Bjørn Henrik Hansen, Marianne Molid, Stefania Piarulli
et al.
The highly reflective properties of hollow glass microspheres (HGM) have motivated their application as a reflective shield onto Arctic sea ice to increase albedo and reduce melting. However, to ensure safe application in the environment, their potential environmental impacts must be assessed. While most HGMs will be positively buoyant in seawater and thus remain in the upper part of the water column, small, cracked and broken HGMs will sink. In this study, we conducted a series of experiments to investigate interactions between HGMs and cold-water pelagic copepods (Calanus finmarchicus) and fish (Gadus morhua) to assess potential acute and chronic toxicity of HGM exposure. Although no visual signs of HGM adhesion onto fish egg chorion or body surfaces of fish larvae and copepods were evident, fish larvae, copepodites and adult copepods ingested HGMs. HGMs in the digestive tract of the two species did not cause acute mortality, and adult copepods were able to rapidly excrete ingested HGMs through fecal pellets. However, prolonged exposure (17 days) of copepodites to HGM concentrations in the range 1–100 mg L−1 caused reduced lipid accumulation and survival, suggesting that continuous HGM filtration affects copepod energetics. The same exposure concentrations during naupliar development did not cause mortality or developmental effects, but higher HGM concentration (1000 mg L−1) did. For fish larvae, more information is needed to assess if foraging on HGMs can impact growth and development, as we observed for copepodites.
Loreto Carmona, Siri Lillegraven, Hanne Dagfinrud
et al.
Introduction Current international guidelines recommend exercise as a first-line treatment of axial spondyloarthritis (SpA). However, there is no consensus on the mode and volume required to effectively reduce disease activity. It is advised that exercise for patients with SpA align with recommendations for the general population. For exercise to be sustainable and beneficial, it must be integrated into daily life and strategies to ensure long-term commitment are essential. The SpA Kardio (SPARK) trial aims to assess the impact of a remote, individually tailored exercise programme in patients with SpA with the proportion of patients reaching Axial Spondyloarthritis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) inactive at 3 months as the primary outcome. The exercise includes high-intensity cardiorespiratory intervals and muscle strength exercises, with digital follow-up and monitoring, in patients with SpA. The SPARK programme includes regular supervision, personalised follow-up, goal-setting and education delivered through an application available on smartphones or tablets.Methods and analysis The SPARK trial is a randomised controlled superiority trial. Individuals recently diagnosed with SpA by a rheumatologist with disease activity measured by the ASDAS ≥1.3 who have not used biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) are eligible for inclusion. Consenting individuals will be randomised to treatment as usual (n=130) or the SPARK programme (n=130) with 12-week duration. After 12 weeks, all participants will be rerandomised to either a supervised or an unsupervised SPARK programme for weeks 12–24. The primary outcome will be achievement of an inactive disease state (ASDAS <1.3) at week 12 in each group. Secondary outcomes include use of medication (bDMARDs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)), cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, sleep quality and quantity, health-related quality of life, work participation, adverse events and disease activity at week 24 (ASDAS and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index). MRI of the lumbar spine and sacroiliac joints at baseline and full-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry will be performed in a subgroup.Ethics and dissemination The SPARK trial is approved by Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics in South-Eastern Norway (#684555). The SPARK trial will contribute important knowledge on effects of a tailored digital exercise programme with monitored remote follow-up in patients with SpA and may improve the initial care of patients in terms of disease activity and ensure use of bDMARDs according to modern guidelines.Trial registration number NCT06462937.
Beskrivelse: Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability (WNV) ble publisert i USA i 2006. Den norske versjonen ble utgitt i 2008. Norsk og internasjonal rettighetshaver er Pearson Assessment. Forlagsredigeringen ble gjort av Katarina Forssén og Marie Kristoffersen og oversettelse til norsk ble gjennomført av Tone Anderssen. WNV er en evnetest som administreres individuelt og som måler intellektuelle evner hos barn og unge i alderen 4:0-7:11år og 8:0-21:11 år. WNV ble utviklet for å kunne vurdere personer med begrensede eller ingen språkferdigheter. Testen kan gjennomføres med fire eller to deltester for begge aldersgrupper. Hvilke deltester som kan administreres avhenger av barnet/ungdommens alder. Psykologer og fagpersoner med utvalgte utdanninger og grader innen pedagogikk er kvalifisert til å kjøpe og utføre testen.
