Determination of particulate lead during MILAGRO/MCMA-2006 using Aerosol Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salcedo, D.; Onasch, T. B.; Aiken, A. C.; Williams, L. R.; de Foy, B.; Cubison, M. J.; Worsnop, D. R.; Molina, L. T.; Jimenez, J. L.

2010-02-01

We report the first measurements of particulate lead (Pb) from Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometers, which were deployed in and around Mexico City during the Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO)/Mexico City Metropolitan Area 2006 (MCMA-2006) field campaigns. The high resolution mass spectrometer of one of the AMS instruments (HR-AMS) and the measured isotopic ratios unequivocally prove the detection of Pb in ambient particles. A substantial fraction of the lead evaporated slowly from the vaporizer of the instruments, which is indicative of species with low volatility at 600 °C. A model was developed in order to estimate the ambient particulate Pb entering the AMS from the signals in the "open" and the "closed" (or "background") mass spectrum modes of the AMS. The model suggests the presence of at least two lead fractions with ~25% of the Pb signal exhibiting rapid evaporation (1/e decay constant, τ<0.1 s) and ~75% exhibiting slow evaporation (τ~2.4 min) at the T0 urban supersite and a different fraction (70% prompt and 30% slow evaporation) at a site northwest from the metropolitan area (PEMEX site). From laboratory experiments with pure Pb(NO3)2 particles, we estimated that the Pb ionization efficiency relative to nitrate (RIEPb) is 0.5. Comparison of time series of AMS Pb with other measurements carried out at T0 (using Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE), Inductively-Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and single-particle counts from an Aerosol Time-of-Fight Mass Spectrometer (ATOFMS)) shows similar levels (for PIXE and ICP-MS) and substantial correlation. During part of the campaign, sampling at T0 was alternated every 10 min with an Aerosol Concentrator, which enabled the detection of signals for PbCl+ and PbS+ ions. PbS+ displays the signature of a slowly evaporating species, while PbCl+ appears to arise only from fast evaporation, which is likely due to the higher vapor pressure of the compounds generating PbCl+. This is consistent with the evaporation model results. Levels of particulate Pb measured at T0 were similar to previous studies in Mexico City. Pb shows a diurnal cycle with a maximum in the early morning, which is typical of primary urban pollutants. Pb shows correlation with Zn, consistent with previous studies, while the sources of Pb appear to be at least partially disjoint from those of particulate chloride. Back trajectory analysis of the T0 Pb data suggests the presence of sources inside the urban area SSW and N of T0, with different chemical forms of Pb being associated with different source locations. High signals due to particulate lead were also detected in the PEMEX site; again, no correlation between Pb and chloride plumes was observed, suggesting mostly different sources for both species.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: Study of Aerosol Sources and Processing at the GVAX Pantnagar Supersite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thornton, Joel A.; Worsnop, Douglas

2016-09-22

This project was part of a collaborative campaign, including the participation of scientists from seven research groups as part of the Winter Intensive Operating Period (January-February 2012) of the Clean Air for London (ClearfLo) campaign at a rural site in Detling, UK, 45 km southeast of central London to study wintertime sources of urban particulate matter. The UW contribution by PI Thornton’s group was to make the first deployment of a chemical ionization mass spectrometer instrument (MOVI-CI-ToFMS) to measure both particle and gas phase organic acids. The new instrument ran nearly continuously during the ClearfLo WINTER IOP at the Detlingmore » site, producing a first-ever data set of molecular composition information that can be used for source apportionment and process studies. The UW group published a paper in Environmental Science and Technology and contributed to another (Bohnenstengel et al BAMS 2015) detailing a direct molecular connection between biomass/biofuel burning particles and aerosol light absorption. The ES&T paper (Mohr, et al ES&T 2013) has received 42 citations in just 3 years indicative of its significant impact on the field. These measurements of urban and rural aerosol properties will contribute to improved modeling of regional aerosol emissions, and of atmospheric aging and removal.« less

The Vesuvius/Campi Flegrei Supersite: state of the art and future perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borgstrom, Sven; Del Gaudio, Carlo; De Martino, Prospero; Prats-Iraola, Pau; Nannini, Matteo; Vecchioli, Francesco; Minati, Federico; Costantini, Mario; Stramondo, Salvatore; Bignami, Christian; Polcari, Marco; Fabrizia Buongiorno, Maria; Silvestri, Malvina; Pepe, Antonio; Pepe, Susi; Solaro, Giuseppe; Tizzani, Pietro; Siniscalchi, Valeria

2017-04-01

The Vesuvius/Campi Flegrei Supersite was established in April, 2014 with the aim of improving monitoring and knowledge of one of the areas with the highest volcanic risk worldwide, due to the strong urbanization of the city of Naples and surroundings, lying between two active volcanoes: Vesuvius on the east and Campi Flegrei on the west, this latter with a recorded uplift of about 35 centimeters from 2011 to date. Such deformation suggested to the Italian Civil Protection Department (ICPD) to move from the base (green) alert level to attention (yellow) level in the framework of the Campi Flegrei National Emergency Plan. In the first 2014-2016 biennial period, relevant results were carried out by the Supersite Science Team, apart from the outcomes of the ESA-SEOM INSARAP (Sentinel-1 INSAR Performance Study with TOPS data) project. Results are mainly focused on InSAR (S1-A, CSK, TSX) data processing, exploiting both SBAS and PS Interferometry over the Neapolitan volcanoes, with generation of ground deformation time series and comparison between LOS/inverted (E-W, vertical) InSAR and geodetic data, these latter from the INGV-Osservatorio Vesuviano monitoring networks. After the first biennial period, a detailed report on the Supersite activities has been submitted and approved by CEOS for satellite data provision for the next 2016-2018 period. Besides the continuation of the work in progress, future steps will consist in a detailed InSAR study of Vesuvius, mainly in the upper coherent part of the volcano, in order to characterize the area of interest from the engineering geology point of view. Moreover, DLR is planning an airborne campaign with their F-SAR sensor over Campi Flegrei; the contribution from INGV-OV to this campaign will consist in validating InSAR measurements with continuous GPS (cGPS) data. The campaign will take place around May and then again in 2018. With regard to the societal benefits of the current activities of the Supersite, the main stakeholders benefitting from the results are the ICPD and, on a locale scale, the Regional Civil Protection of the Campania Region, besides the different Municipalities. Surveillance Reports have been produced for the ICPD on six-months and annual basis, showing regular updates on the state of the Neapolitan volcanoes. On a mid-term scale, the outcomes of the Supersite will be exploited in terms of technical contributions to the ICPD in setting up the updates of the National Emergency Plans for Vesuvius and Campi Flegrei areas.

INTERCOMPARISION OF SEMI-CONTINUOUS MEASUREMENTS OF NITRATE AND SULFATE AT THE EPA ATLANTA SUPERSITE, AUGUST 1999

EPA Science Inventory

The Atlanta Supersite was one of the first Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Supersites dedicated to the study of fine particles (PM2.5). The study involved intensive measurements during the month of August 1999, at a site situated near the center of Atlanta. One of the s...

MOLECULAR COMPOSITION OF ORGANICS IN PM 2.5 AT THE NEW YORK CITY SUPERSITE WINTER 2004

EPA Science Inventory

Organic compounds in PM2.5 were studied at the New York City Supersite at Queens College, NYC as part of the NYC Supersite Winter 2004 Intensive from January 15 to February 5, 2004. The Queens fine particle samples were collected on a daily basis. Eight composites containing 3 to...

SUMMARY OF EPA'S PARTICULATE MATTER SUPERSITES PROGRAM: RESULTS THAT CAN BE USED TO PREPARE AND EVALUATE STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLANS (SIPS)

EPA Science Inventory

In 1999, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a major air quality program referred to as the Particulate Matter (PM) Supersites Program. The PM Supersites Program is a multi-year, $27 million air quality program consisting of eight (8) regional air q...

Key Scientific and Policy- and Health-Relevant Findings from EPA's Particulate Matter Supersites Program and Related Studies: An Integration and Synthesis of Results.

EPA Science Inventory

In 1998, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a major air quality program, known as the Particulate Matter (PM) Supersites Program. The Supersites Program was a multi year, $27 million air quality monitoring program consisting of eight regional air quality projects...

The Australian SuperSite Network: A continental, long-term terrestrial ecosystem observatory.

PubMed

Karan, Mirko; Liddell, Michael; Prober, Suzanne M; Arndt, Stefan; Beringer, Jason; Boer, Matthias; Cleverly, James; Eamus, Derek; Grace, Peter; Van Gorsel, Eva; Hero, Jean-Marc; Hutley, Lindsay; Macfarlane, Craig; Metcalfe, Dan; Meyer, Wayne; Pendall, Elise; Sebastian, Alvin; Wardlaw, Tim

2016-10-15

Ecosystem monitoring networks aim to collect data on physical, chemical and biological systems and their interactions that shape the biosphere. Here we introduce the Australian SuperSite Network that, along with complementary facilities of Australia's Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN), delivers field infrastructure and diverse, ecosystem-related datasets for use by researchers, educators and policy makers. The SuperSite Network uses infrastructure replicated across research sites in different biomes, to allow comparisons across ecosystems and improve scalability of findings to regional, continental and global scales. This conforms with the approaches of other ecosystem monitoring networks such as Critical Zone Observatories, the U.S. National Ecological Observatory Network; Analysis and Experimentation on Ecosystems, Europe; Chinese Ecosystem Research Network; International Long Term Ecological Research network and the United States Long Term Ecological Research Network. The Australian SuperSite Network currently involves 10 SuperSites across a diverse range of biomes, including tropical rainforest, grassland and savanna; wet and dry sclerophyll forest and woodland; and semi-arid grassland, woodland and savanna. The focus of the SuperSite Network is on using vegetation, faunal and biophysical monitoring to develop a process-based understanding of ecosystem function and change in Australian biomes; and to link this with data streams provided by the series of flux towers across the network. The Australian SuperSite Network is also intended to support a range of auxiliary researchers who contribute to the growing body of knowledge within and across the SuperSite Network, public outreach and education to promote environmental awareness and the role of ecosystem monitoring in the management of Australian environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Three frequency false-color image of Oberpfaffenhofen supersite in Germany

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

This is a three-frequency, false color image of the Oberpfaffenhofen supersite, an area just south-west of Munich in southern Germany. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the Shuttle Endeavour, April 11, 1994. The image is centered at 48.09 degrees north, 11.29 degrees east. The dark area on the left is Lake Ammersee. The two smaller lakes are the Woerthsee and the Pilsensee. On the bottom is the tip of the Starnbergersee. The city of Munich is located just beyond the right of the image. The forested areas have a reddish tint (L-Band). THe green areas seen near both the Ammersee and the Pilsensee lakes indicate marshy areas. The agricultural fields in the upper right hand corner appear mostly in blue and green (X-band and C-band). The white areas are mostly urban areas, while the smooth surfaces of the lakes appear very dark. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory alternative photo number is P-43930.

Impact of external industrial sources on the regional and local SO2 and O3 levels of the Mexico megacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almanza, V. H.; Molina, L. T.; Li, G.; Fast, J.; Sosa, G.

2014-08-01

The air quality of megacities can be influenced by external emission sources on both global and regional scales. At the same time their outflow emissions can exert an impact to the surrounding environment. The present study evaluates an SO2 peak observed on 24 March 2006 at the suburban supersite T1 and at ambient air quality monitoring stations located in the northern region of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) during the Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) field campaign. We found that this peak could be related to an important episodic emission event coming from Tizayuca region, northeast of the MCMA. Back-trajectory analyses suggest that the emission event started in the early morning at 04:00 LST and lasted for about 9 h. The estimated emission rate is about 2 kg s-1. To the best of our knowledge, sulfur dioxide emissions from the Tizayuca region have not been considered in previous studies. This finding suggests the possibility of "overlooked" emission sources in this region that could influence the air quality of the MCMA. This further motivated us to study the cement plants, including those in the state of Hidalgo and in the State of Mexico. It was found that they can contribute to the SO2 levels in the northeast (NE) region of the basin (about 42%), at the suburban supersite T1 (41%) and that at some monitoring stations their contribution can be even higher than the contribution from the Tula Industrial Complex (TIC). The contribution of the Tula Industrial Complex to regional ozone levels is estimated. The model suggests low contribution to the MCMA (1 to 4 ppb) and slightly higher contribution at the suburban T1 (6 ppb) and rural T2 (5 ppb) supersites. However, the contribution could be as high as 10 ppb in the upper northwest region of the basin and in the southwest and south-southeast regions of the state of Hidalgo. In addition, the results indicated that the ozone plume could also be transported to northwest Tlaxcala, eastern Hidalgo, and farther northeast of the State of Mexico, but with rather low values. A first estimate of the potential contribution from flaring activities to regional ozone levels is presented. Results suggest that up to 30% of the total regional ozone from TIC could be related to flaring activities. Finally, the influence on SO2 levels from technological changes in the existing refinery is briefly discussed. These changes are due to the upcoming construction of a new refinery in Tula. The combination of emission reductions in the power plant, the refinery and in local sources in the MCMA could result in higher reductions on the average SO2 concentration. Reductions in external sources tend to affect more the northern part of the basin (-16 to -46%), while reductions of urban sources in the megacity tend to diminish SO2 levels substantially in the central, southwest, and southeast regions (-31 to -50%).

Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) perspectives about the GEO Supersite initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lengert, Wolfgang; Zoffoli, Simona; Giguere, Christine; Hoffmann, Joern; Lindsay, Francis; Seguin, Guy

2014-05-01

This presentation is outlining the effort of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) using its global collaboration structure to support implementing the GEO priority action DI-01 Informing Risk Management and Disaster Reduction addressing the component: C2 Geohazards Monitoring, Alert, and Risk Assessment. A CEOS Supersites Coordination Team (SCT) has been established in order to make best use of the CEOS global satellite resources. For this, the CEOS SCT has taken a holistic view on the science data needs and availability of resources, considering the constraints and exploitation potentials of synergies. It is interfacing with the Supersites Science Advisory Group and the Principle Investigators to analyze how the satellite data associated with seismic and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data can support national authorities and policy makers in risk assessment and the development of mitigation strategies. CEOS SCT aims to support the establishment of a fully integrated approach to geohazards monitoring, based on collaboration among existing networks and international initiatives, using new instrumentation such as in-situ sensors, and aggregating space (radar, optical imagery) and ground-based (subsurface) observations. The three Supersites projects which are funded under the EC FP7 action, namely (i) FUTUREVOLC: A European volcanological supersite in Iceland: a monitoring system and network for the future Geohazards Monitoring, Alert, and Risk Assessment, (ii) MARsite: New Directions in Seismic Hazard assessment through Focused Earth Observation in the Marmara Supersite, (iii) MED-SUV: MEDiterranean Volcanoes and related seismic risks, have been examined as a vehicle to fulfill these ambitious objectives. FUTUREVOLC has already been granted CEOS support. This presentation will outline CEOS agreed process and criteria applied by the Supersites Coordination Team (SCT), for selecting these Supersites in the context of the GSNL initiative, as well provide information about the satellite data provided by CEOS for the different Supersites. ASI - COSMO-Skymed CNES - SPOT-5, Pleiades CSA - Radarsat-2 DLR - TerraSAR-X, TanDEM-X ESA - ERS-1/2, Envisat, Sentinel (on behalf of EC - Copernicus) JAXA - ALOS-2, ALOS-1, J-ERS NASA - ASTER

From Open Data to Science-Based Services for Disaster Risk Management: the Experience of the GEO Geohazards Supersite Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvi, S.; Poland, M. P.; Sigmundsson, F.; Puglisi, G.; Borgstrom, S.; Ergintav, S.; Vogfjord, K. S.; Fournier, N.; Hamling, I. J.; Mothes, P. A.; Savvaidis, A.; Wicks, C. W., Jr.

2017-12-01

In 2010, the Geohazard Supersites and Natural Laboratories initiative (GSNL) established, in the framework of GEO, the concept of a global partnership among the geophysical scientific community, space agencies, and in-situ data providers, with the aim of promoting scientific advancements in the understanding of seismic and volcanic phenomena. This goal is achieved through open sharing of large volumes of remote sensing and in-situ data from specific volcanic or seismic areas of particularly high risk or scientific interest (the Supersites) as proposed by the scientific community. Data provision to the Supersites is coordinated by local research and monitoring institutions, which deploy and manage geophysical monitoring networks and have an institutional mandate for the provision of scientific data and services to the national government and other regional users. Starting in 2015, following the changes in GEO and the call for action given by the Sendai Framework 2015-2030, the GSNL initiative has promoted the rapid uptake of newly developed scientific information for maximum societal benefit in Disaster Risk Management (DRM). While the procedures by which the scientific products are provided to the local decision makers depend on the different national operational frameworks and are largely independent of the Supersite existence, the quality of the scientific information, and thus its actual benefit for DRM, is considerably enhanced at each Supersite. This growth in scientific understanding of specific volcanic and seismic areas is not only due to wider accessibility of data, but also to the increased collaboration and sharing of resources and capacities that occurs inside the Supersite scientific community. For maximum effectiveness, the GSNL initiative supports an Open Science approach, where different collaboration and communication approaches and technological solutions are developed, tested, and shared, thereby helping to sustain the scientific investigation process. We will present at the meeting the latest developments and results of the GSNL Supersite network.

Lung deposited surface area concentrations in a street canyon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuuluvainen, Heino; Hietikko, Riina; Järvinen, Anssi; Saukko, Erkka; Irjala, Matti; Niemi, Jarkko V.; Timonen, Hilkka; Keskinen, Jorma; Rönkkö, Topi

2017-04-01

Street canyons are interesting environments with respect to the dispersion of traffic emissions and human exposure. Pedestrians may be exposed to relatively high concentrations of fine particles and the vertical dispersion affects the human exposure above the ground level in buildings. Previously, particle concentrations have been measured in street canyons at a few different heights (Marini et al., 2015). The information on the lung deposited surface area (LDSA) concentration, which is a relevant metric for the negative health effects, is very limited even at the ground level of street canyons (Kuuluvainen et al., 2016). More information especially on the vertical dispersion and the ground level concentrations is needed, for instance, for the use of urban planning and the design of ventilation systems in buildings. Measurements were carried out in a busy street canyon in Helsinki, Finland, at an urban super-site measurement station (Mäkelänkatu 50). The data included vertical concentration profiles measured in an intensive measurement campaign with a Partector (Naneos GmbH) installed into a drone, long-term measurements with an AQ Urban particle sensor (Pegasor Ltd.), and an extensive comparison measurement in the field with different devices measuring the LDSA. These devices were an AQ Urban, Partector, DiSCmini (Testo AG), NSAM (TSI Inc.), and an ELPI+ (Dekati Ltd.). In addition, continuous measurements of gas phase components, particle size distributions, and meteorology were run at the supersite. The vertical profile measurements were con-ducted in November 2016 during two days. In the measurements, the drone was flown from the ground level to an altitude of 50 or 100 m, which is clearly above the roof level of the buildings. Altogether, 48 up-and-down flights were conducted during the two days. The vertical profiles were supported by continuous measurements at the ground level on both sides of the street canyon. The long-term measurements were conducted during the year 2016. A short period of data was also analysed with respect to the emissions of individual vehicles by using a recorded video of the traffic fleet. As an example of the vertical profiles, Figure 1 shows the LDSA concentration as a function of the altitude. The data measured with a time resolution of one second is seen along with the values averaged for different altitude intervals. The effect of wind conditions and changes in the traffic fleet on the concentration profiles could be analysed. In addition to the vertical profiles, we were able to analyse the LDSA concentrations on the ground level with respect to long-term averages and rapid changes caused by different individual vehicles. This work was conducted in two different research projects. The INKA-ILMA/EAKR project was funded by Tekes, European Union, Finnish companies, Helsinki Region Environmental Authority (HSY), and cities of Tampere and Kuopio. The CITYZER project was funded by Tekes and Finnish companies. References: Marini, S., Buonanno, G., Stabile, L., Avino, P. (2015). Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., 22 (3), 2051-2063. Kuuluvainen, H., Rönkkö, T., Järvinen, A., Saari, S., Karjalainen, P., Lähde, T., Pirjola, L., Niemi, J. V., Hillamo, R., Keskinen, J. (2016). Atmos. Environ., 136, 105-113.

The Hawai`i Supersite: A Success Story for Science and Society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poland, Michael

2017-04-01

In 2008, the Hawai`i Supersite was established to encourage collaborative research into volcanic processes on the Island of Hawai`i and to aid with the assessment and mitigation of volcanic hazards to the local population. Made permanent in 2012, the Supersite hosts a diverse array of data. Comprehensive ground-based monitoring, conducted by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and collaborators, consists of deformation, seismic, gravity, gas emissions, camera observations, and geochemical analyses. Space-based data include over 3500 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images provided by numerous national space agencies. Using these and other datasets, a variety of insights have been gained into how Hawaiian volcanoes work. For example, magma supply to Kīlauea appears to fluctuate on timescales of just a few years and has a direct impact on eruptive activity. Magma accumulation at Kīlauea was found to promote slip on nearby faults, triggering M4+ earthquakes. Magma storage and transport pathways were mapped at both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, providing a basis upon which to interpret past, present, and future monitoring data. In addition, Supersite data, particularly SAR, have been invaluable for operational monitoring of deformation and lava flow emplacement—critical information for understanding the evolving nature of volcanic hazards in Hawai`i. The wealth of available data also has facilitated the development of new methodologies for processing and analyzing SAR data, given the large number of images, availability of ground-based data for calibration/validation, and continuous volcanic activity against which to test new methods. Nine years into the operation of the Hawai`i Supersite, a long list of published research details the success of the initiative; however, a number of challenges remain. First and foremost, there is little coordination of efforts between Supersite scientists, which will stymie the expansion of research efforts in an era of shrinking resources. In addition, synergistic exploitation of Supersite data is still in a nascent stage. For example, SAR and other thermal/visual data acquired from space are rarely used in combination to better understand volcanic processes. Finally, resource management is difficult without specific funding to support the operation of the Supersite. Support for continuation of the Supersite is a worthy cause, however, because the challenges are minimal compared to the weight and accumulated impact of the existing work. Insights from Supersite data have become invaluable to stakeholders on the Island of Hawai`i, and results provide exceptional fodder for scientific exploration into how volcanoes work. Future research will open new avenues for investigating Hawaiian volcanism, as well as how the complementary nature of space-, air-, and ground-based datasets can be optimized to provide insights into assessing, forecasting, and mitigating volcanic hazards in Hawai`i and around the world.

The EVER-EST Virtual Research Environment for the European Volcano Supersites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvi, S.; Trasatti, E.; Rubbia, G.; Romaniello, V.; Marelli, F.

2017-12-01

EVER-EST (European Virtual Environment for Research - Earth Science Themes) is an European H2020 project (2015-2018) aimed at the creation of a Virtual Research Environment (VRE) for the Earth Sciences. The VRE is intended to enhance the ability to collaborate and share knowledge and experience among scientists. One of the innovations of the project is the exploitation of the "Research Object" concept (http://www.rohub.org). Research Objects encapsulate not only data and publications, but also algorithms, codes, results, and workflows that can be stored, shared and re-used. Four scientific communities are involved in the EVER-EST project: land monitoring, natural hazards, marine biology, and the GEO Geohazard Supersites community (http://www.earthobservations.org/gsnl.php). The latter is represented in the project by INGV and the University of Iceland, and has provided user requirements to tailor the VRE to the common needs of the worldwide Supersite communities. To develop and test the VRE we have defined user scenarios and created Research Objects embedding research activities and workflows on the Permanent Supersites Campi Flegrei, Mount Etna and Icelandic Volcanoes (http://vm1.everest.psnc.pl/supersites/). While these Supersites are test sites for the platform, during the last year of the project other Supersites may also be involved to demonstrate the added value of the collaborative environment in research activities aiming to support Disaster Risk Reduction. Using the VRE, scientists are able to collaborate with colleagues located in different parts of the world, in a simple and effective way. This includes being able to remotely access and share data, research results and ideas, to carry out training sessions and discussions, to compare different results and models, and to synthesize many different pieces of information in a single consensus product to be disseminated to end-users. In particular, a further need of the Supersite scientists, which can be fulfilled by EVER-EST especially in less developed countries, is the need to access computing resources and software codes for data processing and modelling, as well as tutoring in data analysis and interpretation. Examples and results illustrating the effective use of the VRE will be presented at the conference.

Improving Scientific Research for the GEO Geohazard Supersites through a Virtual Research Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvi, S.; Trasatti, E.; Rubbia, G.; Romaniello, V.; Spinetti, C.; Corradini, S.; Merucci, L.

2016-12-01

The EU's H2020 EVER-EST Project is dedicated to the realization of a Virtual Research Environment (VRE) for Earth Science researchers, during 2015-2018. EVER-EST implements state-of-the-art technologies in the area of Earth Science data catalogues, data access/processing and long-term data preservation together with models, techniques and tools for the computational methods, such as scientific workflows. The VRE is designed with the aim of providing the Earth Science user community with an innovative virtual environment to enhance their ability to interoperate and share knowledge and experience, exploiting also the Research Object concept. The GEO Geohazard Supersites is one of the four Research Communities chosen to validate the e-infrastructure. EVER-EST will help the exploitation of the full potential of the GEO Geohazard Supersite and Natural Laboratories (GSNL) initiative demonstrating the use case in the Permanent Supersites of Mt Etna, Campi Flegrei-Vesuvius, and Icelandic volcanoes. Besides providing tools for active volcanoes monitoring and studies, we intend to demonstrate how a more organized and collaborative research environment, such as a VRE, can improve the quality of the scientific research on the Geohazard Supersites, addressing at the same time the problem of the slow uptake of scientific research findings in Disaster Risk Management. Presently, the full exploitation of the in situ and satellite data made available for each Supersite is delayed by the difficult access (especially for researchers in developing countries) to intensive processing and modeling capabilities. EVER-EST is designed to provide these means and also a friendly virtual environment for the easy transfer of scientific knowledge as soon as it is acquired, promoting collaboration among researchers located in distant regions of the world. A further benefit will be to increase the societal impact of the scientific advancements obtained in the Supersites, allowing a more uniform interface towards the different user communities, who will use part of the services provided by EVER-EST during research result uptake. We show a few test cases of use of the Geohazard Supersite VRE at the actual state of development, and its future development.

Evidence for Biomass Burning from 14C and 13C/12C Measurements at T-0 and T-1 during MILAGRO.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaffney, J. S.; Marley, N. A.; Tackett, M. J.; Sturchio, N. C.; Heraty, L. J.; Martinez, N.; Hardy, K.; Guilderson, T.

2007-12-01

Both stable carbon isotopic and radiocarbon characterizations of aerosols can yield important information regarding the sources of carbonaceous aerosols in urban and regional environments. Biomass derived materials are labeled due to their recent photochemical activity in radiocarbon and vary depending upon the photochemical pathway (either C-4 or C-3) in stable carbon-13 content. C-4 being enriched over C-3. During the MILAGRO campaign, quartz filter samples were taken at 12 hour intervals from 5 am to 5 pm (day) and from 5 pm to 5 am (night) during the month of March 2006. These samples were taken at the two super-sites, T-0 (Instituto Mexicano de Petroleo in Mexico City) and T-1 (Universidad Technologica de Tecamac, State of Mexico). The total carbon content was analyzed for stable carbon isotopic composition as well as for radiocarbon. Stable isotope mass spectroscopy was used to determine the carbon-13 to carbon-12 isotopic ratios on carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide was then converted to graphite for analysis by accelerator mass spectrometry at the Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Results are presented for the carbon-13 content relative to the PDB standard and radiocarbon is given relative to recent carbon. The results for total radiocarbon content show that the carbonaceous aerosol content in Mexico City has more than half of the carbon coming from biomass derived sources. These can include inflow of biomass burning aerosols into the T-0 site as well as the input from local burning of biofuels and trash containing biomass derived materials (paper, boxes, etc.). Data also indicate that at the T-1 site biomass burning of C-4 grasses appears to be significant in that the carbon-13 values observed are enriched. Also at T-1 the radiocarbon levels are also found to be slightly higher indicating regional biomass burning as a significant contributor to aerosol carbon in the 0.1 to 1.0 micron size fraction. Some day and night differences were observed that indicate secondary organic aerosols are contributing and that a significant fraction of these aerosols are biomass derived. Further analyses of organic carbon and elemental carbon fractions are underway. This work was performed as part of the Department of Energy's Megacity Aerosol Experiment - Mexico City (MAX- Mex) under the support of the Atmospheric Science Program. This research was supported by the Office of Science (BER), U.S. Department of Energy, Grant No. DE-FG02-07ER64328.

Measurements of Criteria Pollutants in Suburban Locations in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fentanes, O.; Sanchez, A.; Garcia, A.; Martinez, A.

2004-12-01

In the town of Santa Ana in the southern part of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) at an approximate height of 370 meters above the Valley of Mexico, a series of criteria pollutants (nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide) and meteorological parameters (wind speed and direction, temperature and relative humidity) were measured during the MCMA-2003 field campaign during April 2003. Santa Ana is considered a border site, agriculture being the predominant activity. The generated data in Santa Ana was compared with those from two representative atmospheric monitoring stations from the southeast zone (CENICA Supersite) and southwest (Revolucion Station) of Mexico City. The carbon monoxide and ozone concentrations measured in Santa Ana are atypical for a rural area. The sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide concentrations are characteristic of the local activity. The average obtained during the measurement time for carbon monoxide was 0.86 ppm, the presence of the contaminant was within a 0.3 to 1.5 ppm range, 5 to 95 percentile, and does not follow the observed behavior of the monitoring stations that are located inside the urban area, although during the night (10 pm to 6 am) the carbon monoxide in Santa Ana was preset in levels from 0.4 to 1.5 ppm, 5 to 95 percentiles, average 0.92 ppm, above the reported concentrations at Revolucion Station, levels from 0.1 to 1.7 ppm, 5 to 95 percentiles; average 0.72 ppm. The presence of this contaminant can be attributed to transportation and accumulation phenomena. The ozone daytime behavior is similar to the one observed in the CENICA and Revolucion stations, but with a lower magnitude, the daily maximum generally occuring 2 or 3 hours after the urban stations. The one-hour average maximum values were 133 ppb in Santa Ana area and 188 ppb in the city. During the night the average concentrations were 37 ppb in Santa Ana and 17 ppb in the urban area. Nevertheless, the ozone average value in Santa Ana during the study was 49 ppb, slightly higher than the one obtained in the urban area, which was 44 ppb. The presence of this contaminant can be possibly attributed to the transportation and accumulation factors as well as to the low reactivity due to the absence of NOx, as explained in Dommen Josef and Prévôt, S.H. André, 2002, Characterization of the photooxidant formation in the metropolitan area of Milan from aircraft measurements, Journal of Geophysical Research, 107 (D22): 8197, doi: 10.1029/2000JD000283.

OVERVIEW AND STATUS OF THE PM SUPERSITES PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The PM Supersites program was first conceived as a set of special studies extending beyond the national regulatory networks for particulate matter (PM) to elucidate source-receptor relationships and atmospheric processes in support of State implementation plans (SIP's). The pr...

Spatial and temporal variability of particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Mexico City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thornhill, D. A.; de Foy, B.; Herndon, S. C.; Onasch, T. B.; Wood, E. C.; Zavala, M.; Molina, L. T.; Gaffney, J. S.; Marley, N. A.; Marr, L. C.

2008-06-01

As part of the Megacities Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) study in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area in March 2006, we measured particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other gaseous species and particulate properties, including light absorbing carbon or effective black carbon (BC), at six locations throughout the city. The measurements were intended to support the following objectives: to describe spatial and temporal patterns in PAH concentrations, to gain insight into sources and transformations of PAHs and BC, and to quantify the relationships between PAHs and other pollutants. Total particulate PAHs at the Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo (T0 supersite) located near downtown averaged 50 ng m-3, and aerosol active surface area averaged 80 mm2 m-3. PAHs were also measured on board the Aerodyne Mobile Laboratory, which visited six sites encompassing a mixture of different land uses and a range of ages of air parcels transported from the city core. A combination of analyses of time series, back trajectories, concentration fields, pollutant ratios, and correlation coefficients supports the concept of T0 as an urban source site, T1 as a receptor site with strong local sources, Pedregal and PEMEX as intermediate sites, Pico Tres Padres as a vertical receptor site, and Santa Ana as a downwind receptor site. Weak intersite correlations suggest that local sources are important and variable and that exposure to PAHs and BC cannot be represented by a single regional-scale value. The relationships between PAHs and other pollutants suggest that a variety of sources and ages of particles are present. Among carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon dioxide, particulate PAHs are most strongly correlated with NOx. Mexico City's PAH/BC mass ratio of 0.01 is similar to that found on a freeway loop in the Los Angeles area and approximately 8 30 times higher than that found in other cities. Evidence also suggests that primary combustion particles are rapidly coated by secondary aerosol in Mexico City. If so, their optical properties may change, and the lifetime of PAHs may be prolonged if the coating protects them against photodegradation or heterogeneous reactions.

OVERVIEW OF THE 1999 ATLANTA SUPERSITE PROJECT

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents an overview of the 1999 Atlanta Supersite Project coordinated through the Southern Oxidants Study and the Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT) and funded by the US EPA along with other sponsors who provided in-kind support primarily through existing studies. ...

PREFACE: SPECIAL ISSUE OF ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT ON FINDINGS FROM EPA'S PARTICULATE MATTER SUPERSITES PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The Supersites Program is a methods development and evaluation, measurements, modeling, and data analysis program designed to provide key stakeholders in the science, regulatory, and policy communities with information to support primarily implementation of National Ambient Air Q...

SEMI-CONTINUOUS AEROSOL CARBON MEASUREMENTS: COMPARISON OF ATLANTA SUPERSITE MEASUREMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

An intensive field campaign of the Atlanta Supersite Experiment was carried out at a ground-based measurement site on Jefferson Street in midtown Atlanta, GA, from 3 August to 1 September, 1999. This paper examines the semi-continuous particulate organic and elemental measureme...

A COMPARISON OF PARTICLE MASS SPECTROMETERS DURING THE 1999 ATLANTA SUPERSITES EXPERIMENT

EPA Science Inventory

During the Atlanta SuperSite Experiment, four particle mass spectrometers were operated together for the first time: NOAA's PALMS (Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry), U. C. Riverside's ATOFMS (Aerosol Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry), U. Delaware's RSMS-II (Rapid Si...

Contribution of the EVER-EST project to the community of the Geohazard Supersites initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trasatti, Elisa; Rubbia, Giuliana; Romaniello, Vito; Merucci, Luca; Corradini, Stefano; Spinetti, Claudia; Puglisi, Giuseppe; Borgstrom, Sven; Salvi, Stefano; Parks, Michelle; Dürig, Tobias; Sigmundsson, Freysteinn

2017-04-01

The EVER-EST project (European Virtual Environment for Research - Earth Science Themes: a solution) is a H2020 project (2015-2018) aimed at the creation of a Virtual Research Environment (VRE) focused on the requirements of the Earth Science community. The VRE is intended to enhance the ability to collaborate, interoperate and share knowledge and experience between all relevant stakeholders, including researchers, monitoring teams and civil protection agencies. Among the innovations of the project is the exploitation of the "Research Object" concept (http://www.rohub.org), i.e. "digital objects that encapsulate essential information about experiments and investigations to facilitate their reusability, reproducibility and better understanding". Research Objects encapsulate not only data and publications, but also algorithms, codes, results, and workflows that can be stored, shared and re-used. The European subgroup of the GEO Geohazard Supersites community involved in the project (INGV, University of Iceland) has provided user requirements and user scenarios, as well as created Research Objects embedding research activities and workflows on the Permanent Supersites Campi Flegrei, Mount Etna and Icelandic Volcanoes. These Supersites play the role of test sites for the platform, but during the last year of the project other Supersites may also be involved, to demonstrate the added value of the collaborative environment in research activities aiming to support Disaster Risk Reduction. Using the VRE, the Supersite scientists should be able to collaborate with colleagues located in different parts of the world, in a simple and effective way. This includes being able to remotely access and share data, research results and ideas, to carry out training sessions and discussions, to compare different results and models, and to synthesize many different pieces of information in a single consensus product to be disseminated to end-users. A further need of the Supersite scientists, which can be fulfilled by EVER-EST especially in less developed countries, is the need to access computing resources and software codes for data processing and modelling, as well as tutoring in data analysis and interpretation. Examples and results illustrating the effective use of the first release of the VRE will be presented at the conference.

SUMMARY OF EMISSIONS MANAGEMENT STRATEGY POLICY RELEVANT FINDINGS FROM EPA'S PM SUPERSITES PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

EPA is developing an integrated synthesis of key scientific and policy-relevant findings from EPA's Particulate Matter Supersites Program. This presentation provides a summary of the program and the integrated synthesis. Since there are many examples of such findings, ranging f...

AN OVERVIEW OF THE OBJECTIVES AND DESIGN OF THE '99 ATLANTA SUPERSITE EXPERIMENT

EPA Science Inventory

During the Summer of 1999, a 4-week intensive field campaign was conducted at a site on Jefferson Street in Midtown Atlanta. The campaign, the 1999 Atlanta Supersites Experiment, was carried out under the direction of the Southern Oxidants Study and represented the first of U....

QUALITY CONTROL OF SEMI-CONTINUOUS MOBILITY SIZE-FRACTIONATED PARTICLE NUMBER CONCENTRATION DATA. (R827352)

EPA Science Inventory

Fine and ultrafine particles have been postulated to play an important role in the association between ambient particulate matters and adverse health effects. As part of the EPA Supersite Program, the Southern California Particle Center & Supersite has conducted a series o...

SPECIAL ISSUE OF ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT FOR PARTICULATE MATTER SUPERSITES PROGRAM AND RELATED STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

This special issue of Atmospheric Environment provides a selection of papers that were presented at the 2005 AAAR PM Supersites Program and Related Studies International Specialty Conference held in Atlanta, GA, 7-11 February 2005. Topics of papers in this issue range from the e...

PREFACE TO SPECIAL SECTION: SOUTHERN OXIDANTS STUDY 1999 ATLANTA SUPERSITE PROJECT (SOS3)

EPA Science Inventory

The Atlanta Supersites Project consisted of a one-month intensive field program to compare advanced methods for measurement of PM2.5 mass, chemical composition, including single particle composition in real-time, and aerosol precursor species. The project was the first of EPA's ...

LINKAGES ACROSS PM POLICY AND RESEARCH: EXAMINING THE POLICY RELEVANT FINDINGS FROM THE PM2.5 SUPERSITES PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The PM2.5 Supersites program was designed to complement routinely operating PM2.5 networks by providing enhanced temporal and chemical/physical composition data in addressing three overarching objectives: supporting health effects and exposure research, advanced monitoring meth...

PREFACE OF SPECIAL ISSUE OF AEROSOL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR PARTICULATE MATTER SUPERSITES PROGRAM AND RELATED STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

This article is the preface or editors note to a dedicated issue of Aerosol Science and Technology, journal of the American Association for Aerosol Research. It includes a selection of scientific papers from the specialty conference entitled, "Particulate Matter Supersites ...

COMPARISON OF INTEGRATED SAMPLERS FOR MASS AND COMPOSITION DURING THE 1999 ATLANTA SUPERSITES PROJECT

EPA Science Inventory

The first of EPA's Particulate Matter (PM) Supersites projects was established in Atlanta, GA during the summer of 1999 in conjunction with the Southern Oxidants Study. The short-term primary focus was a one month intensive field campaign to evaluate advanced PM measurement me...

PREFACE: SPECIAL ISSUE OF AEROSOL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ON FINDINGS FROM THE FINE PARTICULATE MATTER SUPERSITES PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

This collection of papers, which is the first coordinated publication of results from the Phase II Supersites Program, reflects the objectives of the program - to characterize particulate matter, to provide information, such as source-receptor relationships, that support health...

Evapotranspiration-dominated biogeophysical warming effect of urbanization in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Guosong; Dong, Jinwei; Cui, Yaoping; Liu, Jiyuan; Zhai, Jun; He, Tian; Zhou, Yuyu; Xiao, Xiangming

2018-03-01

Given the considerable influences of urbanization on near-surface air temperature (T a ) and surface skin temperature (T s ) at local and regional scales, we investigated the biogeophysical effects of urbanization on T a and T s in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region of China, a typical rapidly urbanizing area, using the weather research and forecasting model (WRF). Two experiments were conducted using satellite-derived realistic areal fraction land cover data in 2010 and 1990 as well as localized parameters (e.g. albedo and leaf area index). Without considering anthropogenic heat, experimental differences indicated a regional biogeophysical warming of 0.15 °C (0.16 °C) in summer T a (T s ), but a negligible warming in winter T a (T s ). Sensitivity analyses also showed a stronger magnitude of local warming in summer than in winter. Along with an increase of 10% in the urban fraction, local T a (T s ) increases of 0.185 °C (0.335 °C), 0.212 °C (0.464 °C), and 0.140 °C (0.220 °C) were found at annual, summer, and winter scales, respectively, according to a space-for-time substitution method. The sensitivity analyses will be beneficial to get a rough biogeophysical warming estimation of future urbanization projections. Furthermore, a decomposed temperature metric (DTM) method was applied for the attribution analyses of the change in T s induced by urbanization. Our results showed that the decrease in evapotranspiration-induced latent heat played a dominate role in biogeophysical warming due to urbanization in BTH, indicating that increasing green space could alleviate warming effects, especially in summer.

SPECIAL ISSUE OF THE JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION ON THE PARTICULATE MATTER SUPERSITES PROGRAM AND RELATED STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

This article is the preface or editors note to the dedicated issue of the Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association for a selection of scientific papers from the specialty conference entitled, "Particulate Matter Supersites Program and Related Studies," that was...

The Hawai`i Supersite: Update and results (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poland, M. P.

2013-12-01

The Hawai`i Supersite was initially established in 2008 and was made permanent in 2012. Over the course of its existence, SAR data have been provided to the Supersite by the Canadian, Japanese, European, Italian, and German space agencies. Well over 2000 individual scenes are part of the Hawai`i archive, amounting to nearly 10 TB of raw data. A diversity of ground-based data, including deformation, seismic, and gas emissions, are also part of the Supersite, supplied by the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and collaborators. The availability of such a broad suite of remote and terrestrial data has facilitated numerous explorations into Hawaiian volcanism, including both operational volcano monitoring and scientific investigations. For example, the 5-9 March 2011 Kamoamoa fissure eruption at Kilauea Volcano was tracked by a spatially and temporally dense set of deformation data. Models based on GPS, tilt, and multiple interferogams acquired over the course of the 4-day-long eruption by the ALOS, TerraSAR-X, and COSMO-SkyMed satellites revealed the complexity of dike opening over time and were corroborated by seismic and gas emission measurements. SAR data provided by the Supersite have also enabled views of surface change that are not possible using other means. High-resolution interferograms (3-m pixel size) from TerraSAR-X and COSMO-SkyMed have detected localized, cm-scale subsidence around Kilauea's summit eruptive vent, with increases in rate during periods of vent instability and rim collapse. South of the summit, along the Koa`e fault zone, InSAR data detected deformation due to shallow earthquakes in June 2011 that could only loosely be characterized by vertical deformation from leveling. Along Kilauea's east rift zone, SAR data have proven invaluable in mapping lava flow activity, especially given their all-weather, broad-scale, and high resolution capabilities. Continued contributions of both ground- and space-based data to the Hawai`i Supersite will expand both the use of such data, as well as the scope of the monitoring and scientific investigations of Hawaiian volcanism. The ultimate goal of the Supersite is to facilitate large-scale collaborations on complex problems of extreme importance to society, for instance, volcanic flank instability, magma plumbing system structure, and eruption precursors.

INTERCOMPARISON OF NEAR REAL-TIME MONITORS OF PM2.5 NITRATE AND SULFATE AT THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ATLANTA SUPERSITE

EPA Science Inventory

Five new instruments for semi-continuous measurements of fine particle (PM2.5) nitrate and sulfate were deployed at the Atlanta Supersite Experiment during an intensive study in August 1999. The instruments measured bulk aerosol chemical composition at rates ranging from every...

Earthquake supersite project in the Messina Straits area (EQUAMES)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattia, Mario; Chiarabba, Claudio; Dell'Acqua, Fabio; Faccenna, Claudio; Lanari, Riccardo; Matteuzzi, Francesco; Neri, Giancarlo; Patanè, Domenico; Polonia, Alina; Prati, Claudio; Tinti, Stefano; Zerbini, Susanna

2015-04-01

A new permanent supersite is going to be proposed to the GEO GSNL (Geohazard Supersites and National Laboratories) for the Messina Straits area (Italy). The justification for this new supersite can be found in its geological and geophysical features and in the exposure to strong earthquakes, also in the recent past (1908). The Messina Supersite infrastructure (EQUAMES: EarthQUAkes in the MEssina Straits) will host, and contribute to the collection of, large amounts of data, basic for the analysis of seismic hazard/risk in this high seismic risk area, including risk from earthquake-related processes such as submarine mass failures and tsunamis. In EQUAMES, data of different types will coexist with models and methods useful for their analysis/interpretation and with first-level products of analysis that can be of interest for different kinds of users. EQUAMES will help all the interested scientific and non-scientific subjects to find and use data and to increase inter-institutional cooperation by addressing the following main topics in the Messina Straits area: • investigation of the geological and physical processes leading to the earthquake preparation and generation; • analysis of seismic shaking at ground (expected and observed); • combination of seismic hazard with vulnerability and exposure data for risk estimates; • analysis of tsunami generation, propagation and coastal inundation deriving from earthquake occurrence also through landslides due to instability conditions of subaerial and submarine slopes; • overall risk associated to earthquake activity in the Supersite area including the different types of cascade effects Many Italian and international Institutions have shown an effective interest in this project where a large variety of geophysical and geological in-situ data will be collected and where the INGV has the leading role with its large infrastructure of seismic, GPS and geochemical permanent stations. The groups supporting EQUAMES compile different expertises which will allow most up-to-date analysis and interpretation of the data to be acquired. Finally, the availability of SAR data from different satellites (ERS, Cosmo SkyMed, Sentinel) can be the key for important improvements in the knowledge of the geodynamics of this area of the Mediterranean Sea.

Fine Aerosol Composition and Radiative Effects in the Baltimore-Washington Corridor: Findings From the 2001 Summer Intensive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, L. A.; Doddridge, B. G.; Dickerson, R. R.; Chow, J. C.; Holben, B. N.

2002-12-01

Chemically speciated PM2.5 and trace gases were measured at Fort Meade (FME: 39.10°N, 76.74°W; elevation 46 m MSL) during summer 2001 (6/30 through 8/3) as a continuous effort of the Maryland Aerosol Research and CHaracterization study. FME is suburban and within 30 km south of the urban Baltimore supersite. 24-hr PM2.5 mass ranged from 2.1 to 29.5 mg m-3. Major species, by average mass fraction, includes sulfate (37%), organic matter (27%), ammonium (13%), elemental carbon (6%), nitrate (3%), and crustal material (3%). Reconstructed PM2.5 mass, calculated by summing the major species, is generally less than the gravimetric mass but within 10% difference. Visible extinction coefficient (bext) was recorded by an Automated Surface Observing System at the Baltimore Washington International Airport and column aerosol optical depth (AOD) by sun radiometers at the Goddard Space Flight Center to evaluate the conditions of regional haze. Both detectors were located within 20 km from FME. The correlation (r2) between 24-hr bext and PM2.5 is low at 0.25 but increases to 0.51 when the aerosol water content, estimated using an aerosol thermodynamic modal ISORROPIA, is taken into account. Water contributed significantly on hazy days. This correlation suggests a mass extinction efficiency of ~ 9 m2 g-1. The hourly AOD at 500 nm was highly correlated with bext in the early morning and late afternoon (r2 ~ 0.9) but not during mid-day hours (r2 ~ 0.3) when bext is generally lower. This result, along with aircraft and ground lidar measurements, implies aloft fine aerosol mass in mid-day and a potentially stronger radiative forcing for the urban corridor.

Aerosol Absorption Measurements in MILAGRO.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaffney, J. S.; Marley, N. A.; Arnott, W. P.; Paredes-Miranda, L.; Barnard, J. C.

2007-12-01

During the month of March 2006, a number of instruments were used to determine the absorption characteristics of aerosols found in the Mexico City Megacity and nearby Valley of Mexico. These measurements were taken as part of the Department of Energy's Megacity Aerosol Experiment - Mexico City (MAX-Mex) that was carried out in collaboration with the Megacity Interactions: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) campaign. MILAGRO was a joint effort between the DOE, NSF, NASA, and Mexican agencies aimed at understanding the impacts of a megacity on the urban and regional scale. A super-site was operated at the Instituto Mexicano de Petroleo in Mexico City (designated T-0) and at the Universidad Technologica de Tecamac (designated T-1) that was located about 35 km to the north east of the T-0 site in the State of Mexico. A third site was located at a private rancho in the State of Hidalgo approximately another 35 km to the northeast (designated T-2). Aerosol absorption measurements were taken in real time using a number of instruments at the T-0 and T-1 sites. These included a seven wavelength aethalometer, a multi-angle absorption photometer (MAAP), and a photo-acoustic spectrometer. Aerosol absorption was also derived from spectral radiometers including a multi-filter rotating band spectral radiometer (MFRSR). The results clearly indicate that there is significant aerosol absorption by the aerosols in the Mexico City megacity region. The absorption can lead to single scattering albedo reduction leading to values below 0.5 under some circumstances. The absorption is also found to deviate from that expected for a "well-behaved" soot anticipated from diesel engine emissions, i.e. from a simple 1/lambda wavelength dependence for absorption. Indeed, enhanced absorption is seen in the region of 300-450 nm in many cases, particularly in the afternoon periods indicating that secondary organic aerosols are contributing to the aerosol absorption. This is likely due to carbonyl- and nitro- functional groups on conjugated and aromatic organic structures (e.g. PAH, and terpene derived products). Using 12-hour fine (0.1-1.0 micron) aerosol samples collected in the field on quartz filters, uv/vis and infrared spectra were obtained in the laboratory using integrating spheres and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, respectively. An inter-comparison of the "real-time" measurements made by the photo-acoustic, aethalometer and MAAP techniques have been described. In addition, the in situ aethalometer (seven-channel) results are compared with continuous integrating sphere uv-visible spectra to examine the angstrom absorption coefficient variance. These results will be briefly overviewed and the specific posters detailing these results will be highlighted highlighted. This work was performed as part of the Department of Energy's Megacity Aerosol Experiment - Mexico City under the support of the Atmospheric Science Program. "This researchwas supported by the Office of Science (BER), U. S. Department of Energy, Grant No. DE-FG02-07ER64329.

The implementation of the Open Access paradigm to the EC-FP7 MED-SUV (Mediterranean Supersite Volcanoes) project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puglisi, Giuseppe; Brito, Fabrice; Caumont, Hervé; D'Auria, Luca; Fernandez, José; Mazzetti, Paolo; Mathieu, Pierre Philippe; Nativi, Stefano; Papeschi, Fabrizio; Pepe, Antonio; Reitano, Danilo; Sangianantoni, Agata; Scarpato, Giovanni; Spampinato, Letizia

2016-04-01

The overall goal of the EC-FP7 Mediterranean Supersite Volcanoes (MED-SUV) project is to apply the rationale of the Supersites GEO initiative to Campi Flegrei/Vesuvius and Mt. Etna to reduce the volcanic risk, by improving the understanding of the underlying geophysical processes, through the integration and sharing of the in-situ and Earth Observation (EO) data sets and the implementation of new instruments and monitoring systems. The project involves 24 EU and no-EU partners, including research and academic institutions, space agencies and SMEs. In this framework, the application of the Open Access paradigm has offered the opportunity to study and apply practical solutions concerning the data management (i.e. data polices, foreground exploitation and sustainability), intellectual property rights (i.e., ownership, licences, agreements) and technical issues (i.e., design and implementation of an interoperability e-infrastructure, access systems, etc.). This contribution presents pro and cons encountered in the project, as well as the main outcomes of the implementation of the Open Access to the Italian Supersites. This experience will be exploited in the building of international research infrastructures, such as EPOS, and the outcomes of the project will contribute to foster the Open Access to the research data in a wide context, as the GEO-GEOSS framework.

The effect of radiometer placement and view on inferred directional and hemispheric radiometric temperatures of an urban canopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adderley, C.; Christen, A.; Voogt, J. A.

2015-07-01

Any radiometer at a fixed location has a biased view when observing a convoluted, three-dimensional surface such as an urban canopy. The goal of this contribution is to determine the bias of various sensors views observing a simple urban residential neighbourhood (nadir, oblique, hemispherical) over a 24 hour cycle under clear weather conditions. The error in measuring a longwave radiation flux density (L) and/or inferring surface temperatures (T0) is quantified for different times over a diurnal cycle. Panoramic time-sequential thermography (PTST) data were recorded by a thermal camera on a hydraulic mast above a residential canyon in Vancouver, BC. The data set resolved sub-facet temperature variability of all representative urban facets in a 360° swath repetitively over a 24-hour cycle. This data set is used along with computer graphics and vision techniques to project measured fields of L for a given time and pixel onto texture sheets of a three-dimensional urban surface model at a resolution of centimetres. The resulting data set attributes L of each pixel on the texture sheets to different urban facets and associates facet location, azimuth, slope, material, and sky view factor. The texture sheets of L are used to calculate the complete surface temperature (T0,C) and to simulate the radiation in the field of view (FOV) of narrow and hemispheric radiometers observing the same urban surface (in absence of emissivity and atmospheric effects). The simulated directional (T0,d) and hemispheric (T0,h) radiometric temperatures inferred from various biased views are compared to T0,C. For a range of simulated off-nadir (φ) and azimuth (Ω) angles, T0,d(φ,Ω) and T0,C differ between -2.6 and +2.9 K over the course of the day. The effects of effective anisotropy are highest in the daytime, particularly around sunrise and sunset when different views can lead to differences in T0,d(φ,Ω) that are as high as 3.5 K. For a sensor with a narrow FOV in the nadir of the urban surface, T0,d(φ=0) differs from T0,C by +1.9 K (day) and by -1.6 K (night). Simulations of the FOV of hemispherical, downward-facing pyrgeometers at 270 positions show considerable variations in the measured L and inferred hemispherical radiometeric temperature T0,h as a function of both horizontal placement and height. The root mean squared error (RMSE) between different horizontal positions in retrieving outgoing longwave emittance L↑ decreased exponentially with height, and was 11.2, 6.3 and 2.0 W m-2 at 2, 3, and 5 times the mean building height zb. Generally, above 3.5zb the horizontal positional error is less than the typical accuracy of common pyrgeometers. The average T0,h over 24 h determined from the hemispherical radiometer sufficiently above an urban surface is in close agreement with the average T0,C. However, over the course of the day, the difference between T0,h and T0,C shows an RMSE of 1.7 K (9.4 W m-2) because the relative contributions of facets within the projected FOV of a pyrgeometer do not correspond to their fractions of the complete urban surface.

The effect of radiometer placement and view on inferred directional and hemispheric radiometric temperatures of a urban canopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adderley, C.; Christen, A.; Voogt, J. A.

2015-02-01

Any radiometer at a fixed location has a biased view when observing a convoluted, three dimensional surface such as an urban canopy. The goal of this contribution is to determine the bias of various sensors views observing a simple urban residential neighbourhood (nadir, oblique, hemispherical) over a 24 h cycle under clear weather conditions. The error in measuring longwave radiance (L) and/or inferring surface temperatures (T0) is quantified for different times over a diurnal cycle. Panoramic time-sequential thermography (PTST) data was recorded by a thermal camera on a hydraulic mast above a residential canyon in Vancouver, BC. The dataset resolved sub-facet temperature variability of all representative urban facets in a 360° swath repetitively over a 24 h cycle. This dataset is used along with computer graphics and vision techniques to project measured fields of L for a given time and pixel onto texture sheets of a three-dimensional urban surface model at a resolution of centimetres. The resulting dataset attributes L of each pixel on the texture sheets to different urban facets and associates facet location, azimuth, slope, material, and sky view factor. The texture sheets of L are used to calculate the complete surface temperature (T0,C) and to simulate the instantaneous field of view (IFOV) of narrow and hemispheric radiometers observing the same urban surface (in absence of emissivity and atmospheric effects). The simulated directional (T0,d) and hemispheric (T0,h) radiometric temperatures inferred from various biased views are compared to T0,C. For a range of simulated off-nadir (ϕ) and azimuth (Ω) angles, T0,d (ϕ, Ω) and T0,C differ between -2.7 and +2.9 K over the course of the day. The effects of effective anisotropy are highest in the daytime, particularly around sunrise and sunset when different views can lead to differences in T0,d (ϕ, Ω) that are as high as 3.5 K. For a sensor with a narrow IFOV in the nadir of the urban surface, T0,d (ϕ = 0°) differs from T0,C by -2.2 K (day) and by +1.6 K (night). Simulations of the IFOV of hemispherical, downward-facing pyrgeometers at 270 positions show considerable variations in the measured L and inferred hemispherical radiometeric temperature T0,h as a function of both horizontal placement and height. The root mean squared error (RMSE) between different horizontal positions in retrieving outgoing longwave emittance L↑ decreased exponentially with height, and was 11.2, 6.3 and 2.0 W m-2 at 2, 3, and 5 times the mean building height zb. Generally, above 3.5 zb the horizontal positional error is less than the typical accuracy of common pyrgeometers. The average T0,h over 24 h determined from the hemispherical radiometer sufficiently above an urban surface is in close agreement with the average T0,C. However, over the course of the day, the difference between T0,h and T0,C shows an RMSE of 1.8 K (9.9 W m-2) because the relative contributions of facets within the projected IFOV of a pyrgeometer do not correspond to their fractions of the complete urban surface.

Effects of urban development in the Puget Lowland, Washington, on interannual streamflow patterns: Consequences for channel form and streambed disturbance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Konrad, Christopher P.; Booth, Derek B.; Burges, Stephen J.

2005-01-01

Recovery and protection of streams in urban areas depend on a comprehensive understanding of how human activities affect stream ecosystems. The hydrologic effects of urban development and the consequences for stream channel form and streambed stability were examined in 16 streams in the Puget Lowland, Washington, using three streamflow metrics that integrate storm‐scale effects of urban development over annual to decadal timescales: the fraction of time that streamflow exceeds the mean streamflow (TQmean), the coefficient of variation of annual maximum streamflow (CVAMF), and the fraction of time that streamflow exceeds the 0.5‐year flood (T0.5). Urban streams had low interannual variability in annual maximum streamflow and brief duration of frequent high flows, as indicated by significant correlations between road density and both CVAMFand T0.5. The broader distribution of streamflow indicated by TQmean may be affected by urban development, but differences in TQmean between streams are also likely a result of other physiographic factors. The increase in the magnitude of frequent high flows due to urban development but not their cumulative duration has important consequences for channel form and bed stability in gravel bed streams because geomorphic equilibrium depends on moderate duration streamflow (e.g., exceeded 10% of the time). Streams with low values of TQmean and T0.5 are narrower than expected from hydraulic geometry. Dimensionless boundary shear stress (t*) for the 0.5‐year flood was inversely related to T0.5 among the streams, indicating frequent and extensive bed disturbance in streams with low values of T0.5. Although stream channels expand and the size of bed material increases in response to urban streamflow patterns, these adjustments may be insufficient to reestablish the disturbance regime in urban streams because of the differential increase in the magnitude of frequent high flows causing disturbance relative to any changes in longer duration, moderate flows that establish a stable channel.

Building a federated data infrastructure for integrating the European Supersites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freda, Carmela; Cocco, Massimo; Puglisi, Giuseppe; Borgstrom, Sven; Vogfjord, Kristin; Sigmundsson, Freysteinn; Ergintav, Semih; Meral Ozel, Nurcan; Consortium, Epos

2017-04-01

The integration of satellite and in-situ Earth observations fostered by the GEO Geohazards Supersites and National Laboratories (GSNL) initiative is aimed at providing access to spaceborne and in-situ geoscience data for selected sites prone to earthquake, volcanic eruptions and/or other environmental hazards. The initiative was launched with the "Frascati declaration" at the conclusion of the 3rd International Geohazards workshop of the Group of Earth Observation (GEO) held in November 2007 in Frascati, Italy. The development of the GSNL and the integration of in-situ and space Earth observations require the implementation of in-situ e-infrastructures and services for scientific users and other stakeholders. The European Commission has funded three projects to support the development of the European supersites: FUTUREVOLC for the Icelandic volcanoes, MED-SUV for Mt. Etna and Campi Flegrei/Vesuvius (Italy), and MARSITE for the Marmara Sea near fault observatory (Turkey). Because the establishment of a network of supersites in Europe will, among other advantages, facilitate the link with the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), EPOS (the European Plate Observing System) has supported these initiatives by integrating the observing systems and infrastructures developed in these three projects in its implementation plan aimed at integrating existing and new research infrastructures for solid Earth sciences. In this contribution we will present the EPOS federated approach and the key actions needed to: i) develop sustainable long-term Earth observation strategies preceding and following earthquakes and volcanic eruptions; ii) develop an innovative integrated e-infrastructure component necessary to create an effective service for users; iii) promote the strategic and outreach actions to meet the specific user needs; iv) develop expertise in the use and interpretation of Supersites data in order to promote capacity building and timely transfer of scientific knowledge. All these will facilitate new scientific discoveries through the availability of unprecedented data sets and it will increase resilience and preparedness in the society. Making straightway available observations of natural processes controlling natural phenomena and promoting their comparison with numerical simulations and their interpretation through theoretical analyses will foster scientific excellence in solid Earth research. The EPOS federated approach might be considered as a proxy for other regions of the world and therefore it could contribute to develop the supersite initiative globally.

Determinants of Tree Assemblage Composition at the Mesoscale within a Subtropical Eucalypt Forest

PubMed Central

Hero, Jean-Marc; Butler, Sarah A.; Lollback, Gregory W.; Castley, James G.

2014-01-01

A variety of environmental processes, including topography, edaphic and disturbance factors can influence vegetation composition. The relative influence of these patterns has been known to vary with scale, however, few studies have focused on environmental drivers of composition at the mesoscale. This study examined the relative importance of topography, catchment flow and soil in influencing tree assemblages in Karawatha Forest Park; a South-East Queensland subtropical eucalypt forest embedded in an urban matrix that is part of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network South-East Queensland Peri-urban SuperSite. Thirty-three LTER plots were surveyed at the mesoscale (909 ha), where all woody stems ≥1.3 m high rooted within plots were sampled. Vegetation was divided into three cohorts: small (≥1–10 cm DBH), intermediate (≥10–30 cm DBH), and large (≥30 cm DBH). Plot slope, aspect, elevation, catchment area and location and soil chemistry and structure were also measured. Ordinations and smooth surface modelling were used to determine drivers of vegetation assemblage in each cohort. Vegetation composition was highly variable among plots at the mesoscale (plots systematically placed at 500 m intervals). Elevation was strongly related to woody vegetation composition across all cohorts (R2: 0.69–0.75). Other topographic variables that explained a substantial amount of variation in composition were catchment area (R2: 0.43–0.45) and slope (R2: 0.23–0.61). Soil chemistry (R2: 0.09–0.75) was also associated with woody vegetation composition. While species composition differed substantially between cohorts, the environmental variables explaining composition did not. These results demonstrate the overriding importance of elevation and other topographic features in discriminating tree assemblage patterns irrespective of tree size. The importance of soil characteristics to tree assemblages was also influenced by topography, where ridge top sites were typically drier and had lower soil nutrient levels than riparian areas. PMID:25501866

EPA Supersites Program-related emissions-based particulate matter modeling: initial applications and advances.

PubMed

Russell, Armistead G

2008-02-01

One objective of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Supersite Program was to provide data that could be used to more thoroughly evaluate and improve air quality models, and then have those models used to address both scientific and policy-related issues dealing with air quality management. In this direction, modeling studies have used Supersites-related data and are reviewed here. Fine temporal resolution data have been used both to test model components (e.g., the inorganic thermodynamic routines) and air quality modeling systems (in particular, Community Multiscale Air Quality [CMAQ] and Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions [CAMx] applications). Such evaluations suggest that the inorganic thermodynamic approaches being used are accurate, as well as the description of sulfate production, although there are significant uncertainties in production of nitric acid, biogenic and ammonia emissions, secondary organic aerosol formation, and the ability to follow the formation and evolution of ultrafine particles. Model applications have investigated how PM levels will respond to various emissions controls, suggesting that nitrate will replace some of the reductions in sulfate particulate matter (PM), although the replacement is small in the summer. Although not part of the Supersite program, modeling being conducted by EPA, regional planning organizations, and states for policy purposes has benefited from the detailed data collected, and the PM models have advanced by their more widespread use.

GEO Supersites Data Exploitation Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lengert, W.; Popp, H.-J.; Gleyzes, J.-P.

2012-04-01

In the framework of the GEO Geohazard Supersite initiative, an international partnership of organizations and scientists involved in the monitoring and assessment of geohazards has been established. The mission is to advance the scientific understanding of geohazards by improving geohazard monitoring through the combination of in-situ and space-based data, and by facilitating the access to data relevant for geohazard research. The stakeholders are: (1) governmental organizations or research institutions responsible for the ground-based monitoring of earthquake and volcanic areas, (2) space agencies and satellite operators providing satellite data, (3) the global geohazard scientific community. The 10.000's of ESA's SAR products are accessible, since beginning 2008, using ESA's "Virtual Archive", a Cloud Computing assets, allowing the global community an utmost downloading performance of these high volume data sets for mass-market costs. In the GEO collaborative context, the management of ESA's "Virtual Archive" and the ordering of these large data sets is being performed by UNAVCO, who is also coordinating the data demand for the several hundreds of co-PIs. ESA is envisaging to provide scientists and developers access to a highly elastic operational e-infrastructure, providing interdisciplinary data on a large scale as well as tools ensuring innovation and a permanent evolution of the products. Consequently, this science environment will help in defining and testing new applications and technologies fostering innovation and new science findings. In Europe, the collaboration between EPOS, "European Plate Observatory System" lead by INGV, and ESA with support of DLR, ASI, and CNES are the main institutional stakeholders for the GEO Supersites contributing also to a unifying e-infrastructure. The overarching objective of the Geohazard Supersites is: "To implement a sustainable Global Earthquake Observation System and a Global Volcano Observation System as part of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)." This presentation will outline the overall concept, objectives, and examples of the e-infrastructure, which is currently being set up for the GEO Supersite initiative helping to advance science.

Volcanic Supersites as cross-disciplinary laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Provenzale, Antonello; Beierkuhnlein, Carl; Giamberini, Mariasilvia; Pennisi, Maddalena; Puglisi, Giuseppe

2017-04-01

Volcanic Supersites, defined in the frame of the GEO-GSNL Initiative, are usually considered mainly for their geohazard and geological characteristics. However, volcanoes are extremely challenging areas from many other points of view, including environmental and climatic properties, ecosystems, hydrology, soil properties and biogeochemical cycling. Possibly, volcanoes are closer to early Earth conditions than most other types of environment. During FP7, EC effectively fostered the implementation of the European volcano Supersites (Mt. Etna, Campi Flegrei/Vesuvius and Iceland) through the MED-SUV and FUTUREVOLC projects. Currently, the large H2020 project ECOPOTENTIAL (2015-2019, 47 partners, http://www.ecopotential-project.eu/) contributes to GEO/GEOSS and to the GEO ECO Initiative, and it is devoted to making best use of remote sensing and in situ data to improve future ecosystem benefits, focusing on a network of Protected Areas of international relevance. In ECOPOTENTIAL, remote sensing and in situ data are collected, processed and used for a better understanding of the ecosystem dynamics, analysing and modelling the effects of global changes on ecosystem functions and services, over an array of different ecosystem types, including mountain, marine, coastal, arid and semi-arid ecosystems, and also areas of volcanic origin such as the Canary and La Reunion Islands. Here, we propose to extend the network of the ECOPOTENTIAL project to include active Volcanic Supersites, such as Mount Etna and other volcanic Protected Areas, and we discuss how they can be included in the framework of the ECOPOTENTIAL workflow. A coordinated and cross-disciplinary set of studies at these sites should include geological, biological, ecological, biogeochemical, climatic and biogeographical aspects, as well as their relationship with the antropogenic impact on the environment, and aim at the global analysis of the volcanic Earth Critical Zone - namely, the upper layer of the Earth surface between the top of the vegetation and the rock matrix in active volcanic areas and Volcanic Supersites.

The MED-SUV Multidisciplinary Interoperability Infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzetti, Paolo; D'Auria, Luca; Reitano, Danilo; Papeschi, Fabrizio; Roncella, Roberto; Puglisi, Giuseppe; Nativi, Stefano

2016-04-01

In accordance with the international Supersite initiative concept, the MED-SUV (MEDiterranean SUpersite Volcanoes) European project (http://med-suv.eu/) aims to enable long-term monitoring experiment in two relevant geologically active regions of Europe prone to natural hazards: Mt. Vesuvio/Campi Flegrei and Mt. Etna. This objective requires the integration of existing components, such as monitoring systems and data bases and novel sensors for the measurements of volcanic parameters. Moreover, MED-SUV is also a direct contribution to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) as one the volcano Supersites recognized by the Group on Earth Observation (GEO). To achieve its goal, MED-SUV set up an advanced e-infrastructure allowing the discovery of and access to heterogeneous data for multidisciplinary applications, and the integration with external systems like GEOSS. The MED-SUV overall infrastructure is conceived as a three layer architecture with the lower layer (Data level) including the identified relevant data sources, the mid-tier (Supersite level) including components for mediation and harmonization , and the upper tier (Global level) composed of the systems that MED-SUV must serve, such as GEOSS and possibly other global/community systems. The Data level is mostly composed of existing data sources, such as space agencies satellite data archives, the UNAVCO system, the INGV-Rome data service. They share data according to different specifications for metadata, data and service interfaces, and cannot be changed. Thus, the only relevant MED-SUV activity at this level was the creation of a MED-SUV local repository based on Web Accessible Folder (WAF) technology, deployed in the INGV site in Catania, and hosting in-situ data and products collected and generated during the project. The Supersite level is at the core of the MED-SUV architecture, since it must mediate between the disparate data sources in the layer below, and provide a harmonized view to the layer above. In order to address data and service heteogeneity, the MED-SUV infrastructure is based on the brokered architecture approach, implemented using the GI-suite Brokering Framework for discovery and access. The GI-Suite Brokering Framework has been extended and configured to broker all the identified relevant data sources. It is also able to publish data according to several de-iure and de-facto standards including OGC CSW and OpenSearch, facilitating the interconnection with external systems. At the Global level, MED-SUV identified the interconnection with GEOSS as the main requirement. Since MED-SUV Supersite level is implemented based on the same technology adopted in the current GEOSS Common Infrastructure (GCI) by the GEO Discovery and Access Broker (GEO DAB), no major interoperability problem is foreseen. The MED-SUV Multidisciplinary Interoperability Infrastructure is complemented by a user portal providing human-to-machine interaction, and enabling data discovery and access. The GI-Suite Brokering Framework APIs and javascript library support machine-to-machine interaction, enabling the creation of mobile and Web applications using information available through the MED-SUV Supersite.

Validation and Error Characterization for the Global Precipitation Measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bidwell, Steven W.; Adams, W. J.; Everett, D. F.; Smith, E. A.; Yuter, S. E.

2003-01-01

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) is an international effort to increase scientific knowledge on the global water cycle with specific goals of improving the understanding and the predictions of climate, weather, and hydrology. These goals will be achieved through several satellites specifically dedicated to GPM along with the integration of numerous meteorological satellite data streams from international and domestic partners. The GPM effort is led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States and the National Space Development Agency (NASDA) of Japan. In addition to the spaceborne assets, international and domestic partners will provide ground-based resources for validating the satellite observations and retrievals. This paper describes the validation effort of Global Precipitation Measurement to provide quantitative estimates on the errors of the GPM satellite retrievals. The GPM validation approach will build upon the research experience of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) retrieval comparisons and its validation program. The GPM ground validation program will employ instrumentation, physical infrastructure, and research capabilities at Supersites located in important meteorological regimes of the globe. NASA will provide two Supersites, one in a tropical oceanic and the other in a mid-latitude continental regime. GPM international partners will provide Supersites for other important regimes. Those objectives or regimes not addressed by Supersites will be covered through focused field experiments. This paper describes the specific errors that GPM ground validation will address, quantify, and relate to the GPM satellite physical retrievals. GPM will attempt to identify the source of errors within retrievals including those of instrument calibration, retrieval physical assumptions, and algorithm applicability. With the identification of error sources, improvements will be made to the respective calibration, assumption, or algorithm. The instrumentation and techniques of the Supersites will be discussed. The GPM core satellite, with its dual-frequency radar and conically scanning radiometer, will provide insight into precipitation drop-size distributions and potentially increased measurement capabilities of light rain and snowfall. The ground validation program will include instrumentation and techniques commensurate with these new measurement capabilities.

Addressing the impact of urban exposure on the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus: The PERU MIGRANT Study.

PubMed

Ruiz-Alejos, Andrea; Carrillo-Larco, Rodrigo M; Miranda, J Jaime; Anderson, Cheryl A M; Gilman, Robert H; Smeeth, Liam; Bernabé-Ortiz, Antonio

2018-04-03

The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of T2DM in three population groups: rural, rural-to-urban migrants and urban dwellers. Data from the PERU MIGRANT Study was analysed. The baseline assessment was conducted in 2007-2008 using a single-stage random sample and further follow-up was undertaken in 2015-16. T2DM was defined based on fasting glucose and self-reported diagnosis. Poisson regression models and robust variance to account for cluster effects were used for reporting risk ratios (RR) and 95%CI. At baseline, T2DM prevalence was 8% in urban, 3.6% in rural-to-urban migrants and 1.5% in rural dwellers. After 7.7 (SD: 1.1) years, 6,076 person-years of follow-up, 61 new cases were identified. The incidence rates in the urban, migrant and rural groups were 1.6, 0.9 and 0.5 per 100 person-years, respectively. Relative to rural dwellers, a 4.3-fold higher risk (95%CI: 1.6-11.9) for developing T2DM was found in urban dwellers and 2.7-fold higher (95%CI: 1.1-6.8) in migrants with ≥30 years of urban exposure. Migration and urban exposure were found as significant risk factors for developing T2DM. Within-country migration is a sociodemographic phenomenon occurring worldwide; thus, it is necessary to disentangle the effect of urban exposure on non-healthy habits and T2DM development.

Quantification of the Impact of the HIV-1-Glycan Shield on Antibody Elicitation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Tongqing; Doria-Rose, Nicole A.; Cheng, Cheng

While the HIV-1-glycan shield is known to shelter Env from the humoral immune response, its quantitative impact on antibody elicitation has been unclear. Here, we use targeted deglycosylation to measure the impact of the glycan shield on elicitation of antibodies against the CD4 supersite. We engineered diverse Env trimers with select glycans removed proximal to the CD4 supersite, characterized their structures and glycosylation, and immunized guinea pigs and rhesus macaques. Immunizations yielded little neutralization against wild-type viruses but potent CD4-supersite neutralization (titers 1: >1,000,000 against four-glycan-deleted autologous viruses with over 90% breadth against four-glycan-deleted heterologous strains exhibiting tier 2 neutralizationmore » character). To a first approximation, the immunogenicity of the glycan-shielded protein surface was negligible, with Env-elicited neutralization (ID50) proportional to the exponential of the protein-surface area accessible to antibody. Based on these high titers and exponential relationship, we propose site-selective deglycosylated trimers as priming immunogens to increase the frequency of site-targeting antibodies.« less

Rural and Urban Living in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury and Comparing Environmental Barriers, Their Health, and Quality-of-Life Outcomes.

PubMed

Glennie, R Andrew; Batke, Juliet; Fallah, Nader; Cheng, Christiana L; Rivers, Carly S; Noonan, Vanessa K; Dvorak, Marcel F; Fisher, Charles G; Kwon, Brian K; Street, John T

2017-10-15

There is worldwide geographic variation in the epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). The aim of this study was to determine whether environmental barriers, health status, and quality-of-life outcomes differ between patients with tSCI living in rural or urban settings, and whether patients move from rural to urban settings after tSCI. A cohort review of the Rick Hansen SCI Registry (RHSCIR) was undertaken from 2004 to 2012 for one province in Canada. Rural/urban setting was determined using postal codes. Outcomes data at 1 year in the community included the Short Form-36 Version 2 (SF36v2™), Life Satisfaction Questionnaire, Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors-Short Form (CHIEF-SF), Functional Independent Measure ® Instrument, and SCI Health Questionnaire. Statistical methodologies used were t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Fisher's exact or χ 2 test. In the analysis, 338 RHSCIR participants were included; 65 lived in a rural setting and 273 in an urban setting. Of the original patients residing in a rural area at discharge,10 moved to an urban area by 1 year. Those who moved from a rural to urban area reported a lower SF-36v2™ Mental Component Score (MCS; p = 0.04) and a higher incidence of depression at 1 year (p = 0.04). Urban patients also reported a higher incidence of depression (p = 0.02) and a lower CHIEF-SF total score (p = 0.01) indicating fewer environmental barriers. No significant differences were found in other outcomes. Results suggest that although the patient outcomes are similar, some patients move from rural to urban settings after tSCI. Future efforts should target screening mental health problems early, especially in urban settings.

Rural and Urban Living in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury and Comparing Environmental Barriers, Their Health, and Quality-of-Life Outcomes

PubMed Central

Batke, Juliet; Fallah, Nader; Cheng, Christiana L.; Rivers, Carly S.; Noonan, Vanessa K.; Dvorak, Marcel F.; Fisher, Charles G.; Kwon, Brian K.; Street, John T.

2017-01-01

Abstract There is worldwide geographic variation in the epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). The aim of this study was to determine whether environmental barriers, health status, and quality-of-life outcomes differ between patients with tSCI living in rural or urban settings, and whether patients move from rural to urban settings after tSCI. A cohort review of the Rick Hansen SCI Registry (RHSCIR) was undertaken from 2004 to 2012 for one province in Canada. Rural/urban setting was determined using postal codes. Outcomes data at 1 year in the community included the Short Form-36 Version 2 (SF36v2™), Life Satisfaction Questionnaire, Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors-Short Form (CHIEF-SF), Functional Independent Measure® Instrument, and SCI Health Questionnaire. Statistical methodologies used were t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Fisher's exact or χ2 test. In the analysis, 338 RHSCIR participants were included; 65 lived in a rural setting and 273 in an urban setting. Of the original patients residing in a rural area at discharge,10 moved to an urban area by 1 year. Those who moved from a rural to urban area reported a lower SF-36v2™ Mental Component Score (MCS; p = 0.04) and a higher incidence of depression at 1 year (p = 0.04). Urban patients also reported a higher incidence of depression (p = 0.02) and a lower CHIEF-SF total score (p = 0.01) indicating fewer environmental barriers. No significant differences were found in other outcomes. Results suggest that although the patient outcomes are similar, some patients move from rural to urban settings after tSCI. Future efforts should target screening mental health problems early, especially in urban settings. PMID:28462633

Variations in levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in type 2 diabetes mellitus between rural and urban Ashanti Region of Ghana.

PubMed

Darko, Samuel N; Yar, Denis D; Owusu-Dabo, Ellis; Awuah, Anthony Afum-Adjei; Dapaah, Williams; Addofoh, Nicholas; Salifu, Samson P; Awua-Boateng, Nana Y; Adomako-Boateng, Fred

2015-09-21

A surge in pro-inflammatory markers, Il-6 and TNF-α, has been associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, there is no data on the dynamics of these markers in T2DM Ghanaian populations. The aim of this study was to determine variations in the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in T2DM patients. This study also examined the associations of IL-6 and TNF-α with anthropometric measurement and the effect of co-morbidity with hypertension using rural and urban dwellers in the Ashanti region, Ghana. A nested case-control design using participants aged 25-70 years consisting of 77 T2DM ± hypertension patients and 112 controls were selected from a larger study on Research on Obesity and Diabetes among African Migrants (RODAM). Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure and body fat percentage were measured. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for glucose, IL-6 and TNF-α levels. The median level of IL-6 was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) among rural dwellers compared to urban dwellers. Inversely, urban dwellers had significantly higher (p = 0.0424) median level of TNF-α compared to rural cases. No significant differences were observed in IL-6 (p = 0.3571) and TNF-α (p = 0.2581) among T2DM patients compared with T2DM ± hypertension patients. A weak negative correlation was found between IL-6 and BMI in urban T2DM. The average level of IL-6 was higher in rural T2DM participants compared with those in urban setting. However, higher levels of TNF-α was observed among the study participants with T2DM in urban settings compared to those of rural. In this study, we observed that co-morbidity of hypertension had no significant effect on the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α. We are of the opinion that higher physical activity levels among rural particpants and high obesity levels in urabn participants explain the observation but needs more numbers to validate. This study revealed that IL-6 levels were higher among rural dwellers than urban while TNF-α levels were higher in urban dwellers than rural in patients with T2DM. There was no association of body fat percentage and body mass index with IL-6 and TNF-α levels. Co-morbidity of hypertension with T2DM had no effect on IL-6 and TNF-α levels.

The Mediterranean Supersite Volcanoes (MED-SUV) Project: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puglisi, G.

2013-12-01

The EC FP7 MEDiterranean SUpersite Volcanoes (MED-SUV) EC-FP7 Project, which started on June 2013, aims to improve the capacity of the scientific institutions, end users and SME forming the project consortium to assess the volcanic hazards at Italian Supersites, i.e. Mt. Etna and Campi Flegrei/Vesuvius. The Project activities will focus on the optimisation and integration of ground and space monitoring systems, the breakthrough in understanding of volcanic processes, and on the increase of the effectiveness of the coordination between the scientific and end-user communities in the hazard management. The overall goal of the project is to apply the rationale of the Supersites GEO initiative to Mt. Etna and Campi Flegrei/Vesuvius, considered as cluster of Supersites. For the purpose MED-SUV will integrate long-term observations of ground-based multidisciplinary data available for these volcanoes, i.e. geophysical, geochemical, and volcanological datasets, with Earth Observation (EO) data. Merging of different parameters over a long period will provide better understanding of the volcanic processes. In particular, given the variety of styles and intensities of the volcanic activity observed at these volcanoes, and which make them sort of archetypes for 'closed conduit '; and ';open conduit' volcanic systems, the combination of different data will allow discrimination between peculiar volcano behaviours associated with pre-, syn- and post-eruptive phases. Indeed, recognition of specific volcano patterns will allow broadening of the spectrum of knowledge of geo-hazards, as well as better parameterisation and modelling of the eruptive phenomena and of the processes occurring in the volcano supply system; thus improving the capability of carrying out volcano surveillance activities. Important impacts on the European industrial sector, arising from a partnership integrating the scientific community and SMEs to implement together new observation/monitoring sensors/systems, are also expected. MED-SUV proposes the development and implementation of a state-of-the-art e-infrastructure for the data integration and sharing and for volcanic risk management life-cycle, from observation to people preparedness. Experiments and studies will be devoted to better understanding of the internal structures and related dynamics of the case study volcanoes, as well as to recognition of signals associated with to impending unrest or eruptive phases. Hazard quantitative assessment will benefit by the outcomes of these studies and by their integration into the cutting edge monitoring approaches, thus leading to a step-change in hazard awareness and preparedness, and leveraging the close relationship between scientists, SMEs, and end-users. The applicability of the project outcomes will be tested on the cluster of Supersite itself during a Pilot phase, as well as on other volcanic systems with similar behaviours like Piton de la Fournaise (Reunion Island) and Azores.

The Mediterranean Supersite Volcanoes (MED-SUV) Project: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puglisi, Giuseppe

2014-05-01

The EC FP7 MEDiterranean SUpersite Volcanoes (MED-SUV) EC-FP7 Project, which started on June 2013, aims to improve the capacity of the scientific institutions, end users and SME forming the project consortium to assess the volcanic hazards at Italian Supersites, i.e. Mt. Etna and Campi Flegrei/Vesuvius. The Project activities will focus on the optimisation and integration of ground and space monitoring systems, the breakthrough in understanding of volcanic processes, and on the increase of the effectiveness of the coordination between the scientific and end-user communities in the hazard management. The overall goal of the project is to apply the rationale of the Supersites GEO initiative to Mt. Etna and Campi Flegrei/Vesuvius, considered as cluster of Supersites. For the purpose MED-SUV will integrate long-term observations of ground-based multidisciplinary data available for these volcanoes, i.e. geophysical, geochemical, and volcanological datasets, with Earth Observation (EO) data. Merging of different parameters over a long period will provide better understanding of the volcanic processes. In particular, given the variety of styles and intensities of the volcanic activity observed at these volcanoes, and which make them sort of archetypes for 'closed conduit ' and 'open conduit' volcanic systems, the combination of different data will allow discrimination between peculiar volcano behaviours associated with pre-, syn- and post-eruptive phases. Indeed, recognition of specific volcano patterns will allow broadening of the spectrum of knowledge of geo-hazards, as well as better parameterisation and modelling of the eruptive phenomena and of the processes occurring in the volcano supply system; thus improving the capability of carrying out volcano surveillance activities. Important impacts on the European industrial sector, arising from a partnership integrating the scientific community and SMEs to implement together new observation/monitoring sensors/systems, are also expected. MED-SUV proposes the development and implementation of a state-of-the-art e-infrastructure for the data integration and sharing and for volcanic risk management life-cycle, from observation to people preparedness. Experiments and studies will be devoted to better understanding of the internal structures and related dynamics of the case study volcanoes, as well as to recognition of signals associated with to impending unrest or eruptive phases. Hazard quantitative assessment will benefit by the outcomes of these studies and by their integration into the cutting edge monitoring approaches, thus leading to a step-change in hazard awareness and preparedness, and leveraging the close relationship between scientists, SMEs, and end-users. The applicability of the project outcomes will be tested on the cluster of Supersite itself during a Pilot phase, as well as on other volcanic systems with similar behaviours like Piton de la Fournaise (Reunion Island) and Azores.

Mt. Etna: rationale and implementation of a Supersite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puglisi, Giuseppe

2017-04-01

Mt. Etna is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth and, in the past few decades, has erupted virtually every year. The volcanism of Mt. Etna results from the interaction between magma ascent in the rather complex plumbing feeding system and the local tectonic regime controlled by the volcano edifice's eastern flank instability, whose driving conditions (e.g., structural setting, tectonic forces) and cause-effect relationships are not yet completely understood. At the surface, the combination of the two factors produces eruptions that might consist of either strongly explosive (e.g., 2002; 2011) and produce volcanic ash plumes likely to disrupt air traffic for hours to weeks (e.g., 5 January 2012), including powerful summit paroxysms in the 2012-2013 time span or lava flows capable of invading the populated sectors, that can threat human property and vital infrastructures. Mt. Etna presents many characteristics that make it prone to be a Geohazard Supersite. The volcano consists of an open-vent system characterised by continuous degassing from the volcano summit craters and frequent eruptive summit and flank eruptions. Eruptions can be of different kinds passing from violent short-lasting explosive events to long-lasting lava output, thus producing different kinds of impacts on the surrounding environment, and especially on the large number of people living around the volcano foot. Over time, the frequency and variety of Mt. Etna's eruptive activity have made the volcano one of the most well-studied and monitored worldwide. At Mt. Etna volcanic activity produces a wide spectrum of signals, spanning from seismic and geodetic to geochemical and radiometric signals, which are tracked in continuous and in real-and quasi-real time by the automatic multi-disciplinary monitoring systems deployed by INGV. The huge amount of ground-based collected data sets enforces the vision of Mt. Etna supersite as a Geohazard Supersite where applying the overarching criteria of the Geohazard supersite initiative of enriching the knowledge on geohazards, and promoting the co-operation between space and in situ data providers and data cross-domain sharing. In particular the Mt. Etna volcano supersite offers the chance to: • achieve new scientific results based on the use of available unprecedented data sets; • develop and transfer timely scientific knowledge on volcanic crises; • develop sustainable long-term Earth observation strategies following eruption. • establish user requirements for the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) The interest of the international volcanological community on Mt. Etna, as well as the growing role as laboratory for hazard assessment during the 20th century, is testified by the inclusion of Mt. Etna in the list of "Decades Volcanoes" identified by the IAVCEI commission during the International Decade for the Natural Disaster Reduction of the UN, and by the great amount of scientific publications (e.g., more than 70 per year, on average, on Mt. Etna over the last ten years). The EC FP7 MED-SUV project allowed making operational the Mt. Etna Supersite by integrating in-situ and EO data sets, by fostering cut-crossing research activities on the internal and superficial volcanic processes, by improving the capability of the hazard assessment and by implementing an e-Infrastructure for the sharing of the data and products.

Intercomparison of near real time monitors of PM2.5 nitrate and sulfate at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Atlanta Supersite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, R.; Orsini, D.; Duan, Y.; Baumann, K.; Kiang, C. S.; Chameides, W.; Lee, Y. N.; Brechtel, F.; Klotz, P.; Jongejan, P.; ten Brink, H.; Slanina, J.; Boring, C. B.; Genfa, Z.; Dasgupta, P.; Hering, S.; Stolzenburg, M.; Dutcher, D. D.; Edgerton, E.; Hartsell, B.; Solomon, P.; Tanner, R.

2003-04-01

Five new instruments for semicontinuous measurements of fine particle (PM2.5) nitrate and sulfate were deployed in the Atlanta Supersite Experiment during an intensive study in August 1999. The instruments measured bulk aerosol chemical composition at rates ranging from every 5 min to once per hour. The techniques included a filter sampling system with automated water extraction and online ion chromatographic (IC) analysis, two systems that directly collected particles into water for IC analysis, and two techniques that converted aerosol nitrate or sulfate either catalytically or by flash vaporization to gaseous products that were measured with gas analyzers. During the one-month study, 15-min integrated nitrate concentrations were low, ranging from about 0.1 to 3.5 μg m-3 with a mean value of 0.5 μg m-3. Ten-minute integrated sulfate concentrations varied between 0.3 and 40 μg m-3 with a mean of 14 μg m-3. By the end of the one-month study most instruments were in close agreement, with r-squared values between instrument pairs typically ranging from 0.7 to 0.94. Based on comparison between individual semicontinuous devices and 24-hour integrated filter measurements, most instruments were within 20-30% for nitrate (˜0.1-0.2 μg m-3) and 10-15% for sulfate (1-2 μg m-3). Within 95% confidence intervals, linear regression fits suggest that no biases existed between the semicontinuous techniques and the 24-hour integrated filter measurements of nitrate and sulfate;, however, for nitrate, the semicontinuous intercomparisons showed significantly less variability than intercomparisons amongst the 24-hour integrated filters.

A detailed characterization of the Saharan dust collected during the Fennec campaign in 2011: in situ ground-based and laboratory measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rocha-Lima, Adriana; Vanderlei Martins, J.; Remer, Lorraine A.; Todd, Martin; Marsham, John H.; Engelstaedter, Sebastian; Ryder, Claire L.; Cavazos-Guerra, Carolina; Artaxo, Paulo; Colarco, Peter; Washington, Richard

2018-01-01

Millions of tons of mineral dust are lifted by the wind from arid surfaces and transported around the globe every year. The physical and chemical properties of the mineral dust are needed to better constrain remote sensing observations and are of fundamental importance for the understanding of dust atmospheric processes. Ground-based in situ measurements and in situ filter collection of Saharan dust were obtained during the Fennec campaign in the central Sahara in 2011. This paper presents results of the absorption and scattering coefficients, and hence single scattering albedo (SSA), of the Saharan dust measured in real time during the last period of the campaign and subsequent laboratory analysis of the dust samples collected in two supersites, SS1 and SS2, in Algeria and in Mauritania, respectively. The samples were taken to the laboratory, where their size and aspect ratio distributions, mean chemical composition, spectral mass absorption efficiency, and spectral imaginary refractive index were obtained from the ultraviolet (UV) to the near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. At SS1 in Algeria, the time series of the scattering coefficients during the period of the campaign show dust events exceeding 3500 Mm-1, and a relatively high mean SSA of 0.995 at 670 nm was observed at this site. The laboratory results show for the fine particle size distributions (particles diameter  < 5µm and mode diameter at 2-3 µm) in both sites a spectral dependence of the imaginary part of the refractive index Im(m) with a bow-like shape, with increased absorption in UV as well as in the shortwave infrared. The same signature was not observed, however, in the mixed particle size distribution (particle diameter < 10 µm and mode diameter at 4 µm) in Algeria. Im(m) was found to range from 0.011 to 0.001i for dust collected in Algeria and 0.008 to 0.002i for dust collected in Mauritania over the wavelength range of 350-2500 nm. Differences in the mean elemental composition of the dust collected in the supersites in Algeria and in Mauritania and between fine and mixed particle size distributions were observed from EDXRF measurements, although those differences cannot be used to explain the optical properties variability between the samples. Finally, particles with low-density typically larger than 10 µm in diameter were found in some of the samples collected at the supersite in Mauritania, but these low-density particles were not observed in Algeria.

