mSpray: A mobile phone technology to improve malaria control efforts and monitor human exposure to malaria control pesticides in Limpopo,South Africa

Recent estimates indicate that malaria has led to over half a million deaths worldwide, mostly to African children. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) of insecticides is one of the primary vector control interventions. However, current reporting systems do not obtain precise location of IRS events in relation to malaria cases, which poses challenges for effective and efficient malaria control. This information is also critical to avoid unnecessary human exposure to IRS insecticides. We developed and piloted a mobile-based application (mSpray) to collect comprehensive information on IRS spray events. We assessed the utility, acceptability and feasibility of using mSpray to gather improved homestead- and chemical-level IRS coverage data. We installed mSpray on 10 cell phones with data bundles, and pilot tested it with 13 users in Limpopo, South Africa. Users completed basic information (number of rooms/shelters sprayed; chemical used, etc.) on spray events. Upon submission, this information as well as geographic positioning system coordinates and time/date stamp were uploaded to a Google Drive Spreadsheet to be viewed in real time. We administered questionnaires, conducted focus groups, and interviewed key informants to evaluate the utility of the app. The low-cost, cell phone-based “mSpray” app was learned quickly by users, well accepted and preferred to the current paper-based method. We recorded 2865 entries (99.1% had a GPS accuracy of 20 m or less) and identified areas of improvement including increased battery life. We also identified a number of logistic and user problems (e.g., cost of cell phones and cellular bundles, battery life, obtaining accurate GPS measures, user errors, etc.) that would need to be overcome before full deployment. Use of cell phone technology could increase the efficiency of IRS malaria control efforts by mapping spray events in relation to malaria cases, resulting in more judicious use of chemicals that are potentially harmful to humans and the environment.     

Pyrethroid use-malaria control and individual applications by households for other pests and home garden use

Presence of pyrethroid insecticides in human breast milk and in thatch wall material of dwellings from Southern Africa subtropical area (Manhiça, Mozambique) was investigated to assess potential pyrethroid route of human exposure. Human breast milk samples were collected during 2002 when pyrethroids were widely used as insecticides for mosquito bed nets in Mozambique for malaria control. The median concentration value of total pyrethroids ranged between 87 and 1200 ng/g lw, with λ-cyhalothrin being the most predominant pyrethroid in human breast milk contributing for 35% of the total amount. Moreover, and for the first time, an isomer-specific enrichment was found in human breast milk, showing a selective isomeric accumulation or metabolism in the human body. Based on the calculated pyrethroid concentrations in human breast milk, the daily ingestion rate of pyrethroid was estimated. The nursing infant dietary intake ranged from 0.67 to 9.0 μg (kg of body weight)^− 1 day^− 1. In addition, thatch materials collected after the reintegration of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethene (DDT) as insecticide residual spraying (IRS) in Mozambique, showed the presence of pyrethroids with concentration values ranging between 6.9 and 700 ng/g dw. In thatch material as well as in human breast milk, pyrethroid contamination was mainly attributed to the agriculture usage of this insecticide knowing that agriculture represent the 80% of the economy in Mozambique. However, a possible usage of this insecticide as IRS in Mozambique cannot be excluded despite their low efficiency for malaria control. The continued use of these compounds (both for agriculture and malaria prevention) and the ingestion rates calculated from the breast milk concentrations indicate that these insecticides cannot be overlooked for the assessment of the lactation risks of breastfeeding infants from the Manhiça region.     

信息化与省域经济增长研究

从信息化产业水平、信息化基础设施水平和信息化综合发展水平来测算区域信息化水平，并对中国各省的信息化发展水平进行比较研究，研究显示：东部省区的信息化发展整体上处于领先位置，极化作用突出，本部各省只是在局部地区显示了信息化发展的相对领先，显示出非均衡发展的特点。中部还处于信息化发展水平较低的均衡发展阶段。基于此，本文考虑将信息化作为一种内生经济行为，研究信息化对省域经济的影响。研究显示，信息化促进了东部经济的快速增长，对长江三角洲、珠江三角洲和环渤海地区的经济贡献尤为突出。在西部地区，信息化设施对地理位置偏远的省区较工业基础相对优越省区的经济增长作用突出。即信息化是改善地理位置边远地区经济发展条件的重要手段。同时信息化对中部地区经济提出严重挑战。却在西部地区普遍呈现出强劲的增长带动作用，也就是说信息产业对实现落后地区的跨越式发展是有根据的。     

Vegetation of the Northern Russian Far East in geographic information systems

The cartographic method, in combination with computer technologies and special software, was used to develop a series of projects of geographic information systems (GISs), including regional GISs (RGISs) for three administrative regions (Magadan oblast, Chukchi Autonomous Area, and Koryak Autonomous Area) and the territorial GIS Vegetation of the Northern Russian Far East.     

