Considerations for the interdisciplinary development of environmental system models

Effective decision making and policy development requires holistic consideration of the modelling context. This thesis explores how consideration of multiple disciplinary perspectives and concerns lead to an integrative model development process for the purpose of socio-environmental systems (SES) management. The research is presented through two frames: (1) Integrated Environmental Model (IEM) development through a System-of-Systems (SoS) approach, and (2) the socio-technical considerations within an interdisciplinary modelling process. The presented research incorporates the perspectives of the modelling, systems engineering, and software development paradigms. IEMs are developed for the purpose of integrating knowledge across the various disciplines involved, whereas traditional approaches focus on single systems within the SES, such as hydrology, economics, social dynamics, or climatic drivers. Use of IEMs allows for the consideration of the flow-on effects due to system changes and interaction, and how these may affect long-term SES behaviour. Pathways that are robust - i.e., lead to beneficial or desirable outcomes - under a range of plausible but uncertain conditions can then be identified and assessed. An interconnected network of system models thus makes up an SoS model allowing consideration of higher-order effects. In practice, however, the decisions and approaches taken in developing constituent models may influence integrated system behaviour once coupled. The socio-technical modelling concerns within the SoS/SES modelling context, including the methods to assess and manage model validity, complexity, and uncertainty, with respect to model purpose and intended outcomes are explored through a series of publications. This thesis contributes to the growing body of knowledge through: 1. An expansive overview of the currently available software for model uncertainty and sensitivity analysis, and the techniques they encompass 2. An integrated environmental model for the Lower Campaspe catchment in North-Central Victoria, Australia. The model explores long-term implications of water management decisions and potential policy changes (primarily through an agricultural lens), including conjunctive use of surface and groundwater under a range of uncertain futures. 3. Demonstration of a property-based sensitivity analysis approach to model diagnostics that combines software testing and sensitivity analysis to validate model behaviour. The approach is useful as a first-pass screening tool. Failure to reproduce expected model behaviour indicates issues with the model to be corrected and avoids the necessity of more computationally demanding diagnostics. 4. A pragmatic step-by-step framework for the sensitivity analysis of spatially distributed environmental models 5. Exploration and discussion of the modelling practices, issues and challenges that arise when dealing with the various influences and effects of scale within the interdisciplinary SoS context through a socio-technical lens. The discussion leads to a call for a grander vision for SoS-IEM modelling (and commensurate funding) to better enable interdisciplinary, and integrative, socio-environmental research to occur. 6. A shared reflexive account of two case studies that draws out the considerations and decisions regarding scale to arrive at five shared lessons learnt to foster an effective interdisciplinary modelling process. The key conclusion is the need for researchers involved in SoS modelling of SESs to actively consider and address cross-disciplinary concerns through improved interdisciplinary communication, documentation practices, and explicit consideration of the interplay between defined scales and resulting influence on uncertainty. Integrative consideration of these would then lower or avoid barriers that hamper the development and application of integrated environmental system models

A socio-environmental model for exploring sustainable water management futures: Participatory and collaborative modelling in the Lower Campaspe catchment

Study region: Lower Campaspe, North Central Victoria, Australia Study focus: This paper presents a component-based integrated environmental model developed through participatory processes to explore sustainable water management options. Possible futures with improved farm profitability and ecological outcomes relative to modelled baselines were identified through exploratory modelling. The integrated model and the results produced are intended to raise awareness and facilitate discussion with and amongst stakeholders. New hydrological insights: The modelling illustrates that improved farm level knowledge and management with regard to crop water requirements, soil water capacity, and irrigations are the most significant factors towards achieving outcomes that are robust to a range of climate and water policy futures. Assuming farmer management with regard to these factors are at their most optimal, increasing irrigation efficiency alone did not lead to improved farm profitability and ecological outcomes under drier climate conditions. Likelihood of achieving robust outcomes were further improved through the conjunctive use of surface and groundwater, with increased consideration of groundwater use a key factor. Further discussion on the viability and impact of increased groundwater use and conjunctive use policies should be further considered