Litteratursøk: En bibliotekar søkte etter skandinaviske publikasjoner som rapporterte måleegenskaper eller normdata for WNV. Litteratursøket ga 188 treff, hvorav 14 referanser ble lest i fulltekst. Etter gjennomgang av artikler og masteroppgaver og annen tilgjengelig litteratur var det ingen som oppfylte inklusjonskriterier.
Psykometri: Det er ingen studier som angir normgrunnlag, validitet eller reliabilitet av WNV for skandinaviske utvalg.
Konklusjon: Det er behov for studier som undersøker normgrunnlag, validitet og reliabilitet av WNV for skandinaviske utvalg.
<p>During the Quaternary, ice sheets experienced several retreat–advance cycles, strongly influencing climate patterns. In order to properly simulate these phenomena, it is preferable to use physics-based models instead of parameterizations to estimate the surface mass balance (SMB), which strongly influences the evolution of the ice sheet. To further investigate the potential of these SMB models, this work evaluates the BErgen Snow SImulator (BESSI), a multi-layer snow model with high computational efficiency, as an alternative to providing the SMB for the Earth system model iLOVECLIM for multi-millennial simulations as in paleo-studies. We compare the behaviors of BESSI and insolation temperature melt (ITM), an existing SMB scheme of iLOVECLIM during the Last Interglacial (LIG). Firstly, we validate the two SMB models using the regional climate model Modèle Atmosphérique Régional (MAR) as forcing and reference for the present-day climate over the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. The evolution of the SMB over the LIG (130–116 ka) is computed by forcing BESSI and ITM with transient climate forcing obtained from iLOVECLIM for both ice sheets. For present-day climate conditions, both BESSI and ITM exhibit good performance compared to MAR despite a much simpler model setup. While BESSI performs well for both Antarctica and Greenland for the same set of parameters, the ITM parameters need to be adapted specifically for each ice sheet. This suggests that the physics embedded in BESSI allows better capture of SMB changes across varying climate conditions, while ITM displays a much stronger sensitivity to its tunable parameters. The findings suggest that BESSI can provide more reliable SMB estimations for the iLOVECLIM framework to improve the model simulations of the ice sheet evolution and interactions with climate for multi-millennial simulations.</p>
Alexander G. Litov, Alexey M. Shchetinin, Ivan S. Kholodilov
et al.
Cell cultures derived from ticks have become a commonly used tool for the isolation and study of tick-borne pathogens and tick biology. The IRE/CTVM19 cell line, originating from embryos of <i>Ixodes ricinus</i>, is one such line. Previously, reovirus-like particles, as well as sequences with similarity to rhabdoviruses and iflaviruses, were detected in the IRE/CTVM19 cell line, suggesting the presence of multiple persisting viruses. Subsequently, the full genome of an IRE/CTVM19-associated rhabdovirus was recovered from a cell culture during the isolation of the Alongshan virus. In the current work, we used high-throughput sequencing to describe a virome of the IRE/CTVM19 cell line. In addition to the previously detected IRE/CTVM19-associated rhabdovirus, two rhabdoviruses were detected: Chimay rhabdovirus and Norway mononegavirus 1. In the follow-up experiments, we were able to detect both positive and negative RNA strands of the IRE/CTVM19-associated rhabdovirus and Norway mononegavirus 1 in the IRE/CTVM19 cells, suggesting their active replication in the cell line. Passaging attempts in cell lines of mammalian origin failed for all three discovered rhabdoviruses.
Nils Eiel Steen, Zillur Rahman, Attila Szabo
et al.
