Environmental problems in the nuclear weapons complex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fultz, K.O.

1989-04-01

This paper provide the authors' views on the environmental problems facing the Department of Energy. Testimony is based on a large body of work, over 50 reports and testimonies since 1981, on environmental, safety, and health aspects of DOE's nuclear weapons complex. This work has shown that the complex faces a wide variety of serious problem areas including aging facilities, safety concerns which have shut down DOE's production reactors, and environmental cleanup

Application of nuclear techniques on environmental pollution problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sumatra, Made

1998-01-01

Radioanalysis and tracer techniques that can be used on environmental pollution problems. Neutron activation analysis (NAA) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry are the two methods that are used frequently on such problems. These methods are used for metal analysis. Tracer technique with radioactive labeled compounds are used to study the fate of the pollution substances in environmental systems. It is very important to validate every new developed analysis method, due to the environmental pollution problem closely related to the low enforcement. (author)

Volunteer Environmental Stewardship and Affective Labour in Philadelphia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alec Foster

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Recent research has critically evaluated the rapid growth of volunteer urban environmental stewardship. Framings of this phenomenon have largely focused upon environmentality and/or neoliberal environments, unfortunately often presenting a totalising picture of the state and/or market utilising power from above to create environmental subjects with limited agency available to local citizens. Based upon qualitative research with volunteer urban environmental stewards in Philadelphia, affective labour is proposed as an alternative explanation for participation. Stewards volunteered their time and labour due to the intense emotional attachments they formed with their neighbourhoods, neighbours, and nonhuman others in relationships of affective labour. Volunteer urban environmental stewardship as affective labour provides room for agency on the part of individuals and groups involved in volunteer urban environmental reproduction and opens up new ways of relating to and being with human and nonhuman others.

Correcting environmental problems facing the nuclear weapons complex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rezendes, V.S.

1990-06-01

This report discusses DOE's efforts to correct the environmental problems facing the nuclear weapons complex. It focuses on three main points. First, the weapons complex faces a variety of serious and costly environmental problems. Second, during the past year, DOE has made some important changes to its organization that should help change its management focus from one that emphasizes materials production to one that more clearly focuses on environmental concerns. Third, because resolution of DOE's environmental problems will require considerable resources during a period of budgetary constraints, it is imperative that DOE have internal controls in place to ensure that resources are spent efficiently

E-waste: Environmental Problems and Current Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Aktsoglou

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper the environmental problems related with the discarded electronic appliances, known as e-waste, are reviewed.Moreover, the current and the future production of e-waste, the potential environmental problems associated with theirdisposal and management practices are discussed whereas the existing e-waste management schemes in Greece and othercountries (Japan, Switzerland are also quoted.

Statistics and Corporate Environmental Management: Relations and Problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Henning; Ulhøi, John Parm

1997-01-01

Statistical methods have long been used to analyse the macroeconomic consequences of environmentally damaging activities, political actions to control, prevent, or reduce these damages, and environmental problems in the natural environment. Up to now, however, they have had a limited and not very...... in the external environment. The nature and extent of the practical use of quantitative techniques in corporate environmental management systems is discussed on the basis of a number of company surveys in four European countries.......Statistical methods have long been used to analyse the macroeconomic consequences of environmentally damaging activities, political actions to control, prevent, or reduce these damages, and environmental problems in the natural environment. Up to now, however, they have had a limited and not very...... specific use in corporate environmental management systems. This paper will address some of the special problems related to the use of statistical techniques in corporate environmental management systems. One important aspect of this is the interaction of internal decisions and activities with conditions...

INDICATOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURAL SECTORS UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL MODELING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pruethsan Sutthichaimethee

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this research is to propose an indicator to deal with environmental problems for agricultural sectors caused by goods and services production. The aspects to calculate the real benefit of agricultural sectors and environmental cost for analyzing are natural resources materials, energy and transportation, fertilizer and pesticides, and sanitary and similar service. From the research it was found that the highest environmental cost of natural resources materials was 026: charcoal and fire-wood, while the lowest was 010 coconut. The highest environmental cost for energy and transportation was 024: agricultural services, while the highest environmental cost for fertilizer and pesticides was 011: palm oil. lastly, 017: other agricultural products was found as the highest environmental cost for sanitary and similar service. As a result, 010: coconut gained the highest real benefit, while 024: agricultural services presented as the lowest read benefit for the company. If Thailand using environmental problem indicator, especially with the agricultural sector, it can help to formulate efficient policies and strategies for the country in 3 development areas, which are social, economic, and environmental development.

Environmental data quality problems: ''Technical'' vs. ''legal'' defensibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luker, R.S.; Brooks, M.C.; Stagg, D.D.

1995-01-01

Two significant aspects of environmental data quality are currently being emphasized throughout the industry as critical precursors to environmental decision making: technical integrity and legal defensibility. Because audit findings and consequent perceptions by a client often pose more questions than answers--especially with respect to the ''systemic'' nature and significance of problems based on nonstatistical, ad hoc sampling of large programs--quality assurance in environmental restoration must do more than implement traditional administrative controls. A major problem persists in achieving a consensus opinion between quality assurance and technical staff on the significance of various data problems. This case study compares and contrasts ''technical integrity'' and ''legal defensibility'', and provides performance measures developed to optimize both components in a large, complex DOE environmental restoration program. Performance measures of both administrative and technical processes are being used to ensure that conclusions drawn concerning ''systematic'' problems are not premature, and are founded on thorough, representative aspects of the program. Improved methods to reach consensus opinions on environmental decision-making are imperative and environmental data quality, the cornerstone on which the decisions are built, must be not only scientifically solid, but perceived as solid, if stakeholders are to be satisfied

Arsenic in Drinking Water—A Global Environmental Problem

Science.gov (United States)

Shaofen Wang, Joanna; Wai, Chien M.

2004-02-01

Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a global environmental problem affecting a large number of populations, especially in developing countries. The "blackfoot disease"that occurred in Taiwan more than half of a century ago was attributed to drinking arsenic-contaminated water from deep wells containing high concentrations of the trivalent arsenite species. Similar arsenic poisoning cases were reported later in Chinese Inner Mongolia, Bangladesh, and India—all related to drinking groundwater contaminated with arsenic. The maximum contaminant level (MCL) of arsenic in drinking water has been changed recently by the U.S. EPA from 50 ppb to 10 ppb; the compliance date is January 2006. This article summarizes documented global arsenic contamination problems, the regulatory controversy regarding MCL of arsenic in drinking water, and available technologies for removing arsenic from contaminated waters. Methods for analyzing total arsenic and arsenic species in water are also described.

Eco-analytical Methodology in Environmental Problems Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Agienko, M. I.; Bondareva, E. P.; Chistyakova, G. V.; Zhironkina, O. V.; Kalinina, O. I.

2017-01-01

Among the problems common to all mankind, which solutions influence the prospects of civilization, the problem of ecological situation monitoring takes very important place. Solution of this problem requires specific methodology based on eco-analytical comprehension of global issues. Eco-analytical methodology should help searching for the optimum balance between environmental problems and accelerating scientific and technical progress. The fact that Governments, corporations, scientists and nations focus on the production and consumption of material goods cause great damage to environment. As a result, the activity of environmentalists is developing quite spontaneously, as a complement to productive activities. Therefore, the challenge posed by the environmental problems for the science is the formation of geo-analytical reasoning and the monitoring of global problems common for the whole humanity. So it is expected to find the optimal trajectory of industrial development to prevent irreversible problems in the biosphere that could stop progress of civilization.

Statistics and Corporate Environmental Management: Relations and Problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Henning; Ulhøi, John Parm

1997-01-01

Statistical methods have long been used to analyse the macroeconomic consequences of environmentally damaging activities, political actions to control, prevent, or reduce these damages, and environmental problems in the natural environment. Up to now, however, they have had a limited and not very...... specific use in corporate environmental management systems. This paper will address some of the special problems related to the use of statistical techniques in corporate environmental management systems. One important aspect of this is the interaction of internal decisions and activities with conditions...

Environmental issues affecting CCT development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reidy, M. [U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC (United States)

1997-12-31

While no final legislative schedule has been set for the new Congress, two issues with strong environmental ramifications which are likely to affect the coal industry seem to top the list of closely watched debates in Washington -- the Environmental Protection Agency`s proposed new ozone and particulate matter standards and utility restructuring. The paper discusses the background of the proposed standards, public comment, the Congressional review of regulations, other legislative options, and utility restructuring.

On environmental problems in Poland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinkel, H.; Kenez, C.J.

1987-01-01

The book contains articles by five authors on the following subjects: General literature in German and Polish language on environmental problems in Poland; legal issues of environmental protection - laws for the protection and development of the environment; environmental health hazards - hazards at work; protection of the sea environment in the region of the Baltic Sea - pollution of the Baltic Sea; the water situation in Poland - the large-scale project 'Weichsel 2000'; the ecological situation of the lakes of Masovia; air pollution and its effects - the dying of Silesian forests; Chernobyl and the Polish reaction; the 27 ecologically endangered areas in Poland. (HSCH) [de

Environmental security: The problems of Northwestern Russia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yablokov, A.V.

1999-01-01

The review of main existing environmental problems of North-West Russia covers the radioactive pollution, atmospheric pollution, destroying of the tundra and forest ecosystems, inland and water pollution, consequences of space activities. This region includes: Karelia and Komi republics; Yamalo-Nenetzk autonomous region; Murmansk; Leningrad and Vologda regions; White Sea; Southern and eastern parts of Barents Sea; eastern part of Kara Sea; and eastern part of the Baltic (Finnish Bay). The environmental situation in northwestern Russia is extremely unsafe. The fundamental reason for this situation is Soviet over-militarization in the past. There is an urgent need now to tackle the international environmental security in the Arctic and Scandinavian regions at least in two fields: 1. The existing radioactive pollution (mostly connected with military activities), and even more dangerous - the potential radioactive pollution of the Arctic and Scandinavia. 2. Atmospheric pollution (long distance transportation of pollutant, mostly sulphur dioxide and heavy metals, from melting factories on Kola Peninsula). Several other problems relating to the environmental security of the region (among them deforestation, oil/gas pollution of the ocean, development of the diamond industry) need international attention in the nearest future. It is unrealistic to think that Russia alone can overcome these long-standing problems in the foreseeable future: we need international support for this. But foreign money for solving our environmental problems is not the solution, firstly, because for environmental restoration and recovery Russia needs much more than the international community can allocate; secondly, because there is much money inside Russia (every month, during 1993-1996, up to two billions US dollars were flowing out from Russia to western banks). To utilize this money in a proper way, we drastically need international help to awaken the Russian public environmental awareness

Environmental Factors Affecting Preschoolers' Motor Development

Science.gov (United States)

Venetsanou, Fotini; Kambas, Antonis

2010-01-01

The process of development occurs according to the pattern established by the genetic potential and also by the influence of environmental factors. The aim of the present study was to focus on the main environmental factors affecting motor development. The review of the literature revealed that family features, such as socioeconomic status,…

Environmental issues affecting clean coal technology deployment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miller, M.J. [Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)

1997-12-31

The author outlines what he considers to be the key environmental issues affecting Clean Coal Technology (CCT) deployment both in the US and internationally. Since the international issues are difficult to characterize given different environmental drivers in various countries and regions, the primary focus of his remarks is on US deployment. However, he makes some general remarks, particularly regarding the environmental issues in developing vs. developed countries and how these issues may affect CCT deployment. Further, how environment affects deployment depends on which particular type of clean coal technology one is addressing. It is not the author`s intention to mention many specific technologies other than to use them for the purposes of example. He generally categorizes CCTs into four groups since environment is likely to affect deployment for each category somewhat differently. These four categories are: Precombustion technologies such as coal cleaning; Combustion technologies such as low NOx burners; Postcombustion technologies such as FGD systems and postcombustion NOx control; and New generation technologies such as gasification and fluidized bed combustion.

Environmental problems in Russian coal industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kharchenko, V.; Oumnov, V.

1996-01-01

The state of the Russian coal industry is complicated both economically and environmentally. Most mines are unprofitable. Several coal mines are intended to be closed. So, under existing conditions, coal mines are unable to give much attention to environmental protection problems. At the same time, coal mining is one of the most polluting industries. The main trends in this industry's negative influence upon the environment are: land spoilage and immobilization to lay out open-pit mines and mineral waste dump areas and tailing piles as well as with industrial waste water runoff; atmospheric pollution with the air coming from underground and substances blown off from dumps, hydrogeological regime intervention in coal mining areas, etc. One way to solve environmental problems in coal mining is a more rational utilization of the accompanying natural coal resources. Such measures make it possible to obtain complementary profits not only at the expense of reducing environmental destruction but producing new kinds of goods or services as well. Examples of similar solutions are solid mineral wastes utilization, underground space utilization, coal gas utilization and other issues

SME Worker Affective (SWA) index based on environmental ergonomics

Science.gov (United States)

Ushada, M.; Kusuma Aji, G.; Okayama, T.; Khidir, M.

2018-04-01

Small-Medium sized (SME) is a focal type of Indonesian industry which contributes to national emerging economies. Indonesian goverment has developed employee social security system (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) to support worker quality of life. However, there were limited research which could assist BPJS Ketenagakerjaan in evaluating worker quality of life. Worker quality of life could be categorized as the highest worker needs or affective states. SME Worker Affective (SWA) index is being concerned as a basic tool to make balance between worker performance and quality of life in workstation of SMEs. The research objectives are: 1) To optimize the environmental ergonomics in SMEs; 2) To quantify SME Worker Affective (SWA) index based on optimized environmental ergonomics. The research advantage is to support Indonesian goverment in monitoring SMEs good practices to its worker quality of life. Simulated annealing optimized the heart rate and environmental ergonomics parameters. SWA index was determined based on comparison between optimized heart rate and environmental ergonomics parameters. SWA index were quantified for 380 data of worker. The evaluation indicated 51.3% worker in affective and 48.7% in non-affective condition. Research results indicated that stakeholders of SMEs should put more attention on environmental ergonomics and worker affective.

Towards a more efficient environmental policy. A socio-economic analysis of four persistent environmental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-11-01

For the benefit of the National Environmental Policy Plan that will be published in 2001, the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis analysed four persistent environmental problems. These problems are the environmental effects of the manure surplus in the agricultural sector; the climate problem; the acidification by traffic and the air traffic noise around the airport Schiphol. This study not only looks ahead, but also looks back on 30 years of environmental policy. From a welfare economic perspective an analysis is made of the efficiency and effectiveness of that policy. Several questions are answered,e.g.: how could the manure problem of such a small sector as the livestock breeding persist for so many years?; how effective were the agreements with the industry and other sectors on energy efficiency improvement?; what made the acidification policy directed on traffic so successful?; why is the noise production of air traffic still a problem whereas the number of seriously bothered houses is decreased? The answers on these questions provide information which can be useful for the formulation of the future environmental policy. This information refers to the conditions for formulating adequate policy goals, the relation between those goals and policy instruments and the differences between direct versus indirect steering. This report also gives some points of interest for tackling complex international environmental problems. refs

Environmental problems caused by bituminous schist and possible solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elmas, N.; Aykul, H.; Erarslan, K.; Ediz, I.G.

1998-01-01

Schist, as a disposal of mine, has harmful effects on environment. however, several manners can be utilized to prevent the environmental destruction as well as an economical benefit is gained. In this study, environmental problems caused by bituminous schist and other disposals have been investigated on a specific lignite coal mine where schist is disposed as waste material. Pollution and damage on land and in water sources around the coal district and the villages have been observed, recorded and several solutions to environmental problems have been proposed. Discussed proposals will not only solve the environmental pollution problem but also provide waste management facility. Industrial structure of the district enables such a disposal to be used as an economical raw material. Besides, general effects of the coal mine and the power plant nearby have been discussed from environmental point of view, too. 7 refs

International Environmental Problems, Issue Linkage and the European Union

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kroeze-Gil, J.

2003-01-01

This thesis explores the circumstances under which issue linkage can be applied to achieve cooperation on international environmental problems in general and on environmental problems in the European Union in particular. A major topic in this thesis is the development and analysis of cooperative and

Coordination of environmental policy for transboundary environmental problems?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoel, M.

1996-01-01

In order to reach a Pareto optimal outcome with transboundary environmental problems, there must be some kind of international agreement. One possibility would be an international agreement focusing directly on emissions in each country. Given such an agreement, an important issue is whether one should supplement the agreement with some kind of policy coordination, or if the choice of environmental policies should be left for each country to decide for itself. The present paper shows that under ``ideal`` conditions, policies need not be coordinated across countries. Such ideal conditions include, among other things, that all markets, including the labour market, are competitive. However, if one has imperfect competition in goods markets, or unemployment, it may be desirable to let an international environmental agreement not only specify emission levels, but also the policy mix between emission taxes and direct regulation. 16 refs.

Students' Environmental Competence Formation as a Pedagogical Problem

Science.gov (United States)

Ponomarenko, Yelena V.; Yessaliev, Aidarbek A.; Kenzhebekova, Rabiga I.; Moldabek, Kulahmet; Larchekova, Liudmila A.; Dairbekov, Serik S.; Asambaeva, Lazzat

2016-01-01

Environmentally conscious and preparation of competent professionals' in higher education system in Kazakhstan is a priority. The need for more effective environmental competence formation for students actualizes the problem of development and scientific substantiation of the theoretical model of students' environmental competence, methods of…

A Different Trolley Problem: The Limits of Environmental Justice and the Promise of Complex Moral Assessments for Transportation Infrastructure.

Science.gov (United States)

Epting, Shane

2016-12-01

Transportation infrastructure tremendously affects the quality of life for urban residents, influences public and mental health, and shapes social relations. Historically, the topic is rich with social and political controversy and the resultant transit systems in the United States cause problems for minority residents and issues for the public. Environmental justice frameworks provide a means to identify and address harms that affect marginalized groups, but environmental justice has limits that cannot account for the mainstream population. To account for this condition, I employ a complex moral assessment measure that provides a way to talk about harms that affect the public.

Environmental problem-solving: Psychosocial factors

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Alan

1982-11-01

This is a study of individual differences in environmental problem-solving, the probable roots of these differences, and their implications for the education of resource professionals. A group of student Resource Managers were required to elaborate their conception of a complex resource issue (Spruce Budworm management) and to generate some ideas on management policy. Of particular interest was the way in which subjects dealt with the psychosocial aspects of the problem. A structural and content analysis of responses indicated a predominance of relatively compartmentalized styles, a technological orientation, and a tendency to ignore psychosocial issues. A relationship between problem-solving behavior and personal (psychosocial) style was established which, in the context of other evidence, suggests that problem-solving behavior is influenced by more deep seated personality factors. The educational implication drawn was that problem-solving cannot be viewed simply as an intellectual-technical activity but one that involves, and requires the education of, the whole person.

DOE's efforts to correct environmental problems of the nuclear weapons complex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rezendes, V.S.

1990-03-01

This report focuses on four main issues: the environmental problems at DOE's nuclear weapons complex, recent changes in DOE's organizational structure, DOE's 1991 budget request, and the need for effective management systems. This report concludes that the environmental problems are enormous and will take decades to resolve. Widespread contamination can be found at many DOE sites, and the full extent of the environmental problems is unknown. DOE has taken several steps during the past year to better deal with these problems, including making organizational improvements and requesting additional funds for environmental restoration and waste management activities

Schema Knowledge for Solving Arithmetic Story Problems: Some Affective Components.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Sandra P.

This report discusses the role of affect in cognitive processing. The importance of affect in processing mathematical information is described in the context of solving arithmetic story problems. Some ideas are offered about the way affective responses to mathematical problem solving situations influence the development, maintenance, and retrieval…

Approaching messy problems: strategies for environmental analysis

Science.gov (United States)

L. M. Reid; R. R. Ziemer; T. E. Lisle

1996-01-01

Environmental problems are never neatly defined. Instead, each is a tangle of interacting processes whose manifestation and interpretation are warped by the vagaries of time, weather, expectation, and economics. Each problem involves livelihoods, values, and numerous specialized disciplines. Nevertheless, federal agencies in the Pacific Northwest have been given the...

Leading trends in environmental regulation that affect energy development. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steele, R V; Attaway, L D; Christerson, J A; Kikel, D A; Kuebler, J D; Lupatkin, B M; Liu, C S; Meyer, R; Peyton, T O; Sussin, M H

1980-01-01

Major environmental issues that are likely to affect the implementation of energy technologies between now and the year 2000 are identified and assessed. The energy technologies specifically addressed are: oil recovery and processing; gas recovery and processing; coal liquefaction; coal gasification (surface); in situ coal gasification; direct coal combustion; advanced power systems; magnetohydrodynamics; surface oil shale retorting; true and modified in situ oil shale retorting; geothermal energy; biomass energy conversion; and nuclear power (fission). Environmental analyses of these technologies included, in addition to the main processing steps, the complete fuel cycle from resource extraction to end use. A comprehensive survey of the environmental community (including environmental groups, researchers, and regulatory agencies) was carried out in parallel with an analysis of the technologies to identify important future environmental issues. Each of the final 20 issues selected by the project staff has the following common attributes: consensus of the environmental community that the issue is important; it is a likely candidate for future regulatory action; it deals with a major environmental aspect of energy development. The analyses of the 20 major issues address their environmental problem areas, current regulatory status, and the impact of future regulations. These analyses are followed by a quantitative assessment of the impact on energy costs and nationwide pollutant emissions of possible future regulations. This is accomplished by employing the Strategic Environmental Assessment System (SEAS) for a subset of the 20 major issues. The report concludes with a more general discussion of the impact of environmental regulatory action on energy development.

Cognitive constraints on high school students' representations of real environmental problems

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, Ervin Kenneth

One class of juniors and seniors was studied through one semester in the investigation of how students think about, learn from, and solve real environmental problems. The intention was to listen to student voices while researching the features of their representations of these problems, the beliefs they held (tenets), the cognitive processes they employed, and the principles of science, ecology, problem solving, and ethics they held as tenets. The focus was upon two self-selected groups as they perceived, engaged, analyzed, and proposed solutions for problems. Analysis of the student representations involved interpretation of the features to include both the perspective tenets and the envisioning processes. These processes included the intentive and attentive constraints as tenet acquisition and volitive and agential constraints as tenet affirmation. The perspective tenets included a variety of conceptual (basic science, ecological, ethical, and problem-solving) constraints as well as ontological, epistemological, and other cultural (role, status, power, and community) constraints. The perspective tenets were interpreted thematically including the ways populations of people cause and care about environmental problems, the magnitude of environmental problems and the science involved, the expectations and limitations students perceive for themselves, and the importance of community awareness and cooperation to addressing these problems. Some of these tenets were interpreted to be principles in that they were rules that were accepted by some people as true. The perspective tenets, along with the envisioning processes, were perceived to be the constraints that determined the environmental problems and limited the solution possibilities. The students thought about environmental problems in mature and principled ways using a repertoire of cognitive processes. They learned from them as they acquired and affirmed tenets. They solved them through personal choices and

Global environmental problems, voluntary action and government intervention

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Richter, A.; van Soest, D.P.; Brousseau, E.; Dedeurwaerdere, T.; Jouvet, P.A.; Willonger, M.

2012-01-01

The global community faces several very pressing environmental challenges such as climate change, depletion of the high-sea fisheries, and unprecedented rates of biodiversity loss. Governments are in the process of designing environmental policies to address these problems unilaterally, but also

Environmental Strategies of Affect Regulation and Their Associations With Subjective Well-Being

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kalevi M. Korpela

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Environmental strategies of affect regulation refer to the use of natural and urban socio-physical settings in the service of regulation. We investigated the perceived use and efficacy of environmental strategies for regulation of general affect and sadness, considering them in relation to other affect regulation strategies and to subjective well-being. Participants from Australia, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, India, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden (N = 507 evaluated the frequency of use and perceived efficacy of affect regulation strategies using a modified version of the Measure of Affect Regulation Styles (MARS. The internet survey also included the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS, emotional well-being items from the RAND 36-Item Health Survey, and a single-item measure of perceived general health. Environmental regulation formed a separate factor of affect regulation in the exploratory structural equation models (ESEM. Although no relations of environmental strategies with emotional well-being were found, both the perceived frequency of use and efficacy of environmental strategies were positively related to perceived health. Moreover, the perceived efficacy of environmental strategies was positively related to life satisfaction in regulating sadness. The results encourage more explicit treatment of environmental strategies in research on affect regulation.

Environmental Strategies of Affect Regulation and Their Associations With Subjective Well-Being

Science.gov (United States)

Korpela, Kalevi M.; Pasanen, Tytti; Repo, Veera; Hartig, Terry; Staats, Henk; Mason, Michael; Alves, Susana; Fornara, Ferdinando; Marks, Tony; Saini, Sunil; Scopelliti, Massimiliano; Soares, Ana L.; Stigsdotter, Ulrika K.; Ward Thompson, Catharine

2018-01-01

Environmental strategies of affect regulation refer to the use of natural and urban socio-physical settings in the service of regulation. We investigated the perceived use and efficacy of environmental strategies for regulation of general affect and sadness, considering them in relation to other affect regulation strategies and to subjective well-being. Participants from Australia, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, India, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden (N = 507) evaluated the frequency of use and perceived efficacy of affect regulation strategies using a modified version of the Measure of Affect Regulation Styles (MARS). The internet survey also included the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), emotional well-being items from the RAND 36-Item Health Survey, and a single-item measure of perceived general health. Environmental regulation formed a separate factor of affect regulation in the exploratory structural equation models (ESEM). Although no relations of environmental strategies with emotional well-being were found, both the perceived frequency of use and efficacy of environmental strategies were positively related to perceived health. Moreover, the perceived efficacy of environmental strategies was positively related to life satisfaction in regulating sadness. The results encourage more explicit treatment of environmental strategies in research on affect regulation. PMID:29720955

Environmental economic impact assessment in China: Problems and prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindhjem, Henrik; Hu Tao; Ma Zhong; Skjelvik, John Magne; Song Guojun; Vennemo, Haakon; Wu Jian; Zhang Shiqiu

2007-01-01

The use of economic valuation methods to assess environmental impacts of projects and policies has grown considerably in recent years. However, environmental valuation appears to have developed independently of regulations and practice of environmental impact assessment (EIA), despite its potential benefits to the EIA process. Environmental valuation may be useful in judging significance of impacts, determining mitigation level, comparing alternatives and generally enabling a more objective analysis of tradeoffs. In China, laws and regulations require the use of environmental valuation in EIA, but current practice lags far behind. This paper assesses the problems and prospects of introducing environmental valuation into the EIA process in China. We conduct four case studies of environmental economic impact assessment (EEIA), three of which are based on environmental impact statements of construction projects (a power plant, a wastewater treatment plant and a road construction project) and one for a regional pollution problem (wastewater irrigation). The paper demonstrates the potential usefulness of environmental valuation but also discusses several challenges to the introduction and wider use of EEIA, many of which are likely to be of relevance far beyond the Chinese context. The paper closes with suggesting some initial core elements of an EEIA guideline

The Association between Motivation, Affect, and Self-regulated Learning When Solving Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martine Baars

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Self-regulated learning (SRL skills are essential for learning during school years, particularly in complex problem-solving domains, such as biology and math. Although a lot of studies have focused on the cognitive resources that are needed for learning to solve problems in a self-regulated way, affective and motivational resources have received much less research attention. The current study investigated the relation between affect (i.e., Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale, motivation (i.e., autonomous and controlled motivation, mental effort, SRL skills, and problem-solving performance when learning to solve biology problems in a self-regulated online learning environment. In the learning phase, secondary education students studied video-modeling examples of how to solve hereditary problems, solved hereditary problems which they chose themselves from a set of problems with different complexity levels (i.e., five levels. In the posttest, students solved hereditary problems, self-assessed their performance, and chose a next problem from the set of problems but did not solve these problems. The results from this study showed that negative affect, inaccurate self-assessments during the posttest, and higher perceptions of mental effort during the posttest were negatively associated with problem-solving performance after learning in a self-regulated way.

The Association between Motivation, Affect, and Self-regulated Learning When Solving Problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Baars, Martine; Wijnia, Lisette; Paas, Fred

2017-01-01

Self-regulated learning (SRL) skills are essential for learning during school years, particularly in complex problem-solving domains, such as biology and math. Although a lot of studies have focused on the cognitive resources that are needed for learning to solve problems in a self-regulated way, affective and motivational resources have received much less research attention. The current study investigated the relation between affect (i.e., Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale), motivation (i.e., autonomous and controlled motivation), mental effort, SRL skills, and problem-solving performance when learning to solve biology problems in a self-regulated online learning environment. In the learning phase, secondary education students studied video-modeling examples of how to solve hereditary problems, solved hereditary problems which they chose themselves from a set of problems with different complexity levels (i.e., five levels). In the posttest, students solved hereditary problems, self-assessed their performance, and chose a next problem from the set of problems but did not solve these problems. The results from this study showed that negative affect, inaccurate self-assessments during the posttest, and higher perceptions of mental effort during the posttest were negatively associated with problem-solving performance after learning in a self-regulated way.

Noticing relevant problem features: activating prior knowledge affects problem solving by guiding encoding

Science.gov (United States)

Crooks, Noelle M.; Alibali, Martha W.

2013-01-01

This study investigated whether activating elements of prior knowledge can influence how problem solvers encode and solve simple mathematical equivalence problems (e.g., 3 + 4 + 5 = 3 + __). Past work has shown that such problems are difficult for elementary school students (McNeil and Alibali, 2000). One possible reason is that children's experiences in math classes may encourage them to think about equations in ways that are ultimately detrimental. Specifically, children learn a set of patterns that are potentially problematic (McNeil and Alibali, 2005a): the perceptual pattern that all equations follow an “operations = answer” format, the conceptual pattern that the equal sign means “calculate the total”, and the procedural pattern that the correct way to solve an equation is to perform all of the given operations on all of the given numbers. Upon viewing an equivalence problem, knowledge of these patterns may be reactivated, leading to incorrect problem solving. We hypothesized that these patterns may negatively affect problem solving by influencing what people encode about a problem. To test this hypothesis in children would require strengthening their misconceptions, and this could be detrimental to their mathematical development. Therefore, we tested this hypothesis in undergraduate participants. Participants completed either control tasks or tasks that activated their knowledge of the three patterns, and were then asked to reconstruct and solve a set of equivalence problems. Participants in the knowledge activation condition encoded the problems less well than control participants. They also made more errors in solving the problems, and their errors resembled the errors children make when solving equivalence problems. Moreover, encoding performance mediated the effect of knowledge activation on equivalence problem solving. Thus, one way in which experience may affect equivalence problem solving is by influencing what students encode about the

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS? ATTITUDES TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dilek OZMEN

2005-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine university students? attitudes towards environmental problems and the influence of socio-demographic characteristics on it. The present descriptive study was carried out at the Celal Bayar University School of Health, SHMYO and Faculty of Medicine (N=742. A questionnaire designed by researches and Environmental Attitudes Scale (EAS were applied to n=410 students who were present at the school at the time of applying. Although 65,0% of the students have stated that they were sensitive to environmental issues, 84,9% of them have not participitated to an activity about environmental issues. Total score of EAS of the students of Faculty of Medicine and School of Health, the students whose age were higher than 20, female students, the students who lived longest at city, the students who were sensitive to environmental issues, the students who thought an education must be given in high school, the students who has siblings fewer than 3 and the students whose parents were university graduate were higher than other students (p < 0,05. An education program should be developed for the students who were sensitive about the environmental issues to change their behavior about environmental matters. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2005; 4(6.000: 330-344

Discussion in primary ecological environmental problems and relevant countermeasures in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An Yongfeng

2003-01-01

On the basis of sufficient statistical data, the primary ecological environmental problems, including water/soil loss and dissertation, water resource shortage and water pollution, deterioration of air quality and air pollution, despoilation of biodiversity, and environmental pollution, are listed in this paper. In addition, the causes of these problems are analyzed. Finally, relevant strategies and measures for environmental protection are brought forward. (authors)

Echothymia: environmental dependency in the affective domain.

Science.gov (United States)

Marin, Robert S; Gorovoy, Ian R

2014-01-01

Echothymia is stimulus-bound affective behavior, an echophenomenon in the domain of affect. Like echolalia and echopraxia, it is a concomitant of the environmental dependency associated with dysfunction of the frontal-striatal systems that mediate so-called frontal lobe functions. The authors introduce the definition and phenomenology of echothymia, overview its differential diagnosis and clinical significance, and suggest ways in which understanding echothymia may contribute to clinical management.

Ethical and affective evaluation of environmental risks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bohm, G.; Pfister, H.R.

1998-01-01

Full text of publication follows: the present paper will be concerned with environmental risk perception, with special emphasis on those environmental risks that pertain to global change phenomena, such as climate change and ozone depletion. Two determinants of risk judgments are investigated that seem particularly relevant to environmental risks: ethical and affective evaluations. It is assumed that the focus of risk evaluation can be on one of two aspects: a) on an evaluation of potential losses, or b) on ethical considerations. We assume that both, potential loss and violation of ethical principles elicit emotional evaluations, but that these two judgmental aspects are associated with different specific emotions. Following cognitive emotion theories, we distinguish loss-based emotions, such as worry and fear, from ethical emotions, e.g., guilt and anger. A study is presented that investigates the role of ethical and affective evaluations in risk judgments. Various environmental risks were presented to subjects, e.g., air pollution, ozone depletion, climate change and destruction of ecological balance. For each environmental risk, subjects indicated in free-response format as well as on rating scales the extent to which ethical principles were violated, and the intensity of both loss-based and ethical emotions. The correlational structure of the emotion ratings confirms the distinction between loss-based and ethical emotions. Risk judgments co-vary with the strength of ethical evaluation and with the intensity of loss-based emotions, but are independent of ethical emotions. The implications of these findings for the risk appraisal process are discussed. (authors)

Coping with persistent environmental problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Varjopuro, Riku; Andrulewicz, Eugeniusz; Brandt, Urs Steiner

2014-01-01

to a decision to taking action and several years further for actual implementation. Ecosystem responses to measures illustrate that feedback can keep the ecosystem in a certain state and cause a delay in ecosystem response. These delays can operate on decadal scales. Our aim in this paper...... involved in the implementation are keys to improve understanding of the systemic delays. The improved understanding is necessary for the adaptive management of a persistent environmental problem. In addition to the state of the environment, the monitoring and analysis should be targeted also......; (2) implementation delay: the time from the launch of a policy to the actual implementation; (3) ecosystem delay: the time difference between the implementation and an actual measurable effects. A policy process is one characterized by delays. It may take years from problem identification...

Can Ethics answer to the modern environmental problems?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez Restrepo, Rubiel

2012-01-01

The human being has an indisputable biological and cultural specificity; however, he is constantly in touch with many things of the environment, he uses them, and often depletes beyond the capacity of recovery of that environment. Then, the modern and serious environmental problems arise, and end up compromising the survival of our species as well as every possible shape of life. These situation demands of the human being, attitudes and behaviors that show a responsibility for his environment as for himself, taking into account the gravity of his actions. That the human being gives an account of their own actions, correspond to what historically is known as moral which philosophical study is ethics. But a look to the historically constituted ethics shows that because of their prevailing anthropocentrism, they can not answer to the modern environmental problems. That why is necessary and urgent to think of an alternative ethic, in relation to its principles and its topics, as an answer to the gravity of the environmental issues.

Soft Systems Methodology and Problem Framing: Development of an Environmental Problem Solving Model Respecting a New Emergent Reflexive Paradigm.

Science.gov (United States)

Gauthier, Benoit; And Others

1997-01-01

Identifies the more representative problem-solving models in environmental education. Suggests the addition of a strategy for defining a problem situation using Soft Systems Methodology to environmental education activities explicitly designed for the development of critical thinking. Contains 45 references. (JRH)

Affect Consciousness in children with internalizing problems: Assessment of affect integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Taarvig, Eva; Solbakken, Ole André; Grova, Bjørg; Monsen, Jon T

2015-10-01

Affect integration was operationalized through the Affect Consciousness (AC) construct as degrees of awareness, tolerance, nonverbal expression and conceptual expression of 11 affects. These aspects are assessed through a semi-structured Affect Consciousness Interview (ACI) and separate rating scales (Affect Consciousness Scales (ACSs)) developed for use in research and clinical work with adults with psychopathological disorders. Age-adjusted changes were made in the interview and rating system. This study explored the applicability of the adjusted ACI to a sample of 11-year-old children with internalizing problems through examining inter-rater reliability of the adjusted ACI, along with relationships between the AC aspects and aspects of mental health as symptoms of depression, symptoms of anxiety, social competence, besides general intelligence. Satisfactory inter-rater reliability was found, as well as consistent relationships between the AC aspects and the various aspects of mental health, a finding which coincides with previous research. The finding indicates that the attainment of the capacity to deal adaptively with affect is probably an important contributor to the development of adequate social competence and maybe in the prevention of psychopathology in children. The results indicate that the adjusted ACI and rating scales are useful tools in treatment planning with children at least from the age of 11 years. © The Author(s) 2014.

China's Environmental Problems: Selected Issues and Solutions in Context

OpenAIRE

Tisdell, Clem

1996-01-01

China has experienced outstanding economic growth in recent decades, but not without environmental problems and costs. Environmental costs have included increased air and water pollution, loss of natural vegetation cover and deforestation, soil erosion and a decline in the fertility of the soil and biodiversity loss. Consequently, some writers have questioned whether China’s rate of growth is environmentally sustainable and doubt if China will attain middle-income status in the next century b...

Environmental adversity and children's early trajectories of problem behavior: The role of harsh parental discipline.

Science.gov (United States)

Flouri, Eirini; Midouhas, Emily

2017-03-01

This study was performed to examine the role of harsh parental discipline in mediating and moderating the effects of environmental adversity (family socioeconomic disadvantage and adverse life events) on emotional and behavioral problems across early-to-middle childhood. The sample included 16,916 children (48% female; 24% non-White) from the U.K.'s Millennium Cohort Study. We analyzed trajectories of conduct, hyperactivity, and emotional problems, measured at ages 3, 5, and 7 years, using growth curve models. Harsh parental discipline was measured at these ages with parent-reported items on the frequency of using the physical and verbal discipline tactics of smacking, shouting at, and "telling off" the child. As expected, family socioeconomic disadvantage and adverse life events were significantly associated with emotional and behavioral problems. Harsh parental discipline was related to children's trajectories of problems, and it moderated, but did not explain, the effect of environmental risk on these trajectories. High-risk children experiencing harsh parental discipline had the highest levels of conduct problems and hyperactivity across the study period. In addition, harsh parental discipline predicted an increase in emotional symptoms over time in high-risk children, unseen in their counterparts experiencing low levels of harsh parental discipline. However, children in low-risk families were also negatively affected by harsh parental discipline concurrently and over time. In conclusion, harsh parental discipline predicted emotional and behavioral problems in high- and low-risk children and moderated the effects of family poverty and adversity on these problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Environmental problems: the expert opinions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1996-01-01

The environmental problems constitute one of the questions the most complicated which sets up to modern societies. Indeed, their reasons are multiple and their consequences are not always known with certainty. Several scientific contributions are given in this book on the following fields: the stratospheric ozone, the oceans pollution, the industrial and municipal wastes, the urbanization, the transports, the civil nuclear, the greenhouse effect, the air pollution, the water pollution and the main industrial accidents. Only the five last points are detailed later on. (O.L.). refs., tabs

Environmental restoration in regions of uranium mining and milling in Ukraine: Progress, problems and perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudy, C.

1997-01-01

Uranium exploration activities in Ukraine were initiated in 1946. So far 21 uranium reserves have been identified in the Southern regions of Ukraine. Industrial scale mining has been undertaken in two main areas -ZhovtiVody (Dnipropetrovsk region) and more recently - near the city of Kirovograd. Uranium milling capabilities were created in ZhovtiVody and Dniprodzerzhinsk. At Dniprodzerzhinsk Prydniprovsky Chemical Plant uranium milling started in the late 40's, initially using ores from the countries of Central Europe. Lack of relevant environmental standards and appropriate technologies for uranium extraction contributed to contamination of both industrial and residential areas. As a result, about 1340 ha of industrial areas were contaminated and ecologically affected. Extensive utilization of waste rock pile for road and building construction in the 50's and 60's resulted in contamination of residential areas in the region. To provide a comprehensive solution to the radioecological problems of the ZhovtiVody area a State Programme of Actions up to the year 2005 was adopted by the Ukrainian government in 1995. A timely methodological and information support for national activities on environmental restoration in Ukraine was provided by IAEA regional project RER/9/022. In April 1996 under the framework of the RER/9/022 project, seminar on environmental restoration in regions of uranium mining and milling took place in the town of Zhovti Vody, that allowed involvement of local experts and organizations into the project activities directly. The proposed paper is based on the vast amount of data accumulated in Ukraine during RER/9/022 covering the period 1993-1996. Severe lack of finance adversely affected all activities within the nuclear sector, environmental restoration implementation being the most affected. In such circumstances RER/9/022 remained as one of the most valuable contributing factors in the development of regulations, guidance and practices in the

Excel 2016 for environmental sciences statistics a guide to solving practical problems

CERN Document Server

Quirk, Thomas J; Horton, Howard F

2016-01-01

This book is a step-by-step exercise-driven guide for students and practitioners who need to master Excel to solve practical environmental science problems. If understanding statistics isn’t your strongest suit, you are not especially mathematically-inclined, or if you are wary of computers, this is the right book for you. Excel is an effective learning tool for quantitative analyses in environmental science courses. Its powerful computational ability and graphical functions make learning statistics much easier than in years past. However, Excel 2016 for Environmental Science Statistics: A Guide to Solving Practical Problems is the first book to capitalize on these improvements by teaching students and managers how to apply Excel 2016 to statistical techniques necessary in their courses and work. Each chapter explains statistical formulas and directs the reader to use Excel commands to solve specific, easy-to-understand environmental science problems. Practice problems are provided at the end of each chapte...

Do job demands and job control affect problem-solving?

Science.gov (United States)

Bergman, Peter N; Ahlberg, Gunnel; Johansson, Gun; Stoetzer, Ulrich; Aborg, Carl; Hallsten, Lennart; Lundberg, Ingvar

2012-01-01

The Job Demand Control model presents combinations of working conditions that may facilitate learning, the active learning hypothesis, or have detrimental effects on health, the strain hypothesis. To test the active learning hypothesis, this study analysed the effects of job demands and job control on general problem-solving strategies. A population-based sample of 4,636 individuals (55% women, 45% men) with the same job characteristics measured at two times with a three year time lag was used. Main effects of demands, skill discretion, task authority and control, and the combined effects of demands and control were analysed in logistic regressions, on four outcomes representing general problem-solving strategies. Those reporting high on skill discretion, task authority and control, as well as those reporting high demand/high control and low demand/high control job characteristics were more likely to state using problem solving strategies. Results suggest that working conditions including high levels of control may affect how individuals cope with problems and that workplace characteristics may affect behaviour in the non-work domain.

Demographic, socioeconomic and environmental changes affecting circulation of neglected tropical diseases in Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Abou-El-Naga, Iman F

2015-11-01

Egypt has been plagued by many neglected tropical diseases since Pharaonic time. These diseases are Schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, lymphatic filariasis, leishmaniasis and fascioliasis beside the epidermal parasitic skin diseases. Indeed, theses diseases still persist as public health problem in the country by the influence of demographic, socioeconomic and environmental obstacles. This study seeks for understanding the contribution of each factor in each obstacle in neglected tropical diseases perpetuation which in turn could help the governorate in planning integrated control strategies. It was found that poverty, unregulated urbanization and inadequate sanitation are important socioeconomic factors that have great effect on the transmission dynamics of the diseases. The environmental factors which affect the epidemiology of these diseases in the country are scarcity of water, construction of dams, land reclamation for agriculture beside the climate factors. Unfortunately, the panic increase in the population growth rate minimizes the efforts done by the governorate to elevate the public health services. These conditions also affect the transmission of epidermal parasitic skin diseases including scabies, head lice and hookworm-related cutaneous larva migrans. The control programs and the recommendations to combat the diseases were discussed. The present study showed that the ecological factors affecting each neglected tropical disease in Egypt are somewhat similar which makes it worthy to develop an integrated control approaches aiming at improving the leading factors of neglected tropical diseases circulation in the country. Copyright © 2015 Hainan Medical College. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Institutional issues of environmental policy; Institutionelle Probleme der Umweltpolitik

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gawel, E. [ed.

