Large Australian City Research Articles

Healthiness of food products promoted through placement strategies in Australian online supermarkets: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundProminent product placement is a core promotional tactic in retail food environments. How this practice has been adapted for online supermarkets, and the extent to which it is applied to healthier and less healthy food products in this setting, is largely unknown. We aimed to investigate placement-type promotions of food products in Australian online supermarkets.MethodsWe developed a new method to assess placement promotions and applied it to the online stores of the two largest supermarket retailers in Australia. Each online store was audited across six ‘locations’ (input prior to data collection), including a randomly selected high socio-economic position area and low socio-economic position area from each of the three largest Australian cities. The names, page locations and type of placement strategy of promoted food products were captured, with product healthiness assessed using the Health Star Rating (HSR) nutrient profiling system. Descriptive statistics summarised the page locations of promoted products and the placement strategies used to promote them, and chi-squared tests applied to compare product healthiness by retailer and socio-economic position.ResultsWe recorded 12,152 food products promoted through placement strategies, 99% of which were eligible for a HSR. Overall, 44% of products promoted through placement strategies were unhealthy. Cross-promotions and recommendations was the most common strategy recorded overall (55.9% of all strategies), and advertisements and site content was the strategy most likely to promote unhealthy products (53.7% of products unhealthy). One retailer was more likely to promote unhealthy products (46% v 43%, p = 0.004) and unhealthy products were more likely to be promoted in more disadvantaged than less disadvantaged locations (45% vs 43%, p = 0.05), though the magnitudes of difference were small.ConclusionsA considerable number of unhealthy products are likely presented to online grocery shoppers in Australia. Public health policies targeting unhealthy food promotions may need to be updated, including with consideration of the different ways that products can be prominently displayed online, to avoid exacerbating risks of diet-related disease and health inequalities. Our novel methodology could be used for ongoing monitoring of online supermarkets in Australia and elsewhere to inform such policies.

Can species climate niche predict canopy growth, functional traits and phenotypic plasticity in urban trees?

There is much uncertainty in how climate change will impact the performance of urban trees. Climate niche modelling predicts that many urban tree species may become unsuitable in future climates, but this has rarely been tested in cities. Broad planting of diverse tree species in different cities provides the opportunity to test climate niche predictions. Here we investigated if the climate of origin of 14 urban tree species influenced tree growth, trait expression, and phenotypic plasticity. We determined climate niche limits for all species and measured canopy growth rates of individual trees from 2013 to 2021 in the two largest Australian cities: subtropical Sydney, and temperate Melbourne. Six functional traits including leaf water potential at turgor loss point (TLP), wood density (WD), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), specific leaf area (SLA), carbon isotope composition (δ13C) and Huber value (HV) were measured in both cities. Trees planted outside their climate niche limits had lower growth than trees planted inside their climate niche in the temperate but not subtropical city. Species with lower MAP of origin (i.e., drier) had faster canopy growth in both cities. Species with low MAP and high heat moisture index (HMI) at their origin had more negative TLP and greater WD, indicating species from drier environments maintain their high drought tolerance in cities. Trees planted in drier Melbourne had more negative TLP, higher WD and higher LDMC than in Sydney, demonstrating phenotypic plasticity in urban trees. Wetter origin species showed greater phenotypic plasticity in TLP, WD and δ13C. Canopy RGR was negatively related with δ13C reflecting a strong impact of stomatal behaviour on urban tree growth. Our study provides limited support that species climate niche limits reliably predict urban tree growth, so we caution against solely using climate niche matching and advocate for inclusion of functional traits when selecting urban tree species.

Childhood obesity in the ED: A prospective Australian study.

