Comparison of precipitable water vapor derived from radiosonde, GPS, and moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer measurements

Atmospheric water vapor is highly variable in both space and time across the Earth, and knowledge of the distribution of water vapor is essential in understanding weather and global climate. In addition, knowledge of the amount of atmospheric water vapor is required for high-precision interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) applications due to its significant impact on microwave signals, which is the principal motivation for this study. In order to assess the performance of different instruments, i.e., radiosondes (RS), Global Positioning System (GPS), and the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and for measuring precipitable water vapor (PWV), coincident observations collected at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains site and at the Herstmonceux site over a 8-11 month period are used for time series intercomparisons. In this study, the Terra MODIS near-infrared water vapor products (Collection 3) were examined. In addition, a first spatial comparison of MODIS PWV and GPS PWV was performed using data covering all of Germany and kindly supplied by the GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam. Time series comparisons of PWV between radiosondes and GPS show that the scale factors of PWV from radiosondes and GPS agreed to 4% with correlation coefficients higher than 0.98 and standard deviations about 1 mm. A significant day-night difference was found for Vaisala RS90 radiosondes in comparison with GPS PWV, with nighttime launches having a scale factor 4% larger, but agreeing overall better. It is also shown that GPS PWV and RS PWV agreed better with each other than with MODIS PWV, and the differences of MODIS PWV relative to GPS or RS were larger than those between GPS PWV and RS PWV. MODIS PWV appeared to overestimate PWV against RS, with scale factors from 1.14 to 1.20 and standard deviations from 1.6 to 2.2 mm. MODIS PWV appeared to overestimate PWV against GPS, with scale factors from 1.07 to 1.14 and standard deviations varying from 0.8 to 1.4 mm in time series. The larger differences relative to MODIS PWV are likely to be caused by uncertainties in the spectroscopic database for the MODIS retrievals, calibration uncertainties in the radiances measured by MODIS, operational differences of the three systems, and different mapping functions adopted in GPS and MODIS PWV retrievals. We derived a linear fit model to calibrate MODIS PWV, and better agreements between calibrated MODIS PWV and GPS PWV in space have been achieved. This indicates that MODIS PWV products should be updated or calibrated using a linear fit model before being applied to correct InSAR measurements. Also, the potential accuracy of standard resolution (resampled) radiosonde data from the UK Met Office and the University of Wyoming has been assessed. It is demonstrated that some caution needs to be exercised when using standard resolution data

Sexualidade na terceira idade: medidas de prevenção para doenças sexualmente transmissíveis e AIDS Sexualidad en la tercera edad: medidas de prevención de enfermedades de transmisión sexual y SIDA Sexuality in the elderly: prevention methods for sexually transmissible illnesses and AIDS

O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar as medidas de prevenção que os idosos estão utilizando para à prevenção das Doenças Sexualmente Transmissíveis e Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida. A pesquisa foi de caráter prospectivo, quantitativo e descritivo com uma amostragem intencional, realizada com 98 idosos. Foi aplicado um questionário com perguntas abertas e fechadas, relacionadas à vida sexual dos idosos frequentadores de uma instituição que desenvolve programas para a melhoria da qualidade de vida dos idosos no município de Curitiba, Paraná. Dos entrevistados 43%, relatam fazer uso de alguma medida de prevenção. A realização de programas de prevenção voltados para o atendimento de pessoas com 50 anos ou mais, deve estar atenta às questões de sexualidade no envelhecimento. Os idosos devem ser vistos como indivíduos que possuem desejos, necessidades sexuais e que fazem projetos para o futuro.<br>El objetivo de este estudio es identificar medidas que los ancianos están utilizando para la prevención de enfermedades de transmisión sexual y el Enfermedades de Transmisión Sexual Síndrome de Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida. La encuesta fue de carácter prospectivo y cuantitativo con una muestra intencional, realizado con 98 personas de edad avanzada. Se aplicó un cuestionario con preguntas abiertas y cerradas, relacionadas con la vida sexual de los visitantes mayores de una institución que desarrolla programas para la mejora de la calidad de vida de las personas mayores en la ciudad de Curitiba, Paraná, Brasil. De los 43% de los encuestados informaron que usan de alguna medida de prevención. La ejecución de los programas de prevención se centró en la atención de personas mayores de 50 años o más, deben de estar atentos a las cuestiones de la sexualidad en el envejecimiento. Los ancianos deben ser vistos como individuos que tienen necesidades sexuales y deseos, que hacen proyectos para el futuro.<br>This study aimed to identify the methods the elderly are using for the prevention of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). This is a prospective, quantitative and descriptive research with an intentional sample, undertaken with 98 elders. A questionnaire was applied with open and closed questions, related to the sexual life of elders who attend an institution that develops programs to the improvement of elderly well-being in Curitiba, state of Paraná, Brazil. 43% of the elders stated that they make use of some prevention method. Prevention programs focused on 50 year old or older people must pay attention to the questions of sexuality and aging. Elders must be considered as individuals who have desires and sexual needs, and who make plans for the future