An Integrated Approach to Quantifying Groundwater and Surface Water Contributions of Stream Flow

The management of water resources in Ireland prior to the Water Framework Directive (WFD) has focussed on surface water and groundwater as separate entities. A critical element to the successful implementation of the
WFD is to improve our understanding of the interaction between the two and flow mechanisms by which groundwaters discharge to surface waters. An improved understanding of the contribution of groundwater to surface water is required for the classification of groundwater body status and the determination of groundwater quality thresholds. The results of the study will also have a wider application to many areas of the WFD.
A subcommittee of the WFD Groundwater Working Group (GWWG) has been formed to develop a methodology to estimate the groundwater contribution to Irish Rivers. The group has selected a number of analytical techniques to quantify components of stream flow in an Irish context (Master Recession Curve, Unit Hydrograph, Flood Studies Report methodologies and
hydrogeological analytical modelling). The components of stream flow that can be identified include deep groundwater, intermediate and overland. These analyses have been tested on seven pilot catchments that have a variety of hydrogeological settings and have been used to inform and constrain a mathematical model. The mathematical model used was the NAM (NedbØr-AfstrØmnings-Model) rainfall-runoff model which is a module of DHIs MIKE 11 modelling suite. The results from these pilot catchments have been used to develop a decision model based on catchment descriptors from GIS datasets for the selection of NAM parameters. The datasets used include the mapping of aquifers, vulnerability and subsoils, soils, the Digital Terrain Model, CORINE and lakes. The national coverage of the GIS datasets has allowed the extrapolation of the mathematical model to regional catchments across Ireland.

An integrated approach for real-time model-based state-of-charge estimation of lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries have been widely adopted in electric vehicles (EVs), and accurate state of charge (SOC) estimation is of paramount importance for the EV battery management system. Though a number of methods have been proposed, the SOC estimation for Lithium-ion batteries, such as LiFePo4 battery, however, faces two key challenges: the flat open circuit voltage (OCV) vs SOC relationship for some SOC ranges and the hysteresis effect. To address these problems, an integrated approach for real-time model-based SOC estimation of Lithium-ion batteries is proposed in this paper. Firstly, an auto-regression model is adopted to reproduce the battery terminal behaviour, combined with a non-linear complementary model to capture the hysteresis effect. The model parameters, including linear parameters and non-linear parameters, are optimized off-line using a hybrid optimization method that combines a meta-heuristic method (i.e., the teaching learning based optimization method) and the least square method. Secondly, using the trained model, two real-time model-based SOC estimation methods are presented, one based on the real-time battery OCV regression model achieved through weighted recursive least square method, and the other based on the state estimation using the extended Kalman filter method (EKF). To tackle the problem caused by the flat OCV-vs-SOC segments when the OCV-based SOC estimation method is adopted, a method combining the coulombic counting and the OCV-based method is proposed. Finally, modelling results and SOC estimation results are presented and analysed using the data collected from LiFePo4 battery cell. The results confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed approach, in particular the joint-EKF method.

The typology of Irish hard rock aquifers based on an integrated hydrogeological and geophysical approach

Groundwater flow in hard-rock aquifers is strongly controlled by the characteristics and distribution of structural heterogeneity. A methodology for catchment-scale characterisation is presented, based on the integration of complementary, multi-scale hydrogeological, geophysical and geological approaches. This was applied to three contrasting catchments underlain by metamorphic rocks in the northern parts of Ireland (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, UK). Cross-validated surface and borehole geophysical investigations confirm the discontinuous overburden, lithological compartmentalisation of the bedrock and important spatial variations of the weathered bedrock profiles at macro-scale. Fracture analysis suggests that the recent (Alpine) tectonic fabric exerts strong control on the internal aquifer structure at meso-scale, which is likely to impact on the anisotropy of aquifer properties. The combination of the interpretation of depth-specific hydraulic-test data with the structural information provided by geophysical tests allows characterisation of the hydrodynamic properties of the identified aquifer units. Regionally, the distribution of hydraulic conductivities can be described by inverse power laws specific to the aquifer litho-type. Observed groundwater flow directions reflect this multi-scale structure. The proposed integrated approach applies widely available investigative tools to identify key dominant structures controlling groundwater flow, characterising the aquifer type for each catchment and resolving the spatial distribution of relevant aquifer units and associated hydrodynamic parameters.

