| 1. |
- Biurrun, Idoia, et al.
(author)
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Benchmarking plant diversity of Palaearctic grasslands and other open habitats
- 2021
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In: Journal of Vegetation Science. - Oxford : John Wiley & Sons. - 1100-9233 .- 1654-1103. ; 32:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Journal of Vegetation Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Association for Vegetation Science.Aims: Understanding fine-grain diversity patterns across large spatial extents is fundamental for macroecological research and biodiversity conservation. Using the GrassPlot database, we provide benchmarks of fine-grain richness values of Palaearctic open habitats for vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens and complete vegetation (i.e., the sum of the former three groups). Location: Palaearctic biogeographic realm. Methods: We used 126,524 plots of eight standard grain sizes from the GrassPlot database: 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1,000 m2 and calculated the mean richness and standard deviations, as well as maximum, minimum, median, and first and third quartiles for each combination of grain size, taxonomic group, biome, region, vegetation type and phytosociological class. Results: Patterns of plant diversity in vegetation types and biomes differ across grain sizes and taxonomic groups. Overall, secondary (mostly semi-natural) grasslands and natural grasslands are the richest vegetation type. The open-access file ”GrassPlot Diversity Benchmarks” and the web tool “GrassPlot Diversity Explorer” are now available online (https://edgg.org/databases/GrasslandDiversityExplorer) and provide more insights into species richness patterns in the Palaearctic open habitats. Conclusions: The GrassPlot Diversity Benchmarks provide high-quality data on species richness in open habitat types across the Palaearctic. These benchmark data can be used in vegetation ecology, macroecology, biodiversity conservation and data quality checking. While the amount of data in the underlying GrassPlot database and their spatial coverage are smaller than in other extensive vegetation-plot databases, species recordings in GrassPlot are on average more complete, making it a valuable complementary data source in macroecology. © 2021 The Authors.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Dengler, Juergen, et al.
(author)
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GrassPlot - a database of multi-scale plant diversity in Palaearctic grasslands
- 2018
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In: Phytocoenologia. - : Schweizerbart. - 0340-269X. ; 48:3, s. 331-347
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- GrassPlot is a collaborative vegetation-plot database organised by the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG) and listed in the Global Index of Vegetation-Plot Databases (GIVD ID EU-00-003). GrassPlot collects plot records (releves) from grasslands and other open habitats of the Palaearctic biogeographic realm. It focuses on precisely delimited plots of eight standard grain sizes (0.0001; 0.001;... 1,000 m(2)) and on nested-plot series with at least four different grain sizes. The usage of GrassPlot is regulated through Bylaws that intend to balance the interests of data contributors and data users. The current version (v. 1.00) contains data for approximately 170,000 plots of different sizes and 2,800 nested-plot series. The key components are richness data and metadata. However, most included datasets also encompass compositional data. About 14,000 plots have near-complete records of terricolous bryophytes and lichens in addition to vascular plants. At present, GrassPlot contains data from 36 countries throughout the Palaearctic, spread across elevational gradients and major grassland types. GrassPlot with its multi-scale and multi-taxon focus complements the larger international vegetationplot databases, such as the European Vegetation Archive (EVA) and the global database " sPlot". Its main aim is to facilitate studies on the scale-and taxon-dependency of biodiversity patterns and drivers along macroecological gradients. GrassPlot is a dynamic database and will expand through new data collection coordinated by the elected Governing Board. We invite researchers with suitable data to join GrassPlot. Researchers with project ideas addressable with GrassPlot data are welcome to submit proposals to the Governing Board.
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| 4. |
- Frank, Göran, et al.
(author)
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Droplet Formation and Growth in Polluted Fogs
- 1998
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In: Contributions to Atmospheric Physics. - 0005-8173. ; 71:1, s. 65-85
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Fog droplet formation and growth related to fog droplet activation were studied in a polluted region. The joint field experiments were carried out at San Pietro Capofiume in northern Italy during November 1994. It was found that the fog droplet number distribution was continuous in the size region 1-47 µm and that for most of the time the fog consisted of unactivated droplets, i.e. the droplets were smaller than the critical diameter for activation according to the Köhler equation. During a few time periods some of the droplets were possibly slightly larger than the critical diameter for activation. The solute concentration in the fog droplets was found to be strongly dependent and decreasing with increasing droplet size. The experimental results were compared with results obtaied using a fog model. Good overall agreement was found between the model and the experimental results, with respect to fog droplet size related to dry residue size, and to fog droplet number distribution. The fog model was also used to study the influence on fog droplet growth of the rate of temperature decrease, the aerosol particle mass load and fog liquid water content. In addition the effect of aging of the fog was also considered.
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| 5. |
- Fuzzi, Sandro, et al.
