Thunderstorms over a tropical Indian station, Minicoy: Role of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In this study, an attempt has been made to bring out the observational aspects of vertical wind shear in thunderstorms over Minicoy. Case studies of thunderstorm events have been examined to find out the effect of vertical wind shear and instability on strength and longevity of thunderstorms. Role of vertical wind shear in ...

A composite stability index for dichotomous forecast of thunderstorms

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhuri, Sutapa; Middey, Anirban

2012-12-01

Thunderstorms are the perennial feature of Kolkata (22° 32' N, 88° 20' E), India during the premonsoon season (April-May). Precise forecast of these thunderstorms is essential to mitigate the associated catastrophe due to lightning flashes, strong wind gusts, torrential rain, and occasional hail and tornadoes. The present research provides a composite stability index for forecasting thunderstorms. The forecast quality detection parameters are computed with the available indices during the period from 1997 to 2006 to select the most relevant indices with threshold ranges for the prevalence of such thunderstorms. The analyses reveal that the lifted index (LI) within the range of -5 to -12 °C, convective inhibition energy (CIN) within the range of 0-150 J/kg and convective available potential energy (CAPE) within the ranges of 2,000 to 7,000 J/kg are the most pertinent indices for the prevalence thunderstorms over Kolkata during the premonsoon season. A composite stability index, thunderstorm prediction index (TPI) is formulated with LI, CIN, and CAPE. The statistical skill score analyses show that the accuracy in forecasting such thunderstorms with TPI is 99.67 % with lead time less than 12 h during training the index whereas the accuracies are 89.64 % with LI, 60 % with CIN and 49.8 % with CAPE. The performance diagram supports that TPI has better forecast skill than its individual components. The forecast with TPI is validated with the observation of the India Meteorological Department during the period from 2007 to 2009. The real-time forecast of thunderstorms with TPI is provided for the year 2010.

Comparison of Thunderstorm Simulations from WRF-NMM and WRF-ARW Models over East Indian Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. J. Litta

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The thunderstorms are typical mesoscale systems dominated by intense convection. Mesoscale models are essential for the accurate prediction of such high-impact weather events. In the present study, an attempt has been made to compare the simulated results of three thunderstorm events using NMM and ARW model core of WRF system and validated the model results with observations. Both models performed well in capturing stability indices which are indicators of severe convective activity. Comparison of model-simulated radar reflectivity imageries with observations revealed that NMM model has simulated well the propagation of the squall line, while the squall line movement was slow in ARW. From the model-simulated spatial plots of cloud top temperature, we can see that NMM model has better captured the genesis, intensification, and propagation of thunder squall than ARW model. The statistical analysis of rainfall indicates the better performance of NMM than ARW. Comparison of model-simulated thunderstorm affected parameters with that of the observed showed that NMM has performed better than ARW in capturing the sharp rise in humidity and drop in temperature. This suggests that NMM model has the potential to provide unique and valuable information for severe thunderstorm forecasters over east Indian region.

Statistical thunderstorm short time forecast for the Barranquilla airport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardenas Posso, Yadira; Pabon Caicedo, Jose Daniel; Montoya Gaviria, Gerardo de Jesus

2004-01-01

Based on logistic regression, an approach to thunderstorm forecasting is proposed as well as a model for the Barranquilla (Colombia) city airport. With the analysis of both meteorological surface and height variables, such as thermodynamic indices that represent the physical processes involved in thunderstorm generation, the relationship between these variables and the occurrence of the phenomenon is brought out; the variables and indices with the greatest influence were identified and, with their use, the thunderstorm processes were summarized in a single mathematical function that allows the determination of the probability of occurrence or not occurrence of a thunderstorm on a specific day. That function was tested as a forecast tool for the Barranquilla airport

TRMM/LIS and PR Observations and Thunderstorm Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Ohita, S.; Morimoto, T.; Kawasaki, Z. I.; Ushio, T.

2005-12-01

Thunderstorms observed by TRMM/PR and LIS have been investigating, and Lightning Research Group of Osaka University (LRG-OU) has unveiled several interesting features. Correlation between lightning activities and the snow depth of convective clouds may follow the power-five law. The power five law means that the flash density is a function of the snow-depth to power five. The definition of snow depth is the height of detectable cloud tops by TRMM/PR from the climatological freezing level, and it may be equivalent to the length of the portion where the solid phase precipitation particles exist. This is given by examining more than one million convective clouds, and we conclude that the power five law should be universal from the aspect of the statistic. Three thunderstorm active areas are well known as "Three World Chimneys", and those are the Central Africa, Amazon of the South America, and South East Asia. Thunderstorm activities in these areas are expected to contribute to the distribution of thermal energy around the equator to middle latitude regions. Moreover thunderstorm activity in the tropical region is believed to be related with the average temperature of our planet earth. That is why long term monitoring of lightning activity is required. After launching TRMM we have accumulated seven-year LIS observations, and statistics for three world chimneys are obtained. We have recognized the additional lightning active area, and that is around the Maracaibo lake in Venezuera. We conclude that this is because of geographical features of the Maracaibo lake and the continuous easterly trade wind. Lightning Activity during El Niño period is another interesting subject. LRGOU studies thunderstorm occurrences over west Indonesia and south China, and investigates the influence of El Nino on lightning . We compare the statistics between El Nino and non El Nino periods. We learn that the lightning activity during El Niño period is higher than non El Nino period instead

The impact of thunderstorm asthma on emergency department attendances across London during July 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Elliot, A J; Hughes, H E; Hughes, T C; Locker, T E; Brown, R; Sarran, C; Clewlow, Y; Murray, V; Bone, A; Catchpole, M; McCloskey, B; Smith, G E

2014-08-01

This study illustrates the potential of using emergency department attendance data, routinely accessed as part of a national syndromic surveillance system, to monitor the impact of thunderstorm asthma. The Emergency Department Syndromic Surveillance System (EDSSS) routinely monitors anonymised attendance data on a daily basis across a sentinel network of 35 emergency departments. Attendance data for asthma, wheeze and difficulty breathing are analysed on a daily basis. A statistically significant spike in asthma attendances in two EDSSS emergency departments in London was detected on 23 July 2013, coinciding with a series of large violent thunderstorms across southern England. There was also an increase in the reported severity of these attendances. This preliminary report illustrates the potential of the EDSSS to monitor the impact of thunderstorms on emergency department asthma attendances. Further work will focus on how this system can be used to quantify the impact on emergency departments, thus potentially improving resource planning and also adding to the thunderstorm asthma evidence-base. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Small Winter Thunderstorm with Sprites and Strong Positive Discharge

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Suzuki, Tomoyuki; Hayakawa, Masashi; Michimoto, Koichiro

A sprite campaign was conducted in the Hokuriku area of Japan during a winter of 2004/2005. On the basis of a combined analysis of the data from various instruments (CCD cameras, radar, VHF/LF∼MF lightning mapping system, field mill network, and ELF detector), we studied meteorological and electrical structures for winter thunderstorms and sprite-producing positive discharge. Typical winter sprite parent thunderstorms had a meso-scale cloud area with embedded small convective cells. Some small winter thunderstorms accompanied by the most frequent sprite events were found to cause 2∼3 sprite events during a short interval of about 3∼5 min. When the sprites were observed, the extent of the convective cells at 20 dBZ counter was atmost ∼20 × 20 km. The VHF sources associated with sprites were located near south of the convective cell and were mapped within very small areas of at most ∼10 × 10 km. This fact shows that some small winter thunderstorms can generate large positive charge associated with sprites. We will present the analysis of such a small thunderstorms with sprites and positive lightning discharges.

The enhancement of neutral metal Na layer above thunderstorms

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Yu, Bingkun; Xue, Xianghui; Lu, Gaopeng; Kuo, Chengling; Dou, Xiankang; Gao, Qi; Qie, Xiushu; Wu, Jianfei; Tang, Yihuan

2017-04-01

Na (sodium) exists as layers of atoms in the mesosphere/lower thermosphere (MLT) at altitudes between 80 and 105 km. It has lower ionization potential of 5.139 eV than atmospheric species, such as O2 (12.06 eV). Tropospheric thunderstorms affect the lower ionosphere and the ionospheric sporadic E (Es) at 100 km can also be influenced by lightning. The mechanism is expected to be associated with transient luminous events (TLE) as red sprites and gigantic jets at upper atmosphere. However, measurements of ionospheric electric fields of 20mV·m-1 above thunderstorms are less than estimated value (>48 0mV·m-1) to excite ionization in the lower ionosphere. We found an enhancement of Na layer above thunderstorms. The increase of Na density in the statistical result can be as much as 500 cm-3 and it will have an impact on ionospheric chemistry and modify the conductivity properties of the MLT region. The ionospheric observations made with two digisondes near the Na lidar, the thunderstorm model, ionosphere model, and Na chemistry model are all used to discuss the possible mechanisms responsible for the enhancement of Na layer after thunderstorms.

Use of the negative binomial-truncated Poisson distribution in thunderstorm prediction

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, A. C.

1971-01-01

A probability model is presented for the distribution of thunderstorms over a small area given that thunderstorm events (1 or more thunderstorms) are occurring over a larger area. The model incorporates the negative binomial and truncated Poisson distributions. Probability tables for Cape Kennedy for spring, summer, and fall months and seasons are presented. The computer program used to compute these probabilities is appended.

Analysis of heavy-rain-producing elevated thunderstorms in the MO-KS-OK region of the United States

Science.gov (United States)

McCoy, Laurel

Most elevated thunderstorms in the United States occur in the Midwest, with a maximum in eastern Kansas (Colman 1990a). Elevated thunderstorms are defined as thunderstorms that occur over a very stable surface boundary layer (Colman 1990b). They may be better defined as convection occurring over a stable layer near the surface, essentially cut off from surface-based instability (Corfidi et al. 2006). Elevated mesoscale convective systems produce 30-70% of the total rainfall during the warm season over the Central Plains (Moore et al. 2003). 1.1 Purpose Elevated thunderstorms are still not very well understood. Elevated convection can take a variety of forms, and can be very similar to surface-based convection. Corfidi et al. (2006) describe the challenge of finding the originating layer of parcels making up a convective cloud. Surface-based convection often incorporates elevated parcels, and elevated convection can bring surface parcels into its updraft. The distinction between the two types of storms can be defined by where most of the parcels originate. This becomes especially hard to distinguish as convection transitions from surface-based to elevated and vice-versa (Corfidi et al. 2006). Colman (1990a), in his study, used three criteria to delineate elevated thunderstorm station reports from surface-based thunderstorm station reports: 1) The observation must lie on the cold side of an analyzed front that shows a clear contrast in temperature, dew-point temperature, and wind. 2) The station's wind, temperature, and dew-point temperature must be qualitatively similar to the immediately surrounding values. 3) The surface air on the warm side of the analyzed front must have a higher equivalent potential temperature (thetae) than the air on the cold side of the front (Colman 1990a). These three criteria have been incorporated into several studies since for the evaluation of elevated convection (e.g., Grant 1995; Rochette and Moore 1996; Moore et al. 1998; Moore et

Atmospheric circulation and sounding-derived parameters associated with thunderstorm occurrence in Central Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Kolendowicz, Leszek; Taszarek, Mateusz; Czernecki, Bartosz

2017-07-01

The main objective of this study is to examine the influence of atmospheric circulation patterns and sounding-derived parameters on thunderstorm occurrence in Central Europe. Thunderstorm activity tends to increase as one moves from the north to the south of the research area. Maximal thunderstorm occurrence is observed in the summer months, while between October and March such activity is much lower. Thunderstorms are also more frequent in spring than in autumn. In the warm season, the occurrence of thunderstorm is associated with the presence of a trough associated with a low located over the North Sea and Scandinavia. In the cold season, the synoptic pattern indicates a strong zonal flow from the west with significantly higher horizontal pressure gradient compared to the warm season. Thunderstorms are more likely to form when the boundary layer's mixing ratios are higher than 8 g kg- 1. Deep convection is also more likely to occur when the vertical temperature lapse rates (between 800 and 500 hPa pressure layers) exceed 6 °C km- 1. During the cold season, considerably higher lapse rates are needed to produce thunderstorms. The values obtained for the convective available potential energy indicate that at least 50 J kg- 1 is needed to produce a thunderstorm during wintertime and 125 J kg- 1 during summertime. Cold season thunderstorms are formed with a lower instability but with a more dynamic wind field having an average value of deep layer shear that exceeds 20 ms- 1. The best parameter to distinguish thunderstorm from non-thunderstorm days for both winter and summer months is a combination of the square root of the convective available potential energy multiplied by the deep layer shear.

On the production of active nitrogen by thunderstorms over New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Ridley, B. A.; Dye, J. E.; Walega, J. G.; Zheng, J.; Grahek, F. E.; Rison, W.

1996-09-01

in or to the altitude region between 8 km and the top of the thunderstorm anvil (˜11.8 km in these studies). Since in some large-scale models, lightning-generated NOx is equally distributed by mass into each tropospheric layer, our estimates are roughly equivalent to those model runs that use a global source strength of about twice our estimate for the upper altitude region. In several flights where the region below the base of thunderstorms was examined, no large enhancements in odd nitrogen which could be clearly attributed to lightning were observed. Apparently, the aircraft was not in the right place at the right time. Thus no estimate of the NOx production by lightning that remains below ˜8 km could be made.

SAW

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — SPC Aviation Watch (SAW) Messages are issued to provide an area threat alert for the aviation meteorology community to forecast organized severe thunderstorms that...

Thunderstorm incidence in southeastern Brazil estimated from different data sources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Pinto Jr.

2013-07-01

Full Text Available This paper describes a comparative analysis of the thunderstorm incidence in southeastern Brazil obtained from thunderstorm days observed at two different epochs (from 1910 to 1951 and from 1971 to 1984 and from lightning data provided by the Brazilian lightning location system RINDAT (from 1999 to 2006 and the Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS on board the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM satellite (from 1998 to 2010. The results are interpreted in terms of the main synoptic patterns associated with thunderstorm activity in this region, indicating that the prevailing synoptic pattern associated with thunderstorm activity is the occurrence of frontal systems and their modulation by the South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ and topography. Evidence of urban effects is also found. The results are also discussed in the context of practical applications involving their use in the Brazilian lightning protection standards, suggesting that the present version of the Brazilian standards should be revised incorporating RINDAT and LIS data. Finally, the results are important to improve our knowledge about the limitations of the different techniques used to record the thunderstorm activity and support future climatic studies.

Thunderstorm nowcasting by means of lightning and radar data: algorithms and applications in northern Italy

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P. Bonelli

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Thunderstorms and their ground effects, such as flash floods, hail, lightning, strong winds, and tornadoes, are responsible for most weather damages in northern Italy, especially in the warm season from May to September. A nowcasting and warning system focused on severe thunderstorm events would be useful to reduce risks for people involved in outside activities and for electric, telecommunication, and sensitive industrial business. C-band radar and Lighting Location Systems provide useful, fast and high resolution data for the detection of convective systems and for following their dynamics. The whole of northern Italy is covered by radar with a resolution of 1 km and by a lightning network with a mean accuracy of 0.5 km on the single point of impact. The authors present an algorithm developed for tracking high intensity storm cells by means of radar and lightning data. Application to northern Italy reveals that tracking thunderstorm cells can be used as an alert system that may help prevent damages from extreme weather, as well as allowing for studying the correlation among lightning, rainfall and tornado occurrence. Assessing the algorithm skill is also discussed, and a forecast verification method is described and applied for the duration of a thunderstorm season.

Potential Analysis of Thunderstorm Occurrence Using SWEAT Method at Meteorology Station Sultan Iskandar Muda

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Ulfah Kurnia

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Salah satu hal penting dalam mengutamakan keselamatan penerbangan ialah informasi meteorologi yang tepat dan akurat terutama mengenai kondisi cuaca buruk seperti thunderstorm. Oleh karena itu, perlu dilakukan prakiraan potensi terjadinya thunderstorm, sehingga pihak maskapai penerbangan dapat menyesuaikan prosedur keselamatan baik pada saat take off, on the route, maupun landing. Pada penelitian ini dilakukan analisis data radiosonde pada 2 (dua musim, yaitu musim kemarau dan musim hujan untuk memprakirakan potensi terjadinya thunderstorm selama periode April-Desember 2016 dan Januari-Maret 2017. Data radiosonde tersebut diperoleh dari Stasiun Meteorologi Sultan Iskandar Muda yang telah diukur setiap dua kali dalam satu hari. Waktu pengukurannya ialah pada pukul 00Z dan pukul 12Z. Dengan menggunakan Software Rawinsonde Observation (RAOB versi 5.7, dilakukan pengolahan data radiosonde sehingga diperoleh informasi parameter atmosfer seperti temperatur, titik embun, dan kecepatan angin. Parameter atmosfer tersebut dapat digunakan untuk memprakirakan potensi terjadinya thunderstorm selama dua belas jam kedepan, yaitu dengan menggunakan metode SWEAT (Severe Weather Threat sehingga diperoleh SWEAT Indeks untuk setiap pengukuran radiosonde. Berdasarkan penelitian yang telah dilakukan, diketahui SWEAT Indeks untuk wilayah Stasiun Meteorologi Sultan Iskandar Muda berkisar antara 39,8 - 355,4. Hasil analisis metode SWEAT diverifikasi dengan data aktual (data synop yang diamati di Stasiun Meteorologi Sultan Iskandar Muda dan diketahui persentase kesesuaian antara data prakiraan dengan kondisi aktual yaitu 58,62-66,67%.   One of the most important things in aviation safety is the accurate information of meteorology especially on bad weather conditions as thunderstorm. Therefore, need to forecast about potential occurrence of thunderstorm, so the airlines can adjust safety aviation when take of, an the route, and landing. In this research was analysis of

Thunderstorm monitoring with VLF network and super dense meteorological observation system

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Yukihiro; Sato, Mitsuteru

2015-04-01

It's not easy to understand the inside structure and developing process of thunderstorm only with existing meteorological instruments since its horizontal extent of the storm cell is sometimes smaller than an order of 10 km while one of the densest ground network in Japan, AMEDAS, consists of sites located every 17 km in average and the resolution of meteorological radar is 1-2 km in general. Even the X-band radar realizes the resolution of 250 m or larger. Here we suggest a thunderstorm monitoring system consisting of the network of VLF radio wave receivers and the super dense meteorological observation system with simple and low cost plate-type sensors that can be used for measurement both of raindrop and vertical electric field change caused by cloud-to-ground lightning discharge, adding to basic equipments for meteorological measurements. The plate-type sensor consists of two aluminum plates with a diameter of 10-20 cm. We carried out an observation campaign in summer of 2013 in the foothills of Mt. Yastugatake, Yamanashi and Nagano prefectures in Japan, installing 6 plate-type sensors at a distance of about 4 km. Horizontal location, height and charge amount of each lightning discharge are estimated successfully based on the information of electric field changes at several observing sites. Moreover, it was found that the thunderstorm has a very narrow structure smaller than 300 m that cannot be measured by any other ways, counting the positive and negative pulses caused by attachment of raindrop to the sensor plate, respectively. We plan to construct a new super dense observation network in the north Kanto region, Japan, where the lightning activity is most prominent in summer Japan and surrounded by our VLF systems developed for detecting sferics from lightning discharge, distributing more than several tens of sensors at every 4 km or shorter, such as an order of 100 m at minimum. This kind of new type network will reveal the unknown fine structures of

Global scale ionospheric irregularities associated with thunderstorm activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pulinets, Sergey A.; Depuev, Victor H.

2003-01-01

The potential difference near 280 kV exists between ground and ionosphere. This potential difference is generated by thunderstorm discharges all over the world, and return current closes the circuit in the areas of fair weather (so-called fair weather current). The model calculations and experimental measurements clearly demonstrate non-uniform latitude-longitude distribution of electric field within the atmosphere. The recent calculations show that the strong large scale vertical atmospheric electric field can penetrate into the ionosphere and create large scale irregularities of the electron concentration. To check this the global distributions of thunderstorm activity obtained with the satellite monitoring for different seasons were compared with the global distributions of ionosphere critical frequency (which is equivalent to peak electron concentration) obtained with the help of satellite topside sounding. The similarity of the obtained global distributions clearly demonstrates the effects of thunderstorm electric fields onto the Earth's ionosphere. (author)

Electrification of precipitating systems over the Amazon: Physical processes of thunderstorm development

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Albrecht, Rachel I.; Morales, Carlos A.; Silva Dias, Maria A. F.

2011-04-01

This study investigated the physical processes involved in the development of thunderstorms over southwestern Amazon by hypothesizing causalities for the observed cloud-to-ground lightning variability and the local environmental characteristics. Southwestern Amazon experiences every year a large variety of environmental factors, such as the gradual increase in atmospheric moisture, extremely high pollution due to biomass burning, and intense deforestation, which directly affects cloud development by differential surface energy partition. In the end of the dry period it was observed higher percentages of positive cloud-to-ground (+CG) lightning due to a relative increase in +CG dominated thunderstorms (positive thunderstorms). Positive (negative) thunderstorms initiated preferentially over deforested (forest) areas with higher (lower) cloud base heights, shallower (deeper) warm cloud depths, and higher (lower) convective potential available energy. These features characterized the positive (negative) thunderstorms as deeper (relatively shallower) clouds, stronger (relatively weaker) updrafts with enhanced (decreased) mixed and cold vertically integrated liquid. No significant difference between thunderstorms (negative and positive) and nonthunderstorms were observed in terms of atmospheric pollution, once the atmosphere was overwhelmed by pollution leading to an updraft-limited regime. However, in the wet season both negative and positive thunderstorms occurred during periods of relatively higher aerosol concentration and differentiated size distributions, suggesting an aerosol-limited regime where cloud electrification could be dependent on the aerosol concentration to suppress the warm and enhance the ice phase. The suggested causalities are consistent with the invoked hypotheses, but they are not observed facts; they are just hypotheses based on plausible physical mechanisms.

Runaway breakdown and electrical discharges in thunderstorms

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Milikh, Gennady; Roussel-Dupré, Robert

2010-12-01

This review considers the precise role played by runaway breakdown (RB) in the initiation and development of lightning discharges. RB remains a fundamental research topic under intense investigation. The question of how lightning is initiated and subsequently evolves in the thunderstorm environment rests in part on a fundamental understanding of RB and cosmic rays and the potential coupling to thermal runaway (as a seed to RB) and conventional breakdown (as a source of thermal runaways). In this paper, we describe the basic mechanism of RB and the conditions required to initiate an observable avalanche. Feedback processes that fundamentally enhance RB are discussed, as are both conventional breakdown and thermal runaway. Observations that provide clear evidence for the presence of energetic particles in thunderstorms/lightning include γ-ray and X-ray flux intensifications over thunderstorms, γ-ray and X-ray bursts in conjunction with stepped leaders, terrestrial γ-ray flashes, and neutron production by lightning. Intense radio impulses termed narrow bipolar pulses (or NBPs) provide indirect evidence for RB particularly when measured in association with cosmic ray showers. Our present understanding of these phenomena and their enduring enigmatic character are touched upon briefly.

Lightning Jump Algorithm and Relation to Thunderstorm Cell Tracking, GLM Proxy and Other Meteorological Measurements

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Schultz, Christopher J.; Carey, Lawrence D.; Cecil, Daniel J.; Bateman, Monte

2012-01-01

The lightning jump algorithm has a robust history in correlating upward trends in lightning to severe and hazardous weather occurrence. The algorithm uses the correlation between the physical principles that govern an updraft's ability to produce microphysical and kinematic conditions conducive for electrification and its role in the development of severe weather conditions. Recent work has demonstrated that the lightning jump algorithm concept holds significant promise in the operational realm, aiding in the identification of thunderstorms that have potential to produce severe or hazardous weather. However, a large amount of work still needs to be completed in spite of these positive results. The total lightning jump algorithm is not a stand-alone concept that can be used independent of other meteorological measurements, parameters, and techniques. For example, the algorithm is highly dependent upon thunderstorm tracking to build lightning histories on convective cells. Current tracking methods show that thunderstorm cell tracking is most reliable and cell histories are most accurate when radar information is incorporated with lightning data. In the absence of radar data, the cell tracking is a bit less reliable but the value added by the lightning information is much greater. For optimal application, the algorithm should be integrated with other measurements that assess storm scale properties (e.g., satellite, radar). Therefore, the recent focus of this research effort has been assessing the lightning jump's relation to thunderstorm tracking, meteorological parameters, and its potential uses in operational meteorology. Furthermore, the algorithm must be tailored for the optically-based GOES-R Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), as what has been observed using Very High Frequency Lightning Mapping Array (VHF LMA) measurements will not exactly translate to what will be observed by GLM due to resolution and other instrument differences. Herein, we present some of

Use of Dual-Polarization Radar Variables to Assess Low-Level Wind Shear in Severe Thunderstorm Near-storm Environments in the Tennessee Valley

Science.gov (United States)

Crowe, Christina C.; Schultz, Christopher J.; Kumjian, Matthew; Carey, Lawerence D.; Petersen, Walter A.

2011-01-01

The upgrade of the National Weather Service (NWS) network of S ]band dual-polarization radars is currently underway, and the incorporation of polarimetric information into the real ]time forecasting process will enhance the forecaster fs ability to assess thunderstorms and their near ]storm environments. Recent research has suggested that the combination of polarimetric variables differential reflectivity (ZDR) and specific differential phase (KDP) can be useful in the assessment of low level wind shear within a thunderstorm. In an environment with strong low ]level veering of the wind, ZDR values will be largest along the right inflow edge of the thunderstorm near a large gradient in horizontal reflectivity (indicative of large raindrops falling with a relative lack of smaller drops), and take the shape of an arc. Meanwhile, KDP values, which are proportional to liquid water content and indicative of a large number of smaller drops, are maximized deeper into the forward flank precipitation shield than the ZDR arc as the smaller drops are being advected further from the updraft core by the low level winds than the larger raindrops. Using findings from previous work, three severe weather events that occurred in North Alabama were examined in order to assess the utility of these signatures in determining the potential for tornadic activity. The first case is from October 26, 2010, where a large number of storms indicated tornadic potential from a standard reflectivity and velocity analysis but very few storms actually produced tornadoes. The second event is from February 28, 2011, where tornadic storms were present early on in the event, but as the day progressed, the tornado threat transitioned to a high wind threat. The third case is from April 27, 2011, where multiple rounds of tornadic storms ransacked the Tennessee Valley. This event provides a dataset including multiple modes of tornadic development, including QLCS and supercell structures. The overarching goal

Dancing red sprites and the lightning activity in their parent thunderstorm

Science.gov (United States)

Bór, József; Zelkó, Zoltán; Hegedüs, Tibor; Jäger, Zoltán; Mlynarczyk, Janusz; Popek, Martin; Betz, Hans-Dieter

2016-04-01

Red sprites are brief optical emissions initiated in the mesosphere by intense tropospheric lightning discharges. A group of red sprites, in which the elements appear in rapid succession with some lateral offset from one another is referred to as a dancing sprite event. The occurrence of such events implies that significant and sequential charge removal extending to large regions of the thunderstorm can take place in the underlying cloud system. In this work, we examine the relation of the locations and observation times of appearing sprite elements to the temporal and spatial distribution of the lightning activity in a specific sprite-active thunderstorm. The selected mesoscale convective system (MCS) composed of several extremely active thundercloud cells crossed Central Europe from South-West to North-East through Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland on the night of 6 August, 2013. This MCS has triggered over one hundred sprites including several dancing sprite events. Video recordings of sprites captured from Sopron, Hungary (16.6°E, 47.7°N) and Nydek, Czech Republic (18.8°E, 49.7°N) were used to identify dancing sprite events and to determine the exact locations of the appearing sprite elements by a triangulation technique used originally to analyze meteor observations. Lightning activity in the MCS can be reviewed using the database of LINET lightning detection network which fully covers the region of interest (ROI). The poster demonstrates how cases of sequential charge removal in the thunderstorm can be followed by combining the available information on the occurrence time, location, polarity, and type (CG/IC) of detected lightning strokes in the ROI on one hand and the occurrence time and location of elements in dancing sprite events on the other hand.

Long-term variability of the thunderstorm and hail potential in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Mohr, Susanna; Kunz, Michael; Speidel, Johannes; Piper, David

2016-04-01

Severe thunderstorms and associated hazardous weather events such as hail frequently cause considerable damage to buildings, crops, and automobiles, resulting in large monetary costs in many parts of Europe and the world. To relate single extreme hail events to the historic context and to estimate their return periods and possible trends related to climate change, long-term statistics of hail events are required. Due to the local-scale nature of hail and a lack of suitable observation systems, however, hailstorms are not captured reliably and comprehensively for a long period of time. In view of this fact, different proxies (indirect climate data) obtained from sounding stations and regional climate models can be used to infer the probability and intensity of thunderstorms or hailstorms. In contrast to direct observational data, such proxies are available homogeneously over a long time period. The aim of the study is to investigate the potential for severe thunderstorms and their changes over past decades. Statistical analyses of sounding data show that the convective potential over the past 20 - 30 years has significantly increased over large parts of Central Europe, making severe thunderstorms more likely. A similar picture results from analyses of weather types that are most likely associated with damaging hailstorms. These weather patterns have increased, even if only slightly but nevertheless statistically significantly, in the time period from 1971 to 2000. To improve the diagnostics of hail events in regional climate models, a logistic hail model has been developed by means of a multivariate analysis method. The model is based on a combination of appropriate hail-relevant meteorological parameters. The output of the model is a new index that estimates the potential of the atmosphere for hailstorm development, referred to as potential hail index (PHI). Applied to a high-resolved reanalysis run for Europe driven by NCEP/NCAR1, long-term changes of the PHI for

The severe thunderstorm of 4 October 2007 in Mallorca: an observational study

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C. Ramis

2009-07-01

Full Text Available During the afternoon of 4 October 2007, a thunderstorm swept across the Island of Mallorca from southwest to northeast. Strong straight-line winds (up to 30 m/s and heavy rain (rates up to 100 mm/h were registered accompanying the storm. Tornadoes with an estimated intensity of F2–F3 developed nearby the city of Palma, severely affecting industrial installations. One person was killed by the impact of heavy debris while more than 10 million € in damages were attributed to the event in the industrial area only. The observed evolution of temperature, humidity, wind and pressure, as well as the sequence of radar images, reveal that a squall line was initially organized over the sea and then moved north-eastwards at an estimated speed of around 80 km/h. This paper presents an analysis of the event from an observational point of view. The aim of the study is to contribute to the characterization of these rare events in the Western Mediterranean by analyzing the observational information available for this particular extreme event. The diagnosis is aimed at helping forecasters to identify this kind of organized deep convective events and being able to issue timely warnings. The synoptic scenario shows warm and moist advection at low levels over Balearics and an upper-level trough over mainland Spain. This situation is known to be prone to deep convection in Mediterranean Spain in autumn. Radiosonde ascents from Murcia and Palma show convective instability at mid levels that can conduce to develop convection if appropriate ascents occur. A plausible lifting mechanism to trigger convection is attributed to large amplitude gravity waves, registered as short-period pressure oscillations by surface barographs.

Observations of NO2 and O3 during thunderstorm activity using visible spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Jadhav, D. B.; Londhe, A. L.; Bose, S.

1996-08-01

Simultaneous observations for the total column densities of NO2 , O3 and H2O were carried on using the portable Spectrometer (438-450 nm and 400-450 nm) and the visible Spectrometer (544.4-628 nm) during premonsoon thunderstorms and embedded hail storm activity at Pune (18°32’N & 73°51’E), India. These observations confirm the fact that there is an increase in O3 and NO2 column densities during thunderstorms. The increase in O3 was observed following onset of thunderstorm, while the increase in NO2 was observed only after the thunder flashes occur. This implies that the production mechanisms for O3 and NO2 in thunderstorm are different. The observed column density of NO2 value (1 to 3 × 1017molecules · cm-2) during thunderstorm activity is 10 to 30 times higher than the value (1 × 1016molecules · cm-2) of a normal day total column density. The spectrometric observations and observations of thunder flashes by electric field meter showed that 6.4 × 1025molecules / flash of NO2 are produced. The increased total column density of ozone during thunderstorm period is 1.2 times higher than normal (clear) day ozone concentration. The multiple scattering in the clouds is estimated from H2O and O2 absorption bands in the visible spectral region. Considering this effect the calculated amount of ozone added in the global atmosphere due to thunderstorm activity is 0.26 to 0.52 DU, and the annual production of ozone due to thunderstorm activity is of the order of 4.02 × 1037 molecules / year. The annual NO2 production may be of the order of 2.02 × 1035molecules / year.

International mussel watch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrington, J.W.; Tripp, B.W.

1993-01-01

Deliberate and inadvertent discharges of chemical contaminants of environmental concern to the world's coastal ocean will continue for the foreseeable future, as human population increases and human habitation intensifies in the coastal zone worldwide. The goal of the International Mussel Watch Project is to provide an assessment of the status and trends of chemical contaminants in the world's coastal waters. These data are critical for protecting both the health of people who consume seafood and the health of coastal ecosystems. The International Mussel Watch Project is a global-scale monitoring program based on the concept of a sentinel organism capable of detecting trends in concentrations of several important marine contaminants. These included chlorinated pesticides, fossil-fuel hydrocarbons, and radionuclides from the nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear weapons testing fallout. Since the 1970's, scientists of several countries have been using common bivalve organisms, such as the blue mussels and oysters, to monitor chemical contaminants in coastal waters. Bivalve mollusks are good monitors for several reasons that include their ability to bioconcentrate the chemical contaminants of interest and their sedentary nature, which makes them representative of a specific place

Profuse activity of blue electrical discharges at the tops of thunderstorms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chanrion, Olivier; Neubert, Torsten; Mogensen, Andreas

2017-01-01

. The emissions are related to the so-called blue jets, blue starters and possibly pixies. The observations are the first of their kind and give a new perspective on the electrical activity at the top of tropical thunderstorms; further, they underscore that thunderstorm discharges directly perturb the chemistry...

The physics of a thunderstorm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, John; Mason, Nigel

2003-01-01

The salient facts concerning the dynamical, physical and electrical properties of a thunderstorm, and of the detailed structure and associated electric field-changes of lightning flashes, are marshalled to deduce the criteria for a satisfactory quantitative theory of charge generation and separation leading to the growth of electric fields strong enough to initiate and to sustain lightning activity. A quantitative theory is presented of how charges are generated and separated when supercooled cloud droplets make grazing contact with the undersides of hail pellets (graupel) polarized initially by the Earth's fine-weather electric field. The rebounding droplets acquire a positive charge and are carried by the convective updraught towards the top of the cloud, while the hail pellets carrying a net negative charge fall towards cloud base. This creates a vertical dipole field which increases the polarizing charges on the hail pellets and so accelerates the rates of charge generation and separation, and so reinforces the vertical electrical field, which grows exponentially until insulation of the air breaks down and triggers a lightning flash. It is demonstrated that a thunderstorm cell, 2 km in diameter, producing small hail falling at 30 mm h -1 can produce vertical electric fields of ∼5000 V cm -1 in about 10 min involving the separation of ∼50 C of charge, enough to initiate a lightning flash which, on average, neutralizes about 20 C. As long as the hail persists, it continues to generate and separate sufficient charge to produce a succession of lightning flashes at about 30 s intervals. More frequent discharges at say 10 s intervals would require high rates of hail production in larger cells but are more likely to be produced by large multi-cellular storms sustained by strong convective currents for perhaps several hours

Preliminary Development and Evaluation of Lightning Jump Algorithms for the Real-Time Detection of Severe Weather

Science.gov (United States)

Schultz, Christopher J.; Petersen, Walter A.; Carey, Lawrence D.

2009-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that rapid increases in total lightning activity (intracloud + cloud-to-ground) are often observed tens of minutes in advance of the occurrence of severe weather at the ground. These rapid increases in lightning activity have been termed "lightning jumps." Herein, we document a positive correlation between lightning jumps and the manifestation of severe weather in thunderstorms occurring across the Tennessee Valley and Washington D.C. A total of 107 thunderstorms were examined in this study, with 69 of the 107 thunderstorms falling into the category of non-severe, and 38 into the category of severe. From the dataset of 69 isolated non-severe thunderstorms, an average peak 1 minute flash rate of 10 flashes/min was determined. A variety of severe thunderstorm types were examined for this study including an MCS, MCV, tornadic outer rainbands of tropical remnants, supercells, and pulse severe thunderstorms. Of the 107 thunderstorms, 85 thunderstorms (47 non-severe, 38 severe) from the Tennessee Valley and Washington D.C tested 6 lightning jump algorithm configurations (Gatlin, Gatlin 45, 2(sigma), 3(sigma), Threshold 10, and Threshold 8). Performance metrics for each algorithm were then calculated, yielding encouraging results from the limited sample of 85 thunderstorms. The 2(sigma) lightning jump algorithm had a high probability of detection (POD; 87%), a modest false alarm rate (FAR; 33%), and a solid Heidke Skill Score (HSS; 0.75). A second and more simplistic lightning jump algorithm named the Threshold 8 lightning jump algorithm also shows promise, with a POD of 81% and a FAR of 41%. Average lead times to severe weather occurrence for these two algorithms were 23 minutes and 20 minutes, respectively. The overall goal of this study is to advance the development of an operationally-applicable jump algorithm that can be used with either total lightning observations made from the ground, or in the near future from space using the

Searching for effects caused by thunderstorms in midlatitude sporadic E layers

Science.gov (United States)

Barta, Veronika; Haldoupis, Christos; Sátori, Gabriella; Buresova, Dalia; Chum, Jaroslav; Pozoga, Mariusz; Berényi, Kitti A.; Bór, József; Popek, Martin; Kis, Árpád; Bencze, Pál

2017-08-01

Possible thunderstorm - sporadic E (Es) layer coupling effects are investigated during two measurement periods, one in 2013 and one in 2014. The analysis was based on ionospheric observations obtained from a Digisonde at Pruhonice, the Czech Republic, an ionosonde at Nagycenk, Hungary, and a 3.59 MHz five-point continuous HF Doppler system located in the western part of the Czech Republic. The latter is capable of detecting ionospheric wave-like variations caused by neutral atmospheric waves generated by thunderstorms. The present study searches for possible impacts on Es layers caused by the presence of two active thunderstorms: one passing across the Czech Republic on June 20, 2013 (19:00-01:00 LT), and one through Hungary on July 30, 2014 (11:00-01:00 LT). During these two time periods, presence and parameters of Es layer were inferred from ionograms, recorded every minute at Pruhonice and every two minutes at Nagycenk, whereas concurrent lightning activity was monitored by the LINET detection network. In addition, transient luminous events (TLEs) were also observed during both nights from Sopron, Hungary and from Nýdek, the Czech Republic. A noticeable fact was the reduction and disappearance of the ongoing Es layer activity during part of the time in both of the traversing thunderstorms. The analysis indicated that the critical frequency foEs dropped below ionosonde detection levels in both cases, possibly because of thunderstorm activity effects. This option, however, needs more case studies in order to be further substantiated.

Tracking Gauteng thunderstorms using Crowdsourced Twitter data between Soweto and Pretoria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurie Butgereit

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Summer thunderstorms in Gauteng are often dramatic, noisy, wet events. They can appear suddenly on exceptionally hot sunny days travelling fast across the province. With such dramatic arrivals, people often flock to social media sites such as Twitter to comment on the rain, wind, hail, lightning and thunder. This paper investigates the possibility of mapping the track of Gauteng thunderstorms by using crowdsourced data from Twitter. This paper describes a model (entitled the ThunderChatter Model and instantiation of that model which extracts data from Twitter, analyses the textual information for thunderstorm information and plots the appropriate data on a map. For evaluation purposes, these generated maps are then compared against lightning-stroke maps provided by the South African Weather Service. The maps are visually compared by independent people using Content Analysis techniques ensuring unbiased and reproducible results. The results of this research are mixed. For thunderstorms which traverse the strip of land between Soweto and Pretoria more or less correlated to the N1 highway (and representing the most heavily populated area of Gauteng and the area with the highest percentage of home Internet facilities, the results are excellent. However, in outlying areas of Gauteng such as Carletonville, Heidelberg, Hammanskraal and Bronkhorstspruit, the thunderstorms are only trackable using crowdsourced Twitter data in the case of extreme storms which damage property. The results imply that data obtained from social media could be used in some cases to supplement geographical data obtained from traditional sources.

Increasing potential for intense tropical and subtropical thunderstorms under global warming.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Martin S; Kuang, Zhiming; Maloney, Eric D; Hannah, Walter M; Wolding, Brandon O

2017-10-31

Intense thunderstorms produce rapid cloud updrafts and may be associated with a range of destructive weather events. An important ingredient in measures of the potential for intense thunderstorms is the convective available potential energy (CAPE). Climate models project increases in summertime mean CAPE in the tropics and subtropics in response to global warming, but the physical mechanisms responsible for such increases and the implications for future thunderstorm activity remain uncertain. Here, we show that high percentiles of the CAPE distribution (CAPE extremes) also increase robustly with warming across the tropics and subtropics in an ensemble of state-of-the-art climate models, implying strong increases in the frequency of occurrence of environments conducive to intense thunderstorms in future climate projections. The increase in CAPE extremes is consistent with a recently proposed theoretical model in which CAPE depends on the influence of convective entrainment on the tropospheric lapse rate, and we demonstrate the importance of this influence for simulated CAPE extremes using a climate model in which the convective entrainment rate is varied. We further show that the theoretical model is able to account for the climatological relationship between CAPE and a measure of lower-tropospheric humidity in simulations and in observations. Our results provide a physical basis on which to understand projected future increases in intense thunderstorm potential, and they suggest that an important mechanism that contributes to such increases may be present in Earth's atmosphere. Published under the PNAS license.

Thunderstorm Charge Structures Producing Negative Gigantic Jets

Science.gov (United States)

Boggs, L.; Liu, N.; Riousset, J. A.; Shi, F.; Rassoul, H.

2016-12-01

Here we present observational and modeling results that provide insight into thunderstorm charge structures that produce gigantic jet discharges. The observational results include data from four different thunderstorms producing 9 negative gigantic jets from 2010 to 2014. We used radar, very high frequency (VHF) and low frequency (LF) lightning data to analyze the storm characteristics, charge structures, and lightning activity when the gigantic jets emerged from the parent thunderstorms. A detailed investigation of the evolution of one of the charge structures by analyzing the VHF data is also presented. The newly found charge structure obtained from the observations was analyzed with fractal modeling and compared with previous fractal modeling studies [Krehbiel et al., Nat. Geosci., 1, 233-237, 2008; Riousset et al., JGR, 115, A00E10, 2010] of gigantic jet discharges. Our work finds that for normal polarity thunderstorms, gigantic jet charge structures feature a narrow upper positive charge region over a wide middle negative charge region. There also likely exists a `ring' of negative screening charge located around the perimeter of the upper positive charge. This is different from previously thought charge structures of the storms producing gigantic jets, which had a very wide upper positive charge region over a wide middle negative charge region, with a very small negative screening layer covering the cloud top. The newly found charge structure results in leader discharge trees in the fractal simulations that closely match the parent flashes of gigantic jets inside and outside the thundercloud. The previously used charge structures, while vital to the understanding of gigantic jet initiation and the role of charge imbalances inside the cloud, do not produce leader discharge trees that agree with observed gigantic jet discharges.Finally, the newly discovered gigantic jet charge structures are formed near the end of a convective pulse [Meyer et al., JGR, 118

Strategy of thunderstorm measurement with super dense ground-based observation network

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Y.; Sato, M.

2014-12-01

It's not easy to understand the inside structure and developing process of thunderstorm only with existing meteorological instruments since its horizontal extent of the storm cell is sometimes smaller than an order of 10 km while one of the densest ground network in Japan, AMEDAS, consists of sites located every 17 km in average and the resolution of meteorological radar is 1-2 km in general. Even the X-band radar realizes the resolution of 250 m or larger. Here we suggest a new super dense observation network with simple and low cost sensors that can be used for measurement both of raindrop and vertical electric field change caused by cloud-to-ground lightning discharge. This sensor consists of two aluminum plates with a diameter of 10-20 cm. We carried out an observation campaign in summer of 2013 in the foothills of Mt. Yastugatake, Yamanashi and Nagano prefectures in Japan, installing 6 plate-type sensors at a distance of about 4 km. Horizontal location, height and charge amount of each lightning discharge are estimated successfully based on the information of electric field changes at several observing sites. Moreover, it was found that the thunderstorm has a very narrow structure well smaller than 300 m that cannot be measured by any other ways, counting the positive and negative pulses caused by attachment of raindrop to the sensor plate, respectively. We plan to construct a new super dense observation network in the north Kanto region, Japan, where the lightning activity is most prominent in summer Japan, distributing more than several tens of sensors at every 4 km or shorter, such as an order of 100 m at minimum. This kind of new type network will reveal the unknown fine structures of thunderstorms and open the door for constructing real time alert system of torrential rainfall and lightning stroke especially in the city area.

ExMC Technology Watch

Science.gov (United States)

Krihak, M.; Barr, Y.; Watkins, S.; Fung, P.; McGrath, T.; Baumann, D.

2012-01-01

The Technology Watch (Tech Watch) project is a NASA endeavor conducted under the Human Research Program's (HRP) Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) element, and focusing on ExMC technology gaps. The project involves several NASA centers, including the Johnson Space Center (JSC), Glenn Research Center (GRC), Ames Research Center (ARC), and the Langley Research Center (LaRC). The objective of Tech Watch is to identify emerging, high-impact technologies that augment current NASA HRP technology development efforts. Identifying such technologies accelerates the development of medical care and research capabilities for the mitigation of potential health issues encountered during human space exploration missions. The aim of this process is to leverage technologies developed by academia, industry and other government agencies and to identify the effective utilization of NASA resources to maximize the HRP return on investment. The establishment of collaborations with these entities is beneficial to technology development, assessment and/or insertion and further NASA's goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for human exploration. In 2011, the major focus areas for Tech Watch included information dissemination, education outreach and public accessibility to technology gaps and gap reports. The dissemination of information was accomplished through site visits to research laboratories and/or companies, and participation at select conferences where Tech Watch objectives and technology gaps were presented. Presentation of such material provided researchers with insights on NASA ExMC needs for space exploration and an opportunity to discuss potential areas of common interest. The second focus area, education outreach, was accomplished via two mechanisms. First, several senior student projects, each related to an ExMC technology gap, were sponsored by the various NASA centers. These projects presented ExMC related technology problems firsthand to collegiate laboratories

Proposing a tornado watch scale

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, Jonathan Brock

This thesis provides an overview of language used in tornado safety recommendations from various sources, along with developing a rubric for scaled tornado safety recommendations, and subsequent development and testing of a tornado watch scale. The rubric is used to evaluate tornado refuge/shelter adequacy responses of Tuscaloosa residents gathered following the April 27, 2011 Tuscaloosa, Alabama EF4 tornado. There was a significant difference in the counts of refuge adequacy for Tuscaloosa residents when holding the locations during the April 27th tornado constant and comparing adequacy ratings for weak (EF0-EF1), strong (EF2-EF3) and violent (EF4-EF5) tornadoes. There was also a significant difference when comparing future tornado refuge plans of those same participants to the adequacy ratings for weak, strong and violent tornadoes. The tornado refuge rubric is then revised into a six-class, hierarchical Tornado Watch Scale (TWS) from Level 0 to Level 5 based on the likelihood of high-impact or low-impact severe weather events containing weak, strong or violent tornadoes. These levels represent maximum expected tornado intensity and include tornado safety recommendations from the tornado refuge rubric. Audio recordings similar to those used in current National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio communications were developed to correspond to three levels of the TWS, a current Storm Prediction Center (SPC) tornado watch and a particularly dangerous situation (PDS) tornado watch. These were then used in interviews of Alabama residents to determine how changes to the information contained in the watch statements would affect each participant's tornado safety actions and perception of event danger. Results from interview participants (n=38) indicate a strong preference (97.37%) for the TWS when compared to current tornado watch and PDS tornado watch statements. Results also show the TWS elicits more adequate safety decisions from participants

Analysis of warm season thunderstorms using an object-oriented tracking method based on radar and total lightning data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Rigo

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Monitoring thunderstorms activity is an essential part of operational weather surveillance given their potential hazards, including lightning, hail, heavy rainfall, strong winds or even tornadoes. This study has two main objectives: firstly, the description of a methodology, based on radar and total lightning data to characterise thunderstorms in real-time; secondly, the application of this methodology to 66 thunderstorms that affected Catalonia (NE Spain in the summer of 2006. An object-oriented tracking procedure is employed, where different observation data types generate four different types of objects (radar 1-km CAPPI reflectivity composites, radar reflectivity volumetric data, cloud-to-ground lightning data and intra-cloud lightning data. In the framework proposed, these objects are the building blocks of a higher level object, the thunderstorm.

The methodology is demonstrated with a dataset of thunderstorms whose main characteristics, along the complete life cycle of the convective structures (development, maturity and dissipation, are described statistically. The development and dissipation stages present similar durations in most cases examined. On the contrary, the duration of the maturity phase is much more variable and related to the thunderstorm intensity, defined here in terms of lightning flash rate. Most of the activity of IC and CG flashes is registered in the maturity stage. In the development stage little CG flashes are observed (2% to 5%, while for the dissipation phase is possible to observe a few more CG flashes (10% to 15%. Additionally, a selection of thunderstorms is used to examine general life cycle patterns, obtained from the analysis of normalized (with respect to thunderstorm total duration and maximum value of variables considered thunderstorm parameters. Among other findings, the study indicates that the normalized duration of the three stages of thunderstorm life cycle is similar in most thunderstorms

Analysis of warm season thunderstorms using an object-oriented tracking method based on radar and total lightning data

Science.gov (United States)

Rigo, T.; Pineda, N.; Bech, J.

2010-09-01

Monitoring thunderstorms activity is an essential part of operational weather surveillance given their potential hazards, including lightning, hail, heavy rainfall, strong winds or even tornadoes. This study has two main objectives: firstly, the description of a methodology, based on radar and total lightning data to characterise thunderstorms in real-time; secondly, the application of this methodology to 66 thunderstorms that affected Catalonia (NE Spain) in the summer of 2006. An object-oriented tracking procedure is employed, where different observation data types generate four different types of objects (radar 1-km CAPPI reflectivity composites, radar reflectivity volumetric data, cloud-to-ground lightning data and intra-cloud lightning data). In the framework proposed, these objects are the building blocks of a higher level object, the thunderstorm. The methodology is demonstrated with a dataset of thunderstorms whose main characteristics, along the complete life cycle of the convective structures (development, maturity and dissipation), are described statistically. The development and dissipation stages present similar durations in most cases examined. On the contrary, the duration of the maturity phase is much more variable and related to the thunderstorm intensity, defined here in terms of lightning flash rate. Most of the activity of IC and CG flashes is registered in the maturity stage. In the development stage little CG flashes are observed (2% to 5%), while for the dissipation phase is possible to observe a few more CG flashes (10% to 15%). Additionally, a selection of thunderstorms is used to examine general life cycle patterns, obtained from the analysis of normalized (with respect to thunderstorm total duration and maximum value of variables considered) thunderstorm parameters. Among other findings, the study indicates that the normalized duration of the three stages of thunderstorm life cycle is similar in most thunderstorms, with the longest

Far from thunderstorm UV transient events in the atmosphere measured by Vernov satellite

Science.gov (United States)

Morozenko, Violetta; Klimov, Pavel; Khrenov, Boris; Gali, Garipov; Margarita, Kaznacheeva; Mikhail, Panasyuk; Sergei, Svertilov; Robert, Holzworth

2016-04-01

The steady self-contained classification of events such as sprites, elves, blue jets emerged for the period of transient luminous events (TLE) observation. In accordance with TLE origin theories the presence of the thunderstorm region where the lightnings with the large peak current generating in is necessary. However, some far-from-thunderstorm region events were also detected and revealed to us another TLE generating mechanisms. For the discovering of the TLE nature the Universitetsky-Tatiana-2 and Vernov satellites were equipped with ultraviolet (240-400 nm) and red-infrared ( >610 nm) detectors. In both detector it was carried out regardless the lightnings with the guidance by the flashes in the UV wavelength where lightning's emitting is quite faint. The lowered threshold on the Vernov satellite allowed to select the great amount of TLE with the numerous far-from-thunderstorm region events examples. such events were not conjuncted with lightning activity measured by global lightning location network (WWLLN) on the large area of approximately 107 km2 for 30 minutes before and after the time of registration. The characteristic features of this type of event are: the absence of significant signal in the red-infrared detector's channel; a relatively small number of photons (less than 5 ṡ 1021). A large number of without lightning flash were detected at high latitudes over the ocean (30°S - 60°S). Lightning activity in the magnetic conjugate point also was analyzed. The relationship of far-from-thunderstorm region events with the specific lightning discharges didn't confirmed. Far-from-thunderstorm events - a new type of transient phenomena in the upper atmosphere is not associated with the thunderstorm activity. The mechanism of such discharges is not clear, though it was accumulated a sufficient amount of experimental facts of the existence of such flashes. According to the data of Vernov satellite the temporal profile, duration, location with earth

A global model of thunderstorm electricity and the prediction of whistler duct formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stansbery, E.K.

1989-01-01

A two-dimensional numerical model is created to calculate the electric field and current that flow from a thunderstorm source into the global electrical circuit. The model includes a hemisphere in which the thunderstorm is located, an equalization layer, and a passive magnetic conjugate hemisphere. To maintain the fair weather electric field, the output current from the thunderstorm is allowed to spread out in the ionosphere or flow along the magnetic field lines into the conjugate hemisphere. The vertical current is constant up to approximately 65 km, decays and is redirected horizontally in the ionosphere. Approximately half of the current that reaches the ionosphere flows along magnetic field lines into the conjugate hemisphere while the rest is spread out in the ionosphere and redirected to the fair weather portion of the storm hemisphere. Our results show that it is important to include a realistic model of the equalization layer to evaluate the role of thunderstorm charging of the global circuit. The mapping of thunderstorm electric fields at middle and subauroral latitudes into the magnetic equatorial plane is studied. The geomagnetic field lines are assumed to be dipolar above approximately 150 km. The horizontal electric field computed in the ionosphere by our model is of sufficient size and shape for the formation of electron density irregularities in the magnetosphere. The mechanism involves a localized convection of ionization tubes by ExB drift. It is shown that the horizontal range of the electric field disturbance in the ionosphere must be within approximately 160 km to produce density irregularities necessary for the formation of whistler ducts. Although the electric field strength at ionospheric heights depends sensitively on the conductivity profile, the results presented show that whistler duct formation is possible by thunderstorm generated electric fields.*

Simulations of a November thunderstorm event by two mesoscale models in the south Alpine region

OpenAIRE

Borroni, A.

2005-01-01

Abstract: Two numerical models have been used to investigate the development of a thunderstorm event that took place on November 7th , 2004, in the northern Italy. A cold air mass moved from the northeast to the Alps and the Po valley, while the temperature in the lower layers was quite warm. A thunderstorm with rain and hail developed in the central and eastern part of Italy's subalpine region. In this work it's analyzed some aspects of the thunderstorm dynamics at the mesoscale using two di...

