Soil geohazard mapping for improved asset management of UK local roads

Unclassified roads comprise 60% of the road network in the United Kingdom (UK). The resilience of this locally important network is declining. It is considered by the Institution of Civil Engineers to be “at risk” and is ranked 26th in the world. Many factors contribute to the degradation and ultimate failure of particular road sections. However, several UK local authorities have identified that in drought conditions, road sections founded upon shrink–swell susceptible clay soils undergo significant deterioration compared with sections on non-susceptible soils. This arises from the local road network having little, if any, structural foundations. Consequently, droughts in East Anglia have resulted in millions of pounds of damage, leading authorities to seek emergency governmental funding. This paper assesses the use of soil-related geohazard assessments in providing soil-informed maintenance strategies for the asset management of the locally important road network of the UK. A case study draws upon the UK administrative county of Lincolnshire, where road assessment data have been analysed against mapped clay-subsidence risk. This reveals a statistically significant relationship between road condition and susceptible clay soils. Furthermore, incorporation of UKCP09 future climate projections within the geohazard models has highlighted roads likely to be at future risk of clay-related subsidence

Healthcare Analytics Leadership: Clinical & Business Intelligence Plan Development

Future healthcare leaders require expert knowledge and practical capabilities in the evaluation, selection, application and ongoing oversight of the best types of analytics to create continuous learning healthcare systems. These systems may result in continuously improving the demonstrable quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare organizations. Data is an asset for organizations. However, many companies do not know how to establish analytical road maps for future action. Population Health Intelligence describes a new discipline whose role is to collect, organize, harmonize, analyze, disseminate and act upon the data available to clinicians, health system leaders, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, and healthcare payers. This webinar on Analytics Leadership will demonstrate how to create and implement Clinical & Business Intelligence Plans that transform data into actionable organizational insights. Agenda Introduction Healthcare Analytics Leadership: Clinical & Business Intelligence Plan Development Population Health Intelligence Presentation: 53:3

Towards Validating Risk Indicators Based on Measurement Theory (Extended version)

Due to the lack of quantitative information and for cost-efficiency, most risk assessment methods use partially ordered values (e.g. high, medium, low) as risk indicators. In practice it is common to validate risk indicators by asking stakeholders whether they make sense. This way of validation is subjective, thus error prone. If the metrics are wrong (not meaningful), then they may lead system owners to distribute security investments inefficiently. For instance, in an extended enterprise this may mean over investing in service level agreements or obtaining a contract that provides a lower security level than the system requires. Therefore, when validating risk assessment methods it is important to validate the meaningfulness of the risk indicators that they use. In this paper we investigate how to validate the meaningfulness of risk indicators based on measurement theory. Furthermore, to analyze the applicability of the measurement theory to risk indicators, we analyze the indicators used by a risk assessment method specially developed for assessing confidentiality risks in networks of organizations

Climate Change Impact Assessment for Surface Transportation in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska

WA-RD 772.

Research communication for immediate impact: climate adaptation in Australia

Abstract Research into climate change adaptation is challenged by funding organisations to demonstrate immediate research impact through near term reference in sector- specific communication and policy documents. Critically, research funded to inform decision makers and current policy about adapting to climate change must engage with end users and implement communication initiatives that lead to research adoption. Moreover, researchers need to better understand the components that contribute to effective engagement and communication to plan successful strategies to engage with the range of vulnerable sectors affected by climate change. Given the importance of research application, Primary Investigators for National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) funded projects had to consider end user engagement and communication. This paper identifies some common factors in three NCCARF cases which successfully demonstrated swift access to climate adaptation research in three sectors; human health, emergency management, and settlements and infrastructure. Early and ongoing engagement between researchers and the intended knowledge users shaped both the research focus and output formats. Stakeholders involved in coordinated and sustained communication programs disseminated and promoted the research through multiple channels. These agents of dissemination included; funders (NCCARF, universities and industry bodies); information users (government agencies and professional bodies), and both mass media and social media

Diarrhoea, acute respiratory infection, and fever among children in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Several years of war have created a humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with extensive disruption of civil society, the economy and provision of basic services including health care. Health policy and planning in the DRC are constrained by a lack of reliable and accessible population data. Thus there is currently a need for primary research to guide programme and policy development for reconstruction and to measure attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This study uses the 2001 Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey to disentangle children's health inequalities by mapping the impact of geographical distribution of childhood morbidity stemming from diarrhoea, acute respiratory infection, and fever. We observe a low prevalence of childhood diarrhoea, acute respiratory infection and fever in the western provinces (Kinshasa, Bas-Congo and Bandundu), and a relatively higher prevalence in the south-eastern provinces (Sud-Kivu and Katanga). However, each disease has a distinct geographical pattern of variation. Among covariate factors, child age had a significant association with disease prevalence. The risk of the three ailments increased in the first 8–10 months after birth, with a gradual improvement thereafter. The effects of socioeconomic factors vary according to the disease. Accounting for the effects of the geographical location, our analysis was able to explain a significant share of the pronounced residual geographical effects. Using large scale household survey data, we have produced for the first time spatial residual maps in the DRC and in so doing we have undertaken a comprehensive analysis of geographical variation at province level of childhood diarrhoea, acute respiratory infection, and fever prevalence. Understanding these complex relationships through disease prevalence maps can facilitate design of targeted intervention programs for reconstruction and achievement of the MDGs