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Earth and water monitoring and observation systems provide open geo data to scientists and professionals supporting distributed knowledge of major hydromet dynamics and extremes. Mobile technologies, at the same time, are empowering citizens who are nowadays informed and involved in volunteering actions designed and implemented to make our communities more safe and sustainable. Citizen science, as a consequence, is gaining momentum empowering the general public, from the “pleasure of doing science” to complementing observations, increasing scientific literacy, and supporting collaborative behaviour to solve specific water-related challenges. This work illustrates a conceptual transdisciplinary assessment model that was designed with the goal of standardizing the use of citizen science for advancing hydrology. This work was promoted by the Citizens AND HYdrology (CANDHY) Working Group established by the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS), and that is composed by a diverse group of hydrological, computer and social science experts. A community paper (Nardi et al., in press) presented the conceptualization of this transdisciplinary framework by identifying the shared constituents, interfaces and interlinkages between hydrological sciences and other academic and non-academic disciplines. Particular emphasis was given to the integration of human sensing and behavioural mechanisms into citizen science programs addressing hydrological problems. The proposed CANDHY transdisciplinary framework is here further tested and applied to assess some selected citizen science programs to understand the knowledge gaps and opportunities arising from ongoing citizen science programs. This comparative assessment shows some interesting preliminary results demonstrating the capacity of the proposed framework in homogenizing and accumulating knowledge from the collaboration of diverse participatory programs addressing similar or complementary hydrological challenges. Nardi F. et al., in press. Citizens AND HYdrology (CANDHY): conceptualizing a transdisciplinary framework for citizen science addressing hydrological challenges. Hydrological Sciences Journal, https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2020.1849707

Background Tattooing is a widespread phenomenon, with an estimated prevalence of 10-30% in Western populations. For psoriasis patients, current recommendations are to avoid having a tattoo if the disease is active and they are receiving immunosuppressive treatments. Although scientific data supporting these recommendations are lacking, dermatologists are often reluctant to advocate tattooing in psoriasis patients. Objective We aimed to evaluate the frequency of tattoo complications in patients with psoriasis and determine whether the occurrence of complications was associated with psoriasis status and treatments received at the time of tattooing. Methods We performed a multicentre cross-sectional study. Adults with psoriasis were consecutively included and classified as tattooed or non-tattooed. Prevalence of complications associated with tattoos was then evaluated according to psoriasis onset and treatments. The study was divided into three parts, in which data were collected through a series of questionnaires filled in by the dermatologist. Complications included pruritus, oedema, allergic reaction/eczema, infection/superinfection, granuloma, lichenification, photosensitivity, Koebner phenomenon and psoriasis flare after tattooing. Diagnosis of complications was made retrospectively. Results We included 2053 psoriatic patients, 20.2% had 894 tattoos. Amongst non-tattooed patients, 15.4% had wished to be tattooed, with psoriasis being stated as a reason for not having a tattoo by 44.0% and 5.7% indicating that they planned to have a tattoo in the future. Local complications, such as oedema, pruritus, allergy and Koebner phenomenon, were reported in tattoos in 6.6%, most frequently in patients with psoriasis requiring treatment at the time of tattooing (P

Widely available digital technologies are empowering citizens who are increasingly well informed and involved in numerous water, climate, and environmental challenges. Citizen science can serve many different purposes, from the "pleasure of doing science" to complementing observations, increasing scientific literacy, and supporting collaborative behaviour to solve specific water management problems. Still, procedures on how to incorporate citizens' knowledge effectively to inform policy and decision-making are lagging behind. Moreover, general conceptual frameworks are unavailable, preventing the widespread uptake of citizen science approaches for more participatory cross-sectorial water governance. In this work, we identify the shared constituents, interfaces, and interlinkages between hydrological sciences and other academic and non-academic disciplines in addressing water issues. Our goal is to conceptualize a transdisciplinary framework for valuing citizen science and advancing the hydrological sciences. Joint efforts between hydrological, computer, and social sciences are envisaged for integrating human sensing and behavioural mechanisms into the framework. Expanding opportunities of online communities complement the fundamental value of on-site surveying and indigenous knowledge. This work is promoted by the Citizens AND HYdrology (CANDHY) Working Group established by the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS).

Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) requires a critical step, namely to elicit individual preferences. On the basis of learning theories, we formalize preference construction as learning about facts and values, and as a process; we also conceptualize an online preference elicitation survey that offers learning loops to increase factual learning and support preference construction. Another originality is gamification. Game elements (a narrative and non-player characters as motivational affordance) keep respondents engaged in the demanding task of weight elicitation. Our tool enables broad public participation in MCDA, allowing reliable online preference elicitation. The survey concept was tested with 107 students and a control treatment. Quantitative and qualitative data indicate that the concept works. Participants’ factual knowledge increased. The survey helped students to learn about their own preferences concerning the importance of objectives. The practical implication is that weighting can be reliably elicited by online surveys. Participants reported a positive experience; further ways to improve it are thoroughly discussed.

Serious games, gamification, or game-based interventions are increasingly used as tools to aid participatory decision-making processes, but their evaluation is often not very rigorous. Therefore, it is still unclear whether game-based interventions are really beneficial. We focused on the following overarching question: how effective are game-based interventions specifically designed to support decision-making processes. We used an illustrative case to reflect on this question. Using a published framework proposing that design processes of game-based interventions and their evaluation are intertwined, we designed simultaneously (1) a game-based intervention, specifically a card game and a workshop structure in which this card game is to be used, and (2) its evaluation procedure, formulating evaluation questions and proposing measure instruments based on the literature. We pre-tested the evaluation procedure in a small pilot study with 10 students. We illustrate the use of the design framework for an intervention to generate objectives in a decision-making process about sustainable wastewater management. Through our illustrative case, we identify future research opportunities about designing game-based interventions and evaluating their effectiveness. We found that it is possible to address the dual challenge of game-based interventions for participatory decision-making processes: (1) designing an informative and engaging game-based intervention without telling participants what to think and (2) designing a tailored evaluation procedure. Designing the game-based intervention and its evaluation simultaneously is valuable, because both are strongly intertwined. However, conducting the evaluation is demanding and requires the collaborative efforts of scientists, including across disciplinary boundaries. For instance, the data collection effort could be distributed among different research groups to increase sample size. This would allow including control treatment(s) and covering the variation span of the confounding factors more broadly. All material is made openly available to foster collaborative future research.

Serious games and gamification are nowadays pervasive. They are used to communicate about science and sometimes to involve citizens in science (e.g. citizen science). Concurrently, environmental decision analysis is challenged by the high cognitive load of the decision-making process and the possible biases threatening the rationality assumptions. Difficult decision-making processes can result in incomplete preference construction, and are generally limited to few participants. We reviewed 43 serious games and gamified applications related to water. We covered the broad diversity of serious games, which could be explained by the still unsettled terminology in the research area of gamification and serious gaming. We discuss how existing games could benefit early steps of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), including problem structuring, stakeholder analysis, defining objectives, and exploring alternatives. We argue that no existing game allows for preference elicitation; one of the most challenging steps of MCDA. We propose many research opportunities for behavioral operational research.

Most of the literature on serious games and gamification calls for a shift from evaluating practices to using theories to assess them. While the former is necessary to justify using game-based approaches, the latter enables understanding “why” game-based approaches are beneficial (or not). Based on earlier review papers and the papers in this special issue of Water entitled “Understanding game-based approaches for improving sustainable water governance: the potential of serious games to solve water problems”, we show that game-based approaches in a water governance context are relatively diverse. In particular, the expected aims, targeted audience, and spatial and temporal scales are factors that differentiate game-based approaches. These factors also strongly influence the design of game-based approaches and the research developed to assess them. We developed a framework to guide and reflect on the design and assessment of game-based approaches, and we suggest opportunities for future research. In particular, we highlight the lack of game-based approaches that can support “society-driven” sustainable water governance.

Le present article est une synthese de doctorat, portant sur l'analyse de donnees issues du bassin versant agricole Kervidy-Naizin, appartenant a l'Observatoire de Recherche en Environnement (ORE) AgrHys. Des 2000, face aux enjeux de la qualite de l'eau et du changement climatique, le site a beneficie d'un suivi hydrologique et chimique particulierement fin. Les travaux presentes ci-apres sont la premiere exploration de l'ensemble des chroniques longues de 12 ans du site de Kervidy-Naizin. Ces chroniques remarquables ont permis de repondre aux questions suivantes : quels sont les processus hydrologiques qui controlent les exportations de solutes dans le bassin versant ? Comment la dynamique temporelle d'humectation du bassin influence ces processus dominants ?Quatre methodes originales d'analyse fonctionnelle du bassin versant ont permis de repondre, en etudiant les trois niveaux de variabilite temporelle : la crue, la saisonnalite et les variations interannuelles. Ainsi, un modele conceptuel d'exportation des solutes a quatre compartiments est propose pour expliquer la diversite des dynamiques d'exportation dans ce bassin. Ces resultats montrent une structuration temporelle du signal de qualite de l'eau. Le signal, marque pour certains solutes par l'activite agricole intensive, est domine par la saisonnalite et varie sensiblement selon les conditions hydrometeorologiques de l'annee, et notamment le changement d'etat d'humidite du bassin.