A GazeWatch Prototype

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paulin Hansen, John; Biermann, Florian; Møllenbach, Emile

2015-01-01

We demonstrate potentials of adding a gaze tracking unit to a smartwatch, allowing hands-free interaction with the watch itself and control of the environment. Users give commands via gaze gestures, i.e. looking away and back to the GazeWatch. Rapid presentation of single words on the watch displ...... provides a rich and effective textual interface. Finally, we exemplify how the GazeWatch can be used as a ubiquitous pointer on large displays....

An Examination of Aviation Accidents Associated with Turbulence, Wind Shear and Thunderstorm

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Joni K.

2013-01-01

The focal point of the study reported here was the definition and examination of turbulence, wind shear and thunderstorm in relation to aviation accidents. NASA project management desired this information regarding distinct subgroups of atmospheric hazards, in order to better focus their research portfolio. A seven category expansion of Kaplan's turbulence categories was developed, which included wake turbulence, mountain wave turbulence, clear air turbulence, cloud turbulence, convective turbulence, thunderstorm without mention of turbulence, and low altitude wind shear, microburst or turbulence (with no mention of thunderstorms).More than 800 accidents from flights based in the United States during 1987-2008 were selected from a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) database. Accidents were selected for inclusion in this study if turbulence, thunderstorm, wind shear or microburst was considered either a cause or a factor in the accident report, and each accident was assigned to only one hazard category. This report summarizes the differences between the categories in terms of factors such as flight operations category, aircraft engine type, the accident's geographic location and time of year, degree of injury to aircraft occupants, aircraft damage, age and certification of the pilot and the phase of flight at the time of the accident.

Global scale ionospheric irregularities associated with thunderstorm activity

CERN Document Server

Pulinets, S A

2002-01-01

The potential difference near 280 kV exists between ground and ionosphere. This potential difference is generated by thunderstorm discharges all over the world, and return current closes the circuit in the areas of fair weather (so-called fair weather current). The model calculations and experimental measurements clearly demonstrate non-uniform latitude-longitude distribution of electric field within the atmosphere. The recent calculations show that the strong large scale vertical atmospheric electric field can penetrate into the ionosphere and create large scale irregularities of the electron concentration. To check this the global distributions of thunderstorm activity obtained with the satellite monitoring for different seasons were compared with the global distributions of ionosphere critical frequency (which is equivalent to peak electron concentration) obtained with the help of satellite topside sounding. The similarity of the obtained global distributions clearly demonstrates the effects of thunderstor...

TGF Afterglows: A New Radiation Mechanism From Thunderstorms

Science.gov (United States)

Rutjes, C.; Diniz, G.; Ferreira, I. S.; Ebert, U.

2017-10-01

Thunderstorms are known to create terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) which are microsecond-long bursts created by runaway of thermal electrons from propagating lightning leaders, as well as gamma ray glows that possibly are created by relativistic runaway electron avalanches (RREA) that can last for minutes or more and are sometimes terminated by a discharge. In this work we predict a new intermediate thunderstorm radiation mechanism, which we call TGF afterglow, as it is caused by the capture of photonuclear neutrons produced by a TGF. TGF afterglows are milliseconds to seconds long; this duration is caused by the thermalization time of the intermediate neutrons. TGF afterglows indicate that the primary TGF has produced photons in the energy range of 10-30 MeV; they are nondirectional in contrast to the primary TGF. Gurevich et al. might have reported TGF afterglows in 2011.

Instability indices and forecasting thunderstorms: the case of 30 April 2009

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Tajbakhsh

2012-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper, one meteorological case study for two Iranian airports are presented. Attempts have been made to study the predefined threshold amounts of some instability indices such as vertical velocity and relative humidity. Two important output variables from a numerical weather prediction model have been used to survey thunderstorms. The climatological state of thunder days in Iran has been determined to aid in choosing the airports for the case studies. The synoptic pattern, atmospheric thermodynamics and output from a numerical weather prediction model have been studied to evaluate the occurrence of storms and to verify the threshold instability indices that are based on Gordon and Albert (2000 and Miller (1972.

Using data from the Statistics and Data Center of the Iran Meteorological Organization, 195 synoptic stations were used to study the climatological pattern of thunderstorm days in Iran during a 15-yr period (1991–2005. Synoptic weather maps and thermodynamic diagrams have been drawn using data from synoptic stations and radiosonde data. A 15-km resolution version of the WRF numerical model has been implemented for the Middle East region with the assistance of global data from University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR.

The Tabriz airport weather station has been selected for further study due to its high frequency of thunderstorms (more than 35 thunderstorm days per year and the existence of an upper air station. Despite the fact that storms occur less often at the Tehran weather station, the station has been chosen as the second case study site due to its large amount of air traffic. Using these two case studies (Tehran at 00:00 UTC, 31 April 2009 and Tabriz at 12:00 UTC, 31 April 2009, the results of this research show that the threshold amounts of 30 °C for KI, −2 °C for LI and −3 °C for SI suggests the occurrence and non-occurrence of thunderstorms at the Tehran and Tabriz stations

Observation and analysis of electrical structure change and diversity in thunderstorms on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yajun; Zhang, Guangshu; Wang, Yanhui; Wu, Bin; Li, Jing

2017-09-01

A comprehensive observation on thunderstorms was conducted in the Qinghai area by using a very high frequency three-dimensional lightning mapping system and Doppler radar. The spatio-temporal evolution of the charge structure of the isolated thunderstorm was analyzed according to the developing process of thunderstorm, and the reasons for the change in charge structure diversity were studied. During the initial developing and mature stages of the thunderstorm, the charge structure was a steady negative dipole polarity, i.e., the negative charge region was above the positive charge region. Furthermore, the total number of flashes was lower during these two stages. During the thunderstorm's dissipation stage, the charge structure was varied and complicated, with a positive dipole, negative dipole, and a tripole charge structure changing and coexisting during this stage. This charge structure diversity was primarily caused by the collision and merging of two local thunderstorm cells, leading to a charge rearrangement and distribution and the formation of a new charge structure. The frequency of the negative cloud-to-ground and intracloud flashes increased sharply in the dissipation stage, reaching a maximum value. The increase in frequency of negative cloud-to-ground was mainly caused by the lower positive charge weakening during the dissipation stage. In addition, the relationship between charging regions and temperature layers was analyzed by combining sounding temperature data with the theory of a non-inductive charging mechanism.

The Monitoring Of Thunderstorm In Sao Paulo's Urban Areas, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Gin, R. B.; Pereira, A.; Beneti, C.; Jusevicius, M.; Kawano, M.; Bianchi, R.; Bellodi, M.

2005-12-01

A monitoring of thunderstorm in urban areas occurred in the vicinity of Sao Bernardo do Campo, Sao Paulo from November 2004 to March 2005. Eight thunderstorms were monitored by local electric field, video camera, Brazilian Lightning Location Network (RINDAT) and weather radar. The most of these thunderstorms were associated with the local convection and cold front. Some of these events presented floods in the vicinity of Sao Bernardo and in the Metropolitan Area of Sao Paulo (MASP) being associated with local sea breeze circulation and the heat island effect. The convectives cells exceeding 100km x 100 km of area, actives between 2 and 3 hours. The local electric field identified the electrification stage of thunderstorms, high transients of lightning and total lightning rate of above 10 flashes per minute. About 29.5 thousands of cloud-to-ground lightning flashes were analyzed . From the total set of CG flashes analyzed, about 94 percent were negative strokes and presented average peak current of above 25kA, common for this region. Some lightning images were obtained by video camera and compared with transients of lightning and lightning detection network data. The most of these transients of lightning presented continuing current duration between 100ms and 200ms. A CG lightning occurred on 25th February was visually observed 3.5km from FEI campus, Sao Bernardo do Campo. This lightning presented negative polarity and estimed peak current of above 30kA. A spider was visually observed over FEI Campus at 17th March. No transients of lightning and recording by lightning location network were found.

Development of instrumentation with application to sounding rocket electric and magnetic field measurements above thunderstorms

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Steven D.

1999-06-01

The thunderstorm campaigns led by Cornell University in 1981 and 1988 both measured large-amplitude (10 to 40 mV/m), long duration (1 ms) electric-field pulses parallel to the earth's magnetic field. To investigate the mechanism responsible for these pulses, the instrumentation bandwidth was increased from the VLF range to MF frequencies. The design for a Helmholtz coil developed to calibrate magnetometers from DC to 10 MHz is given in Chapter 3. This coil generates a spatially uniform field with for frequencies up to at least 10 MHz with amplitudes of up to 1.1 mA/m. Coincident with the need for higher bandwidth sensors, a burst-memory data acquisition system was developed to intelligently select the 1.25% of the available data to send to the telemetry encoder. This system uses the optical flash of the lightning as a trigger and has a back-up mode to ensure data is transmitted in the event no triggers occur. The higher-frequency instruments allowed the first rocket-borne measurement of nose- whistlers caused by the plasma frequency resonance (as opposed to the more common electron cyclotron frequency resonance), and what may have been the first observation of a TIPP at MF frequencies. Triggered emission from the second campaign, Thunderstorm-II, are identified as lower hybrid emissions. These emissions enhanced the whistler by several decibels in the lower hybrid frequency band and in bands above the emission. No emissions seen above the lower hybrid frequency. The Thunderstorm-III payloads also measured triggered emissions and long-duration pulses. The former were found in several altitude-independent frequency bands for which the source could not be identified. The long duration pulses, while of interest, have not been studied in sufficient depth for inclusion in this work.

Red sprites and blue jets: Thunderstorm-excited optical emissions in the stratosphere, mesosphere, and ionosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sentman, D.D.; Wescott, E.M.

1995-01-01

Recent low light level monochrome television observations obtained from the ground and from the space shuttle, and low light level color and monochrome television images obtained from aboard jet aircraft, have shown that intense lightning in mesoscale thunderstorm systems may excite at least two distinct types of optical emissions that together span the space between the tops of some thunderstorms and the ionosphere. The first of these emissions, dubbed ''sprites,'' are luminous red structures that typically span the altitude range 60--90 km, often with faint bluish tendrils dangling below. A second, rarer, type of luminous emission are ''blue jets'' that appear to spurt upward out of the anvil top in narrow cones to altitudes of 40--50 km at speeds of ∼100 km/s. In this paper the principal observational characteristics of sprites and jets are presented, and several proposed production mechanisms are reviewed. copyright 1995 American Institute of Physics

TGF afterglows: A new radiation mechanism from thunderstorms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

C. Rutjes (Casper); G. Diniz (Gabriel); I.S. Ferreira; U. M. Ebert (Ute)

2017-01-01

textabstractThunderstorms are known to create terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) which are microsecond-long bursts created by runaway of thermal electrons from propagating lightning leaders, as well as gamma ray glows that possibly are created by relativistic runaway electron avalanches (RREA)

An Analysis of Two Thunderstorms Producing Five Negative Sprites on 12 September 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Boggs, L.; Liu, N.; Splitt, M. E.; Lazarus, S. M.; Cummer, S. A.; Rassoul, H.

2015-12-01

We present a detailed analysis of the thunderstorms and the parent lightning discharge morphologies of five confirmed negative sprites taking place in two different thunderstorms. These two thunderstorms took place in east-central and south Florida on 12 September 2014. We utilized several lightning location networks, remote magnetic field measurements, dual polarization radar, and balloon borne soundings in our analysis. Each parent discharge was immediately preceded by intra-cloud (IC) discharges between the mid-level negative and upper positive charge regions. This either allowed a second upward negative leader to escape the upper positive charge region, or encouraged a downward negative leader to be initiated and connect with ground. The discharges found in this study support the findings of Lu et al., 2012 [JGR,117, D04212, 2012] that negative sprite-parent lightning consists primarily of hybrid intra-cloud negative cloud-to-ground (IC-NCG) and bolt-from-the-blue (BFB) lightning. Our work finds these unique discharges form in thunderstorms that have an excess of mid-level negative charge and weakened upper positive charge. Due to this charge structure, these unusual discharges transfer more charge to the ground than typical negative cloud-to-ground discharges. Our study suggests that the key difference separating bolt-from-the-blue and gigantic jet discharges is an asymmetric charge structure. This acts to bring the negative leader exiting the thundercloud closer to the lateral positive screening layer, encouraging the negative leader to turn towards ground. This investigation reveals IC discharges that involve multiple convective cells and come to ground as a negative CG discharge, a breed of hybrid IC-NCG discharges, also transfer more negative charge to ground than typical negative CG discharges and are able to initiate negative sprites. From this work, the charge structures mentioned above resulted from tall, intense convective cells with low CG flash

Analysis of satellite data for sensor improvement (detection of severe storms from space)

Science.gov (United States)

Fujita, T. T.

1984-01-01

Stereo photography of clouds over southeast Asia was obtained using NOAA-7 and the Japanese GMS. Due to the breakdown of GMS2, GMS1, which had been retired, is being used as the replacement satellite. The launch of GMS should permit the US-Japan stereo experiment to be reactivated. The Lear jet experiment based at Grand Island, Nebraska was successful and provided data on the Redwood Falls clouds & Grand Island thunderstorm; an anvil-top cirrus deck; a circular thunderstorm; and jumping cirrus. The IR temperature field of the thunderstorm which induced the Andrews AFB microburst was analyzed with 1 C accuracy. The microburst and severe thunderstorm project is being planned.

Spatial, seasonal and inter-seasonal variations of thunderstorm ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SilverFlossie

the updraft flows arise as a result of the formation of a gust front ahead of a .... of the following days, the rainfall was added against the day during which the storm ... thunderstorm with rain occurred later in the evening/night of the same day.

TGF afterglows : a new radiation mechanism from thunderstorms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rutjes, C.; Diniz, G.; Ferreira, I.S.; Ebert, U.

2017-01-01

Thunderstorms are known to create terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) which are microsecond-long bursts created by runaway of thermal electrons from propagating lightning leaders, as well as gamma ray glows that possibly are created by relativistic runaway electron avalanches (RREA) that can last

Correlations of current parameters with flash density from winter thunderstorms in Japan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vogel, Stephan; Ishii, M.; Saito, M.

2017-01-01

In this work, Lightning Location System (LLS) data from theJapanese Lightning Detection Network (JLDN) are correlated with lightning current measurements from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) project which conducted lightning measurements on wind turbines...... during 2008-2013. The terminology of active and inactive winter thunderstorms from Fujii et al. (2013) [1] will be used as a reference to classify the discharge characteristics of the particular storm type. The results indicate that winter thunderstorms with a higher lightning activity are also...

An experimental search for gamma radiation associated with thunderstorm activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fryberger, D.

1992-11-01

This experiment is a repeat of an earlier experiment, but with more sensitive apparatus and in a location with a higher incidence of thunderstorm activity. The earlier experiment was undertaken by Ashby and Whitehead to investigate the theory that ball lightning might be associated with the annihilation of small amounts of antimatter, and it yielded some very interesting but inconclusive results. In the course of about 12 months of data taking, four high rate bursts of gamma radiation were detected. These events lasted a few seconds and had many thousands of counts (16500, 5000, 3700, and > 7700. Unfortunately, the association of these gamma ray bursts with thunderstorms or ball lightning was not clearly established, although one of the bursts did occur during a local thunderstorm in rough coincidence with a lightning bolt striking a flagpole about 100 yards from the gamma ray detection crystals. A pulse height spectrum taken for this burst (no spectrum was taken for the other three) exhibited a significant peak, well above background, the energy of which appeared to be compatible with the 511 keV positron annihilation line. While the peak could not be unambiguously attributed to positron annihilation, this certainly appeared to be the most likely source

Lightning and severe thunderstorms in event management.

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Katie M

2012-01-01

There are a few national position stands/guidelines that address environmental conditions in athletics, yet they do not govern all outdoor sports. Extreme heat and cold, lightning, and severe wind can all be fatal, yet the majority of outdoor sports have no published guidelines addressing these conditions in relation to activity. Available research on extreme heat and cold conditions in athletics provides prevention strategies, to include acclimatization. Lightning and severe wind are two environmental conditions to which humans cannot accommodate, and they both can be deadly. There are strong positions on extreme heat/cold and lightning safety in athletics, but none affiliated with severe winds. Medical personnel involved in planning large outdoor sporting events must know of the presence of nationally published weather-related documents and apply them to their event. In addition, research needs to be expanded in the realm of establishing guidelines for safety to participants and spectators in severe wind conditions.

Satellite-based technique for nowcasting of thunderstorms over ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Suman Goyal

2017-08-31

Aug 31, 2017 ... Due to inadequate radar network, satellite plays the dominant role for nowcast of these thunderstorms. In this study, a nowcast based algorithm ForTracc developed by Vila ... of actual development of cumulonimbus clouds, ... MCS over Indian region using Infrared Channel ... (2016) based on case study of.

Analysis of Cumulonimbus (Cb), Thunderstorm and Fog for Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport

Science.gov (United States)

Avsar, Ercument

2016-07-01

Demand for airline transport has been increasing day by day with the development of the aviation industry in Turkey. Meteorological conditions are among the most important factors that influence aviation facilities. Meteorological events cause delays and cancellation of flights which create economic and time losses, and they even lead to accidents and breakups. The most important meteorological events that affect the takeoff and landing of airplanes can be listed as wind, runway visual range, cloud, rain, icing, turbulence, and low level windshear. Meteorological events that affect the aviation facilities most often in Adnan Menderes Airport (LTBJ), the fourth largest airport in Turkey in terms of air traffic, are fog, Cumulonimbus (Cb) clouds and thunderstorms (TS-Thunderstorm). Therefore, it is important to identify the occurrence time of these events based on the analysis of data over many years and do the flight plans based on this meteorological information in order to make the aviation facilities safer and without delays. In this study, statistical analysis on the formation of Cb clouds, thunderstorm and foggy days is conducted using observations produced for aviation (METAR) and special observers (SPECI). It is found that there are two types of fog that are observed most often at LTBJ, namely radiation and advection fogs, accordingly to the results of statistical analysis based on data from 2004 to 2014. Fog events are found to occur most often in the months of December and January, during 04:00 - 07:00 UTC time interval, between pressure values over 1015-1020 hPa, in 130-190 degree light breeze (1-5KT) and in temperature levels between 5°C and 8°C. Thunderstorm events recorded at LTBJ between the years 2004 and 2014 are most often observed in the months of January and February, in 120-210 degree gentle breeze winds (6-10KT), and in temperature levels between 8 and 18 °C. Key Words: Adnan Menderes International Airport, LTBJ, Fog, Thunderstorm (TS), Cb

A preliminary investigation into the measurement of global thunderstorm incidence and electrosphere potential at Sanae, Antarctica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smart, C.A.

1980-01-01

One of the atmospheric parameters that may be affected by variations in the electrosphere potential is thunderstorm activity. The author made preliminary investigations into the simultaneous monitoring of global thunderstorm incidence and electrosphere potential. The author looked at the structure of the sun and the earth solar activity and solar emissions as well as the sun-weather relationships. Measurement were made by the author during 1978 at Sanae, Antarctica. The objective was to investigate the fluctuations of global thunderstorm activity and electrosphere potential and to establish some link between these and with solar activity. Potential gradient of the lower atmosphere was measured by means of a field mill and fluctuations taken to be representative of those of the electrosphere potential. Thunderstorm incidence was monitored by measurement of extra low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic noise radiated by lightning. A dipole or loop antenna was used for the recording of extra low frequency electromagnetic noise. A computer program was developed to facilitate the data analysis

Positron Annihilation in Thunderstorms Observed by ILDAS.

Science.gov (United States)

Kochkin, P.; Sarria, D., Sr.; Van Deursen, A.; de Boer, A.; Bardet, M.; Allasia, C.; Flourens, F.; Østgaard, N.

2017-12-01

Positron clouds within thunderstorms were for the first time reported in 2015 [Dwyer et al. 2015]. The observation was made by the Airborne Detector for Energetic Lightning Emissions (ADELE) in 2009 at 14.1 km altitude. Strong 511 keV line enhancement was recorded synchronously with nearby electrical activity. It lasted at least 0.2 s and was modeled as annihilation from disperse positron cloud more than a kilometer across. Different positron generation mechanisms were proposed in the paper. In January 2016 an Airbus A340 factory test aircraft was intentionally flying through thunderstorms over Northern Australia. The aircraft was equipped with a dedicated in-flight lightning detection system ILDAS (http://ildas.nlr.nl). The system contains two gamma-ray scintillation detectors each with 38x38 mm cylinder LaBr3 crystals. Total 9 video cameras were installed on-board to monitor the outer surfaces. When the aircraft flew at 12 km inside an active thundercloud, the ambient electric field was strong enough to trigger electrical discharges from the sharp edges. One sequence of such discharges was accompanied with enhancements of 511 keV line, each lasted for 0.5 - 1.0 s and total duration over 15 s. The video cameras recorded electrical discharges attached to the aircraft during this process. ILDAS reported brief 100 A current pulses in association with these discharges. Ground-based lightning location networks, i.e. WWLLN and local Australian LIAS, have not detected any sferics from this region. A detailed Geant4 model of the aircraft was created. The model was used to test different production mechanisms for the observed emission. In this presentation we will show a detailed reconstruction ofthe events with precise mapping on infrared cloud snapshot. Videos from the cameras at the positron detection moment will be shown. The results of the Geant4 simulation will be presented and discussed. References: 1. Dwyer, Joseph R., et al. "Positron clouds within thunderstorms

Early warnings of hazardous thunderstorms over Lake Victoria

Science.gov (United States)

Thiery, Wim; Gudmundsson, Lukas; Bedka, Kristopher; Semazzi, Fredrick H. M.; Lhermitte, Stef; Willems, Patrick; van Lipzig, Nicole P. M.; Seneviratne, Sonia I.

2017-07-01

Weather extremes have harmful impacts on communities around Lake Victoria in East Africa. Every year, intense nighttime thunderstorms cause numerous boating accidents on the lake, resulting in thousands of deaths among fishermen. Operational storm warning systems are therefore crucial. Here we complement ongoing early warning efforts based on numerical weather prediction, by presenting a new satellite data-driven storm prediction system, the prototype Lake Victoria Intense storm Early Warning System (VIEWS). VIEWS derives predictability from the correlation between afternoon land storm activity and nighttime storm intensity on Lake Victoria, and relies on logistic regression techniques to forecast extreme thunderstorms from satellite observations. Evaluation of the statistical model reveals that predictive power is high and independent of the type of input dataset. We then optimise the configuration and show that false alarms also contain valuable information. Our results suggest that regression-based models that are motivated through process understanding have the potential to reduce the vulnerability of local fishing communities around Lake Victoria. The experimental prediction system is publicly available under the MIT licence at http://github.com/wthiery/VIEWS.

Initiation of non-tropical thunderstorms by solar activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herman, J R [Radio Sciences Co., Melbourne, Fla. (USA); Goldberg, R A

1978-02-01

Correlative evidence accumulating since 1926 suggests that there must be some physical coupling mechanism between solar activity and thunderstorm occurrence in middle to high latitudes. Such a link may be provided by alteration of atmospheric electric parameters through the influence of cosmic ray decreases and/or high-energy solar protons associated with active solar events. Galactic cosmic ray decreases tend to enhance the electric field at low heights. The protons produce excess ionization near and above 20 km, greatly increasing the atmospheric conductivity and possibly lowering the height of the electrosphere. Consequent effects near the solar proton cut-off latitude also lead to an enhancement of the atmospheric electric field near the surface. If appropriate meteorological conditions (warm moist air with updrafts) exist or develop during a solar event, the atmospheric electric field enhancement may be sufficient to trigger thunderstorm development. The suggested mechanism appears plausible enough to warrant a co-ordinated experimental effort involving satellite balloon and ground-based measurements of the possible forcing functions (solar protons and cosmic rays) and the responding atmospheric electrical and ionic species' characteristics.

Toward a qualitative understanding of binge-watching behaviors: A focus group approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Flayelle, Maèva; Maurage, Pierre; Billieux, Joël

2017-12-01

Background and aims Binge-watching (i.e., seeing multiple episodes of the same TV series in a row) now constitutes a widespread phenomenon. However, little is known about the psychological factors underlying this behavior, as reflected by the paucity of available studies, most merely focusing on its potential harmfulness by applying the classic criteria used for other addictive disorders without exploring the uniqueness of binge-watching. This study thus aimed to take the opposite approach as a first step toward a genuine understanding of binge-watching behaviors through a qualitative analysis of the phenomenological characteristics of TV series watching. Methods A focus group of regular TV series viewers (N = 7) was established to explore a wide range of aspects related to TV series watching (e.g., motives, viewing practices, and related behaviors). Results A content analysis identified binge-watching features across three dimensions: TV series watching motivations, TV series watching engagement, and structural characteristics of TV shows. Most participants acknowledged that TV series watching can become addictive, but they all agreed having trouble recognizing themselves as truly being an "addict." Although obvious connections could be established with substance addiction criteria and symptoms, such parallelism appeared to be insufficient, as several distinctive facets emerged (e.g., positive view, transient overinvolvement, context dependency, and low everyday life impact). Discussion and conclusion The research should go beyond the classic biomedical and psychological models of addictive behaviors to account for binge-watching in order to explore its specificities and generate the first steps toward an adequate theoretical rationale for these emerging problematic behaviors.

SPORTS WATCHING CULTURE AMONG MALAYSIANS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gunathevan Elumalai

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Ardent sports watching will lead an individual to engage in sports and recreational activities continuously, while it also creates a sports culture among Malaysians. Sports watching culture is actually an intellectual activity. It is capable of evaluating behaviour, moral values and the level of appreciation of every spectator. Methods: This survey was conducted to identify the sports viewing culture among Malaysians. A cluster sampling method was used to select 6000 respondents from 30 million Malaysian population. Respondents were selected from urban (50% and rural areas (50%. Ethnically 56% were Malays, Sarawak and Sabah natives were 11%, Chinese 25% and finally Indians 7%. The respondents age categories were 12 to 19 years (30%, 20 to 25 years (50%, 56 and above (20%. A questionnaire developed by the research team was used to collect data. The quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 21.0 for windows. Results: The findings indicate that from 5864 respondents who answered the questionnaire in full, a total of 4553 people or 77.6% watch sporting events, while a total of 1311 people or 22.4% have stated not watching any sports activities. Comparison by gender showed that 85.2% of the 2482 males watch sports events while among the female 70.2% of the 2071 watch sports events. In the category of those who do not watch, the female are higher at 29.8% than the males at 14.8%. In terms of ethnicity the Malays 80.2%. Chinese 64.6%, Indians 81.9%, natives of Sabah 94.0%, natives of Sarawak 77.6% like to watch sports events. Residential locations showed no significant differences as 78.7% of urban respondents watch sports events compared to 76.8% of rural communities. Conclusion: The findings indicated that majority of Malaysians having fun in watching sports activities. Gender still plays a role in the involvement and enjoyment of sports events either as a player or supporter. Ethnicity

Incorporation of tritium from wrist watches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoenhofer, F.; Pock, K.

1995-01-01

Watches are consumer products and are subject to the regulations that control food and consumer products. Elevated concentrations of tritium were found in the urine of persons who wore wrist watches with luminous dials and plastic cases. High emission of tritium from these watches were observed. In an experiment, a volunteer wore a watch with high emissions and the build-up of the tritium concentration in urine was monitored, as well as the decline after removing the watch. Possible pathways for the incorporation and its mechanism are considered. In spite of the relatively high activity concentrations observed, the dose is negligible. On the other hand, the principle 'ALARA' can be achieved without any costs by simply choosing other types of watches. (author). 12 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs

Nowcast of thunderstorm and typhoon activity based on lightning detection and flexible operation of micro-satellites

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Y.

2016-12-01

It has become known that lightning activity represents the thunderstorm activity, namely, the intensity and area of precipitation and/or updraft. Thunderstorm is also important as a proxy of the energy input from ocean to atmosphere in typhoon, meaning that if we could monitor the thunderstorm with lightning we could predict the maximum wind velocity near the typhoon center by one or two days before. Constructing ELF and VLF radio wave observation network in Southeast Asia (AVON) and a regional dense network of automated weather station in a big city, we plan to establish the monitoring system for thunderstorm development in western pacific warm pool (WPWP) where typhoon is formed and in detail in big city area. On the other hand, some developing countries in SE-Asia are going to own micro-satellites dedicated to meteorological remote sensing. Making use of the lightning activity data measured by the ground-based networks, and information on 3-D structures of thunderclouds observed by the flexible on-demand operation of the remote-sensing micro-satellites, we would establish a new methodology to obtain very detail semi-real time information that cannot be achieved only with existing observation facilities, such as meteorological radar or large meteorological satellite. Using this new system we try to issue nowcast for the local thunderstorm and for typhoons. The first attempt will be carried out in Metro Manila in Philippines and WPWP as one of the SATREPS projects.

Lightning-Sensor Data Help In Understanding Thunderstorms

Science.gov (United States)

Goodman, Steven J.

1992-01-01

NASA technical memorandum discusses research on use of data from network of ground-based magnetic direction-finding ground-strike lightning sensors to diagnose and predict occurrence and evolution of thunderstorms. Purposes of study to explore applicability and limitations of extrapolation techniques used to generate forecasts from data; to examine physically-based, nonlinear mathematical models for applicability to lightning-forecast problem; and to determine valid extrapolation ranges of such models for various weather scenarios.

Parameters of thunderstorm activity and lightning discharges in Central Yakutia from 2009 to 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Kozlov, V. I.; Mullayarov, V. A.; Grigorev, Yu. M.; Tarabukina, L. D.

2014-05-01

The results of integrated instrumental observations of thunderstorm activity around Yakutsk at a radius of 400 and 30 km are presented. The seasonal course of thunderstorm activity was found to contain characteristic peaks in the first 10 days of June and the last 10 days of July or early August. The fraction of cloud-to-ground discharges in Central Yakutia is 40-60%, which is consistent with observations in Western Siberia (40-50%). The number of positive discharges to the ground was 8-15% of all cases of discharges to the ground, which is consistent with observations in Germany (17%) and slightly exceeds the observed number in the Caucasus (2.2-8.2%) and United States (4.5%). The thunderstorm activity in Yakutsk is three times higher than in the area around Yakutsk with a radius of 400 km, which can be explained by the fact that the city is a heat island.

47 CFR 80.301 - Watch requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Safety Watch Requirements and Procedures Coast Station Safety Watches § 80.301 Watch...) Except for distress, urgency or safety messages, coast stations must not transmit on 2182 kHz during the...

Observations of thunderstorm-related 630 nm airglow depletions

Science.gov (United States)

Kendall, E. A.; Bhatt, A.

2015-12-01

The Midlatitude All-sky imaging Network for Geophysical Observations (MANGO) is an NSF-funded network of 630 nm all-sky imagers in the continental United States. MANGO will be used to observe the generation, propagation, and dissipation of medium and large-scale wave activity in the subauroral, mid and low-latitude thermosphere. This network is actively being deployed and will ultimately consist of nine all-sky imagers. These imagers form a network providing continuous coverage over the western United States, including California, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Arizona and Texas extending south into Mexico. This network sees high levels of both medium and large scale wave activity. Apart from the widely reported northeast to southwest propagating wave fronts resulting from the so called Perkins mechanism, this network observes wave fronts propagating to the west, north and northeast. At least three of these anomalous events have been associated with thunderstorm activity. Imager data has been correlated with both GPS data and data from the AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) instrument on board NASA's Earth Observing System Aqua satellite. We will present a comprehensive analysis of these events and discuss the potential thunderstorm source mechanism.

Apple Watch for dummies

CERN Document Server

Saltzman, Marc

2015-01-01

Your all-encompassing guide to the Apple Watch Are you an Apple Watch enthusiast and want to master all of its features to impress friends and intimidate enemies? Or perhaps you're a less-than-tech-savvy newcomer to the ""wearable"" craze and want to get the most out of it? In Apple Watch For Dummies, you'll discover how this incredible device does way more than simply tell time. Through hands-on, easy-to-follow instruction, you'll find out how to send and receive text messages and emails, use Siri, find movie times, access your favorite apps and get directions]. Plus, you'll get a handle on

Automated analysis of lightning leader speed, local flash rates and electric charge structure in thunderstorms

Science.gov (United States)

Van Der Velde, O. A.; Montanya, J.; López, J. A.

2017-12-01

A Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) maps radio pulses emitted by lightning leaders, displaying lightning flash development in the cloud in three dimensions. Since the last 10 years about a dozen of these advanced systems have become operational in the United States and in Europe, often with the purpose of severe weather monitoring or lightning research. We introduce new methods for the analysis of complex three-dimensional lightning data produced by LMAs and illustrate them by cases of a mid-latitude severe weather producing thunderstorm and a tropical thunderstorm in Colombia. The method is based on the characteristics of bidrectional leader development as observed in LMA data (van der Velde and Montanyà, 2013, JGR-Atmospheres), where mapped positive leaders were found to propagate at characteristic speeds around 2 · 104 m s-1, while negative leaders typically propagate at speeds around 105 m s-1. Here, we determine leader speed for every 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.75 km grid box in 3 ms time steps, using two time intervals (e.g., 9 ms and 27 ms) and circles (4.5 km and 2.5 km wide) in which a robust Theil-Sen fitting of the slope is performed for fast and slow leaders. The two are then merged such that important speed characteristics are optimally maintained in negative and positive leaders, and labeled with positive or negative polarity according to the resulting velocity. The method also counts how often leaders from a lightning flash initiate or pass through each grid box. This "local flash rate" may be used in severe thunderstorm or NOx production studies and shall be more meaningful than LMA source density which is biased by the detection efficiency. Additionally, in each grid box the median x, y and z components of the leader propagation vectors of all flashes result in a 3D vector grid which can be compared to vectors in numerical models of leader propagation in response to cloud charge structure. Finally, the charge region altitudes, thickness and rates are summarized

Study of WATCH GRB error boxes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gorosabel, J.; Castro-Tirado, A. J.; Lund, Niels

1995-01-01

We have studied the first WATCH GRB Catalogue ofγ-ray Bursts in order to find correlations between WATCH GRB error boxes and a great variety of celestial objects present in 33 different catalogues. No particular class of objects has been found to be significantly correlated with the WATCH GRBs....

Watch-wearing as a marker of conscientiousness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David A. Ellis

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Several aspects of an individual’s appearance have been shown to predict personality and related behaviour. While some of these cues are grounded in biology (e.g., the human face, other aspects of a person’s appearance can be actively controlled (e.g., clothing. In this paper, we consider a common fashion accessory, the wristwatch. In an exploratory sample (N > 100 and a confirmatory sample (N > 600, we compared big-five personality traits between individuals who do or do not regularly wear a standard wristwatch. Significantly higher levels of conscientiousness were observed in participants who wore a watch. In a third study (N = 85, watch wearers arrived significantly earlier to appointments in comparison to controls. These results are discussed in relation to enclothed cognition and the rise of wearable technology including smartwatches.

Watch-wearing as a marker of conscientiousness.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, David A; Jenkins, Rob

2015-01-01

Several aspects of an individual's appearance have been shown to predict personality and related behaviour. While some of these cues are grounded in biology (e.g., the human face), other aspects of a person's appearance can be actively controlled (e.g., clothing). In this paper, we consider a common fashion accessory, the wristwatch. In an exploratory sample (N > 100) and a confirmatory sample (N > 600), we compared big-five personality traits between individuals who do or do not regularly wear a standard wristwatch. Significantly higher levels of conscientiousness were observed in participants who wore a watch. In a third study (N = 85), watch wearers arrived significantly earlier to appointments in comparison to controls. These results are discussed in relation to enclothed cognition and the rise of wearable technology including smartwatches.

Thunderstorm Research International Program (TRIP 77) report to management

Science.gov (United States)

Taiani, A. J.

1977-01-01

A post analysis of the previous day's weather, followed by the day's forecast and an outlook on weather conditions for the following day is given. The normal NOAA weather charts were used, complemented by the latest GOES satellite pictures, the latest rawinsonde sounding, and the computer-derived thunderstorm probability forecasts associated with the sounding.

Severe Hailstorm in Nepal: A case study

Science.gov (United States)

Aryal, D.

2017-12-01

During the pre-monsoon months (March-May) in Nepal, severe thunder and hailstorms cause significant property and agricultural damage in addition to loss of life from lightening. Forecasting thunderstorm severity remains a challenge even in wealthy, developed countries that have modern meteorological data gathering infrastructure, such as Doppler Radar. This study attempts to isolate the specific and unique characteristics of a hailstorm that not only might explain its severity, but also suggest forecasting techniquees for future forecasting in Nepal. The primary data sources for this investigation included Infrared Satellite images, which illustrated the sequences of convective activity, and original archived ESRL India and China upper air data, which was used for synoptic and mesoscale analyses. On May 3, 2001 between the hours of 1100pm and midnight, a severe thunderstorm accompanied by hail stones estimated at 1kg, devastated the village of Thori (Southern border to India). 800 thatched houses were destroyed, over 500 farm animals were killed and more than 200 hectares of crops lost. Many inhabitants were injured, but luckily only one death. Thori hailstorm had its origins in a topographically induced lee-side convergence area in the deserts of Pakistan on May 2, 2001, from where it propagated eastwards into India and evolved into an eastward travelling Mesoscale Convective System reaching Thori near midnight on May 3. Atmospheric instability over the Gangetic Plains, fuelled by a very active surface heat low, cold temperatures and dynamic lifting mechanisms aloft, created a synoptic and mesoscale environment capable of generating a dangerous thunderstorm.

Search for possible relationship between volcanic ash particles and thunderstorm lightning activity

Science.gov (United States)

Várai, A.; Vincze, M.; Lichtenberger, J.; Jánosi, I. M.

2011-12-01

Explosive volcanic eruptions that eject columns of ash from the crater often generate lightning discharges strong enough to be remotely located by very low frequency radio waves. A fraction of volcanic ash particles can stay and disperse long enough to have an effect on weather phenomena days later such as thunderstorms and lightnings. In this work we report on lightning activity analysis over Europe following two recent series of volcanic eruptions in order to identify possible correlations between ash release and subsequent thunderstorm flash frequency. Our attempts gave negative results which can be related to the fact that we have limited information on local atmospheric variables of high enough resolution, however lightning frequency is apparently determined by very local circumstances.

Search for possible relationship between volcanic ash particles and thunderstorm lightning activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Várai, A; Vincze, M; Jánosi, I M; Lichtenberger, J

2011-01-01

Explosive volcanic eruptions that eject columns of ash from the crater often generate lightning discharges strong enough to be remotely located by very low frequency radio waves. A fraction of volcanic ash particles can stay and disperse long enough to have an effect on weather phenomena days later such as thunderstorms and lightnings. In this work we report on lightning activity analysis over Europe following two recent series of volcanic eruptions in order to identify possible correlations between ash release and subsequent thunderstorm flash frequency. Our attempts gave negative results which can be related to the fact that we have limited information on local atmospheric variables of high enough resolution, however lightning frequency is apparently determined by very local circumstances.

Finding the Limits of Aid/Watch

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew Harding

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Commissioner of Taxation v Aid/Watch Incorporated is the latest of a series of recent cases in which the High Court of Australia has exhibited what might be described as a ‘generosity of spirit’ to would-be taxpayers whose charitable status has been called into question. In Aid/Watch, the Court ruled that an organisation formed to monitor and evaluate the delivery of foreign aid by Australian government agencies was a charity even though it was engaged, consistently with its objects, in the sorts of political activities that traditionally have been regarded as anathema to charity. This article considers where we might feasibly locate the boundaries of the High Court’s reasoning in Aid/Watch, in light of charity law as a whole. In other words, as a matter of charity law, what are the limits of Aid/Watch? Thinking about this question demands: (a some understanding of what the High Court in Aid/Watch said with certainty; and (b a wider review of charity law to see which of its rules and principles may bear upon cases about political purposes now that Aid/Watch has been decided.

Rapid vertical trace gas transport by an isolated midlatitude thunderstorm

Science.gov (United States)

Hauf, Thomas; Schulte, Peter; Alheit, Reiner; Schlager, Hans

1995-11-01

During the cloud dynamics and chemistry field experiment CLEOPATRA in the summer of 1992 in southern Germany, the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) (German Aerospace Research Establishment) research aircraft Falcon traversed four times the anvil of a severe, isolated thunderstorm. The first two traverses were at 8 km altitude and close to the anvil cloud base, while the second two traverses were at 10 km. During the 8-km traverse, measured ozone mixing ratios dropped by 13 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) from the ambient cloud free environment to the anvil cloud, while water vapor increased by 0.3 g kg-1. At the 10-km traverses, ozone dropped by 25 ppbv, while water vapor increased by 0.18 g kg-1. Three-dimensional numerical thunderstorm simulations were performed to understand the cause of these changes. The simulations included the transport of two chemical inert tracers. Ozone was assumed to be one of them. The initial ozone profile was composed from an ozone routine sounding and the in situ Falcon measurements prior to the thunderstorm development. The second tracer is typical for a surface released pollutant with a nonzero, constant value in the boundary layer but zero above it. The redistribution of both tracers by the storm is calculated and compared with the observations. For the anvil penetration at 10 km, the calculated difference in ozone mixing ratios is 21 ppbv, while for water vapor an increase of 0.25 g kg-1 was found, in good agreement with the observations. To validate the model results, the radar reflectivity was calculated from simulated fields of cloud water, rain, graupel, hail, and snow and ice crystals and compared with observed values. With respect to maximum reflectivity values and spatial scales, again, excellent agreement was achieved. It is concluded that the rapid transport from the boundary layer directly into the anvil level is the most likely cause of the observed ozone decrease and water vapor increase

Composites of Heavy Rain Producing Elevated Thunderstorms in the Central United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurel P. McCoy

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Composite analyses of the atmosphere over the central United States during elevated thunderstorms producing heavy rainfall are presented. Composites were created for five National Weather Service County Warning Areas (CWAs in the region. Events studied occurred during the warm season (April–September during 1979–2012. These CWAs encompass the region determined previously to experience the greatest frequency of elevated thunderstorms in the United States. Composited events produced rainfall of >50 mm 24 hr−1 within the selected CWA. Composites were generated for the 0–3 hr period prior to the heaviest rainfall, 6–9 hours prior to it, and 12–15 hours prior to it. This paper focuses on the Pleasant Hill, Missouri (EAX composites, as all CWA results were similar; also these analyses focus on the period 0–3 hours prior to event occurrence. These findings corroborate the findings of previous authors. What is offered here that is unique is (1 a measure of the interquartile range within the composite mean fields, allowing for discrimination between variable fields that provided a strong reliable signal, from those that may appear strong but possess large variability, and (2 composite soundings of two subclasses of elevated thunderstorms. Also, a null case (one that fits the composite but failed to produce significant rainfall is also examined for comparison.

In situ measurements of contributions to the global electrical circuit by a thunderstorm in southeastern Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, J.N.; Holzworth, R.H.; McCarthy, M.P.

2009-01-01

The global electrical circuit, which maintains a potential of about 280??kV between the earth and the ionosphere, is thought to be driven mainly by thunderstorms and lightning. However, very few in situ measurements of electrical current above thunderstorms have been successfully obtained. In this paper, we present dc to very low frequency electric fields and atmospheric conductivity measured in the stratosphere (30-35??km altitude) above an active thunderstorm in southeastern Brazil. From these measurements, we estimate the mean quasi-static conduction current during the storm period to be 2.5 ?? 1.25??A. Additionally, we examine the transient conduction currents following a large positive cloud-to-ground (+ CG) lightning flash and typical - CG flashes. We find that the majority of the total current is attributed to the quasi-static thundercloud charge, rather than lightning, which supports the classical Wilson model for the global electrical circuit.

Factors influencing the intention to watch online video advertising.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Joonghwa; Lee, Mira

2011-10-01

This study examines the factors influencing consumer intention to watch online video ads, by applying the theory of reasoned action. The attitude toward watching online video ads, the subjective norm, and prior frequency of watching online video ads positively influence the intention to watch online video ads. Further, beliefs held about entertainment and information outcomes from watching online video ads and subjective norm influence attitude toward watching these ads.

An analysis of five negative sprite-parent discharges and their associated thunderstorm charge structures

Science.gov (United States)

Boggs, Levi D.; Liu, Ningyu; Splitt, Michael; Lazarus, Steven; Glenn, Chad; Rassoul, Hamid; Cummer, Steven A.

2016-01-01

In this study we analyze the discharge morphologies of five confirmed negative sprite-parent discharges and the associated charge structures of the thunderstorms that produced them. The negative sprite-parent lightning took place in two thunderstorms that were associated with a tropical disturbance in east central and south Florida. The first thunderstorm, which moved onshore in east central Florida, produced four of the five negative sprite-parent discharges within a period of 17 min, as it made landfall from the Atlantic Ocean. These negative sprite-parents were composed of bolt-from-the-blue (BFB), hybrid intracloud-negative cloud-to-ground (IC-NCG), and multicell IC-NCGs discharges. The second thunderstorm, which occurred inland over south Florida, produced a negative sprite-parent that was a probable hybrid IC-NCG discharge and two negative gigantic jets (GJs). Weakened upper positive charge with very large midlevel negative charge was inferred for both convective cells that initiated the negative-sprite-parent discharges. Our study suggests tall, intense convective systems with high wind shear at the middle to upper regions of the cloud accompanied by low cloud-to-ground (CG) flash rates promote these charge structures. The excess amount of midlevel negative charge results in these CG discharges transferring much more charge to ground than typical negative CG discharges. We find that BFB discharges prefer an asymmetrical charge structure that brings the negative leader exiting the upper positive charge region closer to the lateral positive screening charge layer. This may be the main factor in determining whether a negative leader exiting the upper positive region of the thundercloud forms a BFB or GJ.

The Nurse Watch: Design and Evaluation of a Smart Watch Application with Vital Sign Monitoring and Checklist Reminders.

Science.gov (United States)

Bang, Magnus; Solnevik, Katarina; Eriksson, Henrik

Computerized wearable devices such as smart watches will become valuable nursing tools. This paper describes a smart-watch system developed in close collaboration with a team of nurses working in a Swedish ICU. The smart-watch system provides real-time vital-sign monitoring, threshold alarms, and to-do reminders. Additionally, a Kanban board, visualized on a multitouch screen provides an overview of completed and upcoming tasks. We describe an approach to implement automated checklist systems with smart watches and discuss aspects of importance when implementing such memory and attention support. The paper is finalized with an in-development formative evaluation of the system.

Augmented Reality Implementation in Watch Catalog as e-Marketing Based on Mobile Aplication

Science.gov (United States)

Adrianto, D.; Luwinda, F. A.; Yesmaya, V.

2017-01-01

Augmented Reality is one of important methods to provide user with a better interactive user interface. In this research, Augmented Reality in Mobile Application will be applied to provide user with useful information related with Watch Catalogue. This research will be focused on design and implementation an application using Augmented Reality. The process model used in this research is Extreme Programming. Extreme Programming have a several steps which are planning, design, coding, and testing. The result of this research is Augmented Reality application based on Android. This research will be conclude that implementation of Augmented Reality based on Android in Watch Catalogue will help customer to collect the useful information related to the specific object of watch.

Time Correlations of Lightning Flash Sequences in Thunderstorms Revealed by Fractal Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Gou, Xueqiang; Chen, Mingli; Zhang, Guangshu

2018-01-01

By using the data of lightning detection and ranging system at the Kennedy Space Center, the temporal fractal and correlation of interevent time series of lightning flash sequences in thunderstorms have been investigated with Allan factor (AF), Fano factor (FF), and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) methods. AF, FF, and DFA methods are powerful tools to detect the time-scaling structures and correlations in point processes. Totally 40 thunderstorms with distinguishing features of a single-cell storm and apparent increase and decrease in the total flash rate were selected for the analysis. It is found that the time-scaling exponents for AF (αAF) and FF (αFF) analyses are 1.62 and 0.95 in average, respectively, indicating a strong time correlation of the lightning flash sequences. DFA analysis shows that there is a crossover phenomenon—a crossover timescale (τc) ranging from 54 to 195 s with an average of 114 s. The occurrence of a lightning flash in a thunderstorm behaves randomly at timescales τc but shows strong time correlation at scales >τc. Physically, these may imply that the establishment of an extensive strong electric field necessary for the occurrence of a lightning flash needs a timescale >τc, which behaves strongly time correlated. But the initiation of a lightning flash within a well-established extensive strong electric field may involve the heterogeneities of the electric field at a timescale τc, which behave randomly.

Thunderstorm related variations of the ionospheric sporadic E layer over Rome

Science.gov (United States)

Barta, Veronika; Scotto, Carlo; Pietrella, Marco

2013-04-01

Meteorological events in the lower atmosphere can affect the ionosphere by electromagnetic and mechanical processes. One type of the latter ones is the internal atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) which can often be generated by thunderstorms. According to a Superposed Epoch Analyses (SEA) using the time series of the critical frequency (foEs) and virtual height (h'Es) of the sporadic E layer and WWLLN (World Wide Lightning Location Network) lightning data over the ionospheric station of Rome (41.9° 12.5°) there is a statistically significant decrease in the foEs of the sporadic E layer after the time of the lightnings. This may indicate a sudden decrease in the electron density of the sporadic E layer associated to lightnings. In order to understand the physical explanation for this phenomenon further studies are performed as follows: a SEA for different seasons and for daytime - nightime lightnings separately. Direction of arrival of thunderstorms is also taken into account.

Short-term forecasting of thunderstorms at Kennedy Space Center, based on the surface wind field

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Andrew I.; Lopez, Raul E.; Holle, Ronald L.; Daugherty, John R.; Ortiz, Robert

1989-01-01

Techniques incorporating wind convergence that can be used for the short-term prediction of thunderstorm development are described. With these techniques, the convergence signal is sensed by the wind network array 15 to 90 min before actual storm development. Particular attention is given to the convergence cell technique (which has been applied at the Kennedy Space Center) where each convective region is analyzed independently. It is noted that, while the monitoring of areal and cellular convergence can be used to help locate the seeds of developing thunderstorms and pinpoint the lightning threat areas, this forecasting aid cannot be used in isolation.

Relative Contributions of Electrified Shower Clouds and Thunderstorms to the Global Circuit: Can 10 Years of TRMM Data Help Solve an Old Puzzle? (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Zipser, E. J.; Liu, C.; Williams, E.; Burns, G. B.

2010-12-01

The long-standing mainstay of support for C.T.R. Wilson’s global circuit hypothesis is the similarity between the diurnal variation of thunderstorm days in universal time, and the Carnegie curve of electrical potential gradient (Whipple, 1929). This rough agreement has sustained the widespread view that thunderstorms are the “batteries” for the global electrical circuit. This study utilizes 10 years of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) observations to quantify the global occurrence of thunderstorms with much better accuracy and validate the comparison by Whipple 80 years ago. The results support Wilson’s (1920) original ideas that both thunderstorms and electrified shower clouds contribute to the DC global circuit by virtue of negative charge carried downward by precipitation. First, the precipitation features (PFs) are defined by grouping the pixels with rain using 10 years of TRMM observations. Thunderstorms are identified from these PFs with lightning flashes observed by the Lightning Imaging Sensor. PFs without lightning flashes but with the 30 dBZ radar echo top temperature below -10oC over land and -17 oC over ocean are selected as possibly electrified shower clouds. The universal diurnal variation of rainfall, raining area from the thunderstorms and possibly electrified shower clouds in different seasons are derived and compared with the diurnal variations of the electric field observed at Vostok, Antarctica. The result shows a substantially better match from the updated diurnal variations of the thunderstorm area to the Carnegie curve than Whipple showed. One reason for the improvement is that the TRMM data are able to distinguish the relatively larger contributions from electrified shower clouds than thunderstorms over tropical oceans and over the Amazon. Potential further refinements to the current algorithm defining electrified convective cells are discussed.

Simulation of the impact of thunderstorm activity on atmospheric gas composition

Science.gov (United States)

Smyshlyaev, S. P.; Mareev, E. A.; Galin, V. Ya.

2010-08-01

A chemistry-climate model of the lower and middle atmosphere has been used to estimate the sensitivity of the atmospheric gas composition to the rate of thunderstorm production of nitrogen oxides at upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric altitudes. The impact that nitrogen oxides produced by lightning have on the atmospheric gas composition is treated as a subgrid-scale process and included in the model parametrically. The natural uncertainty in the global production rate of nitrogen oxides in lightning flashes was specified within limits from 2 to 20 Tg N/year. Results of the model experiments have shown that, due to the variability of thunderstorm-produced nitrogen oxides, their concentration in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere can vary by a factor of 2 or 3, which, given the influence of nitrogen oxides on ozone and other gases, creates the potential for a strong perturbation of the atmospheric gas composition and thermal regime. Model calculations have shown the strong sensitivity of ozone and the OH hydroxyl to the amount of lightning nitrogen oxides at different atmospheric altitudes. These calculations demonstrate the importance of nitrogen oxides of thunderstorm origin for the balance of atmospheric odd ozone and gases linked to it, such as ozone and hydroxyl radicals. Our results demonstrate that one important task is to raise the accuracy of estimates of the rate of nitrogen oxide production by lightning discharges and to use physical parametrizations that take into account the local lightning effects and feedbacks arising in this case rather than climatological data in models of the gas composition and general circulation of the atmosphere.

Nature Watch

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 20; Issue 3. Nature Watch: Symbiosis in Coastal Marine Communities. Neelam Pereira. Feature Article Volume 20 Issue 3 March 2015 pp 245-253. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link:

Application of Artificial Thunderstorm Cells for the Investigation of Lightning Initiation Problems between a Thundercloud and the Ground

Science.gov (United States)

Temnikov, A. G.; Chernensky, L. L.; Orlov, A. V.; Lysov, N. Y.; Zhuravkova, D. S.; Belova, O. S.; Gerastenok, T. K.

2017-12-01

The results of the experimental application of artificial thunderstorm cells of negative and positive polarities for the investigation of the lightning initiation problems between the thundercloud and the ground using model hydrometeor arrays are presented. Possible options of the initiation and development of a discharge between the charged cloud and the ground in the presence of model hydrometeors are established. It is experimentally shown that groups of large hydrometeors of various shapes significantly increase the probability of channel discharge initiation between the artificial thunderstorm cell and the ground, especially in the case of positive polarity of the cloud. The authors assume that large hail arrays in the thundercloud can initiate the preliminary breakdown stage in the lower part of the thundercloud or initiate and stimulate the propagation of positive lightning from its upper part. A significant effect of the shape of model hydrometeors and the way they are grouped on the processes of initiation and stimulation of the channel discharge propagation in the artificial thunderstorm cell of negative or positive polarity-ground gap is experimentally established. It is found that, in the case of negative polarity of a charged cloud, the group of conductive cylindrical hydrometeors connected by a dielectric string more effectively initiates the channel discharge between the artificial thunderstorm cell and the ground. In the case of positive polarity of the artificial thunderstorm cell, the best effect of the channel discharge initiation is achieved for model hydrometeors grouped together by the dielectric tape. The obtained results can be used in the development of the method for the directed artificial lightning initiation between the thundercloud and the ground.

