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In recent years, several critical issues have been identified concerning the performance of recently established spruce forest plantations in Ireland, in particular coniferous reforestation sites. More specifically, the reforestation of peatland areas in the midlands of Ireland have been subject to encroachment by broadleaf species, such as birch, and willow. These species regenerate naturally and compete with, and outgrow, the coniferous species (commonly Norway spruce) that were planted. In many cases, the growth of these trees is faster than the spruce, resulting in stands being completely encroached by approximately 15 years of age. Given the widespread nature of this problem coupled with the fragmented nature of the Irish forest estate, a project was established to use Earth observation data to predict the spatial distribution and species composition of the affected sites. The spatial distribution and associated area estimates of broadleaf encroachment within State owned spruce forests were assessed using multi-temporal Landsat satellite imagery. The overall accuracy of the encroachment map was 85.23% and a Kappa Index of Agreement of 0.58. The associated area of encroached or broadleaf dominated forests was 20,003 ha with a confidence interval of ±20% calculated using a sample-based estimator.

The increasing amount of free and open geospatial data of interest to major societal questions calls for the development of innovative data-intensive computing platforms for the efficient and effective extraction of information from these data. This paper proposes a versatile petabyte-scale platform based on commodity hardware and equipped with open-source software for the operating system, the distributed file system, and the task scheduler for batch processing as well as the containerization of user specific applications. Interactive visualization and processing based on deferred processing are also proposed. The versatility of the proposed platform is illustrated with a series of applications together with their performance metrics.

Background Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an inherited otosinopulmonary ciliopathy in which respiratory cilia are stationary or dyskinetic. Digital high speed videomicroscopy (DHSV) is highly sensitive and specific for PCD diagnosis, but lacks standardization, particularly about the conditions for the storage of ciliated epithelial samples before ciliary functional analysis (CFA). Indeed, storage temperature and duration may impact ciliary function, but this has never been extensively studied. We aimed to evaluate the stability of ciliary function over time when nasal brushing samples are conserved either in the fridge (4 °C)or at room temperature (22 °C). Methodology Ciliated epithelial samples were obtained by brushing nasal from 9 healthy subjects. These samples were divided equally and conserved either at 4 °C or at 22 °C. Beating cilia were recorded using DHSV at 37 °C immediately, 3 hours and then 9 hours after sampling. CFA was assessed by ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and the % of normal ciliary beat pattern (CBP). Results There was no significant difference in CFA over time after sampling, regardless of the sample storage temperature ( Table 1 ). Conclusion This pilot study suggests that stability of CFA may be preserved during 9 hours after sampling, whatever if the sample is conserved at 4 °C or at 22 °C. Larger studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results notably in pathological conditions.

Background Digital high-speed video microscopy (DHSV) allows analysis of ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and ciliary beat pattern (CBP) of respiratory cilia in three planes. Normal reference data use a sideways edge to evaluate ciliary dyskinesia and calculate CBF using the time needed for a cilium to complete 10 beat cycles. Variability in CBF within the respiratory epithelium has been described, but data concerning variation of CBP is limited in healthy epithelium. This study aimed to document variability of CBP in normal samples, to compare ciliary function in three profiles, and to compare CBF calculated over five or 10 beat cycles. Methods Nasal brushing samples from 13 healthy subjects were recorded using DHSV in three profiles. CBP and CBF over a 10-beat cycle were evaluated in all profiles, and CBF was reevaluated over five-beat cycles in the sideways edges. Results A uniform CBP was seen in 82.1% of edges. In the sideways profile, uniformity within the edge was lower (uniform normal CBP, 69.1% [sideways profile]; 97.1% [toward the observer], 92.0% [from above]), and dyskinesia was higher. Interobserver agreement for dyskinesia was poor. CBF was not different between profiles ( P = .8097) or between 10 and five beat cycles ( P = .1126). Conclusions Our study demonstrates a lack of uniformity and consistency in manual CBP analysis of samples from healthy subjects, emphasizing the risk of automated CBP analysis in limited regions of interest and of single and limited manual CBP analysis. The toward the observer and from above profiles may be used to calculate CBF but may be less sensitive for evaluation of ciliary dyskinesia and CBP. CBF can be measured reliably by evaluation of only five-beat cycles.