基于MODIS与HJ-1-B数据的雪盖率反演及其相关因子分析

随着空间信息技术的发展及社会经济对雪盖监测产品的需求，亚像元雪盖制图逐渐成为积雪监测研究的重点。以环境与减灾卫星（HJ 1 B）数据作为地面真值计算MODIS数据中每个像元的积雪覆盖率，并与归一化雪被指数(NDSI)建立回归模型，从亚像元尺度反演MODIS数据的积雪覆盖率。以青海省玉树州作为研究区，实验结果表明该算法反演的雪覆盖率平均绝对误差均在02以内，在可接受的误差范围之内，说明该算法具有较强的稳定性和实用性。此外，在积雪覆盖率反演基础上，提出了与积雪覆盖率相关的另外两个相关因子：地表温度(LST)和植被指数(NDSI)，分析表明：这两个因子与积雪覆盖率均存在明显的负相关关系，为基于多因子的雪盖率反演奠定了基础     

An experiment in strengthening the networks of remote communities in the face of environmental change: leveraging spatially distributed environmental memory

Agrarian communities in different regions develop diverse coping strategies to address the environmental changes they face. In this work, we test how to stimulate farmers’ social learning across diverse regions to promote informed responses to soil degradation. We invited 117 randomly selected members of 16 randomly selected Sumatran communities to three 3-day networking and training events in regions with diverse socio-environmental histories. One event was held in the respondents’ remote rural district (Tanggamus), the second was held in a more densely populated region on Sumatra Island (Kalianda), and the third was held in a heavily populated region on Java Island (Garut and Ciamis). Eighteen months later, we surveyed the information-sharing networks and agricultural practices of 370 members of these communities. The participants had become popular sources of agricultural advice, but the strength of this impact depended on the region in which their networking intervention was conducted. The participants in the event on Java had become the most central members of their communities. Although all the participants received the same formal information, those who interacted with the farmers in a region with the longest history of population pressure and land degradation management were more likely to adopt the recommended practices. The participants in this intervention doubled their odds of adopting organic fertilizers compared with those who networked only with peers in their local environment. Environmental memory of coping with change can be shared between regions through social learning, which can be stimulated by simple interventions.

     

长江经济带基础设施建设对三次产业协调度的影响研究

协调发展新理念要求三次产业间要协调发展,长江经济带的高质量发展离不开三次产业协调发展。在测算长江经济带九省两市三次产业协调程度的基础上,采用静态面板、面板门槛和空间面板模型,估计交通、能源和信息三类基础设施建设对长江经济带三次产业协调度的影响。结果发现整体上,这三类基础设施建设都显著提高长江经济带三次产业协调度,且长江上游地区交通基础设施的提高作用最大,中下游地区信息和能源基础设施的提高作用更大。信息和能源基础设施对长江经济带三次产业协调度的提高作用有门槛效应,从低区间跨越到中高区间后,该提高作用在递增。长江经济带各省市三次产业协调度还存在空间自相关效应,在此条件下,三类基础设施建设依然促进三次产业协调度提高,信息基础设施对于三次产业协调发展的促进作用最大。长江经济带应持续加大基础设施建设的整体投资力度,并针对性补齐不同地区的基础设施建设短板,发挥地区间三次产业协调度的空间外溢效应。     

Probabilistic biokinetic modelling of radiocaesium uptake in Arctic seal species: verification of modelled data with empirical observations

The necessity to provide information about radionuclide concentrations in Arctic marine species has been heightened in recent years due to a number of accidents in Arctic regions involving nuclear vessels and the presence of a large number of potential radioactive contamination sources. The provision for such information is largely dependent on the use of radionuclide uptake and transfer models. The uptake of radionuclides in Arctic seal species in this study has been modelled using a probabilistic biokinetic approach. In this paper, model results are compared with empirical data from relevant samples taken within the Arctic region. Results indicate that the model performs well when estimating concentrations of (137)Cs in two seal species for both median values and reproduction of the distribution of data values, but not as well for a third seal species. Likely factors affecting the results are the probability density functions used for the input parameters.     

