-technical and economic elements beyond the user's direct control. The paper gives a detailed account of this computer information tool developed for interviewing purposes. It then describes the interview guidelines, data analysis, and main results. In general, interview subjects overestimated the environmental friendliness of their lifestyles. After experience with the program, they tended to rate external (technological, societal) factors as somewhat stronger determinants of their consumption levels than personal (behavioral and household investment) factors, with the notable exception of mobility. Concerning long-term energy perspectives, the majority of subjects felt that society has the ability to make a collective choice towards significantly lower energy consumption levels. Interviewees confirmed that the software and interactive sessions helped them think more holistically about the personal, social, and technological dimensions of energy conservation. Lessons can be applied to the development of future energy communication tools

Avoidable cancers in the Nordic countries. Radiation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winther, J F; Ulbak, Kaare; Dreyer, L

1997-01-01

Exposure to solar and ionizing radiation increases the risk for cancer in humans. Some 5% of solar radiation is within the ultraviolet spectrum and may cause both malignant melanoma and non-melanocytic skin cancer; the latter is regarded as a benign disease and is accordingly not included in our...... malignant melanomas arising in the Nordic populations around the year 2000 will be due to exposure to natural ultraviolet radiation, equivalent to an annual number of about 4700 cases, with 2100 in men and 2600 in women, or some 4% of all cancers notified. Exposure to ionizing radiation in the Nordic...... and building materials, the man-made sources are dominated by the diagnostic and therapeutic use of ionizing radiation. On the basis of measured levels of radon in Nordic dwellings and associated risk estimates for lung cancer derived from well-conducted epidemiological studies, we estimated that about 180...

Non-market forest ecosystem services and decision support in Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Filyushkina, Anna; Strange, Niels; Löf, Magnus

2016-01-01

The need to integrate non-market ecosystem services into decision-making is widely acknowledged. Despite the exponentially growing body of literature, trade-offs between services are still poorly understood. We conducted a systematic review of published literature in the Nordic countries (Denmark......, Norway, Sweden and Finland) on the integration of non-market forest ecosystem services into decision-making. The aim of the review was two-fold: (1) to provide an overview of coverage of biophysical and socio-economic assessments of non-market ecosystem services in relation to forest management; (2......) to determine the extent of the integration of biophysical and socio-economic models of these services into decision support models. Our findings reveal the need for wider coverage of non-market ecosystem services and evidence-based modelling of how forest management regimes affect ecosystem services...

Performance of the High-dimensional Propensity Score in a Nordic Healthcare Model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hallas, Jesper; Pottegård, Anton

2017-01-01

regression, estimating the coxib/tNSAID hazard ratio (HR). Values below 1.00 indicate a lower estimated hazard with coxibs. We build hdPS models with inclusion of up to 500 diagnosis and 500 prescription drug covariates. The crude HR was 1.76 (95% confidence interval: 1.57-1.97), decreasing to 1.12 (1...... was restricted to non-users of low-dose aspirin. The estimate based on 500 diagnoses alone was higher than an estimate based on 500 prescription drugs alone (0.99 versus 0.91). We conclude that hdPS does work within a Nordic setting that prescription data are more effective than diagnosis data in achieving...

Understanding national culture effects on user behavior in integrative IS implementations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krijnse Locker, Niels; Vos, Janita F.J.; Boonstra, Albert

2016-01-01

This study examines how national culture manifests itself in integrative IS implementations and how it influences user behavior. Adopting a case survey approach, a sample of 70 cases encompassing 18 countries/regions, 18 industries and over 25 different integrative IT systems resulted in 481

The Thrill of the Nordic Kill

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schubart, Rikke

2015-01-01

prey. The manhunt movie is a subgenre of the Hollywood thriller which joins two elements: big-game sport hunting and hunting humans. Sport hunting stirs up themes of nature and culture, morals and ethics, masculinity, and, finally, civilization. Here, we will ask what happens when the subgenre is used...... in the Nordic thriller. The chapter has three aims: First, it establishes the central generic traits of the manhunt movie. Second, it sets up a theoretical framework of sociobiological and ecological theories with hunting as a reference point. And, third, it examines the Nordic version of the manhunt movie...

An overview of current non-nuclear radioactive waste management in the Nordic countries and considerations on possible needs for enhanced inter-Nordic cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersson, Kasper Grann; Brewitz, Erica; Magnússon, Sigurður M.

