A systematic review of geographic indices of disadvantage with implications for older adults.

BACKGROUNDNeighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage has wide-ranging impacts on health outcomes, particularly in older adults. Although indices of disadvantage are a widely used tool, research conducted to date has not codified a set of standard variables that should be included in these indices for the United States. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of literature describing the construction of geographic indices of neighborhood-level disadvantage and to summarize and distill the key variables included in these indices. We also sought to demonstrate the utility of these indices for understanding neighborhood-level disadvantage in older adults.METHODSWe conducted a systematic review of existing indices in the English-language literature.RESULTSWe identified 6021 articles, of which 130 met final study inclusion criteria. Our review identified 7 core domains across the surveyed papers, including income, education, housing, employment, neighborhood structure, demographic makeup, and health. Although not universally present, the most prevalent variables included in these indices were education and employment.CONCLUSIONIdentifying these 7 core domains is a key finding of this review. These domains should be considered for inclusion in future neighborhood-level disadvantage indices, and at least 5 domains are recommended to improve the strength of the resulting index. Targeting specific domains offers a path forward toward the construction of a new US-specific index of neighborhood disadvantage with health policy applications. Such an index will be especially useful for characterizing the life-course impact of lived disadvantage in older adults.

Trends and Regional Variation in Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Association With Socioeconomic Status in Canada, 2005-2016.

Importance: Cardiovascular disease remains the second leading cause of death in Canada. Monitoring and tracking the trends and disparities in major cardiovascular risk factors could provide benchmarks for future cardiovascular health strategies. Objective: To investigate the temporal trends, regional variations, and socioeconomic disparities in major cardiovascular risk factors in Canada from 2005 to 2016. Design, Setting, and Participants: This repeated cross-sectional survey study included adults aged 20 years and older from 6 Canadian Community Health Survey cycles between 2005 and 2016. Cardiovascular risk factors included hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and current smoking. Socioeconomic status was measured using equivalized household income. Data analysis was performed from September 2019 to April 2020. Exposures: A total of 112 health regions and socioeconomic status. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and current smoking by year; health regions; and socioeconomic status. Absolute numbers were rounded to base 100 for confidentiality purposes, and percentages were based on weighted numbers. Slope index of inequality (SII) and relative index of inequality (RII) were calculated to assess absolute and relative socioeconomic inequalities, respectively. Results: A total of 670 000 respondents (329 000 [49.1%] men; 341 000 [50.9%] women) aged 20 years and older from 6 survey cycles were enrolled for this study. The largest age group was those aged 40 to 59 years (eg, 2005 cycle: 40.2% [95% CI, 39.9%-40.6%]). In the 2015/2016 cycle, the overall age- and sex-adjusted prevalence rates of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and current smoking were 20.7% (95% CI, 20.4%-21.1%), 7.2% (95% CI, 7.0%-7.5%), 20.1% (95% CI, 19.7%-20.6%), and 17.8% (95% CI, 17.4%-18.2%), respectively. From 2005 to 2016, there was a significant increase in the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity (eg, prevalence of diabetes in both sexes, 2005: 5.8% [95% CI, 5.6%-6.0%]; 2015/2016: 7.2% [95% CI, 7.0%-7.5%]; P < .001) but a significant decrease in the prevalence of current smoking (both sexes, 2005: 22.1% [95% CI, 21.7%-22.5%]; 2015/2016: 17.8% [95% CI, 17.4%-18.2%]; P < .001). The prevalence of all the risk factors varied widely across health regions (eg, obesity, Vancouver Health Service Delivery Area: 6.7% [95% CI, 4.5%-9.0%]; Miramichi Area: 36.8% [95% CI, 27.3%-46.3%]). In addition to obesity among men, all risk factors tended to be more common among those with lower income (eg, prevalence of hypertension in both sexes, 2015/2016, lowest income group: 23.2% [95% CI, 22.4%-24.0%]; highest income group: 18.4% [95% CI, 17.7%-19.1%]). The SII and RII indicated consistent absolute and relative socioeconomic inequalities in hypertension, diabetes, and current smoking over time (eg, RII for hypertension in both sexes, 2005: 1.25; 95% CI, 1.18-1.33; 2015/2016: 1.34; 95% CI, 1.26-1.43). However, the phenomenon of absolute and relative socioeconomic inequalities in obesity was only observed among women (eg, RII for 2015/2016 for obesity in women; 1.74 (95% CI, 1.56-1.93); men: 1.09; 95% CI, 0.99-1.21). Conclusions and Relevance: During the study period, the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity significantly increased, while the prevalence of current smoking significantly decreased. Geographic and socioeconomic gaps should be considered and addressed in future interventions and policies targeted at reducing these cardiovascular risk factors in Canada.

