The Integration of Coastal Flooding into an ArcFLOOD Data Model

With the impact of global climate change, the speedy, intelligent and accessible dissemination of coastal flood predictions from a number of modelling tools at a range of temporal and spatial scales becomes increasingly important for policy decision makers. This thesis provides a novel approach to integrate the coastal flood data into an ArcFLOOD data model to improve the analysis, assessment and mitigation of the potential flood risk in coastal zones. This novel methodology has improved the accessibility, dissemination and visualisation of coastal flood risk. The results were condensed into spatial information flows, data model schematic diagrams and XML schema for end-user extension, customisation and spatial analysis. More importantly, software developers with these applications can now develop rich internet applications with little knowledge of numerical flood modelling systems. Specifically, this work has developed a coastal flooding geodatabase based upon the amalgamation, reconditioning and analysis of numerical flood modelling. In this research, a distinct lack of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data modelling for coastal flooding prediction was identified in the literature. A schema was developed to provide the linkage between numerical flood modelling, flood risk assessment and information technology (IT) by extending the ESRI ArcGIS Marine Data Model (MDM) to include coastal flooding. The results of a linked hybrid hydrodynamic-morphological numerical flood model were used to define the time-series representation of a coastal flood in the schema. The results generated from GIS spatial analyses have improved the interpretation of numerical flood modelling output by effectively mapping the flood risk in the study site, with an improved definition according to the time-series duration of a flood. The improved results include flood water depth at a point and flood water increase which equates to the difference in significant wave height for each time step of coastal flooding. The flood risk mapping provided has indicated the potential risk to infrastructure and property and depicted the failure of flood defence structures. In the wider context, the results have been provided to allow knowledge transfer to a range of coastal flooding end-users.Natural Environment Research Counci

Multi-centre parallel arm randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a group-based cognitive behavioural approach to managing fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis

Abstract (provisional) Background Fatigue is one of the most commonly reported and debilitating symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS); approximately two-thirds of people with MS consider it to be one of their three most troubling symptoms. It may limit or prevent participation in everyday activities, work, leisure, and social pursuits, reduce psychological well-being and is one of the key precipitants of early retirement. Energy effectiveness approaches have been shown to be effective in reducing MS-fatigue, increasing self-efficacy and improving quality of life. Cognitive behavioural approaches have been found to be effective for managing fatigue in other conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, and more recently, in MS. The aim of this pragmatic trial is to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a recently developed group-based fatigue management intervention (that blends cognitive behavioural and energy effectiveness approaches) compared with current local practice. Methods This is a multi-centre parallel arm block-randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a six session group-based fatigue management intervention, delivered by health professionals, compared with current local practice. 180 consenting adults with a confirmed diagnosis of MS and significant fatigue levels, recruited via secondary/primary care or newsletters/websites, will be randomised to receive the fatigue management intervention or current local practice. An economic evaluation will be undertaken alongside the trial. Primary outcomes are fatigue severity, self-efficacy and disease-specific quality of life. Secondary outcomes include fatigue impact, general quality of life, mood, activity patterns, and cost-effectiveness. Outcomes in those receiving the fatigue management intervention will be measured 1 week prior to, and 1, 4, and 12 months after the intervention (and at equivalent times in those receiving current local practice). A qualitative component will examine what aspects of the fatigue management intervention participants found helpful/unhelpful and barriers to change. Discussion This trial is the fourth stage of a research programme that has followed the Medical Research Council guidance for developing and evaluating complex interventions. What makes the intervention unique is that it blends cognitive behavioural and energy effectiveness approaches. A potential strength of the intervention is that it could be integrated into existing service delivery models as it has been designed to be delivered by staff already working with people with MS. Service users will be involved throughout this research. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN7651747

White paper: Research Challenges at the Intersection of Energy and Equity in the Energy Transition

Summary report from NSF2026: Conference Workshops to Identify Research Challenges at the Intersection of Energy and Equity in the Energy Transitio

Surface Patterning Using Two-Phase Laminar Flow and In Situ Formation of Aryldiazonium Salts

International audienceIn the reaction zone: Reaction of an aryltriazene with acid generates the corresponding aryldiazonium ion. When this reaction takes place in the mixing zone, at the interface between two streams flowing laminarly and in parallel through a 100 μm microchannel, a submicrometer line of organic film is grafted at the substrate surface

Group therapy for repeated deliberate self-harm in adolescents: Failure of replication of a randomized trial

Objective: To replicate a study, which found group therapy superior to routine care in preventing the recurrence of self-harming behavior in adolescents who had deliberately harmed themselves on at least two occasions. Method: Single blind study with parallel randomized groups undertaken in three sites in Australia. The primary outcome measure was repetition of self-harm, assessed on average after 6 and 12 months. Secondary outcome measures included suicidal ideation, psychiatric disorder, and service use. Results: Seventy-two adolescents aged 12 to 16 years (91% female subjects) were randomized to group therapy or routine care. Primary outcome data were available for 68 of the 72 randomized participants. More adolescents randomized to group therapy than those randomized to routine care had self-harmed by 6 months (30/34 versus 23/34, chi(2) = 4.19, p = .04), and there was a statistically nonsignificant trend for this pattern to be repeated in the interval of 6 to 12 months (30/34 versus 24/34, chi(2) = 3.24, p = .07). There were few differences between the treatment groups on secondary outcome measures, other than a trend for greater improvement over time on global symptom ratings among the experimental group compared with the control group. Conclusions: Our findings contradict those of the original study. Some differences in participant characteristics between the studies, along with less experience at the Australian sites in delivering the intervention, may have accounted for the different outcome. The benefit of group therapy for deliberate self-harm is unproven outside the environment in which it was originally developed. J. Am. Acad. Child Addlesc. Psychiatry, 2009;48(6):662-670