To determine (i) the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children presenting to all EDs in a large regional Australian city and (ii) whether age, sex, socioeconomic status (SES) or hospital setting (public vs private) were associated with overweight and obesity. This prospective observational study included children aged ≥2 and <18 years who presented to any of three EDs over an 18 month period who had their height and weight measured. Age, sex and residential postcode were collected. Weight category was determined by sex and age standardised body mass index (BMI) z-score. Weight category was assessed by sex, age, SES and hospital setting with chi-squared tests, and ordinal logistic regression with cluster sandwich error estimators. Results were reported using odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Data were collected for 3827 children, of which 11.6% were obese and 19.8% overweight. The prevalence of obesity was highest in those aged 8-14 years and in those from lower SES postcodes. The likelihood of obesity was higher in the public than the private hospitals (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.51-0.86), whereas the likelihood of overweight was similar (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.83-1.22). Almost one-third of children who presented to EDs were overweight or obese. Obesity was particularly high in those aged 8-14 years and those from lower SES postcodes. In the evolving obesity crisis, the high proportion of children presenting to EDs above a healthy weight might represent an opportunity for EDs to identify and refer children for body weight and lifestyle management.

The quality of energy efficiency disclosures: an exploratory study of Australian cities

PurposeThis study aims to evaluate the quality of the energy efficiency disclosures made by Australian cities. As cities are significant energy users, and energy use is a crucial source of greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency initiatives can play an essential role in addressing climate change. Yet, little is understood about the energy efficiency disclosures being made.Design/methodology/approachThe authors developed an original energy efficiency disclosure index to assess the reporting quality of the eight largest Australian cities. The websites of these cities were analysed for information on energy efficiency measures from December 2018 to June 2019. Annual reports, environmental reports, climate action plans and any other material related to energy plans were downloaded and then coded using the index.FindingsWhile all cities provided energy efficiency information, little financial information was provided, limited forward-looking information was disclosed, key challenges were not disclosed, and each city provided energy efficiency disclosures differently. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that public accountability is limited.Research limitations/implicationsAn important implication is the need to standardise and improve cities’ energy efficiency reporting, especially concerning financial information. Cities, governments and the Carbon Disclosure Project (formerly the CDP) could achieve this, perhaps as part of the broader update of the CDP city-focused guidelines for greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting.Originality/valueAlthough some studies on GHG reporting by cities have already been undertaken, including energy efficiency as part of their disclosure index, no study has focused on energy efficiency disclosures. The authors provide original insights concerning these practices. The study also provides an energy efficiency disclosure index that can be used in further research.

Examining the Psychosocial and Behavioral Factors Associated with Adolescent Engagement in Multiple Types of Cyberdeviance: Results from an Australian Study

Research has shown that psychosocial and behavioral factors are associated with engagement in a range of deviant behaviors across offline settings. To date, however, very little research has explored the impact of these factors in online contexts. This article addresses this gap by examining the psychosocial and behavioral factors associated with common types of adolescent cyberdeviance. This is accomplished through an empirical study of 327 adolescents enrolled in a high school located in a large Australian city. The study assesses various aspects of psychosocial and behavioral functioning using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (total difficulties, internalizing problems, externalizing problems, prosocial behavior), as well as numerous types of cyberdeviance relevant to young people, including cyberfraud, cyberhate, cyberviolence, sexting, digital piracy, hacking, and cyberbullying. A series of multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to demonstrate the association between psychosocial and behavioral difficulties and various types of cyberdeviance, independent of gender, school grade, socioeconomic status, and engagement in offline delinquency. Results indicate that total difficulties, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems were significantly associated with greater likelihood of engagement in most types of cyberdeviance examined in this study, whereas prosocial behavior was associated with a lower likelihood of engagement in digital piracy only. A discussion of the findings highlights the importance of understanding these factors in a digital context, as well as demonstrating the need to account for them when designing targeted interventions.

Audit of clinical follow-up and complications after acute pulmonary embolism in an Australian Metropolitan Health Service.

We explored post-pulmonary embolism (post-PE) follow-up at a large Australian regional city hospital health service. Over a 12-month period, we identified 195 (49% male) patients with a median age of 62 years. Post-PE follow-up was not organised for 23 patients and delayed for seven patients. Post-PE complication occurred in 21% of all patients reviewed in the clinic after discharge. Follow-up imaging was arranged in 28% of patients. To deliver high-quality care, we recommend implementing a local post-PE follow-up pathway, which balances individual physician preference with available resources and expert recommendations.

