Relating multitemporal meteorological satellite data to climatological data for Africa

The questions of surface-atmosphere interaction and effects of land surface changes have been investigated by studying the energy balance over Africa. The energy and mass balance model being developed is an adaptation of the Lettau climatonomy model. The climatonic approach is a systems approach which encompasses: (1) a process, (2) an input to the process (forcing function), (3) an output from the process (response function), (4) feedback, and (5) control or management of the system. Steady-state climate is described and parametrized using a series of one-dimensional differential continuity and balance equations for energy and mass

Investigating the role of the land surface in explaining the interannual variation of the net radiation balance over the Western Sahara and sub-Sahara

The status of the data sets is discussed. Progress was made in both data analysis and modeling areas. The atmospheric and land surface contributions to the net radiation budget over the Sahara-Sahel region is being decoupled. The interannual variability of these two processes was investigated and this variability related to seasonal rainfall fluctuations. A modified Barnes objective analysis scheme was developed which uses an eliptic scan pattern and a 3-pass iteration of the difference fields

Planet X probe: A fresh new look at an old familiar place

Planet X Probe utilizes a Get Away Special (GAS) payload to provide a large student population with a remote Earth sensing experimental package. To provide a cooperative as well as a competitive environment, the effort is targeted at all grade levels and at schools in different geographical regions. LANDSAT capability allows students to investigate the Earth, its physical makeup, its resources, and the impact of man. This project also serves as an educational device to get students to stand back and take a fresh look at their home planet. The key element is to treat the familiar Earth as an unknown planet with knowledge based only on what is observable and provable from the images obtained. Through participation, a whole range of experiences will include: (1) mission planning; (2) research and pilot projects to train teams; (3) identification and recruitment of scientific mentors and dialogue; (4) selection of a student advisory team to be available during the mission; (5) analysis of data and compilation of findings; (6) report preparation, constucted along sound scientific principles; and (7) presentation and defense of findings before a meeting of competitive student groups and scientist in the field

Rapid discharge from hospital in the last days of life: An evaluation of the key issues and the contribution of an end of life discharge sister role

Background: When the time comes, most people wish to die at home. Nevertheless, many deaths occur in hospital, often because of delays in the discharge process. This study explored the issues surrounding rapid discharge from hospital in the final days of life, and evaluated the contribution of a discharge sister role. Methods: A qualitative design was used, incorporating focus groups and interviews with key stakeholders. A total of 75 staff and 7 carers participated. Results: Participants highlighted the small window of opportunity available to facilitate a rapid but safe discharge from hospital. Early recognition of the last days of life was vital as was the availability of a skilled health professional, such as the discharge sister, to coordinate the patient's journey from hospital to preferred place of death. Conclusions: Rapid discharge is challenging and requires high levels of skill. The discharge sister navigated complex organisational systems to facilitate rapid discharge for those who might otherwise have died in hospital. </jats:sec

Assessing the Social Development Potential of Impact Sourcing

Impact Sourcing is an emerging sub-field of global Information Technology (IT) and business Process Outsourcing (BPO) rooted in the concept of business and social development coexistence (Falck & Heblich, 2007; Porter & Kramer, 2011). It claims to create employment opportunities through Information Communications Technology (ICT) outsourcing for marginalized people living in areas of limited employment opportunities (The Monitor Group, 2011). This paper reports on a multidisciplinary research project, linking Information Systems, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), ICT for Development (ICT4D) and the Development literature. The primary research objective is to assess the social development impacts of a commercial outsourcing organization which practices Impact Sourcing as its CSR to provide employment opportunities to marginalized rural women through ICT. To achieve this objective, the research draws on Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach (Sen, 1999) from the development literature as a guiding framework. Social development impacts of Impact Sourcing are analysed in terms of enabled capabilities of marginalized outsourcing employees

Nonclassical crystallization of dipicolinic acid in microemulsions

Dipicolinic acid (DPA) was crystallised in microemulsions to investigate the effect of 3D nanoconfinement on the crystallisation process. The microemulsions were acidified with 2M HCl to prevent the formation of DPA metal salts, which occurs due to a pH shift towards neutrality arising from the nanoconfinement. TEM analysis showed that 30-100 nm square-plate nanoaggregates crystallised from these acidified microemulsions. Higher resolution TEM images revealed that the nanoaggregates consisted of smaller 3-10 nm nanocrystals. The FFT’s obtained from images of these nanocrystals were similar to the diffraction pattern arising from the whole nanoaggregate confirming that the nanocrystals exhibited ordered packing and resembled mesocrystals. The crystallisation of the nanoaggregates is aided by the suppression of Ostwald ripening of the nanocrystals in the nm-sized microemulsion droplets and surfactant adsorption onto the nanocrystals

Telling stories in the use of portfolio assessment in higher education: some implementation issues

Evidence has shown that the results of traditional standardized tests characterized by pencil and paper formats, multiple-choice responses and time-restricted completion are not sufficient in telling how pupils engage in the learning process and their progress in learning. In addition, these tests tend to emphasize on the assessment of basic skills but fail to measure higher level thinking and problem solving skills. This inadequacy can be addressed by incorporating authentic assessment approaches such as performance tasks, portfolios, and grading for team effort. This paper aims to tell stories from an action learning research group whose members have used ‘portfolio’ as an alternative assessment strategy in higher education

