Assessing the impact of climate change on Combined Sewer Overflows based on small time step future rainfall timeseries and long-term continuous sewer network modelling

The evolution of the climate in the future will probably lead to an increase in extreme rainfall events, particularly in the Mediterranean regions. This change in rainfall patterns will have impacts on combined sewer systems operation with a possible increase of spilled flows, leading to an increase of untreated water volumes released to the receiving water. Due to the impact of overflows on the water cycle, local authorities managing combined sewer systems are wondering about the extent of these changes and the possibility of taking it into account in stormwater management structure design. To do this, rainfall data with a fine time step are required to better master the shape of the hyetographs that are crucial to get a relevant rainfall/runoff relationship in an urban environment. However, there are currently no simulations of future rainfall series available at a time step compatible with the needs in urban drainage field. In this work, future rainfall time series with a fine time step are elaborated with the aim to be used in urban hydrology. The proposed approach is based on simulations results from five regional climate models in the framework of the Euro-Cordex program. It consists in a spatial downscaling step followed by a temporal disaggregation. The rainfall time series obtained are then used as input for a calibrated and validated hydrological model to investigate the evolution of annual CSO volumes and frequencies by 2100. The results show an increase of annual spilled volumes between 13% and 52% according to the considered climate model. This increase will most likely be a problem regarding compliance of sewer networks in line with the water framework directive, particularly the current French regulations. No clear trends were observed on the CSO frequencies. If there is a consensus for all the carried-out simulations to conclude that the CSO volumes will increase, we must remember that actual regional climate models suffer from limited spatial and temporal resolution and don't explicitly solve convection processes. Due to this point uncertainty concerning the evolution rate remains important particularly for intense rainfall episodes. New generations of climate models are needed to accurately predict intense episodes.

Support and monitoring of families after child abuse detection based on parental characteristics at the Emergency Department

BACKGROUND

The 'Hague Protocol' enables professionals at the adult Emergency Department (ED) to detect child abuse based on three parental characteristics: (i) suicide attempt or self-harm, (ii) domestic violence or (iii) substance abuse, and to refer them to the Reporting Centre for Child Abuse and Neglect (RCCAN). This study investigates what had happened to the families three months after this referral.

METHOD

ED referrals based on parental characteristics (N = 100) in which child abuse was confirmed after investigation by the RCCAN were analysed. Information was collected regarding type of child abuse, reason for reporting, duration of problems prior to the ED referral, previous involvement of support services or other agencies, re-occurrence of the problems and outcome of the RCCAN monitoring according to professionals and the families.

RESULTS

Of the 100 referred cases, 68 families were already known to the RCCAN, the police or family support services, prior to the ED referral. Of the 99 cases where information was available, existing support was continued or intensified in 31, a Child Protection Services (CPS) report had to be made in 24, new support was organized for 27 cases and in 17 cases support was not necessary, because the domestic problems were already resolved. Even though the RCCAN is mandated to monitor all referred families after three months, 31 cases which were referred internally were not followed up.

CONCLUSION

Before referral by the ED two thirds of these families were already known to organizations. Monitoring may help provide a better, more sustained service and prevent and resolve domestic problems. A national database could help to link data and to streamline care for victims and families. We recommend a Randomized Controlled Trial to test the effectiveness of this Protocol in combination with the outcomes of the provided family support.

Statistical analysis of pollution in stormwater infiltration basins

In order to characterize soil pollution in stormwater infiltration basins, four basins of the Lyon area were selected and sampled. Altogether, 66 soil samples were collected. Each sample was analyzed for pH, cationic exchange capacity, particle size distribution, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, metals, total hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Data was explored in a classic way (soil profiles) and using multivariate analysis techniques. Two methods were applied: Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA). Main results are presented in this paper. Pollutant concentrations decrease rapidly with depth while pH and grain size increase. Sustainable concentrations are reached at a 50-cm depth, even after 21 years of operation. Multivariate analysis shows how pollution affects each sampling depth.