Introduction Des mesurages effectues il y a quelques annees n’ont pas montre une incidence plus elevee de la pollution globale generee par l’aeroport de Charleroi (Belgique) par rapport aux axes routiers et aux industries a proximite. Toutefois, des agents du departement Fuel (avitailleurs) de l’aeroport ont exprime des craintes quant aux risques encourus lors de la manipulation du carburant JET-A1. Materiel et methodes Afin d’evaluer l’exposition toxicologique de ces travailleurs, le responsable HSE de l’aeroport en collaboration avec le medecin du travail et l’unite d’hygiene industrielle du service interentreprises de medecine du travail ont decide d’utiliser deux methodes de mesure. La premiere consistait a doser trois types de metabolites dans l’urine pour mettre en evidence l’exposition a certaines substances presentes dans les carburants d’avion, les xylenes, le toluene et le benzene. Sur 32 avitailleurs du departement, 26 ont participe a l’echantillonnage et 23 echantillons ont pu etre exploites. La deuxieme methode ciblait l’evaluation de l’exposition professionnelle a certaines substances potentiellement dangereuses que les avitailleurs sont susceptibles de respirer dans les zones de travail a l’aeroport. Il a ete decide de realiser deux campagnes de mesures de l’air ambiant, par des systemes statiques d’une part et, d’autre part, l’utilisation de capteurs individuels portes par les avitailleurs au niveau des voies respiratoires. Les composes organiques volatils et les particules diesel ont ete analyses. Resultats Malgre les craintes ayant motive ces analyses, les resultats globaux montrent de faibles niveaux d’exposition, tres inferieurs aux valeurs limites existantes, a la fois dans la qualite de l’air et dans les mesurages urinaires. Discussion Ces resultats sont comparables a une etude realisee dans plusieurs aeroports francais. Le personnel a pu etre rassure et le medecin du travail a propose d’adapter la surveillance medicale en consequence. Avec l’evolution de l’aviation d’affaires a l’aeroport de Charleroi, les avitailleurs sont amenes a utiliser d’autres equipements pour le remplissage des avions avec une methode differente. Leur exposition devra etre a nouveau evaluee.

Resume Le syndrome d’apnees et d’hypopnees obstructives du sommeil (SAHOS) est une entite pathophysiologique a part entiere. La gestion perioperatoire des patients porteurs de cette pathologie comprend, d’une part, la prevention des apnees obstructives postoperatoires, et d’autre part, la gestion des comorbidites du patient (hypertension arterielle, obesite, ischemie myocardique, troubles du rythme cardiaque et accident vasculaire cerebral). Il a ete recemment rapporte que le SAHOS est associe a un risque accru de thromboembolie perioperatoire. Nous decrivons dans cet article, sur base d’une recherche bibliographique, les recherches publiees dans ce domaine. De tres nombreuses modifications de l’homeostasie sanguine sont associees au SAHOS. Elles se repartissent en deux entites distinctes : la dysfonction endotheliale et un etat d’hypercoagulabilite. L’origine de ces perturbations reside dans la combinaison des phenomenes d’hypoxies (ischemies-reperfusions) et des micro-eveils frequents contemporains du SAHOS. Un traitement par pression d’air positive continue par voie nasale (PAPCn) corrige la majorite des anomalies et permet donc au patient de reduire son risque thromboembolique perioperatoire. Nous vous presentons un article de synthese, dans lequel l’anesthesiste-reanimateur pourra trouver une explication et une solution a ce processus pathologique.

Previous studies have demonstrated that reading and following safety instructions, such as warning labels and product manuals, may serve as a defense against hazards and can prevent injuries. This paper examines the predictive value of four factors that might determine whether students read and follow safety instructions: students’ safety norm, students’ safety attitude, the sensation seeking trait and type A personality. Our investigation was carried out with 172 university students (mean age = 20.01, SD = 1.56) who participated in a paper-and-pencil survey. Regression analyses revealed that students’ safety norm and attitude were positively related to reading and following safety instructions, while sensation seeking was inversely related. Type A personality had no predictive value. Our statistical findings further revealed that female students read and follow more safety instructions than male students. Based on these research results, recommendations are formulated.