Percolation induced gel-gel phase separation in a dilute polymer network

Cosmic large-scale structures, animal flocks, and living tissues are non-equilibrium organized systems created by dissipative processes. Despite the uniqueness, the realization of dissipative structures is still difficult. Herein, we report that a network formation process in a dilute system is a dissipative process, leading to percolation induced gel-gel phase separation (GGPS) in a prominent miscible polymer-water system. The dilute system, which forms a monophase structure at the percolation threshold, eventually separates into two gel phases in a longer time scale as the network formation progresses. The dilute hydrogel with GGPS exhibits an unexpected mesoscale co-continuous structure and induces adipose growth in subcutaneous. The formation mechanism of GGPS and a cosmic large-scale structure is analogous, in terms of attractive interactions in a diluted system driving phase separation. This unique phenomenon unveils the possibility of dissipative structures enabling advanced functionalities and will stimulate research fields related to dissipative structures.Comment: 23+5 pages, 4+4 figure

Development of an integrated model for the Campaspe catchment: A tool to help improve understanding of the interaction between society, policy, farming decision, ecology, hydrology and climate

Management of water resources requires understanding of the hydrology and hydrogeology, as well as the policy and human drivers and their impacts. This understanding requires relevant inputs from a wide range of disciplines, which will vary depending on the specific case study. One approach to gain understanding of the impact of climate and society on water resources is through the use of an integrated modelling process that engages stakeholders and experts in specifics of problem framing, co-design of the underpinning conceptual model, and discussion of the ensuing results. In this study, we have developed such an integrated modelling process for the Campaspe basin in northern Victoria, Australia. The numerical model built has a number of components

Relationship between motor coordination, cognitive abilities, and academic achievement in Japanese children with neurodevelopmental disorders

Background/Objective: Motor coordination impairment is common in children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between motor coordination, cognitive ability, and academic achievement in Japanese children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Methods: Thirty-four school-age (6?12 years old) children with neurodevelopmental disorders and 34 age-matched typically developing (TD) children were recruited in this study. Correlations between the scores of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (M-ABC2) and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children ? Second Edition (K-ABCII) that assesses cognitive abilities, and academic achievement were analyzed. Results: The children with neurodevelopmental disorders obtained a lower total score and all component scores on M-ABC2 compared to the TD children. In children with neurodevelopmental disorders, M-ABC2 Manual Dexterity score was significantly correlated with K-ABCII Simultaneous Processing (r =.345, p =.046), Knowledge (r =.422, p =.013), Reading (r =.342, p =.048), Writing (r =.414, p =.017), and Arithmetic (r =.443, p =.009) scores. In addition, M-ABC2 Balance score was significantly correlated with K-ABCII Learning (r =.341, p =.048), Writing (r =.493, p =.004), and Arithmetic (r =.386, p =.024) scores. Conclusion: These findings stress that it is essential to accurately identify motor coordination impairments and the interventions that would consider motor coordination problems related to cognitive abilities and academic achievement in Japanese children with neurodevelopmental disorders

Signal Intensity and Volume of Pituitary and Thyroid Glands in Preterm and Term Infants

[Background]: Hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid (HPT) maturation has not been extensively evaluated using neonatal MRI, even though both structures are visualized on MRI. [Hypothesis]: That signal intensity and volume of pituitary and thyroid (T) glands on MRI in neonates may be interrelated. [Study Type]: Retrospective. [Subjects]: In all, 102 participants. [Field Strength/Sequence]: 3.0T, T₁‐weighted pointwise encoding time reduction with radial acquisition (PETRA).[ Assessment]: The volume of interest of the anterior pituitary (AP), posterior pituitary (PP), and T on MRI were defined on T₁‐PETRA by two radiologists, and volumes of AP (AP_vol) and thyroid (T_vol) were calculated. Gestational age (GA), chronological age (CA), GA+CA, birth weight (BW), and thyroid function were recorded. Mean and maximum signal intensities of AP, PP, and T were normalized using signals from the pons and spinal cord as follows: signal ratio of anterior pituitary/pons (AP/pons), signal ratio of posterior pituitary/pons (PP/pons), and signal ratio of thyroid/cord (T/cord) T/cord, respectively. [Statistical Tests]: Correlations between signal intensity and volume measures and GA, CA, GA+CA, and BW were assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient or Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Thyroid function analysis and Tmean/cord, Tmax/cord, and T_vol were evaluated using the Steel–Dwass test. Results: APmean/pons correlated positively with GA (ρ = 0.62, P < 0.001) and BW (ρ = 0.74, P < 0.001), and negatively with CA (ρ = −0.86, P < 0.001) and GA+CA (ρ = −0.46, P < 0.001). PPmean/pons correlated positively with GA (ρ = 0.49, P < 0.001) and BW (ρ = 0.63, P < 0.001), and negatively with CA (ρ = −0.70, P < 0.001) and GA+CA (r = −0.38, P < 0.001). Tmean/cord correlated positively with GA (ρ = 0.48, P < 0.001) and BW (ρ = 0.55, P < 0.001), and negatively with CA (ρ = −0.59, P < 0.001) and GA+CA (ρ = −0.22, P = 0.03). AP_vol correlated positively with GA (ρ = 0.68, P < 0.001) and BW (ρ = 0.73, P < 0.001), and negatively with CA (ρ = −0.72, P < 0.001). T_vol correlated positively with GA (ρ = 0.50, P < 0.001) and BW (ρ = 0.61, P < 0.001), and negatively with CA (ρ = −0.54, P < 0.001). APmean/pons correlated positively with Tmean/cord (ρ = 0.61, P < 0.001). [Data Conclusion]: Signal and volume of pituitary and thyroid glands correlated positively with GA and BW, and negatively with CA in neonates. [Level of Evidence]: 4 [Technical Efficacy Stage]:

A framework for characterising and evaluating the effectiveness of environmental modelling

Environmental modelling is transitioning from the traditional paradigm that focuses on the model and its quantitative performance to a more holistic paradigm that recognises successful model-based outcomes are closely tied to undertaking modelling as a social process, not just as a technical procedure. This paper redefines evaluation as a multi-dimensional and multi-perspective concept, and proposes a more complete framework for identifying and measuring the effectiveness of modelling that serves the new paradigm. Under this framework, evaluation considers a broader set of success criteria, and emphasises the importance of contextual factors in determining the relevance and outcome of the criteria. These evaluation criteria are grouped into eight categories: project efficiency, model accessibility, credibility, saliency, legitimacy, satisfaction, application, and impact. Evaluation should be part of an iterative and adaptive process that attempts to improve model-based outcomes and foster pathways to better futures

Ablation of the scaffold protein JLP causes reduced fertility in male mice

金沢大学がん研究所がん分子細胞制御The specific and efficient activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling modules is mediated, at least in part, by scaffold proteins. c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK)-associated leucine zipper protein (JLP) was identified as a scaffold protein for JNK and p38 MAPK signaling modules. JLP is expressed nearly ubiquitously and is involved in intracellular signaling pathways, such as the Gα13 and Cdo-mediated pathway, in vitro. To date, however, JLP expression has not been analyzed in detail, nor are its physiological functions well understood. Here we investigated the expression of JLP in the mouse testis during development. Of the tissues examined, JLP was strongest in the testis, with the most intense staining in the elongated spermatids. Since the anti-JLP antibody used in this study can recognize both JLP and sperm-associated antigen 9 (SPAG9), a splice variant of JLP that has been studied extensively in primates, we also examined its expression in macaque testis samples. Our results indicated that in mouse and primate testis, the isoform expressed at the highest level was JLP, not SPAG9. We also investigated the function of JLP by disrupting the Jlp gene in mice, and found that the male homozygotes were subfertile. Taken together, these observations may suggest that JLP plays an important role in testis during development, especially in the production of functionally normal spermatozoa. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V

Effective modeling for integrated water resource management: a guide to contextual practices by phases and steps and future opportunities

The effectiveness of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) modeling hinges on the quality of practices employed through the process, starting from early problem definition all the way through to using the model in a way that serves its intended purpose. The adoption and implementation of effective modeling practices need to be guided by a practical understanding of the variety of decisions that modelers make, and the information considered in making these choices. There is still limited documented knowledge on the modeling workflow, and the role of contextual factors in determining this workflow and which practices to employ. This paper attempts to contribute to this knowledge gap by providing systematic guidance of the modeling practices through the phases (Planning, Development, Application, and Perpetuation) and steps that comprise the modeling process, positing questions that should be addressed. Practice-focused guidance helps explain the detailed process of conducting IWRM modeling, including the role of contextual factors in shaping practices. We draw on findings from literature and the authors’ collective experience to articulate what and how contextual factors play out in employing those practices. In order to accelerate our learning about how to improve IWRM modeling, the paper concludes with five key areas for future practice-related research: knowledge sharing, overcoming data limitations, informed stakeholder involvement, social equity and uncertainty management. © 2019 Elsevier Lt