Abstract Background Immune mechanisms are indicated in schizophrenia (SCZ). Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genetic variants associated with SCZ and immune-related phenotypes. Here, we use cutting edge statistical tools to identify shared genetic variants between SCZ and white blood cell (WBC) counts and further understand the role of the immune system in SCZ. Study Design GWAS results from SCZ (patients, n = 53 386; controls, n = 77 258) and WBC counts (n = 56 3085) were analyzed. We applied linkage disequilibrium score regression, the conditional false discovery rate method and the bivariate causal mixture model for analyses of genetic associations and overlap, and 2 sample Mendelian randomization to estimate causal effects. Study Results The polygenicity for SCZ was 7.5 times higher than for WBC count and constituted 32%–59% of WBC count genetic loci. While there was a significant but weak positive genetic correlation between SCZ and lymphocytes (rg = 0.05), the conditional false discovery rate method identified 383 shared genetic loci (53% concordant effect directions), with shared variants encompassing all investigated WBC subtypes: lymphocytes, n = 215 (56% concordant); neutrophils, n = 158 (49% concordant); monocytes, n = 146 (47% concordant); eosinophils, n = 135 (56% concordant); and basophils, n = 64 (53% concordant). A few causal effects were suggested, but consensus was lacking across different Mendelian randomization methods. Functional analyses indicated cellular functioning and regulation of translation as overlapping mechanisms. Conclusions Our results suggest that genetic factors involved in WBC counts are associated with the risk of SCZ, indicating a role of immune mechanisms in subgroups of SCZ with potential for stratification of patients for immune targeted treatment.
Oda Barth Vedøy, Hans Steinsland, Sunniva Todnem Sakkestad
et al.
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains are a major cause of diarrheal illness in children and travelers in low- and middle-income countries. When volunteers are infected with ETEC strains, as part of experimental infection studies, some do not develop diarrhea. To improve our understanding of how these volunteers are protected, we investigated the association between stool ETEC DNA concentration, as determined by quantitative PCR, and the development and severity of disease in 21 volunteers who had been experimentally infected with ETEC strain TW10722. We found a strong association between maximum stool ETEC DNA concentration and the development of diarrhea: all of the 11 volunteers who did not develop diarrhea had <0.99% TW10722-specific DNA in their stools throughout the follow-up period of up to 9 days, while all of the 10 volunteers who did develop diarrhea had maximum DNA concentrations of ≥0.99%. Most likely, these maximum stool TW10722 DNA concentrations reflect the level of intestinal colonization and the risk of experiencing diarrhea, thereby, seems to be directly dependent on the level of colonization. Thus, the development and availability of vaccines and other prophylactic measures, even if they only partially reduce colonization, could be important in the effort to reduce the burden of ETEC diarrhea.
Ali Payami Golhin, Chaman Srivastava, Are Strandlie
et al.
As a result of the associated costs and environmental impacts, Material Jetting (MJT) plays a limited role in Additive Manufacturing (AM). Research on the durability and long-term performance of MJT objects by evaluating their appearance is lacking. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of aging on the color and the physico-mechanical performance of MJT parts. This work examines the influence of production settings on objects subjected to a total of 103days of accelerated aging. The studied Printing Primary Parameters (PPPs) were resin color, build platform position (swath), and finishing configurations. The results indicated the response of the studied PPP according to the aging time was non-linear due to the dynamic appearance response to aging time. VeroBlackPlus and VeroCyan photo resins demonstrated superior color fidelity through aging by a color difference of less than 10. Based on Taguchi and Redundancy Analysis (RDA), mechanical and physicochemical properties varied the most after 58 days of accelerated aging, with elastic modulus retention up to 149.21% and Glass Transition temperature (Tg) up to 116.6%. This study demonstrates the importance of considering long-term performance during the design process of AM products, depending on the intended application and service conditions.
Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials
Amanda M Hughes, Eleanor Sanderson, Tim Morris
et al.