Sociodemographic associations of geographic variation in paediatric tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.

Geographic variation of paediatric tonsillectomy, with or without adenoidectomy, (A/T) has been described since the 1930s until today but no studies have investigated the factors associated with this variation. This study described the geographical distribution of paediatric A/T across the state of Victoria, Australia, and investigated area-level factors associated with this variation. We used linked administrative datasets capturing all paediatric A/T performed between 2010 and 2015 in Victoria. Surgery data were collapsed by patient residence to the level of Local Government Area. Regression models were used to investigate the association between likelihood of surgery and area-level factors. We found a 10.2-fold difference in A/T rates across the state, with areas of higher rates more in regional than metropolitan areas. Area-level factors associated with geographic variation of A/T were percentage of children aged 5-9 years (IRR 1.07, 95%CI 1.01-1.14, P = 0.03) and low English language proficiency (IRR 0.95, 95% CI 0.90-0.99, P = 0.03). In a sub-population analysis of surgeries in the public sector, these factors were low maternal educational attainment (IRR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.16, P < 0.001) and surgical waiting time (IRR 0.99635 95% CI 0.99273-0.99997, P = 0.048). Identifying areas of focus for improvement and factors associated with geographic variation will assist in improving equitable provision of paediatric A/T and decrease variability within regions.

Risk of Postoperative Venous Thromboembolism After Surgery for Colorectal Malignancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer has the second highest mortality of any malignancy, and venous thromboembolism is a major postoperative complication. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the variation in incidence of venous thromboembolism after colorectal cancer resection. DATA SOURCES: Following PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines (PROSPERO, ID: CRD42019148828), Medline and Embase databases were searched from database inception to August 2019 including 3 other registered medical databases. STUDY SELECTION: Two blinded reviewers screened studies with a third reviewer adjudicating any discordance. Eligibility criteria: Patients post colorectal cancer resection aged ≥18 years. Exclusion criteria: Patients undergoing completely endoscopic surgery and those without cancer resection. Selected studies were randomized controlled trials and population-based database/registry cohorts. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Thirty- and 90-day incidence rates of venous thromboembolism per 1000 person-years following colorectal cancer surgery. RESULTS: Of 6441 studies retrieved, 28 met inclusion criteria. Eighteen were available for meta-analysis reporting on 539,390 patients. Pooled 30- and 90-day incidence rates of venous thromboembolism following resection were 195 (95% CI, 148-256, I2 99.1%) and 91 (95% CI, 56-146, I2 99.2%) per 1000 person-years. When separated by United Nations Geoscheme Areas, differences in the incidence of postoperative venous thromboembolism were observed with 30- and 90-day pooled rates per 1000 person-years of 284 (95% CI, 238-339) and 121 (95% CI, 82-179) in the Americas and 71 (95% CI, 60-84) and 57 (95% CI, 47-69) in Europe. LIMITATIONS: A high degree of heterogeneity was observed within meta-analyses attributable to large cohorts minimizing within-study variance. CONCLUSION: The incidence of venous thromboembolism following colorectal cancer resection is high and remains so more than 1 month after surgery. There is clear disparity between the incidence of venous thromboembolism after colorectal cancer surgery by global region. More robust population studies are required to further investigate these geographical differences to determine valid regional incidence rates of venous thromboembolism following colorectal cancer resection.

Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases in China, 1990-2016: Findings From the 2016 Global Burden of Disease Study.