1996-12-31

Institutions and institutional theory are important topics in contemporary economic theory. However, their application to issues of environmental economics still is in its infancy. The book summarizes the state of the art in research on institutional aspects of environmental economics, as seen from the angle of the economic and social sciences, and outlines a variety of perceivable approaches oriented towards integrating the institutional aspects in environmental economic theory. This process eventually leading to broader consideration of implementation problems, enforcement and organisational aspects, legal aspects or market factors and functions influencing environmental policy, theory and practice of environmental policy are expected to draw near to each other and thus create the long-hoped-for chance to commence a true interdisciplinary dialogue about the entire spectrum of environmental issues. (orig.) [Deutsch] Institutionen und Institutionentheorie nehmen in der aktuellen oekonomischen Diskussion einen breiten Raum ein. Ihre Einbeziehung auch in der umweltoekonomischen Diskussion steht freilich erst noch in den Anfaengen. Der Band beleuchtet aus wirtschafts- und sozialwissenschaftlicher Sicht den gegenwaertigen Forschungsstand und vermittelt einen Ueberblick ueber unterschiedliche Ansaetze einer fuer institutionelle Probleme offenen Umweltoekonomik. Die Beruecksichtigung von Implementationsproblemen, die Einbeziehung von Vollzugs- und Organisationsfragen, von Rechtsproblemen sowie der konkreten Funktionsbedingungen von Maerkten im Umweltschutz tragen nicht nur dazu bei, dass sich die Theorie und Praxis der Umweltpolitik deutlich naeherruecken, sie bieten auch die lange vermisste Chance eines echten interdisziplinaeren Dialogs ueber Umweltprobleme. (orig.)

The Effects of Argumentation Implementation on Environmental Education Self Efficacy Beliefs and Perspectives According to Environmental Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Fettahlioglu, Pinar

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of argumentation implementation applied in the environmental science course on science teacher candidates' environmental education self-efficacy beliefs and perspectives according to environmental problems. In this mixed method research study, convergent parallel design was utilized.…

Beyond Science and Technology: The need to incorporate Environmental Ethics to solve Environmental Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fesseha Mulu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The emergence and development of science and technology has been critical in improving the lives of mankind. It helps mankind to cope with a number of manmade and natural challenges and disasters. Science cannot totally diminish the level of human dependency on nature; but, with the existing availability of natural resources, science has increased our productivity. However, science and technology can also have its own negative impacts on the natural environment. For the purpose of increasing productivity and satisfying human needs, humans have been egoistically exploiting nature but disregarding the effects of their activities on nature. Science has also been trying its level best to mitigate the negative effects that results from mankind’s exploitation of nature. However, science alone is incapable of solving all environmental problems. This desk research employs secondary sources of data, and argues that environmental ethics should come to the fore in order to address the gap left by science with regard to resolving environmental problems that mankind faces today.

Annealed Demon Algorithms Solving the Environmental / Economic Dispatch Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aristidis VLACHOS

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an efficient and reliable Annealed Demon (AD algorithm for the Environmental/Economic Dispatch (EEB problem. The EED problem is a multi-objective non-linear optimization problem with constraints. This problem is one of the fundamentals issues in power system operation. The system of generation associates thermal generators and emissions which involves sulphur oxides (SO2 and nitrogen oxides (NOx. The aim is to minimize total fuel cost of the system and control emission. The proposed AD algorithm is applied for EED of a simple power system.

Is Formal Environmental Education Friendly to Nature? Environmental Ethics in Science Textbooks for Primary School Pupils in Poland

Science.gov (United States)

Gola, Beata

2017-01-01

Due to the increased interest in ecology, global warming and numerous environmental problems, ecological issues are becoming extremely important in education. Many researchers and thinkers believe that solutions to environmental problems are affected by the environmental ethics adopted. This article identifies which of the three branches of…

A review of mathematical models in economic environmental problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nahorski, Z.; Ravn, H.F.

2000-01-01

The paper presents a review of mathematical models used,in economic analysis of environmental problems. This area of research combines macroeconomic models of growth, as dependent on capital, labour, resources, etc., with environmental models describing such phenomena like natural resources...... exhaustion or pollution accumulation and degradation. In simpler cases the models can be treated analytically and the utility function can be optimized using, e.g., such tools as the maximum principle. In more complicated cases calculation of the optimal environmental policies requires a computer solution....

[How do universities confront and manage environmental problems?].

Science.gov (United States)

Inadera, H

2001-06-01

Occupational medicine is concerned with the recognition and prevention of diseases related to the work environment. The special tools, namely, epidemiology, toxicology, and public health and clinical expertise, are joined by another specialty, environmental medicine. The Environmental Science Center (ESC) of the University of Tokyo was established in April 1975 for the purpose of treating chemically-hazardous wastes deriving from the university. The ESC houses various sections including research, education, operations, management, and also a waste-collection and-treatment division. In this review, the author intends to summarize the activity of the ESC, and then review the approaches we have applied in order to deal with the environmental problems we have faced.

Environmental problems and economic development in an endogenous fertility model

OpenAIRE

Frank Joest; Martin Quaas; Johannes Schiller

2006-01-01

Population growth is often viewed as a most oppressive global problem with respect to environmental deterioration, but the relationships between population development, economic dynamics and environmental pollution are complex due to various feedback mechanisms. We analyze society’s economic decisions on birth rates, investment into human and physical capital, and polluting emissions within an optimal control model of the coupled demographic-economic-environmental system. We show that a long-...

Toward a mathematical theory of environmental monitoring: the infrequent sampling problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pimentel, K.D.

1975-06-01

Optimal monitoring of pollutants in diffusive environmental media was studied in the contexts of the subproblems of the optimal design and management of environmental monitors for bounds on maximum allowable errors in the estimate of the monitor state or output variables. Concise problem statements were made. Continuous-time finite-dimensional normal mode models for distributed stochastic diffusive pollutant transport were developed. The resultant set of state equations was discretized in time for implementation in the Kalman Filter in the problem of optimal state estimation. The main results of this thesis concern the special class of optimal monitoring problem called the infrequent sampling problem. Extensions to systems including pollutant scavenging and systems with emission or radiation boundary conditions were made. (U.S.)

Sleeping with technology: cognitive, affective, and technology usage predictors of sleep problems among college students.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosen, Larry; Carrier, Louis M; Miller, Aimee; Rokkum, Jeffrey; Ruiz, Abraham

2016-03-01

Sleep problems related to technology affect college students through several potential mechanisms including displacement of sleep due to technology use, executive functioning abilities, and the impact of emotional states related to stress and anxiety about technology availability. In the present study, cognitive and affective factors that influence technology usage were examined for their impact upon sleep problems. More than 700 US college students completed an online questionnaire addressing technology usage, anxiety/dependence, executive functioning, nighttime phone usage, bedtime phone location, and sleep problems. A path model controlling for background variables was tested using the data. The results showed that executive dysfunction directly predicted sleep problems as well as affected sleep problems through nighttime awakenings. In addition, anxiety/dependence increased daily smartphone usage and also increased nighttime awakenings, which, in turn, affected sleep problems. Thus, both the affective and cognitive factors that influence technology usage affected sleep problems. Copyright © 2016 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Moral Responsibility for Environmental Problems : Individual or Institutional?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fahlquist, J.N.

2008-01-01

The actions performed by individuals, as consumers and citizens, have aggregate negative consequences for the environment. The question asked in this paper is to what extent it is reasonable to hold individuals and institutions responsible for environmental problems. A distinction is made between

Current Problems of Improving the Environmental Certification and Output Compliance Verification in the Context of Environmental Management in Kazakhstan

Science.gov (United States)

Zhambaev, Yerzhan S.; Sagieva, Galia K.; Bazarbek, Bakhytzhan Zh.; Akkulov, Rustem T.

2016-01-01

The article discusses the issues of improving the activity of subjects of environmental management in accordance with international environmental standards and national environmental legislation. The article deals with the problem of ensuring the implementation of international environmental standards, the introduction of eco-management, and the…

Energy resources of the Denver and Cheyenne Basins, Colorado - resource characteristics, development potential, and environmental problems. Environmental Geology 12

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirkham, R.M.; Ladwig, L.R.

1980-01-01

The geological characteristics, development potential, and environmental problems related to the exploration for and development of energy resources in the Denver and Cheyenne Basins of Colorado were investigated. Coal, lignite, uranium, oil and natural gas were evaluated. Emphasis is placed on environmental problems that may develop from the exploration for an extraction of these energy resources

Socio-environmental policy of Brazilian electric sector. Effects of environmental legislation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amaral, A.C.; Menezes, C.F.S.

1993-01-01

The great socio-environmental policies of Brazilian electric sector are presented, including the aspects of environmental legislation that affects the electric sector and the difficulties faced in order to adapting to this situation. The main problems that the electric sector has found to establishing its socio-environmental policies are also described. (C.M.)

Development of predictions of future pollution problems. Socio-economic environmental studies series

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flinn, J.E.; Reimers, R.S.

1974-03-01

The report describes the results of a program to identify, rank and project short- and intermediate-term future pollution problems. Identification was accomplished using three independent search approaches based on industrial production, environmental, and societal trends and activity. Primary emphasis was placed on the environmental trends as gleaned from EPA, Battelle, Literature, and other sources. An initial list of problems was compiled with specific stressors identified with each. Nine ranking factors were devised to select ten most serious problems from the initial list. The factors included: persistence; mobility/pervasiveness; environmental, technological, social, and political complexity; physiological risk; research needs; and bulk or volume of the pollutant. The ten problems selected by this method were further ranked in order of relative importance. The ten selected problems in rank order are as follows: (1) Impacts of new energy initiatives; (2) Geophysical modifications of the earth; (3) Trace element (metal) contaminants; (4) Proliferating hazardous and toxic chemicals; (5) Emissions from new automobile fuels, additives, and control devices; (6) Disposal of waste sludges, liquids, and solid residues; (7) Critical radiation problems; (8) Fine particulates; (9) Expanding drinking water contamination; (10) Irrigation (impoundment) practices. Five to ten year projections were made of the ten problems which resulted

[Saskatchewan Fund for environmental problems]. Annual report and financial statements 1996--1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

This gives the annual report of the Fund, established by the Provincial Government in 1989 to replace the well deposit system and to provide the government with a means to address unique oil and gas related environmental problems. The Fund guarantees the proper drilling, completion and abandonment of wells, including surface restoration, and allows the government to respond to a major spill or environmental problem when liability for the problem cannot initially be determined. This report describes the purpose of the Fund, and summarizes its activities. A financial statement is included

Developing a system dynamics model to analyse environmental problem in construction site

Science.gov (United States)

Haron, Fatin Fasehah; Hawari, Nurul Nazihah

2017-11-01

This study aims to develop a system dynamics model at a construction site to analyse the impact of environmental problem. Construction sites may cause damages to the environment, and interference in the daily lives of residents. A proper environmental management system must be used to reduce pollution, enhance bio-diversity, conserve water, respect people and their local environment, measure performance and set targets for the environment and sustainability. This study investigates the damaging impact normally occur during the construction stage. Environmental problem will cause costly mistake in project implementation, either because of the environmental damages that are likely to arise during project implementation, or because of modification that may be required subsequently in order to make the action environmentally acceptable. Thus, findings from this study has helped in significantly reducing the damaging impact towards environment, and improve the environmental management system performance at construction site.

Implementation of Problem-Based Learning in Environmental Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Jansson, Stina; So¨derstro¨m, Hanna; Andersson, Patrik L.; Nording, Malin L.

2015-01-01

Environmental Chemistry covers a range of topics within the discipline of chemistry, from toxicology to legislation, which warrants interdisciplinary study. Consequently, problem-based learning (PBL), a style of student-centered learning which facilitates the integration of multiple subjects, was investigated to determine if it would be a more…

Assessment of Environmental Problems and Methods of Waste ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study assessed the environmental problems and methods of waste management in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Waste management is the collection, transportation, processing, recycling or disposal of waste materials, usually the one produced by human activities in an effort to reduce their effect on human health or on local ...

Environmental Factors Affecting Where People Geocache

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Golbeck

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Outdoor leisure activities are important for public health as well as family cohesiveness, yet environmental factors may easily affect someone’s ability to participate in such activities. We explored this with a focus on the social web-based treasure hunt game called Geocaching. We collected data on all US and Canadian geocaches from OpenCaching.com and conducted an online survey with twenty geocachers as a follow-up to our data analysis. Data analysis showed that geocaches were more often found in areas that were wealthier, better educated, younger, and more urban, and had higher population density and better weather. Survey results showed similar trends: Most people actively thought about where they would cache and tried to minimize risks, despite cache hiders thinking less about these concerns. These results further emphasize the importance of environmental factors when it comes to participation in outdoor activities and leads to Human–Computer Interaction design implications for location-based online social activities.

The Turner Syndrome: Cognitive Deficits, Affective Discrimination, and Behavior Problems.

Science.gov (United States)

McCauley, Elizabeth; And Others

1987-01-01

The study attemped to link cognitive and social problems seen in girls with Turner syndrome by assessing the girls' ability to process affective cues. Seventeen 9- to 17-year-old girls diagnosed with Turner syndrome were compared to a matched control group on a task which required interpretation of affective intention from facial expression.…

Environmental and genetic factors affecting faecal worm egg counts ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Environmental and genetic factors affecting faecal worm egg counts in Merinos divergently selected for reproduction. ... The fixed effect of birth year x sex interaction was significant, with rams showing higher mean values for FWEC than ewes ...

What if solar energy becomes really cheap? A thought experiment on environmental problem shifting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bergh, Van den Jeroen; Folke, Carl; Polasky, Stephen; Scheffer, Marten; Steffen, Will

2015-01-01

Solving one environmental problem may often invoke or intensify another one. Such environmental problem shifting (EPS) is a neglected topic in global sustainability research. Indeed, it is difficult to study as it requires the merging of insights from various research areas. Here we identify

What if solar energy becomes really cheap? A thought experiment on environmental problem shifting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Bergh, J.C.J.M.; Folke, C.; Polasky, S.; Scheffer, M.; Steffen, W.

2015-01-01

Solving one environmental problem may often invoke or intensify another one. Such environmental problem shifting (EPS) is a neglected topic in global sustainability research. Indeed, it is difficult to study as it requires the merging of insights from various research areas. Here we identify

Green open location-routing problem considering economic and environmental costs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eliana M. Toro

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper introduces a new bi-objective vehicle routing problem that integrates the Open Location Routing Problem (OLRP, recently presented in the literature, coupled with the growing need for fuel consumption minimization, named Green OLRP (G-OLRP. Open routing problems (ORP are known to be NP-hard problems, in which vehicles start from the set of existing depots and are not required to return to the starting depot after completing their service. The OLRP is a strategic-level problem involving the selection of one or many depots from a set of candidate locations and the planning of delivery radial routes from the selected depots to a set of customers. The concept of radial paths allows us to use a set of constraints focused on maintaining the radiality condition of the paths, which significantly simplifies the set of constraints associated with the connectivity and capacity requirements and provides a suitable alternative when compared with the elimination problem of sub-tours traditionally addressed in the literature. The emphasis in the paper will be placed on modeling rather than solution methods. The model proposed is formulated as a bi-objective problem, considering the minimization of operational costs and the minimization of environmental effects, and it is solved by using the epsilon constraint technique. The results illustrate that the proposed model is able to generate a set of trade-off solutions leading to interesting conclusions about the relationship between operational costs and environmental impact.

Guidance for modeling causes and effects in environmental problem solving

Science.gov (United States)

Armour, Carl L.; Williamson, Samuel C.

1988-01-01

Environmental problems are difficult to solve because their causes and effects are not easily understood. When attempts are made to analyze causes and effects, the principal challenge is organization of information into a framework that is logical, technically defensible, and easy to understand and communicate. When decisionmakers attempt to solve complex problems before an adequate cause and effect analysis is performed there are serious risks. These risks include: greater reliance on subjective reasoning, lessened chance for scoping an effective problem solving approach, impaired recognition of the need for supplemental information to attain understanding, increased chance for making unsound decisions, and lessened chance for gaining approval and financial support for a program/ Cause and effect relationships can be modeled. This type of modeling has been applied to various environmental problems, including cumulative impact assessment (Dames and Moore 1981; Meehan and Weber 1985; Williamson et al. 1987; Raley et al. 1988) and evaluation of effects of quarrying (Sheate 1986). This guidance for field users was written because of the current interest in documenting cause-effect logic as a part of ecological problem solving. Principal literature sources relating to the modeling approach are: Riggs and Inouye (1975a, b), Erickson (1981), and United States Office of Personnel Management (1986).

Teacher Candidates' Attitudes, Knowledge Levels and Sensitivities towards Environmental Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Akman, Ozkan

2017-01-01

"A people without children would face a hopeless future; a country without trees is almost as helpless" (Theodore Roosevelt). Humans both have been affected by environmental events and have affected their environments by a variety of activities since man has been on earth. However, because of the lack of population for a long time and…

Overlapping genetic and environmental influences among men's alcohol consumption and problems, romantic quality and social support.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvatore, J E; Prom-Wormley, E; Prescott, C A; Kendler, K S

2015-08-01

Alcohol consumption and problems are associated with interpersonal difficulties. We used a twin design to assess in men the degree to which genetic or environmental influences contributed to the covariance between alcohol consumption and problems, romantic quality and social support. The sample included adult male-male twin pairs (697 monozygotic and 487 dizygotic) for whom there were interview-based data on: alcohol consumption (average monthly alcohol consumption in the past year); alcohol problems (lifetime alcohol dependence symptoms); romantic conflict and warmth; friend problems and support; and relative problems and support. Key findings were that genetic and unique environmental factors contributed to the covariance between alcohol consumption and romantic conflict; genetic factors contributed to the covariance between alcohol problems and romantic conflict; and common and unique environmental factors contributed to the covariance between alcohol problems and friend problems. Recognizing and addressing the overlapping genetic and environmental influences that alcohol consumption and problems share with romantic quality and other indicators of social support may have implications for substance use prevention and intervention efforts.

Summary of panel session 3 -- Environmental issues affecting CCT deployment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hausker, K. [Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC (United States)

1997-12-31

The panelists discussed a variety of environmental issues that affect CCT deployment, and more broadly speaking, power development in general. The issues were both international and domestic in nature. The author summarizes the issues discussed. A summary is also presented which highlights ideas from the panelists that could be characterized as solutions to the demand for improved environmental performance and the surrounding uncertainties. The author offers some personal comments and observations.

Individualized solutions to environmental problems: a case of automobile pollution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Urmetzer, P.; Blake, D. E.; Guppy, N. [British Columbia Univ., Vancouver, BC (Canada)

1999-09-01

Air pollution associated with motor vehicle use is one of the prime indicators of the tension between consumerism and the environment. The use of private automobiles seems so convenient, whereas the alternatives are off-putting enough to make significant changes in personal transportation behaviour well-nigh impossible. At the same time, combating the air pollution associated with extensive use of cars has become one of the major policy objectives for cities around the world. Available policy alternatives can be divided into two categories: (1) incentives, such as improved public transportation, and (2) disincentives, such as environmental tax on gasoline. This paper attempt to directly assess links between these two alternatives, associated attitudes towards them, the level of public support for command and control (i.e. regulatory) policy approaches as well as for economic incentive/disincentive policies. Answers are sought and findings discussed relative to the link between opinions about the environment and support for different types of environmental policies, the usefulness of a rational choice perspective in explaining support for environmental policy alternatives, the role that partisan political attachments play in support of environmental policy approaches, and the roles played by environmental activism, knowledge, and action in shaping support for environmental policy alternatives. Overall results indicate that while most people living in urban environments support the ideas of environmental protection and would be willing to incur costs to confront the problem, exposure to air pollution plays an inconsequential (actually nearly non-existent) role in support of automobile-related environmental problems. Automobile users act like 'free-riders' i.e. they tend to support policies that socialize the cost of solutions rather than policies that attempt to pass the cost of pollution directly on to individual car owners. A sample of the responses to

Can Pollution Problems Be Effectively Solved by Environmental Science and Technology? An Analysis of Critical Limitations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huesemann, Michael H.(BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB))

2000-12-01

It is currently believed that science and technology can provide effective solutions to most, if not all, environmental problems facing western industrial societies. The validity of this optimistic assumption is highly questionable for at least three reasons: First, current mechanistic, reductionist science is inherently incapable of providing the complete and accurate information which is required to successfully address environmental problems. Second, both the conservation of mass principle and the second law of thermodynamics dictate that most remediation technologies - while successful in solving specific pollution problems - cause unavoidable negative environmental impacts elsewhere or in the future. Third, it is intrinsically impossible to design industrial processes that have no negative environmental impacts. This follows not only from the entropy law but also from the fact that any generation of energy is impossible without negative environmental consequences. It can therefore be concluded that science and technology have only very limited potential in solving current and future environmental problems. Consequently, it will be necessary to address the root cause of environmental deterioration, namely the prevailing materialistic values that are the main driving force for both overpopulation and overconsumption. The long-term protection of the environment is therefore not primarily a technical problem but rather a social and moral problem that can only be solved by drastically reducing the strong influence of materialistic values.

Empathy in early childhood: genetic, environmental, and affective contributions.

Science.gov (United States)

Knafo, Ariel; Zahn-Waxler, Carolyn; Davidov, Maayan; Van Hulle, Carol; Robinson, JoAnn L; Rhee, Soo Hyun

2009-06-01

We investigated the genetic and environmental origins of children's empathy toward a distress victim and its correlates with emotional symptoms and affective knowledge. The cognitive (hypothesis testing) and affective (empathic concern) empathy of 122 twin pairs in response to simulated pain by an adult examiner was observed at 3.5 years of age. Moderate (0.19 to 0.44) heritabilities were estimated for individual differences in empathy, and the nonshared environment and error accounted for the rest of the variance. Hypothesis testing and empathic concern were moderately correlated, mainly through overlapping genetic effects. Although children's affective knowledge did not correlate with their empathy, affective knowledge interacted with mother-rated emotional symptoms in predicting empathy; knowledge about emotions was associated with greater empathy in children low in emotional symptoms. In contrast, among children with high degrees of emotional symptoms, those with better affective knowledge tended to show lower empathy.

Environmental and Physiological Factors Affect Football Head Impact Biomechanics.

Science.gov (United States)

Mihalik, Jason P; Sumrall, Adam Z; Yeargin, Susan W; Guskiewicz, Kevin M; King, Kevin B; Trulock, Scott C; Shields, Edgar W

2017-10-01

Recent anecdotal trends suggest a disproportionate number of head injuries in collegiate football players occur during preseason football camp. In warmer climates, this season also represents the highest risk for heat-related illness among collegiate football players. Because concussion and heat illnesses share many common symptoms, we need 1) to understand if environmental conditions, body temperature, and hydration status affect head impact biomechanics; and 2) to determine if an in-helmet thermistor could provide a valid measure of gastrointestinal temperature. A prospective cohort of 18 Division I college football players (age, 21.1 ± 1.4 yr; height, 187.7 ± 6.6 cm; mass, 114.5 ± 23.4 kg). Data were collected during one control and three experimental sessions. During each session, the Head Impact Telemetry System recorded head impact biomechanics (linear acceleration, rotational acceleration, and severity profile) and in-helmet temperature. A wet bulb globe device recorded environmental conditions, and CorTemp™ Ingestible Core Body Temperature Sensors recorded gastrointestinal temperature. Our findings suggest that linear acceleration (P = 0.57), rotational acceleration (P = 0.16), and Head Impact Technology severity profile (P = 0.33) are not influenced by environmental or physiological conditions. We did not find any single or combination of predictors for impact severity. Rotational acceleration was approaching significance between our early experimental sessions when compared with our control session. More research should be conducted to better understand if rotational accelerations are a component of impact magnitudes that are affected due to changes in environmental conditions, body temperature, and hydration status.

Relationship of aggression, negative affect, substance use problems, and childhood delinquency to DWI recidivism.

Science.gov (United States)

Linn, Braden K; Nochajski, Thomas; Wieczorek, William

2016-01-01

Driving under the influence remains a pervasive problem. Approximately 30% of those arrested for impaired driving offenses each year are repeat offenders, suggesting that current rehabilitative efforts are not sufficiently effective for reducing driving while intoxicated (DWI) recidivism. Aggression, negative affect, substance use problems, and childhood delinquency have been noted in the population of impaired drivers, but study of these variables on recidivism has been limited. The aim of the current study was to examine the effects of aggression, negative affect, substance use problems, and childhood delinquency on DWI recidivism among first time offenders. In 1992, 6436 individuals in impaired driver programs in New York State were surveyed. A total of 3511 individuals provided names so that state driver abstracts could be reviewed in the future. A total of 2043 matches were found and 1770 remained after excluding those with previous DWI convictions. Driver records were reviewed in 2010 and 2012, providing between 18 and 20 years of follow-up. During the follow-up period, 16.5% of individuals were arrested for an impaired driving offense. Multivariate analysis suggested that recidivism was a function of several problems, including: alcohol problem severity, aggression, negative affect, drug problem severity, criminal history, and childhood delinquency. Impaired driving programs should assess for childhood delinquency, aggressive tendencies, and negative affect as these constructs, along with substance use, are evident among impaired drivers who recidivate. Interventions addressing aggression and negative affect may ultimately prove useful in reducing recidivism.

Effect of Environmental Education Based on Transformational Learning Theory on Perceptions towards Environmental Problems and Permanency of Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Uyanik, Gökhan

2016-01-01

The aim of the study is to determine effect of environmental education based on transformational learning theory on primary school teacher candidates' perceptions towards environmental problems and permanency of learning. Pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design have been used in this study. The study group consists of 66 teacher candidates who…

Innate and adaptive immune traits are differentially affected by genetic and environmental factors

Science.gov (United States)

Mangino, Massimo; Roederer, Mario; Beddall, Margaret H.; Nestle, Frank O.; Spector, Tim D.

2017-01-01

The diversity and activity of leukocytes is controlled by genetic and environmental influences to maintain balanced immune responses. However, the relative contribution of environmental compared with genetic factors that affect variations in immune traits is unknown. Here we analyse 23,394 immune phenotypes in 497 adult female twins. 76% of these traits show a predominantly heritable influence, whereas 24% are mostly influenced by environment. These data highlight the importance of shared childhood environmental influences such as diet, infections or microbes in shaping immune homeostasis for monocytes, B1 cells, γδ T cells and NKT cells, whereas dendritic cells, B2 cells, CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells are more influenced by genetics. Although leukocyte subsets are influenced by genetics and environment, adaptive immune traits are more affected by genetics, whereas innate immune traits are more affected by environment. PMID:28054551

Drainage from coal mines: Chemistry and environmental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wildeman, T.

1991-01-01

Much of the research on coal-mine drainage chemistry was conducted a decade ago, and now increased environmental awareness has brought about renewed interest in the findings. Consideration of the trace minerals and elements in coal points to the possible generation of acidic waters upon weathering, especially when pyrite is present. When pyrite weathers, it produces H + and Fe 3+ which catalyze the incongruent weathering of other carbonates and sulfides. In this weathering mechanism, catalysis by bacteria is important. Of the environmental problems in coal mine drainage, the mineral acidity of the water is the most serious. This is caused not only by the H + , but also by Mn 4+ , Fe 3+ , and Al 3+ that are found or generated within the drainage. Case studies in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Colorado show that the abundance and form of pyrite in the deposit and in the overburden determines the level of acidity and the concentration of heavy metal pollutants in the drainage. Recent trends in environmental enforcement that emphasize integrated stream water standards and biotoxicity assays point to the possibility that the concentrations of heavy metals in coal mine drainages may cause environmental concern

Application of chaos-based chaotic invasive weed optimization techniques for environmental OPF problems in the power system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghasemi, Mojtaba; Ghavidel, Sahand; Aghaei, Jamshid; Gitizadeh, Mohsen; Falah, Hasan

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Chaotic invasive weed optimization techniques based on chaos. • Nonlinear environmental OPF problem considering non-smooth fuel cost curves. • A comparative study of CIWO techniques for environmental OPF problem. - Abstract: This paper presents efficient chaotic invasive weed optimization (CIWO) techniques based on chaos for solving optimal power flow (OPF) problems with non-smooth generator fuel cost functions (non-smooth OPF) with the minimum pollution level (environmental OPF) in electric power systems. OPF problem is used for developing corrective strategies and to perform least cost dispatches. However, cost based OPF problem solutions usually result in unattractive system gaze emission issue (environmental OPF). In the present paper, the OPF problem is formulated by considering the emission issue. The total emission can be expressed as a non-linear function of power generation, as a multi-objective optimization problem, where optimal control settings for simultaneous minimization of fuel cost and gaze emission issue are obtained. The IEEE 30-bus test power system is presented to illustrate the application of the environmental OPF problem using CIWO techniques. Our experimental results suggest that CIWO techniques hold immense promise to appear as efficient and powerful algorithm for optimization in the power systems

Ecological and Economic Problems of Environmental Security

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mashchenko Maryna A.

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The article is aimed at defining a common mechanism for assessing the ecological and economic threats and ecological losses on the basis of a long-term study to ensure the environmental security of the State. The necessity of a new approach to the State regulation through achievement of environmental security is displayed, that will allow to reduce tensions of the ecological-economic problems in Ukraine. For implementation of this approach, a general mechanism for estimation of ecological-economic threats and ecological losses is provided, which is carried out through formation of an integral costs system. The costs system is presented in the article in the form of an in-depth mechanism for estimating the ecological-economic threats on the example of ecological impacts. Structuring and preparation of the costs system for applied researches is the next stage of this prolonged research.

Problems of causality in environmental penal law. The relevance of causality problems on the environmental sector from the view of penal law. Kausalitaetsprobleme im Umweltstrafrecht. Die strafrechtliche Relevanz der Schwierigkeiten naturwissenschaftlicher Kausalfeststellung im Umweltbereich

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kleine-Cosack, E.

1988-01-01

The 'classic' elements of an offence against human health or property are not applicable in environmental law, owing to problems of causality. The new environmental penal law therefore focuses on the 'capability' of any act to damage human health, animal health, vegetation, water, air, or soil. It remarks doubtful whether this approach is more efficient. Further, there is still the problem of assessing damage. The book discusses causality problems in environmental penal law. Causality in a given case is discussed from the view of general causality laws and problems of proof. Other possible causes of damage must be excluded. The author discusses: Interdependences between scientific and penal causality, the problems of successful and potential offences, the relationship between individual and universal objects of legal protection, and procedural issues (e.g. the binding effect of experts' opinions on a given subject). (orig./HSCH).

Students' Preconceptions about Urban Environmental Problems and Solid Waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Membiela, Pedro; And Others

1993-01-01

Examined students' preconceptions about environmental problems in cities, particularly that of urban disposable waste. They found that students' ideas were dominated by what they perceived, without regard to existing interactions, and that students were unaware of the fundamental role of reuse and recycling in the solution of the disposal of solid…

A reinforcement sensitivity model of affective and behavioral dysregulation in marijuana use and associated problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Emery, Noah N; Simons, Jeffrey S

2017-08-01

This study tested a model linking sensitivity to punishment (SP) and reward (SR) to marijuana use and problems via affect lability and poor control. A 6-month prospective design was used in a sample of 2,270 young-adults (64% female). The hypothesized SP × SR interaction did not predict affect lability or poor control, but did predict use likelihood at baseline. At low levels of SR, SP was associated with an increased likelihood of abstaining, which was attenuated as SR increased. SP and SR displayed positive main effects on both affect lability and poor control. Affect lability and poor control, in turn, mediated effects on the marijuana outcomes. Poor control predicted both increased marijuana use and, controlling for use level, greater intensity of problems. Affect lability predicted greater intensity of problems, but was not associated with use level. There were few prospective effects. SR consistently predicted greater marijuana use and problems. SP however, exhibited both risk and protective pathways. Results indicate that SP is associated with a decreased likelihood of marijuana use. However, once use is initiated SP is associated with increased risk of problems, in part, due to its effects on both affect and behavioral dysregulation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Excel 2010 for environmental sciences statistics a guide to solving practical problems

CERN Document Server

Quirk, Thomas J; Horton, Howard F

2015-01-01

This is the first book to show the capabilities of Microsoft Excel to teach environmental sciences statistics effectively.  It is a step-by-step exercise-driven guide for students and practitioners who need to master Excel to solve practical environmental sciences problems.  If understanding statistics isn’t your strongest suit, you are not especially mathematically-inclined, or if you are wary of computers, this is the right book for you.  Excel, a widely available computer program for students and managers, is also an effective teaching and learning tool for quantitative analyses in environmental science courses.  Its powerful computational ability and graphical functions make learning statistics much easier than in years past.  However, Excel 2010 for Environmental Sciences Statistics: A Guide to Solving Practical Problems is the first book to capitalize on these improvements by teaching students and managers how to apply Excel to statistical techniques necessary in their courses and work. Eac...

Environmental issues in the oilsands : problems and solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambert, G.

1999-01-01

The environmental challenges facing the oil sand industry in Alberta are discussed, including the cumulative effects to air, water quality, aquatic ecosystems, soils, vegetation, wildlife, human health and traditional land use. Each of these concerns are briefly reviewed, using Suncor's announced developments as the background. Although ground level excesses of SO 2 and NO x are not expected to be an issue, there are concerns about acidification. Soils and sensitive water bodies can potentially be affected by acid deposition as a result of SO 2 and NO x emissions. Historical ozone monitoring has shown that peak hourly ozone levels have not exceeded air quality guidelines in the last five years in either Fort McKay or Fort McMurray. The conclusion is that environmental impacts are manageable, but predictions based on environmental assessment should be monitored, and if necessary, corrective action be taken. The recent spate of multi-stakeholder collaborative projects such as the Regional Aquatic Monitoring Program (RAMP), the Canadian Oil Sands Network for Research and Development (CONRAD), and the Regional Air Quality Coordinating Committee (RAQCC) collectively do a very good job of ensuring responsible management of environmental and socio-economic issues. An environmental management system model structured with a regional board representing various stakeholders with a number of technical issue groups reporting to the Board has been proposed. The proposed model is now under assessment by the Cumulative Environmental Effects Management Initiative (CEEM), a group that includes aboriginal groups, federal, provincial, and municipal governments, environmental groups and regional resource industries

Genetic and environmental influences on conduct and antisocial personality problems in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

Science.gov (United States)

Wesseldijk, Laura W; Bartels, Meike; Vink, Jacqueline M; van Beijsterveldt, Catharina E M; Ligthart, Lannie; Boomsma, Dorret I; Middeldorp, Christel M

2017-06-21

Conduct problems in children and adolescents can predict antisocial personality disorder and related problems, such as crime and conviction. We sought an explanation for such predictions by performing a genetic longitudinal analysis. We estimated the effects of genetic, shared environmental, and unique environmental factors on variation in conduct problems measured at childhood and adolescence and antisocial personality problems measured at adulthood and on the covariation across ages. We also tested whether these estimates differed by sex. Longitudinal data were collected in the Netherlands Twin Register over a period of 27 years. Age appropriate and comparable measures of conduct and antisocial personality problems, assessed with the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment, were available for 9783 9-10-year-old, 6839 13-18-year-old, and 7909 19-65-year-old twin pairs, respectively; 5114 twins have two or more assessments. At all ages, men scored higher than women. There were no sex differences in the estimates of the genetic and environmental influences. During childhood, genetic and environmental factors shared by children in families explained 43 and 44% of the variance of conduct problems, with the remaining variance due to unique environment. During adolescence and adulthood, genetic and unique environmental factors equally explained the variation. Longitudinal correlations across age varied between 0.20 and 0.38 and were mainly due to stable genetic factors. We conclude that shared environment is mainly of importance during childhood, while genetic factors contribute to variation in conduct and antisocial personality problems at all ages, and also underlie its stability over age.

Evaluation of the non-radiological environmental problems relating to the WIPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baca, T.E.

1983-02-01

The major non-radiological environmental problems addressed are: air pollution, water pollution and sanitary waste, solid waste, domestic drinking water, occupational health and safety and toxic chemicals

Insufficiencies in solving global environmental problems by specialized scientific expertise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartwig, S.G.; Kra, R.S.

1989-01-01

The most paradoxical and urgent problem faces the world today. We find ourselves between the horns of a dilemma. One horn represents the accelerating demand for energy, and the other, the irreversible degradation of our natural environment. There are two directions that we can take to solve our growing global crisis. The first step is to encourage scientific specialists to think in broader terms. The second necessary approach is to make decision makers aware of the complexity of the situation as well as the dangers of tunnel vision that experts often fall into. Therefore, to find a long-term holistic solution, decision makers, be they government officials or academics, must be, themselves, solution oriented and capable of directing scientists along broadened problem-solving pathways. Up till now, scientists have been required to research environmental problems, discover causal associations and determine effects. Contemporary scientists, in the truest sense of the meaning, are no longer generalists but are specialists in their own fields with great depth and accuracy of knowledge. However, experts of high standing may have difficulty visualizing adjacent sciences, which causes them to lose sight of topics peripheral to their main field of interest. The consequence of this can be that solutions to a problem will be sought only within particular and specialized areas, but it is, unfortunately, a fact of life that environmental problems do not come neatly packaged in scientific disciplines: they happen in their entirety, with all their synergistic implications. 5 refs., 5 figs

Mental health problems among conflict-affected adults in Grozny, Chechnya: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Amanda J; Feo, Concetta; Idrisov, Kyuri; Pintaldi, Giovanni; Lenglet, Annick; Tsatsaeva, Zalina; Bolton, Paul; Bass, Judith

2016-01-01

A decade of conflict in Chechnya destroyed infrastructure and resulted in widespread exposure to violence. Amidst substantial reconstruction, periodic violence has contributed to an ongoing atmosphere of insecurity. We conducted a qualitative study to understand the mental health and psychosocial problems affecting adult Chechens in this context to inform development of assessment tools for an evaluation study related to individual counseling. Data were collected in July 2014. A convenience sample of 59 Chechen adults was asked to Free List all problems affecting people in the area. Four problems were explored further in 19 Key Interviewee (KI) interviews, with respondents identified using snowball sampling. Data analysis was conducted in Russian by the Chechen interviewers. Multiple mental health and psychosocial problems emerged, including 'bad psychological health', 'depression', 'stress and nervous people', and 'problems in the family'. Aggression, 'emotional blowing', and 'not adequate' behavior were frequently reported indicators of these problems, with negative effects on the whole family. Chechens reported seeking help through informal social networks, psychiatric and psychological services, and Islamic Centers. Chechens reported mental health and psychosocial problems similar to those experienced in other post-conflict settings. The description of 'emotional blowing' mirrored prior findings in Chechen asylum seekers and fits within a cluster of cultural concepts of distress featuring anger that has been identified in other conflict-affected populations. Further exploration of the nature and prevalence of this construct, as well as evaluations of interventions aimed at reducing these symptoms, is warranted.

Development and Validation of Children's Environmental Affect (Attitude, Sensitivity and Willingness to Take Action) Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Erdogan, Mehmet; Marcinkowski, Thomas

2015-01-01

This study focuses on the design, development, validation, and psychometric properties of the Children's Environmental Affect Scale (CEAS). The following steps were taken in developing the CEAS. A substantial review of literature on environmental affect and EL helped the researchers identify several scales and questionnaires that, in turn, help…

TECHNOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH THERMAL CONVERSION OF SEWAGE SLUDGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alina Żogała

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Overview of the most common technological and environmental problems connected with thermal conversion of sewage sludge was presented in the article. Such issues as the influence of content of moisture and mineral matter on fuel properties of sludge, problem of emission of pollutants, problem of management of solid residue, risk of corrosion, were described. Besides, consolidated characteristic of the most important methods of thermal conversion of sewage sludge, with their advantages and disadvantages, was presented in the paper.

Problem Formulation in Knowledge Discovery via Data Analytics (KDDA) for Environmental Risk Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; Thomas, Manoj; Osei-Bryson, Kweku-Muata; Levy, Jason

2016-12-15

With the growing popularity of data analytics and data science in the field of environmental risk management, a formalized Knowledge Discovery via Data Analytics (KDDA) process that incorporates all applicable analytical techniques for a specific environmental risk management problem is essential. In this emerging field, there is limited research dealing with the use of decision support to elicit environmental risk management (ERM) objectives and identify analytical goals from ERM decision makers. In this paper, we address problem formulation in the ERM understanding phase of the KDDA process. We build a DM³ ontology to capture ERM objectives and to inference analytical goals and associated analytical techniques. A framework to assist decision making in the problem formulation process is developed. It is shown how the ontology-based knowledge system can provide structured guidance to retrieve relevant knowledge during problem formulation. The importance of not only operationalizing the KDDA approach in a real-world environment but also evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed procedure is emphasized. We demonstrate how ontology inferencing may be used to discover analytical goals and techniques by conceptualizing Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) exposure shifts based on a multilevel analysis of the level of urbanization (and related economic activity) and the degree of Socio-Economic Deprivation (SED) at the local neighborhood level. The HAPs case highlights not only the role of complexity in problem formulation but also the need for integrating data from multiple sources and the importance of employing appropriate KDDA modeling techniques. Challenges and opportunities for KDDA are summarized with an emphasis on environmental risk management and HAPs.

Problem Formulation in Knowledge Discovery via Data Analytics (KDDA) for Environmental Risk Management

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; Thomas, Manoj; Osei-Bryson, Kweku-Muata; Levy, Jason

2016-01-01

With the growing popularity of data analytics and data science in the field of environmental risk management, a formalized Knowledge Discovery via Data Analytics (KDDA) process that incorporates all applicable analytical techniques for a specific environmental risk management problem is essential. In this emerging field, there is limited research dealing with the use of decision support to elicit environmental risk management (ERM) objectives and identify analytical goals from ERM decision makers. In this paper, we address problem formulation in the ERM understanding phase of the KDDA process. We build a DM3 ontology to capture ERM objectives and to inference analytical goals and associated analytical techniques. A framework to assist decision making in the problem formulation process is developed. It is shown how the ontology-based knowledge system can provide structured guidance to retrieve relevant knowledge during problem formulation. The importance of not only operationalizing the KDDA approach in a real-world environment but also evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed procedure is emphasized. We demonstrate how ontology inferencing may be used to discover analytical goals and techniques by conceptualizing Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) exposure shifts based on a multilevel analysis of the level of urbanization (and related economic activity) and the degree of Socio-Economic Deprivation (SED) at the local neighborhood level. The HAPs case highlights not only the role of complexity in problem formulation but also the need for integrating data from multiple sources and the importance of employing appropriate KDDA modeling techniques. Challenges and opportunities for KDDA are summarized with an emphasis on environmental risk management and HAPs. PMID:27983713

Environmental conditions affecting the efficiency and efficacy of piscicides for use in nonnative fish eradication

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Peter James

2010-01-01

Conservation of native fish is a pressing issue for fisheries managers. Conservation efforts often require eliminating threats posed by nonnative fish by eradicating them with piscicides. The piscicides rotenone and antimycin are used for eradication but their application is often inefficient or ineffective. My goal was to increase the efficiency and efficacy of nonnative fish eradication using piscicides. I identified environmental conditions affecting piscicide application, researched methods to overcome these problems, and provided tools that piscicide applicators can use to make piscicide application more efficient and effective. Rotenone and antimycin were exposed to varying levels of sunlight, turbulence, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) to determine the effect these environmental conditions have on piscicides. Bioassay fish were used to determine the toxicity of the piscicides. Sunlight and turbulence affected rotenone and antimycin but DOM did not. Increasing the concentration of chemical can increase the resistance to the effects of these environmental conditions; however, the effects of these conditions are considerable in natural settings. Observations of bioassay fish in stream applications of rotenone were used to develop a statistical model to predict the persistence of the piscicide. The model can be used to predict rotenone persistence in small montane streams and to estimate where rotenone concentrations need to be fortified. I measured the mixing rate of a chemical plume in different channel morphologies and at center or edge applications. Center application had a significantly shorter mixing distance than edge application, but mixing distance was not different among meandering, straight, and riffle/pool morphologies. Application of my findings will increase the efficiency and efficacy of native fish conservation using piscicides.

