3,163 research outputs found
Integrating agriculture and health research for development: LCIRAH as an interdisciplinary programme to address a global challenge
The multiple burdens of persistent undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, along with the rapidly growing rates of overweight, obesity, and associated chronic diseases, are major challenges globally. The role of agriculture and the food system in meeting these challenges is very poorly understood. Achieving food security and addressing malnutrition in all its forms, a Sustainable Development Goal, requires an understanding of how changing food systems affect health outcomes and the development of new tools to design and evaluate interventions. An interinstitutional programme to address this interdisciplinary research challenge is described. Over the past seven years, the Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health has built a portfolio of successful and innovative research, trained a new cadre of interdisciplinary researchers in “Agri‐Health,” and built an international research community with a particular focus on strengthening research capacity in low‐ and middle‐income countries. The evolution of this programme is described, and key factors contributing to its success are discussed that may be of general value in designing interdisciplinary research programmes directed at supporting global development goals
Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) algorithm theoretical basis document
The theoretical bases for the Release 1 algorithms that will be used to process satellite data for investigation of the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) are described. The architecture for software implementation of the methodologies is outlined. Volume 1 provides both summarized and detailed overviews of the CERES Release 1 data analysis system. CERES will produce global top-of-the-atmosphere shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes at the top of the atmosphere, at the surface, and within the atmosphere by using the combination of a large variety of measurements and models. The CERES processing system includes radiance observations from CERES scanning radiometers, cloud properties derived from coincident satellite imaging radiometers, temperature and humidity fields from meteorological analysis models, and high-temporal-resolution geostationary satellite radiances to account for unobserved times. CERES will provide a continuation of the ERBE record and the lowest error climatology of consistent cloud properties and radiation fields. CERES will also substantially improve our knowledge of the Earth's surface radiation budget
A derivation of the free-free emission on the Galactic plane between l=20 and 44 degrees
We present the derivation of the free-free emission on the Galactic plane
between l=20 and 44 degrees and |b| < 4 degrees, using Radio Recombination Line
(RRL) data from the HI Parkes All-Sky Survey (HIPASS). Following an upgrade on
the RRL data reduction technique, which improves significantly the quality of
the final RRL spectra, we have extended the analysis to three times the area
covered in Alves et al. (2010). The final RRL map has an angular resolution of
14.8 arcmin and a velocity resolution of 20 km/s.
A map of the electron temperature (Te) of the ionised gas is derived for the
area under study using the line and continuum data from the present survey. The
mean Te on the Galactic plane is 6000 K. The first direct measure of the
free-free emission is obtained based on the derived Te map. Subtraction of this
thermal component from the total continuum leaves the first direct measure of
the synchrotron emission at 1.4 GHz. A narrow component of width 2 degrees is
identified in the latitude distribution of the synchrotron emission. We present
a list of HII regions and SNRs extracted from the present free-free and
synchrotron maps, where we confirm the synchrotron nature of three objects:
G41.12-0.21, G41.15+0.39 and G35.59-0.44. We also identify a bright (42 Jy) new
double radio galaxy, J1841-0152, previously unrecognised owing to the high
optical extinction in the region.
The latitude distribution for the RRL-derived free-free emission shows that
the WMAP Maximum Entropy Method (MEM) is too high by ~ 50 per cent, in
agreement with other recent results. The extension of this study to the inner
Galaxy region l=-50 to 50 degrees will allow a better overall comparison of the
RRL result with WMAP.Comment: 17 pages, 15 figures. Submitted to MNRA
Discovery of an intermediate-luminosity red transient in M51 and its likely dust-obscured, infrared-variable progenitor
We present the discovery of an optical transient (OT) in Messier 51,
designated M51 OT2019-1 (also ZTF19aadyppr, AT 2019abn, ATLAS19bzl), by the
Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF). The OT rose over 15 days to an observed
luminosity of (), in the
luminosity gap between novae and typical supernovae (SNe). Spectra during the
outburst show a red continuum, Balmer emission with a velocity width of
km s, Ca II and [Ca II] emission, and absorption features
characteristic of an F-type supergiant. The spectra and multiband light curves
are similar to the so-called "SN impostors" and intermediate-luminosity red
transients (ILRTs). We directly identify the likely progenitor in archival
Spitzer Space Telescope imaging with a m luminosity of
and a color redder than 0.74 mag, similar
to those of the prototype ILRTs SN 2008S and NGC 300 OT2008-1. Intensive
monitoring of M51 with Spitzer further reveals evidence for variability of the
progenitor candidate at [4.5] in the years before the OT. The progenitor is not
detected in pre-outburst Hubble Space Telescope optical and near-IR images. The
optical colors during outburst combined with spectroscopic temperature
constraints imply a higher reddening of mag and higher
intrinsic luminosity of
() near peak than seen in previous ILRT
candidates. Moreover, the extinction estimate is higher on the rise than on the
plateau, suggestive of an extended phase of circumstellar dust destruction.