Importance: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the top cause of death in China. To our knowledge, no consistent and comparable assessments of CVD burden have been produced at subnational levels, and little is understood about the spatial patterns and temporal trends of CVD in China. Objective: To determine the national and province-level burden of CVD from 1990 to 2016 in China. Design, Setting, and Participants: Following the methodology framework and analytical strategies used in the 2016 Global Burden of Disease study, the mortality, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) of CVD in the Chinese population were examined by age, sex, and year and according to 10 subcategories. Estimates were produced for all province-level administrative units of mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao. Exposures: Residence in China. Main Outcomes and Measures: Mortality, prevalence, and DALYs of CVD. Results: The annual number of deaths owing to CVD increased from 2.51 million to 3.97 million between 1990 and 2016; the age-standardized mortality rate fell by 28.7%, from 431.6 per 100 000 persons in 1990 to 307.9 per 100 000 in 2016. Prevalent cases of CVD doubled since 1990, reaching nearly 94 million in 2016. The age-standardized prevalence rate of CVD overall increased significantly from 1990 to 2016 by 14.7%, as did rates for ischemic heart disease (19.1%), ischemic stroke (36.6%), cardiomyopathy and myocarditis (23.1%), and endocarditis (26.7%). Substantial reduction in the CVD burden, as measured by age-standardized DALY rate, was observed from 1990 to 2016 nationally, with a greater reduction in women (43.7%) than men (24.7%). There were marked differences in the spatial patterns of mortality, prevalence, and DALYs of CVD overall as well as its main subcategories, including ischemic heart disease, hemorrhagic stroke, and ischemic stroke. The CVD burden appeared to be lower in coastal provinces with higher economic development. The between-province gap in relative burden of CVD increased from 1990 to 2016, with faster decline in economically developed provinces. Conclusions and Relevance: Substantial discrepancies in the total CVD burden and burdens of CVD subcategories have persisted between provinces in China despite a relative decrease in the CVD burden. Geographically targeted considerations are needed to tailor future strategies to enhance CVD health throughout China and in specific provinces.

A spatial analysis of health status in Britain, 1991-2011.

Using Census-derived data for consistent spatial units, this paper explores how the population of Britain in 1991, 2001 and 2011 was spatially structured by self-reported health including exploring the trajectories of change. This paper uses consistent small area units to examine the changing spatial structure of census-derived Limiting, Long-Term Illness (LLTI) in Britain over the twenty year period and utilises the 2011 Office for National Statistics Output Area Classification (OAC) as a geodemographic indicator. The results allow the geography of change to be captured, highlighting how health is inextricably linked to geography, demonstrating quantitatively a complex, yet distinctive, spatial organisation of health inequalities within Britain. Overall decreasing unevenness values, coupled with increased positive spatial association suggests that neighbouring areas have become more similar over time - the distinction between areas characterised by poor health or by good health is decreasing.

Spatio-temporal patterns of gun violence in Syracuse, New York 2009-2015.

Gun violence in the United States of America is a large public health problem that disproportionately affects urban areas. The epidemiology of gun violence reflects various aspects of an infectious disease including spatial and temporal clustering. We examined the spatial and temporal trends of gun violence in Syracuse, New York, a city of 145,000. We used a spatial scan statistic to reveal spatio-temporal clusters of gunshots investigated and corroborated by Syracuse City Police Department for the years 2009-2015. We also examined predictors of areas with increased gun violence using a multi-level zero-inflated Poisson regression with data from the 2010 census. Two space-time clusters of gun violence were revealed in the city. Higher rates of segregation, poverty and the summer months were all associated with increased risk of gun violence. Previous gunshots in the area were associated with a 26.8% increase in the risk of gun violence. Gun violence in Syracuse, NY is both spatially and temporally stable, with some neighborhoods of the city greatly afflicted.

Geographic variation in selected hospital procedures and services in the Israeli health care system.

BACKGROUND: Medical practice variation refers to differences in health service utilization among regions in the same country. It is used as a tool for studying health inequities. In 2011, the OECD launched a Medical Practice Variation Project which examines regional differences within countries and explores the sources of the inter-regional differences. The aim of this study is to examine the patterns and trends in geographic variation for selected health services in Israel. METHODS: The analysis is based on data from the National Hospital Discharges Database (NHDD) of the Israeli Ministry of Health. The eight procedures and services studied were: medical admissions (i.e. admissions without surgical procedures); hip fractures; caesarian sections; diagnostic cardiac catheterization; cardiac angioplasty (PTCA); cardiac bypass surgery (CABG); hysterectomy; and knee replacement surgery. The data are presented for the 7 districts in Israel, determined by address of residence. RESULTS: The procedures and services with the lowest variation across the seven districts were medical admissions (RR between regions-maximum/minimum 1.3) and hip fractures (RR 1.44), while the one with the highest variation was CABG (RR 1.98). The Israeli periphery, and the northern district in particular, had higher rates of medical admissions, knee replacement and cardiac procedures. When studying the trend over time, we found a decrease in use rates for most procedures, such as coronary bypass (R. 04) and CABG (R 0.8). Medical admissions decreased by 8%, with the highest decline (16%) observed in the central districts. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides Israeli policy makers with information which is vital for the strategic planning of service development, such as strengthening preventive medical services in the community, reducing cardiovascular risk factors in the periphery and expanding the national publication of clinical quality scores.