The FUTUREVOLC Supersite's e-Infrastructure - A multidisciplinary data hub and data service for Icelandic Volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogfjörd, Kristín S.; Sigmundsson, Freysteinn; Sverrisson, Sverrir Th.; Sigurdsson, Sigurdur F.; Ófeigsson, Benedikt G.; Arnarsson, Ólafur S.; Kristinsson, Ingvar; Ilyinskaya, Evgenia; Oddsdóttir, Thorarna Ýr; Bergsveinsson, Sölvi Th.; Hjartansson, Kristján R.

2014-05-01

The FUTUREVOLC volanological supersite will establish a data hub and dataservice, where researchers, hazard managers and other stake holders can freely obtain access to multidisciplinary data and products on activity, unrest and eruptions at Icelandic volcanoes. The supersite is firmly founded on close interaction between the main Icelandic volcanological research and monitoring institutions, in coordination with expertise from European researchers participating in FUTUREVOLC. The hub is located at the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), an institution responsible for monitoring and archiving data on all natural hazards in Iceland and, which also has a mandate as the state volcano observatory. This association will ensure a long-term sustainable data service. The data accessible at the hub include in-situ and space-based observations, products and models from all the relevant disciplines contributing to volcanological research and local as well as cross-border hazard management, i.e. Earth sciences, atmospheric science, hydrology, remote sensing and space science. Access to the data will be in compliance with the access policy of the GEO (Group on Earth Observations), providing registered users with easy and timely access to data and products of documented quality. This commitment has already led to the acceptance of FUTUREVOLC as a permanent geohazard supersite by CEOS (Committee on Earth Observation Satellites), which will ensure access to additional satellite data and products on Icelandic volcanoes. To facilitate services to seismological data at the supersite hub, the IMO is reconstructing its existing data base and utilizing the SeisComp3 software to manage waveform and parameter data. The accompanying ArcLink component will be used to provide access to event data and waveforms. Access to GPS data will be provided by the GSAC web service which has been installed at the IMO through collaboration with UNAVCO. If appropriate, the format and data base structure of SeisComp will be used to store other time series data or point observations and either ArcLink or GSAC may be used to service the access to these data. However, the software development required for the overall construction of the FUTUREVOLC data hub and web service will be performed by two Icelandic software companies participating in the project. Once established, the goal is for the FUTUREVOLC data service to become a volcanological data node in EPOS (the European Plate Observing System), providing access to data and services on Icelandic volcanoes. Collaboration between FUTUREVOLC and the e-Infrastructure working group of EPOS (WG7) has already been initiated and the supersite hub will implement a CERIF metadata base (Common European Research Information Format), which has been chosen by EPOS to facilitate discovery and joint analysis of different datasets. Future developments in Nordic collaboration in meteorology may also lead to possible association of High Performance Computing with the data node.

Ground-Based Network and Supersite Observations to Complement and Enrich EOS Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsay, Si-Chee; Holben, Brent N.; Welton, Ellsworth J.

2011-01-01

Since 1997 NASA has been successfully launching a series of satellites - the Earth Observing System (EOS) - to intensively study, and gain a better understanding of, the Earth as an integrated system. Space-borne remote sensing observations, however, are often plagued by contamination of surface signatures. Thus, ground-based in-situ and remote-sensing measurements, where signals come directly from atmospheric constituents, the sun, and/or the Earth-atmosphere interactions, provide additional information content for comparisons that confirm quantitatively the usefulness of the integrated surface, aircraft, and satellite datasets. Through numerous participations, particularly but not limited to the EOS remote-sensing/retrieval and validation projects over the years, NASA/GSFC has developed and continuously refined ground-based networks and mobile observatories that proved to be vital in providing high temporal measurements, which complement and enrich the satellite observations. These are: the AERO NET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) a federation of ground-based globally distributed network of spectral sun-sky photometers; the MPLNET (Micro-Pulse Lidar NETwork, a similarly organized network of micro-pulse lidar systems measuring aerosol and cloud vertical structure continuously; and the SMART-COMMIT (Surface-sensing Measurements for Atmospheric Radiative Transfer - Chemical, Optical & Microphysical Measurements of In-situ Troposphere, mobile observatories, a suite of spectral radiometers and in-situ probes acquiring supersite measurements. Most MPLNET sites are collocated with those of AERONET, and both networks always support the deployment of SMART-COMMIT worldwide. These data products follow the data structure of EOS conventions: Level-0, instrument archived raw data; Level-1 (or 1.5), real-time data with no (or limited) quality assurance; Level-2, not real high temporal and spectral resolutions. In this talk, we will present NASA/GSFC groundbased facilities, serving as network or supersite observations, which have been playing key roles in major international research projects over diverse aerosol regimes to complement and enrich the EOS scientific research.

Spatiotemporal trends of urban heat island effect along the urban development intensity gradient in China.

PubMed

Zhou, Decheng; Zhang, Liangxia; Hao, Lu; Sun, Ge; Liu, Yongqiang; Zhu, Chao

2016-02-15

Urban heat island (UHI) represents a major anthropogenic modification to the Earth system and its relationship with urban development is poorly understood at a regional scale. Using Aqua MODIS data and Landsat TM/ETM+ images, we examined the spatiotemporal trends of the UHI effect (ΔT, relative to the rural reference) along the urban development intensity (UDI) gradient in 32 major Chinese cities from 2003 to 2012. We found that the daytime and nighttime ΔT increased significantly (p<0.05, mostly in linear form) along a rising UDI for 27 and 30 out of 32 cities, respectively. More rapid increases were observed in the southeastern and northwestern parts of China in the day and night, respectively. Moreover, the ΔT trends differed greatly by season and during daytime in particular. The ΔT increased more rapidly in summer than in winter during the day and the reverse occurred at night for most cities. Inter-annually, the ΔT increased significantly in about one-third of the cities during both the day and night times from 2003 to 2012, especially in suburban areas (0.25

Retinopathy in type 1 diabetes mellitus: Major differences between rural and urban dwellers in northwest Ethiopia.

PubMed

Alemu, Shitaye; Dessie, Abere; Tsegaw, Asamere; Patterson, Christopher C; Parry, Eldryd H O; Phillips, David I W; Trimble, Elisabeth R

2015-07-01

To audit levels of diabetes-related eye disease in Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients in northwest Ethiopia. In particular to establish whether, despite identical clinical goals, major differences between the physically demanding life-style of rural subsistence farmers and the sedentary life-style of urban dwellers would influence the prevalence of diabetes-related eye complications. A robust infrastructure for chronic disease management that comprehensively includes all rural dwellers was a pre-requisite for the investigation. A total of 544 T1DM were examined, representing 80% of all T1DM patients under regular review at both the urban and rural clinics and representative of patient age and gender (62.1% male, 37.9% female) of T1DM patients from this region; all were supervised by the same clinical team. Eye examinations were performed for visual acuity, cataract and retinal changes (retinal photography). HbA1c levels and the presence or absence of hypertension were recorded. Urban and rural groups had similar prevalences of severe visual impairment/blindness (7.0% urban, 5.2% rural) and cataract (7.3% urban, 7.1% rural). By contrast, urban dwellers had a significantly higher prevalence of retinopathy compared to rural patients, 16.1% and 5.0%, respectively (OR 2.9, p<0.02, after adjustment for duration, age, gender and hypertension). There was a 3-fold greater prevalence of hypertension in urban patients, whereas HbA1c levels were similar in the two groups. Since diabetic retinopathy is closely associated with microvascular disease and endothelial dysfunction, the possible influences of hypertension to increase and of sustained physical activity to reduce endothelial dysfunction are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison and evaluation of in situ and filter carbon measurements at the Fresno Supersite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watson, John G.; Chow, Judith C.

2002-11-01

The Fresno Supersite in Fresno, California, USA, acquires in situ 5- to 60-min average PM2.5 organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and total carbon (TC) measurements by the following methods: (1) thermal evolution carbon analyzer for organic, elemental, and total carbon; (2) single-wavelength and seven-color aethalometer for black carbon (BC); and (3) photoionization for particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Twenty-four-hour average PM2.5 filter-based measurements include (1) nondenuded quartz filters with no backup filter in a PM2.5 Federal Reference Method (FRM) sampler; (2) quartz filters behind an organic carbon denuder with a quartz backup filter in a Reference Ambient Aerosol Sampler (RAAS); (3) nondenuded quartz filters with backup filter in a RAAS; and (4) nondenuded quartz filters with no backup filter in a sequential filter sampler. Filter samples are analyzed after sampling by the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) thermal/optical reflectance carbon analysis protocol. Collocated measurements are examined for year 2000. Measurement equivalence is found for PM2.5 mass, light transmission, and TC between the FRM and RAAS speciation samplers. The average ratios of front filter carbon between the denuded and nondenuded channels in the RAAS sampler are 0.83 ± 0.19 for TC, 0.81 ± 0.20 for OC, and 1.01 ± 0.33 for EC. The average differences for TC and OC are low (1.2 to 1.4 μg m-3) and are comparable to the measurement uncertainties. Continuous thermal evolution carbon measurements are not comparable to filter measurements. Aethalometer BC and filter EC are highly correlated, but filter EC is consistently 20-25% higher than continuous aethalometer BC. Pairwise comparisons show filter EC measurements acquired in this study are predictable from aethalometer BC measurements.

MEDiterranean Supersite Volcanoes (MED-SUV) project: state of the art and main achievements after the first 18 months

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puglisi, Giuseppe; Spampinato, Letizia; Allard, Patrick; Baills, Audrey; Briole, Pierre; D'Auria, Luca; Dingwell, Donald; Martini, Marcello; Kueppers, Ulrich; Marzocchi, Warner; Minet, Christian; Vagner, Amélie

2015-04-01

Taking account of the valuable resources and information available for Mt. Etna, Campi Flegrei, and Vesuvius Supersites, MED-SUV aims at exploiting the huge record of geophysical, geochemical and volcanological data available for the three Supersite volcanoes and carry out experiments to fill gaps in the knowledge of the structure of these volcanoes and of the processes driving their activity. The project's activities have focused on (1) gaining new insights into the inner structure of these volcanoes; (2) evaluating the suitability of the current EO and in-situ observations to track the dynamics of the volcano supply system and/or the eruptive phenomena, (3) making the access to observations easy; (4) defining the effects of magma ascent on the stress/strain field (and vice versa); (5) assessing the capability of the Earth science community to forecast the occurrence of eruptions in terms of both location and time of an eruption; (6) optimizing the chain from observations to end-users during an eruptive event; and (7) making the project outcomes "exportable" to other European volcanic areas and elsewhere. Indeed, the overall goal of the project is to apply the rationale of the Geohazard Supersites and Natural Laboratories GEO-GEOSS initiative to the three volcanoes, in order to better assess the volcanic hazards they posed. In the first 18 months, MED-SUV consortium carried out activities relating to coordination, scientific/technological development, and dissemination. Coordination included mainly meetings organised in order to start the project and consortium activity and to strengthen the synergy with EC and international initiatives, such as geohazard activities of GEO-GEOSS, EPOS-PP and the other two FP7 Supersite projects, MARsite and FUTUREVOLC. The main scientific/technological results included the design and development of a prototype (NETVIS) for the optimization and implementation of processing tools for the analysis of Mt. Etna's camera network, design of the interoperable architecture of the e-Infrastructure of the project, preliminary results of the geophysical and geochemical campaigns carried out at Campi Flegrei and Vesuvius volcanoes, TOMO-ETNA seismic experiment, and multidisciplinary campaigns at Mt. Etna's North-East crater. Beside these results, key achievements were the definition of the guidelines for the consortium data policy, MED-SUV website and facebook webpage, MED-SUV video in cooperation with INGV and ESA, and educational activities in selected schools of countries involved in the project.

NARSTO EPA SS PITTSBURGH GAS PM PROPERTY DATA

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2018-04-09

... Sizer Nephelometer Aerosol Collector SMPS - Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer Fluorescence Spectroscopy ... Get Google Earth Related Data:  Environmental Protection Agency Supersites Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ...

CCN activity of thermodenuded aerosol particles downwind of the Sacramento area urban plume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiranuma, N.; Cziczo, D. J.; Nelson, D.; Zhang, Q.; Setyan, A.; Song, C.; Shrivastava, M.; Shilling, J. E.

2010-12-01

This study focuses on the characterization of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) properties of aerosol particles measured during the Carbonaceous Aerosols and Radiative Effects Study (CARES) near Sacramento, CA in June 2010. Supersaturation-dependant CCN activity (0.07 - 0.5% supersaturation) was measured with DMT CCN counters at two locations; one near the city center (T0) and the other in Cool, CA, a small town located ~40 kilometers downwind of the urban plume in the Sierra Nevada foothills (T1). The T1 CCN counter was operated behind a thermodenuder to study volatility-dependant CCN activity of the urban aerosol plume as it was transported into the biogenically influenced foothills. Preliminary analysis indicated that activated fraction was inversely proportional to the thermodenuder temperature, suggesting that the more-volatile fraction of the aerosol might have played an important role in the CCN activity of the aerosol. The relationship between the chemical composition and CCN activity of the aerosol will be discussed. The physical and chemical transformations of particles aged in the foothills as well as the diurnal profiles of CCN both at T0 and T1 will also be discussed for the transport event of 15 June 2010.

NARSTO EPA SS PITTSBURGH MET DATA

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2018-04-06

... Surface Pressure Solar Irradiance Ultraviolet Radiation Order Data:  Earthdata Search:   Order Data ... Earth Related Data:  Environmental Protection Agency Supersites Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania SCAR-B ...

NARSTO EPA SS LOS ANGELES SMPS DATA

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2018-04-09

... Ground Station Instrument:  SMPS - Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer Location:  Los Angeles, ... Get Google Earth Related Data:  Environmental Protection Agency Supersites Los Angeles, California ...

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Ghana during the Rural-to-Urban Transition: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Kodaman, Nuri; Aldrich, Melinda C.; Sobota, Rafal; Asselbergs, Folkert W.; Poku, Kwabena A.; Brown, Nancy J.; Moore, Jason H.; Williams, Scott M.

2016-01-01

Populations in sub-Saharan Africa are shifting from rural to increasingly urban. Although the burden of cardiovascular disease is expected to increase with this changing landscape, few large studies have assessed a wide range of risk factors in urban and rural populations, particularly in West Africa. We conducted a cross-sectional, population-based survey of 3317 participants from Ghana (≥18 years old), of whom 2265 (57% female) were from a mid-sized city (Sunyani, population ~250,000) and 1052 (55% female) were from surrounding villages (populations <5000). We measured canonical cardiovascular disease risk factors (BMI, blood pressure, fasting glucose, lipids) and fibrinolytic markers (PAI-1 and t-PA), and assessed how their distributions and related clinical outcomes (including obesity, hypertension and diabetes) varied with urban residence and sex. Urban residence was strongly associated with obesity (OR: 7.8, 95% CI: 5.3–11.3), diabetes (OR 3.6, 95% CI: 2.3–5.7), and hypertension (OR 3.2, 95% CI: 2.6–4.0). Among the quantitative measures, most affected were total cholesterol (+0.81 standard deviations, 95% CI 0.73–0.88), LDL cholesterol (+0.89, 95% CI: 0.79–0.99), and t-PA (+0.56, 95% CI: 0.48–0.63). Triglycerides and HDL cholesterol profiles were similarly poor in both urban and rural environments, but significantly worse among rural participants after BMI-adjustment. For most of the risk factors, the strength of the association with urban residence did not vary with sex. Obesity was a major exception, with urban women at particularly high risk (26% age-standardized prevalence) compared to urban men (7%). Overall, urban residents had substantially worse cardiovascular risk profiles, with some risk factors at levels typically seen in the developed world. PMID:27732601

Virunga Volcanoes Supersite: a collaborative initiative to improve Geohazards Assessment and Monitoring of Active Volcanoes in a highly populated region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balagizi, Charles M.; Mahinda, Celestin K.; Yalire, Mathieu M.; Ciraba, Honoré M.; Mavonga, Georges T.

2017-04-01

Located within the western branch of the East African Rift System (EARS), the Virunga Volcanic Province is a young highly volcanically and seismically active region. It provides a unique opportunity to study deep mantle upwelling through the crust. Several Geohazards are encountered in this highly populated region, and include volcanic hazards (lava flows, volcanic gases and ash, …), earthquake hazard; landslide, mud flows and floods hazards. In addition, the overturn of Lake Kivu (which lies in the Kivu Graben, western branch of the EARS) could release huge CO2 and CH4 into the atmosphere. A few days after the January 17, 2002 Nyiragongo eruption whose lava flows devastated Goma city, destroying the houses of ˜120,000 people, forced a mass self-evacuation of ˜300,000 people of Goma (of estimated ˜400,000 inhabitants), and killed ˜140 people; the international scientific community deployed a "dream scientific team" to evaluate the state of Geohazards in the Virunga region. Particularly, the team had to check whether the stability of Lake Kivu that dissolves ˜300 and ˜60 km3 of CO2 and CH4 (at 0˚ C and 1 atm.) in its deep water was not disturbed due to Nyiragongo lava that entered the lake. Since 2002 several projects were funded with the main goal of accompanying the local scientific team to set up a more professional team to assess and continuous monitor Geohazards in the Virunga. For the time being, while Nyiragongo volcano solely threatens ˜1.5 million inhabitants of Goma (DR Congo) and Gisenyi (Rwanda) cities in addition to people living in the surrounding villages, and Lake Kivu threatening ˜3 million inhabitants of its catchment, the local scientists remain less qualified and equipped. Here we show that collaboration between Virunga local scientists and international scientists through the Geohazards Supersites network could be a most efficient pathway to improve Geohazards assessment and monitoring in the Virunga, and hence yield Disaster Risk Reduction in the region. Furthermore, the large amount of expected scientific results will provide new insights on the understanding of the continental rift process, thus promoting the advance of scientific research. The supersites initiative promotes broad international scientific collaboration and open access to a variety of space- and ground-based data, and hence improves geophysical scientific research and Geohazards assessment in support of Disaster Risk Reduction. Presently, the Goma Volcano Observatory collects ground-based seismic, geochemical (SO2, CO2, Rn, temperature) and ground-deformation (GPS, EDM and Extensometry) data, which, together with remote and additional ground-based data that could be collected through the supersites network; may improve Geohazards assessment and monitoring in the Virunga region.

Seasoning ingredient variety, but not quality, is associated with greater intake of beans and rice among urban Costa Rican adults

PubMed Central

Vadiveloo, Maya K.; Campos, Hannia; Mattei, Josiemer

2016-01-01

Exposure to a variety of flavors may promote food enjoyment, but few studies have examined the relationship between food seasoning and food intake. We hypothesized that using a higher variety (number) of eleven seasonings to prepare two staple foods (beans, white rice) would be associated with intake of those foods in a population-based case-control study of Costa Rican adults in urban vs. rural areas (n=1,025), where cooking and dietary practices differ. Participants were surveyed about the variety of seasoning ingredients added when preparing beans or rice. Ingredients were also categorized by their dietary quality (healthfulness), and scores for seasoning variety and quality were created. Multivariable linear regression was used to determine the association between variety and quality scores (continuously and in tertiles (T)) and intake of each staple food. Seasoning variety was positively associated with daily servings of beans (β=0.02, p=0.01; 1.31 and 1.23 servings/day in T2 and T3 versus 1.02 servings/day in T1, p<0.05) and rice (β=0.04, p=0.005) in the urban areas only. No differences in ingredient quality across increasing intakes of beans or rice were noted, and the joint associations between variety and quality were not significant. In conclusion, a greater variety, but not quality, of seasoning ingredients was positively associated with intakes of beans and rice in urban Costa Rican adults. Our results suggest that increasing the variety of seasonings added to beans may be a culturally-appropriate strategy to improve intake of this healthy staple food among urban Costa Rican adults. PMID:27440532

NARSTO EPA SS FRESNO MET DATA

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2018-04-09

... Air Temperature Atmospheric Pressure Humidity Solar Radiation Surface Winds Order Data:  Earthdata Search:   ... Earth Related Data:  Environmental Protection Agency Supersites Fresno, California SCAR-B Block:  ...

Rural-urban disparity in lung function parameters of Nigerian children: effects of socio-economic, nutritional and housing factors

PubMed Central

Kuti, Bankole Peter; Oladimeji, Oluwatoyin Ibukun; Kuti, Demilade Kehinde; Adeniyi, Adewuyi Temidayo; Adeniji, Emmanuel Oluwatosin; Osundare, Yetunde Justinah

2017-01-01

Introduction The effect of socio-demographic and nutritional factors on lung functions of African children is poorly studied. This study set out to determine the effects of these factors on lung functions of Nigerian school children. Methods Rural and urban secondary schools students in Ilesa, Nigeria were selected by multistage sampling. The socio-demographic, nutritional status as well as lung function parameters measured using incentive Spirometry (MIR Spirolab III srl, Italy) of the children were obtained and compared among the rural and urban children. Results A total of 250 children (128 rural and 122 urban) aged 9 to 17 years participated in the study over a 12 month period. Mean (SD) age was 12.6 (1.9) years and Male: Female 1:1.1. The urban children were heavier, taller and have larger lung volumes than their age and sex matched rural counterpart. Stunted rural males [Mean (SD) FVC 1.8 (0.3) L vs. 2.2 (0.6) L t-test = 2.360; p = 0.022], underweight females [Mean (SD) FVC 1.8 (0.4) L vs. 2.2 (0.6) L; t-test = 2.855; p = 0.006] and those exposed to unclean fuel [Mean (SD) FVC 2.1 (0.6) L vs. 2.4 (0.5) L; t-test = 2.079; p = 0.041] had significantly lower lung volumes compared to their counterparts without these conditions. Conclusion Undernutrition, low socio-economic class and use of unclean fuels adversely affect the lung functions of Nigerian children. Improved standard of living, use of clean fuel and adequate nutrition may ensure better lung health among these children. PMID:29629016

NARSTO EPA SS ATLANTA 1999 CHEM PM MET DATA

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2018-04-09

... Solar Irradiance Particulate Matter Ultraviolet Radiation Surface Pressure Nitric Acid Aerosol Extinction Aerosol ... (PDF) Related Data:  Environmental Protection Agency Supersites Atlanta, Georgia SCAR-B Block:  ...

NARSTO EPA SS HOUSTON TEXAQS2000 DOE G-1 DATA

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2018-04-09

... Dioxide Formaldehyde Particulate Matter Ultraviolet Radiation Absorption Carbon Monoxide Hydrogen Peroxides Sulfate ... Earth Related Data:  Environmental Protection Agency Supersites Houston, Texas SCAR-B Block:  ...

NARSTO EPA SS ST LOUIS AIR CHEM PM MET DATA

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2018-04-09

... Winds Precipitation Amount Surface Pressure Solar Radiation Surface Air Temperature Particulates Trace Metals ... Earth Related Data:  Environmental Protection Agency Supersites St. Louis SCAR-B Block:  ...

Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy in Urban Slums: The Aditya Jyot Diabetic Retinopathy in Urban Mumbai Slums Study-Report 2.

PubMed

Sunita, Mohan; Singh, Arvind Kumar; Rogye, Ashwini; Sonawane, Manish; Gaonkar, Ravina; Srinivasan, Radhika; Natarajan, Sundaram; Stevens, Fred C J; Scherpbier, A J J A; Kumaramanickavel, Govindasamy; McCarty, Catherine

2017-10-01

The aims of the study were to estimate the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and enumerate history-based risk factors in the urban slums of Western India. The population-based study was conducted in seven wards of Mumbai urban slums, where we screened 6569 subjects of ≥ 40 years age, with a response rate of 98.4%, for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) based on American Diabetes Association criteria. All subjects with T2DM underwent dilated 30° seven-field stereo-fundus-photography for DR severity grading based on modified Airlie House classification. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to assess the correlation of DR with the history-based risk factors. The prevalence of DR in the general population of Mumbai urban slums was 1.41% (95% CI 0.59-2.23) and in the T2DM population it was 15.37% (95% CI 8.87-21.87). The positive associations with DR were the longer duration of DM (≥ 11 years: OR, 12.77; 95% CI 2.93-55.61) and male gender (OR, 2.05; 95% CI 1.08-3.89); increasing severity of retinopathy was also significantly associated with longer duration of DM (p < 0.001). However, history of hypertension, family history of DM, consanguineous marriage and migration status were not associated with DR in the study population. The prevalence of DR in the general population and T2DM subjects were 1.41% and 15.37% respectively in Mumbai urban slums. Duration of DM and male gender were significantly associated with DR. The slums in Western India show the trends of urban lifestyle influences similar to the rest of urban India.

Evolution of multispectral aerosol optical properties in a biogenically-influenced urban environment during the CARES campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gyawali, M.; Arnott, W. P.; Zaveri, R. A.; Song, C.; Pekour, M.; Flowers, B.; Dubey, M. K.; Setyan, A.; Zhang, Q.; Harworth, J. W.; Radney, J. G.; Atkinson, D. B.; China, S.; Mazzoleni, C.; Gorkowski, K.; Subramanian, R.; Jobson, B. T.; Moosmüller, H.

2013-03-01

Ground-based aerosol measurements made in June 2010 within Sacramento urban area (site T0) and at a 40-km downwind location (site T1) in the forested Sierra Nevada foothills area are used to investigate the evolution of multispectral optical properties as the urban aerosols aged and interacted with biogenic emissions. Along with black carbon and non-refractory aerosol mass and composition observations, spectral absorptio (βabs), scattering (βsca), and extinction (βext) coefficients for wavelengths ranging from 355 to 1064 nm were measured at both sites using photoacoustic (PA) instruments with integrating nephelometers and using cavity ring-down (CRD) instruments. The daytime average Ångström exponent of absorption (AEA) was ~1.6 for the wavelength pair 405 and 870 nm at T0, while it was ~1.8 for the wavelength pair 355 and 870 nm at T1, indicating a modest wavelength-dependent enhancement of absorption at both sites throughout the study. The measured and Mie theory calculations of multispectral βsca showed good correlation (R2=0.85-0.94). The average contribution of supermicron aerosol (mainly composed of sea salt particles advected in from the Pacific Ocean) to the total scattering coefficient ranged from less than 20% at 405 nm to greater than 80% at 1064 nm. From 22 to 28 June, secondary organic aerosol mass increased significantly at both sites due to increased biogenic emissions coupled with intense photochemical activity and air mass recirculation in the area. During this period, the short wavelength scattering coefficients at both sites gradually increased due to increase in the size of submicron aerosols. At the same time, BC mass-normalized absorption cross-section (MAC) values for ultraviolet wavelengths at T1 increased by ~60% compared to the relatively less aged urban emissions at the T0 site. In contrast, the average MAC values for 870 nm wavelength were identical at both sites. These results suggest formation of moderately brown secondary organic aerosols formed in biogenically-influenced urban air.

The case for a Supersite for real-time GNSS hazard monitoring on a global scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bar-Sever, Y. E.

2017-12-01

Real-time measurements from many hundreds of GNSS tracking sites around the world are publicly available today, and the amount of streaming data is steadily increasing as national agencies densify their local and global infrastructure for natural hazard monitoring and a variety of geodetic, cadastral, and other civil applications. Thousands of such sites can soon be expected on a global scale. It is a challenge to manage and make optimal use of this massive amount of real-time data. We advocate the creation of Supersite(s), in the parlance of the U.N. Global Earth Observation System of Systems (https://www.earthobservations.org/geoss.php), to generate high level real-time data products from the raw GNSS measurements from all available sources (many thousands of sites). These products include: • High rate, real-time positioning time series for assessing rapid crustal motion due to Earthquakes, volcanic activities, land slides, etc. • Co-seismic displacement to help resolve earthquake mechanism and moment magnitude • Real-time total electron content (TEC) fluctuations to augment Dart buoy in detecting and tracking tsunamis • Aggregation of the many disparate raw data dispensation servers (Casters)Recognizing that natural hazards transcend national boundaries in terms of direct and indirect (e.g., economical, security) impact, the benefits from centralized, authoritative processing of GNSS measurements is manifold: • Offers a one-stop shop to less developed nations and institutions for raw and high-level products, in support of research and applications • Promotes the installation of tracking sites and the contribution of data from nations without the ability to process the data • Reduce dependency on local responsible agencies impacted by a natural disaster • Reliable 24/7 operations, independent of voluntary, best effort contributions from good-willing scientific organizationsThe JPL GNSS Real-Time Earthquake and Tsunami (GREAT) Alert has been operating as a prototype for such a Supersite for nearly a decade, processing in real-time data from hundreds of global and regional GNSS tracking sites. The existing operational infrastructure, complete self-sufficiency, and proven reliability can be leveraged at low cost to provide valuable natural hazard monitoring to the U.S. and the world.

Impact of future urban growth on regional climate changes in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Hyunsu; Kim, Yoo-Keun; Song, Sang-Keun; Lee, Hwa Woon

2016-11-15

The influence of changes in future urban growth (e.g., land use changes) on the future climate variability in the Seoul metropolitan area (SMA), Korea was evaluated using the WRF model and an urban growth model (SLEUTH). The land use changes in the study area were simulated using the SLEUTH model under three different urban growth scenarios: (1) current development trends scenario (SC 1), (2) managed development scenario (SC 2) and (3) ecological development scenario (SC 3). The maximum difference in the ratio of urban growth between SC 1 and SC 3 (SC 1 - SC 3) for 50years (2000-2050) was approximately 6.72%, leading to the largest differences (0.01°C and 0.03ms(-1), respectively) in the mean air temperature at 2m (T2) and wind speed at 10m (WS10). From WRF-SLEUTH modeling, the effects of future urban growth (or future land use changes) in the SMA are expected to result in increases in the spatial mean T2 and WS10 of up to 1.15°C and 0.03ms(-1), respectively, possibly due to thermal circulation caused by the thermal differences between urban and rural regions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geographical variation in the progression of type 2 diabetes in Peru: The CRONICAS Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Bernabé-Ortiz, Antonio; Carrillo-Larco, Rodrigo M.; Gilman, Robert H.; Miele, Catherine H.; Checkley, William; Wells, Jonathan C.; Smeeth, Liam; Miranda, J. Jaime

2016-01-01

Background The study aims were to estimate the incidence and risk factors for T2D in four settings with different degree of urbanization and altitude in Peru. Methods Prospective cohort study conducted in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas in Peru. An age- and sex-stratified random sample of participants was taken from the most updated census. T2D was defined as fasting blood glucose ⩾7.0 mmol/L or taking anti-diabetes medication. Exposures were divided into two groups: geographical variables (urbanization and altitude), and modifiable risk factors. Incidence, relative risks (RR), 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), and population attributable fractions (PAF) were estimated. Results Data from 3135 participants, 48.8% males, mean age 55.6 years, was analyzed. Overall baseline prevalence of T2D was 7.1% (95%CI 6.2–8.0%). At follow-up, including 6207 person-years of follow-up, a total of 121 new T2D cases were accrued, equating to an incidence of 1.95 (95%CI 1.63–2.33) per 100 person-years. There was no urban to rural gradient in the T2D incidence; however, compared to sea level sites, participants living in high altitude had a higher incidence of diabetes (RR = 1.58; 95%CI 1.01–2.48). Obesity had the highest attributable risk for developing T2D, although results varied by setting, ranging from 14% to 80% depending on urbanization and altitude. Conclusions Our results suggest that the incidence of T2D was greater in high altitude sites. New cases of diabetes were largely attributed to obesity, but with substantial variation in the contribution of obesity depending on the environment. These findings can inform appropriate context-specific strategies to reduce the incidence of diabetes. PMID:27710820

Geographical variation in the progression of type 2 diabetes in Peru: The CRONICAS Cohort Study.

PubMed

Bernabé-Ortiz, Antonio; Carrillo-Larco, Rodrigo M; Gilman, Robert H; Miele, Catherine H; Checkley, William; Wells, Jonathan C; Smeeth, Liam; Miranda, J Jaime

2016-11-01

The study aims were to estimate the incidence and risk factors for T2D in four settings with different degree of urbanization and altitude in Peru. Prospective cohort study conducted in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas in Peru. An age- and sex-stratified random sample of participants was taken from the most updated census. T2D was defined as fasting blood glucose ⩾7.0mmol/L or taking anti-diabetes medication. Exposures were divided into two groups: geographical variables (urbanization and altitude), and modifiable risk factors. Incidence, relative risks (RR), 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), and population attributable fractions (PAF) were estimated. Data from 3135 participants, 48.8% males, mean age 55.6years, was analyzed. Overall baseline prevalence of T2D was 7.1% (95%CI 6.2-8.0%). At follow-up, including 6207 person-years of follow-up, a total of 121 new T2D cases were accrued, equating to an incidence of 1.95 (95%CI 1.63-2.33) per 100 person-years. There was no urban to rural gradient in the T2D incidence; however, compared to sea level sites, participants living in high altitude had a higher incidence of diabetes (RR=1.58; 95%CI 1.01-2.48). Obesity had the highest attributable risk for developing T2D, although results varied by setting, ranging from 14% to 80% depending on urbanization and altitude. Our results suggest that the incidence of T2D was greater in high altitude sites. New cases of diabetes were largely attributed to obesity, but with substantial variation in the contribution of obesity depending on the environment. These findings can inform appropriate context-specific strategies to reduce the incidence of diabetes. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Space Radar Image of Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-01-27

This is a false-color, three-frequency image of the Oberpfaffenhofen supersite, southwest of Munich in southern Germany, which shows the differences in what the three radar bands can see on the ground.

US EPA'S SUPERSITES PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

Dermal exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water results from environmental contamination of surface, ground-, and drinking waters. This exposure occurs both in occupational and residential settings. Compartmental models incorporating body burden measurements have ...

Comparison of Effect of Two-Hour Exposure to Forest and Urban Environments on Cytokine, Anti-Oxidant, and Stress Levels in Young Adults.

PubMed

Im, Su Geun; Choi, Han; Jeon, Yo-Han; Song, Min-Kyu; Kim, Won; Woo, Jong-Min

2016-06-23

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of two-hour exposure to a forest environment on cytokine, anti-oxidant and stress levels among university students and to compare the results to those measured in urban environments. Forty-one subjects were recruited. For our crossover design, subjects were divided into two groups based on similar demographic characteristics. Group A remained in the urban environment and was asked to perform regular breathing for 2 h. Blood samples were collected and the serum levels of cytokines including interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were examined. Subjects were moved to a small town in a rural area for an equal amount of time to exclude carryover effects, and then remained for another 2 h in a forest environment. The second set of blood samples was collected to assess the effect of exposure to the forest environment. Using the same method, Group B was first exposed to the forest environment, followed by exposure to the urban environment. Blood samples collected after the subjects were exposed to the forest environment showed significantly lower levels of IL-8 and TNF-α compared to those in samples collected after urban environment exposure (10.76 vs. 9.21, t = 4.559, p < 0.001, and 0.97 vs. 0.87, t = 4.130, p < 0.001). The GPx concentration increased significantly after exposure to the forest environment (LnGPx = 5.09 vs. LnGPx = 5.21, t = -2.039, p < 0.05).

A spatial-temporal regression model to predict daily outdoor residential PAH concentrations in an epidemiologic study in Fresno, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noth, Elizabeth M.; Hammond, S. Katharine; Biging, Gregory S.; Tager, Ira B.

2011-05-01

BackgroundPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are generated as a byproduct of combustion, and are associated with respiratory symptoms and increased risk of asthma attacks. ObjectivesTo assign daily, outdoor exposures to participants in the Fresno Asthmatic Children's Environment Study (FACES) using land use regression models for the sum of 4-, 5- and 6-ring PAHs (PAH456). MethodsPAH data were collected daily at the EPA Supersite in Fresno, CA from 10/2000 through 2/2007. From 2/2002 to 2/2003, intensive air pollution sampling was conducted at 83 homes of participants in the FACES study. These measurement data were combined with meteorological data, source data, and other spatial variables to form a land use regression model to assign daily exposure at all FACES homes for all years of the study (2001-2008). ResultsThe model for daily, outdoor residential PAH456 concentrations accounted for 80% of the between-home variability and 18% of the within-home variability. Both temporal and spatial variables were significant in the model. Traffic characteristics and home heating fuel were the main spatial explanatory variables. ConclusionsBecause spatial and temporal distributions of PAHs vary on an intra-urban scale, the location of the child's home within the urban setting plays an important role in the level of exposure that each child has to PAHs.

Influence of urbanization level and gross domestic product of counties in Croatia on access to health care.

PubMed

Bagat, Mario; Drakulić, Velibor; Sekelj Kauzlarić, Katarina; Vlahusić, Andro; Bilić, Ivica; Matanić, Dubravka

2008-06-01

To examine the association of counties' urbanization level and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita on the access to health care. Counties were divided in two groups according to the urbanization level and GDP per capita in purchasing power standards. The number of physicians per 100,000 inhabitants, the number of physicians in hospitals in four basic specialties, physicians' workload, average duration of working week, the average number of insurants per general practice (GP) team, and the number of inhabitants covered by one internal medicine outpatient clinic were compared between predominantly urban and predominantly rural counties and between richer and poorer counties. Our study included only GP teams and outpatient clinics under the contract with the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance. Data on physicians were collected from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance, the Croatian Institute for Public Health, and the Croatian Medical Chamber. Data on the contracts with the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance and health care services provided under these contracts were obtained from the database of the Institute, while population and gross domestic product data were obtained from the Database of the Croatian Institute for Statistics. World Health Organization Health for All Database was used for the international comparison of physician's data. There was no significant difference in the total number of physicians per 100,000 inhabitants between predominantly urban and predominantly rural counties (206.9+/-41.0 vs 175.4+/-30.3; P=0.067, t test) nor between richer and poorer counties (194.5+/-49.8 vs 187.7+/-25.3; P=0.703, t test). However, there were significantly fewer GPs per 100,000 inhabitants in rural than urban counties (49.0+/-5.5 vs 56.7+/-4.6; P=0.003, t test). GPs in rural counties had more insurants than those working in urban counties (1.749.8+/-172.8 vs 1.540.7+/-106.3; P=0.004, t test). The working week of specialists in the four observed specialties in hospitals was longer than the recommended 48 hours a week. The lack of physicians, especially in primary health care can lead to a reduced access to health care and increased workload of physicians, predominantly in rural counties, regardless of the counties' GDP.

Hidden Lineage Complexity of Glycan-Dependent HIV-1 Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies Uncovered by Digital Panning and Native-Like gp140 Trimer.

PubMed

He, Linling; Lin, Xiaohe; de Val, Natalia; Saye-Francisco, Karen L; Mann, Colin J; Augst, Ryan; Morris, Charles D; Azadnia, Parisa; Zhou, Bin; Sok, Devin; Ozorowski, Gabriel; Ward, Andrew B; Burton, Dennis R; Zhu, Jiang

2017-01-01

Germline precursors and intermediates of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) are essential to the understanding of humoral response to HIV-1 infection and B-cell lineage vaccine design. Using a native-like gp140 trimer probe, we examined antibody libraries constructed from donor-17, the source of glycan-dependent PGT121-class bNAbs recognizing the N332 supersite on the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein. To facilitate this analysis, a digital panning method was devised that combines biopanning of phage-displayed antibody libraries, 900 bp long-read next-generation sequencing, and heavy/light (H/L)-paired antibodyomics. In addition to single-chain variable fragments resembling the wild-type bNAbs, digital panning identified variants of PGT124 (a member of the PGT121 class) with a unique insertion in the heavy chain complementarity-determining region 1, as well as intermediates of PGT124 exhibiting notable affinity for the native-like trimer and broad HIV-1 neutralization. In a competition assay, these bNAb intermediates could effectively compete with mouse sera induced by a scaffolded BG505 gp140.681 trimer for the N332 supersite. Our study thus reveals previously unrecognized lineage complexity of the PGT121-class bNAbs and provides an array of library-derived bNAb intermediates for evaluation of immunogens containing the N332 supersite. Digital panning may prove to be a valuable tool in future studies of bNAb diversity and lineage development.

Hidden Lineage Complexity of Glycan-Dependent HIV-1 Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies Uncovered by Digital Panning and Native-Like gp140 Trimer

PubMed Central

He, Linling; Lin, Xiaohe; de Val, Natalia; Saye-Francisco, Karen L.; Mann, Colin J.; Augst, Ryan; Morris, Charles D.; Azadnia, Parisa; Zhou, Bin; Sok, Devin; Ozorowski, Gabriel; Ward, Andrew B.; Burton, Dennis R.; Zhu, Jiang

2017-01-01

Germline precursors and intermediates of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) are essential to the understanding of humoral response to HIV-1 infection and B-cell lineage vaccine design. Using a native-like gp140 trimer probe, we examined antibody libraries constructed from donor-17, the source of glycan-dependent PGT121-class bNAbs recognizing the N332 supersite on the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein. To facilitate this analysis, a digital panning method was devised that combines biopanning of phage-displayed antibody libraries, 900 bp long-read next-generation sequencing, and heavy/light (H/L)-paired antibodyomics. In addition to single-chain variable fragments resembling the wild-type bNAbs, digital panning identified variants of PGT124 (a member of the PGT121 class) with a unique insertion in the heavy chain complementarity-determining region 1, as well as intermediates of PGT124 exhibiting notable affinity for the native-like trimer and broad HIV-1 neutralization. In a competition assay, these bNAb intermediates could effectively compete with mouse sera induced by a scaffolded BG505 gp140.681 trimer for the N332 supersite. Our study thus reveals previously unrecognized lineage complexity of the PGT121-class bNAbs and provides an array of library-derived bNAb intermediates for evaluation of immunogens containing the N332 supersite. Digital panning may prove to be a valuable tool in future studies of bNAb diversity and lineage development. PMID:28883821

Is distribution of health expenditure in Iran pro-poor?

PubMed

Emamgholipour, Sara; Agheli, Lotfali

2018-05-03

The size and distribution of households' health care expenditure indicate the financial burden on different income groups. Since the distribution of health expenditure evaluates the performance of health systems, this study aims to examine the health expenditure distribution among urban and rural households in Iran. This research was conducted on the distribution of health expenditure among urban and rural households in 2014. The effects of households' health expenditure on distribution of personal incomes were measured by using Kakwani and Reynolds-Smolensky indices. In addition, Theil T index was used to classify provinces based on inequality in health expenditure distribution. The calculations were made by using EXCEL. The Kakwani indices for urban and rural households were calculated around -0.572 and -0.485, respectively. Reynolds-Smolensky indices for urban and rural households were measured as much as -0.038 and -0.031, respectively. Regardless of income distribution, Theil T index shows that urban households face with the most unequal distribution in health expenditure. Based on calculations, the distribution of health expenditure is against the poor households. In addition, this distribution is more regressive in urban than rural households. As well, Reynolds-Smolensky indices indicate more uneven income distribution after paying for health care, and inequality is larger among urban than rural households. To this research, the health policymaking priorities should be given to the provinces with the highest inequality, and the expenditure burden of low-income households should be reduced through expanding insurance coverage. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Observed and Simulated Urban Heat Island and Urban Cool Island in Las Vegas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauceda, Daniel O.

This research investigates the urban climate of Las Vegas and establishes long-term trends relative to the regional climate in an attempt to identify climate disturbances strictly related to urban growth. An experimental surface station network (DRI-UHI) of low-cost surface temperature (T2m) and relative humidity (RH) sensors were designed to cover under-sampled low-intensity residential urban areas, as well as complement the in-city and surrounding rural areas. In addition to the analysis of the surface station data, high-resolution gridded data products (GDPs) from Daymet (1km) and PRISM (800 m) and results from numerical simulations were used to further characterize the Las Vegas climate trends. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was coupled with three different models: the Noah Land Surface Model (LSM) and a single- and multi-layer urban canopy model (UCM) to assess the urban related climate disturbances; as well as the model sensitivity and ability to characterize diurnal variability and rural/urban thermal contrasts. The simulations consisted of 1 km grid size for five, one month-long hindcast simulations during November of 2012: (i) using the Noah LSM without UCM treatment, (ii) same as (i) with a single-layer UCM (UCM1), (iii) same as (i) with a multi-layer UCM (UCM2), (iv) removing the City of Las Vegas (NC) and replacing it with predominant land cover (shrub), and (v) same as (ii) with increasing the albedo of rooftops from 0.20 to 0.65 as a potential adaptation scenario known as "white roofing". T2m long-term trends showed a regional warming of minimum temperatures (Tmin) and negligible trends in maximum temperatures (Tmax ). By isolating the regional temperature trends, an observed urban heat island (UHI) of ~1.63°C was identified as well as a daytime urban cool island (UCI) of ~0.15°C. GDPs agree with temperature trends but tend to underpredict UHI intensity by ~1.05°C. The WRF-UCM showed strong correlations with observed T2m (0.85 < rho < 0.95) and vapor pressure (ea ; 0.83 < rho < 0.88), and moderate-to-strong correlations for RH (0.64 < rho < 0.81) at the 95% confidence level. UCM1 shows the best skill and adequately simulates most of the UHI and UCI observed characteristics. Differences of LSM, UCM1, and UCM2 minus NC show simulated effects of warmer in-city Tmin for LSM and UCM2, and cooler in-city Tmax for UCM1 and UCM2. Finally, the white roofing scenario for Las Vegas was not found to significantly impact the UHI effect but has the potential to reduce daytime temperature by 1°-2°C.

Results of a multidisciplinary study in the Marmara Supersite, on-shore area: Büyükçekmece landslide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coccia, Stella; Bigarré, Pascal; Ergintav, Semih; Ozel, Oguz; Yalcinkaya, Esref; Ozalabey, Serdar; Bourdeau, Céline; Martino, Salvatore; Lenti, Luca; Zucca, Francesco; Moro, Marco

2016-04-01

The MARsite project (Nov 2012-Avril 2016), one of the three SUPERSITE concept FP7 projects, deals with the definition of new directions in seismic hazard assessment through focused earth observation in the Marmara Supersite. This project gathers different research groups in a comprehensive monitoring activity developed in the Sea of Marmara Region. This region is one of the most densely populated parts of Europe and rated at high seismic risk level since the 1999 Izmit and Duzce devastating earthquakes. The 6th Work Package of MARsite project offered a very valuable frame to undertake simultaneous and complementary scientific investigations and studies to get deeper insight in the seismic and rainfall landslide topic, ranging from methodology to hazard assessment tool. This package focused on two sub-regional areas of high interest. First, the Avcilar-Beylikdüzü peninsula, located westwards of Istanbul, is a highly urbanized concentrated landslide prone area, showing high susceptibility to both rainfalls while affected by very significant seismic site effects. Second, the off-shore entrance of the Izmit Gulf, close to the termination of the surface rupture of the 1999 earthquake, that shows an important slump mass facing the Istanbul coastline. For the on-shore area, after refining the landslide inventory of the peninsula, one of the nine inventoried rototranslational landslides was chosen as pilot site, the Büyükçekmece landslide. This landslide has a continuous activity and a composite mechanism (including several secondary sliding surfaces); it moves at low velocity and involves sandy and clayey deposits of a local Cenozoic Succession damaging several infrastructures, such as buildings and roads. Various geophysical campaigns were carried out and then a field temporary multi-parameter monitoring was set up, composed of GPS-RTK, two seismic probes, thermometer, rain-gauge, moisture, etc.. Hyperspectral and Dinsar imagery technologies were also deployed to complete inventory and observational information. In order to analyze the slope stability conditions under seismic shaking, not-conventional pseudostatic slope stability analyses as well as numerical simulations via a finite difference code were performed. These last studies took advantage from the reconstruction of a detailed engineering-geological model on the basis of extensive geological and geomorphological field campaign and a vast drilling program undertaken by the Istanbul Metropolitan Area. According to these numerical simulation results the landslide mass has a high sensitivity to seismic waveforms enriched in low frequencies (<1.5Hz) causing the computed probability of reactivation to increase up to 58%. Based on the in situ multi-parametric monitoring system, the landslide moves continuously toward W; a double-net groundwater flow is revealed by the piezometer monitoring and preliminary co-relations between pore water pressures and rainfalls are evident in a seasonal and monthly time interval respectively.

Investigation of OxProduction Rates in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area during MILAGRO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dusanter, S.; Molina, L. T.; Stevens, P. S.

2009-12-01

Understanding the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere and the formation of secondary pollutants are important issues in atmospheric chemistry. For instance, the photochemical production of tropospheric ozone (O3) is of particular interest due to its detrimental effects on both human health and agricultural ecosystems. A detailed characterization of tropospheric O3 production rates will help in the development of effective control strategies. The 2006 Mexico City Metropolitan Area field campaign (MCMA-2006) was one of four components of MILAGRO (Megacity Initiative: Local And Global Research Observations) intended to collect information on the impact of megacity emissions on local, regional and global scales. In this presentation, rates of production of Ox (Ox = O3 + NO2) species during MCMA-2006 at the supersite T0 (Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo) will be presented using different approaches based on measured and modeled concentrations of ROx (OH + HO2 + RO2) radicals. In addition, we will examine both the reactivity of OH and the contribution of specific peroxy radicals to the oxidation rate of NO to estimate the contribution of groups of VOCs (alkanes, alkenes, aromatics, oxygenated and biogenic VOCs) to the total production rate of Ox species.

The Effect of Urban Heat Island on Climate Warming in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration in China.

PubMed

Huang, Qunfang; Lu, Yuqi

2015-07-27

The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) has experienced rapid urbanization and dramatic economic development since 1978 and the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (YRDUA) has been one of the three largest urban agglomerations in China. We present evidence of a significant urban heat island (UHI) effect on climate warming based on an analysis of the impacts of the urbanization rate, urban population, and land use changes on the warming rate of the daily average, minimal (nighttime) and maximal (daytime) air temperature in the YRDUA using 41 meteorological stations observation data. The effect of the UHI on climate warming shows a large spatial variability. The average warming rates of average air temperature of huge cities, megalopolises, large cities, medium-sized cities, and small cities are 0.483, 0.314 ± 0.030, 0.282 ± 0.042, 0.225 ± 0.044 and 0.179 ± 0.046 °C/decade during the period of 1957-2013, respectively. The average warming rates of huge cities and megalopolises are significantly higher than those of medium-sized cities and small cities, indicating that the UHI has a significant effect on climate warming (t-test, p < 0.05). Significantly positive correlations are found between the urbanization rate, population, built-up area and warming rate of average air temperature (p < 0.001). The average warming rate of average air temperature attributable to urbanization is 0.124 ± 0.074 °C/decade in the YRDUA. Urbanization has a measurable effect on the observed climate warming in the YRD aggravating the global climate warming.

The Effect of Urban Heat Island on Climate Warming in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration in China

PubMed Central

Huang, Qunfang; Lu, Yuqi

2015-01-01

The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) has experienced rapid urbanization and dramatic economic development since 1978 and the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (YRDUA) has been one of the three largest urban agglomerations in China. We present evidence of a significant urban heat island (UHI) effect on climate warming based on an analysis of the impacts of the urbanization rate, urban population, and land use changes on the warming rate of the daily average, minimal (nighttime) and maximal (daytime) air temperature in the YRDUA using 41 meteorological stations observation data. The effect of the UHI on climate warming shows a large spatial variability. The average warming rates of average air temperature of huge cities, megalopolises, large cities, medium-sized cities, and small cities are 0.483, 0.314 ± 0.030, 0.282 ± 0.042, 0.225 ± 0.044 and 0.179 ± 0.046 °C/decade during the period of 1957–2013, respectively. The average warming rates of huge cities and megalopolises are significantly higher than those of medium-sized cities and small cities, indicating that the UHI has a significant effect on climate warming (t-test, p < 0.05). Significantly positive correlations are found between the urbanization rate, population, built-up area and warming rate of average air temperature (p < 0.001). The average warming rate of average air temperature attributable to urbanization is 0.124 ± 0.074 °C/decade in the YRDUA. Urbanization has a measurable effect on the observed climate warming in the YRD aggravating the global climate warming. PMID:26225986

Evolution of Multispectral Aerosol Absorption Properties in a Biogenically-Influenced Urban Environment during the CARES Campaign

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gyawali, Madhu; Arnott, W.; Zaveri, Rahul

We present the evolution of multispectral optical properties as urban aerosols aged and interacted with biogenic emissions resulting in stronger short wavelength absorption and formation of moderately brown secondary organic aerosols. Ground-based aerosol measurements were made during June 2010 within the Sacramento urban area (site T0) and at a 40-km downwind location (site T1) in the forested Sierra Nevada foothills area. Data on black carbon and non-refractory aerosol mass and composition were collected at both sites. In addition, photoacoustic (PA) instruments with integrating nephelometers were used to measure spectral absorption and scattering coefficients for wavelengths ranging from 355 to 870more » nm. The daytime absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) indicated a modest wavelength-dependent enhancement of absorption at both sites throughout the study. From the 22nd to the 28th of June, secondary organic aerosol mass increased significantly at both sites due to increased biogenic emissions coupled with intense photochemical activity and air mass recirculation in the area. During this period, the median BC mass-normalized absorption cross-section (MAC) values for 405 nm and 532 nm at T1 increased by ~23% and ~35%, respectively, compared to the relatively less aged urban emissions at the T0 site. In contrast, the average MAC values for the 870 nm wavelength were similar for both sites. These results suggest formation of moderately brown secondary organic aerosols in biogenically-influenced urban air.« less

Evolution of Multispectral Aerosol Absorption Properties in a Biogenically-Influenced Urban Environment during the CARES Campaign

DOE PAGES

Gyawali, Madhu; Arnott, W.; Zaveri, Rahul; ...

2017-11-13

We present the evolution of multispectral optical properties through urban aerosols that have aged and interacted with biogenic emissions, resulting in stronger short wavelength absorption and the formation of moderately brown secondary organic aerosols. Ground-based aerosol measurements were made in June 2010 within the Sacramento urban area (site T0) and at a 40-km downwind location (site T1) in the forested Sierra Nevada foothills area. Data on black carbon (BC) and non-refractory aerosol mass and composition were collected at both sites. In addition, photoacoustic (PA) instruments with integrating nephelometers were used to measure spectral absorption and scattering coefficients for wavelengths rangingmore » from 355 to 870 nm. The daytime absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) indicated a modest wavelength-dependent enhancement of absorption at both sites throughout the study. From 22 to 28 June 2010, secondary organic aerosol mass increased significantly at both sites, which was due to increased biogenic emissions coupled with intense photochemical activity and air mass recirculation in the area. During this period, the median BC mass-normalized absorption cross-section (MAC) values for 405 nm and 532 nm at T1 increased by ~23% and ~35%, respectively, compared with the relatively less aged urban emissions at the T0 site. In contrast, the average MAC values for the 870 nm wavelength were similar for both sites. These results suggest the formation of moderately brown secondary organic aerosols in biogenically-influenced urban air.« less

Evolution of Multispectral Aerosol Absorption Properties in a Biogenically-Influenced Urban Environment during the CARES Campaign

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gyawali, Madhu; Arnott, W.; Zaveri, Rahul

We present the evolution of multispectral optical properties through urban aerosols that have aged and interacted with biogenic emissions, resulting in stronger short wavelength absorption and the formation of moderately brown secondary organic aerosols. Ground-based aerosol measurements were made in June 2010 within the Sacramento urban area (site T0) and at a 40-km downwind location (site T1) in the forested Sierra Nevada foothills area. Data on black carbon (BC) and non-refractory aerosol mass and composition were collected at both sites. In addition, photoacoustic (PA) instruments with integrating nephelometers were used to measure spectral absorption and scattering coefficients for wavelengths rangingmore » from 355 to 870 nm. The daytime absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) indicated a modest wavelength-dependent enhancement of absorption at both sites throughout the study. From 22 to 28 June 2010, secondary organic aerosol mass increased significantly at both sites, which was due to increased biogenic emissions coupled with intense photochemical activity and air mass recirculation in the area. During this period, the median BC mass-normalized absorption cross-section (MAC) values for 405 nm and 532 nm at T1 increased by ~23% and ~35%, respectively, compared with the relatively less aged urban emissions at the T0 site. In contrast, the average MAC values for the 870 nm wavelength were similar for both sites. These results suggest the formation of moderately brown secondary organic aerosols in biogenically-influenced urban air.« less

Screening procedure to assess the impact of urban stormwater temperature to populations of brown trout in receiving water.

PubMed

Rossi, Luca; Hari, Renata E

2007-07-01

The discharge of urban stormwater may cause a sudden temperature increase in receiving waters that may be harmful to fish and other aquatic organisms. A screening procedure is proposed with temperature thresholds for the runoff from roofs and roads as well as for the receiving water system to protect brown trout from thermal damage. The stormwater temperature is calculated on the basis of a simple thermodynamic estimate for different latitudes. Only receiving waters with maximum daily mean temperatures of 22 degrees C (T1) are considered potential habitats for brown trout. The maximum temperature for a 1-h exposure time with a safety margin for 100% survival is 25 degrees C (T2), the sudden temperature change at the beginning of a rain event must not exceed 7 degrees C (T3), and fish-egg development requires the daily maximum temperature in winter to be below 12 degrees C (T4). Examples of stormwater runoff from roof or road surfaces from Switzerland validate our approach within +/-0.5 degrees C. Effects of runoff into receiving waters without detailed data can be predicted within +/-0.8 degrees C. With the restriction by T1, T2 seems not to be an acute problem at Swiss latitudes. T3 could play a role, especially if a large amount of runoff is discharged in small and rather cool rivers and streams. Finally, T4 deserves more attention than hitherto given. The proposed procedure may be a useful tool for assessing the influence of urban stormwater on the temperature of the receiving waters, particularly with regard to predicting the thermal impacts of urban or suburban runoff to populations of brown trout.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: Study of Aerosol Sources and Processing at the GVAX Pantnagar Supersite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Worsnop, Douglas R.

2014-07-28

This project funded the participation of scientists from seven research groups, running more than thirty instruments, in the Winter Intensive Operating Period (January-February 2012) of the Clean Air for London (ClearfLo) campaign at a rural site in Detling, UK, 45 km southeast of central London. The primary science questions for the ClearfLo Winter IOP were, 1) what is the urban increment of particulate matter (PM) and other pollutants in the greater London area, and, 2) what is the contribution of solid fuel use for home heating to wintertime PM? An additional motivation for the Detling measurements was the question ofmore » whether coatings on black carbon particles enhance absorption. The following four key accomplishments have been identified so far: 1) Chemical, physical and optical characterization of PM from local and regional sources (Figures 2, 4, 5 and 6). 2) Measurement of urban increment in particulate matter and gases in London (Figure 3). 3) Measurement of optical properties and chemical composition of coatings on black carbon containing particles indicates absorption enhancement. 4) First deployment of chemical ionization instrument (MOVI-CI-TOFMS) to measure both particle-phase and gas-phase organic acids. (See final report from Joel Thornton, University of Washington, for details.) Analysis of the large dataset acquired in Detling is ongoing and will yield further key accomplishments. These measurements of urban and rural aerosol properties will contribute to improved modeling of regional aerosol emissions, and of atmospheric aging and removal. The measurement of absorption enhancement by coatings on black carbon will contribute to improved modeling of the direct radiative properties of PM.« less

Failure mechanism of hollow tree trunks due to cross-sectional flattening

PubMed Central

Huang, Yan-San; Hsu, Fu-Lan; Lee, Chin-Mei

2017-01-01

Failure of hollow trees in urban areas is a worldwide concern, and it can be caused by different mechanisms, i.e. bending stresses or flattening-related failures. Here we derive a new analytical expression for predicting the bending moment for tangential cracking, and compare the breaking moment of various failure modes, including Brazier buckling, tangential cracking, shear failure and conventional bending failure, as a function of t/R ratio, where t and R are the trunk wall thickness and trunk radius, respectively, of a hollow tree. We use Taiwan red cypress as an example and show that its failure modes and the corresponding t/R ratios are: Brazier buckling (Mode I), tangential cracking followed by longitudinal splitting (Mode II) and conventional bending failure (Mode III) for 0 < t/R < 0.06, 0.06 < t/R < 0.27 and 0.27 < t/R < 1, respectively. The exact values of those ratios may vary within and among species, but the variation is much smaller than individual mechanical properties. Also, shear failure, another type of cracking due to maximum shear stress near the neutral axis of the tree trunk, is unlikely to occur since it requires much larger bending moments. Hence, we conclude that tangential cracking due to cross-sectional flattening, followed by longitudinal splitting, is dominant for hollow trunks. Our equations are applicable to analyse straight hollow tree trunks and plant stems, but are not applicable to those with side openings or those with only heart decay. Our findings provide insights for those managing trees in urban situations and those managing for conservation of hollow-dependent fauna in both urban and rural settings. PMID:28484616

MED-SUV Data Life Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sangianantoni, Agata; Puglisi, Giuseppe; Spampinato, Letizia; Tulino, Sabrina

2015-04-01

The MED-SUV project aims to implement a digital e-infrastructure for data access in order to promote the monitoring and study of key volcanic regions prone to volcanic hazards, and thus improve hazard assessment, according to the rationale of Supersite GEO initiative to Vesuvius- Campi Flegrei and Mt Etna, currently identified as Permanent Supersites. The present study focuses on the life cycle of MED-SUV data generated in the first period of the project and highlights the managing approach, as well as the crucial steps to be implemented for ensuring that data will be properly and ethically managed and can be used and accessed from both MED-SUV and the external community. The process is conceived outlining how research data being handled as the project progresses, describing what data are collected, processed or generated and how these data are going to be shared and made available through Open Access. Data cycle begins with their generation and ends with the deposit in the digital infrastructure, its key series of stages through which MED-SUV data passes are Collection, Data citation, Categorization of data, Approval procedure, Registration of datasets, Application of licensing models, and PID assignment. This involves a combination of procedures and practices taking into account the scientific core mission and the priorities of the project as well as the potential legal issues related to the management and protection of the Intellectual Property. We believe that the implementation of this process constitutes a significant encouragement in MED-SUV data sharing and as a consequence a better understanding on the volcanic processes, hazard assessment and a better integration with other Supersites projects.

Mammalian cell-transforming potential of traffic-linked ultrafine particulate matter PM0.056 in urban roadside atmosphere.

PubMed

Verma, Mukesh K; Poojan, Shiv; Sultana, Sarwat; Kumar, Sushil

2014-09-01

We examined the clastogenic and cell-transforming potential of ultrafine particulate matter fraction PM0.056 of urban ambient aerosol using mammalian cells. PM1.0, PM0.56 and PM0.056 fractions were sampled from roadside atmosphere of an urban area using the cascade impactor MOUDI-NR-110. The potential to induce cytotoxicity, DNA damage and micronuclei formation was examined at the test concentrations of 3, 6, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 μg/ml using the 3-4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, the plasmid relaxation assay and the C3H10T1/2 (10T1/2) cells. The cell-transforming potential was investigated in vitro using 10T1/2 cell transformation assay and the soft agar assay. PM1, PM0.56 and PM0.056 fractions were found to be toxic in dose-dependent manner. These induced cytotoxicity at five test concentrations, the ultrafine particle fraction PM0.056 showed greater cytotoxic potential. PM0.056 induced micronucleus formation in 10T1/2 cells. The effect was statistically significant. The DNA-damaging potential was measured in a plasmid relaxation assay. Both fine and ultrafine particle fraction PM0.56 and PM0.056 displayed greater effect as compared to larger PM1 fraction. DNA damage was found to be dependent on particulate matter intrinsic pro-oxidant chemicals. The ability of the ultrafine particle fraction PM0.056 to induce morphological cell transformation was demonstrated by significant and dose-dependent increases in type III focus formation by morphologically transformed cells in culture flasks and their clonal expansion in soft agar. It is concluded that the traffic-linked ultrafine particle fraction PM0.056 in the atmosphere by the roadside of an urban area is clastogenic and able to induce morphological transformation of mammalian cells. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the UK Environmental Mutagen Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

THE SUPERSITES PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The PM2.5 monitoring program is dominated by gravimetric measurements (over 1000 mass samplers nationwide) specific for indicator mass, where the primary objective is comparisons with the PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The other major component of the net...

PM SUPERSITES PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

In 1997, the EPA administrator published National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Particulate Matter (PM) that included new standards for PM2.5 (PM with diameters less than 2.5 um). These revised standards stimulated national concern over uncertainties regarding the ex...

The Mediterranean Supersite Volcanoes (MED-SUV) Project: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puglisi, Giuseppe

2013-04-01

In response to the EC call ENV.2012.6.4-2 (Long-term monitoring experiments in geologically active regions of Europe prone to natural hazards: the Supersite concept - FP7-ENV-2012-two-stage) a wide community of volcanological institutions proposed the project Mediterranean Supersite Volcanoes (MED-SUV), which is in the negotiation phase at the time of writing. The Consortium is composed by 18 European University and research institutes, four Small or Medium Enterprises (SME) and two non-European University and research institutes. MED-SUV will improve the consortium capacity of assessment of volcanic hazards in Supersites of Southern Italy by optimising and integrating existing and new observation/monitoring systems, by a breakthrough in understanding of volcanic processes and by increasing the effectiveness of the coordination between the scientific and end-user communities. More than 3 million of people are exposed to potential volcanic hazards in a large region in the Mediterranean Sea, where two among the largest European volcanic areas are located: Mt. Etna and Campi Flegrei/Vesuvius. This project will fully exploit the unique detailed long-term in-situ monitoring data sets available for these volcanoes and integrate with Earth Observation (EO) data, setting the basic tools for a significant step ahead in the discrimination of pre-, syn- and post-eruptive phases. The wide range of styles and intensities of volcanic phenomena observed on these volcanoes, which can be assumed as archetypes of 'closed conduit ' and 'open conduit' volcano, together with the long-term multidisciplinary data sets give an exceptional opportunity to improve the understanding of a very wide spectrum of geo-hazards, as well as implementing and testing a large variety of innovative models of ground deformation and motion. Important impacts on the European industrial sector are expected, arising from a partnership integrating the scientific community and SMEs to implement together new observation/monitoring sensors/systems. Specific experiments and studies will be carried out to improve our understanding of the volcanic internal structure and dynamics, as well as to recognise signals related to impending unrest or eruption. Hazard quantitative assessment will benefit by the outcomes of these studies and by their integration into the cutting edge monitoring approaches thus leading to a step-change in hazard awareness and preparedness and leveraging the close relationship between scientists, SMEs, and end-users.

Influence of Urbanization Level and Gross Domestic Product of Counties in Croatia on Access to Health Care

PubMed Central

Bagat, Mario; Drakulić, Velibor; Sekelj Kauzlarić, Katarina; Vlahušić, Andro; Bilić, Ivica; Matanić, Dubravka

2008-01-01

Aim To examine the association of counties’ urbanization level and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita on the access to health care. Methods Counties were divided in two groups according to the urbanization level and GDP per capita in purchasing power standards. The number of physicians per 100 000 inhabitants, the number of physicians in hospitals in four basic specialties, physicians’ workload, average duration of working week, the average number of insurants per general practice (GP) team, and the number of inhabitants covered by one internal medicine outpatient clinic were compared between predominantly urban and predominantly rural counties, and between richer and poorer counties. Our study included only GP teams and outpatients’ clinics under the contract with the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance. Data on physicians were collected from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance, the Croatian Institute for Public Health, and the Croatian Medical Chamber. Data on the contracts with the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance and health care services provided under these contracts were obtained from the database of the Institute, while population and gross domestic product data were obtained from the Database of the Croatian Institute for Statistics. World Health Organization Health for All Database was used for the international comparison of physician’s data. Results There was no significant difference in the total number of physicians per 100 000 inhabitants between predominantly urban and predominantly rural counties (206.9 ± 41.0 vs 175.4 ± 30.3; P = 0.067, t test) nor between richer and poorer counties (194.5 ± 49.8 vs 187.7 ± 25.3; P = 0.703, t test). However, there were significantly fewer GPs per 100 000 inhabitants in rural than urban counties (49.0 ± 5.5 vs 56.7 ± 4.6; P = 0.003, t test). GPs in rural counties had more insurants than those working in urban counties (1.749.8 ± 172.8 vs 1.540.7 ± 106.3; P = 0.004, t test). The working week of specialists in the four observed specialties in hospitals was longer than the recommended 48 hours a week. Conclusion The lack of physicians, especially in primary health care can lead to a reduced access to health care and increased workload of physicians, predominantly in rural counties, regardless of the counties’ GDP. PMID:18581617

Indoor Occurrence of the Ghost Ant Tapinoma melanocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Urban Homes in Korea

PubMed Central

Lee, In Yong; Park, Seong Joon; Seo, Jang Hoon; Sim, Seobo; Kim, Jin-Hwan; Gwon, Young Gon; Yong, Tai-Soon

2017-01-01

The ghost ant Tapinoma melanocephalum is a common household pest worldwide. The present study examined the occurrence of the species in urban homes in Korea. During the period of September 2014 to January 2016, T. melanocephalum workers were collected from 58 homes at 29 different localities using bait traps with 10% sugar solution. The species was widely distributed throughout urban homes at 29 different localities, and the indoor occurrence of T. melanocephalum was highest in Seoul (32.7%) and metropolitan areas of Gyeonggi-do (Province) (29.3%). The indoor incidence rate of T. melanocephalum peaked in September (22.8%), remained moderate from October through April, and peaked again in May (15.7%). In contrast, a low incidence was observed from June to August (7.0%). The present study provides evidence that native ants, such as T. melanocephalum, are potential indoor pests of homes in Korea throughout the year. PMID:28506048

Total mercury and methylmercury in fish fillets, water, and bed sediments from selected streams in the Delaware River basin, New Jersery, New York, and Pennsylvania, 1998-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brightbill, Robin A.; Riva-Murray, Karen; Bilger, Michael D.; Byrnes, John D.

2004-01-01

Within the Delaware River Basin, fish-tissue samples were analyzed for total mercury (tHg). Water and bed-sediment samples were analyzed for tHg and methylmercury (MeHg), and methylation efficiencies were calculated. This study was part of a National Mercury Pilot Program conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The Delaware River Basin was chosen because it is part of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Program that integrates physical, chemical, and biological sampling efforts to determine status and trends in surface-water and ground-water resources. Of the 35 sites in the study, 31 were sampled for fish. The species sampled at these sites include smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), the target species, and where smallmouth bass could not be collected, brown trout (Salmo trutta), chain pickerel (Esox niger), largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), and rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris). There were a total of 32 fish samples; 7 of these exceeded the 0.3 ?g/g (micrograms per gram) wet-weight mercury (Hg) concentration set for human health by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and 27 of these exceeded the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service criteria of 0.1 ?g/g wet weight for the protection of fish-eating birds and wildlife. Basinwide analysis of Hg in fish, water, and bed sediment showed tHg concentration in fillets correlated positively with population density, urban land cover, and impervious land surface. Negative correlations included wetland land cover, septic density, elevation, and latitude. Smallmouth bass from the urban sites had a higher median concentration of tHg than fish from agricultural, low intensity-agricultural, or forested sites. Concentrations of tHg and MeHg in water were higher in samples from the more urbanized areas of the basin and were positively correlated with urbanization and negatively correlated with forested land cover. Methylation efficiency of water was negatively correlated with urbanization. Bed-sediment patterns were similar to those observed in water. Concentrations of tHg were higher in samples from the urbanized areas. In the more forested areas, MeHg concentrations were higher than in other land-use areas. Concentrations of tHg in bed sediment were positively correlated with urbanization factors (population, urban land cover, and impervious land surface) and negatively correlated with forested land cover and elevation. Forested land cover and latitude were positively correlated with concentrations of MeHg. The methylation efficiency was higher in samples from the forested areas and was negatively correlated with urbanization. Analyses within land-use groups showed that tHg concentrations in fish fillets from the urban sites were positively correlated with forested land cover and wetland cover. Urbanization factors within the agricultural group were positively correlated with tHg in fish; concentrations of tHg in fish from sites in the low intensity-agricultural group were negatively correlated with urbanization factors. Within the agricultural land-use group, tHg concentrations in water were negatively correlated with septic density, and MeHg concentrations were negatively correlated with elevation. In the forested and low intensity-agricultural groups, MeHg in water was negatively correlated with forested and agricultural land cover. Methylation efficiency in water also was negatively correlated with forested land cover but positively correlated with agricultural land cover. Bed sediment concentrations of tHg in the forested and low-agricultural groups were positively correlated with agricultural land cover and negatively correlated with forested land cover. Concentrations of MeHg in bed sediment were positively correlated with septic density and drainage area and negatively correlated with forested land cover. Methylation efficiency was negatively correlated with population density, a

THE US EPA'S SUPERSITES PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The PM2.5 monitoring program is dominated by gravimetric measurements (over 1000 mass samplers nationwide) specific for mass, where the primary objective is comparisons with the PMZ 5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The other major component of the network is th...

COMPARISON OF INTEGRATED SAMPLERS FOR MASS AND COMPOSITION

EPA Science Inventory

The primary objective of EPA's Atlanta Supersites Project was to compare and evaluate a wide variety of samplers from time-integrated mass only monitors, to integrated and semi-continuous chemical speciation samplers, to single particle mass spectrometers. This paper will desc...

A country bug in the city: urban infestation by the Chagas disease vector Triatoma infestans in Arequipa, Peru

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Interruption of vector-borne transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi remains an unrealized objective in many Latin American countries. The task of vector control is complicated by the emergence of vector insects in urban areas. Methods Utilizing data from a large-scale vector control program in Arequipa, Peru, we explored the spatial patterns of infestation by Triatoma infestans in an urban and peri-urban landscape. Multilevel logistic regression was utilized to assess the associations between household infestation and household- and locality-level socio-environmental measures. Results Of 37,229 households inspected for infestation, 6,982 (18.8%; 95% CI: 18.4 – 19.2%) were infested by T. infestans. Eighty clusters of infestation were identified, ranging in area from 0.1 to 68.7 hectares and containing as few as one and as many as 1,139 infested households. Spatial dependence between infested households was significant at distances up to 2,000 meters. Household T. infestans infestation was associated with household- and locality-level factors, including housing density, elevation, land surface temperature, and locality type. Conclusions High levels of T. infestans infestation, characterized by spatial heterogeneity, were found across extensive urban and peri-urban areas prior to vector control. Several environmental and social factors, which may directly or indirectly influence the biology and behavior of T. infestans, were associated with infestation. Spatial clustering of infestation in the urban context may both challenge and inform surveillance and control of vector reemergence after insecticide intervention. PMID:24171704

Prevalence of canine gastrointestinal helminths in urban Lusaka and rural Katete Districts of Zambia.

PubMed

Bwalya, Eugene C; Nalubamba, King S; Hankanga, C; Namangala, B

2011-07-01

Faecal samples were collected from January 2010 through September 2010 to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) helminths infestation in dogs in urban Lusaka and rural Katete Districts of Zambia. A total of 452 faecal samples (n=160 Katete, n=292 Lusaka) were examined by faecal flotation for the presence of helminth eggs and 82.5% of dogs were positive for GI helminths in Katete compared to 76% for Lusaka. Positive results with the presence of at least one parasite corresponded to 72.9% Ancylostoma caninum, 11% Toxocara canis, 4.8% Toxascaris leonina, 2.4% Dipylidium caninum, 0.7% Taeniidae and 0.3% T. vulpis, species for Lusaka while Katete recorded 70.6% A. caninum, 18.1% T. vulpis, 11.1% T. canis, 13.1% D. caninum, 3.8% T. leonina, and 0.6% Taeniidae. Except for T. vulpis and D. caninum (p<0.05) the results indicated no significant difference in the prevalence of the identified GI helminth between Lusaka and Katete. There was no significant difference in the prevalence between genders of GI helminth infestation demonstrated in this study and only A. caninum showed significant difference in prevalence by age category. The study also showed the presence of zoonotic intestinal helminths A. caninum, T. canis and D. caninum. The study highlights that there was no significant difference in spectrum and prevalence of GI helminths between urban and rural areas in Zambia. It further brings to light the importance of educating owners of dogs on the importance of regular deworming of dogs and control of ectoparasites in order to minimise the risk that these dogs pose to them and the public. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolution of wavelength-dependent mass absorption cross sections of carbonaceous aerosols during the 2010 DOE CARES campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flowers, B. A.; Dubey, M. K.; Subramanian, R.; Sedlacek, A. J.; Kelley, P.; Luke, W. T.; Jobson, B. T.; Zaveri, R. A.

2011-12-01

Predictions of aerosol radiative forcing require process level optical property models that are built on precise and accurate field observations. Evolution of aerosol optical properties for urban influenced carbonaceous aerosol undergoing transport and mixing with rural air masses was a focal point of the DOE Carbonaceous Aerosol and Radiative Effects (CARES) campaign near Sacramento, CA in summer 2010. Urban aerosol was transported from Sacramento, CA (T0) to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to a rural site located near Cool, CA (T1). Aerosol absorption and scattering coefficients were measured at the T0 and T1 sites using integrated photoacoustic acoustic/nephelometer instruments (PASS-3 and PASS-UV) at 781, 532, 405, and 375 nm. Single particle soot photometry (SP2) instrumentation was used to monitor black carbon (BC) mass at both sites. Combining data from these sensors allows estimate of the wavelength-dependent mass absorption coefficient (MAC(λ)) and partitioning of MAC(λ) into contributions from the BC core and from enhancements from coating of BC cores. MAC(λ) measured in this way is free of artifacts associated with filter-based aerosol absorption measurements and takes advantage of the single particle sensitivity of the SP2 instrument, allowing observation of MAC(λ) on 10 minute and faster time scales. Coating was observed to enhance MAC(λ) by 20 - 30 % and different wavelength dependence for MAC(λ) was observed for urban and biomass burning aerosol. Further, T0 - T1 evolution of MAC(λ) was correlated with separately measured NO/NOy ratios and CO/CO2 ratios to understand the effects of aging & transport on MAC(λ) and the implications of aerosol processing that links air quality to radiative forcing on a regional scale. Aircraft observations made from the Gulfstream-1 during CARES are also analyzed to enhance process level understanding of the optical properties of fresh and aged carbonaceous aerosol in the urban-rural interface.

Joint associations of physical activity and hypertension with the development of type 2 diabetes among urban men and women in Mainland China.

PubMed

Xu, Fei; Ware, Robert S; Tse, Lap Ah; Wang, YouFa; Wang, ZhiYong; Hong, Xin; Chan, Emily Ying Yang; Dunstan, David W; Owen, Neville

2014-01-01

Physical activity (PA) and hypertension (HTN) are important influences on the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the joint impact of PA and HTN on T2D development is unknown. Two community-based prospective cohort studies, with the same protocols, instruments and questionnaires, were conducted among adults in urban areas of Nanjing, China, during 2004-2007 and 2007-2010. T2D was defined using World Health Organization criteria based on physicians' diagnosis and fasting blood glucose concentration. PA level (sufficient/insufficient) and blood pressure status (hypertensive/normotensive) were assessed at baseline and the third year of follow-up. We pooled and analyzed data from these two studies. Among 4550 participants aged 35 years or older, the three-year cumulative incidence of T2D was 5.1%. After adjusting for potential confounders, participants with sufficient PA were less likely to develop T2D than those with insufficient PA (OR = 0.43, 95%CI = 0.27, 0.68) and those who were normotensive were less likely to develop T2D than those who were hypertensive (OR = 0.39, 95%CI = 0.29, 0.51). Compared to participants with insufficient PA and who were hypertensive, those with sufficient PA and hypertension were at lower risk of developing T2D (OR = 0.36, 95%CI = 0.19, 0.69), as were those with insufficient PA who were normotensive (OR = 0.37, 95%CI = 0.28, 0.50) and those with sufficient PA who were normotensive (OR = 0.19, 95%CI = 0.10, 0.37). Insufficient PA was found to be associated with the development of T2D among adults with and without hypertension. These findings support a role for promoting higher physical activity levels to lower T2D risk in both hypertensive and non-hypertensive individuals.

PREFACE TO SPECIAL SECTION ON PARTICULATE MATTER SUPERSITES

EPA Science Inventory

An improved understanding of the key sources, development of the most cost/effective control strategies, and health risks associated with PM2.5 requires high-quality measurements of PM2.5 composition, size and, concentration over a variety of spatial and temporal scales. However...

Supersite of immune vulnerability on the glycosylated face of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120

PubMed Central

Kong, Leopold; Lee, Jeong Hyun; Doores, Katie J.; Murin, Charles D.; Julien, Jean-Philippe; McBride, Ryan; Liu, Yan; Marozsan, Andre; Cupo, Albert; Klasse, Per-Johan; Hoffenberg, Simon; Caulfield, Michael; King, C. Richter; Hua, Yuanzi; Le, Khoa M.; Khayat, Reza; Deller, Marc C.; Clayton, Thomas; Tien, Henry; Feizi, Ten; Sanders, Rogier W.; Paulson, James C.; Moore, John P.; Stanfield, Robyn L.; Burton, Dennis R.; Ward, Andrew B.; Wilson, Ian A.

2013-01-01

A substantial fraction of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) in certain HIV-infected donors recognizes glycan-dependent epitopes on HIV-1 gp120. Here, we elucidate how bnAb PGT 135 recognizes its Asn332 glycan-dependent epitope from its crystal structure with gp120, CD4 and Fab 17b at 3.1 Å resolution. PGT 135 interacts with glycans at Asn332, Asn392 and Asn386, using long CDR loops H1 and H3 to penetrate the glycan shield to access the gp120 protein surface. Electron microscopy reveals PGT 135 can accommodate the conformational and chemical diversity of gp120 glycans by altering its angle of engagement. The combined structural studies of PGT 135, PGT 128 and 2G12 show this Asn332-dependent epitope is highly accessible and much more extensive than initially appreciated, allowing for multiple binding modes and varied angles of approach, thereby representing a supersite of vulnerability for antibody neutralization. PMID:23708606

Three frequency false-color image of Oberpfaffenhofen supersite in Germany

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-04-18

STS059-S-080 (18 April 1994) --- This is a false-color three frequency image of the Oberpfaffenhofen supersite, an area just south-west of Munich in southern Germany. The colors show the different conditions that the three radars (X-Band, C-Band and L-Band) can see on the ground. The image covers a 27 by 36 kilometer area. The center of the site is 48.09 degrees north and 11.29 degrees east. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on April 11, 1994. The dark area on the left is Lake Ammersee. The two smaller lakes are the Woerthsee and the Pilsensee. On the bottom is the tip of the Starnbergersee. The city of Munich is located just beyond the right of the image. The Oberpfaffenhofen supersite is the major test site for SIR-C/X-SAR calibration and scientific investigations concerning agriculture, forestry, hydrology and geology. This color composite image is a three frequency overlay. L-Band total power was assigned red, the C-Band total power is shown in green and the X-Band VV polarization appears blue. The colors on the image stress the differences between the L-Band, C-Band, X-Band images. If the three radar antennas were getting an equal response from objects on the ground, this image would appear in black and white. However, in this image, the blue areas corresponds to area for which the X-Band backscatter is relatively higher than the backscatter at L and C-Bands. This behavior is characteristic of grasslands, clear cuts and shorter vegetation. Similarly, the forested areas have a reddish tint (L-Band). The green areas seen near both the Ammersee and the Pilsensee lakes indicate marshy areas. The agricultural fields in the upper right hand corner appear mostly in blue and green (X-Band and C-Band). The white areas are mostly urban areas, while the smooth surfaces of the lakes appear very dark. SIR-C/X-SAR is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE). SIR-C/X-SAR radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-Band (24 cm), C-Band (6 cm), and X-Band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). X-SAR was developed by the Dornire and Alenia Spazio Companies for the German Space Agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian Space Agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI). JPL Photo ID: P-43930

Home fire safety intervention pilot with urban older adults living in Wales.

PubMed

Lehna, Carlee; Merrell, Joy; Furmanek, Stephen; Twyman, Stephanie

2017-02-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effects of a home fire safety (HFS) education program developed in the US, on improved HFS knowledge and practice in a purposive sample of 12 urban older adults living in Swansea, Wales. Knowledge was tested at baseline (T1), immediately after watching a Video on HFS (T2), and at 2-week follow-up (T3). A majority of the participants were Caucasian (n=9, 81.8%), and female (n=11, 91.7%); their mean age was 78years old (SD=12.7years). They had two chronic illnesses (n=1.8, SD=1.3), walked without help (n=7, 58.3%), and lived in a flat (n=10, 90.9%). Knowledge scores (percent correct) changed over time and were significantly different from T1 (46.7%) to T2 (59.2%, p=0.04) and from T1 (46.7%) to T3 (58.9%, p=0.04), but T2 and T3 (p=0.94) scores showed no difference. There is a need for educational HFS intervention programs aimed at this age group. This pilot successfully targeted active older adults living independently in sheltered housing complexes. Further fire safety research is needed with community dwelling older adults living in other types of housing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

MEASUREMENT OF FINE PARTICULATE MATTER (NONVOLATILE AND SEMIVOLATILE FRACTIONS) IN FRESNO, CA

EPA Science Inventory

Semi-volatile material, including ammonium nitrate and semi-volatile organic material, is often not measured by traditionally used sampling methods including the FRM and the R&P TEOM Monitor. An intensive sampling campaign was performed at the EPA Fresno, CA Supersite during D...

Exposure to urban stressor and effects on free testosterone in female workers.

PubMed

Tomei, Gianfranco; Ciarrocca, Manuela; Fiore, Pina; Rosati, Maria Valeria; Pimpinella, Benedetta; Anzani, Maria Francesca; Giubilati, Roberto; Cangemi, Chiara; Tomao, Enrico; Tomei, Francesco

2008-03-25

The aim of the study is to evaluate if occupational exposure to chemical, physical and psycho-social urban stressor could cause alterations in plasma free testosterone (T) levels and related diseases in female traffic police vs. control group. The research was carried out on initial sample of 468 female Municipal Police employees (209 traffic police and 259 controls). After excluding the principal confounding factors, traffic police were matched with controls by age, working life, menstrual cycle day, BMI, drinking habit, cigarette smoking habit, liquorice and soy intake in diet, habitual consumption of Italian coffee. There were 96 female traffic police and 96 controls included in the study. T mean levels were significantly higher in female traffic police compared to controls (p=0.000). The distribution of T values in traffic police and in controls was significant (p=0.000). No significant differences were found comparing the percentage in traffic police and controls concerning dystocial, premature and post-term birth. An increase in mental health disorders was found in traffic police compared to controls but the difference was not significant. The increase in T plasma levels observed in traffic police vs. controls can be due to a chronic working exposure to low doses of environmental chemical urban stressor. According to our previous researches T could be used as an early biological marker even before the onset of the related disorders.

Racial disparities in tissue plasminogen activator treatment rate for stroke: a population-based study.

PubMed

Hsia, Amie W; Edwards, Dorothy F; Morgenstern, Lewis B; Wing, Jeffrey J; Brown, Nina C; Coles, Regina; Loftin, Sarah; Wein, Andrea; Koslosky, Sara S; Fatima, Sabiha; Sánchez, Brisa N; Fokar, Ali; Gibbons, M Chris; Shara, Nawar; Jayam-Trouth, Annapurni; Kidwell, Chelsea S

2011-08-01

Some prior studies have shown that racial disparities exist in intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) use for acute ischemic stroke. We sought to determine whether race was associated with tPA treatment for stroke in a predominantly black urban population. Systematic chart abstraction was performed on consecutive hospitalized patients with ischemic stroke from all 7 acute care hospitals in the District of Columbia from February 1, 2008, to January 31, 2009. Of 1044 patients with ischemic stroke, 74% were black, 19% non-Hispanic white, and 5% received intravenous tPA. Blacks were one third less likely than whites to receive intravenous tPA (3% versus 10%, P<0.001). However, blacks were also less likely than whites to present within 3 hours of symptom onset (13% versus 21%, P=0.004) and also less likely to be tPA-eligible (5% versus 13%, P<0.001). Of those who presented within 3 hours, blacks were almost half as likely to be treated with intravenous tPA than whites (27% versus 46%, P=0.023). The treatment rate for tPA-eligible patients was similar for blacks and whites (70% versus 76%, P=0.62). In this predominantly black urban population hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke, blacks were significantly less likely to be treated with intravenous tPA due to contraindications to treatment, delayed presentation, and stroke severity. Effective interventions designed to increase treatment in this population need to focus on culturally relevant education programs designed to address barriers specific to this population.

RACIAL DISPARITIES IN TPA TREATMENT RATE FOR STROKE: A POPULATION-BASED STUDY

PubMed Central

Hsia, Amie W.; Edwards, Dorothy F.; Morgenstern, Lewis B.; Wing, Jeffrey J.; Brown, Nina C.; Coles, Regina; Loftin, Sarah; Wein, Andrea; Koslosky, Sara S.; Fatima, Sabiha; Fokar, Ali; Gibbons, M. Chris; Jayam-Trouth, Annapurni; Kidwell, Chelsea S.

2011-01-01

Background Some prior studies have shown that racial disparities exist in intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) utilization for acute ischemic stroke. We sought to determine whether race was associated with tPA treatment for stroke in a predominantly black urban population. Methods Systematic chart abstraction was performed on consecutive hospitalized ischemic stroke patients from all seven acute care hospitals in the District of Columbia from Feb 1, 2008 to Jan 31, 2009. Results Of 1044 ischemic stroke patients, 74%% were black, 19% non-Hispanic white, 5% received IV tPA. Blacks were one third less likely than whites to receive IV tPA (3% vs. 10%, p<0.001). However, blacks were also less likely than whites to present within 3 hours of symptom onset (13% vs. 21%, p=0.004) and also less likely to be tPA-eligible (5% vs. 13%, p<0.001). Of those who presented within 3 hours, blacks were almost half as likely to be treated with IV tPA than whites (27% vs. 46%, p=0.023). The treatment rate for tPA-eligible patients was similar for blacks and whites (70% vs. 76%, p=0.62). Conclusions In this predominantly black urban population hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke, blacks were significantly less likely to be treated with IV tPA due to contraindications to treatment, delayed presentation, and stroke severity. Effective interventions designed to increase treatment in this population need to focus on culturally relevant education programs designed to address barriers specific to this population. PMID:21719765

ELECTRICAL AEROSOL DETECTOR (EAD) MEASUREMENTS AT THE ST. LOUIS SUPERSITE

EPA Science Inventory

The Model 3070A Electrical Aerosol Detector (EAD) measures a unique aerosol parameter called total aerosol length. Reported as mm/cm3, aerosol length can be thought of as a number concentration times average diameter, or simply as d1 weighting. This measurement falls between nu...

CONTINUOUS AND SEMI-CONTINUOUS METHODS FOR PM MASS AND COMPOSITION

EPA Science Inventory

This article is a review of the status of continuous and semi-continuous methods for PM mass and composition based on results from EPA's PM Supersites Program and related studies. It summarizes recommendations suggested by Solomon and Sioutas (2006 submitted to the J. Air and Wa...