Intra-urban risk assessment of occupational injuries and illnesses associated with current and projected climate: Evidence from three largest Australian cities

BackgroundIncreased risk of occupational injuries and illnesses (OI) is associated with ambient temperature. However, most studies have reported the average impacts within cities, states, or provinces at broader scales. MethodsWe assessed the intra-urban risk of OI associated with ambient temperature in three Australian cities at statistical area level 3 (SA3). We collected daily workers’ compensation claims data and gridded meteorological data from July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2018. Heat index was used as the primary temperature metric. We performed a two-stage time series analysis: we generated location-specific estimates using Distributed Lag Non-Linear Models (DLNM) and estimated the cumulative effects with multivariate meta-analysis. The risk was estimated at moderate heat (90th percentile) and extreme heat (99th percentile). Subgroup analyses were conducted to identify vulnerable groups of workers. Further, the OI risk in the future was estimated for two projected periods: 2016–2045 and 2036–2065. ResultsThe cumulative risk of OI was 3.4% in Greater Brisbane, 9.5% in Greater Melbourne, and 8.9% in Greater Sydney at extreme heat. The western inland regions in Greater Brisbane (17.4%) and Greater Sydney (32.3%) had higher risk of OI for younger workers, workers in outdoor and indoor industries, and workers reporting injury claims. The urbanized SA3 regions posed a higher risk (19.3%) for workers in Greater Melbourne. The regions were generally at high risk for young workers and illness-related claims. The projected risk of OI increased with time in climate change scenarios. ConclusionsThis study provides a comprehensive spatial profile of OI risk associated with hot weather conditions across three cities in Australia. Risk assessment at the intra-urban level revealed strong spatial patterns in OI risk distribution due to heat exposure. These findings provide much-needed scientific evidence for work, health, and safety regulators, industries, unions, and workers to design and implement location-specific preventative measures.

Physiotherapists vary in their knowledge of and approach to working with patients who are LGBTQIA+: a qualitative study.

What are the attitudes, beliefs and knowledge gaps of physiotherapists in Australia regarding working with patients who identify as LGBTQIA+? Qualitative design using a custom online survey. Physiotherapists currently practising in Australia. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. A total of 273 participants met the eligibility criteria. Participating physiotherapists were predominantly female (73%), aged between 22 and 67 years, residing in a large Australian city (77%) and working in musculoskeletal physiotherapy (57%), in private practice (50%) and hospital (33%) settings. Almost 6% self-identified as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Only 4% of the participants had received training related to healthcare interactions or cultural safety for working with patients who identify as LGBTQIA+ in the context of physiotherapy. Three main themes regarding approaches to physiotherapy management were identified: treating the whole person in context, treating everyone the same, and treating the body part. Gaps in knowledge were primarily related to understandings of the relevance of sexual orientation and gender identity to physiotherapy and health issues specific to LGBTQIA+ patients. Physiotherapists can be considered to approach gender identity and sexual orientation in three distinct ways and suggest a range of knowledge and attitudes about working with patients who identify as LGBTQIA+. Physiotherapists who consider gender identity and sexual orientation to be relevant to physiotherapy consultations appear to have higher levels of knowledge and understanding of this topic and may also understand physiotherapy as multifactorial and not only biomedical.

