scholarly journals Start of the Green Season and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index in Alaska’s Arctic National Parks

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 2554
Author(s):  
David K. Swanson
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Free Surfaces ◽  
Modis Ndvi ◽  
Curve Fit ◽  
Winter Snow ◽  
Systematic Sample ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Northern Alaska

Daily Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values from the MODIS Aqua and Terra satellites were compared with on-the-ground camera observations at five locations in northern Alaska. Over half of the spring rise in NDVI was due to the transition from the snow-covered landscape to the snow-free surface prior to the deciduous leaf-out. In the fall after the green season, NDVI fluctuated between an intermediate level representing senesced vegetation and lower values representing clouds and intermittent snow, and then dropped to constant low levels after establishment of the permanent winter snow cover. The NDVI value of snow-free surfaces after fall leaf senescence was estimated from multi-year data using a 90th percentile smoothing spline curve fit to a plot of daily NDVI values vs. ordinal date. This curve typically showed a flat region of intermediate NDVI values in the fall that represent cloud- and snow-free days with senesced vegetation. This “fall plateau” was readily identified in a large systematic sample of MODIS NDVI values across the study area, in typical tundra, shrub, and boreal forest environments. The NDVI level of the fall plateau can be extrapolated to the spring rising leg of the annual NDVI curve to approximate the true start of green season.

scholarly journals Implementation of smoke-free policies in mental health in-patient settings in England

2009 ◽  
Vol 194 (6) ◽  
pp. 547-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Ratschen ◽  
John Britton ◽  
Ann McNeill
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Policy Enforcement ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Smoke Free Policy ◽  
Safety Risks ◽  
Mental Health Settings ◽  
High Smoking Prevalence ◽  
Systematic Sample ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundMental health units in England had to become smoke-free by law from July 2008. Concerns regarding the implementation and enforcement of smoke-free policies in these settings have been raised.AimsTo study difficulties and challenges associated with smoke-free policy implementation in English National Health Service (NHS) mental health settings.MethodQuestionnaire survey of all 72 English NHS trusts providing mental health in-patient services and facilities, supplemented by semi-structured telephone interviews at a systematic sample of 7 trusts and site visits at a convenience sample of 5 trusts.ResultsQuestionnaires were returned by 79% of the trusts, all of whom had implemented smoke-free policies. Most respondents (91%) believed that mental health settings faced particular challenges, arising from the high smoking prevalence among patients (81%), related safety risks (70%), adverse effects on the clinician–patient relationship (36%), and potential interactions with antipsychotic medication (34%). Interviews indicated that sustained policy enforcement was perceived as difficult, but that despite challenges and concerns, the impact of the policy was regarded as beneficial, with some evidence of positive behavioural changes occurring in people.ConclusionsMany mental health trusts across England have implemented comprehensive smoke-free policies but the majority state that they are facing specific difficulties. Challenges and concerns need to be explored in depth and addressed to ensure that smoke-free policies implemented under the terms of the Health Act in July 2008 are not undermined.

scholarly journals The revolution will be hard to evaluate: How simultaneous change in multiple policies affects policy-based health research

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellicott C. Matthay ◽  
Erin Hagan ◽  
Spruha Joshi ◽  
May Lynn Tan ◽  
David Vlahov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Research ◽  
State Level ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Social Policies ◽  
Policy Changes ◽  
Policy Measure ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Systematic Sample ◽  
Simultaneous Change ◽  
Very High

AbstractExtensive empirical health research leverages variation in the timing and location of policy changes as quasi-experiments. Multiple social policies may be adopted simultaneously in the same locations, creating clustering which must be addressed analytically for valid inferences. The pervasiveness and consequences of policy clustering have received limited attention. We analyzed a systematic sample of 13 social policy databases covering diverse domains including poverty, paid family leave, and tobacco. We quantified policy clustering in each database as the fraction of variation in each policy measure across jurisdictions and times that could be explained by co-variation with other policies (R2). We used simulations to estimate the ratio of the variance of effect estimates under the observed policy clustering to variance if policies were independent. Policy clustering ranged from very high for state-level cannabis policies to low for country-level sexual minority rights policies. For 65% of policies, greater than 90% of the place-time variation was explained by other policies. Policy clustering increased the variance of effect estimates by a median of 57-fold. Policy clustering poses a major methodological challenge to rigorously evaluating health effects of individual social policies. Tools to enhance validity and precision for evaluating clustered policies are needed.