Nature Watch

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 6; Issue 7. Nature Watch - Singapore's Jurong BirdPark: A Study Model. Abraham Verghese. Feature Article Volume 6 Issue 7 July 2001 pp 74-88. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link:

The Deep Space Gateway Lightning Mapper (DLM) - Monitoring Global Change and Thunderstorm Processes Through Observations of Earth's High-Latitude Lightning from Cis-Lunar Orbit

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Timothy; Blakeslee, R. J.; Cecil, D. J.; Christian, H. J.; Gatlin, P. N.; Goodman, S. J.; Koshak, W. J.; Petersen, W. A.; Quick, M.; Schultz, C. J.;

Registration of intensive hard X-rays and soft gamma-rays from the thunderstorm clouds at Tien-Shan installation Adron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antonova, V.P.; Kryukov, S.V.; Vil'danova, L.I.; Gurevich, A.V.; Zybin, K.P.; Kokobaev, M.M.; Nesterova, N.M.; Piskal', V.V.; Ptitsyn, M.O.; Chubenko, A.P.; Shchepetov, A.L.

2001-01-01

The Adron installation mounted at the Tien-Shan station is intended for studying the extensive air showers. The Adron installation consists of a neutron supermonitor charged particles detector, muon detector and detector for registering the hard X-ray and soft gamma-radiation from the thunderstorm clouds accomplished on the basis of the Geiger-Mueller counters with sensitivity area of 16-17 m 2 . The intensive fluxes of the hard X-ray and soft gamma-radiation from the thunderstorm clouds passing over the Adron installation at the height below 1 km are registered using this installation. The short-time radiation flares of 1-5 min duration are separated at the background of the intensity slow change. This testifies to the benefit of existence of the runaway electron effect in the thunderstorm clouds [ru

Nature Watch

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 9; Issue 9. Nature Watch - Coral Reefs and their Fauna: An Underwater Fantasyland. Anuradha Bhat. Feature Article Volume 9 Issue 9 September 2004 pp 62-73. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link:

The modelling and assessment of whale-watching impacts

Science.gov (United States)

New, Leslie; Hall, Ailsa J.; Harcourt, Robert; Kaufman, Greg; Parsons, E.C.M.; Pearson, Heidi C.; Cosentino, A. Mel; Schick, Robert S

2015-01-01

In recent years there has been significant interest in modelling cumulative effects and the population consequences of individual changes in cetacean behaviour and physiology due to disturbance. One potential source of disturbance that has garnered particular interest is whale-watching. Though perceived as ‘green’ or eco-friendly tourism, there is evidence that whale-watching can result in statistically significant and biologically meaningful changes in cetacean behaviour, raising the question whether whale-watching is in fact a long term sustainable activity. However, an assessment of the impacts of whale-watching on cetaceans requires an understanding of the potential behavioural and physiological effects, data to effectively address the question and suitable modelling techniques. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on the viability of long-term whale-watching, as well as logistical limitations and potential opportunities. We conclude that an integrated, coordinated approach will be needed to further understanding of the possible effects of whale-watching on cetaceans.

Thunderstorm Asthma - Revealing a hidden at-risk population.

Science.gov (United States)

Clayton-Chubb, Daniel; Con, Danny; Rangamuwa, Kanishka; Taylor, David; Thien, Francis; Wadhwa, Vikas

2018-03-23

To characterise the nature and extent of respiratory symptoms in healthcare workers during the Melbourne Thunderstorm Asthma event. A survey was conducted among staff and volunteers across Eastern Health, distributed on the intranet homepage, by e-mail, and by word of mouth. Anonymous survey questions were constructed to assess prior and current diagnoses of relevance, symptoms, and demography. There were 515 participants (80% female, n=411) who completed the survey of approximately 9000 potential respondents (~6% response rate). 132 (25.6%) had symptoms suggestive of asthma during the ETSA event, the majority of which did not seek professional medical help. Notably, of those with ETSA-like symptoms, only 58 (43.9%) had a history of asthma while 97 (73.5%) had a history of allergic rhinitis. Specifically, a history of allergic rhinitis (OR 2.77, p < 0.001), a history of asthma (OR 1.67, p = 0.037), and being of self-identified Asian ethnicity (OR 3.24, p < 0.001) were all strong predictors of ETSA-like symptoms. Being predominantly indoors was not protective. Our study provides evidence for the presence of a large cohort of sufferers during the Melbourne Thunderstorm Asthma event of 2016 that did not come to the attention of medical services, implying a potentially hidden and significant susceptible population. Further research should help clarify the true prevalence of vulnerability in the general population, with important public health implications. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Tracking Steps on Apple Watch at Different Walking Speeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Veerabhadrappa, Praveen; Moran, Matthew Duffy; Renninger, Mitchell D; Rhudy, Matthew B; Dreisbach, Scott B; Gift, Kristin M

2018-04-09

QUESTION: How accurate are the step counts obtained from Apple Watch? In this validation study, video steps vs. Apple Watch steps (mean ± SD) were 2965 ± 144 vs. 2964 ± 145 steps; P Apple Watch steps when compared with the manual counts obtained from video recordings. Our study is one of the initial studies to objectively validate the accuracy of the step counts obtained from Apple watch at different walking speeds. Apple Watch tested to be an extremely accurate device for measuring daily step counts for adults.

Observation of the thunderstorm-related ground cosmic ray flux variations by ARGO-YBJ

Science.gov (United States)

Bartoli, B.; Bernardini, P.; Bi, X. J.; Cao, Z.; Catalanotti, S.; Chen, S. Z.; Chen, T. L.; Cui, S. W.; Dai, B. Z.; D'Amone, A.; Danzengluobu; De Mitri, I.; D'Ettorre Piazzoli, B.; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Sciascio, G.; Feng, C. F.; Feng, Zhaoyang; Feng, Zhenyong; Gao, W.; Gou, Q. B.; Guo, Y. Q.; He, H. H.; Hu, Haibing; Hu, Hongbo; Iacovacci, M.; Iuppa, R.; Jia, H. Y.; Labaciren; Li, H. J.; Liu, C.; Liu, J.; Liu, M. Y.; Lu, H.; Ma, L. L.; Ma, X. H.; Mancarella, G.; Mari, S. M.; Marsella, G.; Mastroianni, S.; Montini, P.; Ning, C. C.; Perrone, L.; Pistilli, P.; Salvini, P.; Santonico, R.; Shen, P. R.; Sheng, X. D.; Shi, F.; Surdo, A.; Tan, Y. H.; Vallania, P.; Vernetto, S.; Vigorito, C.; Wang, H.; Wu, C. Y.; Wu, H. R.; Xue, L.; Yang, Q. Y.; Yang, X. C.; Yao, Z. G.; Yuan, A. F.; Zha, M.; Zhang, H. M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, X. Y.; Zhang, Y.; Zhao, J.; Zhaxiciren; Zhaxisangzhu; Zhou, X. X.; Zhu, F. R.; Zhu, Q. Q.; D'Alessandro, F.; ARGO-YBJ Collaboration

2018-02-01

A correlation between the secondary cosmic ray flux and the near-earth electric field intensity, measured during thunderstorms, has been found by analyzing the data of the ARGO-YBJ experiment, a full coverage air shower array located at the Yangbajing Cosmic Ray Laboratory (4300 m a. s. l., Tibet, China). The counting rates of showers with different particle multiplicities (m =1 , 2, 3, and ≥4 ) have been found to be strongly dependent upon the intensity and polarity of the electric field measured during the course of 15 thunderstorms. In negative electric fields (i.e., accelerating negative charges downwards), the counting rates increase with increasing electric field strength. In positive fields, the rates decrease with field intensity until a certain value of the field EFmin (whose value depends on the event multiplicity), above which the rates begin increasing. By using Monte Carlo simulations, we found that this peculiar behavior can be well described by the presence of an electric field in a layer of thickness of a few hundred meters in the atmosphere above the detector, which accelerates/decelerates the secondary shower particles of opposite charge, modifying the number of particles with energy exceeding the detector threshold. These results, for the first time to our knowledge, give a consistent explanation for the origin of the variation of the electron/positron flux observed for decades by high altitude cosmic ray detectors during thunderstorms.

Presidential Debate Watching, Issue Knowledge, Character Evaluation, and Vote Choice

Science.gov (United States)

Benoit, William L.; Hansen, Glenn J.

2004-01-01

This study employs NES (National Election Survey) data from several presidential elections to investigate the effects of presidential debate watching on voters' issue knowledge, character evaluation, and vote choice. Debates can instill issue knowledge; however, voters are less likely to learn about incumbent presidents seeking re-election after a…

Inverted Polarity Thunderstorms Linked with Elevated Cloud Base Height

Science.gov (United States)

Cummins, K. L.; Williams, E.

2016-12-01

The great majority of thunderstorms worldwide exhibit gross positive dipole structure, produce intracloud lightning that reduces this positive dipole (positive intracloud flashes), and produce negative cloud-to-ground lightning from the lower negative end of this dipole. During the STEPS experiment in 2000 much new evidence for thunderstorms (or cells within multi-cellular storms) with inverted polarity came to light, both from balloon soundings of electric field and from LMA analysis. Many of the storms with inverted polarity cells developed in eastern Colorado. Fleenor et al. (2009) followed up after STEPS to document a dominance of positive polarity CG lightning in many of these cases. In the present study, surface thermodynamic observations (temperature and dew point temperature) have been used to estimate the cloud base heights and temperatures at the time of the Fleenor et al. lightning observations. It was found that when more than 90% of the observed CG lightning polarity within a storm is negative, the cloud base heights were low (2000 m AGL or lower, and warmer, with T>10 C), and when more than 90% of the observed CG lightning within a storm was positive, the cloud base heights were high (3000 m AGL or higher, and colder, with Tmixed polarity were generally associated with intermediate cloud base heights. These findings on inverted polarity thunderstorms are remarkably consistent with results in other parts of the world where strong instability prevails in the presence of high cloud base height: the plateau regions of China (Liu et al., 1989; Qie et al., 2005), and in pre-monsoon India (Pawar et al., 2016), particularly when mixed polarity cases are excluded. Calculations of adiabatic cloud water content for lifting from near 0 oC cast some doubt on earlier speculation (Williams et al., 2005) that the graupel particles in these inverted polarity storms attain a wet growth condition, and so exhibit positive charging following laboratory experiments. This

Modeling pollutant dispersion within a tornadic thunderstorm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pepper, D W

1982-01-01

A three-dimensional numerical model has been developed to calculate ground-level air concentration and deposition of particles entrained in a tornadic thunderstorm. The rotational characteristics of the tornadic storm are within the larger mesoscale flow of the storm system and transported with the vortex. Turbulence exchange coefficients are based on empirical values. The quasi-Lagrangian method of moments is used to model the transport of concentration within a grid cell volume. Results indicate that updrafts and downdrafts, coupled with scavenging of particles by precipitation, account for most of the material being deposited closer to the site than anticipated. Approximately 5% of the pollutant is dispersed into the stratosphere.

Turtle Watch: Community Engagement and Action

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Elaine; Baudains, Catherine

2015-01-01

Many threats face the freshwater turtle, Chelodina colliei, also known as the oblong turtle. A community education project, Turtle Watch, focused on this target species and enabled effective conservation action to be implemented. Turtle Watch was conducted in the Perth Metropolitan Area of Western Australia, as the oblong turtle inhabits the…

Nature Watch

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

... Lecture Workshops · Refresher Courses · Symposia · Live Streaming. Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 3; Issue 5. Nature Watch - Thinking Like a Tahr: When Males and Females go their Separate Ways. M D Madhusudan. Feature Article Volume 3 Issue 5 May 1998 pp 43-47 ...

SPORTS WATCHING CULTURE AMONG MALAYSIANS

OpenAIRE

Gunathevan Elumalai; Mohd Salleh Aman; Cassendra Gilbert; Muhammad Mat Yusof; Ahmad Tajuddin Othman; Lim Khong Chiu; Mohd Sofian Omar Fauzee; Hamdan Mohd Ali

2015-01-01

Background: Ardent sports watching will lead an individual to engage in sports and recreational activities continuously, while it also creates a sports culture among Malaysians. Sports watching culture is actually an intellectual activity. It is capable of evaluating behaviour, moral values and the level of appreciation of every spectator. Methods: This survey was conducted to identify the sports viewing culture among Malaysians. A cluster sampling method was used to select 6000 respondent...

Nature Watch

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 1; Issue 3. Nature Watch Diversity of Bats. G Marimuthu. Feature Article Volume 1 Issue 3 March 1996 pp 103-110. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/001/03/0103-0110. Author Affiliations.

Nature Watch

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 1; Issue 8. Nature Watch - Secrets of the Shieldtails. Kartik Shanker. Feature Article Volume 1 Issue 8 August 1996 pp 64-70. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/001/08/0064-0070 ...

47 CFR 80.304 - Watch requirement during silence periods.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

....304 Section 80.304 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Safety Watch Requirements and Procedures Ship Station Safety Watches § 80.304 Watch requirement during silence periods. Each ship station operating on...

Watching Dallas again 3 : Reassessing Ien Ang's Watching Dallas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heesakkers, Toon; van Hoof, Ward; Jager, Anne; Gilroy, Amanda

2014-01-01

This audience reception project performs an audience study of the first season of the new Dallas (2012–14). It draws on Ien Ang's Watching Dallas ([1982] 1985) to analyze the production of irony and nostalgia. We observe that the blend of ironic viewing and nostalgia results in a more ironic,

Nature Watch

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 4; Issue 7. Nature Watch - The Odyssey of the Olive Ridley. Kartik Shanker. Feature Article Volume 4 Issue 7 July 1999 pp 68-78. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/004/07/0068-0078 ...

Nature Watch

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2016-08-26

Aug 26, 2016 ... ... 20; Issue 1. Nature Watch: A Tale of Two Turtles. V Deepak. Feature Article Volume 20 Issue 1 January 2015 pp 47-54. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link: http://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/020/01/0047-0054. Keywords. Ecology; endemic; India; turtles; tortoises; Western Ghats.

First observations of Gigantic Jets from Monsoon Thunderstorms over India

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Rajesh; Maurya, Ajeet; Chanrion, Olivier; Neubert, Torsten; Cummer, Steven; Mlynarczyk, Janusz; Bór, József; Siingh, Devendraa; Cohen, Morris; Kumar, Sushil

2016-04-01

Gigantic Jets are electric discharges from thunderstorm cloud tops to the bottom of the ionosphere at ~80 km altitude. After their first discovery in 2001, relatively few observations have been reported. Most of these are from satellites at large distances and a few tens from the ground at higher spatial resolution. Here we report the first Gigantic Jets observed in India from two thunderstorm systems that developed over the land surface from monsoon activity, each storm producing two Gigantic Jets. The jets were recorded by a video camera system at standard video rate (20 ms exposure) at a few hundred km distance. ELF measurements suggest that the jets are of the usual negative polarity and that they develop in less than 40 ms, which is faster than most jets reported in the past. The jets originate from the leading edge of a slowly drifting convective cloud complex close to the highest regions of the clouds and carry ~25 Coulomb of charge to the ionosphere. One jet has a markedly horizontal displacement that we suggest is caused by a combination of close-range cloud electric fields at inception, and longer-range cloud fields at larger distances during full development. The Gigantic Jets are amongst the few that have been observed over land.

Exploration Medical Capability - Technology Watch

Science.gov (United States)

Krihak, Michael; Watkins, Sharmila; Barr, Yael; Barsten, Kristina; Fung, Paul; Baumann, David

2011-01-01

The objectives of the Technology Watch process are to identify emerging, high-impact technologies that augment current ExMC development efforts, and to work with academia, industry, and other government agencies to accelerate the development of medical care and research capabilities for the mitigation of potential health issues that could occur during space exploration missions. The establishment of collaborations with these entities is beneficial to technology development, assessment and/or insertion. Such collaborations also further NASA s goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for human exploration. The Tech Watch project addresses requirements and capabilities identified by knowledge and technology gaps that are derived from a discrete set of medical conditions that are most likely to occur on exploration missions. These gaps are addressed through technology readiness level assessments, market surveys, collaborations and distributed innovation opportunities. Ultimately, these gaps need to be closed with respect to exploration missions, and may be achieved through technology development projects. Information management is a key aspect to this process where Tech Watch related meetings, research articles, collaborations and partnerships are tracked by the HRP s Exploration Medical Capabilities (ExMC) Element. In 2011, ExMC will be introducing the Tech Watch external website and evidence wiki that will provide access to ExMC technology and knowledge gaps, technology needs and requirements documents.

The WATCH All-Sky Monitor for the Granat Project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandt, Søren; Lund, Niels; Rao, A. R.

1990-01-01

The Watch X-ray all-sky monitor, which is designed to localize strong X-ray sources and follow their development, is examined, focusing on the addition of four Watch units to the Granat satellite project. The components of the Watch instrument are described and the capabilities and potential...... scientific returns of the Granat project are discussed. The applications of the Watch monitor are given, including the study of time variations of known sources and the detection and localization of new, transient sources....

Lightning Location System Data from Wind Power Plants Compared to Meteorological Conditions of Warm- and Cold Thunderstorm Events

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vogel, Stephan; Lopez, Javier; Garolera, Anna Candela

2016-01-01

of topography, height above mean sea level (AMSL), and average ground flash density. For three sites, the most severe lightning events have been identified during the warm and cold months whereas the other two locations exhibit severe lightning detections mainly during the warm months. In this work severity......Five years of Lightning Location System (LLS) data from five different wind turbine sites in Europe are analysed. The sites are located in Croatia, Italy, Spain, France and one offshore wind power plant in the North sea. Each location exhibits individual characteristic properties in terms...... of such an episode can vary from tens of minutes to several hours in the case of new storms being continuously developed in the same area. The distance of the charge separating -10◦ C and the ground is usually larger than 3000 meters. This analyse provides information about the different thunderstorm types which...

The Mechanics of Mechanical Watches and Clocks

CERN Document Server

Du, Ruxu

2013-01-01

"The Mechanics of Mechanical Watches and Clocks" presents historical views and mathematical models of mechanical watches and clocks. Although now over six hundred years old, mechanical watches and clocks are still popular luxury items that fascinate many people around the world. However few have examined the theory of how they work as presented in this book. The illustrations and computer animations are unique and have never been published before. It will be of significant interest to researchers in mechanical engineering, watchmakers and clockmakers, as well as people who have an engineering background and are interested in mechanical watches and clocks. It will also inspire people in other fields of science and technology, such as mechanical engineering and electronics engineering, to advance their designs. Professor Ruxu Du works at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, China. Assistant Professor Longhan Xie works at the South China University of Technology, China.

Electron Acceleration by Stochastic Electric Fields in Thunderstorms: Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes

Science.gov (United States)

Alnussirat, S.; Miller, J. A.; Christian, H. J., Jr.; Fishman, G. J.

2016-12-01

Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) are energetic pulses of photons, which are intense and short, originating in the atmosphere during thunderstorm activity. Despite the number of observations, the production mechanism(s) of TGFs and other energetic particles is not well understood. However, two mechanisms have been suggested as a source of TGFs: (1) the relativistic runaway electron avalanche mechanism (RREA), and (2) the lightning leader mechanism. The RREA can account for the TGF observations, but requires restrictive or unrealistic assumptions. The lightning leader channel is also expected to produce runaway electrons, but through inhomogeneous, small scale, strong electric fields. In this work we use the Boltzmann equation to model the electron acceleration by the lightning leader mechanism, and we derive the gamma-ray spectrum from the electron distribution function. The electric fields at the tip of the leaders are assumed to be stochastic in space and time. Since the physics involved in the lightening leader is not known, we test different cases of the stochastic acceleration agent. From this modeling we hope to investigate the possibility and efficiency of stochastic acceleration in thunderstorm.

75 FR 49510 - Credit Watch Termination Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-13

... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5411-N-02] Credit Watch Termination Initiative AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing Commissioner, HUD. ACTION... FHA Credit Watch Termination Initiative. This notice includes a list of mortgagees which have had...

75 FR 17944 - Credit Watch Termination Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-08

... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5411-N-01] Credit Watch Termination Initiative AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing Commissioner, HUD. ACTION... FHA Credit Watch Termination Initiative. This notice includes a list of mortgagees which have had...

Nonlinear Structuring and High-energy Electrons: Role in Ionosphere and in Thunderstorm Atmosphere Processes

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-01

Processes Aleksander Viktorovich Gurevich P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute Leninsky pr.,53 Moscow, Russia 117924 EOARD ISTC 06...Electrons: Role in Ionosphere and in Thunderstorm Atmosphere Processes 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER ISTC Registration No: 3641p 5b. GRANT NUMBER... ISTC

Proceedings of International Symposium TEPA 2015: Thunderstorms and Elementary Particle Acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chilingarian, A.

2016-03-01

The problem of how lightning is initiated inside thunderclouds is probably one of the biggest mysteries in the atmospheric sciences. Recently established high energy processes in the atmosphere, i.e. Terrestrial Gamma Flashes (TGF) – brief bursts of gamma rays observed by orbiting gamma ray observatories and Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements (TGEs) – sizable long-lasting fluxes of electrons, gamma rays and neutrons detected on Earth’s surface are correlated with thunderstorms. However, the relationship among thundercloud electrification, lightning activity, and wideband radio emission and enhanced particle fluxes have not been yet unambiguously established. One of the most intriguing opportunities opened by the observation of the high-energy processes in the atmosphere is their relation to lightning initiation and propagation. Lightning discharges and TGEs are alternative mechanisms for the discharging of the atmospheric “electric engine” and synchronized observations of both phenomena help to understand them better. With the objective to discuss these high-energy phenomena, the conference on Thunderstorms and Elementary Particle Acceleration was held at the Nor Amberd International Conference Center of the Yerevan Physics Institute (YerPhI) in Armenia. The Cosmic Ray Division of the YerPhI and Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics of Moscow State University organized the workshop; YerPhI and the Armenian State Committee of Science sponsored it. Thirty scientists and students from the United States, Japan, France, Germany, Israel, Russia, and Armenia attended. Presentations focused on observations and models of high-energy emissions in thunderclouds; on the termination of particle fluxes by lightning; multivariate observations of thunderstorms from the Earth’s surface and from space; radio emissions produced by atmospheric discharges and particle fluxes; the influence of the Extensive Air Showers (EASes) on lightning initiation and others. Discussions

On the field-to-current conversion factors for large bipolar lightning discharge events in winter thunderstorms in Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Long; Zhang, Qilin; Hou, Wenhao; Tao, Yulang

2015-07-01

In this paper we have simulated the far-field waveform characteristic of large bipolar events (LBEs) occurred in winter thunderstorms in Japan and compared the field-to-current conversion factors (FCCFs) of LBEs with that of the lightning cloud-to-ground (CG) return stroke (RS) in summer thunderstorm. As for the physical process of LBEs, Wu et al. (2014) considered that LBEs may be very similar to the typical lightning RS (RS-like process) or caused by an initial continuous current pulse (ICC-like process) in upward lightning flashes. We assume that the lightning channel length of LBEs ranges from 500 m to 1000 m, and the height of tall object struck by LBEs is from 100 m to 300 m. By using the bouncing wave model, we found that only when the injected current waveform of LBEs is characterized with a symmetric Gaussian pulse, the simulated far-field waveform of LBEs both for RS-like process and ICC-like process is similar to that observed by Wu et al. (2014). For striking tall objects with heights from 100 m and 300 m, the FCCFs of LBEs are positively correlated with its channel length and derivatives of injected current waveform, and the FCCF for RS-like process is about similar to that for ICC-like process. However, the FCCFs of LBEs are very different from lightning RS in summer thunderstorm; that is to say, the FCCFs developed for the well-known lightning RS in summer thunderstorm are not suitable for LBEs.

The WATCH solar X-ray burst catalogue

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Crosby, N.; Lund, Niels; Vilmer, N.

1998-01-01

The WATCH experiment aboard the GRANAT satellite provides observations of the Sun in the deka-keV range covering the years 1990 through mid-1992. An introduction to the experiment is given followed by an explanation of how the WATCH solar burst catalogue was created. The different parameters list...

Development of Watch Schedule Using Rules Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Jurkevicius, Darius; Vasilecas, Olegas

The software for schedule creation and optimization solves a difficult, important and practical problem. The proposed solution is an online employee portal where administrator users can create and manage watch schedules and employee requests. Each employee can login with his/her own account and see his/her assignments, manage requests, etc. Employees set as administrators can perform the employee scheduling online, manage requests, etc. This scheduling software allows users not only to see the initial and optimized watch schedule in a simple and understandable form, but also to create special rules and criteria and input their business. The system using rules automatically will generate watch schedule.

47 CFR 80.309 - Watch required by the Bridge-to-Bridge Act.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Watch required by the Bridge-to-Bridge Act. 80... Safety Watches § 80.309 Watch required by the Bridge-to-Bridge Act. In addition to the watch requirement contained in § 80.148, all vessels subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act must keep a watch on the designated...

Teach yourself visually Apple Watch

CERN Document Server

Hart-Davis, Guy

2015-01-01

Master your new smartwatch quickly and easily with this highly visual guide Teach Yourself VISUALLY Apple Watch is a practical, accessible guide to mastering the powerful features and functionality of your new smartwatch. For Apple devotees and new users alike, this easy-to-follow guide features visually rich tutorials and step-by-step instructions that show you how to take advantage of all of the Apple watch's capabilities. You'll learn how to track your health, control household devices, download and install apps, sync your music, sync other Apple devices, and efficiently use the current O

Effect of electronic time monitors on children's television watching: pilot trial of a home-based intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Ni Mhurchu, Cliona; Roberts, Vaughan; Maddison, Ralph; Dorey, Enid; Jiang, Yannan; Jull, Andrew; Tin Tin, Sandar

2009-11-01

This pilot study evaluated the feasibility (recruitment, retention, and acceptability) and preliminary efficacy of a six-week home-based electronic time monitor intervention on New Zealand children's television watching in 2008. Twenty-nine children aged 9 to 12 years who watched more than 20 h of television per week (62% male, mean age 10.4 years) were randomised to either the intervention or the control group. The intervention group received an electronic TV time monitor for 6 weeks and advice to restrict TV watching to 1 h per day or less. The control group was given verbal advice to restrict TV watching. Participant retention at 6 weeks was 93%. Semi-structured interviews with intervention families confirmed moderate acceptability of TV time monitors and several perceived benefits including better awareness of household TV viewing and improved time planning. Drawbacks reported included disruption to parents' TV watching and increased sibling conflict. Time spent watching television decreased by 4.2 h (mean change [SD]: -254 [536] min) per week in the intervention group compared with no change in the control group (-3 [241] min), but the difference between groups was not statistically significant, p=0.77. Both groups reported decreases in energy intake from snacks and total screen time and increases in physical activity measured by pedometer and between-group differences were not statistically significant. Electronic TV time monitors are feasible to use for home-based TV watching interventions although acceptability varies between families. Preliminary findings from this pilot suggest that such devices have potential to decrease children's TV watching but a larger trial is needed to confirm effectiveness. Future research should be family-orientated; take account of other screen time activities; and employ TV time monitors as just one of a range of strategies to decrease sedentary behaviour.

Watching Subtitled Films Can Help Learning Foreign Languages.

Science.gov (United States)

Birulés-Muntané, J; Soto-Faraco, S

2016-01-01

Watching English-spoken films with subtitles is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world. One reason for this trend is the assumption that perceptual learning of the sounds of a foreign language, English, will improve perception skills in non-English speakers. Yet, solid proof for this is scarce. In order to test the potential learning effects derived from watching subtitled media, a group of intermediate Spanish students of English as a foreign language watched a 1h-long episode of a TV drama in its original English version, with English, Spanish or no subtitles overlaid. Before and after the viewing, participants took a listening and vocabulary test to evaluate their speech perception and vocabulary acquisition in English, plus a final plot comprehension test. The results of the listening skills tests revealed that after watching the English subtitled version, participants improved these skills significantly more than after watching the Spanish subtitled or no-subtitles versions. The vocabulary test showed no reliable differences between subtitled conditions. Finally, as one could expect, plot comprehension was best under native, Spanish subtitles. These learning effects with just 1 hour exposure might have major implications with longer exposure times.

Learning AirWatch

CERN Document Server

Dunkerley, Mark

2015-01-01

If you are a technical professional who wants to dive deeper into the functionality offered by AirWatch or manage the solution, then this book will help you choose the best set of configuration, device management, and monitoring options that you can use to effectively manage your EMM implementation.

33 CFR 401.60 - Listening watch and notice of arrival.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Listening watch and notice of arrival. 401.60 Section 401.60 Navigation and Navigable Waters SAINT LAWRENCE SEAWAY DEVELOPMENT....60 Listening watch and notice of arrival. (a) Vessels shall be on radio listening watch on the...

Gamma-ray bursts observed by the watch experiment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Niels; Brandt, Søren; Castro-Tirado, A. J.

1991-01-01

After two years in orbit the WATCH instruments on the GRANAT space observatory have localized seven gamma burst sources with better than 1° accuracy. In several cases, follow‐up observations with Schmidt telescopes have been made within a few days. Some of the bursts have also been detected...... by the distant space probes PVO and ULYSSES and there are, therefore, good prospects for obtaining much improved positions using the burst arrival times. The existence of the almost concurrent Schmidt plates could then become particularly interesting....

New indicators for global crop monitoring in CropWatch -case study in North China Plain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bingfang, Wu; Miao, Zhang; Hongwei, Zeng; Guoshui, Liu; Sheng, Chang; Gommes, René

2014-01-01

CropWatch is a monitoring system developed and operated by the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (Chinese Academy of Sciences) to provide global-scale crop information. Now in its 15th year of operation, CropWatch was modified several times to be a timely, comprehensive and independent global agricultural monitoring system using advanced remote sensing technology. Currently CropWatch is being upgraded with new indicators based on new sensors, especially those on board of China Environmental Satellite (HJ-1 CCD), the Medium Resolution Spectral Imager (MERSI) on Chinese meteorological satellite (FY-3A) and cloud classification products of FY-2. With new satellite data, CropWatch will generate new indicators such as fallow land ratio (FLR), crop condition for irrigated (CCI) and non-irrigated (CCNI) areas separately, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), radiation use efficiency for the photosynthetically active radiation (RUE PAR ) and cropping index (CI) with crop rotation information (CRI). In this paper, the methods for monitoring the new indicators are applied to the North China Plain which is one of the major grain producing areas in China. This paper shows the preliminary results of the new indicators and methods; they still need to be thoroughly validated before being incorporated into the operational CropWatch system. In the future, the new and improved indicators will help us to better understand the global situation of food security

Healthcare Applications of Smart Watches

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Tsung-Chien; Fu, Chia-Ming; Ma, Matthew Huei-Ming; Fang, Cheng-Chung

2016-01-01

Summary Objective The aim of this systematic review is to synthesize research studies involving the use of smart watch devices for healthcare. Materials and Methods The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was chosen as the systematic review methodology. We searched PubMed, CINAHL Plus, EMBASE, ACM, and IEEE Xplore. In order to include ongoing clinical trials, we also searched ClinicalTrials.gov. Two investigators evaluated the retrieved articles for inclusion. Discrepancies between investigators regarding article inclusion and extracted data were resolved through team discussion. Results 356 articles were screened and 24 were selected for review. The most common publication venue was in conference proceedings (13, 54%). The majority of studies were published or presented in 2015 (19, 79%). We identified two registered clinical trials underway. A large proportion of the identified studies focused on applications involving health monitoring for the elderly (6, 25%). Five studies focused on patients with Parkinson’s disease and one on cardiac arrest. There were no studies which reported use of usability testing before implementation. Discussion Most of the reviewed studies focused on the chronically ill elderly. There was a lack of detailed description of user-centered design or usability testing before implementation. Based on our review, the most commonly used platform in healthcare research was that of the Android Wear. The clinical application of smart watches as assistive devices deserves further attention. Conclusion Smart watches are unobtrusive and easy to wear. While smart watch technology supplied with biosensors has potential to be useful in a variety of healthcare applications, rigorous research with their use in clinical settings is needed. PMID:27623763

Searching for effects caused by thunderstorms in midlatitude sporadic E layers

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Barta, V.; Haldoupis, C.; Sátori, G.; Burešová, Dalia; Chum, Jaroslav; Pozoga, M.; Berényi, K. A.; Bór, J.; Popek, Martin; Kis, Á.; Bencze, P.

2017-01-01

Roč. 161, August (2017), s. 150-159 ISSN 1364-6826 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GC15-07281J; GA ČR(CZ) GAP209/12/2440; GA ČR(CZ) GA14-31899S Institutional support: RVO:68378289 Keywords : atmospheric gravity waves * ionosphere coupling * lightning * sporadic E layer * sprites * thunderstorm Subject RIV: DG - Athmosphere Sciences, Meteorology OBOR OECD: Meteorology and atmospheric sciences Impact factor: 1.326, year: 2016 https://arxiv.org/abs/1708.00270

Viewers Motivations for Watching Beauty Videos on You Tube

OpenAIRE

Jiroušková, Dominika

2016-01-01

The diploma thesis focuses on motivations for watching beauty videos on YouTube. The aim is to clarify why viewers watch amateur videos that communicate topics related to physical appearance. Assuming the audience as an active actor of media communication the thesis is based on uses and gratification theory. Viewers watch beauty videos consciously to meet their individual needs. Based on an analysis of eleven interviews with regular viewers of beauty videos this thesis reveals five categories...

Application of radioisotope for radio-luminous watch and clock industry in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murayama, Yoshihiko

1981-01-01

In 1979, Japan became No. 1 watch and clock production country in the world, and has produced 88 million watches and 59 million clocks in 1980. About 65% of them were exported. The production of radio-luminous watches and clocks in 1980 was estimated as 13 million and 11 million, respectively, and has increased by 40% as compared with the previous year. In Japan, the law concerning the prevention of radiation injuries due to radioisotopes and others is applied to radio-luminous watches and clocks, because radioactive substances are contained in luminous paint, and the production is regulated by the law as unsealed RI-using establishments. The permitted establishments engaging in radio-luminous watches and clocks are 3 luminous paint makers, 9 painting works and 35 watch and clock assembling plants. The RI utilized for radio-luminous watches and clocks is limited to Pm-147 at present, and 3788 Ci was used in 1980. About 70 years have elapsed since luminous paint was used for watches and clocks for the first time. The ISO instituted the international standard on radio-luminous paint for watches and clocks in 1975. The beta-ray emitted by Pm-147 is shielded perfectly by glasses and cases, and only the dose of brems-strahlung X-ray is the problem. The radiation control in radio-luminous watch and clock plants is described. (Kako, I.)

Transient Thunderstorm Downbursts and Their Effects on Wind Turbines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hieu H. Nguyen

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC Standard 61400-1 for the design of wind turbines does not explicitly address site-specific conditions associated with anomalous atmospheric events or conditions. Examples of off-standard atmospheric conditions include thunderstorm downbursts, hurricanes, tornadoes, low-level jets, etc. The simulation of thunderstorm downbursts and associated loads on a utility-scale wind turbine is the focus of this study. Since the problem has not received sufficient attention, especially in terms of design, we thus focus in this paper on practical aspects. A wind field model that incorporates component non-turbulent and turbulent parts is described and employed in inflow simulations. The non-turbulent part is based on an available analytical model with some modifications, while the turbulent part is simulated as a stochastic process using standard turbulence power spectral density functions and coherence functions whose defining parameters are related to the downburst characteristics such as the storm translation velocity. Available information on recorded downbursts is used to define two storm scenarios that are studied. Rotor loads are generated using stochastic simulation of the aeroelastic response of a model of a utility-scale 5-MW turbine. An illustrative single storm simulation and the associated turbine response are used to discuss load characteristics and to highlight storm-related and environmental parameters of interest. Extensive simulations for two downbursts are then conducted while varying the storm’s location and track relative to the turbine. Results suggest that wind turbine yaw and pitch control systems clearly influence overall system response. Results also highlight the important effects of both the turbulence as well as the downburst mean wind profiles on turbine extreme loads.

Interim criteria for Organic Watch List tanks at the Hanford Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babad, S.; Turner, D.A.

1993-09-01

This document establishes interim criteria for identifying single-shell radioactive waste storage tanks at the Hanford Site that contain organic chemicals mixed with nitrate/nitrite salts in potentially hazardous concentrations. These tanks are designated as ''organic Watch List tanks.'' Watch List tanks are radioactive waste storage tanks that have the potential for release of high-level waste as a result of uncontrolled increases in temperature or pressure. Organic Watch List tanks are those Watch List tanks that contain relatively high concentrations of organic chemicals. Because of the potential for release of high-level waste resulting from uncontrolled increases in temperature or pressure, the organic Watch List tanks (collectively) constitute a Hanford Site radioactive waste storage tank ''safety issue.''

Short range forecasting of sea breeze generated thunderstorms at the Kennedy Space Center: A real-time experiment using a primitive equation mesoscale numerical model

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, Walter A.; Schuh, Jerome A.; Moon, Dennis; Pielke, Roger A.; Cotton, William; Arritt, Raymond

1987-01-01

The operational efficiency of using guidance from a mesoscale numerical model to improve sea breeze thunderstorm forecasts at and around the Shuttle landing strip was assessed. The Prognostic Three-Dimensional Mesoscale (P3DM) model, developed as a sea breeze model, reveals a strong correlation between regions of mesoscale convergence and the triggering of sea breeze convection thunderstorms. The P3DM was modified to generate stability parameters familiar to the operational forecaster. In addition to the mesoscale fields of wind, vertical motion, moisture, temperature, a stability indicator, a combination of model-predicted K and Lifted Indices and the maximum grid cell vertical motion, were proposed and tested. Results of blind tests indicate that a forecaster, provided with guidance derived from model output, could improve local thunderstorm forecasts.

Is watching television a realistic leisure option for people with dementia?

Science.gov (United States)

Gústafsdóttir, Margrét

2015-01-01

Watching television is a common leisure activity, not least among older people. However, watching television may become difficult when it is disturbed by symptoms of dementia. A total of 284 questionnaires were handed out to relatives of people with dementia in Iceland, in the Memory Clinic of the University Hospital and in specialized units for people with dementia (6 day-care units and 8 units within nursing homes). The response rate was just below 58%. Watching television was shown to play a less important role in the course of the daily life of people with dementia as soon as the symptoms of the disease became evident, and it increasingly became less relevant. So, this previous leisure activity left an ever-growing void of time to fill. However, watching television may provide an important social context for contact and togetherness during the progress of the disease, as watching television with someone close to them was important for the individuals with dementia. It is not a viable option for people with dementia to watch television on their own, but they may enjoy watching television while sharing this activity with a person close to them. This may even provide quality time.

Functional electronic screen printing – electroluminescent smart fabric watch

OpenAIRE

de Vos, Marc; Torah, Russel; Beeby, Steve; Tudor, John

2013-01-01

Motivation for screen printed smart fabrics.Introduce functional electronic screen printing on fabrics.Printed smart fabric watch design.Printing process for electroluminescent watch.Demonstration video.Conclusions and further work.Examples of other screen printed smart fabrics.

A climatology of potential severe convective environments across South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Blamey, R. C.; Middleton, C.; Lennard, C.; Reason, C. J. C.

2017-09-01

Severe thunderstorms pose a considerable risk to society and the economy of South Africa during the austral summer months (October-March). Yet, the frequency and distribution of such severe storms is poorly understood, which partly stems out of an inadequate observation network. Given the lack of observations, alternative methods have focused on the relationship between severe storms and their associated environments. One such approach is to use a combination of covariant discriminants, derived from gridded datasets, as a probabilistic proxy for the development of severe storms. These covariates describe some key ingredient for severe convective storm development, such as the presence of instability. Using a combination of convective available potential energy and deep-layer vertical shear from Climate Forecast System Reanalysis, this study establishes a climatology of potential severe convective environments across South Africa for the period 1979-2010. Results indicate that early austral summer months are most likely associated with conditions that are conducive to the development of severe storms over the interior of South Africa. The east coast of the country is a hotspot for potential severe convective environments throughout the summer months. This is likely due to the close proximity of the Agulhas Current, which produces high latent heat fluxes and acts as a key moisture source. No obvious relationship is established between the frequency of potential severe convective environments and the main large-scale modes of variability in the Southern Hemisphere, such as ENSO. This implies that several factors, possibly more localised, may modulate the spatial and temporal frequency of severe thunderstorms across the region.

P3-1: Ophthalmologic Factors Influencing Asthenopia with Watching 3D Displays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sungwook Wee

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To identify ophthalmologic factors influencing asthenopia while watching 3D displays. Methods: 30 adult subjects without ophthalmologic abnormality watched the same 3D displays for 30 minutes. Each subject's far and near visual acuity, near points of accommodation and convergence, amplitude of fusional convergence and divergence, stereopsis, angle of phoric deviation, tear break-up time, and temperature of ocular surface before and after watching 3D displays were measured. And surveys for subjective symptoms right after watching 3D displays were conducted. The above-mentioned experiments were performed equally with 2D displays for detection of innate influence of 3D displays. Results: The near points of accommodation and convergence were significantly changed after watching 3D displays (p < .05 compared to 2D displays. And all 10 subjective symptoms were significantly increased after watching 3D displays (p < .05. Conclusion: The accommodation and binocular vergence are predominant ophthalmologic factors that might influence asthenopia significantly while watching 3D displays. Subjective visual discomfort significantly increases with watching 3D displays, and more specific evaluation should be added for detecting the practically related factors with asthenopia.

Some of the ball lightning observations could be phosphenes induced by energetic radiation from thunderstorms and lightning

Science.gov (United States)

Cooray, G. K.; Cooray, G. V.; Dwyer, J. R.

2011-12-01

Ball Lightning was seen and described since antiquity and recorded in many places. However, so far no one has managed to generate them in the laboratory. It is possible that many different phenomena are grouped together and categorized simply as ball lightning. One such phenomenon could be the phosphenes induced in humans by energetic radiation and particles from lightning and thunderstorms. A phosphene is a visual sensation that is characterized by perceiving luminous phenomena without light entering the eye. Phosphenes are generated when electrical signals are created in the retina or the optical nerve by other means in the absence of light stimuli. The fact that energetic radiation produced by radium can give rise to phosphenes was first noted by Giesel in 1899 [1]. A resurge of studies related to the creation of phosphenes by energetic radiation took place after the reports of phosphenes observed in space by Apollo astronauts and first reported by Buzz Aldrin after the Apollo 11 flight to the moon in 1969 [2]. The shapes of the phosphenes observed by astronauts were either rods, comet shaped, or comprised of a single dot, several dots or blobs. The colors were mostly white, but some had been colored yellow, orange, blue, green or red. The majority of the astronauts had perceived some kind of motion in association with the phosphenes. Most of the time, they were moving horizontally (from the periphery of the vision to the center) and sometimes diagonally, but never vertically. Subsequent studies conducted in space and ground confirmed the creation of phosphenes by energetic radiation. From these studies the threshold energy dissipation in the eye tissue necessary for phosphenes induction was estimated to be 10 MeV/cm. In the present study a quantitative analysis of the energetic radiation generated in the form of X-rays, Gamma rays and relativistic electrons by thunderstorms and lightning was made to investigate whether this radiation is strong enough to induce

Watching a Film With Others : Towards a Theory of Collective Spectatorship

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hanich, Julian

This essay suggests that collectively watching a film with quiet attention should be considered a kind of joint action. When silently watching a film in a cinema the viewers are not merely engaged in individual actions – watching a film with others often implies a shared activity based on a

Reducing TV watching during adult obesity treatment: two pilot randomized controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Raynor, Hollie A; Steeves, Elizabeth Anderson; Bassett, David R; Thompson, Dixie L; Gorin, Amy A; Bond, Dale S

2013-12-01

The more time adults spend being sedentary, the greater the risk of obesity. The effect of reducing television (TV) watching, a prominent sedentary behavior, on weight loss has not been tested in an adult standard behavioral obesity intervention, and the mechanisms by which reducing TV watching influences energy balance behaviors are not well understood. Two, 8-week, pilot, randomized controlled trials were conducted examining the effect of a reduced TV watching prescription on energy balance behaviors and weight loss within an adult standard behavioral obesity intervention. In the first study, participants (n=24) were randomized into one of two conditions: (a) reduce energy intake and increase moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (INCREASE PA); or (b) reduce energy intake and decrease TV watching (DECREASE TV). As findings from the first pilot study did not show an increase in MVPA in the DECREASE TV group, the second study was designed to examine the effect of adding a reduced TV prescription to a standard intervention to optimize outcomes. In Pilot Study 2, participants (n=28) were randomized to INCREASE PA or to INCREASE PA+DECREASE TV. Outcomes included objectively measured TV watching and MVPA, self-reported light physical activity (LPA-Pilot Study 2 only), self-reported dietary intake while watching TV, and weight. Conditions with TV watching prescriptions significantly reduced TV watching. Both studies showed medium to large effect sizes for conditions with TV watching prescriptions to show greater reductions in dietary intake while watching TV. Pilot Study 1 found a trend for an increase in MVPA in INCREASE PA and Pilot Study 2 found significant increases in MVPA in both conditions. Pilot Study 2 found a significant increase in LPA in the INCREASE PA+DECREASE TV. Results indicate adding a TV watching prescription to a standard obesity intervention did not enhance increases in MVPA, but may assist with reducing dietary intake while TV watching and

Great Lakes CoastWatch Node

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — CoastWatch is a nationwide National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) program within which the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL)...

Is Watching Television a Realistic Leisure Option for People with Dementia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margrét Gústafsdóttir

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Watching television is a common leisure activity, not least among older people. However, watching television may become difficult when it is disturbed by symptoms of dementia. Method: A total of 284 questionnaires were handed out to relatives of people with dementia in Iceland, in the Memory Clinic of the University Hospital and in specialized units for people with dementia (6 day-care units and 8 units within nursing homes. The response rate was just below 58%. Results: Watching television was shown to play a less important role in the course of the daily life of people with dementia as soon as the symptoms of the disease became evident, and it increasingly became less relevant. So, this previous leisure activity left an ever-growing void of time to fill. However, watching television may provide an important social context for contact and togetherness during the progress of the disease, as watching television with someone close to them was important for the individuals with dementia. Conclusion: It is not a viable option for people with dementia to watch television on their own, but they may enjoy watching television while sharing this activity with a person close to them. This may even provide quality time.

The evolution and discharge of electric fields within a thunderstorm

Science.gov (United States)

Hager, William W.; Nisbet, John S.; Kasha, John R.

1989-01-01

An analysis of the present three-dimensional thunderstorm electrical model and its finite-difference approximations indicates unconditional stability for the discretization that results from the approximation of the spatial derivatives by a box-schemelike method and of the temporal derivative by either a backward-difference or Crank-Nicholson scheme. Lightning propagation is treated through numerical techniques based on the inverse-matrix modification formula and Cholesky updates. The model is applied to a storm observed at the Kennedy Space Center in 1978, and numerical comparisons are conducted between the model and the theoretical results obtained by Wilson (1920) and Holzer and Saxon (1952).

Estimating the impact of whaling on global whale watching

NARCIS (Netherlands)

H-I. Kuo (Hsiao-I); C-C. Chen (Chi-Chung); M.J. McAleer (Michael)

2009-01-01

textabstractAfter the commercial whaling moratorium was enacted in 1986, whale watching became one of the fastest growing tourism industries worldwide. As whaling was regarded as an activity incompatible with whale watching, the possible resumption of commercial whaling caused an urgent need to

High-Energy Radiation from Thunderstorms with ADELE: TGFs, Steps, and Glows

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, David M.; Kelley, Nicole; Martinez-McKinney, Forest; Zhang, Zi Yan; Hazelton, Bryna; Grefenstette, Brian; Splitt, Michael; Lazarus, Steven; Ulrich, William; Levine, Steven;

Out of the SHADOW: watch parts in the spotlight -- laser beam microwelding of delicate watch components

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Thorsten; Olowinsky, Alexander M.

2003-07-01

Conventional joining techniques like press fitting or crimping require the application of mechanical forces to the parts which, in combination with the tolerances of both parts to be joined, lead to imprecision and poor tensile strength. In contrast, laser beam micro welding provides consistent joining and high flexibility and it acts as an alternative as long as press fitting, crimping, screwing or gluing are not capable of batch production. Different parts and even different metals can be joined in a non-contact process at feed rates of up to 60 m/min and with weld seam lengths from 0.6 mm to 15.7 mm. Due to the low energy input, typically 1 J to 6 J, a weld width as small as 50 μm and a weld depth as small as 20 μm have been attained. This results in low distortion of the joined watch components. Since the first applications of laser beam micro welding of watch components showed promising results, the process has further been enhanced using the SHADOW technique. Aspects of the technique such as tensile strength, geometry and precision of the weld seam as well as the acceptance amongst the -mostly conservative- watch manufacturers have been improved.

Numerical simulation of the effect of wind removing the corona space charge over grounded structures under thunderstorm conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vogel, Stephan; Lopez, Javier; Holbøll, Joachim

2015-01-01

agrounded object under thunderstorm conditions. The electric fieldcreated by the charge distribution in the thundercloud above theobject, which is in first place enhanced by its geometry, leadsto the generation and secondly upward propagation of chargefrom the object. Recent investigations underline......Different types of tall structures are severely exposed to lightning discharges, including power lines, communicationtowers, buildings and wind turbines all over the world. Thepresent paper focuses on the numerical modelling and simulationof the effect of wind on the electric field developed over...... quantifies thedifference between static towers and rotating wind turbines whichare influenced by different resultant wind velocities. The voltagedistribution and ion drift velocities in the vicinity of the groundedstructures are illustrated. The results show a higher voltagegradient at the side of the object...

Gender Roles and Night-Sky Watching among College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, William E.; McGee, Catherine M.

2012-01-01

The present study investigated the relationship between gender roles and night-sky watching in a sample of college students (N=161). The Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) and the Noctcaelador Inventory (NI) were used to investigate the differences between gender role groups for night-sky watching. The results supported the hypothesis that androgynous…

Television Watching and Telomere Length Among Adults in Southwest China.

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Hong-Mei; Liu, Qian-Qian; Tian, Guo; Quan, Li-Ming; Zhao, Yong; Cheng, Guo

2017-09-01

To explore the independent associations of sedentary behavior and physical activity with telomere length among Chinese adults. Data on total time of sedentary behavior, screen-based sedentary behavior (including television watching and computer or phone use), moderate to vigorous physical activity, and dietary intake of 518 adults in Chengdu, Guizhou, and Xiamen in China (54.25% women) aged 20 to 70 years were obtained between 2013 and 2015 through questionnaires. Height, weight, and waist circumference were measured to calculate body mass index and percentage of body fat. Telomere length was measured through Southern blot technique. Television watching was inversely related to adjusted telomere length (-71.75 base pair; SE = 34.40; P  = .04). Furthermore, a similar trend between telomere length and television watching was found in the group aged 20 to 40 years after adjusting for all covariates. Adults aged 20 to 40 years in the highest tertile of daily time spent on watching television had 4.0% shorter telomere length than adults in the lowest tertile (P = .03). Although the association is modest, television watching is inversely related to telomere length among Chinese adults, warranting further investigation in large prospective studies.

Lightning activity and radar observations of the multicell thunderstorm system passing over Swider Observatory (Poland) on 19 July 2015 and its dynamic and electric charge structure obtained from the WRF_ELEC model

Science.gov (United States)

Kubicki, Marek; Konarski, Jerzy; Gajda, Wojciech; Barański, Piotr; Guzikowski, Jakub; Kryza, Maciej

2017-04-01

In this work we present preliminary results on the thunderstorm event at IG PAS Swider Geophysical Observatory (52.12°N, 21.25°E, geomagnetic latitude 50.5°N, near Warsaw, Poland) on 19 July 2015. The storm was caused by the abrasion of the warm front that stretched almost latitudinaly and cold front moving from the west to the east. Warm continental-tropical arrived at southern and eastern part of the country and the rest was covered by cool polar-maritime airmass. The storm had the squall-line character of approximately 100 km length and consisted of several cells, and the height of the cumulonimbus (Cb) cloud base was 1 km and top was 14 km, as inferred from the analysis of CAPPI (Constant Altitude Plan Position Indicator), CMAX (Column Maximum Display), MLVCUT (Multiple-Line Vertical Cut) radar map products from POLRAD observations at Institute of Meteorology and Water Management - National Research Institute (IMWM-NRI), Legionowo station. In our paper we have discussed the obtained results of the post-time analysis of lightning activity and radar observations of the extended multicells thunderstorm system passing over IG PAS Swider Geophysical Observatory, on 19 July 2015 together with its dynamic and electric charge structure obtained from the WRF_ELEC model. We have used the archive data from the Polish National Lightning Location and Detection System PERUN (provided by IMWM-NRI) together with radar data obtained from the Doppler meteorological radar METEOR 1500C at Legionowo. Additionally, during the approach, passing over and moving away phase of the thunderstorm system, we have gathered the simultaneous and continuous recordings of E-field, the electric conductivity of air and the independent supplementary reference lightning detections delivered by the Swider measuring station of the Local Lightning Detection Network (LLDN) operated in Warsaw region. These data have given us a new possibility to acquire many valuable information about the

Optical Remote Sensing of Electric Fields Above Thunderstorms

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, B. M.; Carlson, B. E.; Lauben, D.; Cohen, M.; Smith, D.; Inan, U. S.

2010-12-01

Measurement of thunderstorm electric fields typically require balloon-borne measurements in the region of interest. Such measurements are cumbersome and provide limited information at a single point. Remote sensing of electric fields by Kerr-effect induced optical polarization changes of background skylight circumvents many of these difficulties and can in principle provide a high-speed movie of electric field behavior. Above-thundercloud 100 kV/m quasi-static electric fields are predicted to produce polarization changes at above the part in one million level that should be detectable at a ground instrument featuring 1 cm2sr geometric factor and 1 kHz bandwidth (though more sensitivity is nonetheless desired). Currently available optical and electronic components may meet these requirements. We review the principles of this measurement and discuss the current status of a field-ready prototype instrument currently in construction.

Alpine debris flows triggered by a 28 July 1999 thunderstorm in the central Front Range, Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Godt, J.W.; Coe, J.A.

2007-01-01

On 28 July 1999, about 480 alpine debris flows were triggered by an afternoon thunderstorm along the Continental Divide in Clear Creek and Summit counties in the central Front Range of Colorado. The thunderstorm produced about 43??mm of rain in 4??h, 35??mm of which fell in the first 2??h. Several debris flows triggered by the storm impacted Interstate Highway 70, U.S. Highway 6, and the Arapahoe Basin ski area. We mapped the debris flows from color aerial photography and inspected many of them in the field. Three processes initiated debris flows. The first process initiated 11% of the debris flows and involved the mobilization of shallow landslides in thick, often well vegetated, colluvium. The second process, which was responsible for 79% of the flows, was the transport of material eroded from steep unvegetated hillslopes via a system of coalescing rills. The third, which has been termed the "firehose effect," initiated 10% of the debris flows and occurred where overland flow became concentrated in steep bedrock channels and scoured debris from talus deposits and the heads of debris fans. These three processes initiated high on steep hillsides (> 30??) in catchments with small contributing areas (runoff and therefore less likely to generate debris flows by the firehose effect or by rilling. The character of the surficial cover and the spatially variable hydrologic response to intense rainfall, rather than a threshold of contributing area and topographic slope, appears to control the initiation process in the high alpine of the Front Range. Because debris flows initiated by rilling and the firehose effect tend to increase in volume as they travel downslope, these debris flows are potentially more hazardous than those initiated by shallow landslides, which tend to deposit material along their paths. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mesoscale modeling of the production and the three-dimensional transport of nitrogen oxides in thunderstorms; Mesoskalige Modellierung der Produktion und des dreidimensionalen Transports von Stickoxiden durch Gewitter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fehr, T.