Report to Congress on the U.S. Department of Energy's Environmental Management Science Program: Research funded and its linkages to environmental cleanup problems. Volume 1 of 3 - Report and Appendix A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-04-01

This report is submitted in response to a Congressional request and is intended to communicate the nature, content, goals, and accomplishments of the Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) to interested and affected parties in the Department and its contractors, at Federal agencies, in the scientific community, and in the general public. The EMSP was started in response to a request to mount an effort in longer term basic science research to seek new and innovative cleanup methods to replace current conventional approaches which are often costly and ineffective. Section 1, ''Background of the Program,'' provides information on the evolution of the EMSP and how it is managed, and summarizes recent accomplishments. Section 2, ''Research Award Selection Process,'' provides an overview of the ongoing needs identification process, solicitation development, and application review for scientific merit and programmatic relevance. Section 3, ''Linkages to Environmental Cleanup Problems,'' provides an overview of the major interrelationships (linkages) among EMSP basic research awards, Environmental Management problem areas, and high cost projects. Section 4, ''Capitalizing on Science Investments,'' discusses the steps the EMSP plans to use to facilitate the application of research results in Environmental Management strategies through effective communication and collaboration. Appendix A contains four program notices published by the EMSP inviting applications for grants

History of global environmental problems. Chikyu kankyo mondai no rekishi

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsui, S [Kyoto University, Kyoto (Japan). Faculty of Engineering

1994-04-15

This paper takes general view of the history of global environmental problems. A UN human environment conference was held in Stockholm in 1972, at which the human environment declaration and an action plan were adopted. The most important among the results of the Stockholm Conference were the treaty on international transactions of wild animal and plant species feared of extinction in the 1970's, the international treaty on prevention of pollution caused by ocean vessels, and the treaty on prevention of ocean pollution caused by dumping of wastes and other materials. Also adopted in the 1970's include the action plan to prevent desertification, the action plan on the world population, and the world weather plan. The UN Nairobi Conference in 1982 has sounded the alarm on the delay in tackling with the facing problems and the progress of aggravation in the global environment. In 1987, the ozone layer protection protocol was adopted. The earth summit at Rio de Janeiro in 1992 adopted the Agenda 21, with which the participating nations, autonomous bodies, and civil organizations have prepared their own Agenda 21, and are now about to begin challenging the global environmental problems. 7 refs., 4 tabs.

An Analysis of the Problems of Developing Environmental Education in Brazilian Federal Protected Areas.

Science.gov (United States)

De Carvalho, Cristina A. R.; Filho, Walter Leal; Hale, William H. G.

1998-01-01

Describes the problems encountered in developing environmental education in federally protected areas in Brazil. Suggests that the development of environmental education in those protected areas has several limitations including financial resources, lack of training, material resources, and lack of policy on environmental education. (Author/CCM)

The environmental problems in urban communities and the protection of the environment in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, I K

1994-07-01

Korea's urban environmental problems, specifically air and water pollution, government environmental policies, and the role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in protecting the environment are described and discussed. Korea's rapid industrialization and urbanization between 1961 and 1985 led to an increased volume of waste and air pollution. Automobiles increased in number from 29,234 in 1961 to 1,113,430 in 1985. In the same period, the number of factories with at least five employees rose from 15,204 to 44,037. The volume of chemical materials and agricultural chemicals dramatically increased. Household wastes in urban areas increased from 26,831 tons per day in 1978 to 61,072 tons per day in 1985. Industrial waste rose from 13,130 to 33,349 tons per day in 1985. Respiratory diseases are precipitated by exposure to sulphur dioxide, which is produced during cooking and heating with coal briquets; to nitrogen dioxide from automobile exhaust; and to carbon monoxide from coal briquets. Indoor air pollution from particles such as radon, asbestos, cigarette smoke, fungus, and bacteria also impacts on health. Tolerance limits have been reached or surpassed in many cities, particularly in Seoul. Air pollution is worse during the winter. The poor are particularly affected because of the continued use of coal briquets for heating. Industry contributes to water pollution. The volume of industrial waste water quadrupled between 1980 and 1990. In Seoul, however, population size directly contributes to 64.3% of water pollution, and the remaining 35.2% is from factories. Although livestock contributes to only 0.5% of water pollution, livestock drainage contributes to 36.3% of chemical materials in polluted water. Biological oxygen demand has also exceeded tolerance limits. Water reservoirs contain toxic chemicals such as lead, copper, mercury, arsenic, phenol, phosphorus, and nitrogen, which take a longer time to affect health. The Anti-Pollution Law of 1963 and the

A prospect of the administration against problems of environmental contamination caused by radioactive nuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osako, Masahiro

2012-01-01

At first, focusing on the problem of radioactive contaminated wastes caused by Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident, the Author described an outline of the waste management policy based on the law on special measures against the environmental contamination by radioactive nuclides. Next, the Author discussed a prospect of the environmental administration against the radioactive contamination problem. The most important mission of the environmental administration for the future must be to establish a social basis for the sustainable development, in other words the building-up of a newly social value added, through the measures against this unprecedented disaster. (author)

Problem Formulation in Knowledge Discovery via Data Analytics (KDDA for Environmental Risk Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan Li

2016-12-01

Full Text Available With the growing popularity of data analytics and data science in the field of environmental risk management, a formalized Knowledge Discovery via Data Analytics (KDDA process that incorporates all applicable analytical techniques for a specific environmental risk management problem is essential. In this emerging field, there is limited research dealing with the use of decision support to elicit environmental risk management (ERM objectives and identify analytical goals from ERM decision makers. In this paper, we address problem formulation in the ERM understanding phase of the KDDA process. We build a DM3 ontology to capture ERM objectives and to inference analytical goals and associated analytical techniques. A framework to assist decision making in the problem formulation process is developed. It is shown how the ontology-based knowledge system can provide structured guidance to retrieve relevant knowledge during problem formulation. The importance of not only operationalizing the KDDA approach in a real-world environment but also evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed procedure is emphasized. We demonstrate how ontology inferencing may be used to discover analytical goals and techniques by conceptualizing Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs exposure shifts based on a multilevel analysis of the level of urbanization (and related economic activity and the degree of Socio-Economic Deprivation (SED at the local neighborhood level. The HAPs case highlights not only the role of complexity in problem formulation but also the need for integrating data from multiple sources and the importance of employing appropriate KDDA modeling techniques. Challenges and opportunities for KDDA are summarized with an emphasis on environmental risk management and HAPs.

Environmental problems due to mining in Jharia Coalfield

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banerjee, S.P.

1985-06-01

The Jharia coalfield to the NW of Calcutta, India is the most important source of coking coal in the country. Coal mining started in 1890; in 1971-3 the coking coal mines were nationalised, the remainder being operated by the Bharat Coking Coal Ltd., TISCO and IISCO. Intensive mining has resulted in major environmental problems - land damage, water pollution, air pollution and overpopulation - which a major reconstruction programme started in 1976 hopes to solve. 2 references.

Environmental protection - a national and international problem to solve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apostol, O.; Iacob, S.; Marciu, R.; Jedlicska, M.; Jemna, V.

2000-01-01

The paper presents solutions for two major environmental problems - decreasing of thermal power plants pollution and air quality monitoring in ares with heavy industrial pollution. The solutions are applied in the most important Romanian fossil power plants in parallel with the retrofitting of the electrostatic precipitators. The air monitoring system, set in one of the 'hotspot' areas in Romania Baia-Mare, is described

Challenges of Environmental Problems to the Philosophy of Education

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Moricmichi

2015-01-01

We live in an age in which the destruction of the environment has become a major concern. However, until recently, environmental problems have not become a major issue for the philosophy of education. The reason for this is that for a very long time the philosophy of education was intimately related to the concept of nature as the foundation and…

[Bioethics and environmental health].

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco-Suárez, M

1993-01-01

Institutions such as World Health Organization and United Nations have considered the necessity to establish programs to control and preserve our environment. From the beginning, industrial development has polluted the air, water and soil, in some cases irreversibly affecting the ecosystems. Rampant use of natural resources and inattention to preventive measures have promoted environmental pollution, along with its hereditary effects, producing brain damage, intoxications, cancer, and respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, among other problems. It is necessary to put aside self-serving materialism and individualism and become aware of this problem. It is necessary to implement environmental policies, foster bioethical responsibility in environmental health research, conduct epidemiologic, biomedical and toxicologic environmental health research works if we are to have a worthy life and an optimal environment.

Report to Congress on the U.S. Department of Energy`s Environmental Management Science Program: Research funded and its linkages to environmental cleanup problems. Volume 1 of 3 -- Report and Appendix A

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-04-01

This report is submitted in response to a Congressional request and is intended to communicate the nature, content, goals, and accomplishments of the Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) to interested and affected parties in the Department and its contractors, at Federal agencies, in the scientific community, and in the general public. The EMSP was started in response to a request to mount an effort in longer term basic science research to seek new and innovative cleanup methods to replace current conventional approaches which are often costly and ineffective. Section 1, ``Background of the Program,`` provides information on the evolution of the EMSP and how it is managed, and summarizes recent accomplishments. Section 2, ``Research Award Selection Process,`` provides an overview of the ongoing needs identification process, solicitation development, and application review for scientific merit and programmatic relevance. Section 3, ``Linkages to Environmental Cleanup Problems,`` provides an overview of the major interrelationships (linkages) among EMSP basic research awards, Environmental Management problem areas, and high cost projects. Section 4, ``Capitalizing on Science Investments,`` discusses the steps the EMSP plans to use to facilitate the application of research results in Environmental Management strategies through effective communication and collaboration. Appendix A contains four program notices published by the EMSP inviting applications for grants.

Problems and perspectives in energy law and environmental law. Documentation; Probleme und Perspektiven im Energieumweltrecht. Dokumentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cremer, Wolfram; Pielow, Johann-Christian (eds.)

2009-07-01

This book contains the contributions and discussion of the 13th annual meeting of the Institute of Mining Law and Energy Law of the Ruhr University Bochum. The meeting washed on 6 March 2009 under the title ''Problems and Perspectives in Energy Law and Environmental Law''. (orig.)

The environmental problems must be seen in context

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seip, Hans Martin; Aunan, Kristin

2002-01-01

The problems caused by emissions of greenhouse gases and various pollutions are largely connected. The article draws a dividing line between climate effects that are global, regional effects over hundreds of km, and local effects that are significant only some ten kilometres from the point of emission. Carbon dioxide, the most important greenhouse gas, has a long residential time in the atmosphere and affects the earth's heat budget without directly affecting local and regional conditions. Methane, another important greenhouse gas, in addition affects the formation of tropospheric (ground-near) ozone, which may be harmful to health, vegetation and materials. Other substances may have local, regional and global effects. This is the case for nitrous oxides. NOx do not absorb thermal radiation from the ground, but NOx affect chemical reactions in the atmosphere so as to change the concentration of greenhouse gases. Sulfur dioxide causes damage to health, materials and nature environments and is transformed in the atmosphere to small particles that may have quite a long lifetime

Perceptions of general environmental problems, willingness to expend federal funds on these problems, and concerns regarding the Los Alamos national laboratory: Hispanics are more concerned than Whites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burger, Joanna; Myers, O.; Boring, C.S.; Dixon, C.; Lord, C.; Ramos, R.; Shukla, S.; Gochfeld, Michael

2004-01-01

Perceptions about general environmental problems, governmental spending for these problems, and major concerns about the US Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) were examined by interviewing 356 people attending a gun show in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The hypothesis that there are differences in these three areas as a function of ethnicity was examined. We predicted that if differences existed, they would exist for all three evaluations (general environmental problems, government spending, and environmental concerns about LANL). However, this was not the case; there were fewer ethnic differences concerning LANL. Hispanics rated most general environmental problems higher than Whites and rated their willingness to expend federal funds higher than Whites, although all groups gave a lower score on willingness than on concern. Further, the congruence between these two types of ratings was higher for Hispanics than for others. In general, the concerns expressed by subjects about LANL showed few ethnic differences, and everyone was most concerned about contamination. These data indicate that Hispanics attending a gun show are equally or more concerned than others about environmental problems generally but are not more concerned about LANL. The data can be useful for developing future research and stewardship plans and for understanding general environmental problems and their relationship to concerns about LANL. More generally, they indicate that the attitudes and perceptions of Hispanics deserve increased study in a general population

Nuclear energy centers: Economic and environmental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dollezhal', N.A.; Bobolovich, V.N.; Emel'yanov, I.Ya.; Kochenov, A.S.; Koryakin, Yu.I.; Stolyarevskij, A.Ya.; Chernyaev, V.A.; Ponomarev-Stepnoj, N.N.; Protsenko, A.M.

1977-01-01

The report deals with qualitative and quantitative analysis of factors and problems, which may arise in the nearest future with the dispersion of sites of nuclear and fuel cycle plants. These problems arise with a large increase in the transportation of radioactive nuclear fuel, the necessity in valuable land and water resources, delay in construction and scheduled commercial operation of nuclear power plant, increase in the cost of labour and other economic and environmental factors and limitations. The report has an analysis of one of the ways of decreasing these difficulties, connected with the construction of large nuclear energy centres, consisting of a cluster of reactors on a single reactor site with the combined capacity of 40,000-50,000 MWe. The centres may consist, for example, of a cluster of conventional nuclear power plants that mainly consist of fast breeders and fuel cycle plants. They should be located in regions with a low density population and low value and deficiency of land and water resources. Electricity will be transmitted to consumers. The social-economic functions of such centres as factors that give birth to industrial regions are considered. Also given is the comparative estimate of benefits and problems of these two ways of further development of nuclear power system [ru

Changing Adolescent Sleep Patterns: Factors Affecting them and the Related Problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaur, Harpreet; Bhoday, Harpreet Singh

2017-03-01

Sleep affects physical growth, behavior and emotional development besides determining cognitive functioning, learning and attention especially of a growing child. Adolescence represents one of the critical transitions in the life span and is characterized by a tremendous pace in growth and change that is second only to that of infancy. Adolescent sleep patterns deserve particular attention because of the potential impact on school performance. Average sleep period in adolescents is reduced during school days to around seven hours. The reasons may be biological mainly the sleep phase delay or psychosocial and environmental. These include academic demands, social activities, sports, internet, television viewing, part-time employment, and use of mobile phone at night, peer and parental influence and socioeconomic status. These changing patterns of sleep in adolescents lead to many behavioral sleep problems like Delayed Sleep-phase Syndrome; Difficulties in falling asleep (insomnia); excessive daytime sleepiness, poor academic performance. Decreased sleep in adolescents also causes obesity and other cardio-metabolic abnormalities. This needs an integrated approach involving adolescents themselves, their parents, teachers and specialized physicians to help improve the sleep quantity and quality and lead to a better quality of life and daytime functioning in adolescents. © Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 2011.

Environmental risk allocation in the asset rationalization process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruhlak, R.M.; Miller, S.R.

1999-01-01

Public concern regarding the state of the environment has resulted in improved enforcement of existing laws related to protection of the environment. This has had an impact on oil and gas transactions. One of the factors which affects the nature of oil and gas acquisitions and dispositions is the risk associated with environmental conditions. For example, the purchaser of an oil or gas asset may acquire threats of prosecution under existing legislation, or may acquire significant costs associated with remediation or clean-up. Vendors may also be affected by environmental risks resulting from divestiture. Risks include increased liability, continuing liability, and a growing uncertainty over the potential extent and nature of environmental problems. These problems mean that lawyers must find adequate methods of allocating risk. The best approach is to place more emphasis on rigorous due diligence, disclosure and contractual accommodation of identifiable environmental problems at the time of the acquisition or disposition. 2 figs

Environmental periodicity and the coexistence problem for two competing and dispersive species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elion-Mboussa, A.

1994-11-01

The dynamic behaviour of two competing and dispersive species in a heterogeneous space and periodically fluctuating environment is studied. Periodic environmental factors were incorporated into a non-linear reaction-diffusion model, through intrinsic demographic parameters of one of the two species sharing the same favourable space. Furthermore, it was assumed that the physical environmental factors do not have an effect on the growth rate of one of the species. An ecological example of these assumptions is a host- parasite system where parasite reproduction is strongly seasonal, while host populations remain insensitive to physical environmental factors that affect the parasite populations. However, the induced effect of physical environmental factors on the non-affected species was established by means of computer calculations. The periodic oscillations which over the time lead to competitive coexistence of both species with periodic forced oscillations have been shown. It was also shown that, in a periodic environment and under appropriate initial conditions, two competing and dispersive species can coexist when in a constant environment they could not coexist. (author). 25 refs, 12 figs

The interplay of childhood behavior problems and IQ in the development of later schizophrenia and affective psychoses.

Science.gov (United States)

Agnew-Blais, Jessica; Seidman, Larry J; Fitzmaurice, Garrett M; Smoller, Jordan W; Goldstein, Jill M; Buka, Stephen L

2017-06-01

Schizophrenia and affective psychoses are both associated with impaired social functioning, but the extent to which childhood behavioral impairments are present prior to onset of illness is less well studied. Moreover, the concurrent relationship of childhood behavior problems and premorbid IQ with subsequent psychotic disorder has not been established. We investigated whether childhood behavior problems are associated with increased risk for adult schizophrenia or affective psychosis, independently and in combination with IQ. The study included individuals with schizophrenia (N=47), affective psychoses (N=45) and non-psychotic controls (N=1496) from the New England Family Study. Behavior problems were prospectively assessed from standardized clinician observations at ages 4 and 7. IQ was assessed with the Stanford-Binet at age 4 and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children at age 7. We found externalizing problems at age 4 and externalizing and internalizing problems at age 7 were associated with later schizophrenia, and both internalizing and externalizing problems at ages 4 and 7 were associated with later development of affective psychoses. Lower IQ at ages 4 and 7 was associated with schizophrenia, while lower IQ was associated with affective psychoses at age 7 only. Examined simultaneously, both lower IQ and behavior problems remained associated with risk of schizophrenia, while only behavior problems remained associated with affective psychoses. Behavior problems appear to be a general marker of risk of adult psychotic disorder, while lower childhood IQ is more specific to risk of schizophrenia. Future research should clarify the premorbid evolution of behavior and cognitive problems into adult psychosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Externalizing problems in childhood and adolescence predict subsequent educational achievement but for different genetic and environmental reasons.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Gary J; Asbury, Kathryn; Plomin, Robert

2017-03-01

Childhood behavior problems predict subsequent educational achievement; however, little research has examined the etiology of these links using a longitudinal twin design. Moreover, it is unknown whether genetic and environmental innovations provide incremental prediction for educational achievement from childhood to adolescence. We examined genetic and environmental influences on parental ratings of behavior problems across childhood (age 4) and adolescence (ages 12 and 16) as predictors of educational achievement at age 16 using a longitudinal classical twin design. Shared-environmental influences on anxiety, conduct problems, and peer problems at age 4 predicted educational achievement at age 16. Genetic influences on the externalizing behaviors of conduct problems and hyperactivity at age 4 predicted educational achievement at age 16. Moreover, novel genetic and (to a lesser extent) nonshared-environmental influences acting on conduct problems and hyperactivity emerged at ages 12 and 16, adding to the genetic prediction from age 4. These findings demonstrate that genetic and shared-environmental factors underpinning behavior problems in early childhood predict educational achievement in midadolescence. These findings are consistent with the notion that early-childhood behavior problems reflect the initiation of a life-course persistent trajectory with concomitant implications for social attainment. However, we also find evidence that genetic and nonshared-environment innovations acting on behavior problems have implications for subsequent educational achievement, consistent with recent work arguing that adolescence represents a sensitive period for socioaffective development. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Environmental Problems Associated With Decommissioning The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Cooling Pond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farfan, E. B.; Jannik, G. T.; Marra, J. C.; Oskolkov, B. Ya.; Bondarkov, M. D.; Gaschak, S. P.; Maksymenko, A. M.; Maksymenko, V. M.; Martynenko, V. I.

2009-01-01

Decommissioning of nuclear power plants and other nuclear fuel cycle facilities has been an imperative issue lately. There exist significant experience and generally accepted recommendations on remediation of lands with residual radioactive contamination; however, there are hardly any such recommendations on remediation of cooling ponds that, in most cases, are fairly large water reservoirs. The literature only describes remediation of minor reservoirs containing radioactive silt (a complete closure followed by preservation) or small water reservoirs resulting in reestablishing natural water flows. Problems associated with remediation of river reservoirs resulting in flooding of vast agricultural areas also have been described. In addition, the severity of environmental and economic problems related to the remedial activities is shown to exceed any potential benefits of these activities. One of the large, highly contaminated water reservoirs that require either remediation or closure is Karachay Lake near the MAYAK Production Association in the Chelyabinsk Region of Russia where liquid radioactive waste had been deep well injected for a long period of time. Backfilling of Karachay Lake is currently in progress. It should be noted that secondary environmental problems associated with its closure are considered to be of less importance since sustaining Karachay Lake would have presented a much higher radiological risk. Another well-known highly contaminated water reservoir is the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) Cooling Pond, decommissioning of which is planned for the near future. This study summarizes the environmental problems associated with the ChNPP Cooling Pond decommissioning

Environmental Problems Associated With Decommissioning The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Cooling Pond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farfan, E. B.; Jannik, G. T.; Marra, J. C.; Oskolkov, B. Ya.; Bondarkov, M. D.; Gaschak, S. P.; Maksymenko, A. M.; Maksymenko, V. M.; Martynenko, V. I.

2009-11-09

Decommissioning of nuclear power plants and other nuclear fuel cycle facilities has been an imperative issue lately. There exist significant experience and generally accepted recommendations on remediation of lands with residual radioactive contamination; however, there are hardly any such recommendations on remediation of cooling ponds that, in most cases, are fairly large water reservoirs. The literature only describes remediation of minor reservoirs containing radioactive silt (a complete closure followed by preservation) or small water reservoirs resulting in reestablishing natural water flows. Problems associated with remediation of river reservoirs resulting in flooding of vast agricultural areas also have been described. In addition, the severity of environmental and economic problems related to the remedial activities is shown to exceed any potential benefits of these activities. One of the large, highly contaminated water reservoirs that require either remediation or closure is Karachay Lake near the MAYAK Production Association in the Chelyabinsk Region of Russia where liquid radioactive waste had been deep well injected for a long period of time. Backfilling of Karachay Lake is currently in progress. It should be noted that secondary environmental problems associated with its closure are considered to be of less importance since sustaining Karachay Lake would have presented a much higher radiological risk. Another well-known highly contaminated water reservoir is the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) Cooling Pond, decommissioning of which is planned for the near future. This study summarizes the environmental problems associated with the ChNPP Cooling Pond decommissioning.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH DECOMMISSIONING THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT COOLING POND

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farfan, E.

2009-09-30

Decommissioning of nuclear power plants and other nuclear fuel cycle facilities has been an imperative issue lately. There exist significant experience and generally accepted recommendations on remediation of lands with residual radioactive contamination; however, there are hardly any such recommendations on remediation of cooling ponds that, in most cases, are fairly large water reservoirs. The literature only describes remediation of minor reservoirs containing radioactive silt (a complete closure followed by preservation) or small water reservoirs resulting in reestablishing natural water flows. Problems associated with remediation of river reservoirs resulting in flooding of vast agricultural areas also have been described. In addition, the severity of environmental and economic problems related to the remedial activities is shown to exceed any potential benefits of these activities. One of the large, highly contaminated water reservoirs that require either remediation or closure is Karachay Lake near the MAYAK Production Association in the Chelyabinsk Region of Russia where liquid radioactive waste had been deep well injected for a long period of time. Backfilling of Karachay Lake is currently in progress. It should be noted that secondary environmental problems associated with its closure are considered to be of less importance since sustaining Karachay Lake would have presented a much higher radiological risk. Another well-known highly contaminated water reservoir is the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) Cooling Pond, decommissioning of which is planned for the near future. This study summarizes the environmental problems associated with the ChNPP Cooling Pond decommissioning.

Excel 2013 for environmental sciences statistics a guide to solving practical problems

CERN Document Server

Quirk, Thomas J; Horton, Howard F

2015-01-01

This is the first book to show the capabilities of Microsoft Excel to teach environmentall sciences statistics effectively.  It is a step-by-step exercise-driven guide for students and practitioners who need to master Excel to solve practical environmental science problems.  If understanding statistics isn’t your strongest suit, you are not especially mathematically-inclined, or if you are wary of computers, this is the right book for you.  Excel, a widely available computer program for students and managers, is also an effective teaching and learning tool for quantitative analyses in environmental science courses.  Its powerful computational ability and graphical functions make learning statistics much easier than in years past.  However, Excel 2013 for Environmental Sciences Statistics: A Guide to Solving Practical Problems is the first book to capitalize on these improvements by teaching students and managers how to apply Excel to statistical techniques necessary in their courses and work. Each chap...

Relationships between daily affect and pro-environmental behavior at work : The moderating role of pro-environmental attitude

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bissing-Olson, Megan J.; Iyer, Aarti; Fielding, Kelly S.; Zacher, Hannes

Research in organizational psychology has increasingly focused on understanding the determinants of green employee behavior. The present study used a daily diary design to investigate relationships between employees' daily affect, pro-environmental attitude, as well as daily task-related

Consumption, Ecological Footprints and Global Inequality: A Lesson in Individual and Structural Components of Environmental Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Obach, Brian K.

2009-01-01

As evidence of the growing ecological crisis mounts, it is imperative that sociologists speak to this social problem and incorporate a sociological perspective on environmental issues into the curriculum. Central to understanding how social issues relate to environmental problems is an examination of the ties between consumption and its ecological…

A facility for using cluster research to study environmental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-11-01

This report begins by describing the general application of cluster based research to environmental chemistry and the development of a Cluster Structure and Dynamics Research Facility (CSDRF). Next, four important areas of cluster research are described in more detail, including how they can impact environmental problems. These are: surface-supported clusters, water and contaminant interactions, time-resolved dynamic studies in clusters, and cluster structures and reactions. These facilities and equipment required for each area of research are then presented. The appendices contain workshop agenda and a listing of the researchers who participated in the workshop discussions that led to this report

A facility for using cluster research to study environmental problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-11-01

This report begins by describing the general application of cluster based research to environmental chemistry and the development of a Cluster Structure and Dynamics Research Facility (CSDRF). Next, four important areas of cluster research are described in more detail, including how they can impact environmental problems. These are: surface-supported clusters, water and contaminant interactions, time-resolved dynamic studies in clusters, and cluster structures and reactions. These facilities and equipment required for each area of research are then presented. The appendices contain workshop agenda and a listing of the researchers who participated in the workshop discussions that led to this report.

College and University Environmental Programs as a Policy Problem (Part 2): Strategies for Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Susan G.; Rutherford, Murray B.; Auer, Matthew R.; Cherney, David N.; Wallace, Richard L.; Mattson, David J.; Clark, Douglas A.; Foote, Lee; Krogman, Naomi; Wilshusen, Peter; Steelman, Toddi

2011-05-01

Environmental studies and environmental sciences programs in American and Canadian colleges and universities seek to ameliorate environmental problems through empirical enquiry and analytic judgment. In a companion article (Part 1) we describe the environmental program movement (EPM) and discuss factors that have hindered its performance. Here, we complete our analysis by proposing strategies for improvement. We recommend that environmental programs re-organize around three principles. First, adopt as an overriding goal the concept of human dignity—defined as freedom and social justice in healthy, sustainable environments. This clear higher-order goal captures the human and environmental aspirations of the EPM and would provide a more coherent direction for the efforts of diverse participants. Second, employ an explicit, genuinely interdisciplinary analytical framework that facilitates the use of multiple methods to investigate and address environmental and social problems in context. Third, develop educational programs and applied experiences that provide students with the technical knowledge, powers of observation, critical thinking skills and management acumen required for them to become effective professionals and leaders. Organizing around these three principles would build unity in the EPM while at the same time capitalizing on the strengths of the many disciplines and diverse local conditions involved.

Waste minimization and control: a review of problems and available technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butt, W.M.

1999-01-01

A country's environmental problems are affected by the level of its economic development, the availability of national resources, and the socio-economic level of this population. Poverty presents special problems for a heavily populated country with limited resources. environmental problems in Pakistan have become serious and should no longer be neglected. These relate air and water pollution particularly in metropolitan and industrial zones, degradation of common property sources which affect the poor adversely due to the degradation of their life support system, threat to biodiversity, inadequate system of solid waste disposal and sanitation with consequent adverse impact on health, infant mortality, birth rate. These problems impose a serious cost on society although it is impossible to comprehend the extent of these on costs. (author)

Environmental layout complexity affects neural activity during navigation in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Slone, Edward; Burles, Ford; Iaria, Giuseppe

2016-05-01

Navigating large-scale surroundings is a fundamental ability. In humans, it is commonly assumed that navigational performance is affected by individual differences, such as age, sex, and cognitive strategies adopted for orientation. We recently showed that the layout of the environment itself also influences how well people are able to find their way within it, yet it remains unclear whether differences in environmental complexity are associated with changes in brain activity during navigation. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate how the brain responds to a change in environmental complexity by asking participants to perform a navigation task in two large-scale virtual environments that differed solely in interconnection density, a measure of complexity defined as the average number of directional choices at decision points. The results showed that navigation in the simpler, less interconnected environment was faster and more accurate relative to the complex environment, and such performance was associated with increased activity in a number of brain areas (i.e. precuneus, retrosplenial cortex, and hippocampus) known to be involved in mental imagery, navigation, and memory. These findings provide novel evidence that environmental complexity not only affects navigational behaviour, but also modulates activity in brain regions that are important for successful orientation and navigation. © 2016 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Would environmental pollution affect home prices? An empirical study based on China's key cities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Yu; Zheng, Shaoqing

2017-11-01

With the development of China's economy, the problem of environmental pollution has become increasingly more serious, affecting the sustained and healthy development of Chinese cities and the willingness of residents to invest in fixed assets. In this paper, a panel data set of 70 of China's key cities from 2003 to 2014 is used to study the effect of environmental pollution on home prices in China's key cities. In addition to the static panel data regression model, this paper uses the generalized method of moments (GMM) to control for the potential endogeneity and introduce the dynamics. To ensure the robustness of the research results, this paper uses four typical pollutants: per capita volume of SO 2 emissions, industrial soot (dust) emissions, industrial wastewater discharge, and industrial chemical oxygen demand discharge. The analysis shows that environmental pollution does have a negative impact on home prices, and the magnitude of this effect is dependent on the level of economic development. When GDP per capita increases, the size of the negative impact on home prices tends to reduce. Industrial soot (dust) has the greatest impact, and the impact of industrial wastewater is relatively small. It is also found that some other social and economic factors, including greening, public transport, citizen income, fiscal situation, loans, FDI, and population density, have positive effects on home prices, but the effect of employment on home prices is relatively weak.

Empathy and Critical Thinking: Primary Students Solving Local Environmental Problems through Outdoor Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Ampuero, David; Miranda, Christian E.; Delgado, Luisa E.; Goyen, Samantha; Weaver, Sean

2015-01-01

The present study explores the outcomes of teaching empathy and critical thinking to solve environmental problems. This investigation was done throughout the duration of an environmental education course within a primary school located in central Chile. A community-based research methodology was used to understand the formation of empathy and…

Global measure for energy + environmental problems by thorium molten-salt nuclear energy synergetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furukawa, K.; Lecocq, A.; Mitachi, K.; Kato, Y.

1991-01-01

The new global fission industry as a measure for energy and environmental problems of the next century should keep a strong public acceptance, which means to ensure an enough rational safety feature not only in the engineering issue but also in the all issues of integral fuel-cycle system. In these sense, the rational characteristics of the Thorium Molten-Salt Nuclear Energy Synergetic System (THORIMS-NES) is widely explained relating with a) resources and environmental problems, b) safety, c) nuclear-proliferation and -terrorism, d) breeding fuel-cycle, chemical processing and radio-wastes, and e) social acceptability and economy, including 'North-South' problems. The basic technology of Molten-Salt Reactor system has been established, and the practical and economical development program of THORIMS-NES is also proposed. (author) 3 figs., 1 tab., 16 refs

Cost-effective and simple solutions for environmental pollution problems by electrochemical methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, R.

1997-01-01

Environmental pollution is a worldwide problem and has increased significantly with industrialization, urbanization and population growth and is effecting quality of our air, land and water resources. Pollutants include heavy metals, organic toxic and reactive compounds and toxic gases. Major problems in environmental pollution are monitoring and remediation. Now pollutants include such wide range of elements, compounds and gases and normally one needs a whole range of costly analytical techniques to analyse all the pollutants which only very few institutes can afford to purchased. Equipment for electro analytical techniques are much cheaper than most of the other analytical techniques and are also sensitive and accurate for the analysis of nearly the whole range of pollutants including heavy metal. organic reactive compounds, inorganic elements and compounds and toxic gases. application of electrochemical methods for the analysis of different pollutants are reviewed. after monitoring, remediation in the most important aspect of environmental pollution control. Best way could be to treat the pollutants from different industries in such a way that either these are removed from the waste or converted in to non-toxic compounds before their release into the environment. Among all the other treatment methods, electrochemical methods of utilizing the electron as a clean chemical regent are very attractive. Electrodes in electrochemical reactors are abundantly use for the removal and recycling of toxic metals like Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cr and Zn from the industrial waste after electrodeposition. Electrochemical reactors are also being used for electro oxidation of cyanides and other toxic organic compounds into non-toxic species. Such reactors can, in principal, be applied to any environmental pollution problem where the pollutant can either be electro-reduced or oxidized. Different types of electrochemical reactors are discussed, with a view, of their envisaged used for

Families Affected by Huntington's Disease Report Difficulties in Communication, Emotional Involvement, and Problem Solving.

Science.gov (United States)

Jona, Celine M H; Labuschagne, Izelle; Mercieca, Emily-Clare; Fisher, Fiona; Gluyas, Cathy; Stout, Julie C; Andrews, Sophie C

2017-01-01

Family functioning in Huntington's disease (HD) is known from previous studies to be adversely affected. However, which aspects of family functioning are disrupted is unknown, limiting the empirical basis around which to create supportive interventions. The aim of the current study was to assess family functioning in HD families. We assessed family functioning in 61 participants (38 HD gene-expanded participants and 23 family members) using the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD; Epstein, Baldwin and Bishop, 1983), which provides scores for seven domains of functioning: Problem Solving; Communication; Affective Involvement; Affective Responsiveness; Behavior Control; Roles; and General Family Functioning. The most commonly reported disrupted domain for HD participants was Affective Involvement, which was reported by 39.5% of HD participants, followed closely by General Family Functioning (36.8%). For family members, the most commonly reported dysfunctional domains were Affective Involvement and Communication (both 52.2%). Furthermore, symptomatic HD participants reported more disruption to Problem Solving than pre-symptomatic HD participants. In terms of agreement between pre-symptomatic and symptomatic HD participants and their family members, all domains showed moderate to very good agreement. However, on average, family members rated Communication as more disrupted than their HD affected family member. These findings highlight the need to target areas of emotional engagement, communication skills and problem solving in family interventions in HD.

Environmental Security: What Environmental Issues Impact Regional Stability and Affect United States Foreign Policy with Mexico?

Science.gov (United States)

1997-03-01

extraregional sponsor of Alianza para el Desarrollo Sostenible (Sustainable Development Alliance - ALIDES), along with United States and Canada. ALIDES is...more stable the government the better the country will be able to solve its environmental problems. 42 Glossary ALIDES Alianza para el Desarrollo ... Sostenible (Sustainable Development Alliance) C Centigrade CFCs Chlorofluorocarbons BECC Border Environment Cooperation Commission BNC Binational

Industrialization of western region of ukraine: problems of environmental consequences management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. M. Malyarchuk

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The article focuses on the consequences of industrialization of the western region of the Ukrainian SSR – large-scale construction industry provided jobs for the active population of the region, led to the expansion of infrastructure of settlements and towns, strengthened social sphere and became a positive factor for the development of the western regions of Ukraine. However, due to the increased production capacity natural resources got depleted. The ability of ecosystems to self-healing and self-cleaning was not taken into account, which caused devastating impact on nature and human health. Uncontrolled industrial pollution of air, water and land resources became a common phenomenon for the urbanized western region. Promoting environmental knowledge and declaration of achievement of significant progress in official documents gave no mechanisms to solve environmental problems. Overcoming the difficulties of the past is connected with the Ukraine had been being a part of the USSR. The leading place took environmental issues. Poor environmental condition of the whole country was not only caused by the world’s largest man-made disaster on the Chernobyl nuclear plant in April 1986, but also intensive industrialization and collectivization. Full conversion of the economy and agriculture in the middle of the last century led to the growth of anthropogenic impact on the environment. A radical break steady of socio-political and socio-economic life took place in western Ukraine in the second half of the twentieth century. Party-Soviet government in a short time made a «socialist transformation» and social progress was considered only as a means to achieve this goal. A number of issues concerning environmental protection, safety of life, were ignored. Environmental protection, regulation of environmental and economic activities, guaranteeing rights of Ukrainian citizens to environmental safety is currently among the national priorities of the

Sakharov readings 2015: environmental problems of the XXI century. Proceedings of the 15 international scientific conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poznyak, S.S.; Lysukho, N.A.

2015-05-01

The proceeding includes materials of reports of 15-th international scientific conference 'Sakharov readings 2015: Environmental problems of XXI century', which took place 21-22 of May 2015 in the International A. Sakharov Environmental University (Minsk, Belarus). The proceeding continues abstracts about philosophical, social-ecological nd bioethical and problems of modernity; education for sustainable development; medical ecology; biological ecology; radiobiology; radioecology and radiation protection; information systems and technologies in ecology and medicine; regional environmental problems; ecological monitoring and management; renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. Materials of the conference intend on wide area of the specialists in ecology and adjacent sciences, teachers, post-graduate students and students of universities and colleges. (authors)

Tactic-operational problems of soldiers, civilians and environmental protection against contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krauze, M.

1994-01-01

The military problems connected with the probable use in warfare the chemical and nuclear weapon have been discussed. The concept of soldiers, civilians and environmental protection against the chemical and radiological contamination has been presented from the view point of military tactics

College and university environmental programs as a policy problem (Part 2): Strategies for improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, S.G.; Rutherford, M.B.; Auer, M.R.; Cherney, D.N.; Wallace, R.L.; Mattson, D.J.; Clark, D.A.; Foote, L.; Krogman, N.; Wilshusen, P.; Steelman, T.

2011-01-01

Environmental studies and environmental sciences programs in American and Canadian colleges and universities seek to ameliorate environmental problems through empirical enquiry and analytic judgment. In a companion article (Part 1) we describe the environmental program movement (EPM) and discuss factors that have hindered its performance. Here, we complete our analysis by proposing strategies for improvement. We recommend that environmental programs re-organize around three principles. First, adopt as an overriding goal the concept of human dignity-defined as freedom and social justice in healthy, sustainable environments. This clear higher-order goal captures the human and environmental aspirations of the EPM and would provide a more coherent direction for the efforts of diverse participants. Second, employ an explicit, genuinely interdisciplinary analytical framework that facilitates the use of multiple methods to investigate and address environmental and social problems in context. Third, develop educational programs and applied experiences that provide students with the technical knowledge, powers of observation, critical thinking skills and management acumen required for them to become effective professionals and leaders. Organizing around these three principles would build unity in the EPM while at the same time capitalizing on the strengths of the many disciplines and diverse local conditions involved. ?? 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Management of fire affected areas. Beyond the environmental question

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Paulo

2016-04-01

Fire is considered a natural element of the ecosystems. With exception of the polar areas, fire visited with more or less frequency all the earth biomes, determining the ecosystems characteristics, to the point that several species are fire-dependent to survive and are very resilient to their impact. Fire was a fundamental element for human evolution, which allowed us to cook, manipulation of metals, hunt, protect from predators and clear fields for agriculture. In some extension, we are only humans because of fire. In the last millennium fire was used to shape the landscape as we know today. One good example of this is the Mediterranean environment, a landscape where the ecology is not understood without the presence of fire. Until the end of the first half of the last century, fire was used frequently by farmers to landscape management. However, due to rural abandonment, change of life styles, disconnection with rural environment and lack of understanding of fire role in the ecosystems. The perception of fire changed and nowadays is understood by the population as a threat to the ecosystems, rather than a tool that helped to manage the landscape and help us in our evolution. This change of vision promoted the idea that fire has negative impacts in the ecosystems and should be banned from the nature. Something that is impossible. All these perceptions facilitated the implementation of fire-suppression policies, which today are recognized by science as one of the causes of the occurrence of frequent high-severity wildfires, with important impacts on the ecosystems, economy and society. However, most of the ecosystems can regenerate sooner or later, depending of the fire severity and the ecosystem affected. Thus, fire is not an ecological, but social and economic problem, due to lives loss and the temporary destruction of ecosystems, which local communities depend on. In this context, when we are managing fire affected areas, it goes much beyond environmental

Sakharov readings 2009: Environmental problems of the XXI century. Proceedings of the 9 scientific conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kundas, S.P.; Mel'nov, S.B.; Poznyak, S.S.

2009-05-01

Proceeding includes materials of reports of 9-ts international scientific conference 'Sakharov readings 2009: Environmental problems of XXI century', which took place 21-22 of May 2009 in the International Sakharov Environmental University. Represented materials were integrated to next parts: social-ecological and ecology-ethical problems; medical ecology; bio ecology; bio monitoring, bio indication and bioremediation; radioecology and radiation security; ecological informational systems and technologies; ecological monitoring, management and audit; resumption sources of energy and energy-saving technologies; problems of ecological education. Materials of the conference intend on wide area of the specialists in ecology and adjacent sciences, teachers, post-graduate students and students of universities and colleges. (authors)

ON THE OPTIMAL CONTROL OF A PROBLEM OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Dávalos Chuquipoma

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This article is studied the optimal control of distributed parameter systems applied to an environmental pollution problem. The model consists of a differential equation partial parabolic modeling of a pollutant transport in a fluid. The model is considered the speed with which the pollutant spreads in the environment and degradation that suffers the contaminant by the presence of a factor biological inhibitor, which breaks the contaminant at a rate that is not dependent on space and time. Using the method of Lagrange multipliers is possible to prove the existence solving the problem of control and obtaining optimality conditions for optimal control.

How 21st century droughts affect food and environmental security

Science.gov (United States)

Kogan, Felix

The first 13th years of the 21st century has begun with a series of widespread, long and intensive droughts around the world. Extreme and severe-to-extreme intensity droughts covered 2-6% and 7-16% of the world land, respectively, affecting environment, economies and humans. These droughts reduced agricultural production, leading to food shortages, human health deterioration, poverty, regional disturbances, population migration and death. This presentation is a travelogue of the 21st century global and regional droughts during the warmest years of the past 100 years. These droughts were identified and monitored with the NOAA operational space technology, called Vegetation Health (VH), which has the longest period of observation and provide good data quality. The VH method was used for assessment of vegetation condition or health, including drought early detection and monitoring. The VH method is based on operational satellites data estimating both land surface greenness (NDVI) and thermal conditions. The 21st century droughts in the USA, Russia, Australia Argentina, Brazil, China, India and other principal grain producing countries were intensive, long, covered large areas and caused huge losses in agricultural production, which affected food and environmental security and led to food riots in some countries. This presentation investigate how droughts affect food and environmental security, if they can be detected earlier, how to monitor their area, intensity, duration and impacts and also their dynamics during the climate warming era with satellite-based vegetation health technology.

Physical Health Problems and Environmental Challenges Influence Balancing Behaviour in Laying Hens.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie LeBlanc

Full Text Available With rising public concern for animal welfare, many major food chains and restaurants are changing their policies, strictly buying their eggs from non-cage producers. However, with the additional space in these cage-free systems to perform natural behaviours and movements comes the risk of injury. We evaluated the ability to maintain balance in adult laying hens with health problems (footpad dermatitis, keel damage, poor wing feather cover; n = 15 using a series of environmental challenges and compared such abilities with those of healthy birds (n = 5. Environmental challenges consisted of visual and spatial constraints, created using a head mask, perch obstacles, and static and swaying perch states. We hypothesized that perch movement, environmental challenges, and diminished physical health would negatively impact perching performance demonstrated as balance (as measured by time spent on perch and by number of falls of the perch and would require more exaggerated correctional movements. We measured perching stability whereby each bird underwent eight 30-second trials on a static and swaying perch: with and without disrupted vision (head mask, with and without space limitations (obstacles and combinations thereof. Video recordings (600 Hz and a three-axis accelerometer/gyroscope (100 Hz were used to measure the number of jumps/falls, latencies to leave the perch, as well as magnitude and direction of both linear and rotational balance-correcting movements. Laying hens with and without physical health problems, in both challenged and unchallenged environments, managed to perch and remain off the ground. We attribute this capacity to our training of the birds. Environmental challenges and physical state had an effect on the use of accelerations and rotations to stabilize themselves on a perch. Birds with physical health problems performed a higher frequency of rotational corrections to keep the body centered over the perch, whereas, for both

Physical Health Problems and Environmental Challenges Influence Balancing Behaviour in Laying Hens.