Developing an integrated hydrograph separation and lumped modelling approach to quantifying hydrological pathways in Irish river catchments

An appreciation of the quantity of streamflow derived from the main hydrological pathways involved in transporting diffuse contaminants is critical when addressing a wide range of water resource management issues. In order to assess hydrological pathway contributions to streams, it is necessary to provide feasible upper and lower bounds for flows in each pathway. An important first step in this process is to provide reliable estimates of the slower responding groundwater pathways and subsequently the quicker overland and interflow pathways. This paper investigates the effectiveness of a multi-faceted approach applying different hydrograph separation techniques, supplemented by lumped hydrological modelling, for calculating the Baseflow Index (BFI), for the development of an integrated approach to hydrograph separation. A semi-distributed, lumped and deterministic rainfall runoff model known as NAM has been applied to ten catchments (ranging from 5 to 699 km2). While this modelling approach is useful as a validation method, NAM itself is also an important tool for investigation. These separation techniques provide a large variation in BFI, a difference of 0.741 predicted for BFI in a catchment with the less reliable fixed and sliding interval methods and local minima turning point methods included. This variation is reduced to 0.167 with these methods omitted. The Boughton and Eckhardt algorithms, while quite subjective in their use, provide quick and easily implemented approaches for obtaining physically realistic hydrograph separations. It is observed that while the different separation techniques give varying BFI values for each of the catchments, a recharge coefficient approach developed in Ireland, when applied in conjunction with the Master recession Curve Tabulation method, predict estimates in agreement with those obtained using the NAM model, and these estimates are also consistent with the study catchments’ geology. These two separation methods, in conjunction with the NAM model, were selected to form an integrated approach to assessing BFI in catchments.

A model for developing, implementing and evaluating a strategy to improve nursing and midwifery care

Background: Health care organizations world wide are faced with the need to develop and implement strategic organizational plans to meet the challenges of modern health care. There is a need for models for developing, implementing and evaluating strategic plans that engage practitioners, and make a measurable difference to the patients that they serve. This article describes the development of such a model to underpin a strategy for nursing and midwifery in an acute hospital trust. An integrated model: The processes for strategy development (values clarification, critical companionship and focus groups) are discussed, together with the development of processes for implementation, based upon a modification of the PARIHS (Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services) conceptual framework. Finally, the methods for evaluating the strategy (a pre-test/post-test approach measuring the quality of nursing care, the degree to which the organization supports professional nursing care, the leadership styles of ward managers, and patient satisfaction with care) are described. Conclusion: The model is offered as one that may be of use to others who wish to develop an integrated approach to strategic change; an approach in which the development, implementation and evaluation of strategic plans are informed by the core values of nurses and midwives.

Improving the utilisation of University teaching space

There is a perception that teaching space in universities is a rather scarce resource. However, some studies have revealed that in many institutions it is actually chronically under-used. Often, rooms are occupied only half the time, and even when in use they are often only half full. This is usually measured by the “utilisation” which is basically the percentage of available ’seat-hours’ that are employed. In real institutions, this utilisation can often takes values as low as 20-40%. One consequence of such low utilisation is that space managers are under pressure to make a more efficient use of the available teaching space. However, better management is hampered because there does not appear to be a good understanding within space management (near-term planning) of why this happens. Nor, a good basis within space planning (long-term planning) of how best to accommodate the expected low utilisations. This motivates our two main goals: (i) To understand the factors that drive down utilisations, (ii) To set up methods to provide better space planning. Here, we provide quantitative evidence that constraints arising from timetabling and location requirements easily have the potential to explain the low utilisations seen in reality. Furthermore, on considering the decision question “Can this given set of courses all be allocated in the available teaching space?” we find that the answer depends on the associated utilisation in a way that exhibits threshold behaviour: There is a sharp division between regions in which the answer is “almost always yes” and those of “almost always no”. Our work suggests that progress in space management and planning will arise from an integrated approach; combining purely space issues with restrictions representing an aggregated or abstracted version of key constraints such as timetabling or location, and

Building and testing age models for radiocarbon dates in Lateglacial and Early Holocene sediments

The growing importance of understanding past abrupt climate variability at a regional and global scale has led to the realisation that independent chronologies of past environmental change need to be compared between various archives. This has in turn led to attempts at significant improvements in the required precision at which records can be dated. Radiocarbon dating is still the most prominent method for dating organic material from terrestrial and marine archives, and as such many of the recent developments in improving precision have been aimed at this technique. These include: (1) selection of the most suitable datable fractions within a record, (2) the development of better calibration curves, and (3) more precise age modelling techniques. While much attention has been focussed oil the first two items, testing the possibilities of the relatively new age modelling approaches has not received much attention. Here, we test the potential for methods designed to significantly improve precision in radiocarbon-based age models, wiggle match dating and various forms of Bayesian analyses. We demonstrate that while all of the methods can perform very well, in some scenarios, caution must be taken when applying them. It appears that an integrated approach is required in real life dating situations where more than one model is applied, with strict error calculation, and with the integration of radiocarbon data with sedimentological analyses of site formation processes. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Technical Note: Assessing a 24/7 solution for monitoring water quality loads in small river catchments

Quantifying nutrient and sediment loads in catchments is dif?cult owing to diffuse controls related to storm hydrology. Coarse sampling and interpolation methods are prone to very high uncertainties due to under-representation of high discharge, short duration events. Additionally, important low-?ow processes such as diurnal signals linked to point source impacts are missed. Here we demonstrate a solution based on a time-integrated approach to sampling with a standard 24 bottle autosampler con?gured to take a sample every 7 h over a week according to a Plynlimon design. This is evaluated with a number of other sampling strategies using a two-year dataset of sub-hourly discharge and phosphorus concentration data. The 24/7 solution is shown to be among the least uncertain in estimating load (inter-quartile range: 96% to 110% of actual load in year 1 and 97% to 104% in year 2) due to the increased frequency raising the probability of sampling storm events and point source signals. The 24/7 solution would appear to be most parsimonious in terms of data coverage and certainty, process signal representation, potential laboratory commitment, technology requirements and the ability to be widely deployed in complex catchments.