Palliating inside the lines: The effects of borders and boundaries on palliative care in rural Canada.

We draw lines to divide our world into specific places, territories, and categories. Although borders and boundaries are dynamic and socially constructed, their existence creates many broad impacts on our lives by geographically distinguishing between groups (e.g., us/them; here/there; inside/outside) at various scales from the national down to the personal spaces of the individual. Particularly, borders and boundaries can be used to define a variety of differing spaces such as the familial, social, economic, political, as well as issues of access - including access to health services. Despite the implicit connection between borders, boundaries, and health, little research has investigated this connection from a health geography perspective. As such, this secondary thematic analysis contributes to addressing this notable gap by examining how borders and boundaries are experienced and perceived to impact access to palliative care in rural Canada from the perspectives of the formal and informal providers of such care. Drawing upon data from qualitative interviews (n = 40) with formal and informal palliative caregivers residing in four different rural Canadian communities, five forms of borders and boundaries were found to directly impact care delivery/receipt: political; jurisdictional; geographical; professional; and cultural. Implicitly and explicitly, participants discussed these borders and boundaries while sharing their experiences of providing palliative care in rural Canada. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for palliative care in rural Canada, while also emphasizing the need for more health geography, and related social science, researchers to recognize the significance of borders and boundaries in relation to health and healthcare delivery. Lastly, we emphasize the transferability of these findings to other health sectors, geographical settings, and disciplines.

Parallel worlds? French and anglophone perspectives on health geography.

In this short commentary, we address the following question: setting aside the issue of translation, do health geographers in France speak the same language as their English-speaking counterparts in various parts of the world? Specifically, do they have comparable empirical, theoretical and political concerns? We briefly survey the 'states of knowledge' in both fields for points of difference and similarity. We devote particular attention to the diverse contexts in which health geography is practiced. Our overarching goal is not to oppose two 'blocks'; nor is it to produce syntheses of two bodies of work. Rather, we seek to identify the diverse contexts in which geographic knowledge of health issues is produced, and to encourage reflection on what these mean for current and future collaboration across linguistic boundaries. We contend that meaningful Anglo-French comparative work will need to be particularly attentive to takes on theory that is 'the same, but different', to alternative spatial lenses (territory vs. place), and to sometimes sharply distinct perspectives on social difference.

Pre-pubertal and adolescent germ cell neoplasms in Taiwan: time trends and geographic variation.

Evidence from our previous study suggested that the incidence of germ cell neoplasms in children and adolescents is increasing. The objectives of this analysis were to quantify this trend in patients aged 0-9 and 10-19 years (pre-pubertal and adolescent groups, respectively) and compare rates in Taiwan according to geographic distribution. Germ cell neoplasm frequencies among 1267 patients aged 0-19 years spanning 1995-2009 were obtained from the population-based Taiwan Cancer Registry. The incidence patterns according to sex, age, disease subgroup, and geographic distribution were analyzed. The incidence rates in the pre-pubertal and adolescent groups were 10.58 and 16.06 per million person-years, respectively. The overall rates increased significantly by 3.2% annually in the adolescent group during the 15-year study period, and increased only among the males. In contrast, no change in trend was observed in the pre-pubertal group. Subgroup analysis showed significant upward trends in the incidence rates of intracranial/intraspinal and testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs) in the adolescent males and extracranial/extragonadal GCTs in the pre-pubertal boys. The most striking differences between the study population and white Americans were that the rates of testicular GCTs were 5-fold higher and 4-fold lower in the Taiwanese pre-pubertal and adolescent groups, respectively. Significantly higher rates were found in Hualien and Chiayi Counties compared with the other areas of Taiwan. The upward trend of testicular GCTs in the adolescent males is consistent with findings from Western countries. The underlying causes that led to the high rate of testicular GCTs in the pre-pubertal boys and significantly higher rates in specific counties warrant further investigation.

Hemodynamic response in a geographical word naming verbal fluency test

Functional hemodynamic response was studied in a new Verbal Fluency Task (VFT) that demanded the production of geographical words while fMRI data was obtained. Participants completed 7 trials with a total duration of 2 min. 20 s. Four simple arithmetic subtraction trials were alternated with 3 geographical naming trials. Each trial had a duration of 20 s. Brain activity was contrasted between both conditions and significant differences (p < .05, Family Wise Error correction) were observed in the prefrontal medial gyrus, typically associated with word retrieval and phonological awareness, and in the parahippocampal gyrus, posterior cingulate cortex and lingual gyrus, areas related to spatial cognition. These results indicate that geographic VFT could be incorporated into a browser of cognitive processes using VFT considering its specific relationship with spatial cognition. Further investigations are proposed, taking special interest in the gender variable and eliminating phonological restrictions, because the evoked Argentinean cities and towns ended in a consonant letter (AU)

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Prostate cancer incidence and tumor severity in Georgia: descriptive epidemiology, racial disparity, and geographic trends.