Background: Higher BMI in childhood is associated with emotional and behavioural problems, but these associations may not be causal. Results of previous genetic studies imply causal effects but may reflect influence of demography and the family environment. Methods: This study used data on 40,949 8-year-old children and their parents from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) and Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN). We investigated the impact of BMI on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at age 8. We applied within-family Mendelian randomization, which accounts for familial effects by controlling for parental genotype. Results: Within-family Mendelian randomization estimates using genetic variants associated with BMI in adults suggested that a child’s own BMI increased their depressive symptoms (per 5 kg/m 2 increase in BMI, beta = 0.26 S.D., CI = −0.01,0.52, p=0.06) and ADHD symptoms (beta = 0.38 S.D., CI = 0.09,0.63, p=0.009). These estimates also suggested maternal BMI, or related factors, may independently affect a child’s depressive symptoms (per 5 kg/m 2 increase in maternal BMI, beta = 0.11 S.D., CI:0.02,0.09, p=0.01). However, within-family Mendelian randomization using genetic variants associated with retrospectively-reported childhood body size did not support an impact of BMI on these outcomes. There was little evidence from any estimate that the parents’ BMI affected the child’s ADHD symptoms, or that the child’s or parents’ BMI affected the child’s anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: We found inconsistent evidence that a child’s BMI affected their depressive and ADHD symptoms, and little evidence that a child’s BMI affected their anxiety symptoms. There was limited evidence of an influence of parents’ BMI. Genetic studies in samples of unrelated individuals, or using genetic variants associated with adult BMI, may have overestimated the causal effects of a child’s own BMI. Funding: This research was funded by the Health Foundation. It is part of the HARVEST collaboration, supported by the Research Council of Norway. Individual co-author funding: the European Research Council, the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority, the Research Council of Norway, Helse Vest, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the University of Bergen, the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority, the Trond Mohn Foundation, the Western Norway Regional Health Authority, the Norwegian Diabetes Association, the UK Medical Research Council. The Medical Research Council (MRC) and the University of Bristol support the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit.
Evdokiia Potolitsyna, Sarah Hazell Pickering, Ave Tooming-Klunderud
et al.
Abstract Background LncRNAs are tissue-specific and emerge as important regulators of various biological processes and as disease biomarkers. HOTAIR is a well-established pro-oncogenic lncRNA which has been attributed a variety of functions in cancer and native contexts. However, a lack of an exhaustive, cell type-specific annotation questions whether HOTAIR functions are supported by the expression of multiple isoforms. Results Using a capture long-read sequencing approach, we characterize HOTAIR isoforms expressed in human primary adipose stem cells. We find HOTAIR isoforms population displays varied splicing patterns, frequently leading to the exclusion or truncation of canonical LSD1 and PRC2 binding domains. We identify a highly cell type-specific HOTAIR isoform pool regulated by distinct promoter usage, and uncover a shift in the HOTAIR TSS usage that modulates the balance of HOTAIR isoforms at differentiation onset. Conclusion Our results highlight the complexity and cell type-specificity of HOTAIR isoforms and open perspectives on functional implications of these variants and their balance to key cellular processes.
The main obstacle for the further development and commercialization of solid-state DC circuit breakers is the high ON-state power losses caused by the active power semiconductor devices. This paper presents an experimental evaluation of the electrical ON-state performance among several commercial high-power semiconductor device technologies rated at <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1200V$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1700V$ </tex-math></inline-formula> at elevated temperatures. In addition, the potential of reducing ON-state losses by applying the maximum gate voltage, namely overdriving, has been assessed. It is shown that under nominal gate voltages, the normally-ON silicon carbide junction-field-effect transistor exhibits the lowest ON-state losses for both voltage classes, as well as at both temperatures. By using the overdriving concept, the ON-state voltage of silicon insulated-gate bipolar transistors has been minimized up to 10%. In addition to that, both the silicon carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors and normally-ON junction-field-effect transistors experience voltage reduction up to 16% and 33% respectively when overdriving, at elevated junction temperatures.
The present research was undertaken to investigate polyphenolic profiles of peel, pulp and juices made from two standard commercial and five traditional apple cultivars from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main goal of the study was to monitor the distribution and changes of polyphenolic profiles through different phases of apples’ processing into cloudy and clear juices, with regard to L-ascorbic acid pretreatment. Quantitative determination of phenolic compounds was carried out by using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection. The obtained results showed that traditional cultivars, namely ‘Paradija’ and ‘Prijedorska zelenika’, displayed significantly higher content of these compounds compared to commercial ones. Flavan 3-ols and flavonol glycosides were mostly found in peels of all cultivars (21.2–44.1 and 5.40–33.3%, respectively), while phenolic acids along with flavan 3-ols were predominant in the pulp (8.20–30.8 and 5.10–13.9%, respectively). Apples’ processing into juices caused decrease (more than 90%) in the content of all polyphenols and the distribution of these compounds from fruits to final products had a negative trend, particularly evident in clear juices. The most drastic loss occurred in the flavonol glycosides and dihydrochalcones content, while chlorogenic acid displayed quite stable distribution from apples to final products due to its good solubility. Apple mash pretreatment with L-ascorbic acid had a positive impact on the preservation and retention of polyphenols.