Distance to slaughter, markets and feed sources used by small-scale food animal operations in the United States

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.L. Beam ◽  
D.D. Thilmany ◽  
R.W. Pritchard ◽  
L.P. Garber ◽  
D.C. Van Metre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Health ◽  
Direct Marketing ◽  
The United States ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Implications ◽  
Food Animal ◽  
The Us ◽  
Systematic Sample

AbstractDistances to common production and marketing supply chain destinations may vary, and this has economic and animal health implications for small-scale food animal operations. Proximity to these destinations can affect the economic viability and marketing decisions of small-scale operations and may represent significant barriers to sustainability. Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey conducted by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Animal Health Monitoring System in 2011 using a stratified systematic sample of 16,000 small-scale (gross annual farm sales between US$10,000 and 499,999) operations from all 50 states. A total of 7925 food-animal operations were asked about the farthest one-way distance (in miles) to slaughter facilities, destinations where they sold animals or products, and feed sources. Across all small-scale operations, 95% of operations reported the farthest distance animals or products were transported for sale was 241 km (150 miles) or less. For distance to slaughter facilities, 95% of operations reported the farthest distance was 145 km (90 miles) or less. For feed shipped by a supplier, 95% of operations reported the farthest distance was 322 km (200 miles) or less. The 95th percentile for distance increased as farm sales increased, indicating larger operations were more likely to travel long distances. The results of this study are an important benchmark for understanding the economic and animal health implications of long transportation distances for operations that are small and/or focused on direct marketing.

scholarly journals Early determinants of smoking in adolescence: a prospective birth cohort study

2007 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 347-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana M. B. Menezes ◽  
Pedro C. Hallal ◽  
Bernardo L. Horta
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Birth Cohort ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Birth Cohort Study ◽  
Systematic Sample ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Alcohol Related Problems ◽  
Prospective Birth Cohort ◽  
Prospective Birth Cohort Study

In a prospective birth cohort study in Brazil, the prevalence and early risk factors for smoking in adolescence were investigated. All 1982 hospital-born children in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, were enrolled in a birth cohort study (N = 5,914; boys: 3,037; girls: 2,877). All male participants were searched in 2000 when enrolling in the national army, and 78.8% were traced. In 2001, a systematic sample of 473 girls was interviewed, representing a follow-up rate of 69.1%. Among males, 48.6% (95%CI: 46.6-50.7) had ever tried smoking and 15.8% (95%CI: 14.3-17.3) were daily smokers. Among females, 53.1% (95%CI: 48.6-57.6) had ever tried smoking and 15.4% (95%CI: 12.1-18.7) were daily smokers. Boys born to single mothers and those with fathers with low schooling were more likely to smoke in adolescence. Girls from low-income families, with mothers who smoked during pregnancy, and fathers with alcohol-related problems were more likely to smoke. Although the smoking prevalence was similar in boys and girls, risk factors for smoking were different between the sexes. Social environment appears to be the strongest predictor of tobacco use in adolescence.

Cancer Information by Telephone: A Two-Year Evaluation

1977 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregg S. Wilkinson ◽  
Edwin A. Mirand ◽  
Graham Saxon
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Cancer Information ◽  
Initial Contact ◽  
Cancer Knowledge ◽  
Public Response ◽  
Positive Action ◽  
Systematic Sample ◽  
Knowledge Levels ◽  
Source Of Information

A two year evaluation of a cancer information system accessible to the general public by telephone found a reported positive impact on behavior directly related to physical health for about 40 percent of a systematic sample of callers interviewed several weeks after their initial contact with the system. Another 20 percent of the same sample reported takng some positive action not directly related to health, or reported some other positive impact such as relief of anxiety as a result of hearing one of the system's 36 pre-recorded cancer lectures. Callers showed greater cancer knowledge, when interviewed, than a sample of non-callers, but no clear conclusion could be drawn because pre-call knowledge levels of callers were not ascertained. Data also were collected from callers at the time of their initial contact; caller characteristics, patterns of calling, topics selected, and source of information about the system are reported. Results of experiments to increase public response are summarized.

