Latest news with #RAPID
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
IMD restricts access to weather data over fear of cyber attack
1 2 Hyderabad: In response to potential cyber threats emerging after recent escalation in India-Pakistan tensions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has initiated major cyber security upgrades, including installation of firewalls and a password-based access system, to protect its core weather data platforms. This was done following suspicious data access attempts from IP addresses in Pakistan and Afghanistan, officials said. "So far, IMD websites and databases were accessed by many without any security measures. Due to recent situations of cyber threats from outside the country, it was decided to install firewalls and also user ID password-based access to restricted individuals. This can help prevent cyber attacks," IMD, Hyderabad, director Dr K Nagaratna, said As part of these security measures, access to data from automatic weather stations (AWS) and RAPID (real-time analysis of product and information dissemination) has been restricted. RAPID is a web-based tool used for visualising and analysing Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system data, crucial for weather event identification. The decision has drawn concern from weather bloggers and independent meteorologists, who regularly use IMD tools for real-time updates. Balaji T, popularly known as Telangana Weatherman, said, "IMD has now restricted access to AWS and RAPID. This was so useful for weather enthusiasts and bloggers." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Describing the AWS system, he said it includes remote stations, telemetry, and Earth receiving stations, equipped to measure temperature, humidity, pressure, rainfall, wind, solar radiation, and soil metrics. "RADAR of IMD is still accessible. We don't know when it will go off. We, as weather enthusiasts, feel that giving access to this data will not be an issue of cyber security. We use ground observations and international models. It will be difficult for young weather enthusiasts. They have to now depend on international data," he added. Balaji also pointed out that in many countries, weather data was treated as open data. "Worldwide, weather data is liberalised, making it open data. India is going in reverse," he said. S Sai Kiran, Vizag Weatherman, said: "We rely primarily on weather models from European and US-based sources. We have used AWS and RAPID only a few times. Additionally, we refer to data from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh State Development Planning Society portals. For other regions in India, we largely depend on data from IMD and now it is inaccessible. For radar information, we continue to use IMD's doppler radar system, which is still available. "
Medscape
23-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Hodgkin Lymphoma: Tumor Size Linked to Risk for Relapse
Maximum tumor diameter (MTD) showed a strong association with the risk for relapse in patients with limited-stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) achieving PET negativity, with each centimeter increase in MTD linked to a 21% higher risk for relapse. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed 1278 patients with stage I/IIA HL without mediastinal bulk who achieved PET negativity after doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine treatment across two trials: RAPID (n = 419) and H10 (n = 859). Participants received either chemotherapy alone (n = 514) or combined modality therapy with chemotherapy plus radiotherapy (n = 764), with treatment allocation determined by trial protocols. Analysis included evaluation of baseline MTD measured using CT, with investigators examining its association with event-free survival and progression-free survival. TAKEAWAY: MTD demonstrated a consistent association with event-free survival in both the H10 validation cohort (hazard ratio [HR], 1.22; 95% CI, 1.07-1.38; P = .003) and the RAPID cohort (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.02-1.39; P = .02). = .003) and the RAPID cohort (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.02-1.39; = .02). Treatment modality and MTD emerged as independent risk factors, with patients receiving chemotherapy alone showing a 5-year event-free survival rate of 92.4% (95% CI, 89.1%-94.7%) with MTD < 5 cm vs 82.3% (95% CI, 73.8%-88.2%) with MTD ≥ 5 cm. According to the researchers, no clear MTD threshold was identified above which marked differences in event-free survival occurred, suggesting a continuous relationship between the tumor size and the risk for relapse. IN PRACTICE: 'This international validation study confirms MTD is strongly associated with relapse risk in patients with LS-HL [limited-stage HL] achieving PET− and informs decision-making around risk-adapted application of modality and MTD were independent risk factors; patients with higher MTD receiving chemotherapy alone had the greatest relapse risk,' the authors of the study wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Elizabeth H. Phillips, PhD, Division of Cancer Sciences, The University of Manchester and Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, England. It was published online on May 13 in Blood Advances . LIMITATIONS: According to the authors, this study lacked centralized radiology review, which may have affected the consistency of MTD measurements across different imaging planes. Additionally, baseline PET assessment was not mandatory in either trial, limiting the ability to compare tumor diameter measurements with advanced PET metrics such as metabolic tumor volume. DISCLOSURES: This study received support from the National Institute for Health Research and Social Care, the Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Medical Engineering at King's College London, and the National Institute for Health Research Manchester Biomedical Research Centre. Additional disclosures are noted in the original article.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Memorial Day schedule for Oklahoma City services