To improve hydro-chemical modeling and forecasting, there is a need to better understand flood-induced variability in water chemistry and the processes controlling it in watersheds. In the literature, assumptions are often made, for instance, that stream chemistry reacts differently to rainfall events depending on the season; however, methods to verify such assumptions are not well developed. Often, few floods are studied at a time and chemicals are used as tracers. Grouping similar events from large multivariate datasets using principal component analysis and clustering methods helps to explain hydrological processes; however, these methods currently have some limits (definition of flood descriptors, linear assumption, for instance). Most clustering methods have been used in the context of regionalization, focusing more on mapping results than on understanding processes. In this study, we extracted flood patterns using the probabilistic Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model, its first use in hydrology, to our knowledge. The LDA method allows multivariate temporal datasets to be considered without having to define explanatory factors beforehand or select representative floods. We analyzed a multivariate dataset from a long-term observatory (Kervidy-Naizin, western France) containing data for four solutes monitored daily for 12 years: nitrate, chloride, dissolved organic carbon, and sulfate. The LDA method extracted four different patterns that were distributed by season. Each pattern can be explained by seasonal hydrological processes. Hydro-meteorological parameters help explain the processes leading to these patterns, which increases understanding of flood-induced variability in water quality. Thus, the LDA method appears useful for analyzing long-term datasets.

New scientific understanding is catalyzed by novel technologies that enhance measurement precision, resolution or type, and that provide new tools to test and develop theory. Over the last 50, years, technology has transformed the hydrologic sciences by enabling direct measurements of watershed fluxes (evapotranspiration, stream flow) at time scales and spatial extents aligned with variation in physical drivers. High frequency water quality measurements, increasingly obtained by in situ water quality sensors, are extending that transformation. Widely available sensors for some physical (temperature) and chemical (conductivity, dissolved oxygen) attributes have become integral to aquatic science, and emerging sensors for nutrients, dissolved CO, turbidity, algal pigments, and dissolved organic matter are now enabling observations of watersheds and streams at time scales, commensurate with their fundamental hydrological, energetic, elemental, and biological drivers. Here we synthesize insights from emerging technologies across a suite of applications, and envision future advances, enabled by sensors, in our ability to understand, predict, and restore watershed and stream systems.

High-frequency, in-situ monitoring provides large environmental datasets. These datasets will likely bring new insights in landscape functioning and process scale understanding. However, tailoring data analysis methods is necessary. Here, we detach our analysis from the usual temporal analysis performed in hydrology to determine if it is possible to infer general rules regarding hydrochemistry from available large datasets. We combined a 2-year in-stream nitrate concentration time series (time resolution of 15 min) with concurrent hydrological, meteorological and soil moisture data. We removed the low-frequency variations through low-pass filtering, which suppressed seasonality. We then analyzed the high-frequency variability component using Pareto Density Estimation, which to our knowledge has not been applied to hydrology. The resulting distribution of nitrate concentrations revealed three normally distributed modes: low, medium and high. Studying the environmental conditions for each mode revealed the main control of nitrate concentration: the saturation state of the riparian zone. We found low nitrate concentrations under conditions of hydrological connectivity and dominant denitrifying biological processes, and we found high nitrate concentrations under hydrological recession conditions and dominant nitrifying biological processes. These results generalize our understanding of hydro-biogeochemical nitrate flux controls and bring useful information to the development of nitrogen process-based models at the landscape scale.

The recent development of in-situ monitoring devices, such as UV-spectrometers, makes the study of short-term stream chemistry variation relevant, especially the study of diurnal cycles, which are not yet fully understood. Our study is based on high-frequency data from an agricultural catchment (Studienlandschaft Schwingbachtal, Germany). We propose a novel approach, i.e. the combination of cluster analysis and Linear Discriminant Analysis, to mine from these data nitrate behavior patterns. As a result, we observe a seasonality of nitrate diurnal cycles, that differs from the most common cycle seasonality described in the literature, i.e. pre-dawn peaks in spring. Our cycles appear in summer and the maximum and minimum shift to a later time in late summer/autumn. This is observed both for water- and energy-limited years, thus potentially stressing the role of evapotranspiration. This concluding hypothesis on the role of evapotranspiration on nitrate stream concentration, which was obtained through data mining, broadens the perspective on the diurnal cycling of stream nitrate concentrations.