Perspectives of Food Insecurity and Service Delivery amongst Emergency Food Relief Clients in a Regional City in Victoria, Australia

This cross-sectional study examined the experiences of people accessing Emergency Food Relief (EFR) in the regional city of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, including determinants, impacts of food insecurity, and service delivery recommendations. The forty-one item survey examined demographics, food security status (six-item adult US-Household Food Security Survey Module), food acquisition, use of charitable food services, and self-rated health. Adults n = 100 accessing meal programs and/or EFR services from three EFR organisations in 2018 were surveyed. Ninety-seven percent of participants received government social security payments. Food insecurity prevalence was 92% (USDA-HFSSM 6 item); of these, 63% were experiencing very low food security. Over half (54%) of households with children (n = 26) reported being sometimes unable to feed their children balanced meals and 50% indicated that they were not eating enough. Participants (47%) relied on EFR services for food between one and five years. Poor self-rated dental health was expressed by over 50% of participants and 97% indicated the importance for services to provide healthy food. Food insecurity prevalence was high and chronic among adults receiving EFR services in a large regional Australian city. Recipients’ poor dental health, chronicity of use of services for food assistance, and calls for healthier food suggest more was needed to secure pathways out of food insecurity. The chronicity of reliance on EFR is a concern. The results of this study are likely to be of interest to providers and funders of EFR, policy makers, academics, and client advocates. Whilst the provision of EFR is not a sustainable solution to the problem of food insecurity, scope exists to improve service delivery to uphold principles of dignity, choice, and access to nutritious food. Furthermore, this highlights that the key strategies to mitigate food insecurity lie beyond simply feeding people.

An Asymmetric Panel Error-Correction Model of Australian Office Rents

The econometric modelling of real estate can encounter a number of issues due to the functional utility and investment characteristics of property assets. One issue of particular importance is the inherent mismatch between inelastic supply and elastic demand. We examine the office markets in the five largest Australian cities using an asymmetric panel error-correction framework. It is found that prime office markets responded to both changes in demand and supply as expected. However, secondary markets responded in most specifications to demand with a subdued rent response arising from reduced stock availability. This finding raises several questions concerning the relationship between prime and secondary office markets.

Assessing the Impact of Wind Conditions on Urban Heat Islands in Large Australian Cities

Assessing the Impact of Wind Conditions on Urban Heat Islands in Large Australian Cities

Beyond the luxury effect: Individual and structural drivers lead to ‘urban forest inequity’ in public street trees in Melbourne, Australia

Urban trees are increasingly being used to help cities adapt to climate change, improve health and wellbeing, and promote biodiversity. Yet these benefits are distributed unequally, mirroring the uneven distribution of the urban forest in many cities. Contrasting theories have been proposed to explain these observed patterns that focus either on the economic wherewithal of individuals (the ‘luxury effect’), or the outcome of structural factors such as municipal decision-making processes. Here, we explore patterns across 10 municipal authorities in greater Melbourne, Australia to compare the relative importance of these competing mechanisms. We show that both individual and structural processes are both major determinants of the density and diversity of trees in this large Australian city. Interestingly, education level was strongly related to tree density, while household income was negatively related to tree density and diversity in some municipalities. The luxury effect was not able to adequately explain the patterns observed in Melbourne. This finding has important implications for the planning and management of urban forests and the equitable distribution of the benefits they provide, in the context of the rapid expansion of urban populations across the globe. To counteract inequity, local municipalities must acknowledge and deliberately overcome internal biases that favour the provision of street trees to more advantaged sections of the community.

Diagnostic Errors Are Common in Acute Pediatric Respiratory Disease: A Prospective, Single-Blinded Multicenter Diagnostic Accuracy Study in Australian Emergency Departments.