Nitrate Attenuation Pathways and Capacity in Urban Wetlands of Phoenix, Arizona.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handler, A. M.; Suchy, A. K.; Grimm, N. B.; Palta, M.; Childers, D. L.; Stromberg, J. C.

2016-12-01

In the urban Salt River channel of Phoenix, Arizona, stormwater pipes collect urban runoff that drains directly into the dry river bed, providing a new water source that sustains perennial wetlands. Water delivered by storm drains is enriched in nitrogen, particularly nitrate (NO3-), a common surface-water pollutant. However, these systems are not planned nor are they actively managed to reduce nitrogen loads. We investigated the microbial capacity of these wetlands to reduce nitrate concentrations by examining surface-water (SW) and subsurface porewater (PW) chemistry and conducting soil incubations from dominant wetland vegetation patches. Nitrate was higher in SW than PW (mean ± S.E.: 0.23 ± 0.05 vs. 0.03 ± 0.01 ppm N-NO3-) while ammonium (NH4+) was the opposite (0.11 ± 0.02 vs. 0.47 ± 0.10 ppm N-NH4+). Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was abundant throughout the wetland (6.0 ± 0.9 ppm), but was significantly higher in vegetated patches compared to non-vegetated patches (t-test: p=0.04). These data indicate conditions that support microbial NO3- reduction persists, especially in vegetated patches. Laboratory incubations of wetland soil treated with a high (7 ppm) and low (1 ppm) dose of NO3- consumed 0.191 ± 0.022 and 0.019 ± 0.005 mg N-NO3- hr-1 kg wet soil-1, respectively. A best-fit model showed incubations with a higher starting NO3- concentration had a higher NO3- loss rate (standardized β=0.10 ± 0.01, p<0.001) and incubations from vegetated patches had a higher NO3- loss rate than those from open patches (β=0.02 ± 0.01, p=0.003). Across patches, NH4+ increased in the high treatment incubations (t-test: p<0.001), potentially indicating the presence of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). These results suggest the wetlands have the capacity to both remove nitrogen via denitrification and retain it via DNRA. This study indicates unplanned, unmanaged urban wetland systems have a high capacity to attenuate NO3- delivered from the urban landscape.

Fine particulate matter emissions inventories: comparisons of emissions estimates with observations from recent field programs.

PubMed

Simon, Heather; Allen, David T; Wittig, Ann E

2008-02-01

Emissions inventories of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were compared with estimates of emissions based on data emerging from U.S. Environment Protection Agency Particulate Matter Supersites and other field programs. Six source categories for PM2.5 emissions were reviewed: on-road mobile sources, nonroad mobile sources, cooking, biomass combustion, fugitive dust, and stationary sources. Ammonia emissions from all of the source categories were also examined. Regional emissions inventories of PM in the exhaust from on-road and nonroad sources were generally consistent with ambient observations, though uncertainties in some emission factors were twice as large as the emission factors. In contrast, emissions inventories of road dust were up to an order of magnitude larger than ambient observations, and estimated brake wear and tire dust emissions were half as large as ambient observations in urban areas. Although comprehensive nationwide emissions inventories of PM2.5 from cooking sources and biomass burning are not yet available, observational data in urban areas suggest that cooking sources account for approximately 5-20% of total primary emissions (excluding dust), and biomass burning sources are highly dependent on region. Finally, relatively few observational data were available to assess the accuracy of emission estimates for stationary sources. Overall, the uncertainties in primary emissions for PM2.s are substantial. Similar uncertainties exist for ammonia emissions. Because of these uncertainties, the design of PM2.5 control strategies should be based on inventories that have been refined by a combination of bottom-up and top-down methods.

An Interrupted Time Series Analysis to Determine the Effect of an Electronic Health Record-Based Intervention on Appropriate Screening for Type 2 Diabetes in Urban Primary Care Clinics in New York City.

PubMed

Albu, Jeanine B; Sohler, Nancy; Li, Rui; Li, Xuan; Young, Edwin; Gregg, Edward W; Ross-Degnan, Dennis

2017-08-01

To determine the impact of a health system-wide primary care diabetes management system, which included targeted guidelines for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and prediabetes (dysglycemia) screening, on detection of previously undiagnosed dysglycemia cases. Intervention included electronic health record (EHR)-based decision support and standardized providers and staff training for using the American Diabetes Association guidelines for dysglycemia screening. Using EHR data, we identified 40,456 adults without T2DM or recent screening with a face-to-face visit (March 2011-December 2013) in five urban clinics. Interrupted time series analyses examined the impact of the intervention on trends in three outcomes: 1 ) monthly proportion of eligible patients receiving dysglycemia testing, 2 ) two negative comparison conditions (dysglycemia testing among ineligible patients and cholesterol screening), and 3 ) yield of undiagnosed dysglycemia among those tested. Baseline monthly proportion of eligible patients receiving testing was 7.4-10.4%. After the intervention, screening doubled (mean increase + 11.0% [95% CI 9.0, 13.0], proportion range 18.6-25.3%). The proportion of ineligible patients tested also increased (+5.0% [95% CI 3.0, 8.0]) with no concurrent change in cholesterol testing (+0% [95% CI -0.02, 0.05]). About 59% of test results in eligible patients showed dysglycemia both before and after the intervention. Implementation of a policy for systematic dysglycemia screening including formal training and EHR templates in urban academic primary care clinics resulted in a doubling of appropriate testing and the number of patients who could be targeted for treatment to prevent or delay T2DM. © 2017 by the American Diabetes Association.

Urban-rural differences in factors associated with willingness to receive eldercare among the elderly: a cross-sectional survey in China

PubMed Central

Wang, Juan; Zhou, Hao; Wang, Zhaoqing; Yan, Wenxin; Sun, Xinran; Sun, Tao; Li, Li

2018-01-01

Objective Willingness to receive eldercare is an important factor affecting the reasonable allocation of resources and appropriate development of eldercare services. This study aimed to investigate the differences in willingness to receive eldercare and the influencing factors in urban and rural areas. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Research was conducted in the urban and rural areas of three cities (Harbin, Qiqihar and Jiamusi) in Heilongjiang province, China. Participants A total of 1003 elderly were selected through multistage sampling in Heilongjiang province, including 581 in urban areas and 422 in rural areas. Main outcome measures Descriptive statistics were reported for socioeconomic and demographic status, physical health, life satisfaction and social support in urban and rural areas. Mean differences were examined using t-tests, and categorical variable differences were examined using χ2 tests. The factors influencing willingness to receive eldercare in urban and rural areas were analysed using logistic regression. Results The results showed that 51.6% of urban elderly and 59.0% of rural elderly preferred family eldercare. Factors that influenced willingness to receive eldercare for urban elderly were age (OR 2.791, 95% CI 1.644 to 4.737), house property (OR 0.494, 95% CI 0.329 to 0.740) and objective support (OR 0.764, 95% CI 0.681 to 0.858). For rural elderly, the factors were having children (OR 0.368, 95% CI 0.146 to 0.930), house property (OR 0.371, 95% CI 0.231 to 0.596) and living arrangement (OR 3.361, 95% CI 1.436 to 7.866). Conclusion More attention should be paid to improving the functioning of family eldercare and promoting the development of varied eldercare services. Investments and targeted policies should be undertaken for different subgroups of urban and rural elderly. PMID:29858413

MARSite: Marmara as a Supersite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meral Ozel, N.; Necmioglu, O.; Ergintav, S.; Ozel, A.; Erdik, M. O.

2013-12-01

The Marmara Region is one of the most active seismic regions in Turkey and also most densely populated and fast-developing part in the country. The region was effected with destructive earthquakes in its past, and the seismic hazard in Marmara Region has become a great concern especially after the Izmit and Duzce earthquakes in 1999 costing 18.000 people lives. Recent studies indicate that the region has a great potential to produce M≥7.0 earthquake within the next 30 years. Hence, a realistic assessment of the earthquake hazard in this area including Istanbul with more then 15 million inhabitants is a priority. MARsite project identifes the Marmara region as a ';Supersite' to aggregate on-shore, off-shore and space-based observations, comprehensive geophysical monitoring, improved hazard and risk assessments encompassed in an integrated set of activities. MARsite Consortium constitutes of 18 European research institutions with a long record of scientific history and success, and 3 SMEs, from 7 nations of the Euro-Mediterranean area. MARsite aims to harmonize geological, geophysical, geodetic and geochemical observations to provide a better view of the post-seismic deformation of the 1999 Izmit earthquake (in addition to the post-seismic signature of previous earthquakes), loading of submarine and inland active fault segments and transient pre-earthquake signals, related to stress loading with different tectonic properties in and around Marmara Sea. These studies are planned to contribute to high-quality rapid source-mechanism solutions and slip models, early warning and rapid-response studies. The project outputs will also be adapted to improve various phases of the risk management cycle with the creation of a link between the scientific community and end users. In this context, MARsite will develop novel geo-hazard monitoring instruments including high-resolution displacement meters, novel borehole instrumentation and sea-bottom gas emission and heat-flow measurement systems, in association with the relevant industrial sectors and SMEs. Data and the results of MARSite will be exploited through the integration of data management practices and coordination with ongoing research infrastructures. A dissemination and public outreach strategy will be further developed on the analysis of the target users and a communication plan will be produced to ensure effective dissemination. MARsite will represent a significant European contribution to the Supersite initiative and thus to the Global Earth Observation System (GEOSS), and it will lead to better scientific understanding of the geophysical processes, contributing in-situ data to a unifying e-infrastructure and reduce our vulnerability to geologic hazards.

No Evidence of Association between Childhood Urban Environment and Cortical Thinning in Psychotic Disorder.

PubMed

Frissen, Aleida; van Os, Jim; Habets, Petra; Gronenschild, Ed; Marcelis, Machteld

2017-01-01

The alterations in cortical morphology, such as cortical thinning, observed in psychotic disorder, may be the outcome of interacting genetic and environmental effects. It has been suggested that urban upbringing may represent a proxy environmental effect impacting cortical thickness (CT). Therefore, the current study examined whether the association between group as a proxy genetic variable (patients with psychotic disorder [high genetic risk], healthy siblings of patients [intermediate risk] and healthy control subjects [average risk]) and CT was conditional on different levels of the childhood urban environment and whether this was sex-dependent. T1-weighted MRI scans were acquired from 89 patients with a psychotic disorder, 95 non-psychotic siblings of patients with psychotic disorder and 87 healthy control subjects. Freesurfer software was used to measure CT. Developmental urban exposure was classified as low, medium, and high, reflecting the population density and the number of moves between birth and the 15th birthday, using data from the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics and the equivalent database in Belgium. Multilevel regression analyses were used to examine the association between group, sex, and urban upbringing (as well as their interactions) and cortical CT as the dependent variable. CT was significantly smaller in the patient group compared to the controls (B = -0.043, p <0.001), but not in the siblings compared to the controls (B = -0.013, p = 0.31). There was no main effect of developmental urbanicity on CT (B = 0.001, p = 0.91). Neither the three-way group × urbanicity × sex interaction (χ2 = 3.73, p = 0.16), nor the two-way group × urbanicity interaction was significant (χ2 = 0.51, p = 0.77). The negative association between (familial risk for) psychotic disorder and CT was not moderated by developmental urbanicity, suggesting that reduced CT is not the outcome of familial sensitivity to the proxy environmental factor 'urban upbringing'.

SEASONAL VARIATION OF THE PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS AND OF MAJOR AEROSOL SPECIES IN CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA. (R827352C020)

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the Southern California Particle Center and Supersite (SCPCS) activities, we measured, during all seasons, particle size distributions of 12 priority pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), concurrently with elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), sul...

The effect of urban geometry on mean radiant temperature under future climate change: a study of three European cities.

PubMed

Lau, Kevin Ka-Lun; Lindberg, Fredrik; Rayner, David; Thorsson, Sofia

2015-07-01

Future anthropogenic climate change is likely to increase the air temperature (T(a)) across Europe and increase the frequency, duration and magnitude of severe heat stress events. Heat stress events are generally associated with clear-sky conditions and high T(a), which give rise to high radiant heat load, i.e. mean radiant temperature (T(mrt)). In urban environments, T mrt is strongly influenced by urban geometry. The present study examines the effect of urban geometry on daytime heat stress in three European cities (Gothenburg in Sweden, Frankfurt in Germany and Porto in Portugal) under present and future climates, using T(mrt) as an indicator of heat stress. It is found that severe heat stress occurs in all three cities. Similar maximum daytime T(mrt) is found in open areas in all three cities despite of the latitudinal differences in average daytime T(mrt). In contrast, dense urban structures like narrow street canyons are able to mitigate heat stress in the summer, without causing substantial changes in T(mrt) in the winter. Although the T(mrt) averages are similar for the north-south and east-west street canyons in each city, the number of hours when T(mrt) exceeds the threshold values of 55.5 and 59.4 °C-used as indicators of moderate and severe heat stress-in the north-south canyons is much higher than that in the east-west canyons. Using statistically downscaled data from a regional climate model, it is found that the study sites were generally warmer in the future scenario, especially Porto, which would further exacerbate heat stress in urban areas. However, a decrease in solar radiation in Gothenburg and Frankfurt reduces T(mrt) in the spring, while the reduction in T(mrt) is somewhat offset by increasing T(a) in other seasons. It suggests that changes in the T(mrt) under the future scenario are dominated by variations in T(a). Nonetheless, the intra-urban differences remain relatively stable in the future. These findings suggest that dense urban structure can reduce daytime heat stress since it reduces the number of hours of high T(mrt) in the summer and does not cause substantial changes in average and minimum T(mrt) in the winter. In dense urban settings, a more diverse urban thermal environment is also preferred to compensate for reduced solar access in the winter. The extent to which the urban geometry can be optimized for the future climate is also influenced by local urban characteristics.

[A national survey on physical growth and development of children under seven years of age in nine cities of China in 2015].

PubMed

2018-03-02

Objective: To investigate and analyze the status of physical growth and its change in children under 7 years of age in 9 cities of China, and to provide scientific data for renewing and developing the new growth reference of Chinese children. Methods: Data of healthy children under 7 years of age were collected by stratified cluster sampling method in Beijing, Harbin, Xi'an, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Fuzhou and Kunming during the period from June to November in 2015. They were divided into 22 age groups. The sample size of boys or girls, urban or suburban was 150-200 in each age group in each city, and the total sample size in the 9 cities was 161 774. Weight, length/height, head circumference, sitting height, chest circumference and waist circumference were measured by the trained investigators using standard methods. There were strict quality control measures during investigation process. The t test was used to compare the difference of physical growth between two groups and one-way ANOVA was used to compare the difference of physical growth among three groups. Results: (1) The level of physical growth of children under 7 years were different between boys and girls, urban and suburban, as well as different regions of China in 2015. The urban-suburban difference was more significant in children older than 8 months, that is, the weight and height of urban children were greater than those of suburban children (0.01-0.48 kg and 0.1-1.1 cm respectively). (2) Weight and height of children in the 9 cities, whether urban or suburban areas, had been greater than WHO growth standards, for example, the Z-scores of height values of urban and suburban children were 0.43 ±0.99 ( t= 130.551, P< 0.05) and 0.30 ±1.01 ( t= 87.407, P< 0.05) higher than the WHO standards. (3) The physical growth of children in the 9 cities was improved in varying degrees during the past 10 years. For example, the changes of weight and height in urban children under 3 years were not significant, while there was significant improvement among children older than 3 years and the increasing trend became apparent along with the increasing of age (0.05-1.18 kg in weight and 0.5-1.8 cm in height). The urban-suburban difference of physical growth in each age group of boys and girls narrowed significantly during the past 10 years, which was clearly shown from the narrowing urban-suburban differences of weight and height in boys aged 5.5-<6.0 years (1.58 kg in 2005 vs . 0.44 kg in 2015 and 2.8 cm in 2005 vs . 0.9 cm in 2015) . (4) From the increments of each decade during 1975-2015, a rapid increments of physical growth during 1975-2005 were found, while the increments after 2005 had slowed comparing with that of the previous period in urban areas, for example, the increments of height in boys aged 5.5-<6.0 years were 1.5, 2.1, 2.7, 0.7 cm respectively in the 1(st), 2(nd), 3(rd) and 4(th) decade (1975-1985, 1985-1995, 1995-2005, 2005-2015) . In suburban areas, the trends of the previous 3 decades were similar with that of urban children, while the increments of the 4(th) decade were still bigger though they were slightly smaller than those of the 3(rd) decade, for example, the increments of height in boys aged 5.5-<6.0 years were 2.4, 2.3, 3.2, 2.6 cm in the 1(st), 2(nd), 3(rd) and 4(th) decade respectively. Conclusions: Physical growth of children under 7 years of age showed a slow positive secular trend during the last decade after a rapid increase. The increments of suburban children's physical growth were greater than those of urban children. The physical growth of children under 7 years in 9 Chinese cities exceeded the WHO standards.

Fifth Graders' Learning About Simple Machines Through Engineering Design-Based Instruction Using LEGO™ Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marulcu, Ismail; Barnett, Mike

2013-10-01

This study is part of a 5-year National Science Foundation-funded project, Transforming Elementary Science Learning Through LEGO™ Engineering Design. In this study, we report on the successes and challenges of implementing an engineering design-based and LEGO™-oriented unit in an urban classroom setting and we focus on the impact of the unit on students' content understanding of simple machines. The LEGO™ engineering-based simple machines module, which was developed for fifth graders by our research team, was implemented in an urban school in a large city in the Northeastern region of the USA. Thirty-three fifth grade students participated in the study, and they showed significant growth in content understanding. We measured students' content knowledge by using identical paper tests and semistructured interviews before and after instruction. Our paired t test analysis results showed that students significantly improved their test and interview scores (t = -3.62, p < 0.001 for multiple-choice items and t = -9.06, p < 0.000 for the open-ended items in the test and t = -12.11, p < 0.000 for the items in interviews). We also identified several alternative conceptions that are held by students on simple machines.

Seasonal Variation in Month of Diagnosis of Polish Children with Type 1 Diabetes - A Multicenter Study.

PubMed

Szypowska, Agnieszka; Ramotowska, Anna; Wysocka-Mincewicz, Marta; Mazur, Artur; Lisowicz, Lucyna; Beń-Skowronek, Iwona; Sieniawska, Joanna; Klonowska, Bożenna; Charemska, Dorota; Nawrotek, Jolanta; Jałowiec, Irena; Bossowski, Artur; Jamiołkowska, Milena; Pyrżak, Beata; Miszkurka, Grażyna; Szalecki, Mieczysław

2018-03-05

The seasonal variation of incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) theory supports the hypothesis that environmental factors play a role in the onset of the disease. The aim of this study is to assess seasonality of month of diagnosis in children with T1D in Poland. the study group consisted of 2174 children from eastern and central Poland diagnosed with T1D between 2010 and 2014. Analysis was performed in different age groups, based on place of residence (rural/urban area) and depending on sex. We noted significant seasonality in the incidence of T1D with a peak in diagnosis of diabetes in January and the minimum rate in June. A total of 423 (19%) children were diagnosed in the warmest months (June to August with a mean temperature of 16.8°C) compared to 636 (29%) recognised in the coldest months (December to February with a mean temperature of -1.6°C), OR 0.57 95%CI [0.51-0.67], p<0.0001. We noted a more flat seasonal pattern in children 0-4 years of age compared with subjects 5-17 years old with a week correlation of trend comparison between both groups, r=0.69, p=0.001. Similar seasonal variation in the incidence of T1D was noted in children from urban and rural setting. For girls, seasonal pattern peaks were observed one month earlier as compared to boys. Seasonal variation in incidence of T1D diagnosis of Polish children supports the role of different environmental factors in diabetes onset. The majority of children were diagnosed with diabetes in autumn and winter. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Changes in the physico-chemical properties of Amazonian aerosols from background conditions due to urban impacts in Central Amazonia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artaxo, P.; Barbosa, H. M.; Brito, J.; Carbone, S.; Fiorese, C.; Andre, B.; Rizzo, L. V.; Ditas, F.; Pöhlker, C.; Pöhlker, M. L.; Saturno, J.; Holanda, B. A.; Wang, J.; Souza, R. A. F. D.; Machado, L.; Andreae, M. O.; Martin, S. T.

2016-12-01

The GoAmazon 2014/15 experiment (Observations and Modeling of the Green Ocean Amazon) was a great opportunity to study how urbanization can change aerosol properties under pristine conditions in a tropical rain forest. The experiment took place from January 2014 to December 2015 in the vicinity of Manaus, Brazil, where several sampling stations were operated. Natural biogenic aerosol properties were studied in 3 sampling stations upwind of Manaus (ATTO (T0a), ZF2 (T0z) and EMBRAPA (T0e)). Urban impacted aerosols were analysed in two downwind sampling stations at Tiwa (T2) and Manacapuru (T3). Properties analysed were size distribution, scattering and absorption, composition, vertical profiles and others. Remote sensing measurements were done using AERONET and MODIS, while extensive ground based measurements were done in all sampling stations. Remote sensing measurements shows important changes in aerosol optical depth (AOD), especially in the aerosol absorption component. It was also observed a reduction in cloud droplet size downwind of Manaus for liquid phase clouds. Changes in particle number and size were also very significant, that reflected in changes in the aerosol radiative forcing (RF) before and after Manaus plume. In the dry season, an average RF of -24 w/m² was observed upwind, while -17 w/m² was observed downwind, due to large scale biomass burning aerosols. Single scattering albedo (SSA) at 550 nm changed from a high value of 0.96 upwind to 0.84 downwind due to the increase in absorbing aerosols in the wet season. In the dry season, SSA at 550nm changed from 0.95 to 0.87. Aerosol composition showed a large dominance of organic aerosols for all sites, accounting for 65-75% of PM1 non refractory aerosol. Most of these were secondary organic aerosol (SOA), with very low sulfate and nitrate concentrations. The influence of the Manaus plume on aerosol properties was more intense during the wet season, because in the dry season a significant amount of large scale biomass burning aerosol was observed for all GoAmazon 2014/15 sites.

Impact of external industrial sources on the regional and local air quality of Mexico Megacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almanza, Victor; Molina, Luisa T.; Li, Guohui; Fast, Jerome; Sosa, Gustavo

2014-05-01

The air quality of megacities can be influenced by external emissions sources on both regional and global scales. At the same time their outflow emissions can exert an important impact to the surrounding environment. The present study evaluates an SO2 peak observed on 24 March 2006 at the suburban supersite and ambient air quality monitoring stations located in the northern region of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) during MILAGRO campaign. We found that this peak could be related to an important episodic emission event coming from Tizayuca region, northeast of the MCMA. Back trajectories analyses suggest that the emission event started in the early morning at 04:00 LST and lasted for about 9 hours. The estimated emission rate is high, about 2 kg s-1. This finding suggests the possibility of 'overlooked' emission sources in Tizayuca region that could influence the air quality of the MCMA. This further motivated us to study the cement plants, including those in the State of Hidalgo and the State of Mexico. We found that they can also contribute SO2 in the NE region of the basin, at the suburban supersite and that at some monitoring stations; their contribution can be even higher than from the Tula Industrial Complex (TIC). The contribution of TIC to regional ozone levels is also estimated. The model suggests low contribution to the MCMA and slightly higher contribution at the suburban and rural supersites. However, the contribution could be high in the upper northwest region of the basin and in the southwest and south-southeast regions of the State of Hidalgo. In addition, a first estimate of the potential contribution from flaring activities to regional ozone levels is presented. Results suggest that part of the total regional ozone from TIC-generated precursors could be related to flaring activities.

Geographical location and age affects the incidence of parasitic infestations in school children.

PubMed

Rayan, Paran; Verghese, Susan; McDonnell, Pauline Ann

2010-01-01

Environmental factors affect the dissemination and distribution of intestinal parasites in human communities. To comprehend the prevalence of parasitic infestation and to examine whether geographical location and age also influence the prevalence of infection, fecal samples from 195 school children (rural = 95; male = 39; female = 56) (urban = 100; male = 60; female = 40) of five age groups ranging from 5 to 11 years in two different socio-economic zones (rural and urban) were screened for specific intestinal parasites using standard histological techniques. Percentage incidences of parasitic species found in fecal wet mounts and concentrates in rural children were Entamoeba coli (25.3%), Giardia lamblia (17.9%), Blastocystis hominis (14.7%), Entamoeba histolytica (4.2%), Iodamoeba butschlii (1.1%), Hymenolepis nana (1.1%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (1.1%). Whereas the percentage incidences among urban children were E. coli (26%), A. lumbricoides (21%), B. hominis (18%), G. lamblia (14%), T. trichiura (8%), I. butschlii (4%) and A. duodenale (1%). Such findings may be related to dietary differences, living conditions and the greater use of natural anti-helminthic medicinal plants in rural communities. These results are important for both epidemiological data collection and for correlating dietary differences to intestinal parasitic diseases. We chose to investigate whether geographical location and age affect the prevalence and distribution of intestinal parasites among school children from two separate regions (rural and urban) in areas surrounding, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. A study of the prevalence of parasitic infestations was undertaken among primary school children, in rural and urban communities around Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Faecal sample collection, direct microscopic techniques, macroscopic examination and concentration techniques for identifying the parasites. Percentage incidences of parasitic species found in faecal wet mounts and concentrates were done instead of statistical analyses. Both macroscopic and microscopic examinations of faecal samples revealed that the overall percentage prevalence of parasite species encountered in rural children were Entamoeba coli (25.3%), G. lamblia (17.9%), B. hominis (14.7%), Entamoeba histolytica (4.2%), I. butschlii (1.1%), H. nana (1.1%), Ascaris lumbricoides (1.1%). The prevalence among urban children were E. coli (26%), A. lumbricoides (21%), B. hominis (18%), G. lamblia (14%), T. trichiura (8%), I. butschlii (4%) and A. duodenale (1%). Overall, comparative significant differences were noted between rural and urban children for E. histolytica (4.2 vs. 14%), G. lamblia (17.9 vs. 14%), A. lumbricoides (1.1 vs. 21%) and T. trichiura (0 vs. 8%), with the major difference being the much higher occurrence of A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura infections in urban children. One of the greatest challenges for healthcare professionals is the prevention and treatment of protozoal and helminthic parasitic infections. From our study we conclude that the prevalence of different pathogenic species of amoeba such as Entamoeba histolytica (4.2 vs. 0%) and G. lamblia (17.9 vs. 14%), (P value was equal to 1) was significantly higher among rural children compared to children from urban areas. In contrast, the prevalence of nematodes such as A. lumbricoides (21% vs. 1.1%), T. trichiura (8% vs. 0%) and A. duodenale (1%) was also significantly higher among rural children.

Pilot intervention to increase physical activity among sedentary urban middle school girls: a two-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design.

PubMed

Robbins, Lorraine B; Pfeiffer, Karin A; Maier, Kimberly S; Lo, Yun-Jia; Wesolek Ladrig, Stacey M

2012-08-01

The primary purpose of the study was to determine whether girls in one school receiving nurse counseling plus an after-school physical activity club showed greater improvement in physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, and body composition than girls assigned to an attention control condition in another school (N = 69). Linear regressions controlling for baseline measures showed no statistically significant group differences, but the directionality of differences was consistent with greater intervention group improvement for minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity/hour (t = 0.95, p = .35), cardiovascular fitness (t = 1.26, p = .22), body mass index (BMI; t = -1.47, p = .15), BMI z score (t = -1.19, p = .24), BMI percentile (t = -0.59, p = .56), percentage body fat (t = -0.86, p = .39), and waist circumference (t = -0.19, p = .85). Findings support testing with a larger sample.

Pilot intervention to increase physical activity among sedentary urban middle school girls: a two-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design

PubMed Central

Robbins, Lorraine B.; Pfeiffer, Karin A.; Maier, Kimberly S.; Lo, Yun-Jia; Wesolek, Stacey M.

2012-01-01

The primary purpose of the study was to determine if girls in one school receiving nurse counseling plus an after-school Physical Activity Club showed greater improvement in physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, and body composition than girls assigned to an attention control condition in another school (N = 69). Linear regressions controlling for baseline measures showed no statistically significant group differences, but directionality of differences was consistent with greater intervention group improvement for minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity/hour (t = 0.95, p = .35), cardiovascular fitness (t = 1.26, p = .22), body mass index (BMI; t = −1.47, p = .15), BMI z-score (t = −1.19, p = .24), BMI percentile (t = −0.59, p = .56), percent body fat (t = −0.86, p = .39), and waist circumference (t = −0.19, p = .85). Findings support testing with a larger sample. PMID:22472632

Riparian swallows as integrators of landscape change in a multiuse river system: implications for aquatic-to-terrestrial transfers of contaminants.

PubMed

Alberts, Jeremy M; Sullivan, S Mažeika P; Kautza, A

2013-10-01

Recent research has highlighted the transfer of contaminants from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems via predation of aquatic emergent insects by riparian consumers. The influence of adjacent land use and land cover (LULC) on aquatic-to-terrestrial contaminant transfer, however, has received limited attention. From 2010 to 2012, at 11 river reaches in the Scioto River basin (OH, USA), we investigated the relationships between LULC and selenium (Se) and mercury (Hg) concentrations in four species of riparian swallows. Hg concentrations in swallows were significantly higher at rural reaches than at urban reaches (t=-3.58, P<0.001, df=30), whereas Se concentrations were positively associated with adjacent land cover characterized by mature tree cover (R(2)=0.49, P=0.006). To an extent, these relationships appear to be mediated by swallow reliance on aquatic emergent insects. For example, tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) at urban reaches exhibited a higher proportion of aquatic prey in their diet, fed at a higher trophic level, and exhibited elevated Se levels. We also found that both Se and Hg concentrations in adult swallows were significantly higher than those observed in nestlings at both urban and rural reaches (Se: t=-2.83, P=0.033, df=3; Hg: t=-3.22, P=0.024, df=3). Collectively, our results indicate that riparian swallows integrate contaminant exposure in linked aquatic-terrestrial systems and that LULC may strongly regulate aquatic contaminant flux to terrestrial consumers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of syphilis, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and human T-lymphotropic virus infections and coinfections during prenatal screening in an urban Northeastern Brazilian population.

PubMed

Moura, Adriana Avila; de Mello, Maria Júlia Gonçalves; Correia, Jailson B

2015-10-01

To evaluate prevalences of Treponema pallidum, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections and coinfections during prenatal screening in an urban Northeastern Brazilian population through a large dataset. Secondary data were obtained from the Maceió (Alagoas, Brazil) municipal prenatal screening program from June 2007 to May 2012. Dried blood serum tests from 54,813 pregnant women were examined to determine prevalences of T. pallidum, HIV, HTLV, and HBV infections and coinfections, and the seroconversion rates for syphilis and HIV infection. Socio-demographic variables associated with syphilis and HIV infection were identified. The prevalences of syphilis, HIV, HTLV, and HBV infections were 2.8%, 0.3%, 0.2%, and 0.4%, respectively. Pregnant women infected with T. pallidum had a 4.62-fold greater risk of HIV coinfection, and pregnant women infected with HIV had a 5.71-fold greater risk of T. pallidum coinfection. Seroconversion for syphilis and HIV during pregnancy occurred in 0.5% and 0.06% of women, respectively. Among the women carrying HTLV, 4.2% also had an HBV infection. Syphilis was twice as prevalent among pregnant women in Maceió, compared to the national average, and coinfections with syphilis/HIV and HTLV/HBV were significantly associated among these pregnant women. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Unequal household carbon footprints in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiedenhofer, Dominik; Guan, Dabo; Liu, Zhu; Meng, Jing; Zhang, Ning; Wei, Yi-Ming

2017-01-01

Households' carbon footprints are unequally distributed among the rich and poor due to differences in the scale and patterns of consumption. We present distributional focused carbon footprints for Chinese households and use a carbon-footprint-Gini coefficient to quantify inequalities. We find that in 2012 the urban very rich, comprising 5% of population, induced 19% of the total carbon footprint from household consumption in China, with 6.4 tCO2/cap. The average Chinese household footprint remains comparatively low (1.7 tCO2/cap), while those of the rural population and urban poor, comprising 58% of population, are 0.5-1.6 tCO2/cap. Between 2007 and 2012 the total footprint from households increased by 19%, with 75% of the increase due to growing consumption of the urban middle class and the rich. This suggests that a transformation of Chinese lifestyles away from the current trajectory of carbon-intensive consumption patterns requires policy interventions to improve living standards and encourage sustainable consumption.

The dust retention capacities of urban vegetation-a case study of Guangzhou, South China.

PubMed

Liu, Lu; Guan, Dongsheng; Peart, M R; Wang, Gang; Zhang, Hui; Li, Zhiwei

2013-09-01

Urban vegetation increasingly plays an important role in the improvement of the urban atmospheric environment. This paper deals with the dust retention capacities of four urban tree species (Ficus virens var. sublanceolata, Ficus microcarpa, Bauhinia blakeana, and Mangifera indica Linn) in Guangzhou. The dust-retaining capacities of four tree species are studied under different pollution intensities and for different seasons. Remote sensing imagery was used to estimate the total aboveground urban vegetation biomass in different functional areas of urban Guangzhou, information that was then used to estimate the dust-retaining capacities of the different functional areas and the total removal of airborne particulates in urban Guangzhou by foliage. The results showed that urban vegetation can remove dust from the atmosphere thereby improving air quality. The major findings are that dust retention, or capture, vary between the four species of tree studied; it also varied between season and between types of urban functional area, namely industrial, commercial/road traffic, residential, and clean areas. Dust accumulation over time was also studied and reached a maximum, and saturation, after about 24 days. The overall aboveground biomass of urban vegetation in Guangzhou was estimated to be 52.0 × 10(5) t, its total leaf area 459.01 km(2), and the dust-retaining capacity was calculated at 8012.89 t per year. The present study demonstrated that the foliage of tree species used in urban greening make a substantial contribution to atmospheric dust removal and retention in urban Guangzhou.

Empirical Research on Decoupling Relationship between Energy-Related Carbon Emission and Economic Growth in Guangdong Province Based on Extended Kaya Identity

PubMed Central

Wang, Wenxiu; Huang, Ningsheng; Zhao, Daiqing

2014-01-01

The decoupling elasticity decomposition quantitative model of energy-related carbon emission in Guangdong is established based on the extended Kaya identity and Tapio decoupling model for the first time, to explore the decoupling relationship and its internal mechanism between energy-related carbon emission and economic growth in Guangdong. Main results are as follows. (1) Total production energy-related carbon emissions in Guangdong increase from 4128 × 104 tC in 1995 to 14396 × 104 tC in 2011. Decoupling elasticity values of energy-related carbon emission and economic growth increase from 0.53 in 1996 to 0.85 in 2011, and its decoupling state turns from weak decoupling in 1996–2004 to expansive coupling in 2005–2011. (2) Land economic output and energy intensity are the first inhibiting factor and the first promoting factor to energy-related carbon emission decoupling from economic growth, respectively. The development speeds of land urbanization and population urbanization, especially land urbanization, play decisive roles in the change of total decoupling elasticity values. (3) Guangdong can realize decoupling of energy-related carbon emission from economic growth effectively by adjusting the energy mix and industrial structure, coordinating the development speed of land urbanization and population urbanization effectively, and strengthening the construction of carbon sink. PMID:24782666

Empirical research on decoupling relationship between energy-related carbon emission and economic growth in Guangdong province based on extended Kaya identity.

PubMed

Wang, Wenxiu; Kuang, Yaoqiu; Huang, Ningsheng; Zhao, Daiqing

2014-01-01

The decoupling elasticity decomposition quantitative model of energy-related carbon emission in Guangdong is established based on the extended Kaya identity and Tapio decoupling model for the first time, to explore the decoupling relationship and its internal mechanism between energy-related carbon emission and economic growth in Guangdong. Main results are as follows. (1) Total production energy-related carbon emissions in Guangdong increase from 4128 × 10⁴ tC in 1995 to 14396 × 10⁴ tC in 2011. Decoupling elasticity values of energy-related carbon emission and economic growth increase from 0.53 in 1996 to 0.85 in 2011, and its decoupling state turns from weak decoupling in 1996-2004 to expansive coupling in 2005-2011. (2) Land economic output and energy intensity are the first inhibiting factor and the first promoting factor to energy-related carbon emission decoupling from economic growth, respectively. The development speeds of land urbanization and population urbanization, especially land urbanization, play decisive roles in the change of total decoupling elasticity values. (3) Guangdong can realize decoupling of energy-related carbon emission from economic growth effectively by adjusting the energy mix and industrial structure, coordinating the development speed of land urbanization and population urbanization effectively, and strengthening the construction of carbon sink.

Prevalence of anxiety and depression among diabetic African patients in Guinea: association with HbA1c levels.

PubMed

Camara, A; Baldé, N M; Enoru, S; Bangoura, J S; Sobngwi, E; Bonnet, F

2015-02-01

The prevalence and risk factors associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression were determined in African people with diabetes. This cross-sectional study involved 491 outpatients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) recruited from four diabetes clinics (Conakry, Labé, Boké and Kankan) in Guinea. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to evaluate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Logistic regression analysis stratified by gender was performed to identify the associated risk factors. Anxiety and depression symptoms were present in 58.7% and 34.4%, respectively, of the 491 patients with T2D (62.7% women, mean±SD age: 57.9±10.2years). Odds ratios (95% CI) of risk factors independently associated with anxiety were urban residence [2.98 (1.81-4.89)] in women, and low socioeconomic status [0.19 (0.05-0.70)] and HbA1c≥9.0% [2.61 (1.0-6.39)] in men. Factors associated with depression were urban residence [2.13 (1.27-3.58)], older age [1.03 (1.01-1.06)], low socioeconomic status [2.21 (1.34-3.66)] and no previous measurement of HbA1c [12.45 (1.54-100.34)] in women, and insulin therapy [2.28 (1.05-4.92)] and HbA1c≥9.0% [3.85 (1.02-14.48)] in men. Anxiety and depression symptoms in people with type T2D are common in Guinea. Urban residence, low socioeconomic status and high levels of HbA1c were significantly associated with a greater risk of anxiety and depression, highlighting the psychological burden related to diabetes in Africa. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ABILITY OF 3-D AIR QUALITY MODELS WITH CURRENT THERMODYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM MODELS TO PREDICT AEROSOL NO3

EPA Science Inventory

The partitioning of total nitrate (TNO3) and total ammonium (TNH4) between gas and aerosol phases is studied with two thermodynamic equilibrium models, ISORROPIA and AIM, and three datasets: high time-resolution measurement data from the 1999 Atlanta SuperSite Experiment and from...

Greener cities: U.S. Forest Service software package helps cities manage their urban treescape

Treesearch

Jim Kling; Greg Featured: McPherson

2008-01-01

Urban forests don't get the recognition that natural forests do. They don't encompass sweeping vistas and magnificent views and they don't provide critical habitat to endangered species. Nevertheless, they are vital. More than 90 percent of all Californians live, work, and play in urban forests. Trees in the urban landscape provide vital ecosystem...

Source-specific sewage pollution detection in urban river waters using pharmaceuticals and personal care products as molecular indicators.

PubMed

Kiguchi, Osamu; Sato, Go; Kobayashi, Takashi

2016-11-01

Source-specific elucidation of domestic sewage pollution caused by various effluent sources in an urban river water, as conducted for this study, demands knowledge of the relation between concentrations of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) as molecular indicators (caffeine, carbamazepine, triclosan) and water quality concentrations of total nitrogen (T-N) and total phosphorous (T-P). River water and wastewater samples from the Asahikawa River Basin in northern Japan were analyzed using derivatization-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Caffeine, used as an indicator of domestic sewage in the Asahikawa River Basin, was more ubiquitous than either carbamazepine or triclosan (92-100 %). Its concentration was higher than any target compound used to assess the basin: <4.4-370 ng/L for caffeine, <0.6-3.9 ng/L for carbamazepine, and <1.1-13 ng/L for triclosan. Higher caffeine concentrations detected in wastewater effluents and the strongly positive mutual linear correlation between caffeine and T-N or T-P (R 2  > 0.759) reflect the contribution of septic tank system effluents to the lower Asahikawa River Basin. Results of relative molecular indicators in combination with different molecular indicators (caffeine/carbamazepine and triclosan/carbamazepine) and cluster analysis better reflect the contribution of sewage than results obtained using concentrations of respective molecular indicators and cluster analysis. Relative molecular indicators used with water quality parameters (e.g., caffeine/T-N ratio) in this study provide results more clearly, relatively, and quantitatively than results obtained using molecular indicators alone. Moreover, the caffeine/T-N ratio reflects variations of caffeine flux from effluent sources. These results suggest strongly relative molecular indicators are also useful indicators, reflecting differences in spatial contributions of domestic sources for PPCPs in urban areas.

Odorous House Ants (Tapinoma sessile) as Back-Seat Drivers of Localized Ant Decline in Urban Habitats

PubMed Central

Salyer, Adam; Bennett, Gary W.; Buczkowski, Grzegorz A.

2014-01-01

Invasive species and habitat disturbance threaten biodiversity worldwide by modifying ecosystem performance and displacing native organisms. Similar homogenization impacts manifest locally when urbanization forces native species to relocate or reinvade perpetually altered habitat. This study investigated correlations between ant richness and abundance in response to urbanization and the nearby presence of invasive ant species, odorous house ants (Tapinoma sessile), within its native region. Surveying localized ant composition within natural, semi-natural, and urban habitat supported efforts to determine whether T. sessile appear to be primary (drivers) threats as instigators or secondary (passengers) threats as inheritors of indigenous ant decline. Sampling 180 sites, evenly split between all habitats with and without T. sessile present, yielded 45 total species. Although urbanization and T. sessile presence factors were significantly linked to ant decline, their interaction correlated to the greatest reduction of total ant richness (74%) and abundance (81%). Total richness appeared to decrease from 27 species to 18 when natural habitat is urbanized and from 18 species to 7 with T. sessile present in urban plots. Odorous house ant presence minimally influenced ant communities within natural and semi-natural habitat, highlighting the importance of habitat alteration and T. sessile presence interactions. Results suggest urbanization releases T. sessile from unknown constraints by decreasing ant richness and competition. Within urban environment, T. sessile are pre-adapted to quickly exploit new resources and grow to supercolony strength wherein T. sessile drive adjacent biodiversity loss. Odorous house ants act as passengers and drivers of ecological change throughout different phases of urban ‘invasion’. This progression through surviving habitat alteration, exploiting new resources, thriving, and further reducing interspecific competition supports a “back-seat driver” role and affects pest management strategies. As demonstrated by T. sessile, this article concludes native species can become back-seat drivers of biodiversity loss and potentially thrive as “metro-invasive” species. PMID:25551819

The impact of anthropogenic emissions on the otherwise pristine Amazonian rainforest: Insights on aerosol dynamics as observed during GoAmazon2014/5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbone, S.; Ferreira De Brito, J.; Cirino, G. G.; Rizzo, L. V.; Holanda, B. A.; Barbosa, H. M.; Ditas, F.; Pöhlker, C.; Chi, X.; Krüger, M. L.; Moran, D.; Saturno, J.; Andreae, M. O.; de Sá, S. S.; Liu, Y.; Martin, S. T.; Souza, R. A. F. D.; Wang, J.; Palm, B. B.; Jimenez, J. L.; Artaxo, P.

2015-12-01

The Amazon Basin during the wet season has one of the lowest aerosol concentrations worldwide, with air masses with negligible human impact covering thousands of kilometers of pristine forest. The natural environment is strongly modified near urbanized areas, in particular Manaus, a city of nearly two million people. This unique location provides the ideal laboratory to study isolated urban emissions as well the pristine environment by perturbing it in a relatively known fashion. The GoAmazon2014/5 experiment was designed with these questions in mind, combining remote sensing, in situ, and airborne measurements. This manuscript describes the measurements taken at the T0 site, upwind of Manaus, (the Amazonian Tall Tower Observatory, ATTO site), at the T2 site, near Manaus, frequently impacted by relatively fresh emissions from the city and at T3, 60 km downwind of Manaus. This work relates the aerosol dynamics of the mixture of anthropogenic emissions from Manaus and the biogenic air masses, and how it evolves from T2 to T3 under different atmospheric conditions. Focus is on the aerosol size distribution, supported by aerosol mass spectrometry and gas-phase composition, in particular at the T2 site. At T0, the aerosol number concentration has been observed to increase from an average of 380 cm-3 to 1750 cm-3 from the wet to the dry season. The mean geometric diameter increased as well, from 95 nm to 145 nm. Interestingly, at the T2 site no significant difference was observed in number concentration between wet and dry seasons (approximately 4300 cm-3) with an average diameter of 60 nm during the former and 97 nm in the latter. Such measurements provide a unique dataset to understand the aerosol life cycle and the impact of urban emissions in the heart of the Amazon Forest.

Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii exposure in semiaquatic mammals in a freshwater ecosystem.

PubMed

Ahlers, Adam A; Mitchell, Mark A; Dubey, Jitender P; Schooley, Robert L; Heske, Edward J

2015-04-01

We assessed risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii exposure in semiaquatic mammals in east-central Illinois, US. This agricultural region has extensive drainage systems that could potentially transport T. gondii oocysts into the watershed. We used muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) and American mink (Neovison vison) as sentinels of watershed contamination. We predicted individuals from larger subwatersheds would more likely be antibody-positive for T. gondii, as they were exposed to drainage from larger areas. We also evaluated amount of urban land cover within the subwatershed, proximity to farmsteads, and age of individuals in competing models of T. gondii infection. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed in animal sera by modified agglutination tests (titer 25 or higher) and detected in 18 (60%) of 30 muskrats and 20 (77%) of 26 mink. Infection rates were ≥1.7 times higher than those typical for mammals in upland habitats in this region. Subwatershed size and age class were important predictors of T. gondii infection in muskrats (R(2) = 0.35). Models incorporating urban land cover and proximity to farmsteads had little support. None of our models of antibody prevalence in mink were well supported, possibly because mink are less strictly associated with riparian habitats. Because ~91% of our study area is devoted to agricultural production and urbanization, transport of T. gondii into freshwater ecosystems is likely facilitated by modified drainage practices common in these areas.

Evaluation of Drought Management Measures for Municipal and Industrial Water Supply.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

10. c -W q-W t41 4.1 ~~>o~v 0t44 04 00 00 0 0 00 0 0 ;, d 0 0 -H 44 . 0 W k E4 $4 414 00 4.4 44I 04 V. 44.010 0 0 u. 0rr.4 40 W1 . 0100 0 w 03w6 0 00...and Drainage Division, ASCE, 97(IR4):559-570. 93. Hoppel, S. K ., and W. Viessman, Jr. 1972. A Linear Analysis of an Urban Water Supply System. Water...from Small Watersheds . Idaho Water • .Resources Research Institute Technical Completion Report, Moscow: Idaho University. *110. Lampe, Les K . 1982

Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilyinskaya, Evgenia; Larsen, Gudrún; Gudmundsson, Magnús T.; Vogfjörd, Kristin; Jonsson, Trausti; Oddsson, Björn; Reynisson, Vidir; Pagneux, Emmanuel; Barsotti, Sara; Karlsdóttir, Sigrún; Bergsveinsson, Sölvi; Oddsdóttir, Thorarna

2017-04-01

The Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes (CIV) is a newly developed open-access web resource (http://icelandicvolcanoes.is) intended to serve as an official source of information about volcanoes in Iceland for the public and decision makers. CIV contains text and graphic information on all 32 active volcanic systems in Iceland, as well as real-time data from monitoring systems in a format that enables non-specialists to understand the volcanic activity status. The CIV data portal contains scientific data on all eruptions since Eyjafjallajökull 2010 and is an unprecedented endeavour in making volcanological data open and easy to access. CIV forms a part of an integrated volcanic risk assessment project in Iceland GOSVÁ (commenced in 2012), as well as being part of the European Union funded effort FUTUREVOLC (2012-2016) on establishing an Icelandic volcano supersite. The supersite concept implies integration of space and ground based observations for improved monitoring and evaluation of volcanic hazards, and open data policy. This work is a collaboration of the Icelandic Meteorological Office, the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, and the Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police, with contributions from a large number of specialists in Iceland and elsewhere.

Levels, Composition and Sources of PM in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area During the MILAGRO Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Querol, X.; Pey, J.; Minguillon, M. C.; Perez, N.; Alastuey, A.; Moreno, T.; Bernabe, R.; Blanco, S.; Cardenas, B.

2007-05-01

Particle air pollution in urban agglomerations comes mostly from anthropogenic sources, mainly traffic, industrial processes, energy production, domestic and residential emissions, construction, but also a minor contribution from natural sources may be expected (bioaerosols, soil dust, marine aerosol). Once emitted into the atmosphere, this complex mixture of pollutants may be transformed as a function of the ambient conditions and the interaction among the different PM components, and also between PM components and gaseous pollutants. This system is especially complex in mega-cities due to the large emission volumes of PM components and gaseous precursors, the high variability and broad distribution of emission sources, and the possible long range transport of the polluted air masses. Speciation studies help to identify major sources of PM components with the end objective of applying plans and programs for PM pollution abatement. In this framework, concentration levels and compositions of particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10 and TSP) have been measured simultaneously at two sites in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (T0 and CENICA) and at one site 50 km away from Mexico City (T1) during the MILAGRO campaign (1st to 31st March 2006). Spatial and time (day and night) variations have been analysed. Coarse fraction levels were higher at T1 than at CENICA and T0, contrary to what was expected. This was due to the important soil re-suspension at T1, contributing significantly to the crustal load. Moreover, crustal levels were higher during daytime than during nights at all sites, while some secondary compounds (sulphate and ammonium) presented an opposite trend. Regarding trace elements, levels of Pb, Zn and Cd were higher at T0 than at CENICA and T1, probably due to traffic contribution. Arsenic levels did not show a clear pattern, being alternatively higher at CENICA and T0. Two intense episodes of Hg particulate have been recorded, more noticeable at T1 than at the urban sites. V and Ni showed the same evolution at all sites and fractions, being alternatively higher at the three sites. In order to identify the sources of the studied pollutants, a statistical analysis has been carried out. Crustal, regional and industrial sources were identified at the three sites. Moreover, traffic and fuel combustion sources were found at the urban sites. Finally, a metallurgy source was detected at T1 and CENICA. Nevertheless these results must be considered as indicative of the possible sources but not completely definitive due to the relative low number of samples.

Sources and transport of black carbon at the California-Mexico border

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shores, Christopher A.; Klapmeyer, Michael E.; Quadros, Marina E.; Marr, Linsey C.

2013-05-01

At international border areas that suffer from poor air quality, assessment of pollutant sources and transport across the border is important for designing effective air quality management strategies. As part of the Cal-Mex 2010 field campaign at the US-Mexico border in San Diego and Tijuana, we measured black carbon (BC) concentrations at three locations in Mexico and one in the United States. The measurements were intended to support the following objectives: to characterize the spatial and temporal variability in BC, to estimate the BC emission inventory, to identify potential source areas of BC emissions, and to assess the cross-border transport of BC. Concentrations at Parque Morelos, the campaign's supersite, averaged 2.2 μg m-3 and reached a maximum value of 55.9 μg m-3 (1-min average). Sharp, regularly occurring peaks around midnight were suggestive of clandestine industrial activity. BC concentrations were more than two times higher, on average, in Tijuana compared to San Diego. BC and carbon monoxide (CO) were strongly correlated at the three sites in Mexico. The ΔBC/ΔCO ratio of 5.6 ± 0.5 μg m-3 ppm-1 in Tijuana, or 4.7 ± 0.5 μg m-3 ppm-1 when adjusted for seasonal temperature effects to represent an annual average, was comparable to that in other urban areas. Tijuana's emissions of BC were estimated to be 230-890 metric tons per year, 6-23% of those estimated for San Diego. Large uncertainties in this estimate stem mainly from uncertainties in the CO emission inventory, and the lower end of the estimate is more likely to be accurate. Patterns in concentrations and winds suggest that BC in Tijuana was usually of local origin. Under typical summertime conditions such as those observed during the study, transport from Tijuana into the US was common, crossing the border in a northeasterly direction, sometimes as far east as Imperial County at the eastern edge of California.

Comparison of refractive errors and factors associated with spectacle use in a rural and urban South Indian population.

PubMed

Prema, Raju; George, Ronnie; Sathyamangalam Ve, Ramesh; Hemamalini, Arvind; Baskaran, Mani; Kumaramanickavel, Govindaswamy; Catherine, McCarty; Vijaya, Lingam

2008-01-01

To compare the prevalence of refractive errors and factors associated with spectacle use in a rural and urban south Indian population. Four thousand eight hundred subjects (age> 39 years) each from rural and urban Tamil Nadu were enumerated for a population-based study. All participants underwent a complete ophthalmic evaluation including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), objective and subjective refraction. Out of 3924 rural responders 63.91% and out of 3850 urban responders 81.64% were phakic in the right eye with BCVA of 20/40 or better and were included in the study. Association of spectacle use and refractive errors with different parameters were analysed using logistic regression. Chi square, t test, Chi square for trend and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used for analysis. Spectacle use was significantly higher and positively associated with literacy and employment in the urban population. The age and gender-adjusted prevalence of emmetropia, myopia of spherical equivalent (SE) < or =-0.50 diopter sphere (DS), high myopia (SE < or =-5.00DS), hyperopia (SE> 0.50DS) and astigmatism < or = 0.50 diopter cylinder (DC) were 46.8%, 31.0%, 4.3%, 17.9% and 60.4% respectively in the rural population and 29.0%, 17.6%, 1.5%, 51.9%, 59.1% respectively in the urban population. The prevalence of emmetropia decreased with age ( p p = 0.001) and were associated with nuclear sclerosis ( p = 0.001) in both populations. Hyperopia was commoner among women than men ( p = 0.001); was positively associated with diabetes mellitus ( p = 0.008) in the rural population and negatively with nuclear sclerosis ( p = 0.001) in both populations. Spectacle use was found to be significantly lower in the rural population. The pattern of refractive errors was significantly different between both populations.

Does living in urban or rural settings affect aspects of physical fitness in children? An allometric approach

PubMed Central

Tsimeas, P; Tsiokanos, A; Koutedakis, Y; Tsigilis, N; Kellis, S

2005-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate physical fitness in relation to fatness in urban and rural Greek children by means of allometric scaling. Methods: The sample consisted of 360 (189 urban and 171 rural; age 12.3±0.42 years) boys and 247 (125 urban and 122 rural; age 12.3±0.43 years) girls. The sample was highly representative (32–64%) of all 12 year old children registered in the prefecture of Trikala, Greece. All volunteers were assessed for BMI and % body fat, as well as sit and reach, basketball throw (BT), vertical jump (VJ), handgrip strength (HG), 40 m sprint, agility run, and 20 m shuttle run. To correct for possible associations between fatness and fitness, a single cause allometric scaling was employed using the natural logarithms (ln) of fitness parameters that were significantly correlated with the ln body fat. Results: Independent-samples t tests revealed that VJ (p<0.05) was significantly higher in boys living in urban settings compared to their rural counterparts. Similarly, BT was found to be significantly better (p<0.05) in urban girls, whereas HG was significantly higher (p<0.05) in rural girls. Conclusion: Considering that (a) only three out of the 14 possible cases (seven fitness parameters for boys and seven for girls) were significantly different between urban and rural children, and (b) these differences were not uniformly distributed in children living in either urban or rural environments, it is concluded that the place of residence has no clear impact on physical fitness as studied herein. PMID:16118308

Urban 'Dry Island' in Moscow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lokoshchenko, Mikhail A.

2017-04-01

The urban 'dry island' (UDI) phenomenon over Moscow city has been studied and analyzed for the period since the end of the 19th century till recent years using the data of the ground meteorological network. It concludes into less values of relative humidity in a city in the comparison with surrounding rural zone. The reason of this phenomenon is, firstly, limited areas of forest zones and less number of other water vapor sources inside a city and, besides, indirect influence of the urban heat island (UHI), i.e. higher air temperature T inside a city. Mean-annual water vapor pressure E doesn't demonstrate systematic changes in Moscow during the last 146 years. The linear regression coefficient K of its course is equal to only 0.0015 [hPa/year], thus since 1870 the average water content in the ground air layer above Moscow increased on average only a little: by 0.2 hPa; such a small difference seems to be negligible and statistically non-significant. Unlike this parameter mean-annual relative humidity F demonstrates quick and systematic (steady in time) fall with the average rate of K = -0.06 [%/year] during the last 146 years; in other words, it decreased from 81 % in 1870s to nearly 72 % in recent years. Inside the city it is the result of general T increase due to both global warming and, besides, intensification of Moscow UHI. Long-term changes of the F spatial field in Moscow city have been studied in details for separate periods since 1890s till recent years. As a result the urban 'dry island' is found as a real physical phenomenon which is closely connected with UHI; the absolute value of its intensity as well as for the UHI is increasing in time: from -4 % at the end of the 19th century to -8 ÷-9 % now. During last two decades UDI as well as UHI became much stronger in Moscow than before. For instance, on average of five years from 2010 to 2014 the F value at 'Balchug' station at the city centre (close to Moscow Kremlin) is the lowest among all other stations in the region: 68.0 %; the mean F values in urban and rural areas by the data of 5 urban and 13 rural stations for the same period are 73.2 and 76.6 % accordingly. Hence the maximum intensity of UDI, i.e. a difference between values from central urban station and rural stations, is equal to -8.6 % whereas the spatial-averaged intensity that is a difference between average values from all urban and all rural stations is -3.4 %. Thus, the UDI in recent years is mapped by two isovapores: 70 and 75 %. The difference between values of E inside and outside the city is small. For example, on average of 7 years from 1991 to 1997 it was only 0.1 hPa so it is not statistically significant. Thus, unlike average dryness, average humidity does not demonstrate stable in time local effects such as urban island.

Increase in platinum group elements in Mexico City as revealed from growth rings of Taxodium mucronatum ten.

PubMed

Morton-Bermea, Ofelia; Beramendi-Orosco, Laura; Martínez-Reyes, Ángeles; Hernández-Álvarez, Elizabeth; González-Hernández, Galia

2016-02-01

Tree rings may be used as indicators of contamination events providing information on the chronology and the elemental composition of the contamination. In this framework, we report PGEs enrichment in growth rings of Taxodium mucronatum ten for trees growing in the central area of Mexico City as compared to trees growing in a non-urban environment. Concentrations of PGE were determined by ICP-MS analysis on microwave-digested tree rings. The element found in higher concentrations was Pd (1.13-87.98 μg kg(-1)), followed by Rh (0.28-36.81 μg kg(-1)) and Pt (0.106-7.21 μg kg(-1)). The concentration trends of PGEs in the tree-ring sequences from the urban area presented significant correlation values when comparing between trees (r between 0.618 and 0.98, P < 0.025) and between elements within individual trees (r between 0.76 and 0.994, P < 0.01). Furthermore, a clear increase was observed for rings after 1997, with enrichment of up to 60 times the mean concentration found for the sequence from the non-urban area and up to 40 times the mean concentration for the pre-1991 period in the urban trees. These results also demonstrate the feasibility of applying T. mucronatum ten to be used as a bioindicator of the increase in PGE in urban environments.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Western Romania.

PubMed

Olariu, Tudor Rares; Petrescu, Cristina; Darabus, Gheorghe; Lighezan, Rodica; Mazilu, Octavian

2015-08-01

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that most commonly causes asymptomatic infection in immunocompetent hosts, but can have devastating consequences in congenitally infected infants and immunocompromised patients. We evaluated the seroprevalence of T. gondii in the general population in Western Romania. Sera from 304 individuals were analysed with the Pastorex Toxo test, which allows the simultaneous detection of T. gondii IgG and/or IgM antibodies. T. gondii antibodies were demonstrated in 197 individuals (64.8%) and the prevalence increased with age: 35.0% in those < 20 years versus 76.8% in those ≥ 70 years (p < 0.001). There was a higher prevalence of T. gondii antibodies in rural areas (76.9%) than in urban regions (55.3%) (p < 0.001). Our results suggest a high prevalence of T. gondii antibodies in Western Romania.

Non-protective immunity against tetanus in primiparous women and newborns at birth in rural and urban settings in Ibadan, Nigeria.

PubMed

Orimadegun, Adebola Emmanuel; Orimadegun, Bose Etaniamhe; Bamgboye, Elijah Afolabi

2017-01-01

Nigeria remains among the few countries that are yet to achieve eradication of neonatal tetanus in the world despite the availability of an effective vaccine. This study investigated immunity against tetanus in primiparous mothers and neonates at birth, and identified associated factors. This cross-sectional study involved consecutive selection of 244 primiparous mother-neonate pairs (119 from rural areas, 125 from urban areas, 137 male neonates and 107 female neonates) delivered at primary healthcare facilities in Ibadan, Nigeria . Socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric history, immunisation and birthweight were obtained from mothers by interview. A validated immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic test kit was used to test for immunity against tetanus. Positive and negative results were interpreted as protective immunity against tetanus (PIaT) and non-protective immunity against tetanus (NPIaT), respectively. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and logistic regression at p = 0.05. The mean age of mothers was 27.9±3.4 years (range: 20-33) and median birthweight was 2700g (range: 1760-3300). Of the 244 mothers, 198 (81.1%) received at least two doses of tetanus toxoid injection during pregnancy and prevalence of NPIaT and PIaT was 28.7% and 71.3%, respectively. The prevalence of PIaT was significantly higher among mothers in urban areas (n= 96; 80.7%) than rural (n=78; 62.4%), p<0.001.The prevalence of NPIaT among neonates was 36.5% (n= 89). Predictors of NPIaT among neonates were residence in rural LGA (OR = 2.22; 95% CI = 1.23-3.99) and maternal tetanus immunisation <2 doses (OR = 11.68; 95% CI = 4.05-21.75). Lack of protective immunity against tetanus among neonates of primiparous women in Ibadan is prevalent and a more conscientious enforcement of routine tetanus prevention practices is needed.

Non-protective immunity against tetanus in primiparous women and newborns at birth in rural and urban settings in Ibadan, Nigeria

PubMed Central

Orimadegun, Adebola Emmanuel; Orimadegun, Bose Etaniamhe; Bamgboye, Elijah Afolabi

2017-01-01

Introduction Nigeria remains among the few countries that are yet to achieve eradication of neonatal tetanus in the world despite the availability of an effective vaccine. This study investigated immunity against tetanus in primiparous mothers and neonates at birth, and identified associated factors. Methods This cross-sectional study involved consecutive selection of 244 primiparous mother-neonate pairs (119 from rural areas, 125 from urban areas, 137 male neonates and 107 female neonates) delivered at primary healthcare facilities in Ibadan, Nigeria. Socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric history, immunisation and birthweight were obtained from mothers by interview. A validated immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic test kit was used to test for immunity against tetanus. Positive and negative results were interpreted as protective immunity against tetanus (PIaT) and non-protective immunity against tetanus (NPIaT), respectively. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and logistic regression at p = 0.05. Results The mean age of mothers was 27.9±3.4 years (range: 20-33) and median birthweight was 2700g (range: 1760-3300). Of the 244 mothers, 198 (81.1%) received at least two doses of tetanus toxoid injection during pregnancy and prevalence of NPIaT and PIaT was 28.7% and 71.3%, respectively. The prevalence of PIaT was significantly higher among mothers in urban areas (n= 96; 80.7%) than rural (n=78; 62.4%), p<0.001.The prevalence of NPIaT among neonates was 36.5% (n= 89). Predictors of NPIaT among neonates were residence in rural LGA (OR = 2.22; 95% CI = 1.23-3.99) and maternal tetanus immunisation <2 doses (OR = 11.68; 95% CI = 4.05-21.75). Conclusion Lack of protective immunity against tetanus among neonates of primiparous women in Ibadan is prevalent and a more conscientious enforcement of routine tetanus prevention practices is needed. PMID:29296161

The Spatial Variations and Hotspots of Ecosystem Service Values in India During 1985 - 2005

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sannigrahi, S.; Bhatt, S.; Paul, S. K.; Sen, S.; Rahmat, S.; Uniyal, B.

2017-12-01

Ecosystem services can be defined as the processes and functions of the natural ecosystem through which the basic needs and demands of human well-being are sustained and fulfilled. In this study, the spatiotemporal variation and clusters of ESV are analyzed during 1985 - 2005 using benefits transfer approach. The spatial heterogeneity of ESV was assessed through Local Morans I, Getis-Ord-Gi hotspot, and Geary's I statistics, respectively. The temporal uncertainty of ESV was estimated through Ecosystem Service Change Index (ESCI), Ecosystem Service Status Index (ESSI). The sensitivity of ESV to land use/land cover changes were estimated using the Coefficient of Elasticity (CE) approach. The variability of ESV in different land-use categories was examined through Coefficient of Variation (CV), Theil Index (TI), Ginni Coefficient and Entropy method. The contribution of ESV to GDP was quantified using the percent of ESV (%ESV) approach. Total eight ecoregions were considered for estimating the changing dynamics of high and low ESV clusters during 1985 - 2005. Among the eight ecoregions, grassland shows the minimum CV of ESV (1.15) during 1985 - 2005, indicating the most stable and undisturbed eco-regions in India during this study period, followed by cropland (CV= 2.0), forest land (2.32), water bodies (3.27), mangrove (3.5) respectively. While, the urban built-up (CV = 15.89) and wetland (CV = 10.91) exhibits the highest CV during 1985 - 2005. The ESCI was found highly negative (-0.05) over forested region, and negative (-0.02) for water bodies, while a very highly positive (0.38), highly positive (0.24), moderate positive (0.06), weakly positive (0.03) and very weak positive (0.02) values have quantified for urban built-up, wetland, mangrove, cropland and, grassland, respectively. The overall ESSI was very good for urban built-up categories (0.24), followed by wetland (0.15), mangrove (0.04), cropland (0.02) and, grassland (0.01), respectively. During this period (1985 - 2005), the changes of ESV were found statistically significant for urban built-up (t = 10.90, P = 0.008), and wetland (t = 15.88, P = 0.004), while the changes were insignificant for rest of the ecoregions.

Sequential testing with different tissue transglutaminase antibodies, a new approach for diagnosis of celiac disease.

PubMed

Venugopal, Giriprasad; Mechenro, John; Makharia, Govind; Singh, Alka; Pugazhendhi, Srinivasan; Balamurugan, Ramadass; Ramakrishna, Balakrishnan S

2017-11-01

The diagnosis of celiac disease (CeD) in clinical practice relies on serological testing for IgA antibodies to human tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG) which diagnose CeD autoimmunity. We compared three kits for their performance in diagnosis of the disease and evaluated the point prevalence of CeD autoimmunity in a South Indian urban population. In the first part of the study, sera from 90 patients with documented CeD and 92 healthy controls were tested for anti-tTG using three different kits. One thousand nine hundred and seventeen healthy adults residing in urban areas of Vellore and Kancheepuram districts were tested for CeD autoimmunity using a sequential two-test strategy. The sensitivity, specificity, false positivity, false negativity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for the three assays respectively were as follows: 95.5%, 82.6%, 17.3%, 4.4%, 84.3%, and 95% for the Aeskulisa New Generation Assay; 85.5%, 100%, 0%, 14.4%, 100%, and 87.6% for Quanta Lite; and 71.1%, 100%, 0%, 28.8%, 100%, and 71% for Celiac Microlisa. The ROC curves showed good discrimination for all three ELISAs with an AUC of 0.947, 0.950, and 0.886 for the Aeskulisa, Quanta Lite, and Celiac Microlisa, respectively. Of 1917 (males 908, females 1009) healthy adults, 113 (5.89%) were seropositive for IgA anti-htTG in the Aeskulisa test. Two of the latter tested positive in the Quanta Lite assay and/or the Celiac Microlisa assay. The CeD autoimmunity prevalence in this urban population was 1.0 per thousand (95% confidence interval 0.3 to 3.7 per thousand). Sequential testing for anti-tTG using first a highly sensitive assay followed by a very specific assay is a new strategy for screening for CeD in clinical practice.

Paleotempestological Record of Intense Storms for the Northern Gulf of Mexico, United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bregy, J. C.; Wallace, D. J.

2016-12-01

Real-time measurements from many hundreds of GNSS tracking sites around the world are publicly available today, and the amount of streaming data is steadily increasing as national agencies densify their local and global infrastructure for natural hazard monitoring and a variety of geodetic, cadastral, and other civil applications. Thousands of such sites can soon be expected on a global scale. It is a challenge to manage and make optimal use of this massive amount of real-time data. We advocate the creation of Supersite(s), in the parlance of the U.N. Global Earth Observation System of Systems (https://www.earthobservations.org/geoss.php), to generate high level real-time data products from the raw GNSS measurements from all available sources (many thousands of sites). These products include: • High rate, real-time positioning time series for assessing rapid crustal motion due to Earthquakes, volcanic activities, land slides, etc. • Co-seismic displacement to help resolve earthquake mechanism and moment magnitude • Real-time total electron content (TEC) fluctuations to augment Dart buoy in detecting and tracking tsunamis • Aggregation of the many disparate raw data dispensation servers (Casters)Recognizing that natural hazards transcend national boundaries in terms of direct and indirect (e.g., economical, security) impact, the benefits from centralized, authoritative processing of GNSS measurements is manifold: • Offers a one-stop shop to less developed nations and institutions for raw and high-level products, in support of research and applications • Promotes the installation of tracking sites and the contribution of data from nations without the ability to process the data • Reduce dependency on local responsible agencies impacted by a natural disaster • Reliable 24/7 operations, independent of voluntary, best effort contributions from good-willing scientific organizationsThe JPL GNSS Real-Time Earthquake and Tsunami (GREAT) Alert has been operating as a prototype for such a Supersite for nearly a decade, processing in real-time data from hundreds of global and regional GNSS tracking sites. The existing operational infrastructure, complete self-sufficiency, and proven reliability can be leveraged at low cost to provide valuable natural hazard monitoring to the U.S. and the world.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in feral cats in Qatar.

PubMed

Boughattas, Sonia; Behnke, Jerzy; Sharma, Aarti; Abu-Madi, Marawan

2017-01-18

Cats are essential in the life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii as they can shed the environmentally resistant oocysts after acquiring infection. Human populations living in cities with high densities of feral cats are therefore likely to be at risk of infection. The current study is the first to estimate the seroprevalence of T. gondii in the feral cat population in Qatar. We investigated the seroprevalence of T. gondii among 495 adult cats from urban and suburban districts in Qatar. Using results from the Modified Agglutination Test, we fitted statistical models with host sex, area and season as explanatory factors and seropositivity as the outcome. The analysis revealed an overall seroprevalence of 82%. Seroprevalence was significantly higher in the summer season (P = 0.006). No significant difference was detected (P > 0.05) between seroprevalence in female and male cats and in cats from urban and suburban districts of Qatar. Despite the seasonal difference, the observed seroprevalence of T. gondii suggests high environmental contamination throughout the year, with some female cats generating more intense responses compared to males. Both findings merit further investigations.

An Overview of the 3C-STAR project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.

2009-04-01

Over the past three decades, city clusters have played a leading role in the economic growth of China, owing to their collective economic capacity and interdependency. However, pollution prevention lags behind the economic boom, led to a general decline in air quality in city clusters. As a result, industrial emissions and traffic exhausts together contribute to high levels of ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution problems ranging from urban to regional scale. Such high levels of both primary and secondary airborne pollutants lead to the development of a (perhaps typically Chinese) "air pollution complex" concept. Air pollution complex is particularly true and significant in Beijing-Tianjin area, Pearl River Delta (PRD) and Yangtze River Delta. The concurrent high concentrations of O3 and PM2.5 in PRD as well as in other China city clusters have led to rather unique pollution characteristics due to interactions between primary emissions and photochemical processes, between gaseous compounds and aerosol phase species, and between local and regional scale processes. The knowledge and experience needed to find solutions to the unique pollution complex in China are still lacking. Starting from 2007, we launch a major project "Synthesized Prevention Techniques for Air Pollution Complex and Integrated Demonstration in Key City-Cluster Region" (3C-STAR) to address those problems scientifically and technically. The purpose of the project is to build up the capacity of regional air pollution control and to establish regional coordination mechanism for joint implementation of pollution control. The project includes a number of key components technically: regional air quality monitoring network and super-sites, regional dynamic emission inventory of multi-pollutants, regional ensemble air quality forecasting model system, and regional management system supported by decision making platform. The 3C-STAR project selected PRD as a core area to have technical demonstration, and thus provide opportunities as well as challenges for PRD to improve its regional air quality. An integrated field measurement campaign 3C-STAR2008 was organized during October 15-November 19, 2008, including 3-D regional air quality monitoring network, two super-sites, and in-site meteorological and air quality forecasting. With the efforts of more than 100 scientists and students from 12 research institutes, the 3C-STAR2008 was conducted with great success. A great amount of data with rigorous QA/QC procedures has been obtained and data analysis is underway. In this talk, an overview of the 3C-STAR project will be presented, together with major findings from previous PRD campaigns (PRD2004 and PRD2006).

Migration and nutritional status of Tarahumara schoolchildren from Chihuahua State (México).

PubMed

Benítez-Hernández, Zuliana Paola; De la Torre-Díaz, María de Lourdes; Cervantes-Borunda, Mónica; Hernández-Torres, Rosa Patricia; Cabañas, María Dolores; López-Ejeda, Noemí; Marrodán, María Dolores

2017-01-01

The Tarahumara ethnic group is composed of indigenous people from the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico. Conditions of isolation and poverty compel them to migrate to the city in search of better opportunities. This work aims to explore the influence of migration on the growth and nutritional status of Tarahumara schoolchildren. One hundred Tarahumara students were analyzed (50 rural with a mean age of 9.78 ± 1.25 years; 50 urban aged 10.0 ± 1.04 years), comparing anthropometric indicators and body composition (T-Student, U-Mann-Whitney Tests). Twenty percent of rural girls and 35% of rural boys showed stunted growth compared to only 9% of the urban girls (no stunted growth among urban boys). Migrants showed greater body size, skinfold thickness, and fat percentage. Weight excess, understood as an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity, was detected in 17.8% of urban boys and 13.6% of urban girls compared to 10.0% of boys and 3.3% of girls of the rural series. Migration reduces stunting and increases adiposity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dissimilatory nitrate reduction processes in sediments of urban river networks: Spatiotemporal variations and environmental implications.

PubMed

Cheng, Lv; Li, Xiaofei; Lin, Xianbiao; Hou, Lijun; Liu, Min; Li, Ye; Liu, Sai; Hu, Xiaoting

2016-12-01

Urbanizations have increased the loadings of reactive nitrogen in urban riverine environments. However, limited information about dissimilatory nitrate reduction processes and associated contributions to nitrogen removal is available for urban riverine environments. In this study, sediment slurry experiments were conducted with nitrogen isotope-tracing technique to investigate the potential rates of denitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and their contributions to nitrate reduction in sediments of urban river networks, Shanghai. The potential rates of denitrification, anammox and DNRA measured in the study area ranged from 0.193 to 98.7 nmol N g -1  h -1 dry weight (dw), 0.0387-23.7 nmol N g -1  h -1  dw and 0-10.3 nmol N g -1  h -1  dw, respectively. Denitrification and DNRA rates were higher in summer than in winter, while anammox rates were greater in winter than in summer for most sites. Dissolved oxygen, total organic carbon, nitrate, ammonium, sulfide, Fe(II) and Fe(III) were found to have significant influence on these nitrate reduction processes. Denitrification contributed 11.5-99.5%% to total nitrate reduction, as compared to 0.343-81.6% for anammox and 0-52.3% for DNRA. It is estimated that nitrogen loss of approximately 1.33 × 10 5  t N year -1 was linked to both denitrification and anammox processes, which accounted for about 20.1% of total inorganic nitrogen transported annually into the urban river networks of Shanghai. Overall, these results show the potential importance of denitrification and anammox in nitrogen removal and provide new insight into the mechanisms of nitrogen cycles in urban riverine environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomonitoring potential of five sympatric Tillandsia species for evaluating urban metal pollution (Cd, Hg and Pb)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez-Chardi, Alejandro

2016-04-01

The present study quantifies non essential heavy metals highly toxic for biological systems (Pb, Hg and Cd) in five autochthonous epiphytic plants from Tillandsia genus (T. recurvata, T. meridionalis, T. duratii, T. tricholepis, T. loliacea) according to different traffic levels (reference, low, medium and high polluted sites) in Asunción (Paraguay). The three metals increased in polluted sites following Pb (till 62.99 ppm in T. tricholepis) > Cd (till 1.35 ppm in T. recurvata) > Hg (till 0.36 ppm in T. recurvata) and Pb and Cd levels were directly related to traffic flow. Although the species showed similar bioaccumulation pattern (namely, higher levels of metals in polluted sites), enrichment factors (maximum EF values 37.00, 18.16, and 11.90 for Pb, Hg, and Cd, respectively) reported T. tricholepis as the most relevant bioindicator due to its wide distribution and abundance in study sites, low metal content in control site and high metal contents in polluted sites, and significant correlations with traffic density of Pb and Cd. This study emphasizes the necessity of biomonitoring air pollution in areas out of air monitoring control such as Asunción, where the high levels of metal pollution especially Pb, may represent an increment of risk for the human population inhabiting this urban area.

Comparison of refractive errors and factors associated with spectacle use in a rural and urban South Indian population

PubMed Central

Prema, Raju; Sathyamangalam Ve, Ramesh; Hemamalini, Arvind; Baskaran, Mani; Kumaramanickavel, Govindaswamy; Catherine, McCarty; Vijaya, Lingam

2008-01-01

Purpose: To compare the prevalence of refractive errors and factors associated with spectacle use in a rural and urban south Indian population. Materials and Methods: Four thousand eight hundred subjects (age >39 years) each from rural and urban Tamil Nadu were enumerated for a population-based study. All participants underwent a complete ophthalmic evaluation including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), objective and subjective refraction. Out of 3924 rural responders 63.91% and out of 3850 urban responders 81.64% were phakic in the right eye with BCVA of 20/40 or better and were included in the study. Association of spectacle use and refractive errors with different parameters were analysed using logistic regression. Statistical Analysis: Chi square, t test, Chi square for trend and Pearson′s correlation coefficient were used for analysis. Results: Spectacle use was significantly higher and positively associated with literacy and employment in the urban population. The age and gender-adjusted prevalence of emmetropia, myopia of spherical equivalent (SE) ≤-0.50 diopter sphere (DS), high myopia (SE ≤-5.00DS), hyperopia (SE >0.50DS) and astigmatism ≤ 0.50 diopter cylinder (DC) were 46.8%, 31.0%, 4.3%, 17.9% and 60.4% respectively in the rural population and 29.0%, 17.6%, 1.5%, 51.9%, 59.1% respectively in the urban population. The prevalence of emmetropia decreased with age (p < 0.001); prevalence of myopia and high myopia increased with age (p = 0.001) and were associated with nuclear sclerosis (p = 0.001) in both populations. Hyperopia was commoner among women than men (p = 0.001); was positively associated with diabetes mellitus (p = 0.008) in the rural population and negatively with nuclear sclerosis (p = 0.001) in both populations. Conclusion: Spectacle use was found to be significantly lower in the rural population. The pattern of refractive errors was significantly different between both populations. PMID:18292625

Particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon spatial variability and aging in Mexico City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thornhill, D. A.; Herndon, S. C.; Onasch, T. B.; Wood, E. C.; Zavala, M.; Molina, L. T.; Gaffney, J. S.; Marley, N. A.; Marr, L. C.

2007-11-01

As part of the Megacities Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) study in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area in March 2006, we measured particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other gaseous species and particulate properties at six locations throughout the city. The measurements were intended to support the following objectives: to describe spatial and temporal patterns in PAH concentrations, to gain insight into sources and transformations of PAHs, and to quantify the relationships between PAHs and other pollutants. Total particulate PAHs at the Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo (T0 supersite) located near downtown averaged 50 ng m-3, and aerosol active surface area averaged 80 mm2 m-3. PAHs were also measured on board the Aerodyne Mobile Laboratory, which visited six sites encompassing a mixture of different land uses and a range of ages of air parcels transported from the city core. Weak intersite correlations suggest that local sources are important and variable and that exposure to PAHs cannot be represented by a single regional-scale value. The relationships between PAHs and other pollutants suggest that a variety of sources and ages of particles are present. Among carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon dioxide, particulate PAHs are most strongly correlated with NOx. Mexico City's PAH-to-black carbon mass ratio of 0.01 is similar to that found on a freeway loop in the Los Angeles area and approximately 8-30 times higher than that found in other cities. Ratios also indicate that primary combustion particles are rapidly coated by secondary aerosol in Mexico City. If so, the lifetime of PAHs may be prolonged if the coating protects them against photodegradation or heterogeneous reactions.

Submicron particles influenced by mixed biogenic and anthropogenic emissions: high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometry results from the Carbonaceous Aerosols and Radiative Effects Study (CARES)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setyan, A.; Zhang, Q.; Merkel, M.; Knighton, W. B.; Sun, Y.; Song, C.; Shilling, J. E.; Onasch, T. B.; Herndon, S. C.; Worsnop, D. R.; Fast, J. D.; Zaveri, R. A.; Berg, L. K.; Wiedensohler, A.; Flowers, B. A.; Dubey, M. K.; Subramanian, R.

2012-02-01

The Carbonaceous Aerosols and Radiative Effects Study (CARES) took place in the Sacramento Valley of California in summer 2010. We present results obtained at Cool, CA, the T1 site of the project (~40 km downwind of urban emissions from Sacramento), where we deployed an Aerodyne high resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) in parallel with complementary instrumentation to characterize the sources and processes of submicron particles (PM1). Cool is located at the foothill of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where intense biogenic emissions are periodically mixed with urban outflow transported by daytime southwesterly winds from the Sacramento metropolitan area. The particle mass loading was low (3.0 μg m-3 on average) and dominated by organics (80 % of the PM1 mass) followed by sulfate (9.9 %). Organics and sulfate appeared to be externally mixed, as suggested by their different time series (r2 = 0.13) and size distributions. Sulfate showed a bimodal distribution with a droplet mode peaking at ˜400 nm in vacuum aerodynamic diameter (Dva), and a condensation mode at ~150 nm, while organics generally displayed a broad distribution in 60-600 nm (Dva). New particle formation and growth events were observed almost every day, emphasizing the roles of organics and sulfate in new particle growth, especially that of organics. The organic aerosol (OA) had a~nominal formula of C1H1.38N0.004O0.44, thus an average organic mass-to-carbon (OM/OC) ratio of 1.70. Two different oxygenated OA (OOA, 90 % of total OA mass) and a hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA, 10 %) were identified by Positive matrix factorization (PMF) of the high-resolution mass spectra. The more oxidized MO-OOA (O/C = 0.54) corresponded to secondary OA (SOA) primarily influenced by biogenic emissions, while the less oxidized LO-OOA (O/C = 0.42) corresponded to SOA associated with urban transport. The HOA factor corresponded to primary emissions mainly due to local traffic. Twenty three periods of urban plumes from T0 (Sacramento) to T1 (Cool) were identified using the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem). The average PM1 mass loading was much higher in urban plumes (3.9 μg m-3) than in air masses dominated by biogenic SOA (1.8 μg m-3). The change in OA mass relative to CO (Δ OA/Δ CO) varied in the range of 5-196 μg m-3 ppm-1, reflecting large variability in SOA production. The highest Δ OA/Δ CO were reached when urban plumes arrived at Cool in the presence of a~high concentration of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs = isoprene + monoterpenes + 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol [MBO] + methyl chavicol). This ratio, which was 77 μg m-3 ppm-1 on average when BVOCs > 2 ppb, is much higher than when urban plumes arrived in a low biogenic VOCs environment (28 μg m-3 ppm-1 when BVOCs < 0.7 ppb) or during other periods dominated by biogenic SOA (40 μg m-3 ppm-1). The results from this study demonstrate that SOA formation is enhanced when anthropogenic emissions interact with biogenic precursors.

Severity and prevalence of plaque-induced gingivitis in the Chinese population.

PubMed

Zhang, Jincai; Xuan, Dongying; Fan, Weihua; Zhang, Xiong; Dibart, Serge; De Vizio, William; Panagakos, Foti; Zhang, Yun-Po

2010-10-01

This study investigated the prevalence and severity of gingivitis and plaque in a representative Chinese population of adults. Using the Loe-Silness gingivitis index (GI) and the modified Quigley-Hein plaque index (PULI), researchers examined 1143 patients from Guangzhou, Shenyang, and Nanjing for the presence of gingivitis and plaque. A two-tailed t-test was used to determine significant differences in the GI and PLI scores between gender and urban/rural areas. The data pertaining to study sites and age groups were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variances (ANOVA) by ranks. The correlation between GI/PLI and age was examined using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Age differences among three sites were analyzed with the one-way ANOVA. The age and urban/rural compositions (mean age 42.2 years) paralleled the 2008 China census. The overall average and standard deviation of GI and PLI were 1.101 +/- 0.239 and 3.394 +/- 0.578, respectively. Age significantly correlated with GI and PLI (P < .0001). The PLI in males was significantly higher (P < .0001) than in females; however, no significant difference was noted between GI in males compared to females. Patients in rural areas showed a significantly higher GI and PLI (t = 7.723, P < .0001; t = 7.072, P < .0001) than those in urban ones. Clinical trials evaluating a product's antigingivitis efficacy should recruit participants from a population that represents accurately the intended product users. Variables should include gender, race, age, and geography.

Relationships between poverty and AIDS Illness in South Africa: an investigation of urban and rural households in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Steinert, Janina Isabel; Cluver, Lucie; Melendez-Torres, G J; Herrero Romero, Rocio

2017-09-01

The association between poverty and HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa remains contested. A better understanding of the relationship between the prevalence of poverty and the disease is essential for addressing prevention, treatment, and care. The present study interrogates this relationship, using a cross-sectional survey of 2477 households in urban and rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Structural equation modelling was employed to estimate the correlations between poverty and AIDS illness. The analysis revealed a correlation of r pb  = 0.23, denoting that a higher level of household poverty was associated with a higher likelihood of being AIDS-unwell. Post hoc t-test showed that receipt of a disability grant by AIDS-affected households was associated with significantly lower poverty, compared to AIDS-affected households not receiving the grant, t(654) = 3.67, p < .01. Geographic location was found to confound the correlation: the strength of the relationship between poverty and AIDS was decreased to r pb  = 0.15 (p < .001) for the urban and r pb  = 0.16 (p < .001) for the rural sub-population. Findings suggest the importance of two sets of policies: those that address the potential upstream risk of poverty through economic interventions, and those that alleviate the impoverishing effects of AIDS illness for affected households.

Submicron aerosol and trace gas composition near Manaus as observed during GoAmazon2014/5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira De Brito, J.; Wurm, F.; Liu, Y.; de Sá, S. S.; Carbone, S.; Rizzo, L. V.; Cirino, G. G.; Barbosa, H. M.; Souza, R. A. F. D.; Martin, S. T.; Artaxo, P.

2014-12-01

The Amazon Basin, during the wet season, has one of the lowest aerosol concentrations worldwide, with air masses covering thousands of kilometers of pristine forest with negligible human impact. The atmosphere in such regions is strongly coupled with the biosphere through primary biological aerosols, biogenic salts and secondary aerosols from oxidation of biogenic VOCs. The natural environment is strongly modified nearby urbanized areas, in particular Manaus, a city of nearly two million people. The urban pollution plume has high concentrations of oxides of nitrogen and sulfur, carbon monoxide, particle concentrations, and soot, among other pollutants, strongly contrasting with the clean air masses reaching the city. Such unique location provides the ideal laboratory to study the isolated urban emission, as well the pristine environment by perturbing it in a relatively known fashion. The GoAmazon experiment was designed with these questions in mind, combining remote sensing, in situand airborne measurements. This manuscript describes the measurements currently taking place at the T2 site, near Manaus, frequently impacted by relatively fresh emissions from the city. This presentation focuses on aerosol properties and trace gas composition at the T2 site. PM1 mass concentration from March up to July 2014 has been observed to be dominated by organics (1.51 μg m-3), followed by BC (0.83 μg m-3), SO4 (0.17 μg m-3), NO3 (0.08 μg m-3) and NH4 (0.06 μg m-3). Mean aerosol number concentration was 3600 cm-3, with a mean geometric diameter of 70 nm. As for the trace gases, initial estimates of isoprene average ambient concentration is 0.95 ppb, whereas MVK+MACR has been estimated to be 0.76 ppb. Average mixing ratios of toluene, benzene and C8 aromatics were 0.31 ppb, 0.16 ppb and 0.15 ppb, respectively, correlating relatively well with markers of anthropogenic activities, such as BC. Such measurements will carry on throughout GoAmazon 2014/5, providing a unique dataset to understand the aerosol life cycle and the impact of urban emission in the heart of the Amazon Forest.

InSAR analysis of the crustal deformation affecting the megacity of Istanbul: the results of the FP7 Marsite Project as a GEO Supersite Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solaro, Giuseppe; Bonano, Manuela; Manzo, Mariarosaria

2016-04-01

The North Anatolian Fault (NAF) is one of the most active faults worldwide, extending approximately 1,200 km from Eastern Turkey to the Northern Aegean Sea. During the 20th century series of damaging earthquakes occurred along the NAF, generally propagated westward towards Istanbul; the last one occurred in 1999 at Izmit, a city 80 km away from Istanbul. Within this scenario, the FP7 MARsite project (New Directions in Seismic Hazard assessment through Focused Earth Observation in Marmara Supersite), supported by EU, intends to collect, share and integrate multidisciplinary data (seismologic, geochemical, surveying, satellite, etc.) in order to carry out assessment, mitigation and management of seismic risk in the region of the Sea of Marmara. In the framework of the MARsite project, we performed the analysis and monitoring of the surface deformation affecting the Istanbul mega city by exploiting the large archives of X-band satellite SAR data, made available through the Supersites Initiatives, and by processing them via the advanced multi-temporal and multi-scale InSAR technique, known as the Small BAseline Subset (SBAS) approach. In particular, we applied the SBAS technique to a dataset of 101 SAR images acquired by the TerraSAR-X constellation of the German Space Agency (DLR) over descending orbits and spanning the November 2010 - August 2014 time interval. From,these images, we generated 312 differential interferograms with a maximum spatial separation (perpendicular baseline) between the acquisition orbits of about 500 m., that were used to generate, via the SBAS approach, mean deformation velocity map and corresponding ground time series of the investigated area. The performed InSAR analysis reveals a generalized stability over the Istanbul area, except for some localized displacements, related to subsidence and slope instability phenomena. In particular, we identified: (i) a displacement pattern related to the Istanbul airport, showing a mostly linear deformation trend with a velocity of about 1 cm/yr, although a slowdown effect is observed starting from early 2014, and (ii) a subsidence phenomenon in correspondence to Miniaturk park with a mean velocity value of about 1.5 cm/yr. Moreover, by benefiting from the recent launch of the C-band Sentinel-1A (S1A) satellite (April 2014), developed within the European Commission Copernicus Programme, we performed a more recent InSAR analysis of the Istanbul mega city and its surroundings by exploiting datasets collected during the October 2014 - December 2015 time interval. In such a way, we are able to investigate possible changes in the spatial and temporal deformation rates of the detected displacements over time with the aim to improve the comprehension of the deformation processes already occurred and/or occurring in this area. The obtained results, generated within the MARsite project, are expected to be available to scientific community through the Geohazards Exploitation Platform (GEP), an ESA platform aimed at supporting the exploitation of satellite EO data for geohazards, to be fully compliant with some of the major issues of the Supersites Initiative, as well as to foster the InSAR data sharing within a wider scientific community.

