Dual-Polarization radar rainfall prediction and rain gauge data.

OBJECTIVE: Reported rainfall data from multiple rain gauges and its corresponding estimate from Dual-Polarization (Dual-Pol) radar is presented here. The ordered set of data pairs were collected from multiple peer reviewed publications spanning across the last decade. DATA DESCRIPTION: Taken from multiple sources, the data set represents several radar sites and rain gauge sites combined for 12,734 data points. The data is relevant in various applications of hydrometeorology and engineering as well as weather forecasting. Further, the importance of accuracy in radar precipitation estimates continues to increase, necessitating the incorporation of as much data as possible.

Numerical modeling of rapidly varying flows using HEC-RAS and WSPG models.

The performance of two popular hydraulic models (HEC-RAS and WSPG) for modeling hydraulic jump in an open channel is investigated. The numerical solutions are compared with a new experimental data set obtained for varying channel bottom slopes and flow rates. Both the models satisfactorily predict the flow depths and location of the jump. The end results indicate that the numerical models output is sensitive to the value of chosen roughness coefficient. For this application, WSPG model is easier to implement with few input variables.

The effect of economic insecurity on mental health: Recent evidence from Australian panel data.

This paper estimates the impact of economic insecurity on the mental health of Australian adults. Taking microdata from the 2001-2011 HILDA panel survey, we develop a conceptually diverse set of insecurity measures and explore their relationships with the SF-36 mental health index. By using fixed effects models that control for unobservable heterogeneity we produce estimates that correct for endogeneity more thoroughly than previous works. Our results show that exposure to economic risks has small but consistently detrimental mental health effects. The main contribution of the paper however comes from the breadth of risks that are found to be harmful. Job insecurity, financial dissatisfaction, reductions and volatility in income, an inability to meet standard expenditures and a lack of access to emergency funds all adversely affect health. This suggests that the common element of economic insecurity (rather than idiosyncratic phenomena associated with any specific risk) is likely to be hazardous. Our preferred estimates indicate that a standard deviation shock to economic insecurity lowers an individual's mental health score by about 1.4 percentage points. If applied uniformly across the Australian population such a shock would increase the morbidity rate of mental disorders by about 1.7%.

Outbreak of cutaneous anthrax in Musalimadugu village, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, India, July-August 2011.

INTRODUCTION: In August 2011, Chittoor district authorities reported a cluster of suspected human anthrax cases to the Andhra Pradesh state surveillance unit. We investigated this cluster to confirm its etiology, describe its magnitude, identify potential risk factors, and make recommendations for preventing similar outbreaks in the future. METHODOLOGY: Suspected cutaneous anthrax was defined as a painless skin lesion (papule, vesicle, or eschar) that appeared in a resident of Musalimadugu between July and August 2011. Clinical details and smears from skin lesions from suspected cases were collected to describe the outbreak by time, place and person. A retrospective cohort study among villagers aged ≥ 15 years was conducted to identify risk factors for acquiring the infection. RESULTS: Sixteen livestock in the village died between 24 June and 7 August 2011. Smears from five animals showed Gram-positive, spore bearing characteristics of Bacillus anthracis. Villagers butchered and skinned the dead animals, sold the skin, and consumed the meat after boiling it for two hours. The outbreak in humans started on 30 July, and nine suspected cases of cutaneous anthrax (attack rate: 2%, no deaths) occurred until 7 August. The attack rate was higher among those aged ≥15 years. All the smears were negative on Gram staining. Individuals, who had handled, skinned, and slaughtered dead livestock were at higher risk of infection. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend ciprofloxacin prophylaxis to close family contacts. Vaccination of the livestock in the area and community education on the dangers of handling and slaughtering dead/ill livestock are necessary.

Problem alcohol drinking in rural women of Telangana region, Andhra Pradesh.

BACKGROUND: This is the first ever study conducted to assess the prevalence of problem alcohol use in the rural women of Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. AIMS: To evaluate the prevalence of dependence and problem drinking, observe the factors that led to it and to monitor the effect of intervention in the form of psycho-education on their treatment seeking attitude. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cases were referred by the registrar from the Medicine Out-Patient Department using a three-item questionnaire for history of alcohol intake. Consecutive consenting female patients fulfilling the inclusion-exclusion criteria formed the sample. ICD-10 criteria and CAGE Questionnaire were used to assess dependence, problem drinking and co-morbid psychiatric illnesses. The socio-demographic data and the details regarding the nature and pattern of drinking and its complications were recorded using a semi-structured proforma. All patients were instructed to report at the end of 1 and 3 weeks for follow-up after a brief psycho-education regarding the problems of alcohol use. RESULTS: Dependence was seen in 4.1% and problem drinking in 1%. Physical complications possibly due to alcohol were seen in 4.1% and psychiatric co-morbidity in 1%. Pregnancy drinking was recorded in 4.4%. Only 0.2% came for follow-up. CONCLUSION: To conclude, there is a perceptible degree of problematic use of alcohol in the rural women of this region. Yet, none of them were seeking psychiatric help. The soaring number of pregnancy drinking needs further exploration. The poor psychiatric follow-up leads us to conclude that in this sample the perception of alcohol problem is very low.

AIDS in Asia amid competing priorities: a review of national responses to HIV.

INTRODUCTION: The paper reviews progress in addressing the HIV epidemic and questions whether at the midway mark to the conclusion of the Millennium Development Goal set for 2015, the goal number 6 of halting and reversing the HIV epidemic will be reached. METHODS: Fourteen 2008 United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS country progress reports and 18 country reports on Universal Access 2009 were analyzed. Data on national HIV strategic plans was also provided by 18 countries that participated in the regional training on costed national strategic plans 15-16 September, in Bangkok in 2008. RESULTS: Four countries with substantial populations in Asia are on track to achieve Millennium Development Goal 6. Elsewhere, elements of a potentially effective response are being introduced, but the degree of urgency and scale needed to curb the epidemics are not yet evident. Most national programmes still lack key planning components for the operation and financing of the response. Only 13 national strategic plans explicitly address the three key populations at higher risk for HIV. One third of the countries that have designed plans for effective interventions have not costed them. DISCUSSION: Early successes in controlling HIV epidemics in Asia may not be sustainable in the future. There is an urgent need to make prevention scale-up as robust as treatment scale-up and to focus programmes on high impact prevention, which directly contributes to reduction of new HIV infection. A necessary objective is to convince policy makers that the emergency posed by HIV continues.