2000-07-01

Nitrogen oxides, NO{sub x} = NO + NO{sub 2}, play a fundamental role in tropospheric chemistry. Compared to other sources, the contribution of lightning induced NO{sub x} (LNO{sub x}) is known with considerable uncertainties and difficult to determine experimentally. The distribution of nitrogen oxides in an isolated thunderstorm is investigated using a modified version of the Penn State/NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5) with cloud-scale resolution. A Lagrangian particle model has been developed to represent the NO{sub x} released by individual flashes. The position of the flash, the flash type, the geometrical properties of the channel, and the amount of emitted NO{sub x} are introduced to the MM5 in a parameterized form. On July 21, 1998, during the European lightning nitrogen oxides project (EULINOX) field campaign, a supercell development was observed in the German alpine foreland. Anvil penetrations by the DLR Falcon aircraft contributed high resolution profiles of NO{sub x}. DLR radar observation covered the complete life cycle of the thunderstorm. The lightning activity was recorded with a lightning positioning and tracking system (LPATS) run by local power suppliers, while radiosonde and aircraft measurements supplied detailed information on the atmospheric stratification ahead of the thunderstorm. This meteorological information was used to initalize a cloud-scale MM5 simulation. The modeled thunderstorm reproduces many observed properties, e.g. cell splitting, propagation speed and direction, anvil and overshooting top height, and WER (weak echo region). The number of simulated cloud-to-ground flashes, as well as the temporal evolution of the lightning activity are comparable to the LPAT observations. The general transport properties of the model thunderstorm are investigated using an inert PBL-tracer, as well as trajectory analysis. The simulated lightning activity leads to the release of approximately 1 000 000 NO{sub x}-particles. The thunderstorm produces 28

Initiating a watch list for Ebola virus antibody escape mutations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Craig R. Miller

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The 2014 Ebola virus (EBOV outbreak in West Africa is the largest in recorded history and resulted in over 11,000 deaths. It is essential that strategies for treatment and containment be developed to avoid future epidemics of this magnitude. With the development of vaccines and antibody-based therapies using the envelope glycoprotein (GP of the 1976 Mayinga strain, one important strategy is to anticipate how the evolution of EBOV might compromise these efforts. In this study we have initiated a watch list of potential antibody escape mutations of EBOV by modeling interactions between GP and the antibody KZ52. The watch list was generated using molecular modeling to estimate stability changes due to mutation. Every possible mutation of GP was considered and the list was generated from those that are predicted to disrupt GP-KZ52 binding but not to disrupt the ability of GP to fold and to form trimers. The resulting watch list contains 34 mutations (one of which has already been seen in humans at six sites in the GP2 subunit. Should mutations from the watch list appear and spread during an epidemic, it warrants attention as these mutations may reflect an evolutionary response from the virus that could reduce the effectiveness of interventions such as vaccination. However, this watch list is incomplete and emphasizes the need for more experimental structures of EBOV interacting with antibodies in order to expand the watch list to other epitopes. We hope that this work provokes experimental research on evolutionary escape in both Ebola and other viral pathogens.

Initiating a watch list for Ebola virus antibody escape mutations.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Craig R; Johnson, Erin L; Burke, Aran Z; Martin, Kyle P; Miura, Tanya A; Wichman, Holly A; Brown, Celeste J; Ytreberg, F Marty

2016-01-01

The 2014 Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak in West Africa is the largest in recorded history and resulted in over 11,000 deaths. It is essential that strategies for treatment and containment be developed to avoid future epidemics of this magnitude. With the development of vaccines and antibody-based therapies using the envelope glycoprotein (GP) of the 1976 Mayinga strain, one important strategy is to anticipate how the evolution of EBOV might compromise these efforts. In this study we have initiated a watch list of potential antibody escape mutations of EBOV by modeling interactions between GP and the antibody KZ52. The watch list was generated using molecular modeling to estimate stability changes due to mutation. Every possible mutation of GP was considered and the list was generated from those that are predicted to disrupt GP-KZ52 binding but not to disrupt the ability of GP to fold and to form trimers. The resulting watch list contains 34 mutations (one of which has already been seen in humans) at six sites in the GP2 subunit. Should mutations from the watch list appear and spread during an epidemic, it warrants attention as these mutations may reflect an evolutionary response from the virus that could reduce the effectiveness of interventions such as vaccination. However, this watch list is incomplete and emphasizes the need for more experimental structures of EBOV interacting with antibodies in order to expand the watch list to other epitopes. We hope that this work provokes experimental research on evolutionary escape in both Ebola and other viral pathogens.

Confessions of a 'guilty' couch potato understanding and using context to optimize binge-watching behavior

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Feijter, D.; Khan, J.V.; van Gisbergen, M.

2016-01-01

Viewers more frequently watch television content whenever they want, using devices they prefer, which stimulated "Binge-watching" (consecutive viewing of television programs). Although binge-watching and health concerns have been studied before, the context in which binge-watching takes place and

Contact urticaria caused by the Apple Watch – A case report

OpenAIRE

Spencer D. Hawkins; Steven R. Feldman

2017-01-01

Smart watches are an upcoming trend that provide quick access to smartphone notifications on the wearer’s wrist. Metal portions of the Apple Watch contain small amounts of nickel, however, the interchangeable bands can be made of a variety of different materials including methacrylate polymers and fluoroelastomer synthetic rubber. There are multiple reports in non-peer reviewed literature such as social media and blogs of the Apple Watch causing skin irritation. Here we present a case report ...

Use of the European Severe Weather Database to verify satllite-based storm detection or nowcasting

OpenAIRE

Dotzek, Nikolai; Forster, Caroline

2008-01-01

Severe thunderstorms constitute a major weather hazard in Europe, with an estimated total damage of € 5-8 billion each year. Yet a pan-European database of severe weather reports in a homogeneous data format has become available only recently: the European Severe Weather Database (ESWD). We demonstrate the large potential of ESWD applications for storm detection and forecast or nowcasting/warning verification purposes. The study of five warm-season severe weather days in Europe from 2007 a...

Correlation Of Terrestrial gamma flashes, Electric fields, and Lightning strikes (COTEL) in thunderstorms using networked balloon payloads developed by university and community college students

Science.gov (United States)

Landry, B. J.; Blair, D.; Causey, J.; Collins, J.; Davis, A.; Fernandez-Kim, V.; Kennedy, J.; Pate, N.; Kearney, C.; Schayer, C.; Turk, E.; Cherry, M. L.; Fava, C.; Granger, D.; Stewart, M.; Guzik, T. G.

2017-12-01

High energy gamma ray flashes from terrestrial sources have been observed by satellites for decades, but the actual mechanism, assumed to be thunderstorm lightning, has yet to be fully characterized. The goal of COTEL, funded by NASA through the University Student Instrument Project (USIP) program, is to correlate in time TGF events, lightning strikes, and electric fields inside of thunderstorms. This will be accomplished using a small network of balloon-borne payloads suspended in and around thunderstorm environments. The payloads will detect and timestamp gamma radiation bursts, lightning strikes, and the intensity of localized electric fields. While in flight, data collected by the payloads will be transmitted to a ground station in real-time and will be analyzed post-flight to investigate potential correlations between lightning, TGFs, and electric fields. The COTEL student team is in its second year of effort having spent the first year developing the basic balloon payloads and ground tracking system. Currently the team is focusing on prototype electric field and gamma radiation detectors. Testing and development of these systems will continue into 2018, and flight operations will take place during the spring 2018 Louisiana thunderstorm season. The presentation, led by undergraduate Physics student Brad Landry, will cover the student team effort in developing the COTEL system, an overview of the system architecture, balloon flight tests conducted to date, preliminary results from prototype detectors, lessons learned for student-led science projects, and future plans.

Television watching and risk of childhood obesity: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Gang; Wu, Lei; Zhou, Lingling; Lu, Weifeng; Mao, Chunting

2016-02-01

Over the last few decades, there has been a worldwide epidemic of childhood obesity. An important step in successful prevention in paediatrics is the identification of modifiable risk factors of childhood obesity. Many studies have evaluated the associations between television (TV) watching and childhood obesity but yielded inconsistent results. To help elucidate the role of TV watching, PubMed and Embase databases were searched for published studies on associations between TV watching and childhood obesity. Random-effects models and dose-response meta-analyses were used to pool study results. Fourteen cross-sectional studies with 24 reports containing 106 169 subjects were included in the meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses were conducted by the available characteristics of studies and participants. The multivariable-adjusted overall OR of the childhood obesity for the highest vs. the lowest time of TV watching was 1.47 [95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.33-1.62]. A linear dose-response relationship was also found for TV watching and childhood obesity (P childhood obesity. And restricting TV time and other sedentary behaviour of children may be an important public health strategy to prevent childhood obesity. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Lightning Sensors for Observing, Tracking and Nowcasting Severe Weather

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Colin Price

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Severe and extreme weather is a major natural hazard all over the world, oftenresulting in major natural disasters such as hail storms, tornados, wind storms, flash floods,forest fires and lightning damages. While precipitation, wind, hail, tornados, turbulence,etc. can only be observed at close distances, lightning activity in these damaging stormscan be monitored at all spatial scales, from local (using very high frequency [VHF]sensors, to regional (using very low frequency [VLF] sensors, and even global scales(using extremely low frequency [ELF] sensors. Using sensors that detect the radio wavesemitted by each lightning discharge, it is now possible to observe and track continuouslydistant thunderstorms using ground networks of sensors. In addition to the number oflightning discharges, these sensors can also provide information on lightningcharacteristics such as the ratio between intra-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning, thepolarity of the lightning discharge, peak currents, charge removal, etc. It has been shownthat changes in some of these lightning characteristics during thunderstorms are oftenrelated to changes in the severity of the storms. In this paper different lightning observingsystems are described, and a few examples are provided showing how lightning may beused to monitor storm hazards around the globe, while also providing the possibility ofsupplying short term forecasts, called nowcasting.

Coral Reef Watch, Hotspots, 50 km

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — NOAA Coral Reef Watch provides Coral Bleaching hotspot maps derived from NOAA's Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES). This data provides global area...

Aplikace pro nositelnou elektroniku se systémem Apple WatchOS

OpenAIRE

Singh, Kevin

2017-01-01

Bakalářská práce „Aplikace pro nositelnou elektroniku se systémem Apple WatchOS“ se zabývá teoretickým rozborem komunikací M2M (Machine-to-Machine), H2H (Human- to-Human), D2D (Device-to-Device) a nositelnou elektronikou. V teoretické části jsou dále popsány chytré hodinky Apple Watch, jenž obsahují požadovaný systém WatchOS. V rámci bakalářské práce vznikly dvě aplikace, přičemž první byla vytvořena pro mobilní zařízení iPhone a druhá pro chytré hodinky Apple watch. Aplikace zobrazují inform...

Incidental Foreign-Language Acquisition by Children Watching Subtitled Television Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Ina, Lekkai

2014-01-01

Series of international studies have shown that subtitled television programs provide a rich context for foreign language acquisition. This study investigated whether incidental language acquisition occurs from watching a television program with/without subtitles. Children in the experimental conditions watch: (a) a 15 minute snapshot of a well…

The global economic impact of manta ray watching tourism.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Malley, Mary P; Lee-Brooks, Katie; Medd, Hannah B

2013-01-01

As manta rays face increased threats from targeted and bycatch fisheries, manta ray watching tourism, if managed properly, may present an attractive economic alternative to consumptive use of these species. Both species in the genus Manta (Manta alfredi and Manta birostris) are classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List as species Vulnerable to extinction in the wild, and are considered unsustainable as fisheries resources due to their conservative life history characteristics, which considerably reduce their ability to recover population numbers when depleted. Utilising dive operator surveys, Internet research, and a literature review, this study provides the first global estimate of the direct economic impact of manta ray watching tourism and examines the potential socio-economic benefits of non-consumptive manta ray watching operations relative to consumptive use of manta rays as a fishery resource. In the 23 countries in which manta ray watching operations meeting our criteria were identified, we estimated direct revenue to dive operators from manta ray dives and snorkels at over US$73 million annually and direct economic impact, including associated tourism expenditures, of US$140 million annually. Ten countries account for almost 93% of the global revenue estimate, specifically Japan, Indonesia, the Maldives, Mozambique, Thailand, Australia, Mexico, United States, Federated States of Micronesia and Palau. In many of the areas where directed fisheries for manta rays are known to occur, these activities overlap with manta ray tourism sites or the migratory range of the mantas on which these sites depend, and are likely to be unsustainable and detrimental to manta ray watching tourism.

Marketing Management: The Analysis of Breitling Watches in The Luxury Watch Market%Marketing Management:The Analysis of Breitling Watches in The Luxury Watch Market

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

王丽闻

2017-01-01

This essay will critically review the general situation and positioning of Breitling timepieces in the global market;It will begin with the background of Breitling to facilitate an understanding of the object. Initially, the target marketing of Breitling will be discussed by a number of assumptions in view of online researches. Subsequently, four aspects of the marketing mix will be analysed by comparing with its competitors to realise the latest conception and positioning of Breitling. Consequently, the elements that drive the purchase behaviour will be presented to reveal Breitling's competitive advantages in the luxury watch market.

Prevention of destructive tropical and extratropical storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, dangerous thunderstorms, and catastrophic floods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Yu. Krasilnikov

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Tropical cyclones and storms, hurricanes, powerful thunderclouds, which generate tornadoes, destructive extratropical cyclones, which result in catastrophic floods, are the powerful cloud systems that contain huge amount of water. According to the hypothesis argued in this paper, an electric field coupled with powerful clouds and electric forces play a cardinal role in supporting this huge mass of water at a high altitude in the troposphere and in the instability of powerful clouds sometimes during rather a long time duration. Based on this hypothesis, a highly effective method of volume electric charge neutralization of powerful clouds is proposed. It results in the decrease in an electric field, a sudden increase in precipitation, and subsequent degradation of powerful clouds. This method, based on the natural phenomenon, ensures the prevention of the intensification of tropical and extratropical cyclones and their transition to the storm and hurricane (typhoon stages, which makes it possible to avoid catastrophic floods. It also ensures the suppression of severe thunderclouds, which, in turn, eliminates the development of dangerous thunderstorms and the possibility of the emergence and intensification of tornadoes.

Duration of watching TV and child language development in young children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silva Audya Perdana

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Background Many factors contribute to language development in children. About 5-8% of children in Indonesia experience delayed language skills. Young children need appropriate stimulation for optimal development. Children who watch television (TV for long periods of time may receive less two-way interaction, the appropriate stimulation for learning. As such, shorter duration of the appropriate stimulation may impede language development in small children. Objective To assess for an association between duration of watching TV and language development in young children. Methods This cross-sectional study was done with primary data collected from questionnaires. Subjects, aged 18 months to 3 years, were from a Jakarta-area community health center (Puskesmas Jatinegara and the Pediatric Growth and Development Clinic, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta. Their language development was tested using the Developmental Pre-screening Questionnaire (Kuesioner Pra Skrining Perkembangan, KPSP and the Early Language Milestone (ELM Scale 2 test. Results From a total of 84 subjects, 47 (56% had normal and 37 (44% had delayed language development. Duration of watching TV was categorized as 4 hours per day. Children who watched TV >4 hours/day (OR 4.4; 95%CI 1.68 to 11.7; P=0.002, and children who watched both Indonesian and English language TV programs (OR 14.7; 95%CI 1.77 to 123.0; P=0.004 had higher risk of language delay. Other variables such as sex, first age exposed to TV, use of gadgets, and TV in the bedroom had no significant associations with delayed language development. Conclusion Children who watch TV >4 hours/day had four times higher risk of developing language delay. In addition, those who watch TV programs in both Indonesian and English, also have a 14.7 higher risk of delayed language development.

Analysis of thunderstorm and lightning activity associated with sprites observed during the EuroSprite campaigns

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Soula, S.; van der Velde, O.; Montanyà, J.

2009-01-01

During the summers of 2003 to 2006 sprites were observed over thunderstorms in France by cameras on mountain tops in Southern France. The observations were part of a larger coordinated effort, the EuroSprite campaigns, with data collected simultaneously from other sources including the French rad...... a subsequent CG flash (median value case of a lightning process associated with a sprite consisted of 7 CG flashes....

CoastWatch Regions in HDF Format

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The mapped data derived from AVHRR is divided into files for CoastWatch regions of interest. Each file contains multiple data variables stored using the HDF-4...

The Global Economic Impact of Manta Ray Watching Tourism

Science.gov (United States)

O’Malley, Mary P.; Lee-Brooks, Katie; Medd, Hannah B.

2013-01-01

As manta rays face increased threats from targeted and bycatch fisheries, manta ray watching tourism, if managed properly, may present an attractive economic alternative to consumptive use of these species. Both species in the genus Manta (Manta alfredi and Manta birostris) are classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List as species Vulnerable to extinction in the wild, and are considered unsustainable as fisheries resources due to their conservative life history characteristics, which considerably reduce their ability to recover population numbers when depleted. Utilising dive operator surveys, Internet research, and a literature review, this study provides the first global estimate of the direct economic impact of manta ray watching tourism and examines the potential socio-economic benefits of non-consumptive manta ray watching operations relative to consumptive use of manta rays as a fishery resource. In the 23 countries in which manta ray watching operations meeting our criteria were identified, we estimated direct revenue to dive operators from manta ray dives and snorkels at over US$73 million annually and direct economic impact, including associated tourism expenditures, of US$140 million annually. Ten countries account for almost 93% of the global revenue estimate, specifically Japan, Indonesia, the Maldives, Mozambique, Thailand, Australia, Mexico, United States, Federated States of Micronesia and Palau. In many of the areas where directed fisheries for manta rays are known to occur, these activities overlap with manta ray tourism sites or the migratory range of the mantas on which these sites depend, and are likely to be unsustainable and detrimental to manta ray watching tourism. PMID:23741450

The global economic impact of manta ray watching tourism.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary P O'Malley

Full Text Available As manta rays face increased threats from targeted and bycatch fisheries, manta ray watching tourism, if managed properly, may present an attractive economic alternative to consumptive use of these species. Both species in the genus Manta (Manta alfredi and Manta birostris are classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List as species Vulnerable to extinction in the wild, and are considered unsustainable as fisheries resources due to their conservative life history characteristics, which considerably reduce their ability to recover population numbers when depleted. Utilising dive operator surveys, Internet research, and a literature review, this study provides the first global estimate of the direct economic impact of manta ray watching tourism and examines the potential socio-economic benefits of non-consumptive manta ray watching operations relative to consumptive use of manta rays as a fishery resource. In the 23 countries in which manta ray watching operations meeting our criteria were identified, we estimated direct revenue to dive operators from manta ray dives and snorkels at over US$73 million annually and direct economic impact, including associated tourism expenditures, of US$140 million annually. Ten countries account for almost 93% of the global revenue estimate, specifically Japan, Indonesia, the Maldives, Mozambique, Thailand, Australia, Mexico, United States, Federated States of Micronesia and Palau. In many of the areas where directed fisheries for manta rays are known to occur, these activities overlap with manta ray tourism sites or the migratory range of the mantas on which these sites depend, and are likely to be unsustainable and detrimental to manta ray watching tourism.

Automated information-analytical system for thunderstorm monitoring and early warning alarms using modern physical sensors and information technologies with elements of artificial intelligence

Science.gov (United States)

Boldyreff, Anton S.; Bespalov, Dmitry A.; Adzhiev, Anatoly Kh.

2017-05-01

Methods of artificial intelligence are a good solution for weather phenomena forecasting. They allow to process a large amount of diverse data. Recirculation Neural Networks is implemented in the paper for the system of thunderstorm events prediction. Large amounts of experimental data from lightning sensors and electric field mills networks are received and analyzed. The average recognition accuracy of sensor signals is calculated. It is shown that Recirculation Neural Networks is a promising solution in the forecasting of thunderstorms and weather phenomena, characterized by the high efficiency of the recognition elements of the sensor signals, allows to compress images and highlight their characteristic features for subsequent recognition.

TideWatch: Fingerprinting the cyclicality of big data workloads

KAUST Repository

Williams, Daniel W.

2014-04-01

Intrinsic to \\'big data\\' processing workloads (e.g., iterative MapReduce, Pregel, etc.) are cyclical resource utilization patterns that are highly synchronized across different resource types as well as the workers in a cluster. In Infrastructure as a Service settings, cloud providers do not exploit this characteristic to better manage VMs because they view VMs as \\'black boxes.\\' We present TideWatch, a system that automatically identifies cyclicality and similarity in running VMs. TideWatch predicts period lengths of most VMs in Hadoop workloads within 9% of actual iteration boundaries and successfully classifies up to 95% of running VMs as participating in the appropriate Hadoop cluster. Furthermore, we show how TideWatch can be used to improve the timing of VM migrations, reducing both migration time and network impact by over 50% when compared to a random approach. © 2014 IEEE.

Thunderstorm Algorithm for Determining Unit Commitment in Power System Operation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arif Nur Afandi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Solving the unit commitment problem is an important task in power system operation for deciding a balanced power production between various types of generating units under technical constraints and environmental limitations. This paper presents a new intelligent computation method, called the Thunderstorm Algorithm (TA, for searching the optimal solution of the integrated economic and emission dispatch (IEED problem as the operational assessment for determining unit commitment. A simulation using the IEEE-62 bus system showed that TA has smooth convergence and is applicable for solving the IEED problem. The IEED’s solution is associated with the total fuel consumption and pollutant emission. The proposed TA method seems to be a viable new approach for finding the optimal solution of the IEED problem.

47 CFR 80.305 - Watch requirements of the Communications Act and the Safety Convention.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... and the Safety Convention. 80.305 Section 80.305 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Safety Watch Requirements and Procedures Ship Station Safety Watches § 80.305 Watch requirements of the Communications Act and the Safety...

Microbiology as if Bird Watching

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 1; Issue 10. Microbiology as if Bird Watching. Milind G Watve. Classroom Volume 1 Issue 10 October 1996 pp 78-81. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/001/10/0078-0081. Author Affiliations.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: WATCH Solar X-Ray Burst Catalogue (Crosby+ 1998)

Science.gov (United States)

Crosby, N.; Lund, N.; Vilmer, N.; Sunyaev, R.

1998-01-01

Catalogue containing solar X-ray bursts measured by the Danish Wide Angle Telescope for Cosmic Hard X-Rays (WATCH) experiment aboard the Russian satellite GRANAT in the deca-keV energy range. Table 1 lists the periods during which solar observations with WATCH are available (WATCH ON-TIME) and where the bursts listed in the catalogue have been observed. (2 data files).

Strategic and operational information watch newsletter nr 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-02-01

This newsletter proposes an overview of events related to security and defence issues in relationship with impacts of climate change. A first part reports a strategic watch which addresses news about the responsibility of climate changes in the emergence or aggravation of some present crisis, about what is going on in the USA in relationship with climate and defence issues (decisions by Trump, statement of the Secretary of Defence, influence of the political context), about the energy sector (instability of the oil market, the international role of India in the international climate and energy policy), and about international negotiations on climate. The second part reports an operational information watch addresses new technologies and renewable energies, and issues related to the vulnerability, protection and adaptation of infrastructures and equipment, and a health watch (soldier training in hot and wet environment, drought as a factor of Nile fever epidemic, climate changes and always higher risks for human health in Europe). The newsletter finally indicates some brief news, events and recent publications

Strategic and operational information watch newsletter nr 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-04-01

This newsletter proposes an overview of events related to security and defence issues in relationship with impacts of climate change. A first part reports a strategic watch which addresses news about the Paris agreement (negotiation in Bonn, statement of the Canadian minister of Defence, commitment by the Lebanese army to reduce its emissions), about the energy sector (the lowest level of oil discovery, partial privatisation of Saudi Aramco, and economic and energetic diversification of Saudi Arabia), and climate change as a source of tensions and collaborations. The second part reports an operational information watch which addresses new technologies and renewable energies (photovoltaic cells operating in the dark, waste energetic valorisation in field operations, the issue of energy security for US military allowances, use of drones for logistics, a Gripen fighter aircraft flies with bio-fuel) and proposes a health watch (consequences of UV exposure in field operations, impact of El Nino on cholera distribution in Africa, the ban of ragweed in France). The newsletter finally indicates some brief news, events and recent publications

Warfarin Side Effects: Watch for Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Warfarin side effects: Watch for interactions Although commonly used to treat blood clots, warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) can have dangerous side effects or ... bleeding. Here are precautions to take to avoid warfarin side effects. By Mayo Clinic Staff If you' ...

47 CFR 80.303 - Watch on 156.800 MHz (Channel 16).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Section 80.303 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Safety Watch Requirements and Procedures Coast Station Safety... maintain a safety watch on the frequency 156.800 MHz except when transmitting on 156.800 MHz. (b) A coast...

Connected to TV series: Quantifying series watching engagement.

Science.gov (United States)

Tóth-Király, István; Bőthe, Beáta; Tóth-Fáber, Eszter; Hága, Győző; Orosz, Gábor

2017-12-01

Background and aims Television series watching stepped into a new golden age with the appearance of online series. Being highly involved in series could potentially lead to negative outcomes, but the distinction between highly engaged and problematic viewers should be distinguished. As no appropriate measure is available for identifying such differences, a short and valid measure was constructed in a multistudy investigation: the Series Watching Engagement Scale (SWES). Methods In Study 1 (N Sample1  = 740 and N Sample2  = 740), exploratory structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis were used to identify the most important facets of series watching engagement. In Study 2 (N = 944), measurement invariance of the SWES was investigated between males and females. In Study 3 (N = 1,520), latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify subgroups of viewers. Results Five factors of engagement were identified in Study 1 that are of major relevance: persistence, identification, social interaction, overuse, and self-development. Study 2 supported the high levels of equivalence between males and females. In Study 3, three groups of viewers (low-, medium-, and high-engagement viewers) were identified. The highly engaged at-risk group can be differentiated from the other two along key variables of watching time and personality. Discussion The present findings support the overall validity, reliability, and usefulness of the SWES and the results of the LPA showed that it might be useful to identify at-risk viewers before the development of problematic use.

Healthcare Applications of Smart Watches. A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Tsung-Chien; Fu, Chia-Ming; Ma, Matthew Huei-Ming; Fang, Cheng-Chung; Turner, Anne M

2016-09-14

The aim of this systematic review is to synthesize research studies involving the use of smart watch devices for healthcare. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was chosen as the systematic review methodology. We searched PubMed, CINAHL Plus, EMBASE, ACM, and IEEE Xplore. In order to include ongoing clinical trials, we also searched ClinicalTrials.gov. Two investigators evaluated the retrieved articles for inclusion. Discrepancies between investigators regarding article inclusion and extracted data were resolved through team discussion. 356 articles were screened and 24 were selected for review. The most common publication venue was in conference proceedings (13, 54%). The majority of studies were published or presented in 2015 (19, 79%). We identified two registered clinical trials underway. A large proportion of the identified studies focused on applications involving health monitoring for the elderly (6, 25%). Five studies focused on patients with Parkinson's disease and one on cardiac arrest. There were no studies which reported use of usability testing before implementation. Most of the reviewed studies focused on the chronically ill elderly. There was a lack of detailed description of user-centered design or usability testing before implementation. Based on our review, the most commonly used platform in healthcare research was that of the Android Wear. The clinical application of smart watches as assistive devices deserves further attention. Smart watches are unobtrusive and easy to wear. While smart watch technology supplied with biosensors has potential to be useful in a variety of healthcare applications, rigorous research with their use in clinical settings is needed.

Analysis of Summer Thunderstorms in Central Alabama Using the NASA Land Information System

Science.gov (United States)

James, Robert; Case, Jonathan; Molthan, Andrew; Jedloved, Gary

2010-01-01

Forecasters have difficulty predicting "random" afternoon thunderstorms during the summer months. Differences in soil characteristics could be a contributing factor for storms. The NASA Land Information System (LIS) may assist forecasters in predicting summer convection by identifying boundaries in land characteristics. This project identified case dates during the summer of 2009 by analyzing synoptic weather maps, radar, and satellite data to look for weak atmospheric forcing and disorganized convective development. Boundaries in land characteristics that may have lead to convective initiation in central Alabama were then identified using LIS.

Losing Sleep to Watch the Night-Sky: The Relationship between Sleep-Length and Noctcaelador

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, William E.; Rose, Callie

2005-01-01

For most of history, humans have been watching the night-sky (Hawkins, 1983). Historically, individuals have watched the night-sky for aesthetic appreciation and to gain insights and knowledge (Brecher & Feirtag, 1979). Despite the long history of night-sky watching among humans and the apparent importance of the behavior to large groups of…

Fast Flux Watch: A mechanism for online detection of fast flux networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Basheer N. Al-Duwairi

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Fast flux networks represent a special type of botnets that are used to provide highly available web services to a backend server, which usually hosts malicious content. Detection of fast flux networks continues to be a challenging issue because of the similar behavior between these networks and other legitimate infrastructures, such as CDNs and server farms. This paper proposes Fast Flux Watch (FF-Watch, a mechanism for online detection of fast flux agents. FF-Watch is envisioned to exist as a software agent at leaf routers that connect stub networks to the Internet. The core mechanism of FF-Watch is based on the inherent feature of fast flux networks: flux agents within stub networks take the role of relaying client requests to point-of-sale websites of spam campaigns. The main idea of FF-Watch is to correlate incoming TCP connection requests to flux agents within a stub network with outgoing TCP connection requests from the same agents to the point-of-sale website. Theoretical and traffic trace driven analysis shows that the proposed mechanism can be utilized to efficiently detect fast flux agents within a stub network.

Blog and Podcast Watch: Neurologic Emergencies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Grock

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The WestJEM Blog and Podcast Watch presents high quality open-access educational blogs and podcasts in emergency medicine (EM based on the ongoing ALiEM Approved Instructional Resources (AIR and AIR-Professional series. Both series critically appraise resources using an objective scoring rubric. This installment of the Blog and Podcast Watch highlights the topic of neurologic emergencies from the AIR series. Methods: The AIR series is a continuously building curriculum that follows the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Director’s (CORD annual testing schedule. For each module, relevant content is collected from the top 50 Social Media Index sites published within the previous 12 months, and scored by eight board members using five equally weighted measurement outcomes: Best Evidence in Emergency Medicine (BEEM score, accuracy, educational utility, evidence based, and references. Resources scoring ≥30 out of 35 available points receive an AIR label. Resources scoring 27-29 receive an honorable mention label, if the executive board agrees that the post is accurate and educationally valuable. Results: A total of 125 blog posts and podcasts were evaluated. Key educational pearls from the 14 AIR posts are summarized, and the 20 honorable mentions are listed. Conclusion: The WestJEM Blog and Podcast Watch series is based on the AIR and AIR-Pro series, which attempts to identify high quality educational content on open-access blogs and podcasts. This series provides an expert-based, post-publication curation of educational social media content for EM clinicians with this installment focusing on neurologic emergencies.

Children and television watching: a qualitative study of New Zealand parents' perceptions and views.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorey, E; Roberts, V; Maddison, R; Meagher-Lundberg, P; Dixon, R; Ni Mhurchu, C

2010-05-01

Television (TV) viewing is one of the most pervasive sedentary pursuits among children and adolescents. Research studies have shown that higher TV viewing hours are associated with a number of negative effects such as being overweight and obese, attention and behavioural problems, and impaired academic performance. Most interventions to reduce time spent watching TV have been school-based and little is known about the strategies that families use to control TV watching time. Six focus groups with Māori, Pacific and non-Māori non-Pacific parents were conducted to examine New Zealand parents' perceptions of their children's TV watching. Focus groups explored attitudes towards TV viewing, strategies used to reduce viewing, and opinion on two different electronic monitors that can be used to restrict TV viewing. Focus group discussions were transcribed and a content analysis was conducted. Parents described TV as playing a dominant role in their family's lives, and highlighted several barriers to reducing children's TV viewing, such as parents not willing to reduce their own TV watching, a lack of safe alternatives to TV and the need to use TV as a babysitting tool. Limiting access to TV, making TV viewing a reward and finding alternative activities were current strategies parents employed to limit TV viewing; however, the barriers highlighted by parents make implementing such strategies difficult. Attitudes towards electronic monitor use to reduce TV viewing were mixed, but suggest further investigation of these devices is needed. Electronic devices that restrict the amount and content of TV viewing have some potential to support interventions and merit further investigation. It is imperative for interventions aimed at reducing TV viewing to consider the role TV plays within a family context, ensuring parental perceptions around the benefits and barriers of reducing TV are accounted for.

Effects of Presidential Debate Watching and Ideology on Attitudes and Knowledge.

Science.gov (United States)

Benoit, William L.; Webber, David J.; Berman, Julie

1998-01-01

Compares respondents who watched the first 1996 presidential debate with respondents who did not. Finds (1) those who watched the debate could more accurately recognize issue positions of Clinton and Dole than nonwatchers; (2) differences in the groups' assessment of character traits of the leading candidates; and (3) more respondents gave policy…

National Status and Trends: Mussel Watch Project

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Mussel Watch represents the longest running continuous contaminant monitoring program in U.S. coastal and Great Lakes waters and was created in response to concerns...

Quality of Life in Rectal Cancer Patients After Chemoradiation: Watch-and-Wait Policy Versus Standard Resection - A Matched-Controlled Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hupkens, Britt J P; Martens, Milou H; Stoot, Jan H; Berbee, Maaike; Melenhorst, Jarno; Beets-Tan, Regina G; Beets, Geerard L; Breukink, Stéphanie O

2017-10-01

with a limited number of patients and with quality-of-life measurements on nonpredefined and variable intervals after surgery. After a successful watch-and-wait approach, the quality of life was better than after chemoradiation and surgery on several domains. However, chemoradiation therapy on its own is not without long-term side effects, because one-third of the watch-and-wait patients experienced major low anterior resection syndrome symptoms, compared with 66.7% of the patients in the total mesorectal excision group. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A395.

Spotter's Guide for Identifying and Reporting Severe Local Storms.

Science.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC), Rockville, MD.

This guide is designed to assist personnel working in the National Weather Service's Severe Local Storm Spotter Networks in identifying and reporting severe local storms. Provided are pictures of cloud types for severe storms including tornadoes, hail, thunder, lightning, heavy rains, and waterspouts. Instructions for key indications to watch for…

Iran - waiting and watching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malhotra, T. C.

2007-01-01

Global oil companies are reported to be divided on the issue of possible energy deals in Iran. Some companies may adopt wait and watch policy before singing a fresh deal with Iran, but there are some oil companies, those are still interested to sign a deal with Iran, despite the risks, even as Tehran decided to expand its uranium enrichment programme rather than complying with a UN Security Council ultimatum to freeze it, which clears the path for further harsher sanctions (author) (ml)

Counter-Democratic Surveillance: The Watchful Eye of a Local Institution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjelholt, Morten

2014-01-01

mechanisms similar to those described by Foucault, but in the service of society. From this perspective democracy is seen as a composite of two realms – a sphere of electoral representation and a constellation of counter-democratic organizations – in constant tension with each other (Rosanvallon 2008......). The watchful eyes of counter-democratic organizations are particularly made powerful by the rise of the Internet with its spontaneous adaption of watchful functions. However increased awareness and mistrust have led not to broader participation in traditional liberal institutions but to a greater social...... in the interest of the national overseers but correspondingly given as responds to fulfill legal requirements or more loosely defined public concerns. Consequently the watchful eye of a local institution form a counter-democratic sight aimed at the strategic intentions of the Government. The paper introduces...

Health at hand: A systematic review of smart watch uses for health and wellness.

Science.gov (United States)

Reeder, Blaine; David, Alexandria

2016-10-01

Smart watches have the potential to support health in everyday living by: enabling self-monitoring of personal activity; obtaining feedback based on activity measures; allowing for in-situ surveys to identify patterns of behavior; and supporting bi-directional communication with health care providers and family members. However, smart watches are an emerging technology and research with these devices is at a nascent stage. We conducted a systematic review of smart watch studies that engaged people in their use by searching PubMed, Embase, IEEE XPlore and ACM Digital libraries. Participant demographics, device features, watch applications and methods, and technical challenges were abstracted from included studies. Seventy-three studies were returned in the search. Seventeen studies published were included. Included studies were published from 2014 to 2016, with the exception of one published in 2011. Most studies employed the use of consumer-grade smart watches (14/17, 82%). Patient-related studies focused on activity monitoring, heart rate monitoring, speech therapy adherence, diabetes self-management, and detection of seizures, tremors, scratching, eating, and medication-taking behaviors. Most patient-related studies enrolled participants with few exclusion criteria to validate smart watch function (10/17, 58%). Only studies that focused on Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and diabetes management enrolled persons living with targeted conditions. One study focused on nursing work in the ICU and one focused on CPR training for laypeople. Consumer-grade smart watches have penetrated the health research space rapidly since 2014. Smart watch technical function, acceptability, and effectiveness in supporting health must be validated in larger field studies that enroll actual participants living with the conditions these devices target. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cardiometabolic risk factors and TV watching in a rural community in West Bengal, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Nag, Tanmay; Ghosh, Arnab

2015-01-01

No study has been undertaken among rural adult population of India to investigate the association of cardiometabolic risk factors with TV watching. This cross-sectional study was carried out in 1007 participants (645 males and 362 females) aged 20-80 years from a rural community. Anthropometric measures were collected using standard techniques. HOMA-IR was calculated accordingly. The significant higher value for MWC, WHtR, TER, SF4, BMI, %BF, FM, VFL, IVF, TC, LDL and FBG was observed with increasing duration of TV watching. No significant change was observed for TG, HDL, VLDL, DBP and MAP. Chi-square revealed significant difference for central obesity between male and females across TV watching category. The higher metabolic syndrome phenotypes were prevalent among both sexes with increasing duration of TV watching. Furthermore, multiple regression analyses (stepwise) revealed that occupation, monthly income, duration of TV watching in a day, education and monthly expenditure cumulatively explained ∼19% (R(2)=0.191) of the total variance of % body fat in the study. It seems rational to argue that lengthy TV watching time might have detrimental effect on CVD health. Copyright © 2015 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

National Status and Trends: Mussel Watch Program

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Mussel Watch is the longest running continuous chemical contaminant monitoring program in U.S. coastal and Great Lakes waters and was created in response to concerns...

Blog and Podcast Watch: Cutaneous Emergencies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Grock

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The WestJEM Blog and Podcast Watch presents high quality open-access educational blogs and podcasts in emergency medicine (EM based on the ongoing Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM Approved Instructional Resources (AIR and AIR-Professional series. Both series critically appraise resources using an objective scoring rubric. This installment of the Blog and Podcast Watch highlights the topic of cutaneous emergencies from the AIR series.    The AIR series is a continuously building curriculum that follows the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors (CORD annual testing schedule. For each module, relevant content is collected from the top 50 most accessed sites per the Social Media Index published within the previous 12 months and scored by eight board members using five equally weighted measurement outcomes: Best Evidence in Emergency Medicine (BEEM score, accuracy, educational utility, evidence based, and references. Resources scoring ≥30 out of 35 available points receive an AIR label. Resources scoring 27-29 receive an “honorable mention” label, if the editorial board agrees that the post is accurate and educationally valuable. A total of 35 blog posts and podcasts were evaluated. None scored ≥30 points necessary for the AIR label, although four honorable mention posts were identified. Key educational pearls from these honorable mention posts are summarized. This Blog and Podcast Watch series is based on the AIR and AIR-Pro series, which attempts to identify high quality educational content on open-access blogs and podcasts. This series provides an expertbased, post-publication curation of educational social media content for EM clinicians with this installment focusing on cutaneous emergencies. [West J Emerg Med. 2017;18(2288-292.

Synoptic, thermodynamic and agroeconomic aspects of severe hail events in Cyprus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. C. Michaelides

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Hail is a hazardous weather element often accompanying a thunderstorm, as a result of either thermal instability or instability associated with baroclinic synoptic-scale systems (i.e. frontal depressions. Nevertheless, instability of any kind and thunderstorm activity does not always lead to the formation of hail of adequate size to reach the ground. The broader the knowledge concerning hail events the better the understanding of the underlying thermodynamic and dynamic mechanisms, as well as the physical processes associated with its formation.

In the present study, the severe hail events that were recorded in Cyprus during the ten-year period from 1996 until 2005 were examined, first by grouping them into two clusters, namely, the "thermal instability cluster" and the "frontal depression cluster". Subsequently, the spatial and temporal evolution of the synoptic, dynamic and thermodynamic characteristics of these hail events was studied in depth. Also, the impact of hailstorms on the local economy of the island is presented in terms of the compensations paid by the Agricultural Insurance Organization of the country.

2007 Hypoxia Watch Bottom CTD Station Locations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

2004 Hypoxia Watch Bottom CTD Station Locations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

2005 Hypoxia Watch Bottom CTD Station Locations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

2002 Hypoxia Watch Bottom CTD Station Locations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

2003 Hypoxia Watch Bottom CTD Station Locations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

2001 Hypoxia Watch Bottom CTD Station Locations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Measurement of energetic radiation caused by thunderstorm activities by a sounding balloon and ground observation

Science.gov (United States)

Torii, T.

2015-12-01

Energetic radiation caused by thunderstorm activity is observed at various places, such as the ground, high mountain areas, and artificial satellites. In order to investigate the radiation source and its energy distribution, we measured energetic radiation by a sounding balloon, and the ground observation. On the measurement inside/above the thundercloud, we conducted a sounding observation using a radiosonde mounted two GM tubes (for gamma-rays, and for beta/gamma-rays), in addition to meteorological instruments. The balloon passed through a region of strong echoes in a thundercloud shown by radar image, at which time an increase in counting rate of the GM tube about 2 orders of magnitude occurred at the altitude from 5 km to 7.5 km. Furthermore, the counting rate of two GM tubes indicated the tendency different depending on movement of a balloon. This result suggests that the ratio for the gamma-rays (energetic photons) of the beta-rays (energetic electrons) varies according to the place in the thundercloud. Furthermore, we carried out a ground observation of the energetic gamma rays during winter thunderstorm at a coastal area facing the Sea of Japan. Two types of the energetic radiation have been observed at this time. We report the outline of these measurements and analysis in the session of the AGU meeting.

Multi-instrumental observations of a positive gigantic jet produced by a winter thunderstorm in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

van der Velde, Oscar A.; Bór, József; Li, Jingbo; Cummer, Steven A.; Arnone, Enrico; Zanotti, Ferruccio; Füllekrug, Martin; Haldoupis, Christos; Naitamor, Samir; Farges, Thomas

2010-12-01

At 2336:56 UTC on 12 December 2009, a bright gigantic jet (GJ) was recorded by an observer in Italy. Forty-nine additional sprites, elves, halos and two cases of upward lightning were observed that night. The location of the GJ corresponded to a distinct cloud top (-34°C) west of Ajaccio, Corsica. The GJ reached approximately 91 km altitude, with a "trailing jet" reaching 49-59 km, matching with earlier reported GJs. The duration was short at 120-160 ms. This is the first documented GJ which emerged from a maritime winter thunderstorm only 6.5 km tall, showing high cloud tops are not required for initiation of GJs. In the presence of strong vertical wind shear, the meteorological situation was different from typical outbreaks of fall and winter thunderstorms in the Mediterranean. During the trailing jet phase of the GJ, a sprite with halo triggered by a nearby cloud-to-ground lightning flash occurred at a relatively low altitude (origins in the cloud (i.e., a positive cloud-to-ionosphere discharge, +CI), with a large total charge moment change of 11600 C km and a maximum current of 3.3 kA. Early VLF transmitter amplitude perturbations detected concurrently with the GJ confirm the production of large conductivity changes due to electron density enhancements in the D-region of the ionosphere.

Investigations into the triggered lightning response of the F106B thunderstorm research aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Rudolph, Terence H.; Perala, Rodney A.; Mckenna, Paul M.; Parker, Steven L.

1985-01-01

An investigation has been conducted into the lightning characteristics of the NASA F106B thunderstorm research aircraft. The investigation includes analysis of measured data from the aircraft in the time and frequency domains. Linear and nonlinear computer modelling has also been performed. In addition, new computer tools have been developed, including a new enhanced nonlinear air breakdown model, and a subgrid model useful for analyzing fine details of the aircraft's geometry. Comparison of measured and calculated electromagnetic responses of the aircraft to a triggered lightning environment are presented.

Implementacija aplikacije Smart Watch Workout za naprave iOS s pametno uro Apple Watch

OpenAIRE

Skledar, Dejan

2016-01-01

V diplomskem delu opišemo in predstavimo naprave ter operacijske sisteme, na katerih teče naša aplikacija. Le-ta je namenjena mobilnim navdušencem, ki jim pomaga do vsakodnevne aktivnosti. Prav tako opišemo potek, razvoj in cilje končnega izdelka na napravi iPhone kot tudi na napravi Apple Watch. Podatki, ki so pomembni za pravilno delovanje aplikacij, se shranjujejo v lokalno podatkovno bazo.

Impacts of Watching Television and Computer Using on Student' Reading Habits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayşe Gül Aksaçlıoğlu

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Reading habits contribute both to the cognitive and social developments of indi- viduals in so many aspects. This function of the reading habit continues in the rapid social changing process of today’s world. However, children’s habits of te- levision watching and computer using have been recently seen to affect their reading habits. Therefore, defining the positive or negative impacts of television and computers on children and finding solutions carries significant importance. The aim of this study is to determine the influences of the television watching and computer using on children’s reading habits. In order to find out the influ- ences, a survey was performed on all 5th grade students at Bilkent Private Primary School and Çankaya Public Primary School located within Ankara Büyükþehir Municipality borders. The questionaire was applied to 222 students in these two schools. As a result of the study, it is clear that students prefer to play on com- puters and watch television in their leisure time to reading books. There is an inverse proportion apparent between the time spent using computers and watching television and the time spent on reading.

Mental Health and Teens: Watch for Danger Signs

Science.gov (United States)

... Gradeschool Teen Dating & Sex Fitness Nutrition Driving Safety School Substance Use Young Adult Healthy Children > Ages & Stages > Teen > Mental Health and Teens: Watch for Danger Signs Ages & Stages ...

The Ulysses supplement to the Granat/WATCH catalog of cosmic gamma-ray bursts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hurley, K.; Lund, Niels; Brandt, Søren Kristian

2000-01-01

We present third Interplanetary Network (IPN) localization data for 56 gamma-ray bursts in the Granat/WATCH catalog that occurred between 1990 November and 1994 September. These localizations are obtained by triangulation using various combinations of spacecraft and instruments in the IPN, which ...... consisted of Ulysses, BATSE, Pioneer Venus Orbiter, Mars Observer, WATCH, and PHEBUS. The intersections of the triangulation annuli with the WATCH error circles produce error boxes with areas as small as 16 arcmin(2), reducing the sizes of the error circles by factors of up to 800....

Whale Watching in the Gulf of Maine.

Science.gov (United States)

Carkin, Clayton A.

1985-01-01

Describes a variety of teaching strategies to prepare a class for a whale watching field trip. Guidelines for recording a sighting, pictures and statistics for commonly and/or occasionally seen whales, and hints for avoiding sea sickness are included. (DH)

Why Is 10 Past 10 the Default Setting for Clocks and Watches in Advertisements? A Psychological Experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed A. Karim

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Have you ever noticed that in watch advertisements the time is usually set at 10:10? The reasons and psychological effects of this default time setting are elusive. In Experiment 1, we hypothesized that watches showing a time setting resembling a smiling face (10:10 would enhance emotional valence and intention to buy compared to a neutral time setting (11:30, whereas a time setting resembling a sad face (8:20 would have the opposite effect. Moreover, we investigated a possible interaction effect with the gender of the participants. In Experiment 2, we directly tested the hypotheses that watches set at 10:10 resemble a smiling face, whereas watches set at 8:20 resemble a sad face. The data of the first experiment reveal that watches set at 10:10 showed a significant positive effect on the emotion of the observer and the intention to buy. However, watches set at 8:20 did not show any effect on the emotion or the intention to buy. Moreover, watches set at 10:10 induced in women significantly stronger ratings of pleasure than in men. The data of the second experiment show that participants consistently perceive high resemblance between watches set at 10:10 and a smiling face as well as high resemblance between watches set at 8:20 and a sad face. This study provides for the first time empirical evidence for the notion that using watches with a time setting resembling a smiling face (like 10:10 can positively affect the emotional response of the observers and their evaluation of a seen watch, even though they are not aware of the fact that the shown time setting is inducing this effect. Practical implications of the observed findings and alternative explanations are discussed.

Why Is 10 Past 10 the Default Setting for Clocks and Watches in Advertisements? A Psychological Experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Karim, Ahmed A; Lützenkirchen, Britta; Khedr, Eman; Khalil, Radwa

2017-01-01

Have you ever noticed that in watch advertisements the time is usually set at 10:10? The reasons and psychological effects of this default time setting are elusive. In Experiment 1, we hypothesized that watches showing a time setting resembling a smiling face (10:10) would enhance emotional valence and intention to buy compared to a neutral time setting (11:30), whereas a time setting resembling a sad face (8:20) would have the opposite effect. Moreover, we investigated a possible interaction effect with the gender of the participants. In Experiment 2, we directly tested the hypotheses that watches set at 10:10 resemble a smiling face, whereas watches set at 8:20 resemble a sad face. The data of the first experiment reveal that watches set at 10:10 showed a significant positive effect on the emotion of the observer and the intention to buy. However, watches set at 8:20 did not show any effect on the emotion or the intention to buy. Moreover, watches set at 10:10 induced in women significantly stronger ratings of pleasure than in men. The data of the second experiment show that participants consistently perceive high resemblance between watches set at 10:10 and a smiling face as well as high resemblance between watches set at 8:20 and a sad face. This study provides for the first time empirical evidence for the notion that using watches with a time setting resembling a smiling face (like 10:10) can positively affect the emotional response of the observers and their evaluation of a seen watch, even though they are not aware of the fact that the shown time setting is inducing this effect. Practical implications of the observed findings and alternative explanations are discussed.

Fire Extinguisher Training for Fire Watch and Designated Workers, Course 9893

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harris, Jimmy D. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-04-19

At Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), all workers must be aware of LANL fire protection policies and be trained on what to do in the event of a fire. This course, Fire Extinguisher Training for Fire Watch and Designated Workers (#9893), provides awareness-level and hands-on training for fire watch personnel and designated workers. Fire watch personnel and designated workers are appointed by line management and must receive both awareness-level training and hands-on training in the use of portable fire extinguishers to extinguish an incipient-stage fire. This training meets the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 29 CFR 1910.157, Portable Fire Extinguishers, and Procedure (P) 101-26, Welding, Cutting, and Other Spark-/Flame-Producing Operations.

Fire Extinguisher Designated Worker and Fire Watch: Self-Study Course 15672

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harris, Jimmy D. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-07-08

At Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), all workers must be aware of LANL fire protection policies and be trained on what to do in the event of a fire. This course, Fire Extinguisher Training for Fire Watch and Designated Workers (#9893), provides awareness-level and hands-on training for fire watch personnel and designated workers. Fire watch personnel and designated workers are appointed by line management and must receive both awareness-level training and hands-on training in the use of portable fire extinguishers to extinguish an incipient-stage fire. This training meets the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 29 CFR 1910.157, Portable Fire Extinguishers, and Procedure (P) 101-26, Welding, Cutting, and Other Spark-/Flame-Producing Operations.

Analysis of IPTV Channels Watching Preferences in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Orucevic

2011-10-01

Full Text Available IPTV service is a new service which is today offered from almost every Telecom operator. One of the advantages of IPTV service stemming from its architecture is certainly the fact that it is very easy to measure what TV channels are the ones mostly watched. This papers desribes this measurement and analysis results in one Telecom operator in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They describe what TV channels are mostly watched in different time periods. We developed a simple weighting algorithm to order the channels by watching rate. Based on it we are providing extensive tables. This paper forms an industrial contribution with results important for marketing but also is scientific contribution because it introduces one new method of scoring TV channels based on previous measurements in their audience. We also developed IPTV Statistics model and described results from this research for a new statistics model. This paper is the continuous of previously published contributions from this area.

The Baksan experiment on thunderstorm CR variations: history, results, and prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khaerdinov, N.S.; Lidvansky, A.S.

2016-01-01

Variations of cosmic rays in thunderstorm atmosphere, as measured at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory with the Carpet air shower array, are discussed. Their underlying mechanisms and accompanying phenomena are also considered. The observed effects in cosmic rays include regular variations with the near-ground electric field of the soft (electrons, positrons and gamma-rays) and hard (muons) components of secondary cosmic rays and sporadic changes in intensity of both these components (bright events). Associated phenomena occurring simultaneously with bright events in cosmic rays include geomagnetic pulsations (observed by high-sensitivity magnetic variation station deep underground) and large-scale atmospheric high-altitude discharge of a new type (observed by a video camera placed at a distance of 75 km from the Carpet array). Implications of all these results and prospects for further studies are discussed. (author)

Dolphin Watching in the Southern Tañon Strait Protected Seascape, Philippines: Issues and Challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lemnuel V. Aragones

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Dolphin watching is a growing economic activity in the southern Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS, the Philippines, an area that is also heavily exploited by fisheries. In order to examine the issues and challenges in this growing industry, we monitored relevant information regarding cetacean watching, conducted focus group discussions (FGDs and educational seminar-workshops for various local stakeholders from 2004 to 2006, and followed these up from 2008-2012. From 9 May to 16 August 2004, we conducted structured interviews to determine the perceptions of cetacean-watching tourists (CWTs and assess the level of local knowledge of f ishers and non-fishers (NFs regarding marine mammals and environmental management in this area. Ninety f ive (95 CWTs, 100 local fishers, and 64 NFs were interviewed. Sixty seven percent (n=64 of the CWTs believed that the overall quality of tours was impressive primarily because they were able to watch, at reasonable costs, large groups of dolphins in close proximity and in an almost pristine environment. The majority of CWTs (~91% felt that there is a need to develop a ‘Special Management Plan’ (SMP for the southern TSPS focusing on cetaceans and their habitats. The increasing number of dolphin watching boats, heavy exploitation of f ishing ground, misperception of local f ishers that cetaceans are competitors with f isheries, and lack of a SMP or a Management Plan per se for TSPS warranted the facilitation of a participatory management process to protect the cetaceans and their habitats.This study has shown that even with only preliminary results, survey interviews of key stakeholders in combination with FGDs and seminar-workshop could be critical in facilitating a participatory management process. In the case of the TSPS, this par ticipatory approach led to the formation of the Tañon Strait Association of Dolphin and Whale Watching Operators, Inc. (TaSADoWWI, and eventual development of cetacean

Astronaut Bonnie Dunbar watches crewmates during training

Science.gov (United States)

1994-01-01

Astronaut Bonnie J. Dunbar, STS-71 mission specialist, smiles as she watches a crew mate (out of frame) make a simulated parachute landing in nearby water. The action came as part of an emergency bailout training session in the JSC Weightless Environment

The impact of 3D and 2D TV watching on neurophysiological responses and cognitive functioning in adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Hyun-Ghang; Ko, Young-Hoon; Han, Changsu; Oh, So-Young; Park, Kun Woo; Kim, Taehee; Ko, Deokwon

2015-12-01

Watching three-dimensional television (3D TV) may strain the eyes. However, other potential harmful effects of 3D TV watching have been rarely investigated. The current study examined the impact of 3D TV watching on neurophysiological responses and cognitive functioning as compared with two-dimensional TV (2D TV) watching. A total of 72 individuals were randomly assigned to either a 3D TV watching group or a 2D TV watching group. Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to measure neurophysiological responses, and computerized neurocognitive tests were conducted immediately before and after TV watching. The Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) was used to assess visual discomfort. There was a significant change in visual discomfort between the two groups (SSQ score at baseline: 2.28 ± 3.05 for the 3D TV group and 3.69 ± 3.49 for the 2D TV group; SSQ score after watching TV: 4.6 ± 3.35 for the 3D TV group and 4.03 ± 3.47 for the 2D TV group), and this change was greater for the 3D TV watching group (P = 0.025). However, 3D TV watching did not have a differential impact on EEG responses. Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of changes in cognitive performance, except for a subtle difference in backward digit span performance. Our findings suggest that 3D TV watching is as safe as 2D TV watching in terms of neurophysiological responses and cognitive functioning. Potential harmful effects of TV viewing might be similar regardless of whether 3D or 2D TV is viewed. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

MedWatch Safety Alerts for Human Medical Products

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — MedWatch alerts provide timely new safety information on human drugs, medical devices, vaccines and other biologics, dietary supplements, and cosmetics. The alerts...

