Quality assessment of Mulit-Year BLT Tide Gauge Benchmark Monitoring (TIGA) repro2 Solution

Poster (2016, February)

Recently the International GNSS Service (IGS) Tide Gauge Benchmark Monitoring (TIGA) Working Group (WG) has completed their repro2 solutions by re-analyzeing the full history of all relevant Global ... [more ▼]

Recently the International GNSS Service (IGS) Tide Gauge Benchmark Monitoring (TIGA) Working Group (WG) has completed their repro2 solutions by re-analyzeing the full history of all relevant Global Positioning System (GPS) observations from 1995 to 2015. This re-processed data set will provide high-quality estimates of vertical land movements for more than 500 stations, enabling regional and global high-precision geophysical/geodetic studies. All the TIGA Analysis Centres (TACs) have mainly processed the GPS observations recorded by GPS stations at or close to tide gauges, which are available from the TIGA data centre at the University of La Rochelle (www.sonel.org). Following the recent improvements in processing models, strategies (http://acc.igs.org/reprocess2.html), this is the first complete re-processing attempt by the TIGA WG to provide homogeneous position time series relevant to sea level changes. In this study we report on a first multi-year daily combined solution from the TIGA Combination Centre (TCC) at the University of Luxembourg (UL) with respect to the latest International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF2014). Using two independent combination software packages, CATREF and GLOBK, we have computed a first daily combined solution from TAC solutions already available for TIGA WG. These combinations allow an evaluation of any effects from the combination software and of the individual TAC parameters and their influences on the combined solution with respect to the latest ITRF2014. Some results of the UL TIGA multi-year combinations in terms of geocentric sea level changes will be presented and discussed. [less ▲]

Quality Evaluation of the Weekly Vertical Loading Effects Induced from Continental Water Storage Models

in Willis, Pascal (Ed.) Proceedings of the 2013 IAG Scientific Assembly, Potsdam, Germany, 1-6 September, 2013 (2015)

To remove continental water storage (CWS) signals from the GPS data, CWS mass models are needed to obtain predicted surface displacements. We compared weekly GPS height time series with five CWS models ... [more ▼]

To remove continental water storage (CWS) signals from the GPS data, CWS mass models are needed to obtain predicted surface displacements. We compared weekly GPS height time series with five CWS models: (1) the monthly and (2) three-hourly Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS); (3) the monthly and (4) one-hourly Modern- Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA); (5) the six-hourly National Centers for Environmental Prediction-Department of Energy (NCEP-DOE) global reanalysis products (NCEP-R-2). We find that of the 344 selected global IGS stations, more than 77% of stations have their weighted root mean square (WRMS) reduced in the weekly GPS height by using both the GLDAS and MERRA CWS products to model the surface displacement, and the best improvement concentrate mainly in North America and Eurasia.We find that the one-hourly MERRA-Land dataset is the most appropriate product for modeling weekly vertical surface displacement caused by CWS variations. The threehourly GLDAS data ranks the second, while the GLDAS and MERRA monthly products rank the third. The higher spatial resolution MERRA product improves the performance of the CWS model in reducing the scatter of the GPS height by about 2–6% compared with the GLDAS. Under the same spatial resolution, the higher temporal resolution could also improve the performance by almost the same magnitude. We also confirm that removing the ATML and NTOL effects from the weekly GPS height would remarkably improve the performance of CWS model in correcting the GPS height by at least 10%, especially for coastal and island stations. Since the GLDAS product has a much greater latency than the MERRA product, MERRA would be a better choice to model surface displacements from CWS. Finally, we find that the NCEP-R-2 data is not sufficiently precise to be used for this application. Further work is still required to determine the reason. [less ▲]

Quality of doctor-patient communication in cardiovascular diseases and secondary preventive adherence. The role of gender

in Innovative ideas in Health Psychology (2017)

The doctor-patient communication intervenes on the preventive behaviours of chronic patients by reducing their risk factors – in cardiovascular diseases: hypertension, overweight, obesity ... [more ▼]

