GMES-service for assessing and monitoring subsidence hazards in coastal lowland areas around Europe. SubCoast D3.5.1

This document is version two of the user requirements for SubCoast work package 3.5, it is SubCoast deliverable 3.5.1. Work package 3.5 aims to provide a European integrated GIS product on subsidence and relative sea level rise. The first step of this process was to contact the European Environment Agency as the main user to discover their user requirements. This document presents these requirments, the outline methodology that will be used to carry out the integration and the datasets that will be used. In outline the main user requirements of the EEA are: 1. Gridded approach using an Inspire compliant grid 2. The grid would hold data on: a. Likely rate of subsidence b. RSLR c. Impact (Vulnerability) d. Certainty (confidence map) e. Contribution of ground motion to RSLR f. A measure of certainty in the data provided g. Metadata 3. Spatial Coverage - Ideally entire coastline of all 37 member states a. Spatial resolution - 1km 4. Provide a measure of the degree of contribution of ground motion to RSLR The European integration will be based around a GIS methodology. Datasets will be integrated and interpreted to provide information on data vlues above. The main value being a likelyhood of Subsidence. This product will initially be developed at it’s lowest level of detail for the London area. BGS have a wealth of data for london this will enable this less detialed product to be validated and also enable the generation of a more detailed product usig the best data availible. One the methodology has been developed it will be pushed out to other areas of the ewuropean coastline. The initial input data that have been reviewed for their suitability for the European integration are listed below. Thesea re the datasets that have European wide availibility, It is expected that more detailed datasets will be used in areas where they are avaiilble. 1. Terrafirma Data 2. One Geology 3. One Geology Europe 4. Population Density (Geoland2) 5. The Urban Atlas (Geoland2) 6. Elevation Data a. SRTM b. GDEM c. GTOPO 30 d. NextMap Europe 7. MyOceans Sea Level Data 8. Storm Surge Locations 9. European Environment Agencya. Elevation breakdown 1km b. Corine Land Cover 2000 (CLC2000) coastline c. Sediment Discharges d. Shoreline e. Maritime Boundaries f. Hydrodynamics and Sea Level Rise g. Geomorphology, Geology, Erosion Trends and Coastal Defence Works h. Corine land cover 1990 i. Five metre elevation contour line 10. FutureCoas

Relationships between estimated autozygosity and complex traits in the UK Biobank

<div><p>Inbreeding increases the risk of certain Mendelian disorders in humans but may also reduce fitness through its effects on complex traits and diseases. Such inbreeding depression is thought to occur due to increased homozygosity at causal variants that are recessive with respect to fitness. Until recently it has been difficult to amass large enough sample sizes to investigate the effects of inbreeding depression on complex traits using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data in population-based samples. Further, it is difficult to infer causation in analyses that relate degree of inbreeding to complex traits because confounding variables (e.g., education) may influence both the likelihood for parents to outbreed and offspring trait values. The present study used runs of homozygosity in genome-wide SNP data in up to 400,000 individuals in the UK Biobank to estimate the proportion of the autosome that exists in autozygous tracts—stretches of the genome which are identical due to a shared common ancestor. After multiple testing corrections and controlling for possible sociodemographic confounders, we found significant relationships in the predicted direction between estimated autozygosity and three of the 26 traits we investigated: age at first sexual intercourse, fluid intelligence, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second. Our findings corroborate those of several published studies. These results may imply that these traits have been associated with Darwinian fitness over evolutionary time. However, some of the autozygosity-trait relationships were attenuated after controlling for background sociodemographic characteristics, suggesting that alternative explanations for these associations have not been eliminated. Care needs to be taken in the design and interpretation of ROH studies in order to glean reliable information about the genetic architecture and evolutionary history of complex traits.</p></div

Experimental Characterization of Biological Tissue Mechanics

The function of ligaments and tendons is to transmit tensile forces, allowing healthy, bodily motion. However, if improper loading is placed on the tissue, the structures may rupture leading to pain, loss of function, and reduced quality of life. To prevent rupture, loads must remain below the ultimate strength of the tissue, but the maximum stress that the tissue can withstand varies due to several factors such as age, sex, body temperature, loading history, hydration state, and strain rate. These factors can be tested in order to understand how they affect tissue failure risk. Therefore, the objective of our research is to design and develop a lab procedure for future students to complete that experimentally characterizes the biological tissue mechanics. Load carrying tissues can be characterized by their stress-strain behavior utilizing a tensile tester. Using the tensile tester, the lab will consist of several experimental tests: freeze thaw cycles, varying strain rates, stress relaxation, and varying hydration. Creating a lab procedure for these experiments will allow students to describe both the viscoelastic properties of the tissue and the influences of strain rate on ultimate stress and ultimate strain. By measuring these quantities, we can gain a better understanding on the factors that affect tissue failure risk allowing for better treatment methods for injured athletes

Computational Simulations of Cell Diffusion in Matrix Environments

Scaffolds are frameworks that allow stem cells to differentiate into functional cells in order to generate new, healthy tissue to treat ligament and tendon injuries. We simulated stem cells migrating and differentiating throughout scaffolds to help us understand better design parameters of scaffold efficacy. Cells can create and place fibers as they proceed within the scaffold environment, so we hypothesize that cell diffusion will be confined when in a high local fiber fraction. We defined local fiber fraction as the percentage of fiber volume in a set field centered around the cell. We used MATLAB to simulate a 3D matrix environment in order to determine the mean square displacement (MSD) of each cell. At the end of the simulation process, we compared MSD and fiber fraction over time. MSD plots indicate whether the cell experienced any displacement, underwent confinement, pure diffusion, or drift. Local fiber fraction plots display the density of fibers surrounding the cell with respect to time. The results of the simulation did not show a correlation between confinement and high fiber fraction. In the future, we will consider if the angle of the fibers affects the movement, or if a cell is constricted by the presence of another cell in future simulations