These results, enabled by the early discovery of M51 OT2019-1 and extensive
pre-outburst archival coverage, offer new clues about the debated origins of
ILRTs and may challenge the hypothesis that they arise from the
electron-capture induced collapse of extreme asymptotic giant branch stars.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures, published in ApJ
Luminosity Functions And Evolution Of Blue Galaxies In A Deep Multicolor CCD Field Survey
A complete sample of 659 field galaxies with 17.0U21.1, each with
U-B-V-R-I7500-I8600 photometry, has been selected from a deep field survey
which covers 0.83 deg along six lines of sight (Hall et al. 1996a). Each
galaxy's spectral type and redshift has been estimated using a multicolor
photometric technique (Liu & Green 1998). Total number counts of the galaxies
in the U-band give a count slope d(logN)/dM = 0.55 0.05, consistent with
previous studies.
The 545 galaxies in the sample classified as spectral type Sbc or bluer are
analyzed for signs of evolution with redshift, and for unusual star formation
histories. The U-band luminosity function of these blue galaxies at
0.02z0.15 has a steep -1.85 down to M(B)-14.
The luminosity functions at 0.15z0.3 and 0.3z0.5 show
significant evolution in M* and , at levels consistent with those found
in the Canada-France and Autofib Redshift Surveys.
A significant population of very blue (rest frame U-B-0.35) galaxies, with
spectral energy distributions indicating strong starburst activity, is observed
at z0.3 but not at z0.3. This population is confirmed via
spectroscopy of part of the sample. These may be galaxies temporarily
brightened by global starbursts, which subsequently fade and redden at lower
redshifts.Comment: Accepted to AJ; 30 pages including figure
PTF10fqs: A Luminous Red Nova in the Spiral Galaxy Messier 99
The Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) is systematically charting the optical
transient and variable sky. A primary science driver of PTF is building a
complete inventory of transients in the local Universe (distance less than 200
Mpc). Here, we report the discovery of PTF10fqs, a transient in the luminosity
"gap" between novae and supernovae. Located on a spiral arm of Messier 99, PTF
10fqs has a peak luminosity of Mr = -12.3, red color (g-r = 1.0) and is slowly
evolving (decayed by 1 mag in 68 days). It has a spectrum dominated by
intermediate-width H (930 km/s) and narrow calcium emission lines. The
explosion signature (the light curve and spectra) is overall similar to thatof
M85OT2006-1, SN2008S, and NGC300OT. The origin of these events is shrouded in
mystery and controversy (and in some cases, in dust). PTF10fqs shows some
evidence of a broad feature (around 8600A) that may suggest very large
velocities (10,000 km/s) in this explosion. Ongoing surveys can be expected to
find a few such events per year. Sensitive spectroscopy, infrared monitoring
and statistics (e.g. disk versus bulge) will eventually make it possible for
astronomers to unravel the nature of these mysterious explosions.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures, Replaced with published versio
Palm oil and dietary change: Application of an integrated macroeconomic, environmental, demographic, and health modelling framework for Thailand
Palm oil is a cooking oil and food ingredient in widespread use in the global food system. However, as a highly saturated fat, palm oil consumption has been associated with negative effects on cardiovascular health, while large scale oil palm production has been linked to deforestation. We construct an innovative fully integrated Macroeconomic-Environmental-Demographic-health (MED-health) model to undertake integrated health, environmental, and economic analyses of palm oil consumption and oil palm production in Thailand over the coming 20 years (2016–2035). In order to put a health and fiscal food policy perspective on policy priorities of future palm oil consumption growth, we model the implications of a 54% product-specific sales tax to achieve a halving of future energy intakes from palm cooking oil consumption. Total patient incidence and premature mortality from myocardial infarction and stroke decline by 0.03–0.16% and rural-urban equity in health and welfare improves in most regions. However, contrary to accepted wisdom, reduced oil palm production would not be environmentally beneficial in the Thailand case, since, once established, oil palms have favourable carbon sequestration characteristics compared to alternative uses of Thai cropland. The increased sales tax also provokes mixed economic impacts: While real GDP increases in a second-best Thai tax policy environment, relative consumption-to-investment price changes may reduce household welfare over extended periods unless accompanied by non-distortionary government compensation payments. Overall, our holistic approach demonstrates that product-specific fiscal food policy taxes may involve important trade-offs between nutrition, health, the economy, and the environment