(author)
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Overview of the Po valley fog experiment 1994 (CHEMDROP)
- 1998
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In: Contributions to Atmospheric Physics. - 0005-8173. ; 71:1, s. 3-19
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The paper presents an outline of the CHEMDROP field experiment, carried out in November 1994 at the field station of S. Pietro Capofiume in the Po Valley, Italy. The main objective of the project was to address the issue of the size-dependent chemical composition of fog droplets, by experimentally investigating the following processes, which are expected to affect (or be affected by) the chemical composition of fog droplets as a function of size: a) the connection of the size-dependent chemical composition of CCN to the size-dependent composition of fog droplets; b) the gas/liquid partitioning of the gaseous species NH3, SO2, HCHO, HNO3 in fog; c) the Fe(II)/Fe(III) redox cycle in fog water. Some general results and overall conclusions of the experiment are reported in this paper, while more specific scientific questions are discussed in other companion papers in this issue. CHEMDROP results show that several processes concur in determining the size-dependence of fog droplets chemical composition: nucleation scavenging of pre-existing CCN, fog dynamical evolution and gas/liquid exchange between interstitial air and fog droplets. Chemical transformations in the liquid phase can cause further changes in the chemical composition of the droplets. Only by taking into account the combination of all these processes, is it possible to explain the inhomogeneities in fog droplet chemical composition.
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| 6. |
- Heintzenberg, Jost, et al.
(author)
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Characteristics of haze, mist and fog
- 1998
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In: Contributions to Atmospheric Physics. - 0005-8173. ; 71:1, s. 21-31
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An aerosol and fog data set from a field experiment in November 1994 at San Pietro Capofiume, Northern Italy was analysed. With objective criteria developed from visibility measurements average aerosol characteristics in the dry and wet state were calculated for haze, mist and fog conditions which can be seen as representative for continental air masses in an industrialised region. Dry particle size distributions between three and 800 nm and ambient size distributions between and 50 μm were measured with a system consisting of the three size-segregating particle sensors differential mobility particle sizer, droplet aerosol analyser and FSSP. Systematic changes in particle properties were found for the transition from haze to fog that can be used to derive internally consistent optical aerosol properties. The analysis of the data set demonstrates that atmospheric sensors which have been developed for cloud and fog studies yield useful data for haze conditions.
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| 7. |
- Lozano, Rafael, et al.
(author)
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Measuring progress from 1990 to 2017 and projecting attainment to 2030 of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals for 195 countries and territories: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
- 2018
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In: The Lancet. - : Elsevier. - 1474-547X .- 0140-6736. ; 392:10159, s. 2091-2138
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Efforts to establish the 2015 baseline and monitor early implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight both great potential for and threats to improving health by 2030. To fully deliver on the SDG aim of “leaving no one behind”, it is increasingly important to examine the health-related SDGs beyond national-level estimates. As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017 (GBD 2017), we measured progress on 41 of 52 health-related SDG indicators and estimated the health-related SDG index for 195 countries and territories for the period 1990–2017, projected indicators to 2030, and analysed global attainment. Methods: We measured progress on 41 health-related SDG indicators from 1990 to 2017, an increase of four indicators since GBD 2016 (new indicators were health worker density, sexual violence by non-intimate partners, population census status, and prevalence of physical and sexual violence [reported separately]). We also improved the measurement of several previously reported indicators. We constructed national-level estimates and, for a subset of health-related SDGs, examined indicator-level differences by sex and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile. We also did subnational assessments of performance for selected countries. To construct the health-related SDG index, we transformed the value for each indicator on a scale of 0–100, with 0 as the 2·5th percentile and 100 as the 97·5th percentile of 1000 draws calculated from 1990 to 2030, and took the geometric mean of the scaled indicators by target. To generate projections through 2030, we used a forecasting framework that drew estimates from the broader GBD study and used weighted averages of indicator-specific and country-specific annualised rates of change from 1990 to 2017 to inform future estimates. We assessed attainment of indicators with defined targets in two ways: first, using mean values projected for 2030, and then using the probability of attainment in 2030 calculated from 1000 draws. We also did a global attainment analysis of the feasibility of attaining SDG targets on the basis of past trends. Using 2015 global averages of indicators with defined SDG targets, we calculated the global annualised rates of change required from 2015 to 2030 to meet these targets, and then identified in what percentiles the required global annualised rates of change fell in the distribution of country-level rates of change from 1990 to 2015. We took the mean of these global percentile values across indicators and applied the past rate of change at this mean global percentile to all health-related SDG indicators, irrespective of target definition, to estimate the equivalent 2030 global average value and percentage change from 2015 to 2030 for each indicator. Findings: The global median health-related SDG index in 2017 was 59·4 (IQR 35·4–67·3), ranging from a low of 11·6 (95% uncertainty interval 9·6–14·0) to a high of 84·9 (83·1–86·7). SDG index values in countries assessed at the subnational level varied substantially, particularly in China and India, although scores in Japan and the UK were more homogeneous. Indicators also varied by SDI quintile and sex, with males having worse outcomes than females for non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality, alcohol use, and smoking, among others. Most countries were projected to have a higher health-related SDG index in 2030 than in 2017, while country-level probabilities of attainment by 2030 varied widely by indicator. Under-5 mortality, neonatal mortality, maternal mortality ratio, and malaria indicators had the most countries with at least 95% probability of target attainment. Other indicators, including NCD mortality and suicide mortality, had no countries projected to meet corresponding SDG targets on the basis of projected mean values for 2030 but showed some probability of attainment by 2030. For some indicators, including child malnutrition, several infectious diseases, and most violence measures, the annualised rates of change required to meet SDG targets far exceeded the pace of progress achieved by any country in the recent past. We found that applying the mean global annualised rate of change to indicators without defined targets would equate to about 19% and 22% reductions in global smoking and alcohol consumption, respectively; a 47% decline in adolescent birth rates; and a more than 85% increase in health worker density per 1000 population by 2030. Interpretation: The GBD study offers a unique, robust platform for monitoring the health-related SDGs across demographic and geographic dimensions. Our findings underscore the importance of increased collection and analysis of disaggregated data and highlight where more deliberate design or targeting of interventions could accelerate progress in attaining the SDGs. Current projections show that many health-related SDG indicators, NCDs, NCD-related risks, and violence-related indicators will require a concerted shift away from what might have driven past gains—curative interventions in the case of NCDs—towards multisectoral, prevention-oriented policy action and investments to achieve SDG aims. Notably, several targets, if they are to be met by 2030, demand a pace of progress that no country has achieved in the recent past. The future is fundamentally uncertain, and no model can fully predict what breakthroughs or events might alter the course of the SDGs. What is clear is that our actions—or inaction—today will ultimately dictate how close the world, collectively, can get to leaving no one behind by 2030.
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| 8. |
- Marras, Alessandro, et al.
(author)
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Characterization of the Percival detector with soft X-rays
- 2021
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In: Journal of Synchrotron Radiation. - 0909-0495 .- 1600-5775. ; 28, s. 131-145
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper the back-side-illuminated Percival 2-Megapixel (P2M) detector is presented, along with its characterization by means of optical and X-ray photons. For the first time, the response of the system to soft X-rays (250 eV to 1 keV) is presented. The main performance parameters of the first detector are measured, assessing the capabilities in terms of noise, dynamic range and single-photon discrimination capability. Present limitations and coming improvements are discussed.
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| 9. |
- Martinsson, Bengt G., et al.
(author)
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Droplet nucleation and growth in orographic clouds in relation to the aerosol population
- 1999
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In: Atmospheric Research. - 0169-8095. ; 50:3-4, s. 289-315
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The formation and development of orographic clouds was studied in a field experiment comprising several measurement sites at a mountain ridge. The influence of the aerosol population present on the cloud microstructure was studied in relation to the dynamics in the cloud formation. Droplet nucleation scavenging was investigated by the introduction of a non-dimensional particle diameter related to the process, and it was found that the scavenging rose rapidly in a relatively narrow particle size interval. The size dependency of the scavenging could partly be explained by external mixture of the aerosol. The large particles in the cloud interstitial aerosol was found to be of a chemical nature which allows for only a very weak uptake of water, implying that the chemical composition of these particles rather than entrainment of dry air prevented the droplet nucleation. The aerosol particle number concentration was found to strongly influence the cloud microstructure. Droplet number concentrations up to approximately 2000 cm-3 were observed together with a substantially reduced effective droplet diameter. The observed effect of elevated particle number concentrations in orographic clouds was generalised to the climatologically more important stratiform clouds by the use of a cloud model. It was found that the microstructure of stratiform clouds was strongly dependent on the aerosol population present as well on the dynamics in the cloud formation.
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| 10. |
- Pimienta, Pierre, et al.
(author)
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Recommendation of RILEM TC 256-SPF on fire spalling assessment during standardised fire resistance tests : complementary guidance and requirements
- 2024
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In: Materials and Structures/Materiaux et Constructions. - : Springer Science and Business Media B.V.. - 1359-5997 .- 1871-6873. ; 57:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The recommendation is based on the co-authors’ work organized by the RILEM TC 256-SPF “Spalling of concrete due to fire: testing and modelling”. It aims to provide useful information, guidance and best practices in fire spalling assessment to laboratories that perform large-scale tests based on fire resistance test standards. It provides guidance on the spalling observation techniques during testing, as well as post-test spalling quantification/assessment methods. This document is intended to be used in conjunction with the fire resistance test standards, e.g. EN 1363-1 and ISO 834-1.
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