PURPOSE: Limited research has been conducted to describe the geographical clustering and distribution of prostate cancer (PrCA) incidence in Georgia (GA). This study describes and compares the temporal and geographic trends of PrCA incidence in GA with a specific focus on racial disparities. METHODS: GA Comprehensive Cancer Registry PrCA incidence data were obtained for 1998-2008. Directly standardized age-adjusted PrCA incidence rates per 100,000 were analyzed by race, stage, grade, and county. County-level hotspots of PrCA incidence were analyzed with the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic in a geographic information system; a census tract-level cluster analysis was performed with a Discrete Poisson model and implemented in SaTScan(®) software. RESULTS: Significant (p < 0.05) hotspots of PrCA incidence were observed in nine southwestern counties and six centrally located counties among men of both races. Six significant (p < 0.1) clusters of PrCA incidence rates were detected for men of both races in north and northwest central Georgia. When stratified by race, clusters among white and black men were similar, although centroids were slightly shifted. Most notably, a large (122 km radius) cluster in northwest central Georgia was detected only in whites, and two smaller clusters (0-32 km radii) were detected in Southwest Georgia only in black men. Clusters of high-grade and late-stage tumors were identified primarily in the northern portion of the state among men of both races. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a pattern of higher incidence and more advanced disease in northern and northwest central Georgia, highlighting geographic patterns that need more research and investigation of possible environmental determinants.

Gonadal and extragonadal germ cell tumours in the United States, 1973-2007.

Germ cell tumours (GCTs) most often arise in the gonads, but some develop extragonadally. The aim of this study was to examine gender- and race-specific trends in incidence and survival of gonadal (GGCTs) and extragonadal GCTs (EGCTs) in the US from 1973 to 2007. We also examined the topographical distribution of EGCTs by race and gender. We estimated age-specific and age-standardized incidence rates and 5-year relative survival rates (RSR) of GCTs using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program (SEER nine registries). GCTs and their topographical sites were identified using ICD-O morphology and topography codes. Of 21,170 GCTs among males, 5.7% were extragonadal (Whites 5.5%; Blacks 16.3%). Of 2093 GCTs among females, 39.3% were extragonadal (Whites, 36.9%; Blacks 51.0%). The incidence of GGCT was much higher among White (56.3/1,000,000) than Black males (10.0/1,000,000), while there was no difference in incidence between White and Black females (3.2/1,000,000). The rates of EGCT among men and women of both races were similar (range:1.9-3.4/1,000,000). The most frequent extragonadal sites were mediastinum among males and placenta among females. The 5-year RSR of testicular GCT was higher among Whites (97%) than Blacks (90%), as was the 5-year RSR of ovarian GCT (Whites, 92%; Blacks 85%). In general, the 5-year RSRs of EGCTs were lower than the 5-year RSRs of GGCTs. The different incidence trends of GGCTs and EGCTs and distinct age-specific incidence patterns by anatomical site of EGCTs suggest that GGCTs and EGCTs may have different aetiologies.

Why does the north-south gradient of incidence of multiple sclerosis seem to have disappeared on the northern hemisphere?

The traditional view, based on numerous early studies and reviews, is that MS is particularly prevalent in temperate zones both on the northern and southern hemisphere. This uneven distribution of MS can be attributed to differences in genes and environment and their interaction. Diagnostic accuracy and case ascertainment are sources of error and have their shares in the geographical and temporal variations, and improvements in diagnostic accuracy and case ascertainment influence incidence- and prevalence rates. In addition the prevalence also depends on survival. With this meta-analysis we have focused on the trend in the incidence and sex ratio of MS through the last five decades, and we have analyzed the latitudinal distribution of MS incidence, based on a recent literature search. Our findings indicated that the prevalence and incidence rates had increased in almost all areas, but the previously reported latitudinal gradient of incidence of MS in Europe and North America could not be confirmed even when restricting the search to surveys published before 1980 or 1970. Conversely, the latitudinal gradient of prevalence rates seemed to be preserved. This apparent discrepancy can be explained by the circumstance that incidence estimates only depend on complete ascertainment for a relative short recent period of time, whereas reliable prevalence rates presuppose complete ascertainment decades back in time. A contributory explanation for the missing latitudinal gradient for incidence may be changes in environmental factors, levelling out differences in habits of life across Europe and North America, and, not least, that the interpretation of a latitudinal gradient in Europe was based primarily on prevalence studies and reviews. In addition, we observed in most regions a profound increase in female incidence of MS. The last observation should prompt epidemiological studies focusing on change in female life style.