Financing Direct Democracy: Revisiting the Research on Campaign Spending and Citizen Initiatives
The conventional view in the direct democracy literature is that spending against a measure is more effective than spending in favor of a measure, but the empirical results underlying this conclusion have been questioned by recent research. We argue that the conventional finding is driven by the endogenous nature of campaign spending: initiative proponents spend more when their ballot measure is likely to fail. We address this endogeneity by using an instrumental variables approach to analyze a comprehensive dataset of ballot propositions in California from 1976 to 2004. We find that both support and opposition spending on citizen initiatives have strong, statistically significant, and countervailing effects. We confirm this finding by looking at time series data from early polling on a subset of these measures. Both analyses show that spending in favor of citizen initiatives substantially increases their chances of passage, just as opposition spending decreases this likelihood
A New, Bright, Short-Period, Emission Line Binary in Ophiuchus
The 11th magnitude star LS IV -08 3 has been classified previously as an OB
star in the Luminous Stars survey, or alternatively as a hot subdwarf. It is
actually a binary star. We present spectroscopy, spectroscopic orbital
elements, and time series photometry, from observations made at the Kitt Peak
National Observatory 2.1m, Steward Observatory 2.3m, MDM Observatory 1.3m and
2.4m, Hobby-Eberly 9.2m, and Michigan State University 0.6m telescopes. The
star exhibits emission of varying strength in the cores of H and He I
absorption lines. Emission is also present at 4686 Angstroms (He II) and near
4640/4650 Angstroms (N III/C III). Time-series spectroscopy collected from 2005
July to 2007 June shows coherent, periodic radial velocity variations of the
H-alpha line, which we interpret as orbital motion with a period of
0.1952894(10) days. High-resolution spectra show that there are two emission
components, one broad and one narrow, moving in antiphase, as might arise from
an accretion disk and the irradiated face of the mass donor star. Less
coherent, low-amplitude photometric variability is also present on a timescale
similar to the orbital period. Diffuse interstellar bands indicate considerable
reddening, which however is consistent with a distance of ~100-200 pc. The star
is the likely counterpart of a weak ROSAT X-ray source, whose properties are
consistent with accretion in a cataclysmic variable (CV) binary system. We
classify LS IV -08 3 as a new member of the UX UMa subclass of CV stars.Comment: To be published in AJ, 16 pages, 6 figures. Uses AAS Late
International trade, dietary change, and cardiovascular disease health outcomes: Import tariff reform using an integrated macroeconomic, environmental and health modelling framework for Thailand
United Nations (UN) member states have, since 2011, worked to address the emerging global NCD crisis, but progress has, so far, been insufficient. Food trade policy is recognised to have the potential to impact certain major diet-related health and environmental outcomes. We study the potential for using import tariff protection as a health and environmental policy instrument. Specifically, we apply a rigorous and consistent Macroeconomic-Environmental-Demographic-health (MED-health) simulation model framework to study fiscal food policy import tariffs and dietary change in Thailand over the future 20 year period 2016-2035. We find that the existing Thai tariff structure, by lowering imports, lowers agricultural Land Use Change (LUC)-related GHG emissions and protects against cholesterol-related cardiovascular disease (CVD). This confirms previous evidence that food trade, measured by import shares of food expenditures and caloric intakes, is correlated with unhealthy eating and adverse health outcomes among importing country populations. A continued drive towards tariff liberalization and economic efficiency in Thailand may therefore come at the expense of reduced health and environmental sustainability of food consumption and production systems. Due to large efficiency losses, the existing tariff structure is, however, not cost-effective as an environmental or health policy instrument. However, additional simulations confirm that stylized 30% food sector import tariffs generally improve nutritional, clinical health, demographic, and environmental indicators across the board. We also find that diet-related health improvements can go hand-in-hand with increased Saturated Fatty Acid (SFA) intakes. Despite limited cost-effectiveness, policy makers from Thailand and abroad, including WHO, would therefore be well advised to consider targeted fiscal food policy tariffs as a potential intervention to maintain combined health and environmental sustainability, and to reconsider the specification of WHO dietary guidelines with their focus on SFA intake (rather than composition of fatty acid intake) targets
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