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Some of Oklahoma City's services may change this Memorial Day. According to the City of OKC, the services schedule for Monday, May 26 is as follows: No trash or recycling pickup. Makeup day is Wednesday, May 28. Bulky waste pickup is not affected. Free fare for RAPID, OKC Streetcar, buses and OKC PLUS. OKC Streetcar operates on a regular schedule. Buses and OKC PLUS operate on a weekend schedule. RAPID operates on a 30-minute frequency from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EMBARK'S Transit Center Customer Service and 235-RIDE Call Center are closed. 235-PLUS Call Center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. LOCAL NEWS: EMSA is sharing safety tips ahead of Memorial Day weekend Closed: City offices. Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center. Animal Welfare. Municipal Court. Pay online at For details about posting bonds over the holiday weekend, visit OKC Parks recreation centers, family aquatic centers, community centers, gyms and senior centers. All outdoor parks open 5 a.m. – 11 p.m. Martin Park Nature Center. Will Rogers Gardens Exhibition Center and Ed Lycan Conservatory. Outdoor grounds open 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Leamington Spa fly infestation needs to be resolved
An MP has called for a public meeting with environment bosses to resolve a fly infestation and odour issue that has affected residents for more than two Western, Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington, first met constituents about the problem in September 2023, which many say originates from a recycling plant regulated by the Environment Agency (EA) near Leamington three years later, Western described himself as "beyond frustrated" that the issue recycling company and the EA said they were yet to find a substantial link between the odour and any site. People living in Heathcote and Whitnash, to the south of Leamington, have blamed the issues on a nearby recycling plant owned by Amcor, formerly known as Berry Circular recently raised their concerns in parliament with Mary Creagh, a junior secretary in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural said residents could not be "continuously dismissed" when there was "very obviously a problem" and added he was applying for an adjournment debate on the matter. Local residents have formed a Facebook group, Residents Against Pollution and Industrial Damage (RAPID), to encourage reports of flies and foul smells.A spokesperson said: "I don't know what our confidence levels are like, however I can say we are not giving up".They added Western had represented "thousands of residents" in the Commons and it was "a great way to get the message across". "It's about time the EA and the government looked at this," they added. 'Plant is compliant' An EA spokesperson said sites in the Leamington Spa area were "regularly inspected" and "operators made improvements where they were required". "We are committed to ensuring that people and the environment are protected," they added. Amcor said its Leamington Spa site was "compliant with the EA" and that it worked closely with the agency to make improvements. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Heat, Floods, Storms Limit Outdoor Play for Young Children, Surveys Show
Physical activity is crucial for young children's well-being. Outdoor play not only supports children's physical health and their social and emotional development but can also foster early science learning and help anchor children in the natural world. For generations, parents and caregivers have diligently taken their kids to the playground or the park for some fresh air or just shooed them out the door to do their zoomies in the backyard. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Now? Rising average temperatures and extreme heat waves, ferocious storms, droughts, floods and increasingly prolonged smoke seasons that bring respiratory issues and airborne diseases mean the gift of outdoor play can no longer be taken for granted. To get a picture of how these extreme weather events are affecting parents of young children, researchers from the RAPID Survey Project asked California parents with children under 6 about their family's economic resources, their stress levels, and other aspects of well-being, including their experiences with extreme weather. The project, based in the Stanford Center on Early Childhood, summarized the responses in its March fact sheet, which complements a national RAPID survey fact sheet on parents' and child care providers' experiences with extreme weather. Early ChildhoodWhat makes RAPID surveys unique is the priority of disseminating results quickly in a format that is accessible and usable. What makes RAPID surveys unique is the priority of disseminating results quickly in a format that is accessible and usable. Together, the two reports paint a clear portrait of families profoundly affected physically, emotionally and financially by increasingly concerning weather. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events are disrupting access to clean water, food and safe living conditions, affecting children's health and development and putting stress on parents and providers alike, the surveys report. 