Extensive air showers, lightnings and thunderstorm ground enhancements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chilingarian, A.; Hovsepyan, G.; Kozliner, L.

2016-01-01

For the lightning research, we monitor the particle fluxes from thunderclouds, the so called Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements (TGEs) initiated by the runaway electrons, and Extensive Air Showers (EASs) originated from high energy protons or fully stripped nuclei that enter the Earth’s atmosphere. Besides, we monitor the near-surface electric field and the atmospheric discharges with the help of a network of electric field mills. The Aragats “electron accelerator” produced plenty of TGE and lightning events in spring 2015. Using 1-sec time series, we investigated the relation of lightnings and particle fluxes. Lightning flashes often terminated the particle flux; during some of TGEs the lightning would terminate the particle flux 3 times after successive recovery. It was postulated that a lightning terminates a particle flux mostly in the beginning of TGE or on the decay phase of it; however, we observed two events (19 October 2013 and 20 April 2015) when the huge particle flux was terminated just on a maximum of its development. We discuss the possibility that a huge EAS facilitates lightning leader to find its path to the ground. (author)

Who uses running apps and sports watches? Determinants and consumer profiles of event runners' usage of running-related smartphone applications and sports watches.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Janssen

Full Text Available Individual and unorganized sports with a health-related focus, such as recreational running, have grown extensively in the last decade. Consistent with this development, there has been an exponential increase in the availability and use of electronic monitoring devices such as smartphone applications (apps and sports watches. These electronic devices could provide support and monitoring for unorganized runners, who have no access to professional trainers and coaches. The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into the characteristics of event runners who use running-related apps and sports watches. This knowledge is useful from research, design, and marketing perspectives to adequately address unorganized runners' needs, and to support them in healthy and sustainable running through personalized technology. Data used in this study are drawn from the standardized online Eindhoven Running Survey 2014 (ERS14. In total, 2,172 participants in the Half Marathon Eindhoven 2014 completed the questionnaire (a response rate of 40.0%. Binary logistic regressions were used to analyze the impact of socio-demographic variables, running-related variables, and psychographic characteristics on the use of running-related apps and sports watches. Next, consumer profiles were identified. The results indicate that the use of monitoring devices is affected by socio-demographics as well as sports-related and psychographic variables, and this relationship depends on the type of monitoring device. Therefore, distinctive consumer profiles have been developed to provide a tool for designers and manufacturers of electronic running-related devices to better target (unorganized runners' needs through personalized and differentiated approaches. Apps are more likely to be used by younger, less experienced and involved runners. Hence, apps have the potential to target this group of novice, less trained, and unorganized runners. In contrast, sports watches are more likely to

Who uses running apps and sports watches? Determinants and consumer profiles of event runners’ usage of running-related smartphone applications and sports watches

Science.gov (United States)

Scheerder, Jeroen; Thibaut, Erik; Brombacher, Aarnout

2017-01-01

Individual and unorganized sports with a health-related focus, such as recreational running, have grown extensively in the last decade. Consistent with this development, there has been an exponential increase in the availability and use of electronic monitoring devices such as smartphone applications (apps) and sports watches. These electronic devices could provide support and monitoring for unorganized runners, who have no access to professional trainers and coaches. The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into the characteristics of event runners who use running-related apps and sports watches. This knowledge is useful from research, design, and marketing perspectives to adequately address unorganized runners’ needs, and to support them in healthy and sustainable running through personalized technology. Data used in this study are drawn from the standardized online Eindhoven Running Survey 2014 (ERS14). In total, 2,172 participants in the Half Marathon Eindhoven 2014 completed the questionnaire (a response rate of 40.0%). Binary logistic regressions were used to analyze the impact of socio-demographic variables, running-related variables, and psychographic characteristics on the use of running-related apps and sports watches. Next, consumer profiles were identified. The results indicate that the use of monitoring devices is affected by socio-demographics as well as sports-related and psychographic variables, and this relationship depends on the type of monitoring device. Therefore, distinctive consumer profiles have been developed to provide a tool for designers and manufacturers of electronic running-related devices to better target (unorganized) runners’ needs through personalized and differentiated approaches. Apps are more likely to be used by younger, less experienced and involved runners. Hence, apps have the potential to target this group of novice, less trained, and unorganized runners. In contrast, sports watches are more likely to be used by a

Easier Seen Than Done: Merely Watching Others Perform Can Foster an Illusion of Skill Acquisition.

Science.gov (United States)

Kardas, Michael; O'Brien, Ed

2018-04-01

Modern technologies such as YouTube afford unprecedented access to the skilled performances of other people. Six experiments ( N = 2,225) reveal that repeatedly watching others can foster an illusion of skill acquisition. The more people merely watch others perform (without actually practicing themselves), the more they nonetheless believe they could perform the skill, too (Experiment 1). However, people's actual abilities-from throwing darts and doing the moonwalk to playing an online game-do not improve after merely watching others, despite predictions to the contrary (Experiments 2-4). What do viewers see that makes them think they are learning? We found that extensive viewing allows people to track what steps to take (Experiment 5) but not how those steps feel when taking them. Accordingly, experiencing a "taste" of performing attenuates the illusion: Watching others juggle but then holding the pins oneself tempers perceived change in one's own ability (Experiment 6). These findings highlight unforeseen problems for self-assessment when watching other people.

Coral Reef Watch, Degree Heating Weeks, 50 km

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — NOAA Coral Reef Watch distributes Degree Heating Week products using a combination of the POES AVHRR Global Area Coverage data, and data from a climatological...

An observational study of air and water vapour convergence over the Bernese Alps, Switzerland, during summertime and the development of isolated thunderstorms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Graham, Edward [Bern Univ. (Switzerland). Inst. of Applied Physics; Lews Castle College, University of the Highlands and Islands, Stornoway, Scotland (United Kingdom); N' Dri Koffi, Ernest; Maetzler, Christian [Bern Univ. (Switzerland). Inst. of Applied Physics

2012-12-15

The daytime summer phenomenon of the mesoscale transport of air and water vapour from the Swiss lowlands into the nearby western Alps, leading to orographic convection, is investigated using a range of independent observations. These observations are: Global Positioning System (GPS) integrated water vapour (IWV) data, the TROWARA microwave radiometer, MeteoSwiss ANETZ surface weather station data, the Payerne radiosonde, synoptic analyses for Switzerland and Europe, EUMETSAT and NOAA visible and infrared satellite images, MeteoSwiss operational precipitation radar, photographs and webcam images including time-lapse cloud animations. The intention was to show, using GPS IWV data, that significant differences in IWV may occur between the Swiss plain and nearby Alps during small single-cell Alpine thunderstorm events, and that these may be attributable to regional airflow convergence. Two particular case studies are presented for closer examination: 20 June 2005 and 13 June 2006. On both days, fine and warm weather was followed by isolated orographic convection over the Alps in the afternoon and evening, producing thunderstorms. The thunderstorms investigated were generally small, local, discrete and short-lived phenomena. They were selected for study because of almost stationary position over orography, rendering easy observation because they remained contained within a particular mountain region before dissipating. The results show that large transfers of air and water vapour occur from the Swiss plain to the mountains on such days, with up to a 50% increase in GPS IWV values at individual Alpine stations, coincident with strong airflow convergence in the same locality. (orig.)

Mussel watch

Science.gov (United States)

Contamination of U.S. coastal areas may be decreasing as a result of environmental regulations that have banned or curtailed toxic chemicals, concludes a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The report, “Recent Trends in Coastal Environmental Quality: Results from the Mussel Watch Project,” presents results of analyzing chemical concentrations found in mussel and oyster tissues collected every year since 1986.These mollusks are collected once a year at more than 240 sites nationwide and analyzed for over 70 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, chlorinated pesticides, butyltins, and toxic trace elements such as copper, cadmium, and lead. The report states that from 1986 to 1993 there were many more decreases than increases in chemical concentrations in coastal regions. These decreasing trends were not unexpected; all of the monitored chlorinated hydrocarbons have been banned for use in the United States, and tributyltin has been banned as a biocide on recreational boats.

2013 Summer Hypoxia Watch Bottom CTD Station Locations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

2011 Summer Hypoxia Watch Bottom CTD Station Locations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

2008 Summer Hypoxia Watch Bottom CTD Station Locations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

2009 Summer Hypoxia Watch Bottom CTD Station Locations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

2015 Summer Hypoxia Watch Bottom CTD Station Locations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

2012 Summer Hypoxia Watch Bottom CTD Station Locations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

2010 Summer Hypoxia Watch Bottom CTD Station Locations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

A Timely Intervention: Endoscopic Retrieval of a Swallowed Magnetized Activity Watch

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jason S. Radowsky

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The accidental ingestion of a foreign object often presents a difficult scenario for the clinician. This includes not only the decision to retrieve the material but also the appropriate technique to use. We present the case of a young asymptomatic girl who swallowed a magnetic activity watch, which was then successfully retrieved with an endoscopic snare. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of salvaging an operational watch from the stomach using an endoscopic technique.

Relationship of Terror Feelings and Physiological Response During Watching Horror Movie

OpenAIRE

Fukumoto, Makoto; Tsukino, Yuuki

2015-01-01

Part 8: ICBAKE 2015 Workshop; International audience; Movie is one of the most popular media types. Horror movie is a kind of attractive movie contents which part of people want to watch very much. Although the users feel terror of the contents, the users want to watch the horror movies to have extraordinary feelings such as excitements. Therefore, terror feelings of the horror movies are considered as an important factor to establish more attractive movie contents, and the effect of horror m...

Impact of a Diagnostic Pressure Equation Constraint on Tornadic Supercell Thunderstorm Forecasts Initialized Using 3DVAR Radar Data Assimilation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guoqing Ge

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A diagnostic pressure equation constraint has been incorporated into a storm-scale three-dimensional variational (3DVAR data assimilation system. This diagnostic pressure equation constraint (DPEC is aimed to improve dynamic consistency among different model variables so as to produce better data assimilation results and improve the subsequent forecasts. Ge et al. (2012 described the development of DPEC and testing of it with idealized experiments. DPEC was also applied to a real supercell case, but only radial velocity was assimilated. In this paper, DPEC is further applied to two real tornadic supercell thunderstorm cases, where both radial velocity and radar reflectivity data are assimilated. The impact of DPEC on radar data assimilation is examined mainly based on the storm forecasts. It is found that the experiments using DPEC generally predict higher low-level vertical vorticity than the experiments not using DPEC near the time of observed tornadoes. Therefore, it is concluded that the use of DPEC improves the forecast of mesocyclone rotation within supercell thunderstorms. The experiments using different weighting coefficients generate similar results. This suggests that DPEC is not very sensitive to the weighting coefficients.

Influence of socio-economic status and television watching on childhood obesity in Kolkata.

Science.gov (United States)

Bharati, S; Pal, M; Shome, S; Roy, P; Dhara, P; Bharati, P

2017-12-01

Obesity is fast becoming an epidemic among the urban children and it has its adverse effect on the status of health even during adulthood. In this paper an attempt is made to assess the percentage of obesity among 6-10 year children and assess the effect of different socio-economic variables and TV watching on childhood obesity. We restricted our study to primary school-going children who attended classes I-IV. The sample consisted of 5216 children from 20 different Bengali medium and English medium schools in Kolkata. Categorical logistic regression of obesity on the socio-economic factors namely type of medium school, religion, parent's education, duration of television watching etc., has been carried out. The categorical logistic regression shows the significant effect of some of the socio-economic or demographic variables including the duration of television watching on obesity. We have seen a positive association between obesity and TV watching and also between obesity and consumption of fast food. This calls for making the parents aware and taking action as early as possible. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Television and families: what do young children watch with their parents?

Science.gov (United States)

St Peters, M; Fitch, M; Huston, A C; Wright, J C; Eakins, D J

1991-12-01

A sample of 271 3- and 5-year-olds and their families participated in a 2-year longitudinal study of television viewing patterns. 5 1-week diaries for all family members were collected at 6-month intervals. Programs were categorized as: (1) child informative, (2) child entertainment, (3) news and informative, (4) sports, (5) comedy, (6) drama, (7) action-adventure, and (8) variety-game. The majority of child programs were viewed without parents, while the majority of adult programs were watched with parents. Coviewing patterns of adult programs were predicted from parents' individual viewing habits, but not from the child's. Coviewing declined with age. Parental encouragement and regulation of viewing were orthogonal. Children whose parents encouraged viewing watched more child informative programming; children of restrictive parents watched less entertainment programming. Encouraging parents coviewed more than nonencouraging parents. Results support the assertion that parental viewing preferences, habits, and orientations toward television influence children's viewing, both with and without parents.

Global thunderstorm activity estimation based on number of transients in ELF-band

Science.gov (United States)

Ondraskova, Adriena; Sevcik, Sebastian

2017-04-01

Schumann resonances (SR) are resonant electromagnetic oscillations in extremely low frequency band (ELF, 3 Hz - 3 kHz), which arise in the Earth-ionosphere cavity due to lightning activity in planetary range. The time records in the ELF-band consist of background signals and ELF transients/Q-bursts superimposed on the background exceeding it by a factor of 5 - 10. The former are produced by the common worldwide thunderstorm activity (100 - 150 events per second), the latter origin from individual intense distant lightning discharges (100 - 120 powerful strokes per hour). A Q-burst is produced by a combination of direct and antipodal pulses and the decisive factor for its shape follows from the source-to-observer distance. Diurnal/seasonal variations of global thunderstorm activity can be deduced from spectral amplitudes of SR modes. Here we focus on diurnal/seasonal variations of the number of ELF-transients assuming that it is another way of lightning activity estimation. To search for transients, our own code was applied to the SR vertical electric component measured in October 2004 - October 2008 at the Astronomical and Geophysical Observatory of FMPI CU, Slovakia. Criteria for the identification of the burst are chosen on the basis of the transient amplitudes and their morphological features. Monthly mean daily variations in number of transients showed that African focus dominates at 14 - 16 h UT and it is more active in comparison with Asian source, which dominates at 5 - 8 h UT in dependence on winter or summer month. American source had surprisingly slight response. Meteorological observations in South America aiming to determine lightning hotspots on the Earth indicate that flash rate in this region is greatest during nocturnal 0 h - 3 h local standard time. This fact may be interpreted that Asian and South American sources contribute together in the same UT. Cumulative spectral amplitude of the first three SR modes compared with number of ELF-transients in

Forecasting challenges during the severe weather outbreak in Central Europe on 25 June 2008

Science.gov (United States)

Púčik, Tomáš; Francová, Martina; Rýva, David; Kolář, Miroslav; Ronge, Lukáš

2011-06-01

On 25 June 2008, severe thunderstorms caused widespread damage and two fatalities in the Czech Republic. Significant features of the storms included numerous downbursts on a squall line that exhibited a bow echo reflectivity pattern, with sustained wind gusts over 32 m/s at several reporting stations. Moreover, a tornado and several downbursts of F2 intensity occurred within the convective system, collocated with the development of mesovortices within the larger scale bow echo. The extent of the event was sufficient to call it a derecho, as the windstorm had affected Eastern Germany, Southern Poland, Slovakia, Austria and Northern Hungary as well. Ahead of the squall line, several well-organized isolated cells occurred, exhibiting supercellular characteristics, both from a radar and visual perspective. These storms produced large hail and also isolated severe wind gusts. This paper deals mostly with the forecasting challenges that were experienced by the meteorologist on duty during the evolution of this convective scenario. The main challenge of the day was to identify the region that would be most affected by severe convection, especially as the numerical weather prediction failed to anticipate the extent and the progress of the derecho-producing mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). Convective storms developed in an environment conducive to severe thunderstorms, with strong wind shear confined mostly to the lower half of the troposphere. These developments also were strongly influenced by mesoscale factors, especially a mesolow centered over Austria and its trough stretching to Eastern Bohemia. The paper demonstrates how careful mesoscale analysis could prove useful in dealing with such convective situations. Remote-sensing methods are also shown to be useful in such situations, especially when they can offer sufficient lead time to issue a warning, which is not always the case.

Vakuuttava teknologia älykelloissa:case Apple Watch

OpenAIRE

Laaksoviita, J. (Joonas)

2016-01-01

Tiivistelmä Tämä kandidaatintutkielma perehtyi vakuuttavaan teknologiaan Apple Watch -älykellossa. Tutkielman ensimmäisessä osassa esiteltiin kirjallisuuskatsauksen kautta älykellojen taustaa ja tutkittava laite. Sen jälkeen luotiin katsaus vakuuttavan teknologian perusideaan ja esiteltiin Persuasive Systems Design -malli vakuuttavan teknologian sovellusten analysointiin. Toisessa osiossa suoritettiin analyysi Apple Watchin...

New model simulations of the global atmospheric electric circuit driven by thunderstorms and electrified shower clouds: The roles of lightning and sprites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rycroft, Michael J.; Odzimek, Anna; Arnold, Neil F.

2007-01-01

discharge from the base of a thunderstorm increases the ionospheric potential above the thundercloud by 0.0013%. Assuming the ionosphere to be an equipotential surface, this discharge increases the current flowing in the global circuit and the fair-weather electric field also by 0.0013%. A moderate positive...

Collective impacts of soil moisture and orography on deep convective thunderstorms

Science.gov (United States)

Imamovic, Adel; Schlemmer, Linda; Schär, Christoph

2017-04-01

Thunderstorm activity in many land regions peaks in summer, when surface heat fluxes and the atmospheric moisture content reach an annual maximum. Studies using satellite and ground-based observations have shown that the timing and vigor of summer thunderstorms are influenced by the presence of triggering mechanisms such as soil-moisture heterogeneity or orography. In the current process-based study we aim to dissect the combined impact of soil-moisture and orography on moist convection by using convection-resolving climate simulations with idealized landsurface and orographic conditions. First we systematically investigate the sensitivity of moist convection in absence of orography to a mesoscale soil-moisture anomaly, i.e. a region with drier or moister soil. Consistent with previous studies, a high sensitivity of total rain to soil-moisture anomalies over flat terrain is found. The total rain in the presence of a dry soil-moisture anomaly increases linearly if the soil-moisture anomaly is dried: an anomaly that is 50 % dryer than the reference case with a homogeneous soil-moisture distribution produces up to 40 % more rain. The amplitude of this negative response to the dry soil-moisture anomaly cannot be reproduced by either drying or moistening the soil in the whole domain, even when using unrealistic soil-moisture values. A moist soil anomaly showed little impact on total rain. The triggering effects of the soil-moisture anomalies can be reproduced by an isolated mountain of 250 m height. In order to test to what extent the impact of the soil-moisture anomaly and the mountain are additive, the soil-moisture perturbation method is applied to soil-moisture over the isolated mountain. A 250 m high mountain with drier (moister) soil than its surrounding is found to enhance (suppress) rain amounts. However, the sensitivity of rain amount to the soil-moisture anomaly decreases with the mountain height: A 500 m high mountain is already sufficient to eliminate the

Measuring the validity and reliability of the Apple Watch as a physical activity monitor.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Peng; Godin, Steven D; Owens, Matthew V

2018-04-04

This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the energy expenditure (EE) estimation of Apple Watch among college students. Thirty college students completed two sets of three 10-minute treadmill walking and running trials while wearing three Apple Watches and being connected to indirect calorimetry. The walking trials were at speeds of 54, 80, and 107 m•min-1 while the running trials were at 134, 161, 188m•min-1. Energy expenditure comparisons were made using Two-way ANOVA with repeatedmeasures. Reliability was analyzed by Intraclass Correlation. There was no significant device x speed interactions (F (15, 696) = 1.113, p = 0.341) between the indirect calorimetry (criterion) and Apple Watch. The lowest Inter-Class Correlation (ICC) scores were 0.49 (95%CI) at 54 while the highest were 0.72 (95%CI) at 107 and 134 m•min-1. Apple Watch demonstrated a low to moderate validity and reliability on measuring EE.

Study of TGEs and Gamma-Flashes from thunderstorms in 20-3000 keV energy range with SINP MSU Gamma-Ray spectrometers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogomolov, V.V.; Svertilov, S.I.; Maximov, I.A.; Panasyuk, M.I.; Garipov, G.K.

2016-01-01

SINP MSU provided a number of experiments with scintillator gamma-spectrometers for study of spectral, temporal and spatial characteristics of TGEs as well as for search of fast hard x-ray and gamma-ray flashes probably appearing at the moment of lightning. The measurements were done in Moscow region and in Armenia at Aragats Mountain. Each instrument used in this work was able to record data in so called “event mode”: the time of each interaction was recorded with ∼15 mcs accuracy together with detailed spectral data. Such design allowed one to look for fast sequences of gamma-quanta, coming at the moments of discharges during thunderstorms. The pulse-shape analysis made by detector electronics was used to separate real gammaray events and possible imitations of flashes by electrical disturbances when discharges occur. During the time period from spring to autumn of 2015 a number of TGEs were detected. Spectral analysis of received data showed that the energy spectrum of coming radiation in 20-3000 kev range demonstrate a set of gamma-ray lines that can be interpreted as radiation from Rn-222 daughter isotopes. The increase of Rn-222 radiation was detected during rainfalls with thunderstorm as well as during rainy weather without thunderstorms. Variations of Rn-222 radiation dominate in low energies (<2.6MeV) and must be taken into account in the experiments performed to measure low energy gamma-radiation from the electrons accelerated in thunderclouds. In order to determine the direction from which the additional gamma-quanta come the experiment with collimated gamma-spectrometer placed on rotated platform was done. The results of this experiment realized in Moscow region from august, 2015 will be presented as well as the results of comparison of different TGEs measured in Moscow region and in Armenia. (author)

ALiEM Blog and Podcast Watch: Toxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaver, Fareen; Craddick, Michael; Sanford, Audrey; Sefa, Nana; Hughes, George; Lin, Michelle

2017-10-01

The WestJEM Blog and Podcast Watch presents high-quality open-access educational blogs and podcasts in emergency medicine based on the ongoing Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM) Approved Instructional Resources (AIR) and AIR-Professional (Pro) series. Both series critically appraise open-access educational blogs and podcasts in EM using an objective scoring instrument. This installment of the blog and podcast watch series curated and scored relevant posts in the specific topic of toxicology emergencies from the AIR-Pro Series. The AIR-Pro Series is a continuously building curriculum covering a new subject area every two months. For each area, eight EM chief residents identify 3-5 advanced clinical questions. Using FOAMsearch.net and FOAMSearcher to search blogs and podcasts, relevant posts are scored by eight reviewers from the AIR-Pro editorial board, which is comprised of EM faculty and chief residents at various institutions across North America. The scoring instrument contains five measurement outcomes based on seven-point Likert scales: recency, accuracy, educational utility, evidence based, and references. The AIR-Pro label is awarded to posts with a score of ≥28 (out of 35) points. An "honorable mention" label is awarded if board members collectively felt that the blogs were valuable and the scores were > 25. A total of 31 blog posts and podcasts were included. Key educational pearls from the six high-quality AIR-Pro posts and four honorable mentions are summarized. The WestJEM ALiEM Blog and Podcast Watch series is based on the AIR and AIR-Pro Series, which attempts to identify high-quality educational content on open-access blogs and podcasts. This series provides an expert-based, crowdsourced approach towards critically appraising educational social media content for EM clinicians. This installment focuses on toxicology emergencies.

Should I Let My Child Watch Television?

Science.gov (United States)

Bharadwaj, Balaji

2013-01-01

While the prevalence of autism has been increasing globally, there is a search for the causative factors behind the rise. The point of view presented here examines the possibility of children brought up in social deprivation and watching television being at higher risk for developing autistic symptoms. The association is evident in the clinical…

Watching your weight? The relations between watching soaps and music television and body dissatisfaction and restrained eating in young girls

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Anschutz, D.J.; Engels, R.C.M.E.; Leeuwe, J.F.J. van; Strien, T. van

2009-01-01

Although previous research showed that the thin ideal provided by the media affects body image and eating behaviour in young children, less is known about specific media contents that are related to body image and eating behaviour. This study tested the associations between watching soaps and music

Obesity and television watching in preschoolers in Greece: the GENESIS study.

Science.gov (United States)

Manios, Yannis; Kourlaba, Georgia; Kondaki, Katerina; Grammatikaki, Evangelia; Anastasiadou, Anastasia; Roma-Giannikou, Eleytheria

2009-11-01

The aim of the current work was to evaluate the effect of preschoolers' television (TV) watching time on the prevalence of obesity even after controlling for their total energy intake and their physical activity status. A representative sample of 2,374 Greek children aged 1-5 years was examined ("Growth, Exercise and Nutrition Epidemiological Study in preSchoolers", GENESIS study). Children's TV watching time on a usual weekday and at a usual weekend was recorded. The overall mean of children's TV viewing time was 1.32 h/day. The majority of participants (74.0%) spent 4 h/day in front of a TV set. Overall, 65.2% of participants were normal weight, 17.2% were overweight, and the rest 17.6% were obese. The prevalence of obesity was significantly higher among those with TV viewing time >or=2 h/day (21.7%) compared to those watching TV characteristics and physical activity status) only among children aged 3-5 years. However, further adjusting for children's total energy intake revealed that the association between the TV viewing time and the probability of being obese was no longer statistically significant. On the other hand, physical activity status continued to be an independent factor of being obese. The current findings support the hypothesis that the effect of TV viewing time on childhood obesity is independent of physical activity status and may be attributed to the increased total energy intake during TV watching.

Impact of Short Interval SMS Digital Data on Wind Vector Determination for a Severe Local Storms Area

Science.gov (United States)

Peslen, C. A.

1979-01-01

The impact of 5 minute interval SMS-2 visible digital image data in analyzing severe local storms is examined using wind vectors derived from cloud tracking on time lapsed sequence of geosynchronous satellite images. The cloud tracking areas are located in the Central Plains, where on 6 May 1975, hail-producing thunderstorms occurred ahead of a well defined dry line. The results demonstrate that satellite-derived wind vectors and their associated divergence fields complement conventional meteorological analyses in describing the conditions preceding severe local storm development.

Reading Books and Watching Films as a Protective Factor against Suicidal Ideation

OpenAIRE

Kasahara-Kiritani, Mami; Hadlaczky, Gerg?; Westerlund, Michael; Carli, Vladimir; Wasserman, Camilla; Apter, Alan; Balazs, Judit; Bobes, Julio; Brunner, Romuald; McMahon, Elaine M.; Cosman, Doina; Farkas, Luca; Haring, Christian; Kaess, Michael; Kahn, Jean-Pierre

2015-01-01

Reading books and watching films were investigated as protective factors for serious suicidal ideation (SSI) in young people with low perceived social belonging. Cross-sectional and longitudinal (12-month) analyses were performed using data from a representative European sample of 3256 students from the “Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe” study. Low social belonging was associated to SSI. However, reading books and watching films moderated this association, especially for those with...

47 CFR 80.302 - Notice of discontinuance, reduction, or impairment of service involving a distress watch.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Safety Watch Requirements and Procedures Coast Station Safety Watches § 80.302 Notice of discontinuance...

International Halley watch amateur observers' manual for scientific comet studies. Part 1: Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Edberg, S. J.

1983-01-01

The International Halley Watch is described as well as comets and observing techniques. Information on periodic Comet Halley's apparition for its 1986 perihelion passage is provided. Instructions are given for observation projects valuable to the International Halley Watch in six areas of study: (1) visual observations; (2) photography; (3) astrometry; (4) spectroscopic observations; (5) photoelectric photometry; and (6) meteor observations.

47 CFR 80.310 - Watch required by voluntary vessels.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Section 80.310 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Safety Watch Requirements and Procedures Ship Station Safety...] Distress, Alarm, Urgency and Safety Procedures ...

Thunderstorms and flooding of August 17, 2007, with a context provided by a history of other large storm and flood events in the Black Hills area of South Dakota

Science.gov (United States)

Driscoll, Daniel G.; Bunkers, Matthew J.; Carter, Janet M.; Stamm, John F.; Williamson, Joyce E.

2010-01-01

The Black Hills area of western South Dakota has a history of damaging flash floods that have resulted primarily from exceptionally strong rain-producing thunderstorms. The best known example is the catastrophic storm system of June 9-10, 1972, which caused severe flooding in several major drainages near Rapid City and resulted in 238 deaths. More recently, severe thunderstorms caused flash flooding near Piedmont and Hermosa on August 17, 2007. Obtaining a thorough understanding of peak-flow characteristics for low-probability floods will require a comprehensive long-term approach involving (1) documentation of scientific information for extreme events such as these; (2) long-term collection of systematic peak-flow records; and (3) regional assessments of a wide variety of peak-flow information. To that end, the U.S. Geological Survey cooperated with the South Dakota Department of Transportation and National Weather Service to produce this report, which provides documentation regarding the August 17, 2007, storm and associated flooding and provides a context through examination of other large storm and flood events in the Black Hills area. The area affected by the August 17, 2007, storms and associated flooding generally was within the area affected by the larger storm of June 9-10, 1972. The maximum observed 2007 precipitation totals of between 10.00 and 10.50 inches occurred within about 2-3 hours in a small area about 5 miles west of Hermosa. The maximum documented precipitation amount in 1972 was 15.0 inches, and precipitation totals of 10.0 inches or more were documented for 34 locations within an area of about 76 square miles. A peak flow of less than 1 cubic foot per second occurred upstream from the 2007 storm extent for streamflow-gaging station 06404000 (Battle Creek near Keystone); whereas, the 1972 peak flow of 26,200 cubic feet per second was large, relative to the drainage area of only 58.6 square miles. Farther downstream along Battle Creek, a 2007

Testosterone and Cortisol Release among Spanish Soccer Fans Watching the 2010 World Cup Final

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Meij, L.; Almela, M.; Hidalgo, V.; Villada, C.; IJzerman, H.; van Lange, P.A.M.; Salvador, A.

2012-01-01

This field study investigated the release of testosterone and cortisol of a vicarious winning experience in Spanish fans watching the finals between Spain and the Netherlands in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer. Spanish fans (n = 50) watched the match with friends or family in a public place or at

Social Media Influence and Intensity of Watching Television Drama on Achievement of Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Akbar Himawan

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The aims of this study are to get: (1 the influence of the social media use on achievement of students; (2 the influence of the watching television drama intensity on achievement of students grade X TKJ in SMK Batik 1 Surakarta; and (3 the influence both of social media use and the watching television drama intensity on achievement of students. The sample used was 78 from 100 student population based on Isaac and Michael table. This study was quantitative research using ex post facto method. The data were collected by questionnaire and documentation. Data analysis used single and multi-linear regression. The result showed that there was significance influence between the used of social media towards the achievement of the students, there was significance influence between the intensity of watching television drama towards the achievement of the students, there was significance influence between the social media use and the intensity of watching television drama towards the achievement of students. Out of the two independent variables, the use of social media is a variable that contributes more influence to student learning outcomes.

Watching reality television beauty shows is associated with tanning lamp use and outdoor tanning among college students.

Science.gov (United States)

Fogel, Joshua; Krausz, Faye

2013-05-01

Ultraviolet radiation exposure through natural sunlight or tanning lamps is a risk factor for skin cancer. As the media can influence behavior, we studied whether watching reality television (TV) beauty shows is associated with tanning lamp use or outdoor tanning. College students (n = 576) were surveyed on their reality TV beauty show watching, their use of tanning lamps, and outdoor tanning behavior. We asked media attitude questions about connectivity with reality TV shows and Internet use of Facebook to discuss reality TV shows. Those who did versus did not watch reality TV beauty shows used tanning lamps (12.9% vs 3.7%, P < .001) and tanned outdoors (43.3% vs 28.7%, P < .001) at significantly greater percentages. Significant predictors of tanning lamp use included watching reality TV beauty shows (odds ratio [OR] 2.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-6.00), increasing age (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.04-1.32), and female sex (OR 10.16, 95% CI 3.29-31.41). Significant predictors of outdoor tanning included watching reality TV beauty shows (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.33-3.34). The specific names of the reality TV beauty shows watched were not obtained and therefore we cannot determine if particular shows were more or less associated with this behavior. Watching reality TV beauty shows is associated with both tanning lamp use and outdoor tanning. Dermatologists should consider discussing the potential harmful aspects of tanning beds and outdoor tanning, especially with their patients who watch reality TV beauty shows. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Watch-and-Wait Task: On the Reliability and Validity of a New Method of Assessing Self-Control in Preschool Children

Science.gov (United States)

Neubauer, Anna; Gawrilow, Caterina; Hasselhorn, Marcus

2012-01-01

A preschooler's ability to delay gratification in the waiting task is predictive of several developmental outcomes, despite this task's relatively low reliability level. Success in this task depends on the use of distraction strategies. The new Watch-and-Wait Task (WWT) has been developed to enhance reliability and to investigate whether the…

Watching Dallas Again 1 : Doing Retro Audience Research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gilroy, Amanda

2014-01-01

This essay and the audience reception projects it introduces alleviate the desperation of seeking the television audience by recourse to Ien Ang's influential book, Watching Dallas ([1982] 1985). Within the context of a unit on audience research in a master's-level course on media, two groups of

Decreasing trend in severe weather occurrence over China during the past 50 years

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qinghong; Ni, Xiang; Zhang, Fuqing

2017-04-01

Understanding the trend of localized severe weather under the changing climate is of great significance but remains challenging which is at least partially due to the lack of persistent and homogeneous severe weather observations at climate scales while the detailed physical processes of severe weather cannot be resolved in global climate models. Based on continuous and coherent severe weather reports from over 500 manned stations, for the first time, this study shows a significant decreasing trend in severe weather occurrence across China during the past five decades. The total number of severe weather days that have either thunderstorm, hail and/or damaging wind decrease about 50% from 1961 to 2010. It is further shown that the reduction in severe weather occurrences correlates strongly with the weakening of East Asian summer monsoon which is the primary source of moisture and dynamic forcing conducive for warm-season severe weather over China.

The Australian Constitution and the Aid/Watch Case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Williams

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The Australian Constitution played a significant role in underpinning the result in the Aid/Watch Case. It was invoked by the majority to support their conclusion that a body can be a ‘charitable institution’ despite engaging in political activities. The use of the Constitution in this way came as a surprise. The case extended an existing constitutional principle relating to freedom of political communication from its electoral base into the protection of the political activities of non-government organisations. This may have future ramifications for those organisations in other areas, as well as further implications for the development of what it means to be a charity in Australia. This article examines the use of the Australian Constitution in the Aid/Watch Case. It explains how the High Court was able to invoke the Constitution in defining what it means to be a ‘charitable institution’. It also examines the implications of that reasoning for the development of charitable law in Australia.

NATURE VIDEO WATCHING: CONSEQUENCES ON ANGER AND ANXIETY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicoleta Răban-Motounu

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Extensive research has been conducted on the effects of natural environment on people’s well-being, starting with the short term restoring effects on the brain, and continuing with the long-term effects on the emotional self-regulating processes. In the present research we have focused on the latter, trying to connect two of the problems in our world: the violent behavior, and the preservation of natural environment. Thus, the objective was to study the effects of watching a video from nature wild life on anger (the feeling and its expression, and state-anxiety. The statistical analysis indicated that, while there were no significant differences regarding anxiety (worry, internal tension or general mechanisms in dealing with fury, watching the video significantly decreased the feeling of anger, and the tendency to express it either verbally or physically. As a main conclusion we highlight the link between the accessibility of natural environment, and the violent expressions of anger.

Strategic and operational information watch newsletter nr 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-12-01

This newsletter proposes an overview of events related to security and defence issues in relationship with impacts of climate change. A first part reports a strategic watch which addresses the following topics: the environment taken into account by the International Criminal Court, impacts of climate change on tensions about rural estate in Africa, resolution of the European Parliament on the European Union of Defence, environmental and energy strategy of the Danish Ministry of Defence, COP22 in Marrakech, and so on. The second part reports an operational information watch addresses the threat on the US DoD environmental agenda by the new Trump administration, the adaptation of US forces to climate changes, the threat of climate change on US DoD infrastructures, a US base self-sufficient in energy, NATO actions for energy efficiency, thermal regulation improvement for soldiers, impact of El Nino on the propagation of the Zika virus, launching of the Lancet countdown. The newsletter finally indicates some brief news, events and recent publications

[Smoking initiation and watching television, video, DVD among adolescents in Poland].

Science.gov (United States)

Kowalewska, Anna; Mazur, Joanna

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to analyse the relationship between smoking initiation and the time spent watching TV, video, DVD by adolescents 11, 13, and 15-year-old in Poland. The research was conducted in 2010 as a part of Health Behaviour in School-aged Children: A WHO Collaborative Cross-national Study (HBSC) in a sample of 4751 students, using a standard, international HBSC questionnaire. It was found that there is a relationship between smoking attempts made by the young people and time spent watching TV during weekdays. In the analyzes using logistic regression combined variable relating to the time to watch TV on weekdays and weekends was used. Nearly a quarter of respondents (24.3%) were qualified to the group of adolescents spending too much time in front of the screen. Age was the strongest predictor of smoking onset. Between 11 and 13 years of age the risk of taking the first cigarette increased three times, and between 11 and 15 years of age more than seven times. Relative risk of smoking attempts related to gender and frequency of watching television, video or DVD was both equal to 1.5. In smoking prevention focused on adolescents it is should be better to pay more attention on constructive leisure time activities, and the role of parents in shaping pro-health attitudes. This is particularly important in the initial stages of schooling, when to develop and enhance the psychosocial competences as a the protective factor of risk taking behaviors among adolescents.

AirDraw: Leveraging Smart Watch Motion Sensors for Mobile Human Computer Interactions

OpenAIRE

Sajjadi, Seyed A; Moazen, Danial; Nahapetian, Ani

2017-01-01

Wearable computing is one of the fastest growing technologies today. Smart watches are poised to take over at least of half the wearable devices market in the near future. Smart watch screen size, however, is a limiting factor for growth, as it restricts practical text input. On the other hand, wearable devices have some features, such as consistent user interaction and hands-free, heads-up operations, which pave the way for gesture recognition methods of text entry. This paper proposes a new...

Syncope During Competitive Events: Interrogating Heart Rate Monitor Watches May Be Useful!

Science.gov (United States)

Thabouillot, Oscar; Bostanci, Kevin; Bouvier, Francois; Dumitrescu, Nicolae; Stéfuriac, Maria; Paule, Philippe; Roche, Nicolas-Charles

2017-12-01

This is a case report of a 45-year-old man who reported complete amnesia during the very first kilometer of a 10-km run. He was wearing a heart rate monitor (HRM). The interrogation of his HRM watch showed 200 bpm tachycardia beginning in the first kilometer and increasing up to 220 bpm during the last kilometer. The patient was asked to wear a Holter-monitor (Holter Research Laboratory; Helena, Montana USA) electrocardiogram (ECG) while practicing a training session. This examination allowed for the diagnosis of an adrenergic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) with an impressive auriculo-ventricular conduction over 260 bpm. This case highlights that non-medical devices, such as connected watches, can be helpful to diagnose arrhythmias. Thabouillot O , Bostanci K , Bouvier F , Dumitrescu N , Stéfuriac M , Paule P , Roche NC . Syncope during competitive events: interrogating heart rate monitor watches may be useful! Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(6):691-693.

Atmospheric turbulent structures and their correlative factor leading to the thunderstorm events at the NE region of India

Science.gov (United States)

Zahan, Y.; Devi, M.; Barbara, A. K.; Pathak, K.; Ray, K. P.

2017-08-01

Starting with the seasonal occurrence characteristics of thunderstorm (TS) over North Eastern (NE) part of India, the paper addresses hydrodynamic factors leading to TS. Further, atmospheric structure constant (Cn2) and Reynolds number (Re) the two turbulence parameters are analysed in association with TS, on the background that these two variabilities and TS events are associated with atmospheric temperature and humidity. The analysis result shows that during the growth and development processes of TS, the correlation coefficient between Cn2 and Re is enhanced by 50% compared to non-thunderstorm days. These observations are explained in terms of eddies and vortices generated in a moving fluid system of an atmosphere as represented by Cn2 and Re. The vortices are the turbulent pockets of fluid that move randomly within the medium and ultimately dissipate their kinetic energy in the form of heat. This process leads to the transfer of energy between atmospheric layers by changing the buoyancy that may cause dry, wet or storm conditions of the weather. Such kind of energy transfer processes may be widespread or localized. The active movement of the fluid during localized condition produces rapid changes in Cn2 and Re which in turn may provide storm conditions. In this background, the paper examines the role of these parameters in the growth and development of TS over NE region.

Trajectories of Television Watching from Childhood to Early Adulthood and Their Association with Body Composition and Mental Health Outcomes in Young Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

McVeigh, Joanne; Smith, Anne; Howie, Erin; Straker, Leon

2016-01-01

Prior studies examining longitudinal patterns of television (TV) watching have tended to use analytical approaches which do not allow for heterogeneity in the variation of TV watching over time. In the current study, we used latent class analysis (LCA) to examine the relationships between television watching (from childhood to early adulthood) and body fat percentage (%) and mental health. Data were collected from 2411 participants (50% female) from the Raine Study, a prospective birth cohort study in Australia. Participants were followed up over 15 years and answered questions about hours of TV watching per week at six time-points (5, 8, 10, 14, 17 and 20yrs). Trajectories of television watching were estimated using LCA and appropriate regression models used to test the association of television watching class with percentage body fat (measured by DXA) and mental health (DASS-21) at age 20. Physical activity was used as a covariate. Three distinct trajectories of TV watching were identified. Class 1 (47.4%) had consistently high (>14 hrs/wk) levels of TV watching, Class 2 (37.9%) was characterised by an increase in TV watching over adolescence and Class 3 (14.7%) had consistently lower (0.05). TV watching from childhood to young adulthood appears to be a relatively stable behavior for around two thirds of participants, but not everyone tracks consistently. This study identified a subset of participants with low levels of TV watching in childhood and also that this group, despite an increase in TV watching over adolescence, maintained a lower level of body fat in young adulthood.

Towards understanding the nature of any relationship between Solar Activity and Cosmic Rays with thunderstorm activity and lightning discharge

Science.gov (United States)

O'Regan, J.; Muller, J.-P.; Matthews, S.

2012-04-01

The runaway breakdown hypothesis of lightning discharge has predicted relationships between cosmic rays' interactions with the atmosphere and thunderstorm production and lightning activity. Precipitating energetic particles lead to the injection of MeV-energy electrons into electrified thunderclouds [1,2], resulting in runaway breakdown occurring, and assisting in the process of charge separation [2]. Previous lightning studies show that correlations to solar activity are weak but significant, with better correlations to solar activity and cosmic rays when carried out over smaller geographical areas [3,4,5,6] and over longer timescales [6]. In this work, correlations are explored between variations of SEPs and lightning activity levels at various spatio-temporal scales. Temporal scales span from short-term (days) scales surrounding large Earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME) events to long-term (years) scales. Similarly, spatial scales span from 1-degree x 1-degree latitudinal-longitudinal grid scales to an entirely global study, for varying timescales. Additionally, investigation of correlation sign and statistical significance by 1-degree latitudinal bands is also employed, allowing a comparative study of lightning activity relative to regions of greatest - and contrasting regions of relative absence of - energetic particle precipitation. These regions are determined from electron and proton flux maps, derived from measurements from the Medium Energy Proton and Electron Detector (MEPED) onboard the Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite (POES) system. Lightning data is obtained from the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) for the period 2005 to 2011. The correlations of lightning strike rates are carried out with respect to Relative Sunspot Number (R), 10.7cm Solar radio flux (F10.7), Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCR) neutron monitor flux, the Ap geomagnetic activity index, and Disturbance Storm Time (DST) index. Correlations show dramatic variations in

Association of leisure time physical activity, watching television ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The present study shows the association of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and watching TV with lipid profile & obesity in a South Indian adult population. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 2171 women and 2016 men in Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute. The subjects were ...

Dependence of regular background noise of VLF radiation and thunder-storm activity on solar wind proton density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sobolev, A.V.; Kozlov, V.I.

1997-01-01

Correlation of the intensity of slowly changing regular background noise within 9.7 kHz frequency in Yakutsk (L = 3) and of the solar wind density protons was determined. This result explains the reverse dependence of the intensity of the regular background noise on the solar activity, 27-day frequency, increase before and following geomagnetic storms, absence of relation with K p index of geomagnetic activity. Conclusion is made that growth of density of the solar wind protons results in increase of the regular background noise and thunderstorm activity

Watch Out for Glaucoma | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

Science.gov (United States)

... of this page please turn JavaScript on. Feature: Glaucoma Watch Out for Glaucoma Past Issues / Spring 2015 Table of Contents A ... used to check eye pressure for signs of glaucoma. Photo courtesy of NEI Glaucoma is a group ...

Ionospheric and satellite observations for studying the dynamic behavior of typhoons and the detection of severe storms and tsunamis

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, R. J.; Smith, R. E.

1978-01-01

Atmospheric acoustic-gravity waves associated with severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, typhoons (hurricanes) and tsunamis can be studied through the coupling between the ionosphere and the troposphere. Reverse ray tracing computations of acoustic-gravity waves observed by an ionospheric Doppler sounder array show that wave sources are in the nearby storm systems and that the waves are excited prior to the storms. Results show that ionospheric observations, together with satellite observations, can contribute to the understanding of the dynamical behavior of typhoons, severe storms and tsunamis.

The Watching-Eye Effect on Prosocial Lying

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Ryo Oda

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Evidence shows that people tend to behave prosocially when they are in the presence of images depicting eyes. There are two proximate causes of the eyes effect. One involves positive motivation to gain future reward and the other involves negative motivation to avoid violating a norm. Although several studies have suggested that positive motivation is a strong candidate, these studies were unable to distinguish between adherence to norms and prosocial behavior. We investigated the watching-eyes effect in an experimental setting to determine whether the tendency of humans to violate norms voluntarily could be understood as prosocial behavior. We compared the tendency to tell “prosocial lies” in the presence of a depiction of stylized eyes (eyes condition with that involving no such depiction (control condition. Under the control condition, participants tended to tell lies that benefitted others, whereas the tendency toward prosocial lying disappeared under the eyes condition. This suggests that the desire to avoid violating norms by being honest is stronger than the desire to pursue a good reputation by demonstrating generosity when such violation might lead to serious costs.

Validation of the ADAMO Care Watch for step counting in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Magistro, Daniele; Brustio, Paolo Riccardo; Ivaldi, Marco; Esliger, Dale Winfield; Zecca, Massimiliano; Rainoldi, Alberto; Boccia, Gennaro

2018-01-01

Accurate measurement devices are required to objectively quantify physical activity. Wearable activity monitors, such as pedometers, may serve as affordable and feasible instruments for measuring physical activity levels in older adults during their normal activities of daily living. Currently few available accelerometer-based steps counting devices have been shown to be accurate at slow walking speeds, therefore there is still lacking appropriate devices tailored for slow speed ambulation, typical of older adults. This study aimed to assess the validity of step counting using the pedometer function of the ADAMO Care Watch, containing an embedded algorithm for measuring physical activity in older adults. Twenty older adults aged ≥ 65 years (mean ± SD, 75±7 years; range, 68-91) and 20 young adults (25±5 years, range 20-40), wore a care watch on each wrist and performed a number of randomly ordered tasks: walking at slow, normal and fast self-paced speeds; a Timed Up and Go test (TUG); a step test and ascending/descending stairs. The criterion measure was the actual number of steps observed, counted with a manual tally counter. Absolute percentage error scores, Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC), and Bland-Altman plots were used to assess validity. ADAMO Care Watch demonstrated high validity during slow and normal speeds (range 0.5-1.5 m/s) showing an absolute error from 1.3% to 1.9% in the older adult group and from 0.7% to 2.7% in the young adult group. The percentage error for the 30-metre walking tasks increased with faster pace in both young adult (17%) and older adult groups (6%). In the TUG test, there was less error in the steps recorded for older adults (1.3% to 2.2%) than the young adults (6.6% to 7.2%). For the total sample, the ICCs for the ADAMO Care Watch for the 30-metre walking tasks at each speed and for the TUG test were ranged between 0.931 to 0.985. These findings provide evidence that the ADAMO Care Watch demonstrated highly accurate

Duration of daily TV/screen watching with cardiovascular, respiratory, mental and psychiatric health: Scottish Health Survey, 2012-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiue, Ivy

2015-01-01

The link of duration of TV and/or screen watching and chronic health conditions by subtypes is unclear. Therefore, the relationship between TV and/or screen watching hours and cardiovascular, respiratory, mental and psychiatric health and well-being (happiness) was assessed in an independent population-based survey to identify correlations of various hours with health conditions. Data was retrieved from the Scottish Health Survey, 2012-2013. Information on demographics, lifestyle factors, self-reported health conditions and TV and/or screen watching duration in both Scottish adults and children was collected by annual household interviews. Chi-square test and survey weighted logistic and multi-nominal modelling were performed. 5527 (57.0%) Scottish adults aged 16-99 watched TV and/or screen daily for 3 + h on average. There was a trend toward more hypertension, angina, stroke, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and poor self-rated health and mental health. Reporting watching TV and/or screen for 4 + h, for 5 + h and for 8 + h was associated with higher rates of heart attack, heart murmur or other heart troubles and abnormal heart rhythms, respectively. 414 (20.7%) Scottish children aged 4-12 watched TV and/or screen for 3h or more. They tended to have poor self-rated health and life difficulties perceived as emotional and behavioural problems. There were associations between various hours of TV and/or screen watching (3+h) and poor health observed both in Scottish adults and children. Future educational and public health programmes minimising TV and/or screen watching in order to protect cardiovascular, respiratory, mental and psychiatric health might be considered. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical compliance testing of human exposure to electromagnetic radiation from smart-watches.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Seon-Eui; Lee, Ae-Kyoung; Kwon, Jong-Hwa; Pack, Jeong-Ki

2016-10-07

In this study, we investigated the electromagnetic dosimetry for smart-watches. At present, the standard for compliance testing of body-mounted and handheld devices specifies the use of a flat phantom to provide conservative estimates of the peak spatial-averaged specific absorption rate (SAR). This means that the estimated SAR using a flat phantom should be higher than the SAR in the exposure part of an anatomical human-body model. To verify this, we numerically calculated the SAR for a flat phantom and compared it with the numerical calculation of the SAR for four anatomical human-body models of different ages. The numerical analysis was performed using the finite difference time domain method (FDTD). The smart-watch models were used in the three antennas: the shorted planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA), loop antenna, and monopole antenna. Numerical smart-watch models were implemented for cellular commutation and wireless local-area network operation at 835, 1850, and 2450 MHz. The peak spatial-averaged SARs of the smart-watch models are calculated for the flat phantom and anatomical human-body model for the wrist-worn and next to mouth positions. The results show that the flat phantom does not provide a consistent conservative SAR estimate. We concluded that the difference in the SAR results between an anatomical human-body model and a flat phantom can be attributed to the different phantom shapes and tissue structures.

47 CFR 80.1123 - Watch requirements for ship stations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Section 80.1123 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Operating... watches for broadcasts of maritime safety information on the appropriate frequency or frequencies on which...

Proceedings of International Symposium TEPA 2016: Thunderstorms and Elementary Particle Acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chilingarian, A.

2017-03-01

The problem of the thundercloud electrification and how particle fluxes and lightning flashes are initiated inside thunderclouds are among the biggest unsolved problems in atmospheric sciences. The relationship between thundercloud electrification, lightning initiation, and particle fluxes from the clouds has not been yet unambiguously established. Cosmic Ray Division of Yerevan Physics Institute (YerPhI), Armenia and Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics of Moscow State University (SINP), Russia already 6th year are organizing Thunderstorms and Elementary Particle Acceleration (TEPA) annual meeting, creating environment for leading scientists and students to meet each other and discuss last discoveries in these fields (see reports of previous TEPA symposia in Fishman and Chilingarian, 2010, Chilingarian, 2013, 2014, 2016). The CRD have an impressing profile of the investigations in the emerging field of high- energy physics in the atmosphere. New designed particle detector networks and unique geographical location of Aragats station allows observation in last 8 years near 500 intensive particle fluxes from the thunderclouds, which were called TGEs – Thunderstorm ground enhancements. Aragats physicists enlarge the TGE research by coherent detection of the electrical and geomagnetic fields, temperature, relative humidity and other meteorological parameters, as well as by detection of the lightning flashes. An adopted multivariate approach allows interrelate particle fluxes, electric fields, and lightning occurrences and finally come to a comprehensive model of the TGE. One of most intriguing opportunities opening by observation of the high-energy processes in the atmosphere is their relation to lightning initiation. C.T.R. Wilson postulated acceleration of electrons in the strong electric fields inside thunderclouds in 1924. In 1992 Gurevich et al. developed the theory of the runaway breakdown (RB), now mostly referred to as relativistic runaway electron

LifeWatch - a Large-scale eScience Infrastructure to Assist in Understanding and Managing our Planet's Biodiversity

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández Ernst, Vera; Poigné, Axel; Los, Walter

2010-05-01

Understanding and managing the complexity of the biodiversity system in relation to global changes concerning land use and climate change with their social and economic implications is crucial to mitigate species loss and biodiversity changes in general. The sustainable development and exploitation of existing biodiversity resources require flexible and powerful infrastructures offering, on the one hand, the access to large-scale databases of observations and measures, to advanced analytical and modelling software, and to high performance computing environments and, on the other hand, the interlinkage of European scientific communities among each others and with national policies. The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) selected the "LifeWatch e-science and technology infrastructure for biodiversity research" as a promising development to construct facilities to contribute to meet those challenges. LifeWatch collaborates with other selected initiatives (e.g. ICOS, ANAEE, NOHA, and LTER-Europa) to achieve the integration of the infrastructures at landscape and regional scales. This should result in a cooperating cluster of such infrastructures supporting an integrated approach for data capture and transmission, data management and harmonisation. Besides, facilities for exploration, forecasting, and presentation using heterogeneous and distributed data and tools should allow the interdisciplinary scientific research at any spatial and temporal scale. LifeWatch is an example of a new generation of interoperable research infrastructures based on standards and a service-oriented architecture that allow for linkage with external resources and associated infrastructures. External data sources will be established data aggregators as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) for species occurrences and other EU Networks of Excellence like the Long-Term Ecological Research Network (LTER), GMES, and GEOSS for terrestrial monitoring, the

The Ramparts We Watch: film documentary discourse in the field of Public Relations/The Ramparts We Watch: el discurso del cine documental en el campo de las Relaciones Públicas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramón Girona

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to analyze Louis de Rochemont’s The Ramparts We Watch as a public relations war effort from the past century. Arising from the informative and propagandistic strategy of late 1930s newsreels, the aforementioned documentary was made using very appropriate narrative techniques to award it the dimension of objectivity and truthfulness characteristic of public relations messages, without losing sight of its educational and persuasive function. From this standpoint, The Ramparts We Watch founded a genre and constituted one of the clearest precedents of public relations war films in America. // El objetivo de este artículo es analizar el film de Louis de Rochemont, The Ramparts We Watch, en tanto que un esfuerzo de relaciones públicas en tiempos de guerra. Surgido de la estrategia informativa y propagandística de los noticiarios de la segunda mitad de los años 30, este documental se realizó mediante el uso de técnicas narrativas muy adecuadas para conseguir la dimensión de objetividad y veracidad que debe caracterizar los mensajes de relaciones públicas, sin perder de vista su función educativa y persuasiva. Desde ese punto de vista, The Ramparts We Watch adquirió un carácter fundacional y constituyó uno de los más claros precedentes de los filmes de relaciones públicas realizados en Estados Unidos, en el contexto de la guerra.

