Impact of Urban Growth on Surface Climate: A Case Study in Oran, Algeria

We develop a land use map discriminating urban surfaces from other cover types over a semiarid region in North Africa and use it in a land surface model to assess the impact of urbanized land on surface energy, water and carbon balances. Unlike in temperate climates where urbanization creates a marked heat island effect, this effect is not strongly marked in semiarid regions. During summer, the urban class results in an additional warming of 1.45 C during daytime and 0.81 C at night compared to that simulated for needleleaf trees under similar climate conditions. Seasonal temperatures show urban areas warmer than their surrounding during summer and slightly cooler in winter. The hydrological cycle is practically "shut down" during summer and characterized by relatively large amount of runoff in winter. We estimate the annual amount of carbon uptake to 1.94 million metric tons with only 11.9% assimilated during the rainy season. However, if urbanization expands to reach 50% of the total area excluding forests, the annual total carbon uptake will decline by 35% and the July mean temperature would increase only 0.10 C, compared to current situation. In contrast, if urbanization expands to 50% of the total land excluding forests and croplands but all short vegetation is replaced by native broadleaf deciduous trees, the annual carbon uptake would increase 39% and the July mean temperature would decrease by 0.9 C, compared to current configuration. These results provide guidelines for urban planners and land use managers and indicate possibilities for mitigating the urban heat

Mapping Biophysical Parameters for Land Surface Modeling over the Continental US Using MODIS and Landsat

In terms of the space cities occupy, urbanization appears as a minor land transformation. However, it permanently modifies land's ecological functions, altering its carbon, energy, and water fluxes. It is therefore necessary to develop a land cover characterization at fine spatial and temporal scales to capture urbanization's effects on surface fluxes. We develop a series of biophysical vegetation parameters such as the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation, leaf area index, vegetation greenness fraction, and roughness length over the continental US using MODIS and Landsat products for 2001. A 13-class land cover map was developed at a climate modeling grid (CMG) merging the 500mMODIS land cover and the 30m impervious surface area from the National Land Cover Database. The landscape subgrid heterogeneity was preserved using fractions of each class from the 500 m and 30 m into the CMG. Biophysical parameters were computed using the 8-day composite Normalized Difference Vegetation Index produced by the North American Carbon Program. In addition to urban impact assessments, this dataset is useful for the computation of surface fluxes in land, vegetation, and urban models and is expected to be widely used in different land cover and land use change applications

Population structure and connectivity of tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) across the Indo-Pacific Ocean basin

Population genetic structure using nine polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci was assessed for the tiger shark () at seven locations across the Indo-Pacific, and one location in the southern Atlantic. Genetic analyses revealed considerable genetic structuring ( > 0.14,

Efficacy of a musical tooth brushing drill in maintenance of oral hygiene among children at a correctional institute in Bengaluru city

Introduction: Tooth brushing plays a vital role in effective plaque control, which depends on the method and the ease with which it is adopted. It is known that one of the major factors that lead to the occurrence of dental caries is the action of microorganisms. These micro-organisms harbor themselves onto tooth structure in form of bio-film, thus leading to the formation of dental plaque. Material and Methods: A total of 130 children in the correctional home were screened and divided into control and intervention groups with 30 subjects each. The children will be assessed for baseline plaque scores using the using Turesky–Gilmore– Glickman modification of the Quigley–Hein plaque index. The plaque was assessed on the labial, buccal, and lingual surfaces of all the teeth after using a disclosing agent. The scores are given: 0: No plaque; 1: Separate flecks of plaque at the cervical margin of the tooth; 2: A thin continuous band of plaque (up to 1 mm) at the cervical margin; 3: A band of plaque wider than 1 mm but covering less than one-third of the crown of the tooth; 4: Plaque covering at least onethird but less than two-thirds of the crown; 5: Plaque covering two-thirds or more of the crown. The participants were subjected to a music and action routine for tooth brushing. Repetitive exercise for two weeks was done to condition the participants. Plaque scores were assessed using a two-tone disclosing agent at baseline, at the end of a two-week training drill, and four-week follow-up where the participants were asked to brush by themselves without any supervision. Results: The difference in the mean dental plaque scores from baseline to the 30th day was found to be statistically significant among the intervention group. (p= <0.001). On intragroup comparison, the differences in the reduction of these plaque scores over time from baseline to the 15th day were statistically significant (p=<0.001). The intergroup comparison was statistically significant at baseline (p=0.044). There was a significant difference on the 15th day (p=0.041) and on the 30th day (p=0.040). Conclusion: The present study proves that there was a significant reduction in plaque scores (p=<0.001) for a month with the use of a tooth brushing drill for two weeks under supervision. This shows behavior modification and healthy habit formation among the children. This also shows that children can be motivated and trained using music and simple drills

Geometrothermodynamics of five dimensional black holes in Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet-theory

We investigate the thermodynamic properties of 5D static and spherically symmetric black holes in (i) Einstein-Maxwell-Gauss-Bonnet theory, (ii) Einstein-Maxwell-Gauss-Bonnet theory with negative cosmological constant, and in (iii) Einstein-Yang-Mills-Gauss-Bonnet theory. To formulate the thermodynamics of these black holes we use the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy relation and, alternatively, a modified entropy formula which follows from the first law of thermodynamics of black holes. The results of both approaches are not equivalent. Using the formalism of geometrothermodynamics, we introduce in the manifold of equilibrium states a Legendre invariant metric for each black hole and for each thermodynamic approach, and show that the thermodynamic curvature diverges at those points where the temperature vanishes and the heat capacity diverges.Comment: New sections added, references adde

MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY ASSESSMENT IN ACUTE HEPATITIS-E.

