Wrap Your Model!

Introduction Environmental models are often provided in the form of software solutions, with different levels of complexity. The simplest form is an executable file reading the model setup and boundary conditions from input files, doing the calculations and generating output files with model results. Preparing input files and reading output files requires to know and respect model specifics such as file formats and calling conventions. This user-unfriendliness may discourage the usage of models in this simplest form. However, these models may offer great opportunities since they are often freely available and contain the pure model core being fast in execution. This paper shows how specific requirements can be hidden from the user by wrapping the model software into packages for the software environment R . Methods and Results Two very different models have been wrapped : a groundwater drawdown and a sewer deterioration model. For each model an R package has been created, containing functions for writing input files, executing the model and reading output files. In one package, a function for reading model configurations from existing input files is also provided, thus allowing to manipulate existing model configurations and to rerun the model with the modified parameter set. By calling the functions in the R package repeatedly a sensitivity analysis identifying the most influential model parameters could be performed in an automated way. Conclusions Wrapping existing stand-alone model software into R packages provides the advantages of: - making models accessible from the R programming environment which is widely used in science, - using R\u27s methods and data structures for data preparation and analysis, - facilitating multiple model runs (e.g. for calibration, sensitivity analysis), - using R\u27s graphing capabilities to represent model results, - using R\u27s documentation standard to document the model\u27s usage, - facilitating the exchange of models between users

Nichtraucherschutz und Tabakentwöhnung: Ein Thema für Mitarbeitende in Einrichtungen der deutschen Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie?

Fragestellung: Mitarbeitende in kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischen (KJP) Einrichtungen stehen im Spannungsverhältnis zwischen der Durchsetzung von Rauchverboten für Patient_innen und dem eigenen Rauchverhalten. Bisher fehlen Daten, ob und wo Mitarbeitende rauchen und welche Entwöhnungsangebote KJP-Einrichtungen ihnen anbieten. Methodik: In einer Onlinestudie beantworteten n = 78 leitende Mitarbeitende deutscher KJP-Einrichtungen (41.9 % aller Angeschriebenen) Fragen zu stationsübergreifenden sowie stationsspezifischen Nichtraucherschutzmaßnahmen sowie zu Tabakentwöhnungsmaßnahmen. Ergebnisse: Umfassende Rauchverbote werden selten umgesetzt (< 20 % der Einrichtungen). Mitarbeitende dürfen vorrangig im Außengelände rauchen (z. B. in Raucherzonen: 69 bis 78 % je nach Stationstyp). Entwöhnungsangebote für Mitarbeitende bietet nur jede zweite KJP an (47 %). Schlussfolgerungen: Die Daten weisen auf zukünftige Handlungsfelder der Tabakkontrolle in der KJP-Pflege hin: transparente Regeln, Weiterbildungen und Ausbau betrieblicher Entwöhnungsangebote.Objective: Whereas, on the one hand, employees in child and adolescent psychiatric institutions (CAP) have to enforce smoking bans among patients, on the other hand, they have a high likelihood of being smokers themselves. Little data are available on the enforcement of smoking regulations and what cessation support is offered by CAP institutions. Method: In an online survey, n = 78 senior staff members or directors of German CAP institutions (41.9 % of all addressed CAP institutions) responded to questions on smoking regulations, exceptions, and cessation support for employees. Results: The enforcement of comprehensive smoking bans is rarely reported (<20 % of CAP institutions). Employees are exempted or allowed to smoke mostly outside of the building (e. g., in designated smoking areas: 69-78 % depending on ward type). Cessation support was offered by less than half of the CAP institutions (47%). Conclusions: The data presented point toward future areas for tobacco control in CAP care, including transparent regulations, staff training, and dissemination of support for occupational smoking cessation

FAKIN

Forschungsdatenmanagement an kleinen Institute

kwb.hantush (v0.2.1): An R Package for Calculating Groundwater Mounding Beneath an Infiltration Basin Based on the Hantush Equation

Recommended Literature The USGS report ‘Simulation of Groundwater Mounding Beneath Hypothetical Stormwater Infiltration Basins’ by Carleton (2010) provides more background information on the Hantush calculation and also compares it to alternative approaches. In order to validate the calculation accuracy of the R package kwb.hantush it is benchmarked against these solutions here. Documentation website https://kwb-r.github.io/kwb.hantush/de

Quantitative microbiological risk assessment for different wastewater reuse options in Old Ford (v.1.0)

The code and data allows you to reproduce the quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) for the wastewater treatment plant Old Ford, which was performed in the EU project DEMOWARE (http://demoware.eu/en) and is documentated in the DEMOWARE Deliverable 3.2 (p. 119-130). The following licences apply: Code: MIT License Data: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Text: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) How to reproduce the risk calculation? Requirements For performing the risk calculation you need to make sure to have R (>= 3.3.1, www.r-project.org) installed on your computer and at least 16GB of RAM (required to perform the risk calculation for the “toilet flushing scenario”). An integrated development environment (IDE) like RStudio is helpful but is not required. However, the workflow described below assumes that you are using RStudio. Workflow To perform the risk calculation for the Old Ford case study you need to: Open the R script run_risk_calculation.R in RStudio, Run the whole script by clicking on the Source button in RStudío Wait until risk calculation & plotting is completed for all 3 scenarios Important note: In case the R script crashes because of insufficient RAM memory for the 3rd scenario you are still able to reproduce the results and plots for the first two. If this occurs just close RStudio, reopen the R script run_risk_calculation.R and just perform the lines 32 until 132. That’s all! Happy reproducing

