A Futures Approach to Water Distribution and Sewer Network (RE)Design

When designing urban water systems (i.e. water distribution and sewer systems) it is imperative that uncertainty is taken into consideration. However, this is a challenging problem due to the inherent uncertainty associated with both system loading requirements and the potential for physical components failure. It is therefore desirable to improve the reliability of each system in order to account for these uncertainties. Although it is possible to directly evaluate the reliability of a water distribution systems (WDS) (using reliability measures), the calculation processes involved are computationally intensive and therefore unsuitable for some state-of-the-art, iterative design approaches (such as optimisation). Consequently, interest has recently grown in the use of reliability indicators, which are simpler and faster to evaluate than conventional direct reliability methods. In this thesis, a novel measure (the RUF) is developed to quantify reliability in urban water systems with a view to enhance their robustness under a range of future scenarios (Policy Reform, Market Forces, Fortress World and New-Sustainability Paradigm). The considered four future scenarios were synthesized in the EPSRC supported multidisciplinary 4 year project: Urban Futures. Each investigated urban future scenario is characterised by a distinct household water demand and local demand distribution (emerging due to different urban forms evolving in future scenarios). In order to assess the impact of urban futures, RUF has been incorporated into Urban Water System (UWS) dynamic simulations for both WDSs and Foul Sewer Systems (FSSs) using open source codes of EPANET and SWMM. Additionally, in order to overcome extensive computational effort, resulting from the use of traditional reliability measures, a new holistic reliability indicator, the hydraulic power entropy (IHPE) has been developed and compared to existing reliability indicators. Additionally, the relationship between the new reliability indicator and the above mentioned RUF reliability measure is investigated. Results suggest that the magnitude of the IHPE in network solutions provides a holistic indication of the hydraulic performance and reliability for a WDS. However, the performance of optimal solutions under some Urban Futures indicates that additional design interventions are required in order to achieve desired future operation. This thesis also proposes a new holistic foul sewer system (FSS) reliability indicator (the IFSR). The IFSR represents sewer performance as a function of excess pipe capacity (in terms of available increase and also decrease in inflow). The indicator has been tested for two case studies (i.e. different sewer network layouts). Results suggest that the magnitude of IFSR has positive correlations with a number of identified key performance indicators (i.e. relating to capacity, velocity, blockages). Finally, an Integrated Design Approach (IDA) has been developed in order to assess the implications of applying design interventions on both a WDS and downstream FSS. The approach holistically considers present and future operation of each interconnected system. The approach was subsequently demonstrated using two proposed design interventions. Results suggest that, for the considered design interventions, there is trade-off between the simultaneous improvement of both WDS and FSS operation and reliability

Issues in the development of advance directives in mental health care

<i>Background</i>: Interest in advance directives in mental health care is growing internationally. There is no clear universal agreement as to what such an advance directive is or how it should function. <i>Aim</i>: To describe the range of issues embodied in the development of advance directives in mental health care. <i>Method</i>: The literature on advance directives is examined to highlight the pros and cons of different versions of advance directive. <i>Results</i>: Themes emerged around issues of terminology, competency and consent, the legal status of advance directives independent or collaborative directives and their content. Opinions vary between a unilateral legally enforceable instrument to a care plan agreed between patient and clinician. <i>Conclusion</i>: There is immediate appeal in a liberal democracy that values individual freedom and autonomy in giving weight to advance directives in mental health care. They do not, however, solve all the problems of enforced treatment and early access to treatment. They also raise new issues and highlight persistent problems. <i>Declaration</i> <i>of</i> <i>interest</i>: The research was funded by the Nuffield Foundation grant number MNH/00015G

Reliability indicators for water distribution system design: comparison

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.When designing a water distribution system (WDS), it is imperative that the reliability of the network is taken into consideration. It is possible to directly evaluate the reliability of a WDS, although the calculation processes involved are computationally intensive and thus undesirable for some state-of-the-art, iterative design approaches (such as optimization). Consequently, interest has recently grown in the use of reliability indicators, which are simpler and faster to evaluate than direct reliability methods. In this study, two existing reliability indicators, the Todini resilience index and entropy for WDS, are examined by analyzing their relationships with different subcategories of reliability, namely the mechanical (network tolerance to pipe failure) and hydraulic reliability (network tolerance to demand change). The analysis is performed by generating comparable solutions through multiobjective optimization of cost against the chosen indicators using the well known Anytown WDS benchmark as a case study. It is found that WDS solutions with high entropy have increased mechanical reliability, yet are expensive and have poor hydraulic operation and water quality. In contrast, high resilience index networks are relatively cheaper and present reasonable hydraulic operational performance, yet have limited improvement in mechanical reliability. Both indicators appear to be correlated to hydraulic reliability, but each has its own associated disadvantages. Including minimum surplus head as an additional objective in the optimization of the reliability indicators appeared to improve the performance. When optimized together, a trade-off between the two indicators is identified, implying that significantly increasing both simultaneously is not possible, and thus a new indicator is recommended to account for both the mechanical and hydraulic reliability while ensuring reasonable standards of hydraulic operation.This work was supported by the UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council as part of the Urban Futures Project (EP/F007426/1)

