On the simulation of infiltration- and saturation-excess runoff using radar-based rainfall estimates: Effects of algorithm uncertainty and pixel aggregation

The effects of uncertainty in radar-estimated precipitation input on simulated runoff generation from a medium-sized (100-km2) basin in northern Texas are investigated. The radar-estimated rainfall was derived from Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) Level II base reflectivity data and was supplemented by ground-based rain-gauge data. Two types of uncertainty in the precipitation estimates are considered: (1) those arising from the transformation of reflectivity to rainfall rate and (2) those due to the spatial and temporal representation of the 'true' rainfall field. The study explicitly differentiates between the response of simulated saturation-excess runoff and infiltration-excess runoff to these uncertainties. The results indicate that infiltration-excess runoff generation is much more sensitive than saturation-excess runoff generation to both types of precipitation uncertainty. Furthermore, significant reductions in infiltration-excess runoff volume occur when the temporal and spatial resolution of the precipitation input is decreased. A method is developed to relate this storm-dependent reduction in runoff volume to the spatial heterogeneity of the highest-intensity rainfall periods during a storm

Collaborative spectrum sensing optimisation algorithms for cognitive radio networks

The main challenge for a cognitive radio is to detect the existence of primary users reliably in order to minimise the interference to licensed communications. Hence, spectrum sensing is a most important requirement of a cognitive radio. However, due to the channel uncertainties, local observations are not reliable and collaboration among users is required. Selection of fusion rule at a common receiver has a direct impact on the overall spectrum sensing performance. In this paper, optimisation of collaborative spectrum sensing in terms of optimum decision fusion is studied for hard and soft decision combining. It is concluded that for optimum fusion, the fusion centre must incorporate signal-to-noise ratio values of cognitive users and the channel conditions. A genetic algorithm-based weighted optimisation strategy is presented for the case of soft decision combining. Numerical results show that the proposed optimised collaborative spectrum sensing schemes give better spectrum sensing performance

Annotated Bibliography: Understanding Ambulatory Care Practices in the Context of Patient Safety and Quality Improvement.

The ambulatory care setting is an increasingly important component of the patient safety conversation. Inpatient safety is the primary focus of the vast majority of safety research and interventions, but the ambulatory setting is actually where most medical care is administered. Recent attention has shifted toward examining ambulatory care in order to implement better health care quality and safety practices. This annotated bibliography was created to analyze and augment the current literature on ambulatory care practices with regard to patient safety and quality improvement. By providing a thorough examination of current practices, potential improvement strategies in ambulatory care health care settings can be suggested. A better understanding of the myriad factors that influence delivery of patient care will catalyze future health care system development and implementation in the ambulatory setting

A communications system for the terminal area effectiveness program

The terminal area effectiveness program has the broad scope of evaluating air traffic control (ATC) procedures. One area of interest is pilot acceptance of complex ATC procedures. A means to measure this acceptance is described by studying the impact on pilots of meeting the ATC procedural requirements. The concept-testing system configuration, its operation, and its performance are discussed

Droplet breakup driven by shear thinning solutions in a microfluidic T-Junction

Droplet-based microfluidics turned out to be an efficient and adjustable platform for digital analysis, encapsulation of cells, drug formulation, and polymerase chain reaction. Typically, for most biomedical applications, the handling of complex, non-Newtonian fluids is involved, e.g. synovial and salivary fluids, collagen, and gel scaffolds. In this study we investigate the problem of droplet formation occurring in a microfluidic T-shaped junction, when the continuous phase is made of shear thinning liquids. At first, we review in detail the breakup process providing extensive, side-by-side comparisons between Newtonian and non-Newtonian liquids over unexplored ranges of flow conditions and viscous responses. The non-Newtonian liquid carrying the droplets is made of Xanthan solutions, a stiff rod-like polysaccharide displaying a marked shear thinning rheology. By defining an effective Capillary number, a simple yet effective methodology is used to account for the shear-dependent viscous response occurring at the breakup. The droplet size can be predicted over a wide range of flow conditions simply by knowing the rheology of the bulk continuous phase. Experimental results are complemented with numerical simulations of purely shear thinning fluids using Lattice Boltzmann models. The good agreement between the experimental and numerical data confirm the validity of the proposed rescaling with the effective Capillary number.Comment: Manuscript: 11 pages 5 figures, 65 References. Textual Supplemental Material: 6 pages 3 figure. Video Supplemental Materials: 2 movie

Responsible research and innovation in science education: insights from evaluating the impact of using digital media and arts-based methods on RRI values

The European Commission policy approach of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is gaining momentum in European research planning and development as a strategy to align scientific and technological progress with socially desirable and acceptable ends. One of the RRI agendas is science education, aiming to foster future generations' acquisition of skills and values needed to engage in society responsibly. To this end, it is argued that RRI-based science education can benefit from more interdisciplinary methods such as those based on arts and digital technologies. However, the evidence existing on the impact of science education activities using digital media and arts-based methods on RRI values remains underexplored. This article comparatively reviews previous evidence on the evaluation of these activities, from primary to higher education, to examine whether and how RRI-related learning outcomes are evaluated and how these activities impact on students' learning. Forty academic publications were selected and its content analysed according to five RRI values: creative and critical thinking, engagement, inclusiveness, gender equality and integration of ethical issues. When evaluating the impact of digital and arts-based methods in science education activities, creative and critical thinking, engagement and partly inclusiveness are the RRI values mainly addressed. In contrast, gender equality and ethics integration are neglected. Digital-based methods seem to be more focused on students' questioning and inquiry skills, whereas those using arts often examine imagination, curiosity and autonomy. Differences in the evaluation focus between studies on digital media and those on arts partly explain differences in their impact on RRI values, but also result in non-documented outcomes and undermine their potential. Further developments in interdisciplinary approaches to science education following the RRI policy agenda should reinforce the design of the activities as well as procedural aspects of the evaluation research