Patterns and determinants of floristic variation across lowland forests of Bolivia. Biotropica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Toledo, M.; Poorter, L.; Peña-Claros, M.; Alarcón, A.; Balcázar, J.; Chuviña, J.; Leaño, C.; Licona, J.C.; Steege, ter H.; Bongers, F.

2011-01-01

Floristic variation is high in the Neotropics, but little is known about the factors shaping this variation at the mesoscale. We examined floristic composition and its relationship with environmental factors across 220 1-ha permanent plots in tropical lowland Bolivia. For each plot, abundance of 100

Floristic diversity in fragmented Afromontane rainforests

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmitt, Christine B.; Denich, Manfred; Demissew, Sebsebe

2010-01-01

Ordination and indicator species analyses showed gradual variations in floristic diversity along the altitudinal gradient with a pronounced shift in species composition at ca. 1830 m. Upper montane forest is characterized by high fern diversity and indicator species that are Afromontane endemics...

Abiotic factors drives floristic variations of fern’s metacommunity in an Atlantic Forest remnant

OpenAIRE

L. E. N. Costa; R. P. Farias; A. C. P. Santiago; I. A. A. Silva; I. C. L. Barros

2018-01-01

Abstract We analyzed floristic variations in fern’s metacommunity at the local scale and their relationship with abiotic factors in an Atlantic Forest remnant of northeastern Brazil. Floristic and environmental variations were accessed on ten plots of 10 × 20 m. We performed cluster analyses, based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index to establish the floristic relationship. The influence of abiotic factors: luminosity, temperature, relative air humidity and relative soil moisture was evaluated...

Global energy context: future scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beretta, Gian Paolo

2006-01-01

After a brief analysis of the history of global energy consumption, this paper discusses a plausible scenario of energy needs and related carbon emissions for the rest of the century. The global outlook and the probable evolution of several factors that impact on energy policy considerations - even on the local scale - demonstrate the great complexity and planetary dimension of the problems, as well as the almost certain sterility of out-of-context domestic energy-policy measures [it

Abiotic factors drives floristic variations of fern’s metacommunity in an Atlantic Forest remnant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. E. N. Costa

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract We analyzed floristic variations in fern’s metacommunity at the local scale and their relationship with abiotic factors in an Atlantic Forest remnant of northeastern Brazil. Floristic and environmental variations were accessed on ten plots of 10 × 20 m. We performed cluster analyses, based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index to establish the floristic relationship. The influence of abiotic factors: luminosity, temperature, relative air humidity and relative soil moisture was evaluated from a redundancy analysis. We found 24 species belonging to 20 genera and 12 families. The fern’s flora showed high floristic heterogeneity (>75% for most of the plot’s associations. The fern’s metacommunity was structured along an abiotic gradient modulated by temperature, luminosity, and relative soil moisture.

Floristic affinities of the lowland savannahs of Belize and southern Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Canché-Estrada, Idalia Arely; Ortiz-Díaz, Juan Javier; Tun-Garrido, Juan

2018-01-01

Environmental heterogeneity of Belize and southern Mexico savannahs as well as their geographical location suggest that these plant communities share floristic elements, making them conducive to a phytogeographical analysis. The aim of this study was to analyse the floristic affinities of nine savannahs of Belize and southern Mexico and to explain the similarities and differences amongst them. A binary data matrix containing 915 species was built based on the authors' own collections and on nine floristic lists already published. A second data matrix, consisting of 113 species representing trees, was also used since most literature on neotropical savannahs has focused on this life form. In addition, the ten most species-rich families as well as the characteristic species present in more than five savannahs were analysed. Floristic similarities were calculated using the Jaccard index. Dendrograms obtained in both types of analysis showed clusters with low similarity values, corresponding to geographic locations formed by the savannahs of Belize-Tabasco and the Yucatan Peninsula. The floristic affinities of the savannahs may be explained in terms of heterogeneity in climate and physiography. The Yucatan Peninsula and Belize-Tabasco groups have differences in climate type and the amount of rainfall. In addition, the Yucatan Peninsula savannahs are established at the bottom of karstic valleys, while the Belize and Tabasco savannahs develop on extensive flatlands. The savannahs of Oaxaca have the same climate type and amount of rainfall as those of the Yucatan Peninsula but they are distributed along peaks and the slopes of shale hills. Fabaceae and Poaceae mainly dominated the local floras with 121 and 116 species each; remarkably, Melastomataceae was absent in the Yucatan Peninsula and Oaxaca. Nine species occurred in five to seven savannahs, confirming that they are widespread in both Belize and southern Mexico, and the Neotropics. Geographic location and floristic

Effects of mining-associated lead and zinc soil contamination on native floristic quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Struckhoff, Matthew A; Stroh, Esther D; Grabner, Keith W

2013-04-15

We assessed the quality of plant communities across a range of lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) soil concentrations at a variety of sites associated with Pb mining in southeast Missouri, USA. In a novel application, two standard floristic quality measures, Mean Coefficient of Conservatism (Mean C) and Floristic Quality Index (FQI), were examined in relation to concentrations of Pb and Zn, soil nutrients, and other soil characteristics. Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling and Regression Tree Analyses identified soil Pb and Zn concentrations as primary explanatory variables for plant community composition and indicated negative relationships between soil metals concentrations and both Mean C and FQI. Univariate regression also demonstrated significant negative relationships between metals concentrations and floristic quality. The negative effects of metals in native soils with otherwise relatively undisturbed conditions indicate that elevated soil metals concentrations adversely affect native floristic quality where no other human disturbance is evident. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of global and local contexts on chord processing: An ERP study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jingjing; Zhou, Xuefeng; Chang, Ruohan; Yang, Yufang

2018-01-31

In real life, the processing of an incoming event is continuously influenced by prior information at multiple timescales. The present study investigated how harmonic contexts at both local and global levels influence the processing of an incoming chord in an event-related potentials experiment. Chord sequences containing two phrases were presented to musically trained listeners, with the last critical chord either harmonically related or less related to its preceding context at local and/or global levels. ERPs data showed an ERAN-like effect for local context in early time window and a N5-like component for later interaction between the local context and global context. These results suggest that both the local and global contexts influence the processing of an incoming music event, and the local effect happens earlier than the global. Moreover, the interaction between the local context and global context in N5 may suggest that music syntactic integration at local level takes place prior to the integration at global level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficiency of Floristic and Molecular Markers to Determine Diversity in Iranian Populations of T. boeoticum

OpenAIRE

M. R. Naghavi; M. Maleki; S. F. Tabatabaei

2009-01-01

In order to study floristic and molecular classification of common wild wheat (Triticum boeoticum Boiss.), an analysis was conducted on populations of the Triticum boeoticum collected from different regions of Iran. Considering all floristic compositions of habitats, six floristic groups (syntaxa) within the populations were identified. A high level of variation of T. boeoticum also detected using SSR markers. Our results showed that molecular method confirmed the groupin...

Methodological principles to study formation and development of floristic law in Ukraine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

А. К. Соколова

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The paper investigates the problems associated with the determination of methods to study establishment of floristic law in Ukraine. It makes an investigation into the types of methods, establishes their interrelation and functional value. In addition, it analyzes the system of methodological reasons for development of ecological and floristic law and gives additional reasons.

Experience and Cultural Learning in Global Business Contexts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søderberg, Anne-Marie

2017-01-01

. Learners in today’s global business (school) world are more culturally diverse, and the potential of the increasing number of bi-cultural and bi-lingual students and managers as boundary-spanners must be considered. Recent empirical studies of face-to-face and virtual global collaboration show that cross...... divides. This chapter discusses a number of issues in relation to cultural learning processes in global business contexts: various concepts of learning, different approaches to cross-cultural competence training of future global leaders, and various learning contexts in management education and training......Globalization with increased mobility of the workforce and more frequent use of information and communication technologies means still more people must develop a deeper understanding of Cultural Others, a higher degree of cultural self-awareness and an ability to bridge across multiple cultural...

The Global Context of Disability

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Christine O'Rourke - Lang

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This issue of Global Education Review examines the global context of disability and how in different geographic locations, socioeconomic factors, domestic policy, and disability perspectives impact access to special education services, and the types of resources and interventions available to individuals with diverse learning needs. Practices in countries including India, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Liberia, and Kenya were studied and implications for meeting the special education needs for children and adults with disabilities and their families are discussed

An associative model with technological base for the competitiveness of pymes: case colombian florist

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Andrea Herrera

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Globalization has opened markets where technology plays a key role in the search and achievement of competitiveness. This study, based on the cluster approach, first analyzes competitiveness of Colombian PyMes using diamond of Porter point of view, centered in florist sector; second it studies areas where information technologies would have higher impact; and third proposes associative solutions, based on the pattern of ASP, in order to provide PyMes access to world class technology managerial solutions at reasonable cost, increasing theirefficiency, productivity and quality.

Do the seasonal forests in northeastern Brazil represent a single floristic unit?

Science.gov (United States)

Rodal, M J N; Barbosa, M R V; Thomas, W W

2008-08-01

Floristic analyses (Principal Component Analysis and Analysis of Group Indicators) at the genus level were employed to characterize and compare seasonal forest formations in northeastern Brazil. The presence--absence of 248 genera of woody plants occurring in 24 floristic surveys was correlated with geomorphology and climatic variables. The analyses were consistent and point to the existence of two floristic groups of seasonal forests in the region, one more closely related to the Atlantic Coastal Forest (mata atlântica) and the other to the xerophytic formations (caatinga) of the region. The driest seasonal forest group experiences more than 8 dry months per year and/or a total annual rainfall of <1000 mm, and is found on the ancient eroded peaks in the semi-arid core and on the western slopes of the Borborema Plateau.

Floristic Characteristics and Biodiversity Patterns in the Baishuijiang River Basin, China

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Bing; Zhao, Wenzhi; Wen, Zijuan; Teng, Jirong; Li, Xiaohong

2009-07-01

A case study was conducted on the forest ecosystem in the Baishuijiang River basin of China to reveal the influences of environmental factors and human disturbance on the floristic characteristics and biodiversity patterns. Field surveys of the floristic composition, environmental factors, and disturbance factors were conducted along an elevation gradient, and the relationships between biodiversity pattern and environmental factors were analyzed using CCA (canonical correspondence analysis). The results showed that the floristic composition of higher plants consisted of 197 families, 796 genera, 2165 species, 19 subspecies, 239 varietas, and 12 forma, and it was characterized by the multi-geographic composition and by the transition from tropical to temperate zones. Along an elevation gradient, the variations in α and β diversity were best described by a bimodal curve, and the peak values occurred at middle elevations. The CCA indicated that the elevation had the greatest influence on the biodiversity pattern, followed by the topographic index, slope direction, slope, slope position, slope shape, and vegetation coverage. In addition, human disturbance has greatly impacted the floristic composition and biodiversity patterns, and the biodiversity indices were higher with intermediate disturbance at middle elevations compared to higher and lower disturbances at low and high elevations, respectively. This reflected a disturbance-diversity pattern and thus revealed the obvious importance to maintain the intermediate disturbance for biodiversity conservation.

Situational Context of Insurance in Globalization

OpenAIRE

S V Martynenko

2012-01-01

This article shows how globalization resolves problems, which are motivated in a new way by modern situational context of social-insurance, how the 'insurance cocoon' of civilization leads to narrowing of conflict space in the world politics.

Situational Context of Insurance in Globalization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S V Martynenko

2012-03-01

Full Text Available This article shows how globalization resolves problems, which are motivated in a new way by modern situational context of social-insurance, how the 'insurance cocoon' of civilization leads to narrowing of conflict space in the world politics.

Do the seasonal forests in northeastern Brazil represent a single floristic unit?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MJN. Rodal

Full Text Available Floristic analyses (Principal Component Analysis and Analysis of Group Indicators at the genus level were employed to characterize and compare seasonal forest formations in northeastern Brazil. The presence - absence of 248 genera of woody plants occurring in 24 floristic surveys was correlated with geomorphology and climatic variables. The analyses were consistent and point to the existence of two floristic groups of seasonal forests in the region, one more closely related to the Atlantic Coastal Forest (mata atlântica and the other to the xerophytic formations (caatinga of the region. The driest seasonal forest group experiences more than 8 dry months per year and/or a total annual rainfall of <1000 mm, and is found on the ancient eroded peaks in the semi-arid core and on the western slopes of the Borborema Plateau.

Floristic composition and diversity of three forest types at Caparu, Vaupus Biological Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cano, Angela; Stevenson, Pablo R

2009-01-01

The Amazon forests are among the most diverse ecosystems in the planet. Although some countries of the Amazon Basin have a fairly complete record of their plants, in Colombia much effort is still needed to have a good idea of the plant diversity patterns and floristic composition. Three one-hectare vegetation-land plots (DBH? 10 cm) were established in Vaupes, Colombia, regarding three types of forest: Colina, Terraza (Terra Firme forests) and Igapo (periodically flooded). Plant diversity was estimated and floristic composition was described classifying the most important families and species. The highest diversity was found in Colina (Fisher's ? = 160.3), followed by Terraza (? = 78.4) and Igapo (? = 44.7). Fabaceae s.l. was the most important family of all plots, but in Terraza forest the importance of Arecaceae was similar to that of Fabaceae. Floristic composition was also remarkably different amongst the three forest types, especially Igapo, which was the most dissimilar. However, both Terra Firme forests showed strong floristic differences, which may be caused by differences in abiotic factors (i.e. soils). High plant diversity reported in this study agrees with the hypothesis that central and western Amazon forests are the most diverse of the Amazon Basin.

Floristic characteristics of alien invasive seed plant species in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Congyan; Liu, Jun; Xiao, Hongguang; Zhou, Jiawei; DU, Daolin

2016-01-01

This study aims to determine the floristic characteristics of alien invasive seed plant species (AISPS) in China. There are a total of five hundred and thirteen AISPS, belonging to seventy families and two hundred and eighty-three genera. Seventy families were classified into nine areal types at the family level, and "Cosmopolitan" and "Pantropic" are the two main types. Two hundred and eighty-three genera were classified into twelve areal types at the genus level, and "Pantropic", "Trop. Asia & Amer. disjuncted", and "Cosmopolitan" are the three main types. These results reveal a certain degree of diversity among AISPS in China. The floristic characteristics at the family level exhibit strong pantropic characteristics. Two possible reasons for this are as follows. Firstly, southeastern China is heavily invaded by alien invasive plant species and this region has a mild climate. Secondly, southeastern China is more disturbed by human activities than other regions in China. The floristic characteristics at the genus level display strong pantropic but with abundant temperate characteristics. This may be due to that China across five climatic zones and the ecosystems in which the most alien invasive plant species occur have the same or similar climate with their natural habitat.

Floristic units and their predictors unveiled in part of the Atlantic Forest hotspot: implications for conservation planning

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FELIPE Z. SAITER

2015-12-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT We submitted tree species occurrence and geoclimatic data from 59 sites in a river basin in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil to ordination, ANOVA, and cluster analyses with the goals of investigating the causes of phytogeographic patterns and determining whether the six recognized subregions represent distinct floristic units. We found that both climate and space were significantly (p ≤ 0.05 important in the explanation of phytogeographic patterns. Floristic variations follow thermal gradients linked to elevation in both coastal and inland subregions. A gradient of precipitation seasonality was found to be related to floristic variation up to 100 km inland from the ocean. The temperature of the warmest quarter and the precipitation during the coldest quarter were the main predictors. The subregions Sandy Coastal Plain, Coastal Lowland, Coastal Highland, and Central Depression were recognized as distinct floristic units. Significant differences were not found between the Inland Highland and the Espinhaço Range, indicating that these subregions should compose a single floristic unit encompassing all interior highlands. Because of their ecological peculiarities, the ferric outcrops within the Espinhaço Range may constitute a special unit. The floristic units proposed here will provide important information for wiser conservation planning in the Atlantic Forest hotspot.

Floristic units and their predictors unveiled in part of the Atlantic Forest hotspot: implications for conservation planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Saiter, Felipe Z; Eisenlohr, Pedro V; França, Glauco S; Stehmann, João R; Thomas, William W; De Oliveira-Filho, Ary T

2015-01-01

We submitted tree species occurrence and geoclimatic data from 59 sites in a river basin in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil to ordination, ANOVA, and cluster analyses with the goals of investigating the causes of phytogeographic patterns and determining whether the six recognized subregions represent distinct floristic units. We found that both climate and space were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) important in the explanation of phytogeographic patterns. Floristic variations follow thermal gradients linked to elevation in both coastal and inland subregions. A gradient of precipitation seasonality was found to be related to floristic variation up to 100 km inland from the ocean. The temperature of the warmest quarter and the precipitation during the coldest quarter were the main predictors. The subregions Sandy Coastal Plain, Coastal Lowland, Coastal Highland, and Central Depression were recognized as distinct floristic units. Significant differences were not found between the Inland Highland and the Espinhaço Range, indicating that these subregions should compose a single floristic unit encompassing all interior highlands. Because of their ecological peculiarities, the ferric outcrops within the Espinhaço Range may constitute a special unit. The floristic units proposed here will provide important information for wiser conservation planning in the Atlantic Forest hotspot.

Floristic relationships among vegetation types of new zealand and the southern andes: similarities and biogeographic implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Ezcurra, Cecilia; Baccalá, Nora; Wardle, Peter

2008-06-01

Similarities between the floras of geographically comparable regions of New Zealand (NZ) and the southern Andes (SA) have interested biologists for over 150 years. The present work selects vegetation types that are physiognomically similar between the two regions, compares their floristic composition, assesses the environmental factors that characterize these matching vegetation types, and determines whether phylogenetic groups of ancestral versus modern origin are represented in different proportions in their floras, in the context of their biogeographic history. Floristic relationships based on 369 genera of ten vegetation types present in both regions were investigated with correspondence analysis (CA) and ascending hierarchical clustering (AHC). The resulting ordination and classification were related to the environmental characteristics of the different vegetation types. The proportions of different phylogenetic groups between the regions (NZ, SA) were also compared, and between forest and non-forest communities. Floristic similarities between NZ and SA tend to increase from forest to non-forest vegetation, and are highest in coastal vegetation and bog. The floras of NZ and SA also differ in their phylogenetic origin, NZ being characterized by an 'excess' of genera of basal origin, especially in forests. The relatively low similarities between forests of SA and NZ are related to the former being largely of in situ South American and Gondwanan origin, whereas the latter have been mostly reconstituted though transoceanic dispersal of propagules since the Oligocene. The greater similarities among non-forest plant communities of the two regions result from varied dispersal routes, including relatively recent transoceanic dispersal for coastal vegetation, possible dispersal via a still-vegetated Antarctica especially for bog plants, and independent immigration from Northern Hemisphere sources for many genera of alpine vegetation and grassland.

Floristics and physiognomy determine migrant landbird response to Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) invasion in riparian areas

Science.gov (United States)

Hira A. Walker

2008-01-01

I investigated the relative importance of floristics and physiognomy in determining community organization of autumn-migrating landbirds in a riparian corridor in New Mexico invaded by Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima). All six avian measures were associated with floristics, physiognomy, or both. However, usefulness in predicting migrant parameters...

Floristic composition of the riparian forest in the lower Gramame river, Paraíba, Brazil

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Hermes de Oliveira Machado Filho

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Riparian forest has a key ecological and economic significance to productive chains associated with it. This study aimed to conduct a floristic survey of riparian forest stretches in the Gramame river, state of Paraíba, Brazilian Northeast region, and analyze the floristic similarity with Brazilian riparian vegetation fragments. We found 136 species belonging to 106 genera and 43 families. The most representative families were: Fabaceae (19 spp., Cyperaceae (16 spp., and Rubiaceae (11 spp.. The predominant habit was herbaceous and the best represented biological spectrum was camephyte. Regarding the geographic distribution, there was a predominance of widely distributed species associated with the Neotropical province. The distribution patterns have shown a low similarity between areas, and largely distributed species stand out. Similarity analysis pointed out that the area was floristically related to other two coastal areas in the Brazilian Northeast and Southeast regions. Only species typically related to estuarine environments might explain the floristic connections detected.

A floristic study of Salaheddinkola Forests, Nowshahr, Iran

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Omid Esmailzadeh

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the floristic survey on the Salaheddinkola forests (Nowshahr. These forests posses high variations in elevation ranges and special physiographic properties, which form the growth platform for most of the typical Hyrcanian forest species. The floristic-physiognomic investigation of the region was performed using field-walk procedure and revealed 237 plant species belonging to 196 genera and 85 families. The important families were Asteraceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae and Fabaceae with 23, 20, 14, 13 and 10 species, respectively which represented 33.17 percent of the total species. According to Raunkaiaer method, Cryptophytes (28.7%, Hemicryptophytes (27.5% and Phanerophytes (22.5% were the most important structure groups of the local biological spectrum followed by Therophytes (17.7% and Chamaephytes (3.4% Chorotypes. According to Zohary, most of the identified species belonged to Euro-Siberian and Pluriregional regions with 79 (33.6% and 62 (26% taxa, respectively.

Floristic studies at the Los Medanos site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1981-01-01

Prior to the growing season of 1980, the floristic/vegetational studies involved an area covering more than 120 square miles having several major soil and vegetation types. 1980 studies concentrated on a few square miles surrounding ERDA 9. The goal of the 1980 work was to obtain as much additional floristic data as possible, in part to determine if the summer flora could recover from the prolonged summer dry spell to provide a significant fall flora. Another goal was to assess the fall vegetation in terms of taxa present during this season as well as distribution, density and phenology of these taxa. Special attention was given to measuring the acorn biomass on shinnery oak (Quercus havardii) because this is an important component of the late summer and autumn food chain and may influence small mammal densities. The flora of the 1980 growing season showed considerable variation from more typical or normal flora at the WIPP site. Lack of rainfall at the opportune time and lower than normal temperatures account for this variation

Floristic diversity and distribution pattern of plant communities along altitudinal gradient in Sangla Valley, Northwest Himalaya.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Pankaj; Rana, J C; Devi, Usha; Randhawa, S S; Kumar, Rajesh

2014-01-01

Himalayas are globally important biodiversity hotspots and are facing rapid loss in floristic diversity and changing pattern of vegetation due to various biotic and abiotic factors. This has necessitated the qualitative and quantitative assessment of vegetation here. The present study was conducted in Sangla Valley of northwest Himalaya aiming to assess the structure of vegetation and its trend in the valley along the altitudinal gradient. In the forest and alpine zones of the valley, 15 communities were recorded. Study revealed 320 species belonging to 199 genera and 75 families. Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Apiaceae, and Ranunculaceae were dominant. Among genera, Artemisia followed by Polygonum, Saussurea, Berberis, and Thalictrum were dominant. Tree and shrub's density ranged from 205 to 600 and from 105 to 1030 individual per hectare, respectively, whereas herbs ranged from 22.08 to 78.95 individual/m(2). Nearly 182 species were native to the Himalaya. Maximum altitudinal distribution of few selected climate sensitive species was found to be highest in northeast and north aspects. This study gives an insight into the floristic diversity and community structure of the fragile Sangla Valley which was hitherto not available.

Floristic richness and endemism in the Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friis, Ib

2009-01-01

An analysis of the distribution of species richness and endemism on the floristic regions that have been used for the preparation of the Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea; the article is based on a previously published and more comprehensive study of the flora of the entire Horn of Africa.......An analysis of the distribution of species richness and endemism on the floristic regions that have been used for the preparation of the Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea; the article is based on a previously published and more comprehensive study of the flora of the entire Horn of Africa....

Biological and cultural diversity in the context of botanic garden conservation strategies

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Christopher P. Dunn

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Impacts of global climate change, habitat loss, and other environmental changes on the world's biota and peoples continue to increase, especially on islands and in high elevation areas. Just as floristic diversity is affected by environmental change, so too are cultural and linguistic diversity. Of the approximately 7000 extant languages in the world, fully 50% are considered to be at risk of extinction, which is considerably higher than most estimates of extinction risks to plants and animals. To maintain the integrity of plant life, it is not enough for botanic gardens to consider solely the effects of environmental change on plants within the context of major conservation strategies such as the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Rather, botanic gardens should actively engage in understanding and communicating the broader impacts of environmental change to biological and cultural diversity.

Floristic diversity of 'Chinarite' protected area – Rodopi municipality, Bulgaria

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L. Dospatliev

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Study on the species composition of vascular plants in 'Chinarite' protected area in Belashtitsa village, Rodopi Municipality, Bulgaria was conducted using the floristic analysis method. A total of 147 species of vascular plants were identified, belonging to 124 genera and 51 families. The families Poaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Brassicaceae, Apiaceae, Rosaceae and Fabaceae are the most highly represented. The comparative analysis shows that the angiosperm taxa are dominating in the studied area. Dicotyledonous plants are prevailing among them, while monocotyledonous are significantly less in number. Molinia caerulea species, identified in the present study, has not been reported to have been found so far in the Thracian lowland floristic region.

Higher Education Globalization in the Context of American Guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

Bidyuk, Natalya

2016-01-01

The article deals with the problem of globalization impact on higher education system in the United Stated of America. It has been concluded that globalization as a phenomenon has been acquiring much significance in all the spheres, especially in higher education. Different views on the essence of globalization, especially in the context of higher…

Vegetation structure and floristic composition of Gergeda Anfillo ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Vegetation structure and floristic composition of Gergeda Anfillo Forest, West Ethiopia. ... Moreover, the forest housed 10 of the 24 national priority tree species and four plant communities were identified by cluster analysis. Structural analysis revealed that the forest is dominated by small sized trees and shrubs.

Floristic composition of the riparian forest in the lower Gramame river, Paraíba, Brazil

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Thiago da Silva Farias

2015-04-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2015v28n3p23 Riparian forest has a key ecological and economic significance to productive chains associated with it. This study aimed to conduct a floristic survey of riparian forest stretches in the Gramame river, state of Paraíba, Brazilian Northeast region, and analyze the floristic similarity with Brazilian riparian vegetation fragments. We found 136 species belonging to 106 genera and 43 families. The most representative families were: Fabaceae (19 spp., Cyperaceae (16 spp., and Rubiaceae (11 spp.. The predominant habit was herbaceous and the best represented biological spectrum was camephyte. Regarding the geographic distribution, there was a predominance of widely distributed species associated with the Neotropical province. The distribution patterns have shown a low similarity between areas, and largely distributed species stand out. Similarity analysis pointed out that the area was floristically related to other two coastal areas in the Brazilian Northeast and Southeast regions. Only species typically related to estuarine environments might explain the floristic connections detected.

Structure and floristic pattern of a coastal dunes in southeastern Brazil

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Augusto Giaretta

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The Brazilian shrublands area (restinga is composed of marine coast vegetation on Quaternary sandy plains, where the species composition can vary depending on the surrounding ecosystems. The aims of this study were to describe the structure and floristic composition of a restinga near the community of Itaúnas, in the northern part of the state of Espírito Santo, to identify any relationships between this restinga and surrounding plant formations, and to determine which are the species that occur preferentially in the coastal forests of Espírito Santo. We sampled woody plants with a diameter at breast height > 2.5 cm, excluding lianas, in 50 plots of 100 m². We selected studies of coastal forests in the states of Espírito Santo and Bahia to prepare a database that would reveal patterns of floristic variation among these areas. We used t wo-way indicator species analysis for the identification of the species that occur preferentially in the coastal forests of Espírito Santo. We identified 114 species belonging to 38 families. Species richness was greatest for Myrtaceae (26 species, followed by Fabaceae (10. The Shannon index for the study area was 3.96. The estimated total density was 3,330 individuals/ha and basal area was 32.02 m²/ha. The highest importance value (IV was for Protium heptaphyllum (IV, 23.4, indicating that it is characteristic of the Espírito Santo restinga. The results of our floristic analysis indicate that the species composition of the Itaúnas restinga is influenced by the so-called tabuleiro forests (coastal lowland forests on Tertiary deposits, which are most common in northern Espírito Santo. This seems to be the main factor responsible for the gradual reduction in floristic similarity between the restingas in the north of Espírito Santo and those in the south of the state, each constituting a distinct floristic block. In addition, we generated lists of species that occur preferentially in the restinga and

Floristic quality assessment of one natural and three restored wetland complexes in North Dakota, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Mushet, David M.; Euliss, Ned H.; Shaffer, Terry L.

2002-01-01

Floristic quality assessment is potentially an important tool for conservation efforts in the northern Great Plains of North America, but it has received little rigorous evaluation. Floristic quality assessments rely on coefficients assigned to each plant species of a region’s flora based on the conservatism of each species relative to others in the region. These “coefficients of conservatism” (C values) are assigned by a panel of experts familiar with a region’s flora. The floristic quality assessment method has faced some criticism due to the subjective nature of these assignments. To evaluate the effect of this subjectivity on floristic quality assessments, we performed separate evaluations of the native plant communities in a natural wetland complex and three restored wetland complexes. In our first assessment, we used C values assigned “subjectively” by the Northern Great Plains Floristic Quality Assessment Panel. We then performed an independent assessment using the observed distributions of species among a group of wetlands that ranged from highly disturbed to largely undisturbed (data-generated C values). Using the panel-assigned C values, mean C values (C¯">C¯C¯) of the restored wetlands rarely exceeded 3.4 and never exceeded 3.9, with the highest values occurring in the oldest restored complex; all but two wetlands in the natural wetland complex had a C¯">C¯C¯ greater than 3.9. Floristic quality indices (FQI) for the restored wetlands rarely exceeded 22 and usually reached maximums closer to 19, with higher values occurring again in the oldest restored complex; only two wetlands in the natural complex had an FQI less than 22. We observed that 95% confidence limits for species richness and percent natives overlapped greatly among wetland complexes, whereas confidence limits for both C¯">C¯C¯ and FQI overlapped little. C¯">C¯C¯ and FQI values were consistently greater when we used the datagenerated C values than when we used the

Air pollution and floristic biodiversity; Pollution atmospherique et biodiversite floristique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grub, A.; Bungener, P.; Contat, F.; Nussbaum, S.; Endtner, V.; Fuhrer, J. [Station Federale de Recherches en Agroecologie et Agriculture (FAL), Liebefeld-Berne (Switzerland). Institut de Recherches en Protection de l' Environnement et en Agriculture (IUL)

1999-06-01

The number of reports on negative effects of air pollution on biodiversity is increasing. Here, examples from the literature are presented which concern effects of fluoride, deposition of nitrogen, and ozone. Today, nitrogen loads and levels of tropospheric ozone seem to be most relevant forms of air pollution affecting species diversity of the flora. Results from recent investigations of ozone effects at Liebefeld indicate that the loss of floristic diversity in permanent meadows is possible because of the high relative sensitivity of some typical species. Further studies will be necessary to validate the results obtained from experiment with single plants at the level of the intact plant community in the field, and to identify the critical level of ozone to protect the floristic biodiversity of meadows. (authors)

INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florina BRAN

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Information and knowledge are two important entities, which make up present stage of globalization, based mostly on their dynamics. This paper is providing an overview of information and knowledge in global context, highlighting the importance of information society that turned into knowledge society in the beginning of the 21 century, being driven by Internet – the latter, as part of globalization process. Modern economic theories recognise the importance of information in economic process because its impact on globalization process in economy was essential, and change the way how markets and companies work and represent the key factor of new era of economic development. This paper presents main results from available literature about the relationship between information, knowledge and economic theory in a global conterxt and finally explained the benefits of the knowledge economy to all countries.

floristic composition and structure of the dry afromontane forest at ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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Key words/phrases: Bale Mountains, floristic composition, plant community, vegetation structure. INTRODUCTION .... from ground was estimated for each tree and shrub species by ...... and environmental factors characterizing coffee forests in ...

Floristic Composition and Vegetation Structure of The KNUST ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The diversity, relative importance, canopy height and cover of plant species in the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Botanic Garden were evaluated in five 1-ha plots using a stratified random sampling technique in order to build an understanding of its floristic composition and structure in two ...

Climatically induced floristic changes across the Eocene-Oligocene transition in the northern high latitudes, Yukon Territory, Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ridgway, K.D.; Sweet, A.R.; Cameron, A.R. [Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN (United States). Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

1995-06-01

Global temperature decline associated with the Eocene-Oligocene transition resulted in extinctions of plants and animals in both marine and nonmarine environments. The extensive stratigraphic exposures, well-preserved palynological assemblages, and interbedded coal seams of the nonmarine Amphitheatre Formation, Burwash Basin, Yukon Territory, provide a comprehensive record of this transition. The formation spans a paleoclimatically significant interval otherwise poorly represented in high-latitude deposits of the northwestern Cordiller. Palynological data constrained by the chronologic and stratigraphic framework established for the Amphitheatre Formation indicate that the global temperature decline resulted in a shift from warm temperate, angiosperm-dominated to cooler temperate, gymnosperm-dominated (mainly coniferous) forest types. Petrographic compositional changes in the coals document the same plant community changes. The floristic data also indicate that, at high latitudes, there may have been a change to a wetter and less seasonal climate during the overall global cooling trend.

Multitemporal floristic analysis on a humid area in Rome's archaeological site as indicator for environmental change.

Science.gov (United States)

Ceschin, Simona; Salerno, Giovanni; Caneva, Giulia

2009-02-01

A multitemporal analysis on a humid area in Rome's archaeological site is presented; the floristic data are used as bioindicators for main environmental changes over the last 50 years. By comparing the structural, biogeographical and ecological features of today's florula with the ones of a 1955 survey, and by assessing the new, the rare and the locally disappeared species, it was possible to define and analyse the main floristic changes and their ecological meaning for this site. Our results show that the floristic richness of the area did not differ significantly from 1955. However, the species composition has changed considerably: over 40% of the species have disappeared. More than half of these were rare and typical of humid environments. Approximately the same number of species has appeared but these are mainly ruderal and widespread entities, with the overall result being a progressive and general vulgarization of the local flora. Finally, we analyse the main reasons, linked for the most part to human activities, which led to the reported floristic changes.

Floristic composition and taxonomic distribution of plants in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Floristic composition and taxonomic distribution of plants in the dryland of Northwestern Nigeria. ... Analysis of abundance and rarity of species reveals that 10% and 90% of the encountered species were abundant and rare respectively in the study area. These finding poses serious ecological concerns in the study area, ...

The new architecture of economies' typology within the globalization context

OpenAIRE

Popa, Catalin C.

2009-01-01

Over viewing the most recently evolutions throughout global economy, we can easily conceive that the collateral effects of economical globalization and market integration, represents the main issues debated in specialized professional or political circles. The first step toward regain the global markets functionality is to review as a sine-qua-non condition, the institutional and functional structure of financial system and global economy system as well. In such context, this paperwork is mea...

Pesticide Residues on Three Cut Flower Species and Potential Exposure of Florists in Belgium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khaoula Toumi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In order to assess the prevalence of pesticide contamination and the risk of florists’ exposure when handling cut flowers, sampling and analysis of 90 bouquets of the most commonly sold cut flowers in Belgium (50 bouquets of roses; 20 of gerberas, and 20 of chrysanthemums were carried out. The bouquets were collected from 50 florists located in the seven largest cities of Belgium (Antwerp, Brussels, Charleroi, Ghent, Leuven, Liege, and Namur and from five supermarkets located in the different regions. To have a better understanding of the route of exposure and professional practices a questionnaire was also addressed to a group of 25 florists who volunteered to take part in the survey. All florists were interviewed individually when collecting the questionnaire. The residual pesticide deposit values on cut flowers were determined in an accredited laboratory using a multi-residue (QuEChERS Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged Safe method and a combination of gas chromatography (GC and liquid chormatograhphy (LC analysis. A total of 107 active substances were detected from all samples; i.e., an average of about 10 active substances per bouquet. The most severely contaminated bouquet accumulated a total concentration of residues up to 97 mg/kg. Results show that roses are the most contaminated cut flowers; with an average of 14 substances detected per sample and a total concentration per rose sample of 26 mg/kg. Some active substances present an acute toxicity (acephate, methiocarb, monocrotophos, methomyl, deltamethrin, etc. and exposure can generate a direct effect on the nervous system of florists. Nevertheless, fungicides (dodemorph, propamocarb, and procymidone were the most frequently detected in samples and had the highest maximum concentrations out of all the active substances analysed. Dodemorph was the most frequently detected substance with the highest maximum concentration (41.9 mg/kg measured in the rose samples. It appears from the

Global corporate workplaces implementing new global workplace standards in a local context

CERN Document Server

Hodulak, Martin

2017-01-01

In recent years, multinational corporations were increasingly engaged in the development of standardized global workplace models. For their implementation and feasibility, it is decisive as how these standards fit the diverse regional workplace cultures. This topic was pursued in the course of a research project, comparing established workplaces in Germany, USA and Japan against global workplace standards of multinational corporations. The analysis confirmed the expected differences among local workplaces and on the other hand a predominant mainstream among global corporate workplace standards. Conspicuous however, are the fundamental differences between local models and corporate standards. For the implementation of global standards in local context, this implies multiple challenges on cultural, organizational and spatial level. The analysis findings provide information for assessing current projects and pinpointing optimization measures. The analysis framework further provides a tool to uncover and assess n...

Healthy Cities in a global and regional context

OpenAIRE

Lawrence, Roderick J.; Fudge, Colin

2017-01-01

Since the beginning of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network in 1987, the global and regional contexts for the promotion of health and well-being have changed in many ways. First, in 2000, the United Nations Millennium Goals explicitly and implicitly addressed health promotion and prevention at the global and regional levels. Second, the concern for sustainable development at the Rio Conference in 1992 was confirmed at the World Summit in Johannesburg in 2002. During the same period, in man...

Floristic inventory of a zone of ecological tension in the Atlantic Forest of Northeastern Brazil

OpenAIRE

Mendes, Kalinne; Gomes, Polyhanna; Alves, Marccus

2010-01-01

Abstract The Serra de Itabaiana National Park, Sergipe, is situated in a transition area between Atlantic Forest and the Caatinga and is considered by the Ministério do Meio Ambiente to be extremely important for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest flora. The paucity of floristic information from Sergipe state and areas of ecological tension motivated this floristic survey in the only National Park in the state. Botanical collections were made from 2006 to 2009, in six expedictions, by me...

A floristic analysis of forest and thicket vegetation of the Marakele National Park

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P.J. van Staden

2006-12-01

Full Text Available One of the major plant communities identified in the Marakele National Park was forest. It became clear that this major forest community contained various forest and thicket communities. Relevés compiled in the forest were classified by TWINSPAN and Braun-Blanquet procedures identified six communities that are hierarchically classified. The forests dominated by Podocarpus latifolius and Widdringtonia nodiflora represent Afromontane Forests, whereas the Buxus macowanii-dominated dry forests and Olea europaea subsp. africana represent Northern Highveld Forests. A further group of communities represent thickets on termitaria with floristic affinities to both savanna and forest. The floristic composition and relationships of the forest and thicket communities are discussed.

Data on introduced plants in Zimbabwe: Floristic changes and patterns of collection based on historical herbarium records

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Alfred Maroyi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available National herbaria with significant historical plant collections are critical to tracking floristic changes and patterns, which include the introduction and spread of non-native plant species. To explore the importance of herbarium specimen data in understanding floristic changes in Zimbabwe, the plant collections housed by the National Herbarium (SRGH in Harare, Zimbabwe were utilized with historical specimens dating back to 1870. A list of naturalised plant taxa and collection data were compiled. A total of 2916 plant specimens were recorded, comprising of 401 taxa, 237 genera and 76 plant families. Twenty eight specimens (1.0% were collected between 1870 and 1908, prior to the establishment of the National Herbarium in 1909 and 123 specimens (4.2% were collected in the first 25 years of the establishment of the institute (1909–1934. Intensive collection of herbarium specimens of casual, naturalised and invasive alien plant species occurred between 1950 and 1970. This data demonstrates the utility of plant species data housed in the National Herbaria and how such data can be used to map floristic changes and patterns. Keywords: Casual, Floristic changes, Invasive, Naturalised, National herbarium, Zimbabwe

Counting complete? Finalising the plant inventory of a global biodiversity hotspot.

Science.gov (United States)

Treurnicht, Martina; Colville, Jonathan F; Joppa, Lucas N; Huyser, Onno; Manning, John

2017-01-01

The Cape Floristic Region-the world's smallest and third richest botanical hotspot-has benefited from sustained levels of taxonomic effort and exploration for almost three centuries, but how close is this to resulting in a near-complete plant species inventory? We analyse a core component of this flora over a 250-year period for trends in taxonomic effort and species discovery linked to ecological and conservation attributes. We show that >40% of the current total of species was described within the first 100 years of exploration, followed by a continued steady rate of description. We propose that analysis provides important real-world insights for other hotspots in the context of global strategic plans for biodiversity in informing considerations of the likely effort required in attaining set targets of comprehensive plant inventories. In a time of unprecedented biodiversity loss, we argue for a focused research agenda across disciplines to increase the rate of species descriptions in global biodiversity hotspots.

Myrtaceae throughout the Espinhaço Mountain Range of centraleastern Brazil: floristic relationships and geoclimatic controls

OpenAIRE

Bünger, Mariana de Oliveira; Stehmann, João Renato; Oliveira-Filho, Ary Teixeira

2014-01-01

Although biological surveys and taxonomic revisions provide key information to ecological and evolutionary studies, there is a clear lack of floristic and phytogeographic studies of the mountainous regions of Brazil, which harbor some of the most threatened plant ecosystems on the planet. Myrtaceae has been reported to be one of the most important families in the upland areas of Brazil, as well as in the Atlantic Forest Domain. In this study, we investigated the floristic composition of Myrta...

Floristic and structural status of forests in permanent preservation areas of Moju river basin, Amazon region.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, J C; Vieira, I C G; Almeida, A S; Silva, C A

2016-01-01

The goal of this study is to analyze the floristic patterns and the structure of disturbed and undisturbed upland forests, in Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs) along the Moju river, in the Brazilian state of Pará. Trees with a diameter equal to or larger than 10cm at 1.30m from the ground (DBH) ≥10cm were analyzed for the upper stratum. For the middle stratum, individuals with DBH between 4.99 and 9.99cm were sampled. Forty-five families and 221 species were found in disturbed forests, and 43 families and 208 species in undisturbed forests. Floristic similarity was high between strata and between forest types, with values above 50%. Similarity was highest between middle strata. The most species-abundant families in undisturbed forests were Fabaceae, Sapotaceae, Chrysobalanaceae and Myrtaceae; the species with the highest density there were Eschweilera grandiflora, Licania sclerophylla and Zygia cauliflora. In disturbed forests, the dominant families were Fabaceae, Sapotaceae, Lecythidaceae and Melastomataceae. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was 3.21 for undisturbed forests and 2.85 for disturbed forests. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis did not group the forests by their floristic composition in both upper and middle strata. Overall, the PPA forests along the Moju river, even if disturbed, did not show major floristic changes but substantially change their structural characteristics.

Floristic and structural status of forests in permanent preservation areas of Moju river basin, Amazon region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. C. Oliveira

Full Text Available Abstract The goal of this study is to analyze the floristic patterns and the structure of disturbed and undisturbed upland forests, in Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs along the Moju river, in the Brazilian state of Pará. Trees with a diameter equal to or larger than 10cm at 1.30m from the ground (DBH ≥10cm were analyzed for the upper stratum. For the middle stratum, individuals with DBH between 4.99 and 9.99cm were sampled. Forty-five families and 221 species were found in disturbed forests, and 43 families and 208 species in undisturbed forests. Floristic similarity was high between strata and between forest types, with values above 50%. Similarity was highest between middle strata. The most species-abundant families in undisturbed forests were Fabaceae, Sapotaceae, Chrysobalanaceae and Myrtaceae; the species with the highest density there were Eschweilera grandiflora, Licania sclerophylla and Zygia cauliflora. In disturbed forests, the dominant families were Fabaceae, Sapotaceae, Lecythidaceae and Melastomataceae. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was 3.21 for undisturbed forests and 2.85 for disturbed forests. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS analysis did not group the forests by their floristic composition in both upper and middle strata. Overall, the PPA forests along the Moju river, even if disturbed, did not show major floristic changes but substantially change their structural characteristics.

Assessment in the global context: From ozone to ecosystems

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Scholes, B

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This presentation discusses the assessment in the global context: From ozone to ecosystems. Process to evaluate the status of knowledge on complex problems relevant to societies. A key element of the contemporary science-policy interface....

A Floristic Study of Hamun Lake Basin, South East of Iran

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Maryam Keshavarzi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Lake Hamun is the largest freshwater resource in Iran with area of about 3820 km2. The present study aims to evaluate the floristic elements of the studied site. Plant samples were gathered from nature, from March to July at the growing season. Life form and chorotype of plants in Lake Hamun basin were investigated. Totally 128 plant species belonging to 80 genera and 30 families were identified. Families as Poaceae, Amaranthaceae and Fabaceae were the most dominant and frequent families. Considering biological types revealed that the most frequent forms were therophytes (61% and hemicryptophytes (17%. Floristic elements of the area were mainly Iranotouranian mixed with Saharo-Arabian and Sindu-Sudanian types, although multi- and bi- regional elements were also frequent. As the lake has recently become an international conserved area, the complete biological and ecological study of the site is a necessity.

Current floristic composition, life form and productivity of the grasslands in the Hunting Zone of Djona (Benin)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahoudji, Myrese C.; Teka, Oscar; Axelsen, Jørgen Aagaard

2014-01-01

Objectives: This paper addressed temporal changes in floristic composition, plant communities’ structures and productivity of grasslands. The study was conducted in the Hunting zone of Djona in the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of W (TBRW) Benin. Methodology and Results: For these purpose 30...... plots of 900m² were used and “phytosociological relevés” were done following ecological uniformity, floristic homogeneity and samples representativeness to established plants communities. Biomass was estimated in 30 plots of 100 m². Results showed that the greatest productivity value (8320 ± 0.21 kg DM...... with broad distribution. Conclusions and application of findings: The identified life forms and chorological types showed an evolution of the post farming pastures to woodlands and savannas vegetation, which explains the current floristic composition of the area. Moreover, it will be possible to model...

Recent progress in floristic and taxonomic studies in Bulgaria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Petrova

2018-02-01

Full Text Available An overview of floristic and taxonomic research on vascular plants in Bulgaria during the period of 2005-2016 has been made. The Bulgarian flora currently comprises 4064 species, belonging to 921 genera and 159 families. About 490 published papers were checked, in which 127 species were reported for the first time for the country by Bulgarian or foreign botanists, 11 of these taxa being ones new to science, while 51 are aliens. In the papers checked, 17 subspecies (two of them new to science and 18 hybrids (four of them new to science were also reported for the first time for the country, nine species were confirmed, and another 78 were unconfirmed, synonymised, or erroneously reported. In numerous papers, new localities for various species in different floristic regions in Bulgaria were reported. The books Flora of the Republic of Bulgaria Vol. 11, Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria Vol. 1. Plants and Fungi, Atlas of Endemic Plants in Bulgaria, Invasive Alien Species of Vascular Plants in Bulgaria, Proceedings of Balkan Botanical Congress IV, etc., were published during the given period.

Global work contexts as sites of discursive sense making

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Nils Braad

2014-01-01

Global work contexts represent highly complex working environments with simultaneous attachment to several projects and teams (Rosen, Furst & Blackburn, 2007). This complexity increases the for the sense-making capabilities of employees (Weick, 1995). MyPhD project examines this sense-making proc...... of knowledge communication networks in a global organisation. Interviews were fully transscribed analysed using a combination of James Gee’s approach to discourse analysis, and a novel adaptation of Auatin’s speech act theory....

Effects of Grazing and Fire Frequency on Floristic Quality and its Relationship to Indicators of Soil Quality in Tallgrass Prairie.

Science.gov (United States)

Manning, George C; Baer, Sara G; Blair, John M

2017-12-01

Fire and grazing are widely used to manage grasslands for conservation purposes, but few studies have evaluated the effects of these drivers on the conservation value of plant communities measured by the floristic quality index (FQI). Further, the influence of fire and grazing on soil properties and functions are difficult for land managers and restoration practitioners to assess. The objectives of this study were to: (1) quantify the independent and interactive effects of grazing and fire frequency on floristic quality in native tallgrass prairie to provide potential benchmarks for community assessment, and (2) to explore whether floristic quality can serve as an indicator of soil structure and function for more holistic ecosystem assessments. A factorial combination of fire frequencies (1-2, 4, and 20 years return intervals) and grazing (by bison or ungrazed) treatments were sampled for plant species composition, and for several indicators of soil quality in lowland tallgrass prairie. Floristic quality, diversity, and richness were higher in grazed than ungrazed prairie over all fire frequencies (P soil bulk density were also higher in grazed prairie soil over all fire frequencies (P soil N were positively correlated with FQI (P soil N pools are more strongly influenced by grazing than fire and that floristic quality can be an indicator of total soil C and N stocks in never cultivated lowland prairie.

Invisible Legitimacy at Global Scale vs. Visible Legitimacy at Local Context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramirez, Jacobo; Velez-Zapata, Claudia Patricia

’ responses to consequences of armed conflict, for example in Europe –asylum seekers or in Africa and Latin America ex-combats of armed groups. In the current global context, we would like to explore and analyze the impact of armed conflict and crisis on BS’ emerging strategy to responses to such contexts...

Floristic similarity and dispersal syndromes in a rocky outcrop in semi-arid Northeastern Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Elainne Cristina Silva; Lopes, Sérgio de Faria; Melo, José Iranildo Miranda de

2015-09-01

Floristic studies provide valuable information on species richness in a region, and are particularly important if these areas belong to less studied environments, such as rocky outcrops, that may increase our knowledge. An important aspect for species colonization includes the mechanisms of diaspores dispersal in each community; these are essential to understand its structure, dynamics, and the regeneration process, and constitute an important tool for conservation. We developed a floristic survey on a granite-gneiss outcrop with the objective to increase the knowledge on plant diversity, through a floristic similarity analysis and detection of dispersal syndromes of sampled species, in a semi-arid region of Brazil. The fieldwork included collection and observation of the botanical material in loco during a period of 12 months. A total of 161 species belonging to 127 genera and 50 families of angiosperms were recorded. Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Convolvulaceae were the most representative families in number of species. Allophylus quercifolius (Mart.) Radlk. (Capparaceae) and Lafoensia pacari A. St.-Hil. (Lythraceae) represented new records for the State of Paraiba. The autochoric syndrome was the most representative, with 51.5 % of the recorded species; the anemochory was the second most representative syndrome with 26.7 % of the species; and finally the zoochory, representing 22.3 % of the species. The floristic similarity dendrogram showed the formation of three well-defined groups, whose area with the highest value (J = 33.2) is located in a Caatinga region called Cariri Paraibano, while the lowest value observed (J = 5.2), occurred in a settled area in two geomorphological units, a crystalline complex and a plateau region. These results may be due to the varying topographic conditions and edaphic heterogeneity arising from the specific geological formation of the region. These results yet demonstrate that, in rocky outcrops, abiotic syndromes represent an

China's Domestic Transformation in a Global Context

OpenAIRE

Song, Ligang; Garnaut, Ross; Fang, Cai; Johnston, Lauren

2015-01-01

The phrase ‘New Normal’ captures the ongoing shift in the pattern and drivers of China’s economic growth. China’s new growth rate is both slower and imposing difficult structural change. These new economic conditions are challenging yet offer opportunities for China and its economic partners. Reforms must be deepened but also make growth more inclusive and environmentally sustainable, over this decade and beyond. This year’s Update offers both global context and domestic insight into this ch...

Global nuclear markets in the context of climate change and sustainable development. Chapter 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morrison, R.

2001-01-01

This article (Chapter Two) focuses on the global nuclear markets in the context of policies regarding climate change and sustainable development. The global market realities and the export potential of the canadian nuclear industry are becoming crucial features of the nuclear political economy. The article examines the role of exports in the evolution of nuclear policy in Canada, and looks more closely at nuclear power and CANDU projects in the specific context of global competitive markets. It examines the trends in electricity and nuclear energy in the market for nuclear reactors. Finally, this article locates these changes in the context of the issues that are inherent in climate change and sustainable development

Contemporary floristic changes in the Karkonosze Mts.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jerzy Fabiszewski

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the transformations of species composition in the main plant communities of the Karkonosze Mts. subalpine and alpine belts during the last 35 years. The investigations of floristic changes were performed in associations: Carici (rigidae-Nardetum, Carici-Festucetum supinae, Crepidi-Calamagrostietum villose and Empetro-Vaccinietum. Signalized are also some vegetation transformations in the remaining belts. The progressing floristic degradation of plant communities in the subalpine and alpine belts consists in: (a expansion of grasses, (b decline of rare vascular plants, and (c elimination of terricolous bryophytes and lichens. In spruce forest belts declining are species connected with old-growth spruce forests like: Listera cordata and Moneses uniflora. The changes of plant communities of low mountain swards (Nardetalia caused by cessation of pasture and mowing in the cause of retreat of many rare plants, like e.g., Arnica montana. The main cause of the still lasting in the Karkonosze Mts. community transformations is the changes in soil environment connected with anthropogenic nitrogen fertilization. The large inflow of mineral nitrogen from the atmosphere (1138 mg/m2 sum for vegetation season is the reason of accelerated rate of decomposition of organic matter and intensified nitrification. The high content of nitrates in soil (5 times higher than in the Tatra Mts. swards is the reason of expansion of graminoids, mainly Deschampsia flexuosa, Calamagrostis villosa and Carex bigelowii subsp. rigida. The overfertilisation of habitats causes the retreat of rare high mountain vascular plants and the decline of terricolous bryophytes and lichens.

Floristic analysis and dispersal syndromes of woody species of the Serra de Maracaju, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, W M; Sartori, A L B

2013-02-01

This paper presents a floristic survey of the wood component of cerrado s.s. (eastern face) and gallery forest (western face) areas carried out in the southern part of the Serra de Maracaju. The dispersal syndromes and floristic relations of this portion of the Serra were compared to those of other formations from different regions of Brazil. Between October 2007 and September 2008, monthly collections identified 144 species. As for dispersal syndromes, zoochory prevails, followed by autochory and anemochory. The gallery forest is a heterogeneous formation that shelters floristic elements shared with the Atlantic rain forest, the Amazonian forest, semi-deciduous seasonal forests and dry forests of the Pantanal. Low similarity between the two areas analyzed makes this region unique and suggests that the Serra de Maracaju is greatly influenced by the semi-deciduous seasonal forests of the southeastern region.

Floristic analysis and dispersal syndromes of woody species of the Serra de Maracaju, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WM. Ramos

Full Text Available This paper presents a floristic survey of the wood component of cerrado s.s. (eastern face and gallery forest (western face areas carried out in the southern part of the Serra de Maracaju. The dispersal syndromes and floristic relations of this portion of the Serra were compared to those of other formations from different regions of Brazil. Between October 2007 and September 2008, monthly collections identified 144 species. As for dispersal syndromes, zoochory prevails, followed by autochory and anemochory. The gallery forest is a heterogeneous formation that shelters floristic elements shared with the Atlantic rain forest, the Amazonian forest, semi-deciduous seasonal forests and dry forests of the Pantanal. Low similarity between the two areas analyzed makes this region unique and suggests that the Serra de Maracaju is greatly influenced by the semi-deciduous seasonal forests of the southeastern region.