MEditerranean Supersite Volcanoes (MED-SUV) project: from objectives to results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puglisi, Giuseppe; Spampinato, Letizia

2017-04-01

The MEditerranean Supersite Volcanoes (MED-SUV) was a FP7 3-year lasting project aimed at improving the assessment of volcanic hazards at two of the most active European volcanic areas - Campi Flegrei/Vesuvius and Mt. Etna. More than 3 million people are exposed to potential hazards in the two areas, and the geographic location of the volcanoes increases the number of people extending the impact to a wider region. MED-SUV worked on the (1) optimisation and integration of the existing and new monitoring systems, (2) understanding of volcanic processes, and on the (3) relationship between the scientific and end-user communities. MED-SUV fully exploited the unique multidisciplinary long-term in-situ datasets available for these volcanoes and integrated them with Earth observations. Technological developments and implemented algorithms allowed better constraint of pre-, sin- and post-eruptive phases. The wide range of styles and intensities of the volcanic phenomena observed at the targeted volcanoes - archetypes of 'closed' and 'open' conduit systems - observed by using the long-term multidisciplinary datasets, exceptionally upgraded the understanding of a variety of geo-hazards. Proper experiments and studies were carried out to advance the understanding of the volcanoes' internal structure and processes, and to recognise signals related to impending unrest/eruptive phases. Indeed, the hazard quantitative assessment benefitted from the outcomes of these studies and from their integration with cutting edge monitoring approaches, thus leading to step-changes in hazard awareness and preparedness, and leveraging the close relationship between scientists, SMEs, and end-users. Among the MED-SUV achievements, we can list the (i) implementation of a data policy compliant with the GEO Open Data Principles for ruling the exploitation and shared use of the project outcomes; (ii) MED-SUV e-infrastructure creation as test bed for designing an interoperable infrastructure to manage different data sources, applying the data policy, and envisaging sustainability strategies after the project in a coherent national and international framework; (iii) improvement of the SAR capability in detecting and monitoring ground deformation; (iv) development/implementation and testing of prototypes and software for measuring and retrieving more accurate/novel parameters; (v) integration of satellite and in-situ data; and (vi) novel methods of data analysis increasing the knowledge of volcanic process dynamics and improving alert systems. The project has fostered the assessment of short-term volcanic hazard in the Italian Supersites, and exploitation of the information provided by the monitoring. The main breakthroughs in the hazard focused on fine-tuning the Bayesian approach for the probabilistic evaluation of the occurrence of eruptive events at Campi Flegrei and its effects in the area, and the preliminary application to assess the occurrence of flank eruptions and the effects of volcanic plume fallout at Mt. Etna. Indeed, MED-SUV worked also on the communication between scientists and decision makers by evaluating the suitability of scientific outcomes (e.g. hazard maps) to be informative for this goal. Dissemination of the outcomes aimed at spreading new volcanology knowledge among the scientific community, as well as among decision-maker bodies and public, and allowing the end-user community access to the two Italian Supersites' data through a proper implemented e-infrastructure.

Carbon storage and sequestration by urban trees in the USA

Treesearch

David J. Nowak; Daniel E. Crane

2002-01-01

Based on field data from 10 USA cities and national urban tree cover data, it is estimated that urban trees in the coterminous USA currently store 700 million tonnes of carbon ($14,300 million value) with a gross carbon sequestration rate of 22.8 million tC/yr ($460 rnillion/year). Carbon storage within cities ranges From 1.2 million tC in New York, NY, to 19,300 tC in...

The Effects of City Streets on an Urban Disease Vector

PubMed Central

Barbu, Corentin M.; Hong, Andrew; Manne, Jennifer M.; Small, Dylan S.; Quintanilla Calderón, Javier E.; Sethuraman, Karthik; Quispe-Machaca, Víctor; Ancca-Juárez, Jenny; Cornejo del Carpio, Juan G.; Málaga Chavez, Fernando S.; Náquira, César; Levy, Michael Z.

2013-01-01

With increasing urbanization vector-borne diseases are quickly developing in cities, and urban control strategies are needed. If streets are shown to be barriers to disease vectors, city blocks could be used as a convenient and relevant spatial unit of study and control. Unfortunately, existing spatial analysis tools do not allow for assessment of the impact of an urban grid on the presence of disease agents. Here, we first propose a method to test for the significance of the impact of streets on vector infestation based on a decomposition of Moran's spatial autocorrelation index; and second, develop a Gaussian Field Latent Class model to finely describe the effect of streets while controlling for cofactors and imperfect detection of vectors. We apply these methods to cross-sectional data of infestation by the Chagas disease vector Triatoma infestans in the city of Arequipa, Peru. Our Moran's decomposition test reveals that the distribution of T. infestans in this urban environment is significantly constrained by streets (p<0.05). With the Gaussian Field Latent Class model we confirm that streets provide a barrier against infestation and further show that greater than 90% of the spatial component of the probability of vector presence is explained by the correlation among houses within city blocks. The city block is thus likely to be an appropriate spatial unit to describe and control T. infestans in an urban context. Characteristics of the urban grid can influence the spatial dynamics of vector borne disease and should be considered when designing public health policies. PMID:23341756

Effects of the Urban Heat Island on Aerosol pH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battaglia, M., Jr.; Douglas, S.; Hennigan, C. J.

2017-12-01

The urban heat island (UHI) is a widely observed phenomenon whereby urban environments have higher temperature (T) and lower relative humidity (RH) than surrounding suburban and rural areas. Both of these factors affect the partitioning of semi-volatile species found in the atmosphere, such as nitric acid and ammonia. These species are inherently tied to aerosol pH, which is a key parameter driving some atmospheric chemical processes and environmental effects of aerosols. In this study, we characterized the effect of the UHI on aerosol pH in Baltimore, MD and Chicago, IL. These cities were selected based on differences in climatology, source influences, and atmospheric composition. Meteorological and atmospheric composition data from the urban centers and surrounding rural locations were used as inputs to the ISORROPIA-II aerosol thermodynamic model to compute gas/particle partitioning, aerosol liquid water content, and aerosol pH. Dramatic differences in aerosol liquid water (ALW) content were found in both cities and were attributable to the T and RH differences (UHI effect). The urban-rural differences in ALW result in urban aerosol pH that is systematically lower (more acidic) than rural aerosol pH for identical atmospheric composition. The UHI in Baltimore is most intense during the summer and at night, with differences of up to 1 pH unit predicted during these times. Similarly, the UHI in Chicago is most intense during the summer and at night; however, the atmospheric composition in Chicago shows a mediating effect, with differences of up to 0.65 pH units predicted during these times. These results are likely to have broad implications for chemistry occurring in and around urban atmospheres globally, although the magnitude of the effect may differ based on the UHI characteristic of each urban environment.

Relationship Between Fine-Particle Pollution and the Urban Heat Island in Beijing, China: Observational Evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Zuofang; Ren, Guoyu; Wang, Hong; Dou, Junxia; Gao, Zhiqiu; Duan, Chunfeng; Li, Yubin; Ngarukiyimana, Jean Paul; Zhao, Chun; Cao, Chang; Jiang, Mei; Yang, Yuanjian

2018-05-01

Urbanization has led to a significant urban heat island (UHI) effect in Beijing in recent years. At the same time, air pollution caused by a large number of fine particles significantly influences the atmospheric environment, urban climate, and human health. The distribution of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) concentration and its relationship with the UHI effect in the Beijing area are analyzed based on station-observed hourly data from 2012 to 2016. We conclude that, (1) in the last five years, the surface concentrations of PM 2.5 averaged for urban and rural sites in and around Beijing are 63.2 and 40.7 µg m-3, respectively, with significant differences between urban and rural sites (ΔPM 2.5 ) at the seasonal, monthly and daily scales observed; (2) there is a large correlation between ΔPM 2.5 and the UHI intensity defined as the differences in the mean (ΔT ave ), minimum (ΔT min ), and maximum (ΔT max ) temperatures between urban and rural sites. The correlation between ΔPM 2.5 and ΔT min (ΔT max ) is the highest (lowest); (3) a Granger causality analysis further shows that ΔPM 2.5 and ΔT min are most correlated for a lag of 1-2 days, while the correlation between ΔPM 2.5 and ΔT ave is lower; there is no causal relationship between ΔPM 2.5 and ΔT max ; (4) a case analysis shows that downwards shortwave radiation at the surface decreases with an increase in PM 2.5 concentration, leading to a weaker UHI intensity during the daytime. During the night, the outgoing longwave radiation from the surface decreases due to the presence of daytime pollutants, the net effect of which is a slower cooling rate during the night in cities than in the suburbs, leading to a larger ΔT min .

Infrared Absorption by Atmospheric Aerosols in Mexico City during MILAGRO.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelley, K. L.; Mangu, A.; Gaffney, J. S.; Marley, N. A.

2007-12-01

Past research in our group using cylindrical internal reflectance spectroscopy has indicated that aqueous aerosols could contribute to the radiative warming as greenhouse species (1,2). Although aerosol radiative effects have been known for sometime and are considered one of the major uncertainties in climate change modeling, most of the studies have focused on the forcing due to scattering and absorption of radiation in the uv- visible region (3). Infrared spectral information also allows the confirmation of key functional groups that are responsible for enhanced absorption observations from secondary organics in the uv-visible region. This work extends our efforts to evaluate the infrared absorption by aerosols, particularly organics, that are now found to be a major fraction of urban and regional aerosols in the 0.1 to 1.0 micron size range and to help identify key types of organics that can contribute to aerosol absorption. During the MILAGRO campaign, quartz filter samples were taken at 12-hour intervals from 5 am to 5 pm (day) and from 5 pm to 5 am (night) during the month of March 2006. These samples were taken at the two super-sites, T-0 (Instituto Mexicano de Petroleo in Mexico City) and T-1 (Universidad Technologica de Tecamac, State of Mexico). The samples have been characterized for total carbon content (stable isotope mass spectroscopy) and natural radionuclide tracers, as well as for their UV-visible spectroscopic properties by using integrating sphere diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (Beckman DU with a Labsphere accessory). These same samples have been characterized in the mid and near infrared spectral ranges using diffuse reflection spectroscopy (Nicolet 6700 FTIR with a Smart Collector accessory). Aerosol samples were removed from the surfaces of the aerosol filters by using Si-Carb sampler. The samples clearly indicate the presence of carbonyl organic constituents and the spectra are quite similar to those observed for humic and fulvic acids found as colloidal materials in surface and groundwaters (4). Examples of the IR spectra obtained and variance as a function of time at the two sites will be presented. The spectra are taken in Kubelka - Munk format, which also allows the infrared absorption strengths to be evaluated as function of wavelength. The wavelength dependence of the aerosol complex refractive index (m = n + ik) in the infrared spectral region is determined by application of the Kramers Kronig function. The importance of the aerosol absorption in the infrared spectral region to radiative forcing will be discussed. 1. N.A. Marley, J.S. Gaffney, and M.M. Cunningham,Environ. Sci. Technol. 27 2864-2869 (1993). 2. N.A. Marley, J.S. Gaffney, and M.M. Cunningham, Spectroscopy 7 44-53 (1992). 3. J.S. Gaffney and N.A. Marley, Atmospheric Environment, New Directions contribution, 32, 2873-2874 (1998). 4. N.A. Marley, J.S. Gaffney, and K.A. Orlandini, Chapter 7 in Humic/Fulvic Acids and Organic Colloidal Materials in the Environment, ACS Symposium Series 651, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., pp. 96-107, 1996. This work was performed as part of the Department of Energy's Megacity Aerosol Experiment - Mexico City (MAX- Mex) under the support of the Atmospheric Science Program. This research was supported by the Office of Science (BER), U.S. Department of Energy, Grant No. DE-FG02-07ER64328.

Changes in immunological profile as a function of urbanization and lifestyle

PubMed Central

Mbow, Moustapha; de Jong, Sanne E; Meurs, Lynn; Mboup, Souleymane; Dieye, Tandakha Ndiaye; Polman, Katja; Yazdanbakhsh, Maria

2014-01-01

Differences in lifestyle and break with natural environment appear to be associated with changes in the immune system resulting in various adverse health effects. Although genetics can have a major impact on the immune system and disease susceptibility, the contribution of environmental factors is thought to be substantial. Here, we investigated the immunological profile of healthy volunteers living in a rural and an urban area of a developing African country (Senegal), and in a European country (the Netherlands). Using flow cytometry, we investigated T helper type 1 (Th1), Th2, Th17, Th22 and regulatory T cells, as well as CD4+ T-cell and B-cell activation markers, and subsets of memory T and B cells in the peripheral blood. Rural Senegalese had significantly higher frequencies of Th1, Th2 and Th22 cells, memory CD4+ T and B cells, as well as activated CD4+ T and B cells compared with urban Senegalese and urban Dutch people. Within the Senegalese population, rural paritcipants displayed significantly higher frequencies of Th2 and Th22 cells, as well as higher pro-inflammatory and T-cell activation and memory profiles compared with the urban population. The greater magnitude of immune activation and the enlarged memory pool, together with Th2 polarization, seen in rural participants from Africa, followed by urban Africans and Europeans suggest that environmental changes may define immunological footprints, which could have consequences for disease patterns in general and vaccine responses in particular. PMID:24924958

Uncoupling protein 2 gene polymorphisms are associated with obesity

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) gene polymorphisms have been reported as genetic risk factors for obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We examined the association of commonly observed UCP2 G(−866)A (rs659366) and Ala55Val (C > T) (rs660339) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with obesity, high fasting plasma glucose, and serum lipids in a Balinese population. Methods A total of 603 participants (278 urban and 325 rural subjects) were recruited from Bali Island, Indonesia. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) were measured. Obesity was determined based on WHO classifications for adult Asians. Participants were genotyped for G(−866)A and Ala55Val polymorphisms of the UCP2 gene. Results Obesity prevalence was higher in urban subjects (51%) as compared to rural subjects (23%). The genotype, minor allele (MAF), and heterozygosity frequencies were similar between urban and rural subjects for both SNPs. All genotype frequencies were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. A combined analysis of genotypes and environment revealed that the urban subjects carrying the A/A genotype of the G(−866)A SNP have higher BMI than the rural subjects with the same genotype. Since the two SNPs showed strong linkage disequilibrium (D’ = 0.946, r2 = 0.657), a haplotype analysis was performed. We found that the AT haplotype was associated with high BMI only when the urban environment was taken into account. Conclusions We have demonstrated the importance of environmental settings in studying the influence of the common UCP2 gene polymorphisms in the development of obesity in a Balinese population. PMID:22533685

Earthquake induced landslide hazard: a multidisciplinary field observatory in the Marmara SUPERSITE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bigarré, Pascal

2014-05-01

Earthquake-triggered landslides have an increasing disastrous impact in seismic regions due to the fast growing urbanization and infrastructures. Just considering disasters from the last fifteen years, among which the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake, the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, and the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, these events generated tens of thousands of coseismic landslides. Those resulted in amazing death toll and considerable damages, affecting the regional landscape including its hydrological main features. Despite a strong impetus in research during past decades, knowledge on those geohazards is still fragmentary, while databases of high quality observational data are lacking. These phenomena call for further collaborative researches aiming eventually to enhance preparedness and crisis management. As one of the three SUPERSITE concept FP7 projects dealing with long term high level monitoring of major natural hazards at the European level, the MARSITE project gathers research groups in a comprehensive monitoring activity developed in the Sea of Marmara Region, one of the most densely populated parts of Europe and rated at high seismic risk level since the 1999 Izmit and Duzce devastating earthquakes. Besides the seismic threat, landslides in Turkey and in this region constitute an important source of loss. The 1999 Earthquake caused extensive landslides while tsunami effects were observed during the post-event surveys in several places along the coasts of the Izmit bay. The 6th Work Package of MARSITE project gathers 9 research groups to study earthquake-induced landslides focusing on two sub-regional areas of high interest. First, the Cekmece-Avcilar peninsula, located westwards of Istanbul, is a highly urbanized concentrated landslide prone area, showing high susceptibility to both rainfalls while affected by very significant seismic site effects. Second, the off-shore entrance of the Izmit Gulf, close to the termination of the surface rupture of the 1999 earthquake, that shows an important slump mass facing the Istanbul coastline. A multidisciplinary research program based on pre-existing studies has been designed with objectives and tasks linked to constrain and tackle progressively some challenging issues related to data integration, modeling, monitoring and mapping technologies. Concerning the on-shore area, this program includes the refined analysis of the seismic site response, the permanent multi-parameter ground monitoring of a representative unstable slope as well as the in-depth slope stability analysis based on the stress-strain dynamic numerical modelling approach. Hyperspectral and Dinsar imagery technologies are also deployed to complete inventory and observational information. The development of a dynamic GIS tool featuring capabilities to integrate and process very different types of data, and up-date susceptibility maps based on near to real-time rainfall-seismic shaking input, is currently undertaken. Moreover, the research is gaining high profit of a vast drilling program undertaken by the Istanbul Metropolitan Area, aiming to yield a detailed geological and geotechnical characterization of the slopes. Also included in the objectives is to test a landslide early warning system. As regards the selected off-shore area, high resolution geophysical marine surveys are being conducted to complete its geomorphological description to help in mapping possible incipient mass movements. This is especially expected to provide better-constrained input for both laboratory testing and numerical modeling of tsunami scenarios thank to a unique lab-scale tsunami channel.

Effects of biomarkers of oxidative stress damage on prevalence and severity of visual disability among black Central Africans.

PubMed

Longo-Mbenza, B; Muaka, M Mvitu; Yokobo, E Cibanda; Phemba, I Longo; Mokondjimobe, E; Gombet, T; Ndembe, D Kibokela; Mona, D Tulomba; Masamba, S Wayiza

2012-01-01

Because of the demographic transition, lifestyle changes, urbanization, and nutrition transition, Central Africans are at higher risk of ocular diseases associated with oxidative stress and visual disability. This study aimed to estimate the normal values of oxidant status defined by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL), 8-Isoprostane and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and to determine their pathogenic role in the prevalence and the severity of visual disability among these black Africans. This was a cross-sectional study, run in a case-control study randomly selected from Kinshasa province, DR Congo. The study included 150 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients (cases) matched for sex and age to 50 healthy non diabetic controls. Logistic regression models were used to identify independent determinants of visual disability. The presence rates were 8.5% for blindness, 20.5% for visual impairment and 29% for visual disability including blindness and visual impairment. After adjusted for taro leaves intake, red beans intake, T2DM, aging, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure, we identified low education level (OR=3.3 95%CI 1.5-7.2; p=0.003), rural-urban migration (OR=2.6 95% CI 1.2-5.6; p=0.017), and high Ox-LDL (OR=2.3 95% CI 1.1-4.7; p=0.029) as the important independent determinants of visual disability. After adjusted for education, intake of red beans, intake of taro leaves, triglycerides, and T2DM, we identified no intake of safou fruit (OR=50.7 95% CI 15.2-168.5; p<0.0001), rural-urban migration (OR=3.9 95%CI 1.213; p=0.012), and high 8-OHdG (OR=14.7 95% CI 3.9-54.5; p<0.0001) as the significant independent determinants of visual disability. After adjusted for education level, no intake of red beans, no intake of Taro leaves, triglycerides, and T2DM, we identified no intake of Safou fruit (OR=43.1 95% CI 13.7-135.4; p<0.0001), age ≥ 60 years (OR=3.4 95% CI 1.3-9; p=0.024), and high 8-Isoprostane (OR=11 95% CI 3.4-36.1; p<0.0001) as the significant independent determinants of visual disability. Visual disability remains a public health problem in Central Africa. Antioxidant supplement, fruit intake, nutrition education, control of migration, and blocking of oxidative stress are crucial steps for delayed development of vision loss.

Simulation of Radiowave Propagation in a Dense Urban Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

areas by Equation 2-22. The received signal power in free space can be expressed by the Friis transmission equation as follows: 2 2(4 ) t t r r PG GP...2 2(4 ) r fs t PL P R λ π = = . 2 - 30 In urban propagation applications it is common to use d in place of R for distance from the transmitter...and Bertoni and Ikegami [13]. The basic COST 231 model uses Walfisch-Bertoni results to calculate urban environment propagation prediction along

Estrogen receptor (α and β) but not androgen receptor expression is correlated with recurrence, progression and survival in post prostatectomy T3N0M0 locally advanced prostate cancer in an urban Greek population

PubMed Central

Megas, Georgios; Chrisofos, Michael; Anastasiou, Ioannis; Tsitlidou, Aida; Choreftaki, Theodosia; Deliveliotis, Charalampos

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of estrogen receptors (ER(α) and ER(β)) and androgen receptors (ARs) as prognostic factors for biochemical recurrence, disease progression and survival in patients with pT3N0M0 prostate cancer (PCa) in an urban Greek population. A total of 100 consecutive patients with pT3N0M0 PCa treated with radical prostatectomy participated in the study. The mean age and follow-up were 64.2 and 6 years, respectively. The HSCORE was used for semi-quantitative analysis of the immunoreactivity of the receptors. The prognostic value of the ER(α) and ER(β) and AR was assessed in terms of recurrence, progression, and survival. AR expression was not associated with any of the above parameters; however, both ERs correlated with the prognosis. A univariate Cox regression analysis showed that ER(α) positive staining was significantly associated with a greater hazard for all outcomes. Increased ER(β) staining was significantly associated with a lower hazard for all outcomes in the univariate analysis. When both ER HSCORES were used for the analysis, it was found that patients with high ER(α) or low ER(β) HSCORES compared with patients with negatively stained ER(α) and >1.7 hSCORE ER(β) had 6.03, 10.93, and 10.53 times greater hazard for biochemical disease recurrence, progression of disease and death, respectively. Multiple Cox proportional hazard analyses showed that the age, preoperative prostate specific antigen, Gleason score and ERs were independent predictors of all outcomes. ER expression is an important prognosticator after radical prostatectomy in patients with pT3N0M0 PCa. By contrast, AR expression has limited prognostic value. PMID:25219910

Estrogen receptor (α and β) but not androgen receptor expression is correlated with recurrence, progression and survival in post prostatectomy T3N0M0 locally advanced prostate cancer in an urban Greek population.

PubMed

Megas, Georgios; Chrisofos, Michael; Anastasiou, Ioannis; Tsitlidou, Aida; Choreftaki, Theodosia; Deliveliotis, Charalampos

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of estrogen receptors (ER(α) and ER(β)) and androgen receptors (ARs) as prognostic factors for biochemical recurrence, disease progression and survival in patients with pT3N0M0 prostate cancer (PCa) in an urban Greek population. A total of 100 consecutive patients with pT3N0M0 PCa treated with radical prostatectomy participated in the study. The mean age and follow-up were 64.2 and 6 years, respectively. The HSCORE was used for semi-quantitative analysis of the immunoreactivity of the receptors. The prognostic value of the ER(α) and ER(β) and AR was assessed in terms of recurrence, progression, and survival. AR expression was not associated with any of the above parameters; however, both ERs correlated with the prognosis. A univariate Cox regression analysis showed that ER(α) positive staining was significantly associated with a greater hazard for all outcomes. Increased ER(β) staining was significantly associated with a lower hazard for all outcomes in the univariate analysis. When both ER HSCORES were used for the analysis, it was found that patients with high ER(α) or low ER(β) HSCORES compared with patients with negatively stained ER(α) and >1.7 hSCORE ER(β) had 6.03, 10.93, and 10.53 times greater hazard for biochemical disease recurrence, progression of disease and death, respectively. Multiple Cox proportional hazard analyses showed that the age, preoperative prostate specific antigen, Gleason score and ERs were independent predictors of all outcomes. ER expression is an important prognosticator after radical prostatectomy in patients with pT3N0M0 PCa. By contrast, AR expression has limited prognostic value.

Extension's Role in Urban Education: Why Aren't We Involved?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson-Smith, Kenyetta

2011-01-01

With education failing nationwide and economic restraints affecting both rural and urban educational institutions, Extension should be taking a more aggressive stance instead of operating in what has now become the way of Extension and "collecting numbers." Why isn't Extension more visible in the urban populations that reside in our own backyards?…

Using Simpson's diversity index to examine multidimensional models of diversity in health professions education.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Jacqueline E; McLaughlin, Gerald W; McLaughlin, Josetta S; White, Carla Y

2016-01-03

This study explored new models of diversity for health professions education that incorporate multiple attributes and examined differences in diversity based on urbanicity, geographic region, and institutional structure. Simpson's Diversity Index was used to develop race, gender, and interprofessional diversity indices for health professions schools in the United States (N = 318). Sullivan's extension was used to develop a composite diversity index that incorporated multiple individual attributes for each school. Pearson's r was used to investigate correlations between continuous variables. ANOVA and independent t-tests were used to compare groups based on urbanicity, geographic region, and Basic Carnegie Classification. Mean (SD) for race, gender, and interprofessional diversity indices were 0.36(0.17), 0.45(0.07), and 0.22(0.27) respectively. All correlations between the three indices were weak. The composite diversity index for this sample was 0.34(0.13). Significant differences in diversity were found between institutions based on urbanicity, Basic Carnegie Classification, and geographic region. Multidimensional models provide support for expanding measures of diversity to include multiple characteristics and attributes. The approach demonstrated in this study enables institutions to complement and extend traditional measures of diversity as a means of providing evidence for decision-making and progress towards institutional initiatives.

Using Simpson’s diversity index to examine multidimensional models of diversity in health professions education

PubMed Central

McLaughlin, Gerald W.; McLaughlin, Josetta S.; White, Carla Y.

2016-01-01

Objectives This study explored new models of diversity for health professions education that incorporate multiple attributes and examined differences in diversity based on urbanicity, geographic region, and institutional structure. Methods Simpson’s Diversity Index was used to develop race, gender, and interprofessional diversity indices for health professions schools in the United States (N = 318). Sullivan’s extension was used to develop a composite diversity index that incorporated multiple individual attributes for each school. Pearson’s r was used to investigate correlations between continuous variables. ANOVA and independent t-tests were used to compare groups based on urbanicity, geographic region, and Basic Carnegie Classification. Results Mean (SD) for race, gender, and interprofessional  diversity indices were 0.36(0.17), 0.45(0.07), and 0.22(0.27) respectively. All correlations between the three indices were weak. The composite diversity index for this sample was 0.34(0.13). Significant differences in diversity were found between institutions based on urbanicity, Basic Carnegie Classification, and geographic region. Conclusions Multidimensional models provide support for expanding measures of diversity to include multiple characteristics and attributes. The approach demonstrated in this study enables institutions to complement and extend traditional measures of diversity as a means of providing evidence for decision-making and progress towards institutional initiatives. PMID:26724917

Trends of T. cruzi infection based on data from blood bank screening.

PubMed

Zicker, F; Martelli, C M; de Andrade, A L; Almeida e Silva, S

1990-01-01

Between October 1988 and April 1989 a cross-sectional survey was carried out in six out of eight blood banks of Goiánia, Central Brazil. Subjects attending for first-time blood donation in the mornings of the study period (n = 1358) were interviewed and screened for T. cruzi infection as a part of a major study among blood donors. Tests to anti-T. cruzi antibodies were performed, simultaneously, by indirect hemagglutination test (IHA) and complement fixation test (CFT). A subject was considered seropositive when any one of the two tests showed a positive result. Information on age, sex, place of birth, migration and socio-economic level was recorded. Results from this survey were compared with seroprevalence rates obtained in previous studies in an attempt to analyse trend of T. cruzi infection in an endemic urban area. The overall seroprevalence of T. cruzi infection among first-time donors was found to be 3.5% (95% confidence interval 2.5%-4.5%). The seroprevalence rate increased with age up to 45 years and then decreased. Migrants from rural areas had higher seroprevalence rates than subjects from urban counties (1.8%-16.2% vs. 0%-3.6%). A four fold decrease in prevalence rates was observed when these rates were compared with those of fifteen years ago. Two possible hypotheses to explain this difference were suggested: 1. a cohort effect related with the decrease of transmission in rural areas and/or 2. a differential proportion of people of rural origin among blood donors between the two periods. The potential usefulness of blood banks as a source of epidemiological information to monitor trends of T. cruzi infection in an urban adult population was stressed.

Horizontal Heat Impact of Urban Structures on the Surface Soil Layer and Its Diurnal Patterns under Different Micrometeorological Conditions

PubMed Central

Zhou, Hongxuan; Hu, Dan; Wang, Xiaolin; Han, Fengsen; Li, Yuanzheng; Wu, Xiaogang; Ma, Shengli

2016-01-01

The temperature of the surface soil layer around different orientation walls was investigated horizontally along several construction-soil micro-gradients in Beijing, China. On a diurnal scale, similar fluctuating trends in T0 and T50 (temperature of surface soil layer, 0 and 0.5 m from the building baseline) adjacent to the external walls of buildings with the same orientation usually appeared under similar micrometeorological conditions. The difference between T0 and T50 (ΔT0–50) can be considered an indicator of the intensity of the horizontal heat effects: higher ΔT0–50 values correspond to greater intensities. The values of ΔT0–50 for south-, north-, east- and west-facing sides of buildings were highest on sunny days in summer and exhibited values of 6.61 K, 1.64 K, 5.93 K and 2.76 K, respectively. The scope of horizontal heat impacts (Sh) changed on a diurnal scale between zero and the maximum, which fluctuated with the micrometeorological conditions. The maximum values of Sh were 0.30, 0.15, 0.20 and 0.20 m for south-, north-, east-, and west-facing walls. The ΔT0–50 was related to solar radiation, horizontal heat flux, relative humidity, wind speed, soil moisture differences and air temperature; the relative importance of these factors was 36.22%, 31.80%, 19.19%, 2.67%, 3.68% and 6.44%, respectively. PMID:26728627

Toxoplasma gondii infection: seroprevalence and associated risk factors among primary school children in the capital area of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

PubMed

Fu, Chung-Jung; Chuang, Ting-Wu; Lin, Huei-Shan; Wu, Chih-Hsiung; Liu, Yung-Ching; Langinlur, Mailynn K; Lu, Min-Yun; Hsiao, Wesley Wei-Wen; Fan, Chia-Kwung

2014-01-01

Although Toxoplasma gondii infection is commonly prevalent in the tropical/subtropical regions, the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) remains unclear. A seroepidemiological survey was undertaken for investigating T. gondii infection in primary school children (PSC) using the latex agglutination (LA) test in the capital area of RMI. Information on demographic characteristics and environmental risk factors was collected via a structured questionnaire. Logistic regression model was applied for multivariate analysis. The overall infection rate of T. gondii was found to be 54.8%. Significant gender differences were found at different urbanization levels. PSC with LA titers of ≥ 1:1,024, indicating high responders, were found to be younger age group than others (8.7 years vs. 10.3 years, P = 0.003); moreover, infection rates among both age groups as well as high responders showed a decreasing trend with age. Multivariate analysis revealed that residing in urban rather than suburban settings was associated with increased risk of infection (P = 0.04). No associations were found between raw meat consumption, drinking unboiled water, and cleaning of cat hutch using gloves. This is the first serological survey of T. gondii infection among PSC in RMI and could help in the development of strategies in the future for disease prevention and control of T. gondii transmission.

Origin of fine carbonaceous particulate matter in the Western Mediterranean Basin: fossil versus modern sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz Minguillón, María.; Perron, Nolwenn; Querol, Xavier; Szidat, Sönke; Fahrni, Simon; Wacker, Lukas; Reche, Cristina; Cusack, Michael; Baltensperger, Urs; Prévôt, André S. H.

2010-05-01

The present work was carried out in the frame of the international field campaign DAURE (Determination of the sources of atmospheric Aerosols in Urban and Rural Environments in the western Mediterranean). The objective of this campaign is to study the aerosol pollution episodes occurring at regional scale during winter and summer in the Western Mediterranean Basin. As part of this campaign, this work focuses on identifying the origin of fine carbonaceous aerosols. To this end, fine particulate matter (PM1) samples were collected during two different seasons (February-March and July 2009) at two sites: an urban site (Barcelona, NE Spain) and a rural European Supersite for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (Montseny, NE Spain). Subsequently, 14C analyses were carried out on these samples, both in the elemental carbon (EC) fraction and the organic carbon (OC) fraction, in order to distinguish between modern carbonaceous sources (biogenic emissions and biomass burning emissions) and fossil carbonaceous sources (mainly road traffic). Preliminary results from the winter period show that 40% of the OC at Barcelona has a fossil origin whereas at Montseny this percentage is 30%. These values can be considered as unexpected given the nature of the sites. Nevertheless, the absolute concentrations of fossil OC at Barcelona and Montseny differ by a factor of 2 (the first being higher), since the total OC at Montseny is lower than at Barcelona. Further evaluation of results and comparison with other measurements carried out during the campaign are required to better evaluate the origin of the fine carbonaceous matter in the Western Mediterranean Basin. Acknowledgements: Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, for a Postdoctoral Grant awarded to M.C. Minguillón in the frame of Programa Nacional de Movilidad de Recursos Humanos del Plan nacional de I-D+I 2008-2011. Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, for the Acción Complementaria DAURE CGL2007-30502-E/CLI.

EXPOSURE TO URBAN AIR PARTICULATES ALTERS THE MACROPHAGE- MEDIATED INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE TO RESPIRATORY VIRAL INFECTION

EPA Science Inventory

Epidemiology studies associate increased pulmonary morbidity with episodes of high particulate air pollution (size range 0.1-10 microm diameter, PM10). Pneumonia, often viral in origin, is increased following episodes of high PM10 pollution. Therefore, this study was undertaken t...

Lunch is ready… but not healthy: An analysis of lunches served in childcare centres in two Canadian provinces.

PubMed

Ward, Stephanie; Bélanger, Mathieu; Donovan, Denise; Vatanparast, Hassan; Engler-Stringer, Rachel; Leis, Anne; Carrier, Natalie

2017-11-09

Childcare centres (CCs) typically offer one meal and snacks daily. This study compared what is served in CCs with what the nutritional recommendations are; described and compared the nutritional composition of lunches served in CCs in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan; and examined differences between French and English, and urban and rural centres. The study involved 61 randomly selected CCs in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, Canada. Lunch content was measured on two consecutive days by weighing each food item served to children and by visually documenting the food items using digital photography. Food items were categorized into food groups according to Health Canada's Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide, and nutrients were analyzed using a nutritional analysis software. One-sample t tests compared lunch content with nutritional recommendations. Independent t tests compared the nutrient and food group content of lunches in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, French and English, and urban and rural CCs. On average, CCs did not meet provincial recommendations. Lunches in both provinces were low in calories (<517 kcal) and fibre (<7 g). Overall, Saskatchewan centres served greater amounts of food than New Brunswick centres (p < 0.05). French-speaking centres provided less fat (p = 0.047), less saturated fat (p = 0.01), and fewer servings of meat and alternatives (p = 0.02), and more trans fat (p = 0.03) than English-speaking centres. There were no differences between rural and urban centres. Few CC lunches met nutritional recommendations. Interventions are required to improve the quality of foods offered in CCs. Reviewing or developing comprehensive nutrition guidelines is warranted.

Can 3-D models explain the observed fractions of fossil and non-fossil carbon in and near Mexico City?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodzic, A.; Jimenez, J. L.; Prévôt, A. S. H.; Szidat, S.; Fast, J. D.; Madronich, S.

2010-06-01

A 3-D chemistry-transport model has been applied to the Mexico City metropolitan area to investigate the origin of elevated levels of non-fossil (NF) carbonaceous aerosols observed in this highly urbanized region. High time resolution measurements of the fine aerosol concentration and composition, and 12 or 24 h integrated 14C measurements of aerosol modern carbon have been performed in and near Mexico City during the March 2006 MILAGRO field experiment. The non-fossil carbon fraction (fCNF), which is lower than the measured modern fraction (fCM) due to the elevated 14C in the atmosphere caused by nuclear bomb testing, is estimated from the measured fCM and the available source information. The fCNF contained in PM1 total carbon (fCNFTC) ranged from 0.37 to 0.67 at the downtown location (T0), and from 0.50 to 0.86 at the suburban site T1. Substantially lower values (i.e. 0.24-0.49) were found for PM10 filters at T0 by an independent set of measurements, which are inconsistent with the modeled and known differences between the size ranges, suggesting higher than expected uncertainties in the measurement techniques of 14C. An increase in the non-fossil organic carbon (OC) fraction (fCNFOC) by 0.10-0.15 was observed for both sets of filters during periods with enhanced wildfire activity in comparison to periods when fires were suppressed by rain, which is consistent with the wildfire impacts estimated with other methods. Model results show that the relatively high fraction of non-fossil carbon found in Mexico City seems to arise from the combination of regional biogenic SOA, biomass burning OA, as well as non-fossil urban OA. Similar spatial and temporal variations for fCNFOC are predicted between the urban vs. suburban sites, and high-fire vs. low-fire periods. The absolute modeled values of fCNFOC are consistent with the PM10 dataset but lower than the PM1 filters. Resolving the 14C measurement discrepancies is necessary for further progress in model evaluation. The model simulations that included secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from semi-volatile and intermediate volatility (S/IVOC) vapors showed better skill in explaining both total OA mass and fCNFOC compared to simulations which only included SOA from VOCs. Urban sources of modern carbon are important in reducing or closing the gap between model and measurements, even though they are often neglected on the interpretation of 14C datasets. The fCNF of urban POA and SOA precursors is an important parameter that needs to be better constrained by measurements. Performing faster (≤3 h) 14C measurements in future campaigns is critical to further progress in this area. To our knowledge this is the first time that radiocarbon measurements are used together with aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) organic components to assess the performance of a regional model for organic aerosols.

Measuring urban tree loss dynamics across residential landscapes

EPA Science Inventory

The spatial arrangement of urban vegetation depends on urban morphology and socio-economic settings. Urban vegetation changes over time because of human management. Urban trees are removed due to hazard prevention or aesthetic preferences. Previous research attributed tree loss t...

The urban heat island in the city of Poznań as derived from Landsat 5 TM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majkowska, Agnieszka; Kolendowicz, Leszek; Półrolniczak, Marek; Hauke, Jan; Czernecki, Bartosz

2017-05-01

To study urban heat island (UHI), Landsat 5 TM data and in situ measurements of air temperature from nine points in Poznań (Poland) for the period June 2008-May 2013 were used. Based on data from measurement points located in different types of land use, the surface urban heat island (SUHI) maps were created. All available and quality-controlled Landsat 5 TM images from 15 unique days were used to obtain the characteristics of land surface temperature (LST) and UHI intensity. In addition, spatial analysis of UHI was conducted on the basis of Corine Land Cover 2006 dataset. In situ measurements at a height of 2 m above ground level show that the UHI is a common occurrence in Poznań with a mean annual intensity of 1.0 °C. The UHI intensity is greater during the warm half of the year. Moreover, results based on the remote sensing data and the Corine Land Cover 2006 indicate that the highest value of the mean LST anomalies (3.4 °C) is attained by the continuous urban fabric, while the lowest value occurs within the broad-leaved forests (-3.1 °C). To re-count from LST to the air temperature at a height of 2 m above ground level ( T agl), linear and non-linear regression models were created. For both models, coefficients of determination equal about 0.80, with slightly higher value for the non-linear approach, which was applied to estimate the T agl spatial variability over the city of Poznań.

[Remote sensing estimation of urban forest carbon stocks based on QuickBird images].

PubMed

Xu, Li-Hua; Zhang, Jie-Cun; Huang, Bo; Wang, Huan-Huan; Yue, Wen-Ze

2014-10-01

Urban forest is one of the positive factors that increase urban carbon sequestration, which makes great contribution to the global carbon cycle. Based on the high spatial resolution imagery of QuickBird in the study area within the ring road in Yiwu, Zhejiang, the forests in the area were divided into four types, i. e., park-forest, shelter-forest, company-forest and others. With the carbon stock from sample plot as dependent variable, at the significance level of 0.01, the stepwise linear regression method was used to select independent variables from 50 factors such as band grayscale values, vegetation index, texture information and so on. Finally, the remote sensing based forest carbon stock estimation models for the four types of forest were established. The estimation accuracies for all the models were around 70%, with the total carbon reserve of each forest type in the area being estimated as 3623. 80, 5245.78, 5284.84, 5343.65 t, respectively. From the carbon density map, it was found that the carbon reserves were mainly in the range of 25-35 t · hm(-2). In the future, urban forest planners could further improve the ability of forest carbon sequestration through afforestation and interplanting of trees and low shrubs.

Rapid Removal of Atmospheric CO2 by Urban Soils.

PubMed

Washbourne, Carla-Leanne; Lopez-Capel, Elisa; Renforth, Phil; Ascough, Philippa L; Manning, David A C

2015-05-05

The measured calcium carbonate content of soils to a depth of 100 mm at a large urban development site has increased over 18 months at a rate that corresponds to the sequestration of 85 t of CO2/ha (8.5 kg of CO2 m(-2)) annually. This is a consequence of rapid weathering of calcium silicate and hydroxide minerals derived from the demolition of concrete structures, which releases Ca that combines with CO2 ultimately derived from the atmosphere, precipitating as calcite. Stable isotope data confirm an atmospheric origin for carbonate carbon, and 14C dating indicates the predominance of modern carbon in the pedogenic calcite. Trial pits show that carbonation extends to depths of ≥1 m. Work at other sites shows that the occurrence of pedogenic carbonates is widespread in artificially created urban soils containing Ca and Mg silicate minerals. Appropriate management of fewer than 12000 ha of urban land to maximize calcite precipitation has the potential to remove 1 million t of CO2 from the atmosphere annually. The maximal global potential is estimated to be approximately 700-1200 Mt of CO2 per year (representing 2.0-3.7% of total emissions from fossil fuel combustion) based on current rates of production of industry-derived Ca- and Mg-bearing materials.

[The impact of experience in bearing child on the body mass index and obesity in women].

PubMed

Lai, Jian-qiang; Yin, Shi-an

2009-02-01

To analyze the relations of body mass index(BMI)and obese prevalence in differently aged women and explore the effective strategy for preventing obesity among adult Chinese women. This study was based on the data from 2002 National Nutrition and Health Survey. The method of multi-steps cluster sampling was adopted. Total subjects including unmarried women (n = 2474), married women without the experience of childbearing (n = 10,816), and married and bearing-child women (n = 4103), were 17,393. In urban areas, the average body weights of unmarried, married and without childbearing experience, and the married with born-child were (53.7 +/- 9.0) kg, (57.6 +/- 9.4) kg and (54.5 +/- 8.5) kg respectively; the body weights of unmarried, married and without childbearing experience were significantly higher than that of the married with born-child women (t = 12.25, P < 0.001; t = 8.32, P < 0.001); the BMIs of unmarried, married without childbearing experience, and the married with born-child women were (21.1 +/- 3.3) kg/m(2), (22.8 +/- 3.4) kg/m(2) and (22.0 +/- 2.9) kg/m(2) respectively; the BMIs of married without childbearing experience and married with born-child women were significantly higher than that of unmarried women (t = 14.88, P < 0.001; t = 5.76, P < 0.001). In the rural areas, the body weights of unmarried, married without childbearing experience, and the married with born-child women were (52.3 +/- 7.8) kg, (55.3 +/- 8.6) kg and (52.8 +/- 8.1) kg respectively; the body weights of unmarried, the married with born-child women were significantly higher than that of married without childbearing experience (t = 11.67, P < 0.001; t = 14.15, P < 0.001); the BMIs of unmarried, married without childbearing experience, and the married with born-child women were (21.2 +/- 2.8) kg/m(2), (22.5 +/- 3.1) kg/m(2), and (21.8 +/- 3.0) kg/m(2) respectively; the BMIs of married and the married with born-child were significantly higher than that of unmarried women (t = 13.80, P < 0.001; t = 5.34, P < 0.001). In urban areas, the rate of low body weight of unmarried women (18.1%) was higher than that of married without childbearing experience and married with born-child group (7.3% vs. 9.1%; comparing with married without childbearing experience: chi(2) = 113.69, P < 0.001; comparing with married with born-child: chi(2) = 29.65, P < 0.001); the prevalence of overweight and obesity (32.7%) in married without childbearing was significantly higher than that of unmarried women (14.4%) (chi(2) = 28.257, P < 0.001). In rural areas, the rate of low body weight of unmarried women (12.4%) was higher than that of married without childbearing group (6.7%, chi(2) = 50.040, P < 0.001); however, the prevalence of overweight (22.4%) in the married without childbearing was significantly higher than that of unmarried women (12.3%) (chi(2) = 69.119, P < 0.001) and the married with born-child women (15.4%) (chi(2) = 69.866, P < 0.001). The prevalence of overweight and obesity of the married with born-child women was decreasing with extending time of postpartum in urban and rural areas. Weight retention of married with born-child women was one of the most important factors leading to the obesity in the adulthood. However, more attentions should be paid to the changing trend of body weight in the married without childbearing experience.

Analysis of the Large Urban Fire Environment. Part II. Parametric Analysis and Model City Simulations.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-11-01

algorithm for turning-region boundary value problem -70- d. Program control parameters: ALPHA (Qq) max’ maximum value of Qq in present coding. BETA, BLOSS...Parameters available for either system descrip- tion or program control . (These parameters are currently unused, so they are set equal to zero.) IGUESS...Parameter that controls the initial choices of first-shoot values along y = 0. IGUESS = 1: Discretized versions of P(r, 0), T(r, 0), and u(r, 0) must

Environmental and biological monitoring of benzene in traffic policemen, police drivers and rural outdoor male workers.

PubMed

Manuela, Ciarrocca; Francesco, Tomei; Tiziana, Caciari; Assunta, Capozzella; Lara, Scimitto; Nadia, Nardone; Giorgia, Andreozzi; Barbara, Scala; Maria, Fiaschetti; Carlotta, Cetica; Valeria, Di Giorgio; Pia, Schifano Maria; Gianfranco, Tomei; Angela, Sancini

2012-05-01

To evaluate exposure to benzene in urban and rural areas, an investigation into personal exposure to benzene in traffic policemen, police drivers and rural (roadmen) male outdoor workers was carried out. Personal samples and data acquired using fixed monitoring stations located in different areas of the city were used to measure personal exposure to benzene in 62 non-smoker traffic policemen, 22 police drivers and 57 roadmen. Blood benzene, urinary trans-trans muconic acid (t,t-MA) and S-phenyl-mercapturic acid (S-PMA) were measured at the end of work shift in 62 non-smoker traffic policemen, 22 police drivers and 57 roadmen and 34 smoker traffic policemen, 21 police drivers and 53 roadmen. Exposure to benzene was similar among non-smoker traffic policemen and police drivers and higher among non-smoker urban workers compared to rural workers. Blood benzene, t,t-MA and S-PMA were similar among non-smoker traffic policemen and police drivers; blood benzene and t,t-MA were significantly higher in non-smoker urban workers compared to rural workers. Significant increases in t,t-MA were found in smokers vs. non-smokers. In non-smoker urban workers airborne benzene and blood benzene, and t,t-MA and S-PMA were significantly correlated. This study gives an evaluation of the exposure to benzene in an urban area, comparing people working in the street or in cars, to people working in a rural area. Benzene is a certain carcinogen for humans. The results we showed should lead to more in-depth studies about the effects on health of these categories of workers.

Low peak jump power is associated with elevated odds of dysmobility syndrome in community-dwelling elderly individuals: the Korean Urban Rural Elderly (KURE) study.

PubMed

Hong, Namki; Kim, Chang Oh; Youm, Yoosik; Kim, Hyeon Chang; Rhee, Yumie

2018-06-01

In a community-dwelling elderly cohort (Korean Urban Rural Elderly), low peak jump power was associated with elevated odds of dysmobility syndrome and its components, independent of age and comorbidities. Jump power measurement improved discrimination of individuals with dysmobility syndrome when added to conventional risk factors. Dysmobility syndrome was proposed to encompass the risks affecting musculoskeletal outcomes. Jump power measurement is a safe, reproducible high-intensity test for physical function in elderly. However, the relationship between jump power and dysmobility syndrome remains unknown. A total of 1369 subjects (mean 71.6 years; women, 66%) were analyzed from a community-based cohort. Dysmobility syndrome was defined as the presence of ≥ 3 factors among falls in the preceding year, low lean mass, high fat mass, osteoporosis, low grip strength, and low timed get-up-and-go (TUG) performance. Subjects were grouped into tertiles of jump power relative to weight based on sex-stratified cutoffs (32.4 and 27.6 W/kg in men; 23.9 and 19.9 W/kg in women) or into the failed-to-jump group. The prevalence of dysmobility syndrome was 20% overall, increasing from the highest (T1) to lowest (T3) jump power tertile (1, 11, 15% in men; 11, 16, 39% in women) and the failed-to-jump group (39% in men; 48% in women). Low jump power or failed-to-jump was associated with elevated odds of dysmobility syndrome (T3 vs. T1, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.35, p < 0.001; failed-to-jump vs. T1, aOR 7.60, p < 0.001) and its components including falls, low lean mass, high fat mass, and poor TUG performance but not osteoporosis after adjustment for covariates. Jump power modestly discriminated dysmobility syndrome (area under the curve [AUC], 0.71, p < 0.001), which improved discriminatory performance when added to conventional risk factors (AUC, from 0.75 to 0.79, p < 0.001). Low peak jump power was associated with elevated odds of dysmobility syndrome and its components, independent of age and comorbidities.

Analysis of inequality in maternal and child health outcomes and mortality from 2000 to 2013 in China.

PubMed

Li, Yanting; Zhang, Yimin; Fang, Shuai; Liu, Shanshan; Liu, Xinyu; Li, Ming; Liang, Hong; Fu, Hua

2017-04-20

Inequality in maternal and child health seriously hinders the overall improvement of health, which is a concern in both the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Healthy China 2030. However, research on the equality of maternal and child health is scarce. This study longitudinally assessed the equality trends in China's maternal and child health outcomes from 2000 to 2013 based on place of residence and gender to improve the fairness of domestic maternal and child health. Data on China's maternal and child health monitoring reports were collected from 2000 to 2013. Horizontal and vertical monitoring were performed on the following maternal and child health outcome indicators: incidence of birth defects (IBD), maternal mortality rate (MMR), under 5 mortality rate (U5MR) and neonatal mortality rate (NMR). The newly developed HD*Calc software by the World Health Organization (WHO) was employed as a tool for the health inequality assessment. The between group variance (BGV) and the Theil index (T) were used to measure disparity between different population groups, and the Slope index was used to analyse the BGV and T trends. The disparity in the MMR, U5MR and NMR for the different places of residence (urban and rural) improved over time. The BGV (Slope BGV = -32.24) and T (Slope T = -7.87) of MMR declined the fastest. The gender differences in the U5MR (Slope BGV = -0.06, Slope T = -0.21) and the NMR (Slope BGV = -0.01, Slope T = 0.23) were relatively stable, but the IBD disparity still showed an upward trend in both the place of residence and gender strata. A decline in urban-rural differences in the cause of maternal death was found for obstetric bleeding (Slope BGV = -14.61, Slope T = -20.84). Improvements were seen in the urban-rural disparity in premature birth and being underweight (PBU) in children under 5 years of age. Although diarrhoea and pneumonia decreased in the U5MR, no obvious gender-based trend in the causes of death was observed. We found improvement in the disparity of maternal and child health outcomes in China. However, the improvements still do not meet the requirements proposed by the Healthy China 2030 strategy, particularly regarding the rise in the IBD levels and the decline in equality. This study suggests starting with maternal and child health services and focusing on the disparity in the causes of death in both the place of residence and gender strata. Placing an emphasis on health services may encourage the recovery of the premarital check and measures such as prenatal and postnatal examinations to improve equality.

Atmospheric Aerosol Source-Receptor Relationships: The Role of Coal-Fired Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Allen L. Robinson; Spyros N. Pandis; Cliff I. Davidson

2005-12-01

This report describes the technical progress made on the Pittsburgh Air Quality Study (PAQS) during the period of March 2005 through August 2005. Significant progress was made this project period on the source characterization, source apportionment, and deterministic modeling activities. This report highlights new data on road dust, vegetative detritus and motor vehicle emissions. For example, the results show significant differences in the composition in urban and rural road dust. A comparison of the organic of the fine particulate matter in the tunnel with the ambient provides clear evidence of the significant contribution of vehicle emissions to ambient PM. Themore » source profiles developed from this work are being used by the source-receptor modeling activities. The report presents results on the spatial distribution of PMF-factors. The results can be grouped into three different categories: regional sources, local sources, or potentially both regional and local sources. Examples of the regional sources are the sulfate and selenium PMF-factors which most likely-represent coal fired power plants. Examples of local sources are the specialty steel and lead factors. There is reasonable correspondence between these apportionments and data from the EPA TRI and AIRS emission inventories. Detailed comparisons between PMCAMx predictions and measurements by the STN and IMPROVE measurements in the Eastern US are presented. Comparisons were made for the major aerosol components and PM{sub 2.5} mass in July 2001, October 2001, January 2002, and April 2002. The results are encouraging with average fraction biases for most species less than 0.25. The improvement of the model performance during the last two years was mainly due to the comparison of the model predictions with the continuous measurements in the Pittsburgh Supersite. Major improvements have included the descriptions: of ammonia emissions (CMU inventory), night time nitrate chemistry, EC emissions and their diurnal variation, and nitric acid dry removal.« less

Remote sensing assessment of carbon storage by urban forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanniah, K. D.; Muhamad, N.; Kang, C. S.

2014-02-01

Urban forests play a crucial role in mitigating global warming by absorbing excessive CO2 emissions due to transportation, industry and house hold activities in the urban environment. In this study we have assessed the role of trees in an urban forest, (Mutiara Rini) located within the Iskandar Development region in south Johor, Malaysia. We first estimated the above ground biomass/carbon stock of the trees using allometric equations and biometric data (diameter at breast height of trees) collected in the field. We used remotely sensed vegetation indices (VI) to develop an empirical relationship between VI and carbon stock. We used five different VIs derived from a very high resolution World View-2 satellite data. Results show that model by [1] and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index are correlated well (R2 = 0.72) via a power model. We applied the model to the entire study area to obtain carbon stock of urban forest. The average carbon stock in the urban forest (mostly consisting of Dipterocarp species) is ~70 t C ha-1. Results of this study can be used by the Iskandar Regional Development Authority to better manage vegetation in the urban environment to establish a low carbon city in this region.

Improvement of Aerosol Optical Depth Retrieval over Hong Kong from a Geostationary Meteorological Satellite Using Critical Reflectance with Background Optical Depth Correction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Mijin; Kim, Jhoon; Wong, Man Sing; Yoon, Jongmin; Lee, Jaehwa; Wu, Dong L.; Chan, P.W.; Nichol, Janet E.; Chung, Chu-Yong; Ou, Mi-Lim

2014-01-01

Despite continuous efforts to retrieve aerosol optical depth (AOD) using a conventional 5-channelmeteorological imager in geostationary orbit, the accuracy in urban areas has been poorer than other areas primarily due to complex urban surface properties and mixed aerosol types from different emission sources. The two largest error sources in aerosol retrieval have been aerosol type selection and surface reflectance. In selecting the aerosol type from a single visible channel, the season-dependent aerosol optical properties were adopted from longterm measurements of Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) sun-photometers. With the aerosol optical properties obtained fromthe AERONET inversion data, look-up tableswere calculated by using a radiative transfer code: the Second Simulation of the Satellite Signal in the Solar Spectrum (6S). Surface reflectance was estimated using the clear sky composite method, awidely used technique for geostationary retrievals. Over East Asia, the AOD retrieved from the Meteorological Imager showed good agreement, although the values were affected by cloud contamination errors. However, the conventional retrieval of the AOD over Hong Kong was largely underestimated due to the lack of information on the aerosol type and surface properties. To detect spatial and temporal variation of aerosol type over the area, the critical reflectance method, a technique to retrieve single scattering albedo (SSA), was applied. Additionally, the background aerosol effect was corrected to improve the accuracy of the surface reflectance over Hong Kong. The AOD retrieved froma modified algorithmwas compared to the collocated data measured by AERONET in Hong Kong. The comparison showed that the new aerosol type selection using the critical reflectance and the corrected surface reflectance significantly improved the accuracy of AODs in Hong Kong areas,with a correlation coefficient increase from0.65 to 0.76 and a regression line change from tMI [basic algorithm] = 0.41tAERONET + 0.16 to tMI [new algorithm] = 0.70tAERONET + 0.01.

[A comparison of soil contamination with Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati eggs in rural and urban areas of Wielkopolska district in 2000-2005].

PubMed

Mizgajska-Wiktor, Hanna; Jarosz, Wojciech

2007-01-01

The aim of the studies was to compare the degree of soil contamination with Toxocara canis and T. cati eggs in rural and urban areas depending on time of sampling and type of places examined. Material and methods. Over 2000-2005 a total of 538 soil samples from 3 villages and 368 from Poznań city (Poland) areas were examined for Toxocara spp. eggs. In spring 418 samples in rural areas and 184 samples in urban areas were collected and in autumn 120 and 184 respectively. The samples were examined using flotation technique in saturated sodium nitrate. The discrimination of T. canis and T. cati eggs was based on the size of eggs and transparency of shell layers. Results. The contamination of soil with Toxocara eggs was higher in the urban areas (19.8% positive samples) than in the rural ones (15.6% positive samples) and city or village-backyards were most heavily contaminated. Both, in the villages and in the city, the degree of soil contamination with eggs in spring and autumn was similar (17.6 and 14.8% positive samples respectively). T. cati eggs were much more prevalent in urban areas (97% of all eggs recovered) while T. canis in rural areas (84% of all recovered eggs). The share of T. canis and T. cati eggs in soil contamination did not depend on the time of sampling.

Technology and Economics, Inc. Technology Application Team

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballard, T.; Macfadyen, D. J.

1981-01-01

Technology + Economics, Inc. (T+E), under contract to the NASA Headquarters Technology Transfer Division, operates a Technology Applications Team (TATeam) to assist in the transfer of NASA-developed aerospace technology. T+E's specific areas of interest are selected urban needs at the local, county, and state levels. T+E contacts users and user agencies at the local, state, and county levels to assist in identifying significant urban needs amenable to potential applications of aerospace technology. Once viable urban needs have been identified in this manner, or through independent research, T+E searches the NASA technology database for technology and/or expertise applicable to the problem. Activities currently under way concerning potential aerospace applications are discussed.

Use of Electronic Loggers to Measure Changes in the Rates of Hand Washing with Soap in Low-Income Urban Households in India

PubMed Central

Wright, Richard L.; Zillmer, Ruediger; Biran, Adam; Hall, Peter; Sidibe, Myriam

2015-01-01

We evaluated the utility of electronic loggers to measure the effects of a simple intervention designed to influence the rates of hand washing with soap within enclosed toilets and bathrooms in low-income urban households in Kerala, India. 58 households were given three items with embedded electronic loggers for a period of 2-5 days. Two logged soaps tracked hand and body washing in the bathroom. The third logged item was a water vessel used for flushing the toilet and for post-defecation anal cleansing; this served as a marker of toilet use. In addition, 28 households in a Soap by toilet arm were given an additional logged soap, to be kept by the toilet, and used for hand washing. Compared with the Soap in bathroom arm, the loggers in the Soap by toilet households recorded 73% greater daily use of soaps designated for hand washing (t(36)=2.92, p<0.01) and 172% greater use within 2 minutes of the use of the water vessel (t(36)=3.51, p = 0.001). We conclude that the loggers were capable of detecting changes in the rates of hand washing with soap and changes in hand washing with soap after use of the toilet. Further adoption of logger technologies would enable more insightful studies of hand washing within urban environments. PMID:26101886

Use of Electronic Loggers to Measure Changes in the Rates of Hand Washing with Soap in Low-Income Urban Households in India.

PubMed

Wright, Richard L; Zillmer, Ruediger; Biran, Adam; Hall, Peter; Sidibe, Myriam

2015-01-01

We evaluated the utility of electronic loggers to measure the effects of a simple intervention designed to influence the rates of hand washing with soap within enclosed toilets and bathrooms in low-income urban households in Kerala, India. 58 households were given three items with embedded electronic loggers for a period of 2-5 days. Two logged soaps tracked hand and body washing in the bathroom. The third logged item was a water vessel used for flushing the toilet and for post-defecation anal cleansing; this served as a marker of toilet use. In addition, 28 households in a Soap by toilet arm were given an additional logged soap, to be kept by the toilet, and used for hand washing. Compared with the Soap in bathroom arm, the loggers in the Soap by toilet households recorded 73% greater daily use of soaps designated for hand washing (t(36)=2.92, p<0.01) and 172% greater use within 2 minutes of the use of the water vessel (t(36)=3.51, p = 0.001). We conclude that the loggers were capable of detecting changes in the rates of hand washing with soap and changes in hand washing with soap after use of the toilet. Further adoption of logger technologies would enable more insightful studies of hand washing within urban environments.

Sensitivity of Rainfall Extremes Under Warming Climate in Urban India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, H.; Mishra, V.

2017-12-01

Extreme rainfall events in urban India halted transportation, damaged infrastructure, and affected human lives. Rainfall extremes are projected to increase under the future climate. We evaluated the relationship (scaling) between rainfall extremes at different temporal resolutions (daily, 3-hourly, and 30 minutes), daily dewpoint temperature (DPT) and daily air temperature at 850 hPa (T850) for 23 urban areas in India. Daily rainfall extremes obtained from Global Surface Summary of Day Data (GSOD) showed positive regression slopes for most of the cities with median of 14%/K for the period of 1979-2013 for DPT and T850, which is higher than Clausius-Clapeyron (C-C) rate ( 7%). Moreover, sub-daily rainfall extremes are more sensitive to both DPT and T850. For instance, 3-hourly rainfall extremes obtained from Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM 3B42 V7) showed regression slopes more than 16%/K aginst DPT and T850 for the period of 1998-2015. Half-hourly rainfall extremes from the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals (IMERGE) of Global precipitation mission (GPM) also showed higher sensitivity against changes in DPT and T850. The super scaling of rainfall extremes against changes in DPT and T850 can be attributed to convective nature of precipitation in India. Our results show that urban India may witness non-stationary rainfall extremes, which, in turn will affect stromwater designs and frequency and magniture of urban flooding.

Association between resilience and posttraumatic stress disorder among Brazilian victims of urban violence: a cross-sectional case-control study.

PubMed

Teche, Stefania Pigatto; Barros, Alcina Juliana Soares; Rosa, Regis Goulart; Guimarães, Luciano Pinto; Cordini, Kariny Larissa; Goi, Julia Domingues; Hauck, Simone; Freitas, Lucia Helena

2017-01-01

This study investigated the association between resilience and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Brazilian victims of urban violence. It also compared defense mechanisms, parental bonding, and childhood trauma between those who developed PTSD and those who did not. This cross-sectional case-control study included 66 adult subjects exposed to recent urban violence in southern Brazil - 33 with PTSD and 33 healthy controls matched by sex and age - who were administered the Resilience Scale, Defense Style Questionnaire, Parental Bonding Instrument, and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. The statistical tests used were the McNemar test for categorical variables, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for continuous asymmetric variables, and the paired Student t-test for continuous symmetric variables. The PTSD group showed lower total Resilience Scale scores compared with controls (128.4±20.7 vs. 145.8±13.1, respectively; p = 0.01), along with a lower ability to solve situations and lower personal values that give meaning to life (p = 0.019). They also had lower rates of mature defense mechanisms (p < 0.001) and higher rates of emotional (p = 0.001) and physical (p = 0.003) abuse during childhood. Lower levels of resilience, especially the ability to solve situations and having personal values that give meaning to life, immature defense mechanisms, and emotional and physical abuse in childhood are associated with PTSD in adult Brazilian victims of urban violence.

A Multi-scale Method of Mapping Urban Influence

EPA Science Inventory

Urban development can impact environmental quality and ecosystem services well beyond urban extent. Many methods to map urban areas have been developed and used in the past, but most have simply tried to map existing extent of urban development, and all have been single-scale t...

Nitrate nitrogen levels in drinking water of urban areas with high- and low-risk populations for stomach cancer: an environmental epidemiology study.

PubMed

Zaldívar, R; Wetterstrand, W H

1978-10-30

A correlation study between mean nitrate nitrogen levels (ppm) in drinking water samples (N = 1389) of Chilean urban areas and age-adjusted death rates per 100 000 population from stomach cancer, by province or region and sex, was made. Drinking water samples from all provinces (N = 25) had a weighed mean of 1.446 ppm (S.E.M. 0.068) with a range of 0.00--30.00 ppm. Nitrate nigrogen levels showed a positive but not significant association with male death rates. The correlation coefficient was +0.0335. Similarly, such levels did exhibit a positive but not significant correlation with female death rates (r = +0.0486). When NO3-N levels and male (r = +0.1367) or female (r = +0.1143) death rates were studied, by region, positive but insignificant correlations were detected. Using Cochran's approximation, mean nitrate nitrogen levels in drinking water samples from six provinces with 50% of the Chilean population (period 1953--55 versus 1973--75), showed a decrease from 1.835 to 1.291 ppm, but there was no significant difference (t = 1.32) between the two values, except in samples from Santiago Province (t = 2.11, P less than 0.05). Provinces (south central area) showing the highest gastric cancer mortality rates in the world for females (up to 40.8/100,000), and ranking second for males (up to 84.1/100,000), exhibited a very low mean level (0.825 ppm).

Atmospheric emissions of typical toxic heavy metals from open burning of municipal solid waste in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yan; Cheng, Ke; Wu, Weidong; Tian, Hezhong; Yi, Peng; Zhi, Guorui; Fan, Jing; Liu, Shuhan

2017-03-01

Municipal solid waste (MSW) contains considerable hazardous components and the widely-distributed open MSW burning in heavily-populated urban areas can cause direct exposure of hazardous materials to citizens. By determining the best available representation of composition-varying and time-varying emission factors with fuzzy mathematics method and S-shape curves, a comprehensive atmospheric emission inventories of 9 typical toxic heavy metals (THMs, e.g. mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), selenium (Se), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni)) from open MSW burning activities in China is established during the period of 2000-2013 for the first time. Further, the emissions in 2013 are allocated at a high spatial resolution of 0.5° × 0.5° grid by surrogate indexes. The results show that 9 typical THMs emissions from open MSW burning are estimated at 21.25 t for Hg, 131.52 t for As, 97.12 t for Pb, 10.12 t for Cd, 50.58 t for Cr, 81.95 t for Se, 382.42 t for Cu, 1790.70 t for Zn, and 43.50 t for Ni, respectively. In terms of spatial variation, the majority of emissions are concentrated in relatively developed and densely-populated regions, especially for the eastern, central and southern regions. Moreover, future emissions are also projected for the period of 2015-2030 based on different scenarios of the independent and collaborative effects of control proposals including minimizing waste, improving MSW incineration ratio, and enhancing waste sorting and recycling, etc. The collaborative effect of the above proposals is expected to bring the most effective reduction to THMs emissions from open MSW burning in China except for Hg. The results will be supplementary to all anthropogenic emissions and useful for relevant policy-making and the improvement of urban air quality as well as human health.

T.E. KLEINDIENST, E.W. CORSE, F.T. BLANCHARD, W.A. LONNEMAN

EPA Science Inventory

Carbonyl compounds are important constituents in urban and global atmospheres. n urban atmospheres these compounds frequently serve to initiate photochemical smog and certainly sustain the chain reactions leading to ozone formation. easurement of carbonyl compounds under atmosphe...

The influence of urban/rural residency on depressive symptoms is moderated by the serotonin receptor 2A gene.

PubMed

Jokela, Markus; Lehtimäki, Terho; Keltikangas-Järvinen, Liisa

2007-10-05

Gene-environment interactions are thought to be involved in the development of depression. Here we examined the interaction effect between urban/rural residency and the serotonin receptor 2A (HTR2A) gene on subclinical depressive symptoms. The participants were 1,224 Finnish men and women being followed in the on-going population-based study of "Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns". Urban/rural residency was determined on the basis of a (1) subjective report and (2) the population density of the residential area. Depressive symptoms were measured in two test settings four years apart. There was a significant gene-environment interaction, such that the urban residency was associated with low depressive symptoms in individuals carrying the T/T or T/C genotype of the T102C polymorphism, but not in those carrying the C/C genotype. The T allele was associated with high depressive symptoms in remote rural areas, but with low depressive symptoms in urban or suburban areas. The gene-environment interaction was not accounted by level of education, social support, unemployment, or partnership status. The HTR2A gene may be involved in the development of depression by influencing how individuals respond to environmental conditions. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Effect of urban traffic, individual habits, and genetic polymorphisms on background urinary 1-hydroxypyrene excretion.

PubMed

Cocco, Pierluigi; Moore, Patrick S; Ennas, Maria G; Tocco, Maria G; Ibba, Antonio; Mattuzzi, Silvia; Meloni, Michele; Monne, Maria; Piras, Giovanna; Collu, Stefania; Satta, Giannina; Zucca, Mariagrazia; Scarpa, Aldo; Flore, Costantino

2007-01-01

Potential sources of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and genetic polymorphisms were investigated in relation to their contribution to interindividual variation in baseline levels of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) excretion in subjects without occupational exposure to PAHs. Urinary excretion of 1-OHP was measured in 114 subjects, including 48 women and 66 men. Questionnaire information was collected on possible environmental and individual sources of PAH exposure. A subset of 70 individuals also was evaluated for a single-nucleotide polymorphism (Ex7+295C-->T) in the cytochrome P-450 1A2 (CYP1A2) gene, and 61 of these also were evaluated for the glutathione transferase T1 (GSTT1) gene polymorphism. 1-OHP values did not show a significant seasonal variability and were unaffected by age; education; body mass index; smoking status, including passive smoking; or the C-->T base substitution in position 295 of exon 7 of the CYP1A2 gene. After reciprocal adjustment with logistic regression, living in a heavily trafficked urban area (odds ratio, 4.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-24.9), and frequent intake of grilled meat (odds ratio, 6.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-43.5) were significant predictors of background urinary 1-OHP levels of 0.50 microg/g creatinine or greater. Elevated risks also were associated with daily alcohol intake greater than 65 g and the nonnull GSTT1 genotype. Our study shows that exposure to urban traffic, dietary habits, and the nonnull GSTT1 genotype may contribute to interindividual variation in background levels of 1-OHP urinary excretion in subjects without occupational exposure to PAHs.

An overview of the MILAGRO 2006 Campaign: Mexico City emissions and their transport and transformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molina, L. T.; Madronich, S.; Gaffney, J. S.; Apel, E.; de Foy, B.; Fast, J.; Ferrare, R.; Herndon, S.; Jimenez, J. L.; Lamb, B.; Osornio-Vargas, A. R.; Russell, P.; Schauer, J. J.; Stevens, P. S.; Volkamer, R.; Zavala, M.

2010-09-01

MILAGRO (Megacity Initiative: Local And Global Research Observations) is an international collaborative project to examine the behavior and the export of atmospheric emissions from a megacity. The Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) - one of the world's largest megacities and North America's most populous city - was selected as the case study to characterize the sources, concentrations, transport, and transformation processes of the gases and fine particles emitted to the MCMA atmosphere and to evaluate the regional and global impacts of these emissions. The findings of this study are relevant to the evolution and impacts of pollution from many other megacities. The measurement phase consisted of a month-long series of carefully coordinated observations of the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere in and near Mexico City during March 2006, using a wide range of instruments at ground sites, on aircraft and satellites, and enlisting over 450 scientists from 150 institutions in 30 countries. Three ground supersites were set up to examine the evolution of the primary emitted gases and fine particles. Additional platforms in or near Mexico City included mobile vans containing scientific laboratories and mobile and stationary upward-looking lidars. Seven instrumented research aircraft provided information about the atmosphere over a large region and at various altitudes. Satellite-based instruments peered down into the atmosphere, providing even larger geographical coverage. The overall campaign was complemented by meteorological forecasting and numerical simulations, satellite observations and surface networks. Together, these research observations have provided the most comprehensive characterization of the MCMA's urban and regional atmospheric composition and chemistry that will take years to analyze and evaluate fully. In this paper we review over 120 papers resulting from the MILAGRO/INTEX-B Campaign that have been published or submitted, as well as relevant papers from the earlier MCMA-2003 Campaign, with the aim of providing a road map for the scientific community interested in understanding the emissions from a megacity such as the MCMA and their impacts on air quality and climate. This paper describes the measurements performed during MILAGRO and the results obtained on MCMA's atmospheric meteorology and dynamics, emissions of gases and fine particles, sources and concentrations of volatile organic compounds, urban and regional photochemistry, ambient particulate matter, aerosol radiative properties, urban plume characterization, and health studies. A summary of key findings from the field study is presented.

Impacts of urban forests on offsetting carbon emissions from industrial energy use in Hangzhou, China.

PubMed

Zhao, Min; Kong, Zheng-hong; Escobedo, Francisco J; Gao, Jun

2010-01-01

This study quantified carbon storage and sequestration by urban forests and carbon emissions from energy consumption by several industrial sources in Hangzhou, China. Carbon (C) storage and sequestration were quantified using urban forest inventory data and by applying volume-derived biomass equations and other models relating net primary productivity (NPP) and mean annual biomass increments. Industrial energy use C emissions were estimated by accounting for fossil fuel use and assigning C emission factors. Total C storage by Hangzhou's urban forests was estimated at 11.74 Tg C, and C storage per hectare was 30.25 t C. Carbon sequestration by urban forests was 1,328, 166.55 t C/year, and C sequestration per ha was 1.66 t C/ha/year. Carbon emissions from industrial energy use in Hangzhou were 7 Tg C/year. Urban forests, through sequestration, annually offset 18.57% of the amount of carbon emitted by industrial enterprises, and store an amount of C equivalent to 1.75 times the amount of annual C emitted by industrial energy uses within the city. Management practices for improving Hangzhou's urban forests function of offsetting C emissions from energy consumption are explored. These results can be used to evaluate the urban forests' role in reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermal comfort modelling of body temperature and psychological variations of a human exercising in an outdoor environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanos, Jennifer K.; Warland, Jon S.; Gillespie, Terry J.; Kenny, Natasha A.

2012-01-01

Human thermal comfort assessments pertaining to exercise while in outdoor environments can improve urban and recreational planning. The current study applied a simple four-segment skin temperature approach to the COMFA (COMfort FormulA) outdoor energy balance model. Comparative results of measured mean skin temperature ( {{bar{T}}}nolimits_{{Msk}} ) with predicted {{bar{T}}}nolimits_{{sk}} indicate that the model accurately predicted {{bar{T}}}nolimits_{{sk}} , showing significantly strong agreement ( r = 0.859, P < 0.01) during outdoor exercise (cycling and running). The combined 5-min mean variation of the {{bar{T}}}nolimits_{{sk}} RMSE was 1.5°C, with separate cycling and running giving RMSE of 1.4°C and 1.6°C, respectively, and no significant difference in residuals. Subjects' actual thermal sensation (ATS) votes displayed significant strong rank correlation with budget scores calculated using both measured and predicted {{bar{T}}}nolimits_{{sk}} ( r s = 0.507 and 0.517, respectively, P < 0.01). These results show improved predictive strength of ATS of subjects as compared to the original and updated COMFA models. This psychological improvement, plus {{bar{T}}}nolimits_{{sk}} and T c validations, enables better application to a variety of outdoor spaces. This model can be used in future research studying linkages between thermal discomfort, subsequent decreases in physical activity, and negative health trends.

Effects of biomarkers of oxidative stress damage on prevalence and severity of visual disability among black Central Africans

PubMed Central

Muaka, M. Mvitu; Yokobo, E. Cibanda; Phemba, I. Longo; Mokondjimobe, E.; Gombet, T.; Ndembe, D. Kibokela; Mona, D. Tulomba; Masamba, S. Wayiza

2012-01-01

Background Because of the demographic transition, lifestyle changes, urbanization, and nutrition transition, Central Africans are at higher risk of ocular diseases associated with oxidative stress and visual disability. This study aimed to estimate the normal values of oxidant status defined by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL), 8-Isoprostane and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and to determine their pathogenic role in the prevalence and the severity of visual disability among these black Africans. Methods This was a cross-sectional study, run in a case-control study randomly selected from Kinshasa province, DR Congo. The study included 150 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients (cases) matched for sex and age to 50 healthy non diabetic controls. Logistic regression models were used to identify independent determinants of visual disability. Results The presence rates were 8.5% for blindness, 20.5% for visual impairment and 29% for visual disability including blindness and visual impairment. After adjusted for taro leaves intake, red beans intake, T2DM, aging, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure, we identified low education level (OR=3.3 95%CI 1.5–7.2; p=0.003), rural-urban migration (OR=2.6 95% CI 1.2–5.6; p=0.017), and high Ox-LDL (OR=2.3 95% CI 1.1–4.7; p=0.029) as the important independent determinants of visual disability. After adjusted for education, intake of red beans, intake of taro leaves, triglycerides, and T2DM, we identified no intake of safou fruit (OR=50.7 95% CI 15.2–168.5; p<0.0001), rural-urban migration (OR=3.9 95%CI 1.213; p=0.012), and high 8-OHdG (OR=14.7 95% CI 3.9–54.5; p<0.0001) as the significant independent determinants of visual disability. After adjusted for education level, no intake of red beans, no intake of Taro leaves, triglycerides, and T2DM, we identified no intake of Safou fruit (OR=43.1 95% CI 13.7–135.4; p<0.0001), age≥60 years (OR=3.4 95% CI 1.3–9; p=0.024), and high 8-Isoprostane (OR=11 95% CI 3.4–36.1; p<0.0001) as the significant independent determinants of visual disability. Conclusions Visual disability remains a public health problem in Central Africa. Antioxidant supplement, fruit intake, nutrition education, control of migration, and blocking of oxidative stress are crucial steps for delayed development of vision loss. PMID:22773900

Use of 'sense of coherence (SOC)' scale to measure resilience in Eritrea: interrogating both the data and the scale.

PubMed

Almedom, Astier M; Tesfamichael, Berhe; Saeed Mohammed, Zein; Mascie-Taylor, C G N; Alemu, Zemui

2007-01-01

An adapted 'sense of coherence' scale short form (SOC-13) was administered in nine languages of Eritrea with a total of 265 participants (162 women and 103 men) in order to assess 'resilience' in quantitative terms. Statistical analysis yielded significant differences in SOC scores between the displaced and non-displaced: mean=54.84 (SD=6.48) in internally displaced person (IDP) camps, compared with mean=48.94 (SD=11.99) in urban and rural settlements (t=3.831, p<0.001). Post-hoc tests revealed that the main difference is between IDP camp dwellers and urban (non-displaced) residents. Those in rural but traditionally mobile (pastoralist or transhumant) communities scored more or less the same as the urban non-displaced - i.e. significantly higher than those in IDP camps (p<0.05). Analysis of variance showed that displacement has a significantly negative effect on women compared with men (RR=0.262, p<0.001). Repeating the analysis for the three groups confirmed that urban and pastoralist/transhumant groups are similar, while women in IDP camps are lower scoring (RR=0.268, p<0.001), Hamboka women being worst affected due to their experience of serial displacement. These findings are interpreted and discussed in the light of qualitative information gleaned from the study participants' interrogation of the content of the SOC scale; and in the wider context of historical, socio-political and cultural characteristics of Eritrea. The study's implications for humanitarian and public health policy are considered.

Intensities of groundwater pollution and salinization in Asian coastal cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onodera, S. I.; Saito, M.; Tomozawa, Y.; Shimizu, Y.; Admajaya, F. T.

2017-12-01

To confirm groundwater pollution and salinization intensities in various coastal Asian cities, we compared hydrogeological and chemical data at Osaka, Manila, Bangkok, and Jakarta as a mega-city and at Okayama and Marugame in western Japan as a small city. The groundwater depressions with heavy use caused intrusions of surface pollutants to deeper zone, that is, the expansion and diffusion of pollution. In addition, groundwater pollution originated from old sewage systems was found, especially in Osaka which is a developed city. Groundwater salinization was caused by seawater intrusion and leaching of saline component in sediment under the condition with lower hydraulic head at the deep groundwater than the sea level with urbanization. The former process is the contribution of present seawater, on the other hand the later is the contribution of palaeo-seawater in alluvial clay layer. The saline content in groundwater were 3.0x1010 t in Bangkok, 2.2x108 t in Osaka, 5.2x107 t in Jakarta, and 3.6x106 t in Manila, respectively. The subject area is one order wider in Bangkok than in Osaka, and two orders wider than in Manila and Jakarta. Such huge saline accumulation in Bangkok would be due to the lowest groundwater potential in present as well as the largest subject area. Deeper groundwater potential in Osaka has recovered since 1970, whereas those in Manila and Jakarta are declining. In addition, we estimated the palaeo-seawater content under the mega-cities as total pore volume in the alluvial clay. These values were estimated to be 5.5x109 t in Bangkok, 2.1x108 t in Osaka, 9.0x107 t in Jakarta, and 8.0x107 t in Manila, respectively. The comparative results of accumulative contents and palaeo-values indicated that accumulative contents were more than the others in Bangkok and Osaka. These results suggest that seawater intrusion occurred as well as palaeo-water leaching in these cities. In addition, that shows the urbanization period is important to salinization intensity.

DISTRIBUTION OF DERMATOPHYTES FROM SOILS OF URBAN AND RURAL AREAS OF CITIES OF PARAIBA STATE, BRAZIL

PubMed Central

Pontes, Zélia Braz Vieira da Silva; de Oliveira, Aurylene Carlos; Guerra, Felipe Queiroga Sarmento; Pontes, Luiz Renato de Araújo; dos Santos, Jozemar Pereira

2013-01-01

SUMMARY The dermatophytes, keratinophilic fungi, represent important microorganisms of the soil microbiota, where there are cosmopolitan species and others with restricted geographic distribution. The aim of this study was to broaden the knowledge about the presence of dermatophytes in soils of urban (empty lots, schools, slums, squares, beaches and homes) and rural areas and about the evolution of their prevalence in soils of varying pH in cities of the four mesoregions of Paraiba State, Brazil. Soil samples were collected from 31 cities of Paraiba State. Of 212 samples, 62% showed fungal growth, particularly those from the Mata Paraibana mesoregion (43.5%), which has a tropical climate, hot and humid. Soil pH varied from 4.65 to 9.06, with 71% of the growth of dermatophytes occurring at alkaline pH (7.02 - 9.06) (ρ = 0.000). Of 131 strains isolated, 57.3% were geophilic species, particularly Trichophyton terrestre (31.3%) and Mycrosporum gypseum (21.4%). M. nanum and T. ajelloi were isolated for the first time in Paraiba State. The zoophilic species identified were T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes (31.3 %) and T. verrucosum (7.6 %), and T. tonsurans was isolated as an anthropophilic species. The soils of urban areas including empty lots, schools, slums and squares of cities in the mesoregions of Paraiba State were found to be the most suitable reservoirs for almost all dermatophytes; their growth may have been influenced by environmental factors, soils with residues of human and/or animal keratin and alkaline pH. PMID:24213189

Distribution of dermatophytes from soils of urban and rural areas of cities of Paraiba State, Brazil.

PubMed

Pontes, Zélia Braz Vieira da Silva; Oliveira, Aurylene Carlos de; Guerra, Felipe Queiroga Sarmento; Pontes, Luiz Renato de Araújo; Santos, Jozemar Pereira dos

2013-01-01

The dermatophytes, keratinophilic fungi, represent important microorganisms of the soil microbiota, where there are cosmopolitan species and others with restricted geographic distribution. The aim of this study was to broaden the knowledge about the presence of dermatophytes in soils of urban (empty lots, schools, slums, squares, beaches and homes) and rural areas and about the evolution of their prevalence in soils of varying pH in cities of the four mesoregions of Paraiba State, Brazil. Soil samples were collected from 31 cities of Paraiba State. Of 212 samples, 62% showed fungal growth, particularly those from the Mata Paraibana mesoregion (43.5%), which has a tropical climate, hot and humid. Soil pH varied from 4.65 to 9.06, with 71% of the growth of dermatophytes occurring at alkaline pH (7.02 - 9.06) (ρ = 0.000). Of 131 strains isolated, 57.3% were geophilic species, particularly Trichophyton terrestre (31.3%) and Mycrosporum gypseum (21.4%). M. nanum and T. ajelloi were isolated for the first time in Paraiba State. The zoophilic species identified were T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes (31.3 %) and T. verrucosum (7.6 %), and T. tonsurans was isolated as an anthropophilic species. The soils of urban areas including empty lots, schools, slums and squares of cities in the mesoregions of Paraiba State were found to be the most suitable reservoirs for almost all dermatophytes; their growth may have been influenced by environmental factors, soils with residues of human and/or animal keratin and alkaline pH.

The use of EO Optical data for the Italian Supersites volcanoes monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silvestri, Malvina

2016-04-01

This work describes the INGV experience in the capability to import many different EO optical data into in house developed systems and to maintain a repository where the acquired data have been stored. These data are used for generating selected products which are functional to face the different volcanic activity phases. Examples on the processing of long time series based EO data of Mt Etna activity and Campi Flegrei observation by using remote sensing techniques and at different spatial resolution data (ASTER - 90mt, AVHRR -1km, MODIS-1km, MSG SEVIRI-3km) are also showed. Both volcanoes belong to Italian Supersites initiative of the geohazard scientific community. In the frame of the EC FP7 MED-SUV project (call FP7 ENV.2012.6.4-2), this work wants to describe the main activities concerning the generation of brightness temperature map from the satellite data acquired in real-time from INGV MEOS Multi-mission Antenna (for MODIS, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and geostationary satellite data) and AVHRR-TERASCAN (for AVHRR, Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer data). The advantage of direct download of EO data by means INGV antennas (with particular attention to AVHRR and MODIS) even though low spatial resolution offers the possibility of a systematic data processing having a daily updating of information for prompt response and hazard mitigation. At the same time it has been necessary the use of large archives to inventory and monitor dynamic and dangerous phenomena, like volcanic activity, globally.

Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project. Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Report/Statement II. Volume 2.

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-02-01

Fueled 7,634,0(X) 51 Geothermal 1,302,M(K) 9 Nuclear 2,160,(MX) 14 Total Thermal 11,096,(kM) 74 Hydroelectric 3,877,M(X) 26 Solar 0 0t Total Company...Nuclear 16,273,963 17 "Total Thermal 48,094,316 50 Hydroelectric 8,007,631 8 Solar 35 0 Total Company Generation 56,101,982 58 Helms Pumpback Energy...returnable beverage containers, prohibition of disposable diapers , and other measures to reduce the volume of the urban solid waste streams. Appeaidix 19-B

ASSESSING THE SECURITY OF ECOLOGICAL POPULATIONS WITH REGARDS T0 TOXIC AIR POLLUTANTS AND HABITATE THREATS ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

The Southeastern United States is one of the most biologically diverse regions of the country and is home to significant numbers of threatened and endangered species. It is also one of the fastest growing regions in terms of human population, urban development, and the associated...

Observations of atmospheric methane concentrations and sources at two supersites Tiksi, northern Siberia and Pallas-Sodankylä, northern Finland (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurila, T. J.; Aurela, M.; Hatakka, J.; Aalto, T.; Lohila, A.; Asmi, E.; Kondratyev, V.; Ivakhov, V.; Reshetnikov, A.; Makshtas, A. P.; Dlugokencky, E. J.; Uttal, T.

2013-12-01

Arctic and Boreal regions are important in the global methane budget mainly because emissions are large from the extensive wetlands. Recently the potential for increased emissions from methane hydrates under sediments at the bottom of the Arctic Ocean has been recognized. Resource exploitation in the Arctic is expanding and includes gas and oil drilling. Together with climate warming, we may expect changes in methane emissions from high northern latitudes. The main tools to probe the effect of this development on atmospheric methane are atmospheric methane observations and local emission measurements by micrometeorological and chamber methods. To better understand emissions at small and large scales, so called supersites have been introduced. At these sites, both atmospheric concentrations and emissions from representative ecosystems, together with suite of other environmental information, are measured continuously. We are running two of these supersites: Pallas-Sodankylä in northern Finland and Tiksi in Siberia on the coast of the Laptev Sea. In spite of the fact that both sites are north of the Arctic Circle, environmental conditions differ very much. In northern Scandinavia, climate is relatively marine, and wetland methane emissions are active throughout the year. In continental Tiksi the active layer is 30-80 cm and methane emissions cease during the coldest months when soil temperature is close to -20°C. Air mass advection is either from continental Siberia or from the Siberian seas. Forest and tundra fires are relatively common. At Pallas, advection is from the forested boreal and industrialized areas of Europe or the Norwegian or Barents Sea. In this presentation, we show seasonal variations of atmospheric methane concentrations at World Meteorological Organization - Global Atmosphere Watch sites: Pallas-Sodankylä and Tiksi. Source areas have been analyzed by trajectories. The main sources of methane in Tiksi were wetlands and the Laptev Sea, which is oversaturated regarding methane. Concentrations and their variability were high in June-October due to terrestrial and marine emissions. Sea ice restricts marine emissions very much. Interesting periods were when the sea froze in October and when the ice melted in early July. Seasonal pattern of tundra methane emissions will be presented including growing season onset in June-July, high season in August and late season emission rates extending to winter. These will be compared to emission rates at typical northern boreal fens of the Pallas-Sodankylä site. It is expected that the Tiksi and Pallas-Sodakyla site will form the foundation for further pan-Arctic comparisons between the observatories in the IASOA consortium (www.iasoa.org).

ReOBS: a new approach to synthesize long-term multi-variable dataset and application to the SIRTA supersite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiriaco, Marjolaine; Dupont, Jean-Charles; Bastin, Sophie; Badosa, Jordi; Lopez, Julio; Haeffelin, Martial; Chepfer, Helene; Guzman, Rodrigo

2018-05-01

A scientific approach is presented to aggregate and harmonize a set of 60 geophysical variables at hourly timescale over a decade, and to allow multiannual and multi-variable studies combining atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics, radiation, clouds and aerosols from ground-based observations. Many datasets from ground-based observations are currently in use worldwide. They are very valuable because they contain complete and precise information due to their spatio-temporal co-localization over more than a decade. These datasets, in particular the synergy between different type of observations, are under-used because of their complexity and diversity due to calibration, quality control, treatment, format, temporal averaging, metadata, etc. Two main results are presented in this article: (1) a set of methods available for the community to robustly and reliably process ground-based data at an hourly timescale over a decade is described and (2) a single netCDF file is provided based on the SIRTA supersite observations. This file contains approximately 60 geophysical variables (atmospheric and in ground) hourly averaged over a decade for the longest variables. The netCDF file is available and easy to use for the community. In this article, observations are re-analyzed. The prefix re refers to six main steps: calibration, quality control, treatment, hourly averaging, homogenization of the formats and associated metadata, as well as expertise on more than a decade of observations. In contrast, previous studies (i) took only some of these six steps into account for each variable, (ii) did not aggregate all variables together in a single file and (iii) did not offer an hourly resolution for about 60 variables over a decade (for the longest variables). The approach described in this article can be applied to different supersites and to additional variables. The main implication of this work is that complex atmospheric observations are made readily available for scientists who are non-experts in measurements. The dataset from SIRTA observations can be downloaded at http://sirta.ipsl.fr/reobs.html (last access: April 2017) (Downloads tab, no password required) under https://doi.org/10.14768/4F63BAD4-E6AF-4101-AD5A-61D4A34620DE.

Characterising Vegetation Structural and Functional Differences Across Australian Ecosystems From a Network of Terrestrial Laser Scanning Survey Sites and Airborne and Satellite Image Archives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phinn, S. R.; Armston, J.; Scarth, P.; Johansen, K.; Schaefer, M.; Suarez, L.; Soto-Berelov, M.; Muir, J.; Woodgate, W.; Jones, S.; Held, A. A.