Background: Hepatitis-E is an enterically transmitted virus causing acute hepatitis. Mostly it is a self-limiting clinical course, but can be life threatening in certain high risk groups. Pakistan is endemic for Hepatitis-E with limited published literature. The aim of this study is to evaluate the predictors of mortality in patients with acute Hepatitis-E. Methods: We analyzed the medical records of 369 adult patients with Hepatitis-E infection admitted at Aga khan University Hospital, from January 1996 to December 2010. Details of their laboratory investigations, clinical course and complications such as FHF and mortality were noted. The outcome was compared, and determinants of mortality were evaluated in important patient subgroups. Results: Out of 369 patients with Hepatitis-E, 326 (88.3%) were discharged after full recovery. Out of these 22 (6%) patients had chronic liver disease CLD in this study, of whom 10 (2.7%) expired (p-value \u3c0.001). There were about 67 (18%) pregnant patients, with a mean gestational age of 29.19±7.68 weeks and 5 (1.4%) pregnant patients died (p-value=0.23). A total of 58 (15.7%) patients were co-infected with other hepatotropic virus, and a comparison did not find an increased risk of mortality in this group. Conclusion: This study showed that Hepatitis-E is significantly associated with mortality in patients suffering from pre-existing chronic liver disease. Pregnancy was not a determinant of mortality in Hepatitis-E patients in this study, and neither was co-infection with other Hepatotropic viruses

La malnutrition des enfants de moins de cinq ans au Maroc dans les années 2000 : cause culturelle ou économique ?

Sur la base de l’Enquête Nationale sur la Consommation et les Dépenses des Ménages réalisée en 2001-2002 par le HCP, nous analysons les déterminants de la malnutrition des enfants de moins de cinq ans au Maroc. La malnutrition est appréhendée à l’aide de trois indicateurs anthropométriques : le retard de croissance, l’insuffisance pondérale et l’émaciation, mesurés respectivement par les indicateurs « taille pour âge », « poids pour âge » et « poids pour taille ». Les résultats montrent que le principal facteur de la malnutrition était économique : les enfants des ménages les plus pauvres et résidant en zone rurale étaient les plus concernés pas la malnutrition

Countdown to 2030 : tracking progress towards universal coverage for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health

Building upon the successes of Countdown to 2015, Countdown to 2030 aims to support the monitoring and measurement of women's, children's, and adolescents' health in the 81 countries that account for 95% of maternal and 90% of all child deaths worldwide. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, the rate of decline in prevalence of maternal and child mortality, stillbirths, and stunting among children younger than 5 years of age needs to accelerate considerably compared with progress since 2000. Such accelerations are only possible with a rapid scale-up of effective interventions to all population groups within countries (particularly in countries with the highest mortality and in those affected by conflict), supported by improvements in underlying socioeconomic conditions, including women's empowerment. Three main conclusions emerge from our analysis of intervention coverage, equity, and drivers of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) in the 81 Countdown countries. First, even though strong progress was made in the coverage of many essential RMNCH interventions during the past decade, many countries are still a long way from universal coverage for most essential interventions. Furthermore, a growing body of evidence suggests that available services in many countries are of poor quality, limiting the potential effect on RMNCH outcomes. Second, within-country inequalities in intervention coverage are reducing in most countries (and are now almost non-existent in a few countries), but the pace is too slow. Third, health-sector (eg, weak country health systems) and non-health-sector drivers (eg, conflict settings) are major impediments to delivering high-quality services to all populations. Although more data for RMNCH interventions are available now, major data gaps still preclude the use of evidence to drive decision making and accountability. Countdown to 2030 is investing in improvements in measurement in several areas, such as quality of care and effective coverage, nutrition programmes, adolescent health, early childhood development, and evidence for conflict settings, and is prioritising its regional networks to enhance local analytic capacity and evidence for RMNCH

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

Global Rsh-dependent transcription profile of Brucella suis during stringent response unravels adaptation to nutrient starvation and cross-talk with other stress responses

International audienceBackground: In the intracellular pathogen Brucella spp., the activation of the stringent response, a global regulatorynetwork providing rapid adaptation to growth-affecting stress conditions such as nutrient deficiency, is essential forreplication in the host. A single, bi-functional enzyme Rsh catalyzes synthesis and hydrolysis of the alarmone (p)ppGpp, responsible for differential gene expression under stringent conditions.Results: cDNA microarray analysis allowed characterization of the transcriptional profiles of the B. suis 1330 wildtypeand Δrsh mutant in a minimal medium, partially mimicking the nutrient-poor intramacrophagic environment.A total of 379 genes (11.6% of the genome) were differentially expressed in a rsh-dependent manner, of which 198were up-, and 181 were down-regulated. The pleiotropic character of the response was confirmed, as the genesencoded an important number of transcriptional regulators, cell envelope proteins, stress factors, transport systems,and energy metabolism proteins. Virulence genes such as narG and sodC, respectively encoding respiratory nitratereductase and superoxide dismutase, were under the positive control of (p)ppGpp, as well as expression of thecbb3-type cytochrome c oxidase, essential for chronic murine infection. Methionine was the only amino acid whosebiosynthesis was absolutely dependent on stringent response in B. suis.Conclusions: The study illustrated the complexity of the processes involved in adaptation to nutrient starvation,and contributed to a better understanding of the correlation between stringent response and Brucella virulence.Most interestingly, it clearly indicated (p)ppGpp-dependent cross-talk between at least three stress responsesplaying a central role in Brucella adaptation to the host: nutrient, oxidative, and low-oxygen stress