Changes in Vegetation Cover and Socio-Economic Transitions in a Coastal Lagoon (Kalametiya, Sri Lanka), As Observed by Teledetection and Ground Truthing, Can be Attributed to an Upstream Irrigation Scheme

According to some non-scholarly reports, Kalametiya lagoon (dry zone of southern Sri Lanka, formerly 8.9 km², now 7.5 km²) had been a moderately or high salinity water body and a very important centre of prawn fishery until the late 1960s. Most of the lagoon area had remained open water until then. An upstream irrigation project, the Udawalawa irrigation scheme, came into operation in 1967, increasing the freshwater inflow to the lagoon. The flora, fauna and water quality of the lagoon was reported to have changed since then.The lagoon now is a shallow coastal water body with low salinity water. More than 75% of the lagoon is covered by freshwater species or mangrove species characteristic for water with a low salinity: Eichhornia crassipes, Typha latifolia resp. Sonneratia caseolaris. There is actually no commercially important fishery in the lagoon.The present study was carried out to assess scientifically the said changes in the vegetation within a GIS, using aerial photographs taken in 1956 and 1994 and IRS IC, PAN+LISS III satellite images of 1997 in combination with ground surveys and information from a questionnaire-based survey.It appeared from this work that the aerial cover by Sonneratia caseolaris has increased by more than 30 times over the period from 1956 to the recent dates. Also, the lagoon area with open water has been drastically reduced during the same period as a result of spreading of freshwater and low salinity plant species. The results strongly suggest that the locally reported changes (fisheries decline, water salinity decrease) can be corroborated by the observed profound changes in plant cover and that upstream water works may have had strong impacts on this ecosystem, thus causing these changes.This study couples data obtained from retrospective aerial photograph series, from spaceborne imaging, from actual ground surveys and from questionnaires amongst elderly people to reconstruct decadal environmental change, thus attempting to fill the gap of lacking historical environmental data.     

1980年来湖北省钉螺分布区域及其数量的消长分析

目前对钉螺分布及消长的研究主要是短期的、文字描述性的、数字和曲线图表示的,通过这些方式可以呈现出某个地域范围的钉螺消长的总体趋势。但是,若要呈现出以行政村为单位的各个地区钉螺分布及消长的长期变化,仅仅用文字和曲线图是不够的,而是需要用更复杂的方式,才能呈现各个行政村的钉螺消长时空分布情况。地理信息系统(GIS)可以通过地图清晰显示出这些复杂的动态变化。利用湖北省钉螺的螺情村级统计年报数据,以湖北省村级行政区划图为基本空间制图单元,利用ArcGIS软件的逻辑运算和统计功能,分析了各个村级行政区从1980~2009年每间隔5 a的钉螺分布的区域及面积大小,以及钉螺数量的消长情况,并用GIS软件详细制图,获得各个村级行政区的钉螺数量的消长变化情况。根据钉螺消长情况,将所有行政村分为八类,可以识别出钉螺反复出现和难以消灭的地区,并且在地图中清晰地呈现出来。针对各个钉螺消长类型,结合自然地理、人为治理途径等情况进行相关分析,总结出湖北省各地区钉螺消长类型分异的原因,这将有利于制定县市甚至细化到村级单位的钉螺防控计划,也有利于辨识过去30 a来钉螺分布及其数量消长的区域以及灭螺的效果,对今后血吸虫的防治工作有重要指导意义。     

西部地区公路建设区划理论研究

从以大区域进行规划的经济发展思路出发,提出公路建设区划的概念和公路建设区划理论基础,并建立西部公路网合理规模评价指标体系,利用主成分分析方法将指标进行降维,避免了多指标间存在的相关性及信息重叠性的不足,并对西部地区的公路发展水平进行评价。再利用降维后新的互不相关的综合主成分指标体系替代原先存在较多的信息重叠及相关关系的评价指标,对西部各省区的公路发展进行聚类分析。聚类分析结果可用于西部地区公路网合理规模的确定。该方法不但能够使原来复杂的问题简单化,而且所得结论具有客观、可信、较有说服力,使西部地区公路网合理规模的确定具有针对性和可操作性。     

Assessing the susceptibility of societies to droughts: a political science perspective