Floristic and phytosociological analysis of palm swamps in the central part of the Brazilian savanna

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isa Lucia de Morais Resende

2013-03-01

Full Text Available We analyzed the floristics and phytosociology of three palm swamps in the municipality of Bela Vista de Goiás, located in the state of Goiás, Brazil, in the central part of the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado. The floristic surveys were conducted monthly from May 2008 to April 2009, and 310 species were recorded (seven bryophytes, 15 ferns and 288 angiosperms. Bryophytes belonged to five genera and five families; ferns belonged to nine genera and nine families; and angiosperms belonged to 134 genera and 45 families. The angiosperm families with the highest species richness were Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Asteraceae, Eriocaulaceae, Xyridaceae, Lentibulariaceae, Melastomataceae, Rubiaceae and Fabaceae. The palm swamps were divided into three zones of increasing humidity: edge, middle and core. The number of species was higher in the middle than at the edge and the core. The families with the highest cover values were Cyperaceae, Melastomataceae, Arecaceae and Poaceae. Although the palm swamps had been disturbed to varying degrees, those disturbances did not affect the flora in the middle or the core. Floristic similarity was high between these two zones within a given palm swamp and low between the edges of different palm swamps.

Effects of Grazing and Fire Frequency on Floristic Quality and its Relationship to Indicators of Soil Quality in Tallgrass Prairie

Science.gov (United States)

Manning, George C.; Baer, Sara G.; Blair, John M.

2017-12-01

Fire and grazing are widely used to manage grasslands for conservation purposes, but few studies have evaluated the effects of these drivers on the conservation value of plant communities measured by the floristic quality index (FQI). Further, the influence of fire and grazing on soil properties and functions are difficult for land managers and restoration practitioners to assess. The objectives of this study were to: (1) quantify the independent and interactive effects of grazing and fire frequency on floristic quality in native tallgrass prairie to provide potential benchmarks for community assessment, and (2) to explore whether floristic quality can serve as an indicator of soil structure and function for more holistic ecosystem assessments. A factorial combination of fire frequencies (1-2, 4, and 20 years return intervals) and grazing (by bison or ungrazed) treatments were sampled for plant species composition, and for several indicators of soil quality in lowland tallgrass prairie. Floristic quality, diversity, and richness were higher in grazed than ungrazed prairie over all fire frequencies ( P total N, and soil bulk density were also higher in grazed prairie soil over all fire frequencies ( P total organic C, and total soil N were positively correlated with FQI ( P quality and soil N pools are more strongly influenced by grazing than fire and that floristic quality can be an indicator of total soil C and N stocks in never cultivated lowland prairie.

Improving Remote Sensing Scene Classification by Integrating Global-Context and Local-Object Features

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Dan Zeng

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Recently, many researchers have been dedicated to using convolutional neural networks (CNNs to extract global-context features (GCFs for remote-sensing scene classification. Commonly, accurate classification of scenes requires knowledge about both the global context and local objects. However, unlike the natural images in which the objects cover most of the image, objects in remote-sensing images are generally small and decentralized. Thus, it is hard for vanilla CNNs to focus on both global context and small local objects. To address this issue, this paper proposes a novel end-to-end CNN by integrating the GCFs and local-object-level features (LOFs. The proposed network includes two branches, the local object branch (LOB and global semantic branch (GSB, which are used to generate the LOFs and GCFs, respectively. Then, the concatenation of features extracted from the two branches allows our method to be more discriminative in scene classification. Three challenging benchmark remote-sensing datasets were extensively experimented on; the proposed approach outperformed the existing scene classification methods and achieved state-of-the-art results for all three datasets.

The Impacts of Internationalization and Globalization on Educational Context

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Hendra Heriansyah

2014-05-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses the impacts of internationalization and globalization on educational context. It is undeniable that the presence and existence of globalization have brought and given a great deal of influences within various fields including on education sector. Of course, it will be a problematic if a school or a higher education institution does not comprehensively notice and precisely pay attention towards each effect and development from internationalization and globalization that obviously appear. Hence, it is needed an international curriculum design that has the meticulous content and process as well as assessment. Moreover, the curriculum also has to take account a variety of aspects and components from distinctive perspectives within its plan, array, and implementation in the field in order to meet the demands of global marketplace and be able to answer each of challenges and changes that arise.

Comparing Floristic Diversity between a Silviculturally Managed Arboretum and a Forest Reserve in Dambulla, Sri Lanka

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B. D. Madurapperuma

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Repeated slash and burn cultivation creates wasteland with thorny shrubs, which then takes a long time to become secondary forests through serial stages of succession. Assisted natural regeneration through silvicultural management is a useful restoration method to accelerate succession. This survey evaluates the effectiveness of a simple silvicultural method for the rehabilitation of degraded lands to productive forest, thereby increasing floristic wealth. Field-based comparative analyses of floristic composition were carried out at a silviculturally managed forest (Popham Arboretum and a primary forest (Kaludiyapokuna Forest Reserve which is located in Dambulla in Sri Lanka. Floristic analysis was used to examine the effectiveness of silvicultural techniques for successful restoration of degraded forest in the dry zone. Nine 20 m × 20 m plots in each forest were enumerated and the vegetation ≥ 10 cm girth at breast height was quantitatively analyzed. Cluster analysis resulted in five distinguishable clusters (two from Popham Arboretum and three from Kaludiyapokuna Forest Reserve. Similarity indices were generated to compare the plots within and between sites. Floristic similarity was higher in forest reserve plots compared to arboretum plots. A total of 72 plant species belonging to 60 genera and 26 families were recorded from the study sites. Of the recorded species, Grewia damine and Syzygium cumini (Importance Value Index, IVI = 24 and 23 respectively were the ecologically co-dominant taxa at the Popham Arboretum. In contrast, Mischodon zeylanicus (IVI = 31, Schleichera oleosa (IVI = 25 and Diospyros ebenum (IVI = 21 were the abundant taxa in the forest reserve.

Structure and floristic composition of the sub-Andean coastal subbasin of Yumbillo, Yumbo (Valle del Cauca

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Carlos Gustavo Chaves Campo

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The structure and floristic composition of riparian forest in the sub-Andean basin of the river Yumbillo in the municipality of Yumbo, Valle del Cauca, eastern slope of the western cordillera of the Andes, Colombia were analyzed. By 20 plots of 100 m2, in the altitude range between 1500 to 2235 m., Data was recorded in individuals with a diameter of a breast height (DBH > 10 cm, floristic composition and vertical and horizontal structure by calculation of abundance, frequency, dominance and importance value index (IVI. The floristic composition consisted of 825 individuals in 93 species, 71 genera and 50 botanical families, the dominant families were Myrtaceae,  Lauraceae,  Melastomataceae,  Moraceae,  Euphorbiaceae,  Fagaceae,  and  Tiliaceae  acanthaceae. The species were heavier ecological Truco (Hyeronima  sp and the most frequent were Truco (Hyeronima scabrida, Roble (Quercus humboldtii and the “Higueron de nacimiento” (Ficus  Apollinaris. The highest values corresponded to species of importance such as Truco (Hyeronima  scabrida Arrayan (Myrcia  sp, Nacedero (Trichanthera, Otobo (Dialyanthera  lehemannii and Naranjuelo (Lacistema  aggregatum. Vertical structure was categorized into three strata, 508 individuals in the I (3 and 16 m, 270 in the II (17 and 23 m and 47 in the Emerging (heights above 24 m. It was concluded that the riparian forest has high and typical pioneer species of forest recovery, highlighted the presence of Medio comino (Ocotea sp threatened timber species that can be part of ecological restoration actions and floristic enrichment in areas of riparian forest and watershed protection.

Floristic analysis and dispersal syndromes of woody species of the Serra de Maracaju, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

OpenAIRE

Ramos,WM.; Sartori,ALB.

2013-01-01

This paper presents a floristic survey of the wood component of cerrado s.s. (eastern face) and gallery forest (western face) areas carried out in the southern part of the Serra de Maracaju. The dispersal syndromes and floristic relations of this portion of the Serra were compared to those of other formations from different regions of Brazil. Between October 2007 and September 2008, monthly collections identified 144 species. As for dispersal syndromes, zoochory prevails, followed by autochor...

ECONOMIC SECURITY – NEW APPROACHES IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION

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Gabriel ANDRUSEAC

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, more than ever, economic relations between states are the ones that define the general character of the relations between them and establish economic security as a concept which cannot be neglected anymore. Globalization, the process that shapes the international environment, undermines the old definition of economic security and forces its redefinition. The article aims to identify and analyse the effects of globalization on economic security and the new approaches it takes in this context.

Evidence for radiations of cheilanthoid ferns in the Greater Cape Floristic Region

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eiserhardt, Wolf L.; Rohwer, Jens G.; Russell, Stephen J.

2011-01-01

The Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR) of southern Africa is characterised by large, endemic radiations of flowering plants, the so-called ‘Cape Clades’, but it is unknown whether such radiations are also found in non-angiosperms. We hypothesise that GCFR-endemic lineages exist in the xeric...

Floristics and Reproductive Phenology of Trees and Bushes in Central West Brazil.

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Assunção, Vivian A; Casagrande, José C; Sartori, Angela L B

2014-04-29

Environmental conditions such as temperature, soil, photoperiodic factors and precipitation can determine the physical environment favoring the occurrence of given species and interfere with the reproductive period of plants. This work involved monthly excursions to a slope in the Serra de Maracaju between December 2009 and November 2010. Samples were collected in eight 25 x 50 m plots, transverse to the slope, totaling 1 ha sampled. Floristic richness included 79 species distributed into 58 genera and 31 families. Floristic Similarity Analysis and Principal Component Analysis showed the occurrence of two plant formations on the slope: seasonal deciduous forest and cerradão on the eutrophic soil of the slope. Flowering and fruiting occured in the rainy season; correlation with rainfall, mean temperature and photoperiod were negative for flowering and positive for fructification. Trees and bushes presented uniform flowering and a moderately seasonal fructification, which is unexpected in seasonal environments. We discuss the implications of the patterns found and make comparisons with others studies.

Structural and floristic changes caused by gamma radiation in understory vegetation of two forest types in northern Wisconsin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zavitkovski, J.

1977-01-01

Structural and floristic changes of the understory vegetation of gamma-irradiated aspen and maple-aspen-birch (MAB) communities in northern Wisconsin were quantified by comparing the pre- and postirradiation floristic composition and vegetational cover. A size-dependent radiosensitivity was determined among three vegetational strata, the tall shrubs being the most sensitive, low shrubs intermediate, and herbs the most resistant. Corylus cornuta, whose nuclear characteristics indicated that it could be resistant, was very sensitive and was completely eliminated at exposures of 500 r/20-hr day or higher. The cover of Rubus strigosus, minimal before irradiation, increased manifold and accounted for most of the shrub cover 2 years after the conclusion of irradiation. Among herbs, Carex pensylvanica and Luzula acuminata were very resistant, and Trillium grandiflorum, Aralia nudicaulis, Oryzopsis asperifolia, and Clintonia borealis were very sensitive. The herbaceous stratum of the aspen type appeared more resistant than that of the MAB. This difference apparently resulted from differences in floristic composition of the two communities

Data on introduced plants in Zimbabwe: Floristic changes and patterns of collection based on historical herbarium records.

Science.gov (United States)

Maroyi, Alfred

2017-12-01

National herbaria with significant historical plant collections are critical to tracking floristic changes and patterns, which include the introduction and spread of non-native plant species. To explore the importance of herbarium specimen data in understanding floristic changes in Zimbabwe, the plant collections housed by the National Herbarium (SRGH) in Harare, Zimbabwe were utilized with historical specimens dating back to 1870. A list of naturalised plant taxa and collection data were compiled. A total of 2916 plant specimens were recorded, comprising of 401 taxa, 237 genera and 76 plant families. Twenty eight specimens (1.0%) were collected between 1870 and 1908, prior to the establishment of the National Herbarium in 1909 and 123 specimens (4.2%) were collected in the first 25 years of the establishment of the institute (1909-1934). Intensive collection of herbarium specimens of casual, naturalised and invasive alien plant species occurred between 1950 and 1970. This data demonstrates the utility of plant species data housed in the National Herbaria and how such data can be used to map floristic changes and patterns.

Vegetation and floristics of a lowland tropical rainforest in northeast Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Apgaua, Deborah M. G.; Campbell, Mason J; Cox, Casey J; Crayn, Darren M; Ishida, Françoise Y; Laidlaw, Melinda J; Liddell, Michael J; Seager, Michael; Laurance, Susan G. W.

2016-01-01

Abstract Background Full floristic data, tree demography, and biomass estimates incorporating non-tree lifeforms are seldom collected and reported for forest plots in the tropics. Established research stations serve as important repositories of such biodiversity and ecological data. With a canopy crane setup within a tropical lowland rainforest estate, the 42-ha Daintree Rainforest Observatory (DRO) in Cape Tribulation, northern Australia is a research facility of international significance. We obtained an estimate of the vascular plant species richness for the site, by surveying all vascular plant species from various mature-phase, remnant and open vegetation patches within the site. We also integrate and report the demography and basal areas of trees ≥ 10 cm diameter at breast height (dbh) in a new 1-ha core plot, an extension to the pre-existing forest 1-ha plot under the canopy crane. In addition, we report for the canopy crane plot new demography and basal areas for smaller-size shrubs and treelets subsampled from nine 20 m2 quadrats, and liana basal area and abundance from the whole plot. The DRO site has an estimated total vascular plant species richness of 441 species, of which 172 species (39%) are endemic to Australia, and 4 species are endemics to the Daintree region. The 2 x 1-ha plots contains a total of 262 vascular plant species of which 116 (1531 individuals) are tree species ≥ 10 cm dbh. We estimate a stem basal area of 34.9 m2 ha-1, of which small stems (tree saplings and shrubs rainforests globally, our meta-analysis shows that DRO forests has a comparatively high stem density and moderate species diversity, due to the influence of cyclones. These data will provide an important foundation for ecological and conservation studies in lowland tropical forest. New information We present a floristic checklist, a lifeform breakdown, and demography data from two 1-ha rainforest plots from a lowland tropical rainforest study site. We also present a

The relationship of meteorological patterns with changes in floristic richness along a large elevational gradient in a seasonally dry region of southern Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Salas-Morales, Silvia H.; Meave, Jorge A.; Trejo, Irma

2015-12-01

Globally, climate is a fundamental driver of plant species' geographical distributions, yet we still lack a good understanding of climatic variation on tropical mountains and its consequences for elevational floristic patterns. In a seasonally dry region of southern Mexico, we analysed meteorological patterns along a large elevational gradient (0-3670 m a.s.l.) and examined their relationship with changes in floristic richness. Meteorological patterns were characterised using two data sources. First, climatic information was extracted from cartography and records from a few existing meteorological stations. Additionally, air temperature and humidity were recorded hourly during 1 year with data loggers, at sites representing 200-m elevation increments. Floristic information was extracted from a database containing 10,124 records of plant collections, and organized in 200-m elevational belts. Climatic charts distinguished three climate types along the gradient, all with marked rainfall seasonality, but these bore little correspondence with the information obtained with the data loggers. Mean annual air temperature decreased with increasing elevation (lapse rate of 0.542 °C 100 m-1). Thermal oscillation was minimum around 1400 m and increased towards both extremes of the gradient. Relative humidity opposed this pattern, with maxima between 800 and 1800 m, decreasing towards the highest elevations. An analysis of temperature frequency distributions revealed meteorological features undetectable from the annual or monthly means of this variable; despite an overall gradual transition of the proportions of time recorded at different temperatures, some changes did not conform to this pattern. The first discontinuity occurred between 1000-1200 m, where dominant temperatures shifted abruptly; also noticeable was an abrupt increase of the proportion of time elapsed at 0.1-10 °C between 2400 and 2600 m. Air temperature appears to be the most influential climatic factor

Impact of grazing abandonment on floristic diversity in the priority habitat type *9562 Grecian Juniper Woods

Science.gov (United States)

Vrahnakis, Michael; Kazoglou, Yannis; Fotiadis, George; Kakouros, Petros; Nasiakou, Stamatia; Soutsas, Konstantinos

2017-04-01

The habitat type *9562 Grecian juniper woods (Juniperetum excelsae) includes Greek juniper (Juniperus excelsa M. Bieb.) forests and they are found mainly in the western sector of the Prespa National Park, NW Greece. Greek juniper forests are considered extremely rare for EU-28, recommending a priority habitat type in accordance with Directive 92/43/EEC. In addition, their ecological importance is great given its high plant taxa richness; they harbor most of the 900 plant taxa found in the western sector of the Park, many of them being important for EU or global scale. The accelerated invasion of deciduous hardwoods is the most significant risk for the habitat, since its rich flora is well-adapted to open light conditions produced by the open spaced Greek junipers. Also, the dense vegetated conditions deprive the regeneration of the photophilous Greek juniper. The invasion results from the lack of its natural controller, i.e. the grazing livestock. It is estimated that the total area of juniper forests for the Devas area decreased to 89% of the area of 1945 in favor of invasive hardwoods. The paper presents the analysis of the floristic diversity of the priority habitat type *9562 Grecian Juniper Woods (Juniperetum excelsae) (GJWs). Four (4) types of juniper forest ranges (GJWs) were distinguished in terms of canopy cover: (a) pure GJWs, (b) mixed open GJWs, (c) open GJWs, and (d) mixed dense GJWs. A total of 171 plant taxa were recorded, and distributed within 43 botanical families; the largest one being Leguminosae (26 taxa). The statistically estimated plant taxa richness for pure GJWs was 116.4, for mixed open 152.6, for open 57.9, and for mixed dense 90.2 taxa. The analysis of α-diversity indices did not reveal any specific trend of diversity for the four GJWs. The behavior of the variability of diversity among the four range types of GJWs was depending on the emphasis the used indices place on properties such as taxa richness or abundance. This fact was

Analisis Pengaruh Green Product dan Green Advertising terhadap Keterlibatan Konsumen dan Dampaknya pada Keputusan Pembelian Konsumen Laksmie Florist

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Tinjung Desy Nursanti

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Marketing-oriented concept of community not only relies on community needs, but also can bring prosperity through environmental responsibility around; in this case the product and the marketing are more environmentally friendly. Application of green products and green advertising might attract widespread public sympathy, and even requirements for operational permits, production and ease of obtaining bank credit facility or tax relief may be considered by the government that is now more incentive to campaign for the concept and implementation of policies and regulations of corporate social responsibility. The objectives of this study was to determine whether there is influence of green product and green advertising toward consumer involvement and also its impact on consumer purchasing decisions Laksmi florist company. A survey with analysis of individual consumer of Lakmi florist is conducted, while path analysis is used to determine the effect among variables. The results showed that green advertising as well as green product provide a positive and significant influence on consumer involvement that have an impact on consumer purchasing decisions of Laksmi Florist company. 

Effect of selective logging on floristic and structural composition in a forest fragment from Amazon Biome

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Karen Janones da Rocha

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted in one region of a Seasonal Semideciduous Forest located in Tapurah (Mato Grosso State, Brazil with the aim of studying its floristic and structural composition. The fixed area method was applied to 10 × 250 m clusters, allocating and measuring five clusters with five subunits of 500 m² each. Species with a diameter at breast height greater than or equal to 10 cm were considered, and the sample sufficiency of the floristic survey was verified by a species accumulation curve. The similarities between the sample subunits were calculated by the Jaccard Similarity Index, and the species diversity with the Shannon Diversity Index and Pielou Evenness Index. The horizontal vegetation structure was characterized by density, frequency, dominance and the values of ecological importance, and diametric distribution were assessed by the Spiegel procedure. The families Vochysiaceae, Fabaceae and Sapindaceae were highly represented, and Qualea paraensis, Aspidosperma discolor and Matayba arborescens were the most important species. A high diversity and low ecological dominance were found, and the diametric structure of the trees presented a negative exponential distribution. In general, the structure, floristic composition and richness of vegetation correspond to a forest with stable and autoregenerative community after selective logging.

Fungal Radiation in the Cape Floristic Region: an analysis based on Gondwanamyces and Ophiostoma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roets, F.; Wingfield, M.J.; Crous, P.W.; Dreyer, L.L.

2009-01-01

The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) displays high levels of plant diversity and endemism, and has received focused botanical systematic attention. In contrast, fungal diversity patterns and co-evolutionary processes in this region have barely been investigated. Here we reconstruct molecular phylogenies

Fungal radiation in the Cape Floristic Region: an analysis based on Gondwanamyces and Ophiostoma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roets, F.; Wingfield, M.J.; Crous, P.W.; Dreyer, L.L.

2009-01-01

The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) displays high levels of plant diversity and endemism, and has received focused botanical systematic attention. In contrast, fungal diversity patterns and co-evolutionary processes in this region have barely been investigated. Here we reconstruct molecular phylogenies

The Complexity of the Implications of Globalization in the Context of the Current Global Economy

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Raluca Ionela CREŢOIU

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Globalization represents a controversial phenomenon both because of its complexity and because of the various implications it has on the global economy. Globalization will act simultaneously on many levels, its effects being correlated with the diversity of the angles from which this phenomenon can be approached from – economic, social, politic, cultural, philosophic etc. The article represents an incursion into the issue regarding the implications and effects of globalization grouped in several areas of analysis such as the disappearance of borders, the effects on culture, the effects on the education, the impact on labour market impact and the phenomenon of immigration, the effects of globalization in the context of the food crisis underdevelopment and poverty. To complete the analysis that points out enough elements considered to be negative, at the end of the article, there are also approached the development opportunities that globalization can offer in terms of boosting the economic exchanges, the exchange of genuine cultural values and ensuring a transfer of information at a global scale, so necessary for the scientific and technological progress.  The conclusions of the article weighs the many aspects highlighted, both negative and positive, and suggests a series of useful research directions in order to fathom the complex features of this concept so controversial – globalization.

KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION – NEW FACTORS OF PRODUCTION IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION

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Mirela Alina COCALIA (CRĂCIUN

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The present article has as a starting point the phenomenon of globalization, so debated worldwide today. Along this work, we have tried offer a departure point, motivated of what the phenomenon of globalization means in economical context. Thus, we debate problems of major interest like: acceptances of the word “globalization”, multiple influences exerted by globalization over the proper nations and the way in which the specific economical and geographic area is marked by the phenomenon of globalization in the same time.

FLORISTIC-STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION AND SUCCESSIONAL GROUP OF TREE SPECIES IN THE CERRADO BIOME OF TOCANTINS STATE, BRAZIL

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EDER PEREIRA MIGUEL

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to characterize the floristic composition, vegetation structure and ecological group of tree species in a cerradão forest (Cerrado biome of Palmas, Tocantins State, Brazil. A forest inventory was performed in an area of 10.15 hectares, using systematic sampling with plots of 400 m², in which all standing trees, alive and dead, that had diameter at breast height (DBH ≥ 5 cm were sampled and identified. A linear plateau regression model (LPR was used for sample sufficiency analysis. The Shannon index (H’ was used for assess the floristic diversity, and the Importance Value Index (IVI for assess the horizontal structure. The forest was classified in three strata according to vertical structure analysis. The LPR showed that the sampling size was adequate. The predominate species in the area were Myrcia splendens, Emmotum nitens and Qualea parviflora, and species from the families Fabaceae and Chrysobalanaceae. The pioneer (613 individuals ha-1 and climax (530 individuals ha-1 species were the predominating groups. Regarding the richness index, the number of climax (57 species and pioneer (25 species species stood out. The alpha floristic diversity was 3.35 nats individuals-1 and the Pielou equability value J = 0.76. The diametric distribution showed a negative and balanced exponential pattern. Regarding the vertical stratification, the smallest amount of individuals was in the upper stratum (13% and the highest in the mid stratum (63% and in the lower stratum (24%. The use of floristic composition tools with horizontal and vertical structure analysis was effective for understand the tree community, which may be considered structured and diverse, thus able to restructure possible disturbances when preserved.

Floristic, structural, and allometric equations to estimate arboreal volume and biomass in a cerradão site

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Eder Pereira Miguel

2017-08-01

Full Text Available This objective of this study was to characterize the floristic, structural, and ecological groups and to estimate the arboreal volume and biomass of a cerradão site in Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil. A forest inventory was conducted on 10.15 ha of the study area. Plots of 400-m2 were used for systematic sampling. All standing trees (dead or alive with a breast-height diameter (DHB greater than 5 cm were identified and measured. Floristic diversity and horizontal structure were assessed using the Shannon and importance value indices, respectively. Forest vertical structure was classified into three stratata and the tree species were categorized into ecological groups. Ninety tree volumes were rigorously cubed and weighed. Fresh- and dry biomass were sampled and estimated. Mathematical models were applied and adjusted to estimate tree volume and biomass. It was observed that the species Myrcia splendens and Emmotum nitens and the families Fabaceae and Chrysobalanaceae were dominant in our study site. The pioneer (613 individuals ha-1 and climax (530 individuals ha-1 tree species group predominated. The floristic diversity index was estimated as 3.35 nats ind- 1. The vertical structure analysis indicated fewer individuals in the superior stratum (13% compared to the medium (63% and inferior (24% stratum. The Schumacher and Hall model showed better results with regard to estimated forest production. Forest volume and biomass estimates were 126.71 m³ ha-1 and 61.67 Mg ha-1, respectively. The studied cerradão area had high floristic diversity and climax species predominated. Since this cerradão is in close proximity to the Amazon biome, its volume and biomass stocks were higher than those estimated for other cerradão and forest formations within the Cerrado biome.

Operation of a business entity in the context of globalization

OpenAIRE

PAYONK K.; LYASHENKO V.; KVILINSKYI O.

2015-01-01

The article looks into the problems connected with the operation of a business entity in the context of globalization of economic processes. Interaction of economic systems has been analyzed from the perspective of a business entity on the example of Ukraine. There have been suggested methods of assessment and benchmark definition for choosing strategic directions of a business development.

Myrtaceae throughout the Espinhaço Mountain Range of centraleastern Brazil: floristic relationships and geoclimatic controls

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Mariana de Oliveira Bünger

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Although biological surveys and taxonomic revisions provide key information to ecological and evolutionary studies, there is a clear lack of floristic and phytogeographic studies of the mountainous regions of Brazil, which harbor some of the most threatened plant ecosystems on the planet. Myrtaceae has been reported to be one of the most important families in the upland areas of Brazil, as well as in the Atlantic Forest Domain. In this study, we investigated the floristic composition of Myrtaceae throughout the Espinhaço Mountain Range and adjacent highlands of central-eastern Brazil, testing the following hypotheses: floristic similarity increases with geographic proximity; and species distribution is affected by geoclimatic variables. We performed statistical analyses using a database containing records of 199 species in 19 areas and of their respective geoclimatic variables. We also performed ordination analysis using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS, the first and second axes of which explained 69% and 78% of the variation, respectively. The NMDS analysis demonstrated that variations in the Myrtaceae flora are highly sensitive to geoclimatic variables and geographic proximity. The NMDS ordination also showed a predominantly south-north gradient, as did the cluster analysis. This gradient was highly correlated with variations in rainfall and temperature, which are also associated with the three domains that coincide with the Espinhaço Mountain Range.

Borneo : a quantitative analysis of botanical richness, endemicity and floristic regions based on herbarium records

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Raes, Niels

2009-01-01

Based on the digitized herbarium records housed at the National Herbarium of the Netherlands I developed high spatial resolution patterns of Borneo's botanical richness, endemicity, and the floristic regions. The patterns are derived from species distribution models which predict a species

Floristic and vegetation structure of a grassland plant community on shallow basalt in southern Brazil

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Marcelo Fett Pinto

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Few studies have adequately described the floristic and structural features of natural grasslands associated with shallow basalt soils in southern Brazil. This study was carried out on natural grazing land used for livestock production in the municipality of Santana do Livramento, in the Campanha region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The aim of the study was to describe the floristic and structural diversity of the area. The floristic list obtained comprises 229 plant taxa from 40 botanical families, with a predominance of the families Poaceae (62, Asteraceae (28, Fabaceae (16 and Cyperaceae (12. The estimated diversity and evenness in the community were 3.00 and 0.874, respectively. Bare soil and rock outcrops accounted for 19.3% of the area, resulting in limited forage availability. Multivariate analysis revealed two well-defined groups among the sampling units. One group showed a high degree of internal aggregation, associated with deep soils, and was characterized by the presence of tussocks, whereas the other was less aggregate and was characterized by prostrate species growing on shallow soil. Ordination analysis indicated a gradient of moisture and of soil depth in the study area, resulting in different vegetation patterns. These patterns were analogous to the vegetation physiognomies described for Uruguayan grasslands. Overall, the grassland community studied is similar to others found throughout southern Brazil, although it harbors more winter forage species. In addition, the rare grass Paspalum indecorum Mez is locally dominant in some patches, behaving similarly to P. notatum Fl., a widespread grass that dominates extensive grassland areas in southern Brazil.

Global Innovation Systems—A conceptual framework for innovation dynamics in transnational contexts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Binz, Christian; Truffer, Bernhard|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/6603148005

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a framework for the analysis of technological innovation processes in transnational contexts. By drawing on existing innovation system concepts and recent elaborations on the globalization of innovation, we develop a multi-scalar conceptualization of innovation systems. Two key

The Global Context of Vaccine Refusal: Insights from a Systematic Comparative Ethnography of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Closser, Svea; Rosenthal, Anat; Maes, Kenneth; Justice, Judith; Cox, Kelly; Omidian, Patricia A; Mohammed, Ismaila Zango; Dukku, Aminu Mohammed; Koon, Adam D; Nyirazinyoye, Laetitia

2016-09-01

Many of medical anthropology's most pressing research questions require an understanding how infections, money, and ideas move around the globe. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is a $9 billion project that has delivered 20 billion doses of oral polio vaccine in campaigns across the world. With its array of global activities, it cannot be comprehensively explored by the traditional anthropological method of research at one field site. This article describes an ethnographic study of the GPEI, a collaborative effort between researchers at eight sites in seven countries. We developed a methodology grounded in nuanced understandings of local context but structured to allow analysis of global trends. Here, we examine polio vaccine acceptance and refusal to understand how global phenomena-in this case, policy decisions by donors and global health organizations to support vaccination campaigns rather than building health systems-shape local behavior. © 2016 by the American Anthropological Association.

New Aspects Regarding the Role of Banks in Economy in the Context of Globalization

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Riana Iren RADU

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Globalization is a concept of widespread international circulation, launched since the last decade of the previous century in all academic, financial and commercial environments. Globalization has been a subject of debate, both for and against, through its differentiation due to the economic progress of the various participants in the process. In this paper we aimed to address the evolution of the banking phenomenon in the context of globalization and to highlight the differences in the structure in banking according to the main global financial indicators.

Floristic composition and structural diversity of ibodi monkey forest, ibodi, southwestern Nigeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Timilehin, K. E.; Olajide, O. S.; Ademayowa, O.; Olusanya, O.

2017-01-01

This study investigated the floristic composition and vegetation structure among different physiognomies in Ibodi Monkey forest, Ibodi, Osun State, Southwestern Nigeria. It also assessed the effects of anthropogenic activities on the forest with a view to providing detailed information on the floristic composition structure and diversity of species of the standing vegetation of the forest.Seven plots of 25 m x 25 m dimension were established within three physiognomies in the forest; Regrowth forest (RF), Tree fallow (TF) and Cocoa plantation. (CP) A total of 209 individual woody species were encountered in the seven plots. The highest density of woody species was found in the RF (1483), followed by CP (1072) and TF (792). The basal area in CP was the highest (21.44) while RF had the lowest (2.5567) with TF having an intermediate value (6.283). Crown area also indicated that RF had the highest cover while TF had the lowest crown area. Shannon-Wiener, Evenness, Richness indices followed the order RF > TF > CP. Similarity index was highest between CP and TF and lowest between RF and CP. The study concluded that Ibodi monkey forest has been influenced by human disturbance in form of selective logging of economic species, agriculture (shifting cultivation) and seasonal bush burning. (author)

Global Sources and Pathways of Mercury in the Context of Human Health

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Kyrre Sundseth

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews information from the existing literature and the EU GMOS (Global Mercury Observation System project to assess the current scientific knowledge on global mercury releases into the atmosphere, on global atmospheric transport and deposition, and on the linkage between environmental contamination and potential impacts on human health. The review concludes that assessment of global sources and pathways of mercury in the context of human health is important for being able to monitor the effects from implementation of the Minamata Convention targets, although new research is needed on the improvement of emission inventory data, the chemical and physical behaviour of mercury in the atmosphere, the improvement of monitoring network data, predictions of future emissions and speciation, and on the subsequent effects on the environment, human health, as well as the economic costs and benefits of reducing these aspects.

Embedding the results of focussed Bayesian fusion into a global context

Science.gov (United States)

Sander, Jennifer; Heizmann, Michael

2014-05-01

Bayesian statistics offers a well-founded and powerful fusion methodology also for the fusion of heterogeneous information sources. However, except in special cases, the needed posterior distribution is not analytically derivable. As consequence, Bayesian fusion may cause unacceptably high computational and storage costs in practice. Local Bayesian fusion approaches aim at reducing the complexity of the Bayesian fusion methodology significantly. This is done by concentrating the actual Bayesian fusion on the potentially most task relevant parts of the domain of the Properties of Interest. Our research on these approaches is motivated by an analogy to criminal investigations where criminalists pursue clues also only locally. This publication follows previous publications on a special local Bayesian fusion technique called focussed Bayesian fusion. Here, the actual calculation of the posterior distribution gets completely restricted to a suitably chosen local context. By this, the global posterior distribution is not completely determined. Strategies for using the results of a focussed Bayesian analysis appropriately are needed. In this publication, we primarily contrast different ways of embedding the results of focussed Bayesian fusion explicitly into a global context. To obtain a unique global posterior distribution, we analyze the application of the Maximum Entropy Principle that has been shown to be successfully applicable in metrology and in different other areas. To address the special need for making further decisions subsequently to the actual fusion task, we further analyze criteria for decision making under partial information.

Floristic survey of herbaceous and subshrubby aquatic and palustrine angiosperms of Viruá National Park, Roraima, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Suzana Maria; Barbosa, Tiago Domingos Mouzinho; Bittrich, Volker; do Amaral, Maria do Carmo Estanislau

2016-01-01

We provide and discuss a floristic survey of herbaceous and subshrubby aquatic and palustrine angiosperms of Viruá National Park (VNP). The VNP is located in the northern Amazon basin and displays phytophysiognomies distributed in a mosaic where these plants occur, as flooded forests, hydromorphic white-sand savannas, "buritizais" and waterbodies. After expeditions between February/2010 and January/2015 and the analysis of specimens from regional herbaria, we list 207 species of herbaceous and subshrubby aquatic and palustrine angiosperms for the VNP, distributed in 85 genera in 37 families. We recorded six new occurrences for Brazil, two for the northern Brazilian region and 21 for Roraima state. These new occurrences, added to the other species listed here, highlight the floristic similarity between the study site and the Guiana Shield, an adjacent phytogeographical unit and geologically related to the origin of white-sand savannas.

Modulators of mercury risk to wildlife and humans in the context of rapid global change

Science.gov (United States)

Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Silbergeld, Ellen K.; Basu, Niladri; Bustamante, Paco; Diaz-Barriga, Fernando; Hopkins, William A.; Kidd, Karen A.; Nyland, Jennifer F.

2018-01-01

Environmental mercury (Hg) contamination is an urgent global health threat. The complexity of Hg in the environment can hinder accurate determination of ecological and human health risks, particularly within the context of the rapid global changes that are altering many ecological processes, socioeconomic patterns, and other factors like infectious disease incidence, which can affect Hg exposures and health outcomes. However, the success of global Hg-reduction efforts depends on accurate assessments of their effectiveness in reducing health risks. In this paper, we examine the role that key extrinsic and intrinsic drivers play on several aspects of Hg risk to humans and organisms in the environment. We do so within three key domains of ecological and human health risk. First, we examine how extrinsic global change drivers influence pathways of Hg bioaccumulation and biomagnification through food webs. Next, we describe how extrinsic socioeconomic drivers at a global scale, and intrinsic individual-level drivers, influence human Hg exposure. Finally, we address how the adverse health effects of Hg in humans and wildlife are modulated by a range of extrinsic and intrinsic drivers within the context of rapid global change. Incorporating components of these three domains into research and monitoring will facilitate a more holistic understanding of how ecological and societal drivers interact to influence Hg health risks.

Incorporating phylogenetic information for the definition of floristic districts in hyper-diverse Amazon forests: implications for conservation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Guevara, J.E.; Pitman, N.C.A.; ter Steege, H.; Mogollón, H.; Ceron, C.; Palacios, W.; Oleas, N.; Fine, P.V.A.

2017-01-01

Using complementary metrics to evaluate phylogenetic diversity can facilitate the delimitation of floristic units and conservation priority areas. In this study, we describe the spatial patterns of phylogenetic alpha and beta diversity, phylogenetic endemism, and evolutionary distinctiveness of the

Global Character of International Labour Migration: Challenges and Objectives for Higher Education in World Context

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuravska, Nina

2016-01-01

The article deals with analysis of challenges and objectives for higher education in the context of globalization: the forming of international labour market proves the fact that the process of international integration is affecting economy and technology as well as social and labour relations that are becoming more and more global. The…

European Union and EDCTP strategy in the global context: recommendations for preventive HIV/AIDS vaccines research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lehner, Thomas; Hoelscher, Michael; Clerici, Mario; Gotch, Frances; Pedneault, Louise; Tartaglia, Jim; Gray, Clive; Mestecky, Jiri; Sattentau, Quentin; van de Wijgert, Janneke; Toure, Coumba; Osmanov, Saladin; Schmidt, Reinold E.; Debre, Patrice; Romaris, Manuel; Hoeveler, Arnd; Di Fabio, Simonetta

2005-01-01

The European Commission (EC) has strong commitments and recognises the need to continue to ensure that HIV/AIDS research efforts receive global attention. The EC is facing this challenge in a global context and has made substantial investments together with European Developing Countries Clinical

Disentangling the environmental heterogeneity, floristic distinctiveness and current threats of tropical dry forests in Colombia

Science.gov (United States)

González-M, Roy; García, Hernando; Isaacs, Paola; Cuadros, Hermes; López-Camacho, René; Rodríguez, Nelly; Pérez, Karen; Mijares, Francisco; Castaño-Naranjo, Alejandro; Jurado, Rubén; Idárraga-Piedrahíta, Álvaro; Rojas, Alicia; Vergara, Hernando; Pizano, Camila

2018-04-01

Tropical dry forests (TDFs) have been defined as a single biome occurring mostly in the lowlands where there is a marked period of drought during the year. In the Neotropics, dry forests occur across contrasting biogeographical regions that contain high beta diversity and endemism, but also strong anthropogenic pressures that threaten their biodiversity and ecological integrity. In Colombia, TDFs occur across six regions with contrasting soils, climate, and anthropogenic pressures, therefore being ideal for studying how these variables relate to dry forest species composition, successional stage and conservation status. Here, we explore the variation in climate and soil conditions, floristic composition, forest fragment size and shape, successional stage and anthropogenic pressures in 571 dry forest fragments across Colombia. We found that TDFs should not be classified solely on rainfall seasonality, as high variation in precipitation and temperature were correlated with soil characteristics. In fact, based on environmental factors and floristic composition, the dry forests of Colombia are clustered in three distinctive groups, with high species turnover across and within regions, as reported for other TDF regions of the Neotropics. Widely distributed TDF species were found to be generalists favored by forest disturbance and the early successional stages of dry forests. On the other hand, TDF fragments were not only small in size, but highly irregular in shape in all regions, and comprising mostly early and intermediate successional stages, with very little mature forest left at the national level. At all sites, we detected at least seven anthropogenic disturbances with agriculture, cattle ranching and human infrastructure being the most pressing disturbances throughout the country. Thus, although environmental factors and floristic composition of dry forests vary across regions at the national level, dry forests are equally threatened by deforestation, degradation

Natural forest regeneration in abandoned sugarcane fields in northeastern Brazil: floristic changes

OpenAIRE

Nascimento,Ladivania Medeiros do; Sampaio,Everardo Valadares de Sá Barretto; Rodal,Maria Jesus Nogueira; Silva,Suzene Izídio da; Lins e Silva,Ana Carolina Borges

2012-01-01

Surveys were undertaken to examine the floristic changes during secondary succession in three areas of 12 and three of 20-year-old secondary forests in Pernambuco State, Brazil. Two hundred and six species were identified, with 136 being found in the 12-year-old secondary forest and 161 species in the 20-year-old forest. Fabaceae and Myrtaceae were the most important families, increasing in species numbers with regeneration age. Of the 216 species, 115 were trees, 48 shrubs, 16 herbaceous pla...

Use of global context for handling noisy names in discussion texts of a homeopathy discussion forum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mukta Majumder

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The task of identifying named entities from the discussion texts in Web forums faces the challenge of noisy names. As the names are often misspelled or abbreviated, the conventional techniques have failed to detect the noisy names properly. In this paper we propose a global context based framework for handling the noisy names. The framework is tested on a named entity recognition system designed to identify the names from the discussion texts in a homeopathy diagnosis discussion forum. The proposed global context-based framework is found to be effective in improving the accuracy of the named entity recognition system.

Floristic composition, biological spectrum and conservation status of the vegetation in Nikyal valley, Azad Jammu and Kashmir

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Muhammad Shoaib Amjad

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To analyze floristic compositions, biological spectrum and conservation status of the existing vegetation in valley. Methods: A quantitative phytosociological survey was conducted using quadrat method at different sites. Sampling was done by using quadrat method. A complete floristic list of the plant communities of the study area was compiled on the basis of plant collection. Life form and leaf spectra were constructed using the complete list of the plant communities collected from study area. Conservation status of each species was established on the basis of International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria. Results: The flora of Nikyal valley consisted of 110 species belonging to 51 families and 98 genera. Poaceae (18 spp., Asteraceae (10 spp., Lamiaceae (8 spp. and Fabaceae (7 spp. were the leading families in the area. Biological spectrums of 13 different plant communities were grouped into four plant associations on the basis of cluster analysis and detrended correspondence analysis. The data showed that hemicryptophytes (32.73% were the dominant life form in the area followed by therophytes (23.64% and nanophanerophytes (22.73% during monsoon season. Similarly, nanophyllous species (37.27% followed by microphyllous species (29.09% remained dominant during monsoon in the investigated area. Conclusions: The majority of important plant species of Nikyal valley are critically endangered, therefore effective measures for conservation of plant resources of the valley are urgently needed. We recommend the floristic life-form spectrum technique if working in sufficiently large areas, because it could provide an indication of the prevailing phytoclimate.

FLORISTIC-STRUCTURAL VARIATION OF NATURAL REGENERATION ALONG DIFFERENT TOPOGRAPHIC POSITIONS OF AN ECOTONAL FOREST IN SANTA CATARINA, BRAZIL

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Chayane Cristina de Souza

2017-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Studies on the natural regeneration of tree species communities are important for providing information on forest development capacity. This research aimed to evaluate the floristic-structural variations of the tree regenerative component along a topographic gradient in an ecotonal area between a Mixed Ombrophilous Forest and a Deciduous Seasonal Forest of Santa Catarina, Brazil. 30 sampling units of which all regenerating tree species individuals have been identified were allocated in the forest fragment. The sampling units were then distributed along a topographic gradient into lower, intermediate and upper sectors. Abundance, richness, Shannon's diversity index (H' and Pielou's evenness index (J have been determined for both the whole community as for each sector. The community floristic-structural organization was verified by the means of the non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS, the indicator species analysis and the permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA. Abundance differences among sectors were analyzed through the Kruskal-Wallis test with post hoc multiple nonparametric test while richness differences were verified through rarefaction. Regenerating individuals density in the upper sector [129 (21.300 ind.ha-1] was lower than both in the lower [401 (63.800 ind.ha-1] and intermediary [241 (36.300 ind.ha-1] sectors. There was variation in the floristic-structural composition (p < 0.001 among topographic positions; the lower sector was the most distinct one and showed the highest number of indicator species.

Seasonal differences assist in mapping granite outcrops using Landsat TM imagery across the Southwest Australian Floristic Region

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alibegovic, G.; Schut, A.G.T.; Wardell-Johnson, G.W.; Robinson, T.P.

2015-01-01

Knowledge of the location and extent of granite outcrops (GOs) in the Southwest Australian Floristic Region is important to understand their role as refugia. We present a methodology to map GOs using biannual Landsat TM imagery. An adaptive vegetation cover mask capitalising on seasonal differences,

Taxonomic study of Onobrychis transcaspica V. Nikitin (Fabaceae in northeastern of Iran with emphasis on altitudinal effect on morphological characters using floristic marker

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zeinab Toluei

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Onobrychis Miller is the second largest genus of Fabaceae in Iran with nearly 60 species. These species are used as valuable forage plants. Onobrychis sect. Onobrychis with nearly 15 species in Iran is one of the important sections of the genus. Onobrychis transcaspica V. Nikitin, is one of the species of this section that is distributed in NE of Iran. To determine intraspecific variations in O. transcaspica from taxonomic point of view and effective ecological factor, data were collected using special station method. In this way, four special stations were recognized for O. transcaspica in NE of Iran. Results from floristic data (Floristic composition of each special station analysis with MVSP software by PCO method, led to identification of 3 separate groups that was indicative of existence of intraspecific diversity. Morphometric data analysis of individual collected from each special station, by using 65 vegetative and reproductive characters, with PCO and UPGMA methods, confirmed 3 mentioned floristic groups. Ecologic data analysis with CCA Method showed the presence of 3 phenoecodeme based on 3 morphologic groups resulting from altitudinal variations.

Mixed rain forest in southeastern Brazil: tree species regeneration and floristic relationships in a remaining stretch of forest near the city of Itaberá, Brazil

OpenAIRE

Ribeiro, Tiago Maciel; Ivanauskas, Natália Macedo; Martins, Sebastião Venâncio; Polisel, Rodrigo Trassi; Santos, Rochelle Lima Ramos dos; Miranda Neto, Aurino

2013-01-01

The aim of this work was to evaluate the floristic composition, richness, and diversity of the upper and lower strata of a stretch of mixed rain forest near the city of Itaberá, in southeastern Brazil. We also investigated the differences between this conservation area and other stretches of mixed rain forest in southern and southeastern Brazil, as well as other nearby forest formations, in terms of their floristic relationships. For our survey of the upper stratum (diameter at breast height ...

English in a Global Context and its Importance in University Programmes in Pakistan

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kamran, R.

2010-01-01

The research is based on the premise that the global movement has affected almost every aspect of human life stretching from the social to the economic. Greater interconnectivity between nations has highlighted the need for a language in which people can communicate. It is in this context that the

Linking regional stakeholder scenarios and shared socioeconomic pathways: Quantified West African food and climate futures in a global context.

Science.gov (United States)

Palazzo, Amanda; Vervoort, Joost M; Mason-D'Croz, Daniel; Rutting, Lucas; Havlík, Petr; Islam, Shahnila; Bayala, Jules; Valin, Hugo; Kadi Kadi, Hamé Abdou; Thornton, Philip; Zougmore, Robert

2017-07-01

The climate change research community's shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) are a set of alternative global development scenarios focused on mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. To use these scenarios as a global context that is relevant for policy guidance at regional and national levels, they have to be connected to an exploration of drivers and challenges informed by regional expertise. In this paper, we present scenarios for West Africa developed by regional stakeholders and quantified using two global economic models, GLOBIOM and IMPACT, in interaction with stakeholder-generated narratives and scenario trends and SSP assumptions. We present this process as an example of linking comparable scenarios across levels to increase coherence with global contexts, while presenting insights about the future of agriculture and food security under a range of future drivers including climate change. In these scenarios, strong economic development increases food security and agricultural development. The latter increases crop and livestock productivity leading to an expansion of agricultural area within the region while reducing the land expansion burden elsewhere. In the context of a global economy, West Africa remains a large consumer and producer of a selection of commodities. However, the growth in population coupled with rising incomes leads to increases in the region's imports. For West Africa, climate change is projected to have negative effects on both crop yields and grassland productivity, and a lack of investment may exacerbate these effects. Linking multi-stakeholder regional scenarios to the global SSPs ensures scenarios that are regionally appropriate and useful for policy development as evidenced in the case study, while allowing for a critical link to global contexts.

Skeleton-Based Human Action Recognition With Global Context-Aware Attention LSTM Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jun; Wang, Gang; Duan, Ling-Yu; Abdiyeva, Kamila; Kot, Alex C.

2018-04-01

Human action recognition in 3D skeleton sequences has attracted a lot of research attention. Recently, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks have shown promising performance in this task due to their strengths in modeling the dependencies and dynamics in sequential data. As not all skeletal joints are informative for action recognition, and the irrelevant joints often bring noise which can degrade the performance, we need to pay more attention to the informative ones. However, the original LSTM network does not have explicit attention ability. In this paper, we propose a new class of LSTM network, Global Context-Aware Attention LSTM (GCA-LSTM), for skeleton based action recognition. This network is capable of selectively focusing on the informative joints in each frame of each skeleton sequence by using a global context memory cell. To further improve the attention capability of our network, we also introduce a recurrent attention mechanism, with which the attention performance of the network can be enhanced progressively. Moreover, we propose a stepwise training scheme in order to train our network effectively. Our approach achieves state-of-the-art performance on five challenging benchmark datasets for skeleton based action recognition.

Composition and conservation of Orchidaceae on an inselberg in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and floristic relationships with areas of Eastern Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Pessanha, Alexandre Soares; Menini Neto, Luiz; Forzza, Rafaela Campostrini; Nascimento, Marcelo Trindade

2014-06-01

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest presents high levels of richness and endemism of several taxonomic groups. Within this forest, the Orchidaceae may be highlighted as the richest family of Angiosperms found there, and is highly threatened due to collection and habitat destruction. The inselbergs of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest are mostly unknown regarding their floristic composition, but the available information points to occurrence of endemic species, with adaptations to survive to this dry environment. The objectives of this study were to conduct a floristic survey of the Orchidaceae species on the Maciço do Itaoca, an inselberg located in the Northern region of the State of Rio de Janeiro, make a comparative analysis with other sites in Eastern Brazil, and discuss the geographic distribution, floristic relationships and conservation status of the orchid species present on the inselbergs. The floristic composition of the study area was compared with 24 other locations in Eastern Brazil (of which 13 are inselbergs) and the influence of the types of surrounding vegetation on the composition of the Orchidaceae flora on the inselbergs. On Maciço do Itaoca we recorded 18 species from 17 genera: Brasiliorchis picta, Brassavola tuberculata, Campylocentrum robustum; C sellowii, Catasetum luridum, Cattleya guttata, Cyclopogon congestus, Cyrtopodium glutiniferum, Leptotes bicolor, Lophiaris pumila, Miltonia moreliana, Oeceoclades maculata, Phymatochilum brasiliense, Prescottia plantaginifolia, Pseudolaelia vellozicola, Sarcoglottis fasciculata, Sophronitis cernua. and Vanilla chamissonis. The highest floristic similarity was with the Pedra da Botelha (0.43), an inselberg located in the North of Espírito Santo. This result is probably due to the similarity in altitude and distance from the coast in both areas despite the geographical distance between them. Apparently, little influence is exerted by the types of surrounding vegetation on the composition of the flora of

Partnerships as panacea for addressing global problems? On rationale, context, actors, impact and limitations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kolk, A.; Seitanidi, M.M; Crane, A.

2014-01-01

This chapter examines partnerships and their peculiarities, based on recent research from various disciplines, in the context of the large problems faced by (global) society. These problems are very complex, often cross national boundaries, and cannot easily be 'solved' by one single actor. Previous

Human-centred design in global health: A scoping review of applications and contexts.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandra N Bazzano

Full Text Available Health and wellbeing are determined by a number of complex, interrelated factors. The application of design thinking to questions around health may prove valuable and complement existing approaches. A number of public health projects utilizing human centered design (HCD, or design thinking, have recently emerged, but no synthesis of the literature around these exists. The results of a scoping review of current research on human centered design for health outcomes are presented. The review aimed to understand why and how HCD can be valuable in the contexts of health related research. Results identified pertinent literature as well as gaps in information on the use of HCD for public health research, design, implementation and evaluation. A variety of contexts were identified in which design has been used for health. Global health and design thinking have different underlying conceptual models and terminology, creating some inherent tensions, which could be overcome through clear communication and documentation in collaborative projects. The review concludes with lessons learned from the review on how future projects can better integrate design thinking with global health research.

Why should I care? Engaging students in conceptual understanding using global context to develop social attitudes.

Science.gov (United States)

Forder, S. E.; Welstead, C.; Pritchard, M.

2014-12-01

A glance through the Harvard Business Review reveals many suggestions and research pieces reviewing sales and marketing techniques. Most educators will be familiar with the notion that making accurate first impressions and being responsive, whilst maintaining pace is critical to engaging an audience. There are lessons to be learnt from industry that can significantly impact upon our teaching. Eisenkraft, in his address to the NSTA, proposed four essential questions. This presentation explores one of those questions: 'Why should I care?', and discusses why this question is crucial for engaging students by giving a clear purpose for developing their scientific understanding. Additionally, this presentation explores how The ISF Academy has adapted the NGSS, using the 14 Grand Engineering Challenges and the IB MYP, to provide current, authentic global contexts, in order to give credibility to the concepts, understandings and skills being learnt. The provision of global contexts across units and within lessons supports a platform for students to have the freedom to explore their own sense of social responsibility. The Science Department believes that planning lessons with tasks that elaborate on the student's new conceptualisations, has helped to transfer the student's new understanding into social behavior beyond the classroom. Furthermore, extension tasks have been used to transfer conceptual understanding between different global contexts.

AUDITORS ETHICS IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL CRISIS

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Dana Simona Dragos

2010-12-01

Full Text Available In the context of current global crisis, a series of questions regarding the professional accountants position need to be clarified in order to may understand the way in which the auditors, considered objective and independent due to their ethical and professional conduct, contribute to the confidence increase of those who found their decisions on an accounted financial situations basis. We also ask ourselves to what extent our society can sustain the development of a regulation based ethical behaviour and specific institutions, taking into account the existing pressures in crisis conditions. The increased number of financial scandals lead to a regression of confidence of the accounting information users, regarding the respect of ethical standards by the auditors, and there are real reasons of concern because of the increase of the non-ethical behaviours number of cases.

Floristic composition of Peruvian plantcutter (Phytotoma raimondii habitat

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Mónica Romo

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Through of the analysis of the floristic composition of 16 plots of half an hectare in 12 sites where the Phyto-toma raimondii, Peruvian plantcutter exists, we found that richness and diversity of plants are not related to the abundance of the bird, neither the abundance of any of the 7 species used as food or for nestting, except the algarrobo (Prosopis pallida. The most frequent species in the 12 sites were algarroboProsopis pallida(92% of the sites, vichayoCapparis ovalifolia(67%, canutilloGrabowskia boerhaviifolia(58%, sapoteCapparis scabrida(58% and realengoMaytenus octogona(25%. Besides algarrobo, canutillo seem to be a key species because in the plots where only three species occurred, those two were present. In the plots where canutillo was present, realengo did not more than expected statistically. It is alarming the decrease and few places or habitats for the occurrence and reproduction of the Peruvian plantcutter, a species considered in danger of extinction.