The representation of older people in television advertisements and social change: the case of Japan

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 865-887 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHAEL PRIELER ◽  
FLORIAN KOHLBACHER ◽  
SHIGERU HAGIWARA ◽  
AKIE ARIMA
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Japanese Society ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Television Advertising ◽  
Commercial Television ◽  
Television Advertisements ◽  
Systematic Sample ◽  
Research Gap ◽  
Japanese Television

ABSTRACTThe representation of social groups in advertising has been a major concern in academia. However, research focusing on older people has been scant and mainly conducted in Western countries. In Japan, the country that has been most affected by demographic change, this research area has received little attention. Through a content analysis of a systematic sample of 2,972 television advertisements broadcast on the five major commercial television stations in Japan in 1997 and 2007, this paper tries to fill this research gap, examining changes in the representation of older people in Japanese television advertising. When comparing 2007 to 1997, we found that older people appeared more often, were increasingly alone and in major roles, and were portrayed in more favourable ways, which suggests that their status changed. These changes appear to be related to the fact that older people have become more important within Japanese society. However, some aspects have remained unchanged; older people continue to be under-represented, which does not reflect demographic reality, and are used in advertisements for foods and beverages, confirming findings from previous studies. Our findings indicate that the representation of older people in Japanese television advertising has changed but remains unrealistic.

scholarly journals Abstinence in treated and untreated opiate abusers: a study of a prison sample

1990 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul O'Mahony
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Sample

AbstractTwenty-four out of a systematic sample of 95 Mountjoy prisoners were found to have been daily users of opiates. Half of the opiate using prisoners had been abstinent before entering prison for an average of 17.5 months. However, 11 of the total 24 subjects and seven of the 12 abstinent prisoners had not been exposed to any treatment other than detoxification.

scholarly journals Demographics of Vaccine Hesitancy in Chandigarh, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abram L. Wagner ◽  
Abigail R. Shotwell ◽  
Matthew L. Boulton ◽  
Bradley F. Carlson ◽  
Joseph L. Mathew
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Childhood Immunization ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Universal Immunization Program ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Scheduled Castes ◽  
Systematic Sample ◽  
Childhood Vaccines ◽  
The Impact ◽  
To Receive

The impact of vaccine hesitancy on childhood immunization in low- and middle-income countries remains largely uncharacterized. This study describes the sociodemographic patterns of vaccine hesitancy in Chandigarh, India. Mothers of children <5 years old were sampled from a two-stage cluster, systematic sample based on Anganwadi child care centers in Chandigarh. Vaccine hesitancy was measured using a 10-item Vaccine Hesitancy Scale, which was dichotomized. A multivariable logistic regression assessed the association between socioeconomic factors and vaccine hesitancy score. Among 305 mothers, >97% of mothers thought childhood vaccines were important, effective, and were a good way to protect against disease. However, many preferred their child to receive fewer co-administered vaccines (69%), and were concerned about side effects (39%). Compared to the “other caste” group, scheduled castes or scheduled tribes had 3.48 times greater odds of vaccine hesitancy (95% CI: 1.52, 7.99). Those with a high school education had 0.10 times the odds of vaccine hesitancy compared to those with less education (95% CI: 0.02, 0.61). Finally, those having more antenatal care visits were less vaccine hesitant (≥4 vs. <4 visits OR: 0.028, 95% CI: 0.1, 0.76). As India adds more vaccines to its Universal Immunization Program, consideration should be given to addressing maternal concerns about vaccination, in particular about adverse events and co-administration of multiple vaccines.

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