Summary The current trend is to reserve the diagnosis of premature ejaculation (PE) for cases where penetration lasts for about one minute or less. The rationale is that the aetiology is primarily bio-constitutional, and that long-term pharmacological treatment is the only viable option. However, the literature contains little scientific evidence to support this argument. In fact, a good number of individuals who suffer from overly rapid ejaculation present with penetration duration exceeding one minute, and even severe forms of PE have responded favourably to psycho-sexological treatment. Moreover, although certain biological variables are known to influence ejaculation latency time, nothing indicates that they play an exclusive role of psychosocial etiological factors in severe PE. Therefore, it would be ‘premature’ to base a PE diagnosis on a maximum penetration duration of one minute, which should instead be considered a severity gradient. Given that desired criteria for penetration duration often exceed biological norms, it would be inappropriate to propose that only the most severe forms of PE have constitutional origins. In any case, the constitution is relatively flexible, and can respond to adaptive learning. An adaptive learning approach would undoubtedly be more difficult to apply in severe cases, but not impossible. The issue of whether to use pharmacological versus psycho-sexological treatment could be sidestepped by moving beyond the single criterion of ejaculation latency.

A two stage approach for burnt scar detection from single date multispectral medium spatial resolution optical remote sensing data (AWIFS) has been developed. The approach includes first an identification of burnt scar seeds based on a learning algorithm followed by a region growing process. An Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and a Classification tree (CT) were tested as learning algorithms. Both learning algorithms were coupled with a bootstrap aggregation. Training data for the classifiers were obtained from MODIS-based polygons generated by the Rapid Damage Assessment (RDA) module of the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), to which different levels of filtering were applied. The outcomes were validated against datasets generated from visual interpretation of ETM+ scenes. The method was tested in two locations of Portugal and Greece. Both ANN and CT alternatives produced similar results, with kappa coefficients close to 0.80 in the Greek location and higher than 0.70 in the Portuguese location. In test sites, more than 80% and 90% of burnt areas larger than 10 ha and 50 ha respectively were detected. The results show that filtering the training dataset reduces the overestimation of burnt areas and produce higher accuracies.

This study presents a novel cloud masking approach for high resolution remote sensing images in the context of land cover mapping. As an advantage to traditional methods, the approach does not rely on thermal bands and it is applicable to images from most high resolution earth observation remote sensing sensors. The methodology couples pixel-based seed identification and object-based region growing. The seed identification stage relies on pixel value comparison between high resolution images and cloud free composites at lower spatial resolution from almost simultaneously acquired dates. The methodology was tested taking SPOT4-HRVIR, SPOT5-HRG and IRS-LISS III as high resolution images and cloud free MODIS composites as reference images. The selected scenes included a wide range of cloud types and surface features. The resulting cloud masks were evaluated through visual comparison. They were also compared with ad-hoc independently generated cloud masks and with the automatic cloud cover assessment algorithm (ACCA). In general the results showed an agreement in detected clouds higher than 95% for clouds larger than 50 ha. The approach produced consistent results identifying and mapping clouds of different type and size over various land surfaces including natural vegetation, agriculture land, built-up areas, water bodies and snow.

Introduction/Background Decisions concerning the rehabilitation process and return to play (RTP) after cervical spine surgery in a general sporting population can be difficult and may be influenced by several factors. Moreover, no guidelines are present for this. The aim of this study was to create a consensus on this topic. Material and method A 5-step Delphi analysis with panels of neurosurgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapists and physical and rehabilitation medicine practitioners in Belgium was conducted. The first round (R1) was a brainstorm phase. A comprehensive list of answers from R1 was validated in round 2 (R2). In round 3 (R3) experts ranked these items in a chronological order. Next, contraindications and criteria to start each rehabilitation step were linked by experts in round 4 (R4). In round 5 (R5) panellists ranked theses about contraindications and criteria on a 5-point Likert scale. Results The response rate was 100% (n = 15) for R1, 93% (n = 14) for R2, 73% (n = 11) for R3, 53% (n = 8) for R4 and 67% (n = 10) for R5. In R5, 25 theses on absolute and relative contraindications and criteria were endorsed. Conclusion This Delphi analysis resulted in contraindications and criteria for the rehabilitation process and return to play after cervical surgery. Tentative guidelines and timetable are proposed.