Science.gov (United States)

LeBlanc, Stephanie; Tobalske, Bret; Quinton, Margaret; Springthorpe, Dwight; Szkotnicki, Bill; Wuerbel, Hanno; Harlander-Matauschek, Alexandra

2016-01-01

With rising public concern for animal welfare, many major food chains and restaurants are changing their policies, strictly buying their eggs from non-cage producers. However, with the additional space in these cage-free systems to perform natural behaviours and movements comes the risk of injury. We evaluated the ability to maintain balance in adult laying hens with health problems (footpad dermatitis, keel damage, poor wing feather cover; n = 15) using a series of environmental challenges and compared such abilities with those of healthy birds (n = 5). Environmental challenges consisted of visual and spatial constraints, created using a head mask, perch obstacles, and static and swaying perch states. We hypothesized that perch movement, environmental challenges, and diminished physical health would negatively impact perching performance demonstrated as balance (as measured by time spent on perch and by number of falls of the perch) and would require more exaggerated correctional movements. We measured perching stability whereby each bird underwent eight 30-second trials on a static and swaying perch: with and without disrupted vision (head mask), with and without space limitations (obstacles) and combinations thereof. Video recordings (600 Hz) and a three-axis accelerometer/gyroscope (100 Hz) were used to measure the number of jumps/falls, latencies to leave the perch, as well as magnitude and direction of both linear and rotational balance-correcting movements. Laying hens with and without physical health problems, in both challenged and unchallenged environments, managed to perch and remain off the ground. We attribute this capacity to our training of the birds. Environmental challenges and physical state had an effect on the use of accelerations and rotations to stabilize themselves on a perch. Birds with physical health problems performed a higher frequency of rotational corrections to keep the body centered over the perch, whereas, for both health categories

Grand challenge problems in environmental modeling and remediation: groundwater contaminant transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Todd Arbogast; Steve Bryant; Clint N. Dawson; Mary F. Wheeler

1998-08-31

This report describes briefly the work of the Center for Subsurface Modeling (CSM) of the University of Texas at Austin (and Rice University prior to September 1995) on the Partnership in Computational Sciences Consortium (PICS) project entitled Grand Challenge Problems in Environmental Modeling and Remediation: Groundwater Contaminant Transport.

Sakharov readings 2016: environmental problems of the XXI century. Proceedings of the 16 international scientific conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maskevich, S.A.; Poznyak, S.S.; Lysukho, N.A.

2016-05-01

The proceeding includes materials of reports of 16-th international scientific conference 'Sakharov readings 2016: Environmental problems of XXI century', which took place 19-20 of May 2015 in the International A. Sakharov Environmental Institute at the Belarus State University (Minsk, Belarus). The proceeding continues abstracts about philosophical, social-ecological and bioethical problems of modernity; education for sustainable development; medical ecology; biological ecology; radiobiology; radioecology and radiation protection; information systems and technologies in ecology and medicine; regional environmental problems; ecological monitoring and management; renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. In the framework of conference a discussion 'Ethical aspects of biomedicine, genetics, nanomedical technologies and human ecology' was conducted. Materials of the conference intend on wide area of the specialists in ecology and adjacent sciences, teachers, post-graduate students and students of universities and colleges. (authors)

Natural gas fuelled vehicles, energetic and environmental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciancia, A.; Pede, G.

1998-03-01

The present report deals with the analysis and the presentation of the main problems concerning the introduction of the natural gas fuel for vehicles. The offer and demand side of the NGV market are analyzed, together with the presently available NG fuelled vehicles and the status of the technology for engines and on-board storage systems, with particular regard to the energetic and environmental performance of the system. Finally the NGV market development is presented, and the actors on the stage, showing the opportunities together with the possible obstacle to a wider diffusion of this technology [it

Using Interactive Case Studies to Support Students Understandings of Local Environmental Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Kostova

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The article presents designed and refined an interactive-enhanced curriculum module for 9th grade secondary school students in Bulgaria, based on environmental case studies. In the module activities students from two schools studied the local environments, performed observations and experiments, collected and analyzed data, prepared and presented posters and role plays, made connections between scientific processes and socio-scientific issues and drew conclusions about the global effects of locally created environmental problems. The students’ critical observations of the quality of their surroundings helped them to make a list of local environmental problems, to apply interactive strategies in studying them and to propose rational scientifically based solutions. In the study the attention was directed to the advantages and disadvantages of poster presentations and role playing and to the specific learning difficulties that students had to overcome. Students’ achievements from the two experimental schools were assessed independently in order to give us insights into the details of learning using different interactive strategies and into the acquired performance skills, dependant on students’ interests and personal abilities. The three versions of the module (traditional, dominated by teacher presentation; poster preparation and presentation in which students imitate scientific team research; and role playing in which students not only study the local environmental problems but assume social roles to cope with them demonstrate three levels of students learning independence. Specific assessment tests and check lists were developed for analyzing, evaluating and comparing students’ achievements in each version of the module and in each school. Ecological knowledge assessment tests were based on Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Poster and role playing preparations and presentations were assessed by specific criteria, shown in the

Families Affected by Huntington’s Disease Report Difficulties in Communication, Emotional Involvement, and Problem Solving

Science.gov (United States)

Jona, Celine M.H.; Labuschagne, Izelle; Mercieca, Emily-Clare; Fisher, Fiona; Gluyas, Cathy; Stout, Julie C.; Andrews, Sophie C.

2017-01-01

Background: Family functioning in Huntington’s disease (HD) is known from previous studies to be adversely affected. However, which aspects of family functioning are disrupted is unknown, limiting the empirical basis around which to create supportive interventions. Objective: The aim of the current study was to assess family functioning in HD families. Methods: We assessed family functioning in 61 participants (38 HD gene-expanded participants and 23 family members) using the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD; Epstein, Baldwin and Bishop, 1983), which provides scores for seven domains of functioning: Problem Solving; Communication; Affective Involvement; Affective Responsiveness; Behavior Control; Roles; and General Family Functioning. Results: The most commonly reported disrupted domain for HD participants was Affective Involvement, which was reported by 39.5% of HD participants, followed closely by General Family Functioning (36.8%). For family members, the most commonly reported dysfunctional domains were Affective Involvement and Communication (both 52.2%). Furthermore, symptomatic HD participants reported more disruption to Problem Solving than pre-symptomatic HD participants. In terms of agreement between pre-symptomatic and symptomatic HD participants and their family members, all domains showed moderate to very good agreement. However, on average, family members rated Communication as more disrupted than their HD affected family member. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need to target areas of emotional engagement, communication skills and problem solving in family interventions in HD. PMID:28968240

The environmental problems of the Senegal coast. Les problemes environnementaux de la cote du Senegal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Niang-Diop, I

1994-01-01

Situated at the western extremity of the African continent, Senegal possesses a 707 km coastline. The coastal zone, defined as the area lying between an elevation of 6 m on the land side and 10 m depth on the sea side, represents a total area of 12,150 km[sup 2], or 3% of the total land area. A review is presented of the environmental problems facing the Senegalese coastal zone. These problems are numerous and include erosion and desertification, increases in water salinity, and mangrove swamp degradation. These threats are all likely to be enhanced by any climate change caused by global warming, which will lead to sea level rise. Because the coastal zone is highly populated and contains the majority of the country's economic activity, this zone has strategic importance to Senegal. It is important that policy towards this zone trends in the direction of sustainable development. Policy decisions must take into account the environmental threats to the coastal zone, and it is important to raise public awareness on these issues. However, any political action must be matched by measures to relieve the human pressures on the coast. The interior of the country is semi-desert, which encourages a rural exodus. Costal zone management must therefore be coupled with sustainable development throughout the country. 1 fig., 1 tab.

Sakharov readings 2011: environmental problems of the XXI century. Proceedings of 11 international scientific conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kundas, S.P.; Poznyak, S.S.

2011-05-01

The proceeding includes materials of reports of 11-th international scientific conference 'Sakharov readings 2011: Environmental problems of XXI century', which took place 19-20 of May 2011 in the International A. Sakharov Environmental University. The proceeding continues abstracts about social-ecological, ecology-ethical and pedagogical problems in light of the Sakharov' ideas; medical ecology; biological ecology; biomonitoring, bioindication and bioremediation; radioecology and radiation protection; information systems and technologies in ecology and medicine; ecological monitoring, management and audit; renewable energy sources and energy efficiency; climate change and sustainable development; regional ecological problems. Materials of the conference intend on wide area of the specialists in ecology and adjacent sciences, teachers, post-graduate students and students of universities and colleges.

Eight statements on environmental research in the social sciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prittwitz, V.

1985-01-01

Social science research on environmental problems has two main tasks: (1) to provide critical practice-oriented contributions to present and threatening environmental problems, and (2) to draw the humans-and-nature problematique into social science concepts and theoretical frameworks. In this paper, the prerequisites for achieving both tasks as well as the theoretical, political, and institutional aspects that affect them are discussed. The focus of the discussion is the interdependence between practical problem solving and development of theory. (orig.) [de

Environmentally assisted cracking of non-sensitized stainless steels - possible affecting phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehrnsten, Ulla; Haenninen, Hannu

2006-09-01

Intergranular, environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) has been observed, not only in sensitized austenitic stainless steels, but also in non-sensitized stainless steels. This type of cracking has so far been connected to cold-worked stainless steels and it has been reported to occur in the oxidising environments, but it may also be a potential degradation mode in non-oxidising environments (i.e., both in BWR and PWR conditions). Localisation of plastic deformation and the interactions between oxidation and strain localisation are most probably playing the key role in cracking of cold-worked stainless steels. In this paper, the possible affecting phenomena are reviewed with the main emphasis on dynamic strain ageing. However, also environmentally enhanced creep, dynamic recovery, microstructures of the cold-worked austenitic stainless steels and relaxation are briefly discussed. Mechanistic understanding of the effects of these main factors affecting intergranular stress corrosion cracking of cold-worked, non-sensitized austenitic stainless steels is important, especially as the trend in the NDE inspection strategy is moving towards risk informed inspection. (authors)

Non-Conformitity in raw material: Quality problems and environmental impacts in a dairy processor in Paraná

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacqueline Ruelis Fabbro

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Environmental management has been discussed by researchers and practitioners along recent years. Relations between quality and environmental issues have been treated, since quality problems interfere on environmental impacts. In dairy system, according to a report on dairy cleaner production by FIESP (2008, processors are concerned especially with rational use of water, energy saving techniques and equipment, use of less toxic raw materials, recycling, water and effluent treatment. Some studies have highlighted the importance of agriculture (milk producers when it comes to environmental problems along the chain, giving less relevance to dairy processing, packaging, consume phase and waste management. Thus, milk reception control in dairy companies is an important stage for environmental management. Considering the importance of coordination among agents, the aim of this paper was to analyze processor conduct concerning raw material non-conformity, linking quality and environmental issues. This qualitative research was accomplished through a study in a dairy plant in Paraná, which processes200,000 liters of milk per day and sells products nationally. The company works with 1,500 milk suppliers on average. Legal requirements are followed along the process, and ISO 1400 implementation in the company is in progress. According to interviews with quality supervisor and industrial manager, one of the most important critical point is milk reception, and a number of non-conformities are controlled. The presence of antibiotics is the most relevant of them, since it results in material rejection. Other problems, such as acidity and cryoscopy, are less critical, since it is possible to direct input to co-products. Interviewees informed that a low amount of milk is contaminated with antibiotics (about 1% of total input. Concerning antibiotic contamination, intensive training and constant visits have been developed with producers, especially to inform them

Genetic and environmental influences on conduct and antisocial personality problems in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wesseldijk, Laura W; Bartels, Meike; Vink, Jacqueline M; van Beijsterveldt, Catharina E M; Ligthart, Lannie; Boomsma, Dorret I; Middeldorp, Christel M

2017-01-01

Conduct problems in children and adolescents can predict antisocial personality disorder and related problems, such as crime and conviction. We sought an explanation for such predictions by performing a genetic longitudinal analysis. We estimated the effects of genetic, shared environmental, and

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM SOLVING WITH GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS: 1994 AND 1999 CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

Science.gov (United States)

These two national conferences, held in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1994 and 1999, addressed the area of environmental problem solving with Geographic Information Systems. This CD-ROM is a compilation of the proceedings in PDF format. The emphasis of the conference presentations were on ...

The problem of the information in the environmental regulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nohra León R.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available There are two outstanding elements for the recent studies of environmental regulation: Firsdy the importance of recognizing the rationality agents that participate in the process to be regulated and in the other hand the asymmetric information problem. So, this context shows a mechanism regulation theory to price a natural resource, just like water, under moral hazard and adverse selection. These are issues concerned by every social scientist; therefore geographers must take these tools trying to develop harder works that engage some academic subjects.

Mountains, Monuments, and other Matter: Environmental Affects at Manzanar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ladino, Jennifer K.

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This essay investigates the natural landscapes and built structures at the Manzanar National Historic Site, the first of ten incarceration camps to open in 1941 and a temporary home for over 11,000 Japanese Americans. Using former incarceree Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston’s writing as a touchstone, my essay foregrounds the environmental features of the (relocation: the extreme desert weather, the mountain vistas, the incarceree-created rock gardens, the reconstructed barracks, guard tower, and barbed wire fence, and the cemetery/monument. I bring together concepts from ecocriticism and from affect theory—particularly Ben Anderson’s “affective atmospheres,” Sianne Ngai’s “tone,” and Sara Ahmed’s characterization of affect as “sticky”—and develop the notion of affective agency to describe the impacts generated by environments and objects at this national memory site. I assess how the visual and written rhetoric at the site addresses what I call an implied tourist, and I show how powerful emotions of shame, anger, grief, and compassion—and sometimes, mixed, even contradictory, affects—are not only represented in visual and written rhetoric but are also, in a sense, communicated by the environment itself. More broadly, I suggest that ecocritical theory brings a useful lens to discussions of public memory, and that affect theory helps account for the less tangible, visceral, experiences visitors have at Manzanar and other fraught historical sites, as well as within our everyday environments.

Sakharov readings 2012: environmental problems of the XXI century. Proceedings of 12 international scientific conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kundas, S.P.; Poznyak, S.S.

2012-05-01

The proceeding includes materials of reports of 12-th international scientific conference 'Sakharov readings 2012: Environmental problems of XXI century', which took place 17-18 of May 2012 in the International A. Sakharov Environmental University (Minsk, Belarus). The proceeding continues abstracts about social-ecological, ecology-ethical and pedagogical problems in light of the Sakharov' ideas; medical ecology; biological ecology; biomonitoring, bioindication and bioremediation; radioecology and radiation protection; information systems and technologies in ecology and medicine; ecological monitoring, management and audit; renewable energy sources and energy efficiency; climate change and sustainable development; regional ecological problems. Materials of the conference intend on wide area of the specialists in ecology and adjacent sciences, teachers, post-graduate students and students of universities and colleges.

Socio-economic status and environmental problems affecting the fishermen along the river tributaries of Dagupan City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sally A. Jarin

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to determine the socio-economic status of the fishermen along the river tributaries of Dagupan City and to study the environment problems affecting the fishermen along the river tributaries of Dagupan City. This study used a mixed method research design and utilized a survey questionnaire to gather response from 60 fishers selected through proportionate sampling. The fishermen along the tributaries of Dagupan City are mostly male, young adult with family of their own, attended primary education, and belong to big family size. All respondents owned houses made only of light materials. Shrimps and crabs were the most frequently caught species now compared to many small pelagic fishes before, when there were no aquaculture structures like fish pens and cages. Fishermen were limited to the ownership of passive fishing gears like gill nets, skylab, skyblue, and liftnet. Fishpen or cage structures were owned by big businessmen while the fishers served only as caretakers. The respondents are worried on the decrease of fish catch. It is recommended that the government of the City of Dagupan should continue its program in demolishing pen and cage structures to free the rivers from pollution of feed inputs. Management and economic measures should be considered in order to gain significant effect on income of the fishermen. In designing management systems which have income improvement as a goal, appropriate implementation, monitoring and evaluation initiatives should be conducted and taken cared of for sustainable income improvement of farmers in the community of Dagupan and, perhaps, wealth distribution.

Using a Scientific Paper Format to Foster Problem-Based, Cohort-Learning in Undergraduate Environmental Science

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, T.; Langley-Turnbaugh, S. J.; Sanford, R.

2006-01-01

The Department of Environmental Science at the University of Southern Maine implemented a problem-based, cohort-learning curriculum for undergraduate environmental science majors. The curriculum was based on a five-course sequence patterned after the outline of a scientific paper. Under faculty guidance, students select local environmental…

Some applications of fractal mathematics in the evaluation of environmental problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thimm, H. F.; Poon, D. C.; McCormack, M.

1997-11-01

Application of fractal mathematics to commonly occurring environmental problems in the petroleum industry is discussed. Examples are provided to illustrate application of the technique. The specific examples cited involve the interpretation of mercury contamination data at a gas plant and the determination of the optimal volume of soil excavation at a contaminated site. 10 refs., 4 figs.

Sakharov readings 2013: environmental problems of the XXI century. Proceedings of the 13 international scientific conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kundas, S.P.; Poznyak, S.S.; Lysukho, N.A.

2013-05-01

The proceeding includes materials of reports of 13-th international scientific conference 'Sakharov readings 2013: Environmental problems of XXI century', which took place 16-17 of May 2013 in the International A. Sakharov Environmental University (Minsk, Belarus). The proceeding continues abstracts about social-ecological and ecology-ethical problems of modern times; education for sustainable development; medical ecology; biological ecology; radiobiology; radioecology and radiation protection; information systems and technologies in ecology and medicine; regional ecological problems; ecological monitoring and management; renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. Materials of the conference intend on wide area of the specialists in ecology and adjacent sciences, teachers, post-graduate students and students of universities and colleges.

Dyadic flexibility and positive affect in parent–child coregulation and the development of child behavior problems

Science.gov (United States)

LUNKENHEIMER, ERIKA S.; OLSON, SHERYL L.; HOLLENSTEIN, TOM; SAMEROFF, ARNOLD J.; WINTER, CHARLOTTE

2018-01-01

Parent–child dyadic rigidity and negative affect contribute to children’s higher levels of externalizing problems. The present longitudinal study examined whether the opposite constructs of dyadic flexibility and positive affect predicted lower levels of externalizing behavior problems across the early childhood period. Mother–child (N = 163) and father–child (n = 94) dyads engaged in a challenging block design task at home when children were 3 years old. Dynamic systems methods were used to derive dyadic positive affect and three indicators of dyadic flexibility (range, dispersion, and transitions) from observational coding. We hypothesized that the interaction between dyadic flexibility and positive affect would predict lower levels of externalizing problems at age 5.5 years as rated by mothers and teachers, controlling for stability in externalizing problems, task time, child gender, and the child’s effortful control. The hypothesis was supported in predicting teacher ratings of child externalizing from both mother–child and father–child interactions. There were also differential main effects for mothers and fathers: mother–child flexibility was detrimental and father–child flexibility was beneficial for child outcomes. Results support the inclusion of adaptive and dynamic parent–child coregulation processes in the study of children’s early disruptive behavior. PMID:23786697

Positive and Negative Affect During Sexual Activity: Differences Between Homosexual and Heterosexual Men and Women, With and Without Sexual Problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Peixoto, Maria Manuela; Nobre, Pedro

2016-01-02

Empirical research suggests that emotional response during sexual activity discriminates between sexually functional and dysfunctional heterosexual men and women, with clinics presenting lower positive and higher negative affect. However, there is no evidence about the role of emotions in gay men and lesbian women with sexual problems. The present study analyzed affective states during sexual activity in homosexual and heterosexual men and women, with and without sexual problems. Participants in this study were 156 men and 168 women. A 2 (group) × 2 (sexual orientation) multivariate analysis of variance was performed. Participants completed a web-survey assessing sexual functioning and the Positive Affect-Negative Affect Scale. Findings indicated a main effect of group, with groups with sexual problems reporting significantly more negative and lower positive affect compared with men and women without sexual problems, regardless of sexual orientation. However, findings have also shown an interaction effect in the male sample with gay men, contrary to heterosexual men, reporting similar affective responses regardless of having a sexual dysfunction or not. Overall, findings emphasize the role of affective responses during sexual activity in men and women with sexual problems, suggesting the importance of addressing emotional responses in assessment and treatment of sexual problems in individuals with different sexual orientations.

Structural problems of public participation in large-scale projects with environmental impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bechmann, G.

1989-01-01

Four items are discussed showing that the problems involved through participation of the public in large-scale projects with environmental impact cannot be solved satisfactorily without suitable modification of the existing legal framework. The problematic items are: the status of the electric utilities as a quasi public enterprise; informal preliminary negotiations; the penetration of scientific argumentation into administrative decisions; the procedural concept. The paper discusses the fundamental issue of the problem-adequate design of the procedure and develops suggestions for a cooperative participation design. (orig./HSCH) [de

Impact of tall buildings in environmental pollution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Hayati

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Today, tall building is a phenomenon that the world particularly large cities are facing. The tall buildings in order to exploit the land with having the negative affects in the environment create new problems including increasing congestion population, environmental pollution, reduce citizen access to fresh air and sunlight. However, regarding to population increasing and land shortage, tall buildings could not be avoided. This paper investigates the relationship of tall buildings with urban air pollution as well as the possible reducing of negative affects of tall building on environmental pollution with respect to geographical position, technicalrules, immunization, green space, direct of wind, appropriate distance to other buildings, design in terms of visibility and landscape and urban appearance were reviewed. The study showed that the tall buildings cause increasing the air pollution in large urban area due to changing in wind and its direction and also congestion of tall buildings as a pollution sources. Therefore some techniques to design the tall building must be considered to reduce the negative affects of the tall buildings on environmental pollution. Unfortunately the lack of the construction roles in term of environmental protection and also control of the rules in construction process causing the environmental pollution particularly air pollution. It is suggested that the re-evaluate of the rules with restricted control can improve the air quality in the large cities and also utilization of green spaces in floors and roofs of buildings as environmentally friendly buildings which are attempt to reduce environmental problems.

Problems of environmental pollution in a modern society. I problemi dell'inquinamento nella societa moderna

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinchera, G C

1983-10-01

The paper deals with the problem of environmental deterioration in Italy and of systematic acquisition of data on the state of environment. Manners in which some countries are tackling the problems of regulating air pollution control are analysed and compared. Then, attention is given to farming practices which made agriculture notoriously exposed to pollution caused by other human activities, becoming itself a significant source of adverse ecological effects. Possible directions for recovering, recycling and utilizing wastes of urban, agrozootechnical and industrial origin are discussed. Finally, some suggestions are made for the improvement of environmental risk management in Italy.

When unfamiliarity matters: Changing environmental context between study and test affects recognition memory for unfamiliar stimuli

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Russo, R.; Ward, G.; Geurts, H.M.; Scheres, A.P.J.

1999-01-01

Performance in recognition memory has been shown to be relatively insensitive to the effect of environmental context changes between study and test. Recent evidence (P. Dalton, 1993) showed that environmental context changes between study and test affected recognition memory discrimination for

The environmental zero-point problem in evolutionary reaction norm modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Ergon, Rolf

2018-04-01

There is a potential problem in present quantitative genetics evolutionary modeling based on reaction norms. Such models are state-space models, where the multivariate breeder's equation in some form is used as the state equation that propagates the population state forward in time. These models use the implicit assumption of a constant reference environment, in many cases set to zero. This zero-point is often the environment a population is adapted to, that is, where the expected geometric mean fitness is maximized. Such environmental reference values follow from the state of the population system, and they are thus population properties. The environment the population is adapted to, is, in other words, an internal population property, independent of the external environment. It is only when the external environment coincides with the internal reference environment, or vice versa, that the population is adapted to the current environment. This is formally a result of state-space modeling theory, which is an important theoretical basis for evolutionary modeling. The potential zero-point problem is present in all types of reaction norm models, parametrized as well as function-valued, and the problem does not disappear when the reference environment is set to zero. As the environmental reference values are population characteristics, they ought to be modeled as such. Whether such characteristics are evolvable is an open question, but considering the complexity of evolutionary processes, such evolvability cannot be excluded without good arguments. As a straightforward solution, I propose to model the reference values as evolvable mean traits in their own right, in addition to other reaction norm traits. However, solutions based on an evolvable G matrix are also possible.

Offspring ADHD as a risk factor for parental marital problems: controls for genetic and environmental confounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Schermerhorn, Alice C; D'Onofrio, Brian M; Slutske, Wendy S; Emery, Robert E; Turkheimer, Eric; Harden, K Paige; Heath, Andrew C; Martin, Nicholas G

2012-12-01

Previous studies have found that child attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with more parental marital problems. However, the reasons for this association are unclear. The association might be due to genetic or environmental confounds that contribute to both marital problems and ADHD. Data were drawn from the Australian Twin Registry, including 1,296 individual twins, their spouses, and offspring. We studied adult twins who were discordant for offspring ADHD.Using a discordant twin pairs design, we examined the extent to which genetic and environmental confounds,as well as measured parental and offspring characteristics, explain the ADHD-marital problems association. Offspring ADHD predicted parental divorce and marital conflict. The associations were also robust when comparing differentially exposed identical twins to control for unmeasured genetic and environmental factors, when controlling for measured maternal and paternal psychopathology,when restricting the sample based on timing of parental divorce and ADHD onset, and when controlling for other forms of offspring psychopathology. Each of these controls rules out alternative explanations for the association. The results of the current study converge with those of prior research in suggesting that factors directly associated with offspring ADHD increase parental marital problems.

Reduced heart rate variability in pet dogs affected by anxiety-related behaviour problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Wormald, Dennis; Lawrence, Andrew J; Carter, Gabrielle; Fisher, Andrew D

2017-01-01

We present here the first evidence of correlation between canine anxiety-related behavioural problems and heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is known to be related to a range of mental disorders in humans; however this has not been explored in dogs. Behavioural problems in dogs can result in suffering, property destruction and human injury. Dog behaviour problems were assessed by owner questionnaire and the extreme high and low scoring dogs were recruited into either affected (n=10) or unaffected (n=20) groups. HRV was assessed in dogs at their homes, while being held in lateral recumbency for 5min using manual restraint. Salivary cortisol samples were taken before and after HRV testing. Dogs were assessed as either being reactive to the procedure (barking, growling, struggling or shaking) or unreactive. There was no effect of reactivity or behaviour problems on salivary cortisol levels at baseline or in response to the treatment. There was a significant effect of reactivity on HR (F 1,26 =5.54; P=0.026), and no effect of behaviour problems (F 1,26 =1.07; P=0.311). There was no effect of reactivity on any of the HRV measures. The presence of behaviour problems had a significant effect on a range of measures of HRV, with unaffected dogs having higher standard deviation of RR intervals (F 1,26 =6.39; P=0.018), higher high frequency spectrum (F 1,26 =5.23; P=0.031) and higher low frequency spectrum (F 1,26 =9.25; P=0.005) power. There was no effect of behaviour problems on very low frequency spectrum power (F 1,26 =1.40; P=0.248). Together these results provide evidence for a fundamental physiological difference between dogs affected or unaffected with behaviour problems. This study provides evidence for further investigation into the role of HRV in the pathophysiology of canine anxiety-related behaviour problems. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Learning Economics and Attitudes to Market Solutions to Environmental Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niklas Harring

2017-03-01

not have different attitudes toward environmental policy instruments, compared to students who do not answer the questions correctly. Hence, there seems to be some other factor affecting students in economics during their first semester, that changes their attitudes towards environmental policy instruments.

Macroalgae - an environmental problem or a resource from an eMergy perspective?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Seghetta, Michele; Østergård, Hanne; Bastianoni, Simone

Eutrophication is an environmental problem in a majority of shallow water basins all over the world. The flow of nutrients into the water basin leads to an undesired flowering of macroalgae and their decomposition decreases dissolved oxygen which hampers heterothrophic organisms from breathing....... Could the macroalgae biomass be harvested and used for biofuels in a sustainable way? Two case studies are analyzed: Orbetello Lagoon, Italy, and Køge bay, Denmark. Today, macroalgae are collected and stored in landfills to limit the problem. This study models a scenario where the macroalgae are used...

Prolonged self-paced exercise in the heat - environmental factors affecting performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Junge, Nicklas; Jørgensen, Rasmus; Flouris, Andreas D

2016-01-01

) was on average reduced by 15% in the 14 studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Ambient temperature per se was a poor predictor of the integrated environmental heat stress and 2 of the prevailing heat stress indices (WBGT and UTCI) failed to predict the environmental influence on performance. The weighing......In this review we examine how self-paced performance is affected by environmental heat stress factors during cycling time trial performance as well as considering the effects of exercise mode and heat acclimatization. Mean power output during prolonged cycling time trials in the heat (≥30°C...... of wind speed appears to be too low for predicting the effect for cycling in trained acclimatized subjects, where performance may be maintained in outdoor time trials at ambient temperatures as high as 36°C (36°C UTCI; 28°C WBGT). Power output during indoor trials may also be maintained with temperatures...

Outdoor Experiential Environmental Education: An Adult-Centred Intervention for the Affective Domain

Science.gov (United States)

Okur-Berberoglu, Emel

2017-01-01

The aim of this research is to evaluate the impact of an outdoor experiential environmental education (OEEE) programme on the affective domain of adult participants--namely, in-service teachers from Turkey. Data collection methods such as; psychodrama, non-participant observation, open-ended questions and content analysis were used within a…

Investigation of Environmental Problem Solving Skills of Preschool Age Children

Science.gov (United States)

Ulutas, Aysegül; Köksalan, Bahadir

2017-01-01

The study was conducted to determine problem-solving skills of preschool age children on environment as well as factors affecting this skill. For this purpose, quantitative and qualitative research methods were used together in the study and the research was designed in the screening model. This study is a descriptive type research since it…

Odors problem in the national and international environmental legislation. Prescriptions, limits and guideline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Littarru, P.

2000-01-01

The present paper expounds the main Italian laws and some international laws and guidelines on the problem of environmental impact of odours, with the attempt to arrive to an odours disturbing criterion as objective and applicable as possible [it

Environmental Health assessment 200 Days after Earthquake-Affected Region in East Azerbaijan Earthquake, North-Western of Iran, 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alihossein Zeinalzadeh

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Evaluating of health status and explore the challenges of health problems that threaten human life following disasters and major earthquakes providing windows of opportunities for health care providers in future planning of disasters. The main purpose of this report was to survey the environmental sanitation statues after 200 days of the affected populations in earthquakes of East Azerbaijan, northwestern of Iran, 2012. The survey was carried out in earthquake zones 200 days after the occurrence of the earthquake. A single stage cluster sampling from among 95 villages damaged in the earthquake of 2012 East Azerbaijan of three towns Ahar, Varzeghan and Heris were selected. The data were collected with questionnaire, site visits and evaluation of water and sanitation. In a twin Earthquake, East Azerbaijan province that 399 villages of Ahar, Varzeghan, Heris, Tabriz and Kaleibar cities were affected and 356 (89.2 % villages were destroyed between 30-100%.  Evaluation of water and sanitation infrastructure after 200 days, shown that only half of these villages consumed healthy water with high coverage and adequate. Half of the villages in 200 days after the earthquake were covered safe drinking water (treated drinking water. The bacteriological quality of drinking-water supply of the affected area was assessed in randomly collected 146 samples from this region and ten (6.8% reported as unsuitable. Solid waste management facilities in residents have not been acceptable that affect public health. Solid waste disposal was done by district residents (cooperation rural residents 68.4%, 36.8% and 76.3% in Ahar, Varzeghan and Heris, respectively. Overall, the impact of infectious and communicable diseases after Earthquake was reported 42.1% (16 villages in the Varzeghan. The lack of geographical view with a focus in mountainous and rural areas, partial support and dispersion of earthquake-stricken people in affected villages and lack of participatory need

A facility for using cluster research to study environmental problems. Workshop proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-11-01

This report begins by describing the general application of cluster based research to environmental chemistry and the development of a Cluster Structure and Dynamics Research Facility (CSDRF). Next, four important areas of cluster research are described in more detail, including how they can impact environmental problems. These are: surface-supported clusters, water and contaminant interactions, time-resolved dynamic studies in clusters, and cluster structures and reactions. These facilities and equipment required for each area of research are then presented. The appendices contain workshop agenda and a listing of the researchers who participated in the workshop discussions that led to this report.

Interpersonal problems and negative affect in Borderline Personality and Depressive Disorders in daily life

Science.gov (United States)

Hepp, Johanna; Lane, Sean P.; Carpenter, Ryan W.; Niedtfeld, Inga; Brown, Whitney C.; Trull, Timothy J.

2016-01-01

Theories of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) suggest that interpersonal problems in BPD act as triggers for negative affect and, at the same time, are a possible result of affective dysregulation. Therefore, we assessed the relations between momentary negative affect (hostility, sadness, fear) and interpersonal problems (rejection, disagreement) in a sample of 80 BPD and 51 depressed outpatients at 6 time-points over 28 days. Data were analyzed using multivariate multi-level modeling to separate momentary-, day-, and person-level effects. Results revealed a mutually reinforcing relationship between disagreement and hostility, rejection and hostility, and between rejection and sadness in both groups, at the momentary and day level. The mutual reinforcement between hostility and rejection/disagreement was significantly stronger in the BPD group. Moreover, the link between rejection and sadness was present at all three levels of analysis for the BPD group, while it was localized to the momentary level in the depressed group. PMID:28529826

Witnessing Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug's Strength and Struggle: The Affective Education of Reconciliation in Environmental Education

Science.gov (United States)

Korteweg, Lisa; Root, Emily

2016-01-01

Escalating environmental controversies are placing Indigenous peoples and First Nation communities at the front lines of protests, opposing unjust government policies and corporate actions. Yet, many environmental educators are not actively engaged or affectively learning about Indigenous Land struggles against Canada's colonial oppressions.…

Environmental issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grove-White, Robin

1985-01-01

There is still very little official acceptance that environmental factors will impose major constraints on the development of energy supply options in the United Kingdom in the future. This paper argues that such an acceptance is needed urgently and should begin to affect governmental policies immediately. UK energy policy ought to be to intensify energy efficiency and conservation throughout the economy and hence reduce the need to expand new supply sources. The general energy requirements in the UK are first considered. Problems of energy supply expansion, particularly nuclear power and coal are considered. Resolution of the problems identified in the UK political and administrative context is discussed. Then the environmental aspects are considered. A comment on the paper follows and raises two questions about market-based energy policy; does it preclude intervention to promote economic efficiency in the use of energy and, does it lead to economic efficiency. (U.K.)

Problem gambling: patients affected by their own or another's gambling may approve of help from general practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Sean; McCormick, Ross; Lamont, Michael; Penfold, Alison

2007-06-29

To identify the health effects, including depression, on problem gambling patients and family members, and their perception of their GP as a help provider for problem gambling. 1580 patients from practices in Auckland, Taranaki, and Rotorua completed an anonymous questionnaire containing brief screens for problem gambling, effects on family of gambling, and depression. Patients were asked to assess their GP as a help provider for problem gambling. 7.5% of patients were positive for problem gambling, ranging from 3% of NZ European patients to 24% of Pacific patients; 18% of patients were affected by another's gambling. Less than one in four problem gambling patients, and one in three family positives, did not perceive their GP as a suitable help provider for problem gambling issues. Problem gambling patients were more likely than other patients to approve their GP as a help-provider. Patients affected by problem gambling were more depressed than other patients. No other disease indicators were found. Patients over 54 years are less likely than others to be problem gamblers. Problem gambling is associated with depression in patients. GPs are an important complementary resource for brief interventions for gambling problems, and for some possibly a more acceptable alternative than attending specialist problem gambling treatment providers.

Multiobjective scatter search approach with new combination scheme applied to solve environmental/economic dispatch problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Athayde Costa e Silva, Marsil de; Klein, Carlos Eduardo; Mariani, Viviana Cocco; Santos Coelho, Leandro dos

2013-01-01

The environmental/economic dispatch (EED) is an important daily optimization task in the operation of many power systems. It involves the simultaneous optimization of fuel cost and emission objectives which are conflicting ones. The EED problem can be formulated as a large-scale highly constrained nonlinear multiobjective optimization problem. In recent years, many metaheuristic optimization approaches have been reported in the literature to solve the multiobjective EED. In terms of metaheuristics, recently, scatter search approaches are receiving increasing attention, because of their potential to effectively explore a wide range of complex optimization problems. This paper proposes an improved scatter search (ISS) to deal with multiobjective EED problems based on concepts of Pareto dominance and crowding distance and a new scheme for the combination method. In this paper, we have considered the standard IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 30-bus system with 6-generators and the results obtained by proposed ISS algorithm are compared with the other recently reported results in the literature. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed ISS algorithm is a capable candidate in solving the multiobjective EED problems. - Highlights: ► Economic dispatch. ► We solve the environmental/economic economic power dispatch problem with scatter search. ► Multiobjective scatter search can effectively improve the global search ability

The Danish technology foresight on environmentally friendly agriculture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borch, Kristian

2013-01-01

A premise that is necessary for agriculture to develop into an environmentally friendly direction is that research is undertaken into environmentally friendly technologies and methods and how they can be brought into use. There is a need for a prioritised research effort that focuses on those...... without any plan or with some thought. Therefore the National Forest and Nature Agency in Denmark initiated the Green Technological foresight on environmentally friendly agriculture with the aim of examining the agricultural environmental challenges and suggesting technological and structural solutions....... problems which are related to minimising environmental problems affected by the agricultural production’s negative influence on the surroundings, improving animal welfare and finding new ways and products for agriculture. Future directions of agriculture can derive with or without dialogue; it can occur...

Integrated environmental assessment of agriculture in the Czech Republic : the case of dairy cattle

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Havlikova, M.

2008-01-01

Agricultural activities strongly affect landscapes and also cause a variety of environmental
and health problems in many European countries. Environmental policies to minimise this
negative impacts of agriculture differ between countries. This thesis focuses on
environmental

The Chemical Technology Division at Argonne National Laboratory: Applying chemical innovation to environmental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

The Chemical Technology Division is one of the largest technical divisions at Argonne National Laboratory, a leading center for research and development related to energy and environmental issues. Since its inception in 1948, the Division has pioneered in developing separations processes for the nuclear industry. The current scope of activities includes R ampersand D on methods for disposing of radioactive and hazardous wastes and on energy conversion processes with improved efficiencies, lower costs, and reduced environmental impact. Many of the technologies developed by CMT can be applied to solve manufacturing as well as environmental problems of industry

Developing Environmentally Responsible Behaviours Through the Implementation of Argumentation- and Problem-Based Learning Models

Science.gov (United States)

Fettahlıoğlu, Pınar; Aydoğdu, Mustafa

2018-04-01

The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of using argumentation and problem-based learning approaches on the development of environmentally responsible behaviours among pre-service science teachers. Experimental activities were implemented for 14 weeks for 52 class hours in an environmental education class within a science teaching department. A mixed method was used as a research design; particularly, a special type of Concurrent Nested Strategy was applied. The quantitative portion was based on the one-group pre-test and post-test models, and the qualitative portion was based on the holistic multiple-case study method. The quantitative portion of the research was conducted with 34 third-year pre-service science teachers studying at a state university. The qualitative portion of the study was conducted with six pre-service science teachers selected among the 34 pre-service science teachers based on the pre-test results obtained from an environmentally responsible behaviour scale. t tests for dependent groups were used to analyse quantitative data. Both descriptive and content analyses of the qualitative data were performed. The results of the study showed that the use of the argumentation and problem-based learning approaches significantly contributed to the development of environmentally responsible behaviours among pre-service science teachers.

Genetic and environmental influences on externalizing behavior and alcohol problems in adolescence: A female twin study

Science.gov (United States)

Knopik, Valerie S.; Heath, Andrew C.; Bucholz, Kathleen K.; Madden, Pamela A.F.; Waldron, Mary

2009-01-01

Genetic and environmental contributions to the observed correlations among DSM-IV ADHD problems [inattentive (INATT) and hyperactive/impulsive (HYP/IMP) behaviors], conduct problems (CDP) and alcohol problems (AlcProb) were examined by fitting multivariate structural equation models to data from the Missouri Adolescent Female Twin Study [N=2892 twins (831 monozygotic pairs, 615 dizygotic pairs)]. Based on results of preliminary regression models, we modified the structural model to jointly estimate (i) the regression of each phenotype on significant familial/prenatal predictors, and (ii) genetic and environmental contributions to the residual variance and covariance. Results suggested that (i) parental risk factors, such as parental alcohol dependence and regular smoking, increase risk for externalizing behavior; (ii) prenatal exposures predicted increased symptomatology for HYP/IMP (smoking during pregnancy), INATT and CDP (prenatal alcohol exposure); (iii) after adjusting for measured familial/prenatal risk factors, genetic influences were significant for HYP/IMP, INATT, and CDP; however, similar to earlier reports, genetic effects on alcohol dependence symptoms were negligible; and (iv) in adolescence, correlated liabilities for conduct and alcohol problems are found in environmental factors common to both phenotypes, while covariation among impulsivity, inattention, and conduct problems is primarily due to genetic influences common to these three behaviors. Thus, while a variety of adolescent problem behaviors are significantly correlated, the structure of that association may differ as a function of phenotype (e.g., comorbid HYP/IMP and CDP vs. comorbid CDP and AlcProb), a finding that could inform different approaches to treatment and prevention. PMID:19341765

Problems in evaluating health effects of occupational and environmental exposures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, E.S.

1981-01-01

The assessment of health effects from low-level exposure to radiation is a matter of considerable controversy. Existing standards for exposure are based primarily on estimates of health effects obtained by extrapolation from effects of high-level exposures such as those experienced at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Occupational and environmental exposures provide one source of data for this task. A number of studies of populations exposed in this manner have attracted recent attention. Because of the size of most of the groups and the magnitude of the exposures received, the amount that can be learned from such populations is severely limited. A number of the problems involved in analyzing and interpreting such data are addressed. Many of these problems are illustrated by a current study of the effects on mortality of occupational exposure to radiation at the Hanford plant

Applications of ordered weighted averaging (OWA operators in environmental problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Llopis-Albert

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an application of a prioritized weighted aggregation operator based on ordered weighted averaging (OWA to deal with stakeholders' constructive participation in water resources projects. They have different degree of acceptance or preference regarding the measures and policies to be carried out, which lead to different environmental and socio-economic outcomes, and hence, to different levels of stakeholders’ satisfaction. The methodology establishes a prioritization relationship upon the stakeholders, which preferences are aggregated by means of weights depending on the satisfaction of the higher priority policy maker. The methodology establishes a prioritization relationship upon the stakeholders, which preferences are aggregated by means of weights depending on the satisfaction of the higher priority policy maker. The methodology has been successfully applied to a Public Participation Project (PPP in watershed management, thus obtaining efficient environmental measures in conflict resolution problems under actors’ preference uncertainties.

Environmental noise levels affect the activity budget of the Florida manatee

Science.gov (United States)

Miksis-Olds, Jennifer L.; Donaghay, Percy L.; Miller, James H.; Tyack, Peter L.

2005-09-01

Manatees inhabit coastal bays, lagoons, and estuaries because they are dependent on the aquatic vegetation that grows in shallow waters. Food requirements force manatees to occupy the same areas in which human activities are the greatest. Noise produced from human activities has the potential to affect these animals by eliciting responses ranging from mild behavioral changes to extreme aversion. This study quantifies the behavioral responses of manatees to both changing levels of ambient noise and transient noise sources. Results indicate that elevated environmental noise levels do affect the overall activity budget of this species. The proportion of time manatees spend feeding, milling, and traveling in critical habitats changed as a function of noise level. More time was spent in the directed, goal-oriented behaviors of feeding and traveling, while less time was spent milling when noise levels were highest. The animals also responded to the transient noise of approaching vessels with changes in behavioral state and movements out of the geographical area. This suggests that manatees detect and respond to changes in environmental noise levels. Whether these changes legally constitute harassment and produce biologically significant effects need to be addressed with hypothesis-driven experiments and long-term monitoring. [For Animal Bioacoustics Best Student Paper Award.

Hydroelectric power and global environmental problems: benefits and environmental impacts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chabot, B.

1992-01-01

The risk of global warming is one of the most serious global environmental problems. It is due to the increase of greenhouse gases emissions, mainly because of the use of fossil fuels in the energy sector, particularly for electricity generation. At an international level, experts now agree that measures are to be taken to reduce this risk. In the energy sector, an improvement of energy efficiency and an increase of nuclear electricity generation are often presented as the best available solutions. Renewable energy sources are often presented as a solution with a negligible potential impact, and sometimes, hydro power is even forgotten, or its coasts and its potential impacts on local environment are presented as an obstacle to its positive contribution to the reduction of global warming risk. Without denying the positive impacts of other solutions, this paper explains the possibilities and the benefits of an increased use of hydroelectric power, when implemented with a minimum impact on local environment and with a synergistic effect with the rational use of generated energy, in order to have access to a sustainable development. 19 refs., 6 figs

Environmental Policy Law

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sang Don

1985-03-01

This book tell US environmental problems and environmental conservation, theory with present situation of the problems, influence of environmental aggravation, and cause of environmental problems, environmental policy influencing environment such as the national environmental policy act in America, and the role of court and environmental policy act, jurisdiction investigation about administrative action which influence on environment, and standard of jurisdiction investigation in environmental problems and legislation of environmental rights.

