URBAN TERRAIN CLIMATOLOGY AND REMOTE SENSING *

. Urban areas have been conceived of as monolithic heat islands because traditional ground observation techniques do not lend themselves to more specific analyses. Observations of urban energy-exchange obtained from calibrated electro-optical scanners combined with energy budget simulation techniques provide tools to relate the urban land use mosaic to the heat island phenomenon. Maps of surface energy-related phenomena were made from airborne scanner outputs for selected flightpaths across the city of Baltimore, Maryland. Conditions for the flight time were simulated according to the various types of land use using an energy budget simulation model which lends itself to extrapolation of simulated grid-point conditions into a map form. Maps made by simulation compare sufficiently well with those made by aerial observation to encourage further refinement of the simulation approach.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72392/1/j.1467-8306.1976.tb01110.x.pd

The climatonomy of a needle ice event: An experiment in simulation climatology

Soil surface temperature, net radiation and surface heave are used to evaluate a computer simulation of a needle ice event at Vancouver, Canada. The simulation which includes fusion and soil water flow effects, provides a working example of a simulation-sensitivity experiment in climatology and therefore has implications which transcend the rather restricted subject of diurnal soil frost effects. Die Temperatur der Bodenoberfläche, die Strahlungsbilanz und die Bodenbewegung werden in einem Rechenmodell benützt, das die Eisnadelbildung in Vancouver, Kanada, simuliert. Das Modell, welches den Gefriervorgang und den Effekt der Wasserströmung im Boden einbezieht, stellt ein Beispiel eines Simulations- und Sensitivitätsexperiments in der Klimatologie dar, welches über die Belange des beschränkten Sachgebietes der Bodenfrosteffekte hinausgeht.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41665/1/704_2005_Article_BF02253559.pd

A model of near-surface coupled-flow effects on the diurnal thermal regime of a peat-covered palsa

The thermal regime in the moist surficial peat layer of a palsa, measured during a clear and calm July day in arctic Alaska, indicates that coupled heat and water flow retard ablation of the ice core. A simulation model of coupled-flow effects was constructed using rough estimates of meteorological boundary conditions and material properties. The model indicates that ablation is inhibited by advection of cold water above the ice/peat interface, and by internal evaporation near the surface. Evaporation also limits thermal maxima near the surface; because the ratio of the heat of evaporation to the heat of fusion is approximately 7.5, the coupled-flow regime effectively retards ablation of the palsa's ice core. Das Temperaturregime in der feuchten, oberflächennahen Torfschicht eines Pals wurde während eines klaren und windstillen Julitages in der Arktis von Alaska vermessen. Es wird gezeigt, daß der gekoppelte Wärme- und Wasserstrom die Ablation des Eiskernes verzögert. Ein Simulationsmodell der gekoppelten Stromeffekte wurde konstruiert, wobei grobe Abschätzungen der meteorologischen Grenzbedingungen und der Bodenbeschaffenheit angebracht wurden. Das Modell deutet an, daß die Ablation durch Advektion von kaltem Wasser oberhalb der Eis-Torf-Grenzschicht und durch interne Verdunstung nahe der Oberfläche behindert wird. Verdunstung beschränkt außerdem die Temperaturmaxima nahe der Oberfläche. Da das Verhältnis der latenten Wärmen der Verdunstung und der Sublimation ungefähr 7,5 beträgt, verzögert das gekoppelte Stromregime effektiv die Ablation des Eiskernes der Pals.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41663/1/703_2005_Article_BF02258484.pd

The soil electric potential signature of summer drought

During the period from late April to early August, a timeseries of soil electric potential measurements in the upper 15 cm of mineral soil were collected daily at the University of Michigan Botanical Gardens using an automatic data collection system. These data, after conversion to a surrogate measure of electrolyte concentration, provide a unique record of the 1988 summer drought in a continental location. The effects of rainfall-dewfall electrolyte dilution, evaporation-induced electrolyte concentration and upward-downward soil water advection are well-illustrated in the data. These observations demonstrate that soil electric potential is an easily measured variable of high information content, especially when collected with other system-linked environmental data.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41671/1/704_2004_Article_BF00866203.pd