PHYTOSOCIOLOGY AND FLORISTIC DIVERSITY IN A CERRADO AREA UNDER DIFFERENT ANTROPIZATION LEVELS, RIO PARDO DE MINAS, MG

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Wanderson Henrique do Couto

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The objective of the study was to evaluate diversity and floristic similarity of Cerrado environments, under different levels of anthropization for agricultural usage and extractivism, and to generate a database to subsidize sustainable development proposals for the North region of Minas Gerais State, and traditional agriculture systems. Four areas with different levels of anthropization were sampled, in the following environments: “Areião, Areiãozinho, Chapada de Latossolo and Tabuleiro”, whose identifications had been made from key informers in the Água Boa Community, in Rio Pardo de Minas (MG, Brazil. The sampled units were distributed in 8 parcels of 20 x 50 m, with 5 subplots. The trees with circumference at ground level of 15 cm or bigger were measured. For analysis of the phytosociology indexes the following parameters were calculated for each environment: density, dominance, frequency, basal area, and importance value. For the floristic diversity the Shannon (H' was calculated, and for the analysis of similarity the index of Jaccard index (Sij. In all the environments, it was found a total of 477 individuals, distributed in 21 families, with 48 botanical species identified, and 27 individuals not identified. The five most important (importance value families was Fabaceae/Papilionoideae, Apocynaceae, Vochysiaceae, Sapotaceae and Fabaceae/Caesalpinoideae. And the ten most important species was Pouteria ramiflora, Dalbergia miscolobium, Hancornia speciosa, Macherium opacum, Sclerolobium paniculatum var. subvelutinum, Qualea grandiflora, Aspidosperma tomentosum, Byrsonima pachyphylla, Vochysia thyrsoidea and Hymenaea stigonocarpa. The H' index was of 3.01; 2.72; 2.48 and 2.09 for “Areião, Areiãozinho, Chapada de Latossolo and Tabuleiro”, respectively. The Sij index indicated a small floristic similarity for all the combinations between the environments.

Borneo: a quantitative analysis of botanical richness, endemicity and floristic regions based on herbarium records

OpenAIRE

Raes, Niels

2009-01-01

Based on the digitized herbarium records housed at the National Herbarium of the Netherlands I developed high spatial resolution patterns of Borneo's botanical richness, endemicity, and the floristic regions. The patterns are derived from species distribution models which predict a species occurrence based on the identified relationships between species recorded presences and the ecological circumstances at those localities. A new statistical method was developed to test the species distribut...

Salt Marshes as Potential Indicatore of Global Climate Change

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kim, Daehyun; Cairens, David; Jung, S.H.

2011-01-01

Coastal scientists postulate that salt marshes are significantly affected by dynamics of global climate. However, few studies have explicitly proposed a perspective that regards salt marshes as potential indicators of climate change. This review article evaluates the possibility of salt marshes...... as indicators of global climate change, focusing upon three major aspects: sedimentary, vegetation, and biogeochemical dynamics. The previous literature concerned with these aspects commonly argues that the primary impact of climate change on salt marshes occurs via sea-level variations, because hydrologic...... fluctuations regulate the frequency, duration, and depth of over-marsh flooding events. Sedimentary, floristic, and biogeochemical dynamics prove to be significantly influenced by sealevel changes regardless of climate zones, and hence, undoubtedly possess a potential for indicating climate signatures. However...

Global questions, local answers: soil management and sustainable intensification in diverse socioeconomic contexts of Cuba

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McCune, N.; Ruiz Gonzalez, Y.; Alcantara, E.A.; Fernandez Martinez, O.; Onelio Fundaro, C.; Castillo Arzola, N.; Cairo Cairo, P.; Haese, D' M.; Neve, De S.; Guevara Hernandez, F.

2011-01-01

In the complex context of global food and agricultural systems, research in agriculture must respond to multidisciplinary questions of economic development, ecological sustainability and food justice. With the objective of responding to several of the most important questions facing agriculture

Incorporating phylogenetic information for the definition of floristic districts in hyperdiverse Amazon forests: Implications for conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Guevara Andino, Juan Ernesto; Pitman, Nigel C A; Ter Steege, Hans; Mogollón, Hugo; Ceron, Carlos; Palacios, Walter; Oleas, Nora; Fine, Paul V A

2017-11-01

Using complementary metrics to evaluate phylogenetic diversity can facilitate the delimitation of floristic units and conservation priority areas. In this study, we describe the spatial patterns of phylogenetic alpha and beta diversity, phylogenetic endemism, and evolutionary distinctiveness of the hyperdiverse Ecuador Amazon forests and define priority areas for conservation. We established a network of 62 one-hectare plots in terra firme forests of Ecuadorian Amazon. In these plots, we tagged, collected, and identified every single adult tree with dbh ≥10 cm. These data were combined with a regional community phylogenetic tree to calculate different phylogenetic diversity (PD) metrics in order to create spatial models. We used Loess regression to estimate the spatial variation of taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity as well as phylogenetic endemism and evolutionary distinctiveness. We found evidence for the definition of three floristic districts in the Ecuadorian Amazon, supported by both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity data. Areas with high levels of phylogenetic endemism and evolutionary distinctiveness in Ecuadorian Amazon forests are unprotected. Furthermore, these areas are severely threatened by proposed plans of oil and mining extraction at large scales and should be prioritized in conservation planning for this region.

Development of floristic diversity in 10-year-old restoration forests on a bauxite mined site in Amazonia.

Science.gov (United States)

J. A. Parrotta; O. H. Knowles; J.M. Wunderle Jr.

1997-01-01

Patterns of plant and animal diversity were studied in a 10-year-old native species reforestation area at a bauxite-mined site at porto Trombetas in western Para State, Brazil. Understorey and overstorey floristic composition and structure, understorey light conditions, forest floor development and soil properties were evaluated in a total of 38 78.5-m2

Going global: the functions of autobiographical memory in cultural context.

Science.gov (United States)

Alea, Nicole; Wang, Qi

2015-01-01

This special issue of Memory brings together research from around the globe, from Japanese, Chinese and East Indian cultures, to American and European societies, to the Caribbean, to Turkey and to Australia and New Zealand, which examines how and why people, from childhood to old age, remember the personal past in daily life. This journey highlights the important role of the cultural context in shaping the functional usages of autobiographical memory. We illuminate six major contributions of cross-cultural research to a broader and deeper understanding of the functions of autobiographical memory, and call attention to the filed that memory research must "go global."

Putting Lesbians in Their Place: Deconstructing Ex-Gay Discourses of Female Homosexuality in a Global Context

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Christine M. Robinson

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The transnational ex-gay movement is an important context affecting lesbians and sexual minority women around the world. In 2015, the UN Human Rights Commissioner called for all nations to ban conversion therapies. This research investigates a neglected area of scholarship on the ex-gay movement by deconstructing and analyzing the implications of ex-gay discourses of female homosexuality in a global context. The ex-gay movement originated in the United States and has proliferated to nearly every continent. We argue that it is the main purveyor of public, anti-lesbian rhetoric today, constructing lesbianism as sinful and sick to control women’s sexuality, enforce rigid gender roles and inequality, and oppress sexual minority women. Guided by Adrienne Rich’s theory of compulsory heterosexuality and Barbara Risman’s gender structure theory, we analyze how, in ex-gay discourse, lesbianism is demeaned and demonized in the individual, interactional, and institutional dimensions of the gender structure. Finally, we examine the impact of ex-gay discourse on sexual minority women in global context.

The vegetation ecology of the Eastern Transvaal Escarpment in the Sabie area. 2. Floristic classification

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G. B. Deall

1989-10-01

Full Text Available The indigenous vegetation of the Eastern Transvaal Escarpment in the Sabie area is classified with the aid of the PHYTOTAB program package. Four ecological-formation classes (efc based on floristics. physiognomy and climate correspond to four data subsets. Plant communities in each efc are defined by means of 46 differential species-groups distributed amongst forest, thicket, woodland, shrubland and grassland structural types. Environmental correlation is facilitated by means of 21 habitat types.

Effects of soil, altitude, rainfall, and distance on the floristic similarity of Atlantic Forest fragments in the east-Northeast

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Flávia de Barros Prado Moura

2013-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the results of a floristic survey conducted on an Atlantic Forest fragment in the state of Alagoas, Brazil. Besides, the results of a similarity analysis between ten rainforest fragments from the Brazilian east-Northeast are presented. The floristic comparison was based on binary data with regard to the presence/ absence criterion for tree species identified in the ten fragments by means of Sørensen’s similarity index. A dendrogram was prepared using cluster analysis (Jaccard’s index and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA to test the abiotic factors, which can differently influence the similarity of fragments. The fragments showed low similarity indices. The variations were due to the fact that each fragment is a patch of what once was a continuous and heterogeneous region. However, the diversity loss, including the disappearance of more demanding species, can lead, in large-scale, to homogeneity and simplification of the northeastern Atlantic Forest.

The Role of Teams as Organizational Structures in a Global Organizational Context

OpenAIRE

Zoltan Raluca

2012-01-01

The flexibility that modern companies must show in regard to global market entails the recourse to work teams which are multicultural adapted and aware of their role and place in the overall structure of the organization. The technological changes along with the customer needs diversification require the awareness of the influence of organizational structure on team members as well as the influence of teams on organizational structures and organizational context. The present paper aims to poi...

Floristic study of Kiasar National Park, Iran

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Farrokh Ghahremaninejad

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Kiyasar National Park is a mountainous region in Mazandaran province, Kiyasar district, 70 kilometers far from Sari city, with an area of approximately 9530 hectares. The altitude of the area ranges from 883 m to 2775 m in Shahdeg pick. This park is located in the central Alborz. The mean annual rainfall is 650 mm and the mean annual temperature is 12˚C. Based on classical methods of regional floristic studies, approximately 720 specimens were collected during 2007 through 2008. The total number of 378 identified plant species belonged to 321 genera and 73 families. The dicots with 320 species were the richest group, following by monocots with 49 species, gymnosperms with 4 species and pteridophytes with 5 species respectively. The largest families were Asteraceae (43 species, Lamiaceae (33 species, and the most diverse genera included Astragalus, Salvia and Stachys. There were 11 endemic species among the plants of the area. The life form of all plant species was determined via Raunkier,s method. Hemicryptophytes constituting 37% of the biological types were dominant, followed by therophytes and cryphtophytes with 31% and 16% respectively. The largest chorotype was Irano-Turanian, with 120 species.

Learning English as an L2 in the Global Context: Changing English, Changing Motivation

Science.gov (United States)

Sung, Chit Cheung Matthew

2013-01-01

As the English language has become a global lingua franca today, it is not surprising that changes in attitudes and perceptions towards learning English in the international context have taken place at the same time. In this paper, I critically examine the notion of "integrative motivation" in the literature of second language (L2)…

Sustainability of the Organizational Changes in the Context of Global Economic Crisis

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Armenia Androniceanu

2012-06-01

Full Text Available In recent years, as a result of the hastening economic crisis, the Romanian business environment has known important changes. This paper presents and analyzes the changes caused by globalization in small and medium enterprises that exports goods and services from Bucharest. The purpose of the research was to discover the impact of global crisis upon the concerned group of enterprises and the organizational changes implemented by them. Through the research we succeeded to identify the main problems that occurred in the target group enterprises in the context of global economic crisis and what caused the reduction in their developing rhythm. Another part of the paper contains an analysis of the managers perceptions regarding the governmental anti-crisis measures and strategic and tactical changes initiated by them as a natural need to adapt to the particularities of the internal and international business environment. The final part includes the conclusions of the research and a sum of recommendations for efficient management of organizational changes in target group enterprises, with the possibility of generalizing them to all Romanian small and medium enterprises.

Atoms for peace: a success story of mutation breeding in Florist chrysanthemum at Indian Agricultural Research Institute

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, K.V.; Kumar, Surendra; Kumar, Sanjay; Raju, D.V.S.; Swarup, Kishan; Singh, Ompal

2009-01-01

Florist chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium) is the single largest beneficiary of mutation breeding efforts across the world. Nearly 267 mutants that are documented in Mutant Variety Database of IAEA belong to chrysanthemum. Conventional breeding in chrysanthemum is hampered due to excessive length of the ray florets preventing their pollination besides self-incompatibility. Mutation breeding therefore is more amenable to induce variability. (author)

Philosophy of Public Governance: Manpower Policy of Modern Ukraine in the Context of Globalization

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Raisa Naumenko

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The recent global civilization shift from material to non-material production caused the fundamental change in information industry. The globalization concept is usually associated with the brands expansion and the activity of transnational corporations. Mentioned significant markers of globalization describe only the superficial consequences of deeper shifts in society, which have to be discovered and researched for better understanding of contemporary social system. Modern philosophy of public administration has to take into consideration the issue of man. It is necessary for its construction and future explications. It is well known, that human factor is always in charge. In this article author focuses on the philosophical foundations of the state manpower policy and reveal its importance for achieving Ukraine’s strategic stability in the context of globalization. In particular, the current status of some personnel processes in the sphere of public administration is examined and their legal support is analyzed. Moreover, key problems of inefficiency of the state manpower policy are distinguished.

Linking regional stakeholder scenarios and shared socioeconomic pathways: Quantified West African food and climate futures in a global context

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Palazzo, Amanda; Vervoort, Joost M.; Mason-D’Croz, Daniel; Rutting, Lucas; Havlík, Petr; Islam, Shahnila; Bayala, Jules; Valin, Hugo; Kadi Kadi, Hamé Abdou; Thornton, Philip; Zougmore, Robert

2017-01-01

The climate change research community’s shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) are a set of alternative global development scenarios focused on mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. To use these scenarios as a global context that is relevant for policy guidance at regional and national

Incorporating phylogenetic information for the definition of floristic districts in hyperdiverse Amazon forests: Implications for conservation

OpenAIRE

Guevara Andino, Juan Ernesto; Pitman, Nigel C. A.; ter Steege, Hans; Mogollón, Hugo; Ceron, Carlos; Palacios, Walter; Oleas, Nora; Fine, Paul V. A.

2017-01-01

Abstract Using complementary metrics to evaluate phylogenetic diversity can facilitate the delimitation of floristic units and conservation priority areas. In this study, we describe the spatial patterns of phylogenetic alpha and beta diversity, phylogenetic endemism, and evolutionary distinctiveness of the hyperdiverse Ecuador Amazon forests and define priority areas for conservation. We established a network of 62 one‐hectare plots in terra firme forests of Ecuadorian Amazon. In these plots...

PRELIMINARY FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF HUARIPAMPA AND SANTA CRUZ STREAMS: HUASCARÁN NATIONAL PARK, ANCASH, PERU

OpenAIRE

Casana, Jorge; Leal-Pinedo, Jorge; Casana, Ramón

2010-01-01

A preliminary floristic inventory is provided for the Huaripampa and Santa Cruz streams in the Santa Cruz, Huaripampa and Llanganuco route at the Huascarán National Park, located among the Provinces of Huaylas and Yungay, Deparment of Ancash, Peru. This circuit presents a high concurrence of national and foreigner tourists. It is notable for its landscape scenery, its biological structure and its proximity to the mountains Alpamayo, Artesonraju, Yanapaccha, Pisco, Huascarán and Hu...

Human Chagas Disease and Migration in the Context of Globalization: Some Particular Aspects

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João Carlos Pinto Dias

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Human Chagas disease originated in Latin America, being spread around the world in relation with multiple bioecological, sociocultural, and political factors. The process of the disease production and dispersion is discussed, emphasizing the human migration and correlated aspects, in the context of globalization. Positive and negative consequences concern the future of this trypanosomiasis, mainly in terms of the ecologic and sociopolitical characteristics of the endemic and nonendemic countries.

Healthy Cities in a global and regional context.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, Roderick J; Fudge, Colin

2009-11-01

Since the beginning of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network in 1987, the global and regional contexts for the promotion of health and well-being have changed in many ways. First, in 2000, the United Nations Millennium Goals explicitly and implicitly addressed health promotion and prevention at the global and regional levels. Second, the concern for sustainable development at the Rio Conference in 1992 was confirmed at the World Summit in Johannesburg in 2002. During the same period, in many regions including Europe, the redefinition of the roles and responsibilities of national, regional and local governments, reductions in budgets of public administrations, the privatization of community and health services, the instability of world trade, the financial system and employment, migration flows, relatively high levels of unemployment (especially among youth and young adults) have occurred in many countries in tandem with negative impacts on specific policies and programmes that are meant to promote health. Since 1990, the European Commission has been explicitly concerned about the promotion of health, environment and social policies by defining strategic agendas for the urban environment, sustainable development and governance. However, empirical studies during the 1990s show that urban areas have relatively high levels of tuberculosis, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, adult obesity, malnutrition, tobacco smoking, poor mental health, alcohol consumption and drug abuse, sexually transmitted diseases (including AIDS), crime, homicide, violence and accidental injury and death. In addition, there is evidence that urban populations in many industrialized countries are confronted with acute new health problems stemming from exposure to persistent organic pollutants, toxic substances in building structures, radioactive waste and increasing rates of food poisoning. These threats to public health indicate an urgent need for new strategic policies and

Counting complete? Finalising the plant inventory of a global biodiversity hotspot

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Martina Treurnicht

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The Cape Floristic Region—the world’s smallest and third richest botanical hotspot—has benefited from sustained levels of taxonomic effort and exploration for almost three centuries, but how close is this to resulting in a near-complete plant species inventory? We analyse a core component of this flora over a 250-year period for trends in taxonomic effort and species discovery linked to ecological and conservation attributes. We show that >40% of the current total of species was described within the first 100 years of exploration, followed by a continued steady rate of description. We propose that <1% of the flora is still to be described. We document a relatively constant cohort of taxonomists, working over 250 years at what we interpret to be their ‘taxonomic maximum.’ Rates of description of new species were independent of plant growth-form but narrow-range taxa have constituted a significantly greater proportion of species discoveries since 1950. This suggests that the fraction of undiscovered species predominantly comprises localised endemics that are thus of high conservation concern. Our analysis provides important real-world insights for other hotspots in the context of global strategic plans for biodiversity in informing considerations of the likely effort required in attaining set targets of comprehensive plant inventories. In a time of unprecedented biodiversity loss, we argue for a focused research agenda across disciplines to increase the rate of species descriptions in global biodiversity hotspots.

ECOLOGICAL STUDY IN TWO QUARRIED LIMESTONE KARST HILLS IN BOGOR WEST JAVA: VEGETATION STRUCTURE AND FLORISTIC COMPOSITION

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ANNISA SATYANTI

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Many species extinctions have probably gone unnoticed on limestone that was destroyed before they could be sampled. Unless biodiversity surveys are intensified, the true magnitude of extinctions will never be ascertained. The objectives of this study were to determine tree species composition of limestone hills in Nyungcung and Ciampea; to determine quantitatively the dominant and less dominant species and to quantify floristic structure of the two limestone hills. Value of richness (Menhinick and evenness in Nyungcung were 3.28 and 0.826 whilst in Ciampea were 3.29 and 0.823, respectively. In term of diversity (Shannon Wiener, Nyungcung seems to be more diverse than Ciampea as indicated by the higher value of diversity index. Nyungcung has 3.225 of diversity (Shannon Wiener index while Ciampea has 2.859. The floristic composition of two sites was significantly different and mostly comprised Moraceae, Rubiaceae, and Euphorbiaceae. However, the highest presence of species were Antidesma montanum (Euphorbiaceae and Chrysophyllum lanceolatum (Sapotaceae, and Pandanus sp. (Pandanaceae in Nyungcung, whereas in Ciampea, Harpullia arborea (Sapindaceae, Ophiorhhiza canescens (Rubiaceae, and Allophyllus cobbe (Sapindaceae. Macaranga rhizinoides, O. canescens, A. montanum, and Turpinia montana , respectively , gained the highest importance values.

Floristic composition and community structure of epiphytic angiosperms in a terra firme forest in central Amazonia

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Mariana Victória Irume

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This survey aimed to describe the floristic composition and structure of the epiphytic community occurring in a terra firme forest in the city of Coari, Brazil, in the Amazon region. Data collection was performed with a 1.5 ha plot method, with which upland, slope and lowland habitats were sampled. All angiosperm epiphytes and their host plants (diameter at breast height > 10 cm were sampled. We recorded 3.528 individuals in 13 families, 48 genera and 164 species. Araceae was the most prevalent family with regard to the importance value and stood out in all related parameters, followed by Bromeliaceae, Cyclanthaceae and Orchidaceae. The species with the highest epiphytic importance values were Guzmania lingulata (L. Mez. and Philodendron linnaei Kunth. The predominant life form was hemiepiphytic. Estimated floristic diversity was 3.2 (H'. The studied epiphytic community was distributed among 727 host plants belonging to 40 families, 123 genera and 324 species. One individual of Guarea convergens T.D. Penn. was the host with the highest richness and abundance of epiphytes. Stems/trunks of host plants were the most colonized segments, and the most favorable habitat for epiphytism was the lowlands, where 84.1% of species and 48.2% of epiphytic specimens were observed.

Do variations in the composition and structure of vegetation allow floristic groups to be detected in a subtropical moist forest in southern Brazil?

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João Paulo de Maçaneiro

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Variations in vegetation based on topographic location have become an interest of researchers. However, few studies have verified floristic associations related to the topographic position of a slope. In this work, we analyzed if variations in vegetation allow floristic groups to be detected in a subtropical moist forest. The vegetation was sampled in 25 plots of 400 m² distributed systematically, where individuals with a DBH ≥ 5.0 cm were measured. We sampled 1,727 individuals and 144 species. The NMDS ordination segregated three groups based on the topographic position of the slope (Monte Carlo, P ≥ 0.05; ANOSIM, P < 0.001. Euterpe edulis and Sloanea guianensis were notable in the lower and middle sections of the slope, whereas Ocotea aciphylla and Alchornea triplinervia were notable in the upper section. Some species were indicators of the analyzed sectors, such as Actinostemon concolor and Alsophila setosa in the lower section, Cyathea corcovadensis and Rudgea recurva in the middle section, and Myrcia pulchra and Podocarpus sellowii in the upper section. Our results indicate that the floristic and structural variations observed by Veloso and Klein (1959 and Klein (1980; 1984 for Vale do Itajaí in Santa Catarina are statistically valid today, because we verified the formation of different groups according to the topographic position of the slope.

A low-altitude mountain range as an important refugium for two narrow endemics in the Southwest Australian Floristic Region biodiversity hotspot

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Keppel, Gunnar; Robinson, Todd P.; Wardell-Johnson, Grant W.; Yates, Colin J.; Niel, Van Kimberly P.; Byrne, Margaret; Schut, Tom

2016-01-01

Background and Aims Low-altitude mountains constitute important centres of diversity in landscapes with little topographic variation, such as the Southwest Australian Floristic Region (SWAFR). They also provide unique climatic and edaphic conditions that may allow them to function as refugia. We

The balanced development of basic education in the context of globalization

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Sun Qi-lin; Kong Kai

2006-01-01

Basic education is not only an essential means for eliminating stratification and differences in society but also one of the main reasons for the enlargement of the gap between the rich and the poor.Because it faces pressure in the context of globalization,a balanced development of basic education would be a good way to relieve this pressure.This paper summarizes the international experience of balanced development of basic education in five aspects:policies and laws,educational funds,teacher resources,disadvantaged groups and conditions for running a school.On the basis of these,the authors put forward relevant suggestions concerning the balanced development of basic education in China.

Vegetation and floristics of a lowland tropical rainforest in northeast Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tng, David Y P; Apgaua, Deborah M G; Campbell, Mason J; Cox, Casey J; Crayn, Darren M; Ishida, Françoise Y; Laidlaw, Melinda J; Liddell, Michael J; Seager, Michael; Laurance, Susan G W

2016-01-01

Full floristic data, tree demography, and biomass estimates incorporating non-tree lifeforms are seldom collected and reported for forest plots in the tropics. Established research stations serve as important repositories of such biodiversity and ecological data. With a canopy crane setup within a tropical lowland rainforest estate, the 42-ha Daintree Rainforest Observatory (DRO) in Cape Tribulation, northern Australia is a research facility of international significance. We obtained an estimate of the vascular plant species richness for the site, by surveying all vascular plant species from various mature-phase, remnant and open vegetation patches within the site. We also integrate and report the demography and basal areas of trees ≥ 10 cm diameter at breast height (dbh) in a new 1-ha core plot, an extension to the pre-existing forest 1-ha plot under the canopy crane. In addition, we report for the canopy crane plot new demography and basal areas for smaller-size shrubs and treelets subsampled from nine 20 m(2) quadrats, and liana basal area and abundance from the whole plot. The DRO site has an estimated total vascular plant species richness of 441 species, of which 172 species (39%) are endemic to Australia, and 4 species are endemics to the Daintree region. The 2 x 1-ha plots contains a total of 262 vascular plant species of which 116 (1531 individuals) are tree species ≥ 10 cm dbh. We estimate a stem basal area of 34.9 m(2) ha(-1), of which small stems (tree saplings and shrubs analysis shows that DRO forests has a comparatively high stem density and moderate species diversity, due to the influence of cyclones. These data will provide an important foundation for ecological and conservation studies in lowland tropical forest. We present a floristic checklist, a lifeform breakdown, and demography data from two 1-ha rainforest plots from a lowland tropical rainforest study site. We also present a meta-analysis of stem densities and species diversity from

Culture, context and community: ethical considerations for global nursing research.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrowing, J N; Mill, J; Spiers, J; Kulig, J; Kipp, W

2010-03-01

High-quality research is essential for the generation of scientific nursing knowledge and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. However, the incorporation of Western bioethical principles in the study design may not be suitable, sufficient or relevant to participants in low-income countries and may indeed be harmful and disrespectful. Before engaging in global health studies, nurses must consider carefully the cultural and social context and values of the proposed setting in order to situate the research within the appropriate ethical framework. The purpose of this paper was to examine the ethical principles and considerations that guide health research conducted in international settings using the example of a qualitative study of Ugandan nurses and nurse-midwives by a Canadian researcher. The application of Western bioethical principles with their emphasis on autonomy fails to acknowledge the importance of relevant contextual aspects in the conduct of global research. Because ethics is concerned with how people interact and live together, it is essential that studies conducted across borders be respectful of, and congruent with, the values and needs of the community in which it occurs. The use of a communitarian ethical framework will allow nurse scientists to contribute to the elimination of inequities between those who enjoy prosperity and good health, and those who do not.

Floristic-functional variation of tree component along an altitudinal gradient in araucaria forest areas, in Southern Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Soboleski, Vanessa F; Higuchi, Pedro; Silva, Ana Carolina DA; Silva, Mariele A F DA; Nunes, Amanda S; Loebens, Rodineli; Souza, Karine DE; Ferrari, Jheniffer; Lima, Carla L; Kilca, Ricardo V

2017-01-01

We aimed to investigate the taxonomic and functional variations of tree component of Araucaria Forest (AF) areas located along an altitudinal gradient (700, 900 and 1,600 m asl), in the southern region of Brazil. The functional traits determined were leaf area, specific leaf area, wood density, maximum potential height and dispersal syndromes and deciduousness. The data were analyzed through a functional and taxonomic dissimilarity dendrograms, community-weighted mean trait values, parametric and nonparametric tests, and Principal Component Analysis. The largest floristic-structural similarity was observed between the lower altitude areas (700 and 900 m asl), whose Bray-Curtis distance was 0.63. The area at 700 m asl was characterized by a predominance of deciduous and semi-deciduous species, with a high number of self- and wind-dispersed species, whereas the area at 1,600 m asl exhibited a predominance of animal-dispersed and evergreen species. It was also observed that there were significant variations for leaf traits, basic wood density and maximum potential height. Over all altitudinal gradient, the ordinations indicated that there was no evidence of functional differentiation among dispersal and deciduousness groups. In conclusion, the evaluated Araucaria Forest areas presented high floristic-functional variation of the tree component along the altitudinal gradient.

An Analysis of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism in the Context of Corporate Social Responsibility

OpenAIRE

Buzar Stipe

2015-01-01

The author analyzes the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism in the context of corporate social responsibility and the need for discussing this topic in ethical codes within the business and tourism sector. The text first offers an overview of the fundamental ethical concepts in business ethics and corporate social responsibility and briefly conceptualizes the relationship between these two fields. At the end, the author analyzes the content of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism with emphasis...

Structure and floristic similarities of upper montane forests in Serra Fina mountain range, southeastern Brazil

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Leonardo Dias Meireles

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The upper montane forests in the southern and southeastern regions of Brazil have an unusual and discontinuous geographic distribution at the top of the Atlantic coastal mountain ranges. To describe the floristic composition and structure of the Atlantic Forest near its upper altitudinal limit in southeastern Brazil, 30 plots with 10 × 10 m were installed in three forest sites between 2,200 and 2,300 m.a.s.l. at Serra Fina. The floristic composition and phytosociological structure of this forest were compared with other montane and upper montane forests. In total, 704 individuals were included, belonging to 24 species, 15 families, and 19 genera. Myrsinaceae, Myrtaceae, Symplocaceae, and Cunoniaceae were the most important families, and Myrsine gardneriana, Myrceugenia alpigena, Weinmannia humilis, and Symplocos corymboclados were the most important species. The three forest sites revealed differences in the abundance of species, density, canopy height, and number of stems per individual. The upper montane forests showed structural similarities, such as lower richness, diversity, and effective number of species, and they tended to have higher total densities and total dominance per hectare to montane forests. The most important species in these upper montane forests belong to Austral-Antartic genera or neotropical and pantropical genera that are typical of montane areas. The high number of species shared by these forests suggests past connections between the vegetation in southern Brazilian high-altitude areas.

Two new species of Indigofera L. (Leguminosae) from the Sneeuberg Centre of Floristic Endemism, Great Escarpment (Eastern and Western Cape, South Africa).

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, V Ralph; Schrire, Brian D; Barker, Nigel P

2015-01-01

Two new species of Indigofera L. (Leguminosae) are described from the Sneeuberg Centre of Floristic Endemism on the southern Great Escarpment, Eastern and Western Cape Provinces, South Africa. Both species are localised high-altitude endemics. Indigoferamagnifica Schrire & V.R. Clark is confined to the summit plateau of the Toorberg-Koudeveldberg-Meelberg west of Graaff-Reinet, and complements other western Sneeuberg endemics such as Ericapasserinoides (Bolus) E.G.H. Oliv. and Faurearecondita Rourke & V.R. Clark. Indigoferaasantasanensis Schrire & V.R. Clark is confined to a small area east of Graaff-Reinet, and complements several other eastern Sneeuberg endemics such as Euryopsexsudans B. Nord & V.R. Clark and Euryopsproteoides B. Nord. & V.R. Clark. Based on morphology, both new species belong to the Cape Clade of Indigofera, supporting a biogeographical link between the Cape Floristic Region and the Sneeuberg, as well as with the rest of the eastern Great Escarpment.

Impact of thermal power generation units on floristic diversity of Kota and its environs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, Shuchita; Dadhich, K.

2001-01-01

The emissions from thermal power plants have great phytotoxic effects on plants due to changes in their morphology and physiology. A floristic study has been conducted near the Thermal Power Station at Kota in Rajasthan to estimate the impact of emissions from the thermal power plant on biota. It is observed that the whole vegetation, especially the perennial trees and shrubs, growing near the station were severely damaged due to effects of air pollutants emitted from the Thermal Power Station. Analysis of the fly ash reveals its composition as composed of silica, alumina, iron oxide etc. (author)

The Recent Development of Commercial Services in the Context of Globalization. Case Study: Bucharest

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Radu Săgeată

2008-11-01

Full Text Available The fall of the communist regime and the demise of the bipolar political order have been factors for the development of globalizing connections on the levels of the urban systems in Central and East-European states. The main social impact of this complex phenomenon is the expansion of the diffusion area for the products of global consumerism, which involves the development and the diversification of commercial services. Their localization is still a direct consequence of financial segregation; the determining agent for the degree of penetration of global consumer goods at a local level is the localization of banking investments. Considering this context, this article is correlatively analyzing localization and dispersion factors for financial (banks and banking units and commercial services (malls, international networks of hyper- and supermarkets, restaurants etc., having as case studies the Romanian urban system at a larger scale and its capital city at a micro scale.

Ecological Study in Two Quarried Limestone Karst Hills in Bogor West Java: Vegetation Structure and Floristic Composition

OpenAIRE

SATYANTI, ANNISA; CANDRA KUSUMA, YAYAN WAHYU

2010-01-01

Many species extinctions have probably gone unnoticed on limestone that was destroyed before they could be sampled. Unless biodiversity surveys are intensified, the true magnitude of extinctions will never be ascertained. The objectives of this study were to determine tree species composition of limestone hills in Nyungcung and Ciampea; to determine quantitatively the dominant and less dominant species and to quantify floristic structure of the two limestone hills. Value of richness (Menhinic...

Floristic survey of herbaceous and subshrubby aquatic and palustrine angiosperms of Viruá National Park, Roraima, Brazil

OpenAIRE

Costa, Suzana Maria; Barbosa, Tiago Domingos Mouzinho; Bittrich, Volker; do Amaral, Maria do Carmo Estanislau

2016-01-01

Abstract We provide and discuss a floristic survey of herbaceous and subshrubby aquatic and palustrine angiosperms of Viru? National Park (VNP). The VNP is located in the northern Amazon basin and displays phytophysiognomies distributed in a mosaic where these plants occur, as flooded forests, hydromorphic white-sand savannas, ?buritizais? and waterbodies. After expeditions between February/2010 and January/2015 and the analysis of specimens from regional herbaria, we list 207 species of herb...

Floristic survey of the Brazilian Ages Memorial: a Cerrado sensu stricto area with an educational relevance

OpenAIRE

Vasconcelos, Thaís; Silva, Juliana; Ianhez, Marcelo; Proença, Carolyn

2015-01-01

The Cerrado Biome is currently classified as one of the most diverse savannas in the world. The anthropic destruction of this biome led the Cerrado to be recognized as one of the world's hot spots for bioconservation. Cerrado sensu stricto phytophysiognomy represents 70% of the original Cerrado Biome surface and floristic surveys are basic and important studies for conservation initiatives in these areas. Our survey area is a Cerrado sensu stricto of 6 ha attached to the Memorial das Idades d...

Orchidaceae of the Grumari restinga: floristic and similarity among restingas in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil

OpenAIRE

Moreira, Marina Muniz; Barberena, Felipe Fajardo Villela Antolin; Lopes, Rosana Conrado

2014-01-01

Orchidaceae is one of the largest and most diverse plant families in the world. The number of floristic studies of this family in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, has increased significantly in recent years. However, only a few such studies have been conducted in areas of restinga vegetation and none of those have examined the similarity, in terms of orchid diversity, among such areas. The present study sought to improve our knowledge of the Orchidaceae diversity occurring in Grumari restinga, a...

An Ecological Comparison of Floristic Composition in Seasonal Semideciduous Forest in Southeast Brazil: Implications for Conservation

OpenAIRE

Lopes, Sérgio de Faria; Schiavini, Ivan; Oliveira, Ana Paula; Vale, Vagner Santiago

2012-01-01

We examined floristic patterns of ten seasonal semideciduous forest sites in southeastern Brazil and conducted a central sampling of one hectare for each site, where we took samples and identified all individual living trees with DBH (diameter at breast height, 1.30 m) ≥4.8 cm. Arboreal flora totaled 242 species, 163 genera, and 58 families. Fabaceae (38 species) and Myrtaceae (20 species) were families with the largest number of species. Only Copaifera langsdorffii and Hymenaea courbaril occ...

Dated Plant Phylogenies Resolve Neogene Climate and Landscape Evolution in the Cape Floristic Region.

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Vera Hoffmann

Full Text Available In the context of molecularly-dated phylogenies, inferences informed by ancestral habitat reconstruction can yield valuable insights into the origins of biomes, palaeoenvironments and landforms. In this paper, we use dated phylogenies of 12 plant clades from the Cape Floristic Region (CFR in southern Africa to test hypotheses of Neogene climatic and geomorphic evolution. Our combined dataset for the CFR strengthens and refines previous palaeoenvironmental reconstructions based on a sparse, mostly offshore fossil record. Our reconstructions show remarkable consistency across all 12 clades with regard to both the types of environments identified as ancestral, and the timing of shifts to alternative conditions. They reveal that Early Miocene land surfaces of the CFR were wetter than at present and were dominated by quartzitic substrata. These conditions continue to characterize the higher-elevation settings of the Cape Fold Belt, where they have fostered the persistence of ancient fynbos lineages. The Middle Miocene (13-17 Ma saw the development of perennial to weakly-seasonal arid conditions, with the strongly seasonal rainfall regime of the west coast arising ~6.5-8 Ma. Although the Late Miocene may have seen some exposure of the underlying shale substrata, the present-day substrate diversity of the CFR lowlands was shaped by Pliocene-Pleistocene events. Particularly important was renewed erosion, following the post-African II uplift episode, and the reworking of sediments on the coastal platform as a consequence of marine transgressions and tectonic uplift. These changes facilitated adaptive radiations in some, but not all, lineages studied.

Global Strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Peter Ping

2013-01-01

Global strategy differs from domestic strategy in terms of content and process as well as context and structure. The content of global strategy can contain five key elements, while the process of global strategy can have six major stages. These are expounded below. Global strategy is influenced...... by rich and complementary local contexts with diverse resource pools and game rules at the national level to form a broad ecosystem at the global level. Further, global strategy dictates the interaction or balance between different entry strategies at the levels of internal and external networks....

Guidelines and recommendations for regional approaches to disarmament within the context of global security

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, P.

1994-01-01

Guidelines and recommendations for regional approaches to disarmament within the context of global security provide both a conceptual framework within which to pursue arms control in South Asia and a variety of concrete mechanisms or tools to carry out the task. However, they cannot operate independently of a broader process of political accommodation, which might be named as 'cooperative security building'. That process, however embryonic, is under way across Asia Pacific region

Video context-dependent recall.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Steven M; Manzano, Isabel

2010-02-01

In two experiments, we used an effective new method for experimentally manipulating local and global contexts to examine context-dependent recall. The method included video-recorded scenes of real environments, with target words superimposed over the scenes. In Experiment 1, we used a within-subjects manipulation of video contexts and compared the effects of reinstatement of a global context (15 words per context) with effects of less overloaded context cues (1 and 3 words per context) on recall. The size of the reinstatement effects in Experiment 1 show how potently video contexts can cue recall. A strong effect of cue overload was also found; reinstatement effects were smaller, but still quite robust, in the 15 words per context condition. The powerful reinstatement effect was replicated for local contexts in Experiment 2, which included a no-contexts-reinstated group, a control condition used to determine whether reinstatement of half of the cues caused biased output interference for uncued targets. The video context method is a potent way to investigate context-dependent memory.

Political, religious and occupational identities in context: placing identity status paradigm in context.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomontos-Kountouri, Olga; Hurry, Jane

2008-04-01

This study critically contrasts global identity with domain-specific identities (political, religious and occupational) and considers context and gender as integral parts of identity. In a cross-sectional survey, 1038 Greek Cypriot adolescents (449 boys and 589 girls, mean age 16.8) from the three different types of secondary schools (state, state technical and private) and from different SES completed part of the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status-2 (EOMEIS-2). The macro-context of Greek Cypriot society is used to understand the role of context in adolescents' identities. Results showed that Greek Cypriot young people were not in the same statuses across their global, political, religious and occupational identities. This heterogeneity in the status of global identity and of each identity domain is partially explained by differences in gender, type of school and SES (socio-economic status). The fact that identity status is found to be reactive to context suggests that developmental stage models of identity status should place greater emphasis on context.

Digitizing the Non-Digital: Creating a Global Context for Events, Artifacts, Ideas, and Information

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Deborah L. MacPherson

2006-06-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses some of the problems associated with search and digital-rights management in the emerging age of interconnectivity. An open-source system called Context Driven Topologies (CDT is proposed to create one global context of geography, knowledge domains, and Internet addresses, using centralized spatial databases, geometry, and maps. The same concept can be described by different words, the same image can be interpreted a thousand ways by every viewer, but mathematics is a set of rules to ensure that certain relationships or sequences will be precisely regenerated. Therefore, unlike most of today’s digital records, CDTs are based on mathematics first, images second, words last. The aim is to permanently link the highest quality events, artifacts, ideas, and information into one record documenting the quickest paths to the most relevant information for specific data, users, and tasks. A model demonstration project using CDT to organize, search, and place information in new contexts while protecting the authors’ intent is also introduced.

Vindicating communities in the context of Globalization

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Wiesenfeld, Esther

2006-05-01

Full Text Available The prevalence and increase, specially in recent years, of diverse problems (social, economic environmental particularly in Latin America have led various sectors to question globalization as a convenient model for the development of these countries. In this article we present and analyse, in general terms, some notions, characteristics and implications of globalization, from two antagonistic versions: The first of them refers to the notion of globalization from the point of view of its creators and adepts, while the second one is based on the version ellaborated by its oponents. In this regard, we present some similarities between the first version with the dominant paradigm in science and between the second one with emergent paradigms. Thus, in the first version globalization is understood as the unique, universal, undeniable and irreversible reality, whereas in the second one various constructions regarding globalization, which signify this phenomenon as culturally and historically constructed and hence dynamic, are formulated. This second version serves us as base for analysing the impact of globalization on economically deprived communities in our continent and simultaneously for illustrating the potentialities of these communities, empowered through the contributions of community social psychology, for resisting unfavourable effects of globalization upon them

Reflections on the Dimensions of Population Characterization of CSR in Perspective in the Context of Global Economic Crisis

OpenAIRE

Popescu Manoela; Crenicean Cecilia Luminita

2010-01-01

Fashionable topic in recent years, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) has become an objective necessity in the current global context, the global economic crisis. Moreover, the European Union, interested in CSR, we consider a means by which any economic system may become the most competitive and dynamic world. Of course, this goal is possible if the CSR is perceived as beneficial to the public. Also, states and international institutions have developed a series of standards aimed at human ...

Floristic and structural characterization of the main forest types in the Taraira Sierra (Department of the Vaupes)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez, Javier

1999-01-01

The Floristic and structural characterization of the main forest types in the Taraira Sierra, it was carried out to give to know the forests that exist there, since there were not preliminary studies on this ecosystem, and to enlarge the knowledge on the forests of the Colombian Guayana. For the composition study and it structures of the vegetation, three parcels of study of 0.05 hectares settled down, 10m x 50m each one; two in high Catinga and one in the Arbustiva; likewise they were traveled by different places of the Sierra to collect vegetable material. According to the floristic composition, to the covering analysis, and to the Sorensen index (Cordoba, 1995) they were defined three communities, the first of them in Catinga arbustiva, Clusia spathulaefolia - Retiniphyllum truncatum that is characterized to reach heights until of 10 meters, on sandy soils with inferior slope to 7%. In the high Catinga they were two communities, Micrandra sprucei - amazon Poecilanthe and Micrandra sprucei - Tovomita clarkii, which are characterized to present a superior stratum that reaches the 20 meters high. The Taraira Sierra, makes part of the high-priority of conservation areas due to its wealth of species as much animals as vegetables, to its high endemism that is developed on poor and fragile soils of the Guianese shield and to that this ecosystem is in risk, due to the mining exploitation

Levantamento florístico no cerrado de Pedregulho, SP, Brasil Floristic inventory of cerrado at Pedregulho, São Paulo State, Brazil

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Denise Sasaki

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Em Pedregulho, município do extremo nordeste do Estado de São Paulo, ocorrem fragmentos de cerrado considerados floristicamente distintos dos demais remanescentes paulistas. Nesse estudo, foi realizado um levantamento florístico em Pedregulho, abordando duas regiões geologicamente distintas: o Parque Estadual das Furnas do Bom Jesus e o distrito de Estreito. Em cada uma, delimitaram-se duas parcelas de 50×50 m, totalizando um hectare, onde foram encontradas 65 famílias e 379 espécies de angiospermas. Coletas em áreas adjacentes totalizaram 71 famílias e 443 espécies. As duas regiões estudadas têm baixa similaridade florística entre si. A distribuição geográfica das espécies é analisada e oito padrões são delimitados para aquelas cuja distribuição no Estado de São Paulo é restrita à região de Pedregulho.Pedregulho municipality in the far northeastern region of São Paulo state has fragments of cerrado vegetation thought to be floristically distinct from other cerrado remmants in the state. In this study, a floristic survey was carried out at Pedregulho, focusing on two geologically distinct regions: Furnas do Bom Jesus State Park and the Estreito district. In each region, 50×50 m plots were set up for a total sample area of 1 hectare, where 65 families and 379 angiosperm species were recorded. Collecting efforts in adjacent areas resulted in a total of 71 families and 443 species. The two study areas had low floristic similarity. Geographic species distribution was analyzed and eight patterns were defined for those species restricted to the Pedregulho region in São Paulo.

Composição florística e estrutura de uma unidade de manejo florestal sustentável na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós, Pará Floristic composition and structure of a sustainable forest management unit at Tapajos National Forest, Para, Brazil

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Fábio Guimarães Gonçalves

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Neste trabalho são discutidos aspectos da composição florística e da estrutura de um povoamento de floresta ombrófila densa submetido a práticas de exploração madeireira de impacto reduzido. O estudo foi conduzido numa unidade de manejo florestal com aproximadamente 3.200 ha, instalada na porção norte da Floresta Nacional do Tapajós (estado do Pará, onde foram extraídos, em média, 23,7 m³ de madeira por hectare. Para representar a variabilidade existente na área experimental, foram estabelecidas aleatoriamente seis parcelas amostrais de um hectare em diferentes quadras de exploração. As análises florístico-estruturais foram realizadas em duas escalas distintas com vistas a atender objetivos específicos: (a em nível de unidade de manejo, para uma caracterização global do povoamento florestal no qual serão baseados estudos subseqüentes; e (b em nível de parcela amostral, para subsidiar o estudo de dados de sensoriamento remoto frente às variações florístico-estruturais observadas. O conjunto de resultados obtidos indicou que a unidade de manejo florestal apresenta uma elevada diversidade florística no componente arbóreo (índice de Shannon-Weaver igual a 4,22. Observou-se que o povoamento é caracterizado pela concentração de uma grande quantidade de indivíduos e espécies em poucas famílias botânicas e por um número elevado de espécies localmente raras. A análise das variações florístico-estruturais entre parcelas amostrais evidenciou diferenças estatísticas significativas quanto à diversidade e a similaridade de espécies e quanto a valores médios de altura total. Adicionalmente, observou-se certa variabilidade nos padrões estruturais em termos de distribuição diamétrica e de valores estimados de volume comercial de madeira.In this work we discuss aspects of the floristic composition and structure of a stand of dense tropical rain forest subjected to low-impact logging practices. We conducted

Global contexts, social capital, and acculturative stress: experiences of Indian immigrant men in New York City.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharya, Gauri

2011-08-01

Immigrants depend on within-group social networks for social support during the acculturation process. Within-group social networks are linked to higher mutual concern and reciprocity, lower acculturative stress, and lower depression among immigrants Studies are limited, however, about immigrants' social support in the contexts of global connectedness and transnational connectivity. Grounded in social capital approach and immigrant health framework, this qualitative, community-based study examined the social networks of immigrant men from India to New York City. Drawing upon the participants' narratives, the author illustrates the ways that social capital influences social networking and acculturative stress in post-immigration sociocultural contexts along with its implications for community-based interventions.

Impact of Intellectual Property in National and Business Development under the Context of the Current Globalization

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Stalin Ballesteros García

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of the document is to show the impact of the intellectual property on the national and enterprise development in the globalization context since the early twenty-first century. First, it is a historical telling of the intellectual property and its role in the international society; then outlining the arguments to infer the incidence degree of the intellectual property in the economic development of countries and then discussing the inclusion impact of concepts directly related to the intellectual property in business growth activities. It concludes with a reflection on the Colombian situation, in public and private context, in terms of intellectual property.

Floristic analysis of heterogeneous landscape patches in a biological corridor in the El Rodeo-Basora Area near Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Ana Lilia Hernandez-Rodriguez; Maria de la Paz Montanez-Armenta; Gertrudis Yanes-Arvayo; Hugo Silva-Kurumiya

2013-01-01

A floristic study was conducted in a heterogeneous landscape near Moctezuma, Sonora. From August to December 2011, Ranchos El Rodeo and El Básora were visited three times. The vegetation at about 900 m elevation is foothills thornscrub, oak woodland, and induced buffelgrass grassland. A total of 120 plant taxa in 95 genera and 41 families were documented. Taxa were...

CAREGIVING IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT

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Shruti Poulsen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Los cambios a nivel mundial en los mercados económicos han llevado a un aume nto sin precedentes de la migración global estimado en 214 millones (Organización de las Naciones Unidas-Internacional para las Migraciones, 2008. Esta migración global ha aumentado el número de familias transnacionales en todo el mundo (Dade, 2004 que ahora se enfrentan a desafíos físicos y psicológicos únicos para la facilitación de servicios a los adultos de mayor edad. Independientemente del evento precipitante, la migración global ha desafiado las definiciones de la familia, la responsabilidad famili ar y los roles generacionales (Baldassar, 2008. Como el cambio demográfico de la población mundial hacia una era gris, terapeutas familiares necesitan entender el impacto que una economía y la economía de los padres y madres en una mundo en transición tie nen sobre la vida de los miembros de la s familia s migran tes y los familiares que han quedado detrás. El objetivo de este trabajo es aumentar la base de conocimientos relativos a las familias transnacionales y hacer visibles las necesidades de las familias que brindan cuidado a través de fronteras transnacionales.

A Brief Analysis on Cross-cultural Communication Strategy of Chinese Films under the Context of Globalization

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Cao Zhiyong

2016-03-01

Full Text Available With the development of globalization waves, the cross-cultural communication becomes more and more common nowadays. Chinese films, as a kind of mass media and the carrier of ideology, must meet the challenge in the world with active attitudes and take part in cross-cultural communication worldwide extensively. The context of globalization is not only a challenge but also an opportunity for Chinese films and if Chinese films want to be successful in the process of cross-cultural communication, it must find out a conjoint point between globalization and location to implement dual-coding of them. With the objective of consensus but different for the cultural demands of cross-cultural communication, the communicational strategies in culture，subject，art and operation must extensively use for reference and boldly create to renew the situation of Chinese films．

Globalization and sovereignty decline: Regionalization problem in Serbia within the actual geopolitical context

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Brdar Milan M.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available In the article author is about to maintain that discussion on regionalization asks for contextualisation within the currents of actual geopolitics, on the one hand, and wider process of globalisation and unification, on the other. In keeping with this, author in the first part deals with globalizing integrative processes with special attention played to the problem of nation-state survival. Point of analysis is given in the ambivalence of sovereignty: the very concept becomes outdated on the local level, but by the same token it is fully affirmed on the global level. On the global level we are encountered with revival of the classical concept of sovereignty. Problem of regionalization, in the second part of the article, is reconsidered as a phenomenon that is taking place between those two currents. Author maintains two related theses. First, designs of the regionalization less dependent of the authority of given state for they fall under the jurisdiction of global superpower and becomes dependant of its geostrategic planes and political demands. Second, that main reasons for Democratic Opposition of Serbia to work in favor of regionalization as a synonym for democracy is in lack of solid democratic reform and need to entrench itself in the precomposed structure of social and economic power. In this context one could forsake that we in Serbia are confronted with bright prospects of democracy at the cost of the 'hollowing out' of the state as main guarantee of it.

[FQA: A method for floristic quality assessment based on conservatism of plant species].

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Li Juan; He, Ping; Wang, Mi; Xui, Jie; Ren, Ying

2018-04-01

FQA, which uses the conservatism of plant species for particular habitats and the species richness of plant communities, is a rapid method for the assessment of habitat quality. This method is based on species composition of quadrats and coefficients of conservatism for species which assigned by experts. Floristic Quality Index (FQI) that reflects vegetation integrity and degradation of a site can be calculated by a simple formula and be used for space-time comparison of habitat quality. It has been widely used in more than ten countries including the United States and Canada. This paper presented the principle, calculation formulas and application cases of this method, with the aim to provide a simple, repeatable and comparable method to assess habitat quality for ecological managers and researchers.

Policy Approaches for Regulating Alcohol Marketing in a Global Context: A Public Health Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Esser, Marissa B; Jernigan, David H

2018-04-01

Alcohol consumption is responsible for 3.3 million deaths globally or nearly 6% of all deaths. Alcohol use contributes to both communicable and noncommunicable diseases, as well as violence and injuries. The purpose of this review is to discuss, in the context of the expansion of transnational alcohol corporations and harms associated with alcohol use, policy options for regulating exposure to alcohol marketing. We first provide an overview of the public health problem of harmful alcohol consumption and describe the association between exposure to alcohol marketing and alcohol consumption. We then discuss the growth and concentration of global alcohol corporations and their marketing practices in low- and middle-income countries, as well as in higher-income societies. We review the use and effectiveness of various approaches for regulating alcohol marketing in various countries before discussing challenges and opportunities to protect public health.

The use of engineering design scenarios to assess student knowledge of global, societal, economic, and environmental contexts

Science.gov (United States)

McKenna, Ann F.; Hynes, Morgan M.; Johnson, Amy M.; Carberry, Adam R.

2016-07-01

Product archaeology as an educational approach asks engineering students to consider and explore the broader societal and global impacts of a product's manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal on people, economics, and the environment. This study examined the impact of product archaeology in a project-based engineering design course on student attitudes and perceptions about engineering and abilities to extend and refine knowledge about broader contexts. Two design scenarios were created: one related to dental hygiene and one related to vaccination delivery. Design scenarios were used to (1) assess knowledge of broader contexts, and (2) test variability of student responses across different contextual situations. Results from pre- to post-surveying revealed improved student perceptions of knowledge of broader contexts. Significant differences were observed between the two design scenarios. The findings support the assumption that different design scenarios elicit consideration of different contexts and design scenarios can be constructed to target specific contextual considerations.

Mercury Emissions: The Global Context

Science.gov (United States)

Mercury emissions are a global problem that knows no national or continental boundaries. Mercury that is emitted to the air can travel thousands of miles in the atmosphere before it is eventually deposited back to the earth.

Semiautomatic imputation of activity travel diaries : use of global positioning system traces, prompted recall, and context-sensitive learning algorithms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moiseeva, A.; Jessurun, A.J.; Timmermans, H.J.P.; Stopher, P.

2016-01-01

Anastasia Moiseeva, Joran Jessurun and Harry Timmermans (2010), ‘Semiautomatic Imputation of Activity Travel Diaries: Use of Global Positioning System Traces, Prompted Recall, and Context-Sensitive Learning Algorithms’, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board,

Providing Context for Complexity: Using Infographics and Conceptual Models to Teach Global Change Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Bean, J. R.; White, L. D.