2015-12-01

Vegetation structural information is critical for environmental monitoring, management and compliance assessment. In this context we refer to vegetation structural properties as vertical, horizontal and volumetric dimensions, including: canopy height; amount and distribution of vegetation by height; foliage projective cover (FPC); leaf area index (LAI); and above ground biomass. Our aim was to determine if there were significant differences between vegetation structural properties across 11 ecosystem types in Australia as measured by terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) structure metrics. The ecosystems sampled included: mesophyll vineforest, wet-dry tropical savannah, mallee woodland, subtropical eucalypt forest, mulga woodland/grassland, wet eucalypt forest, dry eucalypt forest, tall and wet eucalypt forest, and desert grassland/shrublands. Canopy height, plant area-height profiles and LAI were calculated from consistently processed TLS data using Australia's Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network's (TERN) Supersites by the TERN AusCover remote sensing field teams from 2012-2015. The Supersites were sampled using standardised field protocols within a core set of 1 ha plots as part of a 5 km x 5 km uniform area using a RIEGL-VZ400 waveform recording TLS. Four to seven scans were completed per plot, with one centre point and then at 25 m away from the centre point along transect lines at 0o, 60o and 240o. Individual foliage profiles were sensitive to spatial variation in the distribution of plant materials. Significant differences were visible between each of the vegetation communities assessed when aggregated to plot and ecosystem type scales. Several of the communities exhibited simple profiles with either grass and shrubs (e.g. desert grassland) or grass and trees (e.g. mallee woodland). Others had multiple vegetation forms at different heights, contributing to the profile (e.g. wet eucalypt forest). The TLS data provide significantly more detail about the relative vertical and horizontal distribution of plant materials. TLS data are providing a step change in satellite image based vegetation mapping, and refining our knowledge of vegetation structure and its phenological variability. Open access plot scale TLS measurements are available through the TERN Auscover data portal.

The impact of urban open space and 'lift-up' building design on building intake fraction and daily pollutant exposure in idealized urban models.

PubMed

Sha, Chenyuan; Wang, Xuemei; Lin, Yuanyuan; Fan, Yifan; Chen, Xi; Hang, Jian

2018-08-15

Sustainable urban design is an effective way to improve urban ventilation and reduce vehicular pollutant exposure to urban residents. This paper investigated the impacts of urban open space and 'lift-up' building design on vehicular CO (carbon monoxide) exposure in typical three-dimensional (3D) urban canopy layer (UCL) models under neutral atmospheric conditions. The building intake fraction (IF) represents the fraction of total vehicular pollutant emissions inhaled by residents when they stay at home. The building daily CO exposure (E t ) means the extent of human beings' contact with CO within one day indoor at home. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations integrating with these two concepts were performed to solve turbulent flow and assess vehicular CO exposure to urban residents. CFD technique with the standard k-ε model was successfully validated by wind tunnel data. The initial numerical UCL model consists of 5-row and 5-column (5×5) cubic buildings (building height H=street width W=30m) with four approaching wind directions (θ=0°, 15°, 30°, 45°). In Group I, one of the 25 building models is removed to attain urban open space settings. In Group II, the first floor (Lift-up1), or second floor (Lift-up2), or third floor (Lift-up3) of all buildings is elevated respectively to create wind pathways through buildings. Compared to the initial case, urban open space can slightly or significantly reduce pollutant exposure for urban residents. As θ=30° and 45°, open space settings are more effective to reduce pollutant exposure than θ=0° and 15°.The pollutant dilution near or surrounding open space and in its adjacent downstream regions is usually enhanced. Lift-up1 and Lift-up2 experience much greater pollutant exposure reduction in all wind directions than Lift-up3 and open space. Although further investigations are still required to provide practical guidelines, this study is one of the first attempts for reducing urban pollutant exposure by improving urban design. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Contribution of On-Road Emissions of Ammonia to Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fenn, M. E.; Schilling, S.; Bytnerowicz, A.; Bell, M. D.; Sickman, J. O.; Hanks, K.; Geiser, L.

2017-12-01

Emissions control technologies for NOx result in increased production of NH3. Emissions inventories and simulated deposition of NHx frequently underestimate reduced forms of N. Herein we provide updated spatial distribution and inventory data for on-road NH3 emissions for the continental U.S. On-road NH3 emissions were determined from on-road CO2 emissions data and published empirical NH3:CO2 vehicle emissions ratios. Emissions of NH3 in urbanized regions are typically 0.1 - 1.3 t/km2/yr. By comparison, NH3 emissions in agricultural regions generally range from 0.4 - 5.5 t/km2/yr, with a few hotspots as high as 5.5 - 11.2 t/km2/yr. We identified 500 counties that receive at least 30% of the NH3 emissions from on-road sources. Counties with higher vehicle NH3 emissions than from agriculture include 41% of the U.S. population. Within CONUS the percent of wet inorganic N deposition from the NADP/NTN as NH4+ ranged from 37 to 83% with a mean of 59.5%. Only 13% of the NADP sites across the U.S. had less than 45% of the N deposition as NH4+ based on data from 2014-2016, illustrating the near-universal occurrence of NH4+ deposition across the U.S., regardless of the primary sources of NH3 emissions. The relative importance of urban and on-road NH3 emissions versus emissions from agriculture varies regionally. In some areas both are important and should be considered when evaluating the principal sources of N deposition to affected ecosystems.Case studies of on-road NH3 emissions in relation to N deposition include four urban sites in Oregon and Washington where the NH4-N:NO3-N ratio in throughfall was 1.0 compared to an average ratio of 2.3 in bulk deposition. At urban sites in the Los Angeles Basin bulk deposition of NH4-N and NO3-N were equivalent, while NH4-N:NO3-N in throughfall under shrubs in the greater LA Basin ranged from 0.7 to 1.5. The NH4-N:NO3-N ratio at ten sites in the Lake Tahoe Basin averaged 1.4 and 1.6 in bulk deposition and throughfall. Throughfall and bulk deposition of NH4-N was strongly correlated with summertime NH3 concentrations and values of δ15NH4+ in deposition samples in the Tahoe Basin were predominantly within the range of -5.0 to -0.9‰, indicative of tailpipe NH3 emissions. On-road emissions of NH3 should not be ignored as important precursors of particulate pollution and as a source of N deposition.

The role of composition, invasives, and maintenance emissions on urban forest carbon stocks.

PubMed

Horn, Josh; Escobedo, Francisco J; Hinkle, Ross; Hostetler, Mark; Timilsina, Nilesh

2015-02-01

There are few field-based, empirical studies quantifying the effect of invasive trees and palms and maintenance-related carbon emissions on changes in urban forest carbon stocks. We estimated carbon (C) stock changes and tree maintenance-related C emissions in a subtropical urban forest by re-measuring a subsample of residential permanent plots during 2009 and 2011, using regional allometric biomass equations, and surveying residential homeowners near Orlando, FL, USA. The effect of native, non-native, invasive tree species and palms on C stocks and sequestration was also quantified. Findings show 17.8 tC/ha in stocks and 1.2 tC/ha/year of net sequestration. The most important species both by frequency of C stocks and sequestration were Quercus laurifolia Michx. and Quercus virginiana Mill., accounting for 20% of all the trees measured; 60% of carbon stocks and over 75% of net C sequestration. Palms contributed to less than 1% of the total C stocks. Natives comprised two-thirds of the tree population and sequestered 90% of all C, while invasive trees and palms accounted for 5 % of net C sequestration. Overall, invasive and exotic trees had a limited contribution to total C stocks and sequestration. Annual tree-related maintenance C emissions were 0.1% of total gross C sequestration. Plot-level tree, palm, and litter cover were correlated to C stocks and net sequestration. Findings can be used to complement existing urban forest C offset accounting and monitoring protocols and to better understand the role of invasive woody plants on urban ecosystem service provision.

The Role of Composition, Invasives, and Maintenance Emissions on Urban Forest Carbon Stocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horn, Josh; Escobedo, Francisco J.; Hinkle, Ross; Hostetler, Mark; Timilsina, Nilesh

2015-02-01

There are few field-based, empirical studies quantifying the effect of invasive trees and palms and maintenance-related carbon emissions on changes in urban forest carbon stocks. We estimated carbon (C) stock changes and tree maintenance-related C emissions in a subtropical urban forest by re-measuring a subsample of residential permanent plots during 2009 and 2011, using regional allometric biomass equations, and surveying residential homeowners near Orlando, FL, USA. The effect of native, non-native, invasive tree species and palms on C stocks and sequestration was also quantified. Findings show 17.8 tC/ha in stocks and 1.2 tC/ha/year of net sequestration. The most important species both by frequency of C stocks and sequestration were Quercus laurifolia Michx. and Quercus virginiana Mill., accounting for 20 % of all the trees measured; 60 % of carbon stocks and over 75 % of net C sequestration. Palms contributed to less than 1 % of the total C stocks. Natives comprised two-thirds of the tree population and sequestered 90 % of all C, while invasive trees and palms accounted for 5 % of net C sequestration. Overall, invasive and exotic trees had a limited contribution to total C stocks and sequestration. Annual tree-related maintenance C emissions were 0.1 % of total gross C sequestration. Plot-level tree, palm, and litter cover were correlated to C stocks and net sequestration. Findings can be used to complement existing urban forest C offset accounting and monitoring protocols and to better understand the role of invasive woody plants on urban ecosystem service provision.

Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections and their Association with Nutritional Status of Rural and Urban Pre-School Children in Benue State, Nigeria.

PubMed

Tyoalumun, Kpurkpur; Abubakar, Sani; Christopher, Nongu

2016-01-01

Intestinal parasitic infections are highly prevalent in developing countries, contributing to high incidence of malnutrition and morbidity. This study aimed to find the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and their association with nutritional status of children in Benue State, Nigeria. A cross sectional study conducted from January-June 2016, among 418 school children under-5 years of age. Anthropometric data, height-for-age, weight-for-height, and weight-for-age Z-scores from each child and fecal samples were collected and screened for intestinal parasites using standard laboratory methods. Among the intestinal parasitic infections detected, the prevalence of E. histolytica was higher (51.0% and 29.0%) than all other parasites encountered in rural and urban pupils (P<0.05). Other parasites were Hookworm (46.2% and 24.8%); G. lamblia (11.5% and 8.6%); and T. trichiura (2.4% and 5.2%). The prevalence of stunting (HAZ<-2), in rural and urban pupils were 43.8% and 32.9%; 64.4% and 39.0% rural and urban pupils were underweight (WAZ<-2), while 30.3% and 24.3% were wasted (WHZ<-2). Infected children had significantly (P<0.05) higher z-scores than the uninfected children. Benue State is among the Nigerian states with the highest burden of tropical diseases with a current plan of elimination implemented through mass drug administration. This study identify/evaluate some essential information that will support the planning and implementation of the State's ongoing efforts.

High prevalence of Taenia saginata taeniasis and status of Taenia solium cysticercosis in Bali, Indonesia, 2002-2004.

PubMed

Wandra, T; Sutisna, P; Dharmawan, N S; Margono, S S; Sudewi, R; Suroso, T; Craig, P S; Ito, A

2006-04-01

An epidemiological survey of taeniasis/cysticercosis was carried out in one semi-urban and two urban villages in three districts of Bali, Indonesia in 2002 and 2004. In total, 398 local people from 247 families were diagnosed by anamnesis and clinical examinations, and 60 residents were suspected to be taeniasis carriers. Among 60 suspected carriers, 56 persons expelled a total of 61 taeniid adult worms after praziquantel treatment. From 398 residents, 252 stool samples were available for analysis of taeniid eggs, coproantigens or copro-DNA for identification of taeniid species, and 311 serum samples were available for detection of antibodies against Taenia solium cysticercosis. Taeniasis prevalences were highly variable among three villages (1.1-27.5%), and only one case of cysticercosis due to T. solium infection was detected. All expelled tapeworms were confirmed to be Taenia saginata by mtDNA analysis. There was no Taenia asiatica human case in Bali. Case control analysis of 106 families chosen at random from 179 families in 2004 and another 106 families from non-endemic areas revealed that risk factors of T. saginata taeniasis for families were: level of education (P<0.01); consumption of beef lawar (P<0.01); and the source of lawar (P<0.01).

Optoacoustic Spectroscopy to Detect Hydrazine Fuels.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

signals in noise. Proc IEEE 58:610 (1970). 303. Rosen, H., A. D. Hansen, L. Gundel, and T. Novakov . Photoacoustic investigation of urban aerosol...Appl Phys 40:5404 (1969). 383. Yasa, Z., N. M. Amer, H. Rosen, A. D. Hansen, and T. Novakov . Photoacous- tic investigation of urban aerosol particles

Poor nutritional status of schoolchildren in urban and peri-urban areas of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Malnutrition is still highly prevalent in developing countries. Schoolchildren may also be at high nutritional risk, not only under-five children. However, their nutritional status is poorly documented, particularly in urban areas. The paucity of information hinders the development of relevant nutrition programs for schoolchildren. The aim of this study carried out in Ouagadougou was to assess the nutritional status of schoolchildren attending public and private schools. Methods The study was carried out to provide baseline data for the implementation and evaluation of the Nutrition Friendly School Initiative of WHO. Six intervention schools and six matched control schools were selected and a sample of 649 schoolchildren (48% boys) aged 7-14 years old from 8 public and 4 private schools were studied. Anthropometric and haemoglobin measurements, along with thyroid palpation, were performed. Serum retinol was measured in a random sub-sample of children (N = 173). WHO criteria were used to assess nutritional status. Chi square and independent t-test were used for proportions and mean comparisons between groups. Results Mean age of the children (48% boys) was 11.5 ± 1.2 years. Micronutrient malnutrition was highly prevalent, with 38.7% low serum retinol and 40.4% anaemia. The prevalence of stunting was 8.8% and that of thinness, 13.7%. The prevalence of anaemia (p = 0.001) and vitamin A deficiency (p < 0.001) was significantly higher in public than private schools. Goitre was not detected. Overweight/obesity was low (2.3%) and affected significantly more children in private schools (p = 0.009) and younger children (7-9 y) (p < 0.05). Thinness and stunting were significantly higher in peri-urban compared to urban schools (p < 0.05 and p = 0.004 respectively). Almost 15% of the children presented at least two nutritional deficiencies. Conclusion This study shows that malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are also widely prevalent in schoolchildren in cities, and it underlines the need for nutrition interventions to target them. PMID:21504619

Poor nutritional status of schoolchildren in urban and peri-urban areas of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).

PubMed

Daboné, Charles; Delisle, Hélène F; Receveur, Olivier

2011-04-19

Malnutrition is still highly prevalent in developing countries. Schoolchildren may also be at high nutritional risk, not only under-five children. However, their nutritional status is poorly documented, particularly in urban areas. The paucity of information hinders the development of relevant nutrition programs for schoolchildren. The aim of this study carried out in Ouagadougou was to assess the nutritional status of schoolchildren attending public and private schools. The study was carried out to provide baseline data for the implementation and evaluation of the Nutrition Friendly School Initiative of WHO. Six intervention schools and six matched control schools were selected and a sample of 649 schoolchildren (48% boys) aged 7-14 years old from 8 public and 4 private schools were studied. Anthropometric and haemoglobin measurements, along with thyroid palpation, were performed. Serum retinol was measured in a random sub-sample of children (N = 173). WHO criteria were used to assess nutritional status. Chi square and independent t-test were used for proportions and mean comparisons between groups. Mean age of the children (48% boys) was 11.5 ± 1.2 years. Micronutrient malnutrition was highly prevalent, with 38.7% low serum retinol and 40.4% anaemia. The prevalence of stunting was 8.8% and that of thinness, 13.7%. The prevalence of anaemia (p = 0.001) and vitamin A deficiency (p < 0.001) was significantly higher in public than private schools. Goitre was not detected. Overweight/obesity was low (2.3%) and affected significantly more children in private schools (p = 0.009) and younger children (7-9 y) (p < 0.05). Thinness and stunting were significantly higher in peri-urban compared to urban schools (p < 0.05 and p = 0.004 respectively). Almost 15% of the children presented at least two nutritional deficiencies. This study shows that malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are also widely prevalent in schoolchildren in cities, and it underlines the need for nutrition interventions to target them.

Comparison of different methods of estimating the mean radiant temperature in outdoor thermal comfort studies.

PubMed

Krüger, E L; Minella, F O; Matzarakis, A

2014-10-01

Correlations between outdoor thermal indices and the calculated or measured mean radiant temperature T(mrt) are in general of high importance because of the combined effect on human energy balance in outdoor spaces. The most accurate way to determine T(mrt) is by means of integral radiation measurements, i.e. measuring the short- and long-wave radiation from six directions using pyranometers and pyrgeometers, an expensive and not always an easily available procedure. Some studies use globe thermometers combined with air temperature and wind speed sensors. An alternative way to determine T(mrt) is based on output from the RayMan model from measured data of incoming global radiation and morphological features of the monitoring site in particular sky view factor (SVF) data. The purpose of this paper is to compare different methods to assess the mean radiant temperature T(mrt) in terms of differences to a reference condition (T(mrt) calculated from field measurements) and to resulting outdoor comfort levels expressed as PET and UTCI values. The T(mrt) obtained from field measurements is a combination of air temperature, wind speed and globe temperature data according to the forced ventilation formula of ISO 7726 for data collected in Glasgow, UK. Four different methods were used in the RayMan model for T(mrt) calculations: input data consisting exclusively of data measured at urban sites; urban data excluding solar radiation, estimated SVF data and solar radiation data measured at a rural site; urban data excluding solar radiation with SVF data for each site; urban data excluding solar radiation and including solar radiation at the rural site taking no account of SVF information. Results show that all methods overestimate T(mrt) when compared to ISO calculations. Correlations were found to be significant for the first method and lower for the other three. Results in terms of comfort (PET, UTCI) suggest that reasonable estimates could be made based on global radiation data measured at the urban site or as a surrogate of missing SR data or globe temperature data recorded at the urban area on global radiation data measured at a rural location.

Changes in characteristics and management of Asian and Anglo-Celts with type 2 diabetes over a 15-year period in an urban Australian community: The Fremantle Diabetes Study.

PubMed

Tan, Eva D D; Davis, Wendy A; Davis, Timothy M E

2016-01-01

The aim of the present study was to determine temporal changes in characteristics and management of Asians with type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared with those of the majority Anglo-Celt (AC) patients in an urban Australian community. Cross-sectional data from the observational Fremantle Diabetes Study (FDS) collected in 1993-96 (Phase I; FDS1) and 2008-11 (Phase II; FDS2) were analyzed for patients classified as Asian (n = 44 and 65 in FDS1 and FDS2, respectively) or AC (n = 796 and 793, respectively). Between-group differences in changes in key variables between FDS phases were analyzed by generalized linear modeling with adjustment for age and gender. Asians patients were significantly younger at diagnosis and recruitment and had a lower body mass index and smaller waist circumference than the AC participants in both FDS phases. They were also less likely to be treated for hypertension. Cardiovascular risk factors and their management and macrovascular complications were similar in the two groups over time. A greater propensity to retinopathy with Asian ethnicity in FDS1 (27.3% vs 13.5%; P = 0.23) was attenuated in FDS2 (23.7% vs 19.0%; P = 0.39). Asians had a significantly lower prevalence of peripheral sensory neuropathy in FDS2 (33.8% vs 63.3%; P < 0.001; adjusted P = 0.011 for between-group temporal change). There were persistent differences between the phenotypic features of Asian migrants with T2D versus AC patients in an Australian urban community over 15 years of follow-up, but management of diabetes and non-glycemic risk factors remained comparable. Ethnicity-specific differences in susceptibility to microvascular complications should be considered in clinical management. © 2015 Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

[Emergence of Microsporum audouinii and Trichophyton tonsurans as causative organisms of tinea capitis in the Dominican Republic].

PubMed

Arenas, R; Torres, E; Amaya, M; Rivera, E R; Espinal, A; Polanco, M; Fernández, R; Isa-Isa, R

2010-05-01

Tinea capitis affects mainly children. The frequency and causative organism vary from region to region. To provide epidemiological and mycological data on tinea capitis collected in urban and rural areas of the Dominican Republic. Samples were obtained from 118 patients with tinea capitis. Sixty-three of these were from 2 schools in urban areas of the Dominican capital Santo Domingo (53%) and 55 were from rural schools on the border with Haiti (47%). The study included 84 boys (71. 18%) and 34 girls (28. 81%). The urban sample comprised mainly boys (84. 12%). The most represented age ranges were 6 to 8 years (47. 45%), 3 to 5 years (24. 59%), and 9 to 11 years (16. 94%). Microsporum audouinii (39. 68%), Trichophyton tonsurans (23. 80%), Microsporum canis (19. 04%), and Trichophyton violaceum (1. 58%) were isolated from children in urban areas, whereas T. tonsurans (87%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (2%) were isolated from those in rural areas. Overall, T. tonsurans (61. 16%), M. audouinii (24. 27%), and M canis (11. 65%) were the most frequently isolated causative organisms, whereas T. violaceum and T. mentagrophytes were rarely reported. In urban areas of the Dominican Republic, tinea capitis was found mainly in boys, but in rural areas it was evenly distributed among boys and girls. The emergence of M. audouinii and an increase in T. tonsurans were found while M. canis continued to be present at lower frequencies. On the rural border with Haiti, there was a significant predominance of T. tonsurans.

Use of adjuvant chemotherapy in radical cystectomy patients aged >65 years: a population-based study from the surveillance epidemiology and end results (SEER)-medicare database.

PubMed

Schiffmann, Jonas; Sun, Maxine; Gandaglia, Giorgio; Tian, Zeh; Popa, Ioana; Larcher, Alessandro; Briganti, Alberto; McCORMACK, Michael; Shariat, Shahrokh F; Montorsi, Francesco; Graefen, Markus; Saad, Fred; Karakiewicz, Pierre I

2017-04-01

The role of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) within urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder (UCUB) patients after radical cystectomy (RC) is under debate. We assessed contemporary AC utilization rates. We also examined the rates of AC according to patient disease and sociodemographic characteristics. We relied on the SEER-Medicare database for non-organ-confined, muscle-invasive T2 N+ -T4a UCUB patients who underwent RC between 1991 and 2009 without neoadjuvant chemotherapy delivery. Multivariable logistic regression analyses tested predictors of AC use; T-stage, N-stage, year of diagnosis, age, gender, race, radiotherapy (RT) administration, marital urban and socioeconomic status, tumor grade and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Overall, 2681 patients were identified. Of those, 667 (24.9%) received AC. The rate of AC were 21.4%, 23.5%, 24.6% and 29.9% over time (1991-1999 vs. 2000-2002 vs. 2003-2005 vs. 2006-2009) (P=0.002). In multivariable analyses stages pT2N+ (odds ratio (OR): 4.7; P<0.001) and pT3/4aN+ (OR: 4.0; P<0.001), year of diagnosis (OR: 1.9; P<0.001), RT (OR: 1.7; P<0.001), married status (OR: 1.4; P=0.001) and advanced age (OR: 0.3; P<0.001) were independent predictors of AC. Neither race nor CCI demonstrated significance. In conclusion, we report lower than anticipated overall (24.9%) use of AC. Nonetheless, the rate increased from 13.6% (1991) to 24.1% (2009). Presence of lymph node invasion at RC regardless of T2 or T3/4a stage was the most important variable that increased AC use. Older and unmarried individuals were less likely to receive AC. AC rates were higher in T2N+ UCUB patients than in T3-T4a individuals.

Suboptimal use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in radical cystectomy patients: A population-based study.

PubMed

Schiffmann, Jonas; Sun, Maxine; Gandaglia, Giorgio; Tian, Zhe; Popa, Ioana; Larcher, Alessandro; Meskawi, Malek; Briganti, Alberto; McCormack, Michael; Shariat, Shahrokh F; Montorsi, Francesco; Graefen, Markus; Saad, Fred; Karakiewicz, Pierre I

2016-01-01

We aimed to assess contemporary rates of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC) use. We relied on the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database for non-metastatic, muscle-invasive (T2-T4a) urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder (UCUB) patients who underwent radical cystectomy (RC) between 1991 and 2009. Multivariable logistic regression analyses tested predictors of NC use, such as: T-stage, N-stage, year of diagnosis, age at diagnosis, gender, race, use of radiotherapy (RT), marital status, urban status, socioeconomic status, tumour grade, and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI). Overall, 5207 patients treated with RC were identified. Of those, 332 (6.4%) received NC. The rate of NC increased over time from 6.1% (1991) to 15.0% (2009) (p<0.001). In multivariable analyses, year of diagnosis (odds ratio [OR]: 4.7; p<0.001), lower T-stage (T3 vs. T2: OR: 0.7; p=0.003), married status (OR: 1.5; p=0.006), and younger age at diagnosis (≥80 vs. 66-69: OR: 0.6; p=0.006) were associated with a higher odds of NC; all represented independent predictors of NC use. Neither race nor CCI demonstrated statistical significance. We reported lower than anticipated overall (6.4%) use of NC. Nonetheless, the rate increased from 6.1% (1991) to 15.0% (2009). Older and unmarried individuals were less likely to receive NC. NC rates were higher in T2 UCUB patients. Some of the observed discrepancies, such as lower use in unmarried individuals, may require correction. Better adherence to guidelines should be encouraged and implemented, especially based on the confirmed benefits of NC according to randomized, controlled trials. The study is limited by a retrospective design and limited variables.

Self-determination and goal orientation in track and field.

PubMed

Chin, Ngien-Siong; Khoo, Selina; Low, Wah-Yun

2012-06-01

This study investigated gender, age group and locality differences in adolescent athletes' self-determination motivation and goal orientations in track and field. It also examined the relationship between the self-determination theory and achievement goal theory. A total of 632 (349 boys, 283 girls) adolescent athletes (aged 13-18 years) completed the Sports Motivation Scale and Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire. Results indicated significant differences between gender on intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, amotivation (t(630) = 4.10, p < 0.05) and ego orientation (t(630) = 2.48, p < 0.05). Male students reported higher intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, amotivation and ego orientation. A significant difference was found between age groups on task orientation (t(630) = 1.94, p < 0.05) and locality on ego orientation (t(630) = 1.94, p < 0.05). Older athletes showed significantly higher task orientation. Rural athletes had higher ego orientation whereas urban athletes have higher intrinsic motivation. Task orientation was related to intrinsic motivation (r = 0.55, p < 0.01), extrinsic motivation (r = 0.55, p < 0.01), but weakly related to amotivation (r = 0.10, p < 0.01). Ego orientation was related to intrinsic motivation (r = 0.30, p < 0.01), extrinsic motivation (r = 0.36, p < 0.01) and amotivaion (r = 0.36, p < 0.01). Task orientation was related to ego orientation (r = 0.29, p < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and amotivation accounted for 30.5% of the variances in task orientation.

Self-Determination and Goal Orientation in Track and Field

PubMed Central

Chin, Ngien-Siong; Khoo, Selina; Low, Wah-Yun

2012-01-01

This study investigated gender, age group and locality differences in adolescent athletes’ self-determination motivation and goal orientations in track and field. It also examined the relationship between the self-determination theory and achievement goal theory. A total of 632 (349 boys, 283 girls) adolescent athletes (aged 13–18 years) completed the Sports Motivation Scale and Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire. Results indicated significant differences between gender on intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, amotivation (t(630) = 4.10, p < 0.05) and ego orientation (t(630) = 2.48, p < 0.05). Male students reported higher intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, amotivation and ego orientation. A significant difference was found between age groups on task orientation (t(630) = 1.94, p < 0.05) and locality on ego orientation (t(630) = 1.94, p < 0.05). Older athletes showed significantly higher task orientation. Rural athletes had higher ego orientation whereas urban athletes have higher intrinsic motivation. Task orientation was related to intrinsic motivation (r = 0.55, p < 0.01), extrinsic motivation (r = 0.55, p < 0.01), but weakly related to amotivation (r = 0.10, p < 0.01). Ego orientation was related to intrinsic motivation (r = 0.30, p < 0.01), extrinsic motivation (r = 0.36, p < 0.01) and amotivaion (r = 0.36, p < 0.01). Task orientation was related to ego orientation (r = 0.29, p < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and amotivation accounted for 30.5% of the variances in task orientation. PMID:23486244

Female sex, poverty and globalization as determinants of obesity among rural South African type 2 diabetics: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Adeniyi, Oladele Vincent; Longo-Mbenza, Benjamin; Ter Goon, Daniel

2015-03-27

Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have recently been experiencing increases in the prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and other non-communicable diseases in both urban and rural areas. Despite their growing influence on population health in the region, there is a paucity of epidemiological studies on the twin epidemic of obesity and T2DM, particularly in the rural communities in South Africa. We investigated the prevalence and the determinants of overall obesity among patients with T2DM in rural and semi-urban areas surrounding the town of Mthatha, South Africa. This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with T2DM attending the outpatient department at Mthatha General Hospital, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Data were obtained from 327 participants using standardized questionnaires that included items on sex, age, level of education, type of residence, employment status, smoking status, physical activity, diet and alcohol intake. After taking measurements of height and weight, participants were defined as obese if their body mass index exceeded 30 kg/m(2). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the determinants of obesity in our sample population. We found that 60.2% of our sample population were defined as obese. In our univariate analyses, female sex (p < 0.001), age ≥50 years (p = 0.023), rural residence (p < 0.001), excessive alcohol intake (p = 0.002), current cigarette smoking (p < 0.001), level of education (p < 0.001), regular consumption of soft drinks (p < 0.001) and unemployment (p = 0.043) were found to be positively and significantly associated with obesity. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, female sex (p < 0.001), unemployment (p = 0.012) and level of education (p < 0.001) were found to be independent determinants of obesity. We found that female sex, educational attainment, unemployment and current cigarette smoking were positively associated with obesity among the study participants. Lifestyle changes, poverty reduction and public education are urgently needed to address the growing obesity epidemic in rural areas of South Africa.

Family functionality and parental characteristics as determinants of sexual decision-making of in-school youths in a semi-urban area of Southwest Nigeria.

PubMed

Adebayo, Ayodeji M; Ajuonu, Ezidinma J; Betiku, Benson O

2016-11-01

Though research findings have indicated that family characteristics have a bearing on sexual behavior, there is a paucity of published literature on the role of family functionality and parental characteristics on adolescent sexual decision-making. This study was designed to assess the role of family function and parental influence on sexual behavior of in-school youths in secondary schools in a sub-urban area of Southwest Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among secondary school students using semi-structured interviewer-assisted questionnaire. Information was obtained on the sexual behavior and parent-child characteristics. Family functionality was assessed using family APGAR standardized instrument. Association was established using χ2-test for qualitative variables and t-test for quantitative variables at p=0.05. Mean age of respondents was 14.8±2.2 years. Majority were from monogamous family setting (70.7%) and lived with their families (75.6%). About a quarter (26.8%) was from dysfunctional families and 9.2% had ever had sexual intercourse. Recent sexual engagement in the preceding 1 month was reported (47.4%). The mean score for parental monitoring, father-child communication, mother-child communication, and parental disapproval of sex were 10.4±2.2, 9.3±2.3, 9.8±2.4, and 10.4±2.3, respectively. There was a significant association between parental monitoring (t=3.9, p≤0.001), mother-child communication (t=3.03, p=0.003), and parental disapproval of sex (t=5, p≤0.001); and sexual experience. This study showed that parental influence had a vital role in the sexual behavior of young persons. Advocacy and health education interventions are needed among parents regarding their role in the sexual behavior of in-school youths.

[Comparison of Patients and their Care in Urban and Rural Specialised Palliative Home Care - A Single Service Analysis].

PubMed

Heckel, M; Stiel, S; Frauendorf, T; Hanke, R M; Ostgathe, C

2016-07-01

Specialised outpatient palliative care teams (in Germany called SAPV) aim to ensure best possible end-of-life care for outpatients with complex needs. Information on the influence of living areas (rural vs. urban) on patient and care related aspects is rare. This study aims to explore differences between palliative care patients in urban and rural dwellings concerning their nursing and service characteristics. A retrospective data analysis of documentary data for 502 patients supplied by SAPV team from December 2009 to June 2012 was conducted. Patients and care characteristics were investigated by frequency analysis and were compared for both groups of urban and rural dwelling patients (T test, Chi², Fisher's exact test p < 0.05). 387 complete data sets could be included. Urban (n=197) and rural (n=190) dwelling patients were almost equally sized groups. The mean age of the whole sample was 74.5 years, 55.3% were female. Most patients were diagnosed with cancer (76.8%). No significant differences in urban and rural dwelling patients concerning most demographics, care, disease and service related aspects of palliative home care could be detected. An exception is that the rate of re-admittance to hospital is higher for rural dwelling patients (Fisher's exact test p=0.022). Although predominantly presumed, the single service analysis shows - except for the re-admittance rate to hospital - no considerable differences between palliative care patients regarding their living area. Our findings indicate that patients cared for in rural and urban settings have similar needs and impose similar requirements on palliative care teams. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

The urban heat island in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the last 30 years using remote sensing data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peres, Leonardo de Faria; Lucena, Andrews José de; Rotunno Filho, Otto Corrêa; França, José Ricardo de Almeida

2018-02-01

The aim of this work is to study urban heat island (UHI) in Metropolitan Area of Rio de Janeiro (MARJ) based on the analysis of land-surface temperature (LST) and land-use patterns retrieved from Landsat-5/Thematic Mapper (TM), Landsat-7/Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) and Landsat-8/Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensors (TIRS) data covering a 32-year period between 1984 and 2015. LST temporal evolution is assessed by comparing the average LST composites for 1984-1999 and 2000-2015 where the parametric Student t-test was conducted at 5% significance level to map the pixels where LST for the more recent period is statistically significantly greater than the previous one. The non-parametric Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon rank sum test has also confirmed at the same 5% significance level that the more recent period (2000-2015) has higher LST values. UHI intensity between ;urban; and ;rural/urban low density; (;vegetation;) areas for 1984-1999 and 2000-2015 was established and confirmed by both parametric and non-parametric tests at 1% significance level as 3.3 °C (5.1 °C) and 4.4 °C (7.1 °C), respectively. LST has statistically significantly (p-value < 0.01) increased over time in two of three land cover classes (;urban; and ;urban low density;), respectively by 1.9 °C and 0.9 °C, except in ;vegetation; class. A spatial analysis was also performed to identify the urban pixels within MARJ where UHI is more intense by subtracting the LST of these pixels from the LST mean value of ;vegetation; land-use class.

Less immune activation following social stress in rural vs. urban participants raised with regular or no animal contact, respectively

PubMed Central

Böbel, Till S.; Hackl, Sascha B.; Jarczok, Marc N.; Rohleder, Nicolas; Rook, Graham A.; Gündel, Harald; Waller, Christiane

2018-01-01

Urbanization is on the rise, and environments offering a narrow range of microbial exposures are linked to an increased prevalence of both physical and mental disorders. Human and animal studies suggest that an overreactive immune system not only accompanies stress-associated disorders but might even be causally involved in their pathogenesis. Here, we show in young [mean age, years (SD): rural, 25.1 (0.78); urban, 24.5 (0.88)] healthy human volunteers that urban upbringing in the absence of pets (n = 20), relative to rural upbringing in the presence of farm animals (n = 20), was associated with a more pronounced increase in the number of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and plasma interleukin 6 (IL-6) concentrations following acute psychosocial stress induced by the Trier social stress test (TSST). Moreover, ex vivo-cultured PBMCs from urban participants raised in the absence of animals secreted more IL-6 in response to the T cell-specific mitogen Con A. In turn, antiinflammatory IL-10 secretion was suppressed following TSST in urban participants raised in the absence of animals, suggesting immunoregulatory deficits, relative to rural participants raised in the presence of animals. Questionnaires, plasma cortisol, and salivary α-amylase, however, indicated the experimental protocol was more stressful and anxiogenic for rural participants raised in the presence of animals. Together, our findings support the hypothesis that urban vs. rural upbringing in the absence or presence of animals, respectively, increases vulnerability to stress-associated physical and mental disorders by compromising adequate resolution of systemic immune activation following social stress and, in turn, aggravating stress-associated systemic immune activation. PMID:29712842

Measuring OVOCs and VOCs by PTR-MS in an urban roadside microenvironment of Hong Kong: relative humidity and temperature dependence, and field intercomparisons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Long; Zhang, Zhou; Huang, Yu; Lee, Shun Cheng; Blake, Donald Ray; Ho, Kin Fai; Wang, Bei; Gao, Yuan; Wang, Xin Ming; Kwok Keung Louie, Peter

2016-12-01

Volatile organic compound (VOC) control is an important issue of air quality management in Hong Kong because ozone formation is generally VOC limited. Several oxygenated volatile organic compound (OVOC) and VOC measurement techniques - namely, (1) offline 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) cartridge sampling followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis; (2) online gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detection (FID); and (3) offline canister sampling followed by GC with mass spectrometer detection (MSD), FID, and electron capture detection (ECD) - were applied during this study. For the first time, the proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) technique was also introduced to measured OVOCs and VOCs in an urban roadside area of Hong Kong. The integrated effect of ambient relative humidity (RH) and temperature (T) on formaldehyde measurements by PTR-MS was explored in this study. A Poly 2-D regression was found to be the best nonlinear surface simulation (r = 0.97) of the experimental reaction rate coefficient ratio, ambient RH, and T for formaldehyde measurement. This correction method was found to be better than correcting formaldehyde concentrations directly via the absolute humidity of inlet sample, based on a 2-year field sampling campaign at Mong Kok (MK) in Hong Kong. For OVOC species, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, and MEK showed good agreements between PTR-MS and DNPH-HPLC with slopes of 1.00, 1.10, 0.76, and 0.88, respectively, and correlation coefficients of 0.79, 0.75, 0.60, and 0.93, respectively. Overall, fair agreements were found between PTR-MS and online GC-FID for benzene (slope = 1.23, r = 0.95), toluene (slope = 1.01, r = 0.96) and C2-benzenes (slope = 1.02, r = 0.96) after correcting benzene and C2-benzenes levels which could be affected by fragments formed from ethylbenzene. For the intercomparisons between PTR-MS and offline canister measurements by GC-MSD/FID/ECD, benzene showed good agreement, with a slope of 1.05 (r = 0.62), though PTR-MS had lower values for toluene and C2-benzenes with slopes of 0.78 (r = 0.96) and 0.67 (r = 0.92), respectively. All in all, the PTR-MS instrument is suitable for OVOC and VOC measurements in urban roadside areas.

Low prevalence of Trichomonas gallinae in urban and migratory Cooper's Hawks in northcentral North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenfield, Robert N.; Taft, Stephen J.; Stout, William E.; Driscoll, Timothy G.; Evans, David L.; Bozek, Michael A.

2009-01-01

Trichomoniasis is a digestive tract disease caused by ingestion of the protozoan Trichomonas gallinae. This disease can be a significant source of mortality. No deaths of nestlings could be attributed to trichomoniasis in Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) breeding in urban and rural environs in Wisconsin, North Dakota, and British Columbia. We detected T. gallinae in four (5.2%) of 77 nestling Cooper's Hawks during 2006 and 2007 among 42 urban nests on new study areas in southeast Wisconsin and eastern North Dakota/western Minnesota. All four infected young fledged. We did not detect T. gallinae in 52 breeding adult Cooper's Hawks on two urban study sites, nor in 28 migrant hatching year (n  =  24) and adult (n  =  4) Cooper's Hawks at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve, Duluth, Minnesota in 2006–2007. Overall, we detected T. gallinae in only 2.5% of 157 Cooper's Hawks in northcentral North America. These results suggest a low prevalence of T. gallinae in Cooper's Hawks in the northern part of this hawk's breeding range.

Modelling thermal comfort of visitors at urban squares in hot and arid climate using NN-ARX soft computing method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kariminia, Shahab; Motamedi, Shervin; Shamshirband, Shahaboddin; Piri, Jamshid; Mohammadi, Kasra; Hashim, Roslan; Roy, Chandrabhushan; Petković, Dalibor; Bonakdari, Hossein

2016-05-01

Visitors utilize the urban space based on their thermal perception and thermal environment. The thermal adaptation engages the user's behavioural, physiological and psychological aspects. These aspects play critical roles in user's ability to assess the thermal environments. Previous studies have rarely addressed the effects of identified factors such as gender, age and locality on outdoor thermal comfort, particularly in hot, dry climate. This study investigated the thermal comfort of visitors at two city squares in Iran based on their demographics as well as the role of thermal environment. Assessing the thermal comfort required taking physical measurement and questionnaire survey. In this study, a non-linear model known as the neural network autoregressive with exogenous input (NN-ARX) was employed. Five indices of physiological equivalent temperature (PET), predicted mean vote (PMV), standard effective temperature (SET), thermal sensation votes (TSVs) and mean radiant temperature ( T mrt) were trained and tested using the NN-ARX. Then, the results were compared to the artificial neural network (ANN) and the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). The findings showed the superiority of the NN-ARX over the ANN and the ANFIS. For the NN-ARX model, the statistical indicators of the root mean square error (RMSE) and the mean absolute error (MAE) were 0.53 and 0.36 for the PET, 1.28 and 0.71 for the PMV, 2.59 and 1.99 for the SET, 0.29 and 0.08 for the TSV and finally 0.19 and 0.04 for the T mrt.

Urban-rural disparities in the nutritional status of school adolescent girls in the Mizan district, south-western Ethiopia.

PubMed

Berheto, Tezera M; Mikitie, Wondafrash K; Argaw, Alemayehu

2015-01-01

Malnutrition that occurs during adolescence has important consequences for the future growth and development of the individual, particularly in girls in developing countries. Besides limiting growth, adolescent malnutrition has important consequences for society. Despite this, there is a lack of information on the nutritional status of adolescent girls in Ethiopia. This study was therefore performed to help redress this lack of data and to provide information for future improvements by health planners and policy makers. A comparative cross-sectional study design was employed to determine the urban-rural disparity in nutritional status of adolescent school girls in the Mizan district in south-western Ethiopia. A two-stage sampling procedure was used to randomly select 622 adolescent girls, 311 each from urban and rural locations. Trained field workers used structured questionnaires to obtain the desired information from the respondents. Anthropometric measurements of height and weight were collected using standard procedures and appropriate quality control measures. Height-for-age Z-scores and body mass index (BMI)-for-age Z-scores were generated using AnthroPlus software. The independent sample t-test and χ2 test were used to determine statistical significance. There were no significant differences in the ages or physical activities of the two populations of girls studied. Consumption of cereal, vegetables, sweets, sugars, fats, meat, and eggs was similar between the two groups, although slight differences were found with regard to legumes, milk, and fruit consumption. No significant differences were found in the prevalence of mild underweight girls and overweight girls in the urban and rural groups (26.5% vs 22.3% and 7.5% vs 5.2%, respectively). Significant stunting was, however, present in the rural population (40.9% vs. 17.8% in the urban group). Although overall lower than the reference data provided by WHO, the mean BMI-for-age Z-scores and height-for-age Z-scores were significantly higher in the urban girls than in their rural counterparts, with mean differences of 0.18 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.02-0.34) and 0.58 (95% CI 0.45-0.72), respectively. Malnutrition was present in both urban and rural adolescent girls. The most obvious disparity between the two populations was significant stunting in the rural population. There is therefore an urgent need for strategies to address severe nutritional problems in rural adolescent girls and to improve the nutrition of adolescent girls within the urban environment.

Quantifying suspended sediment flux in a mixed-land-use urbanizing watershed using a nested-scale study design.

PubMed

Zeiger, Sean; Hubbart, Jason A

2016-01-15

Suspended sediment (SS) remains the most pervasive water quality problem globally and yet, despite progress, SS process understanding remains relatively poor in watersheds with mixed-land-use practices. The main objective of the current work was to investigate relationships between suspended sediment and land use types at multiple spatial scales (n=5) using four years of suspended sediment data collected in a representative urbanized mixed-land-use (forest, agriculture, urban) watershed. Water samples were analyzed for SS using a nested-scale experimental watershed study design (n=836 samples×5 gauging sites). Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's post-hoc multiple comparison tests were used to test for significant differences (CI=95%, p<0.05) in SS levels between gauging sites. Climate extremes (high precipitation/drought) were observed during the study period. Annual maximum SS concentrations exceeded 2387.6 mg/L. Median SS concentrations decreased by 60% from the agricultural headwaters to the rural/urban interface, and increased by 98% as urban land use increased. Multiple linear regression analysis results showed significant relationships between SS, annual total precipitation (positive correlate), forested land use (negative correlate), agricultural land use (negative correlate), and urban land use (negative correlate). Estimated annual SS yields ranged from 16.1 to 313.0 t km(-2) year(-1) mainly due to differences in annual total precipitation. Results highlight the need for additional studies, and point to the need for improved best management practices designed to reduce anthropogenic SS loading in mixed-land-use watersheds. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reduced Urban Heat Island intensity under warmer conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, Anna A.; Waugh, Darryn W.; Zaitchik, Ben F.

2018-06-01

The Urban Heat Island (UHI), the tendency for urban areas to be hotter than rural regions, represents a significant health concern in summer as urban populations are exposed to elevated temperatures. A number of studies suggest that the UHI increases during warmer conditions, however there has been no investigation of this for a large ensemble of cities. Here we compare urban and rural temperatures in 54 US cities for 2000–2015 and show that the intensity of the Urban Heat Island, measured here as the differences in daily-minimum or daily-maximum temperatures between urban and rural stations or ΔT, in fact tends to decrease with increasing temperature in most cities (38/54). This holds when investigating daily variability, heat extremes, and variability across climate zones and is primarily driven by changes in rural areas. We relate this change to large-scale or synoptic weather conditions, and find that the lowest ΔT nights occur during moist weather conditions. We also find that warming cities have not experienced an increasing Urban Heat Island effect.

Dental caries and the associated factors influencing it in tribal, suburban and urban school children of Tamil Nadu, India: a cross sectional study.

PubMed

John, J Baby; Asokan, Sharath; Aswanth, K P; Priya, P R Geetha; Shanmugaavel, A K

2015-02-20

The study was planned to assess the prevalence of dental caries among tribal, suburban and urban children of Tiruchengode and Erode of Tamil Nadu state, India. The objective of the study was to assess the association of dental caries with family background, dental service availability, transportation and knowledge on preventive dental measures among these three groups. Cross-sectional study. A total of 1028 school children in the age range of 9-12 years from various government schools located in Palamalai and Kolli Hills (tribal), Tiruchengode (suburban) and Erode (urban), Tamil Nadu, were included in the study. Decayed, filled, and missing teeth (DMFT), decayed and filled teeth (dft) and Significant Caries Index were recorded. A specially prepared questionnaire was used to record all the data regarding oral hygiene practices, socioeconomic background, dental treatment availability, parent's education level were used for the study. ANOVA t-test and post hoc test were used for comparing quantitative variables between the 3 subgroups. The tribal school children had 89.3% caries prevalence, where as it was 77% in suburban and 55% in urban school children. The mean DMFT score among tribal, suburban and urban school children were statistically significant different (P=0.001) between the three groups. There was a highly significant difference (P=0.001) in the mean DMFT score based on brushing frequency. There was a statistically significant difference (P=0.018) in the mean DMFT scores in the urban group based on the mothers education status. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean DMFT scores based on the presence or absence of television in their house and the parents' income. Oral hygiene practices, dietary habits and access to dental care services played an important role in prevalence of dental caries. It was observed that the socioeconomic status, parents' educational status and mass media influenced the oral health of these children but without a significant contribution. Significance for public healthIt was observed from the present study that the socioeconomic status, parents' educational status, media and family structure influence the oral health of children in under-privileged communities. Oral hygiene practices, dietary habits and access to dental care services also play an important role in the prevalence of dental caries among children. Children of government schools in Tamil Nadu, India, don't get adequate information on oral health, related diseases and methods of prevention. Oral health education and health promotion should be mandatory for all school children.

Ecovillages and friendly city, a new alliance for a better green future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sala, Marco; Casazza, Chiara

2018-03-01

Urban agriculture is thus nowadays a core theme in the debate about urban sustainability, as considered a strategy toward urban requalification as it carries widely recognized environmental, social and economical benefits. Therefore it is considered a viable strategy in order to trigger a new green productive infrastructure, while activating a network of social, commercial and recreational activities, in addition to environmental benefits due to urban greening and sustainable resources’ management. Obviously it couldn’t be able to provide for an entire city food needs, just like the present economical model wouldn’t be replaced, but it might become the core element of a new approach oriented to sustainability and relationships between food and city.

A modeling study on the effect of urban land surface forcing to regional meteorology and air quality over South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Kuanguang; Xie, Min; Wang, Tijian; Cai, Junxiong; Li, Songbing; Feng, Wen

2017-03-01

The change of land-use from natural to artificial surface induced by urban expansion can deeply impact the city environment. In this paper, the model WRF/Chem is applied to explore the effect of this change on regional meteorology and air quality over South China, where people have witnessed a rapid rate of urbanization. Two sets of urban maps are adopted to stand for the pre-urbanization and the present urban land-use distributions. Month-long simulations are conducted for January and July, 2014. The results show that urban expansion can obviously change the weather conditions around the big cities of South China. Especially in the Pearl River Delta region (PRD), the urban land-use change can increase the sensible heat flux by 40 W/m2 in January and 80 W/m2 in July, while decrease the latent heat flux about -50 W/m2 in January and -120 W/m2 in July. In the consequent, 2-m air temperature (T2) increases as much as 1 °C and 2 °C (respective to January and July), planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) rises up by 100-150 m and 300 m, 10-m wind speed (WS10) decreases by -1.2 m/s and -0.3 m/s, and 2-m specific humidity is reduced by -0.8 g/kg and -1.5 g/kg. Also, the precipitation in July can be increased as much as 120 mm, with more heavy rains and rainstorms. These variations of meteorological factors can significantly impact the spatial and vertical distribution of air pollutants as well. In PRD, the enhanced updraft can reduce the surface concentrations of PM10 by -40 μg/m3 (30%) in January and -80 μg/m3 (50%) in July, but produce a correlating increase in the concentrations at higher atmospheric layers. However, according to the increase in T2 and the decrease in surface NO, the surface concentrations of O3 in PRD can increase by 2-6 ppb in January and 8-12 ppb in July. Meanwhile, there is a significant increase in the O3 concentrations at upper layers above PRD, which should be attributed to the increase in air temperature and the enhanced upward transport of O3 and its precursors. As for some relative small cities, such as Haikou, there is very little variation in surface PM10 and O3 in both months, implying less urbanization in these areas. Moreover, the depletion of O3 by NO may be the main cause of the reduction of O3 at upper layers in these small cities.

Characteristics of mobile phone access and usage in rural and urban Guatemala: assessing feasibility of text message reminders to increase childhood immunizations.

PubMed

Domek, Gretchen J; Contreras-Roldan, Ingrid L; Asturias, Edwin J; Bronsert, Michael; Bolaños Ventura, Guillermo Antonio; O'Leary, Sean T; Kempe, Allison; Bull, Sheana

2018-01-01

Despite efforts to promote vaccination in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), over 20 million infants remain under-immunized and at risk for unnecessary morbidity and mortality. Mobile health technologies, such as Short Message Service (SMS) texts, have tremendous and untapped potential for disease management. Patient reminder systems are an important mechanism for improving childhood vaccination coverage and can be easily adapted to SMS platforms. However, current research lacks an understanding of the barriers and facilitators to mHealth program design, implementation, and scale in LMICs. We analyzed survey data collected March-November 2016 at the enrollment visit from a randomized controlled trial conducted at public health clinics in urban and rural Guatemala. Participants included eligible infants 6 weeks to 6 months of age receiving the first dose of the primary immunization series. At least one parent needed to own a mobile phone and be capable of deciphering SMS. Chi-square or Fisher's exact and Student's t-test were used to assess significance levels in demographic differences to describe factors that contribute to the feasibility of using an SMS-based vaccination reminder system. Of 1,088 families approached for enrollment, 871 were eligible and 720 (82.7%) participated with equal numbers of urban and rural children enrolled; 54 parents did not own a mobile phone with SMS capability and three parents could not use SMS. There was no significant difference between urban and rural maternal mobile phone ownership (94.4% vs. 93.3%, P=0.53), but more urban fathers owned mobile phones (72.8% vs. 47.1%, P<0.0001) and, overall, more mothers compared to fathers owned mobile phones (93.9% vs. 61.1%, P<0.0001). Most families (90.4%) chose to have reminders sent to the mother. Urban participants reported more mobile phones present in the home (P<0.0001), but rural participants reported more telephone landlines (34.7% vs. 15.6%, P<0.0001). Most participants reported a daily average of ≤5 telephone calls made (87.4%), ≤10 texts sent (91.0%), and ≤10 texts received (89.9%), with urban families reporting greater telephone usage (P=0.006, P<0.001, and P<0.001 respectively). Parents preferred to make calls over sending texts (74.7% vs. 25.3%, P<0.0001), with more urban families preferring text messaging (31.9% vs. 18.6%, P<0.0001). Our study results provide important insight into mobile phone access, usage, and preferences for voice and text communication across rural and urban populations of an LMIC that can be used to inform future mHealth interventions. Our findings suggest that offering a combination of more traditional communication methods with newer, modern technologies may be more effective at reminding families about vaccination visits, particularly for our rural population, and that targeting mothers for mobile phone interventions may provide the greatest benefits. Overall, our study suggests that using SMS reminders in LMICs can be a feasible tool for public health interventions.

Influence of contrast morphogenetic features of urban constructed soils on the functioning of Moscow green lawn urban ecosystems: analysis based on the field model experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Epikhina, Anna; Vizirskaya, Mariya; Mazirov, Ilya; Vasenev, Vyacheslav; Vasenev, Ivan; Valentini, Riccardo

2014-05-01

Green lawns are the key element of the urban environment. They occupy a considerable part of the city area and locate in different urban functional zones. Urban constructed soils under green lawns have a unique spatial variability in chemical and morphogenetic features. So far, there is lack of information on the influence of morphogenetic features of urban soils on the functioning of the green lawn ecosystems especially in Moscow - the biggest megalopolis in Europe. Urban lawns perform a number of principal functions including both aesthetic and environmental. The role of the green lawn ecosystems in global carbon cycle is one of their main environmental functions. It is traditionally assessed through carbon stocks and fluxes in the basic ecosystem components. So far, such a data for the urban lawn ecosystems of the Moscow megapolis is lacking. In addition to environmental functions, green lawns perform an important ornamental role, which is also a critical criterion of their optimal functioning. Considering the variability of driving factors, influencing green lawns in urban environment, we carry out the model experiment in order to analyze "pure" effect of soil morphogenetic features. The current study aimed to analyze the influence of contrast morphogenetic features of urban constructed soils on the environmental and aesthetic functions of lawn ecosystems in Moscow megapolis basing in the model experiment. We carry out the model experiment located at the experimental field of the Russian State Agrarian University. Special transparent containers developed for the experiment, provided an option to observe soil morphogenetic features dynamics, including the depth and material of the organic transformation. At the same soil body inside the containers was united with the outside environment through the system of holes in the bottom and walls. The set of urban constructed soils includ four contrast types of the top soil (turf (T), turf-sand (TSa), turf-soil (TSo) and sand-soil (SS)) with three version of the depths (5, 10 and 20 cm). Soil construction with 10 cm organic horizon from TS top soil was taken as a reference. Grass mixture used for the green lawn including: Lolium perenne, Poa pratensis and Festuca rubra. For all the containers we measured soil CO2 emission by Li-820, soil temperature and moisture and the grass ornamental quality based on the 30-score scale (Laptev; 1988). All the measurements have been done in June-October 2013 with two-week time steps. We also observed the dynamic in soil chemical features (Corg, Ntot and pHKCl) monthly. We found high seasonal dynamics for all the observed functioning parameters. The highest CO2 emission was obtained in the beginning of July, whereas the lowest one - at the end of August. Maximal averaged CO2 emission was shown for the TSa and TSo substrates with the 20 cm depth. The lowest flux has been fixed for the more mineralized substrat. Soil moisture was shown as the main driving factor influencing CO2 emission both for the seasonal dynamics and for the averaged values for different substrates and depths (r=0.5, p<0.05). As for the aesthetic function the highest grass ornamental quality was shown for 20 cm TS and 5 cm T substrate (30 scores), whereas the lowest one was obtained for SS substrate with 5 and 20 cm depths (5 scores). We also obtained high positive correlation between the grass ornamental quality and the CO2 emissions (r=0.84, p>0.05). This outcome highlights that the standards of urban constructed soils' optimal features should be the compromise between the beauty of the green lawn and climate mitigation demands. Supported by the RF governmental grant 11.G34.31.0079

Characteristics of the mean radiant temperature in high latitude cities—implications for sensitive climate planning applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindberg, Fredrik; Holmer, Björn; Thorsson, Sofia; Rayner, David

2014-07-01

Knowledge of how the mean radiant temperature ( T mrt ) is affected by factors such as location, climate and urban setting contributes to the practice of climate sensitive planning. This paper examines how T mrt varies within an urban setting and how it is influenced by cloudiness. In addition, variations of T mrt in three high latitude cities are investigated in order to analyse the impact of geographical context and climate conditions. Results showed large spatial variations between sunlit and shaded areas during clear weather conditions, with the highest values of T mrt close to sunlit walls and the lowest values in the areas shaded by buildings and vegetation. As cloudiness increases, the spatial pattern is altered and the differences are reduced. The highest T mrt under cloudy conditions is instead found in open areas where the proportion of shortwave diffuse radiation from the sky vault is high. A regional comparison between three Swedish coastal cities showed that T mrt during summer is similar regardless of latitudinal location. On the other hand, large differences in T mrt during winter were found. Shadows, both from buildings and vegetation are the most effective measure to reduce extreme values of T mrt . However, extensive areas of shadow are usually not desired within outdoor urban environments at high latitude cities. One solution is to create diverse outdoor urban spaces in terms of shadow and also ventilation. This would provide individuals with access to a choice of thermal environments which they can use to assist their thermal regulation, based on personal needs and desires.

Characteristics of the mean radiant temperature in high latitude cities--implications for sensitive climate planning applications.

PubMed

Lindberg, Fredrik; Holmer, Björn; Thorsson, Sofia; Rayner, David

2014-07-01

Knowledge of how the mean radiant temperature (T mrt ) is affected by factors such as location, climate and urban setting contributes to the practice of climate sensitive planning. This paper examines how T mrt varies within an urban setting and how it is influenced by cloudiness. In addition, variations of T mrt in three high latitude cities are investigated in order to analyse the impact of geographical context and climate conditions. Results showed large spatial variations between sunlit and shaded areas during clear weather conditions, with the highest values of T mrt close to sunlit walls and the lowest values in the areas shaded by buildings and vegetation. As cloudiness increases, the spatial pattern is altered and the differences are reduced. The highest T mrt under cloudy conditions is instead found in open areas where the proportion of shortwave diffuse radiation from the sky vault is high. A regional comparison between three Swedish coastal cities showed that T mrt during summer is similar regardless of latitudinal location. On the other hand, large differences in T mrt during winter were found. Shadows, both from buildings and vegetation are the most effective measure to reduce extreme values of T mrt. However, extensive areas of shadow are usually not desired within outdoor urban environments at high latitude cities. One solution is to create diverse outdoor urban spaces in terms of shadow and also ventilation. This would provide individuals with access to a choice of thermal environments which they can use to assist their thermal regulation, based on personal needs and desires.

Understanding the Subjective Experience of Medication Adherence for Older Urban African Americans With Type 2 Diabetes and a History of Illicit Drug Addiction.

PubMed

Wallace, Brandy Harris; Reese, Ashante M; Chard, Sarah; Roth, Erin G; Quinn, Charlene; Eckert, J Kevin

2017-04-01

African Americans experience high rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Self-management strategies, such as medication adherence, are key to mitigating negative T2D outcomes. This article addresses a gap in the literature by examining the intersections of drug abuse histories and medication adherence among urban, older African Americans with T2D. In-depth interview data were collected as part of a larger ethnographic study examining the subjective experience of T2D among urban older adults. Two representative focal cases were selected and thematic analysis performed to illustrate how former illicit drug addicts perceive prescription medication usage. Narratives reveal that participants are displeased about having to take prescription drugs and are making lifestyle changes to reduce medication usage and maintain sobriety. Previous drug abuse not only complicates medication adherence but is also a significant part of how older African Americans who are former drug users frame their understanding of T2D more broadly.

Preliminary evaluation of flood frequency relations in the urban areas of Memphis, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boning, Charles W.

1977-01-01

A storm-runoff relation for streams in the urban areas of Memphis was determined by a statistical evaluation of 59 flood discharges from 19 gaging stations. These flood discharges were related to drainage area, percent imperviousness of the drainage basin, and rainfall occuring over 120-minute periods. The defined relation is Q=m3A*777A - .02 tI,,,,P + 1j-227 (1120).539(t120).40 where Q is flood discharge in cfs, A is drainage area in square miles, IMP is percent imperviousness in the basin, and I120 is rainfall in inches, over 120 minute time period. The defined relation was used to synthesize sets of annual flood peaks for drainage basins ranging from .05 square miles to 10 square miles and imperviousness ranging from 0 to 80 percent for the period of rainfall record at Memphis. From these series of flood peaks, frequency relations were defined and presented for 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 year recurrent intervals.

Urban tropospheric ozone increases the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among Belgian postmenopausal women with outdoor activities during summer.

PubMed

Manicourt, Daniel-Henri; Devogelaer, Jean-Pierre

2008-10-01

By absorbing sunlight UVB and thereby reducing cutaneous vitamin D photosynthesis, ozone, a common urban pollutant, could cause hypovitaminosis D. The objective of the study was to establish the characteristics and percentage of subjects with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] less than 75 nmol/liter among postmenopausal women engaging in outdoor activities in either Brussels or the countryside. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a university research hospital. Among 249 women consulting for either shoulder tendonitis or lumbar spine osteoarthritis, 121 free of conditions and drugs affecting bone and calcium metabolism completed two food-frequency questionnaires within 15 d and we selected the 85 subjects with retest scores within the +/- 15% of test scores. Other parameters included sun exposure index (SEI), PTH levels, and femoral neck T-score. Urban residents (n = 38) and rural residents (n = 47) did not differ in mean ages, body mass indices, and vitamin D intakes. When compared with rural inhabitants, urban inhabitants were exposed to ozone levels 3 times higher, and despite a higher mean SEI (113 vs. 87; P < 0.001), they had a higher prevalence of 25(OH)D less than 75 nmol/liter (84 vs. 38%). After adjusting for SEI, 25(OH)D was 2-fold higher in rural residents, and after adjusting for 25(OH)D, SEI was 3-fold higher in urban residents. Femoral neck T-scores correlated positively with 25(OH)D and negatively with PTH levels. Air pollution may be a neglected risk factor for hypovitaminosis D, which is known to compromise several health outcomes. As long as 25(OH)D is greater than 75 nmol/liter, calcium intakes greater than 17.5 mmol/d are unnecessary to prevent elevations in PTH levels.

The evolution of nocturnal boundary-layer clouds in southern West Africa - a case study from DACCIWA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adler, Bianca; Kalthoff, Norbert; Babić, Karmen; Lohou, Fabienne; Dione, Cheikh; Lothon, Marie; Pedruzo-Bagazgoitia, Xabier

2017-04-01

During the monsoon season, the atmospheric boundary layer in southern West Africa is characterised by various kinds of low-level clouds which experience a distinct diurnal cycle. During the night, extensive low-level stratiform clouds frequently form with a cloud base often less than few hundred metres above ground. After sunrise the cloud base slowly starts rising and eventually a transition to convective clouds occurs. While the existence of the clouds is documented in satellite images and synoptic observations, little is known about the mechanisms controlling their evolution. To provide observational evidence, a field campaign was conducted in southern West Africa in June and July 2016 within the framework of the Dynamics-aerosol-chemistry-cloud interactions in West Africa (DACCIWA) project. Comprehensive ground-based in situ and remote sensing measurements were performed at three different supersites in Ghana, Benin and Nigeria. In this contribution, we present the diurnal cycle of boundary-layer clouds for a typical day using data from a supersite at Savè in Benin. Due to the synergy of various instruments, we are able to obtain detailed information on the evolution of the clouds as well as on the boundary-layer structure with high temporal and vertical resolution. By combining ceilometer, cloud radar and microwave radiometer data we determined the cloud base, -depth and -density. The clouds form in the same layer as a nocturnal low-level jet (NLLJ), which we probe by sodar and UHF profiler. There is evidence for a strong link between the height and strength of the NLLJ and the density of the nocturnal clouds.

Occurrence of the off-host life stages of Tunga penetrans (Siphonaptera) in various environments in Brazil.

PubMed

Linardi, P M; Calheiros, C M L; Campelo-Junior, E B; Duarte, E M; Heukelbach, J; Feldmeier, H

2010-06-01

To explore the local transmission dynamics of Tunga penetrans in brazil, 134 soil samples from various environments were collected in three different endemic regions of the country and checked for the presence of the flea's larvae, pupae and adults. the samples, which came from an urban slum in the north-east, a village of xavante indians in the central-west and a community of yanomami indians living in traditional longhouses (malocas) in the north, were categorized as indoor, outdoor or indoor-outdoor (the latter representing samples collected in the malocas). The proportion of samples found positive for T. penetrans was lowest in the slum (9.3%) and highest in the Yanomami village (32.0%; P=0.01). Soil samples collected below bedsteads or hammocks or from the indoor resting places of dogs were significantly more likely to be positive than the indoor samples collected at other sites (65.0% v. 35.0%; P=0.02). There was no evidence indicating that the presence of T. penetrans in a soil sample was markedly affected by soil temperature, air temperature or air humidity. As no life stages of T. penetrans were found in any outdoor sample, it seems likely that, in resource-poor settings in Brazil, most transmission of T. penetrans occurs indoors. Control measures against the off-host life stages of T. penetrans should therefore be targeted at particular indoor micro-environments.

The influence of vegetation, mesoclimate and meteorology on urban atmospheric microclimates across a coastal to desert climate gradient.

PubMed

Crum, Steven M; Shiflett, Sheri A; Jenerette, G Darrel

2017-09-15

Many cities are increasing vegetation in part due to the potential for microclimate cooling. However, the magnitude of vegetation cooling and sensitivity to mesoclimate and meteorology are uncertain. To improve understanding of the variation in vegetation's influence on urban microclimates we asked: how do meso- and regional-scale drivers influence the magnitude and timing of vegetation-based moderation on summertime air temperature (T a ), relative humidity (RH) and heat index (HI) across dryland cities? To answer this question we deployed a network of 180 temperature sensors in summer 2015 over 30 high- and 30 low-vegetated plots in three cities across a coastal to inland to desert climate gradient in southern California, USA. In a followup study, we deployed a network of temperature and humidity sensors in the inland city. We found negative T a and HI and positive RH correlations with vegetation intensity. Furthermore, vegetation effects were highest in evening hours, increasing across the climate gradient, with reductions in T a and increases in RH in low-vegetated plots. Vegetation increased temporal variability of T a , which corresponds with increased nighttime cooling. Increasing mean T a was associated with higher spatial variation in T a in coastal cities and lower variation in inland and desert cities, suggesting a climate dependent switch in vegetation sensitivity. These results show that urban vegetation increases spatiotemporal patterns of microclimate with greater cooling in warmer environments and during nighttime hours. Understanding urban microclimate variation will help city planners identify potential risk reductions associated with vegetation and develop effective strategies ameliorating urban microclimate. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Urban water transactions: the search of a comprehensive framework for interactions between water and urban systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angarita, Hector; Domínguez, Efraín

2013-04-01

United Nations global demographic prospects show that from 1950 to 2050, the number of people living in cities will increase from 0.7 to 6.3 billion, which represents a 9 times fold in 100 years. In contrast, human population as a whole doesn't show the same trends of the urban subset. For instance, rural population is in some regions almost stalled or reducing at small rates, with an average growth rate 50% less than the urban population. This progressive change in global population structure, with more people living mostly in urban areas, already places urban settlements as the main node driving the interaction of human population and other earth systems, at local, regional and global scales. This population dynamics is a major source of concern, mainly because the need to comprehensively understand the two apparent contradictory faces of the urbanization phenomena: Despite cities tend to perform more efficiently in terms of mass and energy requirements as function of population size, the agglomeration process in cities typically implies an increase of overall throughput of mass and energy over time. Thus, a central question is to understand how the apparent per capita energy and material flows minimization occurring in cities can propagate its effects towards other geosystems in future population scenarios. The magnitude of scaled (temporal and spatial) effects is crucial to determine if limits of supporting systems capacity is or will be exceeded for a system of cities, or if otherwise is within steady limits. The Urban Water Transaction (UWT) framework aims for the study of the above question from the perspective of water. Typically between 50 and 70% of mass throughput in urban areas is water, however, that figure doesn't account for other teleconnected flows, such as energy production (hydropower facilities) and food production (virtual water), etc. Therefore, a comprehensive view of actual dependence of urban areas and water faces - in the view of the authors - faces two main limitations: (1) Most of water urban-water interactions occur at temporal or spatial scales associated with groups of cities - the urban system - rather than at the scale of an individual city, (2) Water, as a renewable resource, imposes some conceptual difficulties to quantify its availability if seen only through the lens of "metabolism" or "budget", because many water related activities use, but don't consume water. Understand this changes requires the integration of complementary metrics, such as variations in flow, energy or quality regime of a water systems. The Urban Water Transaction (UWT) framework is proposed as conceptual tool to set a common ground for the different types of direct and indirect interactions of urban systems and water, and to study the urban system properties associated with water integration. Import and export flows constitute the primary and most common examples of UWT that fundamentally occur at the Watershed level, and are mediated mostly by physical hydroclimatic water cycles and human basic water needs. However, with the advent of more complex systems of cities and their supporting water dependent systems, indirect, wider range and legacy flows such as hydrological regimes redistribution, virtual water flows and quality changes, are integrated through the concept of water transactions. In the view of the authors, the importance of this framework deals three aspects of study of the urbanization phenomena: The coupling characteristics urban systems and hydrological systems, the patterns in urban system as a result of the influence of water related constraints and the identification of urban systems properties that result critical towards the long-term viability of water resources.

Physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption in association with incidence of type 2 diabetes among middle-aged and elderly Chinese men.

PubMed

Shi, Liang; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Li, Honglan; Cai, Hui; Liu, Qiaolan; Zheng, Wei; Xiang, Yong-Bing; Villegas, Raquel

2013-01-01

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent chronic disease worldwide. The prevalence of T2DM is increasing rapidly in China. Understanding the contribution of modifiable lifestyle factors on T2DM risk is imperative to prevent the development of T2DM in China. We examined associations between lifestyle factors including physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption with incidence of T2DM among middle-aged and elderly men in urban Shanghai. Information on socio-demographics, lifestyle habits, dietary habits, and disease history was collected via in-person interviews. Anthropometric measurements were taken. A total of 51 464 Chinese men aged 40-74 years free of T2DM, coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke at baseline were included in the current study. Incident T2DM was identified through follow-up surveys conducted every 2-3 years. Cox proportional hazard analyses were conducted to evaluate associations between lifestyle risk factors and incidence of T2DM. We documented 1304 new cases of T2DM during 276 929 person-years of follow-up (average: 5.4 years). Physical activity was inversely associated with T2DM risk. Daily living, commuting, and total physical activity METs had inverse negative dose-response relationships with T2DM (P-trend = 0.0033, 0.0022, and <0.0001, respectively). Regular participation in exercise or sports reduced T2DM risk (HR = 0.86, 95%CI: 0.76-0.98). Moderate alcohol intake (1-3 drinks/day) was inversely related to T2DM risk (HR = 0.80, 95%CI: 0.67-0.94). Cigarette smoking, on the other hand, was associated with increased T2DM risk; HRs were 1.25 (95%CI: 1.00-1.56) for smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day and 1.28 (95%CI: 1.04-1.57) for smoking more than 40 pack-years. Physical activity and moderate alcohol intake are inversely associated with T2DM risk, whereas smoking was positively associated with T2DM risk among middle-age and elderly Chinese men. Preventive measures should be developed to focus on these modifiable lifestyle habits to reduce the upward trend of T2DM.

Seizures, cysticercosis and rural-to-urban migration: the PERU MIGRANT study

PubMed Central

Gonzales, Isidro; Miranda, J Jaime; Rodriguez, Silvia; Vargas, Victor; Cjuno, Alfredo; Smeeth, Liam; Gonzalez, Armando E; Tsang, Victor C W; Gilman, Robert H; Garcia, Hector H

2015-01-01

Objectives To examine the prevalence of seizures, epilepsy and seropositivity to cysticercosis in rural villagers (cysticercosis-endemic setting), rural-to-urban migrants into a non-endemic urban shanty town and urban inhabitants of the same non-endemic shanty town. Methods Three Peruvian populations (n = 985) originally recruited into a study about chronic diseases and migration were studied. These groups included rural inhabitants from an endemic region (n = 200), long-term rural-to-urban migrants (n = 589) and individuals living in the same urban setting (n = 196). Seizure disorders were detected by a survey, and a neurologist examined positive respondents. Serum samples from 981/985 individuals were processed for cysticercosis antibodies on immunoblot. Results Epilepsy prevalence (per 1000 people) was 15.3 in the urban group, 35.6 in migrants and 25 in rural inhabitants. A gradient in cysticercosis antibody seroprevalence was observed: urban 2%, migrant 13.5% and rural group 18% (P < 0.05). A similarly increasing pattern of higher seroprevalence was observed among migrants by age at migration. In rural villagers, there was strong evidence of an association between positive serology and having seizures (P = 0.011) but such an association was not observed in long-term migrants or in urban residents. In the entire study population, compared with seronegative participants, those with strong antibody reactions (≥ 4 antibody bands) were more likely to have epilepsy (P < 0.001). Conclusions It is not only international migration that affects cysticercosis endemicity; internal migration can also affect patterns of endemicity within an endemic country. The neurological consequences of cysticercosis infection likely outlast the antibody response for years after rural-to-urban migration. Objectifs Examiner la prévalence des crises d’épilepsie, de l’épilepsie et de la séropositivité à la cysticercose chez les villageois des zones rurales (cadre endémique pour la cysticercose), chez les migrants des zones ruraux vers les zones urbaines dans un bidonville urbain non endémique et chez les habitants urbains du même bidonville non endémique. Méthodes Trois populations péruviennes (n = 985) recrutées initialement dans une étude sur les maladies chroniques et la migration, ont été étudiées. Ces groupes comprenaient des habitants de zones rurales d'une région d'endémie (n = 200), des migrants de long terme de zones ruraux vers les villes (n = 589) et les personnes vivant dans le même milieu urbain (n = 196). Les troubles épileptiques ont été détectés par un sondage et un neurologue a examiné les répondants positifs. Des échantillons de sérum de 981/985 individus ont été testés pour les anticorps de cysticercose par Immunoblot. Résultats La prévalence de l’épilepsie (pour 1000 personnes) était de 15,3 dans le groupe urbain; 35,6 chez les migrants et 25 dans la population rurale. Un gradient dans la séroprévalence des anticorps de la cysticercose a été observé: dans le groupe urbain 2%, le groupe de migrants 13,5% et le groupe rural 18% (p <0,05). Une tendance croissante similaire de séroprévalence plus élevée a été observée chez les migrants selon l’âge à la migration. Chez les villageois ruraux, il y avait des preuves solides d'une association entre une sérologie positive et le fait d'avoir des crises (p = 0,011), mais une telle association n'a pas été observée chez les migrants de long terme ou chez les résidents urbains. Dans l'ensemble de la population de l’étude, ceux avec de fortes réactions d'anticorps (≥ 4 bandes d'anticorps) étaient plus susceptibles d'avoir l’épilepsie (p <0,001) comparé aux participants séronégatifs. Conclusions La migration internationale n'est pas la seule qui affecte l'endémicité de la cysticercose; la migration interne peut aussi modifier les profils d'endémicité au sein d'un même pays d'endémie. Les conséquences neurologiques de l'infection par la cysticercose sont susceptibles de survivre à la réponse d'anticorps durant des années après la migration des zones rurales vers les zones urbaines. Objetivos Examinar la prevalencia de convulsiones, epilepsia, y seropositividad para cisticercosis entre población rural (de zonas endémicas para cisticercosis), inmigrantes provenientes de zonas rurales a tugurios urbanos no endémicos, y habitantes urbanos de los mismo tugurios urbanos no endémicos. Métodos Se estudiaron tres poblaciones peruanas (n=985) originalmente reclutadas en un estudio de enfermedades crónicas y migración. Estos grupos incluían habitantes rurales de una región endémica (n=200), inmigrantes de larga duración de zonas rurales a urbanas (n=589), e individuos que vivían en la misma zona urbana (n=196). Las convulsiones se detectaron mediante una encuesta y un neurólogo examinó a quienes habían respondido positivamente. Se procesaron muestras de suero de 981/985 individuos en busca de anticuerpos para cisticercosis mediante inmunoblot. Resultados La prevalencia de epilepsia (por 1,000 personas) era de 15.3 en el grupo urbano, 35.6 en inmigrantes y 25 en habitantes rurales. Se observó un gradiente en la seroprevalencia de los anticuerpos para cisticercosis: grupos urbano 2%, inmigrante 13.5% y rural 18% (p<0.05). Se observó un patrón de aumento similar de mayor seroprevalencia entre inmigrantes según la edad que tenían en el momento de emigrar. En pobladores rurales, había una evidencia importante de asociación entre tener una serología positiva y sufrir convulsiones (p=0.011), pero esta asociación no se observaba en inmigrantes de larga duración o residentes urbanos. En la población al completo, comparada con los participantes seronegativos, aquellos con una fuerte reactividad de anticuerpos (≥4 bandas de anticuerpos) tenían una mayor probabilidad de sufrir epilepsia (p<0.001). Conclusiones No solo la migración internacional afecta la endemicidad de cisticercosis; la migración interna también puede afectar los patrones de endemicidad dentro de un país endémico. Las consecuencias neurológicas de la infección por cisticercos podrían durar más que la respuesta a anticuerpos años después de la migración de zonas rurales a zonas urbanas. PMID:25581851

Situational Awareness and Communication Experiment for Military Operations in Urban Terrain: Experiment 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-10-01

CO (N tN IN ^ j co co co in in T-l (A \\ D ^o o o eg z <Z \\0 IN i-i o co oo I D co c o z <Z in es co ■>* IN...NATL LAB ENGNRNG MECHANICS DEPT MS 9042 ATTN J HANDROCK YRKAN JLAUFFER PO BOX 969 LIVERMORE CA 94551-0969 US ARMY RSCHINST ATTN PERI IK D L...would be included in the AC. Van Cott and Paramore (1988) defined a task as a goal- directed behavior. Since the purpose was to develop an AC for

Community-Based Entomological Surveillance Reveals Urban Foci of Chagas Disease Vectors in Sobral, State of Ceará, Northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Parente, Cynara Carvalho; Bezerra, Fernando S M; Parente, Plutarco I; Dias-Neto, Raimundo V; Xavier, Samanta C C; Ramos, Alberto N; Carvalho-Costa, Filipe A; Lima, Marli M

2017-01-01

The aim of this work was to explore the potential risk of vector-borne Chagas disease in urban districts in northeastern Brazil, by analyzing the spatiotemporal distributions and natural infection rates with Trypanosoma cruzi of triatomine species captured in recent years. The main motivation of this work was an acute human case of Chagas disease reported in 2008 in the municipality of Sobral. We analyzed data from community-based entomological surveillance carried out from 2010 to 2014. Triatomine natural T. cruzi infection was assessed by examination of insect feces by optical microscopy. Sites of triatomine capture were georeferenced through Google Earth and analyzed with ArcGIS. A total of 191 triatomines were collected, consisting of 82.2% Triatoma pseudomaculata, 7.9% Rhodnius nasutus, 5.8% T. brasiliensis, 3.7% Panstrongylus lutzi, and 0.5% P. megistus, with an overall natural infection index of 17.8%. Most infestations were reported in the districts of Dom José (36.2%), Padre Palhano (24.7%), and Alto do Cristo (10.6%). The overwhelming majority of insects (185/96.9%) were captured inside houses, and most insects tended to be collected in intermittent peaks. Moreover, captured triatomines tended to constitute colonies. The acute case reported in 2008 was found to be situated within a T. pseudomaculata hotspot. The triatomine collection events carried out by dwellers were aggregated in time and space into distinct foci, suggesting that insects are intermittently and artificially introduced into the city, possibly via accidental migration from their natural reservoirs. The relatively high T. cruzi infection rate indicates considerable circulation of the parasite in these areas, increasing the risk of vector-borne Chagas disease infection. These data suggest a need to strengthen epidemiological surveillance and integrate appropriate control actions targeting triatomines, T. cruzi reservoirs, and human populations. Our data also identify Chagas disease transmission as a hazard in urban areas of Sobral.

RESEARCH IN URBAN STORMWATER BMPS

EPA Science Inventory

The use of best management practices (BMPs) in an urban watershed can provide adequate degress of treatment at a relatively low cost. BMPs can range from being management operations (such as street sweeping or reducing the amount of pesticides used on urban lawns) to structural t...

Air pollution is associated with brainstem auditory nuclei pathology and delayed brainstem auditory evoked potentials

PubMed Central

Calderón-Garcidueñas, Lilian; D’Angiulli, Amedeo; Kulesza, Randy J; Torres-Jardón, Ricardo; Osnaya, Norma; Romero, Lina; Keefe, Sheyla; Herritt, Lou; Brooks, Diane M; Avila-Ramirez, Jose; Delgado-Chávez, Ricardo; Medina-Cortina, Humberto; González-González, Luis Oscar

2011-01-01

We assessed brainstem inflammation in children exposed to air pollutants by comparing brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) and blood inflammatory markers in children age 96.3± 8.5 months from highly polluted (n=34) versus a low polluted city (n=17). The brainstems of nine children with accidental deaths were also examined. Children from the highly polluted environment had significant delays in wave III (t(50)=17.038; p<0.0001) and wave V (t(50)=19.730; p<0.0001) but no delay in wave I (p=0.548). They also had significantly longer latencies than controls for interwave intervals I–III, III–V, and I–V (all t(50)> 7.501; p<0.0001), consisting with delayed central conduction time of brainstem neural transmission. Highly exposed children showed significant evidence of inflammatory markers and their auditory and vestibular nuclei accumulated α synuclein and/or β amyloid 1–42. Medial superior olive neurons, critically involved in BAEPs, displayed significant pathology. Children’s exposure to urban air pollution increases their risk for auditory and vestibular impairment. PMID:21458557

Quasi-Experimental Study of the Effectiveness of an Integrated Service Delivery Network for the Frail Elderly

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tourigny, Andre; Durand, Pierre J.; Bonin, Lucie; Hebert, Rejean; Rochette, Louis

2004-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a new, integrated service delivery (ISD) network of health and social services for frail elderly living in a semi-urban community. A quasi-experimental study was conducted from 1997 to 2000, with measures taken before implementation (T0) and every 12 months after implementation for a 3-year…

A snapshot of patients' perceptions of oncology providers' cultural competence.

PubMed

Davey, Maureen P; Waite, Roberta; Nuñez, Ana; Niño, Alba; Kissil, Karni

2014-12-01

In this paper, we describe an anonymous cross-sectional survey with a sample of 100 racially diverse adult oncology patients using a newly developed patient-reported measure of providers' cultural competence, the Physicians' Cultural Competence for Patient Satisfaction Scale (PCCPS) [1, 2], which was developed using a US midwestern sample of primary care patients. Our primary aims were to examine the reliability of the PCCPS in a more racially diverse urban oncology clinical setting and to identify salient domains of oncology provider cultural competence based on patient-reported satisfaction with direct clinical encounters. Results suggest that patient-reported satisfaction was significantly associated with one of the four domains measured by the PCCPS, physician's patient-centered cultural competence (r = 0.40, p = 0.01), and female patients were more satisfied (t (91) = 5.23, p = 0.02). The PCCPS demonstrated good reliability in an urban diverse cancer patient population. Results help to inform the development of clinical tools that can improve oncology providers' cultural competency.

Metabolization and degradation kinetics of the urban-use pesticide fipronil by white rot fungus Trametes versicolor.

PubMed

Wolfand, Jordyn M; LeFevre, Gregory H; Luthy, Richard G

2016-10-12

Fipronil is a recalcitrant phenylpyrazole-based pesticide used for flea/tick treatment and termite control that is distributed in urban aquatic environments via stormwater and contributes to stream toxicity. We discovered that fipronil is rapidly metabolized (t 1/2 = 4.2 d) by the white rot fungus Trametes versicolor to fipronil sulfone and multiple previously unknown fipronil transformation products, lowering fipronil concentration by 96.5%. Using an LC-QTOF-MS untargeted metabolomics approach, we identified four novel fipronil fungal transformation products: hydroxylated fipronil sulfone, glycosylated fipronil sulfone, and two compounds with unresolved structures. These results are consistent with identified enzymatic detoxification pathways wherein conjugation with sugar moieties follows initial ring functionalization (hydroxylation). The proposed pathway is supported by kinetic evidence of transformation product formation. Fipronil loss by sorption, hydrolysis, and photolysis was negligible. When T. versicolor was exposed to the cytochrome P450 enzyme inhibitor 1-aminobenzotriazole, oxidation of fipronil and production of hydroxylated and glycosylated transformation products significantly decreased (p = 0.038, 0.0037, 0.0023, respectively), indicating that fipronil is metabolized intracellularly by cytochrome P450 enzymes. Elucidating fipronil transformation products is critical because pesticide target specificity can be lost via structural alteration, broadening classes of impacted organisms. Integration of fungi in engineered natural treatment systems could be a viable strategy for pesticide removal from stormwater runoff.

Threshold transitions in a regional urban system

EPA Science Inventory

In this paper we analyze the evolution of city size distributions over time in a regional urban system. This urban complex system is in constant flux with changing groups and city migration across existing and newly created groups. Using group formation as an emergent property, t...

Antioxidant response of three Tillandsia species transplanted to urban, agricultural, and industrial areas.

PubMed

Bermudez, Gonzalo M A; Pignata, María Luisa

2011-10-01

To evaluate the physiological response of Tillandsia capillaris Ruiz & Pav. f. capillaris, T. recurvata L., and T. tricholepis Baker to different air pollution sources, epiphyte samples were collected from a noncontaminated area in the province of Córdoba (Argentina) and transplanted to a control site as well as three areas categorized according to the presence of agricultural, urban, and industrial (metallurgical and metal-mechanical) emission sources. A foliar damage index (FDI) was calculated with the physiological parameters chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydroperoxyconjugated dienes, sulfur (S) content, and dry weight-to-fresh weight ratio. In addition, electrical conductivity (E-cond), relative water content (RWC), dehydration kinetics (Kin-H(2)O), total phenols (T-phen), soluble proteins (S-prot), and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase were determined. The parameters E-cond, FDI, SOD, RWC, and Kin-H(2)O can serve as suitable indicators of agricultural air pollution for T. tricholepis and T. capillaris, and CAT, Kin-H(2)O, and SOD can do the same for T. recurvata. In addition, MDA, T-phen, and S-prot proved to be appropriate indicators of urban pollution for T. recurvata. Moreover, FDI, E-cond, and SOD for T. recurvata and MDA for T. tricholepis, respectively, could be used to detect deleterious effects of industrial air pollution. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011

Sources and production of organic aerosol in Mexico City: insights from the combination of a chemical transport model (PMCAMx-2008) and measurements during MILAGRO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsimpidi, A. P.; Karydis, V. A.; Zavala, M.; Lei, W.; Bei, N.; Molina, L.; Pandis, S. N.

2010-11-01

Urban areas are large sources of organic aerosols and their precursors. Nevertheless, the contributions of primary (POA) and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) to the observed particulate matter levels have been difficult to quantify. In this study the three-dimensional chemical transport model PMCAMx-2008 is used to investigate the temporal and geographic variability of organic aerosol in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) during the MILAGRO campaign that took place in the spring of 2006. The organic module of PMCAMx-2008 is based on the volatility basis-set approach: both primary and secondary organic components are assumed to be semi-volatile and photochemically reactive and are distributed in logarithmically spaced volatility bins. The MCMA emission inventory is modified and the POA emissions are distributed by volatility based on dilution experiments. The model predictions are compared with observations from four different types of sites, an urban (T0), a suburban (T1), a rural (T2), and an elevated site in Pico Tres Padres (PTP). The performance of the model in reproducing organic mass concentrations in these sites was encouraging. The average predicted PM1 OA concentration in T0, T1, and T2 was 18 μg m-3, 11.7 μg m-3, and 10.5 μg m-3 respectively, while the corresponding measured values were 17.2 μg m-3, 11 μg m-3, and 9 μg m-3. The average predicted fresh primary OA concentrations were 4.4 μg m-3 at T0, 1.2 μg m-3 at T1 and 1.7 μg m-3 at PTP in reasonably good agreement with the corresponding PMF analysis estimates based on the AMS observations of 4.5, 1.3, and 2.9 μg m-3 respectively. The model reproduced reasonably well the average oxygenated OA (OOA) levels in T0 (7.5 μg m-3 predicted versus 7.5 μg m-3 measured), in T1 (6.3 μg m-3 predicted versus 4.6 μg m-3 measured) and in PTP (6.6 μg m-3 predicted versus 5.9 μg m-3 measured). Inside Mexico City, the locally produced OA is predicted to be on average 53% fresh primary (POA), 11% semi-volatile (S-SOA) and intermediate volatile (I-SOA) organic aerosol, and 36% traditional SOA from the oxidation of VOCs (V-SOA). The long range transport from biomass burning activities and other sources in Mexico is predicted to contribute on average almost as much as the local sources during the MILAGRO period.

Water-Channel Estimation of Eulerian and Lagrangian Time Scales of the Turbulence in Idealized Two-Dimensional Urban Canopies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Bernardino, Annalisa; Monti, Paolo; Leuzzi, Giovanni; Querzoli, Giorgio

2017-11-01

Lagrangian and Eulerian statistics are obtained from a water-channel experiment of an idealized two-dimensional urban canopy flow in neutral conditions. The objective is to quantify the Eulerian (TE) and Lagrangian (TL) time scales of the turbulence above the canopy layer as well as to investigate their dependence on the aspect ratio of the canopy, AR, as the latter is the ratio of the width ( W) to the height ( H) of the canyon. Experiments are also conducted for the case of flat terrain, which can be thought of as equivalent to a classical one-directional shear flow. The values found for the Eulerian time scales on flat terrain are in agreement with previous numerical results found in the literature. It is found that both the streamwise and vertical components of the Lagrangian time scale, T_u^L and T_w^L , follow Raupach's linear law within the constant-flux layer. The same holds true for T_w^L in both the canopies analyzed (AR= 1 and AR= 2) and also for T_u^L when AR = 1. In contrast, for AR = 2, T_u^L follows Raupach's law only above z=2H. Below that level, T_u^L is nearly constant with height, showing at z=H a value approximately one order of magnitude greater than that found for AR = 1. It is shown that the assumption usually adopted for flat terrain, that β =TL/TE is proportional to the inverse of the turbulence intensity, also holds true even for the canopy flow in the constant-flux layer. In particular, γ /i_u fits well β _u =T_u^L /T_u^E in both the configurations by choosing γ to be 0.35 (here, i_u =σ _u / \\bar{u} , where \\bar{u} and σ _u are the mean and the root-mean-square of the streamwise velocity component, respectively). On the other hand, β _w =T_w^L /T_w^E follows approximately γ /i_w =0.65/( {σ _w /\\bar{u} } ) for z > 2H, irrespective of the AR value. The second main objective is to estimate other parameters of interest in dispersion studies, such as the eddy diffusivity of momentum (KT) and the Kolmogorov constant (C_0). It is found that C_0 depends appreciably on the velocity component both for the flat terrain and canopy flow, even though for the latter case it is insensitive to AR values. In all the three experimental configurations analyzed here, KT shows an overall linear growth with height in agreement with the linear trend predicted by Prandtl's theory.

Carbon footprint associated with four disposal scenarios for urban pruning waste.

PubMed

Araújo, Yuri Rommel Vieira; de Góis, Monijany Lins; Junior, Luiz Moreira Coelho; Carvalho, Monica

2018-01-01

The inadequate disposal of urban pruning residues can cause significant environmental impacts. The objective of the study presented herein was to quantify the carbon footprint and analyze four disposal scenarios for the urban pruning waste of the city of Joao Pessoa (Northeast Brazil). Software SimaPro was utilized for the quantification of the carbon footprint, with the IPCC 2013 GWP 100y impact evaluation method. The end-of-life treatments considered were sanitary landfilling (with and without collection of methane), simple municipal incineration, and reutilization of wood (transformation into briquettes). The results indicated that simple disposal in sanitary landfill generated 136.34 kg CO 2 /t urban pruning waste collected (highest carbon footprint), sanitary landfill with methane collection emitted 113.43 kg CO 2 /t waste, municipal incineration generated 71.31 kg CO 2 /t waste, and reutilization of woody residues was the scenario with the lowest carbon footprint, with 27.82 kg CO 2 /t waste. This study demonstrated that reutilization of biomass, besides being environmentally viable, presents the potential to contribute to the city's environmental quality, including the possibility of being used to obtain carbon credits.