Preparing the ground for marine spatial planning in Ireland

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is advocated as a means of managing human uses of the sea in a manner that is consistent with the maintenance of the ecological goods and services of the marine environment. The adoption of a system of MSP is seen as urgent in the face of ever-increasing demands on marine resources. This is particularly so in Ireland with its extensive seas, belatedly being recognised as a significant development resource. MSP is promoted by the European Commission (EC) in a recent Green Paper to which Member States of the Union, including Ireland, generally have responded positively. Arising from this consultative process, the EC has published the 'Blue Book' that commits support for MSP. It has also issued guidelines for an integrated approach to maritime policy. The recently adopted EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive strengthens the case for implementing MSP as it requires each Member State to develop a strategy for its marine resources. There is evidence that a diverse range of stakeholders at national and local levels in Ireland are positively disposed toward MSP but no practical manifestation of the concept is in place, though some preparatory work is underway to facilitate its likely implementation into the future. © 2010 WIT Press.

Physicochemical tolerance, habitat use and predation are drivers of patterns of coexistence and exclusion among invasive and resident amphipods

1. Patterns of coexistence and exclusion among resident and invading species in freshwaters may be generated by direct biotic interactions well as by indirect interactions with the broader abiotic and biotic environments. The North American ‘shrimp’ Crangonyx pseudogracilis (Crustacea: Amphipoda) is invasive in Europe where it forms complex patterns of apparent exclusion and coexistence with resident Gammarus spp. amphipods. Using a comprehensive integrated approach, we investigated the potential biotic and interacting abiotic factors driving these distribution patterns.
2. A 2009 of 69 sites revealed that of 56 river sites containing amphipods only 6 contained C. pseudogracilis and these always co-occurred with Gammarus spp.. In contrast, C. pseudogracilis was the only species present in the 12 ponds/reservoirs containing amphipods.
3. Field transplant experiments in ponds and laboratory oxygen tolerance experiments revealed that C. pseudogracilis tolerates physicochemical regimes which Gammarus spp. are incapable of surviving.
4. River microhabitat sampling showed C. pseudogracilis dominating in slower, more pooled and macrophyte-dense patches, while Gammarus spp. were dominant in faster, more riffled areas.
5. Field bioassays indicated that predation of C. pseudogracilis by Gammarus spp. may be frequent in patches of rivers if/when the species meet.
6. River drift sampling revealed that C. pseudogracilis was greatly underrepresented in night/day drift relative to the Gammarus spp.. Laboratory studies showed C. pseudogracilis to be more photophobic and less active than Gammarus spp., both behaviours potentially contributing to low drift prevalence and consequent reduced exposure to shared drift predators.
7. These interacting factors may ultimately contribute to the coexistence, exclusion and relative distributions of C. pseudogracilis and Gammarus spp.. The former is potentially subject to intense predation from the latter if they encounter one another in the same microhabitat. However, with C. pseudogracilis being more physicochemically tolerant and displaying different habitat utilisation patterns than the Gammarus spp. in respect of the benthos and drift, such encounters are probably minimised. Hence C. pseudogracilis can persist in the same sites with the Gammarus spp., albeit in different microhabitats.

Genetic polymorphisms and kidney transplant outcomes

Purpose of review: Gene polymorphism studies are growing at a quasiexponential rate and aim to improve immediate and long-term outcomes in renal transplantation. This review highlights recent evidence and potential future directions for genetic research studies.

Recent findings: Studies are largely based on immunity, inflammation and pharmacogenetics, investigating mostly 'surrogate' outcomes with sometimes conflicting results. However, the last 12 months has also heralded the emergence of important genome-wide association studies on transplantation, more robust replicated multicentre analyses of candidate gene variants, meta-analyses, and an increasing interest in copy number variation and donor genetics.

Summary: These studies set the scene for further investigation, aiming to understand pathways of disease and biomarkers of risk, and are leading to a greater understanding of the biology of transplantation. Future studies will require focus on donor : recipient and gene : environment interactions, and an integrated approach of 'transplantomics' to evaluate long-term outcomes in multinational collaborations.

PRECYSE: Cyber-attack Detection and Response for Industrial Control Systems

In this short paper, we present an integrated approach to detecting and mitigating cyber-attacks to modern interconnected industrial control systems. One of the primary goals of this approach is that it is cost effective, and thus whenever possible it builds on open-source security technologies and open standards, which are complemented with novel security solutions that address the specific challenges of securing critical infrastructures.