Objective: To identify the most important categories of the International Classification of Service Organization in Rehabilitation (ICSO-R 2.0) for a minimum reporting data set.
Methods: A 2-step Delphi survey was used. Rehabilitation experts from all world regions including physicians, nurses, neuropsychologists, physiotherapists, and others, were invited to participate. In the first round, all participants were asked to rate the categories and subcategories of the ICSOR 2.0 with the following criteria: Being relevant for study outcomes; Being distinctive among different rehabilitation settings; Being feasible to use and reported by objective figures or other clear characterization. All categories that were rated relevant, distinctive and feasible by more than 60% of respondents from the first round were included in the second round.
Results: The most important and relevant factors for the minimum reporting set in rehabilitation services regarding the provider were: human resources, context, technical resources, quality assurance and management, location of provider, and ownership. Regarding the service delivery, the most important and relevant factors were: target group, rehabilitation team, aspect of time and intensity,
setting, location of service delivery, modes of referral, facility and reporting and documentation.
Conclusion: Several categories were identified, and reduction in these through discussions and iterative voting at workshops and consensus conferences is needed before finalizing the reporting set.
LAY ABSTRACT
A goal of this Delphi study was to identify the most important parameters of the International Classification of Service Organization in Rehabilitation (ICSO-R 2.0), to characterize rehabilitation services and identify important missing categories needed in a minimum reporting set. The most important and relevant factors for developing a minimum reporting set regarding the provider were: human
resources, context, technical resources, quality assurance and management, location of provider, and ownership. Regarding service delivery the most important and relevant factors were: target group, rehabilitation team, aspect of time and intensity, setting, location of service delivery, modes of referral, facility and reporting and documentation. These factors should be discussed further, and a final set should be developed in workshops through discussion and iterative voting.
Tone Andersen-Hollekim, Bodil J. Landstad, Marit Solbjør
et al.
Abstract Background For individuals in need of dialysis, patient participation is important when determining care goals and in decision making regarding dialysis modality. Nephrologists hold a key role in delivering evidence-based healthcare that integrates patient preferences and values throughout the trajectory, and their experiences with patient participation are important for improving health care. The aim of this study was to explore nephrologists’ experiences with patient participation in different phases of the end-stage renal disease trajectory for working-age individuals who require dialysis. Methods This explorative study comprised interviews with ten nephrologists from four different dialysis units in Central Norway. We analysed the interviews by applying an interpretive phenomenological approach. Results Nephrologists had varied experiences with patient participation throughout the different phases of the treatment trajectory. During decision making on the dialysis modality, nephrologists emphasised patients’ choices in two approaches. In the first approach, they expected patients to choose the modality based on the provided information, which could be actively steered. In the second approach, they recognised the patients’ values and lifestyle preferences through shared decision-making. Within hospital haemodialysis, nephrologists considered patients’ self-care activities equivalent to patient participation, seeing self-care as a source of patient empowerment. They identified divergent patient–professional values and organisational structures as barriers to patient participation. Conclusion Our study shows that nephrologists have different approaches to patient participation in different phases of the end-stage renal disease trajectory. Individual understanding as well as organisational structures are important factors to address to increase patient participation in end-stage renal disease care. Shared decision making, in which patient values are balanced against biomedical treatment targets, allows for mutual agreement between patients and healthcare professionals concerning medical plans and minimises the potential for patient–professional tensions.