Forest transitions, trade, and the global displacement of land use.

Reducing tropical deforestation is an international priority, given its impacts on carbon emissions and biodiversity. We examined whether recent forest transitions--a shift from net deforestation to net reforestation--involved a geographic displacement of forest clearing across countries through trade in agricultural and forest products. In most of the seven developing countries that recently experienced a forest transition, displacement of land use abroad accompanied local reforestation. Additional global land-use change embodied in their net wood trade offset 74% of their total reforested area. Because the reforesting countries continued to export more agricultural goods than they imported, this net displacement offset 22% of their total reforested area when both agriculture and forestry sectors are included. However, this net displacement increased to 52% during the last 5 y. These countries thus have contributed to a net global reforestation and/or decrease in the pressure on forests, but this global environmental benefit has been shrinking during recent years. The net decrease in the pressure on forests does not account for differences in their ecological quality. Assessments of the impacts of international policies aimed at reducing global deforestation should integrate international trade in agricultural and forest commodities.

Characterizing urbanization, and agricultural and conservation land-use change in Riverside County, California, USA.

Monitoring trends in urbanization and land use related to population growth and changing social and economic conditions is an important tool for developing in land use and habitat conservation policy. We analyzed urbanization and agricultural land-use change in Riverside County, California from 1984 to 2002, comparing maps every two years on the basis of aerial photographs. Matrix analysis combined with information theory was applied to study land type conversion. Results showed that the total area of "Urban and Built-Up Land" increased the most whereas total area of "Prime Farmland" decreased most. Land-use characterized as "Grazing Land,""Farmland of Local Importance," and "Farmland of Statewide Importance" also decreased. Mean patch size also decreased for "Grazing Land,""Water Area,""Other Land," and "Prime Farmland." The diversity of land types decreased dramatically after 1992. Urbanization patterns were different among three city groups (Riverside City, Coachella Valley, and Blythe), indicating the different times for "leapfrog" development in the three areas. Furthermore, the unpredictability and change in composition of land use increased after 1996 due to intensified urbanization. If the current driving forces continue, our model projects that in 2020 the area of "Urban and Built-Up Land" may increase between 25% and 39% in comparison with 2002. Percentages of most agricultural land types are projected to decrease, especially "Farmland of Local Importance,""Prime Farmland," and "Farmland of Statewide Importance." If the county's goal is to preserve agricultural lands and natural biodiversity, while maintaining sustainable development, current land-use policies and practices should be changed. This study demonstrates new useful methods for monitoring and detection of change of land-use processes.

Puerto del Pendulo, doubtful sound: la visita de la expedición Malaspina a Nueva Zelanda en busca de la verdadera forma de la tierra / Puerto del Pendulo, doubtful sound: the Malaspina expedition's visit to New Zealand in quest of the true figure of the earth

The Malaspina expedition was assigned the task of conducting a series of experiments using the pendulum to measure the strength of gravity at different locations during the course of its voyage.The immediate objective was to establish the length of a pendulum beating at seconds at latitude 45º as the basic unit of a new universal system of measures. Although the new unit, the metre, was eventually established on a different principle, the gravity experiments carried out by the expedition resulted in useful geodesic information and incidentally led to the first charting of Doubtful Soundin New Zealand (AU)

La expedición Malaspina tuvo por misión realizar una serie de experimentos utilizando un péndulo para medir la fuerza de la gravedad en los diferentes lugares recorridos durante el viaje. El objetivo inmediato consistió en establecer la longitud de un péndulo oscilando durante unos segundos a una latitud de 45º como unidad básica de un nuevo sistema métrico universal. Aunque la nueva unidad, el metro, fue finalmente establecida por otro principio diferente, los experimentos que llevó a cabo la expedición sobre la gravedad proporcionaron una información geodésica muy útil y por casualidad dieron lugar al primer trazado de mapa de Doubtful Sound, en Nueva Zelanda (AU)