Dispositional and Environmental Predictors of the Development of Internalizing Problems in Childhood: Testing a Multilevel Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Hastings, Paul D; Helm, Jonathan; Mills, Rosemary S L; Serbin, Lisa A; Stack, Dale M; Schwartzman, Alex E

2015-07-01

This investigation evaluated a multilevel model of dispositional and environmental factors contributing to the development of internalizing problems from preschool-age to school-age. In a sample of 375 families (185 daughters, 190 sons) drawn from three independent samples, preschoolers' behavioral inhibition, cortisol and gender were examined as moderators of the links between mothers' negative parenting behavior, negative emotional characteristics, and socioeconomic status when children were 3.95 years, and their internalizing problems when they were 8.34 years. Children's dispositional characteristics moderated all associations between these environmental factors and mother-reported internalizing problems in patterns that were consistent with either diathesis-stress or differential-susceptibility models of individual-environment interaction, and with gender models of developmental psychopathology. Greater inhibition and lower socioeconomic status were directly predictive of more teacher reported internalizing problems. These findings highlight the importance of using multilevel models within a bioecological framework to understand the complex pathways through which internalizing difficulties develop.

Promoting compliance at DOE: Tiger team assessments and environmental audits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, R.S.; Crawford, V.I.

1993-01-01

The Office of Environmental Audit, within the Department of Energy's Office of Environment, Safety and Health, has effected positive environmental results across the DOE complex. Beginning in the mid 1980's, a concerted effort was established by DOE upper management to achieve environmental consciousness and responsibility. The Office of Environmental Audit was established to conduct and Environmental survey to define environmental problems caused by 40 years of operation at DOE production and research facilities. The Office provided initial identification of DOE sites requiring environmental restoration and assured plans were developed to address these environmental problems. Initiated by massive problems in the environmental operations at DOE's Rocky Flats Plant in Colorado, Tiger Team Assessments (TTA) followed. TTAs established a compliance baseline and evaluated management with respect to environment, safety, and health. The Tiger Teams assured plans were established to correct deficiencies including root causes. As part of this comprehensive effort, the Office of Environmental Audit led the environmental component of the TTAs. With TTAs completed, the Office's future vision entails addressing new environmental regulations and world changes affecting DOE operations. To proactively continue its efforts to effect positive environmental change, the Office is headed toward a comprehensive cross-cutting program that conducts environmental management assessments, reassesses the environmental progress of formerly audited facilities, and evaluates special focuses environmental issues that span across the DOE complex. Through these efforts, the Office of Environmental Audit will determine the environmental activities which address environmental problems and identify environmental problems requiring resolution. Following trending analyses, the Office will disseminate information describing mechanisms to pursue and pitfalls to avoid to achieve environmental excellence

Global environmental problems in the electric industry. Denki jigyo ni okeru chikyu kankyo mondai ni tsuite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sugi, T [Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (Japan)

1992-09-30

Since the electric industry has grappled with a prevention of the environmental pollution such as the air pollution and water contamination as a forerunner in case of construction and operation of the power facilities, and at the same time has conducted actively the environmental conservation countermeasures, it has consequently achieved the environmental conservation level as a top level in the world. On the other hand, as for the emission quantity of CO2 relating to the earth warming, the power field occupies about one fourth of total Japan. Therefore the electric industry should aim at the electric energy supply considering the influence on the environment, such as the power supply structure to restrain CO2 emission as less as possible, higher efficiency of equipments, higher efficiency of energy utilization by using the unused energy and so forth. In addition to it, the consumer side should aim at the social structure with a recycle type such as saving resources and saving energy, and aim at changeover of life style. It is hoped to conduct the overall measure including the items mentioned above. In this report, the recent trend of earth enviromental problems, grappling with the environmental problems as a forerunner such as the prevention measure of air pollution in the thermal power plant, etc., and the correspondence to the earth warming problems are outlined. 11 refs., 9 figs., 3 tabs.

Managing Marine Litter: Exploring the Evolving Role of International and European Law in Confronting a Persistent Environmental Problem

OpenAIRE

Arie Trouwborst

2011-01-01

 The contamination of the world's oceans by human garbage, especially plastics, ranks among those environmental problems whose resolution appears remote, despite the considerable public attention paid to the 'Great Garbage Patch' in the Pacific, 'plastic soup', and the like. This 'marine litter' (or 'marine debris') problem is characterized by diffuse sources and an array of adverse environmental impacts, including entanglement of and ingestion by albatrosses, fulmars, turtles, seals and a va...

The environmental management problem of Pohorje, Slovenia: A new group approach within ANP - SWOT framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Grošelj, Petra; Zadnik Stirn, Lidija

2015-09-15

Environmental management problems can be dealt with by combining participatory methods, which make it possible to include various stakeholders in a decision-making process, and multi-criteria methods, which offer a formal model for structuring and solving a problem. This paper proposes a three-phase decision making approach based on the analytic network process and SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. The approach enables inclusion of various stakeholders or groups of stakeholders in particular stages of decision making. The structure of the proposed approach is composed of a network consisting of an objective cluster, a cluster of strategic goals, a cluster of SWOT factors and a cluster of alternatives. The application of the suggested approach is applied to a management problem of Pohorje, a mountainous area in Slovenia. Stakeholders from sectors that are important for Pohorje (forestry, agriculture, tourism and nature protection agencies) who can offer a wide range of expert knowledge were included in the decision-making process. The results identify the alternative of "sustainable development" as the most appropriate for development of Pohorje. The application in the paper offers an example of employing the new approach to an environmental management problem. This can also be applied to decision-making problems in various other fields. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

College and university environmental programs as a policy problem (Part 1): Integrating Knowledge, education, and action for a better world?

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, S.G.; Rutherford, M.B.; Auer, M.R.; Cherney, D.N.; Wallace, R.L.; Mattson, D.J.; Clark, D.A.; Foote, L.; Krogman, N.; Wilshusen, P.; Steelman, T.

2011-01-01

The environmental sciences/studies movement, with more than 1000 programs at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, is unified by a common interest-ameliorating environmental problems through empirical enquiry and analytic judgment. Unfortunately, environmental programs have struggled in their efforts to integrate knowledge across disciplines and educate students to become sound problem solvers and leaders. We examine the environmental program movement as a policy problem, looking at overall goals, mapping trends in relation to those goals, identifying the underlying factors contributing to trends, and projecting the future. We argue that despite its shared common interest, the environmental program movement is disparate and fragmented by goal ambiguity, positivistic disciplinary approaches, and poorly rationalized curricula, pedagogies, and educational philosophies. We discuss these challenges and the nature of the changes that are needed in order to overcome them. In a subsequent article (Part 2) we propose specific strategies for improvement. ?? 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

The main environmental and social problems in China's large coal mine construction and the countermeasures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geng, Hai-qing [State Environmental Protection Administration, Beijing (China). Appraisal Center for Environment and Engineering

2008-05-15

Due to rapid industrialization and urbanization, the number of China's large proposed coal mines has increased very quickly in recent years. 144 environmental impact assessment reports were submitted to SEPA during 2001 2006, so the problem of reconciling coal exploitation with the environmental and social impacts has become urgent in China's sustainable development strategy. Based on analysis of data on coal mine exploitation, it is pointed out that there are four main problems in the management of the coal sector: the SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment) lags behind the practical needs; the policy is not clear; migration is neglected; and an ecological compensatory mechanism is absent. Four countermeasures are recommended: accelerating the execution of SEA; compartmentalizing typical zones for environmental management; improving the organisation of resettlement in the coal district; and installing an ecological compensatory mechanism in the coal mining industry. 13 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.

Internal and external environmental factors affecting the performance of hospital-based home nursing care.

Science.gov (United States)

Noh, J-W; Kwon, Y-D; Yoon, S-J; Hwang, J-I

2011-06-01

Numerous studies on HNC services have been carried out by signifying their needs, efficiency and effectiveness. However, no study has ever been performed to determine the critical factors associated with HNC's positive results despite the deluge of positive studies on the service. This study included all of the 89 training hospitals that were practising HNC service in Korea as of November 2006. The input factors affecting the performance were classified as either internal or external environmental factors. This analysis was conducted to understand the impact that the corresponding factors had on performance. Data were analysed by using multiple linear regressions. The internal and external environment variables affected the performance of HNC based on univariate analysis. The meaningful variables were internal environmental factors. Specifically, managerial resource (the number of operating beds and the outpatient/inpatient ratio) were meaningful when the multiple linear regression analysis was performed. Indeed, the importance of organizational culture (the passion of HNC nurses) was significant. This study, considering the limited market size of Korea, illustrates that the critical factor for the development of hospital-led HNC lies with internal environmental factors rather than external ones. Among the internal environmental factors, the hospitals' managerial resource-related factors (specifically, the passion of nurses) were the most important contributing element. © 2011 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2011 International Council of Nurses.

Affective problems and decline in cognitive state in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

John, A; Patel, U; Rusted, J; Richards, M; Gaysina, D

2018-05-24

Evidence suggests that affective problems, such as depression and anxiety, increase risk for late-life dementia. However, the extent to which affective problems influence cognitive decline, even many years prior to clinical diagnosis of dementia, is not clear. The present study systematically reviews and synthesises the evidence for the association between affective problems and decline in cognitive state (i.e., decline in non-specific cognitive function) in older adults. An electronic search of PubMed, PsycInfo, Cochrane, and ScienceDirect was conducted to identify studies of the association between depression and anxiety separately and decline in cognitive state. Key inclusion criteria were prospective, longitudinal designs with a minimum follow-up period of 1 year. Data extraction and methodological quality assessment using the STROBE checklist were conducted independently by two raters. A total of 34 studies (n = 71 244) met eligibility criteria, with 32 studies measuring depression (n = 68 793), and five measuring anxiety (n = 4698). A multi-level meta-analysis revealed that depression assessed as a binary predictor (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.05-1.76, p = 0.02) or a continuous predictor (B = -0.008, 95% CI -0.015 to -0.002, p = 0.012; OR 0.992, 95% CI 0.985-0.998) was significantly associated with decline in cognitive state. The number of anxiety studies was insufficient for meta-analysis, and they are described in a narrative review. Results of the present study improve current understanding of the temporal nature of the association between affective problems and decline in cognitive state. They also suggest that cognitive function may need to be monitored closely in individuals with affective disorders, as these individuals may be at particular risk of greater cognitive decline.

Environmental degradation and remediation: is economics part of the problem?

Science.gov (United States)

Dore, Mohammed H I; Burton, Ian

2003-01-01

It is argued that standard environmental economic and 'ecological economics', have the same fundamentals of valuation in terms of money, based on a demand curve derived from utility maximization. But this approach leads to three different measures of value. An invariant measure of value exists only if the consumer has 'homothetic preferences'. In order to obtain a numerical estimate of value, specific functional forms are necessary, but typically these estimates do not converge. This is due to the fact that the underlying economic model is not structurally stable. According to neoclassical economics, any environmental remediation can be justified only in terms of increases in consumer satisfaction, balancing marginal gains against marginal costs. It is not surprising that the optimal policy obtained from this approach suggests only small reductions in greenhouse gases. We show that a unidimensional metric of consumer's utility measured in dollar terms can only trivialize the problem of global climate change.

Understanding students visions about environmental global problems. Experience and lessons learned of teaching in Lithuania.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Paulo; Siarova, Hanna; Misiūnė, Ieva; Cerda, Artemi; Úbeda, Xavier

2015-04-01

Nowadays, environment is accepted to be an important element of our welfare. Our activities and societal status are strongly related with the quality of the environment where we live. On the other hand historical and cultural backgrounds shape importantly our views about the environment and how we act towards it in our daily life. In a context of globalization and increase of competition at international level, knowledge appears to be one of the key components for the advance of the word. Most of the knowledge produced comes from high level education institutions and research centres, which have responsibility to create and encourage critical thinking. Individuals aware of the problems can be more active and can push things forward. We think that environmental knowledge and awareness are fundamental for the future of the society. In order to develop better methodologies are developed if we have a better perception of students understanding of environmental problems. The objective of this work is to study the Lithuanian university level student's perception about some environmental challenges of our society. We selected several questions for the students rate according the relevance of the question, as "Air Pollution", "Waste Management", "Resources overexplotation", "Biodiversity reduction", "Human Overpopulation" "Poverty", "Global Warming/Climate change", Natural disasters", "Terrorism", "Economical crisis", "War and armed conflicts" and the "Spread of infectious diseases". We ask to the respondents to rate the importance using a likert scale (1=Not Important, 2= not so important, 3=important, 4=very important, 5=the most important). Among all the questions, the most rated where the Water pollution, the Spread of infectious diseases and Air Pollution and the less important where Biodiversity Reduction, Human overpopulation and climate change. These results helped us to identify where some efforts should be taken to raise student's awareness about global

The Environmental Pollution In Vietnam Source Impact And Remedies

OpenAIRE

Tuan Anh Hoang; Nam Xuan Chu; Trung Van Tran

2017-01-01

Currently the environmental problems is one of the urgent problems for all countries in the world. Vietnam is among of 10 countries with the most polluted air in the world the health of people is affected by the non-guaranteed air quality in Vietnam. According to the EPI in 2015 Vietnam ranked 79 in the total of 132 countries in the overall environmental assessment. However the air pollution index Vietnam ranked 123. On the burden of disease due to environment Vietnam ranked 77. Therefore the...

PISA 2012 Analysis of School Variables Affecting Problem-Solving Competency: Turkey-Serbia Comparison

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emine YAVUZ

2017-12-01

Full Text Available According to the OECD's PISA 2012 Turkey problem-solving report, Turkey and Serbia are at the same mathematical literacy level. However, Serbia's average of problem-solving competency is said to be higher than Turkey's. In this study, school variables that affect problem-solving competency of the two countries were examined and compared. The method of the study was causal comparison method, and HLM analysis was performed on data of 4494 students from 147 schools in Turkey sample and 4059 students from 132 schools in Serbia sample separately. As a result of HLM analysis, "obstacle and family donation" variable for Serbia and "abandon, teacher morale and mathematics competition" variable for Turkey were statistically significant. Although it was found that for each countries different variables influence the problem-solving competency, it was quite remarkable that these variables are in common in that they are components of the school climate concept.

Factors Affecting Differential Equation Problem Solving Ability of Students at Pre-University Level: A Conceptual Model

Science.gov (United States)

Aisha, Bibi; Zamri, Sharifa NorulAkmar Syed; Abdallah, Nabeel; Abedalaziz, Mohammad; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Satti, Umbreen

2017-01-01

In this study, different factors affecting students' differential equations (DEs) solving abilities were explored at pre university level. To explore main factors affecting students' differential equations problem solving ability, articles for a 19-year period, from 1996 to 2015, were critically reviewed and analyzed. It was revealed that…

Sakharov readings 2014: environmental problems of the XXI century. Proceedings of the 14th international scientific conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunaj, V.I.; Poznyak, S.S.; Lysukho, N.A.

2014-05-01

The proceeding includes materials of reports of 14-th international scientific conference 'Sakharov readings 2014: Environmental problems of XXI century', which took place 29-30 of May 2014 in the International A. Sakharov Environmental University (Minsk, Belarus). The proceeding continues abstracts about social-ecological, ecology-ethical and pedagogical problems in light of the Sakharov' ideas; medical ecology; biological ecology; biomonitoring, bioindication and bioremediation; radioecology and radiation protection; information systems and technologies in ecology and medicine; ecological monitoring, management and audit; renewable energy sources and energy efficiency; climate change and sustainable development; regional ecological problems. Materials of the conference intend on wide area of the specialists in ecology and adjacent sciences, teachers, post-graduate students and students of universities and colleges. (authors)

Ecology and environmental protection - a scientific and political problem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trenkler, H

1983-09-01

The strategy for life in the inter-relationship between way of life and the environment and also the cause of ecological crises and assumptions about biological innovations are indicated in this paper. The aim of man has always been to adapt animate and inanimate nature to his needs. With the help of environmental protection measures it has been possible to extent the ecological load-bearing capacity of the human population. The acceleration of cycles of elements important for the process of life and business which is wide ranging and required on a world wide basis have become a serious problem. Sensible measures for conserving the resources of the environment are a responsibility of the state.

Environmental problems of construction wastes: State of the art. Legislation; Problematica medioambiental de los residuos de construccion. Situacion actual. Legislacion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jimenez Justicia, A.

1999-07-01

In spite of their nature of inert, the Residuals of Construction and Demolition expounds grave environmental problems. It also represents an squander of reusable materials. This article tries to give a global vision of the environmental problem of the administration of these residuals, as well as the juridical instruments that exist in the material in Spain. (Author)

Leveraging educational, human resources, and organizational infrastructure to provide solutions to environmental remediation work force problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayward, G.B.; Kinsel, W.

1991-01-01

The field of environmental engineering and environmental science is so new that many colleges and universities have only begun the process of bringing academic program, into their areas. Many professional personnel don't need full degree programs but may need only certain courses to enhance their skills in the environmental area. This article discusses the partnership between the Hanford contractors, DOE-RL, and Washington State University in an innovative way in solving a portion of the remediation work force problems

Contextual influences on environmental concerns cross-nationally: A multilevel investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Marquart-Pyatt, Sandra T

2012-09-01

Environmental issues continue to grow in international prominence, as environmental conditions are recognized as some of the most important problems facing the world. Research examining this globalization of environmental concern shown in public opinion surveys emphasizes the importance of context yet is currently underspecified. To address this gap, this research uses a multi-level, cross-national study to examine individual-level and country-level influences on three measures of environmental concern: environmental threat awareness, environmental efficacy, and willingness to pay. At the individual level, education, age, and gender affect environmental concerns. At the national level, economic, political, and environmental factors affect environmental concerns. Importantly, contextual factors differ in their effects depending on the dimension of environmental concern measured. Results from cross-level interactions for education confirm these complexities across these measures, supporting a dimensionality argument. The importance of the measurement of environmental concern shown in this research is emphasized for future cross-national scholarship. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Overview of emerging environmental technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olson, D.C.

2000-01-01

DOD is executing environmental restoration projects in accordance with compliance regulations from many federal agencies. With the passage of amendments to the Superfund law in 1986 that stated a preference for treatment instead of disposal, demand developed for alternative methods that provided more permanent and less costly solutions for dealing with contaminated materials. The Army files environmental impact statements on major programs and specific projects that are currently affecting, or have the potential to affect the environment. Personnel conducting those studies may find it helpful to learn about current environmental assessment methods and the outcomes of previous environmental studies. The Army currently spends almost 2.4% of its total budget on environmental programs. As the future budget picture continues to decline, new technologies offer the potential to provide a lower cost means of achieving the same level of environmental protection. This paper will provide an overview of environmental restoration planning and procedures, discuss information capabilities available on the Internet, provide summaries of recent technological literature and field studies; and identifies areas of informational 'gaps'. It concludes by urging closer ties between industry and the Army, as well as the need to pursue new and innovative techniques to solve old problems. (author)

Deterministic versus Stochastic Sensitivity Analysis in Investment Problems : An Environmental Case Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Groenendaal, W.J.H.; Kleijnen, J.P.C.

2001-01-01

Sensitivity analysis in investment problems is an important tool to determine which factors can jeopardize the future of the investment.Information on the probability distribution of those factors that affect the investment is mostly lacking.In those situations the analysts have two options: (i)

The use of remote sensors to relate biological and physical indicators to environmental and public health problems

Science.gov (United States)

1972-01-01

Relationships between biological, ecological and botanical structures, and disease organisms and their vectors which might be detected and measured by remote sensing are determined. In addition to the use of trees as indicators of disease or potential disease, an attempt is made to identify environmental factors such as soil moisture and soil and water temperatures as they relate to disease or health problems and may be detected by remote sensing. The following three diseases and one major health problem are examined: Malaria, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Encephalitis and Red Tide. It is shown that no single species of vascular plant nor any one environmental factor can be used as the indicator of disease or health problems. Entire vegetation types, successional stages and combinations of factors must be used.

Plants and their microbial assistants: Nature's answer to Earth's environmental pollution problems

Science.gov (United States)

Wolverton, B. C.

1990-01-01

The utilization of higher plants and their associated microorganisms to solve environmental pollution problems on Earth and in future space applications is briefly reviewed. If man is sealed inside closed facilities, he becomes a polluter of the environment. It is also common knowledge to most people that man cannot survive on Earth without green photosynthesizing plants and microorganisms. Therefore, it is vitally important to have a better understanding of the interactions of man with plants and microorganisms. Biosphere 2 and other related studies presently being conducted or planned, hopefully, will supply data that will help save planet Earth from impending environmental disaster. The development of means to utilize both air and water pollution as a nutrient source for growing green plants is examined.

SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND INSTITUTIONAL ASPECTS OF URBAN MANAGEMENT IN PALMAS (TO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo Muller Gonçalves Moura

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This work aims to meet the urban environmental management in Palmas and establish consistency with the socio-environmental problems and needs and their efficiency in monitoring and controlling the environment. Palmas, the newest planned city in Brazil is facing conflicts that urban planning could not prevent the peripheral expansion and separation of social classes determined the absence or little coverage of basic infrastructure services like water supply, sewerage, collection and disposal of garbage and the deficiency in the management and maintenance of green areas. From this backdrop, we carried out analysis on the institutions and the environmental reality of the city and proposed a model for the municipal environment, based on the Statute of the city, and also suggestions to formulate public policies and proposals for immediate action, aimed at improve the quality of life of Palmas.

Sakharov readings 2010: Environmental problems of the XXI century. Proceedings of the 10 international scientific conference. Part 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kundas, S.P.; Mel'nov, S.B.; Poznyak, S.S.

2010-05-01

Proceeding includes materials of reports of 10-ts international scientific conference. Part 1e 'Sakharov readings 2010: Environmental problems of XXI century', which took place 20-21 of May 2010 in the International Sakharov Environmental University. The first part of the proceedings continues abstracts about social-ecological and ecology-ethical problems, medical ecology, biological ecology, biomonitoring, bioindication and bioremediation. Materials of the conference intend on wide area of the specialists in ecology and adjacent sciences, teachers, post-graduate students and students of universities and colleges.

Challenges and risks in environmental management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jerneloev, A.

1996-01-01

Foresight is a keyword in the proposed environmental strategies for the 21 st century. How do we foresee the problems we will face and how do we identify solutions and remedies? One way is to extrapolate trends but not merely or primarily trends in loads and effects but also trends in the pattern of understanding. Focusing on some case studies of classical and new pollutants and with an eye on how scientists have argued priorities when applying for research funds these trends will be discussed. Some conclusions are clear: Globally load trends are generally negative in that mankind uses and releases more and more of most environmentally hazardous chemicals; In OECD countries the pattern of pollution has gone from local intense pollution of a limited number of compounds from few sources to a high number each of the sources contributing marginally to a concentration which for the individual element is below or at the non-effect level. In combination though they have an effect. Developing countries largely do not leapfrog environmental degradation but undergo the same process as the industrialized countries did, this time affecting many more human beings; Criteria for 'environmentally hazardous' have shifted from 'intense effects' to 'long-lasting' and 'impacting a large area'; Many of the 'new' environmental problems like those concerning stratospheric ozone and climate have not yet manifested themselves in a 'visible' way but are results of computer model predictions; 'Future' environmental problems may be found among hormones or hormone mimicking substances; An environmental movement with NGO's and marketing directors of multinational corporations in the forefront may go for simplistic problem definitions and solutions that can be communicated as advertisements

Aerospace use of nuclear energy and current biological problems of environmental contamination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

La Verde, R; Conte, L

1982-08-25

An examination of the danger to man which could result from accidents caused by the use of nuclear energy for space purposes leads to the presentation of parameters establishing levels of environmental contamination by radionucleids from the stratotroposphere. The factors affecting the transport of radioactive pollutants in the atmosphere are indicated and the importance of their deposition and absorption by man through the alimentary canal is emphasised.

Electrical and electronic waste: a global environmental problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramesh Babu, Balakrishnan; Parande, Anand Kuber; Ahmed Basha, Chiya

2007-08-01

The production of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) is one of the fastest growing global manufacturing activities. This development has resulted in an increase of waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE). Rapid economic growth, coupled with urbanization and growing demand for consumer goods, has increased both the consumption of EEE and the production of WEEE, which can be a source of hazardous wastes that pose a risk to the environment and to sustainable economic growth. To address potential environmental problems that could stem from improper management of WEEE, many countries and organizations have drafted national legislation to improve the reuse, recycling and other forms of material recovery from WEEE to reduce the amount and types of materials disposed in landfills. Recycling of waste electric and electronic equipment is important not only to reduce the amount of waste requiring treatment, but also to promote the recovery of valuable materials. EEE is diverse and complex with respect to the materials and components used and waste streams from the manufacturing processes. Characterization of these wastes is of paramount importance for developing a cost-effective and environmentally sound recycling system. This paper offers an overview of electrical and e-waste recycling, including a description of how it is generated and classified, strategies and technologies for recovering materials, and new scientific developments related to these activities. Finally, the e-waste recycling industry in India is also discussed.

Does pro-environmental behaviour affect carbon emissions?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tabi, Andrea

2013-01-01

The primary focus of this research is to explore the effect of pro-environmental behaviour on CO 2 emissions in relation to heating, electricity and transport activities in the residential sector. Changing such behaviour has considerable potential for conserving energy and is an important target of environmental policies which are designed to decrease energy consumption. It is hypothesized that people who consciously act in a pro-environmental way do not necessarily have lower CO 2 emissions more than those who do not undertake environmental activities. Data about residential energy use is based on a survey carried out in Hungary in 2010 with a sample of 1012 people. Latent cluster analysis (LCA) was conducted based on data about the reported pro-environmental behavior in the survey and four clusters were identified. Relevant sociostructural and structural factors were also inverstigated. Results of the data analysis show that no significant difference is found between the impacts of environmentally aware and environmentally unaware consumers, i.e. both ‘Brown’ and ‘Supergreen’ consumers consume approximately the same amount of energy and produce approximately the same amount of carbon emissions because the motivation-driven activities of ‘Supergreens’ are offset by structural factors

Environmental Factors Influencing Artisanal Fishing in Eastern ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

The study identified the environmental factors affecting artisanal fishing in. Eastern Obolo local government area of Akwa ... colonial administration (Anko &Eyo, 2003). According to Olomola (1998), artisanal ... The problems faced by artisanal fishers in Nigeria are not far from what is experienced by artisanal fishermen in ...

A synoptic summary approach to better understanding groundwater contamination problems and evaluating long-term environmental consequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, R.W.

1990-09-01

A summary approach has been developed within groundwater hydrology to communicate with a broad audience and more completely evaluate the long-term impacts of subsurface contamination problems. This synoptic approach both highlights the dominant features occurring in subsurface contamination problems and emphasizes the information required to determine the long-term environmental impacts. The special merit of a summary approach is in providing a better understanding of subsurface contamination problems to adjoining technical disciplines, public decision makers, and private citizens. 14 refs

Sakharov readings 2010: Environmental problems of the XXI century. Proceedings of the 10 international scientific conference. Part 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kundas, S.P.; Mel'nov, S.B.; Poznyak, S.S.

2010-05-01

Proceeding includes materials of reports of 10-ts international scientific conference 'Sakharov readings 2010: Environmental problems of XXI century', which took place 20-21 of May 2010 in the International Sakharov Environmental University. The second part of the proceedings continues abstracts about radioecology and radiation security; ecological informational systems and technologies; ecological monitoring, management and audit; resumption sources of energy and energy-saving technologies; problems of ecological education. Materials of the conference intend on wide area of the specialists in ecology and adjacent sciences, teachers, post-graduate students and students of universities and colleges. (authors)

Mother-Child Affect and Emotion Socialization Processes across the Late Preschool Period: Predictions of Emerging Behaviour Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Newland, Rebecca P.; Crnic, Keith A.

2011-01-01

The current study examined concurrent and longitudinal relations between maternal negative affective behaviour and child negative emotional expression in preschool age children with (n=96) or without (n=126) an early developmental risk, as well as the predictions of later behaviour problems. Maternal negative affective behaviour, child…

Identification of environmental factors affecting the speed of purebred Arabian racehorses in The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schurink, A.; Theunissen, H.; Ducro, B.J.; Bijma, P.; Grevenhof, van E.M.

2009-01-01

The aim of our study was to identify environmental factors affecting the speed of purebred Arabian racehorses in The Netherlands. Data contained 380 records on 88 purebred Arabian racehorses of varying age and sex. Data were collected from March 2005 through June 2006 during 52 races of varying

Environmental Factors Affecting Computer Assisted Language Learning Success: A Complex Dynamic Systems Conceptual Model

Science.gov (United States)

Marek, Michael W.; Wu, Wen-Chi Vivian

2014-01-01

This conceptual, interdisciplinary inquiry explores Complex Dynamic Systems as the concept relates to the internal and external environmental factors affecting computer assisted language learning (CALL). Based on the results obtained by de Rosnay ["World Futures: The Journal of General Evolution", 67(4/5), 304-315 (2011)], who observed…

Culinary and nutritional quality of Phaseolus vulgaris seeds as affected by environmental factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kigel J.

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Efficient selection for specific culinary and nutritional quality traits needs a better understanding of the genetic and environmental control of quality traits at the structural, physiological and biochemical levels. Field experiments indicate great variability in the Phaseolus gene pool regarding the content of antinutritional compounds, as well as in cooking characteristics of the seeds. These seed attributes are strongly affected by geographic location, edaphic and climatic conditions at site of cultivation. However, information on the influence of specific environmental factors (such as temperature, water availability, edaphic conditions, etc. on seed quality traits, as well as on their stability is very scarce. This lack of knowledge impairs a faster progress in the improvement of Phaseolus seed quality.

Problem Behaviours of Kindergartners: The Affects of Children's Cognitive Ability, Creativity, and Self-Esteem

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Sung-Ae; Kim, Seong Hyun; Kim, HyunJin

2016-01-01

This study investigated the affects of cognitive ability, creativity, and self-esteem on kindergartners' problem behaviour. Participants were 203 children (mean age = 65.8 months) attending kindergartens in Korea. Data collection used the Korean version of Child Behaviour Checklist, the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, the Torrance Test of…

Promoting Renewable Energy or Environmental Problems?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raftopoulos, Malayna; Riethof, Marieke

2016-01-01

emissions and their vulnerability to climate change and environmental disasters such as droughts, floods, deforestation, landslides and pollution. In environmental terms, Brazil’s exports to China have led to changes in land use focused on export agriculture, the construction of infrastructure in vulnerable...

SOME ENVIRONMENTEAL FACTORS AFFECTING BROILER HOUSING IN WINTER SEASON

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tarek FOUDA

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this study was to study some environmental factors affecting broiler housing in winter season. The results showed that, temperature fluctuations between house ceiling and floor ranged between 0.4 to 5.93 ºC during the first two days of age. The average house temperature reduced gradually from 29.7 to 21.3 ºC. The indoor relative humidity ranged between 43.6 to 74.3 %. Specific heating power, specific fuel consumption and heating energy requirements ranged between 3850.2 W/ºC , 0.34 kg /h. ºC and 308.9 kJ/h. kg at the first week of age to 6213.4 W/ºC , 0.36 kg /h. ºC and 19.3 kJ/h. kg at the end of the life respectively

Environmental problems in Germany after the integration. Umweltprobleme im zusammengewachsenen Deutschland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toepfer, K [Bundesministerium fuer Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, Bonn (Germany)

1990-11-01

The festival lecture by Professor Toepfer, Federal Environment Minister, at the DELIWA main congress in September 1990 addresses all environmental problems. He particularly advocates continuity in environmental policy, expresses his intention to put an end to the mistaken practice of dividing work into production, sale and waste disposal and establish a cooperation with the rural economy for the protection of the groundwater, deals with the Law on Plant Protectants, the Law on Charges for the Emission of Liquid Waste into Surface Waters, the International Commission for the Protection of the Elbe from Pollution and calls for the establishment of a drinking water cadastre with the support of the associations. We now need better views over the environment in the GDR for what went wrong during the fourty years of 'real socialism' cannot be swept away in fourthy weeks in a social, ecologically oriented market economy. We must proceed according to priorities and they are determined by the burden on human health. (orig./HSCH).

Environmental policy instruments and technological change in the energy sector: findings from comparative empirical research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skjaerseth, J.B.; Christiansen, A.C.

2006-01-01

This article explores the extent to which and in what ways environmental policy instruments may affect patterns of environmental friendly technological change in the energy sector. Our argument is based on the assumption, however, that technological change is also affected by the political context in which the instruments are applied and by the nature of the problem itself. Comparative empirical research involving different European countries, sectors and policy fields were examined, including climate change, air pollution and wind power. The relationship between environmental policy instruments and technological change is extremely complex, not least due to the impact of other factors that may be more decisive than environmental ones. Against this backdrop, it was concluded that: 1) a portfolio of policy instruments works to the extent that different types of policy instruments affect the different drivers and stages behind technological change needed to solve specific problems. The need for a portfolio of policy instruments depends on the technological challenge being faced; 2) voluntary approaches facilitated constructive corporate strategies, but mandatory approaches tended to be more effective in stimulating short term major technological change; 3) voluntary approaches work well in the short term when the problem to be solved is characterized by lack of information and coordination. (author)

Environmental Enrichment for Broiler Breeders: An Undeveloped Field

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riber, Anja Brinch; Jong, Ingrid de; van de Werd, Heleen A.

2017-01-01

Welfare problems, such as hunger, frustration, aggression, and abnormal sexual behavior, are commonly found in broiler breeder production. To prevent or reduce these welfare problems, it has been suggested to provide stimulating enriched environments. We review the effect of the different types...... of environmental enrichment for broiler breeders, which have been described in the scientific literature, on behavior and welfare. Environmental enrichment is defined as an improvement of the environment of captive animals, which increases the behavioral opportunities of the animal and leads to improvements...... in biological function. This definition has been broadened to include practical and economic aspects as any enrichment strategy that adversely affects the health of animals (e.g., environmental hygiene), or that has too many economic or practical constraints will never be implemented on commercial farms...

Environmental protection problems from the standpoint of regeneration of fast neutron reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gedeonov, L.I.; Lazarev, L.N.; Suprunenko, A.N.

The discussion of the problem of environmental protection is based on two principles: a strict observance of legislatively established standards for permissible concentrations of radionuclides in objects of the environment and for dose loads for the population; all possible steps to reduce the contamination to a level justified in practice. Environmental protection steps are considered from the points of view of a systematic analysis. A survey of the environmental protection system near sources of radioactive discharges is given. The basic interactions and feedbacks are indicated. Characteristics differentiating the discharges of the fuel cycle of fast neutron breeder reactors from discharges of the slow neutron cycle are discussed. It is shown that it is necessary to study the overall regional and global interactions of discharges of the atomic power industry. The characteristics of situations at nuclear fuel cycle facilities of fast neutron reactors are discussed. The necessity of additional technical steps to prevent accidents and eliminate their effects if they take place is emphasized

Hacia Una Pedagogia de Solucion de Problemas en La Educacion Ambiental. Serie Educacion Ambiental 15 (Pedagogy of Solutions and Problems in Environmental Education. Environmental Education Series 15.

Science.gov (United States)

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Santiago (Chile). Regional Office for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean.

This document discusses the teaching of problem solving in environmental education. From an interdisciplinary viewpoint, this study describes some strategies for teaching that can favor the practice of educational activities oriented toward solving the concrete problems of the surrounding environment. The volume is divided into seven chapters. The…

Environmental policy analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1978-01-01

The Environmental Policy Analysis Program was established to improve the formation of energy development and environmental policies with due mutual regard for national environmental and energy development needs. As a separate office under the Assistant Secretary for Environment, the program is implemented by the Director and by Offices of Environmental Policy Analysis in the eight DOE multiprogram laboratories. The program provides the Assistant Secretary with information on alternatives for decision making and early warning of environmental problems and considerations that may affect energy policy decisions. The program is intended to be a continuing activity, with its scope determined progressively as issues are defined. During FY-1977 the program focused on information compilation on levels of Pu and other transuranic elements in soils that would render the area unsafe for unlimited use; the impact of water pollution control laws on energy technologies; an analysis of the comparative health risks associated with various energy technologies; and the cost and related impacts on the nuclear industry arising from changes in radiation standards during the past 15 years

Report to Congress on the U.S. Department of Energy's Environmental Management Science Program: Research funded and its linkages to environmental cleanup problems, and Environmental Management Science Program research award abstracts. Volume 2 of 3 -- Appendix B

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-04-01

The Department of Energy's Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) serves as a catalyst for the application of scientific discoveries to the development and deployment of technologies that will lead to reduction of the costs and risks associated with cleaning up the nation's nuclear complex. Appendix B provides details about each of the 202 research awards funded by the EMSP. This information may prove useful to researchers who are attempting to address the Department's environmental management challenges in their work, program managers who are planning, integrating, and prioritizing Environmental Management projects, and stakeholders and regulators who are interested in the Department's environmental challenges. The research award information is organized by the state and institution in which the lead principal investigator is located. In many cases, the lead principal investigator is one of several investigators at a number of different institutions. In these cases, the lead investigator (major collaborator) at each of the additional institutions is listed. Each research award abstract is followed by a list of high cost projects that can potentially be impacted by the research results. High cost projects are Environmental Management projects that have total costs greater than $50 million from the year 2007 and beyond, based on the March 1998 Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure Draft data, and have costs or quantities of material associated with an Environmental Management problem area. High cost projects which must remain active in the year 2007 and beyond to manage high risk are also identified. Descriptions of these potentially related high cost Environmental Management projects can be found in Appendix C. Additional projects in the same problem area as a research award can be located using the Index of High Cost Environmental Management Projects by Problem Area, at the end of Appendices B and C

Developing Seventh Grade Students' Understanding of Complex Environmental Problems with Systems Tools and Representations: a Quasi-experimental Study

Science.gov (United States)

Doganca Kucuk, Zerrin; Saysel, Ali Kerem

2017-03-01

A systems-based classroom intervention on environmental education was designed for seventh grade students; the results were evaluated to see its impact on the development of systems thinking skills and standard science achievement and whether the systems approach is a more effective way to teach environmental issues that are dynamic and complex. A quasi-experimental methodology was used to compare performances of the participants in various dimensions, including systems thinking skills, competence in dynamic environmental problem solving and success in science achievement tests. The same pre-, post- and delayed tests were used with both the comparison and experimental groups in the same public middle school in Istanbul. Classroom activities designed for the comparison group (N = 20) followed the directives of the Science and Technology Curriculum, while the experimental group (N = 22) covered the same subject matter through activities benefiting from systems tools and representations such as behaviour over time graphs, causal loop diagrams, stock-flow structures and hands-on dynamic modelling. After a one-month systems-based instruction, the experimental group demonstrated significantly better systems thinking and dynamic environmental problem solving skills. Achievement in dynamic problem solving was found to be relatively stable over time. However, standard science achievement did not improve at all. This paper focuses on the quantitative analysis of the results, the weaknesses of the curriculum and educational implications.

The Association Between Callous-Unemotional Traits, Externalizing Problems, and Gender in Predicting Cognitive and Affective Morality Judgments in Adolescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Fragkaki, Iro; Cima, Maaike; Meesters, Cor

2016-09-01

Morality deficits have been linked to callous-unemotional traits and externalizing problems in response to moral dilemmas, but these associations are still obscure in response to antisocial acts in adolescence. Limited evidence on young boys suggested that callous-unemotional traits and externalizing problems were associated with affective but not cognitive morality judgments. The present study investigated these associations in a community sample of 277 adolescents (M age  = 15.35, 64 % females). Adolescents with high callous-unemotional traits showed deficits in affective but not cognitive morality, indicating that they can identify the appropriate moral emotions in others, but experience deviant moral emotions when imagining themselves committing antisocial acts. Externalizing problems and male gender were also strongly related to deficits in affective morality, but they had smaller associations with deficits in cognitive morality too. Implications for treatment and the justice system are discussed.

Microbiota and environmental stress: how pollution affects microbial communities in Manila clams.

Science.gov (United States)

Milan, M; Carraro, L; Fariselli, P; Martino, M E; Cavalieri, D; Vitali, F; Boffo, L; Patarnello, T; Bargelloni, L; Cardazzo, B

2018-01-01

Given the crucial role of microbiota in host development, health, and environmental interactions, genomic analyses focusing on host-microbiota interactions should certainly be considered in the investigation of the adaptive mechanisms to environmental stress. Recently, several studies suggested that microbiota associated to digestive tract is a key, although still not fully understood, player that must be considered to assess the toxicity of environmental contaminants. Bacteria-dependent metabolism of xenobiotics may indeed modulate the host toxicity. Conversely, environmental variables (including pollution) may alter the microbial community and/or its metabolic activity leading to host physiological alterations that may contribute to their toxicity. Here, 16s rRNA gene amplicon sequencing has been applied to characterize the hepatopancreas microbiota composition of the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum. The animals were collected in the Venice lagoon area, which is subject to different anthropogenic pressures, mainly represented by the industrial activities of Porto Marghera (PM). Seasonal and geographic differences in clam microbiotas were explored and linked to host response to chemical stress identified in a previous study at the transcriptome level, establishing potential interactions among hosts, microbes, and environmental parameters. The obtained results showed the recurrent presence of putatively detoxifying bacterial taxa in PM clams during winter and over-representation of several metabolic pathways involved in xenobiotic degradation, which suggested the potential for host-microbial synergistic detoxifying actions. Strong interaction between seasonal and chemically-induced responses was also observed, which partially obscured such potentially synergistic actions. Seasonal variables and exposure to toxicants were therefore shown to interact and substantially affect clam microbiota, which appeared to mirror host response to environmental variation. It

Pilot study risk assessment for selected problems at the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamilton, L.D.; Meinhold, A.F.; Baxter, S.L.; Holtzman, S.; Morris, S.C.; Pardi, R.; Rowe, M.D.; Sun, C. (Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)); Anspaugh, L.; Layton, D. (Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States))

1993-03-01

Two important environmental problems at the USDOE Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) facility in Fernald, Ohio were studied in this human health risk assessment. The problems studied were radon emissions from the K-65 waste silos, and offsite contamination of ground water with uranium. Waste from the processing of pitchblende ore is stored in the K-65 silos at the FEMP. Radium-226 in the waste decays to radon gas which escapes to the outside atmosphere. The concern is for an increase in lung cancer risk for nearby residents associated with radon exposure. Monitoring data and a gaussian plume transport model were used to develop a source term and predict exposure and risk to fenceline residents, residents within 1 and 5 miles of the silos, and residents of Hamilton and Cincinnati, Ohio. Two release scenarios were studied: the routine release of radon from the silos and an accidental loss of one silo dome integrity. Exposure parameters and risk factors were described as distributions. Risks associated with natural background radon concentrations were also estimated.

Pilot study risk assessment for selected problems at the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, L.D.; Meinhold, A.F.; Baxter, S.L.; Holtzman, S.; Morris, S.C.; Pardi, R.; Rowe, M.D.; Sun, C.; Anspaugh, L.; Layton, D.

1993-03-01

Two important environmental problems at the USDOE Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) facility in Fernald, Ohio were studied in this human health risk assessment. The problems studied were radon emissions from the K-65 waste silos, and offsite contamination of ground water with uranium. Waste from the processing of pitchblende ore is stored in the K-65 silos at the FEMP. Radium-226 in the waste decays to radon gas which escapes to the outside atmosphere. The concern is for an increase in lung cancer risk for nearby residents associated with radon exposure. Monitoring data and a gaussian plume transport model were used to develop a source term and predict exposure and risk to fenceline residents, residents within 1 and 5 miles of the silos, and residents of Hamilton and Cincinnati, Ohio. Two release scenarios were studied: the routine release of radon from the silos and an accidental loss of one silo dome integrity. Exposure parameters and risk factors were described as distributions. Risks associated with natural background radon concentrations were also estimated

Deep ecology: A movement and a new approach to solving environmental problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mišković Milan M.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the industrial society, nature is conceived as a resource for unlimited exploitation, and the entropic effects of its pollution and depletion can be effectively controlled and resolved. Non-human entities are viewed as raw materials for technical manipulation and the increase in the standard of living for consumers in mass societies. Contrary to such utilitarian pragmatism, some new views on the relationship of man, society and nature are appearing, as well as different concepts of environmentally balanced development. According to these views, the transition to ecological society and ecological culture will not be possible without replacing the current anthropocentric ethics with the ecocentric or environmental ethics. Deep ecology arises in the spectrum of environmental ethics theories. It is considered as a movement and a new approach to solving environmental problems. Deep ecology is a type of ecosophy formed by Arne Nes, and it focuses on wisdom and ecological balance. It is based on ecological science, but it asks deeper questions about the causes of the ecological crisis and corresponds to the general discourse on sustainable development. The article discusses the platform of deep ecology movement and gives the basic principles of deep ecology. It gives explanations of the two basic norms of deep ecology (self-understanding and biospheric egalitarianism and criticism of these concepts.

The application of nuclear science technology to understanding and solving environmental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuk, W.M.

