Serious Gaming for Water Systems Planning and Management

This is the final version of the article. Available from MDPI via the DOI in this record.Water systems planning and management share the same roots with gaming, as they rely on concepts in systems analysis, operations research and decision sciences. This paper focuses on Serious Games (those used for purposes other than mere entertainment), with applications in the area of water systems planning and management. A survey of published work on gaming is carried out with particular attention given to applications of Serious Gaming to water systems planning and management. The survey is also used to identify the principal criteria for the classification of Serious Gaming for water related applications, including application areas, goals, number and type of players, user interface, type of simulation model used, realism of the game, performance feedback, progress monitoring and game portability. The review shows that game applications in the water sector can be a valuable tool for making various stakeholders aware of the socio-techno-economic issues related to managing complex water systems. However, the critical review also indicates a gap that exists in the Serious Game application area with the lack of water distribution system games. A conceptually simple, but computationally elaborate new game for water distribution system analysis, design and evaluation (SeGWADE) is presented in this paper. It has a main goal of finding a least-cost design for a well-known benchmark problem, for which the game environment takes the computational and visualisation burden away from the simulation tool and the player. The game has been evaluated in a classroom environment in which a high degree of player engagement with the game was observed, due to its basic game ingredients and activities, i.e., challenge, play and fun. In addition, a clear improvement in learning has been observed in how players attempted to identify solutions that satisfy the pressure criterion with players readily identifying the proximity of the better solutions to the starting, infeasible configuration. Through applications of Serious Gaming such as this, decision makers can learn about the complexity of the water distribution system design problem, experiment safely using a computer model of a real system, understand conflicting objectives (i.e., minimization of cost and satisfaction of minimum pressure) and develop strategies for coping with complexity without being burdened by the limitations of the ICT technology at their disposal.The authors would like to acknowledge the funding provided by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, grant EP/M018865/1 (The Nexus Game)

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A Comparison of Near-Infrared Photometry and Spectra for Y Dwarfs with a New Generation of Cool Cloudy Models

We present YJHK photometry, or a subset, for the six Y dwarfs discovered in WISE data by Cushing et al.. The data were obtained using NIRI on the Gemini North telescope. We also present a far-red spectrum obtained using GMOS-North for WISEPC J205628.90+145953.3. We compare the data to Morley et al. (2012) models, which include cloud decks of sulfide and chloride condensates. We find that the models with these previously neglected clouds can reproduce the energy distributions of T9 to Y0 dwarfs quite well, other than near 5um where the models are too bright. This is thought to be because the models do not include departures from chemical equilibrium caused by vertical mixing, which would enhance the abundance of CO, decreasing the flux at 5um. Vertical mixing also decreases the abundance of NH_3, which would otherwise have strong absorption features at 1.03um and 1.52um that are not seen in the Y0 WISEPC J205628.90+145953.3. We find that the five Y0 to Y0.5 dwarfs have 300 < T_eff K < 450, 4.0 < log g < 4.5 and f_sed ~ 3. These temperatures and gravities imply a mass range of 5 - 15 M_Jupiter and ages around 5 Gyr. We suggest that WISEP J182831.08+265037.8 is a binary system, as this better explains its luminosity and color. We find that the data can be made consistent with observed trends, and generally consistent with the models, if the system is composed of a T_eff = 325 K and log g ~ 4.0 secondary, corresponding to masses of 10 and 7 M_Jupiter and an age around 2 Gyr. If our deconvolution is correct, then the T_eff = 300 K cloud-free model fluxes at K and W2 are too faint by 0.5 - 1.0 magnitudes. We will address this discrepancy in our next generation of models, which will incorporate water clouds and mixing.Comment: 39 pages, 10 Figures, 8 Tables. Accepted by ApJ. This revision replaces Figures 9 and 10 with B & W versions, corrects figure captions for color online only, corrects references. Text is unchanged. Tables 3, 4 and 8 are available at http://www.gemini.edu/staff/sleggett, other model data are available at http://www.ucolick.org/~cmorley/cmorley/Data.htm

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of the Y0 WISEP J173835.52+273258.9 and the Y1 WISE J035000.32-565830.2: the Importance of Non-Equilibrium Chemistry

We present new near-infrared spectra, obtained at Gemini Observatory, for two Y dwarfs: WISE J035000.32-565830.2 (W0350) and WISEP J173835.52+273258.9 (W1738). A FLAMINGOS-2 R=540 spectrum was obtained for W0350, covering 1.0 < lambda um < 1.7, and a cross-dispersed GNIRS R=2800 spectrum was obtained for W1738, covering 0.993-1.087 um, 1.191-1.305 um, 1.589-1.631 um, and 1.985-2.175 um, in four orders. We also present revised YJH photometry for W1738, using new NIRI Y and J imaging, and a re-analysis of the previously published NIRI H band images. We compare these data, together with previously published data for late-T and Y dwarfs, to cloud-free models of solar metallicity, calculated both in chemical equilibrium and with disequilibrium driven by vertical transport. We find that for the Y dwarfs the non-equilibrium models reproduce the near-infrared data better than the equilibrium models. The remaining discrepancies suggest that fine-tuning the CH_4/CO and NH_3/N_2 balance is needed. Improved trigonometric parallaxes would improve the analysis. Despite the uncertainties and discrepancies, the models reproduce the observed near-infrared spectra well. We find that for the Y0, W1738, T_eff = 425 +/- 25 K and log g = 4.0 +/- 0.25, and for the Y1, W0350, T_eff = 350 +/- 25 K and log g = 4.0 +/- 0.25. W1738 may be metal-rich. Based on evolutionary models, these temperatures and gravities correspond to a mass range for both Y dwarfs of 3-9 Jupiter masses, with W0350 being a cooler, slightly older, version of W1738; the age of W0350 is 0.3-3 Gyr, and the age of W1738 is 0.15-1 Gyr.Comment: Accepted on March 30 2016 for publication in Ap