Alana Delaforce,1– 3 Jed Duff,1,4 Judy Munday,3– 5 Shannon Farmer,6,7 Kristin Miller,2 Lynne Glover,2 Christopher Corney,2 Cameron Hurst,8 Gareth Ansell,2,9 Naadir Gutta,2,9 Haitham Tuffaha,10 Janet Hardy2,3 1School of Nursing and Midwifery, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; 2Mater Health Services, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia; 3Mater Research Institute-UQ, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia; 4Centre for Healthcare Transformation/School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia; 5Faculty of Health and Sport Science, The University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway; 6Department of Haematology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; 7Medical School and Division of Surgery, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; 8QIMR Berghoffer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; 9School of Clinical Medicine - Mater Clinical Unit, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia; 10Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, AustraliaCorrespondence: Alana Delaforce Level 6, Duncombe Building, Mater Hospital Brisbane, South Brisbane, QLD, 4101, AustraliaTel +61 7 3163 2853Email alana.delaforce@mater.org.auIntroduction: Blood transfusions are a risk factor for increased morbidity, mortality, and length of hospital stay. Patient blood management guidelines provide guidance to reduce risk and improve patient outcomes. They outline steps to help prevent transfusions and considerations for when deciding to transfuse. One recommendation to prevent unnecessary transfusion is to optimize patients using Pre-operative Anemia and Iron Deficiency Screening, Evaluation and Management Pathways (PAIDSEM-P). The uptake of these recommendations is highly variable, and an effective approach to implementing them in a tailored and context-specific manner remains elusive.Method and Design: A mixed-methods, interventional study, using a type two-hybrid effectiveness-implementation design, will evaluate the impact of a change package to improve the uptake of PAIDSEM-P. The change package consists of the intervention (PAIDSEM-P) supported by theoretically informed implementation strategies. Pre- and post-implementation, retrospective health record reviews will determine the effect of the change package on provider outcomes, including compliance with guideline recommendations as measured by the proportion of patients who have the appropriate tests performed, and, if required, appropriate treatment and/or referrals. Patient outcomes will be measured by checking for any difference in the proportion of patients with anemia on the day of surgery and the proportion of patients who receive a blood transfusion during the peri-operative period. An economic evaluation will be conducted to compare health outcomes and costs. The feasibility, acceptability and appropriateness of the PAIDSEM-P will be assessed using a quantitative, validated survey to measure implementation outcomes.Discussion: Testing of implementation theory is required to advance understanding of what works, in what context, and the impact on implementation success. This study aims to evaluate the impact of a theoretically informed change package on improving the uptake of PAIDSEM-P. If successful, it will also provide a framework for health care facilities to follow when addressing other evidence-practice gaps.Keywords: patient blood management, implementation, anemia, iron deficiency, surgery
Radel Sultanbekov, Ilia Beloglazov, Shamil Islamov
et al.
Providing quality fuel to ships with reduced SOx content is a priority task. Marine residual fuels are one of the main sources of atmospheric pollution during the operation of ships and sea tankers. Hence, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has established strict regulations for the sulfur content of marine fuels. One of the possible technological solutions allowing for adherence to the sulfur content limits is use of mixed fuels. However, it carries with it risks of ingredient incompatibilities. This article explores a new approach to the study of active sedimentation of residual and mixed fuels. An assessment of the sedimentation process during mixing, storage, and transportation of marine fuels is made based on estimation three-dimensional diagrams developed by the authors. In an effort to find the optimal solution, studies have been carried out to determine the influence of marine residual fuel compositions on sediment formation via machine learning algorithms. Thus, a model which can be used to predict incompatibilities in fuel compositions as well as sedimentation processes is proposed. The model can be used to determine the sediment content of mixed marine residual fuels with the desired sulfur concentration.
M. D. Norling, L. A. Jackson-Blake, J.-L. G. Calidonio
et al.
<p>The Mobius model building system is a new open-source
framework for building fast and flexible environmental models. Mobius makes
it possible for researchers with limited programming experience to build
performant models with potentially complicated structures. Mobius models can
be easily interacted with through the MobiView graphical user interface and
through the Python programming language. Mobius was initially developed to
support catchment-scale hydrology and water-quality modelling but can be
used to represent any system of hierarchically structured ordinary
differential equations, such as population dynamics or toxicological models.
Here, we demonstrate how Mobius can be used to quickly prototype several
different model structures for a dissolved organic carbon catchment model
and use built-in auto-calibration and statistical uncertainty analysis tools
to help decide on the best model structures. Overall, we hope the modular
model building platform offered by Mobius will provide a step forward for
environmental modelling, providing an alternative to the “one size fits
all” modelling paradigm. By making it easier to explore a broader range of
model structures and parameterisations, users are encouraged to build more
appropriate models, and in turn this improves process understanding and
allows for more robust modelling in support of decision making.</p>