Digital twin of an urban-integrated hydroponic farm

AbstractThis paper presents the development process of a digital twin of a unique hydroponic underground farm in London, Growing Underground (GU). Growing 12x more per unit area than traditional greenhouse farming in the UK, the farm also consumes 4x more energy per unit area. Key to the ongoing operational success of this farm and similar enterprises is finding ways to minimize the energy use while maximizing crop growth by maintaining optimal growing conditions. As such, it belongs to the class of Controlled Environment Agriculture, where indoor environments are carefully controlled to maximize crop growth by using artificial lighting and smart heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. We tracked changing environmental conditions and crop growth across 89 different variables, through a wireless sensor network and unstructured manual records, and combined all the data into a database. We show how the digital twin can provide enhanced outputs for a bespoke site like GU, by creating inferred data fields, and show the limitations of data collection in a commercial environment. For example, we find that lighting is the dominant environmental factor for temperature and thus crop growth in this farm, and that the effects of external temperature and ventilation are confounded. We combine information learned from historical data interpretation to create a bespoke temperature forecasting model (root mean squared error &lt; 1.3°C), using a dynamic linear model with a data-centric lighting component. Finally, we present how the forecasting model can be integrated into the digital twin to provide feedback to the farmers for decision-making assistance.</jats:p

A Tri-National program for estimating the link between snow resources and hydrological droughts

To evaluate how summer low flows and droughts are affected by the winter snowpack, a Tri-National effort will analyse data from three catchments: Alpbach (Prealps, central Switzerland), Gudjaretis-Tskali (Little Caucasus, central Georgia), and Kamenice (Jizera Mountains, northern Czech Republic). Two GIS-based rainfall-runoff models will simulate over 10 years of runoff in streams based on rain and snowfall measurements, and further meteorological variables. The models use information on the geographical settings of the catchments together with knowledge of the hydrological processes of runoff generation from rainfall, looking particularly at the relationship between spring snowmelt and summer droughts. These processes include snow accumulation and melt, evapotranspiration, groundwater recharge in spring that contributes to (the) summer runoff, and will be studied by means of the environmental isotopes 18O and 2H. Knowledge about the isotopic composition of the different water sources will allow to identify the flow paths and estimate the residence time of snow meltwater in the subsurface and its contribution to the stream. The application of the models in different nested or neighbouring catchments will explore their potential for further development and allow a better early prediction of low-flow periods in various mountainous zones across Europe. The paper presents the planned activities including a first analysis of already available dataset of environmental isotopes, discharge, snow water equivalent and modelling experiments of the (already) available datasets

PLAYgrounds: Effect of a PE playground program in primary schools on PA levels during recess in 6 to 12 year old children. Design of a prospective controlled trial

Background The relative number of children meeting the minimal required dose of daily physical activity remains execrably low. It has been estimated that in 2015 one out of five children will be overweight. Therefore, low levels of physical activity during early childhood may compromise the current and future health and well-being of the population, and promoting physical activity in younger children is a major public health priority. This study is to gain insight into effects of a Physical Education based playground program on the PA levels during recess in primary school children aged 6-12. Methods/design The effectiveness of the intervention program will be evaluated using a prospective controlled trial design in which schools will be matched, with a follow-up of one school year. The research population will consist of 6-12 year old primary school children. The intervention program will be aimed at improving physical activity levels and will consist of a multi-component alteration of the schools' playground. In addition, playground usage will be increased through altered time management of recess times, as well as a modification of the Physical Education content. Discussion The effects of the intervention on physical activity levels during recess (primary outcome measure), overall daily physical activity and changes in physical fitness (secondary outcome measures) will be assessed. Results of this study could possibly lead to changes in the current playground system of primary schools and provide structured health promotion for future public health. Trial registration Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): NTR238

Erratum to: 36th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13054-016-1208-6.]

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Energy Models for Urban-Integrated Agriculture

As cities adapt and evolve to future climatic, demographic and economic conditions, urban integrated agriculture (UIA) is a promising solution to increase urban resource use efficiency, improve local food supply and population well-being. In particular, Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) offers the potential to compete with traditional agriculture through its large annual yields on small footprints. Whilst smart control systems are well developed to optimize CEA, there is no sufficient body of evidence to encourage widespread adaptation of CEA in urban environments. Furthermore, there are no methods to evaluate and optimise the integration of CEA with the urban built environment synergistically. This thesis investigates methods and models that can facilitate new and bespoke modes of urban and building integrated agriculture in cities. To this end, the thesis presents digital twins as a suitable framework that encompasses real time monitoring, data curation, and bespoke modelling, in a virtual representation of the actual system. Digital twins can meet the bespoke monitoring and modelling requirements of urban integrated agriculture and be utilised to optimise the farm environment whilst minimising their energy burden. The thesis develops this hypothesis through an `in-vitro' exercise of developing a digital twin of an existing and fully operational underground farm in London (UK) called Growing Underground. This, in the first phase, entailed designing and installing a real-time monitoring network 33~m underground, as well as developing a suitable framework to ensure the translation of monitored data into information that is tractable and usable. In total, 89 different variables are monitored and tracked in the farm, including both features that are observable through the sensing network and those that have to be recorded manually. As demonstrated in this thesis, the development of a usable digital twin necessitates the synthesis of data generation and data analysis. The data tracked through the monitoring network is analysed in order to identify the unique relationships between the operational controls, environmental conditions and crop growth. Results show the importance of controlling air temperatures within an optimal range, and that ventilation and lighting are the key drivers influencing the farm temperatures. Thus, a forecasting model is developed to provide feedback on farm temperatures as a function of changing operational conditions. Data-centric models are thus shown to be effective for managing the farm environment efficiently. However, they are limited to environments that are already operational. The design of new and creative practices in urban-integrated architecture can only be supported through physics-based numerical models. A co-simulation methodology is developed to integrate a validated CEA model into conventional building energy simulation (BES). The model is tested on a hypothetical greenhouse on the top floor of an archetypal school building in London, due to the increasing interest of food growing in schools. This method enables the evaluation of the potential crop growth, heat recovery and reduction in ventilation demand for different levels of greenhouse-building coupling through a sensitivity analysis and parametric study. The increase in humidity due to large planted areas shows the importance of incorporating detailed crop growth and thermodynamics in BES, in order to identify resource trade-offs and ensure optimal designs