Challenges in using geographic information systems (GIS) to understand and control malaria in Indonesia

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease of global concern with 1.5 to 2.7 million people dying each year and many more suffering from it. In Indonesia, malaria is a major public health issue with around six million clinical cases and 700 deaths each year. Malaria is most prevalent in the developing countries of the world. Aid agencies have provided financial and technical assistance to malaria-prone countries in an effort to battle the disease. Over the past decade, the focus of some of this assistance has been in the provision of geographic information systems (GIS) hardware, software and training. In theory, GIS can be a very effective tool in combating malaria, however, in practice there have been a host of challenges to its successful use. This review is based, in part, on the literature but also on our experience working with the Indonesian Ministry of Health. The review identifies three broad problem areas. The first of these relates to data concerns. Without adequate data, GIS is not very useful. Specific problem areas include: accurate data on the disease and how it is reported; basic environmental data on vegetation, land uses, topography, rainfall, etc.; and demographic data on the movement of people. The second problem area involves technology – specifically computer hardware, GIS software and training. The third problem area concerns methods – assuming the previous data and technological problems have been resolved – how can GIS be used to improve our understanding of malaria? One of the main methodological tools is spatial statistical analysis, however, this is a newly developing field, is not easy to understand and suffers from the fact that there is no agreement on standard methods of analysis. The paper concludes with a discussion of strategies that can be used to overcome some of these problems. One of these strategies involves using ArcView GIS software in combination with ArcExplorer (a public domain program that can read ArcView files) to deal with the problem of needing multiple copies of GIS software. Another strategy involves the development of a self-paced training package that can be used to train individual

Mediation of Environmental Enforcement: Overcoming Inertia

This Article aims to examine the claims for the usefulness of environmental mediation in the context of enforcement through consideration of two environmental enforcement cases processed by the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation (DER) during 1990-1991. Specifically outlined is a pilot mediation program designed to improve the resolution of the cases. Next, two DER cases are described and compared, in detail; the two cases are quite similar except that one underwent mediation and one did not. Finally, this Article draws conclusions about environmental enforcement dispute resolution processes. Particularly examined is the success of mediation at overcoming the reluctance of environmental enforcement partisans to move their cases to settlement - to overcome the inertia of non-settlement

A new era for understanding amyloid structures and disease

The aggregation of proteins into amyloid fibrils and their deposition into plaques and intracellular inclusions is the hallmark of amyloid disease. The accumulation and deposition of amyloid fibrils, collectively known as amyloidosis, is associated with many pathological conditions that can be associated with ageing, such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, type II diabetes and dialysis-related amyloidosis. However, elucidation of the atomic structure of amyloid fibrils formed from their intact protein precursors and how fibril formation relates to disease has remained elusive. Recent advances in structural biology techniques, including cryo-electron microscopy and solid-state NMR spectroscopy, have finally broken this impasse. The first near-atomic-resolution structures of amyloid fibrils formed in vitro, seeded from plaque material and analysed directly ex vivo are now available. The results reveal cross-β structures that are far more intricate than anticipated. Here, we describe these structures, highlighting their similarities and differences, and the basis for their toxicity. We discuss how amyloid structure may affect the ability of fibrils to spread to different sites in the cell and between organisms in a prion-like manner, along with their roles in disease. These molecular insights will aid in understanding the development and spread of amyloid diseases and are inspiring new strategies for therapeutic intervention

The Future of Australian Urban & Regional Planning

The closing chapter of the Handbook is divided into three parts. First, as a way of summarising the preceding 26 chapters, we examine three themes that emerged and cut across ranges of chapters. Second, to provide some context to the Handbook, particularly for those international readers or others not familiar with Australian planning, we return to an issue raised in the introduction—how Australian planning theories, practices and education compares internationally. In the third and final section, we provide some insight on future directions for Australian planning and its role in the Asia Pacific region

Confessione giudiziale

Sustainable urban development, a major issue at global scale, will become more relevant according to population growth predictions in developed and developing countries. Societal and international recognition of sustainability concerns led to the development of specific tools and procedures, known as sustainability assessments/appraisals (SA). Their effectiveness however, considering that global quality life indicators have worsened since their introduction, has promoted a re-thinking of SA instruments. More precisely, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), – a tool introduced in the European context to evaluate policies, plans, and programmes (PPPs), – is being reconsidered because of several features that seem to limit its effectiveness. Over time, SEA has evolved in response to external and internal factors dealing with technical, procedural, planning and governance systems thus involving a shift of paradigm from EIA-based SEAs (first generation protocols) towards more integrated approaches (second generation ones). Changes affecting SEA are formalised through legislation in each Member State, to guide institutions at regional and local level. Defining SEA effectiveness is quite difficult. Its’ capacity-building process appears quite far from its conclusion, even if any definitive version can be conceptualized. In this paper, we consider some European nations with different planning systems and SA traditions. After the identification of some analytical criteria, a multi-dimensional cluster analysis is developed on some case studies, to outline current weaknesses

SEA integration in sustainable planning frameworks

This paper compares current SEA policy across two countries with different institutional and planning systems: Queensland, Australia and Lombardia, Italy. Assessment of the key strengths and weaknesses for SEA conferred by sustainable planning legislation in our case studies is supplemented by 30 interviews with planners and others involved in sustainable planning. It highlights a critical gap between SEA theory, legislative guidelines, and practice in urban and regional planning

A limits-oriented adaptive approach for strategic environmental assessment

In the face of global environmental change, decision-makers need effective environmental assessments to shape policies and plans aiming at sustainable human development. In this paper, we propose a new approach to address the needs of Strategic Environmental Assessment. We develop a Limits-Oriented Adaptive framework that is useful not only to recognize and address existing SEA problems (its limits), but also to incorporate elements of social and institutional uncertainty. This framework conceptualizes the need to first identify existing SEA limitations (e.g. procedural, legislative) through learning loops, and then to address them with incremental or transformative change through adaptive cycles. The first part of this paper presents existing frameworks of adaptive policy-making, adaptive management and loops of learning that can contribute shaping better environmental assessments. In the second part, we present our framework and we illustrate how the contributions from different disciplines relate to the procedural and technical sides of Strategic Environmental Assessment. Last, we present the results of the experimental application of our method in an Australian and an Italian case study. We then discuss our findings, outlining how SEA can learn from adaptive management to overcome its limitations and to embrace incremental and transformational change. We tie these lessons to the needs of different groups of SEA professionals, developers, legislators, and the broad public

A GIS-based land use and public transport accessibility indexing model

Accessibility indexing is important in evaluating existing land use patterns and transportation services, predicting travel demands and allocating transportation investments. A GIS-based land use and public transport accessibility indexing model has been developed for measuring and mapping levels of accessibility to basic community services by walking and/or public transport, within local government areas. The model aims to assist the planning and decision making process to deliver integrated land use and transportation outcomes. It is an origin-based accessibility model that determines levels of accessibility by utilising GIS analysis techniques to measures accessibility based on both actual walking distances and public transport travel time. The model has been applied to two pilot studies in the Gold Coast City to assess its practicality and effectiveness. This paper outlines the methodology of the model and the findings related to these pilot studies. The paper also demonstrates benefits and application of the model to other urbanised local government areas

Linking emissions trading to Natural Resource Management (NRM): are NRM Plans in Queensland, Australia up to the challenge?

Faculty of Science, Environment, Engineering and TechnologyFull Tex