The doctor-patient communication intervenes on the preventive behaviours of chronic patients by reducing their risk factors – in cardiovascular diseases: hypertension, overweight, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes. What are the associations between the quality of communication and the improvement of secondary preventive behaviours? How does gender influence these relationships? Methods: 1,289 patients who underwent a coronary angiography in 2008/09 in Luxembourg completed a self-administered questionnaire at the time of the visit, and at a five-year follow-up. The probability of improving each preventive eating behaviour (decrease of salt, sugar, fat consumption and increase of fruits/vegetables), and the quality of doctor-patient communication (5-item scale) were evaluated using logistic regression models. Sex was introduced in interaction with the communication score. Findings: Among hypertensive respondents, a higher quality of communication was associated with a higher probability of decreasing the salt intake in women (OR [95% CI]: 1.139 [1.060; 1.223]) whereas in men, the OR was only 1.086 [1.017; 1.159]. ORs were also higher in women among patients with hypertension, overweight and hypercholesterolemia regarding the increase of fruits/vegetables consumption; among patients with diabetes and hypercholesterolemia regarding sugar decrease or cessation; and among patients with overweight and hypercholesterolemia regarding fat reduction or stop. ORs were slightly higher among men only among diabetic and obese patients, regarding the increase of fruits/vegetables consumption. Discussion: The quality of the communication showed an effect on the adoption of secondary preventive eating behaviours, especially in women patients. Motivational interviews could encourage, especially men patients, to adhere to the recommendations about lifestyle change. [less ▲]

The quality of experience of students with and without special educational needs in everyday life and when relating to peers

in European Journal of Special Needs Education (2018)

Quality of life and positive person-centred rehabilitation.

in Positive Psychology and Well-being (2014)

Quality of life (QoL) assessment is important when monitoring over time the recovery of survivors living at home, two years after stroke onset. The associations between Newcastle Stroke-Specific Quality ... [more ▼]

Quality of life (QoL) assessment is important when monitoring over time the recovery of survivors living at home, two years after stroke onset. The associations between Newcastle Stroke-Specific Quality of life (newsqol) domains, socioeconomic factors and satisfaction with information and home-care services were analysed. This problem remains partially addressed though positive and optimal supports may improve post-stroke’ quality of life. Methods. Stroke-survivors admitted to all hospitals in Luxembourg 18 months or more previously were identified using the only care-expenditure-reimbursement national system database. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed. Ninety four patients aged 65 years and living at home were interviewed to gather socioeconomic characteristics and satisfaction with information and home-care services, and newsqol assessing 11 scores. Data were analyzed using multiple linear sex-age-adjusted regression models. Results. About 50% of patients had low education and lower income. Functional impairments were common: sensory (45%), motor (35%), memory (32%), language (31%), and vision (20%). Patients with education (<12th grade) or lower income had low values for most newsqol domains. In opposite, patients who were working had better values for pain, mental feelings and sleep domains than did retired people. The self-rate quality of life was markedly low, especially for the domains of interpersonal relationship, sleep, cognition, mental feelings, and pain. Patients who were dissatisfied with information and home-care received had rather low values for several newsqol domains. Dissatisfaction with accuracy of information received, information about stroke and its consequences/change over time; help received, lack of coordination between services, and possibility of receiving help when necessary were related with low values for most domains. Dissatisfaction with the possibility of receiving help was also associated with mobility and self-care. Dissatisfaction with information about consequences/change over time of stroke linked with the vision domain. Dissatisfaction with information received about help correlated with mental feelings, interpersonal relationships, emotion, and fatigue. Being confident about where to get information about stroke, looking after someone who has had a stroke if needed, or about financial help, and being confident about who to contact from community services if needed were slightly associated with communication, mental feelings and interpersonal relationships only. Conclusions. Post-stroke patients had major alterations in quality of life that reflected depressive symptoms, which should be appropriately treated. Our results further raise the question concerning the needs and satisfaction of stroke-survivors living at home in terms of information and care services as well as interactions with social and medical carers according to recovery stage and possible relapse over time. The changing nature of needs at different stages of recovery may not be paid sufficient attention. A telephone service could help. Use of IT technology has been proposed to promote positive person-centred rehabilitation. It has been shown, with Telestroke, that videoconference calls can help to reduce stress, provide reassurance about the secondary effects of treatment, improve compliance with prescriptions, and yield valuable information about services. [less ▲]