Background: Diagnostic errors are a global health priority and a common cause of preventable harm. There is limited data available for the prevalence of misdiagnosis in pediatric acute-care settings. Respiratory illnesses, which are particularly challenging to diagnose, are the most frequent reason for presentation to pediatric emergency departments.Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of emergency department clinicians in diagnosing acute childhood respiratory diseases, as compared with expert panel consensus (reference standard).Methods: Prospective, multicenter, single-blinded, diagnostic accuracy study in two well-resourced pediatric emergency departments in a large Australian city. Between September 2016 and August 2018, a convenience sample of children aged 29 days to 12 years who presented with respiratory symptoms was enrolled. The emergency department discharge diagnoses were reported by clinicians based upon standard clinical diagnostic definitions. These diagnoses were compared against consensus diagnoses given by an expert panel of pediatric specialists using standardized disease definitions after they reviewed all medical records.Results: For 620 participants, the sensitivity and specificity (%, [95% CI]) of the emergency department compared with the expert panel diagnoses were generally poor: isolated upper respiratory tract disease (64.9 [54.6, 74.4], 91.0 [88.2, 93.3]), croup (76.8 [66.2, 85.4], 97.9 [96.2, 98.9]), lower respiratory tract disease (86.6 [83.1, 89.6], 92.9 [87.6, 96.4]), bronchiolitis (66.9 [58.6, 74.5], 94.3 [80.8, 99.3]), asthma/reactive airway disease (91.0 [85.8, 94.8], 93.0 [90.1, 95.3]), clinical pneumonia (63·9 [50.6, 75·8], 95·0 [92·8, 96·7]), focal (consolidative) pneumonia (54·8 [38·7, 70·2], 86.2 [79.3, 91.5]). Only 59% of chest x-rays with consolidation were correctly identified. Between 6.9 and 14.5% of children were inappropriately prescribed based on their eventual diagnosis.Conclusion: In well-resourced emergency departments, we have identified a previously unrecognized high diagnostic error rate for acute childhood respiratory disorders, particularly in pneumonia and bronchiolitis. These errors lead to the potential of avoidable harm and the administration of inappropriate treatment.

Diversification of Physical Activities: An Exploration of Provision Characteristics of Holistic Movement Practices in a Large Australian City.

Holistic movement practices (HMPs) are an emerging category of physical activity, contributing to the diversification of physical activity opportunities. Purposefully incorporating not only physical but also mental, social, and/or spiritual elements, HMPs have received limited research attention with respect to participation parameters. The purpose of this study was to begin to map HMPs’ participation potential by exploring the provision features of HMPs in Melbourne. Data were collected via internet searches, with a focus on events offered. Event features, including type, cost, duration, venue address, and target groups, were recorded. Associated neighbourhood characteristics were also explored by linking venue locations to selected census information. Provision was documented for Yoga and Pilates in central Melbourne (1011 events), for Tai Chi and Qigong (323 events), and for a range of smaller HMPs (149 events) across Greater Melbourne. Results indicated a wide range in provision features. Affinities with the holistic nature of HMPs were noticeable in venue choices and neighbourhood socio-demographics. Mention of specific target groups was infrequent. Results are discussed in light of implications for uptake. HMPs exemplify the increasing diversity of physical activity opportunities in modern-day societies. Further research to elucidate their place in the landscape of physical activities is warranted.

A Discrete-Event, Simulated Social Agent-Based Network Transmission (DESSABNeT) model for communicable diseases: Method and validation using SARS-CoV-2 data in three large Australian cities.

ImportanceDuring pandemics Agent Based Models (ABMs) can model complex, fine-grained behavioural interactions occurring in social networks, that contribute to disease transmission by novel viruses such as SARS-CoV-2.ObjectiveWe present a new agent-based model (ABM) called the Discrete-Event, Simulated Social Agent based Network Transmission model (DESSABNeT) and demonstrate its ability to model the spread of COVID-19 in large cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Gold Coast. Our aim was to validate the model with its disease dynamics and underlying social network.DesignDESSABNeT relies on disease transmission within simulated social networks. It employs an epidemiological SEIRD+M (Susceptible, exposed, infected, recovered, died and managed) structure. One hundred simulations were run for each city, with simulated social restrictions closely modelling real restrictions imposed in each location.Main outcome(s) and measure(s)The mean predicted daily incidence of COVID-19 cases were compared to real case incidence data for each city. Reff and health service utilisation outputs were compared to the literature, or for the Gold Coast with daily incidence of hospitalisation.ResultsDESSABNeT modelled multiple physical distancing restrictions and predicted epidemiological outcomes of Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast, validating this model for future simulation work.Conclusions and relevanceDESSABNeT is a valid platform to model the spread of COVID-19 in large cities in Australia and potentially internationally. The platform is suitable to model different combinations of social restrictions, or to model contact tracing, predict, and plan for, the impact on hospital and ICU admissions, and deaths; and also the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and optimal social restrictions during vaccination.