2015-12-01

Understanding modern and historical global changes requires interdisciplinary knowledge of the physical and life sciences. The Understanding Global Change website from the UC Museum of Paleontology will use a focal infographic that unifies diverse content often taught in separate K-12 science units. This visualization tool provides scientists with a structure for presenting research within the broad context of global change, and supports educators with a framework for teaching and assessing student understanding of complex global change processes. This new approach to teaching the science of global change is currently being piloted and refined based on feedback from educators and scientists in anticipation of a 2016 website launch. Global change concepts are categorized within the infographic as causes of global change (e.g., burning of fossil fuels, volcanism), ongoing Earth system processes (e.g., ocean circulation, the greenhouse effect), and the changes scientists measure in Earth's physical and biological systems (e.g., temperature, extinctions/radiations). The infographic will appear on all website content pages and provides a template for the creation of flowcharts, which are conceptual models that allow teachers and students to visualize the interdependencies and feedbacks among processes in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and geosphere. The development of this resource is timely given that the newly adopted Next Generation Science Standards emphasize cross-cutting concepts, including model building, and Earth system science. Flowchart activities will be available on the website to scaffold inquiry-based lessons, determine student preconceptions, and assess student content knowledge. The infographic has already served as a learning and evaluation tool during professional development workshops at UC Berkeley, Stanford University, and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. At these workshops, scientists and educators used the infographic

Clasificación de los bosques mesófilos de montaña de México: afinidades de la flora Classification of the Mexican cloud forests: floristic affinities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Alberto Ruiz-Jiménez

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Se realizó un análisis de clasificación numérica para comparar las semejanzas florístico-geográficas-bioclimáticas de los bosques mesófilos de montaña (BMM de México. Con base en publicaciones de carácter florístico, de vegetación y sinecológico se obtuvo una base de datos de la flora vascular del BMM que contiene 6 453 especies, 1 426 géneros y 213 familias. La matriz de presencia-ausencia consta de 2 856 especies (180 familias, 897 géneros distribuidas en 83 localidades; la clasificación se realizó mediante un análisis de conglomerados, utilizando índices de similitud; se agrupó con el método UPGMA y se construyeron dendrogramas. Con BIOCLIM se obtuvo el perfil bioclimático de cada grupo y con el promedio de las variables se generó una matriz que se clasificó como la anterior. La importancia de las variables bioclimáticas fue evaluada mediante un análisis de ordenación por componentes principales. Los grupos florísticamente similares se ajustan a las provincias florísticas de México y los perfiles bioclimáticos respaldan dichas agrupaciones. Por sus características bioclimáticas, los BMM se agrupan en 3 conjuntos de localidades. Se sustenta que las localidades geográficamente más cercanas presentan mayor similitud florística. Conforme se genera más información sobre el BMM de México se refuerzan las hipótesis de relación entre las provincias florísticas.A numerical classification analysis was made to compare the floristic-geographic-bioclimatic resemblance among Mexico's cloud forest (MCF. A MCF vascular flora database was made based on floristics, vegetation and sinecological published work; which contains 6 453 species, 1 426 genera and 213 families. The presence-absence matrix consists of 2 856 species (180 families and 897 genera scattered through 83 localities; this was rated by means of a conglomerate analysis using the similarity indexes this was put together using the UPGMA method; dendrograms

Issues Related to University Education in Ukraine in the Context of Globalization, European Integration and Bologna Process

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Maryna V. Bosenko

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the analysis of issued linked to the development of Ukrainian education in the contexts of globalization, European integration and Bologna Process. The needs for reforms related to the university education in Ukraine is linked with job market and social services, including educational services, globalization of economics and IT technologies: enhancing of socio-economical and pedagogical processes, informatization in society, transition to ‘knowledge societies’, changing the system f values, expanding the core of university education, emergence and distribution of innovative technologies, freedom of choice in electing the university curriculum, fundamentalization and humanization of education etc.

An Analysis of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism in the Context of Corporate Social Responsibility

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Buzar Stipe

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The author analyzes the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism in the context of corporate social responsibility and the need for discussing this topic in ethical codes within the business and tourism sector. The text first offers an overview of the fundamental ethical concepts in business ethics and corporate social responsibility and briefly conceptualizes the relationship between these two fields. At the end, the author analyzes the content of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism with emphasis on the elements pertaining to corporate social responsibility, after which he offers a critical opinion about the contribution of the aforemntioned code.

FLORISTIC AND SIMILARITY ANALYSIS OF TREE SPECIES IN “MATA DA PRAIA DO TOTÓ’, PELOTAS, RIO GRANDE DO SUL STATE BRAZIL

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Tiago Schuch Venzke

2012-12-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/198050987548The floristic survey of tree species was performed in a ‘Restinga’ forest, municipality of Pelotas, RioGrande do sul State, Brazil. The area studied is known as ‘Mata da Praia do Totó’(‘Totó’ beach forest,and comprises a remnant formed by a sandy and turf ‘Restinga’ forest. A total 65 native species weresampled comprising 51 genera distributed in 34 families. The family with the greatest number of specieswasMyrtaceae, with ten species, followed bySalicaceaeandRubiaceae.The most representative generawereMyrsineandEugenia,respectivelly sampled with four and three species. The analysis of similaritysampled that the sandy forest is floristically related to riparian and hillside forests and the forest peat isrelated to other forests located in areas of permanent water saturation of soil. Species richness of the siteis high for ‘Restinga’ forests in Rio Grande do Sul state, probably due to the influence of forests located inSerra dos Tapes and by diversity of the environments that make up the study area.

The vegetation and floristics of the Nkhuhlu Exclosures, Kruger National Park

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frances Siebert

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The need to conduct research on the impact of elephant on the environment prompted the construction of exclosures along two of the most important rivers in the Kruger National Park. Scientific research on these exclosures along the Sabie and Letaba rivers addresses how patterns of spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the riparian zone are affected by fire, flood and herbivory. To further assist this research programme, a vegetation survey was conducted at the Nkhuhlu exclosure site along the Sabie River to classify and map the vegetation of the area. This will provide baseline data to assess future changes in vegetation and floristic patterns due to small-scale environmental factors created by the presence/absence of herbivory and fire. Phytosociological data were analysed to identify plant communities and subsequent mapping units. Five plant communities, ten sub-communities and four variants were recognised and described in relation to prevailing soil forms. Differences in species richness, diversity and community structure of the plant communities are clearly articulated.

Motivation and self-efficacy in the context of moderated drinking: global self-report and ecological momentary assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuerbis, Alexis; Armeli, Stephen; Muench, Frederick; Morgenstern, Jon

2013-12-01

Despite ample research demonstrating the role of motivation and self-efficacy in predicting drinking in the context of abstinence, little research explicitly explores their role in the context of moderation, and none have utilized daily diary methods. The purpose of this study was to (a) explore the concordance between global self-report and daily diary composite measures of motivation and self-efficacy and (b) compare the ability of each in predicting drinking outcomes in the context of a study of brief AUD treatments focused on controlled drinking. Problem drinkers (N = 89) were assessed, provided feedback about their drinking, and randomly assigned to one of three conditions: two brief AUD treatments or a third group asked to change on their own. Global self-report (GSR) measures were administered at baseline and Week 8 (end of treatment). Daily diary composites (DDC) were created from data collected via an Interactive Voice Recording system during the week prior to baseline and the week prior to Week 8. Findings revealed some concordance between GSR and DDC at both baseline and Week 8, indicating the two methods capture some of the same construct; however, their respective relationships to drinking differed. DDC for both baseline and Week 8 significantly predicted Week 8 drinking outcomes, whereas only change in GSR significantly predicted drinking outcomes. Findings suggest that motivation and self-efficacy are important to moderated drinking, and that both GSR and daily diary methods are useful in understanding mechanisms of change in the context of moderation. Daily diary methods may provide significant advantages. Limitations and arenas for future research are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Floristic diversity of the upper river basin Tambo-Ichuña (Moquegua, Peru

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Daniel B. Montesinos-Tubée

2011-06-01

Full Text Available A study of the floristic diversity of vascular plants is presented from the basin of the Tambo-Ichuña River, the high Andean Puna plateau and wetlands of Ichuña, Ubinas and Yunga Districts (3400 - 4700 m altitude, General Sanchez Cerro Province, Department of Moquegua, Peru. Vascular flora is composed of 70 families, 238 genera and 404 species. The Magnoliopsida represent 78% of the species, Liliopsida 16%, Gymnosperms 0.5% and Pteridophytes 6%. Among lifeforms, the Hemicryptophytes are the most numerous. Three vegetation formations have been identified, the humid scrubland being the most diverse in species richness. Between endemic species, 42 taxa are exclusive to Peru. A total number of 272 new additions of vascular species to the flora of the department of Moquegua are presented.

Experiencing Global Culture in Vatel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kampf, Constance Elizabeth; Broillet, Alexandra; John, Claudette

2015-01-01

To explore the meaning of “global culture” in a professional communication context, this paper explores the “unsettled” global culture of Vatel, a private business school educating students from nearly 50 different countries for the hospitality industry. This paper explores the role of knowledge...... management in understanding global culture, arguing that the notion of “unsettled” cultures demonstrates how ideologies function in global settings and draw on national “settled” cultural resources. In unpacking different aspects of Vatel's culture this paper questions assumptions built into cultural frames...... of reference by offering a global culture frame, drawing on cultural resources from country based “settled” cultural contexts, and reflects on how global cultural contexts can benefit from a knowledge management approach to this dynamic between “settled” cultural contexts and “unsettled” cultural ideologies...

A New Understanding of Ankara Music within the Context of Global Cultural Flow

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Ömer Can Satır

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to consider a new understanding of the complex and multilayered structure of Ankara music, which is situated between tradition and modernity and has become an important form of popular culture in the region, in the context of local and global relationships.. The theoretical framework of the study is based on Appadurai’s “global cultural flow” model. The ethnoscape, finanscape, mediascape, technoscape and ideoscape of Ankara music is examined in accordance with this approach to reveal the dynamics that make this music different. In the light of these findings, it is concluded that the ethnoscape of Ankara music is based on a broad demographic coalition that has created an independent music industry with a finanscape depending on production, distribution and consumption. While this type of music is represented through a network-based social structure, it gains legitimacy outside its bounds within the media environment. The “Ankara” genre and its quest for authenticity described in this work reveal the ideoscape of the new Ankara music.

Latin American Identity and The Contradictory Processes Involved in its Construction-Deconstruction-Reconfiguration in Global Contexts

OpenAIRE

Víctor Hugo Ramos

2012-01-01

This paper addresses the difficult and contradictory formation, consolidation and change processes of Latin American identity from an anthropological and holistic perspective and in the context of the emergence of the world-system from the conquest, colonization and independence struggles to its current reconfiguration in the midst of transnational globalization and the alternatives to it. This approach, which we could call dynamicsynthetic, sees identity as a constantly changing open process...

Rubiaceae in Brazilian Atlantic Forest remnants: floristic similarity and implications for conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

de Paiva, Alessandra Marques; Barberena, Felipe Fajardo Villela Antolin; Lopes, Rosana Conrado

2016-06-01

Brazil holds most of the Atlantic Forest Domain and is also one of the Rubiaceae diversity centers in the Neotropics. Despite the urban expansion in the state of Rio de Janeiro, large areas of continuous vegetation with high connectivity degree can still be found. Recently, new Rubiaceae species have been described in the Rio de Janeiro flora, which present small populations and very particular distribution. The current paper analyzed the similarity in the floristic composition of the Rubiaceae in eight Atlantic Forest remnants of Rio de Janeiro state protected by Conservation Units. We also surveyed and set guidelines for conservation of microendemic species. The similarity analysis were based on previously published studies in Área de Proteção Ambiental de Grumari, Área de Proteção Ambiental Palmares, Parque Estadual da Serra da Tiririca, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Parque Nacional de Jurubatiba, Reserva Biológica de Poço das Antas, Reserva Biológica do Tinguá and Reserva Ecológica de Macaé de Cima - using the PAST software (“Paleontological Statistics”) with Sørensen coefficient. The floristic similarity analysis revealed two groups with distinct physiographic characteristics and different vegetation types. Group A consisted in two Restinga areas, Área de Proteção Ambiental de Grumari and Parque Nacional de Jurubatiba, which showed strong bootstrap support (98 %). Group B included forest remnants with distinct phytophisiognomies or altitudes, but with moderate bootstrap support. Low similarity levels among the eight areas were found due to the habitats’ heterogeneity. The current study pointed out 19 microendemic species from the Atlantic Forest, they present a single-site distribution or a distribution restricted to Mountain and Metropolitan regions of Rio de Janeiro state. Concerning the conservation status of microendemic species, discrepancies between the Catalogue of Flora of Rio de Janeiro and the Red Book of Brazilian Flora (two of

Conceptual Approaches to the Development of Economic Systems in the Context of Globalization and Regionalization

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D. I.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Interactions of the national and the global in economic transformations occurring in open economic systems are substantiated. Conceptual approaches to the development of economic systems in the globalization and regionalization context are summed up. It is shown that globalization is a logical consequence of mutual influences and interactions of multiple local transformations in socio-economic systems of various levels, which planetary self-organization generates the new quality of the global economic development. It is concluded that globalization has controversial impact on the transformation capacities of national economic systems that have to operate in the unfavorable condition of the growing instability of the global economic system and rapid integration in the structures with already established economic relations. The heuristic and experimental nature of economic and institutional transformations in these countries is added by splits of national economic systems and disruptions of established production links; the outstripping liberalization of foreign economic relations, creating rather external than internal pressures on national manufacturers and making them less capable to adapt to the competitive environment; the accelerated liberalization of monetary and financial systems, opening up ways to reallocation of capital from the sluggish real sector to the more flexible sector of transactions with currencies and securities; the shrinking regulatory authorities of national governments with respect of trade, competition, tax policies or social welfare; the growing domination of TNC and outflow of productive resources from national economies, important for their self-development, thus making their economic systems structurally primitive; the sharp property differentiation within societies and the increasing shares of population with low incomes.

Information Security Management in Context of Globalization

OpenAIRE

Wawak, Slawomir

2012-01-01

Modern information technologies are the engine of globalization. At the same time, the global market influences the way of looking at information security. Information security thus becomes an increasingly important field. The article discuses the results of research on information security management systems in public administration in Poland.

Vascular epiphytic flora of a high montane environment of Brazilian Atlantic Forest: composition and floristic relationships with other ombrophilous forests

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Samyra Gomes Furtado

2016-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Only a few studies regarding vascular epiphytes have been conducted in mixed ombrophilous forests (MOF in Serra da Mantiqueira, a mountainous environment in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, where the relationships of epiphytic flora with other physiognomies are unknown. This study aimed to survey the epiphytes of a MOF remnant located in Serra da Mantiqueira, and to analyze the floristic relationships with ombrophilous forests of the Southern and Southeastern regions of Brazil. The checklist was compared with 51 other areas composed of ombrophilous forests and/or ecotones with other physiognomies using UPGMA (with Sørensen index, and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA. We recorded 138 species, and Orchidaceae and Polypodiaceae were the richest families (51 and 23 species, respectively. The UPGMA showed the importance of physiognomy and elevation in the floristic relationships, and CCA reinforced the influence of elevation, in addition to the shortest distance to the ocean and minimum annual temperature; however, in this analysis, the physiognomies showed little influence on the relationships. The epiphytic flora of MOF of Southern and Southeastern regions of Brazil has different relationships compared with the data available for shrubs and trees, suggesting a greater importance of phorophytic species than geographical distance and, to some extent, environmental variables.

Universal Humanism – A Globalization Context is the Classroom of Unheard Options ... how to Become More Human

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Tone Svetelj

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Within the context of multi-cultural and multi-religious society, embedded in the process of globalization, a traditional understanding of humanism offers insufficient frameworks for an adequate comprehension of human flourishing and human search for meaning. In addition, modernity frames and evaluates in many aspects insufficiently the incomparable worth of the human person. This article offers some guidelines for further philosophical, theological and pedagogical reflection on a humanism that is more suitable for our life in the process of globalization and modernity. Such humanism continually moves us toward a better comprehension of what “human” means within a universe of divergent cultures, religions, traditions, and races. This humanism is called universal humanism , based on the Greek word kaqolou , comprising both universality and wholeness. The first part of this article analyzes some of the main characteristics of humanism in the Greek and Roman contexts, which provide historical and theoretical frameworks for universal humanism. The second part justifies the relevance and usefulness of such humanism: it helps us to transcend singular cultures, nations, political systems, religions, and, by default, to discover or explore anew the meaning of the human person on a global level. The last part of this article suggests some pedagogical attitudes that will help us to embrace and remain in a dialogical relationship with all of humanity, in order to enrich our comprehension of the incomparable worth of the human person, this time from a universal perspective.

Global Communication with Icons in Environmental Contexts

OpenAIRE

Heimbürger, Anneli

2016-01-01

Icons are small signs with fixed meanings. Icons are usually context specific. For example in the context of a hotel, the client can often find icons in hotel room books and safety guides. Scandic Hotel chain, for example, currently provides the manual for its safety system in 14 languages. There are at least two major shortcomings of this system: (1) in emergency or panic situations, it is very difficult to find your own language from the leaflet, and (2) there are no Asian ...

Vascular epiphytic flora of a high montane environment of Brazilian Atlantic Forest: composition and floristic relationships with other ombrophilous forests

OpenAIRE

Furtado,Samyra Gomes; Menini Neto,Luiz

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Only a few studies regarding vascular epiphytes have been conducted in mixed ombrophilous forests (MOF) in Serra da Mantiqueira, a mountainous environment in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, where the relationships of epiphytic flora with other physiognomies are unknown. This study aimed to survey the epiphytes of a MOF remnant located in Serra da Mantiqueira, and to analyze the floristic relationships with ombrophilous forests of the Southern and Southeastern regions of Brazil. The ch...

Philippine linguistic policy in the global context

OpenAIRE

Donoso Jiménez, Isaac

2012-01-01

The Philippines suffers an enduring linguistic problem that is not identified as such. Through the 20th century the goal has been to study a foreign language hoping for economical competitiveness in an Asian context. At present, this very context has revealed the fallacy of abandoning the education of the citizens in its own setting, if not pointed out the problem—Diglossia. By using an alien means of communication in the schools, the whole education has been alienated, and the result is a so...

Environmental quality evaluation. Indexing tools to evaluate environmental quality from biological data, floristic and vegetational data in Ponte Galeria (Rome, Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazzocchi, F.; Castorina, M.; De Mei, M.

1998-01-01

In the present work the study of indexing tools to evaluate environmental quality from biological data has been performed using a certain number of floristic and vegetational indices near Macchia Grande of Ponte Galeria (Rome, Italy). The indices have been applied on the basis of the data coming from a phyto sociological study of the area. Multivariate statistics methodologies have been utilized to obtain a synthetic evaluation of the indices [it

Educational research on everyday life, education and their transformations in globalized contexts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krejsler, John B.; Kryger, Niels

2013-01-01

Educational research on everyday life, education and their transformations in globalized contexts Not only formal education but everyday life inside as well as outside institutions have always been central sites of learning for children and adults. However, as social relations in everyday life...... are staged ever more as pedagogical and educational relations, practices of learning undergo transformations. The concept of everyday life is changing as daily routines and associated practices of learning are being transformed through processes caused by virtualization (social media, cell phones, lap...... by the four keynote-presenters at the NERA Congress in Copenhagen that took place in March 2012. We are thus proud to be able to present a special issue where senior scholars from India, the United States, Germany and Denmark: Educational research on everyday life, education and their transformations...

Floristic evolution in an agroforestry system cultivation in Southern Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Luís C R; Machado, Sebastião A; Galvão, Franklin; Figueiredo, Afonso

2016-06-07

Bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella Bentham) is an important pioneer tree species in Ombrophylous Mixed Forest of Brazil and is widely used as an energy source. In traditional agroforestry systems, regeneration is induced by fire, then pure and dense stands known as bracatinga stands (bracatingais) are formed. In the first year, annual crops are intercalated with the seedlings. At that time the seedlings are thinned, then the stands remain at a fallow period and cut at seven years old. The species is very important mainly for small landowners. We studied the understory species that occur naturally during the succession over several years in order to manage them rationally in the future and maintain the natural vegetation over time. Three to 20 year-old Bracatinga stands were sampled between 1998 and 2011. All tree species with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 5 cm were measured.The floristic evolution was assessed with respect to Sociability Index, the Shannon Diversity Index and the Pielou Evenness Index. Graphs of rank/abundance over different age groups were evaluated using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. We identified 153 species dispersed throughout the understory and tend to become aggregated over time.

Tools for Export Promotion in the Context of Globalization

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Pugachevska Kateryna S.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A comparative analysis of the rate of growth in exports of goods and GDP is carried out, and goods exports to GDP ratio in the context of the developed countries, developing countries, and countries with the transition economy is calculated. This allows to make a conclusion about a decrease in importance of exports as a key engine of the world economic growth during the past years. The legal basis of the WTO’s activities in terms of state support for exports is described. The main reasons for the emergence of a conflict of interests between countries with different levels of economic development concerning the use of individual protectionist barriers are revealed. Potential long-term consequences of the growth of export orientation under conditions of openness of national economies are identified. The measures and tools of the country’s export promotion in foreign markets are studied. It is grounded that under conditions of destabilization of global trade regulators, effective export promotion is a mechanism for increasing the competitiveness of the national economy of Ukraine. Prospects for further research in this area are the determination of instruments to stimulate exports, which have the greatest impact on the export orientation of certain economic activities.

Comparison Effectiveness of Pixel Based Classification and Object Based Classification Using High Resolution Image In Floristic Composition Mapping (Study Case: Gunung Tidar Magelang City)

Science.gov (United States)

Ardha Aryaguna, Prama; Danoedoro, Projo

2016-11-01

Developments of analysis remote sensing have same way with development of technology especially in sensor and plane. Now, a lot of image have high spatial and radiometric resolution, that's why a lot information. Vegetation object analysis such floristic composition got a lot advantage of that development. Floristic composition can be interpreted using a lot of method such pixel based classification and object based classification. The problems for pixel based method on high spatial resolution image are salt and paper who appear in result of classification. The purpose of this research are compare effectiveness between pixel based classification and object based classification for composition vegetation mapping on high resolution image Worldview-2. The results show that pixel based classification using majority 5×5 kernel windows give the highest accuracy between another classifications. The highest accuracy is 73.32% from image Worldview-2 are being radiometric corrected level surface reflectance, but for overall accuracy in every class, object based are the best between another methods. Reviewed from effectiveness aspect, pixel based are more effective then object based for vegetation composition mapping in Tidar forest.

A floristic survey of Yucca Mountain and vicinity, Nye County, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niles, W.E.; Leary, P.J.; Holland, J.S.; Landau, F.H.

1994-12-01

A survey of the vascular flora of Yucca Mountain and vicinity, Nye County, Nevada, was conducted from March to June 1994. An annotated checklist of recorded taxa was compiled. Voucher plant specimens were collected and accessioned into the Herbarium at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Collection data accompanying these specimens were entered into that herbarium's electronic data base. Combined results from this survey and the works of other investigators reveal the presence of a total of 325 specific and intraspecific taxa within the area, these allocated to 162 genera and 53 families. Owing to drought conditions prevalent throughout the area, the annual floristic component was largely absent during the period of study, and it is likely much under-represented in the tabulation of results. No taxon currently listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act was encountered during this study. Several candidate species for listing under this Act were present, and distributional data for these were recorded. No change in the status of these candidate species is recommended as the result of this survey

A Pervasive Social Networking Application: I-NFC enabled Florist Smart Advisor

Science.gov (United States)

Swee Wen, Khoo; Mahinderjit Singh, Manmeet

2016-11-01

Location based service is an information and entertainment service, accessible with mobile devices through the mobile network and utilizing the ability to make use of the geographical position of the mobile device. NFC location based service is using one of the modes of NFC such as peer-to-peer, reader/writer, and card emulation to obtain the information of the object and then get the location of the object. In this paper, the proposed solution is I- NFC-enabled Pervasive Social Networking apps for florists. It combines the NFC location based service with Online Social Network (OSN). In addition, a smart advisor in the system to provide output in making their own decision while purchasing products.The development of the system demonstrates that a designed commerce site is provided which enable a communication between NFC-enabled smartphone, NFC-enabled application and OSN. GPS functionalities also implemented to provide map and location of business services. Smart advisor also designed to provide information for users who do not have ideas what to purchase.

A floristic survey of Yucca Mountain and vicinity, Nye County, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Niles, W.E.; Leary, P.J.; Holland, J.S.; Landau, F.H.

1994-12-01

A survey of the vascular flora of Yucca Mountain and vicinity, Nye County, Nevada, was conducted from March to June 1994. An annotated checklist of recorded taxa was compiled. Voucher plant specimens were collected and accessioned into the Herbarium at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Collection data accompanying these specimens were entered into that herbarium`s electronic data base. Combined results from this survey and the works of other investigators reveal the presence of a total of 325 specific and intraspecific taxa within the area, these allocated to 162 genera and 53 families. Owing to drought conditions prevalent throughout the area, the annual floristic component was largely absent during the period of study, and it is likely much under-represented in the tabulation of results. No taxon currently listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act was encountered during this study. Several candidate species for listing under this Act were present, and distributional data for these were recorded. No change in the status of these candidate species is recommended as the result of this survey.

The global context for public health nutrition taxation.

Science.gov (United States)

Thow, Anne Marie; Heywood, Peter; Leeder, Stephen; Burns, Lee

2011-01-01

To assess critically the scope for public health nutrition taxation within the framework of the global tax reform agenda. Review of the tax policy literature for global policy priorities relevant to public health nutrition taxation; critical analysis of proposals for public health nutrition taxation judged against the global agenda for tax reform. The global tax reform agenda shapes decisions of tax policy makers in all countries. By understanding this agenda, public health nutritionists can make feasible taxation proposals and thus improve the development, uptake and implementation of recommendations for nutrition-related taxation. The priorities of the global tax reform agenda relevant to public health nutrition taxation are streamlining of taxes, adoption of value-added tax (VAT), minimisation of excise taxes (except to correct for externalities) and removal of import taxes in line with trade liberalisation policies. Proposals consistent with the global tax reform agenda have included excise taxes, extension of VAT to currently exempted (unhealthy) foods and tariff reductions for healthy foods. Proposals for public health nutrition taxation should (i) use existing types and rates of taxes where possible, (ii) use excise taxes that specifically address externalities, (iii) avoid differential VAT on foods and (iv) use import taxes in ways that comply with trade liberalisation priorities.

Global warming and extinctions of endemic species from biodiversity hotspots.

Science.gov (United States)

Malcolm, Jay R; Liu, Canran; Neilson, Ronald P; Hansen, Lara; Hannah, Lee

2006-04-01

Global warming is a key threat to biodiversity, but few researchers have assessed the magnitude of this threat at the global scale. We used major vegetation types (biomes) as proxies for natural habitats and, based on projected future biome distributions under doubled-CO2 climates, calculated changes in habitat areas and associated extinctions of endemic plant and vertebrate species in biodiversity hotspots. Because of numerous uncertainties in this approach, we undertook a sensitivity analysis of multiple factors that included (1) two global vegetation models, (2) different numbers of biome classes in our biome classification schemes, (3) different assumptions about whether species distributions were biome specific or not, and (4) different migration capabilities. Extinctions were calculated using both species-area and endemic-area relationships. In addition, average required migration rates were calculated for each hotspot assuming a doubled-CO2 climate in 100 years. Projected percent extinctions ranged from hotspots were the Cape Floristic Region, Caribbean, Indo-Burma, Mediterranean Basin, Southwest Australia, and Tropical Andes, where plant extinctions per hotspot sometimes exceeded 2000 species. Under the assumption that projected habitat changes were attained in 100 years, estimated global-warming-induced rates of species extinctions in tropical hotspots in some cases exceeded those due to deforestation, supporting suggestions that global warming is one of the most serious threats to the planet's biodiversity.

The workforce for health in a globalized context--global shortages and international migration.

Science.gov (United States)

Aluttis, Christoph; Bishaw, Tewabech; Frank, Martina W

2014-01-01

The 'crisis in human resources' in the health sector has been described as one of the most pressing global health issues of our time. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the world faces a global shortage of almost 4.3 million doctors, midwives, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. A global undersupply of these threatens the quality and sustainability of health systems worldwide. This undersupply is concurrent with globalization and the resulting liberalization of markets, which allow health workers to offer their services in countries other than those of their origin. The opportunities of health workers to seek employment abroad has led to a complex migration pattern, characterized by a flow of health professionals from low- to high-income countries. This global migration pattern has sparked a broad international debate about the consequences for health systems worldwide, including questions about sustainability, justice, and global social accountabilities. This article provides a review of this phenomenon and gives an overview of the current scope of health workforce migration patterns. It further focuses on the scientific discourse regarding health workforce migration and its effects on both high- and low-income countries in an interdependent world. The article also reviews the internal and external factors that fuel health worker migration and illustrates how health workforce migration is a classic global health issue of our time. Accordingly, it elaborates on the international community's approach to solving the workforce crisis, focusing in particular on the WHO Code of Practice, established in 2010.

Floristic conservation value, nested understory floras, and the development of second-growth forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Spyreas, Greg; Matthews, Jeffrey W

2006-08-01

Nestedness analysis can reveal patterns of plant composition and diversity among forest patches. For nested floral assemblages, the plants occupying any one patch are a nested subset of the plants present in successively more speciose patches. Elimination of sensitive understory plants with human disturbance is one of several mechanisms hypothesized to generate nonrandom, nested floral distributions. Hypotheses explaining distributions of understory plants remain unsubstantiated across broad landscapes of varying forest types and disturbance histories. We sampled the vegetation of 51 floodplain and 55 upland forests across Illinois (USA) to examine how the diversity, composition, and nestedness of understory floras related to their overstory growth and structure (basal area), and their overall floristic conservation value (mean C). We found that plant assemblages were nested with respect to site species richness, such that rare plants indicated diverse forests. Floras were also nested with respect to site mean C and basal area (BA). However, in an opposite pattern from what we had expected, floras of high-BA stands were nested subsets of those of low-BA stands. A set of early-successional plants restricted to low-BA stands, and more importantly, the absence of a set of true forest plants in high-BA stands, accounted for this pattern. Additionally, we observed a decrease in species richness with increasing BA. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that recovery of true forest plants does not occur concurrently with overstory regeneration following massive anthropogenic disturbance. Nestedness by site mean C indicates that high conservation value (conservative) plants co-occur in highly diverse stands; these forests are assumed to be less disturbed historically. Because site mean C was uncorrelated with BA, BA-neutral disturbances such as livestock usage are suggested as accounting for between-site differences in mean C. When considered individually

Global Mindsets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Global Mindsets: Exploration and Perspectives seeks to tackle a topic that is relatively new in research and practice, and is considered by many to be critical for firms seeking to conduct global business. It argues that multiple mindsets exist (across and within organizations), that they operate...... in a global context, and that they are dynamic and undergo change and action. Part of the mindset(s) may depend upon place, situation and context where individuals and organizations operate. The book will examine the notion of "mindset" is situational and dynamic, especially in a global setting, why...... it is important for future scholars and managers and how it could be conceptualized. Global Mindsets: Exploration and Perspectives is split into two major sections; the first examines where the literature currently is with respect to the knowledge in the field and what conceptual frameworks guide the thinking...

Phenological Stages of Development of Tribulus terrestris L. (Zygophyllaceae R. Br.) Under the Conditions of the Thracian Lowland Floristic Region of Bulgaria

OpenAIRE

SEMERDJIEVA, Ivanka; TAHSINT, Nuretin; YANKOVATSVETKOVA, Elina

2015-01-01

The phenological stages of Tribulus terrestris L. in the Thracian Lowland floristic region of Bulgaria were studied. Growth characteristics of the species, the length of the vegetation period and the duration of each phenological stage were studied in three consecutive years. A detailed phonological spectrum was presented. A direct relation was established between the duration of the phenological stages, the calendar periods and the climatic features of the respective year

Beef Cattle Farms’ Conversion to the Organic System. Recommendations for Success in the Face of Future Changes in a Global Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfredo J. Escribano

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Dehesa is a remarkable agroforestry system, which needs the implementation of sustainable production systems in order to reduce its deterioration. Moreover, its livestock farms need to adapt to a new global market context. As a response, the organic livestock sector has expanded not only globally but also in the region in search for increased overall sustainability. However, conversions to the organic system have been commonly carried out without analyzing farms’ feasibility to do so. This analysis is necessary before implementing any new production system in order to reduce both the diversity of externalities that the variety of contexts leads to and the vulnerability of the DDehesa ecosystem to small management changes. Within this context and in the face of this gap in knowledge, the present paper analyzes the ease of such conversions and the farms’ chances of success after conversion in the face of global changes (market and politics. Different aspects (“areas of action” were studied and integrated within the Global Conversion Index (GCI, and the legal requirement for European organic farming, organic principles, future challenges for ruminants’ production systems, as well as the lines of action for the post-2013 CAP (Common Agricultural Policy and their impacts on the beef cattle sector were taken into account. Results revealed that farms must introduce significant changes before initiating the conversion process, since they had very low scores on the GCI (42.74%, especially with regard to health and agro-ecosystem management (principle of Ecology. Regarding rearing and animal welfare (principle of justice/fairness, farms were close to the organic system. From the social point of view, active participation in manufacturing and marketing of products should be increased.

Floristic study in an oak grove of the flora and fauna sanctuary of Iguaque (Boyaca, Colombia)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marin Corba, Cesar A; Betancur, Julio

1997-01-01

The floristic diversity of an oak Andean forest was studied at the national reserve Santuario de flora y fauna de Iguaque (Boyaca, Colombia). All individuals with DAP > 2 .5 were measured and registered in ten 50 x 2 m transects for a total of 0.1 ha. There were found 384 individuals, 53 species, 27 families and 34 genera; the most species-rich were Ericaceae (7), Lauraceae (5) and Myrsinaceae (5). The results show a forest with low diversity in which a few species predominate; the species with higher important value index (ivi) were quercus humboldtii (34 %), Weinmannia tomentosa (21.2 %), Clusia inesiana (4.8 %), Viburnum tinoides (4.7 %) and Ternstroemia meridionalis (4.6 %)

Globally Happy: Individual Globalization, Expanded Capacities, and Subjective Wellbeing

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Ming-Chang; Chang, Heng-Hao; Chen, Wan-chi

2012-01-01

Deep integration of Asia into the global society necessarily affects wellbeing of local populations. This study proposes a notion of "extend capacities" to explain the relationships between individual globalization and subjective wellbeing among Asian populations in a context of increasing global integration. Using Amartya Sen's theory…

Understanding Information Technology Investment Decision-Making in the Context of Hotel Global Distribution Systems: a Multiple-Case Study

OpenAIRE

Connolly, Daniel J.

1999-01-01

UNDERSTANDING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT DECISION-MAKING IN THE CONTEXT OF HOTEL GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS: A MULTIPLE-CASE STUDY by Daniel J. Connolly Dr. Michael D. Olsen, Chair Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management ABSTRACT This study investigates what three large, multinational hospitality companies do in practice when evaluating and making IT investment decisions. This study was launched in an attempt to 1) learn more about ...

Socioeconomic contexts of primate conservation: population, poverty, global economic demands, and sustainable land use.

Science.gov (United States)

Estrada, Alejandro

2013-01-01

Recent assessments by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) indicate the existence of about 612 recognized primate species and subspecies (IUCN RedList, 2012), but close to 50% of these taxa are at risk of extinction as a result of human action. In this article, I call attention to underlying regional and global socioeconomic contexts of primate conservation. Using information from FAO and UN databases and other sources, I examine, for the Neotropics, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia, trends in forest loss and human demographics and social condition, discuss the impact of global market pressures upon primate habitats, and examine land-use patterns that may favor primate conservation. Between 1990 and 2010, an estimated 149 million ha of forest were lost in the three regions and additional losses are expected in the future. Global human population will increase from 7 billion in 2012 to 9 billion in 2050. Currently, 2 billion people live in the three primate range regions under high levels of poverty. Large-scale deforestation is related to global market demands, especially from developed and developing nations, for food (e.g., cattle), domestic animal feed (e.g., soybeans), biofuel-based crops (e.g., oil palm), and industrial round wood. The growth of protected areas in the three regions has been steady for several decades, but it is not enough to ensure long-term conservation of many primate taxa. Other conservations tools involving sustainable land use and biodiversity conservation corridors are required at the landscape level. The above assessment can easily be applied at the local level by primatologists, giving more precision to conservation initiatives. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

EXAMINING FLORISTIC BOUNDARIES BETWEEN GARDEN TYPES AT THE GLOBAL SCALE

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Josep Padullés Cubino

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Los jardines son una importante fuente de bienes y servicios para los residentes de un hogar. Su función se traduce directamente en el tipo de plantas que en ellos se cultiva. Por otro lado, la terminología usada para denominar los distintos tipos de jardín en inglés (garden, homegarden, forest garden, etc. varía según su función y propósito. Los factores que explican la diferenciación y distribución de los jardines a escala global no habían sido previamente explorados hasta ahora. En este estudio se han analizado los inventarios florísticos de 44 conjuntos de jardines de to do el mundo para explorar sus similitudes taxonómicas y los factores que configuran la distribución de su flora. Para ello, se escogieron distintas variables biofísicas y socioeconómicas a una escala apropiada de trabajo. Como resultado, los factores biofísicos y climáticos (temperatura, precipitación, evapotranspiración potencial y distancia entre asentamientos se hallaron significativamente relacionados con la distribución de las especies; no obstante, todos estos factores resultaron ser menos importantes que el GDP (PIB per cápita, utilizado aquí como indicador de los ingresos del hogar, y que se obtuvo como el principal impulsor de la composición de los jardines. También el resto de factores sociales y culturales incluidos en el análisis, como son la similitud entre las lenguas de los distintos asentamientos o la densidad de población, se encontraron como variables significativas. Cabe señalar que el presente análisis omite cierto número de variables debido a la no disponibilidad de datos. Algunas de estas variables son el tamaño del jardín o el género de su dueño, las cuales han sido reconocidas previamente como agentes influyentes en la composición vegetal de los jardines. El estudio concluye que los géneros vegetales cultivados en los conjuntos de jardines son muy diferentes entre sí y que, por lo tanto, las distinciones entre

Cardiovascular diseases in Ghana within the context of globalization.

Science.gov (United States)

Ofori-Asenso, Richard; Garcia, Daireen

2016-02-01

This paper discusses how globalization and its elements are influencing health dynamics and in particular Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in Ghana. It assesses the growing burden of CVDs and its relationship with globalization. It further describes the conceptual framework on which to view the impact of globalization on CVDs in Ghana. It also set out the dimensions of the relationship between CVD risk factors and globalization. The paper concludes with a discussion on strategies for tackling the growing burden of CVDs in Ghana.

[Physical factors influencing the floristic relationships of pinyon pine (Pinaceae) from San Luis Potosi, Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

Romero, Angélica; Luna, Mario; García, Edmundo

2014-06-01

In plant communities, the species distribution patterns and their relationships with environmental factors are of central importance in ecology. In San Luis Potosí of Mexico, woodlands of Pinus cembroides and P. johannis are sympatric, but P. cembroides tends to be located in South and Southwest slopes, in more disturbed sites; unlike, P. johannis, is mostly distributed in mesic areas, in North and Northeast slopes. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of some physical factors on the floristic similarity of pinyon pine P. cembroides and P. johannis. The study area was located in the Sierra San Miguelito, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. We selected 40 sampling units spread over an area of 50km2. In each unit, we laid out two 20m long lines perpendicular to each other, in which we recorded cover data of the plant species intercepted. We developed two data matrices, the first one including cover values of 91 species, and the second one, considering seven topographical, climatic, and solar radiation variables. We applied cluster analysis and ordination to explore the influence of environmental variables on the floristic differentiation of pinyon pine woodlands. Clustering showed six groups, the first three characterized by P. cembroides. The ordination showed that variance represented by the first three axes was 65.9%. Axis 1 was positively correlated with altitude and negatively with mean annual temperature; axes two and three, showed low correlation with the variables tested. P. cembroides woodlands and accompanying flora tend to be located in lower altitude, higher mean annual temperature, and mainly in South-Southwestern slopes. In contrast, stands of P. johannis, mixed stands of P. johannis-P. cembroides, and Quercus potosina, were usually founded in greater altitudes, mean annual temperature slightly lower, and North-Northeastern exposure. The sites of these monospecific and mixed woodlands with associated species, indicators of environmental variables

Analysis of floristic similarity between forest remnants from the upper Paraná river floodplain, Brazil - doi: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v34i3.8500

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Simone Rodrigues Slusarski

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The vegetation from the upper Paraná river floodplain is a fragment of Seasonal Semideciduous Forest (SSF that presents fields, lowlands and extensive areas of pasture along with forest formations. Aiming to accomplish analyses of floristic similarity between riparian forests remnants in this floodplain, an analysis using nine surveys was performed, four on the right bank, two on the left bank and three at an island, including tree species. Sørensen’s (ISs and Jaccard’s (ISj similarity coefficients were calculated, and a Correspondence Analysis (CA was applied to a matrix of presence and absence of species. Thirty-seven families, 80 genera and 110 species were recorded. Among the species, 5.5% were generalist, while 29.1% were exclusive to one survey. The values of ISs and ISj ranged from 31 to 78.4%, and 31 to 64.5%, respectively. The CA grouped the surveys in the right and left banks and the island; the species with the highest positive correlation on axis 1 were the most common in the surveys on the left bank. The obtained results evidenced that floristic surveys constitute important indicatives for evaluations of the vegetation distribution in the floodplain. 

Cardiovascular diseases in Ghana within the context of globalization

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Daireen

2016-01-01

This paper discusses how globalization and its elements are influencing health dynamics and in particular Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in Ghana. It assesses the growing burden of CVDs and its relationship with globalization. It further describes the conceptual framework on which to view the impact of globalization on CVDs in Ghana. It also set out the dimensions of the relationship between CVD risk factors and globalization. The paper concludes with a discussion on strategies for tackling the growing burden of CVDs in Ghana. PMID:26885494

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION

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Leontina Beţianu

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Sustainability tends to become in the new millennium the most important characteristic of economic and social development. The possibility to ensure economic development in the context of a reasonable use of raw materials, energy and natural resources in general and to decrease the impact of all human activities on the environment makes the essence of the sustainable development of these activities.

The floristic characteristics of plants in gardens and streets in urban areas of adana, turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karakus, H.

2014-01-01

This study was carried out to determine the flora of the gardens and road sides in Adana from March 2008 to April 2012. During the floristic studies, 337 vascular plant taxa belonging to 259 genera and 93 families were determined. Families with the greatest number of taxa are Asteraceae 35 species (10%), Fabaceae 30 species (9%), Poaceae 20 species (6%), Rosaceae 11 species (3%) and Lamiaceae 10 species (3%). According to the life-forms phanerophytes 134 species (40%) and therophytes 118 species (35%) are more than the others (chamaephytes, hemicryptophytes, and geophytes). Forty-eight percent (162 taxa) of total flora in the area is exotic species and the rest (52%) are indigenous. Total flora consists of 62% (209 taxa) ornamental species and 38% (128 taxa) ruderal species. (author)

Combining Multidisciplinary Science, Quantitative Reasoning and Social Context to Teach Global Sustainability and Prepare Students for 21st Grand Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, J. D.

2011-12-01

The Earth's seven billion humans are consuming a growing proportion of the world's ecosystem products and services. Human activity has also wrought changes that rival the scale of many natural geologic processes, e.g. erosion, transport and deposition, leading to recognition of a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene. Because of these impacts, several natural systems have been pushed beyond the planetary boundaries that made the Holocene favorable for the expansion of humanity. Given these human-induced stresses on natural systems, global citizens will face an increasing number of grand challenges. Unfortunately, traditional discipline-based introductory science courses do little to prepare students for these complex, scientifically-based and technologically-centered challenges. With NSF funding, an introductory, integrated science course stressing quantitative reasoning and social context has been created at UW. The course (GEOL1600: Global Sustainability: Managing the Earth's Resources) is a lower division course designed around the energy-water-climate (EWC) nexus and integrating biology, chemistry, Earth science and physics. It melds lectures, lecture activities, reading questionnaires and labs to create a learning environment that examines the EWT nexus from a global through regional context. The focus on the EWC nexus, while important socially and intended to motivate students, also provides a coherent framework for identifying which disciplinary scientific principles and concepts to include in the course: photosynthesis and deep time (fossil fuels), biogeochemical cycles (climate), chemical reactions (combustion), electromagnetic radiation (solar power), nuclear physics (nuclear power), phase changes and diagrams (water and climate), etc. Lecture activities are used to give students the practice they need to make quantitative skills routine and automatic. Laboratory exercises on energy (coal, petroleum, nuclear power), water (in Bangladesh), energy

Entrepreneurial Leapfrogging in the Context of ISE

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Peter

2013-01-01

We know little regarding the underlying contexts and mechanisms for disruptive innovation initiated by the entrepreneurial firms in the emerging economies. Further, there is limited knowledge about the contexts and mechanisms for global latecomers to catch up with and leapfrog global early......-movers. The cross-fertilization between such two research streams provides a great opportunity to shed light on their link toward an interdisciplinary domain of international strategic entrepreneurship (ISE). This article will develop an integrative typology of global innovations as well as a dynamic model...

Globalization: grasping the concept within the context of nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Keighley, Tom

2013-03-01

Globalization is a phenomenon traceable historically from the beginning of time as clans and tribes migrated and learnt from each other. The article in this issue of INR by Grootjans and Newman 'Globalization and nursing: a concept analysis' (pp. 78-85) makes the case for nurses to be educated about globalization as it applies to modern health care. The concept is complex and requires insight not only into health care itself but also fields such as human migration, economics, the significance of English as a universal language and the use and availability of information technology. Writings on the impact of global technology and social capital are also important. In addressing globalization, nurses need to access research and writings well beyond the standard healthcare oeuvre. © 2013 The Author. International Nursing Review © 2013 International Council of Nurses.

Harmonization of anti-doping rules in a global context (World Anti-Doping Agency-laboratory accreditation perspective).

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanova, Victoria; Miller, John H M; Rabin, Olivier; Squirrell, Alan; Westwood, Steven

2012-07-01

This article provides a review of the leading role of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in the context of the global fight against doping in sport and the harmonization of anti-doping rules worldwide through the implementation of the World Anti-Doping Program. Particular emphasis is given to the WADA-laboratory accreditation program, which is coordinated by the Science Department of WADA in conjunction with the Laboratory Expert Group, and the cooperation with the international accreditation community through International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation and other organizations, all of which contribute to constant improvement of laboratory performance in the global fight against doping in sport. A perspective is provided of the means to refine the existing anti-doping rules and programs to ensure continuous improvement in order to face growing sophisticated challenges. A viewpoint on WADA's desire to embrace cooperation with other international organizations whose knowledge can contribute to the fight against doping in sport is acknowledged.

Constitutionalism, State and territory in the globalization context

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William Guillermo Jiménez

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Globalization shows that the national State is losing the monopoly in the production of law, and this generates changes concerning the environment of application of the state legal arrangements and the role of the territory as the limit thereof. The object of this work is to offer a panorama about of the law globalization impacts on the State, the constitutional theory and the territory. The study is performed by means of the documentary review technique by using the consultation of diverse sources. Our conclusion is that the Westphalian model of State-nation has been weakened; however, globalization needs the State to be able to operate. Law has been deterritorialized and the territory continues to be a fundamental element for the contemporary State.

The workforce for health in a globalized context – global shortages and international migration

Science.gov (United States)

Aluttis, Christoph; Bishaw, Tewabech; Frank, Martina W.

2014-01-01

The ‘crisis in human resources’ in the health sector has been described as one of the most pressing global health issues of our time. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the world faces a global shortage of almost 4.3 million doctors, midwives, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. A global undersupply of these threatens the quality and sustainability of health systems worldwide. This undersupply is concurrent with globalization and the resulting liberalization of markets, which allow health workers to offer their services in countries other than those of their origin. The opportunities of health workers to seek employment abroad has led to a complex migration pattern, characterized by a flow of health professionals from low- to high-income countries. This global migration pattern has sparked a broad international debate about the consequences for health systems worldwide, including questions about sustainability, justice, and global social accountabilities. This article provides a review of this phenomenon and gives an overview of the current scope of health workforce migration patterns. It further focuses on the scientific discourse regarding health workforce migration and its effects on both high- and low-income countries in an interdependent world. The article also reviews the internal and external factors that fuel health worker migration and illustrates how health workforce migration is a classic global health issue of our time. Accordingly, it elaborates on the international community's approach to solving the workforce crisis, focusing in particular on the WHO Code of Practice, established in 2010. PMID:24560265

Youth in a Global World: Attitudes towards Globalization and Global Citizenship among University Students in Hong Kong

Science.gov (United States)

Chui, Wing Hong; Leung, Elliot W. Y.

2014-01-01

Despite the wealth of theoretical literature on globalization and global citizenship, empirical studies on the topic are lacking, especially in the context of pedagogical needs in relation to global citizenship education. In order to address this gap, a study was conducted in Hong Kong to investigate the attitudes of university students towards…

Floristic summary of plant species in the air pollution literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, J P

1996-01-01

A floristic summary and analysis was performed on a list of the plant species that have been studied for the effects of gaseous and chemical air pollutants on vegetation in order to compare the species with the flora of North America north of Mexico. The scientific names of 2081 vascular plant species were extracted from almost 4000 journal articles stored in two large literature databases on the effects of air pollutants on plants. Three quarters of the plant species studied occur in North America, but this was only 7% of the total North American flora. Sixteen percent and 56% of all North American genera and families have been studied. The most studied genus is Pinus with 70% of the North American species studied, and the most studied family is the grass family, with 12% of the species studied. Although Pinus is ranked 86th in the North American flora, the grass family is ranked third, indicating that representation at the family level is better than at the genus level. All of the top ten families in North America are represented in the top 20 families in the air pollution effects literature, but only one genus (Lupinus) in the top ten genera in North America is represented in the top thirteen genera in the air pollution literature.

Floristic diversity of the soil weed seed bank in a rice-growing area of Brazil: in situ and ex situ evaluation

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Mário Luiz Ribeiro Mesquita

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to compare the ex situ and in situ floristic diversity of the soil weed seed bank of a rice field in northeastern Brazil. In a rice field in the county of Bacabal, located in the state of Maranhão, thirty 25-m² plots were laid out. From 15 plots, soil samples (6/plot; n = 90 were taken with a soil probe (25 × 16 × 3 cm and placed in aluminum trays in the greenhouse. From the remaining 15 plots, weed samples (6/plot; n = 90 were taken with the same soil probe. The number of seeds was estimated by germination. We evaluated the numbers of species and individuals, as well as the density, frequency, abundance and importance value (IV for each species. Diversity was computed by the Shannon index (H'. We recorded 13,892 individuals (among 20 families, 40 genera and 60 species, of which 11,530 (among 50 species germinated ex situ and 2,362 (among 34 species germinated in situ. The family Cyperaceae had the highest number of species (16, followed by Poaceae (10. The dominant species, in situ and ex situ, were Schoenoplectus juncoides (IV=47.4% and Ludwigia octovalvis (IV=34.8%, respectively. Floristic diversity was higher ex situ (H'=2.66. The information obtained here could help determine the infestation potential of these species, which could lead to improved management strategies.

190 NIGERIA TRADITIONAL MORAL VALUES IN THE CONTEXT ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Idea of Globalization: Issues of Justice and Responsibility. Globalization ... ethical discernment in the context of globalization must be based upon two inseparable principles including: .... (Onitsha: University Publishing Company,. 1974) ...

Hydrological character of the soil of a degraded area: comparison of analysis physical, chemical and floristic vegetational

Science.gov (United States)

Manfredi, Paolo; Cassinari, Chiara; Giupponi, Luca; Sichel, Giorgio Maria; Trevisan, Marco

2013-04-01

This work is an integral part of a project co-financed by the European Union "Environmental recovery of degraded soils and desertified land by a new technology treatment for the recovery of the land" (Life 10 ENV IT 400 "New Life"); this technology is based on a treatment (patented by m.c.m. Ecosistemi) of chemical mechanical processing of degraded soils with an initial process of disgregation of the same followed by their reconstitution incorporating soil matrices, a subsequent polycondensation with humic acids and a final restoration. The area of intervention of the New Life project lies in the municipal territory of Piacenza, where between the years 70 and 80 has been made a landfill for municipal solid waste with subsequent restoration work by placing a layer of soil cover. The first phase of the New Life project was that of a physical and chemical characterization of different cover soils of the area combined with floristic-vegetational analysis. At this stage the present study aims to compare the data related to the analysis of the vegetation with those returned by investigation of hydrological characteristics of soils performed by laboratory methods, together to confront two theoretical calculation methods for determination of hydrological parameters. The comparison of the ecological study of the vegetation with the outcomes obtained by the classical methods regarding the determination of water retention, allows you to have a picture that is as detailed as possible in describing the characteristics of the substrate. The comparison also with the two methods of calculation, which determines the hydrological character conditions in average soil condition, allows you to ascertain the actual disturbance of the soil in the area. In order to delineate the hydrological characteristics of the soils sampled, were quantified by the Maximum Water Concentration, the capacity range, the point of Withering by the method of the Tensiometric box and the Pressure Membrane

THE QUALITY OF CULTURAL SERVICES IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS CONTEXT

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Aurica DVORACIC

2015-11-01

Full Text Available It suffices to browse the websites of only a few of the most noteworthy Romanian cultural organizations – including the website of the Ministry of Culture – to conclude that quality policies are missing. In fact, these are not the only policies that are missing, but this topic should be discussed in another paper. The objective of this paper is to analyze the progresses and the opportunities, as well as the problems and the challenges that the Romanian society and economy are facing as far as culture is concerned at the beginning of the new millennium, in the particular context of the global economic crisis: specifically, we will focus on the role of cultural organization managers in implementing quality management as the main factor in assuring the competitiveness needed to overcome the crisis. Cultural organization managers generally admit that a change is needed in order to cope with competitive pressure, but few understand how this change should be implemented. To avoid the issues associated with “change programs”, the management of cultural organizations must focus on the structure of processes, recognizing the roles and responsibilities of their employees in the processes in which they are involved.

Combined community ecology and floristics, a synthetic study on the upper montane evergreen broad-leaved forests in Yunnan, southwestern China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Hua Zhu; Yong Chai; Shisun Zhou; Lichun Yan; Jipu Shi; Guoping Yang

2016-01-01

The upper montane evergreen broad-leaved forest in Yunnan occurs mainly in the zone of persistent cloud and has a discontinuous, island-like, distribution. It is diverse, rich in endemic species, and likely to be sensitive to climate change. Six 1-ha sampling plots were established across the main distribution area of the upper montane evergreen broad-leaved forest in Yunnan. All trees with d.b.h.>1 cm in each plot were identified. Patterns of seed plant distributions were quantified at the specific, generic and family levels. The forests are dominated by the families Fagaceae, Lauraceae, Theaceae and Magnoliaceae, but are very diverse with only a few species shared between sites. Floristic similarities at the family and generic level were high, but they were low at the specific level, with species complementarity between plots. Diversity varied greatly among sites, with greater species richness and more rare species in western Yunnan than central Yunnan. The flora is dominated by tropical biogeographical elements, mainly the pantropic and the tropical Asian distributions at the family and genus levels. In contrast, at the species level, the flora is dominated by the southwest or the southeast China distributions, including Yunnan endemics. This suggests that the flora of the upper montane forest in Yunnan could have a tropical floristic origin, and has adapted to cooler temperatures with the uplift of the Himalayas. Due to great sensitivity to climate, high endemism and species complementarity, as well as the discontinuous, island-like, distribution patterns of the upper montane forest in Yunnan, the regional conservation of the forest is especially needed.

