A web based integrated solution for groundwater management: applicfation of the datacrossing DSS to coastal aquifer management

Environmental sciences are evolving from a simple, local-scale approach toward complex multilayered, spatially explicit regional endeavours. Advances in computer simulation and high performance computing in recent years greatly extends the possibilities in this field, and changes the ways in which land management systems operate. The Datacrossing DSS is a decision support system that relies on a basin-scale groundwater model and a geographically distributed GIS to support decision makers, through a userfriendly web interface, in the field of sustainable water resources management. The portal, for the general user, exposes hydrological applications based on geochemical field data, geophysical surveys, and results of the finite element hydrological CODESA 3-D model quantifying the impact of point/nonpoint pollution. Within an experimental collaborative environment, modules have been developed to run real-time applications based on numerical solvers, run pre-and post-processing codes, and query and map results through the web browser. Our aim is to build a collaborative platform that, by introducing the computational and data-sharing advantages of a GRID infrastructure, promotes joint initiatives and encourages cooperation among interdisciplinary teams operating in the environmental sciences. To illustrate the potential of our decision support system, we present its application to a complex industrial area in Sardinia, Italy (the Portoscuso site) and a less-impacted aquifer in Morocco, province of Tetuan (the Oued aquifer). Copyright © 2008 IAHS Press

A web based integrated solution for groundwater management: application of the Datacrossing DSS to coastal aquifer management

Environmental sciences are evolving from a simple, local-scale approach toward complex multilayered, spatially explicit regional endeavours. Advances in computer simulation and high performance computing in recent years greatly extends the possibilities in this field, and changes the ways in which land management systems operate. The Datacrossing DSS is decision support system that relies on a basin-scale groundwater model and a geographically distributed GIS to support decision makers, through a user-friendly Web interface, in the field of sustainable water resources management. The portal, for the general user, exposes hydrological applications based on geochemical field data, geophysical surveys, and results of the finite element hydrological CODESA 3D model to quantify the impact of point/non-point pollution. Within an experimental collaborative environment, modules have been developed to run real-time applications based on numerical solvers, run pre- and post-processing codes, query and map results through the web browser. Our aim is to build a collaborative platform that, by introducing the computational and data-sharing advantages of a GRID infrastructure, promotes joint initiatives and encourages cooperation among interdisciplinary teams operating in the environmental sciences. To illustrate the potentiality of our decision support system, we present its application to a complex industrial area in Sardinia, Italy (the Portoscuso site) and a less impacted aquifer in Morocco, province of Tétuan (the Oued aquifer)

Comparative cartography of the Ghis-Nekor coastal aquifer vulnerability (Morocco)

The coastal plain of Ghis-Nekor, located in the North of Morocco, contains an alluvial Plio-Quaternary aquifer formed by sandy gravel crossed by many discontinuous argillaceous levels. The application of the DRASTIC and AVI methods for the assessment of the groundwater vulnerability show comparable results especially on the coastal area. The differences revealed otherwise maybe done to the diversity of the parameters considered by DRASTIC and/or to the distinct classifications of the two method

Role for neuronal insulin resistance in neurodegenerative diseases

Impairment of insulin signaling in the brain has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases. To test the hypothesis that neuronal insulin resistance contributes to defects in neuronal function, we have performed a detailed analysis of brain/neuron-specific insulin receptor knockout (NIRKO) mice. We find that NIRKO mice exhibit a complete loss of insulin-mediated activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and inhibition of neuronal apoptosis. In intact animals, this loss results in markedly reduced phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3β, leading to substantially increased phosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein Tau, a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. Nevertheless, these animals exhibit no alteration in neuronal proliferation/survival, memory, or basal brain glucose metabolism. Thus, lack of insulin signaling in the brain may lead to changes in Akt and GSK3β activity and Tau hyperphosphorylation but must interact with other mechanisms for development of Alzheimer's disease