The epidemiology of the first wave of H1N1 influenza pandemic in Australia : a population-based study

Objectives: Following the recent H1N1 influenza pandemic we were able to describe seropositivity in a repre-sentative sample of adults prior to the availability of a specific vaccine.Methods: This cross-sectional serological study is set in the Barwon Statistical Division, Australia. Blood samples were collected from September 2009 through to May 2010, from 1184 individuals (569 men, 615 women; median age 61.7 years), randomly selected from electoral rolls. Serum was analysed for specific H1N1 immunity using a haemagglutina-tion inhibition test. A self-report provided information about symptoms, demographics and healthcare. Associations be-tween H1N1 infection, gender, households and occupation were determined using logistic regression, adjusting for age.Results: Of 1184 individuals, 129 (58 men, 71 women) were seropositive. Gender-adjusted age-specific prevalence was: 8.3% 20-29 years, 13.5% 30-39, 10.4% 40-49, 6.5% 50-59, 9.7% 60-69, 10.3% 70-79, 18.8% 80+. Standardised preva-lence was 10.3% (95%CI 9.6-11.0). No associations were detected between seropositivity and gender (OR=0.82, 95%CI 0.57-1.19) or being a healthcare worker (OR=1.43, 95%CI 0.62-3.29). Smokers (OR=1.86, 95%CI 1.09-3.15) and those socioeconomically disadvantaged (OR=2.52, 95%CI 1.24-5.13) were at increased risk. Among 129 seropositive individu-als, 31 reported symptoms that were either mild (n = 13) or moderate (time off work, doctor visit, n = 18). For age &lt;60, 39.6% of seropositive individuals reported symptoms, whereas the proportion was 13.2% for age 60+.Conclusions: Following the pandemic, the proportion of seropositive adults was low, but significant subclinical infection was found. Social disadvantage increased the likelihood of infection. The low symptom rate for older ages may relate to pre-existing immunity.<br /

Socioeconomic status, obesity and lifestyle in men : the Geelong Osteoporosis Study

Background : Although the association between lower socioeconomic status (SES) and obesity in women in developed countries is well-documented, current evidence regarding the relationship between obesity in men and area-based SES (equivalised for advantage and disadvantage) is inconsistent. Therefore, we aimed to examine obesity, lifestyle behaviours, physical activity in different domains and demographics in men using area-based SES.Methods : We performed a descriptive cross-sectional study of 1467 randomly selected white men (mean age 56 year (inter-quartile range (IQR) = 39&ndash;73 year)) recruited from the Barwon Statistical Division, South Western Victoria, Australia between 2001&ndash;06.Results : Age-adjusted BMI, waist circumference, % fat and lean mass and blood pressure were inversely associated with SES, with differences between low and upper SES (P for difference &lt;0.05), independent of country of birth. Age-adjusted lifestyle behaviours associated with obesity and/or adverse health (especially cardiovascular disease), were also associated with lower SES.Conclusions : Subjects from lower SES had greater measures of obesity despite being more physically active at work, but were less likely to be physically active in the domains of sports and/or leisure. These findings suggest the possible influence of lifestyle behaviours and occupation upon obesity in men and should be investigated further.<br /

Elastase-mediated fibrinogenolysis by chemoattractant-stimulated neutrophils occurs in the presence of physiologic concentrations of antiproteinases.

Plasma levels of the HNE-derived fibrinopeptide A alpha 1-21 reflect in vivo enzyme activity. To provide a possible explanation for the presence of circulating A alpha 1-21 in individuals with normal plasma antiproteinase concentrations we investigated whether PMN-associated HNE is more resistant to inhibition than the free enzyme. PMN were stimulated to migrate across 125I-fibrinogen-coated nitrocellulose filters in response to 10(-7) M FMLP, and the extent of fibrinogenolysis was determined by measuring release of A alpha 1-21 and 125I-labeled fibrinogen degradation products. The fibrinogenolytic activity of migrating PMN was then compared with that of free HNE present in PMN lysates or secreted by PMN stimulated with FMLP. Whereas the fibrinogenolytic activity of soluble HNE was completely inhibited by low concentrations (1%) of plasma or serum and macromolecular antiproteinase (alpha 1 proteinase-inhibitor and soybean trypsin-inhibitor), even in the presence of undiluted plasma or serum the activity of the migrating PMN was incompletely blocked (81-85%). Further, concentrations of alpha 1 proteinase-inhibitor and soybean trypsin-inhibitor that totally inhibited free HNE activity also incompletely blocked (88-89%) the fibrinogenolytic activity of migrating PMN, indicating that FMLP-stimulated PMN demonstrate significant fibrinogenolytic activity in the presence of antiproteinases as small as 20,000 mol wt. A specific low molecular weight HNE inhibitor (MeO-Suc-Ala2-Pro-ValCH2Cl), however, totally blocked PMN-mediated fibrinogenolysis without affecting intracellular HNE activity, HNE secretion from PMN, or PMN migration in response to FMLP. These findings support the hypothesis that PMN migrating on a fibrinogen-coated surface form zones of close contact with fibrinogen, thus preventing access of plasma antiproteinases to HNE released at the cell-substrate interface. The occurrence of this phenomenon in vivo would explain the presence of circulating A alpha 1-21 in individuals with normal antiproteinase concentrations