Watching television for more than two hours increases the likelihood of reporting poor sleep quality among Brazilian schoolteachers.

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza, Sara Carolina Scremin; Campanini, Marcela Zambrim; de Andrade, Selma Maffei; González, Alberto Durán; de Melo, Juliana Moura; Mesas, Arthur Eumann

2017-10-01

Although time spent watching television and sleep problems have increased in the last few decades, it is unclear whether these conditions are associated in working adults after controlling for lifestyle, job characteristics and other individual aspects. The present study analyzed the association between time spent watching television and sleep quality among teachers from public schools in Londrina, Brazil. In this cross-sectional study, information from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and about time spent watching television was obtained during personal interviews. Logistic regression models adjusted by the main confounders (sociodemographic, occupational and lifestyle variables) were used in the analyses. Among the 959 studied teachers (68.2% women, median age: 42years), teachers who watched >120min/day had a higher likelihood of reporting poor sleep quality (PSQI>5) (odds ratio=1.41; 95% confidence interval=1.01; 1.98) compared with those who watched television for up to 60min/day, regardless of gender, age, work hours, leisure time physical activity and other lifestyle variables. This association did not remain significant after the adjustment for health conditions, i.e., obesity, anxiety, depression and chronic pain, which may act as confounding variables in the relationship between watching television and poor sleep quality. Watching television for >120min/day was independently associated with poorer sleep quality, which should be considered in the prevention and treatment of sleep disturbances among working population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Safety evaluation of interim stabilization of non-stabilized single-shell watch list tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stahl, S.M.

1994-01-01

This report provides results of a review of recently completed safety analyses related to hazards associated with Interim Stabilization of Single analyses related to hazards included oh the Hanford Site Waste Tank-Watch Shell Tanks (SSTs) that are included on the Hanford List. The purpose of the review was to identify and summarize conclusions regarding the safety of interim stabilization of Watch List SSTs, and to highlight applicable limitations, restrictions, and controls. The scope of this review was restricted to SSTs identified List in the categories of flammable gas ferrocyanide, and organic salts. High heat tanks were not included in the scope. A Watch List tank is defined as an underground storage tank containing waste that requires special safety precautions because it may have a serious potential for release of high level radioactive waste because of uncontrolled increases in temperature or pressure. Special restrictions have been placed on these tanks

Measurements of Ozone, Lightning, and Electric Fields within Thunderstorms over Langmuir Laboratory, New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Eack, K. B.; Winn, W. P.; Rust, W. D.; Minschwaner, K.; Fredrickson, S.; Kennedy, D.; Edens, H. E.; Kalnajs, L. E.; Rabin, R. M.; Lu, G. P.; Bonin, D.

2008-12-01

A field project was conducted at the Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research during the summer of 2008 in an effort to better understand the direct production of ozone within electrically active storms. Five balloon flights were successfully launched into thunderstorms during this project. In situ measurements from the balloon instrument package included ozone mixing ratio, electric field strength, meteorological variables, and GPS location and timing. Lightning discharges were identified within each storm using a ground based lightning mapping array. The data show that the instruments ascended through regions of high electric fields within the sampled storms, and in some cases the balloon was in very close proximity to lightning. Relationships between electric field, lightning, and ozone observed during these flights will be discussed.

Conference report. Women's perspectives: keeping a close watch.

Science.gov (United States)

Datta, B

1994-01-01

Most individuals in the women's movement are happy with the accomplishments of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). Activists were able to introduce feminist discourse into world governments and have a term like "gender equality" used as freely as "mother's milk." Some women, however, critique that the conference will do little to empower women in any real sense. Whatever the long-term effects, it is clear that women and women's groups were required to put aside their confrontational politics and adopt a more organized, collaborative approach. The Women's Caucus at Cairo created Women Watching ICPD, a group to monitor if governments, donors, and service providers follow through with the commitments they made at the conference. Six nongovernmental organizations (NGO) from the North and South have already agreed to participate in the task force. The group promises to ensure an end to coercion and to make certain that positive recommendations are implemented. It will watch budgets, allocation processes, and decision makers, and try to ensure that NGOs monitoring international financial institutions make gender efforts central to their efforts.

[Association between hours of television watched, physical activity, sleep and excess weight among young adults].

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Moyá, María; Navarrete-Muñoz, Eva M; García de la Hera, Manuela; Giménez-Monzo, Daniel; González-Palacios, Sandra; Valera-Gran, Desirée; Sempere-Orts, María; Vioque, Jesús

2014-01-01

To explore the association between excess weight or body mass index (BMI) and the time spent watching television, self-reported physical activity and sleep duration in a young adult population. We analyzed cross-sectional baseline data of 1,135 participants (17-35 years old) from the project Dieta, salud y antropometría en población universitaria (Diet, Health and Anthrompmetric Variables in Univeristy Students). Information about time spent watching television, sleep duration, self-reported physical activity and self-reported height and weight was provided by a baseline questionnaire. BMI was calculated as kg/m(2) and excess of weight was defined as ≥25. We used multiple logistic regression to explore the association between excess weight (no/yes) and independent variables, and multiple linear regression for BMI. The prevalence of excess weight was 13.7% (11.2% were overweight and 2.5% were obese). A significant positive association was found between excess weight and a greater amount of time spent watching television. Participants who reported watching television >2h a day had a higher risk of excess weight than those who watched television ≤1h a day (OR=2.13; 95%CI: 1.37-3.36; p-trend: 0.002). A lower level of physical activity was associated with an increased risk of excess weight, although the association was statistically significant only in multiple linear regression (p=0.037). No association was observed with sleep duration. A greater number of hours spent watching television and lower physical activity were significantly associated with a higher BMI in young adults. Both factors are potentially modifiable with preventive strategies. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Effects of Watching Eyes and Norm Cues on Charitable Giving in a Surreptitious Behavioral Experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moe Fathi

2014-04-01

Full Text Available A series of experimental studies by multiple groups of researchers have found that displaying images of watching eyes causes people to behave more prosocially. It is not yet clear whether watching eyes increase prosocial motivation per se, or whether they simply make people's behavior more normative. Here, we report results from a surreptitious behavioral experiment examining the impacts of watching eye images and cues to local norms on charitable donations in a controlled setting. Eye images significantly increased average donations. Eye images did not make people conform more closely to the apparent norm overall. Instead, there were different patterns according to the apparent norm. For an apparent norm of small donations, eye images made many participants more generous than the norm. For an apparent norm of large donations, there was an excess of participants giving zero in the no-eyes treatment, which was abolished in the eyes treatment. Our results can be explained by a combination of watching eyes increasing prosocial motivation and reluctance to leave a donation visibly less generous than the norm.

Attitudes of Consumers from Podgorica toward Advertising through Sport among the Frequency of Watching Sports Events

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikola Milovic

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This investigation was aimed at gaining relevant knowledge about the attitudes of Podgorica consumers toward advertising through sport among. The sample included 330 students from Faculty of Economics in Podgorica, divided into six subsample groups: consumers, who do not watch sports events at all, then consumers who watch sports events 1-30 minutes, next 31-60 minutes, 61-90 minutes, 91-120 minutes, as well as consumers who watch sports events more than 120 minutes during the typical day. The sample of variables contained the system of three general attitudes which were modelled by seven-point Likert scale. The results of the measuring were analyzed by multivariate analysis (MANOVA and univariate analysis (ANOVA and Post Hoc test. Based on the statistical analyses it was found that significant differences occur at multivariate level, as well as between all three variables at a significance level of p=.00. Hence, it is interesting to highlight that it was found there are significant differences showed up between the attitudes of consumers toward advertising through sport among the frequency of watching sports events. The significant differences were found in two of three variables, while the consumers who do not watch sports events had much more negative attitudes toward advertising though sport.

The Effects of the H abits of Children and Teenagers Watching Matches on Television to the Violence Actions at Sport

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erdal ÇETİN

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The technologies developed in media and communication areas have played an important role in commercialization (industrialization of sport and especially football. While television channels which are visual elements of media, create great economic incomes for clubs in industrialized sports, they tired to meet the great numbers that they invested in sport with ciphered broadcast. Ciphered broadcast which settled in Turkey as of 1990 both changed the sports broadcast and create important changes on sport spectators. Individuals ,according to their income distribution s and residence stiuations, started to watch the contests via making payment whether in the stadiums or at home and public watch places such as coffee houses/cafes/cake shops . Public watch places especially such as coffee houses/cafes/cake shops both prov ide economic cycle and constitute a new culture. The aim of this study is to present whether the habits of children and teenagers’ watching contests are effective in displaying pathological (abnormal, violence, criminal attitudes or not. In this study, th e viewpoints of individuals, who watch the matches in public watch places such as coffee houses/cafes/cake shops and home atmosphere and are in different ages, genders and have different incomes, towards their own teams, rivals and referees are tried to be found out. For this, a questionnaire consists of 24 questions was applied to the 110 female students and 206 male students who are between 13 - 19 years old and reside in Batman. The datas obtained from the questionnaire study were analyzed with SPSS 21.0 p rogram. It was seen that the children and teenagers who took part in the study sample have a positive perception as to fanaticism. % 65,5 of females, and % 68 of males pointed out that they regard themselves as fanatic. % 27,8 of individulas declared that they watch all the contests on TV, % 56 of them declared that they watch some of the contests and % 16,1 of them declared

Presence While Watching Movies

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Tom Troscianko

2011-05-01

Full Text Available “Presence” is the illusion of being in a mediated experience rather than simply being an observer. It is a concept often applied to the question of realism of virtual environments. However, it is equally applicable to the act of watching a movie. A movie provides a markedly different visual environment to that given by the natural world—particularly because of frequent edits. And yet, the audience in a movie achieves high levels of presence. We investigate the relationship between presence and the optical and temporal parameters of movies. We find effects of mean shot length, colour/b&w, and 3D/2D. We find that short shots, while being unnatural, are associated with high levels of presence. We consider why such artificial stimuli should appear so real and immersive.

Why does Retraction Watch continue to offer support to Jeffrey Beall, and legitimize his post-mortem “predatory” lists?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Retraction Watch is a science watchdog that may give the impression of being both an anti-bad science and an anti-science blog. This blog has tried to legitimize its ethical stance by naming its parent organization The Center for Science Integrity Inc. (CSI, and by appointing a former Chair of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE, Elizabeth Wager, to the CSI board of directors. Jeffrey Beall, another science watchdog, often appears in public alongside Adam Marcus and Ivan Oransky, the CSI secretary and president, respectively, and participates in events with Wager. Beall became academically redundant on January 15, 2017. This is because his blog, which hosted a faulty, controversial and misleading list (and thus potentially libelous of “predatory” open access journals and publishers, suddenly went blank. Beall offered no apology or explanation to the public, but was offered intellectual asylum and protection by the University of Colorado, Denver, where he works as a librarian. After a grace period of almost two months, members of the global academic community have now largely lost respect for Beall because of his silence, which may be equated with irresponsibility and/or cowardice. Despite this near extinct academic status, Retraction Watch continues to laud Beall, refer to his now-defunct site and lists as valid, as many as 25 times, and even rely on the Beall blog and lists to support several of their journalistic claims. In the world of science publishing, the legitimization of a “fact” using a defunct or false (i.e., non-factual source, is equivalent to publishing misconduct, and feeds into the “false facts” and “alternative truths” epidemic in journalism that Retraction Watch is now impregnating into science publishing. Why then is Retraction Watch allowed to operate under an ethically superior platform, while expecting scientists and academics to respect basic rules of citing valid references, but while practicing

Blue jets and gigantic jets: transient luminous events between thunderstorm tops and the lower ionosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasko, V P

2008-01-01

An overview of general phenomenology and proposed physical mechanisms of large scale electrical discharges termed 'blue jets' and 'gigantic jets' observed at high altitude in the Earth's atmosphere above thunderstorms is presented. The primary emphasis is placed on summarizing available experimental data on the observed morphological features of upward jet discharges and on the discussion of recently advanced theories describing electrodynamic conditions, which facilitate escape of conventional lightning leaders from thundercloud tops and their upward propagation toward the ionosphere. It is argued that the filamentary plasma structures observed in blue jet and gigantic jet discharges are directly linked to the processes in streamer zones of lightning leaders, scaled by a significant reduction of air pressure at high altitudes.

The Data Platform for Climate Research and Action: Introducing Climate Watch

Science.gov (United States)

Hennig, R. J.; Ge, M.; Friedrich, J.; Lebling, K.; Carlock, G.; Arcipowska, A.; Mangan, E.; Biru, H.; Tankou, A.; Chaudhury, M.

2017-12-01

The Paris Agreement, adopted through Decision 1/CP.21, brings all nations together to take on ambitious efforts to combat climate change. Open access to climate data supporting climate research, advancing knowledge, and informing decision making is key to encourage and strengthen efforts of stakeholders at all levels to address and respond to effects of climate change. Climate Watch is a robust online data platform developed in response to the urgent needs of knowledge and tools to empower climate research and action, including those of researchers, policy makers, the private sector, civil society, and all other non-state actors. Building on the rapid growing technology of open data and information sharing, Climate Watch is equipped with extensive amount of climate data, informative visualizations, concise yet efficient user interface, and connection to resources users need to gather insightful information on national and global progress towards delivering on the objective of the Convention and the Paris Agreement. Climate Watch brings together hundreds of quantitative and qualitative indicators for easy explore, visualize, compare, download at global, national, and sectoral levels: Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for more than 190 countries over the1850-2014 time period, covering all seven Kyoto Gases following IPCC source/sink categories; Structured information on over 150 NDCs facilitating the clarity, understanding and transparency of countries' contributions to address climate change; Over 6500 identified linkages between climate actions in NDCs across the 169 targets of the sustainable development goals (SDG); Over 200 indicators describing low carbon pathways from models and scenarios by integrated assessment models (IAMs) and national sources; and Data on vulnerability and risk, policies, finance, and many more. Climate Watch platform is developed as part of the broader efforts within the World Resources Institute, the NDC Partnership, and in collaboration

Dance on cortex: enhanced theta synchrony in experts when watching a dance piece.

Science.gov (United States)

Poikonen, Hanna; Toiviainen, Petri; Tervaniemi, Mari

2018-03-01

When watching performing arts, a wide and complex network of brain processes emerge. These processes can be shaped by professional expertise. When compared to laymen, dancers have enhanced processes in observation of short dance movement and listening to music. But how do the cortical processes differ in musicians and dancers when watching an audio-visual dance performance? In our study, we presented the participants long excerpts from the contemporary dance choreography of Carmen. During multimodal movement of a dancer, theta phase synchrony over the fronto-central electrodes was stronger in dancers when compared to musicians and laymen. In addition, alpha synchrony was decreased in all groups during large rapid movement when compared to nearly motionless parts of the choreography. Our results suggest an enhanced cortical communication in dancers when watching dance and, further, that this enhancement is rather related to multimodal, cognitive and emotional processes than to simple observation of dance movement. © 2018 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The CosmicWatch Desktop Muon Detector: a self-contained, pocket sized particle detector

Science.gov (United States)

Axani, S. N.; Frankiewicz, K.; Conrad, J. M.

2018-03-01

The CosmicWatch Desktop Muon Detector is a self-contained, hand-held cosmic ray muon detector that is valuable for astro/particle physics research applications and outreach. The material cost of each detector is under 100 and it takes a novice student approximately four hours to build their first detector. The detectors are powered via a USB connection and the data can either be recorded directly to a computer or to a microSD card. Arduino- and Python-based software is provided to operate the detector and an online application to plot the data in real-time. In this paper, we describe the various design features, evaluate the performance, and illustrate the detectors capabilities by providing several example measurements.

Astronaut Pedro Duque Watches A Water Bubble

Science.gov (United States)

2003-01-01

Aboard the International Space Station (ISS), European Space Agency astronaut Pedro Duque of Spain watches a water bubble float between a camera and himself. The bubble shows his reflection (reversed). Duque was launched aboard a Russian Soyuz TMA-3 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on October 18th, along with expedition-8 crew members Michael C. Foale, Mission Commander and NASA ISS Science Officer, and Cosmonaut Alexander Y. Kaleri, Soyuz Commander and flight engineer.

Correlation between Inter-Blink Interval and Episodic Encoding during Movie Watching

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Young Seok; Chang, Won-du; Park, Jinsick; Im, Chang-Hwan; Lee, Sang In; Kim, In Young; Jang, Dong Pyo

2015-01-01

Human eye blinking is cognitively suppressed to minimize loss of visual information for important real-world events. Despite the relationship between eye blinking and cognitive state, the effect of eye blinks on cognition in real-world environments has received limited research attention. In this study, we focused on the temporal pattern of inter-eye blink interval (IEBI) during movie watching and investigated its relationship with episodic memory. As a control condition, 24 healthy subjects watched a nature documentary that lacked a specific story line while electroencephalography was performed. Immediately after viewing the movie, the subjects were asked to report its most memorable scene. Four weeks later, subjects were asked to score 32 randomly selected scenes from the movie, based on how much they were able to remember and describe. The results showed that the average IEBI was significantly longer during the movie than in the control condition. In addition, the significant increase in IEBI when watching a movie coincided with the most memorable scenes of the movie. The results suggested that the interesting episodic narrative of the movie attracted the subjects’ visual attention relative to the documentary clip that did not have a story line. In the episodic memory test executed four weeks later, memory performance was significantly positively correlated with IEBI (pmovie. PMID:26529091

Thunderstorm ground enhancements (TGEs) abruptly terminated by negative cloud-to-ground lightnings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chilingarian, A.; Hovsepyan, G.; Khanikyanc, G.; Pokhsraryan, D.; Soghomonyan, S.

2016-01-01

The relationship of lightnings and particle fluxes in the thunderclouds is not fully understood to date. Using the particle beams (the so-called Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements – TGEs) generated in the lower part of clouds by the strong electric fields as a probe, we investigate the characteristics of the related atmospheric discharges. The well-known effect of the TGE dynamics is the abrupt termination of the particle flux. We demonstrate that among 12 atmospheric discharges that abruptly terminated TGE all are the negative cloud-to-ground lightnings. The flux termination and lightning occurred at one and the same second. With new precise electronics on millisecond time scales we can see that particle flux decline occurred simultaneously with abrupt increase of electrostatic field after the return stroke of the lightning. Therefore, the declining of particle flux is connected with rearranging of charge centers in the cloud involving removal of the Lower Positive Charged Region (LPCR). (author)

Social Media Influence and Intensity of Watching Television Drama on Achievement of Students

OpenAIRE

Ali Akbar Himawan; Basori Basori; Taufiq Lilo Adi Sucipto

2017-01-01

The aims of this study are to get: (1) the influence of the social media use on achievement of students; (2) the influence of the watching television drama intensity on achievement of students grade X TKJ in SMK Batik 1 Surakarta; and (3) the influence both of social media use and the watching television drama intensity on achievement of students. The sample used was 78 from 100 student population based on Isaac and Michael table. This study was quantitative research using ex post facto metho...

Towards the problem ChAES alienation zone residing conditions for watch-shift personal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akimenko, V.Ya.; Yanko, N.M.; Semashko, P.V.; Yarygin, A.V.

1994-01-01

The article deals with some results of hygienic study concerning watch-shift workers residing condition in the ChAES 30-km zone. The evaluation is given for residing environment prioritative living parameters, air ventilation, hostels inhabiting conditions, the acoustic regime. Some indoor environment aerosol pollution levels different kind domestic activity a revealed. Electrostatic air cleaning installing as devices of radioactive smalldispers aerosol control a studied. Some tasks of further research are substantiated in order of watch-shift workers residing environment optimization in the alienation zone

Watch-Dog: Detecting Self-Harming Activities From Wrist Worn Accelerometers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bharti, Pratool; Panwar, Anurag; Gopalakrishna, Ganesh; Chellappan, Sriram

2018-05-01

In a 2012 survey, in the United States alone, there were more than 35 000 reported suicides with approximately 1800 of being psychiatric inpatients. Recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports indicate an upward trend in these numbers. In psychiatric facilities, staff perform intermittent or continuous observation of patients manually in order to prevent such tragedies, but studies show that they are insufficient, and also consume staff time and resources. In this paper, we present the Watch-Dog system, to address the problem of detecting self-harming activities when attempted by in-patients in clinical settings. Watch-Dog comprises of three key components-Data sensed by tiny accelerometer sensors worn on wrists of subjects; an efficient algorithm to classify whether a user is active versus dormant (i.e., performing a physical activity versus not performing any activity); and a novel decision selection algorithm based on random forests and continuity indices for fine grained activity classification. With data acquired from 11 subjects performing a series of activities (both self-harming and otherwise), Watch-Dog achieves a classification accuracy of , , and for same-user 10-fold cross-validation, cross-user 10-fold cross-validation, and cross-user leave-one-out evaluation, respectively. We believe that the problem addressed in this paper is practical, important, and timely. We also believe that our proposed system is practically deployable, and related discussions are provided in this paper.

Heterogeneity in time and energy use of watching television

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekar, Ashok; Williams, Eric; Chen, Roger

2016-01-01

There is substantial variability in residential energy use, partly driven by heterogeneous behavioral patterns. Time-use is relevant to energy when consumption tracks the time a device is used. Cluster analysis is a promising approach to identify time-use patterns. If clusters with particularly long time use and thus high energy consumption emerge, these groups could merit targeted policy intervention. We investigate these ideas via an empirical study of time use for television watching in the U.S. Three clusters were identified. In 2013, the average time spent watching television by Clusters 1, 2 and 3 are dramatically different: 1.1, 3.5 and 7.7 h per day respectively. While members of Cluster 3 are only 14% of the total population they represent 34% of TV energy consumption. The population of Cluster 3 tends to be older, less employed and less educated. Energy savings per adopter is much larger for Cluster 3, suggesting much higher benefits from efficient devices. These results are relevant to the design of efficiency programs, indicating potential for variable rebates and/or tiered communication. With variable rebates, utilities would offer higher incentives to high-use customers. In tiered communication, utilities would devote more resources to engage customers with larger savings potential. - Highlights: •Utility and other efficiency programs often treat consumers as homogenous groups. •Heterogeneity in consumer behavior affects benefits/costs of efficiency upgrade. •Significant heterogeneity is found in U.S. television watching patterns. •Heavy watchers (7.7 h/day) are 14% of population but consume 34% of energy. •Energy savings of efficient television for heavy watcher is 3 times the average.

Attitudes of Montenegrin Consumers Toward Advertising Through Sport Among the Frequency of Watching Sports Events

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bojan Masanovic

2018-01-01

Full Text Available It is proposed that potential consumers form attitudes based on advertising through sport can influence decisions to purchase a particular advertiser’s product. From this reason, it is important to analyse their general attitudes toward advertising through sport among various questions, and this investigation was aimed at gaining relevant knowledge about the attitudes of Montenegrin consumers toward advertising through sport among. The sample included 342 respondents, divided into six subsample groups: consumers, who do not watch sports events at all, then consumers who watch sports events 1-30 minutes, next 31-60 minutes, 61-90 minutes, 91-120 minutes, as well as consumers who watch sports events more than 120 minutes during the typical day. The sample of variables contained the system of three general attitudes which were modelled by seven-point Likert scale. The results of the measuring were analysed by multivariate analysis (MANOVA and univariate analysis (ANOVA and Post Hoc test. Based on the statistical analyses it was found that significant differences occur at multivariate level, as well as between all three variables at a significance level of p=.00. Hence, it is interesting to highlight that it was found there are significant differences showed up between the attitudes of consumers toward advertising through sport among the frequency of watching sports events. These results are so important for the marketers, mostly due to the reason they can’t merge all the potential consumers regarding the frequency they watch the sports events. On the other hand, this is the case in previous investigations and this observation presents relevant information.

Young low-income ethnic minority children watch less television when their mothers regulate what they are viewing.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Darcy A; Vandewater, Elizabeth A; Matson, Pamela A; Tschann, Jeanne M

2015-03-01

Parenting practices can reduce how much television (TV) children watch. This study evaluated the longitudinal association between maternal regulation of TV content and the amount of TV watched by low-income ethnic minority children. This was a secondary data analysis of the Welfare, Children & Families: A Three City Study. Data were used from ethnic minority mothers with a child from birth to 4 years old, collected over two waves approximately 16 months apart. The dependent variable was the amount of TV watched by the child (wave two). The main independent variable was the maternal regulation of TV content (wave one). Using multiple linear regression, we evaluated the relationship between maternal regulation of TV content and the amount of TV watched by the child, adjusting for covariates. Of the 835 mothers, 71% were high content regulators and 8% reported no content regulation. Children whose mothers reported no regulation watched more TV approximately 16 months later than those whose mothers reported high regulation of content (β = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.09-1.73). Our findings suggest that regulating content influences viewing amounts in young children approximately 16 months later. Interventions focused on heightening parental regulation of content may improve content and diminish viewing amounts. ©2014 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Watch-and-Comment as an Approach to Collaboratively Annotate Points of Interest in Video and Interactive-TV Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Pimentel, Maria Da Graça C.; Cattelan, Renan G.; Melo, Erick L.; Freitas, Giliard B.; Teixeira, Cesar A.

In earlier work we proposed the Watch-and-Comment (WaC) paradigm as the seamless capture of multimodal comments made by one or more users while watching a video, resulting in the automatic generation of multimedia documents specifying annotated interactive videos. The aim is to allow services to be offered by applying document engineering techniques to the multimedia document generated automatically. The WaC paradigm was demonstrated with a WaCTool prototype application which supports multimodal annotation over video frames and segments, producing a corresponding interactive video. In this chapter, we extend the WaC paradigm to consider contexts in which several viewers may use their own mobile devices while watching and commenting on an interactive-TV program. We first review our previous work. Next, we discuss scenarios in which mobile users can collaborate via the WaC paradigm. We then present a new prototype application which allows users to employ their mobile devices to collaboratively annotate points of interest in video and interactive-TV programs. We also detail the current software infrastructure which supports our new prototype; the infrastructure extends the Ginga middleware for the Brazilian Digital TV with an implementation of the UPnP protocol - the aim is to provide the seamless integration of the users' mobile devices into the TV environment. As a result, the work reported in this chapter defines the WaC paradigm for the mobile-user as an approach to allow the collaborative annotation of the points of interest in video and interactive-TV programs.

On transient events in the upper atmosphere generated away of thunderstorm regions

Science.gov (United States)

Morozenko, V.; Garipov, G.; Khrenov, B.; Klimov, P.; Panasyuk, M.; Sharakin, S.; Zotov, M.

2011-12-01

Experimental data on transient events in UV and Red-IR ranges obtained in the MSU missions "Unversitetsky-Tatiana" (wavelengths 300-400 nm) and "Unversitetsky-Tatiana-2" (wavelengths 300-400 nm and 600-800 nm), published by Garipov et al, in 2010 at COSPAR session http://www.cospar2010.org, at TEPA conference http://www.aragats.am/Conferences/tepa2010 and in 2011 by Sadovnichy et al, Solar System Research, 45, #1, 3-29 (2011); Vedenkin et al, JETP, v. 140, issue 3(9), 1-11 (2011) demonstrated existence of transients at large distances (up to thousands km) away of cloud thunderstorm regions. Those "remote" transients are short (1-5 msec) and are less luminous than the transients above thunderstorm regions. The ratio of Red-IR to UV photon numbers in those transients indicates high altitude of their origin (~70 km). Important observation facts are also: 1. a change of the exponent in transient distribution on luminosity Q ("-1" for photon numbers Q=1020 -1023 to "-2" for Q>1023), 2. a change of global distribution of transient with their luminosity (transients with Q>1023 are concentrated in equatorial range above continents, while transients with low luminosity are distributed more uniformly), 3. a phenomenon of transient sequences in one satellite orbit which is close to geomagnetic meridian. In the present paper phenomenological features of transients are explained in assumption that the observed transients have to be divided in two classes: 1. transients related to local, lower in the atmosphere, lightning at distance not more than hundreds km from satellite detector field of view in the atmosphere and 2. transients generated by far away lightning. Local transients are luminous and presumably are events called "transient luminous events" (TLE). In distribution on luminosity those events have some threshold Q~1023 and their differential luminosity distribution is approximated by power law exponent "-2". Remote transients have to be considered separately. Their

Watch Out for Children: A Mothers' Statement to Advertisers.

Science.gov (United States)

Institute for American Values, New York, NY.

This report explains that all adults must watch out for all children, cautioning that marketing is harmful to children. Advertisers are aggressively targeting age groups that, until recently, have been considered off-limits and occupying more of children's psychic and physical space. The report presents a commitment by mothers to all children to…

Association of sleep quality with watching TV, computer games and caffeine intake in adolescents of Minoodar district, Qazvin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Avani

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Insufficient sleep or poor sleep quality affect learning, memory and performance and cause behavioral disorders. Watching television (TV, using computer and internet, playing computer games, and caffeine intake are of factors affecting sleep quality. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association of sleep quality with watching TV, computer games and caffeine intake in adolescents of Minoodar district, Qazvin41T. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in 319 adolescents (10 to 18 years old that were selected by multistage cluster random sampling method during 2010-2011. Demographic data and data on duration of playing computer games and watching TV were collected. Food frequency questionnaire and BEARS questionnaire were completed. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, logistic regression analysis and ANOVA. Findings:Mean age was15±2.43 years41T. Of 319 adolescents, 162 (50.8% were female41T. The duration of watching TV or video41T was not significantly different41T between boys and girls. The duration of playing computer or video games41T was statistically different41T between boys and girls. There was no correlation between sleep quality and duration of watching TV or videos in a day, duration of playing computer or video games in a day, and caffeine intake in adolescents. Conclusions: With regards to the results, it seems that there is no association between sleep quality and watching TV, playing computer games and caffeine intake.

Power Watch: Increasing Transparency and Accessibility of Data in the Global Power Sector to Accelerate the Transition to a Lower Carbon Economy

Science.gov (United States)

Hennig, R. J.; Friedrich, J.; Malaguzzi Valeri, L.; McCormick, C.; Lebling, K.; Kressig, A.

2016-12-01

The Power Watch project will offer open data on the global electricity sector starting with power plants and their impacts on climate and water systems; it will also offer visualizations and decision making tools. Power Watch will create the first comprehensive, open database of power plants globally by compiling data from national governments, public and private utilities, transmission grid operators, and other data providers to create a core dataset that has information on over 80% of global installed capacity for electrical generation. Power plant data will at a minimum include latitude and longitude, capacity, fuel type, emissions, water usage, ownership, and annual generation. By providing data that is both comprehensive, as well as making it publically available, this project will support decision making and analysis by actors across the economy and in the research community. The Power Watch research effort focuses on creating a global standard for power plant information, gathering and standardizing data from multiple sources, matching information from multiple sources on a plant level, testing cross-validation approaches (regional statistics, crowdsourcing, satellite data, and others) and developing estimation methodologies for generation, emissions, and water usage. When not available from official reports, emissions, annual generation, and water usage will be estimated. Water use estimates of power plants will be based on capacity, fuel type and satellite imagery to identify cooling types. This analysis is being piloted in several states in India and will then be scaled up to a global level. Other planned applications of of the Power Watch data include improving understanding of energy access, air pollution, emissions estimation, stranded asset analysis, life cycle analysis, tracking of proposed plants and curtailment analysis.

Trial Watch: Proteasomal inhibitors for anticancer therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Obrist, Florine; Manic, Gwenola; Kroemer, Guido; Vitale, Ilio; Galluzzi, Lorenzo

2015-01-01

The so-called "ubiquitin-proteasome system" (UPS) is a multicomponent molecular apparatus that catalyzes the covalent attachment of several copies of the small protein ubiquitin to other proteins that are generally (but not always) destined to proteasomal degradation. This enzymatic cascade is crucial for the maintenance of intracellular protein homeostasis (both in physiological conditions and in the course of adaptive stress responses), and regulates a wide array of signaling pathways. In line with this notion, defects in the UPS have been associated with aging as well as with several pathological conditions including cardiac, neurodegenerative, and neoplastic disorders. As transformed cells often experience a constant state of stress (as a result of the hyperactivation of oncogenic signaling pathways and/or adverse microenvironmental conditions), their survival and proliferation are highly dependent on the integrity of the UPS. This rationale has driven an intense wave of preclinical and clinical investigation culminating in 2003 with the approval of the proteasomal inhibitor bortezomib by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in multiple myeloma patients. Another proteasomal inhibitor, carfilzomib, is now licensed by international regulatory agencies for use in multiple myeloma patients, and the approved indications for bortezomib have been extended to mantle cell lymphoma. This said, the clinical activity of bortezomib and carfilzomib is often limited by off-target effects, innate/acquired resistance, and the absence of validated predictive biomarkers. Moreover, the antineoplastic activity of proteasome inhibitors against solid tumors is poor. In this Trial Watch we discuss the contribution of the UPS to oncogenesis and tumor progression and summarize the design and/or results of recent clinical studies evaluating the therapeutic profile of proteasome inhibitors in cancer patients.

Neighborhood Environmental Watch Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, L.D.

1993-01-01

The Neighborhood Environmental Watch Network (NEWNET) is a regional network of environmental monitoring stations and a data archival center that supports collaboration between communities, industry, and government agencies to solve environmental problems. The stations provide local displays of measurements for the public and transmit measurements via satellite to a central site for archival and analysis. Station managers are selected from the local community and trained to support the stations. Archived data and analysis tools are available to researchers, educational institutions, industrial collaborators, and the public across the nation through a communications network. Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Environmental Protection Agency have developed a NEWNET pilot program for the Department of Energy. The pilot program supports monitoring stations in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and California. Additional stations are being placed in Colorado and New Mexico. Pilot stations take radiological and meteorological measurements. Other measurements are possible by exchanging sensors

Seagrass-Watch: Engaging Torres Strait Islanders in marine habitat monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Mellors, Jane E.; McKenzie, Len J.; Coles, Robert G.

2008-09-01

Involvement in scientifically structured habitat monitoring is a relatively new concept to the peoples of Torres Strait. The approach we used was to focus on awareness, and to build the capacity of groups to participate using Seagrass-Watch as the vehicle to provide education and training in monitoring marine ecosystems. The project successfully delivered quality scientifically rigorous baseline information on the seasonality of seagrasses in the Torres Strait—a first for this region. Eight seagrass species were identified across the monitoring sites. Seagrass cover varied within and between years. Preliminary evidence indicated that drivers for seagrass variability were climate related. Generally, seagrass abundance increased during the north-west monsoon ( Kuki), possibly a consequence of elevated nutrients, lower tidal exposure times, less wind, and higher air temperatures. Low seagrass abundance coincided with the presence of greater winds and longer periods of exposure at low tides during the south-east trade wind season ( Sager). No seasonal patterns were apparent when frequency of disturbance from high sedimentation and human impacts was high. Seagrass-Watch has been incorporated in to the Thursday Island High School's Marine Studies Unit ensuring continuity of monitoring. The students, teachers, and other interested individuals involved in Seagrass-Watch have mastered the necessary scientific procedures to monitor seagrass meadows, and developed skills in coordinating a monitoring program and skills in mentoring younger students. This has increased the participants' self-esteem and confidence, and given them an insight into how they may participate in the future management of their sea country.

Attitudes of Turkish Consumers toward Advertising through Sport among the Frequency of Watching Sports Events

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bojan Masanovic

2017-08-01

Full Text Available It is proposed that potential consumers form attitudes based on advertising through sport can influence decisions to purchase a particular advertiser’s product. From this reason, it is important to analyse their general attitudes toward advertising through sport among various questions, and this investigation was aimed at gaining relevant knowledge about the attitudes of Serbian consumers toward advertising through sport among. The sample included 173 respondents, divided into six subsample groups: consumers, who do not watch sports events at all, then consumers who watch sports events 1-30 minutes, next 31-60 minutes, 61-90 minutes, 91-120 minutes, as well as consumers who watch sports events more than 120 minutes during the typical day. The sample of variables contained the system of three general attitudes which were modelled by seven-point Likert scale. The results of the measuring were analysed by multivariate analysis (MANOVA and univariate analysis (ANOVA and Post Hoc test. Based on the statistical analyses it was found that significant differences occur at multivariate level, as well as between two out of three variables at a significance level of p=.05. Hence, it is interesting to highlight that it was found there are significant differences showed up between the attitudes of consumers toward advertising through sport among the frequency of watching sports events. These results are so important for the marketers, mostly due to the reason they can’t merge all the potential consumers regarding the frequency they watch the sports events. On the other hand, this is the case in previous investigations and this observation presents relevant information.

AVHRR CoastWatch Regional Data, November 2003 - present (NODC Accession 0099041)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The mapped data derived from AVHRR (Advanced High Resolution Radiometer) onboard NOAA and Metop satellites is divided into files for CoastWatch regions of interest....

Study on Motives of University Students for Watching Sport Events (Sırnak Province Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanifi ÜZÜM

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This case study has been conducted to determine the factors influencing motives of university students in Sirnak on watching sport events. The sampling group includes 73 females and 107 males, totally 180 students. External motivations scale for sport spectators (EMSSS and internal motivations scale for sport spectators (IMSSS developed by Polat and Yalçın (2014 were used as a data collection tool for this study. (EMSSS consists of totally 34 articles and 9 sub - dimensions, which are defined as Social Sharing , Popularity and Actuality, Family Bonds, Promotion and Media, Ethics, Opportunities for Betting, Knowledge, Cultural Development, and Esthetic Values (IMSSS consists of 40 articles and 7 sub - dimensions, whic h are described as National Sentiments, Passion for the Sport, Quality and Sense of Competition, Fanship, Regional Loyalty, Success and Level of Skill, Relaxation and Reducing Stress . T - test, Pearson's correlation analysis and one - way analysis of varianc e test were applied for the analysis of survey data. According to the survey findings; it is possible to say that factors such as gender, active sportsmanship, the most watched sport branch, age, the amount of expenses for watching competitions etc. can in fluence motives for watching sport events.

Watching TV has a distinct sociodemographic and lifestyle profile compared with other sedentary behaviors: A nationwide population-based study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Andrade-Gómez

Full Text Available Watching TV has been consistently associated with higher risk of adverse health outcomes, but the effect of other sedentary behaviors (SB is uncertain. Potential explanations are that watching TV is not a marker of a broader sedentary pattern and that each SB reflects different sociodemographic and health characteristics. Data were taken form a survey on 10,199 individuals, representative of the Spanish population aged ≥18 years. SB and other health behaviors were ascertained using validated questionnaires. Watching TV was the predominant SB (45.4% of the total sitting time, followed by sitting at the computer (22.7%. TV watching time showed no correlation with total time on other SB (r: -0.02, p = 0.07. By contrast, time spent at the computer was directly correlated with time spent on commuting (r: 0.07, p<0.01, listening to music (r: 0.10, p<0.01 and reading (r: 0.08, p<0.01. TV watching time was greater in those with older age, lower education, unhealthier lifestyle, and with diabetes or osteomuscular disease. More time spent at the computer or in commuting was linked to younger age, male gender, higher education and having a sedentary job. In conclusion, watching TV is not correlated with other SB and shows a distinct demographic and lifestyle profile.

Short-Duration X-ray Transients Observed with WATCH on Granat

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castro-Tirado, Alberto J.; Brandt, Søren; Lund, Niels

1995-01-01

During 1990–92, the WATCH all-sky X-ray monitor on GRANAT has discovered 6 short-duration X-ray transients. We discuss their possible relationship to peculiar stars. Only one source, GRS 1100-77 seems to be related to a T Tauri star....

Modeling of discharges generated by electron beams in dense gases: Fountain and thunderstorm regimes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macheret, S.O.; Shneider, M.N.; Miles, R.B.

2001-01-01

In this paper we present an analysis of the predicted dynamics of plasmas generated in air and other gases by injecting beams of high-energy electrons. Two distinct regimes are found, differing in the way that the excess negative charge brought in by the ionizing electron beam is removed. In the first regime, called a fountain, the charge is removed by the back current of plasma electrons toward the injection foil. In the second, called a thunderstorm, a substantial cloud of negative charge accumulates, and the increased electric field near the cloud causes a streamer to strike between the cloud and a positive or grounded electrode, or between two clouds created by two different beams. A quantitative analysis, including electron beam propagation, electrodynamics, charge particle kinetics, and a simplified heat balance, is performed in a one-dimensional approximation

'Mussel Watch' and chemical contamination of the coasts by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrington, J.W.

1999-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) enter the coastal marine environment from three general categories of sources; pyrogenic, petrogenic (or petroleum), and natural diagenesis. PAH from different sources appear to have differential biological availability related to how the PAH are sorbed, trapped, or chemically bound to particulate matter, including soot. Experience to date with bivalve sentinel organism, or 'Mussel Watch', monitoring programs indicates that these programs can provide a reasonable general assessment of the status and trends of biologically available PAH in coastal ecosystems. As fossil fuel use increases in developing countries, it is important that programs such as the International Mussel Watch Program provide assessments of the status and trends of PAH contamination of coastal ecosystems of these countries. (author)

Reading Books and Watching Films as a Protective Factor against Suicidal Ideation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasahara-Kiritani, Mami; Hadlaczky, Gergö; Westerlund, Michael; Carli, Vladimir; Wasserman, Camilla; Apter, Alan; Balazs, Judit; Bobes, Julio; Brunner, Romuald; McMahon, Elaine M; Cosman, Doina; Farkas, Luca; Haring, Christian; Kaess, Michael; Kahn, Jean-Pierre; Keeley, Helen; Nemes, Bogdan; Mars Bitenc, Urša; Postuvan, Vita; Saiz, Pilar; Sisask, Merike; Värnik, Airi; Sarchiapone, Marco; Hoven, Christina W; Wasserman, Danuta

2015-12-15

Reading books and watching films were investigated as protective factors for serious suicidal ideation (SSI) in young people with low perceived social belonging. Cross-sectional and longitudinal (12-month) analyses were performed using data from a representative European sample of 3256 students from the "Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe" study. Low social belonging was associated to SSI. However, reading books and watching films moderated this association, especially for those with lowest levels of belonging. This was true both at baseline and at 12 months of follow-up analyses. These media may act as sources of social support or mental health literacy and thus reduce the suicide risk constituted by low sense of belonging.

Reading Books and Watching Films as a Protective Factor against Suicidal Ideation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mami Kasahara-Kiritani

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Reading books and watching films were investigated as protective factors for serious suicidal ideation (SSI in young people with low perceived social belonging. Cross-sectional and longitudinal (12-month analyses were performed using data from a representative European sample of 3256 students from the “Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe” study. Low social belonging was associated to SSI. However, reading books and watching films moderated this association, especially for those with lowest levels of belonging. This was true both at baseline and at 12 months of follow-up analyses. These media may act as sources of social support or mental health literacy and thus reduce the suicide risk constituted by low sense of belonging.

MedWatch, the FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program

Science.gov (United States)

... Reporting Program MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it ... approved information that can help patients avoid serious adverse events. Potential Signals of Serious Risks/New Safety ...

Aid/Watch and the Public Benefit of Advocacy for the Extra-territorial Relief of Poverty

OpenAIRE

David Barnden; Giri Sivaraman

2011-01-01

The disqualification of Aid/Watch as a charity and the High Court of Australia's subsequent decision shines a spotlight on the common law definition of charitable activity. The Aid/Watch decision enables charitable organisations to legitimately advocate for more efficient implementation of government policies on the relief of poverty and for the advancement of education and religion, without fear of reprisal. Initially we comment on the inherent tension the Australian Taxation Office e...

Recreational valuation of whale watching safaris, a case study from the Andøy region

OpenAIRE

Robertsen, Liv Tone Olsen

2014-01-01

Due to increased activity level along the Norwegian coast and ocean, there is an increasing need of estimating the non-market values from potentially affected marine ecosystem services. One activity that might be impacted from marine activities and regulations is whale watching. The demand of whale watching has increased rapidly the past decades, and generates remarkable economic and recreational benefits to the society. The recreational benefits are not directly obtained through the market p...

Associations between children's diet quality and watching television during meal or snack consumption: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Avery, Amanda; Anderson, Catherine; McCullough, Fiona

2017-10-01

Studies have identified an association between watching television (TV) and childhood obesity. This review adds context to existing research by examining the associations between TV viewing, whilst eating, and children's diet quality. Web of Science and PubMed databases were searched from January 2000 to June 2014. Cross-sectional trials of case control or cohort studies, which included baseline data, measuring the associations between eating whilst watching TV and children's food and drink intake. Quality of selected papers was assessed. Thirteen studies, representing 61,674 children aged 1-18 yrs, met inclusion criteria. Of six studies reporting overall food habits, all found a positive association between TV viewing and consumption of pizza, fried foods, sweets, and snacks. Of eight studies looking at fruit and vegetable consumption, seven identified a negative association with eating whilst watching TV (p consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and high-fat, high-sugar foods and fewer fruits and vegetables. Although these differences in consumption are small, the cumulative effect may contribute to the positive association between eating whilst watching TV and childhood obesity. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Psychosocial and Patient Education Needs of Prostate Cancers Selecting Watchful Waiting

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Knight, Sara J; Latini, David M

2006-01-01

... of this approach to disease management. We propose to gather data from prostate cancer patients selecting watchful waiting in lieu of an active treatment for their cancer in order to understand the psychosocial and symptom management...

Comparison of WATCH and IPN Locations of Gamma-Ray Bursts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hurley, K.; Lund, Niels; Brandt, Søren

1994-01-01

The WATCH all sky monitors aboard the Granat and EURECA spacecraft have the capability of independently localizing gamma‐ray bursts to error circles whose 3 sigma radii are 1 degree or less. These are the most accurate single‐experiment localizations currently achievable. In those cases where bot...

Investigating the Free-Body Diagram of a Stationary Object on an Inclined Plane Using Apple Watch

Science.gov (United States)

Dilek, Ufuk; Çaliskan, Serap

2017-01-01

In this study, we present an activity in which the free-body diagram of a real stationary object on an inclined plane can be examined interactively. We use an Apple Watch and a few other materials that can be accessed easily. Instead of an Apple Watch, a mobile phone or a tablet could also be used. This activity may be employed to introduce the…

Validity and Reliability of the Apple Watch for Measuring\\ud Heart Rate During Exercise

OpenAIRE

Khushhal, Alaa; Nichols, Simon; Evans, Will; Gleadall-Siddall, Damien; Page, Richard; O'Doherty, Alasdair; Carroll, Sean; Ingle, Lee; Abt, Grant

2017-01-01

We examined the validity and reliability of the Apple Watch heart rate sensor during and in recovery from exercise. Twentyone males completed treadmill exercise while wearing two Apple Watches (left and right wrists) and a Polar S810i monitor (criterion). Exercise involved 5-min bouts of walking, jogging, and running at speeds of 4 km.h − 1, 7 km.h − 1, and 10 km.h − 1, followed by 11 min of rest between bouts. At all exercise intensities the mean bias was trivial. There were very good correl...

Aid/Watch and the Public Benefit of Advocacy for the Extra-territorial Relief of Poverty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Barnden

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The disqualification of Aid/Watch as a charity and the High Court of Australia's subsequent decision shines a spotlight on the common law definition of charitable activity. The Aid/Watch decision enables charitable organisations to legitimately advocate for more efficient implementation of government policies on the relief of poverty and for the advancement of education and religion, without fear of reprisal. Initially we comment on the inherent tension the Australian Taxation Office experiences as a result of its status as a government department, its responsibilities to administer revenue collection and its role interpreting charity law. We then discuss the common law definition of charity and the Constitutional basis for the High Court’s decision in Aid/Watch. To conclude we outline areas of uncertainties but also potential benefits to charitable organisations which are relevant for any proposal to define ‘charitable organisation’.

“Veillant Panoptic Assemblage”: Mutual Watching and Resistance to Mass Surveillance after Snowden

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vian Bakir

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The Snowden leaks indicate the extent, nature, and means of contemporary mass digital surveillance of citizens by their intelligence agencies and the role of public oversight mechanisms in holding intelligence agencies to account. As such, they form a rich case study on the interactions of “veillance” (mutual watching involving citizens, journalists, intelligence agencies and corporations. While Surveillance Studies, Intelligence Studies and Journalism Studies have little to say on surveillance of citizens’ data by intelligence agencies (and complicit surveillant corporations, they offer insights into the role of citizens and the press in holding power, and specifically the political-intelligence elite, to account. Attention to such public oversight mechanisms facilitates critical interrogation of issues of surveillant power, resistance and intelligence accountability. It directs attention to the veillant panoptic assemblage (an arrangement of profoundly unequal mutual watching, where citizens’ watching of self and others is, through corporate channels of data flow, fed back into state surveillance of citizens. Finally, it enables evaluation of post-Snowden steps taken towards achieving an equiveillant panoptic assemblage (where, alongside state and corporate surveillance of citizens, the intelligence-power elite, to ensure its accountability, faces robust scrutiny and action from wider civil society.

Watching TV has a distinct sociodemographic and lifestyle profile compared with other sedentary behaviors: A nationwide population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade-Gómez, Elena; García-Esquinas, Esther; Ortolá, Rosario; Martínez-Gómez, David; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando

2017-01-01

Watching TV has been consistently associated with higher risk of adverse health outcomes, but the effect of other sedentary behaviors (SB) is uncertain. Potential explanations are that watching TV is not a marker of a broader sedentary pattern and that each SB reflects different sociodemographic and health characteristics. Data were taken form a survey on 10,199 individuals, representative of the Spanish population aged ≥18 years. SB and other health behaviors were ascertained using validated questionnaires. Watching TV was the predominant SB (45.4% of the total sitting time), followed by sitting at the computer (22.7%). TV watching time showed no correlation with total time on other SB (r: -0.02, p = 0.07). By contrast, time spent at the computer was directly correlated with time spent on commuting (r: 0.07, pmusic (r: 0.10, peducation, unhealthier lifestyle, and with diabetes or osteomuscular disease. More time spent at the computer or in commuting was linked to younger age, male gender, higher education and having a sedentary job. In conclusion, watching TV is not correlated with other SB and shows a distinct demographic and lifestyle profile.

Are we in Sync? Synchronization Requirements for Watching Online Video Together

NARCIS (Netherlands)

D. Geerts (David); I. Vaishnavi (Ishan); R.N. Mekuria (Rufael); M.O. van Deventer (Oskar); P.S. Cesar Garcia (Pablo Santiago)

2011-01-01

htmlabstractSynchronization between locations is an important factor for enabling remote shared experiences. Still, experimental data on what is the acceptable synchronization level is scarce. This paper discusses the synchronization requirements for watching online videos together - a popular set

A Smart Tool for the Diagnosis of Parkinsonian Syndromes using Wireless Watches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas Goll

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Early detection and diagnosis of Parkinson disease will provide a good chance for patients to take early actions and prevent its further development. In this paper, a smart tool for the diagnosis of Parkinsonian syndromes is designed and developed using low–cost Texas Instruments eZ430-Chronos wireless watches. With this smart tool, Parkinson Bradykinesia is detected based on the cycle of a human gait, with the watch worn on the foot, and Parkinson Tremor shaking is detected and differed by frequency 0 to 8 Hz on the arm in real-time with a developed statistical diagnosis chart. It can be used in small clinics as well as home environment due to its low-cost and easy-use property.

LEONA: Transient Luminous Event and Thunderstorm High Energy Emission Collaborative Network in Latin America

Science.gov (United States)

Sao Sabbas, F. T.

2012-12-01

This project has the goal of establishing the Collaborative Network LEONA, to study the electrodynamical coupling of the atmospheric layers signaled by Transient Luminous Events - TLEs and high energy emissions from thunderstorms. We will develop and install a remotely controlled network of cameras to perform TLE observations in different locations in South America and one neutron detector in southern Brazil. The camera network will allow building a continuous data set of the phenomena studied in this continent. The first two trial units of the camera network are already installed, in Brazil and Peru, and two more will be installed until December 2012, in Argentina and Brazil. We expect to determine the TLE geographic distribution, occurrence rate, morphology, and possible coupling with other geophysical phenomena in South America, such as the South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly - SAMA. We also expect to study thunderstorm neutron emissions in a region of intense electrical activity, measuring neutron fluxes with high time resolution simultaneously with TLEs and lightning for the first time in South America. Using an intensified high-speed camera for TLE observation during 2 campaigns we expect to be able to determine the duration and spatial- temporal development of the TLEs observed, to study the structure and initiation of sprites and to measure the velocity of development of sprite structures and the sprite delay. The camera was acquired via the FAPESP project DEELUMINOS (2005-2010), which also nucleated our research group Atmospheric Electrodynamical Coupling - ACATMOS. LEONA will nucleate this research in other institutions in Brazil and other countries in South America, providing continuity for this important research in our region. The camera network will be an unique tool to perform consistent long term TLE observation, and in fact is the only way to accumulate a data set for a climatological study of South America, since satellite instrumentation turns off in

Television watching and incident diabetes: Findings from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Potsdam Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Earl S; Schulze, Matthias B; Kröger, Janine; Pischon, Tobias; Bergmann, Manuela M; Boeing, Heiner

2010-03-01

The aim of the present study was to examine whether the amount of time spent watching television is a potential risk factor for incident diabetes and to what extent this association may be explained by obesity. We used data for 23,855 men and women from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Potsdam Study. During an average of 7.8 years of follow-up, 927 participants developed diabetes. Incident diabetes was identified on the basis of self-report and was verified by contacting the patient's attending physician. The amount of time spent watching television was self-reported. The mean time that the participants who developed diabetes watched television was 2.4 h/week, compared with 2.0 h/week for those who did not develop diabetes (Pday of television compared with those who watched day was 1.63 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.17-2.27]. After additional adjustment for waist circumference and body mass index, the hazard ratio was reduced to 1.14 (95% CI: 0.81-1.61). In the present study, the amount of time spent watching television was an independent predictor of incident diabetes only in models that adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle behaviors, and systolic blood pressure. The attenuation of the association after adjusting for anthropometric measures may represent an explanatory mechanism for our findings. Published 2010. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Do medical students watch video clips in eLearning and do these facilitate learning?