Epigenetic regulation of the telomerase gene promoters

Epigenetic mechanisms have been implicated in the regulation of telomerase gene expression and here we show that specific modifications within the chromatin environment of the hTR and hTERT promoters correlate with expression of hTR and hTERT in ALT, normal and telomerase-positive tumour cell lines. Lack of expression of hTR and hTERT is associated with repressive histone modification, while, hTR and hTERT expression is associated permissive histone modifications. Methylation of lysine 20 H4 was not linked to gene expression but instead was specific to the hTR and hTERT promoters of ALT cells providing an insight into the differences between ALT and telomerase-positive cells as well as a novel marker for the ALT phenotype. Basal transcription machinery dynamics were also shown to be different between normal and cancer cells at the telomerase gene promoters. Modulation of the chromatin environment was also shown to cause re-expression or increased expression of hTR and hTERT further supporting the role of the chromatin environment in controlling telomerase gene expression. Epigenetic mechanisms are also shown to be involved in the repression of hTERT transcription in human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSCs) and modulation of the chromatin environment is shown to allow re-expression of hTERT expression, while the disruption of telomerase gene expression in human haematopoietic stem cells (hHSCs) in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and the role of the chromatin environment was also studied. These data establishes how epigenetic mechanisms can contribute to transcriptional regulation of telomerase and also highlights the potential importance of epigenetics in senescence and tumourigenicity

Mesoscale Hydrographic Variability in the Vicinity of Points Conception and Arguello During April May 1983: The OPUS 1983 Experiment

In April and May 1983, interdisciplinary oceanographic observations were made of upwelling events in the Point Conception area off southern California. The principal objective was to observe the structure and time dependence of the upwelling system. To accomplish this, two ships, two aircraft, moorings, drogues, and satellite imagery were all included in the observational effort. During the intensive measurement period three main upwelling events and two intervening relaxation or downwelling intervals were sampled during what was a period of overall longer-term sea surface warming. Surface temperatures during upwelling were as low as 10.5°C in the upwelling center between Point Arguello and Point Conception, while during periods of nonupwelling winds, temperatures reached 14°–15°C in the same area. The upwelling center was also a source of higher-salinity water (33.7‰) relative to the offshore waters that were anomalously fresh (33.3‰). Upwelling was observed off Point Arguello, Point Conception, and the area between with a possible lag of up to a day at Point Conception relative to the other areas. The upwelling plume as observed by surface mapping and remote sensing tended to move in a variety of directions from SE to SW. Part of the movement was usually into the Santa Barbara Channel, but other parts of the plume occasionally moved southwestward. There was no obvious correlation of plume direction with the wind. During relaxation events the entire region was covered by a 10- to 20-m-thick warm (14°–16°C), fresh

Low-cost automated vectors and modular environmental sensors for plant phenotyping

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. High-throughput plant phenotyping in controlled environments (growth chambers and glasshouses) is often delivered via large, expensive installations, leading to limited access and the increased relevance of “affordable phenotyping” solutions. We present two robot vectors for automated plant phenotyping under controlled conditions. Using 3D-printed components and readily-available hardware and electronic components, these designs are inexpensive, flexible and easily modified to multiple tasks. We present a design for a thermal imaging robot for high-precision time-lapse imaging of canopies and a Plate Imager for high-throughput phenotyping of roots and shoots of plants grown on media plates. Phenotyping in controlled conditions requires multi-position spatial and temporal monitoring of environmental conditions. We also present a low-cost sensor platform for environmental monitoring based on inexpensive sensors, microcontrollers and internet-of-things (IoT) protocols

Magnetic resonance imaging assessed enteric motility and luminal content analysis in patients with severe bloating and visible distension

Background: Gastrointestinal symptoms in functional gut disorders occur without any discernible structural gut abnormality. Preliminary observations on enteric MRI suggest possible abnormal content and motility of the terminal ileum (TI) in constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C) with severe bloating, and in functional bloating and distension (FABD) patients. We investigated whether MRI can quantify differences in small bowel (SB) content and motility between patients and healthy controls (HCs). Methods: 11 IBS-C (mean age 40 [21–52] years; 10 women) and 7 FABD (36 [21–56]; all women) patients with bloating and 20 HCs (28 [22–48]; 6 women) underwent enteric MRI, including dynamic motility and anatomical sequences. Three texture analysis (TA) parameters assessed the homogeneity of the luminal content, with ratios calculated between the TI and (1) the SB and (2) the ascending colon. Four TI motility metrics were derived. Ascending colon diameter (ACD) was measured. A comparison between HCs and patients was performed independently for: (1) three TA parameters, (2) four TI motility metrics, and (3) ACD. Key Results: Compared with HCs, patients had TI:colon ratios higher for TA contrast (p < 0.001), decreased TI motility (lower mean motility [p = 0.04], spatial motility variation [p = 0.03], and area of motile TI [p = 0.03]), and increased ACD (p = 0.001). Conclusions and Inferences: IBS-C and FABD patients show reduced TI motility and differences in luminal content compared with HCs. This potentially indicates reflux of colonic contents or delayed clearance of the TI, which alongside increased ACD may contribute to symptoms of constipation and bloating