Comparison of the air pollution biomonitoring ability of three Tillandsia species and the lichen Ramalina celastri in Argentina.

PubMed

Bermudez, Gonzalo M A; Rodriguez, Judith H; Pignata, María L

2009-01-01

Bioaccumulation ability and response to air pollution sources were evaluated for Tillandsia capillaris Ruíz and Pav. f. capillaris, T. recurvata L., T. tricholepis Baker and the lichen Ramalina celastri (Spreng.) Krog. and Swinsc. Epiphyte samples collected from a non contaminated area in the province of Córdoba were transplanted to a control site and three areas categorised according to agricultural, urban and industrial (metallurgical and metal-mechanical) emission sources. Bioindicators were exposed for 3-, 6- and 9-month periods. A foliar damage index was established for Tillandsia and a pollution index for the lichen, and S, Fe, Mn and Zn concentrations were determined. An order of efficiency for the species and conditions studied is proposed taking into account heavy metal accumulation: T. recurvata >T. tricholepis >R. celastri >T. capillaris. All species studied showed Mn to be related to agricultural activity and Fe to industries and soil particles, and Zn was related to urban and industrial sources. As far as physiological response is concerned, T. tricholepis and T. capillaris were more sensitive to agricultural activities, whereas T. recurvata was sensitive to urban and industrial sources, and only partially to agricultural sources. No relationship was found for R. celastri.

Spatiotemporal trends of urban heat island effect along the urban development intensity gradient in China

Treesearch

Decheng Zhou; Liangxia Zhang; Lu Hao; Ge Sun; Yongqiang Liu; Chao Zhu

2016-01-01

Urban heat island (UHI) represents a major anthropogenic modification to the Earth system and its relationshipwith urban development is poorly understood at a regional scale. Using AquaMODIS data and LandsatTM/ETM+images, we examined the spatiotemporal trends of the UHI effect (ΔT, relative to the rural reference) along theurban...

The microscale cooling effects of water sensitive urban design and irrigation in a suburban environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broadbent, Ashley M.; Coutts, Andrew M.; Tapper, Nigel J.; Demuzere, Matthias; Beringer, Jason

2017-09-01

Prolonged drought has threatened traditional potable urban water supplies in Australian cities, reducing capability to adapt to climate change and mitigate against extreme. Integrated urban water management (IUWM) approaches, such as water sensitive urban design (WSUD), reduce the reliance on centralised potable water supply systems and provide a means for retaining water in the urban environment through stormwater harvesting and reuse. This study examines the potential for WSUD to provide cooling benefits and reduce human exposure and heat stress and thermal discomfort. A high-resolution observational field campaign, measuring surface level microclimate variables and remotely sensed land surface characteristics, was conducted in a mixed residential suburb containing WSUD in Adelaide, South Australia. Clear evidence was found that WSUD features and irrigation can reduce surface temperature (T s) and air temperature (T a) and improve human thermal comfort (HTC) in urban environments. The average 3 pm T a near water bodies was found to be up to 1.8 °C cooler than the domain maximum. Cooling was broadly observed in the area 50 m downwind of lakes and wetlands. Design and placement of water bodies were found to affect their cooling effectiveness. HTC was improved by proximity to WSUD features, but shading and ventilation were also effective at improving thermal comfort. This study demonstrates that WSUD can be used to cool urban microclimates, while simultaneously achieving other environmental benefits, such as improved stream ecology and flood mitigation.

In Black South Africans from Rural and Urban Communities, the 4G/5G PAI-1 Polymorphism Influences PAI-1 Activity, but Not Plasma Clot Lysis Time

PubMed Central

de Lange, Zelda; Rijken, Dingeman C.; Hoekstra, Tiny; Conradie, Karin R.; Jerling, Johann C.; Pieters, Marlien

2013-01-01

Data on genetic and environmental factors influencing PAI-1 levels and their consequent effect on clot lysis in black African populations are limited. We identified polymorphisms in the promoter area of the PAI-1 gene and determined their influence on PAI-1act levels and plasma clot lysis time (CLT). We also describe gene-environment interactions and the effect of urbanisation. Data from 2010 apparently healthy urban and rural black participants from the South African arm of the PURE study were cross-sectionally analysed. The 5G allele frequency of the 4G/5G polymorphism was 0.85. PAI-1act increased across genotypes in the urban subgroup (p = 0.009) but not significantly in the rural subgroup, while CLT did not differ across genotypes. Significant interaction terms were found between the 4G/5G polymorphism and BMI, waist circumference and triglycerides in determining PAI-1act, and between the 4G/5G polymorphism and fibrinogen and fibrinogen gamma prime in determining CLT. The C428T and G429A polymorphisms did not show direct relationships with PAI-1act or CLT but they did influence the association of other environmental factors with PAI-1act and CLT. Several of these interactions differed significantly between rural and urban subgroups, particularly in individuals harbouring the mutant alleles. In conclusion, although the 4G/5G polymorphism significantly affected PAI-1act, it contributed less than 1% to the PAI-1act variance. (Central) obesity was the biggest contributor to PAI-1act variance (12.5%). Urbanisation significantly influenced the effect of the 4G/5G polymorphism on PAI-1act as well as gene-environment interactions for the C428T and G429A genotypes in determining PAI-1act and CLT. PMID:24386152

In black South Africans from rural and urban communities, the 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphism influences PAI-1 activity, but not plasma clot lysis time.

PubMed

de Lange, Zelda; Rijken, Dingeman C; Hoekstra, Tiny; Conradie, Karin R; Jerling, Johann C; Pieters, Marlien

2013-01-01

Data on genetic and environmental factors influencing PAI-1 levels and their consequent effect on clot lysis in black African populations are limited. We identified polymorphisms in the promoter area of the PAI-1 gene and determined their influence on PAI-1act levels and plasma clot lysis time (CLT). We also describe gene-environment interactions and the effect of urbanisation. Data from 2010 apparently healthy urban and rural black participants from the South African arm of the PURE study were cross-sectionally analysed. The 5G allele frequency of the 4G/5G polymorphism was 0.85. PAI-1act increased across genotypes in the urban subgroup (p = 0.009) but not significantly in the rural subgroup, while CLT did not differ across genotypes. Significant interaction terms were found between the 4G/5G polymorphism and BMI, waist circumference and triglycerides in determining PAI-1act, and between the 4G/5G polymorphism and fibrinogen and fibrinogen gamma prime in determining CLT. The C428T and G429A polymorphisms did not show direct relationships with PAI-1act or CLT but they did influence the association of other environmental factors with PAI-1act and CLT. Several of these interactions differed significantly between rural and urban subgroups, particularly in individuals harbouring the mutant alleles. In conclusion, although the 4G/5G polymorphism significantly affected PAI-1act, it contributed less than 1% to the PAI-1act variance. (Central) obesity was the biggest contributor to PAI-1act variance (12.5%). Urbanisation significantly influenced the effect of the 4G/5G polymorphism on PAI-1act as well as gene-environment interactions for the C428T and G429A genotypes in determining PAI-1act and CLT.

Contribution of urban runoff in Taipei metropolitan area to dissolved inorganic nitrogen export in the Danshui River, Taiwan.

PubMed

Kuo, Nae-Wen; Jien, Shih-Hao; Hong, Nien-Ming; Chen, Yao-Te; Lee, Tsung-Yu

2017-01-01

A previous study has demonstrated that Danshui River has almost the highest dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) yield in the world and exports most of the DIN in the form of ammonium unlike the world's large rivers. However, the DIN sources are poorly constrained. In this study, the contributions of major sources in the Taipei metropolitan area to the DIN export in the Danshui River were investigated. It is observed that ammonium is the major DIN species in the downstream reaches, resulting from the ammonium-dominated inputs of the effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and rain water pumping stations (RWPS). DIN concentrations in the downstream (urban) reaches are substantially elevated. The upstream tributaries annually discharge ∼2709 t DIN to the downstream reaches. However, the DIN discharge off the downstream reaches rises to ∼17,918 t, resulting from the contribution of RWPS-collected water, i.e., ∼14,632 t, and the effluents of two WWTP, i.e., ∼577 t. RWPS-collected water inherently contains the contribution of atmospheric deposition, ∼2937 t DIN. This finding implies that ∼11,695 t (∼66 % of the downstream output) DIN flux off the Danshui River is from urban runoff and can be attributed to human activities in the Taipei metropolitan area. To improve the water quality in the Danshui River, water quality controls in urban runoff are important.

Networking of Icelandic Earth Infrastructures - Natural laboratories and Volcano Supersites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogfjörd, K. S.; Sigmundsson, F.; Hjaltadóttir, S.; Björnsson, H.; Arason, Ø.; Hreinsdóttir, S.; Kjartansson, E.; Sigbjörnsson, R.; Halldórsson, B.; Valsson, G.

2012-04-01

The back-bone of Icelandic geoscientific research infrastructure is the country's permanent monitoring networks, which have been built up to monitor seismic and volcanic hazard and deformation of the Earth's surface. The networks are mainly focussed around the plate boundary in Iceland, particularly the two seismic zones, where earthquakes of up to M7.3 have occurred in centuries past, and the rift zones with over 30 active volcanic systems where a large number of powerful eruptions have occurred, including highly explosive ones. The main observational systems are seismic, strong motion, GPS and bore-hole strain networks, with the addition of more recent systems like hydrological stations, permanent and portable radars, ash-particle counters and gas monitoring systems. Most of the networks are owned by a handful of Icelandic institutions, but some are operated in collaboration with international institutions and universities. The networks have been in operation for years to decades and have recorded large volumes of research quality data. The main Icelandic infrastructures will be networked in the European Plate Observing System (EPOS). The plate boundary in the South Iceland seismic zone (SISZ) with its book-shelf tectonics and repeating major earthquakes sequences of up to M7 events, has the potential to be defined a natural laboratory within EPOS. Work towards integrating multidisciplinary data and technologies from the monitoring infrastructures in the SISZ with other fault regions has started in the FP7 project NERA, under the heading of Networking of Near-Fault Observatories. The purpose is to make research-quality data from near-fault observatories available to the research community, as well as to promote transfer of knowledge and techical know-how between the different observatories of Europe, in order to create a network of fault-monitoring networks. The seismic and strong-motion systems in the SISZ are also, to some degree, being networked nationally to strengthen their early warning capabilities. In response to the far-reaching dispersion of ash from the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption and subsequent disturbance to European air-space, the instrumentation of the Icelandic volcano observatory was greatly improved in number and capability to better monitor sub-surface volcanic processes as well as the air-borne products of eruptions. This infrastructure will also be networked with other European volcano observatories in EPOS. Finally the Icelandic EPOS team, together with other European collaborators, has responded to an FP7 call for the establishment of an Icelandic volcano supersite, where land- and space-based data will be made available to researchers and hazard managers, in line with the implementation plan of the GEO. The focus of the Icelandic volcano supersite are the active volcanoes in Iceland's Eastern volcanic zone.

The SISTEMA Project contribution in the implementation of the GEO Geohazards Supersite initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilardo, Giuseppe; Sangianantoni, Agata; Borgstrom, Sven; D'Auria, Luca; De Martino, Prospero; Dolce, Mario; Isaia, Roberto; Marotta, Enrica; Martini, Marcello; Obrizzo, Francesco; Peluso, Rosario; Sansivero, Fabio; Scarpato, Giovanni; Siniscalchi, Valeria; Tammaro, Umberto; Tulino, Sabrina; Castellano, Mario; Bianco, Francesca

2017-04-01

SISTEMA Project has been funded by the PO FESR 2007-2013 action, supported by the Campania Region (Italy). The project fosters the integrated use of multidisciplinary data in order to improve the understanding of the volcanic processes at Campi Flegrei and Ischia and to progress in science and surveillance of the territory according to the rationale of Supersite GEO initiative to Campi Flegrei, currently identified as Permanent Supersite. The mission of SISTEMA is to upgrade the existing monitoring and surveillance systems through the design, purchase and installation of new instrumentation, equipment, technology and methods addressing the need of delivering, with improved rapidity, scientific information for decision makers and end-users. The redundancy of monitoring systems is an important issue to guarantee the full operability during emergencies. The Monitoring Centre of INGV-Osservatorio Vesuviano is currently located within the red zone (potentially at risk of invasion by pyroclastic flows in case of eruption) of Campi Flegrei volcano. Its position offers various logistic benefits but at the onset of a volcanic crisis, of course it will be required to shift this Center in a safer area. For this reason, within the SISTEMA project, we envisioned a backup system which, when needed, could guarantee a shift of the Center in a virtually zero time. This can be achieved by fully duplicating the processing system and the data storage. In case of emergency, it would be required only to switch on the visualization systems in the new Center and transferring the personnel involved in the surveillance activities. SISTEMA project has also enabled the development of a permanent GPS and CRs (Corner Reflectors) networks, the latter supporting SAR Interferometry, by helping to improve knowledge of the Campi Flegrei deformation field, both on local and wide scale. In addition, in order to enhance the heat flux measurements from ground based thermal camera observations, the permanent thermal infrared imagery monitoring network operating at Campi Flegrei has also been improved. Furthermore, an innovative method based on drone-borne IR cameras has been developed in order to measure the time variations of heat flux and chemical emissions. This will boost the definition of the activity state of a volcano allowing a better assessment of the related hazard and risk mitigation through the design and installation of two drones equipped with thermal camera. The impact of SISTEMA project is measured through the implementation of its services, the continued and further engagement of different stakeholders and the delivery of crucial communication for decision makers and end-users. The research promoted by its multidisciplinary data can have a crucial impact on the advancement of the Emergency Plans, contributing to a safe and sustainable society and economic development, geo-hazards assessment and a sustainable management of geo-resources.

Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation and Aging in a Flow Reactor in the Forested Southeast US during SOAS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, W.; Palm, B. B.; Hacker, L.; Campuzano Jost, P.; Day, D. A.; de Sá, S. S.; Ayres, B. R.; Draper, D.; Fry, J.; Ortega, A. M.; Kiendler-Scharr, A.; Pajunoja, A.; Virtanen, A.; Krechmer, J.; Canagaratna, M. R.; Thompson, S.; Yatavelli, R. L. N.; Stark, H.; Worsnop, D. R.; Martin, S. T.; Farmer, D.; Brown, S. S.; Jimenez, J. L.

2015-12-01

A major field campaign (Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study, SOAS) was conducted in summer 2013 in a forested area in Centreville Supersite, AL (SEARCH network) in the southeast U.S. To investigate secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), 3 oxidation flow reactors (OFR) were used to expose ambient air to oxidants and their output was analyzed by state-of-the-art gas and aerosol instruments including a High-Resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-AMS), a HR Proton-Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (PTR-TOFMS), and Two HR-TOF Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometers (HRToF-CIMS). Ambient air was exposed 24/7 to variable concentrations of each of the 3 main atmospheric oxidants (OH, NO3 radicals and O3) to investigate the oxidation of BVOCs (including isoprene derived epoxydiols, IEPOX) and SOA formation and aging. Effective OH exposures up to 1×1013 molec cm-3 s were achieved, equivalent to over a month of aging in the atmosphere. Multiple oxidation products from isoprene and monoterpenes including small gas-phase acids were observed in OH OFR. High SOA formation of up to 12 μg m-3 above ambient concentrations of 5 μg m-3 was observed under intermediate OH exposures, while very high OH exposures led to destruction of ~30% of ambient OA, indicating shifting contributions of functionalization vs. fragmentation, consistent with results from urban and terpene-dominated environments. The highest SOA enhancements were 3-4 times higher than ambient OA. More SOA is typically formed during nighttime when terpenes are higher and photochemistry is absent, and less during daytime when isoprene is higher, although the IEPOX pathway is suppressed in the OFR. SOA is also observed after exposure of ambient air to O3 or NO3, although the amounts and oxidation levels were lower than for OH. Formation of organic nitrates in the NO3 reaction will also be discussed.A major field campaign (Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study, SOAS) was conducted in summer 2013 in a forested area in Centreville Supersite, AL (SEARCH network) in the southeast U.S. To investigate secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), 3 oxidation flow reactors (OFR) were used to expose ambient air to oxidants and their output was analyzed by state-of-the-art gas and aerosol instruments including a High-Resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-AMS), a HR Proton-Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (PTR-TOFMS), and two HR-TOF Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometers (HRToF-CIMS). Ambient air was exposed 24/7 to variable concentrations of each of the 3 main atmospheric oxidants (OH, NO3 radicals and O3) to investigate the oxidation of BVOCs (including ambient isoprene-derived epoxydiols, IEPOX) and SOA formation and aging. Effective OH exposures up to 1×1013 molec cm-3 s were achieved, equivalent to over a month of aging in the atmosphere. Multiple oxidation products from isoprene and monoterpenes including small gas-phase acids were observed in OH OFR. High SOA formation of up to 12 μg m-3 above ambient concentrations of 5 μg m-3 was observed under intermediate OH exposures, while very high OH exposures led to destruction of ~30% of ambient OA, indicating shifting contributions of functionalization vs. fragmentation, consistent with results from urban and terpene-dominated environments. The highest SOA enhancements were 3-4 times higher than ambient OA. More SOA is typically formed during nighttime when terpenes are higher and photochemistry is absent, and less during daytime when isoprene is higher, although the IEPOX pathway is suppressed in the OFR. SOA is also observed after exposure of ambient air to O3 or NO3, although the amounts and oxidation levels were lower than for OH. Formation of organic nitrates in the NO3 reaction will also be discussed.

Exploring the Linkage between Urban Flood Risk and Spatial Patterns in Small Urbanized Catchments of Beijing, China.

PubMed

Yao, Lei; Chen, Liding; Wei, Wei

2017-02-28

In the context of global urbanization, urban flood risk in many cities has become a serious environmental issue, threatening the health of residents and the environment. A number of hydrological studies have linked urban flooding issues closely to the spectrum of spatial patterns of urbanization, but relatively little attention has been given to small-scale catchments within the realm of urban systems. This study aims to explore the hydrological effects of small-scaled urbanized catchments assigned with various landscape patterns. Twelve typical residential catchments in Beijing were selected as the study areas. Total Impervious Area ( TIA ), Directly Connected Impervious Area ( DCIA ), and a drainage index were used as the catchment spatial metrics. Three scenarios were designed as different spatial arrangement of catchment imperviousness. Runoff variables including total and peak runoff depth ( Q t and Q p ) were simulated by using Strom Water Management Model (SWMM). The relationship between catchment spatial patterns and runoff variables were determined, and the results demonstrated that, spatial patterns have inherent influences on flood risks in small urbanized catchments. Specifically: (1) imperviousness acts as an effective indicator in affecting both Q t and Q p ; (2) reducing the number of rainwater inlets appropriately will benefit the catchment peak flow mitigation; (3) different spatial concentrations of impervious surfaces have inherent influences on Q p . These findings provide insights into the role of urban spatial patterns in driving rainfall-runoff processes in small urbanized catchments, which is essential for urban planning and flood management.

24 CFR 3286.2 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... § 3282.12 of this chapter; or (2) Temporary housing units provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Applicability. 3286.2 Section 3286.2 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued...

24 CFR 3286.2 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... § 3282.12 of this chapter; or (2) Temporary housing units provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Applicability. 3286.2 Section 3286.2 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued...

24 CFR 3286.2 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... § 3282.12 of this chapter; or (2) Temporary housing units provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Applicability. 3286.2 Section 3286.2 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued...

24 CFR 3286.2 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... § 3282.12 of this chapter; or (2) Temporary housing units provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Applicability. 3286.2 Section 3286.2 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued...

24 CFR 3286.2 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... § 3282.12 of this chapter; or (2) Temporary housing units provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Applicability. 3286.2 Section 3286.2 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued...

An overview of the MILAGRO 2006 campaign: Mexico City emissions and their transport and transformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molina, L. T.; Madronich, S.; Gaffney, J. S.; Apel, E.; de Foy, B.; Fast, J.; Ferrare, R.; Herndon, S.; Jimenez, J. L.; Lamb, B.; Osornio-Vargas, A. R.; Russell, P.; Schauer, J. J.; Stevens, P. S.; Zavala, M.

2010-03-01

MILAGRO (Megacity Initiative: Local And Global Research Observations) is an international collaborative project to examine the behavior and the export of atmospheric emissions from a megacity. The Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) - one of the world's largest megacities and North America's most populous city - was selected as the case study to characterize the sources, concentrations, transport, and transformation processes of the pollutants emitted to the MCMA atmosphere and to evaluate the regional and global impacts of these emissions. The findings of this study are relevant to the evolution and impacts of pollution from many other megacities. The measurement phase consisted of a month-long series of carefully coordinated observations of the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere in and near Mexico City during March 2006, using a wide range of instruments at ground sites, on aircraft and satellites, and enlisting over 450 scientists from 150 institutions in 30 countries. Three ground supersites were set up to examine the evolution of the primary emitted gases and fine particles. Additional platforms in or near Mexico City included mobile vans containing scientific laboratories and mobile and stationary upward-looking lidars. Seven instrumented research aircraft provided information about the atmosphere over a large region and at various altitudes. Satellite-based instruments peered down into the atmosphere, providing even larger geographical coverage. The overall campaign was complemented by meteorological forecasting and numerical simulations, satellite observations and surface networks. Together, these research observations have provided the most comprehensive characterization of the MCMA's urban and regional atmospheric composition that will take years to analyze and evaluate fully. In this paper we review over 120 papers resulting from the MILAGRO/INTEX-B Campaign that have been published or submitted, as well as relevant papers from the earlier MCMA-2003 campaign, with the aim of providing a road map for the scientific community interested in understanding the emissions from a megacity such as the MCMA and their impacts on air quality and climate. This paper describes the measurements performed during MILAGRO and the results obtained on MCMA's atmospheric meteorology and dynamics, emissions of gases and fine particles, sources and concentrations of volatile organic compounds, urban and regional photochemistry, ambient particulate matter, aerosol radiative properties, urban plume characterization, and health studies. A summary of key findings from the field study is presented.

Alien reef-building polychaete drives long-term changes in invertebrate biomass and diversity in a small, urban estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McQuaid, K. A.; Griffiths, C. L.

2014-02-01

Two of the greatest threats to native biodiversity are the construction of artificial structures in natural environments and the introduction of invasive species. As the development and urbanisation of estuaries continues at an increasing rate worldwide, these environments are being simultaneously affected by these threats. This study quantifies the spread of an invasive reef-building polychaete, Ficopomatus enigmaticus, in a small, highly manipulated urban estuary in South Africa and investigates its role as an ecosystem engineer. Anthropogenic changes to the Zandvlei Estuary, including construction of a rubble weir and canalisation near the estuary mouth, construction of an extensive marina development and hardening of the banks with concrete, have facilitated the expansion of F. enigmaticus. The standing stock of F. enigmaticus increased from 13.69 t, as measured in 1986, to 50.03 t in 2012, due both to increase in the total area colonised and standing stock per m2. Since F. enigmaticus reefs support a greater biomass of infauna than adjacent sandy areas, total invertebrate biomass in the estuary is estimated to have increased from less than 0.30 t in 1942, to over 56.80 t in 2012, due mainly to hardening of banks in parts of the main estuary with concrete and construction of a marina system. A positive correlation between reef mass and infaunal biomass, density and diversity was also found.

Sociodemographic Disparities in Cure-Intended Treatment in Localized Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

des Bordes, Jude K A; Lopez, David S; Swartz, Michael D; Volk, Robert J

2018-02-01

Disparities in prostate cancer (PCa) morbidity and mortality occur across various populations. We investigated the sociodemographic correlates of treatment and disparities in the application of cure-intended (i.e., radical prostatectomy [RP], radiation therapy [RT]) treatment strategies in localized PCa among Texas residents diagnosed with PCa. We analyzed data from the Texas Cancer Registry on men diagnosed with stage T1 or T2 PCa between 2004 and 2009. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to explore independent associations between cure-intended treatment modalities and sociodemographic characteristics (age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status [SES], and geographic location (rural versus urban)) using patients who did not receive definitive treatment as comparison group. Of 46,971 patients with available treatment data, age-adjusted treatment rates were 39.1% RP, 30.7% RT, and 30.2% for all other non-curative modalities. Compared to patients under 60 years, those ≥60 were less likely to receive RP, patients between 60 and 80 years were more likely to undergo RT, while those 80 years or older were less likely. Non-Hispanic blacks (OR =0.55, 95% CI, 0.50-0.59) and Hispanics (OR = 0.68, 95%CI, 0.62-0.74) were less likely to receive RP compared with whites. Hispanics were significantly less likely to receive RT (OR = 0.78, 95%CI, 0.72-0.85) than blacks and whites. People of low SES were 35% (OR = 0.65, 95%CI, 0.60-0.69) and 15% (OR = 0.85, 95%CI, 0.79-0.90) less likely to receive RP and RT, respectively, compared with those of high SES. Rural-urban status was not associated with cure-intended treatment. Potential sociodemographic disparities exist in the application of cure-intended treatment in localized prostate cancer in Texas particularly in race/ethnicity and SES.

Sources of speciated atmospheric mercury at a residential neighborhood impacted by industrial sources.

PubMed

Manolopoulos, Helen; Snyder, David C; Schauer, James J; Hill, Jason S; Turner, Jay R; Olson, Mark L; Krabbenhoft, David P

2007-08-15

Speciated measurements of atmospheric mercury plumes were obtained at an industrially impacted residential area of East St. Louis, IL. These plumes were found to result in extremely high mercury concentrations at ground level that were composed of a wide distribution of mercury species. Ground level concentrations as high as 235 ng m(-3) for elemental mercury (Hg0) and 38 300 pg m(-3) for reactive mercury species (reactive gaseous (RGM) plus particulate (PHg) mercury) were measured. The highest mercury concentrations observed during the study were associated with plumes that contained high concentrations of all mercury species (Hg0, RGM, and PHg) and originated from a source located southwest of the sampling site. Variations in proportions of Hg0/RGM/PHg among plumes, with Hg0 dominating some plumes and RGM and/or PHg dominating others, were attributed to differences in emissions from different sources. Correlations between mercury plumes and elevated NO(x) were not observed; however, a correlation between elevated SO2 and mercury plumes was observed during some but not all plume events. Despite the presence of six coal-fired power plants within 60 km of the study site, wind direction data along with Hg/SO2 and Hg/NO(x) ratios suggest that high-concentration mercury plumes impacting the St. Louis-Midwest Particle Matter Supersite are attributable to local point sources within 5 km of the site.

Sources of speciated atmospheric mercury at a residential neighborhood impacted by industrial sources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manolopoulos, H.; Snyder, D.C.; Schauer, J.J.; Hill, J.S.; Turner, J.R.; Olson, M.L.; Krabbenhoft, D.P.

2007-01-01

Speciated measurements of atmospheric mercury plumes were obtained at an industrially impacted residential area of East St. Louis, IL. These plumes were found to result in extremely high mercury concentrations at ground level that were composed of a wide distribution of mercury species. Ground level concentrations as high as 235 ng m-3 for elemental mercury (Hg 0) and 38 300 pg m-3 for reactive mercury species (reactive gaseous (RGM) plus particulate (PHg) mercury) were measured. The highest mercury concentrations observed during the study were associated with plumes that contained high concentrations of all mercury species (Hg 0, RGM, and PHg) and originated from a source located southwest of the sampling site. Variations in proportions of Hg0/RGM/PHg among plumes, with Hg0 dominating some plumes and RGM and/or PHg dominating others, were attributed to differences in emissions from different sources. Correlations between mercury plumes and elevated NOx were not observed; however, a correlation between elevated SO2 and mercury plumes was observed during some but not all plume events. Despite the presence of six coal-fired power plants within 60 km of the study site, wind direction data along with Hg/SO2 and Hg/NOx ratios suggest that high-concentration mercury plumes impacting the St. Louis-Midwest Particle Matter Supersite are attributable to local point sources within 5 km of the site. ?? 2007 American Chemical Society.

Understanding Biogenic and Anthropogenic Trace Gas Variations Measured Near Cool, CA in June 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein, B. Z.; Flowers, B. A.; Gorkowski, K.; Dubey, M. K.; Knighton, W. B.; Floerchinger, C.; Herndon, S. C.; Fast, J. D.; Zaveri, R. A.

2011-12-01

Trace gas signatures produced by forested and urban areas differ greatly. Forested areas are dominated by gases produced during photosynthesis and respiration: CO2 and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including terpenes and isoprene. Urban areas are heavily influenced by vehicle exhaust emissions and have elevated levels of CO, NOx and aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene. Ozone is produced as a byproduct of both of these sources; it is produced when NOx from urban areas reacts with either anthropogenic or biogenic hydrocarbons. The Carbonaceous Aerosol and Radiative Effects Study (CARES) campaign was conducted during June 2010, in part to observe the evolution of urban air masses as they mix into rural locations and to better understand anthropogenic-biogenic photochemical interactions. The campaign included two ground-based sampling sites, one in Sacramento, CA (T0) and one downwind, approximately 70km NE, rurally located near Cool, CA (T1). In situ measurements of CO2, CO, O3, NO and multiple different VOCs were performed at the T1 site during the study, and are analyzed here to gain insights into the chemistry and transport of these trace gases. Comparisons between these trace gases coupled with transport modeling is used to delineate biogenic and anthropogenic sources. Additionally, comparisons between trace gases produced predominately by biogenic sources provide valuable information on how meteorology affects their production. Two atmospheric models (HYSPLIT back-trajectories and WRF forecasts) are used to predict transport episodes, where polluted air masses from the Sacramento or more distant San Francisco areas are transported to Cool. The two models display significant overlap for eleven different transport episodes during the study period. Both models also agree on two transport-free multiple-day periods. By examining the periods during which the models are in agreement, we are able to characterize with high certainty the trace gas signatures of local biogenic sources and also the significance of short-range transported anthropogenic trace gases.

The ambient organic aerosol soluble in water: Measurements, chemical characterization, and an investigation of sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, Amy P.

This thesis characterizes the ambient fine organic carbon (OC) aerosol and investigates its sources through the development and deployment of new analytical measurement techniques. Recognizing that OC is highly chemically complex, the approach was to develop methods capable of quantitatively measuring a large chemical fraction of the aerosol instead of specific chemical speciation. The focus is on organic compounds that are soluble in water (WSOC) since little is known about its chemical nature. The results from this thesis show that WSOC has mainly two sources: biomass burning and secondary organic aerosol (SOA). In urban areas, WSOC increases with plume age, and tracks other photochemically produced compounds. Chemical analysis of WSOC suggests that in urban Atlanta, the SOA is mainly small-chain aliphatic compounds indirectly linked to vehicle emissions. A method was first developed for quantitative on-line measurements of WSOC by extending the application of the Particle-into-Liquid Sampler (PILS) from inorganic to organic aerosol measurements. In this approach a PILS captures ambient particles into a flow of purified water, which is then forced through a liquid filter and the carbonaceous content quantified on-line by a Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analyzer. An instrument was first developed for ground-based measurements and then modified for airborne deployment. Ground-based measurements at the St. Louis - Midwest Supersite during the summer of 2003 showed that the fraction of OC that is water-soluble can have a highly diurnal pattern with WSOC to OC ratios reaching 0.80 during the day and lows of 0.40 during the night. During extended periods under stagnation pollution events, this pattern was well correlated with ozone concentrations. The results are consistent with formation of SOA. Airborne PILS-TOC measurements from the NOAA WP-3D during the New England Air Quality Study/Intercontinental Transport and Chemical Transformation (NEAQS/ITCT) 2004 program investigated WSOC sources over the northeastern U.S. and Canada. Two main sources were identified: biomass burning emissions from fires in the Alaska/Yukon region and emissions emanating from urban centers. Biomass burning WSOC was correlated with carbon monoxide (CO) and acetonitrile (R 2 > 0.88). Apart from the biomass burning influence, the highest concentrations were at low altitudes in distinct plumes of enhanced particle concentrations from urban centers. WSOC and CO were highly correlated (R2 > 0.78) in these urban plumes. The ratio of the enhancement in WSOC relative to that of CO was found to be low (˜ 3 microg C/m3/ppmv) in plumes that had been in transit for a short time, and increased with plume age, but appeared to level off at ˜32 microg C/m3/ppmv after approximately one day of transport from the sources. The results suggest WSOC in fine particles is produced from compounds co-emitted with CO and that these emissions are rapidly converted to organic particulate matter within ˜1 day following emission. To further chemically investigate the organic constituents of WSOC, a method for group speciation of the WSOC into hydrophilic and hydrophobic fractions has been developed using a XAD-8 resin column. XAD-8 resin coupled with a TOC analyzer allows for direct quantification. Based on laboratory calibrations with atmospherically relevant standards and 13C-NMR ( 13Carbon-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) analysis, the hydrophilic fraction (compounds that penetrate the XAD-8 with near 100% efficiency at pH 2) is composed of short-chain carboxylic acids and carbonyls and saccharides. The fraction of WSOC retained by XAD-8, termed the hydrophobic fraction, includes aromatic acids, phenols, organic nitrates, cyclic acids, and carbonyls and mono-/dicarboxylic acids with greater than 3 or 4 carbons. Only aromatic compounds (or aromatic-like compounds with similar properties) can subsequently be extracted from XAD-8 with high efficiency and are referred to as the recovered hydrophobic fraction. By coupling a PILS with this technique, on-line measurements of WSOC, hydrophilic WSOC, and hydrophobic WSOC are possible. Urban measurements from St. Louis and Atlanta, on a carbon mass basis, show an increase in the mean WSOC fraction from winter (51%) to summer (61%), due to increases in the hydrophilic WSOC to OC ratio from 0.25 to 0.35. During a summer Atlanta PM event, WSOC to OC was 0.75, driven largely by increases in the hydrophilic WSOC fraction. The results are consistent with the view that in the summer there are increased amounts of oxygenated polar compounds, that are mainly hydrophilic and possibly from SOA production. These compounds can account for an even larger fraction of OC during stagnation events. The XAD-8 resin can also be used in the first step of a two-step off-line method to isolate chemical fractions of ambient organic aerosol based on acid, neutral, and basic functional groups. The second step is a newly developed method involving size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) to separate the hydrophilic WSOC and recovered hydrophobic WSOC compounds by organic functional group. Calibrations show that hydrophilic WSOC separates into short-chain aliphatic acids, neutrals (e.g. saccharides, polyols, and short-chain carbonyls), and organic bases. The recovered hydrophobic compounds are separated into acids (e.g., aromatic) and neutrals (e.g., phenols). Comparisons are made between XAD-8/SEC results from urban Atlanta summer and winter, and biomass burning samples. During the summer in Atlanta, approximately 20% of the OC (on a carbon mass basis) is due to hydrophilic aliphatic acids and recovered hydrophobic acids. The hydrophilic aliphatic acids are additionally the largest isolated fraction of Atlanta summer WSOC (29% microg C/microg C), suggesting aliphatic acids of less than C4 or C5 are the dominant SOA product, and are also correlated with the recovered hydrophobic acids (R2 = 0.74), elemental carbon (R2 = 0.64), CO (R2 = 0.73), and VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) expected from mobile source emissions such as isopentane (R2 = 0.67) and acetylene (R2 = 0.61). Biomass burning samples, however, were dominated by the hydrophilic and recovered hydrophobic neutral compounds. In the winter, when the WSOC is much lower, the samples tended to be a combination of the other two sample types. Combining the results of these various WSOC measurements over Atlanta and its surrounding regions, the data indicate that the source of WSOC is indirectly linked to vehicle emissions. Aircraft measurements show that WSOC is correlated with CO over large regions, and that the ratio of the metropolitan Atlanta DeltaWSOC/DeltaCO is similar to that in urban plumes in the northeastern U.S. Over a wide geographical region (˜100 km) WSOC is comprised of three major chemical groups (> 70%) that increase in concentration under more polluted conditions, and appear to be linked to a similar source. The fraction of the organic aerosol that is water-soluble varies between roughly 0.40 and 0.75 depending on the location, with higher ratios in regions further from mobile source emissions.

Soil Aeration deficiencies in urban sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weltecke, Katharina; Gaertig, Thorsten

2010-05-01

Soil aeration deficiencies in urban sites Katharina Weltecke and Thorsten Gaertig On urban tree sites reduction of soil aeration by compaction or sealing is an important but frequently underestimated factor for tree growth. Up to 50% of the CO2 assimilated during the vegetation period is respired in the root space (Qi et al. 1994). An adequate supply of the soil with oxygen and a proper disposal of the exhaled carbon dioxide are essential for an undisturbed root respiration. If the soil surface is smeared, compacted or sealed, soil aeration is interrupted. Several references show that root activity and fine root growth are controlled by the carbon dioxide concentration in soil air (Qi et al.1994, Burton et al. 1997). Gaertig (2001) found that decreasing topsoil gas permeability leads to reduced fine root density and hence to injury in crown structure of oaks. In forest soils a critical CO2 concentration of more than 0.6 % indicates a bad aeration status (Gaertig 2001). The majority of urban tree sites are compacted or sealed. The reduction of soil aeration may lead to dysfunctions in the root space and consequently to stress during periods of drought, which has its visible affects in crown structure. It is reasonable to assume that disturbances in soil aeration lead to reduced tree vigour and roadworthiness, resulting in high maintenance costs. The assessment of soil aeration in urban sites is difficult. In natural ecosystems the measurement of gas diffusivity and the gas-chromatical analysis of CO2 in soil air are accepted procedures in analyzing the state of aeration (Schack-Kirchner et al. 2001, Gaertig 2001). It has been found that these methods can also be applied for analyzing urban sites. In particular CO2 concentration in the soil atmosphere can be considered as a rapidly assessable, relevant and integrating indicator of the aeration situation of urban soils. This study tested the working hypothesis that soil aeration deficiencies lead to a decrease of fine root density and tree vigour on urban soils. For that purpose gas diffusivity, soil CO2 concentrations and fine root density were measured on typical urban sites in the German cities of Göttingen, Mannheim, and Kassel. The known characteristics of soil aeration on forest sites could be affirmed for urban soils. A negative correlation was found between gas diffusion coefficients and CO2 concentration as well as between fine root extension and CO2 concentration. Changes in crown structure of beech indicating a loss of vigour were found at sites with disturbed aeration. Diffusivity patterns and CO2 concentrations of different specific urban soil sealing types were found. On more natural sites (mulch, grass) increased gas diffusion and low CO2 concentration were present. In contrast, on more compacted or sealed areas (asphalt, paving stone, macadamised road surface) the exchange between soil air and atmosphere was nearly disconnected and soil CO2 concentrations partly exceeded the known critical value of 0.6 % up to tenfold. Literature Burton, A. J.; Pregitzer, K. S.; Zogg, G. P. und Zak D. R. (1997): Effect of measurement CO2 concentrations on sugar maple root respiration. In: Canadian journal of Forest Research, H. 17, S. 421-427. Gaertig, T. (2001): Bodengashaushalt, Feinwurzeln und Vitalität von Eichen. In: Freiburger Bodenkundliche Abhandlungen, H. 40, S. 157. Qi, J.; Marshall, J. D.; Mattson, K. G. (1994): High soil carbon dioxide concentrations inhibit root respiration of Douglas fir. In: New Phytol., Jg. 128, H. 3, S. 435-442. Schack-Kirchner, H.; Gaertig, T.; Wilpert, K. v.; Hildebrand, E. E. (2001): A modified McIntyre and Phillip approach to measure top-soil gas diffusivity in-situ. In: J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci., Jg. 164, S. 253-258.

Testing the association between the incidence of schizophrenia and social capital in an urban area.

PubMed

Kirkbride, J B; Boydell, J; Ploubidis, G B; Morgan, C; Dazzan, P; McKenzie, K; Murray, R M; Jones, P B

2008-08-01

Social capital has been considered aetiologically important in schizophrenia but the empirical evidence to support this hypothesis is absent. We tested whether social capital, measured at the neighbourhood level, was associated with the incidence of schizophrenia (ICD-10 F20). MethodWe administered a cross-sectional questionnaire on social capital to 5% of the adult population in 33 neighbourhoods (wards) in South London (n=16 459). The questionnaire contained items relating to two social capital constructs: social cohesion and trust (SC&T) and social disorganization (SocD). Schizophrenia incidence rates, estimated using data from the Aetiology and Ethnicity in Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses (AESOP) study, provided the outcome. We used multi-level Poisson regression to test our hypothesis while controlling for individual- and neighbourhood-level characteristics. We identified 148 cases during 565 576 person-years at-risk. Twenty-six per cent of the variation in incidence rates was attributable to neighbourhood-level characteristics. Response from the social capital survey was 25.7%. The association between SC&T and schizophrenia was U-shaped. Compared with neighbourhoods with medial levels of SC&T, incidence rates were significantly higher in neighbourhoods with low [incidence rates ratio (IRR) 2.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-3.3] and high (IRR 2.5, 95% CI 1.3-4.8) levels of SC&T, independent of age, sex, ethnicity, ethnic density, ethnic fragmentation and socio-economic deprivation. ConclusionNeighbourhood variation in SC&T was non-linearly associated with the incidence of schizophrenia within an urban area. Neighbourhoods with low SC&T may fail to mediate social stress whereas high SC&T neighbourhoods may have greater informal social control or may increase the risk of schizophrenia for residents excluded from accessing available social capital.

Without the Academic Part, It Wouldn't Be Squash": Youth Development in an Urban Squash Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hemphill, Michael A.; Richards, K. Andrew R.

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine youth development outcomes in an Urban Squash program. Methods: A mixed method approach to was employed to address three research questions: 1) to what extent did the Urban Squash program exhibit features of a quality OST program?; 2) what aspects of the Urban Squash program were most valued by…

Crossing Boundaries: Collaborative Solutions to Urban Problems. Selected Proceedings of the National Conference on Urban Issues (1st, Buffalo, New York, November 11-13, 1994).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koritz, Douglas, Ed.; And Others

Selected papers are presented from a national conference on urban issues. They are: (1) "Collaboration as a Social Process: Inter-Institutional Cooperation and Educational Change" (Charles F. Underwood and Hardy T. Frye); (2) "Mobilizing the Village To Educate the Child" (Valerie Maholmes); (3) "Pathways to Teaching: An Urban Teacher Licensure…

General Urban Warfare Amphibious Logistics Applications. Volume 3. Operational Plans.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-23

should be provided such as fruit , vegetables, condi- ments, tea, powdered milk, etc. These will be in short supply, but the Food and Agriculture...I I I(W; PERIO& VII L061TlUN. 5’rN CITr RAILGU OF RCIIC.Uz= Z.40 KILOMETERS E51PLY LITU5T~C= 4.0 ±2kILOWTER5 LENGTii CF PERIC@.D- 25 )WS- 55TEP1

The Effect of a Multi-Strategy Program on Developing Social Behaviors Based on Pender’s Health Promotion Model to Prevent Loneliness of Old Women Referred to Gonabad Urban Health Centers

PubMed Central

Alaviani, Mehri; Khosravan, Shahla; Alami, Ali; Moshki, Mahdi

2015-01-01

Background Loneliness is one of the most significant problems during aging. This research has been done to determine the effect of a multi-strategy program based on Pender’s Health Promotion model to prevent loneliness of elderly women by improving social relationships. Methods In this quasi-experimental study done in 2013 from January to November, 150 old women suffering medium loneliness referred to Gonabad urban Health Centers were enrolled. Data were gathered using Russell’s UCLA loneliness questionnaire and the questionnaires based on Pender’s Health Promotion Model about loneliness. The results were analyzed by descriptive statistics and Chi-square, T-pair, and independent-T tests through SPSS, version 20. Results Loneliness decreased significantly in the interventional group compared to the control group (P<0.00). In addition, mean scores related to variables of Health Promotion Model (received benefits and barriers, self-efficacy, interpersonal effectives of loneliness) in both groups were significantly different before and after the study (P<0.05). Conclusion Constructs of Pender’s Health Promotion Model can be used as a framework for planning interventions in order to anticipate, improve and modify related behaviors related to loneliness in old women.   PMID:26005693

Sources and production of organic aerosol in Mexico City: insights from the combination of a chemical transport model (PMCAMx-2008) and measurements during MILAGRO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsimpidi, A. P.; Karydis, V. A.; Zavala, M.; Lei, W.; Bei, N.; Molina, L.; Pandis, S. N.

2011-06-01

Urban areas are large sources of organic aerosols and their precursors. Nevertheless, the contributions of primary (POA) and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) to the observed particulate matter levels have been difficult to quantify. In this study the three-dimensional chemical transport model PMCAMx-2008 is used to investigate the temporal and geographic variability of organic aerosol in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) during the MILAGRO campaign that took place in the spring of 2006. The organic module of PMCAMx-2008 includes the recently developed volatility basis-set framework in which both primary and secondary organic components are assumed to be semi-volatile and photochemically reactive and are distributed in logarithmically spaced volatility bins. The MCMA emission inventory is modified and the POA emissions are distributed by volatility based on dilution experiments. The model predictions are compared with observations from four different types of sites, an urban (T0), a suburban (T1), a rural (T2), and an elevated site in Pico de Tres Padres (PTP). The performance of the model in reproducing organic mass concentrations in these sites is encouraging. The average predicted PM1 organic aerosol (OA) concentration in T0, T1, and T2 is 18 μg m-3, 11.7 μg m-3, and 10.5 μg m-3 respectively, while the corresponding measured values are 17.2 μg m-3, 11 μg m-3, and 9 μg m-3. The average predicted locally-emitted primary OA concentrations, 4.4 μg m-3 at T0, 1.2 μg m-3 at T1 and 1.7 μg m-3 at PTP, are in reasonably good agreement with the corresponding PMF analysis estimates based on the Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) observations of 4.5, 1.3, and 2.9 μg m-3 respectively. The model reproduces reasonably well the average oxygenated OA (OOA) levels in T0 (7.5 μg m-3 predicted versus 7.5 μg m-3 measured), in T1 (6.3 μg m-3 predicted versus 4.6 μg m-3 measured) and in PTP (6.6 μg m-3 predicted versus 5.9 μg m-3 measured). The rest of the OA mass (6.1 μg m-3 and 4.2 μg m-3 in T0 and T1 respectively) is assumed to originate from biomass burning activities and is introduced to the model as part of the boundary conditions. Inside Mexico City (at T0), the locally-produced OA is predicted to be on average 60 % locally-emitted primary (POA), 6 % semi-volatile (S-SOA) and intermediate volatile (I-SOA) organic aerosol, and 34 % traditional SOA from the oxidation of VOCs (V-SOA). The average contributions of the OA components to the locally-produced OA for the entire modelling domain are predicted to be 32 % POA, 10 % S-SOA and I-SOA, and 58 % V-SOA. The long range transport from biomass burning activities and other sources in Mexico is predicted to contribute on average almost as much as the local sources during the MILAGRO period.

Greater Baltimore Open Air: an Internet of Things (IoT) approach to citizen science and community-driven climate, air quality, and urban heat island monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, A.; Kelley, C.; Azdoud, Y.; Ambikapathi, R.; Hobson, M.; Lehman, A.; Ghugare, P.; He, C.; Zaitchik, B. F.; Waugh, D.; McCormack, M.; Baja, K.

2017-12-01

Anthropogenic activities alter the urban surface and surface atmosphere, generating heat and pollutants that have known detrimental impacts on health. Monitoring these environmental variables in urban environments is made difficult by the spatial heterogeneity of urban environments, meaning that two nearby locations may have significantly different temperatures, humidities, or gas concentrations. Thus, urban monitoring often requires more densely placed monitors than current standards or budgets allow. Recent advances in low-cost sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) enabled hardware offer possible solutions. We present an autonomous wireless, open-source, IoT-enabled environmental monitor called a WeatherCube, developed for the Greater Baltimore Open Air project, funded in part by the EPA SmartCity Challenge. The WeatherCube is suitable for urban monitoring and capable of measuring meteorological variables (temperature and humidity) as well as air quality (ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide). The WeatherCube devices were built in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, local government, and community members, including through an innovative job training program. Monitors are hosted by community partners and libraries throughout Baltimore city and surrounding communities. We present the first wave of data collected by the Greater Baltimore Open Air project and compare it to data collected by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). Additionally, we will provide an overview of our experience engaging with the local makers, citizen scientists, and environmental groups to improve their urban environmental monitoring. By developing low-cost devices tailored for urban environmental monitoring, we present an innovative model for both conducting research and community outreach.

Green or blue spaces? Assessment of the effectiveness and costs to mitigate the urban heat island in a Latin American city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Targino, Admir Créso; Coraiola, Guilherme Conor; Krecl, Patricia

2018-06-01

We measured air temperature at 14 sites with different land cover composition within the urban canopy layer of a mid-sized Brazilian city. The intensity (ΔT) of the urban heat island (UHI) was calculated using data collected above a lake and at an urban park as references. We investigated the spatio-temporal variability of ΔT during four contiguous days with varying weather. The first day was overcast and rainy, giving rise to a moderate UHI. The second day was sunny, which caused the diurnal ΔT fields to become heterogeneous, due to larger heating rates at sites with more man-made surfaces compared to natural surfaces. A high-pressure system observed on the last days brought cloudless skies, causing smaller ΔT during the day and greater at night. We hypothesise that the effect was due to the reduction of cooling via evapotranspiration caused by closing of the stomata as the soil dried out, which reduced the daytime temperature differences among the sites. The night-time effect was caused by stronger radiative cooling due to clear skies. The temperature within the park was always lower than over the lake, confirming that urban forestry is a more effective mechanism to combat the UHI. Introducing a park would be about sevenfold cheaper than building a city pond. Hence, green spaces are not only more efficient to combat the UHI but it is also a cheaper strategy compared to blue spaces. Moreover, vegetation delivers other benefits, such as removal of air pollutants, attenuation of urban noise, improvement of city aesthetic and their use as recreational spaces.

Interannual Variation in Baseline Ozone on the Western Coast of North America and Its Influence on Urban Air Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wigder, N. L.; Jaffe, D. A.; Lin, M.; Fiore, A. M.; Macdonald, A.; Gong, S.

2011-12-01

Baseline ozone (O3) has been defined as the distribution of mixing ratios from a site when it is not influenced by locally emitted pollution (McDonald-Buller et al., 2011; NRC, 2009; TF HTAP, 2007). In this study, we set out to understand the interannual variation (IAV) in baseline O3 along the western coast of North America and its influence on surface air quality in urban environments. Baseline data for this study comes from Trinidad Head, CA, Mount Bachelor, OR, Cheeka Peak, WA, Jackson Visitor Center, WA and Whistler Mountain, BC. We address four key questions:

1. Do baseline observations on the western coast of North America exhibit similar IAV?
2. How well can satellites identify IAV in baseline O3 along the western coast of North America?
3. How does the baseline IAV influence urban air quality and O3 regulatory exceedance days?
4. How well can global chemical transport models capture the IAV in baseline O3?

The association between urbanization and rheumatoid arthritis in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chiang, Yi-Chun; Yen, Yu-Hsuan; Chang, Wei-Chiao; Cheng, Kuei-Ju; Chang, Wei-Pin; Chen, Hsiang-Yin

2016-01-01

To investigate the association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and urbanization and compare the medication selection for RA patients in urban vs. rural areas. RA patients were identified among 1,000,000 random individuals from a 23-million-person nationwide health insurance database, and controls were matched at a 1 : 10 ratio. Taiwan's 359 townships were grouped into 7 urbanization levels. Geographic region and monthly income were also analyzed. Medication use in the most urbanized and less-urbanized areas were also compared. Rural dwellers had lower odds of having an RA diagnosis. The odds ratio (OR) for level 5 area residents of having an RA diagnosis was 0.62 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46 - 0.85; p = 0.002), and they were both 0.76 for level 6 - 7 area residents (95% CI, 0.61 - 0.95 for level 6; p = 0.017 and 0.60 - 0.96 for level 7; p = 0.021) compared to level 1 (the most urban dwellers). The ORs of having a new RA diagnosis were 0.57 (95% CI 0.41 - 0.79, p = 0.001) in eastern Taiwan and 0.33 (95% CI 0.15 - 0.69, p = 0.004) on offshore islands compared to northern Taiwan. No association was found between monthly income and RA. Urban-dwelling RA patients used more tumor necrosis factor-α antagonists (level 1 urbanization; n = 24; 2.3%) than RA patients in less-urbanized areas (level 2 - 7 urbanization n = 30; 1.3%; p = 0.038). Results of this study suggested that an RA diagnosis and treatment are associated with urbanization.

A Merging Approach for Urban Boundary Correction Acquired By Remote Sensing Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, P. L.; Shi, W. Z.; Wu, X. Y.

2014-11-01

Since reform and opening up to outside world, ever-growing economy and development of urbanization of China have caused expansion of the urban land scale. It's necessary to grasp the information about urban spatial form change, expansion situation and expanding regularity, in order to provide the scientific basis for urban management and planning. The traditional methods, like land supply cumulative method and remote sensing, to get the urban area, existed some defects. Their results always doesn't accord with the reality, and can't reflects the actual size of the urban area. Therefore, we propose a new method, making the best use of remote sensing, the population data, road data and other social economic statistic data. Because urban boundary not only expresses a geographical concept, also a social economic systems.It's inaccurate to describe urban area with only geographic areas. We firstly use remote sensing images, demographic data, road data and other data to produce urban boundary respectively. Then we choose the weight value for each boundary, and in terms of a certain model the ultimate boundary can be obtained by a series of calculations of previous boundaries. To verify the validity of this method, we design a set of experiments and obtained the preliminary results. The results have shown that this method can extract the urban area well and conforms with both the broad and narrow sense. Compared with the traditional methods, it's more real-time, objective and ornamental.

Endocrine disrupting compounds in the atmosphere of the urban area of Thessaloniki, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salapasidou, M.; Samara, C.; Voutsa, D.

2011-07-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in a complex urban atmosphere. Target compounds were alkylphenols (NP, tOP, nOP), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO), bisphenol A (BPA), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), and phthalates (DMP, DEP, DBP, BBP, DEHP, DNOP). EDCs were determined in ambient PM10 from two sampling sites, one urban-traffic and one urban-industrial, located in the city of Thessaloniki, northern Greece. At both sites, DEHP and NP were found to be the predominant EDCs in airborne PM10. Concentrations of NP did not exhibit any spatial difference, whereas concentrations of DEHP were significantly higher at the urban-traffic site. Wind direction was not found to have any significant effect on ambient EDCs concentrations suggesting impact from local sources rather than transport; however some peak concentrations might be attributed to short-distance sources. The gas/particle partition coefficient, Kp, and the gaseous phase of EDCs were calculated by employing two approaches based on literature data (a) for the subcooled liquid vapor pressure ( PL0) and (b) the octanol-air partition coefficient ( KOA). It appeared that the g/ p partition of phthalates estimated by the KOA approach is in better agreement with experimental partition data reported by other investigators. Absorption in organic matter was found to be significant partition mechanism at the urban-traffic site.

Aerosol Radiative Forcing in Asian Continental Outflow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pueschel, R.; Kinne, S.; Redemann, J.; Gore, Warren J. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Aerosols in elevated layers were sampled with FSSP-probes and wire impactors over the Pacific ocean aboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft. Analyses of particle size and morphology identifies two distinctly different aerosol types for cases when the mid-visible extinctions exceed 0.2/km. Smaller sizes (effective radii of 0.2 um) and moderate absorption (mid-visible single scattering albedo of.935) are typical for urban-industrial pollution. Larger sizes (effective radii of 0.7 um) and weak absorption (mid-visible single scattering albedo of 0.985) identify dust. This aerosol classification is in agreement with its origin as determined by airmass back trajectory analysis. Based on lidar vertical profiling, aerosol dominated by dust and urban-industrial pollution above 3km were assigned mid-visible optical depths of 0.50 and 0.27, respectively. Radiative transfer simulations, considering a 50% cloud-cover below the aerosol layers, suggest (on a daily tP C)C> basis) small reductions (-4W/m2) to the energy budget at the top of the atmosphere for both aerosol types. For c' 0 dust, more backscattering of sunlight (weaker solar absorption) is compensated by a stronger greenhouse effect due to larger sizes. Forced reductions to the energy budget at the surface are 12W/m2 for both aerosol types. In contrast, impacts on heating rates within the aerosol layers are quite different: While urban-industrial aerosol warms the layer (at +0.6K/day as solar heating dominates), dust cools (at -0.5K/day as infrared cooling dominates). Sensitivity tests show the dependence of the aerosol climatic impact on the optical depth, particle size, absorptivity, and altitude of the layers, as well as clouds and surface properties. Climatic cooling can be eliminated (1) for the urban-industrial aerosol if absorption is increased to yield a mid-visible single scattering albedo of 0.89, or if the ocean is replaced by a land surface; (2) for the dust aerosol if the effective radius is increased from 0.7 to 1.2 um. The removal of low-level clouds doubles the cooling at the top of the atmosphere to about -8W/m2.

Crystal structure of the tyrosine kinase domain of the hepatocyte growth factor receptor c-Met and its complex with the microbial alkaloid K-252a.

PubMed

Schiering, Nikolaus; Knapp, Stefan; Marconi, Marina; Flocco, Maria M; Cui, Jean; Perego, Rita; Rusconi, Luisa; Cristiani, Cinzia

2003-10-28

The protooncogene c-met codes for the hepatocyte growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase. Binding of its ligand, hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor, stimulates receptor autophosphorylation, which leads to pleiotropic downstream signaling events in epithelial cells, including cell growth, motility, and invasion. These events are mediated by interaction of cytoplasmic effectors, generally through Src homology 2 (SH2) domains, with two phosphotyrosine-containing sequence motifs in the unique C-terminal tail of c-Met (supersite). There is a strong link between aberrant c-Met activity and oncogenesis, which makes this kinase an important cancer drug target. The furanosylated indolocarbazole K-252a belongs to a family of microbial alkaloids that also includes staurosporine. It was recently shown to be a potent inhibitor of c-Met. Here we report the crystal structures of an unphosphorylated c-Met kinase domain harboring a human cancer mutation and its complex with K-252a at 1.8-A resolution. The structure follows the well established architecture of protein kinases. It adopts a unique, inhibitory conformation of the activation loop, a catalytically noncompetent orientation of helix alphaC, and reveals the complete C-terminal docking site. The first SH2-binding motif (1349YVHV) adopts an extended conformation, whereas the second motif (1356YVNV), a binding site for Grb2-SH2, folds as a type II Beta-turn. The intermediate portion of the supersite (1353NATY) assumes a type I Beta-turn conformation as in an Shc-phosphotyrosine binding domain peptide complex. K-252a is bound in the adenosine pocket with an analogous binding mode to those observed in previously reported structures of protein kinases in complex with staurosporine.

Short-Term Exposure to Air Pollution and Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress: The Framingham Heart Study.

PubMed

Li, Wenyuan; Wilker, Elissa H; Dorans, Kirsten S; Rice, Mary B; Schwartz, Joel; Coull, Brent A; Koutrakis, Petros; Gold, Diane R; Keaney, John F; Lin, Honghuang; Vasan, Ramachandran S; Benjamin, Emelia J; Mittleman, Murray A

2016-04-28

Short-term exposure to elevated air pollution has been associated with higher risk of acute cardiovascular diseases, with systemic oxidative stress induced by air pollution hypothesized as an important underlying mechanism. However, few community-based studies have assessed this association. Two thousand thirty-five Framingham Offspring Cohort participants living within 50 km of the Harvard Boston Supersite who were not current smokers were included. We assessed circulating biomarkers of oxidative stress including blood myeloperoxidase at the seventh examination (1998-2001) and urinary creatinine-indexed 8-epi-prostaglandin F2α (8-epi-PGF2α) at the seventh and eighth (2005-2008) examinations. We measured fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon, sulfate, nitrogen oxides, and ozone at the Supersite and calculated 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-, and 7-day moving averages of each pollutant. Measured myeloperoxidase and 8-epi-PGF2α were loge transformed. We used linear regression models and linear mixed-effects models with random intercepts for myeloperoxidase and indexed 8-epi-PGF2α, respectively. Models were adjusted for demographic variables, individual- and area-level measures of socioeconomic position, clinical and lifestyle factors, weather, and temporal trend. We found positive associations of PM2.5 and black carbon with myeloperoxidase across multiple moving averages. Additionally, 2- to 7-day moving averages of PM2.5 and sulfate were consistently positively associated with 8-epi-PGF2α. Stronger positive associations of black carbon and sulfate with myeloperoxidase were observed among participants with diabetes than in those without. Our community-based investigation supports an association of select markers of ambient air pollution with circulating biomarkers of oxidative stress. © 2016 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

Meteorological and dust aerosol conditions over the western Saharan region observed at Fennec Supersite-2 during the intensive observation period in June 2011

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todd, M. C.; Allen, C. J. T.; Bart, M.; Bechir, M.; Bentefouet, J.; Brooks, B. J.; Cavazos-Guerra, C.; Clovis, T.; Deyane, S.; Dieh, M.; Engelstaedter, S.; Flamant, C.; Garcia-Carreras, L.; Gandega, A.; Gascoyne, M.; Hobby, M.; Kocha, C.; Lavaysse, C.; Marsham, J. H.; Martins, J. V.; McQuaid, J. B.; Ngamini, J. B.; Parker, D. J.; Podvin, T.; Rocha-Lima, A.; Traore, S.; Wang, Y.; Washington, R.

2013-08-01

The climate of the Sahara is relatively poorly observed and understood, leading to errors in forecast model simulations. We describe observations from the Fennec Supersite-2 (SS2) at Zouerate, Mauritania during the June 2011 Fennec Intensive Observation Period. These provide an improved basis for understanding and evaluating processes, models, and remote sensing. Conditions during June 2011 show a marked distinction between: (i) a "Maritime phase" during the early part of the month when the western sector of the Sahara experienced cool northwesterly maritime flow throughout the lower troposphere with shallow daytime boundary layers, very little dust uplift/transport or cloud cover. (ii) A subsequent "heat low" phase which coincided with a marked and rapid westward shift in the Saharan heat low towards its mid-summer climatological position and advection of a deep hot, dusty air layer from the central Sahara (the "Saharan residual layer"). This transition affected the entire western-central Sahara. Dust advected over SS2 was primarily from episodic low-level jet (LLJ)-generated emission in the northeasterly flow around surface troughs. Unlike Fennec SS1, SS2 does not often experience cold pools from moist convection and associated dust emissions. The diurnal evolution at SS2 is strongly influenced by the Atlantic inflow (AI), a northwesterly flow of shallow, cool and moist air propagating overnight from coastal West Africa to reach SS2 in the early hours. The AI cools and moistens the western Saharan and weakens the nocturnal LLJ, limiting its dust-raising potential. We quantify the ventilation and moistening of the western flank of the Sahara by (i) the large-scale flow and (ii) the regular nocturnal AI and LLJ mesoscale processes.

C-reactive protein and diabetic retinopathy in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Yang, Xiu-Fen; Deng, Yu; Gu, Hong; Lim, Apiradee; Snellingen, Torkel; Liu, Xi-Pu; Wang, Ning-Li; Domalpally, Amitha; Danis, Ronald; Liu, Ning-Pu

2016-01-01

To investigate the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in a cohort of Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Community-based observational cohort study. There were 1131 participants recruited from November 2009 to September 2011 in Desheng community in urban Beijing. Patients diagnosed T2DM were recruited and underwent a standardized evaluation consisting of a questionnaire, ocular and anthropometric examinations and laboratory investigation. The presence and severity of DR were assessed by seven fields 30° color fundus photographs. Subjects were then classified into groups with no DR, any DR, or vision-threatening DR. CRP was analyzed from serum of study subjects. A total of 1007 patients with T2DM were included for analysis, including 408 (40.5%) men and 599 (59.5%) women. The median CRP level was 1.5 mg/L for women and 1.1 mg/L for men (P=0.004, OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.18-0.74). After adjusting for possible covariates, higher levels of CRP were associated with lower prevalence of any DR (P=0.02, OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.35-0.89), but not associated with vision-threatening DR (P=0.62, OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.28-2.14). After stratification by sex, the inverse association between CRP and DR was found to be statistically significant in men (P=0.006, OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.16-0.73), but not in women (P=0.58, OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.29-1.16). The data drawn from a Chinese population with T2DM suggest that increasing CRP levels may be inversely associated with development of DR.

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the adult Russian population (NATION study).

PubMed

Dedov, Ivan; Shestakova, Marina; Benedetti, Massimo Massi; Simon, Dominique; Pakhomov, Iakov; Galstyan, Gagik

2016-05-01

To estimate type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevalence in Russian adults. NATION is a national, epidemiological, cross-sectional study, conducted in Russia. In adults (aged 20-79 years), recruitment was stratified by age, sex, geographic region and settlement type to obtain a representative sample. Recruitment was in public areas with high numbers of people. T2DM was diagnosed by glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels (diabetes: HbA1c ≥6.5% [≥48mmol/mol]; pre-diabetes: HbA1c ≥5.7 to <6.5% [≥39 to <48mmol/mol]). Socio-demographic and anthropometric data were collected. Blood samples from 26,620 subjects were available. Overall, 5.4% were diagnosed with T2DM (previously diagnosed: 2.5%; previously undiagnosed: 2.9%); 19.3% were pre-diabetic. T2DM prevalence increased with age (up to 70 years) and was higher among females than males (6.1% vs. 4.7%, p<0.001). The estimated proportion of subjects with pre-diabetes and T2DM tended to increase with increasing body mass index. T2DM prevalence was higher in rural versus urban populations (6.7% vs. 5.0%, p<0.001). In the Russian adult population, 19.3% had pre-diabetes, T2DM prevalence was 5.4%, and 54% of subjects with diabetes were previously undiagnosed. These results may help to develop a new T2DM predictive, preventative and management programme in Russia. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effects of Urban Development on Water-Quality in the Piedmont of North Carolina-- The NAWQA Urban Land-Use Gradient Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harned, D. A.; Cuffney, T. F.; Giddings, E. M.; McMahon, G.

2004-12-01

A study of urban basins located in the Piedmont of North Carolina is underway as part of the U. S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) to determine the relation between level of urban development and water quality. Data were collected from 30 basins on water chemistry (nutrient, pesticide, and ion concentrations), geomorphic and habitat characteristics, hydrologic stage, discharge, water temperature, pH, dissolved-oxygen concentration, specific conductance, benthic algae, invertebrate communities, and fish communities. Collection frequency for water chemistry ranged from 2 samples (at 20 sites) to 6 samples (at 10 sites). Biological data were collected in each basin twice. Investigation of the effects of urbanization on water quality must control for the effects of natural factors, while varying the degree of urbanization between study basins. A regional framework was used to control variability in natural factors that influence water-quality. The urban intensity in each basin was measured by using an index to integrate information on human influences. The Urban Index includes information about land cover, infrastructure, population, and socioeconomic characteristics. Sites were selected to represent the full gradient of undeveloped to fully urbanized basins. A preliminary review of the stream water-chemistry data indicates distinct relations between ionic composition and the Urban Index. Mean specific conductance was positively correlated with the Urban Index (Spearman correlation coefficient (r) = 0.77; 95-percent confidence limits (95CL) 0.61 - 0.93; probability (pr) <0.0001; N=30). Specific conductance ranged from 56 microsiemens (uS) at the least developed site to 607 uS at the most developed site. Dissolved sulfate (r=0.74; 95CL 0.57 - 0.91; pr <0.0001) and chloride (r=0.71; 95CL 0.52 - 0.90; pr <0.0001) were also positively correlated with the Urban Index. Sulfate ranged from 2.3 to 66 milligrams per liter (mg/L), and chloride ranged from 3.5 to 96 mg/L. Urban sources of sulfate include domestic sewage and emissions from the combustion of automotive and diesel fuels. Sources of chloride include sewage and road salting. pH was positively correlated with the Urban Index (r=0.60; 95CL 0.38 - 0.84; pr= 0.0005) with a range from 6.5 at the least urban site to 7.5 at the most urban site. The increase in pH may be due in part to conversion of organic forest soils to less acidic soils of urban lawns. The overall trend of increasing total dissolved nitrogen (r=0.46; 95CL 0.12 - 0.80; pr=0.0103) and nitrite plus nitrate (r=0.46; 95CL 0.09 - 0.83; pr=0.0109) concentrations, with increasing Urban Index may reflect sources such as sewage and lawn fertilizer use in the more urban basins. However, some of the least urban basins also had elevated nitrogen concentrations reflecting possible agricultural influences such as fertilizer use and animal waste. Total nitrogen concentration ranged from 0.31 to 14 mg/L. Unit-area stream discharge during low-flow periods was negatively correlated with the Urban Index (r= -0.56; 95CL -0.74 - -0.37; pr=0.0014). Reduced discharge with greater urban development may be a result of reduced infiltration caused by impervious surfaces. Unit discharge ranged from 0.47 to 2.27 cubic feet per second per square mile of drainage area.

Non-esterified fatty acids in early luteal bovine oviduct fluid mirror plasma concentrations: An ex vivo approach.

PubMed

Jordaens, Lies; Van Hoeck, Veerle; De Bie, Jessie; Berth, Mario; Marei, Waleed F A; Desmet, Karolien L J; Bols, Peter E J; Leroy, Jo L M R

2017-09-01

We investigated whether and to which extent plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) are reflected in oviduct fluid (OF) using an improved ex vivo flushing method. OF and plasma NEFA concentrations were respectively 0.29±0.19 and 0.31±0.14mmol/L, they didn't differ significantly (P=0.13) and tended to be positively correlated (Pearson correlation coefficient=0.56; P=0.07). Results suggest that OF NEFAs mirror the concentrations seen in plasma of healthy cattle. Copyright © 2017 Society for Biology of Reproduction & the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

[Associated factors related to first spermatorrhea and menarche among high and primary school students, in Chongqing].

PubMed

Li, K Q; Wang, H; Guo, J; Yuan, B C; Guan, P Y

2016-02-01

To understand the status and correlative factors on menarche and first spermatorrhea among children and adolescents, in Chongqing, in order to provide theoretical basis for carrying out sex and health education in this population. By random stratified and cluster sampling, 10 498 students (5 372 boys and 5 126 girls), 5 to 18 years old and living in Chongqing urban districts, were enrolled. General situation and physical features of the population were studied. Statistics analysis system included logistic regression methods, t-test and chi-square test. For urban kids, first experience of spermatorrhea was 0.218 years later than those living in the rural areas (Z=-73.287,P<0.001), but median age for girls in urban areas was 0.073 years earlier than in rural areas (Z=-71.589,P<0.001). Except for factor as mother's education level in the family (χ(2)=21.564, P<0.001), other family or environment related factors did not show significant difference between the two groups of boys (P>0.05). However, significant difference appeared in average family income (χ(2)=6.175,P=0.046) between two groups of girls. Data from the logistic analysis showed that BMI, hip circumference, height, weight, number of children in the family, time of sleep and the diet structure were associated with menarche. Correlative factors of boys' first spermatorrhea would include: high-energy snacks, hip circumference, weight, height, school type and mother' s education level (P<0.05). First spermatorrhea and menstruation of boys and girls were closely related to environment of the family, diet and the time of sleep.

Taenia solium taeniasis and cysticercosis in three communities in north Vietnam.

PubMed

Somers, R; Dorny, P; Nguyen, V K; Dang, T C T; Goddeeris, B; Craig, P S; Vercruysse, J

2006-01-01

(1) To investigate the response to a serum antigen-detecting ELISA for cysticercosis and a stool coproantigen test for taeniasis in two rural communities (mountainous and coastal areas) and one group of (peri-)urban factory workers; and (2) to examine clinical features of human cysticercosis in northern Vietnam. Villagers and factory workers and their families were informed and invited to participate in the study. Blood and faecal samples were collected from the participants and a simple questionnaire on taeniasis/cysticercosis completed. Serum was examined for the presence of circulating cysticercus antigen by a monoclonal-based sandwich ELISA. Ag-ELISA positive persons underwent a clinical examination and a computed tomography (CT) scan. Stool samples were examined microscopically for the presence of Taenia eggs and for copro-antigens. Tapeworms were identified following therapeutic expulsion using morphology and PCR-RFLP. Circulating cysticercus antigens, suggesting active infection, were detected in 5.3% (16/303), 0.6% (1/175) and 0.0% (0/229) of the sampled individuals from the mountainous, coastal and urban regions, respectively. Clinical examination and CT scan of the cysticercus antigen positive persons showed that active cysticercosis did not cause severe disease in most cases. Taenia copro-antigens were found in 0.3% (1/297), 1.8% (3/166) and 0.0% (0/228) of the stool samples from the mountainous, coastal and urban communities, respectively. Three tapeworms were expelled after treatment: two Taenia solium and one Taenia saginata. This survey points to a focal distribution of taeniasis/cysticercosis and suggests that human cysticercosis is rather acquired due to close contact with a T. solium carrier and self-infection, than through infection from the environment.

[The Effects of Urban Forest-walking Program on Health Promotion Behavior, Physical Health, Depression, and Quality of Life: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Office-workers].

PubMed

Bang, Kyung Sook; Lee, In Sook; Kim, Sung Jae; Song, Min Kyung; Park, Se Eun

2016-02-01

This study was performed to determine the physical and psychological effects of an urban forest-walking program for office workers. For many workers, sedentary lifestyles can lead to low levels of physical activity causing various health problems despite an increased interest in health promotion. Fifty four office workers participated in this study. They were assigned to two groups (experimental group and control group) in random order and the experimental group performed 5 weeks of walking exercise based on Information-Motivation-Behavioral skills Model. The data were collected from October to November 2014. SPSS 21.0 was used for the statistical analysis. The results showed that the urban forest walking program had positive effects on the physical activity level (U=65.00, p<.001), health promotion behavior (t=-2.20, p=.033), and quality of life (t=-2.42, p=.020). However, there were no statistical differences in depression, waist size, body mass index, blood pressure, or bone density between the groups. The current findings of the study suggest the forest-walking program may have positive effects on improving physical activity, health promotion behavior, and quality of life. The program can be used as an effective and efficient strategy for physical and psychological health promotion for office workers.

Buildings Change Detection Based on Shape Matching for Multi-Resolution Remote Sensing Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdessetar, M.; Zhong, Y.

2017-09-01

Buildings change detection has the ability to quantify the temporal effect, on urban area, for urban evolution study or damage assessment in disaster cases. In this context, changes analysis might involve the utilization of the available satellite images with different resolutions for quick responses. In this paper, to avoid using traditional method with image resampling outcomes and salt-pepper effect, building change detection based on shape matching is proposed for multi-resolution remote sensing images. Since the object's shape can be extracted from remote sensing imagery and the shapes of corresponding objects in multi-scale images are similar, it is practical for detecting buildings changes in multi-scale imagery using shape analysis. Therefore, the proposed methodology can deal with different pixel size for identifying new and demolished buildings in urban area using geometric properties of objects of interest. After rectifying the desired multi-dates and multi-resolutions images, by image to image registration with optimal RMS value, objects based image classification is performed to extract buildings shape from the images. Next, Centroid-Coincident Matching is conducted, on the extracted building shapes, based on the Euclidean distance measurement between shapes centroid (from shape T0 to shape T1 and vice versa), in order to define corresponding building objects. Then, New and Demolished buildings are identified based on the obtained distances those are greater than RMS value (No match in the same location).

Language barrier and its relationship to diabetes and diabetic retinopathy.

PubMed

Zheng, Yingfeng; Lamoureux, Ecosse L; Chiang, Pei-Chia Peggy; Anuar, Ainur Rahman; Ding, Jie; Wang, Jie Jin; Mitchell, Paul; Tai, E-Shyong; Wong, Tien Y

2012-09-13

Language barrier is an important determinant of health care access and health. We examined the associations of English proficiency with type-2 diabetes (T2DM) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Asian Indians living in Singapore, an urban city where English is the predominant language of communication. This was a population-based, cross-sectional study. T2DM was defined as HbA1c ≥6.5%, use of diabetic medication or a physician diagnosis of diabetes. Retinal photographs were graded for the severity of DR including vision-threatening DR (VTDR). Presenting visual impairment (VI) was defined as LogMAR visual acuity > 0.30 in the better-seeing eye. English proficiency at the time of interview was assessed. The analyses included 2,289 (72.1%) English-speaking and 885 (27.9%) Tamil-speaking Indians. Tamil-speaking Indians had significantly higher prevalence of T2DM (46.2 vs. 34.7%, p < 0.001) and, among those with diabetes, higher prevalence of DR (36.0 vs. 30.6%, p < 0.001), VTDR (11.0 vs. 6.5%, p < 0.001), and VI (32.4 vs. 14.6%) than English speaking Indians. Oaxaca decomposition analyses showed that the language-related discrepancies (defined as the difference in prevalence between persons speaking different languages) in T2DM, DR, and VTDR could not be fully explained by socioeconomic measures. In an English dominant society, Tamil-speaking Indians are more likely to have T2DM and diabetic retinopathy. Social policies and health interventions that address language-related health disparities may help reduce the public health impact of T2DM in societies with heterogeneous populations.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic sheep and goats in Borno state, Nigeria.

PubMed

Kamani, Joshua; Mani, Aliyu U; Egwu, Godwin O

2010-04-01

Serum samples were collected from 372 sheep and same number of goats from the three geopolitical zones of Borno state, Nigeria. The samples were tested for the presences of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Of these, 6.7% (25/372) and 4.6% (17/372) of sheep and goats, respectively, were found to be seropositive to T. gondii antibodies, both far less than the estimated global average of 31%. Results were statistically analyzed by chi-square (chi(2)) test. The results showed that age, environmental conditions, and farm location are the main determinants of prevalence of antibodies against T. gondii in the study area. Older animals (>3 years) are significantly more infected than younger animals (between 6 months and 1 year).The prevalence of anti T. gondii antibodies is significantly higher (P < 0.05) in both sheep and goats sampled from the southern zone than the northern zone. Animals from the southern zones are about four times more likely to be exposed to T. gondii infection than those in the northern zone, (sheep; odds ratio (OR) = 4.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.177-15.36, P = 0.018), (goats; OR = 4.38, 95% CI = 0.925-20.73, P = 0.04). Farm location in urban area was identified as a risk factor for sheep (OR = 6.06, 95% CI = 2.53-14.54, P = 0.000), and goats (OR = 4.99, 95% CI = 1.59-15.62, P = 0.004). Current data on prevalence of ovine and caprine T. gondii in Borno state are provided by the study as well as identifying the main risk factors associated with T. gondii infection in the area.

Language barrier and its relationship to diabetes and diabetic retinopathy

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Language barrier is an important determinant of health care access and health. We examined the associations of English proficiency with type-2 diabetes (T2DM) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Asian Indians living in Singapore, an urban city where English is the predominant language of communication. Methods This was a population-based, cross-sectional study. T2DM was defined as HbA1c ≥6.5%, use of diabetic medication or a physician diagnosis of diabetes. Retinal photographs were graded for the severity of DR including vision-threatening DR (VTDR). Presenting visual impairment (VI) was defined as LogMAR visual acuity > 0.30 in the better-seeing eye. English proficiency at the time of interview was assessed. Results The analyses included 2,289 (72.1%) English-speaking and 885 (27.9%) Tamil- speaking Indians. Tamil-speaking Indians had significantly higher prevalence of T2DM (46.2 vs. 34.7%, p < 0.001) and, among those with diabetes, higher prevalence of DR (36.0 vs. 30.6%, p < 0.001), VTDR (11.0 vs. 6.5%, p < 0.001), and VI (32.4 vs. 14.6%) than English speaking Indians. Oaxaca decomposition analyses showed that the language-related discrepancies (defined as the difference in prevalence between persons speaking different languages) in T2DM, DR, and VTDR could not be fully explained by socioeconomic measures. Conclusions In an English dominant society, Tamil-speaking Indians are more likely to have T2DM and diabetic retinopathy. Social policies and health interventions that address language-related health disparities may help reduce the public health impact of T2DM in societies with heterogeneous populations. PMID:22974298

Simultaneous effects of environmental factors on motile Aeromonas dynamics in an urban effluent and in the natural seawater.

PubMed

Maalej, Sami; Mahjoubi, Amira; Elazri, Chafai; Dukan, Sam

2003-07-01

Seasonal dynamics of motile Aeromonas in a treated urban effluent and in natural seawater along the Sfax coast (Mediterranean sea, Tunisia) were measured over a year concurrently with seven environmental factors, and compared with those of faecal coliforms. Counts for Aeromonas from a standard plate count method, ranged from 1.48 x 10(5)CFU.100 ml(-1) to 2.2 x 10(8)CFU.100 ml(-1) in the effluent and from 7.9 x 10(3)CFU.100 ml(-1) to undetectable level in the surface marine waters. Contrary to faecal coliforms, the Aeromonas dynamics exhibited a seasonal distribution in seawater which was inverse of the seasonal distribution in the sewage: From the end of November 1998 to April 1999 (cold period), Aeromonas counts increased in the treated effluent, while it decreased very rapidly in seawater. From May to October (warm period), Aeromonas abundance decreased in the effluent but showed an increasing fluctuating trend in the marine waters with a maximum in late summer/early autumn when the temperatures were around 22-23 degrees C. Multiple correlation and regression analyses suggest, by the coefficient of determination (R(2)), that 42% of variance in Aeromonas number changes in the treated effluent, may be explained by only turbidity, radiation and Aeromonas density in the previous sample, while 37% of variance in marine ecosystem were explained by radiance and conductivity. Furthermore, the t statistics and their p values and the coefficient of partial determination (r(2)) indicated that radiance contributed the most (r(2)=0.3184, t=-3.2, p=0.0041) to the dynamics of motile Aeromonas in seawater, when combined with conductivity. The models relevant for changes in faecal coliforms abundance incorporated turbidity, radiance in the effluent and conductivity, pH, radiance, turbidity in coastal marine environment. These models explain 66% and 73% of the observed cell number fluctuation, with turbidity (r(2)=0.529, t=5.08, p=0.0001) and conductivity (r(2)=0.5407, t=4.97, p=0.0001) as dominant factors in the multivariate model proposed, respectively, for the two sampling sites. The results presented here suggest that the combination of negative effects of sunlight and conductivity in natural seawater mainly affects the colony-forming capacity and make the motile Aeromonas nonrecoverable during cold months.

Gastrointestinal and ectoparasites from urban stray dogs in Fortaleza (Brazil): high infection risk for humans?

PubMed

Klimpel, Sven; Heukelbach, Jörg; Pothmann, David; Rückert, Sonja

2010-08-01

Dogs are important definite or reservoir hosts for zoonotic parasites. However, only few studies on the prevalence of intestinal parasites in urban areas in Brazil are available. We performed a comprehensive study on parasites of stray dogs in a Brazilian metropolitan area. We included 46 stray dogs caught in the urban areas of Fortaleza (northeast Brazil). After euthanization, dogs were autopsied. Ectoparasites were collected, and the intestinal content of dogs were examined for the presence of parasites. Faecal samples were collected and analysed using merthiolate iodine formaldehyde concentration method. A total of nine different parasite species were found, including five endoparasite (one protozoan, one cestode and three nematode species) and four ectoparasite species (two flea, one louse and one tick species). In the intestinal content, 3,162 specimens of four helminth species were found: Ancylostoma caninum (prevalence, 95.7%), Dipylidium caninum (45.7%), Toxocara canis (8.7%) and Trichuris vulpis (4.3%). A total of 394 ectoparasite specimens were identified, including Rhipicephalus sanguineus (prevalence, 100.0%), Heterodoxus spiniger (67.4%), Ctenocephalides canis (39.1%) and Ctenocephalides felis (17.4%). In the faeces, intestinal parasites were detected in 38 stray dogs (82.6%), including oocysts of Giardia sp. (2.2%) and eggs of the nematode A. caninum (82.6%). Neither eggs nor larval stages of D. caninum, T. canis or T. vulpis were detected in dog faeces. Sensitivity of faecal examination for A. caninum was 86.4% (95% confidence interval, 72.0-94.3) but zero percentage for the other intestinal helminth species. Our data show that stray dogs in northeast Brazil carry a multitude of zoonotic ecto- and endoparasites, posing a considerable risk for humans. With the exception of A. caninum, sensitivity of faecal examination was negligible.

2020s scenario analysis of nutrient load in the Mekong River Basin using a distributed hydrological model.

PubMed

Yoshimura, Chihiro; Zhou, Maichun; Kiem, Anthony S; Fukami, Kazuhiko; Prasantha, Hapuarachchi H A; Ishidaira, Hiroshi; Takeuchi, Kuniyoshi

2009-10-01

A distributed hydrological model, YHyM, was integrated with the export coefficient concept and applied to simulate the nutrient load in the Mekong River Basin. In the validation period (1992-1999), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency was 76.4% for discharge, 65.9% for total nitrogen, and 45.3% for total phosphorus at Khong Chiam. Using the model, scenario analysis was then performed for the 2020s taking into account major anthropogenic factors: climate change, population, land cover, fertilizer use, and industrial waste water. The results show that the load at Kompong Cham in 2020s is 6.3 x 10(4)tN a(-1) (+13.0% compared to 1990s) and 4.3 x 10(3)tP a(-1) (+24.7%). Overall, the noticeable nutrient sources are cropland in the middle region and urban load in the lower region. The installation of waste water treatment plants in urban areas possibly cut 60.6%N and 19.9%P of the estimated increase in the case without any treatment.

Air pollution is associated with brainstem auditory nuclei pathology and delayed brainstem auditory evoked potentials.

PubMed

Calderón-Garcidueñas, Lilian; D'Angiulli, Amedeo; Kulesza, Randy J; Torres-Jardón, Ricardo; Osnaya, Norma; Romero, Lina; Keefe, Sheyla; Herritt, Lou; Brooks, Diane M; Avila-Ramirez, Jose; Delgado-Chávez, Ricardo; Medina-Cortina, Humberto; González-González, Luis Oscar

2011-06-01

We assessed brainstem inflammation in children exposed to air pollutants by comparing brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) and blood inflammatory markers in children age 96.3±8.5 months from highly polluted (n=34) versus a low polluted city (n=17). The brainstems of nine children with accidental deaths were also examined. Children from the highly polluted environment had significant delays in wave III (t(50)=17.038; p<0.0001) and wave V (t(50)=19.730; p<0.0001) but no delay in wave I (p=0.548). They also had significantly longer latencies than controls for interwave intervals I-III, III-V, and I-V (all t(50)>7.501; p<0.0001), consisting with delayed central conduction time of brainstem neural transmission. Highly exposed children showed significant evidence of inflammatory markers and their auditory and vestibular nuclei accumulated α synuclein and/or β amyloid(1-42). Medial superior olive neurons, critically involved in BAEPs, displayed significant pathology. Children's exposure to urban air pollution increases their risk for auditory and vestibular impairment. Copyright © 2011 ISDN. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relationship between nighttime formation of gaseous HONO and nocturnal stability in an urban environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLaren, Robert; Wojtal, Patryk; Taylor, Peter

2014-05-01

Nitrous acid (HONO) is an important radical precursor in the troposphere that accumulates overnight giving rise to a significant photolytic production of the hydroxyl radical, OH, in the boundary layer during early morning hours the next day. It is understood that HONO is formed in the dark through the heterogeneous hydrolysis of NO2 on surfaces (2 NO2+ H2O -> HONO + HNO3) in a first order process, largely dominated by hydrolysis on ground surfaces and a smaller contribution from aerosol surfaces. Despite progress, the dark heterogeneous mechanism of HONO formation is still not well understood, mirroring our lack of consensus on the daytime production of HONO. We have measured HONO at night in an urban area (York University, Toronto, Canada) by DOAS for over one year. This rich dataset was analyzed with a view to understanding the nocturnal formation mechanism, and possible links to the daytime HONO formation mechanism. Frequently, "steady-states" of HONO are observed at night; d[HONO]/dt ~ 0, which follow after a rapid buildup of HONO during sunset at rates of several ppb hr-1. These steady-state levels of HONO are found to be independent of the mixing ratio of NO2 throughout the night. On other occasions, steady-states are not observed and HONO continues to increase throughout the night, highly correlated with the levels of NO2 d([HONO]/[NO2])/dt ~ 0). We have found that a very significant predictor of the type of behavior is the nocturnal stability of the atmosphere, measured by the thermal gradient, ΔT=T9.5m-T1.0m, and wind speed. The steady-state behavior is found to occur almost exclusively on unstable nights with higher wind speeds and ΔT ~ 0, when mixing of air in the lower atmosphere is more efficient. The non steady-state behavior of HONO is observed on stable nights with low wind speeds and large thermal gradients, ΔT > 2oC indicating limited vertical mixing. The observation of NO2 independent steady-states of HONO under conditions of efficient nocturnal mixing suggest that the steady-state may result from an equilibrium between a surface reservoir source of HONO, reminiscent of those observed in the polluted marine boundary layer at night (Wojtal et al., Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 3243-3261, 2011).

Modern inhalation anesthetics: Potent greenhouse gases in the global atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vollmer, Martin K.; Rhee, Tae Siek; Rigby, Matt; Hofstetter, Doris; Hill, Matthias; Schoenenberger, Fabian; Reimann, Stefan

2015-03-01

Modern halogenated inhalation anesthetics undergo little metabolization during clinical application and evaporate almost completely to the atmosphere. Based on their first measurements in a range of environments, from urban areas to the pristine Antarctic environment, we detect a rapid accumulation and ubiquitous presence of isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane in the global atmosphere. Over the past decade, their abundances in the atmosphere have increased to global mean mole fractions in 2014 of 0.097ppt, 0.30ppt, and 0.13ppt (parts per trillion, 10-12, in dry air), respectively. Emissions of these long-lived greenhouse gases inferred from the observations suggest a global combined release to the atmosphere of 3.1 ± 0.6 million t CO2 equivalent in 2014 of which ≈80% stems from desflurane. We also report on halothane, a previously widely used anesthetic. Its global mean mole fraction has declined to 9.2ppq (parts per quadrillion, 10-15) by 2014. However, the inferred present usage is still 280 ±120t yr-1.

Fire Safety Aspects of Polymeric Materials. Volume 2. Test Methods, Specifications and Standards

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-01-01

San Francisco, California. RAYMOND R. HINDERSINN, Section Manager, Research Center, Hooker Chemi- cal Co., Niagara Falls, New York. WILLIAM C ...Administration, Washington, D. C . DANIEL F. SHEEHAN, DoT, U. S. Coast Guard, Washington, D. C . WILLIAM J. WERNER, Department of Housing and Urban Development...Executive Scientists and Director Advances Research Program Laboratory 3M Company P. 0. Box 33221 St. Paul, MIM 55133 Mr. William D. Manly

Comparison of Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish moss) water and leachate dynamics between urban and pristine barrier island maritime oak forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Stan, J. T.; Stubbins, A.; Reichard, J. S.; Wright, K.; Jenkins, R. B.

2013-12-01

Epiphyte coverage on forest canopies can drastically alter the volume and chemical composition of rainwater reaching soils. Along subtropical and tropical coastlines Tillandisa usneoides L. (Spanish moss), in particular, can envelop urban and natural tree crowns. Several cities actively manage their 'moss' covered forest to enhance aesthetics in the most active tourist areas (e.g., Savannah GA, St. Augustine FL, Charleston SC). Since T. usneoides survives through atmospheric water and solute exchange from specialized trichomes (scales), we hypothesized that T. usneoides water storage dynamics and leachate chemistry may be altered by exposure to this active urban atmosphere. 30 samples of T. usneoides from managed forests around the tourist center of Savannah, Georgia, USA were collected to compare with 30 samples from the pristine maritime live oak (Quercus virginiana Mill.) forests of a nearby undeveloped barrier island (St. Catherines Island, Georgia, USA). Maximum water storage capacities were determined via submersion (for all 60 samples) along with dissolved ion (DI) and organic matter (DOM) concentrations (for 15 samples each) after simulated throughfall generation using milliQ ultrapurified water. Further, DOM quality was evaluated (for 15 samples each) using absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy (EEMS). Results show significant alterations to water storage dynamics, DI, DOM, and DOM quality metrics under urban atmospheric conditions, suggesting modified C and water cycling in urban forest canopies that may, in turn, influence intrasystem nutrient cycles in urban catchment soils or streams via runoff.