Science.gov (United States)

Romanov, Kalle; Nevgi, Anne

2007-06-01

There is controversial evidence of the impact of individual learning style on students' performance in computer-aided learning. We assessed the association between the use of multimedia materials, such as video clips, and collaborative communication tools with learning outcome among medical students. One hundred and twenty-one third-year medical students attended a course in medical informatics (0.7 credits) consisting of lectures, small group sessions and eLearning material. The eLearning material contained six learning modules with integrated video clips and collaborative learning tools in WebCT. Learning outcome was measured with a course exam. Approximately two-thirds of students (68.6%) viewed two or more videos. Female students were significantly more active video-watchers. No significant associations were found between video-watching and self-test scores or the time used in eLearning. Video-watchers were more active in WebCT; they loaded more pages and more actively participated in discussion forums. Video-watching was associated with a better course grade. Students who watched video clips were more active in using collaborative eLearning tools and achieved higher course grades.

Optical Follow-Up of Gamma-Ray Bursts Observed by WATCH

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castro-Tirado, A.; Brandt, Søren; Lund, Niels

1994-01-01

44 Gamma‐Ray Bursts have been localized by the WATCH experiments on GRANAT and EURECA. For some of them, Schmidt plates were taken within days after the burst. In other cases, time‐correlated plates were found in some of the main astronomical archives. No obvious optical counterpart has been found...

High-dose chemoradiotherapy and watchful waiting for distal rectal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Appelt, Ane L; Pløen, John; Harling, Henrik

2015-01-01

-dose radiotherapy with concomitant chemotherapy followed by observation (watchful waiting) was successful for non-surgical management of low rectal cancer. METHODS: Patients with primary, resectable, T2 or T3, N0-N1 adenocarcinoma in the lower 6 cm of the rectum were given chemoradiotherapy (60 Gy in 30 fractions...

3 keys to defeating unconscious bias watch, think, act

CERN Document Server

Thiederman, Sondra

2015-01-01

Have you ever had a biased thought? If the answer is “yes,” join the club. Everybody has biases and, although that doesn’t make us bad people, it does mean we compromise our ability to get along with people who are different from us. The good news is, there’s a lot we can do to defeat bias. Calling on Dr. Sondra Thiederman’s twenty-five years of experience in the diversity/inclusion field, the book lays out an innovative WATCH, THINK, ACT strategy that each of us can immediately apply to the task. Easy-to-read and filled with anecdotes and activities, 3 Keys shows the reader: • How to WATCH their thoughts, experiences, and actions to identify unconscious biases and target them for extinction. • How to THINK in such a way as to weaken and control our biases. • How to ACT to defeat our biases and cultivate the kind of common ground that we know to be inhospitable to the survival of bias. Designed to motivate real change, the answer to defeating our biases is in these pages. The rest is up to you...

Current National Weather Service Watches, Warnings, or Advisories for the United States

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The National Weather Service (NWS) Storm Prediction Center uses RSS feeds to disseminate all watches, warnings and advisories for the United States that are...

Observations of cosmic gamma ray bursts with WATCH on EURECA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandt, Søren; Lund, N.; Castro-Tirado, A. J.

1995-01-01

19 Cosmic Gamma-Ray Bursts were detected by the WATCH wide field X-ray monitor during the 11 months flight of EURECA. The identification of the bursts were complicated by a high frequency of background of events caused by high energy cosmic ray interactions in the detector and by low energy, trap...

What men and women think while watching the news: An exploration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hendriks Vettehen, P.G.J.; Schaap, G.J.; Schlösser, S.

2004-01-01

This study addresses gender differences in television news processing. Male and female subjects were asked to verbalize their thoughts while they watched an edited television newscast. The authors use an interpretive procedure to analyze both the newscast's content and protocols of the thoughts

Foreign-grammar acquisition while watching subtitled television programmes.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Lommel, Sven; Laenen, Annouschka; d'Ydewalle, Géry

2006-06-01

Past research has shown that watching a subtitled foreign movie (i.e. foreign language in the soundtrack and native language in the subtitles) leads to considerable foreign-language vocabulary acquisition; however, acquisition of the grammatical rules has failed to emerge. The aim of this study was to obtain evidence for the acquisition of grammatical rules in watching subtitled foreign movies. Given an informal context, younger children were predicted to outperform older children in acquiring a foreign language; however, older children will take more advantage of explicit instruction compared with younger children. In Experiment 1, 62 sixth-graders from a primary school and 47 sixth-graders from a secondary school volunteered to participate. The participants in Experiment 2 were 94 sixth-graders from primary schools and 84 sixth-graders from secondary schools. The two experiments manipulated the instructions (incidental- vs. intentional-language learning). Moreover, before the experiments began, some participants explicitly received some of the foreign grammatical rules (presented rules), while the movie contained cases of presented rules as well as cases of rules which had to be inferred (not-presented rules). Rule acquisition through the movie only was not obtained; there was a strong effect of advance rule presentation but only on the items of presented rules, particularly among the older participants. Contrary to vocabulary, grammar may be too complicated to acquire from a rather short movie presentation.

Television watching, leisure time physical activity, and the genetic predisposition in relation to body mass index in women and men.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Qibin; Li, Yanping; Chomistek, Andrea K; Kang, Jae H; Curhan, Gary C; Pasquale, Louis R; Willett, Walter C; Rimm, Eric B; Hu, Frank B; Qi, Lu

2012-10-09

Previous studies on gene-lifestyle interaction and obesity have focused mostly on the FTO gene and physical activity, whereas little attention has been paid to sedentary behavior as indicated by television (TV) watching. We analyzed interactions between TV watching, leisure time physical activity, and genetic predisposition in relation to body mass index (BMI) in 7740 women and 4564 men from 2 prospective cohorts: The Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Data on physical activity and TV watching were collected 2 years before assessment of BMI. A weighted genetic risk score was calculated on the basis of 32 established BMI-associated variants. In both women and men, the genetic associations with BMI strengthened with increased hours of TV watching. An increment of 10 points in the weighted genetic risk score was associated with 0.8 (SE, 0.4), 0.8 (SE, 0.2), 1.4 (SE, 0.2), 1.5 (SE, 0.2), and 3.4 (SE, 1.0) kg/m(2) higher BMI across the 5 categories of TV watching (0-1, 2-5, 6-20, 21-40, and >40 h/wk; P for interaction=0.001). In contrast, the genetic association with BMI weakened with increased levels of physical activity. An increment of 10 points in the weighted genetic risk score was associated with 1.5 (SE, 0.2), 1.3 (SE, 0.2), 1.2 (SE, 0.2), 1.2 (SE, 0.2), and 0.8 (SE, 0.2) kg/m(2) higher BMI across the quintiles of physical activity. The interactions of TV watching and physical activity with genetic predisposition in relation to BMI were independent of each other. A sedentary lifestyle, indicated by prolonged TV watching, may accentuate the predisposition to elevated adiposity, whereas greater leisure time physical activity may attenuate the genetic association.

Comparative evaluation of heart rate-based monitors: Apple Watch vs Fitbit Charge HR.

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Yang; Hibbing, Paul; Mantis, Constantine; Welk, Gregory J

2018-08-01

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the validity of energy expenditure (EE), steps, and heart rate measured with the Apple Watch 1 and Fitbit Charge HR. Thirty-nine healthy adults wore the two monitors while completing a semi-structured activity protocol consisting of 20 minutes of sedentary activity, 25 minutes of aerobic exercise, and 25 minutes of light intensity physical activity. Criterion measures were obtained from an Oxycon Mobile for EE, a pedometer for steps, and a Polar heart rate strap worn on the chest for heart rate. For estimating whole-trial EE, the mean absolute percent error (MAPE) from Fitbit Charge HR (32.9%) was more than twice that of Apple Watch 1 (15.2%). This trend was consistent for the individual conditions. Both monitors accurately assessed steps during aerobic activity (MAPE Apple : 6.2%; MAPE Fitbit : 9.4%) but overestimated steps in light physical activity. For heart rate, Fitbit Charge HR produced its smallest MAPE in sedentary behaviors (7.2%), followed by aerobic exercise (8.4%), and light activity (10.1%). The Apple Watch 1 had stronger validity than the Fitbit Charge HR for assessing overall EE and steps during aerobic exercise. The Fitbit Charge HR provided heart rate estimates that were statistically equivalent to Polar monitor.

Case study of a severe windstorm over Slovakia and Hungary on 25 June 2008

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, André; Kaňák, Ján; Sokol, Alois; Putsay, Mária; Uhrínová, Lucia; Csirmaz, Kálmán; Okon, Ľuboslav; Habrovský, Richard

2011-06-01

A system of thunderstorms approached the Slovakia and Hungary in the late evening hours of 25 June 2008, causing extensive damage and peak wind gusts up to 40 m/s. This study examines the macro- and mesosynoptic conditions for the windstorm using soundings, analyses, and forecasts of numerical models (ALADIN, ECMWF). A derecho-like character of the event is discussed. Meteosat Second Generation imagery and convective indices inferred from satellite and model data are used to assess the humidity distribution and the conditional instability of the thunderstorm environment. An intrusion of the environmental dry air into the convective system and intensification of downdrafts is considered to be one of the reasons for the damaging winds observed at some areas. This is supported by the radar imagery showing a sudden drop of radar reflectivity and creation of line echo wave patterns and bow echoes. A numerical simulation provided by the non-hydrostatic MM5 model indicated the development of meso-γ scale vortices embedded in the convective system. The genesis and a possible role of such vortices in creating rear-inflow jets and intensifying the low level winds are investigated with the help of the vorticity equation and several other diagnostic parameters. In addition, the effect of various physical parameterisations on the forecast of the windstorm is evaluated.

Investigating the free-body diagram of a stationary object on an inclined plane using Apple Watch

Science.gov (United States)

Dilek, Ufuk; Çalışkan, Serap

2017-11-01

In this study, we present an activity in which the free-body diagram of a real stationary object on an inclined plane can be examined interactively. We use an Apple Watch and a few other materials that can be accessed easily. Instead of an Apple Watch, a mobile phone or a tablet could also be used. This activity may be employed to introduce the fundamental concepts associated with free-body diagrams in classroom settings, or adapted to physics labs.

An improved lightning flash rate parameterization developed from Colorado DC3 thunderstorm data for use in cloud-resolving chemical transport models

Science.gov (United States)

Basarab, B. M.; Rutledge, S. A.; Fuchs, B. R.

2015-09-01

Accurate prediction of total lightning flash rate in thunderstorms is important to improve estimates of nitrogen oxides (NOx) produced by lightning (LNOx) from the storm scale to the global scale. In this study, flash rate parameterization schemes from the literature are evaluated against observed total flash rates for a sample of 11 Colorado thunderstorms, including nine storms from the Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry (DC3) experiment in May-June 2012. Observed flash rates were determined using an automated algorithm that clusters very high frequency radiation sources emitted by electrical breakdown in clouds and detected by the northern Colorado lightning mapping array. Existing schemes were found to inadequately predict flash rates and were updated based on observed relationships between flash rate and simple storm parameters, yielding significant improvement. The most successful updated scheme predicts flash rate based on the radar-derived mixed-phase 35 dBZ echo volume. Parameterizations based on metrics for updraft intensity were also updated but were found to be less reliable predictors of flash rate for this sample of storms. The 35 dBZ volume scheme was tested on a data set containing radar reflectivity volume information for thousands of isolated convective cells in different regions of the U.S. This scheme predicted flash rates to within 5.8% of observed flash rates on average. These results encourage the application of this scheme to larger radar data sets and its possible implementation into cloud-resolving models.

Connoisseurship as a Substitute for User Research? The Case of the Swiss Watch Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew Sinclair

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Conventional wisdom holds that new product development is more successfully undertaken when design is user-led. An exception is the luxury goods sector, in which a common presentation of the brand is one where the customer should aspire to the vision of its designers. In such cases, the proprietor is often cast as a connoisseur, an expert in the brand’s history who is intuitively able to give vision and direction. Within the Swiss luxury watch industry, heritage and the illusion of exclusivity are vital strategies in the communication of products as luxury items. Connoisseurship plays a central role in this communication, establishing the boundaries of brands whose products might otherwise appear similar. In such cases, connoisseurship is presented to the customer as superior to user research, engendering products with a sophistication which customer insights cannot provide. Nonetheless, whilst conventional user research methods play little part in the design of Swiss watches, less formal methods are employed. These are shown to also have application in non-luxury sectors too. The utilization of strategies employed by the Swiss watch industry in future scenarios of new product development is also discussed.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems for Disaster Relief: Tornado Alley

Science.gov (United States)

DeBusk, Wesley M.

2009-01-01

Unmanned aerial vehicle systems are currently in limited use for public service missions worldwide. Development of civil unmanned technology in the United States currently lags behind military unmanned technology development in part because of unresolved regulatory and technological issues. Civil unmanned aerial vehicle systems have potential to augment disaster relief and emergency response efforts. Optimal design of aerial systems for such applications will lead to unmanned vehicles which provide maximum potentiality for relief and emergency response while accounting for public safety concerns and regulatory requirements. A case study is presented that demonstrates application of a civil unmanned system to a disaster relief mission with the intent on saving lives. The concept utilizes unmanned aircraft to obtain advanced warning and damage assessments for tornados and severe thunderstorms. Overview of a tornado watch mission architecture as well as commentary on risk, cost, need for, and design tradeoffs for unmanned aerial systems are provided.

Transport of rare earth element-tagged soil particles in response to thunderstorm runoff.

Science.gov (United States)

Matisoff, G; Ketterer, M E; Wilson, C G; Layman, R; Whiting, P J

2001-08-15

The downslope transport of rare earth element-tagged soil particles remobilized during a spring thunderstorm was studied on both a natural prairie and an agricultural field in southwestern Iowa (U.S.A.). A technique was developed for tagging natural soils with the rare earth elements Eu, Tb, and Ho to approximately 1,000 ppm via coprecipitation with MnO2. Tagged material was replaced in target locations; surficial soil samples were collected following precipitation and runoff; and rare earth element concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Diffusion and exponential models were applied to the concentration-distance data to determine particle transport distances. The results indicate that the concentration-distance data are well described by the diffusion model, butthe exponential model does not simulate the rapid drop-off in concentrations near the tagged source. Using the diffusion model, calculated particle transport distances at all hillside locations and at both the cultivated and natural prairie sites were short, ranging from 3 to 73 cm during this single runoff event. This study successfully demonstrates a new tool for studying soil erosion.

ATTITUDES OF SERBIAN CONSUMERS TOWARD ADVERTISING THROUGH SPORT WITH REGARD TO THE FREQUENCY OF WATCHING SPORTS EVENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stevo Popović

2015-05-01

Full Text Available It is proposed that potential cosumers form attitudes based on advertising through sport can influence decisions to purchase a particular advertiser’s product (Pyun, 2006. From this reason, it is important to analyse their general attitudes toward advertising through sport among various questions, and this investigation was aimed at gaining relevant knowledge about the attitudes of Serbian consumers toward advertising through sport among. Methods: The sample included 127 respondents, divided into six subsample groups: cconsumers, who do not watch sports events at all, then consumers who watch sports events 1-30 minutes, next 31-60 minutes, 61-90 minutes, 91-120 minutes, as well as consumers who watch sports events more than 120 minutes during the typical day. The sample of variables contained the system of three general attitudes which were modeled by seven-point Likert scale. The results of the measuring were analyzed by multivariate analysis (MANOVA and univariate analysis (ANOVA and Post Hoc test. Results: Based on the statistical analyses it was found that significant differences didn’t occur at multivariate level, as well as between all three variables at a significance level of p=.05. Hence, it is interesting to highlight that it was found there are no significant differences showed up between the attitudes of consumers toward advertising through sport among the frequency of watching sports events. Discussion: These results are so important for the marketers, mostly due to the reason they can merge all the potential consumers regarding the frequency they watch the sports events. On the other hand, this wasn’t the case in previous investigations (Bjelica and Popović, 2011 and this observation presents relevant information.

The energy expenditure of an activity-promoting video game compared to sedentary video games and TV watching.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitre, Naim; Foster, Randal C; Lanningham-Foster, Lorraine; Levine, James A

2011-01-01

In the present study we investigated the effect of television watching and the use of activity-promoting video games on energy expenditure in obese and lean children. Energy expenditure and physical activity were measured while participants were watching television, playing a video game on a traditional sedentary video game console, and while playing the same video game on an activity-promoting video game console. Energy expenditure was significantly greater than television watching and playing video games on a sedentary video game console when children played the video game on the activity-promoting console. When examining movement with accelerometry, children moved significantly more when playing the video game on the Nintendo Wii console. Activity-promoting video games have shown to increase movement, and be an important tool to raise energy expenditure by 50% when compared to sedentary activities of daily living.

PSA doubling time of prostate carcinoma managed with watchful observation alone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choo, Richard; DeBoer, Gerrit; Klotz, Lawrence; Danjoux, Cyril; Morton, Gerard C.; Rakovitch, Eileen; Fleshner, Neil; Bunting, Peter; Kapusta, Linda; Hruby, George

2001-01-01

Purpose: To study prostate-specific antigen (PSA) doubling time of untreated, favorable grade, prostate carcinoma. Methods and Materials: A prospective single-arm cohort study has been in progress to assess the feasibility of a watchful observation protocol with selective delayed intervention using clinical, histologic, or PSA progression as treatment indication in untreated, localized, favorable grade prostate adenocarcinoma (T1b-T2bN0 M0, Gleason Score ≤7, and PSA ≤15 ng/mL). Patients are conservatively managed with watchful observation alone, as long as they do not meet the arbitrarily defined disease progression criteria. Patients are followed regularly and undergo blood tests including PSA at each visit. PSA doubling time (Td) is estimated from a linear regression of ln(PSA) on time, assuming a simple exponential growth model. Results: As of March 2000, 134 patients have been on the study for a minimum of 12 months (median, 24; range, 12-52) and have a median frequency of PSA measurement of 7 times (range, 3-15). Median age is 70 years. Median PSA at enrollment is 6.3 (range, 0.5-14.6). The distribution of Td is as follows: 50 years, 27. The median Td is 5.1 years. In 44 patients (33%), Td is greater than 10 years. There was no correlation between Td and patient age, clinical T stage, Gleason score, or initial PSA level. Conclusion: Td of untreated prostate cancer varies widely. In our cohort, 33% have Td >10 years. Td may be a useful tool to guide treatment intervention for patients managed conservatively with watchful observation alone

Cardiovascular and Energy Requirements of Parents Watching Their Child Compete: A Pilot Mixed-Methods Investigation

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Marc Lochbaum

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Researchers have extensively documented the cardiovascular and metabolic demands for sports participation. To date, researchers have ignored the same requirements of competitor’s parents. Hence, our purpose was to document parent cardiovascular and metabolic responses to watching their child compete while also paying particular attention to their thoughts before and after the competition. Achievement Goal Theory (AGT drove interpretation of parent thoughts. Materials: Parents wore a device, made by Firstbeat Technologies, which continuously monitored heart rate. The parents wore the device the night before the competition to be acclimated to the technology and during the event until later in the day. Parents also completed two open-ended questions, one before the tournament and one after the contest. Results: Before the contest, the dad expected that his son won the event (Croatian National Championships for juniors. Conversely, the mother’s expectations centered more on her son’s enjoyment and competing to the best of his abilities. Parents had differing cardiovascular and energy requirement responses to watching their son compete. In addition, post-competition reflections differed as the father expressed disappointment whereas the mother expressed sadness. Conclusions: The data presented are unique and a first in the sports literature. The parents varied in the intensity of their cardiovascular responses and calories burned while watching their son compete. The father’s cardiovascular response over the course of watching was that of an aerobic workout. Whether this pattern is unique or universal are a critical research question. Last, AGT appears relevant when assessing the parent’s expectations.

Challenges and considerations for the design and production of a purpose-optimized body-worn wrist-watch computer

Science.gov (United States)

Narayanaswami, Chandra; Raghunath, Mandayam T.

2004-09-01

We outline a collection of technological challenges in the design of wearable computers with a focus on one of the most desirable form-factors, the wrist watch. We describe our experience with building three generations of wrist watch computers. We built these research prototypes as platforms to investigate the fundamental limitations of wearable computing. Results of our investigations are presented in the form of challenges that have been overcome and those that still remain.

Fall Detection Using Commodity Smart Watch and Smart Phone

OpenAIRE

Maglogiannis , Ilias; Ioannou , Charalampos; Spyroglou , George; Tsanakas , Panayiotis

2014-01-01

Part 3: Social Media and Mobile Applications of AI; International audience; Human motion data captured from wearable devices such as smart watches can be utilized for activity recognition or emergency event detection, especially in the case of elderly or disabled people living independently in their homes. The output of such sensors is data streams that require real-time recognition, especially in emergency situations. This paper presents a novel application that utilizes the low-cost Pebble ...

Learning by watching Vernacular Iñupiaq-Inuit design learning as inspiration for design education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janne Beate Reitan

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this article, I explore a single case of vernacular clothing design — the practice and learning of design for contemporary Iñupiaq-Inuit clothing made by women from Kaktovik in Northern Alaska — and I hope to contribute to a better understanding of design practice and learning in general. Design research has many unexplored areas, and one of these omissions is vernacular design, or folk design. In my opinion, professional and academic design may well have something to learn from vernacular design, although this research is about vernacular learning and about what, why and how the‘making’ discipline of clothing design is learned. This study was based on observations of and interviews with seamstresses and research-by-design, which includes authorial participation in designing and sewing in adherence to Iñupiaq tradition. All of this was recorded on digital video film. The investigation of Iñupiaq-Inuit clothing design indicates that watching was the most common way of learning, a phenomenon I have chosen to call learning-by-watching, a concept that can be seen as a development of both Schön and Wenger’s theories of learning, as influenced by John Dewey’s theory of learning-by-doing. This study will be discussed in connection with design education, from kindergarten to professional studies in higher education, in the forthcoming research project, Design Literacy, the purpose of which is to develop theory to improve design education in both compulsory and academic design education. Consequently, to improve design education in general, a thorough focus on learning-by-watching in communities of practice would make for more reflective practitioners and more sustainable design practices in the long run.Keywords: Vernacular design, clothing design, design thinking, learning-by-watching, learning-bydoing.

The elements of a consumer-based initiative in contributing to positive environmental change: Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program.

Science.gov (United States)

Kemmerly, Jennifer Dianto; Macfarlane, Victoria

2009-09-01

Monterey Bay Aquarium launched the Seafood Watch program in 2000. The program's Seafood Watch pocket guide is a simple tool that visitors can use to identify seafood from environmentally responsible sources. Since its inception, more than 2 million pocket guides have been distributed to Monterey Bay Aquarium visitors and 20 million have been distributed through partnerships across the United States. Partner institutions such as aquariums, conservation organizations, and businesses also conduct outreach and are working to influence their local seafood purveyors. An evaluation conducted in 2003 and 2004 assessed the program's strategies for increasing awareness and shifting consumer buying habits as they relate to sustainable seafood, including use of the pocket guide. Visitors who picked up pocket guides were surveyed immediately after their aquarium visit, and again four months later. The evaluation found that most visitors continued to use the guides and had changed their seafood buying habits in several respects. Those interviewed also reported some barriers to using the guides. The elements that appear to be critical to the success of the strategy with respect to changing consumer purchasing habits include: a focused distribution approach; providing credible and specific information on problems and solutions to increase action-related knowledge; providing a trigger or prompt that is available at the time of purchase; and reducing barriers to action, at the point of action, by working with seafood purveyors and the broader sustainable seafood movement to increase knowledge and available options. In response to the evaluation, Seafood Watch has strengthened these elements and expanded to help meet the needs of the broader sustainable seafood movement. A process of strategic planning, evaluation, cooperation among partners, and adaptability to the movement's natural evolution has proven to be critical to the program's success in contributing to the development of a

Choking under monitoring pressure: being watched by the experimenter reduces executive attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Belletier, Clément; Davranche, Karen; Tellier, Idriss S; Dumas, Florence; Vidal, Franck; Hasbroucq, Thierry; Huguet, Pascal

2015-10-01

Performing more poorly given one's skill level ("choking") is likely in situations that offer an incentive if a certain outcome is achieved (outcome pressure) or when one is being watched by others-especially when one's performance is being evaluated (monitoring pressure). According to the choking literature, outcome pressure is associated with reduced executive control of attention, whereas monitoring pressure is associated with increased, yet counterproductive, attention to skill processes. Here, we show the first evidence that monitoring pressure-being watched by the experimenter-may lead individuals with higher working memory to choke on a classic measure of executive control-just the task effect thought to result from outcome pressure. Not only does this finding help refine our understanding of the processes underlying choking under monitoring pressure, but it also leads to a new look at classic audience effects, with an important implication for experimental psychology.

Telling a Story from Watching a Movie Potentially Improving Students’ Oral Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lia Agustina

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Watching a movie in a class has not always been really appreciated by administrators in education since they considered it as something used by teachers when teachers do not have anything better to do. But watching a movie in an appropriate way can be really useful for students since: a. students would learn English in a natural way and associating vocabulary to a context, as presenting vocabulary within a context is important. b. movies are a tool for communication; it is motivated than just doing exercises in students notebooks, c. students are motivated to express ideas and therefore they would feel important as being involve in class, d. moviesoffer a visual context aids, besides verbal language, there is also color, movement, and sound, the class would be livelier. Movie-viewing experiences and it also creates more student-teacher and student-student discussions.

TELLING A STORY FROM WATCHING A MOVIE POTENTIALLY IMPROVING STUDENTS’ ORAL COMMUNICATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lia Agustina

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Watching a movie in a class has not always been really appreciated by administrators in education since they considered it as something used by teachers when teachers do not have anything better to do. But watching a movie in an appropriate way can be really useful for students since: a. students would learn English in a natural way and associating vocabulary to a context, as presenting vocabulary within a context is important. b. movies are a tool for communication; it is motivated than just doing exercises in students notebooks, c. students are motivated to express ideas and therefore they would feel important as being involve in class, d. moviesoffer a visual context aids, besides verbal language, there is also color, movement, and sound, the class would be livelier. Movie-viewing experiences and it also creates more student-teacher and student-student discussions

Deka-keV X-ray observations of solar bursts with WATCH/GRANAT: frequency distributions of burst parameters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Crosby, N.; Vilmer, N.; Lund, Niels

1998-01-01

be observed as low as 10 keV. A statistical study is performed on the total WATCH solar database and frequency distributions are built on measured X-ray flare parameters. It is also investigated how the properties of these frequency distributions behave when subgroups of events defined by different ranges......Solar flare observations in the deka-keV range are performed by the WATCH experiment on board the GRANAT satellite. The WATCH experiment is presented, including the energy calibration as applied in the present work. The creation of the solar burst catalogue covering two years of observation...... is described and some examples of solar observations are given. The estimated energy releases in the flares presented here are found to extend below the range of hard X-ray flares which were previously studied by ISEE-3 and HXRBS/SMM detectors. The X-ray emitting component cannot be exclusively explained...

Trial watch – inhibiting PARP enzymes for anticancer therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Sistigu, Antonella; Manic, Gwenola; Obrist, Florine; Vitale, Ilio

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) are a members of family of enzymes that catalyze poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation) and/or mono(ADP-ribosyl)ation (MARylation), two post-translational protein modifications involved in crucial cellular processes including (but not limited to) the DNA damage response (DDR). PARP1, the most abundant family member, is a nuclear protein that is activated upon sensing distinct types of DNA damage and contributes to their resolution by PARylating multiple DDR players. Recent evidence suggests that, along with DDR, activated PARP1 mediates a series of prosurvival and proapoptotic processes aimed at preserving genomic stability. Despite this potential oncosuppressive role, upregulation and/or overactivation of PARP1 or other PARP enzymes has been reported in a variety of human neoplasms. Over the last few decades, several pharmacologic inhibitors of PARP1 and PARP2 have been assessed in preclinical and clinical studies showing potent antineoplastic activity, particularly against homologous recombination (HR)-deficient ovarian and breast cancers. In this Trial Watch, we describe the impact of PARP enzymes and PARylation in cancer, discuss the mechanism of cancer cell killing by PARP1 inactivation, and summarize the results of recent clinical studies aimed at evaluating the safety and therapeutic profile of PARP inhibitors in cancer patients. PMID:27308587

Trial Watch: Toll-like receptor agonists in oncological indications.

Science.gov (United States)

Aranda, Fernando; Vacchelli, Erika; Obrist, Florine; Eggermont, Alexander; Galon, Jérôme; Sautès-Fridman, Catherine; Cremer, Isabelle; Henrik Ter Meulen, Jan; Zitvogel, Laurence; Kroemer, Guido; Galluzzi, Lorenzo

2014-01-01

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are an evolutionarily conserved group of enzymatically inactive, single membrane-spanning proteins that recognize a wide panel of exogenous and endogenous danger signals. Besides constituting a crucial component of the innate immune response to bacterial and viral pathogens, TLRs appear to play a major role in anticancer immunosurveillance. In line with this notion, several natural and synthetic TLR ligands have been intensively investigated for their ability to boost tumor-targeting immune responses elicited by a variety of immunotherapeutic and chemotherapeutic interventions. Three of these agents are currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or equivalent regulatory agencies for use in cancer patients: the so-called bacillus Calmette-Guérin, monophosphoryl lipid A, and imiquimod. However, the number of clinical trials testing the therapeutic potential of both FDA-approved and experimental TLR agonists in cancer patients is stably decreasing, suggesting that drug developers and oncologists are refocusing their interest on alternative immunostimulatory agents. Here, we summarize recent findings on the use of TLR agonists in cancer patients and discuss how the clinical evaluation of FDA-approved and experimental TLR ligands has evolved since the publication of our first Trial Watch dealing with this topic.

How does Australia's largest dolphin-watching industry affect the behaviour of a small and resident population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins?

Science.gov (United States)

Steckenreuter, Andre; Möller, Luciana; Harcourt, Robert

2012-04-30

The small, genetically distinct population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in Port Stephens, New South Wales (NSW), is the target of the largest dolphin-watching industry in Australia and is located within the Port Stephens - Great Lakes Marine Park that was created in 2005. The effects of this industry have been identified as of significant management importance by the Marine Parks Authority NSW. Accordingly, the impact of commercial dolphin-watching boats was investigated from boat-based surveys from August 2008 to August 2009. Presence of dolphin-watching boats altered both the dolphins' behavioural states and activity budgets. Dolphins spent 66.5% less time feeding and 44.2% less time socialising, spent four times more milling, and were never observed to rest in the presence of dolphin-watching boats. Moreover, dolphin groups were more cohesive during dolphin-watching boat encounters and dolphins tended to avoid tour boats. These effects were exacerbated as the number of boats increased and the distance from boats decreased. The rate of approach was high with boats approaching each dolphin group three times per day in winter and six times in summer. Moreover, groups of dolphins with newborns were approached closer than state regulated minimum approach distances in nine out of ten encounters. Globally, dolphin-watching industries frequent small resident groups of coastal dolphins and effects are likely to be similar. We suggest that existing controls are inadequate and that these together with additional regulations be enforced by a regular presence of authorities. We suggest no more than one dolphin-watching boat within 50 m of a group of dolphins, or 100 m if calves are present. Operating times of dolphin-watching boats should be restricted in numbers after 1 pm, i.e., during preferred foraging times for dolphins. Additionally, exclusion zones should be considered to reduce pressure on dolphins undertaking critical activities such as

Technology Watch and Competitive Intelligence: A New Challenge in Education for Information.

Science.gov (United States)

Dou, Henri; And Others

1993-01-01

Discusses the need for education of information professionals in France to change because of changing needs for scientific, technological, and economic information. The functions of technology watch and competitive intelligence based on an organization's critical success factor are shown to be important. (13 references) (EAM)

Binocular vision and abnormal head posture in children when watching television

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Di Zhang

2016-05-01

Full Text Available AIM: To determine the association between the binocular vision and an abnormal head posture (AHP when watching television (TV in children 7-14y of age. METHODS: Fifty normal children in the normal group and 52 children with an AHP when watching TV in the AHP group were tested for spherical equivalents, far and near fusional convergence (FC and fusional divergence (FD amplitudes, near point of convergence, far and near heterophoria, accommodative convergence/ accommodation ratio and stereoacuity. The values of these tests were compared between the two groups. The independent t test was applied at a confidence level of 95%. RESULTS: The far and near FC amplitudes and far FD amplitudes were lower in the AHP group (the far FC amplitudes: break point 13.6±5.4△, recovery point 8.7±5.4△. The near FC amplitudes: break point 14.5±7.3△, recovery point 10.3±5.1△. The far FD amplitudes: break point 3.9±2.7△, recovery point 2.6±2.3△ compared with those in the normal group (the far FC amplitudes: break point 19.1±6.2△, recovery point 12.4±4.5△. The near FC amplitudes: break point 22.3±8.0△, recovery point 16.1±5.7△. The far FD amplitudes: break point 7.0±2.1△, recovery point 4.6±1.9△. Other tests presented no statistically significant differences. CONCLUSION: An association between the reduced FC and FD amplitudes and the AHP in children when watching TV is proposed in the study. This kind of AHP is considered to be an anomalous manifestation which appears in a part of puerile patients of fusional vergence dysfunction.

Doppler radar observation of thunderstorm circulation in the 1977 trip program. [triple Doppler radar network for lightning detection and ranging

Science.gov (United States)

Lhermitte, R. M.; Conte, D.; Pasqualucci, F.; Lennon, C.; Serafin, R. J.

1978-01-01

Storm data obtained on August 1, 1977 are examined in an attempt to interpret the relationship between lightning occurrence and the thunderstorm inner dynamics and precipitation processes. Horizontal maps are presented which indicated the position of radiation sources detected by the Lightning Detection and Ranging (LDAR) network, together with the horizontal motion fields and radar reflectivity data. Detailed inspection of these fields showed that, although radiation sources are found in the vicinity of precipitation cells, they are not located in the heavy precipitation areas, but rather on their rear side in regions where the configuration of the wind fields suggests the presence of updrafts.

Experimental study of the differential effects of playing versus watching violent video games on children's aggressive behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Polman, Hanneke; de Castro, Bram Orobio; van Aken, Marcel A G

2008-01-01

There is great concern about the effects of playing violent video games on aggressive behavior. The present experimental study was aimed at investigating the differential effects of actively playing vs. passively watching the same violent video game on subsequent aggressive behavior. Fifty-seven children aged 10-13 either played a violent video game (active violent condition), watched the same violent video game (passive violent condition), or played a non-violent video game (active non-violent condition). Aggression was measured through peer nominations of real-life aggressive incidents during a free play session at school. After the active participation of actually playing the violent video game, boys behaved more aggressively than did the boys in the passive game condition. For girls, game condition was not related to aggression. These findings indicate that, specifically for boys, playing a violent video game should lead to more aggression than watching television violence. Copyright 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Effects of Watching Primary Debates in the 2000 U.S. Presidential Campaign.

Science.gov (United States)

Benoit, William L.; McKinney, Mitchell S.; Stephenson, Michael T.

2002-01-01

Reports the results of two studies measuring the effects on undergraduate communication students of watching U.S. presidential primary debates. Concludes that primary debates are capable of influencing both policy and character impressions of the candidates, as well as changing voting intentions and increasing voter confidence. (SG)

Social Media Usage Combined with TV/Video Watching: Opportunities and Associated Challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.A. Montagud Climent (Mario); P.S. Cesar Garcia (Pablo Santiago); F. Boronat (Fernando); D. Marfil (Dani)

2015-01-01

htmlabstractThis paper provides an overview of the impact and opportunities provided by Social Media and other social interaction tools when watching TV/video content. The analysis has been conducted from the viewpoints of both individual and shared media experiences between remote users. On the one

Watch This! A Guide to Implementing Video Modeling in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Wynkoop, Kaylee Stahr

2016-01-01

The video modeling (VM) teaching strategy is one in which a student watches a video of someone performing a specific behavior, skill, or task and is then expected to complete the behavior, skill, or task. This column discusses the variety of ways in which VM has been documented within the literature and supports teacher interest in the strategy by…

Association of sleep quality with watching TV, computer games and caffeine intake in adolescents of Minoodar district, Qazvin

OpenAIRE

A. Avani; Sh. Jalilolghadr; A. Barikani; A. Javadi; S. Shabbidar; M. Javadi

2015-01-01

Background: Insufficient sleep or poor sleep quality affect learning, memory and performance and cause behavioral disorders. Watching television (TV), using computer and internet, playing computer games, and caffeine intake are of factors affecting sleep quality. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association of sleep quality with watching TV, computer games and caffeine intake in adolescents of Minoodar district, Qazvin41T. Methods: This cross sectional study was con...

Associations among physical activity, television watching, and obesity in adult Pima Indians

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fitzgerald, S J; Kriska, A M; Pereira, M A

1997-01-01

in adult Pima Indians, a population with a high prevalence of obesity. Hours per day of television watched, past-year physical levels (MET-h/wk; leisure and occupational combined) and BMI (kg.m-2) were measured in 2452 men and women subjects 21-59 yr old. In adults between the ages of 21 and 39 yr, TV...... and physical activity levels were negatively correlated (r = -0.11 for men and -0.10 for women). Weaker associations were found between TV and BMI (r = 0.08 for men and 0.04 for women). There were no significant relationships among these variables in older adults (49-59 yr), possibly because of low reported...... levels of physical activity and TV. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that physical activity and television watching in men and activity in women were significantly related to BMI. These data suggest that increasing activity levels and decreasing the time spent in sedentary behavior...

Safety evaluation of interim stabilization of non-stabilized single-shell watch list tanks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stahl, S.M.

1994-12-30

The report provides a summation of the status of safety issues associated with interim stabilization of Watch List SSTs (organic, ferrocyanide, and flammable gas), as extracted from recent safety analyses, including the Tank Farms Accelerated Safety Analysis efforts.

Safety evaluation of interim stabilization of non-stabilized single-shell watch list tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stahl, S.M.

1994-01-01

The report provides a summation of the status of safety issues associated with interim stabilization of Watch List SSTs (organic, ferrocyanide, and flammable gas), as extracted from recent safety analyses, including the Tank Farms Accelerated Safety Analysis efforts

Understanding Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatjana Vukelić

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The work of Zora Neale Hurston, in particular, the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, has been the object of more than a decade of critical attention. But, in addition to the critical consideration of Hurston's writings, her work has received the level of institutional support necessary for Hurston to enter the American literary mainstream. The article addresses the issue of black women literary tradition and the search for freedom and identity in the white American social and cultural environment.

Wearable technology smart watches to Google Glass for libraries

CERN Document Server

Bruno, Tom

2015-01-01

Emerging devices are placing powerful computing abilities into the wardrobes of consumers through wearable technology which combines fashion and function in new and exciting ways. The most recognizable of these emerging gadgets is Google Glass. Wearable Technology: Smart Watches to Google Glass for Libraries provides a comprehensive overview of the current wearable technology landscape, the types of devices and functionality available, the benefits and limitations of this type of technology, and how you can make use of it in yo

Brief Report: Just-in-Time Visual Supports to Children with Autism via the Apple Watch:® A Pilot Feasibility Study.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Amanda; Schlosser, Ralf W; Shane, Howard C; Abramson, Jennifer; Allen, Anna A; Flynn, Suzanne; Yu, Christina; Dimery, Katherine

2016-12-01

Using augmented input might be an effective means for supplementing spoken language for children with autism who have difficulties following spoken directives. This study aimed to (a) explore whether JIT-delivered scene cues (photos, video clips) via the Apple Watch ® enable children with autism to carry out directives they were unable to implement with speech alone, and (b) test the feasibility of the Apple Watch ® (with a focus on display size). Results indicated that the hierarchical JIT supports enabled five children with autism to carry out the majority of directives. Hence, the relatively small display size of the Apple Watch does not seem to hinder children with autism to glean critical information from visual supports.

Thunderstorm activity in early Earth: same estimations from point of view a role of electric discharges in formation of prebiotic conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Serozhkin, Yu.

2008-09-01

Introduction The structure and the physical parameters of an early Earth atmosphere [1], most likely, played a determining role in formation of conditions for origin of life. The estimation of thunderstorm activity in atmosphere of the early Earth is important for understanding of the real role of electrical discharges during formation of biochemical compounds. The terrestrial lightning a long time are considered as one of components determining a physical state and chemical structure of an atmosphere. Liebig in 1827 has considered a capability of nitrogen fixation at discharges of lightning [2]. Recent investigations (Lamarque et al. 1996) have achieved that production rate of NOx due to lightning at 3·106 ton/year [3]. The efficiency of electric discharges as energy source for synthesis of low molecular weight organic compounds is explained by the several factors. To them concern effect of optical radiation, high temperature, shock waves and that is especially important, pulse character of these effects. The impulse impact is essentially reduced the probability of destruction of the formed compounds. However, for some reasons is not clear the real role of electric discharges in synthesis of biochemical compounds. The discharges used in experiments on synthesis of organic substances, do not remind the discharges observable in a nature. One more aspect of a problem about a role of electric discharges in forming pre-biotic conditions on the Earth is connected with the thunderstorm activity in a modern atmosphere. This activity is connected with the presence in an atmosphere of ice crystals and existing gradient of temperature. To tell something about a degree of thunderstorm activity during the early Earth, i.e. that period, when formed pre-biotic conditions were is very difficult. Astrobiological potential of various discharges First of all the diversity of electric discharges in terrestrial atmosphere (usual lightning, lightning at eruption of volcanoes

Folklore in Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God." [Lesson Plan].

Science.gov (United States)

2002

Zora Neale Hurston's work is lively, lyrical, funny, and poignant, but this consummate literary craftsperson was also a first-rate ethnographer, conducting field work for Franz Boas and for the Works Progress Administration (WPA). "Their Eyes Were Watching God," often acclaimed as Hurston's masterpiece, is perhaps the richest beneficiary…

Country watch. Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Szterenfeld, C; Lopes, V

1993-01-01

A fictional story using publicity-type language was depicted in an AIDS prevention video produced by the Health in Prostitution Project in Rio de Janeiro to support its work with prostitutes. The video was produced through the volunteer efforts of a professional cast and crew who used cultural entertainment codes to raise awareness. Although both established and new actors participated, the cast was comprised of largely famous soap opera and movie artists. This approach was chosen was the understanding that Brazilians watch soap operas 4-5 hours/day and would therefore readily recognize and pay attention to messages conveyed by the protagonists. The video was shot 2 weeks before Carnival when most actors usually rest and received wide media coverage and attention from the public sector. Prostitutes participated in all stages of production, from script-writing to casting to final editing. The video, Venus Fire, describes a pleasure lottery of which the prize is a lucky condom. The video was officially released on World AIDS Day 1992, and broadcast nationwide in January 1993. It was then subsequently aired in public squares and other street worker sites with question-and-answer sessions and public debates among average audience of 200-300 people. Similar health projects elsewhere in Brazil have also show the film with very good audience response. The prostitutes are happy that their profession is being treated with respect, while clients are attracted by the sexy images.

A new paradigm for individual subject language mapping: Movie-watching fMRI

Science.gov (United States)

Tie, Yanmei; Rigolo, Laura; Ovalioglu, Aysegul Ozdemir; Olubiyi, Olutayo; Doolin, Kelly L.; Mukundan, Srinivasan; Golby, Alexandra J.

2015-01-01

Background Functional MRI (fMRI) based on language tasks has been used in pre-surgical language mapping in patients with lesions in or near putative language areas. However, if the patients have difficulty performing the tasks due to neurological deficits, it leads to unreliable or non-interpretable results. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of using a movie-watching fMRI for language mapping. Methods A 7-min movie clip with contrasting speech and non-speech segments was shown to 22 right-handed healthy subjects. Based on all subjects' language functional regions-of-interest, six language response areas were defined, within which a language response model (LRM) was derived by extracting the main temporal activation profile. Using a leave-one-out procedure, individuals' language areas were identified as the areas that expressed highly correlated temporal responses with the LRM derived from an independent group of subjects. Results Compared with an antonym generation task-based fMRI, the movie-watching fMRI generated language maps with more localized activations in the left frontal language area, larger activations in the left temporoparietal language area, and significant activations in their right-hemisphere homologues. Results of two brain tumor patients' movie-watching fMRI using the LRM derived from the healthy subjects indicated its ability to map putative language areas; while their task-based fMRI maps were less robust and noisier. Conclusions These results suggest that it is feasible to use this novel “task-free” paradigm as a complementary tool for fMRI language mapping when patients cannot perform the tasks. Its deployment in more neurosurgical patients and validation against gold-standard techniques need further investigation. PMID:25962953

Television watching and the emotional impact on social modeling of food intake among children.

Science.gov (United States)

Bevelander, Kirsten E; Meiselman, Herbert L; Anschütz, Doeschka J; Engels, Rutger C M E

2013-04-01

The main goal of this study was to test whether exposure to happy, neutral, or sad media content influences social modeling effects of (snack) food intake in young children. The study was conducted at 14 Dutch urban and suburban primary schools. The participants (N=112) were asked to watch a movie with a same-sex normal-weight confederate who was instructed to eat either nothing or a standardized amount of snack food (10 chocolate-coated peanuts). The study involved a 3 (movie clips: happy, neutral, and sad)×2 (peer's food intake: no intake versus a standardized intake) between-participants design. A significant interaction between the movie clip condition and intake condition was found (F(2,102)=3.30, P=.04, Cohen's f(2)=.20). Positive as well as negative emotions were found to lead to adjustment to the intake of a peer, as compared to that of children in the neutral movie condition. The findings suggest that children eat more mindlessly when watching an emotional movie and, therefore, respond more automatically to a peer's food intake, whereas children may be less susceptible to a peer's intake while watching a neutral movie. As young children are not in the position to choose their food consumption environment yet, parents and schools should provide consumption settings that limit eating in front of the television. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An explanation for parallel electric field pulses observed over thunderstorms

Science.gov (United States)

Kelley, M. C.; Barnum, B. H.

2009-10-01

Every electric field instrument flown on sounding rockets over a thunderstorm has detected pulses of electric fields parallel to the Earth's magnetic field associated with every strike. This paper describes the ionospheric signatures found during a flight from Wallops Island, Virginia, on 2 September 1995. The electric field results in a drifting Maxwellian corresponding to energies up to 1 eV. The distribution function relaxes because of elastic and inelastic collisions, resulting in electron heating up to 4000-5000 K and potentially observable red line emissions and enhanced ISR electron temperatures. The field strength scales with the current in cloud-to-ground strikes and falls off as r -1 with distance. Pulses of both polarities are found, although most electric fields are downward, parallel to the magnetic field. The pulse may be the reaction of ambient plasma to a current pulse carried at the whistler packet's highest group velocity. The charge source required to produce the electric field is very likely electrons of a few keV traveling at the packet velocity. We conjecture that the current source is the divergence of the current flowing at mesospheric heights, the phenomenon called an elve. The whistler packet's effective radiated power is as high as 25 mW at ionospheric heights, comparable to some ionospheric heater transmissions. Comparing the Poynting flux at the base of the ionosphere with flux an equal distance away along the ground, some 30 db are lost in the mesosphere. Another 10 db are lost in the transition from free space to the whistler mode.

Brain Regions Associated to a Kinesthetic Illusion Evoked by Watching a Video of One's Own Moving Hand.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaneko, Fuminari; Blanchard, Caroline; Lebar, Nicolas; Nazarian, Bruno; Kavounoudias, Anne; Romaiguère, Patricia

2015-01-01

It is well known that kinesthetic illusions can be induced by stimulation of several sensory systems (proprioception, touch, vision…). In this study we investigated the cerebral network underlying a kinesthetic illusion induced by visual stimulation by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in humans. Participants were instructed to keep their hand still while watching the video of their own moving hand (Self Hand) or that of someone else's moving hand (Other Hand). In the Self Hand condition they experienced an illusory sensation that their hand was moving whereas the Other Hand condition did not induce any kinesthetic illusion. The contrast between the Self Hand and Other Hand conditions showed significant activation in the left dorsal and ventral premotor cortices, in the left Superior and Inferior Parietal lobules, at the right Occipito-Temporal junction as well as in bilateral Insula and Putamen. Most strikingly, there was no activation in the primary motor and somatosensory cortices, whilst previous studies have reported significant activation in these regions for vibration-induced kinesthetic illusions. To our knowledge, this is the first study that indicates that humans can experience kinesthetic perception without activation in the primary motor and somatosensory areas. We conclude that under some conditions watching a video of one's own moving hand could lead to activation of a network that is usually involved in processing copies of efference, thus leading to the illusory perception that the real hand is indeed moving.

Brain Regions Associated to a Kinesthetic Illusion Evoked by Watching a Video of One's Own Moving Hand.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fuminari Kaneko

Full Text Available It is well known that kinesthetic illusions can be induced by stimulation of several sensory systems (proprioception, touch, vision…. In this study we investigated the cerebral network underlying a kinesthetic illusion induced by visual stimulation by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI in humans. Participants were instructed to keep their hand still while watching the video of their own moving hand (Self Hand or that of someone else's moving hand (Other Hand. In the Self Hand condition they experienced an illusory sensation that their hand was moving whereas the Other Hand condition did not induce any kinesthetic illusion. The contrast between the Self Hand and Other Hand conditions showed significant activation in the left dorsal and ventral premotor cortices, in the left Superior and Inferior Parietal lobules, at the right Occipito-Temporal junction as well as in bilateral Insula and Putamen. Most strikingly, there was no activation in the primary motor and somatosensory cortices, whilst previous studies have reported significant activation in these regions for vibration-induced kinesthetic illusions. To our knowledge, this is the first study that indicates that humans can experience kinesthetic perception without activation in the primary motor and somatosensory areas. We conclude that under some conditions watching a video of one's own moving hand could lead to activation of a network that is usually involved in processing copies of efference, thus leading to the illusory perception that the real hand is indeed moving.

The influence of the gait-related arm swing on elevation gain measured by sport watches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ammann Rahel

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The elevation gain is an important contributor to the total workload in endurance sports. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of the arm swing on elevation gain in three sport watches (Garmin® Forerunner 910XT, Polar® RS800CX and Suunto® Ambit2 on a flat 400 m outdoor track. Altogether, a total of 120 repetitions of 1,200 m were performed at self-selected speeds corresponding to strolling, walking, jogging and running. During the assessment two devices of each sport watch, one secured on the hip and one on the wrist, were worn by the participants. A small but significant (effect size = .39; p < .001 influence of the arm swing on elevation was revealed in all sport watches. Elevation indication errors recorded on the wrist were significantly larger than the ones recorded on the hip (4.0-7.4 vs. 1.2-5.7 m per 1,200 m; p < .05. Furthermore, when wearing the devices on the wrist, errors in elevation indication increased when gait speed increased. Users should be aware that wearing the devices on the hip can significantly decrease measurement errors. This might be especially relevant for activities with high dynamics, such as jogging and running.

First high speed imaging of lightning from summer thunderstorms over India: Preliminary results based on amateur recording using a digital camera

Science.gov (United States)

Narayanan, V. L.

2017-12-01

For the first time, high speed imaging of lightning from few isolated tropical thunderstorms are observed from India. The recordings are made from Tirupati (13.6oN, 79.4oE, 180 m above mean sea level) during summer months with a digital camera capable of recording high speed videos up to 480 fps. At 480 fps, each individual video file is recorded for 30 s resulting in 14400 deinterlaced images per video file. An automatic processing algorithm is developed for quick identification and analysis of the lightning events which will be discussed in detail. Preliminary results indicating different types of phenomena associated with lightning like stepped leader, dart leader, luminous channels corresponding to continuing current and M components are discussed. While most of the examples show cloud to ground discharges, few interesting cases of intra-cloud, inter-cloud and cloud-air discharges will also be displayed. This indicates that though high speed cameras with few 1000 fps are preferred for a detailed study on lightning, moderate range CMOS sensor based digital cameras can provide important information as well. The lightning imaging activity presented herein is initiated as an amateur effort and currently plans are underway to propose a suite of supporting instruments to conduct coordinated campaigns. The images discussed here are acquired from normal residential area and indicate how frequent lightning strikes are in such tropical locations during thunderstorms, though no towering structures are nearby. It is expected that popularizing of such recordings made with affordable digital cameras will trigger more interest in lightning research and provide a possible data source from amateur observers paving the way for citizen science.

76 FR 74788 - Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From HealthWatch, Inc.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-01

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Patient Safety... relinquishment from HealthWatch, Inc. of its status as a Patient Safety Organization (PSO). The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (Patient Safety Act), Public Law 109-41, 42 U.S.C. 299b-21--b-26...

Prediction of Pathological Complete Response Using Endoscopic Findings and Outcomes of Patients Who Underwent Watchful Waiting After Chemoradiotherapy for Rectal Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawai, Kazushige; Ishihara, Soichiro; Nozawa, Hiroaki; Hata, Keisuke; Kiyomatsu, Tomomichi; Morikawa, Teppei; Fukayama, Masashi; Watanabe, Toshiaki

2017-04-01

Nonoperative management for patients with rectal cancer who have achieved a clinical complete response after chemoradiotherapy is becoming increasingly important in recent years. However, the definition of and modality used for patients with clinical complete response differ greatly between institutions, and the role of endoscopic assessment as a nonoperative approach has not been fully investigated. This study aimed to investigate the ability of endoscopic assessments to predict pathological regression of rectal cancer after chemoradiotherapy and the applicability of these assessments for the watchful waiting approach. This was a retrospective comparative study. This study was conducted at a single referral hospital. A total of 198 patients with rectal cancer underwent preoperative endoscopic assessments after chemoradiotherapy. Of them, 186 patients underwent radical surgery with lymph node dissection. The histopathological findings of resected tissues were compared with the preoperative endoscopic findings. Twelve patients refused radical surgery and chose watchful waiting; their outcomes were compared with the outcomes of patients who underwent radical surgery. The endoscopic criteria correlated well with tumor regression grading. The sensitivity and specificity for a pathological complete response were 65.0% to 87.1% and 39.1% to 78.3%. However, endoscopic assessment could not fully discriminate pathological complete responses, and the outcomes of patients who underwent watchful waiting were considerably poorer than the patients who underwent radical surgery. Eventually, 41.7% of the patients who underwent watchful waiting experienced uncontrollable local failure, and many of these occurrences were observed more than 3 years after chemoradiotherapy. The number of the patients treated with the watchful waiting strategy was limited, and the selection was not randomized. Although endoscopic assessment after chemoradiotherapy correlated with pathological response

Watching television or listening to music while exercising failed to affect post-exercise food intake or energy expenditure in male adolescents.