Fungal radiation in the Cape Floristic Region: an analysis based on Gondwanamyces and Ophiostoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Roets, F; Wingfield, M J; Crous, P W; Dreyer, L L

2009-04-01

The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) displays high levels of plant diversity and endemism, and has received focused botanical systematic attention. In contrast, fungal diversity patterns and co-evolutionary processes in this region have barely been investigated. Here we reconstruct molecular phylogenies using the ITS and beta-tubulin gene regions of the ophiostomatoid fungi Gondwanamyces and Ophiostoma associated with southern African Protea species. Results indicate that they evolved in close association with Protea. In contrast to Protea, Ophiostoma species migrated to the CFR from tropical and subtropical Africa, where they underwent subsequent radiation. In both Gondwanamyces and Ophiostoma vector arthropods probably facilitated long-distance migration and shorter-distance dispersal. Although ecological parameters shaped most associations between ophiostomatoid fungi and Protea, there is congruence between fungal-host-associations and the systematic classification of Protea. These results confirm that the entire biotic environment must be considered in order to understand diversity and evolution in the CFR as a whole.

Global Contexts for Learning: Exploring the Relationship between Low-Context Online Learning and High-Context Learners

Science.gov (United States)

Westbrook, Timothy Paul

2014-01-01

Current research on culture and distance education suggests that cultural variables influence student success online. When online courses are writing-based, they may provide easy information dissemination; however, the low-context medium may restrict the learning experience and class dynamic due to the lack of nonverbal communication. Students who…

Romanian Market Researches in Global Market Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor Danciu

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Market research is a powerful industry, whose value reached 21,5 billion USD in 2004. Market studies expenses are mostly concentrated in Europe (45% and in USA (37%. The market shares of the Top 10 companies were above fifty per cent of the research market’s turnover. As a young, modest market, which is 0,84% of the global expenses value, Romania was the global leader in terms of growth, in 2004. With an asymmetric demand and a relatively concentrated offer, the Romanian research market may have a spectacular development in the future, if the obstacles for the customers and research companies are surpassed. If so, the pressures following the UE’s entry of Romania and the evolution of customers needs and expectations will speed up the growth of the market research.

Romanian Market Researches in Global Market Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor Danciu

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Market research is a powerful industry, whose value reached 21,5 billion USD in 2004. Market studies expenses are mostly concentrated in Europe (45% and in USA (37%. The market shares of the Top 10 companies were above fifty per cent of the research market’s turnover. As a young, modest market, which is 0,84% of the global expenses value, Romania was the global leader in terms of growth, in 2004. With an asymmetric demand and a relatively concentrated offer, the Romanian research market may have a spectacular development in the future, if the obstacles for the customers and research companies are surpassed. If so, the pressures following the UE’s entry of Romania and the evolution of customers needs and expectations will speed up the growth of the market research.

Ecosystem service trade-offs across global contexts and scales

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Jeannine Cavender-Bares

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Meeting human needs while sustaining the planet's life support systems is the fundamental challenge of our time. What role sustenance of biodiversity and contrasting ecosystem services should play in achieving a sustainable future varies along philosophical, cultural, institutional, societal, and governmental divisions. Contrasting biophysical constraints and perspectives on human well-being arise both within and across countries that span the tropics and temperate zone. Direct sustenance of livelihoods from ecosystem services in East Africa contrasts with the complex and diverse relationships with the land in Mexico and the highly monetary-based economy of the United States. Lack of understanding of the contrasting contexts in which decision-making about trade-offs occurs creates impediments to collective global efforts to sustain the Earth's life support systems. While theoretical notions of the goals of sustainability science seek a unified path forward, realities on the ground present challenges. This Special Feature seeks to provide both an analytical framework and a series of case studies to illuminate impediments posed to sustainability by contrasting biophysical constraints and human perspectives on what should be sustained. The contributors aim to clarify the trade-offs posed to human welfare in sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem services and the challenges in managing for a sustainable future in which human well-being is not compromised as compared to today. Our goal is to provide novel insights on how sustainability can be achieved internationally through exploration of constraints, trade-offs, and human values examined at multiple scales, and across geographic regions from a range of cultural perspectives.

El efecto del pastoreo sobre la diversidad florística y estructural en pastizales de montaña del centro de Argentina Grazing effects on the floristic and structural diversity in mountain grasslands from central Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MARIANA NAI-BREGAGLIO

2002-09-01

vertical como horizontal, afectando probablemente a otros niveles tróficos del ecosistema. La alternancia en el espacio de los dos tipos de parches estudiados permitiría obtener un mejor compromiso entre pastoreo y conservación de la diversidad florística y estructuralThe effects of grazing and 10 years of cattle exclusion on floristic composition and diversity and on structural diversity were studied in natural mountain grasslands at Sierras de Córdoba (2,200 m of elevation, Argentine. We consider structural diversity as the arrangement complexity of biomass in space, both horizontal and vertical. The abundance of all plant species and their vertical and horizontal arrangement were recorded by means of 50 randomly assorted pins, each of them subdivided into 20 cm height intervals. Sampling was performed inside five replicates, each of them consisted of two adjacent 20 x 20 m plots separated by a fence, one grazed and another excluded from grazing. Floristic and vertical structure diversity were estimated by means of Shannon index. The variance in floristic and vertical structure diversity indexes were compared among treatments to study possible variations in the horizontal distribution of both floristic diversity and vertical structure, respectively. Species richness and floristic diversity were higher in grazed grasslands. Over 85 % of total plant species occurred at grazed grasslands, in contrast to 65 % in sites excluded from grazing. Only three exotic plant species were found, one of them exclusive to grazed sites. Cattle grazing produced a significant decrease in vertical structure diversity and in the variance in horizontal space of floristic diversity, but did not produce significant changes in the variance in horizontal space of vertical structure diversity. Although cattle grazing promotes lawns of high floristic diversity, it produces an over simplification of the community structure, both vertical and horizontal, probably affecting other trophic levels of

Migration as a Context-Dependent Dynamic in a World of Global Inequalities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jana Sládková

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Global migration is a topic of utmost importance in psychological research. As over 200 million people are on the move across national borders, and many more within their own countries, the processes of these migrations must be examined from different points of view and from different geographical locations. The articles in this special journal issue pointedly illustrate the role of international, national, community, and individual factors that shape these migrations. One cross-cutting theme is the importance of studying how multiple levels of context affect immigrant and migrant experiences. All six contributions, collectively, enrich the often individual-centric psychological literature. Issues of resilience and spaces of resistance emerged as a second cross-cutting theme, pointing to new directions for acculturation research and intervention. The challenge of recognizing diversity within migrant communities and among migration patterns is a third cross-cutting theme essential to address as we work toward a more equal world in which people can more freely chose whether to stay or leave their homes.

Nuclear power in the context of global warming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bodansky, D.

1989-01-01

The paper examines the extent to which nuclear power could help ameliorate the greenhouse problem. Topics discussed include: (1) How serious is the environmental threat posed by the greenhouse effect? (2) How large a part do fossil fuels play in producing greenhouse gases? (3) Is it possible to prevent or abate the anticipated global warming? (4) Can nuclear power play a significant role? (5) What overall approached might best reduce greenhouse emissions? Global cooperativeness in addressing the problem will be essential. 14 refs., 5 tabs

[Capoeira circle or sports academy? The emergence of modern styles of capoeira and their global context].

Science.gov (United States)

Assunção, Matthias Röhrig

2014-01-01

The emergence of the modern styles of capoeira should be considered in the global context of the modernization of martial arts currently in progress in Europe and Asia on the one hand, and the new phase of Afro-descendant modernity on the other. The confrontation between the capoeira, jiu-jitsu and other martial arts circles led mestre Bimba to develop his regional Bahian fighting style. The revival of traditional capoeira as Angolan capoeira led by mestre Pastinha is part of the broader movement of affirmation of Afro-Bahian culture in Salvador and the growing visibility of the Afro-descendant body in the Atlantic world.

Examining the Efficacy of Project-Based Learning on Cultivating the 21st Century Skills among High School Students in a Global Context

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chi-Syan; Ma, Jung-Tsan; Kuo, Karen Yi-Chwen; Chou, Chien-Tzu Candace

2015-01-01

The goal of the study is to explore the opportunities and challenges associated with Project-Based Learning strategy in a global context on the aspects of both fostering learning community of practices and nurturing the 21st century skills. For collecting empirical data, the study implements and administers an online international project-based…

An Ecological Comparison of Floristic Composition in Seasonal Semideciduous Forest in Southeast Brazil: Implications for Conservation

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Sérgio de Faria Lopes

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We examined floristic patterns of ten seasonal semideciduous forest sites in southeastern Brazil and conducted a central sampling of one hectare for each site, where we took samples and identified all individual living trees with DBH (diameter at breast height, 1.30 m ≥4.8 cm. Arboreal flora totaled 242 species, 163 genera, and 58 families. Fabaceae (38 species and Myrtaceae (20 species were families with the largest number of species. Only Copaifera langsdorffii and Hymenaea courbaril occurred at all sites. Multivariate analysis (detrended correspondence analysis and cluster analysis using two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN indicated the formation of a group containing seven fragments in which Siparuna guianensis was the indicator species. This analysis revealed that similarities between studied fragments were due mainly to the successional stage of the community.

Floristic patterns and disturbance history in karri ( Eucalyptus diversicolor: Myrtaceae) forest, south-western Australia: 2. Origin, growth form and fire response

Science.gov (United States)

Wardell-Johnson, Grant W.; Williams, M. R.; Mellican, A. E.; Annells, A.

2007-03-01

We examined the influence of disturbance history on the floristic composition of a single community type in karri forest, south-western Australia. Cover-abundance of 224 plant species and six disturbance and site-based environmental variables were recorded in 91, 20 m × 20 m quadrats. Numerical taxonomic and correlation approaches were used to relate these and 10 plant species-group variables based on origin, growth form and fire response. Ordination revealed no discernable pattern of sites based on floristic composition. However, all 10 species-group variables were significantly correlated with the ordination axes. Species richness within these groups varied with category and with respect to many of the disturbance and site variables. We encountered low diversity of vascular plants at the community level and limited diversity of growth forms. Thus most species were herbs (62.1%) or shrubs (30.3%), and there were no epiphytes and few species of trees or climbers. Although many introduced species were recorded (18.3% of all taxa), virtually all (83%) were herbs that demonstrated little persistence in the community, and there was limited evidence of transformer species. Time-since-fire (and other disturbance) influenced species richness more than the number of recent past fires because of a high proportion of ephemerals associated with the immediate post-fire period. Long-lived shrubs with soil stored seed dominate numerically, and in understorey biomass in comparison with neighboring vegetation types because of their greater flexibility of response following irregular, but intense disturbance events. However, interactions between nutrient status, regeneration mechanisms and community composition may be worthy of further investigation.

Structure and floristic composition of Miombo woodland in Mocuba district, Mozambique

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Salvador José António Nanvonamuquitxo

2017-08-01

Full Text Available To ensuresustainable use of natural forests, it is necessary the development of appropriate silvicultural techniques, based on the ecology of each type of plant formation. This study aimed to characterize the horizontal structure of a Miombo forest, located in Mocuba District, Zambézia province in Mozambique, aiming to provide technical support to the development of efficient management systems forest. The forest inventory was conducted using systematic sampling process, in which the horizontal structure was characterized taking into account the forest highlighting the floristic composition, phytosociology, species diversity and diameter distribution. In the area were foud 1090 individuals from 34 species, 29 genera and 12 families. The most important species in accordance with the ecological importance value index were Fabaceae family such BrachystegiaspiciformisBenth., CordylaafricanaLour., Burkeaafricana Hook., Pterocarpusangolensis DC., which make up about 58% of all species in the area. The behavior observed for the Shannon-Wienner (H ' and Pielou (J' diversity index of 0,88 and 0,85 respectively, showed that the study area exhibits low diversity of species compared to studies in similar forests. The diameter distribution adjusted by the Meyer function showed a deficit of individuals in class 12,5 cm and 17,5 cm as a result of underutilization of individuals of lower diametric class by the local community, however, this is showing good resilience of its structure.

Latin American Identity and The Contradictory Processes Involved in its Construction-Deconstruction-Reconfiguration in Global Contexts

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Víctor Hugo Ramos

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses the difficult and contradictory formation, consolidation and change processes of Latin American identity from an anthropological and holistic perspective and in the context of the emergence of the world-system from the conquest, colonization and independence struggles to its current reconfiguration in the midst of transnational globalization and the alternatives to it. This approach, which we could call dynamicsynthetic, sees identity as a constantly changing open process where contradictory dynamics interact in the construction-deconstruction-reconfiguration of Latin American identity in specific historical contexts. Our continental collective identity is analyzed as the result of complex strains among various civilizational dynamics and opposing geopolitical forces. Dialectical and dialogical processes work together to allow the “reconciliation” of converse and diverse elements in innovative syntheses and create a space for dialogue that fosters what is shared to have a positive interaction, without denying the specific. In other words, they facilitate the interaction between “we” and the “others”, the “national” and the “continental”, the “local” and the “global”, enabling a better understanding of our inclusive continental nominative process: “Hispano-American”, “Ibero-American”, “Latin American”

Radio Context Awareness and Applications

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Luca Reggiani

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The context refers to “any information that can be used to characterize the situation of an entity, where an entity can be a person, place, or physical object.” Radio context awareness is defined as the ability of detecting and estimating a system state or parameter, either globally or concerning one of its components, in a radio system for enhancing performance at the physical, network, or application layers. In this paper, we review the fundamentals of context awareness and the recent advances in the main radio techniques that increase the context awareness and smartness, posing challenges and renewed opportunities to added-value applications in the context of the next generation of wireless networks.

Biocrusts in the context of global change

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Sasha C.; Maestre, Fernando T.; Ochoa-Hueso, Raul; Kuske, Cheryl; Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony N.; Darby, Brian; Sinsabaugh, Bob; Oliver, Mel; Sancho, Leo; Belnap, Jayne

2016-01-01

A wide range of studies show global environmental change will profoundly affect the structure, function, and dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems. The research synthesized here underscores that biocrust communities are also likely to respond significantly to global change drivers, with a large potential for modification to their abundance, composition, and function. We examine how elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations, climate change (increased temperature and altered precipitation), and nitrogen deposition affect biocrusts and the ecosystems they inhabit. We integrate experimental and observational data, as well as physiological, community ecology, and biogeochemical perspectives. Taken together, these data highlight the potential for biocrust organisms to respond dramatically to environmental change and show how changes to biocrust community composition translate into effects on ecosystem function (e.g., carbon and nutrient cycling, soil stability, energy balance). Due to the importance of biocrusts in regulating dryland ecosystem processes and the potential for large modifications to biocrust communities, an improved understanding and predictive capacity regarding biocrust responses to environmental change are of scientific and societal relevance.

Context Sensitive Health Informatics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

involves careful consideration of both human and organizational factors. This book presents the proceedings of the Context Sensitive Health Informatics (CSHI) conference, held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in August 2013. The theme of this year’s conference is human and sociotechnical approaches. The Human...... different healthcare contexts. Healthcare organizations, health policy makers and regulatory bodies globally are starting to acknowledge this essential role of human and organizational factors for safe and effective health information technology. This book will be of interest to all those involved......Healthcare information technologies are now routinely deployed in a variety of healthcare contexts. These contexts differ widely, but the smooth integration of IT systems is crucial, so the design, implementation, and evaluation of safe, effective, efficient and easy to adopt health informatics...

Global Operations Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

In the current context of global economic liberalisation and technological advancements, industrial companies are less likely to generate value in the traditional vertically integrated chain. Instead, they are doing so by means of elaborate cross-border and cross-organisational networks. As a rule......, these networks are configured on a global basis and consist of diverse and interdependent affiliates (linked both through ownership and non-equity relationships), which are engaged in an exchange of goods, services and information. The Scandinavian context is no exception to this trend. Nevertheless......, international comparative studies providing comprehensive insights from it are still rare. With the objective of bridging this gap, Global Operations Networks (GONE) project (sponsored by the Danish Research Council) brought together numerous academic and industrial partners from Denmark, Sweden and Finland...

Implementation of U.S. Global Goals: Continental Integration Context

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Yaroslava Stolyarchuk

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The article provides efficiency assessment regarding existing mechanisms of the U.S. national interests’ implementation at the global level in terms of international competition aggravation and formation of the new global economic competition centers. Based on comparative analysis of the leverage for U.S. leadership in global competition it has been proven that currently the highest efficiency is demonstrated by the integration strategies of the USA in Latin America focused on maximizing implementation of the economic interests of U.S. transnational corporations in the region. It has been proven that the observed profound asymmetries regarding socio-economic development of the North and Latin America countries objectively requires implementation of the effective institutional mechanisms for leveling the negative effects generated by the trade and investment liberalization processes.

Lithuanian financial system transformation in the context of globalization

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Arturas Balkevicius

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of the article is to discuss the transformation of the Lithuania finance system in the context of globalization. Exploring the interdependence between the financial system and the economy, in different periods. Analyze the country’s financial system transformation after the crisis period. Methods: Contribution use general scientific methods, especially analysis, synthesis, comparison, induction and deduction. Essential sources of information were professional publications , statistic data of state Statistics Department, Bank of Lithuania, Euro stat. Scientific aim: Main aim of this article is to analyze the transformation of the Lithuania financial system and fined out the country’s economic growth and the financial system correlation, the main factors having a both positive and negative impact on economic growth. Findings: Findings of this article are new information in this area, which can be useful for another research. The correlation between the banks ‚ loans and GDP. However, this does not apply at the time of the economy fall. Conclusions: Economic growth in the financial sector and economic development is best visible analyzing in the correlation between the banks ‚ loans and GDP. However, this does not apply at the time of the economy fall. Banks ‚ relative indicators better reflects the weight of the financial sector and the impact on the national economy. We can see that 2011 banks relative indicators dropped to 2006 level. This shows how much the financial sector’s contribution decreased to economic development. Banks’ loans demand fall down. Lithuania has taken strict fiscal discipline and austerity measures. This have produced results quite quickly, in 2010 GDP grew by 3.4 percent, and in 2011 even 11.5 percent. Lithuania’s economy is recovering, but the financial sector and in particular banks still not recovering. The economic crisis has intervened in the banking system and has been surviving

Globalization: Ecological consequences of global-scale connectivity in people, resources and information

Science.gov (United States)

Globalization is a phenomenon affecting all facets of the Earth System. Within the context of ecological systems, it is becoming increasingly apparent that global connectivity among terrestrial systems, the atmosphere, and oceans is driving many ecological dynamics at finer scales and pushing thresh...

China's income inequality in the global context

OpenAIRE

Han, Jin; Zhao, Qingxia; Zhang, Mengnan

2016-01-01

Although China's GDP has become the world's second largest, China's long-term economic growth with high speed and long-lasting “efficiency first” policy guidance, has brought China into a complicated situation, therein serious inequality exists in China and it has become one of the most serious problems in China nowadays. This paper focuses on China's inequality issues in the context of the world, especially on comparison between China and the European countries, concerning of our common purs...

Transnational HCI: Humans, Computers and Interactions in Global Contexts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vertesi, Janet; Lindtner, Silvia; Shklovski, Irina

2011-01-01

, but as evolving in relation to global processes, boundary crossings, frictions and hybrid practices. In doing so, we expand upon existing research in HCI to consider the effects, implications for individuals and communities, and design opportunities in times of increased transnational interactions. We hope...... to broaden the conversation around the impact of technology in global processes by bringing together scholars from HCI and from related humanities, media arts and social sciences disciplines....

Aquatic macrophytes in the large, sub-tropical Itaipu Reservoir, Brazil

OpenAIRE

Roger Paulo Mormul; Fernando Alves Ferreira; Thaisa Sala Michelan; Priscilla Carvalho; Marcio José Silveira; Sidinei Magela Thomaz

2010-01-01

In the last three decades, rapid assessment surveys have become an important approach for measuring aquatic ecosystem biodiversity. These methods can be used to detect anthropogenic impacts and recognize local or global species extinctions. We present a floristic survey of the aquatic macrophytes along the Brazilian margin of the Itaipu Reservoir conducted in 2008 and compare this with a floristic survey conducted ten years earlier. We used ordination analysis to determine whether assemblage ...

The Necessity of Developing Nuclear Energy in Romania in the Context of Global Economy Expansion

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Dana-Elena MARCEAN HOLBAN

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Energy is one of the most important elements of the global economy, being the basic unit of world economic development. In the energy mix, nuclear energy - more than any other type of energy - has generated and will always generate a series of controversies. This article aims to emphasize the economic and social implications, further than the general purpose of developing nuclear energy: national energetic security. With the starting point clearly defined – the history already written by the operation of Unit 1 and 2 – the path to discover all its elements seems to be clear, although a whole range of unknown issues can rise many different interpretations. In Romania, nuclear energy produces 18% of Romania's electricity supplies. Development of Units 3 and 4 of the Cernavoda site could more than double this capacity. This will have major implications in the trading market, significantly influencing the price of electricity not only nationally, but, in the context coupling energy markets, as well as at regional level. It is also risen the question of using this additional production. Depending on the time of commissioning, this quantity of energy that now seems overmuch, can be used for export, to reduce the use of fossil fuels and to continue to obtain electricity in the context of a system based on power plants that use fossil fuels, whose lifespan is nearing completion.

Global Supply-Chain Strategy And Global Competitiveness

OpenAIRE

Asghar Sabbaghi; Navid Sabbaghi

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study is to provide an analysis of global supply chain in a broader context that encompasses not only the producing company, but suppliers and customers.The theme of this study is to identify global sourcing and selling options, to enhance customer service and value added, to optimize inventory performance, to reduce total delivered costs and lead times, to achieve lower break-even costs, and to improve operational flexibility, customization and partner relations. In this ...

Health Inequalities in Global Context

Science.gov (United States)

Beckfield, Jason; Olafsdottir, Sigrun

2017-01-01

The existence of social inequalities in health is well established. One strand of research focuses on inequalities in health within a single country. A separate and newer strand of research focuses on the relationship between inequality and average population health across countries. Despite the theorization of (presumably variable) social conditions as “fundamental causes” of disease and health, the cross-national literature has focused on average, aggregate population health as the central outcome. Controversies currently surround macro-structural determinants of overall population health such as income inequality. We advance and redirect these debates by conceptualizing inequalities in health as cross-national variables that are sensitive to social conditions. Using data from 48 World Values Survey countries, representing 74% of the world’s population, we examine cross-national variation in inequalities in health. The results reveal substantial variation in health inequalities according to income, education, sex, and migrant status. While higher socioeconomic position is associated with better self-rated health around the globe, the size of the association varies across institutional context, and across dimensions of stratification. There is some evidence that education and income are more strongly associated with self-rated health than sex or migrant status. PMID:29104292

The global village in a local context. Implementing global awareness as a managerial competency within South Africa's multicultural mainstream media newsrooms

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E. Steyn

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: As part of a national research survey into the importance and implementation of six managerial competencies, this article aims to investigate the importance a national sample of reporters and first-line newsroom managers in South Africa's mainstream media attach to global awareness as a managerial competency. It also aims to establish gaps between the importance attached to and current implementation thereof by the latter. Design/Methodology/Approach: Qualitative and quantitative research designs were combined to obtain the most comprehensive view on the research problem. Quantitative data was compiled through self-administered questionnaires among first-line newsroom managers and reporters employed by the country's mainstream media. Qualitative data was obtained through semi-structured interviews and observational research. These sets of data were combined triangularly to improve validity and reliability. Quantitative data was analysed through factor analysis and effect size analysis, while qualitative data was analysed through qualitative content analysis. Findings: It was found that both respondent groups perceive first-line newsroom managers unable to implement the skills associated with the global awareness competency (given the importance they attach to it. While in some cases first-line newsroom managers themselves were more aware of their shortcomings, reporters highlighted other instances where they perceive their superiors unable to perform as expected. Implications: Given the challenges associated with globalisation, media managers need skills to identify and realise the impact of national and international changes on their business activities. South African media managers must also identify and address the challenges associated with the multilingual and multicultural backgrounds of their newsroom staff. Originality/Value: The dimensions of global awareness as a managerial competency are rooted in general management theory

Floristic inventory of vascular plant in Nam Ha National Biodiversity Conservation Area, Lao People's Democratic Republic

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Jeong Ho Park

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The floristic inventory of vascular plants in Nam Ha National Biodiversity Conservation Area was conducted to understand the plant diversity in the northern area of Lao People's Democratic Republic. From the joint field surveys between Korean and Laos experts conducted during 2015–2017, it was found that there are 64 families, 145 genera, and 189 species distributed in the Nam Ba National Biodiversity Conservation Area, and a total of 56 families, 117 genera, and 148 species which comprise more than 78% of the total species were identified as endemic plants to the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Considering the usage of the plants, there are 91 species of medicinal plants, 33 species of ornamental plants, eight species of edible plants, and 16 species of economic plants. In addition, it was found out that Dalbergia balansae and Cinnamomum macrocarpum are categorized as vulnerable in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Red list, and 13 more species are categorized as the least concern.

The Asian Criminological Paradigm and How It Links Global North and South: Combining an Extended Conceptual Toolbox from the North with Innovative Asian Contexts

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Jianhong Liu

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In their recent seminal paper ‘Southern Criminology’, Carrington, Hogg and Sozzo (2016 address the issue of the global divide between South/North relations in the hierarchal production of criminological knowledge. They point out that the divide privileges theories, assumptions and methods that are largely based on the empirical specificities of the global North. Carrington et al. contend that the dominance of global North criminology has led to a severe underdevelopment of criminology in the global South, except ‘in Asia, with the establishment of the Asian Criminological Society and its journal’ (Liu 2009, in Carrington et al. 2016: 3. Carrington et al. propose an important task of bridging the global divide through further developing criminology in the global South. My present paper reviews the development of Asian criminology under the framework of the Asian Criminological Paradigm (Liu 2009. I primarily review the conceptual and theoretical developments, to suggest strategies that can contribute to the task of bridging the gap between global North and South. What Asian criminology has done is expand the theoretical tool box originally developed in the global North through the strategies of transportation of theories, elaboration of theories, and proposing new concepts and theories based on the empirical grounds of Asian contexts.

[The department budget, in the context of the hospital global budget. Initial results in general medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Besançon, F

1984-02-23

In a general hospital (Hôtel-Dieu, in the center of Paris), run with a global budget, budgets determined for each unit were introduced as an experiment in 1980. Physicians were in charge of certain expenses, mainly: linen, drugs, transportation of patients to and from other hospitals within Paris, and blood fractions. The whole does not exceed 4% of the turnover (FF 20 millions in 1980) of a 67 bed internal medicine unit. Other accounts deal with the stays, admissions, prescriptions of technical acts, laboratory analyses, and X-rays. In 1980, expenses were 11% more than budgeted, but the increase in stays and particularly in admissions was significantly greater. The resulting savings were 8.8% and 18.7% for stays and admissions respectively. Psychic reactions were variable. The subsequent budgets followed the fluctuations of recorded expenses, which were fairly important in both directions. The unit budget may be an advance or a regression, in a restrictive and past-perpetuating context. The coherence between the unit budget and the global hospital budget is questionable. Physicians were willing to take part in accounting and saving. They have good reason for not enlarging their financial responsibilities. Conversely, they may give more attention to diseases of public opinion.

International congress on aromatic and medicinal plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

Full Text : In Morocco, medicinal and aromatic plants occupy an important place in the traditional care system of a large number of local people. They are also economically strong potential, but unfortunately they are not valued enough. Indeed, Morocco by its privileged geographical position in the Mediterranean basin and its floristic diversity (with a total of over 4,200 species and subspecies of which over 500 are recognized as medicinal and aromatic plants), is a leading provider of traditional global market. In this context and given the back label of the natural global, group research and studies on Aromatic and Medicinal Plants (GREPAM), the Faculty of Semlalia and University Cadi Ayyad, organize: the International Congress on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants CIPAM 2009. The organization of this conference is part of scientific research developed by the GREPAM. [fr

Palynology and detrital zircon geochronology of the Carboniferous Fenestella Shale Formation of the Tethyan realm in Kashmir Himalaya: Implications for global correlation and floristic evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Agnihotri, Deepa; Pandita, Sundeep K.; Tewari, Rajni; Ram-Awatar; Linnemann, Ulf; Pillai, S. Suresh K.; Joshi, Arun; Gautam, Saurabh; Kumar, Kamlesh

2018-05-01

First palynological data, supplemented by detrital zircon U-Pb ages, from the Fenestella Shale Formation near the Gund Village in the Banihal area of Jammu and Kashmir State, India, provide new insights into the floristic evolution of Gondwana during the Late Palaeozoic, especially in India, from where the Carboniferous-Permian macro- and microfloral records are impoverished. We also present a first approach to the palynological correlation of the Carboniferous-Permian palynoassemblages described from the various Gondwana countries. The palynomorphs from the Fenestella Shale Formation are fairly well preserved and diversified and include 11 genera and 18 species. While the trilete spores and striate bisaccate pollen grains are scarce, monosaccate pollen taxa mainly - Parasaccites, Plicatipollenites and Potonieisporites are dominant. The assemblage is most similar to the Parasaccites korbaensis palynozone of the Lower Gondwana basins of the Indian peninsula and the Stage 2 palynozone of the late Carboniferous of east Australia. Besides, it is comparable with the known Carboniferous assemblages of Pakistan, Yemen and South America; Carboniferous-early Permian assemblages of South Africa and Permian assemblages of Antarctica. The sediment source of the siliciclastic shelf and delta deposits intercalated in the Fenestella Shale Formation is a hinterland in which Precambrian rocks dominantly were exposed and the Th-U ratios of detrital zircons suggest, that most rocks exposed on the erosion level in the hinterland had a felsic composition. The youngest U-Pb zircon age of the investigated fossiliferous strata is 329 ± 16 Ma (late Visean to early Serpukhovian), providing a maximum age of deposition of the studied succession. Based on the affinities of the palynofloral assemblage and earlier palaeontological records, a warm, temperate and arid climate has been inferred for the Fenestella Shale Formation.

Global Communication with Icons : Hotel Safety as an Environmental Context

OpenAIRE

Heimbürger, Anneli; Khanom, Sukanya

2015-01-01

Icons are small signs with fixed meanings. Icons are usually context specific. For example in the context of a hotel, the client can often find icons in hotel room books and safety guides. Scandic Hotel chain, for example, currently provides the manual for its safety system in 14 languages. There are at least two major shortcomings of this system: (1) in emergency or panic situations, it is very difficult to find your own language from the leaflet, and (2) there are no Asian ...

Global bioethics and human rights in an African context: A reformed theological discourse on global bioethics as a new human rights ethos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.L. Rheeder

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The 2005 UNESCO Universal Declaration of Bioethics and Human Rights (UDBHR is specifically aimed at Africa and developing countries from other regions. The acceptance of this UNESCO instrument shows that global bioethics and human rights have become part of the bioethics discourse of today. It is clear that there is a certain affinity between human rights and bioethics, which makes such a link desirable. The value of this link lies in the fact that human rights facilitate a normative universal expansion of bioethical principles. The human rights framework provides bioethical principles with some authority and political influence, an instrument that can protect people in our broken context. Human rights practice and a reformed understanding of natural law both show that humanity can reach consensus on ethical principles such as those found in the UDBHR. Consensus on the theoretical foundation of human rights is not a prerequisite for the successful utilisation of these principles.

Chinese Curricula of Medical Science in the Context of Globalization

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Jinyuan

2018-01-01

As China runs towards the forefront of global economic power, people begin to pay growing attention to the quality of life and medical education that play a significant role in sustaining the development by providing healthier labor force. It is evident that in the process of globalization new curricula in line with international standards top…

Global energy efficiency governance in the context of climate politics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, J.; Ivanova, A.

2009-01-01

This paper argues that energy efficiency and conservation is a noncontroversial, critical, and equitable option for rich and poor alike. Although there is growing scientific and political consensus on its significance as an important option at global and national level, the political momentum for taking action is not commensurate with the potential in the sector or the urgency with which measures need to be taken to deal with climate change. The current global energy (efficiency) governance framework is diffuse. This paper submits that there are four substantive reasons why global governance should play a complementary role in promoting energy efficiency worldwide. Furthermore, given that market mechanisms are unable to rapidly mobilize energy efficiency projects and that there are no clear vested interests in this field which involves a large number of actors, there is need for a dedicated agency to promote energy efficiency and conservation. This paper provides an overview of energy efficiency options presented by IPCC, the current energy efficiency governance structure at global level, and efforts taken at supranational and national levels, and makes suggestions for a governance framework.

Gangs and a global sociological imagination.

Science.gov (United States)

Fraser, Alistair; Hagedorn, John M

2018-02-01

Across the globe, the phenomenon of youth gangs has become an important and sensitive public issue. In this context, an increasing level of research attention has focused on the development of universalized definitions of gangs in a global context. In this article, we argue that this search for similarity has resulted in a failure to recognize and understand difference. Drawing on an alternative methodology we call a 'global exchange', this article suggests three concepts-homologies of habitus, vectors of difference and transnational reflexivity-that seek to re-engage the sociological imagination in the study of gangs and globalization.

Floristic diversity in bashemsin valley of kackar mountains national park of rize, turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baykal, H.

2016-01-01

The floristical structure of Bashemsin and its environs as a protected and isolated area within Kackar Mountains National Park, situated in Rize, a province in the Blacksea region of Turkey, is studied. 1830 plant specimens were collected and 503 taxa were identified in 234 genera and 75 families. Sixteen Pteridophytes and 487 Spermatophytes were determined. Two of Spermatophytes are Gymnospermae while 485 of them are Angiospermae (98 Monocotyledones and 389 Dicotyledones). The richest families in taxa are Asteraceae, Poaceae, Brassicaceae, and Fabaceae (55 Asteraceae, 49 Poaceae, 28 Brassicaceae, and 27 Fabaceae). Phytogeographic elements are listed in order as: Euro-Siberian 247 (49.1%), Irano-Turanian 17 (3.4%), Mediterranean 6 (1.2%), multiregional-unknown phytogeographic root 233 (46.3%). Hemicryptophytes are the richest with 224 (44.5%) taxa and it is followed by cryptophytes 144 (28.6%), therophytes 53 (10.5%), chamaephytes 59 (11.7%), phanerophytes 19 (3.8%), vasicular parasites 2 (0.4%), nanophanerophytes/chamaephytes 1 (0.2%) and hydrophytes 1 (0.2%). 34 endemic taxa were determined (6.7%). 13 threatened taxa were detected in the research area and we determined that Sorbus caucasica Zinserl. var. yaltirikii Goksin population has fallen into CR endangered category with only 2 individuals in the study area. (author)

Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory in the Context of Globalization

Science.gov (United States)

Marginson, Simon; Dang, Thi Kim Anh

2017-01-01

The article reviews the social-educational theorization of the early Soviet psychologist L. S. Vygotsky (1896-1934) in the light of the impact of communicative globalization in educational practice. Vygotsky proposed four "genetic domains" for investigating higher cognitive processes: the phylogenetic (humans undergoing natural…

Managing CSR Globally and Locally

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

L. Brown, Dana; Knudsen, Jette Steen

Corporate Responsibility (CR) is today an essential component of corporate global strategy. CR can bolster the institutional context for market expansion (Porter and Kramer 2006); fill institutional voids (Tarun, et.al. 2005); or facilitate market entry as a component of non-market strategy (Baron...... 2006). Yet, in fulfilling these functions, CR may need to be highly sensitive to local contexts. How can transnational firms organize CR so as to maximize efficiencies from globalization and to minimize the fragmentation of corporate organizational cultures? Bartlett and Ghoshal (1989) provide...... a framework for analyzing the way that corporations coordinate global and local functions. We build on this framework in a case study of Novo Nordisk and its approach to determining global and local CR policies and procedures with regard to its China and United States subsidiaries. Our findings suggest...

Floristic diversity and survival strategies of climbers in a Caatinga fragment in the municipality of Porto da Folha, Sergipe, Brazil

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Diogo Gallo Oliveira

2015-03-01

Full Text Available A floristic survey of climbing species in a Caatinga fragment in the municipality of Porto da Folha, state of Sergipe, Northeast Brazil, was conducted to determine their survival strategies during unfavorable seasons. Forty-five angiosperm species belonging to 29 genera and 14 families were counted. Species richness was higher than that recorded in other Caatinga areas. The most representative families were Convolvulaceae (8, Fabaceae (6, Apocynaceae (5, and Dioscoreaceae (5. Most of the climbers (64.4% were herbaceous. Therophytes represented the dominant lifestyle (51.1% and represented the main dry-season escape strategy. Climbers are important biological groups that require more studies on their autoecological aspects and their role in ecological communities and should be considered in the establishment of biodiversity conservation strategies.

Floristic diversity and survival strategies of climbers in a Caatinga fragment in the municipality of Porto da Folha, Sergipe, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diogo Gallo de Oliveira

2015-05-01

Full Text Available A floristic survey of climbing species in a Caatinga fragment in the municipality of Porto da Folha, state of Sergipe, Northeast Brazil, was conducted to determine their survival strategies during unfavorable seasons. Forty-five angiosperm species belonging to 29 genera and 14 families were counted. Species richness was higher than that recorded in other Caatinga areas. The most representative families were Convolvulaceae (8, Fabaceae (6, Apocynaceae (5, and Dioscoreaceae (5. Most of the climbers (64.4% were herbaceous. Therophytes represented the dominant lifestyle (51.1% and represented the main dry-season escape strategy. Climbers are important biological groups that require more studies on their autoecological aspects and their role in ecological communities and should be considered in the establishment of biodiversity conservation strategies.

Romania's Competitiveness and Competitive Position in Global Context

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Valentin NECULITA

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Competitiveness increase has become a primordial framework of the social and economic development strategies of most world countries (mainly the most developed ones over the last decades. The vigorous boost of the contemporary phenomenon of globalization, which has widened the global area of economies, sectors and firms confrontation, has laid an emphasis on their competitiveness importance for their favorable position in the international competition and has therefore force the status to take proper, broad and concerted measures to stimulate the determining factors of action and to take better advantage of their effects. The purpose of the paper is to determine whether an increase in competitiveness could reduce the disparities between regions. The E.U. Member States and regions need significant financial help to solve various structural problems and to achieve their potential of growth. Romania is no exception, one of the main problems being the low rate in attracting European funds.

OLD AND NEW ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION

OpenAIRE

Elena MĂRGULESCU

2015-01-01

The retrospective of the theoretical approaches of the phenomenon of economic globalization in the last three decades emphasizes the movement of attention from the globalization of markets, from the'80s, to the globalization of production and services in the current decade. This trend is essentially the result of implementing new strategies by multinational and transnational companies. We try in this context to draw a line between the "globalization of markets" and the "globalization of produ...

Food sovereignty as multiple resistances: the Honduran movement in global context

OpenAIRE

Gies, Heather Marie

2014-01-01

Food sovereignty reconciles the local and global in its creative political imaginary of the meaning of sovereignty that justifies “multiple resistances.” This research explores this reconciliation of local and global through the case study of the food sovereignty project being advanced by campesino organizations in the Aguán Valley, Honduras, as situated within the dynamic nexus of local and global discourses, movements, and material realities. I argue that food sovereignty reconceives sovere...

Luteocirrhus shearii gen. sp. nov. (Diaporthales, Cryphonectriaceae) pathogenic to Proteaceae in the South Western Australian Floristic Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Crane, Colin; Burgess, Treena I

2013-07-01

Morphological and DNA sequence characteristics of a pathogenic fungus isolated from branch cankers in Proteaceae of the South West Australian Floristic Region elucidated a new genus and species within Cryphonectriaceae (Diaporthales). The pathogen has been isolated from canker lesions in several Banksia species and Lambertia echinata subsp. citrina, and is associated with a serious decline of the rare B. verticillata. Lack of orange pigment in all observed structures except cirrhi, combined with pulvinate to globose black semi-immersed conidiomata with paraphyses, distinguishes the canker fungus from other genera of Cryphonectriaceae. This was confirmed by DNA sequence analysis of the ITS regions, β-tubulin, and LSU genes. The fungus (sexual morph unknown) is described as Luteocirrhus shearii gen. sp. nov. Lesions in seedlings of Banksia spp. following wound inoculation and subsequent recovery confirm Koch's postulates for pathogenicity. This pathogen of native Proteaceae is currently an emerging threat, particularly toward B. baxteri and B. verticillata.

Floristic and structure of the shrub-arboreal component of a remnant of cerrado sensustricto, Gurupi, Tocantins, Brazil

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Bruno Aurélio Aguiar

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The objective was to characterize a floristic and phytosociology of a fragment of cerrado sensu stricto, located in Gurupi, Tocantins. The study was carried out in the legal Reserve of the experimental farm of the Federal University of Tocantins, Campus of Gurupi, Tocantins, Brazil. Five porcelains of 20x50m were implanted, totaling 5000sqm and all compostations with a circumference greater than or equal to 10 cm, at 0 cm at the soil level (CAS were implanted. Foramaler 906 aphid shrub-arboreal belonging to 42 families, 102 species and 78 genera. The families that stood out in number of individuals, frequency, dominance were Myrtacea, Vochystaceae, Burseraceae and Fabaceae, among the indications of the main beings Myrcia fallax (Rich DC, Protium heptaphyllum (Aubl Marchand and Qualea multiflora Mart. The diversity index of Shannon (H ' was 3.70 and equability J'0,80, being considered for the cerrado region.

Traffic-related air pollution and allergic disease: an update in the context of global urbanization.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlsten, Christopher; Rider, Christopher F

2017-04-01

The review aims to give an update on the literature around traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) and allergic disease in the context of global urbanization, as the most populous countries in the world face severe TRAP exposure challenges. As research continues to show that gene-environment interactions and epigenetics contribute to the TRAP-allergy link, evidence around the links to climate change grows. Greenspace may provide a buffer to adverse effects of traffic on health, overall, but pose risks in terms of allergic disease. The link between traffic-related pollution and allergy continues to strengthen, in terms of supportive observational findings and mechanistic studies. Levels of TRAP across the world, particularly in Asia, continue to dramatically exceed acceptable levels, suggesting that the related adverse health consequences will accelerate. This could be counterbalanced by primary emission control and urban planning. Attention to combined effects of TRAP and allergen exposure is critical to avoiding misleading inferences drawn though examination only of isolated factors.

Global warming in the context of 2000 years of Australian alpine temperature and snow cover.

Science.gov (United States)

McGowan, Hamish; Callow, John Nikolaus; Soderholm, Joshua; McGrath, Gavan; Campbell, Micheline; Zhao, Jian-Xin

2018-03-13

Annual resolution reconstructions of alpine temperatures are rare, particularly for the Southern Hemisphere, while no snow cover reconstructions exist. These records are essential to place in context the impact of anthropogenic global warming against historical major natural climate events such as the Roman Warm Period (RWP), Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) and Little Ice Age (LIA). Here we show for a marginal alpine region of Australia using a carbon isotope speleothem reconstruction, warming over the past five decades has experienced equivalent magnitude of temperature change and snow cover decline to the RWP and MCA. The current rate of warming is unmatched for the past 2000 years and seasonal snow cover is at a minimum. On scales of several decades, mean maximum temperatures have undergone considerable change ≈ ± 0.8 °C highlighting local scale susceptibility to rapid temperature change, evidence of which is often masked in regional to hemisphere scale temperature reconstructions.

Determinants of prices increase of agricultural commodities in a global context1

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Borychowski Michał

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this article is to present the determinants of increase in agricultural commodity prices after 2006. The other specific aim is to show the factors affecting agricultural raw materials and food prices in the global context. This article is a review paper of the determinants of recent commodity and food prices spikes. However, it provides an outlook on these determinants that were the most important for the increases in the last decade. The last part of the article (conclusions to some extent is a synthesis of considerations and includes the authors’ opinions concerning determinants and an attempt to identify which ones were the most important in the growth of agricultural commodity prices. These increases in agricultural commodity prices resulted from many factors and it is very difficult to separate the individual impact of each of them, because they occurred in parallel. However, it is possible to indicate several main reasons for these price increases, which are: adverse changes in supply-demand relations in agricultural markets, increases in oil prices (and increases of the volatility of those prices, development of biofuel production from agricultural commodities (the first generation biofuels, dollar depreciation, an increase in operations of a speculative nature on commodity markets and improper economic policy that created an environment for the growth of prices of agricultural products.

The eastern Asian and eastern and western North American floristic disjunction: congruent phylogenetic patterns in seven diverse genera.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Q Y; Soltis, D E; Soltis, P S

1998-10-01

One of the most remarkable examples of intercontinental disjunction of the North Temperate Flora involves eastern Asia and eastern and western North America. Although there has been considerable interest in this phytogeographic pattern for over 150 years (e.g., Gray, 1859; Li, 1952; Graham, 1972; Boufford and Spongberg, 1983; Wu, 1983; Tiffney, 1985a, 1985b), relationships among taxa displaying the disjunction remain obscure. Understanding phylogenetic relationships is, however, a prerequisite for historical biogeographic analyses of this distributional pattern. To understand better the relationships of taxa displaying this intercontinental disjunction, phylogenetic analyses were conducted using a variety of DNA data sets for species of four genera (Cornus, Boykinia, Tiarella, and Trautvetteria) that occur in eastern Asia, eastern North America, and western North America. An area cladogram was constructed for each of the four genera, all of which show a similar pattern of relationship: the eastern Asian species are sister to all North American species. An identical phylogenetic pattern is also found in three other taxa exhibiting this disjunction (Aralia sect. Aralia, Calycanthus, and Adiantum pedatum). The congruent phylogenetic pattern found in these seven diverse genera raises the possibility of a common origin of the eastern Asia, eastern and western North America disjunction. The data are in agreement with the long-standing hypothesis that this well-known floristic disjunction represents the fragmentation of a once continuous Mixed Mesophytic forest community and suggest that the disjunction may have involved only two major vicariance events: an initial split between Eurasia and North America, followed by the isolation of floras between eastern and western North America. However, congruence between phylogenies and geographic distributions does not necessarily indicate an identical phytogeographic history. Taxa exhibiting the same phylogenetic pattern may have

Evaluating how variants of floristic quality assessment indicate wetland condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Kutcher, Thomas E; Forrester, Graham E

2018-03-28

Biological indicators are useful tools for the assessment of ecosystem condition. Multi-metric and multi-taxa indicators may respond to a broader range of disturbances than simpler indicators, but their complexity can make them difficult to interpret, which is critical to indicator utility for ecosystem management. Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA) is an example of a biological assessment approach that has been widely tested for indicating freshwater wetland condition, but less attention has been given to clarifying the factors controlling its response. FQA quantifies the aggregate of vascular plant species tolerance to habitat degradation (conservatism), and model variants have incorporated species richness, abundance, and indigenity (native or non-native). To assess bias, we tested FQA variants in open-canopy freshwater wetlands against three independent reference measures, using practical vegetation sampling methods. FQA variants incorporating species richness did not correlate with our reference measures and were influenced by wetland size and hydrogeomorphic class. In contrast, FQA variants lacking measures of species richness responded linearly to reference measures quantifying individual and aggregate stresses, suggesting a broad response to cumulative degradation. FQA variants incorporating non-native species, and a variant additionally incorporating relative species abundance, improved performance over using only native species. We relate our empirical findings to ecological theory to clarify the functional properties and implications of the FQA variants. Our analysis indicates that (1) aggregate conservatism reliably declines with increased disturbance; (2) species richness has varying relationships with disturbance and increases with site area, confounding FQA response; and (3) non-native species signal human disturbance. We propose that incorporating species abundance can improve FQA site-level relevance with little extra sampling effort. Using our

Modeling global residential sector energy demand for heating and air conditioning in the context of climate change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isaac, Morna; Vuuren, Detlef P. van

2009-01-01

In this article, we assess the potential development of energy use for future residential heating and air conditioning in the context of climate change. In a reference scenario, global energy demand for heating is projected to increase until 2030 and then stabilize. In contrast, energy demand for air conditioning is projected to increase rapidly over the whole 2000-2100 period, mostly driven by income growth. The associated CO 2 emissions for both heating and cooling increase from 0.8 Gt C in 2000 to 2.2 Gt C in 2100, i.e. about 12% of total CO 2 emissions from energy use (the strongest increase occurs in Asia). The net effect of climate change on global energy use and emissions is relatively small as decreases in heating are compensated for by increases in cooling. However, impacts on heating and cooling individually are considerable in this scenario, with heating energy demand decreased by 34% worldwide by 2100 as a result of climate change, and air-conditioning energy demand increased by 72%. At the regional scale considerable impacts can be seen, particularly in South Asia, where energy demand for residential air conditioning could increase by around 50% due to climate change, compared with the situation without climate change

What qualifies globalization?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sarauw, Laura Louise

2012-01-01

modules and study programmes based on standardized learning outcomes and credits. In recent studies on the Bologna process (Fejes 2008, Ozga 2011) it is hence argued that qualifications frameworks can be seen as a key tool in an inevitable and univocal European standardization and marketisation of higher...... not neutral tools, responding to objective challenges of globalization, but at they same time shaping – or literally ‘framing’ – what is globalization By focusing on qualification frameworks, the paper unveils some of key the struggles over the significance of globalization in a Danish context...

Floristic and structural analysis of premontane humid forests in Amalfi (Antioquia, Colombia)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ariza Cortes, William; Toro Murillo, Juan Lazaro; Lores Medina, Angelica

2009-01-01

The floristic composition and the structure of a humid hill forest were determined. The forest is located in the northernmost area of the Colombian Central Mountain Range. The methodology proposed by ISA-JAUM was employed in this study, from a 0.1 ha sample. Moreover, plant material was collected from clear spots, stubbles and grasslands. A total of 421 vascular plants species were found. Two hundred and thirty eight of these come from the 0.1 ha sample and only 150 had DBH> 2.5 cm, which highlights the benefits of the sample method employed, since it was possible to record a large number of epiphytic and herbaceous elements in the forest. In general, the composition matches what was previously reported in similar areas. The families Melastomataceae (32), Lauraceae (31), Rubiaceae (29) and Araceae (15) were the ones holding the largest number of species. New chorological records for the state of Antioquia were reported in this study; for instance, Colombobalanus excelsa (Fagaceae). High density of individuals (388) was found at structural level. The patterns of height and diametrical classes followed the typical distribution of disetaneous tropical forests, in which the largest amount of individuals occur in the lowest classes and few species with individuals having the greatest diameters and heights account for the major ecological weight in the forest. Despite the great diversity documented, these forests are currently subject to an intensive process of fragmentation and loss of coverage.

Pharmacogenomics and Global Precision Medicine in the Context of Adverse Drug Reactions: Top 10 Opportunities and Challenges for the Next Decade.

Science.gov (United States)

Alessandrini, Marco; Chaudhry, Mamoonah; Dodgen, Tyren M; Pepper, Michael S

2016-10-01

In a move indicative of the enthusiastic support of precision medicine, the U.S. President Barack Obama announced the Precision Medicine Initiative in January 2015. The global precision medicine ecosystem is, thus, receiving generous support from the United States ($215 million), and numerous other governments have followed suit. In the context of precision medicine, drug treatment and prediction of its outcomes have been important for nearly six decades in the field of pharmacogenomics. The field offers an elegant solution for minimizing the effects and occurrence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) plays an important role in this context, and it aims at specifically guiding the translation of clinically relevant and evidence-based pharmacogenomics research. In this forward-looking analysis, we make particular reference to several of the CPIC guidelines and their role in guiding the treatment of highly relevant diseases, namely cardiovascular disease, major depressive disorder, cancer, and human immunodeficiency virus, with a view to predicting and managing ADRs. In addition, we provide a list of the top 10 crosscutting opportunities and challenges facing the fields of precision medicine and pharmacogenomics, which have broad applicability independent of the drug class involved. Many of these opportunities and challenges pertain to infrastructure, study design, policy, and science culture in the early 21st century. Ultimately, rational pharmacogenomics study design and the acquisition of comprehensive phenotypic data that proportionately match the genomics data should be an imperative as we move forward toward global precision medicine.

Optimising Regionalisation Techniques: Identifying Centres of Endemism in the Extraordinarily Endemic-Rich Cape Floristic Region

Science.gov (United States)

Bradshaw, Peter L.; Colville, Jonathan F.; Linder, H. Peter

2015-01-01

We used a very large dataset (>40% of all species) from the endemic-rich Cape Floristic Region (CFR) to explore the impact of different weighting techniques, coefficients to calculate similarity among the cells, and clustering approaches on biogeographical regionalisation. The results were used to revise the biogeographical subdivision of the CFR. We show that weighted data (down-weighting widespread species), similarity calculated using Kulczinsky’s second measure, and clustering using UPGMA resulted in the optimal classification. This maximized the number of endemic species, the number of centres recognized, and operational geographic units assigned to centres of endemism (CoEs). We developed a dendrogram branch order cut-off (BOC) method to locate the optimal cut-off points on the dendrogram to define candidate clusters. Kulczinsky’s second measure dendrograms were combined using consensus, identifying areas of conflict which could be due to biotic element overlap or transitional areas. Post-clustering GIS manipulation substantially enhanced the endemic composition and geographic size of candidate CoEs. Although there was broad spatial congruence with previous phytogeographic studies, our techniques allowed for the recovery of additional phytogeographic detail not previously described for the CFR. PMID:26147438

Floristic and ecological characterization of habitat types on an inselberg in Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil

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Luiza F. A. de Paula

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Inselbergs are granitic or gneissic rock outcrops, distributed mainly in tropical and subtropical regions. They are considered terrestrial islands because of their strong spatial and ecological isolation, thus harboring a set of distinct plant communities that differ from the surrounding matrix. In Brazil, inselbergs scattered in the Atlantic Forest contain unusually high levels of plant species richness and endemism. This study aimed to inventory species of vascular plants and to describe the main habitat types found on an inselberg located in the state of Minas Gerais, in southeastern Brazil. A total of 89 species of vascular plants were recorded (belonging to 37 families, of which six were new to science. The richest family was Bromeliaceae (10 spp., followed by Cyperaceae (seven spp., Orchidaceae and Poaceae (six spp. each. Life forms were distributed in different proportions between habitats, which suggested distinct microenvironments on the inselberg. In general, habitats under similar environmental stress shared common species and life-form proportions. We argue that floristic inventories are still necessary for the development of conservation strategies and management of the unique vegetation on inselbergs in Brazil.

