6,806 research outputs found
Real Time Estimation of the Calgary Floods Using Limited Remote Sensing Data
No full textabstract: Every year, flood disasters are responsible for widespread destruction and loss of human life. Remote sensing data are capable of providing valuable, synoptic coverage of flood events but are not always available because of satellite revisit limitations, obstructions from cloud cover or vegetation canopy, or expense. In addition, knowledge of road accessibility is imperative during all phases of a flood event. In June 2013, the City of Calgary experienced sudden and extensive flooding but lacked comprehensive remote sensing coverage. Using this event as a case study, this work illustrates how data from non-authoritative sources are used to augment traditional data and methods to estimate flood extent and identify affected roads during a flood disaster. The application of these data, which may have varying resolutions and uncertainities, provide an estimation of flood extent when traditional data and methods are lacking or incomplete. When flooding occurs over multiple days, it is possible to construct an estimate of the advancement and recession of the flood event. Non-authoritative sources also provide flood information at the micro-level, which can be difficult to capture from remote sensing data; however, the distibution and quantity of data collected from these sources will affect the quality of the flood estimations.The final version of this article, as published in Water, can be viewed online at: http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/6/2/38
Brown & Marriott's ADR: principles & practice, 4th edition.
No full textThe 4th edition of Brown and Marriott’s ADR Principles and Practice, due for publication in 2018, will be revised and updated by a new author team comprising William Wood QC, Brick Court Chambers; Ben Waters, Senior Lecturer in Law at Canterbury Christ Church University; and Shirley Shipman, Principal Lecturer in Law at Oxford Brookes University School of Law. They bring a fresh perspective to the 4th edition; while Henry Brown, originator and co-author of the first three editions, is closely involved in this 4th edition as a Consultant Editor.
In addition to a general update and revision, the new edition will address the following in particular:
Developments in statutory and case law as well as practice, which have progressed in various fields, especially as ADR processes have become more integrated into litigation and judicial processes
Technology, ICT and online processes including Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), which have developed, affecting dispute resolution processes ADR is becoming increasingly integrated into legal education and training and the work accommodates the need for a comprehensive guide also suitable for student
Surveillance of adenoviruses and noroviruses in European recreational waters
No full textExposure to human pathogenic viruses in recreational waters has been shown to cause disease outbreaks. In the context of Article 14 of the revised European Bathing Waters Directive 2006/7/EC (rBWD, CEU, 2006) a Europe-wide surveillance study was carried out to determine the frequency of occurrence of two human enteric viruses in recreational waters. Adenoviruses were selected based on their near-universal shedding and environmental survival, and noroviruses (NoV) selected as being the most prevalent gastroenteritis agent worldwide. Concentration of marine and freshwater samples was done by adsorption/elution followed by molecular detection by (RT)-PCR. Out of 1410 samples, 553 (39.2%) were positive for one or more of the target viruses. Adenoviruses, detected in 36.4% of samples, were more prevalent than noroviruses (9.4%), with 3.5% GI and 6.2% GII, some samples being positive for both GI and GII. Of 513 human adenovirus-positive samples, 63 (12.3%) were also norovirus-positive, whereas 69 (7.7%) norovirus-positive samples were adenovirus-negative. More freshwater samples than marine water samples were virus-positive. Out of a small selection of samples tested for adenovirus infectivity, approximately one-quarter were positive. Sixty percent of 132 nested-PCR adenovirus-positive samples analysed by quantitative PCR gave a mean value of over 3000 genome copies per L of water. The simultaneous detection of infectious adenovirus and of adenovirus and NoV by (RT)PCR suggests that the presence of infectious viruses in recreational waters may constitute a public health risk upon exposure. These studies support the case for considering adenoviruses as an indicator of bathing water quality
Arctic battle deepens
No full textSummaryResearchers worry about the long-term ecological effects of melting Arctic ice but that hasn't stopped prospectors seeking to exploit the opening waters. Nigel Williams reports
Picture this
No full textAbstractSome human populations in south-east Asia have foraged for a living in shallow coastal waters for generations. Could their eyes have adapted to these challenging conditions? Nigel Williams reports on a recent study
30 years on - the review of the Council of Europe Data Protection Convention 108
No full textThe Council of Europe is engaging in a process of revising its Data Protection Convention (Convention 108) to meet and overcome these challenges. The Council of Europe celebrates this year the 30th Anniversary of its Data Protection Convention (usually referred to as Convention 108) which has served as the backbone of international law in over 40 European countries and has influenced policy and legislation far beyond Europe’s shores. With new data protection challenges arising every day, the Convention is revising its Data Protection Convention. Computer Law and Security Review (CLSR) together with the Intl. Association of IT Lawyers (IAITL) and ILAWS have submitted comments in response to the Expert Committee’s public consultation on this document. CLSR aims to position itself at the forefront of policy discussion drawing upon the high quality scholarly contributions from leading experts around the world
Chilling out
No full textA new study of fisheries data from the North Sea reveals that many fish species have changed their distribution towards cooler waters over the past 25 years as sea temperatures rose which may have major implications for climate warming on fisheries. Nigel Williams reports
Modelling fails to stall key fisheries collapse
No full textAbstractAfter years of effort by researchers to develop models that would sustain the marine economy in its waters, Europe is now facing up to the closure of some of its most historic and productive fisheries in the face of compelling scentific evidence. Nigel Williams reports
Editorial [Hot topic: Drug Design from the ADME/PK Perspective: Does Chemical Intuition Suffice in Multifaceted Drug Discovery? (Guest Editors: Franco Lombardo & Nigel J. Waters)]
No full textDeveloping elite Neurospora crassa strains for cellulosic ethanol production using fungal breeding
No full textThe demand for renewable and sustainable energy has generated considerable interest in the conversion of cellulosic biomass into liquid fuels such as ethanol using a filamentous fungus. While attempts have been made to study cellulose metabolism through the use of knockout mutants, there have been no systematic effort to characterize natural variation for cellulose metabolism in ecotypes adapted to different habitats. Here, we characterized natural variation in saccharification of cellulose and fermentation in 73 ecotypes and 89 laboratory strains of the model fungus Neurospora crassa. We observed significant variation in both traits among natural and laboratory generated populations, with some elite strains performing better than the reference strain. In the F1 population N345, 15% of the population outperformed both parents with the top performing strain having 10% improvement in ethanol production. These results suggest that natural alleles can be exploited through fungal breeding for developing elite industrial strains for bioethanol production.Peer reviewe
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