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Livock, Holly; Barnes, Joel D; Pouliot, Catherine; LeBlanc, Allana G; Saunders, Travis J; Tremblay, Mark S; Prud'homme, Denis; Chaput, Jean-Philippe

2018-08-01

Watching television or listening to music while exercising can serve as motivating factors, making it more pleasant to exercise for some people. However, it is unknown whether these stimuli influence food intake and/or physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) for the remainder of the day, potentially impacting energy balance and weight control. We examined the effects of watching television or listening to music while exercising on post-exercise energy intake and expenditure. Our study was a randomized crossover design, in which 24 male adolescents (mean age: 14.9 ± 1.1 years) completed three 30-min experimental conditions consisting of walking/jogging on a treadmill at 60% of heart rate reserve while (1) watching television; (2) listening to music; or (3) exercising with no other stimulus (control). An ad libitum lunch was offered immediately after the experimental conditions, and a dietary record was used to assess food intake for the remainder of the day. An Actical accelerometer was used to estimate PAEE until bedtime. The primary outcome measure was post-exercise energy intake and expenditure (kJ). We found that exercising while watching television or listening to music did not significantly affect post-exercise energy intake or energy expenditure. Exercising on a treadmill was found to be significantly more enjoyable while watching television than with no stimulus present. Ratings of perceived exertion were not significantly different between conditions. Overall, our results suggest that watching television or listening to music while exercising does not impact post-exercise energy intake or expenditure in male adolescents, which may have positive implications for adolescents who may need additional motivation to participate in physical activity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antibodies to watch in 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Reichert, Janice M

2014-01-01

Since 2010, mAbs has documented the biopharmaceutical industry's progress in transitioning antibody therapeutics to first Phase 3 clinical studies and regulatory review, and its success at gaining first marketing approvals for antibody-based products. This installment of the "Antibodies to watch" series outlines events anticipated to occur between December 2013 and the end of 2014, including first regulatory actions on marketing applications for vedolizumab, siltuximab, and ramucirumab, as well as the Fc fusion proteins Factor IX-Fc and Factor VIII-Fc; and the submission of first marketing applications for up to five therapeutics (secukinumab, ch14.18, onartuzumab, necitumumab, gevokizumab). Antibody therapeutics in Phase 3 studies are described, with an emphasis on those with study completion dates in 2014, including antibodies targeting interleukin-17a or the interleukin-17a receptor (secukinumab, ixekizumab, brodalumab), proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (alirocumab, evolocumab, bococizumab), and programmed death 1 receptor (lambrolizumab, nivolumab). Five antibodies with US Food and Drug Administration's Breakthrough Therapy designation (obinutuzumab, ofatumumab, lambrolizumab, bimagrumab, daratumumab) are also discussed.

Look who's cooking. Investigating the relationship between watching educational and edutainment TV cooking shows, eating habits and everyday cooking practices among men and women in Belgium.

Science.gov (United States)

De Backer, Charlotte J S; Hudders, Liselot

2016-01-01

Television (TV) cooking shows have evolved from focusing on educating to focusing on entertaining, as well. At present, educational TV cooking shows focus on the transfer of cooking knowledge and skills, whereas edutainment TV cooking shows focus on entertaining their viewers. Both types of shows are ongoing success stories. However, little is known regarding the shows' links with the cooking and eating habits of their audiences. Therefore, the current study investigates the relationship between watching an educational or edutainment TV cooking show and one's cooking and eating habits. Given public health concerns regarding the decline in cooking behaviors and the simultaneous increase in caloric intake from food outside the home, this study suggests a promising intervention. The results of a cross-sectional survey in Belgium (n = 845) demonstrate that the audiences of educational and edutainment TV cooking shows do not overlap. Although there is little connection between watching specific shows and eating behavior, the connection between watching shows and cooking behaviors varies across gender and age lines. Behaviors also differ depending on whether the viewer is watching an educational or edutainment cooking show. For example, men of all ages appear to cook more often if they watch an educational show. However, only older men (above 38 years) seem to cook more often if they watch an edutainment TV show. The results demonstrate that the relationship between watching TV cooking shows and cooking habits warrants further investigation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors associated with body image dissatisfaction in Portuguese adolescents: obesity, sports activity and TV watching

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Eduarda Maria Rocha Teles de Castro Coelho

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This cross-sectional study intended to determine the prevalence of body image dissatisfaction and associated factors in Portuguese adolescents (N=529, 10-18 years, 53.7% male and 46.3% female. The prevalence of body dissatisfaction (estimated through Collins's silhouettes was 58%. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that the variables associated were: obesity, watch TV over 2 hours/day and practice sport activities 4 or more days/week. In male, obesity and watch TV over 2 hours/day were related to body dissatisfaction and among female only obesity had statistical significance. It is necessary to considered different public health interventions for men and women in order to reduce this high body image dissatisfaction.   Keywords: Body image, adolescence, gender, obesity, sports activity

Testosterone and cortisol release among Spanish soccer fans watching the 2010 World Cup final.

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van der Meij, Leander; Almela, Mercedes; Hidalgo, Vanesa; Villada, Carolina; Ijzerman, Hans; van Lange, Paul A M; Salvador, Alicia

2012-01-01

This field study investigated the release of testosterone and cortisol of a vicarious winning experience in Spanish fans watching the finals between Spain and the Netherlands in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer. Spanish fans (n = 50) watched the match with friends or family in a public place or at home and also participated in a control condition. Consistent with hypotheses, results revealed that testosterone and cortisol levels were higher when watching the match than on a control day. However, neither testosterone nor cortisol levels increased after the victory of the Spanish team. Moreover, the increase in testosterone secretion was not related to participants' sex, age or soccer fandom, but the increase in total cortisol secretion during the match was higher among men than among women and among fans that were younger. Also, increases in cortisol secretion were greater to the degree that people were a stronger fan of soccer. Level of fandom further appeared to account for the sex effect, but not for the age effect. Generally, the testosterone data from this study are in line with the challenge hypothesis, as testosterone levels of watchers increased to prepare their organism to defend or enhance their social status. The cortisol data from this study are in line with social self-preservation theory, as higher cortisol secretion among young and greater soccer fans suggests that especially they perceived that a negative outcome of the match would threaten their own social esteem.

Testosterone and cortisol release among Spanish soccer fans watching the 2010 World Cup final.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leander van der Meij

Full Text Available This field study investigated the release of testosterone and cortisol of a vicarious winning experience in Spanish fans watching the finals between Spain and the Netherlands in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer. Spanish fans (n = 50 watched the match with friends or family in a public place or at home and also participated in a control condition. Consistent with hypotheses, results revealed that testosterone and cortisol levels were higher when watching the match than on a control day. However, neither testosterone nor cortisol levels increased after the victory of the Spanish team. Moreover, the increase in testosterone secretion was not related to participants' sex, age or soccer fandom, but the increase in total cortisol secretion during the match was higher among men than among women and among fans that were younger. Also, increases in cortisol secretion were greater to the degree that people were a stronger fan of soccer. Level of fandom further appeared to account for the sex effect, but not for the age effect. Generally, the testosterone data from this study are in line with the challenge hypothesis, as testosterone levels of watchers increased to prepare their organism to defend or enhance their social status. The cortisol data from this study are in line with social self-preservation theory, as higher cortisol secretion among young and greater soccer fans suggests that especially they perceived that a negative outcome of the match would threaten their own social esteem.

Evaluation of Reading, Writing, and Watching TV Using the Dutch ICF Activity Inventory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruijning, J.E.; van Rens, G.H.M.B.; Knol, D.L.; van Nispen, R.M.A.

2014-01-01

PURPOSE: To investigate the longitudinal outcomes of rehabilitation (from baseline to 4 and 12 months) at a multidisciplinary rehabilitation center. The three goals (“Reading,” “Writing,” and “Watching TV”) were measured with the Dutch ICF Activity Inventory (D-AI). In addition, outcomes were

76 FR 66035 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Application for Insular Watch and Jewelry...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-25

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Application for Insular Watch and Jewelry Program Benefits AGENCY: International Trade Administration. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce...

Airborne Radar Observations of Severe Hailstorms: Implications for Future Spaceborne Radar

Science.gov (United States)

Heymsfield, Gerald M.; Tian, Lin; Li, Lihua; McLinden, Matthew; Cervantes, Jaime I.

2013-01-01

A new dual-frequency (Ku and Ka band) nadir-pointing Doppler radar on the high-altitude NASA ER-2 aircraft, called the High-Altitude Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (HIWRAP), has collected data over severe thunderstorms in Oklahoma and Kansas during the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E). The overarching motivation for this study is to understand the behavior of the dualwavelength airborne radar measurements in a global variety of thunderstorms and how these may relate to future spaceborne-radar measurements. HIWRAP is operated at frequencies that are similar to those of the precipitation radar on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (Ku band) and the upcoming Global Precipitation Measurement mission satellite's dual-frequency (Ku and Ka bands) precipitation radar. The aircraft measurements of strong hailstorms have been combined with ground-based polarimetric measurements to obtain a better understanding of the response of the Ku- and Ka-band radar to the vertical distribution of the hydrometeors, including hail. Data from two flight lines on 24 May 2011 are presented. Doppler velocities were approx. 39m/s2at 10.7-km altitude from the first flight line early on 24 May, and the lower value of approx. 25m/s on a second flight line later in the day. Vertical motions estimated using a fall speed estimate for large graupel and hail suggested that the first storm had an updraft that possibly exceeded 60m/s for the more intense part of the storm. This large updraft speed along with reports of 5-cm hail at the surface, reflectivities reaching 70 dBZ at S band in the storm cores, and hail signals from polarimetric data provide a highly challenging situation for spaceborne-radar measurements in intense convective systems. The Ku- and Ka-band reflectivities rarely exceed approx. 47 and approx. 37 dBZ, respectively, in these storms.

The use of ZFP lossy floating point data compression in tornado-resolving thunderstorm simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Orf, L.

2017-12-01

In the field of atmospheric science, numerical models are used to produce forecasts of weather and climate and serve as virtual laboratories for scientists studying atmospheric phenomena. In both operational and research arenas, atmospheric simulations exploiting modern supercomputing hardware can produce a tremendous amount of data. During model execution, the transfer of floating point data from memory to the file system is often a significant bottleneck where I/O can dominate wallclock time. One way to reduce the I/O footprint is to compress the floating point data, which reduces amount of data saved to the file system. In this presentation we introduce LOFS, a file system developed specifically for use in three-dimensional numerical weather models that are run on massively parallel supercomputers. LOFS utilizes the core (in-memory buffered) HDF5 driver and includes compression options including ZFP, a lossy floating point data compression algorithm. ZFP offers several mechanisms for specifying the amount of lossy compression to be applied to floating point data, including the ability to specify the maximum absolute error allowed in each compressed 3D array. We explore different maximum error tolerances in a tornado-resolving supercell thunderstorm simulation for model variables including cloud and precipitation, temperature, wind velocity and vorticity magnitude. We find that average compression ratios exceeding 20:1 in scientifically interesting regions of the simulation domain produce visually identical results to uncompressed data in visualizations and plots. Since LOFS splits the model domain across many files, compression ratios for a given error tolerance can be compared across different locations within the model domain. We find that regions of high spatial variability (which tend to be where scientifically interesting things are occurring) show the lowest compression ratios, whereas regions of the domain with little spatial variability compress

Association between overweight/obesity and eating habits while watching television among primary-school children in the city of Shiraz, Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghobadi, Saeed; Totosy de Zepetnek, Julia O; Hemmatdar, Zeinab; Bellissimo, Nick; Barati, Reza; Ahmadnia, Hoda; Salehi-Marzijarani, Mohammad; Faghih, Shiva

2018-02-01

It has been reported that television (TV) viewing is associated with childhood obesity in Western countries. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between obesity and eating habits while watching TV among primary-school children in the Middle East. Cross-sectional. Children were recruited from primary schools of four educational districts in Shiraz, Iran. Anthropometric indices of mass (kg) and height (m) were measured, and BMI (percentile) was calculated. Demographic characteristics, TV viewing behaviours and physical activity data were collected from parents during face-to-face interviews and a 3d dietary record was completed. Subject Children (n 607) aged 6-10 years. Mean (sd) age of children was 8·16 (1·37) years, of whom 9·1 and 8·4 % were overweight and obese, respectively. Children who spent ≥2 h watching TV on weekdays (OR=1·99; 95 % CI 1·09, 3·60) and weekend days (OR=1·86; 95 % CI 1·01, 3·43) had higher odds of being obese, even after adjusting for physical activity. Children who ate breakfast while watching TV had higher odds of being overweight v. those who did not watch TV while eating breakfast (OR=2·70; 95 % CI 1·02, 7·60). There were no associations between TV viewing during other meals (lunch and dinner) and overweight/obesity. TV viewing for ≥2 h daily increases the risk of being obese in Iranian children aged 6-10 years, independent of physical activity. Further, breakfast consumption while watching TV may increase the risk of overweight/obesity, independent of total TV viewing time.

Role of Water Vapor Content in the Effects of Aerosol on the Electrification of Thunderstorms: A Numerical Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pengguo Zhao

2016-10-01

Full Text Available We explored the role of the water vapor content below the freezing level in the response of idealized supercell storm electrical processes to increased concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN. Using the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with parameterizations electrification and discharging, we performed 30 simulations by varying both the CCN concentration and water vapor content below the freezing level. The sensitivity simulations showed a distinct response to increased concentrations of CCN, depending on the water vapor content below the freezing level. Enhancing CCN concentrations increased electrification processes of thunderstorms and produced a new negative charge region above the main positive charge center when there were ample amounts of water vapor below the freezing level. Conversely, there were weak effects on electrification and the charge structure in numerical experiments initialized with lower water vapor content below the freezing level.

EnviroAtlas - Bird Watching Recreation Demand by 12-Digit HUC in the Conterminous United States

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This EnviroAtlas dataset includes the total number of recreational days per year demanded by people ages 18 and over for bird watching by location in the contiguous...

Canadian children's and youth's pedometer-determined steps/day, parent-reported TV watching time, and overweight/obesity: The CANPLAY Surveillance Study

OpenAIRE

Tudor-Locke, Catrine; Craig, Cora L; Cameron, Christine; Griffiths, Joseph M

2011-01-01

Abstract Background This study examines associations between pedometer-determined steps/day and parent-reported child's Body Mass Index (BMI) and time typically spent watching television between school and dinner. Methods Young people (aged 5-19 years) were recruited through their parents by random digit dialling and mailed a data collection package. Information on height and weight and time spent watching television between school and dinner on a typical school day was collected from parents...

Occurrence and removal of organic micropollutants: An overview of the watch list of EU Decision 2015/495.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbosa, Marta O; Moreira, Nuno F F; Ribeiro, Ana R; Pereira, Manuel F R; Silva, Adrián M T

2016-05-01

Although there are no legal discharge limits for micropollutants into the environment, some regulations have been published in the last few years. Recently, a watch list of substances for European Union-wide monitoring was reported in the Decision 2015/495/EU of 20 March 2015. Besides the substances previously recommended to be included by the Directive 39/2013/EU, namely two pharmaceuticals (diclofenac and the synthetic hormone 17-alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2)) and a natural hormone (17-beta-estradiol (E2)), the first watch list of 10 substances/groups of substances also refers three macrolide antibiotics (azithromycin, clarithromycin and erythromycin), other natural hormone (estrone (E1)), some pesticides (methiocarb, oxadiazon, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, acetamiprid and triallate), a UV filter (2-ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate) and an antioxidant (2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol) commonly used as food additive. Since little is known about the removal of most of the substances included in the Decision 2015/495/EU, particularly regarding realistic concentrations in aqueous environmental samples, this review aims to: (i) overview the European policy in the water field; (ii) briefly describe the most commonly used conventional and advanced treatment processes to remove micropollutants; (iii) summarize the relevant data published in the last decade, regarding occurrence and removal in aqueous matrices of the 10 substances/groups of substances that were recently included in the first watch list for European Union monitoring (Decision 2015/495/EU); and (iv) highlight the lack of reports concerning some substances of the watch list, the study of un-spiked aquatic matrices and the assessment of transformation by-products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The New Product Watch: Successes and Challenges of Crowdsourcing as a Method of Surveillance.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyman, Amy L; Biener, Lois

2016-01-01

New smokeless tobacco (eg, snus and dissolvable tobacco products) and nontobacco nicotine products (eg, e-cigarettes) have emerged in recent years amid widespread speculation about locations of test marketing, toxic constituents, and consumer targeting. The New Product Watch was a pilot online monitoring system aimed at filling these information gaps by using a form of crowdsourcing: recruiting volunteers to visit local retailers and report their findings. With very little funding, the New Product Watch gathered county-specific data on new product availability in 19 states as well as trend data on product marketing and demand, and completed 2 rounds of product purchases and subsequent toxic constituent analyses. Data were collected over a 2-year period, between 2009 and 2011. Despite the successes, we found that this small-scale, volunteer effort was not a sustainable method for ensuring continuous, systematic surveillance of new product availability, marketing, and toxicity.

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for SEAMAP Cruises of 2001 - 2016

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana-Florida continental shelf...

Listening, Watching, and Reading: The Structure and Correlates of Entertainment Preferences

OpenAIRE

Rentfrow, Peter J.; Goldberg, Lewis R.; Zilca, Ran

2011-01-01

People spend considerable amounts of time and money listening to music, watching TV and movies, and reading books and magazines, yet almost no attention in psychology has been devoted to understanding individual differences in preferences for such entertainment. The present research was designed to examine the structure and correlates of entertainment genre preferences. Analyses of the genre preferences of over 3,000 individuals revealed a remarkably clear factor structure. Using multiple sam...

Fat watch: A nationwide campaign in the Netherlands to reduce fat intake-effect evaluation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wechem, S.N. van; Brug, J.; Assema, P. van; Kistemaker, C.; Riedstra, M.; Löwik, M.R.H.

1998-01-01

In the Netherlands, the nationwide Fat Watch campaign aiming at a reduction in fat consumption was organized from 1991 onwards. This study describes the effects of the first three consecutive campaign years on attention to fat, diet and health, attitudes, self-efficacy expectations and intentions

Assessment of the radiological status of the French environment in 2008: synthesis of the results of the IRSN's watch networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

This report presents the data obtained in 2008 within the frame of the follow-up by the IRSN of the levels of radioactivity on the French national territory. After having recalled the objectives of this radiological watch of the environment and its organization, the report describes the methodology adopted for the choice of the watch stations, the choice of the environmental matrices, the analysis plans, the sample preparation and packing. It presents the various radionuclides which are naturally or artificially present in the French environment. Then, it presents the results obtained by the different station networks by watching the atmosphere, rivers and soils, or coasts. The report recalls and comments the different radiological events which occurred in 2008, i.e. the detection of different radionuclides in different environments: nuclear plants, nuclear research centres, nuclear sites, nuclear industries, nuclear waste storage sites, nuclear marine bases, rivers

Canadian children's and youth's pedometer-determined steps/day, parent-reported TV watching time, and overweight/obesity: The CANPLAY Surveillance Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Craig Cora L

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study examines associations between pedometer-determined steps/day and parent-reported child's Body Mass Index (BMI and time typically spent watching television between school and dinner. Methods Young people (aged 5-19 years were recruited through their parents by random digit dialling and mailed a data collection package. Information on height and weight and time spent watching television between school and dinner on a typical school day was collected from parents. In total, 5949 boys and 5709 girls reported daily steps. BMI was categorized as overweight or obese using Cole's cut points. Participants wore pedometers for 7 days and logged daily steps. The odds of being overweight and obese by steps/day and parent-reported time spent television watching were estimated using logistic regression for complex samples. Results Girls had a lower median steps/day (10682 versus 11059 for boys and also a narrower variation in steps/day (interquartile range, 4410 versus 5309 for boys. 11% of children aged 5-19 years were classified as obese; 17% of boys and girls were overweight. Both boys and girls watched, on average, Discussion Television viewing is the more prominent factor in terms of predicting overweight, and it contributes to obesity, but steps/day attenuates the association between television viewing and obesity, and therefore can be considered protective against obesity. In addition to replacing opportunities for active alternative behaviours, exposure to television might also impact body weight by promoting excess energy intake. Conclusions In this large nationally representative sample, pedometer-determined steps/day was associated with reduced odds of being obese (but not overweight whereas each parent-reported hour spent watching television between school and dinner increased the odds of both overweight and obesity.

Television watching, diet and body mass index of school children in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alghadir, Ahmad H; Gabr, Sami A; Iqbal, Zaheen A

2016-04-01

Watching television has been widely associated with various health and psychological outcomes in children. Excessive intake of carbonated, sweetened beverages and fast foods, inadequate intake of fruit and dairy products; and reduced levels of physical activity also pose a risk to healthy lifestyle among youth. Limited literature is available, however, on the cross-cultural aspects of duration of television viewing, diet preferences and their effect on weight in school children in the Middle East, especially in Saudi Arabia. We conducted an online survey in school children in Saudi Arabia (age 12-16 years) to determine whether there is any association between duration of daily television watching, body mass index (BMI), eating habits and diet preferences. A self-administered questionnaire was uploaded online and the link was sent to school children, inviting them to participate in the study. It included questions on demographic data; family medical status; daily routine in and after school; number of hours of daily TV watching, self-perception of health and daily diet habits and preferences. A total of 220 children aged between 12 and 16 years participated in the present study. There was a higher duration of television viewing, and higher consumption of high-fat fast foods and high-sugar drinks, and this was significantly associated with BMI (P Saudi Arabia seems to be the major cause of the association between sedentary lifestyle and dietary habits, which needs to be checked and limited. Parents and teachers need to be trained because they can play a major role in its prevention. Saudi Arabia is a growing country banking on its youth. Their awareness can prevent the incidence and lower the prevalence of such ill health habits among them. © 2015 Japan Pediatric Society.

Community Solutions for Solid Waste Pollution, Level 6. Teacher Guide. Operation Waste Watch.

Science.gov (United States)

Virginia State Dept. of Waste Management, Richmond. Div. of Litter & Recycling.

Operation Waste Watch is a series of seven sequential learning units which addresses the subject of litter control and solid waste management. Each unit may be used in a variety of ways, depending on the needs and schedules of individual schools, and may be incorporated into various social studies, science, language arts, health, mathematics, and…

A multi-centre open-label randomised non-inferiority trial comparing watchful waiting to antibiotic treatment for acute otitis media without perforation in low-risk urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (the WATCH trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, Penelope; Gunasekera, Hasantha; Leach, Amanda Jane; Askew, Deborah; Walsh, Robyn; Kong, Kelvin; Girosi, Federico; Bond, Chelsea; Morris, Peter; Lujic, Sanja; Hu, Wendy; Usherwood, Tim; Tyson, Sissy; Spurling, Geoffrey; Douglas, Markeeta; Schubert, Kira; Chapman, Shavaun; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Murray, Reeion; Rabbitt, Keitha; Porykali, Bobby; Woodall, Cheryl; Newman, Tina; Reath, Jennifer

2016-03-03

Treatment guidelines recommend watchful waiting for children older than 2 years with acute otitis media (AOM) without perforation, unless they are at high risk of complications. The high prevalence of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities leads these children to be classified as high risk. Urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are at lower risk of complications, but evidence to support the subsequent recommendation for watchful waiting in this population is lacking. This non-inferiority multi-centre randomised controlled trial will determine whether watchful waiting is non-inferior to immediate antibiotics for urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with AOM without perforation. Children aged 2 - 16 years with AOM who are considered at low risk for complications will be recruited from six participating urban primary health care services across Australia. We will obtain informed consent from each participant or their guardian. The primary outcome is clinical resolution on day 7 (no pain, no fever of at least 38 °C, no bulging eardrum and no complications of AOM such as perforation or mastoiditis) as assessed by general practitioners or nurse practitioners. Participants and outcome assessors will not be blinded to treatment. With a sample size of 198 children in each arm, we have 80 % power to detect a non-inferiority margin of up to 10 % at a significance level of 5 %, assuming clinical improvement of at least 80 % in both groups. Allowing for a 20 % dropout rate, we aim to recruit 495 children. We will analyse both by intention-to-treat and per protocol. We will assess the cost- effectiveness of watchful waiting compared to immediate antibiotic prescription. We will also report on the implementation of the trial from the perspectives of parents/carers, health professionals and researchers. The trial will provide evidence for the safety and effectiveness of watchful waiting

Gynecologic Cancer Information on YouTube: Will Women Watch Advertisements to Learn More?

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Crystale Purvis; Gelb, Cynthia A; Chu, Jennifer

2016-09-01

The quality and accuracy of health content posted on YouTube varies widely. To increase dissemination of evidence-based gynecologic cancer information to US YouTube users, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sponsored two types of advertisements: (1) pre-roll videos that users had to watch for at least 5 s before seeing a video they selected and (2) keyword-targeted listings that appeared in search results when users entered terms related to gynecologic cancer. From July 2012 to November 2013, pre-roll videos were shown 9.2 million times, viewed (watched longer than the mandatory 5 s) 1.6 million times (17.6 %), and cost $0.09 per view. Keyword-targeted listings were displayed 15.3 million times, viewed (activated by users) 59,766 times (0.4 %), and cost $0.31 per view. CDC videos in advertisements played completely in 17.0 % of pre-roll video views and 44.4 % of keyword-targeted listing views. Advertisements on YouTube can disseminate evidence-based cancer information broadly with minimal cost.

Applicability of WaveWatch-III wave model to fatigue assessment of offshore floating structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zou, T.; Kaminski, M.L.

2016-01-01

In design and operation of floating offshore structures, one has to avoid fatigue failures caused by action of ocean waves. The aim of this paper is to investigate the applicability of WaveWatch-III wave model to fatigue assessment of offshore floating structures. The applicability was investigated

The Energy Expenditure of an Activity-Promoting Video Game compared to Sedentary Video Games and TV Watching

Science.gov (United States)

Mitre, Naim; Foster, Randal C; Lanningham-Foster, Lorraine; Levine, James A.

2014-01-01

Background Screen time continues to be a major contributing factor to sedentariness in children. There have been more creative approaches to increase physical over the last few years. One approach has been through the use of video games. In the present study we investigated the effect of television watching and the use of activity-promoting video games on energy expenditure and movement in lean and obese children. Our primary hypothesis was that energy expenditure and movement decreases while watching television, in lean and obese children. Our secondary hypothesis was that energy expenditure and movement increases when playing the same game with an activity-promoting video game console compared to a sedentary video game console, in lean and obese children. Methods Eleven boys (10 ± 1 year) and eight girls (9 ± 1 year) ranging in BMI from 14–29 kg/m2 (eleven lean and eight overweight or obese) were recruited. Energy expenditure and physical activity were measured while participants were watching television, playing a video game on a traditional sedentary video game console, and while playing the same video game on an activity-promoting video game (Nintendo Wii) console. Results Energy expenditure was significantly greater than television watching and playing video games on a sedentary video game console when children played the video game on the activity-promoting console(125.3 ± 38.2 Kcal/hr vs. 79.7 ± 20.1 and 79.4 ±15.7, Pvideo games on a sedentary video game console is not different. Activity-promoting video games have shown to increase movement, and be an important tool to raise energy expenditure by 50% when compared to sedentary activities of daily living. PMID:22145458

Watching TV and food intake: the role of content.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Colin D Chapman

Full Text Available Obesity is a serious and growing health concern worldwide. Watching television (TV represents a condition during which many habitually eat, irrespective of hunger level. However, as of yet, little is known about how the content of television programs being watched differentially impacts concurrent eating behavior. In this study, eighteen normal-weight female students participated in three counter-balanced experimental conditions, including a 'Boring' TV condition (art lecture, an 'Engaging' TV condition (Swedish TV comedy series, and a no TV control condition during which participants read (a text on insects living in Sweden. Throughout each condition participants had access to both high-calorie (M&Ms and low-calorie (grapes snacks. We found that, relative to the Engaging TV condition, Boring TV encouraged excessive eating (+52% g, P = 0.009. Additionally, the Engaging TV condition actually resulted in significantly less concurrent intake relative to the control 'Text' condition (-35% g, P = 0.05. This intake was driven almost entirely by the healthy snack, grapes; however, this interaction did not reach significance (P = 0.07. Finally, there was a significant correlation between how bored participants were across all conditions, and their concurrent food intake (beta = 0.317, P = 0.02. Intake as measured by kcals was similarly patterned but did not reach significance. These results suggest that, for women, different TV programs elicit different levels of concurrent food intake, and that the degree to which a program is engaging (or alternately, boring is related to that intake. Additionally, they suggest that emotional content (e.g. boring vs. engaging may be more associated than modality (e.g. TV vs. text with concurrent intake.

Watching TV and food intake: the role of content.

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Colin D; Nilsson, Victor C; Thune, Hanna Å; Cedernaes, Jonathan; Le Grevès, Madeleine; Hogenkamp, Pleunie S; Benedict, Christian; Schiöth, Helgi B

2014-01-01

Obesity is a serious and growing health concern worldwide. Watching television (TV) represents a condition during which many habitually eat, irrespective of hunger level. However, as of yet, little is known about how the content of television programs being watched differentially impacts concurrent eating behavior. In this study, eighteen normal-weight female students participated in three counter-balanced experimental conditions, including a 'Boring' TV condition (art lecture), an 'Engaging' TV condition (Swedish TV comedy series), and a no TV control condition during which participants read (a text on insects living in Sweden). Throughout each condition participants had access to both high-calorie (M&Ms) and low-calorie (grapes) snacks. We found that, relative to the Engaging TV condition, Boring TV encouraged excessive eating (+52% g, P = 0.009). Additionally, the Engaging TV condition actually resulted in significantly less concurrent intake relative to the control 'Text' condition (-35% g, P = 0.05). This intake was driven almost entirely by the healthy snack, grapes; however, this interaction did not reach significance (P = 0.07). Finally, there was a significant correlation between how bored participants were across all conditions, and their concurrent food intake (beta = 0.317, P = 0.02). Intake as measured by kcals was similarly patterned but did not reach significance. These results suggest that, for women, different TV programs elicit different levels of concurrent food intake, and that the degree to which a program is engaging (or alternately, boring) is related to that intake. Additionally, they suggest that emotional content (e.g. boring vs. engaging) may be more associated than modality (e.g. TV vs. text) with concurrent intake.

Brief Report: Just-in-Time Visual Supports to Children with Autism via the Apple Watch:® A Pilot Feasibility Study

OpenAIRE

O’Brien, Amanda; Abramson, Jennifer; Yu, Christina; Dimery, Katherine; Schlosser, Ralf W.; Shane, Howard C.; Allen, Anna A.; Flynn, Suzanne

2016-01-01

Using augmented input might be an effective means for supplementing spoken language for children with autism who have difficulties following spoken directives. This study aimed to (a) explore whether JIT-delivered scene cues (photos, video clips) via the Apple Watch® enable children with autism to carry out directives they were unable to implement with speech alone, and (b) test the feasibility of the Apple Watch® (with a focus on display size). Results indicated that the hierarchical JIT sup...

Watching Dallas again 1: Doing retro audience research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda Gilroy

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This essay and the audience reception projects it introduces alleviate the desperation of seeking the television audience by recourse to Ien Ang's influential book, Watching Dallas ([1982] 1985. Within the context of a unit on audience research in a master's-level course on media, two groups of students explored the possibilities of remixing Ang in the present digital media landscape via informants' comments on the first season of the new series of Dallas (2012–14. Discourses of nostalgia circulate within and around the text, as well as the project itself. Retro audience research generates not only data about the affective memories and critical reflections of informants but also insights into research methods and the production of new nostalgic subjects.

Attitudes of Consumers from the Mostar Canton in Bosnia and Herzegovina toward Advertising through Sport among the Frequency of Watching Sports Events

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Vukotic

2018-04-01

Full Text Available It is proposed that potential consumers form attitudes based on advertising through sport can influence decisions to purchase a particular advertiser’s product. From this reason, it is important to analyse their general attitudes toward advertising through sport among various questions, and this investigation was aimed at gaining relevant knowledge about the attitudes of Mostar consumers toward advertising through sport among. The sample included 228 respondents, divided into six subsample groups: consumers, who do not watch sports events at all, then consumers who watch sports events 1-30 minutes, next 31-60 minutes, 61-90 minutes, 91-120 minutes, as well as consumers who watch sports events more than 120 minutes during the typical day. The sample of variables contained the system of three general attitudes which were modelled by seven-point Likert scale. The results of the measuring were analysed by multivariate analysis (MANOVA and univariate analysis (ANOVA and Post Hoc test. Based on the statistical analyses it was found that significant differences occur at multivariate level, as well as between all three variables at a significance level of p=.006. Hence, it is interesting to highlight that it was found there are significant differences showed up between the attitudes of consumers toward advertising through sport among the frequency of watching sports events. These results are so important for the marketers, mostly due to the reason they can’t merge all the potential consumers regarding the frequency they watch the sports events. On the other hand, this is the case in previous investigations and this observation presents relevant information.

Attitudes of Consumers from the Sarajevo Canton in Bosnia and Herzegovina toward Advertising through Sport among the Frequency of Watching Sports Events

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Izet Bajramovic

2018-04-01

Full Text Available It is proposed that potential consumers form attitudes based on advertising through sport can influence decisions to purchase a particular advertiser’s product. From this reason, it is important to analyse their general attitudes toward advertising through sport among various questions, and this investigation was aimed at gaining relevant knowledge about the attitudes of Sarajevo consumers toward advertising through sport among. The sample included 358 respondents, divided into six subsample groups: consumers, who do not watch sports events at all, then consumers who watch sports events 1-30 minutes, next 31-60 minutes, 61-90 minutes, 91-120 minutes, as well as consumers who watch sports events more than 120 minutes during the typical day. The sample of variables contained the system of three general attitudes which were modelled by seven-point Likert scale. The results of the measuring were analysed by multivariate analysis (MANOVA and univariate analysis (ANOVA and Post Hoc test. Based on the statistical analyses it was found that significant differences occur at multivariate level, as well as between all three variables at a significance level of p=.00. Hence, it is interesting to highlight that it was found there are significant differences showed up between the attitudes of consumers toward advertising through sport among the frequency of watching sports events. These results are so important for the marketers, mostly due to the reason they can’t merge all the potential consumers regarding the frequency they watch the sports events. On the other hand, this is the case in previous investigations and this observation presents relevant information.

78 FR 30389 - Requested Administrative Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws: Vessel LITTLE BAY WATCH; Invitation...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-22

... entered into this docket is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.regulations.gov . FOR FURTHER... LITTLE BAY WATCH is: Intended Commercial Use Of Vessel: ``Snorkel trips and marine science education...

Fat watch: A nationwide campaign in the Netherlands to reduce fat intake-process evaluations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cornelie, J.; Feen van der, Lille, J.C.J.F. de; Riedstra, M.; Hardeman, W.; Wedel, M.; Brug, J.; Pruyn, J.F.A.; Löwik, M.R.H.

1998-01-01

Fat Watch was a four-year campaign carried out in cooperation with retailers and industry, aiming at a reduction of fat consumption by 10% among the Dutch population. Mass media and supermarkets were the main conveyers of the message. Supermarkets participated well in the first (53%) and in the

Smart watch-based coaching with tiotropium and olodaterol ameliorates physical activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Science.gov (United States)

Hataji, Osamu; Nishii, Yoichi; Ito, Kentaro; Sakaguchi, Tadashi; Saiki, Haruko; Suzuki, Yuta; D'Alessandro-Gabazza, Corina; Fujimoto, Hajime; Kobayashi, Tetsu; Gabazza, Esteban C.; Taguchi, Osamu

2017-01-01

Combined therapy with tiotropium and olodaterol notably improves parameters of lung function and quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared to mono-components; however, its effect on physical activity is unknown. The present study evaluated whether combination therapy affects daily physical performance in patients with COPD under a smart watch-based encouragement program. This was a non-blinded clinical trial with no randomization or placebo control. A total of 20 patients with COPD were enrolled in the present study. The patients carried an accelerometer for 4 weeks; they received no therapy during the first 2 weeks but they were treated with combined tiotropium and olodaterol under a smart watch-based encouragement program for the last 2 weeks. The pulmonary function test, COPD assessment test, 6-min walk distance and parameters of physical activity were significantly improved (Pcoaching compared with values prior to treatment. To the best of our knowledge, the present study for the first time provides evidence that smart watch-based coaching in combination with tiotropium and olodaterol may improve daily physical activity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. PMID:29104624

Associations between eating meals, watching TV while eating meals and weight status among children, ages 10-12 years in eight European countries: the ENERGY cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vik, Frøydis N; Bjørnarå, Helga Birgit; Overby, Nina C; Lien, Nanna; Androutsos, Odysseas; Maes, Lea; Jan, Natasa; Kovacs, Eva; Moreno, Luis A; Dössegger, Alain; Manios, Yannis; Brug, Johannes; Bere, Elling

2013-05-15

To assess the association of eating meals, and never watching TV while eating meals, with weight status among children, ages 10-12 years across Europe. 7915 children (mean age: 11.5 years) in eight European countries (Belgium, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland) completed a questionnaire at school. Data on meals eaten the day before questionnaire administration and the frequency of eating meals while watching TV were collected. Height and weight of the children were objectively assessed. Multinomial and binary regression analyses were conducted to test associations of eating meals (adjusted for gender and ethnicity) and never watching TV while eating meals (adjusted for gender, ethnicity and total TV time) with overweight/obesity, and to test for country- and socio-demographic differences. The proportions of children reporting eating breakfast, lunch and dinner were 85%, 96%, and 93% respectively, and 55%, 46% and 32% reported to never watch TV at breakfast, lunch and dinner respectively. The children who ate breakfast (OR = 0.6 (95% CI 0.5-0.7)) and dinner (OR = 0.4 (95% CI 0.3-0.5)), had lower odds of being overweight compared to those who did not. The children who never watched TV at lunch (OR = 0.7 (95% CI 0.7-0.8)) and dinner (OR = 0.8 (95% CI 0.7-0.9)) had lower odds of being overweight compared to those who watched TV at the respective meals. The odds of being overweight was lower for children who ate breakfast and dinner compared to those who did not eat the respective meals. The odds of being overweight was lower for children who reported to never watch TV at lunch and dinner compared to those who did. A focus towards meal frequency and watching TV during meals in longitudinal and interventions studies in prevention of overweight and obesity, may contribute to a better understanding of causality.

More tornadoes in the most extreme U.S. tornado outbreaks.

Science.gov (United States)

Tippett, Michael K; Lepore, Chiara; Cohen, Joel E

2016-12-16

Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms kill people and damage property every year. Estimated U.S. insured losses due to severe thunderstorms in the first half of 2016 were $8.5 billion (US). The largest U.S. effects of tornadoes result from tornado outbreaks, which are sequences of tornadoes that occur in close succession. Here, using extreme value analysis, we find that the frequency of U.S. outbreaks with many tornadoes is increasing and that it is increasing faster for more extreme outbreaks. We model this behavior by extreme value distributions with parameters that are linear functions of time or of some indicators of multidecadal climatic variability. Extreme meteorological environments associated with severe thunderstorms show consistent upward trends, but the trends do not resemble those currently expected to result from global warming. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Global Atmosphere Watch Workshop on Measurement-Model Fusion for Global Total Atmospheric Deposition (MMF-GTAD)

Science.gov (United States)

The World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme coordinates high-quality observations of atmospheric composition from global to local scales with the aim to drive high-quality and high-impact science while co-producing a new generation of pro...

Television watching and the emotional impact on social modeling of food intake among children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bevelander, K.E.; Meiselman, H.L.; Anschutz, D.J.; Engels, R.C.M.E.

2013-01-01

The main goal of this study was to test whether exposure to happy, neutral, or sad media content influences social modeling effects of (snack) food intake in young children. The study was conducted at 14 Dutch urban and suburban primary schools. The participants (N = 112) were asked to watch a movie

Subcentimeter hypervascular nodules with typical imaging findings of hepatocellular carcinoma on gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI: Outcomes of early treatment and watchful waiting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woo, Jung Han; Song, Kyoung Doo; Kim, Seong Hyun [Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, 81 Irwon-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-10-15

To compare treatment outcomes of subcentimeter hypervascular nodules at high risk for developing into hepatocellular carcinomas (SHNHR) between early treatment and watchful waiting until progression to overt hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) groups. SHNHRs were defined as subcentimeter hypervascular nodules with the usual imaging features of HCC on gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Among 63 patients with 74 SHNHRs, 27 (37 SHNHRs) received early treatment (treatment of < 1 cm nodules), and 36 (37 SHNHRs) underwent watchful waiting until progression to overt HCC. Risk factor analysis was performed for recurrence-free and local recurrence-free survival. Among the 36 patients who adopted watchful waiting, 33 eventually underwent treatment because their SHNHRs progressed to overt HCC. For recurrence-free survival, significant risk factors included number of previous treatments (HR, 1.181; p < 0.001), tumour number (HR, 1.943; p = 0.009), and α-feto protein level (HR, 1.005; p = 0.037) in the multivariate analyses. Treatment strategy was not a significant risk factor for recurrence-free survival. For local recurrence-free survival from the date of treatment, only treatment modality (transarterial chemoembolization) (HR, 6.879; p = 0.002) was a significant risk factor. Recurrence-free survival was not significantly different between early treatment and watchful waiting for SHNHRs. (orig.)

The WOODCARE project: Development of detection methods for Death watch beetle larvae and fungal decay

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Esser, P.M.; Staalduinen, P.C. van; Tas, A.C.

1999-01-01

Woodcare was a European project coordinated by English heritage. The aim of the research was to develop more targeted and more environmentally friendly treatment methods for Death watch beetle infections in Oak constructions of historical buildings. TNO has developed two new methods for fast and

GUIDON-WATCH: A Graphic Interface for Viewing a Knowledge-Based System. Technical Report #14.

Science.gov (United States)

Richer, Mark H.; Clancey, William J.

This paper describes GUIDON-WATCH, a graphic interface that uses multiple windows and a mouse to allow a student to browse a knowledge base and view reasoning processes during diagnostic problem solving. The GUIDON project at Stanford University is investigating how knowledge-based systems can provide the basis for teaching programs, and this…

Conceptual design of an airborne laser Doppler velocimeter system for studying wind fields associated with severe local storms

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, J. A. L.; Davies, A. R.; Sulzmann, K. G. P.

1976-01-01

An airborne laser Doppler velocimeter was evaluated for diagnostics of the wind field associated with an isolated severe thunderstorm. Two scanning configurations were identified, one a long-range (out to 10-20 km) roughly horizontal plane mode intended to allow probing of the velocity field around the storm at the higher altitudes (4-10 km). The other is a shorter range (out to 1-3 km) mode in which a vertical or horizontal plane is scanned for velocity (and possibly turbulence), and is intended for diagnostics of the lower altitude region below the storm and in the out-flow region. It was concluded that aircraft flight velocities are high enough and severe storm lifetimes are long enough that a single airborne Doppler system, operating at a range of less than about 20 km, can view the storm area from two or more different aspects before the storm characteristics change appreciably.

Utilizing TRMM to Analyze Sea Breeze Thunderstorm Patterns During El Nino Southern Oscillations and Their Effects upon Available Fresh Water for South Florida Agricultural Planning and Management

Science.gov (United States)

Cooley, Clayton; Billiot, Amanda; Lee, Lucas; McKee, Jake

2010-01-01

Water is in high demand for farmers regardless of where you go. Unfortunately, farmers in southern Florida have fewer options for water supplies than public users and are often limited to using available supplies from surface and ground water sources which depend in part upon variable weather patterns. There is an interest by the agricultural community about the effect weather has on usable surface water, however, research into viable weather patterns during La Nina and El Nino has yet to be researched. Using rainfall accumulation data from NASA Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) satellite, this project s purpose was to assess the influence of El Nino and La Nina Oscillations on sea breeze thunderstorm patterns, as well as general rainfall patterns during the summer season in South Florida. Through this research we were able to illustrate the spatial and temporal variations in rainfall accumulation for each oscillation in relation to major agricultural areas. The study period for this project is from 1998, when TRMM was first launched, to 2009. Since sea breezes in Florida typically occur in the months of May through October, these months were chosen to be the months of the study. During this time, there were five periods of El Nino and two periods of La Nina, with a neutral period separating each oscillation. In order to eliminate rainfall from systems other than sea breeze thunderstorms, only days that were conducive to the development of a sea breeze front were selected.

Characteristics of severe thunderstorms studied with the aid of VLF ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

oped well calibrated GPS locked software VLF receiver, located at the ... last only a few hours, there is a need to develop .... ally under the joint influence of the South–West .... Meteorological Applications of Lightning Data, San Diego,. CA, Am.

Trial watch: Immunogenic cell death induction by anticancer chemotherapeutics.

Science.gov (United States)

Garg, Abhishek D; More, Sanket; Rufo, Nicole; Mece, Odeta; Sassano, Maria Livia; Agostinis, Patrizia; Zitvogel, Laurence; Kroemer, Guido; Galluzzi, Lorenzo

2017-01-01

The expression "immunogenic cell death" (ICD) refers to a functionally unique form of cell death that facilitates (instead of suppressing) a T cell-dependent immune response specific for dead cell-derived antigens. ICD critically relies on the activation of adaptive responses in dying cells, culminating with the exposure or secretion of immunostimulatory molecules commonly referred to as "damage-associated molecular patterns". Only a few agents can elicit bona fide ICD, including some clinically established chemotherapeutics such as doxorubicin, epirubicin, idarubicin, mitoxantrone, bleomycin, bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and oxaliplatin. In this Trial Watch, we discuss recent progress on the development of ICD-inducing chemotherapeutic regimens, focusing on studies that evaluate clinical efficacy in conjunction with immunological biomarkers.

Associations between eating meals, watching TV while eating meals and weight status among children, ages 10–12 years in eight European countries: the ENERGY cross-sectional study

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background To assess the association of eating meals, and never watching TV while eating meals, with weight status among children, ages 10–12 years across Europe. Methods 7915 children (mean age: 11.5 years) in eight European countries (Belgium, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland) completed a questionnaire at school. Data on meals eaten the day before questionnaire administration and the frequency of eating meals while watching TV were collected. Height and weight of the children were objectively assessed. Multinomial and binary regression analyses were conducted to test associations of eating meals (adjusted for gender and ethnicity) and never watching TV while eating meals (adjusted for gender, ethnicity and total TV time) with overweight/obesity, and to test for country- and socio-demographic differences. Results The proportions of children reporting eating breakfast, lunch and dinner were 85%, 96%, and 93% respectively, and 55%, 46% and 32% reported to never watch TV at breakfast, lunch and dinner respectively. The children who ate breakfast (OR = 0.6 (95% CI 0.5-0.7)) and dinner (OR = 0.4 (95% CI 0.3-0.5)), had lower odds of being overweight compared to those who did not. The children who never watched TV at lunch (OR = 0.7 (95% CI 0.7-0.8)) and dinner (OR = 0.8 (95% CI 0.7-0.9)) had lower odds of being overweight compared to those who watched TV at the respective meals. Conclusions The odds of being overweight was lower for children who ate breakfast and dinner compared to those who did not eat the respective meals. The odds of being overweight was lower for children who reported to never watch TV at lunch and dinner compared to those who did. A focus towards meal frequency and watching TV during meals in longitudinal and interventions studies in prevention of overweight and obesity, may contribute to a better understanding of causality. PMID:23675988

Seahorses in focus: local ecological knowledge of seahorse-watching operators in a tropical estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Ternes, Maria L F; Gerhardinger, Leopoldo C; Schiavetti, Alexandre

2016-11-08

Seahorses are endangered teleost fishes under increasing human pressures worldwide. In Brazil, marine conservationists and policy-makers are thus often skeptical about the viability of sustainable human-seahorse interactions. This study focuses on local ecological knowledge on seahorses and the implications of their non-lethal touristic use by a coastal community in northeastern Brazil. Community-based seahorse-watching activities have been carried out in Maracaípe village since 1999, but remained uninvestigated until the present study. Our goal is to provide ethnoecological understanding on this non-extractive use to support seahorse conservation and management. We interviewed 32 informants through semi-structured questionnaires to assess their socioeconomic profile, their knowledge on seahorse natural history traits, human uses, threats and abundance trends. Seahorse-watching has high socioeconomic relevance, being the primary income source for all respondents. Interviewees elicited a body of knowledge on seahorse biology largely consistent with up-to-date research literature. Most informants (65.5 %) perceived no change in seahorse abundance. Their empirical knowledge often surpassed scientific reports, i.e. through remarks on trophic ecology; reproductive aspects, such as, behavior and breeding season; spatial and temporal distribution, suggesting seahorse migration related to environmental parameters. Seahorse-watching operators were aware of seahorse biological and ecological aspects. Despite the gaps remaining on biological data about certain seahorse traits, the respondents provided reliable information on all questions, adding ethnoecological remarks not yet assessed by conventional scientific surveys. We provide novel ethnobiological insight on non-extractive modes of human-seahorse interaction, eliciting environmental policies to integrate seahorse conservation with local ecological knowledge and innovative ideas for seahorse sustainable use. Our study

Children aged 6-24 months like to watch YouTube videos but could not learn anything from them.

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Savita; Chakraborty, Pinaki; Mittal, Prabhat; Arora, Udit

2018-03-20

Parents sometimes show young children YouTube videos on their smartphones. We studied the interaction of 55 Indian children born between December 2014 and May 2015 who watched YouTube videos when they were 6-24 months old. The children were recruited by the researchers using professional and personal contacts and visited by the same two observers at four ages, for at least 10 minutes. The observers recorded the children's abilities to interact with touch screens and identify people in videos and noted what videos attracted them the most. The children were attracted to music at six months of age and were interested in watching the videos at 12 months. They could identify their parents in videos at 12 months and themselves by 24 months. They started touching the screen at 18 months and could press the buttons that appeared on the screen, but did not understand their use. The children preferred watching dance performances by multiple artists with melodical music, advertisements for products they used and videos showing toys and balloons. Children up to two years of age could be entertained and kept busy by showing them YouTube clips on smartphones, but did not learn anything from the videos. ©2018 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Results of gas monitoring of double-shell flammable gas watch list tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilkins, N.E.

1995-01-01

Tanks 103-SY; 101-AW; 103-, 104-, and 105-AN are on the Flammable Gas Watch List. Recently, standard hydrogen monitoring system (SHMS) cabinets have been installed in the vent header of each of these tanks. Grab samples have been taken once per week, and a gas chromatograph was installed on tank 104-AN as a field test. The data that have been collected since gas monitoring began on these tanks are summarized in this document

Recent Advancements in Lightning Jump Algorithm Work

Science.gov (United States)

Schultz, Christopher J.; Petersen, Walter A.; Carey, Lawrence D.

2010-01-01

In the past year, the primary objectives were to show the usefulness of total lightning as compared to traditional cloud-to-ground (CG) networks, test the lightning jump algorithm configurations in other regions of the country, increase the number of thunderstorms within our thunderstorm database, and to pinpoint environments that could prove difficult for any lightning jump configuration. A total of 561 thunderstorms have been examined in the past year (409 non-severe, 152 severe) from four regions of the country (North Alabama, Washington D.C., High Plains of CO/KS, and Oklahoma). Results continue to indicate that the 2 lightning jump algorithm configuration holds the most promise in terms of prospective operational lightning jump algorithms, with a probability of detection (POD) at 81%, a false alarm rate (FAR) of 45%, a critical success index (CSI) of 49% and a Heidke Skill Score (HSS) of 0.66. The second best performing algorithm configuration was the Threshold 4 algorithm, which had a POD of 72%, FAR of 51%, a CSI of 41% and an HSS of 0.58. Because a more complex algorithm configuration shows the most promise in terms of prospective operational lightning jump algorithms, accurate thunderstorm cell tracking work must be undertaken to track lightning trends on an individual thunderstorm basis over time. While these numbers for the 2 configuration are impressive, the algorithm does have its weaknesses. Specifically, low-topped and tropical cyclone thunderstorm environments are present issues for the 2 lightning jump algorithm, because of the suppressed vertical depth impact on overall flash counts (i.e., a relative dearth in lightning). For example, in a sample of 120 thunderstorms from northern Alabama that contained 72 missed events by the 2 algorithm 36% of the misses were associated with these two environments (17 storms).

StopWatch: The preliminary evaluation of a smartwatch-based system for passive detection of cigarette smoking.

Science.gov (United States)

Skinner, Andrew L; Stone, Christopher J; Doughty, Hazel; Munafò, Marcus R

2018-01-24

Recent developments in smoking cessation support systems and interventions have highlighted the requirement for unobtrusive, passive ways to measure smoking behaviour. A number of systems have been developed for this that either use bespoke sensing technology, or expensive combinations of wearables and smartphones. Here we present StopWatch, a system for passive detection of cigarette smoking that runs on a low-cost smartwatch and does not require additional sensing or a connected smartphone. Our system uses motion data from the accelerometer and gyroscope in an Android smartwatch to detect the signature hand movements of cigarette smoking. It uses machine learning techniques to transform raw motion data into motion features, and in turn into individual drags and instances of smoking. These processes run on the smartwatch, and do not require a smartphone. We conducted preliminary validations of the system in daily smokers (n=13) in laboratory and free-living conditions running on an Android LG G-Watch. In free-living conditions, over a 24-hour period, the system achieved precision of 86% and recall of 71%. StopWatch is a system for passive measurement of cigarette smoking that runs entirely on a commercially available Android smartwatch. It requires no smartphone so the cost is low, and needs no bespoke sensing equipment so participant burden is also low. Performance is currently lower than other more expensive and complex systems, though adequate for some applications. Future developments will focus on enhancing performance, validation on a range of smartwatches, and detection of electronic cigarette use. We present a low-cost, smartwatch-based system for passive detection of cigarette smoking. It uses data from the motion sensors in the watch to identify the signature hand movements of cigarette smoking. The system will provide the detailed measures of individual smoking behaviour needed for context-triggered just-in-time smoking cessation support systems, and to

LifeWatchGreece Portal development: architecture, implementation and challenges for a biodiversity research e-infrastructure.

Science.gov (United States)

Gougousis, Alexandros; Bailly, Nicolas

2016-01-01

Biodiversity data is characterized by its cross-disciplinary character, the extremely broad range of data types and structures, and the plethora of different data sources providing resources for the same piece of information in a heterogeneous way. Since the web inception two decades ago, there are multiple initiatives to connect, aggregate, share, and publish biodiversity data, and to establish data and work flows in order to analyze them. The European program LifeWatch aims at establishing a distributed network of nodes implementing virtual research environment in Europe to facilitate the work of biodiversity researchers and managers. LifeWatchGreece is one of these nodes where a portal was developed offering access to a suite of virtual laboratories and e-services. Despite its strict definition in information technology, in practice "portal" is a fairly broad term that embraces many web architectures. In the biodiversity domain, the term "portal" is usually used to indicate either a web site that provides access to a single or an aggregation of data repositories (like: http://indiabiodiversity.org/, http://www.mountainbiodiversity.org/, http://data.freshwaterbiodiversity.eu), a web site that gathers information about various online biodiversity tools (like http://test-eubon.ebd.csic.es/, http://marine.lifewatch.eu/) or a web site that just gathers information and news about the biodiversity domain (like http://chm.moew.government.bg). LifeWatchGreece's portal takes the concept of a portal a step further. In strict IT terms, LifeWatchGreece's portal is partly a portal, partly a platform and partly an aggregator. It includes a number of biodiversity-related web tools integrated into a centrally-controlled software ecosystem. This ecosystem includes subsystems for access control, traffic monitoring, user notifications and web tool management. These subsystems are shared to all the web tools that have been integrated to the portal and thereby are part of this

Global Age Watch Index 2015, London, 2015, ch 8 Western Europe, North America and Australasia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Bruijn, J.G.M.

2015-01-01

The world’s population is ageing. As fertility declines and life expectancy increases, the proportion of people aged 60 and over is projected to grow in all regions of the world. Yet people’s experiences of later life vary enormously depending on where they live. The Global AgeWatch Index assesses

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2008

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2003

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2001

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2005

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2015

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2009

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2004

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2007

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2012

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2002

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2010

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2006

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2013

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Bottom Dissolved Oxygen Contours for June and July SEAMAP Cruise of 2014

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Hypoxia Watch project provides near-real-time, web-based maps of dissolved oxygen near the sea floor over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf during a...