Derogation and distancing as terror management strategies: the moderating role of need for closure and permeability of group boundaries

Previous research has revealed that when individuals are confronted with criticism of a personally relevant group, mortality salience can lead to either derogation of the source of criticism or distancing from the group. In this article, the authors investigated closure as a potential moderator of these reactions. In Study 1, mortality salience led to greater derogation of a critic of a relevant group among high-need-for-closure participants but led to distancing from the group among low need-for-closure participants. Study 2 showed that when a relevant group was criticized, mortality salience led to greater derogation among participants who were led to believe that the boundaries of that group were impermeable but led to greater distancing among participants who were made aware of the permeable nature of the group boundaries. These findings demonstrate that closure of group membership moderates reactions to criticism of a personally relevant group after mortality salience.

Derogation and distancing as terror management strategies: the moderating role of need for closure and permeability of group boundaries

Previous research has revealed that when individuals are confronted with criticism of a personally relevant group, mortality salience can lead to either derogation of the source of criticism or distancing from the group. In this article, the authors investigated closure as a potential moderator of these reactions. In Study 1, mortality salience led to greater derogation of a critic of a relevant group among high-need-for-closure participants but led to distancing from the group among low need-for-closure participants. Study 2 showed that when a relevant group was criticized, mortality salience led to greater derogation among participants who were led to believe that the boundaries of that group were impermeable but led to greater distancing among participants who were made aware of the permeable nature of the group boundaries. These findings demonstrate that closure of group membership moderates reactions to criticism of a personally relevant group after mortality salience.

Studies on polypeptides, VI. Synthesis, circular dichroism and immunological studies of tyrosyl C-peptide of human proinsulin

The synthesis of tyrosyl human C-peptide, a sequence of 32 amino acids, by the fragment condensation of the N-terminal octapeptide and C-terminal tetracosapeptide is described. The t-butyl protecting groups were removed by trifluoroacetic acid to obtain N-benzyloxycarbonyl-tyrosyl C-peptide. The hydrogenolytic debenzyl-oxycarbonylation of this derivative proceeded to an extent of only 80-90%, and tyrosyl C-peptide was purified by preparative electrophoresis. This purified tyrosyl C-peptide led to an improved sensitivity of the radioimmunoassay. The synthetic tyrosyl C-peptide in an immunoassay using anti human b-component serum reacted slightly differently from the synthetic human C-peptide. After labelling tyrosyl C-peptide with 125I and then purifying the radioactive product, we observed that 80% of the radioactivity could be bound when reacted with an excess of the serum. The circular dichroism spectrum of tyrosyl C-peptide is very similar to that of synthetic human C-peptide. An analysis of the spectrum indicates that 3-7 amino acids are in the beta-structure and the rest in random coil conformation.

Studies on polypeptides. V. Improved synthesis of human proinsulin C-peptide and its benzyloxycarbonyl derivative. Circular dichroism and immunological studies of human C-peptide

An improved synthesis of human C-peptide is described. Five fragments: 33-39, 40-46, 47-49, 50-54 and 55-63 were used in the total synthesis. In the fully protected C-peptide the N-terminal alpha-amino function was blocked by a benzyloxycarbonyl group and the carboxyl and serine hydroxyl functions were blocked by t-butyl protection. The latter protecting groups were removed by trifluoroacetic acid to obtain N-alpha-benzyloxycarbonyl human C-peptide which, on catalytic hydrogenation, yielded human C-peptide. The immunoreactivity of the prepared human C-peptide was tested and found to deviate slightly from the human C-peptide synthesized earlier by another route. When tested in the immunoassay, human pancreatic extracts containing natural C-peptide (or fragments thereof) showed dilution patterns identical to that of the new synthetic C-peptide but different from that of the previously synthesized batch of C-peptide. The possible explantation for the observed differences in the immunoreactivity is discussed.