Global Managers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barakat, Livia L.; Lorenz, Melanie P.; Ramsey, Jase R.

2016-01-01

Purpose: – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of cultural intelligence (CQ) on the job performance of global managers. Design/methodology/approach: – In total, 332 global managers were surveyed from multinational companies operating in Brazil. The mediating effect of job...... satisfaction was tested on the CQ-job performance relationship. Findings: – The findings suggest that job satisfaction transmits the effect of CQ to job performance, such that global managers high in CQ exhibit more job satisfaction in an international setting, and therefore perform better at their jobs....... Practical implications: – Results imply that global managers should increase their CQ in order to improve their job satisfaction and ultimately perform better in an international context. Originality/value: – The authors make three primary contributions to the international business literature. First...

Floristic composition, environmental variation and species distribution patterns in burned grassland in southern Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Overbeck, G E; Müller, S C; Pillar, V D; Pfadenhauer, J

2006-11-01

In regularly burned grassland on Morro Santana, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, we investigated differences in the floristic composition and their relation to soil properties, aspect and distance from the forest border. In 48 plots of 0.75 m2, we identified a total of 201 species from a local species pool of approximately 450 to 500 species. Most species occurred in low frequencies, showing clumpy distribution patterns in the studied area. Multivariate analysis showed that plots close to the forest edge clearly differed from plots in the open grassland concerning composition and structure. Plots exposed to the north differed from plots on the top of the hill both in the composition of species as well as in soil variables, mainly due to shallower soil in the former. No strong relation between soil properties and variation in vegetation composition could be detected at a finer scale. The studied grassland, as all grassland vegetation in southern Brazil, is very rich in species compared to other grassland formations worldwide. However, this high biodiversity and conservational value of Campos vegetation in general has so far not been recognized properly. Disturbance is essential to maintain this open vegetation type and its species richness. Fire should be considered as a management option in the absence of grazing.

Floristic Study of Buxus hyrcana Stands in the Western Forests of Haraz District, Amol

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S. Hosseinzadeh

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Floristic composition of boxwood (Buxus hyrcana Pojark stands in the forests of Western Haraz, distributed at the altitudinal range of 250 to 1,200 m asl, was investigated by field-walk method. Results showed that the flora of this area includes 50 families, 69 genera, and 78 plant species. Rosaceae, Orchidaceae, Dryopteridaceae, Lamiaceae and Aspleniaceae are the greatest families in this area. Chorological studies showed that the largest proportion of the flora is related to Euro-Siberian region (56.4%. Cryptophytes (32 species, Phanerophytes (26 sp. and Hemicryptophytes (16 sp., which are compromising 44%, 33.3% and 20.5% of the flora, were the most important structure groups of the biological spectrum. Abundance of Cryptophytes with Phanerophytes and Hemicryptophytes in these forests implys that there is a temperate climate with cold winter, frequently rainfall and relatively cool summer, which are suitable for growing temperate forest. Frequent occurrence of Prunus Laurocerasus trees with Daneae racemosa as a woody understory species especially in the upper parts of the studied area accompany by absence of Therophytes and relatively well distribution of ferns species, especially Asplenium scolopendrium, also implys high, favorable, moisture conditions without any disturbances in Box tree stands of these forests.

The Globalization of the Danish Documentarry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bondebjerg, Ib

2019-01-01

In this article I discuss basic dimensions of globalisation and basic documentary modes or prototypes with special reference to Bill Nichols (2001), Carl Plantinga (1997) and Ib Bondebjerg (2014). After having presented this more theoretical context I analyse different dimensions...... of the globalization through Danish examples, looking at the production context, the thematic, aesthetic and generic modes.. My cases illustrate different modes of addressing the global and also use elements from different basic documentary modes. A special focus is the rise of transnational creative collaboration....

Civics and Citizenship Education in Its Global Context: The Complexity of Global Citizenship Dialogues

OpenAIRE

Ruth Reynolds

2012-01-01

Despite much rhetoric around the notion of a global citizenship, the overriding focus of civics education, from the viewpoint of examining the international educational curriculum, seems to be on national identity and establishing national boundaries for citizenship education. [...

Managing Corporate Responsibility Globally and Locally

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brown, Dana; Knudsen, Jette Steen

2012-01-01

Corporate Responsibility (CR) is today an essential component of corporate global strategy. CR can bolster the institutional context for market expansion fill institutional voids or facilitate market entry as a component of non-market strategy. Yet, in fulfilling these functions, CR may need...... to be highly sensitive to local contexts. How can transnational firms organize CR so as to maximize efficiencies from globalization and to minimize the fragmentation of corporate organizational cultures? provide a framework for analyzing the way that corporations coordinate global and local functions. We build...... on this framework in a case study of Novo Nordisk and its approach to determining global and local CR policies and procedures with regard to its China and US subsidiaries. Our findings suggest that it is important for companies to define a common set of organizational norms. In addition, CR need to be sensitive...

Applying Deweyan Principles to Global Citizenship Education in a Rural Context

Science.gov (United States)

Waterson, Robert A.; Moffa, Eric D.

2015-01-01

Global citizenship education (GCE) helps students conceptualize citizenship beyond national boundaries so they are capable of action in dealing with global issues like human rights and environmental sustainability. However, very little literature exists to assist rural teachers in implementing GCE as they face specific challenges due to the…

Seed predation in a Mediterranean pasture: can ants modify the floristic composition of soil seed banks? Depredación de semillas en un pastizal mediterráneo: ¿pueden las hormigas modificar la composición florística de los bancos de semillas?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

TÍSCAR ESPIGARES

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Ants may play an important role on vegetation dynamics, especially in arid and semiarid environments, where they can consume a high proportion of the produced seeds. Although some works have analysed the influence of seed predation by ants on the density of vegetation in Mediterranean pastures, there are no studies on the influence of ant activity upon the floristic composition of the vegetation and the soil seed banks in this kind of ecosystem. We have studied the effect of ant exclusion on the floristic composition of the vegetation and the soil seed bank in a Mediterranean pasture of central Spain. We sampled the floristic composition of the pasture during 2002 and 2003 springs and also we collected soil seed bank samples in autumn 2002. Floristic composition of soil seed banks was estimated by means of greenhouse germination. Cerastium semidecandrum seeds were almost four times more abundant in the plots subjected to ant exclusion than in those with ant activity. Due to the high spatial heterogeneity shown by soil seed banks, we have corrected the differences found between the autumn soil seed banks subjected to different ant treatments by using the floristic composition of the pasture community in the previous spring, as it was the primary source of the seeds collected in autumn. We found significant differences between the floristic composition of the soil seed banks subjected to ant exclusion and control treatments. However, no effects where found when the same procedure was used to detect ant effects on the spring adult community, highlighting the necessity of longer time spans for these pastures to manifest changes taking place at the soil seed bank stageLa mirmecofauna juega un papel fundamental sobre la dinámica de la vegetación, especialmente en zonas de carácter árido o semiárido, donde puede llegar a consumir una elevada proporción de las semillas producidas, condicionando la composición florística de la vegetación. Aunque

导言:全球化背景下的当代中国文化建设%Introduction: building contemporary Chinese culture in the context of globalization

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

叶险明

2008-01-01

@@ Building contemporary Chinese culture is a very important research topic in the context of globalization. It involves almost the entire domain of philosophy, the humanities and the social sciences, covering every aspect of life in Chinese society. The three aspects below are the most important for this task.

Nuclear power a viable alternative in global warming context

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cretu, Ileana; Balan, Iosif Bogdan; Ionila, Maria; Petra, Nicoleta Mihaela

2008-01-01

Energy sources available in the world include: coal, oil, gas, biomass, nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, solar, refuse-based, and hydrogen. In addition, fusion had been originally proposed as the long-term source. Every form of energy generation has both advantages and disadvantages. Burning fuel for energy requirements represent about 88% from the total emission of NO x and CO 2 , and about 90% from SO 2 respectively, and about 72% from suspension powder evacuated into the atmosphere. Global warming represents a real threat and is the most visible sign of the climatic changes which take place all over the world. To reduce the emission of greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6 ), the 'Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations framework convention on climate change' has been adopted in 1997. According to this protocol European countries must reduce their overall emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 5% below 1990 levels in the commitment period 2008 -- 2012. In this context, because the natural resources for power generation based on the fossil fuels are decreasing and their prices are rising, nuclear power has become a real alternative for classical energy sources. It is indicated by: - Fuel is inexpensive because uranium represents a very small part of nuclear power cost and uranium sediment is found on a large scale all over the world; - No greenhouse emission or acid rain effects occur during a normal operation. Nuclear power is also named 'clean energy'; - Wastes are more compact than those of any source of energy and are stored in underground and secured deposits; - Nuclear energy has a number of advantages which warrant its use as one of the many methods of fulfilling the energy-demand of the world. Even with conservation efforts, energy demand increased and will continue to increase. Using each and every one of these forms of energy

Civics and Citizenship Education in Its Global Context: The Complexity of Global Citizenship Dialogues

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Ruth Reynolds

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Despite much rhetoric around the notion of a global citizenship, the overriding focus of civics education, from the viewpoint of examining the international educational curriculum, seems to be on national identity and establishing national boundaries for citizenship education. [...

Floristic and structural variations of a gully at Itumirim, Minas Gerais

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Leandro Carlos

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This work aimed at knowing and evaluating the florisitc composition, the strucuture and the diversity of the regenerating species in a gully at Itumirim, MG. The gully possesses an area of 0.9 ha and was subdivided into three sectors named as arms “A”; “B” and “C”. For the structural survey of the vegetation the needle method was employed, i. e. , 574 points distributed systematically across the three arms were sampled. Each spot was stratified on the terrain as related to a topographic gradient. The indicator species analysis (ISA was used to give statistical support to the standards found. A florisitic survey was also conducted with the purpose of recording all the species of shrub-tree life form ocorring in the gully. Through the strucutural survey, it was found that the species of the group of “grass-like” and “ferns” dominated widely all the sectors. The indicator species analysis performed for each of the arms pointed out that Ludwigia elegans (Cambess. H. Hara presents high fidelity, and, therefore, can be regarded as an indicator of the sector slack for arm “A” (p = 0.002.the group of species which make up the guild “ferns” was considered an indicator for the upper third of arm “C” (p = 0.038. In the floristic survey concerning the species of shrub-tree life form, 73 species were recorded in the three arms arms 73, distributed into 63 genera and 33 botanic families. The families with highest diversities of species were Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Melastomataceae and Myrtaceae, standing for 46.6% of the total of recorded species.

Salutogenesis, globalization, and communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Petzold, Theodor Dierk; Lehmann, Nadja

2011-12-01

Achieving successful communication in transcultural contexts means integrating emotional communication patterns into a global context. Professional, rational communication is characteristic of the cultural dimension, and emotions are characteristic of the direct, interpersonal dimension of human existence. Humans strive to achieve coherence in all dimensions of their lives; this goal is in the end the most essential aspect of psychophysical self-regulation. A major role in integrating emotional needs and cultural features in global coherence is played by the attractor 'global affinity'. The transitions from emotional coherence to cultural coherence, and likewise from cultural coherence to global coherence, can cause considerable insecurity as well as psychological problems, which previously went by the name 'adjustment disorders'. However, instead of pathologizing these processes, we should understand them in a salutogenic sense as challenges important for both individual and collective development. The development of more coherence is regulated by the neuropsychological approach and avoidance system. This system can be consciously fostered by directing our attention to the commonalities of all human beings. Such a global salutogenic orientation furthers both communication and creativity in teamwork. This article introduces a consequent salutogenic and evolutionary systemic view of transcultural communication and demonstrates its effectiveness in a number of case examples.

Floristic analysis of perennial species on flowerbeds in Belgrade with special attention on invasiveness of the recorded species

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Popović Marija

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Urban areas are among the most important centres of invasive plant species distribution due to their richness in alien species. Because of that, a detailed floristic analysis of perennial flowerbeds was conducted in the central parks of Belgrade. A total of 53 perennial species were found, of which 55% were the alien species planted on 75% of the research area. Among them, two species (Aster novi belgii and Solidago canadensis are invasive and six species are potentially invasive in Serbia. These are planted on 5% and 20% of the flowerbeds, respectively. We can conclude that both the experts and institutions should be informed about the invasive species and potential damages. In the meantime, planting of native decorative species should be encouraged, since they will not pose a threat to natural habitats. Also, detailed research should be conducted in order to eradicate invasive and potentially invasive species from the surfaces around the research area.

Some thoughts on power: International context

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Josifidis Kosta

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This is a polemical essay that enters into broad dialogue with the contemporary literature concerning the dynamic of power. It refers to the appropriate material and results from the research of different theories. It proposes the constitutive position of the power in the international situation. In contrast to some current theories, we emphasize the importance of the politicoeconomical approach, denoting that only the methodology based on the logics of political economy can explain the dynamics of power in the international context. The main thread of this essay is that the international constellation is not a neutral environment, but a framework that is deeply determined by the power-relations. The central idea is that these relations should be explicated by the complex relationships between freedom and order. We analyze the interaction between the politics and economy as the constitutive feature of the structure of international context. This essay is divided into three sections. First, we are treating the meaning of order in an international context, in respect to the political-economic aspects of late capitalism. The notion of this order has a great importance in the economic reflections. The dynamic of the interconnectedness of global capitalism is examined considering the systematic aspects of power. After that we are analyzing different, and selected, aspects of the international sphere including: the spatiality of the world order, that is, the spatial aspects of the international dynamics in the context of globalization, the convergence or divergence between the capitalist and territorial logic, the “legaleconomic nexus” in international “chain”, the processes of the modification of the forms of competition within recent globalization, and the political-economic conflicts in relation to the regime of economic measurement. Starting with these considerations we explain the current debates on “demondialization”, or the

Object representations in visual working memory change according to the task context.

Science.gov (United States)

Balaban, Halely; Luria, Roy

2016-08-01

This study investigated whether an item's representation in visual working memory (VWM) can be updated according to changes in the global task context. We used a modified change detection paradigm, in which the items moved before the retention interval. In all of the experiments, we presented identical color-color conjunction items that were arranged to provide a common fate Gestalt grouping cue during their movement. Task context was manipulated by adding a condition highlighting either the integrated interpretation of the conjunction items or their individuated interpretation. We monitored the contralateral delay activity (CDA) as an online marker of VWM. Experiment 1 employed only a minimal global context; the conjunction items were integrated during their movement, but then were partially individuated, at a late stage of the retention interval. The same conjunction items were perfectly integrated in an integration context (Experiment 2). An individuation context successfully produced strong individuation, already during the movement, overriding Gestalt grouping cues (Experiment 3). In Experiment 4, a short priming of the individuation context managed to individuate the conjunction items immediately after the Gestalt cue was no longer available. Thus, the representations of identical items changed according to the task context, suggesting that VWM interprets incoming input according to global factors which can override perceptual cues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cenozoic plant diversity of Yunnan: A review

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Yongjiang Huang

2016-12-01

late Pliocene through to the present, floristic composition and vegetation types changed markedly, presumably in response to altitude changes and coeval global cooling. An integration of palaeoclimate data suggests that during the Neogene Yunnan was warmer and wetter than today. Moreover, northern Yunnan witnessed a pronounced temperature decline, while southern Yunnan experienced only moderate temperature changes. Summer precipitation was consistently higher than winter precipitation, suggesting a rainfall seasonality. This summary on palaeoclimates helps us to understand under what conditions plant diversity occurred and evolved in Yunnan throughout the Cenozoic.

Global Water Governance in the Context of Global and Multilevel Governance: Its Need, Form, and Challenges

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Joyeeta Gupta

2013-12-01

Full Text Available To complement this Special Feature on global water governance, we focused on a generic challenge at the global level, namely, the degree to which water issues need to be dealt with in a centralized, concentrated, and hierarchical manner. We examined water ecosystem services and their impact on human well-being, the role of policies, indirect and direct drivers in influencing these services, and the administrative level(s at which the provision of services and potential trade-offs can be dealt with. We applied a politics of scale perspective to understand motivations for defining a problem at the global or local level and show that the multilevel approach to water governance is evolving and inevitable. We argue that a centralized overarching governance system for water is unlikely and possibly undesirable; however, there is a need for a high-level think tank and leadership to develop a cosmopolitan perspective to promote sustainable water development.

The Global People landscaping study: intercultural effectiveness in global education partnerships

OpenAIRE

Reid, S.; Stadler, Stefanie; Spencer-Oatey, Helen

2009-01-01

The Context\\ud The Higher Education sector in the UK is experiencing a period of rapid and competitive internationalisation. The market for higher education, at undergraduate and post graduate levels, is now truly global: many potential students can make choices about study destinations between an enormous range of institutions in any of the five continents. The audience for research is also global, with a proliferation of domestic and international journals, a multitude of international conf...

USING GEM - GLOBAL ECONOMIC MODEL IN ACHIEVING A GLOBAL ECONOMIC FORECAST

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Camelia Madalina Orac

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The global economic development model has proved to be insufficiently reliable under the new economic crisis. As a result, the entire theoretical construction about the global economy needs rethinking and reorientation. In this context, it is quite clear that only through effective use of specific techniques and tools of economic-mathematical modeling, statistics, regional analysis and economic forecasting it is possible to obtain an overview of the future economy.

Floristic and phytosociology in dense "terra firme" rainforest in the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Plant influence area, Pará, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemos, D A N; Ferreira, B G A; Siqueira, J D P; Oliveira, M M; Ferreira, A M

2015-08-01

The objective of the present study was to characterise the floristic and phytosociological composition on a stretch of dense "Terra Firme" rainforest located in the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant area of influence, located in the state of Pará, Brazil. All trees with DAP >10 cm situated in 75 permanent plots of 1 ha were inventoried. 27,126 individuals trees (361 ind.ha-1), distributed in 59 botanical families, comprising 481 species were observed. The families with the largest number of species were Fabaceae (94), Araceae (65) and Arecaceae (43), comprising 43.7% of total species. The species Alexa grandiflora (4.41), Cenostigma tocantinum (2.50) and Bertholletia excelsa (2.28) showed the highest importance values (IV). The ten species with greater IV are concentrated (22%). The forest community has high species richness and can be classified as diverse age trees, heterogeneous and of medium conservation condition.

Caracterização florística de bancos de sementes em sistemas de cultivo lavoura-pastagem Floristic characterization of seedbanks under Integrated crop-pasture systems

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F.S. Ikeda

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Avaliou-se o efeito de sistemas de cultivo, preparo do solo e níveis de adubação sobre a composição florística de banco de sementes no solo em áreas submetidas a três sistemas de cultivo (lavoura contínua, lavoura-pastagem-lavoura e pastagem-lavoura-pastagem, dois sistemas de preparo do solo (convencional e semeadura direta e dois níveis de adubação (manutenção e corretiva gradual, e uma área de pastagem contínua com preparo convencional e adubação corretiva gradual. Dessa forma, verificou-se que o sistema de cultivo e o sistema de preparo do solo foram os fatores mais importantes na determinação da estrutura florística dos bancos de sementes. Além disso, a adubação corretiva gradual aumentou o número de famílias e de espécies, em relação à de manutenção.The effect of cultivation systems, tillage and fertilization levels on the floristic composition of seedbanks was evaluated at three cultivation systems (continuous crop, crop-pasture-crop, pasture-crop-pasture, two tillage systems (tillage and no-tillage and two fertilization levels (corrective and maintenance, and a continuous pasture area under no-tillage and corrective fertilization. Cultivation and tillage system were the most important factors affecting the floristic structure of seedbanks. Besides, corrective fertilization increased the number of families and species in relation to maintenance fertilization.

The Changing Global Context of Virtual Workforce

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James A. Ejiwale

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The technological revolution occurring in today’s market place has made it possible for many companies to be innovative about the way and where work is done. To get the job done, due to digital revolution, companies have turned to virtual workforce to harness the benefits of connectivity and effective information sharing among stakeholders to get the job done. More important, the success of coordinating work among a virtual workforce for profitability in a rapidly changing global environment depends on “effective indirect communication” between the leadership and the virtual workforce. This article will address the importance of effective communication as a necessary tool for the success of e-leadership, productivity improvement in virtual work environment.

International Sport Movement in the Context of the Global Problems of Mankind

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Stafeev Dmitriy Valeryevich

2015-04-01

Full Text Available As a result of globalization process the world becomes more and more integrated, the role of “hard” power becomes lower, while the role of “soft” power, vice versa, increases. Sport as one of the most important spheres of human activities, faces both positive and negative effects of globalization. Sport has an important function in the concept of “soft” security, and this importance is evidenced by serious attention, paid by the United Nations and other international organizations. The UN established the International Day of port, and it organizes regular meetings and conferences devoted to sport. Plenty of the UN Organizations officially use sport to achieve their aims. Sports diplomacy is believed to have reconciling, uniting role; sport must contribute to resolution of the most part of contemporary global problems. Abilities of the Information age allow using positive effect caused by sport events with maximal benefits. There is understanding in the UN, that sport alone cannot solve all global problems, but it can relieve their consequences. Therefore sport is used to struggle over such problems, as poverty; peace and security problems; disarmament necessity; human rights and democracy problems; demography, ecology and energy problems, difficulties with medical care and provision. On the other hand, sport suffers from globalization; it loses its initial function of competition due to politicization and commercialization. Even new issues of confrontation appear because of sports. Only global governance over sport, establishment of general rules and clear goals and their joint accomplishment can allow the international sports movement become a real force in fight against global problems.

Floristic diversity of the shrub-arboreal stratum of homegardens in the Mariana re-settlement, Tocantins State, Brazil

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Ícaro Gonçalves Santos

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The objective was to analyze the floristic, diversity and equability of the tree shrub stratum of home gardens (QA in Mariana re-settlement located between Palmas and Porto Nacional municipalities in Tocantins State, Brazil. Three 20 x 30 m plots were installed in each home garden, totalizing 0.72 ha of sampled area. All shrub-tree individuals had its circumference at 1.3 m above ground level (CBH measured when CBH ≥ 10 cm. A total of 477 individuals, 81 species, 34 families and 73 genera were verified in all QA. Shannon diversity index (H’ was 3.68 and Pielou equability indice (J’ was 0.83, for all sampled area. Individually, QA1, QA2, QA3 and QA4 presented H’ = 2.52; 3.27; 2.66 and 2.94, and J’ = 0.78; 0.90; 0.77 and 0.85, respectively. It was possible to infer that the studied QA showed high richness and diversity, evidencing great environmental heterogeneity and low ecological dominance.

Population-level history of the wrentit (Chamaea fasciata): implications for comparative phylogeography in the California Floristic Province.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Kevin J; Barhoum, Dino N

2006-01-01

The phylogeography of a variety of species has been studied within the California Floristic Province; however, few studies have examined genetic variation in bird species across the entire region. This study uses mitochondrial DNA data to investigate the phylogeography of the wrentit (Chamaea fasciata), a sedentary bird native to scrub and chaparral habitats of this region. Analysis of molecular variance shows geographic structure, and maximum likelihood, Bayesian, and parsimony analyses consistently identify six main clades that are each restricted geographically. Nested clade phylogeographic analyses infer an overall range expansion for the entire cladogram, and a range expansion is also inferred from the mismatch distribution. Thus, our results suggest that the wrentit was isolated into southern refugia during the Pleistocene and has undergone a recent range expansion. Southern refugia and a range expansion were also identified in a previous study of the California thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum). The wrentit did not show marked divergence between northern and southern California defined by the Transverse Ranges, a pattern seen in a variety of other taxa within this region, including some birds.

The Evolution of Foreign Exchange Markets in the Context of Global Crisis

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Mariana Trandafir

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The FX market is the world’s largest financial market. The global financial systeminvolves effective and efficient exchange of currencies. Corporations and investors participate in themarket for operational needs: to reduce risk by hedging currency exposures; to convert their returnsfrom international investments into domestic currencies and to make cross-border investments andraise finance outside home markets. Central banks participate in the market. This paper analyzesforeign exchange marketsactivity before and under the condition the global crisis. The method ofresearch is the comparative analysis used on the global and European level. The research is importantand actual because it reveals the changeswhich have defined a new paradigm forthe foreignexchange marketsand which contributed to the increasing of the global foreign exchange marketturnover during the global crisis. The main conclusion of the paper is that the innovativedevelopments in electronic trading technology and institutional trading arrangements are behind theevolution of the foreign exchange markets. The analysis is supported by statistical tables and uses therecent officialBank for International Settlements and European Central Bank statistic databases.

Knowledge in Development: Epistemic Machineries in a Global Context

Science.gov (United States)

Evers, Hans-Dieter; Kaiser, Markus; Muller, Christine

2009-01-01

Knowledge has become a decisive and competitive resource for local and global development, especially since the paradigm "knowledge for development" was initiated and promoted by the World Bank in 1998-1999. Through the use of novel management structures and technologically supported social networks, development organisations and…

Tail reconnection in the global magnetospheric context: Vlasiator first results

Science.gov (United States)

Palmroth, Minna; Hoilijoki, Sanni; Juusola, Liisa; Pulkkinen, Tuija I.; Hietala, Heli; Pfau-Kempf, Yann; Ganse, Urs; von Alfthan, Sebastian; Vainio, Rami; Hesse, Michael

2017-11-01

The key dynamics of the magnetotail have been researched for decades and have been associated with either three-dimensional (3-D) plasma instabilities and/or magnetic reconnection. We apply a global hybrid-Vlasov code, Vlasiator, to simulate reconnection self-consistently in the ion kinetic scales in the noon-midnight meridional plane, including both dayside and nightside reconnection regions within the same simulation box. Our simulation represents a numerical experiment, which turns off the 3-D instabilities but models ion-scale reconnection physically accurately in 2-D. We demonstrate that many known tail dynamics are present in the simulation without a full description of 3-D instabilities or without the detailed description of the electrons. While multiple reconnection sites can coexist in the plasma sheet, one reconnection point can start a global reconfiguration process, in which magnetic field lines become detached and a plasmoid is released. As the simulation run features temporally steady solar wind input, this global reconfiguration is not associated with sudden changes in the solar wind. Further, we show that lobe density variations originating from dayside reconnection may play an important role in stabilising tail reconnection.

State strategies of governance in biomedical innovation: aligning conceptual approaches for understanding 'Rising Powers' in the global context

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Faulkner Alex

2011-02-01

-producing' each other in a multi-level, global ecology of innovation, taking account of the particular, differing characteristics of different emerging scientific fields and technologies. We suggest key points to take account of in order in the future to move toward a satisfactory integrative conceptual framework, capable of better understanding the processes of the emergence, state steerage and transnational governance of innovative biomedical sectors in the Rising Powers and global context.

State strategies of governance in biomedical innovation: aligning conceptual approaches for understanding 'Rising Powers' in the global context

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

-level, global ecology of innovation, taking account of the particular, differing characteristics of different emerging scientific fields and technologies. We suggest key points to take account of in order in the future to move toward a satisfactory integrative conceptual framework, capable of better understanding the processes of the emergence, state steerage and transnational governance of innovative biomedical sectors in the Rising Powers and global context. PMID:21349182

Energy Transition for Industry: India and the Global Context

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2011-07-01

This publication further develops the analysis presented in the India chapter of Energy Technology Perspectives 2010 and provides insights on the implications of achieving deep energy and CO2 emission cuts in the industrial sector both for India and globally. It investigates the least-cost combination of options that can significantly reduce energy and CO2 emissions in India's industrial sector, while enabling the Indian economy to continue to grow and alleviate energy poverty. For India to play its part in helping to realise deep cuts in global CO2 emissions by the middle of the 21st century, it will need to achieve rapid economic development over the next 40 years with only a very small increase in emissions. Currently there is no precedent for such a low-CO2 development path. The challenge for India will be to achieve strong economic growth while improving energy security, but without locking in high emissions.

Going global with personas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Lene; Storgaard Nielsen, Kira; Stage, Jan

2013-01-01

The persona method is widely used and commonly described both in scientific literature and in case-based blogs. Most often the descriptions point to a local context with local user groups and it is difficult to find writings on use of the method in an international context and in globally distrib...... grounds for the team, especially for team distributed across countries. Keywords: personas, scenarios, cross culture, international, design....

Esp Research Trends in Asian Context

OpenAIRE

Jantaravipark, Arpawan; Sa-ngiamwibool, Amporn

2015-01-01

Due to the influence of global and regional economic changes, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) plays a more vital role in English language studies worldwide, including in Asian context. A look at any issues relat-ing to Asian ESP will shed light to the needs of English in this content. This present study therefore sur-veyed recent trends of ESP research in this context, with the purpose of the study which aimed to explore recent trends in Asian ESP research from 2005 to 2013. The Asian ESP...

Socially responsible ethnobotanical surveys in the Cape Floristic Region: ethical principles, methodology and quantification of data

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Ben-Erik Van Wyk

2012-03-01

Full Text Available A broad overview of published and unpublished ethnobotanical surveys in the Cape Floristic Region (the traditional home of the San and Khoi communities shows that the data is incomplete. There is an urgent need to record the rich indigenous knowledge about plants in a systematic and social responsible manner in order to preserve this cultural and scientific heritage for future generations. Improved methods for quantifying data are introduced, with special reference to the simplicity and benefits of the new Matrix Method. This methodology prevents or reduces the number of false negatives, and also ensures the participation of elderly people who might be immobile. It also makes it possible to compare plant uses in different local communities. This method enables the researcher to quantify the knowledge on plant use that was preserved in a community, and to determine the relative importance of a specific plant in a more objective way. Ethical considerations for such ethnobotanical surveys are discussed, through the lens of current ethical codes and international conventions. This is an accessible approach, which can also be used in the life sciences classroom.

Perspectives on global nursing leadership: international experiences from the field.

Science.gov (United States)

Buckner, E B; Anderson, D J; Garzon, N; Hafsteinsdóttir, T B; Lai, C K Y; Roshan, R

2014-12-01

Nursing leaders from six countries engaged in a year-long discussion on global leadership development. The purpose of these dialogues was to strengthen individual and collective capacity as nursing leaders in a global society. Field experiences in practice and education were shared. Perspectives on global leadership can strengthen nurses' contributions to practice, workplace and policy issues worldwide. Transformational leadership empowers nurses' increasing confidence. Mentoring is needed to stimulate leadership development but this is lacking in many settings where nurses practice, teach and influence policy. Organizations with global mission provide opportunity for nurses' professional growth in leadership through international dialogues. Dialogues among participants were held monthly by conference calls or videoconferences. Example stories from each participant illustrated nursing leadership in action. From these exemplars, concepts were chosen to create a framework. Emerging perspectives and leadership themes represented all contexts of practice, education, research and policy. The cultural context of each country was reflected in the examples. Themes emerged that crossed global regions and countries. Themes were creativity, change, collaboration, community, context and courage. Relationships initially formed in professional organizations can be extended to intentionally facilitate global nursing leadership development. Exemplars from the dialogues demonstrated nursing leadership in health policy development within each cultural context. Recommendations are given for infrastructure development in organizations to enhance future collaborations. © 2014 International Council of Nurses.

Nigerian Traditional Music Education in the Context of Global ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The changes have happened more on the approaches to education than on the essence. This paper looks at the traditional music education in the face of the global challenges facing education. It makes a phenomenological appraisal of the trends and shows how there are shared and regional concerns of music education.

5 Floristics and structure of a Mixed Rain Forest remnant on the Catarinense Plateau

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Carine Klauberg

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to describe the floristics and the structure of tree species in the Parque Municipal Natural of Lages, SC, a remnant of mixed rain forest located in southern Brazil. For this, we allocated four plots (40 x 40m and each plot was divided into 16 sub-plots of 10 x 10m. Trees with dbh ≥ 5cm and height ≥ 1.3m were mapped, tagged and measured. The individuals were identified and voucher material was deposited in the herbarium. A total of 46 species were sampled, distributed in 39 genera and 27 families. The richest families in number of species were Myrtaceae, Lauraceae, Salicaceae and Sapindaceae. Seven species represented more than 60% of the total of individuals. The specific diversity was H’ = 3.05 nats.ind-1 (J’ = 0.81. The similarity among plots was 32 at 44%, indicating low similarity among plots. The spatial distribution of most of the species is classified as clumped, according to the Morisita index. This forest remains with a considerable richness and diversity with some endangered tree species such as Araucaria angustifolia and Dicksonia sellowiana. Due to its ecological importance for the local flora and fauna and the fragmentation process in the region, this remnant should be considered as a priority area for conservation.

Floristic Inventory, Ecological Characteristics and Biological Spectrum of Plants of Parachinar, Kurram Agency, Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badshah, L; Hussain, F.; Sher, Z.

2016-01-01

The present work was carried out to evaluate the floristic checklist and environmental distinctiveness of Plants of Parachinar, Kurram Agency across the year during 2014- 2015. A total of 283 species of 222 genera among 85 families were recorded. Asteraceae with (29 Sp.) was the most dominant followed by, Poaceae with (20 Sp.), Papilionaceae, Lamiaceae each with (19 Sp.), Brassicaceae (16 Sp.), Solanaceae (13 Sp.), Rosaceae (9 Sp.) and Polygonaceae (7 Sp.). While Euphorbiaceae, Caryophylaceae and Pinaceaeeach with (6 Sp.) were the co-dominant taxa. Rest of the families possessed either 5 or fewer species. Based on the habitat 252 (89.04 percent) species were grew in dry places as wild mesophytes and xerophytes. Seventeen species (6.00 percent) were cultivated while 11 species (3.88 percent) were aquatic. There were 18 spiny species (6.36 percent). Among the perennial, majority were evergreen. Three species (1.06 percent) namely Cuscutareflexa, Periplocaaphylla and P. calophyllawere leafless. The leaf lamina was simple in 230 species (81.27 percent) and 50 species (17.66 percent) contained composite foliage. Therophytes107 (37.80 percent) and nanophanerophyte 47 species (16.66 percent) respectively were dominant life form groups. Leaf spectra revealed that nanophylls with 121 species (42.75 percent) and leptophylls with 89 (31.44 percent) were dominant leaf size classes. The vegetation was also characterized by microphylls and mesophylls but of least concern. (author)

[Floristic composition and distribution of the Andean subtropical riparian forests of Lules River, Tucuman, Argentina].

Science.gov (United States)

Sirombra, Martín G; Mesa, Leticia M

2010-03-01

We studied the floristic composition and distribution of the riparian forest of two hydrographical systems in a subtropical Andean region. Using uni and multivariate techniques, we tested the hypotheses that a differentiable riparian forest exists, composed by native vegetation typical of the Yungas phytogeographical province, and that the distribution of vegetation varied significantly with geomorphologic characteristics. Parallel transects along the water courses were used to collect presence-absence data of vegetation in eleven sites. Detrended Correspondence Analysis defined a group of common riparian species for the studied area (Solanum riparium, Phenax laevigatus, Tipuana tipu, Cestrum parqui, Carica quercifolia, Acacia macracantha, Celtis iguanaea, Juglans australis, Pisoniella arborescens, Baccharis salicifolia, Cinnamomum porphyrium and Eugenia uniflora) and identified two reference sites. The distribution of the riparian vegetation varied significantly with the geomorphic characteristics along the studied sites. Riparian habitats were composed by native and exotic species. A distinct riparian flora, different in structure and function from adjacent terrestrial vegetation, could not be identified. Riparian species were similar to the adjacent terrestrial strata. These species would not be limited by the proximity to the river. Anthropogenic impacts were important factors regulating the introduction and increase of exotic vegetation. The lack of regulation of some activities in the zone could cause serious problems in the integrity of this ecosystem.

The Global Challenge for Accounting Education

Science.gov (United States)

Helliar, Christine

2013-01-01

Accounting and education are both global phenomena, and there is thus an argument that accounting education should be consistent and comparable across the globe. However, accounting, and accounting education are all socially constructed and globally they have been influenced by their historical, social, economic, political and cultural contexts.…

The burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria; in the context of globalization.

Science.gov (United States)

Maiyaki, Musa Baba; Garbati, Musa Abubakar

2014-01-01

This paper highlights the tenets of globalization and how its elements have spread to sub-Saharan Africa, and Nigeria in particular. It assesses the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria and its relationship with globalization. It further describes the conceptual framework on which to view the impact of globalization on NCDs in Nigeria. It assesses the Nigerian dimension of the relationship between the risk factors of NCDs and globalization. Appropriate recommendations on tackling the burden of NCDs in Nigeria based on cost-effective, culturally sensitive, and evidence-based interventions are highlighted.

Globalization of healthcare.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-01

Globalization-the increasing transnational circulation of money, goods, people, ideas, and information worldwide-is generally recognized as one of the most powerful forces shaping our current and future history. How is it affecting healthcare, and in that context, what is the purpose and significance of Global Advances in Health and Medicine (GAHM), publisher of this journal? Our goal is not homogenization but rather to provide an opportunity for integration, convergence, and collaboration across cultures. By respecting and conserving the richness and diversity of each new medicine, we embrace globalization. Globalization is of course not new; it began in the Renaissance and particularly with the 15th- and 16th-century voyages of exploration by Columbus, Magellan, and others. Since the beginning of time, there have been interactions and exchanges among different peoples and cultures. However, the current magnitude of globalization is unprecedented and yet still expanding rapidly.

The United Nations Global Compact

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasche, Andreas; Waddock, Sandra; McIntosh, Malcolm

2013-01-01

This article reviews the interdisciplinary literature on the UN Global Compact. The review identifies three research perspectives, which scholars have used to study the UN Global Compact so far: a historical perspective discussing the Global Compact in the context of UN-business relations...... key empirical as well as conceptual scholarly contributions. The remainder of this article contains focused summaries of the articles selected for this Special Issue. All articles are introduced and evaluated against the background of the three research perspectives....

The New Deal: A Global History

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Patel, Kiran Klaus

2016-01-01

The New Deal: A Global History provides a radically new interpretation of a pivotal period in US history. The first comprehensive study of the New Deal in a global context, the book compares American responses to the international crisis of capitalism and democracy during the 1930s to responses by

Global Personality Norms: Multicultural, Multinational, and Managerial

Science.gov (United States)

Oswald, Frederick L.

2008-01-01

The critical importance of understanding, selecting, and developing global management talent--management operating within internationally diverse interpersonal and situational contexts--has emerged from the increasing globalization of business and the concomitant high rates of immigration, emigration, and expatriation. With an awareness of this…

Tree diversity and species identity effects on soil fungi, protists and animals are context dependent.

Science.gov (United States)

Tedersoo, Leho; Bahram, Mohammad; Cajthaml, Tomáš; Põlme, Sergei; Hiiesalu, Indrek; Anslan, Sten; Harend, Helery; Buegger, Franz; Pritsch, Karin; Koricheva, Julia; Abarenkov, Kessy

2016-02-01

Plant species richness and the presence of certain influential species (sampling effect) drive the stability and functionality of ecosystems as well as primary production and biomass of consumers. However, little is known about these floristic effects on richness and community composition of soil biota in forest habitats owing to methodological constraints. We developed a DNA metabarcoding approach to identify the major eukaryote groups directly from soil with roughly species-level resolution. Using this method, we examined the effects of tree diversity and individual tree species on soil microbial biomass and taxonomic richness of soil biota in two experimental study systems in Finland and Estonia and accounted for edaphic variables and spatial autocorrelation. Our analyses revealed that the effects of tree diversity and individual species on soil biota are largely context dependent. Multiple regression and structural equation modelling suggested that biomass, soil pH, nutrients and tree species directly affect richness of different taxonomic groups. The community composition of most soil organisms was strongly correlated due to similar response to environmental predictors rather than causal relationships. On a local scale, soil resources and tree species have stronger effect on diversity of soil biota than tree species richness per se.

Negative effects of excessive soil phosphorus on floristic quality in Ohio wetlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Stapanian, Martin A; Schumacher, William; Gara, Brian; Monteith, Steven E

2016-05-01

Excessive soil nutrients, often from agricultural runoff, have been shown to negatively impact some aspects of wetland plant communities. We measured plant-available phosphorus (Mehlich-3: MeP) in soil samples, and assessed the vascular plant community and habitat degradation at 27 emergent and 13 forested wetlands in Ohio, USA. We tested two hypotheses: (1) that an index of vegetation biological integrity based on floristic quality was lower in wetlands with higher concentrations of MeP in the soil, and (2) that higher concentrations of MeP occurred in wetlands with more habitat degradation (i.e., lower quality), as estimated by a rapid assessment method. Hypothesis (1) was supported for emergent, but not for forested wetlands. Hypothesis (2) was marginally supported (P=0.09) for emergent, but not supported for forested wetlands. The results indicate that the effect of concentration of phosphorus in wetland soils and the quality of plant species assemblages in wetlands is more complex than shown in site-specific studies and may depend in part on degree of disturbance in the surrounding watershed and dominant wetland vegetation type. Woody plants in forested wetlands are typically longer lived than herbaceous species in the understory and emergent wetlands, and may persist despite high inputs of phosphorus. Further, the forested wetlands were typically surrounded by a wide band of forest vegetation, which may provide a barrier against sedimentation and the associated phosphorus inputs to the wetland interior. Our results indicate that inferences about soil nutrient conditions made from rapid assessment methods for assessing wetland habitat condition may not be reliable. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Philosophical Aspects of Global Environmental Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Lazutinaa, Tatyana V.; Baksheev, Vladimir N.

2016-01-01

The relevance of this paper is determined by understanding of global environmental problems in the context of social ecology. The purpose of this paper is the analysis of main modern environmental global problems created by the equipment representing a public and social basis for the practical transformation of public relations and also the…

Managing the Global Supply Chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skjøtt-Larsen, Tage; Schary, Philip B.; Mikkola, Juliana Hsuan

The world today faces global competition. The supply chain is vital part of the globalization process. Presenting a global view of the scope and complexity of supply chain management, this book reflects the rapid change that has taken place within the supply chain and its environment. This new...... edition has been fully updated with recent changes in concepts, technology and practice. Integration and collaboration are keywords in future competition. Firms must be agile and lean at the same time. The book gives an insightful overview of the conceptual foundations of the global supply chain, as...... well as current examples of best practice of managing supply chains in a global context....

Managing the Global Supply Chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hsuan, Juliana; Skjøtt-Larsen, Tage; Kinra, Aseem

The world today faces global competition. The supply chain is vital part of the globalization process. Presenting a global view of the scope and complexity of supply chain management, this book reflects the rapid change that has taken place within the supply chain and its environment. This new...... well as current examples of best practice of managing supply chains in a global context....... edition has been fully updated with recent changes in concepts, technology and practice. Integration and collaboration are keywords in future competition. Firms must be agile and lean at the same time. The book gives an insightful overview of the conceptual foundations of the global supply chain, as...

Global change research: Science and policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rayner, S.

1993-05-01

This report characterizes certain aspects of the Global Change Research Program of the US Government, and its relevance to the short and medium term needs of policy makers in the public and private sectors. It addresses some of the difficulties inherent in the science and policy interface on the issues of global change. Finally, this report offers some proposals for improving the science for policy process in the context of global environmental change

The Mutual Impact of Global Strategy and Organizational Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hotho, Jasper J.; Lyles, Marjorie A.; Easterby-Smith, Mark

2015-01-01

Despite the interest in issues of knowing and learning in the global strategy field, there has been limited mutual engagement and interaction between the fields of global strategy and organizational learning. The purpose of our article is to reflect on and articulate how the mutual exchange...... of ideas between these fields can be encouraged. To this end, we first conduct a review of the intersection of the fields of global strategy and organizational learning. We then present two recommendations regarding how the interaction between the two fields can be enhanced. Our first recommendation...... is for global strategy research to adopt a broader notion of organizational learning. Our second recommendation is for global strategy research to capitalize on its attention to context in order to inform and enhance organizational learning theory. We discuss the use of context in a number of common research...

Globalization and its methodological discontents: Contextualizing globalization through the study of HIV/AIDS

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

There remains considerable discontent between globalization scholars about how to conceptualize its meaning and in regards to epistemological and methodological questions concerning how we can come to understand how these processes ultimately operate, intersect and transform our lives. This article argues that to better understand what globalization is and how it affects issues such as global health, we must take a differentiating approach, which focuses on how the multiple processes of globalization are encountered and informed by different social groups and with how these encounters are experienced within particular contexts. The article examines the heuristic properties of qualitative field research as a means to help better understand how the intersections of globalization are manifested within particular locations. To do so, the article focuses on three recent case studies conducted on globalization and HIV/AIDS and explores how these cases can help us to understand the contextual permutations involved within the processes of globalization. PMID:21861895

Global citizenship is key to securing global health: the role of higher education.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoner, Lee; Perry, Lane; Wadsworth, Daniel; Stoner, Krystina R; Tarrant, Michael A

2014-07-01

Despite growing public awareness, health systems are struggling under the escalating burden of non-communicable diseases. While personal responsibility is crucial, alone it is insufficient. We argue that one must place themselves within the broader/global context to begin to truly understand the health implications of personal choices. Global citizenship competency has become an integral part of the higher education discourse; this discourse can and should be extended to include global health. A global citizen is someone who is (1) aware of global issues, (2) socially responsible, and (3) civically engaged. From this perspective, personal health is not solely an individual, self-serving act; rather, the consequences of our lifestyle choices and behaviors have far-reaching implications. This paper will argue that, through consciously identifying global health within the constructs of global citizenship, institutions of higher education can play an instrumental role in fostering civically engaged students capable of driving social change. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Globalization and its methodological discontents: Contextualizing globalization through the study of HIV/AIDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Labonté Ronald

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract There remains considerable discontent between globalization scholars about how to conceptualize its meaning and in regards to epistemological and methodological questions concerning how we can come to understand how these processes ultimately operate, intersect and transform our lives. This article argues that to better understand what globalization is and how it affects issues such as global health, we must take a differentiating approach, which focuses on how the multiple processes of globalization are encountered and informed by different social groups and with how these encounters are experienced within particular contexts. The article examines the heuristic properties of qualitative field research as a means to help better understand how the intersections of globalization are manifested within particular locations. To do so, the article focuses on three recent case studies conducted on globalization and HIV/AIDS and explores how these cases can help us to understand the contextual permutations involved within the processes of globalization.

Global public health today: connecting the dots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Lomazzi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Global public health today faces new challenges and is impacted by a range of actors from within and outside state boundaries. The diversity of the actors involved has created challenges and a complex environment that requires a new context-tailored global approach. The World Federation of Public Health Associations has embarked on a collaborative consultation with the World Health Organization to encourage a debate on how to adapt public health to its future role in global health. Design: A qualitative study was undertaken. High-level stakeholders from leading universities, multilateral organizations, and other institutions worldwide participated in the study. Inductive content analyses were performed. Results: Stakeholders underscored that global public health today should tackle the political, commercial, economic, social, and environmental determinants of health and social inequalities. A multisectoral and holistic approach should be guaranteed, engaging public health in broad dialogues and a concerted decision-making process. The connection between neoliberal ideology and public health reforms should be taken into account. The WHO must show leadership and play a supervising and technical role. More and better data are required across many programmatic areas of public health. Resources should be allocated in a sustainable and accountable way. Public health professionals need new skills that should be provided by a collaborative global education system. A common framework context-tailored to influence governments has been evaluated as useful. Conclusions: The study highlighted some of the main public health challenges currently under debate in the global arena, providing interesting ideas. A more inclusive integrated vision of global health in its complexity, shared and advocated for by all stakeholders involved in decision-making processes, is crucial. This vision represents the first step in innovating public health at the

Global public health today: connecting the dots

Science.gov (United States)

Lomazzi, Marta; Jenkins, Christopher; Borisch, Bettina

2016-01-01

Background Global public health today faces new challenges and is impacted by a range of actors from within and outside state boundaries. The diversity of the actors involved has created challenges and a complex environment that requires a new context-tailored global approach. The World Federation of Public Health Associations has embarked on a collaborative consultation with the World Health Organization to encourage a debate on how to adapt public health to its future role in global health. Design A qualitative study was undertaken. High-level stakeholders from leading universities, multilateral organizations, and other institutions worldwide participated in the study. Inductive content analyses were performed. Results Stakeholders underscored that global public health today should tackle the political, commercial, economic, social, and environmental determinants of health and social inequalities. A multisectoral and holistic approach should be guaranteed, engaging public health in broad dialogues and a concerted decision-making process. The connection between neoliberal ideology and public health reforms should be taken into account. The WHO must show leadership and play a supervising and technical role. More and better data are required across many programmatic areas of public health. Resources should be allocated in a sustainable and accountable way. Public health professionals need new skills that should be provided by a collaborative global education system. A common framework context-tailored to influence governments has been evaluated as useful. Conclusions The study highlighted some of the main public health challenges currently under debate in the global arena, providing interesting ideas. A more inclusive integrated vision of global health in its complexity, shared and advocated for by all stakeholders involved in decision-making processes, is crucial. This vision represents the first step in innovating public health at the global level and should lead

A floristic study of Kuh-e Khom in Tang Shekan region of Arsanjan county in Fars province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masumeh Zare

2015-10-01

Full Text Available A floristic study was done in Kuh-e Khom in east of Arsanjan county as part of the southern Zagros in Fars province. Altitude of the region is ranged from 1740 to 3270 m above sea level. The flora of the region with an emphasis on identifying habitats and the effect of altitude on vegetation were studied and sampling was done from 2010 to 2012. Totally, 440 plant specimens of vascular plant were collected which were belonging to 50 families, 198 genera and 287 species. The angiosperm plants were dominant and from them the dicot plants with 37 families, 167 genera and 246 species had the most diversity. The monocots plants with 9 families, 27 genera and 37 species were the second diversely group in the region. Gymnosperms and Pteridophyte each with two species had the lowest number of species. In respect to species richness, Asteraceae (43 species was the largest family and after that Breassicaceae (33 species, Poaceae (24 species, Fabaceae (24 species, Lamiaceae (22 species, Caryophyllaceae (19 species and Boraginaceae (13 species had the most species diversity. Half of species were therophyte and 68% of species were belonging to Irano-Turanian region.

Burnout in perioperative context

OpenAIRE

Galvão, Ana Maria; Gonçalves, Ana Rita Veloso; Certo, Ana

2014-01-01

Companies in a global context are going through moments of great development of information and technologies. In these environments Burnout is highly prevalent, this syndrome is considered as one of physical and emotional stress that leads to a lack of motivation to work, leading to a progressive sense of inadequacy and failure. Objectives: What level of stress Perioperative nurses for nurses in the Region of Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro. Methods: Non-experimental study,...

Global Governance: Old and New Issues

OpenAIRE

Gary Clyde Hufbauer

2008-01-01

This paper opens with a short recollection of the Kiel Week Conference of 2002, recorded in a volume edited by Horst Siebert, titled Global Governance: An Architecture for the World Economy. Assess-ments and forecasts made at that time are scored against subsequent developments. Security relations between the great powers are asserted to define the space for global economic governance. Over the next thirty years, the security context is not likely to provide the same inspiration for global ec...

Floristic and phytosociology in dense “terra firme” rainforest in the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Plant influence area, Pará, Brazil

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DAN. Lemos

Full Text Available Abstract The objective of the present study was to characterise the floristic and phytosociological composition on a stretch of dense “Terra Firme” rainforest located in the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant area of influence, located in the state of Pará, Brazil. All trees with DAP >10 cm situated in 75 permanent plots of 1 ha were inventoried. 27,126 individuals trees (361 ind.ha-1, distributed in 59 botanical families, comprising 481 species were observed. The families with the largest number of species were Fabaceae (94, Araceae (65 and Arecaceae (43, comprising 43.7% of total species. The species Alexa grandiflora (4.41, Cenostigma tocantinum (2.50 and Bertholletia excelsa (2.28 showed the highest importance values (IV. The ten species with greater IV are concentrated (22%. The forest community has high species richness and can be classified as diverse age trees, heterogeneous and of medium conservation condition.

Floristic diversity and vegetation analysis of Wadi Arar: A typical desert Wadi of the Northern Border region of Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Osman, Ahmed K; Al-Ghamdi, Faraj; Bawadekji, Abdulhakim

2014-12-01

Wadi Arar in the Northern border region of Saudi Arabia is one of the most important Wadis of the Kingdom. The present study provides an analysis of vegetation types, life forms, as well as floristic categories and species distribution. A total of 196 species representing 31 families of vascular plants were recorded. Compositae, Gramineae and Leguminosae were the most common families. Therophytes and chamaephytes are the most frequent life forms, indicating typical desert spectrum vegetation. The distribution of these species in the different sectors of the Wadi as well as the phytochoria for the recorded species is provided. Ninety-one species (46.5%) are typical bi-regional. Furthermore, about 105 species (53.5%) are mono- or pluriregional taxa. The highest number of species (136 or 69.5%) was recorded for annual plants, while the lowest number of species (60% or 30.5%) was recorded for perennial, short perennial or annual to biennial species.

Global but fair. Controvert the climatic change, allow development; Global aber gerecht. Klimawandel bekaempfen, Entwicklung ermoeglichen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-07-01

The book includes the following chapters: global but fair: climate compatible development for everybody; climatic change consequences und vulnerabilities; ethic dimension: fairness in the context of climatic change and poverty; options and challenges for emissions abatement; options for the adaptation to the climatic change; global deal for climate and development policy; convert the climatic change, allow development: ten political messages.

Mitigating global warming: traditional versus alternative approaches in a planning versus a market context

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olerup, Brita [Royal Inst. of Technology, Dept. of Industrial Economics and Management, Stockholm (Sweden)

2002-06-01

Economic efficiency tends to be an important argument when different means of environmental control are assessed and suggested. Considering that the most cost-efficient means are not the ones most frequently chosen and used, some other qualities seem to play an equally important role. I use findings from organisational theory and negotiation theory to better understand what is concealed in the black-box of decision-making and implementation. My empirical material consists of case studies of four different means of environmental control used in Sweden during the 1990s to mitigate the threat of global warming. These are an environmental tax, a licensing trial, municipal energy planning, and technology procurement. Each represents a particular discipline (economic, legal, physical planning, or technological) in which a context (planning or market) and an approach (traditional relay race or alternative process-oriented) are combined. Although each means has its particular niche, some qualities stand out as superior. Such means need to be divisible in space as well as in time. It is then easier to get started. Since it is just as easy to deviate from, rather than adhere to, the predetermined course after a while, some incentive must be given to the person in charge of implementation. In other words, the classic proverb of using sticks and carrots is still valid although it is not always taken to heart and practised. (Author)

The biodiversity hotspot as evolutionary hot-bed: spectacular radiation of Erica in the Cape Floristic Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Pirie, M D; Oliver, E G H; Mugrabi de Kuppler, A; Gehrke, B; Le Maitre, N C; Kandziora, M; Bellstedt, D U

2016-09-17

The disproportionate species richness of the world's biodiversity hotspots could be explained by low extinction (the evolutionary "museum") and/or high speciation (the "hot-bed") models. We test these models using the largest of the species rich plant groups that characterise the botanically diverse Cape Floristic Region (CFR): the genus Erica L. We generate a novel phylogenetic hypothesis informed by nuclear and plastid DNA sequences of c. 60 % of the c. 800 Erica species (of which 690 are endemic to the CFR), and use this to estimate clade ages (using RELTIME; BEAST), net diversification rates (GEIGER), and shifts in rates of diversification in different areas (BAMM; MuSSE). The diversity of Erica species in the CFR is the result of a single radiation within the last c. 15 million years. Compared to ancestral lineages in the Palearctic, the rate of speciation accelerated across Africa and Madagascar, with a further burst of speciation within the CFR that also exceeds the net diversification rates of other Cape clades. Erica exemplifies the "hotbed" model of assemblage through recent speciation, implying that with the advent of the modern Cape a multitude of new niches opened and were successively occupied through local species diversification.