General Practice and Pandemic Influenza: A Framework for Planning and Comparison of Plans in Five Countries

BACKGROUND: Although primary health care, and in particular, general practice will be at the frontline in the response to pandemic influenza, there are no frameworks to guide systematic planning for this task or to appraise available plans for their relevance to general practice. We aimed to develop a framework that will facilitate planning for general practice, and used it to appraise pandemic plans from Australia, England, USA, New Zealand and Canada. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We adapted the Haddon matrix to develop the framework, populating its cells through a multi-method study that incorporated the peer-reviewed and grey literature, interviews with general practitioners, practice nurses and senior decision-makers, and desktop simulation exercises. We used the framework to analyse 89 publicly-available jurisdictional plans at similar managerial levels in the five countries. The framework identifies four functional domains: clinical care for influenza and other needs, public health responsibilities, the internal environment and the macro-environment of general practice. No plan addressed all four domains. Most plans either ignored or were sketchy about non-influenza clinical needs, and about the contribution of general practice to public health beyond surveillance. Collaborations between general practices were addressed in few plans, and inter-relationships with the broader health system, even less frequently. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to provide a framework to guide general practice planning for pandemic influenza. The framework helped identify critical shortcomings in available plans. Engaging general practice effectively in planning is challenging, particularly where governance structures for primary health care are weak. We identify implications for practice and for research

Risk Behaviors for Reproductive Tract Infection in Women Who Have Sex with Women in Beijing, China

OBJECTIVES: To assess risk behaviors for reproductive tract infections (RTI) including sexually transmitted infections (STI) among women who have sex with women (WSW) in Beijing, China. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of women recruited from venues and internet outreach analyzed using interviews. RESULTS: We recruited 224 WSW, among whom were 37 couples. The average age of participants was 25.6 years. Sex with men in the past year was reported by 10.7% of participants. During the past year, 34.3% (77/224) had had >1 sexual partner and 72.4% (162/224) had ever had >1 sexual partner. Condom use in the last sex with a man was reported by 54.2% (13/24) of women; 12.5% (3/24) reported never having used a condom with a man in the past year. In the past year, 13.4% (30/224) reported using sex toys with their female partners; of these, 43.3% (13/30) reported consistent condom use with the sex toys and 36.7% (11/30) had shared sex toys. Among participants 65.2% (120/184) reported that their "G-spot" had been stimulated during sex, 49.2% (59/120) of whom reported bleeding during or after sex. Only 12.5% (8/64) of those never reporting "G spot" stimulation reported bleeding during or after sex (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: WSW in Beijing engaged in high-risk sexual behaviors that may carry a substantial risk of being infected with STI/RTI. To implement STI/RTI prevention and intervention among women, women-women sexual behavior should be considered when doing research and intervention programs

Ecological effects of alternative fuel-reduction treatments: highlights of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate study (FFS)

The 12-site National Fire and Fire Surrogate study (FFS) was a multivariate experiment that evaluated ecological consequences of alternative fuel-reduction treatments in seasonally dry forests of the US. Each site was a replicated experiment with a common design that compared an un-manipulated control, prescribed fire, mechanical and mechanical + fire treatments. Variables within the vegetation, fuelbed, forest floor and soil, bark beetles, tree diseases and wildlife were measured in 10-ha stands, and ecological response was compared among treatments at the site level, and across sites, to better understand the influence of differential site conditions. For most sites, treated stands were predicted to be more resilient to wildfire if it occurred shortly after treatment, but for most ecological variables, short-term response to treatments was subtle and transient. Strong site-specificity was observed in the response of most ecosystem variables, suggesting that practitioners employ adaptive management at the local scale. Because ecosystem components were tightly linked, adaptive management would need to include monitoring of a carefully chosen set of key variables. Mechanical treatments did not serve as surrogates for fire for most variables, suggesting that fire be maintained whenever possible. Restoration to pre-settlement conditions will require repeated treatments over time, with eastern forests requiring more frequent applications.Keywords: Oak, Prescribed fire, Frequent fire regimes, Pine, Mechanical treatment, Forest thinning, Dry forest management, Seasonally dry forest