The authors of this manuscript have no conflicts of interest to disclose as described by the American Journal of Transplantation.; International audience; Operationally tolerant patients (TOL) display a higher number of blood B cells and transcriptional B cell signature. As they rarely develop an allo-immune response, they could display an abnormal B cell differentiation. We used an in vitro culture system to explore T-dependent differentiation of B cells into plasma cells. B cell phenotype, apoptosis, proliferation, cytokine, immunoglobulin production and markers of differentiation were followed in blood of these patients. Tolerant recipients show a higher frequency of CD20(+) CD24(hi) CD38(hi) transitional and CD20(+) CD38(lo) CD24(lo) naïve B cells compared to patients with stable graft function, correlating with a decreased frequency of CD20(-) CD38(+) CD138(+) differentiated plasma cells, suggestive of abnormal B cell differentiation. B cells from TOL proliferate normally but produce more IL-10. In addition, B cells from tolerant recipients exhibit a defective expression of factors of the end step of differentiation into plasma cells and show a higher propensity for cell death apoptosis compared to patients with stable graft function. This in vitro profile is consistent with down-regulation of B cell differentiation genes and anti-apoptotic B cell genes in these patients in vivo. These data suggest that a balance between B cells producing IL-10 and a deficiency in plasma cells may encourage an environment favorable to the tolerance maintenance.

High-frequency, long-term and multisolute measurements are required to assess the impact of human pressures on water quality due to (i) the high temporal and spatial variability of climate and human activity and (ii) the fact that chemical solutes combine short- and long-term dynamics. Such data series are scarce. This study, based on an original and unpublished time series from the Kervidy-Naizin headwater catchment (Brittany, France), aims to determine solute transfer processes and dynamics that characterise this strongly human-impacted catchment. The Kervidy-Naizin catchment is a temperate, intensive agricultural catchment, hydrologically controlled by shallow groundwater. Over 10 yr, five solutes (nitrate, sulphate, chloride, and dissolved organic and inorganic carbon) were monitored daily at the catchment outlet and roughly every four months in the shallow groundwater. The concentrations of all five solutes showed seasonal variations but the patterns of the variations differed from one solute to another. Nitrate and chloride exhibit rather smooth variations. In contrast, sulphate as well as organic and inorganic carbon is dominated by flood flushes. The observed nitrate and chloride patterns are typical of an intensive agricultural catchment hydrologically controlled by shallow groundwater. Nitrate and chloride originating mainly from organic fertilisers accumulated over several years in the shallow groundwater. They are seasonally exported when upland groundwater connects with the stream during the wet season. Conversely, sulphate as well as organic and inorganic carbon patterns are not specific to agricultural catchments. These solutes do not come from fertilisers and do not accumulate in soil or shallow groundwater; instead, they are biogeochemically produced in the catchment. The results allowed development of a generic classification system based on the specific temporal patterns and source locations of each solute. It also considers the stocking period and the dominant process that limits transport to the stream, i.e. the connectivity of the stocking compartment. This mechanistic classification can be applied to any chemical solute to help assess its origin, storage or production location and transfer mechanism in similar catchments.

Assessing the impact of human pressures on water quality is difficult. First, there is a high temporal and spatial variability of climate and human activity. Second, chemical elements have their own characteristics mixing short and long term dynamics. High frequency, long-term and multi-element measurements are required. But, such data series are scarce. This paper aims at determining what the hydro-chemical particularities of a livestock farming catchment are in a temperate climatic context. It is based on an original and never published time series, from Kervidy-Naizin headwater catchment. Stream chemistry was monitored daily and shallow groundwater roughly every four month, for 10 yr and five elements (nitrate, sulphate, chloride, and dissolved organic and inorganic carbon). The five elements present strong but different seasonal patterns. Nitrate and chloride present a seasonal flush, all along or at the beginning of the wet season, respectively. Sulphate, organic and inorganic carbon present storm flushes, with constant or decreasing peaks throughout the wet season. These depicted nitrate and chloride patterns are typical of a livestock farming catchment. There, nitrate and chloride coming from organic fertilisation have been accumulating over years in the shallow groundwater. They are seasonally flushed when the groundwater connects to the stream. Sulphate, organic and inorganic carbon patterns do not seem specific to agricultural catchments. These elements are produced each year and flushed by storms. Finally, a generic classification of temporal patterns and elements is established for agricultural catchments. It is based on the distance of the source component to the stream and the dominant controlling process (accumulation versus production). This classification could be applied to any chemical element and help assessing the level of water disturbances.