[Quality of life and related influencing factors in Chinese adults].

PubMed

Deng, Q; Wang, L M; Zhang, M

2016-02-01

To evaluate the quality of life (QOL) and influencing factors on Chinese adults. 83 666 subjects from 2010 Chronic Non-communicable Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance Project in China were included in this study. Questionnaire was used to collect information on general condition and health status. WHOQOL-BREF was adopted as an instrument to measure the QOL on all the subjects.t test was used to compare QOL from different groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the association of QOL with BMI, by gender. Among all the 83 666 subjects, mean scores of physical,psychological, social relationship and environment domains appeared as (73.97 ± 13.84), (66.65 ± 14.21), (65.76 ± 14.08) and (56.59 ± 15.15), respectively. Age, residential areas (urban/rural), education levels and marital status all showed significant impact on scores of the four domains (P<0.05). Scores decreased with age and increased with education level (P<0.05). Scores of rural adults were greater than those from the urban and the scores of married or cohabiting adults were greater than the other groups (P<0.05). Physical and psychological scores were lower in women than that of in men (P<0.05). Except for environment domain, scores of patients with chronic diseases were much lower than those without. Factors as age, residence (urban/rural), education levels, marital status and chronic diseases could significantly influence the QOL of Chinese adults.

Azolla-Anabaena's behaviour in urban wastewater and artificial media--influence of combined nitrogen.

PubMed

Costa, M L; Santos, M C R; Carrapiço, F; Pereira, A L

2009-08-01

The results of using the nitrogen fixing symbiotic system Azolla-Anabaena to improve the quality of treated urban wastewater, particularly on what concerns phosphorus removal efficiencies (40-65%), obtained in continuous assays performed during the past few years and presented earlier, were very promising. Nevertheless, the presence of combined nitrogen in some wastewaters can compromise the treatment efficiency. The main goal of this work was to compare plants behaviour in wastewater and in mineral media with and without added nitrogen. Azolla filiculoides's specific growth rates in wastewater and in mineral media without added nitrogen or with low nitrate concentration were very similar (0.122 d(-1)-0.126 d(-1)), but decreased in the presence of ammonium (0.100 d(-1)). The orthophosphate removal rate coefficients were similar in all the growth media (0.210 d(-1)-0.232 d(-1)), but ammonium removal rate coefficient in wastewater was higher (0.117 d(-1)) than in mineral medium using that source of nitrogen (0.077 d(-1)). The ammonium present in wastewater, despite its high concentration (34 mg NL(-1)), didn't seem to inhibit growth and nitrogen fixation, however, in mineral media, ammonium (40 mg NL(-1)) was found to induce, respectively, 18% and 46% of inhibition.

Comparing Aerosol Retrievals from Ground-Based Instruments at the Impact-Pm Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kupinski, M.; Bradley, C. L.; Kalashnikova, O. V.; Xu, F.; Diner, D. J.; Clements, C. B.; Camacho, C.

2016-12-01

Detection of aerosol types, components having different size and chemical composition, over urban areas is important for understanding their impact on health and climate. In particular, sustained contact with size-differentiated airborne particulate matter: PM10 and PM2.5 can lead to adverse health effects such as asthma attacks, heart and lung diseases, and premature mortality. Multi-angular polarimetric measurements have been advocated in recent years as an additional tool to better understand and retrieve the aerosol properties needed for improved predictions of aerosol impart on air quality and climate. We deployed the ground-based Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (GroundMSPI) for accurate spectropolarimetric and radiance measurements co-located with the AERONET CIMEL sun photometer and a Halo Doppler 18 m resolution lidar from San José State University at the Garland-Fresno Air Quality supersite in Fresno, CA on July 7 during the Imaging Polarimetric Assessment and Characterization of Tropospheric Particulate Matter (ImPACT-PM) field experiment. GroundMSPI sampled the atmospheric scattering phase function in and 90 degrees out of the principal plane every 15 minutes in an automated manner, utilizing the 2-axis gimbal mount in elevation and azimuth. The goal of this work is verify atmospheric measurement of GroundMSPI with the coincident CIMEL sun photometer and ground-based lidar. Diffuse-sky radiance measurements of GroundMSPI are compared with the CIMEL sun photometer throughout the day. AERONET aerosol parameters such as size, shape, and index of refraction as well as lidar aerosol extinction profiles will be used in a forward radiative transfer model to compare with GroundMSPI observations and optimize these parameters to best match GroundMSPI data.

Thermal comfort of pedestrians in an urban street canyon is affected by increasing albedo of building walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyunjung; Mayer, Helmut

2018-03-01

Numerical simulations based on the ENVI-met model were carried out for an E-W street canyon in the city of Stuttgart (Southwest Germany) to analyse the effect of increased albedo of building walls on outdoor human thermal comfort. It was quantified by air temperature (T a ), mean radiant temperature (T mrt ) and physiologically equivalent temperature (PET). The simulations were conducted on 4 August 2003 as a heat wave day that represents a typical scenario for future summer weather in Central Europe. The simulation results presented for 13 CET and averaged over the period 10-16 CET are focused on pedestrians on both sidewalks. For the initial situation, i.e. albedo of 0.2, human heat stress indicated by mean PET is by 26% lower on the N-facing than on the S-facing sidewalk, while this reduction amounts to 42% for mean T mrt . Mean T a does not show any spatial differentiation. The systematic albedo increment by 0.2 from 0.2 to 0.8 leads to a linear increase of outdoor human heat stress in terms of T mrt and PET. For both variables, this increase is more pronounced on the N-facing than on the S-facing sidewalk. Mean relative T a shows the tendency of a minimal increase with rising albedo. The results were achieved for the usual standardised human-biometeorological reference person. Its substitution by two other types of male and female pedestrians, respectively, which are statistically characteristic of human conditions in Germany, does not reveal any significant change in the results.

Thermal comfort of pedestrians in an urban street canyon is affected by increasing albedo of building walls.

PubMed

Lee, Hyunjung; Mayer, Helmut

2018-03-12

Numerical simulations based on the ENVI-met model were carried out for an E-W street canyon in the city of Stuttgart (Southwest Germany) to analyse the effect of increased albedo of building walls on outdoor human thermal comfort. It was quantified by air temperature (T a ), mean radiant temperature (T mrt ) and physiologically equivalent temperature (PET). The simulations were conducted on 4 August 2003 as a heat wave day that represents a typical scenario for future summer weather in Central Europe. The simulation results presented for 13 CET and averaged over the period 10-16 CET are focused on pedestrians on both sidewalks. For the initial situation, i.e. albedo of 0.2, human heat stress indicated by mean PET is by 26% lower on the N-facing than on the S-facing sidewalk, while this reduction amounts to 42% for mean T mrt . Mean T a does not show any spatial differentiation. The systematic albedo increment by 0.2 from 0.2 to 0.8 leads to a linear increase of outdoor human heat stress in terms of T mrt and PET. For both variables, this increase is more pronounced on the N-facing than on the S-facing sidewalk. Mean relative T a shows the tendency of a minimal increase with rising albedo. The results were achieved for the usual standardised human-biometeorological reference person. Its substitution by two other types of male and female pedestrians, respectively, which are statistically characteristic of human conditions in Germany, does not reveal any significant change in the results.

Variation and co-variation of PM10, particle number concentration, NOx and NO2 in the urban air - Relationships with wind speed, vertical temperature gradient and weather type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grundström, M.; Hak, C.; Chen, D.; Hallquist, M.; Pleijel, H.

2015-11-01

Atmospheric ultrafine particles (UFP; diameter < 0.1 μm) represent a growing global health concern in urban environments and has a strong link to traffic related emissions. UFP is usually the dominating fraction of atmospheric particle number concentrations (PNC) despite being a minor part of total particle mass. The aim of this study was to empirically investigate the relationship between PNC and other air pollutants (NOX, NO2 and PM10) in the urban environment and their dependence on meteorology and weather type, using the Lamb Weather Type (LWT) classification scheme. The study was carried out in Gothenburg, Sweden, at an urban background site during April 2007-May 2008. It was found that daily average [PNC] correlated very well with [NOx] (R2 = 0.73) during inversion days, to a lesser extent with [NO2] (R2 = 0.58) and poorly with [PM10] (R2 = 0.07). Both PNC and NOx had similar response patterns to wind speed and to the strength of temperature inversions. PNC displayed two regimes, one strongly correlated to NOx and a second poorly correlated to NOx which was characterised by high wind speed. For concentration averages based on LWTs, the PNC-[NOx] relationship remained strong (R2 = 0.70) where the windy LWT W deviated noticeably. Exclusion of observations with wind speed >5 ms-1 or ΔT < 0 °C from LWTs produced more uniform and stronger relationships (R2 = 0.90; R2 = 0.93). Low wind speeds and positive vertical temperature gradients were most common during LWTs A, NW, N and NE. These weather types were also associated with the highest daily means of NOx (∼30 ppb) and PNC (∼10 000 # cm-3). A conclusion from this study is that NOx (but not PM10) is a good proxy for PNC especially during calm and stable conditions and that LWTs A, NW, N and NE are high risk weather types for elevated NOx and PNC.

The Impacts of Urbanization on Meteorology and Air Quality in the Los Angeles Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Y.; Zhang, J.; Sailor, D.; Ban-Weiss, G. A.

2017-12-01

Urbanization has a profound influence on regional meteorology in mega cities like Los Angeles. This influence is driven by changes in land surface physical properties and urban processes, and their corresponding influence on surface-atmosphere coupling. Changes in meteorology from urbanization in turn influences air quality through weather-dependent chemical reaction, pollutant dispersion, etc. Hence, a real-world representation of the urban land surface properties and urban processes should be accurately resolved in regional climate-chemistry models for better understanding the role of urbanization on changing urban meteorology and associated pollutant dynamics. By incorporating high-resolution land surface data, previous research has improved model-observation comparisons of meteorology in urban areas including the Los Angeles basin, and indicated that historical urbanization has increased urban temperatures and altered wind flows significantly. However, the impact of urban expansion on air quality has been less studied. Thus, in this study, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of resolving high-resolution heterogeneity in urban land surface properties and processes for regional weather and pollutant concentration predictions. We coupled the Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry to the single-layer Urban Canopy Model to simulate a typical summer period in year 2012 for Southern California. Land cover type and urban fraction were determined from National Land Cover Data. MODIS observations were used to determine satellite-derived albedo, green vegetation fraction, and leaf area index. Urban morphology was determined from GIS datasets of 3D building geometries. An urban irrigation scheme was also implemented in the model. Our results show that the improved model captures the diurnal cycle of 2m air temperature (T2) and Ozone (O3) concentrations. However, it tends to overestimate wind speed and underestimate T2, which leads to an underestimation of O3 and fine particulate matter concentrations. By comparing simulations assuming current land cover of the Los Angeles basin versus pre-urbanization land cover, we find that land cover change through urbanization has led to important shifts in regional air pollution via the aforementioned physical and chemical mechanisms.

Treatment of early-stage prostate cancer among rural and urban patients.

PubMed

Baldwin, Laura-Mae; Andrilla, C Holly A; Porter, Michael P; Rosenblatt, Roger A; Patel, Shilpen; Doescher, Mark P

2013-08-15

Geographic barriers and limited availability of cancer specialists may influence early prostate cancer treatment options for rural men. This study compares receipt of different early prostate cancer treatments between rural and urban patients. Using 2004-2006 SEER Limited-Use Data, 51,982 early prostate cancer patients were identified (T1c, T2a, T2b, T2c, T2NOS; no metastases) who were most likely to benefit from definitive treatment (< 75 years old, Gleason score < 8, PSA ≤ 20). Definitive treatment included radical prostatectomy, daily external beam radiation for 5 to 8 weeks, brachytherapy, or combination external beam radiation/brachytherapy. Adjusted definitive treatment rates were calculated by rural-urban residence overall, and for different sociodemographic and cancer characteristics, and different states based on logistic regression analyses, using general estimating equation methods to account for clustering by county. Adjusted definitive treatment rates were lower for rural (83.7%) than urban (87.1%) patients with early-stage prostate cancer (P ≤ .01). Rural men were more likely than urban men to receive non-definitive surgical treatment and no initial treatment. The lowest definitive treatment rates were among rural subgroups: 70 to 74 years (73.9%), African Americans (75.6%), American Indians/Alaska Natives (77.8%), single/separated/divorced (76.8%), living in New Mexico (69.3%), and living in counties with persistent poverty (79.6%). Between 2004 and 2006, this adjusted analysis found that men who were living in rural areas were less likely to receive definitive treatment for their early-stage prostate cancer than those living in urban areas. Certain rural patient groups with prostate cancer need particular attention to ensure their access to appropriate treatment. Rural providers, rural health care systems, and cancer advocacy and support organizations should ensure resources are in place so that the most vulnerable rural groups (men between 60 and 74 years of age; African American men; men who are single, separated, or divorced; and men living in rural New Mexico) can make informed prostate cancer treatment choices based on their preferences. Copyright © 2013 American Cancer Society.

Effects of urbanization on stream quality at selected sites in the seacoast region in New Hampshire, 2001-03

USGS Publications Warehouse

Deacon, Jeffrey R.; Soule, Sally A.; Smith, Thor E.

2005-01-01

A study of selected water-quality and macroinvertebrate community data was conducted at 10 stream sites in the Seacoast region of New Hampshire to determine if a relation is present between stream quality and the extent of urbanization in a watershed. Watersheds with similar characteristics, but varying in their degree of urban development, were studied. The percent of impervious surface, the percent of urban land use in a watershed, and the percent of urban land use in two types of stream buffers were compared and correlated with stream-quality variables. Specific conductance, turbidity, nitrite plus nitrate yields, and selected macroinvertebrate community data were significantly correlated with most measures of urbanization used in this study; however, concentrations and total phosphorus yields were not statistically correlated with most measures of urbanization in this study. The measures of urbanization that had the highest correlations with stream-quality variables were those measures that were associated with the percent of urban land in buffer zones near and upstream of a sampling site. A water-quality and habitat conditions score was negatively correlated with the percent of urban land in a 1-kilometer radial buffer of the sampling site (rho (r) = -0.86; p < 0.001), the percent of impervious surface (r = -0.70; p < 0.05), and the percent of urban land in the watershed (r = -0.67; p < 0.05). A biological condition score also was negatively correlated with the percent of urban land in a 1-kilometer radial buffer of the sampling site (r = -0.95; p < 0.0001), the percent of impervious surface (r = -0.75; p < 0.05), and the percent of urban land in the watershed (r = -0.79; p < 0.01). The percent of urban land in a 25-meter stream buffer along the stream corridor also had negative correlations with a water-quality and habitat conditions score (r = -0.80; p < 0.01) and a biological condition score (r = -0.86; p < 0.01). Mean Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) taxa richness showed a response to urbanization in a watershed, indicating that EPT taxa richness may be an appropriate metric to evaluate the effects of urban land use on small streams in this region. Results from this study indicate that the percent of urban land use in buffer zones and the percent of impervious surface in a watershed can be used as indicators of stream quality.

Prevalence and Correlates of Dental Caries in an Elderly Population in Northeast China

PubMed Central

Liu, Lu; Zhang, Ying; Wu, Wei; Cheng, Min; Li, Yan; Cheng, Ruibo

2013-01-01

Objectives The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and correlates of dental caries in elderly population in northeast China. Methods A community-based, cross-sectional study among 2376 elderly subjects (age: 65–74 years) from nine urban areas and nine rural areas in three provinces of northeast China was conducted using multistage stratified random sampling per the World Health Organization oral health survey methodology. Decayed-missing-filled teeth (DMFT) and decayed-filled teeth (DFT) indices were used to evaluate the prevalence of dental caries. Face-to-face questionnaire survey on oral health was performed in a randomly selected subset (n = 1197). T test and chi square test were employed to compare groups for continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding confidence intervals (CIs). Results 67.5% of elderly subjects reported dental caries (average DFT = 2.68±3.40), and the prevalence was higher in urban areas (P<0.01). Missing teeth accounted for 80.72% of DMFT, and filled teeth due to caries accounted for 2.08% with a rate higher in urban areas (P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis indicated significant association among elderly population in urban areas (OR 1.713; 95% CI 1.337–2.195), smoking (OR 1.779; 95% CI 1.384–2.288), and individuals without dental insurance (OR 2.050; 95% CI 1.120–3.754) with dental caries. Conclusions The prevalence of dental caries in the elderly population in northeast China is high. The elderly from urban areas who smoke and who do not have a dental insurance are at a higher risk to develop dental caries. PMID:24260129

Prevalence and correlates of dental caries in an elderly population in northeast China.

PubMed

Liu, Lu; Zhang, Ying; Wu, Wei; Cheng, Min; Li, Yan; Cheng, Ruibo

2013-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and correlates of dental caries in elderly population in northeast China. A community-based, cross-sectional study among 2376 elderly subjects (age: 65-74 years) from nine urban areas and nine rural areas in three provinces of northeast China was conducted using multistage stratified random sampling per the World Health Organization oral health survey methodology. Decayed-missing-filled teeth (DMFT) and decayed-filled teeth (DFT) indices were used to evaluate the prevalence of dental caries. Face-to-face questionnaire survey on oral health was performed in a randomly selected subset (n = 1197). T test and chi square test were employed to compare groups for continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding confidence intervals (CIs). 67.5% of elderly subjects reported dental caries (average DFT = 2.68±3.40), and the prevalence was higher in urban areas (P<0.01). Missing teeth accounted for 80.72% of DMFT, and filled teeth due to caries accounted for 2.08% with a rate higher in urban areas (P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis indicated significant association among elderly population in urban areas (OR 1.713; 95% CI 1.337-2.195), smoking (OR 1.779; 95% CI 1.384-2.288), and individuals without dental insurance (OR 2.050; 95% CI 1.120-3.754) with dental caries. The prevalence of dental caries in the elderly population in northeast China is high. The elderly from urban areas who smoke and who do not have a dental insurance are at a higher risk to develop dental caries.

Survey of Urban Meteorological Data.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

8217) 51 • TN Totawe Wayne Airort 4 r l ,4 35 74 14 ,4 I’% 𔄁.. 14e taI 40 3,5S 14 𔃾 Ic V- Memoria ! q-hool 40 40 I ’ 1 4 1 0( WF West End 40 46 175 1...Circulation Number of operations: 5--clear light winds 38 W. P. Lowry, 1973, 񓟔 Operational Report for Metromex," Illinois State Water Survey, Urbana , IL...39W. P. Lowry, 1973, 񓟕 Operational Report for Metromnx," Illinois State Water Survey, Urbana , IL 𔃺 T. J. Henderson and 0. W. Duckering, 1976

Urban Stormwater Stressors, Sources & BMPS

EPA Science Inventory

This paper covers the origin and values of the various pollutants or stressors in urban stormwater including flow (shear force), pathogens, suspended solids/sediment, toxicants (organic and metals), nutrients, oxygen demanding substances, and coarse solids. A broad overview of t...

Methods and equations for estimating peak streamflow per square mile in Virginia’s urban basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Austin, Samuel H.

2014-01-01

Models are presented that describe Virginia urban area annual peak streamflow per square mile based on basin percent urban area and basin drainage area. Equations are provided to estimate Virginia urban peak flow per square mile of basin drainage area in each of the following annual exceedance probability categories: 0.995, 0.99, 0.95, 0.9, 0.8, 0.67, 0.5, 0.43, 0.2, 0.1, 0.04, 0.02, 0.01, 0.005, and 0.002 (recurrence intervals of 1.005, 1.01, 1.05, 1.11, 1.25, 1.49, 2.0, 2.3, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 500 years, respectively). Equations apply to Virginia drainage basins ranging in size from no less than 1.2 mi2 to no more than 2,400 mi2 containing at least 10 percent urban area, and not more than 96 percent urban area. A total of 115 Virginia drainage basins were analyzed. Actual-by-predicted plots and leverage plots for response variables and explanatory variables in each peak-flow annual exceedance probability category indicate robust model fits and significant explanatory power. Equations for 8 of 15 urban peak-flow response surface models yield R-square values greater than 0.8. Relations identified in statistical models, describing significant increases in urban peak stream discharges as basin urban area increases, affirm empirical relations reported in past studies of change in stream discharge, lag times, and physical streamflow processes, most notably those detailed for urban areas in northern Virginia.

Multi-level stressor analysis from the DNA/biochemical level to community levels in an urban stream and integrative health response (IHR) assessments.

PubMed

Lee, Jae Hoon; Kim, Joon Ha; Oh, Hee-Mock; An, Kwang-Guk

2013-01-01

The objectives of this study were to identify multi-level stressors at the DNA/biochemical level to the community level in fish in an urban stream and to develop an integrative health response (IHR) model for ecological health diagnosis. A pristine control site (S (c) ) and an impacted site (S (i) ) were selected from among seven pre-screened sites studied over seven years. Various chemical analyses indicated that nutrient enrichment (Nitrogen, Phosphorus) and organic pollution were significantly greater (t > 8.783, p < 0.01) at the S (i) site compared to the S (c) site. Single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assays) of DNA-level impairment indicated significantly (t = 5.678, p < 0.01) greater tail intensity, expressed as % tail-DNA, at the S (i) site and genotoxic responses were detected in the downstream reach. Ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) assays, as a physiological bioindicator, were 2.8-fold higher (p < 0.05, NK-test after ANOVA) at the S (i) site. Tissue analysis using a necropsy-based health assessment index (NHAI) showed distinct internal organ disorders in three tissues, i.e., liver, kidney, and gill, at the S (i) site. Population-level analysis using the sentinel species Zacco platypus showed that the regression coefficient (b) was 3.012 for the S (i) site and 2.915 for the S (c) site, indicating population skewness in the downstream reach. Community-level health was impaired at the S (i) site based on an index of biological integrity (IBI), and physical habitat modifications were identified by a qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI). Overall, the model values for the integrative health response (IHR), developed using the star plot approach, were 3.22 (80.5%) at the S (c) site and 0.74 (18.5%) at the S (i) site, indicating that, overall, ecological health impairments were evident in the urban reach. Our study was based on multi-level approaches using biological organization and the results suggest that there is a pivotal point of linkage between mechanistic understanding and real ecological consequences of environmental stressors.

HPLC-FLD determination of 4-nonylphenol and 4-tert-octylphenol in surface water samples.

PubMed

Cruceru, Ioana; Iancu, Vasile; Petre, Jana; Badea, Irinel Adriana; Vladescu, Luminita

2012-05-01

A simple, sensitive and reliable HPLC-FLD method for the routine determination of 4-nonylphenol, 4-NP and 4-tert-octylphenol, 4-t-OP content in water samples was developed. The method consists in a liquid-liquid extraction of the target analytes with dichloromethane at pH  3.0-3.5 followed by the HPLC-FLD analysis of the organic extract using a Zorbax Eclipse XDB C8 column, isocratic elution with a mixed solvent acetonitrile/water 65:35, at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and applying a column temperature of 40°C. The method was validated and then applied with good results for the determination of 4-NP and 4-t-OP in Ialomiţa River water samples collected each month during 2006. The concentration levels of 4-NP and 4-t-OP vary between 0.08-0.17 μg/L with higher values of 0.24-0.37 μg/L in the summer months for 4-NP, and frequently <0.05 μg/L but also between 0.06-0.09 μg/L with higher values of 0.12-0.16 μg/L in July and August for 4-t-OP and were strongly influenced by sesonial and anthropic factors. The method was also applied on samples collected over 2 years 2007 and 2008 from urban wastewaters discharged into sewage or directly into the rivers by economic agents located in 30 Romanian towns. Good results were obtained when the method was used for analysis of effluents discharged into surface waters by 16 municipal wastewater treatment plants, during the year 2008.

Global Intraurban Intake Fractions for Primary Air Pollutants from Vehicles and Other Distributed Sources

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

We model intraurban intake fraction (iF) values for distributed ground-level emissions in all 3646 global cities with more than 100 000 inhabitants, encompassing a total population of 2.0 billion. For conserved primary pollutants, population-weighted median, mean, and interquartile range iF values are 26, 39, and 14–52 ppm, respectively, where 1 ppm signifies 1 g inhaled/t emitted. The global mean urban iF reported here is roughly twice as large as previous estimates for cities in the United States and Europe. Intake fractions vary among cities owing to differences in population size, population density, and meteorology. Sorting by size, population-weighted mean iF values are 65, 35, and 15 ppm, respectively, for cities with populations larger than 3, 0.6–3, and 0.1–0.6 million. The 20 worldwide megacities (each >10 million people) have a population-weighted mean iF of 83 ppm. Mean intraurban iF values are greatest in Asia and lowest in land-rich high-income regions. Country-average iF values vary by a factor of 3 among the 10 nations with the largest urban populations. PMID:22332712

Disparities in Prevalence of Cardiometablic Risk Factors in Rural, Urban-Poor, and Urban-Middle Class Women in India.

PubMed

Mohan, Indu; Gupta, Rajeev; Misra, Anoop; Sharma, Krishna Kumar; Agrawal, Aachu; Vikram, Naval K; Sharma, Vinita; Shrivastava, Usha; Pandey, Ravindra M

2016-01-01

Urbanization is an important determinant of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. To determine location-based differences in CVD risk factors in India we performed studies among women in rural, urban-poor and urban middle-class locations. Population-based cross-sectional studies in rural, urban-poor, and urban-middle class women (35-70 y) were performed at multiple sites. We evaluated 6853 women (rural 2616, 5 sites; urban-poor 2008, 4 sites; urban middle-class 2229, 11 sites) for socioeconomic, lifestyle, anthropometric and biochemical risk factors. Descriptive statistics are reported. Mean levels of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-hip ratio (WHR), systolic BP, fasting glucose and cholesterol in rural, urban-poor and urban-middle class women showed significantly increasing trends (ANOVAtrend, p <0.001). Age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes and risk factors among rural, urban-poor and urban-middle class women, respectively was, diabetes (2.2, 9.3, 17.7%), overweight BMI ≥25 kg/m2 (22.5, 45.6, 57.4%), waist >80 cm (28.3, 63.4, 61.9%), waist >90 cm (8.4, 31.4, 38.2%), waist hip ratio (WHR) >0.8 (60.4, 90.7, 88.5), WHR>0.9 (13.0, 44.3, 56.1%), hypertension (31.6, 48.2, 59.0%) and hypercholesterolemia (13.5, 27.7, 37.4%) (Mantel Haenszel X2 ptrend <0.01). Inverse trend was observed for tobacco use (41.6, 19.6, 9.4%). There was significant association of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes with overweight and obesity (adjusted R2 0.89-0.99). There are significant location based differences in cardiometabolic risk factors in India. The urban-middle class women have the highest risk compared to urban-poor and rural.

Disparities in Prevalence of Cardiometablic Risk Factors in Rural, Urban-Poor, and Urban-Middle Class Women in India

PubMed Central

Mohan, Indu; Gupta, Rajeev; Misra, Anoop; Sharma, Krishna Kumar; Agrawal, Aachu; Vikram, Naval K.; Sharma, Vinita; Shrivastava, Usha; Pandey, Ravindra M.

2016-01-01

Objective Urbanization is an important determinant of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. To determine location-based differences in CVD risk factors in India we performed studies among women in rural, urban-poor and urban middle-class locations. Methods Population-based cross-sectional studies in rural, urban-poor, and urban-middle class women (35–70y) were performed at multiple sites. We evaluated 6853 women (rural 2616, 5 sites; urban-poor 2008, 4 sites; urban middle-class 2229, 11 sites) for socioeconomic, lifestyle, anthropometric and biochemical risk factors. Descriptive statistics are reported. Results Mean levels of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-hip ratio (WHR), systolic BP, fasting glucose and cholesterol in rural, urban-poor and urban-middle class women showed significantly increasing trends (ANOVAtrend, p <0.001). Age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes and risk factors among rural, urban-poor and urban-middle class women, respectively was, diabetes (2.2, 9.3, 17.7%), overweight BMI ≥25 kg/m2 (22.5, 45.6, 57.4%), waist >80 cm (28.3, 63.4, 61.9%), waist >90 cm (8.4, 31.4, 38.2%), waist hip ratio (WHR) >0.8 (60.4, 90.7, 88.5), WHR>0.9 (13.0, 44.3, 56.1%), hypertension (31.6, 48.2, 59.0%) and hypercholesterolemia (13.5, 27.7, 37.4%) (Mantel Haenszel X2 ptrend <0.01). Inverse trend was observed for tobacco use (41.6, 19.6, 9.4%). There was significant association of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes with overweight and obesity (adjusted R2 0.89–0.99). Conclusions There are significant location based differences in cardiometabolic risk factors in India. The urban-middle class women have the highest risk compared to urban-poor and rural. PMID:26881429

NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE AIR QUALITY MODELING IN HOUSTON USING URBAN CANOPY PARAMETERS IN MM5 AND CMAQ WITH IMPROVED CHARACTERIZATION OF MESOSCALE LAKE-LAND BREEZE CIRCULATION

EPA Science Inventory

Advanced capability of air quality simulation models towards accurate performance at finer scales will be needed for such models to serve as tools for performing exposure and risk assessments in urban areas. It is recognized that the impact of urban features such as street and t...

The Big Picture: Focusing Urban Teacher Education on the Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gimbert, Belinda; Desai, Shiv; Kerka, Sandra

2010-01-01

New teachers don't last long in urban schools. From 30% to 50% of them leave these schools within their first five years, and teacher education institutions are trying a number of strategies to change this. To combat the high attrition rate among new teachers in urban schools, the authors suggest that teacher education programs should take a…

"I Do but I Don't": The Search for Identity in Urban African American Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gullan, Rebecca Lakin; Hoffman, Beth Necowitz; Leff, Stephen S.

2011-01-01

Achievement of a coherent and strong sense of self is critical to positive academic outcomes for urban minority youth. The present study utilized a mixed-methods approach to explore key aspects of identity development for African American adolescents living in a high-poverty, urban neighborhood. Results suggest that efforts to develop a sense of…

Mapping Global Urban Dynamics from Nighttime Lights - 1992 to 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Yanhua

Accurate, up-to-date, and consistent information of urban extent is indispensable for numerous applications central to urban planning, ecosystem management, and environmental assessment and monitoring. However, current large-scale urban extent products are not uniform with respect to urban definition, spatial resolution, thematic representation, and temporal frequency. To fill this gap, this study proposed a method to update and backdate global urban extent from currently available urban maps by using nighttime light (NTL) as the main indicator. The method followed three steps: (1) exploring the spatiotemporal variation of NTL thresholds for mapping urban dynamics from NTL time series and developing an object-based thresholding method (i.e., NTL-OUT method, Xie & Weng, 2016b); (2) spatiotemporally enhancing time-series Defense Meteorological Satellite Program/Operational Linescan System (DMSP/OLS) NTL data for detecting broad-scale urban changes (Xie & Weng, 2017); and (3) detecting global urban dynamics during the period between 1992 and 2012 (i.e., 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012) from enhanced OLS NTL time series by using the NTL-OUT method. The results show that global urban extent almost doubled during the period from 1992 to 2012, increasing from 0.52 million to 0.98 million km 2, which accounts for 0.39% and 0.72% of the total global land area, respectively. Regionally, the urbanization level varies by continent, with Europe being the most urbanized, followed by North America, Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia-Oceania. In 1992, the urban extent varied from only 0.1% of total continental land area in Australia-Oceania and Africa to 1.18% in Europe. While the proportion of urban extent in North America increased slightly from 1992 to 2002 (i.e., 0.07%), urban extent increased 0.1% for both Asia and South America. In 2012, over 0.7% of the total land was covered by the human built environment, with 0.2% in Africa and Australia-Oceania and around 0.9% in North America, followed by Asia at 0.84% and South America at 0.73%. The exception is the European urban extent, which was 1.82% of its total land mass. Asia has experienced the most rapid urbanization during the period, converting more than 9,000 km2 non-urban land covers/uses to urbanized land each year. Over 3,000 km2 of urban extent has been added annually to European and North American regions, respectively, followed by South America with over 3,000 km2, Africa with 1,700 km 2, and Australia-Oceania with 300 km2. In addition, the results demonstrate that most regions experienced a more rapid urbanization after the 21st century than the period from 1992 to 2002, especially for Asia and Africa. Accuracy assessment in the contiguous U.S.A. (CONUS) and China showed that the proposed method can update and backdate urban extent with reasonably high accuracy, yielding the mean city-scale RMSE (root mean square error) and Kappa: 27 and 23 km2 and 0.65 and 0.63 for CONUS, and 55 and 60 km2 and 0.59 and 0.60 for China, respectively. It was also revealed that spatial enhancement greatly improved the accuracy of urban updating and backdating by significantly decreasing RMSE and slightly increasing Kappa values; temporal enhancement further reduced RMSE and improved the spatial consistency between estimated and reference urban extent. The study generated time-series comparable urban extent maps from 1992 to 2012 with a 5-year interval, which can be used to explore global urbanization and address its impacts on urbanization-induced social and environmental problems.

Epidemiology of undiagnosed trichomoniasis in a probability sample of urban young adults.

PubMed

Rogers, Susan M; Turner, Charles F; Hobbs, Marcia; Miller, William C; Tan, Sylvia; Roman, Anthony M; Eggleston, Elizabeth; Villarroel, Maria A; Ganapathi, Laxminarayana; Chromy, James R; Erbelding, Emily

2014-01-01

T. vaginalis infection (trichomoniasis) is the most common curable sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the U.S. It is associated with increased HIV risk and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Trichomoniasis surveillance data do not exist for either national or local populations. The Monitoring STIs Survey Program (MSSP) collected survey data and specimens which were tested using nucleic acid amplification tests to monitor trichomoniasis and other STIs in 2006-09 among a probability sample of young adults (N = 2,936) in Baltimore, Maryland--an urban area with high rates of reported STIs. The estimated prevalence of trichomoniasis was 7.5% (95% CI 6.3, 9.1) in the overall population and 16.1% (95% CI 13.0, 19.8) among Black women. The overwhelming majority of infected men (98.5%) and women (73.3%) were asymptomatic. Infections were more common in both women (OR = 3.6, 95% CI 1.6, 8.2) and men (OR = 9.0, 95% CI 1.8, 44.3) with concurrent chlamydial infection. Trichomoniasis did not vary significantly by age for either men or women. Women with two or more partners in the past year and women with a history of personal or partner incarceration were more likely to have an infection. Overall, these results suggest that routine T vaginalis screening in populations at elevated risk of infection should be considered.

Travel time and attrition from VHA care among women veterans: how far is too far?

PubMed

Friedman, Sarah A; Frayne, Susan M; Berg, Eric; Hamilton, Alison B; Washington, Donna L; Saechao, Fay; Maisel, Natalya C; Lin, Julia Y; Hoggatt, Katherine J; Phibbs, Ciaran S

2015-04-01

Travel time, an access barrier, may contribute to attrition of women veterans from Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care. We examined whether travel time influences attrition: (a) among women veterans overall, (b) among new versus established patients, and (c) among rural versus urban patients. This retrospective cohort study used logistic regression to estimate the association between drive time and attrition, overall and for new/established and rural/urban patients. In total, 266,301 women veteran VHA outpatients in the Fiscal year 2009. An "attriter" did not return for VHA care during the second through third years after her first 2009 visit (T0). Drive time (log minutes) was between the patient's residence and her regular source of VHA care. "New" patients had no VHA visits within 3 years before T0. Models included age, service-connected disability, health status, and utilization as covariates. Overall, longer drive times were associated with higher odds of attrition: drive time adjusted odds ratio=1.11 (99% confidence interval, 1.09-1.14). The relationship between drive time and attrition was stronger among new patients but was not modified by rurality. Attrition among women veterans is sensitive to longer drive time. Linking new patients to VHA services designed to reduce distance barriers (telemedicine, community-based clinics, mobile clinics) may reduce attrition among women new to VHA.

Epidemiology of Undiagnosed Trichomoniasis in a Probability Sample of Urban Young Adults

PubMed Central

Rogers, Susan M.; Turner, Charles F.; Hobbs, Marcia; Miller, William C.; Tan, Sylvia; Roman, Anthony M.; Eggleston, Elizabeth; Villarroel, Maria A.; Ganapathi, Laxminarayana; Chromy, James R.; Erbelding, Emily

2014-01-01

T. vaginalis infection (trichomoniasis) is the most common curable sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the U.S. It is associated with increased HIV risk and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Trichomoniasis surveillance data do not exist for either national or local populations. The Monitoring STIs Survey Program (MSSP) collected survey data and specimens which were tested using nucleic acid amplification tests to monitor trichomoniasis and other STIs in 2006–09 among a probability sample of young adults (N = 2,936) in Baltimore, Maryland — an urban area with high rates of reported STIs. The estimated prevalence of trichomoniasis was 7.5% (95% CI 6.3, 9.1) in the overall population and 16.1% (95% CI 13.0, 19.8) among Black women. The overwhelming majority of infected men (98.5%) and women (73.3%) were asymptomatic. Infections were more common in both women (OR = 3.6, 95% CI 1.6, 8.2) and men (OR = 9.0, 95% CI 1.8, 44.3) with concurrent chlamydial infection. Trichomoniasis did not vary significantly by age for either men or women. Women with two or more partners in the past year and women with a history of personal or partner incarceration were more likely to have an infection. Overall, these results suggest that routine T vaginalis screening in populations at elevated risk of infection should be considered. PMID:24626058

The ESA Geohazard Exploitation Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bally, Philippe; Laur, Henri; Mathieu, Pierre-Philippe; Pinto, Salvatore

2015-04-01

Earthquakes represent one of the world's most significant hazards in terms both of loss of life and damages. In the first decade of the 21st century, earthquakes accounted for 60 percent of fatalities from natural disasters, according to the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR). To support mitigation activities designed to assess and reduce risks and improve response in emergency situations, satellite EO can be used to provide a broad range of geo-information services. This includes for instance crustal block boundary mapping to better characterize active faults, strain rate mapping to assess how rapidly faults are deforming, soil vulnerability mapping to help estimate how the soil is behaving in reaction to seismic phenomena, geo-information to assess the extent and intensity of the earthquake impact on man-made structures and formulate assumptions on the evolution of the seismic sequence, i.e. where local aftershocks or future main shocks (on nearby faults) are most likely to occur. In May 2012, the European Space Agency and the GEO Secretariat convened the International Forum on Satellite EO for Geohazards now known as the Santorini Conference. The event was the continuation of a series of international workshops such as those organized by the Geohazards Theme of the Integrated Global Observing Strategy Partnership. In Santorini the seismic community has set out a vision of the EO contribution to an operational global seismic risk program, which lead to the Geohazard Supersites and Natural Laboratories (GSNL) initiative. The initial contribution of ESA to suuport the GSNL was the first Supersites Exploitation Platform (SSEP) system in the framework of Grid Processing On Demand (GPOD), now followed by the Geohazard Exploitation Platform (GEP). In this presentation, we will describe the contribution of the GEP for exploiting satellite EO for geohazard risk assessment. It is supporting the GEO Supersites and has been further expanded to address broader objectives of the geohazards community. In particular it is a contribution to the CEOS WG Disasters and its Seismic Hazards Pilot and terrain deformation applications of its Volcano Pilot. The geohazards platform is sourced with elements - data, tools, and processing- relevant to the geohazards theme and related exploitation scenarios. For example, platform provides access to large SAR data collections and services to support SAR Interferometry (InSAR), in particular the Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) and Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) techniques, to provide precise terrain deformation. The GEP includes data coming from the ENVISAT ASAR and ERS archives, already hosted in the ESA clusters and in ESA's Virtual Archive and further extended to cover the requirements of the CEOS Pilot on Seismic Hazards. The GEP is gradually accessing Sentinel-1A data alongside with EO data from other space agencies with an interest in the geohazard exploitation platform. Further to this, the platform is intended to be available in the framework of the European Plate Observing System (EPOS) initiative, in order to help its users exploit EO data to support solid Earth monitoring and geophysical and geological analysis.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging and feral cats on Amami Oshima Island, Japan.

PubMed

Matsuu, Aya; Yokota, Shin-Ichi; Ito, Keiko; Masatani, Tatsunori

2017-11-17

On Amami Oshima Island, free-ranging and feral cats are harmful to wildlife populations. In this study, the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in these cats was examined using a newly developed Gaussia luciferase immunoprecipitation system assay. Of 1,363 cats, 123 cats (9.0%) was positive for T. gondii. The prevalence was significantly different in different areas; among cats in the rural area, where many wild animals live, including endangered species, T. gondii infection was more prevalent than in the urban area of the island. This finding indicates a possible risk to wildlife of infection from free-ranging and feral cats. Therefore, management of cats is important for wildlife conservation.

Ambient levels of volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere of Greater Cairo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khoder, M. I.

Ambient volatile organic compounds (VOCs) samples were collected at three locations, two in urban areas in Greater Cairo (Ramsis and Haram) and background one in rural area in Menofiya province (Kafr El-Akram), during the period of June, 2004-August, 2004. The highest concentrations of VOCs were found in Ramsis, whereas the lowest concentrations were detected in Kafr El-Akram, and the difference in mean concentrations were statistically significant ( p<0.001). Among all of the measured VOCs species, the contribution of individual VOC to the total VOCs concentration were very similar in Ramsis and Haram locations, toluene was the most abundant compound followed by ( m, p)-xylene. This similarity implies a similar emission sources of VOCs in both urban locations, vehicle exhausts are the dominant one. Greater Cairo has high levels of volatile aromatic hydrocarbons compared with many polluted cities in the world. The BTEX (benzene: toluene: ethylbenzene: xylenes) concentration ratios were (2.01:4.94:1:4.95), (2.03:4.91:1:4.87) and (2.31:2.98:1:2.59) in Ramsis, Haram and Kafr El-Akram, respectively. The average toluene/benzene (T/B), ( m, p)-xylene/benzene (( m, p)-X/B) and o-xylene/benzene ( o-X/B) concentration ratios were 2.45, 1.61and 0.85, respectively in Ramsis and 2.42, 1.61 and 0.78, respectively in Haram. The ratios in both urban locations were of the same magnitude and close to those obtained from automotive exhausts, indicating that the ambient BTEX originate mainly from motor vehicle emissions. However, the (T/B), (( m, p)-X/B) and ( o-X/B) concentration ratios were 1.29, 0.71 and 0.41 in Kafr El-Akram, respectively. These ratios were lower than those found in Ramsis and Haram locations and in automotive exhaust, suggesting that the BTEX in Kafr El-Akram do not come from a local source and are exclusively results from the diffusion and dispersion of VOCs produced from the traffic density in the surrounding cities. Significant positive correlation coefficients ( p<0.001) were found between the concentrations of BTEX compounds at the three sampling locations. The diurnal variation of VOCs concentrations in Ramsis location showed two daily peaks linked to traffic density.

Body fat percentage of urban South African children: implications for health and fitness.

PubMed

Goon, D T; Toriola, A L; Shaw, B S; Amusa, L O; Khoza, L B; Shaw, I

2013-09-01

To explore gender and racial profiling of percentage body fat of 1136 urban South African children attending public schools in Pretoria Central. This is a cross-sectional survey of 1136 randomly selected children (548 boys and 588 girls) aged 9-13 years in urban (Pretoria Central) South Africa. Body mass, stature, skinfolds (subscapular and triceps) were measured. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations). Differences in the mean body fat percentage were examined for boys and girls according to their age group/race, using independent t-test samples. Girls had a significantly (p = 0.001) higher percentage body fat (22.7 ± 5.7%, 95% CI = 22.3, 23.2) compared to boys (16.1 ± 7.7%, 95% CI = 15.5, 16.8). Percentage body fat fluctuated with age in both boys and girls. Additionally, girls had significantly (p = 0.001) higher percentage body fat measurements at all ages compared to boys. Viewed racially, black children (20.1 ± 7.5) were significantly (p = 0.010) fatter than white children (19.0 ± 7.4) with a mean difference of 4.0. Black children were fatter than white children at ages 9, 10, 12 and 13 years, with a significant difference (p = 0.009) observed at age 12 years. There was a considerably higher level of excessive percentage body fat among school children in Central Pretoria, South Africa, with girls having significantly higher percentage body fat compared to boys. Racially, black children were fatter than white children. The excessive percentage body fat observed among the children in this study has implications for their health and fitness. Therefore, an intervention programme must be instituted in schools to prevent and control possible excessive percentage body fat in this age group.

Prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in an urban population: The Chennai Glaucoma Study.

PubMed

Vijaya, Lingam; George, Ronnie; Asokan, Rashima; Velumuri, Lokapavani; Ramesh, Sathyamangalam Ve

2014-04-01

To evaluate the prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in an urban south Indian population. Population-based cross-sectional study. Exactly 3850 subjects aged 40 years and above from Chennai city were examined at a dedicated facility in the base hospital. All subjects had a complete ophthalmic examination that included best-corrected visual acuity. Low vision and blindness were defined using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The influence of age, gender, literacy, and occupation was assessed using multiple logistic regression. Chi-square test, t-test, and multivariate analysis were used. Of the 4800 enumerated subjects, 3850 subjects (1710 males, 2140 females) were examined (response rate, 80.2%). The prevalence of blindness was 0.85% (95% CI 0.6-1.1%) and was positively associated with age and illiteracy. Cataract was the leading cause (57.6%) and glaucoma was the second cause (16.7%) for blindness. The prevalence of low vision was 2.9% (95% CI 2.4-3.4%) and visual impairment (blindness + low vision) was 3.8% (95% CI 3.2-4.4%). The primary causes for low vision were refractive errors (68%) and cataract (22%). In this urban population based study, cataract was the leading cause for blindness and refractive error was the main reason for low vision.

Nontechnical skills performance and care processes in the management of the acute trauma patient.

PubMed

Pucher, Philip H; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Batrick, Nicola; Jenkins, Michael; Darzi, Ara

2014-05-01

Acute trauma management is a complex process, with the effective cooperation among multiple clinicians critical to success. Despite this, the effect of nontechnical skills on performance on outcomes has not been investigated previously in trauma. Trauma calls in an urban, level 1 trauma center were observed directly. Nontechnical performance was measured using T-NOTECHS. Times to disposition and completion of assessment care processes were recorded, as well as any delays or errors. Statistical analysis assessed the effect of T-NOTECHS on performance and outcomes, accounting for Injury Severity Scores (ISS) and time of day as potential confounding factors. Meta-analysis was performed for incidence of delays. Fifty trauma calls were observed, with an ISS of 13 (interquartile range [IQR], 5-25); duration of stay 1 (IQR, 1-8) days; T-NOTECHS, 20.5 (IQR, 18-23); time to disposition, 24 minutes (IQR, 18-42). Trauma calls with low T-NOTECHS scores had a greater time to disposition: 35 minutes (IQR, 23-53) versus 20 (IQR, 16-25; P = .046). ISS showed a significant correlation to duration of stay (r = 0.736; P < .001), but not to T-NOTECHS (r = 0.201; P = .219) or time to disposition (r = 0.113; P = .494). There was no difference between "in-hours" and "out-of-hours" trauma calls for T-NOTECHS scores (21 [IQR, 18-22] vs 20 [IQR, 20-23]; P = .361), or time to disposition (34 minutes [IQR, 24-52] vs 17 [IQR, 15-27]; P = .419). Regression analysis revealed T-NOTECHS as the only factor associated with delays (odds ratio [OR], 0.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06-0.95). Better teamwork and nontechnical performance are associated with significant decreases in disposition time, an important marker of quality in acute trauma care. Addressing team and nontechnical skills has the potential to improve patient assessment, treatment, and outcomes. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Tracking Geomorphic Signatures of Watershed Suburbanization with Multi-Temporal LiDAR

EPA Science Inventory

Urban development practices redistribute surface materials through filling, grading and terracing, causing drastic changes to the geomorphic organization of the landscape. Many studies document the hydrologic, biologic, or geomorphic consequences of urbanization using space-for-t...

Health-Related Fitness, Motor Coordination, and Physical and Sedentary Activities of Urban and Rural Children in Suriname.

PubMed

Walhain, Fenna; van Gorp, Marloes; Lamur, Kenneth S; Veeger, Dirkjan H E J; Ledebt, Annick

2016-10-01

Health-related fitness (HRF) and motor coordination (MC) can be influenced by children's environment and lifestyle behavior. This study evaluates the association between living environment and HRF, MC, and physical and sedentary activities of children in Suriname. Tests were performed for HRF (morphological, muscular, and cardiorespiratory component), gross MC (Körperkoordinations Test für Kinder), fine MC (Movement Assessment Battery for Children), and self-reported activities in 79 urban and 77 rural 7-year-old Maroon children. Urban-rural differences were calculated by an independent sample t test (Mann-Whitney U test if not normally distributed) and χ 2 test. No difference was found in body mass index, muscle strength, and the overall score of gross and fine MC. However, urban children scored lower in HRF on the cardiorespiratory component (P ≤ .001), in gross MC on walking backward (P = .014), and jumping sideways (P = 0.011). They scored higher in the gross MC component moving sideways (P ≤ .001) and lower in fine MC on the trail test (P = .036) and reported significantly more sedentary and fewer physical activities than rural children. Living environment was associated with certain components of HRF, MC, and physical and sedentary activities of 7-year-old children in Suriname. Further research is needed to evaluate the development of urban children to provide information for possible intervention and prevention strategies.

THE TOXOSTOMA THRASHERS OF CALIFORNIA: SPECIES AT RISK?

Treesearch

WILLIAM F. LAUDENSLAYER; A. SIDNEY ENGLAND; SAM FITTON; LARRY SASLAW

1992-01-01

Four of the 10 described species of Toxostoma thrasher breed in California-California thrasher (T. redivivum), Bendire's thrasher (T. bendirei), Crissal thrasher (T. crissale), and Le Conte's thrasher (T. fecontei). Urbanization, agricultural development, fire management, and livestock grazing are among the land uses that affect large tracts of the habitats...

Seasoning ingredient variety, but not quality, is associated with greater intake of beans and rice among urban Costa Rican adults.

PubMed

Vadiveloo, Maya K; Campos, Hannia; Mattei, Josiemer

2016-08-01

Exposure to a variety of flavors may promote food enjoyment, but few studies have examined the relationship between food seasoning and food intake. We hypothesized that using a higher variety (number) of 11 seasonings to prepare 2 staple foods (beans, white rice) would be associated with intake of those foods in a population-based case-control study of Costa Rican adults in urban vs rural areas (n=1025), where cooking and dietary practices differ. Participants were surveyed about the variety of seasoning ingredients added when preparing beans or rice. Ingredients were also categorized by their dietary quality (healthfulness), and scores for seasoning variety and quality were created. Multivariable linear regression was used to determine the association between variety and quality scores (continuously and in tertiles (T)) and intake of each staple food. Seasoning variety was positively associated with daily servings of beans (β=.02, P=.01; 1.31 and 1.23 servings/day in T2 and T3 versus 1.02 servings/day in T1, P<.05) and rice (β=.04, P=.005) in the urban areas only. No differences in ingredient quality across increasing intakes of beans or rice were noted, and the joint associations between variety and quality were not significant. In conclusion, a greater variety, but not quality, of seasoning ingredients was positively associated with intakes of beans and rice in urban Costa Rican adults. Our results suggest that increasing the variety of seasonings added to beans may be a culturally-appropriate strategy to improve intake of this healthy staple food among urban Costa Rican adults. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of the mean radiant temperature simulated by the RayMan software in urban environments.

PubMed

Lee, Hyunjung; Mayer, Helmut

2016-11-01

The RayMan software is worldwide applied in investigations on different issues in human-biometeorology. However, only the simulated mean radiant temperature (T mrt ) has been validated so far in a few case studies. They are based on T mrt values, which were experimentally determined in urban environments by use of a globe thermometer or applying the six-directional method. This study analyses previous T mrt validations in a comparative manner. Their results are extended by a recent validation of T mrt in an urban micro-environment in Freiburg (southwest Germany), which can be regarded as relatively heterogeneous due to different shading intensities by tree crowns. In addition, a validation of the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) simulated by RayMan is conducted for the first time. The validations are based on experimentally determined T mrt and PET values, which were calculated from measured meteorological variables in the daytime of a clear-sky summer day. In total, the validation results show that RayMan is capable of simulating T mrt satisfactorily under relatively homogeneous site conditions. However, the inaccuracy of simulated T mrt is increasing with lower sun elevation and growing heterogeneity of the simulation site. As T mrt represents the meteorological variable that mostly governs PET in the daytime of clear-sky summer days, the accuracy of simulated T mrt is mainly responsible for the accuracy of simulated PET. The T mrt validations result in some recommendations, which concern an update of physical principles applied in the RayMan software to simulate the short- and long-wave radiant flux densities, especially from vertical building walls and tree crowns.

Telephone based cognitive behavioral therapy targeting major depression among urban dwelling, low income people living with HIV/AIDS: results of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Himelhoch, Seth; Medoff, Deborah; Maxfield, Jennifer; Dihmes, Sarah; Dixon, Lisa; Robinson, Charles; Potts, Wendy; Mohr, David C

2013-10-01

This pilot randomized controlled trial evaluated a previously developed manualized telephone based cognitive behavioral therapy (T-CBT) intervention compared to face-to-face (f2f) therapy among low-income, urban dwelling HIV infected depressed individuals. The primary outcome was the reduction of depressive symptoms as measured by the Hamliton rating scale for depression scale. The secondary outcome was adherence to HAART as measured by random telephone based pill counts. Outcome measures were collected by trained research assistants masked to treatment allocation. Analysis was based on intention-to-treat. Thirty-four participants met eligibility criteria and were randomly assigned to receive T-CBT (n = 16) or f2f (n = 18). There was no statistically significant difference in depression treatment outcomes comparing f2f to T-CBT. Within group evaluation demonstrated that both the T-CBT and the f2f psychotherapy groups resulted in significant reductions in depressive symptoms. Those who received the T-CBT were significantly more likely to maintain their adherence to antiretroviral medication compared to the f2f treatment. None of the participants discontinued treatment due to adverse events. T-CBT can be delivered to low-income, urban dwelling HIV infected depressed individuals resulting in significant reductions in depression symptoms and improved adherence to antiretroviral medication. Clinical Trial.gov identifier: NCT01055158.

Seasonal and diurnal variations in methane and carbon dioxide in the Kathmandu Valley in the foothills of the central Himalayas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh Mahata, Khadak; Panday, Arnico Kumar; Rupakheti, Maheswar; Singh, Ashish; Naja, Manish; Lawrence, Mark G.

2017-10-01

The SusKat-ABC (Sustainable Atmosphere for the Kathmandu Valley-Atmospheric Brown Clouds) international air pollution measurement campaign was carried out from December 2012 to June 2013 in the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal. The Kathmandu Valley is a bowl-shaped basin with a severe air pollution problem. This paper reports measurements of two major greenhouse gases (GHGs), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), along with the pollutant CO, that began during the campaign and were extended for 1 year at the SusKat-ABC supersite in Bode, a semi-urban location in the Kathmandu Valley. Simultaneous measurements were also made during 2015 in Bode and a nearby rural site (Chanban) ˜ 25 km (aerial distance) to the southwest of Bode on the other side of a tall ridge. The ambient mixing ratios of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapor, and carbon monoxide (CO) were measured with a cavity ring-down spectrometer (G2401; Picarro, USA) along with meteorological parameters for 1 year (March 2013-March 2014). These measurements are the first of their kind in the central Himalayan foothills. At Bode, the annual average mixing ratios of CO2 and CH4 were 419.3 (±6.0) ppm and 2.192 (±0.066) ppm, respectively. These values are higher than the levels observed at background sites such as Mauna Loa, USA (CO2: 396.8 ± 2.0 ppm, CH4: 1.831 ± 0.110 ppm) and Waliguan, China (CO2: 397.7 ± 3.6 ppm, CH4: 1.879 ± 0.009 ppm) during the same period and at other urban and semi-urban sites in the region, such as Ahmedabad and Shadnagar (India). They varied slightly across the seasons at Bode, with seasonal average CH4 mixing ratios of 2.157 (±0.230) ppm in the pre-monsoon season, 2.199 (±0.241) ppm in the monsoon, 2.210 (±0.200) ppm in the post-monsoon, and 2.214 (±0.209) ppm in the winter season. The average CO2 mixing ratios were 426.2 (±25.5) ppm in the pre-monsoon, 413.5 (±24.2) ppm in the monsoon, 417.3 (±23.1) ppm in the post-monsoon, and 421.9 (±20.3) ppm in the winter season. The maximum seasonal mean mixing ratio of CH4 in winter was only 0.057 ppm or 2.6 % higher than the seasonal minimum during the pre-monsoon period, while CO2 was 12.8 ppm or 3.1 % higher during the pre-monsoon period (seasonal maximum) than during the monsoon (seasonal minimum). On the other hand, the CO mixing ratio at Bode was 191 % higher during the winter than during the monsoon season. The enhancement in CO2 mixing ratios during the pre-monsoon season is associated with additional CO2 emissions from forest fires and agro-residue burning in northern South Asia in addition to local emissions in the Kathmandu Valley. Published CO/CO2 ratios of different emission sources in Nepal and India were compared with the observed CO/CO2 ratios in this study. This comparison suggested that the major sources in the Kathmandu Valley were residential cooking and vehicle exhaust in all seasons except winter. In winter, brick kiln emissions were a major source. Simultaneous measurements in Bode and Chanban (15 July-3 October 2015) revealed that the mixing ratios of CO2, CH4, and CO were 3.8, 12, and 64 % higher in Bode than Chanban. The Kathmandu Valley thus has significant emissions from local sources, which can also be attributed to its bowl-shaped geography that is conducive to pollution build-up. At Bode, all three gas species (CO2, CH4, and CO) showed strong diurnal patterns in their mixing ratios with a pronounced morning peak (ca. 08:00), a dip in the afternoon, and a gradual increase again through the night until the next morning. CH4 and CO at Chanban, however, did not show any noticeable diurnal variations. These measurements provide the first insights into the diurnal and seasonal variation in key greenhouse gases and air pollutants and their local and regional sources, which is important information for atmospheric research in the region.

A new approach to quantify and map carbon stored, sequestered and emissions avoided by urban forests

Treesearch

E. Gregory McPherson; Qingfu Xiao; Elena Aguaron

2013-01-01

This paper describes the use of field surveys, biometric information for urban tree species and remote sensing to quantify and map carbon (C) storage, sequestration and avoided emissions from energy savings. Its primary contribution is methodological; the derivation and application of urban tree canopy (UTC) based transfer functions (t C ha-1 UTC). Findings for Los...

Trillium 360 Seismometer Initial Test Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bainbridge, Geoffrey; Devanney, Peter; Upadhyaya, Sarvesh

2017-04-01

Test results for Trillium 360 show this seismometer can resolve the Peterson New Low Noise Model down to 300 seconds period. This has been confirmed at multiple sites: Pinon Flat (California), Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory (New Mexico) and Nanometrics (Ottawa, Canada). The Pinon Flat deployment captured the March 2, 2016 Mw=7.9 Indonesian event and showed a response coherent with reference sensors including an STS-1 at periods down to 0.0015 Hz. At frequencies below 0.0015 Hz the reference sensors showed a noncoherent spurious response, i.e. noise in the presence of signal, whereas the Trillium 360 was relatively unaffected. Magnetic sensitivity has been measured to be 0.01 m/s^2/T in two independent tests at ASL and Nanometrics. Temperature sensitivity is 3*10^-4 m/s^2/T. This combination of low sensitivity to both magnetic field and temperature is achieved through magnetic shielding which resolves the side effect of magnetic sensitivity in temperature-compensated ferromagnetic spring alloys. The T360 seismometer components are sufficiently miniaturized for deployment in a borehole. This enables low-noise performance even in an urban environment with thick sediments (at Nanometrics, Ottawa) since the seismometer can be emplaced in bedrock below surface sediments and away from surface noise.

OPTIMIZATION OF INTEGRATED URBAN WET-WEATHER CONTROL STRATEGIES

EPA Science Inventory

An optimization method for urban wet weather control (WWC) strategies is presented. The developed optimization model can be used to determine the most cost-effective strategies for the combination of centralized storage-release systems and distributed on-site WWC alternatives. T...

WET-WEATHER POLLUTION PREVENTION BY PRODUCT SUBSTITUTION

EPA Science Inventory

A literature review of urban stormwater runoff and building/construction materials has shown that many materials such as galvanized metal, concrete, asphalt, and wood products, have the potential to release pollutants into urban stormwater runoff, and snowmelt. However, much of t...

Prioritizing Urban Marine Habitats for Conservation

EPA Science Inventory

Urban coastal wetlands and adjoining coves and embayments can provide habitat for significant numbers of waterbirds, despite being subject to high levels of stressors from human activities. Yet to date little emphasis has been placed on identifying these areas and prioritizing t...

Peak health and the need for more sustainable urban water systems

EPA Science Inventory

Large centralized urban water services in developed countries like the USA still provide significant environmental impact via loss of ecological water services, energy use, loss of nutrients from agricultural production, and eutrophication issues. Current climate models predict t...

Advanced analysis of thermal data observed in subsurface wells unmasks the ancient climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eppelbaum, Lev; Kutasov, Izzy

2014-05-01

Conventional methods of studying the ancient climate history are associated with statistical processing of accomplished meteorological data. These investigations have focused attention on meteorological records of air temperature, which can provide information on the only last 100-200 years. Number of the records is absolutely insufficient and their areal coverage is limited, some oldest meteorological stations may have been affected by local warming connected with urban and industrial growth. At the same time significant climate changes are accompanied by the corresponding variations in the Earth's surface (soil) temperature. This effect is based on the known physical law that temperature waves at the surface propagate downward into the subsurface with an amplitude attenuation and time delay increasing with depth. Earth's temperature profiles, measured by precise temperature logging T(z) in boreholes to depth of about 80-300 meters, have a 'memory' on what has happened on the surface during approximately several last centuries. Knowledge of the past climate in archaeology is necessary not only for tracing some ancient events and more deep understanding some historical facts, but also for estimation of past harvests, analysis of some physical conditions of different constructions built in the past, and in many other fields (Eppelbaum, 2010; Eppelbaum et al., 2010). The first attempts to recover the past ground surface temperature history (GSTH) from measured T(z) profiles date back to the mid-1960s, however only after Lachenbruch et al. (1988) pointed out that the magnitude and timing of the ground surface warming in Alaska is consistent with models of the recent warming, the method became popular (Cermak et al., 1996). Let us assume that tx years ago from now the ground surface temperature started to increase (warming) or reduce (cooling). Prior to this moment the subsurface temperature is: Ta(z,t = 0) = T0a + Γ z, (1) where T0a is the mean ground surface temperature at the moment of time t = 0 years; z is the vertical depth and Γ is the geothermal gradient. It is also assumed that the host medium is homogeneous with constant thermal properties. Now the current (t = tx) subsurface temperature is (in case of warming): Tc(z,t = tx) = T0c +f (z), (2) where T0c is the current (at the time (date) of temperature logging) mean ground surface temperature; and f(z) is a function of depth that could be obtained from the field data. In some cases the value of T0c can be obtained by extrapolation of the function Tc to z = 0. However, in most cases, the value T0c can be estimated by trial and error method: Assuming an interval of values for T0c, calculating for each T0c value of the temperature profiles Tcfor various models of change in the ground surface temperature (GST) with time and, finally, finding a best match between calculated and field measured Tc profiles. In our study we found that a quadratic regression can be utilized to estimate the value of T0c = a0 (Kutasov et al., 2000): Tc(z,t = tx) = a0 + a1z +a2z2, (3) where a0, a1, and a2 are the coefficients. We will consider four different models (Eppelbaum et al., 2006). Apparently each of these models is more suitable (applicable) under concrete physical-geological conditions. In the first model we assumed that txC years ago the GSTvalue suddenly changed from T0 to T0c. The current temperature anomaly (the reduced temperature) is TR (z) = T0c + f(z) - T0 - Γ z (4) and the solution is ( ) TRC = TR = ΔT0Φ *(x) -;z- ,t = txC, 2 at (5) ΔT0 = T0c - T0, (6)

Coalescing colony model: Mean-field, scaling, and geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carra, Giulia; Mallick, Kirone; Barthelemy, Marc

2017-12-01

We analyze the coalescing model where a `primary' colony grows and randomly emits secondary colonies that spread and eventually coalesce with it. This model describes population proliferation in theoretical ecology, tumor growth, and is also of great interest for modeling urban sprawl. Assuming the primary colony to be always circular of radius r (t ) and the emission rate proportional to r (t) θ , where θ >0 , we derive the mean-field equations governing the dynamics of the primary colony, calculate the scaling exponents versus θ , and compare our results with numerical simulations. We then critically test the validity of the circular approximation for the colony shape and show that it is sound for a constant emission rate (θ =0 ). However, when the emission rate is proportional to the perimeter, the circular approximation breaks down and the roughness of the primary colony cannot be discarded, thus modifying the scaling exponents.

Comparison of sediment supply to San Francisco Bay from watersheds draining the Bay Area and the Central Valley of California

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKee, L.J.; Lewicki, M.; Schoellhamer, D.H.; Ganju, N.K.

2013-01-01

Quantifying suspended sediment loads is important for managing the world's estuaries in the context of navigation, pollutant transport, wetland restoration, and coastal erosion. To address these needs, a comprehensive analysis was completed on sediment supply to San Francisco Bay from fluvial sources. Suspended sediment, optical backscatter, velocity data near the head of the estuary, and discharge data obtained from the output of a water balance model were used to generate continuous suspended sediment concentration records and compute loads to the Bay from the large Central Valley watershed. Sediment loads from small tributary watersheds around the Bay were determined using 235 station-years of suspended sediment data from 38 watershed locations, regression analysis, and simple modeling. Over 16 years, net annual suspended sediment load to the head of the estuary from its 154,000 km2 Central Valley watershed varied from 0.13 to 2.58 (mean = 0.89) million metric t of suspended sediment, or an average yield of 11 metric t/km2/yr. Small tributaries, totaling 8145 km2, in the nine-county Bay Area discharged between 0.081 and 4.27 (mean = 1.39) million metric t with a mean yield of 212 metric t/km2/yr. The results indicate that the hundreds of urbanized and tectonically active tributaries adjacent to the Bay, which together account for just 5% of the total watershed area draining to the Bay and provide just 7% of the annual average fluvial flow, supply 61% of the suspended sediment. The small tributary loads are more variable (53-fold between years compared to 21-fold for the inland Central Valley rivers) and dominated fluvial sediment supply to the Bay during 10 out of 16 yr. If San Francisco Bay is typical of other estuaries in active tectonic or climatically variable coastal regimes, managers responsible for water quality, dredging and reusing sediment accumulating in shipping channels, or restoring wetlands in the world's estuaries may need to more carefully account for proximal small urbanized watersheds that may dominate sediment supply.

Using crowdsourced data from citizen weather stations to analyse air temperature in 'local climate zones' in Berlin, Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fenner, Daniel; Meier, Fred; Bechtel, Benjamin; Otto, Marco; Scherer, Dieter

2017-04-01

Provision of observational data with high spatial coverage over extended time periods still remains as one of the biggest challenges in urban climate research. Classical meteorological networks are seldomly designed to monitor atmospheric conditions in a broad variety of urban environments, though the heterogeneity of urban structures leads to distinct thermal characteristics on local scales, i.e., hundreds of metres to several kilometres. One approach to overcome the aforementioned challenges of observation networks is to use data from weather stations that are maintained by citizens. The private company 'netatmo' (www.netatmo.com) produces and distributes such citizen weather stations (CWS) around the world. The stations automatically send their data to the netatmo server, and the user decides if data are publicly shared. Shared data can freely be retrieved via an application programming interface. We collected air temperature (T) data for the year 2015 for the city of Berlin, Germany, and surroundings with more than 1500 'netatmo' CWS in the study area. The entire data set was thoroughly quality checked, and filter techniques, involving data from a reference network, were developed to address different types of errors associated with CWS data. Additionally, the accuracy of 'netatmo' CWS was checked in a climate chamber and in a long-term field experiment. Since the terms 'urban' and 'rural' are ambiguous in urban climate studies, Stewart and Oke (2012) developed the 'local climate zone' (LCZ) concept to enhance understanding and interpretation of air temperature differences in urban regions. LCZ classification for the study region was conducted using the 'WUDAPT' approach by Bechtel et al. (2015). The quality-checked CWS data were used to analyse T characteristics of LCZ classes in Berlin and surroundings. Specifically, we analysed how LCZ classes are represented by CWS in 2015, how T varies within each LCZ class ('intra-LCZ variability'), and if significant differences can be detected between LCZ classes ('inter-LCZ differences'). Results show that most 'built-up' LCZ classes in the study region are represented by CWS, while only few CWS are located in 'natural' LCZ classes (i.e. in inner-city parks or in rural areas). T as measured by CWS showed overall good agreement with data from a network of professional weather stations throughout the year, though for some LCZ classes mean monthly deviations were up to 1 K. Intra-LCZ variability of T was especially pronounced during night-time hours and during summer months. We found significant inter-LCZ differences in T mainly for dissimilar LCZ classes and during night-time. Our results indicate the suitability of CWS data for T monitoring of specific LCZ classes and the applicability of this data set for further scientific research. Bechtel, B., P. J. Alexander, J. Böhner, J. Ching, O. Conrad, J. Feddema, G. Mills, L. See, and I. D. Stewart (2015): Mapping Local Climate Zones for a Worldwide Database of the Form and Function of Cities. ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 4: 199-219 Stewart, I. D. and T. R. Oke (2012): Local climate zones for urban temperature studies. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc. 93 (12): 1879-1900

The peri-urban interface and house infestation with Triatoma infestans in the Argentine Chaco: an underreported process?

PubMed Central

Provecho, Yael M; Gaspe, M Sol; del Pilar Fernández, M; Enriquez, Gustavo F; Weinberg, Diego; Gürtler, Ricardo E

2014-01-01

Peri-urban infestations with triatomine bugs, their sources and their dynamics have rarely been investigated. Here, we corroborated the reported occurrence of Triatoma infestans in a peri-urban area and in neighbouring rural houses in Pampa del Indio, in the Argentine Chaco, and identified its putative sources using spatial analysis and demographic questionnaires. Peri-urban householders reported that 10% of their premises had triatomines, whereas T. infestans was collected by timed manual searches or community-based surveillance in only nine (3%) houses. Trypanosoma cruzi-infected T. infestans and Triatoma sordida were collected indoors only in peri-urban houses and were infected with TcV and TcI, respectively. The triatomines fed on chickens, cats and humans. Peri-urban infestations were most frequent in a squatter settlement and particularly within the recently built mud houses of rural immigrants, with large-sized households, more dogs and cats and more crowding. Several of the observed infestations were most likely associated with passive bug transport from other sources and with active bug dispersal from neighbouring foci. Thus, the households in the squatter settlement were at a greater risk of bug invasion and colonisation. In sum, the incipient process of domestic colonisation and transmission, along with persistent rural-to-urban migratory flows and unplanned urbanisation, indicate the need for active vector surveillance and control actions at the peri-urban interface of the Gran Chaco. PMID:25410997

On-road vehicle emission control in Beijing: past, present, and future.

PubMed

Wu, Ye; Wang, Renjie; Zhou, Yu; Lin, Bohong; Fu, Lixin; He, Kebin; Hao, Jiming

2011-01-01

Beijing, the capital of China, has experienced rapid motorization since 1990; a trend that is likely to continue. The growth in vehicles and the corresponding emissions create challenges to improving the urban air quality. In an effort to reduce the impact of vehicle emissions on urban air quality, Beijing has adopted a number of vehicle emission control strategies and policies since the mid 1990 s. These are classified into seven categories: (1) emission control on new vehicles; (2) emission control on in-use vehicles; (3) fuel quality improvements; (4) alternative-fuel and advanced vehicles; (5) economic policies; (6) public transport; and (7) temporal traffic control measures. Many have proven to be successful, such as the Euro emission standards, unleaded gasoline and low sulfur fuel, temporal traffic control measures during the Beijing Olympic Games, etc. Some, however, have been failures, such as the gasoline-to-LPG taxi retrofit program. Thanks to the emission standards for new vehicles as well as other controls, the fleet-average emission rates of CO, HC, NO(X), and PM(10) by each major vehicle category are decreasing over time. For example, gasoline cars decreased fleet-average emission factors by 12.5% for CO, 10.0% for HC, 5.8% for NO(X), and 13.0% for PM(10) annually since 1995, and such a trend is likely to continue. Total emissions for Beijing's vehicle fleet increased from 1995 to 1998. However, they show a clear and steady decrease between 1999 and 2009. In 2009, total emissions of CO, HC, NO(X), and PM(10) were 845,000 t, 121,000 t, 84,000 t, and 3700 t, respectively; with reductions of 47%, 49%, 47%, and 42%, relative to 1998. Beijing has been considered a pioneer in controlling vehicle emissions within China, similar to the role of California to the U.S. The continued rapid growth of vehicles, however, is challenging Beijing's policy-makers.

Prevalence of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Economy.

PubMed

Zhu, Jin-Zhou; Dai, Yi-Ning; Wang, Yu-Ming; Zhou, Qin-Yi; Yu, Chao-Hui; Li, You-Ming

2015-11-01

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a growing health issue around the world. This study is to investigate whether adult prevalence of NAFLD correlates with national economic status. Literature search on PubMed database was conducted to identify eligible records fully published before September 2014. Gross national income (GNI) per capita was chosen to evaluate national economic status. Pearson coefficient, linear regression, and unpaired t test were performed in the statistical analyses. Twenty-one population-based surveys (seven in East Asia, five in South Asia, three in Middle East, and six in Europe) were included. The pooled prevalence of NAFLD was 24.24%, and the global prevalence was positively correlated with GNI per capita (r = 0.4782, P = 0.0283). Europe witnessed a higher prevalence (28.04%) than Middle East (12.95%, P = 0.0092) and East Asia (19.24%, P = 0.0083). Male presented a higher prevalence than female (P = 0.019), especially in Europe (P = 0.0132) and in Caucasians (P = 0.0383). Furthermore, male prevalence and rural prevalence individually were correlated with economic status (r = 0.5725, P = 0.0257 and r = 0.7389, P = 0.0060). Lastly, the urban (23.93%) witnessed a higher prevalence than the rural or the urban + rural (12.65%, P = 0.0141) in the countries of GNI per capita <$10,000. This study suggested that countries with higher economic status tend to present a higher prevalence of NAFLD. It is believed to provide a distinctive epidemiologic perspective to global situation of NAFLD.

Anthropogenic Emissions Change the Amount and Composition of Organic PM1 in Amazonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Sá, S. S.; Palm, B. B.; Campuzano Jost, P.; Day, D. A.; Hu, W.; Isaacman-VanWertz, G. A.; Yee, L.; Wernis, R. A.; Thalman, R.; Brito, J.; Carbone, S.; Artaxo, P.; Goldstein, A. H.; Manzi, A. O.; Souza, R. A. F. D.; Wang, J.; Alexander, M. L. L.; Jimenez, J. L.; Martin, S. T.

2017-12-01

The Amazon forest, while one of the few regions on the globe where pristine conditions may still prevail, has experienced rapid changes due to increasing urbanization in the past decades. Manaus, a Brazilian city of 2-million people in the central Amazon basin, releases a pollution plume over the forest, potentially affecting the production pathways of particulate matter (PM) in the region. As part of GoAmazon2014/5, a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) and a suite of other gas and particle-phase instruments were deployed at the T3 research site, 70 km downwind of Manaus, during the wet and dry seasons. Through a combination of meteorology, emissions, and chemistry, the T3 site was affected by a mixture of biogenic emissions from the tropical rainforest, urban outflow from the Manaus metropolitan area and biomass burning plumes. Results from the T3 site are presented in the context of measurements at T0a/T0t and T2, sites representing predominantly clean and polluted conditions, respectively. The organic component consistently represented on average 70-80% of the PM1 mass concentration across sites and seasons, and constitutes the focus of this work. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis was applied to the time series of organic mass spectra. The resulting factors, which included the so-called IEPOX-SOA, MO-OOA, LO-OOA, BBOA, Fac91 and HOA, provide information on the relative contributions of different sources and pathways to organic PM production. In addition, Fuzzy c-means clustering was applied to the time series of pollution indicators, including concentrations of NOy, total particle number, ozone and sulfate, in order to better understand the convoluted influences of different processes and airmass origin to each point in time. Through combination of the PMF and Fuzzy c-means analyses, insights are drawn about the relative composition of organic PM1 at varying degrees of influence of biogenic and anthropogenic processes. Results suggest that polluted conditions are associated with higher organic mass concentrations, with certain pathways being favored to the detriment of others. This analysis and results represent a step toward the goal of improving the understanding of anthropogenic influences on the production of PM1 in Amazonia.

Analysis of the relationships between environmental noise and urban morphology.

PubMed

Han, Xiaopeng; Huang, Xin; Liang, Hong; Ma, Song; Gong, Jianya

2018-02-01

Understanding the effects of urban morphology on urban environmental noise (UEN) at a regional scale is crucial for creating a pleasant urban acoustic environment. This study seeks to investigate how the urban morphology influences the UEN in the Shenzhen metropolitan region of China, by employing remote sensing and geographic information data. The UEN in this study consists of not only regional environmental noise (RN), but also traffic noise (TN). The experimental results reveal the following findings: 1) RN is positively correlated with the nighttime light intensity (NTL) and land surface temperature (LST) (p < 0.05). More interestingly, landscape composition and configuration can also significantly affect RN. For instance, urban vegetation can mitigate the RN (r = -0.411, p < 0.01). There is a reduced RN effect when fewer buildings exist in an urban landscape, in terms of the positive relationship between building density and RN (r = 0.188, p < 0.01). Given the same percentage of building area, buildings are more effective at reducing noise when they are distributed across the urban scenes, rather than being spatially concentrated (r = -0.205, p < 0.01). 2) TN positively relates to large (r = 0.520, p < 0.01) and small-medium (r = 0.508, p < 0.01) vehicle flow. In addition, vegetation along or near roads can alleviate the TN effect (r = -0.342, p < 0.01). TN can also become more severe in urban landscapes where there is higher road density (r = 0.307, p < 0.01). 3) Concerning the urban functional zones, traffic land is the greatest contributor to urban RN, followed by mixed residential and commercial land. The findings revealed by this research will indicate how to mitigate UEN. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adult BMI and Access to Built Environment Resources in a High-Poverty, Urban Geography.

PubMed

Tung, Elizabeth L; Peek, Monica E; Makelarski, Jennifer A; Escamilla, Veronica; Lindau, Stacy T

2016-11-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between BMI and access to built environment resources in a high-poverty, urban geography. Participants (aged ≥35 years) were surveyed between November 2012 and July 2013 to examine access to common health-enabling resources (grocers, outpatient providers, pharmacies, places of worship, and physical activity resources). Survey data were linked to a contemporaneous census of built resources. Associations between BMI and access to resources (potential and realized) were examined using independent t-tests and multiple linear regression. Data analysis was conducted in 2014-2015. Median age was 53.8 years (N=267, 62% cooperation rate). Obesity (BMI ≥30) prevalence was 54.9%. BMI was not associated with potential access to resources located nearest to home. Nearly all participants (98.1%) bypassed at least one nearby resource type; half bypassed nearby grocers (realized access >1 mile from home). Bypassing grocers was associated with a higher BMI (p=0.03). Each additional mile traveled from home to a grocer was associated with a 0.9-higher BMI (95% CI=0.4, 1.3). Quality and affordability were common reasons for bypassing resources. Despite potential access to grocers in a high-poverty, urban region, half of participants bypassed nearby grocers to access food. Bypassing grocers was associated with a higher BMI. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Semantic Framework of Internet of Things for Smart Cities: Case Studies.

PubMed

Zhang, Ningyu; Chen, Huajun; Chen, Xi; Chen, Jiaoyan

2016-09-14

In recent years, the advancement of sensor technology has led to the generation of heterogeneous Internet-of-Things (IoT) data by smart cities. Thus, the development and deployment of various aspects of IoT-based applications are necessary to mine the potential value of data to the benefit of people and their lives. However, the variety, volume, heterogeneity, and real-time nature of data obtained from smart cities pose considerable challenges. In this paper, we propose a semantic framework that integrates the IoT with machine learning for smart cities. The proposed framework retrieves and models urban data for certain kinds of IoT applications based on semantic and machine-learning technologies. Moreover, we propose two case studies: pollution detection from vehicles and traffic pattern detection. The experimental results show that our system is scalable and capable of accommodating a large number of urban regions with different types of IoT applications.

Semantic Framework of Internet of Things for Smart Cities: Case Studies

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ningyu; Chen, Huajun; Chen, Xi; Chen, Jiaoyan

2016-01-01

In recent years, the advancement of sensor technology has led to the generation of heterogeneous Internet-of-Things (IoT) data by smart cities. Thus, the development and deployment of various aspects of IoT-based applications are necessary to mine the potential value of data to the benefit of people and their lives. However, the variety, volume, heterogeneity, and real-time nature of data obtained from smart cities pose considerable challenges. In this paper, we propose a semantic framework that integrates the IoT with machine learning for smart cities. The proposed framework retrieves and models urban data for certain kinds of IoT applications based on semantic and machine-learning technologies. Moreover, we propose two case studies: pollution detection from vehicles and traffic pattern detection. The experimental results show that our system is scalable and capable of accommodating a large number of urban regions with different types of IoT applications. PMID:27649185

Urbanization in China drives soil acidification of Pinus massoniana forests.

PubMed

Huang, Juan; Zhang, Wei; Mo, Jiangming; Wang, Shizhong; Liu, Juxiu; Chen, Hao

2015-09-24

Soil acidification instead of alkalization has become a new environmental issue caused by urbanization. However, it remains unclear the characters and main contributors of this acidification. We investigated the effects of an urbanization gradient on soil acidity of Pinus massoniana forests in Pearl River Delta, South China. The soil pH of pine forests at 20-cm depth had significantly positive linear correlations with the distance from the urban core of Guangzhou. Soil pH reduced by 0.44 unit at the 0-10 cm layer in urbanized areas compared to that in non-urbanized areas. Nitrogen deposition, mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation were key factors influencing soil acidification based on a principal component analysis. Nitrogen deposition showed significant linear relationships with soil pH at the 0-10 cm (for ammonium N(NH4+(-N)), P < 0.05; for nitrate N(NO3-(-N)), P < 0.01) and 10-20 cm (for NO3-(-N), P < 0.05) layers. However, there was no significant loss of exchangeable non-acidic cations along the urbanization gradient, instead their levels were higher in urban than in urban/suburban area at the 0-10 cm layer. Our results suggested N deposition particularly under the climate of high temperature and rainfall, greatly contributed to a significant soil acidification occurred in the urbanized environment.

A meteorological and chemical overview of the DACCIWA field campaign in West Africa in June-July 2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knippertz, Peter; Fink, Andreas H.; Deroubaix, Adrien; Morris, Eleanor; Tocquer, Flore; Evans, Mat J.; Flamant, Cyrille; Gaetani, Marco; Lavaysse, Christophe; Mari, Celine; Marsham, John H.; Meynadier, Rémi; Affo-Dogo, Abalo; Bahaga, Titike; Brosse, Fabien; Deetz, Konrad; Guebsi, Ridha; Latifou, Issaou; Maranan, Marlon; Rosenberg, Philip D.; Schlueter, Andreas

2017-09-01

In June and July 2016 the Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions in West Africa (DACCIWA) project organised a major international field campaign in southern West Africa (SWA) including measurements from three inland ground supersites, urban sites in Cotonou and Abidjan, radiosondes, and three research aircraft. A significant range of different weather situations were encountered during this period, including the monsoon onset. The purpose of this paper is to characterise the large-scale setting for the campaign as well as synoptic and mesoscale weather systems affecting the study region in the light of existing conceptual ideas, mainly using objective and subjective identification algorithms based on (re-)analysis and satellite products. In addition, it is shown how the described synoptic variations influence the atmospheric composition over SWA through advection of mineral dust, biomass burning and urban pollution plumes.The boreal summer of 2016 was characterised by Pacific La Niña, Atlantic El Niño and warm eastern Mediterranean conditions, whose competing influences on precipitation led to an overall average rainy season. During the relatively dusty pre-onset Phase 1 (1-21 June 2016), three westward-propagating coherent cyclonic vortices between 4 and 13° N modulated winds and rainfall in the Guinea coastal area. The monsoon onset occurred in connection with a marked extratropical trough and cold surge over northern Africa, leading to a breakdown of the Saharan heat low and African easterly jet and a suppression of rainfall. During this period, quasi-stationary low-level vortices associated with the trough transformed into more tropical, propagating disturbances resembling an African easterly wave (AEW). To the east of this system, moist southerlies penetrated deep into the continent. The post-onset Phase 2 (22 June-20 July 2016) was characterised by a significant increase in low-level cloudiness, unusually dry conditions and strong northeastward dispersion of urban pollution plumes in SWA as well as rainfall modulation by westward-propagating AEWs in the Sahel. Around 12-14 July 2016 an interesting and so-far undocumented cyclonic-anticyclonic vortex couplet crossed SWA. The anticyclonic centre had its origin in the Southern Hemisphere and transported unusually dry air filled with aged aerosol into the region. During Phase 3 (21-26 July 2016), a similar vortex couplet slightly farther north created enhanced westerly moisture transports into SWA and extraordinarily wet conditions, accompanied by a deep penetration of the biomass burning plume from central Africa. Finally, a return to more undisturbed monsoon conditions took place during Phase 4 (27-31 July 2016). The in-depth synoptic analysis reveals that several significant weather systems during the DACCIWA campaign cannot be attributed unequivocally to any of the tropical waves and disturbances described in the literature and thus deserve further study.

Research notes : adjustment of driver behavior to an urban multilane roundabout.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-06-01

In June of 2006, the City of Springfield, Oregon began construction of the first multi-lane urban roundabout in Oregon. The five-legged roundabout replaced an existing T intersection that was controlled by a traffic light. A study was conducted...

LABORATORY-SCALE SIMULATION OF RUNOFF RESPONSE FROM PERVIOUS-IMPERVIOUS SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Urban development yields landscapes that are composites of impervious and pervious areas, with a consequent reduction in infiltration and increase in stormwater runoff. Although basic rainfall-runoff models are used in the vast majority of runoff prediction in urban landscapes, t...

Relationship between Sensory Perception and Frailty in a Community-Dwelling Elderly Population.

PubMed

Somekawa, S; Mine, T; Ono, K; Hayashi, N; Obuchi, S; Yoshida, H; Kawai, H; Fujiwara, Y; Hirano, H; Kojima, M; Ihara, K; Kim, H

2017-01-01

Aging anorexia, defined as loss of appetite and/or reduced food intake, has been postulated as a risk factor for frailty. Impairments of taste and smell perception in elderly people can lead to reduced enjoyment of food and contribute to the anorexia of aging. To evaluate the relationship between frailty and taste and smell perception in elderly people living in urban areas. Data from the baseline evaluation of 768 residents aged ≥ 65 years who enrolled in a comprehensive geriatric health examination survey was analyzed. Fourteen out of 29-items of Appetite, Hunger, Sensory Perception questionnaire (AHSP), frailty, age, sex, BMI, chronic conditions and IADL were evaluated. AHSP was analyzed as the total score of 8 taste items (T) and 6 smell items (S). Frailty was diagnosed using a modified Fried's frailty criteria. The area under the receiver operator curves for detection of frailty demonstrated that T (0.715) had moderate accuracy, but S (0.657) had low accuracy. The cutoffs, sensitivity, specificity and Youden Index (YI) values for each perception were T: Cutoff 26.5 (YI: 0.350, sensitivity: 0.639, specificity: 0.711) and S: Cutoff 18.5 (YI: 0.246, sensitivity: 0.690, specificity: 0.556). Results from multiple logistic regression models, after adjusting for age, sex, IADL and chronic conditions showed that participants under the T cutoff were associated with exhaustion and those below the S cutoff were associated with slow walking speed. The adjusted logistic models for age, sex, IADL and chronic conditions showed significant association between T and frailty (OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.29-6.12), but not between S and frailty (OR 1.73, 95% CI 0.83-3.63). Taste and smell perception, particularly taste perception, were associated with a greater risk of frailty in community-dwelling elderly people. These results suggest that lower taste and smell perception may be an indicator of frailty in old age.

Tinea capitis among children in the Columbus area, Ohio, USA.

PubMed

Coloe, Jacquelyn R; Diab, Mohammad; Moennich, Jessica; Diab, Diab; Pawaskar, Manjiri; Balkrishnan, Rajesh; Bechtel, Mark A

2010-03-01

Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the hair follicles of the scalp. In the US, the most common organisms have traditionally been Trichophyton tonsurans, and occasionally Microsporum canis. This study was designed to examine patterns of organisms causing tinea capitis and determine factors associated with infection. A retrospective database analysis was conducted to locate records of patients with tinea capitis from May 2001 to May 2006 at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, OH. Descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, chi-squared test, and Student's t-test were performed to evaluate types of causative organisms and associated patient characteristics. One hundred and eighty-nine charts of patients with a positive scalp culture for tinea capitis were located. Trichophyton tonsurans (88.9%) was the foremost causative agent followed by Trichophyton violaceum (4.2%). Tinea capitis was more prevalent among African Americans and was more common in urban areas (P < 0.05). Children of African descent inhabiting urban settings were most vulnerable to tinea capitis. The most common organism isolated in this retrospective study was T. tonsurans. Trichophyton violaceum and Trichophyton soudanense were also isolated, which are not commonly reported causes of tinea capitis in the US.

Evaluation of a reproductive health awareness program for adolescence in urban Tanzania--a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test research.

PubMed

Madeni, Frida; Horiuchi, Shigeko; Iida, Mariko

2011-06-27

Sub-Saharan Africa is among the countries where 10% of girls become mothers by the age of 16 years old. The United Republic of Tanzania located in Sub-Saharan Africa is one country where teenage pregnancy is a problem facing adolescent girls. Adolescent pregnancy has been identified as one of the reasons for girls dropping out from school. This study's purpose was to evaluate a reproductive health awareness program for the improvement of reproductive health for adolescents in urban Tanzania. A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test research design was conducted to evaluate adolescents' knowledge, attitude, and behavior about reproductive health before and after the program. Data were collected from students aged 11 to 16, at Ilala Municipal, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. An anonymous 23-item questionnaire provided the data. The program was conducted using a picture drama, reproductive health materials and group discussion. In total, 313 questionnaires were distributed and 305 (97.4%) were useable for the final analysis. The mean age for girls was 12.5 years and 13.2 years for boys. A large minority of both girls (26.8%) and boys (41.4%) had experienced sex and among the girls who had experienced sex, 51.2% reported that it was by force. The girls' mean score in the knowledge pre-test was 5.9, and 6.8 in post-test, which increased significantly (t=7.9, p=0.000). The mean behavior pre-test score was 25.8 and post-test was 26.6, which showed a significant increase (t=3.0, p=0.003). The boys' mean score in the knowledge pre-test was 6.4 and 7.0 for the post-test, which increased significantly (t=4.5, p=0.000). The mean behavior pre-test score was 25.6 and 26.4 in post-test, which showed a significant increase (t=2.4, p=0.019). However, the pre-test and post-test attitude scores showed no statistically significant difference for either girls or boys. Teenagers have sexual experiences including sexual violence. Both of these phenomena are prevalent among school-going adolescents. The reproductive health program improved the students' knowledge and behavior about sexuality and decision-making after the program for both girls and boys. However, their attitudes about reproductive health were not likely to change based on the educational intervention as designed for this study.