Contemporary parking policy, practice, and outcomes in three large Australian cities

Together, globalisation and urbanisation are accelerating the densification of cities while disruptive technologies such as micro-mobility and ride-hailing are transforming urban mobility. Amidst this change, urban planning officials and practitioners typically remain constrained to the same urban footprint, left to grapple with earlier car-oriented development, and yet must accommodate a growing population and variety of travel modes operating within the same space. Further, they must operate alongside government officials whose re-election could depend upon appeasing suburban residents that are unable or unwilling to relocate along active transport corridors, near public transit nodes, or forgo the flexibility and comfort of private automobiles. As a result, private automobiles can become necessary for traversing urban forms already enlarged by parking, driveways, roads, highways, and flyovers. Likewise, alternatives such as public and active transport can become impractical and dangerous within urban forms that are fragmented by congestion or fast traffic. Given that urban mobility research typically focuses on keeping our pre-existing modal choices moving rather than the side-effects, daily commutes have remained unchanged for decades, and planners are better equipped to continually accommodate rather than influence our modal choices. This volume of Progress in Planning aims to strengthen the evidence base for influencing modal choice by developing a comparative framework of urban mobility, and by examining how parking policy has influenced modal choice within the three largest Australian cities: Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. In addition, it provides reproducible methods for estimating parking supply using land use audits, parking demand using a population census, and geo-statistical modelling for determining whether and where parking policy can explain more sustainable modal choices. As such, this volume sets a research agenda for metropolitan-scale examination and coordination of transport and land use planning for sustainable rather than temporary urban mobility.

Weighing up the risks and benefits of community gambling venues as recreational spaces for people with lifelong disability

BackgroundCommunity gambling venues (pubs and clubs) are commonly associated with leisure and recreational options in Australian communities. While these venues offer a range of activities and facilities, including social opportunities, sporting facilities, live entertainment, they also contain gambling products that are known to cause significant harm to individuals, their families and communities. Although researchers have explored how adults and children engage with these venues, there is limited understanding about the potential risks and benefits of these venues for people with lifelong disability.MethodsSemi structured interviews were conducted with nineteen people aged 20–70 years with lifelong disability (includes in this context intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and learning disability), predominately intellectual disability. The interviews occurred in a large Australian city and explored interviewees’ experiences and attitudes towards pubs and clubs. Using a range of visual prompts (if needed), participants were asked to describe their engagement in different activities offered within the venue. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, with a thematic analysis used to identify themes across the group.ResultsMost participants attended venues with family, friends, and supporters, with a few attending on their own. Participants described socialising in the venue, going for reduced price meals, and attended for a range of activities including recreational activities, live entertainment and sport. Some participants also valued being a member of venues, and the interactions with staff members. While participants were cautious about the consumption of alcohol, most had gambled, particularly on electronic gambling machines (EGMs, pokies, or slots). Some participants stated that they had experienced problems with gambling.ConclusionsWhile many people with lifelong disability have positive experiences in pubs and clubs, some are vulnerable to the harms associated with risky products such as gambling within the venue. While it is important to acknowledge the positives associated with recreational facilities and encourage engagement in leisure activities for people with lifelong disability, further consideration is needed to ensure people are informed and protected from the harms associated with gambling and other products that are provided within these spaces.