1997-01-01

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) has for many years been involved in applying nuclear science-based and related technologies to the understanding of environmental processes and to the development and implementation of practical and effective solutions to site specific problems, for a broad spectrum of industry, government regulatory agencies, and other organisations in Australia, Europe, North and South America and South East Asia. ANSTO's environmental science program arose out of the need for research to predict, measure, evaluate and monitor the environmental impacts associated with : uranium mining and processing in Australia; the operation of the research reactor at Lucas Heights; and the safe treatment and disposal of radioactive and conventional wastes associated with these activities. The expertise developed in these activities, has found application to a much broader range of environmental concerns. This paper will present an overview of ANSTO's application of nuclear science-based techniques to, inter alia: coastal and marine studies; minesite rehabilitation; transport and geochemical modelling of radionuclides, heavy metals and organic chemicals in the geosphere; the application of naturally-occurring radionuclides and radioactive tracers to corrosion and sedimentation studies in the coastal environment; dating sediments, fish corals and archaeological samples; the understanding of the kinetics and the physiological responses of aquatic organisms to radionuclides and metals in the environment: and the use of aquatic organism as archival and 'realtime' monitors of pollutants

Environmental, social and economic problems in the Borkena plain, Ethiopia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balcha, Berhanu

People in Borkena in Ethiopia suffer from a complex interplay of environmental degradation, increasing shortage of land due to population growth, conflicts between different ethnic and religious identities, and social confrontations as a result of such tensions. The most depressing problem...... from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Germany. It was supported as part of a research effort on "Democracy from Below" in Ethiopia, in a cooperation between the Chr. Michelsen Institute, the Forum for Social Studies in Ethiopia and the University of Addis...... Ababa. The author thanks the donors for enabling him to carry out his fieldwork in Northern Shoa, Ethiopia, in Autumn 1999....

Valuing the cost of environmental degradation in the face of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr. Peter Odjugo

2012-01-03

Jan 3, 2012 ... Although these environmental problems affect all parts of Nigeria, some are ..... rainfall pattern coincided with the El Nino and drought years in Nigeria with the ..... South Africa: Floods killed 120 and destroy crops. http://.www.

An (un)healthy poster: When environmental cues affect consumers' food choices at vending machines.

Science.gov (United States)

Stöckli, Sabrina; Stämpfli, Aline E; Messner, Claude; Brunner, Thomas A

2016-01-01

Environmental cues can affect food decisions. There is growing evidence that environmental cues influence how much one consumes. This article demonstrates that environmental cues can similarly impact the healthiness of consumers' food choices. Two field studies examined this effect with consumers of vending machine foods who were exposed to different posters. In field study 1, consumers with a health-evoking nature poster compared to a pleasure-evoking fun fair poster or no poster in their visual sight were more likely to opt for healthy snacks. Consumers were also more likely to buy healthy snacks when primed by an activity poster than when exposed to the fun fair poster. In field study 2, this consumer pattern recurred with a poster of skinny Giacometti sculptures. Overall, the results extend the mainly laboratory-based evidence by demonstrating the health-relevant impact of environmental cues on food decisions in the field. Results are discussed in light of priming literature emphasizing the relevance of preexisting associations, mental concepts and goals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mental health problems among conflict-affected adults in Grozny, Chechnya: a qualitative study

OpenAIRE

Nguyen, Amanda J.; Feo, Concetta; Idrisov, Kyuri; Pintaldi, Giovanni; Lenglet, Annick; Tsatsaeva, Zalina; Bolton, Paul; Bass, Judith

2016-01-01

Background A decade of conflict in Chechnya destroyed infrastructure and resulted in widespread exposure to violence. Amidst substantial reconstruction, periodic violence has contributed to an ongoing atmosphere of insecurity. We conducted a qualitative study to understand the mental health and psychosocial problems affecting adult Chechens in this context to inform development of assessment tools for an evaluation study related to individual counseling. Methods Data were collected in July 20...

Environmental and state-level regulatory factors affect the incidence of autism and intellectual disability.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrey Rzhetsky

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Many factors affect the risks for neurodevelopmental maladies such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD and intellectual disability (ID. To compare environmental, phenotypic, socioeconomic and state-policy factors in a unified geospatial framework, we analyzed the spatial incidence patterns of ASD and ID using an insurance claims dataset covering nearly one third of the US population. Following epidemiologic evidence, we used the rate of congenital malformations of the reproductive system as a surrogate for environmental exposure of parents to unmeasured developmental risk factors, including toxins. Adjusted for gender, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geopolitical factors, the ASD incidence rates were strongly linked to population-normalized rates of congenital malformations of the reproductive system in males (an increase in ASD incidence by 283% for every percent increase in incidence of malformations, 95% CI: [91%, 576%], p<6×10(-5. Such congenital malformations were barely significant for ID (94% increase, 95% CI: [1%, 250%], p = 0.0384. Other congenital malformations in males (excluding those affecting the reproductive system appeared to significantly affect both phenotypes: 31.8% ASD rate increase (CI: [12%, 52%], p<6×10(-5, and 43% ID rate increase (CI: [23%, 67%], p<6×10(-5. Furthermore, the state-mandated rigor of diagnosis of ASD by a pediatrician or clinician for consideration in the special education system was predictive of a considerable decrease in ASD and ID incidence rates (98.6%, CI: [28%, 99.99%], p = 0.02475 and 99% CI: [68%, 99.99%], p = 0.00637 respectively. Thus, the observed spatial variability of both ID and ASD rates is associated with environmental and state-level regulatory factors; the magnitude of influence of compound environmental predictors was approximately three times greater than that of state-level incentives. The estimated county-level random effects exhibited marked spatial clustering, strongly

How Creativity Was Affected by Environmental Factors and Individual Characteristics: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Lifang; Wang, Lijuan; Zhao, Yanyun

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore how environmental factors (family environment and school education) and individual characteristics (personality, creative attitudes, and divergent thinking) collectively affect creative achievement of American and Chinese college students. Data were collected from 378 college students in the United States…

Investigation of High School Students' Environmental Attitudes in Terms of Some Demographic Variables

Science.gov (United States)

Koruoglu, Nergiz; Ugulu, Ilker; Yorek, Nurettin

2015-01-01

Studying individuals and students' attitudes towards environment and factors affecting students to be responsible individuals towards their environment may provide help towards the solution of environmental problems. In this study, it is aimed to evaluate environmental attitudes of high school students in terms of some variables. The sample of the…

Environmental Awareness and Public Support for Protecting and Restoring Puget Sound

Science.gov (United States)

Safford, Thomas G.; Norman, Karma C.; Henly, Megan; Mills, Katherine E.; Levin, Phillip S.

2014-04-01

In an effort to garner consensus around environmental programs, practitioners have attempted to increase awareness about environmental threats and demonstrate the need for action. Nonetheless, how beliefs about the scope and severity of different types of environmental concerns shape support for management interventions are less clear. Using data from a telephone survey of residents of the Puget Sound region of Washington, we investigate how perceptions of the severity of different coastal environmental problems, along with other social factors, affect attitudes about policy options. We find that self-assessed environmental understanding and views about the seriousness of pollution, habitat loss, and salmon declines are only weakly related. Among survey respondents, women, young people, and those who believe pollution threatens Puget Sound are more likely to support policy measures such as increased enforcement and spending on restoration. Conversely, self-identified Republicans and individuals who view current regulations as ineffective tend to oppose governmental actions aimed at protecting and restoring Puget Sound. Support for one policy measure—tax credits for environmentally-friendly business practices—is not significantly affected by political party affiliation. These findings demonstrate that environmental awareness can influence public support for environmental policy tools. However, the nature of particular management interventions and other social forces can have important mitigating effects and need to be considered by practitioners attempting to develop environment-related social indicators and generate consensus around the need for action to address environmental problems.

International environmental law and world order

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guruswamy, L.D.; Palmer, G.W.R. Sir; Weston, B.H.

1995-01-01

A litany of dismal happenings - global warming, ozone layer depletion, desertification, destruction of biodiversity, acid rain, and nuclear and water accidents - are but some of the subjects covered by this book, a problem-solving casebook authored by three educators. This new book makes the obvious but important point, that environmental issues are not limited by national boundaries. The book is divided into three parts. The first three chapters of part I discuss the basic principals of traditional international law without any reference to environmental issues. Part II, comprised of seven chapters, deals with hypothetical problems that affect various aspects of the environment vis-a-vis the norms, institutions, and procedures through which the international legal system operates. The book concludes with two chapters dealing with future environmental concerns. The book focuses on issue-spotting, problem-solving, and synthesis over the assimilation and comprehension of raw, disembodied knowledge. The book helps to manage our common future on this planet, for which we will need a new global regime based essentially on the extension into international life of the rule of law, together with reliable mechanisms for accountability and enforcement that provide the basis for the effective functioning of national societies

Part two: Alsen - from rural to ruin an example of environmental racism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robinson, F.T.

The small community of Alsen provides and excellent example of how environmental racism can affect an area. However, before I discuss Alsen and its many problems, the author feels it is important to first briefly explain what environmental racism means to me, and second, distinguish environmental racism from environmental injustice. Environmental racism is a subtle form of racism that has not so subtle effects. It often has historical roots, where the initial problem was created many years ago by society's racism, with the practices then becoming entrenched in the system or institutionalized. In contrast, environmental injustice is broader than environmental racism because it includes Whites, as well as People of Color. In environmental injustice, socioeconomic class is the over-riding issue. Just as with environmental racism, it may have historical roots, and the practices may also become entrenched in the system. Political power, or the lack thereof, is the common thread interwoven between both concepts.

Examples of landscape indicators for assessing environmental conditions and problems in urban and suburban areas

Science.gov (United States)

Martin-Duque, J. F.; Godfrey, A.; Diez, A.; Cleaves, E.; Pedraza, J.; Sanz, M.A.; Carrasco, R.M.; Bodoque, J.; Brebbia, C.A.; Martin-Duque, J.F.; Wadhwa, L.C.

2002-01-01

Geo-indicators can help to assess environmental conditions in city urban and suburban areas. Those indicators should be meaningful for understanding environmental changes. From examples of Spanish and American cities, geo-indicators for assessing environmental conditions and changes in urban and suburban areas are proposed. The paper explore two types of geo-indicators. The first type presents general information that can be used to indicate the presence of a broad array of geologic conditions, either favouring or limiting various kinds of uses of the land. The second type of geo-indicator is the one most commonly used, and as a group most easily understood; these are site and problem specific and they are generally used after a problem is identified. Among them, watershed processes, seismicity and physiographic diversity are explained in more detail. A second dimension that is considered when discussing geo-indicators is the issue of scale. Broad scale investigations, covering extensive areas are only efficient at cataloguing general conditions common to much of the area or some outstanding feature within the area. This type of information is best used for policy type decisions. Detailed scale investigations can provide information about local conditions, but are not efficient at cataloguing vast areas. Information gathered at the detailed level is necessary for project design and construction.

Possibilities of using solar energy for solving environmental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allouache, A.; Brakeni, A.; Skrabalek, P.; Ornst, J.

2012-01-01

In this paper there are discussed the possibilities of using solar energy to power supply of electron accelerators that can be used to solve environmental problems, such as sewage treatment and radiation sterilization. Algeria, due to geographical location, has one of the largest 'solar deposits' around the world. Insolation time exceeds 2,000 hours per year and may reach up to 3,900 hours per year on the High Plains and the Sahara. Daily energy that falls on a horizontal surface one square meter is about 5 KWh on the most territory of Algeria, i.e. approximately 1,700 kWh per m 2 per year in the North and 2,263 kWh per m 2 per year in the south. Independent energy sources from the Sun can also bring economic development of the Sahara region.

Climatic and Environmental Changes Affecting Communities in Atlantic Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liette Vasseur

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Small rural coastal communities located in Atlantic Canada are vulnerable to the effects of climate and environmental changes. Major storms have impounded the coastline, causing much physical damage and affecting the socioeconomics of these communities that are composed of an aging population. The current study relays findings based on interviews completed in 2011–2012, following the 2010 winter storms in Atlantic Canada. It portrays the physical and social–ecological impacts affecting 10 coastal communities located in the provinces of Québec, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Semi-structured interviews held in these provinces are the basis for the contributions of this research. The findings reveal physical changes related to coastal erosion from high-wave impacts and storm surge causing flooding of the coastal zone. Also considered are strategies preferred and actually implemented by residents, such as building of protection walls, although undesirable. Due to funding constraints, however, many of these large-scale flood protection projects are not possible without governmental support. Instead, it is suggested that development be controlled and some respondents in this study upheld that relocation be used to alleviate the situation. Finally, more work is required to improve emergency planning. Better concerted short- and long-term responses need to be coordinated by local authorities and higher up in the government in order to ensure the sustainability of these coastal communities.

Highlights of some environmental problems of geomedical significance in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Lar, U A; Tejan, A B

2008-08-01

This paper attempts to discuss the links between the geochemical composition of rocks and minerals and the geographical distribution of diseases in human beings in Nigeria. We know that the natural composition of elements in our environment (in the bedrock, soils, water, and vegetation) may be the major cause of enrichment or depletion in these elements and may become a direct risk to human health. Similarly, anthropogenic activities such as mining and mineral processes, industrial waste disposal, agriculture, etc., could distort the natural geochemical equilibrium of the environment. Thus, the enrichment or depletion of geochemical elements in the environment are controlled either by natural and/or anthropogenic processes. The increased ingestion of toxic trace elements such as As, Cd, Hg, Pb, and F, whether directly or indirectly, adversely affects human health. Of these, Cd has most dangerous long-term effect on human health. Environmental exposure to As and Hg is a causal factor in human carcinogenesis and numerous cancer health disorders. Available information on iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) in Nigeria indicates goiter prevalence rates of between 15% and 59% in several affected areas. There have been reported cases of dental fluorosis resulting from intake of water with fluoride content >1.5 ppm. Dental caries among children shows an overall prevalence rate of 39.9%. Within the Younger Granite province in central Nigeria, cases of cancer and miscarriages in pregnant women have been linked to natural radiation These examples and a number of others from the existing literature underscore the pressing need for the development of collaborative research to increase our understanding of the relationship between the geographical distribution of human and animal diseases in Nigeria and environmental factors. We submit that such knowledge is essential for the control and management of these diseases.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICTS: ARE THEY CORRELATED?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Achmad Romsan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Climate change and global warming affect major change in freshwater availability and season uncertainty which hamper all part of the globe. Although the phenomenon is not new but it needs concerns from all the government of States around the world to  address the problem. If notthe drought and water shortages will directly and indirectly be the world problem and finally will ignite conflict over resources.Pollution and environmental degradation will also affect the sustainability of community’s economic activities. In Indonesia, since the enforcement of the first Environmental Management Act of 1982 up to the third Environmental Management Act of 2019, there have been forty one conflicts involving community and industries and palm plantation companies. All the conflicts are brought before the courts. Herein, industries and plantations are blamed for responsible for river water pollution and environmental degradation. Unfortunately, there is very little information in Indonesia obtained from the research reports, journals, news papers, magazines whether climate change and global warming also responsible for the occurrence of community environmental conflict. From the second data sources obtained from outsite Indonesia it is found that there is a link between climate change and community environmental disputes. The objectives of this paper tryto examine whether the cases submitted and solved by the District Courtsalso have some connection with the climate change phenomenon. Other objectives are to recommend to the Government of Indonesia to strengthen the existing regulations dealing with the climate change

Report to Congress on the U.S. Department of Energy`s Environmental Management Science Program: Research funded and its linkages to environmental cleanup problems, and Environmental Management Science Program research award abstracts. Volume 2 of 3 -- Appendix B

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-04-01

The Department of Energy`s Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) serves as a catalyst for the application of scientific discoveries to the development and deployment of technologies that will lead to reduction of the costs and risks associated with cleaning up the nation`s nuclear complex. Appendix B provides details about each of the 202 research awards funded by the EMSP. This information may prove useful to researchers who are attempting to address the Department`s environmental management challenges in their work, program managers who are planning, integrating, and prioritizing Environmental Management projects, and stakeholders and regulators who are interested in the Department`s environmental challenges. The research award information is organized by the state and institution in which the lead principal investigator is located. In many cases, the lead principal investigator is one of several investigators at a number of different institutions. In these cases, the lead investigator (major collaborator) at each of the additional institutions is listed. Each research award abstract is followed by a list of high cost projects that can potentially be impacted by the research results. High cost projects are Environmental Management projects that have total costs greater than $50 million from the year 2007 and beyond, based on the March 1998 Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure Draft data, and have costs or quantities of material associated with an Environmental Management problem area. High cost projects which must remain active in the year 2007 and beyond to manage high risk are also identified. Descriptions of these potentially related high cost Environmental Management projects can be found in Appendix C. Additional projects in the same problem area as a research award can be located using the Index of High Cost Environmental Management Projects by Problem Area, at the end of Appendices B and C.

Diagnostic reframing of intractable environmental problems: Case of a contested multiparty public land-use conflict

Science.gov (United States)

Stanley T. Asah; David N. Bengston; Keith Wendt; Kristen C. Nelson

2012-01-01

Intractable conflicts are omnipresent in environmental management. These conflicts do not necessarily resist resolution but need to be fundamentally transformed in order to reach agreement. Reframing, a process that allows disputants to create new alternative understandings of the problem, is one way of transforming these conflicts. Cognitive and interactional...

A new prospect on global environmental problems in the case of climate change: the impacts of strategic complementarity between countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heugues, M.

2009-06-01

Among global environmental problems, climate change is one of the most serious. According to nearly all scientists, the roots of the problem is related to the accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere and linked with human activities. The global character of this problem turns it into a big challenge. Within a framework of international trade liberalization, the analysis emphasizes the consequences of the inter-dependencies between economic agents, i.e. States, and of their strategic behaviours - when implementing national environmental policy - on natural environment. Starting with a deliberately conventional model and considering that countries' strategy can be complementary when emitting GHG, we bring new results in many respects and with regard to the existing ones. The thesis includes four chapters. The study highlights the impacts of the nature of the inter-dependencies between countries i) on the existence and the properties of equilibrium solutions - first, when no country cooperates and then from a globally optimal point of view -, ii) on the sequence of decisions, i.e. the circumstances under which a leader endogenously emerges when initiating its national environmental policy, iii) on profitability and stability of an international environmental agreement (IEA), iv) on the level of participation to an IEA and on the environmental impact of such a cooperation. A distinct feature of this research is to rely on the theorems of super-modular game theory. (author)

Legal Issues Affecting Libraries and Librarians: Employment Law, Liability and Insurance, Contracts, and Problem Patrons.

Science.gov (United States)

Mika, Joseph J.; Shuman, Bruce A.

1988-01-01

This fourth lesson in a continuing education course on legal issues affecting libraries and librarians discusses the library's rights and legal responsibilities in the areas of censorship and intellectual freedom, the Freedom of Information Act and patron privacy, problem patrons, and ethical considerations of library services. (14 references)…

Methods and techniques for prediction of environmental impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-04-01

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is the procedure that helps decision makers understand the environmental implications of their decisions. The prediction of environmental effects or impact is an extremely important part of the EIA procedure and improvements in existing capabilities are needed. Considerable attention is paid within environmental impact assessment and in handbooks on EIA to methods for identifying and evaluating environmental impacts. However, little attention is given to the issue distribution of information on impact prediction methods. The quantitative or qualitative methods for the prediction of environmental impacts appear to be the two basic approaches for incorporating environmental concerns into the decision-making process. Depending on the nature of the proposed activity and the environment likely to be affected, a combination of both quantitative and qualitative methods is used. Within environmental impact assessment, the accuracy of methods for the prediction of environmental impacts is of major importance while it provides for sound and well-balanced decision making. Pertinent and effective action to deal with the problems of environmental protection and the rational use of natural resources and sustainable development is only possible given objective methods and techniques for the prediction of environmental impact. Therefore, the Senior Advisers to ECE Governments on Environmental and Water Problems, decided to set up a task force, with the USSR as lead country, on methods and techniques for the prediction of environmental impacts in order to undertake a study to review and analyse existing methodological approaches and to elaborate recommendations to ECE Governments. The work of the task force was completed in 1990 and the resulting report, with all relevant background material, was approved by the Senior Advisers to ECE Governments on Environmental and Water Problems in 1991. The present report reflects the situation, state of

The Relationship between Pre-Service Teachers' Awareness Levels of Electromagnetic Pollution and Other Environmental Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Koklukaya, Ayse Nesibe; Guven Yildirim, Ezgi; Selvi, Mahmut

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find out the relationship between the awareness level of preservice science teachers' conscious use of technological devices, which cause electromagnetic pollution, and their awareness level of related environmental problems. Research Methods: In this study, a mixed design method was used. A relational…

Problem behaviours of kindergartners: The affects of children's ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

children's problem behaviour (internalising and externalising problems) and cognitive ability. Second, there was a .... predict internalising problems such as depression and anxiety ..... creativity: Teachers' perception of student characteristics ...

Does environmental regulation affect energy efficiency in China's thermal power generation? Empirical evidence from a slacks-based DEA model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bi, Gong-Bing; Song, Wen; Zhou, P.; Liang, Liang

2014-01-01

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) has gained much popularity in performance measurement of power industry. This paper presents a slack-based measure approach to investigating the relationship between fossil fuel consumption and the environmental regulation of China's thermal power generation. We first calculate the total-factor energy efficiency without considering environmental constraints. An environmental performance indicator is proposed through decomposing the total-factor energy efficiency. The proposed approach is then employed to examine whether environmental regulation affects the energy efficiency of China's thermal power generation. We find that the environmental efficiency plays a significant role in affecting energy performance of China's thermal generation sector. Decreasing the discharge of major pollutants can improve both energy performance and environmental efficiency. Besides, we also have three main findings: (1) The energy efficiency and environmental efficiency were relatively low. (2) The energy and environmental efficiency scores show great variations among provinces. (3) Both energy efficiency and environmental efficiency are of obvious geographical characteristics. According to our findings, we suggest some policy implications. - Highlights: • We assess the energy efficiency and the environmental efficiency of China's thermal power generation simultaneously. • The energy efficiency and the environmental efficiency were relatively low during 2007–2009. • The energy efficiency and environmental efficiency show obvious geographic characters. • The environmental performance of a DMU plays a decisive role in the energy performance

Common problems in the elicitation and analysis of expert opinion affecting probabilistic safety assessments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, M.A.; Booker, J.M.

1990-01-01

Expert opinion is frequently used in probabilistic safety assessment (PSA), particularly in estimating low probability events. In this paper, we discuss some of the common problems encountered in eliciting and analyzing expert opinion data and offer solutions or recommendations. The problems are: that experts are not naturally Bayesian. People fail to update their existing information to account for new information as it becomes available, as would be predicted by the Bayesian philosophy; that experts cannot be fully calibrated. To calibrate experts, the feedback from the known quantities must be immediate, frequent, and specific to the task; that experts are limited in the number of things that they can mentally juggle at a time to 7 {plus minus} 2; that data gatherers and analysts can introduce bias by unintentionally causing an altering of the expert's thinking or answers; that the level of detail the data, or granularity, can affect the analyses; and the conditioning effect poses difficulties in gathering and analyzing of the expert data. The data that the expert gives can be conditioned on a variety of factors that can affect the analysis and the interpretation of the results. 31 refs.

Case Studies in Critical Ecoliteracy: A Curriculum for Analyzing the Social Foundations of Environmental Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Rita; Donnelly, Ryan

2013-01-01

This article outlines the features and application of a set of model curriculum materials that utilize eco-democratic principles and humanities-based content to cultivate critical analysis of the cultural foundations of socio-environmental problems. We first describe the goals and components of the materials, then discuss results of their use in…

An investigation of family environmental alteration affecting short-term recovery from Schizophrenia in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Rong-Min Chen, R M

1995-02-01

It has been hypothesised that change in the family environment affects short-term recovery from schizophrenia. Observation and study of 210 schizophrenic patients who were influenced by family environmental alteration show that the prognosis of schizophrenia caused suddenly by family environmental alteration is better than that of schizophrenia caused by a persistently unfavourable family environment. Hence, we think sudden family environmental alterations do not cause psychorrhoea, but slow family environmental alteration may cause change in the mental state of patients. The prognosis is worse in the countryside than in the city. From the study group, we conclude that the first cure rate was 28%, and that 26% of patients were able to work. This indicates that there were no typical cases of the core pattern of schizophrenia, and that there was a certain potential for recovery. In the future, the emphasis of prevention and treatment must be placed on the countryside, and attention should be paid to the improvement of living and working conditions there, to the correct administration of patients, and to the improvement of recovery measures and therapy. We advocate that efforts should be made in the countryside to raise the national educational and cultural level.

Priorities in the field of international cooperation with the aim of solving global environmental problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kondrat' ev, K.YA.

1993-08-01

Considerations on priorities are presented in connection with the broad development of bilateral and multilateral international cooperation to solve global environmental problems. Emphasis is placed on the problem of global climate change, on optimizing the global climate observation system, and on substantiating the (1) inadequacy of the 'greenhouse' stereotype of global climate warming which has long predominated in Russian cooperation programs, and (2) the need to realize real climatic prorities (the role of biosphere dynamics, the interaction of atmosphere and ocean, cloud cover and radiation, the colloidal nature of the atmosphere, etc.). The thermal balance of the earth and the dynamics of the biosphere are considered as the key problems of global ecodynamics. Particular attention is given to socio-economic aspects of ecology. 62 refs.

Coal and nuclear wastes: both potential contributors to environmental and health problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

The Chairman, Subcommittee on Energy Conservation and Power, House Committee on Energy and Commerce, asked GAO to answer eight questions regarding waste produced by coal and nuclear fuels during the generation of electricity. This report primarily discusses the first two items in the Chairman's request: what are the types and quantities of wastes generated at each step of the coal and nuclear fuel cycles. What are the health and environmental problems associated with these wastes. Based on a comprehensive literature search GAO found that wastes produced by both the coal and nuclear fuel cycles present the potential for significant environmental and health hazards. Because the waste types present different types of hazards, however, it is not possible to determine if either waste type is more of a hazard than the other. Nonetheless, most of the hazards from both fuel cycles can be lessened, or in some cases eliminated, if properly controlled and regulated

Spatial environmental heterogeneity affects plant growth and thermal performance on a green roof

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buckland-Nicks, Michael; Heim, Amy; Lundholm, Jeremy, E-mail: jlundholm@smu.ca

2016-05-15

Green roofs provide ecosystem services, including stormwater retention and reductions in heat transfer through the roof. Microclimates, as well as designed features of green roofs, such as substrate and vegetation, affect the magnitude of these services. Many green roofs are partially shaded by surrounding buildings, but the effects of this within-roof spatial environmental heterogeneity on thermal performance and other ecosystem services have not been examined. We quantified the effects of spatial heterogeneity in solar radiation, substrate depth and other variables affected by these drivers on vegetation and ecosystem services in an extensive green roof. Spatial heterogeneity in substrate depth and insolation were correlated with differential growth, survival and flowering in two focal plant species. These effects were likely driven by the resulting spatial heterogeneity in substrate temperature and moisture content. Thermal performance (indicated by heat flux and substrate temperature) was influenced by spatial heterogeneity in vegetation cover and substrate depth. Areas with less insolation were cooler in summer and had greater substrate moisture, leading to more favorable conditions for plant growth and survival. Spatial variation in substrate moisture (7%–26% volumetric moisture content) and temperature (21 °C–36 °C) during hot sunny conditions in summer could cause large differences in stormwater retention and heat flux within a single green roof. Shaded areas promote smaller heat fluxes through the roof, leading to energy savings, but lower evapotranspiration in these areas should reduce stormwater retention capacity. Spatial heterogeneity can thus result in trade-offs between different ecosystem services. The effects of these spatial heterogeneities are likely widespread in green roofs. Structures that provide shelter from sun and wind may be productively utilized to design higher functioning green roofs and increase biodiversity by providing habitat

Spatial environmental heterogeneity affects plant growth and thermal performance on a green roof

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buckland-Nicks, Michael; Heim, Amy; Lundholm, Jeremy

2016-01-01

Green roofs provide ecosystem services, including stormwater retention and reductions in heat transfer through the roof. Microclimates, as well as designed features of green roofs, such as substrate and vegetation, affect the magnitude of these services. Many green roofs are partially shaded by surrounding buildings, but the effects of this within-roof spatial environmental heterogeneity on thermal performance and other ecosystem services have not been examined. We quantified the effects of spatial heterogeneity in solar radiation, substrate depth and other variables affected by these drivers on vegetation and ecosystem services in an extensive green roof. Spatial heterogeneity in substrate depth and insolation were correlated with differential growth, survival and flowering in two focal plant species. These effects were likely driven by the resulting spatial heterogeneity in substrate temperature and moisture content. Thermal performance (indicated by heat flux and substrate temperature) was influenced by spatial heterogeneity in vegetation cover and substrate depth. Areas with less insolation were cooler in summer and had greater substrate moisture, leading to more favorable conditions for plant growth and survival. Spatial variation in substrate moisture (7%–26% volumetric moisture content) and temperature (21 °C–36 °C) during hot sunny conditions in summer could cause large differences in stormwater retention and heat flux within a single green roof. Shaded areas promote smaller heat fluxes through the roof, leading to energy savings, but lower evapotranspiration in these areas should reduce stormwater retention capacity. Spatial heterogeneity can thus result in trade-offs between different ecosystem services. The effects of these spatial heterogeneities are likely widespread in green roofs. Structures that provide shelter from sun and wind may be productively utilized to design higher functioning green roofs and increase biodiversity by providing habitat

Environmental temperature affects physiology and survival of nanosecond pulsed electric field-treated cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Shengyong; Miao, Xudong; Zhang, Xueming; Chen, Xinhua; Wen, Hao

2018-02-01

Nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) is a novel non-thermal tumor ablation technique. However, how nsPEF affect cell physiology at different environmental temperature is still kept unknown. But this issue is of critical clinical practice relevance. This work aim to investigate how nsPEF treated cancer cells react to different environmental temperatures (0, 4, 25, and 37°C). Their cell viability, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were examined. Lower temperature resulted in higher apoptosis rate, decreased mitochondria membrane potential, and increased ROS levels. Sucrose and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) pre-incubation inhibit ROS generation and increase cell survival, protecting nsPEF-treated cells from low temperature-caused cell death. This work provides an experimental basis for hypothermia and fluid transfusion during nsPEF ablation with anesthesia. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Influence diagram of physiological and environmental factors affecting heart rate variability: an extended literature overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julien Fatisson

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Heart rate variability (HRV corresponds to the adaptation of the heart to any stimulus. In fact, among the pathologies affecting HRV the most, there are the cardiovascular diseases and depressive disorders, which are associated with high medical cost in Western societies. Consequently, HRV is now widely used as an index of health.In order to better understand how this adaptation takes place, it is necessary to examine which factors directly influence HRV, whether they have a physiological or environmental origin. The primary objective of this research is therefore to conduct a literature review in order to get a comprehensive overview of the subject.The system of these factors affecting HRV can be divided into the following five categories: physiological and pathological factors, environmental factors, lifestyle factors, non-modifiable factors and effects. The direct interrelationships between these factors and HRV can be regrouped into an influence diagram. This diagram can therefore serve as a basis to improve daily clinical practice as well as help design even more precise research protocols.

The importance of message framing for providing information about sustainability and environmental aspects of energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van de Velde, Liesbeth; Verbeke, Wim; Van Huylenbroeck, Guido [Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent (Belgium); Popp, Michael [Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Arkansas, 217 Agriculture Building, Fayetteville, AR 72701 (United States)

2010-10-15

With a looming energy crisis, energy conservation and attention to environmental problems are warranted. The transport sector experiences great challenges to introduce more environmental friendly renewable energy like biofuels. The majority of the Belgian people are asking for more information about this issue. Because individuals are sensitive to how information is presented, the choice of the message frame can significantly influence attitudes and behavioural intention. Because of the strengthening effect on both concern and PCE, our findings suggest that for the prevention of energy and environmental problems and the promotion of a more sustainable and environmental friendly energy consumption not the gravity of these problems and the possible disadvantages but the possibilities to overcome these problems (e.g. reduction of energy use, environmental friendly energy sources) have to be stressed. Men, higher educated people, people between 35 and 54 years old and people with the most pro-environmental attitude are less affected by the message frame, while the choice of the frame is more important when addressing women, people younger than 35 and older than 55 years, lower educated and less pro-environmental people. (author)

The importance of message framing for providing information about sustainability and environmental aspects of energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van de Velde, Liesbeth; Verbeke, Wim; Popp, Michael; Van Huylenbroeck, Guido

2010-01-01

With a looming energy crisis, energy conservation and attention to environmental problems are warranted. The transport sector experiences great challenges to introduce more environmental friendly renewable energy like biofuels. The majority of the Belgian people are asking for more information about this issue. Because individuals are sensitive to how information is presented, the choice of the message frame can significantly influence attitudes and behavioural intention. Because of the strengthening effect on both concern and PCE, our findings suggest that for the prevention of energy and environmental problems and the promotion of a more sustainable and environmental friendly energy consumption not the gravity of these problems and the possible disadvantages but the possibilities to overcome these problems (e.g. reduction of energy use, environmental friendly energy sources) have to be stressed. Men, higher educated people, people between 35 and 54 years old and people with the most pro-environmental attitude are less affected by the message frame, while the choice of the frame is more important when addressing women, people younger than 35 and older than 55 years, lower educated and less pro-environmental people.

Report to Congress on the U.S. Department of Energy's Environmental Management Science Program. Research funded and its linkages to environmental cleanup problems. High out-year cost environmental management project descriptions. Volume 3 of 3 - Appendix C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-04-01

The Department of Energy's Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) serves as a catalyst for the application of scientific discoveries to the development and deployment of technologies that will lead to reduction of the costs and risks associated with cleaning up the nation's nuclear complex. Appendix C provides details about each of the Department's 82 high cost projects and lists the EMSP research awards with potential to impact each of these projects. The high cost projects listed are those having costs greater than $50 million in constant 1998 dollars from the year 2007 and beyond, based on the March 1998 Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure Draft data, and having costs of quantities of material associated with an environmental management problem area. The high cost project information is grouped by operations office and organized by site and project code. Each operations office section begins with a list of research needs associated with that operations office. Potentially related research awards are listed by problem area in the Index of Research Awards by Environmental Management Problem Area, which can be found at the end of appendices B and C. For projects that address high risks to the public, workers, or the environment, refer also the Health/Ecology/Risk problem area awards. Research needs are programmatic or technical challenges that may benefit from knowledge gained through basic research

How social myths about childhood, motherhood and medicine affect the detection of subtle developmental problems in young children.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Jane

Focus by child health professionals on the well-being of young Australian children and their families has intensified in the past decade, with particular attention drawn to the importance of the early detection and intervention of developmental problems. While many children with developmental difficulties are detected in the preschool years, those with more subtle forms of developmental problems are often only noticed by their mothers, passing unnoticed by professionals until the children begin school and fail socially or academically. This study aimed to ascertain ways in which child health professionals may utilise the experience of mothers to improve early recognition and diagnosis of subtle developmental and behavioural problems in children. French philosopher, Roland Barthes (1973) proposed that myths play an important social role in defining underlying social values that affect how people interpret what others say or do. This paper explores how the social myths of childhood, motherhood and medicine impact upon the early detection of children with subtle developmental problems. In particular, it examines how social myths affect when and how mothers become concerned about their children's development, from whom they seek advice, and the responses which mothers receive in regard to their concerns. Mythical notions of the 'blameless child', 'boys will be boys' and 'children who look OK are OK', and the constituted myth of motherhood, are all shown to affect when mothers become concerned about their children's development. What mothers do about their concerns and the responses they receive from child health professionals are also influenced by these myths. The myth of medicine is also examined to determine how it affects communication between mothers and doctors, the roles and responsibilities of doctors, and the value placed on a mother's concerns by doctors.

Environmental Affective Dispositions Scale (EADS): The Study of Validity and Reliability and Adaptation to Turkish

Science.gov (United States)

Fettahlioglu, Pinar; Timur, Serkan; Timur, Betül

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to conduct a research under circumstances of Turkey about the validity and reliability of the Affective Tendencies towards Environmental Scale prepared by Yavetz, Goldman and Pe'er (2009). The translation of this scale to Turkish was done by the researchers and language specialists. And then, the scale was evaluated by the…

Conventional, Partially Converted and Environmentally Friendly Farming in South Korea: Profitability and Factors Affecting Farmers’ Choice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saem Lee

2016-07-01

Full Text Available While organic farming is well established in Europe a nd USA, it is still catching up in Asian countries. The government of South Korea has implemented environmentally friendly farming that encompasses organic farming. Despite the promotion of environmentally friendly farming, it still has a low share in South Korea and partially converted farming has emerged in some districts of South Korea. However, the partially converted farming has not yet been investigated by the government. Thus, our study implemented a financial analysis to compare the annual costs and net returns of conventional, partially converted and environmentally friendly farming in Gangwon Province. The result showed that environmentally friendly farming was more profitable with respect to farm net returns. To find out the factors affecting the adoption of environmentally friendly farming, multinomial logistic regression was implemented. The findings revealed that education and subsidy positively and significantly influenced the probability of farmers’ choice on partially converted and environmentally friendly farming. Farm size had a negative and significant relationship with only environmentally friendly farming. This study will contribute to future policy establishment for sustainable agriculture as recommended by improving the quality of fertilizers, suggesting the additional investigation associated with partially converted farmers.

Managing Marine Litter: Exploring the Evolving Role of International and European Law in Confronting a Persistent Environmental Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arie Trouwborst

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The contamination of the world's oceans by human garbage, especially plastics, ranks among those environmental problems whose resolution appears remote, despite the considerable public attention paid to the 'Great Garbage Patch' in the Pacific, 'plastic soup', and the like. This 'marine litter' (or 'marine debris' problem is characterized by diffuse sources and an array of adverse environmental impacts, including entanglement of and ingestion by albatrosses, fulmars, turtles, seals and a variety of other marine wildlife. This article explores the evolving role of international law in the efforts to manage marine litter, including recent developments involving the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR Convention and the European Union's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD.

Managing Marine Litter: Exploring the Evolving Role of International and European Law in Confronting a Persistent Environmental Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arie Trouwborst

2011-06-01

Full Text Available  The contamination of the world's oceans by human garbage, especially plastics, ranks among those environmental problems whose resolution appears remote, despite the considerable public attention paid to the 'Great Garbage Patch' in the Pacific, 'plastic soup', and the like. This 'marine litter' (or 'marine debris' problem is characterized by diffuse sources and an array of adverse environmental impacts, including entanglement of and ingestion by albatrosses, fulmars, turtles, seals and a variety of other marine wildlife. This article explores the evolving role of international law in the efforts to manage marine litter, including recent developments involving the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR Convention and the European Union's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD.

Dam construction as an engineering solution for water supply problem : environmental thrusts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hosseini, A.H. [Alberta Univ., Edmonton, AB (Canada). Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering

2004-09-01

Water supply management and the potential impacts associated with engineering practices in water supply systems were examined. Global aspects of increasing water demand were presented and compared with populations, urbanization and water demand. Engineering practices in waterworks developments such as dam construction, river intakes, infiltration galleries, wells, boreholes and adits were also discussed. Construction of large dams and the problems associated with damming the rivers were studied as large dams generally have substantial impacts on rivers, watersheds and aquatic ecosystems, leading to the irreversible loss of species populations and ecosystems. These problems include negative impacts on the terrestrial ecosystem, greenhouse gas emissions from reservoirs due to decaying vegetation and carbon inflows from the catchment, changes in flow regimes, trapping of sediments and nutrients behind a dam, blocking migration of aquatic organisms, as well as negative impacts on flood plain ecosystems and fisheries. In addition, a case study, on the environmental impacts associated with damming in Three Gorges Valley in China was presented. 9 refs., 8 figs.

Environmental health and hazardous waste issues related to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, D E; Peña, C; Varady, R; Suk, W A

1996-06-01

Environmental health and environmental quality issues along the U.S.-Mexico border have been of concern for several years. The enactment of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the presence of the maquiladoras (foreign-owned industries using imported raw materials) have intensified those concerns recently. Efforts to assess these issues are complicated by the fact that many of the issues affecting the border region are within federal jurisdiction, but the problems are regional and local in nature. Thus, state and local governments become involved with public concerns about real and potential problems. One major problem is that environmental health data from this region are lacking, particularly from Mexico. Some new agencies such as the Border Environment Cooperation Commission, the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission, and the North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation have joined several existing agencies at the federal and state level to address environmental quality and health. Several studies have been initiated to determine air and water quality, but little is being done in the areas of hazardous waste and health assessment. Several problems are anticipated in the generation of such data, such as its format and accessibility. Data gaps and research needs are discussed.

Innovative Technologies for the Solution of Environmental Problems in the World Community

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. K. Usmanova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: the purpose of the article is the disclosure of environmental problems and prospects commercialization of intellectual property within development of innovative information technologies in the conditions of integration of economies into the world economy, identification of opportunities of forming, organization, financing, management, ownership, commercialization and protection of innovative technologies and intellectual property. Relevance of the chosen subject is caused by the current state of ecology and problems of commercialization of intellectual property in development of innovative information technologies within the conditions of integration of economies into the world economy. The existing changes of the current legislation and tendencies of development of the industry of innovative information technologies in field of ecology in the Russian Federation require cardinal review because of its low competitiveness. Ensuring sustainable development of the country directly depends on implementation of innovative information technologies, not only within the sphere of ecology, but also in all industries of the national economy of Russia. Especially important direction of development of innovations is the field of information technologies with its further implementation in innovative productions and provision of services with a focus on protection of ecology and healthcare. Methods: the methodology of the solution of objectives is based on usage of a method of dialectic research, methods of the economic analysis, forecasting, the situational and systemic analysis, expert evaluations and the analysis of empirical data. Results: in the process of researching the direction of solving environmental problems, the author studied foreign and Russian programs based on innovative technologies in this field and identified current proposals regarding the practical implementation of partnerships in the form of Public Private Partnerships PPPs

Dealing with uncertainties in environmental burden of disease assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van der Sluijs Jeroen P

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs combine the number of people affected by disease or mortality in a population and the duration and severity of their condition into one number. The environmental burden of disease is the number of DALYs that can be attributed to environmental factors. Environmental burden of disease estimates enable policy makers to evaluate, compare and prioritize dissimilar environmental health problems or interventions. These estimates often have various uncertainties and assumptions which are not always made explicit. Besides statistical uncertainty in input data and parameters – which is commonly addressed – a variety of other types of uncertainties may substantially influence the results of the assessment. We have reviewed how different types of uncertainties affect environmental burden of disease assessments, and we give suggestions as to how researchers could address these uncertainties. We propose the use of an uncertainty typology to identify and characterize uncertainties. Finally, we argue that uncertainties need to be identified, assessed, reported and interpreted in order for assessment results to adequately support decision making.

Organizational choices for international cooperation: East-West European cooperation on regional environmental problems

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, Barbara Mary

This dissertation applies theoretical insights from transaction cost economics to explain and predict the organizational form of cooperative agreements between Eastern and Western Europe in areas of regional environmental and political concern. It examines five contracting problems related to nuclear power safety and acid rain, and describes the history of international negotiations to manage these problems. It argues that the level of interdependence in a given issue area, or costly effects experienced in one state due to activities and decisions of other states, along with the level of transactional vulnerability, or sunk costs invested in support of a particular contractual relationship among these states, are key determinants of the governance structures states choose to facilitate cooperation in that issue area. Empirically, the dissertation traces the evolution of three sets of institutional arrangements related to nuclear safety: governance for western nuclear safety assistance to Eastern Europe, negotiations of a global convention on safety standards for nuclear power plants, and contracts among utilities and multilateral banks to build new nuclear power plants in Eastern Europe. Next it studies European acid rain, chronicling the history of international acid rain controls within the UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) and the European Union, and finally examining institutional arrangements for burden-sharing to promote European bargains on emissions reduction, including bilateral aid transfers and proposals for multilateral burden sharing. Political actors have a wide range of choice among institutional arrangements to facilitate international cooperation, from simple market-type exchanges, to arbitration-type regimes that provide information and enhance reputation effects, to self-enforcing agreements such as issue-linkage, to supranational governance. The governance structures states devise to manage their cooperative

The main environmental problems of the Baltic Sea and the ways to solve them

OpenAIRE

Mosin Oleg

2011-01-01

The Baltic Sea is a unique ecological system, an integral part of the global ecological system, which is in urgent need of protection from destructive anthropogenic impact stemming from the production and consumption of nuclear energy and artificial radionuclides, agriculture, oil and oil product transportation, and sewage and solid waste treatment. The article outlines the main environmental problems of the Baltic Seas and the ways to solve them.