Resume L’idee a longtemps prevalu que l’anxiete avait sur l’excitation sexuelle un effet essentiellement inhibiteur. Au cours des dernieres decennies, des recherches utilisant des techniques plethysmographiques ont demontre qu’il n’en allait pas toujours de la sorte. Selon les conditions, l’anxiete peut avoir un impact inhibiteur, neutre ou facilitant. L’articulation de ces donnees de recherche a des modeles et concepts developpes par ailleurs dans le champ de la psychologie cognitive permet de proposer une theorie coherente des relations anxiete–excitation. On peut l’enoncer en plusieurs points : l’effet inhibiteur de l’anxiete sur le fonctionnement sexuel se doit largement a un phenomene d’interference cognitive ; l’attention du sujet se porte sur des signaux de danger au detriment des stimuli erotiques. Dans ce cas, la memoire de travail du sujet est saturee par des signaux de danger, les ressources cognitives indispensables au traitement des stimuli erotiques s’en trouvent reduites avec pour consequence une alteration de ses reactions sexuelles. Une structure cognitive et emotionnelle nommee erotophobie predisposerait a ce processus. En l’absence du vecteur d’interference, l’anxiete aurait plutot tendance a favoriser l’excitation, cela parce qu’elle accroit l’attention allouee aux stimuli erotiques et/ou parce que les correlats psychophysiologiques de l’anxiete sont interpretes comme ayant une origine sexuelle.

Resume Depuis Wolpe, Masters et Johnson et Kaplan, qui consideraient l’anxiete et l’excitation sexuelle comme des etats incompatibles, la comprehension de l’influence du stress sur les reactions sexuelles a beaucoup evolue. En deux decennies, on est passe d’une theorie centree sur l’inhibition et les mecanismes physiologiques peripheriques a une theorie insistant davantage sur la complexite des relations anxiete – excitation et sur des explicateurs cognitifs. Cette evolution se doit largement a l’essor des techniques plethysmographiques et au developpement concomitant de modeles generaux du fonctionnement cognitif humain. Le present article en retrace les principaux jalons. En fournissant une mesure directe des reactions genitales a la presentation de stimuli erotiques, la plethysmographie a permis d’objectiver une influence non lineaire de l’anxiete sur l’excitation sexuelle : l’anxiete tantot inhibe, tantot facilite l’excitation. L’explication decisive de l’effet inhibiteur de l’anxiete semble etre l’interference cognitive dont elle s’accompagne chez certains sujets : leur attention se deplace vers des stimuli a caractere non erotique. En articulant les observations realisees a l’aide de techniques plethysmographiques a des modeles developpes par ailleurs dans le domaine de la psychologie cognitive, on parvient a la theorie suivante : l’erotophobie (disposition a associer des idees de danger a la sexualite) peut etre consideree comme un facteur de vulnerabilite a l’interference. En situation sexuelle, l’attention des sujets erotophobes tend a se porter sur des schemas de danger, ce qui provoque l’irruption massive en memoire de travail d’informations a caractere non erotique. La part de ressources cognitives allouables a l’execution de reactions sexuelles s’en trouve reduite, avec pour consequence l’inhibition de celles-ci. En l’absence de ce mecanisme d’interference, l’anxiete tend plutot a renforcer l’excitation, soit parce qu’elle accroit l’attention portee aux stimuli erotiques, soit parce que les modifications physiologiques qui l’accompagnent sont percues comme ayant une origine sexuelle.

INTRODUCTION: A national surveillance programme of occupational asthma was set up to estimate the incidence and identify the causes of this disorder in Belgium. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The programme was based on the voluntary notification of new cases of occupational asthma by chest specialists and occupational physicians during the period 2000-2002. RESULTS: 92% of the reported cases included occupational asthma of an immunological type and 8% bronchial irritability. According to the opinion of the reporting physicians the diagnosis was considered certain in 39%, probable in 29% and possible in 32% of cases. On the basis of these notifications the mean annual incidence of occupational asthma is estimated as 23.5 cases per million workers (95% confidence interval 19.2-28.8). The most frequently incriminated substances were isocyanates (16%), cereals (12%) and latex (10%). At the time of diagnosis 38% of patients had not applied for compensation. CONCLUSION: The results of this programme of notification of occupational asthma agree with the data available from other countries and provide information complementary to the medico-legal statistics.

Currently waste and emission prevention projects with excellent and promising results are carried out within laboratories and offices of Utrecht University in The Netherlands. This short paper will focus on how these projects evolved and their results. In particular it will discuss the pilot project on pollution prevention in research laboratories, the method, results and solutions. Furthermore the impact and role of these pilot projects to reach long-term environmental care and sustainable development will be discussed.