Quality of life social disparities and roles of family and unhealthy behaviours among adolescents.

in Psychology & Health (2011), 26(suppl 2), 147

Adolescents’ quality of life determinants include socioeconomic characteristics and unhealthy behaviours. This study explored WHOQOL social disparities and the roles of family structure, income and ... [more ▼]

Adolescents’ quality of life determinants include socioeconomic characteristics and unhealthy behaviours. This study explored WHOQOL social disparities and the roles of family structure, income and unhealthy behaviours. Methods: 1556 middle-school adolescents from north-eastern France completed a self-administered questionnaire measuring WHOQOL domains and other factors. Data were analysed using multiple regression models. Findings: Significantly lower WHOQOL was found for clerk (gender-age-adjusted regression coefficient r 5.8 (SE 1.1)), manual-worker ( 5.7 (1.5)), unemployed/inactive ( 10.3 (1.5)) and other categories ( 1.3 to 3.2), compared with manager families. Controlling for family structure and income highly reduced the r to 2.45 (1.1), 2.3 (1.5), 5.3 (1.6) and 1.5 to 0.89 (NS), respectively. The disparities remained after further controlling for last-month tobacco/alcohol/cannabis uses and lack of sports-physical activity. Similar findings were found for all physical, psychological, social relationships and environment WHOQOL domains. Discussion: WHOQOL disparities are highly explained by family structure, income and unhealthy behaviours that may be prevention targets. [less ▲]

The Quality of Work Index Luxembourg (QoWIL): A multidimensional approach and its links to well-being at work.

Scientific Conference (2019)

Quality of work is a very often used and complex concept. We will present a new conceptualization of quality of work, compare it with the European Working Conditions Survey framework to measure job ... [more ▼]

Quality of work is a very often used and complex concept. We will present a new conceptualization of quality of work, compare it with the European Working Conditions Survey framework to measure job quality (Eurofund, 2017), and structure it with the help of the Job Demands-Resources model (Bakker & Demerouti, 2017). Based on this conceptualization we developed and validated a new measure of quality of work, the Quality of Work Index – Luxembourg (QoWIL) in three different languages (German, French, Luxembourgish). The QoWIL is composed of 43 items, focusing on four areas of work – work intensity, job design, physical conditions, and social conditions (subdivided in eleven components) – which are particularly important for employees’ well-being. Data were collected via computer-assisted telephone interviews in a representative sample of 1,522 employees working in Luxembourg (aged 17–67 years; 57.2% male). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the proposed factors structure and scalar measurement invariance for the three different language versions. Internal consistencies were satisfactory for all subscales (Cronbach’s α between .70 and .87). Correlations and hierarchical regression analysis with different psychological health measures (i.e., burnout, general well-being, psychosomatic complaints, work satisfaction, vigor) and subjective work performance confirmed the construct validity of the new questionnaire. We conclude that the QoWIL is globally and on the level of the sub-categories an effective tool to measure work quality, which could be used to compare work quality between organizations and different countries. Furthermore, the current study confirms associations between the different components of quality of work and employees health. Therefore, this new tool allows to monitor and to benchmark quality of work and health outcomes and compare them with each other, across gender, age, nationality and work sector. [less ▲]

Quality of Work Index Luxembourg: Entwicklung eines validen Messinstruments

in Chambre des salariés (Ed.) Fachtagung Arbeitsqualität: Von der Berfagung zur Umsetzung (2016)

Quality of work-Index – Forschungsbericht zur Weiterentwicklung des Arbeitsqualitätsindexes in Luxemburg

Report (2015)

Quand commence l'Histoire du Luxembourg?

Conference given outside the academic context (2015)

Vue globale sur l'histoire luxembourgeoise dans une perspective metanationale et constructiviste