The relationship between the incidence of norovirus-associated gastroenteritis outbreaks (NAGOs) in Victoria, Australia for the period 2002-2007 and rainfall was examined. Statistical analysis involving the correlation between time series indicated that there was a statistically significant (p < 0.05) correlation between monthly NAGO incidence and average monthly rainfall. There was a lag of an...

The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) has experienced rapid urbanization and dramatic economic development since 1978 and the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (YRDUA) has been one of the three largest urban agglomerations in China. We present evidence of a significant urban heat island (UHI) effect on climate warming based on an analysis of the impacts of the urbanization rate, urban population,...

This paper provides analysis of a 3-year longitudinal ethnographic study following the gradual adaptation of an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) in a community health centre in Canada. Adopting a sociotechnical perspective, I follow the EMR and the work practices as they undergo continuous modifications and I identify changes that are brought about by the EMR. Findings from this research show es...

One of the characteristics of the modern international systems is the undeniable role the new communication technologies play in different sections of human societies. Modern communication technologies such as satellites and computers have challenged the national authority and sovereignty of Vestfallian states.  Although national states, specially, in the third world countries, extremely resist...

The frequency and character of Southern California’s Santa Ana wind events are investigated within a 12-km-resolution downscaling of late-20 th and mid-21 st century time periods of the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Climate System Model global climate change scenario run. The number of Santa Ana days per winter season is approximately 20% fewer in the mid-21 st century comp...

Interdecadal variability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC-IV) plays an important role in climate variation and has significant societal impacts. Past climate reconstruction indicates that AMOC-IV has likely undergone significant changes. Despite some previous studies, responses of AMOC-IV to global warming remain unclear, in particular regarding its amplitude and time sc...

Evidence from paleoclimatic archives suggests that the ocean atmosphere system has undergone dramatic and abrupt changes with widespread consequences in the past. Climatic changes are most pronounced in the North Atlantic region where annual mean temperature can change by 10C and more within a few decades. Climate models are capable of simulating some features of abrupt climate change. These sa...