Microcellular carbon foams have been prepared by the high-temperature carbonization of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) foams in an inert atmosphere. The PAN precursor foams were first prepared by thermally induced phase separation of PAN solutions followed by gelation/extraction or freezing/freeze-drying processes. The resulting carbon foams have low densities and open-celled morphologies. We have developed two complementary techniques to characterize objectively carbon foam morphologies, BET surface area measurements and mercury porosimetry. These two measurement techniques, when used in conjunction with known stereological rules, allow us to calculate densities and average cell sizes or cell size distributions. As a bonus, values of the bulk modulus for low-density carbon foams also can be determined from mercury porosimetry. Unlike other techniques, our determinations do not require carefully prepared surfaces (such as for microscopy) or an assumed morphological model (required for most other techniques).

By decreasing plasminogen binding to fibrin surface, the thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) has been hypothesized to constitute an early marker for atherothrombotic diseases. Previous studies have shown that plasma TAFI levels exhibit a high interindividual variability that is only poorly explained by lifestyle factors. Several polymorphisms of the TAFI gene have been described, and a combination of a C+1542G substitution in the 3′ untranslated region and an Ala147Thr amino acid change has been shown to explain 60% of TAFI variability in a sample of unrelated individuals. A segregation-linkage analysis was performed to determine whether these polymorphisms are directly involved in the genetic regulation of TAFI levels, or whether they are only markers in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with unmeasured TAFI-linked quantitative trait loci (QTLs). The sample consisted of 97 healthy nuclear families from the Stanislas Cohort. The C+1542G and Ala147Thr polymorphisms were in complete negative LD, with minor allele frequencies of 0.27 and 0.28, respectively. Results of the segregation-linkage analysis provided evidence of two TAFI-linked QTLs in LD with the two measured polymorphisms, which would explain 78% of the TAFI variance, as compared with 55% explained by the C+1542G and the Ala147Thr polymorphisms combined. The two putative QTLs would have minor allele frequencies of 0.45 and 0.32, respectively. The hypothesis that one of the measured polymorphisms is one of the QTLs was rejected. The putative QTLs also did not seem compatible with the other TAFI gene polymorphisms that we have previously described. More extensive sequencing of the TAFI gene is necessary to identify the functional variants.

Low-density, microcellular foams prepared from the natural polymers agar and gelatin have been developed for pulsed-power physics experiments. Numerous experiments were supported with foams having densities at or below 10 mg/cm{sup 3}. For some of the experiments, the agar/gelatin foam was uniformly doped with metallic elements using soluble salts. Depending on the method of preparation, cell sizes were typically below 10 microns and for one process were below 1.0 micron.

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The paper describes a hydrodynamic method by which the adhesive strength of the mucilage produced from the apical proes of Closterium acerosum has been measured. An equation used to determine the drag force on the cells is presented, as are some measured adhesive strengths of the Closterium mucus to glass slides.

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La fonction de transfert d'un ensemble d'amplification à choppers présente, dans la gamme d'utilisation, une déformation inhérente au principe de cet appareil, même si l'amplificateur proprement dit est supposé parfait, phénomène dont il semble que la théorie n'avait pas été élaborée. Par un passage à la limite laissant valables les conclusions pratiques, on montre que, bien que les processus mis en jeu soient essentiellement non linéaires, cette fonction obéit au principe de superposition. On la met sous la forme d'un produit dont les trois facteurs représentent respectivement le gain à fréquence nulle, le gain relatif complexe filtre non compris et l'effet du filtre. On en déduit des formules permettant de choisir au mieux les caractéristiques des composants en vue de minimiser ce défaut particulièrement gênant dans les travaux de recherche exigeant une réponse transitoire aussi fidèle que possible. On montre en outre que l'imperfection de l'amplificateur proprement dit entraîne un décalage entre l'abscisse du minimum d'amplitude et celle du passage à zéro de la phase. Les formules obtenues se simplifient beaucoup dans nombre de cas pratiques en donnant des approximations en général suffisantes.