Effect of Active and Passive Protective Soft Skins on Collision Forces in Human-robot Collaboration

Soft electronic skins are one of the means to turn an industrial manipulator into a collaborative robot. For manipulators that are already fit for physical human-robot collaboration, soft skins can make them safer. In this work, we study the after impact behavior of two collaborative manipulators (UR10e and KUKA LBR iiwa) and one classical industrial manipulator (KUKA Cybertech), in presence or absence of an industrial protective skin (AIRSKIN). In addition, we isolate the effects of the passive padding and the active contribution of the sensor to robot reaction. We present a total of 2250 collision measurements and study the impact force, contact duration, clamping force, and impulse. The dataset is publicly available. We summarize our results as follows. For transient collisions, the passive skin properties lowered the impact forces by about 40 %. During quasi-static contact, the effect of skin covers -- active or passive -- cannot be isolated from the collision detection and reaction by the collaborative robots. Important effects of the stop categories triggered by the active protective skin were found. We systematically compare the different settings and the empirically established safe velocities with prescriptions by the ISO/TS 15066. In some cases, up to the quadruple of the ISO/TS 15066 prescribed velocity can comply with the impact force limits and thus be considered safe. We propose an extension of the formulas relating impact force and permissible velocity that take into account the stiffness and compressible thickness of the protective cover, leading to better predictions of the collision forces. At the same time, this work emphasizes the need for in situ measurements as all the factors we studied -- presence of active/passive skin, safety stop settings, robot collision reaction, impact direction, and, of course, velocity -- have effects on the force evolution after impact.Comment: 18 pages, 15 figure

Nichtraucherschutz und Tabakentwöhnung

Fragestellung: Mitarbeitende in kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischen (KJP) Einrichtungen stehen im Spannungsverhältnis zwischen der Durchsetzung von Rauchverboten für Patientinnen und Patienten und dem eigenen Rauchverhalten. Bisher fehlen Daten, ob und wo Mitarbeitende rauchen und welche Entwöhnungsangebote KJP-Einrichtungen ihnen anbieten. Methodik: In einer Onlinestudie beantworteten n = 78 leitende Mitarbeitende deutscher KJP-Einrichtungen (41.9 % aller Angeschriebenen) Fragen zu stationsübergreifenden sowie stationsspezifischen Nichtraucherschutzmaßnahmen sowie zu Tabakentwöhnungsmaßnahmen. Ergebnisse: Umfassende Rauchverbote werden selten umgesetzt (&amp;lt; 20 % der Einrichtungen). Mitarbeitende dürfen vorrangig im Außengelände rauchen (z. B. in Raucherzonen: 69 bis 78 % je nach Stationstyp). Entwöhnungsangebote für Mitarbeitende bietet nur jede zweite KJP an (47 %). Schlussfolgerungen: Die Daten weisen auf zukünftige Handlungsfelder der Tabakkontrolle in der KJP-Pflege hin: transparente Regeln, Weiterbildungen und Ausbau betrieblicher Entwöhnungsangebote

The preventive effect of sensorimotor- and vibration exercises on the onset of Oxaliplatin- or vinca-alkaloid induced peripheral neuropathies - STOP

Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common and clinically relevant side effect of chemotherapy. Approximately 50% of all leukemia, lymphoma, colorectal-and breast cancer patients are affected. CIPN is induced by neurotoxic chemotherapeutic agents and can manifest with sensory and/or motor deficits. It is associated with significant disability and poor recovery. Common symptoms include pain, altered sensation, reduced or absent reflexes, muscle weakness, reduced balance control and insecure gait. These symptoms not only affect activities of daily living, subsequently reducing patients' quality of life, they have far more become a decisive limiting factor for medical therapy, causing treatment delays, dose reductions, or even discontinuation of therapy, which can affect the outcome and compromise survival. To date, CIPN cannot be prevented and its occurrence presents a diagnostic dilemma since approved and effective treatment options are lacking. Promising results have recently been achieved with exercise. We have revealed that sensorimotor training (SMT) or whole body vibration (WBV) can reduce the symptoms of CIPN and attenuate motor and sensory deficits. We furthermore detected a tendency that it may also have a preventive effect on the onset of CIPN. Methods: We are therefore conducting a prospective, multicentre, controlled clinical trial involving 236 oncological patients receiving either oxaliplatin (N = 118) or vinca-alkaloid (N = 118) who are randomized to one of two interventions (SMT or WBV) or a treatment as usual (TAU) group. Primary endpoint is the time to incidence of neurologically confirmed CIPN. Secondary endpoints are pain, maintenance of the functionality of sensory as well as motor nerve fibres as well as the level of physical activity. The baseline assessment is performed prior to the first cycle of chemotherapy. Subsequent follow-up assessments are conducted at 12 weeks, after completion of chemotherapy, and at a 3-month follow-up. Patients who develop CIPN receive an additional assessment at this time point, as it represents the primary endpoint. Discussion: We hypothesize that SMT and WBV prevent the onset or delay the progression of CIPN, decrease the likelihood of dose reductions or discontinuation of cancer treatment and improve patients' quality of life