Evaluation of a reproductive health awareness program for adolescence in urban Tanzania-A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test research

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Sub-Saharan Africa is among the countries where 10% of girls become mothers by the age of 16 years old. The United Republic of Tanzania located in Sub-Saharan Africa is one country where teenage pregnancy is a problem facing adolescent girls. Adolescent pregnancy has been identified as one of the reasons for girls dropping out from school. This study's purpose was to evaluate a reproductive health awareness program for the improvement of reproductive health for adolescents in urban Tanzania. Methods A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test research design was conducted to evaluate adolescents' knowledge, attitude, and behavior about reproductive health before and after the program. Data were collected from students aged 11 to 16, at Ilala Municipal, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. An anonymous 23-item questionnaire provided the data. The program was conducted using a picture drama, reproductive health materials and group discussion. Results In total, 313 questionnaires were distributed and 305 (97.4%) were useable for the final analysis. The mean age for girls was 12.5 years and 13.2 years for boys. A large minority of both girls (26.8%) and boys (41.4%) had experienced sex and among the girls who had experienced sex, 51.2% reported that it was by force. The girls' mean score in the knowledge pre-test was 5.9, and 6.8 in post-test, which increased significantly (t = 7.9, p = 0.000). The mean behavior pre-test score was 25.8 and post-test was 26.6, which showed a significant increase (t = 3.0, p = 0.003). The boys' mean score in the knowledge pre-test was 6.4 and 7.0 for the post-test, which increased significantly (t = 4.5, p = 0.000). The mean behavior pre-test score was 25.6 and 26.4 in post-test, which showed a significant increase (t = 2.4, p = 0.019). However, the pre-test and post-test attitude scores showed no statistically significant difference for either girls or boys. Conclusions Teenagers have sexual experiences including sexual violence. Both of these phenomena are prevalent among school-going adolescents. The reproductive health program improved the students' knowledge and behavior about sexuality and decision-making after the program for both girls and boys. However, their attitudes about reproductive health were not likely to change based on the educational intervention as designed for this study. PMID:21707996

Increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome in non-obese asian Indian-an urban-rural comparison.

PubMed

Mahadik, S R; Deo, S S; Mehtalia, S D

2007-06-01

In the present study we evaluated the association of insulin resistance (IR) with different components of Metabolic Syndrome (MS) in an Asian Indian population, and performed a comparative study between urban and rural populations of India. A Total of 267 urban men and women aged 25-70 years participated in this study. RESULTS were compared with rural data from a previously published study. Fasting serum insulin, uric acid, and lipid profile were measured along with fasting and 2 hour plasma glucose. Association of MS and IR was studied by using univariate regression analysis. Prevalence of MS was significantly higher in the urban population compared to that of the rural population (35.2% vs 20.6%, chi(2) = 23.2, p < 0.001). Calculated insulin resistence (HOMA-IR) was common in MS group of both populations. Percentage prevalence of IR was high and almost the same in both population (42%). Percentage prevalence of abdominal obesity and hypertriglyceridemia was significantly higher in the urban population compared to the rural population. Linear regression analysis of IR significantly correlated with different components of MS of both the population. The significant finding of the present study was that the rural population exhibited a high prevalence of MS and IR, though nonobese. IR correlated with components of MS not only in the urban but also in the rural population. To reduce the incidence of Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in our populations, early identification of populations at risk based on prevalence of MS and IR will become of prime importance.

Urbanisierung und Ökologische Stadtentwicklung. Zur Integration urbaner Biodiversität und Ökosystemleistungen in Deutschland und China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kümper-Schlake, Lennart

2016-06-01

Urbanisation processes increase land-use conflicts and ecosystem destruction globally. Especially in China, a country with an outstanding urbanization rate, city governments are challenged by environmental and health problems. Urban green spaces - subsequently defined as urban biodiversity and ecosystem services - can minimize numerous environmental risks and at the same time contribute to the citizens' well-being and quality of life. In this highly relevant field of nature conservation, geographical perspectives are required - in science, politics, policy, planning and practice.

Fish assemblage responses to urban intensity gradients in contrasting metropolitan areas: Birmingham, Alabama and Boston, Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meador, M.R.; Coles, J.F.; Zappia, H.

2005-01-01

We examined fish assemblage responses to urban intensify gradients in two contrasting metropolitan areas: Birmingham, Alabama (BIR) and Boston, Massachusetts (BOS). Urbanization was quantified by using an urban intensity index (UII) that included multiple stream buffers and basin land uses, human population density, and road density variables. We evaluated fish assemblage responses by using species richness metrics and detrended correspondence analyses (DCA). Fish species richness metrics included total fish species richness, and percentages of endemic species richness, alien species, and fluvial specialist species. Fish species richness decreased significantly with increasing urbanization in BIR (r = -0.82, P = 0.001) and BOS (r = -0.48, P = 0.008). Percentages of endemic species richness decreased significantly with increasing urbanization only in BIR (r = - 0.71, P = 0.001), whereas percentages of fluvial specialist species decreased significantly with increasing urbanization only in BOS (r = -0.56, P = 0.002). Our DCA results for BIR indicate that highly urbanized fish assemblages are composed primarily of largescale stoneroller Campostoma oligolepis, largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides, and creek chub Semotilus atromaculatus, whereas the highly urbanized fish assemblages in BOS are dominated by yellow perch Perca flavescens, bluegill Lefomis macrochirus, yellow bullhead Ameiurus natalis, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed L. gibbosus, brown bullhead A. nebulosus, and redfin pickerel Esox americanus. Differences in fish assemblage responses to urbanization between the two areas appear to be related to differences in nutrient enrichment, habitat alterations, and invasive species. Because species richness can increase or decrease with increasing urbanization, a general response model is not applicable. Instead, response models based on species' life histories, behavior, and autecologies offer greater potential for understanding fish assemblage responses to urbanization. ?? 2005 by the American Fisheries Society.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africans - Is the burden in today's Africa similar to African migrants in Europe? The RODAM study.

PubMed

Agyemang, Charles; Meeks, Karlijn; Beune, Erik; Owusu-Dabo, Ellis; Mockenhaupt, Frank P; Addo, Juliet; de Graft Aikins, Ama; Bahendeka, Silver; Danquah, Ina; Schulze, Matthias B; Spranger, Joachim; Burr, Tom; Agyei-Baffour, Peter; Amoah, Stephen K; Galbete, Cecilia; Henneman, Peter; Klipstein-Grobusch, Kerstin; Nicolaou, Mary; Adeyemo, Adebowale; van Straalen, Jan; Smeeth, Liam; Stronks, Karien

2016-10-21

Rising rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are impending major threats to the health of African populations, but the extent to which they differ between rural and urban settings in Africa and upon migration to Europe is unknown. We assessed the burden of obesity and T2D among Ghanaians living in rural and urban Ghana and Ghanaian migrants living in different European countries. A multi-centre cross-sectional study was conducted among Ghanaian adults (n = 5659) aged 25-70 years residing in rural and urban Ghana and three European cities (Amsterdam, London and Berlin). Comparisons between groups were made using prevalence ratios (PRs) with adjustments for age and education. In rural Ghana, the prevalence of obesity was 1.3 % in men and 8.3 % in women. The prevalence was considerably higher in urban Ghana (men, 6.9 %; PR: 5.26, 95 % CI, 2.04-13.57; women, 33.9 %; PR: 4.11, 3.13-5.40) and even more so in Europe, especially in London (men, 21.4 %; PR: 15.04, 5.98-37.84; women, 54.2 %; PR: 6.63, 5.04-8.72). The prevalence of T2D was low at 3.6 % and 5.5 % in rural Ghanaian men and women, and increased in urban Ghanaians (men, 10.3 %; PR: 3.06; 1.73-5.40; women, 9.2 %; PR: 1.81, 1.25-2.64) and highest in Berlin (men, 15.3 %; PR: 4.47; 2.50-7.98; women, 10.2 %; PR: 2.21, 1.30-3.75). Impaired fasting glycaemia prevalence was comparatively higher only in Amsterdam, and in London, men compared with rural Ghana. Our study shows high risks of obesity and T2D among sub-Saharan African populations living in Europe. In Ghana, similarly high prevalence rates were seen in an urban environment, whereas in rural areas, the prevalence of obesity among women is already remarkable. Similar processes underlying the high burden of obesity and T2D following migration may also be at play in sub-Saharan Africa as a consequence of urbanisation.

Analysis of Global Urban Temperature Trends and Urbanization Impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, K. I.; Ryu, J.; Jeon, S. W.

2018-04-01

Due to urbanization, urban areas are shrinking green spaces and increasing concrete, asphalt pavement. So urban climates are different from non-urban areas. In addition, long-term macroscopic studies of urban climate change are becoming more important as global urbanization affects global warming. To do this, it is necessary to analyze the effect of urbanization on the temporal change in urban temperature with the same temperature data and standards for urban areas around the world. In this study, time series analysis was performed with the maximum, minimum, mean and standard values of surface temperature during the from 1980 to 2010 and analyzed the effect of urbanization through linear regression analysis with variables (population, night light, NDVI, urban area). As a result, the minimum value of the surface temperature of the urban area reflects an increase by a rate of 0.28K decade-1 over the past 31 years, the maximum value reflects an increase by a rate of 0.372K decade-1, the mean value reflects an increase by a rate of 0.208 decade-1, and the standard deviation reflects a decrease by rate of 0.023K decade-1. And the change of surface temperature in urban areas is affected by urbanization related to land cover such as decrease of greenery and increase of pavement area, but socioeconomic variables are less influential than NDVI in this study. This study are expected to provide an approach to future research and policy-planning for urban temperature change and urbanization impacts.

URBAN PARTICLE-INDUCED PULMONARY ARTERY CONSTRUCTION IS MEDIATED BY SUPEROXIDE PRODUCTION

EPA Science Inventory

URBAN PARTICLE-INDUCED PULMONARY ARTERY CONSTRICTION IS MEDIATED BY SUPEROXIDE PRODUCTION.Jacqueline D. Carter, Zhuowei Li, Lisa A. Dailey, Yuh-Chin T. Huang. CEMALB, University of North Carolina, and ORD, US EPA, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Exposure to particulate matter...

Triple oxygen isotope composition of tropospheric carbon dioxide and terrestrial carbonates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofmann, M. E.; Horváth, B.; Pack, A.

2011-12-01

The triple oxygen isotope composition of tropospheric CO2 is a potential new tracer in urban air studies and for biosphere-atmosphere interactions [1]. In this study, we are analyzing CO2 from different provenances in order to trace the influx of anthropogenic CO2 to urban air and to test predictions on the stratosphere-troposphere exchange flux. Since July 2010, we are monitoring the triple oxygen isotope composition of CO2 in urban air in a two-week interval. For this purpose, carbon dioxide was extracted from ~450L of ambient air on the campus of the University of Göttingen using a Russian Doll type cryogenic trap [2]. The CO2 was analyzed by CO2-CeO2 equilibration at 685°C and subsequent IR laser fluorination of CeO2 and CF-irmMS [3]. All triple oxygen isotope data are reported as Δ17OTFL values relative to the terrestrial fractionation line (TFL) with a slope βTFL=0.5251 and an intercept γTFL=-0.014%. On average, the Δ17OTFL value of ambient CO2 was -0.11±0.05% (SD) with a seasonal cycle of 0.04±0.01%. Lower Δ17O values were observed during wintertime. In order to test the potential of Δ17O as a tracer for anthropogenic CO2, we analyzed CO2 from different combustion processes. Our results showed that the Δ17O anomaly of tropospheric O2 [4] is passed on fully, or partially to the combustion CO2 [5]. We estimate that elevated anthropogenic emission during wintertime could be responsible for a decrease in Δ17O of urban air CO2 of -0.02±0.01%. In order to predict the triple oxygen isotope composition of tropospheric CO2 on a global scale, we revised the box model calculation from Hoag et al. [1]. For the exponent β for CO2-water equilibrium, we assume that βCO2-water=0.522±0.001 [6]. Furthermore, we took into account that the Δ17OTFL value of CO2 released from soils is affected by kinetic fractionation. Thus, we obtained a Δ17OTFL value for global tropospheric CO2 of -0.13%. The model calculation agrees well with the Δ17OTFL value determined for ambient air CO2. The triple oxygen isotope composition of terrestrial carbonates should provide additional information on the formation process of biogenic and abiotic carbonates. In order to determine the triple oxygen isotope composition on carbonates, phosphoric acid decomposition of carbonates was carried out. Subsequently, the liberated CO2 was also analyzed by the CO2-CeO2 equilibration method [3]. The Δ17OTFL of CO2 released from Solnhofen limestone was -0.11±0.09% (SE, t0.95, n=6). We are currently determining the exponent β for phosphoric acid decomposition. [1] Hoag, K.J., et al., Geophys. Res. Lett., 2005. 32: p. 1-5. [2] Brenninkmeijer, C.A.M. and T. Röckmann, Anal. Chem., 1996. 68(17): p. 3050-3053. [3] Hofmann, M. and A. Pack, Anal. Chem., 2010. 82: p. 4357-4361. [4] Barkan, E. and B. Luz, Rapid Commun. Mass Spec., 2005. 19(24): p. 3737-3742. [5] Horváth, B., M.E.G. Hofmann, and A. Pack, 2011. XI Isotope Workshop. Budapest. [6] Hofmann, M., et al., 2011. EGU. Vienna.

TEMIS UV product validation using NILU-UV ground-based measurements in Thessaloniki, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zempila, Melina-Maria; van Geffen, Jos H. G. M.; Taylor, Michael; Fountoulakis, Ilias; Koukouli, Maria-Elissavet; van Weele, Michiel; van der A, Ronald J.; Bais, Alkiviadis; Meleti, Charikleia; Balis, Dimitrios

2017-06-01

This study aims to cross-validate ground-based and satellite-based models of three photobiological UV effective dose products: the Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage (CIE) erythemal UV, the production of vitamin D in the skin, and DNA damage, using high-temporal-resolution surface-based measurements of solar UV spectral irradiances from a synergy of instruments and models. The satellite-based Tropospheric Emission Monitoring Internet Service (TEMIS; version 1.4) UV daily dose data products were evaluated over the period 2009 to 2014 with ground-based data from a Norsk Institutt for Luftforskning (NILU)-UV multifilter radiometer located at the northern midlatitude super-site of the Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (LAP/AUTh), in Greece. For the NILU-UV effective dose rates retrieval algorithm, a neural network (NN) was trained to learn the nonlinear functional relation between NILU-UV irradiances and collocated Brewer-based photobiological effective dose products. Then the algorithm was subjected to sensitivity analysis and validation. The correlation of the NN estimates with target outputs was high (r = 0. 988 to 0.990) and with a very low bias (0.000 to 0.011 in absolute units) proving the robustness of the NN algorithm. For further evaluation of the NILU NN-derived products, retrievals of the vitamin D and DNA-damage effective doses from a collocated Yankee Environmental Systems (YES) UVB-1 pyranometer were used. For cloud-free days, differences in the derived UV doses are better than 2 % for all UV dose products, revealing the reference quality of the ground-based UV doses at Thessaloniki from the NILU-UV NN retrievals. The TEMIS UV doses used in this study are derived from ozone measurements by the SCIAMACHY/Envisat and GOME2/MetOp-A satellite instruments, over the European domain in combination with SEVIRI/Meteosat-based diurnal cycle of the cloud cover fraction per 0. 5° × 0. 5° (lat × long) grid cells. TEMIS UV doses were found to be ˜ 12.5 % higher than the NILU NN estimates but, despite the presence of a visually apparent seasonal pattern, the R2 values were found to be robustly high and equal to 0.92-0.93 for 1588 all-sky coincidences. These results significantly improve when limiting the dataset to cloud-free days with differences of 0.57 % for the erythemal doses, 1.22 % for the vitamin D doses, and 1.18 % for the DNA-damage doses, with standard deviations of the order of 11-13 %. The improvement of the comparative statistics under cloud-free cases further testifies to the importance of the appropriate consideration of the contribution of clouds in the UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface. For the urban area of Thessaloniki, with highly variable aerosol, the weakness of the implicit aerosol information introduced to the TEMIS UV dose algorithm was revealed by comparison of the datasets to aerosol optical depths at 340 nm as reported by a collocated CIMEL sun photometer, operating in Thessaloniki at LAP/AUTh as part of the NASA Aerosol Robotic Network.

The impact of urbanization on the community food environment in China.

PubMed

Wu, Yang; Xue, Hong; Wang, Huijun; Su, Chang; Du, Shufa; Wang, Youfa

2017-05-01

Research on how urbanization has influenced the food environment in China is limited. The study aimed to examine the impact of urbanization on the food environment in China. Longitudinal data collected during 1989-2009 from the China Health and Nutrition Survey were used, which covered 9 provinces in China. Urbanicity index (0-10) was assessed using an urbanicity scale. Final analyses included 216 communities. Random-effect models were used in analyses. Urbanization (higher urbanicity index) increased the odds of having fast food restaurants (OR=2.78, 95% CI: 2.18-3.54) and other indoor restaurants (OR=2.93, 95% CI: 2.28-3.76) within the community, the odds of having supermarkets (OR=2.43, 95% CI: 2.04-2.89) and free markets (OR=2.56, 95% CI: 1.77-3.70) within 30 minutes' bus ride from the community. Food prices for apples (β=0.06, 95% CI: 0.04-0.08) and lean pork (β =0.02, 95% CI: 0.01-0.03) increased with urbanicity, while prices for other food did not. Urbanicity was positively associated with community norms for fast food consumption (RR=1.28, 95% CI: 1.22-1.33), fast food preferences (RR=1.09, 95% CI: 1.06-1.12) and nutrition knowledge (RR=1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.03). Urbanization is associated with food environment in China. The findings provide insight for future economic development and public health efforts related to urbanization.

Geochemical Indicators of Urban Development in Tributaries and Springs along the Bull Creek Watershed, Austin, TX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senison, J. J.; Banner, J. L.; Reyes, D.; Sharp, J. M.

2012-12-01

Urbanization can cause significant changes to both flow and water quality in streams and tributaries. In the Austin, Texas, area, previous studies have demonstrated that streamwater strontium isotope compositions (87Sr/86Sr) correlate with measures of urbanization when comparing non-urbanized streams to their urban counterparts. The inclusion of municipal water into natural surface water is inferred from the mean 87Sr/86Sr value found in urbanized streams, which falls between the high value in treated municipal water and the lower values found in local surface streams sourcing from non-urbanized catchments. Fluoride is added to municipal tap water in the treatment process, and a correlation between 87Sr/86Sr and fluoride is observed in streamwater sampled from the watersheds around Austin. These relationships represent some of the principal findings reported in Christian et al. (2011). Current research is testing the hypothesis that municipal water influx in urban areas is a primary modifier of stream- and spring-water chemistry in a single watershed that contains a strong gradient in land use. We compare 87Sr/86Sr and other chemical constituents with potential contributing endmembers, such as municipal tap water and wastewater, local soil and rock leachates, and land use within the Bull Creek watershed. As a consequence of the history of land development, some Bull Creek tributaries are sourced and flow almost entirely in fully-developed areas, whereas others are located in protected natural areas. Thirteen tributaries were monitored and classified as either urbanized or non-urbanized based upon land use within the tributary catchment. Springs in the Bull Creek watershed were also sampled and are similarly classified. The Bull Creek watershed is composed of Lower Cretaceous limestone with significantly lower 87Sr/86Sr than that of municipal water taken from the Lower Colorado River, which is underlain in part by Precambrian rocks upstream of Austin. There are notable differences in urbanized vs. non-urbanized watersheds in mean concentrations of fluoride (urbanized: 0.27 ± 0.08 vs. non-urbanized: 0.19 ± 0.01 ppm), sodium (34.7 ± 17.3 vs. 8.4 ± 1.0 ppm), and potassium (2.9 ± 0.8 vs. 1.2 ± 0.2 ppm), consistent with higher concentrations in municipal water contributing to the urbanized tributaries. Springwater demonstrates similar divergences for these ions. 87Sr/86Sr for the springs falls within a narrow range for non-urbanized springs (0.7079-0.7081), similar to Cretaceous limestone values, whereas urbanized springs contain a larger range (0.7077-0.7087). These results are consistent with urbanization effects in the Bull Creek watershed.

Bioavailability of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and their Potential Application in Eco-risk Assessment and Source Apportionment in Urban River Sediment

PubMed Central

Yang, Xunan; Yu, Liuqian; Chen, Zefang; Xu, Meiying

2016-01-01

Traditional risk assessment and source apportionment of sediments based on bulk polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can introduce biases due to unknown aging effects in various sediments. We used a mild solvent (hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin) to extract the bioavailable fraction of PAHs (a-PAHs) from sediment samples collected in Pearl River, southern China. We investigated the potential application of this technique for ecological risk assessments and source apportionment. We found that the distribution of PAHs was associated with human activities and that the a-PAHs accounted for a wide range (4.7%–21.2%) of total-PAHs (t-PAHs), and high risk sites were associated with lower t-PAHs but higher a-PAHs. The correlation between a-PAHs and the sediment toxicity assessed using tubificid worms (r = −0.654, P = 0.021) was greater than that from t-PAH-based risk assessment (r = −0.230, P = 0.472). Moreover, the insignificant correlation between a-PAH content and mPEC-Q of low molecular weight PAHs implied the potiential bias of t-PAH-based risk assessment. The source apportionment from mild extracted fractions was consistent across different indicators and was in accordance with typical pollution sources. Our results suggested that mild extraction-based approaches reduce the potential error from aging effects because the mild extracted PAHs provide a more direct indicator of bioavailability and fresher fractions in sediments. PMID:26976450

Urbanization in China drives soil acidification of Pinus massoniana forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Juan; Zhang, Wei; Mo, Jiangming; Wang, Shizhong; Liu, Juxiu; Chen, Hao

2015-09-01

Soil acidification instead of alkalization has become a new environmental issue caused by urbanization. However, it remains unclear the characters and main contributors of this acidification. We investigated the effects of an urbanization gradient on soil acidity of Pinus massoniana forests in Pearl River Delta, South China. The soil pH of pine forests at 20-cm depth had significantly positive linear correlations with the distance from the urban core of Guangzhou. Soil pH reduced by 0.44 unit at the 0-10 cm layer in urbanized areas compared to that in non-urbanized areas. Nitrogen deposition, mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation were key factors influencing soil acidification based on a principal component analysis. Nitrogen deposition showed significant linear relationships with soil pH at the 0-10 cm (for ammonium N (-N), P < 0.05 for nitrate N (-N), P < 0.01) and 10-20 cm (for -N, P < 0.05) layers. However, there was no significant loss of exchangeable non-acidic cations along the urbanization gradient, instead their levels were higher in urban than in urban/suburban area at the 0-10 cm layer. Our results suggested N deposition particularly under the climate of high temperature and rainfall, greatly contributed to a significant soil acidification occurred in the urbanized environment.

Urbanization in China drives soil acidification of Pinus massoniana forests

PubMed Central

Huang, Juan; Zhang, Wei; Mo, Jiangming; Wang, Shizhong; Liu, Juxiu; Chen, Hao

2015-01-01

Soil acidification instead of alkalization has become a new environmental issue caused by urbanization. However, it remains unclear the characters and main contributors of this acidification. We investigated the effects of an urbanization gradient on soil acidity of Pinus massoniana forests in Pearl River Delta, South China. The soil pH of pine forests at 20-cm depth had significantly positive linear correlations with the distance from the urban core of Guangzhou. Soil pH reduced by 0.44 unit at the 0–10 cm layer in urbanized areas compared to that in non-urbanized areas. Nitrogen deposition, mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation were key factors influencing soil acidification based on a principal component analysis. Nitrogen deposition showed significant linear relationships with soil pH at the 0–10 cm (for ammonium N (-N), P < 0.05; for nitrate N (-N), P < 0.01) and 10–20 cm (for -N, P < 0.05) layers. However, there was no significant loss of exchangeable non-acidic cations along the urbanization gradient, instead their levels were higher in urban than in urban/suburban area at the 0–10 cm layer. Our results suggested N deposition particularly under the climate of high temperature and rainfall, greatly contributed to a significant soil acidification occurred in the urbanized environment. PMID:26400019

City-Dwellers and Country Folks: Lack of Population Differentiation Along an Urban-Rural Gradient in the Mosquito Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Honnen, Ann-Christin; Monaghan, Michael T; Sharakhov, Igor

2017-09-01

Mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae) occur in natural, urban, and peri-urban areas throughout the globe. Although the characteristics of urban and peri-urban habitats differ from those of natural habitats in many ways (e.g., fragmentation, pollution, noise, and light), few studies have examined the population connectivity of mosquitoes in urban areas. To obtain an overview of the species composition, we sampled mosquitoes from 23 sites in and around the city of Berlin, Germany. Of 23 species, five occurred in urban, 10 in peri-urban, and 20 in rural areas. Culex pipiens Linnaeus (Diptera: Culicidae) was the most common species collected (75% of all individuals) and occurred in all habitats. Hence this species was selected to be analysed at 10 microsatellite markers. There was no significant differentiation (FST = 0.016, P = 0.9) or isolation by distance (P = 0.06) among Cx. pipiens populations along an urban-rural gradient. The only significant differences detected were between Cx. pipiens and a laboratory population of Cx. pipiens f. molestus (pairwise FST = 0.114-0.148, P ≤ 0.001 in all comparisons), suggesting that the markers chosen were suitable for the identification of population differentiation. Our results indicate that Cx. pipiens gene flow is widespread within and among urban, peri-urban, and rural areas and that urban habitat does not necessarily impede or enhance gene flow among these populations. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

In Situ Measurements of Aerosol Mass Concentration and Spectral Absorption at Three Location in and Around Mexico City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhry, Z.; Martins, V.; Li, Z.

2006-12-01

As a result of population growth and increasing industrialization, air pollution in heavily populated urban areas is one of the central environmental problems of the century. As a part of the MILAGRO (Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations) study, Nuclepore filters were collected in two size ranges (PM10 and PM2.5) at 12 hour intervals at three location in Mexico during March, 2006. Sampling stations were located at the Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo (T0), at the Rancho La Bisnago in the State of Hidalgo (T2) and along the Gulf Coast in Tampico (Tam). Each filter was analyzed for mass concentration, aerosol scattering and absorption efficiencies. Mass concentrations at T0 ranged from 47 to 179 μg/m3 for PM10 with an average concentration of 96 μg/m3, and from 20 to 93 μg/m3 for PM2.5 with an average concentration of 41 μg/m3. Mass concentrations at T2 ranged from 12 to 154 μg/m3 for PM10 with an average concentration of 51 μg/m3, and from 7 to 50 μg/m3 for PM2.5 with an average concentration of 25 μg/m3. Mass concentrations at Tam ranged from 34 to 80 μg/m3 for PM10 with an average concentration of 52 μg/m3, and from 8 to 23 μg/m3 for PM2.5 with an average concentration of 13 μg/m3. While some of the extreme values are likely linked to local emissions, regional air pollution episodes also played important roles. Each of the sampling stations experienced a unique atmospheric condition. The site at T0 was influenced by urban air pollution and dust storms, the site at T2 was significantly less affected by air pollution but more affected by regional dust storms and local dust devils while Tam was influenced by air pollution, dust storms and the natural marine environment. The spectral mass absorption efficiency was measured from 350 to 2500 nm and shows large differences between the absorption properties of soil dust, black carbon, and organic aerosols. The strong spectral differences observed can be related to differences in refractive indices from the several collected species and particle size effects.

Anxiety, happiness and self-esteem of western Chinese left-behind children.

PubMed

Dai, Qian; Chu, Rong-Xuan

2016-08-24

China's unprecedented economic boom has led a massive number of children left-behind by their peasant parents who have immigrated to urban areas in search of work. In current study, we explored how being left behind is associated with children's positive emotions and negative psychological traits by examining the differences in levels of happiness, self-esteem and anxiety between left-behind children (LBC) and non-LBC. A total of 448 students (aged 7-16) from three schools in Sichuan Province in China responded to the questionnaire. Fourteen teachers of LBC were invited to one-to-one interviews for in depth responses to LBC's behaviors and psychological well-being. The results revealed that non-LBC showed a higher level of happiness (t=-0.21, df=258, p<0.01) and a lower level of anxiety (t=1.41, df=406, p<0.05) than LBC children. Among LBC, low grade children (primary school grades 3 and 4) reported a lower level of happiness (t=-0.73, df=216, p<0.01) and self-esteem (t=-0.24, df=191, p<0.01) than their older counterparts (primary school grades 5 and 6). The teachers' accounts confirmed the statistical results that LBC suffered from the deprivation of parental care. According to the teachers, as LBC grew older, they developed an understanding of their own circumstances and came to appreciate their parents' decisions. With appropriate and adequate support provided to both LBC and the caretakers around them such as relatives and teachers, it may be possible to reduce the adverse impacts of parental deprivation on LBC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Changing Face of the of Former Soviet Cities: Elucidated by Remote Sensing and Machine Learning Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poghosyan, Armen

2017-04-01

Despite remote sensing of urbanization emerged as a powerful tool to acquire critical knowledge about urban growth and its effects on global environmental change, human-environment interface as well as environmentally sustainable urban development, there is lack of studies utilizing remote sensing techniques to investigate urbanization trends in the Post-Soviet states. The unique challenges accompanying the urbanization in the Post-Soviet republics combined with the expected robust urban growth in developing countries over the next several decades highlight the critical need for a quantitative assessment of the urban dynamics in the former Soviet states as they navigate towards a free market democracy. This study uses total of 32 Level-1 precision terrain corrected (L1T) Landsat scenes with 30-m resolution as well as further auxiliary population and economic data for ten cities distributed in nine former Soviet republics to quantify the urbanization patterns in the Post-Soviet region. Land cover in each urban center of this study was classified by using Support Vector Machine (SVM) learning algorithm with overall accuracies ranging from 87 % to 97 % for 29 classification maps over three time steps during the past twenty-five years in order to estimate quantities, trends and drivers of urban growth in the study area. The results demonstrated several spatial and temporal urbanization patterns observed across the Post-Soviet states and based on urban expansion rates the cities can be divided into two groups, fast growing and slow growing urban centers. The relatively fast-growing urban centers have an average urban expansion rate of about 2.8 % per year, whereas the slow growing cities have an average urban expansion rate of about 1.0 % per year. The total area of new land converted to urban environment ranged from as low as 26 km2 to as high as 780 km2 for the ten cities over the 1990 - 2015 period, while the overall urban land increase ranged from 11.3 % to 96.6 % over the study period. Thus, after some initial developments following the breakup of the Soviet Union the growth rate in the urban core decreased gradually constrained by the availability of suitable land, while the urban expansion rates in the outer peripheral region were characterized with a robust urban growth rates across the study area. The rapid urban expansion observed in the former Soviet cities impairs environmentally sustainable characteristics such as compactness, better integrated land uses with abundant parks and greenbelts, low social polarization, as well as reliable public transit systems in some urban centers after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The urban expansion rates considerably outpaced the urban population growth rates in all ten cities during the last quarter of a century, thus indicating that the urban growth is becoming more expansive with all cities experiencing significant decreases in overall urban population densities.

Influence of socioeconomic status on the prevalence of stunted growth and obesity in prepubertal Indonesian children.

PubMed

Julia, M; van Weissenbruch, M M; de Waal, H A Delemarre-van; Surjono, A

2004-12-01

This cross-sectional study assesses the prevalence of stunting, overweight, and obesity in prepubertal children from different socioeconomic groups in Indonesia. Children from rural, poor urban, and nonpoor urban communities were studied (n = 3,010). The prevalences of stunting, wasting, overweight, and obesity were 19.3%, 5.0%, 2.7%, and 0.8%, respectively. The odds ratios (OR) for stunting, as compared with nonpoor urban children, were higher among rural children (2.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.37-3.59) than among poor urban children (1.58; 95% CI, 1.18-2.13). The prevalence of wasting was not influenced by socioeconomic status. Both rural and poor urban children were significantly less likely to be overweight than were nonpoor urban children: in comparison with nonpoor urban children, the OR values were 0.19 (95% CI, 0.10-0.36) for rural and 0.13 (95% CI, 0.04-0.43) for poor urban children. Boys were more likely to be stunted or obese than girls: OR for stunting, 1.75 (95% CI, 1.44-2.12); OR for obesity, 4.07 (95% CI, 1.40-11.8). Stunted children were less likely than non-stunted children to be overweight: OR, 0.10 (95% CI, 0.03-0.43). In Indonesia, undernutrition is still related to poverty, whereas obesity is more related to prosperity.

Anthropometric differences among natives of Abuja living in urban and rural communities: correlations with other cardiovascular risk factors.

PubMed

Adediran, Olufemi Sola; Adebayo, Philip Babatunde; Akintunde, Adeseye Abiodun

2013-03-27

There is an increase of obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors worldwide, but especially in developing countries where multifaceted transitions are occurring. There is need for more evidence for the cardio-metabolic effect of changing lifestyles and urbanization in Nigeria. This study aimed at defining rural-urban differences in anthropometric parameters in two Nigerian communities of the same ancestral origin and to determine the cardiovascular risk correlates of these anthropometric measurements. This was a cross-sectional epidemiological study using stratified cluster sampling method. We studied 335 and 332 urban and rural dwellers respectively. A complete cardiovascular profile as well as anthropometric measurements was compared between the two populations. All anthropometric indices considered in this study (weight, BMI, waist circumference, waist circumference/height ratio, abdominal height; biceps, triceps, sub-scapular, abdominal, superior iliac skinfold thicknesses) were significantly higher in urban than in the rural population (p = <0.001). Overweight, obesity and hypertension were significantly prevalent among the urban population (p = <0.001) while there was no significant difference in the prevalence of dyslipidaemia (p = 0.096) and diabetes (p = 0.083) between the two cohorts. Females tend to have a higher chance of obesity than males although there was no gender difference in waist circumference and central skin fold thickness in the rural population. Age was the significant predictor of systolic blood pressure among the rural (R(2) = 0.157, β = 0.258, p = 0.016) and urban female population (R(2) = 0.201, β = 0.351, p = <0.001) while Abdominal height (R(2) = 0.16, β = 0.281, p = 0.001) and waist circumference (R(2) = 0.064 β = 0.064, p = .003) were predictors of systolic blood pressure in urban and rural men respectively. Anthropometric indices were significantly higher among the urban than the rural populations. Cardiovascular risks were equally more prevalent among the urban population. Appropriate health education and lifestyle modification strategies may reduce the increased burden of cardiovascular risk factors associated with rural-urban migration.

Short-range transit plan for the Phoenix urbanized area : fiscal years 1982-1986

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-07-21

Report presents the FY 1980-81 update of the Phoenix, Arizona, urbanized area Short Range Transit Plan. It describes a five-year plan to guide improvements of the public transportation sytem. Planning aspects of the report will be incorporated into t...

Schools for Cities: Urban Strategies. NEA Series on Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haar, Sharon, Ed.

This monograph presents papers from the 2000 Mayors' Institute on City Design and the public forum that followed it. Essays include: "Schools for Cities: Urban Strategies" (Sharon Haar); "Reenvisioning Schools; The Mayors' Questions" (Leah Ray); "Why Johnny Can't Walk to School" (Constance E. Beaumont); "Lessons…

Mural art as a media on making urban kampung's public space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susanto, Dalhar; Widyarko, Widyarko; Nadia Ilmiani, Ajeng

2017-12-01

The lack of public space is one of the main problems in the big cities in Indonesia. Urban kampungas part of the city is also no exception. Rapid growth on population sparks uncontrollable physical development that erode open space inside urbankampung. Sometimes, what is left is just neglected space which don‟t „live‟ and far from the definition of public space. Mural art has been existed since the beginning of human civilization. Now, it has evolved into one of the popular urban art. The previous research has proven that the process of urban art making through participatory approach could trigger community interaction in a space. Interaction itself is a main factor that may trigger the establishmentof a public space. With the same method, this research attempts to build mural in a neglected space inside urbankampung named Palsigunung. After all of the process done, the space still haven‟t changed from the previous condition, which is still a neglected space. Together with facilitator, kampung‟s residents need to be involved identifying the problem and also the solution to the lack of public space in their kampung. Particularly for urban kampungPalsigunung, the needed solution might not be mural.

Urbanization, mainly rurality, but not altitude is associated with dyslipidemia profiles.

PubMed

Lazo-Porras, Maria; Bernabe-Ortiz, Antonio; Quispe, Renato; Málaga, German; Smeeth, Liam; Gilman, Robert H; Checkley, William; Miranda, J Jaime

Geographical and environmental features such as urbanization and altitude may influence individual's lipid profiles because of the diversity of human-environment interactions including lifestyles. To characterize the association between altitude and urbanization and lipid profile among Peruvian adults aged ≥35 years. Cross-sectional analysis of the CRONICAS Cohort Study. The outcomes of interest were 6 dyslipidemia traits: hypertriglyceridemia, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), nonisolated low HDL-c, isolated low HDL-c, and high non-HDL-c. The exposures of interest were urbanization level (highly urban, urban, semi-urban, and rural) and altitude (high altitude vs sea level). Prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated using Poisson regression models with robust variance adjusting for potential confounders. Data from 3037 individuals, 48.5% males, mean age of 55.6 (standard deviation ±12.7) years, were analyzed. The most common dyslipidemia pattern was high non-HDL-c with a prevalence of 88.0% (95% CI: 84.9%-90.7%) in the rural area and 96.0% (95% CI: 94.5%-97.1%) in the semi-urban area. Relative to the highly urban area, living in rural areas was associated with a lower prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia (PR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.56-0.99) and high non-HDL-c (PR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.93-0.99), whereas living in semi-urban areas was associated with higher prevalence high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (PR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.11-1.67). Compared with sea level areas, high-altitude areas had lower prevalence of high non-HDL-c (PR = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.95-0.99). Urbanization but not altitude was associated to several dyslipidemia traits, with the exception of high non-HDL-c in high altitude settings. Copyright © 2017 National Lipid Association. All rights reserved.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic horses in Durango State, Mexico.

PubMed

Alvarado-Esquivel, C; Rodríguez-Peña, S; Villena, I; Dubey, J P

2012-10-01

The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in horses in Mexico is unknown. Therefore, antibodies to T. gondii were assessed in 495 horses in Durango State, Mexico, using the modified agglutination test (MAT). Horses were from 18 farms in 3 municipalities in the valley region of Durango State. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 30 (6.1%) of 495 horses, with MAT titers of 1:25 in 19, 1:50 in 6, and 1:100 in 5. Seropositive horses were found in 8 (44.4%) of 18 farms sampled in all 3 municipalities. Age, gender, and breed of horses did not influence significantly the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection. The seroprevalence in horses was higher in rural (7.8%) versus urban (0%) areas, and in larger herds (30-64 horses, 7.8%) versus smaller ones (3-28, 3.5%). The seroprevalence was higher in stall fed (16.5%) than in pastured horses (3.1%). Results indicate that infected horses represent a potential source of T. gondii infection for humans in Mexico. This is the first report of T. gondii infection in horses in Mexico.

Prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in an urban population: The Chennai Glaucoma Study

PubMed Central

Vijaya, Lingam; George, Ronnie; Asokan, Rashima; Velumuri, Lokapavani; Ramesh, Sathyamangalam Ve

2014-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in an urban south Indian population. Settings and Design: Population-based cross-sectional study. Exactly 3850 subjects aged 40 years and above from Chennai city were examined at a dedicated facility in the base hospital. Materials and Methods: All subjects had a complete ophthalmic examination that included best-corrected visual acuity. Low vision and blindness were defined using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The influence of age, gender, literacy, and occupation was assessed using multiple logistic regression. Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test, t-test, and multivariate analysis were used. Results: Of the 4800 enumerated subjects, 3850 subjects (1710 males, 2140 females) were examined (response rate, 80.2%). The prevalence of blindness was 0.85% (95% CI 0.6–1.1%) and was positively associated with age and illiteracy. Cataract was the leading cause (57.6%) and glaucoma was the second cause (16.7%) for blindness. The prevalence of low vision was 2.9% (95% CI 2.4–3.4%) and visual impairment (blindness + low vision) was 3.8% (95% CI 3.2–4.4%). The primary causes for low vision were refractive errors (68%) and cataract (22%). Conclusions: In this urban population based study, cataract was the leading cause for blindness and refractive error was the main reason for low vision. PMID:23619490

Intestinal helminths of feral cat populations from urban and suburban districts of Qatar.

PubMed

Abu-Madi, Marawan A; Behnke, Jerzy M; Prabhaker, K S; Al-Ibrahim, Roda; Lewis, John W

2010-03-25

A survey of the helminths of 658 adult cats from feral urban and suburban populations in Qatar was conducted across all months in 2006 and 2007. Six species of helminths were identified, comprising two cestodes (Taenia taeniaeformis [73.6%] and Diplopylidium acanthotetra [47.1%]) and four nematodes (Ancylostoma tubaeforme [14.7%], Physaloptera praeputialis [5.2%], Toxocara cati [0.8%] and Toxascaris leonina [0.2%]), and 83% of cats were infected with at least one of these. The average number of species harboured was 1.4 and the average worm burden was 55.8 worms/cat. The vast majority of worms (97.6%) were cestodes, nematodes being relatively rare. Prevalence and abundance of infections were analyzed, taking into consideration four factors: year (2006 and 2007), site (urban and suburban), season (winter and summer) and sex of the host. Analyses revealed marked year effects, female host bias in some species and interactions involving combination of factors, but especially sex and season of the year. The results indicate that whilst the majority of adult feral cats in Qatar carry helminth infections, infections are variable between years and subject to annual changes that may reflect climatic and other environmental changes in the rapidly developing city of Doha and its suburban surroundings. Only two species have the potential to infect humans and both were rare among the sampled cats (A. tubaeforme and T. cati).

The Effectiveness of a Geospatial Technologies-Integrated Curriculum to Promote Climate Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anastasio, D. J.; Bodzin, A. M.; Peffer, T.; Sahagian, D. L.; Cirucci, L.

2011-12-01

This study examined the effectiveness of a geospatial technologies - integrated climate change curriculum (http://www.ei.lehigh.edu/eli/cc/) to promote climate literacy in an urban school district. Five 8th grade Earth and Space Science classes in an urban middle school (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) consisting of three different ability level tracks participated in the study. Data gathering methods included pre/posttest assessments, daily classroom observations, daily teacher meetings, and examination of student produced artifacts. Data was gathered using a climate change literacy assessment instrument designed to measure students' climate change content knowledge. The items included distractors that address misunderstandings and knowledge deficits about climate change from the existing literature. Paired-sample t-test analyses were conducted to compare the pre- and post-test assessment results. The results of these analyses were used to compare overall gains as well as ability level track groups. Overall results regarding the use of the climate change curriculum showed significant improvement in urban middle school students' understanding of climate change concepts. Effect sizes were large (ES>0.8) and significant (p<0.001) for the entire assessment and for each ability level subgroup. Findings from classroom observations, assessments embedded in the curriculum, and the examination of all student artifacts revealed that the use of geospatial technologies enable middle school students to improve their knowledge of climate change and improve their spatial thinking and reasoning skills.

Size-resolved ultrafine particle composition analysis 1. Atlanta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhoads, K. P.; Phares, D. J.; Wexler, A. S.; Johnston, M. V.

2003-04-01

During August 1999 as part of the Southern Oxidants Study Supersite Experiment, our group collected size-resolved measurements of the chemical composition of single ambient aerosol particles with a unique real-time laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry technique. The rapid single-particle mass spectrometry instrument is capable of analyzing "ultrafine" particles with aerodynamic diameters ranging from 0.01 to 1.5 μm. Under the heaviest loading observed in Atlanta, particles were analyzed at a rate of roughly one per second in sizes ranging from 0.1 to 0.2 μm. Nearly 16,000 individual spectra were recorded over the course of the month during both daytime and nighttime sampling periods. Evaluation of the data indicates that the composition of the ultrafine (less than 100 nm) particles is dominated by carbon-containing compounds. Larger particles show varied compositions but typically appeared to have organic carbon characteristics mixed with an inorganic component (e.g., crustal materials, metals, etc.). During the experiment, 70 composition classes were identified. In this paper we report the average spectra and correlations with various meteorological parameters for all major compound classes and a number of minor ones. The major composition classes are identified from the primary peaks in their spectra as organic carbon (about 74% of the particles), potassium (8%), iron (3%), calcium (2%), nitrate (2%), elemental carbon (1.5%), and sodium (1%). Many of these compound classes appeared in repeatable size ranges and quadrants of the wind rose, indicating emission from specific sources.

Eruptive pattern classification on Mount Etna (Sicily) and Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falsaperla, Susanna; Langer, Horst; Ferrazzini, Valérie

2016-04-01

In the framework of the European MEDiterrranean Supersite Volcanoes (MED­SUV) project, Mt. Etna (Italy) and Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion) were chosen as "European Supersite Demonstrator" and test site, respectively, to promote the transfer and implementation of efficient tools for the identification of impending volcanic activity. Both are "open-conduit volcanoes", forming ideal sites for the test and validation of innovative concepts, which can contribute to minimize volcanic hazard. One of the aims of the MED-SUV project was the development of software for machine learning applicable to data processing for early-warning purposes. Near-real time classification of continuous seismic data stream has been carried out in the control room of INGV Osservatorio Etneo since 2010. Subsequently, automatic alert procedures were activated. In the light of the excellent results for the 24/7 surveillance of Etna, we examine the portability of tools developed in the framework of the project when applied to seismic data recorded at Piton de la Fournaise. In the present application to data recorded at Piton de la Fournaise, the classifier aims at highlighting changes in the frequency content of the background seismic signal heralding the activation of the volcanic source and the imminent eruption. We describe the preliminary results of this test on a set of data of nearly two years starting on January 2014. This period follows three years of inactivity and deflation of the volcano and marks a renewal of the volcano activity with inflation, deep seismicity (-7km bsl) and five eruptions with fountains and lava flows that lasted from a few hours to more than two months. We discuss here the necessary tuning for the implementation of the software to the new dataset analyzed. We also propose a comparison with the results of pattern classification regarding recent eruptive activity at Etna.

Real time monitoring of urban surface water quality using a submersible, tryptophan-like fluorescence sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khamis, Kieran; Bradley, Chris; Hannah, David; Stevens, Rob

2014-05-01

Due to the recent development of field-deployable optical sensor technology, continuous quantification and characterization of surface water dissolved organic matter (DOM) is possible now. Tryptophan-like (T1) fluorescence has the potential to be a particularly useful indicator of human influence on water quality as T1 peaks are associated with the input of labial organic carbon (e.g. sewage or farm waste) and its microbial breakdown. Hence, real-time recording of T1 fluorescence could be particular useful for monitoring waste water infrastructure, treatment efficiency and the identification of contamination events at higher temporal resolution than available hitherto. However, an understanding of sensor measurement repeatability/transferability and interaction with environmental parameters (e.g. turbidity) is required. Here, to address this practical knowledge gap, we present results from a rigorous test of a commercially available submersible tryptophan fluorometer (λex 285, λem 350). Sensor performance was first examined in the laboratory by incrementally increasing turbidity under controlled conditions. Further to this the sensor was integrated into a multi-parameter sonde and field tests were undertaken involving: (i) a spatial sampling campaign across a range of surface water sites in the West Midlands, UK; and (ii) collection of high resolution (sub-hourly) samples from an urban stream (Bournbrook, Birmingham, U.K). To determine the ability of the sensor to capture spatiotemporal dynamics of urban waters DOM was characterized for each site or discrete time step using Excitation Emission Matrix spectroscopy and PARAFAC. In both field and laboratory settings fluorescence intensity was attenuated at high turbidity due to suspended particles increasing absorption and light scattering. For the spatial survey, instrument readings were compared to those obtained by a laboratory grade fluorometer (Varian Cary Eclipse) and a strong, linear relationship was apparent (R2 > 0.7). Parallel water sampling and laboratory analysis identified the potential for correction of T1 fluorescence intensity based on turbidity readings. These findings highlight the potential utility of real time monitoring of T1 fluorescence for a range of environmental applications (e.g. monitoring sewage treatment processes and tracing polluting DOM sources). However, if high/variable suspended sediment loads are anticipated concurrent monitoring of turbidity is required for accurate readings.

Lead Isotope Characterization of Petroleum Fuels in Taipei, Taiwan

PubMed Central

Yao, Pei-Hsuan; Shyu, Guey-Shin; Chang, Ying-Fang; Chou, Yu-Chen; Shen, Chuan-Chou; Chou, Chi-Su; Chang, Tsun-Kuo

2015-01-01

Leaded gasoline in Taiwan was gradually phased out from 1983 to 2000. However, it is unclear whether unleaded gasoline still contributes to atmospheric lead (Pb) exposure in urban areas. In this study, Pb isotopic compositions of unleaded gasolines, with octane numbers of 92, 95, 98, and diesel from two local suppliers in Taipei were determined by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with a two-sigma uncertainty of ± 0.02 %. Lead isotopic ratios of vehicle exhaust (208Pb/207Pb: 2.427, 206Pb/207Pb: 1.148, as estimated from petroleum fuels) overlap with the reported aerosol data. This agreement indicates that local unleaded petroleum fuels, containing 10–45 ng·Pb·g−1, are merely one contributor among various sources to urban aerosol Pb. Additionally, the distinction between the products of the two companies is statistically significant in their individual 208Pb/206Pb ratios (p-value < 0.001, t test). Lead isotopic characterization appears to be applicable as a “fingerprinting” tool for tracing the sources of Pb pollution. PMID:25918913

Toxoplasma gondii infection in Kyrgyzstan: seroprevalence, risk factor analysis, and estimate of congenital and AIDS-related toxoplasmosis.

PubMed

Minbaeva, Gulnara; Schweiger, Alexander; Bodosheva, Aigerim; Kuttubaev, Omurbek; Hehl, Adrian B; Tanner, Isabelle; Ziadinov, Iskender; Torgerson, Paul R; Deplazes, Peter

2013-01-01

HIV-prevalence, as well as incidence of zoonotic parasitic diseases like cystic echinococcosis, has increased in the Kyrgyz Republic due to fundamental socio-economic changes after the breakdown of the Soviet Union. The possible impact on morbidity and mortality caused by Toxoplasma gondii infection in congenital toxoplasmosis or as an opportunistic infection in the emerging AIDS pandemic has not been reported from Kyrgyzstan. We screened 1,061 rural and 899 urban people to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in 2 representative but epidemiologically distinct populations in Kyrgyzstan. The rural population was from a typical agricultural district where sheep husbandry is a major occupation. The urban population was selected in collaboration with several diagnostic laboratories in Bishkek, the largest city in Kyrgyzstan. We designed a questionnaire that was used on all rural subjects so a risk-factor analysis could be undertaken. The samples from the urban population were anonymous and only data with regard to age and gender was available. Estimates of putative cases of congenital and AIDS-related toxoplasmosis in the whole country were made from the results of the serology. Specific antibodies (IgG) against Triton X-100 extracted antigens of T. gondii tachyzoites from in vitro cultures were determined by ELISA. Overall seroprevalence of infection with T. gondii in people living in rural vs. urban areas was 6.2% (95%CI: 4.8-7.8) (adjusted seroprevalence based on census figures 5.1%, 95% CI 3.9-6.5), and 19.0% (95%CI: 16.5-21.7) (adjusted 16.4%, 95% CI 14.1-19.3), respectively, without significant gender-specific differences. The seroprevalence increased with age. Independently low social status increased the risk of Toxoplasma seropositivity while increasing numbers of sheep owned decreased the risk of seropositivity. Water supply, consumption of unpasteurized milk products or undercooked meat, as well as cat ownership, had no significant influence on the risk for seropositivity. We present a first seroprevalence analysis for human T. gondii infection in the Kyrgyz Republic. Based on these data we estimate that 173 (95% CI 136-216) Kyrgyz children will be born annually to mothers who seroconverted to toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. In addition, between 350 and 1,000 HIV-infected persons are currently estimated to be seropositive for toxoplasmosis. Taken together, this suggests a substantial impact of congenital and AIDS-related symptomatic toxoplasmosis on morbidity and mortality in Kyrgyzstan.

Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Kyrgyzstan: Seroprevalence, Risk Factor Analysis, and Estimate of Congenital and AIDS-Related Toxoplasmosis

PubMed Central

Bodosheva, Aigerim; Kuttubaev, Omurbek; Hehl, Adrian B.; Tanner, Isabelle; Ziadinov, Iskender; Torgerson, Paul R.; Deplazes, Peter

2013-01-01

Background HIV-prevalence, as well as incidence of zoonotic parasitic diseases like cystic echinococcosis, has increased in the Kyrgyz Republic due to fundamental socio-economic changes after the breakdown of the Soviet Union. The possible impact on morbidity and mortality caused by Toxoplasma gondii infection in congenital toxoplasmosis or as an opportunistic infection in the emerging AIDS pandemic has not been reported from Kyrgyzstan. Methodology/Principal Findings We screened 1,061 rural and 899 urban people to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in 2 representative but epidemiologically distinct populations in Kyrgyzstan. The rural population was from a typical agricultural district where sheep husbandry is a major occupation. The urban population was selected in collaboration with several diagnostic laboratories in Bishkek, the largest city in Kyrgyzstan. We designed a questionnaire that was used on all rural subjects so a risk-factor analysis could be undertaken. The samples from the urban population were anonymous and only data with regard to age and gender was available. Estimates of putative cases of congenital and AIDS-related toxoplasmosis in the whole country were made from the results of the serology. Specific antibodies (IgG) against Triton X-100 extracted antigens of T. gondii tachyzoites from in vitro cultures were determined by ELISA. Overall seroprevalence of infection with T. gondii in people living in rural vs. urban areas was 6.2% (95%CI: 4.8–7.8) (adjusted seroprevalence based on census figures 5.1%, 95% CI 3.9–6.5), and 19.0% (95%CI: 16.5–21.7) (adjusted 16.4%, 95% CI 14.1–19.3), respectively, without significant gender-specific differences. The seroprevalence increased with age. Independently low social status increased the risk of Toxoplasma seropositivity while increasing numbers of sheep owned decreased the risk of seropositivity. Water supply, consumption of unpasteurized milk products or undercooked meat, as well as cat ownership, had no significant influence on the risk for seropositivity. Conclusions We present a first seroprevalence analysis for human T. gondii infection in the Kyrgyz Republic. Based on these data we estimate that 173 (95% CI 136–216) Kyrgyz children will be born annually to mothers who seroconverted to toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. In addition, between 350 and 1,000 HIV-infected persons are currently estimated to be seropositive for toxoplasmosis. Taken together, this suggests a substantial impact of congenital and AIDS-related symptomatic toxoplasmosis on morbidity and mortality in Kyrgyzstan. PMID:23409201

Informing Urban Decision Making with an Array of Things

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacob, R. L.; Catlett, C.; Beckman, P. H.; Sankaran, R.

2015-12-01

Over the next several decades, the population of the world's cities is projected to nearly double, increasing by 2.6 billion people and requiring massive urban expansion globally. This massive growth in urban density and scale will compound ongoing city challenges related to climate change, energy, infrastructure, public health, and more. Cities are using data they already collect such as 311 calls, bus and train operations, street repair orders, census data and building permits to help understand the complex interactions between the human, built and natural systems within a city and inform their decision making. Helping to guide urban decision-making is The Array of Things (AoT): a new tool for measuring many aspects of the physical environment of urban areas at the city block scale with continuous, reliable, integrated data from a variety of sensors. An AoT node includes multiple sensors to measure basic meteorological quantities such as pressure, temperature and humidity as well as light and trace gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and ozone. The sensors operate 24/7 with ingest frequencies as high as 1Hz. The nodes are modular and allow new sensors to be added or swapped out. The hardware/software backbone of an AoT node is provided by the Waggle architecture. Each AoT node includes, via Waggle, compute power from a single board computer running Linux that allows data to be processed in-situ and, if needed, command and control of components of the node. Data is communicated in near real-time typically through WiFi, 3G or wired ethernet to a designated host and resilience is built-in to prevent data loss if communication is disrupted. The AoT includes a software stack with a programmable API and cloud-based infrastructure for performing data ingest and further analysis. The first full instance of AoT will comprise 500 nodes deployed in the City of Chicago, each with power, Internet, and a base set of sensing and embedded information systems capabilities. A prototype of the Array of Things consisting of 12 nodes has been deployed on the campus of the University of Chicago and initial data from the array will be presented.

Long-term variability of aerosol optical properties and radiative effects in Northern Finland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lihavainen, Heikki; Hyvärinen, Antti; Asmi, Eija; Hatakka, Juha; Viisanen, Yrjö

2017-04-01

We introduce long term dataset of aerosol scattering and absorption properties and combined aerosol optical properties measured in Pallas Atmosphere-Ecosystem Supersite in Norhern Finland. The station is located 170 km north of the Arctic Circle. The station is affected by both pristine Arctic air masses as well as long transported air pollution from northern Europe. We studied the optical properties of aerosols and their radiative effects in continental and marine air masses, including seasonal cycles and long-term trends. The average (median) scattering coefficient, backscattering fraction, absorption coefficient and single scattering albedo at the wavelength of 550 nm were 7.9 (4.4) 1/Mm, 0.13 (0.12), 0.74 (0.35) 1/Mm and 0.92 (0.93), respectively. We observed clear seasonal cycles in these variables, the scattering coefficient having high values during summer and low in fall, and absorption coefficient having high values during winter and low in fall. We found that the high values of the absorption coefficient and low values of the single scattering albedo were related to continental air masses from lower latitudes. These aerosols can induce an additional effect on the surface albedo and melting of snow. We observed the signal of the Arctic haze in marine (northern) air masses during March and April. The haze increased the value of the absorption coefficient by almost 80% and that of the scattering coefficient by about 50% compared with the annual-average values. We did not observe any long-term trend in the scattering coefficient, while our analysis showed a clear decreasing trend in the backscattering fraction and scattering Ångström exponent during winter. We also observed clear relationship with temperature and aerosol scattering coefficient. We will present also how these different features affects to aerosol direct radiative forcing.

Safety and operational analysis of lane widths in mid-block segments and intersection approaches in the urban environment in Nebraska.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-04-01

This research examined the safety and operational effects of roadway lane width on mid-block segments between : signalized intersections as well as on signalized intersection approaches in the urban environments of Lincoln and Omaha, : Nebraska. In t...

Development of guidelines for operationally effective raised medians and the use of alternative movements on urban roadways.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-10-01

The development of raised medians is an important access management technique commonly used in urban settings. It : can be used to control or restrict mid-block left turns, U-turns or crossing maneuvers for implementing of alternative : left-turn/U-t...

Outdoor thermal physiology along human pathways: a study using a wearable measurement system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakayoshi, Makoto; Kanda, Manabu; Shi, Rui; de Dear, Richard

2015-05-01

An outdoor summer study on thermal physiology along subjects' pathways was conducted in a Japanese city using a unique wearable measurement system that measures all the relevant thermal variables: ambient temperature, humidity, wind speed ( U) and short/long-wave radiation ( S and L), along with some physio-psychological parameters: skin temperature ( T skin), pulse rate, subjective thermal sensation and state of body motion. U, S and L were measured using a globe anemo-radiometer adapted use with pedestrian subjects. The subjects were 26 healthy Japanese adults (14 males, 12 females) ranging from 23 to 74 years in age. Each subject wore a set of instruments that recorded individual microclimate and physiological responses along a designated pedestrian route that traversed various urban textures. The subjects experienced varying thermal environments that could not be represented by fixed-point routine observational data. S fluctuated significantly reflecting the mixture of sunlit/shade distributions within complex urban morphology. U was generally low within urban canyons due to drag by urban obstacles such as buildings but the subjects' movements enhanced convective heat exchanges with the atmosphere, leading to a drop in T skin. The amount of sweating increased as standard effective temperature (SET*) increased. A clear dependence of sweating on gender and body size was found; males sweated more than females; overweight subjects sweated more than standard/underweight subjects. T skin had a linear relationship with SET* and a similarly clear dependence on gender and body size differences. T skin of the higher-sweating groups was lower than that of the lower-sweating groups, reflecting differences in evaporative cooling by perspiration.

Evaluation of operational, economic, and environmental performance of mixed and selective collection of municipal solid waste: Porto case study.

PubMed

Teixeira, Carlos A; Russo, Mário; Matos, Cristina; Bentes, Isabel

2014-12-01

This article describes an accurate methodology for an operational, economic, and environmental assessment of municipal solid waste collection. The proposed methodological tool uses key performance indicators to evaluate independent operational and economic efficiency and performance of municipal solid waste collection practices. These key performance indicators are then used in life cycle inventories and life cycle impact assessment. Finally, the life cycle assessment environmental profiles provide the environmental assessment. We also report a successful application of this tool through a case study in the Portuguese city of Porto. Preliminary results demonstrate the applicability of the methodological tool to real cases. Some of the findings focus a significant difference between average mixed and selective collection effective distance (2.14 km t(-1); 16.12 km t(-1)), fuel consumption (3.96 L t(-1); 15.37 L t(-1)), crew productivity (0.98 t h(-1) worker(-1); 0.23 t h(-1) worker(-1)), cost (45.90 € t(-1); 241.20 € t(-1)), and global warming impact (19.95 kg CO2eq t(-1); 57.47 kg CO2eq t(-1)). Preliminary results consistently indicate: (a) higher global performance of mixed collection as compared with selective collection; (b) dependency of collection performance, even in urban areas, on the waste generation rate and density; (c) the decline of selective collection performances with decreasing source-separated material density and recycling collection rate; and (d) that the main threats to collection route efficiency are the extensive collection distances, high fuel consumption vehicles, and reduced crew productivity. © The Author(s) 2014.

Observation of a Saharan dust outbreaks in the frame of the Convective and Orographically-induced Precipitation Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Girolamo, Paolo; Summa, Donato; Bhawar, Rohini; Di Iorio, Tatiana; Caccaini, Marco; Veselovskii, Igor; Kolgotin, Alexey

2009-03-01

The Raman lidar system BASIL was operational in Achern (Supersite R, Lat: 48.64° N, Long: 8.06° E, Elev.: 140 m) in the frame of the Convective and Orographically-induced Precipitation Study. BASIL operated continuously over a period of approx. 36 hours from 06:22 UTC on 1 August to 18:28 UTC on 2 August 2007, to cover IOPs 13 a-b. In this timeframe the signature of a severe Saharan dust outbreak episode was captured. An inversion algorithm was used to retrieve particle size distribution parameters, i.e., mean and effective radius, number, surface area, and volume concentration, and complex refractive index, as well as the parameters of a bimodal particle size distribution, from the multi-wavelength lidar data of particle backscattering and extinction. The inversion method employs Tikhonov's inversion with regularization. Size distribution parameters are estimated as a function of altitude at different times during the dust outbreak event. Retrieval results reveal the dominance in the upper dust layer of a coarse mode with radii 3-4 μm. Number density and volume concentration are in the range 100-800 cm-3 and 5-40 μm3/cm3, respectively, while real and imaginary part of the complex refractive index are in the range 1.41-1.53 and 0.003-0.014, respectively.

[Socioeconomic vulnerability and obesity in Chilean schoolchildren attending first grade: comparison between 2009 and 2013].

PubMed

Herrera, Juan Carlos; Lira, Mariana; Kain, Juliana

2017-12-01

Although obesity is related to socioeconomic level, studies are inconclusive. To determine obesity risk according to socioeconomic vulnerability among Chilean children (1st grade) in 2009 and 2013 and assess its change during that period, by sex and geographical area. Cross-sectional study (N = 175,462 in 2009) and (N = 189,055 in 2013) which included: weight, height, rural / urban, gender and vulnerability obtained from JUNAEB's survey. BMI Z, % obesity and 3 categories of vulnerability (very vulnerable, moderate, non-vulnerable) were determined. For the descriptive analyses, we used t tests and for predictor variables (2 categories of vulnerability) and outcome (obesity) by sex and area, we used %2. Logistic regression models determined OR to develop obesity by. % obesity was 19.6% and 24.1% in 2009 and 2013, higher in boys. In urban and rural areas respectively, OR to develop obesity were: 0.85 (0.82-0.88) and 0.70 (0.64-0.75) in the most vulnerable students and 0.94 (0.91-0.97) and 0.81 (0.74-0.88) in those with moderate vulnerability in 2009 and 0.96 (0.93-0.98) and 0.89 (0.82-0.96) in the most vulnerable students and 0.99 (0.96-1.02) and 0.94 (0.86-1.02) in students with moderate vulnerability in 2013. The highest increase in obesity was observed among the most vulnerable group from rural areas (16, 6 to 24.3%). vulnerability. The non-vulnerable group had the highest % obesity. Although the most vulnerable students in rural areas had the lowest obesity risk in both years, the highest increase in obesity during the period, occurred in that group.

A history of chagas disease transmission, control, and re-emergence in peri-rural La Joya, Peru.

PubMed

Delgado, Stephen; Castillo Neyra, Ricardo; Quispe Machaca, Víctor R; Ancca Juárez, Jenny; Chou Chu, Lily; Verastegui, Manuela Renee; Moscoso Apaza, Giovanna M; Bocángel, César D; Tustin, Aaron W; Sterling, Charles R; Comrie, Andrew C; Náquira, César; Cornejo del Carpio, Juan G; Gilman, Robert H; Bern, Caryn; Levy, Michael Z

2011-02-22

The history of Chagas disease control in Peru and many other nations is marked by scattered and poorly documented vector control campaigns. The complexities of human migration and sporadic control campaigns complicate evaluation of the burden of Chagas disease and dynamics of Trypanosoma cruzi transmission. We conducted a cross-sectional serological and entomological study to evaluate temporal and spatial patterns of T. cruzi transmission in a peri-rural region of La Joya, Peru. We use a multivariate catalytic model and Bayesian methods to estimate incidence of infection over time and thereby elucidate the complex history of transmission in the area. Of 1,333 study participants, 101 (7.6%; 95% CI: 6.2-9.0%) were confirmed T. cruzi seropositive. Spatial clustering of parasitic infection was found in vector insects, but not in human cases. Expanded catalytic models suggest that transmission was interrupted in the study area in 1996 (95% credible interval: 1991-2000), with a resultant decline in the average annual incidence of infection from 0.9% (95% credible interval: 0.6-1.3%) to 0.1% (95% credible interval: 0.005-0.3%). Through a search of archival newspaper reports, we uncovered documentation of a 1995 vector control campaign, and thereby independently validated the model estimates. High levels of T. cruzi transmission had been ongoing in peri-rural La Joya prior to interruption of parasite transmission through a little-documented vector control campaign in 1995. Despite the efficacy of the 1995 control campaign, T. cruzi was rapidly reemerging in vector populations in La Joya, emphasizing the need for continuing surveillance and control at the rural-urban interface.

A History of Chagas Disease Transmission, Control, and Re-Emergence in Peri-Rural La Joya, Peru

PubMed Central

Delgado, Stephen; Castillo Neyra, Ricardo; Quispe Machaca, Víctor R.; Ancca Juárez, Jenny; Chou Chu, Lily; Verastegui, Manuela Renee; Moscoso Apaza, Giovanna M.; Bocángel, César D.; Tustin, Aaron W.; Sterling, Charles R.; Comrie, Andrew C.; Náquira, César; Cornejo del Carpio, Juan G.; Gilman, Robert H.; Bern, Caryn; Levy, Michael Z.

2011-01-01

Background The history of Chagas disease control in Peru and many other nations is marked by scattered and poorly documented vector control campaigns. The complexities of human migration and sporadic control campaigns complicate evaluation of the burden of Chagas disease and dynamics of Trypanosoma cruzi transmission. Methodology/Principal Findings We conducted a cross-sectional serological and entomological study to evaluate temporal and spatial patterns of T. cruzi transmission in a peri-rural region of La Joya, Peru. We use a multivariate catalytic model and Bayesian methods to estimate incidence of infection over time and thereby elucidate the complex history of transmission in the area. Of 1,333 study participants, 101 (7.6%; 95% CI: 6.2–9.0%) were confirmed T. cruzi seropositive. Spatial clustering of parasitic infection was found in vector insects, but not in human cases. Expanded catalytic models suggest that transmission was interrupted in the study area in 1996 (95% credible interval: 1991–2000), with a resultant decline in the average annual incidence of infection from 0.9% (95% credible interval: 0.6–1.3%) to 0.1% (95% credible interval: 0.005–0.3%). Through a search of archival newspaper reports, we uncovered documentation of a 1995 vector control campaign, and thereby independently validated the model estimates. Conclusions/Significance High levels of T. cruzi transmission had been ongoing in peri-rural La Joya prior to interruption of parasite transmission through a little-documented vector control campaign in 1995. Despite the efficacy of the 1995 control campaign, T. cruzi was rapidly reemerging in vector populations in La Joya, emphasizing the need for continuing surveillance and control at the rural-urban interface. PMID:21364970

Health impact caused by poor water and sanitation in district Abbottabad.

PubMed

Jabeen, Sadia; Mahmood, Qaisar; Tariq, Sumbal; Nawab, Bahadar; Elahi, Noor

2011-01-01

Large proportions of people still do not have excess to safe drinking water and proper sanitation. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to assess the health impacts. Random households were selected. Information was collected from questionnaire through interview schedule method, group discussion and observation checklist. People rated water and sanitation condition in urban as: 10% very good, 27% good, 20% bad, 43% very bad, and none of them said we don't know While in rural areas they rated 10% very good, 36% good, 44% bad, 6% very bad, and 4% of them said we don't know. Water sources in selected urban and rural areas were different. 37% in urban and 68% in rural area depended on bore wells as water source, 22% depended on hand pumps. In urban areas, the disease ratio was typhoid 20%, hepatitis 13%, diarrhoea 27%, skin infection 23%, stomach problems 53% and allergies 33%. In rural areas, after stomach problems, diarrhoea, hepatitis and typhoid ratio was very high as compared to urban area. In rural community, 70% were unaware of poor water and sanitation consequences on health. The water and sanitation condition in urban as well as in rural community is poor but in rural community it is even worse The drinking water was contaminated with E. coli, Enterobacter, Salmonella and Clostridium. This observation was correlated with prevalence of many water born diseases especially in rural communities of Abbottabad.

The association between social resources and depression among female migrants affected by domestic violence

PubMed Central

Teng, Pan; Hall, Brian J.; Li, Ling

2014-01-01

Background Interpersonal violence (IPV) is associated with higher risk of depression. Female Chinese rural-to-urban migrants may experience greater depression following exposure to IPV due to lack of social support and integration within their receiving communities. The current study estimated the prevalence of IPV among rural-to-urban migrants in Guangzhou, China, and evaluated the moderating effects of social resources on migrant's depression symptoms. Method We recruited 1,368 women (1,003 migrants and 365 local-born) of childbearing age from population and family planning centers in two districts using a quota sampling method matched to the 2012 population census. Chinese versions of the Conflict Tactics Scale 2 Short Form, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and the Social Support Rating Scale measured IPV, depression, and social support. Social integration was measured with a locally derived scale. Results Migrants reported a similar prevalence for IPV (41.20%) to local women (39.20%). Bivariate comparisons demonstrated that migrants reported greater depression (11.8±8.9 vs. 10.0±8.8, t=−3.27, p<0.001) and less social support (22.2±5.1 vs. 27.1±5.5, t=14.84, p<0.001). Regression analysis indicated that the effect of violence on depression symptoms for migrant women was moderated by social integration. Women who experienced violence and had greater integration in their community reported less depression than women who experienced violence but reported less social integration. Conclusion A high prevalence of IPV was reported in our sample. Social integration is a key risk factor for migrant mental health. Social services aimed to reduce IPV and integrate migrants in their new communities are needed. PMID:25511732

Perceptions of physical activity, activity preferences and health among a group of adult women in urban Ghana: a pilot study.

PubMed

Tuakli-Wosornu, Y A; Rowan, M; Gittelsohn, J

2014-03-01

Obesity and other lifestyle-related chronic diseases impact urban West African women at high rates. Physical activity (PA) can improve these health outcomes but there is little published data on the associated psychosocial predictors in this population. We aimed to explore preliminary associations between perceptions of PA, PA behaviours, and health in a group of Ghanaian women. Non-experimental, cross-sectional case study using a mixed-methods approach. Focus groups and in-depth interviews with a convenience sample of Ghanaian women, fitness trainers and clergy comprised the qualitative phase. A self-administered survey (n=218) comprised the quantitative phase. Constant comparative method, logistic regression, component and factor analyses were used for analysis. Women viewed activities of daily living like housework as PA; rarely utilized organized fitness facilities; understood "rigorous" PA as professional male athleticism; and took interest in socialized PA. Mean age was 49.4 years. Mean body mass index was 30.3 kg/m2. The majority (75.9 %) reported exercising sometimes or often. Half (48.4%) reported a lifestyle-related chronic disease. "Weight loss," "health concerns" and "increased energy," were top motivators for PA. "Can't find the time," "work/family obligations," and "don't have a facility" were top barriers. Presence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and prior weight loss correlated with the slimming motivator (adjusted odds ratio 2.59, p=0.008; AOR 3.56, p=0.012; AOR 3.36, p=<0.001). Among those surveyed, PA motivators and barriers were associated with demographics, PA exposure, and health status. Further research on unique PA perceptions, behaviours and health could catalyze health promotion through culturally relevant fitness programming.

[Bee diversity in Tecoma stans (L.) Kunth (Bignoniaceae): importance for pollination and fruit production].

PubMed

Silva, Cláudia I; Augusto, Solange C; Sofia, Silvia H; Moscheta, Ismar S

2007-01-01

Tecoma stans (L.) Kunth is an exotic plant in Brazil, commonly distributed in urban areas, which is considered an invasive species in crop and pasture areas. In this study, the floral biology and the behavior of bees in flowers of T. stans from three urban areas in southeastern Brazil were investigated. In all study sites, T. stans was an important food resource to the Apoidea to 48 species of bees. Centris tarsata Smith and Exomalopsis fulvofasciata Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae) were the effective pollinators more abundant, while Scaptotrigona depilis Moure (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was the more frequent robber species. The most part of T. stans visitors (87.5%) exploited exclusively nectar, which varied in sugar concentration depending on the day period and flower phase. In all flower stages, higher averages of nectar concentration (26.4% to 32.7%) occurred from 10 am to 2 pm. The presence of osmophore in the petals and protandry were detected. In two urban areas the number of visitors varied significantly during the day. The greatest abundance of pollinators occurred when pollen availability was higher and flowers showed receptive stigma, which could be contributing to the reproductive success of T. stans. The results indicate that the production of fruits increased in plants that received a higher number of effective pollinators.

The trans fatty acid content in human milk and its association with maternal diet among lactating mothers in Malaysia.

PubMed

Daud, Akmar Zuraini; Mohd-Esa, Norhaizan; Azlan, Azrina; Chan, Yoke Mun

2013-01-01

Excessive intake of trans fatty acids (TFA) could reduce the fat density of human milk and impair the desaturation of essential fatty acids. Because the mammary glands are unable to synthesize TFA, it is likely that the TFA in human milk come from dietary intake. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the sources of TFA intake for lactating mothers in one of the urban areas in Selangor. In this cross-sectional study, anthropometric measurements, FFQ including 7 food groups and dietary consumption data were collected from 101 lactating mothers. Five major TFA isomers (palmitoelaidic acid (16:1t9), petroselaidic acid (18:1t6), elaidic acid (18:1t9), vaccenic acid (18:1t11) and linoelaidic acid (18:2t9,12) in human milk were measured by gas chromatography (GC). The relationship between food consumption and TFA levels was assessed using the non-parametric Spearman's rho test. The TFA content in human milk was 2.94±0.96 (SEM) % fatty acid; this is considered low, as it is lower than 4%. The most abundant TFA isomer was linoelaidic acid (1.44±0.60% fatty acid). A sub-experiment (analyzing 3 days of composite food consumption) was conducted with 18 lactating mothers, and the results showed that linoelaidic acid was the most common TFA consumed (0.07±0.01 g/100 g food). Only 10 food items had an effect on the total TFA level and the isomers found in human milk. No association was found between TFA consumption and the TFA level in human milk.

Period 3 gene polymorphism and sleep adaptation to stressful urban environments.

PubMed

Anderson, Maxwell R; Akeeb, Ameenat; Lavela, Joseph; Chen, Yuanxiu; Mellman, Thomas A

2017-02-01

This study's objective was to investigate the relationship between a variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) Period 3 gene (PER3) polymorphism and sleep adaptation to stressful urban environments. Seventy-five (49 female) African American participants (ages 18-35 years) living in neighbourhoods with high rates of violent crime were selected for the study based on converging criteria for good or poor sleep. Categorization of sleep quality was based on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), estimates of typical sleep duration and sleep efficiency. Other assessments included the Fear of Sleep Index (FOSI) and City Stress Inventory (CSI). Whole blood DNA was analysed for the 4 and 5 VNTR alleles using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restrictive enzyme digestion. Fifty-seven per cent of those who were homo- or heterozygous for the 4-repeat allele were poor sleepers versus 25% of those homozygous for the 5-repeat allele; χ 2  = 4.17, P = 0.041. In a logistic regression model with all the variables with significant bivariate relationships to sleep quality group, FOSI was the only significant predictor (χ 2  = 5.68, P = 0.017). FOSI scores were higher among those with the 4-repeat allele (t = 2.66, P = 0.013). The PER3 4 and 5 VNTR polymorphisms appear to influence sensitivity to the effects of stressful urban environments on sleep. While FOSI was the only variable associated independently with sleep quality category, the candidate vulnerability allele was also associated with greater 'fear of sleep'. © 2016 European Sleep Research Society.

DInSAR time series generation within a cloud computing environment: from ERS to Sentinel-1 scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casu, Francesco; Elefante, Stefano; Imperatore, Pasquale; Lanari, Riccardo; Manunta, Michele; Zinno, Ivana; Mathot, Emmanuel; Brito, Fabrice; Farres, Jordi; Lengert, Wolfgang

2013-04-01

One of the techniques that will strongly benefit from the advent of the Sentinel-1 system is Differential SAR Interferometry (DInSAR), which has successfully demonstrated to be an effective tool to detect and monitor ground displacements with centimetre accuracy. The geoscience communities (volcanology, seismicity, …), as well as those related to hazard monitoring and risk mitigation, make extensively use of the DInSAR technique and they will take advantage from the huge amount of SAR data acquired by Sentinel-1. Indeed, such an information will successfully permit the generation of Earth's surface displacement maps and time series both over large areas and long time span. However, the issue of managing, processing and analysing the large Sentinel data stream is envisaged by the scientific community to be a major bottleneck, particularly during crisis phases. The emerging need of creating a common ecosystem in which data, results and processing tools are shared, is envisaged to be a successful way to address such a problem and to contribute to the information and knowledge spreading. The Supersites initiative as well as the ESA SuperSites Exploitation Platform (SSEP) and the ESA Cloud Computing Operational Pilot (CIOP) projects provide effective answers to this need and they are pushing towards the development of such an ecosystem. It is clear that all the current and existent tools for querying, processing and analysing SAR data are required to be not only updated for managing the large data stream of Sentinel-1 satellite, but also reorganized for quickly replying to the simultaneous and highly demanding user requests, mainly during emergency situations. This translates into the automatic and unsupervised processing of large amount of data as well as the availability of scalable, widely accessible and high performance computing capabilities. The cloud computing environment permits to achieve all of these objectives, particularly in case of spike and peak requests of processing resources linked to disaster events. This work aims at presenting a parallel computational model for the widely used DInSAR algorithm named as Small BAseline Subset (SBAS), which has been implemented within the cloud computing environment provided by the ESA-CIOP platform. This activity has resulted in developing a scalable, unsupervised, portable, and widely accessible (through a web portal) parallel DInSAR computational tool. The activity has rewritten and developed the SBAS application algorithm within a parallel system environment, i.e., in a form that allows us to benefit from multiple processing units. This requires the devising a parallel version of the SBAS algorithm and its subsequent implementation, implying additional complexity in algorithm designing and an efficient multi processor programming, with the final aim of a parallel performance optimization. Although the presented algorithm has been designed to work with Sentinel-1 data, it can also process other satellite SAR data (ERS, ENVISAT, CSK, TSX, ALOS). Indeed, the performance analysis of the implemented SBAS parallel version has been tested on the full ASAR archive (64 acquisitions) acquired over the Napoli Bay, a volcanic and densely urbanized area in Southern Italy. The full processing - from the raw data download to the generation of DInSAR time series - has been carried out by engaging 4 nodes, each one with 2 cores and 16 GB of RAM, and has taken about 36 hours, with respect to about 135 hours of the sequential version. Extensive analysis on other test areas significant from DInSAR and geophysical viewpoint will be presented. Finally, preliminary performance evaluation of the presented approach within the Sentinel-1 scenario will be provided.

Reassessment of urbanization effect on surface air temperature trends at an urban station of North China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bian, Tao; Ren, Guoyu

2017-11-01

Based on a homogenized data set of monthly mean temperature, minimum temperature, and maximum temperature at Shijiazhuang City Meteorological Station (Shijiazhuang station) and four rural meteorological stations selected applying a more sophisticated methodology, we reanalyzed the urbanization effects on annual, seasonal, and monthly mean surface air temperature (SAT) trends for updated time period 1960-2012 at the typical urban station in North China. The results showed that (1) urbanization effects on the long-term trends of annual mean SAT, minimum SAT, and diurnal temperature range (DTR) in the last 53 years reached 0.25, 0.47, and - 0.50 °C/decade, respectively, all statistically significant at the 0.001 confidence level, with the contributions from urbanization effects to the overall long-term trends reaching 67.8, 78.6, and 100%, respectively; (2) the urbanization effects on the trends of seasonal mean SAT, minimum SAT, and DTR were also large and statistically highly significant. Except for November and December, the urbanization effects on monthly mean SAT, minimum SAT, and DTR were also all statistically significant at the 0.05 confidence level; and (3) the annual, seasonal, and monthly mean maximum SAT series at the urban station registered a generally weaker and non-significant urbanization effect. The updated analysis evidenced that our previous work for this same urban station had underestimated the urbanization effect and its contribution to the overall changes in the SAT series. Many similar urban stations were being included in the current national and regional SAT data sets, and the results of this paper further indicated the importance and urgency for paying more attention to the urbanization bias in the monitoring and detection of global and regional SAT change based on the data sets.

Estimating shipping emissions in the region of the Sea of Marmara, Turkey.

PubMed

Deniz, Cengiz; Durmuşoğlu, Yalçin

2008-02-01

Ship emissions are significantly increasing globally and have remarkable impact on air quality on sea and land. These emissions contribute serious adverse health and environmental effects. Territorial waters, inland seas and ports are the regions most affected by ship emissions. As an inland sea the Sea of Marmara is an area that has too much ship traffic. Since the region of the Marmara is highly urbanized, emissions from ships affect human health and the overall environment. In this paper exhaust gas emissions from ships in the Sea of Marmara and the Turkish Straits are calculated by utilizing the data acquired in 2003. Main engine types, fuel types, operations types, navigation times and speeds of vessels are taken into consideration in the study. Total emissions from ships in the study area were estimated as 5,451,224 t y(-1) for CO(2), 111,039 t y(-1) for NO(x), 87,168 t y(-1) for SO(2), 20,281 t y(-1) for CO, 5801 t y(-1) for VOC, 4762 t y(-1) for PM. The shipping emissions in the region are equivalent to 11% of NO(x) 0.1% of CO and 0.12% of PM of the corresponding total emissions in Turkey. The shipping emissions in the area are 46% of NO(x), 25% of PM and 1.5% of CO of road traffic emissions in Turkey data between which and correspond to a higher level than aircraft emissions and rail emissions in Turkey.

Association Between Travel Distance and Choice of Treatment for Prostate Cancer: Does Geography Reduce Patient Choice?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muralidhar, Vinayak, E-mail: vmuralidhar@partners.org; Rose, Brent S.; Chen, Yu-Wei

Objective: To determine whether the distance between a prostate cancer patient's home and treatment facility was related to the choice of treatment received among those opting for surgery or radiation. Methods and Materials: We identified 222,804 patients diagnosed with National Comprehensive Cancer Network low-, intermediate-, or high-risk N0M0 prostate cancer and treated with local therapy (surgery or radiation alone, with or without hormone therapy) using the National Cancer Database. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine whether the choice of radiation therapy vs radical prostatectomy varied by distance among patients living in rural and urban areas. Analyses were adjusted formore » geographic location within the United States, age, race, Charlson/Deyo comorbidity score, year of diagnosis, income quartile, education quartile, Gleason score, prostate-specific antigen level, and T stage. Results: Patients living in urban or rural areas were less likely to receive radiation compared with surgery if they lived farther from the treatment facility. Among urban patients living ≤5 miles from the treatment facility, 53.3% received radiation, compared with 47.0%, 43.6%, and 33.8% of those living 5 to 10, 10 to 15, or >15 miles away, respectively (P<.001 in all cases). Similarly, rural patients were less likely to receive radiation the farther they lived from the treatment facility (≤25 miles: 62.3%; 25-50 miles: 55.5%; 50-75 miles: 38.4%; >75 miles: 23.8%; P<.05 in all cases). These trends were also present when each risk group was analyzed separately. Conclusion: Patients with prostate cancer in both urban and rural settings were less likely to receive radiation therapy rather than surgery the farther away they lived from a treatment center. These findings raise the possibility that the geographic availability of radiation treatment centers may be an important determinant of whether patients are able to choose radiation rather than surgery for localized prostate cancer.« less

Association Between Travel Distance and Choice of Treatment for Prostate Cancer: Does Geography Reduce Patient Choice?

PubMed

Muralidhar, Vinayak; Rose, Brent S; Chen, Yu-Wei; Nezolosky, Michelle D; Nguyen, Paul L

2016-10-01

To determine whether the distance between a prostate cancer patient's home and treatment facility was related to the choice of treatment received among those opting for surgery or radiation. We identified 222,804 patients diagnosed with National Comprehensive Cancer Network low-, intermediate-, or high-risk N0M0 prostate cancer and treated with local therapy (surgery or radiation alone, with or without hormone therapy) using the National Cancer Database. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine whether the choice of radiation therapy vs radical prostatectomy varied by distance among patients living in rural and urban areas. Analyses were adjusted for geographic location within the United States, age, race, Charlson/Deyo comorbidity score, year of diagnosis, income quartile, education quartile, Gleason score, prostate-specific antigen level, and T stage. Patients living in urban or rural areas were less likely to receive radiation compared with surgery if they lived farther from the treatment facility. Among urban patients living ≤5 miles from the treatment facility, 53.3% received radiation, compared with 47.0%, 43.6%, and 33.8% of those living 5 to 10, 10 to 15, or >15 miles away, respectively (P<.001 in all cases). Similarly, rural patients were less likely to receive radiation the farther they lived from the treatment facility (≤25 miles: 62.3%; 25-50 miles: 55.5%; 50-75 miles: 38.4%; >75 miles: 23.8%; P<.05 in all cases). These trends were also present when each risk group was analyzed separately. Patients with prostate cancer in both urban and rural settings were less likely to receive radiation therapy rather than surgery the farther away they lived from a treatment center. These findings raise the possibility that the geographic availability of radiation treatment centers may be an important determinant of whether patients are able to choose radiation rather than surgery for localized prostate cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Green Space and Land Use/Land Cover on Urban Heat Island in a Subtropical Mega-city in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, G. Y.; Li, X.; Li, H.; Guo, Q.

2014-12-01

With the quick expansion of urban in size and population, its urban heat island intensity (UHII, expressed as the temperature difference between urban and rural areas) increased rapidly. However, very few studies could quantitatively reveal the effects of green space and land use/land cover (LULC) on urban thermal environment because of lacking of the detailed measurement. This study focuses on quantifying the effects of green space and LULC on urban Heat Island (UHI) in Shenzhen, a mega subtropical city in China. Extensive measurements (air temperature and humidity) were made by mobile traverse method in a transect of 8 km in length, where a variety of LULC types were included. Measurements were carried out at 2 hours interval for 2 years (totally repeated for 7011 times). According to LULC types, we selected 5 different LULC types for studying, including water body, village in the city, shopping center (commercial area), urban green space (well-vegetated area) and suburb (forest). The main conclusions are obtained as follows: (1) The temperature difference between the 5 different urban landscapes is obvious, i.e. shopping center > village in the city > urban water body > urban green space > suburb; (2) Air temperature and UHII decreases linearly with the increase of green space in urban; (3) Green space and water body in urban have obvious effects to reduce the air temperature by evapotranspiration. Compared to the commercial areas, urban water body can relieve the IUHI by 0.9℃, while the urban green space can relieve the IUHI by 1.57℃. The cooling effect of the urban green space is better than that of the urban water body; (4) Periodic activity of human being has obvious effects on urban air temperature. The UHII on Saturday and Sunday are higher than that from Monday to Friday, respectively higher for 0.65, 0.57, 0.26 and 0.21℃. Thursday and Friday have the minimum air temperature and UHII. These results indicate that increase in urban evapotranspiration by increasing green space could be a useful way to improve urban thermal environment and mitigation of UHI.

Inter- and intraannual growth patterns of urban small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata mill.) at two public squares with contrasting microclimatic conditions.

PubMed

Moser, Astrid; Rahman, Mohammad A; Pretzsch, Hans; Pauleit, Stephan; Rötzer, Thomas

2017-06-01

The effects of urban conditions on tree growth have been investigated in an increasing number of studies over the last decades, emphasizing the harsh environment of cities. Urban trees often grow in highly paved, compacted sites with consequently less soil moisture, higher soil temperatures, and greater vapor pressure deficits. However, there is still a knowledge gap regarding the impact of harsh paved environments on urban tree growth during drought years on the growth patterns of urban trees. The present study investigated the structure and growth of the common urban tree species small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata) at a highly paved public square (CPS) compared with a contrasting more open, greener square (OGS). Continuously, measured high precision dendrometer data along with meteorological data of the extreme dry and warm summer 2015 as well as dendrochronological data of the sampled trees were investigated to analyze tree growth during a drought year. The results highlight different tree dimensions and growth patterns of the trees at both sites, influenced by tree age and distinct site conditions. While the trees at OGS grew up to 2.5 mm from July until mid of August, the trees at CPS had only 0.4-mm diameter increment. After the initial expansion at CPS, tree diameter contracted again during summer to the point of shrinkage (up to 0.8 mm) at the end of our investigation. Further drought year analysis confirmed the patterns of significant stem growth reductions in the consecutive two years following the drought. A correlation analysis revealed that transpiration, air temperature, and vapor pressure deficit were negatively correlated with the daily diameter growth, whereas precipitation had a strong positive effect. Due to high transpiration rates associated with anisohydric water use behavior, T. cordata was able to provide evaporative cooling even during drought. However, this anisohydric behavior resulted in substantial growth decline afterwards especially at paved sites like CPS. Our results suggest selection of tree species, such as those with isohydric water use behavior, which may achieve a better balance between growth, transpiration, and hence evaporative cooling.

[Simulation of urban ecological security pattern based on cellular automata: a case of Dongguan City, Guangdong Province of South China].

PubMed

Yang, Qing-Sheng; Qiao, Ji-Gang; Ai, Bin

2013-09-01

Taking the Dongguan City with rapid urbanization as a case, and selecting landscape ecological security level as evaluation criterion, the urbanization cellular number of 1 km x 1 km ecological security cells was obtained, and imbedded into the transition rules of cellular automata (CA) as the restraint term to control urban development, establish ecological security urban CA, and simulate ecological security urban development pattern. The results showed the integrated landscape ecological security index of the City decreased from 0.497 in 1998 to 0.395 in 2005, indicating that the ecological security at landscape scale was decreased. The CA-simulated integrated ecological security index of the City in 2005 was increased from the measured 0.395 to 0.479, showing that the simulated urban landscape ecological pressure from human became lesser, ecological security became better, and integrated landscape ecological security became higher. CA could be used as an effective tool in researching urban ecological security.