E-TU ZEN SUN. Chinese Railways and British Interests 1898-1911. Pp. viii, 230. New York: King's Crown Press, Columbia University, 1954. $4.00

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66510/2/10.1177_000271625529900178.pd

WOODHEAD, H. G. W. (Ed.). The China Year Book 1933. Pp. xvi, 786. Shang hai: The North China Daily News and Herald, Ltd., 1933. $12.50

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66745/2/10.1177_000271623417200147.pd

Asia

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/67154/2/10.1177_000271625429400121.pd

A New Algorithm for Retrieving Aerosol Properties Over Land from MODIS Spectral Reflectance

Since first light in early 2000, operational global quantitative retrievals of aerosol properties over land have been made from MODIS observed spectral reflectance. These products have been continuously evaluated and validated, and opportunities for improvements have been noted. We have replaced the original algorithm by improving surface reflectance assumptions, the aerosol model optical properties and the radiative transfer code used to create the lookup tables. The new algorithm (known as Version 5.2 or V5.2) performs a simultaneous inversion of two visible (0.47 and 0.66 micron) and one shortwave-IR (2.12 micron) channel, making use of the coarse aerosol information content contained in the 2.12 micron channel. Inversion of the three channels yields three nearly independent parameters, the aerosol optical depth (tau) at 0.55 micron, the non-dust or fine weighting (eta) and the surface reflectance at 2.12 micron. Finally, retrievals of small magnitude negative tau values (down to -0.05) are considered valid, thus normalizing the statistics of tau in near zero tau conditions. On a 'test bed' of 6300 granules from Terra and Aqua, the products from V5.2 show marked improvement over those from the previous versions, including much improved retrievals of tau, where the MODIS/AERONET tau (at 0.55 micron) regression has an equation of: y = 1.01+0.03, R = 0.90. Mean tau for the test bed is reduced from 0.28 to 0.21

High (but Not Low) Urinary Iodine Excretion Is Predicted by Iodine Excretion Levels from Five Years Ago

Background: It has not been investigated whether there are associations between urinary iodine (UI) excretion measurements some years apart, nor whether such an association remains after adjustment for nutritional habits. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relation between iodine-creatinine ratio (ICR) at two measuring points 5 years apart. Methods: Data from 2,659 individuals from the Study of Health in Pomerania were analyzed. Analysis of covariance and Poisson regressions were used to associate baseline with follow-up ICR. Results: Baseline ICR was associated with follow-up ICR. Particularly, baseline ICR >300 mu g/g was related to an ICR >300 mu g/g at follow-up (relative risk, RR: 2.20; p < 0.001). The association was stronger in males (RR: 2.64; p < 0.001) than in females (RR: 1.64; p = 0.007). In contrast, baseline ICR <100 mu g/g was only associated with an ICR <100 mu g/g at follow-up in males when considering unadjusted ICR. Conclusions: We detected only a weak correlation with respect to low ICR. Studies assessing iodine status in a population should take into account that an individual with a low UI excretion in one measurement is not necessarily permanently iodine deficient. On the other hand, current high ICR could have been predicted by high ICR 5 years ago. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Base

Atmospheric correction of visible to middle-infrared EOS-MODIS data over land surfaces: Background, operational algorithm and validation

The NASA moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument will provide a global and improved source of information for the study of land surfaces with a spatial resolution of up to 250 m

Characterizing the 2015 Indonesia fire event using modified MODIS aerosol retrievals

The Indonesian fire and smoke event of 2015 was an extreme episode that affected public health and caused severe economic and environmental damage. The MODIS Dark Target (DT) aerosol algorithm, developed for global applications, significantly underestimated regional aerosol optical depth (AOD) during this episode. The larger-than-global-averaged uncertainties in the DT product over this event were due to both an overly zealous set of masks that mistook heavy smoke plumes for clouds and/or inland water, and also an aerosol model developed for generic global aerosol conditions. Using Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) Version 3 sky inversions of local AERONET stations, we created a specific aerosol model for the extreme event. Thus, using this new less-absorbing aerosol model, cloud masking based on results of the MODIS cloud optical properties algorithm, and relaxed thresholds on both inland water tests and upper limits of the AOD retrieval, we created a research algorithm and applied it to 80 appropriate MODIS granules during the event. Collocating and comparing with AERONET AOD shows that the research algorithm doubles the number of MODIS retrievals greater than 1.0, while also significantly improving agreement with AERONET. The final results show that the operational DT algorithm had missed approximately 0.22 of the regional mean AOD, but as much as AOD&thinsp;=&thinsp;3.0 for individual 0.5∘ grid boxes. This amount of missing AOD can skew the perception of the severity of the event, affect estimates of regional aerosol forcing, and alter aerosol modeling and forecasting that assimilate MODIS aerosol data products. These results will influence the future development of the global DT aerosol algorithm.</p

Maritime Aerosol Network as a Component of AERONET - First Results and Comparison with Global Aerosol Models and Satellite Retrievals

The Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN) has been collecting data over the oceans since November 2006. Over 80 cruises were completed through early 2010 with deployments continuing. Measurement areas included various parts of the Atlantic Ocean, the Northern and Southern Pacific Ocean, the South Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, the Arctic Ocean and inland seas. MAN deploys Microtops handheld sunphotometers and utilizes a calibration procedure and data processing traceable to AERONET. Data collection included areas that previously had no aerosol optical depth (AOD) coverage at all, particularly vast areas of the Southern Ocean. The MAN data archive provides a valuable resource for aerosol studies in maritime environments. In the current paper we present results of AOD measurements over the oceans, and make a comparison with satellite AOD retrievals and model simulations

Y-Chromosomal Insights into Breeding History and Sire Line Genealogies of Arabian Horses

The Y chromosome is a valuable genetic marker for studying the origin and influence of paternal lineages in populations. In this study, we conducted Y-chromosomal lineage-tracing in Arabian horses. First, we resolved a Y haplotype phylogeny based on the next generation sequencing data of 157 males from several breeds. Y-chromosomal haplotypes specific for Arabian horses were inferred by genotyping a collection of 145 males representing most Arabian sire lines that are active around the globe. These lines formed three discrete haplogroups, and the same haplogroups were detected in Arabian populations native to the Middle East. The Arabian haplotypes were clearly distinct from the ones detected in Akhal Tekes, Turkoman horses, and the progeny of two Thoroughbred foundation sires. However, a haplotype introduced into the English Thoroughbred by the stallion Byerley Turk (1680), was shared among Arabians, Turkomans, and Akhal Tekes, which opens a discussion about the historic connections between Oriental horse types. Furthermore, we genetically traced Arabian sire line breeding in the Western World over the past 200 years. This confirmed a strong selection for relatively few male lineages and uncovered incongruences to written pedigree records. Overall, we demonstrate how fine-scaled Y-analysis contributes to a better understanding of the historical development of horse breeds.Peer Reviewe