The main environmental problems of the Baltic Sea and the ways to solve them

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mosin Oleg

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The Baltic Sea is a unique ecological system, an integral part of the global ecological system, which is in urgent need of protection from destructive anthropogenic impact stemming from the production and consumption of nuclear energy and artificial radionuclides, agriculture, oil and oil product transportation, and sewage and solid waste treatment. The article outlines the main environmental problems of the Baltic Seas and the ways to solve them.

Money, management, and manipulation: Environmental mobilization in the Great Lakes basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gould, K.A.

1991-01-01

This document examines variations in the responses of communities to local pollution problems affecting Great Lakes water quality. The study is based on research conducted at six such communities, at sites that have been designated as 'Areas of Concern' by the International Joint Commission. The roles of economic dependency or diversity, access to scientific and political resources, community size, social visibility of pollution, and consciousness- and unconsciousness-making activities are examined as they relate to grass roots political mobilization in response to local, lake-related environmental issues. Of particular interest is the participation of national and regional environmental social movement organizations, Federal, State/Provincial and local governments, and local industry. National and regional environmental social movement organizations appear to have a greater mobilizing impact on communities that are closest to the urban centers in which these organizations are based. State and Provincial environmental agencies play a centrist role in promoting minimal remediation. Local governments typically oppose the definition of local environmental disorganization as a problem

Attention problems and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in discordant and concordant monozygotic twins: Evidence of environmental mediators.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lehn, H.; Derks, E.M.; Hudziak, J.; Heutink, P.; van Beijsterveldt, C.E.M.; Boomsma, D.I.

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To study familial and nonfamilial environmental influences on attention problems and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in monozygotic twins discordant and concordant-high and low for these traits. METHOD: Ninety-five twin pairs from The Netherlands Twin Register were

Emerging various environmental threats to brain and overview of surveillance system with zebrafish model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Vargas

Full Text Available Pathologies related to neurotoxicity represent an important percentage of the diseases that determine the global burden of diseases. Neurotoxicity may be related to the increasing levels of potentially neurotoxic agents that pollute the environment, which generates concern, since agents that affect children may increase the incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders, affecting the quality of life of future citizens. Many environmental contaminants have been detected, and many of them derive from several human activities, including the mining, agriculture, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, beverage and food industries. These problems are more acute in third world countries, where environmental regulations are lax or non-existent. An additional major emerging problem is drug contamination. Periodic monitoring should be performed to identify potential neurotoxic substances using biological tests capable of identifying the risk. In this sense the fish embryo test (FET, which is performed on zebrafish embryos, is a useful, reliable and economical alternative that can be implemented in developing countries. Keywords: Neurotoxicity, Global burden disease, Environmental contaminants, Zebrafish embryo test

Environmental and safety problems of waste management in nuclear engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwibach, J.; Jacobi, W.

1976-01-01

The environmental and safety problems which waste management in nuclear technology poses are discussed under the aspects of the disposal of radioactive waste by nuclear facilities and the safety of radioactive waste disposal. The release and global distribution of long-lived radionuclides such as tritium, Kr-85, C-14, I-129, and Pu-239 as well as the radiation exposure of the world population resulting thereof are investigated, the authors starting from a specific production rate of the nuclides released from nuclear facilities. Definitions of the terms 'dose commitment' and 'collective dose commitment' are given. Furthermore, local radiation exposure in reprocessing plants is investigated and compared with regional and global radiation exposure. A recommendation is made to take measures which would reduce the nuclides tritium, Kr-85, and C-14 in order to achieve considerably smaller collective doses. (HR/LN) [de

Externalizing Problems in Childhood and Adolescence Predict Subsequent Educational Achievement but for Different Genetic and Environmental Reasons

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Gary J.; Asbury, Kathryn; Plomin, Robert

2017-01-01

Background: Childhood behavior problems predict subsequent educational achievement; however, little research has examined the etiology of these links using a longitudinal twin design. Moreover, it is unknown whether genetic and environmental innovations provide incremental prediction for educational achievement from childhood to adolescence.…

Genetic and environmental factors affecting birth size variation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yokoyama, Yoshie; Jelenkovic, Aline; Hur, Yoon-Mi

2018-01-01

Background: The genetic architecture of birth size may differ geographically and over time. We examined differences in the genetic and environmental contributions to birthweight, length and ponderal index (PI) across geographical-cultural regions (Europe, North America and Australia, and East Asia......) and across birth cohorts, and how gestational age modifies these effects. Methods: Data from 26 twin cohorts in 16 countries including 57 613 monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs were pooled. Genetic and environmental variations of birth size were estimated using genetic structural equation modelling....... Results: The variance of birthweight and length was predominantly explained by shared environmental factors, whereas the variance of PI was explained both by shared and unique environmental factors. Genetic variance contributing to birth size was small. Adjusting for gestational age decreased...

Environmental issues facing the oil industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skea, Jim

1992-01-01

Environmental policies and regulations are having profound effects on the oil industry. The industry is affected by controls on both its production and processing activities and on the use of its own products. The environmental impacts of upstream activities, epitomized by the Exxon Valdez accident, are leading to more expensive tanker designs. Oil markets can be changed by sulphur controls driven by concern about acid rain and new requirements in the USA to change gasoline specifications in order to reduce urban smog. The problem of climate change and CO 2 emissions poses even more fundamental challenges to the oil industry, with the prospect of reduced markets in the longer term. (author)

Intergenomic rearrangements after polyploidization of Kengyilia thoroldiana (Poaceae: Triticeae) affected by environmental factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qiuxia; Liu, Huitao; Gao, Ainong; Yang, Xinming; Liu, Weihua; Li, Xiuquan; Li, Lihui

2012-01-01

Polyploidization is a major evolutionary process. Approximately 70-75% species of Triticeae (Poaceae) are polyploids, involving 23 genomes. To investigate intergenomic rearrangements after polyploidization of Triticeae species and to determine the effects of environmental factors on them, nine populations of a typical polyploid Triticeae species, Kengyilia thoroldiana (Keng) J.L.Yang et al. (2n = 6x = 42, StStPPYY), collected from different environments, were studied using genome in situ hybridization (GISH). We found that intergenomic rearrangements occurred between the relatively large P genome and the small genomes, St (8.15%) and Y (22.22%), in polyploid species via various types of translocations compared to their diploid progenitors. However, no translocation was found between the relatively small St and Y chromosomes. Environmental factors may affect rearrangements among the three genomes. Chromosome translocations were significantly more frequent in populations from cold alpine and grassland environments than in populations from valley and lake-basin habitats (P<0.05). The relationship between types of chromosome translocations and altitude was significant (r = 0.809, P<0.01). Intergenomic rearrangements associated with environmental factors and genetic differentiation of a single basic genome should be considered as equally important genetic processes during species' ecotype evolution.

Intergenomic rearrangements after polyploidization of Kengyilia thoroldiana (Poaceae: Triticeae affected by environmental factors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiuxia Wang

Full Text Available Polyploidization is a major evolutionary process. Approximately 70-75% species of Triticeae (Poaceae are polyploids, involving 23 genomes. To investigate intergenomic rearrangements after polyploidization of Triticeae species and to determine the effects of environmental factors on them, nine populations of a typical polyploid Triticeae species, Kengyilia thoroldiana (Keng J.L.Yang et al. (2n = 6x = 42, StStPPYY, collected from different environments, were studied using genome in situ hybridization (GISH. We found that intergenomic rearrangements occurred between the relatively large P genome and the small genomes, St (8.15% and Y (22.22%, in polyploid species via various types of translocations compared to their diploid progenitors. However, no translocation was found between the relatively small St and Y chromosomes. Environmental factors may affect rearrangements among the three genomes. Chromosome translocations were significantly more frequent in populations from cold alpine and grassland environments than in populations from valley and lake-basin habitats (P<0.05. The relationship between types of chromosome translocations and altitude was significant (r = 0.809, P<0.01. Intergenomic rearrangements associated with environmental factors and genetic differentiation of a single basic genome should be considered as equally important genetic processes during species' ecotype evolution.

Can motto-goals outperform learning and performance goals? Influence of goal setting on performance and affect in a complex problem solving task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miriam S. Rohe

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we bring together research on complex problem solving with that on motivational psychology about goal setting. Complex problems require motivational effort because of their inherent difficulties. Goal Setting Theory has shown with simple tasks that high, specific performance goals lead to better performance outcome than do-your-best goals. However, in complex tasks, learning goals have proven more effective than performance goals. Based on the Zurich Resource Model (Storch & Krause, 2014, so-called motto-goals (e.g., "I breathe happiness" should activate a person’s resources through positive affect. It was found that motto-goals are effective with unpleasant duties. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that motto-goals outperform learning and performance goals in the case of complex problems. A total of N = 123 subjects participated in the experiment. In dependence of their goal condition, subjects developed a personal motto, learning, or performance goal. This goal was adapted for the computer-simulated complex scenario Tailorshop, where subjects worked as managers in a small fictional company. Other than expected, there was no main effect of goal condition for the management performance. As hypothesized, motto goals led to higher positive and lower negative affect than the other two goal types. Even though positive affect decreased and negative affect increased in all three groups during Tailorshop completion, participants with motto goals reported the lowest rates of negative affect over time. Exploratory analyses investigated the role of affect in complex problem solving via mediational analyses and the influence of goal type on perceived goal attainment.

The Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis as a Framework for Understanding the Association Between Motor Skills and Internalizing Problems: A Mini-Review

Science.gov (United States)

Mancini, Vincent O.; Rigoli, Daniela; Cairney, John; Roberts, Lynne D.; Piek, Jan P.

2016-01-01

Poor motor skills have been shown to be associated with a range of psychosocial issues, including internalizing problems (anxiety and depression). While well-documented empirically, our understanding of why this relationship occurs remains theoretically underdeveloped. The Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis by Cairney et al. (2013) provides a promising framework that seeks to explain the association between motor skills and internalizing problems, specifically in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). The framework posits that poor motor skills predispose the development of internalizing problems via interactions with intermediary environmental stressors. At the time the model was proposed, limited direct evidence was available to support or refute the framework. Several studies and developments related to the framework have since been published. This mini-review seeks to provide an up-to-date overview of recent developments related to the Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis. We briefly discuss the past research that led to its development, before moving to studies that have investigated the framework since it was proposed. While originally developed within the context of DCD in childhood, recent developments have found support for the model in community samples. Through the reviewed literature, this article provides support for the Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis as a promising theoretical framework that explains the psychosocial correlates across the broader spectrum of motor ability. However, given its recent conceptualization, ongoing evaluation of the Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis is recommended. PMID:26941690

Report to Congress on the U.S. Department of Energy`s Environmental Management Science Program: Research funded and its linkages to environmental cleanup problems, and high out-year cost environmental management project descriptions. Volume 3 of 3 -- Appendix C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-04-01

The Department of Energy`s Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) serves as a catalyst for the application of scientific discoveries to the development and deployment of technologies that will lead to reduction of the costs and risks associated with cleaning up the nation`s nuclear complex. Appendix C provides details about each of the Department`s 82 high cost projects and lists the EMSP research awards with potential to impact each of these projects. The high cost projects listed are those having costs greater than $50 million in constant 1998 dollars from the year 2007 and beyond, based on the March 1998 Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure Draft data, and having costs of quantities of material associated with an environmental management problem area. The high cost project information is grouped by operations office and organized by site and project code. Each operations office section begins with a list of research needs associated with that operations office. Potentially related research awards are listed by problem area in the Index of Research Awards by Environmental Management Problem Area, which can be found at the end of appendices B and C. For projects that address high risks to the public, workers, or the environment, refer also the Health/Ecology/Risk problem area awards. Research needs are programmatic or technical challenges that may benefit from knowledge gained through basic research.

Affective dysfunction in a mouse model of Rett syndrome: Therapeutic effects of environmental stimulation and physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kondo, Mari A; Gray, Laura J; Pelka, Gregory J; Leang, Sook-Kwan; Christodoulou, John; Tam, Patrick P L; Hannan, Anthony J

2016-02-01

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with mutations in the X-linked gene encoding methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) and consequent dysregulation of brain maturation. Patients suffer from a range of debilitating physical symptoms, however, behavioral and emotional symptoms also severely affect their quality of life. Here, we present previously unreported and clinically relevant affective dysfunction in the female heterozygous Mecp2(tm1Tam) mouse model of RTT (129sv and C57BL6 mixed background). The affective dysfunction and aberrant anxiety-related behavior of the Mecp2(+/-) mice were found to be reversible with environmental enrichment (EE) from 4 weeks of age. The effect of exercise alone (via wheel running) was also explored, providing the first evidence that increased voluntary physical activity in an animal model of RTT is beneficial for some phenotypes. Mecp2(+/-) mutants displayed elevated corticosterone despite decreased Crh expression, demonstrating hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation. EE of Mecp2(+/-) mice normalized basal serum corticosterone and hippocampal BDNF protein levels. The enrichment-induced rescue appears independent of the transcriptional regulation of the MeCP2 targets Bdnf exon 4 and Crh. These findings provide new insight into the neurodevelopmental role of MeCP2 and pathogenesis of RTT, in particular the affective dysfunction. The positive outcomes of environmental stimulation and physical exercise have implications for the development of therapies targeting the affective symptoms, as well as behavioral and cognitive dimensions, of this devastating neurodevelopmental disorder. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Environmental management strategy for sustainable development in the Naranjo River Basin in Las Tunas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoandris García Hidalgo

2014-10-01

Full Text Available he objective of this paper is to develop an Environmental Mana gement Strategy that is intended to reduce the environmental impacts in the Naranjo river draina ge basin. In order to reach this objective, a diagnosis was done, that consisted in the literature review on the topic as well as the realization of participatory workshops involving different techniques, tools and methods, such as brainstorming, SWOT matrix, DPSIR framework and experts’ approach, for identifying the main envir onmental problems that affect the basin. A geographic information system (GIS was designed for managing natural resources in the basin. Results show that the main environmental problems are: soil degradation , ,deforestation (loss or lack of hidroregulatory fringes on river and reservoir beds, Deterioration of sanitary-hygienic conditions in human settlements, groundwater and air pollution were maily caused by the inadequate land-use planning, which, along with the population’s lack of environmental education, not only contributes to maintaining the environmental impact, but also to increasing it, and can lead to irreversible damages. As part of the strategy, a series of agreed actions was planned to diminish the environmental problems in t he basin, where the social actors take part actively in managing those problems, and favor the decision ma king process which focus on sustainable development

Canadian Environmental Assessment Act - comprehensive study report: new Grand-Mere hydroelectric facility proposed by Hydro-Quebec

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-06-01

A description is given of the hydroelectric construction project as well as the environment surrounding it, the outcome of consultations with interest parties in the public, the overall environmental impacts and cumulative impacts with associated problems that may occur in carrying out the project, attempts at project and environmental mitigation, measuring the importance of the cumulative and environmental effects, conditions for project acceptance, and the overall acceptance of the project or its rejection. The older hydroelectric project was constructed in the post-1910 period and being out of date is experiencing operational problems. There are four problem areas that are important including a need for major repairs to the turbine-generators, lack of flexibility and low electrical capacity that affect the working of the sending-end substation, a state of deterioration affecting operation of the spillways concrete structure, and a bottleneck problem on the Saint-Maurice river caused by the low flow design of the Grand-Mere power station in comparison with that of the Saint-Maurice station. Considering economical, social and environmental factors, of the three options of abandoning the site, upgrading the existing site or constructing a new one, the third option is the preferred one, a conclusion based on considering the out of date state of Grand-Mere facilities and the bottleneck flow condition created on the Saint-Maurice river by the older station. Given the proposed efforts at mitigation, and the follow-up operations stated by the third option advocate, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is of the opinion that the proposed plans will not affect the environment in an adverse manner. 7 refs

Brain matters: from environmental ethics to environmental neuroethics.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabrera, Laura Y; Tesluk, Jordan; Chakraborti, Michelle; Matthews, Ralph; Illes, Judy

2016-02-15

The ways in which humans affect and are affected by their environments have been studied from many different perspectives over the past decades. However, it was not until the 1970s that the discussion of the ethical relationship between humankind and the environment formalized as an academic discipline with the emergence of environmental ethics. A few decades later, environmental health emerged as a discipline focused on the assessment and regulation of environmental factors that affect living beings. Our goal here is to begin a discussion specifically about the impact of modern environmental change on biomedical and social understandings of brain and mental health, and to align this with ethical considerations. We refer to this focus as Environmental Neuroethics, offer a case study to illustrate key themes and issues, and conclude by offering a five-tier framework as a starting point of analysis.

What causes addiction problems? Environmental, biological and constitutional explanations in press portrayals from four European welfare societies.

Science.gov (United States)

Hellman, Matilda; Majamäki, Maija; Rolando, Sara; Bujalski, Michał; Lemmens, Paul

2015-03-01

Press items (N = 1327) about addiction related problems were collected from politically independent daily newspapers in Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland from 1991, 1998, and 2011. A synchronized qualitative coding was performed for discerning the descriptions of the genesis to the problems in terms of described causes to and reasons for why they occur. Environmental explanations were by far the most common and they varied most between the materials. The analysis documents how the portrayals include traces of their contextual origin, relating to different media tasks and welfare cultural traditions. Meaning-based differences were also assigned to the kind of problems that held the most salience in the press reporting. A general worry over societal change is tied into the explanations of accumulating addiction problems and underpins the press reporting in all countries.

Environmental problem analysis of the proposed Sage Creek Coal Project in the Flathead Valley of British Columbia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-01-01

The proposed Sage Creek Coal Project is analysed with respect to environmental impacts, international concerns and public concerns. Although information available to date is insufficient to pursue an analysis enabling a determination of the full social and environmental cost of the project, basic concerns and issues have been elucidated. Emphasis is given to the potential adverse effects on existing fish species and on wildlife species, particularly grizzly bear, moose and mountain goat. Because the area affected by the project includes both Canadian and U.S. territory, environmental objectives of the U.S. government for the Upper Flathead Valley ecosystem must also be considered in any future B.C. government decisions. Public opposition to the project from an environmental standpoint is documented. The report concludes the preferred option for a Ministry of Environment position is to recommend the project not proceed.

Summary of the landfill remediation problems and technology needs of the Oak Ridge Reservation Environmental Restoration Programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This report discusses the following topics: brief description of the Oak Ridge Reservation Environmental Restoration Program; descriptions of representative waste burials at each site; ongoing, planned, or potential remediation; known or anticipated remediation problems; potential applications for robotics in the remediation of Oak Ridge Reservation landfills

Family-based prevention of mental health problems in children affected by HIV and AIDS: an open trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Betancourt, Theresa S; Ng, Lauren C; Kirk, Catherine M; Munyanah, Morris; Mushashi, Christina; Ingabire, Charles; Teta, Sharon; Beardslee, William R; Brennan, Robert T; Zahn, Ista; Stulac, Sara; Cyamatare, Felix R; Sezibera, Vincent

2014-07-01

The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention to reduce mental health problems and bolster resilience among children living in households affected by caregiver HIV in Rwanda. Pre-post design, including 6-month follow-up. The Family Strengthening Intervention (FSI) aims to reduce mental health problems among HIV-affected children through improved child-caregiver relationships, family communication and parenting skills, HIV psychoeducation and connections to resources. Twenty families (N = 39 children) with at least one HIV-positive caregiver and one child 7-17 years old were enrolled in the FSI. Children and caregivers were administered locally adapted and validated measures of child mental health problems, as well as measures of protective processes and parenting. Assessments were administered at pre and postintervention, and 6-month follow-up. Multilevel models accounting for clustering by family tested changes in outcomes of interest. Qualitative interviews were completed to understand acceptability, feasibility and satisfaction with the FSI. Families reported high satisfaction with the FSI. Caregiver-reported improvements in family connectedness, good parenting, social support and children's pro-social behaviour (P self-esteem, depression, anxiety and irritability were seen at follow-up (P < .05). Significant decreases in child-reported harsh punishment were observed at postintervention and follow-up, and decreases in caregiver reported harsh punishment were also recorded on follow-up (P < 0.05). The FSI is a feasible and acceptable intervention that shows promise for improving mental health symptoms and strengthening protective factors among children and families affected by HIV in low-resource settings.

Comparison of environmental forcings affecting suspended sediments variability in two macrotidal, highly-turbid estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Jalón-Rojas, Isabel; Schmidt, Sabine; Sottolichio, Aldo

2017-11-01

The relative contribution of environmental forcing frequencies on turbidity variability is, for the first time, quantified at seasonal and multiannual time scales in tidal estuarine systems. With a decade of high-frequency, multi-site turbidity monitoring, the two nearby, macrotidal and highly-turbid Gironde and Loire estuaries (west France) are excellent natural laboratories for this purpose. Singular Spectrum Analyses, combined with Lomb-Scargle periodograms and Wavelet Transforms, were applied to the continuous multiannual turbidity time series. Frequencies of the main environmental factors affecting turbidity were identified: hydrological regime (high versus low river discharges), river flow variability, tidal range, tidal cycles, and turbulence. Their relative influences show similar patterns in both estuaries and depend on the estuarine region (lower or upper estuary) and the time scale (multiannual or seasonal). On the multiannual time scale, the relative contribution of tidal frequencies (tidal cycles and range) to turbidity variability decreases up-estuary from 68% to 47%, while the influence of river flow frequencies increases from 3% to 42%. On the seasonal time scale, the relative influence of forcings frequencies remains almost constant in the lower estuary, dominated by tidal frequencies (60% and 30% for tidal cycles and tidal range, respectively); in the upper reaches, it is variable depending on hydrological regime, even if tidal frequencies are responsible for up 50% of turbidity variance. These quantifications show the potential of combined spectral analyses to compare the behavior of suspended sediment in tidal estuaries throughout the world and to evaluate long-term changes in environmental forcings, especially in a context of global change. The relevance of this approach to compare nearby and overseas systems and to support management strategies is discussed (e.g., selection of effective operation frequencies/regions, prediction of the most

Environmental policy and industrialization: The politics of regulation in Puerto Rico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Concepcion, C.M.

1990-01-01

The effects of economic development on environmental regulation in Puerto Rico are examined. In particular, the research analyzes how the Puerto Rican industrialization process has affected implementation of the environmental-review process. Puerto Rico exemplifies an acute conflict between an industrialization process based on capital-intensive, highly polluting industries, and a regulatory framework of insular and US environmental laws and regulations. While industrialization has not solved unemployment problems on the island, environmental and health hazards have increased significantly, despite environmental regulations. The study focuses on a change in the environmental review process in response to economic development concerns. In particular, it examines the growth and extensive use of a new environmental review document, the Environmental Assessment. This study explains this policy shift and, more fundamentally, analyzes how and under what circumstances this change came about

Environmental tasks of anthropogenic actions and climatic changes in pozo del Molle, Cordoba Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mansilla, L.; Karlsson, A.; Ayala, R.

2007-01-01

This work was made in Pozo del Molle town, Rio Segundo, Cordoba. Argentina. The human impact added to climate changes, mainly the increase of precipitations, affects negatively in the environmental problems. In the area, in the last years, the problems that lead to the degradation of the environment were accentuated. The disposition of the final waste disposal has been determined through the following studies: analysis of the geological conditions of the area, consideration of the climatic situation, and the elevation and contamination the phreatic. Also an analysis about the rate of the habitant/day solid residual generation, the distance between the site where is located the urban solid residues and the town, the predominant winds and the vulnerability of the phreatic, which represents the greatest problem of the area, was made. It has been established the alternatives to carry out an appropriate environmental administration. Key words: human impact, climatic changes, environmental problems, phreatic, Pozo del Molle (Argentina). (author)

Falls among elderly and its relation with their health problems and surrounding environmental factors in Riyadh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sulaiman A Alshammari

2018-01-01

CONCLUSION: Falls among the elderly are common. Significantly, if the health of the individuals is impaired, and there are contiguous environmental risk factors, these elements combine to play a part in the occurrence of such falls. There is, therefore, a need to design and develop a health awareness program to prevent such problems in the elderly.

Environmental management: The bank's policy approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

In order to play a leadership role in the environmental recovery of central and eastern Europe, the Bank will pursue the following policy priorities: assistance to the countries of operations in environmental policy formulation, including the development of effective legal and regulatory instruments, the adoption of appropriate emissions and effluents standards and the creation of the institutional and human resources capacity to monitor and enforce them; promoting the use of a variety of economic instruments to address the underlying cause of environmental degradation and the adoption of market-based techniques in environmental management programmes; encouraging the development of an environmental goods and services industry in the countries of operations, of commercially viable investments in environmental technologies and pollution prevention and control, and by funding environmental infrastructure projects; initiation of, or support for, special studies and programmes to address regional and national environmental problems and to promote environmental education within the population and institutions of the countries of operations; adoption of adequate environmental assessment, management planning, audit and monitoring procedures throughout its activities; and promoting the adoption and implementation of procedures for provision of information to, and consultation with, all levels of government and the general public - especially potentially affected parties - concerning environmental matters

Optimising Inter-Disciplinary Problem-Based Learning in Postgraduate Environmental and Science Education: Recommendations from a Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Redshaw, Clare H; Frampton, Ian

2014-01-01

As the value of multi-disciplinary working in the business and research worlds is becoming more recognised, the number of inter-disciplinary postgraduate environmental and health sciences courses is also increasing. Equally, the popularity of problem-based learning (PBL) is expected to grow and influence instructional approaches in many…

Management of common behaviour and mental health problems.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Radhi, A Sahib

Behavioural problems are usually influenced by both biological and environmental factors. Disruptive behavioural problems such temper tantrums or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are displayed during the first years of childhood. Breath-holding attacks are relatively common and are an important problem. Although the attacks are not serious and the prognosis is usually good, parents often fear that their child may die during an attack. Parents therefore require explanation and reassurance from health professionals. Conduct disorders (often referred to as antisocial behaviours), such as aggression to others or theft, are more serious as they tend to be repetitive and persistent behaviours where the basic rights of others are violated. Emotional problems, such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder tend to occur in later childhood, and are often unrecognised because young children often find it difficult to express their emotions, or it may go unnoticed by the child's parents. This article briefly discusses the most common behavioural problems, including autism, that affect children of all ages.

Which environmental problems get policy attention? Examining energy and agricultural sector policies in Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engstroem, Rebecka; Nilsson, Mans; Finnveden, Goeran

2008-01-01

Not all environmental problems get the same level of policy attention. An interesting question is thus why certain aspects receive attention and others do not. This paper studies the level of policy attention given to different environmental aspects in agriculture and energy policy in Sweden and explores empirically some factors that can explain the level of attention. The first step was to explore the link between environmental issue characteristics and the level of policy attention. The level of policy attention was measured through a content analysis of Swedish government bills. The results from the content analysis are clear and stable over the studied time period. In the agriculture sector biodiversity and toxicity are in focus whereas in the energy sector climate change and resources are given the attention. Besides these aspects, the attention is limited. These results were compared with the results from sector-wide environmental assessments of the same sectors. These assessments were based on hybrid input-output analysis and life cycle assessment methodologies. A main finding from the study is that issue importance is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for policy attention. Other explanations are needed to understand which environmental issues get attention in sectoral policy. Our assessment showed that while the level of knowledge does not provide an explanation, the presence of strong and well-organised stakeholders within the sector, with an interest in having a certain issue on the agenda, might be decisive for issue attention. Path dependency and limited attention capacity are other important factors

Experiencing Nature through Immersive Virtual Environments: Environmental Perceptions, Physical Engagement, and Affective Responses during a Simulated Nature Walk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanna Calogiuri

2018-01-01

Full Text Available By combining physical activity and exposure to nature, green exercise can provide additional health benefits compared to physical activity alone. Immersive Virtual Environments (IVE have emerged as a potentially valuable supplement to environmental and behavioral research, and might also provide new approaches to green exercise promotion. However, it is unknown to what extent green exercise in IVE can provide psychophysiological responses similar to those experienced in real natural environments. In this study, 26 healthy adults underwent three experimental conditions: nature walk, sitting-IVE, and treadmill-IVE. The nature walk took place on a paved trail along a large river. In the IVE conditions, the participants wore a head-mounted display with headphones reproducing a 360° video and audio of the nature walk, either sitting on a chair or walking on a manually driven treadmill. Measurements included environmental perceptions (presence and perceived environmental restorativeness – PER, physical engagement (walking speed, heart rate, and perceived exertion, and affective responses (enjoyment and affect. Additionally, qualitative information was collected through open-ended questions. The participants rated the IVEs with satisfactory levels of ‘being there’ and ‘sense of reality,’ but also reported discomforts such as ‘flatness,’ ‘movement lag’ and ‘cyber sickness.’ With equivalent heart rate and walking speed, participants reported higher perceived exertion in the IVEs than in the nature walk. The nature walk was associated with high enjoyment and enhanced affect. However, despite equivalent ratings of PER in the nature walk and in the IVEs, the latter were perceived as less enjoyable and gave rise to a poorer affect. Presence and PER did not differ between the two IVEs, although in the treadmill-IVE the negative affective responses had slightly smaller magnitude than in the sitting-IVE. In both the IVEs, the negative

The Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis as a Framework for Understanding the Association between Motor Skills and Internalizing Problems: A mini-review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincent Oreste Mancini

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Poor motor skills have been shown to be associated with a range of psychosocial issues, including internalizing problems (anxiety and depression. While well-documented empirically, our understanding of why this relationship occurs remains theoretically underdeveloped. The Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis by Cairney, Rigoli, and Piek (2013 provides a promising framework that seeks to explain the association between motor skills and internalizing problems, specifically in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD. The framework posits that poor motor skills predispose the development of internalizing problems via interactions with intermediary environmental stressors. At the time the model was proposed, limited direct evidence was available to support or refute the framework. Several studies and developments related to the framework have since been published. This mini-review seeks to provide an up-to-date overview of recent developments related to the Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis. We briefly discuss the past research that led to its development, before moving to studies that have investigated the framework since it was proposed. While originally developed within the context of DCD in childhood, recent developments have found support for the model in community samples. Through the reviewed literature, this article provides support for the Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis as a promising theoretical framework that explains the psychosocial correlates across the broader spectrum of motor ability. This evidence promotes the external validity of the framework for use across the broader spectrum of motor ability. However, given its recent conceptualisation, ongoing evaluation of the Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis is recommended.

40 CFR 1502.15 - Affected environment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Affected environment. 1502.15 Section 1502.15 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT § 1502.15 Affected environment. The environmental impact statement shall succinctly describe the...

The affective profiles, psychological well-being, and harmony: environmental mastery and self-acceptance predict the sense of a harmonious life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danilo Garcia

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Background. An important outcome from the debate on whether wellness equals happiness, is the need of research focusing on how psychological well-being might influence humans’ ability to adapt to the changing environment and live in harmony. To get a detailed picture of the influence of positive and negative affect, the current study employed the affective profiles model in which individuals are categorised into groups based on either high positive and low negative affect (self-fulfilling; high positive and high negative affect (high affective; low positive and low negative affect (low affective; and high negative and low positive affect (self-destructive. The aims were to (1 investigate differences between affective profiles in psychological well-being and harmony and (2 how psychological well-being and its dimensions relate to harmony within the four affective profiles.Method. 500 participants (mean age = 34.14 years, SD. = ±12.75 years; 187 males and 313 females were recruited online and required to answer three self-report measures: The Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule; The Scales of Psychological Well-Being (short version and The Harmony in Life Scale. We conducted a Multivariate Analysis of Variance where the affective profiles and gender were the independent factors and psychological well-being composite score, its six dimensions as well as the harmony in life score were the dependent factors. In addition, we conducted four multi-group (i.e., the four affective profiles moderation analyses with the psychological well-being dimensions as predictors and harmony in life as the dependent variables.Results. Individuals categorised as self-fulfilling, as compared to the other profiles, tended to score higher on the psychological well-being dimensions: positive relations, environmental mastery, self-acceptance, autonomy, personal growth, and purpose in life. In addition, 47% to 66% of the variance of the harmony in life was

Health impact assessment in environmental impact assessment in China: Status, practice and problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, I-Shin; Yilihamu, Qimanguli; Wu, Jing; Wu, Huilei; Nan, Bo

2017-01-01

In China, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) system has gradually developed into an integrated evaluation system, owing to continuous improvement on institutional framework, system infrastructure, technical methods and professionals training, since EIA was first introduced in 1979. Though health impact assessment (HIA) is a part of the EIA system, the development of HIA is so slow as to remain at the early developing stage. This research aims to understand the extent and main issues concerning “health considerations” under the context of EIA, in China. Through case study on 42 environmental impact statements, the results demonstrate that HIA was not implemented in most of the cases, and health issues were not even mentioned in more than half of these cases. Where HIA was implemented, various problems were revealed through this study, including lacks of systematic approaching tools, insufficient supporting data on health effects, ineffective public participation, limited health considerations on biophysics, and so forth. Nevertheless, these problems can be attributed to lacks of legal supports, systematic evaluation methods, knowledge on evaluation technologies, and professional training institutions for HIA in China. In order to improve HIA methodologies, technologies, and management, to perfect HIA evaluation system, and to enhance public participation system within HIA, some recommendations from institutional, technical, administrative, and managerial aspects were then proposed in this study. - Highlights: •The status and deficiencies of HIA in EIA in China were identified and evaluated. •There were great industrial differences for the implementation of HIA in EIA. •Public participation was not well executed within HIA in EIA.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURAL LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE NORTH CAUCASIAN FEDERAL DISTRICT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. R. Musayev

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. The aim is to assess the environmental problems in the North Caucasus Federal District of the Russian Federation. Methods. An analysis of the literature and own research at a high anthropogenic pressure on agricultural land through the development of more stringent criteria for assessing the already degraded areas. Results. In the Stavropol region, Andropov district is in the most catastrophic state: of eight ratings five have the highest (fifth catastrophic degree degree of degradation; two the first (low and one rating has the second (middle. On the territory of Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, the highest degree of degradation of agricultural land is assigned to rocky ground, where it has a catastrophic rate of 9.76 points. For agricultural workers on steppe plains, the priority is to fight against deflation, as there is also a high degradation level 6.67 (above catastrophic. Conclusion. It was established that in the North Caucasus Federal District the system of rational use of land should be of environmental and resource-conserving nature and provide for the preservation of the soil, limiting the impact on flora and fauna, geological formations, and other components of the environment.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ATTITUDES IN STUDENTS OF THE TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION. A SOCIAL PROBLEM OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY / LAS ACTITUDES MEDIOAMBIENTALES EN ESTUDIANTES DE LA EDUCACIÓN TÉCNICA Y PROFESIONAL. UN PROBLEMA SOCIAL DE LA CIENCIA Y LA TECNOLOGÍA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omar Gutiérrez Hidalgo

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Our Earth Planet confronts the global crisis including the environmental area and its common cause, the unconscious acting of the human being and the convergent effect to the extermination of the world and the human sort. At present environmental insufficiencies are persisted related to the environmental knowledge of the Construction technician in Oscar Alberto Ortega Lara Polytechnic Institute as well as in the development of a favourable environmental attitudes establishing a contradiction in the social practice between a model wanted in the Technical and Professional Education (TPE - to graduate technicians of the Construction Family with good environmental behaviour. That’s why in this paper it is argued that the environmental attitudes of the TPE students constitute a social problem of the Science and the Technology, getting as a result that the application of the epistemology bases given, emits positive changes in their cognitive, affective and participative attitudes to the environmental situations.

Managing Marine Litter: Exploring the Evolving Role of International and European Law in Confronting a Persistent Environmental Problem

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Trouwborst, Arie

2011-01-01

The contamination of the world's oceans by human garbage, especially plastics, ranks among those environmental problems whose resolution appears remote, despite the considerable public attention paid to the 'Great Garbage Patch' in the Pacific, 'plastic soup', and the like. This 'marine litter' (or

Environmental protection and petroleum business

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1986-03-01

This report is a summary of panel discussion concerning environmental protection and petroleum business. Summarized here are country presentations from Iraq, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela, comments by two Japanese panelists from petroleum companies, questions, answers, and discussions, and summary by the session moderator. The country presentation centered on pollution problems and environmental protection policies in each country, national policy regarding environmental problems, and comprehensive planning for environmental protection in specific industrial areas. The panelists' reports mainly concerned the legal framework for environmental protection in Japan and the importance of investment for environmental protection. Questions and answers clarified the problems. The moderator, when summarizing the panel discussion, stressed that environmental problems should be addressed on a global level and that early preventive measures should be taken, and also emphasized the polluter pays principle.

Cancer risk assessments and environmental regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scroggin, D.G.

1990-01-01

Governmental regulation of toxic substances, such as carcinogens and radiation, prompts both legal and scientific controversies. Industry, environmental activist groups, government regulators, and the general public are all concerned with the question of how environmental risk to public health is to be measured and what level of risk warrants government action under the environmental laws. Several recent events shed light on the fundamental scientific and legal problems inherent in such regulation, and these events may affect the direction of future developments. These events include implementation of generic Risk Assessment Guidelines by the US EPA, litigation challenging EPA's regulation of carcinogenic substances, new scientific understanding of the relative risks from human exposure to natural and man-made sources, and the continuing growth of toxic tort litigation in which victims of cancer seek large damages from industrial emitters of pollution

Determinatıon of Some Genetic Parameters, Phenotypic, Genetic and Environmental Trends and Environmental Factors Affecting Milk Yield Traits of Brown Swiss Cattle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammet Hanifi Selvi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, genetic parameters, macro environmental factors and genetic, phenotypic and environmental trends for actual and 305 day milk yield of Brown Swiss cattle reared in Research Farm of Agricultural College at Atatürk University were estimated. Estimated breeding values that were used for calculation of the genetic trend and genetic parameters were estimated by using MTDFREML computer package program. Environmental factors affecting on actual and 305day milk yields were analysed by using Harvey statistic package program. While effects of the years and parities on the actual and 305-day milk yields were highly significant, the influence of the calving season was found to be insignificant. Environmental and phenotypic trends for actual and 305-day milk yields were determined as -33.2 kg and -29.0 kg; and -27.8±19.1 kg/year and -25.9±8.7 kg/year respectively. Genetic trends for actual and 305-day milk yields were calculated as 5.4±3.8 kg and 3.1±3.4 kg. Heritability’s for actual and 305-day milk yields were 0.21±0.12 and 0.16±0.14 respectively. Repeatability values for actual and 305-day milk yield were found as 0.29 and 0.33 respectively.

The Environmental Education on the Ethical Development Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Humberto González-Escobar

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this literature review is to understand the complexity of the environmental issue in a context of civilizational crisis generated by the scientific paradigm and the prevailing forms of knowledge. From this research, the objective is to evaluate the pedagogical exercise and the role of the environmental education in the supreme task of forming a cognitive, ethical, political, and historical subject capable of taking the new planetary challenges on. The structural order of this essay focuses on a critical reflection on the environmental crisis; it also questions the restrictions of the environmental education, and, from the complexity, the reasons for trying to incorporate new fields of study with a transdisciplinary approach. This paper analyzes the structural causes of the discourse of development as factors that generate the social, political and environmental conflict in Colombia. These causes are reflected in an institutional crisis, absence of the State, and, therefore, in governability; for which education makes possible a pedagogical exercise in a critical formation that leads to a configuration of democracy and public management. The exercise of power, the decision-making and the role of human subjects must be accomplished in a conscious and ethical way (integrative values. In order to achieve this, an ethics of development is essential to understand and assume responsibility for environmental issues. It is understood, then, that the development supports an ethical dimension promoting sustainable interactions between the society and the nature.

[Effects of community identity and topophilia on environmentally-conscious behavior].

Science.gov (United States)

Nonami, Hiroshi; Kato, Junzo

2009-04-01

This study classified environmentally-conscious behaviors of residents (n = 335) along Lake Biwa as a common goods into personal and group behavioral intentions, and examined the determinants of these intentions. Identification with the community was a social identity, and differed from attachment to Lake Biwa, which was defined as topophilia. The results indicated that group behavior was affected by topophilia, while personal behavior was influenced by general attitudes about the environmental problems of the lake and evaluations of the cost for the behavior. Community identity had a significant effect on both personal and group behavior. Rational or emotional decision making processes resulted in two different types of environmentally-conscious behaviors.

Review of environmental enrichment for broiler chickens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riber, Anja Brinch; Van de Weerd, H.A.; de Jong, I.C.

2018-01-01

to improvements of the biological function. This definition has been broadened to include practical and economic aspects, as any enrichment strategy that adversely affects the health of animals or that has too many economic or practical constraints will never be implemented on commercial farms and thus never...... benefit animals. Environmental enrichment for broilers often has the purpose of satisfying behavioral needs and/or stimulating the broilers to an increased level of activity, which among others will reduce the occurrence of leg problems. Potentially successful environmental enrichments for broiler...... chickens are elevated resting-places, panels, barriers, and bales of straw (“point-source enrichment”), as well as covered verandas and outdoor ranges (“complex enriched environments”). Many of the ideas for environmental enrichment for broilers need to be further developed and studied, preferably...

corrosion problems and their relationship with the environment in the Colombian productive system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arroyave P, Carlos E; Herrera B, Francisco J; Delgado L, Juan; Cuervo T, Joaquin

1999-01-01

As a part of a broad study on the corrosion problems in the Colombian industry, it was included an assessment of the effect of the main corrosive environments (atmosphere, soil, salad and drinking water, and chemicals), on materials stability. On the other hand, the impact of the corrosion processes on the environmental constituents (live species, atmosphere, soil, materials, and water) was also assessed. Main conclusions are: Atmosphere is the more extensively corrosive environment, and, all the environmental constituents are affected by corrosion without significant differences

Impact of environmental dynamics on economic evolution: A stylized agent-based policy analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nannen, V.; van den Bergh, J.C.J.M.; Eiben, A.E.

2013-01-01

The general problem of how environmental dynamics affect the behavioral interaction in an evolutionary economy is considered. To this end, a basic model of a dynamic multi-sector economy is developed where the evolution of investment strategies depends on the diversity of these strategies, social

Research report for fiscal 1998 including researches into global environmental problems. Business report on the promotion of interaction of scientists over environmental problems in the Asia-Pacific region; 1998 nendo Asia/Taiheiyo chiiki kankyo mondai kenkyusha koryu sokushin jigyo hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

Global environmental problems are growing quite serious in developing countries, yet they are requested to properly deal with them without making light of sustainable development, for which international cooperation and diffusion of technologies for the development of environmental technologies are mandatory. Japan, utilizing what it learned from pollution within in the past and making the best use of its technologies and knowledge for environmental improvement in developing countries in Asia, has been hosting since fiscal 1997 a function of Environmental Technology Research Network in the Asia-Pacific Region function. In fiscal 1998, a fifth international symposium was convened at Science City Center at the foot of Mt. Suzuka on November 26 and 27. The central theme was the development of environmental technologies and international cooperation for developing nations, and the event attracted 180 participants from inside Japan and abroad. A number of concrete themes came out of working groups on water quality, air quality, and energy/waste, which concerned the drafting of propositions for international collaborative researches. As for researches abroad, four typical Malaysian institutes were visited. (NEDO)

Remote Sensing of Environmental Pollution

Science.gov (United States)

North, G. W.

1971-01-01

Environmental pollution is a problem of international scope and concern. It can be subdivided into problems relating to water, air, or land pollution. Many of the problems in these three categories lend themselves to study and possible solution by remote sensing. Through the use of remote sensing systems and techniques, it is possible to detect and monitor, and in some cases, identify, measure, and study the effects of various environmental pollutants. As a guide for making decisions regarding the use of remote sensors for pollution studies, a special five-dimensional sensor/applications matrix has been designed. The matrix defines an environmental goal, ranks the various remote sensing objectives in terms of their ability to assist in solving environmental problems, lists the environmental problems, ranks the sensors that can be used for collecting data on each problem, and finally ranks the sensor platform options that are currently available.

New energy technology cope with global environmental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuchimoto, Tatsuya

1991-01-01

At present, the national and private storage of oil is the quantity for about 140 days in total, and it can cope with the temporary fear of oil supply, but if the Gulf War was prolonged, the large effect should be exerted to the energy supply. The reduction of the degree of oil dependence and the increase of the dependence on nonfossil fuel are taken up as the basic idea of the long term energy demand and supply in Japan. Also in the action plan for preventing global warming, the further promotion of energy conservation and the adoption of clean energy were decided to be carried out for decreasing carbon dioxide. In this report, among clean energies, the technology of electric power generation by sun beam, wind force and geotherm is described. The power generation by sun beam has many features, but the energy density is low, and the area for installation becomes large. The cost of power generation is relatively high. The power generation by wind force is superior in its environmental characteristics, and has been already put in practical use in USA and Europe. The problem is the reliability of the system. The geothermal power generation is available also in Japan, and is important for the energy security. The plants of about 270 MW are installed in Japan. (K.I.)