Prioritizing Candidate Disease Metabolites Based on Global Functional Relationships between Metabolites in the Context of Metabolic Pathways

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Haixiu; Xu, Yanjun; Han, Junwei; Li, Jing; Su, Fei; Zhang, Yunpeng; Zhang, Chunlong; Li, Dongguo; Li, Xia

2014-01-01

Identification of key metabolites for complex diseases is a challenging task in today's medicine and biology. A special disease is usually caused by the alteration of a series of functional related metabolites having a global influence on the metabolic network. Moreover, the metabolites in the same metabolic pathway are often associated with the same or similar disease. Based on these functional relationships between metabolites in the context of metabolic pathways, we here presented a pathway-based random walk method called PROFANCY for prioritization of candidate disease metabolites. Our strategy not only takes advantage of the global functional relationships between metabolites but also sufficiently exploits the functionally modular nature of metabolic networks. Our approach proved successful in prioritizing known metabolites for 71 diseases with an AUC value of 0.895. We also assessed the performance of PROFANCY on 16 disease classes and found that 4 classes achieved an AUC value over 0.95. To investigate the robustness of the PROFANCY, we repeated all the analyses in two metabolic networks and obtained similar results. Then we applied our approach to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and found that a top ranked candidate was potentially related to AD but had not been reported previously. Furthermore, our method was applicable to prioritize the metabolites from metabolomic profiles of prostate cancer. The PROFANCY could identify prostate cancer related-metabolites that are supported by literatures but not considered to be significantly differential by traditional differential analysis. We also developed a freely accessible web-based and R-based tool at http://bioinfo.hrbmu.edu.cn/PROFANCY. PMID:25153931

VIETNAMESE MIGRATION IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE

OpenAIRE

Artem S. Lukyanetz; Nguyen Canh Toan; Elena E. Pismennaya; Sergei V. Ryazantsev; Vladimir S. Tikunov; Pham Hoang Hai

2014-01-01

The paper examines emigration from Vietnam in the context of global climate change. Vietnam is among the five countries, most vulnerable to water level rise in the oceans associated with global warming. The areas of potential flooding include territories with most dense population and are extremity important for the economy of Vietnam. The country has a significant demographic potential exceeding 90 mln people. Vietnamese migration has a relatively long history. Large Vietnamese communities h...

Floristic aspects and diversity of regenerated arboreal species under a stand of Anadenanthera peregrina Speg.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gutenberg de Almeida Nascimento

2009-06-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted at the campus of the Federal University of Lavras, Minas Gerais state, in an area of 7.56ha which in earlier times was planted with Anadenanthera peregrina. It aimed to describe the floristic composition of the site so asto provide a theoretical basis to assist future local management interventions. A total of 81 plots, each measuring 10x10m, wereallocated and arranged in such way as to cover as much apparent variation in the physiognomic gradient of the vegetation as possible.All individuals with DBH (diameter at breast height > 5.0 cm were recorded. Each individual had their DBH and height recorded.Diversity was assessed using Shannon, Pielou and Jentsen indices and compared to adjacent areas and to other areas with similarhistory of land use. The sampling procedure recorded 1,180 individuals, distributed among 25 families and 66 species. The familypresenting the largest number of recorded species was Fabaceae, with 16 species (24.24%. The genera presenting the greatest floristicrichness were Casearia, with four species, Machaerium and Rollinia, each with three species, and Anadenanthera, Tapirira, Cordia,Protium, Inga, Ocotea, Miconia, Cedrela and Myrcia, each with two species. The Shannon diversity index (H was 1.47 nats.ind-1,indicating that the local community has low species diversity.

Global solidarity, migration and global health inequity.

Science.gov (United States)

Eckenwiler, Lisa; Straehle, Christine; Chung, Ryoa

2012-09-01

The grounds for global solidarity have been theorized and conceptualized in recent years, and many have argued that we need a global concept of solidarity. But the question remains: what can motivate efforts of the international community and nation-states? Our focus is the grounding of solidarity with respect to global inequities in health. We explore what considerations could motivate acts of global solidarity in the specific context of health migration, and sketch briefly what form this kind of solidarity could take. First, we argue that the only plausible conceptualization of persons highlights their interdependence. We draw upon a conception of persons as 'ecological subjects' and from there illustrate what such a conception implies with the example of nurses migrating from low and middle-income countries to more affluent ones. Next, we address potential critics who might counter any such understanding of current international politics with a reference to real-politik and the insights of realist international political theory. We argue that national governments--while not always or even often motivated by moral reasons alone--may nevertheless be motivated to acts of global solidarity by prudential arguments. Solidarity then need not be, as many argue, a function of charitable inclination, or emergent from an acknowledgment of injustice suffered, but may in fact serve national and transnational interests. We conclude on a positive note: global solidarity may be conceptualized to helpfully address global health inequity, to the extent that personal and transnational interdependence are enough to motivate national governments into action. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

ECONOMIC CONCENTRATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE WORLD ECONOMY GLOBALIZATION

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Berinde Mihai

2008-05-01

Full Text Available This paper has as main objective to emphasize the importance of a permanent control activity on the economic concentration operations. In order to assure an appropriate choice as concern the economic concentration to be submitted at the assessment procedure each country has its competence to establish its turnover ceilings opening the procedure in accordance with the priorities of its own economic policy. As a final conclusion, we stress that economic concentration assessment and competition policy as a whole are very dynamic activities asking permanent legal and procedural adjustments in order to take appropriately into account economic interests of the country as well as the evolutions registered on regional and global level. This approach is the most valid in the case of Romania taking into account its recent accession to the European Union and its more and more important involvement in the regional and global cooperation.

The position of place in governing global problems: A mechanistic account of place-as-context, and analysis of transitions towards spatially explicit approaches to climate science and policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacGillivray, Brian H.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Place is a central yet undertheorised concept within sustainability science. • Introduces an account of place as the context in which social and environmental mechanisms operate. • Uses this account to critique historical aspatial approaches to climate science and policy. • Traces out shifts towards spatially explicit approaches to climate governance. • A focus on place, heterogeneity, and context maximizes the credibility and policy-relevance of climate science. - Abstract: Place is a central concept within the sustainability sciences, yet it remains somewhat undertheorised, and its relationship to generalisation and scale is unclear. Here, we develop a mechanistic account of place as the fundamental context in which social and environmental mechanisms operate. It is premised on the view that the social and environmental sciences are typically concerned with causal processes and their interaction with context, rather than with a search for laws. We deploy our mechanistic account to critique the neglect of place that characterised the early stages of climate governance, ranging from the highly idealised general circulation and integrated assessment models used to analyze climate change, to the global institutions and technologies designed to manage it. We implicate this neglect of place in the limited progress in tackling climate change in both public and policy spheres, before tracing out recent shifts towards more spatially explicit approaches to climate change science and policy-making. These shifts reflect a move towards an ontology which acknowledges that even where causal drivers are in a sense global in nature (e.g. atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases), their impacts are often mediated through variables that are spatially clustered at multiple scales, moderated by contextual features of the local environment, and interact with the presence of other (localised) stressors in synergistic rather than additive ways. We conclude that a

THREE MODELS OF NATIONAL CRIMINAL POLICY IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION

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Ivan Kleymenov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The author identifies three models of national criminal policy: the sovereign, reformist and experimental. The main criteria of such differentiation are the exposure to global influence, the criminological soundness and stability of criminal policy. Identification of the model of criminal policy in a particular state is a complex task that requires independent research.The subject. The article is devoted to modeling of the national criminal policy in modern conditions of globalization. The article discusses various models of criminal policy in the conditions of globalization.The purpose of the author is to describe the basic models of national criminal policy in modern conditions of globalization.The methodology. The author uses the method of analysis and synthesis, formal legal method as well as sociological methods (survey.The results, scope of application. The author identifies three models of national criminal policy: the sovereign, reformist and experimental. The main criteria of such differentiation are the exposure to global influence, the criminological soundness and stability of criminal policy. The sovereign model is based on doctrine of weak state and a strong combat criminal activity. It is distinguished by the pursuit of the realization of the equality of all before the law, criminal strategic and political planning system with a clear definition of goals and objectives; criminological security. The reform of criminal policy is characterized byuncertainty goals and objectives, utopianism and pretentiousness, dependence on standards of the international organization, the lower prestige of criminology, reduction of social programs, lobbying of group interests, permanent amendments to the criminal and criminal procedure legislation. Experimental model of criminal policy is connected with approbation of such technologies of management of society that are criminal and contrary to human experience in fighting crime.Conclusions. Criminal

Globalization of Healthcare

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Globalization—the increasing transnational circulation of money, goods, people, ideas, and information worldwide—is generally recognized as one of the most powerful forces shaping our current and future history. How is it affecting healthcare, and in that context, what is the purpose and significance of Global Advances in Health and Medicine (GAHM), publisher of this journal? Our goal is not homogenization but rather to provide an opportunity for integration, convergence, and collaboration across cultures. By respecting and conserving the richness and diversity of each new medicine, we embrace globalization. Globalization is of course not new; it began in the Renaissance and particularly with the 15th- and 16th-century voyages of exploration by Columbus, Magellan, and others. Since the beginning of time, there have been interactions and exchanges among different peoples and cultures. However, the current magnitude of globalization is unprecedented and yet still expanding rapidly. PMID:24278809

Connecting strategy and execution in global R&D

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sbernini, Federico; Granini, Nicola; Herbert-Hansen, Zaza Nadja Lee

2017-01-01

The paper investigates the relationship between global product development strategic decisions, which include outsourcing, offshoring practices as well as strategic alliances, and their impact on the day-to-day business in a global and open innovation context. By adopting an exploratory inductive...

Exploring the Sociopolitical Dimensions of Global Warming

Science.gov (United States)

Sadler, Troy D.; Klosterman, Michelle L.

2009-01-01

The authors present an activity to help high school students conceptualize the sociopolitical complexity of global warming through an exploration of varied perspectives on the issue. They argue that socioscientific issues such as global warming present important contexts for learning science and that the social and political dimensions of these…

Phylogenetic classification of the world’s tropical forests

OpenAIRE

Slik, J. W. Ferry; Franklin, Janet; Arroyo-Rodríguez, Víctor; Field, Richard; Aguilar, Salomon; Aguirre, Nikolay; Ahumada, Jorge; Aiba, Shin-Ichiro; Alves, Luciana F.; K, Anitha; Avella, Andres; Mora, Francisco; Aymard C., Gerardo A.; Báez, Selene; Balvanera, Patricia

2018-01-01

Identifying and explaining regional differences in tropical forest dynamics, structure, diversity, and composition are critical for anticipating region-specific responses to global environmental change. Floristic classifications are of fundamental importance for these efforts. Here we provide a global tropical forest classification that is explicitly based on community evolutionary similarity, resulting in identification of five major tropical forest regions and their relationships: (i) Indo-...

Global designs, postcolonial critiques: rethinking Canada in dialogue with diaspora Global designs, postcolonial critiques: rethinking Canada in dialogue with diaspora

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana Brydon

2008-04-01

Full Text Available This paper approaches the comparative examination of Brazil and Canada in the context of engagements with postcolonial theory obliquely, rather than directly, through reframing the comparison within the contexts posed by Paul Gilroy in The Black Atlantic, and by contemporary globalization theories and indigenous global activism, when considered through a postcolonial lens. Accepting John Tomlinson’s idea (in Globalization and Culture that the “complex connectivities” of globalizing practices and discourses “confound” conventional social science practices, this paper suggests that literary texts that engage these issues may enjoy an advantage in negotiating such complexities. But it also argues that new configurations of diaspora and globalization offer writers and readers the chance to shift literature away from its conventional constructions as both autonomous and transcendent, on the one hand, and nation-affirming, on the other. Through a close comparative reading of Okanagan writer Jeannette Armstrong’s novel, Whispering in Shadows, and Caribbean-Canadian Nalo Hopkinson’s utopian science fiction, Brown Girl in the Ring, I seek to model a postcolonial reading practice attentive to cultural difference and global challenges. Each story addresses colonial legacies and global designs through the reconstruction of a relational autonomy that redefines humanity and community through re-energizing beliefs and practices abandoned under colonial modernity. Each text challenges mainstream models for mapping Canadian identity and its place within the Americas. They work to break the illusion of Western progress that fuels contemporary globalization and to redefine global connectivities from within the perspectives of formerly subjugated knowledge systems and a local ground. This paper approaches the comparative examination of Brazil and Canada in the context of engagements with postcolonial theory obliquely, rather than directly, through

Global integration in times of crisis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Camilla

shock) from other subsidiaries downstream in the value chain. While in a comparative perspective multinational subsidiaries are found to perform relatively better than local firms that are integrated differently (arms' length) in global production networks (e.g. offshoring outsourcing). This paper tries...... to reconcile these findings by testing a number of hypothesis about global integration strategies in the context of the global financial crisis and how it affected exporting among multinational subsidiaries operating out of Turkey. Controlling for the impact that depreciations and exchange rate volatility has...... integration strategies throughout the course of the global financial crisis....

Løsninger på den globale mangel på sundhedspersonale

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schriver, Michael; Ertner, Gideon; Aabenhus, Mette Morre

2012-01-01

The global shortage of health workers in a world with interdependence and vast inequalities in health calls for internationally coordinated context-sensitive actions to build a global health workforce of sufficient quantity and quality. This status article describes the global crisis in the health...

The Development of Strategic Bank Lending Industries in the Context of Globalization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oksana Markovna Kramarenko

2015-09-01

Full Text Available It is shown that, in the context of globalization, improved credit support for strategic sectors of the economy (for example, shipbuilding can be achieved through the creation of a banking consortium based around leasing. A dialectical method of resolution of system tasks is selected as the methodological approach. Methods used include: comparative cost analysis of the strategic lending industry supporting the formation and development of a banking consortium; integrated method at the condition modeling of making and implementation of a lease agreement, which allowed to accommodate the interests for both parties of such agreement; optimization method to select the conditions of a lease agreement; classification and analytical method to clarify the classification of lease. The study proved and developed a plan of creation a banking consortium, including options of interaction of such consortium with potential customers based on a lease agreement. The process of functioning of the lease agreement in order to optimize it for both a bank consortium-lessor and a lessee is modeled. The significant advantages of leasing compared to the traditional lending for both parties of leasing, especially when ensuring long-term projects are summarized. The results of the research can be applied in the strategic lending industries development and can reduce the level of banking risks. Applying the results of the research in the social aspect can maintain and increase the number of jobs including the banking sector. The value of the work leis in the fact that the author has developed a new approach to achive the credit support for strategic sectors of the economy through the creation of the banking consortium based around leasing, which allows to protect the interests of both parties.

Global Health and Social Media: Using Instagram and Twitter in an Open Online Class for Global Service-Learning Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Messner, Marcus; Medina-Messner, Vivian; Guidry, Jeanine

2016-01-01

Course description: An undergraduate open online course used Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to explore global health issues and designed social media campaigns for nonprofit clients. Social media platforms were used as teaching as well as learning platforms to allow students to explore their real life applications in global health contexts.

Implementing the global plan to stop TB, 2011-2015 - optimizing allocations and the global fund's contribution: A scenario projections study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

E.L. Korenromp (Eline); P. Glaziou (Philippe); C. Fitzpatrick (Christopher); K. Floyd (Katherine); M. Hosseini (Mehran); M.C. Raviglione (Mario); R. Atun (Rifat); B. Williams (Brian)

2012-01-01

textabstractBackground: The Global Plan to Stop TB estimates funding required in low- and middle-income countries to achieve TB control targets set by the Stop TB Partnership within the context of the Millennium Development Goals. We estimate the contribution and impact of Global Fund investments

FINANCIAL RISK COVERAGE IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION FINANCIAL MARKETS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Esperanza González-del Foyo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In a globalized environment, the increase of risks that assume the international commerce makes necessary the to articulate the instruments of covering. The enterprise activity and the country in matter will condition in a great measure the type of covering that be needed to contract, the principal consist in: knowing the risks, evaluate its incidence, decide to cover it or assume it and in both cases the right choise most be the aplication of the strategy thatt be more efective. The States put under disposition of the enterprises a series of public mechanismes to help them to promote its internationalitation . One of the pillars where this politics rest is the use of mechanismes of riskes cover in the internacional commerce. In correspondence with the previous, to reflect on the aplications of the financial risk and the formulation of strategies to cover them in conditions of globalization of the financial markets, constitute the objetive of this article. 

Regaining legitimacy in the context of global governance? UNESCO, Education for All coordination and the Global Monitoring Report

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, D. Brent; Okitsu, Taeko; da Costa, Romina; Kitamura, Yuto

2017-06-01

This research note shares insights which resulted from a larger study into the ways in which the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - during 2010-2014 - used its position as coordinator of the post-Dakar Framework for Action (initiated at the World Education Forum held in 2000 and designed to reinvigorate the Education for All initiative) to help it regain some of the legitimacy it had lost in the preceding decades. The research study focused on the role of both the UNESCO Education for All Follow-up Unit and the production of the Global Monitoring Report (GMR) during the 2000s because they were at the heart of UNESCO's efforts to repair its image and renew its impact in one area of global governance, specifically in the global education policy field. The study's findings were based on an analysis of documents, archives and interviews ( n = 17) with key actors inside and outside UNESCO, including representatives of UNESCO's peer institutions.

STRUCTURE OF MAIN ARBOREAL SPECIES IN CRUCE CABALLERO PARK AND ITS FLORISTIC SIMILARITY WITH AREAS FROM ARGENTINE AND BRAZIL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Román Carlos Ríos

2010-08-01

Full Text Available The present work aimed to study the fitossociologic structure and floristic similarity among seasonal and mixed forests of Argentina and Brazil. Cruce Caballero Park with 522 hectares where the method of multiple plots was adopted with (20 x 10 m. In each plot all individual tree of size equal or heigher than 5 cm diameter were registered, being measured the stem diameter and height into three environmental compartments, Haplorthox, Ustorthent and Udorthent. In Haplorthox, Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol. Kuntze prevail at higher stratum and Sorocea bonplandii (Baill. W.C.Burger, Lanj. & Boer, Cabralea canjerana (Vell. Mart., Ocotea lancifolia Mez and Apuleia leiocarpa J.F.Macbr. follow it. In Ustorthent araucaria is absent and Gymnanthes concolor Müll.Arg., Trichilia claussenii C.DC., Apuleia leiocarpa, Pilocarpus pennatifolius Lem. and Sorocea bonplandii prevail. Aracuaria is scarce in Udorthent where Parapiptadenia rigida (Benth. Brenan, Alchornea triplinervia Müll.Arg., Luehea divaricata Mart., Erythrina falcata Benth. and Myrsine gardneriana A.DC. prevail. A comparative analysis shown Cruce Caballero more similar to seasonal forests than mixed araucaria forest from Brazil.

Unpacking the Global Crisis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juego, Bonn; Schmidt, Johannes Dragsbæk

The paper hopes to contribute to a reading of the political economy of the current global crisis with a focus on four interrelated themes. First, we discuss the constitutive role and functional character of crises in the evolution of neo-liberalism in particular and in capitalist reproduction...... opposing crisis responses—from multilaterals to regional organisations to global civil society—and realise that responses from either pro-neoliberal or anti-neoliberal forces are fundamentally the same through the years, simply re-articulating analyses and programmes that they have respectively...... pursued and advocated long before the global crisis. And fourth, in the context of East and Southeast Asia, we examine the tendencies of the global crisis vis-à-vis the strengthening and even acceleration of emergent authoritarian liberalism in the region despite and because of the global crisis....

Gender differences in global-local perception? Evidence from orientation and shape judgments.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimchi, Ruth; Amishav, Rama; Sulitzeanu-Kenan, Anat

2009-01-01

Direct examinations of gender differences in global-local processing are sparse, and the results are inconsistent. We examined this issue with a visuospatial judgment task and with a shape judgment task. Women and men were presented with hierarchical stimuli that varied in closure (open or closed shape) or in line orientation (oblique or horizontal/vertical) at the global or local level. The task was to classify the stimuli on the basis of the variation at the global level (global classification) or at the local level (local classification). Women's classification by closure (global or local) was more accurate than men's for stimuli that varied in closure on both levels, suggesting a female advantage in discriminating shape properties. No gender differences were observed in global-local processing bias. Women and men exhibited a global advantage, and they did not differ in their speed of global or local classification, with only one exception. Women were slower than men in local classification by orientation when the to-be-classified lines were embedded in a global line with a different orientation. This finding suggests that women are more distracted than men by misleading global oriented context when performing local orientation judgments, perhaps because women and men differ in their ability to use cognitive schemes to compensate for the distracting effects of the global context. Our findings further suggest that whether or not gender differences arise depends not only on the nature of the visual task but also on the visual context.

Earth Observation of Vegetation Dynamics in Global Drylands

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tian, Feng

Land degradation in global drylands has been a concern related to both the local livelihoods and the changes in terrestrial biosphere, especially in the context of substantial global environmental changes. Earth Observation (EO) provides a unique way to assess the vegetation dynamics over the past...

Globalization and Counseling: Professional Issues for Counselors

Science.gov (United States)

Lorelle, Sonya; Byrd, Rebekah; Crockett, Stephanie

2012-01-01

Scholars have examined globalization for many years in terms of its impact on individuals, but it remains a concept not often discussed in the counseling literature. As counseling transforms from a Western-based practice to a global phenomenon, it is important to understand professional counseling within an international and multicultural context.…

Perpetrators or Preventers? The Double Role of Corporations in Child Trafficking in a Global Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Rodríguez-López

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the engagement of corporations in child trafficking has become a matter of growing importance. Many corporations have adopted global subcontracting systems and complex structures that boost their productivity and profits, but might also create more opportunities for trafficking and exploitation of both adults and children. Taking this context into account, the ways in which corporations can commit child trafficking will be explored and exemplified to highlight their diversity. This paper also offers a brief overview of the response given by international and European anti-trafficking instruments concerning corporate criminal liability for child trafficking. Moreover, the mechanisms adopted by some companies to prevent trafficking and promote transparency within their supply chains will also be addressed. Overall, this paper aims to illustrate the pivotal role of corporations from two perspectives: as potential perpetrators of this serious crime, and as necessary actors to prevent it.  El compromiso empresarial sobre el tráfico infantil es un asunto de creciente importancia. Muchas corporaciones han adoptado sistemas globales de subcontrataciones y complejas estructuras que incrementan su productividad y sus beneficios, pero que también podrían crear más oportunidades para la trata y la explotación de adultos y niños. Partiendo de este contexto, se exploran y ejemplifican las diversas formas en que las corporaciones pueden cometer tráfico infantil. El artículo repasa brevemente la respuesta de los instrumentos internacionales y europeos en lo tocante a la responsabilidad penal de las corporaciones por la trata infantil, y aborda los mecanismos adoptados por algunas empresas para prevenir la trata y promover la transparencia en sus cadenas de suministro. En suma, se pretende ilustrar el rol crucial de las corporaciones desde dos puntos de vista: como potenciales perpetradores de este grave crimen y como actores necesarios

Intrapreneurship in the Spanish context : a regional analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Turro Sol, A.; Alvarez, Claudia; Urbano, David

2016-01-01

The objective of this article is to examine the influence of internal and external (environmental) factors on intrapreneurship in the Spanish context, considering differences among regions. Methodologically, the study applies logistic regression and uses data from the Spanish Global Entrepreneurship

Public policy and regulatory strategies in the global climate change context: opportunities and limitations of programmatic CDM; Politicas publicas e estrategias regulatorias no contexto das mudancas climaticas globais: oportunidades e limitacoes do MDL programatico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romeiro, Viviane; Simoes, Andre Felipe; Januzzi, Gilberto M. [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (FEM/UNICAMP), SP (Brazil). Fac. de Engenharia Mecanica. Dept. de Planejamento de Sistemas Energeticos

2008-07-01

Carbon Market and its implications to reduce green house effect has been broadly discussed in the context of global climate change. This paper intends to analyze the new regulation of global climate change since Programmatic CDM was created, describing the proceeds to its implementation and discussing limitations and opportunities analyzes of this mechanism as a tool to obtain alternative energy source. It is discussed the challenges and opportunities about CDM programs in the international legal system in which Kyoto Protocol is based, as well as its contribution to attain benefits to global climate system and quality of social life. (author)

REGIONAL AUTHORS SELF-IDENTITY DEMONSTRATION IN MEMORIAL CONTEXTS

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Mariya Victorovna Vekkesser

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The article is devoted to the pressing issue of regional identity preservation under conditions of linguoculturological globalization in modern society. The purpose of our research is to identify verbal means of expressing regional self-identification of narrators in the memorial context. The object is the self-identification of the narrator in memorial genre and the subject is verbal means of expressing regional self-identification. Methodology and methods of work. An appeal to the memorial genre, searching linguistic methods of the regional authors self-identity is considered in a context of regional linguistic from the perspective of communicative discourse approach; discursive and contextual methods are used. Results. The article theoretically describes the memorat from the standpoint of the speech genres theory. The research shows the narrators through the actualization of language tools associate themselves with their native region, the result being the formation of regional self-identification. In the era of linguistic globalization it is important to study regional self-identification, in particular, in the context of the memorial speech genre. Practical implications. Both the article materials and results can be applied in the educational process of reading special courses on regional linguistic issues.

Global bioethics: utopia or reality?

Science.gov (United States)

Hellsten, Sirkku K

2008-08-01

This article discusses what 'global bioethics' means today and what features make bioethical research 'global'. The article provides a historical view of the development of the field of 'bioethics', from medical ethics to the wider study of bioethics in a global context. It critically examines the particular problems that 'global bioethics' research faces across cultural and political borders and suggests some solutions on how to move towards a more balanced and culturally less biased dialogue in the issues of bioethics. The main thesis is that we need to bring global and local aspects closer together when looking for international guidelines, by paying more attention to particular cultures and local economic and social circumstances in reaching a shared understanding of the main values and principles of bioethics, and in building 'biodemocracy'.

Labour in Global Value Chains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund-Thomsen, Peter; Nadvi, Khalid; Chan, Anita

2012-01-01

production contexts that influence work conditions. In doing so, it argues that current debates on the role of labour in global value chains have to go beyond a narrow focus on labour standards and corporate social responsibility compliance and engage with economic, technological and social upgrading......A critical challenge facing developing country producers is to meet international labour standards and codes of conduct in order to engage in global value chains. Evidence of gains for workers from compliance with such standards and codes remains limited and patchy. This article focuses...... on the global football industry, a sector dominated by leading global brands that manage dispersed global value chains. It assesses the working conditions for football stitchers engaged in different forms of work organization, factories, stitching centres and home-based settings in Pakistan, India and China...

Unpacking Global Service-Learning in Developing Contexts: A Case Study from Rural Tanzania

Science.gov (United States)

Oberhauser, Ann M.; Daniels, Rita

2017-01-01

This article examines intercultural aspects of global service learning (GSL) focused on gender and sustainable development in rural Tanzania. The discussion draws from critical development and postcolonial feminist approaches to examine how GSL addresses globalization, social histories, and political economies of development. The empirical…

Employer Brand Strategies of the Antena 1 and Antena 3 TV Broadcasters in the Context of Globalization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viorica Paus

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The “employer brand” concept has recently entered the field of human resources. This study aims to analyze how the two national TV broadcasters Antena 1 and Antena 3 apply this concept and how the employer brand customizes and enhances the distinctive values of the organization through its employees. Ambler and Barrow defined for the first time the term of “employer brand”, in the Journal of Brand Management in 1996. We conducted an exploratory research in order to identify the presence of branding activities. We used the survey, the interview and the analysis of documents promoting the image of the organization. Correlated results demonstrate that high employee satisfaction leads to enhancing performance, which increases the audience ratings and improves the “brand equity”, thus making the human resource part of the organization brand and contributing to its success and international visibility. Given the early exploration of the concept, our research seeks to provide models of good practice for implementing this concept in the human resources policies of Romanian media institutions in the context of globalization.

Floristic composition, biological spectrum and phenology of tehsil havelian, district abbottabad, KP, pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaheen, S.; Iqbal, Z.; Ijaz, F.; Rahman, I.

2016-01-01

Detailed field survey was carried out to assess the floristic composition, phenology, leaf and biological spectrum of Tehsil Havelian during 2011-2012. A total of 205 plant species belonging to 78 families were documented. According to plant habit there are 129 species of herbs, 38 species of trees and 38 species of shrubs. Asteraceae and Lamiaceae were dominant families with 15 species each, then Brassicaceae 11 species, Rosaceae and Papilionaceae with 10 species each. They were followed by Ranunculaceae with 9 species. All the remaining 72 families have less than 7 members. Flowering season was classified in two spells, first from March to July with 62.56% herbs, 19.48% shrubs, 18.46% trees, 2.56% grasses and 1.02% ferns. Second spell starts from August to November with 50% shrubs, 30% herbs and 20% trees. The life form classes were determined by the Raunkier's method which reveals that the most dominant life form was Therophytes with 89 species (43.68%), followed by Nanophanerophytes 26 species (12.62%), Megaphanerophytes 20 species (9.70%), Mesophanerophytes 19 species (9.22%), Chamaephytes 15 species (7.28%), Hemicryptophytes 15 species (7.28%), Geophytes 11 species (5.33%), Lianas 6 species (2.91%), Microphanerophytes 3 species (1.45%) and Neophytes with 1 species (0.48%). As for as leaf size concerned, Microphyll was the most prevalent leaf size with 98 species (47.80%), followed by Nanophyll 55 spp. (26.82%), Leptophyll 28 species (13.65%), Mesophyll 16 spp. (7.80%) and Megaphyll contributing with 8 species (3.90%). Study reflects the overall ecological scenario and may be beneficial as reference study for conservation and sustainable use of plants. (author)

Defining Health Diplomacy: Changing Demands in the Era of Globalization

Science.gov (United States)

Katz, Rebecca; Kornblet, Sarah; Arnold, Grace; Lief, Eric; Fischer, Julie E

2011-01-01

Context: Accelerated globalization has produced obvious changes in diplomatic purposes and practices. Health issues have become increasingly preeminent in the evolving global diplomacy agenda. More leaders in academia and policy are thinking about how to structure and utilize diplomacy in pursuit of global health goals. Methods: In this article, we describe the context, practice, and components of global health diplomacy, as applied operationally. We examine the foundations of various approaches to global health diplomacy, along with their implications for the policies shaping the international public health and foreign policy environments. Based on these observations, we propose a taxonomy for the subdiscipline. Findings: Expanding demands on global health diplomacy require a delicate combination of technical expertise, legal knowledge, and diplomatic skills that have not been systematically cultivated among either foreign service or global health professionals. Nonetheless, high expectations that global health initiatives will achieve development and diplomatic goals beyond the immediate technical objectives may be thwarted by this gap. Conclusions: The deepening links between health and foreign policy require both the diplomatic and global health communities to reexamine the skills, comprehension, and resources necessary to achieve their mutual objectives. PMID:21933277

Structural policy in the context of international competition aggravation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Volodymyr Bodrov

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This article researches the essence and peculiarities of the structural policy, performs classification of its models and determines possibilities of their use in the context of increasing international competition. It discovers the main components of the economic structure and trends of the state policy regarding their modernization. Measures on improvement of state regulation instruments are offered, factors of influence upon improvement of the Ukrainian economy structure are analyzed and priority goals are systematized which require urgent implementation in the terms of competitive struggle aggravation at the global markets. The article also researches the matter of importance of performing a complex of state functional and selective measures in the form of matrix policy for the purpose of protecting national interests of the country in the context of global challenges

OLD AND NEW ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION

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Elena MĂRGULESCU

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The retrospective of the theoretical approaches of the phenomenon of economic globalization in the last three decades emphasizes the movement of attention from the globalization of markets, from the'80s, to the globalization of production and services in the current decade. This trend is essentially the result of implementing new strategies by multinational and transnational companies. We try in this context to draw a line between the "globalization of markets" and the "globalization of production and services”. A feature of the globalization of production and services is the implementation of the arbitrage strategy in respect of one or more production factors. But the "globalization of production and services’ gains a new content due to the new possibilities offered by the “modularization” of production. Following, the arbitrage strategies began to address new factors, as for example the "functions" of production resulting from the restructuring of the product value chain.

The Future of Global Social Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miriam Potocky-Tripodi

2005-05-01

Full Text Available This article addresses the social work within the context of internationalism and globalization. Based on an examination of published documents on international social work in the past decade, the authors make an evidence-based projection of what is likely to occur in the future of global social work. Finally, the authors make a social work values-based projection of what should occur.

[Globalization and infectious diseases: the past and future].

Science.gov (United States)

Scotto, Gaetano

2011-03-01

Globalization is a widely-used term that can be defined in a number of different ways. When used in an economic context, it refers to the reduction and removal of barriers between national borders in order to facilitate the flow of goods, capital, services and labour. Globalization is not a new phenomenon. Today the concept of globalization can be extended to include global exposure to infectious diseases, which is becoming more apparent. The aim of this article is to examine the influence of globalization on the outbreak and spread of infections in the world.

CEO pay-performance sensitivity in the South African context

OpenAIRE

Mark Bussin

2015-01-01

The topic of executive pay-performance sensitivity has resulted in mixed research findings. Literature related to executive remuneration constructs, company performance measures and the underlying theories is critically reviewed in this article. The literature is compared to research findings within the South African context pre, during and post the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. The researcher found similar results in the South African context compared to research in other countries and in...

Health promotion in globalization

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Álvaro Franco-Giraldo

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: to unravel some theoretical and factual elements required to implement more effective health promotion strategies and practices in the field of health services whilst following the great challenges that globalization has imposed on the health systems, which are inevitably expressed in the local context (glocalization. Methodology: a narrative review taking into account the concepts of globalization and health promotion in relation to health determinants. The authors approach some courses of action and strategies for health promotion based on the social principles and universal values that guide health promotion, health service reorientation and primary healthcare, empowerment, social participation, and inter-sectoral and social mobilization. Discussion: the discussion focuses on the redirection of health promotion services in relation to the wave of health reforms that has spread throughout the world under the neoliberal rule. The author also discusses health promotion, its ineffectiveness, and the quest for renewal. Likewise, the author sets priorities for health promotion in relation to social determinants. Conclusion: the current global order, in terms of international relations, is not consistent with the ethical principles of health promotion. In this paper, the author advocates for the implementation of actions to change the social and physical life conditions of people based on changes in the use of power in society and the appropriate practice of politics in the context of globalization in order to achieve the effectiveness of the actions of health promotion.

Evolutionary history of a keystone pollinator parallels the biome occupancy of angiosperms in the Greater Cape Floristic Region.

Science.gov (United States)

de Jager, Marinus L; Ellis, Allan G

2017-02-01

The Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR) in South Africa has been extensively investigated for its phenomenal angiosperm diversity. A key emergent pattern is the occurrence of older plant lineages in the southern Fynbos biome and younger lineages in the northern Succulent Karoo biome. We know practically nothing, however, about the evolutionary history of the animals that pollinate this often highly-specialized flora. In this study, we explore the evolutionary history of an important GCFR fly pollinator, Megapalpus capensis, and ask whether it exhibits broadly congruent genetic structuring and timing of diversification to flowering plants within these biomes. We find that the oldest M. capensis lineages originated in Fynbos during the Miocene, while younger Succulent Karoo lineages diverged in the Pliocene and correspond to the proposed age of this recent biome. A strong signature of population expansion is also recovered for flies in this arid biome, consistent with recent colonization. Our first investigation into the evolutionary history of GCFR pollinators thus supports a recent origin of the SK biome, as inferred from angiosperm phylogenies, and suggests that plants and pollinators may have co-diverged within this remarkable area. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Glacier recession on Mount Kenya in the context of the global tropics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

1995-01-01

Full Text Available LE RECUL DES GLACIERS DU MONT KENYA DANS LE CONTEXTE GLOBAL DES TROPIQUES. Les glaciers ont commencé leur retrait autour de la moitié du XIXème siècle dans les Andes équatoriales et en Nouvelle-Guinée, mais il faut attendre la fin du XIXème siècle pour les voir entamer leur recul en Afrique de l’Est. Dans cette région, la déglaciation, comme la baisse du niveau des lacs, est due à des changements hydroclimatiques survenant à la suite de modifications de la circulation atmosphérique dans l’Océan Indien. La diminution des surfaces englacées est attribuée à une réduction de la nébulosité accompagnée d’une baisse des précipitations. Par la suite, un réchauffement progressif et une augmentation de l’humidité atmosphérique sont devenus les facteurs dominants. La déglaciation tend à s’accentuer sous tous les Tropiques depuis deux décennies. RETROCESO DE LOS GLACIARES DEL MONTE KENYA EN EL CONTEXTO GLOBAL DE LOS TRÓPICOS. El retroceso de los glaciares empezó, en los Andes del Ecuador y en Nueva Guinea, a mediados del siglo XIX más o menos, y sólo a fines de este siglo en África del Este. En esta zona, tanto el principio del retroceso de los glaciares como el descenso del nivel de los lagos, han sido provocados por un cambio de las condiciones hidroclimáticas debido a cambios en el sector del Océano Índico. Una reducción de la nubosidad acompañada por una disminución de las precipitaciones tuvo el rol más importante en el proceso de desglaciación. Después, el progresivo recalentamiento y el aumento de la humedad atmosférica fueron los factores dominantes. La desglaciación es un fenómeno que se acentuó en todo el Trópico durante los dos últimos decenios. Glaciers began to retreat around the mid 1800’s in the Ecuadorian Andes and New Guinea, but only towards the end of the 19th century in East Africa. Here the onset of the ice recession as well as the drop of lake levels were due to a change in the

Phylogenetic classification of the world’s tropical forests

Science.gov (United States)

Franklin, Janet; Arroyo-Rodríguez, Víctor; Field, Richard; Aguilar, Salomon; Aguirre, Nikolay; Ahumada, Jorge; Aiba, Shin-Ichiro; K, Anitha; Avella, Andres; Mora, Francisco; Aymard C., Gerardo A.; Báez, Selene; Balvanera, Patricia; Bastian, Meredith L.; Bastin, Jean-François; Bellingham, Peter J.; van den Berg, Eduardo; da Conceição Bispo, Polyanna; Boeckx, Pascal; Boehning-Gaese, Katrin; Bongers, Frans; Boyle, Brad; Brearley, Francis Q.; Brown, Sandra; Chai, Shauna-Lee; Chazdon, Robin L.; Chen, Shengbin; Chhang, Phourin; Chuyong, George; Ewango, Corneille; Coronado, Indiana M.; Cristóbal-Azkarate, Jurgi; Culmsee, Heike; Damas, Kipiro; Dattaraja, H. S.; Davidar, Priya; DeWalt, Saara J.; Din, Hazimah; Drake, Donald R.; Durigan, Giselda; Eichhorn, Karl; Eler, Eduardo Schmidt; Enoki, Tsutomu; Ensslin, Andreas; Fandohan, Adandé Belarmain; Farwig, Nina; Feeley, Kenneth J.; Fischer, Markus; Forshed, Olle; Garcia, Queila Souza; Garkoti, Satish Chandra; Gillespie, Thomas W.; Gillet, Jean-Francois; Gonmadje, Christelle; Granzow-de la Cerda, Iñigo; Griffith, Daniel M.; Grogan, James; Hakeem, Khalid Rehman; Harris, David J.; Harrison, Rhett D.; Hector, Andy; Hemp, Andreas; Hussain, M. Shah; Ibarra-Manríquez, Guillermo; Hanum, I. Faridah; Imai, Nobuo; Jansen, Patrick A.; Joly, Carlos Alfredo; Joseph, Shijo; Kartawinata, Kuswata; Kearsley, Elizabeth; Kelly, Daniel L.; Kessler, Michael; Killeen, Timothy J.; Kooyman, Robert M.; Laumonier, Yves; Laurance, William F.; Lawes, Michael J.; Letcher, Susan G.; Lovett, Jon; Lozada, Jose; Lu, Xinghui; Lykke, Anne Mette; Mahmud, Khairil Bin; Mahayani, Ni Putu Diana; Mansor, Asyraf; Marshall, Andrew R.; Martin, Emanuel H.; Calderado Leal Matos, Darley; Meave, Jorge A.; Melo, Felipe P. L.; Mendoza, Zhofre Huberto Aguirre; Metali, Faizah; Medjibe, Vincent P.; Metzger, Jean Paul; Metzker, Thiago; Mohandass, D.; Munguía-Rosas, Miguel A.; Muñoz, Rodrigo; Nurtjahy, Eddy; de Oliveira, Eddie Lenza; Onrizal; Parolin, Pia; Parren, Marc; Parthasarathy, N.; Paudel, Ekananda; Perez, Rolando; Pérez-García, Eduardo A.; Pommer, Ulf; Poorter, Lourens; Qie, Lan; Piedade, Maria Teresa F.; Pinto, José Roberto Rodrigues; Poulsen, Axel Dalberg; Poulsen, John R.; Powers, Jennifer S.; Prasad, Rama Chandra; Puyravaud, Jean-Philippe; Rangel, Orlando; Reitsma, Jan; Rocha, Diogo S. B.; Rolim, Samir; Rovero, Francesco; Ruokolainen, Kalle; Rutishauser, Ervan; Rutten, Gemma; Mohd. Said, Mohd. Nizam; Saiter, Felipe Z.; Saner, Philippe; Santos, Braulio; dos Santos, João Roberto; Sarker, Swapan Kumar; Schoengart, Jochen; Schulze, Mark; Sheil, Douglas; Sist, Plinio; Souza, Alexandre F.; Spironello, Wilson Roberto; Sposito, Tereza; Steinmetz, Robert; Stevart, Tariq; Suganuma, Marcio Seiji; Sukri, Rahayu; Sukumar, Raman; Sunderland, Terry; Supriyadi; Suresh, H. S.; Suzuki, Eizi; Tabarelli, Marcelo; Tang, Jianwei; Tanner, Ed V. J.; Targhetta, Natalia; Theilade, Ida; Thomas, Duncan; Timberlake, Jonathan; de Morisson Valeriano, Márcio; van Valkenburg, Johan; Van Do, Tran; Van Sam, Hoang; Vandermeer, John H.; Verbeeck, Hans; Vetaas, Ole Reidar; Adekunle, Victor; Vieira, Simone A.; Webb, Campbell O.; Webb, Edward L.; Whitfeld, Timothy; Wich, Serge; Williams, John; Wiser, Susan; Wittmann, Florian; Yang, Xiaobo; Adou Yao, C. Yves; Yap, Sandra L.; Zahawi, Rakan A.; Zakaria, Rahmad; Zang, Runguo

2018-01-01

Knowledge about the biogeographic affinities of the world’s tropical forests helps to better understand regional differences in forest structure, diversity, composition, and dynamics. Such understanding will enable anticipation of region-specific responses to global environmental change. Modern phylogenies, in combination with broad coverage of species inventory data, now allow for global biogeographic analyses that take species evolutionary distance into account. Here we present a classification of the world’s tropical forests based on their phylogenetic similarity. We identify five principal floristic regions and their floristic relationships: (i) Indo-Pacific, (ii) Subtropical, (iii) African, (iv) American, and (v) Dry forests. Our results do not support the traditional neo- versus paleotropical forest division but instead separate the combined American and African forests from their Indo-Pacific counterparts. We also find indications for the existence of a global dry forest region, with representatives in America, Africa, Madagascar, and India. Additionally, a northern-hemisphere Subtropical forest region was identified with representatives in Asia and America, providing support for a link between Asian and American northern-hemisphere forests. PMID:29432167

Phylogenetic classification of the world's tropical forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Slik, J W Ferry; Franklin, Janet; Arroyo-Rodríguez, Víctor; Field, Richard; Aguilar, Salomon; Aguirre, Nikolay; Ahumada, Jorge; Aiba, Shin-Ichiro; Alves, Luciana F; K, Anitha; Avella, Andres; Mora, Francisco; Aymard C, Gerardo A; Báez, Selene; Balvanera, Patricia; Bastian, Meredith L; Bastin, Jean-François; Bellingham, Peter J; van den Berg, Eduardo; da Conceição Bispo, Polyanna; Boeckx, Pascal; Boehning-Gaese, Katrin; Bongers, Frans; Boyle, Brad; Brambach, Fabian; Brearley, Francis Q; Brown, Sandra; Chai, Shauna-Lee; Chazdon, Robin L; Chen, Shengbin; Chhang, Phourin; Chuyong, George; Ewango, Corneille; Coronado, Indiana M; Cristóbal-Azkarate, Jurgi; Culmsee, Heike; Damas, Kipiro; Dattaraja, H S; Davidar, Priya; DeWalt, Saara J; Din, Hazimah; Drake, Donald R; Duque, Alvaro; Durigan, Giselda; Eichhorn, Karl; Eler, Eduardo Schmidt; Enoki, Tsutomu; Ensslin, Andreas; Fandohan, Adandé Belarmain; Farwig, Nina; Feeley, Kenneth J; Fischer, Markus; Forshed, Olle; Garcia, Queila Souza; Garkoti, Satish Chandra; Gillespie, Thomas W; Gillet, Jean-Francois; Gonmadje, Christelle; Granzow-de la Cerda, Iñigo; Griffith, Daniel M; Grogan, James; Hakeem, Khalid Rehman; Harris, David J; Harrison, Rhett D; Hector, Andy; Hemp, Andreas; Homeier, Jürgen; Hussain, M Shah; Ibarra-Manríquez, Guillermo; Hanum, I Faridah; Imai, Nobuo; Jansen, Patrick A; Joly, Carlos Alfredo; Joseph, Shijo; Kartawinata, Kuswata; Kearsley, Elizabeth; Kelly, Daniel L; Kessler, Michael; Killeen, Timothy J; Kooyman, Robert M; Laumonier, Yves; Laurance, Susan G; Laurance, William F; Lawes, Michael J; Letcher, Susan G; Lindsell, Jeremy; Lovett, Jon; Lozada, Jose; Lu, Xinghui; Lykke, Anne Mette; Mahmud, Khairil Bin; Mahayani, Ni Putu Diana; Mansor, Asyraf; Marshall, Andrew R; Martin, Emanuel H; Calderado Leal Matos, Darley; Meave, Jorge A; Melo, Felipe P L; Mendoza, Zhofre Huberto Aguirre; Metali, Faizah; Medjibe, Vincent P; Metzger, Jean Paul; Metzker, Thiago; Mohandass, D; Munguía-Rosas, Miguel A; Muñoz, Rodrigo; Nurtjahy, Eddy; de Oliveira, Eddie Lenza; Onrizal; Parolin, Pia; Parren, Marc; Parthasarathy, N; Paudel, Ekananda; Perez, Rolando; Pérez-García, Eduardo A; Pommer, Ulf; Poorter, Lourens; Qie, Lan; Piedade, Maria Teresa F; Pinto, José Roberto Rodrigues; Poulsen, Axel Dalberg; Poulsen, John R; Powers, Jennifer S; Prasad, Rama Chandra; Puyravaud, Jean-Philippe; Rangel, Orlando; Reitsma, Jan; Rocha, Diogo S B; Rolim, Samir; Rovero, Francesco; Rozak, Andes; Ruokolainen, Kalle; Rutishauser, Ervan; Rutten, Gemma; Mohd Said, Mohd Nizam; Saiter, Felipe Z; Saner, Philippe; Santos, Braulio; Dos Santos, João Roberto; Sarker, Swapan Kumar; Schmitt, Christine B; Schoengart, Jochen; Schulze, Mark; Sheil, Douglas; Sist, Plinio; Souza, Alexandre F; Spironello, Wilson Roberto; Sposito, Tereza; Steinmetz, Robert; Stevart, Tariq; Suganuma, Marcio Seiji; Sukri, Rahayu; Sultana, Aisha; Sukumar, Raman; Sunderland, Terry; Supriyadi; Suresh, H S; Suzuki, Eizi; Tabarelli, Marcelo; Tang, Jianwei; Tanner, Ed V J; Targhetta, Natalia; Theilade, Ida; Thomas, Duncan; Timberlake, Jonathan; de Morisson Valeriano, Márcio; van Valkenburg, Johan; Van Do, Tran; Van Sam, Hoang; Vandermeer, John H; Verbeeck, Hans; Vetaas, Ole Reidar; Adekunle, Victor; Vieira, Simone A; Webb, Campbell O; Webb, Edward L; Whitfeld, Timothy; Wich, Serge; Williams, John; Wiser, Susan; Wittmann, Florian; Yang, Xiaobo; Adou Yao, C Yves; Yap, Sandra L; Zahawi, Rakan A; Zakaria, Rahmad; Zang, Runguo

2018-02-20

Knowledge about the biogeographic affinities of the world's tropical forests helps to better understand regional differences in forest structure, diversity, composition, and dynamics. Such understanding will enable anticipation of region-specific responses to global environmental change. Modern phylogenies, in combination with broad coverage of species inventory data, now allow for global biogeographic analyses that take species evolutionary distance into account. Here we present a classification of the world's tropical forests based on their phylogenetic similarity. We identify five principal floristic regions and their floristic relationships: ( i ) Indo-Pacific, ( ii ) Subtropical, ( iii ) African, ( iv ) American, and ( v ) Dry forests. Our results do not support the traditional neo- versus paleotropical forest division but instead separate the combined American and African forests from their Indo-Pacific counterparts. We also find indications for the existence of a global dry forest region, with representatives in America, Africa, Madagascar, and India. Additionally, a northern-hemisphere Subtropical forest region was identified with representatives in Asia and America, providing support for a link between Asian and American northern-hemisphere forests. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Globalization and Identity Development: A Chinese Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Min; Berman, Steven L.

2012-01-01

This chapter begins with a discussion of the unique experience of adolescents and emerging adults who grew up with globalization in China and how it has affected their sense of self. We then discuss the effects of globalization on identity development in general, with a special focus on the sociohistorical context of China. We also review and…

Design, Innovation and Respect in the Global South

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abdelnour-Nocera, José; Csikszentmihályi, Chris; Clemmensen, Torkil

2015-01-01

The aim of this panel is to facilitate a discussion on the practice of interaction design in the Global South in the context of current global discourses on development, as particularly evidenced in the United Nations’ post-2015 development agenda. The panel will generate a thought-provoking deba...

Floristic and phytosociology of weeds in pastures in Maranhão State, Northeast Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaílson Penha Costa

2016-06-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Knowledge of weed floristic composition and phytosociology are key factors for improving weed management in pastures. Information on weed species that occur in pastures in Northeast Brazil, particularly in Maranhão State is very limited. It is, therefore, important, to search for information to help farmers to control weeds in livestock farming. This paper describes the weed flora diversity and community structure parameters, including density, frequency, abundance and importance value for each weed species found in five pastures of same age and management in Maranhão State, Northeast Brazil. The weed survey was carried out using a wooden frame (80 cm x 30 cm placed randomly on the soil surface 30 times in each pasture (n = 150. Weeds were pulled out, separated by species and counted. The weed flora was represented by 996 individuals, from nine families, 15 genera and 19 species. Weed density within pastures was of 44.3 plants m-2. The weed flora was dominated by species of the Cyperaceae and Poaceae families. The most important weed species based on Importance Value were Eragrostis ciliaris (IV = 32.97, Cyperus rotundus (IV = 31,95, Cyperus luzulae (IV = 27,50, Cyperus sphacelatus (IV = 27,42, Pycreus lanceolatus (IV = 27,33 Cyperus haspan (IV = 25,72 and Eleusine indica (IV = 23,49. Weed diversity, based on Shannon Diversity Index was very high (H' = 4.37 nats ind-1. Our results could lead to improved weed management in pastures in Maranhão State, Northeast Brazil.

Levantamento florísitico na Estação Ecológica do Tripuí, Ouro Preto, MG Floristic inventory in the Tripuí Ecological Station, Ouro Preto, MG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gilberto Pedralli

1997-12-01

Full Text Available Realizou-se o levantamento florístico na Estação Ecológica do Tripuí, Ouro Preto, MG (43º34'33" W e 20º23'45"S. O clima da região é do tipo mesotérmico, com inverno seco (Cwb sg. Köppen e com temperaturas médias oscilando entre 14º e 19ºC. A Estação apresenta como principais tipos vegetacionais as florestas mesófilas estacionais, o cerrado, a vegetação aquática (brejos, lagoa artificial e córregos e as formações sucessionais ('candeial'. Para o levantamento florístico utilizou-se o método de parcelas e coletas por trilhas e caminhos, sendo identificadas 101 famílias, 242 gêneros e 462 espécies. As famílias que apresentaram maior riqueza específica foram Asteraceae (10,82%, Melastomataceae (8,22%, Myrtaceae (7,14% e Rubiaceae (4,76%.A floristic inventory was carried out in Tripuí Ecological Station, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais state (43º34'33" W and 20º23'45"S. In this region the climate, according to Koppen's classification, is Cwb, i.e., with a mild summer and a dry winter. The main vegetation types identified were semideciduous mesophytic forests, cerrado, aquatic vegetation ('brejos', artificial lake and creeks and secondary formations ('candeial'. Through the floristic inventory in plots, trails and ways were identified 101 families, 242 genera and 462 species. Asteraceae (10,82%, Melastomataceae (8,22%, Myrtaceae (7,14% and Rubiaceae (4,76% were the families with the greatest specific richness.

Floristic composition and spatial distribution of vascular epiphytes in the restingas of Maracanã, Brazil

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Adriano Costa Quaresma

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Vascular epiphytes constitute a life form that is important to maintaining the biological diversity of forest ecosystems, because they provide food resources and specialized microenvironments for fauna in the forest canopy. This study aimed to describe the floristic composition and ecological aspects of vascular epiphytes occurring in the restingas (coastal woodlands within the Algodoal-Maiandeua Environmentally Protected Area, located in the municipality of Maracanã, in the state of Pará, Brazil. We sampled five 50 × 50 m plots (three in dry restinga forest and two in floodplain restinga forest, the sampled area therefore totaling 1.25 ha. In the plots sampled, vascular epiphytes were identified and described according to their frequency, abundance, importance value (IV, functional group and vertical distribution (trunk, lower crown or upper crown of the host. For both forest types, we identified 477 individuals belonging to five families, nine genera and 11 species. The most species-rich families were Araceae and Orchidaceae. The species with the highest density, frequency and IV were the secondary hemiepiphytes Philodendron acutatum, Anthurium pentaphyllum and Philodendron muricatum, collectively accounting for 92.1% of all sampled individuals. The true epiphytes predominated. Epiphytic species richness and abundance was greater on the host trunk than in the lower or upper crown. The seasonal climate and structure of the forest favored greater abundance of secondary hemiepiphytes and a higher frequency of epiphytes on the trunks of their hosts.