Walking distances from services and destinations for residential aged-care centres in Australian cities

Aged-care centres are one of the common places used by the older Australian population as their residence. While these centres provide many health supports and assistance for the well-being of the residents, there are still many health benefits for this population by walking in the environment outside the centre, because of the positive effect of walking on health and the opportunities it provides for social interaction. However, to choose walking is dependent on several factors, some of which pertain to the availability of and accessibility to the facilities around the care centres. This paper has approached accessibility as a matter of walking distance to the facilities or services, or to the public transport with potential access to them.For this purpose, the paper has analysed the walking distances from residential aged-care centres to services and transport in the six largest Australian cities which host over 50% of the residential capacity of the aged-care centres within the country. The services included cafés, pharmacies, grocery stores, news agents, lottery outlets, and post offices. The study has used the 2017 database of aged-care centres from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, and Google Map API services to locate the services and transport stops around the centres and calculate the walking distances to them. The results indicated that in all cities, most of services were only in a walking distance for healthier residents, while the less mobile residents might have difficulty walking to the services, especially the pharmacies. Nevertheless, majority of centres were within a walking distance to points of public transport. In addition, the study found that the centres' distance to services varied considerably both inside a city and between cities, which implied there might have been no prior planning in the selection of the locations for building or repurposing the centres.

From multi-sensor aerial data to thermal and infrared simulation of semantic 3D models: Towards identification of urban heat islands

Urban heat islands degrade the quality of life in many urban centers. To achieve their detection in urban canopy and to predict their development in the future, infrared simulation turns out to be a suitable tool. For simulation of the temperature, various scene properties must be taken into account. Starting at raw sensor data acquired from the air, we developed an end-to-end pipeline to the semantic mesh, in which temperatures and radiance can be simulated depending on actual weather data and initial conditions and which has a potential to track the urban heat islands. To acquire the mesh, we focus on retrieving land cover classes and 3D geometry. The land cover map helps to identify buildings, to update the existing geographic maps, and to analyze building roofs with respect to their materials and thus, sustainability. The 3D geometry basically presupposes storing the scene efficiently into triangles. For each triangle, we are not only interested in material properties, but also in neighborhood relations allowing to model heat conduction. Together with terms for convection and radiation, we formulate the heat balance equation and compute the surface temperature as a function of time. The pipeline was tested on a dataset from a large Australian city exhibiting most properties which bear risks to contribute to heat islands: Its location in a subtropical (Mediterranean) climate zone, rapidly growing population, and, at least initially, a certain lack of sensibility towards sustainable management of resources and materials. To analyze both latter factors, two intermediate results from our method, namely tracking urbanization degree and identification of common roofing materials, are addressed and thoroughly evaluated in the dataset. It could be deduced that the area occupied by buildings increased by roughly 5% and that roughly every 6th building has a steel roof. Finally, high similarities with the ground truth were achieved both for temperature curves in some 20 test points and for large-scale evaluation. Deviations from the ground truth emerge in case of building roofs leading to the conclusion that the inner model assumption could be less accurate and, therefore, runs the danger to increase the urban heat island effect.

Quête spirituelle, résilience et Temps du Rêve chez les Aborigènes de Sydney

ContextThis article contains a discussion of cultural continuity between self-improvement and health practices amongst Aboriginal populations in large Australian cities, from a psychological anthropology perspective. GoalsThere are two main purposes to this article: (a) showing how some contemporary urban Aborigines reappropriate cultural elements, historically and anthropologically considered as “traditional,” especially concerning their links to the Dreaming cosmology; (b) analyzing how this cultural reappropriation impacts the way Aborigines express their pain, both individually and collectively. MethodThis study is based on first-hand ethnographic data collected during the author's doctoral research. The fieldwork consisted of a 10.5-month participant observation of an Aboriginal group therapy circle in a suburb of Sydney and about 15 semi-structured interviews with some members of this group. FindingsThis article presents two main findings: (a) the urban Aboriginal populations under consideration reappropriate an altered version of the myth and practices of the Dreaming and (b) their involvement in a therapeutic process aimed at allowing them to “feel better” takes the form of a spiritual quest framed in this altered conception of the Dreaming. ConclusionsThrough the analysis of this ethnographic example, this research promotes an understanding of therapy as being intrinsically linked – from a pragmatic point of view – to the cultural background from which it emerges. Doing so, this article shows the cultural inventiveness and resilience demonstrated by Aborigines in Australia's large cities to contain the pain generated by colonization.