Interactive Problem Structuring with ICZM Stakeholders

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) is struggling with a lack of science-management integration. Many computer systems, usually known as “decision support systems”, have been developed with the intention to make scientific knowledge about complex systems more accessible for coastal managers. These tools, allowing a multi-disciplinary approach with multi-criteria analyses, are designed for well-defined, structured problems. However, in practice stakeholder consensus on the problem structure is usually lacking. Aim of this paper is to explore the practical opportunities for the new so-called Quasta approach to structure complex problems in a group setting. This approach is based on a combination of Cognitive Mapping and Qualitative Probabilistic Networks. It comprehends a new type of computer system which is quite simple and flexible as well. The tool is tested in two workshops in which various coastal management issues were discussed. Evaluations of these workshops show that (1) this system helps stakeholders to make them aware of causal relationships, (2) it is useful for a qualitative exploration of scenarios, (3) it identifies the quantitative knowledge gaps of the problem being discussed and (4) the threshold for non technicians to use this tool is quite low.Integrated Coastal Zone Management, Problem Structuring, Stakeholder Participation, Cognitive Mapping, Interactive Policy Making

Modelling children's Gear task strategy use with the Dynamic Overlapping Waves Model

The Dynamic Overlapping Waves Model (DOWM) can model strategy use in problem-solving tasks for strategies that can be construed as developmentally and hierarchically ordered (Boom, 2015). We observed children's (M age = 11 years, SD = 6 months) strategy use during a task in which they had to find the rotation direction of the last gear in a series of connected gear chains, given the rotation direction of the first gear. Using DOWM, we found that strategy use was ordered as expected, from unskilled sensorimotor strategies to abstract strategies, and from less to more efficient in terms of speed and accuracy. This order aligns with the idea that perceptual learning is central to the emergence of abstract conceptual knowledge. Moreover, the current study shows that the DOWM does not preclude forward and backward transitions and even occasional transitions that skip certain strategies in the ordering. The DOWM seems a promising tool to developmentally capture the breadth of behavioral repertoire children display when they adopt new strategies for various problem-solving tasks

Nutrients in tropical and temperate rivers and floodplains – comparison of the Rivers Songkhram (Thailand) and Narew (Poland)

Ecological processes in floodplains may function differently across climate regions. We compared the river discharge, water chemistry, and nutrient budget and balance of floodplain vegetation in a temperate climate (River Narew, Poland) with those in a tropical climate (River Songkhram, Thailand). Both rivers show a discharge regime with a flood pulse, following snowmelt (Narew) or monsoon rainfall (Songkhram), with peak discharges roughly 25 times higher in the River Songkhram. Electrical Conductivity (EC) values of both rivers are generally comparable, while nutrient concentrations are somewhat higher in the temperate River Narew (with total phosphorus (TP) approximately 1.5 and total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) approximately 2.2 times higher than in Songkhram). A comparison of the nutrient budget of floodplain vegetation suggests that soil is the most important source of nutrients for most vegetation types, i.e., Narew sedge (N), Narew forest floor (N and P), Songkhram bamboo (N and P), and Songkhram grass (P). Additionally, floodwater is the main input source of P for the Narew sedge and a secondary input source for Songkhram grass. Vegetation close to the river tends to have higher productivity, emphasizing the nutrient-filtering function of floodplain vegetation. For both rivers, nutrient input into the floodplains by floodwater is higher than nutrient export from the floodplains, indicating that both floodplains have a nutrient sink function. These findings demonstrate that the floodwater pulse is a source of nutrient input for floodplain vegetation in both temperate and tropical climates, with the soil playing a vital role in the nutrient budgets and balance

Effects of high pressure and temperature conditions on the chemical fate of flowback water related chemicals

Environmental risk assessment is generally based on atmospheric conditions for the modelling of chemical fate after entering the environment. However, during hydraulic fracturing, chemicals may be released deep underground. This study therefore focuses on the effects of high pressure and high temperature conditions on chemicals in flowback water to determine whether current environmental fate models need to be adapted in the context of downhole activities. Crushed shale and flowback water were mixed and exposed to different temperature (25-100 °C) and pressure (1-450 bar) conditions to investigate the effects they have on chemical fate. Samples were analysed using LC-HRMS based non-target screening. The results show that both high temperature and pressure conditions can impact the chemical fate of hydraulic fracturing related chemicals by increasing or decreasing concentrations via processes of transformation, sorption, degradation and/or dissolution. Furthermore, the degree and direction of change is chemical specific. The change is lower or equal to a factor of five, but for a few individual compounds the degree of change can exceed this factor of five. This suggests that environmental fate models based on surface conditions may be used for an approximation of chemical fate under downhole conditions by applying an additional factor of five to account for these uncertainties. More accurate insight into chemical fate under downhole conditions may be gained by studying a fluid of known chemical composition and an increased variability in temperature and pressure conditions including concentration, salinity and pH as variables

Limited wedge resection for T1 colon cancer (LIMERIC-II trial) - rationale and study protocol of a prospective multicenter clinical trial

BACKGROUND: The sole presence of deep submucosal invasion is shown to be associated with a limited risk of lymph node metastasis. This justifies a local excision of suspected deep submucosal invasive colon carcinomas (T1 CCs) as a first step treatment strategy. Recently Colonoscopy-Assisted Laparoscopic Wedge Resection (CAL-WR) has been shown to be able to resect pT1 CRCs with a high R0 resection rate, but the long term outcomes are lacking. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety, effectiveness and long-term oncological outcomes of CAL-WR as primary treatment for patients with suspected superficial and also deeply-invasive T1 CCs. METHODS: In this prospective multicenter clinical trial, patients with a macroscopic and/or histologically suspected T1 CCs will receive CAL-WR as primary treatment in order to prevent unnecessary major surgery for low-risk T1 CCs. To make a CAL-WR technically feasible, the tumor may not include > 50% of the circumference and has to be localized at least 25 cm proximal from the anus. Also, there should be sufficient distance to the ileocecal valve to place a linear stapler. Before inclusion, all eligible patients will be assessed by an expert panel to confirm suspicion of T1 CC, estimate invasion depth and subsequent advise which local resection techniques are possible for removal of the lesion. The primary outcome of this study is the proportion of patients with pT1 CC that is curatively treated with CAL-WR only and in whom thus organ-preservation could be achieved. Secondary outcomes are 1) CAL-WR's technical success and R0 resection rate for T1 CC, 2) procedure-related morbidity and mortality, 3) 5-year overall and disease free survival, 4) 3-year metastasis free survival, 5) procedure-related costs and 6) impact on quality of life. A sample size of 143 patients was calculated. DISCUSSION: CAL-WR is a full-thickness local resection technique that could also be effective in removing pT1 colon cancer. With the lack of current endoscopic local resection techniques for > 15 mm pT1 CCs with deep submucosal invasion, CAL-WR could fill the gap between endoscopy and major oncologic surgery. The present study is the first to provide insight in the long-term oncological outcomes of CAL-WR. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CCMO register (ToetsingOnline), NL81497.075.22, protocol version 2.3 (October 2022)