Rio Grande Basin and the modern world: Understanding scale and context

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph A. Tainter

1999-01-01

Environmental problems are social issues, embedded in economic and political contexts at the local, regional, national, and global levels. Placing environmental issues on the scale from local to global clarifies conflicts between the level at which problems originate and the level at which they must be addressed. Local issues today often originate in sources distant in...

Organizing Construction Practices in Different Cultural Contexts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thuesen, Christian; Rasmussen, Christian K. S.

2013-01-01

a number of characteristics and challenges related to the cultural context have been identified highlighting a central issue in existing and future construction practices due to the globalization and thereby increasing importance of cultural understanding in project-based organizing. The empirical findings......This paper presents in-depth case studies of construction practices with a specific focus on understanding the emergent and dynamic nature of construction management in different cultural contexts. The cases are based on actual working-experiences by the author as an assistant project manager...... participating in the construction management on site working for three different contractors in different cultural contexts: (1) Construir Futuro S.A. in Quito, Ecuador; (2) Anker Hansen & co. A/S in Copenhagen, Denmark; and (3) E. Pihl & Soen A/S in Stockholm, Sweden. Based on these explorative case studies...

Unconscious Local Motion Alters Global Image Speed

Science.gov (United States)

Khuu, Sieu K.; Chung, Charles Y. L.; Lord, Stephanie; Pearson, Joel

2014-01-01

Accurate motion perception of self and object speed is crucial for successful interaction in the world. The context in which we make such speed judgments has a profound effect on their accuracy. Misperceptions of motion speed caused by the context can have drastic consequences in real world situations, but they also reveal much about the underlying mechanisms of motion perception. Here we show that motion signals suppressed from awareness can warp simultaneous conscious speed perception. In Experiment 1, we measured global speed discrimination thresholds using an annulus of 8 local Gabor elements. We show that physically removing local elements from the array attenuated global speed discrimination. However, removing awareness of the local elements only had a small effect on speed discrimination. That is, unconscious local motion elements contributed to global conscious speed perception. In Experiment 2 we measured the global speed of the moving Gabor patterns, when half the elements moved at different speeds. We show that global speed averaging occurred regardless of whether local elements were removed from awareness, such that the speed of invisible elements continued to be averaged together with the visible elements to determine the global speed. These data suggest that contextual motion signals outside of awareness can both boost and affect our experience of motion speed, and suggest that such pooling of motion signals occurs before the conscious extraction of the surround motion speed. PMID:25503603

Ethnography of epidemiologic transition: Avian flu, global health politics and agro-industrial capitalism in Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Chuengsatiansup, Komatra

2008-04-01

This paper situates the ethnography of avian flu within the geo-political context of a new epidemiologic transition. Drawing on anthropological experience and insight, this paper examines areas of enquiry in which an ethnographic approach could contribute to a better implementation of prevention and control measures. Within the context of newly emerging diseases and accelerated globalization, the task of ethnography needs to extend far beyond the local. This paper reveals two major global issues that the ethnography of epidemiologic transition must take into consideration: (1) Global agro-industrial capitalism, and (2) global politics in the context of international health organizations and multi-national drug companies. The case of Thailand poses a question of how the strength of ethnographic practice could be deployed to account for the reality of the global-local interface of the new epidemiologic transition.

Découverte d'une flore à Ptéridophytes et Gymnospermes dans le Crétacé inférieur de la région de Tataouine (Sud tunisien)

Science.gov (United States)

Barale, Georges; Philippe, Marc; Tayech-Mannai, Beya; Zarbout, Mohamed

1997-08-01

This is the first discovery of imprint flora in the Early Cretaceous of the Tataouine area (South Tunisia). The global composition shows a richness in Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms. The floristic assemblage is composed of Gondwanan elements closely related to those of a Madagascan flora.

A concept in flux: questioning accountability in the context of global health cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruen, Carlos; Brugha, Ruairí; Kageni, Angela; Wafula, Francis

2014-12-09

Accountability in global health is a commonly invoked though less commonly questioned concept. Critically reflecting on the concept and how it is put into practice, this paper focuses on the who, what, how, and where of accountability, mapping its defining features and considering them with respect to real-world circumstances. Changing dynamics in global health cooperation - such as the emergence of new health public-private partnerships and the formal inclusion of non-state actors in policy making processes - provides the backdrop to this discussion. Accountability is frequently reduced to one set of actors holding another to account. Changes in the global health landscape and in relations between actors have however made the practice of accountability more complex and contested. Currently undergoing a reframing process, participation and transparency have become core elements of a new accountability agenda alongside evaluation and redress or enforcement mechanisms. However, while accountability is about holding actors responsible for their actions, the mechanisms through which this might be done vary substantially and are far from politically neutral.Accountability in global health cooperation involves multipolar relationships between a large number of stakeholders with varying degrees of power and influence, where not all interests are realised in that relationship. Moreover, accountability differs across finance, programme and governance subfields, where each has its own set of policy processes, institutional structures, accountability relations and power asymmetries to contend with. With reference to the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, this paper contributes to discussions on accountability by mapping out key elements of the concept and how it is put into practice, where different types of accountability battle for recognition and legitimacy. In mapping some defining features, accountability in global health cooperation is shown to be

Global context for the United States Forest Sector in 2030

Science.gov (United States)

James Turner; Joseph Buongiorno; Shushuai Zhu; Jeffrey P. Prestemon

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify markets for, and competitors to, the United States forest industries in the next 30 years. The Global Forest Products Model was used to make predictions of international demand, supply, trade, and prices, conditional on the last RPA Timber Assessment projections for the United States. It was found that the United States, Japan...

Science and Society: Public History in the Context of Historical Culture of the Globalization Era

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Lorina P. Repina

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In the XIX century known as the „historical age”, a high degree of trust to history and social prestige of historical science relied on the entrenched in public consciousness the idea of continuity of historical development of a human civilization and, respectively, of the unique opportunities of the use of the past experience as a means to solve the problems of the present and to build „the bright future”. But the understanding of the dramatic experi-ence of the XX century undermined the belief in the “use of history”, and this situation has been greatly aggravated with intensification of the processes of globalization on the bor-der of XX and XXI centuries. The problems of interaction between “academic (professional history” and the wide public in the concrete societies and the changes in their relations in the context of deep social transformations proved to take place at the center of many re-searchers’ attention. Public history is purposefully overcoming the typical for historical science of the XX century alienation from „the uninitiated”; it strives to restore the interest of the consumer to the historians’ production, to propagate professional standards, histor-ical knowledge and proper understanding of the specific character of “historian’s craft” among the wide circles of the non-professionals.

Learning Global Leadership via Liberation Projects: An Interdisciplinary Application

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Shelbee

2014-01-01

Global leadership programs framed within singular cultural contexts do not promote authentic leadership. Unilateral methods may exclude individual multicultural experiences or identities, and further, encourage a one-size fits all approach to leadership. An interdisciplinary global leadership course aims to promote authentic unlearning and…

[The transition from 'international' to 'global' public health and the World Health Organization].

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Theodore M; Cueto, Marcos; Fee, Elizabeth

2006-01-01

Within the context of international public health, 'global health' seems to be emerging as a recognized term of preference. This article presents a critical analysis of the meaning and importance of 'global health' and situates its growing popularity within a historical context. A specific focus of this work is the role of the World Health Organization - WHO in both 'international' and 'global' health, and as na agent of transition from one to the other. Between 1948 and 1998, the WHO went through a period of hardship as it came up against an organizational crisis, budget cuts and a diminished status, especially when confronted with the growing influence of new, power players like the World Bank. We suggest that the WHO has responded to this changing international context by inititating its own process of restructuring and repositioning as an agent for coordinating, strategically planning and leading 'global health' initiatives.

Creating a Context for Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Truman Schwartz, A.

Until relatively recently, the teaching of chemistry at the college and university level in the United States has been quite traditional and oriented primarily toward the preparation of chemists. Students not concentrating in the sciences have often been poorly served by existing courses. Chemistry in Context: Applying Chemistry to Society, a textbook for nonscience majors developed under the sponsorship of the American Chemical Society, is an effort to address the needs and interests of this audience. The book introduces the phenomena and principles of chemistry within the context of socially significant issues such as global warming, ozone depletion, alternate energy sources, nutrition, and genetic engineering. The chemistry is presented as needed to inform an understanding of the central topics, and the text features student-centered activities designed to promote critical thinking and risk-benefit analysis as well as an understanding of chemical principles. This paper summarizes the origin, development, content, pedagogy, evaluation, and influence of Chemistry in Context and considers its potential implications for other disciplines and the instruction of science majors.

Priority Selection Within National Innovation Strategy in Global Context

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Prokopenko Olha

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The article deals with global experience in analysing the priorities based on their importance for country development and on national and international criteria using algorithm for the selection process. The main aspects of the process of development and implementation of international technology strategies were considered. The authors prove that through the analysis of innovation systems at macro level decision about the priorities in optimization with the aim to improve regulations in science, technology and innovation is provided. The main techniques and decisions were considered based on foresight-studies. Authors propose to create informative and analytical system for the foresight aims.

Comparison and Context: The Interdisciplinary Approach to the Comparative Study of Education

Science.gov (United States)

Steiner-Khamsi, Gita

2014-01-01

Because educational research has grown more global in nature over the course of the last few decades, researchers find themselves questioning how best to conceptualize content and establish distinct levels in educational research. Globalization has exacerbated the need to rethink culture and context, to understand how and why similar content are,…

Floristic indicators of tropical landuse systems: Evidence from mining areas in Southwestern Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sehinde Akinbiola

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Most forests in the tropics have not only been reduced in size but have also experienced forest degradation. The delicate balance of the components of the forest ecosystem has been altered largely by the landuse systems which have resulted in the disappearance of some species and the introduction of new ones. In order to understand the influence of human disturbance caused by artisanal mining on plant biodiversity and the physical environment, this study assessed changes in vegetation characteristics using plant functional groups, such as invasive, pioneer and understory species. The study was conducted at two sites in two Southwestern states of Nigeria, Itagunmodi in Atakumosa West Local Government Area of Osun State and Olode in Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State. Complete enumerations of woody, non-woody and herbaceous plant species were carried out in 20 m by 20 m plots selected using stratified random sampling as representative of landuse classes: freshly mined (6 months and a control plot (secondary forest. The results showed that the control plot in Itagunmodi had undergone degradation as indicated by the presence of Alchornea laxiflora, Geophilia obvallata, Musa sapientum,Elaeis guineensis and Keetia hispida. However, if left undisturbed, it has the potential of regeneration back to its original state because of its woody tree species composition and lianas (Triclisia gilletii. In addition the forest soils in the mines had been exposed to direct insolation for a long period, and the soil structure and texture have been affected, consequently altering the viability of the seed bank. Poaceae and Papilionoideae were the most common in the freshly mined plots while invasive species were the most common in abandoned mined plots. In conclusion, the floristic composition in the mining sites has been altered and there was no clear evidence that regrowth would bring restoration of the lost ecosystem services.

Toward a Process Framework of Business Model Innovation in the Global Context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cao, Yangfeng; Li, Peter Ping; Skat-Rørdam, Peter

2014-01-01

Primarily due to the large gaps in economic and institutional contexts between the developed and emerging economies, effective business models in the two distinctive contexts tend to differ. In particular, the business model innovation (BMI) at the subsidiary level plays an important role...... in the success of multinational enterprises (MNE) from the developed economies operating in the emerging economies as top-down ventures. While some studies claim that direct involvement of headquarters (HQ) in the operations of subsidiaries is critical, surprisingly little is known about how HQ specifically...... enable BMI at the subsidiary level, especially for medium-sized MNE. Adopting the method of comparative and longitudinal case study, we tracked the BMI processes of six Danish medium-sized MNE operating in China. The emergent framework indicates that entrepreneurial aspiration and flexibility at the HQ...

SUSTAINABILITY, GLOBALIZATION, CULTURE AND WORK

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João Almeida Santos

2013-11-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the development process and the influence of globalization on culture and behavior of society seen on reflexes in the consumer market and how they participate or interfere in sustainability. Whereas globalization as a process of interaction between people in general originated in trade and political relations, reflections on the culture and behavior of society are inevitable from the point of view of consumption of products that are offered for new consumers in these markets that are in the process of globalization. Considering this necessity, it is important to consider the sustainable use of resources and by-products. This article is a reflection on sustainability, globalization, culture and work, and can be summarized in: a identifying the consequences of globalization on employment from the use of technology, b the consequences of globalization on culture are positive or negative for both involved, c benefits globalization and society have with new, better and cheaper products to meet the population needs and d how sustainability is in this consuming-producing context.

Context processing in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: How complex could it be?

Science.gov (United States)

Ben-Yosef, Dekel; Anaki, David; Golan, Ofer

2017-03-01

The ability of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to process context has long been debated: According to the Weak Central Coherence theory, ASD is characterized by poor global processing, and consequently-poor context processing. In contrast, the Social Cognition theory argues individuals with ASD will present difficulties only in social context processing. The complexity theory of autism suggests context processing in ASD will depend on task complexity. The current study examined this controversy through two priming tasks, one presenting human stimuli (facial expressions) and the other presenting non-human stimuli (animal faces). Both tasks presented visual targets, preceded by congruent, incongruent, or neutral auditory primes. Local and global processing were examined by presenting the visual targets in three spatial frequency conditions: High frequency, low frequency, and broadband. Tasks were administered to 16 adolescents with high functioning ASD and 16 matched typically developing adolescents. Reaction time and accuracy were measured for each task in each condition. Results indicated that individuals with ASD processed context for both human and non-human stimuli, except in one condition, in which human stimuli had to be processed globally (i.e., target presented in low frequency). The task demands presented in this condition, and the performance deficit shown in the ASD group as a result, could be understood in terms of cognitive overload. These findings provide support for the complexity theory of autism and extend it. Our results also demonstrate how associative priming could support intact context processing of human and non-human stimuli in individuals with ASD. Autism Res 2017, 10: 520-530. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Globalization and medicine in Trinidad.

Science.gov (United States)

Reznik, David L; Murphy, John W; Belgrave, Linda Liska

2007-05-01

In a qualitative study of urban Trinidadians who work in the medical industry, the concept of medical globalization was provisionally analysed. Two research questions were addressed: what is globalization, in the context of mainstream medicine, and how is this process manifested in everyday practices? Four fundamental principles of medical globalization emerged from in-depth interviews and analysis of observational materials: (1) the notion of history as an autonomous force with globalization as the latest stage, (2) the expansion of 'Total Market' philosophy as a driving social force, (3) the fragmentation of society into atomistic, self-interested, and competitive individuals, and (4) the adoption of a 'centralised' set of ideals as the normative core necessary for social order. In this paper, findings from this investigation and their implications are discussed. In particular, medical globalization is linked with major themes in medical sociological theory including dualism and medicalization.

Physiological and Agronomic Performance of the Coffee Crop in the Context of Climate Change and Global Warming: A Review.

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DaMatta, Fábio M; Avila, Rodrigo T; Cardoso, Amanda A; Martins, Samuel C V; Ramalho, José C

2018-05-30

Coffee is one of the most important global crops and provides a livelihood to millions of people living in developing countries. Coffee species have been described as being highly sensitive to climate change, as largely deduced from modeling studies based on predictions of rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns. Here, we discuss the physiological responses of the coffee tree in the context of present and ongoing climate changes, including drought, heat, and light stresses, and interactions between these factors. We also summarize recent insights on the physiological and agronomic performance of coffee at elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentrations and highlight the key role of CO 2 in mitigating the harmful effects of heat stress. Evidence is shown suggesting that warming, per se, may be less harmful to coffee suitability than previously estimated, at least under the conditions of an adequate water supply. Finally, we discuss several mitigation strategies to improve crop performance in a changing world.

Contextualism Revisited: Towards a More Relevant Conceptualization of Public Administration for Ethical and Sustainable Leadership in the Global Context

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Asghar Zomorrodian

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The paper examines how the contextual approach to the conceptualization and the design of public administration systems can still be a viable alternative for today’s environment. By making reference to a proposed conceptual model, predominantly based on the cultural and social values in different contexts, the paper juxtaposes both the traditional Universalists and recent NPM approaches to the Contextual model by reviewing the literature on the impacts of globalization and other recent developments in the area public administration and public policy both at the national and international levels. Special attention is paid to the significance of two major elements of ethical leadership and governance for creating a viable and sustainable public administration system that incorporates and emphasizes the process of political development and enhancing the civil society based on indigenous cultural and social values. The conclusion of the paper reinforces the validity and utility of the contextual approach by including these two major elements into its original conceptual framework.

Explicit Context Matching in Content-Based Publish/Subscribe Systems

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Miguel Jiménez

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Although context could be exploited to improve performance, elasticity and adaptation in most distributed systems that adopt the publish/subscribe (P/S communication model, only a few researchers have focused on the area of context-aware matching in P/S systems and have explored its implications in domains with highly dynamic context like wireless sensor networks (WSNs and IoT-enabled applications. Most adopted P/S models are context agnostic or do not differentiate context from the other application data. In this article, we present a novel context-aware P/S model. SilboPS manages context explicitly, focusing on the minimization of network overhead in domains with recurrent context changes related, for example, to mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs. Our approach represents a solution that helps to effciently share and use sensor data coming from ubiquitous WSNs across a plethora of applications intent on using these data to build context awareness. Specifically, we empirically demonstrate that decoupling a subscription from the changing context in which it is produced and leveraging contextual scoping in the filtering process notably reduces (unsubscription cost per node, while improving the global performance/throughput of the network of brokers without altering the cost of SIENA-like topology changes.

Context factors in general practitioner - patient encounters and their impact on assessing communication skills - an exploratory study

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Assessment of medical communication performance usually focuses on rating generically applicable, well-defined communication skills. However, in daily practice, communication is determined by (specific) context factors, such as acquaintance with the patient, or the presented problem. Merely valuing the presence of generic skills may not do justice to the doctor’s proficiency. Our aim was to perform an exploratory study on how assessment of general practitioner (GP) communication performance changes if context factors are explicitly taken into account. Methods We used a mixed method design to explore how ratings would change. A random sample of 40 everyday GP consultations was used to see if previously identified context factors could be observed again. The sample was rated twice using a widely used assessment instrument (the MAAS-Global), first in the standard way and secondly after context factors were explicitly taken into account, by using a context-specific rating protocol to assess communication performance in the workplace. In between first and second rating, the presence of context factors was established. Item score differences were calculated using paired sample t-tests. Results In 38 out of 40 consultations, context factors prompted application of the context-specific rating protocol. Mean overall score on the 7-point MAAS-Global scale increased from 2.98 in standard to 3.66 in the context-specific rating (p communication was set at 3.17. Conclusions Applying the protocol, the mean overall score rose above the level set in an earlier study for the MAAS-Global scores to represent ‘adequate GP communication behaviour’. Our findings indicate that incorporating context factors in communication assessment thus makes a meaningful difference and shows that context factors should be considered as ‘signal’ instead of ‘noise’ in GP communication assessment. Explicating context factors leads to a more deliberate and transparent rating of

Context factors in general practitioner-patient encounters and their impact on assessing communication skills--an exploratory study.

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Essers, Geurt; Kramer, Anneke; Andriesse, Boukje; van Weel, Chris; van der Vleuten, Cees; van Dulmen, Sandra

2013-05-22

Assessment of medical communication performance usually focuses on rating generically applicable, well-defined communication skills. However, in daily practice, communication is determined by (specific) context factors, such as acquaintance with the patient, or the presented problem. Merely valuing the presence of generic skills may not do justice to the doctor's proficiency.Our aim was to perform an exploratory study on how assessment of general practitioner (GP) communication performance changes if context factors are explicitly taken into account. We used a mixed method design to explore how ratings would change. A random sample of 40 everyday GP consultations was used to see if previously identified context factors could be observed again. The sample was rated twice using a widely used assessment instrument (the MAAS-Global), first in the standard way and secondly after context factors were explicitly taken into account, by using a context-specific rating protocol to assess communication performance in the workplace. In between first and second rating, the presence of context factors was established. Item score differences were calculated using paired sample t-tests. In 38 out of 40 consultations, context factors prompted application of the context-specific rating protocol. Mean overall score on the 7-point MAAS-Global scale increased from 2.98 in standard to 3.66 in the context-specific rating (pcommunication was set at 3.17. Applying the protocol, the mean overall score rose above the level set in an earlier study for the MAAS-Global scores to represent 'adequate GP communication behaviour'. Our findings indicate that incorporating context factors in communication assessment thus makes a meaningful difference and shows that context factors should be considered as 'signal' instead of 'noise' in GP communication assessment. Explicating context factors leads to a more deliberate and transparent rating of GP communication performance.

GLOBAL KEYNESIANISM AND BEYOND

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Gernot Kohler

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Something like "global Keynesianism" or "transnational socialism" has been mentioned as a desirable alternative to global neoliberalism (Redmond 1997. However, a definition of this kind of global Keynesianism is hard to find. Many leftists tend to associate Keynesianism with corporate power. However, there are also numerous other leftists who view this differently. For example, a member of parliament for the German Green Party stated in a recent interview that "a reformist party today has to be a left-Keynesian party which contradicts the logic of capital" (Ebermann 1998. A number of scholars from several countries, including Canada, pursue post-Keynesian-ism, in the sense of left-Keynesian economics (e.g., Seccareccia 1991. How-ever, available left-Keynesian literature, as I see it, is lacking a world-system perspective. I am trying in this article to synthesize the two perspectives-namely, left-Keynesianism and world-system theory, leading to a perspective of global left-Keynesianism. This leftist global Keynesianism can, perhaps, be described as an approach to economics which emphasizes responsible public management of economic problems in a world-system context. Common themes in global Keynesianism include the importance of public management, democratic politics, the mixed economy, global income distribution, the management of global demand, investment and money, ecological sustainability and the importance of multiple levels of public management-local, national, regional and global.

Ouverture de 'Ethics in Global Supply Chains'

OpenAIRE

Silvio M. Brondoni; Cosetta Pepe

2007-01-01

In global markets, a 'competitive' corporate culture tends to develop communications and information flows, manufacturing decentralisation, decision making autonomy, operating accountability and ethical conduct. In this context, the global corporate culture highlights the central role of 'ethical cross cultural management'. The increased attention paid to ethics can draw strength from the dynamics of globalisation. Consumers' awareness that their purchases can promote the protection of the wo...

Composição florística de trechos florestais na borda sul-amazônica Floristic composition of forest patches in Southern Amazonia

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Natália Macedo Ivanauskas

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Este estudo apresenta a composição florística de trechos de uma faixa de vegetação de transição existente na região centro-leste do Estado de Mato Grosso, mais precisamente no município de Gaúcha do Norte (13° 10'S e 53° 15' O, onde dá-se o contato entre a Floresta Ombrófila e a Floresta Estacional. O levantamento florístico foi realizado em março de 1999 e bimestralmente a partir de agosto de 1999 até março de 2001, em excursões com duração média de 5 dias, por meio de caminhadas na borda e no interior de florestas, sendo coletadas fanerógamas em fase reprodutiva. Também foram incluídas amostras vegetativas de espécies arbustivo-arbóreas, que não floresceram ou frutificaram durante o período de amostragem, amostradas em 3ha destinados ao levantamento fitossociológico. O levantamento florístico resultou em 72 famílias, 168 gêneros e 268 espécies. Do total de espécies, 66% apresentaram hábito arbóreo e 18% foram lianas. As ervas e arbustos praticamente restringiram-se às áreas de borda ou clareiras, somando 13%. Já a flora epifítica mostrou-se pouco expressiva (1%, quando comparada ao restante da Amazônia, em conseqüência do clima regional mais seco. Hemiepífitas, parasitas e palmeiras constituíram o percentual restante. Constatou-se que 39 espécies amostradas em Gaúcha do Norte ainda não haviam sido depositadas em herbários que mantém coleções representativas da flora matogrossense, enfatizando a carência de coletas nas áreas florestais do Estado.This paper shows the floristic composition of forest patches in a zone of transition vegetation which exists in the central-east region of Mato Grosso state, more specifically in the municipality of Gaúcha do Norte (13° 10'S and 53° 15' W where it connects the tropical rain-forest and the seasonal forest. The floristic survey was performed in March 1999 and bisemesterly from August 1999 to March 2001 (during excursions of an average of five days

Globalizing Policy Sociology in Education: Working with Bourdieu

Science.gov (United States)

Lingard, Bob; Rawolle, Shaun; Taylor, Sandra

2005-01-01

This paper uses Bourdieu to develop theorizing about policy processes in education and to extend the policy cycle approach in a time of globalization. Use is made of Bourdieu's concept of social field and the argument is sustained that in the context of globalization the field of educational policy has reduced autonomy, with enhanced cross-field…

Phytoecological evaluation with detail floristic appraisal of the vegetation arround Malam Jabba, Swat, Pakistan.

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Rashid, Abdur; Swati, Mohammad Farooq; Sher, Hassan; Al-Yemeni, Mohammad N

2011-12-01

To determine the present status of plant communities and their possible association with the habitat in Malam Jabba, Swat, Pakistan. A study on the phytoecology was conducted in various ecologically important sites of Malam Jabba, Swat, Pakistan from 2002 to 2004. The altitude of these sites ranged from 1 200 m to 3 200 m. Quadrat method was used for evaluation of plants communities and the data on these attributes was converted to relative values. The plant communities were named after 3 leading species with highest importance values. Biological spectrum of the flora based on the life form was prepared by following Raunkiar's life form classes. The floristic composition and structure of the study area were found to be 200 species belonging to 75 families. Asteraceae, Lamiaceae and Poaceae were important families in the study area. The biological spectrum showed that therophytic and hemicrytophytic life form and micro-nonophyllous leaf sizes were dominant in the area. The air and soil temperatures were decreasing with increasing elevation. Both the air and soil temperatures were relatively higher in south slopes than on the northeast slopes. The vegetation analysis of the area indicated eleven plant communities around the area. The present vegetation is the relics of moist temperate coniferous forest in the area. The communities reflect highly deteriorated conditions. Both the structure and composition of the surrounding vegetation were associated with the types of habitats. The conservation of the remaining populations of the reported communities will be best achieved by proper time of sustainable harvesting. It is only possible with the participation of local communities.

THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF GLOBAL STRATEGIES FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF SOCIETY AND EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF CRITICAL THEORY

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Viktor V. Zinchenko

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose. Critical social philosophy of education strives to provide a radical critique of existing models of education in the so-called Western models of democracy, creating progressive alternative models. In this context, the proposed integrative metatheory, which is based on classical and modern sources, concepts, aims for a comprehensive understanding and reconstruction of the phenomenon of education. One of the main tasks in the sphere of education’s democratization today, therefore, is to bring to education the results of restructuring and democratization of the society, to reflect changes in conditions of life and thinking, experience and transformation of subjectivity in the context of the technological revolution and globalization. Methodology. The critical social theory, which developed in the framework of contemporary neo-Marxism, indicates the need for a thorough analysis of society, however, unlike other theoretical concepts and research programs in order to analyze not a fixation and a statement of the existing social givens. On the contrary, critical analysis of society involves the identification of existing antagonistic, alienating factors that distort public communication.The subject of social analysis is the whole sphere of human and non-human nature, which interacts a person depend on it, the whole system of relations between society and nature, society and man, which is covered by the historical practice of conscious – "praxis". The representative of "pure science" isn't the learning, research subject. He is a public a person, which is the totality of all social definitions included in society and its constituent individuals. For such a "total subject" Object of interest is not something external; on the contrary, the latter appears as a product of his own activity. The scientific novelty examines trends in educational institutions and models of globalizing society in the context of our particular

Globalization, financial capitalism, and corporate social responsibility: Structural tensions

OpenAIRE

David Barbosa Ramírez; Christian Medina López; Myriam Vargas López

2014-01-01

Globalization and financial capitalism keep a synergy in a global context whose problems such as environmental degradation, social inequity, economic crises and corruption are intensified. Corporate Social Responsibility emerges as a mechanism that seeks to mitigate some of these problems, although its effectiveness and impact today are challenged. The system which globalization, financial capitalism and social responsibility are a part of, is currently facing a number of structural tensions ...

Citizenship in the context of globalization

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Ulvin Veizaj

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Citizenship is considered as a legal relationship in the basis of which is a social fact, a feeling and solidarity interest, combined with reciprocity of rights and obligations.1 Citizenship is a legal expression for the fact that the person who posses that, attributed to him by the law or by an act, is more closely associated with the population of the state of his citizenship than the population of any other state. At the moment obtaining the citizenship, it is also granted the possibility to exercise the right in international level, by the states, for the diplomatic protection of its citizens in cases when they are punished. This justifies and legitimizes the requirements of states for granting citizenship in terms of performance and behavior2 , imposing restrictions such as military service; payment of tax liabilities or exercise of jurisdiction. Citizenship is considered a fundamental category for the understanding of liberal democracy. It is considered a strategic element to understand the organization and functioning of democratic institutions (Zolo, 1994, IX. Citizenship is considered an important element as, through the sociological legal approach, it helps us to link individual rights to the political environment. It also affects the analysis of the relationship between the state level of the rights protection and the international one on which it depends, in an increasingly global society, the possibility of the effective enjoyment of the rights and freedoms. If we were to ask a simple question of who was considered a citizen, we would immediately create a circle of people who have relations with the state in terms of family background or territorial affiliation. This category of persons, considered as citizens, is easily distinguished by foreigners because they are subject to the legislation of another country, and consequently posses the rights and also must fulfil the obligations established in their own country. Thus, citizenship

Microanalytic Coding versus Global Rating of Maternal Parenting Behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Morawska, Alina; Basha, Allison; Adamson, Michelle; Winter, Leanne

2015-01-01

This study examined the relationship between microanalytic coding and global rating systems when coding maternal parenting behaviour in two contexts. Observational data from 55 mother--child interactions with two- to four-year-old children, in either a mealtime (clinic; N?=?20 or control; N?=?20) or a playtime context (community; N?=?15), were…

Personality Assessment of Global Talent: Conceptual and Methodological Issues

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van de Vijver, Fons J. R.

2008-01-01

The recruitment of managers who will operate in a culturally heterogeneous context (as expatriate managers, managers in a global company, or managers of a multicultural workforce) is increasingly important in an age of globalization. This article describes conceptual and methodological issues in the assessment of such managers, notably in the…

Europe's place in global financial governance after the crisis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mügge, D.

2015-01-01

In the years leading up the global financial crisis, the European Union (EU) had emerged as a central actor in global financial governance, almost rivalling the United States in influence. While the USA and the EU continue to dominate financial rule setting in the post-crisis world, the context in

A global perspective on diversity and inclusion in work organisations : Introduction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Farndale, E.; Biron, Michal; Briscoe, Dennis R.; Raghuram, Sumita

2015-01-01

This Academy of Management, Human Resources Division, Ambassadors' Programme special issue presents a collection of empirical papers examining workplace diversity and inclusion in a global context. We introduce this topic raising three overarching challenges: to develop more context-specific

TODAY THE GLOBAL LABOR MARKET

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D. G. Shchipanova

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The international movement of labor, including temporary impacts on the socio-economic development of the donor and recipient countries the labor force. In this regard, it is relevant and legitimate problems of the evolution of the global labor market, the need to examine the issues of labor mobility, the problems of international labor migration and its impact on the national markets of skilled labor in the context of globalization. Distribution and use of human resources becomes cross-border nature, and so an international study of the labor market.

Maternal scaffolding in a disadvantaged global context: The influence of working memory and cognitive capacities.

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Obradović, Jelena; Portilla, Ximena A; Tirado-Strayer, Nicole; Siyal, Saima; Rasheed, Muneera A; Yousafzai, Aisha K

2017-03-01

The current study focuses on maternal cognitive capacities as determinants of parenting in a highly disadvantaged global context, where children's experiences at home are often the 1st and only opportunity for learning and intellectual growth. In a large sample of 1,291 biological mothers of preschool-aged children in rural Pakistan, we examined the unique association of maternal working memory skills (independent of related cognitive capacities) with cognitively stimulating parenting behaviors. Path analysis revealed that directly assessed working memory, short-term memory, and verbal intelligence independently predicted greater levels of observed maternal scaffolding behaviors. Mothers from poorer families demonstrated lower levels of working memory, short-term memory, and verbal intelligence. However, mothers' participation in an early childhood parenting intervention that ended 2 years prior to this study contributed to greater levels of working memory skills and verbal intelligence. Further, all 3 domains of maternal cognitive capacity mediated the effect of family economic resources on maternal scaffolding, and verbal intelligence also mediated the effect of early parenting intervention exposure on maternal scaffolding. The study demonstrates the unique relevance of maternal working memory for scaffolding behaviors that required continuously monitoring the child's engagement, providing assistance, and minimizing external distractions. These results highlight the importance of directly targeting maternal cognitive capacities in poor women with little or no formal education, using a 2-generation intervention approach that includes activities known to promote parental executive functioning and literacy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

ASSESSMENT OF THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF GLOBAL MARKETING STRATEGY

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V. Savelyev

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The article concerns with essence of assessment of the business environment and specific directions of analysis during the working out of global marketing strategy. The classification of the global marketing environment researches and tasks sequence in the context of the decisions made on each stage of global marketing strategy is proposed.

From Internationalisation to Global Perspectives

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Bourn, Douglas

2011-01-01

Over the past decade, many universities have re-evaluated their roles and approaches towards learning in the context of a globalised society. Some institutions have responded to globalisation by marketing themselves more effectively internationally. Others have responded by promoting ideas such as "graduates as global citizens" or by…

Beyond homogenization discourse: Reconsidering the cultural consequences of globalized medical education.

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Gosselin, K; Norris, J L; Ho, M-J

2016-07-01

Global medical education standards, largely designed in the West, have been promoted across national boundaries with limited regard for cultural differences. This review aims to identify discourses on cultural globalization in medical education literature from non-Western countries. To explore the diversity of discourses related to globalization and culture in the field of medical education, the authors conducted a critical review of medical education research from non-Western countries published in Academic Medicine, Medical Education and Medical Teacher from 2006 to 2014. Key discourses about globalization and culture emerged from a preliminary analysis of this body of literature. A secondary analysis identified inductive sub-themes. Homogenization, polarization and hybridization emerged as key themes in the literature. These findings demonstrate the existence of discourses beyond Western-led homogenization and the co-existence of globalization discourses ranging from homogenization to syncretism to resistance. This review calls attention to the existence of manifold discourses about globalization and culture in non-Western medical education contexts. In refocusing global medical education processes to avoid Western cultural imperialism, it will also be necessary to avoid the pitfalls of other globalization discourses. Moving beyond existing discourses, researchers and educators should work towards equitable, context-sensitive and locally-driven approaches to global medical education.

Floristic Diversity of Two Zones of Humid Tropical Forest at Alto Baudó, Chocó, Colombia

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Luis Javier Mosquera Ramos

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Between June and August of 2005 the floristic composition ≥1 cm of DAP was determined in an area of ? 0.2 ha of humid tropical forest at the localities of Pie de >Pató (05º 30' 56" N and 76º 58' 26" W and Nauca (5º 41' 6" N and 77º 00' 36" W, Alto Baudó, Chocó Colombia . En each locality an area of 0.1 ha was sampled which was divided into smaller areas of 2 x 50 cm each. A total of 1618 inidivduals were recorded represented by 257 species, 156 genres and 56 botanical families from which 842 individuals, 161 species, 108 genres and 46 families where found at Pie de Pató, and 776 individuals, 161 species, 98 genres and 45 families at Nauca. At Pie de Pató the families best represented in terms of genres were Rubiaceae (12 genres and 27 species, Arecaceae (eight genres and eight species and Bombacaceae (seven genres and ten species. At Nauca they were Rubiaceae (eleven genres and 25 species, Moraceae (eight genera and 13 species and Arecaceae (eigth genres and eight species. The richness index was of 23,75 and 24,05 for Pie de Pató and Nauca respectively. Diversity change was stimated as 4,43 for both localities. These results indicate high diversity of these forests at Alto Baudó.

Prolegomena of Human Rights. Historical Roots and Globalization

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Ana-Alina Dumitrache-Ionescu

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The paper Prolegomena of Human Rights. Historical Roots and Globalization analyses the complexity of the history of human rights which revolve around an incessant struggle for the awareness of the value of the human being. It is the history which defends the man, the human being, regarded individually or collectively, who was subjected in the course of time to some atrocities and abuses, confronting itself with exploitation, discrimination, oppression, slavery, torture and even extermination. Moreover, the historical evolution of human rights knows halting places in which the concepts of human rights are accompanied by ambiguity, by different meanings for different people and vary in accordance with the context. By way of resemblance, the problem of human rights in the context of globalization which transforms human rights into rights of the global citizen, rights which acquire new dimensions and significances imposed by the economic, politic and social changes specific of globalization is approached in this paper. The global vision of the new human rights involves both the opportunity to have a say when they are infringed for example, when they are subjected to torture or terror, and where human rights abuses are carried out by the people, for example, trafficking in human beings. (Ritzer, & Dean, 2015, p. 115

International palliative care research in the context of global development: a systematic mapping review.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Joseph; Gardiner, Clare; Barnes, Amy

2018-03-01

An increasing amount of health policy is formulated at global level. At this global level, palliative care has attracted support primarily from normative institutions (WHO), not funding agencies. To attract greater global attention from policymakers, it has been argued that an international approach to research is required. However, the extent to which an international approach is being undertaken is unknown. To systematically identify and thematically synthesise all international palliative care research, defined as research involving two or more countries, or focused on the global level. Five bibliographic databases (CINAHL, Cochrane Library, ASSIA, Web of Knowledge, Psychinfo) were searched for journal articles relevant to international and global palliative care and end-of-life care. Data were extracted using a piloted extraction form and findings were synthesised. 184 studies were included, published across 75 different academic journals. Research emanates from and focuses on all world regions and there is increasing focus on the global level. Thematically, there is a high focus on Evaluation (n=53) and views of Stakeholders (n=38). The review revealed a predominantly observational research approach and few interventional studies were identified. International palliative care research is a relatively new, but growing field. However, many gaps in the evidence base remain and palliative care research continues to take place outside broader discourses of international development. The relative absence of interventional research demonstrating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of palliative care risks limiting the tools with which advocates can engage with international policymakers on this topic. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Using Scientific Enquiry to Make Sense of Global Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Hogg, Max

2010-01-01

In a context where the science underlying global issues such as climate change often loses out to political opinions and distortions, science teachers have a unique and very important role. Science teachers can use global-learning approaches to encourage learners to develop skills in scientific enquiry and critical analysis of scientific issues.…

Discounting and distributional considerations in the context of global warming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azar, Christian; Sterner, Thomas

1996-01-01

The economics of global warming is reviewed with special emphasis on how the cost depends on the discount rate and on how costs in poor and rich regions are aggregated into a global cost estimate. Both of these factors depend on the assumptions made concerning the underlying utility and welfare functions. It is common to aggregate welfare gains and losses across generations and countries as if the utility of money were constant, but it is not. If we assume that a CO 2 -equivalent doubling implies costs equal to 1.5% of the income in both high and low income countries, a pure rate of time preference equal to zero, and a utility function which is logarithmic in income, then the marginal cost of CO 2 emissions is estimated at 260-590 USD/ton C for a time horizon in the range 300-1000 years, an estimate which is large enough to justify significant reductions of CO 2 emissions on purely economic grounds. The estimate is approximately 50-100-times larger than the estimate made by Nordhaus in his DICE model and the difference is almost completely due to the choice of discount rate and the weight given to the costs in the developing world as well as a more accurate model of the carbon cycle. Finally, the sensitivity of the marginal cost estimate with respect to several parameters is analyzed

The Politics of Gender Asylum in the U. S.: Protection of Women Asylum Seekers in the Context of Global Inequalities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Matešić

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This article examines the changes towards more gender-sensitive interpretations of refugee status in international and national asylum laws and policies within the context of contemporary and historical global power relations. It also analyzes the changes in the language that can be found in the international UNHCR guidelines for the protection of women asylum seekers, U.S. national guidelines for assessing gender-related asylum claims, and recent U.S. court decisions assessing the gendered claims of women. Among the analyzed court cases, the focus is on the 2005 Mohammed case due to its problematic court decision and legal interpretations. Finding the Western countries’ instrumentalization of the international refugee protection system crucial for understanding the contemporary asylum system and women asylum seekers, the argument connects the historical conditions with the way in which the protection of women refugees from “cultural” gendered violence has been articulated in asylum politics in the U.S. The author’s overall findings are that international law, governmental organizations, and liberal women’s human rights NGOs have shaped the international and national legal protection of (women asylum seekers in such a way that it reproduces global inequalities in its representation of “Third World” women and their culture, uses women asylum seekers fleeing from violence for the purpose of exercising Western cultural superiority, and covers up the restrictive and racist Western asylum politics towards immigrants and asylum seekers.

Economic Dimensions of Urban Agriculture in the Context of Urban ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Economic Dimensions of Urban Agriculture in the Context of Urban Poverty ... price crisis and the threat of climate change to traditional sources of food security. ... its 2017 call for proposals to establish Cyber Policy Centres in the Global South.

How many loci does it take to DNA barcode a crocus?

Science.gov (United States)

Seberg, Ole; Petersen, Gitte

2009-01-01

DNA barcoding promises to revolutionize the way taxonomists work, facilitating species identification by using small, standardized portions of the genome as substitutes for morphology. The concept has gained considerable momentum in many animal groups, but the higher plant world has been largely recalcitrant to the effort. In plants, efforts are concentrated on various regions of the plastid genome, but no agreement exists as to what kinds of regions are ideal, though most researchers agree that more than one region is necessary. One reason for this discrepancy is differences in the tests that are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed regions. Most tests have been made in a floristic setting, where the genetic distance and therefore the level of variation of the regions between taxa is large, or in a limited set of congeneric species. Here we present the first in-depth coverage of a large taxonomic group, all 86 known species (except two doubtful ones) of crocus. Even six average-sized barcode regions do not identify all crocus species. This is currently an unrealistic burden in a barcode context. Whereas most proposed regions work well in a floristic context, the majority will--as is the case in crocus--undoubtedly be less efficient in a taxonomic setting. However, a reasonable but less than perfect level of identification may be reached--even in a taxonomic context. The time is ripe for selecting barcode regions in plants, and for prudent examination of their utility. Thus, there is no reason for the plant community to hold back the barcoding effort by continued search for the Holy Grail. We must acknowledge that an emerging system will be far from perfect, fraught with problems and work best in a floristic setting.

Knowledge, Management, and Learning when the Context of the Organization Is Planetary

Science.gov (United States)

Collen, Arne

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to expound the view that knowledge of a special kind, which the author terms open knowledge, has a central place in the conduct of human activities at the global level. Design/methodology/approach: The author advances the concept of open knowledge in a global context by examining key constructs in the field,…

Composição, diversidade e similaridade florística de uma floresta tropical semidecídua submontana em Marcelândia - MT Floristic composition, diversity and similarity of a submontane semideciduous tropical forest in Marcelândia - MT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elbert Viana Ferreira Júnior

2008-12-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a composição, diversidade e similaridade florística de uma área de floresta estacional semidecidual localizada no município de Marcelândia-MT, em área de tensão ecológica, na região de contato floresta ombrófila/floresta estacional. Foram amostrados 4008 indivíduos, pertencentes a 33 famílias e 92 espécies, em 74 parcelas de 10 m x 250 m. As famílias que apresentaram maior valor percentual de árvores foram: Lauraceae (15,99%, Melastomataceae (12,97%, Sapotaceae (12,50%, Fabaceae - Mimosoideae (9,91%, Burseraceae (9,13% e Moraceae (7,29%. Os valores obtidos para os índices de diversidade Shannon-Weaver, de concentração de Simpson e de equitabilidade de Pielou indicaram que a área apresenta diversidade relativamente alta e baixa concentração de espécies com alta uniformidade nas proporções indivíduos/espécies dentro da comunidade vegetal. Os padrões de similaridade florística evidenciaram baixa similaridade entre as áreas avaliadas evidenciando existência de padrões fitogeográficos baseados na distribuição das espécies.The objective of this study was to analyze the floristic composition, diversity and similarity of a submontane, semideciduous tropical forest in Marcelândia-MT, in an ecological tension area in the forest contact region. The 33 families and 92 species specimens were found in 4008 individuals, in 74 plots of 10m x 250 m. The families that contributed most frequently to the floristic composition were Lauraceae (15.99%, Melastomataceae (12.97%, Sapotaceae (12.50%, Fabaceae - Mimosoideae (9.91%, Burseraceae (9.13% and Moraceae (7.29%. The Shannon-Weaver diversity, Simpson concentration and Pielou evenness indexes indicated that the area presents relatively high diversity and low concentration of species with high uniformity in the ratios of individuals per species. The floristic similarity standards had low similarity among the evaluated areas evidencing the

Building global learning communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Averill Gordon

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Within the background where education is increasingly driven by the economies of scale and research funding, we propose an alternative online open and connected framework (OOC for building global learning communities using mobile social media. We critique a three year action research case study involving building collaborative global learning communities around a community of practice of learning researchers and practitioners. The results include the development of a framework for utilising mobile social media to support collaborative curriculum development across international boundaries. We conclude that this framework is potentially transferrable to a range of educational contexts where the focus is upon student-generated mobile social media projects.

10 rules for managing global innovation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Keeley; Doz, Yves L

2012-10-01

More and more companies recognize that their dispersed, global operations are a treasure trove of ideas and capabilities for innovation. But it's proving harder than expected to unearth those ideas or exploit those capabilities. Part of the problem is that companies manage global innovation the same way they manage traditional, single-location projects. Single-location projects draw on a large reservoir of tacit knowledge, shared context, and trust that global projects lack. The management challenge, therefore, is to replicate the positive aspects of colocation while harnessing the opportunities of dispersion. In this article, Insead's Wilson and Doz draw on research into global strategy and innovation to present a set of guidelines for setting up and managing global innovation. They explore in detail the challenges that make global projects inherently different and show how these can be overcome by applying superior project management skills across teams, fostering a strong collaborative culture, and using a robust array of communications tools.

SERVICING THE MARKET NICHE – A POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND/OR SUCCESS OF THE FIRM ON THE MARKET IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS

OpenAIRE

Doina I. POPESCU

2013-01-01

This work shows the importance of servicing the market niche by firms operating in the garment industry in the context of the world economic crisis. The paper presents the necessity of adapting companies’ strategies based on the main trends set out by the global economic crisis. Within this work is presented a study that aims to highlight the degree in which Romanian firms acting in the clothing industry service the market niche, their identification, the measure in which these firms’ managem...

Understanding the Macro-context of Teaching Environmental Education: A Case Study from Queensland, 1989-1991.

Science.gov (United States)

Fien, John

1992-01-01

Analyzes and critiques the sociocultural and educational features that comprise the macrocontext for teaching environmental education in Queensland, Australia. Concepts outlined in the analysis include the global context of teaching environmental education; the political, economic, and social context of Queensland; the national party; the…

Identifying indigenous peoples for health research in a global context: a review of perspectives and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartlett, Judith G; Madariaga-Vignudo, Lucia; O'Neil, John D; Kuhnlein, Harriet V

2007-09-01

Identifying Indigenous Peoples globally is complex and contested despite there being an estimated 370 million living in 70 countries. The specific context and use of locally relevant and clear definitions or characterizations of Indigenous Peoples is important for recognizing unique health risks Indigenous Peoples face, for understanding local Indigenous health aspirations and for reflecting on the need for culturally disaggregated data to plan meaningful research and health improvement programs. This paper explores perspectives on defining Indigenous Peoples and reflects on challenges in identifying Indigenous Peoples. Literature reviews and Internet searches were conducted, and some key experts were consulted. Pragmatic and political definitions by international institutions, including the United Nations, are presented as well as characterizations of Indigenous Peoples by governments and academic researchers. Assertions that Indigenous Peoples have about definitions of indigeneity are often related to maintenance of cultural integrity and sustainability of lifestyles. Described here are existing definitions and interests served by defining (or leaving undefined) such definitions, why there is no unified definition and implications of "too restrictive" a definition. Selected indigenous identities and dynamics are presented for North America, the Arctic, Australia and New Zealand, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa. While health researchers need to understand the Indigenous Peoples with whom they work, ultimately, indigenous groups themselves best define how they wish to be viewed and identified for research purposes.

RISK MANAGEMENT IN LENDING INSTITUTIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BOGHEAN FLORIN

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The Romanian companies are nowadays facing process of extinction of decisions based on risk and uncertainty, as a consequence of the permanent transforming process of the economy and because of the privatization, restructuring and globalization activities. The main forms of risk are can be grouped in eight categories: economical risks, financial risks, commercial risks, manufacturing risks, political risks, social risks, juridical risks, natural risks. Through its nature the decision is referring to the future, mainly being provisional. In any decisional process developed at the company level, there are involved in the same time some economical, techniques, juridical, human and managerial variables. The economic recession generated by the chaos affecting financial systems has profoundly distressed the public, business circles and political leaders. The crisis has inexorably had negative effects on global economic growth and will have political, strategic and social consequences as well. The contents of this paper encompasses theoretical and practical aspects, quantitative and qualitative analyses, all aimed at identifying, analysing and controlling bank risks and, last but not least, at managing these risks.

Medicinal Plants in the Broad-Leaf Mixed Coniferous Forest of Tshothang Chiwog, Bhutan: Floristic Attributes, Vegetation Structure, Ethnobotany, and Socioeconomic Aspects

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Ngawang Jamba

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, located in one of the global biodiversity hotspots, is endowed with abundant floral wealth, including a wide array of medicinal plants (MPs. However, over-exploitation of these resources is widespread, and only a few studies have assessed the richness and diversity of Bhutanese forests and in particular about the MP resources. A vegetation survey was conducted in Tshothang Chiwog, south-eastern Bhutan to characterize the floristic structure of the broad-leaf mixed coniferous forests with a special focus on MPs. A questionnaire survey involving 40 farmers was also conducted to assess the ethnobotanical and socioeconomic aspects of MP extraction. A total of 157 plant species (38 trees, 19 shrubs, 85 herbs and ferns, and 15 climbers, representing 74 families and 137 genera were identified from the study area, of which 69 species (14 trees, 10 shrubs, 38 herbs and ferns, and seven climbers, belonging to 41 families and 69 genera were medicinally important. The most species-rich families of medicinal plants were: Asteraceae (eight spp., Apiaceae (four spp., Polygonaceae, Brassicaceae, Zingiberaceae, and Urticaceae (three species each. Herbaceous flora exhibited the highest diversity (Simpson diversity index, D = 0.97 and Shannon-Weiner index, H′ = 5.82, followed by trees and shrubs (D = 0.95 and 0.92 and H′ = 4.86 and 3.97, respectively. All but one herb showed abundance-to-frequency ratio (A/F ≥0.05, signifying a contagious distribution pattern (large aggregated distribution. Girth class distribution of trees followed an inverse J-shaped pattern. Results of the ethnobotanic study documented 55 MPs. MP collection, as reported by the interviewees, generally improved the socioeconomic status of the people of Tshothang Chiwog. Apart from improving the livelihood security of the local people, aspects relating to health care and culture are also important. Respondents were also concerned about the declining MP wealth

When Globalization Causes Cultural Conflict: Leadership in the Context of an Egyptian/ American School

Science.gov (United States)

Barakat, Maysaa; Brooks, Jeffrey S.

2016-01-01

There is ongoing debate about the benefits and dangers of globalization in education, yet it is not always clear how these dynamics manifest at the school level. Moreover, it is often unclear how leaders shape or respond to these dynamics in their day-to-day practice. This case highlights issues related to school culture and globalization as a…

How Important Is Private Higher Education in Europe? A Regional Analysis in Global Context

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Daniel C.

2012-01-01

The importance of private higher education (PHE) is increasingly clear globally. But does Europe fit the global generalisation? This question can be assessed with reference to two major considerations: the size of PHE and the degree of private-public difference. The growth of PHE in Europe has been delayed and limited compared to that in most of…

Boundary Spanning in Global Software Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søderberg, Anne-Marie; Romani, Laurence

imbalances of power, exacerbated in the case of an Indian vendor and a European client, need to be taken into account. The paper thus contributes with a more context sensitive understanding of inter-organizational boundary work. Taking the vendor perspective also leads to problematization of common...... of Indian IT vendor managers who are responsible for developing client relations and coordinating complex global development projects. The authors revise a framework of boundary spanning leadership practices to adapt it to an offshore outsourcing context. The empirical investigation highlights how...

Being global in public health practice and research: complementary competencies are needed.

Science.gov (United States)

Cole, Donald C; Davison, Colleen; Hanson, Lori; Jackson, Suzanne F; Page, Ashley; Lencuch, Raphael; Kakuma, Ritz

2011-01-01

Different sets of competencies in public health, global health and research have recently emerged, including the Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada (CCPHC). Within this context, we believe it is important to articulate competencies for globalhealth practitioners-educators and researchers that are in addition to those outlined in the CCPHC. In global health, we require knowledge and skills regarding: north-south power dynamics, linkages between local and global health problems, and the roles of international organizations. We must be able to work responsibly in low-resource settings, foster self-determination in a world rife with power differentials, and engage in dialogue with stakeholders globally. Skills in cross-cultural communication and the ability to critically self-reflect on one's own social location within the global context are essential. Those in global health must be committed to improving health equity through global systems changes and be willing to be mentored and to mentor others across borders. We call for dialogue on these competencies and for development of ways to assess both their demonstration in academic settings and their performance in global health practice and research.

Ad-me: Intelligent Context-Sensitive Advertising within a Mobile Tourist Guide.

OpenAIRE

Hristova, Nataliya; O'Hare, G. M. P. (Greg M. P.)

2001-01-01

The mobile commerce sector is set to witness phenomenal growth. In particular context sensitive advertising will represent a high yield revenue stream. This paper introduces the Ad-me (Advertising for the mobile e-commerce user) system which proactively delivers advertisements to users. Within the context of a mobile tourist guide advertisements are presented relative to user location and perceived needs. It uses Global Positioning System (GPS) and embraces agent-oriented design p...

An Instructional Development Model for Global Organizations: The GOaL Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Hara, Noriko; Schwen, Thomas M.

1999-01-01

Presents an instructional development model, GOaL (Global Organization Localization), for use by global organizations. Topics include gaps in language, culture, and needs; decentralized processes; collaborative efforts; predetermined content; multiple perspectives; needs negotiation; learning within context; just-in-time training; and bilingual…

Increased Global DNA Hypomethylation in Distant Metastatic and Dedifferentiated Thyroid Cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klein Hesselink, Esther N; Zafon, Carles; Villalmanzo, Núria; Iglesias, Carmela; van Hemel, Bettien M; Klein Hesselink, Mariëlle S; Montero-Conde, Cristina; Buj, Raquel; Mauricio, Dídac; Peinado, Miguel A; Puig-Domingo, Manel; Riesco-Eizaguirre, Garcilaso; Reverter, Jordi L; Robledo, Mercedes; Links, Thera P; Jordà, Mireia

Context: Global DNA hypomethylation is a major event for the development and progression of cancer, although the significance in thyroid cancer remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate its role in thyroid cancer progression and its potential as a prognostic marker. Methods: Global