Survey of perception of the environmental problems in Arauca (Colombia): Tools for ecosystem assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramos Montano, Carolina; Garcia Conde, Mary Ruth

2012-01-01

The assessment of environmental goods and services is a useful tool for the conservation and appropriate ordination of natural resources of a region. Nevertheless, in developing countries, more susceptible to the illiteracy, it is fundamental that people have an appropriate knowledge about the environment to get a fair valuation. In Arauca (Colombia) we carried out a study of perception, in order to establish what people understand by the term environment, how they understand the environmental problems and how is possible to contribute to the solution of these problems. There were used surveys with questions that generate qualitative and quantitative information, comparing two populations by age: older adults and underage people. In total 398 people were surveyed and the results suggest that in general there is no significant difference between the perception of older adults and youth people, although the latter receive an important knowledge from basic training in schools. Population is concerned about the reduction in the quality of water and food, and considers the industry especially oil companies, are the major factors in the degradation of the environment. There is a requirement of educational effort, especially on issues such as fauna, flora and contamination, but there is a negative 49% to increase contributions to the state to improve the quality of the environment. Finally, the general perception is that agricultural and livestock activities do not relate significantly to the environment. We propose many actions previous to a contingent valuation study.

Environmental color affects Nile tilapia reproduction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Volpato G.L.

2004-01-01

Full Text Available We investigated the effects of environmental color on the reproductive behavior of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Two environmental colors were tested by covering the aquarium (60 x 60 x 40 cm with white (12 groups or blue (13 groups cellophane and observing reproductive behavior in groups of 2 males (10.27 ± 0.45 cm and 3 females (10.78 ± 0.45 cm each. After assignment to the respective environmental color (similar luminosity = 100 to 120 Lux, the animals were observed until reproduction (identified by eggs in the female's mouth or up to 10 days after the first nest building. Photoperiod was from 6:00 h to 18:00 h every day. Food was offered in excess once a day and water quality was similar among aquaria. Daily observations were made at 8:00, 11:00, 14:00 and 17:00 h regarding: a latency to the first nest, b number of nests, c gravel weight removed (the male excavates the nest in the bottom of the aquarium, d nest area, and e mouthbrooding incubation (indication of reproduction. The proportion of reproducing fish was significantly higher (6 of 13 in the group exposed to the blue color compared the group exposed to the white color (1 of 12; Goodman's test of proportions. Moreover, males under blue light removed significantly larger masses of gravel (blue = 310.70 ± 343.50 g > white = 130.38 ± 102.70 g; P = 0.01 and constructed wider nests (blue = 207.93 ± 207.80 cm² > white = 97.68 ± 70.64 cm²; P = 0.03 than the control (white. The other parameters did not differ significantly between light conditions. We concluded that reproduction in the presence of blue light was more frequent and intense than in the presence of white light.

Report on Saginaw Bay Area Environmental Policy, Planning and Management survey. Final report, April 1991-March 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, C.; Zhao, W.; Edens, T.C.

1992-04-01

An environmental policy, planning, and management survey was conducted in the Saginaw Bay area in the Fall of 1991. The survey identified unemployment, factory closure and environmental quality degradation as the major economic and environmental problems in the area. Surface water contamination, excessive nutrients and zebra mussel infestation were the most serious problems affecting water quality. Soil erosion, excessive fertilization and pesticide applications were the most important non-point sources of water pollution. Toxic chemicals, phosphorus, suspended solids, heavy metals were the major water pollutants in the area. Pollution cleanup, land use planning, and control of zebra mussels were identified as the top implementation priorities for the area. Recommendations made by the respondents for improving environmental quality are summarized in the report.

Environmental policy in Japan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsuru, Shigeto; Weidner, H. (eds.)

1989-01-01

This book deals in English with the most important features of Japanese environmental policy in a number of individual articles by different authors. The various sections report on: 1. History and organization of environmental policy; 2. The role of non-governmental actors in environmental policy (large industries); 3. Special features of environmental policies and problems; 4. Classical pollution control areas: Regulations and effects; 5. Environmental problems in a broader perspective (nature conservation); 6. Policy areas with influence on environmental quality; 7. Environmental monitoring and reporting; 8. Japanese environmental policy in an international perspective (preventive policies, developing countries). (HSCH).

A multiple ship routing and speed optimization problem under time, cost and environmental objectives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wen, M.; Pacino, Dario; Kontovas, C.A.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate a multiple ship routing and speed optimization problem under time, cost and environmental objectives. A branch and price algorithm as well as a constraint programming model are developed that consider (a) fuel consumption as a function of payload, (b......) fuel price as an explicit input, (c) freight rate as an input, and (d) in-transit cargo inventory costs. The alternative objective functions are minimum total trip duration, minimum total cost and minimum emissions. Computational experience with the algorithm is reported on a variety of scenarios....

How Do Sleep-Related Health Problems Affect Functional Status According to Sex?

Science.gov (United States)

Boccabella, Allegra; Malouf, John

2017-05-15

To measure differences in functional status between men and women presenting with sleep-related health problems. A retrospective clinical audit of 744 Australian patients across 7 private general practices between April 2013 and January 2015 was conducted. Patients completed an electronic survey as part of their routine consultation, which included the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire 10 (FOSQ-10), and other questions relating to the effect of their sleep problem. The proportion of males and females with ESS and FOSQ-10 scores associated with disorders of daytime sleepiness and burden of symptoms due to sleepiness, respectively, were compared, as well as reported differences between the sexes in memory, concentration, issues with relationships, feeling depressed, and trouble sleeping. On presentation, females were more likely to have sleeping disorders associated with daytime sleepiness (median ESS score of 9 for females versus 8 for males, P = .038; proportion ESS > 9 was 49.0% for females versus 36.9% for males, P = .003). Women were also more likely to report an increased burden of symptoms due to sleepiness compared to men, as shown by lower FOSQ-10 scores ( P sleeping at night. Snoring kept partners awake in roughly the same proportion of males and females, and a larger proportion of the partners of males were forced out of the room. Sleep-related health issues both manifest in and affect the lives of males and females differently. Sleep health professionals should recognize these differences on all levels of disease prevention and health promotion from patient education, to diagnosis and management to improve quality of life for those with sleep-related health problems. © 2017 American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Current environmental health problems and initiatives in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugunan Pillay, M.; Debbie Siru

1996-01-01

This paper discusses the various environmental changes that have taken place and the change health status of the people in Malaysia. This includes water pollution, air pollution, noise pollution, solid waste pollution, urbanisation and initiatives in environmental health protection via water resources, air quality, solid and toxic and hazardous waste , and urban management

Current environmental health problems and initiatives in Malaysia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sugunan Pillay, M; Siru, Debbie [Ministry of Health Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Engineering Div.

1997-12-31

This paper discusses the various environmental changes that have taken place and the change health status of the people in Malaysia. This includes water pollution, air pollution, noise pollution, solid waste pollution, urbanisation and initiatives in environmental health protection via water resources, air quality, solid and toxic and hazardous waste , and urban management.

Environmental education

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdulhaye, F.

2005-01-01

The environment is an intricate mixture of natural, built and social components. The natural environment includes air, water, land, climate, flora and fauna, while the built environment consists of the fabric of building infrastructure and open space. The social component of the environment embraces the aesthetics, amenity quality, architectural style, heritages, law behavior, values and traditions of the society. In ecological terms the environment is a distortion of natural ecosystems or an ecosystem in its own right. A characteristic of the urban area is their fast changing nature with respect to their size, form, density and activity. This dynamism stems out of the basic functions of economic, social and cultural developments. The complexity and multiplicity of urban activities gives rise to a variety of environmental problems. Given their different level of economic and social development and the geography, not all the cities have identical problems, yet they have much in common. While the large cities of developed countries have long suffered the problem of pollution, inner city decay and neighborhood collapse, those in the less developed countries face more varied complex problems due to their overpopulation, poverty, inadequacy and poor quality of urban services, infrastructure, transportation, and changing life style. However the increasing pollution is common to the most of the cities and is the major cause of environmental degradation. Given the very serious nature of this problem it is essential to tackle this issue by incorporating the environmental concerns in the education system of Pakistan. This paper would give a brief overview of the environmental problems, and a detailed analysis of the status environmental issues in Pakistan. (author)

Diagnosing plant problems

Science.gov (United States)

Cheryl A. Smith

2008-01-01

Diagnosing Christmas tree problems can be a challenge, requiring a basic knowledge of plant culture and physiology, the effect of environmental influences on plant health, and the ability to identify the possible causes of plant problems. Developing a solution or remedy to the problem depends on a proper diagnosis, a process that requires recognition of a problem and...

Environmentalism and elitism: a conceptual and empirical analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, Denton E.; Dunlap, Riley E.

1986-09-01

The frequent charge that environmentalism is “elitist” is examined conceptually and empirically. First, the concept of elitism is analyzed by distinguishing between three types of accusations made against the environmental movement: (a) compositional elitism suggests that environmentalists are drawn from privileged socioeconomic strata, (b) ideological elitism suggests that environmental reforms are a subterfuge for distributing benefits to environmentalists and/or costs to others, and (c) impact elitism suggests that environmental reforms, whether intentionally or not, do in fact have regressive social impacts. The evidence bearing on each of the three types of elitism is examined in some detail, and the following conclusions are drawn: Compositional elitism is an exaggeration, for although environmentalists are typically above average in socioeconomic status (as are most sociopolitical activists), few belong to the upper class. Ideological elitism may hold in some instances, but environmentalists have shown increasing sensitivity to equity concerns and there is little evidence of consistent pursuit of self-interest. Impact elitism is the most important issue, and also the most difficult to assess. It appears that there has been a general tendency for environmental reforms to have regressive impacts. However, it is increasingly recognized that problems such as workplace pollution and toxic waste contamination disproportionately affect the lower socioeconomic strata, and thus reforms aimed at such problems will likely have more progressive impacts.

Environmental education policy in Colombia, 2002-2010

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Ezequiel Badillo Mendoza

2012-05-01

Full Text Available It presents the historical processes that influenced the Environmental Education Policy in Colombia between 2002- 2010, taking as axes the transformation processes of the Ministry of the Environment and the so-called Education Revolution. The research is qualitative, with a historical hermeneutic and the technique used is the documentary research. As a result, it was identified a historical context characterized by economic vision, a warlike position at the expense of social needs and a modification of structural issues at the political system in Colombia. It is concluded that these processes have affected the evolution delay and since the nineteen seventies and especially from the Constitution of 1991, settled in the various attempts to solve environmental problems.

Problems posed by non-targeted radiation effects for development of environmental regulatory policies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mothersill, C.; Seymour, C.

2004-01-01

In order to regulate exposure to any toxic substance it is necessary to decide on a safe or acceptable dose and it is necessary to be able to determine harm. Radiation protection has defined harm for practical purposes as excess cancers in humans. The dose is set at a level well below where such excess cancers can be detected above the background. Chemical (environmental) protection uses a different approach and defines a NOEL (No Observable Effect Level) and a LOEL (Lowest Observable Effect Level) for toxic or suspect chemicals. Since 'harm' may be to an ecosystem or population or individual, it is a loose term usually equating with mutation, breeding problems, numerical decline or sex ratio shift. Recently, ICRP has shifted position from one which assumed that protection of Man protected all biota, to a position which recognizes that in certain circumstances, different parameters may be important for protection of biota. In parallel with this shift, has been a paradigm shift in the science of radiation biology and a recognition that a simple dose response relationship for radiation induced DNA damage (mutation or carcinogenesis) may not in fact exist or may not be the dominant effect at low environmentally relevant doses. Thus both pillars of radiation protection have changed position. Harm cannot be defined solely on the basis of human epidemiological data because the endpoint of cancer in humans does not address the type of harm of concern in the environment because of the different mechanisms operating at low chronic doses (see associated abstract). Further, the human data may not be relevant at the doses of concern This paper considers the implications of moving to a radiation protection system based more on the environmental protection model and applies experimental radiobiological data obtained in the laboratory in an environmental risk assessment framework. (author)

Does burnout among doctors affect their involvement in patients' mental health problems? A study of videotaped consultations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

de Bakker Dinny H

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background General practitioners' (GPs' feelings of burnout or dissatisfaction may affect their patient care negatively, but it is unknown if these negative feelings also affect their mental health care. GPs' available time, together with specific communication tools, are important conditions for providing mental health care. We investigated if GPs who feel burnt out or dissatisfied with the time available for their patients, are less inclined to encourage their patients to disclose their distress, and have shorter consultations, in order to gain time and energy. This may result in less psychological evaluations of patients' complaints. Methods We used 1890 videotaped consultations from a nationally representative sample of 126 Dutch GPs to analyse GPs' communication and the duration of their consultations. Burnout was subdivided into emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced accomplishment. Multilevel regression analyses were used to investigate which subgroups of GPs differed significantly. Results GPs with feelings of exhaustion or dissatisfaction with the available time have longer consultations compared to GPs without these feelings. Exhausted GPs, and GPs with feelings of depersonalisation, talk more about psychological or social topics in their consultations. GPs with feelings of reduced accomplishment are an exception: they communicate less affectively, are less patient-centred and have less eye contact with their patients compared to GPs without reduced accomplishment. We found no relationship between GPs' feelings of burnout or dissatisfaction with the available time and their psychological evaluations of patients' problems. Conclusion GPs' feelings of burnout or dissatisfaction with the time available for their patients do not obstruct their diagnosis and awareness of patients' psychological problems. On the contrary, GPs with high levels of exhaustion or depersonalisation, and GPs who are dissatisfied with the

Methodologic frontiers in environmental epidemiology.

OpenAIRE

Rothman, K J

1993-01-01

Environmental epidemiology comprises the epidemiologic study of those environmental factors that are outside the immediate control of the individual. Exposures of interest to environmental epidemiologists include air pollution, water pollution, occupational exposure to physical and chemical agents, as well as psychosocial elements of environmental concern. The main methodologic problem in environmental epidemiology is exposure assessment, a problem that extends through all of epidemiologic re...

Rehabilitation of Problem Soils Through Environmental Friendly Technologies-I: Effect of Sabins and Farmyard Manure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baig, Mirza B.; Ziaeldin, Mohammad S.; Mahler, Robert L.

2004-01-01

Environmental problem due to land degradation in the developing countries have been a matter of great cocern for the decades. The rehabilitation of problem land has been through many chemical means and engineering approaches, that have resulted in enhancing the gravity and the magnitude of problems. The present studies were undertaken to examine the role of environmental friendly practices to address the salinity issue. the effect of organic manuring (green manure and farmyard manure) or rice was investigated in a field study on a saline-sodic soil of the Saline Agriculture Research Station, Sadhuke, Pakistan. Sesbania was grown as a green manuring crop for two months and then incorporated into soil. farmyard manure (FYM) was applied at the rate of 0, 5, 10 and 20/ha before the sowing of Sesbania. Rice,Cv. Basmati 385 was used as the indicator/test crop. Results revealed that both paddy and straw yields were significantly improved by the application of sesbina and FYM. Green manure with sesbina improved the paddy and straw yields by 15.4% and 14.5% respectively. Productive tillers were also increased by the application of FYM but difference were not significant between 10 and 20ha/ of FYM application. FYM application also improved the paddy and straw yield significantly. The incrase in paddy yield due to application of 5, 10 and 20/ha of FYM were 6.8%, 24.4% and 37.6% over control, respectively. Nitrogen and phosphprus utilizationn by rice were also significantly improved with the application of green manure. Nitrogen uptake by rice was incresed by 17.8% and that of phosphorus by 21.9% with the green manuring. Nitrogen uptake was significantlty increased by the application of different rates of FYM. Also phosphorus uptake was increased significantly with the application of FYM. (author)

Environmental/economic dispatch problem of power system by using an enhanced multi-objective differential evolution algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Youlin; Zhou Jianzhong; Qin Hui; Wang Ying; Zhang Yongchuan

2011-01-01

An enhanced multi-objective differential evolution algorithm (EMODE) is proposed in this paper to solve environmental/economic dispatch (EED) problem by considering the minimal of fuel cost and emission effects synthetically. In the proposed algorithm, an elitist archive technique is adopted to retain the non-dominated solutions obtained during the evolutionary process, and the operators of DE are modified according to the characteristics of multi-objective optimization problems. Moreover, in order to avoid premature convergence, a local random search (LRS) operator is integrated with the proposed method to improve the convergence performance. In view of the difficulties of handling the complicated constraints of EED problem, a new heuristic constraints handling method without any penalty factor settings is presented. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed EMODE method is demonstrated for a test power system. Compared with other methods, EMODE can get higher quality solutions by reducing the fuel cost and the emission effects synthetically.

Voluntary Tools Of The Environmental Oriented Product Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Rusko, Miroslav

2015-06-01

Environmentally oriented product policy is in general determined by the relationships between its aims - subjects - objects - tools. It is based on the integrated approach to the product life cycle, which anticipates an enormous amount of information. It has to solve the questions of the international trade as well as the rules of the International Trade Organization. New forms of preventive environmental strategies and especially Green Marketing are being introduced helping to solve environmental problems and environmental motivation of producers. Many producers face great attention of the public regarding their approach to the environment. Despite the fact that the customers buy products fairly prudently and their behaviour is markedly affected by prices, a particular part of the population prefers the products that do not burden the environment. This brings about a situation, in which the producers within their mutual competition and in relation to customers are enforced to behave responsibly.

Environmental Factors Affecting Asthma and Allergies: Predicting and Simulating Downwind Exposure to Airborne Pollen

Science.gov (United States)

Luvall, Jeffrey; Estes, Sue; Sprigg, William A.; Nickovic, Slobodan; Huete, Alfredo; Solano, Ramon; Ratana, Piyachat; Jiang, Zhangyan; Flowers, Len; Zelicoff, Alan

2009-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the environmental factors that affect asthma and allergies and work to predict and simulate the downwind exposure to airborne pollen. Using a modification of Dust REgional Atmosphere Model (DREAM) that incorporates phenology (i.e. PREAM) the aim was to predict concentrations of pollen in time and space. The strategy for using the model to simulate downwind pollen dispersal, and evaluate the results. Using MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), to get seasonal sampling of Juniper, the pollen chosen for the study, land cover on a near daily basis. The results of the model are reviewed.

Environmental and Individual Factors Affecting Menu Labeling Utilization: A Qualitative Research Study

Science.gov (United States)

Schindler, Jennifer; Kiszko, Kamila; Abrams, Courtney; Islam, Nadia; Elbel, Brian

2013-01-01

Obesity is a significant public health concern that disproportionally affects low-income and minority populations. Recent policies mandating the posting of calories on menus in fast food chain restaurants have not proven to uniformly influence food choice. This qualitative research study uses focus groups to study individual and environmental factors affecting the usage of these menu labels among low-income, minority populations. Ten focus groups targeting low-income residents (n=105) were conducted at various community organizations throughout NYC in Spanish, English, or a combination of both languages, over a nine-month period in 2011. In late 2011 and early 2012, transcripts were coded through the process of thematic analysis using Atlas.ti for naturally emerging themes, influences, and determinants of food choice. Few used menu labels, despite awareness. Among the themes pertaining to menu label usage, price and time constraints, confusion and lack of understanding of caloric values, as well as the priority of preference, hunger, and habitual ordering habits were most frequently cited as barriers to menu label usage. Based on the individual and external influences on food choice that often take priority over calorie consideration, a modified approach may be necessary to make menu labels more effective and user-friendly. PMID:23402695

Review of environmental enrichment for broiler chickens.

Science.gov (United States)

Riber, A B; van de Weerd, H A; de Jong, I C; Steenfeldt, S

2018-02-01

Welfare problems are commonly found in both conventional and organic production of broiler chickens. In order to reduce the extent of welfare problems, it has been suggested to provide stimulating, enriched environments. The aim of the present paper is to provide a review of the effect on behavior and welfare of the different kinds of environmental enrichments in the production of broilers that have been described in the scientific literature. Environmental enrichment is defined as an improvement of the environment of captive animals, which increases the behavioral opportunities of the animal and leads to improvements of the biological function. This definition has been broadened to include practical and economic aspects, as any enrichment strategy that adversely affects the health of animals or that has too many economic or practical constraints will never be implemented on commercial farms and thus never benefit animals. Environmental enrichment for broilers often has the purpose of satisfying behavioral needs and/or stimulating the broilers to an increased level of activity, which among others will reduce the occurrence of leg problems. Potentially successful environmental enrichments for broiler chickens are elevated resting-places, panels, barriers, and bales of straw ("point-source enrichment"), as well as covered verandas and outdoor ranges ("complex enriched environments"). Many of the ideas for environmental enrichment for broilers need to be further developed and studied, preferably in commercial trials, with respect to the use, the effect on behavior and on other welfare aspects such as leg health, and the interaction with genotype, production system, stocking density, light, and flock size. In addition, information on the practical application and the economics of the production system is often lacking, although it is important for application in practice. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Determination of environmental factors affecting dengue incidence ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

. Prevention movement is considered ineffective; therefore, a more efficient early warning system is required. It is required strongly correlated variables to as predictor in early warning system. This study aims to identify the environmental ...

Use of environmental isotope techniques in groundwater hydrology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tirumalesh, K.; Shivanna, K.

2009-01-01

Environmental isotopes (stable and radioactive) have been used as tracers for investigating various hydrological problems. Wide variation in isotopic distribution ( 2 H, 13 C, 18 O, 15 N, 35 S, 3 H and 14 C) in the environment help in identifying the source, origin, pathways and processes affecting the system under consideration. In this article, a few Indian case studies covering some of the very important isotope applications in groundwater hydrology are briefly summarized. (author)

Environmentally adaptive processing for shallow ocean applications: A sequential Bayesian approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Candy, J V

2015-09-01

The shallow ocean is a changing environment primarily due to temperature variations in its upper layers directly affecting sound propagation throughout. The need to develop processors capable of tracking these changes implies a stochastic as well as an environmentally adaptive design. Bayesian techniques have evolved to enable a class of processors capable of performing in such an uncertain, nonstationary (varying statistics), non-Gaussian, variable shallow ocean environment. A solution to this problem is addressed by developing a sequential Bayesian processor capable of providing a joint solution to the modal function tracking and environmental adaptivity problem. Here, the focus is on the development of both a particle filter and an unscented Kalman filter capable of providing reasonable performance for this problem. These processors are applied to hydrophone measurements obtained from a vertical array. The adaptivity problem is attacked by allowing the modal coefficients and/or wavenumbers to be jointly estimated from the noisy measurement data along with tracking of the modal functions while simultaneously enhancing the noisy pressure-field measurements.

Valuation of environmental problems in landfill deposition and composting - test of methodology; Verdsetting av miljoekonsekvenser av avfallsdeponering og kompostering - metodeutproeving

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leknes, Einar; Movik, Espen; Wiik, Ragnhild; Meissnes, Rudolf

1995-08-01

This study is aimed at the tests and design of methods for valuation of environmental problems associated with the landfill deposition of household waste. An extensive review of literature has been conducted with respect to the environmental impacts and valuation methods. Environmental impact assessment and valuation with respect to emission of greenhouse gases (GHG's), leachate and disamenity, have been performed for 4 Norwegian landfills. These differ in their approach towards waste treatment in terms of GHG-collection, briquette production and composting and also in their location in terms of proximity to residential areas and the quality of natural recipients. The study shows that the collection of methane and production of briquettes causes major reductions in the generation of GHG's, whereas composting brings significant reductions for all types of environmental impacts. (author)

Valuation of environmental problems in landfill deposition and composting - test of methodology; Verdsetting av miljoekonsekvenser av avfallsdeponering og kompostering - metodeutproeving

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leknes, Einar; Movik, Espen; Wiik, Ragnhild; Meissnes, Rudolf

1995-08-01

This study is aimed at the tests and design of methods for valuation of environmental problems associated with the landfill deposition of household waste. An extensive review of literature has been conducted with respect to the environmental impacts and valuation methods. Environmental impact assessment and valuation with respect to emission of greenhouse gases (GHG's), leachate and disamenity, have been performed for 4 Norwegian landfills. These differ in their approach towards waste treatment in terms of GHG-collection, briquette production and composting and also in their location in terms of proximity to residential areas and the quality of natural recipients. The study shows that the collection of methane and production of briquettes causes major reductions in the generation of GHG's, whereas composting brings significant reductions for all types of environmental impacts. (author)

Cognitive and affective empathy in children with conduct problems: additive and interactive effects of callous-unemotional traits and autism spectrum disorders symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasalich, Dave S; Dadds, Mark R; Hawes, David J

2014-11-30

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) symptoms are characterized by problems in empathy; however, these behavioral features are rarely examined together in children with conduct problems. This study investigated additive and interactive effects of CU traits and ASD symptoms in relation to cognitive and affective empathy in a non-ASD clinic-referred sample. Participants were 134 children aged 3 to 9 years (M=5.60; 79% boys) with oppositional defiant/conduct disorder, and their parents. Clinicians, teachers, and parents reported on dimensions of child behavior, and parental reports of family dysfunction and direct observations of parental warmth/responsiveness assessed quality of family relationships. Results from multiple regression analysis showed that, over and above the effects of child conduct problem severity and quality of family relationships, both ASD symptoms and CU traits were uniquely associated with deficits in cognitive empathy. Moreover, CU traits demonstrated an independent association with affective empathy, and this relationship was moderated by ASD symptoms. That is, there was a stronger negative association between CU traits and affective empathy at higher versus lower levels of ASD symptoms. These findings suggest including both CU traits and ASD-related social impairments in models delineating the atypical development of empathy in children with conduct problems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental biology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tschumi, P.A.

1981-01-01

Environmental biology illustrates the functioning of ecosystems and the dynamics of populations with many examples from limnology and terrestrial ecology. On this basis, present environmental problems are analyzed. The present environmental crisis is seen as a result of the failure to observe ecological laws. (orig.) [de

Environmental setting and natural factors and human influences affecting water quality in the White River Basin, Indiana

Science.gov (United States)

Schnoebelen, Douglas J.; Fenelon, Joseph M.; Baker, Nancy T.; Martin, Jeffrey D.; Bayless, E. Randall; Jacques, David V.; Crawford, Charles G.

1999-01-01

The White River Basin drains 11,349 square miles of central and southern Indiana and is one of 59 Study Units selected for water-quality assessment as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National WaterQuality Assessment Program. Defining the environmental setting of the basin and identifying the natural factors and human influences that affect water quality are important parts of the assessment.

Solitary Alcohol Use in Teens Is Associated With Drinking in Response to Negative Affect and Predicts Alcohol Problems in Young Adulthood.

Science.gov (United States)

Creswell, Kasey G; Chung, Tammy; Clark, Duncan B; Martin, Christopher S

2014-09-01

Adolescent solitary drinking may represent an informative divergence from normative behavior, with important implications for understanding risk for alcohol-use disorders later in life. Within a self-medication framework, we hypothesized that solitary alcohol use would be associated with drinking in response to negative affect and that such a pattern of drinking would predict alcohol problems in young adulthood. We tested these predictions in a longitudinal study in which we examined whether solitary drinking in adolescence (ages 12-18) predicted alcohol-use disorders in young adulthood (age 25) in 466 alcohol-using teens recruited from clinical programs and 243 alcohol-using teens recruited from the community. Findings showed that solitary drinking was associated with drinking in response to negative affect during adolescence and predicted alcohol problems in young adulthood. Results indicate that drinking alone is an important type of alcohol-use behavior that increases risk for the escalation of alcohol use and the development of alcohol problems.

Environmental status 2009; Miljoestatus 2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2009-07-01

The environment and climate has in recent years received their deserved place high on the public agenda. Still many important issues and contexts make little or no attention in the debates. As environmental directorates one of the most important tasks is to contribute reliable, relevant and understandable information about the state of the environment and development. Environmental status 2009 provides a thematic and comprehensive overview of environmental challenges in Norway. Where are we today, and what are the biggest challenges ahead? What are the national goals? And what have we achieved? The information is based on facts and analysis from their own work and from various research and knowledge communities co-working with the directorate.Climate change has been given much space because it is the biggest threat to the environment. Loss of biological diversity - a major problem compounded by climate change - and the fight against environmental toxins that affect animal and human health, are also high priority. Directorate for Nature Management and Norwegian Pollution Control Authority are responsible for the report and the contents of the chapters on biodiversity and pollution. The chapter on cultural heritage is written by the Cultural Heritage. (AG)

Urban forest and environmental inequality in Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Silva, Victor; Pedlowski, Marcos; Heynen, Nikolas

2002-01-01

Social and spatial inequality regarding environmental resources and services is one of most complex issues affecting contemporary urban life. The objective of this research is to study the spatial distribution of trees in public areas in Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This researc...... and education levels of the population seem to play a more causal on tree quantity and species diversity. This inequality stresses a problem with environmental justice, a characteristic of Brazilian cities intrinsically connected to urban sustainability....

The Effects of Mothers' Educational Levels on University Students' Environmental Protection Commitments and Environmental Behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Saraçli, Sinan; Yilmaz, Veysel; Arslan, Talha

2014-01-01

Problem Statement: The damage caused by recent environmental problems has led to increased environmental concerns and the development of environment-friendly consumption behaviours in almost every society. Environment-friendly consumption involves the consideration of environmental benefits by minimizing any damage done to the environment at all…

Recent developments in environmental protection in India: Pollution control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Govind, H [NOIDA, Disst, Ghaziabad, Pin (IN)

1989-01-01

In India, pollution and environmental degradation have reached alarming dimensions due to poverty, deforestation, industrial development without adequate environmental safeguards, and sheer greed. Fortunately, public concern, rooted in the country's past, has revived. Major pollutants and critically affected areas have been identified. Pollution control of water, air and land has been established by both official and private organizations and the work on environmental protection is steadily growing. The Ganga purification plan is a representative case study. Poverty alleviation is a long-term process. It is India's major problem and is being tackled with help from private enterprise and by international assistance. Simultaneously environmental protection through pollution control is also receiving administrative and legislative support and fiscal assistance through direct and indirect tax incentives. The country's courts are rendering valuable help to environmentalists by pronouncing far-reaching decisions in public-interest litigation. To boost the existing environment-protection movement, greater emphasis is urgently needed for environmental education, peoples' participation, population control, and cost-effective pollution control measures.

Radiation and nuclear safety included in the environmental health programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salomaa, S.

1996-01-01

Finland is currently preparing a national environmental health programme, the objective of which is to chart the main environmental health problems in Finland, to identify means for securing a healthy environment, and to draw up a practical action programme for preventing and rectifying problems pertaining to environmental health. Radiation and nuclear safety form an essential part of preventive health care. The action programme is based on decisions and programmes approved at the WHO Conference on the Environment and Health, held in Helsinki in June 1994. In addition to the state of the Finnish environment and the health of the Finnish population, the programme addresses the relevant international issues, in particular in areas adjacent to Finland. The Committee on Environmental Health is expected to complete its work by the end of the year. A wide range of representatives from various branches of administration have contributed to the preparation of the programme. Besides physical, biological and chemical factors, the environmental factors affecting health also include the physical environment and the psychological, social and aesthetic features of the environment. Similarly, environmental factors that have an impact on the health of present or future generations, on the essential preconditions of life and on the quality of life are investigated. The serious risk to nature caused by human actions is also considered as a potential risk to human health. (orig.)

Improving the effectiveness of impact assessment pertaining to Indigenous peoples in the Brazilian environmental licensing procedure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hanna, Philippe; Vanclay, Frank; Langdon, Esther Jean; Arts, Jos

The number of environmental licence applications for projects affecting Indigenous peoples in Brazil has increased since the implementation of a major infrastructure program (Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento) in 2007. This increase has caused problems for Brazilian agencies involved in

The summary of national environmental restoration needs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-07-01

The Office of Technology Development of the US Department of Energy (DOE) has directed the Savannah River Technology Center to implement an Integrated Demonstration Program at Savannah River Site to assess new environmental remediation systems and technologies and transfer them to other DOE sites and private industry for use in full-scale remediation efforts. The first phase of the Integrated Demonstration Program is coming to a successful conclusion and the Savannah River Technology Center has asked a panel of environmental experts to prioritize national, DOE, and Savannah River Site environmental problems and make programmatic recommendations for future technology research and demonstrations. This document is a summary of national and DOE environmental problems that are common to Savannah River Site and was created as a decision making tool for the expert panel. There are many diverse environmental problems, therefore the summary has been limited to environmental problems that are significant to the Savannah River Site. National environmental problems identified in the summary are soil and water contaminated with organic compounds. Specifically, groundwater contaminated with dense non-aqueous phase liquid hydrocarbons was found to be a significant national environmental problem. The DOE environmental problems identified in the summary are soil and water contaminated with fuel and chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds, metal compounds, and radioactive elements. Savannah River Site environmental problems identified in the summary are soil and groundwater contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons, metal compounds, tritiated water, and other radioactive elements. Technology deficiencies that were identified in the summary were deficiencies in in situ remediation technologies, in situ characterization technologies, and in situ isolation and containment technologies

Bargaining for Equality. A Guide to Legal and Collective Bargaining Solutions for Workplace Problems that Particularly Affect Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Popkin, Mary; Ross, Diane

This is a guide to legal and collective bargaining solutions for workplace problems that particularly affect women. The first section of the guide presents a survey of legal remedies for discrimination including information on: (1) Title VII; (2) Equal Pay Act; (3) Executive Order 11246; (4) Age Discrimination in Employment Act; and (5) State Fair…

Pollution problems plague Poland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bajsarowicz, J.F.

1989-01-01

Poland's environmental problems are said to stem from investments in heavy industries that require enormous quantities of power and from the exploitation of two key natural resources: coal and sulfur. Air and water pollution problems and related public health problems are discussed

Discussion of Environmental Problem and Study of Environmental Impact on Steel Industry in China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2002-01-01

The environmental conditions in steel industry were discussed in detail. It was also pointed out that it was necessary to reduce the quantity of waste generated and discharged by improving the raw material, energy structure and consumption rate, and reinforcing the waste control and management. At the same time, the relevant mathematical models of environmental impact were set up on the basis of raw material consumption, energy consumption and waste generation and discharge in different technical routes of steelmaking. The result showed that the production route of DR-iron clearly has more environmental advantages over that of BF-hot metal.

[LIGHT POLLUTION AS THE HYGIENIC PROBLEM].

Science.gov (United States)

Kaptsov, V A; Gerasev, V F; Deynego, V N

2015-01-01

Mass introduction of lighting devices according to the concept of "maximum coverage area" and multistoried buildings of cities gave rise to light pollution, which became a problem for astronomers, ecologists and hygienists. Analysis of modern lighting devices and installations has shown that about 30-45% of the luminous flux becomes the light pollution. Night lighting of cities causes both direct and indirect damage to the environment, leads to unnecessary energy wastes. So in the USA due to excessive light there is wasted about 2 million barrels of oil per day. Light pollution affects the human hormonal system, causing various health disorders, such as insomnia and depression as a consequence. The light pollution through the ganglion cells of the retina affects the synthesis of melatonin by the pineal gland (epiphysis) and contributes to its calcification, which greatly affects the human psyche. At present, many countries have been paying much state attention to this problem via delivery of national documents and change of the concept of the designing of lighting devices and installations. The essence of this concept--to shine with a preset quality of light only in the right place at the specified time interval. This reduces the light pollution, saves energy and increases the environmental safety of lighting. There is presented an example of a technical solution to reduce the light pollution in the application of the light panel in the form of the gradient of the light guide generator project development.

Voluntary Tools Of The Environmental Oriented Product Policy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rusko Miroslav

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Environmentally oriented product policy is in general determined by the relationships between its aims – subjects – objects - tools. It is based on the integrated approach to the product life cycle, which anticipates an enormous amount of information. It has to solve the questions of the international trade as well as the rules of the International Trade Organization. New forms of preventive environmental strategies and especially Green Marketing are being introduced helping to solve environmental problems and environmental motivation of producers. Many producers face great attention of the public regarding their approach to the environment. Despite the fact that the customers buy products fairly prudently and their behaviour is markedly affected by prices, a particular part of the population prefers the products that do not burden the environment. This brings about a situation, in which the producers within their mutual competition and in relation to customers are enforced to behave responsibly.

Preliminary environmental impact assessment for the final disposal of vanadium hazardous wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leyva Bombuse, D.; Peralta, J.L.; Gil Castillo, R.

2006-01-01

The aim of the present paper is the environmental impact assessment for the final management of vanadium wastes. The assessed practice is proposed as a final solution for a real problem in Cuba, related with the combustion fossil fuel burn in the electric generation. The study case, embrace the interim storage of hazardous wastes with high vanadium contents (5.08 T) and other heavy metals traces (Cr, Zn). According to the Cuban conditions (tacking into account the environmental regulations and infrastructure lack for the hazardous wastes disposal), it was decided the terrestrial dilution as a final disposal way. The environmental impact assessment methodology used, take into account, in the analyzed management practice, the actions, factors and environmental impacts. The positives and more relevant impacts were obtained for the socioeconomic means. The negative and irrelevant impacts were associated to the biotic and abiotic means. Socioeconomic factors were the most affected and the biotic and abiotic factors were less affected. The waste handling was the most relevant environmental action. According to the evaluated conditions, the obtained results showed that is feasible the terrestrial dilution as a sustainability way for the final disposal of vanadium hazardous wastes

How do gender differences affect families' pro-environmental consumer behaviour?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grønhøj, Alice

Studies of "green" consumer behaviour have often reported differences in male and female environmental concern and participation. This paper looks into the nature of such differences within the family. Husband-wife differences with regard to family participation in a number of environmentally...... that the processes whereby environmentally oriented consumer practices are adopted and transmitted among family members receive closer research attention....

Environmental survey preliminary report, Mound Plant, Miamisburg, Ohio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1987-03-01

This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Mound Plant, conducted August 18 through 29, 1986. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with the Mound Plant. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. The on-site phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at the Mound Plant, and interviews with site personnel. The Survey found no environmental problems at the Mound Plant that represent an immediate threat to human life. The environmental problems identified at the Mound Plant by the Survey confirm that the site is confronted with a number of environmental problems which are by and large a legacy from past practices at a time when environmental problems were less well understood. Theses problems vary in terms of their magnitude and risk, as described in this report. Although the sampling and analysis performed by the Mound Plant Survey will assist in further identifying environmental problems at the site, a complete understanding of the significance of some of the environmental problems identified requires a level of study and characterization that is beyond the scope of the Survey. Actions currently under way or planned at the site, particularly the Phase II activities of the Comprehensive Environmental Analysis and Response Program (CEARP) as developed and implemented by the Albuquerque Operations Office, will contribute toward meeting this requirement. 85 refs., 24 figs., 20 tabs.

Environmental Enrichment for Broiler Breeders: An Undeveloped Field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anja B. Riber

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Welfare problems, such as hunger, frustration, aggression, and abnormal sexual behavior, are commonly found in broiler breeder production. To prevent or reduce these welfare problems, it has been suggested to provide stimulating enriched environments. We review the effect of the different types of environmental enrichment for broiler breeders, which have been described in the scientific literature, on behavior and welfare. Environmental enrichment is defined as an improvement of the environment of captive animals, which increases the behavioral opportunities of the animal and leads to improvements in biological function. This definition has been broadened to include practical and economic aspects as any enrichment strategy that adversely affects the health of animals (e.g., environmental hygiene, or that has too many economic or practical constraints will never be implemented on commercial farms and thus never benefit animals. Environmental enrichment for broiler breeders often has the purpose of satisfying the behavioral motivations for feeding and foraging, resting, and/or encouraging normal sexual behavior. Potentially successful enrichments for broiler breeders are elevated resting places, cover panels, and substrate (for broiler breeders housed in cage systems. However, most of the ideas for environmental enrichment for broiler breeders need to be further developed and studied with respect to the use, the effect on behavior and welfare, and the interaction with genotype and production system. In addition, information on practical use and the economics of the production system is often lacking although it is important for application in practice.

Environmental bureaucracies appraised

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murphy, E F

1977-09-01

Bureaucratic mechanisms as a means of regulating the environment are evaluated. Bureaucracy as a technology is one among several instruments for regulation. Styles of environmentally concerned bureaucracies are described. Both local control and a central power to monitor developments that have a large impact on the environment and to force action beyond local strength should be established. The conflict surrounding choices for strong central powers and for a series of polycentric structures is surveyed. Bureaucracy and conflicting environmental values are discussed. Public participation in environmental bureaucracies is assessed. The institutionalization of environmental problems is reviewed. Basic social decisions should be able to prevent bureaucracy from institutionalizing environmental problems rather than trying to solve them. 1 drawing, 2 photos, 12 references.

The problem analysis of regional flors in botanical gardens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kharchenko Victoria E.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Now the climate changes become more pronounced. This affects to biodiversity and distribution of plants. Therefore, we need to study of the biodiversity and trends distribution of plants in specific environments. In this connection is necessary to clarify real composition of species in the of regional floras potential of their variability of and disseminating. A pressing problem remains the creation of a unified database of the flora of Russia, which takes into account the data of regional studies. Research program allows executing posed problems if it would coordinate with other botanical gardens. This program will allow revealing structural and functional adaptation of species to various environmental conditions. This will help create a basis for design ways to regulation the development of plants and biotops.

Coping with persistent environmental problems: systemic delays in reducing eutrophication of the Baltic Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riku Varjopuro

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper we focus on systemic delays in the Baltic Sea that cause the problem of eutrophication to persist. These problems are demonstrated in our study by addressing three types of delays: (1 decision delay: the time it takes for an idea or perceived need to be launched as a policy; (2 implementation delay: the time from the launch of a policy to the actual implementation; (3 ecosystem delay: the time difference between the implementation and an actual measurable effects. A policy process is one characterized by delays. It may take years from problem identification to a decision to taking action and several years further for actual implementation. Ecosystem responses to measures illustrate that feedback can keep the ecosystem in a certain state and cause a delay in ecosystem response. These delays can operate on decadal scales. Our aim in this paper is to analyze these systemic delays and especially to discuss how the critical delays can be better addressed in marine protection policies by strengthening the adaptive capacity of marine protection. We conclude that the development of monitoring systems and reflexive, participatory analysis of dynamics involved in the implementation are keys to improve understanding of the systemic delays. The improved understanding is necessary for the adaptive management of a persistent environmental problem. In addition to the state of the environment, the monitoring and analysis should be targeted also at the implementation of policies to ensure that the societies are investing in the right measures.

Environmental Morale and Motivation

OpenAIRE

Frey, Bruno S; Stutzer, Alois

2006-01-01

This chapter discusses the role of environmental morale and environmental motivation in individual behavior from the point of view of economics and psychology. It deals with the fundamental public good problem, and presents empirical (laboratory and field) evidence on how the cooperation problem can be overcome. Four different theoretical approaches are distinguished according to how individuals� underlying environmental motivation is modeled. Specifically, we look at the interaction betwee...

Optimizing Green Computing Awareness for Environmental Sustainability and Economic Security as a Stochastic Optimization Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuel Okewu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The role of automation in sustainable development is not in doubt. Computerization in particular has permeated every facet of human endeavour, enhancing the provision of information for decision-making that reduces cost of operation, promotes productivity and socioeconomic prosperity and cohesion. Hence, a new field called information and communication technology for development (ICT4D has emerged. Nonetheless, the need to ensure environmentally friendly computing has led to this research study with particular focus on green computing in Africa. This is against the backdrop that the continent is feared to suffer most from the vulnerability of climate change and the impact of environmental risk. Using Nigeria as a test case, this paper gauges the green computing awareness level of Africans via sample survey. It also attempts to institutionalize green computing maturity model with a view to optimizing the level of citizens awareness amid inherent uncertainties like low bandwidth, poor network and erratic power in an emerging African market. Consequently, we classified the problem as a stochastic optimization problem and applied metaheuristic search algorithm to determine the best sensitization strategy. Although there are alternative ways of promoting green computing education, the metaheuristic search we conducted indicated that an online real-time solution that not only drives but preserves timely conversations on electronic waste (e-waste management and energy saving techniques among the citizenry is cutting edge. The authors therefore reviewed literature, gathered requirements, modelled the proposed solution using Universal Modelling Language (UML and developed a prototype. The proposed solution is a web-based multi-tier e-Green computing system that educates computer users on innovative techniques of managing computers and accessories in an environmentally friendly way. We found out that such a real-time web-based interactive forum does not

A Study on improvement of environmental assessment system in social, economic, and environmental sectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nam, Young Sook; Koo, Doh Wan; Keum, Kee Yong [Korea Environment Institute, Seoul (Korea)

1998-12-01

The environmental assessment system is assessed as a mechanism that can achieve the goal for environmental policy in 21st century. As it can evaluate social and economic feasibility of large-scale development program, this system can achieve a sustainable society by mitigating social conflicts arising from environmental problems. For making the environmental assessment system substantial, this study was implemented by the need of improvement of the system, by analyzing problems of social, economic, and environmental evaluation, which is implemented under the present system. 44 refs., 1 fig., 25 tabs.