In this article we develop a concept for the assessment of state’s susceptibility to drought based on a political science perspective. Different sources of capacities and sensitivities need to be taken into account to assess the overall susceptibility of states as political systems. We argue that the overall susceptibility of a society depends on an interplay of state capacity and readiness as main elements of political susceptibility, wealth and economic sensitivity as elements of economic susceptibility and the degree of social integration. To transform the conceptual model into a susceptibility assessment we developed an inference model in order to generate quantitative indices. For this purpose we apply fuzzy set theory using data from our case study regions, namely Andhra Pradesh (India), the Volga region (Russia) and (Southern) Portugal. The resulting computed trends for Portugal suggest that the society will be able to deal even with severe natural conditions due to existing political, economic, and social conditions. The assessment results for the Indian and Russian case study regions, in contrast, give reason for precaution since the occurrence of drought-induced crisis events seems much more likely in the light of more crucial, overall conditions, namely lower degrees of state capacity and readiness as well as, in the case of India, a high economic susceptibility. However, further improvements are possible given the improved availability of data and the integration of more qualitative information. Additionally, the expansion to further case study regions could help validate the overall concept.     

三峡典型区农村居民点格局及人居环境适宜性评价研究

与我国平原区农村居民点呈团簇状分布不同，三峡库区农村居民点规模小、密度大、分布散乱，呈现出"满天星"状的分布格局。以渝北、万州和秭归移民区作为三峡典型区，利用面向对象分类和监督分类相结合的方法从高分辨率遥感影像提取了农村居民点。在此基础上利用GIS技术对农村居民点空间分布规律特征和制约农村居民点分布的要素如海拔、坡度、坡向、道路、水源等进行了分析；借鉴农用地评价方法，利用评价中的多指标综合评价法，结合层次分析法（AHP）生成人居环境适宜性评价图。研究结果表明，三峡农村居民点受到海拔、坡度、坡向等因子的影响呈现出较明显的空间分布规律。三峡典型区农村居民点格局及人居环境适宜性评价结果为农村居民点布局的合理规划提供了参考和依据。     

Water information: what is it good for? The use of information in transboundary water management

Consistent and relevant information on the status of water systems is indispensable for rational and cost-effective water management. This statement has general validity for all types of river basins, but is particularly relevant for transboundary water regions. Information is used to support decision-making and to evaluate the effects of water resources management decisions. Information production however lags behind developments in water management, which becomes clear from the fact that information still focuses on ecological components of water bodies and largely ignores the importance of socio-economic data stemming from human activities taking place in the river basin. Production of improved information is hindered by strong boundaries between different disciplines that are not easily overcome. Moreover, consideration of information needs and the goals of information dissemination prior to producing information is insufficient and the relevant actors are often reluctant to participate in these processes as they are time consuming. Differences in institutional behaviour also hinder cooperation between institutions, while organisational structures are insufficiently tuned to the needs of the external environment. All these issues hinder the use of information as the basis for decision-making. This paper provides an overview of relevant aspects of information from a broad range of perspectives and establishes the need for changes in the production and use of environmental information in support of water management. The paper is largely based on the outcomes of a closed multi-disciplinary specialist meeting on the role and use of environmental data and information in transboundary water contexts held in Arendal, Norway, September 2002.     

中国设区市土地集约利用类型区划分研究

中国的基本国情之一是地区差异明显。在进行城市集约利用评价或制定相关标准时,由于存在这种差异,导致很多政策执行不力。在人们高度重视城市土地集约利用研究时,如何进行差别对待,因地制宜,需要从类型区的角度进行研究。本文以设区城市为研究对象,在对《城市统计年鉴》进行统计分析的基础上,采用"统计分析+使用频率"方法,筛选出共4类24个指标,借助统计资料和GIS技术,划分了4个一级集约利用类型区以及各区中的17个亚区,并建立了亚区命名体系。结果显示:(1)城市土地集约利用程度大致为东高西低。东部城市多为Ⅰ、Ⅱ级,中部城市多为Ⅲ级,西部城市多为Ⅳ级。(2)城市土地集约程度和城市经济状况存在不完全吻合现象,表现在一些城市经济情况相对比较好,但是土地集约利用程度却不高。这在中部城市表现得十分明显。由此得出结论,采用本文的研究思路和方法可以较好地解决城市土地集约利用的差异管理问题,并可进行动态更新,使政策制定和管理更具操作性。     

Exploring adaptation choices for grapevine regions in Spain

Our aim was to explore the adaptation choices to climate change in the grapevine regions of Spain from two points of view. First, what are the main reasons for concern? Second, how large is the adaptation effort in each region? We address the first question by measuring sensitivity to climate change with Huglin, Cold Night and Dryness Indices over the entire territory, providing information on the adaptation type (e.g. varieties, zoning, water allocation). We then estimate probabilistic projections across scenario, zone and sensitivity indices in the 56 Protected Designation of Origin areas to inform on the magnitude of the adaptation effort. Second, we propose an adaptation effort measure that is framed according to the local environmental context. Results suggest that most areas urgently need an adaptation plan due to the deterioration of production and quality indices as a result of climate change. Potential opportunities in many climate regions might be limited by current policy. The production objectives of quality and quantity trade-offs will probably need to be revised by analysing the sustainability of grapevine production.     