Lecture capture and peer working: exploring study practices through staff-student partnerships

As lecture capture technology and practice become ever more widespread in UK universities there is a growing body of literature that assesses the impact of these changes. However, there is still much to be understood about lecture capture and the full impact on student learning, especially in different institutional and subject contexts. This article describes two projects from a UK Russell Group University that worked in partnership with students to gain insights into the student experience regarding lecture capture. The article highlights insights gained in terms of how and why students use lecture recordings. This article focuses on one area in particular which has been less reported and warrants further investigation – students’ use of lecture recordings in collaborative settings. The article considers some practical implications of such insights and argues that a nuanced understanding regarding the way students use lecture recordings for learning is required. The article also highlights how educationists can harness student partnerships to further our understanding of the complex interplays between technology and student learning

Recipes for Love: A Semiotic Analysis of the Tools in the Erotic Magical Papyri

This thesis is a semiotic analysis of the tools instructed for application by the erotic magical papyri (EMP). Erotic magic, one of the largest categories instructed by the Papyri Graecae Magicae (PGM), is performed to establish or reinforce a relationship with an erotic nature. The performance of erotic magic is reliant on the incorporation of a broad variety of ritual practices, including, for example, necromancy, binding, divination, and sacrificial ceremonies. The tools have been defined as the physical substances, materials, and objects that are instructed for application by the PGM for the performance of erotic magic. Any analysis of the PGM will immediately notice that the manipulation of physical tools is ever-present and, as a consequence, the image portrayed of the magician is one of a tool-wielding practitioner. This statement can lead logically to the conclusion that the power of the rituals instructed by the EMP did not reside within the individual but in the manipulation of tools in the proper manner. As a consequence, to understand magic and how it was performed, it is essential to understand the instructions for the manipulation of tools. The main objective of this thesis is to discover, through the application of semiotics, if there was any rationale to the application of a tool and, if there was meaning, did this rationale correlate directly to the outcome of the erotic spells instructed by the PGM

Simulation Model in Markovian Decision Theory in Allocation Optimization in Nigerian River Basin Development

The work applied Simulation Modeling in Markovian Decision Theory, adapts infinite models of exhaustive enumeration method for the solution of allocation optimization in multi-purpose and multi-objective Nigerian River Basin Development Authorities, RBDAs’ planning and management problems by logically apportioning levels of development to various purposes while optimizing eight objectives in stages. This type of management problem is a decision problem and cannot be handled by linear programming which can only optimize one objective at a time. Methodology involves methods and experiments, data were collected from the River Basin Development Authorities, Ministries and Parastatals.  Markov chain was used to assess solution. The result of the experiments shows policy 10, worst conflict condition calls for application of maintenance whenever the River Basin Engineering Development is in state 8 or very poor which interprets that development should be logically apportioned by the planning and management engineer as follows: Irrigated Agriculture-N3.86b, Water Supply-N8.82b, Hydropower-N13.42b, Flood Control-N17.52b, Drainages-N23.16b, Navigation-N25.58b, Recreation-N45.84b, Erosion Control-N61.84b. While E10 represents expected yearly benefit: when the River Basin Engineering Development is apportioned as above stated from the limited available fund of the Federal Government Budget of N 200billon, at least a (revenue) benefit of N 1.108Trillion can be achieved under the worst condition of conflict objectives. This work also advises a maintenance programme for the River Basin  in accordance with the result of experiments because the Basin should operate a minimum of 8years and a maximum of 21 year for full capacity utilization of assets. Keywords: Simulation, allocation, optimization, Markov chain, River Basin Development DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/53-05 Publication date:March 31st 201

Game Theory Modeling in River Valley Projects-Benin Owena River Basin

This study applied game theory based model to analyze and solve sharing conflicts on funds allocation to the multi-purpose and the multi-objectives in Benin-Owena River Basin.  The model provides strategic decisions geared toward resolving the problem of apportioning ₦100 billion Naira development fund each to the two players, multi-objective [economic efficiency, regional economic distribution, state economic distribution, youth employment and environmental control] and the multi-purpose.[irrigation, hydropower, water supply, recreation, and erosion control]. The game simulation comprised five players on both the multi-purpose and multi-objective axis and the game theory converted to a linear programming problem and was analyzed using Simplex method. The analysis and presentation of results in this paper were based on Game Theory Simulation Model. However, Contingency and Association, Chi-square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were carried out as Interaction, reliability and Validity tests. The result indicates the following proportional funds allocated in percentages to the multi-objectives: economic efficiency, regional economy distribution, state economic distribution, youth employment and environmental control are 23, 72, 0.00, 0.00, and 5%, respectively.  And funds apportioned to the multipurpose are in the following order: Irrigation, hydroelectric power, water supply, and recreation and erosion control are:  0.0, 0.0, 0.26, 0.16, and 58%, respectively. This study gave the indication that funds were available for water supply, recreation and erosion control for the multipurpose, which gave rise to solving economic efficiency and regional Economic Distribution for the multi-objective. In additional, to avoid conflict, the results suggest a need to design a mechanism to reduce the risk of losses of those players by a side payment, which provides them with economic incentives to cooperate. Game theory application in River basin management is invaluable; it gives optimal solution on government investment and wellbeing of people within the region for both multi-purpose and multi-objectives simultaneously. Keywords: Optimal, Logical Model, Investment Fund, Game Theory, River Valley. DOI: 10.7176/CER/11-2-09 Publication date:March 31st 201