40,879 research outputs found
Socioeconomic deprivation, urban-rural location and alcohol-related mortality in England and Wales
Background: Many causes of death are directly attributable to the toxic effects of alcohol and deaths from these causes are increasing in the United Kingdom. The aim of this study was to investigate variation in alcohol-related mortality in relation to socioeconomic deprivation, urban-rural location and age within a national context.
Methods: An ecological study design was used with data from 8797 standard table wards in England and Wales. The methodology included using the Carstairs Index as a measure of socioeconomic deprivation at the small-area level and the national harmonised classification system for urban and rural areas in England and Wales. Alcohol-related mortality was defined using the National Statistics definition, devised for tracking national trends in alcohol-related deaths. Deaths from liver cirrhosis accounted for 85% of all deaths included in this definition. Deaths from 1999-2003 were examined and 2001 census ward population estimates were used as the denominators.
Results: The analysis was based on 28,839 deaths. Alcohol-related mortality rates were higher in men and increased with increasing age, generally reaching peak levels in middle-aged adults. The 45-64 year age group contained a quarter of the total population but accounted for half of all alcohol-related deaths. There was a clear association between alcohol-related mortality and socioeconomic deprivation, with progressively higher rates in more deprived areas. The strength of the association varied with age. Greatest relative inequalities were seen amongst people aged 25-44 years, with relative risks of 4.73 (95% CI 4.00 to 5.59) and 4.24 (95% CI 3.50 to 5.13) for men and women respectively in the most relative to the least deprived quintiles. People living in urban areas experienced higher alcohol-related mortality relative to those living in rural areas, with differences remaining after adjustment for socioeconomic deprivation. Adjusted relative risks for urban relative to rural areas were 1.35 (95% CI 1.20 to 1.52) and 1.13 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.25) for men and women respectively.
Conclusions: Large inequalities in alcohol-related mortality exist between sub-groups of the population in England and Wales. These should be considered when designing public health policies to reduce alcohol-related harm
Land use analysis of US urban areas using high-resolution imagery from Skylab
The author has identified the following significant results. The S-190B imagery from Skylab 3 permitted the detection of higher levels of land use detail than any satellite imagery previously evaluated using manual interpretation techniques. Resolution approaches that of 1:100,000 scale infrared aircraft photography, especially regarding urban areas. Nonurban areas are less distinct
Development and application of operational techniques for the inventory and monitoring of resources and uses for the Texas coastal zone. Volume 2: Appendices
There are no author-identified significant results in this report
Land use mapping and modelling for the Phoenix Quadrangle
The author has identified the following significant results. The mapping of generalized land use (level 1) from ERTS 1 images was shown to be feasible with better than 95% accuracy in the Phoenix quadrangle. The accuracy of level 2 mapping in urban areas is still a problem. Updating existing maps also proved to be feasible, especially in water categories and agricultural uses; however, expanding urban growth has presented with accuracy. ERTS 1 film images indicated where areas of change were occurring, thus aiding focusing-in for more detailed investigation. ERTS color composite transparencies provided a cost effective source of information for land use mapping of very large regions at small map scales
Refined Characterization of Student Perspectives on Quantum Physics
The perspectives of introductory classical physics students can often
negatively influence how those students later interpret quantum phenomena when
taking an introductory course in modern physics. A detailed exploration of
student perspectives on the interpretation of quantum physics is needed, both
to characterize student understanding of physics concepts, and to inform how we
might teach traditional content. Our previous investigations of student
perspectives on quantum physics have indicated they can be highly nuanced, and
may vary both within and across contexts. In order to better understand the
contextual and often seemingly contradictory stances of students on matters of
interpretation, we interviewed 19 students from four introductory modern
physics courses taught at the University of Colorado. We find that students
have attitudes and opinions that often parallel the stances of expert
physicists when arguing for their favored interpretations of quantum mechanics,
allowing for more nuanced characterizations of student perspectives in terms of
three key interpretive themes. We present a framework for characterizing
student perspectives on quantum mechanics, and demonstrate its utility in
interpreting the sometimes-contradictory nature of student responses to
previous surveys. We further find that students most often vacillate in their
responses when what makes intuitive sense to them is not in agreement with what
they consider to be a correct response, underscoring the need to distinguish
between the personal and the public perspectives of introductory modern physics
students.Comment: 24 pages, 31 references, 1 Appendix (5 pages
Evaluation of Skylab EREP data for land resource management
There are no author-identified significant results in this report
Regional Land Use Mapping: the Phoenix Pilot Project
The Phoenix Pilot Program has been designed to make effective use of past experience in making land use maps and collecting land use information. Conclusions reached from the project are: (1) Land use maps and accompanying statistical information of reasonable accuracy and quality can be compiled at a scale of 1:250,000 from orbital imagery. (2) Orbital imagery used in conjunction with other sources of information when available can significantly enhance the collection and analysis of land use information. (3) Orbital imagery combined with modern computer technology will help resolve the problem of obtaining land use data quickly and on a regular basis, which will greatly enhance the usefulness of such data in regional planning, land management, and other applied programs. (4) Agreement on a framework or scheme of land use classification for use with orbital imagery will be necessary for effective use of land use data
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