-hanced Nordic cooperation within the area. The radiation safety authorities in the Nordic countries were all asked to produce a current status report including thoughts about possible needs for enhanced cooperation. The material was presented and discussed at a meeting in Copenhagen of rep-resentatives of NKS...

Integration of the end cap TEC+ of the CMS silicon strip tracker

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bremer, Richard

2008-04-28

CMS is the first large experiment of high-energy particle physics whose inner tracking system is exclusively instrumented with silicon detector modules. This tracker comprises 15 148 silicon strip modules enclosing the interaction point in 10-12 layers. The 1. Physikalisches Institut B of RWTH Aachen was deeply involved in the completion of the end caps of the tracking system. The institute played a leading role in the end cap design, produced virtually all support structures and several important electrical components, designed and built the laser alignment system of the tracker, performed system tests and finally integrated one of the two end caps in Aachen. This integration constitutes the central part of the present thesis work. The main focus was on the development of methods to recognise defects early in the integration process and to assert the detector's functionality. Characteristic quantities such as the detector noise or the optical gain of the readout chain were determined during integration as well as during a series of tests performed after transport of the end cap from Aachen to CERN. The procedures followed during the mechanical integration of the detector and during the commissioning of integrated sectors are explained, and the software packages developed for quality assurance are described. In addition, results of the detector readout are presented. During the integration phase, sub-structures of the end cap - named petals - were subjected to a reception test which has also been designed and operated as part of this thesis work. The test setup and software developed for the test are introduced and an account of the analysis of the recorded data is given. Before the end cap project entered the production phase, a final test beam experiment was performed in which the suitability of a system of two fully equipped petals for operation at the LHC was checked. The measured ratio of the signal induced in the silicon sensors by minimal ionising

Integration of the end cap TEC+ of the CMS silicon strip tracker

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bremer, Richard

2008-01-01

CMS is the first large experiment of high-energy particle physics whose inner tracking system is exclusively instrumented with silicon detector modules. This tracker comprises 15 148 silicon strip modules enclosing the interaction point in 10-12 layers. The 1. Physikalisches Institut B of RWTH Aachen was deeply involved in the completion of the end caps of the tracking system. The institute played a leading role in the end cap design, produced virtually all support structures and several important electrical components, designed and built the laser alignment system of the tracker, performed system tests and finally integrated one of the two end caps in Aachen. This integration constitutes the central part of the present thesis work. The main focus was on the development of methods to recognise defects early in the integration process and to assert the detector's functionality. Characteristic quantities such as the detector noise or the optical gain of the readout chain were determined during integration as well as during a series of tests performed after transport of the end cap from Aachen to CERN. The procedures followed during the mechanical integration of the detector and during the commissioning of integrated sectors are explained, and the software packages developed for quality assurance are described. In addition, results of the detector readout are presented. During the integration phase, sub-structures of the end cap - named petals - were subjected to a reception test which has also been designed and operated as part of this thesis work. The test setup and software developed for the test are introduced and an account of the analysis of the recorded data is given. Before the end cap project entered the production phase, a final test beam experiment was performed in which the suitability of a system of two fully equipped petals for operation at the LHC was checked. The measured ratio of the signal induced in the silicon sensors by minimal ionising particles

Why has the Nordic electricity market worked so well

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bergman, Lars [Stockholm School of Economics (Sweden)

2005-06-01

There are two major threats to the success of electricity market reform in the Nordic countries. The first is that security of supply can not be maintained. The second is that market power prevents the potential benefits of competition to be realized. So far security of supply has been maintained, although exceptional storms have created serious problems in electricity distribution. The major power companies have been accused of exercising market power, but convincing proofs are lacking. At the same time power industry productivity has increased, and retail electricity prices (before tax) have become strongly linked to wholesale electricity prices. The situation may change in the future. Thus it remains to be seen that investments in new capacity are carried out when they are needed, and that mergers and capacity expansion do not significantly increase concentration and market power. But the development of the Nordic electricity market so far to a large extent is quite successful. Does this mean that the 'Nordic model' should be adopted all over the world? The answer is 'no'. In many ways the success of the Nordic model depends on area specific factors such as ample supply of hydropower and significant inter-connector capacities. Yet there are some 'universal' lessons that can be learned from the Nordic experiences. In particular the Nordic experiences suggest that a 'deregulated' market for electricity works well if: There are no price regulations and constraints on the development of financial markets; There is continued political support for a market based electricity supply system also when electricity is scarce and prices are high.