中国环境信息公开的时空演化特征及其影响因素

环境信息公开是大数据信息时代环境治理的新型工具,我国在立法和实践上取得了重要进展,准确把握其发展脉络、现实状况和驱动因素,是有效推动环境信息公开和发挥其治理效果的先决条件。基于2008—2017年120个城市的PITI指数,采用空间数据探索分析和动态空间面板模型方法,分析了我国环境信息公开的时空演化特征和影响因素。研究发现:①我国环境信息公开正处于向中等水平过渡阶段,表现出明显的区域不平衡现象,呈现“沿海-内陆”梯度递减特征。②我国环境信息公开表现出较强的空间集聚特征,呈现显著的空间“俱乐部”分布格局,区域内部空间溢出效应显著,区域间辐射带动作用较弱。③较高的经济发展水平和环保投入强度表现出显著的促进作用,而良好的企业绩效和教育水平、较高的社会舆论和环保监督压力并没有发挥应有的促增效应;较差的空气质量和较高的工业污染表现出显著的抑制效应,而提高外资引入和环保执法力度则表现出较弱的负向作用。沿海城市和智慧城市的促进作用相对较高,资源型城市则较低。④环境信息公开在时间、空间和时空维度上分别表现出叠加效应、同群效应和示范效应。因此,应逐步完善环境信息公开的体制机制,加快环保基础设施建设,推进企业环保信用评价,提高公众互动参与和监督,强化环保指导帮扶和监管执法,构建环境信息公开的长效机制。     

Concentration of caesium-137, cobalt-60 and potassium-40 in some wild and edible plants around the nuclear power plant in Bulgaria

The activities of 137Cs, 60Co and 40K were determined in samples of wild (Taraxacum officinale, Plantago lanceolata and Populus nigra 'Italica') and edible (vegetable, corn, fruit) plants as well as soil collected from the 30 km safety zone of the Bulgarian NPP "Kozloduy" and comparisons with earlier measurements and analyses of samples from other regions and with literature values were performed. The derived transfer factors for 137Cs and 40K from soil to plants ranged between 0.002 and 0.009 for 137Cs, and between 0.09 and 0.35 for 40K. The individual effective dose (calculated from the present results and data on the activity of other foodstuffs and from information about dietary habits) comprises 4.5% of the annual dose limit.     

基于知识与规则的土地利用信息分层提取研究——以南京市都市区为例

为了克服利用统一分类模型难以有效提高土地利用分类精度的问题,为土地利用/覆被定性、定量信息的提取提供一种高精度、高效率的提取方法,将分层信息提取法和基于知识规则的信息提取方法相结合,基于对南京市都市区的土地利用时空特点和研究区TM影像数据中各地类波谱信息的分析,结合了地类提取指数模型、DEM数据、城市建成区边界等,充分利用地学先验知识,设计了一套土地信息分层提取的流程,对土地利用信息进行了提取。利用该方法对2012年南京市都市区的土地利用/土地覆被信息提取的总体精度达到了88.67%,Kappa系数达到了0.85。实践证明,基于知识与规则的土地利用信息分层提取方法提取精度较高,适用性强,对其他地区的土地利用/覆被信息分类提取也有一定的借鉴意义。     

First steps towards a European atlas of natural radiation: status of the European indoor radon map

Within the context of its institutional scientific support to the European Commission, in 2005 the Radioactivity Environmental Monitoring (REM) group at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, started to explore the possibility of mapping indoor radon in European houses as a first step towards preparing a European Atlas of Natural Radiations. The main objective of such an atlas is to contribute to familiarizing the public with its naturally radioactive environment. The process of preparing the atlas should also provide the scientific community with a database of information that can be used for further studies and for highlighting regions with elevated levels of natural radiation. This document presents the status of the European indoor radon (Rn) map, first statistical results, and outlines of forthcoming challenges.