Phase Transition in a Stochastic Forest Fire Model and Effects of the Definition of Neighbourhood

We present results on a stochastic forest fire model, where the influence of the neighbour trees is treated in a more realistic way than usual and the definition of neighbourhood can be tuned by an additional parameter. This model exhibits a surprisingly sharp phase transition which can be shifted by redefinition of neighbourhood. The results can also be interpreted in terms of disease-spreading and are quite unsettling from the epidemologist's point of view, since variation of one crucial parameter only by a few percent can result in the change from endemic to epidemic behaviour.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figure

Resolved Spectroscopy of the T8.5 and Y0-0.5 Binary WISEPC J121756.91+162640.2AB

We present 0.9 - 2.5 um resolved spectra for the ultracool binary WISEPC J121756.91+162640.2AB. The system consists of a pair of brown dwarfs that straddles the currently defined T/Y spectral type boundary. We use synthetic spectra generated by model atmospheres that include chloride and sulfide clouds (Morley et al.), the distance to the system (Dupuy & Kraus), and the radius of each component based on evolutionary models (Saumon & Marley) to determine a probable range of physical properties for the binary. The effective temperature of the T8.5 primary is 550 - 600 K, and that of the Y0 - Y0.5 secondary is 450 K. The atmospheres of both components are either free of clouds or have extremely thin cloud layers. We find that the masses of the primary and secondary are 30 and 22 M_Jup, respectively, and that the age of the system is 4 - 8 Gyr. This age is consistent with astrometric measurements (Dupuy & Kraus) that show that the system has kinematics intermediate between those of the thin and thick disks of the Galaxy. An older age is also consistent with an indication by the H - K colors that the system is slightly metal-poor.Comment: 21 pages which include 6 Figures and 3 Tables. Accepted on November 8 2013 for publication in Ap

Prevalence estimates of substandard drugs in Mongolia using a random sample survey

To determine the prevalence of substandard drugs in urban (Ulaanbaatar) and rural (selected provinces) areas of Mongolia, samples of 9 common, therapeutically important drugs were collected from randomly selected drug outlets in Ulaanbaatar and 4 rural provinces by “mystery shoppers”. Samples were analyzed by visual inspection, registration status, and biochemical analysis. Samples failing to meet all Pharmacopeia quality tests were consideredsubstandard.In the rural provinces, 69 out of 388 samples were substandard, giving an estimated prevalence of substandard drugs of 17.8% (95%CI:14.1-22.0). There were 85 unregistered samples, giving a prevalence estimate of unregistered drugs of 21.9%. (95% CI: 17.9-26.3). In the urban Ulaanbaatar districts, 112 out of 848 samples were substandard, giving an estimated prevalence of substandard drugs of 13.2% (95%CI: 11.0-15.7). There were 150 unregistered samples, giving a prevalence estimate of unregistered drugs of 17.7% (95%CI:15.2-20.4).In the rural provinces, 35 out of 85 (41.2%) unregistered samples were substandard; whereas 34 out of 303 (11.2%) registered samples were substandard. (p &lt; 0.0001) In the urban districts, 18 out of 150 (12.0%) unregistered samples were substandard, whereas 94 out of 698 registered were substandard. (13.5%) (p = 0.6).The prevalence of substandard and unregistered drugs is higher in rural provinces. There is asignificant association between substandard and unregistered drugs in the provinces but not inthe urban districts. The underlying causes for substandard drugs need to be further investigated in order to help formulate strategies to improve pharmacovigilance and the drugsupply quality in Mongolia

A case study objectively assessing female physical activity levels within the National Curriculum for Physical Education

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE) lesson themes and contexts on the profile of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Fifteen, Year 9 PE lessons were assessed within the lesson themes of Outwitting Opponents (OO) (delivered through field hockey and netball) and Accurate Replication (AR) (delivered through gymnastics) using the System for Observing the Teaching of Games in Physical Education. Accelerometry identified MVPA within Physical Education Lessons (Actigraph-GTM1, 10-second epoch, MVPA ≥2296 counts/min). Among 112 females MVPA averaged 20.8% of available learning time. Significantly more MVPA was facilitated during OO than AR (22.7 vs. 15.9%, p<0.001, d=0.88). Within both lesson themes, warm-up was the most active lesson context while pre- and post-lesson general management were the least active. Contrary to expectations, neither small-sided nor modified games, vs. full sided games, increased MVPA within OO. During AR technical and applied skill practice resulted in low MVPA. Objective evidence has justified concerns about female adolescent MVPA within PE. At current levels an additional 17.5 minutes of MVPA per 60 minute PE lesson would be needed to meet the minimum 50% guideline