Anaesthesia nursing education in the Nordic countries: Literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Yunsuk; Lahtinen, Pia; Meretoja, Riitta; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

2015-05-01

The purpose of this review was to analyse post-registration anaesthesia nursing education in the Nordic countries. The analysis was based on key determinants fundamental to analysing nursing education: 1) the sys]tem of anaesthesia nursing education, 2) entry requirements, 3) credits, the duration and the title or degree awarded, and 4) the amount of practical training. A scoping review was approached in a systematic manner. The literature was analysed using deductive content analysis. Data was gathered based on key determinants. The data were quantified into frequencies and percentages to compare the similarities and differences of anaesthesia nursing. The Nordic countries have different types of post-registration anaesthesia nursing education from non-degree supplementary programmes to Master's degree programmes. Even though the entry requirements correspond between countries, many more differences than similarities in anaesthesia nursing education were noted. A title granting the right to work as a nurse anaesthetist can be obtained through a variety of educational systems, credit requirements, the duration, and the amount of practical training in post-registration anaesthesia nursing programmes. This aim of the study was to analyse post-registration anaesthesia nursing education from the Nordic perspective. Harmonising the educational system and minimum education requirements in anaesthesia nursing education is recommended in order to facilitate free movement and assure the quality of care from the Nordic perspective. Since each Nordic country has its own native language, it was difficult to gather information from all the Nordic countries. Therefore, creating common educational database published in English can help to bench mark each country's educational system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Building the nordic research and innovation areas in hydrogen. Summary report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dannemand Andersen, P.; Holst Joergensen, B. [Risoe National Lab., System Analysis Dept., Roskilde (Denmark); Eerola, A.; Koljonen, T.; Loikkanen, T. [VTT Information Service, Espoo (Finland); Eriksson, E.A. [FOI, Stockholm (SE)] (eds.)

2005-01-01

The Nordic Hydrogen Energy Foresight was launched in January 2003 by 16 partners from academia, industry, energy companies and associations from all five Nordic countries. A wide range of additional Nordic and European experts from research, industry and governments have participated in the various steps of the foresight process. The aim of the foresight is to provide decision support for companies and research institutes in defining R and D priorities and to assist governmental decision-makers in making effective framework policies for the introduction of hydrogen energy. The foresight exercise also provides a means for developing Nordic networks to gain critical mass in a wider international context. Interaction between research, industry and government, and combination of judgemental and formal procedures are essential features of the Nordic H{sub 2} Energy Foresight. The foresight process includes a series of pre-structured interactive workshops, supported by systems analysis and assessment of technical developments. (BA)

Changes in colloid solution sales in Nordic countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Kongsgaard, U E; Holtan, A; Perner, A

2018-04-01

Administration of resuscitation fluid is a common intervention in the treatment of critically ill patients, but the right choice of fluid is still a matter of debate. Changes in medical practice are based on new evidence and guidelines as well as traditions and personal preferences. Official warnings against the use of hydroxyl-ethyl-starch (HES) solutions have been issued. Nordic guidelines have issued several strong recommendations favouring crystalloids over colloids in all patient groups. Our objective was to describe the patterns of colloid use in Nordic countries from 2012 to 2016. The data were obtained from companies that provide pharmaceutical statistics in different countries. The data are sales figures from pharmaceutical companies to pharmacies and health institutions. We found a 56% reduction in the total sales of all colloids in Nordic countries over a 5-year period. These findings were mainly related to a 92% reduction in the sales of HES solutions. A reduction in sales of other synthetic colloids has also occurred. During the same period, we found a 46% increase in albumin sales, but these numbers varied between Nordic countries. The general reduction in colloid sales likely reflects the recommendation that colloids should be used only in special circumstances. The dramatic reduction in the sales of HES solutions was expected given evidence of harm and the official warnings. The steady increase in albumin sales and the notable differences between the five Nordic countries cannot be explained. © 2018 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nordic national climate adaptation and tourism strategies – (how) are they interlinked?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Landauer, Mia; Goodsite, Michael Evan; Juhola, Sirkku