'This is not tomorrow's issue,' says Joan Lombardi, who chairs RAPID's National Advisory Council. 'This is today's. I work both domestically and internationally, and these results are for children around the world. They've experienced flooding. It's hot. They live in cities with poor air quality; urbanization is increasing around the world.' One of the most striking findings from the national survey is that more than three in five parents had experienced at least one extreme weather event in the past two years. An even higher percentage of parents surveyed (69%) say they worry about the possibility of extreme weather events and how they might affect their children. More than half of child care providers reported experiencing at least one extreme weather event. The net effect is that three-quarters of parents and more than half of child care providers say they now spend less time outdoors with children due to extreme temperatures and weather. A significant percentage of parents (84%) say extreme weather negatively affects their physical health and well-being, and more than half report that their children's physical health or emotional well-being is negatively affected. In both the California and the national survey, abnormally warm weather was the top concern of parents and providers alike. They have reason to worry. According to UNICEF, children are more vulnerable to the effects of heat stress. They perspire less than adults and have a higher metabolism, so they overheat more quickly. They spend more time outdoors for play and other activities, which puts them at greater risk for heat exposure. Children are less likely to take a break and rehydrate, which can be dangerous and even fatal in excessive heat. Heat hits some children harder than others: Children who have asthma, which disproportionately affects Black and Native American children, or who are overweight are especially sensitive to heat. According to American Forests, a map of tree cover in the U.S. is often a map of income and race; low-income populations are more at risk because they have less access to shade and to climate-controlled housing. In some of the largest U.S. cities, temperatures in the urban core can climb to a scorching 20 or more degrees higher than neighborhoods with trees and green spaces. One study found as much as a 10-degree difference between the shaded and unshaded parts of playgrounds. On a 90-degree day, that's the difference between 'extreme caution' and 'danger' levels for risks of heat illness, according to the National Weather Service. Related In addition to the health effects and safety worries, extreme weather stresses parents and providers financially. More time indoors — at home or in care — means higher utility bills for already-struggling individuals to try to mitigate the heat or cold, or filter air polluted by smoke or airborne particulates. 'We find again and again that the rates of hardship among families and the early education workforce are higher than most people are aware of,' says RAPID founder Philip Fisher, faculty director of the Stanford Center on Early Education. 'In our recent surveys, we found that 40% of families around the country are having difficulty in any month paying for basic needs like food and housing. Upwards of 70% of people who are providing care for other people's children are struggling to make ends meet each month.' Lombardi says providers need resources to mitigate challenges that go beyond increased utility costs. Some need to renovate their facilities to allow for increased indoor play time, to add air conditioning, heat pumps or air filters, or to increase shade in their outdoor areas. Some are dealing with damage to their facilities from weather events, but are challenged to find money for repairs. 'The child care workforce is already stretched beyond the limit,' Lombardi says. 'They're not able to take care of their own family needs and when you add these increasing utility and facility costs, it's an untenable situation. 'There's a lot of interest in the early childhood field in dealing with the issue, but no resources to do it — and what was available is shrinking.' The first step in addressing these issues is to face them, the researchers say. The RAPID survey results make it clear that the effects of climate change and a warming planet aren't just an issue for future generations: It's here, it's now and it's not going away. Frederica Perera, author of 'Children's Health and the Peril of Climate Change,' writes that children born after 2020 will experience up to seven times more extreme heatwaves in their lifetimes on average than people born in 1960. The focused action needed from national, state and local entities to address the changing climate may seem out of reach for parents and providers trying to do the best for their children in the here and now, but these caregivers do have an important role in helping young children cope. Their most important contribution, Lombardi says, is nurturing care, which, according to the World Health Organization, comprises: good health, adequate nutrition, responsive caregiving, security and safety, and opportunities for early learning. Additionally, families, providers and communities must prepare ahead for emergencies, which are becoming unfortunately commonplace. 'Decades of high-quality research shows that the thing that can help children most … is their buffering and nurturing relationships with adults,' Fisher says. 'When we think about climate, we need to be thinking about not just the well-being of children but the well-being of the adults around them. If the adults are OK, they're going to be in a better position when we have these kinds of [extreme weather] events.'
